YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. The Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan commented on Armenias withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union initiative made by MP Khacahtur Kokobelyan. Deputy Foreign Minister stated that Azerbaijan aims to see the withdrawal of Armenia from that Union. It is a matter of discussion to see what it will give us, what we will gain and lose. Therefore, any issue cannot be solved on foot since urged on by the enemy one made wrong action, then he pouts stating that we are withdrawing from that organization. Its the goal of our enemy, but our purpose is different, Armenpress reports, in an interview with journalists Shavarsh Kocharyan said after the Government session.
The head of Free Democrats Party, MP Khachatur Kokobelyan issued a proposal of the statement by the National Assembly entitled The process of starting to cease the membership of the Armenian Republic from the Eurasian Economic Union to the National Assembly.
The MP recalled there that during the days of the Azerbaijani aggression against the Nagorno Karabakh Republic the EAEU member states refused to participate in Eurasian intergovernmental council session being held in Yerevan, and the session was held in Moscow.
Three college students who first met while attending a Catholic high school in Florida have launched a scholarship fund to help others experience faithful Catholic education at a Newman Guide college. As we went off to different colleges, we kept in touch and found time to catch up whenever we returned []
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YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. The eighth session of the CSTO Military committee started in Yerevan. The delegations of the General Staffs of the Armed Forces of the CSTO member-states including those of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, as well as the Secretary General of the CSTO and chief of the Unified Staff visited Yerevan on April 14 to participate in that session.
During the opening session the chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia Yuri Khachaturov welcomed the guests, expressed gratitude to them for devoting their time to participate in this session despite the busy schedule. We had a meeting in Minsk not long ago. Now I will suggest to discuss the issues put on the daily agenda. Except from that, Kazakhstan made a proposal to discuss the issue of developing the media plan of the CSTO activity, Armenpress reports, Khachaturov says.
At the end of the session press conference is expected to be held.
New Delhi: The IIT fee hike announced recently will be applicable from admissions that take place from academic year 2016-17 onwards, the HRD ministry said.
In a statement issued here, the ministry said that "the revised fee would be applicable for students taking admission starting from academic year 2016-17 onwards. The students currently studying would continue to pay at the existing rates."
The government had recently decided to increase the annual fees for undergraduate courses from existing Rs 90,000 to Rs 2 lakh, a rise of 122 per cent, from the upcoming academic session.
Steep Hike in IIT Fee From Rs 90,000 to Rs 2 lakh Per Year
Fee hike not applicable to existing students
Earlier, there had been protests by students of IIT-Kharagpur, after which the HRD ministry issued the clarification saying that students who are already enrolled in undergraduate courses have been spared from the 122 per cent fee hike.
In a letter written to directors of all IITs also, HRD ministry clarified that the revised fee would be applicable from academic year 2016-17 onwards.
The order came a day after IIT-Kharagpur students protested by shouting slogans at the campus against the fee hike.
IIT Fee Hike: Complete Fee Waiver for SC/ST & Disabled Students
PTI
YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan addressed Russian Deputy PM Dmitry Rogozins statement on opinions voiced in Armenia during days of Azerbaijani aggressions regarding Russia selling weapons to Azerbaijan. Similar style cannot be typical of a state official, and I cannot use the same style, Armenpress reports Kocharyan saying after the Cabinet meeting.
In particular, Rogozin made inappropriate statements against persons who criticized the Russian side. .A horrible demagogy began there.I dont want to point out, but people didnt behave well, Rogozin said. To a reporters observation that its war, its understandable, Rogozin said: War requires equanimity, not blurred tears, especially propagandistic.
Mitsubishi Motors UK has joined the Go Ultra Low campaign, set to increase awareness of ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) among British motorists.
In the UK, the benefits of owning a ULEV include low running costs and government incentives, which is why Mitsubishi is joining the likes of Audi, VW, BMW, Nissan, Renault and Toyota in this endeavor.
Having said that, its a known fact that the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV the worlds first 44 plug-in hybrid SUV has become the UKs best selling plug-in hybrid vehicle. Which is a very good starting point to any conversation about raising awareness.
According to the SMMT (the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders), ULEV registrations in 2014 grew by more than 300%, to 14,518 cars.
More UK car-buyers are realizing the advantages of owning an ultra-low emission vehicle, and the aim of the newly-expanded Go Ultra Low consortium is to share the multiple benefits with a wider audience. Weve discovered that once people learn more about the benefits of these cars and vans, theyre keen to take action and once theyve tried them, theyre hooked. stated Go Ultra Low spokesperson Hetal Shah.
In the UK, the government currently offers up to 5,000 of the price of ULEVs as a tax benefit, while the cost of driving them is as little as 2p per mile, compared to at least 10p per mile for a typical petrol or diesel car.
The Go Ultra Low campaign is the first of its kind, as it brings together the Department for Transport, the Office for Low Emissions Vehicles, SMMT as well as a consortium of seven car manufacturers.
PHOTOS
This is not your average classic 911 race car, but then again, how average can the iconic Porsche really be?
Chassis No.300617 was originally delivered on March 1965, painted in Light Ivory with a black/grey interior with the only options fitted to it to be the Webasto gas heater and a set of Dunlop radial tires.
The car was handed over to Peter Klasen to create the project 007, which was completed in 2009. Art cars rarely show up in auctions, with Janis Joplins own psychedelic painted 356 recently sold for a hefty $1.76 million.
Under the unusual paintjob, this 911 is a fully prepped race car with a FIA HTP plus its only one of the 3,154 911s built in 1965. The 2.0-litre boxer makes 190hp with the kind help of two triple-throat Weber 40 IDS carburetors while the gearbox is a five-speed manual.
The car will be auctioned in RM Sothebys Monaco event on May 14 without reserve.
PHOTO GALLERY
One of the most anticipated animated features of 2016 will have one of the most coveted film premiere slots: the Cannes Film Festival.
The festival, which runs May 11-22, has announced that Michael Dudok de Wits The Red Turtle will premiere in its Un Certain Regard category. The project marks the feature-length debut of the 62-year-old director who has received much praise throughout the years for his short films The Monk and the Fish (1994) and Father and Daughter (2000).
Though produced in Europe, The Red Turtle was made under the auspices of Studio Ghibli. Dudok de Wit reportedly created the storyboards at Ghibli in Japan under the oversight of Isao Takahata, who is credited as the films artistic producer.
Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs premiered 23 years ago, which may not seem like such a long time ago, but in the context of Americas evolving cultural consciousness, it may as well have been 123 years ago.
The shows retrograde sensibilities (and bungling attempts to insert adult content into a childrens cartoon) are now available to revisit on Netflix, and they are the subject of a recent think-piece on Medium, written in the form of an open letter to Steven Spielberg. The writer, Charlene deGuzman, who claims to have been a fan of a show when she was younger, explains her objections:
Sexy music. A sexy figure. Sexy walking. A sexy nurse. Hellooooooo Nurse! chime Yakko and Wakko. Panting. Drooling. Tongues rolling out onto the floor. Dot walks over to their tongues and snaps them back into their mouths. Boys, she concludes with a smirk. Trigger! I said to the pile of stuffed animals next to me. I am an addict in recovery. Specifically, a sex and love addict. At my 12-step meetings we can raise our hand and say trigger if at any point we feel triggered by something someone is saying. Oh okay. Right. Okay. Yeah, that makes complete sense and is totally valid. What caught me off guard was realizing that this bit didnt consciously affect me or stand out to me when I watched it as a kid. Because it was normal to me. Thats just how the world worked. A beautiful blonde woman with big curves in a tight dress and high heels and boys making comments, literally chasing her while she runs away in distress. In front of their sister. Thats normal. Thats okay. Boys, as Dot put it. Steven, I TMI only because I want you to know that I am fully aware that this bit probably affects me more than most because of my personal experiences and trauma. I know that my reaction is just a manifestation of my stuff, and has nothing to do with you or your cartoon.
However you might feel about the shows naughty nurse character, deGuzmans criticism of Netflixs categorization of the series is on-point:
YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan received the heads of German Remondis Aqua, Tilia and Decon International companies which operate in the water supply sector, Armenpress was informed about this by the Department of Information and Public Relations of the Armenian Government.
The interlocutors discussed issues related to the possible cooperation in the water supply sector. The heads of the companies stated that they are highly interested in expanding their activities and investing their great experience in that field in Armenia.
Prime Minister Abrahamyan welcomed the initiative and mentioned that the Government of Armenia gives a great importance to the water supply sector. He emphasized that regular steps have been carried out for the improvement of water supply and drainage works in Yerevan and its districts in recent years, and he gave an importance of enhancing the efficiency of water management.
Photo: Tiero
Bail in or bail out
In my previous two MP reports, I covered several concerns related to the recent 2016 Federal Budget, and in turn have received excellent feedback, with many good questions and comments.
Citizen concerns
One question that received a large amount of interest relates to page 223 of the federal budget, detailing the Liberal Governments plan for the bank recapitalization bail in regime.
This is a frequently asked question because some citizens believe this recapitalization plan would allow banks to take money from depositors to be used for a bank bailout during a financial crises. Understandably, this has created a considerable amount of anxiety for many citizens.
Complex subject
Before plunging further into this issue, let us start by acknowledging that this is an extremely technical subject, and some simplification has been applied to summarize the issue in order to fit into this weeks report.
The obvious question is: Does this proposed bank recapitalization bail in regime allow banks to take your money during a financial crisis?
To answer this, it is important to understand what is actually being proposed, and why. One of the lessons learned during the recent economic crises is that many banks that failed (fortunately, none in Canada) were provided taxpayer financed bailouts, with little consequences to the key decision makers at the banks who were ultimately responsible for many of the high risk decisions being made.
Increasing accountability
For many taxpayers, this lack of accountability was unacceptable. In many cases, senior bank managers continued to collect extravagant bonuses, almost as a reward for engaging in risky behaviour.
We know when a major bank fails it can have devastating effects on our economy and for citizens. For this reason, many banks are considered too large and too important to fail.
How can accountability be increased in future so that risky behaviour is not rewarded by taxpayer financed bailouts?
The idea behind a formal bank recapitalization regime is that in the event of a financial crisis, major shareholders of the bank in other words those who are investors in the bank, along with major creditors who do business with the bank in question - would see their investment in the bank converted from being a bank liability into common shares, so the bank could continue to operate.
In other words, the owners of the bank, in effect being the shareholders and the major creditors, would see their investment converted into common shares until such time the bank returned to profitability.
How does this benefit taxpayers?
The simple answer is, those citizens who deal at a bank, credit union, or financial institution that did not engage in such practices are not forced to financially subsidize and reward risky behaviour and poor management that occurs elsewhere.
Further, the bank management that runs an institution into insolvency would be held to account by the shareholders and creditors of the bank in question.
What about bank depositors? Here lies the largest concern for everyday consumers who bank with a major institution but who are not shareholders or the primary creditors.
As this policy discussion and related consultation has evolved in Canada for some time, it should be noted that the stated position of the previous Government is that deposits from Canadian consumers would be excluded and protected in a Bank recapitalization regime.
Going forward
To the best of my knowledge, the current Liberal Government has not made a similar policy commitment to exclude and protect depositors from these proposed changes, however it is, in my view, reasonable to conclude that the intent would be the same, and they will do so.
As this legislation and further details are still pending on this subject, I will confirm this speculation at a future date.
For more questions, comments or concerns on this or any topic, please contact me [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: Martin Taft
Stuck in the Sahara
Steph Jeavons is 50,000 miles and two years into a round-the-world solo motorcycle ride, and has 20,000 miles and one year remaining to become the first person to ride around the world on all seven continents using a small motorbike - 250cc.
And on April 27th, she will be speaking in West Kelowna.
The first time I met Steph was in the wilds of South Africa in the birth place of Nelson Mandela, Port Elizabeth on the Eastern Cape.
Together with her sister Cora, Steph was about to ride almost 2000 kms through some of the most rugged terrain the Transkei could throw at us. Massive drops into river valleys with steep scrambles out and a multitude of river crossings lay ahead.
It was daunting even for experienced riders. I watched Steph at the beginning, I remember thinking how incredibly brave she and her sister were to tackle the journey with what appeared to be limited riding experience.
That was in 2008. In 2010, I met Steph again in Africa, this time in Morocco. I was training for the Dakar with Mick Extance. After the trip to South Africa, Steph had started an off road riding school with Mick, and was operating tours in Morocco.
Jackie and I were picked up at the airport in Fez and whisked over to the camp to meet the other riders. We were to ride over the Atlas mountains and down to the Sahara for some dune training.
It was more than notable that Steph was now extremely confident on a motorbike, and still had the same courage I saw in South Africa.
Mick's initial words to the group - no racing" - seemed to fade as quickly as the breeze that blew through the valley. He had uttered the words to a group of guys who were there to have fun.
Several days in to the trip, we arrived in the dunes. Close to the border of Algeria, we set up camp, which displeased my wife who was convinced that Al-Qaeda would be out looking for us that very night.
Mick and a small group of riders including myself traveled back along our route to a small set of dunes we had passed earlier, and decided to ride for a while, getting used to the feeling of climbing and riding in sand. Mick, as Britain's top Dakar rider, was obviously a natural. Me, less so.
Twenty minutes into the dune riding I had enough skill to almost pull it off, and enough courage to be dangerous. I was riding a Honda CRF450 and climbed a small dune quickly, and pushed over the top to see a 15 ft near vertical drop. I was going too slow to jump and too fast to stop. The front wheel dipped, and I found myself staring straight at a rocky base. I should have jumped off the foot pegs but instead, I convinced myself stupidly that I could ride it out.
The end result was a landing head first, with the whole weight of the bike between my legs.
Another rider saw the accident and looked at me with no blood left in his face. Im okay, I shouted, realizing that my shoulder felt very strange, as I raised my arm to wave.
There was a photographer in the group, so I decided I would jump on the bike and ride over to him to get a few pics taken doing some jumps. As I sat on the bike, I could hear crepitus - the sound of broken bones crunching together. I remember thinking, I can deal with that later.
After five minutes of riding, I pulled up next to Mick and told him I was heading back to camp, something was wrong.
When I arrived at camp, my wife took one look at me and asked, "What happened? Clearly, I had no blood left in my face either.
What transpired was a fractured collar bone and two broken ribs. That night we weathered a sand storm, major rain storm, avoided Al-Qaeda, and promptly got stuck in a river bed the next morning.
Mark bites the dust.
Steph was a hero, coordinating an extraction with a local village, organizing breakfast, and making sure I was comfortable when we arrived at the Berber camp the next day.
It was then that I heard about her goal to ride around the world.
This month, Steph arrived home to her birthplace, Canada, for the first time. We are fortunate that she has some time to spend here, and has offered to do a talk on April 27th. She will also be making appearances at Kelowna Honda and at MotoVida.
Her tales are much more epic than mine, and she has continued to demonstrate courage by riding solo through places like India and Iran, and sailing through the Southern Ocean to Antarctica.
For the talk, you can grab a ticket here. Come hear Steph, together with myself and Cam McQueen, as we tell our stories of some very fun adventures.
See you there.
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: Jupiter Images
As I watch my children get older, I harken back to the days of my youth and think, Am I ever glad that is over.
I remember that transitional stage of life when I went from being a kid to a young man, and all the confusion that came with it.
The biggest area of confusion revolved around members of the female persuasion.
I can remember the actual moment girls became girls in a much more significant manner.
It was near the end summer holidays going into Grade 8. I saw a girl from school who had always been a tomboy.
She was one of the best athletes in the school, and her nickname was Sam, which was an abbreviation of her last name.
I had known her since Grade 2, and never thought of her as anything more than one of the first picks when choosing a team.
But seeing her at the mall a few days before school started again, she went from being Sam to being Shelly.
Anyone standing close by may have heard a barely audible ping as my brain switched from girls are icky to helloooo ladies.
From that point on, girls took on a whole new meaning.
The problem was communicating those new-found feelings. It is no secret that young men are not the greatest communicators in the world.
Actually, many fully grown men have a hard time communicating, which might explain the never ending series of wars.
While girls could most often express their feelings verbally and with insight, guys would likely just mumble something before pushing the girl in the shoulder.
Nothing says I like you like smacking someone on the arm.
The way a young man communicated with a young girl was also dependent on the environment.
If it is winter, and if a young lad is smitten with a young lass, there is a good chance the lass is going to end up face first in the snow or clobbered by a snow ball when the young lad attempts to express his feelings.
Not possessing the words to say how he feels, the young man decides hurling a ball of compressed ice particles at the fair maiden will get the message across without the need for verbal interaction.
When he gets older, he figures out that intelligent banter is a much more effective way of getting a girls attention.
Mind you, pushing someone in a snow bank does get their attention, but usually not in a positive way.
Girls have a much different - and more civilized - approach to the opposite sex. The girl will try to engage the young man in conversation, or maybe try to help him with his school work or something, as a way of spending time with him on a meaningful and intellectual level.
For the guy, in the winter anyway, young love is expressed with projectiles of the snow variety.
In the non-winter months, other methods of communication must be devised. In elementary school, chasing a girl with a snake found in the tall grass was one way of saying, Youre kind of cool.
At that age, the young Romeo may not know why he feels this way, but for some reason he feels the need to scare a particular girl.
If a snake could not be found, then a bug, worm, or other object could be used. They just had to be scary or gross, because as every young man knows, a young girl will like you if you frighten them or make them feel nauseous.
As the young Romeos head into the teen years, snakes and other such critters are replaced by more mature forms of communication.
For example, a young man will try to impress the girls with his video-playing skills. He is sure that girls will be amazed at the ability to get Scooter to level nine without stopping even once.
He will spend hours and hours impressing his love interest, who, no doubt, will sit in absolute awe of what a big, strong man he is because he can defeat the ice dragon before it melts his suit of armour.
Guys will also try to impress the opposite sex with acts fuelled by testosterone.
In the animal world, gorillas beat their chest and jump around to show how big and strong they are, while in the human world, um, well, actually its not that different.
They may not actually thump their chests, but teenage boys will find a plethora of other ways to show how big and strong they are, and how much they like a certain girl - and none will involve words.
Photo: Ryan McVey
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: Contributed
A pre-trial conference was held today for the man accused of stabbing Caesar Rosales to death on a Kelowna transit bus last year.
Tyler Jack Newton is charged with second-degree murder in the attack that killed 55-year-old Rosales, who bled to death while taking the No. 8 bus home from work on Oct. 30, 2014.
The bus was stopped behind Dilworth Shopping Centre on Baron Road at 6:30 p.m. when Rosales was stabbed without provocation and died at the scene.
Less than 24 hours after the incident, police had Newton in custody. On Nov. 2, 2014, he was charged.
Newton's multi-week trial is scheduled to begin June 6, 2016, in front of both a judge and jury.
Newton has remained in custody since his arrest.
For past Castanet stories on this case, click here.
Photo: Jon Manchester - File photo
Confusion over where an invasive mussel inspection station will be set up is causing problems in Osoyoos.
According to David Karn with the Ministry of Environment, a recent announcement that one of the eight inspection station would be located in Penticton, and not at the border, caused concern over boats entering from the U.S. and heading either east or west away from the possible Penticton station.
There has been some confusion over the base office locations for the inspection crews and the actual location of the inspection stations, said Karn. In the case of the Penticton-based crew, the inspection station is being operated near the Osoyoos border crossing. We are not publishing the exact locations of the inspection stations as this is a compliance monitoring program.
Although the stations are considered permanent, the teams will have mobile capability and may shift locations to respond to a high risk incident.
Corrine Jackson with the Okanagan Basin Water Board said the Penticton station will also cover the area through Midway, Osoyoos and Kaleden.
The only permanent stations will be in Golden, Valemont and Dawson Creek. The Penticton station will cover the surrounding area just like the station in Cranbrook, Invermere, Nelson and the Lower Mainland.
In March the province announced a $2 million program for the 2016 boating season to set up the inspection stations, as well as to hire and train 20 additional auxiliary conservation officers as aquatic invasive species inspectors. Funding will also go to the purchase of six new mobile decontamination units, to add to the two purchased by the province last year, ensuring each station is equipped with a unit.
Karn said there shouldnt be concern over the lack of inspection stations at the border, as the Canadian Boarder Services Agency is trained to conduct inspections when a boat comes across.
On the southern border there are at least 14 border crossings and we are working in collaboration with the CBSA to cover these many crossings, explained Karn. We have worked with the CBSA to develop a standard operating procedure and provided training so that border agents can recognize high risk boats.
Jackson is pleased to hear that CBSA officials can now check boats at the border as it was something the OBWB had been calling for.
They dont have the ability to do decontamination. So, if they find invasive mussels on a boat, paddleboard, you name it, then they will call in the province and have them do a secondary inspection and decontamination as required, she said.
CBSA officials as well as federal Fisheries officers will have the ability to inspect and detain boats that transport zebra or quagga mussels.
The five mandatory inspection stations set up at key crossings along the B.C.-Alberta border will be near safe areas that can be used to pull traffic off the highway, such as CVSE weigh scales or other pullout sites, to inspect, and if necessary, decontaminate a watercraft.
However, Karn does recognize there might be an issue with boats that cross the border while the inspections stations are closed - as they are only set up 10 hours a day - or may be in another location.
No jurisdiction is operating inspection stations 24 hours a day as it is considered unsafe to do so at night, he said. Every driver of a vehicle transporting a watercraft (including kayaks, canoes and car toppers) must obey the watercraft inspection signs.
If a boat is entering B.C. outside of operational hours, it is the owners responsibility to have the vessel inspected before entering any waterways.Tickets will be issued to drivers who have not reported to watercraft inspection stations.
Jackson said the OBWB doesnt have an issue with current arrangement of the stations and is confident with CBSA officials conducting inspections.
The ability to be flexible with the stations is important. The station based in Penticton will be able to work these other roads coming into the Okanagan.
The Ministry of Environment chose the sites for the inspection stations on the basis of last years pilot program that determined the amount of traffic coming over the border and the destinations of those with watercraft.
Photo: UBCO Ben Moody, Lucia Woolgar of the Equity and Inclusion Office, Jenica Frisque, and student union VP Internal Romey Jaswal.
It will be a stairway to inclusion, getting closer to acceptance with every step.
A rainbow stairway is set to be unveiled on the UBC Okanagan Campus next week as part of an 18-month awareness-raising project. The stairway will be similar to the rainbow crosswalk in Kelowna featured on Lawrence street and Pandosy street.
Jenica Frisque, an educator at UBC Okanagans Equity and Inclusion Office says UBC believes that all people, regardless of race, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation, should be able to work and study in an inclusive environment.
These stairs will act as a symbol of UBC Okanagans continued commitment of support to all students and staff and its opposition to discrimination in any form.
Paid for by the Students Union, the stairs will be coloured using $3,000 worth of laminate.
Ben Moody, a coordinator at UBC Okanagans Pride Resource Centre, said the installation of the stairs follows the beginning of the Pride Alliance, which was started on campus earlier this year.
Canada is becoming a place where a large number of people are proud to say they support issues such as gay rights and gay marriage, but that hasnt spread everywhere, said Moody. Kelowna itself has experienced many issues, but with things such as the rainbow crosswalks downtown and our mayor participating in the pride march we are making progress.
The official opening of the stairs will take place April. 18, at 11 a.m.
Photo: Kris Hargrave
The community has rallied around a Rock Creek family who lost everything in a devastating wildfire last August.
The Winn family lost their home to the wildfire, which burned uncontained for almost a month and charred more than 4,000 hectares, along with all their belongings.
The Winns werent home when the fire hit their property, and had no chance to salvage anything from the house before it burned to the ground.
After the fire, Habitat for Humanity of southeast B.C. stepped in to help.
Thirty homes were destroyed in the fire, so Habitat had to go through the difficult task of picking a family who needed help most.
There were many families who were burned out, some had insurance, some were underinsured and some had no insurance, said executive director Bob Huff. The Winn family seemed to be the one that would most benefit from Habitat for Humanitys involvement. It was a family that had no insurance, and they had three boys still living at home, so it was a more compelling reason for us to help.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Sunday, and Huff says roughly 50 people attended.
They are such a nice family and it was great to see how much community support there is in Rock Creek for the Winns, said Kris Hargrave, co-founder of the Rock Creek-based Ponderosa Arts & Music Festival, who attended the event.
Construction of a new home began this week with the pouring of footings.
Huff says they hope to have the house finished by August.
While Habitat for Humanity has organized the build and will provide the Winn family with an interest-free, subsidized mortgage, many organizations and community members have also rallied around the build.
Theres been cash donations, theres been donations of building materials, theres been donations of services and labour, Huff said. There have been substantial donations.
The bulk of the labour is being provided by the Mennonite Disaster Service, a volunteer network of Anabaptist churches, who also helped in the 2013 High River, Alta., floods.
The organizers of the Ponderosa Arts & Music Festival held a fundraising concert last November, which raised $5,000 for the cause as well.
They brought the Winn family a small ponderosa pine to plant near their new house on Sunday.
We wanted this family to be able to thrive rather than just survive, Huff said. The cost of replacing everything as well as their home and contents would have been devastating financially for them.
A Kelowna student is one of just 10 students from across Canada heading to the United Nations to discuss international drug policies.
UBC Okanagan student Michelle Thiessen is attending the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Drugs in New York City, April 19 to 21.
The group's trip is being sponsored by Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy (CSSDP) a grassroots network of students concerned about the negative impact current drug policies have on individuals and communities.
In fact, Thiessen co-founded UBC Okanagans CSSDP chapter last year.
Since then, the student club has organized a number of drug policy-related lectures on campus and provided an opportunity for students to be trained to administer naloxone, a compound which can reverse opioid overdoses.
This training was conducted through the Outreach Urban Health Centre in downtown Kelowna.
I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to attend UNGASS, said Thiessen. Current drug policies are failing in some parts of the world drug possession offences are punishable by death. In North America, harm reduction programs like needle exchanges are still hotly contested.
Concordia University's Gonzo Nieto is the co-chair of the national board of CSSDP and says drug policies are often made for youth, but lack youth input.
In recent years we have seen a trend of greater inclusion of civil society groups in these proceedings, and were confident that supporting Canadian youths to attend this forum is an additional step in the right direction, ensuring that the youth voice is heard at these consultations, said Nieto.
UNGASS is the only meeting of the UN where all 193-member states have equal representation.
This particular meeting is occurring three years early at the request of the Guatemalan, Mexican, and Colombian governments, that have highlighted an urgent need to reform the existing drug strategies and modernize international drug treaties.
Thiessen is a fourth-year psychology honours student at the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, who will begin her masters in clinical psychology at UBC this fall.
Were hoping that this meeting will signal the start of an international approach to drugs that favours public health and harm reduction, said Thiessen. The existing strategies that have been in place for four decades have been a failure.
Photo: Contributed
Wildlife officials are urging British Columbians to report unusual bat activity in the province after a diseased bat was found near Seattle.
The Ministry of the Environment says experts are concerned that White Nose Syndrome could spread to bat species in B.C., although it has not been detected in the province yet.
The deadly fungal disease is not a threat to human health but sickens and kills bats during their winter hibernation period.
Members of the public are asked to report any strange bat movement, including bats flying during the day or finding dead or dying bats.
However, officials are warning people not to handle an ill bat with bare hands because it could carry rabies.
The public is asked to phone the B.C. Community Bat Program toll free at 1-855-922-2287 with sightings.
GYUMRI, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. Valery Permyakov, who is accused of murdering the Avetisyan family refused to testify in the courtroom. The Court decided to release the preliminary investigation testimony. As Armenpress reports, to the Courts question, whether it was Permyakov who entered the Avetisyans home on January 12, Permyakov answered yes. Asked if he was the one who killed the Avetisyans for the brigand assault, Permyakov said I refuse to answer. He also noted that he was not intimidated and he agrees to release the preliminary testimony. To attorney Eduard Aghajanyans question regarding his health condition, Permyakov answered it is normal.
According to the released first interrogation, Permyakov entered the home of the Avetisyans to drink water, to the investigators question whether he used his attached weapon, Permyakov answered yes. When he had drank the water and wanted to leave, the girl woke up, took the phone and threatened to call the police. And I, fearing that she will call, opened fire. Then everything happened spontaneously, the testimony reads. To the investigators question as to how many people he had shot, Permyakov answered Six, the little one I stabbed with a knife. To the question what intention he had, Permyakov said Nothing, it just happened on its own.
How he entered the Avetisyans home and what he took with him is also written in the first testimony. Asked if he has any remorse for what he had done, he said yes.
It was noted that during his service in Chita, Permyakov left the military unit 8 times, and the reason for leaving the Gyumri military unit was returning to Chita. He took his weapon to be able to take clothing and money, reach the border and cross it. He chose the Avetisyans home randomly. After I shot the girl, the man said something from the other room, probably in Armenian, and I shot. Another man was in the next room, he was trying to say something, I shot him, then in the 3rd room I saw that the woman laying in the bed is trying to make a call, then I saw a child in the baby crib, I shot, when I wanted to leave, I heard a childs scream and stabbed him with the bayonet knife, the testimony reads. To the investigators question why he shot those people, Permyakov said It happened spontaneously, on its own. He stabbed the child because his rifle got jammed and he didnt want anyone to stay alive after all that.
The six members of the Avetisyan family were shot and killed in Gyumri at around 6 a.m. on January 12, 2015. The only survivor was 6-month old Seryozha Avetisyan, who was transferred to a hospital with injuries caused by a cutting and piercing tool. The childs health condition became worse on January 19. After fighting for his life and undergoing several difficult surgeries for a week, six-month old Seryozha Avetisyan also died on January 19. There was severe renal insufficiency and cardiac insufficiency, and doctors werent able to save his life. Soldier of the 102nd Russian military base stationed in Gyumri, Valery Permyakov was charged with killing the members of the Avetisyan family. Russian border guards found him when he was trying to cross the Armenian-Turkish border and handed him over to the commanders of the 102nd Russian military base. Permyakov confessed his guilt. On August 12, The Russian side sentenced Permyakov to 10 years of imprisonment for desertion and illegal possession of a firearm.
Photo: The Canadian Press Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould
A proposed new federal law that imposes strict conditions on the right of Canadians to end their lives with medical assistance is a betrayal of the woman whose case was central to the Supreme Court's decision to strike down the ban on assisted death, critics say.
Kay Carter would not have qualified for an assisted death under the law proposed Thursday by the Trudeau government in response to the top court's landmark ruling, said the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, a plaintiff in the case.
The 89-year-old B.C. woman suffered "excruciating physical and psychological distress" from spinal stenosis, but was not facing imminent death, the BCCLA said.
Under the proposed new law, to be eligible for a medically assisted death, a person must be someone who is "suffering intolerably" and for whom a natural death is "reasonably foreseeable."
They must also be a consenting adult, at least 18 years old, with a serious and incurable disease, illness or disability, and be in "an advanced state of irreversible decline."
"It was not reasonably foreseeable that Kay would die a natural death from her underlying disease," said BCCLA litigation director Grace Pastine.
"We think it's shameful that the woman who was at the very heart of this litigation would be a person who would not qualify for a compassionate and peaceful death."
Carter travelled secretly to Switzerland in January 2010, where she was able to legally obtain medical help to end her life.
Her daughter, Lee Carter, who carried on her mother's fight for the legal right to an assisted death in Canada, agreed that her mother would not have qualified under the new law.
"I feel angry, I feel sad, I'm bitterly disappointed," she said in an interview.
"It's like we've gone through this for five years and for what?"
The "foreseeable death" provision shocked those who had claimed victory last year when the Supreme Court struck down the ban on assisted death as a violation of the right to life, liberty and security of the person.
"This is a way of saying (the disease must be) terminal without saying terminal," said Shanaaz Gokool, head of Dying with Dignity Canada.
That, she said, blatantly disregards the court's ruling that a new law must recognize the right to a medically assisted death for a clearly consenting adult who has a "grievous and irremediable medical condition" that "causes enduring suffering that is intolerable to the individual in the circumstances of his or her condition."
The court did not specify that the illness must be terminal or that the individual must be at death's door; it said only that the incurable condition must be intolerable to the individual. Nor did the court confine its ruling to those suffering physical illnesses.
The proposed law does not apply to those suffering only from mental illnesses, or to so-called mature minors who may otherwise meet all the criteria except for age. Nor does it allow those with competence-eroding conditions, such as dementia, to make requests in advance for medical assistance to die at a certain point in the progression of their disease.
Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said those controversial, complex issues require further study which the government under pressure to meet the court's June 6 deadline for enacting a new law didn't have time to do.
Others say those omissions, along with the foreseeable death provision, virtually guarantee the new law will be challenged and, eventually, struck down.
"It is disappointing that the Liberal government continues the former Harper government's tradition of ignoring Supreme Court decisions," said Queen's University bioethicist Udo Schuklenk, former chair of the Royal Society of Canada's expert panel on end-of-life decision making.
"This legislation would not withstand a charter challenge by a competent, not terminally ill patient who suffers an irreversible medical condition that renders their life not worth living."
A number of groups have called on the government to refer the law, once passed, to the Supreme Court to test whether it is actually in compliance with the charter of rights rather than forcing sick and dying individuals to launch their own court challenges. But Wilson-Raybould said it's "definitely too early to speculate" on that.
In any event, she maintained the proposed law is compliant with the court's ruling and respects the charter, although she and Health Minister Jane Philpott both seemed to acknowledge the inevitability of a court challenge.
"For some, medical assistance in dying will be troubling. For others, this legislation will not go far enough," said Wilson-Raybould.
"We believe that this legislation is the best approach to ensure that dying patients who are suffering unbearable pain have the choice of a peaceful death and that the vulnerable are protected."
The proposed law also flies in the face of recommendations from a special joint parliamentary committee which urged the government to take a much more permissive approach.
An angry-looking Liberal MP Rob Oliphant, who co-chaired the committee, refused to comment Thursday.
But in the House of Commons, Conservative MPs, who had strenuously objected to the committee's majority report, claimed victory.
"In the delicate issue of medical aid for dying, we note the government has agreed with the Conservatives' dissenting report, because they don't touch minors or people who suffer from mental illness," said Gerard Deltell.
"Good."
The Canadian Medical Association lauded the bill as "both thoughtful and comprehensive" and the Canadian Association for Community Living, which advocates for the disabled, expressed relief that the bill recognizes the need for "robust protections" for vulnerable people.
However, Canadian Physicians for Life said the government still hasn't done enough to avoid potential abuses or to ensure that medical practitioners are not forced to provide assistance in dying even if it violates their personal beliefs.
To obtain a medically assisted death, the bill requires a patient, or designated person, to submit a written request, which would need to be signed by two independent witnesses. Two independent physicians or authorized nurse practitioners would have to evaluate it and there would be a mandatory 15-day waiting period unless death or loss of capacity to consent was imminent.
It does not compel anyone to provide assistance in dying; nor does it require conscientious objectors to refer patients to a medical practitioner who will help them die. Philpott said the federal government will work with provinces to connect patients with doctors or nurse practitioners who are willing.
Photo: Alex Raths
The vast majority of seniors care homes in B.C. are not providing enough hours of service to their clients, as set out in guidelines by the province.
A recently released directory by the B.C Office of the Seniors Advocate on the state of care in B.C. shows fewer than 18 per cent of the 292 publicly subsidized care homes in B.C. receive adequate funding to provide the provincial guidelines of 3.36 daily direct care hours per senior.
While care homes funded by Interior Health fare slightly better than those province-wide, just under one-quarter of IH care homes provide more than the recommended guideline.
While 3.36 hours is not a requirement, it is a guideline as a starting point for planning decisions and facilities should be working toward that as an average, said Stephen May, public affairs officer with B.C. Health Services.
The direct care hours reported in the directory are not an actual average reported by each care home, but the amount of funding each care home has been provided with to provide direct care services to seniors.
These services could include things like helping with bathing, feeding or using the bathroom.
Its the first time were able to see this on a province-wide basis, said Isobel Mackenzie, B.C.s senior advocate. We were all a little surprised, so that has prompted the minister to say we need to go and review this. What will be the outcome of that review, I dont know.
Mackenzie says different care homes will require varying levels of care hours per person based on the level of need of their clients, but there is currently no standardized way of ensuring these hours are adequate.
Theres not a formula for determining how many hours a facility gets right now in any formulized way and while theres a provincial guideline, clearly its not being met, Mackenzie said.
Each facility negotiates their funding with their health authority on an individual basis, and while its possible to provide more direct care hours to clients than they are funded for, Mackenzie says theres no way to collect that information.
The B.C Office of the Seniors Advocate is an independent arm of the B.C. government.
Daryl Plecas, parliamentary secretary for seniors, is currently reviewing the direct care hours issue.
Photo: BCLC Robert Jaeger.
A Vernon senior has come forward as the winner of a $5 million Lotto 6/49 jackpot on the April 9 draw.
Robert Jaeger admitted he got only about two hours sleep the night before claiming his big prize.
Everyone has been so happy and excited for me, said Jaeger. I have really felt like the talk of the town.
As for what he plans to do with the money, the first thing will be a bash for his buddies.
Im planning on treating 20 of my closest friends to dinner of course its on me, said Jaeger.
The senior citizen plans to share some of his winnings with family and bank the rest for now.
The winning ticket was purchased at Kirbys Kiosk on Highway 6.
Jaeger's win came one day after the $50 million Lotto Max jackpot was won in Kelowna by June Bergh.
A few weeks earlier, Kelowna resident Robert Goertzen won a $21.9 million Lotto 6/49 jackpot.
Photo: Surveillance image
Police in Surrey are hoping to find the driver of a white van who may have witnessed a fatal pedestrian collision.
The collision happened April 1, about 7:30 a.m. on 192nd Street at 54th Avenue. It claimed the life of a 55-year-old woman.
RCMP have released surveillance images of the van and say the driver would have likely seen or heard the accident.
Investigators hope the driver and any passengers will come forward with any information on the crash.
The van is described as a white Ford or Chevrolet with rectangular windows on the passenger side. It was travelling west on 54th and turned right on 192nd.
Anyone with information is asked to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Photo: Contributed
Three Ontario families have launched lawsuits against a U.S.-based sperm bank and its Canadian distributor, alleging they were misled about their sperm donor's medical and social history, which included a criminal record and significant mental illness.
The families all of whom used the same donor have brought three separate suits against Georgia-based Xytex Corp and Ontario-based Outreach Health Services over the sperm of Donor 9623, who they allege was promoted as a highly educated, healthy and popular donor.
Statements of claim filed in a Newmarket, Ont., court this week allege the donor had in fact been diagnosed with schizophrenia and narcissistic personality disorder, had spent time behind bars for a residential burglary and did not have the degrees he claimed to obtain.
The documents allege Xytex failed to properly investigate the donor's education claims and his medical history, and misrepresented him to customers, including suggesting he had the IQ level of a genius.
"The claims allege Xytex continued to sell the sperm even after it knew the truth about the donor's health, his education and his criminal past," said lawyer James Fireman, who represents the three families. "This kind of specific facts scenario is pretty novel."
The donor is believed to have fathered at least 36 children, the lawsuits allege.
A lawyer for Xytex, however, said the company looks forward to "successfully defending itself" and noted that one of the families involved had already filed a similar lawsuit against the company in the U.S. which had been dismissed.
"Pursuing claims in a court of law requires actual evidence and proof. Making unfounded allegations in the court of public opinion requires no actual proof at all, but merely the word of the very lawyers and litigants who already failed in a court of law," Ted Lavender told The Canadian Press.
"Xytex is an industry leader and complies with all industry standards in how they safely and carefully help provide the gift of children to families who are otherwise unable have them without this assistance."
Outreach Health Services was not immediately available for comment.
The allegations in the lawsuits, which involve families from Port Hope, Ont., Ottawa and Haileybury, Ont., have not been proven in court.
The Port Hope couple Angela Collins and Margaret Elizabeth Hanson had filed a lawsuit against Xytex, its parent company, sperm bank employees and the donor last year.
The case was dismissed by a judge who said that while the lawsuit claimed fraud, negligence and product liability, it is "rooted in the concept of wrongful birth," which isn't recognized under Georgia law.
The couple is the only one named in the latest trio of lawsuits filed in Ontario.
Their statement of claim says the donor, James Christian Aggeles, by his own admission, lied about his mental health history and his education which included a claim about working towards a PhD in neuroscience engineering when he filled out a Xytex questionnaire, but was never questioned by anyone at Xytex.
"Instead of conducting an actual investigation into the claims made by Aggeles, Xytex promoted Donor #i9623 as one of their best donors," the document said. "Xytex promoted Aggeles as a man of high integrity who was extremely intelligent and incredibly educated."
Xytex continued to try and sell Aggeles' sperm even after his arrest history and mental illness came to light, the statement of claim alleges.
"The Xytex Corporation has admitted no wrongdoing, it has done absolutely nothing to warn affected parents that schizophrenia may develop in their children," it said.
The families are each seeking millions in damages.
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer
There was a rash of thefts in Naramata Thursday, with multiple vehicles broken into and job sites ransacked.
The Penticton RCMP say they have received eight separate reports of theft since 6:30 a.m. Thursday, including stolen ATVs, tools, a trailer and a child's bicycle.
The streets targeted by thieves include Debeck Road, Ritchie Avenue, McPhee Road, Hayman Road and Robinson Road.
"It's actually scary. I don't know what to think of it, because Naramata is supposed to be a safe community," said a Ritchie Avenue resident, whose car was tampered with.
In the aftermath of the thefts, the RCMP is asking people to be more careful with their belongings.
"I want to remind the public to secure their vehicles and outbuildings to make things a bit more difficult for thieves," said Cpl. Chris Richardson of the Penticton RCMP in a statement. "It is evident that they went to great lengths to cut locks and overcome security, however in the majority of incidents it appears to have been an easy opportunity to take valuables from an insecure location."
Police are asking for the public's help in identifying those responsible for the thefts.
Photo: Google Street View
A coroner's jury in Kamloops B.C., has concluded an inquest into the death of 18-year-old Jacob Setah by calling for better mental health services in rural communities.
The recommendation was among 15 made by jurors examining Setah's death after he escaped from a psychiatric unit and jumped from the upper floors of the parkade at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops in June 2014.
During the four day inquest, jurors heard Setah was being held under the Mental Health Act and had been transferred to Kamloops from his home in Williams Lake against the wishes of his family.
The panel urged significant changes to mental health services in rural communities and on reserves, including introduction of a youth mental health crisis response team, and better support for families of teens in care.
A Taser was eventually used when police could not talk Setah off the ledge of the parkade, but the weapon malfunctioned and the teen jumped.
A jury recommendation seeks a review of Taser use in critical incidents where someone is threatening self harm.
"Until this Inquest, the facts of the tragedy had been a mystery to the family and community," said Russell Myers Ross, Chief of the Yunesit'in Government on Stone Reserve, where Setah grew up.
Some of the feelings of anger and grief have resurfaced and there is still a need for healing," he added. "The need to support families so they can be deeply involved in their child's care is important."
Pivot Legal Society represented the Yunesit'in Government and, in a release issued by the society, lawyer Doug King said the organization was generally happy with the jury findings.
"We still believe there is fundamental lack of understanding from police in how to respond to a mental health crisis," he said,
"We continue to see an over-reliance on use of force as a means of attempting to resolve a mental health crisis, and have doubts about the adequacy of current mental health training for police responders."
Photo: Contributed
The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that two federal laws from the previous Conservative government's tough-on-crime agenda are unconstitutional.
In a 6-3 vote, the high court says a mandatory, one-year minimum sentence for a drug crime when the offender has a similar charge on the record constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, a violation of section 12 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The case came about after Joseph Ryan Lloyd was convicted in September 2014 of three counts of possessing crack, methamphetamine and heroin for the purpose of trafficking in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.
He also had a 2012 trafficking charge.
The provincial court ruled that while the appropriate sentence for Lloyd was one year, the mandatory minimum sentence constituted cruel and unusual punishment and violated the charter.
The Supreme Court also says that provisions passed in 2009 which prohibit a trial judge from giving more than one-for-one credit for pre-trial detention if a justice of the peace denies bail to the person because of a previous conviction are unconstitutional.
Photo: Facebook - Jill Hein The female orca calf, named J53.
Some good news has come from the B.C. orca world, after recent dreary reports of dead killer whales and skewed sex ratios in newborns.
A calf, born in 2015, has been identified as a female by the Centre for Whale Research.
The centre was able to identify the sex of the orca, named J53, from photos sent to them by the public.
A new female calf is a big deal for the endangered southern residents orca population, as the large majority of calves in a recent so-called orca baby boom have been male.
Only one of the eight other calves born since Dec. 30, 2014, has been female.
We are delighted to have another young female in the population, wrote the Centre for Whale Research on their website. This is great news for the southern residents.
Researchers have been concerned this skewed sex ratio could be linked to toxins in the orcas environment.
A skewed sex ratio could make reproductions difficult in the future, as female orcas only give birth roughly once every three years.
Photo: CTV
A Richmond RCMP officer has been charged with assault causing bodily harm.
Const. Daryl Morrison has been charged in the wake of an alleged assaulted on a man in the detachment cell block.
Morrison was charged following an investigation into his handling of a man on April 4, 2015, Richmond RCMP said in a press release,
They did not specify whether the alleged victim was in custody.
Morrison is also the subject of an internal Code of Conduct probe, but remains on the job.
with files from CTV Vancouver
YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. The President of the Republic of Armenia, Chairman of the CSTO Collective Security Council Serzh Sargsyan received the Secretary General of the CSTO Nikolai Bordyuzha on April 15, chief of the CSTO United Staff Anatoly Sidorov and the heads of the General Staffs of the CSTO member states delegations including those of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan who arrived in Armenia to participate in the eighth session of the CSTO Military committee.
As Armenpress was informed by the Department of Public Relations and Mass Media of the Presidential Administration of Armenia, the participants of the meeting presented to the President the issues of the daily agenda of the Military Committee session and their relevance to the strengthening of the CSTO military component. They exchanged views about the works of enhancing the efficiency of the activity of the United staff. They also discussed the issues related to the maintenance of security and stability of the Organizations collective security of the Caucasian region, in particular, they referred to the situation created as a result of Azerbaijani aggression in the Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact in recent days.
At the end of the meeting President Serzh Sargsyan and Secretary General of the CSTO Nikolai Bordyuzha had a private conversation where the Secretary General reported the Organizations ongoing steps to the President. Issues were discussed related to the chairmanship of the Republic of Armenia in the Organization.
Photo: Twitter
Self-described geek Justin Trudeau seized an opportunity with both hands Friday to deliver an impromptu lesson on quantum computing to some of the country's smartest theoretical physicists and possibly some not-so-smart reporters.
Speaking at the Perimeter Institute, where he was making a funding announcement, the prime minister said he was excited by what he had learned earlier in the day on the topic.
"When we get to the media questions later, I have to tell you: I'm really hoping people ask me how quantum computing works," Trudeau said.
A reporter from The Canadian Press, with no knowledge of the topic, obliged. Trudeau wasted little time getting to it.
"Very simply: Normal computers work by ..." he began, sparking laughter and applause from the appreciative audience.
"Don't interrupt me," he chided with a smile. "When you walk out of here, you will know more no, some of you will know far less about quantum computing."
The former teacher, who had been welcomed to the institute by renowned British physicist Stephen Hawking via recorded video, then picked up the thread with obvious relish to deliver a mini-lesson to his erudite audience.
"Normal computers work ... either there's power going through a wire or not. It's one or a zero. They're binary systems," he lectured.
"What quantum states allow for is much more complex information to be encoded into a single bit."
Like any good teacher, Trudeau then repeated the information and elaborated just in case of any misunderstandings.
"A regular computer bit is ether a one or a zero. On or off. A quantum state can be much more complex than that because, as we know, things can be both particle and waves at the same times, and the uncertainty around quantum states allows us to encode more information into a much smaller computer.
"So that's what's exciting about quantum computing," he said as the audience burst again into applause.
"Don't get me going on this or we'll be here all day. Trust me."
The prime minister then went on to answer questions about the Islamic State and the Supreme Court ruling on Metis rights among other weightier matters.
He also announced $50 million over five years for the institute.
YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. The elaboration of the draft military partnership treaty between Armenia and NKR is underway. The treaty of military cooperation is already in the stage of approval, which, I believe, will not last long, Armenpress reports Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan told about this after Cabinet meeting.
At the extraordinary National Security Council convened by the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan in relations with the military operations unleashed by Azerbaijan on the contact line, Sargsyan assigned the Foreign Ministry to start the process of signing a military partnership treaty with Artsakh.
At the meeting with the Ambassadors of OSCE member states President Sargsyan had mentioned that if the military operations continue and grow in scale, The Republic of Armenia would recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh.
Discussion
In addition to the present case report, at least five other cases of sexually transmitted Zika virus infection supported by laboratory evidence have now been reported in the published literature; all were male-to-female transmissions involving vaginal sex. All of the male travelers had symptoms consistent with Zika virus infection and could have transmitted infections to their sex partners a few days before or after as well as during the time symptoms appeared (35). In this case report, patient Bs potential exposures occurred both before and just after initial appearance of symptoms in the traveler, which is the time when blood viremia appears to be highest (i.e., as clinical signs and symptoms of infection emerge).
Transmission of Zika virus to patient B by Ae. aegypti or albopictus was unlikely based on environmental conditions. Even if these mosquito species had been present and active, the time from exposure to illness in patient B (i.e., 68 days) was shorter than the minimum estimated time required for Aedes to become infectious had a mosquito ingested a Zika virus-infected blood meal from patient A (i.e., Ae. aegypti extrinsic incubation period is a minimum estimated duration of 10 days) (6,7), and for patient B once infected to have then developed illness (i.e., 312 days).
Studies investigating seminal shedding of infection-competent Zika virus, including its incidence, pattern (e.g., intermittent shedding or a steady decay), and duration are ongoing. At the time of Patient Bs clinical presentation, there had been only one published report describing testing of semen from a man with Zika virus infection (8); studies of semen from two additional men have since been reported (9,10). Zika virus has been detected by RT-PCR and isolated in culture from the semen of two men at least 2 weeks after onset of illnesses (8,10) and possibly up to 10 weeks after illness in one of these cases (8). One report described Zika virus detectable in semen by RT-PCR 62 days after illness onset; culture was not performed (9). In two men, Zika virus was no longer detectable in their blood by RT-PCR when the semen specimens were analyzed (8,9). None of the three men provided follow-up semen specimens to determine when Zika virus was no longer detectable. Notably, all men in the five case reports and the three semen studies, as well as patient A, experienced symptomatic illness. In the report of the sexual transmission case that occurred in 2008 (1) and of the man with culturable Zika virus in semen in 2013 (8), symptoms also included hematospermia.
Identifying and characterizing cases of sexually transmitted Zika virus infection in areas experiencing intense autochthonous vector-borne Zika virus transmission is challenging. Reports of sexual transmission identified in areas where autochthonous transmission is not occurring offer unique and important opportunities to learn about this emerging mode of transmission and rapidly inform and refine interim prevention recommendations. Such cases highlight the need for clinicians to remain vigilant for and continue reporting any suspected cases of Zika virus infection to their state or local health departments, including suspected infections in symptomatic persons without travel history, but who report unprotected sexual contact with a person who has traveled to an area with active Zika virus transmission.
We cannot look at the current state of Mobile Operating Systems without looking at the past. Android, iOS, and every modern OS drew inspiration from their past counterparts. Back then, mobile phones had simpler functions and that is to help us get connected. Besides the basic functions of calling, answering phone calls, and receiving messages, at most youll just play The Snake game on the phone.
Before mobile phones took a turn to the Millenium, it mostly ran on embedded systems. An embedded system usually features a processor, input, output, and memory which is commonly seen used on portable music players and vehicles. Soon after, mobile operating systems evolved in the form of Personal Digital Assistants. What it does are far more sophisticated than the basic is by allowing mobile devices to organize emails and gain internet access. At that time, the most popular OS for PDAs was the PenPoint OS.
Then a few years later, Symbian OS emerged during the mobile blooming era of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Symbian was a cooperative effort from Nokia, Motorola, Ericsson, and PSION. That said, these three brands gains its popularity mainly during the rise of Symbian.
The 2000s also saw the rise of mobile operating systems from Microsoft and Blackberry. But, in 2007 Apple released its first iPhone, and with it is Apples iOS changed the whole landscape. The iPhone combined cell phone functionality with iPod and internet capabilities. Soon enough in 2008, Android 1.0 was launched for mobile phones and subsequently for tablets and other mobile devices.
Until now, iOS and Android remain the most favorable mobile operating systems. And though these two OS seems to be a constant rivalry, a healthy competition doesnt hurt.
YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. The issue of the Azerbaijani provocative actions has been raised at the session of the CSTO Military committee, Armenpress reports, in an interview with journalists Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces Yuri Khachaturov said this after the session of the CSTO Military committee. I have informed my partners about the situation in the contact line of Karabakh and Azerbaijan from the beginning of April. Armenian side is seriously concerned about the aggressive military actions committed by Azerbaijan. They resulted in the loss of numerous lives, including also the loss among the civilian population. There has been an exchange of opinions on this particular issue, said Yuri Khachaturov.
According to him, all issues of the daily agenda were discussed in the CSTO Military committee session. The participants stated that the issue of military threat in the area of the CSTO is complex by nature.
The issue of the military security is connected with political, economic, informational and other important sectors. Therefore, there is a need to support and refine the mechanisms of stability maintenance in the collective security states. We agreed to refine the activity of the United Staff, made concrete the functions, problems and other issues related to the Staff. We have also determined the directions of our future work, Yuri Khachaturov added.
The eighth session of the CSTO Military committee kicked off in Yerevan on April 15. The delegations of the General Staffs of the Armed Forces of the CSTO member-states including those of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, as well as the Secretary General of the CSTO and chief of the United Staff arrived in Yerevan to participate in that session. The next session will be held in Armenia in the second half of 2016.
YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic expressed concern about the state of Internet freedom in Turkey, following the blocking of the Russian news agency Sputniks website in the country, Armenpress was informed about this by the OSCE Office.
This blocking is only the latest in a series of issues that I have voiced over the years with regard to freedom of expression on the Internet in Turkey. The problems stem from several provisions of Law 5651 that have been used to block websites in the country, Mijatovic said.
Mijatovic stated that the blocking of websites is a highly disproportionate measure. It impedes on the publics right to access information on the Internet and negatively impacts media pluralism and free expression, the OSCE representative said. Mijatovic stated that currently more than 110,000 websites and thousands of news and social media related URLs are reportedly blocked from Turkey, many without judiciary oversight.
The Internet Law of Turkey remains in urgent need of reform. My Office stands ready to assist the authorities with this very important step towards increasing freedom of expression online, Mijatovic added.
On 14 April, Turkeys telecommunications authority TIB, citing technical analysis and legal consideration based on Article 8/A of Law Nr. 5651, blocked the Sputnik news website by an administrative measure. The news agency said they were not notified of the decision ahead of time.
YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. During these days of April leading up to the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and during these days of trouble in our homeland Karabakh, the Mher Mkrtchyan Theater Company of New York of Tekeyan Cultural Association (TCA) is in Armenia with the mission to express solidarity with the Armenian people and present the play Rise for the Judge by Pertch Zeytuntsyan.
As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia, on April 15, Minister of Diaspora of Armenia Hranush Hakobyan received the theater companys representative, editor of Armenian Mirror Spectator Weekly Hagop Vartivarian, editor-in-chief of Zartonk Daily Baidzig Galajian and the chairman of the theater company Harout Chatmajian.
Greeting the guests, the Minister attached importance to the ongoing determination of all Diaspora Armenian structures, organizations and individuals to place the Homeland above everything else at decisive and catastrophic moments for the Armenian people, their will and willingness to support and express solidarity with the Defense Army of Nagorno-Karabakh, proving that they have always stood and continue to stand with the Homeland. Our key objective is to ensure the safety of Armenia and Artsakh. We need to do everything possible to reinforce Armenia and the Armenian army, the Minister particularly stated.
Hagop Vartivarian stressed the following: The members of the Mher Mkrtchyan Theater Company of New York are in Armenia with high awareness and a great spirit of patriotism. They are here once again to become empowered by the native land, the homeland, Sardarapat, Tsitsernakaberd and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. They are in Armenia the homeland to renew their covenant to serve our people, culture and national heritage. They are the descendants of the immortals, that is, Vahan Tekeyan, Arshak Chopanyan and Mihran Damadian, who set the examples of real patriotism throughout their lives. Patriotism doesnt recognize an ideology, political doctrine, or sectional propaganda. We must return to stir the emotions of the Armenians of New York with renewed patriotism and with the vision of eternal Ararat.
The tour of the Mher Mkrtchyan Theater Company of New York of Tekeyan Cultural Association (TCA) is sponsored by RA Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan.
STEPANAKERT, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan convened a consultation on April 15 to discuss a number of issues related to the restoration of economic activities in the regions.
Press service of the Government of Artsakh Republic informed Armenpress about this, adding that The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of restoration of normal economic activities for rapid elimination of the consequences of Azerbaijan aggression and for further improvement of the social-economic condition of the people. Arayik Harutyunyan assigned the Minister of Agriculture and heads of regions to properly arrange the spring works. The Head of the Executive also gave assignments on fire-prevention measures for reducing possible losses during harvesting.
Of course, particularly today we are all engaged in the work of protecting the borders of the motherland, but it is already time that the Republic moves to normal life. By doing that we will be able to eliminated the consequences of the military operations within a short period and continue our path to economic development, the PM mentioned.
YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. If Russia stays away from selling arms to Azerbaijan, that gap will immediately be filled by some NATO member states. First Deputy Chairman of RF Federation Council's defense and safety committee Alexander Chekalin expressed such an opinion in an interview with journalists at the National Assembly, referring to the concerns of the Armenian side over Russian arms sales to Azerbaijan. Arm deals between states is an internationally accepted practice and it does not surprise anyone. Arm sales is more an economic than a political phenomenon. Azerbaijan buys Israeli and Ukrainian arms in addition to the Russian ones. And if Russia stays away from selling arms to that country, that gap will be immediately filled and most probably, by a NATO member state. And those weapons can be more deadly and dreadful, Armenpress reports Chekalin mentioning.
He added that man fires, but not the weapon. For that it is necessary to work with politicians and publics, and in that case neither Russian nor anyone elses weapon will fire. If you believe that that weapon will not fire if it is of European production, you are mistaken. It will fire more fiercely, Chekalin said.
In his words peace process is the only way to avoid human losses. If there is someone today that relies on military methods for solving the conflict, it can be an irreversible calamity for the region. It will be a historical mistake. This is my viewpoint. I have been in many hot spots and now I can claim that it will be so, Chekalin concluded.
Member of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Aleksey Kondratiev stated that their goal is to prevent the weapons existing in the region from being fired by the armed forces of any of the states or terrorist groups. We cannot fully remain away from weapons, as states take their armed forces for the main guarantor of their national security. But we aim to reach a point when those having aggressive intentions will refrain from using weapons, the Russian MP mentioned.
To the remark of a journalist that the RF did not force Azerbaijan to refrain from aggressive use of the weapons, Kondratiev answered, The President of the Russian Federation held talks with Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev, after which the 4-day war ended, the MP said, adding that now they work to exclude such incidents.
YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry of the Republic of Armenia will release the military documents of the downed Azerbaijani helicopters staff. Armenpress reports press secretary of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia Artsrun Hovhannisyan made a note about this on his Facebook page.
Dear journalists, we invite you to the Defense Ministry on April 16 to get acquainted with the military documents of the downed Azerbaijani helicopters staff, Hovhannisyan wrote.
YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. A statement will be issued based on the joint session of the Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs of the National Assembly of Armenia and the Russian Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security. The text of the statement will be promulgated a little later as the Russian side has asked for time to make some clarifications. The Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs Koryun Nahapetyan presented the issues discussed at the meeting, but mentioned that they reached an agreement that they will issue a joint statement a little later. The Russian side asked for time to make some clarifications over the text of the statement elaborated by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs of Armenia, and we agreed to promulgate the text only after the clarifications are made, Armenpress reports Nahapetyan saying.
In the words of Nahapetyan, the text includes all the concerns discussed at the joint session. Concrete assessments will be given, and there will be proposals in the text for taking practical steps to make military-political situation in the South Caucasus more secure, as well as for reinforcement of the security system, Koryun Nahapetyan stated.
Issues referring to regional security and bilateral relations were discussed at the session. A reference was made to the Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh, which was accompanied by large-scale military operations. The participants of the discussion highlighted the peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the resumption of the negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group, Nahapetyan stated.
Issues related to military cooperation between Armenia and Russia were touched upon.
YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. At the American initiative a telephone conversation between Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry took place on April 15. Armenpress reports citing the official website of the Russian Foreign Ministry, among other issues Kerry and Lavrov discussed the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh.
The main focus was on the settlement of the Syrian crisis. The sides also touched upon the situation in the conflict zone of Dombas.
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YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. Defense Ministry of Armenia introduced the military documents of the downed Azerbaijani helicopters staff to the military attaches of foreign countries in Armenia on April 15. Armenpress reports press secretary of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia Artsrun Hovhannisyan made a note about this on his Facebook page.
The military documents particularly provide evidences that the given helicopter still days ago moved from Baku region to the frontline with its staff and had precise targets which had to be destroyed during its sorties. In fact, this is a final proof that the Azerbaijani side had planned a large-scale military operation in advance and it was not small by scale, Hovhannisyan wrote.
These documents will be presented to journalists on April 16.
An international group of researchers including Russian scientists from the Moscow State University has been studying the behaviour of the recently-discovered Fe4O5, iron oxide. The group has succeeded in describing its complex structure, and proposed an explanation for its very unusual properties.
An international group of researchers including Russian scientists from the Moscow State University has been studying the behaviour of the recently-discovered Fe4O5, iron oxide. The group has succeeded in describing its complex structure, and proposed an explanation for its very unusual properties.
The scientists discovered that when Fe4O5 iron oxide is cooled to temperatures below 150K, it goes through an unusual phase transition related to a formation of charge-density waves -- which lead to a "four-dimensional" crystal structure. Artem Abakumov (Senior Researcher at the Chemistry Faculty of the Department of Electrochemistry at the Lomonosov Moscow State University and one of the paper's authors) said that the further study of this material would be rewarding from the viewpoint of a fundamental understanding of the interconnection between magnetic and crystal structures.
The origins of this research date back to 1939, when the German physicist E.J.W. Verwey first discovered that the iron oxide Fe 3 O 4 - commonly known as the mineral magnetite -- had a strange phase transition. Magnetite in its normal state is a relatively good electrical conductor, but when cooled below 120K its conductivity markedly decreased, and the material practically became an insulator. Scientists guessed the reason for this transformation explaining that below 120K, the iron atoms arrange themselves into a kind of ordered structure. In this structure the electrons are denied to move freely within the material and act as charge carriers, so that this oxides even becomes a ferroelectric. Even so, the scientists could not explain what exactly changes in the structure -- something which physicists have spent the last century attempting to discover. All that could be suggested was the phenomenon was related to the presence of iron atoms in two different oxidation states (valences) - 2 and 3 - and their consequent ability to form ordered structures.
The answer to this question was found only recently, in 2012 - when a group of researchers led by Prof. Paul Attfield of Cambridge University managed to synthesise high-quality magnetite single crystals and decipher their structure. Scientists showed that -- just as had been suggested earlier - a so-called change in the ordering had occurred, in which two- and three-valent iron atoms arranged themselves into groups of three, which were called trimerons.
The authors decided to look at different iron oxide, Fe 4 O 5 , which has only recently been discovered by an American research team. It's an unusual oxide that can only be formed at extremely high temperatures and pressure -- meaning that it is not to be found on the Earth's surface, and exists alongside other oxides containing even greater levels of oxygen, as is now believed, at tremendous depths of hundreds of kilometres below our planet's surface.
When examining the behaviour of this oxide - which was obtained by Sergey Ovsyannikov in the group of Dr Leonid Dubrovinsky of the University of Bayreuth in Germany, who is a specialist in the synthesis of materials at high pressure -- scientists discovered that this oxide has a phase transition phase very similar to that noted by Verwey in magnetite. It differs, however, in occurring at different temperatures, and the configuration of the structure obtained is much more complex.
"We have found that here, just as in magnetite, when cooling to lower than 150K occurs, an unusual structure evolves. It's something of a mixture between standard charge density waves forming dimers" (chains of iron atom pairs which have foreshortened interatomic distance -- Ed) Artem Abakumov commented, "and the situation with the trimerons that was observed in magnetite. This was very complicated in the case of Fe 4 O 5 -- what's known as a 'incommensurately modulated structure", in which we can't identify three-dimensional periodicity. However, the periodicity can be observed in a higher-dimensional space -- in this specific case, in the four-dimensional space. When we mention the four-dimensionality of such structures, we are not actually talking about the existence of these oxides in four dimensions, of course. This is just a technical construct for the mathematical description of such highly complex ordering."
Despite clear similarities between the behaviours of magnetite and Fe 4 O 5 , the charge-ordered structure of Fe 4 O 5 remains centro-symmetric, without exhibiting any ferroelectric properties. The special interest which scientists have in Fe 3 O 4 results from the fact that magnetite belongs to a class of materials known as multiferroics -- in which two kinds of ordering are seen at the same time, magnetic and electric. If these two different orders become coupled with each other, then the effect of the magnetic field on the material can alter its electric polarization -- or conversely, magnetisation changes being affected by electric field.
"If this happens," says Artem Abakumov, "then we get a bifunctional material. That's of interest not only from the fundamental physics viewpoint or solid-state chemistry -- but also in terms of how it could be put into practical use. It could be used in sensors - for example, in magnetic field sensors. The only drawback is that normally a coupling of a magnetic and electrical order is pretty weak, and only appears at low temperatures. Comparative analysis of the crystalline, electronic and magnetic structure of Fe4O5 and magnetite will give us a better shot at studying the relationship of the magnetic and electrical order in these kinds of materials".
YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. The Government of Armenia plans to submit the edited draft electoral code to the National Assembly on April 18. The Government's Chief of Staff Minister Davit Harutyunyan told about at the National Assembly during the discussion of the electoral code in the format 4+4+4. As we have short time limits for the adoption of the electoral code, and it has to receive three readings, we plan to submit it to the National Assembly on April 18. We cannot include all the proposals upon which we can reach a consensus in the draft, but if there are common positions we can make relevant amendments before the second reading, Armenpress reports Harutyunyan mentioning.
Harutyunyan added that based on the results of the discussions in 4+4+4 format, the authorities have analyzed the proposals of the opposition and the civil society, and made a decision to include the two important ones in the draft electoral code irrespective of whether the opposition or civil society representatives will announce in the future that there was a consensus upon them or no.
One of those proposals is the investment of electronic voting by fingerprints. This means that the fingerprint of each voter is recorded when voting. After the elections the fingerprints from the entire republic are collected and are compared through software to see if the same fingerprint has been repeated. This refers not only to the civilians participating in the elections, but also servicemen, in order to eradicate many doubts, Harutyunyan clarified.
The next proposal to be included in the draft electoral code is that on the next day after the elections, from 12:00 to 18:00, proxies of political forces and representatives of observer organizations can submit a request and obtain data on the citizens that participated in the voting in any polling station. They can submit the relevant request and on the next day, from 12:00 to 18:00, will obtain the data of which numbers of the given polling station participated in the polls. There are no limitations on the polling stations. They can submit such requests for any polling station. Harutyunyan said, adding that these two proposals will be included in the draft electoral code to be submitted to the National Assembly on April 18.
Michael Binstein, CEO of Binny's Beverage Depot, is seen April 5, 2016. Binstein had hoped to open four Binny's stores in Indiana but those plans are on hold after a change in Indiana's liquor laws. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)
Binny's Beverage Depot was poised to swoop in and open at least four stores in Indiana, where, in the words of CEO Michael Binstein, competitors are "fat, happy and lazy."
It would have been the first out-of-state expansion for Chicago's largest liquor store chain.
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But those plans are on hold indefinitely after Indiana Gov. Mike Pence last month signed laws, backed by a powerful liquor store lobby, making it much harder for out-of-state liquor retailers to come in and set up shop.
"The retailers and their lobbyists amassed at the border to keep us out," Binstein said. "Indiana's is a free lunch system, not a free enterprise system."
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Laws governing the sale and distribution of alcohol vary significantly among states. In Illinois, those seeking to open a liquor store need only have a legal presence within the state, typically by establishing a corporation.
Indiana already had a residency requirement in place for liquor store companies, but the new legislation requires owners of a controlling interest in a company to live in the state for five years.
In other words, a company can no longer set up a satellite corporation within Indiana to run liquor stores if the control and financial backing are in another state. In practical terms, that "flat-out prohibits" out-of-state liquor retailers like Binny's from entering Indiana, said Alex Intermill, an Indianapolis-based attorney hired by Binny's to establish its Indiana corporation.
Binstein and others say that's discriminatory to the economic interests of out-of-state business, and therefore, unconstitutional. Indiana state Rep. Tom Dermody, an influential state legislator on the brink of retirement, said such concerns weren't aired when the bills passed with overwhelming support.
Dermody said he supported the legislation because having a company meet the residency requirement makes it easier for the state to enforce regulations. Plus, he said, many state legislators have formed relationships with package store owners and trust them to operate responsibly.
"Fundamentally, I think it's anti-free market." Indiana state Rep. Hal Slager
"I don't think it's protecting (Indiana liquor store owners) as much as it is, hey, these guys live in our communities and they do it well," said Dermody, a Republican.
In Indiana, the state issues a limited number of liquor store permits in a given community depending on the town's population. Once the permits are issued by the state, they can be bought and sold between owners, creating a secondary market among businesses, so long as the transfers are approved by the state after a local hearing.
Binny's planned to open a 33,000-square-foot store in Schererville, a growing town in northwest Indiana that's become a bedroom community to those who work in Chicago. To do so, it planned to manage the permit of another company, Schererville-based Lincoln Highway Liquors, with an option to eventually buy the permit, Binstein said.
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That plan was approved by the local alcoholic beverage board but rejected by the state's Alcohol and Tobacco Commission for reasons not directly related to the residency issue, including Binny's plan to manage the permit at a location where Lincoln Highway had no ownership or leasehold interest. But the change in state law last month rendered the situation moot.
"Fundamentally, I think it's anti-free market," said Indiana state Rep. Hal Slager, a Republican who lives in Schererville and who voted against the legislation.
"We limit these permits and, particularly in fast-growing areas, these permits are like gold," Slager said. "To limit them to Hoosiers might make some sense to some legislators."
Patrick Tamm, president of the Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers, the trade group that lobbied for the new laws, did not return calls seeking comment. Calls to four Indiana liquor store chains 21st Amendment, Big Red Liquors, Nick's Liquors and Wise Guys Discount Liquors also went unreturned.
In a February House public policy committee meeting, Tamm called Binny's plan to manage another company's permit in Schererville an "end run" around Indiana's residency requirement and noted some examples in recent years of the state's liquor law passing constitutional muster in legal challenges. Most importantly, Tamm said, the state's Alcohol and Tobacco Commission can more easily "police" in-state liquor store owners.
"It's much more difficult and costly to police individuals who live far from Indiana," Tamm said.
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At least 12 other states have some form of residency requirement for liquor store permits, according to Heather Morton, program principal of fiscal affairs for the National Conference of State Legislatures. Some states, like Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, are more directly involved and have state-operated liquor stores.
Since the repeal of Prohibition, states have largely crafted their own laws when it comes to selling and distributing alcohol. Those laws come in all shapes and sizes. Until 2006, South Carolina bars only served mixed drinks made from mini-bottles. In Utah restaurants, bartenders have to mix drinks behind a partition some refer to as the "Zion curtain" to prevent underage diners from glimpsing the special sauce.
In Indiana, no alcohol of any sort can be purchased at a store on Sunday. Cold beer can only be purchased at liquor stores and, conversely, cold nonalcoholic beverages cannot be sold in liquor stores. As a result, many Indiana liquor stores have soda vending machines just outside.
"[States] can do pretty much whatever they want, even if it's stupid." Alex Tanford, a law professor emeritus at Indiana University's Maurer School of Law in Bloomington, explaining states' individual approach to liquor laws
When it comes to liquor laws, "states can do pretty much whatever they want, even if it's stupid," said Alex Tanford, a law professor emeritus at Indiana University's Maurer School of Law in Bloomington.
But Tanford said Indiana's bolstered residency requirement for liquor store owners was "stunningly idiotic" and unconstitutional because it restricts competition. He predicted it would not survive if challenged in court.
"States have the authority to set up any kind of system as long as it doesn't discriminate in favor of in-state businesses against similarly situated out of state businesses," Tanford said.
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Currently, Binny's has 32 stores in Illinois with plans to open four more by the end of the year, Binstein said. There are no immediate plans to expand into other Midwestern states. In some ways, what makes Indiana challenging is also what makes it appealing.
Binstein believes his business model would thrive in the Hoosier State because, as he sees it, he offers lower prices and greater selection than what's currently available.
Indiana state Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte, speaks at a 2015 hearing in Indianapolis on Sunday alcohol sales. Dermody said having liquor retailers meet the new residency requirement makes it easier for the state to enforce regulations. (Darron Cummings / AP)
A former journalist who co-wrote a syndicated column called the "Washington Merry Go Round" in the early 1990s, Binstein still possesses some rhetorical fire for taking on the establishment, though of course now it's to advance his own economic interests.
"It's so unnatural and unhealthy to have this modern-day protectionism anywhere in America, this protectionist legislation for a politically connected class of businessmen who feel privileged and entitled," Binstein said.
On whether he'll challenge the Indiana residency requirement in court: "That's a decision we'll consider and think soberly about in the coming weeks."
gtrotter@tribpub.com
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Twitter @GregTrotterTrib
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks to reporters on April 6, 2016, in Washington. Durbin has sent a letter to to Miles White, CEO of Abbott Laboratories, criticizing the separation agreement he says laid-off Abbott workers are being required to sign. (J. Scott Applewhite / AP)
Abbott Laboratories has confirmed that it's laying off about 150 workers and replacing them with contractors from a foreign company that specializes in outsourcing U.S. jobs, Sen. Dick Durbin says.
The Illinois Democrat said he sent a letter Thursday to Miles White, CEO of the Lake Bluff-based health care company, about the dismissal of the workers whose jobs are being outsourced to Wipro, an India-based information technology services firm, and the terms of their exit.
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Last month, Durbin publicly expressed unhappiness about what he then estimated were 180 layoffs, but at the time, Abbott had said only that it "recently outsourced some IT capabilities."
In his Thursday letter, Durbin acknowledged that White confirmed the layoffs of about 150 workers who will be replaced with contractors from Wipro.
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The main purpose of the senator's letter, though, was to raise a stink about the separation agreement he says the laid-off Abbott workers are being required to sign as a condition for receiving severance benefits. Durbin, whose office provided a copy of his letter to the Tribune, said the workers are being asked to "sign away their right to sue or disparage the company."
"As a result of this agreement, we are unable to hear directly from the U.S. employees whom you have terminated about their perspective on the layoffs," Durbin wrote to White, noting that White's staff refused to provide Durbin with a copy of the separation agreement.
A spokesman for Abbott said the company had no comment on Durbin's letter.
Durbin has said he heard about the planned dismissals during a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the impact of temporary visa programs, including H-1Bs, used to bring immigrants, mainly from India, for technology work. The senator's staff then spoke with some Abbott workers who confirmed the layoffs, Durbin said earlier. The Abbott employees were given 60 days' notice and were told their last day will be April 22. People who lost their jobs also were told they would have to train their replacements.
Last month, Abbott said it was "retaining the vast majority" of its U.S.-based IT jobs.
Durbin said he's particularly concerned with the agreement's "sweeping non-disparagement provision."
According to Durbin's letter, that provision reads: "You agree to make every effort to maintain and protect the reputation of Abbott and its products and agents. You further agree that you will not disparage Abbott, or its products or agents (or persons representing them in their official capacity) or engage in any activities that reasonably could be anticipated to harm Abbott's reputation, operations, or relationships with current or prospective customers, suppliers or employees."
Durbin said that language suggests former Abbott workers are not only barred from disparaging the company, but "are actually required to make an affirmative effort to protect Abbott's reputation."
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"It suggests that an employee is prohibited from objectively describing the circumstances of his or her employment and termination if such a factual recitation 'reasonably could be anticipated' to harm Abbott," Durbin wrote to White. "Abbott employees told my staff they were concerned that speaking with my office about the layoffs could place them in legal jeopardy."
The nondisparagement provision also doesn't make clear that a current or former Abbott employee can talk to government agencies regarding workplace discrimination, Durbin said.
"As I am sure you are aware, employees have a legal right to communicate with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and comparable federal, state, and local agencies," Durbin said. "Courts have made clear that an agreement purporting to waive this right is unenforceable."
byerak@tribpub.com
Twitter @beckyyerak
Diana Aviv calls herself "the new kid on the block" at Feeding America, a massive network of food banks and food pantries headquartered in Chicago. But the new CEO is facing some age-old problems: 48 million hungry Americans, many of them working at least part time, and a federal food stamp program that the anti-hunger organization says leaves millions running low before the month's end.
In March, just five months into Aviv's tenure, the nonprofit announced a partnership with Starbucks that will funnel unsold food from cafes. The plan is for Starbucks to donate 50 million meals through the program by 2021. Aviv thinks it's just the beginning of getting corporations to team up in the fight against hunger.
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Diane Aviv, CEO of Feeding America, is photographed at her downtown Chicago offices March 29, 2016. Aviv has been with the nonprofit, which recently annouced a partnership with Starbucks, for about six months. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)
But the challenge facing hungry Americans goes beyond not having enough food, Aviv said. It's getting the right kinds of food to them less trans fat and sugar, more fresh fruit and vegetables. In March, Feeding America held its first Fresh Produce Summit, where it brought together representatives from its food banks and the produce industry to brainstorm ways to give away more perishable food.
Aviv recently sat down with the Tribune. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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Q: Give us an overview of Feeding America.
A: Feeding America is the largest anti-hunger organization in the United States. It's connected 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries, soup kitchens and other programs that provide food to people who are facing hunger in America. We serve over 3.7 billion meals a year to 46 million people. Our goal is to go to 6.1 billion meals annually by 2025.
The number of people facing hunger in America is 48 million. That's more than all the people living in Australia. It's absolutely astonishing. And this is not because we don't have enough food. It is because they don't have enough food. We produce enough (in this country) to feed most of the world. The biggest challenge we have is getting that food to the people who need it before it gets disposed of, thrown away or not harvested in the first place.
Here, very poor people don't starve to death they eat themselves to death. Eating the kinds of food that has no value at all other than calories, and at some point it arrests the development of the brain, it attacks the organs in the body, and not only do those folks themselves pay dearly, but so does society.
Q: What are the efforts you're making politically?
A: We recognize that even as Americans are generous, they're more generous when there's a tax deduction attached. And at the end of last year, for the first time ever in the history of America, we got a tax deduction passed for farmers and small businesses as well. So that means farmers, instead of letting the crops lay fallow because there's no more market, we can come in and reap and glean from what's left over. The same is true for small-business people. We don't have the capacity and the infrastructure but we are thinking about how we can help them as well.
The most important action that Congress can take is to expand the food stamp program. More than 60 percent of all food stamp recipients are children, older Americans or someone who is disabled. So we're talking about elderly people who aren't going to get jobs and kids that didn't ask to be brought into the world.
We know that virtually all people run out of food stamp (benefits) within the first 21 days of the month. And we now have evidence that at the end of the month, there is a higher incidence of emergency room visits and illness in this population. So we know there's a direct correlation between what you eat and your health and well-being. Elderly people are going to get sicker and children's brains aren't going to develop.
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Q: What's the portrait of an average person that goes to a food bank in America?
A: If you take out the elderly and the children, the majority of households we serve have someone working part-time or full-time. The minimum wage doesn't pay. It's not a living wage. We know that. It's certainly not a living wage in Chicago.
The profile from our food banks are people who wish they had more resources, who wish they didn't have to come, who wish they could be independent and support themselves and their families.
Q: You recently formed a partnership with Starbucks. How did that evolve and what are your goals with that?
A: Starbucks employees said to their managers, "We don't like the fact that we're serving food to people that at the end of the day, we throw away when it's perfectly good food." And the Starbucks managers heard that. And they said, "We will find a way to make sure this food is repurposed."
That started the development of a long set of conversations with us. Why should that food go to the dumpster when it could go for a good purpose. But our food banks don't have refrigerated trucks in the gazillions to be able to be able to pick it up with the frequency that you would want it. And Starbucks said, "We will help with that."
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And so they've created a system where they will provide infrastructure dollars and incentivize our food banks to go to a whole bunch of Starbucks in an evening, and that infrastructure money will ultimately add up to enough to buy up these kinds of trucks and to hire new people. But the opportunity there is much greater. The beauty of this kind of partnership is that it allows others to see that we're capable of partnering in a way that they would need.
Q: You just held your first Fresh Produce Summit. Could you talk about the challenge with fresh food donations and what you're doing with that now?
A: It's not that food banks were ever against fresh produce. The challenge is how do you get it in time, and how do you distribute it in a way that the soup kitchens and pantries can absorb.
So this summit was an opportunity for everybody who works in the space to think about what are the techniques that have worked, looking at local examples, where they've been able to solve certain challenges that have confounded others, and to think about that.
The Feeding America network provides more than 1 billion pounds of fresh produce annually to the people that we serve. That's twice what we provided just five years ago. This is a priority to our system. We understand fundamentally that the kind of food we provide is just as important as providing food.
We estimate that there is an additional 6 billion pounds of fresh produce that we're not yet capturing. And we want to capture it all.
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sbomkamp@tribpub.com
Twitter @SamWillTravel
Dana Cree, pictured in the dining room of Publican, will return to One Off Hospitality Group as pastry chef for the Publican brand. (Sandy Noto)
Dana Cree, a two-time finalist for the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Pastry Chef award, and winner of a Chicago Tribune Dining Award in 2015, is returning to the restaurant world.
Cree, who left her post as executive pastry chef at Blackbird and Avec in August, will rejoin One Off Hospitality Group in May as executive pastry chef of The Publican brand.
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In that capacity, Cree will oversee pastry and dessert programs at The Publican, Publican Quality Meats, Publican Tavern (the soon-to-open space in O'Hare airport) and an unnamed project opening in Wicker Park.
The timing was fortuitous, Cree said; she had just parted ways with 1871 Dairy (where she had been working since September) when Matthew Rice announced his departure from The Publican.
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"I wasn't sure that's what I wanted," Cree said, "but once Paul (Kahan) said 'Publican,' my heart opened."
It's a nice fit for Cree's Hello My Name Is line of gourmet ice creams, which will return to the carryout case of Publican Quality Meats and also be available at Dove's Luncheonette, another One Off Hospitality restaurant.
Cree, currently in Los Angeles shooting photographs for her upcoming book, "Hello My Name Is Ice Cream," will return to the Publican fold at the beginning of May.
But first, Cree is off to Germany to visit a niece, with whom she shares a late-April birthday, for a "girl party."
"We're going to make a My Little Pony cake together," Cree said.
Phil Vettel is a Tribune critic.
Reporting from New York Sen. Bernie Sanders was anxious to land some tough blows during a debate against Hillary Clinton in his native Brooklyn on Thursday night as he strove for an upset victory over a front-runner whose roots in the crucial electoral state also run deep, but Hillary Clinton came to the matchup prepared.
Their intense sparring underscored the unwillingness of either candidate to yield an inch, even at a time Clinton has pulled far ahead of Sanders in convention delegates. Many seasoned strategists have declared her risk of losing to be almost nil, but Clinton nonetheless cannot afford a setback in New York, the biggest prize in the Democratic contest to date.
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A victory here, where polls have consistently shown her well ahead, would put her on a path toward cruising to the nomination, but a loss would generate a fresh round of second-guessing about her abilities as a candidate.
So the two clashed repeatedly during the debate, held at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, amplifying the heated rhetoric they had aimed at each other in the days leading up to the contest some of the most bitter of the campaign to date.
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Early in the debate, Sanders suggested he regretted saying earlier this month that Clinton was not qualified to be president, but almost immediately, he went on to question her fitness.
"I do question her judgment," Sanders said. "I question a judgment which voted for the war in Iraq, the worst foreign policy blunder in the history of this country, voted for virtually every disastrous trade agreement which cost us millions of decent-paying jobs. And I question her judgment about running super PACs, which are collecting tens of millions of dollars from special interests, including $15million from Wall Street."
Clinton hit back, once again bringing up Sanders' struggle to respond to questions about his proposals during an interview earlier this month by the editorial board of the New York Daily News. The Vermont senator had bungled his effort to explain how he would carry out his plan to break up big banks and bobbled other questions about his policy vision.
"I've been called a lot of things in my life," Clinton said of Sanders' "unqualified" comment. "That was a first."
"Talk about judgment," she said. On "even his core issue, breaking up the banks, when asked, he could not explain how that would be done, and when asked about a number of foreign policy issues, he could not answer about Afghanistan, about Israel, about counter-terrorism, except to say if he'd had some paper in front of him, maybe he could."
As Clinton has often done in the race, she used President Obama as a shield against Sanders' implications of untoward influence from campaign donors.
"Make no mistake about it: This is not just an attack on me; it's an attack on President Obama," she said, noting Obama had also benefited from a super PAC in his campaigns but had still enacted new regulations on Wall Street.
Sanders repeatedly returned to the financial help Clinton had received from the industry, scornfully suggesting that while he was drafting legislation to break up big banks in the Senate, "Secretary Clinton was busy giving speeches to Goldman Sachs for $225,000 a speech."
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Clinton sought to deflect Sanders' repeated demand that she release transcripts of such speeches by questioning why Sanders had not yet released his tax returns, something she said was a more conventional act of disclosure for presidential hopefuls.
Sanders said he would release the first of several years of tax returns Friday. Asked why he was not releasing more than one year of taxes, he turned to his wife, who was sitting in the audience.
"Jane does our taxes," he explained as his wife chuckled along from the audience. "We've been a little bit busy; you'll excuse us."
Since the Democratic candidates last debated more than a month ago in Florida, Clinton has scored victories in key states including Florida, Ohio, Missouri and Arizona, only to see Sanders begin his own winning streak, largely in rural-state caucuses but also in Wisconsin's primary on April 5.
New York, which will award 291 delegates proportionally Tuesday, offers Clinton her latest, best chance to put the nomination out of Sanders' reach if not mathematically, at least in the eyes of many Democratic voters and leaders.
Polls by several organizations show her leading the race by around 12 percentage points, buoyed by 2-1 leads from key voting blocs among the state's Democrats, particularly African Americans and Jews. Those two groups together are likely to make up more than a third of the Democratic primary electorate. The candidates engaged in several testy exchanges on issues of concern to those groups.
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Sanders, who is Jewish, stood by earlier descriptions of Israel's response to terrorism in the Gaza Strip as "disproportionate" remarks that had riled some pro-Israel advocates.
He was critical of a 2014 assault by Israel that killed and wounded thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, and said the U.S. needed to be more "evenhanded" in its approach to the conflict.
Clinton expressed regret for civilian casualties but said Israel did not "invite rockets raining down on their towns and villages," adding, "I don't know how you run a country when you are under constant threat."
Both candidates have stumbled in the state in their outreach to black voters. Clinton's deep ties with African American activists have been particularly strained at times by her support for anti-crime legislation her husband championed while in the White House, some of the provisions of which she now says were overly harsh.
Her past support for that law got more unwelcome attention when former President Clinton got into a shouting match last week with Black Lives Matters protesters in Pennsylvania, during which he defended his wife's use of the term "super predator" two decades ago in talking about some youthful criminals.
"It was a racist term, and everybody knew it was a racist term," Sanders said during the debate.
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Hillary Clinton again expressed her regret for supporting the 1994 crime law and talked of the need for "white people to recognize that there is systemic racism" in the justice system.
"I am sorry for the consequences that were unintended and have had a very unfortunate impact on people's lives," she said, referring to the 1994 anti-crime bill. "The very first speech I gave in this campaign was about what I would do to reform the criminal justice system and to end the over-mass incarceration."
Clinton embraced New York's recent decision to begin phasing in a minimum wage of $15 an hour, but, pressed by Sanders and CNN moderators, acknowledged she has only proposed a nationwide minimum wage of $12. If legislation for a national $15 wage came to her desk as president, she would sign it, she said.
Clinton was the aggressor when the conversation turned to gun control. The debate took place hours after a Connecticut judge issued a key ruling in favor of families of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting in their lawsuit against the manufacturer of a rifle used in the killings.
Sanders' opposition to holding firearms manufacturers liable, which he repeated in his interview with the Daily News editorial board, has become a political liability for the Vermonter in New York City, where Democratic voters are overwhelmingly in support of gun control. At the debate, he said of the Sandy Hook families, "They have the right to sue, and I support them and anyone else who wants the right to sue."
The Daily News skewered him and gave Clinton a fresh line of attack on an issue on which she has been pounding Sanders since early in the race. Gun control is one of the few policy areas on which Clinton has been able to position herself to the left of her socialist opponent, who represents a state where a large proportion of voters place a high value on hunting and gun ownership.
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Sanders, Clinton said, has been "largely a very reliable supporter of the NRA" while in Congress.
Both candidates can claim home-state connections: Sanders was born and raised in Brooklyn, and Clinton represented the state in the U.S. Senate, owns a home in Chappaqua and has based her campaign here.
Clinton entered the New York contest as the heavy favorite, with endorsements from leading Democrats including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and most of the state's congressional delegation. The state has a demographic profile similar to places where she has scored decisive wins a large share of black and Latino voters.
Sanders enjoys strong grass-roots support and the backing of the New York Working Families Party, a progressive force in state politics. But because only registered Democrats are eligible to vote Tuesday, some of his most ardent supporters can't cast ballots for him.
Times staff writers Cathleen Decker and Chris Megerian contributed to this report.
Follow @mikememoli and @evanhalper for more 2016 campaign news.
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Organist Ewa Kovak rehearses at St. Adalbert Roman Catholic Church in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood before the start of 10 a.m. Mass on June 26, 2016. Parishioners and supporters are holding prayer vigils and rallies to save their century-old parish from closure. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
In 1912, Jozef Pawlikowski and other Polish immigrants rolled up their sleeves to stack 185 feet of blond bricks eventually forming the iconic twin towers of St. Adalbert Roman Catholic Church.
Years later, Pawlikowski's casket passed between the polished granite Corinthian columns of the portico at 1650 W. 17th St. And over the next century, the cavernous space modeled after St. Paul's Basilica in Rome served as the site of weddings, baptisms and first communions for generations including his great-great-grandchildren.
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St. Adalbert Catholic Church in the Pilsen neighborhood will be closing its doors, the Chicago Archdiocese announced Feb. 14, 2016. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)
Those soaring towers adorned with terra cotta, balconies and copper cupolas became the gateway to Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.
Now parishioners and preservationists are going to battle for those bricks, which have become a beacon of Polish and Catholic heritage and an architectural treasure. One lifelong parishioner offered more than $1 million as long as the church remained a church. Meanwhile, preservationists are pushing to save the building regardless of whether it remains a sacred place.
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A four-hour prayer vigil and protest will take place inside and outside the church Friday night.
"We're really encouraging that these buildings, built by the faithful with pennies, nickels and dimes, serve again as goodwill outreach to the communities," said Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago. The advocacy group recently added St. Adalbert as an unusual eighth entry on its famous "Chicago 7" list of Most Endangered Buildings.
"When they're lost, so much is lost," Miller said. "The stories are lost. These buildings that are gateways and landmarks in the communities are lost."
For several years, St. Adalbert parishioners haven't been able to raise the more than $3 million it would take to repair the crumbling complex, including those towers now enveloped in scaffolding to protect passers-by from pieces of falling facade. Knowing the church could be permanently shuttered, Pawlikowski's great-grandson, Richard Olszewski, and others sounded the alarm last fall. But only a few donors stepped up and opened their wallets.
"Most people just ignored it, (saying) 'The archdiocese is going to take care of them,'" said Olszewski, who remained a volunteer and parishioner after his family left Pilsen nearly 40 years ago. "It's not. Now they know we have to do it ourselves."
The distance separating St. Adalbert and some of its longtime parishioners is one reason why the Chicago Archdiocese wants to close one of the earliest parishes built for Chicago's Polish Catholic community. Few of the parishioners occupying its sparsely populated pews still live in the neighborhood. Even fewer are Polish. And on top of the millions of dollars needed to repair the building, it would take millions more to maintain it.
The Rev. John Koziol of St. Adalbert Catholic Church and Richard Lubejko, the building fund chairman, look over the sign for the church restoration fund on Nov. 12, 1963, at 17th and Paulina streets in Chicago. (Bob Rea / Chicago Tribune)
The most profane aspect of all is when we allow these buildings to be demolished and pulverized. Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago
In a letter to parishioners read from the pulpit on a recent Sunday, Auxiliary Bishop Alberto Rojas wrote that given St. Adalbert's consistently low attendance for the past three years and population trends in Pilsen, no amount of money could solve the parish's problems.
"We must consider what it will take to fund not just the tower repairs, but also future maintenance costs and the ongoing support needed to fully resource a vital ministry at St. Adalbert," Rojas said. " It is unlikely that, whatever the investment, there would be sufficient parishioners and ongoing financial support around which to build that ministry."
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Parishioners have been told they should not deposit any donations and should arrange to return those that have been made. Olszewski said the St. Adalbert Preservation Society is trying to set up a separate nonprofit to avoid that prospect.
The fight to save St. Adalbert foreshadows the battles to come as the archdiocese prepares to shutter many more houses of worship in Cook and Lake counties by 2030 to address decaying buildings, an expected shortage of pastors and what each church offers to its community.
St. Adalbert, preservationists say, is only the beginning. It is one of 25 Chicago churches, schools and hospitals designed by Chicago native Henry Schlacks in the early 20th century. Others include St. John of God, which since has been dismantled and reassembled in northwest suburban Antioch; St. Boniface, which Cardinal Joseph Bernardin shuttered in the early 1990s, inspiring the launch of Preservation Chicago; and Shrine of Christ the King, which the archdiocese recently deeded to a religious institute after parishioners protested the prospect of its demolition after a fire.
Schlacks' greatest architectural masterpiece and labor of love, according to historians, is St. Paul Church at 2127 W. 22nd Place, where parishioners at St. Adalbert have been encouraged to go once their parish is closed.
But St. Adalbert is characteristic of Schlacks, who combined features common in European churches at the time such as Italian marble, neoclassical porches and classical stained-glass rose windows. It also includes one of the world's largest Kimball pipe organs. He was a favorite of Cardinal George Mundelein, who led the archdiocese between 1915 and 1939. Schlacks went on to found the architecture program at the University of Notre Dame.
Indeed, the potential for mass church closings in the years to come and the fate of the buildings they occupy worry architecture buffs. In addition to Preservation Chicago's list of endangered buildings, Landmarks Illinois, a statewide preservation group, included St. Adalbert on its 2016 roster of historic places in jeopardy.
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Bonnie McDonald, president and CEO of Landmarks Illinois, said she personally asked Archbishop Blase Cupich at a community dinner earlier this year to consider a comprehensive planning process for all of the buildings that ultimately might close. She pointed out that more than 40 Chicago public schools remain vacant after the wave of closings in 2013 and that's without the complications of canon law restrictions on reusing sacred space.
"Anyone can come to the table with resources that can help the archdiocese to find a reuse for these community beacons," she said. "The Catholic churches have been important community centers not only for faith but for connection in the neighborhood. They're landmarks not only for their architecture but really for the cultural history that they bring to that particular community."
The archdiocese said whenever a church building is sold, a representative from the archdiocese makes sure all of the canons that apply are addressed and agreed upon in order to make recommendations to the archbishop.
Once a church building no longer is used for Catholic worship it can be relegated to "profane, nonsordid" use, a spokeswoman said. In the archdiocese lexicon, "profane" refers to any use considered not sacred.
"Under canon law, the archdiocese can sell a church building to another entity or religious denomination for their own worship purposes but cannot sell a church building to another entity that intends to use the building for unethical or immoral use," the spokeswoman said.
But Miller of Preservation Chicago said even if the archdiocese technically owns the churches, citizens take great pride in their neighborhood landmarks regardless of whether they're Catholics. He said when the archdiocese relinquishes ownership of the buildings, it should be up to the community to decide what happens to them.
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A large stained glass dome by Louis Comfort Tiffany studio is tucked above the altar at St. Adalbert Catholic Church in the Pilsen neighborhood Nov. 8, 2015, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
A deal originally brokered by Miller between the archdiocese and the Chicago-based International Beethoven Project already fell apart because of the rules and restrictions that would have been imposed on exhibits and performances there. The Beethoven Project is a nonprofit group dedicated to the promotion of music and art culture.
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"The most profane aspect of all is when we allow these buildings to be demolished and pulverized," Miller said.
Olszewski said he suspects the building will be demolished and replaced by condominiums. But the parishioners aren't giving up "until the wrecking ball comes." At the annual St. Adalbert's Festival on April 23, parishioners plan to sing a rousing rendition of a battle hymn composed by St. Adalbert himself. St. Adalbert, a bishop of Prague in the 10th century, was killed on suspicion of being a Polish spy. April 23 is the saint's feast day.
Cynthia Romero, 57, has lived in the same block as St. Adalbert since 1986. She and her husband had been married at a civil ceremony, but later walked across the street to take part in a Catholic ceremony that made their marriage official in the eyes of God, she said. It's where her children had first communion and a grandson was baptized.
In addition to worshiping there every Sunday, occasionally attending the Polish Mass so she can learn the language and pay homage to the history of the church, she also occasionally slips into a pew to pray whenever she's stressed or troubled. She's spent a lot of time there lately, talking to the Polish saints carved in marble.
"These are the hopes and dreams of immigrants," Romero said. "You don't just knock down the those hopes and dreams."
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mbrachear@tribpub.com
Twitter @TribSeeker
An 1866 illustration of the celebration of the abolition of slavery in Washington, D.C., from Harper's Weekly (Library of Congress)
Happy about having a few more days to file your 2015 state and federal income taxes? You can thank Illinois' very own Abraham Lincoln.
First page of the District of Columbia Emancipation Act. (National Archives) OK, why the extra time and why Lincoln? It's due to a holiday observed in Washington, D.C., for actions brought about by President Lincoln.
What holiday? (Library of Congress) The District of Columbia Emancipation Act was passed by Congress and signed by Lincoln on April 16, 1862. After the Civil War ended, D.C. residents held the first Emancipation Day parade on April 19, 1866, which was covered by Harper's Weekly. Yearly celebrations continued to 1901. Emancipation Day did not become an official holiday in D.C., however, until 2005. Since April 16 falls on a Saturday this year, the holiday is observed on April 15 instead. Though a parade will take place April 16.
What did the act do? The act abolished slavery in Washington, D.C., freeing 3,100 men, women and children. The act also included some aspects that weren't part of the Emancipation Proclamation, including reimbursing those who owned slaves and offering freed slaves $100 if they wanted to voluntarily leave the U.S.
That doesn't have anything to do with the IRS. What gives? The IRS treats Emancipation Day as a federal holiday, which means the tax-filing deadline is pushed back to Monday, April 18, for most states. Since Maine and Massachusetts observe Patriots' Day on April 18, the filing deadline there is Tuesday, April 19. Tax-filing deadlines in 2007 and 2011 were also bumped back due to Emancipation Day.
Printed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln and William Seward, which is on display at the Chicago History Museum. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum) Wait, then what's the Emancipation Proclamation? The District of Columbia Emancipation Act was signed almost nine months before Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared slaves in southern states free. (Slavery wouldn't be abolished in the U.S. until the 13th Amendment was ratified Dec. 6, 1865.) There are actually two Emancipation Proclamations. The preliminary version was issued by Lincoln on Sept. 22, 1862. When the Confederacy failed to follow its demands, a final version was issued Jan. 1, 1863. A new Abraham Lincoln exhibit at the Chicago History Museum called "Lincoln's Undying Words" has two versions of the Emancipation Proclamation on display. The museum's senior curator, Olivia Mahoney, said the exhibit includes a copy that was distributed by Union soldiers to slaves in southern states and a copy signed by Lincoln and then-Secretary of State William Seward. Both documents are from the collection of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, which partnered on the project. "They are quite rare and very fragile so we are showing facsimile copies," Mahoney said in an email.
The first page of the Emancipation Proclamation. (Library of Congress) Cool. What ever happened to the original documents? The District of Columbia Emancipation Act and the Emancipation Proclamation of Jan. 1, 1863, are in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Neither is on display to the public. The Chicago History Museum had the final draft of the Emancipation Proclamation in Lincoln's handwriting, but it met an untimely end. "Lincoln gave it to the organizers of the 1863 Chicago Sanitary Fair who auctioned it off to help raise funds for wounded Union army soldiers and their families. The new owner gave it to the Chicago Historical Society for safe-keeping but it burned in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, as did most of the collection," Mahoney said.
Babu Bin Abdul Hamad, a member of the growing Rohingya refugee community in the city, holds 3-month-old Mouhmadyassin Nasir as their family prepares dinner Wednesday, April 13, 2016, at their home in the West Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. (Anthony Souffle / Chicago Tribune)
For the majority of his life, Nasir Bin Zakaria was a citizen of nowhere.
He was 14 when he was kidnapped by militants at a bazaar in west Myanmar. "Kalah," they hissed at him, a racial slur used toward Rohingya the ethnic Muslim minority residing among the country's Buddhist majority. He spent a night at the militant camp before escaping to Malaysia. He never saw his parents again.
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Now, at 45, he's among almost 1,000 Rohingya refugees who've found a new home in Chicago, the majority of whom began arriving in 2013. The local group makes up nearly a fifth of the Rohingya refugees resettled across the country since 2010, U.S. Department of State officials said.
Most of the roughly 300 Rohingya families in Chicago live in the Rogers Park and Albany Park neighborhoods. Up until now, they've had little help navigating Chicago life.
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This year, however, the Rohingya population grew large enough for the Zakat Foundation of America, an Islamic nonprofit, to sponsor opening the Rohingya Cultural Center, a West Rogers Park storefront equipped with meeting space and computers.
Laila Mouhmadsoun, whose family is part of the growing Rohingya refugee community in Chicago, goes to make dinner for her family as her daughter, Zubaidah Nasir, 5, plays with 3-month-old Mouhmadyassin Nasir on April 13, 2016, at their West Rogers Park home. (Anthony Souffle / Chicago Tribune)
The center was the brainchild of Bin Zakaria, who saw a need for a place where Rohingya refugees could do everything from study English to practice their faith. The center also provides incoming Rohingya refugees unfamiliar with American society sorely needed practical advice, such as not giving out one's Social Security number, or the proper way to answer multiple-choice questions on a driving test.
The center opened April 9 and allows Rohingya families to work on their children's English homework together and prepare for citizenship tests. It also gives families space to worship in an open setting for the first time. Prayers are held daily, and the center also offers instruction on the Quran to children and adults.
"We are safe here in the U.S. We can practice our religion," Bin Zakaria said. "The (best) way we can say 'thank you' is by becoming educated. And making sure our children are educated."
Abdul Jabbar, a refugee who came to Chicago in 2012, said the center creates an environment that helps keep the Rohingya heritage and culture alive.
"These children will start speaking English in school, so at the center, they can speak Rohingya," Jabbar said. "It's especially important for the children, to remind them of our identity and culture. To remind them the government in Burma tried to eliminate us."
In Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, the Rohingya were deprived of the most fundamental form of identity citizenship despite having lived in the country for several generations. They have been persecuted since a regime change in 1962, and conditions grew worse in 2013, when religious tensions with the Buddhist-led regime heightened and the government forced thousands of Rohingya into designated camps, said Vikram Nehru, a senior associate with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
In the camps, few Rohingya had access to education or health care. Mothers rarely left their homes, fearing their sons would be arrested or kidnapped by patrolling militants.
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Nehru estimates about 800,000 Rohingya still live in Myanmar, though accurate numbers are difficult to come by. Myanmar's official census gathers information from dozens of ethnic groups but excludes Rohingya due to their stateless status, he said.
Most of the Rohingya who have fled have left in ships carrying hundreds of refugees packed tightly together. In some instances, Rohingya have drowned when their ships sank, Nehru said. Others have been exploited by human traffickers, and sometimes killed by their captors, he said.
In November 2014, more than 16,000 Rohingya fled by boat in just two weeks, largely facilitated by military and security forces, as well as criminal smugglers and traffickers, according to the Department of State's 2014 human rights report on Myanmar. Officials estimate that since 2012, at least 100,000 Rohingya reportedly have fled Myanmar's western coast, where most Rohingya reside.
The Chicago Rohingya are hoping the community center, located on Devon Avenue, will make Chicago more attractive for Rohingya resettlement.
For the most part, however, the Rohingya and other refugee groups don't have much input on where in the United States they'll be relocated, said Helen Sweitzer, resettlement director at the Chicago agency RefugeeOne. The agency has resettled 265 Rohingya since 2010, with most arriving in 2015.
If a refugee applies for U.S. relocation overseas and mentions they have a family member in Chicago, the U.S. government will do its best to resettle them in Chicago, Sweitzer said.
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"If a big Rohingya community develops here, others from the country might move here," Sweitzer said. "But there's no real telling."
After escaping militants from the Myanmar jungles at age 14, Bin Zakaria spent nearly two decades living undocumented in Malaysia working at a construction job. He applied for U.S. citizenship and, once approved, brought along his wife, Laila Mouhmadsoun, and daughter, Zubaida, in 2013.
Bin Zakaria pitched the idea for the center to the Zakat Foundation last May, and took a monthlong leave from his job as a dishwasher at a casino in Des Plaines so he could focus on the center's development.
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To him, providing the Rohingya with a space to educate themselves was a priority. Children were being placed into middle and high schools with no previous education, and needed tutoring. The center also provides English language classes for adult Rohingya.
"If I quit my job, it doesn't matter. If I lose the center, these 1,000 people will suffer," he said.
Sisters Nur and Sajidah Omarsultan, 16 and 12, respectively, grew up in Malaysia, where they had not attended school since kindergarten. They arrived with their family in Chicago in 2011, and Sajidah now attends Clinton Elementary School on the Far North Side.
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It's still hard to make friends at times, she said, but she's overjoyed about the prospect of finishing high school, and eventually attending college something no one in her family thought possible five years ago.
"I want to be a social worker!" she said brightly, her eyes wide. "I want to help immigrant refugees. Like me."
meltagouri@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @marwaeltagouri
On Friday, April 15 from 6 to 9 pm, South Broadway Cultural Center will host Albuquerque-based The Museum of the American Military Family and Learning Center, a Vietnam War 50th Commemoration Partner, to bring a special screening of the documentary, The Stray Dog.
The screening is in honor of the upcoming 2016 Run for the Wall, a motorcycle run involving thousands of participants that travel across the U.S.A. to promote healing among ALL veterans and their families and friends, to call for an accounting of all Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action (POW/MIA), to honor the memory of those Killed in Action (KIA) from all wars, and to support our military personnel all over the world.
Returning home to the U.S. after his second tour in Vietnam, Ronnie "Stray Dog" Hall discovered what tens of thousands of Vietnam-era vets learned; they were not welcomed back with open arms, but often with hostility. His response was to do an 11-year tour in Korea, where, to his surprise, he was accepted and liked. He married, started a family and returned to the U.S. to find that life was not always smooth. Battling his demons and trying to be a good man who loves his family led to greater understanding of the forces that helped shape his life as he tries to help others.
First-time documentary director Debra Granik follows Hall through his day-to-day life as we learn what shaped him and share his joys and sorrows. The film takes a hard, firsthand look at the failings of government toward those who have fought for the United States, but it finds abundant hope in veterans like Hall and the community they have formed.
Operation Footlocker, a program of the Museum of the American Military Family that creates themed military footlockers featuring items donated by military families,is creating a very special Memorial Footlocker honoring men and women service members who have passed on. Guests are encouraged to bring mementos honoring a loved one to become a permanent part of this tribute to America's heroes.
Admission is free but donations are greatly appreciated and will be shared between MAMF and local RFTW activities.
South Broadway Cultural Center is managed by the Cultural Services Department, City of Albuquerque, Richard J. Berry, Mayor. The unique architecture and colorful design of the building's exterior is an attraction in the area. SBCC shares the facility with the South Broadway Library and collaborates with the library on a number of events and activities. There is free parking immediately adjacent to the facility.
For more information on events and activities at SBCC, visit cabq.gov/sbcc or call 311.
YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. Ira Losco (representing Malta in Eurovision 2016) visited Iveta Mukuchyan in Armenia. After meeting Iveta during the Eurovision pre-party in Moscow, Ira decided to visit Armenia to learn more about the country its people, culture and traditions, Armenpress reports, citing Public TV of Armenia.
"I had such a great time in Moscows pre-party. This is where I met Iveta. I was seeing her for the first time, but as soon as we started talking, it seemed like we knew each other for many years. She is such a nice person - openhearted and kind. To be honest, I didnt think we would get so close in such a short time. But we share a lot of personal qualities and interests, so we instantly got along.
My visit to Armenia was fascinating. I loved the country, its rich culture, ethnic cuisine, the beautiful nature and of course the people, who were very kind and hospitable. I had a wonderful time" - says Ira Losco.
During her stay in Armenia, Ira visited some of most iconic places in the country, like ancient monastery Geghard, Garni temple and the major sights of Yerevan.
"I was so excited to see Ira in Armenia. We first met each other during the pre-party in Moscow and have been good friends ever since. She's such an amazing person. Beautiful, talented, strong. I truly admire her and the work she's doing as an artist. It was so much fun to chill with Ira and share with her my country's culture and traditions" - says Iveta.
A north suburban Muslim couple said they plan to file a formal complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration after United Airlines failed to acknowledge that their family's removal from a flight last month at O'Hare International Airport amounted to discrimination.
Mohamad and Eaman Shebley, of Libertyville, said in an exclusive interview with the Tribune that the way they and their three children were treated by a flight crew went beyond poor customer service. The couple said they were humiliated when their family was ushered off a plane bound for Washington, D.C., on March 20 after seeking help with their child's booster seat.
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"Something doesn't add up to me," said Eaman Shebley, who recorded her family's encounter with a SkyWest flight crew as they prepared to take off for a spring-break trip to the nation's capital. "We weren't rude. We didn't do anything wrong. I'm in customer service. This is not normal for someone to treat someone this way. I felt singled out right from the get-go."
Earlier this month, the Council on American Islamic Relations filed a complaint with United on behalf of the family. The airline responded by offering the family reimbursement for their flights and any expenses incurred for the inconvenience. It also offered them five free round-trip tickets anywhere in the continental U.S.
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"It's insulting," Mohamad Shebley said Friday. "They tried to brush it off and said there was nothing wrong. Just a rude employee."
The removal from the flight came after the parents requested an additional harness for their youngest daughter's booster seat, which they previously had tried to check at the gate. Unable to attach a label to the seat, a United gate agent inside the airport instructed the parents to take the seat on board instead, Mohamad Shebley said.
As the family settled into seats near the back of the plane and the parents made sure their son and older daughter were buckled in, Shebley said he asked a flight attendant for a "five-point harness," as advertised on the airline's website.
According to Shebley, the flight attendant didn't help and walked away. Moments later another attendant came by and told the parents they couldn't have the booster seat. They removed the seat and stored it. The pilot then came out of the cockpit and asked the family to leave the plane.
Before disembarking, the mother, who wears an Islamic head scarf, asked the pilot if the family's removal was a "discriminatory decision." The pilot responded that it was a "safety of flight issue."
The parents then left the plane with their children so as to not further frighten them or inconvenience the other passengers for whom the flight was delayed longer than an hour.
"We are aware of the perception of Muslim-Americans. That was in the back of my mind," Shebley said. "In the front of my mind, I have my family with me, including my little children. I didn't want to traumatize them. We tried as much as possible to be in control, even though it was a completely irrational situation."
United Airlines said it stood by its original statement that the family was asked to leave the SkyWest flight, operating as United Express from Chicago, "because of concerns about their child's safety seat, which did not comply with federal safety regulations."
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The couple and their children completed their journey on a later flight where nothing was said about the booster seat. They booked their return to Chicago on a different airline. They have asked for a formal apology, corrective action for the employees involved, and reimbursement for that return flight and accommodations they had to book to adjust their travel plans.
This is not the first time United has been accused of mistreating Muslim customers. Last May, Northwestern University chaplain Tahera Ahmad was flying from Chicago to Washington, D.C., on a United flight operated by Shuttle America when a flight attendant refused to bring her an unopened can of soda. When Ahmad pointed out that another passenger had received one, the flight attendant abruptly opened the soda and told Ahmad it was so she would not use it as a weapon.
Adopting the hashtag #UnitedforTahera, thousands tweeted messages of support and calls for a boycott after Ahmad detailed the confrontation on Facebook. The controversy ended nearly a week later with an apology from United and the company's promise that the attendant would not work on United Express flights until she had undergone more training.
The airline also said employees would continue to receive annual cultural awareness training and that it would reach out to its Express partners, including SkyWest, to make sure their staff also receives regular sensitivity training.
According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations' civil rights database, about 11 cases involving denial of service or harassment on airplanes have been reported since January 2015, including the Shebleys'. Many of them are still unresolved, a spokesman said.
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As in Ahmad's case, social media have played a role in the Shebleys' incident. Eaman Shebley posted a video of the interaction with the plane's crew on Facebook, where it has been viewed over 3.7 million times and shared by more than 54,000 others.
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"Shame on you #unitedAirlines for profiling my family and me for no reason other than how we look and kicking us off the plane for 'safety flight issues' on our flight to DC for the kids spring break," she posted. "My three kids are too young to have experienced this."
The Shebleys said passengers seated around them expressed support and shared their names and numbers if they needed witnesses. All of those passengers either declined to be interviewed or couldn't be reached for comment when a CAIR spokesman tried to contact them.
Lawyers for CAIR's Chicago office said the Shebley family now is "exploring all their options," the spokesman said.
A spokeswoman for United said the airline had not yet been told the family was rejecting the company's offer and apology for poor customer service. "We'd like to hear back from them," she said.
mbrachear@tribpub.com
Twitter @TribSeeker
Cook County Board Commissioner Bridget Gainer, seen at a 2012 board meeting, wants to spend more money on youth jobs. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield.
Topspin
Declaring that "nothing stops a bullet like a job," Democratic Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer, of Chicago, has proposed an "emergency plan" to provide jobs to youth this summer.
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It's the second such plan to be proposed in the past week. County Commissioner Richard Boykin, D-Oak Park, proposed spending $45 million on youth jobs, using most of the proceeds from a proposed 4 cents-per-gallon increase in the county's gas tax to fund the program.
Gainer's proposal, by contrast, does not include a tax increase. Instead, she wants the county to defer all "spending not required for life, safety or health" and steer that money to existing groups that get kids into summer jobs programs.
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She also would reduce by one-half percent the bid calculations of potential county contractors that hire youth for more than 10 percent of their work on their projects, giving them an edge on competitors who don't match that.
Gainer, vice president of global public affairs for Aon, also would encourage chambers of commerce and businesses to tap youth labor during the summer.
"I have some connections in the business community," Gainer said. "These are my people. I know how to do this."
The plans of Boykin and Gainer were introduced Wednesday at the County Board meeting. Consideration could come next month.
County Board President Toni Preckwinkle indicated she would like to see more jobs for youth but stopped short of endorsing either proposal.
"We appreciate the interest shown by the commissioners in providing jobs for at-risk youth and young adults, a topic about which I feel strongly," Preckwinkle said in a prepared statement. "In the coming weeks, we look forward to working with the commissioners on how we might identify the needed resources to move these proposals forward." (Hal Dardick)
What's on tap
*Mayor Rahm Emanuel has public events.
*Gov. Bruce Rauner has no public events.
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What we're writing
*Kirk to skip Republican National Convention and Trump circus.
*Prosecutors: Hastert's actions represent "stunning hypocrisy."
*Illinois Senate approves reforms inspired by College of DuPage scandal.
*Police union chief criticizes task force report.
*Judge puts Mel Reynolds on electronic monitoring after scolding.
*Exec pleads guilty to kickback scheme with Chicago's parking meters.
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*AG Madigan looking into retailers' on-call shift scheduling.
*Illinois unemployment rate hits 6.5 percent.
What we're reading
*Chicago kid was 14 when he first robbed a bank.
*Accused of money laundering, Fox Lake cop's widow still seeking his pension.
*Let's hope it's more accessible than weird.
From the notebook
*The mayor's drop-by: Mayor Emanuel didn't have a public schedule Thursday, which meant reporters couldn't ask him about his police reform task force's lengthy list of recommendations to change the Chicago Police Department. On Wednesday, Emanuel had his post-City Council meeting news conference about an hour before the police task force publicly rolled out its report. And at any rate, Emanuel said he hadn't read the report or been fully briefed about it yet.
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But the mayor didn't want to totally stay out of the public eye Thursday. So his press shop put out the word that the mayor would be stopping by a rally at Cornell Square Park. That's the place of a mass shooting of 13 people that attracted national attention in September 2013. The shooting prompted Emanuel to cut short an East Coast fundraising trip and fly back to Chicago.
Would the mayor take reporters' questions? Nope. But Emanuel would be available for cameras to catch footage of him attending a peace rally the type of sympathetic images the mayor's press shop aims to get on the evening newscasts without him having to say a word or answer a single question.
The 35-minute lead time Emanuel's office gave ahead of the event also served to make it difficult for any anti-Emanuel protesters to get there in time to disrupt it. That's especially important for the mayor since it would be tough to control access to an outdoor rally.
*Dold up with first ad in IL-10: Republican North Shore Congressman Robert Dold's campaign is up with its first ad, accusing former Democratic U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider of flip-flopping on the deal to curb nuclear development in Iran.
"Brad Schneider played politics with our security. Schneider vowed to oppose the Iran nuclear deal then broke his promise just to save himself. Struggling in his primary, Schneider reversed course and now backs the deal 100 percent. Schneider survived his primary, but lost our trust," the narrator contends.
Schneider, of Deerfield, has said he had initial concerns that the deal would be difficult to enforce and could lead to further problems in the Middle East. But once the deal was put in place, he said he supported it in its entirety.
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Schneider, who defeated Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering in the March 15 Democratic primary, found some previous allies backing Rotering over his failure to endorse the nuclear deal.
It's not clear that Dold's ad will run on broadcast TV because it lacks the required candidate appearance that the Republican "approved this message." The ad does disclose it was paid for by the Dold campaign. (Rick Pearson)
*Video gambling at distilleries: A House committee advanced legislation Thursday that would add craft liquor distilleries to the list of places video gambling machines could operate.
Sponsoring Rep. Chad Hays, R-Catlin, said he was closing a loophole in current law, which allows the machines at bars, restaurants, truck stops and fraternal organizations that are licensed to serve alcohol.
"I believe it was more of an oversight than anything else that craft distilleries were not included in the definition of licensed establishments where video gaming is allowed," Hays said in a statement.
Hays said he brought the legislation at the request of the Rumshine Distilling & Bar, the first craft distillery to open in downstate Vermilion County. (Monique Garcia)
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*Vets Caucus chair: 36th Ward Ald. Gilbert Villegas, a former U.S. Marine, has been named chairman of the City Council Veteran Caucus he brought together. "The goal of the caucus is to make Chicago the best city for veterans in the world," Villegas said. (Hal Dardick)
*The Sunday Spin: On this week's show, Tribune political reporter Rick Pearson's guests are state Rep. Robert Martwick, D-Chicago; Tribune reporter Jeff Coen; Esther Corpuz, CEO of Alivio Medical Center; and Rebecca Shi, executive director of the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition. The "Sunday Spin" airs from 7 to 9 a.m. on WGN-AM 720. Listen live here.
Follow the money
*The Associated Beer Distributors, big campaign donors at the Capitol, gave $10,000 to the Illinois Republican Party.
*Track campaign contribution reports in real time with this Tribune Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ILCampaignCash
Beyond Chicago
*Presidential race, Republican side: Trump up 16 in Pennsylvania, university poll notes.
*Presidential race, Democratic side: Clinton, Sanders clash in New York debate.
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*Canadian prime minister introduces assisted suicide legislation.
*Strong fatal earthquake in Japan.
AUSTIN, Texas Defending a Texas state law banning the sale of sex toys, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz argued in a 2007 court brief that individuals have no legal right to use them, even in the privacy of their own bedrooms.
Prior to becoming a U.S. senator, Cruz was for more than five years Texas' solicitor general, arguing the state's legal positions in court. He often cites that experience to burnish his credentials as a Christian conservative.
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On the campaign trail, Cruz frequently reminds audiences that he used the job to defend capital punishment and oppose abortion, while preserving the words "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and defending a monument to the Ten Commandments on the state Capitol grounds.
But Cruz makes no mention of a decade-old case he lost his defense of Texas' sex-toy ban. The story was first reported by Mother Jones magazine.
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The law, approved in the 1970s, banned as obscene any device "useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs." The same law also declared that anyone possessing six or more such items was presumed to be promoting sex-toy usage through manufacture, sale, lending, delivery or other means.
Joanne Webb, a 43-year-old mother of three and former fifth-grade teacher, was arrested in 2003 after selling a sex toy to an undercover police officer during a gathering of adult couples similar to a Tupperware party held at a home in a Fort Worth suburb.
Though the criminal charges against Webb were eventually dropped, a collection of sex-toy companies sued in federal court to challenge the constitutionality of the state's ban.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court of Appeals later ruled that the Texas law violated 14th Amendment privacy rights. Then-Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, now the state's Republican governor, unsuccessfully appealed, asking the full appeals court to review the case.
As solicitor general Cruz co-wrote an 83-page brief arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court "has never suggested that the substantive-due-process doctrine ensures individuals' ability to stimulate their genitals in ways that are neither connected to procreation nor associated with any particular lifestyle."
Cruz campaign spokeswoman Alice Stewart sought to distance the presidential candidate from his old legal brief, noting in an email that as solicitor general, Cruz had an obligation to defend Texas' laws in court, regardless of whether he agreed with them.
"Senator Cruz personally believes that the Texas law in question was, as (Supreme Court) Justice (Clarence) Thomas said in another context, an 'uncommonly silly' law," Stewart said. "But the office was nevertheless duty-bound to defend the policy judgment of the Texas Legislature."
Cruz defended the Texas ban as "protecting public morals discouraging prurient interests in sexual gratification" and argued that in doing so the state had a vested moral interest in discouraging "autonomous sex."
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Cruz's brief also suggested that the legal sale of sexual enhancement drugs such as Viagra was different because it can't be described as a "device." Couples, even married ones, willing to use sex toys may also "believe that hiring a willing prostitute or engaging in consensual bigamy would enhance their sexual experiences," Cruz warned.
Associated Press
Shawn Bagley thought he knew what he was getting into when he was elected to become one of California's so-called superdelegates to the Democratic National Convention, and energetic debate with other activists was part of it.
What Bagley had not anticipated was being jolted out of bed by a 2 a.m. phone call from an angry Bernie Sanders supporter. The caller accused Bagley, a retired produce broker from Salinas, of stealing democracy from the citizenry.
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"Why is Bernie Sanders letting these people loose on us?" said Bagley, a Hillary Clinton backer who says he was branded corrupt, immoral and thickheaded over the course of some 200 social media posts and phone calls from Sanders fans. "He lost my vote at 2 a.m."
Sanders supporters are known to be a spirited bunch. But as their frustration mounts over their candidate's failure to significantly cut into Clinton's lead, no small number of them are lashing out in ways that are not particularly helpful to his campaign.
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There is the activist in Chicago who unleashed a movement to "harass" superdelegates backing Clinton, with an online "hit list" complete with delegate phone numbers and some home addresses. There are the online trolls who have come to be known as "Bernie bros," who attack journalists, politicians and fellow voters they perceive to be pro-Clinton with misogynistic, often vulgar attacks. There are the campaign surrogates -- some of them high-profile -- who use language the campaign finds itself having to walk back.
On Thursday, Sanders apologized for comments made by Paul Song, chairman of the progressive California group Courage Campaign, during Sanders' huge rally the night before in New York's Washington Square Park. Song railed against "corporate Democratic whores," saying the party establishment was beholden to the pharmaceutical industry. The Clinton campaign demanded Sanders disavow Song's words, which it did. Song himself also apologized, saying the comment was not directed at Clinton.
The hostility from some Sanders backers reflects a very different tone than what supporters projected a year ago at Sanders' first large rally in Vermont, a lakeside park affair that resembled a peace festival. It comes as Sanders, the underdog candidate who trails in the delegate count despite a string of electoral wins in recent weeks, has stepped up his attacks on a political system he says is rigged for Clinton and a corporate media he says wants him to lose.
His increasingly hostile tone can be a combustible mix with a group of supporters who, in many cases, are new to the mechanics of party politics, delegate lobbying and campaign messaging. As a campaign so heavily focused online, it is especially vulnerable to the Internet's darker impulses.
"People on the Internet can be jerks," said Neil Sroka, spokesman for Democracy for America, a large grass-roots advocacy group supporting Sanders. "I don't think that is news to anyone who has spent time reading comment sections in the average newspaper. When you have a strong online presence, you are going to have all the good and the bad that comes with it."
Sroka says the Sanders campaign is hardly condoning the behavior, pointing to occasions where staffers and the candidate himself have scolded supporters for inappropriate remarks.
But others complain the campaign too often looks the other way, particularly in the case of antagonism toward the superdelegates who have pledged to support Clinton at the convention in Philadelphia in July.
"These people are worried someone is going to come to their house," said Bob Mulholland, a Democratic political operative in California who supports Clinton and recently wrote an open letter to the Sanders campaign accusing it of fanning the flames of harassment. "They have been put on a 'hit list.'"
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Mulholland is talking about a database of superdelegates published online by activist Spencer Thayer, who originally called it the "Superdelegate Hitlist" and included a graphic of a donkey in cross hairs. Thayer has since toned it down, changing his site's name to "Superdelegate List."
But he makes no apologies for collecting and publishing the personal information of the delegates, many of whom are just regular people like Bagley. It's uncharted territory for Democrats. The last time the votes of superdelegates mattered in a convention was in 1980, and the technology did not exist to quickly find and broadcast the personal information of these delegates to anyone who might begrudge them.
Some Sanders supporters point out, however, that activists sympathetic to Clinton tested the waters for a similar, unsanctioned superdelegate lobbying effort on her behalf in 2008.
Even so, the Sanders campaign has struggled for months with loutish behavior online that extends beyond a few jerks. Most any woman who "has said anything critical about Bernie or positive about Hillary" on social media has been subject to Bernie bro harassment, said Laura Olin, who advised the 2012 Obama campaign on social media.
A frequent target is Joan Walsh, a national affairs correspondent for the Nation, who is supporting Clinton for president, though the magazine has endorsed Sanders. "They never stop, and you wind up on Twitter trying to convince a BernieBro that BernieBros exist -- and even as he's being Exhibit A, he's calling you a whore, $hill, sellout and on and on," she said in a direct message on Twitter.
Jill Filipovic, a freelance journalist and attorney who often writes positively about Sanders, said that when she criticizes him, she is subjected to "a mass dogpiling" of tweets "sort of treating you like you're a dumb girl. The degree to which any criticism of this candidate is met with this complete brick wall of rage -- it's like criticizing Jesus," she said. "It's truly bizarre."
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She gets attacked by Clinton supporters, too, but not on the same scale, she said. "I do think it's gotten worse as the campaign has gotten more heated," Filipovic said.
Most of the sexist slurs directed at Clinton on social media -- such as "hag," "shrill," and other words too crude to print -- have come from Donald Trump supporters, according to a study by a pair of Dutch researchers published in the Washington Post in February. But 14.7% of those slurs came from Sanders supporters, and mostly from men, according to the study.
Some women who support Sanders, though, say they've endured boorish behavior from supporters of all the presidential campaigns. They also say the term "Bernie bro" itself diminishes the legions of feminists working for Sanders, who they argue has the best agenda for women.
The term, said Sarah Leonard, a senior editor at the Nation, "implies the more progressive candidate draws his support mainly from men, and therefore his presence in the race is the force of misogyny."
Like other Sanders supporters, Leonard bristles at all the hostile behavior that has emerged. But she says she sees where it is coming from: The stakes are high for the left, with the candidate vying to be the first female president running against the candidate vying to be the first socialist president.
It "makes people on the left very protective of Bernie Sanders," Leonard said, "and they can be overly aggressive."
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Halper reported from New York and Pearce from Los Angeles.
Twitter: @evanhalper, @mattdpearce
YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. A number of Azerbaijani media resources published a statement by the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the OSCE, which refers to alleged traces of abuse discovered on the bodies of deceased Azerbaijani soldiers that were transferred to the Azerbaijani side during the exchange of April 10, with the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. As reports "Armenpress", in this connection NKR State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons considers it necessary to state the following:
"Before the start of the exchange procedure, all bodies were examined in the presence of representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross. No traces of abuse or ill-treatment were discovered or registered on the bodies of Azerbaijani soldiers.
Through its groundless accusations voiced five days after the exchange, Azerbaijan is cynically trying to mislead the international community and evade responsibility for the war crimes committed by the Azerbaijani army against civilians and soldiers of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, including numerous cases of mockery and mutilation of bodies of the deceased, previously reported by the Karabakh side."
Decades ago, when Americans imagined 2016, hopeful citizens visualized groovy innovations like widely available personal jetpacks, easily accessible moon bases and "futuristic" fashion trends that looked suspiciously like neon 1980s clothing coated with Saran Wrap. So far, 2016 has brought us none of these delightful novelties, but it has delivered a series of depressing public bathroom wars.
Three weeks ago, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed a now-infamous "bathroom bill," a law that, among other things, restricts access to public restrooms based on the sex users were assigned at birth. The bill, which was cobbled together after 12 hours in an emergency session, came as a response to a Charlotte, N.C., ordinance that declared gender identity, not biological sex, as the standard-bearer for proper bathroom entry.
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As you might have guessed, a flame war promptly ensued. PayPal, a company that happily does business in Singapore a country that literally outlaws being gay denounced North Carolina and loudly axed 400 new jobs in Charlotte. Deutsche Bank followed suit, killing its plans for 250 new jobs near Raleigh. According to The Wall Street Journal, at least 100 other companies have expressed their disdain for the bill.
In protest, gravel-voiced "hard knocks" crabby man Bruce Springsteen, apparently trying to relive his own glory days, deep-sixed an upcoming concert in Greensboro. Meanwhile, Bryan Adams, a musician who doubles as a living '80s time capsule, righteously canceled a show in Mississippi the state recently passed a similar law perhaps forgetting, due to his age, that he had recently played in gay-hostile Egypt.
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The bill, to be fair, was something of a mess. This week, McCrory issued an executive order expanding the state's equal employment policy to cover sexual orientation; he also asked the state legislature to amend a section dealing with citizens' rights to sue in state court. But the controversial bathroom section declaring that, when it comes to public facilities, biological men at birth go into the men's room, biological women at birth go into the women's remained. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least 13 other states are considering similar legislation.
Interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, McCrory seemed baffled at the bathroom backlash. "Who would've thought?" he said. "I can't believe we're talking about this." Indeed, in a world where Islamic State is expanding into Europe, ghost ships full of corpses are washing into Japan from North Korea, Hillary Clinton is proposing a $1 trillion tax increase, and people are still paying good money to see Bruce Springsteen, it seems ludicrous to obsess about bathrooms.
So why can't we just live and let live? Bathroom law opponents "are crusading against a tiny minority that poses no real threat," Jillian T. Weiss, a transgender rights lawyer and activist, wrote in Wednesday's USA Today. In a way, she's correct: Demonizing transgender people is unfair in any light. But Weiss also misses the bigger picture behind the bathroom brouhaha. It's not a fight against people. It's a fight about reality, and whether or not the government can dictate a certain version of it. Ultimately, it's a fight about freedom of thought.
America's burgeoning bathroom wars, so silly and banal on the surface, are actually quite deep: They fling together two conflicting, wildly incompatible streams of thought. On the transgender side, identity is everything. If gender is truly fluid, and yet truly knowable, then the denial of one's gender identity is a hurtful denial of one's very being or self.
This is also why the bathroom issue provides such a massive spark point: If the government agrees that trans men and women can access the bathrooms of their choice, they are officially validating the view that gender is no more than what you feel or believe it to be. They are ruling this view, in their own way, a fact and if it's a fact, can anyone really rightfully disagree?
Last week, novelist Ian McEwan learned the consequences of thought crime the hard way. "The self, like a consumer desirable, may be plucked from the shelves of a personal identity supermarket, a ready-to-wear little black number," he told an audience. "Call me old-fashioned, but I tend to think of people with penises as men."
You can probably guess what happened next and that McEwan was bullied into backtracking.
Unfortunately, the bathroom wars are likely just getting started. The Obama administration has already chosen sides. "This is a good illustration that the fight for civil rights is not over," White House press secretary Josh Earnest said of the North Carolina law. "The president, every time, is going to be on the side of equality and fairness and justice for every American."
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That sounds great, unless you're an American with traditional views on gender, your kids are in a public school, and the girls' locker room has just been declared a gender-fluid zone. Alas, my friend; you simply have the wrong thoughts. Sadly, in some cases, that's when "equality and fairness and justice" don't really apply.
RealClearPolitics
Heather Wilhelm is a writer based in Austin, Texas.
Today I did something Ive never done before sent a campaign contribution to a candidate for president. The amount? $27. You guessed it! Im for Bernie Sanders for president and I hope you are, too!
Bernies logo is, A Future to Believe In. Its no wonder so many young people rally behind him! His logo reflects his heartfelt commitments: to protect the environment; to ensure a debt-free college education for youth; to promote more equitable health and economic policies in order to lift up the less wealthy among us; and to promote world peace. Bernies record shows he will not be quick to send our youth off to die or become injured in wars that make the world less safe!
Republicans running for president dont even mention crucial issues such as climate change in their debates. They focus on poll numbers, calling each other names, belittling the appearance of each other or each others wives, building big walls.
Their solutions to problems are not thought through. Repeal Obamacare. Do they offer an alternative? No. Rip up the Iranian peace deal. Do they offer an alternative? No. One even suggested that more countries should have nuclear weapons! What are they thinking?
Bernies Democratic challenger, Hillary Clinton, is campaigning on the theme, Fighting for us. In the past, her hawkish attitudes contributed to the current situation in the Middle East a situation resulting in the loss of thousands of lives, trillions of dollars and increased acts of terrorism world-wide. As senators, while she had the same information to go on as Bernie did, she voted for the war in Iraq, while Bernie had the sound judgment to vote against it. And though she admits her vote was a mistake, Hillary has not elaborated on exactly what she learned from her mistake. Now she is proposing more interventionist strategies in relation to Syria.
The choice is clear. We the people need to elect a president whose priorities are in the right order. We need a visionary one with the wisdom and foresight to discern how best to lead us towards a more fair and peaceful way of life. Let's, for once, listen to our youth and join in their enthusiasm in support of Bernie Sanders for president!
Beth Miller
Auburn
A second man has pleaded guilty in connection to a 2015 incident during which a gun was pointed at Aurora police officers.
In an agreement with prosecutors, 23-year-old Rene Muro admitted to a single count of possession of a firearm by a gang member and was sentenced to 61/2 years in prison, prosecutors said Friday. Muro has been held in Kane County Jail on $500,000 bail since his arrest in July. He was scheduled for a June bench trial.
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Authorities have said Muro and another man, 20-year-old Erik Esparza, were spotted by undercover Aurora police officers near Pearl Street and Parker Avenue after leaving a suspicious vehicle. The two men were confronted by police as they walked between homes in the neighborhood. Prosecutors said Esparza pointed a .45-caliber handgun at one of two officers from the department's special operations group who encountered Muro and Esparza. After Esparza pulled the gun, the officer fired two shots in the pair's direction, although no one was hit, prosecutors said. Esparza and Muro, shown in court records to be documented gang members, were apprehended a short time later. Police said they found two handguns as part of their investigation.
Esparza was sentenced to nine years in prison last month after being convicted in a bench trial of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a weapon by a gang member and aggravated assault. He is being held in the Robinson Correctional Center in Robinson, with a scheduled parole date in 2020, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections.
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Dan Campana is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
Jonas Cepkauskas discusses the challenges of living with ataxia as he works to raise awareness about this rare disease, Matteson, April 6, 2016. |Allen Cunningham/ for Daily Southtown (Allen Cunningham / Daily Southtown)
Stumbling while walking.
Talking slowly and deliberately.
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Falling over when trying to put on shoes.
"It's like being permanently drunk," said Jonas Cepkauskas, a Matteson man who suffers from a rare medical condition called ataxia.
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Because there is no cure and very little hope that one will be found soon, Cepkauskas said he is doing the only thing he can do, connect with others who have the disease and educate the public about it, much the way Michael J. Fox has shed light on Parkinson's Disease and Dudley Moore opened our eyes to progressive supranuclear palsy.
"I want people to know there are conditions out there that severely affect people's daily lives," he said. "I don't know if I'm promoting understanding or compassion, I think people just need to learn to cut other people a little bit of slack."
Although he has been symptomatic for some 22 years, since he was 38, Cepkauskas said it wasn't until recently that he learned he has a rare form of ataxia, a disease that shares a name with the staggering behavior brought on by excessive alcohol.
"It's called SCA (spinocerebellar ataxia) 15, which is pretty much unheard of in this country," Cepkauskas said. "It seems to be more prevalent in Italy and Portugal."
Dr. Christopher Gomez, a University of Chicago neurologist, is Cepkauskas's physician. He established the Ataxia Center at the university (www.ataxia.uchicago.edu/).
"Ataxia just means the incoordination and imbalance due to a problem with the cerebellum or its connections," Gomez said. "That can be caused by the intrinsic disease ataxia or it can even be something that occurs to someone who's had three of four martinis."
The physical affect is the same, although the causes are very different, he said.
The degenerative disease, which does not impair judgment the way alcohol can, affects 5 or 10 per 100,000 people in the country, he said.
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There are two distinct challenges that compound research, Gomez said. The disease is rare and there are at least 50 and maybe hundreds more genetic causes of ataxia and in each of those cases, the fix or the solution, will not apply to the other forms of the disease.
"So we need 50 to hundreds of different solutions," he said.
He is currently making progress on suppressing the gene responsible for SCA type 6, one of the four most common adult dominant ataxias.
"We can turn it off in a test tube and in some mouse models pretty easily," he said. "We're trying to make sure turning it off is safe to do in humans."
The work is encouraging, he said, but still there is no timeline for when it will translate into help for humans, he added.
And even when it does, it will not help Cepkauskas because he has a different form of the disease.
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"He doesn't have a gene that needs to be turned off, he has a gene that needs to be turned on," Gomez said.
As frustrating as things are for researchers, who work with limited funds to research a disease that has so many different variations, it is even more upsetting to those struggling with the disease, he said.
"Of course it's frustrating for those with the medical condition," Gomez said. "Police pull them over when they're walking or when they're driving and say, 'Are you drunk?'"
Cepkauskas said, "I see myself on video tape. I've hear myself on audio tape. I know I walk and talk funny. But there is a reason. And that reason was not a choice. If people would walk a mile in my shoes, or just a couple of feet because the miles are long gone, they'd see that."
Cepkauskas, a St. Rita High School graduate, is a father and grandfather. He worked for years as a long distance bus and truck driver as well as a painter. He was also a guitarist in various friends-based bands.
Today, unable to do any of that, Cepkauskas is on disability.
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While his wife Mary works, he tends to his cause getting the word out about ataxia.
In addition to a website (www.fightataxia.org), he runs a support group that meets the third Sunday of odd numbered months at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. The next meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. May 15.
He's also written a book, "Life With Ataxia," available through his website. Each September, he organizes a fundraising walk, with money raised going toward research at the University of Chicago.
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Cepkauskas recently returned from Orlando, Fla., where he attended the annual conference of the National Ataxia Foundation. Because he's a former musician, he was asked to deejay a conference party.
"It was great," he said. "I think there were almost 600 people there. I got to be up onstage doing my thing. To see 200 or more drunk ataxians out on the dance floor is a sight to behold."
How can people help? Cepkauskas said, "Don't rush to judgment. We're just trying to live our lives the best we can. Some of us are so self-conscious they don't even go out. Some suffer from depression."
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Many believe playwright Eugene O'Neill died of alcoholism because it has been documented that the famous writer indulged greatly in his youth. But after his death, a Harvard doctor revealed that O'Neill succumbed to late-onset cerebellar atrophy, which is similar to ataxia.
Gomez added, "If you want to help, tell the NIH to give more money to ataxia research and try to understand anyone with ataxia. Hold the door for them, help keep them from falling, watch out for signs of choking."
dvickroy@tribpub.com
@dvickroy
First light, and I was freezing. We Chicagoans may laugh at 20 degrees, but not when sleeping outside.
Every April I go on spring break, and it was my first time camping in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park.
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It was 6:57 a.m. when I crawled, shivering, from my sleeping bag and got dressed with considerable difficulty in a tent in which you can't quite stand up. When I finally unzipped the flap and stepped outside to make a fire, I found myself face to face with a bull elk.
Well, maybe not exactly face to face, for at better than 6 feet tall at eye level, and taller than that with its huge head and antler rack, the 1,000-pound mammal with reddish-brown fir and white rump stared at a downward angle at me from where it stood adjacent to my picnic table.
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Then I noticed, all around me, the rest of the herd of 18 mostly females (they stayed long enough for me to count them), who likewise stared back, having waited without panic to see the two-legged creature emerge from the Coleman dome. My heart was pounding, and I breathed a smell like that of cattle, only more raw or gamier.
It really quite literally hit home for me that morning that we are all in this together. Campground, trees, elk, Fall River, tents, mountain grasses and a quaking senior citizen all were components of a spontaneous micro-ecosystem, all momentarily contained within a 7-acre campground, and all dependent on the same phenomenon we call "nature."
And I realized that the often-debated question of whether we should choose nature or development is, itself, somewhat of a fallacy, since human development in the long term depends on nature.
To elucidate: I discovered during my spring camping trip the many and intricate ways that the elk herd in Rocky Mountain National Park is managed. Since re-introduction in the 1950s, the elk have been counted, medicated, fed, culled, photographed, tagged, pampered and studied.
Truly, they are cared for and conserved partly for aesthetic reasons, insofar as it fosters our sense of adventure and history that "wild" elk still inhabit the West. But more important, and more to my point, is that protecting the elk is beneficial for human life.
Either not feeling threatened or simply bored by me, the animals resumed their ponderous walk through the campground, some lowering their huge heads to munch on sweet grass, a few nosing at other tents whose inhabitants were snoring, oblivious. For a moment, I thought the male was going to enter the camp shower, but he paused at the entrance and turned toward the campground gate, his hooves clicking on the asphalt as he sauntered down the hill.
To the elk, this was not a separate place. They could not read the signs or recognize man-made barriers. To them, the campground near Fall River in Rocky Mountain National Park is but is a strange punctuation mark in the midst of their mountain, stream, wood and meadow realm.
But elk thrive here because nature has been preserved for them. There are hundreds of square miles of aspen and willow trees, shrubs, fresh air and fresh water that they require for survival. In turn, the coyote, the cougar and even the bear survive because they prey on the elk. So conserving this place for the elk safeguards it for all other species, including man.
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This causes some inconvenience and may even seem to impede progress. Thus far, for example, exploration of minerals and oil has not been permitted in the Colorado parks and national forests where elk roam. Hunters have not been allowed to take cougar or bear, and they are limited to certain areas, as well as age and sex restrictions when it comes to taking the elk. Traffic throughout Rocky Mountain National Park and "elkswhere" is regulated, slowed, often even stopped to ensure safe migration of mountain sheep and elk between food meadows at varying elevations.
Yet these prohibitions and costs are not a matter of safeguarding nature at man's expense. Rather, they are for his long-term benefit.
How can that be? What does man need from Colorado's wild, colorful and diverse cocktail of nature that's more important than extracting precious minerals or more oil that can lower gas prices?
What's been learned is that what's good for the elk herd is also good for man, since they share the same environment. The Fall River that the elk drink from, for example, also provides pure water for tens of thousands of people in Colorado. The elk's feast of leaves and meadow shrubbery depends on the health of a forest that seeds the cycle of rainfall necessary for corn crops, for beef cattle and, ultimately, for human sustenance. The U.S. and Colorado tourism industry, the very economy of Estes Park, as well as that of Denver and neighboring towns, profit from the presence of the elk, who depend on preservation of their ancient grazing grounds.
Saving the elk and its habitat was determined to have been the right choice for man, when weighed against the exploitation and inevitably permanent alteration of the mountain, water and forest resources.
The lesson I learned is that conservation is not just for tree huggers and animal lovers. It's for the good of all of us.
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Former Oak Forest resident David McGrath is emeritus English professor at the College of DuPage and author of the novel "Siege at Ojibwa." He can be emailed at mcgrathd@dupage.edu.
Wood frogs were documented in Lake County in 2015 for the first time in more than 20 years following a reintroduction program hosted by the Lake County Forest Preserves and Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo. (Courtesy of Lake County Forest Preserves)
The smooth green snake, wood frog and meadow jumping mouse have all seen population gains in Lake County Forest Preserves in part because of a unique program with Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo.
Since 2010, the zoo's Urban Wildlife Institute has been working with the forest preserve to breed these rare animals in captivity, then re-introduce them into restored habitats and monitor their success.
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"One of the major reasons we are doing this is as part of the forest preserve's 100-year plan, where we don't want to let any species go extinct in the county," said Gary Glowacki, a wildlife biologist with the forest preserve. "We're going to have a better understanding of how to do that efficiently that's the goal. We're creating a model to do this, step by step, that would not only apply to Lake County but could be used as a model in the region."
The zoo programs have already re-introduced 68 smooth green snakes to native Illinois habitats in Lake and McHenry counties, said Urban Wildlife Institute Director Seth Magle. The institute has also helped re-introduce 60 ornate box turtles to the western Illinois prairies and numerous meadow jumping mice in parts of the state.
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"This project is incredibly unique in that it re-introduces often-overlooked species in restored habitats near urban areas," Magle said. "As our planet rapidly urbanizes, it is absolutely critical for conservation that we find a way to conserve rare species in and near our cities."
Glowacki said more smooth green snakes may be released this year, but right now the focus of the zoo's field technicians is to document existing populations. The monitoring process includes counting specimens, some of which were released with tracking implants or collars.
"We know they survive, but we don't know how much area they are occupying," said Glowacki, who added that the batteries in tracking collars often don't last long.
Glowacki said predators and a lack of habitat are hurdles is restoring populations. He said the animals are often given "a soft landing" to acclimate, such as putting a cage around snakes to protect them from predators.
"Anecdotally we do see some progress and positive signs. ... There's a danger in claiming success or failure in just a few years because we are looking for long-term recovery. A big early success was the wood frogs breeding and expanding their territory, but the verdict is still out as to what will transpire over the years."
Glowacki said the frogs could do especially well after re-introduction because they lay thousands of eggs.
"The smooth green snake only lays a couple of eggs. It's going to take a lot more time," Glowacki said.
This week, the forest preserve commissioners approved spending $89,000 on the project, of which the Forest Preserve Foundation will contribute $45,000, Lincoln Park Zoo will contribute $31,000 in personnel and costs, and an Illinois State Wildlife grant will add $13,000.
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Forest preserve documents indicate the multiyear project has primarily been funded by $244,000 in grants.
fabderholden@tribpub.com
Twitter @abderholden
Nobody ever compared his speed to that of a bullet, or his power to that of a locomotive, as those things weren't around in ancient Greece. And as for leaping over tall buildings, that was probably small potatoes for the mythological deity Zeus. But, the god of sky and thunder said, there are many similarities between ancient "superheroes" and today's web slingers and men of steel.
Local storyteller Terry Lynch took on the guise of Zeus for a recent fundraiser hosted by the Dyer Arts Visionaries, or DAVe. The program Superheroes Then and Now was held in conjunction with the Dyer Historical Society at Dyer Town Hall and kicked off an effort to showcase DAVe's latest project a brick fundraiser to garner funds for a sculpture to be placed on the corner of Hart Street and U.S. 30 in Dyer.
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The group is selling bricks that will be set around the concrete pad already built at the corner. Funds from the sales of these bricks will go toward the purchase and placement of public art on the pad. A sculpture representing the community is in the planning stages.
"It is DAVe's hope that enough money will be raised to place more artwork in and around the town of Dyer, as well (as the sculpture)," said Paul Benninghoff, founder and president of the group.
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His group is a grass roots organization committed to promoting the visual and performing arts in and around the surrounding communities of Dyer.
But at the fundraiser, the focus was on characters that are larger than life.
"I'm a big superheroes fan of all time," said Daniel Strong of Highland as he waited for the program to begin. "I have no idea what's to be presented, but my mind's open."
As the sky and thunder god who ruled from Mount Olympus, Zeus discussed the similarities between heroes of the past and those of today.
"Your heroes seem to be a lot like those we had," he told the audience. "For instance, Pericles from my day was a helpful man, improving life for the people of Athens in many ways, just like Peter Parker, your Spider-Man of today, who always likes to help people in trouble."
Zeus also mentioned Hercules the Roman name for the Greek hero Heracles, who was the son of Zeus as someone who took the weight of the world on his shoulders, performing super-human tasks. "Just like your strong man, Superman," Zeus said.
Audience member Jim Lohrman of Dyer found the presentation comical as well as informative.
"We're getting a little history lesson here, since Zeus is talking about the lives of ancient people we've heard little about," he said. "And he's keeping it interesting by joking about these characters and keeping us laughing."
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The Dyer Arts Visionaries group is comprised of individuals joining together to enrich the Dyer community through the arts. They currently display local artists' work in Dyer businesses such as Centier Bank, Intrigue Salon & Day Spa, The Candy Cafe and Symphony Home.
More information is at DyerArtsVisionaries@gmail.com or 219-670-3958.
Sue Ellen Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
We have said insufferably rude things about Indiana Gov. Mike Pence from the parapet atop this outpost.
I'd doubt he pays any attention. No time to listen. Messing up Indiana is a full-time job, and he seems fully engaged in that endeavor.
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But now he has way bigger problems than me.
The women are coming for him. And not in a good way.
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The anonymous Hoosier women who operate the grassroots "Periods for Pence" (P4P for short) call his office dozens of times every day (317-232-4567) to give the governor an update on their reproductive cycle. Their Facebook page has 48,000 "likes," and the total grows every day.
They validate that it's time that people most victimized by Somebody's War on Women should take control of their war effort.
They figure it's the least they can do for a know-it-all official and his know-it-all allies, all of whom seem obsessed with women's reproductive cycles without knowing anything about how they work.
So this is Pence's year to find about vaginas, menstruation, cramps, clots, bloating and estrogen. How they function. What problems and benefits they produce. He will discover that vaginas are not inanimate objects requiring management by men in the Indiana Legislature.
Vaginas, as I've recently learned, are living parts of thinking beings who know how they work.
As opposed to male reproductive organs, these organs actually are attached to a self-determinative human brain. Men often name their organs, but thinking is not involved beyond that.
If Hoosierland's governor insists on being in charge of Hoosier vaginas and uteruses, the current owner/operators have decided to bring him up to speed. It's about time.
If he is not alarmed by this, he is even more dense than I thought.
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The proximate cause of the gender outreach is HEA 1337, the bill that Pence signed into law and makes Indiana (along with North Dakota) the most repressive state on abortion rights.
Even female Republicans legislators in Indiana, many whom voted for previous abortion restrictions, found this one too intrusive and dunderheaded to tolerate.
Nothing they could say about forcing women to carry damaged and deformed fetuses to term even to term as genetically disfigured stillborns swayed the governor's heart. Or that miscarried fetuses now must be treated as if they are humans.
So an anonymous 39-year-old wife and mother read the law and told her husband, "If they are that worried about what is going on with our bodies, they might as well know everything."
Now dozens of unofficial members of an unofficial organization call Pence's office every day. Callers are appropriately amused that the bill's sponsor was named Rep. Casey Cox. His number is 317-232-9863.
A female friend took to P4P's Facebook home to announce that she's "saving" remnants of her monthly visitation and checking if there were any masses that needed to be buried. She might mail it to the governor's office for his assessment.
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This is not merely gross obnoxiousness. She has a good point, because the law talks freely about miscarriages as if they are some form of deliberate abortion. The law requires all such fetal material to be buried because it's a human.
Women trying unsuccessfully to bear children often miscarry. Requiring them to treat the failed, tragic event as a living child is cruelty only men could produce.
The Centers for Disease Control and Health says as many 10 percent of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, but there's no choice involved.
This is an issue with heartaches, soul-searching and deeply personal, agonizing effects. But the pain is borne to the largest degree by women.
They should decide all of this. Men should shut up and wait for further instructions. Didn't men already figure out this role?
Of course, many women are pro-life. They have a vested right in their position too. Men also have opinions. But they don't have a vagina or uterus. On this topic at least, that makes them thunderously stupid.
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Let's go to the phone recordings.
Woman: "Good Morning! I just wanted to let Mr. Cox know that the eagle has landed. I repeat, the eagle has landed."
Them: "Ummm ... OK? Is there anything else he should know?"
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Woman: "I have awful cramps."
Them: (Very pleasant but desperately wanting me to shut up) "OKIwillpassthatalong."
Women call to announce they are not pregnant but are having sex. Maybe tonight.
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I normally would pause here to day something about Pence picking a fight he's too fragile and inept to win.
But I won't.
They're coming for him.
David.Rutter@live.com
Beijing and Canberra are seeking to increase business ties as Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull leads his country's largest-ever trade mission to China.
Australia will also grant 10-year visas for the first time to Chinese and allow online applications, according to Turnbull, who started a two-day visit to China on Thursday.
China is Australia's most important tourism market, with more than 1 million visitors last year.
Witnessed by Premier Li Keqiang and Turnbull, the two countries signed five documents on Thursday to boost cooperation in areas including tourism, science, industrial parks and mining.
Li called on both countries to make full use of their complementary advantages and work together in multiple sectors including infrastructure construction, equipment manufacturing, new energy, cross-border e-commerce, education, law enforcement and defense.
"Enhanced China-Australia cooperation will send a positive signal to the region and the world, especially at a time when the global economy is sluggish with increasing uncertainties," Li said.
It is Turnbull's first visit to China since taking office in September. Representatives of more than 1,000 companies are attending events at Australia Week in China, which begins on Monday in 12 cities.
Turnbull said Australia considers China an important trade partner and is positive about the great potential for China's development.
He said he was honored to be the first Australian prime minister to visit China since the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement took effect, adding that the two countries should enhance cooperation in e-commerce, agriculture and technology.
The visit comes four months after the free trade agreement went into effect. Under the agreement, more than 86 percent of Australian exports can enter China duty-free, with the proportion rising to 94 percent in 2019 and 96 percent in 2029.
"The engagement gets stronger all the time," Turnbull said. "We have a lot of good work to do together."
Turnbull made no mention of concerns over the South China Sea issue in his speech in Shanghai on Thursday, according to The Associated Press. Last month, he described China's military deployments in the South China Sea as "counterproductive".
Hans Hendrischke, a professor of Chinese business and management at the University of Sydney, said the two countries will discuss the diversification of economic ties during the visit.
He said the bilateral relationship is moving from one focused on bulk goods and commodities to a much closer interaction across a range of industries services, agriculture and others.
"It will mean closer government business interaction on both sides," he said.
Steven Ciobo, Australian minister for trade and investment, said the business delegation will promote "the best we have to offer in cities across the country" during Australia Week in China.
"We are committed to such a large showing because China will remain our largest export market for the foreseeable future," Ciobo said in an article for News Corp.
Ni Yueju, a researcher of world economic studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that sending its largest-ever business delegation shows that Australia attaches great importance to the Chinese market.
She said both countries have agreed to enhance trade and economic cooperation after experiencing a fall in trade volume last year amid the sluggish world economy.
China's retailers, wholesalers, service providers including training schools and tourism agencies are also forming relations with Australian associations, local governments and enterprises.
For example, Australia's premium brand Nova Spring Water and Chinese chain retailer T3C signed a memorandum of understanding to coincide with Australia Week in China.
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Carrying furniture, home appliances and machinery, the first train of the first regular railway freight service linking Guangdong Province and Germany waits for departure in Dongguan on Thursday. [Photo/Xinhua]
China on Thursday launched its first regular freight train service linking its southern province of Guangdong and Germany.
The first train, carrying furniture, home appliances and machinery, left Dongguan on Thursday afternoon and will pass through Russia, Belarus and Poland before reaching Duisburg in Germany.
The journey of more than 13,000 kilometers will take 19 days, 15 days shorter than sea freight, said a spokesperson with the Guangzhou Railway Corporation.
Guangdong is the leading Chinese province for foreign trade, with its exports accounting for about 30 percent of the national total.
The new line will see trains set out from Dongguan every Thursday.
China's relatively slow economy has not cast a shadow on the employment prospects of college and university graduates, according to a new report from a leading recruitment company.
Graduates from normal universities in Hunan province interact with their potential employers at a job fair in Hengyang in March. More than 4,000 graduates participated in the event.[Peng Bin/For China Daily]
51job, a leading human resources company in China, released its report on the employment situation of graduates on Wednesday.
With a record 7.65 million students about to graduate and enter the job market in July, only 6.7 percent said they have, so far, failed to receive a job interview or are worried about getting one.
And, at the same time, graduates are becoming more picky about prospective employers, with a growing number saying they would be reluctant to tie themselves into a binding contract with an employer.
51job conducted the survey among undergraduates and those taking master's degrees and PhDs. Students from 227 universities were interviewed. All will finish their studies in July.
The results show that nearly 70 percent of graduates plan to work in the private sector. The other approximately 30 percent plan to either continue studying, start their own business, or become civil servants.
Among the job seekers, 43.3 percent said they had already received and accepted job offers.
About 25 percent of students seeking work in the private sector said they had received job offers but had not yet decided whether to accept them.
And around 17.9 percent had not yet started looking for work.
The report noted that past generations of students were more eager to find work quickly than the current batch. It said this year's graduates are not in as much of a hurry and seem more interested in finding the right position and on keeping their options open.
The tendency not to grab the first job offered is even more pronounced among students attending the nation's most elite institutionsknown as project 211 and project 985 universitieswhich account for about 7 percent of mainland universities and colleges.
Feng Lijuan, a senior expert in human resources at 51job, said many employers are facing a challenge to attract graduates because the graduates are becoming more choosy.
"Employers have found that the real recruitment situation is the opposite of what they were expecting," said Feng. "Although the number of graduates keeps growing every year, the employment rate is still stable. Many graduates from prestigious universities are not satisfied with offers they have received and are still trying to choose the best one from what they have.
"Besides, the majority of college graduates have no financial burdens. Their families don't need them to get a job as quickly as possible."
According to the report, most graduates want to work in a prestigious city and many have a list of requirements from their prospective employers, beyond salary.
"Although they have no interest in working for the same company for a long time, they still have high expectations from their first job," she said. "The survey found graduates want to acquire skills and expertise and connections at their first job. They were not so concerned about what they could contribute to their employer or to society."
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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said more will be done to promote clean governance in 2016, including cutting red tape, punishing officials' misconduct and implementation of major projects.
Premier Li Keqiang speaks at the State Council's fourth meeting on clean governance in Beijing on March 28, 2016. [Photo: gov.cn]
Li made the remarks at the State Council's fourth meeting on clean governance last month. His speech at the meeting was made public on Thursday.
The premier praised last year's efforts to set restrictions to power use so as to reduce the scope for officials bargaining for benefits, noting that 311 administrative approval items were slashed and 44 percent of professional certificates were reduced.
Li also noted progress in budget and expenditure transparency, including spending in government procurement and public receptions, adding that governments at all levels saved more than 380 billion yuan (58.6 billion U.S. dollars) in this way last year.
However, Li noted that anti-graft mechanisms remain weak in some agencies, state-owned enterprises, public institutions and financial institutions and cases of nonfeasance and misconduct still exist among a small group of officials.
Calling for full preparations in "fighting a difficult war against corruption" in 2016, Li stressed that Party rules and disciplines must be upheld strictly and corrupt officials in key fields must be firmly punished.
Li promised that the government will slash more administrative items this year to boost market vitality and reduce corruption, with focus on stabilizing growth, restructuring and improving people's livelihoods.
"To accurately and fully exercise governmental duty requires limiting power and exercising power well as well as... boosting government's action capacity and credibility," Li said.
"Some entrepreneurs of privately-owned or foreign businesses told me during my local inspections that some local government officials didn't do things according to contracts and made changes at will, which harmed their passion for investment," Li told the meeting.
The premier urged governments at all levels to abide by laws and regulations and fulfil their promises, calling for a system to pursue the liabilities of officials who renege.
Li also stressed harsher crackdowns on the infringement of intellectual property rights, production of fake or shoddy goods, business fraud, tax evasion and other malpractices.
He ordered intensified efforts in the implementation of major investment projects and those directly affecting people's livelihoods, with strict supervision and detailed responsibility spelled out for every party involved.
Taiwan's local procuratorate said Thursday that it had completed investigation into a plane crash that claimed 48 lives and would prosecute two ground service personnel.
On July 23, 2014, a TransAsia Airways aircraft took off from Kaohsiung Airport, heading for Magong in the Penghu archipelago. There were 58 people on board -- four crew and 54 passengers. The plane crashed near Magong Airport into a residential area, killing 48.
Prosecutors in Penghu said in a press conference that the pilot and co-pilot of the GE222 aircraft had requested to use a runway equipped with Instrument Landing System (ILS) due to low visibility under the influence of a typhoon.
However, the military duty officer was not familiar with standard for civil use of different runways in different levels of visibility, and failed to give the permission.
The local procuratorate said both the duty officer and the air traffic control staff member would be charged with "professional negligence resulting in death." It added the pilot and the co-pilot were also negligent, but were both killed in the crash.
A January report by Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council placed much of the blame on the pilots' non-compliance of standard operating procedure (SOP). According to the flight recorder data, non-compliance with SOP occurred throughout the flight.
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Chinese prosecutors are investigating five health officials and workers for suspected wrongdoings in vaccine acquisition, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).
Four health institute heads allegedly purchased vaccines via unlawful channels. Prosecutors in east China's Jiangsu Province began investigations on April 1, the SPP said Thursday in a statement.
In northeast China's Liaoning Province, a member of staff of epidemic prevention center allegedly bought low-price vaccines from an unapproved dealer.
On Wednesday, the State Council announced that 357 officials implicated in cases concerning the illegal sale of improperly stored vaccines would be punished. So far 192 criminal cases have been filed and 202 people detained over the scandal.
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Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspected Nansha Islands in the South China Sea in recent days, the Ministry of Defense said Friday.
Fan, who was accompanied by military officers and civilian officials, met with officers and soldiers stationed on the islands as well as construction workers, the ministry said on its official website.
Fan was also briefed on the construction projects on Nansha islands and reefs.
The ministry said the construction projects are going smoothly. Those projects, including lighthouses, automatic weather stations, oceanic observation centers and oceanic research facilities, will provide public services for the international community.
Five lighthouses for navigation safety have been completed, and four of them are operative now, it added.
Four people were killed after a traditional gold mine collapsed in Marangin district of Jambi province, senior official from a local disaster agency told Xinhua via phone on Thursday.
The accident took place when the four miners were working in the mine located in a hill at Simpang Parit village of Renah Pembarap sub-district, said Afrizal, head of the emergency unit of disaster management agency in the province.
"When they were digging in the mine, the mine suddenly collapsed and buried all of them," he told Xinhua by phone from the province.
All of the bodies have been recovered from the mine, Afrizal added.
Traditional mining is common in many areas in Indonesia, but lacking of safety standard has frequently triggered accidents that killed dozens of people.
The following editorial appeared in The Baltimore Sun on Sunday, April 10:
Anger and rebuke have not been in short supply of late. Nor have they been confined to Republican presidential politics although the Big Apple tabloid putdowns of Sen. Ted We all know what New York values are Cruz may have hit the high note for outright hostility. Former President Bill Clinton got a dose of comeuppance as well from Black Lives Matter protesters in Philadelphia. In such an extended fit of pique, it might be easy to overlook the fiery speech Sen. Charles Grassley gave on the Senate floor last week.
What or who caught the ire of the 82-year-old Republican from Iowa who serves as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee? Was it Judge Merrick Garland, President Barack Obamas nominee to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia?
Was it the Democrats who have so loudly protested his unwillingness to even conduct hearings on the nominee? Was it his fellow Republican senators who have decided to meet with Judge Garland?
No, it was Chief Justice John Roberts, who apparently got Grassley riled up by lamenting how the process of selecting justices for the Supreme Court has become so politicized with votes falling along party lines a point he made in early February, incidentally, before Justice Scalias death on Feb. 13. Grassleys belated response was that it was Roberts who was turning the nations highest court into a political institution.
Wait, what?
Heres the senators logic, and we use that term advisedly. Because Roberts supported court rulings that twice enabled key provisions of the Affordable Care Act to be enforced, he has politicized the court by taking the side of policy preferences over constitutional text and rendered decisions. He had, as conservatives like to say, legislated from the bench instead of calling balls and strikes, as Roberts so famously described the job in his own confirmation hearings.
That is, of course, a pretty infantile argument. It allows Grassley or any other self-appointed expert on constitutional law to make a similar claim every time a justice interprets the law in a manner that is not lock-step with the critics own. But this view of Justice Roberts among conservatives that he somehow betrayed his principles certainly seems to have caught on in the right-wing bubble. It feeds into Republicans argument that only they should select Scalias replacement: You just cant trust these judges.
What applesauce, as Scalia liked to say. If one of the bedrock principles of the Supreme Court, and the nations judicial branch generally, is independence, it is these moments when the courts follow their own understanding of the law and not that of the president who nominated them that should be celebrated most. This is how true justice is crafted, not by fealty to a political partys understanding of the Constitution.
Shame on Grassley for suggesting that Roberts has somehow betrayed the institution when it is the judiciary chairman who seems to be bent on rewriting the Constitution not only to limit President Barack Obamas authority to fill a court vacancy but now to imply that the chief justice has somehow sabotaged the court. Apparently, Roberts decisions that are anathema to liberals such as Citizens United or the weakening of the Voting Rights Act are simply correct interpretations of the Founding Fathers intent. Iowa voters, take note: Your six-term senator deserves to be put out to pasture, if only for sheer soft-headedness.
Three cities have reached their environmental improvement goals with sharp reductions in airborne particulate pollution matters after having serious talks with environmental protection authorities, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said.
On Feb 8, 2015, the Ministry of Environmental Protection hosted talks with the government of Cangzhou city in Hebei Province, with Linyi city of Shandong Province on Feb 25, and with the Zhengzhou city of Henan Province on July 28.
The talk-down sessions from the ministry pushed the cities' decision-makers forward to take serious efforts in reducing pollution.
To improve its air quality, Zhengzhou has set specific targets for this yearconcentrations of the PM2.5 and PM10 shall not surpass 150 and 79 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively.
Authorities at the county level will be awarded 500,000 yuan (US$77,200) if their pollutant concentrations are one microgram lower than the newly adopted standards. Otherwise, they will be fined the same amount of money.
Any county that reports substandard air quality for three consecutive months will be ordered to shut down all sources of pollution.
Twenty tigers in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province embarked on a journey Thursday morning to their new home more than 2,000 kilometers away. [Shanghai Daily]
Twenty tigers in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province embarked on a journey Thursday morning to their new home more than 2,000 kilometers away.
The felines, one white tiger and 19 Siberian tigers, are all adults of about four years old. They will arrive at a new tiger park in Luanchuan County in central China's Henan Province after three days of travel.
"The distance is long, and some tigers may get tired or even carsick. We will give them water and food regularly," said Liu Dan, chief engineer of the Siberian Tiger Park of Heilongjiang, the world's largest Siberian tiger breeding base.
He noted that the environment of their new home in Luanchuan's Cangfang Village will be suitable for the large cats.
Siberian tigers are among the world's most endangered species. They mostly live in eastern Russia, northeast China and northern parts of the Korean Peninsula.
The Siberian Tiger Park of Heilongjiang is now home to more than 1,100 tigers. So far it has sent more than 100 tigers to zoos in other parts of China.
Last year, more than 150 tiger cubs were born in the park, the highest number since the park was built in 1986. About 100 cubs are expected to be born this year.
Flash
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang voiced confidence in the prospects for the China-Australia relations in the fourth annual talks between the two countries' prime ministers.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during the fourth annual talks between the two countries' prime ministers in Beijing, capital of China, April 14, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
The meeting, on Thursday afternoon at the Great Hall of the People, was co-chaired by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who is paying his first official visit to China since taking office in September 2015, with a large business delegation.
Calling Australia an important cooperation partner, Li said China was ready to strengthen mutual trust with Australia, synchronize development strategies, expand cooperation, and properly handle disputes on the principle of mutual respect, equality and reciprocity, so as to push forward a sustained and stable development of the bilateral relations.
Li briefed Turnbull on China's structural reform, mass entrepreneurship and innovation, which will be new opportunities for cooperation.
He urged both sides to strengthen synchronization of development strategies, give further play to a joint committee on technological cooperation, and promote joint research and development in areas including food, agriculture, mining and maritime science.
Li welcomed Australia to establish an overseas innovation base in Shanghai, and voiced support for the two countries to jointly establish innovation parks and technology transfer centers to promote cooperation between firms, universities and research institutes.
Shanghai is also the first stop of Turnbull's visit from Thursday to Friday.
Li said China was willing to conduct production capacity cooperation with Australia in infrastructure construction and equipment manufacturing, while seeking opportunities in new energy, new-type urbanization, environmental protection and transnational e-commerce.
He also urged the two countries to strengthen cooperation in overseas studying, tourism, judiciary, law enforcement and defense, deepen friendly exchanges between localities, and maintain close communication and coordination under regional and international mechanisms to promote the peace, stability and common development in the region and the world.
Turnbull said China is an important trading partner of Australia and he was optimistic with China's economic development potential.
He said Australia will adapt to China's economic structural reform and make use of the opportunities brought by it, strengthen cooperation in e-commerce, agriculture, animal husbandry and technology, and jointly promote the peace, stability and economic growth in the region and the world.
The two sides also discussed international and regional issues of common concern.
After the talks, the two prime ministers witnessed the signing of five cooperation deals between the two countries in areas such as technological innovation, tourism, industrial parks and mining.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Moscow is willing to cooperate with any new U.S. president who would respect Russia.
"If they speak to us respectfully and seek compromises as we do, then we will always find a solution that would satisfy both," Putin said during his annual live Q-and-A session with the nation, when asked which one, Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, would be worse for Russia as the next U.S. president.
It is necessary to determine who is better, rather than worse, said Putin.
It is impossible to build democratic international relations from a position of strength, dictatorship and imperial ambitions without paying due respect to others, Putin said.
Flash
Beijing has voiced "resolute opposition against infringement of China's sovereignty and security by any country in any form."
The Foreign Ministry spelled out China's stance after the Pentagon said that U.S.-Philippine joint patrols in the South China Sea will occur "regularly."
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter confirmed on Thursday that the U.S. and the Philippines had already conducted such patrols.
The Foreign Ministry told China Daily, "The military exchanges ... should not target a third party, not to mention supporting some countries to provoke China's sovereignty and security, flaring regional contradictions and damaging regional peace and stability."
Beijing will follow developments, and general stability has been maintained in the South China Sea "through joint efforts by China and relevant countries", the ministry said
Carter reported the U.S. confirmation at a news conference with Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin in Manila. Carter met with the Philippine President Benigno Aquino earlier in the day.
Without quoting a source, Reuters reported the Pentagon saying that the first joint patrol took place in March and a second one took place earlier this month.
Carter started a visit to the Philippines on Wednesday during the annual U.S.-Philippine military drill that started on April 4. He will attend the closing ceremony on Friday.
Zhang Junshe, a senior researcher at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, said the U.S. will damage peace in the South China Sea by calling for joint patrols.
"When Washington calls China's behavior in the South China Sea 'coercive,' the joint patrols have been a slap in the face. This is sheer coercion against China's peaceful development," Zhang said.
Carter said U.S. forces will be given access to more military bases in the Philippines than the five announced already.
The Ministry of National Defense said, "The U.S. Army has now returned, has reinforced its military presence in the Philippines and has given rise to militarization in the South China Sea region."
Flash
The Islamic State (IS) is believed to have targeted a Syrian war jet near an airbase in southern Syria on Thursday, a monitor group reported.
The warplane was hit near the airbase of Khilkhileh in the southern province of Swaida, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The UK-based watchdog group said the plane crashed, but the pilot survived and reached a government-controlled area in the countryside of Swaida.
The IS confirmed in a statement targeting the Syrian warplane in Swaida.
Last week, a Syrian warplane was downed by the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front in the northern province of Aleppo.
The incidents come amid intensified battles in Aleppo between the Syrian army and Nusra militants, in addition to battles between the Nusra and the IS south of the capital Damascus.
Recent reports said the IS took control of much of the Yarmouk Camp for Palestinian refugees south of Damascus, following battles against the Nusra whose militants have been in control of that devastated area for over two years.
Flash
The European Union on Thursday said it believed the appointment of a new government in Ukraine would provide new momentum to the implementation of the Minsk agreements.
"Today's appointment of a new government in Ukraine, headed by Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, is a crucial development at a time when new momentum in the country is badly needed," said EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Johannes Hahn in a joint statement.
"We look forward to working with him to build a stronger Ukraine, on the basis of fundamental reform and accountable governance," it said.
The statement said the EU remains committed to supporting Ukraine politically and through financial and technical assistance in its efforts to "implement key reforms, modernize the country and fight corruption."
"In this context, we will support the new government to ensure that key political and economic institutions function efficiently and transparently, and that the rule of law is strengthened," the leaders said.
The officials also called on all parties to follow through on their commitments concerning the implementation of the Minsk agreement.
Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Volodymyr Groysman was elected the country's new prime minister on Thursday.
Groysman, a 38-year-old former businessman and a close ally of President Petro Poroshenko, announced his bid for premiership on Wednesday, naming deregulation, economic growth and anti-corruption as his top priorities.
Flash
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Thursday allowed four loyalist ministers to temporarily leave their positions and return to the Chamber of Deputies to help in efforts to overturn an impeachment vote on Sunday.
According to the government's gazette, Celso Pansera, minister of Science and Technology, Marcelo Castro, head of Health Department, Mauro Lopes of Civil Aviation from the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) and Patrus Ananias, Agriculture Minister, from the Workers' Party will all vote in her favor.
Pansera, Castro and Lopes all rejected the decision by the PMDB to abandon the ruling coalition earlier this month and elected to maintain their positions.
On Wednesday, Rousseff accused Vice President Michel Temer and Chamber of Deputies President Eduardo Cunha of being the heads of "coup" against her. Both men are from the PMDB, a key coalition partner of Rousseff's left-leaning Workers' Party.
The government supporters of Rousseff in the Chamber presented on Thursday a list of 186 deputies and 32 senators which have signed a document vowing "to defend democracy and reject impeachment."
If all these support Rousseff, she would be able to fend off the impeachment attempt.
In a vote scheduled for Sunday, the government will need the support of over one-third of lawmakers, or at least 172 out of 513, to defeat the impeachment attempt.
The supporters said this list came through negotiations begun by former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to save the Rousseff government, according to the ruling party lawmakers.
Furthermore, as the list was presented, Luciana Santos, a deputy from the Brazilian Communist Party, said a number of other deputies would support Rousseff without having signed the pledge.
Debates in the lower house about the impeachment process will begin on Friday morning and run all weekend before the vote on Sunday.
In order for the impeachment process to move on to the Senate, two-thirds of deputies, or 342 out of 513, will have to vote to impeach Rousseff.
Flash
Damaged buildings are seen at the Kumamoto University in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on April 15, 2016. Local police confirmed that nine people were killed after powerful quakes hit Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan at late Thursday and early Friday. [Xinhua]
At least nine people died after a powerful earthquake hit southwestern Japan on Thursday night, the Kumamoto Prefecture disaster management office said.
As many as 765 people were injured in the quake and the aftershocks, officials said, as of 5 a.m., 53 of whom are suffering with severe injuries.
Some 44,400 people were forced to evacuate their homes and take shelter in 500 temporary sites in the prefecture, according to local media reports.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) revised the first quake from 6.4 magnitude to 6.5. The quake was logged at level 7 of the Japan seismic intensity scale of 7 in Mashiki Town at the Kumamoto Prefecture, marking the first since the devastating earthquake in March 2011.
The epicenter of the M6.5 quake was detected at 32.7 degree north latitude and 130.8 degree longitude with a depth of 11 km, said the JMA.
Mashiki was where the quake hit hardest and was logged at an intensity of 7, although the Japan Meteorological Agency did not issue a tsunami warning.
Strong aftershocks, including one measured at 5.7 magnitude at around 10:07 p.m. Thursday and 6.4 magnitude at 0:08 a.m. Friday, are continuing jolting the area after the M6.5 quake, said the JMA, warning there may be strong aftershocks in the coming week.
Local police and firefighters in the prefecture said that 20 houses had collapsed as a result of the quake, particularly in and in the vicinity of Mashiki, leaving people trapped beneath rubble and debris.
Firefighters were also busy battling blazes in Mashiki that were triggered by the deadly quake.
No abnormalities were found in the Sendai nuclear power plant, the only operating nuclear facility in the area, said local reports, adding the quake also not affected volcanic activities at Mount. Also in Kumamoto Prefecture.
The quake triggered blackout in the region affecting about 16,000 households. Traffic is stopped on some expressways in Kumamoto and Miyazaki Prefectures and parts of local roads were damaged, said local reports.
The Japanese government has set up a special group to gather information on injuries and damage, said top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga. He also called on affected people to remain calm and help each other.
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Flash
A Chinese envoy to the United Nations on Thursday called on the international community to effectively prevent terrorist groups from using the internet and social media to recruit new members.
The internet and social media have become an important platform for terrorist groups, said Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN, at a Security Council open debate on counter-terrorism.
Therefore, the international community should take targeted methods to stop terrorist from recruiting new members, spreading extremist ideology, raising funds and plotting terrorist attacks using the internet and social media, he said.
Moreover, countries should strengthen the regulations of the internet and relevant agencies of the United Nations should coordinate such efforts, he said.
The envoy also stressed that the effects of terrorism transcend national boundaries: no country can cope with this threat alone, and no country can be spared, he said.
The international community should adhere to uniform standards and zero tolerance for terrorism, he said, while highlighting that terrorism should not be linked to a specific nation or religion.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday also called for curtailing terrorists groups' ability to abuse and misuse the internet and social media to radicalize and recruit young people at Thursday's open debate.
Noting that more than 30,000 people from all over the world have joined Daesh's campaigns in Iraq and Syria, Ban and warned that Daesh -- the acronym for the Islamic State in Arabic language -- has shown an ability to radicalize and recruit disaffected youth, including women and girls, through strategies involving the internet and social media.
"We must curtail the ability to abuse and misuse the internet and social media to radicalize and recruit young people, by identifying global and regional solutions that involve governments, private enterprise and civil society," said Ban.
Leadership of elected bodies can be a tricky thing, especially when a House speaker or Senate president is chosen only by the majority party members. At least the mayor of Flagstaff can say he was elected by a majority of voters when he makes a decision on council protocol and rules.
Not so in legislative bodies like the Arizona House and Senate. On paper, the leaders there are supposed to serve ministerial functions: make committee assignments, keep bills moving to the floor and hire support staff to attend to everything from answering email to checking parking passes.
But in reality, legislative leaders, especially in the majority party, have taken on roles akin to the old-style party bosses. They raise campaign cash and dole it out to loyalists, hire partisan staff separate from the Legislatures nonpartisan analysts, and craft budgets separate from the governor. If they can command enough votes among party members, they can afford to ignore members of the minority party no consultation and no compromise needed. And given their higher political profiles, many speakers and presidents use their posts as launching pads for campaigns for higher state and federal office.
BLURRING OF ROLES
For better or worse, these political roles for legislative leaders at the state level have won a level of voter acceptance perhaps because members of both major parties employ the same tactics when they win majorities in either chamber. It might also be that state leaders have taken a cue from leaders in Congress, who have long raised money from lobbyists and special interests to funnel re-election funds to the rank and file.
So its not surprising that leaders like House Speaker David Gowan and Senate President Andy Biggs conflate their political roles with their administrative duties. The latter are supposed to assure a smooth-running institution and a nonpartisan, level playing field for legislators and citizens alike. When they violate that trust, they not only harm the democratic process but also bring no small dose of embarrassment to Arizona as a state.
REPORTER ACCESS AT STAKE
Such was the case with Gowan and his attempt to subject statehouse reporters to in-depth background checks in the name of House security. Although he denies it was retaliation, the fact that the only reporter who would have been denied floor privileges was the one who had exposed his $12,000 in improperly claimed expenses was just too coincidental to be ignored. And when Gowan cited a letter from House members asking only for tighter security in the public gallery as justifying his reporter crackdown, his credibility even within his own party took a hit. He was forced to back down, but not before the story made national news and likely torpedoed Gowans bid for Congress.
On the Senate side, Biggs, who is also running for Congress, is entrusted with assigning bills that arrive from the House to a committee in a timely enough fashion so that they can beat the deadline for full consideration on the Senate floor.
If a president has personal or political objections to a bill, he might assign it to several committees just to put higher hurdles in front of it. But refusing to assign it anywhere clearly violates the rules.
Yet that is just what Biggs did with a bill that arrived from the House on a 47-12 bipartisan vote to extend health care coverage to 30,000 children of the working poor. It was cosponsored by Republican senators, who point out the bill came with no price tag for the first two years, and at most $27 million a year thereafter if Congress cut all funding. Every other state participates in KidsCare, as most analyses show that getting preventive care to kids early saves money in more expensive emergency care down the road.
MISUSE OF DISCRETION
To date, Biggs has refused to budge, contending that future costs should be accounted for, and the $27 million is not in this or future budgets. Thats a debatable point and perfectly appropriate to a committee hearing and a floor debate. But cutting off discussion before it even begins and with a bill from the House in hand is a misuse of his discretion as president, and party members ought to let him know he has stepped far over the line.
At this point, with the deadline past for committee hearings, Biggs could allow the bill to be attached to one that has already received a hearing. Its a tactic that also violates the rules on paper but which he and other presidents have used frequently to give pet bills of members a second chance. Biggs, like Gowan, should justify the trust that legislators of his party and by extension, the voters who elected them have shown him and back down. It might not save face, but it will save the institution from further embarrassment by a leader whose politics have gotten in the way of a fair and open democratic process.
Zhang Yong, Alibaba's chief executive officer and the chairman of Cainiao. [Photo/VCG]
Cainiao, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's logistics offshoot, is investing 1 billion yuan ($153.6 million) in an upgraded type of service, which it claims will offer China's growing army of online shoppers better, faster deliveries.
Zhejiang Cainiao Supply Chain Management Co, to give its full name, is creating the Cainiao Alliance, a new e-commerce logistics organization, which officials said will be dedicated to offering higher-quality delivery services.
Couriers signing up to the alliance will be offered access to Cainiao's full infrastructure resources, its supply chain and big-data facilities, and have access to its customer service team, which the operator claims will provide a higher level of service.
"Logistics is key to any new business and the new economy," said Zhang Yong, Alibaba's chief executive officer and the chairman of Cainiao.
"Cainiao wants to leverage its technology and big data to empower its courier partners to provide quality and reliable delivery services."
According to the Hangzhou-based Cainiao, it has already attracted some of the country's biggest courier firms to join the alliance, including Zhongtong Express and Shentong Express.
The alliance is expected to immediately roll out the upgraded package of services, including same-day and next-day deliveries, on Alibaba's business-to-customer site Tmall. Cainiao said the goal is for the alliance to serve 10 million enterprises and have the annual capacity to deliver 100 billion parcels in the next five to eight years.
Founded by Alibaba and a consortium of logistics companies, Cainiao is different in that rather than expanding its own network it operates a proprietary logistics information platform, that links a network of providers, warehouses and distribution centers, that offers better efficiency and cost savings.
It recently closed its first round of external fundraising, a week before New York-listed Alibaba said the value of gross merchandise on its online marketplaces in the current fiscal year exceeded 3 trillion yuan.
Tong Wenhong, Cainiao's chief executive officer, said China's e-commerce industry's development over the next decade will largely depend on the progress of the logistics industry.
She said 20.6 billion packages were generated by online shopping last year, up from 860 million in 2005.
"But our recent survey found that 56 percent of online shoppers said deliveries were not on time, and around a quarter complained the deliverymen were impolite," she said.
A supermarket in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. In the fast-moving consumer goods sector, buyers are shopping less in large format stores, and more in convenience stores.QU XING / FOR CHINA DAILY
German wholesaler Metro China is to speed up the development of its franchise business, and introduce its convenience store brand MyMart this year.
Jeroen de Groot, president of Metro China, said the firm has plans to open the first two MyMart stores in Shanghai, one at a major subway station and another close to a residential community.
More MyMart openings are scheduled in other cities across China, said de Groot, adding more details cannot be disclosed now, but will be disclosed in the near future.
The expansion of franchises is in line with the company's intention to optimize its business to satisfy the demand of customers and to support startups and small business owners in the market, said de Groot.
He said Metro will be prudent when choosing its franchisees, as the company will not risk its reputation in terms of quality and food safety.
The convenience stores will leverage from the German wholesaler's expertise in food safety, quality control and supply chain management.
Metro also made it clear that it welcomes not only professional, but also individual customers, who now account for some 40 percent of its 4.3 million registered members.
The company already has 82 stores in 57 Chinese cities, and also plans to open more supermarkets and smaller stores in the next five years.
"The move into the convenience store sector indicates Metro wants to take a share of the growing small format modern trade business," said Jason Yu, general manager of Kantar Worldpanel China.
Jeroen de Groot, president of Metro China.[Photo/IC]
Kantar Worldpanel reported that in 2015 the convenience store sector in China grew by 9.3 percent.
In the fast-moving consumer goods sector, buyers are shopping less in large format stores, and more in convenience stores, specialist outlets and e-commerce channels, the report said.
Yu said the launch of MyMart obviously suggests a shift of strategy in line with the latest shopping behavior.
Challenges remain for Metro, however, as convenience stores are also becoming increasingly competitive, with more Japanese and local players.
"Scale is critical to achieve competitive advantage," he said.
"Metro will have to be very selective in the locations it chooses, and also maximize its strength in merchandising and sourcing."
Kantar has reported that spending in the fast-moving consumer goods sector grew by 3.5 percent last year, as the China economy expanded at its slowest pace in 25 years.
Modern trade, including hypermarkets, supermarkets, and convenience stores, continued to experience sluggish growth in line with the total market, growing by 3.3 percent from 2015.
The gap between international and domestic retailers has further widened as international retailers continued to lose market share, down 1.1 percentage points to 13.4 percent in 2015.
Kantar also revealed international retailers struggled to keep up with the rapidly changing trading environment where growth in their strongholdkey cities and provincial capitalswas sluggish, while they experienced stronger competition from local players in lower-tier cities as well as competition from the e-commerce giants.
Every few months I am invited by some technology companies to a major venue such as the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai to attend a news conference for the release of a new version of their products, for example, a new smartphone.
Even though most of the minor new features announced are often sneered at by some of the industry experts present, I was always fascinated by the phrase they used from time to time to define the new features: Product iteration.
To know more about the tech world to which I think I might be too much of a green hand, I clicked open an online marketplace and looked at the best-selling books of the month. Once again, I was caught by the buzzword of not only the tech industry but rather the whole business world today: Product iteration.
Even a business opinion leader, who gives TED talks on his personal WeChat platform, said recently that product iteration is of utmost importance for every company, even century-old automobile companies.
The phrase product iteration has been mentioned so many times that you feel out of the loop if you haven't heard of it. Especially in the tech world, it somehow seems to be a serious omission if the person, especially a product manager, doesn't talk about it from time to time.
But what exactly is product iteration? According to a thesis published in IEEE Computer in November 1993, iteration basically refers to the engineering life cycle based on user testing and other evaluation methods in an attempt to perfect user interfaces.
Hence product iteration is a systematic process that requires a scrupulous attitude. However, the repetitive mentioning of the phrase nowadays only gives a sense of restlessness and even frustration.
Designers work hard to constantly come up with slightly different new features for a product, which consumers hardly notice. The newly released iPhone SE, which offers few new features but rather returns to the age of small screens when consumers are crying out for bigger screens, ought to be one of the best examples of awkwardness.
Of course, companies should always keep in mind the importance of innovation. But making so-called product iteration only for the sake of it gives the impression that the company is desperate and lacks confidence. Hope it will come for once to the manager's mind that excessive iteration will make consumers question the quality of products.
If the company is responsible and thoughtful, it should plan everything in advance to indeed make the product helpful to consumers, rather than making itself looking like an avaricious monster luring every penny from the consumers' purse.
One more thing that Wikipedia defines for product iteration is that "the process should be repeated until user issues have been reduced to an acceptable level". What is implied here is the establishment of an effective interaction system between the company and the consumer. But based on what we have seen so far, most product iteration seems to be some new features coming out on a whim. The frequently encountered problems, such as the sudden cutoff of an application, are not probably addressed even though the company claims to have made some adjustments to the application.
But maybe it is not all the fault of the company for being so obsessed with the phrase product iteration. Consumers nowadays, spoiled by extensive consumerism, are so insatiable that all they want are more new functions. For companies that have not rolled out any new product for maybe a year, they will denounce them as lacking the spirit of innovation or teasing the designer for lacking inspiration.
But the fact is, we don't need so many updates of everything. Just go through the apps installed in your phone, and you will easily find more than 10 of them which have hardly been used for a month. We have seen so many popular products that were well-known for only a few weeks and soon vanished, leaving little impression behind. So the sad fact is, we don't need so many new things but rather a simple, lasting and trustworthy product.
WangJun, CEO and co-founder of iCarbonX.[Photo/China Daily]
A big-data startup focusing on precision medicine, set up by former CEO of China's genome sequencing giant Beijing Genomics Institute, is planning to expand to the United States after Tencent Holdings Ltd led a nearly 1 billion yuan ($150 million) investment in the seven-month old company.
WangJun, CEO and co-founder of iCarbonX, said on Tuesday: "We will make strategic moves in the US and Europe this year, through either investments or acquisitions."
He declined to offer more details, only saying the startup is aiming to be a global firm and more overseas moves can be expected in the future.
The Shenzhen-based firm will offer precision medicine or personalized healthcare service by lever-aging artificial intelligence and big-data technology. It was established in October after Wang stepped down from BGI, the world's leading sequencer of genomes from human, animal and plant.
In January, iCarbonX set up its first overseas branch in Malta, a southern European island country whose healthcare system is ranked fifth globally by the World Health Organization.
The expansion plan came one day after iCarbonX announced it had completed series A round of financing, which was led by Ten-cent and valued the company at near $1 billion.
"Tencent is not only an investor but also will be a strategic partner," he said. "We are discussing cooperation on jointly developing new internet-enabled products, and leveraging Tencent's popular social networking tool WeChat to collect users' data and do marketing."
Other investors include Vcanbio Cell & Gene Engineering Corp, a leading Shanghai-listed cell and gene engineering firm, which will also partner with iCarbonX on genome sequencing resources and storage services.
Wang is one of the most pioneering genome experts in China. He was named by Nature magazine as one of the 10 people who mattered most in science in 2012 after he led BGI's efforts to acquire the California-based sequencing-technology company Complete Genomics.
The new cash will be used to collect data, speed up computing capability and build an artificial-intelligence-powered big-data analysis model, according to Wang.
"By sequencing and analyzing not just genomes, but behavior, imaging and environmental data of the same individual for a long time, we can know what interactions matter in causing genes to be expressed in a certain way," Wang said.
In the near term, the company's technology is likely to be first applied to the beauty industry, which is plagued by charismatic hucksters and fake science. Customers, for instance, will be able to undergo a skin test in iCarbonX stores and the company will then offer personalized advice on skin care by analyzing their personal data.
"We are considering opening the first store this year so that consumers can have first-hand experience of our personalized skincare service," Wang said.
China is bolstering the development of the precision medicine industry, hoping to leverage the cutting-edge technology to meet people's growing demand for personalized healthcare services in an aging society.
Chinese internet giants, such as Tencent, Baidu Inc and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, are also branching into the digital healthcare market, betting it will be a big growth business in the future.
The global precision medicine market is expected to reach to $88 billion by 2022, according to HIT Consultant.
Zhang Yunlei, an analyst at Daton Securities Co, said currently, the domestic market is still in infancy but it is likely to grow at an annual rate of 20 percent in the next five years.
SINGAPORE - Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and International Enterprise (IE) Singapore will jointly lead a delegation of 29 companies to explore business opportunities in China's Chongqing from Friday to Sunday, said SBF and IE Singapore in a joint press release on Thursday.
This is the largest Singapore business delegation to visit the Chinese municipality since the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative (CCI) was launched in November 2015, according to the joint release.
The Singapore delegation comprises almost 50 senior representatives of companies from the financial services, aviation, transport and logistics, as well as information and communications technology (ICT) sectors, which are the focus sectors for the CCI.
Also on the trip are the Industry Advisors to the CCI, who will lend their corporate and professional industry expertise to the project.
During the three-day mission, the Singapore delegation will meet local government officials and enterprises, develop a better understanding of Chongqing's business environment, as well as gain insights to the CCI. The delegation will also attend the "Chongqing Connectivity Initiative Seminar" on Saturday.
CEO of IE Singapore Lee Ark Boon said China's West is now among the top investment destinations for Singapore companies. The CCI will further strengthen business ties between Singapore and China's Chongqing.
"The launch of daily flights will see more travels between Singapore and Chongqing, while newly introduced cross-border renminbi initiatives will result in increased transactions. Singapore companies can leverage the momentum generated by the CCI to seize new opportunities in this region to meet potential partners and explore business collaborations." Lee added.
SBF Chairman and CCI Industry Advisor Teo Siong Seng also noted that the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative will further enhance collaboration between Singapore and China, bringing opportunities and investments that will benefit both countries.
In recent years, there has been strong economic cooperation and investment interest from Singapore companies in China's West. The CCI is the third Government-to-Government project between Singapore and China, which is focused on the western region of China, also propels the Belt and Road Initiative.
According to the Chongqing Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Commission, by the end of 2015, there were 245 projects, accumulating to a total investment value of $5.68 billion in Chongqing. Singapore also became Chongqing's largest source of foreign direct investment.
DUBAI - Heads of Chinese companies in retail sector said here Thursday that a growing number of retail chains and consumers have learnt to stay ahead of the business curve despite a cooling Chinese market.
Addressing the 10th edition of the World Retail Congress, Victor Fung, the Chinese-American Group Chairman of Hong Kong-based multinational Fung Group, said albeit the cooling Chinese economy, "the future is still bright especially in the service sector where we expect 56 percent growth in the next five years."
Lucy Wu, Vice-President of the Chinese Store and Franchise Association affirmed Fung's optimism, saying that 110 shopping malls opened in 2015 in China, and the trend is expected to continue on a high note, she added.
Yan Zhang, Co-founder and CEO of Chinese lifestyle and fashion site Yetang.com agreed, said that China still has huge market potential with consumers from different income levels.
"The day you launch an online sales channel in China, you will have a national chain, while it is very difficult to realize this offline," said Zhang.
He said unlike Western countries, Chinese's new brands are not necessarily associated with shopping malls, but come from the internet where consumers can compare prices and read feedback.
"The last five years saw many celebrities and bloggers emerging who became important references for millions of consumers, which is also fueling consumer spending," said Zhang.
The three-day World Retail Congress which took place for the first time outside Europe ended on Thursday.
BEIJING - It is unfair to place the label "trade barrier" on China's web regulation, which is in line with WTO articles and aimed at safeguarding cybersecurity, not discriminating against foreign firms.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) said in its new annual report that "China's filtering of cross-border Internet traffic has posed a significant burden to foreign suppliers."
The report listed China's Internet regulatory regime as one of the barriers for trade in services, in the latest excuse the US government has used to attack China's cyberspace governance.
China bars access to some foreign websites because they refuse to abide by the country's laws and regulations.
It is obviously risky for any country to receive unchecked inflows of information, particularly at a time of rising global instability.
One of the WTO principles is trade without discrimination, which, however, does not translate into absolute freedom or rule out reasonable regulation.
The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) allows members to contravene their obligations as necessary measures to "protect public morals or maintain public order."
China's blocking of websites and filtering of traffic are aimed at safeguarding cybersecurity and maintaining social stability.
Cybersecurity is an important issue universally acknowledged, including by the United States. Since he took office, President Barack Obama has identified cybersecurity as one of the most serious economic and national security challenges.
In 2014 alone, the United States passed the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, National Cybersecurity Protection Act and Federal Information Security Modernization Act.
China's cyberspace regulation has successfully curbed the spread of imported pornography and terrorist information in a country with the world's largest population of web users.
Some of the blocked sites are social media that carry a sea of posts by people across the world, including those with an outdated mentality who still deem China as a rival or threat.
In contrast, bona fide, compliant Western e-commerce websites such as Amazon and eBay are easily accessible in the lucrative China market, indicating that the country does not erect trade barriers in cyberspace.
In fact, USTR data shows the United States has continued to record a substantial surplus in service trade with China as its exports of services to China totalled $42.5 billion in 2014, up from $37.8 billion in 2013.
"This success has been largely attributable to the market openings phased in by China pursuant to its WTO commitments," said the USTR report, describing the prospects for US service suppliers in China as promising.
Every country has the right to govern cyberspace in its own manner. The Internet is not beyond law.
At the same time, China will honor its commitment of opening wider to the outside world, rather than setting up any business barriers.
The government will continue to work for a better environment for foreign-funded companies as long as they abide by Chinese law.
If the United States continues to muddy the waters of commerce with politics, rows will only get noisier and economic ties will probably be hurt.
A view of Shenzhen's landmark skyscraper Kingkey 100, June 16, 2015. [Photo/IC]
Planning to buy an apartment in Shenzhen? Here's some news that might make you think twice: You would need as much as 27.7 years of household income to buy an apartment there, according to E-house China R&D Institute.
This puts Shenzhen on top of the list as the country's least affordable market.
Nationwide among 35 major cities, a family has to save for 10.2 years before they could buy an apartment, said the real estate provider citing 2015 statistics.
China's income growth failed to outrun booming property sector in 2015, as per capita disposable income grew 8.2 percent, down from 9 percent a year ago, while newly built housing saw a 9.1 percent surge in price, according to the report.
"For fresh graduates, chances are slim that they could afford an apartment in Shenzhen on their own," a real estate employee Zhang told China Business News, adding that most second-hand flats in the city cost more than 50,000 yuan ($7,707) per square meter.
Scholars have voiced concerns on possible "crowding-out effect", a fear that staggering property price could drive young talents away.
As of last month, the number of cities with average home price above 10,000 yuan per square meter rose to 26 from 20, according to Beijing-based consultancy company Biaozhunpaiming.
The report expects home price in first-tier cities and some second-tier cities such as Hangzhou, Zhengzhou as well as Hefei to rise further this year.
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!)
GUANGZHOU - China on Thursday launched its first regular freight train service linking its southern province of Guangdong and Germany.
The first train, carrying furniture, home appliances and machinery, left Dongguan on Thursday afternoon and will pass through Russia, Belarus and Poland before reaching Duisburg in Germany.
The journey of more than 13,000 kilometers will take 19 days, 15 days shorter than sea freight, said a spokesperson with the Guangzhou Railway Corporation.
Guangdong is the leading Chinese province for foreign trade, with its exports accounting for about 30 percent of the national total.
The new line will see trains set out from Dongguan every Thursday.
A woman walks past a McDonald's outlet in Hong Kong in July 25, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]
McDonald's Corp is targeting private equity firms, including Bain Capital, MBK Partners, TPG Capital Management and Chinese conglomerate China Resources (Holdings) for its planned sale of 2,800 restaurants in North Asia, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The US fast food giant is adopting a new business model in Asia, which is now the most intense battleground for global restaurant chains, by planning to bring in partners to own the restaurants within a franchise operation.
Several other global restaurant operators have switched to the so-called franchise model and McDonald's has also set a long-term aim of being 95 percent franchised, the company said in a statement on March 31.
Oak Brook, Illinois-based McDonald's has hired Morgan Stanley to run the sale of the restaurants in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and South Korea, the people said. A formal sales process is expected to kick-off in about three to four weeks, one of the people said.
Ahead of that, McDonald's and its advisor are drawing up a list of likely partners who will be approached to participate in the auction, the person added.
The franchise partners would likely end up owning a majority stake in the restaurants in each market, or even as much as 100 percent, and be responsible for future capital spending. The precise structure of the deal is still to be decided, the sources said. In return, McDonald's will get a one-time franchise payment and ongoing royalty fees, which usually range between 3-5 percent of annual turnover.
Asia-focused Baring Private Equity Asia is the other buyouts firm likely to be invited to the auction process, banking sources familiar with the process said.
McDonald's declined to add to the March 31 statement. China Resources, MBK, Bain, TPG and Baring all declined to comment. Morgan Stanley didn't respond to an email seeking comment.
McDonald's does not break out country-by-country revenue details. It is China's No 2 fast food chain behind YUM Brands Inc, which operates the KFC and Pizza Hut chains.
McDonald's is leaning towards finding separate partners in all the three markets and would likely offer a majority stake to make the deal appealing to buyers, the people added.
The private equity firms are attracted to the rapid growth opportunity available in the so-called quick-service restaurants' (QSR) business in Asia.
"In recent years, even though formal dining may have been impacted by the austerity measures, QSR as a format is growing pretty rapidly," said Kiki Yang, a Greater China partner at consulting firm Bain & Co.
"QSR has the format that a lot of investors like because of the growth of the segment, standardized procedures and it's easy to expand."
China Resources, which is the parent of brewing company China Resources Beer Holdings, and operates Pacific Coffee chains in the Greater China region, has previously expressed interest in expanding its retail footprint.
"This will attract a lot of sponsor interest," said one senior Hong Kong-based M&A banker familiar with the McDonald's process. "For one, it's an established business and second such assets rarely come to market in Asia."
Buyout firms from KKR & Co to Carlyle Group and others have raised billions of dollars in new funds in Asia to benefit from the region's growth potential. But the lack of opportunities to gain control of businesses and stiff asking prices have left the Asia private equity industry sitting on about $140 billion of "dry powder" or unemployed capital, according to data provider Preqin.
Apart from the proceeds from a sale, a deal would lower McDonald's capital spending needs, which totaled $2.6 billion last year.
McDonald also plans to open 1,500 more restaurants in the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region over the next five years, to tap the region's rapid growth.
However, McDonald's and Yum, have been facing increasing competition from cheaper local rivals, particularly in China.
Yum is also in the process of spinning off its 6,900 China restaurants, and is in talks with buyouts firms, including KKR and Hopu Investments to sell up to a 20 percent stake after battling sliding sales over the past few quarters.
Bruised by food safety scandals and changing tastes, McDonald's is also selling a big stake in its Japanese arm.
Buyout firms, including Bain Capital, Permira and MBK, were among those who submitted bids for the McDonald's Japan stake earlier this year, though it was unclear if a deal is close. All three buyout firms declined comment.
McDonald's has struggled in Japan over the past two years, closing more than 150 restaurants last year, remodeling almost 3,000 and posting a $310 million net loss in 2015.
McDonald's owns 49.99 percent of its Japanese arm McDonald's Holdings, according to the company's website, and intends to cut that to about 20 percent.
CAIRO - The authority of Egypt's Suez Canal area signed Thursday a cooperation protocol between Port Said Harbor and Chinese Qingdao Port, the state-run MENA news agency reported.
Inked by Deputy Head of the Commission Abdel Qader Darwish and chairman of the Chinese port, the protocol aims at boosting cooperation in port operation, exchanging expertise and creating a mechanism for sharing information and technology in the harbor field, according to MENA.
The protocol is an outcome of the recent visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping to Egypt which resulted in signing a number of agreements and memorandums of understanding in many areas to increase the Chinese investments in the Middle Eastern country.
Port Said Harbor is one of the six ports affiliated to the economic commission for the Suez Canal Area.
Most of the foreign intellectual property disputes heard by the Beijing IP Court last year involved United States comapanies, a report by a third-party IP team said on Friday.
From the 5,432 cases the court handled last year, 5,022 verdicts were analyzed by IP House, a research group of more than 30 IP professionals set up in 2014. It found that 1,095 related to foreign litigants.
The Beijing IP Court is one of the three specialized courts in China that deals only with intellectual property lawsuits. The other two are in Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Some IP disputes and their verdicts remain sealed by law for privacy reasons privacy, "which is why about 400 cases were not included in our analysis," said Pu Xiang, CEO of IP House.
More than a one-fifth of the IP cases involved foreigners, the report said, and the propostion is still rising in the capital.
That makes foreign IP disputes a major part of the IP case hearings in the city, Pu said.
Of the foreign cases, 395 involved US companies, 2.7 times more than those relating to Germany, which stood No 2 on the list, it said.
Of the cases involving the US businesses, 346 were administrative IP disputes, dealing for instance with brands or patents, it said.
Chen Jinchuan, vice-president of the Beijing IP Court, said the US is a country that pays close attention to IP protection and invests heavily in innovation.
"So US companies apply in China for IP protection more often," Chen said.
"The growing number of applications from the US also shows that China is more attractive to that country and its businesses need development in China," he added.
IP cases were concluded within 125 days on average by the the court in Beijing, the report said.
Huang Hui, a lawyer in Beijing, said that the limited number of judges at the court should be applauded for being able to handle such a surge in IP cases.
"The amount of time we need to hear an IP case, in fact, is shorter than in European countries, where it takes about 18 months to deal with such disputes," Huang said, adding that there are also fewer IP cases handled in Europe than in China.
Staff members work at the 5G Innovation Lab in the China Academy of Telecommunication Research in Beijing, capital of China, Jan 7, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
China has always been at the forefront of new technologies, especially now in 5G telecom technologies research and development, according to Mats Granryd, the newly installed director-general of the GSM Association.
Granryd said the organization is making great effort to provide guidance and regulation on 5G rollout worldwide.
The global industry body unites nearly 800 mobile operators with more than 250 companies in the mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies and internet companies, as well as organizations in adjacent-industry sectors.
It also hosts industry-leading events such as the Mobile World Congress, the world's largest exhibition dedicated to the mobile telecom industry.
Granryd, who spent 15 years in a variety of roles at Sweden telecom giant Ericsson and was CEO of Tele2, one of Europe's fastest-growing telecom operators, said the telecom industry in China is developing rapidly, not only in scale, but also in innovative ways of using new technologies.
He is confident that "in a few years", 5G will be employed widely in China.
"Some operators in Asia, Europe and the United States are claiming they will launch 5G as early as 2018, which is two years before it will be fully standardized.
"China's major operators are all working on 5G and will be early adopters of the technology," said Granryd, adding that 5G's fast development in China is making a growing contribution to promoting the technology worldwide.
"In working with our members and considering how we are going to treat 5G from a government perspective, it's important for us to follow global standards and regulations," he said
China is currently working hard at gaining an edge over international competitors in 5G research and development.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has said the experimental stage of 5G will last three years from 2016 to 2018, before being fully commercialized in 2020.
The country's main telecom carriers have already accelerated their efforts at developing 5G technology.
China Mobile Communications Corp, the country's largest carrier, set up a 5G innovation center in February, and will launch a 5G laboratory.
It also plans to finish the testing of 5G technologies and products in 2017 and conduct trial operations in 2018, with commercial use by 2020.
Fu Liang, a telecom expert, said: "5G development in China is generally keeping pace with the world, and China's technology companies, such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp, have a right to a say in formulating the standard of 5G globally and take a lead in promoting its commercial use."
Ma Si contributed to this story.
A customer uses a Kindle table device at the Amazon bookstore in Seattle, the United States. GETTY IMAGES Firm eyes strong growth among high-end consumers
Amazon.com Inc unveiled on Thursday a top-of-the-line Kindle, extending its reach to high-end Chinese customers, who not only enjoy reading but also want to read in style.
The new generation of device, Kindle Oasis, is the priciest e-book reader Amazon has ever launched. With a price tag of 2,399 yuan ($370) in China, the all-new Kindle is much more expensive than the 1,499 yuan Kindle Voyage, which was regarded as a high-end Kindle device when it was launched in 2014.
The goal for Kindle is to build a device, which is not only comfortable for reading but also makes a fashion statement.
Elaine Chang, vice-president of Amazon who oversees Kindle's business in China, said she is betting big on the new device in the country as more young people are much more fashion-councious and require a superb reading experience beyond which a basic e-book reader can offer.
"Kindle Oasis is designed for high-end customers. With it joining Kindle's product portfolio, we have different devices targeting a wide range of customers," she said.
The new version of Kindle is not only the thinnestabout half of the thickness of an iPhone 6Sbut also the lightest ever. It also has a battery life of around eight weeks.
China is one of the first countries in the world in which Kindle Oasis is available. Fans can preorder the device on various online channels, including z.cn and jd.com.
Amazon didn't reveal the market size of Kindle in China. But it said that China is the second-largest market in the world for Kindle and enjoys the strongest growth momentum. The largest market for Kindle, which in total has tens of millions of users across more than 160 countries, is still its home marketthe United States.
Analysts said that after educating the digital reading market for three years in China, Kindle Oasis is a wise move for the company to gain extra users and boost loyalty among its existing customers who have higher standards for digital reading.
"But whether or not it can see significant growth in sales depends on the e-book selection it offers rather the device itself, said Yao Haifeng, analyst with the Beijing-based consultancy Analysys International.
According to Yao, an increasing number of Chinese have shifted from reading printed books to digital reading as internet becomes an integral part of people's life.
"More and more of them have formed the habit to pay for what they read, which lays a solid foundation for the further growth of e-book reader market," she said, adding there are no official statistics about the size of the e-book reader market.
Kindle, which enjoys the status as the pioneer of the e-book industry in the world, is certainly not the only company betting on the e-reading market in China. Beijing-based iReader Technology Co Ltd, which released its first e-book reader, which is priced at 899 yuan, is expected to unveil the latest version of its product later this month.
"The average number of printed books read by Chinese every year is quite low compared with the world's average but the country's digital reading population is huge, signifying great potential for the e-book reader business," said Jia Shengting, cofounder of iReader Technology.
Perflutren and its packaging.[Photo/China Daily]
Substandard medical gas caused serious eye injuries to dozens of patients undergoing eye surgery at Peking University Third Hospital, the hospital said on Thursday.
It released a statement following media reports that 18 patients had been left blind in one eye after having surgery at the hospital in Beijing.
All of the operations were carried out in June.
Doctors had used a batch of a medical gas called perflutren, which is used during eye surgery as a temporary filler. Suspicions were raised about the quality of the gas, according to a report from China National Radio.
In its statement, Peking University Third Hospital said the problematic batch of perflutren was applied to 59 patients, resulting in eye injuries in 45 of them.
After the incident, regulatory authorities stopped the sale and use of the same batch of the product, the statement said. The gas was produced by Tianjin Jingming New Technological Development Co, the only registered supplier of the gas on the Chinese mainland.
The hospital is filing a lawsuit against the company that produced the gas, the statement said.
An additional 26 patients underwent eye surgery at Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University in Nantong, Jiangsu province, during June, where another batch of the same gas was used.
An engineer at Tianjin Jingming, surnamed Sun, said the company and the regulatory authorities had been investigating the unexpected spike in people losing their sight after surgery during the past year.
Wang Enpu, a professor specializing in eye surgery at Air Force General Hospital in Beijing, said perflutren is used as a temporary filler to puff up the hollow part of the eye during surgery. Wang said the gas helps ensure that operations go smoothly and it disappears after surgery is completed.
"However, only experienced doctors are capable of properly using the gas for eye surgeries because it expands after going into the eye," he said.
An alternative to the gas is silicon oil, but it has to be removed after surgery and can cause side effects, such as increased eye pressure, he said.
The China Food and Drug Administration said in a report dated Jan 1 that the administration sent two teams to Peking University Third Hospital and Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University in July after receiving reports of the incidents.
It ruled out irregularities during the surgeries, according to a report in ThePaper.cn.
The Supreme People's Court has amended the Rules of Court to better protect the rights of all parties involved in trials.
Under the revised rules, which take effect on May 1, suspects on trial are no longer required to wear prison uniforms, vests or clothes that carry logos of prisons or detention houses.
The changes are part of the country's reform of the judicial system, said Hu Shihao, director of the reform office of the Supreme People's Court.
"The new set of regulations requires courts at all levels to strictly abide by the procedural law in trials and is expected to fully protect the rights of all people and entities involved in a trial," he said.
Hu said suspects are allowed to wear civilian clothes during trial, and under normal circumstances should not be subject to restraining devices, such as handcuffs. However, suspects in cases of serious violent crimes should still wear such devices because they are likely to pose a danger to people in a courtroom, he said.
Wei Jie, a lawyer at Jieqiang Law Firm in Beijing, said the revision has put an end to the decadeslong tradition of requiring suspects to appear in prison uniforms and is a great improvement in protecting people's rights.
The Criminal Procedure Law stipulates that no one shall be announced guilty without trial, and the principle that one is considered innocent until proven guilty is one of the most important rights embodied in criminal justice systems.
"The revision conforms to the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law. It has a great significance because it removes the prejudice against suspects who wear prison uniforms in court, which helps ensure justice," Wei said.
Under the new rules, defense lawyers are allowed to bring their own laptops into court for trials, and they will enjoy equal status and treatment with prosecutors in court.
The new rules also suggest courts use video equipment to allow witnesses to testify outside courtrooms and protect the personal information of the parties involved.
zhang_yi@chinadaily.com.cn
Police in Jiangsu province have caught 14 suspects who allegedly used a printer and soy sauce to counterfeit money that they said could easily fool most people.
According to Wang Tao, director of Dawu police station in Xuzhou, police detained a suspect that used counterfeit money in January. The suspect reported that his friend, surnamed Zhao, provided him with the false bills.
Zhao later confessed that he bought partially prepared bills from a wholesaler nicknamed "KK" on the Internet and then used certain materials, including soy sauce, to make the bills look older, Wang said.
"Zhao and his accomplices, four teenagers, forged more than 10,000 yuan ($1,540) and then used it across Xuzhou," Wang said. "With the information provided by the suspects, we went to 26 provinces and cracked down on the counterfeiting network, which covered 90 cities."
So far, police have busted six production centers and one sales center and seized various kinds of equipment used to counterfeit money.
More than 4 million yuan in counterfeit money and 600 kilograms of paper used to print the bills have been confiscated.
According to police, the paper could have been used to print more than 100 million yuan in counterfeit money.
"Almost all the suspects are computer experts," Wang said. "They showed talent in making the right images and colors. The watermarks and fluorescence they made really resemble the real ones."
One of the wholesalers, surnamed Zhang, was caught with more than 1.3 million yuan in counterfeit money and 900,000 yuan in partially prepared bills. According to police, he said the forged bills could fool counterfeit detectors.
"We did some experiments with the counterfeit money," said Gao Xinchun, head of the economic investigation brigade under the public security bureau in Xuzhou's Jiawang district. "Many shop owners took them for real ones and accepted them without hesitation."
Gao suggested that people should remain alert when they are using bills, especially when large sums are received.
cangwei@chinadaily.com.cn
A polluted river in Hebei province that turned red-brown this month is undergoing treatment and further analysis, said a local environmental protection authority.
The Zhongting River, 100 kilometers south of Beijing in Shengfang town, Bazhou, was polluted by wastewater containing iron ions released by iron and steel factories, said Hao Yongjun, a town official in charge of environmental protection.
According to Hao, about a third of the river started to become red-brown earlier this month.
"It's a long-term problem," he said.
Hao said the iron ions were discharged into the river before 2005, when there were no effective sewage disposal facilities.
The town has more than 130 iron and steel companies, according to its government website.
Mud with iron ions subsided to the bottom of the riverbed, Hao said, and recently became suspended in the water because of reactions caused by rising temperatures and spring runoff, making the water look red-brown.
"The sediment is hard to clear out. We have done our best to monitor the current drainage by heavy industries," he said.
The town has invested more than 100 million yuan ($15.4 million) on controlling river pollution since 2005, and has built a comprehensive sewage treatment plant to handle industrial and domestic wastewater.
Before sending wastewater into the treatment plant, factories have to treat it with their own facilities.
"The double handling procedures help the discharged water meet water quality standards," Hao said.
"Experts at the Ministry of Environmental Protection took a sample of the water for analysis on Wednesday, " Hao said, adding that they would adjust pollution-control measures after the results are released.
Feng Haibo, head of the Hebei Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, said it would be possible to clean the river through physical, chemical or biological methods, but that would cost a lot of time and money.
"Local governments haven't paid enough attention to controlling water pollution, not as much as air pollution. It's harder than controlling air pollution," he said, adding that weather factors, such as wind, may help air quality but do nothing for water.
"Water pollution control had just begun," he said.
Fang Xin, mayor of Ba-zhou, said earlier this year that water pollution control for rivers including the Zhongting River would be the priority of water quality work this year.
"Sewage treatment facilities in companies and waste water treatment plants will be under stringent supervision from this year on," Fang said.
Contact the writers at zhangyu1@chinadaily.com.cn and wangwei@chinadaily.com.cn
State Councilor Yang Jiechi delievers a speech at the French Institute of International Relations in Paris on April 14, 2016. [Photo by Tuo Yannan/China Daily]
Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi dismissed pessimism over China's economy by telling an audience in Paris that "China is becoming a major contributor to global consumption and investment."
"The Chinese economy will continue to inject positive energy to the global economic growth," Yang said in an address to the French Institute of International Relations in Paris on Thursday.
Yang noted that the Chinese economy still faces a downward pressure, and the transformation and upgrading are invariably accompanied by "growing pains."
"We will not evade those problems or deny their existence. Rather, we will rise to the challenges with every confidence," Yang said.
China's GDP grew by 6.9 percent last year, and according to the IMF, China will be contributing 30 percent to global economic growth up to 2020.
"For three years in a row, China leads the world in the number of outbound tourists as well as the amount of money they spend," Yang said.
He noted that last year, the value of wine China imported rose 34 percent year-on-year, reaching a record high of $2 billion, and "a significant amount of that was produced here in France".
Envisioning China's import and outbound investment in the next five years, Yang said "China will import goods worth over $10 trillion and make outbound investment of over $600 billion."
Zhang Yansheng, secretary-general of the National Development and Reform Commission's Academic Committee, said China's priority tasks for its foreign trade will undergo a shift in the next five years, as "greater emphasis will be placed on the expansion of imports" when the country seeks a better effect on exports.
"Also, when capital, talents, technologies and standards are being introduced from outside world, China will further prioritize its 'going global' strategy," Zhang said.
Later this year, China will host the G20 Summit in Eastern China's Hangzhou city in September.
"We hope this Summit will help improve global economic and financial governance. Is China a liability or an asset for a slowly recovering global economy? The answer is all too clear," State Councillor Yang said.
As China is deepening its reforms, Yang told the audience that in the coming five years, 50 million new jobs will be added, ensuring adequate employment despite a moderated growth rate.
"The supply-side structural reform that China is pushing forward will further unlock growth potential," Yang said.
Elaborating on China's opening up, Yang said the country will "open wider the services and financial sectors and increase market access in an orderly manner.
"We are committed to facilitating exchanges and cooperation between foreign companies, institutions and individuals with their Chinese counterparts," Yang said.
State Councilor Yang Jiechi delievers a speech at the French Institute of International Relations in Paris on April 14, 2016. [Photo by Tuo Yannan/China Daily]
"China-EU relations are blessed with a historic opportunity for more rapid growth," said State Councilor Yang Jiechi in an address to the French Institute of International Relations in Paris on Thursday.
This year marks the beginning of the fifth decade of China-Europe relations, and Yang said "equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation hold the key to the stable and healthy growth of China-Europe relations".
"Forty years on, China and Europe have become comprehensive strategic partners who enjoy frequent high-level visits and conduct wide-ranging conversations in more than 70 dialogue and consultation mechanisms spanning different areas and at different levels," Yang said.
On the economic front, the EU has remained China's top trading partner for 12 years, while China has remained the EU's second-largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years.
Yang noted that 40 years ago, two-way trade between China and Europe was less than $3 billion.
"Forty years on, the figure grew 200-fold to nearly $600 billion, which means the annual trade volume of the past is now easily met in just two days," he said.
About people-to-people exchanges, Yang noted that "few visits were exchanged between our people" 40 years ago, when "China in the eyes of most Europeans was merely a remote Oriental legend".
Today, two-way personnel exchanges between China and the 28 EU member states top 6.41 million, according to Yang.
"Steady progress is being made in facilitating the travel of our people, further cementing popular support for China-Europe relations," he said.
In 2014, President Xi Jinping, during his visit to the EU headquarters, called on China and Europe to forge partnerships for peace, growth, reform and civilization.
Yang said Xi's vision gives a new strategic direction to the development of China-EU relations.
At the end of last month, Xi paid a successful visit to the Czech Republic. Yang said that was the first time for Xi to visit a central and eastern European country in his capacity as president.
"His visit injected fresh impetus to China's cooperation with central and eastern European countries, and sent a clear message of China's commitment to Europe and its readiness to promote better and faster development of its relations with Europe," Yang added.
Experts are still trying to find what exactly caused serious eye injuries on dozens of patients nine months after they received eye surgeries at two hospitals, according to Chinas top drug regulator.
The China Food and Drug Administration released a statement on Thursday night after media reports that 18 patients became blind in one eye after having surgeries at Peking University Third Hospital, one of the top hospitals in Beijing, in June.
The CFDA said in its statement that 71 patients suffered injuries after surgeries in the hospital and Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University in Nantong, Jiangsu province last year and they are caused by substandard perflutren, a medical gas which is used during surgery as a temporary filler, during the surgeries on these patients.
The two hospitals bought a total of 150 boxes of the gas of the same batch and used most of them in May and June, and the other 13 boxes were sent to local test centers for testing, the CFDA said.
Test results released in July showed that the batch of products were not even in quality and some of them failed standards, but experts could not determine what the impurities were in the gas due to restriction of test technologies currently available and lack of samples, it said.
The CFDA said the same batch of products, produced by Tianjin Jingming New Technological Development Co, in Tianjin, were sold to 25 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in China and 621 boxes were used by 82 hospitals in addition to the two hospitals, but no other injuries were reported. The producer recalled all the 8,632 boxes suspected to have problems in July to eliminate risks, it said.
Local authorities in Tianjin imposed a fine of 5.18 million yuan ($798,000) on Tianjin Jingming New Technological Development Co for producing substandard medical apparatus, and confiscated all the perflutren it produced, CFDA said.
The company has suspended production of the gas and local authorities demanded that the company not resume production of the gas until it finds causes of the substandard gas, according to CFDA.
Chen Liangtao is about to be led out of the courtroom after being sentenced to 22 months for bigamy at Beijing Haidian District People's Court on Thursday. Zou Hong/China Daily
Beijing court convicts man of bigamy after it was found that he had 4 wives in recent years
Legal professionals called on civil affairs departments to create a national network for sharing marriage information after a case in which a man had committed bigamy twice in several years.
Chen Liangtao, 49, from Henan province, was sentenced to 22 months in prison for bigamy by Haidian District People's Court in Beijing on Thursday, but he did not accept the judgment and said he will appeal.
Liu Lin, a Beijing lawyer specializing in marriage cases, said bigamy is often hard to spot because marriage registration information is not easily accessible.
The court said Chen's bigamy dated back eight years. In March 2008, he married one woman at the district's marriage registration office before marrying another in Shandong province the same year.
In March 2010, Chen was divorced from both women, but three months later he married a woman from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, the judgment said.
While in that marriage, he returned to his hometown in Henan and married another woman in August 2012, the court said.
Chen had children with his first and the second wives, it said, adding that the bigamy surfaced when the first woman sued him in 2015 over a child-rearing dispute.
Chen said after the judgment was announced that he met three of the women on a dating website. He said he didn't think what he did was bigamy.
But a judge in charge of the case, who asked not to be named, added some details.
"The man told the women he was a businessman and owned a company, and none of the victims verified what he said before they married him, let alone conducted background research."
Marriage registration information is not shared on any national network, "which is why the man could marry different women", the judge said.
After learning of Chen's past life, the third and the fourth women divorced him last year and joined with the first wife in reporting him to the police. They hoped to settle the case through the courts, she said.
Chen was arrested in August.
Police display a recovered jade dragon that is 5,000 to 6,000 years ago. Yan Yulong/Xinhua
A court has sentenced the head of a tomb-raiding ring to death with a two-year reprieve for robbing ancient graves and trafficking in cultural relics stolen from the Hongshan cultural relics protection region.
Another three key members of the gang received life sentences for excavating ancient graves and cultural sites, Chaoyang Intermediate People's Court in Liaoning province said on Thursday.
"The high-profile tomb robbery case is considered the largest example of cultural relics robbery since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The number of cultural relics and people involved in the thefts both set records," the court said in a statement.
Discovered in 1921, the Hongshan region in Liaoning province is a key national relics site and was a candidate for a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage designation in 2013. The region along the border of Lingyuan and Jianping counties includes a large altar believed to be 5,500 years old.
The court said a gang led by Yao Yuzhong formed a secret chain of workers to conduct the crimes, including some who provided financial support, invested in equipment, excavated the tombs and sold the relics. Another 18 gang members received sentences ranging from three to 15 years.
"Yao directed others to excavate the nationally protected cultural relics ... causing great losses for our national heritage. The circumstances of such a crime are very serious, and the suspect is subject to death," the court said. In Yao's case, the reprieve means his sentence could be later reduced to life in prison.
The high-profile case dates to 2014, when police were tipped off about the crimes and evidence of tomb raiding was found in the Hongshan region.
The Ministry of Public Security directed Liaoning police to form a special investigation team. In July, police identified 12 tomb robbing gangs and detained 225 suspects. They recovered 2,063 cultural relics, including 248 pieces considered to have national value.
In January, Chaoyang Intermediate People's Court sentenced five of those defendants to life in prison, including Yao's brother, Yao Yufei. Another 25 defendants received sentences ranging from three to 15 years. Sentencing of the other defendants is pending.
zhangyan1@chinadaily.com.cn
Students queue outside a school library, waiting to enter the reading room to prepare for the upcoming final exams at the Nanjing University of Finance and Economics in Nanjing, Jiangsu province on Jan 8, 2015. [Photo/China News Service]
Students in Nanjing University will no longer have to worry about their seats in the library being taken up by someone else when they temporarily leave their seats.
"WeChat library", a mobile-based online platform for managing the use of library seats, started a trial operation at Nanjing University on Thursday to keep good order in some libraries, triggering a heated debate on campus.
The platform runs on the university's official account "Going to the library" on WeChat, a popular instant-messaging and social-networking platform. Students can book seats, register their presence, report when they leave and reserve seats on the platform.
According to the rules, those who book the seat have the priority to use the seat, but they also have to observe a time limit. They must take the seat and scan the QR code on the seat within 20 minutes of the library opening. If not, they will get a violation record.
They also have to be back at the seat and report on the platform in 20 minutes if leaving for the toilet, 30 minutes for book searching, and 90 minutes for lunch or supper.
Any violation will be recorded, and when three violations are registered, the system will automatically put the violator onto a blacklist.
Students reacted differently to the new rules.
A university student, surnamed Ye, argued that the time limit was too strict as everyone has different habits. "I think there must be someone who will break the time limit. Not everyone can be so self-disciplined," he said.
Another student, surnamed Shen, believes the new tool manages order well as it effectively prevents seats from being occupied when students leave temporarily.
Many students support the platform, as snatching seats has long been a issue. It is a positive change, they said, and at least it is better to use the platform and obey rules than not.
SHENZHEN - South China police have arrested three Chinese people for the murder of a British citizen in the city of Shenzhen last month.
Hilary St John Bower, 60, was killed by his girlfriend surnamed Xu and two men on March 22, according to a statement from the Nanshan branch of the public security bureau of Shenzhen.
The suspects were caught a week ago. The police suspect the attack was caused by relationship problems between Xu, 38, and the victim.
Xu lives in Nanshan. One of her accomplices, surnamed Sun, is 28 and the other, surnamed Liu, is 23. The three all hail from Xianning city in Central China.
The police refused to disclose any more details, saying they are still investigating the case.
"You are a 'left-over' woman now," reads a screen shot from SK-II's "Change Destiny" advert. [Photo/Youku.com]
A tender and penetrating look at the fraught term "leftover women" in a documentary style, Japanese skincare brand SK-II's latest "Changed Destiny" ad clearly hit a nerve.
The four-minute video has taken Chinese social media by storm and sparked off another round of discussions over an increasingly noticeable group in China - single women at a marriageable age.
The campaign depicted unmarried women's struggles, a hot-potato topic in China that might sting some of the brand's targeted clients and lead to wider discussions beyond the topic to feminism and social change.
"Sheng nv", or "left-over women", is a derogatory term coined to label unwelcome women over the age of 27 who stay unmarried. Many of them fit the profile of being well-educated, career-minded and financially independent single female urbanites.
This relatively new, affluent class is one of the products of China's three-decade economic boom and social change. The rise of this group conflicts directly with traditional Chinese society which, in terms of women's roles, prioritizes marriage and motherhood. For bastions of traditional family values, these women, though in many criteria outstanding, are still labeled as losers simply because they don't wear a ring, yet.
The crux of the video featured the tension between worried and sometimes pushy parents and single daughters who were caught in between pursuing their own lifestyle and the guilt of disobedience.
For Chinese women, marriage is by no means a personal choice. It's a family issue. In a hierarchical family, still the social norm in China, children are supposed to be submissive. In the SK-II ad several single women opened up about the pressure they faced.
"I owe them an apology," a woman said, breaking down with tears. [Photo/Youku.com]
"I can't die peacefully without seeing you married," a father threatened.
"Staying unmarried is definitely one way of showing disrespect to parents," a woman confessed. Later she broke down with tears, saying, "I am so selfish. I owe them an apology."
The emotional climax of the video is when parents and daughters reconcile, going down to People's Park in Shanghai, a public leisure venue also known as a "dating market" where parents exchange information of their single children, such as job, salary and age with one another and arrange blind dates for them.
Posters featuring photos of these daughters, together with empowering messages such as: "I don't want to get married only to get married. This kind of marriage doesn't make me happy" are hung prominently in the space where parents usually "market" their children.
At the end of the video, one woman pinpointed the theme of the ad: "To be independent and confident and enjoy life."
An empowering message reads: "I don't want to get married only to get married. This kind of marriage doesn't make me happy." [Photo/Youku.com]
The video, described by many as tear-jerking, has earned more than 5,000 kudos on SK-II's official Weibo account and attracted mostly positive comments.
A Weibo user called AmeChang posted on the microblogging site: "Being single is nothing to fear. What should be feared is to do what you are expected to and what makes you unhappy. Marriage is something you are entitled to but not indebted to. It's not like only with marriage is your life complete."
Besides the clever timing of its release it coincided with a headline-grabbing hotel assault case that provoked outrage nationwide about violence against women, the advert rode on the wave of a new marketing strategy.
The Japanese brand joined a host of consumer product companies and beauty brands with ads that sell ideas such as gender equality and women's rights alongside their products. Personal care brands Pantene, Dove and Always have led the way in such campaigns.
Screen shot of P&G Always' "Like A Girl" advert. [Photo/Iqiyi]
For example, P&G Always' "Like A Girl" ad showed how the phrase "like a girl" is perceived by young women, boys and girls, and had a similar impact in the USA in causing people to reflect on gender issues.
Instead of promoting the product's quality, these ads get touchy-feely by raising a topic the targeted clients can relate to personally.
SK-II's previous commercials featured actresses showing off their immaculate skins and sharing their own user experiences. Marketed as having age-defying effects, the brand's skin care lines have been pitched at women who deal with mature skin and thus have bigger purchasing power.
Some users compared the Changed Destiny campaign with a controversial advert of Baihe, a dating website, which was showered with criticism for guilting women into compromising with traditional values. The older ad showed how an ill grandmother managed to get her single granddaughter to give in by constantly nagging the younger woman. In contrast, the SK-II ad encouraged women to stay true to themselves under the pressure, ending with a morale-lifting message don't let pressure restrict your future.
This, however, is not a happy ending. For free-spirited women, reconciliation with parents is only the first step as family is not the only source of the pressure. They have a whole society to reconcile with and to battle.
Green express box launched by Cainiao. [Photo/Weibo]
China's e-commerce giant Alibaba is planning to launch a green logistics, including green express boxes, to deal with waste and pollution caused by package materials and transportation in express delivery business, thepaper.cn reported on Thursday.
Jack Ma, chairman of Alibaba, said: "Our group is formulating a standard for 'green logistics' " during a speech, the giant's logistics offshoot Cainiao's "green logistics" was said to include green express boxes, bags, vehicles and so on.
"We are trying to introduce reusable express boxes made of safe plastics and hope the boxes will gradually replace current cartons. In this case, after the buyers sign and receive their packages, couriers will retake the boxes and send the boxes back to delivery warehouse where the boxes used to be," said a source in charge of the logistics business in Cainiao.
The source also told thepaper.cn that the express boxes will begin a soft use in Shanghai in April, and the plan will cover 20 cities, including Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, at the end of 2016.
The green move aims to deal with the waste and pollution caused by plastic bags and cartons used in transporting goods.
In 2015, 2.96 billion woven bags, 8.26 billion plastic bags, 9.9 billion cartons, 16.95 billion meters of tapes and 2.97 billion buffers or bubble wraps were used in express delivery business, which moved 20.6 billion packages, according to Cainiao's data.
A formation of the Nanhai Fleet of China's Navy on Saturday finished a three-day patrol of the Nansha islands in the South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua]
Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission Fan Changlong has paid an inspection visit to the islands and reefs of China's Nansha Islands in the South China Sea, the Ministry of National Defense said on Friday.
According to the ministry, Fan paid the visit "in recent days", and he led officials of the relevant departments of the People's Liberation Army as well as local officials. The short release did not provide further detail on either the exact timing or the specific islands.
Fan greeted officers and soldiers garrisoning the islands as well as construction workers.
He was also briefed about the construction of facilities on the islands and reefs of Nansha.
Construction of a range of projects serving the international community are progressing smoothly, according to the release.
The projects range from lighthouses, automatic weather stations, oceanic observation centers to facilities for maritime scientific research, according to the ministry.
Five lighthouses for ensuring navigational safety have been established and four have been officially put in to use.
CHENGDU -- Tai Shan, 11, a celebrity panda born and raised in the United States, on Friday attempted mating for the first time since his return to China in 2010.
He mated with Wen Yu, two years his junior, on Friday morning at the Ya'an base of the Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in southwestern Sichuan province.
Observers said Tai Shan performed excellently in the 2-minute-6-second mating after nearly 90 minutes of "affective interaction" with his partner.
Tai Shan had suffered digestive problems since returning from the United States. He was put onto the center's reproduction plan this year after recovery.
Premier Li Keqiang poses for a selfie taken on Friday by Melissa Ann Kidson, an art student from the United States, at Peking University after an inspection tour of the campus. WU ZHIYI / CHINA DAILY
Premier Li Keqiang urged universities to enhance innovation in scientific research and technological development during visits to top Chinese universities on Friday.
The premier visited Tsinghua University and Peking University, both of which have long enjoyed prestigious reputations among Chinese students and parents.
Several professors at Tsinghua University reported their achievements to the premier in fields such as the internet, gas turbines and new-energy vehicles. To improve scientific research in these fields, the school has introduced a large number of overseas scholars, many of whom are younger than 40.
"As shown in your school song, we have to adopt good aspects from Chinese and Western countries. In promoting innovation, we should do so the same way," Li told the professors.
Collaboration among universities and research institutes is crucial, the premier said. Otherwise, resources will be wasted on similar research programs.
With funds from the government, these institutions can more easily promote innovation in various fields while working together, he added.
Xia Xueluan, a professor of sociology at Peking University, said innovation is a key concept for the premier and the central government as the country seeks new models for economic restructuring.
Hundreds of students at both schools greeted Li during his visit, and he had discussions with them about various fields. He told the students to contribute to social progress in pursuit of social welfare and justice.
The premier took selfie photos with enthusiastic students in the library at Tsinghua University, which will mark its 105th anniversary at the end of this month, and outside the Law School at Peking University.
"Welcome back again," students at Peking University, from which Li earned bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees, told the premier upon his departure in the afternoon. It was Li's first visit to the school as premier.
Basum Lake was listed by the World Tourist Organization as a world tourist spot in the 1990s.[Photo/Xinhua]
Reaction to nude photos posted online of a woman at a sacred lake in the Tibet autonomous region has been mixed.
Negative comments followed the posting of the images earlier this week, but there were also many internet users who supported the nude photography and criticized Sina Weibo user YouchumDolkar for posting private images.
"Nudity does not necessarily imply sex, and nudity does not mean vulgarism," said Weibo user Miaoira.
The photographer was not detained by the police, as reported by some media, according to Wang Jin, head of the publicity department of Nagarze county, Tibet. That was confirmed by the police in Lhasa, the regional capital.
However, Wang said, such photography would not be welcomed by ethnic groups, and public nudity is forbidden by the country's public security regulations.
"Yamdrok Lake is one of the sacred lakes in Tibet, and it is of major significance to its people. Any action that desecrates the lake is forbidden," Wang said.
YouchumDolkar, a female netizen, first posted the nude photos on Monday.
She condemned the actions of the male photographer and the woman for what she said was their "way of thinking without any cultural or moral principles".
She added another post on Thursday saying, "I only wanted more people to know about the local customs in Tibet" and "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
The posts had more than 2,370 comments and 390 reposts as of Thursday.
Accompanying the posts was a screen shot of a WeChat "Moment" in which the photographer explained that the woman who posed for the camera simply wanted to create a memory of the sacred spot because she was able to visit Tibet in the prime of her life.
Beijing News had reported on Wednesday that the police had placed the photographeridentified only as Yufeixiong in his social media accountin administrative detention for 10 days after receiving reports about the nude photo shoot from local residents.
The photographer did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
Contact the writers at xuwei@chinadaily.com.cn and daqiong@chinadaily.com.cn
Chandradath Singh, Trinidad and Tobago's Ambassador to China, beats a drum during a cultural event in Beijing, April 14, 2016. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]
Hot dance, passionate music, strong Latin flavor is coming into town.
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, a Caribbean country renowned for its seascape, hosted an exciting cultural event Thursday night.
Authentic Trinidad and Tobago drinks, traditional costumes, tropical music, and Caribbean dance classes were made available to all participants. Chandradath Singh, Trinidad and Tobago's Ambassador to China brought a passionate performance to the audiences when he played the traditional steelpan instrument.
The event was held by the Trinidad and Tobago embassy in Beijing, all part of the ongoing China-Latin America and Caribbean 2016 Year of Cultural Exchange. There were donations made on site with proceeds going to the Yao Foundation.
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, situated off the northern edge of South America, is a twin island country. It is known for its carnivals and other indigenous forms of musical styles. The country's tropical climate attracts many tourists each year.
Blue-and-white stem cup. [Photo provided to China Daily]
A blue-and-white stem cup which bears wing dragons and was made during the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) will be auctioned in Hong Kong on May 31. It has a pre-sale estimate of $2.85 million.
The cup is from the collection of the Staffordshire University in Staffordshire, England. It was donated to the university along with 269 other antiquities by Ernest Thornhill, a London-based pharmacist, in 1944.
The university hopes the auction will generate enough funds for it to build a museum on campus to house the rest pieces from the Thornhill collection.
Besides the cup, dozens of Chinese antiques including jade pieces and furniture will also be auctioned.
Chinese jade pieces to be auctioned. [Photo provided to China Daily]
The auction is being jointly staged by Lyon and Trunbell, an auction house based in Scotland, and Freeman's, an auction house from Philadelphia, in the United States.
The sale will mark the two auctioneers' maiden entry into Hong Kong and their attempt to reach more Asian and Chinese collectors.
A preview of the lots will be held over May 28-30 at Hong Kong's Liang Yi Museum.
Related:
Chinese arts prove popular in Hong Kong spring sales
At home in a foreign land Updated: 2016-04-15 06:35 By Paul Surtees(HK Edition)
The Sephardims living in the old city of Sarajevo are descended from the Jews driven out of Spain during the Inquisition of 1492. Photos provided to China Daily Writer Karl-Markus Gauss (left) and photographer Kurt Kaindl (right) traveled across Europe, looking for pockets of immigrant settlers, like these Degesi children in Slovakia (center).
Kurt Kaindl's evocative photographs of ethnic minority groups living in Europe, some of them for centuries together, are on show at HK's Goethe Institut. A review by Paul Surtees.
In these times when streams of refugees fleeing conflict zones in the Middle East and poverty in Africa continue to arrive in Europe, the remnants of earlier generations of ethnic minority migrants are brought to focus in an excellent exhibition now on at Hong Kong's Goethe Institut.
The Unknown Europeans is a fine exhibition of black and white images shot by Austrian photographer Kurt Kaindl. They depict several tiny ethnic minority groups in different parts of Europe; many of them having settled there centuries ago. The show is jointly presented by the Goethe-Institut Hong Kong and the Consulate-General of Austria in Hong Kong. Kaindl is the co-founder of Austria's largest archive of photographs. This is his second exhibition in Hong Kong.
It is remarkable that the communities photographed have retained their own traditional language and culture, despite having lived in different, often alien, cultures for years. The photographer has assiduously looked for and captured many examples of displaced people. His respectful capturing of them on film often draws attention to minority communities many of us would otherwise never have heard of.
Kaindl captures the amazing ways in which the people living far away from their homes, surrounded by those who are quite different from them, have managed to hold on to the cultures they brought from the countries of their origin. Their continuance to this day speaks of the strength in their parent cultures as well as the diversity they have contributed to Europe. As Kaindl puts it: "There's a lesson for modern Europe here - of displaced peoples retaining their own cultural identity, sometimes over centuries, yet also maintaining a good relationship with the majority population where they settled."
As the younger generations grow up and move out of these old settlements, communities get smaller, facing eventual extinction. Kaindl has probably done us a service by recording their present somewhat endangered existence.
Europe hosts over 50 such minority enclaves. The exhibition features the Sephardims, descendants of the Jews driven out of Spain during the Inquisition in 1492, living in Sarajevo. The Gottscheers, who settled on the borders of the present-day Croatia and Slovenia, are included as well. They still speak an ancient form of German, not used elsewhere for over 600 years. At the time of Emperor Charlemagne, Sorbs (Slavs) settled in Lusatia (now in eastern part of Germany). The Dowewo are a nomadic group who settled in Slovenia. An Albanian group, the Arbereshe, moved 500 years ago to Southern Italy. And the Aromanians are a Latin-speaking people from the Balkans, long settled in Greece, Albania and Bulgaria.
"On our travels, we wanted to come across people and places by chance," said Kaindl, who was in Hong Kong for the opening of the exhibition. "We wanted to photograph and record their present situation, and not dig into their folkloric past. We were interested to meet people on the streets, not in organized groups."
His realistic portrayal of these minority groups has been made all the more accessible and interesting by the accompanying texts, written by Karl-Markus Gauss.
The photographer and writer traveled together on several journeys, to many remote villages, each recording the ways in which the descendants of some of the world's earliest diaspora live in their own distinctive ways. Between them they have played up the contrasts. Gauss related that there were times when they were surprised to find a guesthouse or a small hotel that looked rather old world from the outside, with only a horse-drawn cart parked in front of it, had rooms fully equipped with satellite connections!
These fascinating sets of pictures have previously been exhibited in many parts of Europe, as well as in the US. They make for a window on the many distinctive lifestyles practiced in relatively underexposed pockets of Europe.
To sample more of Lorette E. Roberts' work visit www.loretteroberts.com The sketches published here is by courtesy of Blacksmith Books www.blacksmithbooks.com
(HK Edition 04/15/2016 page7)
A man counts vote during an election of Communist Party of China chief at a village in Sheqi county, Hennan province in this Nov 26, 2008 file photo. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]
A researcher in politics at Hubei University of Economics in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, wrote a diary while working temporarily in a forestry department in a county-level district in the northwest of the province. Media reports quoting 96 entries from his diary have stirred heated discussions about grassroots officialdom. Beijing News commented on Wednesday:
The researcher, surnamed Jiang, wrote more than 300,000 words, and exposed some problems with the forestry district's governance system. "A frog is administrated by the water conservancy bureau if it is in water, by the forestry bureau, if on land," he wrote in his diary. "Every department cares about its power. But when something wrong happens, none stands out."
To solve the frog issue, the local government will probably set up a new temporary frog office. In the past we have seen watermelon offices and Chinese cabbages office to help the farmers sell their agricultural products. There used to be a steamed bun office in some counties and towns in Central China, where the wheat flour is the staple food, to strengthen the regulation of the steamed bun market.
If the coordination among different government departments remains rigid and inefficient, and if the officials only exercise their power while ignoring the responsibilities behind their power, it is of little meaning to establish a new office.
The Chinese government needs streamlining, instead of setting up new makeshift offices to solve urgent issues, which obviously reflects the failure of existing departments.
The public lacks legal means to urge the government to fulfill its duties. It is very difficult for a person or an organization to take the initiative to assume responsibilities and bid farewell to the easy benefits that come with power. It is natural for them to seek the advantages of power while avoiding the disadvantages of fulfilling their duties.
Obstetric nurses in the Central Hospital of Enshi, Hubei province, take care of newborns at the hospital. [Li Yuanyuan / for China Daily]
After the implementation of the universal two-child policy in the Chinese mainland, many aged grandparents have said they will be unable to look after another child. China Youth Daily commented on Thursday:
Most parents in China rely on their own parents or other relatives for childcare, as there is a lack of public childcare services and facilities.
With many elderly people saying it is too much of a burden for them to look after a second grandchild, and parents saying it is too expensive to raise a second child, most couples with a child have expressed little enthusiasm for having another.
The government cannot make the choice for a family, but it can create a more favorable environment to encourage couples to have another child. More maternity leave and greater investment in education and social welfare systems are necessary.
Choosing to have a second child in the final analysis reveals a couple's confidence in their future life.
On January 11, 2016, activists marched in front of the White House in Washington, D.C., to support the closing of Guantanamo Bay.[Photo/IC]
Editor's Note: The State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China published a document titled "Chronology of Human Rights Violations of the United States in 2015" on Thursday. Following is the full text of the document:
JANUARY
Jan. 3
The Washington Post website reported that John Paul Quintero, an unarmed 23-year-old Hispanic man, was shot by police in Wichita, Kansas.
Jan. 6
The Washington Post website reported that Autumn Steele, an unarmed 34-year-old woman, was shot by police in Burlington, Iowa.
On the same day, the website reported that Leslie Sapp III, a 47-year-old black man, was shot by police in Knoxville, Pennsylvania.
Jan. 8
The Washington Post website reported that Artago Damon Howard, an unarmed 36-year-old black man, was shot by police in a parking lot in Strong, Arkansas.
Jan. 12
The Atlantic magazine's website reported that according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than a quarter of the teenagers15 years old and upwho died of injuries in the United States were killed in gun-related incidents.
Jan. 13
The Washington Post website reported that Richard McClendon, a 43-year-old mentally-ill man, was shot by police in his mother's home in Jourdanton, Texas.
Jan. 14
The Washington Post website reported that Talbot Schroeder, a 75-year-old man, was shot by police in a house in Old Bridge, New Jersey, for refusing repeated commands from a police officer to drop the knife.
Jan. 16
"No Freshness in our 2016 presidential contest," an article published on the website of The Washington Post said the likely slate of candidates will include the son of a governor and presidential candidate, the son of a congressman and presidential candidate, the wife of a president and the brother of a president, son of a president and grandson of senator. Family pedigree and prestige were dominating factors swaying politics.
Jan. 22
The websites of The Huffington Post and The USA Today reported that 10 former McDonald's workers from Virginia sued their stores for racial discrimination and sexual harassment. They said they suffered racial discrimination from the managers from time to time and alleged they were wrongfully fired last year and replaced with mostly white workers because their managers believed there had been "too many black people [working] in the store."
Jan. 29
The Washington Post website reported that Ralph Willis, an unarmed 42-year-old man, was shot by police in Stillwater, Oklahoma, for making a threatening gesture toward a police officer.
Jan. 31
The Washington Post website reported that Edward Donnell Bright, a 54-year-old mentally-ill black man, was shot by police outside a 7-Eleven store in Baltimore, Maryland.
China will continue to implement a special college enrollment plan for students from impoverished rural areas.
According to the special plan, key universities at the national and provincial levels will directly enroll students from targeted areas, which aims to enable students from these areas, especially those from poor backgrounds, get more access to quality higher education.
Recently top universities including Peking University, Tsinghua University and Fudan University released special enrollment plans for rural residents.
The percentage of rural students in universities has continuously declined in recent years, as it is more difficult for rural students to pursue higher education than before, largely because of disparities in schooling and education resources.
And for many rural families the tuition fees for higher education are a huge burden. Thus some rural students have to drop out even though they are good students.
The special college enrollment plan for rural students is conducive to helping rural students receive higher education, but it is only a stopgap measure that will hardly solve the real problem.
To make higher education fairer in the long run, China should further increase the money it puts into education in rural areas to eliminate the education gap between rural and urban areas.
A clerk counts yuan bills at a bank in Huaibei, East China's Anhui province. [Photo/IC]
Standard & Poor's (S&P) downgrade followed a similar measure earlier in March by Moody's, another major ratings agency. S&P did maintain the rating AA-, adding that China's reform agenda is on track, though likely to proceed more slowly than expected.
Nonetheless, the downgrade was strongly criticized by Chinese officials and media outlets. As a Xinhua commentary put it, China's economic growth is decelerating amid a painful transition. However, a downgrade of outlook is not warranted as "the fundamentals of the Chinese economy remain sound and solid, and are improving."
Was the downgrade warranted?
Rising criticism against credit agencies
Credit rating agencies (CRAs) assign credit ratings, which rate a debtor's ability to pay back debt by making timely interest payments as well as the likelihood of default. The issuers include companies, special purpose entities, non-profit organizations, but also sovereign nations, state and local governments.
In the past two decades, the criticism of the leading CRAs has increased in the advanced economies, starting with the internet burst of 2000-2001, the subprime mortgage crisis after 2005, the global financial crisis in 2008-9 when hundreds of billions of securities that had the CRAs' highest ratings were downgraded to junk, and the European sovereign debt crisis since spring 2010 when Brussels blamed rating downgrades for crisis escalation.
From huge energy companies, such as Enron, to Wall Street's financial giants, the credit agencies - so it seems - have looked the other way, when the world's largest financial conglomerates have engaged in excessive risk-taking.
As the major advanced economies no longer fuel global growth, large emerging economies - China, India, Russia and Brazil, among others - play an increasing role in these prospects. In these economies, criticism against the large ratings agencies has also increased since the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 and the recent downgrades, which reflect substantial capital outflows and other challenges.
In advanced economies, criticism focuses on the CRAs' professional conduct. In emerging and developing economies, it also addresses the issue of fairness. As the past two decades suggest, the CRAs are not immune to professional biases, moral hazards and conflicts of interests. According to critics, the problem stems from the extraordinary concentration of the CRA industry.
The global might of the "Big Three"
According to influential reports in the early 2010s, the two largest U.S.-based CRAs - S&P and Moody's - controlled some 80 percent of the global market share. In turn, the "Big Three" - S&P, Moody's plus Fitch Ratings, which is dually headquartered in the U.S. and the U.K. and majority-owned by a French holding company - dominate 95 percent of the ratings business across the world. Not only is the industry concentrated, so is their geography.
In both advanced and emerging economies, governments borrow money by issuing government bonds and selling them to private investors, overseas or domestically. However, emerging and developing economies enjoy neither the history of capital accumulation nor the high living standards that most advanced economies take for granted. Consequently, their efforts to borrow are far more challenging and constrained.
Yet, current credit ratings are based on advanced-economy CRAs' perceptions of a sovereign's ability and willingness to repay its debt. Of course, emerging and developing economies can seek funds from international multilateral organizations, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. However, the latter reflect the interests of their primary owners in advanced economies, which select their leaders, set their policies and control enforcement.
It is precisely for this reason that emerging economies led by China have recently established new alternatives, such as the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which stress borrowing in the emerging and developing world.
Nevertheless, the "Big Three" continue to dominate the ratings business.
Khyati Shah in Shanghai[photo provided to China Daily website]
If Charles Dickens were to base the settings of his famous novel "A Tale of Two Cities" in Asia, instead of Europe, there is an iota of credibility that the figment of his imagination would have set the characters in Shanghai and Mumbai in lieu of London and Paris.
Indeed, Shanghai and Mumbai call for another tale betwixt them, a tale that runs through similar veins yet diverse dimensions. While viewed from a macroscopic lens, it does feel Shanghai and Mumbai have a similar streak of colors, but microscopically the shades are very different and divergent, and yet the cities harbor a kindred spirit.
The most striking similarity is in their geographical layout and their humble beginnings as they rose to become what they are today. Economic behemoths that they are now, they rose from island settlements into financial and commercial capitals of their respective countries.
Shanghai rose a mighty from the Land of the Dragon, and Mumbai too leaped from the Land of the Tiger. Being a Mumbai citizen by birth and a Shanghai resident now, I see, feel and breathe the convivial spirit that wafts through these amazing cities.
Starting from their origins, they both have similar histories rooted in maritime activities as Mumbai was a port on the west coast of India and Shanghai, a busy port on Eastern China. Their nomenclature till date reflects this most accurately.
Mumbai was originally a cluster of seven islands separated by swamps which were filled in and regrouped in 1845 to become one large island called Bombay. Mumbai took over its name from Bombay in 1995 after the patron Goddess of the deep sea fishermen, Mumbadevi. The coastal city was proverbially seen as a Gateway to India, and so a magnificent monument by the name was built in the 20th century as it was the first structure that the arriving visitors (mostly British viceroys and governors back in the heyday) would first set their sights on. Shanghai too derives its name from Shang-(Chinese word for above/upon) and Hai-(Chinese word for Sea).
While Mumbai is developed on the waterfront overlooking the Arabian Sea, Shanghai has its waterfront embankment overlooking the East China Sea which blends into the Pacific Ocean. Shanghai has one of the busiest ports today where large container vessels epitomize the trade between China and the rest of the world.
The iconic waterfront promenade of Shanghai is called the Bund, which too traces its origins to being a British settlement before 1840. Circa 1846, Shanghai became a trading port and come the 1900s, the Bund rose to grow into a powerful financial hub. Sporting imperial Gothic structures and iconic landmarks on its visage, the waterfront esplanade of Shanghai- Bund finds a worthy counterpart in the waterfront of Mumbai- Marine Drive. Both waterfronts of the island cities house commercial powerhouses and simultaneously serve as beacons of beauty making them top the Must-see lists of tourists thronging the cities.
As the sun sets and the natural lights fade, the Bund transforms into a jazzy lively nightspot with its shining beaming neon lights, and Marine Drive lights up with a smile as the lights on its angular arc transform to become the "Queens necklace".
Both the cities, Mumbai and Shanghai, have their own aliases too. Mumbai is called the Maximum City where life and its experiences can be maximized and is also called City of Dreams, where all dreams can definitely have a chance to come true.
Shanghai with its European beauty and grace is called the Pearl of the Orient and also the Paris of the East. Tourism spots abound in both cities, and these economic capitals are also shopping havens for tourists. Where tourism booms, shopping is not far behind, and where shopaholics throng, how can fashion lag behind? Fashion plays an important role in the character of any city. New York and Paris might be the centre stage of the world where fashion plays out an intriguing show every season, but come to Asia, and Shanghai and Mumbai are eager to put up an interesting riot of colors.
Mumbai has the high end malls as well as bargain jaunts, to please the pockets of the populace which comprises of the richest rich and the poorest of the poor and oh yes, just like Mumbais looming skyline, the width of difference encompasses both in large numbers.
Shanghai is a fashionistas delight and, being a developed city of the Middle Kingdom, is very European in its fashion quotient. Malls of Shanghai outnumber malls of Mumbai not only in number, but also in technology, scale and escalators alone! Not to mention, Shanghai is a city with bargain flea markets too.
Besides fashion, it is food which lines a citys milieu. Fine dining restaurants filled with world cuisine and showcasing eclectic ambiences abide a plenty in both cities, yet Mumbai and Shanghai both have a delectable mouth-watering array of street food.
The street food culture of any city, I feel, is as necessary if not more, than upscale restaurants to a citys personality. The spiced-fried potato buns (Vada Pav) of Mumbai find a worthy and healthier companion in my favorite steamed vegetable and tofu filled buns (Mantou) of Shanghai.
Of course, there are many other street foods that leave your palate wanting for more in both cities like Bhel puri, Pani puri and Ragda pattice of Mumbai and rice, noodles and dumplings eaten with chopsticks (obviously!) in Shanghai. The peppery grilled and barbequed vegetables, mushrooms or anything you pick from a platter to charcoal-grill is unique to the street food culture of Shanghai and tops my list of must-haves.
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Himalaya Airlines, a China-Nepal joint-venture company, completed its maiden flight from Kathmandu to Colombo on Tuesday, said Tibet Airlines, the Chinese investor.
Based in the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Himalaya Airlines was set up in August 2014, with focus on the market in South Asia, China and the Middle East.
The company also plans to extend its service to Southeast Asian and European countries in the next five years, to facilitate more trips to China's Tibet Autonomous Region, which is aiming for a world-class tourist destination.
Bai Weisan, general manager of Tibet Airlines, said Himalaya Airlines will contribute to the transport and trade between China and South Asian countries.
Nepal has been Tibet's top trade partner since 2006. In 2014, Tibet's trade with Nepal exceeded 10 billion yuan ($1.54 billion), accounting for 90 percent of the region's total foreign trade that year.
What kind of ship never sinks? Friendship!
While this joke has always been popular, it has never been able to show how the ship sinks. Until now, that is. A recent set of cartoons reveals the whole story with the help of cute penguins.
The cartoons were first put online on Sina Weibo, a Twitter-like service in China, on April 2. Captions on the cartoons show that the two are on 'friend ship'. But then one gets thinner and the ship sinks.
The cartoons soon went viral and were forwarded 78,000 times within 10 days, Chengdu Business Daily reported.
The artist, who uses the pseudonym Nan Dongni, allowed internet users on April 6 to replace his captions with their own. Nan wanted to publish the best ones on his verified Weibo account and offered prizes.
The cartoons went viral on social media, such as Weibo, WeChat and online forums. Captions suggested the reasons why the "friend ship" sinks, such as friends having different jobs and industries.
Some of the suggested captions suggested that the ship sinks because friends work in different industries. For instance, if you have a journalist friend and ask them to have a meal together and they respond that they have to finish a news report first, the "friend ship" sinks. Or, when your friend is a teacher and you ask if they want to have a meal today and they reply that they have to finish school reports, the "friend ship" sinks.
The popularity of the cartoons shows that people have little understanding of the different demands made by careers, which causes barriers in communication and that in turn creates misunderstandings and that sinks friendship.
These cartoons with different captions have been viewed more than 16 million times. Nan said April 12 on his Weibo account that some changed cartoons without his permission but they too attracted more than 100,000 views.
The "friend ship" cartoons have finally transformed Nan into a cyber celebrity, or Wanghong, in Chinese.
Nan was born in the late 1980s in Linyi, East China's Shandong province. He told media that he left university to embark on creating cartoons. His decision came after he bought two books by Chinese cartoonist Jimmy in 2010.
Nan wrote on his WeChat account, a messaging service, "I never thought I'd be the creator of a hot event. As you can see, the 'friend ship' cartoons and notes have flooded the circle of friends on social media."
He said he created the two penguins a yellow one named Dongni and a black one called Ade last year. He was happy that the two penguins have become popular with Chinese netizens, but he worried that some people posted the cartoons with their own captions without giving him credit as the creator.
John Loges is a veteran detective and drug enforcement agent, but when it came to addressing a synthetic-drug epidemic in South Florida, he put on his diplomat's hat.
A Fort Lauderdale police detective on loan to the US Drug Enforcement Administration, Loges coordinated a trip to China last fall to lobby officials to cut off the export of chemicals used to make the street drug "flakka", which sends users into psychotic frenzies.
Flakka is a version of a Spanish word that means a thin, pretty woman. A derivative of bath salts, the drug compels users to tear off their clothes as their body temperatures surge.
Some hallucinated that they were being chased. One man impaled himself on a police department fence trying to evade imaginary pursuers, The Associated Press reported.
In 16 months, 63 flakka users died in Fort Lauderdale and its vicinity - overdoses, suicides, homicides and accidents, according to the AP. Anti-flakka posters around Broward warned: "Lose your mind. Lose your life."
But about three months ago, the scourge suddenly stopped.
"I have never seen a drug gain popularity so rapidly and be eliminated so quickly," Broward Sheriff Scott Israel told the AP.
Hospitals in Broward County recorded more than 300 flakka cases in October, 187 in November, and 54 in December, also the last month for a flakka fatality, The Washington Post reported.
The Chinese government, as of Oct 1, 2015, restricted exports of flakka's key ingredient, alpha-PVP, and 115 other chemical substances used to make synthetic drugs, according to the DEA.
Loges told China Daily that the Chinese government used three criteria to ban the drug: Is there any medicinal or industrial use for the chemical anywhere in the world? Is it actually being exported from China? Is it being abused as a drug?
Loges, who also has served in the US Army for 30 years, including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and is now a master sergeant in the Reserves, led a delegation of Broward County, Florida, law enforcement officials and federal agents to Beijing last fall to meet their Chinese counterparts.
On the Nov 1-8 trip to Beijing with Loges were US Attorney Tony Gonzalez, Fort Lauderdale police Sgt. John Jensen, Broward Sheriff's Office Lietuentant Ozzy Tianga, Assistant DEA Special Agent Kristine Costa, and Mindy Mazzei, a Coral Springs detective and DEA task force officer, the Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale reported.
Loges said his thinking was, "Let's take it to their government. ... Just because we're local officials, why can't we?"
Loges' team met with Zhao Yu, director of China's office of the National Narcotics Control Commission, Ministry of Public Security, and Shan Yehua, deputy director for international cooperation.
"They were open arms with us," he said of the meeting.
The delegation also met with US Ambassador to China Max Baucus. Loges said Baucus "embraced" the team's efforts, adding the synthetic-drug problem to his list of top 10 priorities as ambassador.
Although the alpha-PVP ban was in place by the time the group arrived in China, the trip "was important moving forward, strategy-wise", Loges told the Sun-Sentinel. Once China put the ban in place, it still had to trace the suppliers through postal and delivery service codes.
"In the history of their government, they've never done this," Loges told the Sun-Sentinel. "They don't want to be known as a source country similar to Colombia or anything like that."
In the US, drug dealers were buying alpha-PVP from Chinese labs online, breaking it down into small doses and pushing it onto the streets.
"The dose unit for cocaine is in general 1 gram, but for alpha-PVP, it is a tenth of a gram," Loges said.
"Ten thousand people can get high off that kilo, versus cocaine. The price for a kilogram online was anywhere between $1,500 to $3,000. But the street value of it was $50,000, crazy mark-up."
Loges said that law enforcement also faces the issue of illicit manufacturers tinkering with molecular structures to create new drugs to avoid detection.
"When you're changing the synthetics ... it's with the intent to circumvent law enforcement and dog detection".
"It's not like you're targeting Pablo Escobar," Loges said, but rather, trying to tackle a problem wherever it arises. He said it took a partnership across jurisdictions (local, state, federal), at the border, in the medical community, and finally, diplomatically. "You're not going to arrest your way out of the problem."
He estimated that before China's actions, and despite a concerted effort by US Customs, only about 5 percent of alpha-PVP was intercepted before it made it into the US.
The battle against synthetic drugs is ongoing. Before flakka, there was "Molly", which had flooded South Florida's streets before China banned its key ingredient, methlyone, in 2014.
The bilateral action on synthetic drugs exemplifies the best results of people-to-people exchange between the US and China.
Contact the writer at williamhennelly@chinadailyusa.com
LAGOS - The Nigerian government has granted an airliner, Air Peace, a license to operate international flights from southeast city of Enugu to China and other areas, an official said Thursday.
The recognition would open a new vista in the economy of the state, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the state governor during the closing ceremony of the First Enugu Investment Summit.
The governor said by approving the license of the airline, President Muhammadu Buhari had shown himself as having the interest of all sections of the country at heart.
Ugwuanyi said the state would never be the same again having had a successful summit that attracted investors across the world.
"We have not only showcased the vast potentials in the state, but from reactions of participants, it does appear that we have been able to provoke an unprecedented interest from investors across the world," he added.
"The journey to economic prosperity has commenced. The light of the economic dawn that has been lit through this summit will never be allowed to die," he said.
Ugwuanyi thanked delegates who made the summit a success and pledged to create an enabling environment for interested investors.
Earlier in his presentation, the Chairman of Air Peace Ltd, Allen Onyema, said the airline would soon commence flights from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu to China.
The chairman said it was time for Nigeria to be a hub for West and Central African sub-regions.
"President Muhammadu Buhari in his magnanimity on March 31, 2016 approved for us the right to fly to five different countries and we decided now to make Enugu State the hub," he said.
Onyema said Air Peace would fly to India, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Atlanta in the US and China, adding that the China flight would commence in a few months.
"There is no other airline in West and Central Africa that flies direct to China," he added.
"We will use our airline to bring passengers from countries in West and Central Africa to Enugu and move them to China," Onyema said.
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde addresses a news conference during the spring meetings of the IMF and the World Bank in Washington April 14, 2016.[Photo/Agencies]
Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), defended her positive view of China's economy, as global economic and financial leaders gathered in Washington this week to convene the World Bank-IMF's spring meeting.
"It's normal that (China's) growth rate is a little bit lower than it was a few years back, perfectly legitimate, difficult but manageable," said Lagarde during an interview with Stephen Sackur, host of BBC's HARDtalk, at George Washington University on Thursday, an appearance that was listed on the spring meeting's official agenda.
"The Chinese economy is going through a massive transformation," she said. "It's moving from being vastly export-driven to being much more focused on the domestic market; it's moving from heavy-industry based to light industry and predominantly service driven, and it is clearly moving in terms of opening to the rest of the world."
Lagarde was adamant in her comments, which came in response to Sackur's pointed suggestion that "the world is losing its faith in China".
Lagarde conveyed a similarly positive message during an earlier press conference at IMF headquarters on Thursday morning.
"We've reset China's economic growth rate to 6.5 percent taking into account the measures that have been announced by the Chinese authority in its latest five-year plan," said Lagarde.
IMF's signature document, World Economic Outlook, released on Tuesday, raises China's 2016 growth rate from 6.3 as projected in the report's January version. The 2017 rate is now set to 6.2, also a 0.2 increase from its earlier version.
The outlook states that "growth in China was in contrast slightly stronger than previously forecast, reflecting resilient domestic demand, especially consumption" and "robust growth in the services sector offset recent weakness in manufacturing activity."
It concludes that "China's transition toward more sustainable growth, backed by ample policy buffers, is a welcome development."
Another key IMF document, Global Financial Stability Report, released on Wednesday, said that "China's financial integration with the rest of world is expected to accelerate, and its financial influence abroad will likely catch up with its economic prowess."
Lagarde seems satisfied that China has followed some of the IMF's advice.
"Some of the structural reforms that we have been advocating are clearly endorsed by the Chinese authority now," said Lagarde, who was just unanimously reelected to a second five-year term as managing director of the IMF.
Lagarde praised China's determination to play an increasingly important role in international organizations like the IMF.
"In the next five years, I am convinced that China will play an important role because it wants to be a player in these institutions and it wants to cooperate in the international domains, playing by the rules and belonging to the club," said Lagarde, calling China "a serious and solid partner".
Allan Fong in Washington contributed to this story.
charlenecai@chinadailyusa.com
Zhou Xiaochuan, the governor of the People's Bank of China, said on Thursday that he would support efforts to develop policy recommendations on diversified financing for small- and medium-sized (SMEs) enterprises during China's G20 presidency.
Zhou Xiaochuan made his remarks in welcoming a new report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on SMEs.
The report, Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs 2016: An OECD Scoreboard, was issued in Washington on Thursday prior to the G20 finance ministers meeting.
China will host the 11th G20 summit, for the first time, in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province in September.
"The OECD Scoreboard is a valuable tool to support G20 work, and to monitor trends and the implications of financial reforms for SMEs," Zhou said. "It will not only enrich G20 discussion, but will also provide reference for the G20 policy maker."
The fifth annual edition of the OECD Scoreboard highlights developments in SME financing over the 2012-2014 period.
In China, SMEs made up 97 percent of all firms, accounting for 80 percent of urban employment, and for 60 percent of total GDP in 2013, according to the Scoreboard.
"SMEs and entrepreneurs can play an active role in achieving stronger and more inclusive growth, and it is now time to show our commitment to enabling the development of alternative funding options," Zhou said.
"Governments are increasingly supporting the news developments of SME financing instruments. This is consistent with the G20 and OECD high-level principles for SME financing, which was welcomed by the leaders in Antalya in 2015," said Angel Gurria, secretary-general of the OECD. "Chinese President Xi has been leading the way, leading the charge about SMEs."
In 2014, the Chinese government reformed the commercial registration system, and shortened registration procedures for SMEs.
The reform had a big impact on business creation in China. As shown in the report, in 2014 there were 12.9 million new companies registered in China, an increase of 14 2 percent from 2013. That means there were about 10,600 new companies created every day in China.
China is considering a plan that would allow banks to swap bad debts for equity in the borrowing firm. The plan may help large and medium-sized companies, which "borrowed too much" to reduce their debt, Zhou said.
Globally, financing for SMEs has turned the corner from the decline seen during the global financial crisis, but overall credit conditions remain challenging and access to external finance continues to be much tighter for SMEs than larger firms, according to the OECD report.
"Finance is one of the keys for unlocking the potential of small firms to innovate, upgrade and become more productive," said Gurria. "We still have a lot to do, to create conditions for the diverse population for the SMEs, to access finance in appropriate amount, appropriate forms, appropriate terms."
leshuodong@chinadailyusa.com
Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are shown around the Tashichho Dzong temple by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his wife Jetsun Pema in Thimphu, Bhutan, April 14, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]
THIMPHU - Following the Kensington Palace's announcement on Jan 9, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Kate Middleton finally touched down in the tiny Himalayan country of Bhutan in the morning of April 14.
Looking rather stunning in a golden coatdress, the Duchess, who completed three-day visit to India with her husband Prince William, reached the Paro International airport at 10:56 am. The King's sister Princess ChhimiYangzom Wangchuck welcomed the Royal Couple along with her husband and a team of delegates.
They are the first British Royals visiting Bhutan since the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles trip to the country in 1998. The Royal Couple's visit marks yet another historic moment for Bhutan. After a brief photo session at the airport, the two whisked off to the capital city of Thimphu.
Should Americans be thankful for North Carolinians setting precedent in taking a stand for their state's right to manage the safety of their public facilities, where separation of the sexes remains, or should they follow Bruce Springsteen's lead and boycott the state as bigots since they will not allow grown Transgender men to use the same bathrooms /locker rooms as pre-pubescent girls? North Carolina is right to control the separation of the sexes as a matter of decorum and safety. North Carolina is a bigoted state to not require that children of opposite sexes share the same public facilities with adults of the opposite sex, although misidentified - the Transgender. I generally prefer the natural environs of the vacant, although rather public, large tree. 236 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?
Governor Pat McCrory20301 Mail Service CenterRaleigh, NC 27699-0301Dear Governor McCrory,I am writing with a heartfelt THANK YOU for standing for common sense, standing for the constitutional protections of privacy, and perhaps most of all, for standing with conviction and exemplifying the courage one rarely sees in a politician these days. I am, of course, referring to your readiness and willingness to address the bathroom ordinance passed by the Charlotte legislature and pass HB2.I know you and the entire state of North Carolina is coming under attack from the liberals for your stance in this matter. I know that the mayor of San Francisco, Edwin Lee, has banned flights for city employees from SF to North Carolina in protest, as did the mayors of NYC and Seattle. I know that New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo has also banned non-essential flights to North Carolina for state employees in protest over the bill. And Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin and Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy have done the same. I know that director Rob Reiner has called for a boycott among filmmakers not to film in our state until HB2 is repealed. Wow, the wave of intolerance is strong. But waves that crash on rock do no damage and cause no erosion.The point is that none of these individuals live in our state and how dare they try to engage in coercion to change our laws and policies. Decisions that affect the day-to-day conditions of our lives here in our own state should rightfully be made by us who live here, and by our representatives. And other states ought to respect those decisions. It's one of the hallmarks of a federation of sovereign states. Let's not forget that in 1973, when California legalized marijuana, North Carolina didn't issue any boycotts in protest. In fact, there were no boycotts at all issued by states who did not agree with California's decision. North Carolina and other states respected California's right. And recently when California enacted an extreme gun control law, again North Carolina stood silent. North Carolina, a state that has a deep respect and affection for our Bill of Rights and especially for the big daddy of them all, the second amendment, could have easily acted in protest.I know that our state Attorney General, Roy Cooper, an avowed liberal who believes strongly in gay marriage, not only refused to enforce the state constitutional amendment that passed overwhelmingly in our state defining marriage as between a man and a woman but now refuses to enforce HB2. He has publicly called our state an "embarrassment." The truth is that HE, a man elected as Attorney General to defend the laws of the state who has not done so, taking an oath to perform the duties of that office yet violating it over and over again, taking a paycheck while he has essentially done nothing in performance of the duties of his office, and then turning his back on the great majority of the North Carolinians is the real definition of an embarrassment. Roy Cooper is an embarrassment to the state and to the government of this state. Why is this man still in office and why does he continue to collect a paycheck? Where are the articles of impeachment to remove him and give us a vacant office (pretty much what it is with him IN IT). The people of the state are entitled to a public servant that carries out his or her function. Governor McCrory, you were right when you said that Mr. Roy Cooper was elected to do a job and that "he is an attorney first and a politician second."Hypocritically, Cooper and his kind want to force OTHER officials into doing their job - such as issue marriage licenses to homosexuals, despite political and religious differences - but as for themselves, they believe they can refuse to carry out their elected responsibilities for the same reasons.The bottom line is that the people expect their laws to be defended and someone will need to take this one on, with all the energy, sincerity, legal know-how, and passion that it takes.We face an uphill battle in trying to remain a normal state with normal, natural-law values and trying to fight off the degenerate policies of liberals and progressives (and the LGBT community) who would love to see the entire country become like the biblical dens of iniquity, Sodom and Gomorrah. Biological confusion, biological rejection, massive sexual experimentation, and the unfettered personal freedom to live life as one sees fit without regard to boundaries, natural or social.... These are the goals of the progressives and liberals. By-products of such lifestyles are just collateral damage that we must all live with. But certain things are worth fighting for because the society that results is the one that will prove most successful.The condemnation and the protests..... these will pass. If we don't start standing up issue by issue, then North Carolina becomes no better than places like San Francisco and New York City, and neither place provides the safety and comfort needed to encourage and embrace family values and all the wonderful things that come with the proper focus on the family. Governor McCrory, you are doing a wonderful job in sticking up for HB2 and explaining it truthfully and fairly. Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest is also doing an outstanding job defending it.You mentioned that other states and some politicians are calling our state an embarrassment. I contend that when such states and when such politicians attack our policies, then we should be consoled in the fact that we are doing the right thing. North Carolina is NOT California. North Carolina is NOT New York. North Carolina is NOT Vermont. North Carolina is NOT Washington. North Carolinians have different values than San Franciscans. North Carolinians have different values than New Yorkers. There are communities of people all across this country defined by the values they embrace and wish to live by. And they are entitled to live by, as long as they don't discriminate in violation of the long-settled principles solidified in our Constitution. How have we as a body of people been allowed to tolerate bathroom facilities separating on account of biological gender differences all these great many years? Clearly there have been no constitutional violations. A one-size-fits-all society is not what we want in this country. We want differences so that people, as diverse as we are, can find the place - using our constitutionally protected ability to be mobile - that allows us to live as faithfully and as comfortably with respect to our values. People forced to live in a changing environment where they must hide their values, apologize for them, be ashamed of them, and worse, live in contradiction to them are people ripe for discontent and hatred. A state that respects the values embraced by nature, that stands up for the values that promote wholesome family and gender values, a state respects the voice of the majority of its people (so that the minority cannot force their demands on others who are not ready for them), that refuses to engage in the type of cultural transformation of places like San Francisco and others that put individuality and selfishness before proper guidelines, embedded in natural law, for the good of society and its bedrock foundation, and that does not back down from the bullies of this country...... is NOT an embarrassment. It is an example.As an attorney, I agree with your assessment of HB2. It is a common-sense bill that invokes no constitutional protection for the groups that are attacking it. The bill protects men, women, and children when they use restrooms, lockers, and showers. Individuals have a basic expectation of privacy in these areas. In fact, I would argue that there is a heightened expectation of privacy in these areas. Individuals have a right not to feel uncomfortable, traumatized, nervous, or scared when they enter a bathroom for biological purposes. They have a right to feel protected when they shed their clothing in locker rooms and in shower areas. The bill protects the elderly and the young who are most vulnerable to intimidation and fear. They are the ones who most assuredly need protection. Governor, you are correct when you say that this right must be protected and secured. If the very governing body of a state cannot protect a child or a grandmother in an area traditionally set aside for only members of society biologically identical to them, sharing similar concerns, functions, and risks, then that governing body should dissolve in favor of one that is able to protect its citizens.A doctor who operates on a male (regardless of his "identification") will need certain operating implements and gadgets to do the job. Just because that person may "identify" as another gender does not somehow change the reality that physically there are differences that require separate attention.HB2 requires that requires that public bathrooms or changing facilities (locker rooms and/or showers) to be designated for and only those persons based on their biological sex; that is, the sex identified on their birth certificate. This bill only reasserts the status quo. It makes sure that the current situation - the one that has existed for over one hundred years - continues to remain as such. Without this bill and having the possibility of other cities and towns adopting the radical plan put forth by the Charlotte legislature, would expose the overwhelming majority of people to traumatization in an area that they should feel most comfortable.Last year started a movement to demonize the Confederate flag and in fact, all symbols and names that are associated with the antebellum South and the Civil War. [I'm referring to the movement that was independent of the flag's removal from the state capitol in SC]. All of a sudden, the flag and all such symbols, monuments, historical figures, street names, etc were deemed to only have ONE meaning, and that meaning was one of hatred. I watched and read time after time as a mayor or town official, or college student, or African-American citizen cried "trauma" and "discomfort" at having to lay his or her eyes on the flag, a monument, a street sign, a building name, etc etc. I imagined them convulsing, vomiting, and having to be hospitalized with live-giving fluids delivered to their failing veins. But no, they were healthy as can be. They were just exercising a misguided freedom to personally feel shielded from a message they didn't care to see. Now, most of these individuals, of course (and clearly) have no clue about history. But governing body after governing body gave in. The right of one person not to be traumatized was treated as paramount to the overwhelming majority of people to embrace or be reminded of the history of our country.I see this as an analogy, to some degree. We must respect the right of biologically-oriented people NOT to feel traumatized when they use a public restroom, locker room, or shower. This is simply common sense. Imagine the trauma and confusion that a young child will suffer? A young girl is taught not to talk to a stranger that is of a different sex. A young girl is taught that there are differences between herself and someone like her daddy. We teach our children about the proper roles they are to assume in the school system (because, after all, a boy who dares put his arm around a girl simply to show affection can be sent home with a charge of assault) and the role that gender plays in society and in rightful expectations. What about the parent who is trying to teach her child about biology and nature and the natural order of life? How can a child reconcile what she NEEDS to learn (for her safety and protection) with what she might confront in a public bathroom? What about the trauma a grandmother will feel? The fear as well?There are reports all over the internet of assaults, rapes, videoing, and uncomfortable situations when men "pretending" to be gender-confused go into a women's bathroom. All one needs to do is simply research them. It is far too easy for a male to pretend to be gender-confused to gain entry into a woman's bathroom in order to do something that is less than legitimate or legal. He can film what he sees (and there are very secret ways to do that) or he can force himself on unsuspecting females. He can also rob them because they have let their guard down or because they are temporarily away from their purse, their mace, and their purchases. [Jay Delancy of the Voter Integrity Project, has posted several of these incidents, for example]. The only conceivable scenario where a male should be allowed to enter a women's restroom, locker room, and shower is when he has been surgically altered and is on hormone therapy to officially change his gender. That is the only REAL way to "identify" as a woman. That would provide the only reasonable confidence to show that the person identifies as a woman and that the associated intent is there.Finally, should bathrooms become open to individuals of a different biological identity, I believe patrons will not want to use the restroom lest they be made to feel uncomfortable. I have been in a public bathroom in a mall that was marked "Ladies" and watched as a male emerged from one of the stalls. There was nothing about the individual to comfort the women and teen girls in the bathroom that he/she was "identifying" as a female. All we knew was that he was a male, looked like a male, was zipping up his pants as he walked out of the stall, and he was in the women's room. It was unsettling and my daughters and I immediately left. We felt uncomfortable and uneasy. We should have never been put in that situation. We opted to leave the mall and go somewhere else to get a bite to eat so that we could eventually take care of nature (take care of business) in a more private setting. I believe patrons will wait to go home to use the restroom and they will use the food court areas less frequently so as not to have to use the restrooms. Hence, their time in malls, etc will be shortened. Eventually, with policies as the LGBT desire and as the progressives and liberals who support the Charlotte initiative desire, people will begin retreating into their own homes or the homes and meeting places of people they feel comfortable with and reverse discrimination will tacitly result. Such policies will have a disparate impact on those who believe in a rightful expectation of privacy and who believe that nature, after all, is the immutable basis for life.In addition to the provisions related to public/education bathroom, locker, and shower facilities, I want to thank you for the provisions added to the bill which protect business owners/government sub-contractors from the coercion of local laws which they ordinarily would not have to be subject to. The pre-emption provisions - pre-emption from - the pre-emption of local laws that expand the categories of non-discrimination to "sexual orientation" - are the icing on the wonderful cake that is HB2. I truly believe you showed your commitment and respect to the business community by: (1) recognizing and emphasizing that HB2 does not affect them and they are free to handle the bathroom situation as they see fit; and (2) making sure they are not subject to local laws that force them to participate in speech with which they do not believe (which underscores the rights recognized in the First Amendment - speech, religion, conscience). The guarantees protected under the First Amendment are firmly-rooted in our history and in our collective conscious and government law (including state) must not force businesses, small or large, or sole proprietors to participate in events or promote an agenda which violate their deeply-held beliefs and their collective conscience. Such a law is a dangerous violation of the First Amendment guarantees of free speech and freedom of religion and they certainly threaten businesses just as acutely as issues such as discrimination and the failure to provide bathroom accessibility to transgenders. Even more telling is what such a law says about our treasured freedoms. It sends a message to the world that we aren't the nation that we claim to be. Hypocrisy may work for others but it shouldn't be an accusation that attaches to the state of North Carolina.Thank you again in joining with the NC General Assembly and standing together in a courageous moment of clarity and allegiance to the good people of the state and signing HB2 into law. This mother, parent, attorney, school teacher, and someday soon - grandmother wanted to take this opportunity to express my gratitude and respect. Please, please, please continue to stand firm in the wake of the growing opposition and demonization of our state with respect to HB2.Most Sincerely,Language of Bill ( "Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act" In the following video message, Governor Pat McCrory explains HB2:In the following video, Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest defends HB2 on CNBC , dispels the rumors, and explains the facts.
Firefighters walk among collapsed houses caused by an earthquake in Mashiki town, Kumamoto prefecture, southern Japan, in this photo taken by Kyodo April 15, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]
TOKYO - A powerful earthquake that rocked southwestern Japan on Thursday night has left nine people dead so far and hundreds injured as emergency Self-Defense Force personnel have been rapidly deployed to the region to help with ongoing search and rescue efforts.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a press briefing that the government will do everything in its power to support the victims of the quake and ensure emergency provisions such as food, water and medical assistance are on hand to those who need it.
A disaster response team has been set up at the prime minister's office and response efforts are being coordinated from there. Abe said that he is in touch with Kumamoto's governor and will work closely with the quake-hit prefecture to coordinate operations.
The Japanese leader told a lower house session on Friday the government would do its utmost to help local residents.
"We will do our best in ensuring the safety of residents," the prime minister said.
"In collaboration with local authorities, we will take every possible measure to support sufferers such as securing food, blankets and other necessary materials, providing medical services, as well as restoring infrastructure such as electricity and water supply," said Abe.
The magnitude-6.5 earthquake that struck at 9:26 pm measured 7 on Japan's seismic scale, the highest possible reading for an earthquake, and marking the first time a temblor in Japan has hit the peak on the scale since the devastating quake in Tohoku in 2011 that along with an ensuing tsunami killed nearly 16,000 people.
The town of Mashiki, home to more than 32,600 people in Kumamoto Prefecture, in southern Kyushu, was where the quake hit hardest and was logged at an intensity of 7, although the Japan Meteorological Agency did not issue a tsunami warning.
The shallow quake which originated at a depth of around 11 kilometers and was followed by 123 aftershocks according to the weather agency on Friday morning, some measuring in the upper six range on Japan's scale, left nine people dead. Three of the deceased were men and the four were women, local officials have confirmed.
They said those who were killed were from the town of Mashiki and also from the Higashi Ward of Kumamoto City. Local police and firefighters in the prefecture said that 20 houses had collapsed as a result of the quake, particularly in and around Mashiki, leaving people trapped beneath rubble and fallen debris.
Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and his wife Catherine (R), Duchess of Cambridge, Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (2nd L) and his wife Jetsun Pema (L) pose at the Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu, Bhutan, in this April 14, 2016 handout photo by the Bhutanese Royal Office. [Photo/Agencies]
THIMPHU - Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived on Thursday in the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, where they will meet its glamorous young royal couple for the first time.
Prince William and wife Kate touched down at Bhutan's only international airport, nestled deep in a river valley, to be welcomed by members of the royal family and receive flowers from a boy and girl wearing traditional dress.
Bhutan's fifth king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and Queen Jetsun Pema will meet the British royals in a private audience and later host them to dinner, besides treating them to a display of archery, the national sport.
Masato Kitera, the Japanese ambassador, holds his first news conference in Beijing on Dec 25, 2012.[Feng Yongbin / China Daily]
Outgoing Japanese Ambassador to China Masato Kitera, who will soon assume his new post as Japan's top envoy in France, said the diplomat who replaces him should "do different things than me" when asked by China Daily about any advice he would offer his successor.
Kitera made the comment on the sidelines of a reception luncheon at the ambassador's residence on Friday in Beijing.
On March 25, the Japanese ruling cabinet officially appointed Yutaka Yokoi, Japan's representative in Turkey, as the next ambassador to China.
Kitera delivered a farewell speech at the reception and took a retrospective glance on his time in Beijing, from December 2012, a period that saw the China-Japan relationship experience a deep chill.
Kitera graduated from Tokyo University and began to work for the Japanese Foreign Ministry in 1976. He served as assistant chief cabinet secretary in 2011 before his being appointed as ambassador to China.
"A dry and cold wind like that of the Beijing winter was blowing between the two counties," he said as he recalled his days as Japan's top envoy to China.
Kitera said that while there is some way to go "the warm sunshine of spring" is beginning to reach bilateral relations.
"I am very happy, and even appreciative, because I have an opportunity to witness such changes in bilateral relations in the last moments of my term as Japanese Ambassador in China," he added.
Around 5 million Chinese people visited Japan last year and the number of monthly Chinese visitors to Japan has continued to reach record numbers, while the number of Japanese visitors to China shows signs of growing, according to Kitera.
A screenshot of Wu Wei's Weibo.
A teaching assistant at the University of Sydney has been accused of racism for his online comments targeting Chinese international students.
Wu Wei, a Chinese-Australian PhD student and head tutor at the University of Sydney's business school, was charged for calling Chinese international students "pigs" on Weibo, a social media platform widely used in China.
His remarks triggered great rage among Chinese international students who presented a petition to the university protesting Wu's racist comments in the name of University of Sydney Business Association (USBA).
The USBA exposed Wu's comments from his Weibo account. One of the screenshots shows that a Chinese international student stated Wu was a shame of the Australian-Chinese community. Wu replied back saying the finance courses are difficult and wondered how much time the "pigs" will spend on essays.
Evidence also shows that Wu burned a Chinese passport in the toilet in 2015 after he was granted an Australian citizenship.
The topic quickly assembled 9,000 Chinese netizens since being exposed on Weibo yesterday.
Wu's behaviours have drawn criticism on the Internet. A cyber citizen named hellojimmy said, "it's universally identified that no one can gain superiority by disrespecting his motherland. He will eat the bitter fruit which bears from his misbehavior. Why don't we just hold the temper and wait to see what happens to him."
Another netizen with the username Bohemia wrote that Wu is just a little dizzy with his secular success.
"Let's get over him and guard his freedom to utter his personal voice," said Bohemia.
According to the Daily Mail, the university launched an investigation on Wu.
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.
(Photo : Getty Images/Buddhika Weerasinghe) People light lamps in August 2015 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bombing. Kerry's visit to the Hiroshima site is the first from any top US official.
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US Secretary of State John Kerry paid a visit to the Hiroshima atomic bomb memorial site on April 11. The visit is quite significant since this WAs the first official visit by such a high level US official since the atomic tragedy, seven decades ago.
Kerry was joined by Philip Hammond, UK foreign secretary, who will also be attending a G7 meeting in the city. In the company of the Japanese foreign minister Fumio Kishida, they laid wreaths at the memorial and Kerry wrote a note in the guest book that reads "Everyone should see and feel the power of this memorial." He described it as a "compelling reminder not only of our obligation to end the threat of nuclear weapons, but to rededicate all our effort to avoid war itself".
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The site commemorates the utter destruction of the Japanese city after an atomic bomb was dropped by American forces on August 6, 1945, causing Japan to surrender and ultimately ending the Second World War.
The A-bomb dome, now a peace memorial park, stands at the site of the prefectural industry promotion building, the only standing structure after the atomic bomb devastated the Japanese city, killing 80,000 people immediately and leaving hundreds of thousands wounded and susceptible to radiation poisoning.
America has consistently maintained that dropping the atomic bomb was necessary to end the war and that it averted a catastrophic number of casualties on both sides. Whats more, the crew of the Enola Gay jet that dropped the bomb have been treated as heroes.
However, historians and war analysts have questioned America's claims and downplaying of the Hiroshima atomic tragedy. The fact that the bomb was dropped 500 meters above the city and at its very centre points towards an intent to create maximum destruction.
While it is debatable whether the use of the atomic bomb did actually avert any casualties, the brutality and gruesome images of victims of the tragedy walking like zombies with their flesh dripping off their bodies, remains a fact of history and a stark contrast to the narrative western super powers have to offer. Furthermore, had Japan not surrendered, America planned to drop seven more bombs in the months that followed.
The G7 meeting is significant for Japan and hosting it in Hiroshima makes sense since the country seems to be the epicentre of another nuclear war with North Korea is testing its missiles and countries like China beefing up their nuclear storehouses.
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TagsHiroshima and Nagasaki bombing, hiroshima, Atomic Bomb!, atomic bombing, Hiroshima Bombing 70th Anniversary
(Photo : Youtube.com) China on Wednesday categorically said that it has complete jurisdiction over Taiwanese deportees from Kenya and will launch a thorough investigation against them.
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China on Wednesday said that group of Taiwanese citizens deported from Kenya are wanted in mainland China for serious charges, claiming complete jurisdiction over the Taiwanese deportees.
The controversy over the Taiwanese deportees broke out on Monday after Taiwan accused China of illegally abducting eight Taiwanese citizens from Kenya. Taiwan claimed that Kenyan police used tear gas and rifles to force Taiwanese citizens into a China-bound aircraft.
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In total, 45 Taiwanese citizens have reportedly been deported to China. Eight were deported on Friday, while rest of the 37 Taiwanese citizens were deported on Tuesday.
These 45 Taiwanese, along with several other Chinese citizens, were being tried in Kenya over cyber related crimes since 2014. However, several Taiwan citizens were acquitted by a Kenyan High Court earlier this week.
According to Xinhua, China's Ministry of Public Security said that these Taiwanese deportees swindled millions of Yuan from Chinese citizens while pretending to be "law-enforcement officers."
The ministry further revealed that Chinese authorities will launch full investigation against them, adding that officials from Taiwan are welcome to join the investigation.
Meanwhile, Taiwan is planning to file a lawsuit against the Kenyan government for forcefully detaining its citizens and not acting as per court directives which acquitted several of its citizens.
This is the first major diplomatic controversy that has broken between China and Taiwan ever since the landslide victory of pro-independent leader Tsai Ing-wen in the island's Presidential election earlier this year.
Tsai will take office in May. Experts claim that this latest controversy will be the first litmus test for Tsai's government amid Beijing's warning that Taiwan should not stoke any secessionist movement.
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(Photo : Getty Images) The deepening military relationship between the US and the Philippines has been branded by China as a reflection of a "cold war mentality." Beijing claims that such ties will only exacerbate the already high tensions in the South China Sea region.
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China's defense ministry said joint patrols by the US and Philippine forces in the South China Sea as well as plans of strengthening military ties between the two countries reflect a "cold war mentality" and further raises tension in the disputed waters.
The comment was made amid Beijing's vow to resolutely defend its territories and uphold its sovereignty in the South China Sea region in the face of any infringement from other countries.
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Beijing, whose comments were posted on the defense ministry's website on Thursday, reacted to the recent announcement of the US that it would increase its troops in the Philippines.
"A strengthening of the U.S.-Philippine military alliance... is a manifestation of the Cold War mentality and is not conducive to peace and stability in the South China Sea," the defense ministry said.
More sea and air patrols
The United States announced on Thursday that it will send more troops to the Philippines for more regular and frequent rotations and will launch more sea and air patrols with the Philippines in the South China Sea.
US Defense Secretary Ash Carter disclosed that the US and the Philippines had actually carried out sea and air patrols in the disputed waters recently and that the two nations will step up their operations in the region.
Although Carter maintained the recent patrols were not meant to provoke China, his Philippine counterpart defense secretary Voltaire Gazmin welcomed the US presence saying it will deter "uncalled for actions" by China.
Brazen actions
China is laying claim to a lage portion of the disputed waters through which $5 trillion worth of ship-borne trade passes every year.
The international waterway is believed to contain large deposits of oil and gas. The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims in the region.
The US and the claimant countries have expressed concern over China's brazen actions in the region which have been intensified by its buildup of artificial islands in the Spratlys, a group of islands which are being claimed by the Philippines and Vietnam.
Militarization
The Chinese defense ministry emphasized that joint patrols between the US and the Philippines in the disputed waters "promote the militarization of the region."
Chinese authorities likewise said that bilateral military exercises between the two countries should not prejudice the interests of third parties.
"The Chinese army will monitor this trend closely, and will resolutely safeguard China's territorial sovereignty as well as maritime rights and interests," the defense ministry said.
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TagsUS-Philippine Military Ties, South China Sea, Chinese Defense Ministry, sea and air patrols, Cold War, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, joint patrols, Beijing
(Photo : Reuters) Twitter appoints new Managing Director for Greater China Region.
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Online social networking giant Twitter Inc. has hired former General Manager of Microsoft Greater China Region, Kathy Chen, as the new Managing Director for the company's Greater China office in Hong Kong.
Kathy Chen is an information technology executive who was the former General Manager of Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research & Development Group based in Beijing, and former General Manager of Cisco Systems' East China Region.
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As the new Managing Director in Greater China, Ms. Chen will be the one responsible to reach out to potential clients and advertisers. It is worth mentioning that Greater China includes mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
In spite of the fact that Twitter has been blocked in the country since 2009, last year the company managed to establish an office in Hong Kong. The aim was to look for companies who are interested in advertising their products and services to Twitter's millions of users worldwide.
According to a report by South China Morning Post (SCMP), Twitter's Vice President for Asia-Pacific, Latin America and emerging markets, Shailesh Rao, said that there has been a 340 percent increase in the number of companies who advertise using Twitter's platform.
Due to the success, Mr. Rao said, the company plans to increase its investment in the region, and will also bring other services to the table, such as its new customer service platform and data analytics. Twitter's data analytics can provide companies with insight on how to interact effectively with their audiences.
Major companies that are using Twitter include very popular Chinese brands and media outlets such as Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Lenovo Group Ltd. and Xinhua News Agency, which is the largest media organization in China.
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TagsTwitter China News, Twitter Inc., Twitter New Managing Director Kathy Chen Hong Kong Greater China, Twitter Greater China Hong Kong
(Photo : Sovfoto/UIG via Getty Images) The body of Vladimir Lenin in the mausoleum on Red Square.
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The Russian government will spend close to 13m roubles ($200,000) to preserve communist leader Vladimir Lenin's embalmed body, which is on display.
The Russian Biomedical Technology and Research Centre has been in charge of carrying out all the required repairs to the body of Lenin since it was placed for public exhibition in Russia Capital Moscow's Red Square following his death in 1924.
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Although Lenin reportedly wished to be buried, according to his will, his body is being kept in a mausoleum near the Kremlin wall on Red Square in Moscow. The mortal remains of Vladimir Lenin are 146 years old, but it does not look a day older than he was when he died.
Plans for the annual maintenance of Lenin's body was revealed in the Russian government website after tenders were published for medical and biological works on body.
Lenin's body is preserved on a regular basis with a biochemical solution that produces the protecting effect. According to deputy director of the Russian Research Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Dr. Yuri Denisov, this distinctive technology will help to keep the mummy for another 100 years.
Lenin's Tomb, as the mausoleum is known, is a vital object that appeals thousands of tourists from different countries. For Russian people, the Lenin's mausoleum personifies a whole era of grand accomplishments, an unique symbol of the Soviet Union.
There were reports in the past that the mummy of Vladimir Lenin was left without a new suit on his birthday. The body was supposed to be lifted from his bed to be dressed in a new suit. However, there was not enough money for the new clothes so specialists change Lenin's suit once in three years.
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TagsRussia, Vladimir Lenin, Moscow
(Photo : PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images) US Secretary of State John Kerry delivers remarks on the just released Human Rights Report from the press room of the US State Department on April 13, 2016, in Washington, DC.
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In a strongly worded note, China hit back at the US' "Annual State Department report on human rights around the World" that criticised Beijing's severe clampdown on lawyers. This report published by Washington discussed human rights violation and policies in 199 countries, with specific focus on serious right violation in the Middle East countries.
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This year's report on China focused on the suppression of civil society. The report said that repression and coercion has markedly increased. It criticized China's crackdown on lawyers, adding that this gives a sense of government's insecurity in the face of popular aspiration for the rule of law.
Hundreds of Chinese lawyers and law associates have been interrogated, investigated and in many cases detained in secret locations for many months without charges or access to attorneys or family members, the report claimed. The report also condemned the enforced vanishing of five men working in Hong Kong's publishing industry, alleging the involvement of Chinese security officials in the issue.
In response, Beijing has criticised the US for human rights violations outside its borders and perpetrating civilian casualties in Syria and Iraq, extreme use of force by police, and eavesdropping on foreign nationals. A report issued by China's Cabinet's State Council Information Office also mentioned gun crime and excessive use of force by the police, as well as other issues including fraud in the prison system; racial conflict, homelessness, and gender pay disparity.
China releases a report every year in response to the U.S. State Department's annual report on China's human rights situation.
The issue of human right violation have been a source of conflict between these world's two largest economies since the 1989 Tiananmen Square protest.
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TagsUSA, china, Human Rights
(Photo : Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) Microsoft General Counsel and Executive Vice President Brad Smith, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft CFO and Executive Vice President Amy Hood and Microsoft Chairman of the Board J.
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Microsoft Corporation has sued the US government for the right to tell its customers when a government agency is asking for access to the details of their email contents.
The lawsuit is the newest front in the battle between technology firms and the US government over the issue of how much private business establishments are obligated to support government-led scrutiny and surveillance.
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By filing the suit, Microsoft is taking a lead role in this battle, which has been dominated by Apple in recent months due to the government's attempt to get the company to develop software to unlock an iPhone used by one of the terrorist in the massacre in San Bernardino, California.
The suit comes just weeks after the Justice Department dropped its effort to compel Apple to write a software to help it unlock the iPhone used by Syed Rizwan Farook, who with his wife launched an attack in San Bernardino that left 14 dead and many others injured on December 2, 2015.
The US investigating agency FBI could not unlock the encoded phone and won an order from a federal judge requiring Apple to write the needed code to access to the device. Apple strongly pursued the reversal of this ruling and had been joined by a number of other technology companies in its court battle. The Department of Justice reportedly dropped the legal proceeding when an anonymous third party managed to efficaciously unlock the phone.
The FBI has so far not openly divulged what was found in Farook's iPhone, but a source familiar with the investigation revealed that the agency could not succeed in recovering anything substantial from the phone.
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Tagsapple, Microsoft, US government, San Bernardino, california, Data Protection, FBI
(Photo : Cancan Chu/Getty Images) Just like Uber, you may now book a shared business jet in China using an app.
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Just like Uber, you may now book a shared business jet using an app. The companies offering the service are taking advantage of the slow progress of the flight market in China.
The Beijing branch of Hong Kong-based Global Wings Aviation Holding Co. developed an app called "Wo Yao Pin Ji" (or the "I Want to Share a Flight"), allowing people to take a seat on a chartered flight without paying exorbitant fees. According to Ji Guang, vice president of Global Wings, people can now enjoy shared business jet while paying only a regular flight's first class fare, China Daily reports.
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During the Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition 2016, Ji told Shanghai Morning Post that they took advantage of returning flights of jets, which most of the time comes back empty. The conference was held this week in Shanghai.
Last year, around 2,500 return business flights were empty in China, according to industry figures. Despite the loss, the company saw an opportunity to gain more income.
While it is still a privilege to rent a private jet or chartered flight, anyone can now experience similar service without putting a hole in their pockets. According to Ji, it will cost around 6,666 yuan or $1,030 to get a seat on a business jet from Shanghai to Changchun on April 20. You may book a seat through the company's app.
Currently, the seat sale is only offered to limited cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Sanya, Chengdu, Shenyang, Hong Kong, Macao, Tokyo, and Seoul. Last year, there was a 3.8 increase in business jets, a much slower progress compared to previous years, according to the latest report from the aviation consultancy company Asian Sky Group.
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TagsBook a Business Jet Through an App, Book Business Jet For Lesser Price, Seat Sale on Business Jets: Book Through an App, Business Jets, Chartered Planes, I Want to Share a Flight, Wo Yao Pin Ji
(Photo : China Photos/Getty Images) Schools usually use exams to rank students, but a teacher in southwest China used alcohol consumption to gauge students' marks.
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While chemistry is a subject commonly taught in schools, asking students to consume alcohol for grades is something that teachers should not teach their students. Thats what a teacher from Guizhou in southwest China has learned after he was punished for doing so.
Gu Ming, Traditional Chinese Medicine manufacturing teacher at Guizhou Anshun Vocational Institute has been removed from his position as teacher after asking students to drink alcoholic drinks in school, reports Shanghai Daily. Gu reportedly gave students different marks based on the amount of liquor that they can drink, the report said.
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Gu reportedly gave three different marks for different amounts of liquor, a student shared on social media website Weibo. Those who gulped a full glass of liquor gets a full 100 mark for their exam, those who drink half a glass get a 90 mark, and a little sip will get drinkers a 60 mark. Those who refuse to drink or even sip will get a failing grade.
Because of this, Gus students were seen drunk while on campus, said the schools deputy director, Fu Guisheng. He also said that Gu might have meant the rating challenge as a joke, but of course it did not go well with critics on the internet.
The liquor incident has sparked intense debates and discussions online, with some commenters bashing Gu for such an act. Others, on the other hand, sympathized with the teacher Gu, saying that the teacher only wanted to help students learn to get used to a social practice.
Another Weibo user, Lapingjun, said that many of the students may go to sales meetings, and the number of deals that they will be able to seal is determined by how much they can drink.
There is a culture of gaining other people's trust and recognition through drinking, Lapingjun explains, which is sad but true."
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Tagsliquor, alcohol, Traditional Chinese Medicine manufacturing, Guizhuo Anshun Vocational Institute
(Photo : Getty Images/Bethany Clarke) Twitter is set to stop counting links and photos as part of its 140-character text limit for a post.
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Despite being behind digital walls, the Chinese market is too lucrative to be ignored by bigwig Silicon Valley firms. The latest attempt comes from Twitter, which is banned in China. However, the company is not letting this technicality come in its way to acquire more advertising revenue from one of the most formidable economies in the world.
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Twitter announced that it has appointed Kathy Chen as its new managing director for China. While the microblogging service has been banned in mainland China since 2009, Twitter is looking to increase its advertisement revenue from the country. The company stated that it is collaborating with content providers and advertisers from China.
Twitter opened a new office in Hong Kong last year. Its latest move reemphasizes the importance of the vast Chinese market. Chen will be responsible for offering more value to Chinese companies advertising on Twitter. She has previously worked with Microsoft and Cisco.
Twitter claims to have witnessed a 340 percent growth in the number of its advertisers hailing from China. The company is now looking to lure more corporate advertisers with the help of its technological tools such as data analytics.
The company's vice president for Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Emerging Markets said, "Because of the success we've seen, we want to expand the investment we're making in (the region)." He also stated, "Kathy Chen will be responsible for developing the strategy and running the business."
China imposes filters on many social websites including Facebook and Google. However, these companies are still pushing to capture the vast Chinese market. Google is looking to court developers in the country, while Facebook is pursuing more advertisers.
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BREAKING: Tenn. governor vetoes bill that would make Bible official state book 15 April, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , |
NASHVILLE (Christian Examiner) Tennessee's governor has vetoed a bill that would have made the Bible the official book of the Volunteer State.
In a letter to Speaker of the House Beth Harwell April 14, Gov. Bill Haslam, himself a conservative, Bible-believing Christian, said he opposed the bill on multiple grounds among them that the state's attorney general had already issued an opinion that giving the status to the Bible would be a violation of both the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Tennessee Constitution.
The Tennessee Constitution declares "no preference shall ever be given, by law, to any religious establishment or mode of worship."
All of us should and must bring our deepest beliefs to the places we are called, including government service. Men and women motivated by faith have every right and obligation to bring their belief and commitment to the public debate. However, that is very different from the governmental establishment of religion that our founders warned against and our Constitution prohibits.
However, Haslam also claimed his personal feelings prompted the veto. He wrote that the "bill trivializes the Bible, which I believe is a sacred text. If we believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, then we shouldn't be recognizing it only as a book of historical and economic significance. If we are recognizing the Bible as a sacred text, then we are violating the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Tennessee by designating it as the official state book. Our founders recognized that when the church and state were combined, it was the church that suffered in the long run."
That does not mean Haslam agrees with political leftists and atheists who are attempting to "drive religion out of the public square."
"All of us should and must bring our deepest beliefs to the places we are called, including government service. Men and women motivated by faith have every right and obligation to bring their belief and commitment to the public debate. However, that is very different from the governmental establishment of religion that our founders warned against and our Constitution prohibits," Haslam, who is an elder in an Evangelical Presbyterian Church, wrote.
Even if Haslam doesn't agree with the atheists, they for once agree with him. Annie Laurie Gaylor, the co-president of the litigious Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation said in a statement the veto was evidence that the "country is turning a corner."
Gaylor said the bill was wrong-headed and failed to consider other alternative scenarios, such as if Muslims became the majority and attempted to make the Koran the official state book, or if atheists pushed to make one of Richard Dawkins' books an official book for the state.
"It's equally inappropriate and coercive to endorse the Christian Bible. Government may not take side on religion," Gaylor said. "Bill Haslam not only vetoed the bill, but he issued a strong statement affirming the Establishment Clause and explaining why the bill is unconstitutional."
The governor's veto of the bill may be overridden, if the bill's sponsors can muster the support necessary in the legislature. Sen. Steve Southerland (R-Morristown), who sponsored the bill in the Senate and is the chaplain of the Senate Republican Caucus, said he will ask for the override early next week.
Rep. Jerry Sexton (R-Bean Station), who originally proposed the bill in the Tennessee House in 2015, also said he was ready to move forward with a veto override vote.
Southerland and Sexton are both members of Southern Baptist churches.
A House subcommittee heard a report by pro-life group Charlotte Lozier Institute on Thursday to evaluate the relevance of a bill meant to ban the practice of sex-selective abortion prevalent in many parts of the world, and among the immigrant communities within US.
The Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA), which aims to ban abortion based on sex of the baby, was brought to the House Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice on Thursday, and the practice of discriminating against unborn babies on the basis of their sex was discussed.
Ahead of the hearing, the Charlotte Lozier Institute had released a paper titled "Sex-Selection Abortion: The Real War on Women," authored by Anna Higgins, an associate scholar at the institute.
Higgins, who also testified before the subcommittee, wrote in the report that most developed nations agree that discrimination on the basis of sex alone was "inherently unjust, a very real and pervasive form of sex discrimination is still permitted and practiced in the world today. Prenatal sex discrimination crosses cultural, ethnic, and national lines. It is practiced in many countries, including the U.S., via sex-selective abortion - choosing to abort a preborn child based solely on the child's sex."
"Prenatal discrimination can also be practiced pre-implantation by destroying embryos based on a pre-implantation sex determination. Undoubtedly, such practices constitute discrimination against a unique human individual based on sex alone, and thus constitute sex discrimination."
She notes in her research that this was a "global" practice during the last two decades, and now it has become pervasive even in US and UK. Higgins points out that "the sex ratio at birth of certain sub-populations in the U.S. and U.K. has climbed sharply, resulting in highly unbalanced ratios in favor of males. Such a noticeable change in recent decades implicates the increased use of sex-selective abortion and the failure of abortion providers to uniformly reject abortion on these grounds."
Apart from Higgins, the three other members of the panel who testified before the committee were Miriam Yeung of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, Catherine Davis of the National Black Prolife Coalition, and Reverend Derek McCoy of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education.
Her research says that female feticide is practiced in huge proportions in China and India owing to cultural preference for males. She said that over 20 years ago, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen reported that 100 million girls were either never born, or died because of abandonment and deliberate neglect.
Steven W. Mosher, President at Population Research Institute, also cited multiple studies, including a 2008 study by Columbia University economists Douglas Almond and Lena Edlund, which pointed out that sex-selective abortions were carried out in large numbers in US, particularly in the immigrant communities. Their study showed that among the Chinese, Indians, and Korean families living in US, those who had two first daughters displayed a ratio of 151 boys to 100 girls for third child - which is an extreme ratio.
Mosher said that given the population size of the immigrants at the time (3.9 million Chinese-Americans, 2.8 million Asian-Indians, and 1.6 million Korean-Americans) the number of sex-selective abortions is estimated to be high in the country.
Several faith leaders were asked to write brief comments about the future of Roe. I was glad to see that I was not the only person asked who sees life as beginning at conception and who is ready to see Roe overturned.
A survey of 192 countries has demonstrated scientifically what many have long known anecdotally to be true: Christian women are more religious than Christian men.
The lesser known fact: those women bear the brunt of persecution in the 50 countries where it is hardest to be a Christian.
Increasing numbers of women face a double blow todayviolent attacks against them because of their Christian faith, and because they are women, said Kate Ward, an organizer of an international conference that met last month to seek answers to the growing problem. The conference was sponsored by Release International, Open Doors, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, the International Institute for Religious Freedom, and the Religious Liberty Partnership.
This Sunday, many American churches will observe Stand with the Persecuted, a day of activism sponsored by the Family Research Council, Open Doors, the Institute on Religion and Democracy, Voice of the Martyrs, In Defense of Christians, ...
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An American missionary facing deportation from Turkey for being a danger to public order has been released.
Praise God, I was released from the deportation center this afternoon, and just arrived home, David Byle wrote on Facebook. Thanks to all who prayed and did advocacy for me, also to my tireless lawyer and most of all to our lord and savior Jesus Christ, who never left side [sic], and never will.
Byle works with a successful Bible correspondence course, which suffered an arson attack in 2014 that destroyed thousands of New Testaments. But he has garnered more controversy within Turkey for his street evangelism.
Byle has faced previous attempts to expel him from Turkey. Last year, he won a five-year battle over his residencybecoming one of the few missionaries to bring such a legal challenge and win.
Declaring Byle a danger to public order, authorities in Turkey took him into custody on April 6 after asking him to report to ...
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I had a recurring dream that lasted from age 6 or 7 all the way through college. In the dream, I leave my parents home to embark on a journeyone that will take many days and introduce me to many people and new things. I have to keep moving because my father is looking for me (we have a great relationship, really); as soon as he catches up to me, the dream ends. The emotion at the core of the dream was always exhilarationthe rush of exploring a world unknown. I wish I still dreamt it.
Wanderlustthe insatiable desire to exploredates back to the earliest eras of human history, but only recently have humans traveled, not to survive, but for the sheer fun of it. More of us are traveling outside national borders, too; last year, the United Nations World Tourism Organization found that 1.1 billion of usabout 1 of every 6 people on the planettraveled internationally as tourists last year.
Likewise, more of us are traveling alone. According to one 2015 study, 24 percent of people traveled by themselves on their most recent overseas vacation, up from 15 percent in 2013. The same study found an increase among Wander Womensolo female travelers (SFTs) who arent waiting for a spouse or family and friends schedules to line up in order to adventure. Scads of TripAdvisor reviews and blogs are dedicated to helping SFTs pack lightly, find new friends, be safe, and make the most of their time away. If were in an epoch of single women, as journalist Rebecca Traister claims, then travel is just another thing (alongside buy a home, raise a child, and start a business) women apparently dont need a man in order to do.
As a reward for writing ...
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home US Louisiana overturns Exec. Order on religious liberty, signs new Non-Discrimination executive order
Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana signed the Non-Discrimination Executive Order, which protects employees of the state and of state contractors from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, political affiliation, disability, or age, as well as sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
"We are fortunate enough to live in a state that is rich with diversity, and we are built on a foundation of unity and fairness for all of our citizens," the governor said in a statement.
He said that he respects people's beliefs, but he also believes in letting the residents of Louisiana have the opportunity to be successful within the state.
"Our goal is to promote the opportunities we have right here in Louisiana," he said. "While this executive order respects the religious beliefs of our people, it also signals to the rest of the country that discrimination is not a Louisiana value, but rather, that Louisiana is a state that is respectful and inclusive of everyone around us."
The Louisiana cities of New Orleans and Shreveport have also passed municipal ordinances that provide protections similar to Edwards' executive order.
Edwards made good on his word that he would rescind the Marriage and Conscience Executive Order issued by his predecessor, former governor Bobby Jindal. Jindal's Executive Order BJ 15-8 states that no adverse action should be taken by government bodies against a person "on the basis that such person acts in accordance with his religious belief that marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman." That had stirred a lot of positive reactions from religious organizations and negative ones from the LGBT community and its supporters.
"The previous administration's executive I am rescinding was meant to serve a narrow political agenda," Edwards said. "It does nothing but divide our state and forced the business community, from Louisiana's smallest businesses to large corporations, like IBM, to strongly oppose it. This executive order threatens Louisiana's business growth, and it goes against everything we stand for -- unity, acceptance, and opportunity for all."
Zika virus: 7 important facts
Zika Virus is quickly spreading after an outbreak took place in Brazil last year. Prior to the October incident, there were only 146 cases listed in 2014. However, as reported by CNN, the World Health Organization already estimates that by the end of the year, there will be 3 to 4 million infected in the Americas alone.
Here are some of the things you need to know about the virus.
1. The Zika Virus is a type of flavivirus which puts it in the same family as yellow fever, dengue and chikungunya. However, unlike these other mosquito-spread diseases, Zika Virus currently has no form of treatment or vaccine. The virus has been linked to a neurological disorder called microcephaly, a condition in which babies are born with abnormally small heads.
2. Zika Virus spreads through two different means: People may be infected when bitten by the Aedes aegypti mosquito or when having sexual intercourse with someone already infected by the virus.
3. The virus has reached the United States. The Zika Virus has infiltrated Brazil, Costa Rica, Samoa, Ecuador, Mexico and several other countries from Central and South America. However, there is at least one confirmed case in the United States and more than ten suspected cases.
4. Unfortunately, there is no treatment or vaccine at the moment for the Zika Virus and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention highly recommends avoiding travel to areas that have been confirmed to be of high risk such as Brazil. Those who will still choose to travel in such places must use a repellent approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Those who have been bitten are recommended to stay away from mosquitoes and other people to prevent the virus from spreading any further. Unplanned pregnancies are also discouraged given that the virus can lead to abnormalities or even the death of babies.
5. Efforts are being made to develop a treatment or vaccine against Zika Virus, but it may take 18 months or more before clinical trials even begin.
6. Everyday Health also reports that the initial symptoms of Zika Virus infection are mild, making it difficult to determine if someone is infected. It is advised that anyone bitten by a mosquito, particularly when in a Zika Virus-contaminated area, immediately seek medical attention.
7. The virus first made its appearance in 1947 and began in Africa. The virus, then refered to as ZIKV, initially came from an infected rhesus macaque living in the Zika forest in Uganda. However, the outbreak only began to cause a stir in late 2015.
An eye for an eye: How Trump's got the Bible wrong AGAIN and what it says about his campaign
Donald Trump has been asked again about his favourite Bible verse, and this time he managed to come up with an answer that can actually be found in Scripture.
Asked by a US radio station whether he has "a favourite Bible verse or Bible story that has informed your thinking or your character through life?", Trump responded, after his usual rambling: "an eye for an eye".
"That's not a particularly nice thing," he continued. "But you know, if you look at what's happening to our country, I mean, when you see what's going on with our country, how people are taking advantage of us, and how they scoff at us and laugh at us. And they laugh at our face, and they're taking our jobs, they're taking our money, they're taking the health of our country.
"And we have to be firm and have to be very strong. And we can learn a lot from the Bible, that I can tell you."
Trump's inability to string a few sentences together has become a hallmark of his speechgiving, and yet it's been largely glossed over. As Jonathan Bernstein recently put it for the Bloomberg View: "Journalists are quick to accuse him of bullying and bigotry (and rightly so), but he's rarely called grossly incompetent for his basic factual understanding of the world, or even called out on his inability to speak coherently."
Trump's latest interview is a classic example of his incoherence; jumping from one thought to the next and never quite finishing a sentence. But if you sift through it, you land on something quite revealing and disturbing.
At the heart of Trump's campaign, is revenge.
Anyone who's read the New Testament can tell you that Jesus shuts down the verse from Leviticus that Trump's referring to here pretty swiftly.
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also," he says in Matthew 5.
While Jesus preached forgiveness over retaliation, generosity over revenge, and peace over violence, Trump seems to have missed that message.
The Old Testament has much to teach us and we shouldn't dismiss it. Trump and I, remarkably, agree on at least this one thing. The Bible is a rich tapestry; weaving prophesy and poetry, history and law. It is living, breathing and active. But it should also always be read through the lens of Jesus: the living Word who "became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (John 1:14). Jesus has the final say.
And Jesus made it clear that we are not to 'get even' when we feel that we've been wronged. The verse in Leviticus has been taken wildly out of context anyway 'an eye for an eye' was only ever meant to be a punishment in the context of a fair judicial system, not an instruction for vigilantes or individuals to take matters into their own hands. It was a guiding principle meant for lawmakers to prevent overly-harsh sentences.
So Trump's got it wrong either way, but that's hardly surprising from a man who's built his campaign on false premises and marginalising the 'other' whether that's Mexicans, women, Muslims, the disabled, or other groups he's made demeaning and offensive remarks about. In his latest interview, he refers repeatedly to "they" the people who are "taking advantage" of America, "taking our jobs... our money... the health of our country".
He doesn't, however, expand on who he's referring to preferring to leave it up to his audience to fill in the blanks with whichever group they want to blame. It's a clever technique, and one that has seen the Republican frontrunner's ratings soar across the US as the world looks on in horror.
He's evidently trying to hedge his bets here; attempting to appeal to his evangelical audience and also right-wingers more widely. But that Trump's response to these people "they" who are supposedly to blame for America's demise, is to seek revenge is entirely counter to the gospel. It says nothing of God's kindness, or his call for Christians to respond to all people with mercy. Not to mention the fact that to implicitly blame immigrants and those of other faiths for the US' failures is nonsense it's a country built on immigration, and made richer for its mix of cultures.
Trump says "we have to be firm and have to be very strong" by which he presumably means responding with violence, or at least aggressive policies. This is, after all, the man who has said we should kill the families of ISIS militants (a war crime under international law), in fact who's entire military strategy when it comes to the Middle East is to "bomb the s**t out of ISIS", and who has called for all Muslims including those fleeing war and persecution at the hands of Islamic State to be banned from entering the US. His version of 'strength' is to be combative. Threatening. Power hungry.
And yet Jesus offers another way. When he urges his followers to "turn the other cheek", he isn't suggesting they simply give in to violence or wrongdoing. Instead, he presents a third way one which requires incredible strength, but a different kind to that which Trump is advocating. Jesus calls us to be generous, kind and loving to those who wrong us, or who we perceive to be our enemies. To welcome the stranger and share what we have with the poor. To have mercy triumph over judgement. To renounce evil, yes, but also to renounce revenge.
Apostolic Church destroyed in Cuba by government agents
A Protestant church in Cuba has been demolished under authorisation from the government.
Officials demolished the Strong Winds Ministry Church in Las Tunas, eastern Cuba earlier this month.
The minister, Rev Mario Jorge Travieso, has been threatened with seven years' imprisonment if he speaks publicly about the destruction.
The church, which is affiliated with the Apostolic Movement, an unregistered Protestant denomination, is the fourth in Cuba and the second in Las Tunas to be demolished by the government since the beginning of the year.
Travieso told Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) that on 9 April, hundreds of government officials surrounded the property on the outskirts of the city. The minister was detained while the church was destroyed.
Travieso said: "The farm was raided by hundreds of troops from different government entities and they used modern heavy machinery to destroy the foundation which we had built and a brick platform covered with earth. They broke up the floor with an old digger and they confiscated all the pews where more than 70 church members sit, all of the lights and cables and electrical equipment, as well as the tools to carry out work, iron pipes and a private cement mixer."
The value of the items taken was more than 50,000 Cuban pesos, or about 1400, and that is not including the 14 zinc sheets and the pipes donated by members of the congregation wortha furrther 20,000, or about 560.
Travieso said he was treated "like a common delinquent" by security agents who served him with a pre-arrest warrant threatening a seven-year prison sentence if anyone in the congregation makes public complaints about the destruction of their church.
Travieso said: "All of these violations continue in my country, without any attention, so we share the news of this great injustice with the international community."
He called for international support with regards to his own safety.
Mervyn Thomas of CSW said: "We are extremely disturbed to learn of this latest church demolition by the Cuban authorities, just weeks after President Obama's historic visit to the island.
"The actions of the Cuban government this past weekend indicate that they have no plans to ease up on their crackdown on the Apostolic Movement churches. The threats of a lengthy prison sentence, should members of the Strong Winds Ministry Church speak out about these serious human rights violations, are beyond the pale. Once again, we urge the international community to raise the demolition of these three churches, the mass detentions of pastors and church members, and threats of imprisonment with the Cuban government as a matter of urgency. We continue to call on the EU and the US to make freedom of religion or belief a central component of its dialogues with Cuba and to insist on improvement in this area."
Do churches need Sunday schools for adults?
The Bishop of Chelmsford has suggested churches should start Sunday schools for adults to improve discipleship.
Churches should be "schools for discipleship", Bishop Stephen Cottrell said during a plenary discussion on discipleship at the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) meeting in Lusaka, Zambia.
He noted the stark contrast between the "expectation" of what means to go to church in the Anglican Church of Kenya, and the Church in the UK.
"It amazes me that in England we go to all this effort to get people to church and then we let them go after an hour," he said, adding that churches try to "persuade them to come back later the same day".
"Why don't we renegotiate the Sunday contract? What if we did Sunday differently like Kenya? That might be [the] best way of discipling people of God in the world."
Cottrell's remarks were made during a meeting about a draft resolution calling for a period of intentional discipleship throughout the Anglican Communion, which is scheduled to come before the Council on Monday.
His suggestion was met with mixed reactions.
Professor Joanildo Burity from the Episocopal Anglican Church of Brazil highlighted that discipleship cannot be found solely within the Church.
Discipleship is also living as a Christian "in the workplace [and] in their everyday life [as a] witness to Christ to express how deeply they are following Jesus", he said.
The Archdeacon of Suva Ovalau in the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, Sepiuta Hala'api'api, highlighted the importance of mentoring young people. Rather than having Christian role models, young people are being mentored by celebrities, he warned.
"Young people don't need any more events, they need someone to walk alongside them [like] Jesus did with his disciples," he said.
The Bishop of Edmonton in the Anglican Church of Canada, the Rt Rev Jane Alexander, said a focus on discipleship was "life-giving", and called for a nine-year period of discipleship.
"If we have a nine-year period and fail, never mind; but if we name it then we can have something to work towards," she said.
The ACC have met to discuss and put in place its mission and priorities for the next three years and beyond, under the theme "intentional discipleship in a world of differences".
Bishop of Durham calls for immediate action to help desperate refugees in Europe
Britain must do more to help and protect the hundreds of thousands of refugees arriving in Europe, the Bishop of Durham has said.
Speaking to Christian Today, Bishop Paul Butler praised the UK's support of camps in Lebanon and Jordan, but said greater attention must be paid to those suffering on Britain's doorstep.
"I think what we've done in regions in terms of support of camps in Lebanon and Jordan has been exemplary, and we've led the way. My concern is our response to those who have arrived in Europe," he said.
"I am particularly concerned at this point for unaccompanied minors. The government has said it will take more, but we seem to be struggling to do it at any pace, really."
According to Help Refugees, a grassroots organisation working in the Calais Jungle, 129 unaccompanied children went missing following the demolition of the southern part of the camp last month. It has led to widespread fears regarding their safety, and what's being done to ensure children arriving in Europe are receiving the support they need.
Butler attributed the slow pace to "a genuine desire to make sure we get it right", and ensuring adequate housing and support for refugees arriving in the UK, but insisted that "crafting safer routes [to the UK] needs much greater attention".
The bishop was speaking after a report released yesterday accused the British government of falling short of its "moral responsibility to provide safe routes to protection for people seeking refuge in the UK".
The report, A Safe Haven?, from a coalition of 13 agencies including Christian Aid, CAFOD, Oxfam, Islamic Relief and World Vision, also said the UK has "failed to advocate for an approach that protects the rights of all people on the move."
The UK government has pledged to take in 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020, but so far just 1,194 have been resettled under the Vulnerable Persons Relocation scheme. A group of 84 Church of England bishops including Butler last year urged Prime Minister David Cameron to increase the number to at least 50,000.
"The UK is trying to pretend that this is someone else's problem, and that refugees and migrants could and should be dealt with elsewhere. But people who are desperate will take huge risks to reach safety," said Maya Mailer, Oxfam's head of humanitarian policy.
"The UK needs to accept its moral responsibility to offer a safe haven to the world's poorest and most vulnerable men, women and children who have been made homeless by war, violence and disasters."
Butler urged Britons, especially Christians, to be ready to welcome refugees in their villages, towns and cities when they do arrive.
"As a nation we have a history of welcoming asylum seekers and being a hospitable nation, and also engaging with the wider world and seeking to encourage other nations to play their part too. This has to be an international collaborative thing; no one country can handle the situation we're facing," he said.
"Our calling as followers of Jesus has always been to welcome the stranger, to offer hospitality to those who need it, to show compassion to those who find themselves in desperate straits. These people do not take their journeys lightly; they are fleeing persecution, fleeing violence, fleeing war. They've seen their homes destroyed, and we need to recognise just how desperate the situation is for them."
Butler is currently co-chair of the National Refugee Welcome Board, and encouraged Christians to get involved with local organisations who are working to help refugees.
"It's partly the church working with other local community groups, welcoming people when they arrive and helping them settle in, helping them to learn the language if they need it, helping them find doctors and schooling for their children," he said.
"It's about being good, human, neighbours."
Can violence ever be justified? Vatican conference urges Church to abandon 'just war' theory
A Vatican-hosted conference has called on the Catholic Church to abandon its 'just war' theory, asking Pope Francis to write an encyclical on nonviolence and 'just peace' instead.
The conference, sponsored by the Vatican's justice and peace office and Pax Christi International, the Catholic peace movement, said the just war doctrine has been used too often to justify violence rather than prevent it.
Instead, Catholics should pursue "active nonviolence" befitting the gospel message of peace, they said.
The historic gathering of 80 senior Catholic peace leaders from 20 nations met at the Vatican between April 11-13.
It was the first time the Catholic Church has discussed abandoning the just war theory, which has been advocated for over 1,700 years. At the close of the conference an official statement was submitted to Pope Francis, appealing to "re-commit to the centrality of gospel nonviolence".
What is 'just war'?
The just war theory, developed by early Church Father St Augustine of Hippo, is a Christian ethical system that advocates for war being in rare circumstances the most just action.
The theory poses the following question: If we accept the fact that inaction has consequences, is there a point at which inaction is less morally acceptable than action?
Augustine's just war tradition argues that there comes a point where love of neighbour requires action when one neighbour acts unjustly towards another.
It sets out certain parameters for war, but holds that there are cases in which it is permissible, and even necessary. The basic requirements are that it is in response to a great ill, and that its primary intention is to right that wrong.
There are some crucial boundaries set in place to ensure a war remains just:
The war must have just cause in response to a serious wrong. It must be waged under legitimate authority not simply by an individual. There must be the right intention justice, rather than economic or military gain. It must be the last resort aware that the consequences of war always involve suffering and therefore it should not be entered into lightly. It must be proportionate to the threat not simply using as much force as possible. It must be discriminate as to who is targetted. There must be a genuine hope of success.
It is particular about the type of war and how it is waged. It rules out air raids in an indiscriminate manner, terrorist action that will intentionally kill civilians, and the dehumanisation of prisoners of war through torture.
There has been a significant move within this theological camp toward including a commitment to justice beyond the point where a war is won, recognising the significant impact warfare has on civilians.
OK, so why does the conference want to get rid of it?
They see a fundamental internal inconsistency in allowing violence in the name of the gospel. Instead, they argue that Jesus modelled a life of active nonviolence.
"Neither passive nor weak, Jesus' nonviolence was the power of love in action. In vision and deed he is the revelation and embodiment of the nonviolent God, a truth especially illuminated in the Cross and Resurrection. He calls us to develop the virtue of nonviolent peacemaking," the closing statement said.
The just war theory, by contrast, has "too often... been used to endorse rather than prevent or limit war".
"We confess that the people of God have betrayed this central message of the gospel many times, participating in wars, persecution, oppression, exploitation, and discrimination," the statement added.
"Suggesting that a 'just war' is possible also undermines the moral imperative to develop tools and capacities for nonviolent transformation of conflict."
What do they propose instead?
'Just peace'.
In the context of "tremendous suffering", the conference called on Christians to push for active nonviolence.
They are petitioning for the Church, and Pope Francis, to recognise that "peace requires justice and justice requires peacemaking."
Based on gospel nonviolence, they suggested "a Just Peace approach offers a vision and an ethic to build peace as well as prevent, defuse, and to heal the damage of violent conflict. This ethic includes a commitment to human dignity and thriving relationships, with specific criteria, virtues, and practices to guide our actions."
Rooted in the "unconditional love of God", they looked to Jesus, who "in his own times, rife with structural violence... proclaimed a new, nonviolent order".
The group, who submitted their letter to the Pope, also urged the Church to "lift up the prophetic voice of the Church to challenge unjust world powers and to support and defend those nonviolent activists whose work for peace and justice put their lives at risk.
"In every age, the Holy Spirit graces the Church with the wisdom to respond to the challenges of its time. In response to what is a global epidemic of violence, which Pope Francis has labeled a 'world war in instalments', we are being called to invoke, pray over, teach and take decisive action. With our communities and organisations, we look forward to continue collaborating with the Holy See and the global Church to advance gospel nonviolence."
How will the Pope respond?
Pope Francis, named after the peace-loving St Francis of Assisi, wrote a greeting to the gathering, saying that the "ultimate and most deeply worthy goal of human beings and of the human community is the abolition of war".
He is undoubtedly an advocate for peace. He has declared this year the Jubilee Year of Mercy, explicitly stated that "faith and violence are incompatible" and issues almost-weekly appeals for peace across the globe.
After the Paris attacks, he described God as "weeping" for the state of the world, yet he also said in the same homily that "war can be justified for many reasons".
"Everyone of us who participated in the conference left Rome feeling hopeful that Pope Francis will help lead the Catholic Church and the world to a new breakthrough toward peace and nonviolence," said Rev John Dear, a Catholic priest and peace activist who attended the conference.
That peace is on the Pope's agenda is beyond doubt, but whether 'just war' will continue to be is yet to be determined.
'Cancer within Islam': Leaders urge Muslims to take a stand against terror
Leaders of some of the world's biggest Muslim countries gathered at the annual summit of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) in Turkey have called on fellow Muslims to criticise themselves and take a stand against terror, which they said is spreading like cancer within Islam.
Speaking to the delegates attending the meeting in Istanbul, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said "sectarianism and violence'" have already caused the division of the Muslim world and its continued existence ''brings more sorrows among brothers.''
"Muslims are the ones that experience the biggest harm. We cannot accept this situation. We cannot stay silent in front of such a picture,'' stressed Cavusoglu, CBN News reports.
"The disease tries to set Muslims against one another. If nothing is done to stop the cancer within Islam, terrorism and radical trends will continue to divide the Islamic community and the result will be more bloodshed,'' he warned.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry echoed a similar point urging Muslim nations to ''engage and defeat the terror'' perpetrated in the name of Islam.
"We will continue to fight against forces of darkness and extremism that misrepresent the real teaching of Islam, which is based on tolerance,'' Shoukry said in his opening speech.
He added that Islam needs ''moderation'' and called on OIC members to develop a comprehensive strategy that will defeat terrorism and extremism.
The conference, held from April 10 to 15, seeks to call for a new peace process to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It also tackles such weighty issues as combating extremism within Muslim nations, countering Islamophobia in the rest of the world, and protecting a group of Muslims suffering persecution in Myanmar.
During the summit, some major Arab countries reportedly indicated a change of view on Israel and no longer see the Jewish state as an enemy.
This comes as Kuwaiti media personality Yousuf 'Abd Al-Karim Al-Zinkawi called on all Arab and Muslim states to recognise Israel, "openly and without delay, and to stop calling it "the Zionist entity" or "the Israeli occupation," terms which undermine Israel's legitimacy, according to UnitedwithIsrael.org.
Countries like Qatar and the Sultanate of Oman earlier recognised the call and have since maintain bilateral relations in various domains with Israel, writes Al-Zinkawi in an article published in the Kuwaiti daily Al-Siyassa.
He claimed that the vast majority of the world "effectively supports Israel's existence, and the Arab states have begun to move in that direction and should complete the process.''
The OIC was founded in 1969 and consists of 57 member states. For decades, the organisation has acted as the collective voice of the Muslim world and holds its summit every three years.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols: Brexit would cause 'complex problems'
Britain's most senior Catholic figure has backed the EU Remain campaign.
In the most significant intervention to date by British faith leader, the Archbishop of Westminster said Britain should not leave the European Union.
He went further than a recent statement where the Catholic bishops' conference of England and Wales did not take sides but did urge voters to remember the debate is "about much more than economics".
Cardinal Nichols, spiritual leader of the four million Catholics of England and Wales and president of the conference, warned the path to division "almost inevitably leads to further division".
He said: "There is a long tradition in Christianity and Catholicism in particular of believing in holding things together. So the Catholic stance towards an effort such as the EU is largely supportive.
"If the vote was to leave Europe I think we would face more complex problems and greater difficulty in finding our role in response to it than we would by playing an active and vigorous part with partners within the EU."
The Cardinal acknowledged his remarks "basically answer" the question of which way he will vote on 23 June.
His comments set him apart from the Archbishop of Canterbury who has avoided answering the question directly. Justin Welby has said there was no particular "correct Christian view" on the question.
The Church of England and the Church of Scotland have set up a blog to discuss the issue but it does not take a stance.
Dr Angus Morrison, moderator of the general assembly of the Church of Scotland, is more outspoken.
He has said the EU symbolises "real progress and hope" for the future. The Church of Scotland has an official position that Scotland should remain within the EU.
Cardinal Nichols gave his views as he reported back on the bishops' spring meeting. He said the bishops had had a "spirited debate" over the EU. The statement issued as bishops "might not be the same as what we would say as citizens".
Christian governor of Tennessee vetoes making Bible official state book
The Republican Governor of Tennessee has used his personal veto against a bill to make the Bible the state's official book.
Governor Bill Haslam, a committed Christian, said it would violate the federal and state constitutions.
The sponsor of the bill, Jerry Sexton, immediately filed to override the veto. Each house must vote against the veto by a majority for the bill now to go through.
In a letter to the Speaker of the house, Beth Harwell, Governor Haslam wrote: "My personal feeling is that this bill trivialises the Bible, which I believe is sacred text. If we believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, then we shouldn't be recognising it only as a book of historical and economic significance.
"If we are recogising the Bible as a sacred text, then we are violating the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the State of Tennessee by designating it as the official state book. Our founders recognised that when the church and state were combined, it was the church that suffered in the long run."
He said he "strongly disagreed" with those trying to drive religion out of the public square. "All of us should and must bring our deepest beliefs to the places we are called, including government service."
The Tennessee state senate voted a week ago to make the Bible its official book.
Hedy Weinberg, of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, welcomed the veto. In an email to The Tennessean she said: "Religion thrives when it is left in the hands of families and faith communities. Publicly elected government officials cannot use their official positions to favor one religious belief over another. The governor's veto of this unconstitutional legislation ensures that religious freedom can flourish in Tennessee."
Polls show that more that six in ten people in Tennessee support making the Bible the state book.
Tennessee voted to make the Bible its "official" book soon after voting to make a sniper gun the official state rifle. The bill was the first of its kind in the US.
The state already has an official tree, the tulip poplar, two official flowers, the purple passion flower and the iris, an official fruit, the tomato, and two official birds, the mockingbird and the partridge.
Many top Bible publishers have their company headquarters in Tennessee.
Church burned down in Chile amid land disputes
A church has been burned down in southern Chile in the latest attack from the Mapuche indigenous people, who are campaigning to reclaim ancestral lands, according to authorities.
At the site of the fire on Tuesday was a poster with slogans against the Catholic bishop of Villarrica, Javier Stegmeier, accusing him of being complcit in the "state repression" against Mapuche people.
Twelve churches have been the target of arson attacks in the last two years in this region of Chile. More than half of them have been in the municipality of Ercilla.
The latest attack comes after meetings were held seeking a solution to the violent episodes between the governor of the Araucania, Andres Jouannet, and the Catholic Church.
"The burning of churches is the greatest intolerance ever seen," Jouannet told media on Tuesday.
"If they burn one of our churches, we're going to rebuild it and we're going to do so with the community. And if there are 13, 14 or 20, we're going to rebuild them. What cannot be accepted is intolerance, attacking the freedom of religion and the faith," he added.
"We're going to rebuild all the chapels and churches, and quickly," he said.
The Mapuche people lost a significant amount of land during a brutal late-19th century "pacification" campaign against the indigenous people of the Araucania and Bio Bio regions.
In the struggle to reclaim the land, some Mapuche people have been killed and dozens have been sent to prison, mainly for crimes against property.
The Mapuches make up around 650,000 of Chile's 17 million population and are concentrated in Araucania and greater Santiago.
Church leaders ask Pope Francis to write encyclical on nonviolence in line with Jesus' teachings
A first-of-its kind gathering of Catholic leaders called on Pope Francis to consider writing an encyclical letter, or some other "major teaching document," reorienting the church's teachings on violence after they issued a blunt rejection of the Catholic church's long-held teachings on just war theory.
The call was made on Thursday at the end of a three-day conference in the Vatican.
In the conference's final appeal document, titled "An Appeal to the Catholic Church to Re-Commit to the Centrality of Gospel Nonviolence," the participants said Church teachings on war too often been used to justify violent conflicts. It said the global church must reconsider Jesus' teachings on nonviolence, the Associated Press reports.
"We need a new framework that is consistent with Gospel nonviolence," the document said, noting that Pope Francis and his past four predecessors have all spoken out against war. "We propose that the Catholic Church develop and consider shifting to a Just Peace approach based on Gospel nonviolence."
"Too often the 'just war theory' has been used to endorse rather than prevent or limit war," said the document, according to the National Catholic Reporter.
"Suggesting that a 'just war' is possible also undermines the moral imperative to develop tools and capacities for nonviolent transformation of conflict," the paper said.
The event was co-hosted by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the international Catholic peace organisation Pax Christi.
The just war theory is a Catholic tradition that uses a series of criteria to evaluate whether the use of violence can be considered morally justifiable. It was first referred to by fourth-century bishop St. Augustine of Hippo, and later articulated in depth by 13th-century theologian St. Thomas Aquinas.
The April 11-13 conference was held in Rome and attended by experts engaged in global nonviolent struggles under the aegis of the Vatican.
The conference was held after a number of theologians criticised the continued use of the theory in modern times, saying that both the powerful capabilities of modern weapons and evidence of the effectiveness of nonviolent campaigns make it outdated.
Several of the event's participants said the church should simply no longer teach the just war theory.
"I came a long distance for this conference, with a very clear mind that violence is outlived," said Archbishop John Baptist Odama of Gulu, Uganda. "It is out of date for our world of today."
"We have to sound this with a strong voice," said the archbishop. "Any war is a destruction. There is no justice in destruction. ... It is outdated."
One of the criteria for moral justification of war, according to the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church, is that "the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated."
Odama, who also leads Uganda's Catholic bishops' conference, said the conditions in the Catechism "are only given to say in reality there should be no war."
"This is where the group was very strong," he said, referring to the conference. "We should not give now, at this moment, reasons for war. Let us block them and promote relationships of harmony, of brother and sisterhood, rather than going for war."
Controversial pastor Creflo Dollar not welcome in Scotland
After figuring in a controversial crowdsourcing drive to buy a $65 million Gulfstream G650 jet last year, televangelist and World Changers Church International founder Creflo Dollar is seeking to bring his ministry to Scotland, but he will not be welcomed warmly by all.
According to a report by Christian Post, Rev. David Robertson of the Free Church of Scotland said that he does not appreciate Dollar's planned appearances in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh for a tour organized by the Destiny Church.
"Creflo Dollar coming here is appalling. He's a multimillionaire, American, televangelist and we really do not need him here. The church doesn't need him. It's embarrassing to have somebody like that come. His prosperity gospel is blasphemous. It's not what people in Scotland need to hear. He's not welcome. Not with that message. It's a horrendous message that he brings. It's not the message of the Gospel at all. He can keep his jet and use it to fly elsewhere," he said.
Robertson, Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland, criticised Destiny church for extending the invitation to Dollar because of his interpretation of the Gospel.
"They should not be inviting a false teacher to come and preach in their churches if so they are associated with that false teaching. Of course God can use Creflo Dollar he can use a donkey and he can use a pagan king. But we are not to allow God's sovereignty to justify human sin/stupidity and our own inaction. I would plead with Destiny to uninvite Creflo Dollar," he explained through his blog after Christians expressed their displeasure over his criticism of Destiny Church.
Dollar last year figured in a controversial drive asking his 200,000 church members donate $300 to purchase the expensive jet so that Dollar could travel the world and conduct missions for the church, but the drive was aborted following a massive backlash.
Japanese Church rejects nuclear power
The Anglican Church in Japan has reiterated its opposition to nuclear power following last years meltdown at the Fukushima plant.
The nuclear power plant was crippled as a result of the earthquake and tsunami that struck north-eastern Japan in 2011, leaking large amounts of radiation into the surrounding area.
In a statement, the Anglican Church in Japan (Nippon Sei Ko Kai) said that the Fukushima disaster had revealed the extremely dangerous nature of nuclear power generation.
It is not too much to say this is a warning from God to each of us who, having suffered from nuclear bombings, have failed to acquire sufficient knowledge about nuclear power and exposure to radiation, it said.
The Church criticised the level of risk to people in the process of generating nuclear power, from the mining of uranium to the disposal of radioactive waste.
Nuclear power endangers the life created by God, the statement continued.
With the decommissioning of Fukushima set to take decades, the Church warned of the harm being done to children and future generations as a result of exposure to radiation.
A large quantity of radioactive waste, without any appropriate disposal technology, will continue to endanger peoples lives for a long period of time.
Besides, no one can deny that the existence of nuclear power plants in a country like Japan, which is subject to frequent earthquakes, is very likely to be the cause of serious crises in the future.
It follows a statement from Japanese bishops in March in which they said that last years devastating earthquake had shattered the safety myth of nuclear power.
We also strongly call on all of us to change our own lifestyle, they said.
Meizu Pro 6 news: Deca-core smartphone's 5 amazing features
Meizu Technology recently unveiled its latest flagship in Beijing, the Meizu Pro 6. It contains very impressive specs, and the most notable is the 10-core MediaTek processor, a rarity at the moment. It is also reasonably priced, just like a mid-range phone, under US$390.
1. Processor
By comparison, the Apple iPhone 6s and 6s Plus run on an in-house dual-core A9, while the Samsung Galaxy S7 houses the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820. However, the performance of the 10-core Helio X25 processor remains to be seen, if it can go head to head with other flagship phones of the same caliber.
"The brand-new Helio X25 processor adopts a revolutionary 10-core 3-cluster architecture. The Cortex A72 CPU and the Mali T880 GPU complement each other perfectly, resulting in an Antutu score of 101757 points. With eMMC 5.1 flash memory and ultra-large 4GB RAM, Meizu PRO 6 can easily handle all situations. Meizu PRO 6 is also integrated with the kernel-level power-saving algorithm. It can intelligently switch between three clusters to balance endurance and performance," the Chinese phone manufacturer said of the power of a deca-core processor.
2. Slim body design
The Meizu Pro 6 also features a unibody metal design and boasts the smallest antenna lines in the smartphone arena. It is also considerably thin, at 7.25 mm. The iPhone 6s is at 7.1 mm, while the S7 is at 7.9 mm. It has no camera bulge on the rear either, so it lays flat on a table.
3. Camera
Another amazing feature is its camera's flash that comes with not two or four but 10 LED lights. Unexpectedly, these do not go around the camera lens; instead they sit right below it, encircling the laser-focusing assist. Incidentally, the main camera comes equipped with a 21MP Sony IMX230 sensor with a 6-element lens, the assembly of which Meizu customized to make it a little thinner than the others. The camera is also said to be able to focus in just 0.07 seconds with an aperture setting of f/2.2. The front-facing camera is at 5MP with an F/2.0 aperture, a standard nowadays.
4. Audio
Meizu was highly praised when it released the M8 back in 2007 because of its sound quality. It, no doubt, doesn't want to let down fans, so the new Pro 6 comes with the company's mSound audio technology that is said to improve the sound quality on its Hi-Fi speakers, which is then powered by the Cirrus Logic CS43L36 amplifier chip. The combination is said to achieve a clean and powerful sound.
5. Display screen
The screen size of the Meizu flagship is nothing fancy, 5.2 inches; however, the display is the 5.5th generation of the Samsung AMOLED screen that offers a 1080p resolution and 423 ppi pixel density. It is then protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Additionally, the screen is equipped with a 3D Press technology, much like Apple's 3D Touch.
The company has not mentioned yet if it has plans for an international release. It is currently available only in China.
Prayers for Japan after earthquake and tsunami cause massive destruction
The port city of Sendai suffered widespread devastation after it was hit by a 33ft wave that swept away cars, ships and buildings.
The official death toll stands at 413 but it is feared that the number of dead may surpass 1,300. At least 1,100 people have been injured and more than 215,000 people are staying in emergency shelters.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has sent a message of condolence to the Anglican Archbishop of Japan, the Most Rev Nathaniel Makoto Uematsu.
Dr Williams said: The news of the horrific earthquake in Japan has shocked us all.
We await further and more detailed news with apprehension, but I want to say immediately that our hearts and our prayers go out to all who have been affected and that we as a church will do what we can to offer practical as well as spiritual support at this time of great suffering and great anxiety for so many.
The Catholic Church has sent out prayers for those affected by the disaster:
God our Father,
you set the earth on its foundation.
Keep us safe from the danger of earthquakes
and let us always feel the presence of your love.
May we be secure in your protection
and serve you with grateful hearts.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Catholic aid agency Caritas Internationalis is planning its response, although this has been severely hampered by the damage to phone lines.
Our solidarity is with our brothers and sisters at Caritas Japan and all the Japanese people, said Lesley-Anne Knight, Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis.
We will continue to support them at this difficult time and we will keep all of those affected by the earthquake in our prayers.
The 8.9 magnitude earthquake is the largest in Japans history. There are now fears of a nuclear disaster after an explosion at the Daiichi facility at Fukushima, 150 miles north of Tokyo.
Although earthquakes are common in Japan, the scale of the destruction caused by this quake has been particularly severe.
World Vision said its Global Rapid Response Team was on standby for deployment to affected areas.
Geoff Shepherd, World Visions humanitarian and emergency affairs director for the Asia-Pacific region, said: Our staff are prepared to respond.
Why loving science doesn't have to turn you into an atheist
It's a well-known fact: religion and science don't mix. Science has established that the universe is nearly 14 billion years old; Christians think it was created in 4004 BC. Scientists believe in experiments and reason; Christians think all you need is a book. Scientists are reasonable people; Christians, and religious people generally, are just fanatics. Science has disproved religion. Faith is a fantasy.
Everyone knows that, and comedians can get a good laugh by playing to the stereotypes.
Only none of it is true.
The idea that there's a perpetual conflict between science and religion is based on a wildly inaccurate misreading of history. In fact, some of the greatest scientists ever have been people of profound Christian faith. The Church has never been anti-science. And it's possible to have a theology of science that both reflects its contribution to understanding the physical world and improving the lives of human beings, and sets it in the context of God's redemptive work.
These were some of the points made forcefully this week at a conference at St John's College, Durham, run by the Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science project.
According to Durham University physics professor and project co-director Tom McLeish, it's possible to think theologically about science and throughout history, many scientists have done so.
As well as pioneers like Johannes Kepler, Robert Boyle and Isaac Newton, he instanced Joseph Taylor, who received the 1993 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of the first known binary pulsar, and for his work which supported the Big Bang theory of the creation of the universe. Taylor said: "A scientific discovery is also a religious discovery. There is no conflict between science and religion. Our knowledge of God is made larger with every discovery we make about the world."
McLeish also cited the pioneers of quantum mechanics. According to Max Planck: "Both religion and science require a belief in God. For believers, God is in the beginning, and for physicists He is at the end of all considerations... To the former He is the foundation, to the latter, the crown of the edifice of every generalised world view."
Max Born said: "Those who say that the study of science makes a man an atheist must be rather silly." While according to Werner Heisenberg: "The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you."
So why do so many people believe science and religion are in conflict?
According to McLeish, it goes back only as far as the late 19th century and the work of two American authors, John William Draper and Andrew Dickson White. Draper born and educated in England wrote a fiercely anti-Catholic book The History of the Conflict Between Science and Religion. It included the sentence: "The history of Science is not a mere record of isolated discoveries; it is a narrative of the conflict of two contending powers, the expansive force of the human intellect on one side, and the compression arising from traditionary faith and human interests on the other." Draper's book purported to show how religion had always sought to suppress and denigrate science and was wildly popular, going through 50 printings in the US alone. It was translated into 10 languages.
White's book A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom was published in 1896 and claims to document the attempts by science to free itself from the shackles of religious dogma. It didn't sell as well as Draper's, but was better documented and its influence lasted longer.
However, historians have accepted for years that the whole 'conflict thesis' is flawed, and based on ideology rather than evidence. McLeish cites former Oxford University Professor of Science and Religion Peter Harrison, who said: "Those who have magnified more recent controversies about the relations of science and religion, and who have projected them back into historical time, simply perpetuate a historical myth. The myth of a perennial conflict between science and religion is one to which no historian of science would subscribe."
So why is the conflict thesis so embedded in our culture today, and why do people like 'new atheists' Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett get so much traction? Several ideas surfaced at the conference.
One was that Christians sometimes gave credibility to the accusations they were anti-science by unwisely venturing onto scientists' territory without being able to back up their claims. Examples include claims that the earth is only about 6,000 years old.
Another is that the conflict thesis actually works quite well for some parts of the Church. It creates a sense among Christians that they're an embattled minority. This might not always be a comfortable experience, but it does tend to enhance the solidarity of a group.
Another is the power of the mass media, who haven't really caught up with what's happened in the history of science. It's easier to parrot cliches than to question people's assumptions, especially when it's the cliches that get the laughs. And the idea that science and religion are in conflict feeds in to a wider perception that religion is somehow discredited in the modern age.
Force your children to read The Bible. If they are smart and kind it will put them off religion for life. Ricky Gervais Quotes (@GervaisQuotes) 6 October 2015
So how should we think theologically about science?
McLeish invites us to consider the Wisdom literature of the Old Testament, particularly Job 38-40, where God questions the doubters about their knowledge of the creation ("Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea? Where is the way to the abode of light?"). The New Testament speaks of a "new creation" from God, who "gave us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:17). So McLeish offers this definition of science: it is "the participative, relational and co-creative work of healing the fallen relationship of humans with nature".
Science may challenge theology, but that's not a bad thing. But it doesn't threaten it, and it ought to be honoured as a discipline that reveals more of the wonders of the created world.
As Copernicus said: "To know the mighty works of God, to comprehend His wisdom and majesty and power; to appreciate, in degree, the wonderful workings of His laws, surely all this must be a pleasing and acceptable mode of worship to the Most High."
Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
Trainee vicar jailed for 15 years for rape of 2 teenage girls
A former church youth leader and trainee vicar has been jailed for 15 years for the rape of two teenage girls.
Timothy Storey, 35, formerly of Peckham, south London, posed a "serious danger to the public" because of his insidious behaviour, said Judge Philip Katz QC.
Storey had groomed the girls at a Christian summer camp and had sexted and messaged them through social media.
He was found guilty of three counts of rape and one count of assault by penetration at Woolwich Crown Court in February and was sentenced today.
Storey also had a previous conviction of grooming girls aged 10-16. The offences for which he was tried on this occasion were committed in 2008 and 2009 and relate to two women now in their 20s.
One of them was attacked when Storey used his position as a church youth leader to gain her trust.
During his trial, he was described as "every parent's worst nightmare". He preached the virtues of chastity and abstinence while grooming girls in the congregation at the prominent evangelical church of St Michael's Chester Square in the heart of London's exclusive Belgravia disrtrict.
One victim who was raped twice was so under his control she described him as "more influential than God". Both victims complained to the Church of England about Storey, but the allegations were "brushed aside," Woolwich Crown Court heard.
The Diocese of London said in a statement on his conviction: "The Diocese of London first received complaints regarding Timothy Storey's conduct in early 2009. He was then training as a Church of England ordinand at Wycliffe Hall.
"The diocese's child protection adviser at the time looked into the allegations and spoke with the Metropolitan Police Westminster Child Protection Team, raising concerns that his actions were an offence under the 2003 Sexual Offences Act.
"Whilst the diocese's child protection adviser recorded that police did not believe any criminal act had been committed, the diocese nevertheless took the decision to withdraw him from ordination training. The diocese subsequently submitted a report to the Independent Safeguarding Authority, now known as the Disclosure and Barring Service.
"Within the submission, the diocese stipulated that it deemed Timothy Storey's behaviour to pose a risk to those under the age of 18 and included first-hand statements that the diocese gathered from the individuals who had made allegations against Mr Storey. The national Church of England was also notified, to prevent him from applying for ordination elsewhere in the country."
Trainee vicars to get science lessons to help them understand the modern world
The Church of England is to send its trainee priests on science courses to ensure they understand the modern world properly.
The Church today launches a three-year project to improve its relationship with the world of science.
The biologist Richard Dawkins is among the many leading contemporary scientists who have led the charge against faith as not credible and even delusional.
The launch of the 700,000 project comes during British Science Week, a 10-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths. Scientists and theologians are to be brought together with Christian leaders as part of the three-year Durham University programme, which is funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation and run in partnership with the Church of England.
The Church is inviting grant proposals of up to 10,000 for "scientists in congregations", and is seeking Christians who are also scientists to promote greater understanding of the relationship between science and faith.
In addition, more than 1,000 people training for Anglican ministry will be sent on science courses.
Bishop of Kingston Dr Richard Cheetham, one of those leading the programme, said: "It is absolutely vital to stimulate good conversation between science and theology.
"The prevailing idea that the two are in conflict is remarkably persistent despite the vast amount of excellent academic literature giving a very different view. The project aims to get a much deeper understanding of the relationship between science and theology deeply embedded in our churches and in the wider world."
The Rev David Wilkinson, professor in theology and religion at Durham University and an astrophysicist, who is also leading the programme, said: "Too often Christian leaders have felt that science is a threat or have felt a lack of confidence in engaging with it.
"This project is a significant commitment by Templeton World Charity Foundation and churches in England to take science seriously in what it means for theology and in valuing science as a gift.
"One of the things that we have been particularly interested in over the last few years is how we can help senior church leaders understand contemporary science and not see it as something to be fearful of, but something that can help theology."
A Templeton spokesman said: "Many church members are engaged in studies or professions which use science, all of them use technology based on science, they live in a culture which often views science as the route to knowledge, and science can be a fuel for faith and worship.
"It is therefore important to give church leaders the opportunity to learn about fundamental scientific principles and topical issues."
A US sociologist who last year published a study reporting that the majority of scientists are religious has now also claimed that seven in ten evangelicals do not believe religion and science are in conflict.
Elaine Howard Ecklund, director of Rice University's Religion and Public Life Program, told 200 scientists, pastors and others at an American Association for the Advancement of Science's event last week that the second wave of data from her research showed a high degree of acceptance of science among evangelicals.
Overall, 85 percent of Americans and 84 percent of evangelicals said modern science was doing good in the world. She also found however that six in ten evangelicals believe scientists "should be open to considering miracles in their theories."
UK Church leaders reluctant to declare ISIS killings 'genocide'
Christian leaders in Britain are reluctant to use the term 'genocide' to refer to ISIS' atrocities against Christians, Yazidis and other religious minorities in the Middle East.
Ahead of a House of Commons debate next Wednesday, Christian Today found neither the Church of England, nor the Catholic Church in the UK, nor the Coptic Church in the UK were willing to openly advocate for the use of the word.
The Prime Minister has until now refused to follow the European Parliament and the White House in declaring ISIS' killings as genocide. His argument has been that genocide is a legal term and should be a matter for international courts and not governments.
The Catholic peer Lord Alton has led a campaign to pressurize David Cameron into using the term. He told Christian Today it was "vitally important" the government change its position. However the most senior Catholic figure in Britain is among a group of cautious Christian figures.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and president of the Catholic bishops' conference in England and Wales, said he understood the use of the word in general language. However his difficultly was that "genocide seems to suggest a single target. Whereas what we are seeing in the Middle East has multiple religious targets and multiple ethnic targets."
He continued to say genocide was a legal term. "Therefore I quite understand the point of view that says the technical use of the term genocide is for courts to decide," he said.
Neither the Archbishop of Canterbury nor the Archbishop of York were available for comment but both have also avoided the term. Justin Welby has said Christians face "elimination" at the hands of ISIS but has not referred to it as a genocide.
Rt Rev Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham, told Christian Today it was "complicated" as many Muslims had been killed too.
"I don't want to reduce genocide of its meaning, but nor do I want to diminish the horrors of what ISIS have been doing in terms of attacking our communities the Christian communities, the Yazidi communities, and they've been killing many fellow Muslims as well."
He said it "appears to be genocide" as entire communities have been wiped out, but added: "We need to make sure we're not diminishing the word of its power."
Bishop Angaelos, the general bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK, has previously been the most outspoken advocate for describing ISIS' atrocities as genocide. However when asked by Christian Today whether he thought the right decision was for the UK government to declare a genocide, he said: "I think the right decision would be to have a robust discussion in parliament and then make a decision."
Bishop Angaelos joined the campaign for the US administration to declare a genocide last month. But he told Christian Today on Friday his main concern had been the White House would declare a genocide against Yazidis but not Christians and the "distorted message" that would send out.
When asked whether he thought the British government should declare genocide he said: "I quite understood their position." He added: "I have every confidence the UK government will make the right decision."
One of the reasons Christian leaders may be so hesitant is because they fear promoting a Muslim versus Christian rhetoric when, as Bishop Butler notes, thousands of Muslims have been killed by ISIS. Another reason is it risks devaluing the strength of the legal term because the conflict is so complex.
Nevertheless Pope Francis remains free of such concerns. It is nearly a year since the Catholic leader referred to a Christian "genocide" in the Middle East.
"In this third world war, waged piecemeal, which we are now experiencing, a form of genocide is taking place, and it must end," he said last July.
What have Christians ever done for us?
If the Church is supposed to be the ultimate apologetic for Christ ("all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another"), it seems as though the case for Christ is very weak! The general attitude is perhaps summed up best by the famous quote attributed to Mahatma Ghandi: "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
Never mind the fact that people who say this often know very little about Christ. It is an effective argument because it contains a grain of truth and because it means that the Christian message can be summarily dismissed on the basis that Christians are human! We are the victims of the ultimate ad hominem arguments. According to the Oxford English dictionary ad hom is: "(Of an argument or reaction) directed against a person rather than the position they are maintaining". It really means to play the man, rather than the argument. "An ad hominem argument is one that relies on personal attacks rather than reason or substance." There you are trying to tell people about Jesus and you get hit with everything wrong that any Christian/Church is supposed to have done whether it is last week's subject 'Christianity spread by violence' or the Spanish Inquisition, Westboro Baptist Church or of course that perennial favourite Hitler.
I am astonished at how many atheists must have read Mein Kampf, given the number of times the quote about Hitler calling Jesus his Lord is used. The trouble is that for the vast majority this is all they have read (usually from another atheist blog/website). They have not read the book, they don't know the context and history of the period and they know precious little about the life and thoughts of Adolf Hitler. This quote is enough for them (combined with the fact that he was baptised as a Catholic).
In this regard it is important to remember that a statement without a context just becomes a pretext for whatever particular prejudice we want to put forward. Christians of course can be as guilty of this as anyone else I have read some incredible statements from Christians that are made without any supporting evidence other than "I read it somewhere". The deathbed conversion of Charles Darwin is one such 'urban myth'. But the trouble is that in this era of historical, religious and philosophical illiteracy, it is all too easy for people to surf the web and find 'evidence' for what they believed in the first place. It's called confirmation bias.
But if you can it's great to get people to do something really old fashioned read and think. Once you begin to examine the evidence it is astonishing just how much influence for good Christianity has had on our society.
Do you remember this hilarious Monty Python sketch where John Cleese, acting as the leader of a Jewish liberation group, asks 'what have the Romans ever done for us?".
One of his followers mentions the aqueducts. The others go on to mention a long list of things which results in Cleese finally asking: 'What have the Romans ever done for us apart from sanitation, the roads, irrigation, medicine, education, public health, the wine, law and order, and peace!"
What have the Christians ever done for us? While we can list the faults of those who profess to be Christians who have done great harm, the good done in the name of Christ is quite astonishing. "The gospel not only converts the individual, but it changes society. On every mission field from the days of William Carey, the missionaries carried a real social gospel. They established standards of hygiene and purity, promoted industry, elevated womanhood, restrained anti-social customs, abolished cannibalism, human sacrifice and cruelty, organised famine relief, checked tribal wars, and changed the social structure of society." (Samuel Zwemer, Professor of Missions at Princeton)
Education (every major European university was founded on Christian principles), social reform, medicine, democracy, the arts and modern science all owe much of their current existence to the teaching and ideas of the followers of Jesus Christ. That's a bold claim but one I think that can be substantiated. Take, for example, the question of science. As many have recognised, rather than being suppressed by the Church, modern science stems from a theistic culture and indeed would have been impossible without the understanding that there was an ordered universe created by God. Strangely I find that faith in Christ and science go together, feeding off one another. "Far from belief in God being some sort of irrational leap of faith it is the most rational hypothesis there is; and perhaps it is the only plausible and sure foundation of the rationality of the universe that science presupposes." (Keith Ward)
It's not just science. What we consider 'modern' values such as equality, tolerance and freedom are the fruits of Christianity as well. In a fascinating and detailed book, Inventing the Individual, The Origins of Western Liberalism, Larry Siedentop argues that all of these ideals stemmed from the early and medieval Church. Vishnal Mangalwadi is an Indian who has written a compelling account (The Book that Made your World), of how the Bible has been formative in the development of modern Western society. When we ask the question, what did the Christians give to us, modern Western society should recognise that it is the foundation of everything. The question then becomes what happens when you lose the foundation? Will the walls come down and the roof fall in?
My own small nation of Scotland sent doctors, engineers, military men, politicians and missionaries all over the globe. For many the primary motivating factor was their Christian faith. We were one of the most literate and educationally advanced nations in the world, thanks largely to John Knox's maxim that where there was a church there should be a school. I don't think it is without significance that as Scotland has rapidly secularised, so we have rapidly dumbed down with one in five Scots now being functionally illiterate.
Speaking of education I went to the University of Edinburgh founded by the Church, funded by a welfare state established on Christian principles, to study history. One of my specialist subjects was on the English Civil War and as part of that I had to read a book by the Marxist historian Christopher Hill, The World Turned Upside Down. I loved it and learned a great deal from it; although I disagreed with his pre-supposition that God had nothing to do with the tremendous social, political and economic changes at that time. In fact the Bible verse which provided the title of that book (Acts 17:6) has become a kind of theme verse for my own ministry in and through the church. Tolstoy in his agonising about society and how to transform mused that everyone seemed to think about changing society, no one thought about changing their own hearts. The radicalness of Christianity is that it changes society by changing people.
The fact is that from the time of Christ, his Church, with all its faults and imperfections, has fulfilled his mission. His work has continued and the world has been turned upside down.
Let me finish with one more story. History is not about memes, myths or Internet confirmation basis. It is about examining facts and primary sources. A woman called Traudl Junge wrote her story towards the end of her life. She made a fascinating comment about her boss:
"Sometimes we also had interesting discussions about the church and the development of the human race. Perhaps it's going too far to call them discussions, because he would begin explaining his ideas when some question or remark from one of us had set them off, and we just listened. He was not a member of any church, and thought the Christian religions were outdated, hypocritical institutions that lured people into them. The laws of nature were his religion. He could reconcile his dogma of violence better with nature than with the Christian doctrine of loving your neighbour and your enemy. 'Science isn't yet clear about the origins of humanity,' he once said. 'We are probably the highest stage of development of some mammal which developed from reptiles and moved on to human beings, perhaps by way of the apes. We are a part of creation and children of nature, and the same laws apply to us as to all living creatures. And in nature the law of the struggle for survival has reigned from the first. Everything incapable of life, everything weak is eliminated. Only mankind and above all the church have made it their aim to keep alive the weak, those unfit to live, and people of an inferior kind."
Her boss was Adolf Hitler.
Sometimes when one reads, thinks and examines the evidence, it is possible to come to an understanding of truth in history. History is His story. The more you delve in, the more you understand, the more you see that history is a confirmation of the Bible's basic teaching about God and man, and about the central figure of that history the God man before whom everything is Before Christ and after whom everything is AD Anno Domini (the year of our Lord).
David Robertson is the moderator of the Free Church of Scotland and director of Solas CPC, Dundee. Follow him on Twitter @theweeflea. For previous articles in his apologetics series, click here.
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Bombay Sapphire is looking for a few good drinks.
The gin maker has launched its search today for the Most Imaginative Bartender in the United States. The cocktail competition, conducted under the auspices of the United States Bartender Guild, challenges bartenders to create a cocktail using Bombay Sapphire Gin and only five other ingredients.
RELATED: Mixologists put their skills to the test during Houston Black Restaurant Week.
Mixologists can sign up here for beginning April 18 presentation times in 29 U.S. cities.
The first round stop in Houston will be April 29. (Dallas gets two-days -- April 26-27 -- and there is a stop in San Antonio on April 28.) The competition is open to U.S. residents over age 25. (The only exception is residents of Utah are not eligible. I can only imagine the reason for that exception.)
One hundred bartenders will be selected as regional finalists. Ten regional events will send one competitor to this fall to the finale, which will be held in Bombay Sapphires home in London. The winner earns the title of 2016 Most Imaginative Bartender, a trip to Tuscany and a promotional cover on GQ magazine.
This is the 10th year Bombay Sapphire will crown a winner. Last years winner was Justin Lavenue of Austins the Roosevelt Room.
Browse the slideshow above to see the most popular bars in Texas.
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Independent record stores all over the globe Saturday will be celebrating Record Store Day, an annual event created to boost the record store business.
Indie and major labels press special, limited run vinyl LPs and singles just for the occasion, leading to long lines around stores, akin to Black Friday craziness in November. The vinyl format has been in a boom for nearly a decade.
All the talk about vinyl means that some of us begin thinking about the records we've collected over the years before cassettes, compact discs, MP3s and streaming tried to kill off each successive format.
RELATED: Vinal Edge, one of Houston's favorite record stores, turns 30 years old this month
Shows like "American Pickers" and "Pawn Stars" lead some of us to believe we might have a fortune in vinyl in a dusty box, but according to leading store owners in Houston you might just have junk.
Some seasoned record store owners break it down for us novices. As it turns out, older isn't always better.
According to Chuck Roast at Vinal Edge, 239 W. 19th, the Heights shop uses some straightforward considerations to decide what to buy from people who bring in vintage records.
"Is there a market for this stuff? Are the people with this taste long dead or downsizing? Does it fit our stores direction? Roast says.
If a record is what Roasts store is looking for, the staff then looks at its condition. The record itself and the sleeve should be in mint or near-mint condition.
We like to see collections where the covers are in plastic sleeves. It indicates a well cared for collection, Roast adds.
Common things that Roast and other store owners run into are water damage, mold, adhesive tape, mysterious stains and names. People used to love writing their names on their LPs and 45s. How else would you get your records back from a friend or an ex?
What records does he see on a near-daily basis?
I never need to see another Pablo Cruise record in my life. It is the cruise you dont need to ever take, Roast says.
Kurt Brennan of Sound Exchange, 1846 Richmond, does brisk business selling music from the underground, but says that shoppers are still looking for the same things to round out their collections.
The records most sought after have not really changed much in the past 40 years. Jazz, punk, soul and hard rock always top the list, Brennan says.
Theyve gotten plenty of calls from people thinking that theyve found gold at grandmas house only to have to let them down when they learn that those Glenn Miller or Elvis Presley records arent all that rare.
Regarding the notion that most people think all records are valuable, I can tell you that is all too true. The endless hyping of the return of vinyl records certainly isnt educating anyone either, Brennan says.
When I get the daily hyper-ventilating phone call from someone cleaning out grandmas house I always try to give the caller some perspective. That is, the number of records in existence is always going to be many thousands of times greater that the number of records people actually want to buy, Brennan says.
Quinn Bishop at Cactus Music, 2110 Portsmouth, says that hes seen a lot of baby boomers looking to unload their parents collections after theyve passed. That generation had a much different taste in music.
We are seeing those customers bringing in tons of light classical, post-WWII pop vocalists and easy listening records that have almost no value, Bishop says. We not-so-affectionately refer to these records as "parent music and it is sometimes difficult to find an organization who will accept them as a donation.
RELATED: AC/DC brings decades of rock classics to Toyota Center
These are not the records that teens and twenty-somethings want to play on their new turntables.
The millennials who are driving vinyl sales just have no interest in these items. I'm not sure that anyone else does either, Bishop says.
Millennials these days are buying lots of Fleetwood Mac, if you can believe that. On a recent visit to Vinal Edge we saw a gaggle of collectors barely old enough to drink purchasing Macs Rumours as if it was the newest Taylor Swift release.
Boomers who are pruning their living spaces down after the kids have left the nest are also coming by with crates of records to sell.
The following seem to be in every box of records that is brought to us: Herb Alpert, Barbara Streisand, Sergio Mendes, Neil Diamond, The Carpenters, Dan Fogelberg and others, Bishop says.
That Alpert Whipped Cream & Other Delights LP cover is still a timeless gem, though.
The Moody Blues albums may have been making babies out there, because I suspect that the number of them being attempted to be sold back to record shops actually eclipse the number of those originally pressed, Bishop jokes.
RELATED: Cactus Music, Houston's favorite music store, turns 40
What Bishop says he will take are blue chip classic rock records from Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and David Bowie, plus timeless jazz records from the '50s through the '70s. Classic soul records are always welcome.
How does Bishop assess a personal collection?
We first evaluate content. Any parent music or titles like those listed above are culled out to leave titles which we would be likely to sell in our store for $4 or more, Bishop says. Any titles for which we are overstocked go into the former category as well.
As at Vinal Edge, condition is key.
Condition is everything as all of our records in the Record Ranch are in VG (very good) condition or better. We are often more forgiving for records of great rarity or unique pressings, Bishop says.
What does a dream haul look like for Cactus Music?
Ultra-esoteric rock and folk of the prog and psych variety. These type of records are easy to sell, interesting listening for our staff and excite our core customers. We've had a few buys that provided an educational experience for our buying staff, Bishop says.
If you cant unload Grandma or Grandpas ancient classical records, you can always make art out of them. You can melt them and mold them into bowls or cut them down to make nerdy coasters.
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No visitor to Houston can overlook the megachurches scattered throughout the area. The Bayou City has some three dozen megachurches (defined as having a weekly attendance of more than 2,000), including the biggest one in the U.S.: Lakewood.
SUPER-SIZED: Here are Texas biggest megachurches
But the city also has many non-Christian houses of worship that, while not as large as the megachurches, can look equally as grand. Houston has one of the most diverse populations in the country: One out of every four residents is foreign-born.
Visitors will find an assorted number of temples in the city from the beautifully decorated Houston BahaI Center in the downtown area to the exquisite Shri Swaminarayan Hindu temple in Stafford. There are Islamic mosques, Zen centers, Jain prayer rooms and a Jewish congregation thats more than a century-old.
And in Old Town Spring last year, worshipers opened the regions first Greater Church of Lucifer. Yes, Houston really has options for anyone looking to get spiritual.
READ MORE: Greater Church of Lucifers opening in Texas billed as historic first
See the gallery above for a look at Houstons non-Christian houses of worship. To see the citys megachurches, click here.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office said Friday that it's "not time" to make a decision on whether to continue the county's participation in a controversial federal program that trains local law enforcement officers to help federal agents screen for undocumented immigrants in the jails.
The statement came a day after Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman, representatives of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and immigrant rights activists met to discuss the program, a meeting the sheriff's office said resulted in "productive dialogue."
Immigrant rights advocates have stepped up calls in recent weeks for the sheriff's office to end its participation in the 287(g) program, which last year led to the deportation of almost 170 individuals, according to the sheriff's office.
The sheriff's office's agreement with the federal government is up for renewal in June. Harris County commissioners in recent weeks have deferred to Hickman, who said earlier this week he would need a "very compelling reason" not to continue participating in 287(g).
Activists have said the program sows distrust between law enforcement and the immigrant community, causing some to fear being deported. The program had grown increasingly controversial over the years, particularly after a series of critical reports by the Government Accountability Office and the Inspector General as well as high-profile allegations of abuse or mistakes by local law enforcement agencies.
Sheriff's office representatives declined to elaborate on the outcome of the meeting and would only say that "it is not time" to make a decision on the program.
In Friday's statement, the sheriff's office responded to claims made by activists and said "local law enforcement authorities do not enforce federal immigration laws on the street level."
"Claims that immigrant members of the Harris County community should fear authorities hinder law enforcement's ability to conduct criminal investigations, enforce state laws, and undermine the delicate relationship between law enforcement and the community," the sheriff's office said in the statement.
Hickman has emphasized that the only people targeted by the program are those that have been charged with a crime and put in jail.
"No member of the immigrant community should fear contact with law enforcement as a victim of a crime or during routine contact in the community," the statement reads.
Authorized by Congress in the late 1990s, the program has been credited with identifying hundreds of thousands of suspected illegal immigrants nationwide since 2006, when it gained popularity under the second Bush administration.
It is not the same as the Secure Communities program, which has drawn its share of controversy and opposition.
Currently, 32 agencies nationwide participate in 287(g). The only other law enforcement agency in Texas that has a 287(g) agreement with ICE is the Carrollton Police Department.
In May, Los Angeles County supervisors voted to terminate their contract with ICE.
U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Jonathan Dowdell, his wife Becky and daughter Kitura, 12, were met with a street filled with neighbors, friends, family and Patriot Guard Riders holding American flags as they drove up to their new home in League City Thursday.
Dowdell received a Purple Heart award after he was injured in an IED blast on June 24, 2010, while on a deployment in Afghanistan.
A video emerged this week that reportedly shows a Mexican woman being tortured by army and federal police. An army captain and a female soldier have been charged with disobeying orders, according to AFP.
Human rights abuses by Mexico's armed forces and police have become an important focus on the government recently. "Police and troops have faced a slew of accusations of torture and other abuses since soldiers were deployed in the streets of Mexico to combat drug trafficking in 2006," AFP reported.
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Nearly 65,000 to 80,000 undocumented students graduate from high school in the United States each year to pursue the American Dream and try to build a better life than their parents.
Many of those students don't have the resources to get them through the high cost of college.
CLOSE TO HOME: How Fort Bend County became a model for diversity
Roberto G. Gonzales, an assistant professor at Harvard University Graduate School of Education, said he's seen smart and ambitious teens who a decade later were working in a factory - just like their immigrant parents.
"They grew up to the same shows... vowing to the Pledge of Allegiance in school and growing up with the same mindset as their peers," Gonzalez said, "then comes this pivotal point of going to college and all these doors get shut on them.
"And the critical question is what happens to these kids?"
Gonzales tried to find that answer. For 12 years, he followed 150 DREAMers or undocumented students in Los Angeles. Only 79 got their college degrees. Of those who earned degrees, many still ended up in low-wage, low-skilled jobs because of their immigration status.
His recently published book, Lives in Limbo, chronicles the lives of these young adults. It all began when Gonzales worked at a youth center in a largely immigrant neighborhood back in Chicago.
Students like Omar Ramirez, who came to Houston at the age of 7, moved away recently to the University of Texas-Arlington to study mechanical engineering, because he couldn't find the money to study here.
IN FOCUS: 1 million foreign-born residents living in Harris County
"I wanted to go to the University of Houston with my friends, but I couldn't pay $15,000 a year, year," Ramirez said. "I got accepted to A&M and UT, but I didn't have the money. All these scholarships just shut me out because I didn't have my citizenship."
In 2012, President Barack Obama issued an executive order known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which gives temporary relief for these students, referred to as DREAMers. Ramirez, along 680,000 other students, use DACA to get work permits and driver's licenses.
Eighteen states, including Colorado, Maryland and Oregon, allow teens without legal status to pay in-state tuition rates at public colleges and universities, provided they meet certain requirements. Students living in California, Texas, New Mexico, Minnesota and Washington are also eligible for state-based financial aid, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
One of the scholarships offered to immigrant students with temporary resident status is TheDream.US, a $32 million scholarship fund established in February 2014, which awards scholarships of up to $25,000 for those who apply. What is unfortunate, is that many students don't know they have these kinds of resources.
Ramirez, pays tuition out of his own pocket with the help of his family and his girlfriend's family. He's taken just 9 hours a semester for the past three years, because that's all he can afford.
Gonzales said many DREAMers developed chronic headaches, toothaches, depression and thoughts of suicide because of the strain of being an undocumented student with limited resources.
Ramirez experienced that stress last year.
"There's one point that I don't know whether to go to work, go to school, if i should break off relationships, because I just don't have the resources," Ramirez said. "You think of whether you should just drive 100 miles per hour and just crash and let it all burn. You feel like all hell is breaking loose."
He said he found solace in his renewed faith in God.
"If one door shuts, I'll find another way," Ramirez said.
Undocumented immigrants are less likely than other students to graduate from high school or get a college degree. Those who arrive in this country before age 14 have better chances, but they still fall short of average.
According to a recent Institute for Immigration, Globalization and Education study, about 122,600 undocumented high school seniors attend high school every year, but only 31,850 are likely to attend college each year. Of those, less than 2,000 are likely to graduate from college each year.
"These students grow up and face the difficult challenges of acculturating into society, with each year taking them further from their parents' realities and culture at home," he said, "their status as undocumented brings them closer to the legal circumstances of their parents, making it difficult to form an identity of belonging in the United States."
From sleeping in different time shifts to saving money by becoming a residential adviser in your university, go through the gallery and check out what some undocumented students do to save money.
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A handful of Texas Republican district or county conventions in March passed resolutions calling for a vote on secession, paving the way for a potentially awkward debate at the state GOP conference in May.
A Nederland-based pro-independence activist group, the Texas Nationalist Movement, said at least 22 of the hundreds of conventions passed secession items. Texas GOP chairman Tom Mechler said he "would be very surprised" if that many had indeed passed the conventions.
The Houston Chronicle reached out to GOP officials in the counties listed by the Nationalist Movement. Ten responded and all confirmed passage of the resolutions. An official count should be available from the Republican Party of Texas in early May.
RELATED: Ever hopeful and determined, Texas secessionists face long, long odds
A party committee will consider the resolutions for debate on the floor of the state GOP convention in Dallas May 12-14. The volume of independence resolutions -- from which party leaders are quick to distance themselves -- increases the possibility they could be approved for discussion, though the notion of secession would certainly be shot down swiftly on the convention floor.
Still, the resolutions represent a significant milestone in the growth of a fringe movement in the Texas GOP, which drew attention last year when members of the party's State Republican Executive Committee pushed for a vote at a December meeting.
RELATED: Texas GOP official wants secession on the primary ballot
"I hadn't really heard of this in any organized way until this past year," said Paul Simpson, chairman of the Republican Party of Harris County. "It's cropped up in a major way just in this last year."
The Nationalist Movement recently has led the push for a conversation on independence, and SREC officials cited it as inspiration when they introduced a resolution for a vote in December. That resolution was voted down overwhelmingly.
RELATED: Texas GOP rejects proposal for vote on secession
Mechler said the Nationalist Movement was not a Republican group, and was using the state party apparatus to push its cause.
"Republican is not even in their name," Mechler said.
Last year, the Nationalist Movement made headlines for a statewide tour of speaking events, aimed at garnering enough signatures to get secession on the GOP primary ballot. They came up short, but the group's president, Daniel Miller, said he recruited and "trained" volunteers from Amarillo to San Antonio to Beaumont.
"There's no coincidence that a lot of people who attended those trainings were some of the very minds responsible for championing these resolutions in district and county conventions," Miller said.
The cause also has a few sympathizers in the Republican ranks. Tanya Robertson, SREC member of Senate District 11 in the Greater Houston area has led the drive for an independence vote within the party, with help from a handful of allies including Bonnie Lugo of SD 13 in Harris and Fort Bend Counties.
Even Houston's Jared Woodfill, a tea party activist running to unseat Mechler as state party chairman, has been an ally.
"I absolutely think the people should have an opportunity to vote on this issue," he said.
RELATED: Rejection of secession ballot language could add fuel to the fire in RPT Chairman Race
The number of secession resolutions this year contrasts with 2012, when Nationalist Movement activists fanned out at county GOP conventions but were only able to pass their item in one, Miller said.
Last month in SD 11, a resolution passed urging a statewide vote on "whether or not the State of Texas should reassert its status as an independent nation."
A similar resolution passed in Harris County SD 6, said State Republican Executive Committee member Glenda Bowles. Officials confirmed resolutions also passed in Jefferson, Tarrant, Webb, Lee, DeWitt and Guadalupe counties.
"The resolution in questions appears to have originated from the Texas Nationalist Movement," said Guadalupe County GOP chair Karen Hale.
Lubbock County GOP chair Carl Tepper said two secession items passed his county convention: one calling for an independence vote, and the other calling for secession in case the constitutional convention suggested by Gov. Greg Abbott fails to right the ways of the federal government.
The county conventions are "kind of a place for people to vent," he said.
Supporters of and independent Texas allege overreach, corruption and excessive spending by the federal government, and argue that Texas is large and prosperous enough to get by on its own.
RELATED: Feds raid Texas secessionist meeting
Talk of Texas secession has long simmered in Lone Star discourse, flaring up periodically. It has raised tempers in political settings before. At the December SREC meeting, opponents of the notion hotly said it shouldn't even be discussed, and one official scoffed at the notion of sending Texans to fight the U.S. military.
Miller said that in Jefferson County, where he spoke at a Republican convention, another attendee angrily accused him of "sedition" for advocating secession.
"People are extraordinarily reactionary about this issue," Miller said. "I've heard it for years."
For the record, the Supreme Court ruled in 1869 that states do not have a right to secede. Secessionists contend that the nation's laws are irrelevant once a state declares independence. However, they would compel the federal government to use force against any Texas rebellion, evoking recollections of the state's last disastrous attempt to secede.
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A cannibalistic, monster gator is chowing down on other alligators in Florida. Humans in the area seem pretty chill about it.
A bunch of people at the Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland seem to have filmed the brutal gator on gator action in the past week. Alex Figueroa uploaded a video to YouTube where he described the killer alligator as 11 to 12 feet long.
READ THIS: Florida hunters take down almost 15-foot alligator
A crowd of people seem uncomfortably close to the alligator that happens to have another smaller alligator hanging out of its craw. But the predator seemed unbothered by the spectators and looked satisfied with his same-species meal
Another video by Octavia Heart shows a similar incident of what appears to be the same alligator eating one of his or her brethren.
Gary Morse, of Florida Fish and Wildlife, told Fox 13 that this is just typical alligator behavior. Males can get especially aggressive and cannibalistic during mating season, which occurs between March and June.
READ THIS: Texas man mocks alligator, gets eaten
The sequence doesnt end there. The last part is harder to catch on film.
"What alligators will typically do," said Morse," is they'll take that animal and stuff it some place for a week or two until it gets nice and soft and they can tear it apart."
Other alligators in Lakeland seem more amicable. In March, a Lakeland woman discussed her battle with wildlife officials to keep her 6-foot-long pet alligator named Rambo.
See the gallery above for a history of Texas alligator attacks.
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After a couple hours of freedom, a large male chimp named Chacha is back inside a Japanese zoo.
Chacha escaped Thursday from the Yagiyama Zoological Park in Sendai, Japan, and held a global TV audience captivated as he climbed to the top of an electric pole.
The howling 24-year-old chimp led police on a chase that lasted two hours until a zoo worker with a tranquilizer dart shot down Chacha from the pole. He fell into a blanket held by a dozen workers and was returned to the zoo.
Two zoo workers suffered minor injuries while trying to recapture the chimp.
Its not known how Chacha escaped the zoo, which is surrounded by an electrical fence. It appeared that he might have left through a hole in the fence.
According to a CNN report, the zoo was closed on Friday while the staff inspected the facilities and Chacha recovered from being sedated.
As CNN noted, its already been a wild week for zoo escapes. Inky, an octopus, broke out of an aquarium in New Zealand and made his way to the nearby ocean and freedom forever more. He used a seawater runoff pipe to bolt the complex.
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.
Claire Danes is a star. Whether battling Islamist terrorists and internal demons as Carrie Mathison on the Showtime series Homeland (for which she won back-to-back Emmys and two Golden Globes) or commanding the New York stage in a new play about the sins of American capitalism, the actress commands your attention. Thats the strengthand a weaknessof Dry Powder, the 90-minute drama now playing in a limited run (through May 1) at Manhattans Public Theater.
Word that Danes would star in this world premiere by playwright Sarah Burgess triggered a frenzy of interest. Extended twice, the play was sold out only weeks after tickets went on sale (though individual tickets can still be found for remaining performances). Staged by Thomas Kail, director of the Publics mega-hit Hamilton, the play features superb supporting performances by John Krasinski, Hank Azaria, and Sanjit De Silva. Burgesss dialogue is sharp and witty, and delivers a dramatic punch. But the theme of Wall Streets indifference to the pain inflicted by its machinations is well-trod dramatic turf. From Death of a Salesman to Glengarry Glen Ross, the theater has suffered no shortage of plays decrying the evils of private enterprise.
As the play opens, Rick, founder and president of KMM, a midtown-Manhattan-based private-equity firm, is being attacked in the press for throwing an extravagant engagement party the same week that his firm has laid off thousands of workers at a national grocery chain following a leveraged buyout. Jenny (Danes), a KMM managing director, dismisses the outrage and scoffs at the scandal. But Rick is rattled. Hes been fending off calls from investors worried about protestors. Of course theyre protesting. Thats what unemployed people do, scoffs Jenny, whose obsession with profits and investment capitalor dry powdergives new meaning to cutthroat capitalism.
Seth (Krasinski), a KMM managing director and Jennys rival, also worries about the bad press. To counter it, he is championing a new buyout deal that will not only make KMM lots of money but also save American jobs. Hes urging Rick to buy Landmark Luggage, a Sacramento-based company employing 653 workers. He has cajoled Jeff Schrader, Landmarks chief executive, who urges his employees to volunteer for good causes on weekends, into letting KMM buy the firm for what seems a song and modernize its business. KMM will also give Seth a large bonus should the deal go through. Jenny has other ideas. She tells Rick her numbers show that more money can be made by outsourcing Landmarks jobs, sucking the company dry, and selling the shell. For KMM, this is business as usual. The subplot rivalry between Seth and Jenny is terrifyingly funny. But its unsurprising point is that, while Jenny may not be the heartless barracuda she seems, there are no good guys in high finance.
Playing a character as devoted to making money as Carrie Mathison is to saving the West from terror, Daness performance is pitch-perfectand thats the problem. Jenny is Carrie Mathison without the bipolar disorder and other endearing vulnerabilities. Watching Jenny, I couldnt stop thinking about Carrie, and the extent to which Danes may have become inseparable from that character.
The best American actors have escaped typecasting. Kevin Spacey has done so brilliantly, despite his unforgettable portrait of Frank Underwood in House of Cards. Spaceys career has been as long and varied as his roles. Meryl Streep, perhaps Americas greatest actress, is convincing in all her partsfrom Vogues ambitiously cool editor in The Devil Wears Prada to the sensitive Polish mother confronted with an impossible decision in Sophies Choice. The great British actors, of course, are champions at escaping typecasting. Vanessa Redgrave, Jude Law, and especially Mark Rylance have been utterly convincing playing a wide range of characters on stage and screen.
There is theatrical peril here. Though he was talented and almost by definition a character actor rather than a leading man, James Gandolfini couldnt escape being Tony Soprano, the head of a New Jersey organized crime syndicate. Danes, by contrast, has already demonstrated the range of a leading actor. Performing since age nine, she came to critical attention as Angela Chase, a shy teenager, in My So-Called Life, the critically acclaimed 1994 series for which she won the first of her Golden Globe awards. That same year, she made her film debut as the sweet, dying Beth in Little Women, and gained critical notice for her starring role in Baz Luhrmanns Romeo and Juliet. Luhrmann called the 16-year-old Danes the Meryl Streep of her generation. Since then, she has appeared in The Rainmaker, Les Miserables, Brokedown Palace, Igby Goes Down, and Stardust, among other films. She has also continued performing on stage. Considering this diverse body of work, one cant help but wonder why she wanted the role of Jenny for her debut at the Public.
Whether Danes will forever be typecast as Carrie depends on the choices she makes going forward. Dry Powders Jenny is a caricature of a heartless priestess of finance, so myopic that she doesnt know the name of one of her analysts, or that he has been hospitalized with a drug addiction. Given Daness exceptional talent, one hopes that her next role will be as distinctive and memorable as the character she created in Homeland. Thats a high bar.
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
As a proud right-winger, Im appalled and disgusted by Donald Trump. Nonetheless, I feel a certain schadenfreudean glee at watching leftists reel in horror at his unbridled incivility. They truly dont seem to realize: he is only the loud and manifest avatar of their own silent and invisible nastiness. In a veiled reference to Trump at a recent lunch on Capitol Hill, President Obama declared he was dismayed at the vulgar and divisive rhetoric being heard on the campaign trail. In America, there is no law that says we have to be nice to each other, or courteous, or treat each other with respect, the president said. But there are norms. There are customs.
Are there? When I hear this sort of thing from Obama and his fellow leftists, what I wonder is: Have they not listened to themselves for the past 50 years? Do they really have no idea how vicious, how low, how cruel, and how dishonest their attacks on the Right have been?
No, they havent; and, no, they dont. The Democrat-monopolized media, which explodes with rage at any minor unmannerliness on the right, falls so silent at the Lefts almost ceaseless acrimony that leftists are never forced to confront what despicable little Trumps they often are.
It begins with the Democratic leadership. Last August, principled Republicans opposed Obamas foolish nuclear deal with Iran. Obamas response? He compared them to terrorists. Those hard-liners chanting Death to America, he said. Theyre making common cause with the Republican caucus. And yet there are norms. There are customs.
Cities like Detroit and Baltimorerun by Democratsare hellish for African-Americans; black families have been destroyed by Democratic welfare-programs; murder rates have risen in black neighborhoods where the police have been intimidated by Black Lives Matter and their allies in the Obama Justice Department. And yet, former attorney general Eric Holder frequently accused administration critics of racial animus, and Vice President Joe Biden asserted to a partly black audience that Republicans want to put yall back in chains.
Norms. Customs.
Such reflexive insults from the top die to nothing in the medias left-wing echo chamber, leaving the rank-and-file free to imitate them without self-awareness or remorse. If a conservative expresses concern that Koranic ideas seem to be conducive to oppression and violence in every country where they hold sway, leftists label him Islamophobic. If he feels unborn children might have a right to life, leftists say he is a sexist waging war on women. If he feels that secure borders and the rule of law might be necessary to the maintenance of a sovereign nation, leftists cry that hes a nativist who hates immigrants.
With the help of the media, leftists have even managed to bake their rudeness into the language itself, redefining standard behavior with offensive phrases. They use objectification of women to describe mens normal sexual yearnings; racial profiling to describe street-smart police work that protects citizens of every color; and climate deniers (ala Holocaust deniers, for Gods sake) to describe those who call baloney on one of the great scams of our generation.
These off-handed insults have a purpose and a rationale. The mental tyranny that goes by the name of political correctness wrongly assumes that the human heart is infinitely malleable and that words can endlessly reshape the reality of its experience. Force people to declare that all cultures are morally equal, and morally equal those cultures will become; demand we pretend that gender differences are a myth, and gender differences will disappear; shame us out of noticing the color of a criminals skin, and crime statistics will lose their power.
It is in seeking these transformations that the Left has felt blithely justified in sneering at opposing opinions it deems racist, sexist, or otherwise hateful. But it just doesnt work. The eyes see what they see; the heart knows what it knows. Bottle up the human experience in silence, and it will ultimately break forth in rage. Thus, the result of these last 50 years of ceaseless left-wing incivility has been not a rainbow-striped paradise of social justice, but the utter collapse of our civic dialogue as the Right now responds with vulgar cruelty of its own. Those to whom evil is done, as the poet Auden wrote, do evil in return.
You might say to me, as my mother used to say, Two wrongs dont make a right. But I say to you, as I used to say to my mother, They started it.
Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images
On Monday, certain reporters at The Denver Post were on the hunt for stories. More stories. Managers at the paper had just announced that editors would be officially measuring the number of items published by investigative journalists and reporters who work on the city desk.
The expectation is that every reporter will produce at least one story a day, and some of you will be expected to write at least two stories a day, the papers news editor, Larry Ryckman, wrote to staff in a Monday e-mail. He added: We will maintain our standards when it comes to story selection. We want only stories that are worthy of The Denver Post in print or online. These number targets will not change that.
The Monday memo itself wasnt exactly a bombshell. The previous Thursday, many Post reporters had heard about the policy from their immediate supervisors. Blog posts, news briefs, and contributor credits will count toward the target. Lee Ann Colacioppo, the papers interim editor, downplayed the move, describing the announcements in an email exchange as simply renewed attention to a long-standing goal.
Still, the story count targets have prompted plenty of talk within Colorados largest newspaperwhich isnt surprising, as they come at a moment of uncertainty for the Post.
Last month the papers top editor, Greg Moore, announced at an impromptu meeting that he was stepping down after 14 years at the helm. After presiding over multiple rounds of buyouts and cutbacks, It was just time to explore other ways to use my brain, he said later. Moores exit followed the departure of other notable Post journalists, like the politics reporter Lynn Bartels, who took a buyout in July to go work in a government press office. The paper also recently cut back on locally produced editorials after a writer who left wasnt replaced.
The loss of talent, and years of stagnant wages, have become top priorities for the newsroom union, which opened collective bargaining negotiations this week with management at the papers parent company, Digital First Media.
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Also a source of concern for the union: Recent events at Digital Firsts papers on the West Coast. The company last month won a bankruptcy sale of two newspapers in California, including the Orange County Register. The sale was immediately followed by news that 70 employees, including the Registers top editor, would be laid off. And in the Bay Area, the company recently consolidated six papers into two, trimming staff through layoffs and buyouts in the process.
Put it all togetherMoores departure, the news out of California, the byline counts, even the pending end of the fiscal year, a traditional time for staff shakeupsand theres a lot of anxiety in the newsroom, said Kieran Nicholson, a reporter and union leader who has been at the paper since 1986. Other Post journalists, speaking on background, offered similar assessments.
Its gotten to the point where its pretty exhausting, said Nicholson, For people like meand theres a few of us who have been around that whole timeits death by a thousand cuts, and we ride this roller coaster of emotion and seeing so much talent walk out the door.
The papers Guild chaptersone newsroom, one non-newsroomare part of a national campaign by DFM employees, dubbed #NewsMatters, that includes about a dozen bargaining units around the country. Much of the campaigns messaging is focused on a lack of investment by DFM and its primary owner, the New York-based hedge fund Alden Global Capital. That echoes the critique of industry analysts like Ken Doctor, who wrote last year of DFM: Is there anything more to the strategy than milking the company as much as possible?
Just keep trimming and well just keep swimming, is how Nicholson sees the companys approach. Eventually I think its going to sink us.
Contacted for this story, Digital First CEO Steve Rossi issued a statement from the companys general counsel: We are in the midst of collective bargaining negotiations with the unions and hope to reach agreements soon. He had no further comment.
Colacioppo, the interim editor, also declined to discuss the Guild negotiations. Asked if the byline count policy came down from Digital First, she said, its a Denver Post thing.
In a vacuum, a story count policy at a large metro newspaper adjusting to digital disruption could be met with a muted reaction. But given the broader sense of waiting for the next shoe to drop, the shift has sparked more discussion within the Post than it might otherwise. At a Wednesday meeting of the rank-and-file, Nicholson said, there was some angst about the policy.
Nicholson, the elected chair for the newsrooms union, said the story quotas (or counts, as higher-ups call them) could be manageableas long as they dont degrade the papers journalism. Another sticking point in talks with union membership has been the prospect of disciplinary action. So far theres been nothing in writing about that, he said.
Asked about discipline for missing the targets, Colacioppo told me she hasnt even considered itthough based on conversations with several Post journalists, that is not how reporters in the newsroom understand the policy.
We do not want to clutter up the website with garbage, Colacioppo said. She declined to engage in a fuller discussion about whether a stricter story count policy could create incentives for reporters to grab at a press release they might normally pass over.
Despite the broader concerns, the union is hopeful of progress in contract talks. On Wednesday, union leaders met with company managers to begin negotiations and submitted their proposal for higher wages. Theyll be back to the table later this month.
I think people here are guarded and they are hopefully optimistic, Nicholson said. Thats how you have to be.
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Corey Hutchins is CJRs correspondent based in Colorado, where he teaches journalism at Colorado College. A former alt-weekly reporter in South Carolina, he was twice named journalist of the year in the weekly division by the SC Press Association. Hutchins writes about politics and media for the Colorado Independent and worked on the State Integrity Investigation at the Center for Public Integrity; he has contributed to Slate, The Nation, the Washington Post, and others. Follow him on Twitter @coreyhutchins or email him at coreyhutchins@gmail.com.
A Greek ship owner was arrested by London police as he left court after testifying in a $77 million lawsuit against the insurers of a ship that was allegedly damaged by pirates off the coast of Yemen.
Police officers told Marios Iliopoulos that he was being arrested for conspiracy to commit fraud and led him into the back of an unmarked car as he emerged from the Rolls Building, the court where large commercial cases are heard.
Suez Fortune Investments Ltd. is seeking $77 million from Talbot Underwriting Ltd. and other insurers over damage to the vessel Brillante Virtuoso in 2011, according to documents filed in the case. Suez claims the ship was boarded by armed men who detonated a grenade that started a fire, damaging the vessel beyond repair. Iliopoulos was the ultimate beneficial owner of the ship, according to a previous legal ruling in the case.
The underwriters have questioned whether the attack took place as described.
Iliopoulos came to London to answer questions about an archive for one of his companies that lawyers for the underwriters were trying to access. He had earlier claimed to be too ill to attend court.
Rhys Clift, a lawyer for Iliopoulos, and Chris Zavos, a lawyer for the underwriters, didnt immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
The case is: Suez Fortune Investments Limited & anr v. Talbot Underwriting Ltd & ors, Queens Bench Division, Commercial Court, CL-2012-000028
Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down part of the states workers compensation law, saying the provisions deprived workers of their due process rights and created a subclass of workers.
The 7-2 decision invalidates a portion of the law, enacted by the Oklahoma Legislature in 2013, that authorizes deferral of payments for permanent partial disability for workers who eventually return to their jobs. Justices said deferring permanent partial disability payments if an injured worker returns to work is unconstitutional.
Under the provision, an injured employee who returns to work receives no compensation for the physical injury sustained and no compensation for a reducing in future earning capacity, upending the entire purpose of the workers compensation system, Justice Noma Gurich wrote for the majority.
In a concurring opinion, Justices Tom Colbert and Joseph Watt said they agreed with the decision but believed it does not go far enough to cure the Legislatures unconstitutional scheme, hinting that other provisions could have been tackled in the ruling.
The decision involved four cases filed with the states Workers Compensation Commission by workers who were injured on the job.
In one case, Theresa Maxwell, an employee of a telecommunications provider Sprint, suffered an injury to her knee on the job in February 2014 and filed for workers compensation benefits, the ruling states. She underwent surgery to repair a tendon in her knee and received temporary total disability benefits.
She returned to work in July 2014 and a month later filed a request for a hearing on permanent partial disability, the ruling states. A hearing was held in December 2014 where an administrative law judge awarded a total of $2,261 but ordered that it be deferred because Maxwell had returned to work.
Maxwell appealed to the commission, which affirmed the ruling in 2015. She then appealed to the Supreme Court, which ruled that her constitutional due process rights to fair compensation had been eliminated by the law.
The court also ruled that officials improperly relied on American Medical Association guidelines when evaluating the extent of the permanent impairment she suffered and the amount of compensation she would receive.
The court sent all four cases back to the commission for recalculation of compensation due.
Justices James Winchester and Steven Taylor dissented from the decision.
Attorney Bob Burke, who represents workers in two of the four cases, said he was gratified that the court sided with the workers.
It is another example of the court having to correct a poorly written law, Burke said in a statement. The Supreme Court has struck down earlier attempts to revamp state workers compensation statutes, and Burke said legal challenges to the law have been raised in 15 other cases pending in the state Supreme Court.
Reworking the states workers compensation system is a priority for Republican legislative leaders who claim the states previous court-based system was a detriment to business and industry in the state.
Fred Morgan, president and CEO of the State Chamber of Oklahoma, which supported the law, said he is disappointed with the decision and believes the court should defer to the Legislature.
Oklahoma workers and employers both benefit from an administrative rather than court-based system, Morgan said in a statement. Both groups are harmed when the court continues to act like an unelected legislature, overturning the will of the people through their elected representatives.
Attorney General Scott Pruitts office, which defended the law, declined comment on the ruling.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Kinky Boots Becomes Longest-Running Show at Al Hirschfeld Theatre; Tickets Continue to Rise
Left to Right: Actor Harvey Fierstein, director Jerry Mitchell, and singer Cyndi Lauper celebrate the L.A. premiere of 'Kinky Boots' at the Pantages Theatre on November 11, 2014 in Hollywood, California. (Photo : Getty Images for Hollywood Pantages)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 26: Singer/songwriter Cyndi Lauper accepts the Best Musical Theater Album award for 'Kinky Boots' onstage during the 56th GRAMMY Awards Pre-Telecast Show at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on January 26, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo : Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
2016 continues to be a huge year for Broadway musicals in the news. On April 3, Kinky Boots became the longest-running show to ever play the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on 302 West 45th Street, as announced by producers Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig via Playbill last week. The show, which was co-created by Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein, has been a routinely top-grossing production since it opened in 2013, and the tickets for Kinky Boots have been relentlessly expensive on the secondary market.
When Kinky Boots opened in 2013, tickets on the resale market for the first year averaged an impressive $575. As it stands currently, tickets for Kinky Boots are averaging $249. Although the resale averages have dropped over the years, ticket grosses for the production are still routinely at the top of the list. To compare, other popular shows on Broadway average similar numbers on the resale market. Currently, tickets for Aladdin are averaging $221, tickets for Wicked average $259, and The Lion King averages $264. Hamilton is one of the only Broadway shows that averages well above other productions, as resale tickets for the larger-than-life show are currently averaging $1,211.
The record for the longest running show at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre was previously held by the original production of The Man of La Mancha, which spent three years there before transferring from the ANTA Washington Square Theatre. Fans traveling into the city to see Kinky Boots can secure parking in New York City through Parkwhiz.com, where rates begin for as low as $25.
Kinky Boots is the winner of six 2013 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The current Broadway cast includes Alan Mingo, Jr., Andy Kelso, Jeanna de Waal, Daniel Stewart Sherman, Cortney Wolfson, Marcus Neville, Nick Rashad Burroughs, Sean Patrick Doyle and more.
2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
TagsKinky Boots, Cyndi Lauper, Harvey Fierstein, Alan Mingo Jr
AKRON, Ohio -- An Akron man will spend 15 years in prison for attacking and robbing an 81-year-old woman and burglarizing four other homes.
Brandon Elkins, 26, pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, escape, burglary and two counts of receiving stolen property.
Summit County Common Pleas Judge Tammy O'Brien sentenced him to 13 years for the new charges and two extra years for violating the terms of his probation in a 2013 burglary case.
Elkins' first burglary during the three-month spree happened Sept. 22 at a home on Sunset Avenue. In that case, he's accused of breaking into the home between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and stealing a laptop and a video game system.
A witness took photos of Elkins and his car as he drove away.
He also broke into a home Oct. 20 in the 1000 block of Juniper Avenue while the homeowners were at work. He smashed a back window with a brick and stole $2,000 from an envelope tucked into a slot machine-shaped purse.
Six days later, he broke into two apartments in the 100 block of South Canton Road by smashing a window. He stole a television, a gold watch, two diamond rings and diamond earrings from one apartment and a tablet computer from another.
On Nov. 16, he returned to the same Juniper home and stole two jewelry boxes.
The next day, Elkins attacked the 81-year-old woman from behind as she brought groceries into her home in the 1600 block of Highview Avenue.
Elkins forced his way into her home, dragged the woman throughout the building and demanded her money. He stole jewelry off her wrist.
Akron police arrested Elkins hiding in the attic at his Nadia Court home. Police found the woman's purse with Elkins. Investigators found stolen items in the trunk of Elkins' car.
As Akron officers took him from the police station to a patrol wagon in order to drive him to the county jail, Elkins shoved an officer and ran. He was found after about 20 minutes and charged with escape.
If you wish to discuss or comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section.
The little dog lay curled up and shaking outside Berea's Union Depot Tavern when line cook Tyler Gass stepped outside and found her that intemperate evening of April 2.
Kyra, a nine-month-old, blue-eyed Siberian Husky and her male sibling, Storm, had
Alan Rick, left and his wife, Karen, are grateful for the efforts of Micki Ezzo, center, Tyler Gass, right and local police officers, which likely saved the life of their Siberian Husky, Kyra.
both bolted from the Sylvia Drive home of their owners, Alan and Karen Rick of Brook Park, running free in the wind and snow.
Storm was found a short time later near Teamz Restaurant & Bar, 6611 Eastland Road in Middleburg Heights, but Kyra made it all the way to Berea, where she was struck by a car in front of the former train station at 30 Depot St.
Gass said Kyra was injured and appeared to be frightened as she huddled in bushes next to a trash bin.
"She was bleeding," he said.
Tavern Manager Micki Ezzo, with the aid of Gass and Berea police officers, wrapped Kyra in a small blanket and placed her in Ezzo's car for a fast trip to West Park Animal Hospital, 4117 Rocky River Drive in Cleveland."
"She was really hurt and probably in shock and freezing," Ezzo said.
But, despite the severity of Kyra's injuries, including a couple of fractured ribs and a fractured hip, she appears to be making a swift recovery.
The Ricks have expressed their gratitude to all who aided Kyra and whose quick action likely saved her life.
Ezzo said the couple "gave us a reward and a thank you card and they've been to coming to our restaurant ever since."
Award-winning author to speak: D.M. Pulley, author of "The Dead Key" will speak at 7 p.m. April 2 at the Berea Historical Society's Mahler Museum and History Center, 118 East Bridge St.
Pulley was the Grand Prize winner of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award for 2014.
Her debut novel, "The Dead Key," was inspired by her work as a structural engineer in Cleveland. A limited number of books will be available for sale.
This event is free and open to the public.
For more information, call 440-243-2541 or visit bereahistoricalsociety.org.
Why not give poetry a whirl: It's Never Too Late To Be a Poet Lunch and Learn Poetry Writing Workshop will be at 11 a.m. April 21 at North Park Senior Living, 14801 Holland Road in Brook Park.
This workshop will be adventurous for beginners who will learn how to let their pen travel across paper with their thoughts and words.
The styles of poetry writing and the ways in which poetry can be a source of joy and a stress will also be discussed.
During this workshop, participants will create a poem with the techniques learned and hear readings from local poets.
The workshop is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Library's Brook Park branch. A complimentary lunch will be provided.
For more information, visit cuyahogalibrary.org.
Please call 216-267-0555 to RSVP by Monday, April 8.
ARF volunteers needed: The Berea Animal Rescue Fund (ARF) will sponsor a new volunteer orientation at 7 p.m. April 27 at the Cuyahoga County Library's Berea branch, 7 Berea Commons.
Reliable and dedicated volunteers are needed to help with rescued dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens.
Volunteer cat helpers, therapists, and dog walkers are also needed at the shelter, along with cat monitors at the Fairview Park and Strongsville Petco stores.
Anyone 18 years or older interested in learning how to help homeless animals by volunteering a few hours weekly or every other week, is welcome.
Visit bereaanimalrescue.com or email: voluntterwitharft@gmal.com.
Please email information on items you would like to see included in this column to richatsun@gmail.com.
Celebrate everything Irish: Young explorers in grades K-5 are invited to explore the magic of Ireland through stories, games, crafts and music at 7 p.m. April 21 at the Cuyahoga Library's Berea branch, 7 Berea Commons.explore amazing magnetic forces with common household objects and see how much fun simple science can be.
This event will also include the exploration of amazing magnetic forces with common household objects. See how much fun simple science can be.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled this week that the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies need not apply for a search warrant when seeking to obtain a certain types of cellphone data.
The decision further creates a split on what states allow investigators to collect such data without a warrant and which ones set a higher bar. The American Civil Liberties Union has pointed to this decision, as well as others, as an intrusion that should require a judge's approval.
Appeals court says government doesn't need warrant for some cellphone tracking
By Eric Heisig, cleveland.com, April 16, 2016
CINCINNATI, Ohio A federal appeals court in Cincinnati has said that the government does not need to get a warrant when asking cellphone providers to hand over location information as part of criminal prosecution.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a ruling handed down Wednesday, said that warrants and a probable cause finding by a judge to require an intrusion into a persons privacy is not necessary when investigators want to obtain cell-site location information.
This data is collected when a phone uses a signal from a cell tower. It is often not used for real-time location monitoring, but rather it is gathered later in reports that cellphone providers give to investigators.
Such information is used by the government in trials to show the general location of a person at the time a crime happened. While not precise, it can give investigators a rough idea of whether a suspect was in the area.
The 6th Circuits ruling effectively lowers the bar for the feds to obtain such location information.
It also further complicates the issue for federal law enforcement as judges in other federal jurisdictions have reached difference conclusions on this issue. This creates a muddled set of standards that can only be resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court.
If you want to comment on this story, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.
Photo by The Associated Press
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What's the case?
The case in question centers on Timothy Carpenter and his half-brother Timothy Sanders, two men who were part of a scheme to rob cellphone stores in Michigan and in Warren, Ohio.
Both men were found guilty at trial. Carpenter is serving a 116-year sentence, while Sanders was given 14 years.
Before their trial began, both men asked a federal judge in Detroit to forbid prosecutors from using cell-site data as evidence. The FBI got the data after getting orders from a magistrate judge to obtain transactional records for different phone companies for 16 people.
Of that data, they obtained 127 days in records for Carpenter and 88 days for Sanders.
The men argued that the FBI needed a warrant to get the data in order to protect both mens Fourth Amendment rights against unlawful searches and seizures. The judge denied their claim, and both men appealed.
Photo by The Associated Press
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The court's decision
The 6th Circuit, in a ruling authored by Judge Raymond Kethledge, shows that the court does not feel that it is unduly obtrusive to look a person's location through obtaining what it simply sees as "business records."
Kethledge wrote that courts across the country have long held that while investigators need a warrant to look at the contents of a letter, package or email or to listen in on a phone call, they do not need one when they are simply looking at how a message got from one place to the next.
(You can read the full decision here.)
In this case, the FBI was looking at where the phone was after the fact, and not the contents of what Carpenter and Sanders said when they made calls or sent text messages, the judge wrote.
Photo by The Plain Dealer
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Defendants, ACLU say recent cases apply
The ACLU tried its hand in swaying the court, filing a "friend of the court" brief citing United States v. Jones. The 2012 U.S. Supreme Court case penned by the late-Justice Antonin Scalia said that placing a GPS tracking device on a car constitutes an illegal search.
Kethledge and the panel disagreed, saying this type of collection is not an intrusion on a persons constitutional rights. Moreover, he wrote, GPS tracking devices like the one at the center of Jones decision are much more accurate.
Cellphone data, on the other hand, can sometimes only say whether a person was within two miles of a location, and rural areas with fewer cell towers can be even less accurate, the opinion says.
The defendants also tried to argue that 2014 decision in the case of Riley v. California also applies. In that case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that warrantless searches of the contents of a cellphone are illegal. Kethledge also shoots this down, writing that the tracking data is much broader and less specific than files on a cellphone.
Photo by The Associated Press
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Eric Heisig, cleveland.com
What does this mean?
Wednesdays decision means that federal investigators in Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee, all of the states over which the 6th Circuit presides, do not need a warrant to obtain certain types of cellphone tracking information. That precedent is different than Pennsylvania, Indiana and West Virginia, neighboring states in which courts have ruled differently, sometimes only slightly.
The rest of the country is similarly split. As an article by The Atlantic points out, the ruling "only complicates the legal situation of their use, which is now so complex that driving across the border from Illinois to Kentucky changes how federal authorities can use the technology."
While the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on similar cases, it has not yet weighed in on this form of cellphone tracking. Two other circuits, the 5th and 11th, previously ruled the same way that the 6th did, The Atlantic reported.
The ACLU has a handy map on how law enforcement can track cellphones from state to state. You can find it here.
ACLU attorney Nathan Freed Wessler said in an emailed statement that the 6th Circuits decision "fails to adequately account for the privacy violations made possible by the cellphones that we all need to carry around to live our lives normally.
"When police obtain months' worth of cellphone data comprising thousands of individual locations, like they did in this case, they should have to get a search warrant from a judge," Wessler said.
Copyright 2016 American Civil Liberties Union. Originally posted by the ACLU here.
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15DARCY-DODGERS.jpg
The Democratic debate in Brooklyn, New York, was hostile for start to finish.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The cartoon above was drawn before the Democratic debate in Brooklyn between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Sanders ended up standing on the opposite side from what's shown. Hillary wore a white outfit, not green. But the rest of the cartoon is fairly accurate at capturing the scene and tone of the debate.
Bernie Sanders name-dropped Pope Francis, who he hopes to meet with this weekend, but Sanders and Clinton were as pious and meek as lions and Gladiators were in the Roman Coliseum.
As expected, the sniping between the two opponents in the weeks leading up to the debate, characterized their exchanges in Brooklyn. The debate was contentious from start to finish as the candidates sparred over minimum wage, wall street, guns, fracking, Libya,Israel, NATO and the crime bill signed by President Bill Clinton.
In the two hours Sanders and Clinton spent playing beanball, Clinton connected more times than she whiffed, and was able to dodge most of what Sanders threw at her.
Sanders main pitch -- that Clinton is beholden to Wall Street -- fell flat when he couldn't name one example of Clinton-Wall Street quid pro quo.
On the issue of guns, Sanders would have shot himself in the foot if he wasn't firing blanks to begin with. His stumbling answers might have gone over in a general election with Independents and Republicans, but for someone who is supposed to be the champion of progressives, and is trying to expand his appeal to win Democratic primaries in New York and Pennsylvania, his answers on guns backfired. The gun exchange was one of several times Sanders was actually booed my the boisterous crowd.
Clinton repeatedly tried to establish a theme that Sanders is great at diagnosing problems but not great at fixing them. Nothing Sanders said in the debate disproved that new Clinton campaign mantra.
Sanders trails Clinton by 17 points in New York. It's doubtful he did enough in the Brooklyn debate to dodge a loss to Clinton on Tuesday.
FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio -- The Fairview Park man facing charges in a Thursday crash that injured a high school student has been released from custody so he can receive medical treatment, records show.
David Powlowski, 60, is charged with aggravated vehicular assault and suspicion of drunken driving in the crash that happened just after 3 p.m. outside Fairview High School.
He waived his right to a preliminary hearing during his arraignment Friday in Rocky River Municipal Court. The case has been bound over to the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
Municipal Judge Donna C. Fitzsimmons ordered Powlowski released from custody so he can receive medical treatment. He will be required to wear an alcohol monitor once he is released from the hospital, and he will not be allowed to drive for any reason.
If he violates the bond conditions he will be taken into custody and held without bail, records show.
Powlowski is accused of hitting the student with his SUV while trying to park outside the high school gymnasium. He sped up while pulling into a parking spot, drove over a curb and hit the student, police said.
First responders found the injured student and took her to Fairview Hospital. She is in stable condition, police said Friday.
Powlowski was arrested at the scene and taken to the Fairview Park Police Department. He took a breath test and registered a .177 percent blood-alcohol level, police said. The legal threshold in the state of Ohio is .08 percent.
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FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio -- A Fairview Park man is facing drunken driving charges in a Thursday crash that injured a high school student, police said.
David Powlowski, 60, is also charged with aggravated vehicular assault in the crash.
He will appear Friday in Rocky River Municipal Court.
Powlowski is accused of hitting the student with his SUV while trying to park outside the high school gymnasium. He accelerated while pulling into a parking spot, drove over a curb and hit the student, police said.
First responders found the injured student and took her to Fairview Hospital. She is in stable condition, but police could not say Friday if she has been released from the hospital.
Powlowski was arrested at the scene and taken to the Fairview Park Police Department. He took a breath test and registered a .177 blood-alcohol level, police said. The legal threshold in the state of Ohio is .08.
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Public debate opens on proposal to make Medicaid recipients pay to access care
Ohio Governor John Kasich makes his plea for expanding Medicaid insurance at the Cleveland Clinic on Oct. 18, 2013. On Friday, his administration filed a draft proposal that would require Medicaid enrollees to help pay for their care starting in 2018. (Lisa DeJong/The Plain Dealer)
Gov. John Kasich's administration today filed a detailed draft of changes to the state's Medicaid program, kicking off public debate over a requirement that beneficiaries make monthly payments or lose their coverage.
If approved by the federal government, the changes would require about 1.5 million Ohioans on Medicaid to contribute to a health savings account to help pay for their care. The changes would take effect in 2018.
The filing of the draft will trigger a monthlong comment period in which people can submit opinions to state and federal regulators. Public hearings are scheduled for April 21 and May 3.
The proposal is already fueling a fiery debate in communities statewide. Supporters say it injects needed personal responsibility into the program and will help pare Medicaid's ever-rising costs. Opponents argue it undermines recent progress in expanding access to Medicaid and will erect a cost barrier in front of people who can least afford it.
"This proposal hurts people like servers at restaurants, retail associates, and caregivers," said Steve Wagner, executive director of Ohio's Universal Health Care Action Network. "These are people who are barely getting by as it is."
The proposal for Medicaid enrollees to make financial contributions was first made by Kasich, who suggested premiums be paid by people making more than 100 percent of the federal poverty level.
The state Legislature replaced it with a plan that would require all non-disabled adults on Medicaid, regardless of income, to pay up to $99 a year, or $8.25 a month, into a health savings account. The state would then contribute $1,000 annually into each person's account to help pay for health services.
Supporters said the program is designed to get enrollees to budget their health care dollars and more directly participate in the costs and consequences of medical decision making. One of its architects, State Rep. Jim Butler, a Republican from Oakwood, said the changes would improve health outcomes by encouraging the use of primary and preventive care.
"These incentives will result in patients being healthier and utilizing the health care system in a better way," Butler said. "The incentives also produce healthier outcomes, and healthier outcomes are going to mean a more sustainable program in the long run."
Ohio's application is being watched closely because it is among the first to be considered in states that opted to expand Medicaid under Obamacare. It could also continue to play into Kasich's campaign for the White House and the broader political debate over health care funding and coverage.
Ohio's proposal is modeled after a seven-year-old program in Indiana that also requires enrollees to pay into an account as a requirement of receiving health coverage. As in Ohio, the Indiana program uses financial incentives to encourage participants to use preventative and primary care.
Butler pointed to survey data in Indiana showing that the program has resulted in participants relying less on expensive emergency room visits to get care. A survey of Indiana enrollees by Mathematica Policy Research indicated that 30 percent of new enrollees reported using the emergency room as their main source of care. That percentage dropped to 9.2 percent among established enrollees who had used the program for some time.
"It helps to encourage participation instead of being a recipient," Butler said. "And the data shows that it results in people being healthier."
Opponents of the changes argue, however, that requiring additional contributions from Medicaid enrollees will simply cause more people to drop out of the program altogether.
State projections indicate that enrollment in Medicaid will drop between 125,000 and 140,000 following the implementation of the changes. "If they drop out, it is just costing us more," Wagner said. "Then they end up not getting the preventive services and going to the hospital only when they are very sick, and that's expensive."
Wagner encouraged people to submit comments in coming months to state regulators and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which has final say over whether the proposed changes will be implemented.
A spokesman for the Ohio Department of Medicaid said the final application, including pubic comments, will be submitted to CMS by June 30. It is unclear when CMS will make its determination, but the process typically takes six to nine months.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - A 31-year-old Cleveland man is accused of breaking a 4-year-old girl's jaw with a belt.
Cortez P. Fears on Friday entered a not guilty plea to one count of endangering children and two counts of felonious assault. Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Astrab set his bond at $100,000.
Astrab ordered Fears to have no contact with the victim as a condition of his bond. The pretrial hearing was scheduled for 9 a.m. April 29.
Fears on March 30 struck the girl with a belt, leaving marks on her face, arms and back, according to court documents. The girl's jaw was broken in two places.
The incident happened at a home near the corner of Morgan Avenue and East 72nd Street, documents say. Fears is not the girl's father.
He was arrested the following day.
Fears was found guilty of aggravated robbery in 2007, court records show. He was sentenced to three years in prison.
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John Kasich has little chance of topping Donald Trump in the mogul's home state Tuesday, but the Ohio governor believes his record shows why voters should choose him over Ted Cruz.
Kasich, a longshot for the Republican presidential nomination, said he has taken a message of "hope" to New York ahead of the state's primary. In an interview with CNBC's Larry Kudlow Thursday, he looked to distance himself from his rivals, not only through economic policy but also through his track record. "Voters think that if a politician's lips are moving, they're lying. I can show evidence that what I say I've already done and I can accomplish it again," the GOP hopeful said in New York. Speaking of Cruz, the U.S. senator from Texas, Kasich contended "he didn't accomplish anything the whole time he's been in" the Senate.
U.S. Republican presidential candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich Bryan Woolston | Reuters
Kasich's comments come amid mounting questions about why he has not dropped out of the race. He has won only 143 delegates so far, and cannot garner enough delegates to win the Republican presidential nomination before July's Republican National Convention, according to NBC News. Both Trump and Cruz currently triple his pledged delegates. Kasich still holds a chance at the GOP nomination if no candidate comes to the convention with the required number of delegates. His campaign is upbeat despite the long odds. "The reason why Trump and Cruz are trying to push us out is they know we can win an open convention," campaign communications director Mike Schrimpf previously told CNBC. Trump gets support from 54 percent of likely Republican primary voters in New York, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll released this week. The same poll showed Kasich with 21 percent of support and Cruz with 18 percent. If Trump tops 50 percent of the vote statewide and in each of New York's congressional districts, he will walk away with all of the state's 95 delegates.
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Data measuring the mood of consumers and Citigroup 's earnings are two reports traders will be watching Friday. The winning streak in financial stocks continued for a fifth day Thursday, with BlackRock and Bank of America shares rising after earnings announcements. Wells Fargo was lower after its report. Bank of America profits fell nearly 20 percent but it reported improvement in consumer and commercial banking activity. The S&P financial sector is up more than 4 percent for the week so far. The closed just slightly higher Thursday, up less than a point at 2,082. Consumer sentiment is reported at 10 a.m. EDT, and it will be the first look at the data for April. March retail sales this week disappointed and showed a consumer less willing to spend than expected. Sentiment is projected to rise slightly to 92 from 91.
Nikada | E+ | Getty Images
Read MoreAnalyst: Most bullish on bank stocks in 20 years "I think people are going to turn to the economics here. We all know we're going to get a weak first-quarter GDP. That's well baked in. There's been just enough data weakening of late that people are starting to get concerned about it," said James Paulsen, chief investment strategist at Wells Capital Management. Economists are forecasting a very sluggish first quarter, with growth of less than 1 percent.
Other economic reports expected Friday include the April Empire State Survey at 8:30 a.m. EDT, an important first look at activity in the second quarter. Industrial production and capacity utilization for March are released at 9:15 a.m. There is also a release from the Treasury on TIC data or international capital flows at 4 p.m. Citigroup reports earnings ahead of the bell, as does Charles Schwab and Regions Financial. Also important will be trading in BATs Global Markets, the exchange operator. BATs priced its long-awaited IPO Thursday night at $19, the high end of the range, and its first day of trading Friday will be of interest since it is the first significant IPO in four months.
Argentina confirmed the seven banks managing its upcoming bond issue in the government's official gazette on Friday as it prepares to return to international credit markets for the first time in 15 years.
Argentina's President Mauricio Macri (R) and President Barack Obama leave after posing at the Casa Rosada government house in Buenos Aires, March 23, 2016.
Argentina plans within days to launch the sale of its first international bond issue in 15 years, raising up to $15 billion to ease government financing and settle litigation that followed a $100 billion default in 2002.
The minimum amount Argentina will issue will be $8.5 billion, because that is the amount owed to so-called holdout creditors, Cecely Hugh of Aberdeen Asset Management told CNBC.
Hugh said the bookrunners had called for an investor call on Monday and might issue guidance pricing before or after.
The bookrunners are indicating yields of 7 percent, 8 percent and 9 percent for the 5-year notes, 10-year notes and 30-year bonds respectively, she added.
A U.S. court ruling on Wednesday cleared the way for Argentina to pay outstanding debts and raise new funds to pay those settlements.
His promise to tax "Wall Street speculators" as social restitution for the taxpayer-funded bailout of 2008 is misguided at best. This tax targets helpful market activity that had nothing to do with the risky subprime mortgage loans that prompted the bailout. Further still, it goes beyond Wall Street to tens of millions of investors whenever they, or those managing their retirement savings, trade stocks and bonds. Recently, the Dutch Finance Ministry called a financial transaction tax "a charge on pensions." An ironic twist given the strong support Sanders enjoys from unions.
A link on Sanders' website explaining how the tax "would generate about $300 billion in revenue," leads only to a memo by Robert Pollin and James Heintz of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. That document begins "we emphasize that our conclusions are not based on anything close to the type of solid foundation in research and evidence that one would normally expect in considering such an important question."
(Note: After this piece was published, the link on the Sanders campaign web site was changed.)
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Bill Miller, chairman & CIO of LMM, said he's optimistic about the future of Valeant Pharmaceuticals . Speaking with CNBC's "Closing Bell" on Friday, he acknowledged it is "probably the most toxic name in the market," but he said the troubled pharmaceutical company should be worth about double its current trading price. "It's worth at least $60 and we can get significantly higher prices depending on what happens in the business in the next couple of years," Miller said. The stock closed Friday at about $32 per share. The Canada-based drug maker has been struggling after its stock dropped more than 80 percent since August as a result of high drug prices and a controversial relationship with a specialty pharmacy, which drew criticism in the political sphere.
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange underneath a board showing the name of Valeant Pharmaceuticals shortly before the opening of the markets in New York October 22, 2015. Lucas Jackson | Reuters
Though it has decided not to sell any major businesses as of yet, Valeant is reviewing its options with investment banks as interest from buyout firms increases. "When you have a busted roll-up like Valeant ... if those businesses they bought are good cash generating businesses, the cash will be used to pay down the debt," Miller said. Whether or not Valeant will ever trade at $200 per share again is doubtful, Miller said, adding there would have to be changes to its business model for Valeant to bounce back to its former highs. "I think there was aggressive behavior driven by the incentive structure to get the stock higher," Miller said of Valeant.
Judging by the reaction of financial markets, traders seem encouraged by the recent round of Chinese economic data, from gross domestic product and exports to industrial production and retail sales. But those traders may be leaping to conclusions.
STR | AFP | Getty Images
"In the short term, it reinforces what we've been trying to get investors to listen to China is not headed for a hard landing. Retail sales witnessing double-digit growth. Housing market looks like it is stabilizing ... indicating that the stimulus put in place by the central bank is starting to work," said Sameer Samana, global quantitative strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. But Wall Street veterans including Samana caution that investors should not buy into the idea of a Chinese recovery too quickly turnarounds take time. At least three to four months of consistently good numbers representing a gradual rebound in China's industrial and services sectors will be needed before any seasoned economist will be able to label China as a "turnaround story."
With every statistic we see out of Asia, ex-China, whether it's Taiwan, whether it's Hong Kong and other Asian countries, they're suffering slowdowns from their sensitivity and exposure to China. Peter Boockvar managing director, Lindsey Group
Moreover, the earnings of major Chinese corporations would also need to illustrate a rebound in profit and sales growth. According to Shanghai-based financial data firm Wind Information, steel, industrial and energy companies in 2015 posted a 45 percent or greater drop in net profits on average. That's definitely not an encouraging sign, experts say, given how actively the central bank was injecting liquidity into the economy.
Analysts point to something else, as well: Neighboring trading partners of China continue to post dismal numbers, suggesting that the improvement in China's March data may not be accurate. South Korea reported a double-digit decline in first-quarter exports. Taiwan posted weaker-than-expected March trade data earlier this week, with exports plunging 11.4 percent and imports dropping 17 percent year over year. Growth in Hong Kong's manufacturing sector came in at its lowest level since August. And Japan's latest Tankan Survey indicated further deterioration in business activity and confidence.
"With every statistic we see out of Asia, ex-China, whether it's Taiwan, whether it's Hong Kong and other Asian countries, they're suffering slowdowns from their sensitivity and exposure to China," said Peter Boockvar, managing director of Washington-based economic advisory firm The Lindsey Group. Markets for years have had a sort of psychological co-dependency on China, given its prevalence, influence and growth in the global economy. But other macroeconomic factors at play volatility in currencies, rising fears over Japan's economy and the effectiveness of global central bank policy have attracted some investors' attention and sidelined the awareness they normally give to China.
The yuan: It still matters
Strategists who spoke to CNBC said it will only take another disappointing report from China or a significant drop in the yuan for global investors to once again put the world's second-biggest economy at the top of their worry list. Also important is the talk from Chinese policymakers. President Xi Jinping and central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan have expressed an intent to keep the yuan stable. Finance Minister Lou Jiwei has attempted to inspire confidence among global investors, resulting in the offshore yuan gaining ground against a basket of currencies. Bets against the yuan were popular among hedge fund giants such as David Tepper and Bill Ackman. Yuan appreciation over the last two months has made that trade less tenable. Still, Beijing experts are forecasting a gradual depreciation in the Chinese currency. The question is how global stock markets will respond to a drop in yuan, which hurts foreign companies that do business in China. "I don't think the Chinese will devalue the yuan in the near term, but if they were to do it, markets would take it negatively. It would reintroduce the threat of competitive devaluation, which could likely feed into other global markets," said Samana.
"This meeting isn't about freezing anything. There are way too many countries involved and OPEC itself is basically broken. It is every country for itself in the oil market," Cramer said.
While individual stocks can transcend oil, Cramer anticipates that crude will be in the driver's seat again next week because of the OPEC meeting in Doha. Oil ministers from both OPEC and Russia are expected to gather to discuss freezing oil production.
"Oil is in control as we saw today. That is OK, as long as we know what we want to buy as we can use the declines to put money to work in situations that might not otherwise be down if it weren't for crude's weakness," the " Mad Money " host said.
Once again, oil was in control of stocks on Friday. The market is so interlinked with crude that Jim Cramer pretty much knows if oil opens down, so will stocks.
This would be the kind of classic stock that could be bought on an oil-related swoon ahead of the quarter Wednesday.
Cramer recognized that OPEC is still relevant, but in his perspective, everything comes down to supply and demand. Right now supply is being cut back in the U.S. and demand worldwide is picking up.
Cramer expects that no conclusions will be reached at the meeting, and oil will sell off. That is when he wants investors to buy favorite stocks but not oil stocks that are taken down by a market-wide sell-off.
With earnings season in full swing next week, Cramer outlined the stocks on his radar:
Monday: PepsiCo, IBM, Netflix
PepsiCo : This stock was downgraded earlier in the week, but PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi has reduced costs while growing revenues, so he will be ready to buy.
Netflix : Netflix must demonstrate acceleration in sub-growth in both the U.S. and international. That is a tall order for the stock.
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Tuesday: Johnson & Johnson, Intel, Yahoo
Yahoo : This stock has become hard to own with the soap opera factor of whether it will be for sale. Cramer is hoping to hear that it simply is for sale and buyers can come and get it to end the drama.
Wednesday: Coca-Cola, Yum Brands
Coca-Cola : Cramer expects a good quarter from the beverage giant. The stock isn't cheap, but Cramer is impressed with how the CEO has managed to improve volumes and wrench costs.
"This would be the kind of classic stock that could be bought on an oil-related swoon ahead of the quarter," Cramer said.
Thursday: Alphabet, Microsoft, Under Armour, Starbucks, Schlumberger, Visa
Alphabet : Cramer expects that the quarter will produce an interesting revision upward, because of the international exposure the company has. It could be a beneficiary to a weaker dollar.
Microsoft : While P.C. usage is soft, Cramer thinks investors may be pleasantly surprised by Microsoft's cloud business.
Friday: American Airlines, Caterpillar, General Electric, Honeywell, Kimberly-Clark, McDonald's
Caterpillar : This could be a tough one because of its relationship to China, but maybe investors won't care. Cramer wouldn't blame investors that want to ring the register ahead of earnings given the huge move the stock has had.
General Electric : If oil is down next week, Cramer recommended that some may want to sell this stock based on the huge run it has had. Though, he doubts it will be hammered too severely.
"That is your opportunity. Seize it," Cramer said.
Disclosure: Cramer's charitable trust held a position in General Electric, Alphabet, PepsiCo, Starbucks, Schlumberger and Visa at the time this story was published.
The Trump campaign has parlayed its strength in marketing to a significant lead in pledged delegates. Trump's clearest likely only path to the nomination is to arrive in Cleveland with the requisite 1,237 delegates committed to voting for him on the first ballot. If he fails to secure that majority, his weak ground game will then begin to show as he loses delegates on subsequent ballots.
His New York strategy is thus straightforward: win as many votes as possible, wherever possible.
If the polls hold, he will win all 14 of the at-large delegates, and at least two delegates from each of the state's districts. Given his commanding lead in the polls, however, Trump should consider anything short of a clean sweep disappointing.
The Cruz campaign, which boasts a powerful ground game, has been playing the primaries to gain enough delegates to win on the second or third ballot. Cruz is not well-known in New York, and polls suggest that his quip about "New York values" did little to ingratiate him even to New York's Republicans. Still, he has attempted to deploy his quiet microtargeting to play a weak hand well. Cruz's two highest profile stops in the state have been a meeting with black evangelical ministers in the Bronx and a trip to a matzah bakery with Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn.
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Shack Shack fans in North Carolina may be waiting a long time for the cult favorite burgers to come to the state. Famed restaurateur and Shack Shack founder Danny Meyer says North Carolina's controversial "Bathroom Bill" would keep him from doing business in the Tar Heel state. "One of the things small businesses have the opportunity to do is to take a stand," Meyer told CNBC. "I think where you go to work and how you feel about your job and whether your job aligns with your values makes a big difference. I would love to do business in places and bring our products to places that feel welcoming to all people."
Company name # of Jobs Location (in NC) Money invested (millions) Response Paypal 400 Charlotte $3.6 Halted plans Braeburn Pharmaceuticals 52 Durham County $19.9 Reevaluating our options KSM Castings USA 80 Shelby $80 Unitquetex 150 Grover $31.6 RSI Home Products Manufacturing 175 Richmond County $5.8 GF Automotive and Linamar Corporation 350 Mills River $217 Krystal Engineering 82 Caldwell County $20.9 Plans unchanged Republic Services 350 Charlotte $6.8 Perdue Foods 30 Rockingham $10.9 Coty 25 Sanford $19 The Hillshire Brands Company 98 Tarboro $28.4 BSH Home Appliances Corporation 460 New Bern $80.7 Corning Optical Communications 150 Mecklenburg County $38.7 Plans unchanged Red Ventures 500 Charlotte $5 Reevaluating our growth plans Qorvo 100 Greensboro $25 Premier Research 260 Durham $4.1 Ivars Cabinet Shop 27 Shelby $2.8 Plans unchanged Alcami (AAIPharma Services Corp./Cambridge Major Laboratories) 37 Wilmington $15.8 WillowTree 98 Durham $0.25 Frontier Communications 200 Durham $4.3 GKN Sinter Metals 55 Conover $19.8 Fidelity Investments 600 Durham County $8 Ashley Furniture Industries 454 Davie County $8.7 Magneti Marelli Powertrain USA 76 Sanford $12 North State Aviation 109 North Carolina Global TransPark $0.9 Deutsche Bank 250 Wake County Not disclosed Halted plans to create 250 new jobs
Source: Sources: North Carolina Office of the Governor and the companies.
Signed into law in late March, House Bill 2 established a statewide anti-discrimination policy that excludes protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Its most controversial provision maintains that in schools and government buildings, transgender people must use the restroom that correlates with the gender on their birth certificates, though private sector businesses can institute their own policies.
Shake Shack and Meyer's restaurant group do not currently operate in the state.
Many corporations and chief executives including Tim Cook of Apple have joined the fight against the new law.
Meyer spoke at a Small Business Town Hall event hosted by Capital One Spark Business in New York City on Thursday night. The chief executive of the Union Square Hospitality Group sparked national conversation when he decided to do away with tipping at his 13 full-service venues as a way to "compensate all of our employees equitably, competitively and professionally," Meyer wrote in an October 2015 letter. Since then, major strides have been made on the wage front, including deals in California and New York to raise the statewide minimum wages to $15 an hour, well above the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour. "I think it's ludicrous we are willing to pay $15 or whatever the minimum wage is to a certain class, but if you are in a tipped class you get dramatically less money," Meyer said. "There's just nothing more important than having a level playing field where all businesses pay people what they're worth and recognize it does cost money to live here it's kind of hard to love your job if you can't afford an apartment."
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Yahoo is slated to report quarterly earnings Tuesday, the day after bidding to acquire the company's core businesses closes.
On average, analysts expect Yahoo to report earnings of 7 cents per share, down from 15 cents a share in the same quarter last year. For most investors, however, Yahoo's quarterly results come second to any hints about the company's potential sale.
"Monday will steal Tuesday's show when we see who the suitors are and maybe get a preview of what they think this is worth," said Max Wolff, chief economist at Manhattan Venture Partners, in an interview with CNBC.
Earlier this week, the parent company of British newspaper the Daily Mail was added to the long list of Yahoo's potential suitors. Other potential bidders include Verizon , CBS , InterActiveCorp and Microsoft , according to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the talks between the Daily Mail and Yahoo.
"Verizon by far and away is the leading bidder here," said Robert Peck, internet equity analyst at SunTrust, in an interview with CNBC's "Closing Bell" on Monday. He expects Yahoo to sell for $6 billion to $8 billion considering its core business as well as intellectual property and real estate holdings.
Scott Kessler, internet analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence, is less convinced that investors will glean any more certainty about a potential sale. Kessler said he wouldn't be surprised if Yahoo doesn't say a word about its suitors at all on its earnings call after the bell Tuesday.
The European Parliament gave final approval on Thursday to an exchange of airline passenger data between security forces in the European Union, ending a stand-off between privacy advocates and those who consider the move crucial to fighting terrorism. The law on retaining and sharing passenger name records - PNR - had been stalled for years because of opposition within the European Parliament to the blanket collection of such data. Islamist militant attacks in Paris last year and in Brussels last month spurred France and other governments to call for the swift adoption of PNR to improve security against terrorism.
Brussels Airlines aircraft are seen on the tarmac at Zaventem international airport near Brussels. Francois Lenoir | Reuters
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve welcomed the deal as a "precious tool" to strengthen European security by making it easier to detect the movements of suspected Islamic militants ahead of time. Some left-wing groups opposed the measure, arguing that it infringed people's privacy and that security forces should share more existing information instead. "There is no proof that the mass collection and storage of air passenger data helps in combating terrorism," said Jan Albrecht, a member of parliament from the Greens group. Thursday's vote paves the way for the final adoption of the law by EU member states. "PNR is not a silver bullet but countries that have national PNR systems have shown time and again that it is highly effective," Timothy Kirkhope, a European parliamentarian who steered the legislation to adoption, said after the vote. PNR includes name, travel dates, itinerary, ticket details, contact details, travel agent, means of payment, seat number and baggage information.
Donald Trump could find his claim to the presidential nomination in jeopardy if he comes into this summer's convention a couple hundred delegates short of 1,237, former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele said Friday.
"If Donald Trump goes in there short 200-plus delegates, then it's a whole different ballgame," Steele told CNBC's "Squawk Box." He said if Trump were only 100 delegates short of the magic number it would be hard for party leaders to deny him the nomination.
Trump has 756 delegates, Sen. Ted Cruz has 545 and Ohio Gov, John Kasich 143, according to NBC News.
Trump has been helping his case with GOP establishment officials by acting more presidential recently, Steele said, citing the billionaire real estate mogul's actions Thursday night at a Republican fundraiser in New York City.
"It was interesting because, at the beginning, he did his like 15-minute riff on building buildings here in New York," Steele said. "And then he turned his head down and started to read notes and text. And I was like, wow because he never does that."
Trump is starting to see himself in the role of president and "doing the disciplined things you need to do," Steele said.
John S Lander | LightRocket | Getty Images
His point is obvious inside Gotham Greens' 20,000-square-foot rooftop greenhouse facility in Gowanus, Brooklyn, where red leaf goes from seed to sprout to harvest in tech-savvy, climate-controlled conditions no wind, rain, or temperature fluctuations to be dealt with and is then sold just steps below, on shelves at Whole Foods, and nearby to diners at restaurants like Franny's and Gramercy Tavern. It's just a small peek at a new approach to supplying supermarkets, restaurants, and chefs with the locally-grown produce consumers are increasingly demanding.
Gotham Greens has raised about $30 million to date and now has four greenhouse farms in New York City and Chicago that total 170,000 square feet, and it's set to break ground in two more cities this year. It's not the only greenhouse group with expansion plans in the works. BrightFarms, which builds greenhouses just outside of city centers, started with a 56,000-square-foot greenhouse in Bucks County, PA; in February, it opened a 140,000-square-foot facility just outside Washington, DC, and will debut a 160,000-square-foot Chicago greenhouse this summer. The latter two will each produce about one million pounds of produce annually, and BrightFarms CEO Paul Lightfoot says that over the next three years, he expects to build 15 more in additional cities across the Northeast and Midwest. "Our mission is to improve the health of Americans and the health of the environment by transforming the produce supply chain," Lightfoot says of his company, which has raised more than $40 million in funding and has more than $100 million in contracted commitments with supermarkets.
While the idea of local lettuce in many diners' minds may conjure images of rolling fields of green tended by generations of a farm family, these greenhouse farms are pitching their model as a more sustainable alternative to big-box organic agriculture brands like Organic Valley, since it allows for year-round production with minimal transportation. But some are asking the question: Is arugula that's grown in a greenhouse in Chicago but owned by a multi-million-dollar company based in New York City really "local"? To be clear, greenhouse farming is nothing new. The growing method is especially popular in Canada because of its cold climate that makes outdoor farming difficult, but most in the past have fallen into two camps: very small (local farmers tending to herbs and tomatoes) or massive industrial operations that ship the produce all over the world. Gotham Greens and BrightFarms take components of each to create a new model, one that involves scale and volume but that places each hydroponic, heated growing facility in or next to a city, where it is operated by and serves the local community. Both are focused on cities in the Northeast and Midwest, where the produce they grow mainly leafy greens is scarce during colder months and primarily shipped from the West Coast.
There are others, too. Backyard Farms applies a similar model to tomatoes in Maine; FarmedHere does it for microgreens and basil in Chicago; and Newark, NJ-based AeroFarms just raised $20 million to expand its aeroponic vertical farms (which use different technology but still apply commercial scale to growing local produce indoors). And demand for locally-grown produce is growing (like weeds). A January 2015 USDA report about trends in local and regional food systems found that the number of farms with direct-to-consumer sales (indicating a local model) increased by 17 percent between 2002 and 2007 and another 5.5 percent between 2007 and 2012. Meanwhile, a 2015 grocery shopper trends survey conducted by the Food Marketing Institute found that 29 percent of shoppers nationwide want retailers to prioritize supporting the local food economy. Given that fact, Lightfoot says BrightFarms is filling in a major gap. "There's a great supply chain of local food throughout the country generally you find it through CSAs, farmers markets. Those farmers often don't meet food safety requirements, volume, and consistency standards for supermarkets," he says. "Supermarkets see this massive demand trend, but they're left out in the cold."
In each of its markets, BrightFarms has partnered with major chains, like Giant and Acme, and the produce often hits shelves within 24 hours of being picked, a fact that means it's almost guaranteed to be longer-lasting than other greens. "I want to help people eat healthier food, and making it flavorful and delicious is a big part of that," Lightfoot says. Gotham Greens is also aligned with the biggest supermarkets, like Whole Foods, ShopRite, and Key Food, but has partnered with restaurants in a much bigger way, too. Its greens are on the menu at Brooklyn pizza hotspot Franny's and in office worker's salads via seasonal partnerships with lunch chain Just Salad and David Chang's beloved delivery service Maple. They're also on plates at many of the best restaurants in Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), like Michael Anthony's Gramercy Tavern and Untitled. Puri says that very soon after Gotham's first greenhouse was up and running in Greenpoint, the restaurant community responded with enthusiasm. "I think what people were responding to was the quality and [otherwise] not having a reliable source of fresh produce year-round," he says.
But what about the allure of a funky heirloom tomato with its one-of-a-kind terroir and patterning, the likes of which will never be bitten into again? While chefs won't get vegetables with that kind of cultural cache, many swear by the greens. "It's the best basil we've ever had, and they're able to produce it for us year-round," says John Karangis, the executive chef at Union Square Events, USHG's catering and partnership business. Karangis says Union Square Events purchased 11,000 pounds of produce from Gotham Greens between March 2015 and March 2016, and that while they still buy fresh basil from local farmers when it's available, having access to Gotham Greens has been a game-changer. Karangis definitely feels that the concept is in line with the local food movement, too. "The fact that they're local is definitely very important to us, and their overall integrity and family values... it's all very much in line with what we do and how we operate," he says. Which is where some foodies and food movement activists may protest. When it comes to defining local, "it generally has to do with distance," explains Gail Feenstra, the deputy director of the Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program (SAREP) at UC Davis. But there are other considerations, namely who controls the resources and whether or not they're using those larger resources (which may not all be local) to compete with small farmers. "I guess my question is, 'Are they really filling a niche or are they competing? Are local farmers really unable to supply these markets?'" Puri says the answer is clear (although it's a fact impossible to verify). "All of our produce here [in Gowanus] is grown by New Yorkers for New Yorkers. Chicago's is grown by Chicagoans for Chicagoans," he says. And Lightfoot agrees. "We're never competing with farmers markets. I'm a farmers market consumer and that would upset me," he promises. Who they are competing with, they say, are brands that grow greens in California and other far-flung warm climates year-round and then ship the produce to the Northeast and Midwest.
Which points to the brands' other selling point: sustainability. Both Gotham Greens and BrightFarms boast a long list of environmental benefits that accompany their decentralized methods of local greenhouse growing. Saving on shipping fuel is a huge one, followed by water use. The recirculating hydroponic growing system allows both to use significantly less water than traditional farms, with no agricultural runoff. They grow without pesticides and use land in an incredibly efficient way. Gotham Greens says its greenhouses yield about 20-30 times more produce per acre than field farming and they're even on rooftops, on land already being used for something else. Energy, of course, seems like it would be an issue, considering the high-tech climate control and irrigation systems. Feenstra pointed to a UC Davis White Paper from 2008 which stated that "production of produce in fossil fuel-heated greenhouses typically adds substantially to the life cycle energy use and GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions of food items compared to the equivalent field-grown crops." Gotham Greens accounts for this by using solar panels for a portion of its energy and then purchasing renewable energy through the utility company to offset the balance. Lightfoot says BrightFarms purchases renewable (wind) energy to power its Pennsylvania greenhouse and that he's looking into similar deals for the other farms, including a way to capture waste heat from an adjacent ethanol facility in Chicago.
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The Kremlin has apologized over Russian President Vladimir Putin's accusations that U.S. bank Goldman Sachs was behind one of the leading German papers that publicized the Panama Papers leak which drew links to Putin's associates. Putin suggested that Sueddeutsche Zeitung a German newspaper that was heavily involved with the reporting was obligated to the U.S. bank during his annual citizen call-in session on Thursday.
"Who is engaged in these provocations? We know that there are employees of official U.S. agencies; an article was written I asked (my) press secretary (Dmitry) Peskov where it first appeared in Sueddeutsche Zeitung. Sueddeutsche Zeitung is part of a media holding that belongs to the U.S. financial corporation Goldman Sachs. In other words, those behind this stick out, but they never blush," Putin said, according to a Kremlin transcript. The Kremlin came out less than 24 hours later to apologize for Putin's comments, blaming misinformation over the German newspaper's ownership on one of the president's aides. "It is more the error of those who prepared the briefing documents, my error," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to Reuters.
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"There was information there that had not been checked and rechecked again and we gave it to the president. We have apologized (to the bank) and we will also apologize to the publication," Peskov added.
Europe's five largest economies have announced plans to share more information on business owners in a bid crack down on tax evasion. The U.K., Germany, France, Italy and Spain are to share information on the ultimate owners of companies to make it more difficult for firms to "dodge tax or funnel corrupt funds."
Mint Images RF/Getty Images
"Tax and law enforcement agencies from the five countries exchange data on company beneficial ownership registers and new registers of trusts, allowing for more effective investigation of financial wrongdoing," the U.K. Treasury said in a press release on Thursday evening. The agreement comes in the wake of the Panama Papers scandal earlier this month in which leaked papers from a Panama law firm shone a light on the hidden financial dealings of politicians and public officials around the globe. The leak has caused casualties among high-profile European politicians with the Icelandic prime minister resigning after being named in the leaked papers and on Thursday, Spain's interim industry minister followed suit after revelations about his offshore business activities. CNBC has not been able to independently verify the assertions.
When oil was trading for about $74 a barrel in late 2014, oil analyst Tom Kloza made what seemed like a crazy call: Oil would fall to $35 in the next year.
Thirteen months later, his prediction came true.
Now, with oil rallying nearly 60 percent off its Feb. 11 low, he's back with another prediction: Don't get too excited.
Kloza, global head of energy analysis at the Oil Price Information Service, said that despite the recent surge, oil is trapped in a tight range between $35 and $45 even as anticipation grows over potential production cuts that could come Sunday when OPEC and non-OPEC producers meet in Doha, Qatar.
"The expectations are pretty low," said Kloza on CNBC's "Futures Now" on Wednesday. "They have no integrity in terms of compliance and in terms of maintaining cuts."
However, a CNBC survey out Friday of 23 experts found that 56 percent saw a better than 50/50 chance of a freeze agreement.
Mitel 's stock fell 9.64 percent Friday after the Canadian telecommunications company announced it was buying Polycom for $1.96 billion in cash and stock.
Under the terms of the deal, Polycom stockholders will get $3.12 in cash and 1.31 Mitel shares for each share of Polycom common stock, or $13.68 based on the closing price of a Mitel common share on April 13. Mitel's stock closed that day at $8.06 and has fallen 10 percent since then.
The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of this year.
"Together, Polycom and Mitel expect to drive meaningful value for our shareholders, customers, partners and employees around the world," Peter Leav, Polycom's president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
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Beleaguered commodities trader Noble Group has had a difficult year after claims about its accounting practices hit the stock, but at least one analyst is bullish. "We see considerable upside at these levels because Noble is one of the leading commodity traders in the world," said Religare Capital Markets' research director, Nirgunan Tiruchelvam. The steep drop in the company's stock price was a buying opportunity because it was trading at a "massive" discount to its book value, Tiruchelvam told CNBC's "Squawk Box".
In February 2015, Iceberg Research published a report alleging that the Singapore-listed trader's accounting treatments were "unusual," resulted in "fabricated" profit and "intentionally misleads credit agencies and investors." Noble has consistently and vehemently denied the allegations but its stock has steadily declined and on Friday was trading around 43 cents a share, down more than 64 percent from a $1.21 peak hit days before the Iceberg report. Although Iceberg raised serious concerns about the company, those worries have already been priced, Tiruchelvam said. "The significant change that has taken place over the last year is that Noble's debt has been downgraded to junk status and by virtue of that fact, their financing cost has gone up. But what is surprising is that Noble continues to be able to borrow...Noble is completely financeable despite the change in its status."
The Panama Papers scandal highlights how much progress the world has made in combating tax havens, the head of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) told CNBC on Friday, warning that Panama would face "consequences" if it did not improve.
"It shows how much progress we have made because it shows also that the tolerance (for tax havens) is very dramatically reduced. And also the fact that it shook everybody up (shows that) now it is an exceptionality rather than the rule," Angel Gurria, the secretary general of the OECD, said in Washington D.C.
The OECD is an influential international organization to which 34 mostly major economies belong. Panama, a small country in Latin America, is not a member.
The so-called Panama Papers have exposed more than 11.5 million financial and legal records and revealed the heads of states and other public figures around the world that are sheltering wealth offshore.
The leak came from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca.
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The world's biggest economy has plenty to gain from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), despite the anti-trade rhetoric dominating the U.S. presidential election campaign, according to a top executive at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Tami Overby, the senior vice president for Asia at the chamber, dismissed campaign trail electioneering as "a fact-free zone regarding trade," adding that "America will do the right thing," implying the TPP would eventually get ratified, but "only after trying everything else first."
U.S. presidential hopefuls, including Republican candidate Donald Trump and the Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, have spoken against the multilateral TPP as costing U.S. jobs - comments that, a survey by CNBC in March found, had led to the waning of U.S. public support for trade.
U.S. representative Michael Froman and Vietnam Minister Vu Huy Hoang celebrates the after the signing of the Trans Pacific Partnership at Sky City on February 4, 2016 in Auckland, New Zealand. Countries are now in the process of ratifying the agreement. Fiona Goodall | Getty Images
The CNBC-All America Economic Survey, conducted from March 21-23, found just 27 percent of the public agreed that free trade "has helped the U.S.," compared with the 43 percent who said it hurt the country. Support for free trade declined 10 points since the same question was asked in an April 2015 poll by NBC News/Wall Street Journal.
With many of the potential replacements for President Barack Obama campaigning against free trade, commentators have questioned whether U.S. Congress will ratify the TPP deal that was signed by 12 countries in New Zealand earlier this year.
If Congress did not ratify the agreement, it would imply the U.S. was leaving Asia, according to Overby.
Overby told CNBC's "Squawk Box" that the economic and geo-strategic ramifications meant it was imperative the U.S. ratified the TPP.
The deal would also benefit U.S. companies by giving them deeper access into the business environment in Asia, she said.
Frankie J. Grande attends the 8th Annual Shorty Awards at The New York Times Center on April 11, 2016 in New York City.
Selfies and Snapchats abound, The Shorty Awards in New York brought together everyone from a famous plastic surgeon in Miami who documents his patients surgeries to record producer to DJ Khaled.
As nominees made their way through the red carpet before the show, it was nearly impossible to find someone without a phone in hand. This was, after all, their very business.
The Shorty Awards is an annual show which honored anything from major brands to YouTube stars for their innovation in social media.
The show, in its 8th year, garnished 3.4 million fan votes for various categories, a large increase to its two million total votes the year before.
For the category of, "Snapchatter of the Year," Danny Berk, a younger surfer from San Diego, found himself nominated alongside names like DJ Khaled and Kylie Jenner.
Berk, a semi professional athlete, started recording his adventures, built a following and that's when brands begin to reach out to him. In his Snapchat account, he does everything from documenting surfing to interviewing random bypassers on the street. Recently, Cinnabon commissioned him to take over its Snapchat account for their 30th anniversary.
"A lot of brands have Snapchat accounts, but they don't know how to use it and that's why they bring influencers like us," Berk told CNBC.
"If you're trying to reach a younger generation, that's what everyone's on," he said of Snapchat. "I can't believe where I am today and that I'm making money off this app. It's like a dream come true."
Berk said his dad is his is agent for now, since he doesn't have a professional agent yet.
More and more influencers are getting agents, and traditional talent agencies like CAA and WME are starting to add divisions to represent them.
Kate Albrecht, a.k.a. Mr. Kate is a YouTube star represented by Abrams Artist Agency.
Also sometimes referred to as, "the antithesis of Martha Stewart," Albrecht was nominated for a Shorty Award for best DIY (Do It Yourself) category. Her work on YouTube includes beauty tips, style suggestions, and she's even wrote a book, "A Hot Glue Gun Mess."
Last year, she signed a deal with Maker Studios, a subsidiary of Disney and recently became the top lifestyle brand content integrator for the production company.
She started six years ago and believed she had a first-mover advantage, "I definitely think it'd be really hard to break in now, because it's so saturated," she told CNBC. "You have to find new platforms that are coming out."
European stocks finished in the red Friday as investors digested the latest earnings reports and Chinese growth data, ahead of a key oil summit this weekend. The pan-European STOXX 600 closed down 0.35 percent provisionally. On the week, however, the STOXX 600 jumped 3.3 percent. All major European bourses closed down some 0.3 to 0.4 percent. The Athens stock exchange however outperformed fellow indexes, jumping 4.9 percent, on the back of a strong performance in its banking sector.
China GDP meets forecasts
European markets
Autos under pressure despite data
European new car sales rose 5.7 percent in March, according to data from industry body ACEA. But the autos sector was under pressure on Friday. Auto equipment maker Faurecia closed down some 3.6 percent after the firm said quarterly sales fell 2 percent in China. Societe Generale also cut its outlook on the stock from "buy" to "hold". Fellow French-listed car firms Peugeot Citroen and Valeo closed sharply lower on the back of this. Volkswagen also under-performed, closing 2.4 percent down after the German carmaker said March brand sales were down 2.7 percent, highlighting that it is still feeling the effects from the diesel emissions scandal.
Banks, earnings in focus
Job cuts were once again on the agenda in the banking sector with BNP Paribas proposing a voluntary redundancy program which could see up to 675 positions lost from the French bank in the next three years. Shares closed down over 1 percent. Some of the Italian banks finished higher however, as the plan to help with their bad loans continues to gather steam. The country's government has proposed a fund that will be able to buy non-performing loans from the Italian banks. Banco Popolare popped over 4.5 percent.
Carrefour jumps 3.8%
Elsewhere, earnings were in focus once again for investors. French supermarket chain Carrefour reported sales in line with expectations, but showed signs of slowing in its home market of France and pointed to weakness in China. Still, shares jumped some 3.8 percent.
The world's largest listed hedge fund Man Group saw shares jump over 7 percent, after it revealed it had held onto most of the assets it invests, despite a challenging first quarter for fund managers, Reuters reported. French hotel group Accor fell over 1.5 percent after JPMorgan cut its price target for the stock. And Intercontinental Hotels Group fell over 2 percent after JPMorgan cut its outlook on the stock.
Shares of British luxury fashion brand Burberry closed sharply lower following cautious results on Thursday and after a number of brokers including JPMorgan and Bernstein cut their price target for the stock.
Russian shares took a double whammy from international sanctions and oil's crash, but the market now offers "the bargain of the century," Mark Mobius, Templeton Emerging Markets' executive chairman, told CNBC.
"Russia is very cheap," the storied emerging markets investor told CNBC's "Street Signs." "The problem is the sanctions. Many of us cannot invest because of the sanctions. Once sanctions are released, then the market is going to do very well."
The MSCI Russia index has rallied about 20 percent so far this year, but it's still down around 36 percent since the beginning of 2014.
Russia's economy has been on a rollercoaster ride since the government's annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and its role in the pro-Russian uprising in Ukraine resulted in the European Union and the U.S imposing sanctions. The next review of the sanctions is in July.
This economic isolation, coupled with the low price of oil, has weighed heavily on the country's currency - - and economy. The Tass news agency said Russia's gross domestic product (GDP) contracted 3.7 percent in 2015 after ekeing out growth of just 0.6 percent in 2014.
Mobius isn't alone in seeing value in Russia.
"If you look at the Russian economy, the worst is behind us," Karine Hirn, chief executive of East Capital, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Friday, noting consumers in the country had been resilient.
"Russians keep spending money. Less than before, but they still keep spending," she said, adding that East Capital had invested in consumer plays.
Hirn's also watching dividend yields.
"The Russian market has always been one of the markets among emerging markets paying the highest yield and now the government that needs money is speaking to state-owned enterprises to make them increase the payout ratio from 25 percent to 50 percent," she said.
After the market's recent gains, "it's not a screaming buy," she noted, but added that it was still very cheap compared with other emerging markets, which was drawing many brokers and investors back into the market.
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Ted Cruz is making a strong play for Wall Street support and Wall Street money, appearing for an hour on CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Friday and holding a high-dollar fundraiser at the Harvard Club in midtown on Monday. The Texas U.S. senator needs the cash in the final sprint for the GOP nomination as he hopes to keep down Donald Trump's delegate hauls in the Northeast and the final primary in California on June 7. Cruz is counting on keeping Trump under 1,237 delegates and then winning the nomination in Cleveland based on his much stronger work wooing delegates who will be free to vote for whomever they choose after the first ballot.
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It's a tough sell on Wall Street for Cruz, who is distrusted if not outright disliked by many in high finance and across corporate America. Many of these people despise Cruz's penchant for partisan warfare in Washington particularly on the debt ceiling and deplore his populist bashing of big banks. Cruz himself acknowledged the problem on "Squawk Box": "I can't tell you how many people come in, particularly in the business world, hearing all these skeptical things about 'this guy Cruz is a troublemaker,'" he said. But Cruz argued that his fights in Washington were meant to stand on principle against President Barack Obama on spending, immigration and health care, and that as president he would be willing to sit down and cut deals on taxes and spending. He also said Wall Street "performs an important function" while continuing his opposition to taxpayer bailouts and any other "special favors" from Washington. Cruz also spent a good bit of time talking up his tax plan, which would impose a flat 16 percent value-added tax for business and 10 percent for individuals. Cruz claims this would ignite economic growth and dramatically simplify the tax code. He also said that after four years as president, companies in Europe in Asia would be trying to "invert" their corporate structure into the United States to take advantage of the newly reduced tax rate. And he claimed his tax plan would bring high-paying jobs back to the U.S. while Trump's threats of big new tariffs would ignite damaging trade wars. Cruz has a couple of problems on this front. Republicans traditionally loathe value-added taxes because they believe they are hidden from consumers and are easily boosted. Critics of Cruz's plan, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio before he dropped out of the primaries, also say businesses will simply pass the tax on to consumers by raising prices for products. But Cruz's issue with Wall Street is not really the fine print of his tax plan. It's that many bankers don't like his stringent stances on social issues like abortion and gay marriage and simply don't like the guy personally and think he would be a disaster as president.
Ken Langone, a Wall Street investor, co-founder of Home Depot and supporter of Ohio Governor John Kasich, told me this week he could see no scenario under which he would back Cruz. "I couldn't do it because I just don't like the guy," Langone said, echoing sentiments uttered privately by executives all over the financial industry. "I don't like the way he presents himself and I don't like the way he isolates himself. One of the problems in Washington is you have to get things done, and I don't think he's proven that he can work in that environment. I don't like the man. I'm not a fan." That sentiment exists all across Wall Street, which heavily backed former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and then Rubio before both were knocked out of the race by Trump and Cruz. Now, many Republicans in high finance are simply giving up on the 2016 primaries and waiting to see whether they sit out the general election as well, back the GOP nominee or grudgingly support Hillary Clinton who has historic ties to the industry, something that has dogged her throughout her primary against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. "There is no point in supporting someone who can't win," the CEO of a large financial firm told me this week about Cruz. "We would wind up with a guy nobody really likes who can't appeal to the broad mass of the American electorate. So I'm done with 2016. I've given up any belief that I know what's going on." Cruz is now trying to walk a fine line to turn this attitude around among deep-pocketed Wall Street donors without alienating his conservative, populist base. Ideally, Cruz would just ignore Wall Street and revel in its disdain. But he's short on cash for the expensive final sprint, so expect him to continue to make the case that business people should not hate him.
PHOTO CREDIT: Syracuse University website
SYRACUSE, N.Y. Syracuse University has named Craig Boise the next dean of the schools College of Law.
Boise will assume his new role on July 1, the school said in a news release.
His appointment also marks the conclusion of William Banks tenure as interim dean of the College of Law.
Banks will reassume his posts as a law professor and founding director of the schools Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism.
The former dean, Hannah Arterian, stepped down from the position last August.
Boise comes to Syracuse University from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio.
Craig Boise is a dynamic and forward-thinking leader who is equally passionate about quality, access and enhancing the student experience, Michele Wheatly, vice chancellor and provost-designate, said in the schools release. I am impressed by his record of achievements and know the College of Law will make great strides under his leadership.
Chancellor Kent Syverud believes Boise will achieve great things as dean of the College of Law.
Craigs bold vision and commitment to academic excellence have enhanced the student experience, improved student outcomes and positioned graduates for career success, Syverud said. He is the ideal person to lead the College of Law into a new era, particularly as it seeks to enhance its global reputation and continue its ascent in national rankings.
During his time at Cleveland-Marshall, annual-fund participation among alumni increased 38 percent; annual-fund giving nearly doubled to more than $625,000; and fund-raising efforts generated more than $1 million in new scholarship support for students, according to the Syracuse release.
Boise also led the institution through a 29-point rise in U.S. News & World Report rankings, moving from 135 in his first year to an all-time school high of 106 this year, Syracuse University added.
Boises scholarship has focused on U.S. corporate and international tax policy, offshore financial centers, and offshore financial intermediation.
He has taught international tax, corporate tax, international-tax policy, and federal-income taxation.
He is currently admitted to practice in Ohio and New York, according to the release.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
Family aims to raise awareness about invisible illness
Michelle and Jason Kemp's two children were born with cystic fibrosis. The Columbia family shares their story to raise awareness about the genetic disorder.
On The Docket Whether it's a verdict or a hearing, it's On The Docket SHARE
By Katie Fretland of The Commercial Appeal
Two officials at Memphis bail bond companies were indicted on theft charges, the office of the Shelby County District Attorney General said Friday.
Angela Bryant, 41, manager of 24 Hour Bonding Company of Memphis LLC, and George Austin Hitt, 38, president of Memphis Bonding Co. and Tennessee Bonding Company were indicted by a grand jury.
Bryant was indicted on theft over $10,000, and Hitt was indicted on theft over $250,000.
Investigators from the Tennessee Department of Revenue found that Bryant and Hitt had failed to report thousands of bonds to the state and failed to pay a $12 tax levied by law on each of those bonds, according to a news release. According to the investigation, from January 2013 through June 2015, Bryant failed to report bonds and failed to pay taxes.
In the case of Hitt, state revenue investigators found that between January 2010 through June 2015 one of his companies, Memphis Bonding iCompany, wrote bonds that were not reported and taxes that were not paid.
April 14, 2016 - Ginger Leonard, head of Tennessee Equality Project, talks with David Waters about LGBT related bills in Tennessee and Mississippi. (Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal)
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By David Waters of The Commercial Appeal
A bill working its way through the Tennessee legislature would require public school students to use bathrooms that correspond to the gender on their birth certificates.
"I have no idea how they think they're going to police that," said Ginger Leonard, board chair and president of the Tennessee Equality Project.
"I mean, who's going to check when a kid's walking into the bathroom?"
Leonard has a lot of other questions and concerns about a number of legislative efforts, in Tennessee, Mississippi and other states, that target members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community.
"It's a last-ditch effort to marginalize a group of people," she says in this Talk, Memphis podcast.
Leonard talks about the so-called "Transgender Bathroom Bill" in Tennessee, the so-called "Religious Conscience" law in Mississippi and others.
Feel free to talk back in the comments section.
SHARE Courtesy of Gareth Somers English actor Gareth Somers brings his one-man Shakespeare show to Rhodes College on April 22. Author Thomas Christensen will be at Rhodes College on April 21. Photo by Ellen Christensen.
By John Beifuss of The Commercial Appeal
"All the world's a stage," wrote Shakespeare in his play "As You Like It."
If the Bard could be in Memphis this season, he might discover his metaphor has become almost literally true, as venues all over the region host concerts, plays, seminars, lectures and other events in recognition of the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death.
Many of the events are complements to this week's "1616 Symposium" at Rhodes College, presented by the school's Pearce Shakespeare Endowment.
Free and open to the public, the symposium brings international scholars, authors and actors to Rhodes for two days of talks and performances. The focus is not so much on Shakespeare per se but on the turbulent, increasingly modern world that existed at the time of the playwright's death on April 23, 1616.
"This was a momentous era," said symposium organizer Scott L. Newstok, 43, a Rhodes College associate professor of English and director of the Pearce endowment, which was established in 2007 with funds provided by the late Dr. Iris Annette Pearce, a Rhodes alumna and local physician who was a lifelong Shakespeare enthusiast.
In 1616, according to Newstok, "We are beginning to see the world in a way that is recognizable to us. Corporations are starting to become much more powerful and influential, which leads to colonization and the modern corporation. Medical science and medical training are advancing. We are seeing changing roles for women, an increase in the circulation of people around the globe, new ideas about science and magic ... ."
The bad came with the good, as it always does. In 1616, Galileo sparred with the Vatican over this theory that the sun was the center of the galaxy, Pocahontas visited London, doctors began to understand the theory of circulation of the blood, galleons carrying silk and silver established a global economy, and the first slaves were brought to the Bermudas.
In the world of literature, both Shakespeare and "Don Quixote" author Cervantes died on April 23. But though the wordsmiths died on the same date, they did not die on the same day, since England and Spain marked time with different calendars.
The extravagance of this age is the focus of the acclaimed (and lavishly illustrated) Counterpoint Press book "1616: The World in Motion" by California-based scholar Thomas Christensen. The author will be here this weekend, and he will kick off the symposium with a free "Communities in Conversation" public talk at 6 p.m. Thursday at Blount Auditorium on the Rhodes campus. (Christensen also will be at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library at 1 p.m. Saturday, as part of the library's Bookstock festival.)
A series of free public talks will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Blount. The talks will be delivered by scholars from Stanford, Harvard, Rutgers and elsewhere, but they are intended to appeal to general audiences. Topics will include astronomy, medicine, corporations, slavery and more. "It's designed to be a gathering for nonspecialists, to enable them to engage with people who are at the top of their fields."
At 7:30 p.m. Friday at Rhodes' Hardie Auditorium, British actor Gareth Somers will present the Memphis debut of his one-man show "The Secrets and Passions of William Shakespeare," which imagines the events of the last few days leading up to the author's death at 52 at his Stratford-upon-Avon home.
"Shakespeare's world is close in some ways to ours," said Somers, in an interview from his Manchester, England, home. "People might be surprised to know that there was a greater racial mix in his London than they imagine, there were fears of terrorism and religious divisions. ... And at the center of the play is the story of a young man who left his family farm and business to make something in the new world of theater. It is a story of love, betrayals and friendships, and it describes a man reconciling himself with God. These are eternal themes."
Newstok said the cliche that every performance and every reading of a work represent a new interpretation is especially true in the case of Shakespeare. "Interpretations of the Bible, the environment topics that are important today, we find them in Shakespeare. He is a figure we keep coming back to, with new eyes and renewed insight."
RHODES COLLEGE 1616 SYMPOSIUM
Presented by the Pearce Shakespeare Endowment. 6 p.m. Thursday, Blount Auditorium: Communities in Conversation keynote address featuring Thomas Christensen, author of 1616: World in Motion. (Reception at 5:30 p.m.) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, April 22, Blount Auditorium: A series of short lectures by scholars on the world of 1616. A new topic every half hour. 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 22, Hardie Auditorium: Gareth Somers one-man show, The Secrets and Passions of William Shakespeare. Through May 15, Barret Library: 1616 exhibit, featuring rare books, scientific instruments and more. Other events related to Shakespeare and 1616 will take place through June 19. For more information and a full schedule, visit rhodes.edu/1616.
Photos by Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal ABOVE: March 29, 2016 Wiseacre Brewing Company brewmaster and co-founder Davin Bartosch adds unsalted popcorn to the mash for the special one-off beer Wiseacre brewed to help The Commercial Appeal celebrate their 175th anniversary. Wiseacre is calling the beer style a maizebock, a twist on a maibock with popcorn, and have named the beer Men Not Machines after a headline they saw in a 1940s Commercial Appeal talking about the 100th anniversary of the newspaper. TOP LEFT: March 29, 2016 Wiseacre Brewing Company brewer Sam Tomaszczuk measures out some specialty grains that will be added to the malt bill for the brewery's maizebock, Men, Not Machines. The one-off beer is being brewed to commemorate the 175th anniversary of The Commercial Appeal. TOP RIGHT: March 29, 2016 A newspaper subhead from a 1940 edition of The Commercial Appeal inspired the name for the beer, a maizebock called "Men Not Machines", that Wiseacre is brewing to commemorate the paper's 175th anniversary. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal)
SHARE March 29, 2016 Wiseacre Brewing Company brewer Sam Tomaszczuk measures out some specialty grains that will be added to the malt bill for the brewery's maizebock, Men, Not Machines. The one-off beer is being brewed to commemorate the 175th anniversary of The Commercial Appeal. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal) March 29, 2016 A newspaper subhead from a 1940 edition of The Commercial Appeal inspired the name for the beer, a maizebock called "Men Not Machines", that Wiseacre is brewing to commemorate the paper's 175th anniversary. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal) March 29, 2016 Andrew Caldwell cleans a fermentation vessel to prepare it for the arrival of "Men, Not Machines" which is being brewed by Wiseacre to help The Commercial Appeal commemorate its 175th anniversary. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal) March 29, 2016 Unsalted popcorn sits on top of the grain bed at the start of the mash as Wiseacre brews a one-off beer called "Men Not Machines". The beer is Wiseacre's take on a maibock style beer, they are calling a maizebock because of the addition of the popcorn. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal)
By Jennifer Biggs of The Commercial Appeal
In 1981, Coors entered the Memphis beer market and made out like a bandit, capturing 20 percent of the market virtually overnight. No doubt the allure of the beer "brewed with Rocky Mountain spring water" was due in large part to the popularity of "Smokey and the Bandit," the 1977 Burt Reynolds movie about the granddaddy of all beer runs but maybe there is something about the water. After all, the beer industry in Memphis was founded because of our Artesian wells.
But before we go back, let's hop forward: On April 22, Wiseacre Brewing Co. and The Commercial Appeal will release Men Not Machines to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the paper. We'll have a party, and you're invited, of course. We'll even have popcorn it's in the beer.
Men Not Machines, named after a 1941 article about how "men, not machines make newspapers," is a maizebock with popcorn added.
"We just started talking about what to do, and this was something we'd been thinking about," said Kellan Bartosch, one of the brothers who own the brewery on Broad Avenue. "Maibock is a spring lager that's made in Germany, and this is a lighter version of the same beer."
Davin Bartosch, the primary brewmaster, attended school in Germany to learn how to make beer. And the Germans know a thing or two about brewing: We can even thank them for what once was a booming industry in town.
In 1885, when the Memphis Daily Appeal was 44 years old and had weathered a temporary shutdown during the Civil War and five yellow fever epidemics, Casper Koehler and John W. Schorr (both Germans by way of St. Louis) came down the river and started the Tennessee Brewing Co. On June 7, they served 40,000 free glasses of beer to the public.
In 1887, the first well was drilled to tap the artesian aquifer. Because of that, in 1890, they built the first part of the building we know today as the Tennessee Brewery.
"If good water can be secured here, we can make good beer," Schorr told the Appeal-Avalanche in 1891. "The brewery people began boring into the earth and struck a stream as clear as crystal."
While the first well wasn't drilled at the brewery (it served an ice house), many were drilled there over the years. The plentiful supply of good water certainly led to the success of the brewery.
But then ...
"Prohibition really ruined beer in the United States," said Kellan Bartosch.
It came in 1920, after years of lobbying by the Temperance movement (which wasn't so much against beer, accepting it as a lesser evil). Grapes withered on the vine in wine country, and taps stopped flowing at breweries. Good jobs were lost; more than 500 people were employed then at the Tennessee Brewery. Here, the Southern Cattlemen's Association decided to make headquarters in Memphis. Elsewhere, Babe Ruth made his first home run for the Yankees, the first commercial radio station in the country began daily broadcasting in Detroit, and President Woodrow Wilson made Communism illegal.
For a couple of years, Tennessee Brewing tried to stay in business as an ice house and by brewing and bottling a product called NIB (Non-Intoxicating Beverage). It could only be sustained a short while.
But in 1933, the 18th Amendment was revoked, and the shuttered wineries, distilleries and breweries worked furiously to get running again. Tennessee Brewery led the way (there were other breweries in Memphis along the way about 15 before and just after the turn of the 20th century, some a flash in the pan and others that operated for 10 years or more) and soon was bottling beer, mostly Goldcrest. It employed about 200 men with an annual payroll of $1 million.
While beer consumption increased, the popularity of local beers in the region waned. In 1954, the Tennessee Brewing Co. shut its doors. The first in Tennessee was the last one standing when it gave up the ghost.
But it wasn't over. In 1972, the days of Larry Finch and Ronnie Robinson days at Memphis State, Schlitz opened a big brewery here, which 10 years later was taken over by Stroh's. In 1990, the year the movie "Memphis Belle" was released, that "Rocky Mountain spring water" beer, Coors, decided that Memphis Artesian water was just as good and purchased the brewery.
This was high-production stuff, about 1 million barrels annually. It was 1992, the year President George H.W. Bush threw up on the Japanese prime minister, Willie Nelson settled his big tax bill with the IRS, "The Etruscans: Legacy of a Lost Civilization," opened at Memphis Pink Palace Museum, and Bill Clinton was elected president, when Boscos restaurant and microbrewery opened in Germantown.
"We were the first new brewery to open in Tennessee since Prohibition was repealed," said owner Jeremy Feinstone, who moved Boscos to Overton Square in 2002 and in 2011 opened Ghost River Brewing on South Main. He and former partner Chuck Skypeck were clearly the leaders in the current local craft beer market.
But there was more to come (and go, as in recent years some lasted no longer than the breweries in the city's early days). Today, High Cotton Brewing Co., Memphis Made Brewing Co. in Cooper-Young, and Wiseacre are among more than 4,000 microbreweries across the country producing craft beer. That's a 2015 number; it's a good bet that in 2016 the number will pass the historical high of 4,131 set in 1873.
Wiseacre has recently received good national press for Tiny Bomb, an American Pilsner that made Playboy's list of "The 10 Best Beers from the Deep South" and one of Men's Journal's "100 Best Beers in the World."
"We've been looking for fun things to celebrate our 175th anniversary, and we thought, 'Wouldn't it be great to have our own beer?'" said Stephanie Boggins, vice president of sales and marketing at The Commercial Appeal.
Phone calls were made, meetings were held, and then everyone was in a room watching the start of the brewing process.
The company was selected to brew the CA's beer because of its reputation and its tasting room, which is where the party will be held next Friday; the beer will be ready to go April 19 after three weeks of fermentation.
Other local breweries continue to grow. While Memphis Made and High Cotton are available only on tap, Ghost River also bottles its beer. The company has recently introduced a new IPA with a new logo: a well head, and a name that takes it back to where it all started:
1887.
Men Not Machines release party Starts at 4 p.m. Friday, April 22 at Wiseacre Brewing Co., 2783 Broad Ave. Free admission. Prizes will be awarded through the party, and the first 100 people to buy the beer receive a commemorative glass.
October 29, 2015 - Lorenzo Clark, 36, stands during a hearing at the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center. Clark was sentenced to 51 months in prison Friday for gun violations in connection with the 2015 fatal shooting of off-duty Memphis police officer Terence Olridge in Cordova. (Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal)
By Katie Fretland of The Commercial Appeal
A man charged in connection with the fatal shooting of an off-duty Memphis police officer in Cordova was sentenced Friday to 51 months in prison in a federal gun case.
His wife, Natalie Clark, was sentenced to 12 months and one day for providing a Glock to Lorenzo Clark.
Clark and the officer, Terence Olridge, exchanged gunfire at about 12:50 p.m. on Oct. 11 before Olridge left for his shift at the Airways police precinct. Olridge was fatally shot with a Glock 9mm gun. Clark, the officer's neighbor, surrendered later at his home in the 2700 block of Long Shadow.
Clark was indicted on federal charges of illegally possessing the Glock, a Colt rifle and an Escort 12-gauge shotgun after having a felony conviction.
A large amount of ammunition was also recovered.
"The defendant had an arsenal," Assistant U.S. Attorney Marques Young said Friday.
Clark was not charged with killing the officer, and there appeared to be evidence that Clark shot the officer in self-defense, defense attorney Bill Massey said in October. Then-Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong said in a news conference Oct. 13 there was not enough evidence to substantiate other charges.
"At this point I don't expect any charges to be brought forth," Young said Friday.
Clark pleaded guilty in January to possession of the Glock. The other gun charges in the federal indictment were dismissed Friday. Clark was charged in state court with being a felon in possession of a handgun, but that charge was dropped in November as the federal case continued.
Both the families of the officer and Clark were present in court Friday.
The officer's sister, Kimberly Woods, addressed Clark telling him, "You are a coward."
She said Clark took away her brother.
"He has completely destroyed my family," she told the court.
Clark's mother, Carolyn Wallace, was distraught after he was sentenced to more than four years.
"They took my son," she said. "They took my son away."
"(Olridge) was the one that shot at my son first," Wallace said.
Natalie Clark, was charged with providing three guns to her husband and pleaded guilty in January to providing the Glock to Clark. The charges relating to the other guns were dismissed Friday at sentencing.
Woods testified at Natalie Clark's sentencing hearing, saying that Natalie Clark should be held more accountable than her husband. She said Natalie Clark had responsibility for purchasing the guns.
"My brother would still be alive today," Woods said.
Natalie Clark's attorney, Blake Ballin, said she has no criminal history and has been a loving mother and wife.
"Ms. Clark would never do anything like this again," Ballin said.
She has been a hardworking person employed since age 14, Ballin said. She has done clerical work and has medical assistant skills. Guns were part of her life growing up in Texas, and she had guns around her house for her own safety, Ballin said.
By Yolanda Jones of The Commercial Appeal
Marshall D. Smith, the off-duty Memphis police officer who shot and killed a man during a child custody exchange last Sunday initially flunked out of the police academy for academic reasons, personnel records released Friday reveal.
He also had two excessive force complaints filed against him in 2012 and 2015, according to Internal Affairs records. Neither charge was sustained and no charges were filed against him.
Smith, 36, is assigned to the North Main precinct on the Alpha Shift and has been a police officer with Memphis since 2009. He has been on leave with pay since he fatally shot Luis Soto, 29. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation authorities said Smith was accompanying his fiancee to the Shell gas station at 1781 Getwell Road to drop off the woman's 4-year-old daughter with the girl's father.
An altercation occurred and authorities said Smith shot and killed Soto. A gun was found near Soto's body, but it is not known if he fired it.
It is also not known if Smith, who was off-duty at the time of the 10 p.m. shooting, used his police-issued weapon during the shooting.
This incident is the third officer-involved fatal shooting in Memphis this year.
Personnel records show Smith was "separated" from the police academy in Dec. 29, 2008 because he failed to score the required 75 percent minimum passing score on two exams. Recruits can reapply to the police academy immediately but face a year of probation, said MPD analyst Nedra Dandridge.
Records show Smith's probation ended Oct. 29, 2010.
In Smith's Internal Affairs records, there were two excessive force complaints filed against the officer during his seven-year career.
The first complaint was filed by Mario Woods on Dec. 21, 2012 when Smith was working in the South Main precinct which includes Beale Street and downtown Memphis.
In the complaint, Woods alleged that Smith sprayed him with mace, kicked and hit him with a baton when he tried to get the car keys from his friend who was being arrested by officers for disorderly conduct.
Woods said that he was then falsely arrested by police and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and public intoxication.
In his statement, Officer Smith told investigators that Woods "smelled of alcohol" and was "aggressive" when he approached him.
Investigators found that there were inconsistencies in both the officer's statement and the suspect's statement and the charges against Smith were not sustained.
Three years later on June 19, 2015, another man, Demetrius Brady, the son of a Memphis police officer, filed the second excessive force complaint against Smith.
Brady said he was with friends on Second and Beale when he said Smith pushed his head into the pavement and hit him in the face while he was on the ground handcuffed. Other officers were present, but Brady alleged Smith was the one who assaulted him.
According to the incident report, officers said when they arrived on the scene Brady was loud and aggressive shouting, "Ya'll gonna have to fight me to take me to jail."
Smith told investigators that Brady was intoxicated and cursed at officers. Smith said he never hit the man in the face or slammed his head into the pavement. Investigators found that the charges were not substantiated.
"Based on the facts of the case, the preponderance of evidence was unable to prove or disprove that Officer Marshall Smith was in violation of the stated excessive force/unnecessary force allegation against Demetrius Brady," investigators said in Smith's Internal Affairs file. "Therefore, the allegation is not sustained."
Police officers leave the campus of Tennessee State University early Friday in Nashville. Authorities say one person was killed and three were wounded in a shooting Thursday night at an outdoor courtyard. A campus spokesperson said the person killed wasn't enrolled at the school.
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By Natalie Neysa Alund, The Tennessean
NASHVILLE It's been nearly half a year since gunmen opened fire on the campus of Tennessee State University, injuring three students and killing a 19-year-old Memphis man.
Cameron Selmon, who went by "Lil Cam" and attended Southwest Tennessee Community College, died in a barrage of bullets during the Oct. 22 school shooting that also injured three TSU students. And although the night-time shooting was captured on video, the unidentified shooting suspects remain at large.
"It's still heartbreaking to not have answers after almost six months, knowing somebody knows (who shot him)," Selmon's mother, Stacie Payne, told reporters during a news conference at Metro police's North Precinct. "We understand 50-plus people were out there that night, and no one will come forward."
Metro police say the shooting stemmed from an argument over a dice game that escalated into a physical fight and then gunfire. It took place in the courtyard by the Floyd-Payne Campus Center. One or more of those bullets fatally struck Selmon, police said.
On the night he died, a campus security camera caught the gunmen firing into a crowd. Bullets struck Selmon and also hit three freshmen women who were passing the courtyard at the time.
A bullet grazed one woman who refused treatment, police said. The other two were transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where they were treated and released.
As a result of the investigation, which includes 100-plus hours working the case and following up on numerous tips to Crime Stoppers, Metro police detective Melody Saxton said two individuals have been developed as likely suspects.
But Saxton said police need witnesses to come forward.
"Usually, you don't have that many witnesses," Saxton said. "You would think someone (would) want to come forward. I don't know if it's fear of retaliation. Some people don't want to be seen as a snitch. I understand your fear, but this was an 18-year-old kid with no criminal history simply hanging with friends on campus that night."
"So please don't think about snitching," Payne added. "Please refer to it as surviving. Helping somebody else survive. Helping another mom not have to bury a child or have a family lose a child."
A $15,000 reward is being offered for info leading to the identity of the gunmen in the fatal TSU campus shooting case. #CameronSelmon
Anyone with info on the TSU shooting is asked to call Saxton at 615-862-7805 or Metro police investigations at 615-862-7901.
February 5, 2016 - Jessica Peterson, cofounder of the Warren Apartments Tenant Association, right, spreads the news that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was forcing Global Ministries Foundation to relocate all of the residents living in the Warren Apartments while Cynthia Crawford, cofounder of the Warren Apartments Tenant Association, left, is interviewed on the local news. (Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal)
By Maria Ines Zamudio of The Commercial Appeal
The Housing Assistance Payment contract that Global Ministries Foundation lost for Warren and Tulane apartments will remain in Memphis, said Ed Jennings, regional director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The funding will be transferred to other properties in Memphis and the suburbs. Jennings said the federal housing agency will schedule meetings with developers and local officials to find responsible landlords. The contract, which provides funding for low-income housing, can be split up in to several different buildings, he said.
"We have made the decision to keep that funding availability in Memphis," he told The Commercial Appeal Friday. "That's a big step. But we won't keep it at Warren and Tulane, let me be clear about that."
After HUD pulled funding from GMF in February for failing to provide quality housing at Warren and Tulane, local leaders and housing activists said they were concerned about losing hundreds of federally subsidized units in Memphis.
There are about 448 units in both properties. Jennings said HUD is willing to separate the contract for multiple landlords.
"We can break that grouping down into smaller chunks, so if one property wanted to have as low as 50 units we could do that," he said.
Jennings said this new opportunity will help de-concentrate areas of poverty. Warren and Tulane tenants will be able to find housing outside Memphis, in places like Germantown or higher end communities, he said. Similar opportunities will be available for the relocation of the HAP contract that was previously attached to those two properties.
"We would like to be able to give the citizens of Memphis the opportunity to go to communities of opportunity where there are better schools, better access to health care, transportation a better quality of life. That's going to be an opportunity to come out of this as well," he said.
Jennings said the Memphis Housing Authority will start distributing 355 vouchers to residents at Warren on April 29 and Tulane on May 3. After receiving the vouchers, tenants will have up to 60 days to find a new place to live.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said he was pleased with HUD's decision.
"We are grateful that HUD is willing to keep the contract in the city," Strickland said. "We will continue to work with all partners to assist residents of the Warren and Tulane apartments."
Brad Watkins, executive director Mid-South Peace and Justice Center, said he was "ecstatic" about the decision. Watkins' organization has been advocating for tenants at Warren and Tulane, but also had advocated to keep federally subsidized low-income housing.
"We were concerned about being able to keep the same level of affordable housing (in Memphis)," he said. "It's great news for all of us."
Tenants also can take the vouchers outside Memphis. HUD will pay for relocation up to 50 miles, Jennings said.
So far, three tenants haven't qualified for vouchers, he said.
April 14, 2016 - Rev. Ralph White, chairman of CLERB, leads the board's first meeting and hears its first case since the City Council expanded its powers. (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal)
By Ryan Poe of The Commercial Appeal
The civilian board tasked with reviewing possible Memphis police misconduct all for the stated goal of being more transparent on Thursday closed its meeting to the public in what City Council attorney Allan Wade said was a "clear" violation of open meetings law.
In its first hearing since 2011, the recently revamped Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board deliberated privately for more than an hour on a 2015 excessive force complaint, closing the meeting on the recommendation of board member Bruce Kramer, an attorney partner at law firm Apperson Crump.
In closing the meeting, Kramer cited the ordinance that created CLERB, which says in its online version that the board must close the meeting for deliberations. When a Commercial Appeal reporter objected to the meeting being closed, Kramer said he was an open meetings law expert and threatened to have the reporter escorted out of the room by police.
After the meeting, Kramer compared the board's deliberation to a jury deliberation which is exempted from the state's Open Meetings Act and said the board must follow the ordinance as written.
"If our ordinance is contrary to the state law, then it's up to the City Council to amend our ordinance," he said.
Wade said the wording Kramer cited was either in the ordinance by error or should be amended out to avoid contradicting the Open Meetings Act, which requires public boards to meet openly unless members are discussing pending or potential litigation.
Wade said he thought the ordinance was changed after he wrote an opinion in July that state law trumps a city ordinance.
"If I had been there, (the meeting) wouldn't have been closed," he said.
Wade said he will review the ordinance to determine if a correction is needed, and said he will recommend that CLERB reconvene the meeting to reiterate what was said in deliberations. City Council member Worth Morgan, a member of the board who was at the meeting, said he would also look at possibly changing the ordinance to make clear that the meetings should be transparent for the public.
"I want to make what we do as fair and open a process as possible," he said.
CLERB didn't take any action on the case, which was filed by Larry Brown. Before the meeting was closed, Brown and his daughter testified that a Memphis officer pulled him off of his porch, dragged him across his yard and slammed him on the hood of a squad car because Brown wouldn't let the officer wake up his sleeping wife to notify her that their son needed to be picked up from Juvenile Court.
CLERB delayed further deliberation until it could review additional records about the case, including Juvenile Court documents.
Deborah Fisher, executive director for the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, said CLERB had opened itself up to a lawsuit or a state complaint by closing the meeting.
"It appears the whole purpose in creating this review board was to create more transparency, particularly into police shootings," she said. "It's not transparent to go behind closed doors."
SHARE The Commercial Appeal files Three times around this hand makes 15, and that's the number of clubs Hillman Robbins Jr. had when he started the first round of the Tennessee Open golf tournament on April 15, 1955, at Chickasaw Country Club. Robbins called the infraction on himself and took the disqualification. He then played along with the gag for the photographer.
April 15
25 years ago: 1991
VICKSBURG, Miss. The Delta Queen moved up the Yazoo River from its confluence with the Mississippi at noon Sunday, a long blast from its whistle echoing off the bluff, followed by two short blasts, another long blast, then two more short ones. The sound brought back boyhood memories, said author and Civil War historian Shelby Foote, standing with several other passengers on deck. It was a special moment but a typical one in a way, too, as the 285-foot stern-wheeler steamed along on the second day of a Mississippi River cruise not quite like any cruise it has taken before. One hundred seventy-six passengers, most paying $2,000 to $3,550 each for the privilege, are traveling from Helena, Ark., to New Orleans on a luxury trip christened "A Mississippi Voyage," sponsored by the Center for the Study of Southern Culture.
50 years ago: 1966
NASHVILLE State officials were elated Thursday with an apparent low base bid of $7,970,000 on construction of the new West Tennessee Hospital and School for the Retarded at Arlington. State architect Clayton Dekle flashed a broad smile after the bid opening and said, "Good shape." Thursday's apparent low bidder was Warrior Constructors of Houston. After last year's unexpectedly high bid, Dekle and the architects for the project Mann and Harrover and Eason, Anthony, McKinnie & Cox went to work to trim off extras and substitute, in many cases, less expensive materials for more costly ones.
75 years ago: 1941
ATLANTA Southern educators, facing the problem of equalizing white and Negro teachers' salaries in compliance with a recent Supreme Court ruling, concluded at a meeting here Monday that Federal aid was the only solution.
100 years ago: 1916
Miss Istalina and Mr. Dudley Ransom entertained delightfully last evening with an informal dancing party in their home on Harbert Avenue in honor of the members of the Younger Set Club.
125 years ago: 1891
The largest crowd that ever assembled at Montgomery Park, and probably the largest ever seen on a Southern race course, saw Vallera win the Tennessee Derby yesterday. Estimates ranged from 7,000 to 10,000.
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By Ron Maxey of The Commercial Appeal
A Tupelo, Mississippi, woman on her way to work in Memphis died Thursday evening after her vehicle collided with two tractor-trailers on Interstate 22 near Olive Branch.
Olive Branch Police on Friday identified the victim as Andriana Hall, 20.
According to police, Hall was traveling west on I-22, formerly U.S. 78, when she lost control and collided with the two tractor-trailers north of the Miss. 305 intersection. Hall was pronounced dead at the scene, but the two tractor-trailer drivers were not injured.
The police statement said there was no evidence of drugs or alcohol, but heavy rain at the time is suspected as a contributing factor.
No criminal or traffic charges are expected, but an investigation by the Olive Branch Police Department crash team is ongoing.
Hall was a student at Rust College in Holly Springs.
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Charlotte T. Smith
Memphis
The new motto of the Shelby County Schools Board to get funding is Students Deserve More. I totally agree, but our students also deserve a school board that makes sound academic and financial decisions on their behalf.
The recent suggested budget cuts for the next school year only affect the students. Why use scare tactics like eliminating CLUE, cutting special-education programs, cutting foreign language, guidance counselor positions, or cutting Innovation Zone hours to anger parents enough to contact county commissioners in order to fully fund your padded budget for schools?
Since the SCS board boasts of being transparent, why not consider board personnel taking a 10 percent pay cut; close your exclusive board cafeteria (brown bag it); or eliminate board positions (staff walking over each other doing nothing)?
Is the SCS security directors pay still more than that of the Memphis police director? How many satellite buildings does SCS need to be operational? Why purchase iPads for pre-K babies? Can some of those SCS satellite buildings be closed and space utilized at the central office?
A panelist on Informed Sources recently said that the SCS operating budget is more than both the city and county governments operating budgets combined.
SCS must be more accountable for its spending. If money was spent properly, SCS would not have the majority of its schools in the lower 10 percentile. The more the commissioners give them, the more SCS will continue to waste.
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By Mark Davis
The air hangs thick with hypocrisy and selective outrage as some Americans seek through their state legislatures to enact measures to balance LGBT interests and individual religious liberty.
The North Carolina measure that left Bruce Springsteen morally unable to belt out "Born to Run" for his Greensboro fans is the picture of compromise. Yet, once again, the left concludes that it has the market cornered not just on basic rights, but also on human decency.
For the record: North Carolina's House Bill 2 does indeed prevent men from entering women's bathrooms. But for those repelled by this, it also provides for reasonable accommodations such as single-occupancy facilities, and it even opens the doors for transgender people who have invested in their journey sufficiently to have their sex changed on their birth certificates. Private businesses, of course, are free to accommodate as they wish.
And this drives Springsteen out of the Tar Heel State? I will back off my opinion of him as a posturing fool when he refuses to cash two monster checks in mid-June from stadium shows in Germany, where gay marriage is illegal. And does anyone doubt that "The Boss" would gladly follow the Rolling Stones into Cuba, rolling out "Dancing in the Dark" in a land where basic liberties are trampled ever day? Spare me his hand-wringing about the evils of his fellow Americans standing up for their religious liberties.
Disagreements over these boundaries are fine. Different states will do different things. What is absurd is the holier-than-thou strutting of rock stars and businesses getting the vapors as if these states had reinstated slavery.
I'd like to hear from PayPal, a company choosing to deny jobs to North Carolinians, about their headquarters in Singapore, where same-sex acts behind closed doors carry a two-year jail term. Then we can hear about the business they are happy to do in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates, where the transgender community is not as worried about getting into the proper bathroom as they are about staying out of prison.
If these mouthy objectors want to talk the talk, let's see them walk the walk. That won't be happening. It's a lot easier to bail on one concert out of 50 on a tour, or move a business out of a state or two, than it is to draw these opportunistic lines in the sand with honesty and consistency.
Meanwhile, in Texas, citizens seeking the type of protections approved in Houston last year will be slandered as bigots. Chief executives like PayPal's Dan Schulman will wring their hands about such efforts while rolling in money from operations in regimes punitive toward the very existence of the people they seek to champion.
And stories will continue to malign these efforts as "anti-gay" incursions on rights. Some rights debates are a two-sided coin; North Carolina, Mississippi and perhaps additional parts of Texas will seek to stand up for the "rights" of women who do not wish to worry if a biological man is in the next stall.
And again, these are debates than can properly play out, state by state, city by city. But the vilification heaped upon people for not taking the current day's favored side is an act of shameless political bullying.
The good news is that every chapter of this drama features people doing what they have a right to do. States may enact religious freedom measures or not, rock stars and companies may hyperventilate or not, and boycott people they disagree with or not. And those people are then free to decide whether they ever wish to do things like use PayPal or hear "Hungry Heart" ever again.
Mark Davis is a radio host in Texas and a columnist for the Dallas Morning News. Contact him at markdavisshow@gmail.com.
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By Paul Waldman
If you've spent any time inside the conservative information bubble, among the things you know is that not only did Hillary Clinton commit all manner of nefarious crimes with relation to the emails she sent and received as secretary of state, but she will be indicted for those crimes soon, and that indictment will throw the 2016 to the Republican presidential nominee. If you inhabit the world outside that bubble, you may know that the chances of such an indictment are infinitesimal.
But conservatives hold on to the possible indictment like a life raft amid swelling seas, the one thing that can save them from the horror of a Clinton presidency.
So it was that when President Barack Obama agreed to be interviewed by Fox News Sunday for last week's broadcast, host Chris Wallace had to get him to weigh in on the matter. Obama's answer was pretty much what you would have expected, but it was the panel discussion afterward that was most revealing. Here's how Obama answered Wallace's first question:
"I've got to be careful because, as you know, there have been investigations, there are hearings, Congress is looking at this. And I haven't been sorting through each and every aspect of this.
"Here's what I know: Hillary Clinton was an outstanding secretary of state. She would never intentionally put America in any kind of jeopardy.
"And what I also know, because I handle a lot of classified information, is that there are there's classified, and then there's classified. There's stuff that is really top secret top secret, and there's stuff that is being presented to the president or the secretary of state, that you might not want on the transom, or going out over the wire, but is basically stuff that you could get in open source."
Wallace then pressed Obama on whether he would exercise any influence over the investigation, and he guaranteed (multiple times) that he wouldn't. Although Obama's answer might not be all that revealing to the uninitiated, he actually touched on the most critical questions with regard to an indictment.
First, the classified material in question was not marked classified at the time it was sent and received; it was only afterward that the intelligence agencies retroactively classified it, which is critical to any legal case against Clinton. Second and most important, in order to be charged with the crime of mishandling classified information, the person has to knowingly and intentionally make the information available to someone who doesn't have authorization to receive it, or act with such extraordinary negligence that it would inevitably fall into the wrong hands.
So for instance, David Petraeus got charged because he showed top secret documents to his mistress (and then lied to the FBI about it). But there's no evidence Clinton did anything even remotely similar. That's why, when Politico's Josh Gerstein examined prior cases similar to this one, he concluded that an indictment is highly unlikely. As Gestein writes:
"The relatively few cases that drew prosecution almost always involved a deliberate intent to violate classification rules, as well as some add-on element: An FBI agent who took home highly sensitive agency records while having an affair with a Chinese agent; a Boeing engineer who brought home 2,000 classified documents and whose travel to Israel raised suspicions; a National Security Agency official who removed boxes of classified documents and also lied on a job application form."
The only person with something resembling expertise in this area Gerstein could find who would say Clinton ought to be indicted was the increasingly loathsome Rudy Giuliani, whose opinion on matters like this is worth about as much a ticket to one of his inspirational speeches.
Just to be clear, I'm not defending Clinton's decision to set up her own email server. That was a violation of departmental policy, and she shouldn't have done it. But that's very different from saying it was a crime, or even that it jeopardized national security in some way. (There's been no evidence that Clinton's server was hacked or that anyone even tried to hack it, unlike the State Department's own systems, which are constantly targeted by hackers.)
But if you're a Republican pundit, you know that the idea of Hillary Clinton being led away in handcuffs is just too tantalizing for your audience to resist. And so when the Fox News Sunday panel (consisting of two conservative Republicans and two objective reporters, which is their idea of balance) had the chance to weigh in, the conservatives Karl Rove and George Will expressed the proper degree of faux outrage at Obama. What's most interesting about their comments is that neither one of them even tried to make a case that Clinton should be indicted. Instead, they both brought up former IRS official Lois Lerner, to argue that the Obama Justice Department engages in cover-ups of criminal behavior. They implied, without saying outright, that the Justice Department would never issue indictments that would damage Democrats (such as Hillary Clinton).
For the most part, the Clinton email story has been a disappointment to Republicans. They were desperately hoping that the emails would reveal some kind of ghastly malfeasance on Clinton's part, some smoking gun that would make all Americans realize that she should never be elected president. When that turned out not to be the case, they pinned their hopes on the idea that she would just have to be charged with a crime eventually. I have no doubt that people like Will and Rove now understand that that isn't going to happen either.
But having gone this far, they need to keep up appearances, and they also know that just talking about her emails serves to convince people that something scandalous must have happened. So they are laying the groundwork to argue, if and when she doesn't get indicted, that it must only be because Barack Obama's corrupt administration quashed the investigation and hid the truth from the public.
And down where the conservative rank and file get their information the talk radio rants, the right-wing blogs, the breathless chain emails these two contradictory ideas are both widely circulated. Clinton is about to be indicted, and Clinton won't be indicted because the fix is in. The assumption in either case is that of course she committed crimes, even if no one can say exactly what they were.
Because she's Hillary Clinton, right? What more do you need to know?
Paul Waldman is a contributor to The Washington Post's Plum Line blog.
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By Rekha Basu
Even the tired cliche about the pot calling the kettle black couldn't adequately capture the irony when Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, last week accused Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts of fueling partisanship around the judiciary.
"Physician, heal thyself," Grassley said, admonishing Roberts in a speech.
Picking a fight with the Republican-appointed chief justice marks a bizarre twist in the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman's refusal to consider a nominee to fill an opening on the court while President Barack Obama is in office.
Grassley's remarks were in reference to a speech the chief justice had given shortly before Justice Antonin Scalia's death. Roberts observed that the public wrongly believes that justices see themselves as Republicans or Democrats. Grassley shot back that perception is not because, as Roberts had contended, the confirmation process has been so politicized, but because, "the justices' decisions are often political and transgress their constitutional role."
"In fact," Grassley continued, "many of my constituents believe, with all due respect, that the chief justice is part of this problem. They believe that a number of his votes have reflected political considerations, not legal ones."
Far be it from me to defend Roberts' voting record on the court, which included the disastrous 2010 Citizens United decision allowing corporations to spend unlimited amounts to influence election outcomes in the name of free speech. Roberts also authored the dissenting opinion in the 2015 court ruling that upheld same-sex marriage rights. He even blasted his fellow justices over it at the time, declaring: "Today, five lawyers have ordered every state to change their definition of marriage. Just who do we think we are?"
Since his appointment by President George W. Bush in 2005, Roberts has also voted against the use of race-conscious admission policies to achieve school desegregation; against student free-speech rights when drug use is being advocated; to strike down an animal cruelty law; to require that colleges that receive any federal funding must allow military recruiters on campus, and to uphold the partial birth abortion ban. A liberal he isn't.
"After four years on the Court " wrote The New Yorker's Jeffrey Toobin in 2009, "Roberts's record is not that of a humble moderate but, rather, that of a doctrinaire conservative."
But not according to Grassley, for whom Roberts' cardinal sin must have been voting to uphold Obama's Affordable Care Act. Grassley last week accused the court of drifting from the "constitutional text" and ruling on such hot-button issues as "freedom of religion, abortion, affirmative action, gun control, free speech, and the death penalty," based on individual policy preferences. And he blamed that primarily on justices appointed by Democrats.
Declaring that all the liberal justices were appointed by Democrats, and the conservative and swing justices by Republicans, Grassley said: "There are four justices who vote in a liberal way in effectively every case the public follows. There are two justices who stick to the constitutional text and who vote in a consistently conservative way. One justice votes mostly, but not always, in a conservative way, and one justice votes sometimes with the conservatives and sometimes with the liberals."
It seems that for Grassley, only justices appointed by Republican presidents are capable of being impartial, because they "stick to the constitutional text." But even then, some can't be trusted because, like Roberts, they might occasionally drift from the conservative viewpoint. It's no secret that some justices appointed by Republican presidents have shifted to the middle in their votes over time. Sandra Day O'Connor is a good example. But instead of being traitors to the conservative cause, as Grassley sees them, maybe they've had their eyes opened to a contemporary world perspective on social realities. After all, the Constitution was written at a time when many current circumstances were not even contemplated.
Declaring that "tens of millions of Americans believe, correctly, that too many of the justices are imposing their views and not interpreting the law," Grassley called for a debate on the proper role of a Supreme Court justice, and "whether our current justices are adhering to their constitutional role."
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid fired back at Grassley the following day for having, in Reid's words, the audacity to accuse Roberts of being part of the problem. "I say to the senior senator from Iowa, Justice Roberts isn't the one who needs healing," he declared. By refusing to give a hearing to Obama's appointee, Judge Merrick Garland, "purely because he was nominated by a Democratic president," Nevada's Reid said, "Sen. Grassley has sacrificed the historic independence of the judiciary to do the bidding of the tea party and the Koch Brothers."
Grassley's delay in confirming a ninth justice to the Supreme Court has prevented it from making precedent-setting rulings in tied cases. Reid said "with only himself to blame," Grassley is "grasping for something, anything to get him off the hook."
I'm tired of Iowa getting a bad name for Grassley's antics, and annoyed that he invokes his constituents to justify his intransigent stance. He denies being partisan but blasts a Republican-appointed justice for moving to the center. What could be a better illustration of partisanship except maybe refusing to consider a Democratic president's appointee?
So, many of us in Iowa and elsewhere await the election, wondering how Grassley will get out of the corner he's painted himself into if a Democrat wins.
Rekha Basu is a columnist for the Des Moines Register
When Microsoft on Thursday (April 14) sued the U.S. Justice Department demanding more openness about data seizures, it made the case that its customers have the right to know when their data in the cloud is being examined. Retail IT execs need to watch this case very closely, since the massive data stores of merchants are a popular place for law enforcement to snoop. Just like Microsoft, retailers have much to fear from their customers seeing them as government agents.
For the government, finding out about every inquiry or purchase that was made by a consumer with a wide range of retailers is an effective way to establish intent.
Microsoft's argument is simple: The government can have the data, but insisting that Microsoft keep the request from its customers potentially forever is not necessary, as well as contrary to the U.S. Constitution.
"Microsoft brings this case because its customers have a right to know when the government obtains a warrant to read their emails and because Microsoft has a right to tell them," Microsoft says in the lawsuit. "Yet the Electronic Communications Privacy Act ('ECPA') allows courts to order Microsoft to keep its customers in the dark when the government seeks their email content or other private information, based solely on a 'reason to believe' that disclosure might hinder an investigation. Nothing in the statute requires that the 'reason to believe' be grounded in the facts of the particular investigation and the statute contains no limit on the length of time such secrecy orders may be kept in place."
In other words, Microsoft is arguing that government agents are using the "hinder an investigation" line as an excuse and that there is no meaningful limit. Investigators must use that excuse sparingly so that it doesn't lose its meaning. We have already seen this happen in retail with breach disclosure. Almost all state breach-disclosure rules offer an exemption if law enforcement thinks disclosure may possibly at some point impede their investigation. What investigator wouldn't say yes to that?
Microsoft concedes that there might be some cases where secrecy is needed, but it needs sharp limits, in terms of both use and length of time the secret must be maintained.
"There may be exceptional circumstances when the governments interest in investigating criminal conduct justifies an order temporarily barring a provider from notifying a customer that the government has obtained the customers private communications and data. But Section 2705(b) sweeps too broadly," Microsoft says in its filing. "That antiquated law (passed decades before cloud computing existed) allows courts to impose prior restraints on speech about government conduct the very core of expressive activity the First Amendment is intended to protect even if other approaches could achieve the governments objectives without burdening the right to speak freely."
Here's what this is really all about, and it's a critical retail issue: privacy. The U.S. Constitution makes no direct reference to privacy, which is why Microsoft is having to dance around its real point. (OK, its real point is that it wants to make more money from cloud services. I meant its pretend real point.) It wants the courts to recognize an implied privacy element to the Constitution. It wants the courts to place severe hurdles that law enforcement must clear before it uses subpoenas to access any private information on any resident it wants to investigate.
The point of disclosure is not a free speech issue per se for Microsoft. The point is that if consumers and business know that such data has been accessed or, even better, that such access has been requested then they have the ability to go to court and object. Today, there are, as a practical matter, no such hurdles. That has led to petabytes of data being examined with unlimited secrecy requirements.
For Microsoft, and many retailers, keeping silent about data exposures threatens to obliterate the trust that must exist between company and customer.
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.
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Drug for Hepatitis C therapy is expected to be made available to patients at an affordable price in the near future. The drug that would cost less than $300 is currently under generic trials and will be available for use in a year or two.
Hepatitis C is a disease caused by hepatitis C virus, contracted from one person to another through blood and bodily fluids. Hepatitis C infection can cause illness as mild as for few weeks to as severe as liver cirrhosis, cancer, and death. In most cases hepatitis C infection is symptomless while some people experience stomach pain, jaundice, nausea, fatigue and loss of appetite.
About 150 million people around the world are affected by hepatitis C and in the low-income countries, only people with severe illness get the required medical aid. The drugs specific for treating Hepatitis C are priced high by the US drugmakers Gilead, AbbVie and Merck and are not affordable to people from developing countries.
To resolve this issue, a combination of two Hepatitis C tablets ravidasvir and sofosbuvir are being made at an affordable price by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), a not-for-profit organization in collaboration with the Egyptian drug-maker Pharco Pharmaceuticals, according to The Guardian.
The DNDi that made an announcement on the project at the international liver congress in Barcelona said that clinical trials on combination treatment are about to be held in Malaysia and Thailand, the countries with varied genetic characteristics. DNDi also noted that one such trial was conducted in Egypt among 300 participants which yielded 100 percent success rate.
"Because of the high prices of new hepatitis C medicines, it has been almost impossible for governments to provide access to treatment at the necessary scale," said YB Datuk Seri Dr. S Subramaniam, Malaysian health minister. "We hope data from these studies will support our efforts to introduce this combination as soon as possible and scale up to reach all patients in need," he added.
The drug is expected to be made available within 12 months in Egypt and 18- 24 months in other countries. The combination drug therapy for Hepatitis C by Pharco would cost around $300 that translates to $3.50 per day, which is far lesser than the drugs marketed by US pharmaceutical giants.
"The collaboration between DNDi and the Ministry will cover Phase II and III clinical trials on combination therapy ravidasvir and sofosbuvir for Hepatitis C patients in Malaysia," said Health director-general Datuk Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah in a separate press statement, noted The Star Online. "The early part of the trials is to assess the new Hepatitis C treatment regimen," he added.
See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
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A controversial bill tackling on the physician-assisted suicide over in Canada has resurfaced and such could turn into a law if it passes the House of Commons and the Senate.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is backing the legislation, which carries a fresh set of conditions before doctors would be allowed to aid patients who are struck with enduring physical or psychological suffering.
The bill surfaced Thursday and carried the following conditions:
Be eligible for government-funded health care.
Be a mentally competent adult 18 or older.
Have a serious and incurable disease, illness or disability.
Be in an "advanced state of irreversible decline," with enduring and intolerable suffering.
Have a "reasonably foreseeable" natural death.
Aside from the conditions above, patients who indulge in physician-assisted suicide will need to get written requests from two independent witnesses while also undergoing more than one medical evaluation and a mandatory waiting period of 15 days via NPR.
The bill was originally thumbed down last year by Canadas Supreme Court, stating that the law denies people the right "to make decisions concerning their bodily integrity and medical care" and leaves them "to endure intolerable suffering," via a previous report from NPR.
The law was given a one-year deadline but with little progress (via the NY Times), an extension was granted when Trudeaus group took over. The deadline was moved to June.
The whole issue is personal to Trudeau who lost his father, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, back in 2000.
The current Canadian Prime Minister believes that his father would have preferred to pass away with dignity and seen as one of the reasons why he is pushing for the said bill via CBC Radio.
Should the bill be made into a law, Canada will join countries who allow certain forms of assisted suicide. Among the countries that allow such include Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany.
In America, only a couple of states like Oregon and Vermont allow physician-assisted suicide.
The bill is likely to invite stiff opposition from the ones who object to such a practice and people who feel that the law does not have the full right to grant people the right to take away their lives.
See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
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The legendary country singer, Glen Campbell, who was once rocking the world with his famous songs, rocked the world once again when he shared that he has an Alzheimer's during the first stages of the disease.
According to Huffington Post, Campbell still managed to perform after announcing his condition. Together with his daughter, Ashley and son, Shannon, they toured the country playing his songs. Their last performance was in Napa Valley. Now, Campbell's Alzheimer's disease took away his guitar skills.
Alzheimer's disease makes people forget everything such as names, address, skills, memories and even their loved ones. One of the questions about the disease is: why Alzheimer's patients lose memories?
The memories created by the brain are being registered in the part of the brain called the hippocampus. It will then send those memories into the brain storage, which retrieves the memory. The hippocampus is the first to get damaged when Alzheimer's starts. Since this part of the brain does not remember, it can't help in retrieving memories, shared AgingCare.
The memories gradually disappear as the Alzheimer's disease progresses. "The first thing that gets affected is the ability to take in new memories," explains Dr. Amanda Smith, M.D., medical director of the Byrd Alzheimer's Institute at the University of South Florida.
There are times that new memories do not have an emotional attachment, and these memories are stored in a different place other than memories. This makes the patient remember some events that happened 20 years but cannot remember the things happened 20 minutes ago.
As a result, a person with an Alzheimer's disease cannot learn new things as the hippocampus is not able to register new thoughts or send it to the storage units of the brain.
The patient's memory and thinking will be affected once the plaque starts to build up in the nerve cells of the brain. It causes confusion among people with Alzheimer's disease. They will then start losing the ability to organize thoughts or even remember the faces of the people close to them.
"It takes an emotional toll on the caregiver," explains Louise Kenny, LCSW, a bereavement counselor at Avow Hospice in Naples, Florida. "They grieve watching their loved one lose their memory."
Kenny stated that caregivers should educate themselves as much as possible to understand the disease. This will prepare themselves for the many phases of the Alzheimer's disease as it progress.
Meanwhile, Campbell is currently being treated at the National Memory Care Facility where he is being exposed to music therapy.
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A type of thyroid tumor which was considered as cancer for decades is now reclassified not cancer anymore. This reclassification, which was expected for quite a long time is believed to change the way how people look at it as well as the doctors' approach in terms of treatment.
The thyroid tumor which was referred to as "encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma," is now renamed as "noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features," or NIFTP. The word carcinoma which holds the meaning that the tumor is cancerous is now removed from the term, reported New York Times.
According to a study published in the journal JAMA Oncology, the reclassification of follicular thyroid carcinoma into noninvasive neoplasm would have an impact on the lives of tens of thousands of people in the US. There will be a huge difference in the way the tumor will be looked at and as well as the treatment plan is devised.
"This phenomenon is known as overdiagnosis," said senior investigator Dr Yuri Nikiforov, professor of pathology and director of Pitt's Division of Molecular and Genomic Pathology, according to Science Daily.
"To my knowledge, this is the first time in the modern era a type of cancer is being reclassified as a non-cancer. I hope that it will set an example for other expert groups to address nomenclature of various cancer types that have indolent behavior to prevent inappropriate and costly treatment," Nikiforov added.
The renamed tumor is a small lump in thyroid which is surrounded by a capsule of fibrous tissue. Though the nucleus appears like cancer, the cells are noninvasive and are not broken out of the capsule.
Since the tumor is encased and doesn't invade nearby tissues unlike their malignant counterparts, the removal of the thyroid gland for the purpose of treatment is declared unnecessary hereafter. As the thyroid is not removed, patients will not require the radioactive iodine therapy as well.
Following up thousands of patients with both non-invasive as well as malignant tumors for over ten years, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine observed that patients with encapsulated tumors had no recurrence once their tumors were removed. The individuals didn't seem to be in need of monthly and yearly check-ups as well.
"The cost of treating thyroid cancer in 2013 was estimated to exceed $1.6 billion in the U.S. Not only does the reclassification eliminate the psychological impact of the diagnosis of 'cancer,' it reduces the likelihood of complications of total thyroid removal, and the overall cost of health care," Nikiforov said.
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Prolonged use of drugs for treating ulcers, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and heartburns could relatively damage the kidney and even result in renal failure, reports a recent research. The study results have it that a group of drugs that are used to reduce the production of gastric acid may damage the kidneys extensively.
Researchers at the Clinical Epidemiology Center at the VA Saint Louis Health Care System and Washington University in Saint Louis noted that the widely used over-the-counter proton pump inhibitors (PPI) drugs could not only result in kidney damages but also lead to kidney failure in the long run, according to Medical Daily.
"The results emphasize the importance of limiting PPI use only when it is medically necessary, and also limiting the duration of use to the shortest duration possible," said the study's lead author Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, a professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, in a statement. "A lot of patients start taking PPIs for a medical condition, and they continue much longer than necessary."
The study supports the previous findings that established a link between the PPI and renal problems. According to the recent report, about 15 million Americans were prescribed PPI by the doctors in 2013 while access for many over-the-counter PPI drugs like Prilosec, Nexium, and Prevacid are easily available for everyone.
The researchers compared 170,000 new PPI users with 20,000 new histamine H2 receptor blockers user, from the information obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs national databases. The histamine H2 receptor blockers is another group of drugs widely used by people in the US to reduce gastric acid production.
It was observed after five years of follow up that 15 percent of individuals that took PPI were diagnosed with chronic renal problems whereas 11 percent of people using H2 receptor blockers were diagnosed positive for the same. While only 0.2 percent of individuals on PPI involved in the study developed end-stage kidney failure, the risk of developing the disease among PPI users was observed to be as high as 96 percent.
"Losing weight and avoiding eating high-fat foods and avoiding eating late at night can be very helpful," he said. "If you can, elevating the head of your bed on six to eight-inch blocks will really help a great deal," said Dr. Kenneth R. DeVault, president of the American College of Gastroenterology and chair of medicine at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, reported CBS News.
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Zika virus infection could be transmitted through anal sex, claims a recent report that confirmed the first sexually transmitted Zika virus case in Dallas.
According to the report from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Texas health officials on Zika virus infection, the first confirmed case in Dallas was sexually transmitted from one man to another, reported NBC News.
The unnamed man that contracted the infection is said to have had intercourse with another man who returned with Zika virus infection from Venezuela. The couple that has been in relationship for over ten years reportedly had sex the day the traveller returned to the country.
No virus was said to have found initially in the urine, semen and saliva samples collected by the doctors from both the men. However, after subjecting the samples through thorough investigation it was identified that the partner that travelled out of the country had sexually transmitted the disease to another.
"The second man had had a Zika virus infection and the only way he could have gotten it was from his sexual partner," says Dr. John Brooks, a medical epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and an author on the case report published Thursday by the CDC. "We know that most STIs can be transmitted through anal sex and oral sex as well as vaginal sex," says Brooks.
Since Zika virus is found to cause severe birth defects in children it is indispensible to know the cause and source of the infection. While now it is proven that Zika virus could be sexually transmitted from one person to another, CDC has advised pregnant women not to have unprotected sex with their partners that are suspected to have contracted the infection.
CDC also recommends pregnant women to refrain from having sexual relationship with partners that travelled to Zika virus-infected areas. However, it is not established clearly that the infection spreads from semen, any bodily fluid, say pre-ejaculate or saliva from the infected person could be responsible for the transmission of Zika virus infection.
"The take-home message is you have to consider any kind of intimate contact between an infected person with Zika and a non-infected person as a potential risk situation, regardless of gender," the Huffington Post quoted Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, as telling STAT, noted Australia News Network.
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Discrimination Against Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle Continues At IIT Madras
By APSC IITM
15 April, 2016
Countercurrents.org
On Commemorating the 125th Birth Anniversary of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC) had organized a seminar on 14th of April, in which Prof. Ram Punyani delivered a speech on "Liberating Ambedkars ideology from the religious nationalism at the IC & SR auditorium inside IIT Madras.
We had got the required approval from the IIT management for this event with some conditions likes not to issue flyers since it is menace to habitat. On 14th Shortly before the seminar could begin, the security personnel of around 7 who were at the entrance of the auditorium, refused to allow people who didn't have an IIT identity card as per order of Dean of student. Due to this many aspirants of Dr.Ambedkar who came in to hear Prof. Ram Punyani's speech were not able to attend the meeting and they were sent back with disappointment.
We talked to Dean of Student and Director, they replied this is an old rule outsiders are not allowed for Institute lectures in IITM. This is due to environmental reason. But nobody knows there exit such rule. This is not a case for any of such meeting seminars held inside the campus by any student groups. A recent seminar on Innovations driving the fourth industrial revolution by CEO of Switzerland based Robtic company, conducted inside the campus had members joining in from various corporate houses and none of them were denied entry (There is no identify card verifications). Similarly for seminars organized by the pro hindutva study circle the management is not posing any such restrictions. Recently on past January, members of vande matram group organized a lecture on critiquing contemporary indology studies by Rajive Malhotra also took place with many outsiders, there was not a single operating procedure applied with them. It is only for us that management is showing this discrimination blatantly with no second thought. Once again it has proved that the Institute is not operating for the cause of common people rather for corporate and Hindutva.
Right from the day we decided to have a seminar on Ambedkar's birth day, the management started creating hurdles and we crossed them one after the other. From compelling us not to conduct any cultural programme and restricting us from issuing pamphlets regarding the Institution did everything in its capacity to stop us. While issuing the pamphlets also, our study circle members were even threatened by a mob of more than 30 pro hindutva students were warned of severe consequences if we continue to spread the thoughts of Ambedkar. This was their last weapon that, not allowing outsiders for the talk, but more number of IIT students was participated and supported us. People from outside constantly argued with the security guards and with our faculty in charge to allow inside the hall, finally we decided to continue the speech outside of IC&SR auditorium. The speech continued there for more than hour and many of IIT students and outside members welcomed our move of conducting the speech outside the auditorium. It is very hard to digest that even during the 125th anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar, such discrimination continues and is sitting in the minds of the highly educated people of the institution.
This is not the single incident; we are suffocating like anything for conducting any such events from the date of commencing of APSC, the restrictions increased even a lot after the re recognition of APSC. APSC condemns the prejudiced, discriminatory and anarchy move of IITM administration towards curbing the activity of our team. We hope? The same activity of IITM admin will not occur in future atleast for the sake of the institutes reputation!!
APSC TEAM, IIT Madras
The Cuckoo That Won't Sing: Sustanaibility And Japanese Culture
By Ugo Bardi
15 April, 2016
Cassandra's Legacy
This is a version of a talk that I gave at the "Kosen Dojo" in Florence, Italy on March 26 2011. It is not a transcription, but a text written from memory where I try to maintain the style of a spoken presentation.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me say first of all that I gave many talks on energy and sustainability in my career, but this is the first time that I am giving one while sitting cross-legged on the floor on a Japanese mat, a tatami. But, let me add, it is a real pleasure to do it, and it is a special pleasure to give it in a dojo, under the portrait of Kano Jigoro, the founder of modern Judo. Indeed, I used to be a judoka myself, although I must say it is a while that I don't practice. So, this place reminds me a lot of Japan, where I had a very nice time when I lived there, years ago and, as you all know, the recent events in Fukushima have highlighted the problem of energy and sustainability both in Japan and in the whole world.
The Japanese have suffered more than anybody else as the result of the way we have mismanaged atomic energy. It is a sad story that of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in 1945. Perhaps some of you had a chance to visit those places - I visited both cities and I can tell you that the memory of those events is not something you can easily ignore. In comparison, the nuclear accident in Fukushima has been a small thing, of course. But it remains difficult for us - intended as humankind - to manage nuclear energy. Maybe it is just too big and complex for us to manage.
Anyway, let's not go into the pros and cons of atomic energy; it is not what I wanted to discuss with you today. Rather, I think you might be interested in discussing a little about Japanese culture. The very fact that we are all sitting on the floor on a Japanese tatami, means that Japanese culture is influencing us; just as it has influenced Western culture in many fields - just think of manga! So, what I would like to do today is to discuss what we can learn from Japan in terms of sustainability.
So, let me start with something about the history of Japan. You surely know of the early "Heian" or "Imperial" period that started long ago; it was the "classical" period of Japanese history. Then, the Heian age gave way to a period of civil wars; the sengoku jidai, the period of the Samurai. Many movies have shown it as a romantic age, but I am sure the people who lived in it didn't find it very romantic; it was a period of continuous wars and it must have been very hard for everyone. Anyway, that historical phase was over when Tokugawa Ieyasu emerged as the winner of the struggle and he became the shogun, the ruler of all Japan. That was around the year 1600 and it started the "Edo" period which was much quieter. The Edo period lasted until Commodore Perry arrived with his "black ships" in mid 19th century and that started the modern period.
Now, the two centuries and a half of the Edo Period are very interesting in terms of sustainability. It was not just a period of peace; it was also a period of a stable economy and of a stable populationNow, the two centuries and a half of the Edo Period are very interesting in terms of sustainability. It was not just a period of peace; it was also a period of a stable economy and of a stable population. Actually, that is not completely true, population increasing during the first part of the Edo period, but when it arrived at nearly 30 million, it stayed nearly constant for almost two centuries. I don't know of another society in history that managed such a period of stability. It was an example of what we call today "steady state" economy.
The reason why most societies can't manage to reach a steady state is because it is very easy to overexploit the environment. It is not something that has to do just with fossil fuels. It is typical of agricultural societies, too. Cut too many trees and the fertile soil will be washed away by rain. And then, without fertile soil to cultivate, people starve. The result is collapse - a common feature of most civilizations of the past. Jared Diamond wrote about that in a book of a few years ago; titled, indeed "Collapse".
Now, there is an interesting point that Diamond makes about islands. On islands, he says, people have limited resources - much more limited than on continents - and their options are limited. When you run out of resources, say, of fertile soil, you can't migrate and you can't attack your neighbors to get resources from them. So, you can only adapt or die. Diamond cites several cases of small islands in the Pacific Ocean where adaptation was very difficult and the results have been dramatic, such as in the case of Easter Island. In some really small islands, adaptation was so difficult that the human population simply disappeared. Everybody died and that was it.
And that brings us to the case of Japan; an island, of course, although a big one. But some of the problems with resources must have been the same as in all islands. Japan doesn't have much in terms of natural resources. A lot of rain; mostly, but little else and rain can do a lot of damage if forests are not managed well. And, of course, space is limited in Japan and that means that there is a limit to population; at least as long as they have to rely only on local resources. So, I think that at some point in history the Japanese had reached the limit of what they could do with the space they had. Of course, it took time; the cycle was much longer than for a small island such as Easter Island. But it may well be the civil wars were a consequence of the Japanese society having reached a limit. When there is not enough for everyone, people tend to fight but that, of course, is not the way to manage scant resources. So, at some point the Japanese had to stop fighting, they had to adapt or die - and they adapted to the resources they had. That was the start of the Edo period.
In order to attain steady state, the Japanese had to manage well their resources and avoid wasting them. One thing they did was to get rid of the armies of the warring period. War is just too expensive for a steady state society. Then, they made big effort to maintain and increase their forests. You can read something on this point in Diamond's book. Coal from Kyushu may have helped a little in saving trees, but coal alone would not have been enough - it was the management of forests that did the trick. Forests were managed to the level of single trees by the government; a remarkable feat. Finally, the Japanese managed to control population. That was possibly the hardest part in an age when there were no contraceptives. From what I read, I understand that the poor had to use mainly infanticide and that must have been very hard for the Japanese, as it would be for us today. But the consequences of letting the population grow unchecked would have been terrible; so they had to.
We tend to see a steady state economy as something very similar to our society, only a bit quieter. But Edo Japan was very different. Surely it was not paradise on earth. It was a highly regulated and hierarchical society where it would have been hard to find - perhaps even to imagine - such things as "democracy" or "human rights". Nevertheless, the Edo period was a remarkable achievement; a highly refined and cultured society. A society of craftsmen, poets, artists and philosophers. It created some of the artistic treasures we still admire today; from the katana sword to Basho's poetry.
So, the Japanese succeeded in creating a highly refined society that managed to exist in a steady state for more than two centuries. I think there is no comparable case in history. Why did Japan succeed where many other societies in history had failed? Well, I think that being an island was a major advantage. It shielded (mostly) Japan from the ambitions of their neighbors and also from the temptation that the Japanese might have had to invade their neighbors. And if you are not so terribly afraid of being invaded (and you have no intention of invading anyone) then you have no reason to have a big army and so no reason to increase the population. You can concentrate on sustainability and on managing what you have. Then, of course, when Commodore Perry and his black ships arrived Japan was not an island anymore; in the sense that it was not any longer isolated from the rest of the world. So growth restarted. But, as long as Japan remained isolated, the economy remained in steady state and, as I said, it was a remarkable achievement.
But I don't think that the fact of being an island explains everything about the Edo period. I think, that it would not have been possible without a certain degree of wisdom. Or, perhaps, a more correct term, in this case, is "sapience."
Wisdom or sapience is not something that you can quantify or attribute to specific persons. But I think that Japan as a whole had attained a certain degree of - let's say - "enlightenment." Please, understand that I am referring to the Edo Period. I know very well that, today, Japan is just as ugly as most places in the Western World - polluted, overcrowded and full of ugly buildings. But, during the Edo Period they had developed a way of looking at the world that we still admire today, that is - in my opinion - embodied in Japanese poetry: a marvel of lightness, of perception of the detail, of love for the delicate little things of the impermanent world. But not just poetry - think of Judo according to Kano sensei. It is a way of life - a philosophy, a way of gaining wisdom. Judo is a modern idea, of course, but it has its origins with the Edo period. As far as I understand, the Japanese attitude at that time was as far as possible from that monstrosity that we have today; that of the golem we call "homo economicus" who seriously thinks that a tree is worth nothing unless it is felled. If this is the way we see the world, we deserve to collapse and disappear. Wisdom cannot be a non-renewable resource, but we seem to have been able to run out of it, too.
So, out of Japanese wisdom, I think I would like to tell you a little story that has to do with the warring period, but that was surely invented during the gentler Edo Period. You probably know the names of the main leaders of the last phase of the civil wars in Japan: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Eventually, it was Ieyasu who became shogun and the leader of all Japan. About how he managed to do that, there is this story which exists in the form of a "senryu", a short poem. It says that one day Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Ieyasu got together and they saw a cuckoo bird that won't sing. So, Nobunaga said; "If it doesn't sing I'll kill it". But Hideyoshi said, "No; I'll convince it to sing" And Ieyasu said, "I'll wait until it sings"
I think this story is a nice illustration of how people of the Edo Period rationalized the events that led to their age. It says that the winning strategy is not violence and not even cunning. It is adaptation. The Japanese had understood that they could not force or cajole their island to behave the way they wanted - just as you can't force or cajole a cuckoo bird to sing. They had to adapt and they did. This, I think, is wisdom.
Now, one characteristic of wisdom is that it can be applied to different situations, different places, different times. Let's see how we can see this story in our age. Of course, we have big problems: not enough oil, not enough mineral resources, not enough water and not enough atmosphere to take in the results of burning oil. So, how do we react? Well, a little like Nobunaga. We tend to use violence and not just in terms of "oil wars". We try to force the earth to produce what we want. In a sense, it is like telling the bird "sing or I'll kill you". So, it is "drill, baby, drill" and we are willing do anything and use anything we can find in order to produce the liquid fuels we are convinced we absolutely need, even if we are going to destroy the land and the atmosphere. We are willing to build atomic plants, no matter what the risks involved and to do many other things to force the earth to produce what we think we need.
Then, there is a different attitude that looks more civilized. It is efficiency. It says that if we can convince people to use resources in more efficient ways, we can still have everything we are accustomed to have and save the earth, too. Fluorescent lamps and small cars surely look much better than the "drill baby drill" idea but, in the end, the concept is not so different in the sense that we are not willing to change in what we think we need. The American way of life remains not negotiable, apparently, just the way of obtaining it might be. It is a strategy that might even work - for a while, at least. But can we really find technological solutions to get all that we are accustomed to have - and for everyone? The recent case of the Fukushima disaster should have shown to us that we are not so smart as we think we are.
We have not arrived yet to the last part of the story; when we could discover that the winning strategy is neither forcing nor cajoling the earth to give more than it can give. The winning strategy is adaptation. We need to adjust our needs to what this planet can give us. It is what the Japanese did on their island and, after all, we are all living on an island, a gigantic, spherical, blue island floating in the blackness of space. It is up to us to manage the bounty that we can have from the earth and create something that could be as beautiful as the Edo Civilization in Japan; surely with better and softer ways of controlling population.
If the historical example of Japan counts for something, we may be heading in the right direction and the age of planetary civil wars may end one day or another. So, if we can wait long enough, one day we may hear the cuckoo sing.
Ugo Bardi teaches physical chemistry at the University of Florence, in Italy. He is interested in resource depletion, system dynamics modeling, climate science and renewable energy.
US Corporate Tax Cheats Hiding $1.4 Trillion In Profits In Offshore Accounts
By Patrick Martin
15 April, 2016
WSWS.org
A report issued Thursday by the British charity Oxfam found that the 50 largest US corporations are hiding $1.4 trillion in profits in overseas accounts to avoid US income taxes, much of it in tax havens like Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.
The biggest tax dodger is technology giant Apple, with $181 billion held offshore. General Electric had the second-largest stash, at $119 billion, enough to repay four times over the $28 billion GE received in federal guarantees during the 2008 Wall Street crash. Microsoft had $108 billion in overseas accounts, with companies like Exxon Mobil, Pfizer, IBM, Cisco Systems, Google, Merck, and Johnson & Johnson rounding out the top ten.
Overseas tax havens have been the focus of recent revelations about tax scams by wealthy individuals, based on the leak of the Panama Papers, documents from a single Panama-based law firm, Mossack Fonseca, involving 214,000 offshore shell companies. The firms clients included 29 billionaires and 140 top politicians worldwide, among them a dozen heads of government.
But the sums involved in corporate tax scams dwarf those hidden away by individuals. According to the Oxfam report, the offshore manipulations by the 50 largest US corporations cost the US taxpayer $111 billion each year, while robbing another $100 billion annually from countries overseas, many of them desperately poor.
The $111 billion a year in US taxes evaded would be sufficient to eliminate 90 percent of child poverty in America, effectively wiping out that social scourge. It is more than the annual cost of the food stamp program, or unemployment benefits, or the total budget of the Department of Education.
Oxfam timed the release of its report for the April 15 income tax deadline in the United States (actually Monday, April 18 this year), when tens of millions of working people must file their income tax returns or face federal penalties. Working people could face additional tax penalties of up to 2 percent of household income, to a maximum of $975, under the Obamacare individual mandate, if they have not purchased private health insurance.
There is a stark contrast between the IRS hounding of working people for relatively small amounts of moneybut difficult or impossible to pay for those on low incomesand the green light given to corporate tax cheats who evade taxation on trillions in income.
Federal Tax Paid vs Federal Loans, Bailouts, Loan Guarantees Received by 50 largest US companies 2008-2014
As Americans rush to finalize tax returns, multinational corporations that benefit from trillions in taxpayer-funded support are dodging billions in taxes, said Raymond C. Offenheiser, President of Oxfam America. The vast sums large companies stash in tax havens should be fighting poverty and rebuilding Americas infrastructure, not hidden offshore in Panama, Bahamas, or the Cayman Islands.
The Oxfam report, titled Broken at the Top, expresses concern that tax dodging by multinational corporationscontributes to dangerous inequality that is undermining our social fabric and hindering economic growth.
It continues: This inequality is fueled by an economic and political system that benefits the rich and powerful at the expense of the rest, causing the gains of economic growth over the last several decades to go disproportionately to the already wealthy. Among the most damning examples of this rigged system is the way large, profitable companies use offshore tax havens, and other aggressive and secretive methods, to dramatically lower their corporate tax rates in the United States and developing countries alike.
Oxfam collected figures available from the 10-K reports and other financial documents issued by the 50 largest US companies, covering the period since the Wall Street crash, 2008 through 2014, and presented them in an interactive table. The figures included total profits, federal taxes paid, total US taxes paid (including state and local), lobbying expenses, tax breaks, money held in offshore accounts, and benefits received from the federal government, including loans, loan guarantees and bailouts.
Among the most important findings:
* The top 50 companies made nearly $4 trillion in profits globally, but paid only $412 billion in federal income tax, for an effective tax rate of barely 10 percent, compared to the statutory rate of 35 percent.
* The 50 companies spent $2.6 billion to influence the federal government, while reaping nearly $11.2 trillion in federal support, for an effective return of 400,000 percent on their lobbying expenses.
* The overseas cash stashed by the 50 companies, nearly $1.4 trillion, is larger than the Gross Domestic Product of Russia, Mexico, Spain or South Korea.
* US multinationals reported 43 percent of their foreign earnings from five tax havens, countries that accounted for only 4 percent of their foreign workforce and 7 percent of foreign investment. All told, US companies shifted between $500 billion and $700 billion in profits from countries where economic activity actually took place to countries where tax rates were low.
* In the year 2012 alone, US firms reported $80 billion in profits in Bermuda, more than their combined reported profits in the four largest economies (after the US itself): China, Japan, Germany and France. This figure was nearly 20 times the total GDP of the tiny island country.
The Oxfam report also pointed to an estimated $100 billion in taxes evaded in foreign countries, many of them rich in natural resources extracted by such global giants as Exxon, Chevron and Dow Chemical. According to the report, Taxes paid, or unpaid, by multinational companies in poor countries can be the difference between life and death, poverty or opportunity. $100 billion is four times what the 47 least developed countries in the world spend on education for their 932 million citizens. $100 billion is equivalent to what it would cost to provide basic life-saving health services or safe water and sanitation to more than 2.2 billion people.
The report cited former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annans assessment that Africa loses more money each year to tax dodging than it receives in international development assistance.
Oxfam offered no solution to the growth of inequality and the systematic looting by big corporations that its report documents, except to urge governments around the world to close tax loopholes. The group also pleads with the corporate bosses themselves not to be quite so greedy. Neither capitalist governments nor the CEOs will pay the slightest attention. But the working class should take note of these figures, which provide ample evidence of the bankrupt and reactionary nature of capitalism, and the urgent necessity of building a mass movement, on a global scale, to put an end to the profit system.
Should Asia Pacific Lead The World With Robust Roadmap For Sustainable Development?
By Bobby Ramakant
15 April, 2016
CNS (Citizen News Service)
Although the governments of UN member countries had adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015, a lot more work needs to be done to deliver on these promises by 2030. Thirty-six Asia Pacific nations had met in Thailand for Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) but largely failed to agree with consensus on a regional roadmap to achieve these promises by 2030. The window of opportunity is not closed yet - Asia Pacific nations still can demonstrate leadership on implementing SDGs by agreeing on an ambitious plan to move forward.
Missed opportunity: 'Soi' map is not a Roadmap!
According to civil society representatives, the 36 governments who attended the APFSD managed to merely agree on a 'Soi' map! 'Sois' are small side-roads in Thailand, which more than often are hard to navigate and can lead to dead ends and roadblocks. "We are very disappointed that the substantive part of the APFSD's work, which is embodied in the Road Map, has been watered down, and will need further discussions and possible negotiations," said Ranja Sengupta of the Third World Network (TWN) and co-Chair of the Asia-Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (AP-RCEM). She added that while it was far from complete or perfect, the draft roadmap as it was initially presented "offered significant ideas in pursuing meaningful regional cooperation and evaluation, which would have been of great value to all countries, especially the developing and least developed countries, and countries and populations with special needs, as they set out to implement the 2030 agenda. The failure to include more substantive language into the outcome document represents a missed opportunity for our governments and our people across the region, and much of the headway made in recent years is being backpedalled."
Civil society representatives who attended the forum also noted their disappointment that the document lacks clear timeframes or details on processes that can produce a more meaningful regional blueprint for action on SDGs.
Nevertheless, civil society representatives are glad that governments have agreed on the APFSD as an annual forum and that it remains a multi-stakeholder, inclusive space for engagement, respecting the commitments made by the UN General Assembly at the Sustainable Development Summit in September last year. CSOs laud Sri Lanka, Australia and Indonesia who negotiated hard to keep the APFSD this way.
"Moving forward, as the Roadmap is finalized and decided in the coming months, civil society calls on governments to ensure this is an inclusive and transparent process and secure the involvement of the CSOs from across the region as an important step to attain broader ownership of the development agenda, said Marjorie Pamintuan of the Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN) and co-Chair of AP-RCEM. Methods employed by the Open Working Group to reach consensus on the SDGs can set a valuable precedent. Civil society also called to ensure that the forum report, particularly the Chair's Summary, include the summary of demands made by civil society in their statements.
"Asia Pacific civil society commits to continue engaging substantively and constructively in the APFSD, as well as in the development, implementation and monitoring of the Regional Roadmap as part of our contributions in making the 2030 agenda relevant to the lives of peoples in Asia Pacific. We, the CSOs in Asia and the Pacific, have raised the bar high for civil society engagement and have been following the process and building movements for development justice. We will make sure the voices of grassroots and people's movements are present in the discussions," said Wardarina of the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) and co-Chair of AP-RCEM.
Resolution 67/290 on the format and organisational aspects of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development clearly states the role of UN regional commissions to contribute to the work of the forum, including through annual regional meetings, with involvement of other relevant regional entities, major groups and other relevant stakeholders. The resolution also iterates on the participation of the major groups and other relevant stakeholders.
Bobby Ramakant serves as the Health Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS), is a WHO Director-General's WNTD Awardee and Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT) leader from India. Follow him on Twitter: @bobbyramakant
The Slow Bleed: Fukushima Five Years On
By Vincent Di Stefano
15 April, 2016
Countercurrents.org
Fukushima, Reactors 3 and 4
The melt down of three nuclear reactors at Fukushima in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami of 11th March 2011 seems to have quietly slipped out of our collective awareness - as quietly as the cauldrons of radioactive elements that were once within the active cores of the reactors invisibly bleed into the groundwaters and seawaters of the region. This event has become yet another minor detail in the distorted mosaic of ruin that mirrors the latter days of a civilisation in free-fall.
Arnie Gundersen is looking a little weathered these days. He has just returned from a five-week long speaking tour of Japan. He spent much of that time in the company of many whose lives have been indelibly seared by the Fukushima catastrophe. What he reports is unlikely to appear in the mainstream media, but such has ever been the case when it comes to the hidden machinations of big government and big business.
What Gundersen has to say is worth closely attending to. As a nuclear engineer, he has been deeply involved in the American nuclear industry for over four decades. He has a special interest in the design and safety of containment structures and holds a patent for a nuclear safety device. He has also managed and coordinated nuclear projects at 70 nuclear power plants in the US and is a former nuclear industry senior vice-president. He knows the industry well, particularly its toxic underbelly.
Arnie Gundersen served as an expert witness in the investigation of the 1979 Three Mile Island accident, and found that releases of radioactivity from that particular event were 15 times higher than the figures published subsequently in a government report. He is no stranger to the prevarication and deceit that have too often accompanied statements made by the nuclear industry and its government supporters.
Gundersen has been an active critic of the nuclear industry for over two decades. More recently, he has co-authored a Greenpeace International report on Fukushima. He was among the first North American commentators to speak publicly and forcefully on the implications of Fukushima in the days and weeks after the meltdowns. And since that time, he has been tireless in his efforts to provide an informed narrative of developments at Fukushima and their consequences for both the inhabitants of Japan and on the global community.
Arnie Gunderson reports that the Japanese Government continues to put the interests of Japanese banks and power companies ahead of the safety of its people. Within a short time of the Fukushima meltdowns in 2011, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) who were in power at that time arbitrarily raised the "acceptable" limits of radiation exposure twenty-fold: from 1 millisievert (mSv)/year - the maximum dose recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection - to 20 mSv/year. In 1998, over a decade beforehand, Rosalie Bertell presented the findings of a number of independent studies published in peer-reviewed journals, including the British Medical Journal and the Journal of the American Medical Association that showed unequivocally that radiation doses as low as 2.5 mSv/year were associated with significant increases in the incidence of leukaemias and myelomas, and cancers of the pancreas, lungs and female reproductive organs in nuclear industry workers.
As Japanese medical practitioners begin to encounter the effects of radiation exposure in their patients - particularly children - the government now refuses to pay doctors who record a diagnosis of radiation-induced sickness in their patients. This will come as no surprise to those who followed the actions of the Soviet government and later, the Russian, Ukraine and Belarus governments in their concerted suppression of medical reports dealing with the consequences of radiation exposure on the lives of their citizens after the Chernobyl meltdown.
Rearranging the Deck Chairs
Temporary housing for Fukushima evacuees
Over 100,000 people are still not able to return to their homes in Fukushima prefecture since the meltdowns. In a disturbing disclosure, Gundersen reveals that many of the evacuees have received virtually no information regarding the issue of radiation exposure either from the Japanese government or from TEPCO, the operators of the Fukushima power plant. The subsistence stipend that they have received since being evacuated will cease in March 2017. Considerable pressure is being put on former residents by the government that they now return to Fukushima and tough it out regardless of the ongoing contamination. Many have grave concerns regarding the effects of such a move on the future health of their families.
30 Million Bags of Radioactive Debris
Another remarkable aspect of the present situation concerns the manner in which highly contaminated materials - which include radioactive soil, leaves and other debris - have been dealt with. Thirty million tons of such debris has so far been gathered from throughout the Fukushima prefecture. Much of this is now stored in over 9 million large plastic bags scattered throughout the affected areas. Three years after being filled, the bags have started to disintegrate and nobody seems to know what to do next since their contents need to be kept isolated for at least another 30 years. One favoured option is to incinerate them. This would certainly decrease their number, but would inevitably result in the further dispersion of radioactive elements in aerosol form around Japan.
There are clearly some who still hold to the old but ultimately banal adage that, the solution to pollution is dilution.
Contaminated Water Storage Tanks at Fukushima
Dwarfing the problem of solid wastes is the ongoing leaching of radioactive elements from the melted reactor cores into groundwater and seawater. For the past five years, between 200 and 500 tons of groundwater flow through the reactors every day as a result of multiple cracks in the containment structures. Some of this water has recently been diverted away from the reactors, but an estimated 150 tons of groundwater continue to flow through the reactors daily. This irradiated water inexorably flows on, steadily bleeding into the northern Pacific. Furthermore, 700,000 tons of highly radioactive water salvaged from cooling operations since the meltdown is presently stored in massive tanks that now pepper the reactor site. More are being built as contaminated water continues to accumulate.
The Tragic Absurdity
It is common knowledge that engineers will be busy for the next 30 to 40 years in their efforts to put the lid on the cauldron of radioactivity that seethes in the reactor basements at Fukushima. Meanwhile, the Pacific tectonic plate continues its own inexorable movement beneath the continental Okhotsk plate on which Japan sits creating the conditions for future mega-thrust events like that which shook the region on 11th March 2011. The unspoken terror is that it could all turn again in the blink of an eye.
Despite what has happened at Fukushima, the Abe Government is determined to restart Japan's nuclear reactors that were all shut down after the 2011 earthquake. Widespread anti-nuclear protests throughout Japan have been ignored and three nuclear power plants in Kagoshima and Fukui prefectures have been restarted since August 2015. Over the next year, a further six to twelve reactors are slated to resume operations. Business reigns as usual.
There are many who proudly insist on riding the nuclear beast regardless of the human and environmental consequences. They insist that this is the way of the future and a "necessary" solution to the problems of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and an ever-accelerating movement towards numerous tipping points which include ocean acidification, loss of polar albedo effects due to melting of polar ice, and the bubbling up of vast new wells of methane gas from the melting of northern permafrost and sea-floor deposits. In the immortal words of Edwin Arlington Robinson, what folly is here that has not yet a name?
Arnie Gundersen's Report
The video clip below presents an interview between Arnie Gundersen and Margaret Harrington recorded soon after he returned from a recent speaking tour of Japan. The first 25 minutes of the interview offers deep insight into how the worst industrial accident in the history of humanity has affected the people of Japan, and how the Japanese government now increasingly serves the interests of power companies and their financial backers rather than those of its own people. Arnie Gundersen is unambiguously clear regarding the nature of what has gone down in Fukushima in this presentation. And the moral abandonment of both the Japanese government and TEPCO in the downplaying of the present and future consequences of the meltdown are not lost on him.
The second half of this clip offers a detailed review by Gundersen of the developments at Fukushima over the past five years. A separate high-definition version of the second segment can be accessed here.
Vincent Di Stefano is a retired educator and practitioner of natural medicine and author of Holism and Complementary Medicine. History and Principles (Allen and Unwin, 2006). He remains committed to exploring the nature of healing at personal, social, spiritual and environmental levels and maintaining a watching brief on the turbulent currents that course through the present times. He periodically posts on the blog-site Integral Reflections through which he can be contacted.
Poor G7 Just Cannot Disarm Yet!
By Andre Vltchek
15 April, 2016
Countercurrents.org
F15 overflying Kadena air base
They met in Hiroshima, Japan, in the first city on Earth that had been subjected to nuclear genocide. They were representing some of the mightiest nations on Earth: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States the so-called Group of Seven (G7). And at the end of their encounter, they called for a world without nuclear weapons.
I am talking about the foreign ministers of seven countries with the largest economies on Earth.
Read carefully the names of these countries, one by one! For decades and centuries, the world has been trembling imagining their armed forces and corporations. Lashes administered by their colonial rulers have scarred entire continents, tens of millions were enslaved, and hundreds of millions killed, billions robbed.
Even now, if we all listen carefully, we can clearly hear the victims screaming, in agony: the native people of Canada and United States, the colonized people of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. For centuries, the entire world has been in shackles, on its knees, humiliated, plundered and destroyed.
G7! How many billions of victims from all corners of the world, made those countries so grand?
To ensure that the pillage could continue uninterrupted, the West together with those honorary whites (a term that the South African apartheid regime invented exclusively for the Japanese people) created several aggressive and belligerent pacts, including NATO, calling them, of course, defensive alliances. It came as no surprise: remember that in the lexicon of the Empire of Lies, war is called peace, while aggression is always defined as defense. But this I have already described in detail, in my 820-page book Exposing Lies of the Empire.
Now foreign policy tsars of the G7 were standing shoulder to shoulder again, in Hiroshima, of all places, and only a few days after the 71st anniversary of the nuclear blast. Making predictable declarations and self-glorifying speeches.
The weather was good, partly sunny, with excellent visibility. But was the world really able to see through the thick fog of Machiavellian cynicism and lies, dispersed all over the Planet by those grinning rulers of the world?
F15 - overflying Kadena air base
On April 11, 2016, the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) issued a written declaration on nuclear disarmament:
We reaffirm our commitment to seeking a safer world for all and to creating the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons in a way that promotes international stability.
Seriously? No one around those ministers fell; nobody was seen to be rolling on the floor, shaking from uncontrollable laughter. Obviously, a joke repeated thousands of times loses its luster.
But that was not all. The text of the declaration continued:
This task is made more complex by the deteriorating security environment in a number of regions, such as Syria and Ukraine, and, in particular by North Koreas repeated provocations.
What exactly were we reading? What was between the lines? Were we being told that the United States needs all of its 6,970 nuclear weapons to antagonize Syria and North Korea, while sustaining the fascist regime in Ukraine?
Just to put things into perspective: two Communist countries with nuclear capability have really negligible stockpiles of nuclear weapons, compared to the West and G7. China has 260 and North Korea (DPRK) approximately 15. In comparison, France has 300 and the U.K., 215.
In 2016, the population of China stands at 1.382 million, while that of France is less than 65 million. China has more than 21 times more people to defend, but despite that, France has more nuclear weapons.
The comparison gets even more ridiculous between North Korea and the U.K.
The figures quoted above are the latest official statistics, taken from the World Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Report, updated as recently as on March 2, 2016.
It would also be appropriate to recall that North Korea has never invaded any foreign country. Also China (PRC), apart from two brief border clashes, has never been involved in any large-scale military conflict. Not once has it colonized or destroyed a foreign land. Both France and the U.K. have been plundering on all of the planets continents, for centuries. Later, in the 20th Century, the United States took over the reigns of imperialism from the old and traditional European colonialist empires.
One statement is actually correct: there is that deteriorating security environment in a number of regions, but only due to the covert as well as direct aggressions of NATO and the G7 countries.
But it would be even more honest to declare: We are sorry, we really cannot disarm, because if we would, it would become much more difficult to loot and to control the world.
Goma, DR Congo - people that are making G7 rich
Before dispersing, the G7 party did what its members enjoy doing the most: lashing at China.
As Reuters reported:
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies said they strongly opposed provocation in the East and South China Seas, where China is locked in territorial disputes with nations including the Philippines, Vietnam and Japan Earlier on Monday, the G7 foreign ministers said after meeting in the Japanese city of Hiroshima that they opposed any intimidating coercive or provocative unilateral actions that could alter the status quo and increase tensions.
The US is habitually implementing that good old British divide and rule strategy. In Asia, it uses its client states, particularly the Philippines, Japan and South Korea to isolate and provoke both China and DPRK. This policy is so dangerous that many here believe that it could eventually trigger the Third World War.
This time, China has fired back, almost immediately. At a news briefing, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang declared:
If the G7 wants to continue playing a major role in the world, it should take an attitude of seeking truth from the facts to handle the issues the international community is most concerned with at the moment.
The Western military build-up in the Asia Pacific region, the military maneuvers conducted jointly by the US and South Korea, as well as the continuous militarization of Japan, are definitely some of the topics that are making most of the Asian continent both concerned and frightened.
Nuclear Dome, Hiroshima, Japan
Predictably, the DPRK remained the main punch bag of the G7. The ministers never explained exactly why the world should be petrified of North Korea. Such fear should apparently be taken for granted, especially after the long decades of intensive and vicious Western and South Korean propaganda.
But back to the statement of the ministers:
We condemn in the strongest terms the nuclear test on January 6 and the launch using ballistic missile technology on February 7, March 10 and March 18 conducted by North Korea. It is profoundly deplorable that North Korea has conducted four nuclear tests in the 21st century.
Of course, building defenses against the combined NATO and G7 aggressions is one of the most deplorable crimes, it calls for capital punishment!
Shamelessly, after spreading verbal toxins, all seven ministers went to the grounds of the monument and museum dedicated to the victims of Hiroshima A-bomb.
The Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida led the pack. Under the bizarre leadership of his government, Japan has been doing its absolute best to betray Asia, and to antagonize its neighbors. In the most servile and shameful way, it has fully accepted the Western dictates, increased the volume of its own hysterical propaganda campaign against China and DPRK, and has begun to bolster its military.
Why? Just to please its masters, those noble and superior Westerners!
By now, Japan is not even what its Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants the world to believe that it is: a conservative nation governed by a nationalist government.
Japan has no spine, just as it has no foreign policy. It fully takes orders from the United States. And as I was told repeatedly by one of the employees of the NHK: No major media outlet in Japan would dare to broadcast anything important, related to international affairs, that hasnt appeared previously on at least one of the major US networks.
Looking at Japans past, conservative nationalists used to be, for instance, some of the greatest writers like Yukio Mishima, a man who ended his life in 1970 by committing a ritual suicide, protesting Japans unabashed submission to the West. Japans Prime Minister Abe is definitely a conservative, but is he really a Japanese nationalist? He is defending the interests of Washington much more than those of his own country. Perhaps, honorary white and one of G7 leaders would be the most fitting term to define him.
Now, according to the official NATO website: Japan is the longest-standing of NATOs partners across the globe.
It is also one of the nations that are shamelessly plundering the world through its brutal corporations.
***
And so they stood there seven ministers from some of the most aggressive countries on Earth.
They stood on the turf that was, more than 70 years ago, burned to ashes, in just a few seconds after the nuclear explosion.
They said again and again how much they would like to disarm, how much they would like to see the world free of nuclear weapons.
What they didnt say was that they never would disarm, voluntarily.
And they never clarified how they actually made it to that exclusive G7 club: because of the unbridled plunder during their colonial history, and because of the modern-day global corporate pillage, as well as their mining and oil investments. And of course because of the world order, imposed by force and all sorts of weapons, nuclear and conventional, on the rest of the Planet.
Instead of Group of Seven, this pack should be simply called GS the Group of Shame.
The ministers stood for some time in front of the flame burning at the monument to Hiroshima A-bomb victims. They posed for the cameras. Then they went away, sat down at some table, and wrote the official declaration on nuclear disarmament, explaining why they cannot abandon their tools of coercion. And that declaration turned out to be nothing more than yet another monumental pile of lies!
Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. His latest books are: Exposing Lies Of The Empire and Fighting Against Western Imperialism.Discussion with Noam Chomsky:On Western Terrorism. Point of No Return is his critically acclaimed political novel. Oceania - a book on Western imperialism in the South Pacific. His provocative book about Indonesia: Indonesia The Archipelago of Fear. Andre is making films for teleSUR and Press TV. After living for many years in Latin America and Oceania, Vltchek presently resides and works in East Asia and the Middle East. He can be reached through his website or hisTwitter.
British Conservative Breaks Ranks, Opposes TTIP
By Eric Zuesse
15 April, 2016
Strategic-culture.org
Its as if, say, during the Republican Administration of U.S. President George Herbert Walker Bush, the person who had negotiated international trade deals for the prior President, the Republican Ronald Reagan, came out publicly against a mega-trade deal that his fellow-Party-member, President Bush, was ardently trying to get approved. That is extremely breaking ranks, and it happened recently in the UK.
Britains former Secretary of State for Trade & Industry (1990-92, under Margaret Thatcher and John Major), and current Conservative MP (Member of Parliament), Peter Liley, did it when he blogged on April 3rd at the Conservative Partys website Conservative Home:
I believe in free trade. Always have, always will. As the only serving MP to have negotiated a successful free trade deal (the Uruguay Round as Trade and Industry Secretary during the 1990s), I automatically supported the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal currently being negotiated between the USA and EU, assuming it was a free trade agreement. The more closely I look at it, the more parts of it worry me. Conservatives who believe in free trade should be very wary about endorsing TTIP. And both the Leave and Remain campaigns should look very carefully at its implications for our EU membership.
Let me explain why.
TTIP is not primarily about removing tariffs and quotas. The average tariff levied by the US on goods from Europe is just 2.5 per cent. Getting rid of them would be worthwhile but no big deal.
It is mainly about harmonising product specifications and creating a special regime for investment. There is no objection to those things in principle. Insofar as product harmonisation means removing rules introduced as hidden protection of a domestic producer, that is fine. But we should not sign away Parliaments right to protect our citizens from harmful additives, and so forth.
The very core of both Obamas trade deal with Europe, TTIP, and his trade deal with Asia, TPP, is precisely that: to sign away legislators power to protect the electorate from harmful additives, toxic water and foods and air, unsafe cars, and a sustainable environment for themselves and future generations and more (Lilley is especially concerned because it would abolish Britains vaunted public health service. Imagine: a British Conservative is determined to protect that enormously successful socialist program in his country! Flabbergasting, but true.)
The very core of it is to transfer national sovereignty to a worldwide dictatorship of international corporations (three-person corporate-accountable panels of arbitrators, whose rulings are non-appealable and arent required to adhere to any nations laws its shocking, but true).
And, for any conservative whether in Britain or any other country to oppose that is a very big deal, especially when its a former Secretary of State for Trade & Industry.
He goes on to say:
My three main concerns relate to the Investor-State Dispute Settlement System (ISDS). This creates a system of tribunals special courts in which large foreign companies can sue governments (but not vice-versa) for pursuing policies which harm their investments.
US companies could sue the UK government should it want to take back into the public sector privately provided services in the NHS, education, and so forth or open fewer services to private provision. The EU and UK government have denied that this is possible. But a cogent Counsels Opinion argues that because these tribunals can award unlimited fines they could exert a chilling effect on government decision making. The Left have been particularly irate about this but Conservatives too should be worried. I and other local MPs all Tories lobbied successfully to reincorporate into the NHS a disastrously run private Surgicentre (set up by Tony Blairs Government) serving our constituencies. Under TTIP, a foreign operator could have sued for massive compensation at the expense of our local NHS. Conservatives have rightly been cautious and pragmatic about the extent of private provision particularly in health. It would be electorally disastrous if we back a system which turns out to bring in privatisation by the back door.
These tribunals give foreign multinationals their own privileged legal system, too costly for smaller foreign companies (since the average case costs $8 million), and from which UK companies are excluded. Moreover, the judges are commercial lawyers who, when not serving on a Tribunal, work for, and are therefore sympathetic to, big companies. Cases are heard largely in secret.
The Stabilisation Clause protects all investments made under the treaty for at least 20 years. Arecent legal treatise explains how this undermines parliamentary democracy by binding future parliaments. Of course, the UK enters into other long term treaties and contracts but our government can always renegotiate or, in the last resort, resile from them. Exceptional circumstances may make that necessary: I had to nationalise without compensation all Iraqi-owned companies when Saddam Husain invaded Kuwait. A future parliament might object to letting foreign multinationals have their own courts especially if those courts expand their remit beyond that originally envisaged. The UK might decide the protection of our common law courts is sufficient. But if we are still in the EU when TTIP and CETA are ratified, we will be bound jointly and severally. We could not renegotiate these treaties without the consent of every EU state and the Commission even if we subsequently left the EU. So we would still be bound by the Stabilisation Clause for 20 years.
The EU and UK government respond to these criticisms by saying: the UK is party to a large number of treaties with similar tribunals; only twice have cases been brought against the UK, neither succeeded; if the tribunals did not exist, UK courts would impose similar verdicts and fines; arbitrators cannot rule on companies for whom they work; TTIP negotiators now propose a permanent judicial panel instead of using ad hoc arbitrators; also, the proceedings may in future be made public. In particular, they deny that the tribunals could affect the NHS at all let alone force it to put out services to contract or prevent it taking back private services into the public sector.
In short, the Government argues (not entirely convincingly) that TTIP tribunals will probably do no harm. No one claims that they will actually do any good i.e. attract more US investment to the UK or vice versa. The idea that any American companies are afraid to invest here because they do not trust the British legal system or fear expropriation is not credible. Businesses from across the globe choose to make their contracts subject to British law precisely because it is the most trusted. If, as the Government claims, these ISDS tribunals will give the same outcome as British courts they are completely unnecessary.
In or out of the EU, we should question whether ISDS tribunals are necessary, reject the 20-year stabilisation clause and insist on excluding the NHS from the treaty (as France has excluded movies). That would be less difficult if Britain leaves the EU and negotiates a parallel treaty though the simplest thing would be to negotiate a pure free trade agreement restricted to abolishing remaining tariffs.
He comes to this late, after millions of Europeans have already made clear in marches and in numerous public opinion polls that the only way the TTIP can become law in the EU will be if the EU is already a dictatorship not at all by truly democratic means. But, better late than never.
Unlike Hillary Clinton in the U.S., who has always worked behind the scenes to pass trade deals that have ISDS in them, and who told Democrats in Congress to follow the lead of Nancy Pelosi, who spoke publicly against Obamas trade deals but was actually whipping in the U.S. House to help the President win Fast Track so they can become passed into law, Lilley doesnt have the reputation of someone who says one thing in public and does the opposite, behind the scenes, in actual policymaking.
His statement is real not mere slogans and words. And it will sway policymakers, and not merely the voters of his own Party (in order to win that Partys primary election).
If Obama gets his trade deals passed into law, he will be by far the biggest-impact U.S. President since FDR, who introduced Social Security and many other existing programs (and also the Glass-Steagall Act, which FDRs fellow but only fake Democrat, Bill Clinton annihilated), and who joined with Churchill and the formerly Hitler-allied Stalin, to defeat global fascism. Obamas impact will then be perhaps even more evil than FDRs was good. However, if he fails to pass any of his trade deals, then hell only be as bad, or nearly as bad, as George W. Bush was, even if he turns out to have been lucky enough to postpone the coming super-crash (toward which his policies are building) till the next person becomes President. Obama is the most conservative Democratic President since James Buchanan and thats pretty bad, even if Obama manages to hold off the crash that he has been postponing, until his successor comes in.
In contrast, the Conservative Peter Lilley is a flaming progressive, by comparison, because he certainly is that on the biggest public-policy issue since World War II, which is whether to end or instead expand ISDS. If its expanded, then, for example, the recent Paris accord against global warming will be effectively dead. Thats how big a deal this is: not only democracy, but even the continuation of a livable planet, are all on the line now. Obama says one thing, but what he does can be very different.
Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of Theyre Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010, and of CHRISTS VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity.
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By Susan Orr of the Courier and Press
The Area Plan Commission plans to consider whether local subdivision approval procedures need some changes.
The topic arose Thursday at the commission's monthly meeting, at which members were set to vote on the Evansville-Vanderburgh County 2015-2035 Comprehensive Plan.
The plan seeks to guide local land use and development for the next 20 years. Before it takes effect it must be voted on by the Area Plan Commission, as well as Evansville City Council, Vanderburgh County Commissioners and the Darmstadt Town Board.
A copy of the draft is available at EvansvilleAPC.com.
Rather than take action now, Area Plan decided instead to defer its vote another month while it mulls possible subdivision-related changes.
Currently, land that is zoned agricultural can be platted and developed as a subdivision without first being rezoned. If the plat meets local requirements, the Area Plan Commission must approve it.
If rezoning were required, the community would have more of a say in the process, said Area Plan Commission President Stacy Stevens.
For instance, Stevens said, neighbors might raise legitimate reasons why a subdivision is unsuitable for a given agricultural site.
"The public could sway us on zoning if they had really good reasons and really good arguments," she said.
As things stand now, Stevens said, that option is not available because no rezoning is required.
It's premature to say what will happen.
The Area Plan Commission makes recommendations only Evansville City Council and Vanderburgh County Commissioners ultimately decide on rezoning in the city and county, respectively.
And, Stevens said, local officials don't have to follow the comprehensive plan.
"We're just going to move in that direction," Stevens said of the proposed subdivision process changes.
Also at Thursday's meeting, the commission recommended approval for two rezonings:
The No-Ruz Grotto building at 911 Southeast Second St. Petitioner
Warren Bank Properties LLC wants to redevelop the site for possible restaurant/office/retail tenants. Developer Otha Warren said his company plans to refurbish the building so that it can accommodate up to three tenants.
The former Salvation Army thrift store at 1931 S. Weinbach Avenue.
Scott Beadle of engineering firm Cash Waggner & Associates said apartments are planned for the site.
Microsoft offices in Issy- les-Moulineaux outside Paris
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By Jaleesa M. Jones, USA TODAY
SAN FRANCISCO Microsoft has sued the Justice Department in a fresh effort to prevent the government from rifling through users' personal emails or documents without their knowledge.
"We believe that with rare exceptions consumers and businesses have a right to know when the government accesses their emails or records," Microsoft president and chief legal officer Brad Smith wrote in a blog post. "Yet its becoming routine for the U.S. government to issue orders that require email providers to keep these types of legal demands secret. We believe that this goes too far and we are asking the courts to address the situation."
The filing marks yet another high-profile skirmish between the government and a major technology company. Apple has pushed back against government demands that it help the FBI undermine its encryption and break into its iPhones. Smith last month publicly supported Apples refusal to assist the government.
Microsoft has mounted a vigorous legal front over customer privacy, taking on the government for the past three years. This is the fourth lawsuit that Microsoft has filed including the companys litigation challenging a U.S. search warrant for customer emails in Ireland.
The lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court in Seattle questions the legitimacy of the government's demand for secrecy in all cases. Justice spokeswoman Emily Pierce said federal authorities are reviewing the filing and declined further comment.
Requests from the FBI and other law enforcement agencies for access to users' personal information routinely flood tech companies that store vast amounts of people's personal data in the cloud. Law enforcement says such requests are routine and necessary to fight crime and terrorism.
"To be clear, we appreciate that there are times when secrecy around a government warrant is needed. This is the case, for example, when disclosure of the governments warrant would create a real risk of harm to another individual or when disclosure would allow people to destroy evidence and thwart an investigation," Smith wrote.
Using the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the U.S. government is increasingly targeting data stored in the cloud, according to Microsoft, which says the government has mandated secrecy in 2,576 instances over the past 18 month. People would know if the government went through their filing cabinet or their hard drive, but are unaware when their privacy in the cloud is intruded upon.
The 1986 law was written before the Web was born and long before Americans started sending, receiving and storing so much of their personal communications and documents on the Web.
Microsoft alleges the Electronic Communications Privacy Act violates users' Fourth Amendment right that a search be reasonable and Microsoft's First Amendment right to talk to its users.
"Notably and even surprisingly, 1,752 of these secrecy orders, or 68% of the total, contained no fixed end date at all. This means that we effectively are prohibited forever from telling our customers that the government has obtained their data," Smith said.
University of Washington law professor Ryan Calo says Microsoft's First Amendment argument in particular is strong "if you think about this as a prior restraint on speech." "This is something that should be justified and not something that is so routine," he said.
The lawsuit underscores rising tensions over the secrecy that shrouds government requests for personal information.
Microsofts lawsuit was filed one day after a U.S. congressional panel voted unanimously to advance a bill that would reform the Electronics Privacy Communications Act. As a result of last-minute changes, the legislation no longer requires the government to notify a user when his or her personal communications are being pursued. Instead the government would disclose a warrant to the service provider which would then have the right to notify users unless a court grants a gag order.
"U.S. laws have not kept pace with the Internet revolution," said Gartner Research analyst Avivah Litan. "It's commendable that Microsoft is challenging outdated laws and it's regrettable that congress has not been more proactive in these matters. Cloud computing puts technology companies who store private consumer information in the cloud unfairly between the U.S. government and the public. The laws need to change and adapt to this new middleman role of the cloud provider to ensure consumer privacy and rights are protected."
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By Sarah Loesch of the Courier and Press
Brittney Westbrook said the Evansville African-American Museum's ultimate goal is to educate the public and she's hopeful a month of events will do that.
One upcoming event at the museum with that goal is the latest installment of the Community Diversity Forum on April 21 at the museum.
April's forum will discuss the perceptions of black women's identity.
"We want to help create a space where people can learn about the different issues that affect the community," she said. "(We want) to build a bridge over ground they have maybe never felt comfortable talking about or learning about."
Westbrook said the forum will give black women the chance to share some experiences they have had with perception.
"We want these forums to give a voice to our community," she said.
The event, which is free and open to the public, is also meant for anyone who wants to come and learn more about stereotypes and the impact they have on the person they are placed on.
Westbrook said issues such as race and diversity, are noticeable topics all around the U.S.
Conversations about those topics never have had a permanent fixture, which is what the ongoing forum provides.
The museum also has two art programs open to adults and children.
The first is a class that will teach silk scarf painting Saturday. The class will include a discussion about textiles and their role in African-American culture.
"This is one way to teach people to learn about another culture," Westbrook said.
She said it's easier, especially for children, if you make the learning process fun.
The second art event is alcohol ink stamped vase making on April 30. It will include lessons about African ceramics and some modern works of art in the African community as well.
"We are trying to create a bridge between the past and the present to create a better community for everybody," she said.
She said events that incorporate a chance to learn also give people a chance to reshape and bond the community.
The museum will host Gina Moore and Bob Green for Jazzy Nights at the Museum April 29.
Every other month the Jazzy Nights program looks at different forms of jazz within the African-American community.
This month's program focuses on women and gospel.
Westbrook said it is important for the community to engage in programs offered by the museum.
"We definitely want to make sure our goal is to connect the dots in history and in our community," she said. "We want people to know Evansville African-American history is everyone's history."
If you go:
What: Silk Scarf Painting
When: 1-3 p.m. Saturday
Where: East Branch Library Auditorium
Cost: Free
What: Alcohol Ink Stamped Vases
When: 1-3 p.m. April
Where: East Branch Library Auditorium
Cost: Free, RSVP by April 19
Contact: 812-423-5188
What: "The Perception of Black Women's Identity"
When: 6-7 p.m. April 21
Where: African-American Museum
Cost: Free
What: Jazzy Nights at the Museum
When: 6-7 p.m. April 29
Where: African-American Museum
Cost: Free for members
$5 for nonmembers
$3 for nonmember students
Contact: 812-423-5188
SHARE Michael Loveless
By Shannon Hall of the Courier and Press
A former Evansville firefighter accused of raping his live-in girlfriend has paid his $50,000 bond.
Michael Vernon Loveless, 42, was released Friday morning from the Vanderburgh County jail.
As part of his bond condition, Loveless a 11-year veteran at the Evansville Fire Department is not to have contact with the alleged victim or her children, and will be placed on GPS moitoring. He must also submit to daily breathalyzers.
The court agreed to allow him to reside in Kentucky "upon execution of a written waiver of extradition," according to court records.
Loveless is accused of threatening his girlfriend with a handgun and a knife while children were present in the home they shared. The woman reported she was raped during the Feb. 23 encounter.
Special Prosecutor Stan Levco on Wednesday filed additional rape and intimidation charges, as well as a notice that he would seek an enhanced sentence on one of Loveless' charges.
The intimidation charge arises from an incident alleged to have occurred on Feb. 17, six days before the alleged rape, according to an amended probable cause affidavit filed in court. It states that the alleged victim arrived home to find Loveless, who had appeared to have been drinking. It alleges he was upset, and that he damaged a shower door and punched a bathroom wall, according to the affidavit.
Loveless reportedly threatened to kill the victim if she called police about the incident.
Loveless has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape while armed with a deadly weapon, a level 1 felony; criminal confinement, a level 3 felony; intimidation, a level 5 felony; and battery resulting in bodily injury, a class A misdemeanor.
His next court appearance is scheduled for May 13.
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By Shannon Hall of the Courier and Press
A former Warrick County School Corp. extracurricular treasurer pleaded guilty earlier this month to embezzling about $135,000 from the corporation.
Rebecca McKee, 61, of Newburgh, pleaded guilty to three federal counts of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds totaling $135,869.25. Her sentencing will be at 9 a.m. May 31 in the U.S. District Court of Southern Indiana.
McKee, who was indicted on federal charges last year by a grand jury, was the extracurricular treasurer at Castle High School from July 2008 to October 2012.
After the Indiana State Board of Accounts reviewed Castle High School's extracurricular account in April 2013, it "concluded that McKee performed her duties with no controls in place for the verification" for compliance under state law, court documents state.
"The audit revealed that McKee issued unauthorized checks, made fraudulent claims for reimbursements, deposited unrelated checks into the (Warrick County School Corporation) extracurricular account to conceal cash thefts and failed to deposit cash received into the (Warrick County School Corporation) accounts," court documents state.
In the court documents, McKee stated she hoped to receive probation, but she's "prepared to accept any punishment permitted by law which the Court may see fit to impose."
With each count, McKee could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years supervised release.
SHARE DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS Chase Stockon of Fort Branch, Ind., (right) autographs the shoe of Hebron Elementary School fourth-grader Kendra Givens, 10, as her classmate, Purnika Adhikari, 10, waits her turn Thursday morning. Stockon, a sprint car racer, was visiting Jeremy Marshall's third, fourth and fifth grade STEM classes as part of their unit on the Indianapolis 500. DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS Hebron Elementary School fourth-grader Javier Perez, 9, disembarks Chase Stockon's sprint car after his turn in the driver's seat Thursday morning. Stockon was visiting Jeremy Marshall's third, fourth and fifth grade STEM classes as part of their unit on the Indianapolis 500. DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS Jeremy Marshall's fourth grade STEM class respond in the affirmative when sprint car driver Chase Stockon asked them if they'd like to climb inside his race car at Hebron Elementary School Thursday morning. DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS Hebron Elementary School third-graders explore Chase Stockon's race car in the school's parking lot Thursday morning. "They're squishy," one of the girls remarked which created a chain reaction of girls feeling the massive rear tires of the vehicle. Stockon, a sprint car racer, was visiting Jeremy Marshall's third, fourth and fifth grade STEM classes as part of their unit on the Indianapolis 500.
By Megan Erbacher of the Courier and Press
Six years shy of being old enough to get his driver's license, Shane Sims has already sat behind the wheel of a sprint car.
Sims was surprised at how difficult it was to climb into the car, but once he settled into the seat, he couldn't stop smiling.
Thursday morning, about 75 Hebron Elementary School students in grades 3-5 from Jeremy Marshall's "high ability classes" got to meet and talk with USAC sprint car driver Chase Stockon.
For about four years now, Marshall has incorporated a racing unit into his science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum around the time of the Indianapolis 500.
In the past, Marshall said Indianapolis 500 driver Ed Carpenter has visited, but he wasn't available this time. Through some connections, he asked Stockon, 28, to help kick off the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500.
"Our focus in math has been circumference and radius," Marshall said. "Of course with racing, it's with the tires on cars. So we brought Chase out because we know he's one of the top USAC drivers in the country."
Marshall said the kids immediately searched Stockon on YouTube and social media. By the next day, he said students knew more about Stockon than he did.
Marshall said he wanted students to see how STEM can be applied to real-life scenarios and jobs.
Standing next to his No. 32 green, yellow and black sprint car, Stockon shared his love of racing, and explained to students how he uses math and engineering on a daily basis. He also discussed parts of the car, how the engine works and safety.
"What's this," third-grader Katrice Heyward asked as she pointed to a hump in the back of the car.
"It's the gas tank," Stockon replied. "Do you guys know how much a gallon is? Well this is a 33-gallon tank."
"Whoa," the students screamed in unison.
Stockon, who lives in Fort Branch, has been racing since he was 5 years old. The past 13 years he's competed in the sprint car division. He races all over the country, from Florida to Minnesota to New Jersey to California.
"This is what I do for a living," he said. "And we enjoy the heck out of it. ... Racing here in Indiana is something quite large. So to be able to kind of show the kids down here in Evansville what its' all about is kind of neat."
Ellen Daugherty, 9, admitted the sprint car looks bigger in videos and photos online.
"But we got to see how big the wheels are," she said.
Heyward, 9, agreed the car is "really small" in person.
Lorelei Taylor, 9, and Aireona Ferguson, 8, squealed as they got Stockon's autograph. The friends agreed to hang it in their lockers.
Stockton even signed someone's shoe.
"I've signed some weird stuff before," he said. "But I think that was my first shoe."
Stockon enjoys traveling and seeing different people in other parts of the country.
"But coming to events like this, where you can try to draw some interest with the younger generations, is pretty neat," he said. "It's kind of hard in today's society to draw interest to something like auto racing. Anytime you can get kids excited about it is pretty cool."
DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS Sarah Gough (left) and Salena Courtney organize clothing at Borrowed Hearts, a facility at 121 Walnut Street in Evansville started by Gough as a 24-hour resource for foster parents to clothe and supply hygiene products their wards.
SHARE DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS Sarah Gough (center) discusses the need for hangers with foster parents Salena Courtney (left) and Mary Ann Martin at Borrowed Hearts in March. The foundation offers clothing and hygiene products to foster families because many times the child placements arrive to their foster homes without anything but the clothes they are wearing. DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS Sarah Gough serves up lunch for her babysitting charge, Brody White, 2, at Borrowed Hearts in March. The facility was started by Gough as a 24-hour resource for foster parents to clothe and supply hygiene products their wards. Oftentimes those children arrive at their foster homes with nothing but the clothes they are wearing. DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS Hygiene items line the walls of Borrowed Hearts at 121 Walnut Street in Evansville. DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS Borrowed Hearts at 121 Walnut Street in Evansville donates clothing and hygiene supplies to area foster families. The service is available 24-hours-a-day because many foster placements happen when it is difficult to obtain what the children need.
By Bobby Shipman
Sarah Gough and her husband bought a four-bedroom house with dreams of filling it with children. When doctors told Gough she only had a 7 percent chance of conception, she was devastated.
"Your whole life you grow up thinking you're going to be a mom," Gough said.
And she eventually was just not in the manner she originally expected.
Since 2012, the Goughs have cared for 26 children and adopted two little boys. And they plan to adopt more.
"I've been mom to a whole lot of kids," the foster mother said. "It's been amazing. We always joke that we got broke into being parents the right way."
For Gough, the experience revealed that foster families are in dire need of quality resources. So she started a nonprofit organization in 2014 called Borrowed Hearts, which serves as a 24-hour clothing/hygiene bank.
A pancake breakfast/auction fundraiser on April 23 will raise money for the legal fees required for the organization to become a 501c3.
'Just theirs'
Gough said foster children often arrive with only the clothes on their back.
"Or they come with clothes that are the wrong size or that you wouldn't want to take them in public in," she said. "You never know what they're going to come with. Sometimes they come from homes that have scabies or lice."
Gough said the $200 per child allowance provided by the state doesn't go far, and takes at least a week to get.
"You're stuck scrambling to get what (the children) need, especially if they are a child in school and they didn't come with their backpack or their school uniforms," she said.
Borrowed Hearts allows the child to pick out clothes, a toothbrush and other necessities. It also lends car seats.
Gough said Borrowed Hearts not only provides quick access to necessities, but it helps create a sense of stability for the child.
"These kids feel really out of control, obviously, when they are pulled away from their parents and everything they know and they don't always get to bring things with them, then they're thrown into a home with complete strangers, nothing familiar to them," she said. "(Borrowed Hearts) is a way for them to get things that are just theirs."
Finding a family
According to statistics cited by the IDCS, there are more than 500,000 young people in the foster care system. Almost 50 percent of those are preteens or teenagers who bounce from foster or youth homes, searching for a place they can call home.
An Evansville teenager now named Jordan is one of them. Her parents divorced when she was 11. They had begun experimenting with drugs.
Immediately after the split, Jordan stayed with her mother and her mother's new boyfriend. One night, Jordan said she stayed home alone with the boyfriend.
She had a stomachache, and she said the boyfriend gave her medicine and slowly rubbed her belly until she fell asleep.
Jordan said she later awoke in a haze to find him on top of her.
The next day, she told her mother she had been raped.
"(My mother) totally didn't believe me. She called me a liar. She slapped me in the face," Jordan said.
The police were contacted and Jordan and her brother were taken to a local youth home, where it was decided they would stay with her mother's parents.
They lived there for a few months until Jordan's brother began to act aggressively and was taken back to the youth home. He accused the grandfather of rape.
Jordan said her grandfather refused to take a lie detector test, and she was removed and taken to her first foster home. Not long after, her grandfather shot himself behind his barn when pictures surfaced allegedly validating the accusations.
But Jordan still couldn't find respite. The woman she was placed with was verbally abusive and dirty, she said.
"There were fleas everywhere. It was gross," Jordan said. "I had to leave because there was a possum in (the house) at some point."
The Department of Child Services placed her in a new home. And another. And another. And over the next few years, Jordan tried her hardest to cling to one home, but at every new place, she met adversity.
She said she stayed at a home where children stole from her; she tried to run away from a youth home; she lived with a foster family that accused her of stealing and even strip-searched her.
"Most foster homes, when you first meet them, they put on a front," she said. They will act like the best people ever."
She began to self-harm and was sent to a variety behavioral health care centers and youth homes. While at one home, she said she was temporarily put on medication that made her hear voices.
Jordan feared there was nowhere left for her to go. But then her caseworker informed her a family wanted to house her for three days.
That three days became permanent. In July, Jordan will be the third foster child adopted by Sarah Gough.
Right away Jordan connected with Gough, who she saw as more laid back and cooler than people in her previous foster homes. She especially liked Gough's tattoos.
"Honestly, I don't know what it feels like to be wanted. Most foster kids feel like that. All of the teenagers I met in facilities cry themselves to sleep every night," she said. "... Are they going to choose a 3-year-old that's only there because of their parents, or a teenage girl who self-harms, runs away, fights, gets bad grades?"
Jordan said older foster children give up hope quickly and many grow out of the system and never get adopted.
"A year ago, I couldn't see this happening. All I wanted was to be adopted," Jordan said. "I just really wanted a family a family that is going to care about me."
Filling a need
Libby Treado became a foster parent in 2007, and said the number of homes versus the number of children is astonishing.
"What happens to foster parents is that they adopt out very quickly, because the state mandate only allows five children per home without special exception (by a judge)," she said.
Treado serves as the representative for foster families for the Region 16 Service Council, which includes five Southern Indiana counties, including Vanderburgh and Warrick.
"The need for foster parents and the need to recruit foster parents is, I think, a greater focus right now than it's ever been before," she said. She said the need is especially great for homes that will take teenagers or large groups of siblings.
"... (Foster parents) need support. We need emotional support. We need financial support. We need a quick clothing bank," Treado said.
Treado said there are services for the homeless or low-income community foster parents. But they wait in line like everyone else. Services such as day care can take as long as six months.
Sarah Gough is also the foster parent representative for the Indiana Department of Child Services Regional Council.
"We are putting together a foster parent resource directory because when these kids come into care, obviously we have to make sure they are getting medical care, dental care, vision care; all of those things," Gough said.
The directory will serve as a guide for the best resources foster parents can access.
When Treado first became a foster parent, she said her mother and friends questioned how safe foster work would be.
"The more that we talk about (foster care) and the more that we show people that it's not as scary as it seems to be (the better)," she said. "Real people are getting out there and making a difference in their community."
Hearts to borrow
Foster children are resilient, Gough said, and often call her mom after only a few days -- which makes it impossible not to get attached.
"It is hard to see them go home, especially (since) what the state considers minimal acceptable living conditions may not be what you would consider what you would live in," she said.
Gough said she and her husband aren't as cautious as others about steering clear of the biological families.
"We are able to keep in contact with the kids when they go home so that way we know they're safe," she said.
"The success is making a difference in these children's lives, enough that they still come to us when they need things," she said. "...We want them to know we really do love them and care for them."
Gough said the children don't like being referred to as "foster kids," because it makes them feel unwanted. And part of Borrowed Heart's goal will be to make sure these children, no matter what hardships they've endured, will feel safe. Feel wanted. Feel loved.
"We looked at it as, we're just kind of borrowing them," she said. "We actually joked one day, 'Oh, we are just borrowing these kids for a while.' It stuck for us that they are our borrowed hearts."
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By Mark Wilson of the Courier and Press
Old National Bank has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit alleging it posted certain checking account transactions in a way that increased depositors' overdraft fees.
Vanderburgh Circuit Court Judge David Kiely on Thursday approved a motion giving preliminary approval to the $4.75 million proposed settlement and determined it was fair the first part of a two-step approval process.
Members of the class represented in the lawsuit can now be notified of the settlement terms and the June 13 final hearing on its fairness. Class actions allow one or more people to file a lawsuit on behalf of a larger group.
The lawsuit accused the Evansville-based bank with purposefully posting debit card and ATM transactions so as to increase depositors' overdraft fees.
Attorney Rhett Gonterman, representing Old National Bank, said Thursday that the financial institution remained adamant that it had committed no wrongdoing.
"This case has been pending since 2010 and it's in the best interest of our shareholders for this to be settled and put to rest rather than incur the cost of continued litigation," he said.
He said the settlement was approved by ONB's board of directors in December.
Kathy Schoettlin, the bank's vice president of public relations, said Old National has not changed any of its practices or procedures.
"This is the way that 99 percent of other banks do it," she said.
Gonterman said the bank is under no legal obligation to change anything.
William Sweetnam, lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said he was aware of at least 20 similar lawsuits across the nation but that the ONB lawsuit was one of the last to be settled. He said the $4.75 million settlement represents about 90 percent of the damages incurred by the class members participating in the lawsuit making it a larger settlement than achieved in most of those similar lawsuits.
The cost of administering the settlement, as well as $1.9 million in attorney fees, are included in the settlement amount.
Former Old National customers Steven Kelly, Jon Cook and Rebecca Cook, who filed the lawsuit in Vanderburgh Circuit Court in December 2010, will each receive $10,000 40 percent of which will be covered out of Sweetnam's legal fees.
Refunds will automatically be distributed on a pro-rated basis to current ONB customers who were depositors between November 2008 and August 2010, and Indiana residents who incurred two or more overdraft fees in a single day, Sweetnam said. Former ONB depositors who fit that class will receive the same pro-rated refunds but will need to apply either electronically or by mail.
The settlement calls for any funds remaining after the reimbursements to be shared between the Indiana Bar Association, Old National Bank Foundation which is operated separately from the bank and other Indiana organizations for use in promoting financial literacy education.
Kiely approved expanding the lawsuit to a class action in a 2014 ruling, and the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed it in April 2015. That decision was left standing by the Indiana Supreme Court's denial of the bank's petition to transfer the case.
The April 2015 appeals court ruling eliminated the lawsuit's other claims. Those included conversion, unconscionability and unjust enrichment claims that alleged Old National Bank intentionally exerted unauthorized control over deposits, as well as a claim that the bank violated the Indiana Crime Victim Relief Act.
Kiely was scheduled to hear the case in a bench trial May 9 on the issue of whether Old National Bank had breached an implied duty to deal in good faith with customers. That trial date has now been cancelled. Instead, there will be a final hearing on the fairness of the settlement at 2 p.m. June 13 in Circuit Court.
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By David Jackson, USA TODAY
A Florida state attorney said Thursday he would not prosecute Donald Trump's campaign manager for simple battery in connection with an incident involving a reporter, saying a conviction would have been unlikely.
"This office will not be filing charges for against Corey Lewandowski for battery," Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg told reporters in Florida.
Echoing a legal filing made earlier in the day, Aronberg said the evidence including a video justified Fields' complaint that Lewandowski grabbed her after a March 8 news conference, but there is a question as to whether his action constituted criminal activity. Aronberg noted that the legal bar for a police charge is lower than the one for an actual prosecution.
The Trump campaign said in a statement that Lewandowski is "gratified by the decision," and "the matter is now concluded."
Police in Jupiter, Fla., had charged Lewandowski last month with simple battery in the wake of the March 8 confrontation with Breitbart News correspondent Michelle Fields.
Fields, who has since resigned from Breitbart, said Lewandowski forcibly grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back as she tried to ask Trump a question after a news conference. She produced a photo of bruises on her arm.
"Although there was probable cause to make an arrest," Thursday's legal filing said, "the evidence cannot prove all legally required elements of the crime alleged and is insufficient to support a criminal prosecution."
Lewandowski denied wrongdoing and said he was trying to protect Trump from Fields.
Police released video of the incident when it charged Lewandowski on March 29.
Aronberg said his office spoke with Trump, who said that Fields touched him and urged prosecutors to "do the right thing."
While the facts support Fields' statements and the police charge, Aronberg said that "it is unethical for us to file cases when we believe there is not a good-faith basis to proceed."
Had the case gone to trial, Aronberg said, Lewandowski would have had "a reasonable hypothesis for innocence."
Lewandowski, who ran the Trump campaign since its inception last year, has seen his position change in the weeks since the misdemeanor battery charge. Trump has hired veteran Republican operative Paul Manafort to be his convention manager, and it appears that Lewandowski and Manafort are now sharing power within the campaign organization.
Fields has said she is considering a defamation suit against Lewandowski, who had called her "delusional" after the incident occurred.
On Twitter, Fields said the Florida prosecutor's office asked her two weeks ago if she would accept a public apology from Lewandowski. She said she never heard back from the office.
Aronberg said his office spoke with Fields, and "it was clear to us she was disappointed by this decision."
State attorneys are elected in Florida. Aronberg, a registered Democrat who attended law school with Trump Republican opponent Ted Cruz, rejected suggestions that politics played a role in the Lewandowski case.
"This is an apolitical office," Aronberg said, and the case was handled in a "non-partisan manner."
Sarah Jo Pender was convicted along with her former boyfriend, Richard Hull, of murdering their roommates Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman on Oct. 24, 2000, in Indiana. Pender, who was sentenced to 110 years in prison, is shown here at the Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis on April 18, 2013.
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By Allison Carter, IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
At her sentencing, Sarah Jo Pender was called a "female Charles Manson." Now her story is coming to television again.
The shocking double homicide will be featured in the "Master Manipulator" episode of Investigation Discovery's "Stranger in my Home." The show will premiere at 10 p.m. on Friday, April 15, and will be repeated on April 16 at 1 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Pender was found guilty of the 2000 double murder of her roommates. She was sentenced to 110 years in prison, which she is serving at Indiana Women's Prison.
Pender was a Lawrence Central grad and a Purdue University dropout. Police agree she did not pull the trigger in the deaths of Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman, but police say she was a cold-blooded manipulator who pulled the strings that led her boyfriend, Richard Hull, to do the deed and leave the bodies in a trash bin. Hull was sentenced to 90 years in prison.
For her part, Pender says she was forced to help with the coverup of the double homicide, or she feared she would have become Hull's third victim.
The Investigation Discovery program focuses on the identification of the two bodies. Mangled and bloodied, they were identified by their tattoos, which led to the hunt for Pender and Hull.
The Pender story has been featured in true-crime media before; she is the subject of the 2011 novel "Girl, Wanted: The Chase for Sarah Pender" and Lifetime Television biopic "She Made Them Do It."
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By Madeline Buckley, IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
A former Title IX coordinator at Indiana University Bloomington who resigned amid a sexual assault allegation will not face criminal prosecution in connection with the complaint, police said.
Jason Casares in February resigned from his position as director of student ethics and a deputy Title IX coordinator, a job in which he investigated claims of sexual misconduct at the university.
Jill Creighton, an administrator at New York University, published a letter through her Twitter account in February that accused Casares of sexually assaulting her at a December conference for the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors in Fort Worth, Texas.
In her letter, Creighton wrote: "I made the mistake of letting my guard down while socializing with Jason about Association business. Jason took advantage of me after I had had too much to drink."
Creighton filed a criminal complaint with the Fort Worth Police Department.
Forth Worth Police Sgt. Steve Enright told IndyStar Thursday that no criminal charges will be filed in the case. Enright said the complaint was not substantiated.
Creighton told IndyStar in an email that she learned the case was closed through a blog post and the media.
"My experience in reporting to the police exemplifies why survivors do not go to the police," Creighton said.
She criticized the Fort Worth Police Department's handling of the case, and said the department made it difficult for her to file the complaint, as she had returned home to New York when she began the process.
"Our justice systems are not designed for multi-state jurisdiction, and its clear that the Fort Worth Police do not care what happens in their jurisdiction as long as what they view as the problem has left their city," Creighton said.
Enright, the Fort Worth Police spokesman, said a Fort Worth police detective worked "extensively" with a New York detective who took Creighton's statement.
"The interview in (New York) lasted several hours and the (New York) detective submitted the results to our detective. The (New York) detective concurred with the conclusion that a criminal offense had not occurred," Enright said by email.
In a statement sent to IndyStar, Casares said: "There was no assault. It never happened. I am grateful the truth has finally been shared. I'm choosing to no longer focus on the false claims made against me but rather my statements and my story that was corroborated in each independent investigation."
Casares in February told IndyStar in a statement he resigned because he could not "credibly preside" over student sexual assault investigations after having been publicly accused of sexual assault.
IU's Title IX office oversees reports of sexual harassment, sexual violence, stalking and intimate partner violence that involve students, staff and faculty. The office investigates claims and brings them to a resolution.
The university asked Julia Lamber, a graduate of the IU Maurer School of Law and a Title IX expert, to review 17 sexual misconduct cases heard by Casares in the 2015-16 school year.
IU announced earlier this month that Lamber concluded all cases were handled properly.
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Suzanne Draper
Evansville
Every year thousands of children in Indiana are abused and neglected and become involved in the Juvenile Court system. Although the number is staggering and the circumstances are often horrendous, the CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocate program of Vanderburgh County is helping to make a difference in the lives of these children. Vanderburgh County CASA recruits and trains volunteers to speak for the best interest of the abused and neglected children in court to help them return home safely or be placed in another safe permanent home in a timely manner. Our CASA volunteers help children by supporting and guiding them through this difficult time.
In honor of National Volunteer Appreciation Week, I would like to take this opportunity to say thanks to over 150 volunteers that make up Vanderburgh County CASA. These advocates put in over 17,000 hours of volunteer work in 2015 spending time gathering information from everyone that is involved in the case to help the Juvenile Court Judge understand the children's needs as the case progresses. It is sometimes frustrating and emotional; however our volunteers continue to push forward to give the powerless children a powerful voice.
So again, on behalf of Vanderburgh County CASA, thank you for all you do. You are the best!
Suzanne Draper is the executive director of Vanderburgh County CASA.
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Frasier is a critically acclaimed, fan-favorite show that wouldn't have happened at all had if its main star got his way. After playing Frasier Crane on Cheers for nine years, Kelsey Grammer was done with the smug little twit and wanted something different. So, when it came time to pitch his own series to Paramount, he went as un-Frasier as he could get without turning the character into a Martian porn star. Grammer wanted to play a super-rich, ultra-eccentric publishing mogul who rode around on a cartoonishly huge motorcycle. Biker Yuppie would get into a bad accident and wind up paralyzed from the waist down, forcing him to a life of bossing people around in bed from his luxury penthouse suite. Basically, he would start as a Malcolm Forbes parody, and then morph into a thinly veiled Hugh Hefner.
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Except Hefner has even better reasons for losing all feeling from the waist down.
His physical therapist, by the way, was to be a sassy, Hispanic maid, because in TV land you can't spell minority without S-A-S-S-Y. Everyone was excited about the pitch, until Paramount execs politely told them to fuck off with their idea, along with any other not-Frasier pitch they had brewing in their bottom-line-ignorant brains.
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"He's the guy everyone greeted by yelling, 'Norm!' right?"
The president of Paramount's TV division even visited Grammer and straight-up told him his idea wasn't funny, because no joke could possibly be more uproarious than a humongous paycheck. Grammer eventually relented, but insisted the show take place as far away from Boston as possible, so Paramount couldn't force Cheers characters into every episode until the viewers grew sick of weekly reminders that their favorite show didn't exist anymore. Also, he wanted to keep the penthouse, though that was less "creative vision" and more "no shit, who wouldn't?"
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The dark web is actually much smaller than you think, and the percentage of websites residing there that provide illegal content and services is also over-exaggerated, according to a new report from Intelliagg and Darksum.
The report, Deeplight: Shining a Light on the Dark Web, claimed to be the first comprehensive, definitive mapping of the largest dark net, Tor, where hidden websites are not indexed by search engines and content cannot be accessed without specialised encrypted software. This mysterious online frontier, shrouded in secrecy, is surprisingly composed of only about 30,000 websites, each featuring Tor's .onion top-level domain suffix, the report states.
Researchers at the two firms created an index of dark web pages by consulting preexisting lists of Tor links, and using a collection software application known as a spider to sniff out and follow additional links that connect various sites. To further probe the corners of the dark web, the researchers also leveraged over 100 servers to observe traffic requests on the Tor network in order to identify sites that otherwise had no discernible links. Indeed, 39 percent of analysed sites could not be found with a link, making it critical for the researchers to monitor the Tor network for clues.
Only 46 percent of the 29,532 discovered websites were accessible during the research's sampling period of these, the researchers used a combination of manual analysis and automated tools to classify their content. As it turns out, less than half of the computer-analysed sites only 48 percent were determined to provide content or services that would be deemed illegal in the U.S. or U.K. This includes child pornography, drugs, guns, hate speech and other criminal activity.
The automated solution may have overlooked some illegal activity, as the separate manual analysis found 68 percent of 1,200 sampled sites carried illegal content. But that still leaves a lot of sites whose content is perfectly legal, though perhaps controversial or sensitive in nature, thus warranting discretion.
I thought it would be mostly guns and drugs, but actually if you look at the content, there is much more file sharing, discussion boards and generally good uses for the dark net, said Thomas Olofsson, CEO of Intelliagg, in an interview with SCMagazine.com. Some of the sites were anything from whistleblowing sites to sites where journalists are digging up research, he continued. The report also references sites specialising in everything from political discourse to sexual fetishes.
However, just because these relatively innocuous exist doesn't mean that's where most dark web denizens are spending their time. When you read just the Deeplight report, it sounds like the situation is not as bad as the media portrays, said Eric Jardine, research fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and a dark web expert, in an interview with SCMagazine.com. But I think there's a step missing and that step has to do with traffic patterns, he remarked, pointing to a separate research report by the Global Commission on Internet Governance, which in its own sampling found that more than 80 percent of requests on Tor were made to so-called abuse sites representing just two percent of the dark net's hidden services.
Intelliagg and Darksum's joint report also found that 76 percent of analysed Tor websites were written primarily in English, with German (four percent) the next most common language. Olofsson noted he was surprised there were not more sites catering to users in Russian or Chinese-speaking regions, though he expects there will be in the near future as more cybercriminals from these areas turn to encrypted sites to do their business.
Ultimately, Jardine praised the report for shedding new light on the dark web. I appreciate any effort to make sense of the dark web what it is, how big it is and to try to categorise .onion sites and catalogue them. This is a really good step, said Jardine. However, he also noted that uncharted pockets of the dark web still remain, as this research focused exclusively on Tor. Tor is the biggest route to the dark web, but not the only one, he added.
This article originally appeared at scmagazineus.com
Telstra chief executive Andrew Penn has attempted to downplay yesterdays controversy by reinforcing the companys support for marriage equality.
The Australian reported that Telstra removed all references to its previous support of marriage equality after it received a letter from the Catholic Church pointing out commercial considerations.
You may be aware that the Catholic archdiocese of Sydney is a significant user of goods and services from many corporations, said the letter from the Catholic Churchs Archdiocese of Sydney business manager Michael Digges.
Undoubtedly, many of the Catholic population of Sydney would be your employees, customers, partners and suppliers. It is therefore with grave concern that I write to you about the Marriage Equality for Australians campaign.
Yesterday afternoon, Telstra issued a statement on its public blog, Telstra Exchange, stating its position hadnt changed, but would no longer be active in the debate.
Penn took to Exchange this morning to publicly declare that Telstra still supports marriage equality, without mentioning anything about alleged influence from the Catholic Church.
We clearly need to make this simple statement: Telstra supports marriage equality as part of the great importance we place on diversity and standing against all forms of discrimination, Penn wrote.
Equally we recognise there are many and varied views and if we are all truly accepting of diversity, there should be room made for all of them.
He added that the reason Telstra wont participate in the debate is due to the federal governments proposed plebiscite, which opens the debate up to the public.
However, this position was interpreted by some as us abandoning our tradition of supporting diversity and inclusion, be it in the community or in our workplace. This could not be further from the truth.
Last year, Telstra was part of a group of companies that displayed their logo on Australian Marriage Equality advertisements in support of the campaign. AME still displays Telstra as a supporter.
Other AME supporters include Microsoft, Optus, Vodafone, Atlassian and LinkedIn.
ASG has signed a two-year deal with the Australian Bureau of Statistics to deliver an enterprise data management environment.
The contract, which has been valued at more than $10 million, will significantly expand ASGs portfolio of federal government enterprise applications work.
ASG said it would provide the ABS with a specialised solution that would be driven by metadata and would use Oracle technology.
The aim is to help the ABS enhance its production of coherent, in-depth statistical information from multiple sources
This ASG solution is part of an ABS strategy to standardise processes, modernise infrastructure and become more agile.
ASG chief executive Geoff Lewis said this is the companys first engagement with the ABS and hopefully the start of a valuable long-term partnership.
ASG has one of the largest enterprise analytics practices in Australia and we are excited to deliver our unique expertise to help federal government departments transform their technology environments, delivering definitive business outcomes, he said.
Lars Ljoen will take over the position of Executive Vice President and Managing Director at Carnival Maritime, the operations group overseeing Costa and AIDA ships from an office in Hamburg.
He will be responsible for supervising the departments Fleet Governance, Cruise Preparation & Projects, Cruise Execution as well as Continuous Improvement and the Fleet Operations Center, said Carnival.
Ljoen began his career on supply vessels and shuttle tankers in the North Sea offshore industry. In 1997, he joined Royal Caribbean Cruises where he worked on the cruise vessels and ashore in Miami, managing fleet-wide navigation issues, maritime training and deck operations.
During his eight years of employment there, he became Director of Marine Operations.
In 2005, Ljoen joined Ceres Marine Terminals (NYK Ports) in Miami as Vice President of Business Development. Almost ten years later he headed up the development of business strategies for cruise services, roll-on/roll-off business and general cargo for the North American port activities of NYK Line.
In 2015 Ljoen joined Carnival Maritime, leading the Cruise Preparation & Projects department as Senior Vice President. In this position he was responsible for port operations, dry dockings, deck and engine human resources, innovations and technical purchasing.
As Executive Vice President, Ljoen will directly report to Michael Thamm, CEO of the Costa Group. He takes over his new position from Jens Lassen, until now Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Carnival Maritime, who will continue to assist Ljoen in an advisory capacity.
"I am happy to welcome Lars in our management team. With his extensive experiences in marine operations and his passionate leadership style, Lars will strengthen our performance as a Center of Excellence for the fleet," Thamm commented.
"I am very excited about this new opportunity, as I feel it allows me to shape the future of cruising. My fantastic team and I will put our best efforts into reaching the ambitious goals of Carnival Maritime: Having the highest efficiency, lowest energy consumption and lowest repair and maintenance costs in the industry," Ljoen added.
Carnival Cruise Line is the first recipient of Port of Seattles inaugural Program Innovator Award and also received the ports Green Gateway Partners Award, honoring the cruise lines commitment to environmental stewardship, according to a news release from the Miami-based cruise company.
Rabih Aboudargham, director, environmental operations for Carnival Cruise Line, accepted the honors yesterday at Port of Seattles Cruise Annual All Agency Pre-Season Reception held at the World Trade Center on the Seattle waterfront.
As the inaugural recipient of the ports Program Innovator Award, Carnival was recognized for its creativity in environmental practices, including innovations in fuel efficiency and waste reduction, as well as its partnership with the Nature Conservancy and the development of groundbreaking exhaust gas cleaning technology.
The cruise lines training program for shipboard employees was acknowledged, as well.
The annual Green Gateway Awards are bestowed on those cruise and container customers whose environmental programs and initiatives exceed regulatory requirements and support the ports goal of becoming the cleanest and most energy-efficient port in North America.
Receiving this recognition from Port of Seattle one of the leaders in seaport environmental innovation is truly an honor, said Aboudargham. It also is an inspiration to continue seeking new ways to reduce our carbon footprint and preserve and protect our precious natural resources, he added.
"Carnival Cruise Line proves by their everyday practices that you can be good environmental stewards while contributing to this regions economy, said Port of Seattle Commissioner Courtney Gregoire. As we start another fantastic cruise season, we thank Carnival Cruise Line for making our planet a greener place, she added.
Photo: from left: Port of Seattle Managing Director Lindsay Pulsifer ; Rabih Aboudargham, director, environmental operations for Carnival Cruise Line; Port of Seattle Commissioner Courtney Gregoir.
Blockchain for entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector: challenges and opportunities - May 15, 2020 4:00 PM CEST
Blockchain for Agriculture webinar
Are you an entrepreneur in African, the Caribbean and Pacific countries and interested in blockchain? Do you want to know if and in which conditions you can leverage on blockchain to offer meaningful services to potential clients in the agricultural sector and beyond? This webinar organised by the Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation (CTA) in the framework its AgriHack and Blockchain projects, and in partnership with Blockchain Workspace in the Netherlands will discuss these questions. Apart from insights from three invited experts, experiences of an ACP entrepreneur investing in Blockchain will be shared. Other entrepreneurs from the audience may have the opportunity to briefly share their experiences as well. The session will be held in English only. With George Maina, founder of Shamba Records & Once Sync Limited (Kenya); Henk van Cann and Erwin Overstegen, both co-founder of the training firm Blockchain Workspace (bcws.io); and Ken Lohento (CTA)
A new report that identifies the most distinctive cause of injury death for each state, compared to national rates, has some findings that might be expected:
Seven states in Appalachia and the Southwest, for example, had unintentional firearms deaths roughly two to four times the national rate. Those states have high gun ownership rates and lack safe-storage laws.
Three states Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska had as their most distinctive injury motor vehicle crashes involving passengers. Four safety provisions primary seat-belt laws, mandatory key ignition locks for drunk drivers, booster seats and nighttime driving restrictions for teens are absent in Montana, while South Dakota and Nebraska have only one each.
Connecticut had as its most distinctive cause of injury death unintentional suffocation the only state with that outlier cause. The states rate was 1.3 times, or 30 percent higher than, the national average, according to the report in the journal Injury Prevention, led by researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The report analyzed data from 2004-2013 from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify one type of injury death for each state that was disproportionately popular with a rate that was the largest multiple of the U.S. rate.
While the report does not point to factors responsible for Connecticuts relatively high suffocation rate, child health advocates say they suspect unsafe sleeping conditions among infants, which led to a public health alert by the states Office of the Child Advocate in 2014 and other action, may be one factor.
SIDS deaths
Between 2002 and 2010, there were 211 infant deaths in Connecticut classified as due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or other undetermined causes, with at least 140 of those cases associated with unsafe sleep environments, such as infants in bed with adults, older children, or adult pillows and other large items, according to a report by the Child Advocate. In 2013 alone, 18 infants who died of SIDS or undetermined causes were found to have risk factors associated with their sleep environments.
Child Advocate Sarah Eagan said accidental asphyxiation from unsafe sleep practices remains a concern, with the state continuing to see 17 to 23 deaths per year of infants. It remains definitely a high-priority issue, she said. Its still the leading cause of death of healthy infants in Connecticut - higher than child abuse.
Eagan said the state has made strides to better educate parents about safe sleeping passing legislation in 2015 that requires hospitals to disseminate materials to new parents about safe sleep practices. Also, the state Department of Children and Families for the past several years has instructed workers to counsel parents about safe sleep and distributes Pack N Play cribs to households lacking adequate sleeping arrangements.
Eagan said state agencies have been working recently to more broadly disseminate information on the issue through a variety of organizations.
A 2015 Fact Sheet by the Childrens Safety Network National Injury and Violence Prevention Resource Center lists suffocation as the leading cause of injury deaths of children ages 1-4 in Connecticut from 2008-2012. Suffocation also is listed as the fourth-highest cause of death among Connecticut children ages 5 to 9.
Sara Heins, lead author of the national injury study, said the suffocation rates cited in the report represent not just infants, but people of all ages. She noted that not all suffocation deaths are caused by unsafe sleeping, and that not all infant sleep deaths are classified as suffocation.
Heins said that most states have laws designed to reduce the risk of sudden, unexpected infant deaths, through training, raising public awareness and reporting. Many are more stringent than Connecticuts 2015 law.
Drug poisoning
The injury study also calculates the most frequent injury death for each state, based on CDC data counts. In Connecticut and 28 other states, the most frequent cause is unintentional drug poisoning, or overdose. In four states Alaska, Arkansas, Utah and Wyoming suicide by firearm is the most frequent cause.
Heins and colleagues noted that while the distinctive injury rates are, by definition, high compared to the national average, they might actually account for a small number of fatalities.
The most frequent distinctive cause of injury death among all states was unintentional death by firearm. Five states clustered in the West California, Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah had rates of legal intervention deaths when police kill someone, or officers are killed in the line of duty up to 3.5 times higher than the U.S. average.
For Maine, Rhode Island and eight other states, suicide by falls, drowning and other means was the category with the largest multiple of the national rate.
Rural states in the Midwest and West tended to have higher rates of vehicle, machinery and natural/environmental injury deaths.
Heins said she hoped the findings would help policymakers identify injuries that, while not the most burdensome, may warrant special prevention efforts.
In states where injuries are distinctive due to differences in policy or culture, the results could be a useful tool for advocates who could assert, Not only is this injury a problem, it is a problem that we as a state are distinctively bad at addressing, she said.
This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team (www.c-hit.org).
BRIDGEPORT A West Haven teen is accused of threatening to kill a Stratford girl sending her a photograph of him pointing a gun after she refused to go to the prom with him.
Trevon Malik Avery, 18, of Washington Avenue, was charged Friday with first-degree threatening, second-degree harassment and second-degree breach of peace.
During an arraignment hearing, state Superior Court Judge William Holden ordered the teen confined to house arrest with the exception of going to school, and issued a protective order requiring Avery to stay away from the girl.
The judge continued the case to May 11.
Police said the 17-year-old girl told them she had broken up with Avery on Thursday and refused to go to her high school prom with him. She told police she subsequently began getting threatening text messages from Avery.
N dont honestly care who u tell bro, dad, superman whoever they could get it too, one of Averys texts read, according to police.
They said the girl showed them a photograph on her phone of Avery pointing a handgun into the camera. Police said the girl told them he had never acted this way toward her before, and that she became frightened and decided to call for help.
Stratford and West Haven police went to Averys home. They said he answered the door and, when he saw it was the police, ran back into the house. A short time later, Averys mother came to the door, and police said she agreed to turn her son over to them.
Police said Avery told them he had only been joking and the gun wasnt real, but he didnt know where it was.
While in the back of a police car, Avery kept yelling, You dont understand, the gun was not real. Its a joke, police said.
West Haven officers told the Stratford officers they are familiar with Avery and that he runs with a rough crowd that causes a lot of problems in the area, police said.
The arrest renewed memories of a Milford slaying with some similar circumstances.
Last month, Christopher Plaskon, now 18, pleaded no contest to fatally stabbing 16-year-old classmate Maren Sanchez on April 25, 2014, in a hallway at Milfords Jonathan Law High School after she refused to go to the prom with him, police said.
Plaskon faces 25 years in prison when he is sentenced June 6.
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STRATFORD If the Bard only knew.
On Sunday, 35 Shakespeare-lovers from town will be journeying to Stratford-upon-Avon to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare on April 23, 1616.
They will be joining dozens of like-minded people from the other Stratfords of the world as part of the Sister Cities program. They will be arriving from New Zealand, Australia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario and, yes, Stratford-upon-
Avon.
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STORY LINK Mixed Forecast for GBP Pound Sterling Exchange Rate vs AUD NZD
AUD and NZD Exchange Rates Climb despite 7-Year Low Chinese GDP
Chinese Data Supports Hopes of Stabilising Economic Outlook
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Much as anticipated, last nights Asian session saw official government figures confirm that activity levels in Chinas vast economy once again contracted during the first three months of last year.The statistics revealed that the worlds second largest economy expanded by an annualised 6.7% last month down from the counterpart Q4 2015 showing of 6.8%.The result represented the slowest level of Chinese economic growth for seven years.The old market adage which advises that investors should buy on the rumour, sell on the news, once again held true and last nights Chinese growth numbers failed to significantly dent support for the risk-correlated Australian Dollar (currency : AUD) and New Zealand Dollar (currency : NZD) during todays session.The Pound Sterling Aussie Dollar exchange rate crept into the low 1.8300s earlier today before pulling itself back above the 1.8400 threshold during afternoon trading.Meanwhile, the Pound New Zealand Dollar exchange rate showed similar price action, initially edging Southwards to 2.0459 GBP NZD before recovering to 2.0652.Drilling down into the component elements of the official figures, many analysts expressed the belief that they were in fact a good news story, with the New Yuan Loans statistic hinting at a real pick-up.Craig James of Commsec explained the resolute response to the Chinese GDP numbers earlier, stating that what followed in the market represented, a collective sigh of relieve, not just here in Australia but around the world. All the results are above market expectations, it shows the rebalancing of the economy is proceeding to plan.He went on to note that, if anything, the figures are surprisingly high, so one wonders about the sustainability of the growth rate for future months. Hopefully we'll see other economies around the world focus on lifting their own growth rates.For the above reasons, the near-term forecast for the Pound Sterling vs AUD and NZD exchange rate remains decidedly mixed.
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Berlin, Windber and North Star bring plenty of momentum into Week 10
Check out what we learned in Week 9 of the high school football season across Somerset County.
Videos of Floridian arrests bring renewed criticism of crackdown on election fraud
Law enforcement body camera footage showed stunned and confused Floridians being arrested on voter fraud charges. Advocates are calling for changes.
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Whenever I hear or read those chilling words 'dinner party', my mind flashes back to a remark one of our guests made at a grim evening we hosted as newlyweds in the early Eighties.
To impress my young bride, I'd invited Dominic Grieve, whom I'd known slightly at school.
True, he was not yet an MP, and his ascent to ministerial office as Attorney General was a long way ahead of him.
But he was already a hotshot lawyer, with avowed political ambitions, much spoken of in informed circles as the Coming Man.
The evening was not going well. Two of our other guests had arrived very late, which meant that the fancy trout dish my wife had slaved over for the starter was disgustingly overcooked, with the consistency of glue.
The conversation was just as sticky.
Two of our other guests arrived late which meant that the trout dish my wife had slaved over had the consistency of glue - and the conversation was just as sticky - writes TOM UTLEY (file photo)
Desperate to think of something to talk about, I mentioned that we were planning a motoring holiday, driving around Brittany in our Triumph Spitfire. Dominic picked up the conversational ball and ran with it, advising us where to go and what to see.
Now, at this point I must show myself in a very bad light, because the shameful truth is that I get extremely irritated by little things.
And the little thing irritating me that evening was that Dominic pronounced every place-name on his recommended itinerary in an impeccable French accent.
In fairness, I should point out that if anyone has the right to roll his 'R's in that throaty Gallic way (think of Rennes, Quiberon or, indeed, Bretagne itself), that person is Dominic Grieve.
After all, he is half-French and a fluent francophone, having attended the Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle in London before we met at Westminster School.
Dominic Grieve (pictured) picked up the conversational ball and ran with it, writes UTLEY
Nor do I feel quite as strongly on the subject as my late father, who believed that all British citizens have a sacred patriotic duty to mispronounce foreign names.
I well remember the old man rebuking me fiercely for speaking of Marseilles as 'Marsay', in an approximation of a French accent, instead of using the old-fashioned English pronunciation, 'Marsales'.
'Marsay, boy, Marsay? Call yourself an Englishman? Next you'll be saying Paree instead of Paris!' (He also pronounced Calais as 'Calliss' an eccentricity I've never heard from anyone else.)
But I digress. As I say, I was acutely irritated by Dominic's accent.
I was also afraid that our other guests would think I'd invited an appalling show-off to dinner.
So I announced, perhaps somewhat cack-handedly: 'You'll have to forgive him. His mother is French.'
The trouble was that it came out in quite the wrong way not so much light-hearted as ratty and rude. An awkward silence fell, which seemed to drag on for an eternity, while I tried in vain to think of other subjects to raise, which might get the evening flowing.
At long last, the silence was broken by my spinster aunt, who piped up with the conversationally unhelpful remark: 'Gosh! Everyone's gone very quiet!'
It was then that the future Attorney General uttered the five words that will be forever associated in my mind with the social hell of the British Middle-Class Dinner Party (BMCDP).
Speaking this time in his distinctly posh English accent, and trying desperately to be polite, he said: 'A satisfied silence, I think.'
Aaaargh!!! A satisfied silence? It was an excruciating silence, as we sat squashed round that table in our pokey one-bed flat, chewing our overcooked trout and racking our brains for something, anything, to say.
Oh, why do we middle-classes put ourselves through the agonising ritual of the BMCDP?
Weeks beforehand, the pain begins as we wrestle with the decisions about the guest-list. ('Yes, darling, I know we owe the Dudleys, the Worthingtons, the Darbyshires and the Donnellys but will they get on, or will they hate each other on sight?')
Desperate to think of something to talk about, UTLEY mentioned he and his wife were planning a motoring holiday driving around Brittany in our Triumph Spitfire (file photo of a Triumph Spitfire 2)
As the awful day approaches, the tensions crank up as my wife turns her mind to the menu.
Naturally, she can't serve up any of the delicious, simple, tried and tested dishes that she cooks so beautifully.
No, since this is to be a BMCDP, it has to be something fancy, with dozens of exotic ingredients.
Something that she's never attempted before, which she thinks is sure to cause a sensation. Something, in short, that's almost bound to go horribly wrong.
And that's even before one of the guests turns out to be a vegetarian, another allergic to mushrooms and latecomers keep us waiting while everything overcooks.
Then there's the question of what we should wear.
Opt for smart, and you can be sure that the first guests will arrive in sweaters and jeans and immediately feel ill at ease. Opt for casual, and it's equally certain they'll turn up in suits and ties and full-length ball dresses.
(OK, we could ring in advance to warn about the dress-code, but isn't there a risk of sounding a little officious, thereby causing resentment of another kind?)
The long and the short of it is that I wasn't a bit surprised to read this week's finding that most of us spend longer planning our dinner parties than we do on deciding to put in an offer on a house.
Though a typical dinner party costs less than 100, says the survey by HSBC's mortgage department, hosts spend an average of 31 hours choosing guests, food and wine (make that 31 days, in the Utleys' case).
By contrast, we spend only 26 hours mulling over whether or not to buy a house average price, 283,658.
And no wonder. I reckon you can tell almost the moment you walk over the threshold whether or not you're going to like a house.
After that tiny flat, this was certainly true of our first proper family home a two-bed, early Victorian house, full of light, with steps leading up to the front door and a kitchen in the half-basement.
For both of us, it was love at first sight, and we offered the asking-price on the spot.
If my memory serves me right, it set us back 52,000. Ah, but this was the early Eighties, in the days before you had to be a Russian oligarch with a Panamanian bank account to buy a bedsit in London.
We were similarly decisive, but for very different reasons, when it came buying our present home in 1987.
It was dark, dingy and damp, and I disliked it immediately. But we had just been gazumped, we needed the extra bedrooms for our growing family and I was sick to death of spending every day-off traipsing around London looking at houses.
The very next day after about 26 hours' deliberation, as it happens we decided, hell, we might as well buy it and live in it for a couple of years until something more agreeable came up.
That was almost 30 years ago, and we've been stuck there ever since.
So, yes, our own experience bears out HSBC's findings almost exactly. On the mercifully rare occasions when we throw BMCDPs (we're down to about one a year, thank God) the Utleys do indeed spend far longer agonising over them than we've ever spent deciding where to live.
And all for what? For evenings of unbearable social tension, forced jollity, excruciating silences.
Or, worse, garrulous, wine-fuelled conversation that ends in raised voices and someone (usually me) saying something he'll regret for ever and a day.
David Cameron, Paddy Ashdown and Neil Kinnock put aside party differences yesterday and turned up at a phone bank to make unsolicited calls aimed at persuading voters to stay in the EU.
It was just my luck to be on the receiving end. There I was at my desk, staring at a blank wordface, when the phone started ringing off the hook.
Normally, when I get nuisance calls I hang up immediately. You can always tell them by the irritating delay at the other end. But in this game you never know where the next few hundred words are coming from. So I played along. I dont think they had the faintest idea who they were calling.
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David Cameron, Paddy Ashdown and Neil Kinnock put aside party differences yesterday and turned up at a phone bank to make unsolicited calls aimed at persuading voters to stay in the EU
(Brring, brring . . .)
Hello.
(Silence)
Hello?
(Silence, click)
Id like to speak to a Mr John Richards, please.
Who?
Is this Mr Richards?
No. I think youve got the wrong number.
Im so sorry, is that John Little?
Close enough.
Can I ask how you intend to vote in the forthcoming referendum on EU membership?
Whats it got to do with you?
This is Lord Ashdown speaking.
You still owe me for nicking Call Me Dave.
Sorry, not with you.
The title of your book on David Cameron.
I beg your pardon?
Call Me Dave.
I thought your name was John. Thats what it says here. But Ill call you Dave if thats what you want.
Richard Littlejohn imagines what it would be like to get a call from David Cameron persuading voters to support the Remain campaign
No. Call Me Dave. You must remember it. Your name was on the cover. That business with the pigs head. It was all over the papers.
Oh, I see. I think youre getting me confused with Lord Ashcroft.
Who are you then?
Lord Ash-DOWN, used to be leader of the Lib Dems. You probably know me better as Paddy.
Its Paddy Pantsdown!
(Embarrassed laugh)
So what do you want, Paddy? Or can I call you Pantsdown?
Certainly not. Lord Justice Leveson is a personal friend of mine.
Just get on with it. I havent got all day.
Well, I was wondering if we could count on your vote in the referendum to stay in the EU.
No, you cant, Paddy. (Beep) Ive got another call waiting. Goodbye.
(Brring, brring . . .)
Now what? Hello.
(Silence)
For crying out loud.
(Silence, click)
Hello, good morning and good day. Would I be right, accurate and correct in thinking Im speaking to, talking to, and indeed, addressing Mr Little Richard John?
No, you wouldnt.
During the mock phone-call Richard jokingly refers to former leader of the Liberal Democrats Paddy Ashdown, as 'Paddy Pantsdown'
Lovely, tidy, smashing. Now Mr Little, Im calling, ringing and telephoning on behalf of the campaign to remain, stay and, indeed, continue to be a part of the European Union.
What did you say your name was?
Sorry, I didnt. Rude of me, boyo. I am Lord Kinnock of Bedwellty.
Have you tried incontinence pants?
No, Bed-WELLTY. Its in Wales, you know.
Id never have guessed.
Look you, I havent got all day.
You called me. And I still dont have the faintest idea who you are.
So I did. I havent always been Lord Bedwellty. I used to be Neil Kinnock, saviour of the Labour Party.
I thought the name rang a bell. Neil, how are you?
Im AAAAWWWLLLRIIIIGHHHT!
You should be. Didnt I read that you and your missus earned north of 10 million out of the EU? And how much is your pension from Brussels worth these days . . ?
Thats not the point. Britain is safer and stronger in Europe, stronger and safer, and indeed . . .
You havent always thought that, though, have you? Some of us can remember you standing for election on a manifesto calling for an immediate withdrawal from Europe.
That was before . . .
You became a European commissioner? And isnt it right that if you criticise the EU in public, you could lose your pension? Thatd cost you, what, 100 grand a year these days?
Thats between me and HMRC. Three hundred million jobs in Britain depend upon, rely on and, indeed, are linked to the EU.
As well as speaking to Mr Ashdown and Mr Cameron, Richard imagines Neil Kinnock, the former leader of the Labour party, canvassing his vote
Well it certainly worked for your family and your mate Peter Mandelson. But what about the steelworkers in Port Talbot? Have you spoken to the local MP lately? Whats his name? Thats right, Kinnock. He used to work for the EU, too, if I remember correctly.
Look, I didnt make this call just so I could be kebabbed . . .
Well, shove off, then, you self-serving Welsh windbag.
(Brring, brring . . .)
Not again. Hello?
(Silence)
For crying out loud...
(Silence, click)
OK, yah. Here we go. Do I press this button? Right, got it.
Hello?
Oh, hi. Could I speak to Ive got it written down somewhere Mrs Joan Littlewood?
Who?
Is that Mister Littlewood?
If you like. And before you ask, I havent been mis-sold PPI, nor have I been involved in an accident at work that wasnt my fault and Im not interested in switching my broadband provider, either.
In the fantasy conversation , Mr Cameron tells Richard 'Well still be a province of a European superstate; we wont have any control over who can come and live here.'
Please dont hang up. Its nothing like that. My names David Cameron, but you can call me Dave.
We were just talking about you.
You were? Splendid. No need for formal introductions, then. Im ringing on behalf of the Remain campaign. Have you had our leaflet yet?
I posted it straight back to you. Me and a few million others. Never seen such a complete parcel of patronising garbage in my life. What a waste of nine million quid we havent got.
But your Government thinks its important you know all the facts.
Facts? Lies, more like. How stupid do you think we are?
Its vital we remain in a reformed Europe.
Reformed? Dont make me laugh.
But we wont have to join the euro.
We never were going to join the euro. Its on the brink of collapse anyway.
Well retain control of our borders.
You are joking, right? We cant stop anyone from the EU settling here.
There will be tough new restrictions on access to our welfare system.
No, there wont.
And, er...
Well still be a province of a European superstate; we wont have any control over who can come and live here; most of our laws will continue to be made abroad by unelected, unaccountable foreign bureaucrats; we wont be able to negotiate our own trade deals with the rest of the world; and well still be banned from catching our own fish.
But if you vote Leave, no one will ever be allowed to travel abroad again; every industry in Britain will go bankrupt; hundreds of millions of jobs will disappear; the NHS will shut down; house prices will go into freefall; World War III will break out; and giant rats . . .
I was wondering when wed get to the giant rats. Listen, Dave, you know what you can do with Project Fear and your ludicrous leaflet. The last time I was offered such a dodgy prospectus was when some shady broker tried to persuade me to buy shares in a dubious offshore caper in where was it? Thats right, Panama.
Ill put you down as a Dont Know then.
The campaign raises awareness for the Li'l Aussie Prems Foundation
The #Green4Prem hashtag shows how much premmie babies have grown
Children and babies born premature have worn green to raise awareness
Only the parents of babies born prematurely will know the heart-ache and uncertainty that surrounds their birth.
The days, weeks and months that follow can pass by in a blue of hospital visits and time spent in the neonatal intensive care unit.
To raise awareness about premature births Li'l Aussie Prems Foundation held the event Wearing Green For Premmies, and proud parents shared photos of their healthy children to show just how far they'e come.
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Showing support: The Green For Premmies day saw parents post photos of their children who were born premature, including little Alyssa (picture) who was born at 26 weeks and is now 10 months old
Adorable: Imogen Eve was born at 35 weeks, but is now six months old and 'doing great'
Little superman: This proud parent showed how much thier 11-month-old son had grown after he was born at 27 weeks
The event, held on April 13, is also held for those who lost a baby born too soon.
One parent who took part shared a photo of her 10-month-old daughter Alyssa who was born at just 26 weeks, weighing a tiny 902 grams.
The photos showed a tiny Alyssa in intensive care after she was born, next to a photo of the smiling tot sitting up in bed.
Raising awareness: The Green For Prems day was held on April 13 and was an initiative of the Li'l Aussie Prems Foundation
Growing up: This little boy was born at 31 weeks and was hooked up to tubes and monitors, but today sat happily in his green shirt
'Our journey to get to where we are today hasn't been easy but it's definitely been worth it,' they wrote.
'We are so proud of our little miracle. She is the true definition of strength and determination.'
Another proud parent shared a photo of her baby girl Imogen Eve, who despite being born at 35 weeks, is no six months old and 'doing great'.
So sweet: These twins wore green for prems, and were adorable in their matching hats and playsuits
Helping others: The same twins were pictured with their mother who at 10 months old are simply adorable
'Today we wear green': This proud mother cuddled up to her child who was born prematurely
'It's a difficult and scary time when you have a prem baby, not just in the days after birth but the weeks, months and years,' they wrote.
'A lot of mums suffer post traumatic stress and there's also an increased rate of postpartum depression in mums of premmies.
'So please give your support to these mums.'
Looking back: Danielle was born at 26 weeks and weighed just 722 grams, but today is a happy nine-year-old
Giving hope to parents of premature babies that their child's future will be bright, the Li'l Aussie Prems Foundation shared a photo of nine-year-old Danielle.
Dressed in a green t-shirt and holding a photo of herself a premature baby, a smiling Danielle looked just like every other child her age.
'Danielle was born at 26 weeks and weighing 722 grams,' the caption read.
Double the joy: Twins Scarlett and Lila hold pictures of themselves as premature newborns
Thriving: Millie was born at 24 weeks and six days, weighing 727 grams
Look how much she's grown: One mother, Lisa, shared this picture, writing: 'Our little miss on her first birthday, born at 26.3 weeks weighing 995 grams'
The green for prems day initiative came after the Li'l Aussie Prems Foundation urged parents of children born premature to share photos of their kids holding an image from their time in hospital.
The Put a Food Forward for Premmies campaign encourages parents to share heart-warming photographs.
Among them was a photographs of a boy named Caelan who was born at 30 weeks weighing less than one kilogram.
Caelan proudly held a photo of himself in the hospital as a newborn, hooked up to drips and monitors.
In another photo, twins Scarlet and Lila held photos of their own tiny bodies not long after they were born.
Big grin: This boy looked back on his time in the hospital as he held a photo from when he was born
Fragile: 'Caelan was born at 30 weeks weighing a tiny 942 grams,' his parents wrote on Facebook
Fighter: Max was born at 24 weeks and weighed just 821 grams
Mum Sherrin Mitchell shared a photo her her daughter Millie, who was born at 24 weeks and six days.
'She definitely is [incredible] even though doctors had a completely different outcome expected from her,' Ms Mitchell wrote on the Lil' Aussie Prems Foundation Facebook page.
All of the pictures were shared using the hashtags #foot4prems and #green4prems.
The Lil Aussie Prems Foundation aims to make an emotional and financial difference for premmie families and to donate equipment to hospitals that care for premature babies.
Tiny fighter: Little Isabelle with a picture of when she was born at 28 weeks
Growing strong: Mother Jenna shared this snap of her twin boys, who were born at 31 weeks, weighing 1.3 and 1.4 kgs respectively, and are now 15 months old
A woman has told how she was raped by her father when she was a child - and how he went on to become a killer after he was released from jail.
Becky Butler, 32, from Warrington, Cheshire, suffered years of abuse at the hands of her dad, Ian Gordon, from the age of ten - as he told her it was something all girls did for their fathers.
After serving a 12-year sentence for his crimes, child rapist Gordon, now 52, went on to murder his next girlfriend and was jailed for life last month.
Becky Butler, 32, from Warrington, Cheshire, suffered years of abuse at the hands of her father, Ian Gordon
Recalling her ordeal, the mother-of-four, who has waived her right to anonymity, said: 'Each morning before school, I was abused. I was told all girls did that for their dad.
'It wasn't until I was a teenager that I realised how wrong it was. I went off the rails and I lost my way.
'Then, I began to realise that by being angry, I was letting my dad win. I now know that being happy and being a good mum to my own children is the best form of revenge.'
Gordon was also violent to Becky's mother, Carole, with whom he had five children.
Becky's mother, Carole Smith, 51, said: 'Ian Gordon is a monster. He made our lives so miserable I even thought about killing him just so that we could escape.
'I feel so lucky to have escaped. My life has moved on and me and my children have finally found happiness.'
In May 1998, Gordon, left, was jailed for 12 years for rape, indecent assault, ABH, GBH with intent and unlawful wounding after preying on his young daughter Becky, right, pictured at 13
Becky has gone on to have four children (pictured with her son Bailey). She believes that 'being happy and being a good mum is the best form of revenge'
Carole met Gordon at a party, four days before her 16th birthday, in September 1980.
She recalled: 'All the girls fancied him. He was good looking and very smart. His nickname was Flash.
'We started going out, and he would pick me up on his motorbike. I was besotted with him.'
Becky, their first child, was born in November 1983 and the couple set up home together. But it was soon after that the violence began.
Carole said: 'The slightest thing would make him snap. If his tea wasn't cooked properly, he would throw the plate at me.
'I tried to leave him but he would always drag me home again. I went to the police, but Ian would scare me into dropping the charges.
Becky was abused every day before school but was told all daughters did that for their fathers. Pictured with her brothers Aaron, Kieron and Sean
Ian Gordon (pictured second from left in the front row as a sea cadet) made his family's life hell. His wife Carole recalls that she was so desperate to escape she thought about killing him
'He had me under his control. I felt like he owned me.
'He made me wear scruffy baggy clothes and had my hair cut very short so that no other man would ever look at me. I had to have sex with him whenever he wanted it, or he would beat me up.'
The couple went on to have four more children together, all boys.
One of their sons was born with a brain tumour, and Carole spent two months in hospital with him as he had surgery.
It was whilst Carole was in hospital with their son that Gordon began abusing their daughter, Becky.
She said: 'I had no idea what was happening. Becky didn't come to visit her baby brother in hospital and I remember asking Ian why she wasn't there.
'When I came home, I noticed she was very withdrawn and I asked her what was wrong, but she always clammed up.
Becky's ordeal began after her brother needed surgery for a brain tumour. Her mother Carole, right, was at his hospital bedside and had no idea what was happening at home
Becky as a young girl with her brother Sean. Growing up she witnessed her father's violent side
'I had my hands full with five kids, one seriously ill.'
Becky lived with her dark secret for years, refusing to tell anyone.
She said: 'Each morning, before school, dad made me give him oral sex. He told me it was normal and he said all girls did this for their dads.
'I just had to get it over with so that I could escape out to school.
'After mum came home from hospital with my brother, dad started sending her out to bingo once a week and then he would rape me. He would lay me out, on a table, completely naked.
'It was only when I started at high school and I started talking about sex to other girls that I realised it was very wrong.'
Eventually Becky confided in a teacher and Gordon was arrested.
Police and social services spoke to Carole and the full horror of her family's ordeal was exposed.
Carole did not see Gordon again after his arrest.
Becky, pictured with her brothers, recalls how her father would send her mother out to bingo so he could rape her. But she kept her dark secret for years
Eventually Becky confided in a teacher and Gordon was arrested. She said: 'It was only when I started at high school and I started talking about sex to other girls that I realised it was very wrong'
In May 1998, he was jailed for 12 years for rape, indecent assault, ABH, GBH with intent and unlawful wounding.
Carole said: 'I was sickened. I'd had no idea he had abused Becky. I felt guilt, horror, shame. He repulsed me.'
I was sickened. I'd had no idea he had abused Becky. I felt guilt, horror, shame. He repulsed me. Carole, Becky's mother
After Gordon was jailed, Carole met a new partner, Steve Smith. He brought Carole's children up as his own and the couple have now been together for almost 20 years.
They were married in August 2000 and now run their own pub in Warrington.
However last year, Carole was contacted by police who told her that Ian Gordon was accused of murdering his latest partner, Anne-Marie Cropper.
The couple had only been together ten weeks when the grandmother-of-four died from head and chest injuries, and Gordon claimed she had fallen in the shower.
Carole agreed to testify against her ex-husband.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that doctors had found exactly 100 marks or injuries on Anne-Marie's head and body during a post-mortem examination.
The alcoholic denied her brutal murder in a trial at Liverpool Crown Court, only admitting to manslaughter, but he must now serve at least 20 years in prison.
After Gordon was jailed, Carole met a new partner, Steve Smith. He brought Carole's children up as his own and the couple have been happy together for almost 20 years, pictured on their wedding day
Carole said: 'When I read the details of the case, my blood ran cold. It was a mirror image of what I had been through. It brought everything back and it was very hard, but I was determined to go to court.'
Gordon pleaded guilty part-way through his trial, meaning Carole did not have to testify.
She said: 'I know we had a lucky escape from him. Despite Ian Gordon, we've found happiness and peace and I am very proud of the way Becky has coped with what happened. We're very close now.
'Now that Gordon is locked away for life, I feel such a sense of relief.'
Becky now has four children with her fiance, Adrian Heaton. The couple have been together for 12 years and Becky credits him with helping her through her darkest time.
She and Adrian will marry next year.
Carole now runs a pub with Steve, pictured with their grandson Bailey. After hearing about the murder of Anne-Marie Cropper, she said: 'My blood ran cold. It was a mirror image of what I had been through'
Becky's mother Carole, pictured right with her daughter, was asked to testify when Gordon went on trial for murdering his ex-girlfriend. Gordon eventually changed his plea to guilty and was jailed for life last month
She said: 'As a teenager, I went off the rails. I was always fighting and getting into trouble. I blamed he whole world for what I'd been through. I had no regard or respect for sex; I was on self-destruct.
'Mum and me were always arguing and at odds. But as I grew older I realised that, by being so angry, I was letting Ian Gordon win.
'After he came out of prison, he came to live near me and I had to see him every day. It was horrific but eventually the police moved him on.
'Now he's in jail for life, I feel as though my children are safe from him.
In the the Texas-based mom's latest series of photos, the women pictured include a Las Vegas showgirl, a nurse, a teacher, and an active duty airman, all nursing their children while dressed in uniform
However, earlier this month, an image Tara posted of a New Mexico mother breastfeeding in her firefighter husband's uniform sparked furious debate, and the father has been told he may face an investigation at work
After the images caused a stir online, Tara was inspired to create a photo series dedicated to all moms in uniform
The photographer and veteran created the photo series to show support for Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, opening a nursing room at its headquarters for active duty mothers
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The photographer behind the controversial images of military mothers breastfeeding their children has released four new images of working moms nursing their children, including a veteran 'tandem feeding' her two kids and a showgirl dressed in full costume.
Last September, Tara Ruby photographed portraits of 10 active duty military moms breastfeeding their children in full uniform to show support for Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, opening a nursing room at its headquarters in hopes of normalizing nursing in the military.
The Texas-based photographer, who served in the Air Force from 1997 to 2001, told Cosmopolitan.com that she was so inspired by the enthusiastic response she received from other moms, she decided to dedicate an photo series to woman breastfeeding in any and all uniforms.
Moment in time: Photographer Tara Ruby has created a portrait series that sees full-time working mother's breastfeeding in their uniforms, including this Las Vegas showgirl with her son, who is dressed as Elvis
The images were inspired by the photos she took in September 2015 of military mom's breastfeeding in their uniforms. In this image an airman can be seen tandem breastfeeding her sons
Tara explained that after her photos debuted last year woman from a variety of professions started to come up to her to say that they see themselves in those portraits even though they are not in active duty.
The photographer's latest images feature a Las Vegas showgirl, a nurse, a teacher, and an active duty airman.
Tara revealed that during the shoot, the airman had to unzip her entire uniform to nurse her two little boys for the shoot
'Her older one is three, so she's been doing this full-time for [that long],' she explained.
Working mom: Tara said she shot this portrait in the library of this teacher's school because she was asked not to pose for the candid photos in her classroom
Never a dull moment: This mom said her daughter always kicks her face when she is breasfeeding. The full-time nurse is working on a line of nursing-friendly scrubs
Another striking shoot from the series sees a full-time showgirl dressed in her sequined costume and extravagant headpiece while she breastfeeds her baby boy, who is dressed like Elvis.
Tara stressed that their is an amazing story behind each and every one of the photos.
During her photoshoot with a labor and delivery nurse, Tara captured the mom's toddler lifting her foot to her mother's chin while nursing.
'I thought it was really funny, because it shows just how crazy it is when you start nursing an older child,' she explained.
Powerful shot: This photograph of a group of soldiers breastfeeding their children in full uniform took the internet by storm in September
Inadvertent controversy: A New Mexico firefighter is facing unpaid leave after a picture of his wife breastfeeding their infant son while wearing his uniform was posted online
The mom told Tara that her daughter does that every time they nurse, and she is currently designing scrubs that are 'nursing appropriate' because it is challenging to breastfeed in the current ones on the market.
Another image of a breastfeeding teacher was taken in the school's library because she was asked to not do it in the classroom, and Tara explained that she strongly suggests that women who agree to pose for the series should talk to their HR departments before shooting in their uniform or at their workplace.
Earlier this week it was revealed that an unidentified New Mexico firefighter could face unpaid leave after a picture of his wife breastfeeding their infant son wearing his uniform was posted online by Tara.
The Las Cruces Fire Department told KFOX14 that the firefighter could face disciplinary action because of the photo, but a spokesman said that because the issue is a personal matter, they would not be able discuss any aspect of the situation.
'This Mommy is a doctor here in El Paso and has successfully breastfed for six months with no end in sight,' Tara captioned this image when she posted it to Facebook in February
Look of love: Tara said this full-time working nurse asked her to capture this breastfeeding moment
A department spokesman said the issue is a personnel matter and they are unable to discuss any aspect of the situation.
However, Tara pointed out that the controversy surrounding the photo is overshadowing its message
'The intention has been since the very beginning to show that a mom can be a full-time mom and still work a full-time job and do both equally at the same time,' she explained, noting that the images were never intended to be anything negative.
Images from the ongoing series will be published in an upcoming book collaboration between Tara and Amherst Media.
Princess Mary has stepped out for a dinner without her coat in chilling Copenhagen, where the temperature was only eight degrees.
Mary was pictured in a sleeveless black top and printed skirt, with only a light shawl for protection against the chilly weather on Thursday night.
She paired the outfit with simply black heels, a black clutch and gold jewelry. The chic but potentially very cold princess has her hair styled in loose curls and opted for smokey eye makeup and a pink lip.
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Royal dining: Crown Princess Mary of Denmark attends a return dinner on Thursday nighy at The Hotel D'Angleterre, on the second day of a State visit of the President of The United Mexican States
Welcome to Denmark: Mexican President Enrique Peoa Nieto and First Lady Angelica Rivera (left) were on a state visit to Denmark on April 13th and 14th
She must be freezing: Princess Mary (above) was pictured without a coat in the chilly Copenhagen weather, where the temperature was only eight degrees
Braving the cold: Mary (left) didn't seem concerned about the weather, smiling as she walked into the event with bare arms and legs and accompanied by her husband Crown Prince Frederik (centre)
Side by side: Prince Frederik was by Mary's side and wore a navy suit and tie and looked comfortably layered up for the weather
Five star taste: the dinner saw 150 guests attend before the Mexican President and first lady flew home later in the evening
Just a bit of sparkle: Princess Mary accessorized her outfit with neutral coloured drop earings
Princess Marie and Queen Margrethe both seemed to have the better idea and seemed suitably warm in their winter coats.
Princess Marie opted for a black coat with glittering jeweled clasps along with bare legs and glittering shoes.
Queen Margrethe remained stylish, and warm, with a thick black and grey fur cape. The Queen, who is known for her eccentric style, paired the voluminous cape with a shiny deep pink skirt and white tights.
Mary, however, didn't seem concerned about the weather, smiling as she walked into the event with bare arms and legs.
Warmer in winter: Princess Marie (above) opted for a stylish black coat with jeweled clasps on the cold evening
Simple and stylish: Queen Margrethe (above) also rugged up, wearing a black and grey fur trimmed cape
A royal affair: The royals were attending an official dinner for the State visit of President Enrique Pena Nieto, and his wife Angelica Rivera
Prince Frederik was by Mary's side, also without a coat. He was, however, wearing a navy suit and tie and looked comfortably layered up for the weather.
The royals were heading to an official dinner which marked the end of the State visit of President of The United Mexican States, President Enrique Pena Nieto, and his wife Angelica Rivera, to Denmark.
The dinner, held at the luxury five-star hotel Hotel d'Angleterre in Copenhagen, saw 150 guests attend before the Mexican President and first lady flew home later in the evening.
Ravishing royal: Earlier in the day Mary was out for official duties, this time opting for a cream coat to keep her warm
Queen of the kids: Mary and Prince Frederik visited a school north of Copenhagen with First Lady Angelica Rivera, where they spoke to kindergarten students
Earlier in the day Mary had attended another event for the State visit, visiting the Tjornegaard School, this time keeping herself warm with a cream coloured coat.
She decided to keep warm in the coat and a pair of blue gloves, although left her legs bare, braving the cold Copenhagen day.
Going head-to-head with the very fashionable First Lady is no easy feat, but TV anchor Gayle King found a rather unique way of ensuring that she stood out after modeling the same designer dress as Michelle Obama - by wearing it backwards.
The 61-year-old TV anchor took to Instagram last week to admit that she had accidentally worn her $1,300 Antonio Berardi dress backwards at an event in New York, sharing images of herself with the dress on the right way - with the zipper to the front - and the 'wrong' way - with the zipper at the back.
'Which is correct? pix in the middle-dress is on BACKWARDS & I prefer this way... Thoughts? shout out to @antonioberardi I LOVE the dress! [sic]', she captioned the collage of images.
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Spot the difference! Gayle King (right) wore the same Antonio Berardi dress as Michelle Obama (left), but accidentally donned the design backwards, with the zipper facing the wrong way
Whoops! The 61-year-old CBS This Morning co-host revealed on Instagram that she might have worn the dress the wrong way round, but insisted she liked the design equally when worn correctly, or backwards
Poll Who wore the dress best? Michelle Obama Gayle King Who wore the dress best? Michelle Obama 853 votes
Gayle King 545 votes Now share your opinion
But while Gayle might have been unsure of the 'correct' way to wear the dress at the time, there can be no doubt in her mind now, after First Lady Michelle, 52, modeled the same stylish pink-and-red number on the cover of Seventeen magazine, with the zipper worn very clearly at the front.
Unlike Gayle, who chose to accessorize her dress with a pink leather belt, a pair of multicolored heels and a matching rainbow clutch bag, Michelle wore the dress in its most simple form, without any add-ons.
Despite her sartorial slip-up, however, Gayle looks as confident as can be as she posed up on the red carpet at the Hollywood Reporter event on April 6, smiling happily at the cameras on her way into the party, before posing up with some long-time friends once inside.
Meanwhile on the cover of Seventeen, Michelle can be seen posing alongside Gemma Busoni and Zaniya Lewis, the two winners of the publication's essay contest that asked readers to detail the obstacles they are overcoming to find their way into their dream college or university.
Glamorous: Gayle chose the $1,300 dress for an event in New York last week, pairing the ensemble with a multi-colored clutch back and matching shoes
Starring role: Michelle, meanwhile, wore the designer dress for her Seventeen magazine cover shoot, which appears in the latest issue of the publication
The right way: The 52-year-old wore the dress in the way that it is advertised, with the zipper - and the detailed shoulder designs - facing to the front
The duo also joined Michelle for her shoot for the magazine's inside pages, with the First Lady looking every inch the model as she flashed a smile for the cameras.
Interestingly, Gayle, who counts Oprah Winfrey as one of her closest friends, serving as an editor-at-large for the TV icon's O Magazine, is known to be a firm and open supporter of Michelle's, and actually interviewed the mother-of-two and her husband, President Barack Obama, about watching their last Super Bowl in the White House back in February.
The CBS This Morning co-host quizzed the couple all about their Super Bowl traditions while on air, however it is possible that she sought some fashion-focused advice from the First Lady after the cameras stopped rolling?
But, the key question is: Who wore the dress, which retails for $1,310, best? Can Gayle pull off the quirky back-to-front look, or does Michelle keep her style crown?
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When you have a three hour hike ahead, you need some trusty boots to ensure you won't get blisters.
And today the Duchess of Cambridge relied on a favourite pair as she made the long trek to the famous Tiger's Nest monastery in Bhutan with Prince William.
Kate, 34, wore leather, knee high Penelope Chilvers boots, costing 475, that are clearly an old reliable as she's been stepping out in them for well over a decade.
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The Duchess of Cambridge, 34, wore a pair of leather knee high Penelope Chilvers boots as she completed a three hour trek to the Tiger's Nest Monastery in Bhutan this morning
She was first spotted in the brown boots with a tassel detail on the zip at the Game Fair at Blenheim Palace in August 2004.
The then Kate Middleton had just been thrust into the spotlight as the public got wind of her relationship with Prince William who she met when they were both studying at St Andrew's University.
Kate teamed the boots with a country style checked khaki jacket and skirt, a striped shirt and a brown woven belt.
She later swapped the shirt for a t-shirt as she assisted at the Wild Thing clothing company stand with a friend.
She was first spotted 475 brown boots with a tassel detail on the zip at the Game Fair at Blenheim Palace in August 2004
Kate teamed the boots with a country style checked khaki jacket and skirt, a striped shirt and a brown woven belt
The boots made another appearance exactly a year later as Kate attended the Gatcombe Festival of Eventing in Gloucestershire.
This time she paired them with a pair of blue denim jeans, a green v neck jumper and white shirt.
She wore a brown jacket and carried a bag in a matching colour, topping off the look with a similarly coloured trilby.
It's not clear whether Kate has had the same boots in her wardrobe for well over a decade or she's so fond of them that she bought a second pair, as they're still available to buy from the designer's website.
The boots made another appearance exactly a year later as Kate attended the Gatcombe Festival of Eventing in Gloucestershire
Kate teamed her favourite footwear with with a pair of blue denim jeans, a green v neck jumper and white shirt. She wore a brown jacket and carried a bag in a matching colour, topping off the look with a similarly coloured trilby
This morning, she teamed them with skinny jeans, a shirt and a 495 Nubock shoot waistcoat but despite the heat she barely broke a sweat on the gruelling hike.
While Prince William was seen wiping sweat from his brow, his wife appeared unfazed by the climb and simply pushed her hair back from her face with her sunglasses.
The couple had started their trek through the stunning scenery around 10am (local time) and arrived at the monastery three hours later (12.50pm) having stopped for a couple of breaks.
The couple pose next to a prayer wheel on the trek up to Tiger's Nest during a visit to Bhutan
The couple had started their trek through the stunning scenery around 10am (local time) and arrived at the monastery three hours later (12.50pm) having stopped for a couple of breaks
The couple paused on the way up to admire the view and pose for photos, with William placing a tender arm around his wife's shoulders
Built into the side of a steep cliff above a beautiful forest of rhododendrons, some 10,000 feet above sea level, it is one of the most stunning temples in the world.
The royal couple admired the 'absolutely stunning' scenery on their way up and beamed as they posed for a photo during their trek to the breathtaking monastery in Paro Taktsang.
A furious mother was left 'horrified' when she was stopped by an airport shop salesman who suggested she ought to purchase an anti-wrinkle cream or face having surgery later in life.
Annick Robinson, 40, from Quebec, Canada, posted an outraged Facebook rant about the encounter, which has been shared more than 33,000 times, after being told that the bags under her eyes and her smile lines would only become worse with age.
Initially the salesman at Calgary International Airport attempted to butter up Annick, who was heading to her departure gate, by stopping her and saying: 'Your skin is so natural looking, you aren't wearing any make-up, right?'
Annick Robinson, 40, from Quebec, Canada, posted an outraged Facebook rant about the encounter, which has been shared more than 12,000 times, after being told that the bags under her eyes and her smile lines would only become worse with age
Annick then revealed on her social media post that he guessed her age at being 12 years' younger than what she actually is - to which she replied: 'I look my age and that's OK actually'.
The salesman then attempted to tell Annick she was in need of serums and creams to prevent needed cosmetic surgery in the future, something she admitted that she didn't take too kindly to.
Writing on Facebook, she revealed what had happened: 'So. I was kind of a brat yesterday. And I don't regret it one bit.
'I was headed to my gate at the airport when a man at a store suckered me in with a free bar of natural soap. NOTHING IS FREE PEOPLE! At least, not in airports, am I right?
The furious mother was left 'horrified' when she was stopped by an airport shop salesman who suggested she ought to purchase an anti-wrinkle cream or face having surgery later in life
'This is basically how the conversation went, although I admit, this is not verbatim.
'Man: "your skin is so natural looking, you aren't wearing any make-up, right?"
'Me: "Um, nooooo?"
'Man: "Let me guess your age..." Proceeds to pull out a number 12 years younger than I am.
'Me: "I look my age and that's ok actually."
'Man: unsure how to handle that.. "let me show you our face serum, because if you aren't careful to maintain your skin now, these wrinkles on your face will get much deeper, by 45, creams won't help anymore."
'Me: "what's wrong with a woman looking 40?"
'Man: "Well let's talk about the bags under your eyes, and smile lines, my eye cream could improve those in 15-minutes."
The mum-of-two told the salesman she would look fine when she was 50 and that she didn't need a cream, before posted a picture of her make-up free face, along with details of the exchange, to Facebook
Annick took to Facebook once more yesterday to address the issue with a long list of the things she does worry about, which she feels is more important than her skin ageing
'Me: "What's wrong with my eyes? I have a miracle baby at home and haven't slept in 2 years, so if I have bags I am grateful to have them, and my husband and I laugh a lot. Those are his fault. He loves how I look... I don't think I need your cream."
'Man: (nervously) "They may be manageable now, but by 50, it's too late to correct sagging skin and deep wrinkles, unless you act now, only surgery can correct those."
'Me: "what's wrong again with a woman aging? You know, my husband and I can't wait to grow old together, we talk about it all the time, how we'll be this funny wrinkled old couple. My husband is going to age too, we all are. It's kind of how life works."
'Man: glancing nervously at other customers in the store who are listening in... "Wait, if it's the price that's an issue, I can offer you our special this week, all three creams for $199 - that's cheaper than Botox!"
Since Annick, above with her partner Anthony Chamy, shared her story online on April 9, more than 33,000 Facebook users have shared it. She is hoping to use the popularity of the post to start a movement against 'a billion dollar industry that depends on women hating themselves'
'Me: "I look fine now, and when I'm 45 I will look fine, and when I'm 50 I will look fine, because there is nothing wrong with a woman aging. Old age is a privilege denied to many, and I don't appreciate you marketing youth instead of your products, and denigrating aging women as a sales tactic. Thank you, but I don't want or need your cream."
'I was so horrified by the normalcy of his sales pitch, and the sales ringing up at his cash, that I took a picture of that wrinkled baggy face he was selling to, right on the spot.
'This is the face my children and my husband love. I think I'll keep it.'
Since Annick shared her story online on April 9, more than 33,000 Facebook users have shared it.
The mother-of-two has also updated Facebook users since.
She is hoping to use the popularity of the post to start a movement against 'a billion dollar industry that depends on women hating themselves.'
She wrote an update on her Facebook status, saying how shocked she was that her comments had had so much response: 'I was really excited for a couple of minutes (that was my ego talking) until I realized what that meant.
'It means that in 2016, refusing to accept self-loathing as a beauty standard is a radical concept. And that is just depressing on a whole other level.
Annick took to Facebook once more yesterday to address the issue with a long list of the things she does worry about, which she feels is more important than her skin ageing
She said: 'I worry about my sons being healthy and happy. How disconnected this generation is. Bullies in school. Drunk drivers'
'I have been reading some of the comments and wanted to clarify that this wasn't a post about natural beauty over those who wear make-up, its not about being insulted by a salesman. Its not even about the salesman, who I am sure is very good at his job and following a script.
'Its about a billion dollar industry that depends on women hating themselves.
'Women have more important things to do in 2016 than spend a single other minute worried about our wrinkles or the acceptability of our thighs.
'Let's start a movement that says no to brands that require you to hate yourself in order to sell their products.'
Annick took to Facebook once more yesterday to address the issue with a long list of the things she does worry about, which she feels is more important than her skin ageing.
She said: 'I worry about my sons being healthy and happy. How disconnected this generation is. Bullies in school. Drunk drivers.
'Getting to see my kids grow up. Raising my kids right and protecting them. Doing the right thing even when its hard.'
She added: 'My list is too full already. Don't ask me to worry about getting old. Its the one thing I have no control over, and I need to remember to be GRATEFUL about and savor every minute that I can.'
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Prince William is trying to shake off his image of being workshy, the Duchess of Cambridge is desperate to be a part of the Royal Family, and Prince Harry and Pippa are dating.
This is the new comedy storyline of a spoof Channel 4 comedy called The Windsors that imagines what really goes on behind the palace doors with a ludicrous parody of the Royal Family.
Comedy legend Harry Enfield, 54, plays green warrior Prince Charles, while Haydn Gwynne, 59, is power-hungry Camilla - and Sarah Ferguson is portrayed by Katy Wix - who is 20 years' the Duchess's junior.
Left to Right - Prince Edward (Matthew Cottle), Prince Andrew (Tim Wallers), Sarah Ferguson (Katy Wix), Pippa Middleton (Morgana Robinson), Prince Harry (Richard Goulding), Prince Charles (Harry Enfield), Camilla (Haydn Gwynne), Prince William (Hugh Skinner), Kate and Princesses Beatrice (Ellie White) and Eugenie (Celeste Dring) as portrayed in Channel 4's The Windsors
In The Windsors, which airs next month, writers Bert Tyler-Moore and George Jeffrie, who previously created Star Stories, let their imaginations run wild creating outrageous caricatures of everyone from Prince Charles and Camilla to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
C4 said in a statement: 'The series is a wry take on what the soap opera of their lives (and loves) might just be like. Delving behind the headlines and gossip columns, The Windsors lets our imaginations run riot in this ludicrous parody.
'Imagine, who really controls the sceptre in Charles and Camillas marriage? What do the Royals really think of Kate? Does Wills really want to be King? Will Harry ever take Pippa up the aisle or will they end on a bum note? And what do Beatrice and Eugenie actually do for a living?'
C4's head of comedy Phil Clarke added: 'In The Windsors, our much-loved Royal family is re-imagined through the lens of a soap opera, and although the stories are completely fictional, some are inspired by real events. As a result, writers Bert and George have outdone even the funniest, most ludicrous issue of Hello! magazine ever.'
Here, FEMAIL reveals reveal the actors bringing the royals to life and the soap opera style storylines the writers imagine could happen as they battle to steal the headlines or seize the throne...
PRINCE WILLIAM
English actor Hugh Skinner, 31, left, plays the Duke of Cambridge as an earnest man trying to appear hardworking and normal
English actor Hugh Skinner, 31, who appeared in the film Les Miserables, plays the Duke of Cambridge as he tries to shake off his image of being workshy in his job as a helicopter pilot for the air ambulance service.
The show paints Prince William as an earnest hero desperate to save his subjects through his endeavours.
Although he is the second in line to the throne, he is keen to be seen as normal. He applies for a job in a cafe and takes Kate for dinner at Pizza Express using discount coupons.
No doubt the writers were inspired by the true life events where William once sat down to eat lunch at school canteen while on a break in his job for the East Anglian Air Ambulance Service and the fact he has flown Easyjet with his wife.
THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE
Actress Louise Ford, 32, left, portrays the Duchess Of Cambridge as trying too hard to be accepted in the royal family
Actress Louise Ford, 32, portrays the Duchess Of Cambridge as desperate to make her mark as a royal and be accepted as part of the famous family.
Her eagerness to please leads her to getting stitched up at public engagements by other members of the royal family, perhaps inspired by Kate's comments in a recent documentary about the queen in which she said she gets 'teased' by her in-laws for spending too much time talking to the public on walkabouts.
The writers also imagine Kate dreams of being a 'gypsy queen' and hasn't forgotten her past working for the Middleton family business Party Pieces.
She tries to continue working as an online entrepreneur by selling knock offs.
PRINCE HARRY
The spoof plays up Harry's, played by Richard Goulding, reputation as the party prince who is still seeking 'The One'
It has long been speculated that romance could flourish between Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton and the series imagines the pair having an affair.
Harry, played by Richard Goulding, fully encompasses his usual stereotype as the 'party prince' by staging wild parties and shouting 'incoming' during a sex scene with Pippa.
His inability to find The One is also satirised as he laments his lost loves Cressida Bonas and Chelsy Davy - but often gets them muddled up.
PIPPA MIDDLETON
Pippa Middleton is given a racy makeover as she is played by Morgana Robinson, left, an having an affair with Prince Harry
Morgana Robinson, 33, plays up to the image of Pippa as her 'Royal Hotness', started by the figure hugging bridesmaid dress she wore to the royal wedding.
She's shown wearing racy outfits to try and tempt Prince Harry into bed, as she is desperate to match her sister's royal status by getting him to marry her.
The show also mocks her book deal but imagines she has squandered the thousands she was given as an advance and must now appeal to her sister's charity to get by.
The imagined sibling rivalry sees Kate criticising her sister for doing nothing but sitting on her 'fantastic a***' all day.
PRINCE CHARLES
Harry Enfield, left, plays Prince Charles as eager to please wife Camilla, he even goes along with her plan to have a baby
Comedy legend Harry Enfield, 54, plays Prince Charles and the show play up to his stereotype as a green warrior keen to push homegrown produce.
He is shown as a hopeless romantic with his wife the Duchess of Cornwall, who he will do anything to please - even agreeing to visit a fertility doctor to give a sperm sample as she is keen to have IVF treatment so they can produce their own heir to the throne.
CAMILLA
Haydn Gwynne, left, plays a scheming Camilla who is intent on becoming queen and producing an heir to the throne
Haydn Gwynne, 59, most famous for her appearance in Drop The Dead Donkey, plays the Duchess of Cornwall as a power hungry matriarch intent on becoming the queen.
She has numerous schemes in play to try and topple the real queen (who doesn't appear in the show but is referenced as sending emails) and is desperate to discredit her closest rival the Duchess of Cambridge.
Her most hair brained plot shows her trying to get pregnant at the age of 68 so she can put a child of her own in the line of succession.
PRINCE ANDREW
Tim Wallers, 49, left, plays Prince Andrew as a practical joker who isn't keen to be in the public eye
Tim Wallers, 49, plays Prince Andrew as a practical joker who isn't keen to be in the public eye.
He is often having to fend off the advances of his ex-wife Fergie, who is keen to get back together with him to increase her own status, backed up by her fame hungry daughters.
FERGIE
Katy Wix, left, is 20 years younger than the real Sarah Ferguson and plays her as a fame hungry fashion victim
Katy Wix, 36, may be 20 years her junior but she takes on the role of playing Sarah Ferguson, 56.
She portrays the former Duchess of York as stuck in a style rut and desperate for attention. She tries to push her daughters Beatrice and Eugenie into the limelight and is always keen for an invitation to the palace.
But her pleas to attend one of Prince Harry's parties fall on deaf ears as he is told in an email from the Duke of Edinburgh: 'Dear Harry, under no circumstances can your f****** Aunt Fergie come to your f****** ball. She's a f****** liability, if she asks to come tell her to f*** right off, love your f****** granddad.'
PRINCESS BEATRICE AND PRINCESS EUGENIE
Ellie White, left as Princess Beatrice and Celeste Dring, as Eugenie portray the princesses as silly and workshy
Ellie White, 27, plays the princess who is astonished that people think she is workshy even though she has dozens of holidays a year.
Her quest to find a job when she learns the Government will no long fund her extravagant lifestyle ends in disaster as her only skill is 'owning an iPhone'.
Meanwhile her attempts to rival the Duchess of Cambridge as a style icon also fail miserably.
Celeste Dring, 27, plays Princess Eugenie as silly and as workshy as her older sister.
Her silly get rich quick schemes and attempts to blag a free holiday result in the pair having permanent face paint after a YouTube make up tutorial goes wrong and wearing burkas in the hope of a free trip to Syria.
PRINCE EDWARD
Prince Edward played by Matthew Cottle, 49, left, has fallen on hard times so has to buy clothes in charity shops
Prince Edward played by Matthew Cottle, 49, is desperate to be part of the family and will do anything to make himself more useful, including babysitting Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
The actor looks far from the usual public persona of Edward as he is portrayed as having fallen on hard times. He is so strapped for cash he has to buy his clothes from charity shops and rarely bothers to shave.
Will make an orange drizzle cake with orange curd and orange buttercream
The 31-year-old, from Luton, revealed the news on Loose Women today
Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain today announced that she has been given the special privilege of creating the Queen's 90th birthday cake this year.
The 31-year-old baker, from Luton, excitedly revealed she has been given the honour as she returned to the panel on Loose Women this morning.
Nadiya told Jane Moore, Andrea McLean and Nadia Sawalha revealed she would be preparing an orange drizzle cake with orange curd and orange buttercream and fondant.
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Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain, above, today announced that she has the special privilege of creating the Queen's 90th birthday cake this year
Her fellow presenters were left completely astounded when she let slip the secret that she had been keeping quiet for three long weeks.
However she added that she was so nervous about baking Her Majesty's special milestone cake that she couldn't even 'look at the oven'.
She said: 'I'm making the Queen's 90th birthday cake. 'Sometimes I want to drown it out because I don't want to talk about it.
'How often can you say that you are baking the Queen's birthday cake in one sentence?'
The 31-year-old baker, from Luton, excitedly revealed she has been given the honour as she returned to the panel on Loose Women this morning, including, right to left, Andrea McLean, Nadia Sawalha and Jane Moore
Nadiya, right, said she was so nervous about baking the milestone cake for Her Majesty, left, that she couldn't even 'look at the oven right now'. However she added: 'I can't say no to the Queen!'
The first ever Muslim winner of GBBO had initially presumed the news was a joke when she received an email to tell her of the regal invitation.
But soon a call from her agent confirmed it.
The mother-of-three, who learned basic cooking skills at school and taught herself the rest from recipe books and YouTube videos, admitted that she is feeling the pressure.
However she added: 'I can't say no to the Queen!'
Nadiya's fellow presenters were left completely astounded when she let slip the secret that she had been keeping quiet for three long weeks
The baker, above winning GBBO in 2015, revealed she would be preparing an orange drizzle cake with orange curd and orange buttercream and fondant, after researching examples of past birthday cakes online
She said the cake would be 'very citrussy' after deciding to do 'something a little bit different'.
The mother-of-three told a cute anecdote about her daughter's reaction to the news.
Hussain said: 'When I told the kids (I was making a cake for the Queen), the boys were great at keeping it a secret. I told my daughter and she said, "Oh Mary Berry? You've made lots of cakes for Mary Berry".'
Her culinary delight will be delivered to the Queen personally at Windsor Castle's Guildhall.
The first ever Muslim winner of GBBO, above with her trophy, had initially presumed the news was a joke when she received an email to tell her of the regal invitation - but a call from her agent confirmed it
Nadiya impressed the nation with her winning showstopper on last year's GBBO - a cake called My Big Fat British Wedding Cake, above, decorated with pink flowers, navy clothes and gold and pearls
She said: 'I have to give it to her on Thursday, myself. I'm so nervous I can't even look at the oven right now.
'Chocolate fingers won't do', she added. Nadiya, who impressed the nation with her winning showstopper on last year's GBBO - a cake called My Big Fat British Wedding Cake - came up with her recipe after researching examples of past royal birthday bakes online.
Celebrations to be held in honour of the Queen's 90th birthday sold out within hours of being made available to the general public.
The 25,000 tickets went on sale at 9am on 24 November 2015 but the organiser's website HMQ90.co.uk showed seats for all four nights had been snapped up within five hours.
Mary Berry wipes a tear from the eye of the mother-of-three, above, who learned basic cooking skills at school and taught herself the rest from recipe books and YouTube videos
Nadiya has admitted that she is feeling the pressure after the royal cake order. The Queen's 90th Birthday Celebration is taking place from May 12 to 15 next year in Home Park, Windsor Castle, and will feature 900 horses and 1,500 participants - including musicians, dancers and choirs, as well as famous actors and artists
The extravaganza is taking place from May 12 to 15 in Home Park, Windsor Castle, and will feature 900 horses and 1,500 participants - including musicians, dancers and choirs, as well as famous actors and artists.
Members of the Royal Family will attend the show each night, and the Queen will go to the last performance on the evening of Sunday May 15, which will be broadcast live on ITV.
Nadiya was delighted win over the nation on Bake Off after admitting she feared viewers would dismiss her as a Muslim in a headscarf.
A devoted yogi has combined her passion for yoga and horses by practicing her complicated stretches and poses while balanced on the back of her beloved Appaloosa.
Angela Nunez, a 27-year-old yoga teacher from Middleburg, Virginia, regularly climbs on the back of her beloved horse, Snowy, and performs a range of stretches as part of her practice.
'I've been practicing yoga for nine years and first started doing yoga with my horse four years ago,' she said.
Combining passions: Angela Nunez often practices complicated yoga stretches on the back of her beloved Appaloosa horse Snowy
Showing off: Angela is pictured doing a difficult flying crow pose while balancing on her horse
Testing the waters: The 27-year-old barn manager and yoga teacher started practicing yoga on horseback because she was curious to see if she could combine two of her interests
'Yoga and horses are my two passions and I was curious to find out what it would be like to combine the two.'
Angela has had the Appaloosa from birth and tried out the method after being desperate to combine her love of yoga and horses.
'The goal of yoga is to quiet the mind, and, as a horsewoman, I realized that the more I could quiet my mind when working and playing with my horse, the better I could listen to him and the deeper our relationship could become,' she explained.
'Standing balance poses and arm balance poses are quite difficult. I'm working towards doing forearm stands with Snowy, but I think it'll take a couple years for me to accomplish that.
Passing the reigns: The yogi from Middleburg, Virginia, learned about horses from her mother, who managed an equestrian center
Social media star: The animal lover often posts photos of herself practicing yoga with Snowy on her Instagram page
Slow and steady: Although she has been doing yoga for nine years, it took five years before she started practicing yoga on her horse
Happy birthday! Angela has had Snowy since he was born, and the horse turned 10 years old on April 6
'I can do a forearm stand on my mat, but on horseback all poses become more challenging.
'I've had Snowy since he was born and he turned 10 years old on April 6 - I actually got to witness his birth which was magical.
'Snowy definitely enjoys our yoga - we both get into a very relaxed state of mind.'
The yoga teacher is a keen traveler and has done yoga in countries across the globe including Spain, Italy, Costa Rica, and the Bahamas.
Next level: Unsurprisingly, Angela explained that doing standing balance poses and arm balance poses are far more difficult on a horse than on a mat
Loving bond: Angela said she realized that by quieting her mind through yoga she is better able to listen to Snowy and form a 'deeper relationship' with the horse
Signs: The yogi said that when she practices yoga on Snowy's back he will often yawn, lick and chew to show that he's relaxed and happy
Just hanging out: Angela is pictured doing a bridge pose while Snowy lovingly sniffs her face
Angela has posted several videos and photos of her performing yoga poses on Snowy on her Instagram page although many people have criticized her as they believe the stretches are damaging to the horse.
But Angela believes the yoga has been hugely beneficial for Snowy and that the trust between the two has been drastically improved as a result of the yoga.
'The reaction to my pictures and videos has been mostly positive,' she said.
'There have been some negative comments, such as people saying I'm abusing my horse by doing yoga with him - but these comments come from a place of ignorance.
Favorite friends: The equestrian enthusiast can be seen cuddling up to her beloved horse in an Instagram snap
Just breathe: Angela looks totally at ease as she poses on the back of her horse, managing to remain just as well-balanced as she would if she were on the ground
Snowy by name... Even when she isn't on the back of her horse, Angela can't help but show off her flexibility, even when she's knee-deep in snow
Say cheese! The duo have amassed quite the fan club on Instagram, building up an impressive 8,000-strong following, many of whom comment on how impressed they are with Angela's moves
'If you look at Snowy's body language in my photos and videos, you can tell he's relaxed, comfortable and content.
I never do anything that would harm him or make him uncomfortable. His well-being is my first priority.
'When I practice yoga with him, it's similar to him receiving a massage or chiropractic work so it feels quite good for him
A mother-of-four boys has shared the devastating long-term affects of miscarriage in a harrowing account of losing her baby girl at 18 weeks.
Writer Laura Richards, 45, said she still grieves for her daughter Lucy Grace, who had she lived would be nine years old now, after her miscarriage a decade ago.
Laura, who lives in Boston, Massachusetts, with her husband Kevin, 47, and their four sons Jack, three, Harry, 10, and 14-year-old identical twins Nick and Charlie, described the heartbreaking moment she was told her daughter had died at her 18-week ultrasound in a touching account on parenting website Scary Mommy.
Grief: Laura Richards, 45, described the harrowing moment she found out she had lost her daughter Lucy Grace at her 18-week ultrasound
Family unit: The writer, from Boston, Massachusetts, pictured with her four sons Jack, now three, in her arms, Charlie, 14, Harry, ten, and Nick 14, said if her daughter had lived she would be nine years old
She said having four boys she gets asked 'all the time' whether she would like to have a daughter by people who do not know about her miscarriage.
She said on the day of the scan she had started spotting - which had not happened to her before during pregnancy - and that part of her 'knew something was wrong'.
She told her husband about it but she said they went to the appointment 'guarded but hopeful'.
But when the midwife could not find a heartbeat Laura said she 'knew' that her worst fears had been confirmed.
'She kept searching and searching but nothing,' she wrote. 'My heart already knew, but I let them continue.
'She got us into the ultrasound room, and in the dark, I saw our baby on the screen, perfectly formed with a cute nose, lips, fingers, and toes still and un-moving, silently suspended.
'The technician said, Im so sorry. I cant detect a heartbeat, frantically turned off the machine, turned on the lights, and ran out of the room to get someone.
Insensitive: Laura, pictured, said as a mother of four boys she gets asked 'all the time' whether she would like to have a daughter
Faith: Laura, pictured far left with her sons Harry, Nick, Charlie and Jack and her husband Kevin, 47, said she takes 'tremendous solace' from her belief that her daughter is in heaven
'I laid there with gel on my bare stomach, put both hands over my face, and started to sobloud, ugly sobs of No, no, no.'
Laura said she 'staggered' out 'completely numb' with Kevin and went home to share the tragic news with their sons and her parents.
Two months later she got a call from the doctor wop did genetic testing on the baby and asked her the gender who told her the child was a girl.
I am asked that all the time, Oh wouldnt you like a girl? Of course I would, and I did
She said she takes 'tremendous solace' from her belief that her daughter is in heaven and that they will one day be reunited but hopes that by talking about her miscarriage she will help other mothers who have to endure the experience.
She told Daily Mail Online: 'I am asked that all the time, Oh wouldnt you like a girl? Of course I would, and I did.
'I just hoped to shed some light on the topic and connect with other moms who have been through the same thing and let them know that they are not alone...
'I take tremendous solace knowing that our daughter is in heaven and that we will see her again. To me eternity is far more important.
'This life is wonderful and important but eternity is just that, eternity, and we will be reunited someday.'
Close: Laura, whose sons Nick, Jack, Charlie and Harry are pictured at Christmas, said she wants to help others who experience miscarriage by telling them they are not alone
She said she was inspired to write about the experience after receiving a prayer request over Easter about somebody who found out they had lost their fifth child at their 18-week ultrasound.
She said: 'Reading this and knowing that this is exactly what happened to me several years ago really hit me hard.
'I felt almost a punch in the stomach...It sort of brought it all back for me. They had been excited to find out what they were having, a boy or girl, only to find that there was not going to be a baby.'
She said she could not stop thinking about them and felt 'strongly prompted' to share her own experience in the hope it might help others in similar situations.
Laura said it is not often that stories are shared of people having miscarriages in the second or third trimester.
She added: 'When we lost our baby I was already wearing maternity clothes and looked quite pregnant so it was quite a blow...
We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions and only accept THE definitive answer. This week its the comedian Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey is in this week's hot seat for the definite article
The prized possession you value above all others... A leather documents case my father Christopher gave me when I was six. I kept my piano music in it and it stayed with me. My son Dax, 12, uses it.
The biggest regret you wish you could amend... Not pursuing academia further. After my A-levels I was in too much of a hurry to get out in the world.
The temptation you wish you could resist... Beer. Ive tried to give up, but there are too many great new breweries.
The book that holds an everlasting resonance... Vineland, Thomas Pynchons novel about US radicals from the 1960s.
Bill would love to have a pint with Suleiman the Magnificent
The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day... Id stand on stage at a Rolling Stones concert and watch Mick Jagger strut his stuff.
The pet hate that makes your hackles rise... People who stare at me in restaurants.
The film you can watch time and time again... The Night Of The Hunter, with Robert Mitchum. Its terrifying and brilliant.
The person who has influenced you most... My music teacher Lynda Phipps. She was no-nonsense and full of life. She taught me far more than music she gave me belief in myself. Sadly, she died 10 years ago.
The figure from history for whom youd most like to buy a pie and a pint... Suleiman the Magnificent. He ruled the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century and kept order in the Islamic world. Id show him the chaos today and ask his advice.
The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child... Enjoy the moment and dont worry about the future.
The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity... Tanks! Ive driven at least a dozen. Im fascinated by guns, jets, missiles and warships though I appreciate that they cause carnage.
The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again... A pair of black leather boots with metal heels I wore doing stand-up in the mid-1990s. One of the heels fell off, so I abandoned them in a dressing room in Edinburgh. Theyd be a nice memento.
The unending quest that drives you on... To keep improving at stand-up.
The poem that touches your soul... Adlestrop by Edward Thomas. He writes of an English rural paradise before WWI. I carry a book of his poems when walking in the country.
The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase... That because I support the Labour Party, Im a deluded, vegetarian, romantic Communist who wants to give money to Putin. Im a meat-eating realist who likes tanks!
The event that altered the course of your life and character... Playing Mozarts Coronation Concerto on piano with a full orchestra in Bath at 17. Miss Phipps talked me into doing it.
The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it... Id drive a Chieftain tank through the offices of Amazon for not paying enough tax.
The song that means most to you... Once In A Lifetime by Talking Heads. I first heard it at 15 and it became the party song for me and my mates.
In his fantasy 24 hours Bill would visit the island of Seram in Indonesia
The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...Id begin the day watching the sun come up at Stonehenge and feeling the stones. Id have breakfast on the back of a truck driving through Namibia.
Just a flask of coffee and a Croix de Savoie [a brioche-like pastry]. Then Id have a walk along the Skeleton Coast and sit on the beach taking photos of the lions. Id meet my wife Kristin and Dax on the island of Seram in Indonesia where wed sit on a platform 120ft above the jungle and watch the wildlife. For lunch, Id have rujak a spicy fruit dish with iced coconut water.
After that wed visit the ruins of the Lost City in Colombia, then Id take my paddleboard up the Thames at Streatley, Berkshire. The evening would begin with a stroll in the back streets of Rome watching the entertainers, followed by pasta and red wine for dinner. The day would end with the sunset at Avebury Stone Circle in Wiltshire, a pint of local ale, and bed at home in west London.
The happiest moment you will cherish forever... The last day of my six-day, 87-mile walk on The Ridgeway Trail to Avebury last summer. I did it with family and friends for my 50th birthday and to raise money for Cancer Research.
The saddest time that shook your world... My mum, Madryn, passing away in 2005 from bowel cancer. Mum was such a character. I was with her when she died and it was surreal.
The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you... To write a musical. I have a story and six songs already written.
The philosophy that underpins your life... To never give up.
The order of service at your funeral... It will be in a chapel by the sea and begin with Once In A Lifetime, followed by a reading of WB Yeats The Indian To His Love. Then I want Jerusalem and Adlestrop before ending with Song To The Siren by This Mortal Coil. I wouldnt mind my body being set out to sea in a Viking longship and burnt!
The way you want to be remembered... With a smile will do.
You're invited to stick with green or stick with red, but which is safe?
You pick green but then the blue is removed - and it's definitely poisonous
Three sweets are laid on a stump and two are poisonous
You've found the hidden panda and sussed out the image contained in a seemingly solid red dot, but now there's a new head-scratching riddle sweeping the internet.
Tim Urban and Andrew Finn of the website butwaitwhy.com have created a fiendishly difficult puzzle based around three jelly beans.
The premise of the puzzle is that you have to choose to eat one of three jelly beans laid out on a stump, two of which are poisonous.
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Three jelly beans are laid on a stump and you have to choose one to eat, but two of them are poisonous and will kill you
'Two of the jelly beans on the stump are poisonousyoull die within 30 seconds of eating either one of them,' the riddle explains.
'But one of the jelly beans isnt poisonous and wont harm you at all. All three of the jelly beans are delicious. The situation works like this: You pick one of the jelly beans and eat it, and if you happen to pick the non-poisonous one, youre free to go.'
According to the riddle, you decide to pick up the green jelly bean.
But just before you eat it, a man takes away the blue jelly bean explaining that it's definitely poisonous.
That leaves the red one on the stump and the green one still in your hand. You get one last chance to change your mind about which one to take.
You take the green jelly bean, leaving the red and blue
Solving the riddle involves choosing between the red and green jelly beans - one of which is definitely poisonous.
You might think that now it's down to two jelly beans that there's a 50-50 chance you have the poisonous one and decide to stick with green.
In fact, it's twice as likely to poisonous and the red jelly bean is two thirds more likely to be safe.
'When you initially picked the green jelly bean, there was a 1/3 chance that it was the safe one to eat, and a 2/3 chance that it was poisonous and the safe one was still on the stump,' Tim Urban of Wait But Why explained.
'When the man removed a poisonous blue jelly bean from the stump, it told you no new info about the green jelly bean in your handthat still had a 1/3 chance of being safe.
The blue jelly bean is taken away and you're told it's definitely poisonous. Should you swap with the red sweet or stick with the green?
'But removing the blue jelly bean told you a lot about the red jelly beanit told you that if the safe jelly bean had been on the stump, the red one is safe.
'Put another way, if you picked a poisonous jelly beanwhich you would do two-thirds of the timethen choosing to switch after he removes one will save you every time.
'If you picked the safe one to start off withwhich happens one-third of the timethen switching will kill you. So switching is a good choice two-thirds of the time.'
The test is just the latest in a string of a popular brain teasers sweeping the net.
Recently, puzzlers were challenged to find a hidden picture inside a red circle?
The brain teaser was said to test the internet's vision with people able to see everything from a detailed image to just an outline, while others struggled to spot anything at all.
Is your eyesight good enough to see the hidden picture inside this red circle? The brain teaser has appeared online quizzing internet users about whether they can see another shape hidden inside the red blob, above
While some claimed they could see the whole image in perfect detail, others were left scratching their heads in confusion.
When the dot is flipped you can clearly see a detailed sketch of a horse complete with a mane and tail, saddle and bridle and grass around its feet.
Some people can only see the outline of the image before the red spot is flipped, while others say they can see much more. Try the test below to see how you get on.
While some claim they can see the whole image perfectly, others are completely baffled by the image. When the dot is flipped, right, you can clearly see a detailed sketch of a horse complete with a mane and tail
The online teaser shows how some people only see the outline of the horse rather than the other details in the picture such as the grass, mane, tail and saddle
An image of an iPhone screen became an internet sensation recently as thousands of people deliberated over the photo, which was widely shared along with the question: 'How many threes can you see in this picture?'
Social networkers came up with the most common answers of either 15, 19 or 21. But which answer is correct?
There are in fact 19 number threes pictured in the image, but there could be 21 depending on how you interpret the question.
Can you count how many threes are on the iPhone screen? If you see 15, 19 or 21 number threes, you have arrived at the same conclusion as the majority of social networkers... but what's the correct answer?
Apart from the eight threes in the phone number, there are two threes on the key pad as the number eight button has been replaced.
At 3.33pm, the time also contains three number threes and the battery power at 33 per cent contains another two.
That totals 15, the answer many social networkers have come to. On closer inspection, however, there are a further four hidden digits, totaling 19.
Three of the letters in the contact's name have been replaced with threes and the letter 'I' on the number four key has also been replaced.
But many online posts give the answer to be 21, with people seeming convinced that there are a further two threes in the image. The differing opinions come down to the interpretation of the question. Many users have included the bar signal and the wifi signal, both of which show three bars. But whether 19 or 21 is the correct answer is a matter of opinion
But many online posts give the answer to be 21, with people seeming convinced that there are a further two threes in the image.
The differing opinions come down to the interpretation of the question. The images has been widely shared on Facebook and Twitter with the message. 'How many threes do you see in this picture?'
Many users have included the network bar and WiFi signal, both of which show three bars. But whether 19 or 21 is the correct answer is a matter of opinion.
The puzzle, which has been widely shared on Facebook and Twitter after resurfacing again online, has instigated heated debate - with many left flummoxed at how others arrive at a different answer.
Twitter user Dani posted: 'This thing annoyed the hell out of me when someone said 21. I was like no there's 18 until I looked again properly haha.'
How many threes can you see? Apart from the eight threes in the phone number, there are two threes on the key pad as the number eight button has been replaced. At 3.33pm, the time also contains three number threes and the battery power at 33 per cent contains another two. Three of the letters in the contact's name have been replaced with threes and the letter 'I' on the number four key has also been replaced
Facebook Ravi Vidyadhar Pathak came to a grander total and said: '28 if it's saying to count everything that resembles to 3 including the network signal which is 3 dots the page info on left which is 3 the buttons having 3 letters ABC.'
Another philosophical Facebook user Marc Joseph posted: 'I see only 2....and technically am correct cause you never asked how many 3's are there in the pic.'
Athene Whitfield finally concluded the answer was 19 but had made so many previous guesses she posted: 'I got to that in the end but thought - I can't send an answer through again!!? Was getting embarrassed!'
One user by the name of Sarah was so involved in the problem she posted a mock-up of the screen with the potential answers highlighted in purple.
When a friend posted 'Not sure where you get 20 from' she posted: 'Now I'm not sure.'
It follows an optical illusion poster featuring tigers that resurfaced online this week, asking viewers to guess how many animals it featured.
On close inspection the picture has the big cats hiding in the bushes, bark and even the sky.
The image, which appears to have been produced as a poster, has two adults tigers and their two cubs in the foreground.
After that it becomes trickier to track down the felines in the picture but there are 12 other tiger faces hidden.
The image appears to have been used as a poster but has resurfaced on the internet
The puzzle has the big cats hidden in foliage, trees and even the ground with all 16 very difficult to find
In the foliage to the right of the tigers, there's a fern in the shape of a tiger's face, with two hiding in the dirt beneath the tigers' feet.
In the top of the picture, there are five feline faces hidden within the branches of the trees.
While another two are seen in the wide trunk of the tree on the left of the picture and another tiger is face is seen on the left behind it and the last one is hidden in the soil below.
The poster, which features 16 in total, appears to be aimed at children, like many of the logic puzzles which have stormed the internet recently.
Another recent brain teaser saw a children's picture with tourists at a holiday campsite and challenged them to answer a list of nine questions.
The image is thought to be from an old children's magazine, according to The Independent, but the tough questions are likely to also leave adults scratching their heads.
A recent challenge which baffled the internet is a logic puzzle from an old children's magazine that involves studying a picture of tourists at a holiday camp site and answering a list of nine questions
A series of clues is provided by the apparently calm scene involving boys at a campsite
The black and white drawing showed three people at the campsite. One is standing by the cooking pot with a ladle, another is rifling through his backpack, and a third is taking photos.
A sign nailed to a tree states said: 'On duty. Colin, 7. Peter, 8. James, 9'. The final name is obscured, but the number 10 is visible.
CAN YOU SOLVE THE PUZZLE BY ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS? 1. How many tourists are staying at this camp? 2. When did they arrive: today or a few days ago? 3. How did they get here? 4. Is there a town nearby? 5. Where does the wind blow from: north or south? 6. What time of day is it? 7. Where did Alex go? 8. Who was on duty yesterday? 9. What date is it today? *Scroll down for answers Advertisement
A picnic blanket with four plates, four spoons and a watermelon is laid out on the ground and a hen is scratching in the grass nearby.
Nearby, a tent is pitched and a spider has built a cobweb between the edge of the tent and a nearby tree.
The first question asks how many people are staying at the camp.
They must also figure out whether they arrived that day or a few days earlier, how they got there and how far away the closest town is.
In addition, they are asked whether the wind is blowing from north or south and what time of day it is.
The next question is to state where someone called Alex went.
Finally, they must figure out who was on duty yesterday and what day of the week it is.
Unlike the many cartoons that have swept the web in recent months challenging users to spot figures hidden in a sea animals or Star Wars characters, this puzzle relies on deduction.
The answer to how many tourists there are is relatively easy to figure out.
As there are four spoons and plates on the blanket and four names on the duty list, the answer is quite obvious.
Hungarian cartoonist Gergely Dudas, also known as Dudolf, posted his latest puzzle a few days ago to celebrate Easter, challenging fans to find an egg cleverly disguised alongside a group of bunnies
The egg is cunningly disguised between a pair of white rabbit ears in the second row on the left hand side
The cobweb gives a clue to when the group arrived as it must have been a few days earlier to give the spider time to build it.
An oar leaning up against the tree is the key to figuring out how they got there - by boat.
The hen indicates that the nearest town is not far away as it's managed to wander into the campsite.
A flag on the tent, known as a windsock, shows that the wind is blowing from the south, but to figure this out you need to be aware that branches on the southern side of trees in the UK get more sun and grow more densely.
ANSWERS TO THE CAMP RIDDLE 1. There are four tourists four spoons on the picnic blanket and four names on the duty list. 2. They arrived a few days ago A spider's web has appeared between their tent and a tree in that time. 3. They got there by boat Note the oars by the tree. 4. No, a village is not far ..because there's a chicken wandering around. 5. The wind is blowing from the south A flag that shows the wind direction is on top of the tent. (To tell which direction is which, look at the branches - they're normally bigger on the southern side of trees - if you're in the Northern Hemisphere.) 6. Its morning Take the answer from question five to figure out east and west then work out the time based on the shadows. 7. Alex is catching butterflies His net is behind the tent. 8. Colin was on duty yesterday Colin is rummaging through his backpack (marked with a 'c'); Alex is catching butterflies; James is taking photos as his tripod can be seen sticking out of his bag. This leaves Peter - then, according to the list, that means Colin was on duty yesterday. 9. Today is August 8th... According to the list, Peter is on duty, and there is a watermelon - which ripen in August - on the ground. Advertisement
To figure out the time, you need to use the previous answer which tells you south from north to figure out where is east and west and deduce the time based on shadows.
The answer is that it's morning because the boy by the cook pot's shadow extends to the west.
Because we're asked where Alex went, we can assume he's not visible in the picture. However a butterfly net can be seen behind the tent. So the answer is that he's gone to catch butterflies.
To figure out who was on duty yesterday first consider that Colin, Peter, James and Alex are staying at the camp.
Gergley's original spot the panda puzzle left the internet baffled at Christmas 2015
The original Where's Wally-style snowmen picture was liked by 42,000 people and shared 100,000 times within days, with many struggling to find the panda at all
Dudolf followed up the panda puzzle days later with another picture posted online, this time of a cat hidden among dozens of brightly coloured owls
He planted a few red herrings in the owl picture like a colourful bow tie and festive hats, but the owl's facial features make it particularly difficult to spot the cat
We know that Alex is catching butterflies and the person taking photos must be James, as there's a tripod sticking out of the bag marked J.
The person looking through the backpack is Colin as it's marked with a C.
That means Peter must be the one standing by the cooking pot. If Peter is on duty today, then according to the list on the tree Colin was on duty yesterday.
Figuring out the day of the month isn't too tricky as according to the duty list it's the 8th of the month.
But establishing what month it is may prove rather more difficult. The solution lies in the watermelon on the picnic blanket.
The answer is August 8, but you would have to be aware that it's the month in which watermelons ripen to find the correct answer.
Its long list of questions makes the puzzle even more baffling than a challenge by Gergely Dudas who first drove the internet mad trying to find a panda among a group of snowmen, and a cat blended into rows of owls.
The Hungarian cartoonist posted his latest puzzle a few days ago to celebrate Easter, challenging fans to find an egg cleverly disguised alongside a group of bunnies.
The panda craze was followed up by Reddit contributor, with the username Oneste, who created a mind-boggling puzzle in which he hid a panda amongst rows and rows of Stormtroopers - and TIE fighter pilots
She is known for her love of designer clothing and rarely looks anything less than immaculate.
But Queen Maxima of the Netherlands caused a stir during a state visit to Germany yesterday when she wore a coat with beading detail that some onlookers compared to a swastika.
Maxima, 44, and her husband King Willem-Alexander, 48, were visiting Nuremburg's Medical Valley Center on Thursday and the royal looked smart in her grey coat with flared sleeves by Danish designer Claes Iversen.
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, 44 caused a stir during a state visit to Germany yesterday when she wore a Claes Iversen coat with beading detail that some onlookers compared to the swastika
According to German tabloid Bild, Maxima's outfit caused a 'brouhaha,' while the Rheinische Post pointed out that the cross-shaped pattern was in fact closer to the Buddhist symbol for eternity than the Nazi symbol
As photographs emerged of the trip, Joep O' Leo took to Twitter to write: 'Which idiot is responsible for choosing Maximas clothes?' suggesting that they resembled military clothing.
Commentator Ancilla wrote: 'The Dutch Queen decided to wear this wonderful little ensemble during her visit to Germany. Seriously.'Barry van Someren remarked: 'It's as if common sense no longer applies when you're royalty...' while one bystander tweeted: 'Is it satire, or just bad taste?'
According to German tabloid Bild, the outfit caused a 'brouhaha,' while the Rheinische Post pointed out that the cross-shaped pattern was in fact closer to the Buddhist symbol for eternity than the Nazi symbol.
Twitter user Liliana Moreva also sprang to Maxima's defence, insisting that the pattern was actually 'an ancient pagan Slavic symbol.' Others stressed that no one had protested when Maxima previously wore the coat in March 2015 during a tour of Denmark.
The offending article: As photos emerged of the trip, Joep O' Leo took to Twitter to write: 'Which idiot is responsible for choosing Maximas clothes?' suggesting that they resembled military clothing
Maxima and her husband King Willem-Alexander, 48, were visiting Nuremburg's Medical Valley Center on Thursday and the royal looked smart in her grey coat with flared sleeves by Danish designer Claes Iversen
Twitter user Liliana Moreva also sprang to Maxima's defence, while others pointed out that no one had protested when Maxima previously wore the coat in March 2015 during a tour of Denmark
The designer himself was eventually forced to speak out, telling Dutch newspaper de Volksrant: 'It was obviously never my intention to make the suggested reference.'
He added: 'The embroidery was created with the idea to form a classic geometric-element pattern with unconventional materials.'
The royal couple are on a working holiday in Bavaria, and earlier in the week they officially re-opened the Dutch wing of the Alte Pinakothek museum in Munich - home to an impressive collection of 17th century Dutch masterpieces - by stepping through a giant picture frame.
Willem-Alexander complimented his wife's cheery pink outfit by wearing a blue suit with a bright blue tie.
It was a sketch that left them looking more than a little Morecambe and Wise, as they each put their best foot forward to step towards the gathered media and their cameras.
Designer Claes Iverson himself was eventually forced to speak out, telling Dutch newspaper de Volksrant : 'It was obviously never my intention to make the suggested reference'
The royal couple are on a working holiday in Bavaria, and earlier in the week they officially re-opened the Dutch wing of the Alte Pinakothek museum in Munich, home to an impressive collection of Dutch masterpieces
While at the museum, the couple, who have three children together, watched as an agreement between the Utrechts Centraal Museum and the Bavarian State Painting Collections was rubber stamped.
The cultural document will see the two countries host an exhibition of Carravaggisti work, art that follows the style of 16th century Italian Baroque painter Caravaggio.
The two-day visit to neighbouring Germany is designed to improve relations between Holland and the country. Last month, Maxima and Willem-Alexander made a similar Euro-friendly visit to France.
Also on the Dutch couple's agenda was a visit to car goliath's BMW's exhibition centre to discuss ways to increase sustainable urban mobility.
Both of Shaylee's parents are also deaf, but her younger sister can hear
as a way of ensuring those with
Other characters in the theme park are also learning sign l
It was a moment that took her breath away and a memory she'll never forget.
Four-year-old Shaylee Mansfield who is from Texas, is deaf. She was on vacation with her family at Disney World in Orlando, Florida when something unexpected happened.
In her own world of silence, sign language is the only way she can communicate with everyone else around her, so imagine Shaylee's surprise when one of Disney's most famous cartoon characters began chatting with her in sign language.
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I hear you! In a moment captured in a touching family video, Shaylee Mansfield, 4, who is deaf, got the surprise of her life, when Tinkerbell was able to sign with her during a trip to Walt Disney World
Spelling it out: Disney characters being able to sign afforded Shaylee a feeling of inclusiveness and opened up her world, allowing her to enjoy a normal and happy childhood
It was all captured on film as her parents captured the interaction between their daughter and the fairy, Tinkerbell.
It was surprising to her because cartoon characters are never seen using sign language at during during Disney films, however the theme parks are moving towards becoming more inclusive to those with disabilities.
It's not just Tinkerbell who uses American Sign Language. Even three-fingered Minnie Mouse is able to have a conversation with those who are deaf.
'When I was growing up, I never expected anyone to sign. That was the world I grew up in',' says her mom, who is also deaf.
Disney magic: She and her sister got to pose for a picture with Minnie Mouse, and then the most unexpected thing happened that made Shaylee and her familys day - Minnie also began to sign to her
Signing on: The folks at Walt Disney World brought Shaylee and her family back for a return visit - and now even Minnie Mouse is able to sign
Hug of love: When the family traveled to Disney, they thought that there was no way Shaylee would be able to communicate with her heroes there, but there were several surprises in store
Her father is appreciative of the change that seems to be slowly occurring.
'It made her proud of her own language. She made that connection. The moments I remember the most in my life are when I see someone truly happy. It brings out the best in me and makes me become a kid again, seeing this through their eyes.'
On a second visit to the theme park, paid for by the company, the little girl is seen looking equally surprised when wife of Mickey is seen telling Shaylee that she is learning how to sign.
The video which was shared by Disney on YouTube has garnered more than five millions views since it was uploaded last month.
'Every family that steps through the magical gates of a Disney Park is unique and special in their own way,' the company said.
Sisterly love: Shaylee is a little girl with a big smile and a lot of heart. Her sister Ivy also understands ASL, however she can hear
Return trip: The Mansfield family returned to Disney World to share their tale as part of Disney's 'Unforgettable Stories'
Bugs that are resistant to antibiotics are expected to kill more people than cancer within decades, George Osborne said last night.
Without new drugs, common infections will be responsible for ten million deaths a year around the world by 2050, he claimed more than the eight million a year who die from cancer now.
As well as disastrous consequences for health, the Chancellor warned that a lack of effective antibiotics may have an enormous economic cost over the same period, slashing global economic output by 3.5 per cent or 70trillion.
Bugs that are resistant to antibiotics are expected to kill more people than cancer within decades, George Osborne said last night
He highlighted the potentially catastrophic toll as he called for a global effort to develop new antibiotics. In a speech at the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC, he called for countries to offer multi-billion-pound prizes for firms that develop new drugs.
Huge cash rewards should also be given to companies that come up with new ways of diagnosing exactly which infection a person has and which drugs will be most effective, he said.
Widespread over-prescribing weakens drugs effectiveness as bacteria become more resistant.
Medical experts have warned of a catastrophic future in which common infections are deadly, as they were before the discovery of penicillin in the Twenties. It could lead to slight scratches or routine operations becoming fatal.
The Chancellor warned that a lack of effective antibiotics may have an enormous economic cost, slashing global economic output by 70trillion
It is nearly two decades since the last discovery of a new class of antibiotics.
The huge cost of creating them and their limited use before they become worthless deters pharmaceutical firms from research.
Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer, has warned that the threat from antibiotic resistance is as severe as terrorism.
Mr Osborne said existing drug markets were broken, adding: Unless we take global action, antimicrobial resistance will become an even greater threat to mankind than cancer currently is.
It is not just a health problem, but an economic one, too.
The cost of doing nothing, both in terms of lives lost and money wasted, is too great, and the world needs to come together to agree a common approach.
My message is that we need the worlds governments and industry leaders to work together in radical new ways.
Ministers have commissioned the economist Lord ONeill to review the issue, and his recommendations are expected next month.
Last year, British doctors were warned they faced being struck off if they handed out too many antibiotics. Prescription rates are spiralling, and GPs face being referred to regulators if they continue to dole out antibiotics like sweets.
Doctors have been found prescribing them for coughs, colds and hayfever. In some GP practices, up to 97 per cent of patients who ask for antibiotics get them.
Almost 42million antibiotic prescriptions were issued on the NHS in 2013 up 14 per cent on 2003.
The ZeniPower mercury-free hearing aid and implant batteries have been recalled with patients being asked to check the best before dates
Hundreds of thousands of hearing aid patients are being warned that faulty batteries could cause their devices to explode.
One of the NHSs main suppliers has issued batches of batteries that are liable to explode suddenly in the users ear.
Although the risks of harm are low, there is a small chance they could go off, causing pain and further hearing loss.
Patients are being urged to check their batteries manufacturer and use-by date and pharmacists are withdrawing them from shelves.
The affected batteries are ZeniPower mercury-free with use-by dates of August 2018 and September 2018 and hundreds of thousands have been sold privately or distributed by the NHS.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has issued an urgent product recall and told patients to check their batteries.
And Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge has written to 14,000 hearing aid patients warning them about the possible fault.
The warning also applies to hearing implants, which are electronic devices that do the job of the damaged inner ear rather than making sounds louder as hearing aids do.
The Chinese manufacturer ZeniPower is the main NHS supplier of hearing aid batteries and it also distributes to 40 other countries worldwide.
Around 1.4million Britons wear hearing aids although the exact number using this type of battery is not known.
Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, sent letters to 14,000 patients to warn them about the risks
The fault has been caused by the zinc electrode in the batteries being liable to react with the electrolyte the liquid to generate hydrogen. This causes the battery to expand and possibly explode.
John Wilkinson, the MHRAs director of medical devices, said: While the risk is very low, it is important people check if their hearing aid batteries are affected and if they are in doubt do not use the battery. Patient safety is of paramount importance and continually monitored.
In a letter to patients, Dr David Baguley, head of the audiology service at Addenbrookes Hospital, said: There is a low risk that these batteries could explode and whilst to date there have been no reported episodes of any harm caused, as a precautionary measure, we are withdrawing these batteries from circulation and are now stocking alternative batteries.
A civil servant has become the first NHS patient to travel to France for routine surgery as part of a contract designed to cut waiting times.
Timothy Brierley made the 44-mile trip from his home in Lyminge, Kent, to a Calais hospital to have his gall bladder removed this morning.
He opted to travel abroad to reduce his waiting time from 10 months to just weeks as part of an agreement between South Kent Coast NHS and the Centre Hospitalier de Calais.
It won the right to provide services for NHS patients including orthopaedics, gynaecology, ear nose and throat and cataract surgery - but patients have to pay for their own travel costs.
The hospital has trained dozens of nurses and support staff in English, and an NHS sign is now visible at its entrance.
Mr Brierley, 54, who made the journey yesterday, told The Guardian it was no less convenient than going to his local hospital - and worth it for the reduction in waiting times.
Timothy Brierley, pictured here with his surgeon Laurent Tartar, has travelled to Calais to have his gall bladder removed after learning it would slash his waiting time from 10 months to weeks
Mr Brierley travelled 44 miles to the hospital in Calais from his home in Lyminge, Kent. He said the journey was worth it as it reduced his 'disappointing' waiting time in the UK
'The wait, absolutely, was the main reason. I was very disappointed by it,' he said.
'After I was told there was nothing before July, I decided I had to explore another avenue.'
Mr Brierly was first treated in September and was told it was likely he would have to wait 18 weeks or more for the procedure if he had it at William Harvey hospital in Ashford.
He was later told he would be waiting until at least July, he told the newspaper.
It follows the contract between the NHS group and two hospitals in Calais and Le Touquet.
For many, travelling to France is quicker than travelling to London - and patients it means could be treated sooner.
Patients should be able to arrange it through their GP although Mr Brierley said his local doctor did not know about the arrangement until he asked.
'The wait in the UK, absolutely, was the main reason. I was very disappointed by it Patient Timothy Brierley
Under the scheme, patients can have 24-hour access by phone for 14 days with the surgical team after treatment.
And follow-up appointments will be either by telephone or video technology such as Skype, or they will travel back to France to see their consultant.
Mr Brierley was referred to the hospital at the end of February and was told there would be a waiting time of just six weeks.
His surgeon, Laurent Tartar, said in France this would be considered a long wait.
Mr Tartar said he was surprised to hear British patients would be coming to his hospital.
'I'm surprised it's necessary but I'm not surprised that they come. I would do the same. But for my job, it's the same: French man, English man, it's the same body,' he said.
The plans were revealed by the NHS South Kent Coast Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which controls 253 million and covers a population of 202,000 in the Folkestone and Dover area, earlier this year.
Timothy Brierley, from Kent, is having his gall bladder removed at the Centre Hospitalier de Calais (pictured)
They were introduced as Dover is only 30 miles from Calais, half the distance to London.
Union officials said it was 'an admission of failure' by the NHS, and they scoffed at claims that the scheme was to broaden healthcare choice for patients.
Speaking at the time, Simon Bolton, of Unison, said the scheme was a 'gimmick' to cover up NHS failings.
He said: 'It's an admission of failure and instead of trying to own up and deal with it, they've come up with this.
'I dare say if you go to France you will get decent treatment but if you need a hip operation, for example, how are you going to travel 22 miles? Who's going to visit you?'
By law, any British patient has the right to have an operation or procedure in another EU country paid for by the NHS as long as they can prove they are experiencing an 'undue delay.'
They have to meet travel costs, ranging from 30 by ferry to up to 90 on the Eurostar, and are entitled only to treatments that are available on the health service.
Although the law has been in place since 2006, just a handful of patients take advantage each year the NHS does not collect figures on those travelling abroad for treatment.
The arrangement in Kent is thought to be the first to enable patients to travel abroad en masse to avoid NHS queues.
Any British patient has the right by law to have an operation or procedure in another EU country paid for by the NHS as long as they can prove they are experiencing an 'undue delay (file photo)
In July 2015, waiting times across the country were at record levels with 3.4million on the lists, the highest for seven years.
The average wait for most common procedures is three months, although some have been delayed for more than a year.
NHS officials said patients cannot be forced to travel to France for their treatment, insisting that the option was an 'additional choice of healthcare'.
They have denied it was happening because local NHS hospitals were struggling to cope with the numbers of patients they were being asked to treat.
And officials sought to ease any concerns about patient confidentiality, saying the standards for managing and storing patient records will be same as for UK hospitals.
Under EU rules on procurement law, healthcare providers from other EU countries are entitled to apply to be accredited.
Hazel Carpenter, of the NHS South Kent Coast CCG, denied the contract was about waiting times and said it was for 'patient choice'.
His partner, patient B, fell ill with the same symptoms 7 days later
Both the day before and after his symptoms appeared the man had unprotected sex with his partner, who had not traveled to a Zika region
The first case of sexual transmission of the Zika virus between two gay men has been reported in Dallas, health officials have revealed.
The case first came to light in January, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
An investigation was launched after officials in Dallas County identified a case of sexual transmission of Zika between a men who had recently traveled to a region where the virus is rife, and his non-traveling male partner.
Experts warn the case highlights how the virus can be transmitted through anal sex, as well as vaginal sex.
'Sexual transmission through both vaginal and anal sex is an emerging mode of Zika virus infection that might contribute to more illness than was anticipated when the outbreak was first recognized,' said the CDC.
The CDC has reported details of the first confirmed case of Zika infection sexually transmitted in a gay couple. Patient A had recently returned from Venezuela in January when he started to show symptoms of the illness. Seven days later, and after having unprotected sex, his partner, patient B fell ill with the same symptoms
Earlier this week CDC director Dr Tom Frieden announced there is no longer any doubt that Zika virus infection causes the birth defect microcephaly.
Confirming the worst fears of pregnant women in the US and Latin America health officials warned mother's who are infected with the virus are at risk of giving birth to babies with abnormally small heads and other severe brain defects.
Since last year, doctors in Brazil have been linking Zika infections in pregnant women to a rise in newborns with microcephaly, or an unusually small skull.
Most experts were cautious about drawing a firm connection.
But now the CDC says enough evidence has been gathered to draw a direct link.
Sexual transmission through both vaginal and anal sex is an emerging mode of Zika virus infection that might contribute to more illness than was anticipated when the outbreak was first recognized CDC
Futhermore, the virus has also been linked to the condition Guillain-Barre syndrome, a condition where the immune system attacks the nervous system, which can cause temporary paralysis.
Two days after returning to Dallas following a one-week visit to Venezuela, the man, known as patient A, started to show signs of Zika infection.
He was complaining of a fever, a rash on his upper body and face, and conjunctivitis lasting around three days.
Both one day before and one day after the onset of his symptoms the man had unprotected sex with his partner, referred to in the CDC report as patient B.
Seven days later patient B began to develop a fever, headache and became lethargic.
Days later he developed a rash on his torso and arms, small joint arthritis of his hands and feet and conjunctivits.
All the symptoms disappeared within the next week, the CDC report notes.
On the 11th day, patient B visited his doctor, who suspected Zika virus infection. And on day 24 semen, urine and saliva specimens were collected from both patients - 24 and 17 days after their respective onset of illness.
Experts concluded that although Dallas falls within the geographical range of the Aedes mosquito, pictured, that carries Zika virus, the temperatures were not warm enough for the pest to have transmitted the virus
The CDC said patient A had regularly traveled to Central and South America for many years.
During his recent trip to Venezuela, he reported that many people in the area he visited were suffering symptoms consistent with Zika virus infection.
Furthermore, transmission of Zika had been confirmed in the country in late November last year.
The CDC note patient B had never traveled to an area where Zika transmission had been confirmed.
While Dallas is within the geographic range of the Zika-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquito, the temperatures in Texas at the time of infection were not conducive for mosquito activity.
The CDC said: 'Transmission of Zika virus to patient B by Aedes aegypti was unlikely based on environmental conditions.'
As a result, CDC experts concluded transmission from patient A to patient B, must have occured during sex.
They note at least five other cases of sexually transmitted Zika virus, though note until now all have involved male-to-female transmission through vaginal sex.
Kapil Sharma and his merry bandwagon return with a new bag of jokes later this month, and the buzz among small screen buffs is palpable.
For Kapil, the challenge right now is to reinvent his tricks without losing the essence of the image that made him a star.
The humour, after all, cannot dry up. 'A comedian has to be funny all the time and constant reinvention is the biggest challenge,' he says.
Comedian Kapil Sharma with Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, who is set to appear on the first episode of the funnyman's new show The Kapil Sharma Show
Even during Comedy Nights With Kapil (CNWK), coming up with fresh ideas for each episode was the demanding deal,' says the funnyman, whose latest gig, The Kapil Sharma Show, premieres on Sony on April 23.
'CNWK was about a funny family. The new show narrates the crazy stories of an entire society. There are many more people involved in this show,' says Kapil, who shot the first episode in Delhi recently, with Shah Rukh Khan as his special guest.
Kapil SHarma started his career in stand up, appearing in The Great Indian Laughter Challenge 3 above, but rose to fame on TV show Comedy NIghts With Kapil
He has not fiddled much with the familiar banter text that made him a sensation on CNWK. 'Jo dukaan chal raha hai, usey bandh karke naya showroom kyon kholoon (why would I open a showroom of new ware when I my current shop is doing great business)?' he laughs.
So, The Kapil Sharma Show will see him return with familiar collaborators Ali Asgar, Kiku Sharda, Sunil Grover, Sumona Chakravarti and Chandan Prabhakar, and also bring back Navjot Singh Sidhu as the permanent studio guest.
Rumours suggest Sony laid out a lavish Rs 50-lakh spread just for the promos, though the series only have 26 episodes.
'One shouldn't push a good joke for long,' says Kapil, on why he opted to go for a finite series this time. He also has his reasons for bringing back familiar faces.
'Comedy is all about timing. That's the reason I work with people I have already worked with. My co-stars on the show are people I have been working with for a while now. We know our strengths so we act and react accordingly.'
He takes criticism over all the biwi jokes chin up. 'I will always retain the biwi jokes on my shows. As long as they are not disrespectful towards women, who's to complain?' he says, adding low humour is never his intention.
'Humour has to be healthy. A certain amount of political incorrectness cannot be avoided while creating comedy, but I make sure there are no below-the-belt vibes.'
Kapil, left, became popular hosting reality dance show Jhalak Dikhhla but he says stand-up is his passion and that getting a reaction from a live audience is 'a rush like no other'
For Kapil, comedy is a random thing. 'Comedy can never be written. It emerges as a though process,' he says. 'Funny lines and scenes come to me when I am alone, as well as when we brainstorm as a team.
'Comedy is serious business that needs constant thinking. Yet a gem of a joke may come to you as an instant reaction. One needs to be observant of all that goes on around.'
Kapil would tell you he likes the fact that there are so many comedy shows across channels right now. 'We need more humour. Although I hardly get time to watch television, I feel the more comedy shows we have to address problems in a funny way, the better.
Humour has to be healthy. A certain amount of political incorrectness cannot be avoided while creating comedy, but I make sure there are no below-the-belt vibes Kapil Sharma
'I am doing my job in my way. There are many other talented comedians in this country with distinct styles. They should all find room,' he points out.
Return to TV, of course, slows down his Bollywood trek, which started with Abbas-Mustan's Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon. He is shooting for ABCD 3 right now, but will be careful signing films.
'I am happy with the way my debut film shaped up. I will do more films in the future, but only the ones that interest me.
'I want to balance my career as a stand-up comedian, sitcom artist and a filmstar,' he says. So, which of these avatars does he relish the most? 'Stand-up,' the excited reply is an instant one.
'The reaction of a live audience is a rush like no other. That is also the reason I tend to pack in a huge studio audience in the episodes of my show,' he says.
Kapil's slant at live reaction may be a reason why he does not think highly of the kind of anonymity cyber space allows to netizens to spew reactions.
Twitter abuse, particularly, irks him. 'They should issue a licence for holding Twitter accounts, just as they do for driving. It is a mad house in there.
'Too many stupid people have infested social media,' says Kapil, adding that he tweets only to communicate with fans about his work. Being a comic has not exactly been funny business in India lately.
Kapil heads up The Kapil Sharma Show, which will run for a finite 26 episodes. Kapil says 'one shouldn't push a good joke for long'.
Several of his lot have been at the wrong end of the stick over several issues. Kapil, though, refuses to stamp India as an intolerant nation. 'I feel intolerance is a word that sprung casually. Then, they started marketing it as a brand.
True, we are a bit touchy. Unlike in the West, we are not okay with jokes about god or the president. My effort all the time is to ensure I don't get personal while taking jibes at issues or celebrities.
'Overall, however, my experience tells me public reaction to humour is positive in our country.'
Public reaction, for any comedian, is the ultimate score. 'The biggest challenge for a comedian lies in popular connect,' says Kapil.
'In any other genre of art there is the scope of time, for the audience to form a reaction. You could watch a great piece of tragedy, for instance, and it could seep in over the next few hours.
'In comedy, the reaction must be instantaneous or else the joke is dead,' he says.
'I am a greedy actor' says Sayani Gupta
One-film-old Sayani Gupta seems to be on a major image overhaul trip.
Her debut arthouse release Margarita With A Straw may have won her wide acclaim, but the budding actor is looking towards mainstream to create an impact right now.
Sayani Gupta says she is 'glamorous enough' to break into the mainstream despite launching her acting career with an arty movie offering
She appears in the Shah Rukh Khanstarrer Fan this week, even as she divides time between the Ranbir Kapoor-Katrina Kaif starrer Jagga Jasoos and the Sidharth Malhotra-Katrina Kaif starrer Baar Baar Dekho.
The Delhi-born girl, who went to LSR College, tells you she has defining roles in each of these projects, before you start wonder what exactly she might get to do in such big startouting projects.
'I am a greedy actor. I only look at the script and my character while signing a film. I don't look at cinema as art or commerce.
'It should just appeal to me. If I am a good actor, even two scenes will be enough to leave an impact,' she says.
For Sayani, film will always be a director's medium. 'As an actor, you can only do that much Ultimately, everything depends on how a scene or role has been written and directed,' she says.
Sayani considers herself lucky to have had a debut with Shonali Bose's Margarita With A Straw. She feels getting to play Kalki Koechlin's visually challenged lesbian lover was a 'lifetime's role'.
'There are certain stories not every filmmaker wants to tell. It takes guts and gumption to make such a film,' she says.
Will entry into the commercial setup as a lead heroine be tough, after such a heavy arty debut? 'I am glamorous enough, declares Sayani, 'and I am upto the song-dance routine. Just try me.'
The recently expanded Gwadar deep water port in Pakistan, which is part of the socalled China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), is nearing completion.
According to Zhang Baozhong, chairman and CEO of China Overseas Ports Holding Company Ltd, 'The port cranes are almost ready, and we are thinking that the port will be at full operation by the end of this year.'
The port will process about one million tonne of cargo next year, most of which will be incoming construction materials to be used in projects related to CPEC.
Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif shakes hands with Chinese president Xi Jinping. China is considered a reliable ally that has always come to Pakistan's aid when India has seemed on the ascendant.
The port city Gwadar, in southwestern Balochistan province, is central to the CPEC. Pakistan's army chief has accused India of attempting to undermine the $46 billion project with China.
Speaking at a development conference on the impact of CPEC, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif said: 'I must highlight that India, our immediate neighbour, has openly challenged this development initiative.
'I would like to make a special reference to Indian intelligence agency RAW that is blatantly involved in destabilising Pakistan. Let me make it clear that we will not allow anyone to create impediments and turbulence in any part of Pakistan.'
China-Pakistan collusion against India has taken new turns recently. Despite the Modi government's attempts to improve ties with Pakistan and China, both have responded negatively so far.
The writing is clear on the wall and has been for quite some time. The Pakistani military-intelligence complex has no interest in a rapprochement with India; it made it a point to scuttle the growing Sharif-Modi bonhomie.
Last month, Pakistani authorities announced they captured a suspected Indian spy in Balochistan, identified as Kulbhushan Jadhav. The military also aired video footage of Jadhav, saying he was working out of his base in Chabahar in neighbouring Iran.
The Pakistani investigation team, which had visited Pathankot, ended up suggesting that the Pathankot attack in January was in fact staged by Indian agencies.
This was followed by the Pakistani High Commissioner announcing the suspension of Indo-Pakistani peace talks. China then turned the screws tighter and made it a point to scuttle the nascent counter-terror cooperation between Delhi and Beijing.
By insisting that designation of any individual as terrorist by UN is a 'serious issue', China last week blocked the UN from banning Jaish-e-Mohammad chief and Pathankot strike mastermind Masood Azhar by the global body.
The January 2 attack at Pathankot was followed by a raid on an Indian consulate in Afghanistan that has also been linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad, whose militants were also behind the 2001 attack on Indian Parliament.
The Sino-Pakistan relationship has now moved beyond the 'higher than Himalayas and sweeter than honey' phase. Chinese strategists are openly taking of Pakistan as their nation's only real ally.
China's submarine operations in the Indian Ocean and the Sino-Pak naval cooperation are challenging naval supremacy and have the potential to change the regional naval power balance.
China is also busy re-defining territorial status quo in the region. By deciding to construct major civil, energy and military infrastructure projects in the CPEC, which runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the areas of Gilgit and Baltistan, China has accorded de facto 'legitimacy' to Pakistan's illegal occupation of these areas.
China the world's third largest weapons exporter has Pakistan as the top recipient of its arms. By aiding Pakistan to set up its nuclear and ballistic missiles programmes, besides supplying conventional arms, Beijing had made sure that the India-Pakistan military balance is maintained.
China is considered a reliable ally that has always come to Pakistan's aid when India has seemed on the ascendant so much so that China has even tacitly supported Pakistan's strategy of using terror as a policy instrument against India.
With India ascending in the global hierarchy and strengthening its ties with the US, China's need for Pakistan is likely to grow. This has been evident in China's polices toward Pakistan on critical issues in South Asia.
A rising India makes Pakistan all the more important in China's strategy for the subcontinent. It is highly unlikely that China will give up playing the Pakistan card vis-a-vis India anytime soon.
The China-Pakistan partnership serves the interests of both partners by presenting India with a potential two-front theatre in the event of war with either country. And for China, Pakistan is increasingly important to fend off a joint India-US challenge.
South Asia is emerging as an important new front in the balance of power struggle between the US and China as well as India and China, and the region's importance is only likely to increase in the coming years.
The Modi government needs to recognise that the challenges of a two-front adversarial strategic environment are only likely to intensify in the coming years. New Delhi needs to be prepared to take on this challenge head-on.
Even as India reaches out to China in the next few weeks with the visits of the National Security Advisor and the Defence Minister, it should be clear that Chinese behaviour is unlikely to change in the near future.
Delhi Police have given a clean chit to an officer, who led the team in the alleged encounter with businessman Manoj Vashisht at Sagar Ratna restaurant last year, even as the investigation into the mater continues.
While the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the case, Inspector Dharmendra Kumar has been asked to rejoin Delhi Police's Special Cell from the IGI Airport.
Businessman Manoj Vashisht who died from a bullet wound to the chest
According to sources, other team members who are facing charges in the case, may join elite units of the Delhi Police.
'His transfer was decided by the top brass of Delhi police during former commissioner BS Bassi's regime but officially he was transferred after an order was issued on April 11.
'He is facing allegations and the MHA also took up the matter but he has been asked to join Special Cell,' a senior police officer said.
Inspector Dharmender Kumar was transferred to IGI Airport just after the incident. At IGI Airport he was handling a team of Delhi Police responsible to counter any attack at the establishment.
'Recently, Special Cell has seen various transfers as the unit was facing multiple allegations. It was found top officials of the Special Cell were not aware about this operation.
'This case had various flaws in the way the Special Cell handled the case,' a senior police officer added.
Last year in May, a team headed by Inspector Dharmendra Kumar and other junior staff allegedly encountered Manoj Vashisht. CCTV footage of the encounter released by police shows two officers Inspector Dharmendra Kumar and Constable Jitendra getting into a scuffle with Vashisht before the businessman slumps after being shot.
Delhi Police at a protest, above. A CBI inquiry is ongoing into members of the police force's Special Cell team that was allegedly involved in a fatal restaurant shoot out.
He died after a bullet hit him during an alleged exchange of fire with an eight-member team of the Special Cell, which planned the operation.
Later, the top brass of Delhi Police immediately constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident.
The case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation by the MHA. According to the police, Vashisht was wanted in several cases of fraud and other crimes.
His family had alleged that it was a fake encounter and had demanded a CBI probe. Vashisht's family had also met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh seeking the transfer of the probe to the CBI. Later, case was given to CBI.
Delhi Police have recovered a bag containing a gun and a letter threatening to behead prominent JNU Students' Union representatives Kanhaiya Kumar and Umar Khalid.
A letter threatening student activists Kanhaiya Kumar, pictured above, and Umar Khlaid was found alongside a gun on an inter-campus bus route
The discovery was made in a bus operating between an ISBT and the JNU campus on Friday. It comes a day after a slipper was hurled at JNU Students' Union president Kanhaiya.
Following the letter, police have beefed up the duo's security.
The university students, who have been agitating since they were arrested in a sedition case over an event held on campus, demanded the university administration lodge a police complaint against various individuals who have been issuing threats to the JNUSU president and others.
According to a police officer, a country-made pistol and a threat letter against Kanhaiya, was purportedly written by a man who had earlier threatened the student leader over Facebook.
With the gun, there was also a letter which said that Kanhaiya Kumar and Umar Khalid will be decapitated Delhi Police
It was the driver of the bus who spotted an unclaimed bag and raised an alarm. He also registered a complaint at a police station in New Delhi district.
'The security provisions have been enhanced in view of the threat perception. Police are trying to ascertain identity of the bag's owner and several people have been questioned.
"With the gun, there was also a letter which said that Kanhaiya and Umar Khalid will be decapitated,' said the officer.
Earlier, Kumar was threatened on Facebook in a post that said men with weapons were already present inside the campus and ready to kill him at any moment, police said.
JNUSU vice-president Shehla Rashid said, 'I have repeatedly alerted the JNU administration about these threats. But there's no positive response. We are disappointed by the silence of the administration and V-C on this issue.
Tongues have started wagging in the Congress after recent remarks by Robert Vadra, the son-in-law of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, that he will never leave the country despite his humiliation, and that he does not need his wife Priyanka to enhance his life.
Party spokespersons refrained from commenting on the remarks, saying it was a 'family matter'.
In the past, the Congress has always defended Vadra.
Robert Vadra married Priyanka Gandhi in 1997 and though he may have political ambitions, he has limited his role as a campaigner for the Gandhis.
Vadra, who has been under attack from the BJP over his land deals in Haryana and Rajasthan, said he would never leave the country, no matter how much I am humiliated and further said: I did not need Priyanka to enhance my life, I think I had enough. My parents gave me enough.
Even as his rivals tried to read between the lines, Congress insiders claim that Vadra was running his business as a private citizen and nothing has been proved against him yet.
While some party insiders who have watched him closely said the remarks seemed off the cuff, others dispelled rumours of a rift between the couple.
Robert, 46, married Priyanka Gandhi in 1997 and though he may have political ambitions, he has restricted his role as a campaigner in the family pocket burroughs of Amethi and Rae Bareli in UP for Sonia and brother-in-law Rahul Gandhi.
"Never say never, is how he responded when asked about the possibility of an active political role.
"It has been 20 years as part of this family, but it won't take me 20 years to join politics, he remarked.
"I will join politics only if I can make a difference. I will keep writing on topics, no matter what people think or say about it," he said.
Vadra often uses his Facebook page to express views about various issues. Congress leaders said Robert has been targeted because he is Sonias son-in-law.
He pointed out that the BJP-ruled Rajasthan and Haryana were quick to order probes, but have failed to find any evidence against him.
During the Lok Sabha poll campaign, BJP PM nominee Narendra Modi targeted Robert over his land deals.
Vadra said: "I was born and brought up here, I would never leave my country no matter how much the pressure, no matter how much I am humiliated. No matter what the government says, I have the ability to sustain and to absorb. I have a very strong and good family, my children give me strength."
Robert and Priyanka have two children - son Rehan, and daughter Miraya.
The land deals controversy surfaced in October 2012, when anti-graft activist and current Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his associates accused Vadra of corruption.
It snow-balled into a major political controversy ahead of key state Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
Kejriwal had alleged that Vadra purchased at least 31 properties, mostly in New Delhi, worth more than Rs 300 crore - for which money has come from unsecured interest-free loans from DLF.
Ambedkar was the buzz word on Thursday when political parties jostled to make the most of the Dalit icons legacy.
Celebrating Ambedkar's 125th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Congress for "undermining" Babasaheb.
BSP chief Mayawati termed the Centres Dalit outreach as an eyewash and also ridiculed Rahul Gandhi for embracing the Dalit icon.
PM Narendra Modi paying tributes to Babasaheb BR Ambedkar in Mumbai
Various political parties and state governments had organised programs to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Ambedkar.
Floral tributes were paid in London as well, where Ambedkar lived in 1921-22 during his student days at London School of Economics.
Modi was in Mhow, the birthplace of Ambedkar in Madhya Pradesh, on Thursday, and asked why the Congress was getting perturbed when his government was working ardently to fulfil Ambedkars vision.
Modi, who had faced attacks from the Congress for trying to appropriate the national icon, asked why successive Congress governments did not develop the panch teerth associated with Ambedkar during their tenure.
Modi, who chose the occasion to launch the Gram Uday se Bharat Uday Abhiyan (a village self-governance campaign), said it was inspired by Amdedkar.
BSP chief Mayawati (left) ridiculed Rahul Gandhi for embracing the Dalit icon, and accused him of 'indulging in theatrics'.
Listing a number of measures that his government is taking to carry forward Ambedkars vision, including those for empowering the weaker sections, Modi said: For so many years, the vision of Ambedkar was undermined. Some people are distressed why Modi is doing all this. This is a matter of our dedication and conviction. We believe that social harmony can be achieved only by following the path shown by Baba Saheb. I feel proud to work at the feet of Baba Saheb.
Earlier in the day, Mayawati sounded the poll bugle as she launched her election campaign from Lucknow, where she celebrated Ambedkars birth anniversary.
Mayawati, whose party counts heavily on Dalit votes for support, cautioned Dalits and other backward classes against the BJPs designs and said its leaders will only act as bonded labourers of the RSS. She added that Modi could do little for the OBCs, though he claims to belong to the community.
BJP or RSS can make any Dalit or OBC a prime minister or chief minister of any state but he cannot do anything good for his people... he will always remain a bonded labourer of BJP or RSS, she said.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad marks the Dalit icons 125th birth anniversary
Her remarks came in the backdrop of BJP appointing Keshav Prasad Maurya, an OBC, the UP-unit president.
Mayawati also hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for not taking note of suicides by Dalit students when his party was in power.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee snapped back at the EC
The Bengali New Year did not begin so well for West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.
While the Election Commission served her a show-cause notice for having promised a new district in violation of a code of conduct, a fiery Banerjee dared the commission to take action.
I have said what I liked, I will again say so, thousand times, crore times, do whatever you (EC) can against me, Banerjee said.
They have show-caused me on the very first day of the Bengali New Year, the people will show-cause them on May 19, she said.
Perfect tribute for IAF veteran
The Indian Air Force base at Panagarh, West Bengal will be named after Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, who will turn 97 on Friday.
Bases are not usually named after personalities, unlike in some other countries, but an exception has been made.
The IAF celebrated Singhs birthday with a grand function at Akash Officers Mess on Thursday, which was attended by former PM Manmohan Singh among others.
Singh, a stalwart who flew over operational 700 sorties and led the IAF in the 1965 Indo-Pak war, also contributed Rs 2.25 crore to the forces welfare fund.
Mehbooba meets Amit Shah
J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti met BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday.
It was her first meeting with Shah since she took her oath.
The two leaders met amidst widespread unrest in the Valley.
Former J&K CM Omar Abdullah criticised her Delhi visit, tweeting: Three people died as a result of firing by security forces and what does the J&K CM do? She continues her self-promoting tour of Delhi.
From yatra to padyatra?
The VHP had a unique request for Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
They urged that cars participating in the Ram Navami Shobha Yatra should be exempted from the odd-even scheme on April 15.
VHP office-bearers suggested that their vehicles will have a bhagwa dhvaj (saffron flag) to show that they are part of the yatra.
But the Delhi government was not willing to oblige.
Transport Minister Gopal Rai said: Why use cars at all? Its a religious yatra. Better go on foot.
Shoes and stones for Kanhaiya
JNUSU leader Kanhaiya Kumar is not having the best time since his release on bail.
On Thursday, a slipper was hurled at Kanhaiya while he was delivering a speech at an auditorium in Nagpur.
The incident happened hours after some Bajrang Dal workers threw stones at a car carrying him.
Spotting a Belgian Malinois in the patrol teams deep inside Maoist territory has become a bad omen for the rebels.
Extensive use of ferocious dogs in the anti-Red operations has been successful, and the dog squad now instils fear among Maoist groups.
Officials revealed that the terror of dogs is such that the Maoists, who are trained for armed insurgency, are being told - Beware of a patrol party that has a dog in it.
With rebels using new methods to carry out their attacks, the security forces are opting for enhanced techniques to train the dog squad.
The canines are not restricted just to sniffing explosives. The forces are also using them for assaults, and reconnaissance patrols. With new training techniques they are also able to sense an ambush - ensuring that troops are alerted in advance.
Officials associated with the anti-insurgency operations in the Red Zone say that rapidly changing tactics are implemented to stay ahead of the Maoists, who are becoming more technologically advanced.
Officials say skills training given to the canines has helped them in the war against Maoist rebels
Officials have trained the Belgian Malinois, the same breed that was part of the US forces while hunting down Osama Bin Laden.
With the rebels using new methods like covering explosives with cow dung, human faeces or black and red pepper to ensure the sniffers dont get a whiff of it, the forces are opting for new training techniques.
We have to condition them accordingly while training them. New training tricks includes smelling explosives that have been layered to confuse the dog, said an official involved with dog training.
Officials say that training them in multiple skills has helped in attacking the Maoists.
Dogs have played a major role in thwarting Maoist strategy by giving early warnings about the presence of an ambush. Many surrendered rebels have revealed in interrogation that if they see dogs in a patrol they are doubly careful and many times have had to retreat since the forces were alerted about a trap laid by the Maoists.
Belgian Malinois have been trained to detect landmines and explosives hidden beneath the roads
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and the Border Security Force (BSF) serving in the Red Zone have been focusing on training dog squads to combat the Maoists.
ITBP claims that it has never come under a Maoist ambush, for which they credit their dogs squad.
With human intelligence failing, dogs provide a great support system. Not only have dogs been responsible for huge seizures of explosives, but they have also saved several lives by indicating that there is an ambush, said an officer.
Dogs with a camera mounted on their back are trained to be a part of the anti-Maoist operations.
This will aid the troops in launching an attack after seeing the pictures, the officer added.
The CRPF, the main force deployed in the Maoist zone, is looking at doubling its dog strength at the earliest, given the success of the canines in combating the red threat.
At present there are close to 700 dogs, but the target for the force is to have at least 1,400.
Maximum deployment is in the left wing extremist areas, officials said.
We are focusing on increasing the Belgian Malinois since its suited for tough conditions, said a CRPF officer.
Realising the importance of these dogs in operations in the tough terrain, the force goes out of its way to keep them healthy. The breed can walk long distances despite the intense heat.
Seven CRPF jawans were killed in a landmine blast in Chhattisgarhs Dantewada district on March 30, while saving a stricken dog that was part of several patrols digging out explosives planted by Maoists.
Security forces have been witnessing the Maoists deploy innovative techniques to plant and conceal deadly improvised explosive devices.
The Maoists place explosives beneath the roads, which human beings cannot perceive - but the dogs have been trained to detect them.
While Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung is involved in a bitter tussle with Delh's AAP administration, his cook has alleged medical negligence by a Delhi government-run hospital
While Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung is involved in a bitter turf tussle with the citys AAP administration, his cook has alleged medical negligence by a Delhi government-run hospital.
The Aruna Asaf Ali hospital, which is adjacent to the L-Gs residence and the Delhi assembly, came under scanner after Mohammed Nadeems wife delivered a stillborn baby on Thursday.
This is a complaint by an individual and has nothing to do with the LG or L-G House, said Madhur Verma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North).
Saba Bano, 24, was brought to the institute on Thursday night. The weight of the baby was 4.5kg and, according to the family, doctors performed a vaginal delivery.
The condition of the mother and child was serious. Though the mother survived, the baby could not be saved, a senior doctor from the hospital told Mail Today.
Sources at the institute confirmed that Nadeem works at the L-G House.
"He has been here several times for regular medical check-ups, another senior doctor said.
Late-night drama followed as members of Jungs family visited the hospital and intervened in the matter.
The L-G House did not respond to calls and messages from Mail Today.
The battle between Jung and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stems from Delhis unique position as a union territory doubling as the Capital where both the L-G and police department report to the central home ministry and the local government has no say over several important departments.
Loggerheads
The AAP, which romped to power winning 67 of the Capitals 70 assembly seats in last years polls, has been at loggerheads with Jung after he appointed several senior bureaucrats against the wishes of the chief minister and overruled many Delhi government picks.
Banos family too alleged that some equipment at the hospital were out of order.
Doctors could not perform a fetoscopy an endoscopic procedure during pregnancy to allow access to the foetus, the amniotic cavity, the umbilical cord, and the foetal side of the placenta.
One can get a close detail before the delivery through fetoscopy. Any abnormalities in foetus, placenta cord and umbilical cord can be diagnosed through the machine. Sometimes, it can also help to identify, if there are any, internal complications, a senior gynaecologist said.
The Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital is situated near the residence of Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung
Located in north Delhi, the hospital caters to around 1,000-1,200 patients every day. Its administration also manages a mortuary at Subzi Mandi, the oldest and biggest facility of its kind in the Capital.
The institute is also among the 10 government hospitals that issue disability certificates to people.
We are aware of the matter. But the reason of death cannot be determined until the postmortem report comes out, Dr Kulbhushan Goyal, deputy medical superintendent of the hospital told Mail Today. We did our best to save the baby.
While Bano is still receiving treatment at the institute, Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) will perform a post-mortem on the baby's remains.
Experts said in most cases with a baby weighing over 3.5 kg, a caesarean delivery is the preferred option.
It depends on many factors. One has to perform a proper internal check-up and a pelvis access to decide on the mode of delivery. In many countries, even a baby weighing around 4.5 kg has been operated through vaginal delivery, said Dr Neeta Singh from AIIMS.
If the weight of the baby is more than 4 kg then doctors have to be more careful for a vaginal surgery, said Dr Suneeta Mittal, director and of obstetrics at Gurgaon's Fortis Memorial Research Institute.
One of the last surviving baolis (step wells) of Delhi the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah baoli is facing fresh threats of survival.
New constructions are growing around it rapidly, in apparent contravention of the AMASR (Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains) Act, 2010.
The Act prohibits any construction within 100 metres of protected heritage sites.
One of the last surviving baolis (step wells) of Delhi the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah baoli is under threat from encroaching development
As Mail Today saw on Friday, a house is being built on the right-hand corner of the baoli gate, which also serves as the entry to the 14th century dargah.
Besides, the unauthorised work is dwarfing a white-domed tomb, which is a heritage building on the municipal corporation list.
The Archeological Survey of India (ASI), East MCD and the Nizamuddin Dargah Trust, however, seem least bothered by the constructions. On being approached, an ASI Delhi Circle officer said, requesting anonymity: We have sent them a notice, but the problem is that the punitive procedure is very long. In the meantime, such buildings, violating the law, are almost always completed.
"After a complaint is made, our area incharge prepares a report, followed by an FIR and Director General (DG) of ASI requests a demolition order to the local Deputy Commissioner (DC).
Kashif Nizami, in-charge of Nizamuddin Dargah, said, Please dont ask me to comment on the issue. We are locals and dont want to be seen as enemies in our community.
Another khadim (dargah attendant), said, Such works are done in collusion with authorities. MCD inspectors almost always know about these developments. Two ASI Circles at Humayuns Tomb and Safdarjung are hardly few metres away from here.
The baoli (step well) is said to have been dug up by revered Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya himself.
Completed around 1300 CE, it is 160 feet deep and has green water, which is believed to possess divine healing properties.
The baoli (step well) is said to have been dug up by revered Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya himself
A flight of stairs leads to the well, fed by underground springs.
The walls around the three sides of the well have 14th century architectural features.
Unfortunately, the beautifully-arched and jaali (lattice) windows on the walls now have ugly balconies, coolers, sewage pipes and even Dish TV satellites hanging over them.
ASI has woefully failed to prevent these constructions over the years and there are no signs of these being removed any time soon.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) is engaged in the baolis restoration and renovation since 2007.
It managed to revive the Nizamuddin baoli, unclogging its feeding springs, years back.
Today, it is probably the only baoli in Delhi with fresh water.
However, officials say, these new constructions impede the revival work as well as endanger the old baoli walls.
In less than 24 hours of India Today's special investigation Chattisgarh's Dirty Secret Revealed being broadcast, the founders of the vigilante outfit the Samajik Ekta Manch announced that the outfit was being dissolved with immediate effect.
The India Today investigation had exposed the deep rooted nexus between the vigilante outfit and the state police.
At a hurriedly convened press conference in Chattisgarh's Jagdalpur, the Samajik Ekta Manch said that it would henceforth cease to exist.
The Samajik Ekta Manch announced that the outfit was being dissolved with immediate effect not long after an India Today investigation exposed alleged connections between the vigilante group and the state police
The Manch put out a press release in which it said, "The Samajik Ekta Manch was set up with the intent of helping the central government, state government, district administration and the local police in the battle against Naxalism.
It is with the intention of pushing this agenda that the Samajik Ekta Manch organised a series of nonviolent and democratic protests.
However, some people used the activities of the Samajik Ekta Manch to demonise the local police and state administration.
It is keeping these circumstances in mind that the members of the outfit have unanimously decided to dissolve the Samajik Ekta Manch with immediate effect."
The expose by India Today had led to a massive clamour being built against the Chattisgarh government for using extra-constitutional methods to deal with voices of dissent.
Over the past three months over a dozen lawyers, social activists and journalists have been forced out of Chattisgarh after being hounded by members of the Samajik Ekta Manch.
Under pressure, Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has announced the setting up of a high powered committee which will include the Secretary incharge of General administration in the state and also the Inspector General of Police of the Bastar region and two senior journalists.
This committee has been mandated by the CM to look at all complaints about journalists and activists being hounded out of the state.
Former Information and Broadcasting Minister and Congress leader Manish Tewari said,
The Samajik Ekta Manch was involved in hounding journalists and social activists
"Encouraging such vigilante groups like the Samajik Ekta Manch is against the Supreme Court ruling in the Salwa Judum case. Activists and journalists are there to tell the other side of the story and they can't be targeted.
"After India Today's sting the Supreme Court should take suo moto cognisance and hold the Chattisgarh government in contempt. What is being done in Chattisgarh is completely unconstitutional. The CM should resign as he is in contempt and the government should be dismissed."
In Delhi, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan announced that he would file a petition in the Supreme Court demanding that action be initiated against the Raman Singh government for disobeying the Supreme Court's verdict and allowing vigilante groups to flourish.
In the India Today investigation, senior police officers had been shown on camera admitting that they were facilitating the activities of the Samajik Ekta Manch and that they were very happy that troublesome activists had been chased away from Chattisgarh.
The founders of the Samajik Ekta Manch had been shown saying that they were trying to fill the void left after the Supreme Court banned the notorious Salwa Judum in 2011.
While it is significant that the vigilante outfit has been forced to shut shop after the hard hitting India Today expose, however, caution needs to be exercised.
The dramatic winding down of the Samajik Ekta Manch could well be a ruse to deflect the massive pressure that was building up against the Chattisgarh police.
During the India Today investigation the founders of the Manch had admitted that they had already put in place contingency measures in case the Samajik Ekta Manch gets banned.
The Congress launched a scathing attack on the PDP-BJP coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, claiming it has no control over the trouble brewing in the Valley.
The party has also urged governor NN Vohra to keep an eye on the border state.
The Congress attack came in the wake of the crisis in NIT Srinagar and the widespread public outrage over Army firing in Handwara, in which many civilians lost their lives.
Activists from Kashmir Tahreek Khawateen shout slogans during a protest against the killing of civilians at Handwara
Both the incidents have given rise to tension within in the new coalition government with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti having conveyed her concern over the incidents to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ever since the PDP-BJP government has taken over, incidents are taking place, which clearly demonstrate that the government is not in control of the situation, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said. As Jammu and Kashmir is a frontline border state, it is imperative that the governor keeps a close watch on the situation, he said.
Tewari explained the Congress was urging the governor to keep a watch as he is the only one who holds a constitutional post and is the first one to be alerted.
Noting that around 1,500 students of the NIT have left the institute, the Congress leader said the state government and the Centre seem least bothered about the fates of these students.
Manish Tewari explained the Congress was urging the governor to keep a watch as he is the only one who holds a constitutional post
The first achievement of the PDP-BJP government was to beat up those students who chanted pro-India slogans and force them to flee, said Tewari.
Expressing concern over the growing protests in the Valley, he said, keeping in view totality of the situation, there should be caution and circumspection and a very close watch on the situation.
The setting in Handwara is grave, he said adding that curfew had been imposed as people were protesting on the streets and Internet had been blocked by the state government.
Protests rocked many places in Kupwara and its nearby areas after the death of three persons, who were killed in firing by security forces in Handwara, following allegations of molestation of a girl.
The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is volatile though not anarchic, he said.
Questioning the Pakistan policy at the Centre, Tewari further targeted the BJP saying that if reports about Pakistan NSA sharing info with his Indian counterpart about 10 terrorists infiltrating India were true, then the nation has every right to know the details.
The question is who were they, where did they come from and where are they now. If three of them have been ostensibly neutralised by security forces, where are the rest? Where did the encounter happen, said Tewari.
The boards of some of Britains biggest companies are braced for a wave of investor anger following the staggering revolt over executive pay at oil giant BP.
Nearly 60 per cent of investors voted against BP chief executive Bob Dudleys 13.9million pay and perks package making the FTSE 100 energy firm the first swallow of a new shareholder spring.
And the move against pay and management decisions seemed to be growing.
Mining titan Anglo American and Stock Spirits yesterday became the latest to face unrest.
Polish vodka maker Stock Spirits Group is facing a plan from shareholders to oust chief executive Chris Heath, and major shareholder Templeton Emerging Markets Group has now supported the move.
Undeserving: Nearly 60 per cent of investors voted against BP chief executive Bob Dudley's 13.9m pay and perks package
The row revolves around the way the company has lost market share in Poland and how the general poor performance of the firm.
Shareholder group The UK Individual Shareholders Society (ShareSoc) then announced its opposition to executive pay at Anglo American.
Roger Lawson, deputy chairman at ShareSoc, said it considers the 3.4million pay of chief executive Mark Cutifani as too high particularly in a year when the company suffered a loss of 4billion in 2015 and dividends were suspended.
He said: The market cap of Anglo has shrunk from 50billion in 2008 to 8billion. However, chief executive remuneration has not been reduced to reflect the smaller simpler company that Anglo now is.
The chief executive is still anticipated to receive 6.3million for target performance and 8.8million for above target performance.
Yesterday, builder Persimmon Homes became another victim of shareholder ire as investors questioned the independence of a new non-executive director at its annual general meeting in York.
The firm had wanted to appoint Nigel Mills, a senior advisor at Citigroup, a bank which is also the housebuilders broker.
Mills scraped through with just 52.3 per cent of shareholder votes.
In response, Persimmon said it would engage with investors and explain its reasoning. Bosses said they strongly believed he was independent, adding that he had not worked on the companys business in the previous three years.
Chief executive Jeff Fairburns 2million package was waved through with just 8.6 per cent of votes cast against, although Mark Bentley of campaigning investor ShareSoc said there was more to his remuneration than met the eye.
Its research suggested Fairburn could be in line for 50million of shares under the firms long-term incentive plan, he said.
Bentley said: This pay package isnt fair and it isnt really in shareholders interest either.
Nurofen maker Reckitt Benckiser, drugs group Astra Zeneca and media giant WPP are all expected to be confronted by angry investors at meetings over the coming weeks.
The public shaming of fat cat pay in the City is regarded as a new shareholder spring, a nickname first used for the pay revolts in 2012.
A series of shareholder rebellions claimed the scalps of chief executives including Avivas Andrew Moss.
Simon Walker, the director-general of the Institute of Directors, said: The shareholders have spoken, and BP cannot shrug off this significant expression of disapproval with the pay package.
On a salary of 2,350, it's unsurprising that thousands have already applied
Applicant will be known as 'Porn Jay', and put together mix of audio clips
But while it may sound like a publicity
A bar in Denmark is advertising for what for someone could be their dream job.
For the successful applicant will earn a salary of 2,350 to watch 20 hours' of porn a week.
Provided with a computer, the 'lucky' candidate will also receive a mountain of DVDs, log-ins to various porn sites and a private space in the office to get to work.
The Hornsleth Bar, in Aarhus, who are hiring, say they have no fixed idea about what they're looking for in their new employee.
But they have specified they should be 'open-minded' and 'experienced'.
'The response to the advert has been enormous,' bar founder Kristian von Hornsleth told MailOnline.
Hiring: Applicants for the unusual job, who must be over 18, must write an email explaining why they would be a better porn judge than anyone else
Bizarre bar: The Hornsleth bar in Aarhus, Denmark, is advertising for someone to watch 20 hours of porn a week in return for a monthly salary of 2,350
Artistic: Hornsleth is a self-branded 'concept bar' and it's supposed to offer its guests a light-hearted way to view art. It has proved to be extremely popular on the Danish nightlife scene
Unusual: This is the advert Hornsleth Bar has used to hunt for its new employee which, unsurprisingly, has prompted thousands of applications - some more serious than others
'Thousands have already responded on Facebook and email.
'Of course, there are a lot of strange people who have applied for the job. But we have gotten some serious responses as well, and we will start interviewing them shortly.'
Of course, there are a lot of strange people who have applied for the job. But we have gotten some serious responses as well. Kristian von Hornsleth, co-founder of the Hornsleth Bar in Aarhus
The chosen applicant will be given the job title 'Porn Jay' or PJ - like a DJ - and will work for the rest of April and throughout May.
And all prospective applicants, who must be over 18, have to do is write an email explaining why they would be a better porn judge than anyone else.
But while the whole endeavour may just sound like a publicity stunt or a bizarre joke, Hornsleth bar insists it is taking the role very seriously.
'We will find out who is serious and it will be a very interesting process to find the right man or woman for the job,' continued Kristian.
'It's part of an art installation in our toilets. I've put up images of famous porn stars in the toilets and with visual art you also need some kind of audio piece to integrate everything.
Art party: 'We want to show art and party. We call it smarter drinking, drinking with a content so to speak,' Kristian von Hornsleth, co-founder and namesake of the Hornsleth Bar in Aarhus, told MailOnline
'We want to have at least 50-60 hours of audio from porn films. Basically sounds from the world of porn.
I was once hiding in the women's bathroom at a nightclub and I could not believe how dirtily they were talking. We are trying to mirror that image. Kristian von Hornsleth, co-founder of the Hornsleth Bar in Aarhus
'But we don't want the sound to be the same woman screaming all the time or for the audio to be looped, that's why we need someone to watch as much porn as possible and edit the sound from the film.
'As a DJ, one must mix an entire evening's worth of audio files. There must be different sounds depending on the time and mood.
'The whole point of the bar is to make anything free, including sexuality.'
Hornsleth is a self-branded 'concept bar' based both in Aarhus and in Copenhagen, and it's supposed to offer its guests a light-hearted way to view art.
'Art galleries are always boring,' Kristian added. 'You stand there drinking cheap white wine and feeling depressed.
'We want to show art and party. We call it smarter drinking, drinking with a content so to speak.
'An intellectual bar in some ways.'
Popular: The bar, which is in Denmark's second largest city of Aarhus, attracts between 1,500 and 2,000 guests every weekend and is adorned with profanity-laced slogans and graffiti
'Serious': Thousands of applications have already come flooding in for the unusual role. But while it may sound like a gimmick, the bar's co-founder Kristian von Hornsleth (pictured) insists the advert is absolutely serious
While it may sound like an off-the-wall choice, the bar has proved to be extremely popular on the Danish nightlife scene.
The 750 square-metre club, which is adorned with graffiti and profanity-laced slogans, welcomes between 1,500 and 2,000 guests every weekend.
'It's quite uncommon for people to have sex inside the toilets, but it's not something we take that seriously if they do,' said Kristian.
'The reason why I came up with this idea was that toilets at bars and nightclubs is the space where men and women talk truthfully to their friends.
'I was once hiding in the women's bathroom at a nightclub and I could not believe how dirtily they were talking. We are trying to mirror that image.'
He said: 'The right applicant must be experienced at watching porn, of course, but also qualified as a researcher and sound editor.
'We need someone with an open mind who knows what to look for in porn. They will be working as my assistant and update the sound regularly.
Experienced: The applicant who is hired must be 'experienced at watching porn' but also qualified as a researcher and sound editor
Party: The self-labelled 'concept bar' in Aarhus aims to provide its guests with a light-hearted place to view art, with installations scattered around the main rooms and in the toilets
'It could be a man or a woman, we don't care about the gender, but it ought to be someone with creative ideas on how to make this great.
'It's impossible to know how the person will react. It will definitely be challenging for the employee to come back to the real world.
'Perhaps the trauma is part of the job. But on the other hand, a doctor probably looks at naked people a lot during a work day, and for them that's just a normal thing.
The child recovery group involved in the 60 Minutes Lebanon fiasco has been accused of using random pictures of a little girl and boy and claiming they had saved them on rescue missions.
Child Abduction Recovery International (CARI) founder Adam Whittington has been arrested in Beirut after a botched attempt to retrieve Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner's two children.
Sources told Daily Mail Australia Mr Whittington's group posted a picture of a small girl named 'Alake' to Facebook in 2014.
This little bundle of joy couldnt stop smiling after seeing her mother, said the post, which has since been deleted.
'As you can see she couldnt take her eyes off her mum when we took this picture. Alake was abducted by family members and taken into Zambia from Kenya.
'She was taken in extreme circumstances over 7 months ago from her mothers (sic) arms and was not heard of again.
But Daily Mail Australia can reveal the photograph is a Getty Images stock photo.
The child rescue group boasted about rescuing her (left). But Daily Mail Australia can reveal it is a Getty Images stock photo
The picture is a Getty Images photo captioned 'photo of curly haired precious little girl'
Mr Whittington (pictured in his youth) is a former Australian soldier and Met Police officer
This book featured the little girl's photograph. It was published in 2010, years before the CARI post
The picture graced the cover of beauty instructor Claduia Campos's 2010 book,Natural, Beautiful and Curly: Hairstyles & Hair Care for Black and Bi-Racial Children.
It is one of the first photos to come up on Google when searching picture of little black child girl.
It has also been shared widely on haircare groups on Pinterest, and as a stock picture for a childcare organisation in the United States.
Two sources in the child rescue industry, Mr Chapman and British-born rescuer Donya Alnahi, told Daily Mail Australia they had seen the picture uploaded to the CARI Facebook page in mid-2014 before it was deleted.
Colin Chapman, who is a prominent critic of CARI and runs a rival group, Child Abduction Recovery, said: 'I do not believe that there was ever a recovery of a little girl called Alake.'
'It is my belief that the African girl and the Singaporean boy are fakes... given these photos have also been traced back to Google Images taken long before the supposed recoveries announced by CARI.'
Mr Chapman also cast doubt on another story the group published on the CARI page of a little Singaporean boy who had been illegally abducted to Thailand.
The group claimed to have rescued the boy on July 23, 2014, on their Facebook page, writing: 'CARI operatives worked in a joint operation with Thailand police and immigration to successfully locate and recover a young baby taken by the father from Singapore (picture attached with approval of mother).
But the man who took the attached photograph, Noam Szoke, from California, told Daily Mail Australia he had taken the photo of the baby while he was travelling through Laos in 2012.
CARI posted this picture of the a little Singaporean boy they claimed they had freed on July 23, 2014
But photographer Noam Szoke said he took this picture on his travels through Laos in 2012
Mr Szoke had no idea how the picture ended up being used by CARI. 'That is a picture from my blog and was taken about 4 years ago in Laos,' he said.
I was traveling. I don't know the baby or its parents.'
'I took the photo. Have no knowledge of this Mr. Whittington, but his story is highly unlikely to say the least!'
He added he had never even spoken to the child's mother on the bus trip.
Daily Mail Australia reported last week that CARI had boasted on Facebook about a successful 2013 CARI child recovery operation in the Philippines.
A picture was attached to the post that actually featured a 2006 police rescue in Oregon, U.S.
Adam Whittington (pictured) is the founder of Child Abduction Recovery International
The child rescue agency CARI arrested in Beirut with Tara Brown has this photograph on its Facebook page boasting that it is a successful 2013 CARI child recovery in the Philippines, when it is in fact it's a US police rescue from 2006
Real: CBS News covered the story in 2006 when the woman, San Francisco mother Kati Kim had to be rescued from a remote Oregon mountain in winter by police after the family became lost in the snow
Mr Whittington founded CARI in 2000, according to his LinkedIn profile. He is a former Met Police officer in the United Kingdom and prior to that, served in the Australian Army.
Mr Whittington has posted several photographs of himself with children following successful rescue missions.
Stuart Dempster, whose daughter Natasha was rescued from Thailand by CARI in 2014, defended Mr Whittington as a 'top professional' and said 'lies' were being spread about him by rival groups.
'I can only talk about my case specifically and that when I engaged Adam he was a professional and very discreet. 'We collected my daughter - nothing like that [the 60 Minutes saga] went on.'
Daily Mail Australia has made multiple attempts to contact CARI but did not receive a response.
Mr Whittington is pictured with a child he rescued from a couple of years ago
U.S. Rep. Mike Turner sent a letter Wednesday to the top general at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base objecting to the Bible's removal
An Ohio congressman said it's unacceptable that a Bible was removed from a POW display at a military base medical center.
U.S. Rep. Mike Turner sent a letter Wednesday to the top general at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base objecting to the Bible's removal from a POW/MIA table display in the hospital's dining facility, The Dayton Daily News reported.
The Bible was removed last week after the Military Religious Freedom Foundation complained, base spokeswoman Marie Vanover said in an email.
The foundation received more than 30 complaints, 10 of which came from people identifying as Christians, according to Mikey Weinstein, the organization's founder and president.
Turner's letter to Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski said he's concerned that 'similar efforts to restrict religious freedom' may be made at other military sites.
'It's a very dangerous precedent to have a group that has an issue campaign to effect policy on a government installation merely by complaining,' the congressman said.
Weinstein said the foundation had constitutional concerns about the Bible's display.
He called Turner's letter 'ridiculous' and 'absurd.'
'He's grandstanding in an election year, throwing red meat to the conservative electorate that's out there,' Weinstein said.
Air Force Materiel Command spokesman Ron Fry said the command and the Air Force said military leaders have to balance constitutionally protected religious freedom with the constitutional separation of church and state.
The foundation has opposed the placement of Bibles in POW/MIA Missing Man displays at VA facilities in Akron and Youngstown. Those Bibles have also been removed.
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All three Presidential candidates addressed their party's New York supporters in midtown Manhattan Thursday.
With the make or break New York Primary next Tuesday Donald Trump and Texas Senator Ted Cruz made the most of their platform and dressed the part, whilst Ohio Governor John Kasich took a much more casual approach, donning a navy suit and blue tie for the $1,000 dollar a head dinner in the Five Star Grand Hyatt.
Republican front-runner Donald Trump talked up 'New York values'. Those values he said - in a rare example of referring to notes - are 'Number one: Honesty and straight talk,' Trump said, also mentioning family and work ethics as part of the definition.
'It's the energy to get things done. Big energy,' he added. 'It's courage and community service.'
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Presidential candidate John Kasich wore lounge suit to the annual GOP black tie gala held in Manhattan
Presidential rivals Donald Trump and Ted Cruz followed the dress code as they addressed the GOP elite
The New York billionaire is in danger of being forced to try to capture the Republican presidential nomination through a contested convention because opposition from rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich is chipping away at his lead.
As protesters chanted outside and waved signs against Trump, Trump told the New York state Republican Party's gala that he needs the momentum that a victory in the state's primary would bring next Tuesday.
'New York is so important,' Trump said, trying to regain the momentum he lost after Cruz defeated him in Wisconsin last week and captured all of Colorado's delegates.
Trump identified himself with 'New York values' of hard work and compassion after Cruz charged Trump's version of these values are basically Democratic positions.
Whether Trump can win the 1,237 delegates he needs for the nomination is an open question as both Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas, and Ohio Governor Kasich, try to block him from getting enough delegates. They want to extend the fight to a contested convention in Cleveland when Republicans gather to formally choose their nominee in July.
In his speech to the group, Kasich tried to raise questions about Trump without mentioning his name. He said Republican candidates across the country would be at risk with a candidate with a negative message at the top of the ballot.
Trump has drawn many protests for policy positions that include building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, deporting 11 million illegal immigrants and banning Muslims temporarily from entering the United States.
New York Police were out in force as Donald Trump spoke inside the Grand Hyatt in midtown Manhattan
Anti Trump protesters waived banners and shouted slogans outside the venue
Several protesters were arrested as they took to the streets around iconic Grand Central Station
Demonstrators called for better rights for immigrants to the US and objected to Trump's policies
One the signs held aloft by protesters said 'No racism in our White House'
'We risk losing everything from the White House to the courthouse to the state house if we don't advance a positive, uplifting, unifying message to this country. That is what we need to do,' said Kasich, who spoke after Trump.
Cruz, speaking after Kasich, continued the theme, pointing to polls showing Trump losing badly to Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and getting far less support from women and minority voters.
Cruz presented himself as a unity candidate who can bring the various wings of the party together.
'If we nominate a candidate who loses to Hillary Clinton by double digits, who loses to women by 20 points, who loses Hispanics by 40 points, who loses young people, we cannot win in the general (election),' said Cruz.
Across the river in Brooklyn their Democratic counterparts Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton sparred in the final Democratic town hall before next Tuesday's New York primary elections.
Before the event started in the Grand Hyatt hotel near Grand Central Station, a group of protesters stormed the hotel mezzanine with a banner that read: 'NYC Rejects the Party of Hate.' Eleven of them were reported arrested.
Across the river in Brooklyn their Democratic counterparts Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton sparred in the final Democratic town hall before next Tuesday's New York primary elections
Outside the hotel, many anti-Trump demonstrators called the New York billionaire businessman a fascist or white supremacist. They even teased him about his signature hairdo.
'We Shall Over Comb,' read one sign. Others said: 'Deport Trump,' 'No allegiance for Trump,' and 'Black lives matter.'
A series of speakers addressed the protest crowd with a loudspeaker. Police set up portable barriers to keep protesters separated from traffic and allow pedestrians to pass on busy 42nd Street.
'Although Trump is from here, there is no place for him here,' said one of the speakers, Nabil Hassein, 27, of the group Millions March NYC.
Kasich scored a victory with the endorsement of former New York Governor George Pataki, an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for the November 8 election.
The Trump campaign got some good news when a Florida prosecutor announced that Trump's campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, would not be prosecuted on a misdemeanor battery charge involving a reporter he was accused of grabbing at an event last month.
The vast majority of Americans say they prefer lower prices instead of paying a premium for items labeled 'Made in the USA,' even if it means those cheaper items are made abroad, according to a new poll.
With Donald Trump and Bernie Saunders pledging to bring back American jobs that have been outsourced to lower cost economies such as China, consumers in the US seem to prefer bargains to patriotism.
According to the survey conducted by the Associated Press, consumers want bargains because income levels have remained fairly static.
Americans, regardless of income, are more likely to pick the bargain over a product made in the United States
Also, many US employers now want workers who have college degrees rather than those who have simply graduated high school.
The survey claimed three in four would prefer to by US-made goods, but complain they are often too expensive of difficult to source.
Only nine per cent boasted they only buy American.
The pollsters used the example of a $50 pair of pants made abroad or the same style and fabric made in the US for $85. Almost 70 per cent admitted they would by the cheaper pair.
The survey showed the reluctance to pay more money for American made goods was similar between poor families and those who are earning more than $100,000.
Sonya Grob, a middle school secretary from Norman, Oklahoma said: 'Low prices are a positive for US consumers it stretches budgets and allows people to save for their retirements, if they're wise, with dollars that would otherwise be spent on day-to-day living.'
But Trump and Sanders have galvanized many voters by attacking recent trade deals.
Donald Trump, right, has appealed to voters with his campaign theme 'Make America Great Again'
From their perspective, layoffs and shuttered factories have erased the benefits to the economy from reduced consumer prices.
'We're getting ripped off on trade by everyone,' said Trump, the Republican front-runner, at a Monday speech in Albany, New York. 'Jobs are going down the drain, folks.'
The real estate mogul and reality television star has threatened to shred the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada. He has also threatened to slap sharp tariffs on China in hopes of erasing the overall $540 billion trade deficit.
Economists doubt that Trump could deliver on his promises to create the first trade surplus since 1975. Many see the backlash against trade as frustration with a broader economy coping with sluggish income gains.
'The reaction to trade is less about trade and more about the decline in people's ability to achieve the American Dream,' said Caroline Freund, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. 'It's a lot easier to blame the foreigner than other forces that are affecting stagnant wage growth like technology.'
Democrat challenger Bernie Sanders, pictured, has also promised to bring back US jobs to America
But Trump's message appeals to Merry Post, 58, of Paris, Texas where the empty factories are daily reminders of what was lost. Sixty-eight percent of people with a favorable opinion of Trump said that free trade agreements decreased the number of jobs available to Americans.
'In our area down here in Texas, there used to be sewing factories and a lot of cotton gins,' Post said. 'I've watched them all shut down as things went to China, Mexico and the Philippines. All my friends had to take early retirements or walk away.'
Sanders, the Vermont senator battling for the Democratic nomination, has pledged to end the exodus of jobs overseas.
'I will stop it by renegotiating all of the trade agreements that we have,' Sanders told the New York Daily News editorial board earlier this month, saying that the wages paid to foreigner workers and environmental standards would be part of any deal he would strike.
Still, voters are divided as to whether free trade agreements hurt job creation and incomes.
Americans are slightly more likely to say free trade agreements are positive for the economy overall than negative, 33 percent to 27 percent. But 37 percent say the deals make no difference. Republicans (35 percent) are more likely than Democrats (22 percent) to say free trade agreements are bad for the economy.
Police and federal agents arrested more than 40 people and seized piles of pot plants and elaborate growing equipment Thursday during raids of homes and warehouses throughout the Denver area.
The bust was part of a multi-state investigation into the illegal distribution of marijuana outside Colorado.
Authorities described the case as the latest example of drug traffickers seeking safe haven in the state's flourishing marijuana industry, where much of it is shipped out of state.
Police said the marijuana can be sold elsewhere for more than double what it would in Colorado.
Several raids in recent weeks have taken aim at out-of-state drug rings, including a sweep last month that focused on unlicensed pot grows of varying sizes.
The yearlong investigation that led to Thursday's raids began after residents living near the site complained about the smell of weed, a law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press.
The official wasn't authorized to comment on the ongoing investigation and did so on the condition of anonymity.
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An investigator tosses marijuana plants outside an illegal grow operation in north Denver early Thursday
An investigator looks over a grow light taken out of a home in which a suspected illegal grow operation for marijuana plants was set up in Aurora early Thursday
The official said the case involves people who moved to Colorado from Texas specifically to grow marijuana that would be illegally exported.
Colorado residents voted to legalize pot in 2012.
Officers searched about 30 properties during the raids, which spanned from the Denver area south to Colorado Springs.
The North Metro Drug Task Force and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration referred questions to the state attorney general's office, which refused to comment.
At one home in a residential neighborhood, agents confiscated grow lights and laid them on the lawn and driveway.
Traffickers hide among the state's sanctioned warehouses and farms, but also in neighborhoods where concerned neighbors sometimes tip police, authorities say
In an industrial spot in Denver, large pot branches were stacked up in bushy piles outside a trailer and loaded onto a National Guard vehicle, the pungent stench drawing curious onlookers.
Traffickers hide among the state's sanctioned warehouses and farms, but also in neighborhoods where concerned neighbors sometimes tip police, authorities say.
In Pueblo, about 115 miles south of Denver, seven separate investigations this month have led to the arrests of 12 people from Florida, many of whom are originally from Cuba.
The Pueblo County sheriff's office has said all were growing the drug for shipment to more lucrative markets and some had relocated to Colorado just weeks earlier.
Investigators have raided several homes and warehouses throughout the Denver area as part of a multi-state investigation into the illegal distribution of marijuana outside Colorado
Investigators sort through illegally-grown marijuana plants outside a grow operation in north Denver early Thursday
He wants to see waterboarding allowed, backing a call made by Trump, and says: 'Trump is
He bravely fought back from the brink of death after suffering horrific wounds in Iraq.
Staff Sgt Bobby Henline lost four of his comrades when their Humvee was destroyed by a roadside bomb; he suffered 38 per cent burns to his body, spent two weeks in a coma and despite two years of treatment, lost his left arm.
He fought back by becoming a stand-up comic and found humor amid the horror in the hope it would help himself and others injured in combat.
Now Bobby has put his head above the parapet again and come out in support of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump - even offering to be a foreign policy advisor to the GOP front-runner.
Henline, 44, of San Antonio, Texas, is impressed with the billionaire's campaign and thinks he could help him fine-tune his policies.
New life: After the appalling wounds he suffered in Iraq, Bobby Henline has found a new way of living, moving states - and becoming a stand-up comedian. Now he wants to advise Donald Trump and see him as president
As he was: Henline was a staff sergeant in the 82nd Airborne when he was wounded, after a lengthy career, which saw him serve in Desert Storm in 1991 at the age of 19, then re-enlist and carry out four tours of Iraq
Backing: Trump's call to bring back waterboarding has resonated with Henline, who says: 'If you get captured you're getting your head cut off on TV. But then we can't pour water on their face to get them to talk to us.'
Trump has controversially called to bring back waterboarding and raised concerns that US troops have been banned from using the interrogation technique while terror group ISIS are 'chopping off people's heads'.
Henline, a veteran of four combat tours of Iraq, told Daily Mail Online he agreed with the tough stance.
'I have issues with some of the restrictions we have with the rules of engagement.
'If you get captured you're getting your head cut off on TV. But then we can't pour water on their face to get them to talk to us.
'That is frustrating. Waterboarding is something we would do to our own guys as part of training but we can't do it to this guy who is trying to kill us.
I would definitely advise Mr Trump. A good leader doesn't have to know everything. Nobody knows everything that's why you surround yourself with people who are experts in different areas. Trump is aggressive and that is good.'
'In a war situation you have to do things that you wouldn't normally do in life.
'I like that Trump is not another politician. I think it is smart to have a businessman in the White House.
'I think one of the president and vice president should be a businessman and the other should be military.
'I would definitely advise Mr Trump. A good leader doesn't have to know everything. Nobody knows everything that's why you surround yourself with people who are experts in different areas.
'That's what makes a good leader. Someone who can motivate the people like that. Trump is aggressive and that is good.'
While Henline considers himself an independent, he says Trump would be his 'preference' from the candidates running to be president because he is 'out of the box'.
But he does not back all of Trump's foreign policies including his pledge to 'bomb the hell' out of ISIS, having served first in Operation Desert Storm - the 1991 operation to end Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait - then re-enlisting and serving again.
'You don't want to just "bomb the hell out of them" - there are good people there,' he said.
'But we definitely need boots on the ground. I would go back myself if I could. I was in Desert Storm then I went back three more times.
'Then I went back three more times after I got hurt doing comedy for the troops.
'I know they say we kicked out Saddam Hussein then lost control of the country and that's how ISIS was able to get in. But you've got to keep fighting. It takes time to win the hearts and minds.'
Henline, who served with the 82nd Airborne Division and 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment, became one of America's most high-profile veterans when he turned to comedy during his recovery.
Appalling toll: Bobby Henline's burns left him in a coma for two weeks then a long and difficult road to recovery, which eventually saw him lose his left arm.
Support: Staff Sgt Henline with Brigadier General David G. Clarkson, in the wake of his injuries
Humor: After his occupational therapist told him he was funny, he turned to stand-up. 'I had a good time in Iraq, but that last tour was a real blast. It took me four tours to realize my lucky number is three,' he jokes.
He walks on stage and breaks the silence by saying: 'You should see the other guy.'
His act also includes the joke: 'I had a good time in Iraq, but that last tour was a real blast. It took me four tours to realize my lucky number is three.'
He uses his stand-up shows to raise money for veterans and increase awareness of PTSD. He is now also hoping to give back to the military community who lifted him from his darkest days by launching a franchise of burger joints run and staffed by veterans.
Bobby also recently starred in a movie alongside Diane Ladd, 80, called Sophie and the Rising Sun that debuted at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.
He plays a World War I veteran disfigured by mustard gas in the World War II-era romance.
And he said: 'I would love to see more people with disfigurement and burns in movies. I want to be the Tyler Perry of burnt people - I want to make romantic comedies with burnt people in them!'
But despite retaining his cheerful personality, Bobby has been through a daily struggle and more than 40 operations in his battle to overcome his injuries.
He wanted to die for the first year after the attack. And two years ago he divorced from his wife of 20 years and the mother of his three children, Connie, after the dynamics of their marriage were changed by his condition.
The devastating injuries happened on April 7 2007, as Henline and his unit from 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, led a convoy delivering supplies to soldiers north of Baghdad.
Near the village of Zaganiyah in Diyala province, a roadside bomb exploded under the Humvee.
Capt. Jonathan Grassbaugh, Spc. Ebe Emolo, Spc. Levi Hoover and Pfc. Rodney McCandless were all killed instantly.
'I don't remember anything from that day, I just remember waking up in the hospital. But three or four artillery rounds buried in the side of the road had blown the Humvee 20 meters and turned it upside down.
'I was the only survivor out of five guys and was burnt over 38 per cent of my body.
'My head was burnt to the skull. I had my hand for two years and we tried to get it to work again but it just wouldn't work. I kept saying: "Just take it off."
'They gave it two years then took it off. It was an easy decision for me to make. It was causing me pain and it didn't work - so get rid of it.
'The first year was the hardest when I was trying to figure it all out. Why was I alive? Why did I make it? You get that survivor's guilt. You don't want to be alive - I felt worthless and like a burden on my family.
'These families who lost their loved ones, their sons and fathers, were trying to help my family out. They were trying to see what they could do for us - it was just overwhelming.
'I would pray to God every night for that first year. I'd say: 'I'm a burden on my family, I shouldn't be here.' I would ask him to take me every night. But after that year I got a little healthier and thought: 'OK, I'm still here. I can't waste what I have been given.'
'I had to put into perspective that if I hadn't made it and one of the other guys had, what would I want for them. I wouldn't want them to give up. I would want them to live their life to the fullest, continue on and serve. I have to remind myself of that from time to time - I have to keep on for them.
'The best revenge I can get is to help more people that that guy hurt. I consider myself blessed.
Lost comrades: PFC Rodney McCandless; Spec Levi Hoover; Cpt Jonathan Grassbaugh; and Spec Ebe Emolo, all of whom were killed in the IED attack which wounded Staff Sgy Bobby Henline
Public support: Henline has used his social media profile to support Trump and says of the presidential candidate: ''I think it is smart to have a businessman in the White House.
'I think about life and all the stuff you almost weren't here for. I think about all the guys who didn't come back that day and their families. It's going to be an emotional week, for sure.'
Bobby started using humor to cope shortly after emerging from his two-week coma and in August 2009, just over two years after the attack, he performed his first comedy set at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles.
He said: 'I didn't want to do it at first but I got talked into it by my occupational therapist. I was joking around at the hospital, it's how I dealt with the pain.
'She said: "You're funny, you should do stand-up comedy." I thought there was no way I could go to the general public and say: "I got blown up in Iraq, isn't that funny?"
'Now I do a lot of comedy shows to raise money for veterans. It's definitely therapeutic. I haven't changed. I'm still a happy-go-lucky guy.'
Bobby's family relocated from San Jose, California, to Texas after the incident to be closer to the Brooke Army Medical Center where he was being treated.
But his injuries ended up being too much strain on his marriage and he divorced two years ago.
He explained: 'We lost that intimacy when she became the caretaker and I was the patient. Now we get along great and communicate a lot better. We have three children together who are 17, 18 and 24 and and they were like: "What took you guys so long?"'
Bobby is now trying to help fellow veterans by opening a burger chain that will employ ex-soldiers and given them the opportunity to become franchise owners.
He has launched an online fundraising campaign to kickstart the scheme that aims to give veterans careers after they return from serving their country.
The inspiration for the burger joint Bobby hopes to open in San Antonio, called Biggie's Burger and Great Shakes, is another restaurant of the same name in San Clemente, California, owned by Korean War veteran Richard Brown.
The pair have decided to go into business together and build a chain of Biggie's restaurants all owned by vets. They are currently raising money on a GoFundMe page to get the scheme started and open the San Antonio branch and have received more than $50,000 in donations so far.
He said: 'We are going into partnership to start a franchise for veterans.
Stephen Cavanaugh sued the Department of Correctional Services and penitentiary officials in 2014 seeking $5 million and a court order mandating that inmates who practice FSMism
A judge has dismissed a Nebraska inmate's lawsuit that claimed he was denied his right to worship the divine Flying Spaghetti Monster, and that he was mocked and faced discrimination for his faith.
Stephen Cavanaugh sued the Department of Correctional Services and penitentiary officials in 2014 seeking $5 million and a court order mandating that inmates who practice FSMism receive the same rights and privileges as inmates who practice other religions.
U.S. District Judge John Gerrard dismissed the lawsuit on Tuesday. He said in his ruling that 'FSMism' is not a religion as outlined by federal law, but 'a parody intended to advance an argument about science, the evolution of life and the place of religion in public education.'
Gerrard said those issues are important and that FSMism contains a serious argument, 'but that does not mean that the trappings of the satire used to make that argument are entitled to protection as a "religion,"' the Lincoln Journal Star reported.
He also said Cavanaugh, 24, didn't sufficiently back up claims that he had been prevented from exercising his religion while serving time in the Nebraska State Penitentiary on assault and weapons charges.
Cavanaugh claimed prison staff discriminated against him by refusing to allow him to meet for worship services and classes, to wear religious clothing and pendants and to receive communion. He said staff mocked and insulted his faith.
Gerrard determined that prison staff considered Cavanaugh's request in good faith 'and concluded, reasonably, that FSMism was satirical and required no accommodation.'
'This case is difficult because FSMism, as a parody, is designed to look very much like a religion,' he said.
A Georgia high school senior says she was victimized twice first when her ex-boyfriend shared nude images of her via social media and again when she was arrested for throwing water and cursing at him.
The 18-year-old student, Xavier Jones, was shocked when a friend told her April 1 that a nude video and photos of her had been shared on the smartphone messaging app Kik. Male classmates at Newnan High School also shared images of other female students, she says.
Angry and embarrassed, Jones confronted her ex-boyfriend, who she said shared the video and photos of her. She cursed at him and threw water on him, she said. A teacher saw her outburst and took her to the principal's office.
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18-year-old student Xavier Jones (pictured) was shocked when a friend told her April 1 that a nude video and photos of her had been shared on the smartphone messaging app Kik
It was the day before spring break, and Jones was suspended for the first day back after the break, which was Monday. She was told to come in with her parents the following day.
Several police officers were at the meeting Tuesday. After a brief conversation, Jones shook and cried as an officer told her to stand up and put handcuffs on her, she said.
Jones told WSB-TV: 'They told me to stand up and he put the handcuffs on me.
'Then I started shaking and crying.'
Jones was charged with disruption of a public school, according to a police report. The misdemeanor is punishable by up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $5,000, said her attorney Gerald Griggs.
'We fully believe she was defending herself and defending her honor that had been violated by these gentlemen,' Griggs said. 'I don't think the school system or the police department handled this the appropriate way.'
Newnan police Deputy Chief Rodney Riggs said the charge was appropriate because a large group of students gathered around when Jones confronted her ex.
'It took a number of faculty and staff to regain order and get people moving along to their classes, so there was a disruption to the school,' Riggs said.
Jones has also been kicked out for the rest of the school year and it's not clear whether she'll be allowed to graduate, said attorney Chris Stewart.
Newnan police Deputy Chief Rodney Riggs said the charge was appropriate because a large group of students gathered around when Jones confronted her ex
Jones has also been kicked out for the rest of the school year and it's not clear whether she'll be allowed to graduate, said another attorney Chris Stewart. Their immediate goal is to get the school to drop the charge and to allow Jones to finish the school year, Stewart said.
'This ruins her life because what if she can't get into college because of this charge,' Stewart said. 'It's just unfair.'
Dean Jackson, a spokesman for the Coweta County School System, said the law prevents him from commenting on any matter that involves student discipline.
The police report says Jones walked up to her ex in the center of campus, threatened to kill him and threw a water bottle at him.
Jones told an officer she had sent the photos to her ex and that he had made the video about a month earlier when they were dating.
The male teen confirmed what she said about the photo and videos. He told the officer he was talking about spring break with friends in an online chat when he posted the video and photos. The male student showed the officer the chat, but before the officer could get more information, the person who started the chat 'shut it down and all information was lost,' the police report says.
Britains foreign aid budget keeps rising. Currently at 12 billion a year, it is due to soar during David Camerons two terms as Prime Minister, to 16 billion by 2020.
As the Mail revealed yesterday, Britain pays 1 in every 7 of aid donated by rich countries three times as much per head as the U.S. and much of it is being sent to the worlds most corrupt countries where despots line their own pockets and make life even worse for the poor.
Among the most egregious recent examples was South Africa, where even as our Government gave the country 19 million a year to alleviate poverty its president Jacob Zuma was spending 13 million of state funds improving his lavish home.
Ministers have stopped direct aid to South Africa since the outcry, but elsewhere the spending continues. Here, we present our guide to the 12 countries the dirty dozen where British taxpayers money is most shockingly abused...
Zimbabwe is asking for 1 billion drought aid and its rulers claim to be Marxists, but those close to veteran president Robert Mugabe, pictured, have plundered billions, largely from illicit diamond smuggling
AFGHANISTAN
UK aid: 178m a year
Corruption league table ranking: 166 (Third most corrupt of 168 countries)
The Afghan economy is reliant on aid, yet even International Development Secretary Justine Greening admits theft is endemic.
One U.S. audit found no government ministry could be trusted to prevent funds being stolen or wasted, while the UK watchdog has condemned weak controls and anti-corruption measures.
Huge sums have been flown out of the country by corrupt politicians and businessmen much of it made from drugs and some suspected of being siphoned off aid projects. At one point, more was leaving Afghanistan in cash than was being collected in taxes.
In 2009, a former vice president landed in Dubai with $52 million in cash, while government posts were said to be so lucrative they were sold. Investigations have linked family and associates of ex-president Hamid Karzai to a 90 million property empire.
BANGLADESH
UK aid: 189m a year
Ranking: joint 139
Anti-corruption group Transparency International calls politics in Bangladesh a battle between established elites over state resources, with health services riddled with extortion. Several of the countrys richest people are linked to politics, including Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the prime ministers son, and Tarique Rahman, the British-based son of a previous president.
Rahman was cleared of money-laundering three years ago, alleging the accusations were politically motivated, though his business partner was found guilty of taking kickbacks. One MP, a member of the ruling family, increased his income 330-fold in five years.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
UK aid: 183m a year
Ranking: 147
When Joseph Kabila took power in this war-torn nation aged 29 in 2001 after the murder of his father, he became the worlds youngest leader. Since then he is believed to have stashed away billions by flogging off Congos mineral wealth on the cheap in dodgy deals.
His twin sisters holdings in a South Pacific tax haven were exposed by the Panama Papers leak. The president was accused of bribing MPs $100,000 each to back a law allowing him to circumvent restrictions over his term of office that would have ejected him out of office this year.
KENYA
UK aid: 129m a year
Ranking: joint 139
Mega-rich President Uhuru Kenyatta, son of his nations first president, is from one of Kenyas wealthiest families, with land holdings and business stakes worth 300 million.
He and his vice president used witness intimidation to evade crimes against humanity charges at the International Criminal Court over election violence. Public services are notoriously corrupt. Kenyans pay up to 16 bribes a month to officials.
NEPAL
UK aid: 81m a year
Ranking: 130
Nepal has slipped down the corruption index, with one expert telling British MPs that politics there is an extractive enterprise with absenteeism levels of 73 per cent in the health ministry.
Huge sums of aid were poured in to assist after last years earthquake, yet thousands of people remain in temporary shelters without water or electricity amid complaints of aid cash disappearing.
NIGERIA
UK aid: 250m a year
Ranking: 136
Our aid to this West African nation doubled under the Coalition and keeps rising, despite corruption and even a space programme. It has some of the worlds highest-paid politicians, earning up to 1.4 million a year, more billionaires than Britain and is Africas biggest market for private planes, with annual sales of 1 billion.
When its central bank governor said 14 billion of oil revenues were missing, he was fired while one state governor alone embezzled 50 million.
PAKISTAN
UK aid: 538m a year
Ranking: 117
Even the pro-aid select committee for international development complained of giving huge sums to a country where more than two-thirds of MPs do not bother filing tax returns. Corruption and tax evasion is estimated to cost Pakistan about 100 million a day. Prime minister Nawaz Sharifs children were linked to 7 million offshore dealings for four Park Lane properties by the Panama Papers. The billionaire businessman sparked outrage over travel expenses including 17 trips to Britain averaging 132,000 a month.
Former president Asif Ali Zardari was known as Mr Ten Percent, allegedly amassing a billion-pound property portfolio including a Surrey mansion set in 350 acres.
PALESTINE
UK aid: 72m a year
Ranking: n/a
Britain hands 25 million to the Palestinian Authority, which pays convicted terrorists and their families salaries that rise depending on the seriousness of the terrorist crimes they commit. Corruption is rampant in the occupied territories, with claims that one minister stole 120 million and accusations that the terror outfit Hamas took millions from reconstruction aid after Israeli attacks.
President Mahmoud Abbas is finishing off a 9 million palace near Ramallah with helipads, two swimming pools and a whirlpool spa. He reportedly stayed in a 1,800-a-night New York hotel.
Rwanda has become an aid darling despite the bloodstained reputation of its iron man leader Paul Kagame, pictured, and assassinations of rivals abroad
RWANDA
UK aid: 66m a year
Ranking: 44
This tiny central African nation has become an aid darling despite the bloodstained reputation of its iron man leader Paul Kagame and assassinations of rivals abroad.
The prickly president says corruption kills a nation. Yet he has two 30 million private jets (that have been lent to his friend Tony Blair) and a sprawling countryside estate.
When visiting New York he stayed in a swanky hotel costing 12,000 a night a sum that would take the average Rwandan two decades to earn. Wife Jeannette is said to be the business brain in the household.
SOUTH SUDAN
UK aid: 134m a year
Ranking: 163
Britain has been a big supporter of the worlds newest country, arguing aid will improve stability. Experts say aid fuels conflict and corruption.
South Sudan has been shattered by savage fighting over oil revenues, with economic collapse and state coffers heavily plundered.
In 2012, just one year after the nations birth, president Salva Kiir accused his own officials of stealing almost 3 billion.
President Yoweri Museveni, pictured, who travels in a 40-vehicle motorcade, has won his fifth election amid reports of intimidation, bribery and ballot-box stuffing
UGANDA
UK aid: 92m a year
Ranking: joint 139
President Yoweri Museveni who travels in a 40-vehicle motorcade has won his fifth election amid reports of intimidation, bribery and ballot-box stuffing.
Seven years ago, given 70 million in UK aid, he bought himself a Gulfstream jet. Later it emerged he bought six Russian fighter jets at twice the market rate and without parliamentary approval for three times the annual spending on Ugandas health service.
Museveni often hands out cash at rallies, once giving a sack containing 66,000 to a youth group.
ZIMBABWE
UK aid: 66m a year
Ranking: 150
The country is asking for 1 billion drought aid and its rulers claim to be Marxists, but those close to veteran president Robert Mugabe have plundered billions, largely from illicit diamond smuggling. One aide who died in suspicious circumstances was said to have left his wife 8 billion in his will.
The presidents wife, fighting rivals to succeed her ailing husband, is nicknamed Gucci Grace due to her extravagant shopping trips to Singapore on which it is said she routinely takes $5 million in cash.
A former prison chaplain who pleaded guilty to helping an imprisoned mobster recover a hidden violin avoided any additional time behind bars Thursday when a judge found that prosecutors had not proven that the instrument was a rare 18th-century Stradivarius that purportedly belonged to the late entertainer Liberace.
U.S. District Judge John Darrah sentenced the Rev. Eugene Klein to a single day in prison time that the Mesa, Arizona, Roman Catholic priest already has served. Prosecutors had sought a five-year sentence.
The Chicago Sun-Times quoted Darrah as saying: 'What you did, Father Klein, was wrong, and was seriously wrong.'
Former prison chaplain Rev. Eugene Klein (left) who pleaded guilty to helping imprisoned mobster Frank Calabrese Sr. (seen right in 1983) recover a hidden violin has avoided any additional time behind bars
Klein who pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to defraud the government was accused of scheming with the late Frank Calabrese Sr. to find a rare, 250-year-old violin that the Chicago Outfit enforcer hid years earlier in his Wisconsin summer home. In a recent court filing seeking probation, Klein's lawyers argued that the instrument might have been stolen during a 2004 burglary at the home.
Prosecutors say the plot was hatched in 2011 when Klein was administering communion to Calabrese at a prison in Springfield, Missouri, where the mob hit man was serving a life sentence for 13 killings.
Prosecutors said Klein broke prison rules by accepting a note from Calabrese wrapped in religious materials and pushed through the food slot of his cell. It directed Klein to look in a pull-out door and against a wall in the home in Williams Bay, Wisconsin.
The note, via the Chicago Sun-Times said: 'Go upstairs to the second floor the first door on the right has a lot of beds in it.
'When you get in that bedroom go to the right, there is a little pull out door about 3 1/2 feet high.
'Be sure to have a little flashlight with you so you can see.
'Make a right when you go into that little pull out door.
'Go all the way to the wall. That is where the violin is.'
Prosecutors say Calabrese wanted to ensure agents could never get ahold of the violin that once belonged to entertainer Liberace, saying he'd rather the priest profited from its sale.
Calabrese died in a federal prison in North Carolina in 2012 at age 75.
Prosecutors say Calabrese wanted to ensure agents could never get ahold of the violin that once belonged to entertainer Liberace (seen in a file photo), saying he'd rather the priest profited from its sale.
Prosecutors found a certificate indicating the violin may have been a much less valuable one made in 1764 by Giuseppe Artalli, and not by the renowned Italian Antonio Stradivari. (This stock image shows a Stradivarius violin)
A search in 2010 turned up $1 million in cash, diamonds and other valuables in a wall behind a family portrait in Calabrese's Chicago-area Oak Brook home. Despite searches in Wisconsin, no violin was ever found.
In the Oak Brook search, prosecutors found a certificate indicating the violin may have been a much less valuable one made in 1764 by Giuseppe Artalli, and not by the renowned Italian Antonio Stradivari.
Klein's sentence includes three years of supervised release, with the first six months served in home confinement with electronic monitoring. He also must perform 200 hours community service.
Secretary of State John Kerry said that under US military rules of engagement, the Navy ship that Russian military jets buzzed in the Baltic Sea this week could have opened fire.
The guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook reported that pairs of Russian SU-24 attack planes made numerous close-range passes on Monday and Tuesday.
In remarks to CNN Espanol in Miami, Kerry condemned the Russian actions and said that 'under the rules of engagement' it 'could have been a shootdown'.
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Two low-flying Russian jets (Su-24 plane pictured) 'aggressively' buzzed a US warship sailing in the Baltic Sea on Tuesday evening
Show of force: The Russian Su-24 planes thundered over the USS Donald Cook at a height of just 30ft, creating a 'wake in the water'
On at least one occasion an SU-24 came within an estimated 30 feet of the Cook, which was in international waters about 70 nautical miles from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, which hosts Russian military forces.
The repeated flights by the SU-24 warplanes were so close, they created wakes in the water, with 11 passes, a US Defense official said.
The planes appeared to be unarmed.
Secretary of State John Kerry said that under US military rules of engagement, the Navy ship that Russian military jets buzzed in the Baltic Sea this week could have opened fire
The American warship was conducting air operations about 70 nautical miles from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad when the aircraft (pictured) flew at an 'unsafe' speed close to the Destroyer
A Russian KA-27 Helix helicopter also made seven passes around the Cook, taking pictures.
The Cook did not respond except to unsuccessfully query the Russian pilots by radio.
'They tried to raise them (the Russian aircraft) on the radio but they did not answer,' the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding the US ship was in international waters.
In all cases a military commander has the authority to defend his or her ship, plane or other unit.
A Russian KA-27 Helix helicopter - designed to sink submarines - took pictures of the US vessel as it made seven passes over the ship
The USS Cook was 70 miles (marked by dotted line) from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Its exact location has not been released
The White House issued a statement condemning Russia for the latest in a series of 'concerning' clashes. Pictured, the two planes flying past the US warship
The commander is expected to use his or her best judgment under the circumstances to determine whether the ship faces an imminent threat.
The official said the commanding officer of the Cook believed that Tuesday's incident was 'unsafe and unprofessional,' but cautioned that a formal US military review of the matter was under way.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the U.S. raised its concerns through its military defense representative at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.
STATE-OWNED CHINESE PAPER BACKS RUSSIA OVER 'ARROGANT' US A Chinese state-backed newspaper has claimed Russia has humiliated the arrogant United States after two SU-24 jets aggressively buzzed an American warship in the Baltic Sea. The editorial in the Global Times a paper with close links to Chinas rulers characterized the attack as a blow to US prestige. The Russian pilots have demonstrated high professional skills to conduct such extremely dangerous maneuvers, wrote the papers leader writer. The US military, which intends to provoke Russia in the Baltic Sea, was humiliated by its Russian counterpart instead. The US must feel furious. It went on to claim that the jets were an embodiment of Putin, who for many years has repeatedly posed challenges to Washington adeptly. The article accused the US of an arrogant use of pressure on Russia, which Putin had responded to, allowing an asymmetric strategic balance between the two states. The extraordinary support of Putins actions against US interests, from a media outlet closely linked to Chinas elite, will raise concerns among American officials. The Global Times is a tabloid owned by the People's Daily the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party. Advertisement
The two planes (pictured from the USS Donald Cook) were 'wings clean', meaning they were not visibly armed as they flew past
The USS Donald Cook (pictured) was sailing in the Baltic Sea when it was buzzed by low flying Russian fighter jets at a height of just 30 feet in 'aggressive' passes
The Cook did not respond except to unsuccessfully query the Russian pilots flying the SU-24 (file photo) by radio
A lawyer for the Brisbane mother who is facing kidnapping charges with a 60 Minutes crew in Lebanon has reportedly confirmed she used Channel Nine's money to pay for the child recovery operation.
Sally Faulkner's Lebanese lawyer Ghassan Moghabghab told the ABC Ms Faulkner had paid funds directly to the recovery team, Child Abduction Recovery International (CARI), for the bungled mission to Beirut.
Mr Moghabghab said she had used money from 60 Minutes. But he was quoted saying 'I don't have any idea' if the Nine Network had intended to pay for the retrieval operation or simply the rights to her story.
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Sally Faulkner's lawyer has reportedly said she was paid for by the Nine Network and had used money given to her by 60 Minutes to the child recovery agency, Child Abduction Recovery International. She is pictured above with her children Lahela, five, and Noah, three
Ghassan Mughaghab (pictured), the lawyer for Brisbane woman Sally Faulkner, made the remarks in an interview with the ABC on Thursday. He added 'I don't have any idea' if 60 Minutes had intended for the money to go towards the child recovery operation
60 Minutes reporter Tara Brown has told the media she is being kept in a barred, heavily meshed holding cell and was required to wear handcuffs each time she went outside
Veteran journalist Stephen Rice (left), David Ballment (centre) and Benjamin Williamson (right) are also in custody in Lebanon
The lawyer also told the ABC Ms Faulkner had had told the judge she regrets paying for the mission.
Mr Moghabghab's comments have not been tested in court.
In her only interview on the matter so far, Ms Faulkner told The Australian on Friday she was doing well behind bars at Baabda Central Women's Prison in south-eastern Beirut.
'Please tell my mum and dad how well I am and also (husband) Brendan and my in-laws,' she said. Ms Brown is also behind bars at the prison.
'I am fine but my loved ones need to know that.'
The Channel Nine TV crew was planning to film Faulkner's attempt to retrieve her children Noah, three, and Lahela, five, from her ex-husband Ali Elamine, who she claims kept them in Lebanon without her permission.
Prosecutors had earlier claimed they had a signed statement from a member of the recovery team saying Nine had paid $115,000 for the operation.
CCTV footage supplied by Lebanese authorities appeared to show the bungled kidnapping earlier this week
Ali Elamine (pictured with his children Noah, four, and Lahela, six) has to decide whether to pursue child kidnap charges again his ex-wife Sally Faulkner which may get her 20 years in prison
Ms Faulkner and the Channel Nine TV crew members appeared handcuffed in a Lebanese court on Wednesday, where they were remanded in custody to face court again on Monday.
Faulkner is facing kidnapping charges. The 60 Minutes crew is accused of: hiding information, forming an association with two or more people to commit a crime against a person, kidnapping or holding a minor even with their approval, and physical assault.
Lebanese Investigative Judge Rami Abdullah said there was 'no way' the charges against the crew will be dropped. The offences carry penalties of up to 20 years in jail.
Nine Network spokeswoman Victoria Buchan said: 'I hope you understand that we never comment on money but also we are not making any comments in this matter as it is currently a matter before the Lebanese judicial system which we respect. It is not appropriate at this time.'
A conviction could mean the male 60 Minutes crew risk ending up in Beirut's infamous Roumieh prison, one of the largest jails in the Middle East with 5,500 inmates.
LEBANON KIDNAP CASE: WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR THE MUM, THE TV CREW AND THE KIDNAPPING CASE Brisbane mum Sally Faulkner and a Nine Network TV crew made up of reporter Tara Brown, producer Stephen Rice, cameraman Ben Williamson and sound recordist David Ballment, are facing kidnapping and assault charges in Lebanon following a bungled abduction of Ms Faulkner's two children in Beirut. WHAT HAPPENED? The Australians have spent a week behind bars in Beirut after being arrested for the alleged abduction on April 7. The TV crew was filming Faulkner's attempt to retrieve her children Noah, four, and Lahela, six, from her ex-husband Ali Elamine, who she claims kept them in Lebanon without her permission. A professional agency, Child Abduction Recovery International, is believed to have been hired to snatch the children. Two of its members, named in media reports as Britons Adam Whittington and Craig Michael, have also been detained and charged. THE ABDUCTION Security camera footage shows masked men jumping out of a car and snatching the kids from their grandmother and another woman on a Beirut street. The grandmother claims she was attacked and hit on the head with a pistol. The TV crew and recovery agency members were arrested shortly afterwards, while Faulkner hid with her two children in a safe house. Authorities later found the family, arrested Faulkner and returned the children to their father. THE CHARGES Faulkner is facing kidnapping charges. The 60 minutes crew is accused of: - hiding information - forming an association with two or more people to commit a crime against a person - kidnapping or holding a minor even with their approval - physical assault. The offences carry penalties of up to 20 years in jail. LEGAL CASE SO FAR Judge Rami Abdullah told the Australians during a second round of interviews on Wednesday that there was no chance their charges would be dropped. However, he indicated that if Mr Elamine was willing to drop legal action and come to an agreement with his estranged wife, that would help the case against all of the accused. The accused will remain in detention until facing the Baabda Palace of Justice again on Monday. Nine has refused to comment on speculation it organised and funded the recovery operation. Advertisement
Told supporters that 'Labour is convinced' the UK should stay in the EU
There were scenes of unbridled inertia yesterday when Jeremy Corbyn made his big pro-EU speech.
The crowd, beforehand, waited in glum silence. Mr Corbyns speech was delivered in a conversational manner. The room becoming increasingly warm, students falling into a lecture-hall lassitude.
The only times they were stirred was when the grizzled Corbyn made Left-wing attacks on austerity and that sort of thing.
Remain: Jeremy Corbyn made the case to remain in the EU today at the Senate House of London University
A plump bloke in a checked shirt, keen to inject some ping into proceedings, spanked his hands together in a terrific frenzy. He nodded hard at every third or fourth sentence uttered by the Leader.
It would, however, be inaccurate to say this fascination was widely shared.
Near the back of the hall, former jailbird and Labour MP Denis MacShane leaned back in his chair, gazing at his telephone. Veteran Europhile Denis would have given a far livelier oration.
Besides Mr Corbyn, I spotted only two serving Labour MPs and both of them were part of the warm-up act: Alan Johnson and Pat Glass (no Pericles, she).
We were in the Senate House of London University, a 1930s Art Deco edifice. A tieless Corbyn until recently regarded as a trenchant Eurosceptic like his late mentor Tony Benn was in a cream summer jacket. His mood was reflective.
After being greeted warmly by the young crowd of mainly college students (including one burly lass in blue lipstick), Mr Corbyn noted that the Senate House had been used by George Orwell as an inspiration for his novel, 1984.
This building was the Ministry of Truth, he mused, a rogueish smile playing under his beard. He added, with an ounce more mischief than perhaps advisable: Let us see. This refusal to suppress his irony to hint that he was about to tell less than the whole truth is an attractive trait. However, it may have betrayed a certain queasiness about the pro-EU position he has been obliged to take by the Shadow Cabinet.
Labour is convinced, he said, referring to the Remain campaign. Please note that he did not say I am convinced.
He ran though arguments about climate-change prevention, pollution and collective bargaining. He concluded that the EU offered a form of socialism that would help Labour see off the dreadful Tories.
Support: Labour MP Alan Johnson supported the Labour leader as he said 'Labour is convinced' to stay
Today is Global Day of Action for Fast Food Workers Rights, he added, as one does. Hamburger flippers for the EU and all that. Mr Corbyn did not go into much detail as to how a fast-food worker in, say, recession-hit Madrid, or a souvlaki vendor in bankrupt Athens was helped by the EUs chronic economic problems.
He told us about the internationalist movement, the democratic Europe of social justice and progressive alliances across Europe, all of which evoked fraternity and solidarity among some form of pan-European proletariat.
Mind you, more of his speech was devoted to attacking the Tories.
If Lefties really want to get rid of David Cameron, should they not vote Leave?
During questions afterwards he was asked why he had changed his once-sceptical views. He said he did not retract a word of what he had said in the past yet now he felt staying in was the better option.
An ITN reporter wondered why Mr Corbyn was putting the pro-Brussels case with such a half-hearted approach. This irked him. There is nothing half-hearted about anything I do, he growled.
The Daily Mirror asked what he could do to assure worried Labour MPs that he really did want to stay in the EU.
Theres really no case to worry about anything, burbled Mr Corbyn.
He left to modest applause before the crowd ambled towards the exits. There was no buzz of excitement. Pro-Brussels events do tend to be like this. Even the European Unions firmest supporters seem to find it hard too radiate much fervour.
Big charities such as Oxfam have been accused of campaigning for higher levels of foreign aid because it benefits them and helps them to grow.
Aid has become an important industry that feeds on greater spending and voluntary organisations skew the debate on the issue because they are contractors and lobbyists, an expert on international development said.
Jonathan Foreman, senior research fellow at the think-tank Civitas, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that charities were accepting too many contracts from the Department for International Development rather than just relying on cash from individual donors.
An expert has accused chief executive of Oxfam GB, Mark Goldring (pictured), of engaging in aid marketing
He accused the chief executive of Oxfam GB, Mark Goldring, of engaging in aid marketing, saying: Oxfam is a contractor for DfID in the same way that BAe might argue for greater defence spending.
Hes a contactor and a lobbyist who has a direct financial interest in greater aid budgets. That distorts the discussion on aid.
The Daily Mail has campaigned against the waste of billions of pounds in foreign aid.
The latest row comes a day after it emerged that Britains foreign aid budget now accounts for 1 in every 7 given by rich countries.
The UK spent more than 12billion last year, thanks to David Camerons target to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on development.
Mr Goldring said it was true that Oxfam accepted government contracts, but most of its money came from its 500,000 individual donors.
We work with the Government, he added. But the money that we get from the Government is 10 or 15 per cent of our total budget. Most of it is coming from the public.
Mr Foreman said other international aid charities such as Save the Children benefited from increased DfID spending.
The UK spent more than 12billion last year, thanks to David Camerons target to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on development
All the big charities are contractors, as are many private companies such as (the professional services business) Adam Smith International, which are profit-making, he added.
The real function of Britains excessive aid spending is about detoxifying the reputation of certain politicians.
In a book published three years ago, Mr Foreman warned: The big private aid agencies like Oxfam and Save the Children are prime overseas contractors for DfID and draw significant income from it.
He said DfIDs agenda is heavily influenced by charities such as Oxfam. It is not just that Oxfam and others publicly lobby DfID and use their influence to shape its agenda; many DfID officials are former activists from the NGO sector, he added.
Contrary to popular impression, much of the money that little old ladies give to Oxfam does not necessarily go to feeding the hungry.
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the coast of the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu on Friday.
The epicentre of the quake was 84 miles (135 km) north-west of the town of Santo and it was registered at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 km), according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre said there was no threat of tsunami at the time.
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the coast of the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu on Friday
More than 180,000 residents were thought to have felt some form of vibration, with 2,000 residents encountering moderate to strong shaking on Thursday, SBS reported.
There were no immediate damage or casualties reported by Vanuatu authorities.
The island nation is still recovering from Cyclone Pam that hit a year ago.
It follows a 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Japan just hours after a first which killed at least nine people and injured hundreds of others.
The quakes, which struck the south-western island of Kyushu, levelled more than a dozen homes, sparked fires and trapped several people under collapsed buildings.
It follows a 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Japan just hours after a first which killed at least nine people and injured hundreds of others
The quakes, which struck the south-western island of Kyushu, levelled more than a dozen homes, sparked fires and trapped several people under collapsed buildings
'The toll currently stands at nine dead,' said a disaster management official from the demolished Kumamoto prefecture, following reports that two were killed.
Around 350 military personnel were dispatched to aid the rescue effort, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.
The first earthquake, measuring 6.5-magnitude, hit the south-east Asian country late on Thursday night local time, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Hundreds of Target employees could lose their jobs after the retailer announced it is moving its head office from Geelong in Victoria.
On Thursday senior management told staff the headquarters was relocating its 900 employees to headquarters closer to Melbourne.
It is unclear exactly how many jobs will be lost but it has been reported by the ABC the figure could be as high as 180.
It comes in the same week a number of executives were fired over a 'mind-blowingly stupid' scheme' that artificially bolstered the retailer's earnings by offering overseas suppliers price rises in return for rebates.
Retailer Target is moving 900 employees from its headquarters from Geelong, Victoria
The new head of Target, Guy Russo, said management had to make hard decisions to make sure Target is profitable and sustainable.
'The Geelong site for the national office is no longer a viable option if we're to remain competitive and build a profitable business,' he said in a statement.
Employees will have the option of voluntary redundancies or redeployment at other Kmart or Target sites, as well as other Wesfarmers businesses, Mr Russo said.
The state opposition says the closure of Target's Geelong offices shows the government is not doing enough to create jobs in Victoria.
As many as 180 people could lose their jobs but CEO Guy Russo said management had to make tough calls
Meantime, union officials are meeting with its members and Target management on Friday to discuss the relocation plans.
The ASU's Victorian branch wants details about the likely number of jobs that will be impacted, and Target's reasons for restructuring.
'It is utterly reprehensible that workers at Target are the ones paying the price for the highly questionable business practices of the former management team,' Victorian secretary Ingrid Stitt said in a statement.
'This is a dark day for Geelong and the wider Geelong community.'
Union officials are meeting with its members and Target management to discuss relocation
It comes just a few days after four senior executives were fired from Target over a scheme that artificially bolstered the retailer's earnings.
Wesfarmers launched an investigation into its staff after allegations 10 Target employees colluded with 31 overseas clothing suppliers to increase prices if they offered more rebates.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills showered India and China with economic aid in the years leading up to the near- collapse of the British steel industry, it emerged last night.
New figures show that over two years, the ministry which exists to support UK firms sent 11million to the two countries, which are both economic rivals.
The money was spent on promoting economic development and social welfare, despite the fact that India and China have been booming.
New figures show that over two years the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which exists to support UK firms sent 11million to the two countries, which are both economic rivals. The largesse came in the run up to the decision by Tata Steel (pictured) of India last month to pull out of the UK
The largesse came in the run up to the decision by Tata Steel of India last month to pull out of the UK, putting tens of thousands of jobs at risk.
And it comes despite the fact the potential closure of British steel plants is blamed in part on the dumping of cheap steel by China.
Sajid Javids department handed 7million to India and 4million to China in 2013 and 2014, according to answers to a parliamentary question.
The Indian money, distributed through the Newton-Bhabha Fund, goes towards high-value manufacturing and big data, as well as promoting sustainable cities and public health.
The UK-China Research and Innovation Partnership Fund, administered by BIS, concentrates on energy, environmental technologies, food and water security, health, urbanisation and the creative economy.
Sajid Javids department handed 7million to India and 4million to China in 2013 and 2014, according to answers to a parliamentary question
Yesterday even the boss of charity Oxfam admitted that both countries are rapidly developing economies with considerable wealth, meaning they should start spending more money on their own poor.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, a Tory MP, said: An aid policy that helps our competitors and an energy policy that manacles our own industry is unlikely to be conducive to economic growth.
The Daily Mail has campaigned against the waste of billions of pounds in foreign aid.
The latest figures comes a day after it emerged that Britains foreign aid budget now accounts for 1 in every 7 given by rich countries, thanks to David Camerons controversial target to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on development.
The government has previously said it was stopping aid to India, after senior ministers in the country said it was no longer needed.
But it emerged late last year that some aid spending on India would continue indefinitely even though it can afford its own space programme.
The size of Indias economy is expected to exceed the UKs in 2019, while China whose economy is already larger than ours is expected to overtake the US as the worlds largest in 2028.
Details of the spending released following a parliamentary question asked by Conservative MP Wendy Morton highlight how not all of Britains 12billion aid budget comes from the Department for International Development.
The potential closure of British steel plants is blamed in part on the dumping of cheap steel by China
Millions are also handed out by the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign Office and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills as well as other ministries.
Overall, 48.5million of the business departments budget was spent on foreign aid in 2013 increasing by 63 per cent in just one year to 79million in 2014.
The BIS total includes grants like 236,000 to Nigeria in 2013 and 2014 another country which can afford its own space programme.
Another 3.3million was given to South Africa over the two years, and 245million to Brazil two countries whose economies have experienced remarkable growth in recent years.
It is the handouts to India and China agreed while the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable was business secretary which will are likely to prove the most controversial.
In 2013, BIS sent 1,322,000 to India. A year later, the figure had soared to 5,407,000. An further 968,000 over the two years was sent to the south Asian region, of which India is by far the largest part.
China was given 913,000 in 2013 and 2,885,000 a year later.
Mark Goldring (pictured) chief executive of Oxfam GB said: Were not giving very much money to China and were reducing what were giving to India. Thats right because they are rapidly developing economies
Millions more has gone to the two countries from other departments.
Jonathan Foreman, senior research fellow at the think tank Civitas, said: Its obscene that we give aid to very rich countries like China and India.
It is true there are many poor people there, but is it Britains role to second guess the priorities of Indias government or Indias voters? That seems very arrogant.
It may make people feel better, but what comfort is that to a cancer sufferer being denied a drug, or a steelworker facing losing their job?
Given that a lot of our money might as well be burned in a big pile, keeping open Port Talbot would be as good a use as a lot of what our aid budget goes on.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4s Today programme, Mark Goldring, chief executive of Oxfam GB said: Were not giving very much money to China and were reducing what were giving to India. Thats right because they are rapidly developing economies.
Lets also recognise that there are more poor people in India than in the whole of Africa. There are still 200million people living in extreme poverty in China.
There is considerable wealth in those countries and theyve got to spend it on the right thing but that doesnt mean we should walk away; its a collaborative effort thats got to be made.
Mr Foreman replied: Theres something extraordinarily colonial about that. Governments in India should get to decide what their proprieties are.
Thats part of the problem with aid its all about us trying to tell other people how to live their lives, and Im not sure were going to know any better.
Responding to the parliamentary question, business minister Jo Johnson said: BIS is supporting economic development and social welfare in developing countries through a number of programmes.
A six-foot Texas inmate who escaped custody was found inside a dishwasher with only his handcuffs and boxers on, authorities said.
Wesley Evans, 20, was found inside his girlfriend's apartment on Wednesday morning after deputies searched the Timbers Apartment complex in Jasper a second time.
'That's pretty hard for a man that size to get in,' Timbers Apartment owner Terry Tootle told KTRE.
'He's about six feet tall and slender in build. I imagine he must have taken the racks out to fit in there.'
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Jasper County jail inmate Wesley Evans, 20, (pictured) was found inside the dishwasher in his girlfriend's Texas apartment on Wednesday after escaping custody the day before, authorities said
Evans was found inside his girlfriend's apartment after deputies searched the Timbers Apartment complex in Jasper a second time
Jasper County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Glenn Blank said deputies received an anonymous tip on Wednesday before finding Evans inside the dishwasher around 10am.
He was still in handcuffs, though the chain link had been broken, according to Blank.
'I've heard of them being found in the refrigerator, but I've never heard of them being in the dishwasher,' Blank told the station.
Authorities had been searching for the Jasper County jail inmate after he allegedly broke out of Christus Jasper Memorial Hospital on Tuesday morning while getting an X-ray, according to the station.
Blank said Evans was at the hospital for a hand evaluation when he escaped custody. It was not immediately clear why he was getting an X-ray or how he escaped from the hospital.
A short time after he escaped, deputies found his orange jail shoes on the ground in front of the hospital, KJAS reported.
Authorities had been searching for the inmate after he reportedly broke out of Christus Jasper Memorial Hospital (pictured) on Tuesday morning while getting an X-ray
Surveillance footage reportedly showed him running through the woods behind the Walmart after he broke out of the hospital.
A search involving several law enforcement agencies ensued and all Jasper Independent School District schools were put on lock down.
Eventually, one of two police dogs led officers to the Timbers Apartment complex where Evans' girlfriend currently lives. Deputies are determining whether she will face charges.
Jasper County Sheriff Mitchel Newman told KJAS that Evans had been jailed since March 8 and was charged with arson, aggravated robbery and auto theft.
He previously been taken into custody for evading arrest, burglary and marijuana possession, according to his arrest record.
Disturbing images showing a Coles chicken breast with a weird 'gangrene' growth and garlic that apparently turned blue after being microwaved have appeared online.
A photo of the garlic bread was posted on Reddit not long after another customer posted photos to Imgur of the Coles chicken breast.
My housemate microwaved some Coles garlic bread, and the garlic went blue? the user posted to Reddit.
A Reddit user said the garlic on the bread turned blue after it was heated in the microwave
The RSPCA approved chicken breast bought at Coles had a piece of sickly-looking tissue attached to it
In the other photo posted on Friday to Imgur, an RSPCA approved chicken breast bought at Coles shows a piece of sickly-looking tissue connected to it.
Reddit user Oscilllator, who posted the photos of the chicken, said: 'PSA: This Chicken I bought yesterday from coles appears to have gangrene [sic]'.
The image sparked a spirited discussion on Reddit, with users offering explanations for the yellow lump.
'Used to work in a high turnover butcher, we would get multiple breasts in affected by this every day. The one pictured is no where near the worst ive seen [sic],' said one poster, ConemanTheBongbarian.
'Its a defect in the chicken itself and should have be sorted out at the factory, but obviously with the volumes being dealt with not all defects will be sorted out.'
Free Australian, a Twitter user disturbed by the chicken, suggested customers 'boycott Coles' for their own safety.
This image of a Coles chicken breast was posted to Imgur on Thursday
A spokesperson for Coles said the chicken was not harmful to eat and the taste would not be affected.
This looks like deep pectoral myopathy (DPM) which is a green discoloration of the flesh caused when swelling occurs as a result of oxygen deficiency in the muscle.
'This usually happens from the bird flapping its wings too much.
Coles said the colour of the garlic was also harmless, and the product safe to eat.
'Garlic can sometimes turn a blue or green colour due to a natural reaction which occurs in the garlic during the cooking process.
The spokesperson said any customer not 100 percent happy with their purchase could return to their nearest store for a full refund or replacement.
In 2008 Australia's largest supplier of garlic bread, Queensland-based AGB International, recalled 13 brands of its garlic bread including You'll Love Coles.
In the dock: Albert Patterson (pictured) said he kept the 9mm pistol, taken from an Argentinian officer, to remind him of the 22 friends who died in the conflict
An SAS hero was yesterday jailed for the illegal possession of a souvenir weapon captured in the Falklands War.
Albert Patterson said he kept the 9mm pistol, taken from an Argentinian officer, to remind him of the 22 friends who died in the conflict.
He served for 22 years, in the Parachute Regiment and then in the SAS. Last night his supporters said the case was 'another example of troops being persecuted by a government and courts obsessed with political correctness'.
Sentencing him to 15 months in prison for the possession of the war trophy, Judge Christopher Plunkett said that he had been privileged to see Patterson's service record.
But he said parliamentary legislation left him with little choice over the sentence.
'In the wrong hands these weapons could lead to the death of police officers or cause all sorts of mayhem,' Judge Plunkett told Hereford Crown Court. 'It is this risk that Parliament is concerned about.'
Patterson had admitted possessing a 9mm self-loading pistol, five rounds of expanding ammunition, 177 rounds of 9mm ammunition, four Enfield pistols and a self-loading rifle component.
Stephen Davies, prosecuting, said the hoard was found by police investigating a burglary following his divorce at his former home in Hereford. Patterson was arrested in November 2014.
The court heard Patterson had an illustrious career and served in the military for 22 years - starting in the parachute regiment before joining the SAS.
After leaving the elite regiment he worked abroad for non-government organisations in Iraq and Afghanistan and now lives in Thailand.
Judge Christopher Plunkett said that he had been privileged to see Patterson's service record
Cache: The former soldier had a 9mm self-loading pistol, five rounds of expanding ammunition, 177 rounds of 9mm ammunition, four Enfield pistols (file picture) and a self-loading rifle component.
Scott Coughtrie, defending, said: 'He spent a great deal of time abroad protecting our country and our way of life.
'In his history he has dealt with the most sensitive and dangerous operations this country is to bare.
'These weapons were never loaded or used in the UK and had never been in the public domain.
'He said he received said pistol as a trophy of war from the Falklands and the ammunition during his military service.
'They weren't hanging on the wall but were hidden.
'He led a frantic lifestyle involving preparing for an operation, being deployed before returning and preparing for the next operation.
'Things got missed during his 15 years working in the SAS.
'When asked why he didn't hand them in he said he worked abroad for 15 of the last 20 years and wasn't back when there was an amnesty.
'If he handed them back to the military he would have been subject to prosecution.
'They were memorial and he hoped to decommission them.'
Albert Patterson said he kept the 9mm pistol, taken from an Argentinian officer, to remind him of the 22 friends who died in the conflict. Pictured, Argentine army soldiers take position during the Falkland War
Judge Christopher Plunkett said that he had been privileged to see Patterson's service record. But he said parliamentary legislation left him with little choice over the sentence. Pictured, an Argentine aircraft
The court heard Patterson risked capture by ISIS by helping locals have access to electricity and water in the Afghanistan.
Mr Coughtrie added: 'This stuff got placed to the back of his mind.
'Patterson has been preparing for the likelihood of custody not only through providing for his family but also working on a project in Afghanistan in the Helmand Province with a local agency making sure they have electricity and water.
'He has a long-term relationship with locals meaning he can access these areas all while risking capture by ISIS.
'He has put his own problems in the rear of his mind.'
Colonel Richard Kemp, former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, blasted the sentence and called for Patterson's 'immediate' release from prison.
He said: 'This is another example of our troops being persecuted by a government and courts obsessed with political correctness.
'An SAS hero who risked his life to defend our country shouldn't be treated like a south London drug dealer.
'He should be freed immediately. The country should be grateful for what he did.'
The case echoes that of Sergeant Danny Nightingale who was sent to a military detention centre for 18 months in 2012 after pleading guilty to possessing a Glock 9mm pistol.
Following a public campaign which saw more than 107,000 people sign a petition for his release, a Court of Appeal ruled his sentence had been too harsh.
Home: An aerial view of the SAS base near Hereford where Bert Patterson was based in his illustrious career
She has since started a petition to calling for more station security
Footage of the attack was sent to Destiny days later on social media
A group of more than six older girl punched, kicked and kneed them
The mother of a schoolgirl who was brutally bashed at a train believes the attack was premeditated after footage of the brawl was sent to her daughter.
Destiny, 13, was walking to western Sydney's Blacktown train station with her friend Catherine, 15, on March 1 when she was set upon by a group of more than six older girls who began punching and kicking her.
Footage of the attack began circulating on social media days afterwards, leading Destiny's mother Shelley to believe it was premeditated, reports 9 News.
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Footage of the attack shows Destiny (left) cowering on the ground as her attackers continue to punch and kick her and friend Catherine (right)
Destiny's mother has launched an online petition to tackle violence and bolster security at train stations in the wake of the attack
Footage shows Destiny cowering on the ground as her attackers continue to punch and kick her, at which point her friend Catherine steps in to protect her friend, sustaining injuries to her eye.
'I was just like very scared because they were older girls, they were bigger than me,' Destiny said.
Destiny, whose surname is not known, said she was sent footage of the attack the following day, forcing her to endure the brawl a second time.
'You can tell it was a premeditated attack because they were filming before the first punch happened,' Shelley said.
Destiny was abused on social media in the wake of the attack and is now too traumatised to return to the train station which she uses to get home from school.
Her mother has launched an online petition which has already drawn 8,600 signatures to tackle violence and bolster security at train stations.
Catherine sustained injuries to her eye after stepping in for her friend
Destiny was walking to Blacktown train station with her friend Catherine when she was set upon by a group of more than six older girls
The footage shows a single security officer eventually managing to pull the attackers off the two victims
'My child has the right to feel safe in a public place. There has to be more security guards at Blacktown Station, especially at peak hour,' Shelley wrote in the petition.
'Unbelievably there was only one security guard on duty - he was totally inadequate and couldn't stop the gang from beating up my girl.
'Violence occurs weekly if not daily at Blacktown Train Station yet the Blacktown Council and Sydney Trains refuse to provide adequate security.
The footage shows a single security officer eventually managing to pull the attackers off the two victims.
Police arrested a 16-year-old girl at the scene and she is being dealt with under the Young Offenders Act.
Kasich also spoke out against North Carolina's 'bathroom law' and called for 'a little more tolerance and respect'
But he said he would not try to change the Supreme Court's ruling that legalized same-sex marriage
Kasich reiterated this week that he was a 'traditional marriage guy'
John Kasich would tell his daughters he loved them if they came out as gay, he revealed on Thursday.
The governor of Ohio said he would simply tell his 16-year-old twin daughters Emma and Reese: 'I love you girls' and said that would be 'the end' of the conversation.
Earlier this week Kasich reiterated that although he was a 'traditional marriage guy', he would allow the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of gay marriage to stand.
'I'm not looking for some constitutional amendment,' he said during a campaign event in Troy, New York. 'It's done.'
John Kasich would tell his daughters (pictured with his wife Karen) he loved them if they came out as gay, he revealed on Thursday
The governor of Ohio said he would simply tell his 16-year-old twin daughters Emma (left) and Reese: 'I love you girls' and said that would be 'the end' of the conversation
Kasich repeated during an interview with MSNBC's Chris Matthews that he believed marriage should remain between a man and a woman, but said he had recently attended a friend's same-sex wedding.
'I don't think it's right,' he said. 'And the wedding that I went to, they know that I don't agree with them.'
But Kasich said he was ready to move on from the gay marriage debate.
When Matthews asked him what gay couples who love each other should do, Kasich replied: 'They should love one another. That's the end of it.'
The Ohio governor was less straightforward when he was asked about his stance on gay conversion therapy during the same event in Troy.
Alana Klein began her question by referencing Leelah Alcorn, a transgender 17-year-old Ohio teen who was subjected to conversion therapy and later committed suicide.
She left a heartbreaking note on her Tumblr that made national headlines as she revealed her parents refused to allow her to transition and instead took her to 'Christian therapists'.
'Im never going to be happy,' she wrote. 'Either I live the rest of my life as a lonely man who wishes he were a woman or I live my life as a lonelier woman who hates herself.'
Klein noted that conversion therapy has already been banned in California, New Jersey, Illinois and the District of Columbia and asked Kasich what he planned to do 'to protect our LGBT persons'.
Kasich only said he was not familiar with Alcorn's case and then changed the subject to same-sex marriage and his views on anti-discrimination legislation.
'This is a very tough issue for people and let me tell you my view on it,' he said.
Earlier this week Kasich (pictured at a campaign event in Troy, New York) reiterated that although he was a 'traditional marriage guy', he would allow the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of gay marriage to stand
Kasich has also spoken out against the North Carolina 'bathroom law',which orders public schools and government agencies to designate use of bathrooms by biological sex stated on a person's birth certificate
'I am watching what's happening in North Carolina, what happened in Indiana and Georgia and Mississippi.'
'I want no discrimination against anyone, period, end of story.'
'Now our religious institutions should be protected,' he continued. 'They should be able to do things they want.'
Kasich went on to explain that although he believed anyone should be able to go into a cupcake store and buy something, it is a different situation when a same-sex couple tries to hire someone.
'If I'm a photographer and you want me to come to your wedding and I don't want to, find another photographer,' he said.
Kasich also spoke out this week against the North Carolina 'bathroom law', which orders public schools and government agencies to designate use of bathrooms by the biological sex stated on a person's birth certificate.
It also prevents the state's cities and counties from passing their own anti-discrimination rules and instead imposes a statewide standard that leaves out sexual orientation and gender identity.
In contrast fellow GOP contender Ted Cruz said he supported the law, saying 'men should not be going to the bathroom with little girls'.
'Come on folks, we have to live together,' Kasich said during the New York event.
'What do we want more laws? How about a little more tolerance and a little more respect?'
Klein later revealed to ABC News that she was not satisfied with Kasich's answer, saying she was frustrated Kasich 'completely ignored' her question about conversion therapy.
BP has been dealt a bloody nose by investors who revolted over the 14million pay deal of chief executive Bob Dudley.
In what is being called the start of a shareholder spring, almost 60 per cent of investors voted against the fatcat pay package in protest over the record 4.6billion loss the firm made last year.
The 60-year-old American boss of BP has also culled more than 5,000 jobs in the past year.
BP has been dealt a bloody nose by investors who revolted over the 14million pay deal of chief executive Bob Dudley (pictured), the American boss who culled more than 5,000 jobs in the past year
The rebellion against BPs board included a number of shareholders who spoke out at the firms annual meeting in London yesterday.
Adam Matthews, representative for Church of England pensions, which invests in BP, said: Given the context of the headline performance of BP, is this level of pay morally right?
It raises the question; how much one person needs to be paid to be incentivised?
Private investor David Walker said he had stood up at a previous BP annual general meeting and defended the pay of former chief executive Lord Browne.
But in the current economic climate Mr Dudleys pay is inappropriate.
To applause, Mr Walker said: That was a different time when his good stewardship brought this company from the doldrums into a highly successful company.
'The situation in this country and much of the EU is austerity. Its not the time to increase directors remuneration.
Around 18million UK savers are estimated to own shares in BP, either directly or through a pension or investment fund.
The rebellion against BPs board included a number of shareholders who spoke out at the firms annual meeting in London yesterday
But the firm has been plunged into crisis by steep falls in the price of oil, and multi-million-pound fines and costs associated with the Gulf of Mexico spill in 2010.
Another shareholder, Grace Smith, told the board: I find it unrealistic that the oil price plays no part in the decision-making on pay. Were not against high pay, but neither are we immune to the realities of the economy.
The pay of Mr Dudley was put to a shareholder vote, with 59 per cent voting against the deal.
This defeat is thought to be the largest revolt since June 2012 when advertising empire WPP had a 59 per cent vote against chief executive Sir Martin Sorrells package of 11.9million. This marked the rise of the first shareholder spring and caused an overhaul of share voting rules.
Every three years companies must put the pay deals of their bosses to shareholders, who then have a binding vote to approve how remuneration is calculated.
The first such vote was held in 2014, and another is due in 2017. This means that the revolt against Mr Dudleys pay is not binding, and the company is not forced to change his deal.
Despite this, BP has promised to address the situation ahead of the binding votes for a new pay policy next year.
BP chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg told shareholders: We will sit down with our largest shareholders to make sure we understand their concerns.
BP is the first firm to face a shareholder revolt this year. Miner Anglo American, drugs giant Astra Zeneca and Nurofen maker Reckitt Benckiser are also expected to be confronted at meetings in the coming weeks.
There was another revolt at medical equipment firm Smith & Nephew, where 53 per cent of investors voted against a long-term incentive plan under which bonuses of 2.1million were made to 60 executives, despite failing on performance criteria. The firm said the money will still be paid because the vote was non-binding.
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This is the moment a Western man photobombed the 'Day of the Sun' celebrations in the heart of secretive North Korea - and dancing with the crowds in Pyongyang.
He was photographed smiling and linking hands with locals during festivities in the capital as North Korea marked the birthday of the founding leader Kim Il-Sung.
The nationality of the man and the reason for his being in the city is not yet known. The image was released by the state-run North Korean Central News Agency.
Though few chose to, tourists are still able to visit the country where millions live their lives under the dictatorship of Kim Jong-Un.
A Western man photobombed the 'Day of the Sun' celebrations in the heart of secretive North Korea - and danced with the crowds in Pyongyang
North Korea's latest missile test has failed after the rocket 'disappeared' seconds after launch - on the birthday of the founding leader Kim Il-Sung. Military personnel pay their respects near the statues of former leaders Kim Il-sung (left) and Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang
According to the Lonely Planet guide, there are 'compromises' required for those who do wish to visit - including being accompanied by 'two state-employed guides at all times' and being forced to listen to a 'one-sided account of history'.
The picture emerged on the same day that North Korea's latest missile test failed after the rocket 'disappeared' seconds after launch.
The medium-range Musudan missile vanished from surveillance radar after take-off and is believed to have exploded midair in a high-profile misstep for the secretive country's leader Kim Jong-Un.
There had been widespread intelligence reports in recent days that the North was preparing for the first-ever flight test of its Musudan missile, which is believed to be capable of striking US bases in the Pacific island of Guam.
The US and South Korean military both detected and tracked the early morning test.
'We assess that the launch failed,' a US defence official said, adding that it was 'presumably' a Musudan.
The April 15 birthday of Kim Il-Sung - the grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong-Un - is a major public holiday in North Korea, where key political anniversaries are often marked with displays of military muscle.
The country is also gearing up for a rare and much-hyped ruling party congress next month, at which Kim Jong-Un is expected to take credit for pushing the country's nuclear weapons programme to new heights.
Respect: People bow in front of bronze statues of North Korea's late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at Mansu Hill in Pyongyang
Procession: North Korea has unnerved the international community this year with an escalating campaign of belligerence
Korean War veteran Jon Sun Rye, 83, is pictured after paying her respect to former leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il at Mansu Hill in Pyongyang
Pyongyang has hailed a series of achievements in recent months, including miniaturising a nuclear warhead to fit on a missile, developing a warhead that can withstand atmospheric re-entry, and building a solid-fuel missile engine.
Last week, it said it had successfully tested an engine designed for an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) that would 'guarantee' an eventual nuclear strike on the US mainland.
Outside experts have treated a number of the claims with scepticism, while acknowledging that the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes have both made significant strides.
If Friday's failure is confirmed as a Musudan test, it would mark a very unwelcome public failure and fuel doubts about just how far the North has gone in developing a reliable nuclear delivery system.
The April 15 birthday of Kim Il-Sung - the grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong-Un - is a major public holiday in North Korea
Paying their respects: Key political anniversaries in the secretive state are often marked with displays of military muscle
The country is also gearing up for a rare and much-hyped ruling party congress next month, at which Kim Jong-Un is expected to take credit for pushing the country's nuclear weapons programme to new heights
'We are monitoring and continuing to assess the situation,' another US official said, calling on North Korea to 'refrain from actions that further raise tensions in the region.'
Anxiety has been high on the divided Korean peninsula since Pyongyang conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and a rocket launch a month later that was widely seen as a disguised ballistic missile test.
The UN Security Council responded with its toughest sanctions to date, angering the North, which has since made repeated threats of attacks targeting the South and the US.
Existing UN resolutions forbid North Korea from the use of any ballistic missile-related technology.
School children stand before large statues of former leaders Kim Il-sung (left) and Kim Jong-il (right) at Mansu Hill in Pyongyang
Laying flowers: North Korea is marking the 'Day of the Sun', celebrating the day of birth of the country's founder, Kim Il-sung
Today is the anniversary of North Korean founding president Kim Il Sung's birthday which is widely celebrated. In 2012, it was marked by a long-range rocket launch attempt which also failed
North Korea's latest missile test has failed after the rocket 'disappeared' seconds after launch. Musudan-class missiles are pictured during a military parade in Pyongyang
Pyongyang, with the series of provocations, is trying to prove that the UN sanctions are ineffective in curbing its weapons development, said Seoul's unification ministry, which handles cross-border affairs.
'They are trying to divide opinions of the international community by pushing more people to think that we... need dialogue with the North,' ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee said.
The nuclear-armed state has staged several short- and mid-range missile launches but has yet to test the Musudan, which has an estimated range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres (1,550 to 2,500 miles).
Anxiety has been high on the divided Korean peninsula since Pyongyang conducted its fourth nuclear test in January
Anxiety has been high on the divided Korean peninsula since Pyongyang conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and a rocket launch a month later that was widely seen as a disguised ballistic missile test
Children stand next to statues of the founding president Kim Il-Sung (left in grey suit) and late president Kim Jong-Il at the Youth Movement Museum
Falling flat: The missile vanished from surveillance radar after take-off and is believed to have exploded midair in a high-profile misstep for the secretive country's leader Kim Jong-Un (pictured in black)
The lower range covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam.
The Musudan was first unveiled as an indigenous missile at a military parade in Pyongyang in October 2010.
Analysis by security consultants IHS Jane's suggests it is an intermediate-range, road-mobile, liquid-propellant, single warhead missile based on the Russian R-27 and using adapted Soviet Scud technology.
very different to communities they serve
Church schools are shunning the poorest children as the middle classes tighten their grip on the best school places, according to a new report.
Educational charity the Sutton Trust found there are 1,576 primary schools in England which are 'highly socially selective'.
Each has a proportion of disadvantaged pupils that is at least 9.2 percentage points different from the communities they serve.
Church schools are shunning the poorest children as the middle classes tighten their grip on the best school places, according to a new report
It said many of these select on faith-based criteria, which prioritise middle class families who are more likely to be regular church-goers.
And it added that research by the Education Datalab showed socially selective schools are more likely to be high-performing so deprived children are being barred from some of the best schools.
It comes as hundreds of families across the country will find out which primary school their child has been allocated on Monday, which has become known as National Offer Day.
Trust chairman Sir Peter Lampl said: 'Disadvantaged young people should have the same chance of accessing the best state school in their neighbourhood as their better off neighbour.
'Today's findings warn us that primary school admissions are far from a level-playing field.'
The research examined the difference between the proportion of disadvantaged pupils in a school's intake and that of its local neighbourhood.
It revealed many schools employing complicated and narrow admissions criteria appeared to be taking a disproportionate number of wealthier children from neighbourhoods.
The research also identified correlations between a school's performance and its socially selectivity. Just 1 per cent of schools in the bottom 10 per cent for performance at age 11 are also in the top 10 per cent most socially selective schools.
In contrast, 14 per cent of schools in the top 10 per cent for performance at age 11 are also in the top 10 per cent of socially selective schools.
The most socially selective primary schools tend to use more complex oversubscription criteria than the typical school, which uses about five criteria.
Educational charity the Sutton Trust found there are 1,576 primary schools in England which are 'highly socially selective' (stock image)
Of the 100 most socially selective primary schools identified by the brief, one used as many as 18 different oversubscription criteria.
Areas with particularly socially selective schools included London, Blackpool and Hartlepool with many using faith-based often Catholic criteria.
Dr Allen said: 'There are many benefits to giving parents a choice over where their child is educated, but our new research shows that that there is not equity in access to many primary schools, either because higher-income families are advantaged in their ability to exercise choice or because their admissions criteria favour certain pupils.'
Under the School Admissions Code, faith schools are allowed to prioritise children of their faith when they are over-subscribed.
They must be fair and transparent, and must not disadvantage unfairly a child from a particular social or racial background.
New academies and free schools with a faith designation can only prioritise up to half of their places by reference to faith, where they are oversubscribed.
A Department for Education spokesman said: 'Determining admissions policies on the basis of wealth is both morally wrong and against the law.
'All schools must follow the School Admissions Code which should make sure school places are allocated fairly, with an admissions policy that does not unfairly disadvantage children from a particular social or racial group, or those with a disability or special educational needs.
'Parents with concerns should report them to the Schools Adjudicator, who can intervene.
Veteran TV journalist Ray Martin has defended the 60 Minutes crew caught up in the kidnapping of two children in Lebanon, admitting he had done the same thing for the show 36 years ago.
Martin, 71, revealed that he had driven the 'getaway car' when his crew was involved in a similar child recovery operation in Spain.
In an interview with ABC Radio 612 in Brisbane he admitted what they had done in 1980 was illegal and the only difference with what happened in Beirut last Thursday was they hadn't been caught.
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Former 60 Minutes reporter Ray Martin has defended the Channel Nine crew jailed over the attempted abduction of two young children in Beirut last Thursday saying he had been involved in a similar story in Spain almost 36 years ago
Brown will remain in custody at the Baabda Women's Jail, in Beirut, in a shared cell with Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner until their next court appearance on Monday
A wife of one of the detained men - including producer Stephen Rice (left), sound technician David Ballment (centre) and cameraman Ben Williamson (right) - apparently asked Nine network management 'since when is Channel Nine in the business of child stealing?'
Ray Martin (left) pictured with former 60 Minutes colleagues Ian Leslie (centre), Jana Wendt (right) and George Negus (front). Martin, 71, says the crew detained in Beirut had 'done the right thing'
'In recovering that child, the national laws [in Spain] were such that had we been caught at the time we would have broken a national law, so I'm very conscious of what's happening in Lebanon,' Martin revealed.
'As journalists, we do stories that we think are right and are ethical. The question is about ethics and about the morality and the right and wrong.'
Sally Faulkner, 60 Minutes reporter Tara Brown, TV producer Stephen Rice, cameraman Ben Williamson and sound recordist David Ballment have all been charged over an alleged botched abduction of the Brisbane mother's two children Noah 4, and Lahela, 6 in Beirut last Thursday.
The other suspects have been identified in court as Britons Greg Michael and Adam Whittington (a former police officer); and Lebanese duo Mohammad Hamza and Khaled Barbour.
Martin believes the 60 Minutes crew, which remains behind bars in Beirut, had not done the wrong thing.
'I think in this case, as I understand it, I think the 60 Minutes crew have been ethical and I think they have done the right thing,' he added.
Martin says he is concerned for their welfare but believes the story the crew was on was a legitimate one.
'I know Tara and I know Stephen Rice and I know the crew, who are highly professional and highly ethical and I can't believe they did something that was unethical,' he added.
His revelations come as a Nine insider revealed on Friday that the preparation time or some members of the crew is often limited.
The (camera) crews dont really get a lot of time to prepare for these sorts of trips, and not much information on what they are doing, the insider revealed.
Theres not a lot of warning, sometimes they are only told about the story and where they are going a couple of days before out some times.
'This is what they do.'
Distressed family members of a 60 Minutes crew being detained in Lebanon over their involvement in a botched child recovery agency have asked Channel Nine bosses for answers.
Brown told the media she is being kept in a barred, heavily meshed holding cell at Baabda Women's Jail (pictured) and was required to wear handcuffs each time she went outside
It's believed the Sally Faulkner - Ali Elamine story was initially pitched to A Current Affair but was forwarded on to producer Stephen Rice and reporter Tara Brown to follow up
Channel Nine chief executive Hugh Marks was questioned by the family and loved ones of senior reporter Tara Brown, producer Stephen Rice, cameraman Ben Williamson and sound technician David Ballment on Wednesday following the team's arrest in Lebanon last week.
The wife of one of the imprisoned Channel Nine employees demanded answers during the meeting at Nine's Willoughby office, reportedly asking 'since when is Channel Nine in the business of child stealing?'
Inside sources have revealed there was a 'distinct lack of information' coming from the television station during the meeting, but that everyone involved appeared quite concerned for the crew who face up to 20 years in jail if convicted, the Daily Telegraph reported.
'Nine management is out of their depth. They have never encountered anything like this before,' they said after the meeting on Wednesday.
A source said they felt the television executives were trying to stop them from launching legal proceedings against them for failing to protect their family members before they were sent overseas.
The group, including the Brisbane mother at the centre of the operation, face charges for kidnapping, physical assault, hiding information and criminal conspiracy.
Lebanese authorities claim to have proof that Channel Nine were involved in funding the kidnapping scheme.
It has been reported that Nine's bosses would have had to approve the segment if significant funds were going to be used to cover the story
Channel Nine have not responded to allegations that they planned to pay $115,000 to Adam Whittington's agency Child Abduction Recovery International.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports Mr Whittington's personal charity Project Rescue Children was given a 'donation' from another Australian media organisation - Pacific Magazines - after its outlet New Idea profiled him last year.
Channel Nine executives have issued an email to staff members that claims the station 'will get to the bottom of it when everyone gets back'.
It's believed the story was initially pitched to A Current Affair, but was forwarded on to producer Stephen Rice and reporter Tara Brown to follow up on.
It has also been reported that Nine's bosses would have had to approve the segment if significant funds were going to be used to cover the story.
Brown will remain in custody at the Baabda Women's Jail, in Beirut, in a shared cell with Ms Faulkner until their next court appearance on Monday.
The two women, along with the rest of the crew were individually questioned by Judge Rami Abdullah at the Baabda Palace of Justice on Wednesday.
Judge Abdullah told Ms Faulkner that she needed to 'reach an agreement' with her estranged husband Ali Elamine over the custody of their young children, but said there was 'no chance' the group of Australians would avoid charges.
Homage: A museum will showcase the the life and works of Charlie Chaplin (pictured) in Switzerland
An interactive museum showcasing the life and works of Charlie Chaplin opens in Switzerland this weekend.
Chaplins World, which has been 15 years in the planning, will launch on Sunday, one day after what would have been the British screen legends 127th birthday.
The museum is set on the vast estate of Manoir de Ban, about 16 miles from the Swiss city of Lausanne, where Chaplin spent the last 25 years of his life until his death in 1977 aged 88.
He moved to Switzerland after being barred from the United States in the 1950s over suspicions that he had communist sympathies, at the height of paranoia about Soviet infiltration.
A separate building has been constructed nearby as a large mock-up of a Hollywood studio dedicated to Chaplins on-screen work, which began in around 1914.
Visitors can also catch a glimpse of the artists humble beginnings in South London and his spectacular rise to become one of the biggest and most influential movie legends in Hollywood history.
With clips from his films flickering from a multitude of screens, visitors can walk down Easy Street, visit the barber shop from The Great Dictator and the restaurant where he ate his shoe in The Immigrant.
Those walking around the new attraction will also be able to move along the cogs within giant machinery as the actor did in Modern Times, or tumble inside a cabin teetering on the edge of a cliff as he did in Gold Rush.
One glass case displays the certificate signed by the Queen when Chaplin was knighted in 1975.
And in another is the Oscar he won for the score of his film Limelight. However, he didnt win the Oscar until 1973, since the film was barred for release in the United States when it first came out in 1952.
Chaplins World is also dotted with more than 30 wax figures created by the Grevin wax museum in Paris.
The lifelike figures portray Chaplin in different roles, his wife Oona, actors and actresses from his films, friends and people who mattered to him like Albert Einstein, as well as artists inspired by his work, including Michael Jackson and Woody Allen.
At the museum fans can watch clips from Chaplin's films flickering from a multitude of screens and visit recreations of sets including the barber shop from The Great Dictator (pictured Chaplin in the film)
His son Michael Chaplin, 70, said: What really touched me is how they managed to make his films come alive again by inserting clips into decors.
The museum project has faced numerous stumbling blocks over more than 15 years of drawn-out negotiations.
Contained in a smart central London office suite above the celebrity nightspot Libertine, you will find the headquarters of an organisation called the Press Recognition Panel.
You might not have heard of the Press Recognition Panel (PRP), but your pocket has already borne the burden of its existence.
The PRP has 3 million of taxpayers money to spend over three years, half of it already gone with virtually nothing to show for it unless you count its directors debating whether the staff Christmas celebration dinner should be renamed as the more politically correct seasonal end of year event (it was).
And it is the PRPs failures and the Governments unwillingness to activate legislation designed to force newspapers into its State-sanctioned system of regulation which lie behind this weeks smearing of Culture Secretary John Whittingdale by Hacked Off and its allies.
Mr Mosley, son of British fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley, had particular reason to resent the Press
The PRP describes itself as the independent body set up... to ensure that regulators of the UK Press are independent, properly funded and able to protect the public.
In order to become officially recognised by the PRP, any potential Press regulator is supposed to satisfy 23 criteria.
There is no limit to the number of regulators; the more the merrier, perhaps, because next year the PRPs public funding ends and it will have to be able to support itself financially.
It will do this by charging those Press regulators it has formally recognised, in return for carrying out annual performance reviews.
But the PRP has a fundamental problem. So far, it has been unable to recognise anybody.
That is because until recently no potential Press regulator had come forward to seek its benediction.
The overwhelming majority of newspapers, magazines and news websites simply did not regard the PRP as an independent body, and did not want to sign up to what is seen as a lurch towards state censorship.
But now an applicant has come forward at last. It is called Impress. Even by the official yardstick, Impress would seem to have zero chance of becoming a Press regulator.
It falls down on many counts, as we shall see; not least because it has failed to attract a single publication of any substance to regulate, nor even formulated a code of standards by which to do so.
Other high-profile Hacked Off supporters included the scandal-mired actor Hugh Grant, millionaire Harry Potter writer J.K. Rowling and the motor racing tycoon Max Mosley
Yet the PRP has made encouraging noises, and allowed more time for Impress to improve its application, which was heavily criticised when it was put out for consultation.
Impress now has until Wednesday next week to submit its revised bid and it was one of Impresss putative members, a website called Byline (some of whose writers have been previously funded by Hacked Off or its directors), which broke the story of Culture Secretary John Whittingdales former relationship with a so-called dominatrix.
But who is behind Impress? And why do they want to regulate the UK Press?
This is the story of how a well-connected Left-wing activist financed by a vengeful millionaire tycoon came to be on the verge of triggering the most punitive anti-Press laws enforced outside a dictatorship.
Ten years ago, Jonathan Heawood, founder and executive director of Impress, stood in the council elections of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Mr Heawoods ambition resembled a classic case of more in hope than expectation.
He was a Labour Party candidate for the Holland ward, one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the world.
Not that the Cambridge and Harvard-educated Mr Heawood, 42, would feel so very out of place.
The electoral roll suggests that he lived on a Thames-side Chelsea street where properties are valued today at more than 6 million.
His stepmother-in-law also happened to be queen of the bien pensant society; the hate-filled Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee.
Mr Heawood, once deputy literary editor at the Left-leaning Observer newspaper, came ninth of ten candidates; he would not be representing the interests of the very famous and the very wealthy, at least not for quite a long time to come.
But the following year, 2007, something occurred which would eventually bring that to pass: then Opposition leader David Camerons calamitous decision to appoint Andy Coulson as the Tory Partys chief spin doctor.
Coulson had just stepped down as editor of the Rupert Murdoch-owned News of the World newspaper.
Two of his staff had been jailed for phone hacking. In the circumstances, Coulson should not have been touched by the Tories with a bargepole (in time, he too would end up behind bars).
As it was, Coulsons new job only encouraged further investigation of his newspapers phone-hacking, by those who felt antipathy for the Tories, Mr Murdoch and the conservative Press in general.
Impress had also begun to receive donations from a number of other sources. Some 40,000 came from the author J.K. Rowling (pictured at the Leveson inquiry), it was reported
At the fore were the anti-Press pressure group Hacked Off. It was launched under the auspices of the Media Standards Trust, whose chairman Sir David Bell was a trustee of the leadership training charity Common Purpose; described as the Lefts equivalent of the Old Boys Network.
Tom Watson, an ambitious Labour backbencher whose profile grew with every call for an inquiry into the Murdoch empire, was a founding member of Hacked Offs advisory committee.
Other high-profile Hacked Off supporters included the scandal-mired actor Hugh Grant, millionaire Harry Potter writer J.K. Rowling and the motor racing tycoon Max Mosley.
Mr Mosley, son of British fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley, had particular reason to resent the Press.
In 2008, the News of the World had exposed his participation in a sadomasochistic orgy with five prostitutes, which the paper claimed had Nazi overtones.
Mr Justice Eady eventually ruled in the High Court that the bondage, beating and domination that took place had no Nazi connotations and Mosley had a right to privacy for his sexual activities, however unconventional.
Mosley was awarded damages, but his desire for payback was unsatisfied.
He was a fighter, after all; he was once arrested during a brawl at one of his fathers rallies in a Jewish neighbourhood of London in an extraordinary episode which we will explore in detail tomorrow.
From the outside, it is unclear when Impress metamorphosed from being Mr Heawoods pet project to Mr Mosleys vehicle for revenge
Now, he wants much tougher Press restrictions; restrictions which the European Court of Human Rights has described as potentially chilling.
Andy Coulson resigned as No 10s Director of Communications in January 2011. In the first week of July that year, the Guardian reported that Coulsons News of the World had hacked Milly Dowlers voicemail.
The Guardian also claimed inaccurately as it turned out that News of the World journalists had deleted voicemail messages, giving Millys parents false hope of her being still alive. This was the so-called tipping point allegation.
Coulson was arrested on July 8, and five days later Cameron announced the Leveson Inquiry. Lord Justice Levesons subsequent recommendation of a new system of Press regulation with some kind of statutory backing was, however, rejected by the newspaper industry.
This impasse continued until a late-night meeting in the Westminster offices of the then Labour Party leader, Ed Miliband.
Present were several Labour Party frontbenchers, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg (whose soon-to-be-appointed communications adviser, Emma Gilpin-Jacobs, would later join the PRP and instigate the debate on what to call Christmas dinner), Tory Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin and no fewer than four lobbyists from Hacked Off.
But no one from the newspaper industry under discussion was in the room.
That night, a new system of Press regulation was agreed. It would be underpinned by a Royal Charter, approved by the Privy Council of senior MPs.
And it would come armed with an unprecedentedly big stick with which to beat the Press of all circulations and political persuasions into dutiful line.
Under a new Crime and Courts Act, punitive damages could be awarded in libel proceedings against any newspaper which was not a member of the regulator approved by the PRP. The message was join us or be damned.
Not only that, the Act also included a costs provisions clause, under which a non-approved newspaper could be ordered to pay the plaintiffs costs in a libel action, even if it won its case, and no matter how wealthy the plaintiff, how large his costs or baseless his complaint.
The financial risks of criticising anyone in print would be enormous.
This clause is crucial to the Royal Charter zealots, who believe it will force newspapers into their system.
It was one of Impresss putative members, a website called Byline (some of whose writers have been previously funded by Hacked Off or its directors), which broke the story of Culture Secretary John Whittingdales former relationship with a so-called dominatrix
But there are two problems there has to be a PRP-approved regulator for newspapers to join, and the Culture Secretary, John Whittingdale, has to sign an order to activate the legal punishment for those who do not.
So far, he has not done so, and it is the fetid theory of Hacked Off and its allies that the reason he has not is fear of exposure of his defunct relationship with the dominatrix Olivia King.
So they decided to do the job themselves. The story of Whittingdale and King was broken by Byline, a website some of whose writers have been previously funded by Hacked Off or its directors, and is one Impresss micro-publisher members.
As for the Royal Charter, the newspaper industry rejected it as gross State interference in free expression.
Instead, it set up a new self-regulatory body called the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), by which the vast majority of publishers are now regulated.
IPSO, it was made clear, would not seek recognition from the PRP.
This defiance was supported by journalists and free speech organisations around the world.
They argued as they do to this day that the UK Governments Royal Charter is a potent inducement for dictators around the world to oppress their own media. (Their views would surely be if the Mother of Parliaments can do it, so can we.)
In this ongoing arm-wrestle, November 2013 proved to be an important month.
The Crime and Courts Act was passed in Parliament, while two obscure bodies also came into being. One was Mr Heawoods Impress.
The other was called the Independent Press Regulation Trust (IPRT).
At this point, readers might be forgiven for feeling they are drowning in an alphabet soup of acronyms. And, at the time, there was no apparent connection between Impress and the IPRT.
The link would be revealed only later but it was a profoundly significant one.
A clue to the motivating forces behind the IPRT appeared in the accounts of a charity called the Alexander Mosley Charitable Trust.
Tom Watson, an ambitious Labour backbencher whose profile grew with every call for an inquiry into the Murdoch empire, was a founding member of Hacked Offs advisory committee. His Labour leadership campaign financed by Max Mosley and J.K. Rowling
This was set up by Max Mosley following the 2009 death by a suspected heroin overdose of his eldest son, Alexander.
Max Mosley was the sole source of the trusts 3.2 million income in 2013-14.
By the end of that financial year, the trust had pledged 30,000 to the IPRT. (By the end of 2014-15, that figure had risen to 400,000. In the same year, the Mosley Trust also gave 110,000 directly to Impress.)
Another Alexander Mosley trustee was Horatio Mortimer.
Mr Mortimer is a consultant with political lobbyist Sovereign Strategy. The firm was founded by Alan Donnelly, a former Labour MEP and head of the European Parliamentary Labour Party who also worked with Max Mosley in the stewardship of the sport of Formula One.
In 2011, Hacked Off said that Mortimer had provided them with administrative assistance.
Impress had also begun to receive donations from a number of other sources. Some 40,000 came from the author J.K. Rowling, it was reported.
But Impress needed more money, and quickly.
Last September, the PRP announced it would begin to take applications from would-be Press regulators under the terms of the Royal Charter.
The milestone was marked by a Polly Toynbee article in which she attacked the Presss self-regulating body, IPSO.
What was needed, she wrote, was a new regulator, genuinely independent . . . Impress is one organisation ready to apply to be that regulator.
Ms Toynbee neglected to mention that she was not only one of Impresss original financial backers, but the stepmother-in-law of its founder. So much for transparency and independence.
Twitter traffic also suggested a mutual admiration between the independent Impress and Hacked Off.
Priapic actor Hugh Grant, a Hacked Off director, retweeted an Impress initiative with the comment: Important work by Impressive people. Thanks Hugh, came the simpering reply from the Impress Twitter feed
Priapic actor Hugh Grant, a Hacked Off director, retweeted an Impress initiative with the comment: Important work by Impressive people.
Thanks Hugh, came the simpering reply from the Impress Twitter feed.
Impress applied to the PRP for recognition as a Press regulator in January. Its credentials could now be properly scrutinised against the Royal Charter criteria.
The problem is that they simply dont stack up. The News Media Association the body that represents national and local newspapers says Impress fails on all but five of the 23 demands.
Criterion 5, for example, stipulates that a regulator should have sufficient number of people with experience of the industry.
Until last June, Impress had but one board member with significant recent Press experience.
This was Sue Evison, who had been chief feature writer at the Sun. She resigned from Impress because she felt she was merely there as a fig leaf, and that other Impress board members were hostile to the popular Press.
She also felt that the rival IPSO was making progress. Jonathan Heawood told her she had s*at upon Impress for publicly saying so, Ms Evison recalls.
Perhaps aware of the credibility gap left by her departure, Impress took on two new board members. One is Martin Hickman, a former Independent journalist.
Mr Hickman is also a friend of, and cheerleader for, the now Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, with whom he co-wrote the press-bashing book Dial M For Murdoch. (Mr Watson who had to apologise for making unfounded sexual allegations against the late Tory minister Leon Brittan had his Labour leadership campaign financed by Max Mosley and J.K. Rowling.)
The other Impress recruit was Emma Jones, a Sun columnist until she was sacked in 2003 by current News UK boss Rebekah Wade.
Neither recruits seem to be wholly impartial regulators of the Murdoch press at least.
So, not many experts. But thats just the start.
According to the Royal Charter, Regulator means an independent body formed by or on behalf of relevant publishers for the purpose of conducting regulatory activities in relation to their publications.
The legal definition of relevant publisher excludes businesses which have fewer than ten full-time employees, or an annual turnover below 2 million.
None of the 2,600 or so titles produced by Britains established publishers have signed up to Impress. So who has?
The answer is Your Thurrock (all the latest news from Thurrock and Grays), The Ferret, A Little Bit of Stone (described by its publisher as something journalistic to do in my spare time), the Port Talbot Magnet (staffed by volunteers), and ten other titles, including the now notorious Byline.
Almost all are hyper-local news websites or blogs run by one or two individuals on shoestring budgets and with minimal circulation; admirable ventures perhaps, but so tiny they surely do not qualify as relevant; neither legally nor in the context of determining the future freedom or otherwise of the industry as a whole.
Their attachment to Impress has the appearance of a fig leaf. Let us move on to finance.
The Charter further states that a regulators funding should be negotiated with the industry.
But the Impress 14 are so small they are expected to raise no more than 1,000 in annual subscription income to the regulator.
The Mail has been told that Mr Mosley had wanted to fund Impress via his late sons trust and the IPRT because it was tax efficient
From the outside, it is unclear when Impress metamorphosed from being Mr Heawoods pet project to Mr Mosleys vehicle for revenge.
There has been a consistent lack of transparency about the organisations funding.
Despite 40 boxes of supporting documents, the Impress application does not mention Max Mosley at all.
Instead it sets out how the mysterious IPRT has agreed to pay Impress almost 950,000 a year over four years.
It was only when later challenged at a public event that Impress chairman Walter Merricks confirmed that the Trusts donation was Mosley family money.
In other words, Mr Mosley holds the Impress purse strings.
The Mail has been told that Mr Mosley had wanted to fund Impress via his late sons trust and the IPRT because it was tax efficient.
The arrangement is yet more precarious: Mr Mosley also has a get-out clause.
By agreeing, absurdly, that Impress is independent and properly funded, should it effectively consent to being bankrolled by Max Mosley, son of the man who was once Britains would-be fascist dictator, and whose own interest in Press regulation stems from the exposure of his paid-for sado-masochistic orgy?
If he were to lose faith in Impresss activities, his financial backing could be withdrawn with just ten days notice.
It is surely disingenuous for Impress to suggest that this will have no bearing on its modus operandi.
But its not only Impress which could be left dancing to Mr Mosleys tune.
As the PRP will soon be self-funded through reviewing its own regulators, the likelihood is that it, too, will become financially dependent on the Mosley millions.
Theoretically, the tycoon would then have the power to sink even the flagship of the Royal Charter, if he so chose.
Did the 14 Impress publications know that they were signing up to a Mosley-funded vehicle? Some seemed to believe that joining a Royal Charter-approved regulator is proof against any future legal costs.
If that is so, they will be alarmed to discover that Impress obliges them to join a compulsory arbitration scheme under which, according to industry critics, they could be made to pay legal costs arbitrators fees under compensation adding up to 10,000 to resolve complaints dealt with for free by the newspapers rival IPSO system.
Impress can raise its subscription charges at will, which it surely would have to do if Mr Mosley pulls its plug.
So what does the PRP do now? It certainly faces an exquisite dilemma.
Should it fade away, having achieved nothing?
Or, by agreeing, absurdly, that Impress is independent and properly funded, should it effectively consent to being bankrolled by Max Mosley, son of the man who was once Britains would-be fascist dictator, and whose own interest in Press regulation stems from the exposure of his paid-for sado-masochistic orgy?
When Mr Cameron launched his Royal Charter in the House of Commons, he quoted Winston Churchill: A free Press is the unsleeping guardian of every other right that free men prize, it is the most dangerous foe of tyranny.
In just five years, Guy Russo managed to turn Kmart's profits around and re-establish it as one of Australia's most successful budget retailers.
Sister retailer Target, who in the same week announced the firing of a number of senior executives and the potential for hundreds of job losses.
Last month Mr Russo was announced as the CEO of Wesfarmers' department stores division, meaning he would be in control of both Target and Kmart.
Australian retailer Target has recorded a huge decline in sales in recent years
Meantime competitor Kmart has completely reinvented itself as desirable budget department store
Retail experts have warned the reason for Target's demise is because it has struggled to find it's niche in the market, fluctuating between middle-market alongside Myer, and budget with Kmart.
BY THE NUMBERS: HOW DO TARGET AND KMART WEIGH UP? TARGET Revenue 2015: $3.44 billion
Return on capital: 3.6 per cent KMART Revenue 2015: $4.6 billion
Return on capital: 32.9 per cent Advertisement
'There's two options, he can push Target slightly more upmarket and into the Myer space, rather than compete against his own store Kmart', Dr Gary Mortimer, Senior Lecturer of International Business at the Queensland University of Technology told Daily Mail Australia.
'Or alternatively - and this is what the rumor has been - they actually start to almost be the same retailer so bring the target model back down to the Kmart everyday low price,' Dr Mortimer added.
He said it would be 'risky' for the retailers to position themselves in the same demographic, because it could ultimately lead to amalgamation and leave room for international retailers.
Wesfarmers department store division CEO Guy Russo has a big job ahead of him with Target
'I think the challenge currently facing Wesfarmers apparel and and general merchandising division Kmart and Target is they're starting to resemble one another,' Dr Mortimer said.
If the two stores were to join forces, removing one from shopping centres where both and Kmart and Target currently exist could leave open opportunity for global retailers.
'Under the stewardship of Guy Russo now looking after both business, the smart move would be to remove duplication on offer.
'So that would mean potentially closing stores where you have duplicates,' Dr Mortimer said.
'This may leave room for global smart sell retailers such as H&M, Uniqlo or Topshop,' he added.
Kmart has completely reinvented itself in recent years thanks to Guy Russo
The retailer has gained somewhat of a cult following for its affordable homewares range
As for the job cuts being reported, Dr Mortimer said it was likely that job cuts at head office meant there would be more money to invest on the front line.
'In doing that they're investing more in the front-line employees and removing back office or administration positions,' he said.
Kmart has completely reinvented itself in recent years, becoming the new cool for middle-class Australians with their low price points and trendy items without the designer price tag.
A 14-month-old girl has a rare condition that makes her allergic to all foods, even her mother's breast milk.
Since birth, Lola Boyd has been unable to feed without experiencing an allergic reaction.
The little girl has a condition where her gut cannot process food proteins called food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, also known as FPIES.
Lola Boyd has been unable to feed without experiencing an allergic reaction ever since she was born
The 14-month-old has a condition where her gut cannot process food proteins called food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, also known as FPIES. She is pictured above with her mother, Karina Bannigan
Her mother, Karina Bannigan, said she had to be extremely careful what she gave Lola.
'I hold her a lot because it gives her comfort from the pain and because I worry she might find a stray crumb. I can't risk her going into shock,' the mother told Kidspot.
Ms Bannigan first noticed her daughter's discomfort when Lola was irritable and hard to settle.
In the first weeks following Lola's premature birth, Ms Bannigan, from Sydney, thought the little girl had colic.
But soon it was clear her daughter's restlessness was much more serious when she started showing symptoms of severe pain, passing lots of stools a day, blood in her stools and a raw bottom.
In the first weeks following Lola's premature birth, Ms Bannigan, from Sydney, thought the little girl had colic
But soon it was clear her daughter's restlessness was much more serious when she started showing symptoms of severe pain, passing lots of stools a day, blood in her stools and a raw bottom
The mother, who already had three boys before the birth of her daughter, made any changes she could to to give Lola some relief. Lola is pictured above with Mason (left), Lachlan (centre) and Koby (right)
'I had taken her to numerous doctors, hospitals and ultrasounds to figure out what was going on,' Ms Bannigan told Daily Mail Australia.
'I always knew something was wrong with Lola. Even though doctors told me she was lactose intolerant, this and that.'
The mother, who already had three boys before the birth of her daughter at 35 weeks and five days by caesarean, made any changes she could to to give Lola some relief.
Ms Bannigan told Kidspot she switched up her baby wipes, and stopped eating dairy, soy, oats, rice and bread.
The 31-year-old said the one thing that did calm Lola down was holding her and the mother did this 'all the time'.
But the worst of it came when Ms Bannigan tried to feed her baby rice and oats.
'When I gave her rice, three to four hours later she had a reaction. She was having acute diarrhoea,' she told Daily Mail Australia.
'I haven't seen anything like this. It lasted for weeks.'
But the worst of it came when Ms Bannigan tried to feed her baby rice and oats. Pictured above with Lola and her husband, Stephen
Lola's big brother, Koby, is seen helping her feed through her feeding tube
The little girl's reaction to oats was so severe that her parents rushed her to hospital, with Ms Bannigan describing the moment as scary
After her daughter got over the bout of diarrhoea, Ms Bannigan tried out oats but the little girl's reaction was even worse than the one she had to the rice.
'That's when she had the vomiting. She went all pale and floppy,' the mother told Daily Mail Australia.
'I was really scared. I felt sick myself seeing her sick. I didn't know what was going. I knew it wasn't a normal vomit.'
Ms Bannigan called an ambulance but her husband arrived home first.
The couple raced to Westmead Children's Hospital and it was there they finally found the answers they had been searching for.
Allergist Dr Sam Mehr diagnosed Lola with FPIES at six months old.
'I cried [when I heard the news]. I was confused and scared and alone,' Ms Bannigan told Daily Mail Australia.
With not a lot of places to find support, the mother-of-four turned to the FPIES Australian Facebook Group.
When Lola was about six months old, the couple raced to Westmead Children's Hospital and it was there they finally found the answers they had been searching for
Allergist Dr Sam Mehr diagnosed Lola with FPIES. When she found out about the diagnosis, Ms Bannigan said she cried. But she hoped telling her story would raise awareness about the rare disease
It was there Ms Bannigan said she found comfort and drew from the experiences of other women who had been through the same thing as herself with their children.
'A lady who runs the Facebook page, Belinda, has been through all it. She was the best to turn to because she knew how I was feeling,' Ms Bannigan said.
Ms Bannigan said she hoped telling her story would help raise awareness of the disease.
Only 0.34 per cent of the population have FPIES, according to Kidspot.
The mother urged people to following their instincts when it came to their child.
'You know your child better than anyone knows your child, so always follow your mother's intuition,' she told Daily Mail Australia.
Lola now has a feeding tube to help her get more nutrients.
The tube helps her eat as she has never been bottle fed due to her allergies.
The little girl has been trialling a new prescription formula over the past few days.
'She will still have the reactions [when being fed through the tube],' Ms Bannigan said.
Burglars were caught on surveillance video fleeing from a New Jersey home after being startled when they received a messaged broadcast remotely from the homeowner.
New Jersey State Police said the two male suspects broke into the Upper Pittsgrove home by kicking in the side door on Tuesday around 9.30am.
While they initially appeared to be startled by the two dogs inside the house, it was hearing the message from the homeowner that seemed to have them fleeing from the Salem County home.
Burglars were caught on surveillance video fleeing from a New Jersey home after being startled when they received a messaged broadcast remotely from the homeowner
The burglars make a run for it above. Police are now asking for the public's help in identifying the two suspects who they say stole a lock box containing jewelry and personal documents from the home
Police said in a Facebook post that while the burglary was in progress, the homeowner was able to see the intruders on surveillance video and addressed them.
'We shall not repeat what was said, but needless to say the burglars read the message loud and clear,' police said.
The video shared by authorities did not include audio, but police told Daily Mail Online that the burglars received the message through a 'PA announcement in the house.'
Police are now asking for the public's help in identifying the two suspects who they say stole a lock box containing jewelry and personal documents from the home.
New Jersey State Police said the two male suspects broke into the Upper Pittsgrove home by kicking in the side door on Tuesday around 9.30am
After the dogs sniff them and walk off, the men are seen heading to a different part of the house out of view of the camera while wearing blue gloves
During the burglary, the men are seen bursting through the door and entering what appears to be a living room and kitchen area before encountering the homeowner's dogs.
After the dogs sniff them and walk off, the men are seen heading to a different part of the house out of view of the camera while wearing blue gloves.
Eventually they reappear in the living room area, with one opening a suitcase before quickly closing it.
It was around that time when the two men appear to pause and look in the direction of the camera as they were addressed by the homeowner before being scared away.
Food banks handed out 10 million meals in one year as the service continues to be used by a record number of hungry Britons, new figures reveal.
The country's biggest food bank network passed out 1.1million emergency food packages in 2014/2015 compared with 900,000 the previous year.
Each parcel provides 'nutritionally balanced' food for three days, meaning roughly 10million meals were needed. Of these, more than 415,000 packages - some 3.7million meals - went to children.
Rising demand: The country's biggest food bank network passed out 1.1million emergency food packages in 2014/2015 compared with 900,000 the previous year. File image of a Trussell Trust food bank
Meanwhile a separate report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger shows a rising number of children are starting their first and final years of primary school underweight.
The increase in demand for emergency supplies comes despite signs of an economic recovery, according to the Trussell Trust, Britain's largest food bank operator.
The trust said its figures do not reveal the full scale of food poverty in the UK because other groups also offer food aid.
Almost half of food banks said there had been an increase in the number of people needing emergency supplies because of delays and changes to benefits, according to the 2014-2015 figures.
Other problems included low wages, high living costs or insecure work contracts. The trust said a million emergency food supplies a year must not become the 'new normal'.
Trust chief executive David McAuley said: 'Today's figures on national food bank use prove that the numbers of people hitting a crisis where they cannot afford to buy food are still far too high. One million three-day food supplies given out by our food banks every year is one million too many.'
The report said there was a clear link between food bank use and areas of high deprivation. Most of the trust's food banks also offer legal and welfare advice, housing support and clothes.
Concerns: Too many children have hunger as their 'most constant companion' with one in five pupils at some schools arriving ravenous each day, according to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger (file image)
The charity has previously been criticised by MPs who accused it of 'scaremongering'.
A Government spokesman said: 'Reasons for foodbank use are complex so it is misleading to link them to any one thing.
'This Government is determined to move to a higher-wage society, introducing the new National Living Wage that will benefit over one million workers directly this year, and we're also spending 80 billion on working-age benefits to ensure a strong safety net for those who need it most.
'The vast majority of benefits are processed on time and the number of sanctions have actually gone down.'
Shadow environment, food and rural affairs secretary Kerry McCarthy said: 'It is a national scandal that food bank usage is continuing to rise.
'Food banks have become a truly shameful symbol of a Tory Government that is failing to stand up for ordinary people. While those at the top are given tax breaks, others are struggling to get by.
'Emergency food aid should remain just that - food banks can never be allowed to become a permanent feature of British society.'
Meanwhile the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger said too many children have hunger as their 'most constant companion' with one in five pupils at some schools arriving ravenous each day.
The group has called for help from the United Kingdom Statistics Authority to help flesh out data about the true scale of hunger across Britain.
Its report looked at 19 schools in Birkenhead and 13 in South Shields, with some staff reporting increased hunger in pupils on Mondays and after school holidays.
Chairman Frank Field told how 'one little mite in Birkenhead' at a fun day, said 'I don't mind missing the activities, but please can I come in and eat? I've had nothing today and I'm starving'.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made Sen. Bernie Sanders pay for comments he had made about Israel attacking Gaza in 2014, calling the military action a 'disproportionate' response.
'I do not know how you run a country when you are constant threat,' Clinton said onstage at tonight's Democratic debate in New York City. 'Terrorist attacks, rockets coming at you, you have a right to defend yourself.'
Sanders, who could become the country's first Jewish president, had struck a more conciliatory tone when talking about the plight of the Palestinians, noting that Israel indeed had a right to defend itself,' but we had in the Gaza area, not a very large area, some 10,000 civilians who were wounded and more than 1,500 who were killed.'
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Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders had a heated discussion on the topic of Israel and the treatment of Palestinians at tonight's Democratic debate in New York City
'Now if you're asking me not just me, but countries all over the world, was that a disproportionate attack the answer is I believe it was,' Sanders said, doubling down on what he's said in the past.
Sanders talked about spending time in Israel and having family in the country.
'Let me say something else,' he added.
'As somebody who is 100 percent pro-Israel. In the long run, and this is not going to be easy, God only knows, but in the long run if we are ever going to bring peace to that region, which has seen so much hatred, so much war, we are going to have to treat the Palestinian people with respect and dignity,' Sanders said.
He finished his initial statement by saying the United States and the rest of the world needed to ban together to assist the Palestinian people.
Clinton characterized Israel as being more of the victim.
'They do not seek these kind of attacks,' she said. '. They do not invite rockets raining down on their towns and villages. They do not believe that there should be a constant incitement by Hamas, aided and abetted by Iran, against Israel.'
She recalled one scenario in 2012 when she negotiated a ceasefire recalling that Israelis couldn't make the attacks stop 'because they couldn't find anybody to talk to to tell them to stop it.'
As for the suffering of Palestinian civilians she answered that Israel has to take 'appropriate precautions.'
She also said the United States should 'o everything we can to try and reach a two-state solution that would give the Palestinians the rights and, just let me finish, the autonomy that they deserve,' trying to not get cut off by a moderator.
'And let me say this, if Yassar Arafat had agreed with my husband at Camp David in the late 1990s to the offer that Prime Minister Barak had put on the table, we would have had a Palestinian state for 15 years already,' she smarted.
Sanders called out Clinton for not answering the question saying the point wasn't whether Israel had a right to self-defense, but whether she, too, would characterize the 2014 Gaza conflict as 'disproportionate.'
'I think I did answer it, by saying, of course there have to be precautions taken, but even the most independent analyst will say the way that Hamas places its weapons, the way that it often has its fighters in civilian garb, it is terrible,' Clinton replied.
'I'm not saying it's anything other than terrible,' the former secretary of state added.
Clinton reminded Sanders that the Israelis had packed up and left Gaza, only for Hamas to fill the void.
'We have a terrorist haven that is getting more and more rockets shipped in from Iran and elsewhere,' she said.
The bickering continued for a minute longer with Sanders pointing a finger at Clinton suggesting that she thought Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was 'right all of the time,' a characterization that Clinton dismissed.
'Here is the issue, of course Israel has the right to defend itself,' Sanders stated one more time.
'But longterm there will never be peace in that region unless the United States plays a role, an even-handed role, trying to bring people together and recognizing the serious problems that exist among the Palestinian people,' he noted.
Clinton reiterated her takeaway as well.
A survivor of the February massacre in Kalamazoo, Michigan said she does not hate the shooter, even as she now struggles to walk and has to learn how to use a 'completely reconstructed' arm.
Tiana Carruthers, 25, is speaking publicly for the first time after she was allegedly shot four times by Jason Dalton on February 20 during the horrific five-hour shooting spree.
Dalton, 45, is charged with murder and attempted murder. He told investigators that a 'devil figure' on Uber was controlling him as he killed six people in between driving passengers for the app.
Tiana Carruthers, 25, one of the two survivors of the Kalamazoo mass shootings, spoke publicly for the first time on Thursday after she was allegedly shot four times by Jason Dalton on February 20
Carruthers was at an apartment complex playground with her daughter and several children when she sensed trouble as a driver approached and told the children to run away before she was struck
Carruthers was at an apartment complex playground with her daughter and several children when she sensed trouble as a driver approached.
She moved between the car and children and told them to run home before the shooter opened fire.
Authorities said Carruthers was the first person shot by Dalton, who then went to a Cracker Barrel restaurant and car dealership.
'I don't feel like a hero sometimes,' she said on Thursday at the Kalamazoo hospital where she has been treated since the mass shooting. 'I was just doing what any parent would do.'
Carruthers revealed that she was working on forgiving the man who shot the bullets that broke most of her fingers and thigh bones. One remains lodged in her liver.
'As far as the man who did this to me, for some reason I do not hate him, I don't hate him at all,' she said.
'Sometimes I get angry with myself because I don't. I'm working on forgiving the man who did this. I know it will be a process. Right now I just wonder why...I know God knows why.'
Carruthers said it was her daughter's 'beautiful smile' that helped her through her long recovery, saying she knows how hard it is for her little girl to see the days when she's 'crying' and 'feeling so down'.
Carruthers revealed that she was working on forgiving the man who shot the bullets that broke most of her fingers and thigh bones. One remains lodged in her liver
Carruthers also spoke about 14-year-old Abigail Kopf (pictured), the only other survivor of the mass shooting. Abigail was shot in the head in the Cracker Barrel parking lot a few hours after Carruthers was struck
'Just being 25 and being in a wheelchair, just trying to walk, I put a smile on my face every day,' she said, according to NBC News.
'I'm trying to be the same person that I was, but that is entirely impossible.'
But Carruthers said it feels good to be sleeping in her own bed again, and to get to see her daughter's smile every day.
Carruthers began by reading a prepared statement but then opted to 'wing it' because she didn't want her comments to be scripted.
'I'm struggling mentally, physically, emotionally like I said, it's hard,' she said. 'I know it took me a while to speak with anyone.'
Carruthers said she felt ready to speak now, thanking those who have helped her get 'to this point' after such a 'life-changing' experience.
Doctors initially thought she was brain-dead and planned to harvest her organs when Abigail suddenly squeezed her mother's hand
'I feel like I'm a child at zero months right now,' she continued. 'I'm living life like it's my last.'
Carruthers also spoke about 14-year-old Abigail Kopf, the only other survivor of the mass shooting.
Abigail was shot in the head in the Cracker Barrel parking lot a few hours after Carruthers was struck.
Doctors initially thought she was brain-dead and planned to harvest her organs when Abigail suddenly squeezed her mother's hand.
'I love her,' Carruthers said. 'I've never met the girl but I believe what she's going through is a miracle.'
'She has a whole lot of life to live. I have a whole lot of life to live.'
Abigal's family have been documenting her incredible recovery at a Grand Rapids rehabilitation center.
Dalton (pictured), 45, an Uber driver, has been charged with six counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder in connection with the shooting
Last week Abigail's family released a video on Facebook that showed the teen was walking again.
Her family wrote online: 'Abbie's recovery is astounding. It's hard to believe that a girl who was shot in the head a month ago is now playing board games.'
Abigail is slated to be released from the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in the next month.
She began speaking in mid-March, less than a month after the shooting on February 20.
'This little girl loves her pig named Hamlet,' her father wrote on the family's Go Fund Me page. 'Tonight, Abbie spoke her first word. It was 'pig'.'
'This gives us great hope that she will regain her speech.'
Abigail needed a ventilator at first but began breathing on her own again a few days after she was shot.
Earlier in March, she opened her eyes for the first time since the attack and managed to take a few steps.
His electorate takes in the Townsville nickel refinery in Queensland
Federal MP Ewen Jones has burst into tears after the Turnbull Government announced that most of the sacked Queensland Nickel workers will be compensated.
The Federal Government will take unprecedented steps to go after Clive Palmer to recover millions in unpaid entitlements owed to 800 Queensland Nickel workers who lost their jobs.
Mr Jones, whose electorate Herbet takes in the Townsville nickel refinery that used to employ so many of his constituents, broke down as Federal Employment Minister Michaelia Cash made the announcement.
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Federal MP Ewen Jones (left) burst into tears after the Turnbull government announced that most of the sacked Queensland Nickel workers will be compensated
The federal government will take unprecedented steps to go after Clive Palmer to recover millions in unpaid entitlements owed to 800 Queensland Nickel workers who lost their jobs
'This is a tough day in Townsville because this says this is the end of the line for a lot of these people,' Mr Jones said.
'It's up to the liquidators to ensure they do everything they can to step in and chase this money. There's nothing surer ... there are assets floating around that everyone can see, that can be cashed in ... if the circumstances are right.'
Mr Jones, a critic of Mr Palmer, stepped away from the microphone during the press conference as he wiped his tears away and was comforted by Senator Cash.
Senator Cash expects most of the Yabulu refinery employees will get the bulk of the $73.9 million owed by the company under the government's Fair Entitlements Guarantee Scheme.
But she also warned the Government would do everything in its power to ensure Mr Palmer and his businesses cough up the money provided by taxpayers and other funds.
Ewan Jones, whose electorate takes in the Townsville nickel refinery that used to employ so many of his constituents, broke down as federal employment minister Michaelia Cash made the announcement
Mr Jones (left), a critic of Mr Palmer, stepped away from the microphone during the press conference
Senator Cash (pictured) expects most of the Yabulu refinery employees will get the bulk of the $73.9 million owed by the company under the government's Fair Entitlements Guarantee Scheme
Subject to court consent, it will appoint a special purpose liquidator, Stephen Parbery from PBB Advisory, to pursue the funds 'ripped off from employees', positioning the government as a creditor to Queensland Nickel.
'This has never been done by a Commonwealth Government before,' the minister told reporters in Townsville on Friday.
Queensland Nickel's administrators this week detailed allegations of how tens of millions of dollars was stripped from the company to fund Mr Palmer's other activities, she added.
'This is a tough day in Townsville because this says this is the end of the line for a lot of these people,' Mr Jones said
Mr Jones: 'It's up to the liquidators to ensure they do everything they can to step in and chase this money'
But Senator Cash also warned the government would do everything in its power to ensure Mr Palmer (pictured) and his businesses cough up the money provided by taxpayers and other funds
'If money has been improperly taken out of the company, then it will be pursued. If individuals have broken the law, then they will be pursued,' Senator Cash warned.
'We're not pursuing a parliamentarian, we are pursuing the management of Queensland Nickel. They are fundamentally different. They just happen to be the same person.'
Treasurer Scott Morrison said the workers, who were sacked in two lots in January and March, had been treated disgracefully.
'I'll be expecting the regulators, ASIC and others, to be pursuing this within the full extent of their powers,' he said in Sydney.
Australian Workers Union Queensland branch secretary Ben Swan said cash-strapped Townsville families would welcome access to federal help and the pursuit of Mr Palmer.
'He should be held to account for what he's inflicted on people,' Mr Swan told AAP.
Treasurer Scott Morrison said the workers, who were sacked in two lots in January and March, had been treated disgracefully
Mr Jones is usually one of Parliament's more bubblier and joyful personalities
Administrators FTI Consulting say there's evidence to suggest Mr Palmer used Queensland Nickel as a 'piggy bank' to fund his other interests and possible breaches of corporations law that could expose him to civil or criminal charges.
Mr Palmer has branded the report derogatory and untrue and denies ever acting as a 'shadow director' of Queensland Nickel - taking part in day-to-day operational and expenditure decisions - after announcing in 2013 he was stepping down after entering parliament.
Refinery operator Queensland Nickel and its sales arm are owned under a joint venture arrangement by QNI Resources and QNI Metals, which in turn are owned by three entities - all 100 per cent owned by Mr Palmer.
Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the Government's move was 'better late than never'.
Creditors are expected approve the company's liquidation next week.
Mr Jones took to Twitter after the press conference to apologise for 'getting teary'
Palmer United Party (PUP) leader Clive Palmer during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra
Was asked about it at tonight's debate and tried to turn it into an assault on Sanders' voting record on guns
Hillary Clinton denied tonight that she is blaming Democratic rival Bernie Sanders' home state of Vermont for gun violence in New York.
'No, of course not,' she told CNN anchor and debate moderator Wolf Blitzer as he confronted her with claims she made earlier this week on the trail.
Clinton said Monday at a roundtable in Port Washington, 'Here's what I want you to know. Most of the guns that are used in crimes and violence and killings in New York come from out of state. And the state that has the highest per capita number of those guns that end up committing crimes in New York come from Vermont.'
Vermont's Governor, Peter Shumlin, is a Clinton backer. But he said her claims about his state aren't 'entirely accurate.'
Sanders pointed to Shumlin's defense of their state in tonight's debate during the clash and said if that wasn't the inference she was trying to make, 'Why did she put out that statement?'
He also said he does not owe an apology to the families of Sandy Hook shooting victims for refusing to vote for legislation that would make it easier for them to prevail in court against those that sold the weapons used in the crime to the mother of the would-be mass murderer.
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Hillary Clinton said Monday at a round table in Port Washington, 'Here's what I want you to know. Most of the guns that are used in crimes and violence and killings in New York come from out of state. And the state that has the highest per capita number of those guns that end up committing crimes in New York come from Vermont'
As Clinton tried to say tonight she 'of course' wasn't implying Vermont was at fault for New York's homicide rate, Sanders laughed in her face.
Clinton roared back at him, 'It's not a laughing matter - 90 people on average a day are killed or commit suicide or die in accidents from guns, 33,000 people a year. I take it really seriously, because I have spent more time than I care to remember being with people who have lost their loved ones.'
'So, yes, we have a problem in America. We need a president who will stand up against the gun lobby. We need a president who will fight for commonsense gun safety reforms,' she said.
The former New York senator hit her opponent for his vote in favor of a bill that protected gun manufacturers from liability lawsuits for crimes committed using their firearms and brought up a suit that's being brought by families of the victims of Sand Hook.
'He said they didn't deserve their day in court,' Clinton said. 'I could not disagree more.'
Clinton charged, 'We hear a lot from Senator Sanders about the greed and recklessness of Wall Street, and I agree....Well, what about the greed and recklessness of gun manufacturers and dealers in America?'
Sanders retorted that 'the only problem is, Wolf, she didn't answer your question.'
'You asked her whether she thought that Vermont was responsible for a lot of the gun violence. You made the point what she said was totally absurd,' he said.
Clinton tried to interject but Sanders slapped her down and said, 'Excuse me, I think I'm responding now.'
In his answer he addressed the Sandy Hook shooting, calling it 'murder, assault, slaughter' and an 'unspeakable act.' The U.S. senator contended that he 'probably' lost his first federal election because he supported a ban on assault weapons.
He said of liability legislation, 'I was concerned that in rural areas all over this country, if a gun shop owner sells a weapon legally to somebody, and that person then goes out and kills somebody, I don't believe it is appropriate that that gun shop owner who just sold a legal weapon to be held accountable and be sued.
But, if gun shop owners are selling to someone who wants 'thousands of rounds of ammunition, or they want a whole lot of guns, yes, that gun shop owner or that gun manufacturer should be held liable,' he said.
The daughter of the principal of the Newtown, Connecticut, school said this month that Sanders owes her family an apology.
Asked about it at tonight's debate, Sanders said, 'No, I don't think I owe them an apology. They are in court today, and actually they won a preliminary decision today. They have the right to sue, and I support them and anyone else who wants the right to sue.'
Clinton denied tonight that she is blaming Democratic rival Bernie Sanders' home state of Vermont for gun violence in New York. Sanders said, if that's true, 'Why did she put out that statement?'
Clinton has made Sanders' stance on guns the centerpiece of her campaign against him in New York, where her lead dropped to 12 points in a poll on Monday from 21 in February.
Monday she publicly linked Vermont, a state that Sanders has represented in Congress for more than 25 years but has never led, to gun trafficking in New York.
Addressing Clinton's comments last week, Shumlin said, 'It is campaign season, therefore sometimes things are said by all the candidates that sometimes arent entirely accurate. I would just say this I think youd have a hard time convincing Vermonters that New Yorks crime problems are coming from Vermont.'
He pointed the finger in the other direction and said New York is responsible for the influx of heroin into Vermont.
'Theres no question that the heroin heading into Vermont right now doesnt originate in Vermont,' he said, according to the Barre Montpelier Times Argus.
Shumlin said, 'It comes from parts south, and you may well notice that often when folks are busted bringing this stuff in they have New York plates.'
Clinton's campaign cities a 2014 Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms report to back up the candidate's claims.
More guns were found at New York crime scenes from Vermont, per capita, than from any other state, it says.
In 2013, 61 guns at New York crime scenes were traced back to Vermont, the campaign said in a statement Monday evening.
The next highest state was New Hampshire.
Last October the New York Police Department reported a 25 percent increase in homicide by gun over the previous year and made reduction a priority.
Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon continued the siege on Sanders over gun crimes this week and said on Twitter, 'When Sanders cites his home state to defend his pro-gun positions, it's worth noting how the impact of VT gun laws don't end at state border.'
Michael Briggs, a spokesman for Sanders, directed reporters to Governor Shumlin's comments in the Time Argus in a statement.
Briggs added, 'I dont know why Secretary Clinton would be so critical of the governor of Vermont who strongly supports her candidacy.'
He also said he does not owe an apology to the families of Sandy Hook shooting victims for refusing to vote for legislation that would make it easier for them to prevail in court against those that sold the weapons used in the crime to the mother of the would-be mass murderer
The Washington Post's fact checkers determined that Clinton was relying on a 'misleading data point' to make her case.
'The per capita calculation is skewed by Vermonts small population,' it said.
Looking at the raw numbers in 2014, 2,556 guns would have been on the street aside from the 55 that came from Vermont that year.
'The number of crime guns in New York from Vermont is so small that it could even be attributed to one or two bad actors,' the Post said. 'Using the per capita measure of trafficked guns originating from Vermont is as pointless as counting guns trafficked per 100,000 head of cattle.'
Clinton moved away from that argument tonight and went back to attacking Sanders' personal record on guns.
His most recent rating from prominent gun lobby group the National Rifle Association is a D- and for many years he had an F, but throughout the 2016 campaign Clinton's made him out to be a cohort of the organization.
She frequently brings up his vote for the immunity legislation, as well.
Sanders has attached his name to legislation in the Senate this legislative session that would open up firearms manufacturers to the types of lawsuits supported by Clinton and a majority of liberals.
He's stipulated that it rests on the inclusion of a study to determine how the law affects rural states like Vermont and small, mom and pop style firearms dealers he worries will be bankrupted if the bill becomes law.
Clinton told him tonight, 'That was not the point of this. And if he can point to any, any incident where that happened, I would love to hear about it.'
Speaking to the New York Daily News editorial board this month Sanders said of gun violence, 'Nobody can guarantee that some lunatic is not going to pick up a gun today and kill people. But we have to do the best that we can to prevent those type of killings.'
The lawmaker said he was in favor of expanding background checks, getting rid of a rule that allows private sales without a check at gun shows, cracking down on straw sales and increasing funding for mental health.
'So I support pretty much the President's agenda,' he said.
But in response to a question on the 2014 Sandy Hook massacre in Connecticut, Sanders said he does not believe families of the victims should be able to sue the firearms manufacturer for damages.
'In the same sense that if you're a gun dealer and you sell me a gun and I go out and I kill him [a person in the room]. Do I think that that gun dealer should be sued for selling me a legal product that he misused?' Sanders shook his head no.
Continuing he said, 'But I do believe that gun manufacturers and gun dealers should be able to be sued when they should know that guns are going into the hands of wrong people.'
'So if somebody walks in and says, "I'd like 10,000 rounds of ammunition," you know, well, you might be suspicious about that. So I think there are grounds for those suits, but not if you sell me a legal product.'
Throughout the 2016 campaign she's made him out to be a cohort of the NRA, and she frequently highlights his vote against a bill that would have made gun manufacturers liable for crimes committed using their firearms
A progressive who is further to the left than Clinton on almost every issue but guns, his position on immunity for firearms makers is a perceived weakness that Clinton has effectively exploited.
Following the NYDN interview, Clinton's campaign convened lawmakers that have endorsed her for a call.
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy accused Sanders of 'shielding the firearms industry' and said his position 'is hard to understand.'
'His comments earlier this week in an interview that he gave to the New York Daily News are disturbing,' Murphy said.
Tonight Sanders said his position on gun control will help him bring Republicans and Democrats together to pass legislation addressing violence.
Outspoken 2GB radio host Alan Jones has slammed Channel Nine management as 'dysfunctional' over the bungled child recovery operation involving Tara Brown and the 60 Minutes crew in Lebanon.
The veteran broadcaster called the bungled child recovery attempt in southern Beirut 'absolutely absurd' and questioned why they were in the first place.
'People who know this area backwards say you wouldn't go into this area for quids,' he said on his morning program.
The region is renowned for being a Hezbollah stronghold.
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Veteran radio broadcaster Alan Jones has slammed Channel Nine management over their handling of the case involving the 60 Minutes TV crew in Lebanon
Nine Network news boss Darren Wick (left) flew to the Middle East to provide support for the jailed 60 Minutes crew while Nine Entertainment CEO Hugh Marks (right) has met with relatives of the incarcerated group
The Baabda Prison for women in Beirut where 60 Minutes reporter Tara Brown has been held along with Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner. They will spend at least the next five days incarcerated there before investigations recommence on Monday
A prison truck transports Tara Brown and Sally Faulkner back to the Baabda prison for women in Beirut. A joint Lebanese-Australian committee will be established to examine the case
The 60 Minutes crew including Tara Brown (above) have already spent a week in detention. They are expected to know within a week whether formal charges will be laid but remain behind bars until Monday
The Australian TV crew including David Ballment (left) and Stephen Rice (right) have been accused of kidnapping and being members of a criminal gang over the botched child recovery operation last Thursday
Nine Network cameraman Ben Williamson (left) and Child Abduction Recovery International representative Adam Whittington (right) are among the nine people taken into custody last Thursday
Sally Faulkner pictured with her two children Noah and Lahela. Judge Rami Abdullah said 'there is no way the charges will be dropped' against her, the 60 Minutes crew and the child recovery team
'The judge wants further investigation into who signed off on the kidnapping plot and who paid for the operation and of course they are questioning people individually.
'And when people are locked up they spill the beans.'
Ms Faulkner, 60 Minutes reporter Tara Brown, TV producer Stephen Rice, cameraman Ben Williamson and sound recordist David Ballment have all been charged over an alleged botched abduction of the Brisbane mother's two children Noah 4, and Lahela, 6 in Beirut last Thursday.
The other suspects have been identified in court as Britons Greg Michael and Adam Whittington (a former police officer); and Lebanese duo Mohammad Hamza and Khaled Barbour.
Jones, 75, accused the Nine Network of putting ratings ahead of staff.
'It seems here the preference was for television ratings via vigilante justice and Channel Nine has gone too far and now families of Australians are paying the price,' he added.
'Everyone sympathises with the mother whos desperate to get her children back and all that stuff, though there are always two parents involved here.
'While Lebanon has not signed the UNs convention governing international custody disputes, Australia does have its own agreement with Lebanon for co-operation on protecting the welfare of children, and Im not sure if anyone involved in this matter attempted to rely on that agreement.'
Baabda Court House in Beirut where Sally Faulkner and members of 60 Minutes have appeared after the failed 'abduction' of her children from the custody of her ex-husband
60 Minutes followed Sally Faulkner to film the recovery of her children, Noah and Lahela, from her estranged husband Ali Zeid Elamine (pictured) whom she claims kept her children in Lebanon without her permission
Giving some hope the matter might be handled as a custody dispute Ms Faulkner, 29, and her estranged husband Ali Elamine, 32, have been urged by the presiding judge to reach an agreement over the custody of their children.
But the group does face the serious charges of kidnapping and being members of a criminal gang, which can attract maximum sentences of up to three years and 10 years respectively.
The children, Noah, 4, and Lahela, 6, were returned to their father soon after they were snatched by a child recovery team as they were walking with their paternal grandmother, Ibtissam Berri, on a street in the southern Beirut suburb of Hadath.
It is understood the 60 Minutes team was in Lebanon to report on the recovery of the children.
Mount Lebanon Investigative Judge Rami Abdullah is expected to recommence his questioning of the accused on Monday.
Despite the imminent establishment of a joint Lebanese-Australian committee to review the case, Judge Abdullah insisted to reporters outside the Baabda Justice Palace there had been 'no political pressure' on him, reported The Daily Star.
Ms Faulkner's lawyer, Ghassan Moughabghab, also says if the Brisbane mother and Mr Elamine can reach an agreement, it would 'help all the accused people', including the Australian broadcasters.
Sally Faulkner has denied that any force was used against her children's paternal grandmother Ibtissam Berri (pictured) who claimed she was pistol whipped and threatened with a gun during the abduction in Beirut
'The husband has to drop the charges,' Mr Moughabghab claims. 'The judge is pushing [for him] to do that.'
Any chance of an early resolution has been dashed with the judge now likely to wait until Monday to again question the group.
Brown appeared first before the judge on Wednesday, handcuffed and escorted by security officials into the courtroom. She was soon followed by Faulkner and later Williamson, Ballment and Rice, who were handcuffed to each other but appeared in good spirits.
Nine's director of news and current affairs, Darren Wick, watched as his staff members were led in for questioning. He declined to comment.
Nine has refused to comment on speculation it organised, and funded the recovery operation.
Lebanese authorities reportedly have evidence that Channel Nine paid for the abduction.
A son of Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has been found guilty of harassment after he was accused of pushing his girlfriend during an argument last summer.
John Bowlen, 30, was convicted Thursday and sentenced to 24 months of probation with drug and alcohol evaluations. He was also ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.
Bowlen had pleaded not guilty to the harassment charge that stemmed from the 2015 incident in which he pushed his girlfriend against a bathroom wall.
John Bowlen (left and right), son of Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has been found guilty of harassment after he was accused of pushing his girlfriend during an argument last summer
Bowlen, who was found guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor charge of harassment, was a candidate to take over the team after his father (pictured), revealed he would give up his duties in 2014
He was also charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor for allegedly hanging up the phone when the woman tried to call 911,according to the Denver Post.
The jury found Bowlen guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor charge of harassment, according to a news release from the Arapahoe County District Attorney's office.
Last summer, Bowlen's girlfriend of ten months told investigators that he was under the influence of 'whippets', nitrous oxide, and alcohol, according to the Post.
Bowlen, who was a marketing assistant for the Broncos, was immediately put on indefinite leave.
His girlfriend called the police because of his 'erratic behavior', and could be heard screaming in her initial call before it was hung up from inside of his Glendale apartment.
The recording obtained by TMZ revealed that the dispatcher called back and Bowlen answered.
After identifying himself as the owner of the Broncos, Bowlen told the dispatcher his girlfriend had called 911 because she was trying to 'ruin his life'.
The suspended team executive said: 'I swear on my dad's life. She's crazy right now.
'She's leaving right now. There's nothing to be worried about.' He then revealed the couple supposedly broke up four hours before the 911 call as placed.
Bowlen added: 'She's had seven beers. She weighs 95 pounds and she is being picked up by another male who she works out with.
'She is fine and she is trying to cause a problem. As the blood of the city, I'm telling you nothing is wrong.'
Last summer, Bowlen's girlfriend of ten months told investigators that he was under the influence of 'whippets', nitrous oxide, and alcohol at the time of the abuse. Bowlen (left in 2014) was a marketing assistant for the Broncos but was immediately put on indefinite leave after the arrest
In addition to two years of probation, Bowlen was sentenced 24 hours of community service. If he violates the terms of his probation, the judge said jail will be imposed. He's pictured (left) in 2014 after the Denver Outlaws won the Steinfeld Trophy
In order to help out, Bowlen said he had the concierge coming from downstairs.
He continued: 'I'm sober. I'm a man of the city. A friend of the mayor.
'And everybody knows exactly who I am. I'm going through a lot.
'She is leaving right now, nothing is wrong. I love you guys. Thank you. Bye bye.'
His father is suffering from Alzheimer's and relinquished control of the team in 2014.
In addition to two years of probation, Bowlen was sentenced 24 hours of community service.
If he violates the terms of his probation, the judge said jail will be imposed, according to TMZ. Bowlen's attorney has said his client will appeal the ruling.
In August 2005, he was also arrested by Boulder police on suspicion of driving under the influence.
He pleaded guilty to driving while his ability was impaired.
If water temperatures rise by just 0.5 degrees much of the reef will suffer
An environmental lawyer has called the state of Australia's Great Barrier Reef 'an international tragedy' after a study revealed a bleak outlook for its future.
In an opinion piece for The Guardian, Ariane Wilkinson, a lawyer at Environmental Justice Australia, blasts Environmental Minister Greg Hunt for not taking action to protect the largest living thing on Earth.
'He seems to be ignoring the elephant in the room - that carbon pollution is the root of the problem, and that he has the power in his hands right now to prevent a further 120 million tonnes per year of additional carbon pollution, giving the world the chance the save the reef,' Ms Wilkinson states.
A study of 27 years worth of data found that corals were able to cope with gains in water temperatures when the heat built up step-by-step, rather than abruptly
Ariane Wilkinson says 'carbon pollution is the root of the problem, and that Greg Hunt (pictured) has the power to prevent a further 120 million tonnes per year of additional carbon pollution
A team of scientists released a new study in Science on Friday that examined 27 years of temperature data along the 2,300 kilometre long ecosystem.
It found that corals were able to cope with gains in water temperatures when the heat built up step-by-step, rather than abruptly.
It also reported that less than a degree increase in water temperature could be catastrophic for the reef.
'We find that near-future increases in local temperature of as little as 0.5C result in this protective mechanism being lost, which may increase the rate of degradation of the GBR.' the report stated.
The Great Barrier Reef is home to 3000 coral reefs and is bigger than the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Holland combined.
The study also stated the while many of the organisms have a threshold to survive warmer temperatures, we're getting closer to going over that threshold.
Coral bleaching is responsible for a loss of colour and vibrance in the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia's biggest tourist attractions but it is facing a bleak future
'Bleaching events of the past three decades have been mitigated by induced thermal tolerance of reef-building corals, and this protective mechanism is likely to be lost under near-future climate change scenarios,' the report says.
In her opinion piece, Wilkinson is critical of the government's approval for more coal mines.
'At a time when the world must burn less coal to prevent precisely this kind of harm, it defies reason for the Australian government to approve the expansion of a coal export terminal at Abbot Point on the Reefs coast, as well as the Adani Goups proposed massive Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin.'
If water temperatures rise by 0.5 degrees then a protective mechanism may be lost and subsequently increase the rate of degradation of the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef stretches 2,300 km and is bigger than the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Holland combined
She adds that these approvals are 'adding insult to injury for the Reef by allowing 120 million tonnes per annum of greenhouse gas emissions to be released into Earths atmosphere, mainly from the burning of the coal'.
Uber has been forced to apologise to a blind man after a driver refused to pick him up because he didn't want his guide dog to mess up his car.
Graeme Innes, who happens to be Australia's former disability discrimination commissioner, was refused the ride by an Uber driver in Sydney just before Easter.
'He said that he had a new car, it had cost him $90,000 and he wasn't prepared to have animals in the car,' Mr Innes told the ABC.
Uber has apologised to a blind man after a driver refused to pick him up because he didn't want his guide dog to mess up his car
Graeme Innes and his guide dog (pictured) were refused the ride by an Uber driver in Sydney just before Easter
The driver cancelled the booking and the 61-year-old was forced to book another Uber.
'Because I was a bit more frustrated I actually just opened the door and got in the (second) car, and he also didn't want to take me... (he) yelled a lot and drove in a pretty scary manner,' Mr Innes said.
He initially took to Twitter to complain about the drivers saying: 'Am regular @Uber user. Refused twice tonight with guide dog. They have 7 days before discrim complaint.'
The company responded promptly and Mr Innes then lodged to complaints via email asking to be informed of when and how the drivers were disciplined.
Graeme Innes (pictured) happens to be Australia's former disability discrimination commissioner
'They refunded the fares immediately, but I also said that I would like compensation and I'd also like to be made aware of the disciplining of the drivers and I gave them seven days to respond to that,' he said.
Mr Innes subsequently lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission under the Disability Act, which prompted Uber to contact him to inform him the drivers had been disciplined.
Uber said in a statement that drivers were legally obliged to carry guide dogs.
'We have resolved the individual issue about the isolated incident,' a spokesman said.
'We believe that everyone should be able to get access to reliable and affordable transport, including those with accessibility needs and assistance dogs.'
The first driver said that it was a new car which had cost him $90,000 and he wasn't prepared to have animals in the car
An Ohio woman accused of suffocating her three sons out of jealousy at the attention her husband gave them is asking a judge to toss her confession.
Lawyers for 23-year-old Brittany Pilkington have also asked to split the case into three trials and remove the death penalty as a possibility.
Her attorneys filed six motions on April 1 and prosecutors had 20 days to respond, The Dayton Daily News reported.
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Ohio mom Brittany Pilkington, 23 (pictured) who is accused of suffocating her three sons out of jealousy at the attention her husband gave them is asking a judge to toss her confession
Gavin Pilkington, four, (right) died last April and Niall Pilkington, three months, (left) died in July 2014
A judge previously denied removing the death penalty option. The new motion seeks a dismissal based on a January ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The defense is questioning the constitutionality of Ohio's capital punishment laws. Her trial is scheduled to start in October.
The Bellefontaine woman pleaded not guilty to three counts of aggravated murder.
Meanwhile, prosecutors say Pilkington confessed to the killings.
In the first motion, it requests for public access to the online court docket to be blocked during the trial to keep the jury from viewing it and improperly inferring information from prior motions and rulings, according to the Dayton Daily News.
The second motion requests to split the three counts claiming the three cases together create undue prejudice and interferes with their client's right to a fair trial on each count.
Authorities say Pilkington smothered the three boys with blankets. Her son Noah died at three months old last August
Her lawyers are also requesting that all statements that she made to law enforcement be concealed, arguing they were made involuntarily, violating her rights under the fifth, sixth and 14th amendments.
Defense's motion claims that during questioning last August following the death of her son Noah, it resulted in 'some incriminating statements, but no confessions to causing the deaths of children.'
'Ms. Pilkington, inexperienced with police questioning, emotionally upset, sleep-deprived and very tired, appears to counsel to have provided self-incriminating statements that were not only involuntary, but also likely highly unreliable, if not outright false in that they appear to have been the statements provided by police with her coerced assent given while she was without any psychological defenses,' the motion reads.
Officers went to the family's apartment after an emergency call from the mother saying Noah was not breathing
Authorities believe Pilkington used the comfort blankets of her four-year-old Gavin, three-month-old Niall and three-month old Noah to suffocate each of them in their crib or bed because she wanted her husband, Joseph Pilkington, to pay more attention to her and their three-year-old daughter.
In September, Joseph Pilkington was charged with sexually assaulting Brittany when she was a teenager and had been living in her house for years as her stepfather, according to an indictment made public.
Thomas O'Connell was found in a torched car on the side of a road in regional Victoria
A man charged with murder after a body was found in a torched car on the side of the road says the allegations will make him a target with bikies.
Robert Musso, 37, was charged with the murder of Thomas O'Connell, 32, who was found in a Kia hatchback on the Hume Freeway in regional Victoria's Wandong on February 5.
Mr Musso has told the Melbourne Magistrates Court that he now fears for his life, reports The Age.
Mr Musso requested for media to leave the courtroom and later asked to leave himself when the magistrate explained the charges laid against him.
'It could endanger my life if people knew that I could be involved,' he told the court.
'I haven't committed this so I'm not going to sit through this.'
He told the court he was not involved in the murder and said Mr O'Connell was a 'friend'.
It comes as police revealed Mr O'Connell's car had been followed by a 2008 grey Honda Civic sedan shortly before the blaze.
Police discovered the torched Kia hatchback on the Hume Freeway in Wandong on February 5
Investigations were delayed several months because of the lengthy process in identifying the charred remains
The discovery of the car was announced as the breakthrough needed to solve Mr O'Connell's murder.
Investigations had been delayed several months because of the lengthy process in identifying the charred remains.
Mr O'Connell was last seen in Mernda in northeast Melbourne with friends the night before his body was found.
Investigations are ongoing and detectives are analysing a significant amount of dashboard camera and CCTV footage.
Mr Musso declined to apply for bail and will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.
Police have revealed Mr O'Connell's car (pictured) had been followed by a 2008 grey Honda Civic sedan shortly before the blaze
The vagrant teen charged with murdering dance student Haruka Weisner was forced to leave home because of his grandmother's 'religious beliefs', court documents show.
Meechaiel Criner, 17, was arrested a week ago and charged with killing the Portland ballerina who was in the first year of her studies at the University of Texas in Austin.
But new court documents show that, in August last year, he was forced out of the home he shared with grandmother Mary Wadley, 63, because she believed people his age should 'make their own way in the world.'
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Meechaiel Criner (left), 17, claims he was kicked out of the home he shared with grandmother Mary Wadley, 62 (right) last August because her 'religious beliefs' meant it was time for him 'to make his way in the world'
Haruka Weiser (pictured) was found dead in a creek on University of Texas at Austin campus last Tuesday. Criner, who is believed to have been living in a derelic building nearby, is suspected of killing her
The teen had been living with his grandmother after being removed from his mother Vivian Lafrance Criner, a drug addict and prostitute, aged just two.
Criner told police that he then hitchhiked and walked the 300-plus miles from Wadley's home in Texarkana, along the Texas-Arkansas border, to Austin.
Wadley reported her grandson as a runaway that same month, but admitted to authorities that it was only so she wouldn't be held responsible when he didn't show up for school.
It is not known what exactly became of Criner between the time he arrived in Austin and the time he is accused of killing Weiser, though he is thought to have been squatting in a derelict building close to the University of Texas campus.
Weiser was seen on CCTV heading towards her dorm on her phone when a man believed to be Criner began following her with a 'shiny rigid' object
Criner's family had an 'extensive history' with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, according to records filed by the agency in August, when the state asked a judge to take over his care and separate the teenager from relatives.
The state had investigated various allegations of abuse and neglect involving members of his family over the years.
Files seen by Dailymail.com shed light on Criner's chaotic and violent upbringing in which included a 2009 incident where he was left with both eyes swollen shut after being attacked by Wadley.
The same document also lists Criner medical needs, saying he suffers from schizophrenia and depression, and has autism.
In May 2009 Wadley was arrested and charged with injuring Criner after a neighbor spotted her beating him with a belt outside their home.
When police arrived, they found Criner, then aged ten, with two black eyes Wadley claimed he had turned unexpectedly, causing her to hit him in the face with the garment.
According to the case report filed by Texarkana police department, the child's eyes were left so swollen, he was unable to open them without using his fingers.
He also had bruising on the right side of his face.
Although his grandmother claimed to be disciplining the boy, when asked why he was being punished, Criner appeared not to know.
The police file, seen by Daily Mail Online, adds: 'Criner spoke as if he were mentally handicapped and 'slower' than normal children. At no time was he taken for medical treatment.'
Criner's grandmother, although initially booked into the local jail, was later freed with a warning and a $2,000 fine.
A further incident came in November 2013 with the 62-year-old this time accused of attacking one of his sisters.
This time, Criner was listed as a witness in the police report in which Wadley is claimed to have pushed and pulled the hair of 26-year-old Lawellai Criner.
However, neighbors who witnessed the disturbance said the intended victim was Criner himself, with the boy set upon by his sister.
On that occasion, no charges were pressed.
Criner's mother wanted to take him back in 2011, according to an affidavit from a child welfare investigator, but when Criner refused his mother allegedly threatened him.
'I am going to make sure you go to foster care,' Vivian Criner told her son, according to the affidavit.
More recent files concern Criner's multiple attempts to run away from home, the first time in January 2015.
According to his grandmother's statement, she and the teenager had had an argument and she had asked him to leave the house to calm down.
When she went to look for her grandson, the boy, who was wearing nothing more than a pair of black and grey pajamas, had gone.
Although Wadley told police she thought he might have gone to California, where his mother was then living, Criner instead went to the home of his 23-year-old sister Ariana in Houston.
Wadley (left) was previously accused of beating Criner, who also suffers from depression and schizophrenia, and has autism, according to public records
Criner had been living with Wadley in her Texarkana home (pictured) since age two after being taken away from his drug-addict mother Vivian Lafrance Criner
Returned to his grandmother after being picked up by police, Criner went missing for a second time on August 16 2015, when Criner claims he was forced to leave.
She also told the officer that she had no idea of her grandson's height and weight but revealed that he had been arrested in Seagoville a small town just south of Dallas the day before.
According to Seagoville police records, Criner was released after telling officers that he was planning to head for Austin, where he is now in jail.
When informed of his plans, Wadley was apparently mystified and told police that he knew nobody in the city.
Wadley, who made no further effort to find her grandson, has also been speaking to the media about Criner and, in an interview on KSLA yesterday, claimed he had a 'violent' temper.
'He would get along until you made him mad and then he snapped. His temper...he snapped real fast,' she said.
'He's real intelligent, but he has a problem. He talks to himself and he walks back and forth like he's fighting.'
It was at the Medical Arts Street address that he was picked up by police on Monday and again on Thursday following a call from the fire department who were putting out a small blaze.
When Daily Mail Online visited on Saturday, traces of human habitation could still be seen within, while locals said Criner is thought to have smashed the lock before moving in.
Criner (pictured being arrested last week) refused to go back into his mother's care in 2011 and she allegedly threatened him and said she was going to make sure he ended up in a foster home
Tributes to Haruka Weiser near the wooded area of Waller Creek by the Alumni Center on the University of Texas campus in Austin
It is there that he is thought to have burned some of Weiser's possessions, although some of her things including part of one of her Doc Marten shoes were found intact.
He then spent the following three days at the Lifeworks Center; a local shelter that specializes in helping troubled, homeless children.
Director Susan McDowell said that his arrest, in front of other occupants of the home, proved a 'severely traumatic experience' for all concerned.
She added: 'The youth at the Center are grieving for Haruka and counsellors are working with the children involved.
'For many of them, this has brought back traumatic memories.'
Criner is now in jail and has subsequently been charged with the first degree murder of dance student Weiser.
Video footage of the night she was killed appears to show him brandishing a 'sharp silver object', although Austin police have refused to confirm whether or not she was stabbed.
He was charged with aggravated sexual assault and
A 40-year-old man has been charged after he allegedly sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl he met on a dating app.
The girl began communicating with the man on the social networking application 'Badoo' earlier this month.
She was allegedly assaulted by the man after meeting him at Wyoming, near Gosford, on the NSW Central Coast on April 8, police said in a statement.
A 40-year-old man has been charged after he allegedly sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl he met on a dating app
After the encounter, she left and told her guardian, who then called the police, Fairfax Media reported.
Detectives from the State Crime Command's Child Abuse Squad subsequently arrested a 40-year-old man in Wyoming at about 1.15pm on Thursday.
The man was taken to Gosford Police Station where he was charged with aggravated sexual assault and indecent assault.
He was refused bail and will appear at Gosford Local Court on Friday.
The Badoo app, which has more than 300 million users, encourages 'chatting, making friends, sharing interests and even dating'.
Users can upload photos, videos, chat and 'match' with people who live in their area - where they're 'liked' and end up with a score out of 10.
The girl began communicating with the man on the social networking and dating application 'Badoo' earlier this month
Police are again urging parents and children to be mindful of the dangers associated with the internet.
Sex Crimes Squad commander Detective Superintendent Linda Howlett told Fairfax Media that young people are drawn to social media and applications often because of the 'like' system.
'One of the trends at the moment, unfortunately, is that children like the likes system so they are accepting a lot of people they don't know as friends and putting suggestive photos out there to attract likes,' she told Fairfax Media.
'They believe they are corresponding with someone of the same age but sex offenders are also using those apps.'
Hillary and Trump have already shown their funny side on his show, so it was perhaps only a matter of time before Ted Cruz sat down to do a skit with Jimmy Fallon.
Appearing on The Tonight Show, Cruz took part in a mock phone call with his Republican rival 'Donald Trump' - who was actually played by Fallon in a wig.
The Texas senator poked fun at his notorious 'New York values' comment, saying he actually meant he 'valued New York' - but was saying it backwards, 'like Yoda would say it'.
Ted Cruz mocked his infamous 'New York values' comment during a phone call with 'Donald Trump' on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Thursday
Cruz also told 'Trump' that he was watching his favorite movie Princess Bride, that he mentioned during a CNN family town hall this week, for the '843rd time'.
At the start of the sketch, 'Trump' calls Cruz in order to discuss Thursday night's Democratic Debate in Brooklyn, and attack the performance of Hillary Clinton.
Fallon, reviving the Trump impression that he once did alongside The Donald, accuses Clinton of 'going back and forth' on key issues, comparing it to her trying to use a Metrocard on the subway.
In an attempt to polish her 'everyman' image, Clinton rode two stops on the subway earlier this week but took five swipes to get through the Metrocard reader, an incident also mocked by Kate McKinnon on Saturday Night Live.
'Trump' then offers to help prepare Cruz for his appearance on the Tonight Show, which he admits is 'very generous', adding 'I appreciate you being the bigger man'.
'Trump' replies: 'Oh Im the bigger man with the bigger hands, and the bigger....You cant see me but I am pointing at my Trump Tower.'
'Im really glad not to be on FaceTime right now,' Cruz responds.
Cruz is not the first Republican candidate to appear on the show after Trump stopped by the studio and even faced off in a mirror with Fallon's impression of him
Getting on to the subject of New York, Cruz is challenged over his comment during the South Carolina debate in January when he accused the actual Trump if having 'New York values'.
Cruz tells the fake Trump: 'Look, Donald, Im not going to pander to New Yorkers. I love New York City.
'It is the greatest city in the world with the best looking audiences in the world, so when I said "New York Values," I was merely trying to say that I value New York - except I was saying it backwards the way Yoda would say it.'
Trump shoots back: 'I love Yoda - I watch her every morning with Kathie Lee [Gifford],' confusing the Today host Hoda Kotb, with the Star Wars Jedi master.
Cruz is expected to be clobbered by Trump in Tuesday's New York primary, thanks in no small part to his 'New York values' comment.
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The Duchess of Cambridge joked about 'burning off the curry' during a three-hour trek with Prince William to the breathtaking Tiger's Nest monastery perched on a Bhutan clifftop - yet looked as if she had barely broken sweat.
William and Kate continued their adventure-packed tour with an energy-sapping climb up one of the country's major attractions.
Built into the side of a steep cliff above a beautiful forest of rhododendrons, some 10,000 feet above sea level, it is one of the most spectacular temples in the world.
The royal couple admired the 'absolutely stunning' scenery on their way up and beamed as they posed for photos.
And while the prince was seen wiping sweat from his brow, his wife appeared unfazed by the climb and simply pushed her hair back from her face with her sunglasses.
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Intrepid: William wore traditional walking boots while Kate opted for a riding style
Arm in arm: The royal couple linked arms as they made their way up to the Buddhist monastery on the outskirts of Thimphu
Close bond: The royal couple stride along the path as they climbed the mountain on the penultimate day of their tour
Sunny: The royal couple take in the stunning surroundings during their hike to the monastery, perched at an altitude of 10,000ft (pictured towards the end of the climb)
Looking out: The royal couple gazed at the Tiger's Nest Monastery and stopped to admire the views of the surrounding mountains
Hike to the top: William and Kate continued their tour with a trek to the breathtaking Tiger's Nest monastery in Paro Taktsang (circled)
Sign of affection: The couple walked arm-in-arm as they made their way to the Buddhist monastery in the searing heat
Happy couple: The royal couple grinned for the cameras at the mid-way section of their three-hour hike up to the monastery
Loving: The royal couple gazed longingly into one another's eyes during their climb up to the Tiger's Nest Monastery
Special interest: At the half-way point the couple, guided by the director of the national museum, Phuntesho Tashi, span prayer wheels
Spectacular: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge take in the stunning views at the half-way stage of the three-hour climb today
Entourage: Kate Middleton's hairdresser Amanda Cook Tucker (left), Sophie Agnew, assistant to the Duchess of Cambridge's private secretary (centre), and PA and stylist Natasha Archer (right) joined the royal couple for the hike
Stylists: Hairdresser Amanda Cook Tucker, Sophie Agnew (centre) and the Duchess of Cambridge's PA and stylist Natasha Archer (right)
Close circle: Hairdresser Amanda Cook Tucker, (left) and Natasha Archer, the Duchess' PA (centre) joined the couple
Jaunt: Sophie Agnew, who also studied History of Art at St Andrew's, Amanda Cook Tucker and Natasha Archer smile for the cameras
As they paused at a viewpoint overlooked the monastery, Kate, clad in 475 Penelope Chilvers boots and a 495 Nubuck shoot waistcoat, gushed: 'Wow, that's amazing.'
William said: 'Look at the roof (of the temple) it's cool. What a great view.'
The couple then sat on a stone bench with their backs to the Buddhist temple - the most important in Bhutan - to pose cheerily for photographs.
The couple had started their trek through the stunning scenery at an elevation of 8,525ft and arrived at the monastery three hours later having stopped for two breaks.
Kate looked fresh in her white blouse and Zara khaki stretch pants, having finally taken off her leather waistcoat - but William looked a little flushed.
Kate described the view as 'very special'.
Asked if it was one of the sites the couple were most looking forward to seeing, she replied: 'It's amazing, so beautiful.' The couple agreed to pose with their arms wrapped around each other for a photo taken by their press officer.
They chatted briefly with a guide, Kate asking: 'Do you have many rescues here?'
But they declined offers of water or to sit down on two specially created seats draped with fabric under a parasol.
At the half-way point the couple, guided by the director of the national museum, Phuntesho Tashi, span a series of prayer wheels in the picturesque spot, which in Buddhism helps to absolve sin.
The couple pushed on for the final section of the climb, to the monastery itself, unaccompanied by journalists or photographers, sparking a row over media access.
Bhutanese tourism ministers said they were happy for reporters, photographers and TV crews to accompany the Duke and Duchess all the way to the monastery.
But Kensington Palace blocked that, insisting the royal couple should have a private visit to the monastery buildings.
Tuned in: The Duchess of Cambridge spoke with a monk near a prayer wheel at the half-way point of the hike
Attentive: The royal couple listen to a monk at the half-way point of their three-hour trek to the top of the Buddhist monastery
All done! William and Kate step out of the woodland after completing their trek on day six of their royal tour to India and Bhutan
Completed it: The royal couple are all smiles as they return from the peak - the media were barred from joining them along the final section
Back to the start: William and Kate show their delight after finishing the stunning trek to the Tiger's Nest monastery
Religious: The royal couple chat with a monk at the half-way point of the climb to the monastery 10,000ft above sea level
Easy as you like: The Duchess chose to wear a leather jerkin and knee-length leather boots for the arduous, rocky climb
Striding ahead: The Duchess of Cambridge, pictured at the start of the ascent, kept her cool as she hiked up the mountain - despite the soaring temperatures
No sweat: The Duke and Duchess looked relaxed as they began the energy-sapping trek to the monastery
On the move: Their path up to the Tiger's Nest, which dates to 1692, led through a pine forest on the slopes of the hill
Radiant: Kate wore a 495 Nubuck shoot leather waistcoat and boots for the trek, but barely broke sweat as she climbed the mountain
Pressing on: The royal couple ambled along the winding path through the idyllic landscape on the penultimate day of their tour
On the lookout: Prince William points something out to his wife during the start of their trek to the Tiger's Nest Monastery
Marching up: It normally takes locals more than two hours to make the steep climb, but the royal couple were a bit faster
Breathtaking scenery: The couple cheerily posed for photos as they started their hike up to the top of the Tiger's Nest Monastery
Relaxed: The royal couple chatted on the walk up the mountain before sharing a quiet word with each other at the beginning of the ascent
Listening in: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spoke with a monk near a prayer wheel during their visit to the monastery at the half-way point
In the moment: Kate was dressed in a white blouse, waistcoat, leggings and boots, while Wills looked casual in chinos and a blue shirt
Comfort: The Duchess turned to one of her long-standing favourite shoe designers Penelope Chilvers during the trip
MEET THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE'S ENTOURAGE Kate Middleton's hairdresser Amanda Cook Tucker, Sophie Agnew, assistant to the Duchess of Cambridge's private secretary, and PA and stylist Natasha Archer joined the royal couple for the hike to the Tiger's Nest Monastery. Amanda Cook Tucker The hairdresser, 50, has become close to the Duchess of Cambridge in recent years and was credited with giving Kate heat-proof hair that defied the humid Asian weather when she toured the Far East with her husband on the Diamond Jubilee tour in 2012. The Prince of Wales paid the cost of Mrs Cook Tucker throughout the 2012 tour, believed to be 300 a day plus travel costs. She's no stranger to Royal circles - having cut William and Harry's hair since they were children, she is also but known for her discretion and has always kept a low profile. Her ex-husband Neville Tucker also has Royal connections: his Knightsbridge salon held the Royal Warrant from 1980 to 1994 and he worked closely with the Queen's longest-serving hairdresser, Charles Martyn. She was a guest at the royal wedding in 2011 and was seen arriving at the Lindo Wing to style Kate's hair after the birth of Prince George in 2013. Sophie Agnew Fellow St Andrews history of art graduate Sophie, 29 is assistant to Rebecca Deacon who is Kate's private secretary. She is said to help the Duchess to keep on top of personal admin. This his her second royal tour after joining the couple on their 2014 trip to Australia and New Zealand. Natasha Archer Kate's PA, 29, first caught the world's attention when she was one of the only people - aside from the Royal family - seen entering the Lindo Wing after the birth of Prince George. She carried a dress bag and baby car seat, leading the world to question whether she hand-picked the now iconic blue and white polkadot dress that Kate stepped out in. Tash, as she is known, has been credited with having a hand in Kate's style and the Duchess is said to admire her own fashion sense and trust's her eye for clothes. She orders things online and calls in clothes for Kate from designers and the High Street. A privately educated university graduate she is unmarried and lives in Wandsworth, South London. She went to Uppingham boarding school, then read Hispanic Studies at King's College London. Advertisement
ROW OVER LACK OF MEDIA ACCESS The couple pushed on for the final section of the climb, to the monastery itself, unaccompanied by journalists or photographers, sparking a row over media access. Bhutanese tourism ministers said they were happy for reporters, photographers and TV crews to accompany the Duke and Duchess all the way to the monastery. But Kensington Palace blocked that, insisting the royal couple should have a private visit to the monastery buildings Advertisement
Although the couple are both very fit, William admitted the hike up rocky paths and steep inclines had been challenging-particularly with the lung-busting altitude.
The prince, dressed in chinos, a shirt and walking boots, looked slightly more flushed than his wife - sporting 475 Penelope Chilvers boots and a 495 Nubuck shoot waistcoat - and wiped sweat from his brow.
'It was quite tough on the way up. This is absolutely stunning', he said.
Kate was thinking of her figure, though, joking: 'It's a great way to burn off the curry'.
As the pair came back down the mountain, William greeted reporters by saying 'hello intrepid explorers'.
He said: 'Are you sure you didn't just get off a donkey? I wish I had!
'It was amazing. Beautiful scenery as you saw. With the mountains like this and the temples at the top, it was just stunning to walk up there and see all the scenery and to listen to some of the history and religion of the country. It's really important when you come on a trip like this to see some of that.'
Asked about his comment that it was 'easy' at the half-way point, William admitted: 'I may have slightly spoken too soon. It was a little bit cheeky on the second part definitely.'
Kate described it as an 'amazing experience', adding 'I feel very lucky and fortunate to see such beautiful scenery. As William said, we have learnt about the country.'
The King of Bhutan had sent some of his own horses to accompany the couple in case either struggled and needed to go on horseback, but neither of them had needed to.
As they started the final approach, down 1000 steps and across a bridge over a yawning chasm, the waiting monks started a musical religious welcome. Chanting, bells, cymbals and trumpets all sounded to welcome the royal couple.
Easy does it: The Duchess looked cool and composed while the Duke was rather flushed and breathing a little heavier
In good spirits: The couple began their walk by posing for photographs with the landmark monastery high above them in the background
Picture perfect: They paused for a few minutes to pose for photographs at the viewpoint before pushing on for the monastery itself
TIGER'S NEST MONASTERY The monastery itself dates back to 1692, although the sacred and rather mystical nature of the spot is even older. Legend has it that Guru Padmasambhava, who is credited with bringing Buddhism to Bhutan, flew to the site on a tigresses back to subdue a local demon in the 8th Century. The monastery is sited near a cave where Guru Padmasambhava subsequently meditated in for three years, three months, three weeks and three days. Taktshang Goemba, or Tiger's Nest, was later blessed and sanctified as one of Bhutan's most sacred religious sites. An aide said: 'It is a magical place that the Duke and Duchess are thrilled to be visiting. Their hike will take between five and six hours in total and will allow them to get a real sense of the natural and spiritual beauty of the country.' Advertisement
Sonam Penjor, 34, who works in the Bhutan information department said: 'It is very good for Kate and William come here. UK and Bhutan already had a relationship before Prince Charles came here before in 1998, but he only make it to the cafeteria, the halfway point.
'So he took some nice shots but he was not able to come to this point. I think his son and daughter-in-law wanted to beat him!
'They wanted to recapture his father's memories but go further. And maybe later George and Charlotte will come to follow in their parents' footsteps.'
The Prince of Wales followed the same trail when he visited Bhutan, but he was injured in a polo match, so instead he stopped before the ascent and painted a scenic picture in watercolor.
He said suffered from vertigo, saying at the time: 'I don't think I'm going to risk that cliff. The older I get, the more vertigo I get - even at the top of minarets in Istanbul.'
When asked about that, Prince William said: 'Yes. My father didn't make it to be top. So that's something I'll be reminding him of when I see him. It will be lovely if the children could come as well definitely.'
Kate added: 'We did actually see one family up there with a small child on their front. It was very brave of them.'
She laughed: 'Maybe when they're a bit more mobile, I think.'
The Duchess said she was missing George and Charlotte 'massively', adding 'we're looking forward to seeing them. They're in good hands.'
She added that they had been able to talk with them 'many times' over the week.
On their way up, the couple stopped to talk to three trekkers from San Francisco who were returning down from the mountain, Lauren McKennan, 29, Chris Steele, 27, and Alex Willmore, 28.
'They were pretty altogether,' said Lauren. 'There wasn't a single trail of sweat. They stopped to talk to us for three to five minutes and were absolutely charming. '
Alex added: 'They asked us how long we had been here and talked about how lovely the weather was. They said how rainy it had been when they were doing the archery and how glad they were doing the trek today.
'We asked for a photograph they just laughed and wouldn't do it. But they were absolutely charming, very cool, very nice. They kept on saying how beautiful it was.'
Sun-kissed: The royal couple listen to Khenpo Phuntsok Tashi during the half-way point of their walk in Bhutan
All smiles: Despite the heat, the Duchess did not show any signs of fatigue and barely broke into a sweat
Finished: Prince William, in a pair of sturdy walking boots and the Princess, wearing 475 knee-high boots, smile after finishing the walk
Radiant: The Duchess of Cambridge wore a red Beulah dress for the reception celebrating Britain's relationship with Bhutan
After completing the hike, the couple headed down to the little craft market and perused the shops for ten minutes.
William bought a small bronze tiger for 200 rupees just over 2 and Kate settled on a pair of dangly earrings in dark blue for 500 rupees, around 6.60.
It appeared he had to borrow money off his foreign affairs advisor, Sir David Manning, who made the trek with him, as he wasn't carrying any cash.
The royal couple tonight attended a reception celebrating Britain's relationship with Bhutan. Kate wore a dress by Beulah, with poppies on, which is the national flower of Bhutan.
They will conclude their tour with a romantic visit to the Taj Mahal, the marble mausoleum known as a monument to love.
It will mark 24 years since Diana was famously pictured sitting by herself in front of the 17th century monument as her marriage to Prince Charles unravelled. Their separation was announced just months later.
Memories: The Prince of Wales followed the same trail when he visited Bhutan in 1998, but opted to stop halfway up the mountain to paint a watercolour of the Tiger's Nest rather than carrying on all the way to the monastery itself
Past visit: Charles followed the same trail when he visited Bhutan, but he was injured in a polo match, so stopped before the ascent
Breathtaking: The monastery is built into the side of a cliff above a forest of rhododendrons, some 10,000 feet above sea level (file image)
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This is the extraordinary moment a baby girl was pulled alive from the rubble of a house toppled by the deadly earthquakes in Japan.
Images show rescue workers carrying the eight-month-old girl to safety from the ruined building which collapsed during tremors that have killed nine and left 800 injured.
The dramatic rescue came as emergency crews scrambled to find survivors after the powerful earthquake in southern Japan which sparked fires and buckled roads.
Great escape: The eight-month-old baby is wrapped in a blanket while it is carefully removed from the rubble by emergency crews
Incredibly the tiny baby does not appear to be visibly injured as it is pulled from the rubble of the ruined building in Mashiki
Firefighters walk among collapsed houses caused by an earthquake in Mashiki town, Kumamoto prefecture, southern Japan
Distressed: A devastated woman cries as she examines the extensive damage to her home in Mashiki following the powerful quake
The child's mother, grandfather, grandmother, and older brother were in the living room and kitchen of the home as she slept in another room on the first floor when the quake shook the southern island of Kyushu, the Mainichi Shimbun daily reported.
The family members, who all managed to escape, tried to rescue the baby but the house collapsed, the paper said.
But a 50-member rescue team managed to pull her safely from the rubble around 3.45am on Friday, Kyodo News reported.
Aftershocks have rattled communities in southern Japan as businesses and residents got a fuller look Friday at the widespread damage from an unusually strong overnight earthquake. Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes.
Rescue workers were combing through the wreckage in hard-hit areas to make sure there were no more trapped people, said Shotaro Sakamoto, a Kumamoto prefecture official.
Concern about aftershocks was keeping many people from starting the huge task of cleaning up, police said.
Salvage mission: A man helped by emergency crews carries out a bicycle from a house destroyed by Thursday's earthquake, in Mashiki
Rescue bid: After the earthquake more than 44,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Mashiki where the baby was found
Left in ruins: Tens of thousands of people fled their homes after the 6.5-magnitude quake struck the southwestern island of Kyushu on Thursday night
Houses collapsed, factories stopped work and a high-speed train was de-railed, while the roof of the treasured Kumamoto castle in the southern city of the same name was also damaged.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters the government wants to prevent any secondary disasters from aftershocks.
The magnitude 6.5 quake struck at 9.26pm Thursday at a depth of 7 miles near Kumamoto city on the island of Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands.
About 44,000 people evacuated their homes and stayed in shelters overnight. Many left the next day, but Sakamoto said he wasn't sure if many would come back to stay another night, depending on the conditions of their homes and if power is restored.
In the hardest-hit town of Mashiki, about 9 miles from the centre of Kumamoto city, entire buildings collapsed, roofs slid off, and windows and walls crumbled, scattering glass and debris.
Huge boulder-like rocks tumbled from the walls of historic Kumamoto castle, which was closed to the public Friday.
The magnitude 6.5 quake struck at 9.26pm Thursday at a depth of 7 miles near Kumamoto city on the island of Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands
Rescuers are concentrating their searches in Mashiki, near the epicentre of the quake where the most deaths have been recorded
Devastation:On the streets, the remains of collapsed Japanese-style houses - many of them aged, wooden structures - could be seen, and damaged roof tiles lay in piles
A man cycles past the site of a collapsed house. Rescue operations have been hampered over fears of fresh aftershocks
Five women and four men were killed, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said. One man in his 20s died; the rest of the victims ranged from their 50s to one woman in her 90s. Eight of the nine victims were from Mashiki.
There were varying reports on the number of injured. The government's chief spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, said at least 860 people had been injured, 53 seriously. Kumamoto prefecture tallied 784 injured.
Suga said 1,600 soldiers had joined the relief and rescue efforts. TV reports showed troops delivering blankets and adult diapers to those who took shelter. The area is 800 miles southwest of Tokyo.
Rescue efforts, repeatedly disrupted by more than 100 aftershocks, continued through the night.
An aerial view shows residents forming a queue to receive meals from defense forces soldiers at the Mashiki town hall
TV broadcasters were urging residents to check on elderly people living alone who might not have been able to escape their homes unaided
Electricity and water service was cut off in some area, and some residents were hauling water from local offices to their homes to flush toilets
Electricity and water service was cut off in some area, and some residents were hauling water from local offices to their homes to flush toilets.
TV broadcasters were urging residents to check on elderly people living alone who might not have been able to escape their homes unaided.
Suga said there were no abnormalities at nearby nuclear facilities. The epicenter was 74 miles northeast of Kyushu Electric Power Co.'s Sendai nuclear plant, the only one operating in the country.
Most of Japan's nuclear reactors remain offline following the meltdowns at the Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima plant in 2011 after a magnitude 9.0 earthquake triggered a huge tsunami.
In total, more than 100 earthquakes rocked the region after the first hit, and officials warned this could continue for a week or so
Japan's meteorological agency officer Gen Aoki speaks during a press conference on a strong 6.5-magnitude earthquake in Japan's southwestern island of Kyushu, at the agency's headquarters in Tokyo
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Mashiki sits near two faults on Kyushu. The area is also near Mount Aso, a huge, active volcano. JMA officials said the quake was unusually strong for Kyushu.
'We are combing through Mashiki where the damage was serious to see if there are any people who are still seeking rescue,' said government spokesman Yoshihide Suga.
Gen Aoki, a Japan Meteorological Agency seismologist, urged residents to be on guard for more aftershocks and warned rain in coming days could make the situation worse.
'Please do not go near damaged houses and structures that are about to collapse,' he said at an early morning briefing.
Wrecked: Resident Nobuyuki Morita cleans up a room damaged by an earthquake in his house in the town of Mashiki
A mother walks with her two young children among the rubble from buildings that collapsed during the powerful earthquake
They all attended or worked at the Queensland University of Technology
He is among three
A university student accused of racial discrimination over a Facebook post has amassed a hefty legal bill, which could blow out to $200,000 if the case goes to trial.
Alex Wood is being sued under the Racial Discrimination Act over a 2013 post he wrote after being asked to leave a Queensland University of Technology computer lab reserved for the use of indigenous students.
A legal source has revealed the costs of defending the proceeding would have already run into tens of thousands of dollars for Mr Wood and could rise to around $200,000 if the case went to trial.
An indigenous woman, Cindy Prior, launched the legal action against Mr Wood, two other students and academics from the university for $250,000 in damages under the Racial Discrimination Act.
A student from the Queensland University of Technology (pictured) is facing a $200k legal bill over a 2013 post he wrote
'Just got kicked out of the unsigned Indigenous computer room. QUT is stopping segregation with segregation,' he posted on a Facebook page called QUT Stalker Space.
The post attracted comments critical of both the incident and the existence of the indigenous-only space.
'I wonder where the white supremacist lab is,' wrote another student, Jackson Powell, who is also being sued.
The third student involved in the lawsuit, Calum Thwaites, has emphatically denied being responsible for a post that included a reference to 'ITT N---s' and has produced a volume of evidence supporting his denial.
Ms Prior went on sick leave following the incident and reports she felt unsafe leaving her home because she was afraid somebody would say something offensive to her.
It's alleged she suffered 'offence, embarrassment, humiliation and psychiatric injury'.
She also says she was unable to return to work in a role that required her to have face-to-face contact with white people.
Lawyers for the students have sought to have the case dismissed in the Federal Court, citing a lack of legal basis to contend their clients had breached the act and labelling the lawsuit an abuse of process.
Cindy Prior launched the legal action against Mr Wood, two other students and academics from the university for $250,000 in damages under the Racial Discrimination Act
It is understood the trio's lawyers have spent several hundred hours defending the action.
The cumulative bill for the students to defend the case at trial could be more than $500,000.
The trio have also hit out at QUT, claiming they were kept in the dark about Ms Prior's complaint to the Human Rights Commission and, therefore, deprived of having the matter thrown out earlier.
Under the Racial Discrimination Act, complainants must go through a conciliation process before a Federal Court action can be launched and the Human Rights Commission says more than half of all section 18C cases have been resolved at that level.
Mr Wood allegedly wrote the post after being asked to leave a university computer lab reserved for the use of indigenous students (stock image)
But the students were not made aware of the complaint until days before a final conference with the commission, despite the matter having been underway for 12 months, and Mr Wood claims a QUT lawyer told him he did not need to attend.
QUT's law firm, Minter Ellison, admits one of its solicitors told Mr Wood his presence was not required but denies she discouraged him from attending.
A Japanese submarine has entered Sydney Harbour for the first time since World War Two.
The JS Hakuryu sailed through the heads accompanied by two warships - the JS Umigiri and JS Asayuki - and Australian naval ship the HMAS Ballarat about 11am, the ABC reported.
The historic arrival is the first time a Japanese submarine has entered Sydney Harbour since 1942, when three Japanese midget submarines slipped into the harbour and one attacked an Australian navy vessel, killing 21 sailors.
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Japanese submarine the JS Hakuryu entered Sydney Harbour about 11am this morning
The historic arrival is the first time a Japanese submarine has entered Sydney Harbour since 1942
The Department of Defence said in a statement that the Japanese vessels would take part in the Nichi Gou Trident exercise with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force between April 15 and 26.
This exercise, which has been conducted between Australia and Japan since 2009, is an opportunity to develop and enhance the bilateral naval relationship by practising maritime skills and improving levels of interoperability between our two navies, the statement said
This is the first opportunity to conduct the exercise off Sydney.
The exercises are also a chance for Japanese officials to show off their high-tech Soryu class submarine, the ABC reported.
The Japanese are competing with France and Germany to win a $50 billion contract to build 12 new submarines for Australia.
The Japanese submarine is entering Sydney Harbour under much better terms than in 1942, when three Japanese subs slipped into the harbour and one attacked an Australian ship killing 21 men
The submarine was accompanied by two Japanese warships, the JS Umigiri and JS Asayuki
The Japanese vessels will take part in the Nichi Gou Trident exercise with the Australian Navy and Airforce
The government is expected to announce who will win the agreement this year. The submarines are likely to begin entering service in the early 2030s, but construction will extend into the 2040s.
The bilateral naval exercises between Australia and Japan are a reminder that the two countries were on very different terms in the 1940s.
On May 31, 1942 three Japanese midget submarines slipped into Sydney Harbour. One of the submarines sunk the barracks ship HMAS Kuttabul - although it was actually aiming its torpedoes at the cruiser USS Chicago. Twenty one men were killed.
None of the Japanese submarines escaped intact.
One of them was destroyed by depth charges, another was tangled in a boom net near the harbour mouth and destroyed by the Japanese, and the third was only found in 2006, off Sydney's northern beaches
Several men watch as a Japanese midget two-man submarine is raised from the harbour bed in 1942
The Australian ship the HMAS Kuttabul (pictured) was sunk by a Japanese torpedo in Sydney Harbour
The girlfriend of British lecturer Hilary Bower (above) has been arrested with two men over his murder in southern China with local media reporting he had been dismembered
The girlfriend of a British lecturer has been arrested with two men over his murder with local media reporting he had been dismembered.
Hilary St John Bower, 60, who taught at a university in Hong Kong, was murdered over an 'emotional dispute', mainland Chinese police said.
A 38-year-old woman surnamed Xu and two men 'murdered her foreigner boyfriend Hilary Bower over an emotional dispute' the Shenzhen public security bureau said on its social media account.
It said Bower and Xu had lived together for 17 years.
The three were arrested on April 8 and the case was still under investigation, it added.
Hong Kong local media, citing unnamed public security sources, reported Xu had turned herself in to police in the Chinese city of Dongguan, where she had told officers she had murdered and then dismembered Bower with the help of two men.
Media reports painted a complex picture of his love life involving several women.
The English language lecturer at Hong Kong's Polytechnic University had been missing for more than three weeks after he was last seen on March 21 at a border point between Hong Kong and the neighbouring southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, where he is reported to have lived.
Police in Shenzhen confirmed on Friday that he had been murdered on March 22, a day after he went missing.
The Dongguan public security bureau could not confirm the details.
Local media said Bower had a number of girlfriends on the mainland.
One girlfriend, named by media as Shi Xiumei, had reported Bower missing at a police station in Hong Kong on March 30.
Bower had been reported to be living with Shi and their six-year-old son.
Fears were previously raised that his death could have been linked to a million-dollar property deal.
A friend of Bower, Richard Charles, told the South China Morning Post he believed it could be related to a recent property sale for which Bower was due to receive HK$9 million ($1.2 million).
Bower's brother Robin arrived in Shenzhen on Wednesday where he hoped to meet with Chinese authorities to search for answers, the Post said.
Bower had also taught in China, South Korea, Thailand, Spain and Kuwait, according to his personal homepage on the university website.
Richard Charles, a colleague of Mr Bower, described police on both sides of the border as 'shoddy and shambolic' in their handling of the case so far, the South China Morning Post reported.
'I find it unbelievable that Hilary's friends and colleagues have had to find out from the media about this. We are in shock and are extremely upset,' he said.
Mr Charles suggested the death could have been over a 'complicated' deal, which was reportedly over a property in an industrial district in Shenzhen.
He said: 'I do know that after buying at the bottom of the property market a good few years ago, he was expecting to be paid somewhere in the region of 821,000.'
Mr Bower, who was originally from Hitchin, Hertfordshire, had been employed at the Polytechnic University since 1996. He was due to finish work at the institution when he went missing more than three weeks ago.
Mr Charles told The Telegraph Mr Bower had been 'very, very happy to be retiring' and added: 'He was really looking forward to being able to spend more time with his son.'
The 60-year-old, who recently closed a 820,000 property deal, was travelling from Hong Kong to visit his girlfriend and six-year-old son Matthew at the end of March when he disappeared
Media reports painted have a complex picture of his love life involving several women. Above, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where Mr Bower worked
Following his disappearance, Mr Bower's brother, Robin, who is based in the UK, alerted the police in Britain, according to The Telegraph.
A UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said at the time: 'We are providing assistance to the family of a British national reported missing in southern China and are urgently seeking further information from local authorities.'
'Police have received notification from mainland relevant authorities that he was killed on the night of March 22,' a Hong Kong police statement said.
Murders of foreigners are extremely rare in China, though the murder in 2011 of another British man, Neil Heywood, triggered one of the country's biggest political scandals in decades.
Almost three dozen dogs were rescued from what fire officials called a hoarder's house in Dania Beach, Florida on Thursday night.
Firefighters pulled a total of 34 dogs out of the single family residence after responding to the fire shortly before 11pm.
Nine animals were transported by rescue truck to a nearby animal hospital, and one dog perished, Broward Sheriff's Office Fire Rescue spokesman Mike Jachles told Daily Mail Online.
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Firefighters brought 34 dogs out of the home on South East Park Street, but one animal could not be saved
'We have pet oxygen masks on our vehicles, but since there were so many animals, we had to use conventional oxygen masks as well,' a fire official said
Some dogs were put in cages for their own safety after the fire. The dogs appeared well cared for, a fire rescue spokesperson said
First responders treated the situation like an ordinary multiple casualty scene - except the victims were dogs, not people
No people were injured in the fire, and the cause of the blaze was unclear.
'It was an extraordinary call, given the number of animals,' Jachles said. 'And quite a scene, with dogs everywhere, on the lawn, in cages, in the rescue truck.'
He said that rescue efforts were complicated by 'floor to ceiling clutter' in the house on the 200 block of South East Park Street.
Jachles said firefighters 'did an excellent job' battling their way through heavy smoke conditions to locate and rescue the dogs.
Nine dogs were transported to a nearby animal hospital. It was unclear whether or not the homeowner was suspected of animal abuse. Picture courtesy of WSVN 7 News
It was 'quite a scene, with dogs everywhere, on the lawn, in cages, in the rescue truck,' a fire official said. Picture courtesy of CBS Miami
Firefighters used pet oxygen masks - and some masks made for people - in their efforts to care for the 34 dogs found in the home. Picture courtesy of WSVN 7 News
One dog died and nine were sent to animal hospital after a fire broke out in a Dania Beach, Florida home on Thursday. Picture courtesy of CBS Miami
Firefighters used oxygen masks on a number of the wounded animals, some of which were unresponsive.
'We have pet oxygen masks on our vehicles, but since there were so many animals, we had to use conventional oxygen masks as well,' Jachles said.
'It was no different from a multiple casualty incident, a bus accident for example - except we had canine victims in this instance.'
'We separated them by severity, and took the "red tags" in the rescue truck and began treating them,' said Jachles, using a term for victims in need of immediate medical assistance.
31st dog just rescued from house fire @BrowardSheriff #FireRescue #update
1 dog DOA, 5 critical, appx 10 to vet pic.twitter.com/2vrQVClQAL PIO Mike Jachles (@PIOMikeJ) April 15, 2016
This picture shows the aftermath of the fire in Dania Beach that killed one dog and left nine hospitalized
This image from 2015 shows the exterior of the home where Thursday's fire broke out
Jachles said he was planning a visit to the animal hospital, where on Friday five dogs were listed in critical condition.
State Fire Marshal department spokesman Joel Brown said the female owner of the house was 'distraught,' but that there was 'no reason to believe the fire was suspicious.'
It was unclear whether the owner of the dogs is currently suspected of animal abuse.
Jachles described the dogs rescued from Thursday's fire as 'well cared for and groomed.'
According to the Dania Beach code of ordinances it is forbidden to keep more than three dogs in a home.
Code compliance officers will conduct an investigation with animal control officers in Broward County to determine whether the homeowner broke the code, Dania Beach assistant city manager Colin Donnelly told Daily Mail Online.
A Dania Beach city official said records show Broward County Animal Care paid a visit to the home in February, 2010 and removed 15 dogs.
Boris Johnson tonight warned it was 'now or never' for Britain to quit the EU and stop a slide into a European super state.
The London Mayor branded David Cameron the 'Gerald Ratner' of British politics - recalling the famous gaffe by the jeweller who described one of his products 'crap' and destroyed his business.
Mr Johnson, a senior member of the official Vote Leave campaign, kicked off the Brexit battle on the first official day of campaigning in Manchester.
His speech is the first round in a blitz of campaigning to mark 10 weeks until the June 23 referendum on whether Britain should stay a member of the European Union.
The London Mayor branded David Cameron the 'Gerald Ratner' of British politics - recalling the famous gaffe by the jeweller who described one of his products 'crap' and destroyed his business
London Mayor Boris Johnson, pictured at tonight's Vote Leave rally in Manchester, warned it was 'now or never' for Britain to vote to leave the European Union
The first day of the official campaign was dominated by a row over the NHS as:
Boris Johnson claimed Brexit would allow 12.3billion to be ploughed into the ailing NHS by 2020/21.
But the London Mayor was accused by the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign of wanting to 'privatise' the NHS.
French finance minister Emmanuel Macron warned Britain would have to continue contributing signifcant sums of money to Europe regardless of June's vote.
Former chancellor Alistair Darling, who played a leading role in the Scottish referendum, claimed there was a 'wall of evidence' in favour of the Remain campaign as he made his first appearance for the BSE campaign.
David Cameron was mocked for appearing at an In campaign phone bank alongside Paddy Ashdown and Neil Kinnock.
Chancellor George Osborne, attending a G20 meeting of finance ministers in Washington DC, warned a Brexit would lead to rising interest rates and higher mortgage bills.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage made good on his promise to return his Government EU leaflet to Downing Street, posing for pictures outside the famous black door of No 10 before posting the leaflet back to Mr Cameron.
In his speech, Mr Johnson warned the influence of the EU was growing and getting worse for Britain.
He said: 'The laws of our countries should be made by people we elect and we should be in no doubt that this is the last chance many of us will have in our lifetimes to assert that principle in our relations with the EU.
'It is called democracy.
'Because it is now or never and if we fail to make the change now we will continue to be passengers locked in the back of a minicab driven by someone with a wonky satnav and taken to a destination we dont want to go.'
Mr Johnson, the standard bearer of the campaign to lead Britain out and the favourite to succeed Mr Cameron at No 10, warned many Britons did not know how far the EU extended into their lives.
And he claimed the trading block 'prevents us from deporting murderers and those we believe are a risk to our security'.
In his speech, Mr Johnson warned the influence of the EU was growing and getting worse for Britain
The Prime Minister was mocked today after he joined phone canvassing with former Liberal Democrat and Labour leaders Paddy Ashdown, left, and Neil Kinnock, right
The London Mayor mocked campaigners who want to keep Britain in Europe and pursue continued reforms of the EU.
He said: 'You know the most depressing thing about the campaign to bremain - it is that there is not a shred of idealism. Not a single one of them will stand up and admit that it is political.
'No one will say, you know what, I love the idea of a federal Europe.
FRENCH MINISTER INSISTS UK WOULD STILL HAVE TO PAY BRUSSELS AFTER QUITTING EU French finance minister Emmanuel Macron warned Britain would not save billions by quitting the EU The French finance minister has dismissed claims Britain will save billions of pounds in EU contributions if it quits the grouping. Emmanuel Macron said Brexit supporters were wrong to claim the UK would not have to contribute to Brussels budgets. He told the Financial Times the UK could strike a deal similar to that of Norway or Switzerland, but it was a 'mistake' to think the terms would be more favourable than they are currently. Referring to arrangements allowing banks and other firms to operate freely across the continent, he said: 'Those who pretend that passporting will be preserved exactly following the same rules without any contribution to the budget, are making a big, a big mistake because it's completely wrong. 'So for sure, you can renegotiate a trade arrangement, but this trade deal will be less favourable to the UK than being part of the club.' Mr Macron also insisted Britain would be in a weaker position to protect its steel industry outside the EU. 'Do you think you will be in a situation to protect your steel industry tomorrow if you are alone as the UK economy facing the Chinese one?' he said. Advertisement
'Because that is the true logic of their position but that is not what they say oh no; they keep saying that they are Euro-sceptics, but we have no choice.
'We agree with you about the democratic problem, they say but its the price we have to pay.
'My friends they are the Gerald Ratners of modern politics.
'The EU, they say its crap but we have no alternative. Well we do have an alternative, and it is a glorious alternative.'
Earlier, former chancellor Alistair Darling warned of 'profound disruption' to the economy if Britain quits the union.
Delivering a speech in central London, Mr Darling said Brexit was 'simply not a risk worth taking' and stressed that there was everything to play for in the campaign.
'This is a very, very close vote. I really can't emphasise enough that the vote is close,' he said.
'No one can predict with any certainty what is likely to happen.
'I hope we will win and I hope we will win well. But we need to get the support of people the length and breadth of the country, no matter what their political allegiance has been in the past.'
Mr Darling - who led the campaign to keep Scotland in the UK in the 2014 independence referendum - argued there was a 'wall of evidence' for Remain.
'We all have to make difficult choices in life. Inevitably there are unknowns but we owe it to ourselves and to our children to make our decision based on the evidence we have,' he said.
'It would be a colossal surrender of power to walk away from our largest trading partner, increase uncertainty, erect trade barriers and diminish our influence.'
He accused Leave campaigners of 'playing with fire' and offering a 'fantasy future'.
Justice Secretary Michael Gove, who is also attending Vote Leave rallies over the coming days, said: 'If the money is taken back then that 50 million a day will be spent on British people's priorities, and the NHS is of course top of the list.'
But the French finance minister warned that the UK would still have to contribute to Brussels budgets even if it left.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage today made good on a promise to hand the government's pro-EU leaflet back into Downing Street this morning.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage, his deputy Diane James and mayoral candidate Peter Whittle returned their copies of the 9m pro-EU leaflet sent out by the government to Downing Street today
Mr Farage, his deputy Diane James and the party's London mayoral candidate Peter Whittle delivered their pamphlets to the door of Number 10.
Mr Cameron has been heavily criticised for using more than 9million of public funds for the documents, which are being sent out to every household in the country.
Elsewhere today, Cardinal Vincent Nichols called on voters to think about the human impact that leaving would have, insisting 'economics is not the crucial issue in this debate'.
The intervention came after a 'good spirited debate' between the bishops about the June 23 referendum.
The official Remain campaign responded to London Mayor Boris Johnson on Twitter
The image issued by Stronger In after the London Mayor said Britain's EU contributions should be diverted to the NHS
Cardinal Nichols said he believed that the UK would face 'more complex problems' than if it played an 'active' role within Europe.
The 'economic arguments are not the whole picture by any means,' he insisted.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols today warned the UK would face 'complex problems' if it quit the EU
'We want to remind people that in the EU, trade is harnessed to peace. An essential feature of the concept of the EU, and certainly its context, is the peace that has been sustained in Europe since the end of the Second World War,' the cardinal said.
Mr Cameron crossed party lines yesterday by engaging in some phone canvassing with Labour and Liberal Democrat grandees Neil Kinnock and Paddy Ashdown.
He also held an away day for Tory MPs at an Oxfordshire hotel in a bid to ease increasingly bitter tensions over Europe.
The White House has confirmed that President Barack Obama plans to make an intervention in the referendum battle when he visits the UK next week.
He is expected to stress the benefits of membership to the British economy and the importance of unity in the continent to global security.
However, Tory backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg dismissed the importance of the President's views, describing him as an 'rather unsuccessful' leader of the free world. He suggested the exhortation from Mr Obama could actually help the Leave campaign.
'I don't mind him coming over to say what he wants because I think it helps Brexit,' he told The House magazine.
'I can't think the British people will want to be told what to do by a rather unsuccessful American president who has had one of the least successful foreign policies in modern history.
'He has appointed as two of his closest subordinates people who have a history of hostility to the United Kingdom.'
Project Fear, Chancellor? Now Osborne warns that Brexit would push up your MORTGAGE bill
Mortgage rates could soar if Britain votes to leave the European Union on June 23, George Osborne has warned.
The Chancellor delivered the latest apocalyptic vision of life outside the grouping as he attended a meeting of finance ministers in Washington.
The intervention will infuriate Eurosceptics who have accused the Remain campaign of mounting 'Project Fear' to sway the result of the crucial ballot.
Chancellor George Osborne has been attending a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Washington
Mr Osborne told Sky News: 'Interest rates are a matter for our independent Bank of England but if you look at the view of the experts here at the IMF, it is pretty clear that if Britain votes to leave prices will go up and there will be instability in the financial markets.
'What that means for families is that mortgage rates are likely to go up.
'It will be families paying the price if Britain votes to leave the EU and it's another reason, frankly, we are stronger, safer and better off inside the EU.'
Boris lashes out at 'hypocrite' Obama ahead of his flying visit to Britain next week to endorse the PM's campaign to keep Britain in the EU
Boris Johnson blasted Barack Obama as a 'hypocrite' today as the US President prepares to visit Britain and endorse the campaign to keep Britain in the EU.
The London Mayor lashed out at Mr Obama as details of his visit next week became clear.
Air Force One will land in Britain on Thursday and Mr Obama will meet the Queen as part of her 90th birthday celebrations before he heads to Downing Street for talks with David Cameron.
The White House has made clear for the first time Mr Obama will make a 'very candid' endorsement of Mr Cameron's campaign during his visit.
Boris Johnson today said it was 'hypocritical' for Barack Obama to encourage Britain to stay in the EU when the United States would never accept the same surrender of sovereignty
Mr Johnson today told the Standard: 'I honestly don't mind the idea of him joining the debate.
'Where we do part company, and where I do mind, is that it is plainly hypocritical for America to urge us to sacrifice control of our laws, our sovereignty, our money and our democracy when they would not dream of ever doing the same.'
Yesterday, Ben Rhodes, the president's deputy national security adviser, said: 'The approach he (Mr Obama) will take is that we have no closer friend in the world, and if he is asked his view he will offer it.
'He will be very straightforward and candid as a friend on why it's good for the UK to remain in the European Union.
The president has said we support a strong UK in the EU. For us the UK is a key partner and the EU is a key partner.
A second body has been pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building in Tenerife next to a tapas bar popular with Britons as 11 people are still missing.
Rescuers found the second body at 5.30am this morning as the 200-strong team approach nearly 24 hours at the site in Los Cristianos.
The top floor of the four-storey residential building literally dropped down to the ground, trapping people in huge slabs of concrete.
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A second body has been pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building in Tenerife next to a tapas bar popular with Britons as 11 people are still missing
Rescuers found the second body at 5.30am this morning as the 200-strong team approach nearly 24 hours at the site in Los Cristianos
The recovered body is that of a woman of middle age but no further details have yet been released.
This was the second confirmed death after an elderly woman was found dead late yesterday afternoon.
A Police spokesman said: 'We don't know her nationality yet. She appears to be around 75.'
Three other people walked away from the collapse just after it happened with various injuries.
The rescue efforts continue today amid fears that further bodies will be found.
British tourists in the area have reacted with horror at seeing the devastation which they say looks like an earthquake has struck.
The top floor of the four-storey residential building literally dropped down to the ground, trapping people in huge slabs of concrete
The recovered body is that of a woman of middle age but no further details have yet been released
One reported hearing a bang and seeing a huge cloud of smoke.
There is still no official cause to the tragedy which could have been caused by structural damage or a gas explosion.
Sniffer dogs are being used to try and hunt for possible survivors or more bodies.
Witnesses told Spanish media the building had been undergoing renovations.
Firefighters with sniffer dogs have continued searching in the rubble for other possible victims.
Witness Tino Ponte said: 'Everyone was covered in dust. People were running all over the place and some were crying. Everyone appeared desperate and terrified.
'When I reached the scene a few minutes after the collapse, it looked like a bomb had gone off. People thought at first that it had been a terrorist attack. It was total chaos.'
The block is understood to include some flats which are let out to holidaymakers.
It is not yet known if any British tourists are involved, but it is believed a number of foreigners may have been inside the building because it is a tourist area.
A spokeswoman for local firefighters said families had tried and failed to contact missing relatives.
'These are people who are not answering the telephone, we can't say that they are in the building, but the truth is that right now their families have not been able to contact them,' she said.
This was the second confirmed death after an elderly woman was found dead late yesterday afternoon
British tourists in the area have reacted with horror at seeing the devastation which they say looks like an earthquake has struck
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: 'We are in contact with local authorities and urgently seeking more information following a building collapse in Tenerife.'
A man who was in a neighbouring jewellery shop and a 50-year-old woman are thought to be among those who have been rescued and taken to nearby hospitals.
One witness told a local radio station: 'We heard a creaking noise and this huge cloud of smoke appeared from nowhere.'
Another claimed to have smelt gas before hearing an explosion.
The block is understood to include some flats which are let out to holidaymakers.
Javier Velazquez, 58, owner of the Hide Away pub who lives in a flat above his bar next to the affected building, said: 'My whole terrace has been obliterated.
'No-one was on the terrace because I don't open till 5pm but if this had happened in the evening, it would have been far worse.
'Around a third of my customers are British and 95 per cent are Europeans from places like Italy, Belgium and Scandinavia.
'The noise when the building collapsed was tremendous. There was work going on in an old commercial premises on the first floor and I fear what's happened could be something to do with that.
'There were three separate collapses with the second being the loudest. After the third - and when the huge cloud of smoke cleared - I saw a woman shouting in Spanish who appeared trapped and who I've subsequently been told has died.
'I'm not aware of any Britons living permanently in the block affected but there's a lot of British people who use a supermarket nearby and would have to pass by it to reach the supermarket.
There is still no official cause to the tragedy which could have been caused by structural damage or a gas explosion
A spokeswoman for local firefighters said families had tried and failed to contact missing relatives
The building that collapsed is near the centre of Los Cristianos. It is currently high season in the Canary Islands
'I've decided to leave the area with my wife and pet dog. It's been a tremendous shock.'
The building that collapsed is near the centre of Los Cristianos. It is currently high season in the Canary Islands.
Los Cristianos, located in the municipality of Arona, is like its bustling neighbour Playa de las Americas, one of the islands' most popular tourist resorts.
A police spokesman said: 'I am aware of the local reports talking about two dead but all we can confirm at the moment is that three people have been slightly injured and have received medical attention.
'I have no information on any fatalities from the emergency workers who are at the scene.
'They are trying to secure a wall which is part of the building that has remained in place and specialised firefighters will enter when it is secured.
'Only then will we know for sure if there are any fatalities or anyone trapped inside.'
Arona mayor Jose Julian Mena said he was unable to confirm anyone was trapped inside the collapsed building.
A military emergency response unit sent sniffer dogs to the scene who were working inside the building this afternoon.
Los Cristianos, located in the municipality of Arona, is like its bustling neighbour Playa de las Americas one of the islands' most popular tourist resorts (file picture)
Three people confirmed as injured included two women aged 57 and 55 and a 28-year-old man. Their nationalities are not known.
The 55-year-woman was treated for a panic attack.
One local resident, who asked to to be named, said the wife of a friend of his was inside the building but not answering her mobile.
He said the 35-year-old had returned to her flat after taking her children to school.
An ex-detective charged with the murder of alleged drug dealer Jamie Gao has told a court that co-accused Roger Rogerson 'threatened to kill his daughters' unless he helped him commit the crime.
Glen McNamara took the stand again on Friday, continuing the ongoing murder trial at the Supreme Court in Sydney. On Thursday he told the jury it was Rogerson who had shot Gao twice in the chest.
'(Rogerson) pointed the gun directly towards my head and he said, "I'll do you, get up and help me you weak c*** or you'll be lying on the floor next to him",' McNamara said, news.com.au reported.
'(Rogerson) said, 'F*** me, he pulled a knife on me. Help me or you'll be lying on the floor with him and then I'll kill your girls.'
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Glen McNamara (left) told the Supreme Court that Roger Rogerson (right) had threatened to kill his daughters if he didn't help him commit the crime, just moments after shooting alleged dealer Jamie Gao twice in the chest
Both men accuse each other of killing university student Jamie Gao, who was shot at a Padstow garage in Sydney's south-west and found floating in the ocean off Cronulla beach six days later
McNamara claims Rogerson threatened to kill his daughters (pictured, Jessica) if he didn't help commit the crime
McNamara (pictured) told the jury that he had no played no part in shooting Gao, and had no idea why the trio had met up in the first place
The crown case is the two men, who accuse each other of killing Mr Gao, shot the alleged drug dealer at a Padstow storage unit before stuffing his body into a surfboard bag and dumping it at sea in May, 2014.
But McNamara, 56, has squarely blamed Rogerson, 75, telling the jury he had no idea why there was a meeting between himself, Rogerson and Mr Gao at the unit.
Both men have pleaded not guilty to the 20-year-olds death in May 2014, and both deny supplying close to 3 kilograms of the drug ice, which Gao allegedly brought with him to the deal.
On Thursday McNamara claimed that Rogerson, 'seething with anger,' had pulled a gun from his right pocket and twice shot Gao in chest, who was armed with a combat knife, as their argument over a drug deal escalated.
Back in March, McNamara's daughter Jessica told the court her father paled after his alleged accomplice Rogerson complimented herself and her sister over a beer on the day Gao was killed.
She said the three of them exchanged chit-chat as McNamara and a 'jovial' Rogerson shared a beer.
But the mood turned when Rogerson commented on how 'nice' she and her younger sister were.
'He said to my dad that he had really lovely, lovely girls,' Ms McNamara told the NSW Supreme Court.
'As he was saying that I looked at my dad and he was pale.
'He looked skittish. He kept moving at the table, twitching a little bit.'
Ms McNamara, 25, said she noticed Rogerson began tapping a dark-coloured item in his right trouser pocket and that her father suddenly began fidgeting, standing up and pacing on the spot.
Glen McNamara's daughter Jessica (pictured) told the court in March that her father had looked 'skittish' when he had joined her with Rogerson for beers on the same day Gao was killed
Mr Gao's body was found in ocean off Cronulla in south Sydney six days after his alleged murder. The blue tarpaulin his body had been wrapped in allegedly matches the blue in the back of McNamara's boat
Rogerson sat with a grin on his face as his co-accused gave his version of events to the jury
Jamie Gao was allegedly holding a large combat knife when he was shot twice in the chest
On Thursday, the court heard McNamara's version of events.
Mr Gao, the court heard, had let himself into McNamara's car at a nearby McDonalds and was lying on the floor near the rear seats, clearly scared.
'Gao said 'the triads have been chasing me all f***ing day',' McNamara told the court.
Minutes later they were inside the storage unit and Rogerson went off at Mr Gao directly, the court heard.
According to McNamara, Rogerson said to Mr Gao: 'you were supposed to come to me, you f***ing idiot.
Mr Gao responded: 'It's better to have witnesses. Where's the f***ing money?'
'Where's the gear?' Rogerson then asked.
'There's no money for you f***wit.'
Mr Gao repeated his demand, Rogerson did the same and as Mr Gao offered another 'f*** off' he pulled a large combat knife from a bag, McNamara said.
Mr Gao was seated but had tried to stand up, which would have put him directly in front of Rogerson, the court heard.
'I saw Roger pull a gun from the right pocket of his pants,' McNamara said.
'He was seething with anger.'
At this point, McNamara stepped back and hid under a table, he said.
Rogerson then shot Mr Gao, leaving him splayed and groaning in a chair.
There was a tinkle as Mr Gao dropped his knife, but Rogerson wasn't finished, McNamara said.
'He held aim and shot him again,' he said.
'Gao stopped moving. There was no noise. He just killed him.
'I said to him, 'Why, why, why?'
The day after his alleged murder, Rogerson and McNamara were seen entering a Cronulla apartment with a six pack of beers
Turkey has been accused of opening fire on civilians fleeing the fighting in Syria as a Russian-backed offensive has piled pressure on the latest round of peace talks.
Fighting in Aleppo has displaced 30,000 Syrians in the past 48 hours but the border remains shut to only the most seriously injured.
Government fighters, rebels and ISIS jihadists are currently battling for control of swathes of Aleppo province.
Residents in Aleppo inspect the damages of an airstrike on the rebel-held Maysar neighbourhood earlier this week
Some 30,000 people have fled Aleppo (pictured) in the past two days, putting pressure on camps at the border with Turkey
However, Human Rights Watch has accused Turkish border guards of opening fire on civilians as it keeps its borders closed to everyone except those badly injured
Today Human Rights Watch accused Turkish guards of opening fire on civilians as they approached the country's border wall with Syria.
Gerry Simpson, senior refugee researcher at Human Rights Watch, said: 'As civilians flee ISIS fighters, Turkey is responding with live ammunition instead of compassion.
'The whole world is talking about fighting ISIS, and yet those most at risk of becoming victims of its horrific abuses are trapped on the wrong side of a concrete wall.'
A refugee told the organisation how 2,000 people were forced from a camp after it was overrun by ISIS fighters.
They said: 'As we approached the border wall we saw Turkish soldiers on a hill behind the wall and they just started shooting at us.
'They shot at our feet and everyone just turned round and ran in all directions.
'I took my family and we walked to another [refugee] camp nearby, called al-Rayan. Were afraid now because ISIS is close to this camp too. But where can we go?'
The escalation in fighting is threatening a nearly seven-week ceasefire that had seen violence drop for the first time in the five-year conflict.
Regime loyalists backed by Russian air power have pressed a fierce offensive just north of the provincial capital of Aleppo city, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
A group of residents chat in the Aleppo following a new wave of airstrikes carried out earlier this weeks
Fighting was heaviest around Handarat, a hilly area that lies along a route leading north out of opposition-held parts of the city.
Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said regime forces, backed by Russian and Syrian planes, were seeking to cut off that road and 'completely besiege' eastern neighbourhoods.
An AFP correspondent in opposition-held eastern Aleppo city said the booming crashes of strikes could be heard throughout the day, but no raids hit the city itself.
'We're overwhelmed once again by fears of a government siege of Aleppo, after weeks of a ceasefire that may have just collapsed,' said Ali Saber, a 32-year-old father of one living in Aleppo.
The assault has sparked 'strong concerns' in Washington about the ceasefire, which saw violence plummet after it took effect on February 27.
A senior US administration official said the offensive 'could well violate the cessation of hostilities, which has... been under increasing pressure in recent weeks'.
Russian president Vladimir Putin says he is 'closely following' the escalation in violence in the region
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini also expressed concern about the Aleppo offensive and called for the 'respect, consolidation, and expansion' of the truce.
Representatives of Bashar al-Assad's regime are expected in Geneva on Friday for peace talks with UN envoy Staffan de Mistura, who criticised the government for hindering efforts to deliver life-saving assistance to Syrians in need.
Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin, Assad's main backer, told broadcaster Russian TVB yesterday that he was 'closely following' the latest spike in violence.
Putin last month announced a partial pullout from Syria, but warned Russia could return in full force should the situation require it.
The UN fears that the humanitarian situation may deteriorate once again after reporting significant progress through the first two weeks of March.
'We are extremely concerned about the situation in northern Syria, including Aleppo governorate, where there has been a significant increase in incidents of violence that continue to aggravate the humanitarian situation,' a UN humanitarian official said.
The official said the UN was planning several aid deliveries to Afrin and Azaz - two flashpoint areas in the province - in the coming days.
But UN envoy de Mistura said restrictions by Damascus have frustrated efforts to deliver much-needed assistance to besieged Syrians.
Despite several UN Security Council resolutions that call for unobstructed aid access to besieged areas, the regime continues to frequently deny passage to convoys carrying assistance.
'Everyone in the meeting was disappointed,' de Mistura told reporters after a weekly meeting of the so-called humanitarian taskforce on Thursday.
'Many of [the countries] are actually frustrated by the lack of new convoys,' he added, naming Douma and Daraya, both besieged by the regime near Damascus, as being in dire need of aid.
De Mistura said he made some progress in Damascus by securing tentative permission to distribute medical supplies.
Police have launched an investigation after an elderly woman was badly injured when she was knocked over by a commuter who slid down a busy Tube escalator.
Witnesses told how the smartly dressed woman, 70, was 'sent flying' and left lying face down on the floor of North Greenwich Underground Station at around 7am yesterday morning.
Two ambulances were sent to the station and the pensioner was treated at the scene by paramedics.
An elderly London underground passenger (left, wearing red) had the rush hour journey from hell after a young woman (right, centre) slid down the central barrier of the escalator and crashed straight into her
The younger woman received a deep gash to her wrist and hand, and was taken to hospital.
A man who witnessed the incident told how Tube staff tried to downplay the incident as an angry crowd demanded the younger woman be arrested.
He told MailOnline: 'A young foreign woman in her 20s, who sounded Italian to me, was sliding down the handrail of the escalator when she hit a woman on her way to work.
'The woman messing about sent the middle-aged woman flying to her knees, the escalator was stopped and the woman was at the bottom of the escalator on all fours and could not get up. She was badly hurt.
'The other woman was crying - she had injured her hand and wrist and was bleeding. She was being comforted by her friends.
DO YOU KNOW THE WOMEN INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT? Email kate.samuelson@mailonline.co.uk or call 02036152983 Advertisement
'There was an underground worker standing over the woman who could not get up. She was trying to calm the situation down because an eyewitness had seen what had happened and was saying that the young woman should be arrested, but the guard was saying it was an accident.
'People that were on the escalator behind the woman who had been knocked to the floor were stepping over her to get off the escalator.
'North Greenwich is always busy but people are normally horsing around at night on their way to and from the O2 arena - not at seven oclock in the morning.'
The smartly-dressed woman, 70, was 'sent flying' and left lying face down on the floor of North Greenwich Underground Station at around 7am yesterday morning (stock photo)
British Transport Police have confirmed that they are investigating the incident and will be questioning the young woman.
A spokesman told MailOnline: 'Our officers were called to North Greenwich London Underground station on Thursday April 14, following reports of a person injured.
'Officers attended and found a 70-year-old woman with injuries to her arm. She was treated at the scene by paramedics from London Ambulance Service.
'Officers will be speaking to another woman in connection with incident in due course.'
If you know the women involved in this incident, please email kate.samuelson@mailonline.co.uk or call 02036152983.
Two ambulances were sent to the station (pictured) and the elderly woman was treated at the scene by paramedics
Other incidents of trouble caused by people playing on Tube escalators
Last February, footage of a man attempting to slide down the Tube's longest escalator at Angel station before slipping and crashing went viral.
Perhaps inspired by the Hardcore Henry trainer released that same month - showing an exhilarating stunt where a man slides down the central barrier - the 30-year-old can be seen mounting the middle of the escalator as he is cheered on by his friends.
But his short slide lasts all of about three seconds before he catches the sign between the escalators, warning travellers to stand on the right.
Clutching a bottle of beer in one hand, and after having a few more before, the man mounts the barrier as he is cheered on by his friends
Transport bosses slammed the prankster for putting others at risk.
Mark Evers, Director of Customer Strategy for London Underground, said: Safety is our top priority and pranks like this are dangerous not only for those involved but also for other customers.
We have frequent PA announcements reminding customers to be careful when using escalators, and we also run safety campaigns throughout the year to encourage customers to take care whilst traveling on our network.
In 2014, a commuter fell head first while trying to slide down the Tube escalator handrail - while his friends rolled on the floor laughing.
After rolling a few times, the man reaches the bottom of the escalator where his jeering friends are waiting and attempts to regain his composure.
One man is in stitches and clings on to the railing but he's laughing so much that he falls to the floor in a fit of giggles.
The not-so-smooth operator looks a bit worse for wear as he tries to hold his head up high and storms off while his mates are besides themselves.
And in February a man known only as Steve crashed after sliding the wrong way down an escalator into a line of commuters.
Egged on by friends, the man lets out a high pitched shout as he bundles over and fall on the steps, narrowly avoiding the startled travellers who are moving up in the other direction.
Mathematics tutor Quy Huy Hoang enjoyed such confidence from the Sydney families who hired him that they referred their friends for lessons, and installed locks and blinds at his urging.
But out of sight, the 'monster' was haunting the children he was entrusted with teaching.
The 68-year-old showed no visible emotion in the dock of Sydney District Court on Friday as he was handed a 24-year jail term for sexual crimes against five children to whom he gave private lessons between 2007 and 2014.
His victims were aged as young as three and were subjected to a barrage of meticulously planned sexual and indecent assaults.
Mathematics tutor Quy Huy Hoang, 68, who 'used his position of trust to sexually abuse children', was sentenced to 24 years in jail at the Sydney District Court on Friday (pictured)
For some of the children these attacks happened weekly.
Though Friday's decision fell short of the life prosecutors had urged Judge Kate Traill to hand down, the hefty non-parole period means Hoang - known as 'Mr Peter' to his victims and their families - will not walk free from jail until he is at least 85.
'In my view, the offender is a sexual predator who took advantage of his high position of trust as a teacher and elder of the Vietnamese community, and abused that trust to sexually abuse very young children,' Judge Traill said on Friday.
'To add insult to injury, the offender took money from (the complainants' parents) whilst he was sexually assaulting the children.'
Judge Kate Traill said the offender had shown no remorse and she believed he still posed a danger to the community
Judge Traill, one of two specialist District Court judges appointed last year to hear child sexual assault cases across the state, said the offender had shown no remorse and she believed he still posed a danger to the community.
She told how Hoang had convinced one mother that she should put blinds on windows, install locks on doors and use particular tables and chairs - all under the guise of improving her children's school marks.
But Judge Traill said she was satisfied Hoang's real intention was to fashion the children's home into a place where he could abuse the children uninterrupted, so that 'as one walked into the room they would not see his hands' fondling the children.
The mother she spoke of later told a psychologist: 'I created a perfect haven for him to abuse my babies.'
Hoang showed no visible emotion in the dock of Sydney District Court (pictured) on Friday as he was handed the jail term for sexual crimes against five children to whom he gave private lessons between 2007 and 2014
Another mother - whose eldest daughter had recently died in a car crash, and who had lost her husband to cancer shortly before meeting Hoang - could not afford the tutor's services, and believed it was kindness that motivated him to offer free lessons.
A victim impact statement tendered to the court details one mother's anguish at allowing Hoang into her home.
'All my children still refuse to sleep in their bedrooms,' she said.
'The room is left abandoned and my children have told me numerous times that the room is haunted and that 'bad things happen there'.'
It is not the life sentence prosecuors were asking for but Hoang (pictured) will not be eligible for release until he is 85 years old
She said she cried in silence so her children do not hear her.
'Mr Peter has broken my children's childhood, stolen their innocence, blacked their hearts and stolen their smiles,' the woman said.
'What a monster he is.'
Outside court, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Yeomans from the Child Abuse Squad commended the courage of the child victims in shining a light on Hoang's 'diabolical' crimes.
'The victims in this matter exhibited extraordinary bravery for their young age,' Insp Yeomans said.
This is the shocking moment a hit-and-run driver ploughed into a pedestrian on a zebra crossing and left the woman with serious injuries.
The collision occurred on a crossing on Siviter Way in Dagenham, East London, and CCTV captured the horrendous moment the car sent the woman flying.
Sanaa Sheikh, who was 25 years old at the time, was then left for dead by the driver of the black Ford Ka, who fled the scene with a damaged windscreen.
The CCTV footage showed Sanaa Sheikh on the crossing as the car ploughed into her and sent her flying
Detectives at Barking and Dagenham have recently released the footage in a bid to track those responsible
The victim was taken to an East London hospital and treated for a fractured collarbone and skull. She has since undergone two operations and her recovery is still ongoing.
Two years since the incident Sanaa, now 27, revealed the recovery process has been very stressful and she still cannot bring herself to use a zebra crossing.
On the anniversary of the ordeal, Sanaa was treated to a trip to Rome by her husband Mohammed Ahmed, but admitted she still has frequent breakdowns and flashbacks.
Sanaa, a receptionist for The Body Shop, said: 'I haven't been able to cross a zebra crossing since then and I don't trust drivers and I still have flashbacks.
'It's been a very stressful two years. It has affected me physically and I haven't been able to get over it mentally.
'There are periods where I'm okay and there are other times when I'm breaking down, I just can't believe they left me there to die. The doctors couldn't believe that I was alive.'
Two years since the incident Sanaa, now 27, (pictured) revealed the recovery process has been very stressful and she still cannot bring herself to use a zebra crossing
The shocking collision occurred on the crossing on Siviter Way in Dagenham, East London in April 2014
Moments after the collision Sanaa's brother Zeeshan drove past the scene and was shocked to find that it was his sister involved in the horrific collision.
Zeeshan, 35, said: 'I was driving home and I saw her on the ground and I was just so shocked.
'I didn't know how badly she had been damaged, I went in the ambulance with her and I was so relieved when I saw her eyes open.'
Sanaa spent two weeks in hospital following the crash and was unable to work for six months. Her injuries even forced her to delay her wedding, but in March last year she finally got married.
She said: 'We got married in March last year but it was supposed to be six months before that because I had to recover.
'I'm regularly going to counselling, it has affected my social life and my marriage. Mohammed has been very supportive of me. He has been my rock.
The Ford Ka, which sustained a damaged windscreen in the collision, failed to stop following the crash
The victim, who was 25 years old at the time of the collision, was taken to an East London hospital for a fractured collarbone and skull
'My life will never be the same. I can't lift heavy things because my shoulder has still not healed, even though they put a metal plate in there. I regularly get migraines and I have sensitivity to light.'
Whilst police have spent two years hunting for the driver, Sanaa supports the way her incident has been handled.
She said: 'I'm very happy with the way police have handled things. I have my full confidence in them.
'They are doing a wonderful job, but I'd just like to get closure if I can. I haven't had closure for two years.'
Detectives at Barking and Dagenham recently released the footage in a bid to track those responsible for the fail-to-stop crash, which occurred in April 2014.
Detective Constable Liz Carrey said: 'Police have conducted extensive enquiries to trace who was responsible for this collision.
Sanaa's (pictured) injuries even forced her to delay her wedding, but in March last year she finally got married
Sanaa spent two weeks in hospital following the crash and was unable to work for six months
'This has been a life changing experience for the victim; both physically and mentally.
'The victim was seriously injured and she would like some closure to help her come to terms with the incident.
'We know the car has been scrapped, but someone may have seen it damaged or the driver of the car may even have spoken about what happened.
'I would ask anyone who has information to search their conscience and contact police.'
Anyone with information about the collision is asked to call DC Carrey on 020 3276 1047 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Detectives are very keen to trace the driver and hope the CCTV can help with their investigation
In a confession letter, she wrote of how she suffocated Harley in his cot
Old Bailey in London heard she will serve at least 13 years behind bars
Lesley Dunford, 37, was jailed for life for the murder of baby son Harley
Lesley Dunford, pictured, has been jailed for life for the murder of her baby son Harley, aged seven months, in 2003
A mother who was jailed for life for murdering her baby son and killing her three-year-old daughter penned a chilling letter confessing to her crimes.
Lesley Dunford, 37, was sentenced to a minimum of 13 years behind bars after admitting to murdering son Harley, aged seven months, in August 2003.
Harley's death was first recorded as cot death, but suspicions arose after her daughter Lucy, three, died at the family home in East Sussex in February 2004.
Dunford was jailed for the manslaughter of Lucy in 2012 but her husband Wayne stood by her until she pleaded guilty to Harley's murder also.
Today, the Old Bailey heard how she suffocated her son after 'something clicked' inside her when he would not stop crying.
In the brutally graphic letter written in prison, she added: 'I went back into the room, walked over to his cot and pushed his face into the mattress until he stopped breathing, then I turned his head back to the side and noticed that he had foamed at the mouth and blood had come out of his nose.
'That's when I knew I had really hurt him and I didn't really know why I had done it.'
The court was told that Dunford's husband, who is in the process of divorcing her, had forgiven her and 'wishes her well in the future'.
Speaking after the sentencing, Mr Dunford, 58, said his 'gullible' wife should be in a hospital and not a prison where she might be 'bullied and taken advantage of'.
Harley's death was not treated as suspicious until Dunford admitted the killing to prison staff in 2014 while serving seven years for the manslaughter of her daughter, the Old Bailey heard.
Sentencing, Mr Justice Baker said: 'The reality is, had you not confessed to killing Harley whilst in custody, it is highly likely there would not have been a police investigation into his death and you would not have faced prosecution for murder.'
Dunford (left on her wedding day) is already in jail after being convicted of the manslaughter of her daughter Lucy, three, but her husband Wayne (right) believes she should be in a hospital, not a prison
Prosecutor Philippa McAtasney QC said she was only charged after making a series of confessions to staff at Drake Hall women's prison in Staffordshire in June 2014, claiming she had been suffering post-natal depression.
Before then, Harley's death had been put down to staphylococcal pneumonia and no action was taken.
When Lucy died in 'very similar circumstances' in February 2004, the defendant turned to her local vicar and said: 'It's happened again, it's happened again.'
At the time of both killings, Mr Dunford, 58, had been out of the house at work, the court heard.
It was while she was serving her manslaughter sentence that she admitted involvement in both deaths to prison staff, saying she was 'riddled with guilt'.
She told officers that she had been having 'flashbacks and nightmares' about what she had done.
In the written confession, she wrote: 'I remember the day very clearly, the time I put Harley back to bed at 9am, after I had given him his breakfast. I was settling him down in his cot. I put him on his tummy and put his dummy in.
Pictured: The handwritten confession by Dunford detailing how she murdered her son Harley
'I know what I have done is very wrong and I deserve to be punished for it', wrote Dunford in the letter
'But then something clicked in my head and I went back into the room walked over to his cot and pushed his face into the mattress until he stopped breathing.
She went on: 'Even though we had a death certificate I know I contributed to his death because I relive it every day.'
The court heard Dunford told a support worker: 'They told me he died from some respiratory problem, but he didn't. I killed him. He had blood coming out of his mouth and nose but Lucy hadn't.'
Medical experts who reviewed the examination of Harley's body rejected the original finding.
Instead they found his death was consistent with asphyxiation and should have been recorded as unascertained, the court heard.
Ms McAtasney added: 'She didn't know why she had done it, she also made admissions about Lucy, she said she had hit her head against the headboard and then suffocated her and that she was struggling.'
'She said 'I think I did, I was bad. I was suffering from post-natal depression'' - she indicated that others had told her she could have post-natal depression and there's no evidence to support such a diagnosis.'
Dunford, pictured during her initial police interview in 2004, wrote a confession to the murder of her son while in prison for the manslaughter of her daughter, the Old Bailey heard
Dunford, pictured before a court hearing earlier this year, was jailed for seven years for the manslaughter and faces a life sentence at the OId Bailey today
In mitigation, Alan Kent QC said the case was 'quite extraordinary' and his client wished to convey her 'sincere regrets and apologies'.
Mr Kent said that Dunford, who had later moved to Windermere Close, Exeter, had low intelligence and complex mental health problems including an 'extremely emotionally unstable personality disorder'.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Wendy Burton, of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said: 'This has been a tragic case in which two children have lost their lives and their family has been stricken by terrible heartache.
'Both investigations were complex. A key factor in both was forensic evidence, and in cases of very young children that can be very difficult to interpret in a way that the criminal justice system can deal with.
CONFESSION OF A MURDERER The court heard police re-opened the case of Harley's murder after Dunford confessed, both verbally and in writing, to killing him to prison staff at Drake's Hall in Staffordshire. She drafted a handwritten confession after verbally admitting both children in their home in East Sussex. After her arrest she refused to comment to police during an interview but a forensic analysis of her handwriting showed it was her who wrote the confession. The confession stated: 'I remember the day very clearly, the time I put Harley back to bed at 9am, after I had given him his breakfast. I was settling him down in his cot. I put him on his tummy and put his dummy in. 'But then something clicked in my head and I went back into the room walked over to his cot and pushed his face into the mattress until he stopped breathing. 'And then I put his head to the side and noticed there was blood and foam coming out of his nose. That's when I knew I had hurt him and I don't know why I had done it.' She went on: 'Even though we had a death certificate I know I contributed to his death because I relive it every day.' The court heard Dunford told a support worker: 'They told me he died from some respiratory problem, but he didn't. I killed him. 'He had blood coming out of his mouth and nose but Lucy hadn't.' The prosecution also told the court Dunford had made admissions about Lucy's death, including hitting her head against a headboard and then suffocating her. Advertisement
'But Lesley Dunford then confessed, on several occasions, verbally and in writing, to killing Harley too. This, together with the forensic review, was fully considered by the CPS who authorised her prosecution.
'Justice has now been done and our sympathies are with little Harley and Lucy.'
Mr Dunford added: 'This has been a very difficult time for myself. Lesley lied to me about what had happened with the children.
'She was very good at this and I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to family and friends for this deceit that lasted for a decade. I am truly sorry.'
Senior Crown Prosecutor in the CPS South East Complex Casework Unit, Libby Clark, added: 'Lesley Dunford has lied for many years about what happened to her son, before finally confessing the truth to prison staff in 2014.
'This was a terrible crime - her confession clearly stated that she deliberately suffocated her son whilst he was face down in his cot.
'Despite being convicted in 2012 of the manslaughter of her eldest daughter, Dunford still kept her silence over Harvey's death.
'She showed no remorse for over a decade by maintaining her claims that she had found him in his cot and that he was not breathing, when the truth was that she had murdered him.'
Police initially arrested Dunford shortly after Lucy's death and passed the case to the CPS, but they did not have enough evidence to charge her.
A family court hearing in 2005 introduced new evidence and an eventual inquest in 2009 saw the East Sussex coroner demand police re-investigate Lucy's death.
Coroner Alan Craze ruled there was evidence of strangulation which meant it was 'likely her death was due to an offence of homicide'.
Dunford was charged with murder and was convicted of manslaughter after a trial at Lewes Crown Court in 2012, where she was jailed for seven years.
Jurors rejected her account that she found her daughter motionless in bed after hearing medical evidence the girl was smothered.
Prosecutor Sally Howes QC said during the 2012 trial that the inquest had 'excluded the likelihood' of a serious infection and found that injuries to the airways were consistent with an 'application of force'.
Dunford was therefore rearrested and Ms Howes said she told officers: 'I have been waiting for this to happen.'
Mr Dunford, pictured at his children's graves, said he 'never wants to see' his wife again after her guilty plea
Dunford, formerly of Windermere Close, Exeter, has twice pleaded guilty to Harley's murder, having admitted she made the first plea to avoid having a trial, before entering the second and final plea in March.
As previously reported, Mr Dunford was devastated to discover that his wife was a killer after he supported her for more than a decade.
'She had convinced me for so long she had not harmed our kids,' he said. 'I was convincing people that Lesley had not done anything.
'She was just a good liar and kept up the lie for over ten years. I never want to see her again.'
The father believed for years that Harley had succumbed to cot death and that Lucy's death in 2004 was the result of an accident.
After his wife was jailed four years ago, Mr Dunford said: 'I don't accept the verdict. I have been with Lesley for 13 years and she is not the sort of person who could keep something like that to herself for so long.'
The couple lived in Camber, East Sussex at the time their children died, but later moved to Exeter after the double tragedy.
Spain's acting industry minister has resigned after being linked in the Panama Papers leak to offshore dealings on the island of Jersey.
Denying all wrongdoing, Jose Manuel Soria said he was stepping down to limit any damage to the caretaker government, the People's Party (PP), as it approaches a general election in June.
He was named in the tax leak - which has also toppled Iceland's Prime Minister - as having links to the tax haven Jersey.
Jose Manuel Soria has resigned from his Industry Minister role after the Panama Papers said he was an administrator of an offshore firm for two months in 1992, triggering further investigation by Spanish media
Iceland Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson (pictured) resigned on April 5 following the revelations
His resignation comes at a time when Spain is facing the likelihood of a second general election in June after an inconclusive December vote.
Mr Soria said he was quitting due to 'the succession of mistakes committed along the past few days, relating to my explanations over my business activities'.
He added this was doing 'obvious harm' to the Spanish caretaker government of which he was a member.
Mr Soria's troubles began on Monday when Spanish online daily El Confidencial, which has had access to the Panama Papers - leaked from law firm Mossack Fonseca - said he had was an administrator of an offshore firm for two months in 1992.
He called a news conference to deny any link to any Panamanian company, but as the week went by, more allegations emerged from other media outlets, revealing further alleged connections to offshore havens.
It is unclear as yet whether any of his alleged actions were illegal.
The latest polls have shown the PP gaining ground, despite a string of corruption scandals involving regional politicians this year, as voters tire of left-wing parties' failure to put aside differences to form a coalition government.
Leaks from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca have embarrassed several world leaders and shone a spotlight on the shadowy world of offshore companies by revealing the financial arrangements of prominent figures.
A new photograph showing a moving object in the middle of the Solent has caused eyewitnesses to question if it was the Loch Ness Monster enjoying a holiday.
The extraordinary sighting of three humps bobbing up and down in the water comes just days after a similar shape was spotted in The Thames by the O2 Arena in London.
The picture - taken 630 miles away from Loch Ness - has resulted in Trevor and Jo Wilde questioning if it was Nessie swimming past.
The humped 'creature' was spotted in The Solent when Jo Wilde, from Newport, Isle of Wight, saw it move as she was heading to Cornwall . She took the picture from the deck of Wightlink's Fishbourne to Portsmouth ferry
Three humps emerged from the water as the Nessie-shaped creature - first brought to the world's attention in 1933 -was thought to be making its way around the island.
The fascinating object was spotted in The Solent when Jo, from Newport, Isle of Wight, saw it move up and down when she was heading to Cornwall to see her family.
She quickly took the photograph from the deck of Wightlink's Fishbourne to Portsmouth ferry.
The new sighting of Nessie swimming near the south coast suggests she is on holiday after being seen in the River Thames earlier this month
It comes after mysterious footage showed a similar humped object moving in the River Thames in London.
The recent sighting also comes after a 1970s film prop of Nessie from the Billy Wilder movie The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes was discovered in Scotland this week.
Jo's husband Trevor, from Newport, said: 'It was right in the middle of the Solent, which we find rather strange.
'I don't think there are any sandbanks near where the ferry goes for rocks to be able to poke out of the water.
'We've looked at the picture a lot and still it really confuses us. Whatever it was seemed to be gently moving along side of the boat.
A robotic submarine searching the lake for signs of the phantom Scottish beast may not have found any signs of its fabled lair, but it has come across a long-lost model of the monster
Trevor, from Newport, Isle of Wight, said: 'It was right in the middle of the Solent, which we find rather strange. 'I'm a sceptical man myself, but could it have been the Loch Ness monster.'
'It had a really shiny texture to it.
'I'm a sceptical man myself, but could it have been the Loch Ness monster?
'I recently read a story online about the Loch Ness monster being spotted in London. What if this is the same monster that was spotted?
'This is all very exciting, but a bit disturbing. We won't be visiting the beach for a while now.'
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An intrepid explorer has risked life and limb by camping inside an active volcano in Africa right next to a bubbling lava lake.
Chris Horsley, from Ormskirk in Lancashire, embarked on the expedition to Mount Nyiragongo in Congo with Geoff Mackley and Bradley Ambrose.
But not only did he manage to catch 40 winks on his perilous perch 300 metres inside the volcano, he also managed to cook curry and rice on the super-heated rocks.
Chris Horsley, from Ormskirk in Lancashire, (above) embarked on an expedition to Mount Nyiragongo in Congo, Africa with Geoff Mackley and Bradley Ambrose
Not only did he manage to catch 40 winks on his perilous perch 300 metres inside the volcano, he also managed to cook curry and rice on the super-heated rocks
Chris, 24, (above) said: 'I've slept on many volcano summits but being so far down and close to the lava of Nyiragongo, casting an incredible red glow, was amazing'
Chris, 24, said: 'It's by far the best place I've ever camped out.
'I've slept on many volcano summits but being so far down and close to the lava of Nyiragongo, casting an incredible red glow, was amazing.
'I'd recommend it to anyone.'
Chris made the trip to experience the unique landscape but, understandably, had trouble drifting off.
He added: 'It's by far the best place I've ever camped out. I'd recommend it to anyone. Sleeping inside such a powerful place was a bizarre feeling'
The mountain has a 1.2 km diameter summit caldera (shown) containing the world's most active and largest lava lake
Mount Nyiragongo is part of the Virunga volcanic chain that straddles the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda
He said: 'Sleeping inside such a powerful place was a bizarre feeling.
'As it became dark the excitement of being down there was too great.
'I just kept walking round with my camera and taking photos or shooting video.
'Soon I calmed and sat listening to Pink Floyd. When I finally decided to call it a night and climbed into my tent, it become quite eerie.
'The sense of being alone in a place that possesses such powerful natural energy is quite a feeling.
The volcano is one five major lava lakes that have formed since the 1980s and has remained in existence for decades
Other lava lakes are found at Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii, Mount Erebus in Antarctica, Ambrym, Vanuatu and Erta' Ale in Ethiopia
In 2002, an eruption by Nyiragongo destroyed much of the nearby town of Goma, leaving 200,000 people homeless
'After a long day climbing though exhaustion knocked me out.'
The mountain has a 1.2 km diameter summit caldera containing the world's most active and largest lava lake.
Mount Nyiragongo is part of the Virunga volcanic chain that straddles the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
It is one five major lava lakes that have formed since the 1980s and has remained in existence for decades.
Others are found at Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii, Mount Erebus in Antarctica, Ambrym, Vanuatu and Erta' Ale in Ethiopia.
In 2002, an eruption by Nyiragongo destroyed much of the nearby town of Goma, leaving 200,000 people homeless. The eruption spread lava as far as the northern end of the runway at Goma International Airport - around 12 miles (20km) away.
Nyiragongo is an active stratovolcano. It measures 11,382ft (3,470 metres) and is found inside Virunga National Park.
The 2002 eruption spread lava as far as the northern end of the runway at Goma International Airport - around 12 miles (20km) away
Chris added: 'As it became dark the excitement of being down there was too great. I just kept walking round with my camera and taking photos or shooting video'
Nyiragongo is an active stratovolcano. It measures 11,382ft (3,470 metres) and is found inside Virunga National Park
The Belgian transport minister has resigned amid claims she lied about an EU report that criticised security at Brussels Airport a year before last month's ISIS suicide bombings.
In a formal confirmation, the Royal Palace said King Philippe had accepted the resignation of Jacqueline Galant.
A day earlier, Prime Minister Charles Michel had defended Galant, who is from his own centrist party in the coalition government, insisting that her office had not been aware of a critical report sent in March 2015 by EU officials.
Prime Minister Charles Michel said that, after talks Jacqueline Galant (pictured), 'the minister presented her resignation to the King and the King accepted it'
A spokesman for Michel's centrist MR party said documents presented late on Thursday showed that Galant's office had indeed been told of the report.
On March 22, two ISIS suicide bombers detonated suitcase bombs in the airport departure hall before a third struck a metro train in the city. In all, they killed 32 people.
Galant had said she had not seen the EU report, but Michel said 'a summary of this report was discussed and sent to the minister's cabinet in June 2015.'
No immediate replacement was named for Galant but Michel said he would do so as soon as possible.
The suicide attacks in the peak morning travel period have shaken the Belgian government, police and judiciary.
The revelations came after the attacks in Brussels in March killed 32 people, including 16 at the national airport. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attacks
The Belgian parliament has set up an inquiry to look into any shortcomings in the handling of the bombings. Belgium's interior and justice ministers volunteered to step down last month, but their resignations were rejected.
'The government will work in perfect cooperation with the commission of inquiry so that all transparency can be ensured and to draw lessons for the future,' Michel said. 'The security of all Belgians is a priority for this government.'
The EU carries out around 35 safety inspections at European airports each year. The restricted report, dated April 28, 2015, details shortcomings in the supervision of security in the Brussels Airport section that travelers enter once they have cleared security checks and around the planes themselves.
A Rebels bikie has been jailed and faces deportation to his native New Zealand after he was hired to extort $70,000 from a restaurateur on behalf of a construction company.
Wiremu Hepara Perry, 32, was hired by construction company owner John Andrew Coyne to recover money from the owner of Chik and Kent and Cinnamon Club in Leederville, Perth in 2013.
The victim had used Mr Coyne's company JA Constructions to renovate the restaurant and had paid $650,000 for the services, the West Australian reports.
Rebels bikie Wiremu Hepara Perry, 32, has been jailed for extortion and could be sent back to New Zealand when he is released
But a dispute broke out over an additional payment of $70,000 which led to Perry being hired.
Perry harassed the victim four times in three months, and even threatened the safety of the restaurateur's family. 'If you call the police you and your family will have problems,' Perry told the man.
He also slapped him and made reference to where he lived.
Perry initially demanded $70,000 from his victim, but the price went up by $2,000 when interest was added.
The bikie was hired to extort $70,000 from a restaurateur in Perth by the owner of a construction company
The bikie expected to be paid $5,000 for securing the money for the construction company.
District Court Judge Patrick O'Neal said Perry was used by Mr Coyne because of his terrifying size and appearance.
He then sentenced him to three years and two month behind bars.
Perry's lawyer Michael Tudori told the court his client was friends with Mr Coyne's son and had offered to help recover the debt.
'He has always maintained and believed this was a legitimate debt that was owed,' Mr Tudori said.
The lawyer also said the father of two would probably be deported on release. He will be eligible for parole in August as his sentence was backdated to January, 2015.
More than 180 passengers were left stranded on the tarmac after the co-pilot of a Boeing 737-800 had a heart attack and died earlier this morning.
The co-pilot, named as 41-year-old Lim Hyun Soo from South Korea in Thai media, suffered a fatal coronary while Flight ZE532 was preparing for takeoff at Phuket International Airport.
He reported having problems breathing and was sent to Thalang hospital in Phuket.
He reportedly received CPR en route and arrived at the hospital just before 4am but died at 8.20am.
Co-pilot, named as 41-year-old Lim Hyun Soo from South Korea in Thai media, suffered a fatal coronary while Eastar Jet Flight ZE532 (above) was preparing for takeoff at Phuket International Airport
The low-cost airline cancelled the flight scheduled to travel to Incheon airport in Seoul, South Korea, at 2.20am.
All 186 people on board were taken to a hotel in Phuket until their new flight could be arranged.
The co-pilot reportedly flew 2,980 hours since he took a job in Eastar Jet in September 2011, according to the Korea Times.
'South Korean pilot Hyunsoo Lim, 41, died in the emergency room at Thalang Hospital at about 8:20am,' Lt Suporn Muangkai of the Thalang Police told the Phuket Gazette.
'His co-workers told us that they were conducting pre-flight checks at about 1am when Mr Lim complained of breathing difficulties and was rushed to hospital.'
'We found no signs of struggle on his body.
'At this stage, we believe that he might have had a heart attack, but we are still waiting for doctors to confirm the cause of death,' Lt Suporn said.
All 186 people on board were taken to a hotel in Phuket until their new flight to Incheon airport in Seoul, South Korea, (above) could be arranged
The Korean Embassy has been informed of Mr Lim's death.
Eastar Jet is based in Seoul and flies to 14 destinations across Asia.
Last month a Saudi passenger aircraft captain died minutes before landing a plane forcing his co-pilot to take over.
The pilot, Walid bin Mohammed Al Mohammed, was trying to land his plane at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh when he suffered a massive heart attack.
Realising that something was wrong, his co-pilot, Rami Ben Ghazi was forced to take over control and successfully managed to bring the plane down to land.
A wheelchair-bound man with cerebral palsy was mugged by a cruel thug as he waited at a bus stop.
In a crime police have branded 'sickening', victim Danny Barrett, 36, was targeted by the robber who demanded his money.
Mr Barrett was returning to John Grooms Court care home in Norwich when the attacker approached him at a city centre bus stop. When he refused to hand over his cash, the thief reached into his coat and grabbed his wallet before walking off.
Mugging victim Danny Barrett, 36, is wheelchair-bound man and suffers with cerebral palsy
Shaken: Police described the crime as 'sickening', adding Mr Barrett was targeted because of his vulnerability
Mr Barrett said after his ordeal: 'I feel absolutely disgusted by it. I was shaken with shock when I got back.
'I would like the guy prosecuted and taken to court.'
He added: 'I don't want this ever happening to any other disabled people.'
Mr Barrett said he was going home from visiting friends in Taverham when he was targeted at the Castle Meadow bus stop.
He said the black leather wallet contained a 10 note and two 1 coins as well as his bus pass - leaving him unable to get home.
Mr Barrett said the wallet was a birthday present from a friend and had sentimental value.
'He made out he was a homeless person,' he added. 'He said to me, "I need a pound because I need somewhere to stay."
'But I think he was making it up. I can't believe a homeless person would take off a disabled person.'
Mr Barrett was returning to John Grooms Court care home in Norwich when the attacker approached him at a city centre bus stop at Castle Meadow (pictured) demanding money
Mr Barrett alerted police as his care home, where he has lived for 11 years, sent a taxi to pick him up.
Police have urged any eye-witnesses to the crime, which happened at around 8.50pm on Monday night, to come forward with any information.
PC Michael Pearce, of Norfolk Police, said: 'This is a sickening crime where a vulnerable member of our community has been targeted by a callous thief.
'It is believed there may have been a number of people in the area when the incident took place.
'I'd urge anyone who may have seen anything to contact police.'
Mr Barrett said the thief reached into his coat and grabbed his wallet before walking off
The mugger is described as white, tall, with very short brown hair.
He was wearing white jeans, black leather jacket, black trainers and a grey beanie hat.
A male midwife who advised women to give more oral sex to 'absorb protein and reduce their blood pressure' has been struck off.
Ronald Lock, 48, also told a woman in labour that taking an injection of powerful Pethidine feels like being p***** while working at Southmead Hospital, Bristol.
A hearing before the Nursing and Midwifery Council was also told that Lock, from Weston-Super-Mare, pretended his wife was recovering from surgery at nearby Frenchay Hospital to get time off work and change his shifts.
The incidents took place between March 2010 and July 2013 at the birthing centre at Southmead.
A male midwife from Southmead Hospital, Bristol (pictured) has been struck off for inappropriate comments
The hearing was told that, in a series of strange outbursts, Lock referred to a patients placenta as like a tug rope then told her about research that said: If women swallowed sperm it helps the body absorb the protein to reduce blood pressure.
He added: Women therefore should give more oral sex.
Lock also failed to keep babies warm and fed and did not perform maternal observations for the entirety of a shift.
He wrote false information about colleagues in the wards labour diary, the hearing was told.
NMC panel chair Lesley White said: The panel considered that these (charges) related to inappropriate and offensive comments made by Mr Lock to his patients.
Locks behaviour...demonstrated a total lack of regard and respect for the patients and the circumstances in which he made these comments.
Mr Locks actions demonstrated a complete lack of sensitivity and professionalism on his part and by doing so he breached his duty of care to those patients.
Mr Lock misrepresented personal circumstances in order to obtain emergency leave and a different shift pattern.
By acting dishonestly, pursued his own personal interests and demonstrated a total lack of respect for the rostering needs of his workplace and colleagues at the time.
A panel at the Nursing and Midwifery Council centre in east London (pictured) found the charges proved
When looking at Locks failings to provide care to patients and babies, Ms White said: These included failure to carry out proper observations.
As well as ensuring the babies were warm enough, and temperatures and blood sugar levels were correct.
By doing so, Mr Lock failed to ensure he provided a high standard of practice at all times.
Lock admitted to all charges except for not having done the observations. All charges against him were found proved.
Lock had already removed himself from the register prior to the hearing and expressed no desire to be part of proceedings.
Strolling through a Brussels market without a care in the world, this is captured Paris terrorist Salah Abdeslam in new footage shot before the attacks on the French capital.
Salah, 26, for months the world's most wanted terrorist, is seen talking to a friend in Molenbeek, a jihadi hotspot in Brussels where he grew up.
The video emerges as Salah's elder brother Mohamed has been sacked from his council admin job after five months off sick.
Mohamed claimed his brother saved lives by backing out of blowing himself up outside the Stade de France in November's atrocity.
Relaxed: Wearing a black zip-up jumper, Salah Abdeslam looks at ease as he walks through a market in Molenbeek, Brussels, in August 2014
Broken: The first photograph of captured Paris ISIS attacker Salah Abdeslam shows the failed suicide bomber looking bearded and broken inside a prison in Bruges
The short video clip of Salah, broadcast by Brusselnieuws.be in Belgium, shows the evil bombing suspect looking well-groomed and calm.
The shocking footage is in marked contrast to his tired and bedraggled appearance with black rings around his eyes during questioning by anti-terror detectives in Bruges.
Salah, a 26-year-old Belgian-born Morocco-Frenchman, sparked a huge manhunt when he failed to detonate his suicide vest in Paris.
His other brother Brahim, 31, did blow himself up at the Comptoir Voltaire brasserie in the 11th arrondissement, severely injuring a waitress.
Salah, who fled Paris and went into hiding in Molenbeek for five months, worked for two years as a railway mechanic and in a bar set up by Brahim.
Salah was childhood friends with Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Paris attacks mastermind, it is claimed.
The pair spent time in jail for armed robbery and it is there that it is believed they became radicalised.
Eight months before the ISIS massacre, Salah was filmed drinking, smoking and flirting with girls in a nightclub with his brother Brahim.
It is believed the men then became increasingly radicalised, and gave up drinking to spend their time at home, praying.
Caught: After evading French and Belgian authorities for four months, Salah Abdeslam was arrested during a siege on his bolthole in the run down Molenbeek district of Brussels in March
The footage, which has emerged in the last three days, was filmed in August 2014 - 15 months before the the Paris attacks.
A year after the footage was shot, Salah drove from southern Italy to Greece and returned four days later to Molenbeek with an unnamed man.
In September he drove to Budapest in a rental car. At the train station he picked up two men, who had arrived in Europe claiming to be asylum seekers.
On September 9 on a return trip he was stopped at a checkpoint on the Austrian border in a rental Mercedes, accompanied by two people with fake Belgian ID cards and was allowed through.
Around Octover, Salah is believed to have gone from his home to Paris to buy detonators from a fireworks store.
On November 11, he and Mohamed Abrini - known as the 'man in white' pictured next to the two Brussels Airport bombers attacks last month - were filmed at a Paris petrol station in a black rented Renault Clio.
In northern Paris on November 13, Salah parked one of the rentals in Paris' northern 18th arrondissement, bought a SIM card and immediately phoned two friends in Brussels, asking them to drive through the night to fetch him.
He appeared to have changed his mind at the last minute on the night of the attack, choosing to dump his suicide vest.
For his part in the attacks on Paris, which killed 130, Salah is thought to have rented the cars, the attackers used to drive to the various locations to gun people down.
He was described as being the logistics manager and also organised hotels, flats and ammunition.
After evading French and Belgian authorities for four months, he was arrested during a siege on his bolthole in Molenbeek in March.
Earlier this month, Mohamed said his brother Salah refused to blow himself up at the Stade de France because he wanted to save lives.
He said Salah told him that he 'couldn't go through with it.'
Dismissed: Mohamed Abdeslam was reportedly fired from his position at the municipal administration in the Molenbeek neighbourhood of Brussels
'There would have been more victims had I done it. Luckily, I couldn't go through with it,' Salah Abdeslam reportedly told his brother.
And this week, Mohamed was fired from his position at the municipal administration in the Molenbeek neighbourhood of Brussels, according to Belgian media.
Mohamed lost his job as a local council worker in the foreigner services department earlier this week, according to DH.be.
David Cameron secured the best turn out ever at a Tory away day as he took his MPs to Chipping Norton.
But he had to avoid talking about Europe throughout and even offered a free bar at the Crowne Plaza Hotel to sweeten the deal.
Sources who attended the event told MailOnline the mood was 'remarkable' despite the deep divide within the Conservative Party over the EU referendum.
Speculation ahead of the Oxfordshire event focused on whether Brexit-backing MPs would boycott the event in protest at the Government's decision to spend 9.3million sending a pro-EU leaflet to every home as the Tory civil war deepened.
David Cameron, pictured with his newly elected MPs after last year's victorious election, took his party away to an Oxfordshire hotel in a bid to ease tensions ahead of May's local and devolved elections
Eurosceptics joked before the gathering they were being taken away to the hotel to be 'reprogrammed' as the party bids to come together before May's elections.
But more than 300 of Mr Cameron's MPs turned out - with many of those who did not attend being people who never go.
The away day was filled with policy seminars - with one Tory MP telling MailOnline Michael Gove's presentation on prison reform was particularly praise-worthy.
YouGov pollster Anthony Wells lifted the mood with a presentation on why the polls were so wrong before the 2015 election.
And broadcaster Andrew Neil did a presentation for the MPs on the US Presidential race.
One source said: 'Morale was good - the PM did a free bar at the end.
'It was the best in the circumstances that it could have been.
'About 90 per cent of the Tory MPs were there - just over 300.
'Honestly, ideally I think it would have been better in July after the referendum but in the circumstances it was nothing divisive.'
Another said it was clearly a deliberate strategy to avoid mention of June's crunch referendum.
Conservative MPs gathered for the away day at the Crowne Plaza in Oxfordshire yesterday but did not discuss the EU
They said: 'My sense is a lot of risk management went into this.
'We ended up concentrating on stuff most of us would rather be talking about - health, education, rehabilitation of offenders.
'Of the colleagues who did not go, some never go and some chose not to go - but the number of colleagues who boycotted was very low.
'It was remarkable.'
An MP at the event said those on both sides of the referendum divide 'got on fine', insisting it had been 'very good natured - no fisticuffs!'.
Steve Baker, a senior backbencher who coordinated eurosceptic MPs during Mr Cameron's renegotiation before becoming a senior member of Vote Leave told MailOnline it had been a successful event.
He said: 'My sense is the Conservative Party breathed a huge sigh of relief when we discovered we still very much enjoy each other's company.'
Labour's Jonathan Ashworth said: 'Given the events of the last few weeks it's no wonder the Tories feel the need for a bonding session.
'But the question is whether divided Tory MPs and ministers even want to bond with one another.
'We don't know exactly what is on the agenda but from the latest omnishambles Budget to their failure on tackling tax avoidance the Tories can at least be relied upon to use the opportunity to provide expert training on how not to run a country.'
After striking her, he threw a pair of sunglasses at her and said 'You win'
Vincent Ryan Jr., 51, was found guilty Thursday of attempted murder and other charges
A man was convicted Thursday of trying to kill his mother by ramming his SUV into her upstate New York home.
A jury in Sullivan County found Vincent Ryan Jr., 51, guilty of attempted murder, assault and related offenses in the May, 2015 attack.
The jurors were not moved by defense attorney Donna Lasher's argument that Ryan drove his car backwards into the basement wall of the Bloomingburg home - striking Helen Ryan, pinning her under the car and causing life-threatening injuries - in a 'stupid bid for attention,' the Times-Herald Record reported.
Lasher argued that Ryan didn't think the vehicle would go through the wall and had no intention to hurt his mother. She also argued that if he were looking to kill his mother, he would have stayed and finished the job, the Record reported.
Ryan walked away after striking his mother and waited to be arrested while the woman, who is in her 70s, lay injured with two broken leg bones, a fractured sternum and multiple lacerations, the Record reported.
Assistant District Attorney Eamonn Neary said that before exiting the house, Ryan threw a pair of sunglasses at his mother and said, 'You win,' according to the Record.
Prosecutors said Ryan attempted to kill his mother by ramming his SUV into her Bloomingburg, New York home (pictured)
During the investigation into the incident, Ryan told police he initially planned to commit a hate crime in order to get attention from federal law enforcement.
Ryan believed that by killing Hasidic Jews in Bloomingburg, he could get the feds to investigate his parents, Helen and Vincent Ryan Sr., for allegedly stealing money from him, Mid-Hudson News reported.
'I was going to put myself on death row to get this investigation,' he said in a police recording that was played during the trial, according to the Record.
Migrants are paying smugglers to lead them along old Alpine donkey paths to sneak into northern Europe, it has emerged.
They are being charged 200 euros (160) each to be guided on midnight treks between Italy and Austria.
Under the cover of darkness, groups of around 50 people are taken through tiny routes between soaring peaks to avoid detection by border guards.
Some 900 migrants arrive in the port of Palermo two days ago as part of an influx set to worsen this summer
It is believed people smugglers are now using old donkey trails to help migrants make their way into Europe
A group of migrants who arrived in Sicily earlier this week are brought ashore from a vessel which rescued them from the sea
At the end of the 45-minute hike through woodland, the migrants emerge in the Austrian town of Gries, where they continue their journeys by car to Germany, Scandinavia or eventually Britain.
A sudden influx of people crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa to Italy has led to a surge in business for the people smugglers. Austrian authorities are now stepping up patrols in the area and have started work on building checkpoints on the Brenner pass the main route by road between the two countries.
Fears were also growing last night of a new migrant crisis as a fresh surge of people attempted to cross the Mediterranean from North Africa. There are concerns that Italy could bear the brunt of new arrivals following EU measures to shut the route between Turkey to the Greek islands.
Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi was yesterday forced to insist his country was not facing an invasion as 6,000 people arrived in just three days.
It is a big problem but we have clear ideas about how to deal with it, he said.
Mr Renzi claimed the number of boats arriving off Italy is barely higher than last year. But figures revealed yesterday that 5,841 migrants have reached Italy by sea since Tuesday, with only 174 landing in Greece.
The International Organization for Migration said it was too early to assess whether the EU deal to return all arrivals in Greece back to Turkey was causing a shift in the patterns of movement.
More than 24,000 people have crossed into Italy so far this year, and forecasts suggest the country could face at least 100,000 migrants from North Africa for the third straight year.
The IOM has warned that with weather warming at the start of the main crossing season, Italy would likely see persistently high arrivals in the weeks ahead
David Cameron spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday to discuss whether the deal with Turkey was working as effectively as possible. The PMs official spokeswoman also admitted there are worries about a surge in migrants looking to cross from Libya to Italy this summer.
She said Mr Cameron wanted to make sure operations in the Mediterranean are as robust as possible.
Meanwhile, there are concerns that fresh violence in Syria will lead to even more refugees heading towards Europe. Aid group Human Rights Watch said at least 30,000 civilians have fled a new outbreak of fighting in the past 48 hours.
A roach-infested apartment has exploded in New Jersey after fumes from bug-killing spray built up and combusted, sending two adults and one child to a hospital as a precaution.
The explosion happened on Wednesday around 10pm after an occupant was spraying insecticide, got a headache and opened a window, a spokesman for the Asbury Park Fire Department said.
Aside from causing the explosion, the roach spray did not have its intended effect - the roaches seemed to survive the blast.
An explosion happened on Wednesday around 10pm at an Asbury Park, New Jersey, apartment after an occupant was spraying insecticide, got a headache and opened a window
Fire department spokesman Garrett Giberson said that the oxygen from outside combined with the fumes and a stove's pilot light to cause the explosion.
'You had the chemical, you had the oxygen and you had the ignition source,' Giberson told the Asbury Park Press.
The blast blew out the first-floor apartment's windows, bent the front door and damaged the kitchen. Damage was restricted to only one unit in the building.
Giberson said that the three people are lucky they weren't seriously injured.
He added that when he arrived at the first-floor apartment unit, roaches were still crawling through the home.
'The unit was infested with roaches. When I got on scene I saw numerous roaches crawling throughout the apartment,' Giberson told the Asbury Park Press.
Giberson said that the tenants of the home 'are lucky because they could have been seriously injured'.
'There had to be quite a buildup of chemicals and fumes from the bug killer to cause an explosion like that,' he added.
The American Red Cross is providing shelter for the three-story complex's tenants.
A Missouri couple is behind bars after they allegedly sodomized a young girl in their neighborhood.
Terry Roderick, 42, and Brittany H. Golden, 29, have each been charged with four counts of first-degree statutory sodomy after being accused of luring the 10-year-old child into their Ballwin home on March 7, 2015 and committing the sexual acts.
The couple allegedly asked the girl to help them find their lost puppy, and promised her a bunny rabbit in exchange for her help.
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Behind bars: Terry Roderick (left) and Brittany H. Golden (right) of Ballwin, Missouri have each been charged with four counts of first-degree statutory sodomy
Fox 2 reports that after getting the young girl into the home, Roderick allegedly touched the girl's genitals and then had her touch his penis.
The young girl was then allegedly forced to perform oral sex on both Roderick and Golden.
She told police about what happened days later, but it took a year for charges to be filed as police launched their investigation.
The St. Louis Dispatch reports that in 2010 Roderick was sentenced to seven years in prison for assault, drugs and weapons offenses, resisting arrest, burglary, and leaving the scene of an accident.
He was paroled in May 2012, but went back to prison just days after these latest allegations first emerged last year.
He was released on parole again this past December, but is once again behind bars after these new charges and being held on $250,000 bail.
Bernie Sanders came out swinging last night against Hillary Clinton, giving what was arguably his best debate performance yet, but the former secretary of state's team isn't sweating it.
Clinton, it thinks, will carry the day on Tuesday, winning New York and leaving Sanders without a viable path to the nomination.
'I think we'll win. I think we'll win New York,' Clinton Communications Director Jen Palmieri told DailyMail.com. 'It's a big state. But I'm feeling better about it.'
On Twitter Clinton's national press secretary, Brian Fallon said, 'So far NY has exposed Sanders on his core proposal (breaking up banks) & main attack on Clinton. Next it'll reveal his lack of path forward.'
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Bernie Sanders came out swinging last night against Hillary Clinton, giving what was arguably his best debate performance yet, but the former secretary of state's team isn't sweating it
Clinton's camp is thanking its stars for Sanders' botched New York Daily News editorial board interview that raised substantive questions about how his plans to implement key portions of his platform and his readiness for the Oval Office.
After Sanders contended yesterday evening that Clinton has 'judgement' issues, she fired back.
'Look, we have disagreements on policy. There's no doubt about it. But if you go and read, which I hope all of you will before Tuesday, Senator Sanders' long interview with the New York Daily News, talk about judgment and talk about the kinds of problems he had answering questions about even his core issue, breaking up the banks.
'Then asked about a number of foreign policy issues, he could not answer about Afghanistan, about Israel, about counterterrorism, except to say if he'd had some paper in front of him, maybe he could.
She said, 'I think you need to have the judgment on day one to be both president and commander-in-chief.
Palmieri told DailyMail.com after the debate, 'I think last week went really well for her. I feel like she had a great week. She had a great trip upstate. We definitely felt that the New York Daily News interview that Sanders did, that was a big moment for us.
'We think a big difference that we really want voters to understand is she can deliver results, and she doesn't just diagnose a problem,' she said.
'And what [NYDN] revealed is, if you haven't even thought this through - how you would attack the problem, let alone, whatever your program is, how you would get it done, you can't even explain that, that means you can't deliver results.'
The former aide to Barack Obama said Sanders 'speaks very passionately about problems,' but said 'unless you have a program for how to deal with it and a means of getting it done, it doesn't matter.'
The debate gave the Clinton campaign an opportunity to circulate its new attack line: 'It's easy to diagnose the problem. It's harder to do something about the problem.' Clinton Communications Director Jen Palmieri told DailyMail.com, 'We think a big difference that we really want voters to understand is she can deliver results, and she doesn't just diagnose a problem'
After Sanders contended yesterday evening that Clinton has 'judgement' issues, she fired back: 'Look, we have disagreements on policy. There's no doubt about it. But if you go and read, which I hope all of you will before Tuesday, Senator Sanders' long interview with the New York Daily News, talk about judgment and talk about the kinds of problems he had answering questions about even his core issue, breaking up the banks'
The debate gave the Clinton campaign an opportunity to circulate its new attack line: 'It's easy to diagnose the problem. It's harder to do something about the problem.'
Clinton hit the democratic socialist senator with it during the debate after he advocated for a carbon tax.
'Well, I'm a little bewildered about how to respond when you have an agreement which gives you the framework to actually take the action that would have only come about because under the Obama administration in the face of implacable hostility from the Republicans in Congress,' she told him.
'President Obama moved forward on gas mileage, he moved forward on the clean power plant. He has moved forward on so many of the fronts that he could given the executive actions that he was able to take.
She told him, 'I'm getting a little bit concerned here because, you know, I really believe that the President has done an incredible job against great odds and deserves to be supported.'
Fallon referenced the exchange on Twitter and said, 'The @NYDailyNews interview exposed Sanders as incapable of going beyond the diagnosis.'
Sanders' declaration that he wants to break up big banks and force them to restructure also came under scrutiny last night.
'That is their decision,' he said during the NYDN interview when asked what that would look like.
CNN's Dana Bash asked him during the debate, 'Why would you trust the banks to restructure themselves when you said the whole business model was fraudulent?'
Sanders told her, 'I don't need Dodd-Frank now to tell me that we have got to break up these banks, A, because they're based on fraudulent principles, and B, because when you have six financial institutions that have assets equivalent to 58% of the GFP of this country, they are just too big, too much concentration of wealth and power.
He again did not answer her question, though, and Bash came back to him with the same request.
'Because I'm not sure that the government should say is you are too big to fail. You've got to be a certain size. And, then the banks themselves can figure out what they want to sell off,' he said. 'I don't know that it's appropriate that the Department of Treasury to be making those decisions. What we need is to make sure that they are safe.'
CELEBRATION: New York City mayor Bill de Blasio (R) and his wife Chirlane McCray (L) joined Clinton last night at a debate watch party at Steiner Studios after the Brooklyn brawl
He also struggled to 'name one decision' that Clinton made 'as senator that shows that she favored banks because of the money she received' from them.
Sanders instead stated his view that the banks should be broken up and said that while he was introducing legislation to do that, 'Secretary Clinton was busy giving speeches to Goldman Sachs for $225,000 a speech.''
Not missing a beat Clinton said, 'Well, you can tell, Dana, he cannot come up with any example, because there is no example.'
The statement did not go over well in the debate hall, but Clinton seemed unphased.
'It may be inconvenient, but it's always important to get the facts straight. I stood up against the behaviors of the banks when I was a senator,' she said. 'Now, this is our ninth debate. In the prior eight debates, I have said, we have a law. You don't just say, we're upset about this. I'm upset about it.
She said, 'You don't just say, go break them up. You have a law, because we are a nation of laws.'
Palmieri said said Clinton had a 'great debate' and said the extended primary has revealed to voters what the campaign has been saying all along about Sanders' doctrine of change versus Clinton's.
'You accomplish a little bit, and then you come back for more,' Palmieri said of Clinton's perspective, 'and that has, from when she was an advocate and an organizer, 30, 40 years ago; that's her theory and she has very specific ideas...on how you go about that, what do you do next.'
The former White House communications director said, 'Our view is that voters overall want a president that has a vision about where they can take the county, that very clearly explain to you what the next step is going to be and how you're going to get it done.
'A lot of people who have doubts about what can be done to address problems, and they want specifics.'
AJ Porter-Shaw, 29, has been jailed for five years
An 'extremely dangerous' man 'obsessed' with firearms and explosives has been jailed for five years, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.
AJ Porter-Shaw, 29, had the means to cause 'significant harm to a large number of people' after firearms, an explosive device and plans for making further weapons were discovered at his Lancashire home.
Unemployed Porter-Shaw, of Harrington Road in Morecambe, was handed the prison term at Preston Crown Court after pleading guilty to possessing a stun gun and making an explosive device at his home.
Neighbours had reported witnessing him using a stun gun at his address on June 11, 2015 and contacted police.
When officers searched his home they found numerous firearms, some of which were home-made along with a stun gun disguised as a mobile phone, a samurai sword, a 'molotov cocktail' style bomb and various sketch designs for making further weapons and explosive devices.
The CPS said that its actions had 'neutralised the risk that the defendant clearly posed to members of the public'.
Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, Brett Gerrity, said: 'AJ Porter-Shaw is a man with an unhealthy obsession with firearms and explosives, making him an extremely dangerous man.
Police found this stun gun belonging to Porter-Shaw - which had been disguised as a mobile phone
'He was seen using the stun gun in full public view by a neighbour on a summer afternoon.
'The defendant clearly had the means to cause significant harm to a large number of people. We should all be extremely grateful to his neighbour who had the presence of mind and bravery to alert someone to his suspicious activities, which allowed a successful prosecution to follow.'
Move on over, beefcakes! This is not a drill.
The Fire Department of New York will celebrate 12 of the city's finest women with its newly expanded 2017 Calendar of Heroes, it was announced Thursday.
Next year's version will include 12 women alongside a full year's worth of men in a reversible calendar that will also showcase EMTs and paramedics for the first time ever.
The Fire Department of New York will celebrate 12 of the city's finest women with its newly expanded 2017 Calendar of Heroes
The calendar is reversible, with women in tanktops and bunker gear on one side and shirtless men on the other
The 2017 calendar features women in tanktops and bunker gear on one side and shirtless men on the other with two different covers on each end.
Spokesperson Frank Dwyer said the calendar has been around for '15, 20 years,' adding: 'This is the first time we're really showing every facet of our workforce'.
Danae Mines was the first woman to appear in the Calendar of Heroes in 2014, and next year's issue will include an equal representation of the sexes.
Photographed holding an axe with a fire blazing behind her, firefighter Jackie-Michelle Martinez told the NY Daily News: 'Women are multi-faceted. The calendar is not taking any of our strength away. It only enhances it.'
FDNY EMT Michelle Campbell told the news website: 'It's pretty cool that we're doing it together. We're both equally strong. We all save lives.'
Danae Mines was the first woman to appear in the Calendar of Heroes in 2014, and next year's issue will include an equal representation of the sexes
FDNY EMT Michelle Campbell (pictured) told the news website: 'It's pretty cool that we're doing it together. We're both equally strong. We all save lives.'
There are only 49 female firefighters among the FDNY's 10,000, according to Dwyer. Women make up about a third of the FDNY's 3,000 EMTs and paramedics.
While it's the most they've ever had serving in the department, he added the FDNY is 'heavily recruiting among underrepresented groups, including women and people of color'.
'I'm proud that the 2017 is the first calendar the Department has produced which truly represents all of our heroes - the men and women who risk their lives as firefighters, EMTs and paramedics every day to keep New York City safe,' Daniel A Ngiro, FDNY's fire commissioner said in a statement.
The calendar models will be signing purchased copies from 11am to 2pm today at Herald Square.
Proceeds will help the FDNY Foundation with professional development, training and education, as well as fire safety programs for residents in the city.
EMTs and paramedics will also be celebrated for the first time ever. Spokesperson Frank Dwyer said after 15, 20 years of the calendar's existence, 'This is the first time we're really showing every facet of our workforce'
A former leader of a black student group accused of tweeting anonymous threats against fellow black college students in New Jersey was denied a request to enter a diversionary probation program.
Kayla McKelvey, 25, is charged with creating a false public alarm at Kean University, where prosecutors said she tweeted anonymous threats from a campus library because she wanted more people to attend a November 2015 rally on racial issues.
She then allegedly returned to the rally to tell people about the threats.
Kayla-Simone McKelvey, from Union Township, New Jersey, is facing prison after allegedly writing a number of threats on Twitter, including one that said she would 'kill any black person' at Kean University in New Jersey
The 24-year-old is charged with creating a false public alarm at Kean University, where prosecutors said she tweeted anonymous threats from a campus library
A judge on Thursday rejected an appeal from McKelvey to participate in pretrial intervention.
The program would have allowed her to be placed on probation and have charges removed from her record if she successfully completed the terms.
Judge William Daniel, reading his decision from the bench, said McKelvey had given a statement to investigators in which she admitted sending the messages. 'I went about it the wrong way,' the judge quoted McKelvey as saying.
The judge found McKelvey failed to prove that prosecutors engaged in a 'gross use of discretion,' which is required to overturn their recommendation against pretrial intervention.
Prosecutors said the threats spread fear and panic on campus and $80,000 was spent for increased campus security and the investigation. Officials even alerted the Department of Homeland Security.
In seeking pretrial intervention, her lawyer had argued McKelvey was remorseful, had resigned from her job and had lost her friends.
NJ.com reported McKelvey declined to comment outside of court.
Attorney Thomas Mirigliano said no decision has been made on whether to appeal the ruling.
Prosecutors have offered to recommend that McKelvey, whom police previously identified as Kayla-Simone McKelvey, receive a six-month jail sentence if she pleads guilty to the charge.
She was also the school's 2014 homecoming queen and president of the Pan African Student Union, according to her profile.
Kean is one of the most racially diverse campuses in New Jersey.
Last year's freshman class was 31 per cent white, 30 per cent Hispanic, 20 per cent black, 5 per cent Asian and 14 per cent unknown or other, according to state data.
He was today fined 250 after admitting causing a breach of the peace
One selfie was later edited onto a picture of a different woman having sex
Ryan Mochrie, 23, (pictured) accessed the pages of three females - aged between 16 and 20 - and uploaded them to a pornographic website
An internet troll stole selfies from women's Facebook profiles and posted them on a pornographic website that 'no nice girl would want to be seen on', a court heard today.
Ryan Mochrie, 23, accessed the pages of three females, aged between 16 and 20, copied their pictures and uploaded them to an erotic site.
The court heard he was friends with them on Facebook and one image was later manipulated so the woman's face was imposed on a picture of a female having sex.
Mochrie, of Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, was today fined 250 after he admitted causing a breach of the peace by posting the images on the site.
Falkirk Sheriff Court heard the women had taken the pictures themselves or 'before a night out' and the photographs had 'nothing sexual about them'.
But Mochrie, a carer for his ill father, uploaded them to the kinky site and users then made lewd remarks about the pictures.
Summary sheriff Derek Livingston said the website was one that 'no nice girl would want to be seen on'.
Samantha Brown, prosecuting, told the court that his actions in moving the innocent images to the site had enabled 'other members of the site to add sexually explicit comments and pornographic references'.
Miss Brown said none of Mochrie's victims had given consent for their images to be lifted, and were 'understandably distressed'.
She said a major investigation was launched last year after 18 women and girls from the Falkirk area contacted police to complain that their faces had been uploaded without their permission to the website.
The other images - many of which had been manipulated to make them pornographic - were uploaded by another person, who has not been traced.
She said: 'Those images are just normal images of these people.
'They were taken from Facebook profiles and posted on the website and thereafter enabled members of the public to make sexually explicit comments about these photos.
'The images were added to by other members and turned into sexually explicit images.
'The comments on the images have caused a great deal of upset as they had not given their consent.'
Idiot: Kevin Douglas, defending Mochrie, said 'He's an idiot, and I think he's the first to accept that'
Mochrie, formerly of Denny, near Falkirk, now of Kilsyth, Stirlingshire, admitted causing a breach of the peace by posting the images on the site.
The court heard Mochrie shared his victims' pictures with their full names.
Kevin Douglas, defending, said: 'It's the kind of site which guys and girls go on and say things like 'I've done her' or 'she's good at that' - that's the sort of nature of the site.
'I don't want to be seen as ranting against technology, but its a real problem about technology, because if people put a picture onto Facebook, anybody can take it and move it about.'
He said Mochrie had first become aware the site when a photograph of a girl he had been dating was placed on it without her permission.
Mr Douglas said: 'That's why he thought he'd look at this site, and then he himself was drawn into putting images onto it.
'He's an idiot, and I think he's the first to accept that.'
Mochrie, formerly of Denny, near Falkirk, now of Kilsyth, Stirlingshire, admitted causing a breach of the peace by posting the images on the site.
He was not forced to sign the sex offenders register because the Crown did not claim that Mochrie was personally responsible for the manipulation or any of the comments posted.
Summary sheriff Derek Livingston ruled that there was no 'significant sexual element' to Mochrie's crime and fined him 250.
Summary sheriff Livingston said: 'He has taken innocent pictures and really the problem is he has lifted them and put them on a site a good deal less than innocent.
'It seems bizarre behaviour to save the profile pictures of certain girls and put them on another site without their consent without any sort of major relationship. They're more acquaintances.
'If he gets involved with this ever again - doing it a second time could give rise to all sorts of questions being asked.
'It's difficult for me to assess what your motivation was here. It did cause a considerable degree of distress.'
The website has been described by some commentators as at the centre of a disturbing new trend in the 'trolling' of women.
Mandy Ashman (pictured), 49, laundered a total of 128,000 through her bank account for her criminal husband Joseph Ashman, 47
The wife of a drug lord who laundered part of the cash her husband made smuggling 23million worth of cannabis has walked free from court because of her health problems.
Mandy Ashman, 49, laundered a total of 128,000 through her bank account as husband Joseph Ashman, 47, headed of network based in Rainham, Essex, who imported 4.5 tonnes of the drug.
He was jailed for eight years and eight months in January last year after admitting conspiracy to supply drugs and money laundering.
Twelve of his criminal network were jailed alongside him for a total of 66-and-a-half years.
In February, Ashman was sentenced to a further four years for employing his wife and sister Mary Dunn, 54, from Lewisham, to launder his cash.
Sentencing Mrs Ashman to a two-year prison term, suspended for two years, Judge Richard Hone QC told her: You are portrayed as the victim of a domineering husband but having seen you over a four-week trial I formed the view you are no shrinking violet whose husband told you nothing about his criminal activities.
He added: You were content to live passively from the funds from your husbands substantial criminal lifestyle.
Ashmans sister, who allowed him to channel just over 61,000 through her bank account, was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended for two years.
You were, in my judgement, a more passive and distant participant in the criminal activity, the judge told her.
He said he had intended to send her straight to jail but changed his mind after hearing of her health troubles, including Perthes disease - a hip disorder - and depression.
During an Old Bailey trial the court heard Ashman also set up two fictitious firms, the Apple Cross Building Company, and Dash Haulage to make it seem like his family had a legitimate enterprise.
He denied four counts of money laundering, but was convicted after a month-long trial.
His wife was convicted of two counts of money laundering, but acquitted of a third charge, while her sister-in-law was convicted of one similar charge.
Mr Ashman (pictured) was jailed for eight years and eight months in January last year after admitting conspiracy to supply drugs and money laundering
In February, Ashman was sentenced to a further four years for employing his wife, and sister Mary Dunn (pictured left in her police mugshot and right at court), 54, from Lewisham, to launder his cash
The couples son, Patrick Ashman, was acquitted of money laundering for paying cash into Apple Cross.
Handing Ashman an extra four years in jail in February, Judge Hone said: From the age of 13 youve been a career criminal and you seem to be proud of it.
You are no shrinking violet whose husband told you nothing about his criminal activities Judge Richard Hone QC
Youve played the high stakes and assisted with organised criminal networks.
He continued: You were unanimously convicted of four counts of money laundering over the best part of six years.
You were absolutely the mastermind and involved your family members and invited them into this scheme.
You took care to mingle contaminated money from criminal activity with legitimate income.
Your previous convictions significantly aggravate your culpability. You are remorseless, greedy and acquisitive.
Ashman was a linked to notorious drug trafficker Kevin Hanley who was jailed for more than 17 years in 2014.
A huge haul of cannabis confiscated by the National Crime Agency who followed him and his associates. They shipped in the drugs through their contacts on the freight industry
The cardboard boxes were full of cannabis, which had been carefully packed so they did not give off an overpowering aroma when being brought into the country
NCA investigators watched as Ashman met his associates at various locations to orchestrate the distribution of the drugs.
Ashman and his gang shipped the drugs around the UK using their contacts on the freight industry.
One by one his gang was arrested following a two year investigation by the National Crime Agency, forcing him to import smaller and smaller quantities of cannabis.
He was eventually arrested in early 2014.
An alleged paedophile has been arrested in Mexico after a shocking video of him appearing to molest a four-year-old girl in a restaurant went viral.
The graphic footage allegedly showed the man groping the little girl under the table, as she leaned against his lap.
Sickeningly, the man in the clip seems to continue having a conversation with the rest of his group as he touches the girl.
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Assault: A video clip of a father appearing to molest his daughter under the table while continuing a conversation with the rest of his group went viral in Mexico, leading to his arrest
The little girl appears to be fixated with a game and paying little attention, while her whole right leg is exposed to the restaurant in Villahermosa, Tabasco state.
The footage came to light after the waitress who recorded it shared it on social media.
It rapidly spread online, sparking a nationwide manhunt seeking to track down the man and see him punished.
In the frantic search for the man's identity, names were thrown around wildly both by members of the public and even by internet activist group Anonymous.
But police have announced that they have now arrested the alleged perpetrator, who turned out to be the little girl's father.
Juan Vicente Hernandez Leon, 48, was seized as he attempted to catch a bus to Mexico City, the nation's capital.
Manhunt: The waitress who recorded the footage posted it to social media, sparking a nationwide search for the man and the little girl who appeared in it. Pictured, Hernandez Leon (left and right) after his arrest
Seized: The man, named as Juan Vicente Hernandez Leon, was arrested by police as he tried to flee on a bus to Mexico City, after a warrant was issued for his arrest
Shame: Prosecutor Fernando Valenzuela Pernas said in a press conference that the little girl had been taken into care for the time being, after undergoing medical checks
Upset: The footage caused outrage as it spread on social media, leading to allegations and names being thrown around by members of the public and by activist group Anonymous
It is thought that he was fleeing a warrant that had been issued for his arrest after he was identified from the video clip, which was recorded on March 27.
Tabasco state police tweeted: 'Juan Vicente Hernandez Leon, the alleged paedophile relating to the case of a video in a restaurant in which he was seen with his hand under the clothes of a minor, was arrested on the afternoon of April 11, when he was travelling by bus.'
Prosecutor Fernando Valenzuela Pernas said in a press conference that the little girl had been taken into care for the time being, after undergoing medical checks.
Meanwhile, a second video clip has been widely circulated in Mexican press of a woman claiming to be the wife of Hernandez Leon defending him.
Arrest: Police announced that they had arrested Juan Vicente Hernandez Leon at a press conference, and that he had also been identified as the little girl's father
Sentence: The crime of paedophilia carries a lengthy prison sentence in Tabasco state, of up to 20 years
Defence: Another video, uploaded to Facebook, shows a woman claiming to be the wife of Hernandez Leon insisting that her husband is innocent, and that it is all the fault of 'a malicious person'
The woman who appears in the clip, Silva Algomeda, insists that none of the fiasco has been her husbands fault and accuses a malicious person of causing moral damage to her family.
Ms Algomeda uploaded her video to Facebook, offering her defence of her husband.
Speaking calmly and looking straight into the camera, she describes the suffering that having her daughter taken away from her has caused.
Do you think that the child would have been so calm if my husband had been touching her inappropriately? Of course she wouldnt, the girl would have reacted.
She went on to claim that the little girl is suffering psychological damage for having been separated from her family.
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This is the proud moment a tough north London boy who didn't even learn to read until he was 12 received one of the highest honours in military service.
Kidane Cousland, 24, was today given the Sword of Honour at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy, beating candidates from Oxford and Cambridge to finish at the top of his class.
Dressed in ceremonial uniform, he let off a beaming smile after being handed the honour by his Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamd Al-Khalifa, from the Kingdom of Bahrain - one of the nations that also sends its officers to train at Sandhurst.
He was handed the honour by his Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamd Al-Khalifa (pictured), from the Kingdom of Bahrain at Sandhurst today
The officer cadet, who grew up on a housing estate in Tottenham, north London, has graduated from Sandhurst at the top of his class having even beaten Oxbridge graduates in the academic challenges
The son of a single mother and social worker, he worked his way up the ranks and today became one of only a handful of mixed-race officers to be given the award, graduating as the best of his 200-strong intake
He worked his way up the ranks and today became one of only a handful of mixed-race officers to ever be given the prestigious award, graduating as the best of his 200-strong intake.
The son of a single mother, Officer Cadet Cousland never knew his father, and grew up on a tough north London housing estate.
At age 11, he was unable to read, but he and his brothers have all gone on to become leading talents in their respective fields, with one of the trio a famed artist, and the other became the first black British dancer to be accepted into the Royal Ballet.
Last night OCdt Cousland known as Danny to his comrades told the Mail that had it not been for joining the Army, he would have been dead or in prison.
He said: I went to school, I was completely disconnected, I didnt get on ... I was in a bad way really. But something I always wanted to do since I was a child was join the Army.
'And it felt like a bit of a pipe dream when I was in Tottenham, but then I said to myself if Im good enough, theyll pick me.
I either did that or my anger issues and frustration would actually see me move in a different direction, and probably end up killing me or Id be in prison.
At age 11 and living in a tough north London housing estate, OCdt Cousland couldn't even read, and he says he would either be dead or in prison now if it wasn't for the army
His platoon commander, Captain Lucy Mason, said he was one of the relatively few former ordinary soldiers to have been selected to be an officer and go on to win the accolade
FROM A NORTH LONDON ESTATE TO THE TOP TABLE: THREE BROTHERS WHO DEFIED THE ODDS TO LEAD THEIR FIELDS IN ART, DANCE AND THE ARMY Kidane Cousland is one of three mixed race brothers who grew up on a tough housing estate in north London. But their mother, who juggled parenthood and social work, brought up three boys who eventually became leaders in their own, very different, fields. The eldest, Amartey, born in 1988, went on to study architecture from 2007 until 2010 at Central Saint Martin's School of Art and Design, University of the Arts London. However, after beginnings in art and design, he went on to become a renowned artist, who has displayed work all over the world in countries including Germany, Dubai and Lebanon. Kidane joined the army at 16, however, his mother initially refused to sign the papers allowing him to sign up, believing that the army is 'for white people', according to the BBC. Eventually she relented, and was top of his Army Selection Board at the aged 16. He attended AFC Harrogate and won Gunner of the Year at Larkhill Phase Two training, won the Commandants Certificate for top student on the All Arms Commando course at 18 years of age. He qualified as a personal instructor, and after various deployments - including warzone Afghanistan - he trained as an officer, finishing top of his 200-strong class. But his younger brother Solomon, who was there to see him receive the prized sword of honour for his achievement, has been groundbreaking in a very different field. Solomon is the first black British dancer ever to be accepted in the prestigious Royal Ballet. In 2010, he was a finalist in Young British Dancer of the Year, and he has performed in shows including Don Quixote and Romeo and Juliet. Advertisement
Pictured, left, is Kidane on the left with his brother Solomon, when they were growing up in north London. Kidane, known as Danny to his friends, is pictured eating a meal as a child, right
He told the BBC: 'Brought up in Tottenham, didn't know my dad, single mum, lot of conflict racially - there always is in those kind of areas where there's a low level of opportunity and, personally, a really poor level of schooling when I was there.'
OCdt Cousland accepts he did not have the easiest of starts, yet he and both of his brothers have broken barriers for people of mixed race.
One of his brothers, Amartey, is a well-respected artist, studying at the prestigious University of the Arts, London, and is work is displayed in galleries worldwide.
All I have done is tried to be the best that I can be every day Kidane Cousland
His other brother, Solomon, was the first black British dancer to join the Royal Ballet, and was at Sandhurst today to watch OCdt Cousland receive the accolade.
Solomon told the BBC: 'I'm so proud of him because getting something so huge is amazing and something to be proud of, but also, being there and seeing his journey is really inspiring.'
On coming top of his class, OCdt Cousland added: All I have done is tried to be the best that I can be every day. I was told I wouldnt be able to be an officer because of my educational background I only had three GCSEs. It just hasnt had time to set in.
He told the BBC: 'For me, with my few GCSEs at a C grade to rub together, I didn't expect to be where I was, to be perfectly honest.
'But when people ask you how well you did in certain departments, academic scores, you realise I'm selling myself short and I'm a little bit better than I think I am.'
His platoon commander, Captain Lucy Mason, said he was one of the relatively few former ordinary soldiers to have been selected to be an officer and go on to win the accolade.
He is incredibly professional, determined, and a great team player, she said. Hes one of the few ex-ranking soldiers to get the sword of honour. He doesnt have a degree like many of the others here.
OCdt Cousland revealed his mother had initially refused to sign his Army application because she was absolutely terrified by the prospect of her young mixed-race son joining up
But his mother However later relented, and aged 16 he came top of the Army selection board, later coming top of his Commando course at 18. Now he has graduated as top of his officers class
THE PRESTIGIOUS SWORD OF HONOUR: THE AWARD EVEN PRINCE WILLIAM COULDN'T WIN Sandhurst sells itself as a hallmark of excellence in military leadership, where the best of the best in its ranks and the armies of other countries in the world train to become even better. The prestigious Sword of Honour takes this high standard to a new level, awarded to the most impressive of a crop that are already among the best in the world. It is given to the Officer Cadet considered by the Commandant to be the best of the course, while there are other prizes for the best overseas Officer Cadet, and the young soldiers from the UK and overseas who gain the highest score in military, practical and academic subjects. In 2006 it was reported that Prince William, pictured as he was inspected by the Queen during the Sovereign's Parade, was in the running to receive the prize, but he and his fellow cadets missed out to Angela Laycock (right), who was only the third female officer to be given the award Historically, the swords were formerly made Wilkinson's, but after the famous company shut down their sword making division they have been presented by Pooley Sword, who also present swords for the Royal Marines and Royal Air Force. During the Second World War, with materials at a premium, a Belt of Honour was awarded instead. Today, it was offered to Kidane Cousland, who became one of only a handful of mixed-race officers ever to achieve the accolade, the most recent being Charlie Mulira, who served with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers but is now with the Irish Guards, who was given the award in 2008. In 2006 it was reported that Prince William was in the running to receive the prize, but he and his fellow cadets missed out to Angela Laycock, who was only the third female officer to be given the award. Later, Senior Under Officer (SUO) Sarah Hunter-Choat, 25, became only the fourth female officer to be presented with the award, by Defence Secretary at the time Philip Hammond, on behalf of the Queen, at a passing out parade. Today, the award was handed out by the Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamd Al-Khalifa, from the Kingdom of Bahrain, who also presented it on behalf of the Queen. Bahrain is one of the 13 countries who send their officers to train at Sandhurst, and it is not uncommon for royals of any of these other territories to represent Her Majesty. Advertisement
OCdt Cousland revealed his mother had initially refused to sign his Army application because she was absolutely terrified by the prospect of her young mixed-race son joining the Army.
She saw it as a predominantly white organisation made up of some potentially quite aggressive working-class men ruled by some upper-class sorts.
Being there and seeing his journey is really inspiring Solomon Golding
However, she later relented, and aged 16 he came top of the Army selection board, later coming top of his Commando course at 18.
At 19, he was deployed to Afghanistan, where he served as a bombardier for six months in the 29 Commando Regiment, Royal Artillery.
After being recommended for officer training, he started at Sandhurst in May 2015.
After graduating he will be commissioned into the Royal Artillery, and hopes to complete a Bachelors degree in war studies before doing a Masters.
He told the BBC: 'I've had racism everywhere in the world and I've come to the army and had it from individuals, but as an institution, it's not about that.'
Only a handful of black, Asian, minority ethnic people have received the sword of honour.
She praised Nato as 'most successful military alliance in human history'
Her comments will cause alarm among military commanders in Britain
Mrs Clinton says UK and other allies should contribute a larger share
Britain will have to pay more to remain in Nato if Hillary Clinton becomes the US President.
Mrs Clinton, the leading presidential candidate for the Democratic Party, said it was 'important' the UK and other allies contributed a larger share towards the military alliance's costs.
Her comments will cause alarm among military commanders in Britain, where defence spending has been slashed in recent years.
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Mrs Clinton, the leading presidential candidate for the Democratic Party, said it was 'important' the UK and other allies contributed a larger share towards the military alliance's costs
Speaking during a Democratic candidates debate in New York last night, she said: 'I support our continuing involvement in Nato.
'It's important to ask our Nato allies to pay more of the cost. There's a requirement that they should be doing so and I believe that needs to be enforced.'
Mrs Clinton stated that Nato has been 'the most successful military alliance in human history' but said 'we need to modernise it and move it into the 21st century.'
She added: 'Of course they should be paying more but that doesn't mean if they don't we leave.'
Nato members are supposed to spend 2 per cent of national income on defence something Britain only achieved last year because of accountancy tricks, a defence think-tank has warned.
America spent 422billion on defence in 2015, ten times as much as Britain's 42billion. But Germany only spent 28billion despite having a larger economy than the UK, Nato figures show.
Bernie Sanders (right) launched a fierce attack on Britain and France for leaving the US to pick up the cost of defence in Europe
David Cameron met with the Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg for talks at No 10 Downing Street yesterday
Mrs Clinton's views on Nato funding were echoed by Bernie Sanders, her rival in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
The Vermont senator said: 'The UK has a good National Health Service and they also provide fairly reasonable higher education. I do believe that the countries of Europe should pick up more of the burden for their defence.'
The debate between Mr Sanders and Mrs Clinton came ahead of five crucial primary elections taking place on Tuesday.
Britain is one of the few members of the Nato alliance to meet the minimum target of spending 2 per cent of GDP on defence.
David Cameron met Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg in Downing Street yesterday.
Donald Trump has also raised criticism of the Nato alliance during the on-going US presidential race, blasting it as 'obsolete and expensive'
But Mr Sanders said: 'What I believe, if my memory is correct here, we spend about 75 percent of the entire cost of the military aspect of Nato.
'Given the fact that France has a very good health care system and free public education, the UK has a good National Health Service and they also provide fairly reasonable higher education, I do believe that the countries of Europe should pick up more of the burden for their defence.'
An RAF veteran who was attacked in his own home by an intruder was murdered by the same man just two hours later - after police left them alone together.
Officers had found Christopher Fields, 37, with blood on his face when they were called to reports of a violent burglary at his home.
While two constables quizzed Mr Fields about the break-in, culprit Joe Hasledine, 24, returned to the scene.
However officers left the two men together in the mistaken belief the pair were friends - leaving Hasledine, who had been on a cocaine-fuelled drink and drugs binge, to beat Mr Fields to death.
RAF veteran Christopher Fields, 37, was beaten to death by Joe Hasledine, 24 - after police left the two together
Shortly afterwards the officers were sent back to Mr Field's flat in Edgeley near Stockport, Greater Manchester to find him dying following a savage second attack by Hasledine.
The inquest heard Hasledine held a can of beer in one hand while kicking and stamping on the former serviceman's head during the attack in 2014.
Hasledine targeted Mr Fields, who he mistakenly held responsible for having his dog put down.
Mr Fields won two medals following tours in Iraq and Afghanistan during seven years of service, before being medically discharged in 2006 because of his post-traumatic stress disorder.
Following the attack, he was taken to hospital in a coma, however he never regained consciousness and passed away nine days later.
Inquiries revealed the WPC and PC called to the flat had failed to find out who Hasledine was - or carry out background checks on him - in the belief he did not legally have to give them his name.
PC Emma Galbraith (left) and PC Michael Poole (right) left Hasledine in Mr Fields's flat - where he subsequently beat him to death
At an inquest coroner John Pollard criticised the constables as he recorded a verdict of unlawful killing and said: 'There were inquiries the officers could have made that would have protected Mr Fields and they were not done.
'My belief is that they, unfortunately, took this scene to be the dwelling of someone affected by alcohol and they did not fully investigate.
Coroner John Pollard (pictured) criticised the constables as he recorded a verdict of unlawful killing
'It's totally unsatisfactory and they could have pursued it further. They could have better investigated at the time.'
The hearing was told Hasledine had harboured a grudge against Mr Fields over the destruction of his Staffordshire Bull Terrier dog Bruno after it mauled a chihuahua to death in the foyer of the victim's block of flats.
On the day of the killing on December 12, 2014, Haseldine went on an cocaine-fuelled drink and drugs spree during which he downed beer and Sambuca shots then broke into Mr Fields's flat through a window as the victim was entertaining friends.
Eye witness Terrie Ward told the hearing: 'A man came in and began kicking and punching Chris and saying 'do you f..king remember my dog'.
'It was chaos - he was violently punching, kicking and stamping on Chris' head and body. Chris was still on the chair and he was trying to get up.
'Then he fell on to the floor and curled up into the foetal position and then assault continued for five or six minutes. I was trying to stop the attack.
'I ran to a telephone box and told the emergency services and police were there when I got back.
'Then Hasledine came back in telling the officers he was called Owen. He was acting the nice guy, I should have told the officers what I had seen but was frightened and thought that if I said anything he would assault me.
'A carpenter came to board up the window and at that stage Hasledine was still there. He was saying to the carpenter "I've not finished with him yet."
'The carpenter went to his van and while he was gone, Hasledine assaulted Chris while he was sitting in the chair. This was more vicious than the first one, blood was all over Chris's face.'
Christopher Fields (pictured) was falsely accused of having Joe Hasledine's dog put to sleep after it mauled another dog outside his apartment
Joiner Daniel McGaughey said Hasledine had answered the door to the flat when called to fix the window.
He told the inquest: 'The other man was sitting on the couch with blood all over his nose and lower face.
'Male one [Hasledine] said 'you won't be able to fix the window' and then he picked up an axe out of my work bag and said 'can I have this?' I could see that he had blood all over his right hand. This was a pretty frightening situation and I felt nervous. Male one leaned to me and said 'he f**king deserved it, he got my dog put down'.
'The female was saying that he had fallen over. Male one then said "you better not f**king say anything.'
Hasledine (pictured) admitted murder at Manchester Crown Court in June 2015. He was jailed for life with a minimum recommendation he serve 16 and a half years
WPC Emma Galbraith said she had been called to the flat at 5.20pm.
She told the inquest: 'Christopher had a small amount of blood around his nose, there was bleeding on his left ear and his right cheek was slightly swollen and reddening. The frame of the window was knocked out but the glass was not smashed.
'Christopher agreed he had been injured but said he had no idea how that could have happened. He was advised that if he didn't give us anymore information we would struggle to investigate. He said he didn't want to take the matter any further.
'Me and my colleague were standing in the lounge with our backs to the window and became aware of a male jumping through the window who said, "I'm Owen what's going on."
'He was under the influence of alcohol and Christopher seemed unsurprised by his arrival.
We didn't do a police check on 'Owen' - I think if he wanted to give us his details then he could have done that but he was in his own rights not to give that to us.
'We left because we didn't feel there was a risk to Chris.
'I can recall crouching to him and offering him assurance that if he didn't want them there we were willing to get rid of them for him. He repeatedly said he didn't mind them being there. I can't do any more than that.'
Police were called to the scene in Stockport, Greater Manchester (pictured) to investigate reports of a burglary
The hearing was told PC Michael Poole had carried out enquiries with neighbours after the break-in and they reported seeing the intruder flee in a beige top but both he and WPC Galbraith failed to investigate Hasledine when he returned through the window wearing similar clothing.
PC Poole said: 'I did ask him for further details and he didn't give them. I didn't ask him where he was at the time. I didn't consider it necessary to caution him. I didn't want to question him at the scene. The fact he would not give me his full name did give me some doubt but they were very comfortable in each other's company. He didn't back off or shy away.
'At the time Christopher was telling us that he was not the offender. Who am I to overrule him when he is saying: "this is not the offender, this is my friend"?'
A student who was shot in the chest in New Orleans last week said his 'recovery will be a slow process' but that his family is helping him.
Toben Clements, 21, and his friend Jake Ravacsek, 23, were shot during what police claim was a drug deal gone bad in the early hours of April 5 after a night out on the city's notorious Bourbon Street.
After the pair were moved out of intensive care earlier this week, Mr Clements took to Facebook to thank his parents, according to WA Today.
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Toben Clements, 21, (pictured) who was shot in the chest with his friend Jake Ravacsek, 23, in New Orleans on April 5, said on Friday that his 'recovery will be a slow process' and thanked his parents
Mr Clements and Mr Rovacsek (pictured) were shot 'during a drug deal gone wrong,' police allege
According to police, the students left the bar with a man who approached them about drugs and then drove them to Algiers, a residential suburb on the west bank of the Mississippi River
'Recovery will be a slow process, but I will recover nonetheless,' Mr Clements posted on Facebook.
'Big shout out to Mum, Dad and Grandad for coming over to the US so quickly, only to spoon feed me and give me massages whenever I ask.
'P.S. Please don't believe the media.'
Mr Ravacsek and Mr Clements were holidaying in New Orleans representing Curtin University's Western Australia School of Mines in the 38th Intercollegiate Mining Games in Montana.
The pair were at a Bourbon Street bar when they approached 'an unknown black male', asked about purchasing drugs from him and then left the bar and followed the man to a four-door, dark-coloured sedan where a driver was waiting inside, police allege.
Mr Ravacsek (pictured) and Mr Clements were holidaying in New Orleans representing Curtin University's Western Australia School of Mines in the 38th Intercollegiate Mining Games in Montana
The students were drinking at The Swamp, a bar on Bourbon Street in the city's old district
CCTV footage obtained by 9News, shows the pair arriving with friends at the bar known as The Swamp, drinking and then leaving around 1.30am about three hours before they were shot.
According to police, the students left the bar with a man who drove them to Algiers, a residential suburb on the west bank of the Mississippi River.
The driver told them the drugs would cost several hundred dollars to purchase and the students told them they did not have the money.
Bourbon Street (pictured) is a historic area in New Orleans that attracts crowds of tourists year round
'When they arrived at LB Landry Avenue and Shepard Street, the pair said they exited the vehicle and were approached by another unknown male who demanded their money,' local police said in a statement.
'When they told him they didn't have it, the unknown male shot them both and then jumped in the vehicle with the unknown driver and fled the scene,' a police spokesman said.
They were taken to New Orleans University Medical Centre around 4.30am. Their condition has since improved enough that they have both been moved from intensive care but remain hospitalised.
His opponents are moving for him to be impeached
Alabama governor Robert Bentley, who is facing threats of impeachment from lawmakers, had more bad luck Tuesday when press found out that taxpayer money had been spent to have a police helicopter fly four hours to deliver his wallet to him.
The order came in December 2014 after the Republican Governor had an argument with his now ex-wife over an alleged affair. He drove five hours from their Tuscaloosa home to another property, forgetting his wallet in the process, The Washington Post reported Friday.
The helicopter's flight to take his wallet to the second home in Gulf Shores took around four hours, and would cost around $4,000 from a private company, according to al.com.
Troubled: Alabama Governor Robert Bentley (pictured) came under fire this week after it emerged a police helicopter had been used in a four-hour round trip to deliver his wallet to him after he stormed out on his wife
Flight: The helicopter was a Bell OH-58 like this one, and would cost around $4,000 to rent privately. The Governor and his ex-bodyguard agree that he did not ask for the helicopter, only that it be delivered 'quickly'
Flight logs confirm that on December 26, 2014, an Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) helicopter flew from Montgomery to Tuscaloosa, then on to to Gulf Shores.
According to al.com, the logs state, 'Picked up package in Tuscaloosa delivered to Governor @JKA' - JKA being Jack Edwards Airport in Gulf Shores.
Stan Sabler, the governor's former bodyguard and now acting ALEA Secretary said in a press release Wednesday: 'In December 2014, I received notification from Governor Bentley that he traveled to his home in Fort Morgan and inadvertently left his wallet in Tuscaloosa.
'I contacted my chain of command and ultimately received approval from former Secretary Spencer Collier to utilize ALEA's aviation unit to pick-up and deliver the wallet to the Governor.'
But Collier says that he never gave permission. 'I was never informed about the wallet and did not approve the use of ALEA Aviation to retrieve it,' he said.
'The Chief of Protective Services was given the authority by Governor Bentley to utilize aviation on behalf of the Governor without going up the chain of command to me and the Chief did so routinely,' he added
Sabler said it was his own decision to use the helicopter and that the governor did not ask for it or specify how he wanted the wallet brought to him.
The governor agreed, telling al.com that he had never asked staff specifically for the helicopter, only that the wallet be delivered 'as quickly as they could.'
'You have to have your wallet for security reasons, he said. 'I'm the governor. And I had to have money. I had to buy something to eat. You have to have identification.'
'Affair': Bentley is said to have left his wallet after arguing with his ex-wife Dianne (pictured left) over an alleged affair with ex-aide Rebekah Mason (right). He denies 'physical relationship' with her
The claims about the helicopter first surfaced in Alabama blog Yellow Hammer News, which cites 'multiple whistleblowers' who declined to be named, fearing personal or professional reprisals.
They said the argument that Bentley had with his wife that led to him storming out was about his alleged affair with his former political adviser, Rebekah Mason.
A recording published by al.com in March appears to show Bentley making flirty remarks to Mason, who is married.
'When I stand behind you, and I put my arms around you, and I put my hands on your breasts,' he says. Later he adds, 'If were gonna do what we did the other day, were gonna have to start locking the door.'
Bentley admitted making the 'inappropriate comments' but denied having a 'physical affair' with Mason.
Last week lawmakers made moves to impeach Bentley, when Republican Representative - and critic of Bentley - Ed Henry introduced articles of impeachment, saying lawmakers and voters have lost confidence in the governor.
'We are looking at this governor who has essentially betrayed the trust of the people of Alabama through actions and lies that have caused us to have some doubt about his leadership,' Henry said during a press conference at the Alabama Statehouse.
Henry had opposition from other politicians, however. Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, the GOP's leader in the chamber, said last week: 'I'm not in the mood to impeach someone over personal issues.
'Unless someone can show us a reason, that someone has misused their office or misused tax dollars, and I haven't seen that.'
A successful businessman took out a contract to have the ex-boyfriend of his daughter killed after a long-running campaign of intimidation, a court heard today.
Colin Deferia allegedly agreed to pay hitmen 12,500 to have Jonathan Catchpole shot dead after the younger man broke up with his daughter Rebecca Deferia.
The 38-year-old was blasted in the chest with a sawn-off shotgun at point blank range after three men allegedly burst into his flat in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in August last year.
Ipswich Crown Court heard today that he was 'left for dead' as the gunmen fled, but he 'miraculously' survived the attempted assassination.
Mr Catchpole said he was shot as he installed new security cameras at his flat in Bury St Edmunds (pictured)
Mr Catchpole was airlifted to hospital and had 42 shotgun pellets and cartridge wadding removed from his chest.
He had been involved in a lengthy dispute with Deferia, 59, the details of which cannot be revealed for legal reasons.
Mr Catchpole met Miss Deferia, now 29, when she was a student at the University of East Anglia, and the couple later lived together in a house in Bury St Edmunds which was owned by her parents and where they paid a cut-price rent of 500 a month, the court heard.
He told the court that he joined his girlfriend's family on Christmas and holiday trips to their second home in Austria, and they treated him to meals out in expensive restaurants.
Giving evidence behind a screen, he said: 'The impression I got is that they struggled to let her go. They were always a big part of her life.'
Deferia, who used to run a building supplies company, denies conspiracy to murder along with Simon Webber, 31, Frank Warren, 51, Paul Baker, 35, and Andrew Seaton, 40.
Seaton, Webber and Warren have also denied a charge of attempted murder and possessing a prohibited firearm.
I felt someone hitting me over the head and felt some warm blood coming down the side of my face. There was a tussle in the hallway and I was doing my best to grab the shotgun and push it up Jonathan Catchpole
Mr Catchpole said he was shot as he installed new security cameras at his flat in Bury St Edmunds, soon after having his car tyres slashed for a second time.
He said in a police interview which was played to the court: 'The door bell went and I looked through the peephole and saw a man. I opened the door and there were three men. They pushed their way into the flat.
'They were all saying different things and trying to grab me. I shouted "help, help" and they tried to put their hands over my mouth. I noticed one of them had a sawn-off shotgun.
'I felt someone hitting me over the head and felt some warm blood coming down the side of my face. There was a tussle in the hallway and I was doing my best to grab the shotgun and push it up.'
Mr Catchpole said he and the gunman ended up grappling in the bedroom and he heard a noise which may have been the gun misfiring or its safety catch being switched off.
The gunman told him that a person who cannot be named for legal reasons 'wanted him dead' and he was hit again by one of the gang.
Mr Catchpole added: 'Then I heard a bang and there was a smell. I looked down and there was a hole in my chest with blood spurting out.'
Trial: Colin Deferia is on trial accused of conspiring to murder his daughter's ex-boyfriend Jonathan Catchpole at Ipswich Crown Court, pictured
The men fled and he staggered out of his flat, banging on doors until he found a neighbour who struggled to get a signal on his mobile phone while trying to call police.
Mr Catchpole said how he had earlier received two phone calls to his workplace from an anonymous caller who told him, 'You are a dead man,' and said that his 'life was at stake'.
I just thought it was another scare tactic - more intimidation and more harassment. You get to the point where it happens and you develop a thick skin Jonathan Catchpole
He said that he was '100 per cent certain' that the caller was Colin Deferia because he recognised his voice.
Mr Catchpole added: 'I just thought it was another scare tactic - more intimidation and more harassment. You get to the point where it happens and you develop a thick skin.'
He also said that he found the electricity supply to his flat turned off at the meter box with an old screwdriver rammed into the mechanism last July. The same day he had a tyre on his Nissan X-Trail slashed.
Mr Catchpole said he also had a car tyre slashed in a car park in August 2014.
He added that a warning light came on in his car in January 2015 and a mechanic later told him that someone had used a knife to cut a brake cable.
Prosecutor Andrew Jackson said the shooting arose out of a long-running dispute and that Colin Deferia hatched a plan to have Mr Catchpole shot after allegedly making a number of threats to him.
Weapon: A sawn-off shotgun similar to this one pictured in a file image was used to shoot Mr Catchpole
He said that Baker, Seaton, Webber and Warren had 'lent themselves readily' to the plan and were to be paid at least 12,500 for their 'lethal services'.
Shortly after the shooting a call was made to Baker from Seaton's mobile phone to say that the 'contract' had been carried out, said Mr Jackson.
The three alleged hit men escaped in a stolen car, which was set alight in an isolated country lane - with the gun inside - to destroy evidence before they drove back to Dorset in Seaton's car, he added.
Mr Jackson alleged the plot to murder Mr Catchpole was made over a period of a year and involved meticulous planning.
This included obtaining the sawn-off shotgun, stealing a car and laying a false trail to make the police think the killing was related to drug dealing.
of 'brutal and illegal prostitution' by police
More than 900 German police, tax and customs investigators raided Berlin's biggest brothel, charging it is linked to the Hells Angels biker gang, and made six arrests.
They detained the two managers of Artemis, a nude sauna club, and four 'madames' in the raid, in which they encountered 117 prostitutes and over 100 clients.
Prostitution is legal in Germany but police have said the four-storey brothel complex constituted a system of 'brutal and illegal prostitution' that severely exploited dependent women.
More than 900 German police, tax and customs investigators raided Berlin's biggest brothel Artemis (above), charging it is linked to the Hells Angels biker gang
Those detained in the overnight raid are accused of tax fraud and withholding social security contributions, said police, who added that they were also investigating possible human trafficking by the club.
Most of the women were from eastern Europe, Russia and several Arab countries.
Hells Angels bikers allegedly procured women for the club in return for favours including free admission, said state prosecutor Sjors Kampstra.
Police acted on information from a prostitute who had spoken out after fleeing her ex-partner, a Hells Angels biker, who had allegedly mistreated her.
Prostitution is legal in Germany but police have said the four-storey brothel complex constituted a system of 'brutal and illegal prostitution' that severely exploited dependent women
Investigators focused on tax evasion charges 'like they did with Al Capone', said Berlin chief prosecutor Andreas Behm, referring to the charges that landed the infamous 1920s US-Italian mafia boss behind bars.
Police say that while Artemis had officially engaged the women as 'self-employed' sex workers, the prostitutes were in fact regular employees with set work hours, price rates and instructions to perform specific sexual acts.
By withholding social security payments for them, the club had cheated the state out of at least 17.5 million euros (14 million), on top of its alleged tax evasion, said Michael Kulus from the Berlin customs office.
To help settle the bill, police said they had confiscated 6.4 million euros in cash, cars and property as well as 12 apartments and other premises in Berlin and nationwide.
Aneilka Jennings, pictured, 17, was found dead at home by her family after 'struggling with depression' over an 'exploitative' relationship with a man, 39
An aspiring model, 17, who was found hanged 'had struggled with depression after an exploitative relationship with a 39-year-old man', an inquest heard today.
Anielka Jennings felt 'confused and distressed' before her death in February 2015 but was not deemed to be a suicide risk by doctors, Gloucester Coroner's Court was told.
Her mother Aleksandra had requested two emergency appointments for her daughter in the six months before her death but she was not seen for a mental health assessment until January 2015.
Three weeks before her death a practitioner recorded that her case was non-urgent and no date was fixed for her to see a psychiatrist, despite the teenager 'speaking openly about suicide for four years'.
She had a number of health problems having suffered a stroke aged 12, and had undergone a complicated heart transplant four years ago.
Miss Jennings was undergoing specialist treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
The inquest heard Miss Jennings, a student at the prestigious all-girls Ribston Hall High School, was found by her father Michael at their home in Gloucester.
The coroner was told she had admitted abusing cannabis, trying to smoke mephedrone and said that she had self-harmed in the past.
A note addressed to her parents was found a few feet away from the teen's body addressed to her parents which said she 'wanted to tell them something' but didn't say what.
In an appointment with a practitioner 20 days before her death, Miss Jennings had spoken of being in an exploitative relationship with a 39-year-old man.
The teen shared messages apparently from a male which read: 'Waist (sic) of god damn space. Useless piece of s***'.
Jane Beamish, a registered practitioner who saw Miss Jennings, told the inquest: 'She was very distressed. She was upset, crying and generally distressed.
'She said she felt confused. She wasn't sure how she felt or where she was at. She had had some difficult relationships and she felt bad about some of those relationships.
'She acknowledged that a relationship she had with a 39-year-old man was difficult and exploitative but explained she was drawn to him.
'She was confused as to how she felt. She didn't know how to manage it. She told me she had run away at a prior date and the police had been called.'
Miss Jennings was frequently treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, pictured, having had a stroke as a child and undergone a heart transplant aged 13
But the report found that Miss Jennings, who had been suffering from depression since age 12, was 'not mentally unwell'.
As a result of her health issues, she was seen by a range of different professionals, including psychiatrists, education psychologists, neuropsychologists and pastoral carers.
But no single individual was responsible for overseeing the many bodies contributing to her care.
The inquest heard the teen 'dreamed of having a baby' with the man.
Because of her brain injury she was 'very vulnerable' and deemed to be at risk of sexual exploitation because she was displaying sexualised behaviour.
But a social worker said she had no concerns about the then 16-year-old's mental capacity despite the fact she was seeing the older man.
The inquest heard Anielka scrawled suicide-themed graffiti on her bedroom walls and wrote cruel messages to herself, like 'you're a prostitute'.
She also told her parents she felt 'worthless' and 'stupid' following a key incident involving her 39-year-old 'boyfriend' in Stroud.
Concerned child sexual exploitation workers began working with Anielka in April 2014 and she had dozens of appointments with them.
Amanda Wilsdon, of Gloucester young people's charity Infobuzz, said the teenager's relationship with the older man had ended by that time.
'She just wanted to be a normal, ordinary teenager. Michael Jennings, Anielka's father
However, it briefly resumed in October 2014 and Anielka remained at risk of sexual exploitation, Ms Wilsdon said.
Anielka's child protection plan was ended in December 2014, two months before her death, but Anielka's contact with the workers continued informally.
Child sexual exploitation worker Ms Wilsdon said it looked as though things were getting better for the teen in early 2015.
In her final appointment with Miss Jennings, Ms Wilsdon said she seemed 'more positive than she had been for a long time'.
Consultant psychiatrist Dr Rosemary Richards, who was responsible overall for the care Miss Jennings received, said she wished things were different.
But she added that given the level of distress Anielka had shown in the January appointment, the correct action was taken.
Dr Richards said: 'The steps were appropriate to her presentation, bearing in mind that we are mental health specialists.
'We see a great number of patients and I think what we did was appropriate..
In the days leading up to her death, Miss Jennings 'couldn't stop crying', the inquest heard.
The outpouring was triggered when she read a disability living allowance form filled in by her father which she wasn't supposed to see.
She was confused as to how she felt. She didn't know how to manage it. Jane Beamish, registered practitioner
It outlined the mental health obstacles she was struggling to overcome and left her 'extremely upset', her father said.
Mr Jennings said: 'I filled out a disability living allowance form for Anielka.
'In that form I had to write all the things that were problems and difficulties for her. They included some very personal things.'
He added: 'Anielka saw that form. I didn't want her to see that. She was extremely upset. She read it during the night and she was extremely upset in the morning.'
He said the young girl cried all the way to an appointment at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London where she received much of her care.
The following day, on the morning of her death, she went to Gloucester city centre with her father who sensed something was wrong, the inquest heard.
They spent some time together but she left him and it is believed she caught a bus back to her house, where she later died.
Mr Jennings said: 'We didn't discuss anything significant that morning but I was very very aware something was wrong.
'Anielka was extremely quiet - more so than she might normally be. I knew there was something wrong.'
When asked by senior Gloucestershire coroner Katy Skerrett whether he thought Miss Jennings had intended to take her own life, Mr Jennings replied that he did.
'It was always a possibility for her, that one way out of this was that she could do it if necessary.
'I think she felt particularly trapped by the fact that everything was written down on the DLA form, that she had all of these difficulties to work through.'
He added: 'She just wanted to be a normal, ordinary teenager.'
The inquest was adjourned for other witnesses to be called and will not resume until June.
An Ohio man charged with murder after he 'fatally kicked another man in his testicles' was the victim's step-brother, a family member told DailyMail.com.
A grand jury in Cleveland this week indicted 58-year-old Jackie Pierce on charges of murder, felonious assault and robbery in the 2013 death of Willie Cannon, aged 64.
According to court documents, Cannon was attending his niece's birthday party on May 11, 2013 near East 65th Street and Lansing Avenue when he was approached by the suspect, identified as Pierce.
The 58-year-old is not in police custody and is currently at large.
Jackie Pierce, 58, has been charged with the murder of Willie Cannon, aged 64 who died from an infection after he was kicked repeatedly in his testicles. A family member says that Pierce and Cannon were step-brothers
Pierce then demanded money from Cannon and when Cannon refused, Pierce repeatedly kicked him in the groin, then took money from Cannon's pockets, say police.
Authorities say the kick ruptured Cannon's testicle, which developed a gangrene infection. Cannon died in June 8, 2013 at MetroHealth hospital.
But speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Cannon's stepbrother, Jonnie Hart has revealed that Pierce and Cannon grew up together and said he believes Pierce is innocent.
Hart said: 'They grew up together and were like two peas in a pod. They hung out all the time.
'Everyone who knows them, knows that Jackie didn't do it.'
Hart described what he thought happened on that fateful night three years ago.
He said that Cannon and Pierce were at his niece's party together with Pierce's female friend and then the three went onto their sister Sharron's boyfriend's house.
Pierce and his girlfriend then left the house, Hart says, leaving Cannon with Sharron and her friends.
It was then that Hart believes the incident took place.
He said: 'Jackie had already left the party with his friend when Willie got hurt so there is no way he did anything.'
'Jackie has been inside too but not for nothing violent and he wouldn't do anything like that because he didn't want to go back inside.'
Hart didn't find out about his step-brother's death until several months after the fact.
Cannon was attending his niece's birthday party on May 11, 2013 near East 65th Street and Lansing Avenue (pictured) when he was approached by the suspect, identified as Pierce.
Victim Willie Cannon died over a month later in MetroHealth hospital in Ohio after developing a gangrene infection
Pierce has been summoned for arraignment April 27 in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.
Hart, 60, says he last spoke to him about a month ago but has no idea where he could be.
He hasn't spoken to sister Sharron - who he recently took in after she was left homeless - for some time either.
Questions were raised by the family about why it took so long for the charges to be brought against Pierce.
But Dan Williams, media relations director for City of Cleveland told DailyMail.com: 'It took two years to piece everything together and to get enough information to seek an indictment.
'We didn't have enough information to bring forward the charges until March and so that is what the gap in the investigation is.'
Merkel is now accused of pandering to Erdogan's autocratic government
It sparked a request for prosecution from Turkey which has been accepted
He read out a so-called 'Defamatory Poem' about Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Chancellor Angela Merkel has authorised criminal proceedings sought by Turkey against a German comedian over a crude satirical poem about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Inflaming a bitter row over free speech, she said Germany's judiciary would now have to decide if Jan Boehmermann could be convicted under rarely-enforced lese-majeste legislation.
However, in a hastily organised press conference, she also vowed the law would be scrapped by 2018 as a result of the embarrassing affair.
A probe under section 103 of the criminal code - insulting organs or representatives of foreign states - can only go forward with the approval of the federal government.
German comedian Jan Bohermann, pictured, has insulted the Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan
President Erdogan, pictured, has demanded Bohermann is prosecuted over the insulting poem
Her decision has exposed rifts within her own government and left her open to critics who have accused her of pandering to Erdogan's increasingly autocratic government.
'The government will give its authorisation in the case at hand,' Merkel told reporters live on national television.
The offence can carry a punishment of up to three years in prison.
Ankara this month filed a formal request for a criminal inquiry to be launched in Germany against Boehmermann, who accused Erdogan of bestiality and paedophilia in the so-called 'Defamatory Poem'.
Boehmermann gleefully admitted he was flouting Germany's legal limits on free expression, but has kept a lower profile since the furore erupted.
The comedian was reacting to Ankara's decision last month to summon Germany's ambassador in protest at another satirical song broadcast on German TV which lampooned Erdogan in far tamer language.
Merkel - who had previously labelled Boehmermann's poem 'deliberately insulting' - had pledged Turkey's request would be 'very carefully' examined, even as she underlined the German constitution's guarantees of 'freedom of expression, academia and of course the arts'.
On Friday she said her government, after heated internal debate, had concluded that only the judiciary should decide whether Boehmermann had committed a criminal offence.
'In a state under the rule of law, it is not a matter for the government but rather for state prosecutors and courts to weigh personal rights issues and other concerns affecting press and artistic freedom,' she said.
Merkel stressed that Berlin's decision did not amount to a 'prejudgement' on his legal culpability and that 'prosecutors and courts' would have the last word.
German prosecutors last week opened a preliminary probe against Boehmermann, 35, after complaints by dozens of viewers.
The case comes at an extremely awkward time as Europe is relying on Ankara to implement a pact spearheaded by Merkel to curb the flow of migrants taking boats headed for the EU from Turkey's shores.
It exposed Merkel to criticism she was compromising basic values to win Erdogan's continued cooperation on the refugee issue.
Sally Faulkner's estranged husband will drop kidnap charges against her if she agrees to never take their two children on holiday to Australia because he fears she may never bring them back to Lebanon.
Ali Elamine - who did the same thing to Ms Faulkner when he took their children Lahela, five, and Noah, three, to Lebanon in 2014 and never returned - said he would grant her access rights if she agreed he could have sole custody.
She must also agree to a full religious divorce - a list of demands Ms Faulkner's lawyer Ghassan Moghabghab says he will be able to secure because he has legal rights to the children in Lebanon.
'Legally he is the one with custody,' her Lebanese lawyer Ghassan Moghabghab told the News Corp.
'Legally he is the one with custody': Sally Faulkner's Lebanese lawyer is negotiating a drawn-out deal with the legal team of Ali Elamine (pictured with Noah, 3, Lahela, 5)
Mr Elamine said he would grant Ms Faulker full access rights to their children if she agreed he could have sole custody
Ghassan Mughaghab (pictured), the lawyer for Brisbane woman Sally Faulkner, there would be a very favourable flow-on effect for the 60 Minutes Crew if Ms Faulkner and Mr Elamine reached a private agreement
Ali Elamine (pictured with his children Noah, four, and Lahela, six) has to decide whether to pursue child kidnap charges again his ex-wife Sally Faulkner which may get her 20 years in prison
'He is willing for her to see the children at any time.
'But he is not willing to allow her to take the children to Australia or elsewhere on holidays. These are Australian holiday difficulties, if she takes the children to Australia who will say she will keep them and not bring them back to Lebanon,' he said.
Mr Moghabghab also warned that because Mr Elamine had been granted sole care of the children from religious authorities, he would likely be calling all the shots in the international custody battle.
If an agreement is reached between the estranged pair over the weekend, it could be registered in the next court appearance on Monday and Ms Faulkner could be on a flight back to Brisbane within the week, without her children.
Speaking to ABC's 7.30, Mr Moghabghab revealed that there would be a very favourable flow-on effect for the 60 Minutes Crew if Ms Faulkner and Mr Elamine reached a private agreement.
'When there is not (kidnapping charges) - when he withdraws his charges, there will be only the public charges here, and everything will - they will not go out there indefinitely, but they will take this into consideration,' he said.
'When there is not charges from Mr Elamine, it will be a much more better for her.'
'It will help everybody, I think. It will help everybody.'
'It will help everybody, I think. It will help everybody': Ms Faulkner's lawyer says that if Mr Elamine drops the personal kidnapping charges against his estranged wife, it will have a favourable flow-on effect for the whole team
Sally Faulkner's lawyer has reportedly said she was paid for by the Nine Network and had used money given to her by 60 Minutes to the child recovery agency, Child Abduction Recovery International. She is pictured above with her children Lahela, five, and Noah, three
Meanwhile, Mr Elamine has remained tight-lipped about the entire ordeal, instead focusing on the wellbeing of his two children and mother - who was allegedly hit with a pistol on the head during the dramatic kidnapping that was captured on security cameras.
'We're keeping to ourselves about the whole situation, there is a personal side, a family side and a judicial side to all of this and all I can say at the moment is everyone is doing okay and we are getting through this process,' he told The Daily Telegraph.
'I took her to the doctors for a check up on head scan today, she is okay.
'On that (pistol) I can't really tell you what happened I wasn't there but she was and I have read reports that that is what she said.
60 Minutes reporter Tara Brown has told the media she is being kept in a barred, heavily meshed holding cell and was required to wear handcuffs each time she went outside
Veteran journalist Stephen Rice (left), David Ballment (centre) and Benjamin Williamson (right) are also in custody in Lebanon
Sally Faulkner's Lebanese lawyer Ghassan Moghabghab told the ABC Ms Faulkner had paid funds directly to the recovery team, Child Abduction Recovery International (CARI), for the bungled mission to Beirut.
Mr Moghabghab said she had used money from 60 Minutes. But he was quoted saying 'I don't have any idea' if the Nine Network had intended to pay for the retrieval operation or simply the rights to her story.
The lawyer also told the ABC Ms Faulkner had had told the judge she regrets paying for the mission.
Mr Moghabghab's comments have not been tested in court.
In her only interview on the matter so far, Ms Faulkner told The Australian on Friday she was doing well behind bars at Baabda Central Women's Prison in south-eastern Beirut.
'Please tell my mum and dad how well I am and also (husband) Brendan and my in-laws,' she said. Ms Brown is also behind bars at the prison.
'I am fine but my loved ones need to know that.'
The Channel Nine TV crew was planning to film Faulkner's attempt to retrieve her children Noah, three, and Lahela, five, from her ex-husband Ali Elamine, who she claims kept them in Lebanon without her permission.
Prosecutors had earlier claimed they had a signed statement from a member of the recovery team saying Nine had paid $115,000 for the operation.
CCTV footage supplied by Lebanese authorities appeared to show the bungled kidnapping earlier this week
Ms Faulkner and the Channel Nine TV crew members appeared handcuffed in a Lebanese court on Wednesday, where they were remanded in custody to face court again on Monday.
Faulkner is facing kidnapping charges. The 60 Minutes crew is accused of: hiding information, forming an association with two or more people to commit a crime against a person, kidnapping or holding a minor even with their approval, and physical assault.
Lebanese Investigative Judge Rami Abdullah said there was 'no way' the charges against the crew will be dropped. The offences carry penalties of up to 20 years in jail.
Nine Network spokeswoman Victoria Buchan said: 'I hope you understand that we never comment on money but also we are not making any comments in this matter as it is currently a matter before the Lebanese judicial system which we respect. It is not appropriate at this time.'
A conviction could mean the male 60 Minutes crew risk ending up in Beirut's infamous Roumieh prison, one of the largest jails in the Middle East with 5,500 inmates.
LEBANON KIDNAP CASE: WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR THE MUM, THE TV CREW AND THE KIDNAPPING CASE Brisbane mum Sally Faulkner and a Nine Network TV crew made up of reporter Tara Brown, producer Stephen Rice, cameraman Ben Williamson and sound recordist David Ballment, are facing kidnapping and assault charges in Lebanon following a bungled abduction of Ms Faulkner's two children in Beirut. WHAT HAPPENED? The Australians have spent a week behind bars in Beirut after being arrested for the alleged abduction on April 7. The TV crew was filming Faulkner's attempt to retrieve her children Noah, four, and Lahela, six, from her ex-husband Ali Elamine, who she claims kept them in Lebanon without her permission. A professional agency, Child Abduction Recovery International, is believed to have been hired to snatch the children. Two of its members, named in media reports as Britons Adam Whittington and Craig Michael, have also been detained and charged. THE ABDUCTION Security camera footage shows masked men jumping out of a car and snatching the kids from their grandmother and another woman on a Beirut street. The grandmother claims she was attacked and hit on the head with a pistol. The TV crew and recovery agency members were arrested shortly afterwards, while Faulkner hid with her two children in a safe house. Authorities later found the family, arrested Faulkner and returned the children to their father. THE CHARGES Faulkner is facing kidnapping charges. The 60 minutes crew is accused of: - hiding information - forming an association with two or more people to commit a crime against a person - kidnapping or holding a minor even with their approval - physical assault. The offences carry penalties of up to 20 years in jail. LEGAL CASE SO FAR Judge Rami Abdullah told the Australians during a second round of interviews on Wednesday that there was no chance their charges would be dropped. However, he indicated that if Mr Elamine was willing to drop legal action and come to an agreement with his estranged wife, that would help the case against all of the accused. The accused will remain in detention until facing the Baabda Palace of Justice again on Monday. Nine has refused to comment on speculation it organised and funded the recovery operation. Advertisement
A childcare centre near the property was 'too tempting'
Downs has previously admitted to moving locations due to 'temptations'
The paedophile was evicted by his tenant over similar concerns
Local residents are now concerned he will strike again
A paedophile convicted of molesting girls as young as six has been found living in a caravan just metres away from a school and a children's dance studio.
Raymond Phillip Downs was found in a dilapidated caravan in Goodna, Ipswich near Brisbane.
The 60-year-old's presence sparked concerns from local residents and business owners who fear the convicted child molester might strike again, Nine News reports.
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A convicted child molester Raymond Phillip Downs was found living in a dilapidated caravan near Brisbane
The 60-year-old (left) was charged for molesting girls as young as six
The paedophile's landlord has evicted his tenant after his dark past was revealed.
This news comes after the child abuser decided against moving into a house in Goodna because it was too close to a childcare centre the Courier Mail reported.
In December, he told his case manager the property was 'too much of a temptation.'
Downs had planned to move in with his partner Sharon White and get a job as a truck driver in Kenmore, Goodna or Redbank Plains.
In 2015, he was not allowed to visit Ms White at her home address as there were 'signs of children living in the house and next door.'
Downs first offence was in 1974 when he was 18 years old and molested a six-year-old girl.
The caravan is located near a school and a children's dance school. Locals are concerned the paedophile will strike again.
Downs was released from jail in June 2012 and was supervised for almost four years until he was able to rent a home of his choice
Downs has recently admitted to refusing a property because a nearby childcare centre was 'too tempting'
At 21, he kissed a 10-year-old girl at a swimming pool and molested another girl a year later after picking her up from school and driving her down an isolated track.
When he was 45, he molested a nine-year-old on multiple occasions.
Downs was released from jail in June 2012 and was supervised for almost four years until he was able to rent a home of his choice.
At the end of his court-ordered supervision period Queensland's Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath applied for a two-year extension to the order but failed.
During a court hearing last year a psychiatrist said Downs hadn't 'completely lost his deviant sexual arousal to pre-pubescent girls' the Queensland Times reports.
The same court also heard the paedophile hadn't completed any rehabilitation programs during his stint in jail.
Europe is bracing for a summer surge in the migrant crisis across the Mediterranean as David Cameron stepped up calls for a naval blockade.
The Prime Minister spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel by telephone to discuss the on-going migrant crisis, which is expected to see a million people enter Europe this year.
Many are refugees fleeing the war in Syria but thousands of economic migrants are also among those trying to get into Europe.
A new agreement with Turkey has slowed migration to the Greek island of Lesbos but MailOnline revealed yesterday that thousands of people are again travelling across the central Mediterranean.
EU leaders are braced for a summer surge in migration across the Med. Pictured: A rescuer carries a baby as migrants and refugees disembark from a Maltese coast guard patrol vessel after being rescued at sea today
Some 6,000 people landed on the island of Sicily, highlighting calls from Mr Cameron to focus again on people setting sail from Libya.
Downing Street today said it feared migrant numbers crossing the Med could increase over the summer.
The PM's official spokeswoman said Mr Cameron wanted to make sure deal with Turkey was being 'properly implemented and was working as effectively as possible'.
But she also admitted of a surge in migrants looking to the cross the central Mediterranean from Libya to Italy and Sicily along the 'Central Meditteranean Route' this summer.
She said the PM wanted to make sure operations the Med are 'as robust as possible as we move into a season where we are concerned we could see numbers increase on that route'.
Last month Mr Cameron urged EU leaders to beef up a naval blockade in the central Med ahead of the summer and to station boats in Libyan waters.
EU Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini last month warned as many as half a million new refugees may head to Europe this year from Libya and North Africa.
On numbers crossing the Aegean she said: 'We have seen the numbers start to fall but it is about making sure we are sustaining that, and making it more effective if it is possible.
David Cameron has spoken to Angela Merkel about the latest plans. Pictured: Migrants arriving at the Messina harbor in Sicily today.
Warships from EU states are taking part in the anti-people smuggling Operation Sophia in the central Mediterranean and Mr Cameron and Mrs Merkel discussed work being done with the new Libyan unity government to help disrupt trafficking gangs.
More than one million migrants entered the EU via Greece in 2015, many of them refugees fleeing the Syrian civil war, while a further 150,000 arrived in Italy.
EU foreign and defence ministers will hold a special dinner on Monday in Luxembourg.
They will discuss how the EU's so-called 'Sophia' naval mission operating in international waters near Libya could move into Libyan waters to destroy boats used by people smugglers, catch the traffickers and head off an expected surge in migrants trying to reach Europe by sea from Libya.
While the naval mission has been operating since mid-2015 and has saved more than 8,000 lives, it is unable to move into Libyan waters without a request from the Libyan government and a UN Security Council resolution.
But Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said the new UN-backed government in Tripoli would help reduce the boatloads of migrants who dice with death to reach Europe from Africa.
Jailed: Timothy Storey, 35, lived a 'double life' preaching the virtues of abstinence at St Michael's Church in London's Belgravia
A judge accused church leaders of a cover-up yesterday as he sentenced a former vicar who raped two Christian girls to 15 years in jail.
Judge Philip Katz QC hit out at the utterly incompetent failure to protect youngsters from self-confessed sex addict Timothy Storey.
The Oxford-educated trainee vicar had groomed hundreds of other children on Facebook, using his position as a youth leader to systematically pick off weak, insecure girls.
But despite numerous warnings about his behaviour, arrogant church leaders remained stone deaf to complaints from his rape victims aged 16 and 17, and failed to inform police, the judge said.
Scotland Yard was only called in to investigate the serious sex attacks after Storey appeared on the front page of the Daily Mail in May 2014 for grooming underage girls.
The story prompted two women, now aged 24 and 25, to tell officers they were raped by Storey as teenagers.
While he was studying theology at Oxford, the sexual predator raped one victim, aged 17, in a toilet.
He also raped a 16-year-old twice at his student digs after plying her with alcohol at a concert in 2008. She was so in thrall to cruel and arrogant Storey she described him as more influential than God.
Both girls made complaints, but church leaders were fooled by Storeys precious and utterly false religiosity and failed to pass information to police, ensuring the ruthless pervert was free to groom victims for another six years.
Judge Katz said Storey had been developing 'paedophile' tendencies but deliberately waited until his victims were over the age of consent before he sexually assaulted them
Storey, 35, smirked as he was jailed at Woolwich Crown Court yesterday. The judge said the Diocese of London had mishandled the case and sought to shift blame on to the police.
His victims distress was added to by the way in which the Diocese... behaved, he said. The implication was that the police were at fault.
If the Diocese... made those suggestions it was a shameful misrepresentation of the truth. He said some leaders seemed to be worried about the reputational damage to the diocese, adding that an adviser on safeguarding had arrogantly refused to help officers.
Storey, a childrens pastor, had been sponsored to join the clergy by the Bishop of London. But in 2014 he appeared in court accused of grooming hundreds of children on Facebook.
He claimed the sex was consensual and said his victims 'seemed to be enjoying it', but he was convicted of three counts of rape and one count of assault by penetration at Woolwich Crown Court (above)
He had become every parents worst nightmare as he preached at St Michaels Church in Belgravia while targeting girls from the congregation for sex.
Leading camps for teenagers in the Kent countryside, he manipulated girls dazzled by his looks, sending them flattering messages on social media before tricking them into sending explicit images of themselves.
JUSTICE - THANKS TO THE MAIL A senior Scotland Yard detective last night praised the Daily Mail for its coverage of Timothy Storeys crimes. Detective Constable Paul Hill said the rapist might not be behind bars today if we had not told in 2014 how he groomed hundreds of underage girls for sex. Our front page story led to two women coming forward to claim they were raped by the clergyman as teenagers, sparking an investigation which led to him being locked up for 15 years yesterday. Mr Hill, of the Metropolitan Polices sexual offences exploitation and child abuse command, said: The coverage encouraged the victims to come forward. If it hadnt been for the Daily Mail, he may have continued to get away with it and might not be in jail today. He added: We would encourage anyone to come forward if there are other victims. The Mail also exposed the extraordinarily lenient sentence handed to Storey in 2014. Outrage from MPs and charities led to his rehabilitation order being increased to three years in jail. Advertisement
Senior members of the clergy were first warned he posed a danger to women in 2008, when an 18-year-old said he had sent her lewd texts. Storey was confronted, but no further action was taken.
Over the next year, warnings were issued by parents and one woman told a youth leader that Storey had had sex with her.
Statements from four women about his behaviour at camps were also given to the diocese.
By September 2009, the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, was told by senior clergy that Storey had been acting in a predatory manner. The following January he apologised to one victim, but still the church did not report him.
Police were finally informed and discovered Storey was grooming hundreds of children, posing online as a privately educated teenager to persuade girls as young as 12 to film themselves naked over Facebook.
But at court he was initially given a rehabilitation order and within hours flouted a ban to find new victims on dating websites.
Days after his sentencing he is suspected of raping a 20-year-old he contacted online.
No one has been disciplined at the Church. Revd Hugh Valentine responsible for protecting children during Storeys reign of terror works at a South London charity.
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The Duchess of Cambridge looked radiant in red as she wore a 745 Beulah dress featuring Bhutan's national flower - the poppy - in a special tribute to the country.
Beulah is one of Kate's favourite fashion brands and is run by Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs, an old friend of the Duchess.
The showstopper full-length dress - called 'Juliet' - was a far cry from the casual look she sported earlier in the day for a three-hour hike up to the Tiger's Nest monastery perched on a Bhutan clifftop.
Radiant: The Duchess of Cambridge wore a red Beulah dress for the reception celebrating Britain's relationship with Bhutan
Quick turn around: Kate dazzled for the glittering reception just hours after completing an energy-sapping climb to Tiger's Nest monastery
Lady in red: The Duchess is presented with a silk scarf by Ugyen Michael Wangchukat at the reception at the Taj Hotel, in Thimpu
Special tribute: Kate wore the dress with poppies on, as the blue poppy is the national flower of Bhutan
Smiles aplenty: Kate shares a joke with the British Honorary Consulate Michael Rutland, in Thimpu, Bhutan, during the ceremony tonight
Beulah was set up by Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs, an old acquaintance of the Duchess, who is married to her former boyfriend Rupert Finch.
Her father, the Marquess of Reading, is also close to Prince Charles and as a result, Lady Natasha has known Prince William since she was a little girl.
At the reception this evening, which celebrated Britain's relationship with Bhutan, William and Kate met Britons living in the mountain kingdom.
William described being in the cockpit of the plane landing in Bhutan as 'terrifying' while speaking to helicopter pilot Nic Suddards, 56, from Yorkshire.
Mr Suddards moved to Bhutan in December to fly their national helicopter, making emergency rescues and transporting diplomats.
He said afterwards: 'He said it (being in the cockpit) was terrifying. There is a house on the approach which is known as Mr Smith's house and you miss it by metres.
'The pilot was showing him Mr Smith's house and he said 'don't look at that, concentrate on the runway!'''
Gift: The Duchess wore a pretty dress by Beulah, with poppies on - the national flower of Bhutan is a blue poppy
Glamorous: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge mingle with guests at the reception celebrating the reception between Britain and Bhutan
Elegant: The Duchess plumbed for an elegant silk-chiffon Beulah gown, one of her most trusted and favourite brands
Glamour: Kate swapped her skinny jeans and worn boots for the radiant 745 dress, while Prince William sported a navy blue suit
Smart: Prince William opted for a navy suit tonight for the reception hosted by the British Honorary Consulate Michael Rutland
Gesture: In a nod to the host country, the Duchess accessorized with a blue poppy the national flower of Bhutan
Stunning: The Duchess wowed in the red dress after a quick change following the hike up to the Tiger's Nest monastery earlier in the day
Mr Suddards had brought his helicopter to the airport when the royal plane landed but he didn't get the chance to show the royals around as they travelled by car to their hotel instead.
He said: 'I told him that he missed an opportunity because the dual controls were in the aircraft specially for him in the airport and he could have flown it back to Thimphu.'
When asked how William felt about that, he replied: 'Devastated. He said he would have loved to have flown it. I asked him to come and do some volunteer work here because we do a lot of medical evacuations. He said he would love to so we'll send him an official invitation.'
Kate spoke to Pio Smith, 39, from Newry, Northern Ireland who has lived in Bhutan since last June when his wife moved to the country for a job with the UN.
He said about Kate: 'She was really interested in hearing about what it was like to raise a family here.'
William and Kate also spoke to Britons Carolyn Ishering, 75, from North Wales and Louise Dorji, 81, from York, who have both been living in Bhutan since 1966.
Listening in: Kate chatted to Britons who had moved to Bhutan at the ceremony to mark the close relationship between the two countries
Close bond: The ceremony was a celebration of Britain's close relationship with Bhutan, reinforced by the royal visit this week
Dazzling: The Princess look resplendent in a 745 red Beulah dress during a reception at the Taj Hotel in Thimpu tonight
Ms Ishering said: 'It was a great honour to meet them, very exciting. She is everything that I thought she was...so elegant, warm and friendly.
'I told him (William) that I had a connection because my sister had actually been second chef to Princess Margaret in Kensington Palace for a number of years and I was retelling a story about how the lifts got stuck in the palace when I went up to her flat.
'He said "yes, it does get stuck.'"
Earlier in the day, William and Kate climbed arm-in-arm to the Tiger's Nest monastery, some 10,000 feet above sea level.
While the prince was seen wiping sweat from his brow, his wife appeared unfazed by the climb and simply pushed her hair back from her face with her sunglasses.
The prince, dressed in chinos, a shirt and walking boots, looked more flushed than his wife - who donned 475 Penelope Chilvers boots and a 495 Nubuck shoot waistcoat over a white Jaeger linen blouse costing 89.
At the end of the walk, Kate told the press pack she was missing George and Charlotte 'massively', adding 'we're looking forward to seeing them...they're in good hands.'
She added that they had been able to speak with them 'many times' over the week.
The couple will conclude their tour tomorrow with a romantic visit to the Taj Mahal, the marble mausoleum known as a monument to love.
It will mark 24 years since Diana was famously pictured sitting by herself in front of the 17th century monument as her marriage to Prince Charles unravelled. Their separation was announced just months later.
Arm in arm: The royal couple linked arms as they made their way up to the Buddhist monastery on the outskirts of Thimphu earlier
Mortgage rates could soar if Britain votes to leave the European Union on June 23, George Osborne has warned.
The Chancellor delivered the latest apocalyptic vision of life outside the grouping as he attended a meeting of finance ministers in Washington.
The intervention will infuriate Eurosceptics who have accused the Remain campaign of mounting 'Project Fear' to sway the result of the crucial ballot.
Meanwhile, the French finance minister has warned that the UK would still have to contribute to Brussels budgets even if it left.
Chancellor George Osborne has been attending a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Washington
The referendum battle officially got under way today with both sides now subject to strict electoral rules on spending and activities.
London Mayor Boris Johnson immediately became embroiled in a bitter spat over calls for the UK's 10 billion Brussels contribution to be redirected to the health service.
Spearheading a blitz of events by Vote Leave supporters, the Tory MP is due to point to a predicted 12.3 billion shortfall in funding by 2020-2021 as reason to divert the cash.
Justice Secretary Michael Gove, who is also attending rallies over the coming days, said: 'If the money is taken back then that 50 million a day will be spent on British people's priorities, and the NHS is of course top of the list.'
But the Stronger In campaign, which has close links to Downing Street, retaliated by insisting Mr Johnson couldn't be 'trusted' because he wanted to privatise the NHS.
Former chancellor Alistair Darling has been deployed by the Remain side to warn of 'profound disruption' to the economy if Britain quits the union.
Delivering a speech in central London, Mr Darling said Brexit was 'simply not a risk worth taking' and stressed that there was everything to play for in the campaign.
'This is a very, very close vote. I really can't emphasise enough that the vote is close,' he said.
'No one can predict with any certainty what is likely to happen.
'I hope we will win and I hope we will win well. But we need to get the support of people the length and breadth of the country, no matter what their political allegiance has been in the past.'
Mr Darling - who led the campaign to keep Scotland in the UK in the 2014 independence referendum - argued there was a 'wall of evidence' for Remain.
'We all have to make difficult choices in life. Inevitably there are unknowns but we owe it to ourselves and to our children to make our decision based on the evidence we have,' he said.
'It would be a colossal surrender of power to walk away from our largest trading partner, increase uncertainty, erect trade barriers and diminish our influence.'
He accused Leave campaigners of 'playing with fire' and offering a 'fantasy future'.
Mr Cameron crossed party lines yesterday by engaging in some phone canvassing with Labour and Liberal Democrat grandees Neil Kinnock and Paddy Ashdown.
He also held an away day for Tory MPs at an Oxfordshire hotel in a bid to ease increasingly bitter tensions over Europe.
The White House has confirmed that President Barack Obama plans to make an intervention in the referendum battle when he visits the UK next week.
He is expected to stress the benefits of membership to the British economy and the importance of unity in the continent to global security.
The Stronger In campaign accused Mr Johnson of wanting to privatise the NHS after he suggested contributions to Brussels could be diverted into the health service
Attending the G20 finance ministers' meeting in Washington, Mr Osborne was asked by reporters about the potential impacts of leaving the EU.
He said 'yes it is likely' that mortgage rates would be driven up - pointing to a similar warning from Bank of England governor Mark Carney earlier this year.
'The risk of British exit has definitely risen up the international agenda,' Mr Osborne said. 'The universal view has been that it would cause immediate short-term shock and instability and that there would be a long-term cost to the world economy.'
FRENCH MINISTER INSISTS UK WOULD STILL HAVE TO PAY BRUSSELS AFTER QUITTING EU The French finance minister has dismissed claims Britain will save billions of pounds in EU contributions if it quits the grouping. Emmanuel Macron said Brexit supporters were wrong to claim the UK would not have to contribute to Brussels budgets. He told the Financial Times the UK could strike a deal similar to that of Norway or Switzerland, but it was a 'mistake' to think the terms would be more favourable than they are currently. Referring to arrangements allowing banks and other firms to operate freely across the continent, he said: 'Those who pretend that passporting will be preserved exactly following the same rules without any contribution to the budget, are making a big, a big mistake because it's completely wrong. 'So for sure, you can renegotiate a trade arrangement, but this trade deal will be less favourable to the UK than being part of the club.' Mr Macron also insisted Britain would be in a weaker position to protect its steel industry outside the EU. 'Do you think you will be in a situation to protect your steel industry tomorrow if you are alone as the UK economy facing the Chinese one?' he said. Advertisement
The Chancellor also raised concerns that the growing fears about Brexit are hitting the economy. 'It's fair to say that some of the concerns about a potential exit are weighing on sentiment now and weighing on economic activity now,' he said.
'That could well be reflected in the GDP number that we see for quarter one.'
He told Sky News later that there would be huge instability.
'What that means for families is that mortgage rates are going to go up,' Mr Osborn said.
'Families will be paying the price.'
France's economy minister Emmanuel Macron said Brexit supporters were wrong to claim the UK would not have to contribute to Brussels budgets after leaving.
He told the Financial Times the UK could strike a deal similar to that of Norway or Switzerland, but it was a 'mistake' to think the terms would be more favourable than they are currently.
Referring to arrangements allowing banks and other firms to operate freely across the continent, he said: 'Those who pretend that passporting will be preserved exactly following the same rules without any contribution to the budget, are making a big, a big mistake because it's completely wrong.
'So for sure, you can renegotiate a trade arrangement, but this trade deal will be less favourable to the UK than being part of the club.'
Mr Macron also insisted Britain would be in a weaker position to protect its steel industry outside the EU. 'Do you think you will be in a situation to protect your steel industry tomorrow if you are alone as the UK economy facing the Chinese one?' he said.
Blake Leland Zengo, 20, (pictured), of Athens, Georgia, was arrested after he allegedly sprayed 'Liquid A**' in a downtown bar, forcing many patrons to leave
A 20-year-old Georgia man was arrested after he allegedly unleashed a bottle of farts on an Athens bar.
Blake Leland Zengo was arrested after bar patrons of Whiskey Bent in downtown Athens accused him of being the gassy culprit.
One woman, 21, also accused him of spraying the stinky substance in her face, according to Online Athens.
The bar began to clear out after Zengo allegedly sprayed a can of 'Liquid A**' in the bar area.
Police found him sitting on the patio area, denying he knew what was going on inside.
He also said he didn't spray anything.
'Several patrons of Whiskey Bent began to leave quickly while making comments about how bad it stunk inside the bar,' a police report said.
Officers searched Zengo and found the spray bottle of 'Liquid A**' on him.
According to Liquid A**'s website: 'Once unleashed, this power-packed, super-concentrated liquid begins to evaporate filling the air with a genuine, foul butt-crack smell with hints of dead animal and fresh poo.
'The funny pranks you can pull with Liquid A** are unlimited.
'Watching the facial grimaces of people and hearing their comments about the part-your-hair, gagging stench will have you laughing until it hurts.'
Liquid A** (pictured) is a prank spray that fills the air 'with a genuine, foul butt-crack smell with hints of dead animal and fresh poo'
The 20-year-old was 'very inebriated, and was slurring his words', according to police.
He has been charged with disorderly conduct, public intoxication and underage consumption of alcohol.
The woman who claimed Zengo sprayed her in the face didn't press charges.
She was riding the Air Maxx 360 during her visit to Australia from Malaysia
The eight-year-old boarded the ride during the Royal Adelaide Show
Safe is Safe cleared a ride on which Adelene Long died two years ago
Safe is Safe and Hamish Munro will not be charged with manslaughter
The head of a safety inspection company is facing up to five years in prison for clearing a ride on which an eight-year-old girl died two years ago.
Adelene Leong attended the Royal Adelaide Show in September 2014 with her mum when she was thrown 10metres off of a high-speed ride called AirMaxx 360.
Safe is Safe Pty Ltd and boss Hamish Munro, 57, who approved the safety of the ride before the show, are now being accused of breaching health and safety laws by watchdog SafeWork SA, according to The Advertiser.
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Safety inspection company Safe is Safe and boss Hamish Munro, 57, will not be charged with manslaughter for clearing a ride on which a Adelene Leong, eight, (pictured) died two years ago
Adelene attended the Royal Adelaide Show in September 2014 with her mum when she was thrown 10metres off of a high-speed ride called AirMaxx 360 (pictured)
SafeWorks SA also alleges that there was an 'element of reckless conduct without reasonable excuse' at the time.
It is the first time the government agency is prosecuting the 'category one' offence, which could lead to five years in jail, a $300,000 fine for Mr Munro and a $1.5 million fine for Safe is Safe, The Advertiser reported.
Mr Munro said this week that WorkSafe is 'mak[ing] stuff up.'
He claims that he and his business are 'innocent, because [he] carried out the inspections and it operated safely for a couple of days.'
Safe is Safe Pty Ltd and boss Hamish Munro, 57, who approved the safety of the ride before the show, are now being accused of breaching health and safety laws by watchdog SafeWork SA
It is the first time the government agency is prosecuting the 'category one' offence, which could lead to five years in jail, a $300,000 fine for Mr Munro and a $1.5 million fine for Safe is Safe
The director of public prosecutions Adam Kimber decided to go forward with corporate charges instead of criminal charges because there wasn't enough evidence.
The owners of the ride have been banned from operating machinery but no charges have been pressed against them yet, according to The Advertiser.
Adelene was above the height requirements when she boarded the ride with her mother and took a photo just before it began.
Mr Munro claims that he and his business are 'innocent, because [he] carried out the inspections and it operated safely for a couple of days'
Paramedics were called about 12.30pm, when Adelene- who was holidaying with family from Malaysia - was thrown from the Air Maxx 360 as her mother watched on in horror
Paramedics were called about 12.30pm, when Adelene- who was holidaying with family from Malaysia - was thrown from the Air Maxx 360 as her mother watched on in horror.
Adelene was rushed to hospital with critical injuries but died a short time later.
Witnesses reportedly saw the girl being thrown from the seat and 'landing extremely far away'.
On the day of the accident, Malinda Dunwoodie, 17, told The Advertiser the girl's safety harness was still down but it looked as if she slipped out of her seat.
'She was hanging by her legs off the ride, trying to block herself. She went flying through the air about 10-15 metres up in the air and I started sprinting towards her,' she said.
'I was shaking so much, she looked like a doll flying through the air.
'It was so shocking. It was like a horror movie.'
A German woman accused of murdering her child is to go on trial - 41 years after the boy's death.
The child, identified only by his first name Milo, was eight-years-old when he was found dead in his bed in the former East German town of Schwedt, near the Polish border.
At the time, he had been living with his mother Erna F, now aged 74, who had been separated from the boy's father, Adolf F., a few years previously.
At the time of the child's death, he had been living with his mother Erna F (left), now aged 74. Milo (right) was found dead in his bed
The case was reopened after a tip-off but was problematic because it happened in eastern Germany (DDR), where the statute of limitations forbade prosecutors from charging anybody with murder after 25 years.
Under West German law however, there was no statute of limitations on murder.
Prosecutors pointed out that this now also applies to the former DDR area following the German unification procedure.
Erna had previously told police that she was shocked to find the child's lifeless body in the bed, and an autopsy revealed he had died from carbon monoxide poisoning which she told her friends was a tragic accident. At the time she was 33.
For 41 years this version of events has not changed, until police received an anonymous phone call giving details of the death, persuading them to reopen the case. The caller reportedly said: 'The mother killed her son using gas.'
The case was reopened, and now prosecutors say Erna took her eight-year-old son to the kitchen, laid him on the floor and used gas to end his life.
She had then put him to bed, and in the morning called doctors to record the death, according to prosecutors who say the motive was that she was simply overloaded with too much to do.
The child, identified only by his first name Milo, was eight-years-old when he was found dead in his bed in the former East German town of Schwedt (file picture), near the Polish border
Prosecutors in Frankfurt have charged the woman with murder with the court case due to take place in Neuruppin on April 27.
Despite the lengthy amount of time in which many of the previous papers dealing with the case have been lost, they say there are still witnesses available for questioning - including the dead boy's father Adolf who had separated from Erna a few years before he died.
Speaking to local media he said there had always been something suspicious about the circumstances in which his son died.
He added that he never had any proof to the contrary of the official version of events, but was suspicious because he knew that his ex-wife saw the boy as a burden, and was keen to start a relationship with a new man without any baggage.
The couple had met in the early sixties when she was an attractive secretary employed by a building firm, and he was working on building agricultural machinery.
He said: 'I fell head over heels in love with her.' He added that she was difficult to live with, insisting for example that should be called Sissi like the former Austrian Empress.
A grieving mother pleaded with the thieves who stole her dead baby's ashes not to dump the box in the landfill.
Burglars broke into the Washington home of Brian and Jessica Kropf two weeks ago and ransacked the property before forcing their way into a fire safe where they took a white box containing baby Casey's ashes.
The tragic baby died five years ago after contracting brain cancer. The family said they kept the ashes at home as they wanted to remain close to their child. However that dream has now been shattered since the callous thieves broke into the house and despicably stole baby Casey's ashes.
Callous thieves stole baby Casey Kropf's ashes during a burglary at his parents' Washington home
Jessica told Kiro 7 News: 'The reason I didn't bury him is because I wanted him to be with me when I find a place, when I pass. Wherever they end up burying me, I wanted to have him with me. I never wanted to be away from him.'
Casey was six months old when he was diagnosed with brain cancer. He died shortly after his first birthday.
Since the burglary, the family claim it is almost like losing their son once again.
Jessica added: 'I really hope he's not in a landfill. I worry that he is because he doesn't deserve to be in the trash some place.'
Her husband Brian said: 'We haven't been able to enjoy his company, but we at least felt some comfort knowing he was near us. Once I came inside, I noticed that the TV was completely gone off the wall.'
The burglars took the family's computer as well as some tools.
Californian was cleared and now considering legal action against airline
Cleared: Jeremiah Mathis Thede, 42, (pictured) was found not guilty of endangering an aircraft
A man accused of endangering fellow passengers on a transatlantic flight due to a row over crackers has been cleared of any wrongdoing.
Jeremiah Mathis Thede, 42, from California, was hauled to court in Antrim, Northern Ireland, over allegations that he acted in a manner likely to negligently endanger an aircraft.
Mr Thede was a passenger on a United Airlines flight from Rome to Chicago when the crew were forced to land the plane in Belfast.
The airline claimed the American had been aggressive towards cabin crew and that other passengers had complained about his behaviour.
However, after the hearing at Antrim Crown Court, Mr Thede's solicitor Patrick Madden said staff had been overreacting and that during the trial they had contradicted themselves.
He said: 'The prosecution case and the decision to divert the flight was all based on information which is inaccurate from the cabin crew, it was based on speculation, misunderstanding and misinterpretation.
'In fact there was simply no credible evidence in this case to suggest that Mr Thede had acted in any way to endanger this flight.'
Despite staff referencing passenger concerns during the flight, none of the fellow travellers gave evidence during court proceedings.
Mr Thede, from Berkeley near San Francisco, had previously described how he was down to his last dollars following a long European trip and had experienced problems with a credit card.
He also said he had eaten only an apple during five hours waiting at Rome airport for the delayed flight home.
Mr Thede explained that he requested crackers immediately upon boarding, then repeatedly during the flight, because he was hungry.
Unable to sleep, he proceeded to repeatedly go to the bathroom and search through his luggage while organising contacts from his trip.
Flight attendants claimed he left his meal tray obstructing the aisle and alleged that his behaviour was odd.
Mr Thede's barrister Aaron Thompson quipped that the whole trial was a bit crackers.
Before sending them away, Judge Desmond Marrinan had told jurors it would be a fatal flaw to just take the crew's word for it and counselled the panel to avoid rumour or speculation.
He said the key issues had included Mr Thede's alleged failure to obey United staff and whether passengers were likely to take matters into their own hands - which may have led to trouble or fighting.
Solicitor Patrick Madden (pictured with Mr Thede) said his client was now considering legal proceedings against United Airlines
A relief pilot disturbed from his sleep to deal with the incident earlier told the trial Thede was unpredictable and his behaviour was odd.
The judge said: 'He formed the view that the defendant was unwilling to obey instructions.'
Mr Madden said his client was delighted and relieved at the verdict delivered by the jury of seven men and four women in half an hour. He will now return to the US.
A spokesman for the airline said the company was 'disappointed' with the jury's verdict but added that the safety of customers and employees was its 'highest priority'
He explained they would consider legal proceedings against the airline.
Mr Madden said: 'United Airlines should reflect on this case. They should also consider how they handle complaints from passengers in future.'
A United Airlines spokesman said: 'Although disappointed, we respect the decision of the jury in this matter.
Investigators searching for a missing couple last seen on Monday have found their two cars in the remote woods of Washington state.
Patrick Shunn, 45, and his wife, Monique Patenuade, 46, raised alarms on Tuesday when neighbors found their puppy running loose, according to CBC News.
Police found their Jeep and Land Rover off an embankment in the remote woods near Oso, about four miles west of their Arlington home. Both vehicles were discovered in the same area.
Shunn and Patenaude's disappearance has been deemed 'suspicious and unusual', although police have not named any suspects.
Shunn's brother Erik issued an appeal on social media, claiming a neighbor who harassed Patenuade also appears to be missing in a now-deleted post.
Shunn and Patenuade filed a civil lawsuit against their neighbors for repeatedly trespassing on their property, according to court records cited by the Seattle Times.
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Washington state couple, Patrick Shunn, 45 (left), and his wife, Monique Patenuade (left and right), 46, were reported missing on Tuesday by neighbors who found their puppy running loose
Court records say the couple are currently involved in a legal dispute with neighbors whom Shunn and Patenaude claim to have repeatedly trespassed on their property (pictured) near the Stillaguamish River with recreational vehicles and unleashed dogs
Shunn, who works at an aircraft-interior refurbishing firm in Kirkland, showed up to work on Monday but did not appear on Tuesday.
His brother Erik said he failed to call in sick, which was 'very uncharacteristic of him'.
He added in a Facebook post on Tuesday: 'Pat and Monique have pets and livestock and they havent been taken care of the last day and a half.'
Snohomish County Sheriff's spokesperson Shari Ireton said 'nothing seemed amiss' inside their home.
Patenaude was last seen near the couples home around 1pm on Monday, and family members say both their cell phones have been turned off.
Police found their Jeep and Land Rover off an embankment in the remote woods near Oso, about four miles west of their Arlington home. Investigators are hoping to access the heavily wooded area on Friday for more clues
Court records show Shunn and Patenaude are currently involved in a legal dispute with their neighbors, who they accused of trespassing with recreational vehicles and unleashed dogs.
The trial was scheduled for later this year.
But the defendant listed in the civil case told the Seattle Times he didn't know anything about the couple's disappearance.
Shunn's brother Erik noted on Facebook on Wednesday that a neighbor had 'harassed Monique and is not a good guy.'
'He is squatting on a property adjacent to Pat and Monique's,' Erik Shunn's since-deleted post said. 'He is missing too and I think if they can find him, we will get some answers.'
Shunn (pictured) failed to appear at work or call in sick on Tuesday. His brother Erik noted on Facebook on Wednesday that a neighbor had 'harassed Monique and is not a good guy,' although no suspects have been named
The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office said the couple's 2000 Land Rover Discovery and a black 1995 Jeep were located in a heavily wooded area late Thursday by a search and rescue helicopter.
Because the two cars were found in a heavily wooded area, authorities did not immediately search the cars, and hoped to have more clues by Friday.
Shunn and Patenaude met at Burning Man, a friend told CBC.
Cynthia Fawcett, Patenaude's friend of 25 years, described them as 'outdoorsy' and added: 'Monique is very regular with making sure her chickens get out at five in the morning. She would never leave her dog."
Sheriff's spokeswoman Shari Ireton said investigators are looking into everything but 'we don't have any suspects at this point'.
Thousands of parents are being left with no choice but to call police on their own violent teenage children, while countless others are too ashamed to report the abuse.
The latest statistics put out by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research revealed a disturbing trend of domestic violence in Australian households, with children and young people playing a huge part in the sweeping domestic violence crisis.
'It is a concerning trend,' Assistant Commissioner Mick Fuller, NSW Police corporate spokesman for domestic violence, said, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Police are increasingly being called to households to deal with children and young people behaving violently towards their parents
The latest figures put out by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research have showed that domestic violence assaults against parents has risen 5.5 per cent each year for the past 10 years
In the latest figures put out by the Bureau, police dealt with 886 boys and young men and 487 girls and young women (aged between 10-17) over matters of parental abuse.
Across the past ten years, up to September 2015, the number of police cases for youth domestic violence assaults has increased by a staggering 5.5 per cent each year.
It's believed that roughly half of domestic violence cases go unreported.
Karen Willis, executive officer of Rape & Domestic Violence Services Australia, told the Daily Telegraph that the issue was the 'great unspoken problem.'
'It's hard enough to talk about domestic violence from a person you are married to or live with but if there is this gorgeous child you have raised and loved, to turn around and report them for domestic violence is very difficult,' she said.
Experts say many parents are ashamed to report their kids for violence
A heart-stopping video that shows the moment a man stops a desperate refugee who was about to take his own life has been released by an aid group.
Filmed on the island of Lesbos in Greece, it shows a migrant who has climbed up a telegraph pole and appears to be about to jump to his death, before he is grabbed by the Good Samaritan.
The footage was released by Refugee Aid 786 to highlight the plight of migrants as they try to cross into Europe.
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Desperate: A desperate migrant climbed a telegraph pole reportedly in a bid to take his own life
Samaritan: He climbed to the top of the telegraph pole to protest before a Good Samaritan helps him back down
Sakeeb Khan, who co-founded the group with his mother, said the clip was sobering and shone a light on the desperation of many who had crossed into Europe from war-torn countries.
'The clip was taken just outside Moria camp for refugees on Lesbos,' Mr Khan told the Huddersfield Examiner.
'The situation in Greece is getting worse and worse. In this video there is a man trying to commit suicide.
Stressed: The video was released by Refugee Aid 786 to highlight the plight of migrants crossing into Europe
'People are stressed, lost and not knowing what to do,' he explained.
The release of the video comes as Europe's migrant crisis continues to cause havoc on the EU's borders.
This week Macedonian police fired stun grenades and tear gas at stranded migrants trying desperately to pull down a fence on the country's border with Greece.
The footage was filmed just outside Moria camp for refugees on Lesbos according to NGO founder Mr Khan
Greek authorities say neighbouring police resorted to crowd control measures in an attempt to stop about 30 people from trying to get over the razor-wire fence using blankets.
While in Italy 2,000 people a day are entering the country - an increase of 90 per cent on last year.
Around 6,000 people arrived in the past three days alone in Sicily after the Balkans route was closed.
Lesbos, just a few miles from the Turkish coast has been one of the main point of entry for migrants to Europe. On one day alone in February more than 2,000 landed on the small island.
A 76-year-old Washington state man has been released from prison in Illinois after a prosecutor persuaded a judge that the man was wrongly convicted in 2012 of killing a schoolgirl six decades earlier.
Judge William Brady vacated the conviction of Jack McCullough on Friday morning and ordered him to be freed. McCullough left a jail near the courthouse Friday afternoon, smiling to reporters from the backseat of his stepdaughter's rental car.
Brady's order came in Sycamore, Illinois, where Maria Ridulph was playing in the snow in December 1957 when she was abducted. Her body was found five months later.
In 2012, Jack McCullough was convicted for Maria Ridulph's death, in one of the oldest unsolved US cases ever to go to trial. McCullough was sentenced to life in prison.
In a six-month review of evidence this year, DeKalb County State's Attorney Richard Schmack concluded that McCullough couldn't have killed Maria, citing evidence supporting the suspect's claim that he had been 40 miles away when the second-grader was abducted.
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Jack McCullough, left, smiles from the backseat of his stepdaughter Janey O'Connor's rental car after he was released from the DeKalb County Jail in Sycamore, Illinois on Friday
Jack McCullough gives his stepdaughter Janey O'Connor the sign of 'I love you' as he sits during a hearing in the DeKalb County Courthouse on Friday
In 2012, Jack McCullough was convicted for the death of seven-year-old Maria Ridulph who went missing and was later found murdered in 1957
Maria's disappearance made headlines nationwide in the 1950s, when reports of child abductions were rare.
Maria Ridulph disappeared in 1957 and was later found dead
She had been playing outside in the snow with a friend on December 3, 1957, when a young man approached, introduced himself as 'Johnny' and offered them piggyback rides.
Maria's friend dashed home to grab mittens, and when she came back, Maria and the man were gone.
At trial, prosecutors said McCullough was Johnny, because he went by John Tessier in his youth. They said McCullough, then 18, dragged Maria away, choked and stabbed her to death.
Schmack, who wasn't involved in McCullough's case and was elected to the state's attorney post as McCullough's trial came to an end, filed a scathing report with the court last month that appeared to pick the case apart, point-by-point.
The former Washington state security guard's long-held alibi was that he was in Rockford, attempting to enlist with the US Air Force at a military recruiting station, on the night Maria disappeared.
Schmack said newly discovered phone records proved McCullough had, as he long-claimed, made a collect call to his parents at 6.57pm from a phone booth in downtown Rockford, which is 40 miles northwest of where Maria was abducted between 6.45pm and 6.55pm.
Schmack also reviewed police reports and hundreds of other documents, including from the Air Force recruitment office, which he said had been improperly barred at trial.
McCullough's stepdaughter Janey O'Connor hugs her cousin Jenn Houton after Judge William Brady released McCullough
DeKalb County State's Attorney Richard Schmack concluded that McCullough couldn't have killed Maria, citing evidence supporting the McCullough's claim that he had been 40 miles away when the second-grader was abducted
In his review he said the documents contained 'a wealth of information pointing to McCullough's innocence, and absolutely nothing showing guilt'.
He also noted that Maria's friend had identified McCullough as the killer five decades later from an array of six photographs; McCullough's picture stood out, partially because everyone but him wore suitcoats and their photos were professional yearbook pictures.
Maria's murder haunted the Sycamore community for decades, and McCullough's conviction four years ago seemed to bring some closure. Those wounds now threaten to reopen.
Members of her family remain convinced that McCullough is guilty and have sought the appointment of a special prosecutor in an attempt to keep him behind bars.
Maria's brother, 70-year-old Charles Ridulph, still lives in Sycamore and has said in recent weeks that his family feels let down by the state prosecutor's office about-face.
McCullough was released on Friday afternoon.
A male corporal accused of raping a female colleague in a threesome today claimed that the sex was consensual and said he was 'in shock' when he heard of the allegations.
He made the claim as a jury was today shown pictures of the barracks bedroom where Cpl Anne-Marie Ellement alleged it took place, and the mess bar that the three were drinking in beforehand.
A court was today shown the barracks bedroom where a female Corporal alleges she was raped in a threesome with two male colleagues.
But ex Corporal Thomas Fulton, 28, said he believes he instigated a consensual threesome following a booze-filled night at the German barracks seven years ago.
He and fellow former Cpl Jeremy Jones, 28, went back to Jones's room with where she engaged in sexual intercourse and other sex acts with them both.
Court martial: Thomas Fulton (left) and Jeremy Jones (right), both 28, are accused of raping Cpl Ellement in the early hours of November 20 2009 while she was serving with the Royal Military Police in Germany
Pictured with her mother: Cpl Ellement, who died two years after the alleged attack, is said to have spent the evening drinking with several service personnel in their mess
Jeremy Jones' room at the barracks in Sennelager, Germany, where Royal Military Police corporal Anne-Marie Ellement is said to have been raped. The picture was shown in court
The group had been drinking in the Corporal's Mess bar in Sennelager on the night of the sexual encounter, Fulton told the court today
This is the military accommodation where the three recruits allegedly engaged in the threesome which was described in court today. Fulton told the court that Cpl Ellement left wearing his trousers
He today told a court martial she kissed both men in Jones's room before she started removing his brown khaki shirt as he struggled to remove her jeans.
Fulton claims he and Cpl Ellement, who died aged 30 in 2011, then went to the bed where she kicked off her shoes while he removed her bra.
She helped him remove her trousers before Jones joined in, and she had sexual intercourse with both men and performed sex acts on them both.
But she was later found sobbing in a corridor outside her room partially naked with muddy feet and told police she was raped by both men, who deny the charges.
He claims he was 'in shock' when he first discovered that charges were being brought against him, after a voluntary interview.
Speaking from the witness stand, Fulton today said her claims that he forced her to have sex with him and that she asked him to stop several times were 'simply not true'.
Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, heard no charges were initially brought against the pair, but a review of evidence meant both men were charged with rape after her death.
When asked how he felt about his voluntary police interview in 2014 being sent to the Service Prosecution Authority leading to the charges, he today admitted: 'I was in complete shock.'
Corporal Anne-Marie Ellement (pictured left and right, at her passing out parade) was found almost naked and crying in an Army barracks corridor on the night she alleged she was raped, a court martial heard
Fulton, who has since left the army and is now studying for a degree, said the trio were all having a laugh on the evening of November 19 2009 at Sennelager barracks in Germany, drinking in the corporal's mess.
He joked with his then girlfriend Sarah Noteyoung over text messages about how they should tell Anne-Marie that Jones liked her, which led to flirting and later kissing between them all.
We were all laughing and joking all the way through Thomas Fulton
He said: 'Anne-Marie seemed very pleased that Jonesy found her attractive. I remember texting Sarah and she was involved in the joke as well.'
As the night went on, he said: 'I recall having a conversation with Anne-Marie about engaging in a threesome.
'I think it was me who instigated the conversation but I cannot be 100 per cent.'
He was asked by his barrister Anthony Berry QC: 'Did you think "game on"?'
He replied: 'I remember having a conversation and it being serious. The possibility of a threesome was a serious consideration.'
He went on to tell the court things 'escalated quickly' in the bar and he and Cpl Ellement ended up flirting and kissing, before the three left for Jones' room.
Hearing: Bulford Court Martial Centre in Wiltshire (pictured) heard the soldiers, who have since left the Army, admit that sexual activity took place. But they insist Cpl Ellement fully consented to what happened
The court martial today heard extremely graphic detail about how Fulton had sex with Cpl Ellement in the early hours the next day, as she simultaneously performed a sex act on Jones.
He also said Cpl Ellement performed a sex act on him, while Jones had sex with her.
He told police in an interview: 'I would never have slept with Anne-Marie on my own, but because it was Jez I thought it was funny.
'We were all laughing and joking all the way through.'
He added in police interviews that he 'knows she agreed' because she seemed 'excited' at the prospect in the bar earlier.
He today added under cross examination: 'She kissed us and she instigated things. She consented the whole time.'
Cpl Ellement told police she hurt her wrist because Fulton held her down during the threesome.
Ex-corporals Fulton (left), formerly of 174 Provost Company 3 Royal Military Police, and Jones (right), 28, formerly of Close Protection Unit Royal Military Police Operations Wing, each deny two charges of rape
However, Fulton told the court martial it happened when she punched a door frame hours before the threesome when she was angry with her female colleagues.
Fulton explained to the court martial panel that he later woke up in Jones' room and tried to get dressed - but Cpl Ellement had left wearing his trousers.
He followed her steps and found her in the car park, and he admitted yelling at Cpl Ellement: 'Give me my f*****g trousers back.'
All I can say is I honestly didn't do anything wrong and I'm sorry Thomas Fulton's text to his girlfriend after the alleged threesome
When she said no, he told her to 'stop being a c***' so she removed them in front of him and gave them back, storming off back to her accommodation.
At that point Fulton today said: 'As she walked off I said 'f*** off you slag'.'
He explained his angry behaviour in the car park to Sarah Whitehouse QC, prosecuting, by saying he was angry Cpl Ellement had 'spoilt a good night'.
He said: 'I was frustrated she spoilt a really good night but looking back, I have no excuse.
'I should have walked Anne-Marie back to the block that night.'
Afterwards, he and Jones discussed heading out to Savoys bar in Paderborn and left in a taxi when Jones got a call from the barracks police station and told him: 'Anne-Marie is upset.'
While at the police station at 1.33am he texted girlfriend Ms Noteyoung saying: 'All I can say is I honestly didn't do anything wrong and I'm sorry, I'm going to turn my phone off. Night! X.'
Anne-Marie Ellement's mother Alexandra Barritt and sister Sharon Hardy arrive for today's court martial
He said it was 'simply not true' that Cpl Ellement was later found distressed afterwards because she had been subjected to a sexual assault.
He added: 'I couldn't understand why she was being unreasonable. I said I would go back to the room and get her jeans for her, and she said no.'
Ex Cpl Fulton, formerly of 3rd regiment Royal Military Police, and Ex Cpl Jones, formerly of the close protection unit Royal Military Police, each deny two counts of rape.
Fulton said: 'I have since played this incident over and over in my mind for seven years, initially being told I was under investigation then being told the case was being dismissed and I could forget it.'
The panel has heard the circumstances surrounding Cpl Ellement's death are not relevant to their task.
Donald Trump has opened up a sizable lead over Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in a new national poll of Republican voters, widening his margin from 3 percentage points to 18 in the space of three weeks.
The Fox News poll found 45 per cent of GOP voters support his upstart bid for the White House, while Cruz has the backing of 27 per cent.
John Kasich, the long-shot Ohio governor, remains in third place with 25 per cent.
Trump's 45 per cent showing is a high water mark for him in the Fox poll, although he has posted number as high as 53 per cent in other recognized surveys.
Three weeks ago the 45-27 margin between the real estate billionaire and the tea party senator was just 41-38, with Kasich far behind at 17.
WIDER: Billionaire Donald Trump has grown his nationwide lead over Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the Republican presidential primary fight from 3 points to 18 in just the past three weeks
FINISH LINE IN SIGHT? Trump leads Cruz in delegates and votes, with 1.94 million more Americans choosing him at the polls
THEY THINK THEY CAN (AND AMERICANS SAY ONE OF THEM IS RIGHT): Ted Cruz (left) and John Kasich (right) are chugging along, and polls show Kasich is best equipped to beat Hillary Clinton
Fox News reported that Trump's most loyal demographic continues to be Republicans without college degrees. Fully 54 percent of them are on the Trump train.
Separately, 50 per cent of Republicans who call themselves 'very' conservative are in his corner.
That outcome continues to surprise some analysts who see Cruz as the most likely mascot for the far right. But Trump has defied expectations since he launched his unconventional White House bid last June.
Fox also polled a handful of hypothetical matchups between Republican and Democratic candidates, and found that it's Kasich who performs best even though he has the slimmest chance of winning the GOP nomination.
Kasich would beat former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by nine points if they squared off today, pollsters found.
Clinton would top Trump by 7 points, and Cruz by 1 point.
The Ohio governor is also best-positioned to beat Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is running in second place on the Democratic side of the race.
Kasich would edge Sanders by 4 points if they were the two main White House candidates, the poll determined. Trump and Cruz would drown against Sanders, but 14 and 12 points respectively.
Yet voters still say they believe Trump is the Republican with the best chance of beating Clinton in the fall. Forty-two per cent pick him, followed by Cruz with 24 per cent and Kasich with 20.
Among Republican primary voters only, that gap grows. Fifty-eight per cent of the GOP faithful give Trump the best odds of defeating Clinton, followed by 21 per cent for Cruz and 16 per cent for Kasich.
TIGHTENING: Bernie Sanders has drawn to within 2 points of Hillary Clinton on the strength of an 8-and-1 streak of primary and caucus victories
'When it comes to electability, the disconnect between what Republicans think and what the polling data show is astounding,' said Daron Shaw, the Republican half of the bipartisan team that conducts the Fox news poll.
'Close to three times as many think Trump has the best chance against the Democrats despite the fact he's down seven points to Clinton while Kasich is up nine.'
The Fox poll showed the Democratic primary race tightening even as Trump enlarged his lead on the GOP side.
Former Clinton now leads Sanders by just 2 points, with a 48-46 per cent margin.
Sanders has won eight of the last nine Democratic primary contests and caucuses in the last month. Before that streak began last month, he was trailing by 13 points.
Much of that shift, Fox reported, is a reflection of changing views among Democratic women.
Since mid-March, Clinton has lost 11 percentage points among women in her primary contest, and Sanders picked up 9 percentage points in from the same group.
The two young girls accused of trying to kill a classmate to appease a fictitious horror character have been denied a reduced bail in the case as they continue to await trial behind bars two years after their arrest.
Judge Michael Bohren denied requests made by lawyers for Morgan Geyser, now 13, and Anissa Weier, now 14, to have their bail reduced from $500,000, an amount the families of both young girls have said they cannot afford.
The girls are being tried as adults for attempted first-degree intentional homicide for an attack on Payton Leutner, who survived 19 stab wounds in Waukesha, Wisconsin in May 2014 as the girls tried to appease the Slender Man.
All three were 12 years old at the time.
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No luck: Judge Michael Bohren denied requests made by lawyers for Morgan Geyser (left in 2014 mugshot) and Anissa Weier (right in 2014 mugshot) to have their bail reduced
Victim: The girls are being tried as adults for attempted intentional homicide for an attack on Payton Leutner (above), who survived 19 stab wounds
Judge Bohern said that he was not lowering the bail for the girls because he considered them a flight risk, noting that they had tried to flee before. The two were picked up walking into the woods in hopes of meeting the Slender Man after stabbing Payton.
'Even the best effort to secure someone, outside of a secure facility, doesn't always work,' said Judge Bohern.
Geyser, who suffers from early onset schizophrenia, was recently committed to a state mental hospital.
In arguing for his client's release, defense attorney Anthony Cotton said in court documents this week that Geyser's mental health has improved.
Cotton also said his client was sexually assaulted last year at the county detention center where she has been in custody.
During a phone hearing Wednesday, the judge said he would consider the allegation but was concerned that it wasn't immediately reported.
On Friday, defense attorneys for both girls said their clients' mental states had improved. One girl said she was diagnosed as having a 'shared delusional belief' that had improved with separation from her co-defendant.
The other girl reported significant recent improvement from proper doses of anti-psychotic medication.
Cotton also brought in a counselor who testified that his client no longer heard voices or believed she interacted with Harry Potter characters, as she had in the past.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that last year Kenneth Robbins evaluated Geyser twice, and later testified that she had delusions which appeared to be worsening.
During that time she had told professionals she did not want medication because it might make her 'friends' - fictional characters from Harry Potter and Slender Man - disappear.
Geyser also believes she can control her emotions.
Robbins said her disease would never disappear and that she would at some point begin to lose the ability to function.
He also said he believed she would qualify for an insanity defense due to the fact that she believed Slender Man would hurt her or her family if she did not do as he wished and murder Leutner.
She did not receive treatment for this condition while behind bars.
Nicole Simon, a jail officer in Washington County where Geyser is being held, and other jail officials testified that she was a timid, polite and extremely creative child last year.
They also said she talks to herself, sits under a table in her jail pod and feeds and plays with ants crawling on the floor.
Testifying for the state, Kenneth Casimir said that despite her problems Geyser should not be sent home as she told him she would have to kill again for the Slender Man, proof he said that she is 'certainly at risk to engage in violent behavior.'
When asked if she would commit murder if freed, Casimir said Geyser told him; 'I'd have to do it.'
Difficult time: The families of both girls, from Waukesha, Wisconsin, have said they cannot afford the current bail, which has been set at $500,000 (Weier in court last August above)
Troubles: Geyser (above in court last August) was committed to a mental hospital last month and suffers from early onset schizophrenia
If the case is moved to juvenile court, the girls would spend no more than three more years in custody and would get far more more intense supervision after being released.
As adults, they could receive a sentence of 45 years behind bars.
In April of last year, Judge Bohren denied a request to move Geyser to a psychiatric treatment center.
Geyser's attorney, Anthony Cotton, at that time also applied to have her $500,000 bail reduced so that she could get out of jail and seek treatment for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
Judge Bohren, once again, said Geyser was a flight risk, and even though she is young, she was capable of plotting a sophisticated plan to murder someone.
Cotton said at the time that his client had no way to get anywhere and that any allegations of violence have been limited to the stabbing and are connected to her mental illness.
'She has no transport, no car, no friends, no money,' he said.
'She's not any sort of flight risk.'
Wisconsin law requires anyone accused of certain serious crimes to be charged as adults if they are 10 or older.
According to a criminal complaint, the girls plotted for months before they lured Payton, their former friend, into some woods after a sleepover and attacked her.
They told investigators they hoped it would please Slender Man, a fictional online ghoul they had read about in horror stories.
Situation: The two girls' attorneys have never denied they attacked and stabbed Payton, but claim they were so disturbed they truly believed the Slender Man - a popular online urban myth - would kill their own families in three seconds if they did not do his bidding (Geyser above in June 2014)
Insanity?: The alleged attackers were found after the stabbing walking toward the Nicolet National Forest, where they say they thought they would join Slender Man (Weier above in June 2014)
During a preliminary hearing in February 2015, a notebook in which Geyser would draw disturbing pictures and messages, was presented to the court.
One of the grotesque cartoons depicts a young cat-like girl armed with a scythe standing over a dead girl with a speech bubble that says, 'I love killing people'.
Other writings and cartoons profess her admiration and devotion to the Slender Man urban myth.
The drawings will be a central part of the defense team's claim that Geyser is mentally unfit to stand trial as an adult.
Along with the sketches, the court was also presented with the mutilated body of one of Geyser's Barbie dolls in April, which had its hair and limbs cut and what appeared to be satanic markings drawn onto the torso.
In addition to that was a list of 'supplies necessary' which included a 'map of forest' and 'weapons (kitchen knife).'
Neither of the suspects has entered a plea as the attorneys attempt to move the case to juvenile court.
The two girls' attorneys have never denied they attacked and stabbed Payton, but claim they were so disturbed they truly believed the Slender Man - a popular online urban myth - would kill their own families in three seconds if they did not do his bidding.
Collins previously testified that she has interviewed the Geyser several times and concluded she honestly believes Slender Man exists.
'(Her belief) hasn't wavered and it's been unyielding to a rational perspective,' Collins testified.
Collins testified again at that hearing that Geyser told her she uses Vulcan mind control to keep negative emotions at bay and believes Harry Potter villain Lord Voldemort visits her when he's not away on business trips.
The alleged attackers were found after the stabbing walking toward the Nicolet National Forest, where they say they thought they would join Slender Man.
Iraqi forces have continued to push ISIS jihadists from towns in western Iraq, the latest in a series of defeats for the terror group.
Military personnel confirmed that the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service took has now taken complete control of the town of Heet in Ramadi province from ISIS after weeks of fighting.
It is just latest blow given that ISIS has lost more than 20 per cent of their territory in Iraq since the beginning of the year.
Victory: Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service forces retook the town of Heet in western Ramadi from ISIS
Fighting: Iraqi forces have been fighting ISIS in Heet for weeks. It is the latest blow to the terror group
Research company IHS Conflict Monitor map from March 28 showing Iraqi forces territorial gains against ISIS
A graphic by research company IHS Conflict Monitor showing ISIS has lost 22 per cent of territory an area roughly half the size of England since the start of 2015
'Units from the Counter-Terrorism Service completely liberated Heet,' Iraq's Joint Operations Command said in a statement.
'The town of Heet is cleared of any Daesh gunmen,' Noman told AFP, using an Arabic acronym for IS.
After securing Anbar capital Ramadi, Iraqi forces launched an operation in mid-March aimed at retaking Heet, one of the largest population centres in the province still under IS control.
But the drive was apparently delayed by a two-week sit-in by supporters of powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, as forces were pulled from Anbar to protect them.
Evacuation: Families were evacuated from Heet after it was retaken by Iraqi forces as they cleared the town
IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, and captured Anbar capital Ramadi the following year.
Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes and training have since regained signficant ground from the jihadists.
But IS still holds territory in Anbar and much of Nineveh province to its north, and it is also able to carry out frequent attacks against civilians and security forces in government-held areas.
Booby trap: ISIS are known to booby trap towns before they flee
IS still holds territory in Anbar and much of Nineveh province to its north
In March, Columb Strack, a senior analyst at research company IHS Conflict Monitor, said: 'The tide of the war is turning against the Islamic State. ISIS is increasingly isolated and being perceived as in decline.
'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 U.S. and Russian airstrikes.
'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.'
However it comes as the group have made fresh retaliatory attacks on both the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the Syrian Army near Aleppo city and the Turkish border, causing 20,000 people to flee the fighting.
Syrian state media reported late last night that the army had engaged in operations against Islamic State near Khanaser, inflicting 'large losses' on the insurgents.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said clashes had renewed and intensified near Khanaser as part of a fresh IS assault, and that the militants had used a car bomb against government forces later on Friday.
Back: ISIS has lost territory in Iraq but has gained towns in Syria against both the government and rebels
Fighting between the army and Islamic State in the area had been raging earlier as the government sought to regain control there, the Britain-based Observatory said.
The United Nations said that as of Thursday, an Islamic State attack on border areas held by Syrian rebel groups had put camps for displaced people at risk, causing more than 20,000 of them of them to flee towards the opposition-held town of Azaz.
On Monday, Islamic State retook the town of al-Rai, 22 miles east of Azaz, from factions fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army, part of months of back-and-forth fighting in northern Aleppo province.
IS fighters made further gains on Friday in the area, taking over the village of Tal Shair west of al-Rai and also a few miles from the Turkish border, the Observatory and Islamic State's Amaq news agency reported.
Killer's lawyer said youngest member of the Manson family, who is 66, is no longer a threat to the public
A woman whose father and stepmother were murdered by the Manson family has begged for the beauty queen who held them down as they were stabbed to death to be kept in jail.
Leslie Van Houten held a pillow over Rosemary La Bianca's face as the Manson murderers stabbed her and her husband, Leno, to death before carving the word 'WAR' in his stomach.
The woman, who was 19 at the time of the killings, admitted stabbing Mrs La Bianca after she died and was sentenced to death for murder.
This was later commuted to life in prison, but Van Houten, now 66, was on Thursday recommended for parole after undergoing counselling and exhibiting good behavior behind bars.
Mr La Bianca's daughter, Cory La Bianca, has now given a rare interview to the Los Angeles Times, pleading with the authorities to keep the killer in jail.
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Manson family member Leslie Van Houten, 66 (pictured Thursday), has been approved for parole in California, but the daughter of her victims has pleaded for her to be kept in prison
Van Houten in her most recent mugshot taken on March 3, 2015 by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
'I very much disagree with the ruling,' Ms La Bianca said.
'We all need to be held responsible for our behavior. The least we can do, for someone who commits a crime against another human being, is to keep them in jail.'
She said her 41-year-old son burst into tears while listening to the parole hearing at the California Institution for Women in Chino, which deemed Van Houten 'suitable for parole' after years in prison.
Van Houten, the youngest member of the Manson cult, has taken 'self-help programs, classes and counselling' and provided an 'insight why she committed the crimes', a spokesman for the Department of Corrections said.
The killer denounced Manson and his teachings soon after she was first convicted of murder.
Van Houten, who was denied parole in 2013, was not due to be heard by the parole board again until 2018.
Van Houten admitted holding a pillow over the head of Rosemary La Bianca (left) while other cult members stabbed her and husband Leno (right) to death as part of a race war Manson believed was about to start
However, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle, Van Houten addressed many of the failings reported by the parole board in 2013 and was granted an early hearing.
The case will now be reviewed, which can take up to four months, while the final decision on Van Houten's release will be down to Governor Jerry Brown.
A spokesman for the governor said Thursday that it would be premature for his office to comment.
'Maybe Leslie Van Houten has been a model prisoner,' Cory La Bianca said. 'But you know what, we still suffer our loss.'
Van Houten in her freshman year of high school in 1964
Speaking about her father, she said: 'He didn't get to live his, and I'll live it for him.'
She added that her grandson had recently asked her about her father, leaving her speechless.
'How do you answer that to a six-year-old?' Ms La Bianca said. 'It doesn't end. This doesn't end.'
She now intends to appeal to Gov. Brown to demand he intervene and keep Van Houten in jail.
Richard Pfeiffer, attorney for Van Houten, told Daily Mail Online: 'The governor deserves a lot of credit for taking a broken parole system and making it work.
'The court system was impossible, so he appointed a board who know what they're doing and only I hope he follows through all the way in this case.'
He also said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times: 'A lot of people who oppose parole don't know anything about Leslie's conduct.
'Her role was bad. Everyone's was. But they don't know what she's done since then and all of the good she's done.'
Van Houten, who launched her first parole attempt in 1979 and has applied for parole 20 times in total, recounted her part in the killing of La Bianca and his wife during her hearing.
The former homecoming princess, who described herself as a hippy at the time of the murders, told of how she looked off into the distance until another Manson follower told her to do something before she joined in the stabbing.
She described herself as a young woman who was angry at her parents' divorce.
During her five-hour testimony, Van Houten described Manson as a 'Christ-like man that had all the answers'.
She then went into graphic detail how she held down Rosemary La Bianca and secured a pillow with a lamp cord while another member of the Manson family stabbed her repeatedly.
Van Houten (right) has applied for parole a total of 20 times, the first in January 1979. Attorney Richard Pfeiffer (left) said he hoped governor Brown 'follows through all the way in this case'
She said: 'I don't let myself off the hook. I don't find parts in any of this that makes me feel the slightest bit good about myself.'
Van Houten has so far spent more than four decades in prison for participating in the killings of wealthy grocer Leno La Bianca and his wife.
Parole Commissioner Ali Zarrinnam told Van Houten at the end of the hearing: 'Your behavior in prison speaks for itself. Forty-six years and not a single serious rule violation.'
The La Biancas were stabbed numerous times and the word 'WAR' was carved on the stomach of Leno La Bianca.
Charles Manson appears in Los Angeles, California court on March 29, 1971
Van Houten was the youngest Manson follower to take part in one of the nation's most notorious killings after she descended into a life of drugs and joined Manson's cult in the 1960s.
Behind bars, 66-year-old Van Houten has completed college degrees and demonstrated exemplary behavior.
The La Biancas were killed a day after other so-called 'Manson family' members murdered actress Sharon Tate, the pregnant wife of director Roman Polanski, and four others.
Tate's sister, Debra, has started an online petition opposing parole for Van Houten, saying she failed to show remorse for years after the crimes and can't be trusted.
The killings were the start of what Manson believed was a coming race war. He dubbed it 'Helter Skelter' after a Beatles song.
Lawyer Mr Pfeiffer said in an earlier interview that she presents no danger to the public and should be freed.
'The only violent thing she has ever done in her entire life was this crime and that was under the control of Charles Manson,' he said. 'She is just not a public safety risk, and when you are not a public safety risk, the law says you shall be released.'
At her last hearing in 2013, a parole commissioner told Van Houten she had failed to explain how someone as intelligent and well-bred as she could have committed such cruel and atrocious crimes.
Van Houten told the panel she had been traumatized by her parents' divorce when she was 14, her pregnancy soon after and her mother's insistence she have an abortion. During the hearing, she apologized to everyone she had harmed.
Van Houten did not participate in the Tate killings but went along the next night when the La Biancas were slain. She was 19 at the time.
Her defense lawyers portrayed her as a young woman from a good family who had been a homecoming princess and showed promise until she got involved with drugs and was recruited into Manson's cult.
Van Houten (pictured right along with fellow Charles Manson cult members Susan Atkins, left, and Patricia Krenwinkel, center) arrives in court in August 1970 for assisting in the murders of Leno La Bianca and his wife Rosemary
Van Houten (pictured left along with fellow Charles Manson cult members Atkins, center, and Krenwinkel, right) arrives in court in November 1970 to tell the judge they want to testify despite the advice of their lawyers
Van Houten (pictured right along with fellow Charles Manson cult members Susan Atkins, center, and Patricia Krenwinkel, right) leaves court after being convicted of first degree murder
Van Houten (pictured right along with fellow Charles Manson cult members Atkins, left, and Krenwinkel, center) laughs after being sentenced to death for her role in the murders
Van Houten (pictured left along with fellow Charles Manson cult members Atkins, right and Krenwinkel, center) arrives in court to hear the formal pronouncement of her death sentence
During the penalty phase of her trial, she confessed to joining in stabbing Rosemary La Bianca after she was dead.
Van Houten's conviction was overturned on appeal after her lawyer was found dead during the trial.
Members of the Manson family took credit for the killing, but it is believed he died in a flash flood.
She was retried twice and ultimately convicted in 1978 of two counts of murder and conspiracy.
Her first retrial ended in a hung jury, and prior to her conviction in 1978 she was out on $200,000 bond - and even attended the Oscars with a friend.
In an interview with filmmaker John Waters, Van Houten was asked what she said to people that night when they asked her if she had seen any of the films.
'If someone brought up one of the nominees, I'd just say, "No, I missed that one" or "I was away when that was playing",' Van Houten said.
Manson, 81, and other followers involved in the killings are still jailed.
Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles 'Tex' Watson have each been denied parole multiple times, while fellow defendant Susan Atkins died in prison in 2009.
Former Manson follower Bruce Davis was approved for parole but Gov. Brown blocked his release in 2014, citing the gravity of his offenses and his refusal to fully accept responsibility for his role in the murders of a stunt man and a musician.
A callous Romanian conman who stole 23,000 in life savings from a disabled war veteran after distracting him as he used a cash machine has been jailed for three years.
Ion Anghel was one of a three-man gang of Romanians who surrounded Neville Corbett, 93, as he used an ATM inside the Nat West Bank in Grantham, Lincolnshire.
Mr Corbett, who served with the Desert Rats in North Africa, was disabled after losing an arm while fighting at El Alamein.
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Ion Anghel, 48, was one of a three-man gang of Romanians who surrounded Neville Corbett as he used a cash machine inside the Nat West Bank in Grantham, Lincolnshire
He was distracted after a 20 note was dropped on the floor as he collected his money out of the machine.
The gang switched his bank card for one they had stolen earlier.
They then used his card 27 times over the next two days, buying thousands of pounds worth of goods including iPhones and a 13,800 car.
Lincoln Crown Court was told that Anghel had committed similar offences across Europe, carrying out distraction thefts in Italy and Denmark as well as in the UK.
He was already serving a jail sentence imposed for theft of a bank card from a 67-year-old woman after she used an ATM in Cheltenham.
And when he finishes his sentence for the offences involving Mr Corbett he will be extradited to France where a warrant has been issued for his arrest for a further distraction theft.
Jonathon Dee, prosecuting, said 'He has a previous conviction in this country for a similar matter and also has previous convictions in Italy and Denmark for similar matters.
'He is currently wanted on an arrest warrant out for him in France.'
Mr Dee said that Anghel and his accomplices spent half an hour walking up and down the main street in Grantham checking out customers using bank machines before selecting Mr Corbett as their victim.
Approaching the cash machine, 93-year-old Mr Corbett starts to take some money out of his account
Anghel and his accomplices spent half an hour walking up and down the main street in Grantham checking out customers using bank machines before selecting Mr Corbett as their victim
As the ex-Desert Rats soldier bends down to pick up a 20 note, one of the thieves swiftly changes his card in the cash machine
He said 'This was clearly a well-planned and well-practised deception. They were looking into bank lobbies clearly looking for a suitable victim.
'They chose 93 year old Neville Corbett. He is a man who has some disabilities. He has a prosthetic limb have lost an arm fighting in El Alamein.
'This all happened very quickly. The whole thing took just 45 seconds.
'Within quarter of an hour Mr Corbett's card was being used to withdraw 50 from an ATM in Grantham.'
The card was used again to withdraw cash in Grantham and then used later the same day in Newark and Nottingham.
By 9pm the same day the card was being used in North London at ATM machines and to buy a vehicle from a car dealer.
The card was also used in the Birmingham area before it was eventually rejected after an attempt to buy 4,000 worth of goods from a store in Chingford.
Mr Dee said '23,000 was taken over two and a half days. There was very extensive use of the debit card.
'All of the money was refunded to Mr Corbett by the bank. The victim has been remarkably sanguine.
'He says he wasn't aware it was happening and he got his money back. He says he has not been affected by it.'
Upon returning to the cash machine, Mr Corbett was unaware his card had been changed
Ion Anghel, 48, of Wolverhampton admitted theft of a bank card on 14 December 2015 and fraud.
His two accomplices have been identified by police but officers have so far been unable to trace them.
Judge Simon Hirst , passing sentence, described Mr Corbett as 'a man of considerable fortitude'.
He told Anghel: 'This was a sophisticated offence. You deliberately targeted a vulnerable victim and found the most vulnerable victim you could that day. '
DI Simon Bromiley, of Lincolnshire Police said: 'We believe other individuals were involved in this incident and are doing our utmost to make sure those responsible are brought to justice as Anghel has been today.
'Whilst I am satisfied that one male has been convicted the investigation remains a work in progress and officers are working hard to bring the remaining suspects to account.
'These offences are rare but very distressing when they occur.
'Clearly this was very distressing for the victim and his family. This was a well planned and executed offence.
'They targeted an elderly and disabled man. The offenders travelled all over the UK to utilise his card.
'He has shown great courage and fortitude over the last few months and has been very stoic. I would just like to commend him for that.
to the hospital that day and died on May 24
Two days later, on May 16, 2014, Schubert tried to get her grandmother up and when she
A New Jersey woman admitted in court to beating her 94-year-old grandmother to death.
Katherine L.Schubert, 39, of Asbury Park, New Jersey said that after a night of drinking she got into a fight with Mary Driscoll and attacked the woman, leaving her helpless and lying on the kitchen floor.
The frail woman remained there for two more days without food or assistance until Sunday, when Schubert said she 'beat her into submission,' killing the woman.
Schubert admitted this all to a judge, breaking down at times, as she pleaded guilty to manslaughter inside a courtroom on Thursday.
The Asbury Park Press reports that Scubert said under questioning she could not remember all the details of the night, but recounted what she could recall.
On Friday, May 16, 2014, her mother Michele Schubert left the home to open up her summer house in Montauk, New York, leaving her daughter in charge of Driscoll's care.
Schubert and her mother got into a fight before she left over her plans that night to go out with someone she had met in a drug rehabilitation program, which she had just competed two weeks prior.
Shortly after, Schubert began to drink heavily, and when her friend arrived to pick her up and take her out for the night she was kicked out of his car almost immediately because she was so inebriated.
At that point she entered the home and got into a fight with her grandmother where she hit the frail woman, causing her to collapse on the floor.
She remained on that floor with no food or assistance for the next two days.
Then, on Sunday, May 18, Schubert went to pick up her grandmother and put her into some pajamas to get her into bed.
When Driscoll began to struggle that is when Schubert said she decided to 'go in for round two and beat her into submission.'
One of Schubert's friends arrived at the house soon after and called for an ambulance, despite Schuibert trying to get the phone away from her.
Schubert's mother, who had been called by her daughter earlier in the day and told that something bad had happened, arrived around the same time as the ambulance.
Mary Driscoll was rushed to the hospital but died on May 24.
Schubert was on probation for endangering the welfare of a child by driving intoxicated with a minor in the car at the time of the incident.
Prosecutors in the case are asking that Schubert get eight years in prison on the manslaughter charge.
One of the women is currently in Officer Candidate School, 13 will go into the armor field and the remaining nine will become infantry officers
No woman has ever completed the Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course, although 29 have tried, while only three have ever become Army Rangers
The women will be required to complete the same physical requirements as men in order to serve in the desired position
The 22 women are almost finished with officer training and will go on to complete special schools and physical requirements
Starting this year, all military positions are now opened to
The U.S. Army is preparing to commission 22 female lieutenants as infantry and armor officers under historic new rules, which allow women to serve in ground combat roles.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced a sweeping order to open all military occupations to women beginning this year, including front line combat roles.
The 22 women have almost finished their officer training and must then complete their specialty schools and meet certain physical requirements before they are fully qualified to start, USA Today reported.
For the first time since all positions in the military were opened to females, 22 women have been approved for ground combat in the U.S. Army (file photo)
The women, who will finish their officer training soon, will go into various divisions of ground combat for the Army. The Marine Corps already has women trained for combat roles (above)
Armor officers are responsible for tank and cavalry operations.
Infantry officers lead infantry troops and other armed forces during land combat.
The 22 women are currently in West Point, ROTC or Officer Candidate School and will be commissioned as officers when they graduate, USA Today reported.
One of the women is currently in Officer Candidate School.
Thirteen will go into the armor field and the remaining nine will become infantry officers.
As soldiers graduate from ROTC programs they are given branch assignments.
This often happens at a formal ceremony but at West Point, where the women are training, officers branches are determined in their senior year, according to the Washington Post.
Though women warriors have frequently found themselves in combat situations in Iraq and Afghanistan, they had previously been barred from joining front line combat roles, including the infantry and Special Forces.
One of the women is in Officer Candidate School, 13 will go into the armor field and nine will become infantry officers (file photo)
To serve in the infantry, women need to wear heavy body armor and packs that can weigh more than 100 pounds (file photo)
The ground combat jobs require strength and endurance and often involve living in harsh combat conditions for long periods of time.
Women only account for about 15.6 per cent of the 1.34 million active-duty personnel in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force.
As the new rules kick in, 52 military occupations -- some 220,000 jobs -- will accept female applicants, who must still pass the same rigorous physical tests as men.
To serve in the infantry, the women will need to wear heavy body armor and packs that can weigh more than 100 pounds.
They also must be able to hike long distances with all the heavy gear.
USA Today reported that no woman has ever completed the Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course.
Twenty-nine women have tried, but all have failed.
Only three women have graduated from the Armys Ranger School since it opened to women last year.
Constance Briscoe (pictured) , 58, was one of Britain's first black female judges
The career of one of Britain's most high profile barristers was left in tatters today after she was thrown out of the profession.
Constance Briscoe, 58, was one of Britain's first black female judges and wrote a best seller about her dysfunctional childhood.
She spectacularly fell from grace in 2013 after being caught up in the Vicky Pryce and Chris Huhne points swapping scandal.
Briscoe helped Pryce liaise with journalists to smear Huhne - but told police she was neutral and had never spoken to the papers about his case.
She also produced two false witness statements and altered a witness statement, the Bar Standards Board heard.
James Counsell, for the BSB, told the tribunal: 'On May 1 2014 Ms Briscoe was convicted of three offences in total relating to an attempt to pervert the course of justice.
'She was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment. These facts are our case'.
Between May 16, 2011 and October 6, 2012, Briscoe had provided two statements to police in which she denied her contacting of the media.
But evidence soon emerged showing Briscoe had communicated with Pryce and journalists in texts, emails, as well as face to face.
Briscoe also altered the meaning of a witness statement, and then put this 'altered' document before an expert in handwriting, deceiving the academic into believing it had not been tampered with.
The barrister lost the right to appeal of her conviction in 2015, but avoided paying court costs of 89,246.33 after revealing she owed the taxman 150,000, and had been forced to sell her flat to her son to raise capital.
The Bar Standards Board found that Briscoe had engaged in conduct which was dishonest and discreditable to a barrister, engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice, and diminished public confidence in the legal profession.
As a result, she has been banned from the profession.
Briscoe fell from grace in 2013 after being caught up in the Vicky Pryce (right) and Chris Huhne (left) points swapping scandal
Tribunal chair Veronica Hammerton, said: 'Ms Briscoe's actions were a serious and consistent departure from professional standards.
'This is a serious matter, and it is quite clear that serious harm has been caused to the administration of justice and to the reputation of the Bar.
'It is an aggravating facts that she tried to blame the police for inaccuracy in a witness statement.
'She has continued to maintain she is not guilty of the offences for which she is convicted.
'No other sentence can be imposed other than disbarment.'
A former US Coast Guard has been sentenced up to 200 years in prison for filming himself as he raped an 18-month-old girl in a motel before urinating on her.
Judge Mark Trusock told Eric Devin Master, 'You are truly an evil individual and we need to make sure that you are never allowed in society', during the sentencing hearing at Kent County Circuit Court in Michigan on Thursday.
Masters, 29, who was already sentenced to 50-years last month for making sexually explicit videos of children in five counties throughout the state, claimed he had an addiction to child pornography and said he had been a victim of abuse himself.
Eric Devin Masters (left, and right, in court Thursday) was sentenced to between 50 and 200 years for three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Judge Mark Trusock said he was 'truly an evil individual'
Masters, who pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, was accused of taking the toddler to a motel in 2012, where he tied her arms and legs to bedposts and raped her.
He admitted to assaulting the girl three times over the course of eight days, the Detroit Free Press reported.
Masters filmed himself engaging in multiple sex acts with the toddler before urinating on her in a video that he emailed to others in exchange for more child pornography, the FBI said.
The girl's mother begged the judge to keep Masters locked up, testifying that her daughter is still traumatized at the age of five.
The girl, who was sexually abused until she was three, remembers the abuse and has spoken about it, mlive.com reported.
Trusock, who sentenced Masters to between 50 and 200 years on Thursday, said: 'I want to send a clear message to the Parole Board, when you first come up for parole as a 79-year-old, that I don't want you out.
'This incident is one of the most egregious things that Ive ever had to deal with in dealing with criminal cases for 31 years.
'There is just no justification, there is just no excuse for this. You are truly an evil individual and we need to make sure that you are never allowed in society.'
Trusock said: 'This incident is one of the most egregious things that Ive ever had to deal with in dealing with criminal cases for 31 years'
Masters apologized for the 'horrible crime' and told the court: 'Something horrible was done to me and number my emotions to others.
'And then I committed the same horrible thing to others. With God's help we can both be healed.'
Masters molested five young girls in counties throughout West Michigan over the course of four years, starting in 2011 when he was still on duty with the Coast Guard, according to the FBI.
In March, Masters was sentenced to 50 years for making child pornography involving three girls between 18months and 12-years of age, the FBI said.
He also illicitly filmed girls as they were leaving the shower, using the bathroom, and changing in their bedrooms.
While he was on bond for molesting a 17-year-old in 2014, he friended a 13-year-old through Facebook and had sex with her, the FBI said.
Masters previously claimed that he was addicted to child pornography, which he shared with his brother Timothy Matthew Masters, 33, WZZM reported. Timothy was sentenced to 27 years for assaulting a 10-year-old girl.
One email sent from Timothy to his younger brother included a pornographic picture of a girl while she was sleeping, with the subject line: 'Good night last night'.
According to court documents cited by WZZM, FBI agents found 21 videos and images depicting the sexual exploitation of a child during a federal investigation. One took place on Christmas, Masters' birthday.
Two 21-year-olds from Hertfordshire and a Londoner, 28, quizzed by police
Masked men held up a bespoke jewellery store with an imitation firearm and plundered bags of jewels in broad daylight.
Officers detained three men on suspicion of robbery shortly after the brazen heist in Winchester, Hampshire.
The raiders burst into Justice Jewellers, which boasts 'daring, quirky, unique designs and refined, exquisite quality', shortly after 9am on Friday.
Police arrested three men on suspicion of robbery after a raid on a boutique jewellers in Winchester, Hampshire
The raiders burst into Justice Jewellers, which boasts 'daring, quirky, unique designs and refined, exquisite quality', shortly after 9am on Friday
Two men, wearing motorcycle helmets, held up terrified staff with a gun - which later turned out to be fake.
After stealing armfuls of fine jems, the men escaped with an accomplice who had been waiting outside in a van.
But officers, including dog units, swooped on the scene and arrested three men on suspicion of robbery.
A spokesman for Hampshire Police said: 'We are appealing for witnesses following an armed robbery at a jewellers in Winchester this morning.
'Officers were called to Parchment Street, Winchester, shortly after 9am after two men wearing motorcycle helmets entering Justice jewellers armed with an imitation firearm.
'A third man was seen waiting in a van outside. Three men were swiftly arrested and are currently in custody.'
Two 21-year-old men from Hertfordshire and a 28-year-old man from London were arrested on suspicion of robbery and were being quizzed by police.
No one was injured during the raid, police said, and officers had recovered items of jewellery in the surrounding area, which are currently being examined.
The store, which is approaching its 15th year in business, prides itself on its high quality service and skilled designers.
Winchester city centre was brought to a standstill because of police activity after the raid. Here, a forensic officer walks towards a cordon set up around the store
Two 21-year-old men from Hertfordshire and a 28-year-old man from London were arrested on suspicion of robbery and were being quizzed by police
A page on their website states: 'We want to sell pieces that are noticed, talked about, admired and treasured.
'Our jewellery is made by some of the most talented, passionate designers around.
'From well known British makers like Stephen Webster and Shaun Leane to exciting up-and-coming artists.'
Detective Inspector Lee Macarthur said: 'This happened in the middle of the busy city centre at a time when there were a lot of people around.
'We have spoken to many witnesses from the scene but we know there are more and we would like these people to come forward as they may have information which can assist our investigation.
'We particularly want to speak to two witnesses who saw the two men run from the shop and into the alleyway at the time of the incident as their accounts will be a valuable line of enquiry.
'I want to reassure the public that this incident was dealt with quickly by specialist officers who were on the scene within minutes.'
Detective Inspector Lee Macarthur said: 'We particularly want to speak to two witnesses who saw the two men run from the shop and into the alleyway at the time of the incident as their accounts will be a valuable line of enquiry
Members of the Hampshire Police Dog Unit wait outside the jewellers, which boasts 'daring, quirky, unique designs and refined, exquisite quality'
Three Ontario families are suing a U.S.-based sperm bank and its Canadian distributor, alleging they were misled about a donor's medical and social history, which included a criminal record and significant mental illness.
The families, who all used the same donor, have brought three separate suits against Georgia-based Xytex Corp and Ontario-based Outreach Health Services over the sperm of Donor 9623.
The families allege that donor, who has been identified as Chris Aggeles, now 39, was promoted as highly educated, healthy and popular.
In June 2014, couple Angela Collins and Margaret Elizabeth Hanson of Port Hope, Ontario, say their sperm donor was not who they thought he was
Chris Aggeles, a now 39-year-old man from Georgia, was allegedly advertised on sperm-bank site Xytex as healthy and well-educated
Aggeles' sperm has been used to create 19 boys and 17 girls from 26 families, a 2014 email to Collins from Georgia-based sperm bank Xytex Corp revealed
One couple, Angela Collins and Margaret Elizabeth Hanson, had filed a lawsuit against Xytex, its parent company, sperm bank employees and the donor last year in the U.S. state of Georgia.
The case was dismissed by a judge who said that while the lawsuit claimed fraud, negligence and product liability, it is 'rooted in the concept of wrongful birth,' which isn't recognized under Georgia law.
Collins and Hanson previously claimed that Aggeles had schizophrenia, that he was diagnosed with bipolar and narcissistic personality disorders, and that he has self-described himself as having schizoaffective disorder.
Court records show Aggeles was charged with felony burglary in 2005.
The suits allege he was also a college dropout and struggled to hold down jobs.
Allegations against Xytex, which include fraud and negligent misrepresentation, have yet to be proven in court. The company denies any wrongdoing.
Ted Lavender, a lawyer for Xytex, said the company looks forward to 'successfully defending itself.'
Aggeles sold his sperm to Xytex between 2000 and 2014, and some was stored to be made available after 2014
Aggeles' sperm has been used to create 19 boys and 17 girls from 26 families, a 2014 email to Collins from Georgia-based sperm bank Xytex Corp revealed, according to The Toronto Star.
Hersh believes there could be more out there, however.
Aggeles sold his sperm to Xytex between 2000 and 2014, and some was stored to be made available after 2014.
Collins, a 45-year-old teacher from Port Hope east of Toronto, said she felt physically ill when she discovered that the life of her son, who was created with Aggeles' sperm, 'could just turn on a dime in puberty'.
'It was like a dream turned nightmare in an instant,' she told The Star.
Collins has reached out to the public in hopes of pressuring sperm-banks and the government to make changes in the industry.
'Given the current state of affairs in the sperm-bank industry, it is strictly a matter of luck if a sperm donor is an upstanding and healthy individual, not a matter of testing, screening, regulating or legislating,' Collins told The Star.
Xytex texts donors for infectious diseases including HIV, hepatitis B and C and syphilis, and requires a physical exam and psychological exam. In compliance with Health Canada regulations, they are also tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Donors must also complete an extensive questionnaire that goes deep into personal and medical history. They must also go through genetic testing for a number of conditions, including cystic fibrosis.
Collins and her partner Beth Hanson intend to file a lawsuit against Xytex, accusing the company of fraud and negligent misrepresentation
They are required to update their medical history and undergo a physical exam every six months.
Collins said she chose 'donor 9623' because he was 'the male version of my partner'.
Like Hanson, the man in the profile was blue eyed, intelligent and musically talented, Collins said.
The profile allegedly said donor 9623 had an IQ of 160, a bachelor of science degree in neuroscience, a master's degree in artificial intelligence, and was working on his PhD in neuroscience engineering.
It was also said to have claimed he was an internationally acclaimed drummer.
In a six-page health questionnaire asking if he or any blood relative had any of the 143 medical conditions, donor 9623 allegedly answered no to all but one - he said his father was color blind.
When asked if he had schizophrenia or manic depression (bipolar disorder), the donor allegedly said 'no'.
In an audio interview of donor 9623, Xytex corporate donor counsellor Mary Hartley calls him the 'perfect donor'.
He further details his intelligence in the recording, saying he speaks five languages and reads four or five books a month, according to The Star.
Collins was impregnated with Aggeles' sperm through artificial insemination at a Toronto fertility clinic. She gave birth to her son in July 2007.
The mothers who used donor 9623's sperm learned of the man's real identity in 2014 when Xytex released information inadvertently and 'in a breach of confidentiality'.
Through their own research, the women who used the sperm then found that he had dropped out of college and had been arrested for burglary, and that his pictures had been doctored to remove a large mole from his cheek.
Aggeles was charged with one count of burglary in 2005 and his case was discharged in May 2014 under terms of the First Offender Act, said Kimberly Isaza, spokeswoman for the Cobb County District Attorney's office.
Aggeles' stepfather said in a testimony that Aggeles started suffering from psychotic episodes when he was 19 years old.
Collins, pictured avobe with her son, said she chose 'donor 9623' because he was 'the male version of my partner'. The mothers who used donor 9623's sperm learned of the man's real identity in 2014 when Xytex released information inadvertently and 'in a breach of confidentiality'.
Before that he was a bright student who was attending the University of Georgia on a full scholarship.
'High stress situations and lack of medication cause him to have psychotic episodes . . . With supervision with medication, I think he is a productive citizen,' the stepfather told the court.
When Aggeles was in court on a burglary charge, his mother testified that he had trouble holding down jobs, but things 'finally' were turning around.
She said 'for the first time in ten years' he was taking care of his mental health, education and employment.
Aggeles finally graduated from UGA last year, two decades after he began at the university. He received a bachelor's in cognitive science, minoring in computer science, according to The Star.
He's currently working on his master's in artificial intelligence and working at UGA as a research assistant.
Social media shows he got married last year and plays the drums in an indie rock band.
Xytex is adamant that it has done nothing wrong, and that the company relied on the honor system when it comes to medical and social histories of the donors.
Xytex president Kevin O'Brien said in an open letter that the company is upfront about the aforementioned information to would-be parents.
'He (Aggeles) reported a good health history and stated in his application that he had no physical or medical impairments. This information was passed on to the couple, who were clearly informed the representations were reported by the donor and were not verified by Xytex,' O'Brien wrote, referring to Collins and Hanson when mentioning the couple.
Collins wants sperm banks to have more more rigorous vetting systems for donors, and specifically want them to get applicants to sign released granting medical-record access.
She also wants the sperm banks to do criminal and education background checks.
Collins also wants the Canadian government to amend the 2004 Assisted Human Reproduction Act, which made it illegal to pay sperm donors, egg donors and surrogates anything but expenses.
She also worries about the future of her son, who is now a healthy eight-year-old.
'The most important entity to me is potentially facing a very debilitating lifestyle,' she said.
Benefits cheat Lamulah Sekiziyuvu looks carefree as she walks down the street
As they walk down an East London street, Dennis Kyeyune and Lamulah Sekiziyuvu both look carefree.
They live in separate rent-free taxpayer-funded flats because neither is working, and each takes home 500 a month in benefits because they claim that they have depression.
Behind the smiles, however, there is a more sinister side to Kyeyune and Sekiziyuvu. Both were members of a notorious nine-strong gang that stole more than 4million in benefits.
The gang's crime spree was highlighted four years ago by the Daily Mail when they were involved in a six-week trial at Croydon Crown Court in South London.
At the time they were accused by a judge of committing 'fraud on a huge scale and an outrageous abuse of the hospitality' offered by Britain.
They were also told that they would be subject to automatic deportation because their sentences were longer than 12 months.
But every member of the gang who has served their sentence is now free and still living in Britain.
Last night one MP said the country was 'barking mad' to still be providing members of the gang with state handouts.
The African gang, mainly from Uganda, ran a fraud lasting 20 years, using the identities of more than 100 fake children to claim a string of related benefits.
Ringleader Ruth Nabuguzi, 53, also claimed to have HIV and Aids in order to receive costly drugs which she sent back to Uganda and sold for huge profits.
The gains from their crimes saw them buy a complex of luxury apartments, shops and even a hotel in Nabuguzi's home city, the Ugandan capital Kampala.
After they were sentenced they were told by the UK Border Agency that they would be kicked out of the country on their release.
Any non-EU national who serves a prison term of more than 12 months becomes liable for deportation.
But members of the gang are living in social housing in East London.
Kyeyune, 33, who came to Britain as a 16-year-old, is believed to be either Nabuguzi's son or nephew.
Four years ago he was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for conspiracy because he worked with the gang.
But this week he could be seen behind the wheel of his 2,500 '05' plate Vauxhall Corsa as he drove through East London.
When he was jailed he had been driving a '52' plate Nissan Almera so he has even been able to update his car after leaving prison.
Kyeyune (pictured) and Sekiziyuvu were both members of a notorious nine-strong gang that stole more than 4million in benefits
This week he was driving with fellow gang member Sekiziyuvu, 39, who was jailed for three years and is now living in a state-funded flat in Stratford, East London.
She also has a previous conviction for using counterfeit money.
Kyeyune, who lives in a flat in Forest Gate, has a British passport which is being held by the Home Office as it makes inquiries about the document's validity.
Four years ago we caught them, saw them convicted and imprisoned and now they are out on the streets as if they have not got a care in the world Department for Work and Pensions source
Sekiziyuvu was told she was being deprived of her British nationality in 2013 but is appealing against the decision.
As well as receiving housing and council tax benefit, the pair both get 125 a week Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) which replaced Incapacity Benefit because they both claim to have depression.
One senior source at the Department for Work and Pensions told the Mail: 'The whole thing is a complete and utter joke. The pair of them received the highest level of ESA which amounts to 125 a week.
'Four years ago we caught them, saw them convicted and imprisoned and now they are out on the streets as if they have not got a care in the world.
'It is a disgrace. It makes a mockery of ever taking them to court in the first place.'
Fellow gang members 31-year-old Albert Kaidi a Rwandan whose real name is Hassan Kabanda and 30-year-old Jordan Sebutemba are also understood to be living on benefits at an address in Plaistow.
The gang's crime spree was highlighted four years ago by the Daily Mail when they were involved in a six-week trial at Croydon Crown Court (pictured) in South London
They received sentences of 30 months and a 51-week jail term suspended for two years respectively.
Two years ago Nabuguzi, who first came to the UK in 1991 with her four children, appeared in court again as she was ordered to pay back more than 1.5million of the money the gang had stolen. It emerged she was applying for asylum because of the disgrace she had brought on her family in Uganda.
These are people who have come into this country and have systematically milked and abused the benefits system and then have been caught doing so Ukip MP Douglas Carswell
She claimed her life would be in danger if she was forced to return to Kampala on her release from prison. She also said she was unable to repay any of the stolen money and was told she would serve a further six years and seven months in jail with no remission.
Kyeyune told the Mail: 'It is true I have never worked in this country but I still deny I did anything wrong. I was found guilty because of my association with Ruth Nabuguzi. The Home Office will not give me back my passport but I do know Lamulah is appealing against the decision to deport her. We suffer from depression so we can't work.'
Last night Douglas Carswell, the Ukip MP for Clacton, said: 'We really must be barking mad in this country to allow this to happen.
'These are people who have come into this country and have systematically milked and abused the benefits system and then have been caught doing so.
Jill Biden is ready looking forward to becoming a private citizen again, but the vice president's wife was sorrowful in an interview that aired today that her her husband Joe never got to realize his White House dreams.
'Well, you know, I say every day, I really do feel that Joe would've made a great president,' she told Today. 'I think he has the character, I think that he's a convener. I think that one of his strengths is compromise.
She said, 'I feel, you know, maybe America missed an opportunity. I don't know.
'It just wasn't the right time.'
Jill Biden is ready looking forward to becoming a private citizen again, but the vice president's wife was sorrowful in an interview that aired today that her her husband Joe never got to realize his White House dreams
'Well, you know, I say every day, I really do feel that Joe would've made a great president,' Jill Biden told Today. The vice president is seen here taking a selfie with participants in a Wounded Warriors event yesterday
Biden laughed and smiled as President Obama joked about the Wounded Warrior Service Ride's beginnings. 'Some of my best ideas have come in a bar,' the president said. 'You, too, huh?'
The vice president's son Beau died a year ago in May from brain cancer, just as Joe Biden was weighing a 2016 run.
He deferred the decision for months as his family grieved and ultimately decided against it in October.
With Biden, the natural heir to President Barack Obama's legacy, formally out of the race, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's support soared.
Clinton was likely to win the nomination regardless of whether Biden was in the race, and it would have been a long slog for the vice president and his family.
In January Biden said of the decision not to run, 'I regret it every day, but was the right decision for my family and for me. And I plan on staying deeply involved.'
The vice president is leading the administration push to cure cancer. Yesterday he and the president met at the White House with Wounded Warriors participating in the group's Soldier Ride.
He laughed and smiled as Obama joked about the ride's beginnings.
'Some of my best ideas have come in a bar,' the president said. 'You, too, huh?'
Obama said, 'But this is one of those ideas that the next day, actually it was still good.
He added, 'That was not in the script.'
Jill Biden told Today's Natalie Morales that while she'll miss the 'excitement' of the White House, she won't miss the affiliated security procedures.
'I think I'll be glad to leave behind the fact that I haven't driven a car in eight years,' she said. 'It will be nice to have a little bit of independence again.'
The pair played music together - and it was captured on camera
His dad wrote to Ben's hero, musician Ben Folds, to see if they could meet
Doctors said he would never be able to play piano - but he learned anyway
Ben Schneider is legally blind, autistic and has an IQ of 47
An 11-year-old blind, autistic boy got the chance of a lifetime when his musical idol, Ben Folds, gave him a special VIP meet-and-greet - and joined the boy in a piano duet.
Ben Schneider was born in 'septic shock,' meaning his body was severely infected due to his mother's waters breaking a week before she went into labor. He is legally blind, severely autistic and has an IQ of 47.
When Ben was one, doctors told his adoptive father, Rob, that he wouldn't be able to do 'normal' things such as play the piano. But Ben - joined by the leader of the Ben Folds Five - proved them wrong Thursday, Guide Live reported.
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Idol: Ben Schneider (pictured, bottom center) has autism, cerebral palsy and is legally blind - but he can play piano, as he proved to his idol, musician Ben Folds (top center) on Thursday at a special VIP meet-and-greet
Duet: It was thought that Ben, 11, would never be able to play piano - but he learned to do so having been inspired by the music of Ben Folds, especially the song 'Sky High' which the pair played together
Ben's adoptive father, Rob, had written to Folds hoping to arrange the meeting when he came to play the Majestic Theater in Dallas.
The letter, reprinted in Guide Live, explained that Ben 'was born with a lifetime of things to overcome.
'He is a Hispanic albino, which makes him look like a blue-eyed, blonde-haired Caucasian,' it continued.
'When he was six months old, we learned he was legally blind. When he was one, we were told he had cerebral palsy. I remember a doctor explaining his limitations to me then: "He wont, for example, be able to play the piano."
'At age two, Ben lost all speech and was diagnosed with autism.'
Ben now has stiffness, trouble falling asleep, communication problems and adverse reactions to medication, The Dallas Morning News wrote.
But the boy has battled on, regaining some speech and even learning to play the piano - inspired by the music of Ben Folds.
In fact, Ben loves one song, 'Sky High,' so much that he plays it every night before he goes to sleep.
And now he has met the man himself.
Stage time: The meet-and-greet was at a rehearsal for Ben Folds' concert at the Majestic Theater in Dallas. Folds initially took the back seat, accompanying Ben on drums, before joining in on piano - to Ben's delight
Rob and wife Jenn accompanied Ben and his sister,15-year-old sister Becca, to a special VIP sound check at the Majestic, Thursday. They were four of just 100 people there.
After the four-song rehearsal, Guide Live reported, Ben got a chance to speak to his idol - first asking mom 'Can I tell him I love him? Is it appropriate?'
'Yes, it's appropriate this time,' she replied.
Ben asked the musician his favorite questions: 'What is your name? When's your birthday?'
Rob wondered whether Ben wanted a photo with Folds, but the boy wanted something more: 'I wanna go to that piano.'
'Why not?' said Folds, and the pair began a beautiful rendition of 'Sky High,' with Ben on piano and Folds - no longer the lead man - providing support on drums.
At one point in the song, Folds playfully got up and accompanied Ben on piano, adding surprise notes that left the boy laughing with delight.
And what did Ben think? When The Dallas Morning News video team asked him if he was excited he had an exuberant reaction - an enthusiastic 'Yeah!' and a happy tap of his feet.
New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand predicted today that Hillary Clinton would end up releasing transcripts of her speeches to Wall Street.
'I think she will. I think shes been clear that shes going to, and yes I would,' Gilibrand told CNN's Chris Cuomo this morning. 'I post my taxes online.'
Gillibrand replaced Clinton in the Senate and is a surrogate for her White House bid.
She told Cuomo, 'I like transparency and accountability, and I know Hillary does as well. I think she wants to bring accountability into government.
New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand predicted today that Hillary Clinton would end up releasing transcripts of her speeches to Wall Street
'I think she will. I think shes been clear that shes going to, and yes I would,' Gilibrand told CNN's Chris Cuomo this morning. 'I post my taxes online.'
'I think she cares deeply about openness and transparency, and I think she will release those speeches at the appropriate time,' Gillibrand said.
Clinton said just last night at a debate with Bernie Sanders that she wouldn't disclose hers until Republicans running for the position revealed theirs.
She also argued that it's abnormal to demand a presidential candidate to procure that kind of information.
'There are certain expectations when you run for president. This is a new one,' she at the Democratic debate in Brooklyn.
Clinton tried to deflect by bringing up her Democratic opponent's failure to release his tax returns - something that is standard practice.
Sanders told her, 'Of course we will release our taxes. Jane does our taxes. We've been a little bit busy lately. You'll excuse us.'
The U.S. senator claimed that last year's release would be available today but his campaign had produced nothing at close of business.
He said last night they contained nothing to get 'very excited' about, though.
'They are very boring tax returns. No big money from speeches, no major investments,' he said. Unfortunately, I remain one of the poorer members of the United States Senate. And that's what that will show.'
But Clinton said just last night at a debate with Bernie Sanders that she wouldn't disclose hers until Republicans running for the position revealed theirs. The former New York Senator is seen here today at a senior center in New York City
Cuomo referenced the argument between the Democratic candidates today as he interviewed Gillibrand and asked if releasing paid speeches should be part of the standard disclosure materials for Oval Office contenders.
'I think everyone makes their own judgment,' she said. 'When I released my taxes and posted my financial disclosure in Congress as a Congresswoman, I was the first member of Congress to put up my financial disclosure and put up all my earmark requests. That was a new thing.
The two-term senator told him, 'I think we can all lead by example on this issue. And I think transparency is always powerful, and I think sunlight is always the best disinfectant to all issues.
A playboy who was caught racing past the Houses of Parliament in a speedboat taunted police that they couldn't prosecute him because he was leaving the country.
Ross MacGregor, 26, is currently in Australia but faces arrest when he returns to the UK after being accused of putting others at risk with a reckless stunt on the Thames.
Eyewitnesses saw his sleek black powerboat hammer past Westminster landmarks, even travelling on the wrong side of the river under a bridge.
Ross MacGregor, pictured, is currently in Australia but faces arrest when he returns to the UK after being accused of putting others at risk with a reckless stunt on the Thames
Eyewitnesses saw his sleek black powerboat hammer past Westminster landmarks, even travelling on the wrong side of the river under a bridge
Alerted by a concerned guard at Parliament, a Metropolitan Police boat patrol tried to give chase but he casually waved at them as they failed to keep up.
When they finally found MacGregor several miles upstream, he told them he raced there all the time.
He was meant to appear in court on Thursday accused of navigating a vessel in a manner liable to injure or endanger others.
But when he failed to show up a judge wasted no time in issuing a warrant for his arrest. Police told the court MacGregor had already boasted he wouldnt turn up.
Within weeks of the incident he sent officers an email saying: Sorry about that speed, but Im going to Thailand now and theres nothing you can do about it.
In a post added to his Facebook account alongside a photograph of the police launch and his boat, he wrote: Getting nicked for our high speed run down the Thames. F*** it, 1 life live it feeling fabulous.
The incident took place after MacGregor and a friend took his familys speedboat for a run on the river last May, a court was told. After posing for a dramatic selfie as they travelled under Tower Bridge, the pair were seen haring past the London Eye and Parliament.
In a post added to MacGregor's Facebook account alongside a photograph of the police launch and his boat, he wrote: Getting nicked for our high speed run down the Thames. F*** it, 1 life live it feeling fabulous.
Westminster Magistrates Court heard a guard was so concerned he alerted the police who sent a patrol boat with blue lights flashing. It is not known how fast MacGregor was travelling but the police boat was travelling at 40mph (35 knots) and could not keep up.
Police eventually caught up with MacGregor in Putney where he was putting the boat on a low-loader on a slipway. When asked why he did not stop when hailed by police, the prosecutor said: He thought they were waving to him.
MacGregor lives with his father Steven, 53, a company director, and mother Michelle, 50, at their 500,000 home in Camberley, Surrey. According to his Facebook profile, he is currently living in northern Queensland, Australia.
He previously worked at a dive school in Thailand. MacGregor has posted photographs of himself parachuting, bungee jumping and racing motorbikes at exotic destinations including Turkey and Burma.
Speaking on the phone his mother said she was surprised her son was in trouble with the police. She said: I didnt know anything about it.
After four days workers were finally dispatched to bring her back down
But a local cat fan spread the message on social media, causing a furor
Her owner was told by two companies that they could not help
A Canadian cat who weathered four days up a high-voltage power line while vultures circled overhead was safely back in her owner's arms Thursday, after cat-loving campaigners got their claws out against on social media.
It's not known why Miss Kitty the one-year-old tabby ran to the top of the 60-foot pole in Princeton, British Columbia, on Monday.
What is known, reported Atlas Obscura, is that the pole was carrying 138,000 volts of electricity to a local mine - meaning its owners didn't want to shut it down. But they didn't account for the power of the internet's feline fanatics.
Trapped: Miss Kitty (pictured) spent four days trapped atop a 60-foot electricity pole with vultures circling overhead while her owner struggled to get authorities to rescue her. A web campaign eventually did the job
Cat power: The power lines (pictured left), located in Princeton, British Columbia, Canada, carry 138,000 volts to a mine, so authorities were reluctant to shut it down. Eventually, though, they managed to save her
When Miss Kitty's owner, Bill Backhall, called government utility company BC Hydro to get the cat down Monday, but was told it was the responsibility of private company FortisBC. So he called them. But ultimately, he told Castanet.net, both companies said they could do nothing.
Local cat fan Natalia Bosley told Kelowna Now Thursday that she had also tried to help.
'I phoned BC Hydro and they said that they had put in a work order to have it dealt with,' she said. '[Wednesday] night BC Hydro told [Backhall] that they decided not to respond to the call.'
A spokesperson for private company FortisBC, which supplies electricity to Princeton using the BC Hydro pylon, told the site that they would typically wait for the cat to come down before intervening.
He also said he only heard about the situation Wednesday.
As the bureaucratic entanglements continued and neighbors piled up mattresses below the pole in case Miss Kitty fell, Bosley took action using her Twitter handle, @crazycat6911.
Enthusiast: Politician Dan Albas was one of many who spoke out in defense of Miss Kitty
She began pushing Miss Kitty's story online Wednesday, fielded questions from concerned observers and provided updates about the scene as they occurred.
But things really kicked off when she shared a YouTube video of the stranded cat.
The beleaguered pet was soon gifted with its own hashtag - #savethePrincetonBCcat - that attracted attention from across the country, including Canadian politician Dan Albas.
Finally, on Thursday evening, BC Hydro engineers made a trip from Salmon Arm, some 186 miles away, to save the pet.
Miss Kitty's four-day ordeal ended at 9:10pm as she was finally returned to Backhall - who was pictured by the Similkameen News Leader with a wide grin on his face.
And the vultures? They went hungry.
As the family of a five-year-old boy said their final goodbyes, they were joined by a police officer who wanted to give the child a 'hero's send off' by dressing up as Spider-Man.
Five-year-old Joshua Garcia drowned in a pool on April 2, just minutes after his mother called police to report him missing, according to WFAA.
Texas police officer Damon Cole was the first to respond, but it was too late.
As the family (pictured) of five-year-old Joshua Garcia said their final goodbyes, they were joined by a police officer (pictured) dressed as Spider-Man who wanted to give the child a 'hero's send off'
Joshua (left and right) drowned in a pool on April 2, just minutes after his mother called police to report him missing. Officer Damon Cole was the first to respond, but it was too late
Cole told Today.com: 'I don't view myself as a hero. I just wished I had super powers to save that boy.'
He conducted a search at the bottom of the pool and on his way to surfacing, he bumped into Joshua's body.
As Cole pulled Joshua's body from the pool, the child was wearing Spider-Man shoes and a shirt with the superhero on it as well.
Cole and emergency medical technicians performed CPR for nearly an hour but were unable to resuscitate him.
'It's hard, because I really wanted to save that boy,' he told WFAA.
Cole later learned that Spider-Man was Joshua's favorite and the family planned to have a Spider-Man-themed funeral.
And at Joshua's funeral on Tuesday at Laurel Land Memorial Park, Cole showed up in a Spider-Man costume, so that Joshua could be laid to rest with his beloved superhero by his side.
Cole told Today.com that police officers see a lot of difficult things on the job.
'You try not to make it personal, but this is the first time I've been directly affected like this in 16 years as a police officer' Cole said.
Along with family members and friends, Cole stood as Spider-Man next to Joshua's casket for the entire ceremony.
Joshua was also buried with a Spider-Man costume of his own.
Cole (center right), who learned that Spider-Man was Joshua's favorite and the family planned to have a Spider-Man-themed funeral, attended the child's funeral to dressed as Spider-Man
The tribute has helped the family, and it's even helped Cole to find peace.
'There's not a minute that has gone by that I haven't thought about Joshua and his family,' Cole told WFAA. 'And anything to honor his memory, I'll do it.'
Joshua's tragic death is believed to be an accident and no charges have been filed.
'I can't even get it in my head today that he's gone,' said Joshua's older brother, Jeremy Gurment.
Cole's heroic appearance wasn't his first one as he's a member of Heroes, Cops and Kids, a group of police officers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area who dress up in superhero costumes for charity events and other functions.
Just a year ago, Cole drove 11 hours to Smitton, Illinois, dressed as Superman to cheer up a seven-year-old boy with a large stomach tumor.
A Mail special investigation yesterday revealed the disturbing story behind this weeks plot to smear Culture Secretary John Whittingdale.
We described how his former relationship with a dominatrix which he says ended when he learned the truth about her job was exposed by an obscure news website with links to the Hacked Off pressure group, which seeks to muzzle the free Press.
Mr Whittingdale is single, and the legal relationship occurred before he held his current position. The real issue at play in these machinations concerns the regulation of the British media for which Mr Whittingdale has responsibility.
In this second part of our investigation, we examine certain incidents which Max Mosley describes in his memoir and what they say about his own character, writes Richard Pendlebury. (Pictured is Sir Oswald Mosley at at rally in August 1962)
As we described yesterday, a nexus of Left-wing zealots, allied to millionaire motor-racing tycoon Max Mosley, are seeking under the aegis of a new Royal Charter to impose a regulator known as Impress in order, as they see it, to bring the popular Press to heel.
WE EXPOSED the fact that Impress is being funded to the tune of almost 1 million a year for four years with money from the family trust of Mosley, who despises the popular Press after the now-defunct News of the World exposed how he took part in a sado-masochistic orgy with five prostitutes.
WE ALSO noted how the founder and executive director of Impress, Jonathan Heawood, is the stepson-in-law of Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee, who has called in print for Impress to become the new Press regulator without mentioning her own family connection to it, or the fact that she was one of its original backers.
NOT only that, we described how the Press Recognition Panel, set up by the Government to oversee any potential regulators, has been granted 3 million of public money over three years yet has still not sanctioned a single regulator.
It is a disturbing state of affairs, not least the hand of Max Mosley behind the scenes. In this second part of our investigation, we examine certain incidents which he describes in his memoir and what they say about his own character.
Last year, multi-millionaire tycoon Max Mosley published his auto-biography. It makes for very instructive reading.
Most of the near 500 pages concern his career in motorsport, particularly his time as head of the world governing body, the Federation Internationale de LAutomobile.
But the memoir is not all high finance and pit-lane politics. Other sections deal with subjects of far wider interest and import to the British public.
Last year, multi-millionaire tycoon Max Mosley (pictured) published his auto-biography. It makes for very instructive reading
There is, of course, Mosleys upbringing; a childhood of immense privilege skewed by the fact his baronet father was Sir Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Fascists (BUF). His mother the former Diana Mitford was another aristocratic Nazi cheerleader who counted Adolf Hitler as a friend.
The Fuhrer was in attendance when the Mosleys married in the home of Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels.
As a result of such sympathies, both of Maxs parents were subsequently interned for part of World War II in the interests of national security.
This interlude was one of the spurious and foolish restrictions on his parents which the 76-year-old Mosley junior now railed against in his memoir.
After the war, Sir Oswald Mosley set up a new party called the Union Movement. Its symbols were the same as the BUF, as were its racist overtones. And many of his supporters were unrepentant Thirties fascists.
Young Max became involved, too. He supported his father when he stood unsuccessfully for Parliament in North Kensington in 1959.
In 1961, Max acted as party agent for one of his fathers fascist candidates in a by-election in Moss Side, Manchester, another area with a Commonwealth immigrant community.
As Max puts it in his autobiography, this was his first opportunity after graduating from Oxford; an interesting new diversion. Again, the Mosleyites lost heavily.
Max Mosley describes another episode, from the summer of 1962, in which his loyalty to his father once again drew him into the public eye.
It is worth repeating his 2015 account of this event almost in full. In London, my father became the target of violence, he writes.
He had been holding regular meetings all over the place for years with no significant problems, but out of the blue those who disliked him decided to attack. I went with him to a meeting in the East End where we were rushed by a group of people. I reacted as one would and a police superintendent arrested me.
Next day in court I applied to have my case heard immediately on the grounds that my arrest had been widely reported and facts should come out.
The magistrate agreed and I cross-examined the superintendent with some success along the most obvious lines. My elderly father is attacked; the police though present do not protect him. Do I say I should stand idly by?
Max was acquitted. A heroic tale, it seems. Yet maybe not.
This incident might have been just a very minor footnote in history if it were not for Max Mosleys present endeavours.
Yesterday, the Mail revealed how, more than half a century later, Mosley junior is providing millions of pounds in funding for Impress, a body which has applied to be recognised as a regulator of the UK Press under the terms of a controversial Royal Charter.
In 1961, Max acted as party agent for one of his fathers fascist candidates in a by-election in Moss Side, Manchester, another area with a Commonwealth immigrant community. (Max Mosley is pictured on the left with his parents, Sir Oswald, right, and Lady Diana, centre)
His financing of Impress is unarguably an act of revenge against the Press that can be traced back to the 2008 exposure of his predilection for sadomasochistic orgies with prostitutes by the now defunct News of the World.
A court found that the news-paper had invaded his privacy and awarded him costs. But Mr Mosley is not a man for half-measures. By using his family trusts to fund Impress almost entirely by himself he could buy the kind of laws which would significantly restrict news-papers freedom.
All this week, supporters of Hacked Off the pressure group established by Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, Hugh Grant and others, of which Mosley was an early advocate have lectured on the need for transparency and the calling to account of those in power.
But what of Mosleys own commitment to the truth? Let us return to that street fight in the summer of 1962.
The privilege of autobiography is that it allows an author to present his own version of events. That is exactly what Mr Mosley has done here.
However, newspapers which were also an eyewitness presence present a radically different story suggesting that Oswald Mosleys supporters sparked the fighting by their own aggressive anti-Semitic taunts, with police shielding Mosley Snr and arresting demonstrators on sometimes flimsy pretexts.
Take the report from Americas Time magazine. It can be found in its online subscribers archive. The piece appeared under the headline: Lebensraum for Oswald, in reference to Hitlers desire to create living space for the German people by invading their neighbours.
On Ridley Road, a poor, predominantly Jewish street in Londons East End, mounted police and a muttering crowd waited for a scene that might have come from a newsreel of the 1930s, the Time article began.
A generation ago, Sir Oswald Mosley and his Jew-baiting Blackshirts often strutted down Ridley Road; their visits almost always ended in savage street fighting.
At a Mosley rally on the same street last week, the script was little changed. First came some 30 members of Mosleys neo-Fascist Union Movement, chanting: Jews out! Jews out!
When Mosley appeared, the jeering crowd surged toward him and knocked him to the ground. Struggling to his feet, the 65-year-old sometime MP mounted an open truck amid a hail of rotten fruit and heavy English pennies.
Before he could open the meeting, the brawl was on. Within minutes, Mosley was led away under heavy police escort, while grim-faced bobbies arrested 54.
The local Hackney Gazette newspaper offered a fuller account of the violence and its aftermath. A copy is in the British Newspaper Archive.
Max Mosley describes another episode, from the summer of 1962, in which his loyalty to his father once again drew him into the public eye. (Sir Oswald Mosley pictured with his wife, Diana)
Many of those arrested were British Jews who feared the return of the Mosley fascists, with their whiff of Nazism.
According to the Gazette, Michael Heym, 18, a student, who was fined 10 shillings for obstruction told the local magistrates court: If people dont do what I attempted to do, a situation can arise which arose in Germany in 1933.
Raymond Marks, a 21- year-old shoe salesman, was fined 30 shillings for insulting words and behaviour. He told the court: I am a pacifist and strictly against fascism.
Another demonstrator, a 40-year-old former Jewish refugee who had escaped Hitler and served in the RAF during the war, when his parents were murdered in Auschwitz, was also fined 30 shillings simply for shouting You Nazi! at Mosley senior.
When the Mail approached him to ask for his memories of the day, the man now in his 90s declined to comment because he was so ashamed at having been arrested for the only time in his life.
Another protestor who was in the cells with Max Mosley is now a 73-year-old retired fine art academic. He does not wish to be named for fear of reprisal by 21st-century fascists. He has read Max Mosleys account of the Ridley Road riot. He is contemptuous.
He has a very selective memory, the pensioner said this week. He is trying to sanitise his past. Max Mosley has written that he was rushed by a group of people, but (in my recollection) his fathers followers rushed protestors. His father (was always escorted) by bullies who were tough and nasty. I got shoved and kicked. I tried to push this bloke off me, but I got arrested and was accused of delivering a glancing blow.
The pensioner said that, contrary to Maxs account, there had been a number of other Mosley meetings prior to Ridley Road which had caused trouble. Ridley Road was then a high-density Jewish area and also had Caribbean migrants. Oswald Mosley went deliberately to those places. He was a loathsome man with policies based on hate.
He recalled seeing Max Mosley picked up by a family limousine outside Old Street magistrates court the following morning.
When I see him today it conjures up those memories of him on the protest. I wonder if the leopard has changed his spots. The pensioner said he was against moves to regulate the Press, even though it was freedom of speech which allowed the march. He said: We are always going to have people who take advantage of freedom of speech, but it doesnt mean you dont have it.
I dont believe in any regulation, it is using a steamroller to tackle a mound. You have to have faith in common sense, the judiciary and the courts.
He was fined 5; a lot of money in those days. But the debt was settled by a well-wisher: He took me and my friends around Petticoat Lane market with a hat in his hands. The market stall holders put money in it and paid our fines off for us. They were all the old East End Jews.
One cannot blame Max Mosley for his parents. Nor for having a degree of loyalty.
But the 22-year-old who attended the fascist rally and brawled in Ridley Road was no callow youth. By 1962, he was a married university graduate and member of the Parachute Regiment reserves. He was also studying for the Bar.
It is worth repeating Max Mosley's 2015 account of this event almost in full. In London, my father became the target of violence. I went with him to a meeting in the East End where we were rushed by a group of people. I reacted as one would and a police superintendent arrested me.' (Pictured is an Oswald Mosley meeting)
Even more difficult to explain away, is his autobiographys disingenuous account of the riot and his fathers politics; no mention of racial hatred and violence; no criticism, perspective or apology, save to say that in the years following Ridley Road though still sympathetic to my fathers ideas, they seemed to me increasingly unlikely ever to be relevant in the real world.
The final section of his autobiography is devoted to his battles against the Press, since his sadomasochistic orgies with prostitutes were exposed.
Hacked Off, he wrote, were doing an excellent job.
He also informs the reader that an alternative body to IPSO (the Press industrys own self-regulator) has been set up by one Jonathan Heawood.
Called Impress, it will be fully Leveson compliant . . . It is supported by public money.
Whose money? Certainly not that of the old East End Jewish stallholders. Nor even that of the general public.
What price transparency, accuracy and public interest now?
Last year, multi-millionaire tycoon Max Mosley published his auto-biography. It makes for very instructive reading.
Most of the near 500 pages concern his career in motorsport, particularly his time as head of the world governing body, the Federation Internationale de LAutomobile.
But the memoir is not all high finance and pit-lane politics. Other sections deal with subjects of far wider interest and import to the British public.
There is, of course, Mosleys upbringing; a childhood of immense privilege skewed by the fact his baronet father was Sir Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Fascists (BUF). His mother the former Diana Mitford was another aristocratic Nazi cheerleader who counted Adolf Hitler as a friend.
The Fuhrer was in attendance when the Mosleys married in the home of Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels.
As a result of such sympathies, both of Maxs parents were subsequently interned for part of World War II in the interests of national security.
This interlude was one of the spurious and foolish restrictions on his parents which the 76-year-old Mosley junior now railed against in his memoir.
After the war, Sir Oswald Mosley set up a new party called the Union Movement. Its symbols were the same as the BUF, as were its racist overtones. And many of his supporters were unrepentant Thirties fascists.
Young Max became involved, too. He supported his father when he stood unsuccessfully for Parliament in North Kensington in 1959.
In 1961, Max acted as party agent for one of his fathers fascist candidates in a by-election in Moss Side, Manchester, another area with a Commonwealth immigrant community.
As Max puts it in his autobiography, this was his first opportunity after graduating from Oxford; an interesting new diversion. Again, the Mosleyites lost heavily.
Max Mosley describes another episode, from the summer of 1962, in which his loyalty to his father once again drew him into the public eye.
It is worth repeating his 2015 account of this event almost in full. In London, my father became the target of violence, he writes.
He had been holding regular meetings all over the place for years with no significant problems, but out of the blue those who disliked him decided to attack. I went with him to a meeting in the East End where we were rushed by a group of people. I reacted as one would and a police superintendent arrested me.
One cannot blame Max Mosley for his parents. Nor for having a degree of loyalty. But the 22-year-old who attended the fascist rally and brawled in Ridley Road was no callow youth. By 1962, he was a married university graduate and member of the Parachute Regiment reserves. He was also studying for the Bar. (Pictured is Sir Oswald Mosley)
Next day in court I applied to have my case heard immediately on the grounds that my arrest had been widely reported and facts should come out.
The magistrate agreed and I cross-examined the superintendent with some success along the most obvious lines. My elderly father is attacked; the police though present do not protect him. Do I say I should stand idly by?
Max was acquitted. A heroic tale, it seems. Yet maybe not.
This incident might have been just a very minor footnote in history if it were not for Max Mosleys present endeavours.
Yesterday, the Mail revealed how, more than half a century later, Mosley junior is providing millions of pounds in funding for Impress, a body which has applied to be recognised as a regulator of the UK Press under the terms of a controversial Royal Charter.
His financing of Impress is unarguably an act of revenge against the Press that can be traced back to the 2008 exposure of his predilection for sadomasochistic orgies with prostitutes by the now defunct News of the World.
A court found that the news-paper had invaded his privacy and awarded him costs. But Mr Mosley is not a man for half-measures. By using his family trusts to fund Impress almost entirely by himself he could buy the kind of laws which would significantly restrict news-papers freedom.
All this week, supporters of Hacked Off the pressure group established by Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, Hugh Grant and others, of which Mosley was an early advocate have lectured on the need for transparency and the calling to account of those in power.
But what of Mosleys own commitment to the truth? Let us return to that street fight in the summer of 1962.
The privilege of autobiography is that it allows an author to present his own version of events. That is exactly what Mr Mosley has done here.
However, newspapers which were also an eyewitness presence present a radically different story suggesting that Oswald Mosleys supporters sparked the fighting by their own aggressive anti-Semitic taunts, with police shielding Mosley Snr and arresting demonstrators on sometimes flimsy pretexts.
Take the report from Americas Time magazine. It can be found in its online subscribers archive. The piece appeared under the headline: Lebensraum for Oswald, in reference to Hitlers desire to create living space for the German people by invading their neighbours.
On Ridley Road, a poor, predominantly Jewish street in Londons East End, mounted police and a muttering crowd waited for a scene that might have come from a newsreel of the 1930s, the Time article began.
A generation ago, Sir Oswald Mosley and his Jew-baiting Blackshirts often strutted down Ridley Road; their visits almost always ended in savage street fighting.
At a Mosley rally on the same street last week, the script was little changed. First came some 30 members of Mosleys neo-Fascist Union Movement, chanting: Jews out! Jews out!
When Mosley appeared, the jeering crowd surged toward him and knocked him to the ground. Struggling to his feet, the 65-year-old sometime MP mounted an open truck amid a hail of rotten fruit and heavy English pennies.
Before he could open the meeting, the brawl was on. Within minutes, Mosley was led away under heavy police escort, while grim-faced bobbies arrested 54.
The local Hackney Gazette newspaper offered a fuller account of the violence and its aftermath. A copy is in the British Newspaper Archive.
Many of those arrested were British Jews who feared the return of the Mosley fascists, with their whiff of Nazism.
According to the Gazette, Michael Heym, 18, a student, who was fined 10 shillings for obstruction told the local magistrates court: If people dont do what I attempted to do, a situation can arise which arose in Germany in 1933.
Raymond Marks, a 21- year-old shoe salesman, was fined 30 shillings for insulting words and behaviour. He told the court: I am a pacifist and strictly against fascism.
Another demonstrator, a 40-year-old former Jewish refugee who had escaped Hitler and served in the RAF during the war, when his parents were murdered in Auschwitz, was also fined 30 shillings simply for shouting You Nazi! at Mosley senior.
When the Mail approached him to ask for his memories of the day, the man now in his 90s declined to comment because he was so ashamed at having been arrested for the only time in his life.
Another protestor who was in the cells with Max Mosley is now a 73-year-old retired fine art academic. He does not wish to be named for fear of reprisal by 21st-century fascists. He has read Max Mosleys account of the Ridley Road riot. He is contemptuous.
He has a very selective memory, the pensioner said this week. He is trying to sanitise his past. Max Mosley has written that he was rushed by a group of people, but (in my recollection) his fathers followers rushed protestors. His father (was always escorted) by bullies who were tough and nasty. I got shoved and kicked. I tried to push this bloke off me, but I got arrested and was accused of delivering a glancing blow.
All this week, supporters of Hacked Off the pressure group established by Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, Hugh Grant and others, of which Mosley was an early advocate have lectured on the need for transparency and the calling to account of those in power. (Pictured is Joint Executive Director of Hacked Off, Dr Evan Harris)
The pensioner said that, contrary to Maxs account, there had been a number of other Mosley meetings prior to Ridley Road which had caused trouble. Ridley Road was then a high-density Jewish area and also had Caribbean migrants. Oswald Mosley went deliberately to those places. He was a loathsome man with policies based on hate.
He recalled seeing Max Mosley picked up by a family limousine outside Old Street magistrates court the following morning.
When I see him today it conjures up those memories of him on the protest. I wonder if the leopard has changed his spots. The pensioner said he was against moves to regulate the Press, even though it was freedom of speech which allowed the march. He said: We are always going to have people who take advantage of freedom of speech, but it doesnt mean you dont have it.
I dont believe in any regulation, it is using a steamroller to tackle a mound. You have to have faith in common sense, the judiciary and the courts.
He was fined 5; a lot of money in those days. But the debt was settled by a well-wisher: He took me and my friends around Petticoat Lane market with a hat in his hands. The market stall holders put money in it and paid our fines off for us. They were all the old East End Jews.
One cannot blame Max Mosley for his parents. Nor for having a degree of loyalty.
But the 22-year-old who attended the fascist rally and brawled in Ridley Road was no callow youth. By 1962, he was a married university graduate and member of the Parachute Regiment reserves. He was also studying for the Bar.
Even more difficult to explain away, is his autobiographys disingenuous account of the riot and his fathers politics; no mention of racial hatred and violence; no criticism, perspective or apology, save to say that in the years following Ridley Road though still sympathetic to my fathers ideas, they seemed to me increasingly unlikely ever to be relevant in the real world.
The final section of his autobiography is devoted to his battles against the Press, since his sadomasochistic orgies with prostitutes were exposed.
Hacked Off, he wrote, were doing an excellent job.
He also informs the reader that an alternative body to IPSO (the Press industrys own self-regulator) has been set up by one Jonathan Heawood.
Called Impress, it will be fully Leveson compliant . . . It is supported by public money.
Whose money? Certainly not that of the old East End Jewish stallholders. Nor even that of the general public.
This is the moment actress Roasrio Dawson was arrested during a pro-democracy rally in Washington D.C. on Friday.
Activists from Democracy Spring have been lining up to get themselves arrested as part of a protest against money in politics and the campaign finance system, which they see as corrupt.
While Dawson is the first high-profile celebrity to be arrested at the event, other such as Spotlight actor Mark Ruffalo, Law and Order actor Sam Waterston, an Transparent's Gaby Hoffmann have expressed support for the movement.
Actress Rosario Dawson was arrested on Friday as part of a Democracy Spring demonstration taking place in Washington D.C. this week to protest money in politics
Activists have lined up to be arrested by police in the largest mass-arrest in the capital since the Vietnam war, with more than 1,000 people being booked since Monday
Dawson, the daughter of writer and singer Isabel Celeste who has starred in films such as Death Proof and Sin City, can be seen in TMZ footage lining up with other activists in front of cops.
After an officer takes some information from her she is sent to stand in another line at a temporary processing center set up to deal with the influx of detainees.
According to posts on the Democracy Spring website, more than 1,000 people have been arrested so far during the demonstration. More than 100 people were arrested on Friday alone.
Dawson, star of Death Proof and Sin City (pictured in 2013), was filmed being released by cops later the same day
More footage taken from later the same day shows Dawson being released again.
Speaking to The Young Turks, Dawson said: 'We are putting ourselves on the line for what people in this country and around the globe really want to see happen in America.
'That is one person one vote, taking the money out of politics and having real elections with real progressives and real options. Money has distorted our politics.'
While it is not known exactly what Dawson was booked for, cops told CNN earlier in the week that demonstrators were being cited for 'crowding, obstructing and incommoding.'
Hundreds of activists marched from Philadelphia to Washington DC on April 2 as part of the protest, which saw marches organized throughout the week.
Other social justice groups, such as Black Lives Matter, Represent.Us and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, were invited to take part under the umbrella of Democracy Spring.
In Boston on Friday campaigners from Represent.Us threw a bundle of phony campaign dollars into the harbor, mirroring the protest against British rule that sparked the Revolutionary War.
Dan Krassner, political director of the movement, said: 'Our message is it doesn't matter if you're conservative or progressive.
'Two hundred and forty-three years after the original Boston Tea Party, Americans of all political stripes are still facing taxation without political representation.'
Dawson told reporters that 'money has distorted out politics' and called for the campaign finance system to be overturned in order to promote 'real options' at elections
Both Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump have railed against the current political system while out on the campaign trail, and Dawson made it clear which of the two candidates she is supporting
The 'corrupt' political system has been a hot topic of this election cycle on both sides of the house, with Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders attacking it on the campaign trail.
While Trump regularly talks up the self-funded nature of his campaign, Bernie has also founded his presidential ambitions on a war chest amassed from individual donations.
Both claim that avoiding 'big money' in politics means they will make stronger Presidents, as they will be less open to outside influence.
Ceremony: Baroness Scotland was cheered on by friend Cherie Blair (both pictured) as she became Secretary-General of Her Majestys Commonwealth
A coronation was staged last week, a stones throw from Buckingham Palace, amid the gilded splendour of Marlborough House, a former royal residence on The Mall.
At a lavish ceremony featuring performances from a gospel choir, Caribbean dancers and a steel band, the New Labour peer Baroness Scotland of Asthal accepted one of the diplomatic worlds most prestigious jobs.
Clad in blue silk and a thick string of pearls, and applauded by hundreds of guests, including close friends Sir Trevor McDonald (the former ITN newscaster) and Cherie Blair, the former cabinet minister became Secretary-General of Her Majestys Commonwealth.
Previously, 60-year-old Baroness Scotland was best known for an unfortunate scandal which catapulted her on to the front pages in 2009, when she was serving as Gordon Browns Attorney General, or chief legal officer. It revolved around the revelation that she employed an illegal immigrant from Tonga called Loloahi Tapui as a cleaner, on a paltry wage of 6 an hour.
The wealthy peer was duly prosecuted for breaking immigration laws that she had helped draft, and fined 5,000.
Now she has a new job running the Commonwealth, which is set to thrust her back into the public eye.
As leader of the highly influential organisation, which unites Britain with 52 of its former colonies, she is required to spend the next four years working to uphold the Commonwealth Charter.
This hallowed document, which is signed by the Queen, brings together the values and aspirations to unite the Commonwealths member states. Central are three key principles: Democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
Baroness Scotland will be paid a salary of 158,757, plus pension and private health insurance. She will also enjoy the right to live in a four-storey grace-and-favour residence in Mayfair, and travel in a chauffeur-driven luxury car.
Not bad for a woman who hails from the very humblest of backgrounds.
The tenth of 12 children, Scotland was born in a tiny village on the Caribbean island of Dominica, came to the UK when she was two and grew up on the tough streets of Walthamstow, East London.
Now a Privy Councillor, she and her husband Richard Mawhinney a fellow lawyer and the father of her two grown-up sons own a 2 million house near the Thames in Chiswick, along with a cottage in the Cotswold village of Asthal.
Little wonder, perhaps, that she used her maiden speech to describe herself as a classic child of the Commonwealth before (according to a Press release she later issued) describing her upwardly mobile life as a journey of firsts.
She was, the audience learned, successful enough to become the first black woman to join the Queens Counsel in the United Kingdom in the early 1990s, and the first woman to hold the position of UK Attorney General in 2007.
Baroness Scotland found herself embroiled in a scandal in 2009 when it was revealed that she was employing Tonga national and illegal immigrant, Loloahi Tapui (pictured) as a cleaner
Now, shes the first woman Commonwealth Secretary-General.
Its all very admirable stuff. But in practice, not everyone is cheering Baroness Scotlands landmark appointment.
The reason is that her high-flying career has, in recent years, seen her build often lucrative relationships with two of the worlds ugliest dictatorships.
One is the notorious government of Kazakhstan, whose repressive dictator, 75-year-old Nursultan Nazarbayev, has been accused of torturing and even killing political opponents, stifling Press freedom, and profiteering from the countrys vast oil and gas reserves.
The other is the despotic regime of Abdulla Yameen, the dictator of the Maldives, whose associates seized power in a 2012 coup and have since prosecuted more than 1,700 opposition activists while imprisoning the leaders of three opposition parties.
We shall explore these relationships in detail, along with the pressing question of how they can possibly now be squared with the Commonwealths supposed commitment to democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
Baroness Scotland, it should be stressed, insists there is no contradiction in her ties to these dictators and their regimes. Indeed, in a statement to the Daily Mail, she described herself as a champion of human rights.
But others strongly disagree. For example, the Human Rights Foundation, a prominent global campaigning organisation, tells me that her links to Kazakhstan absolutely stink to high heaven.
And Tory MP John Glen, who campaigns for democracy in the Maldives, a Commonwealth nation, describes Baroness Scotlands work there as outrageous and shocking.
Whatever ones view, her relationship with the latter country has certainly been very lucrative. It stretches back to 2012, when the democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, was deposed in a coup.
Soon afterwards, Baroness Scotland was hired to act as a legal adviser to the dubious regime that replaced him.
After becoming the first black woman in Britain to rise to the rank of Queen's Counsel, Baroness Scotland (pictured left) went on to become the first woman to hold the position of UK Attorney General in 2007
Her contract was later leaked to the Mail. It revealed that she was paid 7,500 per day to help find potential ways for the new government to escape censure from the Commonwealth, which was investigating its human rights abuses.
Baroness Scotlands decision to take the job, which lasted for ten days, was branded disgusting by Tory MP Karen Lumley. But it nonetheless had the desired effect: thanks in no small part to her work, the 2012 Commonwealth investigation was subsequently dropped.
Soon afterwards, it emerged that the Maldives Attorney General, Azima Shukoor, who had signed Baroness Scotlands contract, had agreed to pay her a further 50,000, in addition to the 75,000 stipulated in her contract.
This second payment, described as a bonus in a subsequent audit, was later found to be in breach of the Maldives constitution, not to mention its public finance act, and other public finance regulations.
Now, of course, the same Baroness Scotland who took this much-criticised job, helping the perpetrators of a coup avoid sanction by the Commonwealth, is running the same Commonwealth.
But thats not all. Last summer, it emerged that she had also joined the advisory board of Omnia Strategy, the law firm run by Cherie Blair. The move cemented a close friendship between the two women which stretches back decades.
Having first met the Blairs in legal circles when she was plain Patricia Scotland, she was one of the first Labour peers created after Tony Blair became PM, and in 1999 became a junior minister, completing her rise to the Cabinet in 2007.By the time she joined the advisory board of Omnia in 2015, Baroness Scotland was already campaigning to be elected Commonwealth Secretary-General.
Meanwhile, Mrs Blairs law firm was busy carrying out PR and legal work for Abdulla Yameens unsavoury government, about which Amnesty International has serious concerns.
His regime has arrested hundreds of opposition activists, allowed journalists, human rights campaigners and opposition politicians to be prosecuted, extradited and subjected to death threats, and, Amnesty adds, allowed hard-line Islamic courts to force women who commit the supposed crime of fornication to undergo cruel, inhuman and degrading public floggings.
One of Omnias contracts, leaked to the Mail in February, showed that it was at the time earning 420,000 for six months work for its leader the equivalent of 2,000 per day.
More than 200,000 of that fee, which was invoiced to a government quango at the centre of a 50 million corruption scandal, was paid to Omnia by an entirely separate private company, at the behest of an international fugitive wanted by Interpol for alleged embezzlement.
The Human Rights Foundation, a prominent global campaigning organisation, say that the Baroness' links to Kazakhstan absolutely stink to high heaven. Pictured, she meets its Prosecutor General, Askhat Daulbayev
Perhaps more controversially still, Baroness Scotlands close links to the Maldives and Abdulla Yameens regime appear to have followed her not just to Omnia but also to the Commonwealth.
I can reveal that one of the first people she chose to hold meetings with after taking office as Secretary-General on April 1, was the aforementioned politician Azima Shukoor the dictatorships former Attorney General who, back in 2012, had been responsible, you will recall, for signing off on Scotlands 75,000 contract and unlawfully paying her the further 50,000.
Ms Shukoor visited London last week and met Baroness Scotland as a special envoy of Abdulla Yameen, the President.
What cosy circles the Baroness and her despotic associates move in!
More intriguingly still, Baroness Scotland decided to take this hitherto secret meeting (which was not made public by the Commonwealth) at a time when the Maldives faces potential sanctions from her own organisation.
Later this month, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), which polices human rights abuses in member states, will meet to consider disciplinary steps against the Maldives. All of which strikes informed observers as a touch rum.
Baroness Scotlands role at the Commonwealth and her paid work for the corrupt Maldivian government is an outrageous conflict of interests, says John Glen MP.
That she has also been on the advisory board of Omnia, which has represented the Maldivian government, is equally shocking. The key decision of whether the Commonwealth action group will pursue an investigation into the Maldives shouldnt be influenced by an individual who has had a previous dubious involvement with the regime, and faces such a clear conflict of interest.
For her part, Baroness Scotland denies any wrongdoing, telling me that she did indeed meet Shukoor last week. The meeting had been set up by her predecessor. She also later met with representatives of the countrys exiled opposition.
Last night, she issued a statement insisting that all her work for the Maldives government was entirely consistent with the Commonwealths approach at the time and denying that her 2012 employment contract with the dictatorship involved her being hired to advocate for one side or the other.
She also denied ever having done any work, paid or unpaid, for Omnia Strategy, despite being listed on its website until last month as a member of the firms advisory board.
Finally, she insisted that she would have no influence over whether the Commonwealth decides to discipline the country later this month.
The Baroness has also received criticism for her close links to the Maldives and its dictator Abdulla Yameen (pictured centre)
Any decision on the Maldives will be made by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group and not the Secretary-General. The Secretary-General is not a member of CMAG, the statement read.
We must, of course, take her at her word.
However, the Maldives isnt the only murky dictatorship with which the Commonwealths new Secretary-General has concerning links. She also appears to be close chums with the despotic government of oil-rich Kazakhstan.
The country is another bete noir of human rights campaigners where, according to Amnesty, there is impunity for torture and where freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly continue to be restricted.
Its ruling dictator, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has no credible opposition, has forcibly closed newspapers which criticise him, and allowed anti-government protestors to be arrested, tortured and even killed.
Despite Kazakhstans apalling track record, Baroness Scotland visited the country in February, weeks before taking office at the Commonwealth, on what was somewhat opaquely described by the regime as a working visit.
It provided a PR coup for Nazarbayevs regime, whose official news agency circulated photographs to the domestic media of her shaking hands with senior politicians.
One state-sanctioned press release claimed that a meeting of Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov and Secretary-General of Commonwealth Nations Baroness Patricia Janet Scotland had resulted in them deciding on a strengthening of the mutual relationship between the UK and Kazakhstan.
It was the second time in recent months that Baroness Scotland had glad-handed leaders of the regime (whose paid advisers, incidentally, have included her friends Tony Blair and his No 10 press spokesman Alastair Campbell).
Last November, the countrys prosecutor-general visited London, where he was also invited to meet the baroness. Again, the meeting was considered a PR coup by the regime of the despotic president, who was elected with more than 97 per cent of the vote.
A press release promptly published by the state media described Scotland as a prominent public figure of Britain.
It added (somewhat laughably) that the meeting had been devoted to the representative of the Kazakh government informing her about the latest achievements of the state in the field of human rights, and claimed she had expressed support for the Kazakh regimes policies in this field.
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev (pictured) has no credible opposition and has forcibly closed newspapers which criticise him
Intriguingly, given these meetings, Baroness Scotland has also, for most of the past year, maintained a curious business relationship with a company named Arcanum, a secretive private investigation firm based in Zurich, which she quit days before taking office this month. It has described her as one of its senior advisers.
The company offers bespoke and tailored strategic intelligence products to government entities and the private sector across a range of industries and counts among its many lucrative clients the Government of surprise, surprise, Kazakhstan.
What is more, Ron Wahid, the founder of Arcanum and an American citizen, was revealed by Private Eye magazine last summer to be helping finance Baroness Scotlands campaign for election as the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth. In Private Eyes article, he was described as a Zurich-based financier and sometime polo player with a taste for private jets.
Private Eye further reported that Arcanum has been mentioned in connection with a number of questionable activities, notably, a plan to kidnap Alma Shalabayeva, the wife of Kazakhstani opposition politician Mukhtar Ablyazov, and her daughter, in Rome.
Meanwhile, in early 2015, Intelligence Online a sort of bible for the corporate intelligence industry revealed the existence of leaked documents showing that Arcanum had been hired by the Kazakh dictatorship to investigate another of its political opponents, Viktor Khrapunov, the former Mayor of the capital city, Almaty.
Arcanum would not comment on the specifics of these allegations when I called this week, though it did confirm that it had worked for the Kazakh dictatorship.
All of which makes it, shall we say, a colourful firm for the Commonwealths Secretary-General to have been so closely involved with. Little wonder that informed observers smell something fishy.
The recent visit of Patricia Scotland to Kazakhstan absolutely stinks. It stinks to high heaven, comments Thor Halvorssen of the Human Rights Foundation.
John Glen MP has accused the Baroness (pictured) of performing 'paid work' for the 'corrupt' Maldivian government
Here you have a former British government official, about to head the Commonwealth. And yet, immediately prior to taking office as Secretary-General, she is acting as consultant for Arcanum, which is carrying out detective work for the vile regime of Nazarbayev.
Then, literally days before taking office, she flies to Kazakhstan.
It is remarkable that she has just magically visited the country, at a time when a firm she works for is involved in ongoing work for its dictator.
For what reason is she there? The last time I checked, Kazakhstan was not part of the Commonwealth. What on earth did she think she was doing?
Asked about the matter, Baroness Scotlands spokesman told the Mail that it was an unpaid visit organised to talk about civil and criminal justice reform, something on which she is widely recognised to be an international expert.
The spokesman vigorously denied that her trip to Kazakhstan had anything to do with Arcanum, saying: She has not done any work, paid or unpaid, for Arcanum in Kazakhstan, nor have they facilitated any meetings, formally or informally, on her behalf.
Strangely, however, this version of events was swiftly and explicitly contradicted by Arcanums founder, Mr Wahid.
At the time of her visit to Kazakhstan, Baroness Scotland was a serving senior adviser to Arcanum, which has links with a number of sovereign governments, including Kazakhstan, he told me in a statement.
During visits towards the end of her tenure of office as senior adviser, Baroness Scotland held a number of meetings on behalf of Arcanum in relation to Arcanums ongoing business activities in Kazakhstan.
Immediately after receiving Mr Wahids written statement, the Mail contacted the Commonwealth seeking an explanation as to why it was at odds with Baroness Scotlands testimony.
Half an hour later hey presto! a spokesman for Arcanum called saying that their aforementioned testimony, which described in some detail how Baroness Scotland had worked for it in Kazakhstan, had actually been issued in error.
Due to what the firm called a misunderstanding, the first statement contained completely false information, said the spokesman.
In fact, the Arcanum spokesman now said, Baroness Scotlands visit to Kazakhstan had nothing whatsoever to do with Arcanum.
What a sloppy mistake for the private investigation company to make! How embarrassing, for all concerned, for them to change their story so suddenly once the Mail started asking questions.
Whatever really went on, Her Majestys Commonwealth in theory remains an organisation committed to three fundamental principles: Democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
Of all the hundreds of thousands of photographs of Princess Diana, it is among the most famous not the most iconic, perhaps, but certainly the most significant.
For five poignant minutes, the Princess sat by herself on a bench in front of the Taj Mahal, Indias shimmering monument to love and one of the seven wonders of the modern world.
The pictures were transmitted round the globe and the message they relayed was both symbolic and eloquent. It said: I am alone and I am unloved.
The picture that was transmitted round the globe: Princess Diana was memorably pictured on a bench in front of the Indian landmark in 1992 as her marriage to Prince Charles unravelled
Those of us who were there that day in February 1992 saw it as public affirmation that the fairytale marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales was all but over.
The bench she was sitting on was, after all, the very seat on which some 12 years earlier a bachelor Charles, who was courting the young Lady Diana Spencer but had not yet proposed, had rested, vowing to return one day with his bride.
Like Diana he had been moved by the beauty of the place. But it was a promise he never kept. By the time they finally made it to India as man and wife, the couple were barely on speaking terms and Charless absence that day handed Diana the ammunition for the opening shot in a bitter and acrimonious break-up.
Twenty-four years on and that celebrated stone seat is being readied for another royal visit. Today, Dianas son Prince William will follow in his mothers footsteps and unlike his father, he will bring his wife.
For William and Kate the moment presents a uniquely royal conundrum. Should they sit, as Diana did, gazing reflectively at the white marble temple, or will they choose to stand?
Will they pose surrounded by the entourage that inevitably accompanies such high-profile visitors, or will they try to emulate the Princess of Wales whose hangers-on were fleetingly pushed out of camera shot?
After her reverie, Diana was enigmatic when she was asked what she thought of the Taj. Very healing, she said. What did she mean, we asked? Work that out for yourself, she replied.
In fact, the monument was anything but healing for the Princess. It symbolised her misery and her despair that the marriage which had begun so brightly and with such optimism just 11 years earlier was at an end.
For William and Kate, the encounter is the polar opposite. They are four years into a union that has brought two children and nothing but contentment and happiness. Yet some have suggested that including the Taj Mahal on their itinerary risks stirring up ghosts of the past and ensuring they never escape the shadows of Diana.
Twenty-four years on and that celebrated stone seat is being readied for another royal visit. Today, Dianas son Prince William (pictured near Paro, Bhutan) will follow in his mothers footsteps and unlike his father, he will bring his wife
Kate, remember, already wears the Princesss engagement ring, while her daughter Princess Charlottes middle name is Diana and her christening was at the same Sandringham church where Diana was baptised in 1961.
But quite apart from not wishing to offend their hosts by declining to visit the temple where all overseas VIPs are expected to pay homage William sees the trip as a unique opportunity.
Whereas Dianas presence symbolised a broken Royal Family, William and Kate hope theirs will convey a very different image: of a monarchy now happier, more at ease with itself and more secure. It was at the top of their list of places to go in India, says an aide.
Cannily, the Prince sees it as a chance to respect the enduring image of his mothers Taj Mahal moment yet confine it to history.
In the aides words: William is very protective of his mothers memory and he and Kate particularly want to be seen happy together in a place where Diana was sad.
By the time royal planners drew up the schedule of Charles and Dianas visit to India, it was clear there would only be the most superficial attempt at togetherness.
Separate itineraries had been compiled but there was still a hope among officials that they would come together for one visit to the Taj Mahal.
Had they done so it would have allowed them to make a positive if false statement about their marriage. The absence of Charles saddened those who even then would have rejoiced at seeing him and Diana sharing such precious moments.
Kate (shown here at the Taj Tashi Hotel in Thimpu, Bhutan), remember, already wears the Princesss engagement ring, while her daughter Princess Charlottes middle name is Diana and her christening was at the same Sandringham church where Diana was baptised in 1961
But by early 1992, Charles was beyond caring, feeling that to have accompanied her would have been hypocritical and that the whole experience would have been too excruciating for them both.
Former police bodyguard Ken Wharfe, who accompanied the Princess across the sub-continent, recalls: You have to remember it was a joint tour and therefore there was an expectation that they would do some things together.
'But the Prince of Wales didnt want to know. He was very p***** off that wherever Diana went, the media went, too, so his philosophy was summed up as whats the point?
So while Diana travelled to Agra and the Taj, Charles remained 200 miles away in Delhi to address a forum of industrialists.
He couldnt resist a caustic aside, telling his guests: A wiser prince than I would have opted for a visit to the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort in Agra, which I believe is where some of the greatest pundits of the Press seem to think I ought to be anyway, rather than making a greater fool of myself here.
According to Wharfe, the uncertainty about the Taj visit meant that plans for a photo-call with the Princess were only sketchy.
It was clear she would have to do something, this was the place where dignitaries had to come and it would have been impolite for her not to have been photographed.
Some might be surprised that the final stop on William and Kates triumphant tour across India and Bhutan should be the place which was so central to his parents unravelling marriage. (The couple are pictured walking through Kaziranga National Park)
The marble mausoleum was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his beloved Queen Mumtaz, the Lady of the Taj, his wife for 19 years. He was heartbroken when she died in childbirth in 1631 after bearing 14 children.
Romantics like to visit it under moonlight. Diana arrived in the morning before the sun was too high and the crowds of trippers, hawkers and beggars was too big.
Even so, the retinue of hangers-on threatened to swamp the occasion. I remember Diana saying to me: What shall I do?, says Wharfe. I saw the seat and said: You better sit there, and just for a split second we managed to get all the entourage out of the camera shot.
Wharfe who much to the amusement of the Princess earlier had slipped and fallen on a flight of stairs inside the building soon found himself thinking on his feet again.
BBC newsreader Simon McCoy, who was then working for Sky, asked Diana what she thought of the tomb. Turning to Wharfe, the Princess whispered: What do I say, Ken?
The ex-policeman tells me: I just said the first thing that came into my head. Say its a very healing experience. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Afterwards, as we left, she was pleased, but she had no idea that it would come to be seen as the start of the PR war with her husband.
Had he wanted to, the Prince could have turned the whole thing on its head simply by going with her to the Taj Mahal but he no longer cared what people thought.
I remember her saying to me: Charles will go bonkers about it.
The tensions of that Indian tour were to become even more unforgivingly obvious just three days later, on Valentines Day no less, when the royal party had descended on Jaipur, the capital of the Indian state of Rajasthan.
Charles was playing in a polo match and Diana was due to present the cup to her husband with a kiss. She initially refused. After pressure from aides she reluctantly agreed to do it but she had the last laugh.
As Charles made to kiss her, she inclined her head, forcing him to kiss air and launching a flurry of headlines about the kiss that missed. The Prince was furious that Diana had made him look a fool and the tour ended with the two silently ignoring each another.
The marriage limped on for another ten months before the couple formally separated in December 1992.
Some might be surprised that the final stop on William and Kates triumphant tour across India and Bhutan should be the place which was so central to his parents unravelling marriage.
But for William, it is about laying the ghosts of the past to rest.
Two men have been arrested for hunting and cooking an endangered python in a Chinese village.
The suspects, who are brothers, shared pictures of their barbaric practise last week on social media, which led to their arrest on April 6 in China's Bobai County, a part of Yulin where the chilling dog meat festival takes place every June.
The snake they captured and killed is a highly protected animal species in the country, according to People's Daily Online.
Killed for its meat: Two Chinese men slaughtered a python for food and shared pictures of the scene online
Trophy of the day: The siblings told the police they hunted the snake on April 5 in a mountain in Bobai County
According to reports, shocking images of a group of villagers killing a massive python had been widely shared on Chinese social media since April 5.
The pictures show the men proudly holding the reptile, which measured about three metres long (10 feet) and weighed 7.5 kilograms (16.5 pounds).
One of the photographs showed the villagers washing the snake in a tub of water after they had slaughtered the animal.
The snake seemed to have been chopped in half. Blood could be seen around the tub.
After investigation, the local forest police confirmed the incident had taken place in a town called Shuiming.
Crucial evidence: They police were able to track down the two suspects after seeing their pictures online
Captured: One of the brothers seen in police custody after they were arrested for killing an endangered animal
According to the police, the two siblings, known only by their surname Guan, found the python while they were visiting their relatives' cemeteries on a mountain on April 5.
They decided to kill the python and bring it back home for food.
They also took pictures of their hunting and killing before uploading them to Weibo and other Chinese social media platforms.
The police were able to identify the two brothers through the pictures.
They were arrested in the afternoon of April 6 on suspicion of illegally hunting and killing endangered animals.
The two suspects had admitted to killing the python, which is classified as the first-class protected animal in China.
Last year, a mysterious 'ring of fire' was spotted in space thanks to Albert Einstein's theory of relatively.
Researchers believed the ring was an illusion created by the light of two distant galaxies; one 12 billion light years away, and another four billion light years away.
Now, a new study of the image has revealed that a dwarf dark galaxy is hiding in the halo of the larger and closer galaxy.
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A composite image of the gravitational lens SDP.81 showing the distorted ALMA image of the more distant galaxy (red arcs) and the Hubble optical image of the nearby lensing galaxy (blue center object). By looking at distortions in the ring, scientists have determined the presence of a dark dwarf galaxy (shown by the white dot)
WHAT IS GRAVITATIONAL LENSING? Gravitational lensing occurs when a massive galaxy or cluster of galaxies bends the light emitted from a more distant galaxy, forming a highly magnified, though much distorted image. It can shed light on the properties of the nearby lensing galaxy because of the way its gravity distorts and focuses light from more distant objects. Advertisement
The ring was created by a phenomenon, called gravitational lensing, which was predicted by Einstein's general theory of relativity.
It can shed light on the properties of the nearby lensing galaxy because of the way its gravity distorts and focuses light from more distant objects.
In a new paper accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, scientists from Stanford University in California explain how they uncovered signs of a hidden dwarf dark galaxy.
'We can find these invisible objects in the same way that you can see rain droplets on a window,' explained astronomer Yashar Hezaveh.
'You know they are there because they distort the image of the background objects.
'In the case of a rain drop, the image distortions are caused by refraction.
'In this image, similar distortions are generated by the gravitational influence of dark matter.'
Current theories suggest that dark matter, which makes up about 80 per cent of the mass of the universe, is made of as-yet-unidentified particles that don't interact with visible light or other forms of electromagnetic radiation.
Dark matter does, however, have mass, so it can be identified by its gravitational influence.
For their study, the researchers harnessed thousands of computers working in parallel for many weeks.
An AlmaHubble composite image of the gravitationally lensed galaxy SDP.81. The diffuse blue element at the center of the ring is from the intervening lensing galaxy, as seen with the Hubble Space Telescope
WHAT IS A DWARF GALAXY? Dwarf galaxies are the most abundant type of galaxy in the universe. Despite this, they are usually difficult to detect due to their low luminosity, low mass and small size. They are most commonly found in galaxy clusters. Advertisement
They wanted to search for subtle anomalies that had a consistent and measurable counterpart in each 'band' of radio data.
The computers helped them able to piece together an unprecedented understanding of the lensing galaxy's halo.
This is the diffuse and predominantly star-free region around the galaxy.
They discovered a distinctive clump less than one-thousandth the mass of the Milky Way.
Because of its relationship to the larger galaxy, estimated mass, and lack of an optical counterpart, the astronomers believe this gravitational anomaly may be caused by an extremely faint, dark-matter dominated satellite of the lensing galaxy.
The work could lead to the discovery of more collections of dark matter and also solve a long-standing discrepancy that has baffled astronomers.
According to theoretical predictions, most galaxies should be brimming with similar dwarf galaxies and other companion objects.
Detecting them, however, has proven challenging.
Even around our own Milky Way, astronomers can identify only 40 or so of the thousands of satellite objects that are predicted to be present.
'This discrepancy between observed satellites and predicted abundances has been a major problem in cosmology for nearly two decades, even called a 'crisis' by some researchers,' said Neal Dalal of the University of Illinois, a member of the team.
'If these dwarf objects are dominated by dark matter, this could explain the discrepancy while offering new insights into the true nature of dark matter,' he added.
Alma's image of the gravitationally lensed galaxy SDP.81. The bright orange central region of the ring - Alma's highest resolution observation ever - reveals the glowing dust in this distant galaxy
Computer models of the evolution of the universe indicate that by measuring the 'clumpiness' of dark matter, it's possible to measure its temperature.
So by counting the number of small dark matter clumps around distant galaxies, astronomers can infer the temperature of dark matter, which has an important bearing on the smoothness of our Universe.
'If these halo objects are simply not there,' notes co-author Daniel Marrone of the University of Arizona, 'then our current dark matter model cannot be correct and we will have to modify what we think we understand about dark matter particles.'
This study suggests, however, that the majority of dwarf galaxies may simply not be seen because they're mainly composed of invisible dark matter and emit little if any light.
'Our current measurements agree with the predictions of cold dark matter,' said team member Gilbert Holder of McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
'In order to increase our confidence we will need to look at many more lenses.'
'Our next step is to look for more of them and to have a census of their abundance to figure out if there is any possibility of a warm temperature for dark matter particles.'
The mysterious X-37b spaceplane has captured the imagination of many, with some suggesting it is a spy plane and others who think it could be a space bomber.
But now its big brother is one step closer to being built thanks to funding from the US military.
The plane-like craft is known as the XS-1 program, short for 'eXperimental Spaceplane 1', and could blast off in 2019 on its first test mission.
The small, planelike craft is known as the XS-1. It is hoped it could quickly launch small satellites that could defend against the growing threat of Russian and Chinese space weapons. Boeing was awarded funding to develop a design for the plane in August last year (artist's concept pictured)
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) is now entering the second and third phases of its ambitious program, which aims to make launching satellites a daily occurrence.
The XS-1 will be an airplane-like vehicle that can fly to the edge of Earth's atmosphere and quickly boost small satellites into orbit.
After this, it will land, refuel, load up another satellite and take off again within 24 hours.
The goal of the next phases is to take the program beyond studies to flight tests.
'I can tell you officially now that we have been funded by the [Obama] Administration for the next phase of XS-1,' DARPA's Jess Sponable told attendees at the Space Access '16 Conference in Phoenix last week, according to Space.com.
'What I can tell you right now is that we have $146 million (103m).'
The reusable first stage launch vehicle will be capable of carrying and deploying an upper stage to launch small satellite payloads of 3,000 to 5,000 pounds (1,361 kg to 2,268 kg) into low-Earth orbit. The booster would then return to Earth, where it could be prepared for the next flight
HOW THE SPACEPLANE WILL WORK The reusable first stage launch vehicle will be capable of carrying and deploying an upper stage to launch small satellite payloads of 3,000 to 5,000 pounds (1,361 kg to 2,268 kg) into low-Earth orbit. The booster would then return to Earth, where it could be quickly prepared for the next flight using methods similar to an airline jet. It is hoped the craft could quickly launch small satellites that could defend against the growing threat of space weapons. XS-1 could 'create a new paradigm for more routine, responsive and affordable space operations,' according to Darpa, the military research arm heading the project. Advertisement
Darpa launched the XS-1 program in 2014.
The goal is to develop a reusable launch system capable of flying 10 times in 10 days at a cost of no more than $5 million (3.54m) per flight.
'In an era of declining budgets and adversaries' evolving capabilities, quick, affordable, and routine access to space is increasingly critical for both national and economic security,' Darpa said in a press release.
Over the past two years, Darpa has funded Phase 1 studies by three companies: Boeing, partnered with Blue Origin, Masten Space Systems, partnered with XCOR Aerospace and Northrop Grumman, partnered with Virgin Galactic.
The reusable first stage launch vehicle will be capable of carrying and deploying an upper stage to launch small satellite payloads of 3,000 to 5,000 pounds (1,361 kg to 2,268 kg) into low-Earth orbit.
The booster would then return to Earth, where it could be quickly prepared for the next flight using methods similar to an airline jet.
It is hoped the craft could quickly launch small satellites that could defend against the growing threat of space weapons.
Following the launch, the craft, which flies itself, returns to Earth. XS-1 could 'create a new paradigm for more routine, responsive and affordable space operations,' according to Darpa, the military research arm
The craft can then release its second stage (pictured). It is hoped the craft could quickly launch small satellites that could defend against the growing threat of space weapons
THE XS-1 NEXT STEPS The goal of the next phases is to take the program beyond studies to flight tests. This will be open to all companies, not just the ones that were funded in Phase 1. Darpa will kick off Phase 2 with a proposers' day on April 29 in Arlington, Virginia. The agency aim to select a single contractor in 2017, with the first flights around 2019 or 2020. Advertisement
XS-1 could 'create a new paradigm for more routine, responsive and affordable space operations,' according to Darpa, the military research arm heading the project.
'In an era of declining budgets and adversaries' evolving capabilities, quick, affordable, and routine access to space is increasingly critical for both national and economic security,' Darpa said in a press release.
The goal of the next phases is to take the program beyond studies to flight tests.
This will be open to all companies, not just the ones that were funded in Phase 1. Darpa will kick off Phase 2 with a proposers' day on 29 April in Arlington, Virginia.
Mr Sponable said the $146 million is sufficient to begin to support a single contractor.
'That's enough to pick someone and go,' he said. 'It's probably not enough to fully fund what we have envisioned.'
The agency aim to select the contractor in 2017, with the first flights around 2019 or 2020.
Bidders will be required to bring their own funding to the table as part of a public-private partnership, Mr Sponable said.
The upper stage can launch small satellite payloads of 3,000 to 5,000 pounds (1,361 kg to 2,268 kg) into low-Earth orbit. Darpa aims to select the contractor in 2017, with the first flights around 2019 or 2020. Bidders will be required to bring their own funding to the table as part of a public-private partnership
The initial version of the launch vehicle must be capable of placing a 900lb (408 kg) payload into low Earth orbit.
The contractor will need to show how the vehicle can be upgraded to carry 3,000lb (1,360 kg) payloads in commercial operations using an expendable upper stage.
Mr Sponable said that a number of companies are working on small-satellite launch vehicles, whose engines might be used as an upper stage on the XS-1.
A low-cost, reusable launch vehicle capable of flying every day would have numerous military and commercial applications, he added.
After that, the Pentagon could decide to build XS-1s for regular use.
The booster would then return to Earth, where it could be quickly prepared for the next flight using methods similar to an airline jet. The contractor will need to show how the vehicle can be upgraded to carry 3,000 pound (1,360 kg) payloads in commercial operations using an expendable upper stage
The US Air Force's top secret X-37B space plane was caught on camera by a team of amateur astronomers last year. South African astronomer Greg Roberts captured this of the space plane in two-secondlong exposures just a few weeks after launch
X-37B CONSPIRACY THEORIES The space plane is a spy plane: The leading theory appears to be that the unmanned space plane is a shuttle-shaped surveillance vehicle. It could be a space bomber: This is the least likely theory, according tot Seven Aftergood, a secrecy expert at the Federation of American Scientists. He claims the US doesn't need this capability. It is on a mission is to 'take out' satellites: This activity would be easily traceable, making it unlikely to stay a secret. The X-37B deploys spy satellites: Instead of destroying them, the theory suggests that the space plane's orbit matches up to where deployed satellites would work best for spying on other countries. Advertisement
Boeing was awarded a $6.6 million (4.67m) contract in August last year.
The X-program has bounced between several federal agencies, Nasa among them, since 1999. The plane has been in space for a total of 674 days, far more than its two previous flights which lasted 225 and 469 days.
Last year the US Air Force's top secret X-37B space plane was caught on camera by a team of amateur astronomers.
The unmanned plane launched atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V on May 20 last year, on its fourth mission, but most of the details about its flight remain classified.
The unmanned X-37B space plane has flown four secret missions to date, each time carrying a mystery payload on long-duration flights in Earth orbit.
The spacecraft looks similar to Nasa's space shuttle but is much smaller.
It is about 29ft (8.8m) long and 9.5ft (2.9 m) tall with a wingspan of just less than 15ft (4.6 m).
At launch, it weighs 11,000lbs (4,990kg).
The craft is taken into orbit on a rocket but lands like the space shuttle by gliding down to Earth.
An infrared view of the X-37B unmanned spacecraft landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The purpose of the military's space plane is classified. The spacecraft looks similar to Nasa's space shuttle but is much smaller
Like a shuttle, X-37B (picutred) is blasted into orbit by a rocket. However, it lands using a runway like a normal aircraft. The X-37B is too small to carry people onboard, but does have a cargo bay similar to that of a pickup truck, which is just large enough to carry a small satellite
The X-37B is too small to carry people onboard, but does have a cargo bay similar to that of a pickup truck, which is just large enough to carry a small satellite.
According to X-37B manufacturer Boeing, the space plane operates in low-earth orbit, between 110 (177km) and 500 miles (800km) above earth.
By comparison, the International Space Station orbits at about 220 miles (350km).
at the region as the comets pass again
It has puzzled astronomers and fuelled the enthusiasm of alien hunters for nearly 40 years, but the mystery of the famous 'Wow!' signal could soon be solved by a new experiment.
The powerful 72-second long blast of radio waves caused a sensation in 1977 when it was detected by astronomers apparently coming from a distant solar system.
Now a team of scientists is hoping to point a radio telescope in the direction where the signal was detected in the hope of finally proving what the source is.
The Wow! signal was detected by a radio telescope in Ohio in 1977 as a 72 second-long burst of powerful radio waves during a project searching for signals from intelligent extraterrestrial life. It earned its name after astronomer Dr Jerry Ehman circled the data relating to the signal and wrote' Wow!' in the margin (pictured)
The signal, which was 30 times stronger than the normal radio background from deep space, was seen by some as a possible contact from intelligent extraterrestrial beings.
At the time, astronomer Jerry Ehman scrawled the word 'Wow!' beside the sequence of numbers and letters that denoted the signal, leading to the nickname for the 'message'.
THE THEORIES FOR WHAT CAUSED THE 1977 WOW! SIGNAL There have been many theories over the years for what could have been the source for the short-lived, narrow band radio signal that became known as the Wow! signal. At the time, it was seen has having all the traits of having come from a distant planet, but the inability to pick it up again has frustrated astronomers. While some have taken it to be a radio message broadcast by an alien beacon into space, others have looked for other astronomical sources. Theories have included collisions between asteroids and stars, flares from stars, merging white dwarfs and colliding neutron stars. Advertisement
But earlier this year a group of scientists revealed a new theory for what may be responsible for the blast of radio waves - a pair of comets passing our planet.
Professor Antonio Paris, an astronomer at St Petersburg College, in Florida, believes the comets produced a cloud of hydrogen gas in their wake which released radiation.
The frequency of the signal spotted by Dr Ehman in 1977 matches the emissions produced by hydrogen atoms, for example.
Professor Paris said comets 266P/Christensen and P/2008 Y2 (Gibbs) would have been in the right part of the sky at the time and perhaps importantly they are due to return in 2017 and 2018.
He is now leading a crowdfunding bid to allow his team to build a 10ft (3 metre) radio telescope to point towards the area in the sky where there these comets will pass.
If they detect the same signal again as the comets race past the Earth, then it will prove they are the source of the signal.
However, if the comets do not produce a similar signal, then it could strengthen the case for it potentially being produced by alien life forms.
The Wow! signal was detected as coming from a region of space close to the M55 galaxy cluster close to the constellation Sagittarius (illustrated), but new research suggests the signal may have been produced by two comets, undiscovered at the time, passing through our own solar system in front of the region
New research has traced the path of two comets - 266P/Christensen and P/2008 Y2 (Gibbs) - and found they were in the right region of the sky at the time the signal was received. Astronomers claim the large hydrogen clouds enveloping the comets could have produced the radio waves (stock image of comet pictured)
THE COMETS BEHIND WOW! Comet 266P/Christensen was first discovered in 2006. It orbits the sun every 6.79 years. The closest it passes to Earth is 125 million miles. P/2008 Y2 (Gibbs) was first discovered in 2008. It passes much closer to Earth, at a distance of 61 million miles and orbits the sun every 6.8 years. Advertisement
Writing on the crowdfunding site GoFundMe, Professor Paris said: 'Comet 266P/Christensen will transit the neighborhood of the "Wow" signal again on January 25, 2017.
'And, on January 07, 2018 comet P/2008 Y2 (Gibbs) will also transit the neighborhood of the "Wow" signal.
'The Center for Planetary Science will have an opportunity to direct a radio telescope toward this phenomenon, analyse the hydrogen spectra of these two comets, and test our hypothesis.'
According to Professor Paris' theory, the clouds of hydrogen that surround the comets as sunlight breaks up the frozen water on their surface extends millions of miles around each.
This means they could produce a powerful signal as radiation is released.
The Wow! signal was detected on 15 August 1977 with a radio telescope known as Big Ears at the Ohio State University Radio Observatory in Delaware.
Dr Ehman, who had been working on a project for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, noticed the surprisingly strong signal in a column of alphanumerical data.
Astronomers are hoping to build a 10ft (3m) radio telescope (pictured) to search the area of the sky where the Wow! signal came from as two comets pass close to the Earth to prove if they were the source of the signal
With a red pen he scrawled the word 'Wow!' in the margin and circled the sequence.
Astronomers ruled out that the signal came from Earth and could find nothing in our solar system to have produced it.
THE FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE Scientists have been searching for signs of intelligent life in the cosmos under the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (Seti) programme since the 1960s. Initially it was conducted on the fringe of radio astronomy, with just short amounts of time obtained on relatively small radio telescopes. However, in 1984 the Seti Institute was established to provide a coordinated approach to the search, using radio telescopes as permanent 'ears' to listen for alien signals. The project suffered a set back in 1994 when Nasa funding to Seti was cut and it now seeks support from private sources instead. The project has yet to detect any positive signs of signals from intelligent life, but some scientists have predicted it could happen within the next 20 years. However, the project has also been criticised for being overly optimistic despite not receiving any signals in the past 30 years. Recently scientists proposed taking a more active approach by broadcasting signals to nearby stars in the hope of getting a response. Advertisement
It is thought to have come from a region of space to the northwest of the globular galaxy cluster M55 in the constellation Sagittarius
Although Dr Ehman himself has remained sceptical, the signal has led to claims that it may have been a radio beacon or broadcast coming from far beyond our own solar system.
Some have taken it as evidence of alien life as the frequency is widely thought to be one that could be used by extraterrestrials to communicate.
The mystery surrounding the signal has only been compounded by the inability to pick up the signal again, despite repeated attempts by increasingly more powerful radio telescopes.
However, at the time, researchers did not know of the existence of comets of 266P/Christensen and P/2008 Y2 (Gibbs).
The pair was only discovered after 2006.
Comet 266P/Christensen orbits the sun every seven and a half years and is more than 125 million miles from Earth.
By tracing the comets journey through the solar system back in time, Professor Paris found they both seem to have been in the right place for the source of the Wow! signal.
Their fleeting passage through this area of space could also explain why it has not been possible to detect the signal again since the short blast.
However, some scientists are sceptical that the comets are responsible. James Bauer, of Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said the emissions from the comet's hydrogen clouds may not powerful enough to account for the Wow! signal.
He explained: 'If comets were radio-bright at 21 centimetres, I would be puzzled as to why they aren't observed more often at those wavelengths.'
Professor Paris told the Guardian, however, that even if he is wrong, the experiment could reveal new details about the comets themselves.
Astronomers may get a second chance to detect the radio signal if it was produced by the comets as they are set to pass through the same region of space in January 2017 and January 2018. By training radio telescopes (Very Large Array pictured) onto that part of the sky, it may be possible to confirm the comet theory
When a huge flaming chunk of rock smashed into Earth almost 66 million years ago, it would have been curtains for the dinosaurs and other large animals on the land and in the seas.
The impact would have vaporised everything in its wake and sent choking dust high into the atmosphere, but for those creatures living in the cold and murky depths, life managed to carry on.
Exactly how they struggled through this catastrophic period has been unclear, but new research suggests the deep sea creatures may have been able to survive thanks to a trickle of food from above.
Scientists believe that deep sea creatures were able to survive in the wake of the mass extinction which wiped out the dinosaurs (illustrated) by feeding on the bodied of micro-organisms such as bacteria and algae trickled down from the waters above
Without light, creatures of the deep oceans are dependent on the world above for food, with nutrients from the land and the carcasses of sea animals providing sustenance.
The catastrophic asteroid impact turned things on their head, as many species of fish and marine reptile in the seas would likely have perished, cutting off the food supply.
But scientists believe micro-organisms such as bacteria and algae would have eked out a living on the surface, providing a meagre source of food.
Just like flakes of food sinking to the bottom of a fish tank, researchers now believe deep sea life was sustained by the bodies of these micro-organisms filtering from the surface waters into the abyss below.
The catastrophic asteroid impact turned things on their head, as many species of fish, marine reptiles and even plankton would likely have perished, cutting off the food supply to the ocean floor. Stock image
Chemical analysis of fossils of sea surface and deep sea creatures found in Atlantic Ocean show that although the food chain would have been severely disrupted after the mass extinction event (illustrated), it would have been fully restored within just 1.7 million years of the impact
CARBON CYCLE'S HEAVY ISOTOPES Scientists at Cardiff University believe that micro-organisms such as bacteria and algae would have eked out a living on the surface, providing a meagre source of food for deep sea creatures. Chemical analysis of fossils of sea surface and deep sea creatures found in Atlantic Ocean show that although the food chain would have been severely disrupted after the mass extinction event (illustrated), it would have been fully restored within just 1.7 million years of the impact Researchers were able to use isotopes of carbon and oxygen - these forms of the elements have additional neutrons in their nuclei, making them heavier. Carbon typically has a weight of 12 and oxygen 16, but the team focused on two isotopes, carbon 13 and oxygen 18. While stable, these isotopes are rare, so their relative abundance can be used as markers throughout time. And they can also be traced to show how elements are cycled around the planet. Advertisement
'The global catastrophe that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs also devastated ocean ecosystems,' explained Heather Birch, a PhD student at Cardiff University who led the study.
She added: 'Our results show that despite a wave of massive and virtually instantaneous extinctions among the plankton, some types of photosynthesising organisms, such as algae and bacteria, were living in the aftermath of the asteroid strike.'
Using measurements of stable isotopes of carbon and oxygen, they found that although the flow of nutrients would have been severely disrupted following the asteroid collision, there was enough food to keep life on the ocean floor ticking over.
By analysing changes in the amount of isotopes in fossils of sea surface and deep sea creatures found 656ft (200 metres) below the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, they showed that although the food chain was disrupted, it would have been fully restored within just 1.7 million years of the impact.
The evidence suggests these rare heavier forms of elements still managed to make it to the ocean floors, before being used by the animals to make their shells.
According to Birch, the findings answer one of the outstanding scientific questions of this period in Earth's history - how these creatures managed to survive on a planet stalked by death.
Scientists believe the site of the asteroid that kicked off the demise of the dinosaurs is located at Chicxulub, in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula (illustrated)
WHAT DID KILL THE DINOSAURS? While there have been many theories for what killed off the dinosaurs - from an asteroid strike to massive volcanic eruptions - recent research suggests it may have been a combination of disasters. The creatures' 160 million year long reign is thought to have been ended by a double-whammy when the shockwave from the meteor impact caused a storm of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes around the world. Much of the planet would also have been blanketed in dust, meaning plant life could have struggled for years, having a widespread impact on the food chain. Researchers recently announced they had found evidence that a string of volcanoes in a region of India known as the Deccan Traps doubled their activity around 50,000 years after the Chicxulub impact. They blanketed the Earth with sulphurous gas and dust. Together, the impact and volcanism caused a dramatic change in climate as the sun's rays were blanketed out in a version of the 'nuclear winter' predicted to follow a global nuclear war. Advertisement
But even with this lifeline from the waters above, recovery was slow.
'It took almost two million years before the deep sea food supply was fully restored as new species evolved to occupy ecological niches vacated by extinct forms,' said Birch.
She told MailOnline: 'These findings are important as they help us to understand more about the marine carbon pump, which is the main process that transfers carbon from the atmosphere to the deep ocean, where it can be locked away into sediments.
'Over geological time the marine biological pump helps to regulate climate.
'With greater understanding we can predict/mitigate affects that we might be having on this process.'
'The Crustaceous-Paleogene boundary in particular is interesting because this pump was thought to have almost stopped due to extinctions and have a 3 million year recovery giving us a possible worst case scenario to look at.'
Scientists believe the site of the asteroid which kicked off the demise of the dinosaurs is located at Chicxulub, in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula.
Teams are currently drilling at the site to take rock core samples from the heart of the Chicxulub crater in the Gulf of Mexico.
The European Rotor Sports Association flew in to the capital this week as machines soared around Wembley Stadium at speeds of 75mph (120km/h).
Drones buzzed around the iconic venue and further proved why the sport of drone racing is gaining popularity.
The racing was live streamed to spectators for the first time over EE's 4G network at the stadium, with 4G cameras attached to the drones giving people a drone's-eye-view.
The event was attended by 16-year-old Luke Bannister, from Somerset, who recently won 174,000 ($250,000) in the Drone Grand Prix in Dubai.
First Person View (FPV) drone racing involves live video being streamed to the pilot's headset to enable split-second manoeuvres.
This perspective is usually only available to the team controlling the drone, however for the first time spectators in the stadium and online were also able to 'ride' around the stadium.
By attaching 4GEE Action Cams, additional footage was streamed from the drones to multiple screens around the stadium, live and in high definition.
The European Rotor Sports Association flew in to the capital this week as machines soared around Wembley Stadium at speeds of 75mph (120km/h). Drones buzzed around the venue and captured videos as they went (pictured)
The tournament also demonstrated Qualcomm's Snapdragon Flight control system, which was incorporated into the racing drones to reduce their weight and improve the response times for the pilots.
A bespoke freestyle course was built by the European Rotor Sports Association (ERSA) inside the 90,000-capacity bowl, including slaloms through the players' tunnel, bank turns around the corner flags, and barrel rolls above the royal box.
By attaching 4GEE Action Cams, additional footage was streamed from the drones to multiple screens around the stadium, live and in high definition (pictured). The GIF shows the view from one of the drones in the stadium
First Person View (FPV) drone racing involves live video being streamed to the pilot's headset to enable split-second manoeuvres. This perspective (pictured) is usually only available to the team controlling the drone, but spectators in the stadium were also able to watch
A bespoke freestyle course was built by the European Rotor Sports Association (ERSA) inside the 90,000-capacity bowl, including slaloms through the players' tunnel (pictured) bank turns around the corner flags, and barrel rolls above the royal box
HOW THE DRONE RACING WORKS First Person View (FPV) drone racing involves live video being streamed to the pilot's headset to enable split-second manoeuvres. This perspective is usually only available to the team controlling the drone, but spectators in the stadium were also able to watch. By attaching 4GEE Action Cams, additional footage was streamed from the drones to multiple screens around the stadium, live and in high definition. Advertisement
Luke Bannister said: 'I started off flying remote control planes indoors and then I found a local club where they taught me how to fly these bigger planes and it progressed from there.'
'Two years ago I got my first set of goggles with an FPV set-up, which has a camera and a video transmitter and then started putting them in my planes flying them around.'
Drone racing is often compared to computer-gaming due to the use of a control pad - used to control the drone - and the use of FPV goggles, which look like a virtual reality headset.
Luke added: 'It looks similar but there's so many different aspects to drone racing.
'You have to know how to build, solder, tune. There's a lot more to it than just picking up a controller and doing it.'
Teeanger Luke Bannister gives his drone a close inspection before the start of his race at the EE event. 'I started off flying remote control planes indoors and then I found a local club where they taught me how to fly these bigger planes and it progressed from there,' he said
First Person View (FPV) drone racing involves live video being streamed to the pilot's headset to enable split-second manoeuvres. The growth of drone racing is thought to be down to its accessibility, as people of all ages can buy a drone and start racing
The growth of drone racing is thought to be down to its accessibility, as people of all ages can buy a drone and start racing.
EE boss Marc Allera said: 'This event is only possible thanks to our unique partnership with Wembley stadium.
'Our 4G network here is the best in the world, offering unprecedented speeds perfect for drone racing, which relies on superfast connectivity.
'This event is a world first with our 4G Action Cams attached to the drones, live streaming direct to fans for the first time, we are helping to bring spectators closer than ever to this exciting new sport.'
Luke Bannister (pictured) faces off with fellow drone racers at the event. First Person View (FPV) drone racing involves live video being streamed to the pilot's headset to enable split-second manoeuvres. It looks similar but there's so many different aspects to drone racing, says Luke
DRONE VERSUS PORK Danish scientists are trying to demonstrate the damage a small hobby drones can do when they collide with people and animals. Researchers at Aalborg Universitys Drone Research Lab rigged a catapult to launch a hobby drone into a slab of belly pork at high speed, recording the impact with a high-speed camera capturing 3,000 frames per second. Footage from the initial test out earlier this week showed one of the plastic propellers making contact with the meat before it flexes from the force and a shard of plastic breaks off. It appears to puncture the slab of meat, entering by up to half way, which could make for a nasty injury. However, the researchers said that while the initial findings are interesting, it is too early to tell anything at this stage and tests are ongoing. Advertisement
Apple will continue itsreduced production of iPhones in the quarter ending June because of sluggish sales, it has been claimed.
The Nikkei business daily reported the news, claiming parts suppliers have been notified of the plan.
The Nikkei reported in January that the technology giant was expected to cut production of its iPhone 6s and 6s Plus models by about 30 percent in the quarter ended March, but production was expected to return to normal in the current quarter.
Apple CEO Tim Cook discusses the new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus during the Apple event at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. Most analysts believe Apple surpassed its own record by selling more than 74.5 million iPhones in the final three months of 2015. But there are signs that iPhone sales in the first three months of 2016 will show an abrupt decline from the same period a year earlier.
Apple apparently does not plan to make enough of the newlylaunched iPhone SE model, the Nikkei report said.
The company's shares fell 1.8 percent to $110.05.
Shares ofsome Apple suppliers also fell following the report.
SkyworksSolutions Inc was down 1.4 percent, Broadcom Ltd fell 2.4 percent while Jabil Circuit lost 1.7percent.
The production cut could last longer than the one itimplemented in 2013, when Apple cut production orders for itscheaper iPhone 5C a month after its launch, the Nikkei said.
Apple has told parts suppliers in Japan and elsewhere thatit will maintain the reduced output level in the currentquarter, the Nikkei report said.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In January, Apple said it expected a fall in revenue for thequarter ending March - its first forecast for a revenue drop in13 years - as the critical Chinese market showed signs ofweakening. It also reported the slowest-ever increase in iPhoneshipments.
Global smartphone sales in 2016 are expected to grow attheir slowest rate - in single digits in percentage terms,according to research firm Gartner Inc.
Most analysts believe Apple surpassed its own record by selling more than 74.5 million units of its flagship product in the final three months of 2015.
But there are signs that iPhone sales in the first three months of 2016 will for the first time ever show an abrupt decline from the same period a year earlier.
That could mark a pivotal moment for the Silicon Valley giant. Apple is the world's biggest company, in terms of stock value, thanks to the iPhone's surging popularity around the world.
In business terms, Apple makes most of its money from iPhone sales.
IPHONE MADE MORE IN A QUARTER THAN ANDROID DID IN A LIFETIME Android has generated $31 billion in revenue since Google acquired the mobile operating system in 2005, a lawyer for Oracle has revealed in federal court. Annette Hurst, an Oracle lawyer, said Jan. 14 that Alphabet, Googles parent company, has made $22 billion in profit off of Android, said Bloomberg. If the numbers are accurate, that would mean Android has generated less revenue over its lifetime than the iPhone did in the quarter ended Sep. 30, the most recently reported quarter. Then, Apple said the iPhone generated $32.2 billion in sales. Advertisement
But concerns about slowing growth have sent the stock into a months-long slump, fueling debate about what kind of company Apple will be in the future.
The iPhone contributed nearly two-thirds of Apple's $234 billion in revenue last year. None of the other new products Apple has launched in recent years have emerged as blockbusters. That's led some critics to suggest Apple has lost its innovative touch, while others say it's evolving to depend on a broader base of related tech products and services.
One thing is clear, said analyst Angelo Zino at S&P Capital IQ: 'Last year was an unprecedented year for Apple and the iPhone.... You'll never see that type of growth from the iPhone again.'
When CEO Tim Cook reports Tuesday on Apple's sales for the last three months of 2015, investors will be watching closely for any hints about how Apple's signature smartphone is faring in the current quarter. Sales usually fall somewhat after the holiday shopping season. But analysts say it appears Apple has cut production orders from key suppliers in recent weeks, suggesting it's lowered its own forecasts.
Apple hasn't commented on iPhone sales since last fall, when Cook struck an upbeat tone. In part, Zino and other experts say, the company is suffering from its own success. Apple sold 61 million iPhones in the March quarter of 2015, or 40 percent more than it did a year earlier.
To match that growth rate, Apple would need to sell more than 85 million in the current period. Instead, analysts are expecting around 55 million.
IPHONE HISTORY: THE PHONE THAT CHANGED THE WORLD Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone to the public on January 9, 2007, at the Macworld 2007 convention at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. The two initial models, a 4 GB model priced at US$499 and an 8 GB model at US$599 (both requiring a 2-year contract), went on sale in the United States on June 29, 2007. Development of what was to become the iPhone began in 2004, when Apple started to gather a team of 1000 employees to work on the highly confidential "Project Purple" There are now nine generations of iPhone models, each accompanied by one of the nine major releases of iOS. Steve Jobs unveiling the iPhone to the public on January 9, 2007, at the Macworld 2007 convention at the Moscone Center in San Francisco Advertisement
An estimated 500 million people own iPhones now, which means Apple can rely on a significant number to upgrade each year. But some have put off buying a new model because they didn't see a strong reason to upgrade.
Despite some new features, 'people are feeling like there hasn't been anything that's really new' in the latest iPhone models, known as the 6S and 6S Plus, which came out last fall, said market researcher John Feland of Argus Insights.
Apple will likely make significant changes in the next major iPhone release, expected in September, which could fuel another surge in sales. Some tech blogs have reported a new model might even be coming this spring.
The company went through a similar cycle a few years ago, when iPhone sales growth slowed to 7 percent in the final months of 2013. The next year, Apple introduced new models with significantly bigger screens.
That sent sales skyrocketing, especially in Asia, where consumers had previously flocked to buy big-screen phones from rival Samsung.
But there may no more equally dramatic changes left to jump-start sales like that again.
'Apple really pulled the big lever they had left un-pulled, up to then,' said tech analyst Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research. 'That was sort of a one-off event.'
While iPhone sales may be slowing, Apple has launched other products and services tied to the iPhone from the Apple Watch to the digital payments service known as Apple Pay, the subscription-based Apple Music and 'smart home' software that lets users control their lights and appliances with Siri, the voice-enabled digital assistant on the iPhone and iPad.
These are designed to make the iPhone itself more useful, while producing a steady stream of new revenue.
Taiwan-based Foxconn, which assembles most iPhones, has taken a rare decision to cut working hours over a major holiday during which workers usually rack up overtime.
None of those new products have sold like the iPhone itself, however. Sales of the iPad have been declining for two years.
'Apple still has a lot of value, a lot of cash flow, so it's not to say the company is in trouble. But it's difficult to say that it's on the cutting edge,' said Murillo Campello, a finance professor at Cornell University who follows Apple closely.
Others say it's premature to count Apple among former tech giants, like Hewlett-Packard, that have struggled for relevance as their pace of growth and innovation declined.
Apple is working on a wide range of future products, from streaming video to virtual reality and even self-driving cars, said FBR Capital Markets' analyst Daniel Ives in a recent note to clients.
Labs has already begun replacing payphones in New York with wifi kiosks
Project would 'think about a city from the Internet up'
Alphabet, Google's parent company, is considering building an entire city from scratch.
The boss of Sidewalk Labs, the firm's New York City firm described as an 'urban innovation' company mentioned the idea at a summit hosted by The Information.
Now more details of the plan have emerged - and it could house hundreds of thousands of people.
The boss of Sidewalk Labs, Alphabet's 'urban innovation' company mentioned the idea at a summit hosted by tech website The Information.
SIDEWALK PROJECTS So far the firm has worked on two projects: LinkNYC, which replaces public pay phones with a network of 7,500 data and communication hubs throughout New York City. The kiosks are being provided by a franchise agreement between NYC and CityBridge, a consortium of companies that includes Qualcomm, CIVIQ Smartscapes, and Intersection which is owned by a group of investors led by Sidewalk Labs. The kiosks will deliver to residents and visitors free gigabit Wi-Fi, video and voice calling, and access to emergency and other city services. Flow, a project to improve traffic in cities, is being built with the U.S. Department of Transportation as part of its Smart City Challenge. It will be a transportation coordination platform that uses analytics and messaging to help cities work with citizens to increase the efficiency of road, parking, and transit use, improving access to mobility for all. Advertisement
The company has reportedly been working with more than a 100 experts in the field, and is currently deciding whether it wants to own land outright on which it can build a planned community that could house 'hundreds of thousands of people,' or if it wants to accept bids from counties for its city of the future.
The team working on Project Sidewalk will reportedly bring Project Sidewalk in front of Alphabet CEO Larry Page in the 'near future'
'Thinking about a city from the Internet up is really compelling,' Sidewalk CEO Dan Doctoroff said at an even run by The Information last month.
Later he added that building a new city could help test solutions to cybersecurity and privacy issues: 'If you could create a place, it'd be a laboratory to experiment with these problems.'
Developing a city 'would be a great idea,' he said, before quickly adding 'I can't tell you anything' in a conversation with the site's Jessica Lessin.
'Cities are hard,' he said.
'You have people with vested interest, politics, physical space...But the technology ultimately cannot be stopped.'
'A lot of people have tried it and haven't succeeded.
'Right now we're just building products and services but there are lots of lessons that can be learned from the past and we'll see what happens over time,'
The subsidiary was launched last year with a mission to develop technology that makes living and running big cities better.
'Sidewalk will focus on improving city life for everyone by developing and incubating urban technologies to address issues like cost of living, efficient transportation and energy usage,' chief executive Larry Page said in a post at the Internet titan's Google+ social network.
It is headed by Dan Doctoroff, a former chief executive of Bloomberg LP and New York city deputy mayor of economic development under then Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
'We are at the beginning of a historic transformation in cities,' Doctoroff said in a release when the organisation first formed.
'We hope that Sidewalk will play a major role in developing technology products, platforms and advanced infrastructure that can be implemented at scale in cities around the world.'
Free Wi-Fi kiosks with New York City's LinkNYC program were launched Thursday. Mayor Bill de Blasio is seen Thursday at the launch event
While financial details were not disclosed, Page described Sidewalk as a 'relatively modest investment' in building a business that is not only different from Google's core Internet operations but which could improve people's lives.
He put Sidewalk on par with Google (x) lab headed by Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and known for 'moonshots' like self-driving cars.
'Making long-term, 10X bets like this is hard for most companies to do, but Sergey and I have always believed that it's important,' Page said in his Google+ post.
'And as more and more people around the world live, work and settle in cities, the opportunities for improving urban environments are endless.'
So far the firm has worked on NYCLink, and Flow, a project to improve traffic in cities.
Mayor Bill de Blasio was filmed telling reporters at a news conference: 'LinkNYC will be the Wi-Fi network New York City deserves.
'It will be the biggest and fastest network in the world - and completely free of charge.
'And one thing I know about my fellow New Yorkers: they like things that are completely free of charge, so this is going to be very popular.'
The mayor's office said in a news release: 'These kiosks, called 'Links,' will provide New Yorkers with an incredibly fast, secure and private Wi-Fi network with a 150-foot radius, free domestic calling, two USB charging ports, a tablet for accessing the internet, and a red 911 button to contact emergency services.
Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund may have played out one of the all-time classic Europa League encounters, but one lucky fan got even more than he bargained for.
Dejan Lovrens late headed winner sent the Kop into absolute pandemonium, and amid the chaos Liverpool supporter Liamie Marum lost his phone.
It would have been a shock to even find it, but when Anfields security handed him back his phone, he had a special present on it.
Mamadou Sakho (left) and Divock Origi (right) take a selfie on the Liverpool fan's lost mobile phone
Goalscorers Origi (left) and Sakho (right) pose for a picture on the mobile phone belonging to a fan
Liverpool defender Sakho holds up the mobile phone as he looks towards the Anfield stands to find the owner
Sakho shares a joke with the Liverpool supporters after his side defeated Dortmund to reach the semi-finals
Sakho took another selfie in the dressing room - this time with both Dejan Lovren (centre) and Origi (right)
Writing about the night on Facebook, he said: Well what can I say but unbelievable. I lost my phone celebrating nearly on top of Lovren at the corner flag and I lost my phone.
After everyone eventually went back to the Kop, the security came up handed me my phone back as I was sitting on row 3. I checked it just now and look.
The phone had worked its way to goalscorers Divock Origi and Mamadou Sakho, and the duo took a moment to take a selfie before handing the phone back.
For Liamie, who travelled from Ireland to watch the game, the photo is a priceless token of an unforgettable night of European action.
Liamie would have never have pictured the night panning out as it did after the opening nine minutes of action.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put the German side two goals ahead after a pair of quick counter attacks.
Liverpool struggled to deal with Dortmunds attacking threat, but slowly improved as the match wore on.
Origi gave them a glimmer of hope shortly after half-time, but Marco Reus restored Tomas Tuchels sides two-goal advantage in the 57th minute.
The stunning comeback truly began with Philippe Coutinhos sweeping shot into the bottom corner.
Dortmund looked destined to be heading to the semi-finals after Marco Reus' 57th-minute goal
Sakho kept Liverpool's hopes alive by scoring against Dortmund to make it 3-3 on the night on Thursday
Lovren's header in the 91st minute sent Liverpool through to the semi-finals of the Europa League
Sakho then headed home in the 77th minute, but the away goals rule meant Liverpool would have to score a fourth to progress, with extra-time out of the question.
It was Lovren who provided it, heading home after James Milners perfectly weighted cross to send the home fans into ecstasy.
In the pandemonium Liamie lost his phone, but he will not be complaining one bit.
Liverpool will be hoping for much of the same when they face Spanish outfit Villarreal in the semi-finals of the Europa League.
Lovren (left) leaps in the air after scoring a dramatic winner against Jurgen Klopp's former side
Sakho (left) and Lovren (centre), both pictured with Origi, display their delight after beating Dortmund
It costs more per mile to travel on a London Tube train than to fly first class to New York, according to figures released by Labour mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan.
According to his office, it costs more per mile to reach the airport on the Tube than the flight itself, with a return journey from South Kensington to Heathrow Terminal 3 on the Piccadilly Line costing 10.10 - or 42p per mile.
In contrast, flying 6,900 miles to New York and back in Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class cabin would cost you 2,199.55 or 32p per mile - if travelling on May 5, the day of the mayoral election.
It costs more per mile to commute on a London Tube train than to fly first class to New York, according to figures released by Labour mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan
According to Sadiq Khan's office, it costs 10p per mile more to travel by Tube than a journey to New York in Virgin Atlantic's first class cabin (pictured)
Khan's report pointed out that standard commuter Tube fares can equate to well in excess of 60p per mile, with a return journey from Wanstead to Liverpool Street on the Central Line costing 63p per mile and a return journey from High Barnet to Euston on the Northern line costing 54p per mile.
Mr Khan criticised his Tory opponent, Zac Goldsmith, for his plans to increase TfL fares by a further 17 per cent over the next four years.
He said: 'If he gets his way then a Tube journey could end up costing more per mile than taking a private jet.'
Mr Khan criticised his Tory opponent, Zac Goldsmith, for his plans to increase TfL fares by a further 17 per cent over the next four years
The Mayoral candidate added: 'It now costs more per mile to take the Tube than it does to fly business class to New York. It shows how ludicrously expensive Londoners' fares have got under the Tories.
'I will freeze all TfL fares for four years so Londoners won't pay a penny more in 2020 than they do today.
'Zac Goldsmith confirmed that he will increase Londoners fares by 17 per cent.
If you forgot to buy travel money and you're already at the airport then you should think twice about exchanging currencies, because you could end up paying a third more than if you bought some in advance according to a new study.
Even more shockingly, exchange rates can vary by as much as 25 per cent between different terminals at the same airport.
Among the 30 UK airports included in the study, Cardiff was the most expensive for travellers as it gave the worst rate for both the euro and US dollars.
Buying currency at airports is much more expensive than getting it ahead of time but rates can vary between different airports and even different terminals at the same airport
Luton was another airport that offered poor rates for both currencies.
Meanwhile, Leeds Bradford, Norwich and Southend offered some of the best rates.
The results were revealed when FairFX compared the real-time rates across the airports between 9am and 10.30am on April 12.
There was a huge variation in rates depending at the airports and terminals, it said.
The results showed that there's as much as 50 per cent difference in exchange rate between some airports.
Travelex gave $1,261 for every 1,000 at Heathrow terminals 1, 2 and 4. But at Terminal 5, it gave a more favourable $1,370 while for Terminal 3, it was a comparatively meagre $1,090
In monetary terms, it means that you can get 320 (254.65) more for 1,000 at Heathrow T3 than at Cardiff.
Similarly, 1,000 will buy you $340 (239.93) more at Southampton than Cardiff.
Certain providers even offered travellers different rates from different terminals.
For example, Travelex gave $1,261 for every 1,000 at Heathrow terminals 1, 2 and 4.
But at Terminal 5, it gave a more favourable $1,370 while for Terminal 3, it was a comparatively meagre $1,090.
In fact, Heathrow Terminal 3 offered the best rate for euros but was the second most expensive for dollars.
ForExchange at Cardiff offered the poorest rates out of all the airport providers, giving just 930 for 1,000 and $1,060 for the same amount.
ForExchange at Cardiff offered the poorest rates out of all the airport providers, giving just 930 for 1,000 and $1,060 for the same amount
Ian Strafford-Taylor, CEO of FairFX said: 'Airports are renowned for offering poorer rates but holidaymakers will be astounded to realise just how much they'll lose by buying their travel money before they fly.
'Travellers may expect to pay slightly more but losing as much as 311 for every 1,000 exchanged is a significant financial blow.
'It's shocking to see how wildly rates vary between regional airports in the UK even from the same providers. Hopefully this investigation will help holidaymakers realise the importance of planning ahead for your where and when you buy your travel money.'
MOST EXPENSIVE AIRPORTS FOR TRAVEL MONEY FOR EUROS Airport Provider How much you get for 1,000 Cardiff ForExchange 930 Luton ICE 1,060 Stansted Moneycorp 1,070 Birmingham ICE 1,074 Exeter Travelex 1,076 FOR US DOLLARS Airport Provider How much you get for 1,000 Cardiff ForExchange $1,060 Heathrow T3 Travelex $1,090 Glasgow Prestwick The Change Group $1,160 Gatwick Moneycorp $1,207 Luton ICE $1,220 Source: FairFX Advertisement
LEAST EXPENSIVE AIRPORTS FOR TRAVEL MONEY FOR EUROS Airport Provider How much you get for 1,000 Heathrow T3 Travelex 1,250 Leeds Bradford Travelex 1,214 Norwich ICE 1,206 Edinburgh ICE 1,188 Southend Moneycorp 1,185 FOR US DOLLARS Airport Provider How much you get for 1,000 Southampton Moneycorp $1,400 Leeds Bradford Travelex $1,387 Norwich ICE $1,377 Heathrow T5 Travelex $1,370 Southend Moneycorp $1,360 Source: FairFX Advertisement
Travelex got in touch with MailOnline Travel to dispute the results.
Megan Landauro from Travelex told MailOnline Travel: 'On Tuesday (last week) our US dollar sell rate was $1.2612 to the pound. Similarly for Leeds and Exeter, we were offering 1.076 to the pound at both airports.
'Something else which I should probably mention is that any Travelex customer using any of our airport stores can take advantage of our online rates, which are always our most competitive.
'In order to secure our online rates all they need to do is pre-order in advance at www.travelex.co.uk and then collect their cash at any of the airports that we operate in.'
When MailOnline Travel put Travelex's comments to FairFx, the company stood by their findings, stating that the rates were supplied by Travelex on the phone and that their research was accurate.
Mariette Ferreira, spokeswoman for FairFX said: 'We stand by our research and reported on the exact rates supplied to us by Travelex desks during the mystery shopping exercise. We have asked for them to supply evidence that there is not inconsistency in the rates they charge at Heathrow, however this has not been forthcoming.'
Leeds Bradford, Norwich and Southend airport offered some of the best rates for euros and dollars in the comparison of exchange rates
The US Senate is debating whether wire cages between plane cockpits and cabins will improve aviation security.
Pushed forward by Senator Bob Casey as an amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration Re-authorization Act, the idea would be that all passenger aeroplanes will have a second barrier installed.
Casey described how the bill contained 'commonsense measures' that would ultimately increase security for all passengers.
The U.S. senate is set to decide on a move to introduce wire cages between the cockpit and cabin on planes
Speaking to the Times Leader, Senator Casey said: 'I would like to have it on every aircraft right now. The barrier prevents anyone from getting to the flight deck when the cockpit door is open.'
Since the terror attacks of 9/11, regulations came into place to re-inforce the cockpit door, and to ensure pilots kept it locked at all times through the flight.
Casey has highlighted that currently, when one of the pilots needs to leave the cockpit to use the restroom, a flight attendant will stand in the arch, or a service trolley is parked there.
He also says there has been 51 attempted hijackings of planes since 2001.
Senator Bob Casey has said his amendment contains 'commonsense measures'
The bill has progressed to the legislative decision stage after a 94 to four vote in favour of it passing the procedural stage.
'I'm calling on Congress to get this legislation to the president's desk as soon as possible, added Casey.
'We need to bolster security at airports and on airplanes themselves.'
The politician believes the wire barrier will cost between $3,000 and $5,000.
News-site Philly.com says that the reauthorization bill also 'include provisions to beef up security in non-secure areas of airports, such as check-in and baggage claim, and more bomb-sniffing canines in light of the terrorist attacks in Brussels last month.'
Speaking to MailOnline Travel about the amendment, the chief executive of the UK Flight Safety Committee Dai Whittingham said: 'I am aware of the proposal but I don't believe it has much support this side of the Atlantic on the simple grounds that the additional mesh is unnecessary.
'I also don't recognise the figure of 51 attempted hijackings since 2001. It is possible Senator Casey is characterising attempts to gain access to the flight deck as failed hijackings but that is not evidence or fact other than proof the current system works.
'The implications for the industry are significant, especially in terms of cost - the $5,000 per aircraft seems very low and probably takes no account of design and airworthiness considerations, never mind the variation in cabin layouts across the different fleets and manufacturers.
'There also needs to be thought about the impact of a second barrier on emergency evacuations.
'If the proposal applies only to U.S. carriers, so be it, but the imposition of this by default (to allow operations in the U.S.) would not be welcome.'
The US Senate is debating how aviation security could be enhanced, including the construction of a wire cage between the cockpit and cabin
The lands will include character meet-and-greets, retail spaces, and the chance to ride in the
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Attention Star Wars fans - Disney's progress on its two new themed lands is well under way, as a new incredible 360-degree sneak peek reveals.
The two 14-acre parks - one in California's Disneyland and the other in Florida's Disney World - will be the company's biggest single-themed land expansion in its history, with advanced sensor features to give visitors an 'immersive' experience.
The new digitally-enhanced image of the construction site in California features cameos from some of the franchise's characters, including Stormtroopers, X-wing fighters, walkers and even R2-D2 and BB-8.
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Disney's progress on its two new themed lands is well under way - as a new incredible 360-degree sneak peek reveals
The two 14-acre parks - one in California's Disneyland and the other in Florida's Disney World - will be the company's biggest single-themed land expansions in its history, with advanced sensor features to give visitors an 'immersive' experience
Currently the construction site at Disneyland looks to be in its infant stages, with mounds of dirt and broken concrete on the ground. But the insider view on the Disney Parks Blog is sure to pique the interest of galactic fans.
Workers are said to have demolished some 'backstage' buildings in preparation for the highly-anticipated addition, which is located near Disneyland's Big Thunder Jamboree, a spacious outdoor arena.
During the construction process, the popular park will be shutting 10 attractions and food outlets, both temporarily and permanently, according to the LA Times.
There will also be a similar expansion taking place in Florida at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
According to the Disney Blog: 'In these all-new lands, guests will be transported to a never-before-seen planet inhabited by humanoids, droids and many others.'
Currently the construction site at Disneyland looks to be in its infant stages, with mounds of dirt and broken concrete on the ground. But the insider view on the Disney Parks Blog is sure to pique the interest of galactic fans
During the construction process, the popular park will be shutting 10 attractions and food outlets, both temporarily and permanently
Disney has announced that the lands will have two signature attractions, including the ability to take the controls of the Millennium Falcon and a Star Wars adventure that puts guests in the middle of a climactic battle
Although there have been few exact details released by Disney so far, officials have said guests can look forward to two central attractions.
One includes boarding the Millennium Falcon to head up a 'secret mission' and the other will involve an 'epic' battle between the Resistance and the New Order - a war from the latest film, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
When announcing the news last August Disney chairman Bob Iger said: 'I am thrilled to announce the next chapter in the long and exciting history between Disney Parks and Star Wars.
'We are creating a jaw-dropping new world that represents our largest single themed land expansion ever.
'These new lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will transport guests to a whole new Star Wars planet.'
Disney chairman Bob Iger revealed the parks will depict a never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port, and one of the last stops before wild space. Everyone on site will be in character
Iger revealed the parks will depict a never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port, and one of the last stops before wild space.
Everyone on site will be in character.
'You will have chance to run into droids and fantastic roaming beasts that Star Wars is known for,' Iger said.
'You'd expect to find a cantina, and there will be one,' he assured the 7,500-strong crowd, making a reference to the fictional bar in the pirate city of Mos Eisley on Tatooine.'
The cantina is first seen in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. It is where Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first meet Han Solo and Chewbacca.
This is an artist's impression of the Star Wars-themed land, and the Millennium Falcon, set to open at Disney. No date has been given for an opening as of yet
In addition to this there will be character meet-and-greet areas, shopping opportunities and appearances from beloved characters such Darth Vader, R2-D, C3PO and BB-8.
A date has not been set for the opening of the new parks.
After her stint on The Bachelor Australia rendered her unsuccessful in finding love for now, Lana Jeavons-Fellows has decided to use her new-found fame to good use.
And if there was one thing fans were sure to have noticed about the 28-year-old on the hit dating series it was her luscious chocolate locks.
Speaking with Daily Mail Australia at the YSL Beauty event in Sydney on Thursday, the reality star revealed she was starting a blog to gift her knowledge of healthy hair maintenance to the masses.
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Spreading her knowledge to the masses: Lana Jeavons-Fellows revealed to Daily Mail Australia at the YSL Beauty event in Sydney on Thursday that she's launching a lifestyle and hair blog
'I did notice that throughout and after the show a lot of people would write to me on Instagram about how I look after my hair,' she said.
When asked whether her new website, which should launch in the next week or so, would include video tutorials, she laughed: 'We'll just see how tech-savvy I get'.
She added: 'I've got the draft but there are still some technical things to work out.'
'I did notice that throughout and after the show': The 28-year-old said she had been inundated with fans messaging her about how she maintains her hair
'There are still some technical things to work out': She said the plan was to launch her new website in the next week
'We'll just see how tech-savvy I get': Lana said she also hopes to include video tutorials on tips and styling tricks
Lana will be following the footsteps of other Bachelor contestants including 2013 winner Anna Heinrich, Emily Simms who walked out in week nine of 2015's season and Louise Pillidge.
At the event held at the Sydney Town Hall, the brunette beauty's tresses had been slicked back into a chic ponytail in stark contrast to her trademark cascading, free-flowing waves.
Her figure was on full display in a flirty monochrome lace playsuit by local designer Alice McCall which she paired with some knee-high boots and a black leather jacket.
Sleek: At the event held at the Sydney Town Hall, the brunette beauty's tresses had been slicked back into a chic ponytail
Rumours have been circulating as to whether the brunette beauty would become Australia's new Bachelorette, but Lana remained coy about whether she'd been approached for the role.
'I love a good rumour!' she giggled, 'You never know!'
While Lana wouldn't expand on the possibility of her returning to the dating show, she said she thought current Bachelor Richie Strahan will be 'great'.
It was just another idyllic sunny day in Los Angeles.
And proud parents Fergie and Josh Duhamel took full advantage of the perfect spring weather on Thursday and treated their little boy Axl to a play date in the park in Brentwood.
The singer, 41, was spotted walking hand-in-hand with her cherubic two-year-old as she put her envy-inducing legs on full display in a frayed pair of Daisy Dukes.
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Hey mama! Fergie put her toned legs on full show when she stepped out for a play date with her son Axl and husband Josh Duhamel in Brentwood on Thursday
TLC: Josh and Fergie snuggled up to each other as they took in the idyllic sunny day
The Where Is The Love? singer also had a stylish animal print scarf looped around her neck and a lightweight shirt tied around her waist.
With her long golden hued hair framing her face in loose waves, the hit maker looked breathtaking as she headed out with a natural streak of make-up on her face.
Ever prepared for the day ahead, Fergie also came equipped with a tote bag filled to the brim with the essentials.
Fergie's blue eyed boy wore a pair of black trousers with a tie-dye print along the pockets, a sweater, and bandanna wrapped around his neck.
Say my name: Duhamel had a name tag brandished upon his light blue top
His proud dad, 43, meanwhile, donned a dark blue beanie and even had a name tag on his light blue top.
While standing at the edge of the sandbox, the couple snuggled up and lovingly wrapped their arms around each other.
Fergie and Josh wed on January 10, 2009, at a vineyard in Malibu, California.
Toned and terrific! The Don't Lie singer donned a frayed pair of Daisy Dukes and a scoop neck tank which highlighted her gym-honed physique
Josh likes to spend as much father-son time with Axl as possible, and says that he intends to educate him about his dad's Midwestern roots in North Dakota.
Last summer, Josh traveled to the heartland in America, telling People: 'It was an opportunity for me to spend eight days with him just traveling around.
'I wanted to give him an idea of who I am. Where I'm from is part of me, so it's part of him, too.'
The actor also has two films completed that are due for release this year - Spaceman with Ernie Hudson and This Is Your Death opposite Fanke Janssen.
It was a beautiful Thursday in New York.
So a very pregnant Liv Tyler took advantage of the Spring sunshine as she was spotted leaving her home in the city.
The 38-year-old lifted her pale face to the light as she walked up the steps from the basement of her brown stone.
Enjoying the early light: A very pregnant Liv Tyler took advantage of the Spring sunshine as she was spotted leaving her home in New York on Thursday morning
The star of HBO's Leftovers was dressed in black from head to toe, covering her baby bump in a tunic with long bell sleeves and a keyhole split above her cleavage.
She teamed the garment with skinny jeans and black flat shoes decorated with a scalloped edge.
Her eyes were protected from the bright light with dark glasses and she threw a leather handbag over her shoulder and carried a leather tote and a coat, all black, of course, as she walked.
The Armageddon actress is expecting her second child with fiance David Gardner, 40, a British-born sports manager.
Letting her natural beauty shine: Weighed down with a coat and two leather bags, the 38-year-old lifted her pale face to the sunshine
Liv announced their happy news via Instagram on January 10.
The couple, who got engaged in December 2014, welcomed their first child, son Sailor Gene, on February 11, 2015.
Liv is also mother to 11-year-old son Milo with her ex-husband, British rocker Royston Langdon, while David has an eight-year-old son named Grey with his ex-wife Davinia Taylor.
Black is back: The star of HBO's Leftovers was dressed in black from head to toe, covering her baby bump in a tunic with bell sleeves and a keyhole above her cleavage, skinny jeans and flat shoes with a scalloped edge
Out and about: The Armageddon actress is expecting her second child with fiance David Gardner, 40, a British-born sports manager
Meanwhile, the beautiful brunette daughter of Aerosmith's Steve Tyler will next be seen on the big screen in Wildling.
Liv stars as small town sheriff Ellen Cooper who frees 16-year-old Anna, played by Bel Powley, from the room where she has spent her entire life under the care of a mysterious man she only knows as Daddy, played by Brad Dourif.
He makes her fear the 'outside' by telling her of the Wildling, a creature with sharp teeth and claws who roams around eating little children.
The fantasy horror is due out this year but a date has yet to be set.
Growing family: The couple, who got engaged in December 2014, welcomed their first child, son Sailor Gene, on February 11, 2015. They were spotted with the tot In New York on October 30
Sports mad: Liv and Dave, took her son Milo Langdon, sitting on her left, and Dave's son, Grey, sitting on her right, to the Brooklyn Nets vs New York Knicks basketball game at Madison Square Garden on April 1, 2015
Going places: The actress looked to be walking at a brisk pace when she arrived to LAX on Thursday
Bundled up: The Armageddon actress layered up in a dark blue coat
She's been soaking up the sun on her family holiday to Miami Beach.
And Tamara Beckwith was enjoying another day out on the beach as she joined her husband Giorgio Veroni and their two children for a day by the shore on Thursday.
Showing off her incredible bikini body in a ruffled black two-piece, the 46-year-old socialite seemed in good spirits as she ran along the beach, nipping between the sand and sea.
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Yummy mummy: Tamara Beckwith was enjoying another family day out on the beach in Miami as she scooped up son Vero to join her husband Giorgio Veroni and their children on Thursday
Slipping into a black bandeau top with matching ruffled bikini bottoms, the mum-of-two sported a healthy bronzed glow on her svelte frame.
Slicking her golden tresses away from her face she wore her glossy locks in a messy up-do that no doubt kept her cool as she ventured into the sea.
Wearing two delicate bracelets on her wrist, The Jump star finished off her look with a pair of gold mirrored aviators.
Beach body: Showing off her incredible bikini body in a ruffled black two-piece, the 46-year-old socialite seemed in good spirits as she ran along the shore, nipping between the sand and sea
Tan-tastic! Slipping into a black bandeau top with matching ruffled bikini bottoms, the mum-of-two sported a healthy bronzed glow on her svelte frame after soaking up the sun in her two-piece
Ensuring both her children were able to enjoy the sea safely, the blonde beauty carried her one-year-old son Vero through the waves, whilst Giorgio kept a watchful eye over six-year-old Violet.
Tamara also has a 27-year-old daughter, Anouska, from a previous relationship with her ex, William Gerhauser.
The socialite wed her Italian husband in Venice in August 2007, and revealed she did not expect to fall pregnant again with their youngest son.
Speaking to Hello! Magazine ahead of the birth of Vero, Tamara explained her shock at becoming a mum again in her mid-forties after having two miscarriages:
'When youve been lucky to have two gorgeous girls, I think you should just be grateful. I am quite matter-of-fact about those things; what will be, will be,' she said.
Blonde beauty: Slicking her golden tresses away from her face she wore her glossy locks in a messy up-do that no doubt kept her cool as she ventured into the sea with her son in her arms
Ensuring both her children were able to enjoy the sea safely, the blonde beauty stayed with Vero, whilst her husband Giorgio Veroni kept a watchful eye over six-year-old Violet as they played in the sea
Her miscarriages occurred at a time when her own mother Paula was ill with womb cancer and she died in 2011 at the age of 68.
Tamara said Anouska then considered her latest pregnancy to be a gift from Paula.
'She was like, "Its a gift from nanny", because mummys birthday was in November and the babys due date is 5 November,' said Tamara.
'Although they dont let you go full term at my age. Noushy was adamant it was the best thing for us.'
Criminal (15)
Verdict: CIA nonsense
Rating:
The title stands alone as a noun, but it could be deployed as an adjective, before 'waste of money', 'waste of time', or 'waste of talent'.
Which is a shame, because Israeli director Ariel Vromen did a decent job with his 2012 film The Iceman.
The title of this Kevin Costner film stands alone as a noun, but it could be deployed as an adjective, before 'waste of money', 'waste of time', or 'waste of talent', writes BRIAN VINER.
But this is an unremittingly silly, unnecessarily violent affair, with Kevin Costner in the title role as Jericho Stewart, an imprisoned psycho who is released so that the DNA of a dead CIA agent, Bill Pope (Ryan Reynolds), might be implanted in his brain by a gloomy scientist (Tommy Lee Jones, with much to be gloomy about).
The local CIA chief (Gary Oldman) wants Jericho, using the late, lamented Bill's memories and skills, to track down a fiend bent on world destruction.
Unfortunately, it takes him 113 minutes to do so.
All this takes place in London for absolutely no good reason except that the film-makers were offered tax incentives.
If only they had invested some of the money they saved on a better script, or at least one informed by some familiarity with England.
Costner's character at one point visits the 'London Public Library', a sure sign that the writers are American.
Despite The Falling Snow
Verdict: Feeble melodrama
Rating:
Cold War espionage, passion, treachery, lesbianism, vodka, Charles Dance...
It all sounds like a recipe for some kind of fun, but unfortunately Shamim Sarif's film, which she adapted from her own 2004 novel, is a hopelessly clunky melodrama.
Despite The Falling Snow sounds like a recipe for some kind of fun, but unfortunately Shamim Sarif's film, which she adapted from her own 2004 novel, is a hopelessly clunky melodrama
It flits endlessly between the early Nineties and the late Fifties, when an earnest Muscovite foreign ministry official called Alexander Ivanov (Sam Reid) falls in love with sparky Katya Grinkova (Rebecca Ferguson) and marries her, not knowing she is an American spy.
When he does find out, she persuades him to defect during a trade mission to New York, which he does, in the hope that she will join him, which she doesn't.
Thirty years later, Sam Reid has become Charles Dance, by now a wealthy businessman whose gay niece (also Ferguson) is not only a ringer for Katya, but wants to go to Moscow to unearth some family history, and there falls for a mysterious, sexy female journalist.
It's all very Mills & Boonsky, with plinky piano music and overwrought strings trying to do what the screenplay doesn't, and generate some excitement. Alas, that doesn't work either.
Animal Orphans (ITV)
Rating:
Thank heavens Paul O'Grady has stopped being so earnest for one moment. The man with the sharpest tongue on TV has gone all bleeding-heart on us in recent weeks, joining the Salvation Army and spending evenings on his knees, washing the feet of the homeless.
This weekend promises to get worse, when he flies to Athens on BBC1's Sally Army And Me to hand out food parcels to rivers of migrants. O'Grady, let's not forget, is the comedian who made his reputation as acid-tongued drag queen Lily Savage. Now he's like Larry Grayson with a Mother Teresa complex.
Paul O'Grady wasn't taking himself quite so seriously on Animal Orphans, on which he snuggled up on a sofa next to Archie the orang-utan, writes CHRISTOPHER STEVENS
But he wasn't taking himself quite so seriously on Animal Orphans (ITV). This frothy documentary on conservation work in Indonesia, tracking endangered green turtles and visiting orang-utan and gibbon sanctuaries, opened with a silly sketch set in 2045, at a 'Home for the Bewildered'.
An ancient O'Grady, his dentures falling out, snuggled up on a decrepit sofa next to his best mate, Archie the orang-utan actually a bloke in a half-hearted monkey suit. While Archie picked fleas off him, Paul moaned about how Coronation Street was all sex and violence these days. And then they settled down to watch Animal Orphans.
An hour later they were tucked up in bed like Laurel and Hardy... except Archie was reading a smutty magazine filled with pictures of Page Three primates. As a respite from all Paul's ponderous preachiness, it was quite welcome.
The main show opened at Englishwoman Sue Sheward's orang-utan rehab centre in Sepilok, Borneo, where infant apes often rescued from the pet trade are taught the jungle skills they will need to survive in the wild.
The main show opened at Englishwoman Sue Sheward's orang-utan rehab centre in Sepilok, Borneo
It's an immense challenge, because baby orang-utans rely so heavily on their mothers, and humans are such a poor substitute
It's an immense challenge, because baby orang-utans rely so heavily on their mothers, and humans are such a poor substitute. The staff can't even take off their facemasks, for fear of passing on infectious diseases.
But by sheer force of will, Sue (inspired by a visit to Gerald Durrell's zoo) has been able to nurture a number of apes to maturity and resettle them in the rainforest.
That's an incredible achievement, a testament to the power of one woman's determination and love for animals. Her work has featured on TV before, on the Animal Planet channel last year, but it's a shame that this mainstream documentary didn't show us much more of Sue's mission.
Instead, O'Grady wandered off to see turtles laying eggs in the sand, something that's been shown countless times before.
Natural World: Jungle Animal Hospital (BBC2)
Rating:
In Guatemala, another dauntless pair of animal-lovers were also rescuing orphans and teaching them to survive in the wild.
New Zealander Anna Bryant and her partner, vet Alejandro Morales, were working round the clock at a rescue centre in Guatemala, central America, in Natural World: Jungle Animal Hospital (BBC2).
Like Sue, they save many of their patients from the pet trade. Alejandro wept tears of anger as he described how baby macaws were snatched from nests by poachers and stuffed into plastic bags to be sold as pets in city markets. Inevitably, 80 per cent of the birds suffocate and die in transit.
New Zealander Anna Bryant and her partner, vet Alejandro Morales, were working round the clock at a rescue centre in Guatemala, central America, in Natural World: Jungle Animal Hospital
Another of their charges was a one-month-old spider monkey whose parents had been killed so the baby could be cooped up in a city apartment. The owners had become fed up of it within a few days. Returning that domesticated monkey to the wild will take five years.
STUPID IDEA OF THE WEEK Move over, Morse. Channel 5 has commissioned a 52-part crime series starring one of the most popular children's characters. Noddy, Toyland Detective, features Enid Blyton's little hero as a sleuth, with Big Ears as his Watson. What next master criminal Teletubbies? Advertisement
There was nothing soppy about this documentary, yet it was gut-wrenchingly sad such as Alejandro's struggle to make a rare potoo chick eat.
He was at his surgery at 6am on his day off, coaxing the bird, which is related to our nightjar.
'I dreamed it was dead,' he said. 'It was quite a hideous dream.' But for all his devoted care, the little bird did not survive.
Naomi Campbell is one of the hosts of amfAR's sixth annual Inspiration Gala Sao Paulo in Brazil.
The 45-year-old British supermodel certainly inspired interest on Thursday as she arrived to the organization's charity luncheon a day ahead of the main event.
Naomi showed off her slender form in a brilliantly green patterned blazer and trouser set over a white shirt dress held together by only one button.
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Green with envy: Naomi Campbell was the essence of sexy sophistication as she arrived to the amfAR charity luncheon in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Thursday
She wasn't shy about parading her toned stomach that could be seen whenever her blouse blew open.
The blouse featured long cuff sleeves that hung over the backs of her hands while black pink-buckled Gucci loafers
Naomi wore large-framed tinted shades that nearly touched the ends of her blunt bangs, and the rest of her long black hair fell in straight bands down her back and over her shoulders.
Cuff me: The 45-year-old British supermodel lent her outfit a racy appeal thanks to the long one-buttoned shirt dress with the long cuffs
Golden escort: Naomi strolled to the charity lunch with a female companion dressed in a shimmery gold frock
The 5 ft 10 cover girl - who participated in a racy Vogue Brazil shoot on Tuesday - emerged from a chauffeured car to the luncheon while swinging a chic handbag over her arm.
Meanwhile, her best friend and fellow top model Kate Moss was spotted heading to the luncheon too.
Kate was wearing a simple black top with scoop neckline and dark shades as she was whisked to the venue in a light blue Ford Bronco.
Travelling in style: Kate Moss was driven to the luncheon in a blue Ford Bronco
Supporter: The English model is one of amfAR's biggest supporters and a friend of Naomi's
Friday's Inspiration Gala gets top priority among the fashion-watchers which Naomi will host alongside Riccardo Tisci, Dinho and Felipe Diniz.
One of the highlights will be a tribute to amfAR supporters Kate Moss, Dsquared2 designers Dean Caten and Dan Caten, and fashion mogul Carlos Jereissati Filho.
In addition to a black-tie dinner, the event will include a live auction and special performances by Latin superstars Ricky Martin and Ivete Sangalo.
amfAR and Josh Wood Productions initiated the Inspiration events to celebrate men's style and fashion, and raise money for the Foundation's AIDS research programs.
To date, the Inspiration galas have generated more than $26 million so far.
She's had a difficult few years since her fiance Luke Hunt began serving jail time for causing the death of an elderly grandfather in a car crash in 2012.
But Australian model Samantha Harris claims she's looking forward to Luke's release from prison this month - almost two years after he was sentenced for the fatal incident in northern Sydney.
The 25-year-old told Channel Sevens Daily Edition on Friday: 'I'm very happy to have my partner coming home soon.'
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Back together: Samantha Harris (right) has spoken of her joy ahead of fiance Luke Hunt's (left) prison release; in 2014 he was sentenced to a maximum of four years in prison for dangerous driving occasioning death
Homecoming: The Australian model said she's 'happy' while admitting the situation is 'bittersweet'
Samantha was in the passenger seat on the fateful day in May 2012 when her partner sped through a red light in Narraweena, causing a crash that killed Kenneth Lay, 78.
And in May 2014, Luke pleaded guilty to dangerous driving occasioning death at Downing Centre District Court and was sentenced to a maximum of four years in prison.
But nearly two years later, as his release day approaches, Samantha has admitted her joy at seeing her partner again - but admits it is a 'bittersweet situation' due to the tragic circumstances.
Reflecting: Samantha is 'happy' about her partner's release from prison but admits 'a tragic thing... happened'
Life lessons: Speaking to Daily Edition on Friday, Samantha said: 'There are ups and downs with life but you have to take the good with the bad'
'Obviously, I feel for Mr Lay's family,' she told Daily Edition. 'It's a bittersweet situation.
'It's one of those situations where, you know, I'm happy but it's a tragic thing that's happened.'
But the runway model had some words of advice for people going through a tough time.
'It's not forever,' she said. 'There are ups and downs with life but you have to take the good with the bad and not everyone's life is perfect.'
She previously told The Daily Telegraph of her 'incredibly traumatic couple of years' between the fatal crash and Luke's sentencing.
'I am beyond devastated with what has happened and for the Lay family,' she said at the time.
Sleek in black: Stepping out at Sydney's Town Hall, the 25-year-old runway sensation stunned in a sleek black dress which showed off her petite figure perfectly
Flaunting it: Finishing well above the knees, Samantha's mini frock revealed a generous glimpse of her trim pins, while the fitted number certainly hugged her figure in all of the right places
'It is still so raw, having lost my partner. I need time to process and get used to not having him in my life for now.'
Samantha - who became engaged to Luke in December 2010 - has since rarely spoken publicly about the couple's status.
But she has been pictured wearing her engagement ring while her partner has been behind bars.
Meanwhile, Samantha was suitably dressed to impress when she arrived at the YSL Beauty Night Out on Thursday.
Attention to detail: Cut-out detailing was featured across her ample decolletage
Stepping out at Sydney's Town Hall, the leggy brunette stunned in a sleek black dress which showed off her petite figure perfectly.
Finishing well above the knees, Samantha's mini frock revealed a generous glimpse of her trim pins, while the fitted number certainly hugged her figure in all of the right places.
Cut-out detailing was featured across her decolletage and a racier design at the back gave the ensemble a very edgy touch.
A pair of black open-toed heels accentuated her model height, while she completed her accessories with a matching black clutch.
Stepping onto the pink carpet at the exclusive event, the Indigenous model worked her best angles for the cameras.
Bringing sexy back: A racier design at the back gave the ensemble a very edgy touch
Her dark tresses were pulled back in a tight bun, while a slick of luscious pink lipstick completed her picture perfect look.
No doubt stoked to be at the star-studded soiree, Samantha took to Instagram with a photo of herself at the event, along with the caption: 'tonight's @yslbeauty Launch such an amazing event #yslbeautynightout #blackopium (sic)'.
There was a very fashionable crowd in attendance on the night, in celebration of the brand's latest lipstick.
The star-studded guest list included the likes of Jodi Anasta, Gemma Ward, Lisa Clark and Erin Holland.
They are one of Hollywood's most inseparable couples.
So it's perhaps unsurprising that Pierce Brosnan cut a romantic figure with his beloved wife, Keely Shaye Smith, on Thursday afternoon.
The married couple stepped out hand-in-hand as they enjoyed a shopping spree in downtown Los Angeles.
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Loved-up: Pierce Brosnan cut a romantic figure with beloved wife, Keely Shaye Smith, on Thursday afternoon
Typically dapper, the Irish actor, 62, was on fine sartorial form as he sported a pair of fitted jeans with a baby blue shirt, which he wore open to the chest.
Dressing it down with a pair of plimsolls, he capped the look with a pair of designer sunglasses and some designer stubble.
Sweeping his grey hair back in his classic style, he looked impossibly handsome and much younger than his years.
Handsome: Typically dapper, the Irish actor, 62, was on fine sartorial form as he sported a pair of fitted jeans with a baby blue shirt, which he wore open to the chest
So close: Walking hand-in-hand, the pair - who have been married for 15 years - were as inseparable as ever as they indulged in their shopping spree
Meanwhile, Keely was equally well-dressed in a cream dress which featured a textured, waffle-effect fabric which oozed casual class.
Sleeveless, the seasonal number allowed her to showcase her Californian tan - which she helped flaunt with the knee-length hemline.
Keeping it summer, she added a pair of tan-coloured sandals and a diamond necklace.
Looking good: Keely was equally well-dressed in a cream dress which featured a textured, waffle-effect fabric which oozed casual class
They've got that loving feeling! The long-term pair remain one of Hollywood's most romantic couples
Walking hand-in-hand, the pair - who have been married for 15 years - were as inseparable as ever as they indulged in some retail therapy.
Years later, the star is clearly still in awe of his wife and hardly left her side.
'I love her vitality, her passion,' he told the Independent in March, last year. 'She has this strength that I wouldn't be able to live without. When Keely looks at me, I go weak.'
Meanwhile, it's been announced that Pierce is set to star in an adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's novel Across the River and Into the Trees.
Together: The pair, who have been married for 15 years, were inseparable as they indulged in retail therapy
Suits you! The Irish star browses a range of designer sunglasses in downtown Beverly Hills
The GoldenEye actor has joined forces with director Martin Campbell to bring the American author's best-selling 1950 book to the big screen.
Written in Venice during Hemingway's first visit to Italy, the story revolves around ageing Colonel Richard Cantwell who serves in the European country after World War II and who is dying of heart disease.
Filming is due to start in October and Oscar-nominated Michael Radford and BAFTA winner Peter Flannery have adapted the script.
The former James Bond star and Campbell have previously teamed up on GoldenEye.
She regularly gushes over her baby son on social media.
But Michelle Bridges took time out to share a snap of another adorable youngster on Friday.
The 45-year-old shared a throwback image of herself as a toddler in her mother's arms, excitedly telling fans that she could see a likeness between herself and her son in the shot.
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Throwback: Michelle Bridges shared this image of herself as a baby in her mother's arms on Instagram on Friday
Michelle shared the snap to herald her forthcoming appearance on ABC's Australian Story, writing: 'Feel pretty humbled to have been asked to be on ABC Australian Story this Monday night 8pm.
'They have been filming me for a while now, I'm a bit nervous but I'm sure it will be a bit of fun to watch
'That's mum and me. I think I can see a bit of Axel there.'
In the image Michelle is seen offering a sweet smile for the camera as she clutches on to her mother's neck.
New role: The beauty noted a resemblance between herself as a child and her new son, Axel (seen above together)
She is wearing a white and yellow striped t-shirt and boasts thick strands of strawberry blond hair.
Michelle will feature in the popular show later this week. Promoting the episode, the network said: 'For the first time on TV Michelle Bridges and her family talk about her becoming a mum at 45, her relationship with 'Commando' Steve Willis and taking on the junk food industry.
'The program traces Bridges' remarkable journey as the daughter of a broken home in working class Newcastle who last year was named on the BRW list of Australia's richest self-made women.'
Reflecting on what motivated her career in the past she has told of launching her fitness mission as a teenager at school.
Doting: Axel is Michelle's first baby with her partner, Commando 'Steve' Willis, seen above together last year
Mission: Michelle, who is Australia's undisputed queen of fitness, will feature in a forthcoming episode of Australian Story on ABC
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph last year she said: 'I started doing what I do in 1984 as a 14 year-old.
'It wasnt because I saw pretty pictures of fitness models on Instagram or because I thought I could become well known or famous and world domination was definitely not in my scope. My reason was simple.
'It was, at that point, to help give back all the amazing confidence and abilities that my sport had given me to kids at my school who were missing out on sport.'
The beauty welcomed her first child with partner Steve 'Commando' Willis in December after striking up a relationship on The Biggest Loser.
Real Housewives of Melbourne (RHOM) star Gina Liano has slammed her fellow cast member Gamble Beaux for lying in a recent interview on Nova's Fitzy & Wippa.
The former model and art curator told the radio show on Tuesday morning that the Real Housewives of Beverley Hills - in particular, Lisa Vanderpump - had labelled their RHOM counterparts 'stalkers' for showing up at the same venue in Dubai.
But on Thursday, Gina told the Daily Mail Australia that Gamble's on air revelations were 'absolutely not true'.
Drama: Real Housewives of Melbourne (RHOM) star Gina Liano has slammed her fellow cast member Gamble Beaux for lying in a recent radio interview claiming the Beverly Hills Housewives called them 'stalkers'
'Gamble wasn't there when she was quoting Lydia,' the 49-year-old confessed.
'I think Gamble gets an excitable imagination. I've heard her on more than one occasion not wanting to ruin a good story for the truth. She does like to embellish.
'I don't know if it's part of her humour or what it is, but she definitely takes things and puts a different spin on them,' she added.
Gina went onto explain the situation, saying Lydia had crossed paths with the Beverly Hills women who had also been filming in Dubai.
Scandal: Gina said she and her fellow co-stars were shocked by Gamble's revelations
'What happened was that we had a private function up stairs at the Palms...and Lydia had a girlfriend of hers visiting,' the mother-of-two revealed to the Daily Mail Australia.
'Lydia was walking her [her friend] out and it was about 11 O'clock at night, and the Beverly Hills Housewives were just arriving back from the desert. They had been filming out there. Lydia actually said "hello" to them all and Lisa Vanderpump saw her she said "hi".
'Lydia said, "how are you going?". She was pleasant. Lisa actually asked, "Is Gina here?". Lydia said, "yes, she is up stairs". And Lisa said, "send her my love". When Lydia came up stairs she told me that.
'And Kyle [RHOBH co-star] invited us back to her room from what I understand.'
Holiday cheer: The RHOM cast members filmed the Dubai trip last year and the episode aired on Sunday
Rubbish: Lisa was accused, by Gamble, of calling Gina a 'stalker'
Clearing the air: Lisa Vanderpump took to Twitter to clear up the alleged incident
Gina - who has her own book, as well as a shoe, perfume and jewellery line - went on to add the blonde beauty had taken a swipe at her on more than one occasion on social media and in articles.
'She told people that I was dying and caused a lot of distress and that is another example of exaggerating a story,' she said.
'I had one of my stylist burst into tears. She actually thought I was dying in hospital in Sydney and they were all worrying.
'She then said that Rick saved my life. I don't know how an eye surgeon saved my life. It stemmed from a message to her saying that I wasn't well.'
Professional posers! The busty pair posed with fellow co-star Lydia Schiavello, 47, in front of a fountain in what appeared to be their hotel
Gushing: The criminal barrister Tweeted back at Lisa, saying: 'Love you too honey'
Lisa Vanderpump was also quick to clear the alleged incident up with fans via Twitter.
'Love Gina, we have met after I supported her thru brutal season [sic],' she told fans.
Gamble's version of events included an alleged confrontation between both teams of Housewives franchises.
'Both of us were in Dubai, at the same time as the Beverly Hills girls,' she told Fitzy & Wippa.
Claws are out: The mother-of-two said the blonde beauty had taken a swipe at her on more than one occasion on social media and in articles
More stories: Gina revealed to the Daily Mail Australia that Gamble had 'told people that I was dying and caused a lot of distress and that is another example of exaggerating a story'
She then added: 'When we were in Dubai, Beverly Hills called us "stalkers".'
'The hotel must have sent a shout out to Real Housewives franchises and got both there at the same time', Gamble explained.
The former art consultant said Lydia Schiavello was the first one on the receiving end of the insult, before Lisa Vanderpump took a shot at Gina Liano.
'Lydia was saying goodbye to one of her friends at 3am, and apparently when they [the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast] were coming into the hotel they thought that she'd been sitting outside the hotel waiting for them all night, which she hadn't.'
Gamble continued: 'So she got called a stalker. Then Gina said hello to Lisa Vanderpump, who she has met before at her restaurant, and she got called a "stalker".'
The 44-year-old has since gone onto her Twitter to apologise to her co-star and Lisa, saying: 'Sorry Lisa and Gina my mistake! I was caught up in the gossip mill and shouldn't have repeated it! My sincere apologies!'
Professor Green has posted an emotional tribute to his father, who took his own life eight years ago.
The musician, real name Stephen Manderson, posted a childhood photo on Instagram on Friday, writing a heartfelt message in the caption for his dad Peter.
Pro Green, 32, spoke out on his family's history with mental illness in a BBC documentary last year, where he opened up about his relationship with his father.
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Loss: Professor Green has posted an emotional tribute to his father, who took his own life eight years ago, sharing a childhood photo on Instagram
The rapper's Instagram photo shows him as a toddler with his father in the family's living room.
Alongside the snap, he wrote: '8yrs ago it all got a bit too much for you. I still love you more than anything dad.'
The star, who recently split from his wife Millie Mackintosh, revealed last year that his 2013 wedding day was heartbreaking as neither of his parents were at the ceremony, while his bride's whole family was supporting her.
Remembering him: Alongside the snap, the rapper wrote: '8yrs ago it all got a bit too much for you. I still love you more than anything dad'
The rapper, who was mostly raised by his grandmother Patricia, opened up about his family tragedy and the importance of suicide prevention in an interview with the Radio Times last October to promote his documentary Professor Green: Suicide And Me.
He told the publication: 'My wedding was so hard. Millie had her whole family there and its not something I begrudged her but it made it obvious.
'I didnt have my mum there because we werent talking. Fine, that was a decision I made, but I didnt have my dad there because he couldnt be and I wanted nothing more.'
Close: Pro Green, 32, spoke out on his family's history with mental illness in a BBC3 documentary last year, where he opened up about his relationship with his father Peter
Pro Green was shocked to discover that his father's side of the family has a history of mental health issues since his uncle had also committed suicide.
Asked whether he worried it was hereditary, the rapper replied: 'Definitely. Irrespective of my dad not bringing me up I worry whether theres a life event thats going to push me towards it.
'But I dont think Id do it. Theres times when Ive been incredibly anxious and its felt inescapable but Ive never felt that [suicidal]. But Ive learnt to take care of myself.'
BBC Three documentary, Professor Green: Suicide And Me.
He also admitted he's been seeing a therapist for the past year in a bid to voice his feelings since almost four times more men kill themselves in the UK each year than women.
Bittersweet: The star, who recently split from his wife Millie Mackintosh, revealed last year that his 2013 wedding day was heartbreaking as neither of his parents were at the ceremony
Revealing that it was a difficult decision to seek professional help, Pro Green explained: 'I had a psychiatrist when I was a kid, and a social worker, and I hated both.
'I felt so stupid when I first sat down but then the tears came and it was the security of being somewhere where I wasnt going to be judged.'
The rapper is passionate about helping break the stigma surrounding male mental health and hopes his story will inspire others to speak out.
'Sometimes men do pluck up the courage to explain to someone how theyre feeling and the person just says, "Come on, have a drink, pull yourself together",' he said.
'[Your brain is] the single most important part of your body and the one thing we really need to learn to take care of.'
Important work: The star spoke out on the importance of suicide prevention in his BBCThree documentary Professor Green: Suicide And Me
She's the perfect model for her own flourishing swimwear range.
And Kimberley Garner proved exactly why she's the ideal poster girl for her brand as she writhed around flirtatiously in the sun-kissed climes of Malibu, California on Friday, wearing a tiny Pocahontas inspired swimsuit.
The 26-year-old beauty showed off her trim and toned figure in the high-rise swimwear piece, which featured an extreme plunge down to her Western belted waistline.
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Teasing fans: Kimberley Garner writhed around flirtatiously on Instagram wearing a tiny Pocahontas inspired swimsuit in sun-kissed Malibu, California on Friday
Blowing a kiss to her 48.4k followers, the former Made in Chelsea beauty began dancing in the skimpy attire, which also boasted a knotted tie detail at the neck.
Captioning the video, '#behindthescenes fooling around swimsuit KimberleyLondon.com', she seemed over the moon at her surroundings.
In another picture shared shortly after, Kimberley donned a white bikini while posing seductively in a large field.
Her luscious blonde mane was the picture of perfection and she looked every inch the beachy Californian girl thanks to her natural glowing make-up look.
Stunning figure: The 26-year-old beauty showed off her trim and toned figure as she donned the thigh-high swimwear piece, which featured an extreme plunge down to her Western belted waist
Constant smile: Blowing a kiss to her 48.4k followers, the former Made in Chelsea beauty began dancing gleefully, flashing a never-ending grin in the skimpy attire
White hot: In another picture shared shortly after, she donned another sultry white bikini as she posed seductively in a large field, with a photographer capturing her fine form.
At the end of last month, the E4 star jetted off to the Caribbean to model a scanty jungle-inspired two-piece showing off her famously perky posterior in a pair of tiny bottoms that featured a little gold disk, synonymous with her collection.
Although, the former reality star has been capturing her visions in a series of sunny destinations, she is extremely passionate about keeping her designs British.
'It's always been important to me that we support the incredible talent here in the UK.
'I've built such strong relationships with teams here and our pieces truly are the Best of British,' she spoke her brand, which she launched in 2013.
Stunner: Her luscious blonde mane was the picture of perfection, as she looked every inch the beachy Californian girl with her natural glowing make-up look
British pride: Although, the former reality star has been capturing her visions in a series of sunny destinations, she is extremely passionate about keeping her designs British
The rise of her business hasn't come without its downfalls though.
In 2013 she ran into legal trouble when underwear giant Agent Provocateur took Kimberley to court, accusing the willowy blonde of stealing one of their swimwear designs.
According to the underwear retailer, which was founded in 1994, Kimberley's swimwear label, Kimberley London, was selling a bikini that was too similar to one of its own best-sellers.
Whilst she has been hard at work engaging in a number of modelling shoots, she has also been enjoying her down time in the States.
Natural beauty: Former Made In Chelsea beauty Kimberley Garner looked incredible as she showed off her post-hike glow on Wednesday
The beauty displayed her trim and toned figure in a tiny black sports bra and matching Lycra shorts as she worked up a sweat on her afternoon hike earlier this week.
The star's fitness efforts are clearly working since she looked incredible in her gym gear, revealing her pert posterior as she cast a sultry look over one shoulder.
The leggy blonde and her pals posed for several videos, including dancing as they perched in the branches of a tree and playing around on a tyre swing.
Working up a sweat: Kimberley posted, 'Sun kissed, scruffy and sweaty from the hike - homeward bound #Malibu'
Sporty star: Kimberley swears by ballet and Pilates to keep her long and lean figure
She credits barre and ballet to keeping herself in shape and also enjoys eating healthy.
Revealing her diet secrets, Kimberley told WomenFitness.net: 'Its so important that girls eat right, but not worry too much about it. I have started loving Green Juice as an alternative to coffee, its made up of lots of healthy green vegetables.
'I have always had a real sweet tooth, I love my sweet treats and feel that life is too short to not enjoy yourself occasionally.'
Maisie Williams let her clean cut image slide this week as she opened up about her sexuality.
Discussing being in love and whether or not she'll choose to marry, the 19-year-old Game Of Thrones star said she could relate to people who 'fall in love with personalities and not genders.'
Former child star Maisie offsets a very mature interview with a youthful fashion photoshoot as she covers NYLON magazine this month.
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Mature: Maisie Williams combines a youthful photoshoot with a mature interview as she covers NYLON magazine's Young Hollywood issue
She told the magazine: 'I've never sat up and thought about my sexuality for hours. It's like what [fellow actress] Shailene Woodley said: "I fall in love with personalities and not people or genders."
'I have no problem with anyone who would want to be labeled, but I also think that it is no one's business.'
Maisie previously revealed that she had a secret, non-famous boyfriend in September 2015, saying now that she feels like she is 'in love.'
She continued: 'I met him at school. He's really sweet I feel like I'm in love right now, but I don't know what I am going to feel like down the line.
Playful: She's dressed in bright, fun and young colours for a new fashion-forward shoot
Getting candid: But the 19-year-old had something to say about her sexuality that may have surprised fans
Getting silly: While acting playfully, she candidly told the magazine that she is in love but doesn't believe in marriage
Growing up: She appears on the cover wearing just her briefs, it seems
'That's why I am kind of closed-minded about marriageI don't even know if I want to get married.'
Maisie unleashes her playful persona in the new fashion editorial for the Young Hollywood issue, looking fun and vibrant in bright colours and pulled up socks.
But some fans of the Arya Stark actress, who began her career on the HBO series at 14 years old, will be surprised to see a more sultry side to the star.
In the cover image, the brunette appears to be dressed in just her white undergarments with a preppy sweatshirt, and in another fun shot, she flashes her white briefs in a lace skirt.
Maisie admits in the interview that she's constantly battling her clean-cut image, saying: 'When I step out with a shorter skirt on, or a little bit more makeup, people say, "What's happening?" But this is what I do in everyday life. It's who I am.'
Feeling impassioned, she continued: 'Honestly, this industry [Hollywood] frightens meit scares me seeing people who are evil. No, not evil. But seeing people change. Seeing what this industry has done to me, and then having to pull it all back again.
Kooky: With pulled up socks, the Game Of Thrones actress appeared to be having some fun with fashion
Dream role: She discussed her delight at landing her dream role and not wanting to settle for less
'I am very happy with who I am, and people always say, "Don't change," but no one ever intentionally changes. It is frightening.'
The television star's next project is a big screen feature, The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, for which she attended the premiere on Thursday night.
Maisie said: 'I'm so grateful that the first job I ever landed taught me to never take a role that was "less". I've had the opportunity to play a lot of actors' dream roleI don't want to ever settle.'
Read the full interview with Maisie Williams in May 2016 issue of NYLON, on sale April 24, 2016.
Grateful: Unleashing some of her young side, the GoT star talks about 'evil' Hollywood
Dealing with life: Maisie reflects on everything from growing up in the public eye to sexuality to the complexities of fanship
Style queen Stella McCartney continued to reign supreme, despite the fact she had just stepped off a long-haul flight from Los Angeles, when she was pictured arriving at Heathrow Airport in London on Friday afternoon.
The English fashion designer cut a casually cool figure as she worked a denim one-piece for the 10-hour plus journey.
Stella, 44, looked like the ultimate chic jet-setter as she made a low-key arrival to Terminal 5, wheeling a designer suitcase behind her.
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Jet-setting chic: Style queen Stella McCartney continued to reign supreme as she was pictured arriving at Heathrow Airport in London on Friday afternoon
She swamped her svelte figure somewhat by slipping on a denim boiler suit, featuring turned-up jeans, zip details and two large trouser pockets.
Stella styled the comfy jumpsuit with a pair of white gum-sole buckle-shoes while a pair of classic sunglasses provided her with some coverage.
The mother-of-four was the picture of serene beauty with pale make-up tones and generously-applied highlighter intensifying her model good looks.
Off-duty uniform: Stella, 44, cut a casually cool figure in a denim boiler suit, featuring turned-up jeans and zip details, for her long-haul flight from LA to her hometown
Her best foot forward: The English fashion designer sported some statement footwear - white gum-soled buckle shoes
Stella extended her low-key theme to her hairstyle, pulling her glossy auburn locks into a sweeping mid-height ponytail.
She maintained a steely expression as she calmly made her way to her waiting car.
The daughter of The Beatles singer Paul McCartney and his late wife Linda had been across the pond attending to business.
Bags of style: Stella wheeled a designer suitcase behind her while some high-end shades provided her with some coverage
Stella and her brand held a launch in event Dallas, Texas, and she also put in an appearance at the annual H.E.A.R.T. Brunch on in Los Angeles, California, on Thursday.
She took to the podium at the charity event where Leona Lewis, Melissa Rivers, Astrid Heppenstall Heger, Cio Soler and Olivia Culpo were among attendees.
The annual gathering, hosted by the Violence Intervention Program, is a fundraiser to help with the organisation's mission of protecting and treating all victims of family violence and sexual assault.
H.E.A.R.T. stands for 'helping ease abuse related trauma' and members of the organisation pay a minimum of $1K per year to fund client services.
The money raised then allows clinicians to meet the needs of children and their families who are affected by abuse.
She married in a New Years Eve ceremony at Cardiff Castle just a few months ago.
But now Alex Jones, who is 39, has revealed she feels under mounting pressure to conceive her first child after discovering her own mother went through the menopause at 43.
It could mean the BBC One Show presenter has only a small window in which to have a baby with husband Charlie Thomson.
She bravely spoke about her fertility yesterday and said it had now dawned on her that the clock is truly ticking.
Her mother made the bombshell revelation after Miss Jones got married fearing that bringing it up earlier would have caused her additional stress. The presenter said the news came as a shock and that she now believes I have a five year window potentially to get this done.
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No idea: One Show presenter Alex Jones, 39, has revealed she was unaware trying to conceive in her late 30s could be problematic until she married her partner last December
Although she adores her job in television she said that for her it is not more important than a family.
Believing there is a lack of information for women in her position and that the process is a murky pond she has set about making a BBC documentary on fertility, which will air in the coming months.
As part of that she took an NHS test to assess her own fertility which made her realise she and Mr Thomson, an insurance broker, need to address this really quickly.
Revealing how her mother had told her she had been through the menopause early, she said: I was having a conversation with Mum and my sister Jen about the show and mum dropped it really casually into conversation.
She said Yeah because I started the menopause at 43 and she was cutting Victoria sponge at the time. I said What do you mean? and she said Well I started going through the menopause at 43. It didnt matter for mum because she had me and Jen a lot, lot younger. I said Mum, why didnt you say? and she said Well what was the point Al? You hadnt met somebody that you wanted to start a family with and it would have just caused stress.
Of course she was right, however. That was a shock and nonetheless I have a five year window potentially to get this done.
Living in the moment: The Welsh star admitted she and husband Charlie Thompson hadn't begun trying for a baby just yet
She said her sister had been told at the age of 25 that she would never be able to have a baby but now has two healthy children. Speaking about the pressure she has felt to have a baby, she said: To give you a bit of background, we got married on New Years Eve and literally two days later the first person said So when are you going to have a baby? And I was like Shut up.
I just think that women should support women and we all know that it can be tough and its a really dangerous question I think to ask anybody over the age of 30.
Its a very personal question anyway and men dont get asked and it puts more and more pressure on us to procreate when sometimes its not that simple.
During the course of filming the documentary she tried alternative remedies like acupuncture, reflexology and even an 80 womb massage with castor oil.
Yesterday, speaking at a Fertility Health Summit organised by The British Fertility Society, Miss Jones who is from Carmarthenshire in Wales called for more information for women. She said learning how to preserve your fertility should be taught to girls in schools along with safe sex classes. She said otherwise girls end up where I am now.
She said doctors were often embarrassed to discuss conception problems and she criticised her own, otherwise lovely GP, for not advising her to stop taking the contraceptive pill sooner to allow more time for her body to settle down.
Opening up yesterday about her own experience, she said: Like most girls I spent my 20s and most of my 30s not wanting to get pregnant. That was the mission, wasnt it?
Strong words: Alex also criticised the lack of action taken by those in the NHS to ask about family planning, and educate patients about IVF and fertility
Calling for change: Alex said there was a lack of information available to young women, calling the topic 'a bit of a murky pond'
And then its just like Bonnie Tylers Total Eclipse of The Heart and the day arrives and then you go, Gosh, maybe we should have a baby.
And then obviously you are faced with quite a complicated potential process and I didnt feel that I had any information whatsoever.
The star has also criticised the IVF postcode lottery which means the area a couple live in can affect how many cycles they are entitled to on the NHS. In her home county of Carmarthenshire, women are entitled to two rounds of IVF and three if they have served in the Armed Forces. However, in West London, where she lives now, women are only entitled to one round of IVF and they must meet a strict set of criteria.
She has a body that many women would kill for.
And Sylvia Jeffreys showed off her svelte figure as she attended the Black Tie Bingo charity event at the Royal International Convention Centre, in Brisbane, on Friday evening.
The Today show co-host stunned in a brightly coloured Ginger and Smart gown which included circular cut-outs over either shoulder and a belt around the waist.
'Two fat ladies': Sylvia Jeffreys flaunted her slender figure alongside dapper looking Nova radio host Tim Blackwell as the pair attended the Black Tie Bingo event in Brisbane, raising $85,000 for youth causes
The slender beauty, who hails from Brisbane, styled her luscious blonde locks into a trendy bun.
She added thick lashings of mascara to make her blue eyes pop, while applying a light touch of rouge to her naturally rosy cheeks and a layer of pink gloss to her perfect pout.
She accessorised her look with a simple silver ring to keep the striking dress the main focus on the night.
Congratulations: Sylvia congratulated fellow Nine network journalist Melissa Downes on her work with the non-for-profit organisation, Youngcare
The Channel Nine journalist took to her Instagram on two separate occasions throughout the evening to keep her 71,800 followers updated on her movements.
In the first picture, Sylvia cuddled up to Kate, Tim & Marty drive-time co-host, Tim Blackwell.
Tim put on a dapper display in a sleek black suit, white button-up shirt and a matching black tie for the event.
The 29-year-old captioned the upload: 'Two fat ladies (88) ready to roll.'
In the next snap, Sylvia wrapped her arms around fellow Nine network journalist Melissa Downes.
Fund raiser: The 29-year-old took a close-up snap of herself rocking a white T-shirt as part of Witchery's White shirt campaign, which raises funds for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF)
Nailed it: Sylvia flaunted her svelte figure in a metallic gown with a plunging neckline at the 57th annual Logie Awards
Melissa hosted the charity event which raised more than $85,000 for the non-for-proft organisation, Youngcare.
Sylvia congratulated the brunette beauty on her ongoing work with the organisation, saying: 'One last squeeze with @9melissadownes before she sets off on her epic adventure across the Simpson Desert with @youngcareoz.
'Was a wild night & raised $85,000 for young Australians with high care needs. Love your work, Meliss,' she added exuberantly.
Days earlier, Sylvia took a closeup snap of herself rocking a white T-shirt as part of Witchery's White shirt campaign which raises funds for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.
She wrote alongside the picture: 'The @witcheryfashion #whiteshirtcampaign launches tomorrow in partnership with @ocrf.
'The range is beautiful and, most importantly, 100% of gross proceeds go to ovarian cancer research.'
She launched her own swimwear line after she grew tired of donning bathing suits that didn't fit her ample bust.
And Billie Faiers proved to be her own best advert as she slipped into a bright neon bikini from her InTheStyle range for a sizzling Instagram selfie on Thursday.
Flaunting her hourglass curves, The Only Way Is Essex star, 26, showcased her ample assets in the skimpy top, while the tiny briefs hugged her pert posterior.
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Beach body: Billie Faiers proved to be her own best advert for her swimwear line as she slipped into a bright neon bikini from her InTheStyle range for a sizzling Instagram selfie on Thursday
Sporting a healthy bronzed glow, the mum-of-one placed her hand on her hip, drawing attention to her impeccably toned abs, whilst her golden tresses framed her heart-shaped face.
Treating her fans to another sizzling offering, she also showed off her ample cleavage in a patterned halter jumpsuit, another garment from her new collection.
The fitted one-piece is clearly a favourite of the star's as she also wore it earlier this month as she joined fellow reality stars Charlotte Crosby and Alexandra 'Binky' Felstead at the Sanctum Soho Hotel in London for a photoshoot.
Like Billie, Geordie Shore's Charlotte and Made In Chelsea's Binky also have their own ranges with online retailer InTheStyle.
See TOWIE updates as Billie Faiers flaunts her cleavage in sexy Instagram selfie
Jump to it! Treating her fans to another sizzling offering, she also showed off her ample cleavage in a patterned halter jumpsuit, another garment from her new collection
Billie launched her first clothing range with InTheStyle last November, with her swimwear collection also coming out this month.
The star's photoshoot came as she is currently starring in the 17th series of TOWIE on ITVBe.
Although Billie is joined on-screen by her toddler daughter Nelly, although her fiance Greg Shepherd prefers to remain off-camera.
All change: The mother-of-one arrived at the InTheStyle photoshoot at London's Sanctum Soho Hotel on Tuesday in a sexy patterned jumpsuit which hugged her bombshell curves
From the catwalk to the pavement: The 26-year-old strutted her stuff as she showcased her latest designs for her fashion range
The former glamour model and Greg, 29, who started dating in 2012, got engaged on holiday in the Maldives in February 2014 while Billie was pregnant with Nelly.
However, Billie recently revealed they're in no rush to tie the knot and want to have a second child first.
She told Closer magazine last month: 'I'm so ready for a second now and I don't want too big a gap between Nelly and our next baby so I need to get going now. Greg and I have decided we'll get married after we have another baby, we think it'll be nice to have both children at our wedding.
'Then, in a few years, we might think about having a third - three is a nice number.'
Here come the girls: Billie was joined by fellow reality stars Charlotte Crosby and Alexandra 'Binky' Felstead, who also have their own fashion ranges
Girlie: Billie later went for a more feminine look in a maxi, which was slashed-to-the-thigh
She has been embroiled in a sexting scandal with married presenter Vernon Kay.
But Rhian Sugden seemed to defiantly brush any controversy aside as she posted yet another revealing lingerie snap to her Twitter page on Friday.
The Page 3 Model stunned in a plunging black lace bra and matching knickers which she complemented with suspenders and a slick of vampy scarlet lipstick.
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Lovely in lace: Page 3 model Rhian Sugden showcased her toned figure as she posed in black lingerie on Friday
Her ample assets and enviably toned stomach were fully on show as she posed in the revealing snap.
The blonde beauty wore her long blonde locks in a sleek side-ponytail, while her deep parting was slicked to her face.
Emphasizing her peepers with lashings of mascara and a smoky sweep of charcoal eye shadow, she wrote alongside the shot: Finished photies for today! Here's another sneaky peek from #bts'.
And showing her penchant for revealing selfies, she shared another behind the scenes snap as she prepped for a lingerie shoot in Krakow, Poland on Thursday,
Rhian posed in nothing but a pair of red lace knickers as the finishing touches to her barely-there look were completed.
Working nine to five: Rhian is putting her sext scandal with Vernon Kay behind her as she heads back to work, sharing another behind the scenes look at her lingerie shoot the previous day
Rhian covers her ample assets with one hand as she snaps the selfie in the mirror.
Meanwhile an assistant is seen adjusting the model's underwear, while it looks like she has already had her stint in the hair and makeup chair as she rocks voluminous curls and glam eyeliner.
'Tweaked #obsessivelingerie #poland #bts,' Rhian captioned the shot.
She also shared a selfie with fiance Oliver Mellor, as she joked it was 'bring the Boyf to work day!'
Her man: The blonde also shared a selfie with her fiance Oliver Mellor, as she joked to her followers that it was 'bring the Boyf to work day!'
Rhian has been concentrating on work and her relationship with Oliver amid the latest drama between her and TV star Vernon Kay.
Meanwhile the Page 3 model is expected to reveal her steamy affair with a Hollywood A-lister who could make Vernon look 'Z-list' in her new tell-all book.
According to The Sunday People, the woman behind the DJ's sex text scandal - who insists she's not a homewrecker is 'not ashamed of her past and wants to tell her story'.
Model: Rhian has been concentrating on work and her relationship with Oliver amid the latest drama between her and TV star Vernon Kay
A source told the newspaper: 'Vernon is a Z-lister compared to the Hollywood star she did hook up with and is prepared to write about in her book.'
Rhian is currently engaged to actor Oliver, though the Hollywood hook up has been described as a 'known as a ladies' man' who is 'not someone fans would immediately think of.'
The insider continued: 'Rhian is now happy with Oliver and they are getting married, but she's not ashamed of her past and wants to tell her story.'
The blonde bombshell returned to public consciousness last month when it was claimed that television personality Vernon had been sending her more messages.
Secrets to tell: The model is expected to reveal her steamy affair with a Hollywood A-lister who could make Vernon look 'Z-list' in her new tell-all book
It appeared that the pair had reignited the tryst that threatened to end his marriage to Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly in 2009.
Rhian and Vernon's daily contact came to light in 2010 after he pursued her on Twitter, text and email for four months.
Rhian claims that she exchanged hundreds of messages with Kay and said he also tried to set up a secret liaison with her in a hotel room.
Scandal: The blonde bombshell returned to public consciousness last month when it was claimed that television personality Vernon had been sending her more messages
She revealed the pair had a secret code for sex acts that they used in their lewd exchanges when they first met in 2010, including the words 'gravy' and 'fountain'.
After the latest scandal, Rhian was keen to set the record straight for trolls who called her a 'homewrecker'.
Giving her side of the story, the topless model wrote on Instagram: 'I am NOT a home wrecker, Porn star, escort, gold digger OR Stripper!
'I get paid to model and have done for 10 years. I own two cats and live a two up two down, minding my own business!'
She's previously been vocal about her preference to breastfeed her son Bodhi Rain.
And two years on from giving birth to her little boy, Australian actress Teresa Palmer stands by her decision and continues to practice it.
Taking to Instagram on Friday, the 30-year-old shared a black and white filtered snap of herself breastfeeding her son, along with the caption: '2 years 2 months on and still our favorite moments are these morning breastfeeds. The house is still and it's just us snuggled in close awaiting the days adventures (sic)'.
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Proud mother: On Friday Australian actress Teresa Palmer shared this black and white filtered snap of herself breastfeeding two-year-old son Bodhi Rain
The image attracted mixed reactions from the movie star's social media followers.
One Instagram user wrote: 'So beautiful. My son is the same age as yours and breastfeeding him is still my favourite part of the day too'.
Meanwhile, others were more inclined to question Teresa's choice, with one follower commenting: 'I am not being mean or so, but why would you breastfeed your child so long?'.
Taking the liberty to clarify her decision, the actress responded: '@mrslarabrunner because it's the worlds most nutritious and healthy thing tor my son as well as his greatest comfort (sic)'.
Doing her part: As a breastfeeding advocate she has done her best to reduce the stigma attached to nursing in public - cictured nursing her son Bodhi Rain at Bondi beach
She continued: 'When you have a child you will understand the desire to meet your child's needs in every way. The World Health Organization says the longer you can breastfeed the better it is for your child's overall health.
'As a woman who is lucky enough to be able to breastfeed this long I'm grateful that I can provide my son with this kind of loving care.
'It's only been society that chooses to judge a woman's choice to continue to nurture their children beyond what has been perceived and labelled as "the norm" there is also a lack of education surrounding the benefits of continuing the breastfeed in to the toddler years (sic),' she concluded.
Being open: The Adelaide born actress has tried to normalise what is a simply a natural way to feed her child
In June last year, Teresa joined the growing number of women hitting back against the shaming of mothers who breastfeed in public.
The beauty, who co-parents her husband Mark Webber's son Issac and their shared baby Bodhi Rain, expressed her disbelief at the double standards mothers face.
'There are billboards around the world that have a bra showing cleavage and that is totally appreciated and celebrated,' she said in an interview with VS magazine, 'but breastfeeding becomes so sexualised.'
Doting mother: She regularly shares beautiful images of her nursing her son on Instagram, as she espouses the simple joys of motherhood, such as bonding with her child
Partners in crime: In March last year the Point Break actress hit headlines when she was pictured feeding her son as she walked with her husband to an L.A restaurant
'I'm actually shocked by it. I'm not trying to make a big statement, it's just unfortunate that there are such double standards.'
As a breastfeeding advocate she has done her best to reduce the stigma attached to nursing in public.
She and her husband, 35, regularly share beautiful images of her nursing their son on Instagram, as she espouses the simple joys of motherhood, such as bonding with her child.
In March last year, the Point Break actress hit headlines when she was pictured feeding her son as she walked with her husband to an L.A restaurant.
Happy family: Teresa shares two-year-old son Bodhi Rain with husband Mark Webber
Of course, Teresa isn't the only woman who has been outspoken about the need to change attitudes towards breastfeeding in public.
Australian model Nicole Trunfio, 30, generated headlines last year when she appeared on Elle Australia's subscriber issue breastfeeding her son Zion, who she gave birth to in January 2015.
She later spoke out about the iconic cover and her own experiences of breastfeeding in public.
'There's nothing worse than, as a mother, doing something so necessary as feeding your child and feeling like somebody could have an opinion about it or somebody's looking at you the wrong way,' she told Good Morning America in May last year.
He's one of the biggest names in rap music at the moment.
But as Tyga arrived in Perth, Western Australia during his tour of Down Under on Friday, the musician was quite literally overshadowed by a member of his entourage.
While helping carry the 26-year-old's bag through the terminal, Tyga was dwarfed by the statuesque individual who waited patiently as Kylie Jenner's on-again, off-again boyfriend took snaps with fans.
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The long and short of it! Tyga was dwarfed by a member of his entourage while arriving in Perth as he continues his Australian tour
Tyga was dressed in his typical urban style, coupling long black shorts with a photographic-printed T-shirt and a button-up jacket.
He accessorised with a large gold necklace and a backwards baseball cap, clearly enjoying listening to some music through white Beats By Dre headphones as he bopped along a zebra crossing.
The Rack City rapper finished his look with a pair of contrasting, dark red sneakers.
Cool: Tyga was dressed in his typical urban style, coupling long black shorts with a photographic-printed T-shirt
Selfie time! The rapper stopped to take some snaps with some Kardashian look-alike fans
What made the companions so intriguing was that Tyga stands at about average height, about 5 ft 6 ins, with his escort towering over him by at least half a head.
The rapper, whose real name is Micheal Ray Stevenson, stopped to take some pictures with adoring fans who by the way they were dressed closely resembled members of the Kardashian family.
The hip hop superstar has been busy visiting Australia as part of his Rawwest Alive tour to promote his latest album Rawwest N**** Alive.
Busy: The hip hop superstar has been busy visiting Australia as part of his Rawwest Alive tour
New record: The tour is to promote his latest release Rawwest N**** Alive
Tensions between Tyga and his ex Blac Chyna were said to have hit boiling point when the backup dancer announced she was engaged to Rob Kardashian, the half-brother of Tyga's on-again, off-again girlfriend Kylie Jenner.
Though the rapper later congratulated his ex on her engagement, TMZ reports the former flames are in a custody battle over their three-year-old son King Cairo.
Sources told the site that he is going to 'great lengths to drive a wedge between their son and her' and that he is 'not backing down'.
'Vicious cycle' as Australia indigenous prison rates soar
Human rights groups are urging the Australian government to do more to bring down Aboriginal incarceration rates which have almost doubled in 25 years, with indigenous criminals now accounting for a quarter of prisoners.
The calls came on the 25th anniversary Friday of the landmark Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, which recommended sweeping reforms to improve the plight of the nation's first peoples, who are the country's most impoverished.
The indigenous population remains "very much over-represented" in prison, the government's Australian Institute of Criminology said.
Human rights groups are urging the Australian government to do more to bring down Aboriginal incarceration rates which have almost doubled in 25 years William West (AFP/File)
Aborigines made up 14 percent of those in jail at the time of the royal commission but now account for 27 percent, even though they comprise just under three percent of the adult Australian population, Bureau of Statistics data from 2015 shows.
Despite the rise in incarceration rates, Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion said many of the commission's 339 recommendations, particularly those focused on reducing the risk of deaths in custody, had been implemented.
"At the time the royal commission was established in 1989, First Australians were more likely to die in custody than non-indigenous Australians. This is no longer the case," he said in a statement late Thursday.
"Over the past 15 years, in all but one year (2002-03), an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person has in fact been less likely to die in custody than a non-indigenous person."
The commission had found that while indigenous people were not more likely to die in jail compared to non-Aboriginal prisoners, they were more exposed to the risk of death as there was a greater chance they were likely to be in custody.
Amnesty International accused Scullion of "glossing over" the prison statistics and called for a national strategy to lower custody rates.
"The inaccuracies in the minister's statement continue the dodging of responsibility we have seen for 25 long years since the royal commission," Amnesty's indigenous rights campaigner Julian Cleary said in a statement.
"Today, one in five people who die in custody are indigenous. This must not be presented as a success; it is a disaster in a nation where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up less than three percent of our population."
Leading Aboriginal elder Pat Dodson warned in a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra this week that "by and large the problems the royal commission was set up to examine and advise governments on, have become worse".
"A quarter of a century after we handed down our findings the vicious cycle remains the same," said Dodson, who is set to enter federal parliament as a Labor senator.
Aborigines have lived on the vast island continent for at least 40,000 years and number just 670,000 out of a total population of 23 million.
India poachers kill rhino soon after royal couple visit
Poachers shot dead a rhinoceros at a wildlife park in northeast India hours after Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate visited the sanctuary, a wildlife official said Friday.
Rangers found the dead rhino with its horn missing on Thursday -- the day the royal couple left the Kaziranga National Park in Assam state, home to two-thirds of the planet's remaining one-horned rhinos.
"Poachers used AK-47 assault rifles to kill the adult male rhino and after killing the pachyderm they took away its horn," Subasish Das, a senior forest officer, told AFP.
Britain's Prince William (L), Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, look at young rhino at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation in Kaziranga in the northeastern state of Assam on April 13, 2016 Adnan Abidi (POOL/AFP)
It was the second rhino killing in the past four days. Poachers killed an adult rhino on Monday before gouging out its horn, leaving it in a pool of blood.
Kaziranga has fought a sustained battle against poachers who kill the rhinos for their horns, which fetch huge prices in some Asian countries where they are used for medicines and jewellery.
The park's website said 27 rhinos were poached in 2014 and another 17 last year.
A recent census estimated there were 2,400 one-horned rhinos, currently listed as "vulnerable" by conservation groups, in Kaziranga out of a global population of 3,300.
During their visit to Kaziranga the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met wildlife officials battling to protect vulnerable rhinos from poachers, and fed a rhino calf with a giant milk bottle.
William, the second-in-line to the British throne, has repeatedly condemned illegal wildlife trafficking and has encouraged anti-poaching efforts. He is a patron of the elephant conservation charity Tusk Trust.
A spokesman for the royal couple said they had been upset by the poaching.
"The Duke and Duchess were angry to hear about the killing of this rhino during their visit," British broadcaster ITV quoted the spokesman as saying.
"They hope their time in Kaziranga encourages others to support the brave rangers that are protecting animals that are so important to the communities that surround the national park."
Kaziranga has fought a sustained battle against poachers who kill the rhinos for their horns, which fetch huge prices in some Asian countries where they are used for medicines and jewellery
Australia's Min-Jee Lee vaults into LPGA Lotte lead
Australian Min-Jee Lee vaulted into sole possession of the lead at the LPGA Tour's Lotte Championship after a bogey free round.
Lee on Thursday shot a sizzling six-under 66 at the Ko Olina Golf Club in Oahu, Hawaii for a 10-under 134 total.
She finished with six birdies including one stretch of five in six holes, beginning on the par-three eighth.
Min-Jee Lee of Australia reacts to a birdie putt on the eighth green during the second round of the LPGA Lotte Championship, at Ko Olina Golf Club in Kapolei, Hawaii, on April 14, 2016 Christian Petersen (Getty/AFP)
"I have just been having fun and hitting my shots one shot at time," Lee said.
Lee got off to a good start with a birdie on the first and then made six straight pars before her birdie run, which straddled the turn.
Her five birdies in six holes moved her to 10-under. Lee closed with five pars to hold the 36-hole lead for the second time in her young career.
"I holed a couple of nice putts and, yeah, just got my momentum going on the front nine," Lee said. "I birdied eight and nine, so I think the momentum carried on through the back nine."
Rights groups accuse Nepal PM of 'harassing' watchdog
Leading human rights groups on Friday accused Nepal's new prime minister of attempting to intimidate officials from a national watchdog, after it criticised Kathmandu's handling of recent violence-hit protests.
In a joint statement, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists accused the government of failing to respect the independence of Nepal's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli allegedly attacked watchdog officials over a submission they made to the United Nations Human Rights Council last month which called for a probe into claims that police used excessive force against protesters.
Leading human rights groups have accused Nepal's new Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli of attempting to intimidate officials from the National Human Rights Commission Lintao Zhang (POOL/AFP/File)
"The PM's blatant attempt to intimidate the NHRC members for that submission is a flagrant violation of the government's basic obligation to ensure the NHRC's ability to carry out its work independently and without undue interference," said Nikhil Narayan, senior legal adviser to the ICJ.
Nepal was gripped by a crippling months-long border blockade from September to February, sparked by a new constitution which the country's Madhesi ethnic minority says leaves them politically marginalised.
More than 50 people were killed in clashes between police and protesters before the blockade finally ended in February.
Oli, who was elected in October, subjected commissioners to "aggressive questioning and reprimanding" after their UN submission, the groups said, calling on the government to end its "intimidation and harassment" of the watchdog.
Gopal Khanal, the prime minister's foreign affairs adviser, rejected the claims.
"The PM simply opined that it was important for the NHRC to act more cautiously at a time when different international actors are misinterpreting Nepal's human rights situation," he told AFP.
As tensions continue to simmer, the International Crisis Group, an NGO which works on conflict prevention, warned of renewed unrest unless the government resolves the dispute over new state borders.
Nepal's Madhesis say the borders, laid out in the charter adopted in September, will limit their representation in parliament.
The constitution, the first drawn up by elected representatives, was meant to cement peace and bolster Nepal's transformation to a democratic republic after decades of political instability and a 10-year Maoist insurgency.
Girlfriend arrested over murder of British teacher in China
The girlfriend of a British lecturer has been arrested with two men over his murder in southern China, Chinese police said Friday, with local media reporting he was dismembered after he was killed.
Hilary Bower, 60, who taught at a university in Hong Kong, was murdered over an "emotional dispute", mainland Chinese police said, as media reports painted a complex picture of his love life involving several women.
The English language lecturer had been missing for more than three weeks after he was last seen on March 21 at a border point between Hong Kong and the neighbouring southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, where he is reported to have lived.
The Sheung Yue river runs along the border between Hong Kong (L) and Shenzhen in southern China Fred Dufour (AFP/File)
Hong Kong police said earlier this week that Bower had been killed on the mainland, "possibly" murdered.
Police in Shenzhen confirmed Friday that he had been murdered on March 22, a day after he went missing.
A 38-year-old woman surnamed Xu and two men "murdered her foreigner boyfriend Hilary Bower over an emotional dispute" the Shenzhen public security bureau said on its Twitter-like Weibo account.
It said Bower and Xu had lived together for 17 years.
The three were arrested on April 8 and the case was still under investigation, it added.
Hong Kong local media, citing unnamed public security sources, reported Xu had turned herself in to police in the Chinese city of Dongguan on April 7, where she had told officers she had murdered and then dismembered Bower with the help of two men.
The Dongguan public security bureau could not confirm the details when contacted by AFP.
Local media said Bower had a number of girlfriends on the mainland.
One girlfriend, named by media as Shi Xiumei, had reported Bower missing at a police station in Hong Kong on March 30, Hong Kong police said earlier this week.
Bower had been reported to be living with Shi and their six-year-old son.
Fears were previously raised that his death could have been linked to a million-dollar property deal.
A friend of Bower, Richard Charles, told the South China Morning Post he believed it could be related to a recent property sale for which Bower was due to receive HK$9 million ($1.2 million).
Bower's brother Robin arrived in Shenzhen on Wednesday where he hoped to meet with Chinese authorities to search for answers, the Post said.
The British consulate has not confirmed that Bower was killed and said Friday it was supporting the family "at this difficult time", without giving more detail.
Aleppo battles cast shadow over Syria peace talks
Fierce fighting raged Friday around Syria's Aleppo as a surge in violence forced tens of thousands more to flee their homes, overshadowing the latest round of peace talks in Geneva.
The clashes on several fronts have put a strain on a fragile ceasefire in place since February 27, and left more than 200 fighters on all sides of the civil war dead in the past week.
US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Russia to press its Syrian allies to respect the ceasefire.
Syria's conflict began in 2011 as a peaceful revolt, with protests across the country that spread in 2012 to Aleppo province, which borders Turkey Georges Ourfalian (AFP/File)
The delegation representing President Bashar al-Assad's regime arrived Friday in Geneva for UN-brokered indirect talks between representatives of the government and opposition.
Syria's main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) told AFP it was willing to join a transitional government with diplomats and technocrats from Assad's government.
"We cannot accept the participation of the parties who committed crimes against the Syrian people in the transitional governing body," HNC spokesman Salem al-Meslet said on the sidelines of the talks.
But the opposition could cooperate with regime "diplomats and technocrats" provided they had popular support, he said.
The Geneva talks resumed following legislative elections in regime-held areas on Wednesday.
UN envoy Staffan de Mistura met the government delegation, with a second session set for Monday, and the HNC was holding its second meeting with him on Friday.
Lead government negotiator Bashar al-Jafaari described his meeting as "constructive and fruitful".
- 'Major ceasefire violation' -
Assad's role in a future transitional government, which de Mistura has said would be the focus of the talks, remains the key sticking point.
Damascus says that even discussing Assad's departure is off limits, while the opposition insists he can have no role in a future transition.
The fighting around Syria's second city Aleppo has cast a shadow over international efforts to end the five-year war, which has left more than 270,000 people dead and forced millions to flee their homes.
Troops and militiamen loyal to the regime have fought Islamic State group fighters southeast of Aleppo city this week, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
They also battled jihadists from the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front and allied rebels in the flashpoint Handarat area, north of Aleppo city, it said.
"What is happening in Aleppo is a major violation of the ceasefire," rebel commander Major Eyad Shamsi told AFP in Geneva, blaming the regime.
"A big battle is being fought in Aleppo, and it will lead to a major disaster should the regime succeed" in severing the route linking rebel-held parts of Aleppo to the northern countryside, he said.
Kerry called Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to say Washington "expected Russia to urge the regime to comply with the cessation and that we would work with the opposition to do the same", US spokesman John Kirby said.
On one Aleppo front alone fighting has forced about 30,000 civilians to flee, according to Human Rights Watch.
- Aleppo 'the key' -
HRW accused Turkish border guards of shooting at some of those displaced as they approached the frontier.
"As civilians flee ISIS fighters, Turkey is responding with live ammunition instead of compassion," said HRW researcher Gerry Simpson, using another acronym for the jihadists.
At least 210 fighters on all sides have been killed around Aleppo since Sunday.
Among them were 82 soldiers and pro-regime militiamen, 94 members of Al-Nusra Front and allied rebel groups, and 34 IS jihadists, the Observatory said.
Even though IS and Al-Nusra are excluded from the truce, violence around Aleppo has sparked concerns that the ceasefire may collapse, partly because rebels are involved there too.
"Aleppo is the key to war and peace in Syria," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.
"Every side in the war has a stake in Aleppo."
The fighting around the city is the fiercest in Syria since the truce began nearly seven weeks ago, and is especially significant because all sides in the war are present in the province.
Russia, which has been supporting regime forces with air strikes, blamed Al-Nusra for the escalation.
"According to the data we have, southwest of Aleppo around 8,000 Al-Nusra fighters are already gathered, and north of the city up to 1,500," a Russian foreign ministry statement said.
"The actions of the Syrian troops supported by the Russian air force are aimed at wrecking the plans of the Al-Nusra bandit groups," it said, stressing that "no storming of Aleppo is planned".
Syria's conflict began in 2011 as a peaceful revolt but later morphed into a multi-front civil war.
The fighting around Aleppo cast a shadow over international efforts to end the five-year war, which has left more than 270,000 people dead and forced millions to flee their homes Vincent LEFAI, Kun TIAN (AFP/File)
Syrian government forces patrol the town of Khan Tuman, south of the city of Aleppo on April 11, 2016 George Ourfalian (AFP/File)
Iran oil minister won't attend Doha output freeze talks
Iran's oil minister will not join an Iranian delegation at a meeting this weekend of major crude producers aimed at negotiating a production freeze, the oil ministry said on Friday.
In a statement carried by the Shana news agency, the ministry said Bijan Zanganeh would skip the talks in Doha, adding that "Iran already announced it cannot join the plan to stabilise oil prices" while its output is still below pre-sanction levels.
The ministry said Iran's OPEC representative would attend the meeting instead.
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh will not attend a meeting of oil producers, with Iran rejecting plans to stabilise prices Atta Kenare (AFP/File)
Tehran is expected to seek a waiver as it increases output after the lifting of nuclear-related Western sanctions.
OPEC kingpin and regional rival Saudi Arabia has vowed not to join an output freeze unless Iran does the same.
Oil prices, which hit a 13-year low earlier this year, have rebounded sharply in recent weeks partly on expectation that a deal between OPEC and non-OPEC producers in Qatar could help to reduce a global crude supply glut.
OPEC said Wednesday that Iranian oil production in March was 3.3 million barrels per day (bpd), up from 2.9 million in January, but still short of its pre-embargo level of around 4.0 million.
"Iran supports efforts... to stabilise the market and support prices," oil ministry spokesman Akbar Nematollahi was quoted as saying Friday.
Britain's royals trek to cliff-edge monastery in Bhutan
Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate hiked to an ancient Buddhist monastery high in the mountains of Bhutan on Friday, a day after meeting the king and queen of the tiny Himalayan nation.
The couple hiked up to the spectacular seventh-century Buddhist monastery, perched on the edge of a cliff 12,000 feet (3,636 metres) high in the Himalayas and known as the "Tigers' Nest".
William's father Prince Charles undertook the same trek in 1998 but only made it halfway because of a polo injury, stopping en route to paint a watercolour of the monastery.
Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, pose for a photograph halfway up the trail leading to a Buddhist monastery referred to as the "Tiger's Nest" (behind) on their two-day visit to Bhutan on April 15, 2016 Roberto Schmidt (AFP)
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had a private dinner on Thursday with Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema.
Earlier, they braved the rain to attend an open-air archery venue, where they tried their hand at the national sport.
They are spending two days in the tiny kingdom, famously the last country to get television and home to just 750,000 people, before returning to India for a visit to the Taj Mahal on Saturday.
Bhutan's Oxford-educated monarch -- known as the Dragon King -- came to the throne in 2006 after his father abdicated and agreed to cede absolute power to a parliamentary democracy.
Pakistan sends troops to free police held hostage in bungled raid
Pakistan has sent 150 soldiers to help rescue 24 police held hostage by a gang of heavily armed criminals after a bungled raid on their island stronghold, police said Friday.
Officials said six policemen have already been killed in the operation launched Thursday against members of the so-called "Choto gang" on an island in the Indus river in southern Punjab province.
Up to 1,500 officers were involved in the failed raid against some 150 men armed with rocket launchers and machine guns, authorities said.
Pakistani army pressed in to rescue 24 police from heavily-armed criminals of the "Choto gang" on an island in the Indus river in southern Punjab province Rizwan Tabassum (AFP/File)
"Our cops attempted to reach their base by two boats in the river, and the criminals came right in front of them and there was heavy exchange of fire," a police official in the operation control room told AFP.
The criminals were armed with "rocket launchers, machine guns and anti-aircraft guns", he said.
So far six policemen have been killed with 24 taken hostage, he said.
"We have called the army for help and are evolving a new strategy," district police chief Ghulam Mubashir Maken told AFP, adding that helicopters could be used to launch a counter-attack.
Some 150 army troops had arrived in Rajanpur district and more were on the way, he said.
Officials announced last week that the military in coordination with law enforcement agencies had launched a new crackdown in southern Punjab in the wake of an Easter attack on a park in Lahore that killed more than 70 people.
No guarantee of oil deal at Doha talks
Tehran said its oil minister would skip the talks in Doha on Sunday between around a dozen oil exporters, including heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Russia.
Iran's governor at the OPEC oil cartel will attend instead, it said, triggering a swift drop in oil prices on world markets.
Prices have rebounded sharply in recent weeks partly on expectations of a deal that could, in theory at least, help to reduce a supply glut and repair producers' battered public finances.
A sharp rise in unconventional oil production, mainly US shale crude, and OPEC's reluctance to cut output triggered a collapse in oil prices Yasser Al-Zayyat (AFP/File)
Any agreement to freeze oil production would "likely give prices a further short-term boost," said Fawad Razaqzada, analyst at brokerage firm City Index.
Tehran, which is emerging from nuclear-related Western sanctions, will be seeking a waiver until its production reaches its pre-embargo levels.
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh will not attend the Doha talks himself, his ministry said Friday
"Iran already announced it cannot join the plan to stabilise oil prices" while its output is still below pre-sanction levels, it added.
OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia, however, has insisted it will not join an output freeze unless Iran, its regional rival, does so.
"We don't see Saudi Arabia freezing production and ... accommodating significant production rises by other producers," Fahad al-Turki, head of research at Saudi Jadwa Investment, told AFP.
If a substantive agreement is struck in Doha, however, that would help to build trust between key producers and pave the way for production cuts in the future, Turki said.
Qatar said Thursday there was an "atmosphere of optimism" that a deal would be struck, adding that the number of countries due to attend had risen.
Last month, Qatar said 12 nations including itself would be present at the talks.
The Doha meeting is a follow-up to talks in February between OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Venezuela plus Russia in which they first mooted the output freeze.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries warned ahead of the Sunday talks of worsening oversupply.
OPEC also trimmed its forecast for global oil demand growth this year and said it might have to lower its projection further.
- Oil price rollercoaster -
A sharp rise in unconventional oil production, mainly US shale crude, and OPEC's reluctance to cut output triggered a collapse in oil prices from levels above $100 a barrel in 2014, costing exporters billions of dollars.
After hitting 13-year lows of around $27 a barrel in February, oil prices have since rebounded to above $40.
On Thursday, the International Energy Agency warned against over-expectation for the Doha talks, saying the meeting would have only a "limited" impact on supplies.
Jean-Francois Seznec, an oil expert at Georgetown University, believes Iran will not be the key problem at the meeting as it is only capable of boosting output by 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) this year.
"I think the worry for the producers is not whether Iran freezes or not, but whether Russia would do so," Seznec told AFP.
OPEC said Wednesday that Iranian oil production in March was 3.3 million bpd, up from 2.9 million in January, but still short of its pre-embargo level of around 4.0 million.
OPEC said its members pumped 32.25 million bpd in March -- with Saudi Arabia accounting for nearly a third -- up from an average of 31.85 million bpd in 2015.
"The freeze talks between OPEC and non-OPEC will decide how quickly markets could get balanced and by how much oil prices would rise," Abhishek Deshpande, an analyst at French investment bank Natixis, told AFP.
A freeze agreement, if it includes Iran, could see "markets completely balanced" as early as in the third quarter this year, he added.
One of the main OPEC goals by not cutting production was to drive high-cost supply, mainly US shale oil, out of the market.
US shale production is now sliding but the conventional producers' dilemma is that shale oil can respond quickly when prices increase.
Protester killed in fresh clashes in Indian Kashmir
A young man was killed Friday in Indian-administered Kashmir when soldiers fired on protesters, taking the death toll to five in clashes that have continued for the fourth consecutive day, officials said.
"The 19-year-old was brought to the hospital with bullet injuries but he could not be saved," a doctor at a local hospital told AFP, declining to be named.
A police officer speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed the death, saying three other protesters with bullet wounds were sent to a hospital in the main city of Srinagar.
An Indian paramilitary trooper stands guard during a tense curfew in Srinagar on April 15, 2016 Tauseef Mustafa (AFP)
The latest clashes happened in Natnusa village, some 70 kilometres northwest of Srinagar.
On Tuesday, angry residents in the northern town of Handwara stormed an army bunker after a soldier was accused of molesting a local girl. Soldiers fired into the crowd, leaving three people dead, while a protester was killed in Wednesday as angry residents clashed with police.
The incidents have heightened tensions in the disputed region, where many resent the huge presence of Indian troops and regularly accuse soldiers of rights abuses.
On Friday authorities continued a curfew in parts of the territory, including Srinagar, for a third day as separatists opposed to Indian rule in Kashmir called for protests over the killings.
Mobile internet service also remained suspended.
Kashmir's chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti has warned officials over harming civilians while maintaining order following the deaths.
The Indian army, police and the local government have initiated three separate inquirers into Tuesday's shootings, promising punishment if any soldier were found guilty.
But an emergency military law grants soldiers deployed in Kashmir immunity from prosecution in civilian courts unless specifically permitted by New Delhi.
Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since partition in 1947. Both claim the region in full and have fought two of their three wars over it.
In 1989 a rebellion against Indian rule in Kashmir erupted with groups seeking independence or a merger of the territory with Pakistan.
Consequently, hundreds of thousands of Indian troops were deployed in the region, making it one of the world's most militarised zones.
Ghana, Togo warned of possible militant attack
Ghana and Togo are likely targets of possible Islamist attacks similar to those recently in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, a Ghanaian intelligence report has warned.
"Intelligence gathered by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) indicates a possible terrorist attack on the country (Ghana) is real," it said in a report dated April 9.
The threat emerged after questioning of a Malian attacker involved in the Grand-Bassam attacks last month, in which jihadists killed 19 people at the resort, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Abidjan.
A police armoured car patrols in Accra on December 9, 2012 Pius Utomi Ekpei (AFP/File)
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for the attack, as well as a similar strike in the Burkinabe capital, Ouagadougou, in January that left 30 dead.
"According to the report, Ghana and Togo are the next targets after the attacks in Burkina Faso and Cote d'Ivoire," according to the security alert, which was published in local media Friday.
Ivory Coast is Ghana's neighbour to the west while Togo lies to the east.
The choice of Ghana is "to take away the perception that only francophone countries are the targets", the NSCS added.
It called for greater vigilance at borders, particularly "unapproved entry points" and the northern frontier with Burkina Faso.
Screening for visitors from "high risk" countries such as Libya, Niger and Mali should be enhanced, it added.
In the Ivory coast attack, the heavily armed gunmen entered from Mali in a Niger-registered 4x4 and hid their weapons in the spare tyre well, the NSCS said.
Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama said on Friday that "all West African countries were at risk" of attack.
"Indeed, no country is safe anywhere in the world and so we need to be alert and prepared for any such eventuality," he said.
"We are preparing for any such eventuality but we need the alertness of the public; the public needs to be more alert today than before."
Haas boss lays into F1 'whiners'
The boss of American-owned newcomers Haas launched a withering attack on "whining" Formula One rivals Friday, blasting them as drama queens for crediting his team's success to their links with Ferrari.
Gene Haas spoke out after Frenchman Romain Grosjean finished sixth in Australia last month on his debut for the team and went one better in Bahrain in a fairytale start in Formula one -- even if Mexican Esteban Gutierrez has yet to score.
Earlier this week in Shanghai, Grosjean claimed detractors were "jealous" of the team's success -- an accusation repeated, with interest, by a defiant Haas.
Frenchman Romain Grosjean finished sixth in Australia on his debut for the team and went one better in Bahrain Lluis Gene (AFP/File)
"This place is a soap opera," the 63-year-old told reporters. "It's sour grapes. A lot of the teams at the back really don't know what competition is.
"They're getting maybe a little too fat and happy," he added. "I guess there are a lot of whiners in F1 that talk about our success.
"We never came into this (sport) to run at the back. We want to compete, and that's what we're going to do. If people don't like that then that's their problem, not my problem."
Haas have a close partnership with Ferrari, which has prompted some critics to label them "Ferrari B-team".
But Haas showed he has little time for the sport's political sniping.
"I don't know what they are complaining about, quite frankly," he said. "There have been a lot of obstacles to get to this point and now we're here, we're not going away. They'd better get used to that.
"There's an assumption that because we're using Ferrari parts that it makes easier. But I would challenge any team to take a complete Ferrari car with all the parts and just try to run it."
He added: "They're very complex cars. Having the parts is only one part of the puzzle."
Haas even produced a sheet of paper detailing a list of parts his team makes itself for its two Formula One cars.
"We've proven we are well within all the guidelines the FIA publishes," he said. "The fact we're doing something that is different, what's wrong with that?
"If you're a driver and you can figure out how to go around a turn faster than the guy next to you, who do you give the credit to? The guy who is slower, or the guy who is faster?"
Grosjean placed 14th and 16th in Friday's free practice in China while Gutierrez was 20th and 21st after both the Mexican's rear brakes caught fire in the afternoon session.
Grosjean followed his robust thoughts on Haas's critics with some more straight-talking about tyre manufacturer Pirelli following Friday's practice.
"The Pirelli tyre limits have been ridiculous today for tyre pressure," he fumed. "You just don't get any feeling, it's like a piece of wood -- it's just not driveable."
G20 embraces crackdown on tax havens, warns over 'Brexit'
The world's leading economies took a step Friday toward denying tax evaders and money launderers around the world the ability to hide behind anonymous shell companies.
Acting in the wake of the Panama Papers scandal, finance chiefs of the Group of 20 powers meeting in Washington supported proposals requiring authorities to share the identities of the real owners of shell companies.
They also backed creating a blacklist of international tax havens which do not cooperate with information-sharing programs.
French Finance Minister Michel Sapin speaks next to German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble (L) and Spanish Minister of Economy Luis De Guindos (R), during a press conference on April 14, 2016 in Washington, DC Molly Riley (AFP/File)
Making the beneficial owners of companies, trusts and foundations transparent "is vital to protect the integrity of the international financial system," the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors said in a statement.
Doing so is important "to prevent misuse of these entities and arrangements for corruption, tax evasion, terrorist financing and money laundering."
The declaration came hours after the Panama Papers scandal claimed another victim. Spain's industry minister Jose Manuel Soria resigned Friday over allegations he had links to offshore companies.
Files from the leaked document trove of Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca showed Soria was an administrator of an offshore firm in 1992. He was just the latest in a number of powerful officials, including the leaders of Russia, Iceland, Britain and Argentina, linked by the Panama Papers to offshore tax havens.
The leak provided the impetus for the strong proposals to the G20 Thursday by Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Britain.
The five said they would take the lead on creating an international database that provides tax and other authorities the identities of the owners of shell companies, trusts, foundations and other vehicles often used to hide assets.
"Today we deal another hammer blow against those who hide their illegal tax evasion in the dark corners of the financial system," British Finance Minister George Osborne said in a statement.
Speaking during the Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said the illicit financial activities enabled by tax havens undermined the fight against poverty.
"When taxes are evaded, when state assets are taken and put into these havens, all of these things can have a tremendous negative effect on our mission to end poverty and boost prosperity," he said.
- Brexit warning -
Under pressure from the IMF and World Bank to help prevent the world economy from stalling, the G20 also pledged to support growth with more fiscal actions like more investment, rather than relying on central banks to stimulate activity with monetary measures like negative interest rates.
"Monetary policy alone cannot lead to balanced growth," they said.
"We will use fiscal policy flexibly to strengthen growth, job creation and confidence."
The ministers, however, warned that the global economy faced a number of serious risks, among them the possibility that Britain would pull out of the European Union.
"Geopolitical conflicts, terrorism, refugee flows, and the shock of a potential UK exit from the European Union also complicate the global economic environment," they said.
The G20 statement came during the IMF and World Bank Spring meetings, where officials warned of potentially severe damage to the regional and global economies from the so-called Brexit.
With two months to go before Britain holds a referendum on splitting with the EU, IMF chief Christine Lagarde called on the two sides to save their "long marriage".
"Because keeping Europe together after what it has gone through over the last century, and what the risks are on the horizon... is actually a huge asset which is vastly underrated in my view," she said.
Fallout from the Panama Papers Alain BOMMENEL, Kun TIAN (AFP)
Spain's industry minister Jose Manuel Soria (pictured) resigned over allegations he had links to offshore companies Eduardo Dieguez (AFP/File)
Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank, during the IMF and World Bank Group 2016 Spring Meetings on April 14, 2016 in Washington, DC Molly Riley (AFP/File)
Syria opposition says willing to govern with regime 'diplomats, technocrats'
Syria's main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) told AFP Friday it was willing to join a transitional government with diplomats and technocrats from President Bashar al-Assad's government.
"We cannot accept the participation of the parties who committed crimes against the Syrian people in the transitional governing body," HNC spokesman Salem al-Meslet said on the sidelines of peace talks in Geneva.
But he added that the opposition could cooperate with regime "diplomats and technocrats", provided they had support among the population.
High Negotiations Committee (HNC) delegation head Asaad al-Zoabi (R) with HNC delegate George Sabra, during a press conference following Syria peace talks at the United Nations Office on April 13, 2016 in Geneva Fabrice Coffrini (AFP/File)
He said it was "premature" to discuss specific individuals who could be included in a prospective new government.
"The distribution of seats of the transitional governing body will be subject to a long debate," al-Meslet told AFP.
A new round of UN-brokered Syria peace talks got underway earlier this week.
The government delegation, which arrived in Geneva on Friday, held its first meeting with United Nations mediator Staffan de Mistura, with a second session set for Monday.
The HNC was holding its second meeting with de Mistura on Friday evening.
New Japan quake kills two, with widespread damage reported
Rescuers desperately searched through the night for victims trapped in rubble after a powerful quake hit southern Japan, killing at least two and causing major damage, just over a day after another strong tremor in the same area.
The quake on the southwestern island of Kyushu sparked a fresh wave of destruction and was followed by a wave of aftershocks in the region where nerves are already frayed following Thursday's earthquake that killed nine people.
The powerful shaking triggered a huge landslide that swept away homes and cut off a highway in one area, and unlike the earlier quake which mostly affected old houses, larger buildings were damaged and some toppled across Kumamoto prefecture, the epicentre of the quakes.
A patient is evacuated by emergency staff from an hospital in Kumamoto City on April 16, 2016 Kazuhiro Nogi (AFP)
Public broadcaster NHK said that at least 470 people were injured in the latest tremor, while a government spokesperson said scores were trapped or buried alive.
Eleven people were stuck in a damaged apartment building in Minami-Aso near the landslide, a Kumamoto prefecture official said.
"We don't know their condition," he said, declining to be named.
Meanwhile, a large fire that broke out at an apartment complex in Yatsushiro city killed one person, city official Kiichiro Terada confirmed.
"We are also checking if any more people failed to escape," he said, adding that the fire was under control.
NHK reported four dead in total, but Kumamoto officials gave a total a tally of two.
In nearby Kumamoto city, authorities were evacuating patients from a hospital over fears it could collapse and images showed the building slanted.
Hisako Ogata, 61, evacuated to a nearby park with her daughter, where some 50 other people sat on blue plastic sheets.
"We left my house as we could not stay due to continuous jolts," Ogata told AFP.
"It was so scary," she added. "Thank God we are still alive."
An AFP journalist in the city at the time said he was jolted awake by powerful shaking, which sent the television set in his hotel room crashing to the floor. Staff urged guests to evacuate.
- 'Really strong' -
A ceiling at Kumamoto airport collapsed from the shaking, forcing the airport closed, Jiji Press reported, with no immediate plans to resume flights, and communications in the area were spotty.
The quake, measured at magnitude 7.0 by the US Geological Survey, struck at 1:25 am (1625 GMT Friday) at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles).
The Japan Meteorological Agency, which put the magnitude at a revised 7.3, initially issued a tsunami warning for the western coast of Kyushu but later lifted it.
Thursday night's quake was measured at magnitude 6.2 by USGS, and 6.5 by the Japanese agency.
Some 20,000 soldiers will be deployed to the area over the weekend to help rescue efforts, Defence Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters.
Shotaro Sakamoto, a Kumamoto prefectural official, said Saturday's quake felt comparable to Thursday's.
"It was really strong... many people on the street appeared panicked," he told AFP.
Meteorological agency official Gen Aoki said Saturday's earthquake was the strongest to hit Japan in recent days, and said Thursday's was merely a "precursor".
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was due to visit Kyushu later Saturday to inspect damage and rescue efforts, but Jiji Press reported his trip was cancelled.
"We are trying our best to assess the damage situation as it could spread," he told reporters early Saturday.
Japan, one of the most seismically active countries in the world, suffered a massive undersea quake on March 11, 2011 that sent a tsunami barrelling into the country's northeast coast.
Some 18,500 people were left dead or missing, and several nuclear reactors went into meltdown at the Fukushima plant in the worst atomic accident in a generation.
A nuclear plant on Kyushu was unaffected by Saturday's quake, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, the top government spokesman, told reporters.
Evactuated residents wait at a park in Higashi-ku in Kumamoto City on April 16, 2016 after a strong 7.0 earthquake hit southern Japan Kazuhiro Nogi (AFP)
A damaged house in the town of Mashiki, Kumamoto prefecture on April 15, 2016 Kazuhiro Nogi (AFP)
Japan quake Adrian Leung, Gal Roma (AFP)
Twitter hires new exec in bid to win China advertisers
Twitter introduced a new head of operations Friday for what it calls Greater China despite still being banned in the mainland, as it attempts to boost already booming advertising.
While San Francisco-based Twitter is not allowed to operate in mainland China under the country's strict Internet censorship, it does have an office in Hong Kong that courts advertisers over the border.
Twitter chief Jack Dorsey fired off a tweet from his @jack account welcoming former Microsoft and Cisco general manager Kathy Chen as managing director of Twitter's Greater China operations.
Twitter introduced a new head of operations on April 15, 2016 to boost advertising in what it calls Greater China despite still being banned in mainland China Emmanuel Dunand (AFP/File)
"I'm really excited to find more ways to create value for our advertisers, enterprises, creators, influencers and our developers, and partners as well," Chen said in a video snippet posted in a tweet from @TwitterGCN.
Twitter shared a link to a story in Hong Kong's South China Morning Post that reported the company has seen advertising triple in Greater China since it opened an office in Hong Kong in March last year.
Twitter has been banned in mainland China since 2009, but the service is a way for businesses there to get advertising messages to potential customers in other parts of the world.
"We've seen success with Greater China export advertisers and publishers using Twitter to reach global audiences," Twitter chief operating officer Adam Bain said in a tweet welcoming Chen to her new job.
Twitter last week added a PepsiCo executive and a British entrepreneur to its board as Dorsey continues an effort to shake up the stagnating one-to-many messaging service.
Twitter marked its 10th birthday last month, having become a powerful communication tool but still struggling to win users and reach profitability.
Since making a star-quality entrance a decade ago, Twitter has become a must-have tool for journalists, activists and celebrities but has struggled to show it can expand beyond its devoted "twitterati" to become a mainstream hit.
Twitter's woes include a slump in its stock price to all-time lows this year -- down nearly half from its 2013 stock market debut -- and ongoing losses, even as its revenue grows.
Twitter's base of monthly active users remained stuck at 320 million at the end of 2015. While that is a big accomplishment, Twitter has failed to keep pace with fast-growing rivals and to expand beyond its base.
Kerry demands Russia rein in Syrian forces
US Secretary of State John Kerry called his Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday to demand that Moscow press its Syrian allies to respect a crumbling ceasefire.
"Secretary Kerry said the United States expected Russia to urge the regime to comply with the cessation and that we would work with the opposition to do the same," US spokesman John Kirby said.
Kerry's call came as a new round of fierce fighting around the northern city of Aleppo overshadowed peace talks aimed at ending Syria's five-year civil war.
Syrian government forces patrol the town of Khan Tuman, south of Aleppo on April 11, 2016 George Ourfalian (AFP/File)
According to Kirby, Kerry told Lavrov of Washington's "serious concerns over the ongoing threats to the cessation of hostilities in Syria and the urgent need for the Assad regime to stop its violations of the cessation."
US officials have complained that Russian warplanes appear to be flying in support of Syrian forces attacking rebel positions in Aleppo, Syria's second city, despite Moscow having signed on to efforts to promote a political settlement.
But the situation has been complicated by the presence of fighters from the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front in Aleppo. Nusra is not party to the ceasefire and both Moscow and Damascus reserve the right to strike groups they regard as terrorists.
On the call Kerry "made it clear that we're concerned about the violence in and around Aleppo, and that we're concerned about reports -- which we believe have credibility -- that there are violations of the cessation happening," said Kirby.
"And to the degree that they're aided and abetted by Russian air strikes, yes, that's a matter of concern for us."
The top US diplomat also expressed to Lavrov concern about reports that Iranian general Qassem Suleimani, commander of the covert wing of the Revolutionary Guards Corps, is visiting Moscow.
Suleimani leads the Quds Force, which trains and supports Shiite militias in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria. He is subject to a travel ban under United Nations sanctions targeting Iran's guerrilla campaigns.
"He did raise it in the call," Kirby confirmed. "We're aware of reports that General Suleimani has travelled to Russia. I'm not in a position to confirm whether that's actually true.
"But as we've said when there have been previous reports of similar travel, there are UN sanctions on General Suleimani that remain in effect so such travel if true would be a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and we believe then a serious matter of concern both for the UN and for the United States."
Kerry also protested to Lavrov about an incident this week in which Russian fighter jets repeatedly buzzed a US naval vessel in the Baltic Sea. And he urged Moscow to prevent ceasefire violations along the frontline in divided Ukraine.
Syria opposition says willing to govern with regime 'diplomats, technocrats'
Syria's main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) told AFP Friday it was willing to join a transitional government with diplomats and technocrats from President Bashar al-Assad's government.
But the HNC maintained that Assad's departure from office must be part of any peace deal and categorically ruled out working with anyone who played a central role in the civil war which has killed more than 270,000 people and displaced millions.
"We cannot accept the participation of the parties who committed crimes against the Syrian people in the transitional governing body," HNC spokesman Salem al-Meslet said on the sidelines of peace talks in Geneva.
High Negotiations Committee (HNC) spokesman Salem al-Meslet gestures as he addresses a press conference on the second round of Syrian peace talks in Geneva on March 15, 2016 Philippr Desmazes (AFP)
The opposition, however, could cooperate with regime "diplomats and technocrats", provided they had support among the population.
He also said it was "premature" to discuss specific individuals who could be included in a prospective new government.
"The distribution of seats of the transitional governing body will be subject to a long debate," al-Meslet told AFP.
A new round of UN-brokered Syria peace talks got underway earlier this week.
The government delegation arrived in Geneva on Friday and held its first meeting with United Nations mediator Staffan de Mistura.
Lead government negotiator Bashar al-Jafaari described the meeting as "constructive and fruitful".
Political transition in the war-ravaged country, and particularly Assad's future, are the key obstacles at the negotiations, which aim to set up an interim government in six months ahead of UN-monitored presidential and parliamentary elections within 18 months.
At the last round of talks, the HNC put forward a detailed plan on political transition, but the regime remained focused on general principles and made clear it was not yet ready to tackle the concrete details of a new government.
De Mistura has urged Damascus to take a step forward at this round by laying out on paper its vision for a unity government.
The HNC was holding its second meeting with de Mistura on Friday evening, with the government due to meet the UN again on Monday.
This round is expected to last 10 days.
The UN hopes that both sides will leave Geneva with general agreement on how to progress towards a new government.
Before the talks began, de Mistura travelled to Moscow and Tehran to meet with key Assad allies to shore up support for his peace drive.
He has repeatedly said outside influence, especially from Moscow, was crucial to success at the intra-Syrian talks.
The negotiations, during which opposing sides meet separately with the UN, have been overshadowed by intensifying violence on the ground that has further threatened a fragile ceasefire declared on February 27.
Fierce fighting raged Friday around Syria's Aleppo as government forces have battled jihadists from the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda linked Al-Nusra, who are not part of the ceasefire.
The surge in violence forced tens of thousands more to flee their homes.
IMF agrees in principle to $2.8 bn loan for Tunisia
Tunisia and the International Monetary Fund have agreed in principle on a new $2.8-billion (2.5-billion euro) loan, subject to approval by the IMF's executive board, the organisation announced Friday.
While Tunisia is hailed as a political success story of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, authorities have failed to redress the economy, especially in the face of security threats.
The agreement with the IMF follows months of negotiations on a new aid package to follow up on a $1.7-billion credit line granted in 2013.
Tunisia's agreement with the IMF follows months of negotiations on a new aid package to follow up on a $1.7-billion credit line granted in 2013 Brendan Smialowski (AFP/File)
"Tunisian authorities and IMF staff have reached a staff-level agreement on a 48-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for 375 percent of Tunisia's quota in the IMF (about $2.8 billion)," Amine Mati, mission chief of Tunisia at the IMF, said in a statement released in Washington.
"This agreement will be subject to approval by the IMF's executive board, which is expected to consider Tunisia's request next month."
Mati said the loan would support the Tunisian government's "reform priorities spelled out in the forthcoming five-year development plan".
"The government's economic programme recognises the importance of accelerating the pace of economic reforms for Tunisia to reduce vulnerabilities, boost growth, and foster sustainable job creation."
Mati singled out "preserving macroeconomic stability, modernising public institutions, boosting private sector activity, and reinforcing the stability and efficiency of the financial sector" as essential to curbing unemployment, especially among Tunisia's youth.
US Supreme Court mulls taking case of man given life for pot
The US Supreme Court was expected to consider on Friday whether to accept the case of an elderly disabled veteran sentenced to life in prison after growing marijuana that he used to relieve chronic pain.
Under guidelines in Alabama for habitual felony offenders, Lee Brooker was given a life sentence without possibility of parole, the most severe punishment in the southern state short of the death penalty.
Brooker, born in 1939 and who according to US news reports is 75 years old, was convicted more than 20 years ago for armed robbery in Florida and served 10 years in prison.
The US Supreme Court was expected to consider on April 15, 2016 whether to accept the case of an elderly disabled veteran sentenced to life in prison after growing marijuana that he used to relieve chronic pain Karen Bleier (AFP/File)
In 2011, police investigating stolen bicycles stumbled onto three dozen marijuana plants behind the home in Dothan, Alabama that Brooker shared with his son.
Although Brooker said the marijuana was for his personal medicinal use, state law dictates that convicted felons in possession of more than 2.2 pounds (one kilogram) of marijuana receive life imprisonment without parole, regardless of whether there was intent to sell or distribute.
The marijuana collected at Brooker's home weighed 2.8 pounds, when including unusable parts of the plant such as the stems.
Brooker has appealed his sentence to the high court, citing the Eighth Amendment that bans "cruel and unusual punishment."
Mali and EU hold talks on African immigration programme
Mali and the European Union agreed Friday to combat immigration into Europe by financing projects to fight its causes and promote legal migration, according to a joint statement released on Friday.
Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, began a west African tour of Mali, Ghana and Ivory Coast Thursday on behalf of the European bloc.
The visit is aimed at implementing the agreement adopted between European and African states in Malta in November, with states agreeing to 1.8 billion-euros ($2.03 billion) of financial assistance to stem the flow of migrants.
Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders (C) and police officers pose with biometrical passeports at the Malian border police headquarters in Bamako on April 14, 2016 Habibou Kouyate (AFP/File)
The discussions encompassed "how to ensure that people benefit more from their families remaining (at home) than leaving for Europe," the statement said.
They also emphasised stopping illegal immigration and the rising numbers of deaths from unsafe Mediterranean crossings, and the promotion of legal migration in the form of seasonal work or studying abroad, it added.
Bamako and Brussels "have committed to manage migratory flows together," said the joint statement, referring to the "principles of solidarity, partnership and shared responsibility".
More than 1,000 Egyptians rally against regime
More than a thousand Egyptian demonstrators rallied in central Cairo on Friday demanding "the fall of the regime", in the largest protest challenging the government in two years.
By evening, after most protesters had left, police fired tear gas to disperse the remaining few, while plainclothes officers chased them down side streets to make arrests.
Police had earlier dispersed another rally elsewhere in Cairo and arrested at least 12 people.
Egyptian protesters with placards shout slogans during a demonstration against a controversial deal to hand two islands in the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia on April 15, 2016 in central Cairo Mohamed el-Shahed (AFP)
The main protest, organised by leftist and secular activists, was ostensibly against a deal by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to hand over two islands to Saudi Arabia, during a visit by King Salman last week.
But pent-up frustrations over what activists call the president's heavy handedness and his style of governance dominated their chants.
"The people demand the fall of the regime," they chanted outside the journalists' syndicate in downtown Cairo.
That slogan was the signature chant of the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011, which led to the ouster of veteran Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.
The protest on Friday was far smaller than those that filled Cairo's streets in 2011, and again in 2013 when millions rallied to demand Islamist president Mohamed Morsi's ouster by the military, then led by Sisi.
But a crackdown since Morsi's overthrow on protests that has killed more than 1,000 of his Islamist supporters has stifled demonstrations, which are now illegal without prior police permission.
Rallies by Morsi supporters, often met by swift police force, had waned since early 2014.
His Muslim Brotherhood movement has been banned as a terrorist group and thousands of its members, including Morsi, have been imprisoned.
The crackdown has spread to secular and leftist dissidents who had supported Morsi's overthrow and then turned on Sisi.
- Dashing of hopes -
"The presence of this large number of protesters isn't just because of the islands," said Khaled Dawud, a prominent liberal activist and writer.
During a visit by King Salman last week, which brought Egypt billions of dollars in investments, the Egyptian government announced it was returning two islands in the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia.
It said the islands in the Straits of Tiran had been leased by Saudi Arabia to Egypt in 1950.
The announcement caused a storm of controversy in Egypt, with critics accusing Sisi of "selling" the islands.
Others who conceded they were Saudi to begin with criticised his government for announcing the deal only after it was signed.
The protesters on Friday included a gallery of prominent leftwing and liberal dissidents.
"There is an accumulation of things, and the dashing of the hopes we protested for on January 25," said Dawud, referring to the date when the anti-Mubarak revolt began.
The interior ministry had on Thursday warned against the protests and reminded Egyptians in a statement that unapproved demonstrations were illegal.
"What is significant is there is this number of protesters despite the interior ministry warning," Dawud said.
While Sisi, who won elections in 2014, is reviled by Islamists and secular dissidents, he is supported by many Egyptians say they need a strong leader to revive the economy after years of unrest.
He had enjoyed unwavering loyalty in much of the Egyptian media since he took office, but criticism of the president and his police force has grown in recent months.
Egyptian protesters take part in a demonstration against a controversial deal to hand two islands in the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia on April 15, 2016 in central Cairo STRINGER (AFP)
No kidding: Pentagon ran 'fancy Italian goat' project
US lawmakers keen to shear costs from expensive reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan are locking horns with the Pentagon over a failed multi-million-dollar project to mate cashmere goats in the war-torn country.
A panel of politicians was aghast Friday as John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, described a Defense Department initiative to import Italian and Tajik goats that were supposed to mate on a remote farm and increase Afghanistan's output of blond and white cashmere wool.
However, some of the goats used to stock the farm were infected with Johne's disease -- a transmittable, fatal gastrointestinal infection that can destroy whole herds, Sopko said in written testimony to the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
An Afghan man leads a goat ahead of the sacrificial Eid al-Adha festival on October 2, 2014 Aref Karimi (AFP/File)
Additionally, the farm itself was too small to provide adequate grazing.
Congresswoman Jackie Speier suggested the episode was worthy of lampooning by British comic John Oliver, who hosts a satirical current affairs show on US television.
"Too bad many of the female goats were already infected with the disease that could have wiped out the entire herd," she said, noting that "only two of those fancy Italian goats are still usable in the project."
"Manufacturing warm, fluffy sweaters (is) not the key to economic recovery in Afghanistan, nor is it in (the Pentagon's) expertise," she added.
Sopko has repeatedly highlighted the $6.1 million goat project as one illustration of wasted money in Afghanistan and America's "scattershot" approach to economic development in the country.
Yemen never been so close to peace: UN envoy
The UN envoy for Yemen declared Friday that "we have never been so close to peace," cautiously talking up prospects for talks in Kuwait next week despite violations of a truce.
"The path to peace might be difficult, but it is workable," Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed told the Security Council, cautioning however that violations of the UN-brokered ceasefire "threaten the success of the peace talks."
The Saudi-backed government in Yemen will begin on Monday a new round of talks with the Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies in Kuwait to end a war that has brought the country to its knees.
The United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed (C) speaks during a press conference ahead of his departure at Sanaa international airport on January 14, 2016 Mohammed Huwais (AFP/File)
The envoy, who was due to fly to Kuwait after the council meeting, welcomed a decrease in violence since the ceasefire went into force on Monday.
Cheikh Ahmed said however there were worrying violations of the truce in Marib to the east, Jawf in the north, and Taez in the southwest.
"Yemen is facing a brutal war on one hand and a significant terrorist threat on the other" that has grown in the vacuum created by the chaos, said the envoy.
Forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi have launched operations against jihadists in recent weeks, backed by the firepower of an Arab coalition.
On Friday, pro-government forces expelled Al-Qaeda fighters from the provincial capital of Huta, close to Yemen's second city of Aden.
The United Nations has raised alarm over the growing influence of Al-Qaeda in Yemen and the mounting civilian toll from the coalition air strikes as it pushed all sides to come to the negotiating table.
More than 6,400 people have been killed since a Saudi-led coalition began an air campaign in March last year to push back the rebels, who still retain control of the capital Sanaa.
Some 2.8 million people have been driven from their homes, and more than 80 percent of the population is in need of emergency aid.
"Peace is not an abstract for the people of Yemen, it is vital to their survival," UN aid official Kyung-wha Kang told the council.
Among the issues to be tackled at the Kuwait talks are agreements on security arrangements, the withdrawal of militias and armed groups, the handover of heavy weapons and the release of detainees.
The conflict in the impoverished nation has raised Middle East tensions, with Saudi Arabia and its Sunni allies backing the government and Shiite powerhouse Iran supporting the rebels.
A previous round of UN-brokered talks in Switzerland in January failed to make any headway. A ceasefire that went into force in December was repeatedly violated and eventually abandoned by the coalition on January 2.
Israel returns Palestinian attacker's body in 'misunderstanding'
The Israeli military on Friday in a "misunderstanding" handed over the body of a Palestinian killed after attacking a soldier with an axe the previous day, an army spokeswoman said.
"The body of the Palestinian was handed over following a misunderstanding that will be investigated," she told AFP.
The policy on returning the bodies of Palestinians killed "is set according to government guidelines", the spokeswoman added.
A Palestinian protester holds a national flag next to Israeli security forces during clashes on April 15, 2016 in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh Abbas Momani (AFP)
Public radio reported that two weeks ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon not to return the bodies of Palestinians killed in the West Bank to prevent their funerals escalating into protests.
Thursday's axe attack, in which the soldier was lightly wounded, ended a three-week lull in such incidents.
It occurred near the Al-Arroub refugee camp between Hebron and Bethlehem on the West Bank.
The Palestinian health ministry identified the man killed as Ibrahim al-Gharooz Baradeah, 45.
A wave of violence that erupted in October has killed 201 Palestinians and 28 Israelis. Two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese have also been killed.
Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, Israeli authorities say.
Others were shot dead by Israeli forces during protests and clashes, while some were killed in Israeli air raids in the Gaza Strip.
Israel's refusal to return the bodies of attackers has added to Palestinian resentment.
Officials in the Jewish state are divided over the issue, with senior figures in the military believing it stokes tensions.
He opened eyes around the world with his exposure of surveillance by the NSA.
But Edward Snowden's next venture will target the world's ears, with the whistleblower set to release a techno tune as he makes his debut as an electronic dance music artist.
The fugitive intelligence contractor is releasing a track with acclaimed electronica star Jean-Michel Jarre, the Columbia record company announced on Friday.
Scroll down for snippet of Edward Snowden's song
Edward Snowden (right) set to release a techno tune as he makes his debut as an electronic dance music artist with Jean-Michel Jarre
The song - called Exit - is set to hit the charts on May 6 and features Snowden discussing digital surveillance to the backdrop of a lively electronic soundscape created by Jarre.
It is available to stream online and will appear on Jarre's forthcoming album Electronica Vol. 2: The Heart of Noise.
The pair were brought together by the Guardian after Jarre gave an interview and asked to be put in touch with the former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor, who is now wanted on espionage charges in the United States.
'Edward is an absolute hero of our times. When I first read about him, it made me think of my mother,' Jarre saud,
'She joined the French resistance in 1941, when people in France still thought they were just troublemakers, and she always told me that when society is generating things you can't stand, you have to stand up against it.'
After being put in touch, Jarre, 67, travelled to Moscow to meet Snowden, 32, who lives in Russia in exile, and record the samples that feature on the track.
The song - called Exit - is set to hit the charts on May 6 and features Snowden (right) discussing digital surveillance to the backdrop of a lively electronic soundscape created by Jarre (left)
Other guest contributors on the album will include Gary Numan and the Pet Shop Boys.
Snowden became one of the worlds most wanted men in 2013 when stole classified documents from the NSA.
Snowden, who was a computer specialist at an intelligence centre in Hawaii, tricked colleagues into handing over passwords so he could copy up to 1.7million documents in one of the biggest leaks in US history.
He also leaked details of attempts by state spy agencies including Britains GCHQ to view citizens private information.
Snowden claimed internet history, emails, text messages, calls and passwords were harvested by spies.
And he made the highly damaging claim revelation that the U.S. had hacked Chinese computers and the communications of allies such as Germany and France.
The defence contractor claims he had to act because the US governments policies were a threat to democracy - but America consider him a traitor and he would face decades in jail if he ever returned.
He fled justice in the US to Hong Kong, then Russia, where he was granted asylum. Snowden is now stranded in Moscow as a fugitive after America took away his passport.
Intelligence chiefs believe he is now a puppet' passing details of military capabilities, operations and tactics to Putin's henchmen, although he denies taking any classified material to Russia.
PJ Harvey, rock poet, turns journalist with eye on decay
With a guitar in hand rather than a notebook, rocker PJ Harvey has taken on the role of a journalist on a forceful new album that crosses continents to explore modern-day destruction.
"The Hope Six Demolition Project," the ninth album by one of the most accoladed British musicians of her generation, turns Harvey's observations on 21st-century decay into songs led by her trademark bluesy-punk guitar, with surprisingly uplifting touches.
Although Harvey traveled for the album to war-torn Afghanistan and Kosovo, much of the work explores Washington, where the rocker was interested not in the corridors of power but the poverty just a short distance away.
British singer PJ Harvey performs on the stage of the 20th edition of the Vieilles Charrues Music Festival on July 17, 2011 in Carhaix, Brittany Fred Tanneau (AFP/File)
The album's title is a reference to Hope VI, the 1990s US program that tore down decrepit public housing but which critics say failed to find adequate new accommodation for former residents.
Harvey aims to look at some of the lingering after-effects on the album's first track, "The Community of Hope." Set to a deceptively ebullient guitar riff that runs throughout the song, she travels on "the highway to death and destruction" in Washington's low-income Ward 7, which she describes with the words "Now this is just drug town, just zombies / But that's just life."
Harvey wrote the song after a tour of Ward 7 led by a Washington Post journalist, Paul Schwartzman, a self-admitted unhip chronicler of the city who had not heard of Harvey but was asked to show around a visiting "musician/poet."
The song climaxes in a chant about looming gentrification derived from Schwartzman's tour -- "They're gonna put a Walmart here." (In fact, the mega-chain announced while Harvey was recording the album that it was suspending plans to put a Walmart there.)
- Touches of hope -
The 46-year-old rocker, who can play virtually all instruments in her music, broke through with her 1995 album "To Bring You My Love" and is the only artist to win Britain's prestigious Mercury Prize twice.
Her other two Mercury-winning albums bear the closest narrative similarities to "The Hope Six Demolition Project." "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" (2000) delved into Harvey's love of New York City while 2011's "Let England Shake," her last album, weaved together stories of soldiers sent to Iraq and Afghanistan.
While the political edge of "Let England Shake" was accompanied by an often dark musical backdrop, "The Hope Six Demolition Project" is belied by an optimism instilled by a saxophone that gives an urgent feel to tracks such as "A Line in the Sand," "Chain of Keys" and "The Wheel."
The saxophone takes on a larger role to complement the build-up in "Medicinals," while "Near the Memorials to Vietnam and Lincoln" opens with a joyous folk sing-along.
The album culminates with Harvey's bare voice on "Dollar, Dollar," where she shows her vulnerability on seeing a child beggar in Afghanistan.
- Anger in Washington -
Harvey decided not to give any interviews for "The Hope Six Demolition Project," letting her lyricism speak for itself.
In a sign of her inclinations, she spent release day Friday at a literary festival in Genoa, Italy where she presented her recent poetry collection -- a collaboration with photographer Seamus Murphy that also takes place in Washington, Kosovo and Afghanistan.
Her work in the vein of journalism has not met with universal acclaim from its subjects. While the boy in "Dollar, Dollar" is unlikely to hear the song, Washington residents have complained about her bleak portrayal of their city.
Although the criticism can partially be explained as hometown pride, Harvey may also have run into gaps in trans-Atlantic sensibility. Most white American arthouse musicians would steer clear of writing songs from fleeting encounters in their own country, such as when Harvey sings about Washington's National Mall that "a black man in overalls arrives to empty the trash" and a woman in a wheelchair sips "a new painkiller for the native people."
The Community of Hope, a Washington charity, took exception to Harvey's description of "zombies" and her emphasis on the cityscape.
DR Congo migrants in limbo as C.Rica, Panama reject them
Around 200 African migrants, most of them from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), were in limbo between Costa Rica and Panama on Friday, with both Central American nations refusing them entry.
Costa Rica detained them on Thursday when its northern neighbor Nicaragua turned them back at its border as they sought to cross on their way to try to get to the United States.
But Panama, through which they passed to enter Costa Rica, was refusing to accept them back.
Costa Rican police personnel in riot gear form a line in the border with Panama, 320 km south of San Jose on April 14, 2016 Ezequiel Becerra (AFP/File)
The migrants protested Friday on the Costa Rican side of the border with Panama to be allowed to continue their journey to America.
Costa Rica bolstered that southern border with police after around 1,000 Cubans stuck in Panama and also trying to get to the United States briefly broke through on Wednesday, only to be made to go back.
Costa Rica has issued a statement saying it will not permit the entry of migrants without visas. It criticized countries in South America for allowing them to make it as far north as Central America.
"These migratory flows to Panama and Costa Rica show the inability or bad faith of other southern nations to prevent the entry and transit of irregular migrants," the foreign ministry statement said.
Some of the DRC migrants told AFP they had arrived on the continent in Brazil, where they spent several months or years before heading north through Colombia and Panama with the aim of making it into the United States.
A migration official in Panama, Alfredo Cordoba, told the Panamanian television channel Repretel that the DRC migrants did not have visas so could not be permitted back across the border.
Nadal, Federer, Murray reach Monte Carlo Masters quarters
MONACO (AP) Rafael Nadal was prepared for pain. Roger Federer hoped to avoid pain.
They got what they wished for and reached the Monte Carlo Masters quarterfinals on Thursday.
Eight-time champion Nadal saved 15 of 17 break points, scampering all over the clay to retrieve big forehands from Dominic Thiem and beat the Austrian 7-5, 6-3.
Andy Murray of Britain plays a return to France's Benoit Paire during their match of the Monte Carlo Tennis Masters tournament in Monaco, Thursday, April 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)
Thiem beat Nadal in the semifinals in Buenos Aires en route to the title, the first of two on clay in February. Thiem has the second-most wins on the tour this year, after Novak Djokovic. He made Nadal run and run.
"I never gave up in all these tough moments," Nadal said. "You need matches like this. You need to suffer on court."
Federer was equally pleased to feel no pain in his left knee, two months after arthroscopic surgery for torn cartilage. In his second match since, Federer was unscathed in easing past Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 6-2, 6-4 for a fifth straight time.
"I'm happy how the body is, that I was able to play two matches already here, and get a chance to play a third," Federer said. "I'm getting closer to the peak in the sense of maximum movement."
Federer next faces Jo Wilfried Tsonga in the last eight, leading the Frenchman 11-5 in head-to-heads.
"I like his game. I like his power, his capacity to move forward with his forehand," Federer said of Tsonga. "I've seen wonderful matches of him against the best players, and also against me."
Elsewhere, Andy Murray rallied from a set and 3-0 down to advance along with Stan Wawrinka, the only other former champion left in the field beside Nadal.
Nadal faced 16 of the 17 break points against Thiem in the first set.
At 4-4, and with each player having dropped serve once, Thiem missed six chances to break Nadal. On the last one, Thiem let a lob go thinking it was going out, and watched it land in.
The Spaniard clenched his fist after holding that tough game, and then broke Thiem when the Austrian double-faulted on set point.
"Some of the break points he played very well so I didn't have a chance, but there were also some where I really had some easy shots," said Thiem, who converted only one of 16 chances on Djokovic's serve in the third round of the Miami Masters two weeks ago. "Of course, it's very frustrating."
After Thiem broke Nadal to love in the third game of the second set for a 2-1 lead, Nadal quickly regained momentum and broke Thiem twice more to set up a quarterfinal against Wawrinka, the 2014 champion.
"If you look at the past year, we can see his level has slightly decreased," Wawrinka, the French Open champion, said of 14-time Grand Slam winner Nadal. "But a champion like him is still able to win big titles."
Murray was relieved to scrape past an erratic Benoit Paire of France 2-6, 7-5, 7-5.
"To win when you're not playing particularly well, it's a great effort," Murray said. "It would have been easy to lose today and get down on myself. But I kept fighting."
Paire had 47 winners among a number of eye-catching shots, but the Frenchman also made 52 unforced errors. He had eight aces and seven double-faults.
Paire also lost his composure at key moments, double-faulting when serving for the match and again on match point.
"He played a bad game at 3-0 in the second to give me one of the breaks back," Murray said. "I felt like I was in with a chance then."
Murray next plays Milos Raonic of Canada, who had 12 aces in beating 99th-ranked Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (5).
Wawrinka advanced by routing Gilles Simon 6-1, 6-2, breaking the Frenchman's serve five times.
Since losing his first 12 matches against Nadal, Wawrinka has won three of their past five encounters, including the final of the 2014 Australian Open, his first major.
The day after stunning Djokovic in the second round, 55th-ranked Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic lost to Gael Monfils 6-1, 6-2.
Monfils next plays Spaniard Marcel Granollers, who upset David Goffin of Belgium 7-6 (1), 6-4, while Tsonga downed countryman Lucas Pouille 6-4, 6-4.
Andy Murray of Britain reacts during his match of the Monte Carlo Tennis Masters tournament against France's Benoit Paire in Monaco, Thursday, April 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)
Spain's Rafael Nadal plays a return against Austria's Dominic Thiem during their match at the Monte Carlo Tennis Masters tournament in Monaco, Thursday, April 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)
Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Austria's Dominic Thiem in their match of the Monte Carlo Tennis Masters tournament in Monaco, Thursday, April 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)
Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland plays a return to France's Gilles Simon during their match of the Monte Carlo Tennis Masters tournament in Monaco, Thursday, April 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)
Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland plays a return to France's Gilles Simon during their match of the Monte Carlo Tennis Masters tournament in Monaco, Thursday, April 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)
Swiss Roger Federer plays a return to Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut during their match at the Monte Carlo Tennis Masters tournament in Monaco, Thursday, April 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)
The Latest: Aggravated murder count filed in officer's death
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The Latest on a Columbus SWAT officer who died after being shot while trying to serve an arrest warrant (all times local):
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6 p.m.
FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Columbus Division of Police shows police SWAT Officer Steven M. Smith. The Ohio police officer died Tuesday, April 12, 2016, two days after he was critically wounded when a man opened fire on a SWAT team trying to arrest him. (Columbus Division of Police via AP, File)
Authorities say the man accused in the slaying of a Columbus SWAT officer has now been charged with aggravated murder.
The upgraded charge against defendant Lincoln Rutledge follows Tuesday's death of Columbus officer Steven Smith.
The 44-year-old Rutledge is being held without bond and also faces charges of felonious assault and aggravated arson.
The aggravated murder charged filed in Franklin County Municipal Court Thursday is preliminary while an investigation into Smith's death continues.
Rutledge will likely face more formal charges once an indictment is handed down.
Smith was shot in the head early Sunday while officers tried to arrest Rutledge on the arson charge.
Rutledge's public defender is not commenting.
Columbus police chief Kim Jacobs remembered the 54-year-old Smith Thursday as someone who lived to serve others.
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2:30 p.m.
The suspect in the death of an Ohio police officer has given up his right to an initial court hearing.
The decision Thursday by Lincoln Rutledge means the state now has nearly two months before an indictment must be issued.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien says the extra time allows both sides to research the case and for Rutledge's attorneys to argue against making the indictment a death penalty case. Ohio law includes killing a police officer as a factor that can lead to capital punishment.
A message was left with the public defender's office representing the 44-year-old Rutledge.
Earlier Thursday, dozens of police cruisers escorted slain Columbus SWAT officer Steven Smith's body to a funeral home. Smith died Tuesday, two days after being shot.
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1:15 p.m.
A law enforcement procession in Ohio's capital city has escorted the body of a slain police officer to a funeral home.
Columbus officer Steven M. Smith died Tuesday after he was critically wounded when a man opened fire on a SWAT team trying to arrest him two days earlier.
Police say 44-year-old Columbus resident Lincoln Rutledge shot Smith and held police at bay for several hours on Sunday.
Rutledge has been denied bond and remains jailed on charges including felonious assault.
A Thursday procession including police cruisers and officers on horseback escorted Smith's body from the Franklin County coroner's office to a downtown funeral home.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien says charges against Rutledge could carry the death penalty because of the officer's death.
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9:55 a.m.
A procession is planned in Ohio's capital city to escort the body of a slain police officer to a funeral home.
Columbus officer Steven M. Smith died Tuesday after he was critically wounded when a man opened fire on a SWAT team trying to arrest him two days earlier.
Police say 44-year-old Columbus resident Lincoln Rutledge shot Smith and held police at bay for several hours on Sunday.
Rutledge has been denied bond and remains jailed on charges including felonious assault.
A Thursday procession including police cruisers and officers on horseback planned to escort Smith's body from the Franklin County coroner's office to a downtown funeral home.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien says charges against Rutledge could carry the death penalty because of the officer's death.
Man accused of killing wife, 2 others blames intruder
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) A man accused of killing his wife and two of her relatives in a tiny Montana town told authorities that a stranger must have broken into the house they shared and shot the victims, court documents released Thursday said.
Robert James LeCou, 39, made the claim during an interview with Montana law enforcement following his arrest in Washington state on April 8, according to an affidavit from Carbon County District Attorney Alex Nixon.
Authorities allege LeCou shot his wife, her sister and a brother-in-law three days earlier and fled. Nixon would not speculate on a motive.
This undated photo released by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows Robert James LeCou. LeCou, accused of killing his wife and two of her relatives in a Montana town, told authorities that a stranger must have broken into the house they shared and shot the victims, court documents released Thursday, April 14, 2016, said. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP)
LeCou told the agents from the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation that "there was a pistol stored in a back bedroom, and theorized that a stranger must have gone into the residence ... and used the pistol to kill the three remaining in the residence."
A resident of Belfry, an agriculture-oriented town of 200 near the Wyoming border, called authorities after seeing no activity at the victims' house for two days.
Found dead inside from gunshot wounds were Lloyd Lamb, 76; Lamb's wife, Sharon Hill-Lamb, 72; and LeCou's wife, Karen Hill-LeCou, 54. The women were sisters.
Because a prior violent conviction prohibited LeCou from owning firearms, his wife had purchased two boxes of 9 mm ammunition for him about three weeks before her death, according to a witness cited in the affidavit and surveillance video from a Cabela's sporting goods store in Billings, Montana.
A 9 mm handgun that Lloyd Lamb apparently owned and kept at the residence has not been found. Numerous 9 mm shell casings were found in and outside the house, inside a camper-trailer on the property and in a dumpster, the affidavit said.
LeCou told authorities he left the house at noon April 8, the day of the slayings, the affidavit said.
Neighbors told The Associated Press that they had seen LeCou leave around 8 p.m. April 5. That's about the same time another Belfry resident reported hearing gunshots in the neighborhood, the affidavit said.
LeCou arrived at his mother's house in the Washington state community of Nine Mile Falls early April 6.
His public defender in Washington has not responded to requests for comment.
Authorities on Wednesday added a charge of tampering with evidence to the three counts of deliberate homicide that LeCou faces. The new charge stems from dumping the shell casings and some paper towels that appeared to be covered with blood into the dumpster, according to court documents.
He was not fighting extradition to Montana, prosecutors said.
LeCou previously was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and sentenced to 10 years in prison for the 1999 beating death of a homeless man in Fort Worth, Texas. He was paroled in 2009.
LeCou arrived in Belfry roughly six months ago to help care for Lloyd Lamb, who used a wheelchair, according to several neighbors.
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Cuckoo clocks? Venezuela shifting time hoping to save energy
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) Venezuela's government is changing the clock again as part of its efforts to stave off an electricity crisis.
The move comes nine years after former President Hugo Chavez created Venezuela's own, unique time zone in a stroke of anti-imperialist independence.
President Nicolas Maduro said Thursday that the new change will take effect May 1. He didn't provide details about how much or in what direction the clocks would move, saying only that it's an additional emergency measure to prevent power outages as a severe drought reduces power output by lowering water levels at hydroelectric dams. As part of the energy-saving drive, he also declared Monday a public holiday.
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, waves to supporters, nexto to lawmaker Elias Jaua, left, and first lady Cilia Flores, right, during a demonstration at Miraflores presidential Palace, in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, April 14, 2016. Several thousand public employees and government supporters marched to protest against a new law that hands over legal property titles to the beneficiaries of government housing programs. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
"It's a very simple measure that represents an important savings," Maduro said about the shift in the time zone.
The move follows Maduro's decision requiring cinemas to close early and shopping centers to generate their own electricity and his call for women to ease up on hair blowers in a bid to reduce energy consumption by 20 percent.
More controversially, he has also started giving state employees Fridays off. The surprise furlough for Monday means that as of Tuesday, when Venezuelans celebrate independence day, 17 of the last 31 calendar days will have been non-work days for many Venezuelans. Maduro gave workers off the three days leading up to the Easter holiday last month.
Not everyone is celebrating the extra time off.
Opponents of the socialist leader say electricity rationing could have been prevented had the government invested in maintenance and in the construction of thermoelectric plants.
Almost 70 percent of the South American country's electricity comes from hydro power, and officials have been warning for weeks that the water level behind the nation's largest dam has fallen to near its minimum operating level. If the government had to shut down the dam, electricity supply would be crippled.
When Chavez in 2007 put Venezuela 4 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time, he said it would allow children to sleep in and prepare for school during daylight. Venezuela is near the equator so daylight varies little by season.
Some supporters suggested Chavez also wanted to take further distance from Washington, which during daylight saving time shared the same time zone.
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro fist bumps with a supporter during a demonstration at Miraflores presidential palace, in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, April 14, 2016. Several thousand public employees and government supporters marched to protest against a new law that hands over legal property titles to the beneficiaries of government housing programs. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
The Latest: Protesters: Trump's visit opens old wounds
PATCHOGUE, N.Y. (AP) The Latest on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's appearance at a fundraising gala on Long Island: (all times local):
6:30 p.m.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attended a fundraising gala on Long Island in New York as about 100 people protested outside.
A sign sits near the site where Marcelo Lucero was killed in Patchogue, N.Y., on Wednesday, April, 13, 2016. The Rev. Alan Ramirez, an adviser to the family of Lucero, has called for Donald Trump to cancel a planned appearance at a Suffolk County Republican Committee fundraiser on Thursday, April 14, in Patchogue, because it is being held at a nightclub just blocks from where a gang of teenagers killed Lucero in November 2008. (AP Photo/Frank Eltman)
The event Thursday was held just blocks from where an Ecuadorean immigrant was stabbed to death in 2008 by a gang of teenagers who targeted Latinos. Protesters have said the event is a slur on the memory of the slain immigrant.
Trump told his supports he has a "great relationship" with Mexico and Hispanic people. He made no mention of the protesters who had gathered outside during his 20-minute speech.
Outside the event, police had established separate barricaded areas for Trump supporters and anti-Trump demonstrators. Police said there were no arrests.
Trump said he anticipates Suffolk County will be "my single biggest margin" in the New York's Republican primary on April 19.
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1:45 a.m.
Some Latinos are decrying Donald Trump's planned appearance at a Republican fundraiser in suburban New York days ahead of the state's primary.
They say it opens old anti-immigrant wounds in light of Trump's tough talk about building a wall on the Mexican border and other rhetoric.
The gala is being held Thursday in Patchogue (PACH'-awg), just blocks from where an Ecuadorean immigrant was stabbed to death in 2008 by a gang of teenagers who targeted Latinos.
Protesters say the event is a slur on the memory of the slain immigrant.
The chairman of the Suffolk County Republican Committee says said the event was scheduled more than two months ago for the location and that Trump only accepted last week.
In this circa 2000 photo taken with the camera's self timer and provided by Joselo Lucero, Marcello Lucero, top, playfully hugs his brother Joselo in Patchouge, N.Y. In 2008, a gang of racist white youths out hunting "Mexicans" killed Marcello Lucero blocks from where Republican GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump is planning an appearance at an upcoming Republican fundraiser on Thursday, April 14, 2016. Some say the visit is opening old wounds, but others simply oppose the billionaire's positions on building a wall on the Mexican border and other immigration stances. (Joselo Lucero via AP)
Endangered seals start journey home after rehab
ABOARD US COAST GUARD HC-130 HERCULES (AP) Seven endangered Hawaiian monk seals that were found abandoned or malnourished late last year began their trip back to their remote island homes Thursday after being rescued and rehabilitated.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found most of the seal pups on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the northernmost islands and atolls in the Hawaiian Islands chain. The nonprofit Marine Mammal Center's monk seal hospital on Hawaii's Big Island then nursed the animals back to health.
On Thursday, the seals were loaded into a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane and flown from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, to Honolulu. The Associated Press was on the flight.
Kevin Deininger, a United States Coast Guard loadmaster, smiles at one of seven endangered Hawaiian monk seals that were being transported from Hawaiis Big Island to Honolulu, Thursday, April 14, 2016 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The seven seal pups were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back Honolulu Thursday for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
The seals were then taken to an Oahu NOAA facility, where they will be held until Sunday.
From there, the animals will be transported by boat to the islands they were rescued from. Six of the seals will return to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and the seventh is headed to the privately owned island of Niihau in the main Hawaiian Islands. The voyage is expected to take about a week.
According to the California-based Marine Mammal Center, fewer than 1 in 5 monk seals survive their first year in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands because of threats including predation, entanglement and environmental changes.
There are only about 1,200 monk seals in the world, NOAA officials said, and they all live in the main or northwest Hawaiian islands.
The seals being transported Thursday were all females, said Michelle Barbieri, a NOAA veterinarian with the Monk Seal Research Program who was aboard the flight.
"We focus our efforts on female seals because they're going to grow up and contribute to the population in the future," Barbieri said.
While in rehabilitation, the seals were slowly nursed to a healthy weight to help increase their odds of survival.
Eric Roberts, a marine mammal response coordinator with the Coast Guard in Honolulu, helped bring the pups to the hospital when they were found and was there to escort them home.
"At the Coast Guard, we pride ourselves on being lifesavers, and this is a unique opportunity where can actually contribute to saving a species," Roberts said.
The Marine Mammal Center has successfully released eight seals so far, and this group is their biggest recovery and release effort to date.
David Scholfield, a NOAA response coordinator for the Pacific Islands, said rescuers normally transport only one or two seals at a time, making Thursday's effort "historic" and a major boost for the overall population in generations to come.
The monk seal population is still declining at a rate of about 4 percent per year. Returning these animals to their home islands could have a big impact, he said.
"These seven animals would have died," Scholfield said, "and so getting them back to health and having them potentially reproduce in the wild, and produce offspring, has a many magnitude effect" on the overall population.
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Follow Caleb Jones on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CalebAP
Find more of his work here: http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/caleb-jones
An endangered Hawaiian looks out from her container as she is transported from Hawaiis Big Island to Honolulu, Thursday, April 14, 2016, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seal were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu Thursday for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
An endangered Hawaiian monk seal looks out from her container as she is transported from Hawaiis Big Island to Honolulu, Thursday, April 14, 2016, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seal were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu on Thursday for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
An endangered Hawaiian monk seal looks out from her container as she is transported from Hawaiis Big Island to Honolulu, Thursday, April 14, 2016, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seal were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu on Thursday for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
Alaska Air Guard recounts skiers' rescue
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) An Alaska Air National Guard helicopter on Tuesday landed 50 meters from an orange blanket tied to a half-buried ski, hoping to find more signs of two people stranded for four nights on the vast Harding Ice Field.
Maj. Matthew Kirby and Master Sgt. Shane Hargis approached on snowshoes and spotted a tent pole sticking out from a hole the width of a soda can. They called out, and from 4 feet below the snow, Christopher Hanna and Jennifer Neyman shouted back.
The pole was maintaining a breathing hole to a snow cave.
Alaska Air National Guard Maj. Brock Roden discusses the rescue of two skiers stranded on an Alaska ice field earlier in the week at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, Thursday, April 14, 2016. Roden and the others were dropped off by a helicopter and had to ski nearly 15 miles on the Harding Ice Field, trying to reach two skiers who had been stranded by four days in blizzard-like conditions. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
A few minutes of digging by Hargis and Kirby allowed Hanna and Neyman to crawl out, soaking wet, hungry and suddenly happy.
"It was pretty cool how overjoyed they were," Kirby said. "You can just feel the relief on everyone. OK, we got them. They're OK."
The ordeal began Friday when Hanna, 45, and Neyman, 36, both of Soldotna, Alaska, were dropped off by a small airplane for a day of recreation on the ice field. Foul weather prevented the plane from returning.
Harding Ice Field starts at an elevation of about 1,650 feet and covers 700 square miles. It's a main feature of Kenai Fjords National Park.
"When you're up there, it almost feels like it's a desert made up of ice and snow," said Deb Kurtz, physical science program manager for the park.
Moisture-laden air blows off the Gulf of Alaska, hits the mountain, cools and dumps up to four times the snow that falls at sea level.
By Friday night, Hanna and Neyman were in a blizzard. Heavy snowfall collapsed their tent.
"The snow literally crushed and buried their tent three feet down, three to four feet down," Kirby said.
A snow cave was their only hope.
Snow caves provide shelter from wind and capture heat given off bodies of people inside.
As Neyman held up the tent ceiling, Hanna dug outside the door in older, harder snow, below the tent, Kirby said.
The cave was perhaps 7-by-5 feet and 3-4 feet high, Kirby said. The skiers used the tent pole to maintain the breathing hole but the cave would not have endured much additional snowfall, he said.
"They were running out of pole," he said.
Hanna carried a personal locator beacon with texting capability. His messages to a friend set the rescue in motion. The device also gave rescuers their exact coordinates.
Air Guard helicopters Monday could not reach the ice field but dropped off a four-man personnel recovery team 15 miles away. Hammered by cross winds up to 35 mph, moving up a glacier in whiteout conditions, maneuvering with instruments and probing for crevasses, they skied nine miles uphill until halting late in the evening, said Maj. Brock Roden. They were perhaps 90 minutes away the next morning when a helicopter was able to land.
The problem for landing was not the gusting winds, said pilot Kevin Kelly, but the flat, morning light that made it difficult to distinguish sky from snow.
A flight engineer, Master Sgt. Edward Downs, spotted the orange blanket about 8 a.m., but blowing snow quickly blocked it from view. The helicopter refueled and waited near a glacier for clouds to clear.
Crewmen brought along spruce boughs that could be dropped onto the snow and used as a landing reference point.
By noon they didn't need them. The helicopter swooped to where the skis marked the snow cave.
"If we hadn't gotten to them, they were slowly starving, dehydrating, trending toward a bad place," Kirby said. "But fortunately we were able to get there and pull them out."
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This story has been corrected to show the breathing hole was maintained with a tent pole, not a ski pole.
Alaska Air National Guard helicopter pilot Capt. Kevin Kelly discusses the rescue of two skiers stranded on an Alaska ice field during an interview at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Thursday, April 14, 2016. Kelly flew the helicopter on Tuesday that picked up the two skiers off the Harding Ice Field after they had been stranded there for four days by weather. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
Alaska Air National Guard Combat Rescue Officer Maj. Matt Kirby discusses the rescue of two skiers stranded on an Alaska ice field during an interview at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Thursday, April 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen).
This Tuesday, April 12, 2016, photo provided by the Alaska Air National Guard shows clear weather atop the Harding Ice Field in Alaska. A four-man Alaska Air National Guard rescue team was dropped off on the ice field on Monday, to help rescue skiers, Christopher Hanna and Jennifer Neyman, who were stranded on the glacier and hunkered down in a snow cave. Poor weather prevented a helicopter from landing, and could only drop this team off about 15 miles away. The guard rescue team skied to about 1.7 miles of the two survivors when weather cleared enough for a helicopter to land and take the two people to a hospital. (Senior Airman Allen-Mikel Armstrong/Alaska Air National Guard via AP)
This Monday, April 11, 2016, photo provided by the Alaska Air National Guard shows a four-man guard rescue team skiing on top of the Harding Ice Field in Alaska. The team was dropped off on the ice field on Monday, to help rescue two skiers, Christopher Hanna and Jennifer Neyman, who were stranded on the ice field and hunkered down in a snow cave. Poor weather prevented a helicopter from landing, and could only drop this team off about 15 miles away. The guard rescue team skied to about 1.7 miles of the two survivors when weather cleared enough for a helicopter to land and take the two people to a hospital. (Senior Airman Allen-Mikel Armstrong/Alaska Air National Guard via AP)
This Monday, April 11, 2016, photo provided by the Alaska Air National Guard shows Bear Glacier, which is connected to the Harding Ice Field near Seward, Alaska. A four-man Alaska Air National Guard rescue team had been dropped off near the glacier, and about 15 miles from where two stranded skiers, Christopher Hanna and Jennifer Neyman, had been hunkered down for days waiting out a blizzard. The rescue team skied on the ice field over two days and were within 1.7 miles of the stranded duo when the weather cleared and a helicopter was able to land for the rescue. (Maj. Brock Roden/Alaska Air National Guard via AP).
This Tuesday, April 12, 2016, photo provided by the Alaska Air National Guard shows sunlight glistening off the Harding Ice Field near Seward, Alaska. A four-man Alaska Air National Guard rescue team had been dropped off about 15 miles from where two stranded skiers had been hunkered down for days waiting out a blizzard. The rescue team was dropped off Monday, and when Maj. Brock Roden says they woke up to see sunshine on Tuesday, they knew a helicopter would be able to land and save skiers Christopher Hanna and Jennifer Neyman. Bad weather returned, but the helicopter was able to eventually land as the four-man crew got within 1.7 miles of the stranded skiers. (Maj. Brock Roden/Alaska Air National Guard via AP).
US, Russia talking 'almost daily' on Syria military actions
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) President Barack Obama's national security adviser says the U.S. now talks "almost daily" with Russia to ensure its military operations in Syria don't clash.
Susan Rice is speaking at the U.S. Air Force Academy. She says the U.S. and Russian governments are working together to investigate ceasefire violations and "build common ground" among Syrians.
Such frequent military-to-military discussions reflect a change. The U.S. suspended military ties after Russia annexed Crimea in 2015. But simultaneous U.S. and Russian air campaigns in Syria fueled concerns about a dangerous aerial incident.
Candidates for job of world's top diplomat face questions
UNITED NATIONS (AP) Nine candidates seeking to become the world's top diplomat answered a total of about 800 questions over the past three days from ambassadors and advocacy groups in the first move in the U.N.'s 70-year history to open up the usually secret selection of the next secretary-general.
General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft, who presided over the question-and-answer sessions, said he was "very inspired" that in addition to almost all 193 U.N. member states taking part, 227,000 people from 209 countries and territories watched some of the webcast.
"It has already made a difference," he told reporters late Thursday. "We have established a new standard of transparency and inclusivity for the selection of the secretary-general."
Former Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgjan Kerim gestures as he address U.N. General Assembly members about his candidacy for U.N. Secretary General, Thursday April 14, 2016 at U.N. headquarters. The United Nations is taking a historic step to open up the usually secret process of selecting the next secretary-general, giving all countries the chance to question candidates on issues. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
According to the U.N. Charter, the secretary-general is chosen by the 193-member General Assembly on the recommendation of the 15-member Security Council.
In practice, this has meant that the council's five permanent members the U.S., Russia, China, Britain and France have veto power over the candidates. That will not change in deciding whom to recommend to succeed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, whose second five-year term ends on Dec. 31.
Lykketoft has said the question-and-answer sessions could be "a potential game-changer" if many countries support one candidate, which would put pressure on the Security Council not to choose someone else.
It's too early to say if that will happen since more candidates are expected to throw their hats in the ring. Lykketoft encouraged those interested to "come forward quickly."
Britain's U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said questioning and hearing from every candidate "will increase the quality of the decision-making in the Security Council when the time comes, and I think it will raise the bar in terms of the overall quality of the field."
Other council members were more cautious about the impact of the sessions.
Angola's U.N. Ambassador Ismael Gaspar Martins said they "could offer the council a first view of who the potential candidates really are" and help them "choose properly."
Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said "some people seem to be excited" but he clearly wasn't.
"I think it might be useful. We'll see," he said, declaring diplomatically that he has a "very good impression of all candidates."
By tradition, the job of secretary-general has rotated among regions and Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe have all held the top U.N. post. East European nations, including Russia, argue that they have never had a secretary-general and it is their turn. There has also never been a woman secretary-general and a group of 56 nations are campaigning for the first female U.N. chief.
Srgjan Kerim, a former Macedonian foreign minister and ex-General Assembly president, stressed the importance of following the unwritten rule of rotation, saying Thursday it maintains "mutual trust" and promotes needed unity at a time the world is facing many crises.
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who heads the U.N. Development Program, said the U.N. needs "a proven leader who is pragmatic and effective" and she has demonstrated those qualities. As one of four women in the race, she stressed that "all my life I have fought for gender equality and women's empowerment."
Former Serbian foreign minister and General Assembly President Vuk Jeremic, who was only nominated by his government on Monday, presented General Assembly members with an 81-page platform containing 53 specific commitments on issues from stabilizing countries in the Mideast and North Africa to prioritizing genocide prevention.
Lykketoft said a common thread among all the candidates was that the U.N. has taken some great steps forward with new development goals, a climate agreement and maybe progress in Iran and a start in Syria. But there was also widespread agreement on the need for the U.N. to undertake "pro-active intervention to avoid conflicts and contain conflicts," adopt a stronger network to monitor human rights violations, and reform the U.N. bureaucracy, he said.
Former Slovenian president Danilo Turk said "the secretary-general is neither secretary nor general" but "a servant of the organization" who must be available 24 hours a day. As U.N. chief, he said he would urgently review global crises, launch a program to implement the new U.N. goals for 2030, and carry out recruitment and budget reforms.
The other candidates are Montenegro's Foreign Minister Igor Luksic; former Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pucic; UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova from Bulgaria; former Moldovan Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman and former U.N. refugee chief and ex-Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres.
Former Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgjan Kerim, left, is seated next to General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft, right, while listening to questions from U.N. General Assembly members about his candidacy for U.N. Secretary General, Thursday April 14, 2016 at U.N. headquarters. The United Nations is taking a historic step to open up the usually secret process of selecting the next secretary-general, giving all countries the chance to question candidates on issues. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who heads the U.N. Development Program, speaks at a news conference after she addressed U.N. General Assembly members about her candidacy for U.N. Secretary General, Thursday April 14, 2016 at U.N. headquarters. The United Nations is taking a historic step to open up the usually secret process of selecting the next secretary-general, giving all countries the chance to question candidates on issues. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
Documentary explores healing journeys after Newtown shooting
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Tain Gregory lost a friend in the December 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary school. Jimmy Greene lost a daughter.
The role the arts have played in helping both on their journeys through grief and toward healing is explored in a "Midsummer in Newtown," a documentary debuting on Sunday at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
The film follows the staging of "A Rockin' Midsummer Night's Dream," a musical adaptation of Shakespeare's play, which was put on in Newtown by Broadway professionals during the summer of 2014 using children from the community.
In this undated motion picture still image provided by Participant Media and Vulcan Productions, the cast performs a scene in the stage production, "A Rockin' Midsummer Night's Dream," a musical adaptation of Shakespeare's play, which was put on in Newtown, Conn., by Broadway professionals with children from the community. "Midsummer in Newtown", a movie documentary about that stage production and its role in helping the community heal from the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, debuts on April 17, 2016, at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. (Participant Media and Vulcan Productions via AP)
It focuses on two of the young local actors, Gregory and a girl named Sammy Vertucci, who find the play's themes of love helping to restore order from chaos reflected in their own lives.
A separate track follows Greene as he creates his album "Beautiful Life," to honor his daughter Ana Grace, while his wife, Nelba Marquez-Greene, creates a foundation to help troubled children.
"It's about people finding ways to move forward," said director Lloyd Kramer.
The film is the second major documentary this year about the Newtown shooting, in which a gunman killed 20 schoolchildren, six educators, his mother and finally himself. The film "Newtown" premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival. It also explores the effects of the events of that day on the community.
Marquez-Greene said they choose to be part of "Midsummer in Newtown" because it allowed them to tell their story the way they wanted it told. That includes a moment when she stops being angry at her husband, a well-known jazz saxophonist, for not joining her as a political activist in Washington, D.C., pushing for new laws.
"It was very powerful for me when I heard his music to realize that this was not only his way to fight, but his way to continue to be a dad," she said.
Filmmakers say they chose to debut the documentary at Tribeca because of the festival's history. It was created in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks as a way for the arts to help heal the community in New York.
Sophfronia Scott Gregory, Tain's mother, said she hopes people see her son come out of his shell in the film and understand the healing power the play had on her family.
For Tain, she said, being part of the production became a microcosm of his part in a community dealing with stress. He and others used the safe space of the theater community to overcome their fears, learn to trust and be vulnerable again.
He cries when the production is over. His mother said that was a good thing, because it meant that he missed something he loved and began to understand feelings that went far beyond the play.
"It's always OK to love," she said. "Don't be afraid of the pain. The pain is going to go away at some point, but the love is going to stay."
Kramer said they were very careful in the film not to make it about closure, or good coming from evil or happy endings. Because, he said, the truth in Newtown is not that simplistic.
Instead, he said the movie is about the journey what Jimmy Greene describes as a search to reflect love and beauty "through all the trauma and the horror that we've been through."
"You can't choose what happens to you in this life in a lot of ways, but you can choose how you respond to it," Greene says near the movie's end.
2 plead not guilty to charges of rape, livestreaming rape
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) An 18-year-old Ohio woman accused of livestreaming the rape of her 17-year-old friend with a social media app was trying to record the assault as evidence, the woman's attorney said Friday in a defense a prosecutor flatly dismissed.
Marina Lonina pleaded not guilty Friday to multiple charges including rape, kidnapping, sexual battery and pandering sexual matter involving a minor. A judge set bond at $125,000 for Lonina, a student at New Albany High School, outside Columbus.
Her co-defendant, Raymond Gates, 29, also pleaded not guilty, with a judge setting his bond at $300,000. A public defender representing Gates did not comment about the allegations.
This photo provided by the Franklin County, Ohio, Sheriff's Office, shows Marina Lonina. A prosecutor has charged Lonina with using an app to livestream the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl. Lonina and her co-defendant Raymond Gates were charged Wednesday, April 13, 2016, with rape, kidnapping, sexual battery and pandering sexually-oriented matter involving a minor. (Franklin County Sheriff's Office via AP)
Lonina and her friend who attends the same high school met Gates at a Columbus mall for the first time the day before where he bought them a bottle of vodka and encouraged them to meet him the following day, her lawyer Sam Shamansky said.
He acknowledged his client filmed the February assault of her intoxicated friend but said she was trying to get the girl out of the house where the attack happened.
Lonina is in the habit of filming everything with Periscope, Shamansky said. The app for smartphones allows users to stream live video.
"She does everything possible to contain the situation even to the point of asking while it's being filmed to these Periscope followers, 'What should I do now? What should I do now?'" Shamansky said.
Lonina and her friend are naturalized U.S. citizens from Russia, and Gates is also of Russian descent, said Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien. The comments on the video are in Russian.
O'Brien said Lonina is seen trying to help only briefly during the 10-minute video. O'Brien said the victim was clearly screaming "stop" and "no" during the assault.
Although Lonina told police she was trying to record the assault as evidence, her behavior as people watching via Periscope "liked" the assault painted a different picture, O'Brien said.
"She got, I guess, taken up with all the 'likes' that her livestream was getting and therefore continued to do it, and did nothing to aid the victim," O'Brien said.
Independent of the rape count, Lonina is also charged with livestreaming her friend nude the day before the assault, which is a felony, O'Brien said.
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Andrew Welsh-Huggins can be reached on Twitter at https://twitter.com/awhcolumbus. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/andrew-welsh-huggins
Endangered seals start journey home after rehab
ABOARD US COAST GUARD HC-130 HERCULES (AP) A U.S. Coast Guard airplane rumbled down an airstrip on Hawaii's Big Island, carrying hundreds of pounds of rare and precious cargo: seven endangered Hawaiian monk seals.
Federal officials found most of the young animals malnourished late last year in the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the northernmost islands and atolls in the Hawaiian Islands chain.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration brought the seals to the nonprofit Marine Mammal Center on the Big Island, which nursed them back to health.
In this Feb. 1, 2016 photo released by The Marine Mammal Center, Moo, an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, participates in rehab after being rescued and admitted to the Marine Mammal Centers Big Island seal hospital in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seals were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at the marine hospital in Hawaii. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu Thursday, April 14, 2016 for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (Julie Steelman /The Marine Mammal Center via AP)
Now rehabilitated, they have started their journey home.
The Coast Guard loaded the seals on a HC-130 Hercules plane Thursday and flew them to Honolulu. The Associated Press was on the flight.
The animals will stay in a NOAA facility on Oahu until they embark on a roughly weeklong journey by boat back to their home islands. One will return to the privately owned island of Niihau.
Monk seals number only about 1,200 worldwide, and they all live in the main or Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, federal officials said.
Fewer than one in five survive their first year in the uninhabited islands because of threats including predation, entanglement and environmental changes, according to the California-based Marine Mammal Center.
All those being transported Thursday were female, said Michelle Barbieri, a NOAA veterinarian with the Monk Seal Research Program who was aboard the flight.
"We focus our efforts on female seals because they're going to grow up and contribute to the population in the future," Barbieri said.
While in rehab, the seals were nursed to a healthy weight to help increase their odds of survival, initially receiving fish mash through a feeding tube. They later were taught to catch and eat fish, with little human intervention, so they can hunt for themselves when they return to the wild.
"We don't want them to become habituated to people or associate food with people," Shawn Johnson, director of veterinarian science for the Marine Mammal Center, said in a telephone interview Friday. "So we can't go out there and hand-feed them."
He said he hopes the center can reintroduce 10 to 15 seals per year, which could have a dramatic effect on the population in years to come. The facility has successfully released eight seals so far, but this group was its biggest recovery and release effort to date.
Eric Roberts, a Coast Guard marine mammal response coordinator, helped bring the pups to the hospital and was there to escort them home.
"At the Coast Guard, we pride ourselves on being lifesavers, and this is a unique opportunity where we can actually contribute to saving a species," Roberts said.
Rescuers normally transport only one or two seals at a time, making Thursday's effort "historic" and a major boost for the overall population, which is declining by about 4 percent per year, said David Scholfield, a NOAA response coordinator for the Pacific Islands.
"These seven animals would have died," Scholfield said. "So getting them back to health and having them potentially reproduce in the wild, and produce offspring, has a many magnitude effect."
All seals that are released are equipped with tags so scientists can monitor their health, Johnson said.
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Follow Caleb Jones on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CalebAP . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/caleb-jones .
Kevin Deininger, a United States Coast Guard loadmaster, smiles at one of seven endangered Hawaiian monk seals that were being transported from Hawaiis Big Island to Honolulu, Thursday, April 14, 2016 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The seven seal pups were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back Honolulu Thursday for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
ADDS MONK SEAL TO THE SUBJECT - An endangered Hawaiian monk seal looks out from her container as she is transported from Hawaiis Big Island to Honolulu, Thursday, April 14, 2016, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seal were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu Thursday for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
Coast Guard and NOAA officials unload an endangered Hawaiian monk seal after a flight from Kailua Kona, Hawaii to Honolulu, Thursday, April 14, 2016. Seven endangered Hawaiian monk seals that were found abandoned or malnourished have begun their trip back to their remote island homes after being rescued and rehabilitated. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration rescued the seal pups several months ago on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the northernmost islands and atolls in the Hawaiian Islands chain. The nonprofit Marine Mammal Center's monk seal hospital on Hawaii's Big Island then nursed them back to health. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
In this Sept. 8, 2015 photo released by The Marine Mammal Center, Kilo, an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, rests after being rescued and admitted to the Marine Mammal Centers Big Island seal hospital in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seals were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at the marine hospital in Hawaii. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu Thursday, April 14, 2016 for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (Julie Steelman /The Marine Mammal Center via AP)
In this Nov. 7, 2015 photo, Moo, an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, rests after being rescued and admitted to the Marine Mammal Centers Big Island seal hospital in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seals were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at the marine hospital. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu Thursday, April 14, 2016 for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (The Marine Mammal Center, Julie Steelman via AP)
A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules is prepared for takeoff, Thursday April 14, 2016 in Honolulu. Seven endangered Hawaiian monk seals that were found abandoned or malnourished late last year began their trip back to their remote island homes Thursday after being rescued and rehabilitated. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found most of the seal pups on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the northernmost islands and atolls in the Hawaiian Islands chain. The nonprofit Marine Mammal Centers monk seal hospital on Hawaiis Big Island then nursed the animals back to health. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
U.S. Coast Guard pilot Lt. Eric Casida, left, and co-pilot Lt. j.g. Kevin Knaup, right, fly a HC-130 Hercules from Honolulu to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Thursday, April 14, 2016. The crew was transporting seven endangered Hawaiian monk seals back to Honolulu. The seals were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu Thursday for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
An endangered Hawaiian monk seal looks out from her container as she is transported from Hawaiis Big Island to Honolulu, Thursday, April 14, 2016, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seal were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu on Thursday for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
An endangered Hawaiian monk seal looks out from her container as she is transported from Hawaiis Big Island to Honolulu, Thursday, April 14, 2016, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seal were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu on Thursday for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
In this April 11, 2016 photo, Kilo, an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, lays next to a poll after being treated at the Marine Mammal Centers Big Island seal hospital in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seals were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at the marine hospital. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu Thursday, April 14, 2016 for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (The Marine Mammal Center, Julie Steelman via AP)
Panel recommends parole for ex-Manson follower Van Houten
CHINO, Calif. (AP) Leslie Van Houten sat before the California panel that would soon recommend her parole as a slight woman with shoulder-length gray hair, a wrinkled face and glasses, a far cry to from the rebellious teen she was when she joined the cult of Charles Manson more than 40 years ago and helped kill a wealthy grocer and his wife.
At a five-hour hearing she described in detail how she descended from an idyllic childhood into psychedelic drug use and eventually found Manson, whom she described as a "Christ-like man that had all the answers" for a young woman whose parents' divorce had left her feeling abandoned and angry.
On Thursday she convinced the state panel that the murderous young woman she had been was a long-distant memory and that she was now fit to be paroled. She has completed college degrees and been a model inmate.
Former Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten confers with her attorney Rich Pfeiffer, not shown, during a break from her hearing before the California Board of Parole Hearings at the California Institution for Women in Chino, Calif., Thursday, April 14, 2016. A California panel recommended parole Thursday for former Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten more than four decades after she and other cult members went to prison for the notorious killings of a wealthy grocer and his wife. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
"Your behavior in prison speaks for itself. Forty-six years and not a single serious rule violation," Commissioner Ali Zarrinnam told Van Houten at the close of her 20th parole hearing.
The decision will now undergo administrative review by the parole board. If upheld it goes to Gov. Jerry Brown, who has final say on whether Van Houten is released.
Brown spokeswoman Deborah Hoffman on Friday said it would be premature to comment.
The now-66-year-old Van Houten was "numb" after the panel announced its decision, said her attorney Rich Pfeiffer.
"She's been ready for this for a long time," Pfeiffer said outside the prison. "It really should have happened a long time ago."
Van Houten participated in the killings of Leno La Bianca and his wife Rosemary a day after other so-called "Manson family" members murdered pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others in 1969.
Thursday's decision makes her the first Manson follower involved in the Tate or La Bianca killings to reach this stage in the parole process. Family member Bruce Davis, who was not involved in those killings, has been recommended for parole, but it was blocked by the governor.
At 19, Van Houten was the youngest Manson follower to take part in the killings after she joined the cult in the 1960s.
The murders were the start of what Manson believed was a coming race war that he dubbed "Helter Skelter" after a Beatles song. Manson had his followers prepare to fight and learn to can food so they could go underground and live in a hole in the desert, Van Houten told the panel.
At the hearing, Van Houten described how she helped secure a pillow over the head of Rosemary La Bianca with a lamp cord and held her down while another member of the Manson family began stabbing the woman in her home.
Van Houten said she had looked off into the distance until another Manson follower told her to do something and she joined in the stabbing.
"I don't let myself off the hook. I don't find parts in any of this that makes me feel the slightest bit good about myself," she told the panel.
The La Biancas were stabbed numerous times and the word "WAR" was carved on the stomach of Leno La Bianca.
After her arrest, she said at the hearing, Van Houten heeded Manson's calls to disrespect the court during trial, and took LSD on death row in the early 1970s, imagining she was breaking down her molecules so she could exit the building.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office vehemently opposed Van Houten's release. After the decision, District Attorney Jackie Lacey said in a statement she would evaluate how to proceed.
Louis Smaldino, nephew of Leno La Bianca, pleaded with the panel not to release Van Houten after the horror she and the others inflicted by taking a carving knife used at annual Thanksgiving dinners to mutilate his family.
"The Manson family are terrorists, albeit homegrown," he said. "They're long before their time. What we're seeing today, these people were back in the 60s."
Van Houten did not participate in the Tate killings.
Van Houten's earlier conviction was overturned on appeal. She was retried twice and convicted in 1978 of two counts of murder and conspiracy.
Manson, 81, and other followers involved in the killings are still jailed.
Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles "Tex" Watson have each been denied parole multiple times, while fellow defendant Susan Atkins died in prison in 2009.
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Associated Press writer Don Thompson in Sacramento and Linda Deutsch, retired AP special correspondent, contributed to this report.
Former Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten confers with her attorney Rich Pfeiffer during a break from her hearing before the California Board of Parole Hearings at the California Institution for Women in Chino, Calif., Thursday, April 14, 2016. The panel recommended parole for Van Houten more than four decades after she went to prison for the killings of a wealthy grocer and his wife. The decision will now undergo administrative review by the board. If upheld it goes to Gov. Jerry Brown, who has final say on whether the now-66-year-old Van Houten is released. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
Former Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten confers with her attorney Rich Pfeiffer during a break from her hearing before the California Board of Parole Hearings at the California Institution for Women in Chino, Calif., Thursday, April 14, 2016. A California panel recommended parole Thursday for former Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten more than four decades after she and other cult members went to prison for the notorious killings of a wealthy grocer and his wife. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
FILE- In this June 5, 2013, file photo, Leslie Van Houten appears during her parole hearing at the California Institution for Women in Chino, Calif. The youngest of Charles Mansons followers to take part in one of the nations most notorious killings is trying again for parole. Van Houten is scheduled for her 21st hearing before a parole board panel Thursday, April 14, 2016, at a womens prison in Corona, Calif. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File)
French protesters rampage after Hollande sticks to labor law
PARIS (AP) Protesters in Paris smashed store windows and damaged cars after French President Francois Hollande said he would not abandon a labor bill that has prompted weeks of sometimes violent demonstrations.
The Paris police department said groups of troublemakers damaged a supermarket, a jobs center, bus stops and electric cars used in a municipal car-sharing service, among other businesses, in a late-night march Thursday.
The violence came shortly after Hollande was questioned on national television about the bill, which is aimed at loosening labor rules to encourage companies to hire. Hollande's left-wing base considers it a betrayal of France's hard-fought worker protections.
Demonstrators carry an injuried man during a high school protest in Paris, Thursday, April 14, 2016. Protesters across France are again marching to voice their anger at labor reforms being championed by the country's Socialist government. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
The government has amended it in the face of resistance, but Hollande insisted: "It won't be withdrawn."
Most of the protesters, led by unions and students, have been peaceful.
Top finance officials: World economy still faces threats
WASHINGTON (AP) The global recovery has regained most of the ground lost from the market turbulence at the beginning of the year, finance officials of the world's largest economies said Friday. But they worry that growth remains uneven in the face of a variety of threats ranging from terrorist bombings to Britain's upcoming vote on whether to leave the European Union.
The finance ministers from the Group of 20 major economies pledged to pursue policies that will bolster growth and further stabilize financial markets, but they offered no new measures to accomplish these goals.
Reflecting some of the challenges the countries face, Lou Jiwei, China's finance minister, defended his country's handling of its economy against criticism that has seen two major credit rating agencies recently downgrade the outlook for Chinese bonds.
Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew talk at the G-20 Finance Minister and Central Bank Governors group photo, during the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings at IMF headquarters in Washington, Friday, April 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Sait Serkan Gurbuz)
The joint statement from the G-20 finance ministers and central bank governors repeated many of the promises the group had made at their last meeting in Shanghai in late February. However, at that time global financial markets had just gone through a significant bout of turbulence over concerns about a worse-than-expected slowdown in China, falling oil prices and the threat they posed to the global economy.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said the resolve demonstrated by the finance officials to bolster global growth represented a strong statement rebutting the voices of anti-globalization. He said cooperation was needed because "the United States cannot and must not be the only engine of growth. ... All major economies need to deploy a full tool kit of economic policy measures."
While there are still many challenges, finance officials said they were encouraged that markets had stabilized.
Stephen Poloz, head of the Bank of Canada, said the mood this week was much better than at the February meeting in China: "I came away feeling a little more encouraged than when I arrived."
Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said the world's financial markets are starting to regain "composure," although he said "downside risk" persists. Aso expressed particular concern about risks from volatility in capital flows and foreign exchange rates.
Japanese officials are concerned about the value of the yen, which has risen rapidly this year against the dollar despite an unusual move by the Bank of Japan in February to introduce negative interest rates in a so-far unsuccessful effort to spur Japan's flagging economy.
The G-20 discussions were occurring as part of the spring meetings of the 189-nation International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Lew and Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen were representing the United States at the meetings.
In its statement Friday, the group acknowledged the volatility at the beginning of the year but stated that markets had "recovered most of the ground lost" although "growth remains modest and uneven."
Much of the market nervousness has focused on China, the world's second largest economy. Investors have grown concerned that China's slowdown is even worse than the government's numbers show and that Chinese authorities have mishandled policies meant to restore confidence.
On Friday, the Chinese reported that economic growth fell to 6.7 percent in the first three months of 2016, the slowest since the financial crisis but strong by global standards.
Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's last month downgraded the outlook for Chinese government bonds, citing slowing economic growth and rising government debts. China is attempting a transition from rapid growth based on often-wasteful investments in factories and real estate to slower but more sustainable growth built on consumer spending.
Moody's warned Friday that China is straying from that strategy, propping up growth by funneling loans to inefficient government-owned companies and putting longer-term growth at risk.
At his news conference, Lou, who is chairman of the G-20 group, was asked about the downgrade by the credit agencies. He dismissed the action by the credit agencies saying that they did not know what was happening "on the ground" in China.
The G-20 statement repeated a goal to increase transparency of all countries on tax matters. Lou was asked, in light of the recent disclosure of significant tax havens in Panama, whether this effort needed to be strengthened. But he did not respond directly to the question of what penalties could be imposed to discipline countries that refuse to share tax information.
The IMF is urging countries to launch a new round of public works projects to improve roads and other types of infrastructure in hopes the higher government spending will boost growth. But in an era of high budget deficits, that call has not met with much support. In Friday's communique, the G-20 did not offer any new proposals on infrastructure spending.
Global finance officials are seeking to address the political backlash against globalization, which has helped propel the presidential campaign of Republican front-runner Donald Trump in the United States and has triggered a June vote in Britain over whether that country should exit from the European Union.
Both IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim told reporters that the answer to stagnant wages in many industrial nations and complaints about jobs being lost to trade competition was to pursue growth-oriented policies.
"This movement toward isolationism and the movement away from trade is very bad for poor people," Kim told reporters. "It is very bad for our efforts to reduce poverty."
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Associated Press reporter Matthew Pennington contributed to this report.
Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso speaks at a news conference during the 2016 World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings, on Friday, April 15, 2016, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
World Bank President Jim Yong Kim speaks the Forced Displacement: A Global Development Challenge panel discussion during the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings, Friday, April 15, 2016, at the World Bank in Washington. (AP Photo/Sait Serkan Gurbuz)
From left, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann and German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble are seen at the G-20 Finance Minister and Central Bank Governors group photo, during the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings at IMF headquarters in Washington, Friday, April 15, 2016. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
At the Vatican, Sanders blasts 'immoral' wealth inequality
VATICAN CITY (AP) Bernie Sanders issued a global call to action at the Vatican on Friday to address "immoral and unsustainable" wealth inequality and poverty, using the high-profile gathering to echo one of the central platforms of his presidential campaign.
The Democratic senator from Vermont cited Pope Francis and St. John Paul II repeatedly during his speech to the Vatican conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of a landmark teaching document from John Paul on social and economic justice after the Cold War.
Sanders arrived in Rome hours after wrapping up a debate in New York Thursday night, saying the opportunity to address the Vatican conference was too meaningful to pass up. The roughly 24-hour visit precedes Tuesday's crucial New York primary, which Sanders must do well in to maintain a viable challenge to Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.
Backdropped by St. Peter's Basilica dome, US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders meets reporters outside the Perugino gate at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. Sanders spoke at a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Francis apologized that he couldn't personally greet participants at the Vatican conference. No meeting with Sanders was expected.
But the trip gave Sanders a moment on the world stage, placing him alongside priests, bishops, academics and two South American presidents. Sanders has been at a disadvantage during his campaign against Clinton, President Barack Obama's former secretary of state, on issues of foreign policy but he was peppered with questions from academics and ecclesiastics in a manner that might have been afforded a head of state.
Sanders trails Clinton in the Democratic primaries but the trip to the Vatican and his massive rally earlier this week with 27,000 people in New York City may have offered a glimpse of the senator's aim to become a progressive leader, win or lose.
The discussions gave him a chance to expand on his core campaign messages about the need to reform banking regulations, campaign finance rules and higher education. Asked about inequality in public education, he said it was "beyond disgraceful" and cited challenging conditions in Detroit's school system.
He told the audience that rather than a world economy that looks out for the common good, "we have been left with an economy operated for the top 1 percent, who get richer and richer as the working class, the young and the poor fall further and further behind."
"We don't choose to politicize the pope," Sanders told attendees, "but his spirit and courage and the fact, if I may say so here, that his words have gone way, way, way beyond the Catholic Church."
Sanders also warned that youth around the world are no longer satisfied with the status quo, which includes "corrupt and broken politics and an economy of stark inequality and injustice."
During the meetings, he sat next to the other main guest of honor at the Vatican: Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose is renowned for his anti-imperialist, socialist rhetoric. President Rafael Correa of Ecuador also attended.
As he walked through Vatican City's Perugino gate, Sanders was greeted about two dozen supporters, some of whom carried signs bearing Sanders' name. "This is the first candidate I have seen in awhile, a matter of fact my entire life, that I feel like wants to make real changes," said Kevin Jaksik, 29, of Austin, Texas, who now lives in Rome.
Back home, Clinton holds a significant delegate lead against Sanders, but the senator has vowed to stay in the campaign until the party's July convention. His message calling for a political revolution to address wealth inequality and the influence of Wall Street on U.S. politics has galvanized many Democrats and independents.
Despite being enmeshed in an increasingly bitter campaign against Clinton, Sanders aides said the trip was not aimed at appealing to Catholic voters who comprise a large share of the Democratic electorate in New York and an upcoming contest in Pennsylvania.
The Vatican has been loath to get involved in electoral campaigns and usually tries to avoid any perception of partisanship involving the pope. Popes rarely travel to countries during the thick of political campaigns, knowing a papal photo opportunity with a sitting head of state could be exploited for political ends.
As a result, the invitation to Sanders to address the Vatican conference raised eyebrows and allegations that the senator lobbied for the invitation.
The chancellor for the pontifical academy, Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, has said he invited Sanders because he was the only U.S. presidential candidate who showed deep interest in the teachings of Francis.
The Rev. Matt Malone, editor of the Jesuit magazine America, said Sanders' trip was unlikely to have much of an impact on Catholic voters, noting that conferences like the one Sanders is attending "happen all the time."
"I don't think that Bernie Sanders going to the Vatican is going to help Bernie with Catholics any more than Ted Cruz going to a matzo factory is going to help him with the Jewish vote," said Malone, who served as a speechwriter to former Rep. Marty Meehan, a Massachusetts Democrat.
But there were other benefits. The trip offered his extended family a brief respite: Sanders was accompanied on the trip by his wife, Jane Sanders, and 10 family members, including four grandchildren.
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Associated Press writer Rachel Zoll contributed from New York.
US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders meets supporters outside the Perugino gate at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. Sanders spoke at a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War. (Angelo Carconi/ANSA via AP)
Bolivia's president Evo Morales attends a conference organized by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, at the Vatican Friday, April 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, right, sits by Bolivia president Evo Morales during a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War, at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. (Andreas Solaro/Pool Photo via AP)
US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, right, sits by Bolivia president Evo Morales during a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War, at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. (Andreas Solaro/Pool Photo via AP)
US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, right, speaks with Bolivia president Evo Morales during a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War, at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. (Andreas Solaro/Pool Photo via AP)
US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders meets reporters outside the Perugino gate at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. Sanders spoke at a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Backdropped by St. Peter's Basilica dome, US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders meets reporters outside the Perugino gate at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. Sanders spoke at a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders meets a group of supporters outside the Perugino gate at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. Sanders spoke at a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Backdropped by St. Peter's Basilica dome, US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders meets reporters outside the Perugino gate at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. Sanders spoke at a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Bolivia's president Evo Morales attends a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War, at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders' motorcade enters the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. The Vatican conference drawing Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders away from the campaign for New York delegates is steeped in his lifelong passions of economic and social justice and reflects his admiration for Pope Francis. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
US Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. right, speaks with Bolivia president Evo Morales during a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War, at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
US Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. speaks at a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War, at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Russia, Japan agree to leaders' meetings this year
TOKYO (AP) Top diplomats from Japan and Russia agreed Friday on scheduling their leaders' meetings this year, starting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Russia, to deepen relations overshadowed by a World War II territorial dispute and the conflict in Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's trip came days after Japan hosted foreign ministers from the Group of Seven industrialized nations. Russia is barred from G-7 because of its annexation of Crimea in 2014. That has also shelved Russian President Vladimir Putin's Japan visit for nearly two years.
Still, Abe has been pushing to make progress in the dispute over Russian-held islands, called the Northern Territories in Japan and the southern Kurils in Russia, which has kept the two countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending their World War II hostilities.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, right, shake hands at the foreign ministry's Iikura guest house in Tokyo, Japan, Friday, April 15, 2016. (Toru Hanai/Pool Photo via AP)
The two ministers said Abe will unofficially visit Russia "soon," but declined to give details. They also agreed to hold high-level talks on a possibility of starting negotiations toward signing a peace treaty.
Lavrov said that Russia was open to continue dialogue with Japan on the territorial issues, but that Moscow's position remained unchanged. "The Russian position is that (the ownership) is based on the results of World War II," he said.
Media reports say Abe would travel to Sochi in southern Russia on May 6 to meet with Putin, ahead of Putin's return visit
Japan is in a delicate position.
As part of the G-7, it supports the group's diplomatic isolation of Russia. At the same time, Tokyo wants good relations with Moscow to maintain dialogue and negotiate the territorial dispute.
The two sides have stepped up economic and diplomatic cooperation despite Russia's support for rebels in eastern Ukraine.
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Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida shake hands for their meeting at the foreign ministry's Iikura guest house in Tokyo, Japan, Friday, April 15, 2016. (Toru Hanai/Pool Photo via AP)
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, third from left, and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, third from right, hold a talk at the foreign ministry's Iikura guest house in Tokyo, Japan, Friday, April 15, 2016. (Toru Hanai/Pool Photo via AP)
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida arrive for their meeting at the foreign ministry's Iikura guest house in Tokyo, Japan, Friday, April 15, 2016. (Toru Hanai/Pool Photo via AP)
Hong Kong's Tiananmen Museum faces closure threat
HONG KONG (AP) The world's only museum chronicling the Chinese government's brutal 1989 crackdown on student protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square say it faces closure because of a legal dispute, its Hong Kong operators said Friday.
The pro-democracy group behind the tiny Hong Kong museum said it has decided to look for another space rather than fight a costly lawsuit launched by other owners of the building where the museum is located.
The June 4th Museum, which opened two years ago, is dedicated to preserving the memory of one of the darkest chapters of modern Chinese history through photos, videos, artifacts and written histories. Its exhibits include a replica of the Goddess of Democracy statue famously erected by protesters in Tiananmen Square.
A man looks at the exhibits in the June 4th Museum in Hong Kong, Friday, April 15, 2016. The world's only museum chronicling the Chinese government's brutal 1989 crackdown on student protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square say it faces closure because of a legal dispute, its Hong Kong operators said Friday. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Located in a small office building in the specially administered Chinese region's Kowloon peninsula not far from a major tourist district, the 75 square meter (800 square foot) museum is aimed at challenging the Communist Party's official verdict that the mostly student-led protests were a "counterrevolutionary riot."
Unlike in mainland China, where the crackdown remains a taboo, memory of the Tiananmen protests remains strong in Hong Kong, which retains civil liberties 17 years after Britain ceded control of the city to China.
The lawsuit claims the group is breaking building rules by not using the space as an office, said Lee Cheuk-yan, a lawmaker and secretary of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China.
"They have a very expensive lawyer team to challenge us so it takes up a lot of our time and resources in facing this lawsuit," Lee said, calling it a form of politically motivated harassment.
He said his group has decided to find a new and bigger space and will hold a crowdfunding campaign to raise 3 million Hong Kong dollars ($387,000).
A staff member delivers books at the June 4th Museum in Hong Kong, Friday, April 15, 2016. The operators of the worlds only museum chronicling the Chinese governments brutal 1989 crackdown on student protesters in Beijings Tiananmen Square say it faces closure because of a legal dispute. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Lee Cheuk-yan, Secretary of Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, speaks to a reporter at the June 4th Museum in Hong Kong, Friday, April 15, 2016. The operators of the worlds only museum chronicling the Chinese governments brutal 1989 crackdown on student protesters in Beijings Tiananmen Square say it faces closure because of a legal dispute. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
A man checks on the books in the June 4th Museum in Hong Kong, Friday, April 15, 2016. The operators of the worlds only museum chronicling the Chinese governments brutal 1989 crackdown on student protesters in Beijings Tiananmen Square say it faces closure because of a legal dispute. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Visitors look at the exhibits in the June 4th Museum in Hong Kong, Friday, April 15, 2016. The operators of the worlds only museum chronicling the Chinese governments brutal 1989 crackdown on student protesters in Beijings Tiananmen Square say it faces closure because of a legal dispute. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
A reporter walks past the statue replica of the Goddess of Democracy in the June 4th Museum in Hong Kong, Friday, April 15, 2016. The operators of the worlds only museum chronicling the Chinese governments brutal 1989 crackdown on student protesters in Beijings Tiananmen Square say it faces closure because of a legal dispute. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Spain: Princess Cristina's tax fraud accuser is arrested
MADRID (AP) Spanish police on Friday arrested the leader of an anti-corruption group that brought criminal tax fraud charges against Princess Cristina amid allegations the group had asked for a big payoff to drop the case.
Miguel Bernad, leader of the Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) group, was taken into custody by financial crimes officers at his Madrid home, according to a Spanish police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of police policy.
A separate police statement said 11 people were arrested in an investigation focusing on whether Manos Limpios had filed charges in some cases only to withdraw them later in return for money. The statement didn't mention Cristina's case and police and court officials declined to discuss whether it was part of the investigation.
FILE - In this Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, file photo, Spain's Princess Cristina arrives at a makeshift courtroom for a corruption trial, in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. A Spanish police official says the leader of the anti-corruption group that brought criminal tax fraud charges against Princess Cristina has been arrested by financial crimes officers. The official says Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) chief Miguel Bernad was detained at his Madrid home on Friday April 15, 2016. The group has pursued criminal tax fraud charges punishable by up to eight years in prison against Cristina, the sister of King Felipe VI, after prosecutors declined to do so, saying Cristina should face an administrative fine at most. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)
But one of Cristina's lawyers, Pau Molins, told the Antena 3 television station that Manos Limpios had asked for a "very significant amount of money" to withdraw the charges that the princess faces. He declined to provide further details.
The Manos Limpias lawyer questioning witnesses in Cristina's case, Virginia Negrete, told reporters in Palma de Mallorca where the trial is underway that she had no information about Bernad's arrest and was unaware of any alleged possible payoff for the withdrawal of charges against Cristina.
"I've never asked for money in my professional career in this case or in any other," she said. "I have a clean conscience and very clean hands."
The trial is taking place because Manos Limpios pursued tax fraud charges punishable by up to eight years in prison against Cristina, the sister of King Felipe VI. Prosecutors had declined to do so, saying Cristina should face an administrative fine at most.
Due to a quirk in Spanish law, private groups like Manos Limpios can initiate criminal cases when authorities decide not to but a judge must agree the case can go forward. One did in 2014.
The landmark fraud trial started in January, with Cristina appearing in court and answering questions as the first member of Spain's royal family facing charges since the monarchy was restored in 1975.
Cristina is accused of failing to declare as income personal expenses paid by a real estate company she owned with her husband Inaki Urdangarin, an Olympic handball medalist-turned-businessman. Urdangarin, in the same trial, faces charges of embezzling up to 6.2 million euros ($6.8 million) from contracts for sports conferences and events that were allegedly inflated or never performed.
The princess' husband, formerly the Duke of Palma, is accused of using his title to land the deals for the nonprofit Noos Institute he ran with business partner Diego Torres.
Lawyers for Cristina, Urdangarin and Torres say they are innocent.
Immediately after taking the stand in March, Cristina invoked her right to answer only questions posed by her own lawyer. She testified that her husband handled all bill payments for the couple and she didn't know why some costs for their lavish lifestyle including an African safari and more than 1,000 euros ($1,100) for wine were charged to a credit card for a company they co-owned.
The princess' lawyer aimed to distance her from involvement with Aizoon, the real estate consulting company Urdangarin ran from an office inside the Barcelona mansion they lived in for years with their four children but were forced to sell as their legal troubles mounted.
Money went from Noos to Aizoon, which Urdangarin and the princess testified was set up to receive his income.
A three-judge panel hearing the case will weigh whether the couple abused Aizoon, described in court papers as a "front company" that may have funded luxury vacations and parties at the couple's modernist mansion.
Urdangarin testified he made Cristina a co-director of Aizoon because he wanted her to be part of the business project but also insisted "she didn't have anything to do with the company's activities."
The questioning of witnesses is expected to continue through June.
During Friday's testimony, Francisco Camps, the former leader of Spain's Valencia region, was questioned in court about sporting events set up by Urdangarin.
Cristina and her husband were not in court Friday and have not been during witness questioning because their presence is not yet required.
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This story has been corrected to show 11 people were arrested, not 10.
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Syria government team joins peace talks amid Aleppo clashes
GENEVA (AP) The U.N.'s special envoy to Syria met with a government delegation as part of peace talks in Geneva on Friday as humanitarian workers warned that fighting in Syria's north was triggering a new wave of civilian displacement.
Syria's U.N. ambassador Bashar Ja'afari said he had "constructive and fruitful" discussions with Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura and said his delegation proposed "amendments" to the de Mistura's blueprint for negotiations.
Ja'afari's brief comments to reporters suggested the government is still focusing on the basic principles toward a political solution in Syria, and not yet willing to consider what de Mistura calls the "mother of all issues" political transition away from President Bashar Assad's rule.
A Russian soldier is seen as smoke rises from a controlled land mine detonation by Russian experts in the ancient town of Palmyra in the central Homs province, Syria, Thursday, April 14, 2016. Russian combat engineers arrived in Syria on a mission to clear mines in Palmyra, which has been recaptured from Islamic State militants in an offensive that has proven Russia's military might in Syria despite a drawdown of its warplanes. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
De Mistura met with delegates from the High Negotiations Committee, an umbrella opposition coalition backed by the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and other Western powers, later in the day.
The committee said it was distrustful of the government's intentions.
HNC representative Asaad al-Zoubi blasted the government for "sending a strong message that it doesn't want a political solution but it's seeking a military solution that will bring destruction to the whole country."
The discussions came as fighting escalated between pro-government forces, rebels, and the Islamic State group throughout Syria, and especially in its north.
Around 30,000 displaced persons have fled from their shelters near the Turkish border as battles intensified between opposition fighters and the Islamic State group, according to the New York-based Human Rights Watch.
Medicins Sans Frontieres, also known as MSF or Doctors Without Borders, said it was "extremely worried" about their security and access to health care. The international medical relief organization said it knew of just five operating hospitals in the Azaz district, where much of the violence is concentrated.
Muskilda Zancada, head of the MSF mission in Syria, said the situation on the ground "remains very unpredictable."
Opposition groups in the north are also under renewed pressure from pro-government forces, which have launched a new offensive to besiege the rebel-held part of Aleppo, Syria's largest city.
Commanders of the rebel Free Syrian Army said government forces are preparing an offensive on Aleppo, and opposition fighters are waiting to see if world powers can keep a tenuous cease-fire afloat before deciding whether to continue supporting peace talks in Geneva.
In comments on the sidelines of the talks, Abu Ossama Al-Jolani accused Assad's government of trying to "destroy" a truce brokered by Russia and the U.S. He said FSA fighters who now support the talks are waiting for "those who decided that this truce should start" to determine whether it's holding.
Earlier in the day, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 14 pro-government fighters and 20 militants, including members of Syria's al-Qaida affiliate known as the Nusra Front, were killed north of Aleppo in the previous 24 hours.
The al-Qaida branch and its more powerful rival, the Islamic State group, are not part of a cease-fire that went into effect at the end of February. The truce has held in most of Syria, except in the north, where it has practically collapsed. The Nusra Front is deeply rooted in the areas in northern Syria controlled by opposition forces, complicating the oversight of the truce.
IS militants have clashed with both rival insurgents and pro-government forces in Aleppo, making a wide advance on opposition-held territory along the Turkish border, the Observatory said Thursday.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch said Turkish border guards fired on hundreds of Syrian civilians fleeing the IS onslaught on Thursday and heading for a wall at the border. The rights group urged Ankara to allow thousands of Syrians fleeing to cross into Turkey to seek protection.
"As civilians flee ISIS fighters, Turkey is responding with live ammunition instead of compassion," said Gerry Simpson, senior refugee researcher at Human Rights Watch, using an alternate acronym for the Islamic State group.
"The whole world is talking about fighting ISIS, and yet those most at risk of becoming victims of its horrific abuses are trapped on the wrong side of a concrete wall," he added.
Turkish officials say they were aware of the report but had no immediate response. There was no information whether any of the civilians were hurt in the shooting.
The Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee, which is negotiating in Geneva, has accused the Syrian government of over 2,000 breaches of the cease-fire.
De Mistura has said he hopes for a substantive round of "proximity talks" on a transitional government to end the war. The two warring Syrian sides do not actually talk to one another in Geneva but each meets separately with the U.N. envoy.
The most obvious public difference between the two sides revolves around the fate of Assad. Opposition representatives have insisted that Assad be removed from power as part of any peace deal, while government officials have declared Assad to be a red line.
This round of talks began Wednesday in Geneva but the government said it was delayed because of parliamentary elections that were held this week in government-controlled areas of Syria. The opposition has dismissed the balloting as a sham and said it could further undermine the peace talks.
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Tiger countries agree to preserve big-cat habitats
NEW DELHI (AP) Countries with wild tiger populations have agreed to do more to protect tiger habitats that are shrinking drastically because of deforestation and urban sprawl, conservationists said Friday.
Representatives from the 13 Asian countries with tigers, meeting this week in New Delhi, issued a resolution acknowledging that the forests in which tigers live are inherently valuable themselves and worthy of protection.
These forests can help preserve economic growth by safeguarding water supplies, improving air quality and providing homes for not only tigers but also birds, frogs and other mammals.
FILE - In this Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, file photo, Khushi, a white tigress, plays with her newborn cub at the state zoological park in Gauhati, India. Countries with wild tiger populations have agreed to do more to protect tiger habitats that are shrinking drastically because of deforestation and urban sprawl, conservationists said Friday, April 15, 2016. Representatives from the 13 Asian countries with tigers, meeting this week in New Delhi, issued a resolution acknowledging that the forests in which tigers live are inherently valuable themselves and worthy of protection. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath, File)
"Before, there's always been this conflict of development versus conservation, as if countries had to choose," said Sejal Worah, the program director for World Wildlife Fund in India.
"But in this resolution, it clearly states that natural capital is important to the economy of a country," she said. "Countries understand that preserving tiger habitats does not compromise growth. And that's important. That's new."
The world's tiger countries are all in Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, Malaysia, Myanmar, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam. India has the most by far, with about 2,500. None of the others have more than 500 and some have just a few.
Many of the countries have growing human populations and fast-developing economies. By 2022, they want to double the world's wild tiger population from the all-time low of 3,200 hit in 2010.
On Monday, conservation groups announced that the world's tiger count had gone up to 3,890, according to 2014-15 survey data. That marked the first increase in the wild population census in more than a century. But that did not necessarily mean there were more tigers in the wild. The higher number may just mean scientists are getting better at counting them, with more sophisticated survey methods including camera traps and DNA analysis of scat.
An actual increase in wild tiger populations would also be hard to reconcile with the fact that their habitat is shrinking so fast. In just the last five years, tigers lost a full 40 percent of their remaining natural habitat, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
"The tiger is still teetering on the brink of extinction, and a too-hasty celebration of an increase in tiger numbers will only disservice efforts for the species' conservation," said John Goodrich, tiger program director at the New York-based big cat conservation group Panthera.
He and other tiger biologists said it was unrealistic to think the world could double its wild tiger population by 2022, unless tiger landscapes were vastly increased. Today, tigers roam across just 7 percent of their historical range.
"Rather than engaging in these tiger number games that distract them from reality, conservationists must now focus on enhancing and expanding recovery and monitoring of source populations, while protecting their remaining habitat and their linkages,"Goodrich and the other biologists wrote.
Cambodia this year declared its tiger population "functionally extinct," meaning it had no breeding tigers left in the wild. While in New Delhi this week, Cambodia's agriculture minister reportedly looked into repopulating the Southeast Asian country with Indian tigers.
India is ready to help, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said. "India is willing to cooperate with any country which does not have or has lost its tiger population in the course of history," he said Thursday.
India, home to about two-thirds of the world's wild tigers, also agreed to strengthen controls against cross-border wildlife crimes, including trafficking in animals and animal parts such as tiger skins and bones and rhino horns.
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Follow Katy Daigle at www.twitter.com/katydaigle
Woman fights Russian law on organ removal without consent
When Elena Sablina's daughter Alina was killed in a car crash in Moscow two years ago, she was devastated.
One month later, Sablina accidentally discovered from a forensic report that six of her 19-year-old daughter's organs, including her heart and kidneys, had been removed for transplant.
"I was shocked that organs were taken from my child without my permission," Sablina told The Associated Press.
In this handout photo taken and released by Elena Sablina, mother of Alina Sablina in 2013 year, shows her daughter somewhere in Moscow, Russia. When Elena Sablinas daughter Alina was killed in a car crash in Moscow two years ago, she was devastated. One month later, Sablina accidentally discovered from a forensic report that six of her 19-year-old daughters organs, including her heart and kidneys, had been removed for transplant. (Elena Sablina, family handout photo via AP)
Yet all of that was legal. Russian law explicitly allows doctors to take organs from deceased patients without informing their families. Sablina sued for damages in five Russian courts and has lost every challenge. In frustration, she recently filed a case with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, contending that the removal of her daughter's organs violated several articles of Europe's Human Rights Convention. Sablina also hopes her daughter's case will prompt a change in Russian law.
"(Doctors) just came with a briefcase and took what they wanted," said Sablina, who said she would not have agreed to the donation even if asked. "Who gave them the right?"
More than a dozen countries in Europe, including Russia, have a "presumed consent" donation system, where, in an attempt to boost the number of available organs, the government assumes people will be donors unless they specifically opt out. Others, like England, require people or their relatives to provide permission before anything can be taken.
In some countries with presumed consent, including Spain and Belgium, doctors still consult family members before removing organs. But in Russia, doctors don't always seek the family's permission beforehand.
A recently proposed amendment, however, would require Russian doctors to inform a patient's relatives within 12 hours of their loved one's death of any intention to remove organs or tissue, giving the family time to object. But the amendment does not make it mandatory for doctors to obtain the family's consent before taking organs. The proposal is still awaiting approval and there is no timeline on when Russian lawmakers might debate it.
Still, that would only be a partial solution, critics say, since Russia still lacks an organ donation infrastructure, including a viable way for people to opt out.
After her daughter's accident in Moscow, Sablina and her husband flew from their home in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg to be with her at the hospital. The doctors told them to prepare for the worst. After five days, Sablina said the doctors said they were too busy to talk, that she and her husband could not see Alina that day and asked them to leave.
The following morning, Sablina got a telephone call from a funeral home informing her that her daughter had died. She inadvertently discovered the organ removal as she reviewed a criminal case file against the driver implicated in the fatal collision.
One doctor had removed her daughter's heart while another took her kidneys. Doctors also cut out part of her aorta, her adrenal gland and a piece of her right lung. Sablina sued the hospital and two other institutions involved. Her lawyer, Anton Burkov, said Russian law gives doctors a disturbing amount of discretion.
"Every single act of organ removal is conducted without any permission from the relatives," he said. "Doctors can freely ignore the families since it is completely legal to harvest organs in secrecy."
Burkov said they have requested priority status with the European Court but that a judgment could still take two to four years. A similar case filed by a Latvian mother resulted in a ruling against the country and a modified law.
The Russian ministry of health did not respond to repeated requests for comment on the case.
Alexei Starchenko, chairman of Russia's National Patient Safety Agency, said every hospital that performs organ transplants has its own waiting list, describing the system as "corrupt" since there is little transparency to explain how organs get distributed, unlike the clear criteria used by most other Western countries.
Russian lawmakers say the taking of organs without permission is partly out of consideration for grieving families. In a 2003 ruling upholding the law, the Constitutional Court said it is "inhumane to put the question of harvesting organs or tissues to a person's relatives at practically the same time as they are notified of his death."
Some experts backed Russia's approach, saying it ultimately serves a greater good.
"My sympathies lie more with the governments that are trying to save lives through transplantation of healthy organs that are absolutely of no use to the deceased or their families," said Robert Wintemute, a professor of human rights law at King's College London. "If we stop and ask whose organs these are, they don't really in any sense belong to the family."
Others said stronger safeguards were needed in Russia.
"To behave as the doctors in Russia behaved, is totally unacceptable," said Dr. Roberto Cacciola, a transplant surgeon at The Royal London Hospital in Britain.
In England, he said, multiple doctors and nurses must ensure consent has been obtained from the family before removing any organs.
For Sablina, the lawsuit in the European Court is an attempt to honor her daughter's memory.
"If I don't start to fight against such an inhumane, cruel law, if I just stop and forget about it, I will betray my girl," Sablina said. "This law should be changed. The law should be humane."
The Latest: Renzi: There is no migrant 'invasion' of Italy
ISTANBUL (AP) The Latest on developments in Europe's migration crisis (all times local):
7:20 p.m.
Premier Matteo Renzi is trying to reassure his fellow Italians there is no migrant "invasion" of Italy.
A migrant boy blows bubbles near his tent the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Friday, April 15, 2016. More than 12,000 people have been stuck here for more than a month amid hopes that the border would reopen.(AP Photo/Amel Emric)
Renzi said Friday the number of migrants brought to Italian shores after rescue at sea so far this year is "barely" higher than in the same period in 2014, the peak year for such arrivals in Italy. He put the tally this year through mid-April at roughly 24,000.
Austria has said it would close the main Brenner border crossing from Italy if the influx of migrants becomes "extreme." Many expect an EU-Turkey deal tightening a Balkans route will send migrants and refugees via sea to Italy and then northward.
Renzi calls the Brenner crossing an important symbol, vital to Italian businesses transporting goods northward, and is urging Austria to respect EU border rules.
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3:15 p.m.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says Italy appears on track to take in at least 100,000 migrants from North Africa across the Mediterranean for the third straight year in 2016.
IOM spokesman Joel Millman says more than 6,000 people crossed the Mediterranean in the last week, with nearly all crossing to Italy - and only 300 crossing from Turkey to Greece, a route that has taken over 1 million people since the start of 2015.
Millman said Friday it was too early to assess whether a European Union-Turkey deal on the return of refugees from Greece to Turkey was causing a shift in the patterns of movement of Syrians fleeing to Europe. He noted that more than 40,000 people made the journey from Syria through Egypt, Libya and then to Italy in 2014.
He said more than 24,000 people had crossed into Italy so far this year, and the "high season" of migration in the spring and summer was just beginning now.
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11:25 a.m.
Human Rights Watch has urged Turkey to allow thousands of Syrians fleeing fighting between rebels and the Islamic State group to cross the Turkish border to seek protection.
In a statement released late Thursday, the advocacy group quoted a Syrian refugee who said Turkish border guards shot at hundreds of people fleeing IS as they approached a border wall.
"As civilians flee ISIS fighters, Turkey is responding with live ammunition instead of compassion," said Gerry Simpson, senior refugee researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The whole world is talking about fighting ISIS, and yet those most at risk of becoming victims of its horrific abuses are trapped on the wrong side of a concrete wall."
Turkish officials say they were aware of the report but had no immediate response.
Migrant children play at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Friday, April 15, 2016. More than 12,000 people have been stuck near Idomeni for more than a month amid hopes that the border would reopen.(AP Photo/Amel Emric)
Migrant children play at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Friday, April 15, 2016. More than 12,000 people have been stuck near Idomeni for more than a month amid hopes that the border would reopen.(AP Photo/Amel Emric)
A migrant girl poses for a photo inside a tent at the makeshift camp at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Friday, April 15, 2016. More than 11,000 people have been stuck at the camp for more than a month amid hopes that the border would reopen. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)
A man carries a child inside Moria camp on Lesbos island, Greece, where 2,300 migrants and refugees are being detained for deportation back to Turkey on Friday, April 15, 2016. Pope Francis will visit the Moria camp Saturday, a mission human rights groups hope will highlight the plight of refugees who fled their war-ravaged homes only to be denied entry to Europe. Pope Francis will be joined by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the head of the Orthodox Church of Greece, Athens Archbishop Ieronymos II.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
A migrant man feeds his baby inside a tent at the makeshift camp at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Friday, April 15, 2016. More than 11,000 people have been stuck at the camp for more than a month amid hopes that the border would reopen. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)
A woman looks out of Moria camp on Lesbos island, Greece, where 2,300 migrants and refugees are being detained for deportation back to Turkey on Friday, April 15, 2016. Pope Francis will visit Moria camp Saturday, a mission human rights groups hope will highlight the plight of refugees who fled their war-ravaged homes only to be denied entry to Europe. Pope Francis will be joined by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the head of the Orthodox Church of Greece, Athens Archbishop Ieronymos II.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
A woman holds her child as they wait in a line to receive food at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Friday, April 15, 2016. More than 11,000 people have been stuck at the makeshift camp for more than a month amid hopes that the border would reopen. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)
Migrant women walk with their children after receiving food at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Friday, April 15, 2016. More than 11,000 people have been stuck at the makeshift camp for more than a month amid hopes that the border would reopen. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)
A woman and her son walk among tents at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Friday, April 15, 2016. More than 11,000 people have been stuck at the makeshift camp for more than a month amid hopes that the border would reopen. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)
Children play between washing lines at the new refugee camp in the western Athens' suburb of Skaramagas, Friday, April 15, 2016. Over 1,000 people stay at container houses as more than 53,000 people who made their way to Greece from Turkey have been stranded in the country since Balkan and European nations shut their land borders to stem the largest refugee flow the continent has seen since World War II. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Migrant men sits in front of tent at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Friday, April 15, 2016. More than 11,000 people have been stuck at the makeshift camp for more than a month with hopes that the border would reopen. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)
A woman holds her baby as she walks to receive breakfast at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Friday, April 15, 2016. More than 11,000 people have been stuck at the makeshift camp for more than a month amid hopes that the border would reopen. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)
The Latest: Sanders expands on campaign message at Vatican
WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders' trip to Rome to speak the Vatican conference on social and economic justice (all times Eastern Daylight Time):
12:10 p.m.
Bernie Sanders is being peppered with questions from academics and ecclesiastics at the Vatican, giving the Democratic presidential hopeful a chance to expand on core campaign messages about the need to reform banking regulations, campaign finance rules and higher education.
US Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. right, speaks with Bolivia president Evo Morales during a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War, at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
After his initial speech Friday, Sanders was treated as something of the eminence grise of the United States, answering the questions of conference participants from around the globe.
Host Bishop Marcello Sanchez Sorondo kicked off the questioning, drawing out Sanders on his praise of Pope Francis and their shared condemnation of income inequality.
Sanders said: "We don't choose to politicize the pope ... But his spirit and courage and the fact, if I may say so here, that his words have gone way, way, way beyond the Catholic Church."
The Jewish candidate called the situation of public education in America "beyond disgraceful" and denounced campaign finance regulations that allow the wealthy to buy their way into office.
He said: "Is that really democracy? My view it is not. It's a move toward oligarchy."
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11:20 a.m.
Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders delivered his speech on social and economic inequality sitting next to the other main guest of honor at the Vatican: Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose is renowned for his anti-imperialist, socialist rhetoric.
Sanders arrived about 20 minutes late for his speech Friday and launched right into it as soon as he took his seat on the dias next to Morales, an Aymara Indian who came to power championing Bolivia's 36 indigenous groups.
Earlier in the day, Morales met with Pope Francis and gave him an eyebrow raising gift: three books on the health benefits of coca leaf, the raw material of cocaine that is chewed throughout the Andes as a mild stimulant and an antidote to altitude sickness.
Sanders' received a warm round of applause after his speech on the "Urgency of a Moral Economy." In addition to Morales, participants at the conference included academics, priests, bishops, as well as Francis' closest adviser, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga and the Ecuadoran president, Rafael Correa.
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11:00 a.m.
Following his address to a gathering of priests, bishops, academics and two South American presidents, Sanders walked through Vatican City's Perugino gate and greeted about two dozen supporters, some of whom carried signs bearing Sanders' name.
The Vermont senator told reporters Friday that he was honored to address the conference and admired Francis' message on the economy and the environment, noting that the pope's vision "has turned many people around about the urgency of the moment in terms of dealing with climate change."
"I know that it's taking me away from the campaign trail for a day but when I received this information it was so moving to me that it was something that I could just simply not refuse to attend," Sanders said.
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10:05 a.m.
Pope Francis has apologized that he couldn't personally greet participants of a Vatican conference where Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders spoke.
Bishop Marcello Sanchez Sorondo read aloud the hand-written note of apology from the pope right before Sanders took the floor Friday.
In it, Francis said he had hoped to swing by the conference, located in a villa deep in the Vatican gardens, later Friday evening. But he said couldn't pull it off because he was busy preparing for his upcoming trip to Greece on Saturday.
Francis asked Sanchez to "greet the speakers and participants, requesting their understanding of this situation. I will keep them all in my prayers and good wishes, and send them my heartfelt thanks for their participation."
In the run-up to his brief Vatican visit, Sanders had said he would welcome a meeting with Francis. The Vatican, however, said Thursday that no such meeting was planned.
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10:50 a.m.
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is telling a Vatican conference that young people today are no longer satisfied with an economy "of stark inequality and injustice" and want instead an economy that looks out for the common good.
Speaking Friday at the Vatican, Sanders said today's youth in the United States and elsewhere are looking for a "return to fairness" and an economy that ensures everyone has access to health care, nutrition and education.
He said: "Our youth are no longer satisfied with corrupt and broken politics and an economy of stark inequality and injustice."
Sanders was speaking at a Vatican conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of St. John Paul II's 1991 encyclical "Centesimus Annus" on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War.
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10:35 a.m.
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is issuing a global call to address "immoral and unsustainable" wealth inequality and poverty in a Vatican address that embraces the teachings of Pope Francis.
Sanders cited Francis and St. John Paul II repeatedly during his speech Friday to the Vatican conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of a landmark teaching document from John Paul on social and economic justice after the Cold War.
Sanders told the audience of priests, bishops, academics and two South American presidents that instead of a world economy that looks out for the common good, "we have been left with an economy operated for the top 1 percent, who get richer and richer as the working class, the young and the poor fall further and further behind."
Echoing some of his main campaign messages, Sanders said "billionaires and banks have reaped the returns of their campaign investments, in the form of special tax privileges, imbalanced trade agreements that favor investors over workers, and that even give multinational companies extra-judicial power over governments that are trying to regulate them."
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10:05 a.m.
One of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders' foreign policy advisers is telling a Vatican conference that U.S. corporate greed and corruption have contributed to repeated financial, social and environmental crises.
Jeffrey Sachs, economist and head of the U.N.'s sustainable development network, told the Vatican conference that it's time to "end the impunity of the rich and powerful."
Sanders is expected to address the conference later Friday.
The conference is commemorating the 25th anniversary of St. John Paul II's 1991 encyclical "Centesimus Annus" on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War.
Sachs, who was Poland's lead economic adviser at the time and worked on the document, said it had aimed to support the market economic system being in adopted in Eastern Europe but "with the clear admonition to embed the market system in a moral system based on the universal destination of goods."
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9:05 a.m.
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has landed in Rome to attend a Vatican conference steeped in his lifelong passions of economic and social justice.
The Vermont senator is making the trip even while he faces a crucial New York primary against rival Hillary Clinton next week.
The self-described democratic socialist is an admirer of Pope Francis and will join several speakers commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War.
The roughly 24-hour break from the campaign comes just five days before the New York primary.
Sanders is joined by his wife, Jane Sanders, and 10 family members, including four grandchildren.
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8:50 a.m.
Pope Francis has met with at least one participant of the Vatican conference on social and economic justice that Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is attending: Bolivian President Evo Morales.
Morales met for about a half-hour Friday morning with Francis before heading into the conference. Morales once again raised eyebrows with an unusual gift for the pontiff: three books about the health benefits of the coca leaf, the raw ingredient for cocaine.
The Vatican has said Francis has no plans to meet with conference participants or with Sanders.
He has a longstanding friendship with Morales, however, and visited him in Bolivia last summer. Morales sparked a minor diplomatic incident during the visit when he gave the pope a crucifix fashioned as a communist-style hammer and sickle. Francis said he wasn't offended.
Coca leaf is widely chewed in the Andes to fight against altitude sickness and as a mild stimulant.
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3:00 a.m.
The Vatican conference drawing Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders away from the campaign for New York delegates is steeped in his lifelong passions of economic and social justice and reflects his admiration for Pope Francis.
Sanders departed New York for Rome after Thursday night's debate with front-running rival Hillary Clinton. The self-described democratic socialist will join several speakers commemorating a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War.
The Vermont senator is joined by his wife, Jane, and 10 family members, including four grandchildren. His spokesman said Sanders was still working on a draft of his speech on the plane.
The roughly 24-hour break from the campaign comes just five days before the New York primary.
Bolivia's President Evo Morales, left, presents Pope Francis with a handcrafted bust of Bolivia's indigenous leader Tupac Katari on the occasion of their private meeting in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. (L'Osservatore Romano/Pool photo via AP)
US Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. speaks at a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of ' Centesimus Annus,' a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War, at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
US Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. speaks at a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War, at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
US Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. speaks at a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War, at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders' motorcade enters the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. The Vatican conference drawing Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders away from the campaign for New York delegates is steeped in his lifelong passions of economic and social justice and reflects his admiration for Pope Francis. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
US Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. bottom right, speaks at a conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Centesimus Annus," a high-level teaching document by Pope John Paul II on the economy and social justice at the end of the Cold War, at the Vatican, Friday, April 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, sitting in the back of the car, is welcomed by supporters upon his arrival at the Vatican to attend a conference, Friday, April 15, 2016. The Vatican conference drawing Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders away from the campaign for New York delegates is steeped in his lifelong passions of economic and social justice and reflects his admiration for Pope Francis. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
US military school considers exception for Muslim headscarf
CHARLESTON, South Carolina (AP) A U.S. military school is considering a request from a new student that the school's longstanding uniform requirements be tweaked to allow her to wear a traditional Muslim headscarf.
Citadel spokeswoman Kim Keelor said Friday that as far as she knows, it's the first time such a request has been made although the school has had a number of Muslim students in the past.
"The college is reviewing the request at this time. We do not currently have anyone that has a special religious accommodation for uniforms," according to a statement released by the school.
The student is an incoming freshman who's been accepted for the term that begins in August, Kellor said. She said she could not release the name of the student or where she is from because of privacy regulations.
Kellor said a decision should be made in several weeks.
The Citadel, South Carolina's state military college founded in 1842, has a policy that states the college will approve religious requests "unless accommodation will have an adverse impact on a competing institutional interest including, but not limited to, cohesion, morale, good order and discipline, cadet welfare, safety and/or health."
The policy also says "accommodation of a cadet's religious practices must be examined considering these factors and cannot be guaranteed at all times."
The college may approve requests for religious accommodation in five areas including worship, dietary practices, medial practices, wearing and appearance of uniforms and personal grooming," according to the policy.
Citadel cadets are required to wear uniforms at nearly all times.
Endangered seals start journey home after rehab
ABOARD US COAST GUARD HC-130 HERCULES (AP) A United States Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules rumbled down an airstrip on Hawaii's Big Island Thursday carrying seven endangered Hawaiian monk seals.
The young monk seals were found abandoned or malnourished late last year by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials in the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. They were rescued, then rehabilitated at the nonprofit Martine Mammal Center's monk seal hospital in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, where the Coast Guard picked them up Thursday for the first leg of their journey home.
NOAA found six of the seal pups on the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the northernmost islands and atolls in Hawaii. The seventh seal, a yearling, was rescued from Niihau, a privately owned island in the main Hawaiian Islands.
In this Sept. 8, 2015 photo released by The Marine Mammal Center, Kilo, an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, rests after being rescued and admitted to the Marine Mammal Centers Big Island seal hospital in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seals were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at the marine hospital in Hawaii. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu Thursday, April 14, 2016 for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (Julie Steelman /The Marine Mammal Center via AP)
The Marine Mammal Center's monk seal hospital on Hawaii's Big Island then nursed the animals back to health.
On Thursday, the seals were loaded into a U.S. Coast Guard airplane and flown from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, to Honolulu.
Before they will be returned by boat to the islands they were rescued from.
According to the California-based Marine Mammal Center, fewer than 1 in 5 monk seals survive their first year in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands because of threats including predation, entanglement and environmental changes.
There are only about 1,200 monk seals in the world, NOAA officials said, and they all live in the main or northwest Hawaiian islands.
The seals being transported Thursday were all females, said Michelle Barbieri, a NOAA veterinarian with the Monk Seal Research Program who was aboard the flight.
"We focus our efforts on female seals because they're going to grow up and contribute to the population in the future," Barbieri said.
While in rehabilitation, the seals were slowly nursed to a healthy weight to help increase their odds of survival. They were also taught to catch and eat fish naturally, with little human intervention, so that they could hunt for themselves when they return to the wild.
David Scholfield, a NOAA response coordinator for the Pacific Islands, said rescuers normally transport only one or two seals at a time, making Thursday's effort "historic" and a major boost for the overall population in generations to come.
The monk seal population is still declining at a rate of about 4 percent per year. Returning these animals to their home islands could have a big impact, he said.
"These seven animals would have died," Scholfield said, "and so getting them back to health and having them potentially reproduce in the wild, and produce offspring, has a many magnitude effect" on the overall population.
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Find more of his work here: http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/caleb-jones
In this Feb. 1, 2016 photo released by The Marine Mammal Center, Moo, an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, participates in rehab after being rescued and admitted to the Marine Mammal Centers Big Island seal hospital in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seals were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at the marine hospital in Hawaii. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu Thursday, April 14, 2016 for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (Julie Steelman /The Marine Mammal Center via AP)
In this Oct. 1, 2015 photo, Puka, an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, rests after being rescued and admitted to the Marine Mammal Centers Big Island seal hospital in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seals were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at the marine hospital. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu Thursday, April 14, 2016 for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (The Marine Mammal Center, Julie Steelman via AP)
In this March 21, 2016. photo, Puka, an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, rests after being treated at the Marine Mammal Centers Big Island seal hospital in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.Seven seals were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at the marine hospital. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu Thursday, April 14, 2016 for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (The Marine Mammal Center, Julie Steelman via AP)
ADDS MONK SEAL TO THE SUBJECT - An endangered Hawaiian monk seal looks out from her container as she is transported from Hawaiis Big Island to Honolulu, Thursday, April 14, 2016, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seal were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu Thursday for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
U.S. Coast Guard pilot Lt. Eric Casida, left, and co-pilot Lt. j.g. Kevin Knaup, right, fly a HC-130 Hercules from Honolulu to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Thursday, April 14, 2016. The crew was transporting seven endangered Hawaiian monk seals back to Honolulu. The seals were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu Thursday for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
Coast Guard and NOAA officials unload an endangered Hawaiian monk seal after a flight from Kailua Kona, Hawaii to Honolulu, Thursday, April 14, 2016. Seven endangered Hawaiian monk seals that were found abandoned or malnourished have begun their trip back to their remote island homes after being rescued and rehabilitated. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration rescued the seal pups several months ago on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the northernmost islands and atolls in the Hawaiian Islands chain. The nonprofit Marine Mammal Center's monk seal hospital on Hawaii's Big Island then nursed them back to health. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
Michelle Barbieri, right, a veterinarian with NOAAs Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program, stands in the cockpit of a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft as she and a team of officials fly from Honolulu to Hawaiis Big Island to pick up several endangered monk seals, Thursday, April 14, 2016. Seven seals were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu Thursday for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules is prepared for takeoff, Thursday April 14, 2016 in Honolulu. Seven endangered Hawaiian monk seals that were found abandoned or malnourished late last year began their trip back to their remote island homes Thursday after being rescued and rehabilitated. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found most of the seal pups on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the northernmost islands and atolls in the Hawaiian Islands chain. The nonprofit Marine Mammal Centers monk seal hospital on Hawaiis Big Island then nursed the animals back to health. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
An endangered Hawaiian monk seal looks out from her container as she is transported from Hawaiis Big Island to Honolulu, Thursday, April 14, 2016, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seal were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu on Thursday for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
An endangered Hawaiian monk seal looks out from her container as she is transported from Hawaiis Big Island to Honolulu, Thursday, April 14, 2016, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Seven seal were found either abandoned or malnourished and were rescued by federal officials and then rehabilitated at a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island. The Coast Guard picked them up and flew them back to Honolulu on Thursday for the first leg of their trip back to their native Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
The Latest: Russia says no plans to capture Aleppo
BEIRUT (AP) The Latest on the conflict in Syria as a new round of peace talks begins in Geneva (all times local):
8:30 p.m.
Russia says its warplanes are helping the Syrian army fight the al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front around Aleppo, adding that there is no plan to capture the city.
A Russian soldier is seen as smoke rises from a controlled land mine detonation by Russian experts in the ancient town of Palmyra in the central Homs province, Syria, Thursday, April 14, 2016. Russian combat engineers arrived in Syria on a mission to clear mines in Palmyra, which has been recaptured from Islamic State militants in an offensive that has proven Russia's military might in Syria despite a drawdown of its warplanes. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
The Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday that Syrian troops' attacks on the Nusra Front are necessary to prevent the militants from blocking civilian areas. It emphasized that "there is no plan for storming Aleppo."
The U.S. and Russia-backed truce that began on Feb. 27 has helped reduce hostilities in some parts of Syria, but fighting has continued around Aleppo where the Nusra Front has strong positions. The Nusra Front and the Islamic State group have been excluded from the truce.
The ministry said Moscow expects Washington to continue coordinating the cease-fire's enforcement and strongly warned the U.S. against supplying any weapons to the rebels.
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8 p.m.
A Syrian government envoy says he had "constructive and fruitful" discussions with a U.N. mediator in the resumption of peace talks in Geneva.
Syria's U.N. ambassador Bashar Ja'afari spoke briefly to reporters Friday after his delegation provided proposed "amendments" to a working paper laid out by U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura as the talks took a break last month.
De Mistura on Wednesday re-convened parties to the indirect peace talks between the government and the main opposition group, the High Negotiations Committee, aimed to try to bring an end to Syria's five-year war that has left over 250,000 dead and driven millions from their homes.
Ja'afari said de Mistura's team would examine the government's proposed changes to a list of fundamental principles for the talks before meeting again Monday.
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7:30 p.m.
Commanders of the rebel Free Syrian Army say government forces are preparing an offensive on the northern city of Aleppo, and opposition fighters are waiting to see if world powers can keep a tenuous cease-fire afloat before deciding whether to continue supporting peace talks.
FSA commanders spoke to reporters Friday in Geneva against the backdrop of indirect peace talks at nearby U.N. offices between opposition representatives and a government delegation.
Abu Ossama Al-Jolani accused President Bashar Assad's government of trying to "destroy" the truce brokered by Russia and the U.S. He said FSA fighters who now support the talks are waiting for "those who decided that this truce should start" to determine whether it's holding.
Another commander, Iyad Shamsi, said government forces and their Iranian backers were preparing a "big offensive" on Aleppo.
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6:45 p.m.
Syria's ambassador to the United Nations and a government delegation have arrived at the U.N's Geneva offices in their return to indirect peace talks with the opposition amid new fighting in Syria.
Bashar Ja'afari and his entourage were meeting with U.N. special envoy Staffan de Mistura Friday for the first time since the so-called "proximity talks" in which the delegations meet separately with de Mistura suspended for a break last month. The opposition High Negotiations Committee met with de Mistura on Wednesday and was to see him again later Friday.
While a cease-fire between government forces and rebel fighters has largely held, the talks have largely been overshadowed by renewed combat near Syria's largest city, Aleppo.
The talks are seen by many as the best chance yet to end the five-year war.
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6:15 p.m.
An international medical relief organization says it is "extremely worried" about the security of people fleeing fighting in northern Syria and about their access to health care.
Medicins Sans Frontieres, also known as MSF or Doctors Without Borders, says it knows of just five operating hospitals in the Azaz district, where Syrians who have already been displaced by conflict are now fleeing renewed fighting between Syrian rebels and the Islamic State group.
Muskilda Zancada, head of the MSF mission in Syria, says the situation on the ground "remains very unpredictable."
The New York-based Human Rights Watch said Thursday that an Islamic State advance in the area sent around 30,000 displaced persons fleeing from their camps. The group said some headed to the Turkish border but were refused entry.
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1 p.m.
Syrian state media says a government delegation has arrived to join the new round of U.N.-mediated peace talks with an umbrella opposition group that began this week in Geneva.
The arrival of the Damascus team, led by Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Jaafari, comes amid an escalation in northern Aleppo province that has left 34 dead on both sides. The renewed fighting has undermined the fragility of the cease-fire that has largely held elsewhere in Syria.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that of those killed in the past 24 hours in the clashes, 14 were pro-government fighters and 20 were militants.
Guyana tightens security at prison following deadly riot
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) Guyana's president has ordered soldiers and police to surround a violent, overcrowded prison in the South American country that was the recent site of a deadly riot.
David Granger called an emergency meeting late Thursday after prison officials said people have been hurling suspected weapons over walls into the prison in recent days.
The situation has been unclear because of short staffing: More than a dozen guards at the main prison in the capital of Georgetown have called in sick for a week out of fear for their lives.
The Latest: Wrongly convicted man is released in Illinois
SYCAMORE, Ill. (AP) The Latest on a retired Washington state police officer who an Illinois prosecutor says was wrongly convicted in a 1957 slaying (all times local):
2 p.m.
A 76-year-old Washington state man has been released from prison in Illinois after a prosecutor persuaded a judge that the man was wrongly convicted in 2012 of killing a schoolgirl six decades earlier.
Jack McCullough winks at his stepdaughter Janey O'Connor behind him as he sits during a hearing in the DeKalb County Courthouse on Friday, April 15, 2016 in Sycamore, Ill. McCullough who a prosecutor says was wrongly convicted in the 1957 killing of an Illinois schoolgirl was released Friday shortly after a judge vacated his conviction, meaning that one of the oldest cold cases to be tried in U.S. history has officially gone cold again. (Danielle Guerra/Daily Chronicle via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT; CHICAGO TRIBUNE OUT
Judge William Brady vacated the conviction of Jack McCullough Friday morning and ordered him to be freed. McCullough left a jail near the courthouse Friday afternoon, smiling to reporters from the backseat of his stepdaughter's rental car.
Brady's order came in Sycamore, Illinois, where Maria Ridulph was playing in the snow in December 1957 when she was abducted. Her body was found five months later.
McCullough was convicted in Maria's death in 2012 and sentenced to life in prison.
In a six-month review of evidence this year, DeKalb County State's Attorney Richard Schmack concluded that McCullough couldn't have killed Maria.
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12:55 p.m.
The stepdaughter of a 76-year-old Washington state man who a prosecutor says was wrongly convicted in 2012 of killing an Illinois schoolgirl six decades ago says he'll be released within hours.
Janey O'Connor attended a hearing Friday morning at which a judge vacated the conviction of Jack McCullough and ordered him to be freed.
O'Connor told The Associated Press by phone that court officials say her step-father will be released from a jail near the courthouse Friday afternoon.
Judge William Brady's order came in Sycamore, Illinois, where Maria Ridulph was playing in the snow in December 1957 when she was abducted.
McCullough was convicted in Maria's death in 2012 and sentenced to life in prison.
DeKalb County State's Attorney Richard Schmack concluded this year that McCullough couldn't have killed Maria.
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11:45 a.m.
A judge has ordered a new trial for a 76-year-old Washington state man who a prosecutor says was wrongly convicted of killing an Illinois schoolgirl in 1957.
Judge William P. Brady on Friday vacated the conviction of Jack McCullough and ordered him to be freed.
The county prosecutor told Brady he wouldn't retry McCullough if the murder conviction was vacated. He says there are no grounds to retry someone who couldn't possibly have committed the crime.
The judge's order came in Sycamore, Illinois, where Maria Ridulph was playing in the snow in December 1957 when she was abducted.
McCullough was convicted in Maria's death in 2012 and sentenced to life in prison.
DeKalb County State's Attorney Richard Schmack concluded this year that McCullough couldn't have killed Maria.
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11 a.m.
A judge has ordered the release of a 76-year-old man who a prosecutor says was wrongly convicted of killing an Illinois schoolgirl in 1957.
The order came at a hearing Friday in Sycamore, Illinois, near where Maria Ridulph was abducted as she played in the snow. Forest hikers found Maria's remains five months later.
In 2012, Jack McCullough, a retired security guard from Washington state, was convicted in Maria's killing and sentenced to life in prison, in one of the oldest unsolved U.S. cases ever to go to trial.
DeKalb County State's Attorney Richard Schmack conducted a six-month review and concluded that McCullough couldn't possibly have killed Maria. Schmack found evidence to shore up McCullough's claim that he had been 35 miles away in Rockford, Illinois, when Maria was abducted.
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00:20 a.m.
A 76-year-old man serving a life sentence for the 1957 slaying of an Illinois schoolgirl is hoping to be set free after a prosecutor re-examined evidence and concluded the former Washington state security guard couldn't have committed the crime.
Jack McCullough was convicted in 2012 in the killing of 7-year-old Maria Ridulph, in one of the oldest unsolved cases to go to trial.
Defense lawyers will argue why McCullough should be released at a hearing Friday.
DeKalb County State's Attorney Richard Schmack agrees that McCullough should be freed. Schmack says old and new evidence proves McCullough was 35 miles away when the second-grader was abducted as she played in the snow in Sycamore, Illinois.
Maria's body was found months later.
Police renew search for Texas gunman after suspect ruled out
HOUSTON (AP) Houston police stepped up the search Friday for a gunman who they say ambushed and seriously wounded a Texas deputy constable, after investigators concluded that a suspect they had questioned was not involved in the shooting.
Crime Stoppers of Houston, a nonprofit public safety organization, doubled to $10,000 a reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for the shooting of Harris County Deputy Constable Alden Clopton.
Authorities said Clopton, 48, was shot four times from behind late Wednesday as the assailant stood on the other side of a four-lane road in a neighborhood about three miles south of downtown Houston. Clopton was trying to assist another officer in a routine traffic stop. Police are unsure of the motive but said they believe it was an ambush.
In this undated photo released by Harris County Sheriff's Office, Harris County Deputy Constable Alden Clopton is seen. Clopton was shot multiple times from behind late Wednesday, while talking to another constable following a traffic stop in Houston. Clopton was wearing a protective vest when he was shot and is expected to recover after undergoing several hours of surgery. (Harris County Sheriff's Office via AP)
Investigators initially focused on questioning a man with a long criminal history, Chester Irving, 46, who appeared at a fire station near the scene about 30 minutes after the shooting. According to Harris County court records, the Houston resident had been arrested 32 arrests beginning in 1988 for a variety of offenses involving burglary, drugs, prostitution, forgery and weapons violations.
"He showed up with a gun magazine, which you slide into the gun," Houston police spokesman Keese Smith said. Authorities had said Thursday that police were not actively looking for anyone else.
On Friday they reversed course and said that Irving had not been involved in the shooting and instead charged him with illegally possessing a gun. As a felon, Irving was not allowed to have a gun.
"During the course of the interviews we were doing with him he said, 'Yeah, I have a gun but I hid it before I came to the fire station,'" Smith said.
Police gave no explanation of why they had ruled out Irving.
"It's fair to say we're still looking for the shooter," Smith said.
Doctors have said Clopton suffered wounds to his chest and abdomen and should fully recover, but will remain in the hospital for about a week.
Authorities initially said that Clopton's life might have been saved by wearing a bulletproof vest. But the Harris County Precinct 7 Constable's Office said Friday it was not clear if the vest was removed by paramedics at the scene or if Clopton was not wearing it when the shooting happened.
"We will not be able to give a definite answer until the investigation has been completed," Constable's Office spokeswoman Pamela Greenwood said.
Constables in some regions are tasked with serving warrants and providing court security, but in the Houston area they generally provide the same policing coverage as other law agencies.
Clopton is an 11-year veteran of the Harris County Precinct 7 Constable force and comes from a law enforcement family. He has three brothers who are law officers, his wife is a Harris County sheriff's deputy and a son is an officer in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Clopton is the second Harris County law officer to be shot from behind in an unprovoked attack in the past year. Texas prosecutors in August charged a 30-year-old man with capital murder in the killing of sheriff's Deputy Darren Goforth, who was gunned down while filling his patrol car with gas in what officials described as a "senseless and cowardly act."
In this frame from video provided by KTRK, an officer walks on the the scene after a late Wednesday, April 13, 2016, shooting in Houston. A deputy constable was rushed to a hospital after a suspect shot him from behind multiple times, authorities said. (KTRK via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
In this undated photo released by Harris County Sheriff's Office, Harris County Deputy Constable Alden Clopton is seen. Clopton was shot multiple times from behind late Wednesday, April 13, 2016, while talking to another constable following a traffic stop in Houston. Clopton was wearing a protective vest when he was shot and is expected to recover after undergoing several hours of surgery. (Harris County Sheriff's Office via AP)
Ted Cruz defended Texas ban on the sale of sex toys in state
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Defending a Texas state law banning the sale of sex toys, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz argued in a 2007 court brief that individuals have no legal right to use them, even in the privacy of their own bedrooms.
Prior to becoming a U.S. senator, Cruz was for more than five years Texas' solicitor general, arguing the state's legal positions in court. He often cites that experience to burnish his credentials as a Christian conservative.
On the campaign trail, Cruz frequently reminds audiences that he used the job to defend capital punishment and oppose abortion, while preserving the words "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and defending a monument to the Ten Commandments on the state Capitol grounds.
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks at a campaign rally Friday, April 15, 2016, in Syracuse, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
But Cruz makes no mention of a decade-old case he lost his defense of Texas' sex-toy ban. The story was first reported by Mother Jones magazine.
The law, approved in the 1970s, banned as obscene any device "useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs." The same law also declared that anyone possessing six or more such items was presumed to be promoting sex-toy usage through manufacture, sale, lending, delivery or other means.
Joanne Webb, a 43-year-old mother of three and former fifth-grade teacher, was arrested in 2003 after selling a sex toy to an undercover police officer during a gathering of adult couples similar to a Tupperware party held at a home in a Fort Worth suburb.
Though the criminal charges against Webb were eventually dropped, a collection of sex-toy companies sued in federal court to challenge the constitutionality of the state's ban.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court of Appeals later ruled that the Texas law violated 14th Amendment privacy rights. Then-Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, now the state's Republican governor, unsuccessfully appealed, asking the full appeals court to review the case.
As solicitor general Cruz co-wrote an 83-page brief arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court "has never suggested that the substantive-due-process doctrine ensures individuals' ability to stimulate their genitals in ways that are neither connected to procreation nor associated with any particular lifestyle."
In an interview Friday night on New York's WABC radio, Cruz was asked if he would ban the sale of sex toys if he became president.
"Look, of course not, it's a ridiculous question, and of course not," Cruz responded. "What people do in their own private time with themselves is their own business and it's none of government's business."
Cruz campaign spokeswoman Alice Stewart noted in an email that as solicitor general, Cruz had an obligation to defend Texas' laws in court, regardless of whether he agreed with them.
"Senator Cruz personally believes that the Texas law in question was, as (Supreme Court) Justice (Clarence) Thomas said in another context, an 'uncommonly silly' law," Stewart said. "But the office was nevertheless duty-bound to defend the policy judgment of the Texas Legislature."
Cruz defended the Texas ban as "protecting public morals discouraging prurient interests in sexual gratification" and argued that in doing so the state had a vested moral interest in discouraging "autonomous sex."
Cruz's brief also suggested that the legal sale of sexual enhancement drugs such as Viagra was different because it can't be described as a "device." Couples, even married ones, willing to use sex toys may also "believe that hiring a willing prostitute or engaging in consensual bigamy would enhance their sexual experiences," Cruz warned.
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Michael Biesecker reported from Washington. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mbieseck
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Rights commission eyes new entity on missing Mexico students
WASHINGTON (AP) The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights said Friday it will create a new entity to monitor the case of 43 students who disappeared in southern Mexico after its group of experts ceases investigating at the end of the month.
The commission said it will consult with Mexico and the families of the missing students to determine the terms that will guide the unspecified entity.
Commission president James Cavallaro said he regrets that the Mexican government did not renew the group of experts' mandate, which expires April 30.
FILE - In this Dec. 26, 2015, file photo, relatives of the 43 missing students from the Isidro Burgos rural teachers' college march and hold pictures of their missing loved ones during a protest in Mexico City. Mexico's national human rights commission said Thursday, April 14, 2016, that it had found a witness to the 2014 disappearance of the college students who reported that federal and municipal police were present when the youths were taken off a bus and disappeared. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)
"Given the nature of the agreement on technical assistance, in which the consent of the state is indispensable, the (commission) considers that the conditions are not there to continue," Cavallaro said.
He added that the experts could continue to offer advice to the commission because "they know the case very well."
Mexico's foreign ministry said in a statement that it is committed to seeking justice in the case and will continue working to implement the independent experts' recommendations.
The 43 students have not been heard from since they were taken by local police in September 2014 in the city of Iguala, Guerrero state.
Government investigators have said that police handed the students over to drug gang members who killed them and burned their bodies at a trash dump.
But the commission's group of experts and another international investigative body that also investigated the case have both doubted there is evidence at the dump of a fire large enough to incinerate that many bodies.
Cavallaro said the Inter-American Commission will continue to work to discover what happened to the students.
However the body's executive secretary, Emilio Alvarez, said that "the group's presence generated a unique and novel cooperation that is now going to diminish."
"But in the end, the investigation to clear up the case is the responsibility of the Mexican state," Alvarez added. "Not that of the (commission) nor the experts."
The group of experts, which is expected to present its conclusions and recommendations April 24 in Mexico, recently criticized the Mexican government for unilaterally releasing results of a new study on the trash dump.
It also complains that its members have been targeted by a smear campaign to discredit and discourage them from working to establish the truth.
Families of the victims had asked for the group to remain on the case until the whereabouts of the students are determined and those responsible punished.
But the Mexican government said this week that it was time for the experts to present their findings.
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Follow Luis Alonso Lugo at www.twitter.com./luisalonsolugo
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This story has been corrected to reflect that the commission official's surname is Cavallaro.
Ohio ex-cop leaves jail after posting bond in 2005 case
LEBANON, Ohio (AP) A former suburban Ohio police official who has spent more than a decade behind bars for his wife's death has been released from jail nearly a month after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to reinstate a 2005 manslaughter conviction.
WHIO-TV reports that former Springboro Police Lt. Thomas "Jim" Barton declined comment as he left jail Friday afternoon.
A Warren County judge Thursday set bond at $350,000 for Barton, whose conviction was overturned by a federal appeals court last year.
FILE - This Friday March 18, 2005 file photo shows former Springboro Police Lt. Thomas "Jim" Barton listening as he is given the maximum sentence in the shooting death of his wife in Warren County Court in Lebanon, Ohio. The attorney for Barton, a former police official wants a judge to set bail for him in southwest Ohio after a federal court threw out his 2005 conviction on charges from his wife's slaying in a botched burglary. (AP Photo/Al Behrman, File)
The 60-year-old Barton faces a new trial Sept. 19.
Prosecutors say Vickie Barton died in a botched 1995 burglary that authorities said Thomas Barton paid to have staged.
Lawyers: Inmate in NYC terror case in coma after suicide try
NEW YORK (AP) Lawyers for a New York inmate say he tried to kill himself in prison after guards tormented him because of his terror conviction.
Ahmed Ferhani's attorney says he's in a medically induced coma after trying to hang himself in the state's Attica prison. Lawyer Lamis Deek says the hospital told Ferhani's family April 7 what had happened, but details are unclear.
The state Corrections Department will say only that Ferhani has been taken to a hospital and officials are investigating.
Ferhani is 31 years old and halfway through a 10-year sentence. He was among the first people charged under a New York anti-terrorism law passed days after 9/11.
Colombia exhumes minister's remains as murder probe reopened
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) Authorities have dug up the remains of a former Colombian justice minister to determine if state agents participated in his shocking death three decades ago.
Rodrigo Lara's 1984 killing by Pablo Escobar's gunmen was the first in a string of slayings of politicians by the drug kingpin.
Investigations into many of the slayings have recently been reopened and evidence has been uncovered suggesting that state security agents may have colluded with the killers.
FILE - This undated file photo shows Colombia's former Justice Minister Rodrigo Lara Bonilla in an unknown location. Authorities dug up Lara's remains on April 15, 2016 to determine if state agents participated in his shocking death three decades ago. Laras 1984 killing by Pablo Escobars gunmen was the first in a string of politician slayings by the drug kingpin that stunned the nation. (AP Photo, file)
Authorities have long puzzled over how the gunmen who killed Lara were able to carry out such a precise attack at night against a moving car without Lara's driver or bodyguard suffering major injuries. Some suspect the car was stopped and Lara shot at close range.
Pianist Cecil Taylor makes triumphant comeback at Whitney
NEW YORK (AP) The visionary 87-year-old jazz pianist Cecil Taylor received a standing ovation as he walked slowly to the stage at the Whitney Museum of American Art, using a cane and holding his assistant's arm.
No one in the audience Thursday night knew quite what to expect from Taylor. This was only his fourth public performance in the past four years, the last a brief solo at the June 2015 funeral of Ornette Coleman, who along with Taylor revolutionized jazz by launching the free-jazz movement in the late '50s.
But though frail in body, Taylor was strong in spirit. Once his hands touched the keyboard, he again displayed his orchestral approach and commanding virtuosity, with percussive flurries, sudden changes in loud-soft dynamics and dancer-like leaps across the octaves.
In this April 14, 2016 photo, pianist Cecil Taylor, 88, who revolutionized jazz by launching the free-jazz movement in the late '50s and early '60s, performs in an unannounced second set at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, kicking off a 10-day exhibition celebrating Taylor's music as well as his deep connection to dance, poetry and other art forms. (AP Photo/Barbara Woike)
After the performance, Jason Moran, a leading contemporary jazz pianist who was in the audience, said he was impressed with just how much ferocity, integrity, pacing and care Taylor showed.
"With Cecil, it's like all of a sudden the years peel away," said Moran, who considers Taylor one of his main influences. "That's the elixir of the music. .. When musicians get really excited about an idea, it gives them that much energy."
The performance opened an exhibition titled "Open Plan: Cecil Taylor," running until April 24.
Taylor performed with two long-time collaborators, Britain's Tony Oxley on electronics rather than his usual drum kit and Japanese modern dancer Min Tanaka.
The energy from Taylor's piano flowed to Tanaka who moved around the room, shifting from graceful slow-motion movements to frenetic gestures in response to the music. As the music subsided, he waved his arms around Taylor before settling into repose.
It was an appropriate opening for an exhibition celebrating not only Taylor's music, but also his deep connection to dance, poetry and other art forms.
"I want people to understand why this person who is truly a maverick is an utterly important 20th-century artist," said the Whitney's Jay Sanders, who co-curated the exhibit with Lawrence Kumpf, artistic director of the Brooklyn-based Issue Project Room. "We want to bring his past forward in the present."
Though Taylor eschews revisiting his past, the exhibition includes audio and video listening stations, offering music dating back to his 1956 debut album "Jazz Advance."
On display are album covers and concert posters, scores with his personalized notation system, and hand-written pages from journals of unpublished poems.
The scheduled events include performances by past Taylor collaborators and film screenings.
The curators hope the Whitney experience will encourage Taylor to perform. The pianist went through a rough patch when his one-time friend and contractor was sentenced to prison for stealing most of the $500,000 he received by winning the prestigious Kyoto Prize in 2013.
Taylor, who has a long association with the Whitney, has been coming to the museum's new building several times a month to practice on a baby grand piano in the private trustee room.
It's not known whether Taylor will play again during the exhibition, but he did give an unannounced performance Thursday night after the trio's set with an octet he called The New Unit, including spoken word artist Jane Grenier Balgochian and saxophonists Harri Sjostrom, Elliott Levin and Bobby Zankel.
With a broad smile on his face, Taylor percussively slapped his hands on the piano as the music built to a cacophonous, free-form climax before settling down with Taylor standing up to incant his own verse. He closed a triumphant comeback with a quiet "Thank you" to the audience.
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Online:
www.whitney.org/Exhibitions/OpenPlanCecilTaylor
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Follow Charles J. Gans at www.twitter.com/chjgans.
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This story has been updated to correct Taylor's age to 87, instead of 88.
In this April 14, 2016 photo, visionary jazz pianist Cecil Taylor, 88, right, performs with Japanese modern dancer Min Tanaka, left, at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York to kick off a 10-day exhibition celebrating Taylor's music as well as his deep connection to dance, poetry and other art forms. (AP Photo/Barbara Woike)
In this April 14, 2016 photo, pianist Cecil Taylor, 88, who revolutionized jazz by launching the free-jazz movement in the late '50s and early '60s, performs in an unannounced second set at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, kicking off a 10-day exhibition celebrating Taylor's music as well as his deep connection to dance, poetry and other art forms. (AP Photo/Barbara Woike)
In this April 14, 2016 photo, pianist Cecil Taylor, 88, who revolutionized jazz by launching the free-jazz movement in the late '50s and early '60s, performs in an unannounced second set at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, kicking off a 10-day exhibition celebrating Taylor's music as well as his deep connection to dance, poetry and other art forms. (AP Photo/Barbara Woike)
In this April 14, 2016 photo, a film featuring vintage footage of Cecil Taylor, is screened at the Whitney Museum of American Art before a rare performance by the visionary jazz pianist in New York to kick off a 10-day exhibition celebrating Taylor's music as well as his deep connection to dance, poetry and other art forms. (AP Photo/Barbara Woike)
In this April 14, 2016 photo, vintage album covers of Cecil Taylor recordings are displayed at the Whitney Museum of American Art before a rare performance by the visionary jazz pianist in New York to kick off a 10-day exhibition celebrating his music as well as his deep connection to dance, poetry and other art forms. (AP Photo/Barbara Woike)
Puerto Rico to fumigate public housing amid Zika epidemic
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Officials in Puerto Rico say they will fumigate 100 public housing projects across the U.S. territory in its fight against the mosquito-borne Zika virus.
Health officials said Friday that 114 new cases were reported this week alone for a total of 550 cases. They said 71 of them involve pregnant women. Zika can cause severe birth defects such as babies being born with abnormally small heads. It also is suspected of causing a temporary paralysis condition known as Guillain-Barre. Puerto Rico has six Guillain-Barre cases believed to be tied to Zika, and a total of 16 people have been hospitalized because of the virus.
The island's eastern and southern regions have reported the most cases.
Cops: Dad's stranger-danger test scares teens into 911 call
WESTLAKE, Ohio (AP) A suburban Cleveland man had a friend pose as a threatening ex-convict during a test to see whether his teenagers would let a stranger into their home, prompting them to flee and call 911, police said Friday.
A prosecutor will consider potential child-endangering charges against the adults.
Westlake police said the father "refused to acknowledge the emotional upset he had caused" and described his 14- and 16-year-old sons' actions as an "epic fail." But officers commended them for barricading themselves in a bedroom, jumping out a second-floor window onto a garage roof and then running to a neighbor's home to call for help.
The stranger showed up at their door Thursday afternoon and was let in by the younger teen, breaking the family rule on admitting only known relatives, police said. Once inside, the man told the boys that their father owed him money, and he threatened them.
"This guy was crazy. This guy wanted to kill us," the elder son told a dispatcher on the 911 call. "He said, 'If I start chopping up bodies in here, then I'm going to be the bad guy. I just got out of jail two weeks ago.'"
The fake convict, a 45-year-old man from Cleveland Heights, was in contact by phone with the father during the charade, and when the friend thought things had gone too far and wanted to stop, the father insisted it play out, police said.
Trump prepared to cede Wyoming delegate contest
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) Donald Trump's presidential campaign has all but thrown in the towel in Wyoming ahead of Saturday's Republican convention.
The billionaire businessman's campaign made a conscious decision not to commit resources to Wyoming, according to Alan Cobb, a senior Trump adviser.
Trump picked only up a single delegate in last month's Wyoming county conventions while rival Ted Cruz scored nine. There are 14 more delegates at stake at this weekend's state convention.
Dennis Smyth accepts paper ballots from voters at the Laramie County Democratic Caucus held Saturday, April 9, 2016, in Cheyenne, Wyo. (Shawn Havel/The Wyoming Tribune Eagle via AP)
In a telephone interview with The Associated Press from the convention site in Casper, Cobb said Friday that he expects Cruz to sweep what remains of the 29 delegates up for grabs in the Wyoming convention.
"This process is favorable toward party-insider folks," Cobb said. "When you don't have a vote of the people, it just favors (Cruz)."
While Cruz' campaign has been working for months lining up support among the Wyoming's GOP insiders, Trump's campaign has limited mobilization in the state, and the candidate has not spent any time campaigning there. Cruz is scheduled to attend Saturday's convention.
The state party's arcane system of allocating delegates through county meetings followed by the state convention doesn't favor the disorganized.
If Cruz performs as expected, Wyoming's result could mirror that of Colorado, where Cruz swept all 34 delegates earlier this month. Trump encouraged supporters to demonstrate against the Colorado party's presidential nominating process Friday at the state capitol in Denver.
"The very insider, narrow pathways like Wyoming, they just don't work very well for us," Cobb said. "Campaigns make strategic choices on where to go and where to invest, and just given your process here, it just doesn't lend itself to our kind of campaign and candidate."
Sarah Palin had been scheduled to speak for Trump in Casper on Saturday but the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee canceled her appearance on Thursday. Cobb said he may wind up giving Trump's address.
Even so, Cobb said he still sees Trump on track to win the 1,237 delegates required to secure the GOP nomination on the first ballot at the national convention this summer. "We've got the Northeast states," he said. "I think we'll do well in California, Oregon, Washington."
By contrast, the Cruz campaign in Wyoming has been well organized for months. Ed Buchanan, a former Wyoming House speaker, is state campaign chairman.
"Of course, we've been working at this since last fall, and really attempted to identify folks at the precinct level, and the caucus level and then at the county conventions, and that's why we had some success on March 12," Buchanan said Friday. "And so we've just continued that effort."
Buchanan said he sees Cruz as a natural fit for voters in Wyoming, a state where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by roughly 140,000 to 41,000. Buchanan said people support Cruz because of his conservative values and the fact he's a fellow westerner.
Ogden Driskill, a Republican state senator from Devils Tower, was chosen as the party's only uncommitted delegate in the March 12 county conventions. He's trying to organize a slate of uncommitted delegates at the party convention with the hope the candidates would pay more attention to the state's concerns if they had to work to woo delegates ahead of the national convention. He said he expects Wyoming delegates ultimately to support Cruz.
Isaiah Baskins (pictured) of North Carolina was taking his daughter to a doctor's appointment at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center when a hospital volunteer began shouting at him and another woman
Two families were left rattled and angry after a hospital volunteer began screaming at them, allegedly using racial slurs and forcing them to leave.
Most of the encounter at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina was caught on film and the man who filmed the video said that the woman 'called him a n*****' and told him to 'get his black babies out' of the waiting area.
The nearly seven-minute video was posted to YouTube by Isaiah Baskins, who is black, in which an older white woman wearing a yellow top gets in Isaiah's face and shouts at another parent, Katie Thomas, who is white.
'Went to Baptist Hospital for my daughter's appointment and went into the family resource center and became a victim of racism.
'Before I started recording she called me a n***** and said get my black kids out. We weren't bothering anybody. I was just taking to someone I just met in the hospital,' Isaiah wrote on the video.
Isaiah's and Katie's young children were playing together while they waited in the area before the lady started screaming at them.
The video begins after the confrontation has already started.
'Lady what is wrong with you?' Isaiah can be head saying as the woman in yellow storms away from him.
'We need some help. There's something wrong with this volunteer.She's in here acting like a fool. She's already called me a n*****,' he says.
The lady then takes a stroller belonging to Katie and pushes it out the door.
'You're getting out,' the lady says when Isaiah asks what she's doing.
In the video a hospital volunteer (pictured) rabidly shrieks at Isaiah and another woman Katie Thomas after the parents began speaking in the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center's family resource room
'You'er going all over the Internet. We haven'd done anything wrong to you,' Isaiah tells her.
Katie then asks her what caused the woman to become so enraged.
'We were peacefully talking while our kids were playing,' Katie begins to say before the woman shouts 'shut your mouth up' back at her.
'I'm done with you. I don't care what you say,' the older woman continues.
Katie asks her what's wrong with her, obviously shaken and confused by the outburst.
The volunteer then begins screaming 'You shut up! What's wrong with you?'
Isaiah continues to remind the volunteer he's recording her as she gets on the phone to call security.
The woman gets on the phone to call security and shouts into the phone she's not 'going to take it any more'. Katie begins to ask what the problem is and the woman screams at her to 'shut her mouth up'
The woman tells the hospital security to get Isaiah and Katie 'out of here' and then walks over to Isaiah and begins poking him
The woman mentions something about Isaiah's underwear and shouts into the phone: 'Will you get these people out of here? I'm not putting up with it!'
Isaiah and the woman can be heard getting more and more confused as to what is causing the volunteer's outburst.
Isaiah asks the woman, 'Are you on your medication?'
Then the volunteer comes at Isaiah saying, 'You just worry about your camera problems.'
She then starts shrieking furiously through gritted teeth while poking at Isaiah's body.
Her fury is so apparent she seems unable to finish her sentence as her enraged face fills the screen.
'Get out of mine,' the woman shouts rabidly into the camera.
Isaiah asks her to stop touching him and puts his arm out to block her.
She repeats over and over 'get out' to Isaiah. Then Katie shouts 'don't touch my son' as it becomes clear a toddler is standing next to the arguing adults.
'Don't touch that baby,' Isaiah tells the volunteer, who is continuing to shout at the two families to get out.
When Isaiah tells her not to touch him she gets in his face and begins manically screaming into his camera. He repeatedly asks her what's wrong with her. Earlier in the video he claims she 'called him a n*****' and told him to get his 'black babies' out of the room
The woman becomes so angry as she tries to get Isaiah to leave the room she has trouble finishing her sentences and shrieks from behind gritted teeth into the camera at him
She continues to shriek 'out!' at the family as the children in the room begin to ask what's going on.
'Get his rear out of here! Get your damn underwear out of here,' the volunteer shouts. 'Gray underwear! Get your underwear and get your s*** out of here!'
She points at Isaiah's, seeming to blame the fact she can see his gray undergarment as the reason for her tantrum.
'Something is wrong with you lady,' Isaiah says.
She grits her teeth again and begins shrieking into the camera: 'Something's wrong with you! Children! Children! Are you a child? How old are you? Get out! Get out! How old am I you dumb -- how old am I?'
The volunteer repeatedly starts pushing Isaiah out of the room as Katie gathers her children and Isaiah's outside the waiting room.
Isaiah again asks her to stop touching him and she shouts, 'Gray underwear, that tramp! Dirty old tramp!'
Then after a few minutes of the shouting back and forth she claims her anger is over the fact she can see Isaiah's gray underwear. Another man asks her why she cares about the underwear but she adamantly wants them to leave
Another father exits the room with Katie and Isaiah and tries to defuse the situation when the volunteer starts going after him, too.
'What am I doing?' the other father asks.
The volunteer points a finger at Isaiah and shouts , curtly: 'Gray underwear!'
'Who cares?' the father responds.
She shouts that she doesn't want to see it. The other fathers says something about calling security and Isaiah agrees, again saying something is wrong with the woman.
He then mentions angrily that she called his children 'black'.
'I don't care what color your underwear is,' the woman screams back, seeming to have misunderstood what Isaiah was speaking about.
They then begin arguing in the hallway and the woman starts kicking Isaiah in the shins. Finally she goes back inside and security comes minutes later to begin speaking with all three parents.
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (pictured) has since apologized to Katie and Isaiah and has ended its relationship with the volunteer
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has issued an apology since the video, which has nearly 200,000 views, came to light and has terminated its relationship with the volunteer.
First the hospital commented on the video saying:
'We deeply regret and apologize for this behavior demonstrated by our volunteer in this video.
'We are dedicated to providing an inclusive environment for all, with respect, dignity and compassion. We are taking action, and this individual is no longer a volunteer with our organization.
'If they havent already, one of our senior executives should be reaching out to you shortly. Again, we apologize for this appalling incident.'
Isaiah and Katie are looking into pursuing criminal charges against the woman and filed complaints with hospital security
Later, they released a more formal apology to the Winston-Salem Journal.
'Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is shocked and appalled at the behavior demonstrated by our volunteer in this video.
'This behavior does not reflect our identity or our values. This individual is no longer a volunteer with our organization.'
Ex-EastEnder and new Henry VIII Charlie Clements slams 'snobbery to soap actors'
Former EastEnders actor Charlie Clements has said there is still "snobbery" in the television industry towards soap actors.
Clements remains best known for his four-year role as Max Branning's son Bradley.
He played the doomed Albert Square resident until the character's death in a special live episode in 2010.
Former Albert Square resident Charlie Clements as Henry VIII (Channel 5/PA)
He will next be seen in Henry VIII And His Six Wives as the famous Tudor king.
"Part of the reason why I'm doing this show is to try and show people that, to me and a lot of actors in soaps, there's more than what viewers just see on the screens," he said.
"Being on a soap is a very pressurised environment. You're shooting very quickly, you don't have much time to work on it, you've got to rattle it off, essentially.
"Whereas doing something like Henry VIII And His Six Wives gives you the chance to work on it a bit more.
"But there's definitely a snobbery towards soap and soap actors. I don't know where it stems from, but I'm trying to do the best I can to change it on a personal level by choosing jobs carefully."
Clements added: "I was offered an amazing job at 18 - I couldn't turn that down.
"I wasn't in a position to say no to that, but I've got absolutely no regrets from doing EastEnders because it's given me a very good foundation."
Historians Suzannah Lipscomb and Dan Jones will lead viewers through the web of intrigue, scandal, romance, betrayal and tragedy that characterised Henry's six marriages as the dramatic reconstruction brings it all vividly to life.
"I've always been fascinated by Tudor history," Clements said when asked what drew him to Henry VIII And His Six Wives.
"Just having the chance to play probably the most famous king in history for a one-off was a really exciting prospect.
"It's something that will show me in a different light, I suppose, compared to the stuff I've done before."
The oft-married Tudor has been portrayed by Irishman Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Australian Keith Michell and, most recently, by English actor Damian Lewis in Wolf Hall.
Asked if he felt any pressure about stepping into Lewis' shoes, the 28-year-old answered: "If you start trying to draw comparisons to people that have done it beforehand, you're fighting a losing battle.
"They've got their way of doing it and you've got your way of doing it which would be different so I didn't feel any pressure, I just wanted to get on with it."
The London-born actor enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (Rada) and completed a master's course, graduating in 2014.
His post-EastEnders credits include BBC medical drama Casualty and Canadian drama Murdoch Mysteries.
On the decision to train at Rada, Clements said landing the role of Bradley in EastEnders put a hold on his career path.
"I'd always wanted to go to drama school - that was my plan, and then I auditioned for 'Enders and got the job and it got put on the back burner.
I left 'Enders and did some other stuff, but I wanted to learn a bit more about the craft as a whole and to get a bit more of an idea on the history of it and different methods of working, of approaching scripts, of methodology and things like that.
"I trained for the first time and it opened my eyes up."
'Voice' of London Underground Phil Sayer has died
The man who voiced the "Please mind the gap" and "Stand clear of the doors" announcements on the London Underground has died.
Voice-over artist Phil Sayer, 62, who previously worked for the BBC as a regional TV and radio presenter, died on Thursday, according to a statement on his Facebook page.
Mr Sayer, dubbed the "voice of reason, radio and railways", announced the warning phrases for multiple London Underground lines and PA announcements at railway stations across the country.
Phil Sayer voiced safety announcements on the London Underground (Family handout/PA)
He was a presenter for BBC North West News and BBC GMR - now known as Radio Manchester - in the 1980s, before setting up a voice over business with wife Elinor Hamilton.
A statement from their company, SayerHamilton, said: "Phil Sayer - voice of reason, radio, and railways. A dearly loved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend.
"We are sorry to announce that this service terminates here. 18.5.53 - 14.4.16."
Last month, Mr Sayer retired from voicing "due to a sudden decline in health", according to his website.
He told The Daily Telegraph in 2010 that he apologised "more than anybody in the UK".
" I do say sorry rather a lot and I'm apologising for lots of things at the moment", he said.
Mortgage rates 'likely to go up' if Britain leaves EU, claims Osborne
Mortgage rates are likely to rise if Britain quits the European Union, the Chancellor has warned.
Families would be left "paying the price" of a Brexit as i nstability in financial markets pushed up the cost of repayments, George Osborne insisted.
Experts are "pretty clear" that prices would increase if voters choose to leave the 28-strong bloc in the June 23 referendum, he said.
George Osborne is visiting the US (AP)
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) earlier this week warned that quitting could inflict "severe regional and global damage" and downgraded its forecast for UK economic growth.
Mr Osborne, who is visiting the US, told Sky News: "If you look at the view of the experts here at the IMF in Washington it's pretty clear that if Britain votes to leave the EU then prices will go up and there will be instability in financial markets.
"What that means for families is that mortgage rates are likely to go up. In other words, it will be families paying the price if Britain votes to leave the EU and I think it's another reason why, frankly, we are stronger, safer and better off inside the European Union."
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of Vote Leave, said: " Less than 24 hours in and the pro-EU camp are already panicking - resorting to doing down the economy and people's mortgages to intimidate the British public into voting their way.
"The Chancellor is desperate not to talk about the NHS and the pressure it is under because of EU migration."
As campaigning ramped up, l eading Leave campaigner Boris Johnson said it would be "hypocritical" for US President Barack Obama to seek to use his upcoming visit to the UK to try to persuade Britain to stay in the European Union.
London's mayor told the Evening Standard: "I honestly don't mind the idea of him joining the debate.
"Where we do part company, and where I do mind, is that it is plainly hypocritical for America to urge us to sacrifice control - of our laws, our sovereignty, our money and our democracy - when they would not dream of ever doing the same."
Fellow Brexit campaigner Michael Gove insisted quitting the EU would free up more cash for the NHS as Vote Leave put the service centre stage. It claimed a large chunk of the UK's 10.6 billion net contribution to Brussels could be diverted to medical care if Britain quits the EU.
The Justice Secretary told Sky News: "If we stay in, if we vote to remain, then the European Union will press ahead with integration and it will drag us into that process.
"At the moment, the money we give to the European Union is spent by others, people that we have never elected, never chosen and can't remove.
"If that money is taken back, then that 50 million a day will be spent on British people's priorities and the NHS, of course, is top of the list."
Downing Street insisted that Brexit would mean "less money for the NHS", with Mr Cameron's official spokeswoman saying: "A strong NHS needs a strong economy and the Prime Minister has been very clear that our economy is stronger in the EU."
Health unions blasted Vote Leave's figures as "spurious and outrageously misleading", insisting the NHS's financial woes were made in Whitehall and not Brussels.
Unite national officer for health Barrie Brown said: "It defies belief to think that Boris Johnson and Michael Gove would do a massive political U-turn and divert billions of EU cash into the NHS - when they have supported real cuts to the NHS budget and been enthusiastic flag-wavers for the privatisation and break-up of the NHS."
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "The reality is that Brexit would plunge the NHS into a staffing crisis, which could lead to the longest hospital waiting lists we've ever known. And with experts warning that Brexit would hit Britain's economy, the consequences for NHS funding would be dire."
The Remain camp also wheeled out a big gun, with former chancellor Lord (Alistair) Darling accusing Brexit backers of offering Project Fantasy, as he warned that leaving would threaten Britain's economy.
In a speech in London, the Labour peer acknowledged that either side could win the EU contest.
"This is a very, very close vote. No one can predict with any certainty what is likely to happen," said the Labour peer.
"I hope we will win and I hope we will win well but we need to get the support of people the length and breadth of the country, no matter what their political allegiance has been in the past.
Boris Johnson: Remain campaigners are 'Gerald Ratners' of modern politics
Remain campaigners who say the EU is not perfect but there is no alternative are the "Gerald Ratners" of modern politics, Boris Johnson has claimed
London's mayor took a swipe at leading figures who suggest they are Eurosceptics but insist Britain must stay in the 28 member bloc.
Prime Minister David Cameron is among those campaigning for Britain to remain while admitting it is "not perfect".
Mayor of London Boris Johnson wants the UK to leave the EU
At a Brexit rally in Manchester, Mr Johnson said one of the most "depressing things about the campaign to Bremain" is that "there is not a shred of idealism".
Likening remain campaigners who say they are Eurosceptics but there is no alternative to the jewellery tycoon who brought down his company when he described its goods as "crap", he said they insist the problems with Brussels are the "price we have to pay".
He said: "They keep saying that they are Eurosceptics, but we have no choice, we agree with you about the democratic problem, they say - but it's the price we have to pay.
"My friends, they are the Gerald Ratners of modern politics. The EU, they say - it's crap but we have no alternative. Well we do have an alternative, and it is a glorious alternative, a relationship with Europe based not on the whims of unelected bureaucrats but on cooperation between elected governments."
Mr Johnson warned that the June 23 referendum is the "last chance" many voters will have to decide Britain's relationship with the EU.
He said: "We should be in no doubt that this is the last chance many of us will have in our lifetimes to assert that principle in our relations with the EU. It is called democracy.
"Because it is now or never and if we fail to make the change now we will continue to be passengers locked in the back of a minicab driven by someone with a wonky satnav and taken to a destination we don't want to go and I think the people of this country have no idea how far the EU now invades every area of our lives."
He added: "It is time for us in Britain to speak up for the millions around Europe who think as we do, who are fed up with the remoteness of the Brussels system, but who are currently disfranchised.
"It is time for us to believe in ourselves, to believe in Britain and what we can do and if we hold our nerve and we are not cowed and we vote for freedom and democracy on June 23 then I believe that this country will continue to grow and thrive as never before and June 24 will be independence day."
Mr Johnson caused a live television news report to be disrupted when he called for supporters to interrupt broadcaster Michael Crick.
The Channel 4 News journalist was reporting from the hall while the mayor was still giving his speech.
Mr Johnson told the crowd: "Some chap from the media is trying to do his piece to camera. Shut up. Can we tell Crick, can someone go and interrupt Crick at the back
"Tell Crick you can do your piece to camera when I have finished."
A man from the crowd told Mr Crick to "be quiet" adding the Mr Johnson was "trying to talk".
Cabinet minister warns Brexit would cause 'economic rupture'
Quitting the European Union would cause an "economic rupture" with "disastrous" consequences for families, a Cabinet minister has warned.
Brexit is a "reckless" move that would lead to factory closures, an exodus of businesses and job losses, Stephen Crabb said.
Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, the Work and Pensions Secretary warned of the "self-harm" that a vote to leave would cause .
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Stephen Crabb warned of the impact of Brexit on jobs
"Lost jobs and livelihoods take an enormous, indelible toll on families and communities," he said. "No one should be complacent about the potential consequences for working people and their families if Britain votes to exit the EU. This is not a theoretical debate."
He added: "When those who want Britain to leave the EU complacently wave away expert predictions of an economic shock, or casually dismiss the warnings of British businesses that employ millions of workers, I think about what that would mean for families who are striving day by day to improve their circumstances.
"And I am troubled by how relaxed they are about the real life consequences of the economic rupture that is at the heart of their position."
The comments come in the first official weekend of campaigning ahead of the referendum on June 23.
Leave supporter Boris Johnson launched a fresh attack on David Cameron for "shamefully" spending 9.3 million of taxpayers' cash on a pro-EU leaflet.
London's mayor rounded on the "scare" tactics of the remain campaign as he completed his northern "Brexit blitz" tour.
In a swipe at the Prime Minister, Mr Johnson attacked those who were " shamefully spending 9.3m of taxpayers' money on a leaflet trying to scare everybody into remaining in the EU".
"In the scare tactics of project fear they are woefully underestimating this country and its people and what we can do."
Boris Johnson addresses supporters at a Vote Leave meeting in Newcastle
Thousands march through London in protest against Government cuts
Thousands of people have marched on central London's streets in a national demonstration against the Government's cuts.
Slogans such as Cameron Must Go - Tories Out! and demands for decent health, homes, jobs and education were brandished in the protest organised by the People's Assembly.
On Saturday the march began by the University of Central London before weaving its way through the streets for a rally in Trafalgar Square.
Banners urged an end to David Cameron's premiership
Union heads and political leaders addressed the crowd, thought to be in the region of 150,000, after they packed out the London landmark.
To a roar of applause, Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell said: "As a Labour government when we get into power we will end austerity.
"We will halt the privatisation of our NHS and make it public once again.
"And for all those people desperately waiting for a home - I can give this promise, we will build the hundreds of thousands of council homes that will end homelessness."
The Hayes and Harlington MP also said his party would scrap the work capability assessments affecting the disabled.
He added: "The Panama revelations demonstrate that they have been robbing us for generations now," he added.
"We will make the rich and corporations pay their way in society."
In light of the Panama leaks, the crowds were also calling for the resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron.
Unite union general secretary Len McCluskey pulled out a Panama hat during his speech in relation to the recent scandal and said: "The only thing I have from Panama, Mr Cameron, is a hat."
He added: "The establishment shames our democracy. It is up to all of us to work together and send a clear message - t hat we will fight, fight, fight for a better tomorrow."
Green Party leader Natalie Bennett told the hordes of people "we want all of the Tories out, not just David Cameron".
She added: "We have a vision of a different kind of society. A society that works for the common good."
In a video message played to the demonstrators, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "The austerity we are in is a political choice, not an economic necessity."
Some of the unions and groups who attended the march and rally included the National Union of Teachers, Stop the War Coalition, the National Union of Students and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
People's Assembly national secretary Sam Fairbairn said: "If the Government can bail out the banks in a couple of days, then they can provide health, homes, jobs and education for everyone."
He added: "They (the Tories) are stealing money from us all saying 'we are in this together'. That is why we are saying Cameron must go."
He said the crowd at the rally "represents a growing movement" and "a section of society united against what the Government is trying to do".
Campaigners in pig masks on the march
Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey, centre, marches with campaigners
Anti-austerity protesters with smoke flares
Campaigners marching in an anti-austerity demonstration in central London
The march was organised by the People's Assembly
The protest was organised by the People's Assembly
Campaigners marching in an anti-austerity demonstration
A campaigner dressed as a police officer
People from all across the UK have turned out for the demo
The campaigners head to a rally at Trafalgar Square
Ukraine must fully implement IMF program -ex-finance minister
WASHINGTON, April 14 (Reuters) - Ukraine's new government must fully implement the International Monetary Fund's financial assistance program including painful reforms, the country's ex-finance minister, Natalia Yaresko, said on Thursday.
"Ukraine is highly dependent on the IMF program and I believe that's a huge asset," Yaresko said at an event on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank spring meetings in Washington. "The new Ukrainian government must stick to the IMF program and implement it fully, including painful reforms."
Earlier on Thursday, Ukraine's parliament approved a new cabinet of ministers headed by Volodymyr Groysman as prime minister in the biggest political shakeup since a 2014 uprising brought in a pro-Western leadership. U.S.-born Yaresko was not included in the cabinet.
Her departure is seen as a blow to some of Ukraine's Western allies who have praised her stewardship of the country's economy and her role in leading strategic talks with Western lenders.
Political turmoil in Ukraine has delayed the disbursement of a third tranche of loans from the International Monetary Fund worth $1.7 billion.
Yaresko also called on the new government to continue down a path of fiscal constraint and rid the country of the "poison" of corruption.
Reform of Ukraine's judicial system must be the No. 1 priority, she added.
"There cannot be any sustainable investment, growth and prosperity unless Ukraine manages to fully reform the judiciary," Yaresko said.
Argentina wins WTO appeal in case targeting Panama tax practices
By Tom Miles
GENEVA, April 14 (Reuters) - The World Trade Organization's appellate body on Thursday threw out a complaint from Panama about Argentina's efforts to combat alleged tax evasion and avoidance.
The case brought by Panama, now under global scrutiny because of a huge leak of secretive offshore accounts data from Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, was the first WTO row over steps taken against "harmful tax practices".
Panama accused Argentina of discriminating against suppliers of financial services based in "countries not cooperating for tax purposes", and it won a partial victory in a ruling last September.
WTO member countries are not allowed to discriminate between suppliers from different countries. But Panama said in 2012 that Argentina discriminated in eight ways against countries, including itself, that did not exchange information with Argentine authorities for the purposes of fiscal transparency.
Argentina countered that its measures were in line with recommendations by the OECD and the Financial Action Task Force, which combats money laundering and terrorist financing.
The appeal ruling found Argentina's measures did not break WTO rules. But it did not go so far as to say Argentina was definitely within WTO rules, either. Instead, it decided there had been insufficient analysis of Panama's original complaint, leaving the way open for similar disputes in future.
However, the Appellate Body did rule that countries could restrict trade with tax havens for "prudential" reasons or to comply with national laws, as long as they did so in a consistent and non-arbitrary manner.
Panama brought the WTO action when it was on Argentina's list of countries that did not cooperate with tax investigations, though it was later listed as cooperative.
Part of its complaint was that Argentina was inconsistent, listing countries such as Cyprus, Gibraltar and Hong Kong as non-cooperative even though they had begun negotiations on an agreement on an exchange of tax information.
U.S.' Kerry: Carnival should not bar Cuban-Americans from cruises to Cuba
By Patricia Zengerle
MIAMI, April 14 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry condemned Carnival Corp on Thursday for barring Cuban-Americans from its planned cruises to Cuba and called on the Cuban government to change its policies to allow them.
"Carnival needs to not discriminate," Kerry said in an interview with CNN en Espanol and the Miami Herald.
Cuban-born Americans cannot visit the island by sea, due to a Cuban law that dates to the Cold War era, and therefore are barred from joining in Carnival's sailings to the island, the Miami Herald has reported. People born in Cuba can, however, travel to the island on an airplane.
"American citizens, Cuban Americans have a right to travel, and we should not be in a situation where the Cuban government is forcing its discrimination policy on us," Kerry said.
"So we call on the government of Cuba to change that policy and to recognize that if they want a full relationship, a normal relationship, with the United States, they have to live by international law and not exclusively by their own," he said during a trip to Miami.
Carnival officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But the company has told the Miami Herald it had no choice but to enforce the rule when booking tickets for its new Miami-to-Havana route. It said it has asked the Cuban government to waive the rule before the first ship sails on May 1.
A State Department official said, "Secretary Kerry in no way meant to convey that Carnival is supporting policies that are discriminating against Cuban American travelers."
Miami is the center of the U.S. Cuban-American community, and many of its residents from the island nation, who fled Cuba after its Communist revolution, are vehemently opposed to President Barack Obama's moves toward more normal relations with Havana.
Critics of the policy say Washington should not ease a half century of restrictions on travel and trade until Cuba has free elections and its human rights record improves.
Kerry, who gave two interviews to local media, met with business leaders and addressed college students, said Cuba could move more quickly to improve its rights record. But he said he was sure a more open relationship with the United States would yield positive changes.
Protesters clash with police in Paris
PARIS, April 14 (Reuters) - Protesters attacked shop windows and cash dispensers in the east of Paris on Thursday, a Paris police spokeswoman said.
"There are 300 people currently causing very important damage," the spokeswoman said, adding that a police operation was under way but no arrests had been made yet.
Several unauthorised marches have been taking place in Paris over the past two weeks on the sidelines of the occupation by left-wing and anarchist young people of the city's 'Place de la Republique', a vast square in the east of the French capital.
Earlier on Thursday, dozens were arrested after clashing with police at the margins of a rally protesting controversial labour reform plans.
Ghana government memo warns of possible militant attack
ACCRA, April 14 (Reuters) - Ghana and Togo are the next targets for Islamist militants following high-profile attacks this year in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, according to a memo from Ghana's Immigration Service.
The memo calls for better border protection in the latest sign of a heightened government response to the threat to West Africa by militants based in northern Mali who have stepped up a campaign of violence in the last year.
It says the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) has evidence from neighbouring Ivory Coast from the interrogation of a man suspected of orchestrating an attack on March 13 in which 18 people were killed.
"Intelligence gathered by the ... NSCS indicates a possible terrorist attack on the country is real. ... The choice of Ghana according to the report is to take away the perception that only Francophone countries are the target," said the memo, dated April 9 and published by Ghanaian media.
It ordered immigration agents on the northern border with Burkina Faso to be extra vigilant and said patrols should be stepped up along informal routes between the two countries.
Ghana is one of Africa's most stable and peaceful democracies and has not suffered an attack by Islamist militants. Togo is the country's eastern neighbour.
President John Mahama spoke about the memo in an interview on state radio's Sunrise FM on Thursday. He asked for public vigilance and said Ghana was also at risk from home grown militants, while noting that countries in the region share intelligence on militant threats.
"We must deal with this without creating panic amongst our people," he said, adding that the memo should not have detailed the intelligence on which its calls for greater vigilance were based.
Government spokesmen in the presidency and at the immigration ministry did not return calls requesting comment.
Brazil top court denies injunction to alter impeachment vote order
BRASILIA, April 14 (Reuters) - Brazil's Supreme Court upheld on Thursday the voting order fixed by the lower house of Congress for Sunday's impeachment vote, a setback for President Dilma Rousseff, who is struggling to muster votes to block an opposition bid to remove her from office.
Failed North Korea missile launch prompts Chinese 'sabre-rattling' jibe
By Ju-min Park
SEOUL, April 15 (Reuters) - North Korea attempted and failed to launch what experts believe was an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Friday in defiance of U.N. sanctions and in an embarrassing setback for leader Kim Jong Un, drawing criticism from major ally China.
The U.S. Defense Department called the test of the road-mobile missile, which came as North Korea celebrated the birthday of Kim's grandfather and North Korea's founding father Kim Il Sung, a "fiery, catastrophic" failure.
The test, on North Korea's so-called "Day of the Sun," followed its fourth nuclear test in January and a long-range rocket launch in February, which led to new U.N. sanctions that have failed to halt Pyongyang's weapons programmes.
South Korean officials and international experts said the failed test heightened the possibility that North Korea would conduct a fifth nuclear test, possibly within weeks.
The U.S.-based 38 North website, which specialises in North Korea, said there has been activity at the country's nuclear site based on satellite imagery and on Wednesday said the possibility of a fifth nuclear test "could not be ruled out."
U.S. officials said the missile tested on Friday never got off the launch pad but further tests were expected.
"We're still assessing the specifics of it but I can tell you that it was a fiery, catastrophic attempt at a launch," Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told a briefing. "It was not successful."
Davis said the U.S. military thought the device was a road-mobile missile because the launch occurred at a coastal site where Pyongyang ordinarily does not test rockets.
He said North Korea, which regularly threatens to destroy South Korea and the United States and often fires missiles during periods of tension, remained a security concern in spite of the failure.
"We know that this is a capability that they are aiming towards," he said. It's ... a missile system that they've displayed on multiple occasions and that is why we have a ballistic missile defence system that we have invested in very heavily to be able to outpace that threat as that threat develops further."
CHINA ANGERED
The White House strongly condemned the latest launch attempt and said Washington would work with China and other countries to put pressure on North Korea, which faced the prospect of further isolation.
China, North Korea's most important economic and diplomatic backer, has been angered by Pyongyang's nuclear tests and rocket launches and has backed U.N. sanctions.
"The firing of a mid-range ballistic missile on Friday by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), though failed, marks the latest in a string of sabre-rattling that, if unchecked, will lead the country to nowhere," China's official Xinhua news agency said in an English language commentary.
"... Nuclear weapons will not make Pyongyang safer. On the contrary, its costly military endeavours will keep on suffocating its economy."
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the U.N. Security Council was clear on North Korean rocket launches.
"At present, the situation on the peninsula is complex and sensitive," he told reporters. "We hope all parties can strictly respect the decisions of the Security Council and avoid taking any steps that could further worsen tensions."
In 2012, Kim Il Sung's birthday was also marked by an attempted long-range rocket launch, which also failed.
The missile was likely a Musudan, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said, an intermediate-range ballistic missile with a design range of more than 3,000 km (1,800 miles) that can be fired from a road mobile launcher but which has never been flight-tested.
Experts see North Korea's Musudan test as part of an effort to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach the mainland United States. The Musudan theoretically could reach the U.S. Pacific island of Guam.
North Korea is to hold a congress of its ruling Workers Party - the first such meeting in 36 years - in early May, at which Kim Jong Un is likely to trumpet his achievements in building up Pyongyang's weapons prowess.
South Korean officials and experts say he will be keen to go into that with a show of strength, not a failed rocket launch, making the possibility of another nuclear test more likely.
In a new report on Friday, 38 North said it had seen fresh activity in satellite images of North Korea's main nuclear complex, suggesting that reprocessing may be under way to produce more plutonium for atomic bombs.
Romania - Factors to watch on April 15
BUCHAREST, April 15 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Friday.
DEBT TENDER
Romania sold a less than planned 386 million lei ($97.20 million) worth of Dec. 2022 treasury bonds on Thursday, with the average accepted yield at 3.0 percent, central bank data showed.
CEE MARKETS
Hungarian 10-year bond yields fell below those of much better-rated Poland for the first time since 2002 on Thursday, amid growing confidence that junk-rated Hungary is on the path to recovery and worries of political instability in Poland.
GRAINS
Consultancy Strategie Grains on Thursday raised its forecast for this year's soft wheat production in the European Union by just over a million tonnes as crops continued to benefit from favourable weather conditions.
Forecast grain maize production was trimmed by 500,000 tonnes to 63.4 million tonnes due to downward area revisions in Germany, Austria, Greece, Poland, Croatia and Romania. The reduced EU maize forecast was still 11 percent above last year's harvest which was affected by hot, dry weather.
WORLD BANK FUNDS
Romania and the World Bank have signed a loan agreement on Thursday for 48 million euros ($54.03 million) aimed at reducing nutrient pollution from agricultural, livestock and human sources, the bank said. The loan adds to an ongoing 50 million euros project and will benefit roughly 30,000 small farms from about 100 villages.
LUKOIL
Romania's Lira offshore gas deposit, discovered in 2015 by a joint project led by Russia's Lukoil holds over 32 billion cubic meters of gas, the energy ministry said in a statement after a meeting woth Lukoil vice president Vladimir Nekrasov.
LABOUR MINISTER
Romania's Labour Minister Ana-Claudia Costea resigned from her cabinet post on Thursday, days after talks on a plan to overhaul public sector wages were postponed.
For the long-term Romanian diary, click on
For emerging markets economic events, click on
For an index of all diaries, click on
Another former OPEC member, Gabon, wants to rejoin oil group -sources
By Rania El Gamal and Alex Lawler
DUBAI/LONDON, April 15 (Reuters) - The African nation of Gabon wants to rejoin OPEC after more than two decades, two OPEC sources said, becoming the second former member in a year to seek a return to the oil exporters' group just as it is taking the first steps in years to prop up prices.
If it returned, Gabon would be the smallest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and bring its ranks to 14 countries following last year's return of Indonesia, which had quit in 2008.
"They sent the request to OPEC officially," said one of the sources, an OPEC delegate.
An oil official in Gabon declined to comment.
Gabon joined OPEC in 1975 and left in 1995 over the exporter group's refusal to grant its request for reduced annual contributions in line with the country's small production, news reports said at the time.
The move to rejoin comes as key OPEC members and outside producers such as Russia are attempting to support prices through a deal to freeze output which will be discussed this weekend in Doha. The initiative has helped oil prices to start recovering from a 12-year low reached in January.
OPEC in 2014 had abandoned its traditional role of cutting supply to support the market, accelerating a drop in prices which were falling due to oversupply and prompting critics to question its relevance.
Gabon produces 200,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) according to the International Energy Agency, and output is in decline. Last year, the government launched an offshore licensing round in a bid to boost exploration.
Ecuador, which pumps 530,000 bpd, is currently the smallest OPEC producer.
The next step, the sources said, would be for OPEC oil ministers to discuss Gabon's request. They hold their next meeting in June.
OPEC rules state that a country needs to have "a substantial net export of crude" in order to become a full member. Still, the ministers waived this requirement with the decision to welcome back Indonesia, now a net oil importer.
PRESS DIGEST - Bulgaria - April 15
SOFIA, April 15 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Friday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
-- The Supreme Judicial Council voted to divide itself into a college of judges and a college of prosecutors as part of reforms aimed at boosting efficiency and fight graft in the judiciary. (24 Chasa, Capital Daily, Monitor, Trud, Standart)
-- Bulgaria will set up special center to fight cyber attacks on institutions and crucial state infrastructure, such as airports, the council on national security decided. (24 Chasa, Duma, Capital Daily, Trud, Monitor, Standart)
Russian state news agency Sputnik says site blocked in Turkey
By Can Sezer and Alexander Winning
ISTANBUL/MOSCOW, April 15 (Reuters) - The website of Russian state news agency Sputnik has been blocked in Turkey, its Turkish editor-in-chief said on Friday, shortly after President Vladimir Putin made comments critical of Turkey's leaders.
Russia's foreign ministry called the site blocking unlawful and a grave violation of human rights. Ties between Moscow and Ankara have been strained after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane last November.
"There is no access to Sputniknews.com and sub-domains from Turkey," Mahir Boztepe told Reuters. "We were not expecting a ban at all."
No one was available for comment at Turkey's telecoms and internet regulatory agencies. However, the internet regulator's website said that an "administration measure" had been taken against Sputniknews.com.
Such measures are commonly used when authorities wish to block access to websites in Turkey.
In Moscow, Sputnik's top editor, Margarita Simonyan, described the blocking as "a further act of harsh censorship" in Turkey and said the site had been blocked late on Thursday, hours after Putin made his critical comments.
"We have problems with some political leaders (in Turkey) whose behaviour, actions we consider inappropriate," Putin said in a televised national phone-in.
Sputnik, part of the sprawling state media holding company Rossiya Segodnya, was set up in 2014 to help disseminate Russia's views abroad.
Turkey has shut or confiscated several newspapers over the past year and has also sometimes blocked access to social media sites including Twitter and Facebook, often due to images or other content being shared.
CHILLY RELATIONS
Relations between the former Cold War rivals hit their worst level in recent memory after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane that it said had strayed into its air space from Syria.
In the Syrian civil war, Moscow has backed its longtime ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey says Assad is a dictator who needs to be removed.
Following the warplane incident, Putin imposed sanctions on Turkey and trade between the two countries has dived.
Russian state media have adopted a hostile tone towards Ankara. Last month the Komsomolskaya Pravda mass-market tabloid ran a report headlined "Turkey never was and never will be a friend of Russia".
Caught between Italy and Austria, South Tyrol braces for border checks
By Francois Murphy
BOLZANO, Italy, April 15 (Reuters) - Almost a century after World War One's victors made it part of Italy, the mainly German-speaking province of Alto Adige, or South Tyrol, is bracing for controls at what some still call the "unjust border" separating it from Austria.
People in this picturesque part of the Alps, many of whom want an ever closer union with Austrian Tyrol, are used to crossing into Austria unhindered to shop, work and study, thanks the Schengen agreement on open borders in the European Union.
But, with hundreds of thousands of migrants expected to cross the Mediterranean to Italy from Africa in the coming months, Austria has said it will introduce border checks at the busy Brenner Pass if the northward flow of people requires it.
"We have to be realistic. When you see that they're carrying out building work, they're going to carry out controls," said Alfred Aberer, the head of the chamber of commerce in Bolzano, the Italian province's capital.
Work began this week on building facilities to manage crowds and inspect vehicles at Brenner, the busiest route through the Alps. The controls, if introduced, will slow traffic on Italy's main transport link to Germany, its top trading partner.
Rome has condemned the preparations and the European Commission has expressed concern. In the province itself, there is apprehension and much uncertainty, but little sense that it could become the next flashpoint in Europe's migration crisis.
"It is too early to say what scenarios can develop," South Tyrol's Governor Arno Kompatscher told Reuters after a news conference conducted, like all government business here, in Italian and German.
Much will depend on whether Italy lets the migrants landing in the south travel towards Germany. That, in turn, depends on whether the EU can arrange for them to be taken back to countries like Libya or be redistributed within the bloc.
"We are preparing what we, as the little province of South Tyrol can manage, and continue to insist on there being a common European solution," Kompatscher said, emphasising how sensitive an issue the border here is.
"Brenner is of enormous political significance to us," he said, adding at the news conference: "The Brenner pass is a symbol of Europe's unification ... and, for us especially, the reunification of the historic Tyrol region."
For now, few migrants are crossing into Italy, and those who are generally take the train, which also runs through Brenner in a steep, narrow valley, the provincial government's head of social affairs, Luca Critelli, told Reuters.
"At the moment it is relatively quiet," he said. He and Kompatscher said the province could only accommodate a backlog of migrants in the hundreds.
MUCH ADO ABOUT TRUCKING
Economically, the repercussions of controls could be significant. The province of 500,000 people hosts around six million tourists a year, and Germans are the biggest group, according to a provincial trade group for hoteliers, HGV.
"There are of course concerns, fears in the hotel and restaurant industry, that is clear," Aberer, the chamber of commerce chief, said. "There would be delays and we think that because of those delays people could be scared off of coming on holiday."
A one percent drop in annual tourist arrivals would cost the industry 30 million to 35 million euros ($33.8 million to $39.5 million), he said. Around 10 million cars and two million trucks pass through Brenner a year.
But not everyone believes the measures will have severe consequences. Austria has pledged to keep the disruption to traffic to a minimum, and it might be trying to prod countries like Italy into taking action.
"Honestly, I think there's a lot of sabre-rattling in this," Thomas Baumgartner, the owner and chief executive of Fercam, a Bolzano-based logistics company, said at his company's offices, despite having potentially much to lose.
His firm, Italy's biggest trucking company, makes roughly 200,000 deliveries by truck each year, half of which go through Brenner.
"I am confident Austria is doing this so that the EU secures the external border, to put pressure on the EU," he said.
Some, however, are less optimistic.
In Wyoming, Cruz shows edge over Trump in grasp of nuances of White House race
By Emily Stephenson and Ginger Gibson
April 15 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Ted Cruz is poised to notch another small but important victory in his battle with billionaire Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination at a hotel convention center in the ranching city of Casper, Wyoming, this weekend.
A committee of Wyoming Republicans is likely to hand Cruz most of the state's 14 remaining delegates to the party's national convention in July, political operatives, including Trump supporters in the state, told Reuters. That may not seem like a big number, but both men are engaged in a fierce struggle to win as many as possible of the party insiders who could decide the presidential nominee at a contested convention.
Cruz's strength in Wyoming underscores the contrast between the way the rivals handle this nuance of American politics: where Cruz focuses on organizing at a minute level to court delegates in preparation for a convention fight, Trump has run a national campaign focused on winning the popular vote in early nominating contests and has paid little attention to the more arcane elements of U.S. presidential politics.
Cruz's effort has included personal visits to far-flung areas, regular conference calls among his state supporters, and hospitality suites to court backers within state parties, while Trump has assailed the delegate system as "rigged" and only recently reorganized his campaign to focus on them.
"I think Cruz has done a good job with how they targeted states," said Jason Osborne, a Republican strategist who has advised Trump, and who previously worked on former candidate Ben Carson's campaign. "An operation like Trump's was built for something completely different."
Trump's campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
The United States has a unique system for picking presidential nominees. A combination of nominating polls - usually in the form of state primaries, caucuses, and party conventions - are used to apportion delegates to candidates.
In the Republican race, a candidate needs to win a majority of the total 2,472 delegates to get the nomination. While Trump has won 21 state nominating contests so far to Cruz's nine, the billionaire leads the Texas senator by only 208 delegates (743-545).
To avoid a convention fight, Trump needs 1,237 delegates to secure the nomination. That means he has to win nearly 60 percent of the remaining delegates before July.
KEEP THE PROMISE
Cruz's effort in Wyoming, America's least populous state, is a window into his broader delegate strategy and helps explain how he has become a formidable candidate despite his relatively underdog performance in the primaries so far.
The effort began in 2015, while most other candidates were focused on the early races in Iowa or New Hampshire. Ed Buchanan, a trial attorney in Cheyenne, got a call from Heidi Cruz, the candidate's wife, in October asking if he would become the state chairman for Cruz's presidential campaign.
Buchanan, a former speaker of the State House, agreed to the role, which has taken him to every corner of the state trying to court support and build a slate of delegates.
Some states allow the voters to select the delegates who will attend the Republican convention on their behalf, but in most, like Wyoming, Colorado and North Dakota, voters have no say in who goes to Cleveland.
If Trump doesn't have the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination outright, many delegates will become free at the July convention to pick a candidate based on their personal preference, not the choice of the voters in their state.
That is why campaigns want their supporters among the delegates and that is where Buchanan comes in.
He is responsible for assembling a list of the Cruz campaign's preferred delegates, which he will present to the Casper conference. Each would-be Cruz delegate has promised not to switch allegiances if the voting at the Cleveland convention goes beyond one ballot.
Buchanan expects them to stick to their word. If they don't, it will not go unnoticed, he said.
"It's a small state. The people who are in political circles know each other and that would not be forgotten," he said.
CAMPAIGN BUTTONS AND FREE FOOD
In Wyoming, Cruz won nine of the 12 delegates who were selected at county-level meetings in March. Nearly 1,000 of the state's most active party members will decide in Casper this weekend the remaining 14 delegates to be voted on.
Cruz will speak on Saturday and his supporters have organized a hospitality room, where they will have freebies like campaign buttons and food.
Trump has not campaigned in the state and will spend the weekend in New York, which holds a major primary next week. He will send former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin in his stead.
"Cruz was here, and that makes a difference to a small state," former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming said in an interview.
Trump has been slow to adapt his campaign to the delegate fight and has instead attacked the process.
"I know the rules very well, but I know it's stacked against me by the establishment," Trump said on CNN on Tuesday.
It is likely now too late to combat Cruz's operation in Wyoming.
Dick Shanor, who will attend the national convention to support Cruz, said supporters organized to get like-minded voters to show up at the county elections last month, helping the senator to score those early delegate wins.
Jack Volsey, a Trump supporter from Rock Springs, Wyoming, had a different experience. He said he sent a message to a pro-Trump Facebook group in the state asking how he could participate in his county convention, but he never heard back. He was eventually selected as an alternate delegate to this weekend's gathering, but he has decided not to go.
"I'm not going to go there to sit on the sidelines when I'm sure it's a done deal already."
Saudi minister says donation to Malaysia's Najib was genuine - state media
KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (Reuters) - Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said funds wired into Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's personal bank account were a "genuine" donation originating from Saudi Arabia, Malaysian state media reported on Friday.
Najib, who faced graft allegations following reports that a $681-million deposit in his account originated from troubled state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), has maintained the funds were a donation, and did not come from 1MDB.
"We are aware of the donation, and it is a genuine donation with nothing expected in return," the Bernama news agency quoted Al-Jubeir as saying at a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul.
"We are also fully aware that the attorney-general of Malaysia has thoroughly investigated the matter and found no wrongdoing. So, as far as we are concerned, the matter is closed."
Al-Jubeir, who was speaking to Malaysian reporters after a meeting with Najib, did not specify the amount, timing or source of the donation.
Al-Jubeir's comments showed the allegations against Najib were unfounded, the prime minister's spokesman, Tengku Sarifuddin Tengku Ahmad, said in a statement.
"This confirms what the prime minister maintained all along, and what multiple lawful authorities concluded after exhaustive investigations: the funds were a donation from Saudi Arabia," he said.
1MDB, whose advisory board is chaired by Najib, is under investigation in at least five countries for alleged graft and mismanagement.
Last week, a Malaysian parliamentary inquiry slammed the board of 1MDB for being irresponsible and urged a probe into its former chief, but stopped short of implicating the prime minister.
India's Alkem Labs accused of fudging trial data by German regulator
MUMBAI, April 15 (Reuters) - India's Alkem Laboratories has been accused by Germany's health regulator of fudging data on clinical trials of an antibiotic and brain disorder drug, becoming the third Indian firm to be scrutinised since 2014 for suspected manipulation of trial data.
The medicines are now being reviewed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on the recommendation of the German regulator, which inspected Alkem's Taloja plant in western India last March.
Alkem was found to have engaged in "intentional misrepresentation" of data and duplicated results of electrocardiogram (ECG) readings of patients in trials, the German regulator said in a notice sent to the EMA on March 24, 2016.
The notice and other information on the review dated April 1 was seen by Reuters on the EMA website on Friday. (http://bit.ly/1Vp9VgP)
In recent years, India's GVK Biosciences and Quest Lifesciences were found to have duplicated ECG data, resulting in the withdrawal of approvals for hundreds of drugs last year. (http://reut.rs/1SFyorM).
The EMA said it was assessing the "benefit-risk" of certain medicines that had received marketing approval based on trials conducted by Alkem between March 2013 and March 2015.
The drugs include the antibiotic cefuroxime and rulizole, used to treat the neurological disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, sold both by Alkem and Slovenia's Krka, the EMA said. Alkem was conducting trials on the drugs for Krka.
The German regulator made Alkem aware of its findings on Sept. 8, 2015, according to the notice.
Mumbai-based Alkem did not immediately reply to requests for comment on Friday. It said last month that UK regulator MHRA had inspected the Taloja plant and made eight observations.
Krka did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
The German regulator said Alkem's quality management system "neither avoided nor detected" the data manipulation. The regulator has urged the EMA, the medicines regulator for the European Union, to take necessary action and consider if impacted drugs need to be suspended or recalled.
Alkem, one of the fastest-growing drugmakers in India, debuted on Indian stock exchanges in December, raising more than $200 million in an offering that received an overwhelming response from investors. Since the listing, its shares have dipped 3 percent.
Apart from conducting clinical trials for drug companies, it sells generic versions of medicines ranging from anti-infectives, anti-diabetics and anti-malaria drugs to 55 countries, including United States and Europe.
OFFICIAL-UPDATE 1-WHO group backs Sanofi's vaccine in areas with high dengue rates
By Tom Miles
GENEVA, April 15 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization's expert group on immunisation said on Friday it recommended that countries consider introducing Sanofi's dengue vaccine Dengvaxia in areas where prevalence of the virus was 50 percent or higher.
Vaccination should be done between the ages of nine and 14, but efficacy improved as people got older, Jon Abramson, chairman of the WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunisation (SAGE) told a news conference in Geneva.
The vaccine needs to be administered in a three-dose series and SAGE does not recommend its use before 9-years-old, which it said was consistent with current labelling.
Dengue kills about 20,000 people per year and infects hundreds of millions, and it is becoming much more prevalent and widespread.
"The number one main recommendation is that this vaccine is efficacious and safe but should be only used in populations where the disease incidence in the population is at least 50 percent," Abramson said. "So it shouldn't be used in areas with what we would call low transmission.
"The key reason for that is when you look at the efficacy of the vaccine, in those who have not been infected the efficacy is nowhere near as good as in those who were previously infected."
Severe cases of dengue usually occur when people are infected for the second time with a different one of dengue's four serotypes, he said.
The doses of vaccine should be administered at six month intervals.
"That in itself brings up a whole set of implementation issues about how were going to get three doses of the vaccine into these children who usually don't access healthcare three times in a given year."
Each country could make its own decision on whether to use the vaccine, but by SAGE's criteria there would be a need for "many millions of doses", Abramson said.
"I learned yesterday that the company has the capacity to make 100 million doses a year once its manufacturing capacity is fully up."
He said the company had not settled on a price but had promised to make it cost effective, but it was not clear if that meant on an individual or societal basis.
"To get the three doses and get them delivered -- so we're not just talking about the price of the vaccine, it would be cost effective if the cost of delivering those three vaccines into the arms of children... would have to be $50 or less."
Egypt protestors call for downfall of the "regime"
CAIRO, April 15 (Reuters) - About 200 protestors called for the downfall of the Egyptian "regime" in protests on Friday triggered by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's decision to hand over two islands to Saudi Arabia, Reuters witnesses said.
The same slogan was used in the 2011 uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak.
Sisi, who once enjoyed widespread support, has faced mounting criticism in recent months over a range of issues, including his management of the economy.
Al Qaeda re-emerges as challenge for US, NATO in Afghanistan
By James Mackenzie and Paul Tait
KABUL, April 15 (Reuters) - Leadership turmoil within the Taliban since the death of the militant group's founder has fuelled closer links with foreign groups like al Qaeda, the new commander of international forces in Afghanistan said, complicating counter-terrorism efforts.
In an interview with Reuters, General John Nicholson pointed to what U.S. officials saw as a shift in the Taliban's relationship with groups that Washington considers terrorist organisations.
That could influence his assessment of plans to cut U.S. troop numbers next year, because if al Qaeda, which carried out the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, can operate in Afghanistan with increasing freedom, it may pose a greater security threat inside the country and beyond.
That was the very reason NATO forces went into Afghanistan in the first place: to prevent al Qaeda functioning freely while the Taliban, which ruled the country until its ouster at the end of 2001, looked on.
"You see a more overt cooperation between the Taliban and these designated terrorist organisations," Nicholson said.
"Our concern is that if the Taliban were to return, that because of their close relationships with these groups, that they would offer sanctuary to these groups."
Nicholson is about half way though a review of plans that would see U.S. troop numbers nearly halved to 5,500 by 2017 and an end to much of the training and advice the NATO-led coalition currently provides Afghan forces fighting the Taliban.
Some U.S. politicians and Afghan commanders are urging Washington to reconsider its drawdown plans, worried that the Islamist Taliban movement poses a growing threat to security.
Public appetite for an even more prolonged deployment of U.S. forces in Afghanistan is low, partly because the conflict is seen as limited to the country itself with little risk of international spillover.
Nicholson declined to comment on the review, which will be presented in Washington by June.
But he highlighted a "greater linkage" between the Taliban and U.S.-designated terrorist group al Qaeda since the death of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar and his replacement by current leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour.
Prompted by the need to win support in a leadership battle that broke out after Omar's death was announced last year, Nicholson said Mansour had been forced closer to groups like al Qaeda and the Haqqani network, blamed for a series of high-profile suicide attacks in Kabul.
"When Mullah Omar was alive, he maintained a public distance from al Qaeda that his successor Mullah Mansour has not," he said. "I think this is in part because Mansour lacks the legitimacy of Omar."
U.S.-ONLY OPERATIONS "LESS FREQUENT"
Al Qaeda, which U.S. officials have estimated has between 100-300 fighters in Afghanistan, has returned as one of the main focuses of the U.S. counter-terrorism mission in Afghanistan. Some independent assessments say that estimate is too low.
The group has been less prominent in recent years as the Taliban, numbering thousands of fighters, seized territory in a series of intense battles including, briefly, the northern city of Kunduz and, more recently, swaths of Helmand in the south.
The emergence of an offshoot of Islamic State based in eastern Afghanistan, which U.S. officials believe is mainly composed of disaffected Taliban fighters and some foreign militants, has provided a further unwanted distraction.
However, the discovery last year in the south of what U.S. officials describe as a well-established training camp featuring Taliban and al Qaeda facilities together, refocused attention on the latter, as well as the broader problem of groups using Afghanistan as a base for cross-border operations.
Six organisations are now on the State Department's list of foreign terrorist organisations active in Afghanistan, although the Taliban are not. That means U.S. forces are more limited in the authority they have to attack the group.
"The Taliban are a medium within which these transnational groups operate," Nicholson said, pointing to other organisations such as Laskhar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based militant group that normally targets India.
Whatever the outcome of Nicholson's review, the separate U.S. counter-terrorism mission in Afghanistan will continue next year, with conventional and drone aircraft, as well as special forces troops on the ground.
U.S. officials say operations in Afghanistan have picked up in intensity following the U.S. State Department's formal designation of Islamic State in Khorasan as a foreign terrorist organisation in January.
In the first three months of the year, U.S. forces conducted nearly 100 strikes against the group, which is based mainly in Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan, and operations have continued at roughly the same pace since, U.S. army spokesman Brigadier General Charles Cleveland said.
Unlike al Qaeda, Islamic State is fiercely opposed to the Taliban and has directed most of its attacks against them rather than Afghan forces.
The 5,500 troops earmarked to remain in Afghanistan next year will mainly focus on counter-terrorism operations, but Afghan troops, who already conduct the bulk of missions, will take an increasing share, Nicholson said.
"We possess the capabilities here if it were necessary to do a unilateral operation," he said, but added: "that would be less frequent".
Serbia arrests 49 in anti-corruption sweep
BELGRADE, April 15 (Reuters) - Serbian police detained 49 people, including officials from ministries and state-owned firms, on suspicion of corruption and abuse of office on Friday as part of an anti-graft drive that has gained momentum before this month's election.
Officials of the Finance Ministry, tax administration, the EPS power utility, the Putevi Srbije road maintenance company, the Post Office and 12 police officers were among those arrested across the country, Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said in a statement.
"This is yet another demonstration that the police will not stop ... Together with prosecutors, we will show Serbia can be a completely serious, honest and fair country," the statement said.
Two more suspects remain at large. The ministry alleged that the group's activities had cost the budgets of the country and the northern Vojvodina province around 7.6 million euros ($8.6 million) since 2007.
It is the second big crackdown on corruption since March when police arrested 46 people in a similar sweep.
Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic's Progressive Party aims to cement its grip on power in the April 24 election to pursue economic reforms with the aim of completing European Union negotiations by 2019.
To join the EU, Serbia will have to step up the fight against corruption and organised crime which flourished during the wars of federal Yugoslavia's break-up in the 1990s.
Greece has three suitors for state railways sale
By Angeliki Koutantou
ATHENS, April 15 (Reuters) - Greece has received three expressions of interest in the sale of state railways operator TRAINOSE, the country's privatisations agency (HRADF) said on Friday.
HRADF said Italy's state railways, Russian Railways (RZD) and Greek construction group GEK-Terna had signaled their interest in TRAINOSE, confirming what sources earlier told Reuters.
One of the sources said RZD and GEK-Terna were cooperating in the race for the asset.
The leftist-led government of Alexis Tsipras halted the sale of TRAINOSE along with other divestments last year, but relaunched it as part of a privatisation scheme under a bailout agreed with international lenders last summer.
The scheme is aimed at helping the country raise 6.4 billion euros ($7.2 billion) by 2018 to reduce debt, which reached 180.2 percent of gross domestic product last year.
"HRADF's advisors will evaluate, per terms and criteria stipulated in the process letter, the above expressions of interest and submit to HRADF's board of directors their recommendation as to which candidates qualify for the next phase," HRADF said in a statement.
The deadline for initial expressions of interest expired at 1400 GMT on Friday. Qualified potential investors will have to submit binding bids by May 31.
TRAINOSE is the sole provider of passenger and freight rail transportation in Greece and operates a 2,500 km rail network.
A source close to the matter has said that without a sale TRAINOSE could be forced to return millions of euros in state subsidies to the European Union.
Iran's Soleimani in Russia for talks on Syria, missiles: sources
By Lidia Kelly and Parisa Hafezi
MOSCOW, April 15 (Reuters) - Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani has flown to Moscow for talks with Russia's military and political leadership to discuss the conflict in Syria and deliveries of Russian missiles, sources with knowledge of his trip said on Friday.
The main purpose of his visit was to discuss new delivery routes for future shipments of Russian S-300 surface-to-air missile systems, sources said, with one saying Soleimani wanted to talk about how Russia and Iran could help the Syrian government take back full control of Aleppo.
"General Soleimani travelled to Moscow last night to discuss issues including the delivery of S-300s and further military cooperation," a senior Iranian security official told Reuters.
Soleimani met both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Friday, one source said. A Kremlin spokesman said a meeting with Soleimani was not on Putin's schedule.
Asked about Soleimani's visit, the Iranian embassy in Moscow said it had no information about it.
The visit is likely to be seen as a sign that the tactical alliance struck up by Russia and Iran over Syria remains strong despite some reported differences over battlefield strategy.
Iranian media reported on Monday that Russia had delivered the first part of the S-300 missile system, starting to equip Tehran with technology that was blocked before it signed a deal with world powers on its nuclear programme.
Soleimani, the commander of foreign operations for Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, flew to Moscow in July last year to help Russia plan its military intervention in Syria and forge an Iranian-Russian alliance to support Syria's President Bashar al-Assad.
He helped reactivate the stalled S-300 deal, which Russia had put on ice in 2010 under pressure from the West.
Russia, despite withdrawing some of its fast jets, still maintains a significant military presence in Syria providing air support, advice and training to the Syrian army.
A senior regional source told Reuters last year that Russia's military intervention in Syria was set out in an agreement between Moscow and Tehran that said Russian air strikes would support ground operations by Iranian, Syrian and Lebanese Hezbollah forces.
Iran has committed troops to help prop up the Syrian army, sometimes sustaining heavy losses, and Soleimani has been reported to be spending time in Syria where he is thought to have helped coordinate operations.
He remains subject to an international travel ban by the U.N. Security Council. Washington has also designated the Quds Force, the unit of the Revolutionary Guards which Soleimani leads, as a supporter of terrorism.
Muslim nations accuse Iran of supporting terrorism - summit communique
By Yesim Dikmen and Melih Aslan
ISTANBUL, April 15 (Reuters) - Leaders from more than 50 Muslim nations accused Iran on Friday of supporting terrorism and interfering in the affairs of regional states, including Syria and Yemen, a condemnation that may widen the divide between Iran and its main rival, Saudi Arabia.
The leaders, including Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, have been attending a summit in Istanbul this week of the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to discuss a such issues as the humanitarian fall-out from Syria's civil war.
"The conference deplored Iran's interference in the internal affairs of the States of the region and other member states including Bahrain, Yemen, Syria, and Somalia, and its continued support for terrorism," the OIC said in its final summit communique.
It also stressed the need for "cooperative relations" between Iran and other Muslim countries, including refraining from the use or threat of force.
Both Turkey, which has assumed the three-year rotating presidency of the OIC, and Saudi Arabia are part of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State militants in Syria. They are also opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a stance that has put them at odds with Iran, an ally of Assad.
Shi'ite Iran is also allied with the Houthi movement in Yemen, which has been battling forces loyal to Yemen's Saudi-backed president in a conflict that has killed more than 6,000 people since March 2015.
While Turkey and Iran have stark differences over Syria, they have managed to keep their diplomatic and trade relations. Still, majority-Sunni Turkey is close to Saudi Arabia, which has cut diplomatic ties with Iran, and it is concerned about Tehran's growing clout in Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.
'WE ARE MUSLIMS'
A day before the communique, Iran's Rouhani urged summit delegates to avoid sending out divisive messages.
"No message which would fuel division in the Islamic community should come out of the conference," said Rouhani, according to Iranian state television.
In a speech at the summit's closing news conference, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addressed the need to reconcile the divisions.
"We are Muslims, we will not allow Islam to be divided," he said.
The leaders also condemned what they called the aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan and called for the unconditional withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Protesters demand fall of Egypt's government over islands deal
By Ahmed Aboulenein and Eric Knecht
CAIRO, April 15 (Reuters) - Thousands of Egyptians angered by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's decision to hand over two islands to Saudi Arabia called on Friday for the government to fall, chanting a slogan from the 2011 Arab Spring uprising.
Their protests signaled that the former general, who is also under mounting criticism over the struggling economy, no longer enjoys the broad public support that let him round up thousands of opponents after he seized power in 2013.
In the evening, riot police who had surrounded the site of the biggest demonstration, in the heart of downtown Cairo, dispersed the crowd with tear gas, Reuters witnesses said.
Egyptian security forces detained a total of 119 protesters at several demonstrations, according to security officials.
Sisi's government prompted an outcry in Egyptian newspapers and on social media last week when it announced an accord that put the uninhabited Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir in Saudi waters.
"The people want the downfall of the regime!" protesters cried outside the Cairo press syndicate, using the signature chant of the 2011 revolt against then-president Hosni Mubarak, who later stepped down.
They also chanted: "Sisi - Mubarak", "We don't want you, leave" and "We own the land and you are agents who sold our land." In other parts of Cairo, police fired tear gas at protesters, security sources said.
The U.S. government, which sees Cairo as a critical Middle East ally, will continue to watch carefully the situation in Egypt, the White House said.
Saudi and Egyptian officials say the islands belong to the kingdom across the Red Sea and were only under Egyptian control because Riyadh had asked Cairo in 1950 to protect them.
Saudi Arabia and other wealthy Gulf Arab states showered Egypt with billions of dollars in aid and grants after Sisi toppled President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013, following mass protests against him.
But a sharp drop in oil prices and differences with Cairo over such regional issues as the war in Yemen have raised questions over whether strong Gulf Arab support can be sustained.
MISHANDLED CRISES
Egyptians are eager for an economic revival after years of political upheaval. But the islands issue seems to have hurt their national pride, prompting thousands to return to the streets to confront their leader.
There are no signs that Sisi's rule is under immediate threat. However, even local media, which once suggested he could do no wrong, have been attacking the president.
Critics say the government has mishandled a series of crises, from an investigation into the killing of Italian graduate student Giulio Regeni, 28, in Cairo, to a bomb that brought down a Russian airliner in the Sinai Peninsula last October.
Torture marks on Regini's body prompted human rights groups to conclude he died at the hands of security forces, which Egypt denies. That revived complaints of police brutality, one of the issues that led Egyptians to challenge Mubarak's 30-year rule.
Sisi has made fighting corruption a top priority. But he drew fire last month after sacking Hesham Geneina, Egypt's top auditor, who had stirred controversy by publicly concluding that state corruption had cost the country billions of dollars.
In a tweet, Geneina described the protests as the "purest, bravest and most noble demonstration of Egyptians" in decades.
Many Egyptians enthusiastically welcomed Sisi when he took over. They turned a blind eye as Islamists and other opponents were rounded up, swelling the number of political prisoners to about 40,000, according to estimates by human rights groups.
PATIENCE WITH SISI FADING
A growing number are now losing patience over corruption, poverty and unemployment, the same issues that led to Mubarak's downfall, while Sisi has appeared increasingly authoritarian in televised speeches.
"We want the downfall of the regime," said Abdelrahman Abdellatif, 29, an air conditioning engineer, at the Cairo protest. "The youth of the revolution are still here ... We are experiencing unprecedented fascism and dictatorship."
There were also Sisi supporters, including a woman wearing a shirt with an image of the former military intelligence chief.
In Alexandria, around 500 people gathered near a railway station. Meanwhile, 300 Sisi supporters holding up photographs of him demonstrated outside a mosque in the port city.
IMF says additional $1 bln in Mozambique debt uncovered
WASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) - Mozambique's government has borrowed $1 billion more than it previously disclosed, the International Monetary Fund said on Friday, adding that the discovery diminished its view of the African nation's fiscal outlook.
Antoinette Sayeh, the IMF's Africa director, told a news conference that the additional funds appeared to have been borrowed from Credit Suisse and Russia's VTB Bank, but few other details about the money were available.
Canada top court strikes down two tough-on-crime measures
OTTAWA, April 15 (Reuters) - Canada's Supreme Court on Friday struck down two so-called tough-on-crime measures introduced by the former Conservative government, ruling the changes to sentencing practices were unconstitutional.
IMF says additional $1 bln in Mozambique debt uncovered
WASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) - Mozambique's government has borrowed $1 billion more than it previously disclosed, the International Monetary Fund said on Friday, adding that the discovery diminished its view of the African nation's economic outlook.
Antoinette Sayeh, the IMF's Africa director, told a news conference that the additional funds appeared to have been borrowed from Credit Suisse and Russia's VTB Bank and allocated to Mozambique's defense and security sector.
The IMF last year agreed to loan Mozambique $286 million to help cushion its economy following deep declines in commodity prices and the value of the metical, Mozambique's currency.
"The undisclosed borrowing exceeds $1 billion and significantly changes our assessment of Mozambique's macroeconomic outlook," Sayeh said.
Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Mozambique had borrowed hundreds of millions of dollars for a state-owned company's tuna fishing fleet, but that the funds were diverted to buy military speed boats.
Banks on Argentina bond to earn up to US$27m in total fees
By Davide Scigliuzzo
NEW YORK, April 15 (IFR) - Banks leading Argentina's jumbo bond sale, which is set to price next week, could earn up to US$27m in total fees, according to government documents published on Friday.
Argentina will pay a commission of 18bp to the underwriters arranging its first international bond sale in 15 years, which is expected to include maturities of five, 10 and 30-years.
The South American nation is expected to raise between US$12.5bn and US$15bn through the bond sale, bringing the total feel pool to between US$22.5m and US$27m, according to IFR calculations.
Deutsche Bank, HSBC, JP Morgan and Santander - the four global coordinators appointed to manage the offering - will each receive 19% of the total fee pool, or between US$4.28m and US$5.13m, based on the expected issue size.
Canada top court strikes down two tough-on-crime measures
By Leah Schnurr
OTTAWA, April 15 (Reuters) - Canada's Supreme Court on Friday struck down two so-called tough-on-crime measures introduced by the former Conservative government, ruling the changes to sentencing practices were unconstitutional.
It was another ruling by the top court against the policies of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who lost last year's election.
In recent years, the court overturned a ban on physician-assisted suicide, blocked Harper's plans to introduce elections to the Senate and struck down restrictions on adult prostitution.
In Friday's first case, the court ruled six to three that the requirement of a one-year mandatory minimum prison sentence for drug offenses violated the guarantee against cruel and unusual punishment in the country's Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The case came about after Joseph Ryan Lloyd was convicted of drug possession for trafficking purposes and was subject to a minimum one-year sentence due to a prior conviction for a similar offense.
Mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders were enacted in 2012, part of changes the Conservatives made.
"The mandatory minimum sentence provision covers a wide range of potential conduct. As a result, it catches not only the serious drug trafficking that is its proper aim, but conduct that is much less blameworthy," the court said.
It offered advice to the current Liberal government that if parliament wants to keep mandatory minimum sentences for offences that cast a wide net, it should consider narrowing their reach or allowing judicial discretion for a lesser sentence where appropriate.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he has tasked the justice minister with looking into the issue.
"There is a general sense, reinforced by the Supreme Court decision today, that mandatory minimums brought in by the previous government in a number of cases went too far," Trudeau told reporters.
Michael Cooper, Conservative deputy justice critic, said he was disappointed by the rulings.
"Our party makes no apologies for the important legislative measures that we took in government to target gangs, organized crime and those involved in drug trafficking," he told CBC.
In the second case, the court voted unanimously against denying enhanced credit for pre-sentence time spent in custody to those that had been denied bail primarily due to a prior conviction.
Reforms in 2009 limited credit in such cases to a one-to-one basis, rather than one-and-a-half days. The court ruled that the denial was overly broad.
Iran's Soleimani in Russia for talks on Syria, missiles -sources
By Lidia Kelly and Parisa Hafezi
MOSCOW/ANKARA, April 15 (Reuters) - Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani has flouted an international travel ban and flown to Moscow for talks with Russia's military and political leadership on Syria and deliveries of Russian missiles, sources said on Friday.
The main purpose of his visit was to discuss new delivery routes for shipments of Russian S-300 surface-to-air missile systems, sources said. Several sources also said Soleimani wanted to talk about how Russia and Iran could help the Syrian government take back full control of the city of Aleppo.
"General Soleimani travelled to Moscow last night to discuss issues including the delivery of S-300s and further military cooperation," a senior Iranian security official told Reuters.
Soleimani met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Friday, one source said. A Kremlin spokesman said a meeting with Soleimani was not on Putin's schedule.
Asked about Soleimani's visit, the Iranian embassy in Moscow said it had no information about it.
U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said Secretary of State John Kerry raised concerns about reports of Soleimani going to Russia in a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday, but added that Washington was not in a position to confirm the visit.
Kirby said U.N. sanctions on remained in effect, "so such travel, if true, would be a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, and we believe, then, a serious matter of concern to both the U.N. and the United States."
A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the United States would continue to insist that Russia and other countries comply with U.N. obligations "and prevent the international travel of Soleimani."
"We also intend to continue to raise the issue in New York," the official said, referring to the United Nations.
Soleimani's visit is likely to be seen as a sign that the tactical alliance of Russia and Iran over Syria remains strong despite some reported differences over battlefield strategy.
"Soleimani's most likely meetings would be with (Russian) military leaders - Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, among others, although the possibility of meeting with President Putin cannot be ruled out," said Yuri Lyamin, a Russian security analyst who follows Russian-Iranian military developments.
Iranian media reported on Monday that Russia had delivered the first part of the S-300 missile system, providing technology that was blocked before Tehran signed a deal with world powers on its nuclear programme.
Soleimani, the commander of foreign operations for Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, flew to Moscow in July last year to help Russia plan its military intervention in Syria and forge an Iranian-Russian alliance to support Syria's President Bashar al-Assad.
He helped reactivate the stalled S-300 deal, which Russia had put on ice in 2010 under pressure from the West.
Russia, despite withdrawing some of its fast jets, still maintains a significant military presence in Syria, providing air support, advice and training to the Syrian army.
A senior regional source told Reuters last year that Russia's military intervention in Syria was set out in an agreement between Moscow and Tehran that said Russian air strikes would support ground operations by Iranian, Syrian and Lebanese Hezbollah forces.
Iran has committed troops to help prop up the Syrian army, sometimes sustaining heavy losses, and Soleimani has been reported to be spending time in Syria, where he is thought to have helped coordinate operations.
He remains subject to an international travel ban by the U.N. Security Council. Washington has also designated the Quds Force, the unit of the Revolutionary Guards that Soleimani leads, as a supporter of terrorism.
Portugal sees no need for new steps on deficit, keeps 2016 growth view
By Jan Strupczewski
WASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) - Portugal does not see a need to introduce any new deficit-cutting measures as data for the first months of the year indicate public finances are on track, Portuguese Finance Minister Mario Centeno told Reuters in an interview on Friday.
The head of the IMF's European Department Poul Thomsen said earlier on Friday that Portugal would need to take new steps to reach its 2.2 percent of GDP deficit goal this year.
"Do I share his evaluation? Not really," Centeno said. "It is very surprising to me. We have a very different evaluation of the situation," he said.
He said budget execution data for the first quarter of the year showed that Portugal was on track.
"There are risks in the global economy, which eventually may affect a small open economy like Portugal, but that is something that we need to evaluate," he said.
"On budget execution we are very confident. The figures for January and February and the ones that are already known for the rest of the first quarter tell us that we are on track," he said.
Euro zone finance ministers asked Portugal in February to prepare extra deficit-cutting steps in case they proved necessary to keep the budget in line with EU rules after the European Commission said the country's 2016 budget was at risk of breaking deficit-cutting commitments.
Portuguese bond yields have risen and euro zone officials have stressed that Portugal needs to retain the confidence of financial markets to be able to borrow at reasonable rates after exiting from a euro zone bailout in 2014.
STICKING TO 2016 GROWTH FORECAST
Centeno said that if new measures were to become necessary, the government would focus on shifting from direct to indirect taxation but would not cut pensions or wages.
Centeno said he was working closely with the DBRS rating agency, the only one that still gives Lisbon an investment grade rating which enables Portugal to take part in the European Central Bank's government bond purchasing programme.
DBRS is to review Portugal's rating on April 29. A downgrade would mean a sharp rise in borrowing costs for the government.
"We are working for a downgrade not to happen, working very closely with the DBRS, meeting in Washington. We are acting in a way that does not lead for that event to happen," Centeno said.
He said that even though the IMF had again cut its global growth forecast this week and saw slower growth in the euro zone, Portugal was for now sticking with its forecast of 1.8 percent GDP growth in 2016.
"We will not be revising the numbers for 2016, although the profile of growth ...in 2017 and 2020 ... is lower. But for 2016 so far we are sticking to our forecast," Centeno said.
"We have figures for the first quarter that show strong performance in tourism, double-digit growth, we have private consumption also recovering, it looks like the first quarter will be positive growth quarter-on-quarter," he said.
He said reforms that Portugal has already introduced would have had a bigger positive impact on the economy were it not for problems in the country's financial sector.
He said the government was planning to address that by creating a vehicle to deal with non-performing loans in banks modelled on Italy's 5-billion-euro fund to shore up weaker banks.
"The Italian case is a bit of a good example for us. The Italian system was designed for Italy, we have to adapt it, but the solution will not involve public money," Centeno said.
Senegal creates new national airline, seeks strategic partner
DAKAR, April 15 (Reuters) - Senegal has created Air Senegal, a new national airline intended to replace the West African nation's now defunct, heavily indebted carrier Senegal Airlines, the minister of tourism and air transport said on Friday.
Maimouna Ndoye Seck said the new company was formed with capital of 40 billion CFA francs ($69 million) aimed at making the new airline operational as quickly as possible as it seeks "a strong strategic partner".
Senegal state-owned television said late on Friday that Turkish Airlines was the front-runner to take a stake in Air Senegal. President Macky Sall was in Istanbul for a summit of Islamic nations.
A ministry official confirmed the state had contributed the initial capital and total capital would eventually more than double to 100 billion CFA francs.
Airlines have long been a fraught business in West Africa though there have been some success stories, including Ivory Coast's flagship carrier Air Cote d'Ivoire.
Congo Republic's ECAir announced earlier this week that it was seeking to raise more than $100 million through a regional bond issuance in order to expand its fleet and routes.
Senegal revoked the air operator's certificate of the previous carrier Senegal Airlines, which ran up debts of more than 100 billion CFA francs in less than five years of operation. The state owned a minority stake. By the time it was shut down, the airline no longer possessed any aircraft.
Islamist militants in Philippines set deadline to execute foreign captives
April 15 (Reuters) - Islamist militants in the Philippines on Friday announced a new deadline of April 25 for the execution of three foreign captives and a Filipino, but scaled back their ransom demand in a video posted on social media.
The captives - two Canadian men, a Norwegian man and a Filipino woman - were kidnapped from a beach resort on a southern island last September.
They are believed to be held in the jungle on Jolo island, a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf group, which is known for bombings, beheadings and kidnappings.
In the video, the captives, with machetes held to their necks, asked their families and governments to pay a ransom of 300 million pesos ($6.51 million) each, down from the figure of a billion pesos each that the militants demanded last year.
"This is already an ultimatum," the masked militant leader said. "We will certainly behead one of these four," he added, setting the execution for 3 p.m. on April 25.
There was no explanation why the ransom was reduced or a new deadline set.
A spokesman for the Philippine military declined to comment, saying he had not seen the video.
In Ottawa, a spokeswoman for the Canadian foreign ministry said the government was aware of the video.
"(We) will not comment or release any information which may compromise ongoing efforts or endanger the safety of Canadian citizens," Rachna Mishra said in an emailed statement.
In the nearly two-minute clip posted on YouTube, the foreigners appealed for the militants' demands to be met.
"I am told to tell you that my ransom is 300 million," said one man, who identified himself as Robert Hall.
"My specific appeal is to the Canadian government, who, I know, have the capacity to get us out of here. I'm wondering what they're waiting for."
The other Canadian and the Norwegian also made appeals, but the Filipino woman was not allowed to speak.
The video was the fourth such appeal released by the militants. In their third clip last month, they set an April 8 deadline but no ransom was specified.
Security is precarious in the resource-rich south of the largely Christian Philippines, despite a 2014 peace pact between the government and the largest Muslim rebel group that ended 45 years of conflict.
Abu Sayyaf militants are holding other foreigners, including one from the Netherlands, one from Japan, four Malaysians and 10 Indonesian tugboat crew.
Greece must stop locking up child migrants, charity warns ahead of pope's visit
By Emma Batha
LONDON, April 16 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - At least 1,500 unaccompanied migrant and refugee children stranded in Greece have nowhere safe to stay, with many sleeping rough in the cold and others incarcerated, a charity warned on Saturday ahead of Pope Francis' visit to Lesbos.
Save the Children said Greece must stop locking up children and called on the European Union to help open more safe shelters for them.
"Children ... are sleeping rough in increasingly volatile unofficial accommodation sites, are being incarcerated in detention centres and are slipping through the cracks of the system," said Amy Frost, Save the Children's team leader in Greece.
"They are at risk of violence, abuse and exploitation by people traffickers."
The children - some as young as 10 - come from countries including Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Many have fled war and other violence. Some have travelled alone to Europe, while others have become separated from their families.
Pope Francis will visit the Greek island of Lesbos on Saturday in a trip which aims to draw attention to the frontline of Europe's migrant crisis.
Hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees entered Europe last year after crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece.
But the European Union last month struck a controversial deal with Turkey aimed at closing the Aegean route, and Balkan states have closed their borders.
The closures have left an estimated 2,000 unaccompanied children trapped in Greece, but Save the Children said there were just 477 shelter spaces for them in the country.
The shelters have been full for weeks meaning some new arrivals are put in detention centres and police cells.
"SERIOUS CONCERNS"
Frost said some children were being held for weeks in police custody in "extremely bad conditions".
She criticised the European Union for rushing to close borders and implement the deal with Turkey.
"Pope Francis is telling the world there can be a more compassionate way to deal with the refugee crisis and Save the Children agrees," Frost said in a statement.
The charity said children at the overcrowded centre in Moria - which the Pope is scheduled to visit - were getting sick.
It also had "serious concerns" about the mental and physical wellbeing of nearly 60 children detained in a section of Moria managed by the police.
"The conditions are very dirty, there are not enough beds and they do not have access to legal services," Save the Children spokeswoman Sacha Myers said by phone from Lesbos.
Other children are sleeping rough in Athens - some on park benches - and at Greece's northern border, where Myers said they were at risk of exploitation and abuse.
One 15-year-old Syrian boy, who spent several days sleeping in the rain and mud, described conditions at the border as "wretched".
"I want to cry, but I don't want people to see me crying," he was quoted as saying by the charity. He said he had fled Syria after being jailed and beaten. His boat from Turkey had nearly capsized twice.
Keith Allen Harward spent more than three decades in a locked cage for a crime he did not commit. Thanks to fast work by his attorneys and the Virginia Supreme Court, he walked out of prison on Friday. But nothing the state does can atone for the crime it committed against him. And the heck of it is that many more innocents just like him could be rotting behind bars. Nobody knows.
Harward was convicted for the 1982 murder of Jesse Perron and the raping of Perrons wife, Teresa. DNA evidence has now conclusively demonstrated that another man a now-dead career criminal named Jerry Crotty is the real perpetrator of the 1982 crime. Harward had nothing to do with it.
And the authorities probably knew that or should have.
Swabs from the rape kit in Harwards case included blood-type evidence that, his appeal says, excluded Mr. Harward as the perpetrator. But that evidence was never provided Mr. Harward or his counsel. This information was not only suppressed but also falsely characterized as inconclusive by the Commonwealths forensic expert at trial.
As The Times-Dispatchs Frank Green has reported, the work of that expert David Pomposini also has been involved in another wrongful conviction case, concerning a man named Troy Webb. Webb spent eight years in prison for rape before DNA cleared him.
Harward and Webb are preceded by other well-known innocents set free long after conviction. Thomas Haynesworth spent 27 years in prison for rapes committed by another man. Earl Washington spent 17 years in prison for crimes that DNA proved he did not commit including several years on death row and six more years even after his exoneration.
Still, that Harwards lawyers never got to see evidence that could have kept another innocent man out of prison while the guilty one went free ought to chasten the members of the Virginia Supreme Court.
A 1963 U.S. Supreme Court case, Brady v. Maryland, requires prosecutors to disclose information that could help the defense. But Virginia lets the prosecutor decide what might be helpful and what might not be. In many jurisdictions, prosecutors routinely withhold even basic information such as witness lists and arrest reports. The result is that defendants face what some call trial by ambush. To be fair, please note that prosecutors resent that term; they say defense counsel springs surprise witnesses during trial far more often than the state does.
A couple of years ago the Virginia Supreme Court appointed a committee to study disclosure rules. It scrutinized the issue for nearly a year, and proposed major reforms. The reforms might have leaned in one direction, but they were not entirely one-sided. Prosecutors could have learned more about the case to be presented by the defense as well. Yet in a two-sentence order in November, the Supreme Court rejected the suggestions wholesale.
Which is too bad, because prosecutors dont always abide by even current discovery requirements. Prince William County Commonwealths Attorney Paul Ebert who was re-elected only three weeks before the Virginia Supreme Courts order has been chastised by federal courts for his flabbergasting justifications for withholding exculpatory evidence.
In one instance, the case of Beltway sniper John Allen Muhammad, the evidence would not have changed the trials outcome. But the second instance led the courts to vacate a murder-for-hire conviction. U.S. District Judge Robert Jackson, a former prosecutor himself, blasted Ebert for repeating behavior he had been warned about in the Muhammad case, and an appellate court found his withholding of evidence useful to the defense was entirely intentional.
Eberts justification is, essentially, that he does not want to give defendants material they might use to make stuff up. But in withholding material defendants might use to tell lies, he also is withholding material they need to tell the truth.
Thats why Virginia legislators should do what the states Supremes would not, and require more thorough discovery of pretrial evidence. This would let defense attorneys decide what is useful, rather than prosecutors who might take a more cramped view of the question.
Theres another possible reason to adopt open discovery rules: Jason Norton, a former detective with the Richmond Police Department. Two years ago sharp-eyed federal prosecutors noted that the language in some of Nortons requests for search warrants sounded awfully similar. It turned out Norton lied about confidential informants, whose information he cited as the justification for the warrants, and essentially cut and pasted language from one affidavit to the next.
Norton is no longer on the Richmond force. Chief Alfred Durham has set up an internal audit system to prevent similar instances in the future. But in the meantime, the convictions of a dozen people have been overturned, and the police department and prosecutor Mike Herring have spent God-only-knows-how-many hours sorting the whole mess out. Think of the resources wasted.
Maybe Norton is alone among the thousands of police officers throughout Virginia. But nobody knows. Giving defense lawyers routine access to prosecutors files might have some deterrent effect in preventing similar cases. Officers would be on notice that defense lawyers would be checking their work, and might take greater pains because of it. A lot of mischief or simple sloppiness is possible when arrest reports and similar documents never see the light of day.
This isnt about favoring defendants over law and order. When the state locks up innocent men for crimes they didnt commit, it lets guilty men go free free to commit further mayhem. Public safety requires more than simply getting a conviction. It requires convicting the right person. Convicting an innocent one is a crime against him, against public safety and against the taxpayers.
Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA)
One employee was injured and a manufacturing building at the TE Connectivity plant in Culpeper sustained major damage Friday from a fire that began during a roof remodeling.
The employee suffered burns to his neck and hands and was transported to UVa Culpeper Hospital for treatment, officials said.
All other employees were evacuated and accounted for, according to Erin Burke with TE Connectivity, based in Switzerland.
According to Junior Perryman, first assistant chief of the Culpeper County Volunteer Fire Department, workers remodeling the roof took a lunch break, and when they returned at about 12:30 p.m. they found a stack of roofing repair materials burning.
The production plant and the adjoining office area were quickly evacuated as fire units from 10 companies in four counties fought the blaze, which sent black smoke billowing high into the clear midday sky.
Most of the fire damage was committed to the roof area and there was significant damage there, said Perryman, estimating that about a 150-by-150-foot area was destroyed. There was some fire damage to the production plant area, but the fire was quickly contained there.
Perryman said, however, that there was significant water damage to the production area and smoke damage to an office area in the building. He could not offer a monetary damage estimate, saying only that it was significant.
Firefighters from Culpeper, Little Fork, Salem and Brandy were aided by two companies from Fauquier County, one from Orange and another from Rappahannock. It took almost five hours to completely put out the fire as firefighters continued to battle hot spots on the roof.
Culpeper Countys professional rescue squad also responded.
Production in the damaged building, one of several on the campus, was halted for the weekend, according to Burke.
TE Connectivity, formerly known as Rochester Wire & Cable, came to Culpeper in 1937 and for decades was the countys biggest employer. The facility manufactures wire rope and fiber-optic cable.
There was an electrical fire at TE Connectivity nearly three years ago on April 24, 2013 that caused an estimated $750,000 in damage.
LONDON - England - With no logic to their campaign for Britain to stay in the EU, there is a sense of floundering desperation to the proceedings as the official EU referendum campaigning begins.
The EU is a failing enterprise that is un-democratic, corrupt and profligate, with a future akin to the Titanic.
Much like the famous ship which was said to be too big to sink, so too come the claims about the EU, and it is sinking in a sea of debt, unrealised pension debt liabilities as well as failing members like Greece.
The IN campaign are definitely in the sewer, a shit party full to the brim, directed from behind the scenes by cowardly unelected eurocrats hiding behind their curtain of deceit and greed. With their unlimited expense accounts, low tax rates and diamond plated pensions, of course the faceless unelected eurocrats have a lot to lose, so this is why they are now pouring huge amounts of your taxpayer money into propaganda drives to fool the people of Britain with your own money whilst laughing in your face.
The campaigners and supporters of the Remain camp are low information people, they are not interested in the cold hard facts or the truth about the EU, they are enslaved by lies and false propaganda forced onto the populace by Project Fear and pledge allegiance to nothing but cowardice, betrayal and greed.
There is an almost robotic element to those who support to stay in the EU. Their fervour resembles the same Soviet pride of the former USSR, and the current communist state of China. No amount of reasoning or facts put in front of their faces, point by point telling them they have been told lies by their greed fuelled masters will assuage their singular urgency to sell Britain out and betray its people forever.
To fight this form of brainwashing and ulterior greed fuelled enemy is a task that is gargantuan in size, but a wholly manageable affair because the IN campaign may have the backing of Goldman Sachs and other EU departments, but it does not have half the passion or truth behind its operation. The truth always wins through, and the people can see through the lies the BSE team spout.
You are definitely IN, you are IN the Shit, and you know it.
Most students come to school to acquire skills and knowledge they can apply in the real world. Kalab Workye, on the other hand, came to Dals Bachelor of Management program as a veteran of the business world.
The first-year student was the recipient of this years Entrepreneur of the Year Impact Award. The honour is no surprise, considering that Kalab has been in business for himself since he was 17.
I was delivering pizzas and I took my earnings and started a rickshaw business, he explains. I had four of them built and I wanted to sell advertising on them. I did a bunch of cold calls and met with a bunch of people and sold a couple of advertising spots.
To secure these advertising deals, which included a $4,000 agreement with a local car dealership, Kalab had to present a level of professionalism well beyond his teenage years.
I set up a meeting with a branding agency and I knew I couldnt let them know I was 17. I had flyers and a package made up, I put on a suit and met with them and I was able to sell them on (doing rickshaw advertising).
Seizing opportunity
Kalab has since let go of his rickshaw business to focus on Project Painters, a seasonal interior and exterior painting company that uses environmentally friendly supplies and materials.
I looked for a business I could get into with minimal investment and make a buck in. I saw that this industry was highly fragmented and disorganized, says Kalab. I thought I could take advantage of that by presenting a more professional image.
Kalab adds that offering ecologically conscious painting services helps him stand out in the marketplace.
If youre bringing a product to market thats environmentally friendly, the most environmentally friendly product on the market, then as long as your pricing is right and youre seen as competent, youll do better than the competition.
Kalabs keen business sense and hustle was forged in part by his upbringing. Born in a refugee camp in Kenya, he came to Canada at the age of eight and grew up in what he describes as a tough neighbourhood.
Starting multiple companies, he says, has helped him develop some of the social skills required for business success.
Ive learned to deal with people through my businesses, says Kalab. You have to work with people and be personable and professional.
Building a skill set
Kalab says hes added some new skills as a student in the Faculty of Management. He cites Microeconomics as his favourite course and points to learning Microsoft Excel as a critical skill hes developed.
Its very basic but Id never done it. Its an amazing tool to keep track of everything.
With the academic year ending and the painting season ramping up, Kalab will have lots to keep track of over the next few months. For now, hes honoured by his Entrepreneur of the Year award and continues to hone his business savvy.
I think I have that mindset of having a goal and figuring out how to go after it, whether its a sale or whatever it may be. Thats what its about for me.
Dayton International Airport kicks off a new era of destination travel for the region's travelers today with the inaugural Allegiant Air flight to Orlando Sanford Airport.
Allegiant will follow up Friday with the first flight to its second Dayton destination, St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport.
"We could not be more thrilled to officially welcome Allegiant to Dayton International Airport," said Terrence Slaybaugh, airport director. "Allegiant is known for providing affordable flights to many popular destinations, and Dayton travelers are thrilled to be able to now have convenient access to nonstop flights to two amazing cities."
The inaugural Orlando and St. Pete-Clearwater flights will be sent off in the traditional manner, with balloons, refreshments and giveaways for passengers and a water cannon salute from the airport's fire engines.
The Thursday (April 14) celebration will take place leading up to the 5:20 p.m.Orlando flight departure and also will include a live remote broadcast by Gina Ferraro and Mix 107.7. Friday's (April 15) celebration will be lead up to the St. Pete-Clearwater flight's 4:03 p.m. departure.
"It's always a lot of fun to send off new flights in this way," Slaybaugh said. "It's our way of letting passengers know they are a part of something special and welcome a new airline to our fun way of doing things in Dayton."
The new nonstop flights will operate twice weekly out of Dayton. Flight days, times and the lowest fares can be found only at Allegiant.com. Allegiant is known for its low-cost leisure travel. The company provides customers with low base fares averaging nearly half the cost of the average domestic round-trip fares. Prices for the new flights out of Dayton start as low as $51 to Orlando Sanford Airport and $57 to St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport.
The deal comes with the clause of creating thousands of new jobs in India through offsets. (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi: India is all set to buy fighter jets from the France for 8.8 billion dollars as the two countries have finally narrowed down their differences over the pricing.
The development comes nearly four months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande signed a memorandum of agreement (MoU) to purchase 36 Rafale combat jets.
Read: France pitches for naval version of Rafale
According to a report in NDTV, a formal agreement will be signed between the two countries by May-end. Sources said the French have more or less agreed to Indian terms but India would not get the first batch of the French-made fighter planes until at least 18 months.
The Indian side has been negotiating hard to bring down the price of the Rafale deal.
Sources said the price for 36 Rafales, as per the UPA tender, keeping the cost escalation and dollar rate in mind, comes to a little over Rs 65,000 crore. This includes the cost involved in making changes India has sought in the aircraft, including Israeli helmet mounted display and some specific weaponry, among others.
The deal comes with the clause of delivering 50 per cent offsets, creating business worth at least 3 billion Euros for smaller Indian companies and creating thousands of new jobs in India through the offsets.
Modi had signed a deal with France in January but said the two countries would sort out the financial aspects later.
In fact, the toughest phase in the negotiations that began in July 2015 - three months after Modi announced in Paris India's plan to purchase 36 Rafale jets - was to get the French to agree to 50 per cent offsets in the deal.
Initially, Dassault Aviation was willing to agree to reinvest only 30 per cent of the value of its contract in Indian entities to meet the offset obligations.
The French side finally agreed to invest 50 per cent of the value following a phone conversation between Modi and Hollande late last year.
The commercial negotiations, as in the pricing of the planes, equipment and other issues, actually began only in mid-January this year.
Under the proposed deal, French companies apart from Dassault Aviation, will provide several aeronautics, electronics and micro-electronics technologies to comply with the offset obligation.
Companies like Safran and Thales will join Dassault in providing state-of-art technologies in stealth, radar, thrust vectoring for missiles and materials for electronics and micro-electronics.
Bengaluru: If everything goes as per plan, a business school, modelled on the lines of the famed London School of Economics, will be established in the city.
Launching the 125th birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah said the government is seriously considering setting up Dr Ambedkar London School of Economics in the city.
Later, the Chief Ministers office said the chief minister, after consulting National Law School of India University faculty member, Dr S. Japhet and PWD minister, Dr H.C. Mahadevappa, announced this at the event on Wednesday. Dr. Ambedkar received one of his four doctorate degrees in economics from LSE in 1923.
The discussion will start now. The idea perhaps is to partner with London School of Economics to set up a business school here. We have to see how this will take shape in future, a senior official told Deccan Chronicle.
Earlier this year, the original proposal of setting up a business school was rejected by the Bengaluru University syndicate when the Jindal group put forth a proposal.
The group wanted BU to allot land to it to set up Jindal School of Business on the BU campus.With the chief minister making the announcement now, the idea has got a different twist.
The chief minister also announced that the metro station outside Vidhana Soudha will be named after Dr Ambedkar. He said that Indian Railways would be requested to rename the Yashwanthpur railway station after Dr Ambedkar.
Picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows a display featuring statues of founding president Kim Il-Sung and late president Kim Jong-Il at the Youth Movement Museum in North Korea. (Photo: AFP)
Seoul, South Korea: A North Korean launch of a missile on the birthday of its revered founder appears to have failed, South Korean and US defense officials said on Friday.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency carried an unsourced report that the failed launch was of a powerful new mid-range missile that could one day be capable of reaching far-off US military bases in Asia. The US and South Korean officials, however, provided few details, including the type of missile, of what would be an embarrassing failure for Pyongyang, if confirmed.
The launch comes as the two Koreas trade threats amid Pyongyang's anger over annual South Korean-US military drills that North Korea calls a rehearsal for an invasion. The North has fired a slew of missiles and artillery shells into the sea in an apparent protest against the drills.
A recent surge in belligerent threats and nuclear and missile activity in the North may also be linked to leader Kim Jong Un's preparations for a major ruling party meeting next month that analysts believe he will use to further solidify his autocratic rule.
A senior US defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the official wasn't authorized to speak publicly, said the US Strategic Command systems have detected and tracked what officials assessed as a failed North Korean missile launch.
"We strongly condemn North Korea's missile test in violation of UN Security Council Resolutions, which explicitly prohibit North Korea's use of ballistic missile technology," the official said.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command said the missile launched from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America.
The South's Defense Ministry said it wasn't immediately known whether the missile fired Friday morning was a short-range or mid-range missile.
The North's launch came amid speculation in the South that its rival was preparing to test a medium-range missile with a range of 3,500 kilometers (2,180 miles) - enough to reach US military installments in Japan and Guam. Foreign experts have nicknamed the missile "Musudan" after the village in the northeast where North Korea has a Launchpad.
Friday is the birthday anniversary of the late Kim Il Sung, the current leader's grandfather and the nation's founder. North Korea has occasionally used such celebrations to stage nuclear or missile tests that outsiders consider provocations.
North Korea has unnerved the international community this year with an escalating campaign of belligerence. This includes a nuclear test in January, its fourth, and a long-range rocket launch in February, as well as nuclear threats against the United States and Seoul.
There is debate among analysts about the exact state of the North's nuclear capabilities - many believe Pyongyang has a handful of crude nuclear bombs - but each nuclear and missile test pushes them farther along in their goal of a nuclear-armed arsenal of long-range missiles.
Istanbul: Muslim countries have agreed to work together more closely to fight terrorism and other crimes and will establish an Istanbul-based centre for greater police cooperation, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.
Leaders from the Muslim world are attending a summit in Istanbul this week of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to discuss issues facing the grouping's 57 member states, including the humanitarian fall-out from Syria's civil war.
"It would be appropriate to create a structure among OIC countries which would strengthen and institutionalise cooperation against terror and other crimes," Erdogan said in his opening address at the summit.
"With this in mind, our proposal for the establishment of an OIC police cooperation and coordination centre based in Istanbul found acceptance."
Erdogan, whose country is set to take over the three-year rotating presidency of the OIC, gave no details about the new police centre or say when it might start work.
Turkey has long pressed for closer regional cooperation in tackling terrorism as its army and security forces battle Kurdish militants that Ankara and its Western allies classify as terrorists.
Turkey is part of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State in neighbouring Syria and is also a vocal opponent of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a stance that has put it at odds with Assad's ally, Iran.
On Thursday Erdogan called for greater unity among Muslim countries.
"The more that we as Muslims, as Muslim countries, fall out with each other, the more the innocents who have put their hopes in us will be exposed to strife," he said.
Also speaking at the summit, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke out against divisions among Muslims. Shi'ite Iran is at loggerheads with Sunni Muslim powers including Saudi Arabia in Yemen as well as in Syria.
"No message which would fuel division in the Islamic community should come out of the conference," Rouhani told the conference, according to Iranian state television.
Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah, son of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Thursday categorically said he would not resign as a director of Matrix Imaging Solutions in the wake of charges of nepotism against his father.
The code of conduct to be followed by the ministers applies to their minor children, family members who are dependent on them and wife/husband. Though I am living with my father (Siddaramaiah), I am not dependent on him. I am a doctor by profession. Hence, the code of conduct does not apply to me, he told this newspaper.
The contract to establish a superspecialty laboratory at Victoria hospital was awarded after a transparent tendering process. It has been politicised unnecessarily. It would send a wrong message if I resign (as a director of the company). I dont like to politicise it, Yathindra said.
He said his company had no intention to make a profit from the venture. The company will conduct medical examinations at 20 per cent less cost than what Victoria Hospital charges. The aim is to help poor patients, he said.
Transparent tender
When contacted, Medical Education Minister, Dr Sharan Prakash Patil, said the question of cancelling the contract awarded to the company owned by Siddaramaiahs son Yathindra did not arise. We will be going ahead with the inauguration, but the date has not been fixed as there are a few pending works to be completed at the facility. The contract has been awarded through a transparent bidding process. The question of cancelling it does not arise, he said.
An embarrassed Congress high command has summoned its party chief in Karnataka G Parameshwara to seek details about the latest controversy surrounding Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs son, whose firm was given a contract to run a lab in a government hospital.
Parameshwara, who will arrive in Delhi on Friday, is expected to meet party top brass and explain the situation. It is also learnt that the party has sought details from Karnataka in-charge General Secretary Digvijay Singh about the row. Incidentally, Singh was in Bengaluru on Wednesday when the controversy broke out.
The latest controversy over alleged nepotism came at a time when a large number of MLAs have been demanding a reshuffle of the Cabinet while another section of leaders was pitching for leadership change.
The MLAs had earlier complained to the high command that the state government was busy addressing its own controversy instead of tackling the unprecedented drought, which the state is facing now.
The party top brass is worried about the frequent controversies surrounding the chief minister and about the state leadership being forced onto the back foot to defend him. Earlier, the party had expressed serious concern over the row involving an expensive watch worn by Siddaramaiah and the setting up of the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
Party senior leader and former chief minister S M Krishna recently met party national president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi and complained against Siddaramaiah. Even senior leader Mallikarjuna Kharge had urged CM to drop the proposal of setting up the ACB.
Normal life remained disrupted on third consecutive day on Thursday in Kashmir Valley due to restrictions and strike against the killing of four civilians in security forces firing in frontier Kupwara district on Tuesday.
While the strike was called by hardline Hurriyat and JKLF, authorities imposed curfew in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of six police stations of old Srinagar and Kupwara, Langate, Magam and Handwara town, where two youth and a woman were killed in protests on Tuesday. Subsequently, another youth was killed during protests on Wednesday in the same area.
The killings triggered widespread protests and clashes in Handwara and Kupwara in which dozens of people including policemen were injured.
On Thursday authorities suspended mobile internet services across Kashmir valley to block rumour mongering on social networking sites. Though mobile service providers remained tight-lipped about suspension of the services, a senior police official said the step was taken to check spreading of rumours.
He said the suspension was a temporary measure and services would be restored as soon as the situation normalise.
Police also denied entry of journalists into curfew-bound Handwara town. Reports said the town has been garrisoned and police and paramilitary forces in riot gear are manning barricades erected at the entry points of Handwara.
Reports said public transport remained off the roads in most parts of the valley while private transport was plying in some areas of Srinagar. Most of the government offices witnessed thin attendance while educational institutions remained closed.
In Srinagar, security forces closed all the exit and entrance points to old Srinagar with barbed wire and blocked road junctions with armored vehicles. Civil Lines areas of the city also witnessed complete shutdown with heavy deployment of forces on roads, reports added.
Reports from other district headquarters said that business establishments remained shut to protest the killings. Chairmen of both factions of Hurriyat, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Shah Geelani were put under house arrest while JKLF chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik continues to remain in police custody. He was arrested three days back.
A police spokesman said situation remained normal throughout Kashmir. However, isolated minor incidents stone pelting were reported from some area in which there were no reports of any injury to anybody so far, he said.
As part of the Centre efforts to decongest national capital region by building link roads, flyovers and underpasses, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has come up with a detailed proposal and sought experts comments on it.
The proposal has been uploaded on the NHAI website and the authority has requested architects, town-planners and other citizens to send in their suggestions and comments by April 30.
The authority also created a separate cell to work on decongesting Delhi and the NCR, which comprises 13 districts of Haryana, UPs 7 and 2 of Rajasthan as well as boats of over 88.50 lakh vehicles.
Worried over increasing pollution level, earlier Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has promised to address the problems in 2 years by decongesting national capital by improving infrastructure to efficient management of traffic and promoting eco-friendly fuel.
In November 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation of 3 National Highway projects Eastern Peripheral Highway (EPH), Western Peripheral Highway (WPH) and eight-laning of NH between Mukarba Chowk in Delhi and Panipat in Haryana. Once these projects complete a large number of vehicles, which come from southern side of the national capital, can go to the neighbouring states without entering Delhi.
The NHAI proposes to connect Azadpur to Sonipat, Kashmiri Gate to Baghpat, Nizamuddin Bridge to Dasna, Lajpat Nagar to Kherli Kankar in Haryana and Bhikaji Cama Place to NBRC Gate on NH-8 in Haryana among others for radial connectivity of Outer Ring Road to EPE and WPE.
It also proposed to decongest the settlement areas through elevated corridor or by rerouting the networks by a green field alignment.
Apart from this, NHAI says that new links to NH-8 will further decongest Delhi-Gurgaon road, Palam area, Aya Nagar, Vasant Kunj and MG (Mehrauli-Gurgaon) Road.
In order to decongest NH-8/Gurgaon, NHAI proposes a links to connect Vasant Kunj to Aya Nagar on Gurgaon-Mehrauli road (NH-236), Sikandarpur/Guru Dronacharya Metro station to NSG Gate on NH-8, among others.
To decongest the Delhi-Gurgaon section of the NH-8, NHAI proposed construction of flyover and underpass at Hero Honda Chowk on Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway as well as constructing of underpasses, overpasses etc. for improvement of 3 junctions at IFFCO Chowk, Signature Chowk and Rajiv Chowk.
Two members of a gang of cattle thieves have been arrested for an attack on a Delhi Police PCR van last year. On Wednesday evening, the armed men tried to open fire when they were surrounded by a police team in south Delhi.
Sabir Ali, 30, and Javed, 28, who hail from Haryanas Faridabad district, were nabbed from Govindpuri.
Police said they were informed that Sabir and Javed were cattle thieves from Mewat, Haryana. Their gang was involved in the attack on a PCR team in south Delhis Khanpur in September 2015.
The PCR staff had a miraculous escape when the gang members opened fire. They had also pelted stones at the van as a result of which the windscreen of the vehicle was shattered, said a police officer.
The chase proved futile as the gang members had managed to escape. They usually travel in a Tata 407 mini-truck without registration number.
On Wednesday, police got a tip-off that the gang would visit the capital again for cattle theft in outer Delhi. They were warned that the gang members would be carrying country-made pistols.
At 6.30 pm, their mini-truck was spotted in Govindpuri. Sabir and Javed were identified by an informer. They, however, tried to flee despite being surrounded by our team, the officer added.
Sabir and Javed then whipped out their pistols, but were overpowered before they could open fire.
They were arrested and a case under the Arms Act filed with the special cell police station. The investigators are questioning them to nab their accomplices and identify the source of their firearms.In the past couple of years, policemen have even lost their lives while chasing members of Mewati gangs.According to police, they have intensified vigil at border pickets and instructions have been given to the staff to check and verify all Tata 407 mini-trucks entering the capital.
Country's second-largest software services major Infosys today reported a 16.2 per cent growth in consolidated net profit at Rs 3,597 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. It had posted a net profit of Rs 3,097 crore in January-March of 2014-15, Infosys said in a BSE filing.
Revenue of the Bengaluru-based firm grew 23.4 per cent to Rs 16,550 crore in the March quarter compared with Rs 13,411 crore in the same quarter of 2014-15, it added.
On a sequential basis, Infosys' net profit rose 3.8 per cent from Rs 3,465 crore in the October-December quarter while revenue was up 4.1 per cent from Rs 15,902 crore during the same period.
Reacting to the results, the stock was trading at Rs 1,172.05, down 0.87 per cent, on BSE at 1002 hours.
Infosys Managing Director and CEO Vishal Sikka said: "Over the course of this year, we saw this strategy of bringing automation and innovation to our clients, on a foundation of learning and education, start to show results in the organic growth of our client relationships, in our win rates in large deals, and in the types of projects we are seeing in strategic areas where we never participated before."
In US dollars, Infosys net profit grew 7 per cent to USD 533 million in the March quarter from USD 498 million in the year-ago period while revenues rose 13.3 per cent to USD 2.44 billion from USD 2.15 billion a year ago.
For 2015-16, profit was up 1.9 per cent at USD 2.05 billion while revenues grew 9.1 per cent to USD 9.5 billion.
Infosys said it expects revenue for 2016-17 to grow in the range of 11.5-13.5 per cent in constant currency and 11.8-13.8 per cent in US dollar terms, in line with industry body Nasscom's estimate of 10-12 per cent for the fiscal.
The company said it has appointed Mohit Joshi, Ravi Kumar S and Sandeep Dadlani as presidents with effective immediate effect.
Cash and cash equivalents, available-for-sale financial assets, certificates of deposits and government bonds were Rs 34,468 crore as of March 31, 2016.
"Our growth trajectory improved in FY16 and we navigated the external business environment well. We will continue to focus on leveraging operational efficiency levers for consistent profitable growth," Infosys CFO MD Ranganath said.
During the quarter, cash generation was strong and Infosys managed a volatile currency environment effectively, he added.
Infosys said its quarterly annualised attrition rate has declined to 17.3 per cent in January-March of 2016.
For the March quarter, Infosys' total headcount stood at 1,94,044 as against 1,76,187 a year ago.
Net additions in the March quarter stood at 661 people. "Employee attrition reduced further in Q4, and is reflective of increased engagement with our people all through the year, and our steps to make Infosys an exciting place for the world's best talent. We continue to reimagine our internal processes to increase organisational agility," Infosys COO U B Pravin Rao said.
The momentum of large deal wins continued this quarter and bookings were strong, he added.
Infosys Board has recommended a final dividend of Rs 14.25 per equity share for the financial year ended March 2016.
In fiscal 2016, over Rs 216 crore (USD 33 million) contributed by Infosys was utilised across projects related to healthcare, education, culture, destitute care and rural development, it said.
In addition, the company has spent Rs 86 crore (USD 13 million) crore on multiple initiatives including Chennai flood disaster relief, environment sustainability and conservation of natural resources aimed at long-term sustainability of ecosystem.
India is "not forthcoming" in resuming comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan and such an attitude is "impeding" prospects of normalisation of bilateral relations, Pakistan's envoy to the UN has said.
Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi told a group of students and faculty members from the US Army War College last week that despite a positive start following the coming to power of the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India suspended talks between the two countries on "flimsy grounds and set unacceptable pre-conditions" for their revival.
According to a press release by the Pakistan Mission at the UN, Lodhi said in spite of Pakistan's call to resume broad-based, comprehensive dialogue, "India was still not forthcoming".
"This attitude was impeding prospects of normalisation between the two countries," the release said.
Lodhi said that defeating terrorism, growing the economy and building a peaceful neighbourhood were among Pakistan's top priorities, including promoting peace and security in Afghanistan and normalising relations with India on the basis of resolution of outstanding disputes.
"These national priorities frame our international diplomacy and our foreign engagements," she said.
Lodhi further said one of Pakistan's key priorities was regional connectivity and integration and cited the connectivity project with China linking the two countries through an economic corridor.
"The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that would link Pakistan to Central Asia and the Eurasian landmass will not be confined to China and Pakistan but will be win-win for the entire region," the release said.
With CBI getting nod to prosecute him in the alleged cheating and corruption in the LTC Scam, JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Anil Sahni today denied the charges and refused to resign.
"It's a conspiracy against me... Why shall I resign on moral ground when I have not done anything wrong," the second term Rajya Sabha member from Nitish Kumar's party told PTI here.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari has given his approval to CBI to prosecute JD(U) MP Anil Sahani against whom the agency had filed a charge sheet for alleged cheating and corruption in LTC Scam.
The Bihar MP is reportedly the first from the Upper House who will be prosecuted by CBI after sanction in this regard was given by the Chairman.
The MP said he would also talk to lawyers to file a defamation suit. Sahni alleged that he fell victim to a "racket" which operated in raising fake bills for LTC for parliamentarians.
"Twice I drew attention of the authorities in 2013 about false bill submitted in my name by racketeers against LTC," he said, defending himself in the controversy.
"I invite the probe agency to check my bank accounts in Delhi as well in Patna to ascertain flow of money on this count," he said.
The JD(U) Rajya Sabha member, son of former JD(U) RS MP Madan Sahni, said he would seek time with Chief Minister Kumar, who is now also JD(U) National President, to discuss the issue.
Asked who was "conspiring" against him and for what reason, the JD(U) MP hailing from Muzaffarpur, said he did not know persons behind the conspiracy.
"I might be targeted as I hail from a poor community and have been raising issues concerning dalits and have-nots," the JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP said.
CBI had filed a charge sheet against Sahani alleging that he, in collusion with other persons, used forged e-tickets and fake boarding passes to defraud Rajya Sabha to the tune of Rs 23.71 lakh as travel and dearness allowance reimbursement without undertaking the actual journey.
Besides Sahani, whose term in Rajya Sabha ends in April 2018, others named in the CBI chargesheet were Anup Singh Panwar, an employee of Delhi-based Air Cruise Travels Private Limited, N S Nair, then Office Superintendent (Traffic), Air India and one Arvind Tiwari.
Members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha get 34 free air tickets in a year for themselves, their family members and associates for domestic travel.
JD(U) state President Bashishtha Narayan Singh said the party would take appropriate action against Sahni after a probe into the matter.
"Our party always takes action in such matters. We will take action against Sahni after conducting a preliminary inquiry by the party," Singh told PTI.
Asked whether the party has served a show-cause notice to the Rajya Sabha member, he said the matter has just come to light and the party would initiate action based on facts that would be known from the report
The parents of TV star Pratyusha Banerjee, who allegedly committed suicide, have written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis requesting for a probe by Mumbai Police Crime Branch into her death.
In their letter to the CM, they have alleged that Pratyusha's boyfriend and actor-producer Rahul Raj Singh was "solely responsible for her death".
"...she fell prey to conman Rahul Raj Singh, who has not only cheated my daughter and is solely responsible for death, but also cheated many innocent girls like her to the tune of lakhs of rupees," said the letter, dated April 13, signed by Pratyusha's mother Soma Banerjee.
The letter, which has also been addressed to Minister of State for (Home) Ranjit Patil, Mumbai Police Commissioner Dattatray Padsalgikar and Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Deven Bharti, alleged that their complaint was not being heard by police.
The actress' mother alleged that instead of seriously investigating the matter, the Bangur Nagar police, where the case has been registered, was giving a free hand to the accused to destroy the evidence.
"He (Rahul) also has been threatening us and the witnesses. The death of my daughter is being coloured and portrayed as a suicide committed due to depression," it stated.
"Our appeal to you is that the investigation in the case should be transferred to Mumbai Crime Branch for a fair investigation so that justice is done after our daughter's untimely and mysterious death," the letter further said.
The 'Balika Badhu' fame actress was found hanging at her residence in Goregaon on April 1. She was then rushed by Rahul to a hospital in Andheri where she was declared dead.
Rahul, who has been booked for abetment of suicide, has been undergoing treatment for alleged depression at a hospital in Borivali since April 3.
The Bombay High Court had on Tuesday granted Rahul interim protection from arrest till April 18.
AirAsia today asserted that effective control of its joint venture AirAsia India is with Indian parties and said 'vested interests' were trying to prevent the local no-frills airline from offering competitive service and fares.
The assertion comes amid concerns expressed in various quarters about effective control at the low cost airline AirAsia India - jointly owned by Malaysia-based AirAsia Bhd and Tatas.
AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said it is time for India to end patronage and put people first and emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has promised fairness and transparency.
According to AirAsia, a provision in the brand license AirAsia India and AirAsia Bhd explicitly states that substantial ownership and effective control of the licensee remains at all times with Indian residents.
"We are shocked and surprised by the unprecedented opposition we continue to face in the Indian market from vested interests that are determined to find any reason or argument to block us in our endeavour to offer Indian consumer the most competitive service and fares," AirAsia said in a statement today.
It reiterated that AirAsia India's majority ownership and effective control are with Indian parties as per regulations.
"All the important decisions concerning the day-to-day operations of the airline are taken by the management team of the airline under the overall supervision, control, and direction of the board of directors (which include a majority of Indian nationals)," the statement said.
Meanwhile, Fernandes said the "constant attack on AirAsia, especially by certain members of media has saddened me but we will prevail. It is time for India to end patronage and put people first".
Last month, Tata Sons said it would hike its stake in AirAsia India to 49 per cent by buying additional shares from Arun Bhatia's Telestra which would be exiting the airline.
Telestra Tradeplace had around 10 per cent stake.
While Tata Sons would buy 7.94 per cent shareholding, the remaining stake would be purchased by the carrier's two directors - S Ramadorai and R Venkataramanan - in their individual capacities.
Post deal, Tata group and Malaysia's AirAsia Bhd would have 49 per cent stake each in the no-frills airline.
Meanwhile, Fernandes today also said Modi government has promised fairness and transparency and having met the Prime Minister, "I am even more excited about our future in India".
"My father was a proud Indian and of all the things that I have done, nothing would have made him prouder than what we are trying to achieve in India. AirAsia is about creating jobs and enabling people to do things they never ever thought possible. We made Asia smaller. That's all we want to do in India," he noted.
In more trouble for beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya, the Enforcement Directorate today moved the special PMLA court here seeking non-bailable warrant against him in connection with a money laundering probe in the over Rs 900 crore IDBI loan fraud case.
"We have moved the court seeking NBW against him and the hearing is likely to take place tomorrow," said an ED official.
Government today suspended the passposrt of Mallya, whose Kingfisher Airlines has defaulted on loans of over Rs 9,400 crores and who has been defying Enforcement Directorate summons, and even threatened to revoke it.
The 60-year-old industrialist, who has been in Britain for over a month, had skipped three summonses issued by the agency. He had also sought time till May to depose before the officials.
On April 9, in reply to the last summons, Mallya had informed the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case here that he will be unable to depose personally as scheduled citing the ongoing legal proceedings going in the Supreme Court over settlement of loans.
The agency had issued fresh summons in the first week of April to Mallya asking him to appear on April 9 after he sought two extensions from the earlier dates of March 18 and April 2 citing official reasons.
The officials said that while seeking extension Mallya had informed the ED that cases related to bank loans were currently sub-judice in the Supreme Court and he was trying to settle these loans with the help of his legal and corporate team and, hence, would require some more time.
Mallya was first summoned by the agency to "appear in person" at its office in Mumbai on March 18 but he sought more time citing his prior engagements, following which the agency asked him to depose on April 2.
Mallya was also directed by the Supreme Court to disclose all assets owned by him and his family in India and abroad by April 21.
The liquor baron is reported to be in the UK after he left India on March 2.
The ED has registered a money laundering case against Mallya and others based on an FIR registered last year by the CBI.
The agency is also investigating financial structure of the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines and looking into any payment of kickbacks to secure loans.
Having taken upon itself to reach out the digitally deprived MSME community in India through its initiative Boost you Business, Facebook has now reached Bengaluru.
The city on Friday witnessed the first such programme specifically dedicated to women entrepreneurs. Ritesh Mehta, Head of Economic Growth Initiatives for Facebook India, said, When women entrepreneurs succeed, economies do better. With women entrepreneurs, it is ensured that the money goes to the right place.
Taking the initiative to Jaipur next, Facebook plans to expand into states that offer strong MSME cultures and are interested in promoting them. Facebook, in collaboration with the state, successfully completed its first such programme in Uttar Pradesh, where it deployed a team of 12 people to reach out to entrepreneurs as well as artisans and craftsmen.
It plans to further expand the reach of this programme to different states by leveraging the support of respective state authorities. To do it in association with the state authorities gives us the benefit of support from the skill development department, the industrial association and the database of artisans. Thereby, we can add value to the state as well as the user, he said.
With focus on helping SMBs gain visibility, Facebook through this initiative is proposing itself as a technology platform that has the capability to launch and accelerate businesses. Over 2 million SMBs already have their pages on Facebook. We want to build a community, which can inspire young and aspiring entrepreneurs to grow and scale, he said.
On 11 March, panic struck engineers at a giant power station on the banks of the Ganges river in West Bengal state.
Readings showed that the water level in the canal connecting the river to the plant was going down rapidly. Water is used to produce steam to run the turbines and for cooling vital equipment of coal-fired power stations.
By next day, authorities were forced to suspend generation at the 2,300-megawatt plant in Farakka town causing shortages in Indias power grid. Next, the vast township on the river, where more than 1,000 families of plant workers live, ran out of water. Thousands of bottles of packaged drinking water were distributed to residents, and fire engines rushed to the river to extract water for cooking and cleaning.
The power station one of the 41 run by the state-owned National Thermal Power Corporation, which generates a quarter of Indias electricity was shut for 10 days, unprecedented in its 30-year history.
Never before have we shut down the plant because of a shortage of water, says Milan Kumar, a senior plant official.
We are being told by the authorities that water levels in the river have receded, and that they can do very little.
Further downstream, say locals, ferries were suspended and sandbars emerged on the river. Some 13 barges carrying imported coal to the power station were stranded midstream because of insufficient water. Children were seen playing on a near-dry river bed.
Nobody is sure why the water level on the Ganges receded at Farakka, where India built a barrage in the 1970s to divert water away from Bangladesh. Much later, in the mid-1990s, the countries signed a 30-year agreement to share water. (The precipitous decline in water levels happened during a 10-day cycle when India is bound by the pact to divert most of the water to Bangladesh. The fall in level left India with much less water than usual.)
Monsoon rains have been scanty in India for the second year in succession. The melting of snow in the Himalayas the mountain holds the worlds largest body of ice outside the polar caps and contributes up to 15% of the river flow has been delayed this year, says SK Haldar, general manager of the barrage. There are fluctuations like this every year, he says.
But the evidence about the declining water levels and waning health of the 2,500km (1,553 miles)-long Ganges, which supports a quarter of Indias 1.3 billion people, is mounting. Part of a rivers water level is determined by the groundwater reserves in the area drained by it and the duration and intensity of monsoon rains. Water tables have been declining in the Ganges basin due to the reckless extraction of groundwater. Much of the groundwater is, anyway, already contaminated with arsenic and fluoride. A controversial UN climate report said the Himalayan glaciers could melt to a fifth of the current levels by 2035.
Emmanuel Theophilus and his son, Theo, kayaked on the Ganges during their 87-day, 2,500km journey of Indias rivers last year. They asked fishermen and people living on the river what had changed most about it.
All of them said there had been a reduction in water levels over the years. Also when we were sailing on the Ganges, we did not find a single turtle. The river was so dirty that it stank. There were effluents, sewage and dead bodies floating, says Theophilus.
The waning health of the sacred river underscores the rising crisis of water in India. Two successive bad monsoons have already led to a drought-like situation, and river basins are facing water shortages.
The three-month-long summer is barely weeks away but water availability in Indias 91 reservoirs is at its lowest in a decade, with stocks at a paltry 29% of their total storage capacity, according to the Central Water Commission. Some 85% of the country's drinking water comes from aquifers, but their levels are falling, according to Water Aid. No wonder then that conflicts over water are on the rise.
Water conflicts
Thousands of villagers in drought-hit region of Maharashtra depend on tankers for water; and authorities in Latur district, fearing violence, have imposed prohibitory orders on gatherings of more than five people around storage tanks.
Tens of thousands of farmers and livestock have moved to camps providing free fodder and water for animals in parched districts. The government has asked local municipalities to stop supplying water to swimming pools.
States like Punjab are squabbling over ownership of river waters. In water-scarce Orissa, farmers have reportedly breached embankments to save their crops.
Back in Farakka, villagers are washing clothes in the shallow waters of the power station canal and children are crossing by foot.
We would dive into the canal earlier for a swim, says a villager. Not far away, near the shores of the Ganges, fisherman Balai Haldar looks at his meagre catch of prawns and bemoans the lack of water.
The river has very little water these days. It is also running out of fish. Tube wells in our village have run out of water, he says. Theres too much of uncertainty. People in our villages have moved to the cities to look for work.
It is a concern you hear a lot on the river these days. At the power plant, Milan Kumar says he is afraid that this can happen again.
We are being told that water levels in the Ganges have declined by a fourth. Being located on the banks of one of the worlds largest rivers, we never thought we would face a scarcity of water.
The unthinkable is happening.
A Dalit victim of gang-rape or murder could get at least Rs 8.25 lakh from states with the Centre on Ambedkar Jayanti notifying the substantial increase in compensation.
The Centre has amended the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules of 1995 and issuance of notification came on April 14, the day the nation celebrated the 125th birth anniversary of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar.
The latest changes make the list of crimes to be compensated more specific under 47 heads compared to 22 in the previous amendment, and put more clear instructions on the disbursement of the compensation that ranges from Rs one lakh to Rs 8.25 lakh. Until now, the compensation ranged between Rs 60,000 to Rs 5 lakh.
The state government will now have to provide monetary relief within seven days besides providing immediate relief like food, water, clothing, shelter, medical aid and transport facilities to victims.
According to the amendments, abusing by caste name in public place and garlanding Dalits with footwear or parading naked will result in Rs 1 lakh compensation.
With cases of Dalits being discriminated on electoral front coming to light, the compensation on such incidents has been raised to Rs 85,000 from Rs 50,000.
The enhanced compensation for a gangrape victim will be disbursed in three instalments with half of the money being given soon after medical examination confirming the crime. A rape victim would get at least Rs 5 lakh.
The new rules have changed the compensation for kin of murder victims. Previously, the kin would have got Rs 5 lakh if an earning Dalit member was killed and Rs 2.5 lakh for a non-earning victim, the fresh regulations do not make any such distinction and give Rs 8.25 lakh as relief.
Compensation for crime against Dalit women has also been clearly delineated compared to the 2011 amendments.
A acid attack victim, whose face was damaged, could get at least Rs 8.25 lakh while Rs 2 lakh should be given to victims of incidents of intentionally touching a Dalit woman without consent, using acts or gestures, as an act of sexual nature.
The Supreme Court has upheld the conviction and sentence of life term awarded to six people for killing a BJP worker in Trichy in 1999.
The BJP worker was killed just after the Coimbatore serial blasts with an aim to stop the growth of the saffron party.
The appellants claimed that prosecution witness Lakshmi Priya, the daughter of deceased Dr Sridhar, BJPs town secretary at Trichy, could not be relied as it was doubtful if she was present on the spot. They claimed the number of assailants was not clear and the conspiracy for the crime was also not proved.
Relying upon the version of victims daughter, the court noted that she was hiding after the incident, fearing for her life and so she was not seen by other witnesses. Lakshmi claimed she was studying in her house when she heard a screamsave me. Realising that it was of her father, she went out of the gate and saw six-seven people stabbing her father with knife-like weapons.
The court grave credence to statement of witness Sayeed Ibrahim, a purse manufacturer, who knew all six convicts. He claimed he was a member of the Al-Umma movement which was a banned organisation and his job was to collect money for the undercover or arrested members of the organisation.
The Tamil Nadu Police filed charge sheet against 13 people in the case but the trial court exonerated six people and the state government did not challenge the order in the high court.
Severe heat wave conditions prevailing in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have so far claimed over 150 lives in the past few days. Temperature ranging from 40 to 45 degrees, which is almost 5 degrees more than seasonal average, has affected normal life in almost all 10 districts in Telangana and 13 districts in AP.
Hot weather along with severe dry winds have turned life into a veritable hell in these two states, which are also facing acute shortage of drinking water. In Telangana, the government has pressed water tankers to cater to the needs of 1,650 rural areas particularly in Mahbubnagar, Medak, Nizamabad, Ranga Reddy and Nalgonda districts. There is also severe shortage of green fodder for the cattle.
In Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema region bore the brunt of heat, while coastal region was comparatively cooler. Anantapur continued to sizzle under 44 degrees Celsius day time temperature, Kurnool and Nandyal at 43 degrees, Tirupati 42 and Kadapa 41.
Vijayawada recorded 40 degrees Celsius. In Anantapur, Tarimela and Pamudurti were the hottest with 46 degrees temperature. District revenue officials say that such high temperatures were noted almost after 12 years.
More funds
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh chief minister who has held a video conference with all district collectors on Friday, has directed them to give top priority to provision of drinking water. He said that additional funds have been released to cater drinking water through water tankers.
In Telangana, Adilabad recorded 45 degrees, Hyderabad 43, Warangal and Karimnagar 40. Coal belt region of Ramagundam was the hottest in Telangana which crossed 45 degrees in the open mining sector. Considering the severity of the heat wave, Telangana government has declared summer holidays for all schools from Saturday and warned private institutions not to violate the orders.
Meanwhile, the cyclone warning centre in Vizag has said that there could be scattered rains in few places in AP and Telangana due to cumulonimbus clouds arising out of hot weather which could bring down temperatures considerably in a day or two.
Hottest April in TN
Tamil Nadu, too, has been reeling under extreme heat wave conditions with temperatures crossing above 40 degrees on Friday in over 10 districts.
Dharmapuri recorded a high of 41 degrees, the highest April temperature for the district in nearly 18 years as it registered 41 degrees in 1998.
Trichy, Vellore, Tiruttani and Tirupattur have also recorded 41 degrees as people stayed at home. Most of the roads in Chennai, which scorched at 39 degrees, also wore a deserted look in the noon.
The latest weather bulletin on Friday evening said temperatures would increase by two degrees in coastal districts, accompanied by heat wave conditions.
However, southern districts experienced sporadic rains with Ayikudi in Tirunelveli district recording 20 mm rains in the last 24 hours. Erode recorded 10 mm rains in the same period.
A senior Met official said late arrival of sea breeze in the last one week has made the heat especially extreme in April.
UP sizzles
Mercury soared to 42 degree Celsius in parts of Uttar Pradesh on Friday. Heat wave-like conditions forced people to remain indoors while roads wore a deserted look during the day in the state capital.
According to weather officials, the maximum temperature was likely to rise further in the days to come. Hot winds emanating from Rajasthan are adding to heat wave-like conditions.
Rising temperatures have also pushed up the demand for power. Large parts of the state, especially rural areas, have been experiencing unscheduled power cuts for several hours.
The Left-backed students union of the Jawaharlal Nehru University on Friday accused the varsity administration of remaining callous to threats to life of Kanhaiya Kumar and Umer Khalid, even as the Delhi Police enhanced their security cover in wake of recovery of a pistol along with a threat letter from a bus operated between Kashmiri Gate and the varsity.
JNU Students Union vice president Shehla Rashid Shora said that she has been repeatedly alerting the university administration with regard to the threats to lives of Kanhaiya and Khalid.
But theres no positive response, she added.
Shora expressed disappointment with the silence of the university administration on the issue.
A teenager was killed in north Kashmirs Kupwara district on Friday when Army opened fire on people protesting against the deaths of four civilians earlier this week.
The firing left at least three others injured.
Reports said Arif Ahmad Dar, a Class XI student was killed when army opened fire on protesters in Natnusa, Kupwara, 110 km from here.
The protesters attacked the army camp with stones and in the retaliatory action, Dar and three others were injured, reports added.
Dar succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital.
Block medical officer of Kupwara Dr Fareed said Dar had received bullets in the upper part of the legs.
He said three other injured have been referred to SMHS hospital in Srinagar as they too have bullet injuries in legs.
Two of the injured have been identified as Amir Sheikh and Danish Sheikh.
Protests and strike are being held in Kashmir since Tuesday, when four civilians including a woman were killed in security forces firing in Handwara, where a protest was in progress after locals charged that a soldier had tried to molest a school girl.
Authorities have placed some areas of Srinagar, Handwara and Kupwara towns under curfew since Wednesday and also suspended mobile internet services from Thursday to maintain law and order.
Both factions of Hurriyat and JKLF called for a shutdown on Saturday to protest the killing of Dar. Separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik continued to be house arrested.
Meanwhile, normal life remained crippled in Kashmir valley due to restrictions and strike called by separatists.
Reports said in old city of Srinagar, clashes erupted between youth and forces in several areas after the Friday prayers.
Kashmir University and Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School Education postponed all the examinations scheduled to be held on April 16 in view of strike call against the killing of Dar.
In what appeared to be a shift in its strategy, the Congress did not resort to any aggressive defence of Robert Vadras latest assertions on joining politics and his relation with the Gandhi family.
If he has made some comment, we do not think there is any need to react, AICC spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters here.
However, privately the Congress leaders were taken by surprise over Vadras sudden statement that appeared to carve out a separate identity and hinting that he was not averse to joining politics.
I did not need Priyanka to enhance my life. I had enough. I always had enough. My parents gave me enough. I think I was educated enough to understand that I can sustain no matter what comes my way. That is my strength really, Vadra told ANI on Thursday. Political circles were abuzz over the outburst of Congress President Sonia Gandhis son-in-law.
As the Modi government assumed power in May 2014, the Congress appeared to throw a protective shield over Vadra, whose questionable land deals always saw sparks fly between the Congress and the BJP.
The Congress spokespersons defended Vadra vigorously when the BJP governments in Rajasthan and Haryana ordered probed into the land deals.
When the sudden change in the Congress attitude towards Vadra was pointed out on Friday, Tewaris refrain was there is a difference in the circumstances. Then, it was a matter of political vendetta, the Congress spokesman said appearing to suggest that Thursdays remarks were stray comments.
Another view in the Congress was that Vadras remarks were an outcome of the witch hunt launched by the BJP against him and dismissed suggestions of a rift in the family.
Vadra is also said to be upset over the constant lampooning he is subjected to on social media, particularly after Vijay Mallya seeking safer environs in the UK in the backdrop of loan default to the tune of Rs 9,000 crore.
India views Pakistans continued doublespeak on bilateral dialogue as a sign of civil-military dichotomy in the neighbouring country.
Though India is not expecting any substantial progress in its engagements with Pakistan in the coming months, it is unlikely to call off the process to restart the stalled dialogue.
New Delhi will rather keep its eyes on evolving situation in Pakistan, as well as the progress of the probe by the neighbouring countrys investigators into the terror attack on the airbase at Pathankot in India. New Delhi is also waiting for Islamabads decision on its request for allowing officials of National Investigation Agency of India to visit Pakistan and question terror plotter Masood Azhar in connection with probe into the attack.
Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistans Permanent Representative to United Nations, has accused India of not being forthcoming to the call by Prime Minister M Nawaz Sharifs government in Islamabad for resumption of the stalled bilateral dialogue. She made the comment while interacting with a group of students and faculty members from the US Army War College at her office in New York last week.
Despite a positive start following the advent of the Modi government in India, Delhi suspended talks between the two countries on flimsy grounds and set unacceptable pre-conditions for their revival, a press-release on the website of the Pakistans Permanent Mission to UN quoted Lodhi.
Since then, she added, in spite of Pakistans call to resume broad based, comprehensive dialogue, India was still not forthcoming. This attitude was impeding prospects of normalisation between the two countries.
Her comment was almost in sync with that of Pakistans High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit. Basit told journalists in New Delhi on April 7 that the process to restart the stalled bilateral dialogue was suspended.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi conveyed her annoyance to KPCC chief Parameshwara on Friday over the controversy in awarding government contracts to a firm where Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs son is a director.
Taking a serious view of reports that point to cronyism, Sonia told Parameshwara that such episodes raised numerous questions and everyone concerned must act to restore the publics faith in the system.
According to sources in the Congress, the urgency of the issue was underscored by Sonias act of granting immediate appointment to Parameshwara on his arrival from Bengaluru to brief her about the controversy.
The Congress president apparently wanted Siddaramaiah to come clean over Matrix Imaging Solutions Pvt Ltd bagging three major government contracts after Siddaramaiahs younger son Yathindra joined it as a director.
She did not appear to be convinced by arguments advanced by Siddaramaiah and his son that the company won the government hospitals contract for diagnostic labs as it was the lowest bidder. The company is owned by Yathindras friend, who is a pathologist.
Expressing unhappiness over frequent controversies surrounding the chief minister, she reportedly said these incidents have embarrassed the party.
While seeking details about the latest row, the party top brass is also learnt to have said it was high time a full stop was put to such issues which have damaged the prospects of the party.
No enquiry
AICC general-secretary Digvijaya Singh said: The whole thing is totally transparent. It was the lowest tender by the company. The file never came to the chief minister. I have not asked for an inquiry.
I have only advised that he (Yathindra) withdraw from the company. It is not an order, but an advice. Legally, the son does not have to quit. As a (matter of) propriety, he may, Singh added.
But Parameshwara, who was closeted with Sonia for more than half an hour, denied discussing the issue.
While leaving for Bengaluru, Parameshwara said: Neither Sonia Gandhi asked about this, nor did I explain anything.
Bengaluru Development Minister K J George has suspended two Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) engineers for allowing private builders to dump debris on footpaths.
Devaraj, an assistant executive engineer, and Keshav Murthy, an assistant engineer, both posted in Aramane Nagar ward under Mathikere subdivision of the BBMP, have been suspended.
Accompanied by Mayor B N Manjunath Reddy and Palike officials, George undertook a surprise visit on Friday to inspect the quality of road works under the Nagarothana scheme. On finding mounds of debris on footpaths on CV Raman Road and 11th Cross Jeevaraj Alva Road, he ordered the suspension of Devaraj and Murthy, who were in charge of that area. He also directed BBMP officials to issue notice to the builders and fine them.
During the inspection, the minister was greeted with heaps of garbage dumped on the footpath on the 8th main road on the same stretch, missing slabs on footpaths and Optical Fibre Cables (OFCs) obstructing the pedestrians. He asked the engineer concerned to immediately address the problems. The minister gave a dressing-down to the contractor and the PWD engineer for not erecting a board on Jayamahal Road with details of ongoing work, date of commencement and cost of the project, which is mandatory for all development works.
George inspected road works being carried out under the Nagarothana scheme in Bhoopasandra 3rd cross road, Outer Ring Road to Telecom Layout, HBR 5th Block and 1st main Telecom Layout, HBR to Telecom Layout and K Channasandra Layout. He also examined KG Road, Richmond Circle and Residency Road, which are being redeveloped under Tender SURE project.
Rs 797 cr for roads
Later in the day, George told reporters that the BBMP would develop 1,155 ward-level roads in all its eight zones under 80 packages at the cost of Rs 797 crore under the Nagarothana scheme. The works will be commissioned soon by single-window clearance, he said.
Currently, the Palike is asphalting 268 roads under 43 packages at the cost of Rs 417 crore and the Public Works Department (PWD) carrying out road works under 13 packages at the cost of Rs 260 crore.
The state government on Friday issued the final notification fixing the reservation for the post of president and vice-president of zilla panchayats.
The government, while making changes in the reservation of presidents in four districts (Ballari, Vijayapura, Chikkamagaluru and Mysuru), has left the quota of Hassan zilla panchayat president untouched.
The government had fixed the reservation for the Hassan zilla panchayat president as ST (woman) and it remains. JD(S) leader H D Revanna had accused the government of reserving the post to ST (woman) to deny his wife Bhavani, who is a member of the zilla panchayat, from becoming president. He had even threatened to withdraw his partys support to the Congress at the BBMP.
The High Court recently refused to hear the plea of a father who had moved the court seeking custody of his daughter whom he had given her in adoption 15 years ago. The High Court dismissed the petition as the petitioner was not able to establish his fatherhood before the court.
Filing a habeas corpus petition, the father, a resident of Bengaluru, sought directions to produce his daughter, now a resident of Doddaballapur. He sought directions to book case against his daughters guardians and sought his daughters custody.
A division bench comprising Justice Mohan M Shantanagoudar and Justice RB Budihal conducted an in-camera proceedings as the daughter was a minor and that it was a sensitive matter.
The bench had stated that they had spoken to the minor girl and asked her, in front of her guardians, and separately, about her well being and the girl had responded saying that she is living happily with her uncle and his children and that she is studying in Class 10.
The order further stated that she does not know who the petitioner is and that she was a daughter of a couple who had died. The girl had been living with her uncle who is related to her parents. The minor girl further admitted that she does not identify the petitioner, who is claiming to be her biological father.
Fifteen-years-ago, the petitioner who already had two daughters did not want another girl child and hence had opted to abort the baby. However, on the suggestion of his friend, the petitioner gave away his third child in adoption to a couple from Doddaballapur. The couple died due to illness and have left huge property in the name of the their adopted daughter. After knowing these details, the biological father approached the court seeking her custody.
The bench, in its order, stated, As of now, there is nothing on record to show that the petitioner is the father of the minor girl although he claims to be the father. It is open to the petitioner to prove his paternity before the competent forum and thereafter seek further orders relating to the custody of the child. Till then the minor girl will be in custody of her uncle.
The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has lodged a police complaint against some of its unidentified officials and those in the Urban Development Department for fabricating RTI documents against a senior police officer.
The complaint filed at the Seshadripuram police station on April 12 says the documents were fabricated with the mala fide intent of maligning Additional Director General of Police Dr RP Sharma.
The story goes back to 2012 when the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) started investigating the Rs 1,539-crore fake bill scam and arrested a BBMP executive engineer named Idaya Vendon.
A few days after the arrest, former mayors P R Ramesh, Huchchappa J, M Ramachandrappa and K H N Simha petitioned Amita Prasad, the then principal secretary of Urban Development Department, on August 9, 2012. They accused Dr Sharma, who was heading the BMTF then, of building a house in the BDA limits without the agencys approval. They attached an RTI reply by the BDA that stated that it hadnt sanctioned the building plan. The letter was sent to the chief ministers office for appropriate action the same day. The file was then moved to the BDA commissioner for further action.
Since the BMTF was entrusted with checking the violations of BBMP, BDA and BMRDA rules, the state government removed Dr Sharma on the grounds that a person accused of violating the building plan cannot carry out an investigation against himself. When Dr Sharma moved the High Court and the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) against the transfer, the government made the forged RTI document the evidence against him. The tribunal, however, quashed the transfer and reinstated Dr Sharma.
Dr Sharma later sought documents about his transfer under the RTI, and the BDA replied that the entire RTI document was fabricated.
BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa, who calls himself a farmers leader, now has a swanky new high-end Toyota Land Cruiser Prado to travel around.
He would be hitting village roads in the drought-hit districts in the luxury vehicle when he begins his tour on April 25.
The Rs 1.15-crore SUV (on-road price after road tax and insurance in Bengaluru) has been provided to Yeddyurappa by former minister Murugesh Nirani for his travel needs.
The vehicle was purchased in Bengaluru in January and registered in the name of Nirani Sugar Limited owned by Murugesh Nirani.
The seven-seater Prado comes with five-speed automatic transmission with three-zone climate control, among other features, and has been registered at the Regional Transport Office (Bengaluru West).
As per his assets and liabilities declared, along with the nomination papers for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Yeddyurappa does not own any vehicle.
Yeddyurappa is 73 years old. He will be travelling extensively, discharging his responsibilities as the state party president. I decided to provide the vehicle to ensure there is comfort and safety during his travel, Nirani said.
However, Nirani said the SUV was not a gift, but Yeddyurappa could use it as long as he wants. He said he had provided the SUV to Yeddyurappa in January itself, but now it would be used extensively because of his new position.
Yeddyurappa, in an interaction with reporters, said the SUV had been given to him by Nirani to ensure his safe travel in the drought-hit districts.
Sources said the registration number of the car (KA 03 MY 4545) had been procured after consulting numerologists.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is now on a tour of the drought-hit districts, uses a Toyota Fortuner (on-road price Rs 31.65 lakh) for his travel requirements.
However, he usually uses chartered helicopter services to travel across the districts, the bill for which is footed by the state government.
Close on the heels of a group of armymen beating up a traffic sub-inspector and a constable, and creating ruckus on Commercial Street in central Bengaluru, an army truck driver parked his vehicle in the middle of the road at Webbs Junction after colliding with a car, leading to huge traffic jam on the busy Cubbon Park road on Friday morning.
Shivaputrappa was on his way to Command Hospital from Shivajinagar when he collided with a car.
After the collision, the damaged car was cleared off the road immediately, but Shivaputrappa refused to move his vehicle until his senior officials visit the spot and inspect the scene.
Despite repeated requests by the traffic police, Shivaputrappa did not move his vehicle leading to traffic snarls till BRV Junction and Hasanath College for well over an hour.
Defiant
The traffic police tried to convince Shivaputrappa that they had taken the pictures and conducted spot inspection for further investigation, but he insisted that he would remove the vehicle only after senior army officers visit.
But the vehicle was taken away after his senior identified as Kamlesh Kumar arrived to the scene and asked the driver to take away the vehicle.
This is highly uncalled for. It looks like the army officials are made up their minds to trouble the traffic police after the Commercial Street incident, a senior police officer said.
Meanwhile, the car owner has filed a complaint against Shivaputrappa following which a case under Section 279 of IPC (rash driving or riding on a public way) has been registered against Shivaputrappa and are waiting for the army officials response to inspect the truck involved in the accident.
Sheep merchant killed
A 31-year-old sheep merchant was killed while his friend suffered injuries in a road accident on Richmond flyover on Thursday night.
The deceased has been identified as Kamal Abbas and the injured, Amjad Hussain, said the police. They were residents of DJ Halli.
According to the police, Abbas and Hussain were returning home on bike from a funeral around 11.30 pm.
Abbas was riding the bike and lost control over it after the two-wheelers handle grazed against the parapet of the flyover.
The two fell down from the bike. Abbas, who suffered severe head injury, was rushed to a nearby hospital.
He was declared dead on arrival while Amjad is out of danger, said the police.
The BJP has demanded a CBI inquiry into varied scams in the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) such as allotment of alternative sites to a company in which Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs son is a partner.
The party cited several instances of nepotism, favouritism and corruption by the BDA on behalf of the powers that be and questioned the manner in which the agency allots alternative sites to influential people.
The party demanded an explanation from Siddaramaiah, besides legal action against BDA Commissioner T Sham Bhatt and his immediate transfer. Since Siddaramaiah heads the BDA, he is directly responsible for the scams, the BJP said.
According to the opposition party, the BDA allotted 2.19 acres of land in Hebbal, a prime locality in northern Bengaluru, to Dr C M Rajesh Gowda, the business partner of Siddaramaiahs son Yathindra.
Land worth Rs 150 crore
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Friday, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar said the land was worth at least Rs 150 crore.
The land was allotted to Gowda in exchange for land acquired from Gowdas firm Shantha Industrial Enterprises in survey numbers 174 and 175 in Kethamaranahalli, Mahalakshmi Layout.
This was done with the single objective of favouring Gowda, he suggested.
The chief minister is already facing the heat for reportedly violating the code of conduct for ministers by allowing his sons firm co-owned by Gowda to set up a pathological laboratory at the PMSSY super-speciality hospital on the Victoria Hospital campus in Bengaluru. Shettar demanded a judicial inquiry into that matter as well.
45 sites and bribe
The BJP leader also accused former JD(S) corporator A M Hanumanthegowda of
bribing officials to allot him 45 alternative sites valued at Rs 64 crore in Janabharathi Layout in exchange for his dubious land acquired for extension of Sir M Visvesvaraya Layout.
Shettar suggested the BDA allotted alternative sites in several prime localities of the city in a similar manner and lost crores of rupees. He produced a list of 35 such alternative sites to the extent of 1.53 lakh sq ft (30x40 sites) allotted by the BDA.
He also cited nine instances where rules were flouted to allot corner sites as alternative sites in Banashankari 6th Stage.
Sites were illegally denotified in Kempegowda (77 acres) and Arkavathi (544 acres) layouts.
The entire scam runs into lakhs of crores of rupees. Its as big as 2G or coal scam. Valuable land has been allotted as alternative sites, he said.
Shettar also demanded that the government release the findings of a report submitted by retired IAS officer H Shashidhar who carried a detailed investigation into the violations.
He said several middlemen were involved in the scams.
Another controversy is brewing over the BDAs allotment of 2.11 acres in a prime locality in northern Bengaluru to Shantha Industrial Enterprises, whose director is Dr C M Rajesh Gowda, the business partner of Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs son Yathindra.
In January, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) allotted the land near Hebbal flyover to the firm in exchange for industrial land it had acquired to form Mahalakshmi Layout near the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) in 1972-73.
Gowda is also the founder director of Matrix Imaging Solutions in which Dr Yathindra is a director. The state governments decision to award the firm a contract to set up a diagnostics lab on the Victoria Hospital campus has already made things difficult for the chief minister.
BDA Commissioner T Sham Bhatt defended allotment of land to Shantha Industrial Enterprises, saying the firm was the beneficiary, not Rajesh Gowda. He said the decision on allotment was taken by the BDA board.
According to Bhatt, the land in Mahalakshmi Layout belonged to an industry. With the firm in the red, a court auctioned it and three companies bid for it. One of them was Shantha Industrial Enterprises. This was the time when the BDA was forming Mahalakshmi Layout and acquired the entire area. It compensated two of the three industries with alternative sites in 2007 and 2012. Only Shantha Industrial Enterprises remained to be compensated.
In January, we found an alternative land in Hebbal and allotted it to the firm. This allotment was challenged in the High Court which has cleared it, Bhatt said.
But a member of the BDA board said on the condition of anonymity that Gowdas firm got the prime land because of his political connection. The decision on alternative site was taken last year.
Former BDA commissioners also see something fishy in the allotment. They questioned the long delay in the allotment and the prime locality of the site. A retired BDA official said the land allotted was near Hebbal flyover and there was no space for setting up any industry there. The area was clearly meant for creating a park. Allotting the land to industries is the job of the KIADB, not the BDA, he said.
A former BDA commissioner said Mahalakshmi Layout was formed in 1972-73. As per the BDA (Incentive Scheme for Voluntary Surrender of Land) Rules, 1989, the BDA must hand over a 60x40 site for every acre of land acquired. When Mahalakshmi Layout was formed, due compensation was given to landlosers.
The land now given to Shantha Industrial Enterprises seems to be dual compensation. If so, all landlosers should get similar compensation.
After dilly-dallying for the last two days on quitting as director of Matrix Imaging Solutions India, Yathindra, the pathologist son of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has decided to leave the company.
His decision follows a strong message from Digvijaya Singh, the Congress general secretary in charge of the partys affairs in Karnataka, that he must come out of the company. Dr Yathindra is a director of Matrix, a diagnostics company that was awarded the contract to set up a super-speciality pathological lab at the PMSSY hospital located on the Victoria Hospital premises in Bengaluru. The Opposition has accused the chief minister of nepotism over the matter.
Responding to a text message sent by Deccan Herald, Dr Yathindra said he would resign as director of Matrix after returning to Bengaluru. I will hand over (my) resignation once I am back in Bangalore, he responded. When asked about his whereabouts and when will he return to the city, he said he would resign on Monday. But he didnt answer where he was. Earlier too, Dr Yathindra declared that he would quit the firm but changed his mind after seeking legal opinion.
Siddaramaiah and Medical Education Minister Dr Sharanprakash Patil had claimed that there was nothing wrong in Matrix getting the contract as the tender process had been duly followed. Even Dr P G Girish, special officer of the PMSSY hospital, had said that the tender would not be cancelled.
Colorado budget writers quietly gave Gov. John Hickenloopers administration the authority to spend $3 million to stave off closure of a Burlington private prison that is struggling as its inmate population declines.
The last-minute move angered some lawmakers Thursday and drew criticism about spending tax dollars to benefit a private, for-profit prison angst that is now jeopardizing the $25.8 billion state budget ahead of Fridays deadline for passage.
The cash infusion would increase how much the state pays Corrections Corporation of America to house inmates, allowing the company the largest of its kind in the country to keep open Kit Carson Correctional Center in eastern Colorado.
Hickenloopers administration said the closure of a prison in a rural community would have serious repercussions.
The governors budget director, Henry Sobanet, said he understood why the request was sparking criticism, especially when the budget is tight, but that given the seriousness of a potential closure in a rural community, the governors office found it necessary.
But Democratic lawmakers and critics of the private prison system are skeptical about the request.
They have a pattern of threatening to close prisons, to declare an emergency to get a bailout from taxpayers, said Christie Donner, director of the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition. This is Chapter 2 of the same crap.
Its the second bailout for CCA in recent years after lawmakers gave the company $9 million in 2012 to keep the Burlington facility open.
CCA officials informed the Hickenlooper administration in mid-March that they may close the prison which employs 130 people amid negotiations on the annual contract that starts July 1.
CCA officials did not provide an interview, but in an emailed statement characterized the negotiations as an ongoing conversation. Spokesman Jonathan Burns said the company is working toward a flexible solution to keep three viable prisons in Colorado. CCA has two besides Burlington in Las Animas and Olney Springs. In all, there are 24 state prisons.
The $3 million would come from $5.7 million set aside in the state budget for the Department of Corrections in case the prison population increases faster than current forecasts.
If the prison closes, the state will need to find housing for its 580 inmates and most would probably go to other CCA facilities, meaning the company would still get state money for housing the prisoners without the overhead of operating an additional prison.
The administration is considering a recommendation to eventually stop sending inmates to the Kit Carson facility. But with state forecasts showing an increase in the prison population the near future, now is not the right time, lawmakers said.
If we allowed it to close today, we would probably need that capacity sometime before we could fully implement this (realignment) plan, said Sen. Pat Steadman, a Denver Democrat and veteran budget writer. This is the only big employer out there. Most of those workers would leave Burlington and the prospect of reopening it would be difficult and expensive.
The economic impact in a rural community is driving the quick action from lawmakers. It is basically the only non-agricultural industry on the Eastern Plains, said Sen. Kent Lambert, a top Republican budget writer from Colorado Springs. Its hard to have this transition with no notice on closing it. Its not so much what you do, its when you do it.
The Hickenlooper administrations conversations with CCA took place in the background as lawmakers crafted the final budget bill but the request only came at the very end as a six-member conference committee reached a final deal Wednesday.
We have known about this for a little while, but yesterday was the first time members of the caucus have heard about the problem, Steadman said.
Senate Democrats are particularly angered by the request and the frustration spilled into a caucus meeting Thursday.
Id love to make a stand, said Sen. Rollie Heath, a Democratic leader. But, he added, I dont think this is where you do it.
I think its a game changer, said Sen. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood.
The Senate approved the budget bill in a 30-5 vote, with four Republicans dissenting, but if Democrats join the opposition it may threaten the spending measures passage.
If the private prison company doesnt get the money, argued Sen. Irene Aguilar, D-Denver, its not the Democrats fault if the facility closes its the Republican leaders who refuse to consider a bill to reclassify the hospital provider fee, which would open more room for spending in the budget.
I dont want us to lose jobs in Burlington, she said. We have other money available, but the only reason we dont have it available is because they signed a pledge to the Koch brothers.
Her remark references opposition to the hospital provider fee bill being led by Americans for Prosperity, a conservative advocacy organization backed by the billionaire businessmen David and Charles Koch.
GOP Senate President Bill Cadman took offense to Aguilars suggestion about the ties between the partys opposition to the bill and the lobbying from the Koch-backed group.
The Colorado Springs lawmaker suggested that Aguilar, a doctor, opposed the money because it is going to a Republican part of the state. Apparently, the Hippocratic oath doesnt prevent a doctor/senator from lying to the public, he said in a statement. The $3 million of prison funding is already included in the $27 billion budget for 2016-2017; this is a fact.
Sen. Nancy Todd, D-Aurora, echoed the idea and put the onus on the governors office.
They are the ones that have been pushing for the hospital provider fee from the beginning, so how hard are they fighting? she asked.
The discord forced the Senate to layover the budget conference committee report until Friday the self-imposed deadline for passage in both chambers. The delay may force lawmakers to request an extension, which is permitted.
In 2012, as prison populations in the state declined for the first time in 40 years and CCA warned it might shut down a prison, Colorado lawmakers guaranteed the state Department of Corrections would pay the company for 3,300 inmate beds. Donner called the arrangement padding the budget and gouging taxpayers.
The 3,300-inmate guarantee was in place until June 2013, and the number of inmates in CCA prisons hovered just above 3,300 until then.
After the slaying of corrections chief Tom Clements by a paroled inmate in March 2013, prison populations rose in the short term. But in the last year, Colorados inmate population has dropped by about 1,000 people.
One of the impacts of reform is that your prison population will decline, and thats a good thing, Donner said.
When Colorado contracted with its first private prison in 1993, companies told lawmakers they were a zero-risk investment and that the state would pay only for the beds it needed, she said.
Earlier this week, CCA announced it had purchased Correctional Management Inc., a private company that runs seven halfway houses in Colorado with 605 beds.
Jennifer Brown: 303-954-1593, jenbrown@denverpost.com or @jbrowndpost
WASHINGTON, DC, 13 April 2016 (CIEL) Hundreds of documents uncovered by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) push back the record of oil industry knowledge on climate change by decades. The research demonstrates that the oil industry was explicitly warned of climate risks in the 1960s. Significantly, much of this research was carried out as part of a broader industry effortdating from the 1940sto use industry-funded research to spur public skepticism of pollution science and environmental regulations. We began with three simple, related questions, says Carroll Muffett, President of CIEL. What did they know? When did they know it? And what did they do about it? What we found is that they knew a great deal, and they knew it much earlier and with greater certainty than anyone has recognized or that the industry has admitted. In 1968, a report commissioned by the oil industry detailed rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere and warned of potentially catastrophic climate risks. It warned of melting ice caps, rising sea levels, impacts to fisheries and agriculture, and potentially serious degradation of the environment on a worldwide scale. According to Muffett, CIELs findings add to the growing body of evidence that the oil industry worked to actively undermine public confidence in climate science and in the need for climate action even as its own knowledge of climate risks was growing.
Through industry histories and other documents, CIEL traced the genesis of the industrys collective climate research to a meeting of oil and gas industry executives in Los Angeles in late 1946. Faced with growing public concern about air pollution, the industry embarked on what would become a well-funded, carefully coordinated, multi-decade enterprise of funding scientific research into air pollution issues. Through its aptly-named Smoke and Fumes Committee, the industry not only funded research, but used it to promote public skepticism of environmental science and environmental regulations the industry considered hasty, costly, and potentially unnecessary. In the decades that followed, the Smoke and Fumes Committee funded massive levels of research into an array of air pollution issues, often conducted by institutes fostered and governed by the oil companies themselves. By the mid-1950s at the very latest, climate change was one of those issues. The documents also show how Humble Oil (now ExxonMobil) scientists actively engaged on climate science in the companys name beginning in the 1950s, even as they actively funded and published research into alternate theories of global warming. These documents are the tip of an evidentiary iceberg that demands further investigation, says Muffett. Oil companies had an early opportunity to acknowledge climate science and climate risks, and to enable consumers to make informed choices. They chose a different path. The public deserves to know why. To view the research and document excerpts visit: www.SmokeAndFumes.org Media Contact Carroll Muffett, President: cmuffett@ciel.org, 202.742.5772
Amanda Kistler, Communications Manager: akistler@ciel.org, 202.742.5832
-//-
Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) uses the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society. CIEL is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocacy in the global public interest, including through legal counsel, policy research, analysis, education, training and capacity building.
New Documents Reveal Oil Industry Knew of Climate Risks Decades Earlier Than Suspected; Suggest Coordinated Efforts to Foster Skepticism
Sarbjit Trailer: Miscarriage Of Justice In A Heart Wrenching And An Inspiring Tale!
Nokia is providing technology to help Idea Cellular to roll out 4G/LTE in three key Indian telecom circles.
Under the agreement, Idea Cellular will deploy Nokias unique Single RAN technology - which enables simultaneous 2G/3G/4G operation on one platform - across Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Kerala.
Nokia will also support modernisation and expansion of Idea Cellulars core network and operational support systems to support the 4G LTE rollout, along with professional services for network deployment, network planning and optimisation, system integration and supervisory managed services support.
Himanshu Kapania, Managing Director, Idea Cellular, said, We were looking for a solution which can support multiple radio technologies simultaneously on a single platform. We found it in Nokias Single RAN solution, complemented by its energy-efficient and flexible site solutions.
Furthermore, Nokia will enable Idea Cellular to modernise and expand its current 2G and 3G radio access networks and core network infrastructure, spread across six 2G circles and four 3G circles where Nokia equipment has been deployed in Idea Cellulars network.
Sandeep Girotra, Head of India Market, Nokia, said, As Idea Cellulars preferred technology partner in 2G, 3G, and now in 4G, we will continue to support them by providing new technologies and capabilities for superior network quality.
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by Kathleen Gilbert BEIJING, September 7, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) Escaped Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng is leading international opponents of forced abortion in calling upon the worlds largest company to end compliance with the Chinas one-child policy. Family planning police have targeted employees (569)
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Shares in Man Group are significantly undervalued, analysts at Shore Capital argued following the companys first quarter update.
Contrary to what one might expect, in a quarter pockmarked by volatility the fund manager saw net inflows rise by $0.5bn, helping to keep its total assets under management on an even keel as of 31 March, at $78.6bn.
The performance of its AHL fund was particularly striking, with Quant Alternatives seeing good net inflows of $1.3bn (8.0%) and an excellent investment performance of +5% in a volatile quarter, conditions not usually helpful to trend-following strategies, ShoreCap analyst Paul McGinnis said in a research note sent to clients.
Nevertheless, a difficult first quarter did leave the fund manager nursing losses of 16.3% on its Japan Core Alpha product, versus a 12.0% fall for Tokyos benchmark Topix index.
Trading on 10.9 times ShoreCaps earnings per share estimate for 2016 of 19.8c and sporting a 4.7% dividend yield, the company was changing hands at about a 20.0% discount to the sector.
That [discount] materially undervalues [] and we think it should trade at a sector premium, McGinnis said, sticking by his buy recommendation and fair value estimate of 245p.
His peers at RBC were a bit more circumspect in their appraisal of the companys solidness; hence their recommendation was held at a sector perform.
Mans efforts to diversify its product range and broaden its distribution network has resulted in net inflows during a volatile and uncertain Q1
Man remains the most inexpensive asset manager that we cover and trades at 9.1x 2017E EPS (sector: 14.1x) and at 6.4x 2017E EBITDA (sector: 9.8x), largely because of the large proportion of performance fees that it derives and the lower visibility over net inflows, RBC said.
The might of oil refiners along the New Silk Road stretching from Beijing to Lagos is gaining influence, especially as European suppliers shrink back after more than a century of dominance. China is by far the refining behemoth along the New Silk Road, closely followed by a highly competitive India and an increasingly well-equipped Gulf.
The vast majority of the 7.1m barrels a day (bpd) of new distillation capacity expected in 2015-2020 will be coming from the Middle East, China and the wider Asia-Pacific, according to OPECs 2015 World Oil Outlook.
Chinas refining capacity is expected to reach 14.4m bpd this year, rising by 1.3% on last year, thanks to teapot refiners in Chinas eastern provinces. A wave of excess refined products - notably diesel, kerosene and gasoline is piling pressure on Asian refining margins, especially since the second half of 2015.
China is now allowed to export 1.8m bpd of diesel double the 2015 figure. The country's influence on exports could deepen if domestic demand weakens and storage becomes limited, enabling Beijing to offer highly competitive pricing and rival exports from the Gulf and India, for example.
Meanwhile, India is competing to climb the chain of power along the New Silk Road and aims to become a refining superpower by 2025 sharpening the countrys competitive edge on the global energy stage. Indias state-owned refiners are taking advantage of oil prices at sub $40 per barrel as they negotiate purchase deals with OPEC members for the first time.
Talks are still underway between Gulf producers notably Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE with Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, Indian Oil and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals, which collectively represent 60% of India's 4.6m bpd capacity.
Ramping up refining supply in the Gulf, which sits in the heart of the New Silk Road, is increasingly front and centre of countries oil playbook and investment strategies. Traders at refining companies are fixed their attention on locking in Asian and European clients, while appetite for East African opportunities is also growing.
Gulf refiners are widening their meet-and-greet efforts in Europe as Russia meanwhile historically Europes dominant supplier tries to elbow its way into Asia. European sales are a growing portion of OPEC members Saudi Arabia and Iraqs portfolio Poland and Sweden are on the hit list as well as Kuwait, which already has the Q8 marketing and retail arm in Europe.
Kuwaits refining supply will be supported by state-owned oil firm KPCs downstream subsidiary KNPCs new $15bn Al Zour refinery on the outskirts of Kuwait City. The 615,000 bpd facility is set to be one of the largest in the region when it starts up in late-2019 and will boost Kuwaits marketing efforts abroad.
In Asia, KPC is deepening Kuwaits refining footprint in Vietnam, China and Indonesia through joint ventures with the countries state-owned energy firms. For example, KPCs downstream foreign arm KPI is heavily involved in the $9bn Nghi Son petrochemical complex project in northern central Vietnam, with around 200,000 bpd of Kuwaiti crude exports expected to supply the project when it comes online in mid-2017.
On a wider note, the number of refining joint ventures and merger and acquisition (M&A) activity along the New Silk Road are expected to increase, as operators feeling pinched by the 12-year low oil price seek out financial buffers with new and better-endowed partners.
Oman is pushing ahead with a 230,000 bpd refinery at Duqm along its central-eastern Arabian Sea coastline. While the $6bn refinery is not particularly large when compared to others in the region the UAEs 922,000 bpd Ruwais refinery, or Kuwaits 615,000 Al Zour refinery, for example it could evolve into geostrategic gold when completed in the third quarter of 2020.
Another major player, Iran, could join the more established refiners along the New Silk Road after sanctions were lifted in January. Tehran has revealed plans to buy, or invest in foreign refineries in Europe, Asia and Latin America, as well as ramp up its domestic production. The countrys refining infrastructure was well maintained during the sanctions, but Tehran needs a hefty cash injection to reach its downstream ambitions more than $10bn between 2016-2020.
Investors based in the Middle East are increasingly eyeing the significant refining opportunities along Africas east coast, with Dar es Salaam and Nairobi heralded as emerging hot spots. Africas annual appetite for gasoil and gasoline is expected to climb by as much as 8%, while demand for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has hit double digits. Refining activity will increase as East Africa quickly reacts to satisfy the demand of its thriving middle-class.
With a continent-crossing array of new clients, the collective influence of emerging refiners along the New Silk Road could herald the worlds new refining juggernaut.
Five people have been arrested on suspicion of terror-related activities following an investigation involving MI5 and French and Belgian authorities.
Four of the individuals three men and a woman were arrested on Thursday evening, while a 26-year old man was arrested at Gatwick airport early on Friday.
They are all being held for questioning in the West Midlands, where police are also searching properties as part of an ongoing investigation.
Assistant chief constable Marcus Beale, the head of counter-terrorism for the West Midlands, said: This action forms part of an extensive investigation by West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit (WMCTU), together with the wider counter terrorism network, MI5 and international partners including Belgian and French authorities to address any associated threat to the UK following the attacks in Europe.
The arrests were pre-planned and intelligence-led. There was no risk to the public at any time and there is no information to suggest an attack in the UK was being planned.
The men arrested in Birmingham are aged 26, 40 and 59, and the woman is 29.
Spains industry minister stepped down following a newspaper reports linking him to the controversial Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.
According to Spanish daily El Mundo Jose Manuel Soria had links to a Jersey, UK-based company bearing a similar name to Panama-listed UK Lines, which was set up by Mossack Fonseca.
All political activity should be exemplary, including when it comes providing explanations. When that is not the case, you have to take responsibility accordingly, Soria said in a statement.
Soria initially denied allegations of any links but later backtracked following the report in El Mundo.
His resignation came as Spain girded itself for likely repeat general elections on June given so far inconclusive talks between the countrys main political parties aimed at crafting a coalition government.
Spains ruling PP party had been wracked by allegations and several court cases for graft and tax evasion involving both current and past members over the approximately last two years, leading to a sharp drop in public support for the centre-right party.
As a result, current Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy came under extreme pressure to take as hard a stance as possible on any new corruption cases.
In a recent televised interview Rajoy defended himself by saying that neither he nor one whom he had appointed had been involved in any of the alleged cases of corruption.
Those allegations and court cases also helped fuel the rise of the PP's extreme far-left rival Podemos, which is against many of the reform and austerity measures put in place by Madrid in the aftermath of the Great Financial Crisis.
Recent allegations of political graft also forced the regional president of Catalonia to step aside following the most recent elections held in that northeastern region of the Mediterranean country.
1635:Close Property stocks and homebuilders shares weighed on the Footsie in what was otherwise a rather dull day of trading. FX markets were very calm, at least on the surface. Sovereign fixed income markets on the other hand were on the move, with yields on UK ad US 10 year bonds moderately lower. To take note of, the latest US data on industrial production and consumer confidence came in below analysts forecasts. Crude oil futures were also on the backfoot, likely as traders played it safe ahead of this weekends meeting of several of the worlds major oil producers in Doha, Qatar. FTSE 100 down 21.35 to 6,343.75.
1635: Three-month LME-traded copper futures have ended the day 0.8% lower at $4,782.00 per metric tonne.
1536: Stock in global exchange operator BATS is 20.84% higher in its first day of trading on its own venue.
1530: Front month Brent crude futures are lower by 3.4% to $42.39 per barrel on the ICE.
1500: The University of Michigan's preliminary consumer confidence index for April slipped from 91.0 to 89.7 (consensus: 92.0).
1415: US industrial production fell 0.6% month-on-month in March (consensus: -0.10%).
1414: Michael Saunders, ex-Citibank, has been appointed to the MPC.
1330: Three-month copper futures are down by 0.6% to $4,786.50 over on the LME.
1315: Empire State manufacturing gauge prints at 9.56 for April, up from 0.62 in the month before (consensus: 2.0).
1300: Citigroup results are out. The lender has posted adjusted earnings per share of $1.10 versus analysts' estimate for $1.03 in profits. Stock is higher by 2.5% in an immediate reaction.
1027: Front month Brent crude futures are down by 0.991% to $43.41 per barrel on the ICE, alongside reports that Iran's oil minister will not attend this weekend's meeting in Doha, Qatar of many of the world's main oil producers. In his place will go the country's OPEC governor. Energy Aspect's Amrita Sen believes that is a ploy to help bolster sentiment. She does expect a 'soft' agreement to come out of the meeting. Supplies from many parts of the world are falling, Sen adds.
1000: Eurozone trade surplus declines from 22.8bn in February to 20.2bn (consensus: 21.5bn).
0930: UK construction output dropped 0.3% month-on-month in February (consensus: 0.0%).
0912: Rio Tinto's chief reportedly sees weakness ahead for iron ore prices. "Chinese growth slips to 6.7% in Q1 2016, as expected; we believe current resources rally premature; we are inclined to short base and industrial metals (and associated large-cap miners)," analysts at ShoreCap are chiming in. [...] we reiterate our stance in favour of shorting base and industrial metals (e.g. iron ore, copper, nickel) and associated large-cap miners e.g. BHP, Rio Tinto, Glencore, Anglo American, First Quantum and Antofagasta.
0842: Man Group is leading risers on the second-tier index, with analysts at ShoreCap standing by their full-year assumptions for net-inflows at the fund manager following its Q1 update.
0831: Just a reminder, Citigroup's results are set for release at 13:00.
0830: "This morning marks the start of the official UK EU referendum campaigning period. From now until the poll date on June 23rd strict rules apply on commenting or publishing non-campaign affiliated pieces," Deutsche Bank's Jim Reid is pointing out.
0816: Its a quiet start to trading so far for the market London, with little movement in oil or FX and the Footsie just marginally lower, although benchmarks over on the continent are faring a bit worse. That is despite better than expected readings on Chinese GDP, fixed asset investment and retail sales this morning. The data was flattered by favourable base-effects, Capital Economics points out, but it nevertheless confirms that at least for now the worst is probably over for Asias largest economy. However, Nomura (and others) think otherwise when looking towards the medium-term. In terms of the big picture, and probably linked to the above, copper and iron ore are both on track for their largest weekly gains in many weeks, while gold is off for the week on the back of better risk-appetite and a better tone to the US dollar. FTSE 100 down 1 point to 6,364.
UK stocks closed in the red on Friday as oil prices fell and investors sifted through a batch of mixed economic data.
Oil prices extended losses amid reports the Iranian oil minister will not attend this Sundays summit in Qatar. Instead, Irans OPEC governor will be present at the meeting between global producers to discuss whether to freeze output.
Brent crude fell 2.8% to $42.61 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate dropped 3.1% to $40.22 per barrel at 1630 BST.
On Thursday, the International Energy Agency said the global oil glut was set to ease by the end of this year. It also said that any potential agreement to freeze output at the Doha meeting would have only a limited impact on supplies.
Overall theres a slight negative bias but this could be no more than a touch of position-squaring after this weeks rally and ahead of the weekend, said David Morrison, senior market strategist at SpreadCo.
Investors are well aware of Sundays meeting in Doha between OPEC and non-OPEC producers to discuss a freeze on crude output. Equity movements have a strong positive correlation to the oil price so we may see some profit-taking now given uncertainty ahead of the meeting.
In economic data, Chinas gross domestic product rose 6.7% year-on-year in the first three months of the year, down from 6.8% growth the previous quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics said. The figure was in line with analysts estimates but marked the slowest quarterly growth for China since the height of the financial crisis in 2009.
Other Chinese data came in more positive. Retail sales jumped 10.3% in March, beating forecasts for a 10.2% increase. Industrial production climbed 6.8% in March compared to forecasts for a 6% gain.
In the UK, data from the Office for National Statistics revealed construction output dipped 0.3% in February compared with the previous month, falling short of expectations for no change. Compared with the same month last year, output rose 0.3% versus analysts forecasts for a 0.7% increase.
Across the pond, US industrial production fell more than expected in March, according to the latest data from the Federal Reserve. Production was down 0.6% from February, which was much steeper than the 0.1% dip forecast by economists.
Manufacturing output declined 0.3%, with the production of durables down 0.4%.
Other data from the University of Michigan showed consumer sentiment eased in April. The preliminary estimate for the confidence index was 89.7 in April, down from 91.0 in March and worse than the 92.0 reading expected by analysts.
The Empire State index for April rose to its highest level in more than a year to 9.56 compared to 0.62 a month earlier.
On the corporate front, SABMiller gained after Anheuser-Busch InBev NV said it reached an agreement with the South African government to create a $69m investment fund and other commitments to help it secure regulatory approval of its acquisition of the beverage maker.
Man Group advanced after Shore Capital argued that the companys shares were significantly undervalued, following its first quarter update.
Housebuilders were expending their losses from the previous session as concerns about Brexit led Berkeley Group, Barratt Developments and Taylor Wimpey below the waterline. "Ahead of Brexit, people have been selling the housebuilders and the pressure will remain until we get the vote out of the way - that's the main headwind for UK housebuilders," Zeg Choudhry, managing director at LONTRAD, said.
Anglo American also slumped, after Rio Tintos chief executive Sam Walsh poured cold water on speculation it was keen on Anglos Australian coal assets on Thursday.
Market Movers
FTSE 100 (UKX) 6,345.23 -0.31%
FTSE 250 (MCX) 16,909.17 -0.54%
techMARK (TASX) 3,172.27 -0.29%
FTSE 100 - Risers
SABMiller (SAB) 4,281.50p 1.48%
Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 235.00p 1.47%
Antofagasta (ANTO) 471.00p 1.29%
Tesco (TSCO) 179.75p 1.18%
Vodafone Group (VOD) 229.45p 1.17%
Fresnillo (FRES) 1,019.00p 0.89%
Provident Financial (PFG) 3,086.00p 0.85%
Standard Chartered (STAN) 520.90p 0.83%
Inmarsat (ISAT) 1,011.00p 0.60%
British American Tobacco (BATS) 4,232.00p 0.52%
FTSE 100 - Fallers
Travis Perkins (TPK) 1,774.00p -4.62%
Ashtead Group (AHT) 814.50p -4.01%
Berkeley Group Holdings (The) (BKG) 2,862.00p -3.83%
Intu Properties (INTU) 296.50p -3.55%
Kingfisher (KGF) 357.30p -2.96%
Mediclinic International (MDC) 942.50p -2.43%
Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 172.70p -2.43%
Barratt Developments (BDEV) 509.50p -2.39%
Mondi (MNDI) 1,329.00p -2.35%
Wolseley (WOS) 3,850.00p -2.31%
FTSE 250 - Risers
Man Group (EMG) 162.40p 7.19%
Indivior (INDV) 167.00p 5.56%
Evraz (EVR) 133.10p 5.47%
Restaurant Group (RTN) 376.40p 4.18%
Circassia Pharmaceuticals (CIR) 270.00p 3.45%
Millennium & Copthorne Hotels (MLC) 446.70p 3.09%
St. Modwen Properties (SMP) 324.90p 2.98%
Kaz Minerals (KAZ) 173.00p 2.91%
Acacia Mining (ACA) 310.50p 2.64%
Cineworld Group (CINE) 549.00p 2.33%
FTSE 250 - Fallers
Tullow Oil (TLW) 213.10p -5.58%
Grafton Group Units (GFTU) 675.50p -5.52%
McCarthy & Stone (MCS) 252.40p -5.47%
Crest Nicholson Holdings (CRST) 475.00p -4.90%
Savills (SVS) 719.00p -4.26%
Howden Joinery Group (HWDN) 443.90p -3.88%
G4S (GFS) 189.20p -3.62%
Bellway (BWY) 2,285.00p -3.46%
Keller Group (KLR) 809.50p -3.40%
Cairn Energy (CNE) 202.80p -3.38%
London stocks were set to open broadly flat on Friday following a muted session in Asia, after Chinese first quarter GDP met expectations.
The FTSE 100 was seen starting five points lower than Thursdays close at 6,360.
Chinese Q1 GDP released Friday early AM slowed to slow to 6.7%, down from 6.8% in Q4. The data confounded some expectations that improved economic performance in February and March would offset the sharp slowdown seen during January. Retail sales and industrial production in China grew faster than expected in March to 10.5% and 6.8% respectively, said CMC Markets Jasper Lawler.
On the UK economic calendar, construction output is due at 0930 BST. In the US, Empire manufacturing is at 1330 BST while industrial production is at 1415 BST and University of Michigan consumer sentiment is at 1500 BST.
FTSE 100 mining firm Rio Tinto and Sinosteel Corporation announced the extension of their Channar Mining joint venture in Australias Pilbara region on Friday.
Its board said the joint venture extension, coupled with a separate agreement for Rio Tinto to supply iron ore from the Pilbara, will enable sales of up to 70 million tonnes of iron ore to Sinosteel over the next five years.
The extension will see 30 million tonnes of iron ore supplied into the joint venture, with Sinosteel making a one-off payment of $45m to Rio Tinto. The separate agreement will see Rio Tinto selling up to 40 million tonnes of iron ore to Sinosteel between 2016 and 2021.
In spite of a small 0.5bn net inflow into its raft of hedge funds, Man Group's funds under management shrank very slightly in a volatile first quarter of 2016 for global markets.
Funds under management (FUM) sat at $78.6bn at 31 March, down from $78.7bn at the end of December, which chief executive Manny Roman said was a demonstration of the value and benefits of a diversified business model in what are challenging market conditions for the global investment management industry.
FTSE 100 mining firm Rio Tinto and Chinese state-backed Sinosteel Corporation announced the extension of their Channar Mining joint venture in Australias Pilbara region on Friday.
Rio's board said the joint venture extension, coupled with a separate agreement for Rio Tinto to supply iron ore from the Pilbara, will enable sales of up to 70 million tonnes of iron ore to Sinosteel over the next five years.
The extension will see 30 million tonnes of iron ore supplied into the joint venture, with Sinosteel making a one-off payment of $45m to Rio Tinto. The separate agreement will see Rio Tinto selling up to 40 million tonnes of iron ore to Sinosteel between 2016 and 2021.
Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Andrew Harding and Sinosteel president Liu Andong signed the Channar agreement at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, in a ceremony witnessed by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
"In the 50 years that we have been exporting iron ore from the Pilbara, the Channar joint venture stands out as one of the most important deals not only for our business, but for Australia's economic ties with China. Now in its 30th year, it is one of the longest running and most successful partnerships between the two nations, Harding said.
"We place immense value on our long-term customer relationships and today's agreements clearly demonstrate that Rio Tinto and Sinosteel remain committed to our mutually beneficial partnership."
The joint venture extension remained conditional on approval from the Australian and Chinese governments and the Western Australia state governments.
"The Channar Mining Joint Venture was the first large-scale mining initiative between our two countries and is a cornerstone of Chinese and Australian trade. The extension of the joint venture marks another milestone in trade cooperation, especially in the current economic climate, commented Sinosteels Andong.
"The relationship between Sinosteel and Rio Tinto has demonstrated the ability of our companies and both nations to sustain significant long-term joint commercial activities for the benefit of all concerned."
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No power, no hot water, bedbugs at apartment towers near Downtown
Residents at the Latitude Five25 apartment towers on the Near East Side said they've had no hot water, no power at times. The city is going to court.
$326M Colman Dock terminal upgrade expected to start construction in 2017
Images courtesy of Washington State Ferries [enlarge] The project will replace seismically vulnerable parts of the terminal, while reconfiguring the layout to improve safety and efficiency.
Washington State Ferries is holding a series of open houses this month to share its $326 million plan for Colman Dock in Seattle.
WSF is working with the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration to replace old and seismically vulnerable parts of the ferry terminal. The project also provides a chance to reconfigure the dock's inefficient layout, and address safety concerns for vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians who use the space.
The joint venture of Hoffman-Pacific was selected last year as the general contractor/construction manager. The architect is NBBJ.
Construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2017 and finish by early 2023.
Open houses are set for April 19, 20 and 26 at multiple locations. See seattlemultimodalterminalproject.publicmeeting.info for details.
Colman Dock is the largest ferry terminal in the state system, serving more than 9 million ferry customers and 500,000 King County Water Taxi riders in 2015.
[enlarge] A new entry building, elevated plaza and view platform will improve pedestrian connections and integrate with the waterfront.
WSF has a number of goals for the project:
Reconfigure the layout of the dock to improve safety and efficiency
Replace the main terminal building with a building that meets current seismic safety standards
Construct a new entry building, elevated plaza and view platform to improve pedestrian connections to Alaskan Way, and integrate with the city's waterfront plans
Increase public open space and provide a complete pedestrian loop that connects the terminal building, King County Water Taxi and the Marion Street pedestrian bridge
Replace the Slip 3 overhead loading and vehicle-transfer span, and widen the walkway to handle more pedestrians and provide better ADA accessibility
As part of the project, King County will replace the passenger-only water taxi facility. It will be built during the first phase of construction and is scheduled to open in late 2018.
The state Legislature has approved funding to complete the work, using a combination of federal and state money, and local funds for the water taxi facility.
China on Friday voiced ''resolute opposition'' to the US-Philippines joint patrols in the South China Sea, saying the ''harmful'' move would flare regional contradictions and damage peace and stability in the disputed territory. The Chinese foreign ministry spelled out China's stance after the Pentagon said that the US-Philippines joint patrols in the SCS ''will occur regularly''. The ministry said China expressed ''resolute opposition against infringement of China's sovereignty and security by any country in any form.'' The foreign ministry told state-run China Daily, ''The military exchanges ... should not target a third party, not to mention supporting some countries to provoke China's sovereignty and security, flaring regional contradictions and damaging regional peace and stability.'' ''The joint patrols between the United States and the Philippines in the SCS have led to militarisation in the region, which is harmful to regional peace and stability,'' said a statement of the Chinese defence ministry. The statement came after the US said on Thursday it had launched joint SCS patrols with the Philippines, and that 275 troops and five attack aircraft would remain in the Philippines temporarily. Carter's confirmation
US Defence Secretary Ash Carter confirmed in Manila on Thursday that the US and the Philippines had already conducted such patrols. ''The Chinese military will pay close attention to the situation, and resolutely defend China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests,'' the statement said. The ministry said the US and the Philippines' were strengthening military alliance, increasing frontline military deployment and holding joint military drills with specific targets reflected ''Cold War mentality'' and it went against peace and stability in the SCS. ''We urge the parties concerned to sincerely respect the regional countries' efforts to maintain peace and stability in the SCS,'' it said. Beijing would follow developments, and general stability had been maintained in the SCS ''through joint efforts by China and relevant countries'', the ministry officials told the daily. Involving India?
Reporting on the US-Philippines joint patrols, Chinese English daily Global Times said the ''US moves to include India and Philippines in mini-NATO''. ''The US moves around the SCS show that it wants to include India and the Philippines in its mini-NATO framework in the Asia-Pacific region,'' Liu Feng, a Hainan-based expert on the SCS, told the Global Times. China's claim of almost all of SCS is disputed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. The Philippines has taken the dispute to the UN Convention on the Law of Seas, (UNCLOS). The tribunal proceedings were boycotted by China. Reports said the first joint patrol took place in March and a second one took place earlier this month. Carter has said the US forces will be given access to more military bases in the Philippines than the five announced already. ''The US Army has now returned, has reinforced its military presence in the Philippines and has given rise to militarisation in the SCS region,'' said China's ministry of national defence. ''We urge related parties not to target a third party or affect its interests when carrying out bilateral military cooperation,'' the ministry's press office has been quoted as saying by the state-run Global Times. Carter's visit to the Philippines comes after a three-day visit to India, during which the two countries decided to reach military logistics supply agreement to get access to each other's bases. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar and Carter, however, made it clear that the agreement, which ''will be signed in weeks'' or ''coming months'', did not entail deployment of American troops on Indian soil. China reacted cautiously to the announcement, saying that India as an influential country pursued independent foreign policy while hinting that it may raise the issue during next week's visit here of Parrikar. Liu added that China should maintain its stance on solving the SCS issue through consultations and negotiations, supported by countries such as Russia and Fiji. Earlier, the Chinese ministry summoned envoys of G7 foreign ministers and lodged a protest over a statement in Hiroshima expressing concerns over the situations in the East and South China Seas.
Anheuser-Busch offers concessions to S African regulators for SABMiller acquisition
Anheuser-Busch InBev has offered concessions to South African regulators for gaining approval for its $104-billion takeover of smaller rival SABMiller, just a week it offered concessions to the European regulator.
The package of concessions addresses employment, localisation of production and inputs used in the production of beer and cider, empowerment in the company, long-term commitments to South Africa and participation of small beer brewers in the local market.
AB InBev has committed to maintain its total permanent employment levels in South Africa as at the date of closing, for a period of five years.
The company also agreed to invest Rand 1 billion ($69 million) to support small-holder farmers as well as to promote enterprise development; local manufacturing, exports and jobs; reduction of the harmful use of alcohol and green and water-saving technologies.
As part of the R1 billion commitment, AB InBev will finance 800 new emerging farmers and 20 new commercial farmers to produce barley, hops, maize and malt for the company, with the intent to create additional jobs in the agricultural supply chain.
The company has also committed to expand the production of barley to be malted and to turn a current net import of barley to a net export of malt, a processed form of grain used in beer brewing.
As part of its long-term commitment to investment in the country, AB InBev's regional head-office for Africa will be located in Johannesburg and has completed a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
The concessions also include commitments by AB InBev to support the participation of small craft-beer producers in local markets.
"It is expected that the agreement on terms between government and the merger parties will expedite the merger proceedings before the South African competition authorities," AB InBev said in a statement.
South African Competition Commission had earlier extended the deadline for approval four times and early this week once again extended its scrutiny of the deal, saying it needed at another 15 days to complete its investigation.
Early this week, Anheuser Busch InBev, which owns Stella Artois, Budweiser and Corona, had submitted concessions to the European antitrust regulator in order to get approval for its proposed SABMiller acquisition. (See: Anheuser-Busch InBev submits concessions for European approval of SABMiller acquisition)
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Halloween creatures owls, crows and bats all live at Crossroads, and that makes us very happy, for these scary animals make a positive contribution to the habitats of the preserve. We don't even mind black cats, IF they are kept indoors. Feral and outdoor cats are exceedingly harmful to wildlife ... and that's not a superstition! But to tamp down superstitions, we at Crossroads will spend the week demystifying Halloween creatures.
On October 28, 2022, at 6 p.m. will be our Evening with Owls. The Open Door Bird Sanctuary will be at Crossroads, offering a one-hour presentation followed by the opportunity to meet and greet live birds. Learn all about owls and the other incredible birds in the care of the Sanctuary!
Down through the centuries, in many cultures throughout the world, owls have been associated with evil and death. Truth is, owls probably are not smart enough to be evil. But researchers agree that owls are about as dim as the nighttime forests in which they hunt.
Owls don't need to be smart. They have everything else going for them. They are muscular. They fly silently. Their huge eyes enable them to see in the dark. Their beaks and talons are strong and wickedly sharp. But their sensitive ears are what make owls extraordinary hunters.
Most people assume that the plumicorns (a.k.a. "horns) of an owl are its ears. Not so.
The actual ears lie under feathers on the sides of the head, and they aren't symmetrical. Because one ear is higher than the other and the ears are unequal in size, sound is different from different directions, helping owls locate prey, which they do almost unfailingly, even in total darkness.
Owls do not smell their prey. As with most birds, the sense of smell is insignificant, if it exists are all. Great Horned Owls frequently prey on skunks. Enough said.
But well-developed intelligence? Researchers have observed owls beating their wings on bushes to try to flush out little birds. Is this learned behavior? Is it problem-solving?
Maybe.
For the most part, owls do not have a lot of problems to solve. They appropriate abandoned nests of other birds, so they don't need building skills. They are stealthy by nature, and they pounce on and usually catch anything they hear, so they don't need hunting techniques.
In spite of ghost stories, legends of American First People, and superstitions from Europe and India, hooting owls do not foretell impending death, although their nocturnal calls are spooky. We hear them now and then this time of year, but we will regularly hear those eerie calls at Crossroads in January or February.
In contrast to owls, crows are noisy all year round and they are amazingly intelligent. They can learn. They can remember. They can solve problems. They can even identify individual humans. And they detest owls, though whether this is innate or learned behavior is not clear.
Those curious about crows will want to attend the Crossroads Book Club on Wednesday, October 26, at 10:00 a.m. This month, the book Crow Planet, Essential Wisdom for the Urban Wilderness by Lyanda Lynn Haupt will explore the fascinating world of these remarkable birds. The program is free and open to all, whether or not they have read the book.
So bring the family to our program on owls, learn about crows at the Crossroads Book Club, or learn about bats at our pre-school Junior Nature Club on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. or our Family Science Saturday program at 2:00 p.m. Costumes are encouraged but not required at Junior Nature Club and Science Saturday, and adult visitors are welcome.
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.
A 20 year old man who admitted being involved in stealing full beer kegs from two pubs and a local hotel, was sentenced to three months at Dundalk district court last week.
The court heard during one of the incidents a publican and his son who tried to retrieve the stolen goods were driven away in a van and had to bang on the door to get out.
Charlie McDonagh Jnr. with an address at Mullaharlin Park, Dundalk pleaded guilty to stealing seven beer kegs from Bellingham Castle hotel on November fourth 2014, four kegs from The Phoenix Bar on Park Street, Dundalk nine days later and stealing 10 beer kegs from the Bay View Inn, Main Street, Blackrock four days after that.
He also admitted the theft over 58 worth of goods from Aldi, Rampart Road - including two cashmere throws and ski wear on January 25th last year.
The court heard a silver Ford Transit had reversed into an alleyway at the Bay View Inn and ten full kegs of beer were taken from the side.
The owner and his son disturbed the thieves and jumped into the van to retrieve the kegs but the van drove off and they had to keep banging on the door for the driver to stop.
The defence solicitor said her client got married last year and his wife gave birth to a son three weeks ago.
She said it was a turbulent time of his life but he seems to have turned his life around.
The court heard a co-accused in relation to the Bellingham Castle theft, has had his case adjourned for a community service report and has been told to pay compensation.
Judge Grainne O'Neill said it was an extraordinary spate of robberies and said the defendant was very lucky not to be facing further charges in relation to the Blackrock incident.
She added he could be facing false imprisonment or worse and said it must have been incredibly frightening for the injured parties.
She imposed a three month sentence for one of the Bellingham Castle theft, suspended on him entering a bond to be of good behaviour for 12 months.
Judge ONeill also sentenced him to three months for the Bay View Inn theft and said he could appeal on his own bond of 300 and an independent surety of 600.
At the Federation AGM of the Irish Country Women's Association last week Blackrock Guild were announced as the overall winners of the Guild of the Year for Louth and were awarded the President's trophy.
This magnificent Cut Glass Rose Bowl, donated by Past President Breda O'Hanrahan, was presented to Guild President, Brenda Leary, by National President Marie O'Toole who was visiting for the night.
Blackrock were clear winners with 790 points, Drogheda came second with 590 and Louth village, last year's winners, were third with 540. Points are awarded according to a number of criteria, overall increase in membership, holding of open nights, attendance at Federation meetings, entry into Federation competitions and gaining 1st or 2nd place in these competitions.
Blackrock increased it's membership by 6 ladies this year, held 2 open nights - a summer and Christmas floral demonstration, and participated well at meetings and competitions. One of our members, Adrienne Boyle won second place in both the Aldi Federation Brown bread competition and in the Easter Simnel cake.
Blackrock also won the Nancy Darcy table quiz and the team made up of Assumpta Grey, Catherine White and Corry O'Dalaigh will represent the Federation at the National Final in An Grianan on Saturday 2nd April.
The guild celebrated the win by sharing a delicious specially iced cake after it's normal meeting, which this week was a talk and demonstation on the use of essential oils. Full credit must be given to all the members who support the meetings both in Blackrock and at Federation level.
Blackrock ICA meets on a Wednesday evening from 8 -10pm in the Community Centre in Sandy Lane. Our membership is now 39 so there is always a great buzz when we meet. Our programme includes craft work, speakers and demonstrations. A number of us will be attending a Basket making work shop with Ronan Russel of Newgrange Willow at the end of April. We also have a day trip planned to Castle Coole in Enniskillen in June. May is our recruitment month so why not come along to see what goes on? We shall be doing group work of the traditional crafts crochet, knitting, cross stitch, lace and card making with experienced members sharing their knowledge.
Look us up on Facebook: Blackrocklouthica and ICALouth Federation.
Harold O'Sullivan (1924-2009) was remembered today at a special event, organised by IMPACT trade union, that took place on Thursday last at Louth County Library.
A workspace in Dundalk Library was officially dedicated to the memory of the public servant, trade unionist and historian.
Harold was a former general secretary of the Local Government and Public Services Union (LGPSU), a forerunner of IMPACT, and also served as president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).
Speaking at the event, IMPACT general secretary Shay Cody said choosing to dedicate a workspace at the library in Harolds memory was very appropriate; Harold was a dedicated public servant and a passionate historian. The library service opens its doors to everyone in the community and invites everyone to share in the wealth of knowledge it contains.
As a trade unionist, Harold was a brilliant advocate for public services and stood strongly for well-funded public services available to all. So it seems entirely appropriate that we remember him here and invite future visitors to the library to reflect on Harolds positive legacy, he said.
Born in Dublin in 1924, Harold was one of 10 children and grew up in Kildare. During the Emergency, he joined the Defence Forces, was commissioned as an officer and served as a Lieutenant with the Cavalry Corps.
Returning to civilian life in 1946, he was employed by Bord na Mona. He next joined the staff of Kildare County Council and later became a Health Inspector in Waterford, transferring in that capacity to Louth County Council where he was based in Dundalk.
Early in his working life he joined what was then the Irish Local Government Officials Union, moving up through the ranks as Shop Steward, Executive Council member and finally, in 1964, General Secretary.
He was first elected to the ICTU Executive in 1968 and having been elected Vice-President of ICTU in 1977, he acted as a mediator in the ill-fated Ferenka affair. Following the closure of the Limerick-based steel cord manufacturing plant, with the loss of 1,400 jobs, he described the managements personnel policy as very poor", adding They regarded their workers as they regarded their machines.
In 1978, as ICTU President, he described the situation whereby workers paid almost 80 per cent of total income tax as grossly inequitable. In March 1979 he said it was a situation the PAYE classes would no longer tolerate.
Massive nationwide demonstrations, supported by ICTU, took place with a quarter of a million workers taking part in one series, with 150,000 marching in Dublin.
Following his appointment in 1983 to the National Planning Board, he was succeeded as general secretary of the LGPSU by Phil Flynn.
In the mid-1980s, as chairman and acting director-general of the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards, he steered the Institute through a period of staff changes and public scrutiny from the Dail Committee on Public Expenditure.
He later made his mark as a local historian, publishing or contributing to several books dealing with the borderlands of southeast Ulster. In addition he wrote numerous articles for local historical journals.
His M Litt thesis was The Trevors of Rostrevor: a British colonial family in 17th century Ireland (Trinity College, Dublin, 1985), while his doctoral thesis was Landownership Changes in the County of Louth in the Seventeenth Century.
His publications include History of Local Government in the County of Louth and John Bellew: a seventeenth-century man of many parts (both 2000).
A former chairman of the Irish Health Services Development Corporation, he also served on the National Prices Commission and was a member of the Telecom Eireann board.
Celebrations were in full swing at the annual Dundalk Incredible Years Parent Programme Graduation which took place in the Crowne Plaza Dundalk on Friday last.
The event saw 39 parents graduate from four different programmes attached to the eight participating primary schools in Dundalk.
They are St Josephs NS, Gaelscoil Dhun Dealgan, Scoil Eoin Baiste, St Nicholas Monastery NS, Redeemer BNS, Redeemer GNS, Castletown GNS and St Nicholas NS
The schools are very much supported in the rollout of these programmes by the School Completion Programmes (SCP) that work with them, namely Oriel SCP and SCP Dhun Dealgan.
The programmes are part of a wide range of interventions supported by The Genesis Programme, a consortium of almost fifty Partner Organisations that is delivering the Incredible Years suite of programmes and other evidence-informed interventions to children, families and communities in Dundalk as part of the Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme.
The Incredible Years is a set of three interlocking, comprehensive, and developmentally based programmes targeting parents, teachers and children.
The programmes are designed to work jointly to promote emotional, social, and academic competence and to prevent, reduce, and treat behavioural and emotional problems in young children
Yvonne Forde, Development Officer (Schools) with The Genesis Programme said:
The Incredible Years Parent Programme is a prime example of early intervention at its best.
The Incredible Years Parent Programme is focused on providing parents with positive proactive parenting strategies that aim to improve and strengthen the child parent relationship.
Sinead Shields, HSCL (Home School Community Liaison) with the Redeemer Schools Dundalk and Incredible Years Parent Programme Group Leader said: The parenting strand of the Incredible Years suite of programmes is fundamental to the overall success of the Incredible Years.
The Incredible Years Parenting Programme focuses on strengthening parenting competencies and fostering parental involvement in childrens school experiences.
The programme has had a significant positive impact on the lives of children and their families since its introduction to Dundalk in 2010. Since then over 200 parents have graduated from the Parent Programme.
This number is indicative of the sheer dedication and commitment that parents have shown to both the programme and indeed to their childrens well being and future development.
A Melbourne based technology start-up that leverages the power of emotional reactions and interaction is experiencing explosive global growth. Vent, an online platform that allows users to express their feelings and connect with people, has already raised over $500k in investment since launching in August 2014. Vent has acquired 1 million global users and expects further user escalation with the roll out of new features.
Co-founder Dean Serroni tells Dynamic Business When we first started the app it was actually built to vent frustrations. It was around the time when the Gillard government was going through all sorts and the Essendon drug saga was kicking off, and we sat around one lunch break and realised that wed just spent an hour complaining about things that were happening in the news. Rather than letting those vents play out on a platform like Facebook, Serroni along with business partner, Duncan Turner, decided to come up with a social app where people could express their feelings about issues that were frustrating in society. Turner, Vents Head of Product and a digital designer by trade, came up with the concept for a very colourful, vibrant and uplifting platform. We noticed that rather than people in their 30s complaining about things like public transport and phone bills we actually had a lot of teenagers gravitating towards our product to express their feelings and to talk about things they were experiencing at school, or personal issues such as coming out with their sexuality. From there, we spent the next 18 months adapting the platform to provide an outlet for a younger demographic to express their feelings and connect with people who can relate to them and support them, said Serroni.
Vent provides an outlet for teenagers and young adults to build supportive networks in a safe place. Many of our users share thoughts and feelings they dont feel they can on their other social media channels or with friends and family in person. We moderate the environment to avoid malicious comments or trolling that can be common with other social media and this has allowed it to become a safe outlet for many particularly for those from the LGBT community or with mental health problems. Our usernames are pseudonym-based so our users can reveal as little or much as they feel comfortable with, Serroni tells Dynamic Business.
Serroni and Turner have recently brought development onshore to allow for greater control over user experience and to facilitate strong growth plans. Vents millennial target demographic are savvy social media users, if the user experience and product design wasnt up to their standards, Vent wouldnt have experienced such rapid growth, said Turner. We spend hours talking to our users every day about what they like and dont like and are using this feedback to create a dedicated environment that is specifically optimised and tailored for our audience.
Vent is attracting users by the bundle, averaging 20,000 new registrations each week. Three million vents are posted per month generating 20 million supportive interactions and comments. Users are spending more time on the app than the market leader, with an average of 60 minutes spent on Vent each day, fifty percent more than the average 40 minutes spent on Facebook. The app has recently been ranked in the top 50 social network apps in the U.S., Australia, Canada, U.K. and New Zealand.
This month Vent have launched a private messaging facility. Having the capability to privately connect with fellow users has been the most common request so we were excited to launch the feature. Not only will it help out users continue to develop strong and supporting friendships, it will keep them on the platform for longer and help us transition to being a life companion to our users, said Serroni. The New private chat feature enables for mutual followers only to facilitate safe and genuine 1:1 conversations.
The dynamic duo has an ambitious vision, with plans to leverage the initial growth to create a raft of new features and transition to a broader web presence. Plans for raising further funding, Serroni and Turner are determined to see Vent expand. Further funding will help us enhance our product further, including more sophisticated methods of surfing relevant, interesting and timely content to users to better support the many growing sub communities we have forming, said Serroni. Vent are planning to move the company to the States in 12 months time and focus on growing and scaling the product to become a global leader in the social space, with their core point of difference being that they want to provide millennials with a safe and supportive environment. As Serroni puts it Vent is a social diary that is there with people as a companion to help them through life.
You can download the Vent app at:
App Store
Google Play
The EBRD at 25: the Bank played a role in the countrys success, and continues doing so
Poland has been a transition success story from when it received the EBRDs first ever investment 25 years ago to its development today into an increasingly flourishing economy that is firmly established within the European Union.
I got politics and economics moving and then others took over, said Lech Waesa, who rose from being leader of the Solidarnosc trade union to become his countrys national president.
EBRD at 25 We celebrate 25 years of investing for change
Waesas labour movement not only brought down communism in Poland but also played an essential role in the collapse of the entire Soviet empire.
Shock therapy (or Starting Over)
Post-communist countries chose many different paths as they worked to become market economies. None was easy or without pain.
Poland, under Minister of Finance Leszek Balcerowicz, in 1989 introduced a shock therapy which freed prices and created room for private enterprise. Despite severe hardship the foundations for a functioning market economy were laid.
Poland was rewarded with rapid growth as the private sector became the engine of the economy. The country also started to attract foreign investors who saw great potential in a country with a large domestic market of almost 40 million people and a strategic location between Germany and Russia.
Banks were the pioneers and it was a bank, the Poznan-based Wielkopolski Bank Kredytowy (WBK), which became the EBRDs first business partner in May 1991 with a credit line for on-lending to local small businesses. It is a relationship that exists to this day: in 1995 Allied Irish Banks acquired a minority stake in WBK, with the EBRD and International Finance Corporation also becoming shareholders. Today, after a merger with Bank Zachodni, BZ WBK is Polands third-largest bank and part of Grupa Santander.
With the Polish economy accelerating over the next decade, the EBRDs work in the country focused on privatisation and the development of the banking sector. Poland made rapid progress with integration into the global economy and EU membership in 2004 providing a great boost to its development.
The EBRD played a crucial role in the political and economic changes in Poland following the collapse of communism. More videos
Weathering the storm
When in 2008 the global financial crisis reached the EBRD region, growth in Poland slowed, but it was the only country in the European Union that managed to escape recession. Not for one year did the country register a contraction of its economy. This strong resilience was built on robust public finances, a sound banking sector, a well-functioning regulatory regime and a flexible and adaptable economy. For many observers Poland became the poster child of a successful transition process.
Yet, challenges remain. Despite a successful record in utilising EU funds, the country still faces huge infrastructure needs, for instance in its transport and roads network. Poland still has one of the highest energy intensity rates in the EU and needs massive investment to lessen its dependence on coal. Despite the shock therapy a largely unreformed state sector consumes resources that are lacking elsewhere.
The EBRD remains active in addressing all these needs of the Polish economy. In recent years the Bank has continued to address specific areas where it still can make a relevant contribution, for instance in the development of the financial sector and capital markets or in providing finance for renewable sources of energy in a difficult regulatory environment.
The EBRDs Director for Poland, Grzegorz Zielinski, says: Financing sustainable energy investments is one of the EBRDs outstanding areas of expertise and we are pleased to widen our activities in this area.
More to come
Overall, since 1991 the EBRD has invested more than 7.8 billion in Poland and become one of the largest investors in the country. An example of a recent successful project is the DCT Gdansk container terminal in northern Poland, which is expected to boost the regional economy throughout the Baltics by significantly increasing the ports handling capacity.
As the Polish revolution started in Gdansk it is only fitting that the latest EBRD success story is also taking place here.
Ive been writing lately about the attempt by the Snyder administration to continue the undemocratic takeover of local schools facing financial difficulties without having to use an Emergency Manager. Thanks to the Flint water catastrophe where the residents drinking water was contaminated with lead thanks to decisions made by Emergency Managers, that phrase has become (pardon the pun) toxic. As I have written (HERE and HERE), the individual put in charge of taking over the school districts is now called a CEO. And the CEO has all sorts of power:
Assume the financial and academic authority over multiple schools;
Assume the role of the locally elected school board for those schools they have been assigned;
Control all funds attributable to pupils at the school without the consent of the locally elected board;
Permanently close a school without the consent of the locally elected board;
Sell closed school buildings without the consent of the locally elected board; and
Convert schools into charter schools without the consent of the locally elected board.
If that sounds pretty much exactly like an Emergency Manager to you, youre absolutely right.
The Detroit Free Press recently published a piece that goes more in depth:
More chronically failing Michigan schools are likely to come under the control of a CEO whose mission would be to turn around those schools an approach that is being met with resistance among educators who say it puts too much power in the hands of one person. The state school-reform office already is moving ahead with plans to hire a CEO to take over four elementary schools in East Detroit Public Schools, a Macomb County school district in Eastpointe that serves part of that city and part of Warren. The move was announced earlier this year. The office is banking on the Legislature to help fund an expansion of that effort. The office has asked for $1 million to fund the districts CEO and three other similar positions. The money would pay for salaries, benefits and work-related expenses; $5 million more is being requested for schools with CEOs to pay for academic support, technology upgrades and professional development. [] The CEO would control how the schools funding is spent, could terminate any contract or portion of a contract and impose a plan for changes on the school, among other things. To us, this isnt any different than an emergency manager, [chief academic officer for the Macomb Intermediate School District Judy] Pritchett said. And we know that the emergency manager model has not been successful.
Its not entirely surprising that the rebranding from Emergency Manager to CEO is taking place now. Recall that last year Gov. Snyder took the State School Reform/Redesign Office (SSRRO) away from the Department of Education and put it under the control of the Department of Technology, Management and Budget.
The person in charge of this process is Natasha Baker. Shes an interesting choice given her history. As I wrote about last fall, Baker is a big proponent of charter schools. In fact, in an effort to start one of her own she called it a public boarding school she was the recipient of over $100,000 in tax dollars.
The school never opened.
The school was what the Center for Media and Democracy calls a ghost school and was one of several in Michigan that received millions of tax dollars without ever opening.
So, we have a rebranding of Emergency Managers into CEOs with the power to convert schools into charter schools without the consent of the locally elected board and headed up by a charter school booster who took a huge amount of our tax dollars to open her own charter school and never had anything to show for it.
And thats how things work in Michigan when it comes to education.
Its a shame that, rather than moving the deck chairs around on a sinking ship, our Republican legislators cant seem to realize that reinvesting in education is what is really needed to help these financially-strapped school districts. But, when you have to pay for over a billion dollars in new corporate tax breaks each year, the money has to come from somewhere and kids in struggling school districts are an easy target because they have very little political clout and an almost silent voice when policy and laws are being made.
Amazon on Monday launched its Payments Partner Program a global effort widely seen as a rival to PayPal in the United States, the UK, Germany and Japan.
Currently available by invitation only, the program provides for three levels of partners: premier partners, certified partners and certified developers. The first two are for e-commerce platform providers, and the third is for developers and agencies.
A separate agreement is required for all three types of partnerships. Participation is free.
Shopify, Future Shop and PrestaShop are among the companies that have signed up for the program. Other integrations include AmericanEagle.com, Chargebee, Magento, Rand Marketing, UltraCart, Volusion, WooCommerce and Zoey.
Spreading Benefits All Around
One of the draws of the program for merchants is that so many shoppers already have payment information registered with Amazon, noted Tom Caporaso, CEO ofClarus Commerce. Adding an Amazon payment button should offer millions of consumers a quick, seamless transaction process.
The program will be particularly valuable to small and midsize merchants that dont have much brand recognition, he told the E-Commerce Times.
Theyll get a reflected glow of trust as well as, possibly, joint marketing opportunities, an easy checkout process, and Amazons behind-the-screen expertise and constant improvement process will help ensure that the system flows smoothly, Caporaso said.
Customers will benefit from the ease and convenience of the checkout process and will likely feel a bit more confident with making purchases at Amazon-certified merchants, he suggested, as Amazon is one of, if not the, most trusted retailers in the U.S.
Payment volume from Pay with Amazon grew more than 150 percent year over year in 2015, Amazon said in its Q4 2015 financial report.
Partner Perks
Partners at all three levels will get integration support and certification review. They also will be allowed to use the logo Amazon provides to designate their status in the partner program on their websites. The logo can be used in promotions and on third-party websites with Amazons approval.
Premier partners will get instructor-led tech training on the features and functioning of Amazon products at the companys discretion; certified partners and certified developers will get only written and video materials.
Premier partners will be given early access to any new features adopted; the others will get access as available. Premier partners also will be given preferred placement on Amazons Partner webpage.
Too Much Information?
Obviously, Amazons going after PayPal, observed Andreas Scherer, managing partner at Salto Partners. By providing convenience and, perhaps, aggressive terms on its payment service, [it] would be well positioned to grow.
However, retailers have to think long and hard before they reveal their client data to another retailer, let alone the worlds largest retail e-commerce site, told the E-Commerce Times. Via this service, Amazon learns what people buy, who they are, and what they paid for a particular item. Information of that type is very valuable to have in a hypercompetitive industry.
Retailers who go with PayPal wont have to fear any conflict of interest now and in the foreseeable future, Scherer said. Thats the biggest hurdle for Amazon to clear.
Amazons huge subscriber base is one of the biggest selling points of the program for merchants, Clarus Commerces Caporaso noted. If Amazon certifies a merchant, shoppers will be more likely to make payments with Payments Partner Program participants than they might be with nonparticipating stores.
That gives Amazons program a running start, he pointed out. If youre an Amazon customer and you can see an Amazon payment button at every retailer you visit, youre less likely to want or need to sign up with PayPal.
The Everything Business
Payment processing is a huge potential growth area, Caporaso said. Amazon is trying to become the everything business, and this will go a long way toward helping it reach that goal if it does it right.
Amazon already serves more than 200,000 businesses, the companys Q4 financial report stated, ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to SMBs with Amazon Business.
The FBI paid hackers to break onto the iPhone of the San Bernardino, California, shooter, according to a news report published Tuesday in The Washington Post.
The bureau obtained the services of gray hats, the Post said, citing unnamed sources. It apparently did not get help fromCellebrite, as earlier reports had suggested.
Gray hats are hackers who sell flaws to governments or companies that make surveillance tools.
The FBI would not confirm that it had turned to gray hats, but its National Press Office directed the E-Commerce Times to a speech FBI Director James Comey made at Kenyon College last week, calling attention to his statement that someone outside the government came up with a solution that will be closely protected, and used lawfully and appropriately.
Comey knows about the people the FBI bought the solution from, he said, and he expressed a high degree of confidence that they are very good at protecting it, and their motivations align with ours.
Support for the FBIs Actions
The use of bad guys by the United States government, and in fact all governments, has been going on since the beginning of time, remarked Philip Lieberman, CEO ofLieberman Software.
I would rather live in the U.S., where safety and sanity trumps a repressive government that implements an idealistic set of privacy laws that end up putting my life at risk, he told the E-Commerce Times.
U.S. policy holds that the governments need to protect citizens trumps privacy rights, while the UK and the EU take the opposite tack, which has resulted in unintended consequences of death and destruction due to laws that protect criminals and psychopaths and criminalize breaches of privacy to the degree that potentially saving the lives of others is a criminal act, Lieberman said.
When it comes to justice, the FBI should be able to use whatever resources necessary in its pursuit of information, argued Brad Bussie, director of product management atStealthbits Technologies.
The gray hat is a contractor, and Im more interested in how closely the FBI will be watching its new contractor to see if they try to make more money with the technique that was used on the terrorists iPhone, he told the E-Commerce Times.
The Other Side of the Argument
From a macro perspective, its incredibly stupid to work with the gray hats, argued Rob Enderle principal analyst at the Enderle Group.
Its in line with negotiating with terrorists or kidnappers, he told the E-Commerce Times. The larger outcome is generally worse than the specific problem the efforts attempting to address.
If true, the action comes uncomfortably close to blackmail, Enderle suggested. The implicit threat is that, if you dont do what we ask, we will open your platform to attackers harming your customers and putting your business at risk.
The problem is, the ethics have an extremely fuzzy boundary, Craig Kensek, security expert atLastline, pointed out.
There are people who will say once youve gone black or gray, youll always go back, he told the E-Commerce Times.
If the FBI pays researchers to discover vulnerabilities and then reports them to the vendors, its participating in beneficial vulnerability research, suggested Tim Erlin, director of IT security and risk strategy forTripwire.
However, choosing to not disclose discovered vulnerabilities to the vendors simply ensures that risk remains in the market, he told the E-Commerce Times.
The FBI has not decided whether to disclose the vulnerability to Apple. In the meantime, it reportedly has written to local police departments offering its help to crack iPhones of suspects.
Microsoft on Thursday filed suit against the U.S. Department of Justice challenging the gag orders that accompany requests to access customers private emails and other data. The orders prevent the company from notifying affected customers about the governments demands.
The case is the fourth public lawsuit it has filed against the Justice Department in three years, including a lawsuit challenging a search warrant for a customers emails in Ireland.
The orders violate customers privacy rights, the company has maintained.
Microsoft has new data on the growing problem of secrecy orders and wants to propose new Justice Department and congressional actions that could resolve the issue, according to Microsoft Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith.
We believe that with rare exceptions, consumers and businesses have the right to know when the government accesses their emails and records, Smith said. Yet its becoming routine for the U.S. government to issue orders that require email providers to keep these type of legal demands secret.
Law Lags Technology
Over the past 18 months, the U.S. government has required that Microsoft maintain secrecy regarding 2,576 legal demands, which effectively prevents the company from letting customers know about warrants seeking their data, Smith pointed out.
Most of those orders 1,752, or 68 percent of the total have no fixed end date, meaning that Microsoft can never disclose the information to its customers.
The orders raise serious questions in the age of cloud computing, Microsoft said, because data no longer is stored in file cabinets or on servers inside a companys offices. Records often are stored on remote servers that customers trust companies to keep private.
Microsoft announced a plan to increase the use of encryption three years ago. It pledged to notify customers about data demands such as the ones currently in dispute, based on the same concerns raised in the new lawsuit.
Congress should amend the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, Smith urged, to address issues of transparency, necessity, and digital neutrality which means customers shouldnt be entitled to less notice because they store their data in the cloud.
The Justice Department is reviewing the filing, said Nicole Navas, spokesperson for the DoJ. We have no further comment on this pending legislation.
Privacy vs. Security Tug of War
The suit comes during an increasingly contentious period between Silicon Valley and the federal government. The government recently dropped a suit seeking to compel Apple to help the FBI crack an encrypted iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino terrorists.
The DoJ dropped the suit after the FBI notified Apple that it found a third party to help it access the data, something that Apple previously had suggested.
The suit also comes days after Sens. Richard Burr and Dianne Feinstein, the chair and vice chair of the Select Committee on Intelligence, introduced draft legislation that would compel technology companies to cooperate with government authorities on terrorism-related cases.
Technology and privacy advocates have registered strong opposition to the proposed bill and have voiced strong support for Microsoft.
Rallying Around Microsoft
The government has an obligation to notify any citizen whose rights it infringes, ACLU Attorney Alex Abdo noted.
For years the government has skirted that obligation by seeking out sensitive data from tech companies without providing notice, even long after any legitimate need for secrecy expires, he said.
Congress has an opportunity to fix the problem, Abdo added, by updating the Electronic Communications Privacy Act: It should require government notification; impose the high standard that the Constitution requires before law enforcement can impose a gag order on a company; and limit the duration of gag orders.
If Congress fails to make these changes to the ECPA, then the courts should step in, he suggested. In the Microsoft case, they should end the unconstitutional practice of failure to provide notice.
Microsoft receives a staggering number of orders in these type of cases, noted Electronic Frontier Foundation staff attorney Andrew Crocker.
We applaud Microsoft for challenging government gag orders that prevent companies from being more transparent with their customers amount government searches of their data, he told the E-Commerce Times. In nearly all cases, indefinite gag orders and gag orders issued routinely rather than in exceptional cases are unconstitutional prior restraints on free speech and infringe on First Amendment rights.
The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday voted 3-2 to approve a US$2.25 billion program to subsidize broadband Internet service and bundled voice and data packages for low-income consumers. The new subsidy is part of a major overhaul of the agencys Lifeline program, which has provided affordable phone access for decades.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, and Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel voted in favor of the measure. Commissioners Ajit Pai and Michael ORielly dissented.
The goal is not only to expand affordable high-speed Internet, but also to eliminate waste and fraud from the system, Wheeler said. Further, they will even the playing field in the modern economy.
By dramatically improving Lifelines management and design, and putting the program on sound fiscal footing moving forward, we will help low-income Americans across our nation connect to the Internet and the opportunities of the broadband revolution, Wheeler pointed out.
Down to Basics
The FCC launched the Lifeline program in 1985 to ensure low-income Americans had access to basic telephone service. It provides subsidized basic landline or wireless telephone service for consumers who are at or below 135 percent of the poverty line.
However, 43 percent of the nations poorest households cannot afford to have broadband service in their homes, according to the FCC.
The order approved on Thursday will phase in minimum standards for standalone broadband or bundled service starting in December 2016. The program will provide a minimum of 500 mg per month at 3G speeds starting in December, eventually rising to 2 GB per month by the end of 2018. It will phase in a minimum of 500 bundled voice minutes per month starting in December, and rise to 1,000 minutes per month by Dec. 1, 2018.
To encourage carrier participation, the FCC will enlist a third-party National Eligibility Verifier to screen applicants. There will be a streamlined process for bringing in carriers, called Lifeline Broadband Providers, and to refine the list of federal programs that consumers can use to verify eligibility. Those programs include SNAP, Medicaid, Veterans Pension, Tribal programs, SSI and HUD Federal Housing Assistance.
Narrowing the Digital Divide
The vote was a long-awaited reform for many low-income communities that have broadband access only through smartphone connections.
Todays order is a tremendously important step towards getting more Americans online, said Josh Stager, policy counsel at New Americas Open Technology Institute. Lifeline is not a silver bullet that closes the digital divide entirely, but it tackles the biggest barrier to broadband adoption: cost.Forty-eight percent of households making less than $25,000 a year are online, while 95 percent of households making $150,000 are online, noted Phillip Berenbroick, counsel for government affairs at Public Knowledge.
Eighty percent of Fortune 500 companies require job applications to be done online, he pointed out, which means low-income job seekers effectively have an automatic disadvantage when competing for jobs.
The FCC should expand the program to work with local public libraries and nonprofits in low-income communities, where many of the libraries currently loan out mobile hotspots to residents, said Craig Settles, a technology analyst who specializes in broadband issues.
Making broadband service available to low-income customers for less doesnt seem to be a problem for providers.
Cable companies have been supportive of the FCCs effort to modernize Lifeline, Berenbroick told the E-Commerce Times.
Earlier this year, providers including Comcast, Cox, AT&T, Verizon, CenturyLink, and Frontier filed a letter, along with Public Knowledge, urging the FCC to reform Lifeline to support broadband, he noted.
Republican Resistance
The Republican-appointed commissioners objected to the program because they were seeking stricter budget caps and sought other changes, Settles told the E-Commerce Times.
Pai earlier this week said he was looking for a lower budget $1.75 billion and a mechanism that automatically would reduce payments to carriers when program costs exceeded the budget, Settles noted. Pai also wanted to eliminate the programs $25 enhanced subsidy in counties with more than 50 people per square mile, as the subsidy was intended to support construction of facilities in Native American communities and instead has gone to cities like Reno, Nev., and Tulsa, Okla.
The government should make it easier to deploy mobile broadband on federal lands, suggested Public Knowledges Berenbroick. Many rural areas are near large swaths of federal lands, and providers often find it difficult to deploy in those areas.
There are many other actions that should be taken to improve broadband access, he added, such as ensuring accessible broadband conduits in federally funded road projects; ensuring that communities can self-provision broadband; and ensuring sufficient unlicensed spectrum for WiFi access.
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(L-R) Bank of England Governor Mark Carney; Rev. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury; International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde and Philipp Hildebrand, Vice-Chair, BlackRock, Inc; leave after participating in a panel discussion during the IMF-World Bank annual meetings in Washington October 12, 2014
The Archbishop of Canterbury, who is the spiritual head of the Church of England, has said he is not anti-business but he believes profit-making organizations should pay their taxes.
Rev. Justin Welby is also the senior bishop in the 88-million strong Anglican Communion and has faced criticism from some people for his criticism of the excesses of capitalism and the level of inequality in society.
He spoke about taxes to the BBC the day before he spoke to lawmakers from different parties in the UK Parliament on January 5.
In the interview he said there "needs to be simplification in tax so that people are responsible in the right place."
Before he assumed his position as Anglican leader and before he became a priest Welby has worked in the banking and oil industry.
His entry into the debate about the role of business coincides with campaigning for a national general election that has to be held in the United Kingdom before May 7.
In an interview with the BBC at his church's administrative headquarters in Lambeth Palace, Archbishop Welby said that businesses, which create jobs and local wealth, also need to consider how they use their powerful positions to support society.
"Business is important, we need to affirm the significance of those who generate and create wealth," said Welby.
Yet it is important that they contribute to the societies in which they operate by paying taxes.
"There has always been the principle that you pay the tax where you earn the money," he told the BBC. "If you earn the money in a country, the revenue service of that country needs to get a fair share of what you have earned."
"It comes back to the very simple principle that we see in what Jesus Christ spoke of - the importance of paying what's due. The Bible speaks of it endlessly," he said.
He noted, however, that a big problem for tax collection is "this unbelievably complex tax system internationally and in each country, well in most countries."
'TAX SYSTEM OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS'
He quipped, ""Somebody said the other day that the tax system is of biblical proportions, well the Bible is only 1000 pages, how many tax systems are only 1000 pages? They are several hundred times that."
When he spoke to parliamentary members at Westminster, the archbishop said that capitalism is the only known viable economic system, but due to greed, it can never be totally free and fair.
"No better firm of allocation of resources has been found," said Welby. "And the alternatives have always led to inhumanity and even tyranny."
In a reference to the Scottish economist who is seen as the founding father of free-market capitalism, he noted, "Adam Smith famously spoke with equal conviction of the dangers of market manipulation as he did of the invisible hand.
"The experience of 2008 shows that the complexity of human motivation and greed can never be left to the market to deal with," said the archbishop referring to the global financial crisis that began then.
"There is no such thing as a level playing field if human beings are involved, and there is no such thing as a fully fair and free market.
"It doesn't exist.
Art museums are often depictedperhaps unfairlyas stuffy, lumbering institutions that are slow to embrace change. But now, a growing number of those institutions are jumping headfirst into the new-age world of memes, snapchat, and Instagram.
These cultural institutions say they feel obligated to keep up with a generation that has taken an unprecedented interest in visual digital content.
The pervasiveness of memes is shaping not only the language of social media, but also the norms of language itself: The Oxford English Dictionary recently embraced an emoji, the face with tears of joy emoji as the 2015 word of the year.
One institution that has exploited the use of online images to engage young people is the L.A. County Museum of Art, or LACMA. The museums Snapchat profile, run by Social Media Manager Lucy Redoglia, who has aggressively promoted it, has over 180,000 followers. The average user age on Snapchat is 18.
Her strategy is to mash-up trendy pop culture references with images of artwork from the museums collection.
A popular entry included a picture of Auguste Rodins 1880 sculpture, The Shade, with the caption all the single ladies.
Last year, the museum posted an image of the Dutch artist Salomon de Brays 1652 Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence, with the irreverent hashtag #dadbod superimposed across it.
Redoglia has also arranged longer snap stories that animate every line of entire songs (Queens Bohemian Rhapsody was recently featured).
Images on Snapchat are ephemeral, meaning they are only displayed on a users device for 10 seconds before they must be replayed, and the platform does not allow Redoglia to link to any other content. Even so, she says the medium helps translate art into something more approachable and relatable for students.
Between 20 and 500 screenshots of each snap are taken by users, many of which are shared on social media, and some of them have gone viral, Redoglia said. That sharing generates free advertising to one of the institutions core demographic audiences.
LACMA is not alone in pushing the boundaries between memes and fine art.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum of Art are other leaders in the push to democratize collections in the name of accessibilitythe Met having found social media success as far away as Chinas Weibo micro-blogging platform. The popular Instagram channel turned fashion label, Fly Art, has also gained a following among millennials by mashing up classic art with contemporary rap lyrics.
But is the breezy treatment of historys most significant cultural artifacts cheapening their value?
Redoglia said she tries to keep a balance between engaging new audiences and respecting the works of art. She points out that her presentation of pieces of art are more formal in other social media forums, including Facebook and Twitter.
Redoglia also referred to a recent quote from art historian Bendor Grosvenor in the British newspaper the Independent, who argued in favor of the initiative by saying, Art cant be devalued.
The Mona Lisa adorns everything from pizza boxes to toothpaste, Grosvenor observed, and still its regarded as one of the greatest paintings of all time.
John Gunnin, a veteran high school teacher, greeted the newly enrolled students in his AP Art History with a challenging first assignment.
During the first few weeks of this school year at Corona Del Mar High, in Californias Orange County, Gunnin asked the students to dissect a contemporary piece made for the 500th anniversary of Columbus discovery of America.
Despite their limited experience formally analyzing sophisticated visual art, the teacher asked his students to respond to a digital display of a nine-foot-tall, HD-quality image of the mixed-media artwork, Trade (Gifts for Trading Land With White People), by a Native American artist, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith. The assignment was to study the piece from political, visual, cultural, historical, societal, and economic angles.
Works such as Smiths are emblematic of a major overhaul of the AP Art History course that is designed to shift away from the rote memorization of a mostly Eurocentric selection of images to focus on the layers of meaning of a more global set of artworks.
Those changes were largely unnoticed when they went into effect at the beginning of the 2015-16 academic yearpartly because they were overshadowed by major controversies that swirled around the recent redesign of the AP U.S. History curriculum.
Statistics released by the College Board show that 23,314 students from 2,072 schools nationally took the AP Art History exam in 2015. Thats more than the number who took AP French Language or Comparative Politics tests, but still a small figure compared with the more than 500,000 who took the English Language AP.
Gunnin, a member of the College Boards AP Art History development committee, helped oversee the big changes in the national curriculum that sought to bring more diversity to students lessons.
One of the committees changes was to encourage students to focus on the broader cultural context of a smaller number of works of art intended to more accurately reflect world history.
The correction to a more globally representative list is long overdueat least 30 years, if not more said Emily Shaw, the assistant curator at Columbia Universitys Media Center for Art History.
Smiths Trade (Gifts for Trading Land With White People), is one of the 250 works selected as culturally significant by the APs committee and a good example of new points of emphasis. Her piece is a biting indictment of Americas foundations and of contemporary American cultures commoditization of Native American culture. The artist satirizes the traditional three-paneled structure of European Medieval altar pieces by presenting the form in a roughly hewn, blood-red collage of newspaper clippings, photographs, and paint, all beneath a clothesline adorned with trinket souvenirs from professional and college sport franchises that have adopted American Indian mascots.
Many of the non-Western works selected by the development committee are meant to challenge AP students to step outside of their own cultural frameworks and work to assimilate the difficult and layered imagery.
By the time Gunnins students graduate in May, they will have been exposed to historical and contemporary works from Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands.
In recognition of the diversity of traditions that increasingly define art history today, Gunnin opens his class with comparisons of works by contemporary artists. His lessons expose students to treatments of feminine power by comparing the intensely polemical work of Shirin Neshat, whose photography grapples with the intersection of feminism and Islam, and the staged photography of Cindy Sherman, who explores similar themes through an explicitly classical Western lens.
Images: AP Art History teacher John Gunnin likes to present his students with two works of art that feature similar themes expressed through contrasting styles. One such comparison focuses on the piece on the left by Cindy Sherman, which references the Biblical story of Judith and Holifernes, a subject tackled repeatedly by well-known European artists like Carvaggio and Artemesia Gentileschi. He juxtaposes it against the work on the right, Shirin Neshats stark portrait of an armed woman wearing a hijab, a contemporary example of the APs shift towards a more global selection of artworks. Sources: Cindy Sherman, Untitled, 1990, chromogenic color print, 82 x 48 inches, 208.3 x 121.9 cm, (MP# CS--228). Courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures, New York. Shirin Neshat, Rebellious Silence, 1994, B& W RC print & ink (photo taken by Cynthia Preston), 11 x 14 inches, copyright Shirin Neshat, courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York and Brussels.
At first, it felt strange to fly through lessons on periods and styles that he used to emphasize more heavily, Gunnin said.
But now he revels in having the power to share an egalitarian approach to the world and to art with his students.
Over the course of an academic year, AP Art History teachers must get their students to respond emotionally and intellectually to artworks that are often found in galleries or historic sites thousands of miles away.
The college-level course covers pieces that include Emperor Qins Terra Cotta Warriors, buried in Chinas Shaanxi province, and Caravaggios Calling of St. Matthew, which hangs in the church of San Luigi dei Francesi, a few blocks from the Pantheon in Rome.
Figuring out how to virtually transport these creations to the classroom, through photos, prints, and other means is a challenge for educators that dates back decadeseven centuries. Teachers of art history have continually adapted to incorporate changes in image technology. Most recently, an array of new tools, particularly high-resolution digital images, immersive technology, and multimedia textbooks, have brought about a fundamental shift in how the discipline is being taught.
Photo, top: A printed textbook, Jansons History of Art, Eighth Edition, includes a floorplan, a written description, and images of the interior and exterior of the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. Historically, textbooks and slide projectors have been primary tools used by art history teachers.
Image, below: A 360-degree panorama allows viewers to take an interactive, virtual tour of San Vitale, starting from the area behind the altar. Teachers of art history classes are using similar interactive tools to introduce students to famous works of art.
Courtesy of the Columbia Universitys Media Center for Art History
One of the most prominent of those platforms is Smarthistory, a nonprofit initiative founded a decade ago that has evolved into a widely used, free online multimedia introductory textbook in art history. Other tools, such as the databases Artstor and the Google Art Project, image and architecture viewers like Wolff and Google Streetview, and technologies like virtual reality and 3D printing are also connecting students with works cloistered in faraway museums to a degree that was once impossible.
Smarthistory, which uses Khan Academy as its primary platform, features 5-10-minute videos of visits by art historians Beth Harris and Stephen Zucker to museums around the world. The platform presents viewers with high-resolution images of individual pieces of artwork, set to recordings of the pairs semiscripted conversations and reactions to what theyre seeing.
Video: Smarthistory, a nonprofit that makes recordings of art historians interpreting prominent works, has created its own video interpretation of San Vitale, which focuses on the churchs layout and interior. Smarthistory content, which is being used by high school art history teachers around the country, was accessed by the public 13.5 million times in 2015, the organization says.
YouTube
Stephen Murray, an expert in Medieval Art History at Columbia University, and a leader in the move toward high resolution imaging for decades, said that the combination of resources that have become available can be used to replace a sense of static thinking with a sense of wonder, particularly in complex areas like Gothic architecture.
Highly sophisticated works of art, like the Gothic architecture Murray studies, does not turn into a book easily. He said that while many in the discipline could buttress their lessons with technology, he has seen how well executed images make students gasp.
Multiple Interpretations
The Smarthistory videos, which are paired with articles and contributions from more than 200 experts in the field, have elbowed aside traditional textbooks and have become so popular that their content is the first result to appear in Google, after Wikipedia, when one searches art history.
John Gunnin, an art-history teacher at Corona Del Mar High School in Orange County, Calif., attributes the popularity of Smarthistory to the ability of Harris and Zucker to be very articulate and conversational at the same time. The videos also allow for multiple interpretations of the same work, which, incidentally, is a core point of emphasis in the new AP curriculum the College Board launched this year. (See related story on the new AP Art History curriculum.)
They really do go deep, they give good information, and they are succinct, Gunnin said. You can get a lot out of a six-minute video.
Tiffany Alvarez-Thurman, an AP teacher at Plano Senior High School in Texas, uses Smarthistory along with supplemental-textbook readings. She said her students prefer Smarthistory and visibly perk up when they hear the rolling jazz-piano introduction that accompanies each video: These are 21st-century learners who are just more engaged in multimedia.
Two of Alvarez-Thurmans 11th graders, Kathryn Brooks and Joshua Fowler, have embraced the multimedia lessons. Both said that if forced to choose, they would stick to Smarthistory over their art-history textbook to prepare for the AP exam.
Brooks said she appreciates how the conversational style of the videos allows for the experts to disagree over interpretations of the artand how they tease out nuances and contradictions in possible meanings, rather than offer monolithic explanations.
There is always an aspect of thinking for yourself, she said.
Harris and Zucker believe the widespread use of their curriculum in classes validates their wide-lens strategy. Harris says they have content for 97 percent of the 250 artworks covered by the newly overhauled AP curriculum. Though the College Board is not officially partnered with Smarthistory, the test-makers AP History homepage links to the art history platforms website.
Evolutions in Teaching
Centuries ago, art instructors would copy paintings by hand or disseminate images through laboriously produced prints. In the 19th century, lithographs were used until black-and-white photography took over and allowed for the first mechanical reproductions of art.
For much of the 20th century, slide projections of color images dominated the teaching of art history. Students exposure to some of the worlds most important and sublime works of art came through overhead projectors or static, often grainy images from printed texts.
Today, online databases of high-resolution digital images mean that students can access millions of artworks, or move through virtual spaces, where their parents might have had access to only a few hundred lower-resolution images.
Image, top: Smarthistory has created a video entry on The Standard of Ur, one of the better preserved and most illustrative artifacts extant from Ancient Mesopotamia. The work is housed at the British Museum, in London.
YouTube
Slider, below: By toggling this high-resolution sliding image, students and teachers have an easy way of enhancing an image from the War side of the Standard or Ur. The detail of the War panel comes from the middle of the lowest section of the artwork and depicts a soldier being trampled to death by a chariot.
Wikimedia Commons
Having access to precise reproductions of art in the classroom matters, argues Fowler of Plano Senior High. Images are the next-best thing to studying works of art in person, he said, and a lot of intricacies can be missed if an image isnt high quality.
Some of the resources where the images are housed are public, such as Smarthistory or the Google art project, while other image repositories, like nonprofit Artstor, require schools or districts to buy an institutional license. Behind its paywall, Artstor also offers a slew of essays and teaching resources targeted specifically to the AP Art History exam.
The overall effect, said Zucker, is an explosion in access to images, including the ability to study a huge number of works outside the traditional art history canon.
While educators and cultural institutions have generally supported the movement toward making artworks available through digital images, the enthusiasm is not universal. Since the 1930s, the philosopher and cultural critic Walter Benjamin has warned that the proliferation of reproductions of original artworks risks diluting the impact of the original object.
According to Ian McDermott, the collection-development manager at Artstor, some museums, particularly in Europe, are wary of relinquishing virtual access to what they refer to as their cultural patrimony.
In other words, while many museums cite cost as the largest barrier to offering schools or the public digital access to their collections, some are worried about ceding control of digital assets, and others are concerned that virtual access could serve as a substitute for visitors coming to their institutions in person.
Furthermore, a more existential concern for Western traditionalists is how the larger collective image library has opened the door for modern schools of criticism to pick apart what they see as the proven ways of critiquing art.
As those voices have become more prominent in recent decades, the canon and its political foundation have become more and more suspect, said Harris of Smarthistory.
In that context, the College Boards new AP Art History course, which jettisoned numerous European Baroque and Renaissance artists for a larger share of non-Western artists, is more evidence of a wider sea change in cultural values.
In addition to Smarthistory, other ed-tech platforms are giving educators an unprecedented ability to manipulate or enhance the quality of artistic reproductions in ways that would have been unthinkable a decade ago.
Greg Bryda, a doctoral candidate at Yale University, produced the Wolff app, a free mobile application launched last August that gives educators a platform to manipulate and zoom into details of high-resolution images during their lessons through touch-screen technology.
The application, which Bryda developed to address his own teaching needs through a Kickstarter campaign, is named after Swiss art historian Heinrich Wolfflin, who pioneered the method of side-by-side slide comparisons in the early 20th century.
Despite the advantages a high-resolution reproduction can have in certain instances, Bryda believes there is no substitute for the original, and museums should not be concerned about the in-person attraction of their collections.
According to Bryda, the better an image is, the more likely students are to go out of their way to see the original in person.
The first time a student sees a reproduction followed by an original, Bryda argued, they realize how important it is to see the original for all other artworks, because they are always different.
Virtual and 3D Viewing
New technology, however, continues to close the gap between virtual reproductions and physical reality.
Art-history teachers are already taking their students on virtual tours of faraway places like Versailles through Google maps and Streetviewapplications that are improving markedly with the plummeting costs of virtual-reality headsets like Cardboard.
Streetview: Google Streetview, which is used in some art history classes, provides an option for virtual visits to museum collections and renowned architectural sites. Here viewers are taken to the Hall of Mirrors in the French palace of Versailles.
Google
Those applications are especially important for giving students an understanding of architecture, as Brooks, the Texas student, explains, with people and cars and streets, you get a different idea of scale and space.
Dana Howard, Artstors K-12 relationship manager, which has its own library of 360-degree high-definition panoramic images, says the files are especially valuable in leveling the playing field between well-heeled students and those who cant afford to travel.
Beyond virtual reality is 3D printing, which holds some promise for the possibility of recreating nearly identical copies of artworks from nearly the same materials.
Video: Another tool that may be on the horizon for educators is the prospect of printing 3-D copies of great works of art. This video shows researchers printing a highly faithful copy of Rembrandts 1667 oil painting The Jewish Bride, a process that begins with a highly detailed 3-D scan of the works topography.
YouTube
The gulf between the experiences that students like Brooks describe in witnessing flat, digital images of Van Goghs Starry Night, and seeing the thick textured layers of impasto oil paint in person, could soon become a thing of the past.
In partnership with OCE, a division of the camera-maker Cannon, Dutch researcher Tim Zaman has succeeded in scanning and reprinting topographically faithful reproductions of works by Rembrandt and Van Gogh with an oil-paintlike polymer.
While Zaman is quick to say that his reproductions are not perfect copies of the original, they offer an unprecedented degree of fidelity to the original object.
Bryda acknowledges that reproductions are getting ever closer in accuracy to original artworksa trend that has museums appropriately concerned about protecting the aura that surrounds their collections, as well as their bottom line.
While cautioning against fetishizing the original pieces of art, Bryda said that original artworks will always have primacy.
After theyre created, original works have an afterlife, he said, by virtue of their historical presence in society, and the physical changes they endure over time, which he argues reproductions will never be able to fully capture.
EIB Vice President Jonathan Taylor has met with his Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) climate Vice President counterparts from the World Bank, AfDB, AsDB, EBRD and IADB. The meeting noted the good progress on MDBs' joint work on the climate mainstreaming principles, leverage/mobilisation, and tracking of climate finance. There was full agreement with VP Taylor's comment that the MDBs should collectively ensure that momentum should be maintained at this critical moment for climate finance.
Vice President Taylor also met with Rachel Kyte, the newly appointed CEO of SE4ALL. Ms Kyte is one of the global 'climate warriors', well known to the EIB in her previous role World Bank Vice President responsible for climate. Ms Kyte briefed the EIB on a number of reforms and action programmes she was introducing to the SE4ALL. Acknowledging the importance of the EIB as a financing partner on the climate agenda she expressed her strong hope to see cooperation between SE4ALL and the EIB increase and strengthen, especially with regard to energy efficiency. As an early step SE4ALL will seek the EIB's comments on a new strategy to be announced in June in good time for COP22.
A growing problem; urban transport development
By developing an integrated and sustainable urban transport project together with the Asian Development Bank, we are able to make a real impact on the quality of life of people, particularly those who are poor and vulnerable. This project will allow the citizens of Vientiane to benefit from affordable environmentally-friendly transport services, greater road safety and lower health risks. Meryn Martens EIBs Senior Transport Specialist
Vientiane, the capital of Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, has been hit hard by urban development. Growth in the citys population has taken speed, as has the number of cars on the crowded city roads. Between 2005 and 2012 the rates of car ownership almost tripled, leaving the city more and more congested, road accidents the norm and pollution high. The need to move from private transport to public has therefore become essential to improve not only the quality of life and increase mobility but also to work towards climate action.
The EIB is working to change this through collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to finance a Bus Rapid Transit system. This will see the construction of 11.5km dedicated bus-ways, 21 enclosed stations and 96 new buses to improve traffic flow and safety across the capital. Alongside this a parking and traffic management system will be put in place to improve accessibility for pedestrians and other non-motorised traffic. Every step of the way dedicated experts from both the ADB and the EIB, as well as external consultants funded by a grant from the European Union (EU)s Asian Investment Facility, will be providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) to ensure the project is successfully and sustainably implemented.
Quality of life is set to improve dramatically in Vientiane due to the project. Movement around the city will become easier ensuring not only a drop in commuting time by 1.5m hours per year but also better access to vital services. Residents health in the developing region will also be improved through less air pollution and risk of motor accidents.
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
Community service for man who thought drugs were 'legal'
A Polish man has been ordered to carry out 180 hours of community service after being caught with drugs he thought were "legal".
32-year-old Tomasz Pasternak was sentenced at Douglas Courthouse earlier this week - he'd previously pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing drugs.
Police stopped him in his car on Woodbourne Road in Douglas on the evening of December 18th - they searched him after noticing he was fidgeting with his clothing.
He was found to be carrying heroin - with a street value of 350 - cocaine, valued at 70, and cannabis worth 1.06p.
In a police interview he told officers he believed the substances were "legal highs" - his advocate told the court the drugs were for his own personal use and he was planning to take them at a party.
She said Pasternak realised it was an "irresponsible act" and he'd put his family "at risk" financially - including his mother in Poland to whom he sends money to.
Sentencing him Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes also fined him 300 and ordered him to pay court costs of 125.
Re: MBA in finace/banking from IT background a) with no professional experience, you will neither get in (in a good program that is), nor will it be useful.
b) an MBA is NOT an alternative to an MS/MA. It's a different path
c) an MBA is designed as a "fast-track" business education for those who are not of a business background, at least that's what it was supposed to be originally. So yes of course with a non-business background, you can get in
d) unless it's a good school, don't even bother. Waste of time and waste of what is likely still way too much money. There's some 4000-5000 "business schools" and dubious institutions claiming to offer an "MBA" out there, of with at best some 10% are properly accredited.
In Switzerland, there's only one good school and that's IMD, and with some generosity HSG is decent enough (though you'll be far better of doing an MS/MA at HSG than an MBA). Screw everything else, see point d).
I'm sure you can figure out the rest of your own. There's this thing called Google, that should give you plenty of hits on each point on your list.
Re: Aeroflot to Moscow
There's a transit visa available that allows you to leave the airport for up to three days. Visas for US citizens are somewhat pricey.
http://vhs-swiss.com/main.php?id=transit&lang=en
If you travel from Sheremetyevo into Moscow, consider taking the Aeroexpress train, rather than a taxi, as Moscow can be very congested. Then either a taxi from the Moscow Belorussky train station or, for the somewhat daring, the metro to Red Square.
https://aeroexpress.ru/en What a creative way to fly to Los Angeles!There's a transit visa available that allows you to leave the airport for up to three days. Visas for US citizens are somewhat pricey.If you travel from Sheremetyevo into Moscow, consider taking the Aeroexpress train, rather than a taxi, as Moscow can be very congested. Then either a taxi from the Moscow Belorussky train station or, for the somewhat daring, the metro to Red Square.
Where to buy ink for Epson Stylus SX445W in Zurich
In my opinion this is really expensive, so does anyone know of anywhere it can be got cheaper? Maybe a specialist store in the Zurich area, or a web site that delivers to Zurich? A google search throws up Amazon and some UK sites but they don't deliver to Switzerland.
(The annoying thing is that I don't want to print anything I just want to use the scanner...but the scanner doesn't work when one of the cartridges is empty.. ) I have an Epson Stylus SX445W and it's out of ink. I checked Inter discount and a multi-pack with all the colours costs 49.95.In my opinion this is really expensive, so does anyone know of anywhere it can be got cheaper? Maybe a specialist store in the Zurich area, or a web site that delivers to Zurich? A google search throws up Amazon and some UK sites but they don't deliver to Switzerland.(The annoying thing is that I don't want to print anything I just want to use the scanner...but the scanner doesn't work when one of the cartridges is empty..
He could have taken half of his now ex-wife's fortune, but Gavin Rossdale has reportedly chosen not to take such a path when it came to finalizing his divorce from Gwen Stefani.
The pair's divorce has reportedly been settled in court, and though he could have taken 50 percent of the money Stefani earned during their marriage since she did not have a prenup, Rossdale allegedly chose to take a far smaller amount.
According to TMZ, Rossdale did not press to get a big chunk of Stefani's money earned from concerts and record sales, even though he was legally allowed to make such a request. Details of the settlement aren't entirely revealed, but the couple also reportedly agreed to a 50/50 joint custody agreement when it comes to their sons, Kingston, Zuma and Apollo, though Rossdale will have more than 50 percent custody at time due to Stefani's touring schedule.
The website also reports that Rossdale is not asking for child support, which Stefani, as the parent with more money and higher earning capacity, would have had to provide if he sought it.
All that is left for the couple's divorce proceedings is not having things signed off on by the judge, meaning they could officially be divorced in the coming days.
The couple, who were married for 13 years, announced their divorce over the summer last year. It was later revealed that the marriage initially fell apart earlier in the year, after Stefani found inappropriate text messages between Rossdale and nanny Mindy Mann, which revealed he'd been having an affair with her for three years.
Since the divorce, Stefani has since moved on with Blake Shelton, in a romance that has been highly publicized due to Shelton's quick divorce from Miranda Lambert just weeks before Stefani's own plans for a divorce were announced. Rossdale has not been linked to anyone else in a new romance, though Mann has been revealed to be pregnant, though the baby is not believed to be one she conceived with Rossdale.
Leading scientists have identified an important gene that is associated with cleft lip and palate.
Experts say the discovery is a step closer to understanding how this birth defect arises, and will help in the development of medical approaches to prevent the disfiguring condition.
An international team, led by Newcastle University, UK, and the University of Bonn in Germany, has found that variants near a gene called GREM1 (Gremlin1) significantly increase the risk for cleft lip and palate.
A cleft is a gap in the upper lip, the roof of the mouth, or sometimes both. Each year, approximately 250,000 babies worldwide are born with a cleft, equating to about two babies a day in the UK.
Dr Heiko Peters, who works at Newcastle University's Institute of Genetic Medicine, is senior author of the research paper published in the journal, PLoS Genetics.
He said: "The findings reveal a link between GREM1 and specific clinical characteristics that arise in the formation of a cleft lip and palate.
"This is very important in this research area as it helps to decipher the complex interplay between genes required for the different steps and in different tissues during lip and palate development.
"A cleft lip can occur with or without a cleft palate and the genetic factors that predispose to palate involvement are largely unknown."
The research team carried out analyses on genetic and clinical data from three large patient cohorts and identified a strong association between a region on chromosome 15 and cleft lip and palate.
Experts carried out studies on mice to investigate where GREM1 is normally active in the development of the face and how alterations in the gene's activity may affect the lip and palate.
Results indicate that it is not the loss of GREM1 function but rather its increased activity that causes the condition.
It is the second gene which has been shown to be linked to a condition in which a cleft of the lip and a cleft of the secondary palate occur together.
Dr Peters added: "These findings provide a framework for further analyses of GREM1 in human cell systems and model organisms, broadening our understanding of the processes that regulate the face's shape."
Although not life-threatening for patients with access to postnatal surgery, cleft lip and palate requires additional multidisciplinary care by specialists, including ear, nose and throat experts, orthodontists and speech therapists.
Children with the condition can have dental issues, speech problems and are at increased risk of serious ear infections and hearing loss.
Currently, scientists only have a fragmented picture about which genes are required for lip and palate development, and how environmental factors might interact with genetic risk factors.
To establish effective prevention strategies scientists must identify genetic risk factors and understand how gene-gene and gene-environment interactions interfere with lip and palate development.
As the use of personalised medicine increases, understanding how genetic changes alter foetal development will become increasingly relevant.
This is particularly important for conditions such as cleft lip and palate that appear to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, such as smoking or certain medicines used by the mother.
Further studies will focus on identifying genes and environmental factors that interact with GREM1.
Dr Laura Yates, consultant in clinical genetics at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "The families we meet in genetic clinics on a daily basis generally have two common questions.
"Firstly, what is the cause of the developmental anomaly affecting their child or themselves, and secondly, can it be treated or prevented in future pregnancies?
"Studies such as this contribute vital pieces of information that enable clinicians to provide patients with answers that are relevant to them and their family, not just general statistics.
"Our understanding of how genetic factors in both mother and foetus, and external or environmental influences impact on foetal development in the womb, is far from complete.
"This study takes us one step closer to being able to identify genetic changes that increase the chance of a particular form of cleft lip and palate re-occurring in a family, therefore to studying what can be done to reduce the chance of this happening in individuals who have this genetic change."
Case study
Mother-of-five Joanne Brown knows first-hand the challenges faced by those with a cleft lip and palate.
The student nurse's daughter, Emily, seven, was born with the condition and has had to undergo three operations so far with more expected in the years ahead.
Emily has coped well with her condition but having a cleft lip and palate has affected her speech and confidence.
Joanne, 33, of West Rainton, County Durham, who is married to David, 45, a joiner, welcomes the research into the condition.
She said: "I found out at my 20 week pregnancy scan that Emily had a cleft lip and palate. I was very upset as I didn't know anything about the condition.
"Speech is a huge problem for Emily and she is shy around other children. She never used to look in the mirror and it has taken time for her to be able to do this.
"It's so important that research is carried out as the condition is a lifelong problem for sufferers.
"This research is a significant step forward in understanding the condition. It would be phenomenal if, in the future, the chance of a cleft lip and palate occurring could be reduced."
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Reference
Meta-analysis reveals genome-wide significance at 15q13 for nonsyndromic clefting of both the lip and the palate, and functional analyses implicate GREM1 as a plausible causative gene
Kerstin U. Ludwig, Syeda Tasnim Ahmed, Anne C. Bohmer, Nasim Bahram Sangani, Sheryil Varghese, Johanna Klamt, Hannah Schuenke, Pinar Gultepe, Andrea Hofmann, Michele Rubini, Khalid Ahmed Aldhorae, Regine P. Steegers-Theunissen, Augusto Rojas-Martinez, Rudolf Reiter, Guntram Borck, Michael Knapp, Mitsushiro Nakatomi, Daniel Graf, Elisabeth Mangold, Heiko Peters
Published in PLoS Genetics. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005914
An analysis comparing the individual differences between over 40 strains of Zika virus (30 isolated from humans, 10 from mosquitoes, and 1 from monkeys) has identified significant changes in both amino acid and nucleotide sequences during the past half-century. The data, published April 15 in Cell Host & Microbe, support a strong divergence between the Asian and African lineages as well as human and mosquito isolates of the virus, and will likely be helpful as researchers flush out how a relatively unknown pathogen led to the current outbreak.
The project--led by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing--builds on other viral sequence analyses conducted over the past two months, with new large-scale and structural comparisons. Highlights of the findings include:
All contemporary human Zika virus strains share a more similar sequence to the Malaysian/1966 strain than the Nigerian/1968 strain, suggesting the strains in the recent human outbreak evolved from the Asian lineage.
All human strains identified in the 2015-2016 epidemic appear to be more closely related to the French Polynesia/2013 strain than the Micronesia/2007 strain, suggesting that the two variants evolved from a common ancestor.
The prM (pre-membrane precursor) protein of the Zika virus had the highest percentage variability between the Asian human and the African mosquito subtypes, and modeling suggests that some of this variability contributes to a significant structural change.
"We believe these changes may, at least partially, explain why the virus has demonstrated the capacity to spread exponentially in the human population in the Americas," says senior study author Genhong Cheng, a professor in UCLA's Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics. "These changes could enable the virus to replicate more efficiently, invade new tissues that provide protective niches for viral propagation, or evade the immune system, leading to viral persistence. Of course, all of these hypotheses will need to be tested in experimental models."
Future sequencing work will likely focus on understanding the Zika strain causing the 2015-2016 epidemic, which has yet to be isolated from a mosquito. Cheng's group and others will also begin to elucidate the structure of the viral proteins, which can inform drug and vaccine design. "We hope that our work provides a strong basis that will help the larger scientific community in accelerating Zika virus research," he says.
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This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health; the Ministry of Science and Technology of China; the National Natural Science Foundation of China; and the Institutional Research Fund for Thousand Talents Program at Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.
Cell Host & Microbe, Wang and Valderramos et al.: "From Mosquitos to Humans: Genetic Evolution of Zika Virus." http://www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe/fulltext/S1931-3128(16)30142-1
Cell Press Statement on Data Sharing in Public Health Emergencies
The Cell Press family of journals is committed to ensuring that the global response to public health emergencies is informed by the best available research evidence and data, and as such, we will make all content concerning the Zika virus free to access. We will work in partnership with reviewers to fast-track review all submissions concerning Zika. We will adapt the editorial criteria that we apply to Zika submissions by asking reviewers to evaluate only if the research methods are sound and support the conclusions and if the work will contribute in some way toward resolving the immediate challenges. We will expedite publication of papers that meet these two criteria.
Cell Host & Microbe (@cellhostmicrobe), published by Cell Press, is a monthly journal that publishes novel findings and translational studies related to microbes (which include bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses). The unifying theme is the integrated study of microbes in conjunction and communication with each other, their host, and the cellular environment they inhabit. Learn more: http://www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe. To receive Cell Press media alerts, contact press@cell.com.
In the first study of its kind, Cornell sociologists have found that people who have a medical emergency in a public place can't necessarily rely on the kindness of strangers. Only 2.5 percent of people, or 1 in 39, got help from strangers before emergency medical personnel arrived, in research published April 14 in the American Journal of Public Health.
For African-Americans, these dismal findings only get worse. African-Americans were less than half as likely as Caucasians to get help from a bystander, regardless of the type of symptoms or illness they were suffering - only 1.8 percent, or fewer than 1 in 55 African-Americans, received assistance. For Caucasians, the corresponding number was 4.2 percent, or 1 in 24.
People in lower-income and densely populated counties were also less likely to get help, the researchers said. Conversely, those in less-densely populated counties with average socioeconomic levels were most likely to get assistance.
"It's very surprising and disappointing to find such low rates of people helping each other and that African-American patients and those in poorer counties are left to wait longer for help," said lead author Erin York Cornwell, assistant professor of sociology and Sesquicentennial Faculty Fellow. York Cornwell wrote the study with Alex Currit, a doctoral student in the field of sociology at Cornell.
York Cornwell points out that the types of support bystanders could offer require little to no training, and could include offering a glass of water, covering someone with a blanket, putting pressure on a wound or assisting with medications.
"We find evidence that bystanders can provide help in a huge range of scenarios, but the rates of assistance are so incredibly low," she said.
In the paper, "Racial and Social Disparities in Bystander Support During Medical Emergencies in U.S. Streets," York Cornwell and Currit analyzed data on nearly 22,500 patients from the 2011 National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) data set, which they linked to characteristics of counties where the incidents occurred. The data came from emergency medical services providers, who fill out a form after each ambulance call. The form includes an indication of what type of help, if any, patients received from bystanders before medical staff arrived on the scene. Because of underrepresentation of Latinos in the data, the researchers focused on African-Americans and Caucasians.
York Cornwell thinks that disparities in receiving help could stem from differences in the social context of the neighborhoods where emergencies occurred. Sociological research suggests that socioeconomic disadvantage within an area shapes how people relate to each other. For example, neighborhoods that have a high degree of poverty and residential instability tend to have fewer social institutions like synagogues, churches and community organizations - and this can make it difficult for residents to get to know each other.
"When you have a neighborhood environment where people don't know each other, where people are wary of strangers on the street, and someone needs help right in that moment, people may be more likely to just look away or keep walking without lending a hand," she said.
Sociologists have used this theory to explain disparities in the development of stress-related illnesses over the long term. But York Cornwell is applying the theory to brief, urgent moments when people could use help but don't get it; over time those moments could add up and contribute to health disparities across racial groups, she said.
"Disparities in health across race are persistent and growing in many cases. We don't really have a good understanding of the reasons why we see such large disparities. These day-to-day processes could be an important contributor," York Cornwell said.
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The study was supported in part by Cornell's Institute for the Social Sciences, where York Cornwell is a faculty fellow.
Cornell University has television, ISDN and dedicated Skype/Google+ Hangout studios available for media interviews.
ITHACA, N.Y. - Using the latest computer game technology, a Cornell-led team of physicists has come up with a "suitably beautiful" explanation to a puzzle that has baffled researchers in the materials and theoretical physics communities for a century.
Physics professor James Sethna has co-authored a paper on the unusual microstructure of smectics - liquid crystals whose molecules are arranged in layers and form ellipses and hyperbolas - and their similarity to martensites, a crystalline structure of steel.
In fact, Sethna and his cohorts have termed smectic liquids "the world's weirdest martensite."
Sethna's group employed the computing power of a graphics processing unit, or GPU - the technology that has led to the advent of amazingly realistic video games - to run hundreds of numerical simulations. They developed a clustering algorithm and proposed a theory of smectic microstructure that merges the laws of association between smectic liquid crystals and martensites.
"This has been this puzzle for many years, and it finally has a suitably beautiful explanation," Sethna said. "It ties together ideas from special relativity, and ideas from martensites, to explain this whole puzzle.
"It's aesthetically beautiful," he added, "there's a little bit of Euclidean geometry for those people who actually went to geometry class. It's like, 'Ellipses and hyperbolas, I remember those.' And you pour this (smectic) liquid and it forms these things."
If you fill a glass with a smectic liquid, due to its layering pattern the liquid forms beautiful ellipses and hyperbolas. The ellipses are defects - places where the desired ordering breaks down.
In martensite steel, named for German metallurgist Adolf Martens in 1898, its different low-energy crystal orientations mesh together in microscopic layers to give it a hardness factor far superior to pearlitic and other forms of steel.
In 1910, French physicist Georges Friedel studied a fluid that formed ellipses and hyperbolas, and realized that they must be formed by equally spaced layers of molecules.
Sethna suggests that a possible reason Friedel knew enough to be able to identify these ellipses and hyperbolas is that "he was French.
And in France, they used to study much more sophisticated math in high school, and everybody in high school learned about the cyclides of Dupin."
Like concentric, equally spaced spheres can fill space with only a point defect at the center, the cyclides of Dupin can fill space with only ellipses and hyperbolas as defects. Friedel saw these defects, and deduced the structure.
The recent breakthrough, inspired by the GPU simulations, was to realize the connection between smectics and martensites.
"For over 100 years, these cool focal conics have been a curiosity - they didn't fit into our system," says Sethna. "Now we know that these cool cyclides follow the same rules as the crystals that fit together into martensitic steel."
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The paper has been published in Physical Review Letters. This work was supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Simons Foundation.
AMES, IA -- U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Ames Laboratory senior metallurgist Iver Anderson was inducted into the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C. today at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
The ceremony, which was held as part of the NAI's Fifth Annual Conference, welcomed 168 new Fellows into the academy. Each Fellow was presented with a special trophy, a medal and a rosette pin.
Andrew Hirshfeld, USPTO commissioner, provided the keynote address for the ceremony. In earlier comments, Hirshfeld congratulated the new NAI Fellows on their accomplishment. "The NAI Fellows Program plays an important role in highlighting our nation's most prolific inventors and their accomplishments, which provide vital support for our economy."
Those elected to the rank of NAI Fellow are named inventors on U.S. patents and were nominated by their peers for outstanding contributions in innovation in areas such as patents and licensing, innovative discovery and technology, significant impact on society, and support and enhancement of innovation.
The NAI Fellows Selection Committee credited Anderson for demonstrating a "highly prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and welfare of society."
"I am honored to have been recognized as an NAI Fellow," said Anderson, "This award is an outstanding endorsement of contributions academic inventors like me make to research and, in particular, research that can make a lasting impact on society."
Anderson is best known for his co-invention of lead-free solder, an alloy of tin, silver and copper, used globally as a replacement for lead-based solders that can pollute soil and groundwater. The lead-free solder patent is the top-earning patent for Ames Laboratory, Iowa State University (Ames Laboratory's contractor), and Sandia National Laboratory. It has generated approximately $60 million in royalty income throughout the life of the patent, which expired in 2013. At its peak, more than 50 companies in 13 countries licensed the invention.
In addition to lead-free solder, Anderson has used gas-atomization technology he and his colleagues developed to produce fine, spherical titanium powder for additive manufacturing and metal injection molding of aerospace, medical, and industrial parts. A spinoff company, Iowa Powder Atomization Technologies, was created in 2012 to exclusively license Ames Laboratory's titanium atomization patents. In 2014, IPAT was acquired by Praxair, a Fortune 250 company and one of the world's largest producers of gases and powder-based surface coatings.
"Iver has dedicated his career to conducting outstanding research, and his commitment to excellence has paid off through the awarding of this Fellow recognition," said Ames Laboratory Director Adam Schwartz. "He has accomplished much, and we fully expect his list of inventions to grow further in the years ahead."
This work was supported at Ames Laboratory by the Department of Energy's Office of Science (Office of Basic Energy Sciences) and Office of Environmental Management. Additional funding was received from the Iowa State University Research Foundation and Nihon Superior.
Anderson's continuing work is being supported by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Office of Fossil Energy, Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability, Office of Nuclear Energy, and by a series of industrial sponsors through the Work for Others program at Ames Laboratory.
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Ames Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science national laboratory operated by Iowa State University. Ames Laboratory creates innovative materials, technologies and energy solutions. We use our expertise, unique capabilities and interdisciplinary collaborations to solve global problems.
DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., April 15, 2016--Epitaxy, or growing crystalline film layers that are templated by a crystalline substrate, is a mainstay of manufacturing transistors and semiconductors. If the material in one deposited layer is the same as the material in the next layer, it can be energetically favorable for strong bonds to form between the highly ordered, perfectly matched layers. In contrast, trying to layer dissimilar materials is a great challenge if the crystal lattices don't match up easily. Then, weak van der Waals forces create attraction but don't form strong bonds between unlike layers.
In a study led by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, scientists synthesized a stack of atomically thin monolayers of two lattice-mismatched semiconductors. One, gallium selenide, is a "p-type" semiconductor, rich in charge carriers called "holes." The other, molybdenum diselenide, is an "n-type" semiconductor, rich in electron charge carriers. Where the two semiconductor layers met, they formed an atomically sharp heterostructure called a p-n junction, which generated a photovoltaic response by separating electron-hole pairs that were generated by light. The achievement of creating this atomically thin solar cell, published in Science Advances, shows the promise of synthesizing mismatched layers to enable new families of functional two-dimensional (2D) materials.
The idea of stacking different materials on top of each other isn't new by itself. In fact, it is the basis for most electronic devices in use today. But such stacking usually only works when the individual materials have crystal lattices that are very similar, i.e., they have a good "lattice match." This is where this research breaks new ground by growing high-quality layers of very different 2D materials, broadening the number of materials that can be combined and thus creating a wider range of potential atomically thin electronic devices.
"Because the two layers had such a large lattice mismatch between them, it's very unexpected that they would grow on each other in an orderly way," said ORNL's Xufan Li, lead author of the study. "But it worked."
The group was the first to show that monolayers of two different types of metal chalcogenides--binary compounds of sulfur, selenium or tellurium with a more electropositive element or radical--having such different lattice constants can be grown together to form a perfectly aligned stacking bilayer. "It's a new, potential building block for energy-efficient optoelectronics," Li said.
Upon characterizing their new bilayer building block, the researchers found that the two mismatched layers had self-assembled into a repeating long-range atomic order that could be directly visualized by the Moire patterns they showed in the electron microscope. "We were surprised that these patterns aligned perfectly," Li said.
Researchers in ORNL's Functional Hybrid Nanomaterials group, led by David Geohegan, conducted the study with partners at Vanderbilt University, the University of Utah and Beijing Computational Science Research Center.
"These new 2D mismatched layered heterostructures open the door to novel building blocks for optoelectronic applications," said senior author Kai Xiao of ORNL. "They can allow us to study new physics properties which cannot be discovered with other 2D heterostructures with matched lattices. They offer potential for a wide range of physical phenomena ranging from interfacial magnetism, superconductivity and Hofstadter's butterfly effect."
Li first grew a monolayer of molybdenum diselenide, and then grew a layer of gallium selenide on top. This technique, called "van der Waals epitaxy," is named for the weak attractive forces that hold dissimilar layers together. "With van der Waals epitaxy, despite big lattice mismatches, you can still grow another layer on the first," Li said. Using scanning transmission electron microscopy, the team characterized the atomic structure of the materials and revealed the formation of Moire patterns.
The scientists plan to conduct future studies to explore how the material aligns during the growth process and how material composition influences properties beyond the photovoltaic response. The research advances efforts to incorporate 2D materials into devices.
For many years, layering different compounds with similar lattice cell sizes has been widely studied. Different elements have been incorporated into the compounds to produce a wide range of physical properties related to superconductivity, magnetism and thermoelectrics. But layering 2D compounds having dissimilar lattice cell sizes is virtually unexplored territory.
"We've opened the door to exploring all types of mismatched heterostructures," Li said.
The title of the paper is "Two-dimensional GaSe/MoSe2 misfit bilayer heterojunctions by van der Waals epitaxy."
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Research, including materials synthesis, was supported by the DOE Office of Science. Materials characterization was conducted in part at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, a DOE Office of Science User Facility at ORNL. ORNL Laboratory Directed Research and Development funds supported some of the device measurements in the study.
UT-Battelle manages ORNL for DOE's Office of Science. The single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, the Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time.
For more information, please visit www.science.energy.gov. --by Dawn Levy
CAPTION/CREDIT: Light drives the migration of charge carriers (electrons and holes) at the juncture between semiconductors with mismatched crystal lattices. These heterostructures hold promise for advancing optoelectronics and exploring new physics. The schematic's background is a scanning transmission electron microscope image showing the bilayer in atomic-scale resolution. Image credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy. Image by Xufan Li and Chris Rouleau
April 15, 2016, Barcelona, Spain: Innovative Hepatitis testing projects from 5 countries will be commended by the World Health Organization (WHO) at an award ceremony and symposium on Hepatitis testing on Sunday morning, 17 April 2016, at The International Liver Congress (ILC) in Barcelona, Spain.
The session will showcase the winning entries from 67 submissions and 27 countries, including new testing models for Hepatitis in primary care, the community and prison settings. The winning entries come from Australia, India, Mongolia, the Netherlands and the United States of America (USA).
The competition, which was run by WHO's Global Hepatitis Programme and the Social Entrepreneurship for Sexual Health (SESH), in partnership with the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), sought to identify and celebrate innovative real-world examples of Hepatitis B and C testing.
"Lack of access to testing and awareness of diagnosis is a major barrier to accessing treatment for Hepatitis," said Philippa Easterbrook from WHO's Global Hepatitis Programme, who will chair the award session. "WHO will provide guidance on Hepatitis testing for low- and middleincome countries this year, so the competition has been key in identifying a wide range of excellent examples of testing. These span a number of settings, from health care clinics to delivery in the community, all of which will help us to scale up Hepatitis testing in the coming year."
"There is an urgent need to identify innovations to promote Hepatitis B and C testing," said Joseph Tucker, Chair of the SESH group. SESH has organized several innovation contests to improve health, and has found such contests to be an effective way to identify good ideas in testing approaches.
The winning entries to be presented at ILC include:
Hepatitis C virus testing linked to integrated routine primary care at 5 health centres in Philadelphia, using electronic medical record prompts and reflexive testing technology. The presenting representative will be Catelyn Coyle, National Nursing Centers Consortium, USA.
An established screening method for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and liver cancer through primary health care clinics in rural Mongolia called "FIRE", which has been running since 2011. The presenting representative will be Meredith Potts, FIRE, Mongolia.
A community network in collaboration with local government, which established testing camps across 9 districts for over a month to mobilize Hepatitis B and C testing among people who inject drugs and people living with HIV. The presenting representative will be Rajkumar Nalinikanta, Community Network for Empowerment, Manipur, India.
The use of a novel internet risk assessment tool, alongside an internet mediated Hepatitis C testing process, in 2 regions in the Netherlands. The presenting representative will be Janke Schinkel, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Hepatitis C virus testing across 13 prisons in the state of Victoria, Australia, at prison entry or transfer, linked with de-centralized care and treatment by trained nurses. The presenting representative will be Alexander Thompson, Victorian State Government, Australia
All entries were reviewed and independently scored by a global panel of 16 judges, which included representatives from community organizations, people living with Hepatitis, physicians, public health experts and WHO officials. Submissions were rated using a 10-point scale on 4 criteria: description of testing model; level of innovation; evaluation of effectiveness and impact; and plans for sustainability. They were then ranked based on overall mean score.
The 5 winning projects will also be included in WHO's 2016 Hepatitis testing guidelines, which will be launched in July 2016.
"Although Hepatitis is one of the most deadly diseases in the world, testing coverage is extremely low, with only approximately 5% of people living with the disease to have actually been tested and granted access to treatment," said Massimo Colombo, Professor of Gastroenterology at the University of Milan, Italy, who was one of the EASL specialists associated with the competition. "It is important to understand and share innovative testing approaches such as these, to encourage the prevalence of effective Hepatitis testing in more countries around the world."
WHO contest steering committee
Isabelle Andrieux-Meyer (Medecins Sans Frontieres, Switzerland)
Tasnim Azim (International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Center, Bangladesh)
Philippa Easterbrook (WHO, Switzerland)
Carmen Figueroa (WHO, Switzerland)
Charles Gore (Hepatitis C Trust and World Hepatitis Alliance, UK)
Karyn Kaplan (Treatment Action Group, USA)
Giten Khwairakpam (TREAT Asia/amfAR, Thailand)
Veronica Miller (Forum for Collaborative HIV Research, USA)
Antons Mozalevskis (WHO-EUR, Denmark)
Michael Ninburg (Hepatitis Education Project, USA)
Ponsiano Ocama (Makerere University, Uganda)
Rosanna Peeling (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and International Diagnostics Centre, UK)
Razia Pendse (WHO-SEARO, India)
Gabriele Riedner (WHO-EMRO, Egypt)
Joseph Tucker (University of North Carolina, SESH, and the International Diagnostics Centre, China)
Nick Walsh (WHO-WPRO)
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About The International Liver Congress
This annual congress is the biggest event in the EASL calendar, attracting scientific and medical experts from around the world to learn about the latest in liver research. Attending specialists present, share, debate and conclude on the latest science and research in hepatology, working to enhance the treatment and management of liver disease in clinical practice. This year, the congress is expected to attract approximately 10,000 delegates from all corners of the globe. The International Liver Congress takes place from April 13 - 17, 2016, at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain.
About EASL
Since EASL's foundation in 1966, this not-for-profit organisation has grown to over 4,000 members from all over the world, including many of the leading hepatologists in Europe and beyond. EASL is the leading liver association in Europe, having evolved into a major European Association with international influence, with an impressive track record in promoting research in liver disease, supporting wider education and promoting changes in European liver policy.
Contact
For more information, please contact the ILC Press Office at:
Email: ILCpressoffice@ruderfinn.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)7841 009 252
Onsite location reference
General session 3 and awards, Hall 8.0-C1
Sunday 17 April, 08:30 - 10:00
Presenter: Philippa Easterbrook, Switzerland
GENEVA, Switzerland, 15 April 2016 - The benefit of plasma genotyping to predict treatment benefit in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is confirmed in three studies presented today at the European Lung Cancer Conference (ELCC) 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland.1 Researchers however warned that plasma tests are unlikely to fully replace tissue biopsies.
Patients with NSCLC are tested for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations which indicate their suitability for targeted EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. Tissue biopsies are the gold standard but are not possible in around 20% of NSCLC patients. Plasma is a potential alternative for EGFR mutation analysis through extraction of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA).
The primary results of the ASSESS trial, presented at ELCC 20152, demonstrated that ctDNA is suitable and feasible for EGFR mutation analysis in real-world practice. The analysis presented today examined whether patient disease or demographic characteristics influenced the detection of EGFR mutations in plasma. There was increased sensitivity of EGFR mutation detection in plasma associated with increasing number and severity of metastases. EGFR mutation detection in plasma was also significantly higher in patients aged less than 65 years old compared with older patients. These findings were independently confirmed by the companion IGNITE study.
"Further studies are required to confirm these findings and identify potential underlying biological mechanisms - the age finding in particular is interesting," said Dr Nicola Normanno, chief of the Cell Biology and Biotherapy Unit, INT-Fondazione Pascale, Naples, Italy, author of one of the studies. "The increased ability to detect EGFR mutations in plasma from patients with a higher number of organs with metastases makes sense biologically, as these patients have higher tumour burden and we could expect more ctDNA to be released in the blood. The same could also be true for patients that have metastases to organs further away from the lungs (M1b)."
He continued: "The link with age is more difficult to understand. Evidence suggests that the biological features of certain tumours change with age. However, the specific biological mechanisms underlying the correlation between the success of plasma analysis and age will need to be investigated further."
Commenting on the implications of the findings for clinical practice, Normanno said: "If plasma testing is more reliable for some patients with certain characteristics, this may have implications in the way that we conduct mutation testing for patients with NSCLC, and ultimately impact upon treatment decisions. Our data suggests that for the majority of patients with metastatic disease a plasma test could be sufficient to determine EGFR mutation status particularly when a robust and reliable methodology is used. Due to the low sensitivity of plasma genotyping (60-70%), a biopsy will still be recommended in plasma negative cases."
Also presented today at the ELCC Conference is an analysis from the phase I AURA trial of osimertinib, a third generation T790M targeting EGFR inhibitor. Eligibility for the drug is currently determined through a positive biopsy test for T790M. The study evaluated the effectiveness of osimertinib, based on tumour results or plasma results, in patients with acquired resistance to first-line EGFR inhibitors who had the T790M mutation L858R or exon 19 deletion.
Positive T790M biopsies correlated with high response rates and long progression free survival (PFS), while those with T790M negative tumours had a low response rate and modest PFS. Patients with T790M positive plasma had high response rates and long PFS. But those with T790M negative plasma had mixed outcomes.
"The first conclusion is that a non-invasive blood test appears to have the ability to find T790M positive patients very effectively," said lead author Dr Geoffrey Oxnard, a thoracic cancer physician at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, US. "But the blood test only has a sensitivity of 70 or 80% so there are false negatives. In other words, if you have a negative result in the blood test it may be that the mutation was present but not detected."
Oxnard continued: "When we studied the tumour results on patients who were T790M negative in the blood we could differentiate those who do better or worse on osimertinib, meaning that a biopsy is an effective fall back to clarify who should and who shouldn't get the drug. We conclude that a two stage approach is needed, starting with the blood test. Patients who test positive for T790M on the blood test can receive osimertinib. Those who test negative should have a biopsy test to clarify their T790M status."
A surprising result was that some patients were T790M negative in the tumour but T790M positive in the blood test. "This suggests that the resistant mutation might be present in just a subset of the cells, or only in some sites of the tumour," said Oxnard. "A biopsy may not capture the cancer's resistance across all sites of disease but a blood test does. Patients with this apparent false negative tissue result did not respond as well to osimertinib as patients with a positive test. It could be that if T790M is only in a subset of resistance cells
there may be other resistance mechanisms hidden in the tumour which reduce the effect of the drug." A second study of osimertinib, limited to patients with an EGFR T790M mutation who had failed a previous EGFR inhibitor, found a high concordance between plasma positive and tissue positive tests. Patients with either positive test responded to the drug to a similar degree.
"The data demonstrates that the responses are equivalent, which hopefully will ultimately lead us to a point where we no longer have to do a biopsy in every patient," said one of the study authors Pasi Janne, professor of medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, US. "I think we will see more and more plasma testing for genetic alterations in lung cancer, where we are trying to treat a genetically defined patient population."
He added: "Blood can be drawn on every patient whereas biopsies are not feasible in everybody, so that opens up the spectrum of patients who can be tested. With a blood test you can isolate and analyse the DNA much faster than you can do a biopsy so eligibility for treatment could be determined more quickly."
Commenting on the findings of the three studies presented today, Dr Sanjay Popat, consultant thoracic medical oncologist at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, UK, said: "These studies confirm the potential clinical utility of using ctDNA EGFR genotyping in routine practice and give information on the magnitude of false negatives. We now need validation of ctDNA EGFR genotyping in real world settings to better understand how it can be delivered. Analyses from clinical trial datasets are usually done retrospective to patient accrual in the trial which is very different to a patient waiting for the result in real time."
But he added: "Plasma testing will not routinely replace tissue biopsy for mutation testing which should still be regarded as the gold standard. It would be a complementary test, and may be a replacement in some patients, for example those in whom a tissue biopsy is not possible."
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References
1) 134O_PR: Plasma ctDNA analysis for detection of EGFR T790M mutation in patients (pts) with EGFR mutation-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC). S. Jenkins, UK. Friday 15th April 2016 - 10:00-10:15 NSCLC targeted therapy and circulating biomarkers Room C 135O_PR: Plasma genotyping for predicting benefit from osimertinib in patients (pts) with advanced NSCLC. G. Oxnard, US. Friday 15th April 2016 10:15-10:30 NSCLC targeted therapy and circulating biomarkers Room C 58O_PR: Clinical and demographic features that influence EGFR mutation detection in plasma from patients (pts) with aNSCLC: The ASSESS experience. N. Normanno, Italy. Friday 15th April 2016 - 9:45-10:00 NSCLC targeted therapy and circulating biomarkers Room C
2) http://www.esmo.org/Conferences/Past-Conferences/ELCC-2015-Lung-Cancer/News-Press-Releases/DNA-Blood-Test-Detects-Lung-Cancer-Mutations
Notes to Editors
Disclaimer
Information contained in this press release was provided by the lecture authors. It does not necessarily express ESMO's or IASLC's point of view.
About the European Lung Cancer Conference (ELCC) 2016
The European Lung Cancer Conference (ELCC) has become the reference event in Europe for professionals treating lung cancers. It is organized by the European Society for Medical Oncology and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, in collaboration with the partner societies ESTRO, ESTS and ETOP.
ELCC provides a comprehensive multidisciplinary overview of the latest as well as of the state-of-the-art knowledge in thoracic malignancies, covering different aspects such as prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment modalities and the results of basic, clinical and translational research, presented by top international academic experts. Around 2,000 attendees are expected from throughout Europe and the rest of the world.
About the European Society for Medical Oncology
ESMO is the leading professional organisation for medical oncology. With more than 14,000 members representing oncology professionals from over 130 countries, ESMO is the society of reference for oncology education and information.
ESMO's educational resources support an integrated, multi-professional approach to cancer care. We have European roots and a global reach: we welcome oncology professionals from around the world and we seek to erase boundaries in cancer care as we pursue our mission across oncology, worldwide.
To learn about ESMO, visit http://www.esmo.org
About International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer
The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) is the only global organization dedicated solely to the study of lung cancer. Founded in 1974, the association's membership includes more than 5,000 lung cancer specialists in over 100 countries. IASLC members promote the study of etiology, epidemiology, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and all other aspects of lung cancer and thoracic malignancies. IASLC brings scientists, members of the medical community and the public together from all over the world to share best practices and discover new and better ways to eliminate the health threat of thoracic cancers. Membership is open to any physician, scientist, nurse or allied health professional interested in lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies, including patients, survivors, caregivers and advocates. Visit http://www.iaslc.org for more information and follow us on Twitter @IASLC
Abstract 134O_PR
Plasma ctDNA analysis for detection of EGFR T790M mutation in patients (pts) with EGFR mutation-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC)
S. Jenkins1, J. Yang2, S. Ramalingam3, K. Yu4, S. Patel5, S. Weston1, R. Lawrance6, M. Cantarini7, P. Janne8, T. Mitsudomi9 1Personalised Healthcare and Biomarkers, AstraZeneca, Macclesfield, UK, 2Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, 3Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA, 4Clinical Operations, Roche Molecular Systems, Inc., Pleasanton, CA, USA, 5Oncology Companion Diagnostics Unit, Personalised Healthcare and Biomarkers, AstraZeneca, Royston, UK, 6Biometrics and Informatics, AstraZeneca, Macclesfield, UK, 7Global Medicines Development, AstraZeneca, Macclesfield, UK,8Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA, 9Thoracic Surgery, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
Background: Osimertinib is an irreversible EGFR-TKI that targets the T790M EGFR-TKI resistance mutation as well as common EGFR-TKI-sensitive mutant forms of EGFR. Pt selection for two single-arm Phase II registration studies (AURA extension, NCT01802632; AURA2, NCT02094261) was based on detection of the T790M mutation using the cobas EGFR Mutation Test for use with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue (cobas tissue test). Plasma samples were collected from screened pts and analysed retrospectively using the cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2.0 (cobas plasma test; plasma claims not yet available in the US). Next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis was also performed on these plasma samples.
Methods: Agreement (positive and negative) between the cobas tissue test and the cobas plasma test, for detection of EGFR mutations, was calculated in the pooled Phase II analysis set. Agreement between the cobas plasma test and NGS analysis of plasma was calculated using samples from AURA2 pts.
Results: In the pooled analysis, the positive percentage agreement (PPA) and negative percentage agreement (NPA) between the cobas tissue test and plasma test were 61.4% and 78.6%, respectively for detection of T790M. In AURA2, the PPA and NPA between the cobas plasma test and NGS analysis of plasma were 91.5% and 91.1%, respectively. As of May 2015, comparable ORR was observed in the subset of pts with a positive T790M plasma test as for all patients selected using the cobas tissue test. Common sensitising mutations were also analysed. PPA and NPA between the cobas tissue test and plasma test were 75.6% and 98.1%, respectively, for the L858R mutation, and 85.1% and 98.0%, respectively, for exon 19 deletions.
Conclusions: Data indicate that approximately 60% of pts with T790M positive NSCLC, the biomarker against which treatment with osimertinib is targeted, could have avoided an invasive biopsy by use of a plasma test. However, for EGFR-TKI-resistant pts, without detectable T790M in plasma, a tissue-based test is advised to address the potential for false negative results from the plasma test. These results indicate the utility of both plasma- and tissue-based tests in the diagnostic setting.
Clinical trial identification: NCT01802632 and NCT02094261 (Release dates 25 February 2013 and 17 March 2014) Legal entity responsible for the study: AstraZeneca
Funding: AstraZeneca
Disclosure: S. Jenkins, S. Patel, S. Weston, R. Lawrance, M. Cantarini: Employee and shareholder: AstraZeneca J. Yang: Advisory boards: Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Bayer, Roche/Genentech, AstraZeneca, Astellas, MSD, Merck Serono, Pfizer, Novartis, Clovis Oncology, Celgene. S. Ramalingam: Consultancy fees: AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene, Genentech, Novartis, Lilly, Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb. K. Yu: Employee: Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. P. Janne: Consultancy fees: AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Roche Research support: AstraZeneca, Astellas Pharmaceuticals Stock ownership: Gatekeeper Pharmaceuticals Other: Post marketing royalties on DFCI owned patent on EGFR mutations licensed to Lab Corp. T. Mitsudomi: Advisory board: AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Chugai, Pfizer Honoraria: AstraZeneca, Chugai, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Pfizer Research fund: Boehringer-Ingelheim, Chugai, Pfizer.
Keywords: osimertinib, AZD9291, T790M, EGFR-TKI
Abstract 135O_PR
Plasma genotyping for predicting benefit from osimertinib in patients (pts) with advanced NSCLC
G.R. Oxnard1, K.S. Thress2, R.S. Alden1, R. Lawrance3, C.P. Paweletz4, M. Cantarini5, C. Barrett2, J. Yang6, P. Janne1 1Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA, 2IMED Oncology Translational Sciences, AstraZeneca, Waltham, MA, USA, 3Biometrics and Informatics, AstraZeneca, Macclesfield, UK, 4Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,5Global Medicines Development, AstraZeneca, Macclesfield, UK, 6Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan Background: Osimertinib (AZD9291) is a selective, irreversible EGFR-TKI recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of pts with EGFR T790M positive metastatic NSCLC who have progressed on/after EGFR-TKI therapy. In the Phase I AURA trial (NCT01802632), plasma was collected for analysis to determine whether genotyping of plasma DNA could identify pts who gain clinical benefit from osimertinib.
Methods: Pre-treated NSCLC pts from the trial (20 mg-240 mg dosing cohorts) were included if they had a common EGFR-sensitising (sens) mutation and central-lab confirmed tumour and/or exploratory plasma genotyping (BEAMing) T790M result (n=308). Objective response rate (ORR) and median progression-free survival in months (mPFS) were assessed, dividing pts based on either tumour or plasma genotyping. Data cut-off was 1 May 2015.
Results: In 216 pts with both plasma and tumour genotyping results, concordance for T790M was 70%. Concordance improved to 80% limiting to 137 cases with a sens mutation detected in plasma. Outcomes were robust in 179 pts T790M+ in tumour (62% ORR, 9.7 mPFS) or in 167 pts T790M+ in plasma (63% ORR, 9.7 mPFS). Outcomes were unexpectedly favourable in 104 pts T790M- in plasma (46% ORR, 8.2 mPFS) compared with 58 pts T790M- in tumour (26% ORR, 3.4 mPFS). Using detection of the plasma sens mutation as a control, plasma T790M- cases could be differentiated into a 'T790M undetected' group (T790M-/sens+) with poorer outcomes (38% ORR, 4.4 mPFS) and a 'plasma uninformative' group (T790M-/sens-) with better outcomes (64% ORR, 15.2 mPFS).
Conclusions: Plasma genotyping can identify pts with T790M resistance, therefore avoiding an invasive biopsy for tumour T790M. In contrast, the ORR observed in pts with T790M- plasma genotyping likely reflects false negative results. For EGFR-TKI-resistant pts without detectable T790M in plasma, a tissue-based test is therefore advised to identify T790M+ candidates for osimertinib therapy. Testing for a plasma sens mutation may serve as a control to inform the likelihood of falsely negative plasma T790M results. These data support the investigation of a new paradigm for resistance management, with rapid plasma genotyping as a test option prior to undergoing a biopsy for T790M.
Clinical trial identification: NCT01802632 (Release date 23 February 2013)
Legal entity responsible for the study: AstraZeneca
Funding: AstraZeneca
Disclosure: G.R. Oxnard: Advisory board/consulting: AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Clovis, Genentech, Sysmex. K.S. Thress, R. Lawrance, M. Cantarini, C. Barrett: Employee and shareholder: AstraZeneca. C.P. Paweletz: Honoraria: BioRad, Clovis Oncology. J. Yang: Advisory boards: Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Bayer, Roche/Genentech, Astrazeneca, Astellas, MSD, Merck Serono, Pfizer, Novartis, Clovis Oncology, Celgene. P. Janne: Consultancy fees: AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Roche Research support: AstraZeneca, Astellas Pharmaceuticals Stock ownership: Gatekeeper Pharmaceuticals Other: Post marketing royalties on DFCI owned patent on EGFR mutations licensed to Lab Corp. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Keywords: osimertinib, EGFR T790M, cell-free DNA, plasma genotyping
Abstract 58O_PR
Clinical and demographic features that influence EGFR mutation detection in plasma from patients (pts) with aNSCLC: The ASSESS experience
N. Normanno1, H. Brown2, V. Haddad3, M. Ratcliffe2, R. McCormack2, S. Tjulandin4, K. Hagiwara5, B. Han6, M. Reck7 1Dept. Biologia Cellulare e Bioterapie, Istituto Nazionale Tumori - I.R.C.C.S - Fondazione Pascale, Naples, Italy, 2Personalised Healthcare and Biomarkers, AstraZeneca, Macclesfield, UK, 3Biostatistics & Information Sciences, AstraZeneca, Royston, UK, 4Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Chemotherapy, Russian Cancer Research Centre, Moscow, Russian Federation, 5Comprehensive Medicine, Jichi Medical University Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, Japan, 6Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China,7Department of Thoracic Oncology, LungenClinic Grosshansdorf GmbH, Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Grosshansdorf, Germany Background: Mutation detection from circulating free tumour-derived DNA (ctDNA) in plasma offers a minimally invasive alternative when biopsy is not possible. Despite continuous improvement in detection methods, the sensitivity of EGFR mutation-positive detection remains lower in plasma compared with tumour tissue. The large non-interventional study ASSESS (NCT01785888) offers the ability to investigate if clinical characteristics of disease and/or pt demographics influence the ability to detect mutations in plasma.
Methods: The accuracy of EGFR mutation-positive detection in plasma compared with tumour (sensitivity, specificity, concordance) was reported and analysed by the Coughlin method for the following covariates: gender, age, ethnicity, smoking status, disease stage, World Health Organization (WHO) performance status (PS), time since diagnosis, metastases and number of organs with metastases, in 1162 pts from Europe and Japan.
Results: Of those pts with EGFR mutation-positive tumours, EGFR mutation-positive detection in plasma was higher in pts aged <65 (63.5% [95% confidence interval 50-75]) vs pts aged ?65 (37.3% [29-46]) (interaction p-value=0.0002) (Table). Increased sensitivity of EGFR mutation-positive detection in plasma was also associated with increasing number of organs with metastases (1: 35.9% [27-46]; 2: 60.5% [43-76]; ?3: 69.4% [52-84]) and with higher metastatic grade (M1b: 63.4% [52-74] vs M1a: 22.8% [13-36]; interaction p-values not significant). Gender, ethnicity, smoking status and PS status did not influence plasma mutation detection.
Conclusions: These data suggest that pt age significantly influences the ability to detect EGFR mutation-positive from plasma; detection is also more likely when pts have a higher metastatic tumour burden. Further studies are required to confirm these findings/identify underlying biological mechanisms.
Characteristic Subgroup Tumour and plasma evaluable N (%) EGFR mutation-positive by tumour Sensitivity (95% CI) Specificity (95% CI) Interaction with tumour tissue p-value
Total - 1162 189 46.03 (38.8, 53.4) 97.43 (96.2, 98.3) - Age >=65 680 (58.52) 126 37.3 (28.9, 46.4) 96.39 (94.5, 97.8) <65 482 (41.48) 63 63.49 (50.4, 75.3) 98.81 (97.2, 99.6) 0.0002 Current disease stage IIIA 66 (5.71) 5 20 (0.5, 71.6) 98.36 (91.2, 100.0) IIIB 104 (9.00) 3 0 (NC) 99.01 (94.6, 100.0) IV 986 (85.29) 181 47.51 (40.1, 55.1) 97.14 (95.7, 98.2) 0.8951 Distant metastases M1a 233 (20.09) 57 22.81 (12.7, 35.8) 98.3 (95.1, 99.7) M1b 486 (41.90) 82 63.41 (52.1, 73.8) 97.28 (95.2, 98.6) 0.0915 Number of organs with metastasis 0 165 (13.98) 9 11.11 (0.3, 48.3) 98.72 (95.5, 98.8) 1 534 (45.96) 106 35.85 (26.8, 45.7) 97.43 (95.5, 98.7) 2 268 (23.06) 38 60.53 (43.4, 76.0) 97.39 (94.4, 99.0) >=3 195 (16.78) 36 69.44 (51.9, 83.7) 96.23 (92.0, 98.6) 0.2114 Time since diagnosis <=0.66 months 578(49.96) 91 43.96 (33.6, 54.8) 97.33 (95.5, 98.6) >0.66 months 579 (50.04) 96 46.88 (36.6, 57.3) 97.52 (95.7, 98.7) 0.7023
Concordance >79%. NC, non-calculable Clinical trial identification: NCT01785888
Legal entity responsible for the study: AstraZeneca
Funding: AstraZeneca
Disclosure: N. Normanno: Received grants/research support from, and been a Consultant for, AstraZeneca, Qiagen and Roche Diagnostics. H. Brown, V. Haddad, M. Ratcliffe, R. McCormack: Employee of AstraZeneca and holds shares in AstraZeneca. S. Tjulandin: Member of the speakers' bureau for AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Sanofi-Aventis. K. Hagiwara: Member of the speakers' bureau for AstraZeneca, Chugai Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer and holds a patent with LSI Medience. B. Han: Member of the speakers' bureau for AstraZeneca and Roche and a Consultant for AstraZeneca and Pfizer. M. Reck: Member of speakers' bureau for AstraZeneca, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Daiichi-Sankyo, Hoffmann-La Roche, Lilly and Pfizer; Consultant for AstraZeneca, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Daiichi-Sankyo, Hoffmann-La Roche, Lilly, MSD and Pfizer.
Keywords: plasma, ctDNA, EGFR mutation, NSCLC
GENEVA, Switzerland, 15 April 2016 - Patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expressing advanced squamous non-small-cell lung cancer benefit most from necitumumab added to gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy, according to a subgroup analysis from the SQUIRE trial presented today at the European Lung Cancer Conference (ELCC) 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland.1
The randomised phase III SQUIRE trial demonstrated that the addition of necitumumab to gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy improved overall survival in patients with stage IV squamous non-small-cell lung cancer by 1.6 months compared to chemotherapy alone. The current study analysed outcomes in the subgroup of patients with EGFR expressing tumours compared to those with no EGFRs.
Out of 982 patients in the SQUIRE trial, 95% had EGFR expressing tumours and 5% had tumours with no EGFR protein. The addition of necitumumab to gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy improved overall survival and progression free survival by 21% and 16%, respectively, as compared to chemotherapy alone in patients whose tumours expressed the EGFR protein. There was no benefit in patients with no EGFR in their tumours.
Dr Luis Paz-Ares, Chief of medical oncology at the University Hospital 12 De Octubre in Madrid, Spain, lead author, said: "Necitumumab is targeted at EGFR so it makes sense that the drug is active in patients with the receptor. Our analysis showed that the drug had no effect when the receptor was absent, presumably because there was no target to bind to. We cannot make robust conclusions because the subgroup of patients with negative EGFR was very small, but the hypothesis generated here is that those tumours do not respond well to necitumumab."
"Based on this analysis, the European Medicines Agency has decided that necitumumab is approved only for patients with EGFR expressing tumours," continued Paz-Ares. "On the other hand the US Food and Drug Administration has taken the more conservative approach which recognises that SQUIRE was designed for all-comers without prior selection, and this subgroup analysis is insufficient evidence to conclude that patients with EGFR negative tumours are not candidates."
He concluded: "Our results need to be interpreted with caution. A confirmatory study in patients with EGFR negative tumours is needed to assess whether they are good candidates for necitumumab or not."
Commenting on the findings, Prof Robert Pirker, programme director for lung cancer at the Vienna General Hospital in Vienna, Austria, not involved in the study, said: "This subgroup analysis shows that the effect of necitumumab was slightly greater in patients with EGFR expressing tumours than it was in the entire SQUIRE population. It indicates that immunohistochemical detection of the EGFR receptor improves clinical activity of necitumumab. The findings are consistent with previous studies suggesting that monoclonal antibodies in combination with chemotherapy work better in patients with EGFR expressing cells."
Pirker added that a more thorough analysis is needed. He said: "Information on outcome of patients with cut-off levels higher than in the current analysis would be of interest. We also need to know the effect of necitumumab according to both percentages of positive cells and their staining intensity. This could be combined with fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) analysis to detect gene amplification. This could give us a clearer picture of which patients benefit most from necitumumab."
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WASHINGTON (April 14, 2016) - Safe levels of electrical stimulation can enhance your capacity to think more creatively, according to a new study by Georgetown researchers.
Georgetown psychology professor Adam Green and Dr. Peter Turkeltaub of Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) and MedStar National Rehabilitation Network, and a team of colleagues published the study yesterday online in Cerebral Cortex.
The team used Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to stimulate an area of the brain known to be associated with creativity in combination with giving test subjects verbal cues to think more creatively.
"We found that the individuals who were most able to ramp up activity in a region at the far front of the brain, called the frontopolar cortex, were the ones most able to ramp up the creativity of the connections they formed," Green explains. "Since ramping up activity in frontopolar cortex appeared to support a natural boost in creative thinking, we predicted that stimulating activity in this brain region would facilitate this boost, allowing people to reach higher creative heights."
Use of tDCS targeting frontopolar cortex in two creativity tasks allowed the test subjects to form more creative analogical connections between sets of words, and to generate more creative associations between words.
"This work is a departure from traditional research that treats creativity as a static trait," Green says. "Instead, we focused on creativity as a dynamic state that can change quickly within an individual when they 'put their thinking cap on.' "
"The findings of this study offer the new suggestion that giving individuals a "zap" of electrical stimulation can enhance the brain's natural thinking cap boost in creativity," he adds.
The researchers wrote that their results provide "novel evidence" that tDCS enhances the "conscious augmentation of creativity elicited by cognitive intervention, and extends the known boundaries of tDCS enhancement to analogical reasoning, a form of creative intelligence that is a powerful engine for innovation."
Turkletaub, a GUMC cognitive neurologist, hopes that one day doctors may be able to improve creative analogical reasoning using both cueing and tDCS to help people with brain disorders.
"People with speech and language difficulties often can't find or produce the words they need," he explains. "Enhancing creative analogical reasoning might allow them to find alternate ways of expressing their ideas using different words, gestures, or other approaches to convey a similar meaning."
Green and Turkeltaub say that although their results are promising, "it is important to be cautious about applications of tDCS."
They say that much remains unknown about exactly how tDCS affects brain function, and early reports of tDCS effects need further replication before researchers can further gauge how substantive these effects are.
"Any effort to use electric current for stimulating the brain outside the laboratory or clinic could be dangerous and should be strongly discouraged," Green cautioned.
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This work was supported by awards from the National Science Foundation, The John Templeton Foundation, the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences via Georgetown Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science (KL2 TR000102) and Pymetrics.
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.
"It's possible to finance the drinking water supply in the majority of countries worldwide by the year 2030," says Dr. Michael Jacob, lead author of the study from the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) in Berlin. In India alone, a carbon tax would generate around 115 billion US dollars a year, "and only a fraction of that would be needed for clean water, meaning that enough money would remain for sanitation and electricity," said the researcher. In fact, the needed infrastructure for this second largest country of the world would consume only about four percent of the revenue from the tax.
That said, there are a few countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (see figure), where carbon pricing would not suffice, namely because carbon emissions there are so low that they would yield little revenue. "However, this funding gap could be closed when considering that developing countries have not yet exhausted their right to use the atmosphere," says Jakob. "Avoidance of emissions would then entitle them to compensation payments from industrialized countries."
The MCC study, which examined the development potential for not only water, sanitation and electricity but also ICT and roads, was published today under the title "Carbon pricing revenues could close infrastructure gaps" in the journal World Development. In their calculations, the researchers assume that every country in the world is now introducing a steadily increasing carbon tax. In 2020 the tax would have to be 40 US dollars per tonne of CO? emissions and increase up to 175 US dollars by 2030.
"In addition to generating revenue for infrastructure, the tax would thus contribute to the international goal of limiting global warming to two degrees," explains Dr. Sabine Fuss, co-author of the study who is also a guest researcher at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). "This is because the tax penalizes the use of fossil fuels and creates incentives for zero-carbon technologies." Money not needed for the infrastructure could be used to mitigate climate change impacts such as rising sea levels, which affect in particular the developing countries.
As is well known, raising the price of coal, oil and gas as part of climate protection measures brings its share of problems. "Nobody wants to pay more. But that's exactly why the idea to fund vital infrastructure directly from carbon revenue has clout," says Jakob. Linking the revenue to a specific use increases acceptance among the population and decreases the risk of misappropriation. In addition, carbon pricing could be used to reduce the burdens facing in particular the poorer segments of the population, such as the value added tax. "One thing is clear: For climate protection to be effective it must be embedded in a broader sustainable development scheme, and vice versa," says Jakob. "Simply infusing more money won't solve the problem. Instead, decisive factors such as a functioning state, democratic decision-making and the relevant institutions must be taken into consideration."
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Link to the cited study:
Jakob, M.; Chen, C.; Fuss, S.; Marxen, A.; Rao, N.; Edenhofer, O. (2016): Carbon pricing revenues could close infrastructure gaps. World Development, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2016.03.001
About the MCC:
The MCC explores sustainable economic development as well as the use of common goods such as global environmental systems and social infrastructures against the background of climate change. Our seven working groups are active in the fields of economic growth and development, resources and international trade, cities and infrastructures, governance and scientific policy advice. The MCC was co-founded by the Mercator Foundation and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).
In a small, phase I clinical trial, Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers say they show for the first time that the experimental drug guadecitabine (SGI-110) is safe in combination with the chemotherapy drug irinotecan and may overcome resistance to irinotecan in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Results of the study are expected to be presented April 17 at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2016 in New Orleans (abstract CT017).
Guadecitabine works to reverse a so-called epigenetic change in cancer cells known as methylation, which may alter genetic activity in cells in a way that can block the action of tumor-suppressing genes, pushing cells to become cancerous and resistant to therapy. By reversing this change in cancer cells, the drug restores cancer cells' vulnerability to drugs such as irinotecan.
The clinical trial included 22 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who had been treated previously with irinotecan and whose disease was progressing. The patients were divided into four groups, each receiving different doses of guadecitabine in combination with irinotecan, over an average period of four months.
During the study, 15 patients had at least one imaging scan to retest the extent and location of their cancers -- with 12 patients experiencing stable disease -- for more than the four-month period, on average, and one patient experiencing a partial response to the treatment (measured as at least a 30 percent reduction in the size of the tumors.)
Although the study's main purpose was to test the safety rather than the effectiveness of guadecitabine doses, "we were very happy to see some patients who benefited from the combination of the therapies for many months to more than a year," says Nilofer Azad, M.D., professor of oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
The study also showed signs that guadecitabine reduced methylation among the cancer cells. "We did see that giving a higher dose of the drug seemed to produce a better methylation response among patients," says Valerie Lee, M.D., a fellow at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. "However, it seemed that patients were responding at all levels of the drug."
Among the side effects of the combined treatment, 16 patients experienced neutropenia, a low count of the infection-fighting white blood cells called neutrophils; five patients with neutropenia had fevers; three patients became anemic; and two patients developed thrombocytopenia, a lowered count of blood-clotting platelets. Other side effects included diarrhea (three patients), fatigue (two patients) and dehydration (two patients). There was one death during the study, possibly resulting from febrile neutropenia caused by the treatment.
The current study was based on previous studies in the laboratory of Nita Ahuja, M.D., director of the Sarcoma and Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Program and professor of surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, which showed that guadecitabine limited the growth of colorectal cancer cell lines when combined with irinotecan, says Azad.
The drug combination is being tested in an ongoing phase II clinical trial (NCT01896856) in a larger group of metastatic colorectal cancer patients at multiple institutions to determine the effectiveness of the dual therapy compared with chemotherapy regimens that do not include guadecitabine, says Azad.
Scientists leading the new study will also look for biomarkers in patients that could help determine which of them are most likely to benefit from guadecitabine and irinotecan. Lee says the research team will measure the amount of methylation in patients' cells when they begin their treatment and the presence of genes associated with irinotecan resistance, among other possible biomarkers.
In 2015, there were more than 130,000 people in the U.S. diagnosed with colon cancers. Five-year survival rates among people with localized colon cancers are more than 90 percent, but they are only 20 percent in those with metastatic cancer.
Guadecitabine is an experimental drug that has not been approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is manufactured by Astex Pharmaceuticals, a supporter of the Johns Hopkins-led study. The research was also supported by the Van Andel Research Institute SU2C/AACR Epigenetics Dream Team.
Other scientists who contributed to the research include Judy Wang, Anup Sharma, Zachary Kerner, Stephen Baylin, Ellen Lilly, and Thomas Brown from Johns Hopkins; Anthony El Khoueiry from the University of Southern California; Henk Verheul and Elske Gootjes from Vrije Universiteit in the Netherlands; and Peter Jones from the Van Andel Research Institute.
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An experimental antibody treatment decreased by half the number of cancer stem cells that drive the growth of tumors in nearly all patients with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow and bone tissue, according to results of a preliminary clinical trial led by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center scientists.
The antibody, called Medi-551, was tested in 15 newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma who also received a monthly regimen of lenalidomide and dexamethasone -- already approved chemotherapy drugs that are often prescribed to treat multiple myeloma. The scientists are expected to present their findings April 19 at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2016 in New Orleans (abstract CT102).
The researchers, led by myeloma experts William Matsui, M.D., and Carol Ann Huff, M.D., measured the impact of the drugs on cancer stem cells by counting the stem cells in bone marrow and blood samples drawn from the patients at several points throughout the seven-month study, which ended in March 2016.
Bone marrow-derived cancer stem cells at first increased by an average of 2.5-fold in the patients after two cycles of lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone. After MEDI-551 was added in the third and fourth months of treatment, the number of cancer stem cells decreased by half, on average, in 14 of the 15 patients.
By contrast, five newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients who did not receive the extra antibody treatment had their cancer stem cell numbers swell 9.3-fold after an average of four months' treatment with the other two drugs. There were no serious adverse side effects among the patients in the study of the antibody.
Matsui and Huff are part of the Johns Hopkins research team that in 2002 was among the first to identify and isolate cancer stem cells in multiple myeloma, which is diagnosed in approximately 30,000 people in the U.S. annually. Their subsequent research showed how these cancer stem cells contribute to relapse in patients with multiple myeloma, and the scientists have been looking for new ways to target these cells with treatments that can halt their ability to create mature tumor cells and trigger relapse.
The antibody MEDI-551 targets a specific protein called CD19 found on the surface of multiple myeloma cancer stem cells, explains Matsui. "We chose to carry out this clinical trial in newly diagnosed patients because our original data showed that CD19 was almost always expressed by myeloma stem cells in these patients, whereas we don't know if that is the case in more advanced patients," he says.
The researchers also tested two different ways to measure cancer stem cells in patients: in tissue samples aspirated from bone marrow and in blood drawn from the patients throughout the study. "We wanted to see if these two assays gave similar results, and in this clinical trial, they were almost identical," Huff says. "Since it is much easier to draw blood than bone marrow from our patients, we think that we can primarily use blood to track multiple myeloma stem cells in the future."
Although most of the patients experienced a decrease in multiple myeloma cancer stem cells after three doses of MEDI-551, these stem cells increased in two of the patients, each of who had their cancer grow or spread during the course of the study.
Matsui, Huff and their colleagues plan to conduct further studies to determine the long-term impact of the antibody treatment in patients with multiple myeloma and to find out how the antibody might work in combination with other treatments.
"In other studies at Johns Hopkins, we have found that antibody therapies can work much better after a bone marrow transplant, especially allogeneic transplants, where patients receive bone marrow cells donated from a relative," says Matsui.
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Funding for the study was provided by MedImmune Inc., the developers of MEDI-551. Matsui and Huff have received research funding and honoraria from MedImmune.
Funding and drugs for the study described in this presentation were provided by MedImmune Inc., the developers of MEDI-551. Huff and Matsui respectively served as a paid scientific advisory board member and consultant to MedImmune Inc. These arrangements have been reviewed and approved by The Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict of interest policies.
Other Johns Hopkins researchers who contributed to the study include Douglas Gladstone, Ivan Borrello, Qiuju Wang and Christian Gocke. Their co-researchers include Shannon Marshall, Parthiv Mahadevia, Boyd Mudenda and Ronald Herbst of MedImmune Inc.
A team of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators has found no evidence of infections related to administration of allergy immunotherapy, the common practice of injecting minimal quantities of allergens beneath the skin to reduce the allergic response. Although there has never been a concern about the sterility of the preparations used in these "allergy shots," the organization that sets standards for the quality and safety of medications and other products has proposed revised guidelines that place allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in the same category as more risky preparations intended for intravenous or spinal administration.
"Our analysis of 10 years of data from large allergy practices at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital - covering approximately 135,000 individual injections administered to about 3,250 patients -- finds no incidence of infection related to those injections," says Aidan Long, MD, clinical director of the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Unit in the MGH Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology and senior author of the report published online in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. "This confirms that the sterile practices used in the preparation of allergy shots at our hospitals and at most clinical allergy practices do not pose an infectious risk for patients."
The report notes that the safety record of AIT goes back more than 100 years and that the practices used are different from those of pharmacy compounding, which has recently come under scrutiny because of a meningitis outbreak tied to contaminated spinal injections prepared by a particular compounding center. That and other incidents may be behind the guideline changes proposed by the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), which would place allergen extracts in the same category as compounds prepared for injection into the circulatory system or the cerebrospinal fluid. The current study was prepared to provide data supporting the response to the proposed changes from several allergy and immunology specialty organizations.
In on-site pharmacies at MGH, Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and other major hospitals, the allergen extracts used in AIT are individually prepared for each patient. Independent allergy practices may prepare them in their offices using the same sterile techniques used in hospitals, and existing USP standards placed allergen extracts in a separate category because their infectious risk was perceived to be extremely low.
"AIT is truly a disease-modifying treatment that diminishes the intensity, frequency and severity of symptoms, as well as reducing the need for medications. There are no equivalent therapies for allergic diseases -- including seasonal allergies, asthma, and potentially life-threatening hypersensitivity to insect stings," says Long, who is an associate professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. "While there was no evidence in the literature to suggest that a problem existed, but we wanted to look at a larger data set to confirm the widely held belief in the lack of infectious problems related to AIT,"
The MGH-led study analyzed data from the Research Patient Data Registry of Partners Healthcare -- a Boston-based system that includes MGH, BWH, several community hospitals and a network of more than 6,000 physicians -- covering all AIT injections administered at two major allergy practices at the hospitals from 2005 through 2015. Using the electronic medical record, they were able to identify any patients receiving AIT during those years who also were treated for an infection at any Partners-affiliated practice during the week after their injection. While there were 86 episodes of patients being treated for infection during that time -- out of 3,242 patients - no soft-tissue infections were at the site of the injection, and no systemic infections could be attributed to AIT.
Long explains, "While it would be technically possible for hospital pharmacies to meet the proposed USP guidelines, doing so would require significantly more manpower, space and work. It is unlikely that any individual allergy practice not allied to a pharmacy would ever be able to meet the specifications, and given the current reimbursement rates, the additional costs would not be feasible for any active allergist inside or outside a hospital. The net effect would be the disappearance of subcutaneous allergen immuotherapy."
While the official commentary period for the proposed changes to USP guidelines -- which are typically adopted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration -- have ended, Long has been informed that the agency is still holding discussions with the allergy community and accepting additional information. He and his colleagues plan to continue those discussions, including presentation of the data in this report.
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The lead author of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology article is Diana Balekian, MD, MPH, of the MGH Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology. Additional co-authors are Aleena Banerji, MD, Kimberly Blumenthal, MD, and Carlos Camargo, Jr., MD, DrPH, also of MGH Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology. The study was supported by National Institutes of Health grant T32 HL116275.
Massachusetts General Hospital, founded in 1811, is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The MGH conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the United States, with an annual research budget of more than $800 million and major research centers in AIDS, cardiovascular research, cancer, computational and integrative biology, cutaneous biology, human genetics, medical imaging, neurodegenerative disorders, regenerative medicine, reproductive biology, systems biology, transplantation biology and photomedicine. In July 2015, MGH returned into the number one spot on the 2015-16 U.S. News & World Report list of "America's Best Hospitals."
Women live longer in areas with more green vegetation, according to new research funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health. Women with the highest levels of vegetation, or greenness, near their homes had a 12 percent lower death rate compared to women with the lowest levels of vegetation near their homes. The results were published Apr. 14, 2016 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
The researchers found the biggest differences in death rates from kidney disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. The researchers also explored how an environment with trees, shrubs, and plants might lower mortality rates. They showed that improved mental health and social engagement are the strongest factors, while increased physical activity and reduced air pollution also contribute.
"It is important to know that trees and plants provide health benefits in our communities, as well as beauty," said NIEHS director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D. "The finding of reduced mortality suggests that vegetation may be important to health in a broad range of ways."
The study, conducted by scientists at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, examined greenness around the homes of 108,630 women in the long-term Nurses' Health Study. The researchers mapped home locations and used high resolution satellite imagery to determine the level of vegetation within 250 meters and 1,250 meters of homes. They then followed the women from 2000 to 2008, tracking changes in vegetation and participant deaths. During the study, 8,604 deaths occurred.
The scientists consistently found lower mortality rates in women as levels of trees and plants increased around their homes. This trend was seen for separate causes of death, as well as when all causes were combined. When researchers compared women in the areas with highest greenness to women in the lowest, they found a 41 percent lower death rate for kidney disease, 34 percent lower death rate for respiratory disease, and 13 percent lower death rate for cancer in the greenest areas.
"The ability to examine vegetation in relatively fine detail around so many homes, while also considering the characteristics of the individual participants, is a major strength of this study," said Bonnie Joubert, Ph.D., NIEHS scientific program director overseeing the study. "This builds on prior studies showing the health benefits of greenness that used community-level or regional data."
The scientists also looked at characteristics that can otherwise contribute to mortality risk, such as age, race, ethnicity, smoking, and socioeconomic status. This enabled them to be more confident that vegetation plays a role in reduced mortality, rather than these factors. If participants moved or the vegetation near their homes changed during the study, the scientists took those changes into account in their study.
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Grant Numbers: R01ES017017
Reference: James P, Hart JE, Banay RF, Laden F. Exposure to greenness and mortality in a nationwide prospective cohort study of women. Environmental Health Perspectives; doi:10.1289/ehp.1510363 [Online 14 Apr 2016].
NIEHS supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health and is part of NIH. For more information on environmental health topics, visit http://www.niehs.nih.gov. Subscribe to one or more of the NIEHS news lists to stay current on NIEHS news, press releases, grant opportunities, training, events, and publications.
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.
NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health
Contact:
Virginia Guidry
NIEHS
919-541-1993
virginia.guidry@nih.gov
Disastrous floods in the Balkans two years ago are likely linked to the temporary slowdown of giant airstreams, scientists found. These wind patterns, circling the globe in the form of huge waves between the Equator and the North Pole, normally move eastwards, but practically stopped for several days then -- at the same time, a weather system got stuck over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia that poured out record amounts of rain. The study adds evidence that so-called planetary wave resonance is a key mechanism for causing extreme weather events in summer. Further, the scientists showed that extreme rainfall events are strongly increasing in the Balkans, even more than the globally observed rise.
"We were surprised to see how long the weather system that led to the flooding stayed over the region - it's like the Vb cyclone 'Yvette' was trapped there," says Lisa Stadtherr from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), lead-author of the study to be published in Science Advances. "Day after day the rain was soaking the soil until it was saturated, which lead to the flooding that reportedly caused several dozen casualties and 3.5 billion Euro of damages."
While the mean daily rainfall in the Balkans has increased only a little since 1950, the intensity of the strongest rainfall events rose by one third, the scientists found. In May 2014, daily rainfall amounts were locally bigger than ever before in the observed period. The frequency of such potentially devastating extremes in the Balkans, though they're still rare, doubled over the past sixty years.
"We had a similar situation in 1997 in Germany, resulting in the Elbe flooding"
"This is worrying, all the more because we're seeing increasing extreme rainfall in many parts of the globe," says co-author and PIK project head Dim Coumou. "The changes over the Balkan are substantially larger than those expected from simple warming of the air." Regional temperatures rose by one degree since the middle of the past century, and the increased water holding capacity of warmer air intensifies heavy rainfall by about 7 percent per degree of warming. "Yet the observed rainfall changes in the Balkans are roughly five times that much -- hence other factors must have come into play."
The scientists detected that the unusual trapping of the weather system over the Balkans happened at the same time when so-called planetary waves of the jetstream circulation also became trapped. "This does not prove causality, but the co-occurrence is at least suspicious -- particularly since we had a similar situation for instance in 1997 in Germany with cyclone 'Zoe', resulting in the devastating Elbe flooding," says Coumou. "We provide evidence that the near stationarity of the waves was linked to a subtle phenomenon we call resonance."
A mechanism for creating extreme weather events in summer in general
This mechanism has first been put forward by PIK scientist Vladimir Petoukhov only a few years ago, opening a new branch of research; he is co-author of the present study. The scientists produced a video to explain the mechanism which might be a decisive factor for creating extreme weather events in summer in general (see weblinks below).
"Our findings provide more evidence that planetary waves cause extreme weather events," says co-author Stefan Rahmstorf, chair of PIK's research domain Earth System Analysis. "When these waves start to resonate this can have serious impacts for people on the ground. I am concerned that the ongoing climate change may be creating conditions more favorable for this kind of resonance."
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Article: Coumou, D., Stadtherr, L., Petoukhov, V., Petri, S., Rahmstorf, S. (2016): Record Balkan floods of 2014 linked to planetary wave resonance. Science Advances [doi:10.1126/sciadv.1501428]
Weblink to article once it is published: http://advances.sciencemag.org/
Weblink to VIDEO on planetary waves: https://youtu.be/MzW5Isbv2A0
Weblinks to previous studies on the subject:
Trapped atmospheric waves triggered more weather extremes https://www.pik-potsdam.de/news/press-releases/archive/2014/trapped-atmospheric-waves-triggered-more-weather-extremes
Cold, hot or dry: Persistent weather extremes associated with decreased storm activity https://www.pik-potsdam.de/news/press-releases/cold-hot-or-dry-persistent-weather-extremes-associated-with-decreased-storm-activity
Summer storm weakening leads to more persistent heat extremes https://www.pik-potsdam.de/news/press-releases/summer-storm-weakening-leads-to-more-persistent-heat-extremes
Record-breaking heavy rainfall events increased under global warming https://www.pik-potsdam.de/news/press-releases/record-breaking-heavy-rainfall-events-increased-under-global-warming
For further information please contact:
PIK press office
Phone: 49-331-288-25-07
E-Mail: press@pik-potsdam.de
Twitter: @PIK_Climate
http://www.pik-potsdam.de
UC Davis researchers have shown that an enzyme produced by beneficial microbes in babies' intestines is able to harvest specific sugar compounds from human breast-milk and cow's milk. The discovery identifies those sugars -- rather than associated protein compounds -- as the key to nourishing those important, health-promoting microbes.
"These sugar compounds selectively provide incredible nutrient support specifically for the growth of the infant gut microbes," said lead researcher David Mills, a professor of food science and technology at UC Davis.
The study results will appear April 15, 2016 online in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society of Microbiology.
Advancing earlier discoveries:
In previous studies, Mills and colleagues had shown that glycoproteins from human milk may be a source of sugar for the beneficial microbes in the infant gut. Glycoproteins are compounds with both protein and sugar molecules called oligosaccharides.
The researchers also had earlier demonstrated that one such gut microbe -- a bacterial subspecies called Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis) -- produced an enzyme called EndoBI-1 that could split the oligosaccharides away from the glycoproteins.
But there was no definitive answer as to whether it was the sugar or the protein components of the glycoproteins that were supporting growth of B. infantis.
New findings:
In the new study, the researchers set out to determine whether the oligosaccharides could, as they suspected, be a sole nutrient source for B. infantis in the infant gut. They used the EndoBI-1 enzyme to separate the oligosaccharides from the glycoproteins found in bovine colostrum -- the "first milk" produced by a lactating cow. Cow's milk was used for the study because it was readily available in significant volumes.
The researchers found that oligosaccharides separated out from the cow's colostrum fueled rapid growth of the B. infantis bacterium. However, the oligosaccharides from the cow's milk did not support growth of a related bacterium found in the intestines of adult humans.
The study also showed that B. infantis did not grow on milk proteins from which the sugars had been separated out, clearly indicating that the oligosaccharides were the compounds that fed those specific bacteria.
Mills noted that B. infantis has many genes that are involved with breaking down glycoproteins in mother's milk in order to release the oligosaccharides.
"Mother's milk co-evolved over millions of years with mammals and the beneficial gut microbiota that the milk helped nourish," he said. "And milk is the only food that co-evolved with humans to make us healthy."
In addition to solving the protein-or-sugar question related to the role of glycoproteins in feeding B. infantis, the findings also suggest that cow's milk could be a source of selective oligosaccharides, which might be used to make therapeutic prebiotics for infants.
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Collaborators and funding:
In addition to Mills, study co-authors -- all from UC Davis -- were Sercan Karav, Annabelle Le Parc, Juliana Maria Leite Nobrega de Moura Bell, Steven A. Frese, Nina Kirmiz, David E. Block and Daniela Barile.
Funding for the study was provided by the UC Davis Research Investments in the Sciences and Engineering Program, the National Institutes of Health, the Peter J. Shields Endowed Chair in Dairy Science at UC Davis, and by Turkey's Ministry of Education.
Media contact:
David Mills
Food Science and Technology
530-754-7821
damills@ucdavis.edu
Pat Bailey
News and Media Relations
530-752-9843
pjbailey@ucdavis.edu
The University of Exeter Medical School has led an analysis of more than 3,000 people in Scotland who each had blood pressure measurements taken from both arms, published today in the British Journal of General Practice. Researchers say the findings show the importance of routinely measuring blood pressure in both arms.
Up to now, such research has mainly focussed on people who have already encountered heart disease or hypertension. Now, the new research, funded by RCGP, The South West GP Trust, NIHR and the NIHR CLAHRC South West Peninsula (PenCLAHRC), analysed a cohort of people who had been identified as having a greater risk of heart disease or hypertension, but who had not yet had any episode of either. They were healthy, but identified as being at higher risk of cardiovascular disease when recruited to the study.
The team found that a difference in systolic blood pressure measurements between the two arms (of 5mm Hg) was associated with almost double the risk of death from heart-related disease, when the cohort was followed up over a period of eight years. In the analysis, which was based on one pair of blood pressure readings, 60 per cent of the cohort had this difference. The researchers wanted to examine this single check of blood pressure in both arms to reflect currently available measurement methods in general practice. It is known, however, that the proportion of people confirmed to have a blood pressure difference will fall substantially on repeated testing.
Dr Chris Clark, a GP andNIHR Clinical Lecturer at the University of Exeter Medical School, said: "Current guidelines state that blood pressure should be measured in both arms when assessing patients for hypertension, but often this advice is not followed due to time constraints or lack of awareness amongst clinicians. For accuracy, to overcome natural blood pressure fluctuations, it is important to test both arms simultaneously to confirm any difference. However, our previous research has found that if one arm is tested before the other, with just a single pair of measures, it is still possible to identify nearly all those who will prove to have an inter-arm difference on further testing. This new study confirms that people identified with only a single pair of measurements are still at higher risk of heart disease than those without an inter-arm difference. Repeated assessments to confirm the existence of an inter-arm difference, and suitable lifestyle advice, can then be targeted at individuals identified in this way, and could make a difference to their future health. The next stage of our research is to quantify the extra risk that an inter-arm difference indicates, and after that, to discover the extent to which this can be protected against."
The cohort was from the Aspirin for Asymptomatic Atherosclerosis (AAA) trial, a randomised controlled trial conducted from April 1998 to October 2008. That study, led by the University of Edinburgh and funded by the British Heart Foundation, recruited 3350 males and females aged 50-75 years living in central Scotland and free of pre-existing clinical cardiovascular disease. The study involved taking blood pressure from both arms, and the Exeter team worked with the authors of the AAA trial to analyse their data.
Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation which funded the initial clinical trial, said: "Differences in blood pressure between arms has previously been linked with an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease in those that already have the condition or are at very high risk. But this study found that healthy people without pre-existing heart disease may also have an increased risk. The findings support current guidance that blood pressure should be measured in both arms when assessing someone for hypertension."
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The study, Inter-arm blood pressure difference and mortality: a cohort study in an asymptomatic primary care population at elevated cardiovascular risk, is published in the print edition of the British Journal of General Practice on April 29, 2016. Authors are Christopher E Clark, Rod S Taylor, Isabella Butcher, Marlene CW Stewart, Jackie Price, F Gerald R Fowkes, Angela C Shore and John L Campbell. C Shore
The worldwide reliance on burning fossil fuels to create energy could be phased out in a decade, according to an article published by a major energy think tank in the UK.
Professor Benjamin Sovacool, Director of the Sussex Energy Group at the University of Sussex, believes that the next great energy revolution could take place in a fraction of the time of major changes in the past.
But it would take a collaborative, interdisciplinary, multi-scalar effort to get there, he warns. And that effort must learn from the trials and tribulations from previous energy systems and technology transitions.
In a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Energy Research & Social Science, Professor Sovacool analyses energy transitions throughout history and argues that only looking towards the past can often paint an overly bleak and unnecessary picture.
Moving from wood to coal in Europe, for example, took between 96 and 160 years, whereas electricity took 47 to 69 years to enter into mainstream use.
But this time the future could be different, he says - the scarcity of resources, the threat of climate change and vastly improved technological learning and innovation could greatly accelerate a global shift to a cleaner energy future.
The study highlights numerous examples of speedier transitions that are often overlooked by analysts. For example, Ontario completed a shift away from coal between 2003 and 2014; a major household energy programme in Indonesia took just three years to move two-thirds of the population from kerosene stoves to LPG stoves; and France's nuclear power programme saw supply rocket from four per cent of the electricity supply market in 1970 to 40 per cent in 1982.
Each of these cases has in common strong government intervention coupled with shifts in consumer behaviour, often driven by incentives and pressure from stakeholders.
Professor Sovacool says: "The mainstream view of energy transitions as long, protracted affairs, often taking decades or centuries to occur, is not always supported by the evidence.
"Moving to a new, cleaner energy system would require significant shifts in technology, political regulations, tariffs and pricing regimes, and the behaviour of users and adopters.
"Left to evolve by itself - as it has largely been in the past - this can indeed take many decades. A lot of stars have to align all at once.
"But we have learnt a sufficient amount from previous transitions that I believe future transformations can happen much more rapidly."
In sum, although the study suggests that the historical record can be instructive in shaping our understanding of macro and micro energy transitions, it need not be predictive.
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Toronto - Two professors at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management have been named as the recipients of prestigious research awards from the Bank of Canada today.
Dan Trefler, a professor of business economics who holds the J. Douglas and Ruth Grant Canada Research Chair in Competitiveness and Prosperity, is the recipient of the Bank's Fellowship Award.
Liyan Yang, an associate professor of finance, is the recipient of the Bank's Governor's Award.
The Bank of Canada's Fellowship Program is designed to encourage leading-edge research and the development of expertise in Canada in a number of areas critical to the Bank's mandate: macroeconomics, monetary economics and international finance, as well as the economics of financial markets and institutions, including their financial stability. Each Fellowship Award is for a term of up to five years. Peter Christoffersen, a professor of finance at the Rotman School and the TSX Chair in Capital Markets, was the recipient of the Fellowship in 2013.
The Governor's Award recognizes outstanding academics at a relatively early stage in their careers, who are working at Canadian universities in areas of research critical to the Bank's mandate. The award is granted for a non-renewable term of up to two years.
"The Bank of Canada is delighted to present the Fellowship Award to an exceptional economist with a remarkable record of path-breaking research. Prof. Trefler's focus on export performance, investment and productivity is of great interest to the Bank," said Stephen S. Poloz, Governor of the Bank of Canada. "The Bank is also proud to support Prof. Yang, whose work is pushing the frontiers of financial economics. We expect his interactions with our research staff will improve our collective understanding of the challenges the Bank is facing--today and in years to come."
Prof. Trefler is an internationally respected trade economist, known for his path-breaking contributions to public policy formation in Canada. His research has been instrumental in the design and pursuit of trade agreements that promote productivity, innovation and investment while minimizing the harmful effects on workers through unemployment and wage effects. He holds a joint appointment with the Department of Economics at the University of Toronto. Prof. Trefler is also a senior research fellow at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, a research fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute and an advisor to the Institute for Competitiveness & Prosperity. He sits on the board of the Ontario Task Force on Competitiveness, Productivity, and Economic Progress.
Prof. Yang joined the Rotman School in 2009. His research interests are in asset pricing, behavioral finance and information economics. His current research focuses on information transmission and production in financial markets and related regulation issues. He has received many awards for his research including the 2011 Inaugural TCFA (The Chinese Finance Association) Award for the Best Paper on Global Financial Markets, the Connaught New Researcher Award from the University of Toronto in 2013 and received the Roger Martin Award for Excellence in Research from the Rotman School in 2015.
Prof. Francesco Trebbi from the University of British Columbia's Vancouver School of Economics was also a recipient of the Bank's Fellowship Award.
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Further information on the Bank's Fellowship program is online.
The Rotman School of Management is located in the heart of Canada's commercial and cultural capital and is part of the University of Toronto, one of the world's top 20 research universities. The Rotman School fosters a new way to think that enables our graduates to tackle today's global business and societal challenges. For more information, visit http://www.rotman.utoronto.ca.
For more information:
Ken McGuffin
Manager, Media Relations
Rotman School of Management
University of Toronto
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E-mail mcguffin@rotman.utoronto.ca
Follow Rotman on Twitter @rotmanschool
Steve Elgar, a senior scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), has been selected as a 2016 National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellow (NSSEFF) by the Department of Defense.
Elgar, a physical oceanographer in the Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering Department at WHOI, is among 15 exceptional faculty scientists and engineers from U.S. universities in this year's class of fellows, which includes a Nobel Prize Laureate. This is the second NSSEFF award Elgar has received. He also was chosen as part of the 2009 class.
The prestigious and highly competitive program awards five-year, $3 million grants to top-tier scientists and engineers to conduct long-term, unclassified basic research of strategic importance to the Department of Defense.
"These grants engage outstanding scientists and engineers in the most challenging technical issues facing the Department," said Dr. Melissa L. Flagg, deputy assistant secretary of defense for research.
Ranging in fields from quantum physics to neuroscience, the new fellows will conduct research in core science and engineering disciplines that underpin future DoD technology development. They also will share their knowledge and insight with DoD military and civilian leaders, researchers in DoD laboratories, and the national security science and engineering community, Flagg said.
"It is an honor to be chosen because the NSSEFF fellows are amazing scientists and engineers--among the best in the world," said Elgar, who is the only oceanographer in a cohort of 50 past and present fellows. "It is also a statement about the wonderful environment for research that WHOI provides."
Elgar's research focuses on the surf zone--the fast-moving and turbulent area where ocean waves and high energy currents meet the shoreline.
"It's a challenging laboratory to work in," Elgar said. "The system is energetic, with big waves, strong currents, and sand moving around in all directions. We say it is like trying to do experiments in a giant washing machine."
This area is of particular importance when it comes to understanding and predicting dangerous rip currents, coastal flooding, beach erosion, and other impacts from big storms like Hurricane Sandy.
"We want to understand the interactions between waves, currents, and the seafloor so that we can develop numerical models that simulate surfzone hydrodynamics on small spatial (few meters) and short temporal (few minutes) scales," Elgar said. "Predictive models are necessary to investigate possible effects of sealevel rise, large storms, and manmade structures. Moreover, skillful model predictions will help plan and execute civilian and military operations in this energetic environment."
Elgar's NSSEFF project will combine remotely sensed images of the sea surface using LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), infrared cameras, and optical sensors, with measurements from wave and current sensors deployed in the water, and with numerical models to increase the fundamental understanding of physical processes near the shoreline.
"With numerical models, we can be better prepared for different scenarios," he said. "No model is going to be able to tell us exactly where each and every rip current is at any particular time. But we hope to develop a model that will be able to tell us the likelihood of having rip currents on a given day in a certain area. That's important information to know for the safety of swimmers, whether it's families at the beach or Marines getting off a boat with 100-pound backpacks. Neither wants to swim in a dangerous rip current."
"Steve's insight and creativity and his willingness to tackle the most vexing problems in the near shore environment have made him one of the world-leading experts on surf zone processes," said WHOI President and Director Mark Abbott. "He is an outstanding representative of WHOI--combining science, technology, and collaboration together in ways that continually advance our knowledge of the ocean."
The NSSEFF grant also provides funding for students and postdocs in Elgar's lab, which is an important component of the research program that stresses training future scientists through student participation.
Elgar joined the WHOI staff in 1999, as a senior scientist in the Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering department. He has authored or coauthored more than 125 research papers. He is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Geophysical Union, and the American Meteorological Society.
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The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is a private, non-profit organization on Cape Cod, Mass., dedicated to marine research, engineering, and higher education. Established in 1930 on a recommendation from the National Academy of Sciences, its primary mission is to understand the ocean and its interaction with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate a basic understanding of the ocean's role in the changing global environment. For more information, please visit http://www.whoi.edu.
New global rules will come into force from September, requiring the worlds biggest financial players to start posting initial and variation margin on their uncleared derivatives trades.
The rules will initially impact the largest dealers, but over time will also affect smaller banks and buy-side institutions such as pension funds.
Roger Cogan, Isda
Regulators want to push as many derivatives trades as possible through clearing houses, in a bid to mitigate counterparty risk, but this cookie-cutter approach does not work for all derivatives, hence the new margin rules.
The theory is that posting collateral against these trades, such as cash or bonds, will prevent another Lehman-style collapse, if a counterparty to a trade goes bust.
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission finalized its minimum margin requirements at the end of last year, which fall under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
European Union (EU) regulators released the final draft of their equivalent rules in March, which form part of the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR). These are expected to be finalized by mid-July.
Currency mismatch haircut
The EUs final draft has provided clarity on the rules and offers dealers some relief with regards to its currency mismatch rules. Variation margin that is posted in cash but is denominated in a different currency than that agreed under the master agreement will no longer face an 8% haircut.
Roger Cogan, head of European public policy at the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (Isda), which represents the worlds largest derivatives dealers, welcomed the concession.
We welcome the improvements made to the RTS [regulatory technical standards] in respect of the currency mismatch haircut, which make the calculation more proportionate and importantly ensure that the calculation does not itself increase counterparty credit risk.
Dealers will still face an 8% haircut on initial margin cash and non-cash where there is a currency mismatch, and also on non-cash variation margin, such as bonds.
EU vs US
The EU and Hong Kong have adopted the same approach regarding cash variation margin; Singapores rules have yet to be finalized.
Michael Beaton, DRS
US rules are comparatively more restrictive, though, imposing the haircut where the variation margin collateral is denominated in a different currency to the one of settlement or is not cash-denominated in a G10 currency.
In particular, this would hit Asian financial counterparties that trade with US counterparties, because their local currencies are not G10 currencies, says Michael Beaton, managing partner at specialist risk consultancy Derivatives Risk Solutions (DRS).
The impact to Asian banks should be minimal, though in terms of getting access to the relevant currencies, believes John Ball, managing director of the FX division in Asia-Pacific at banking lobby forum Global Financial Markets Association.
This [access] should already be happening on a daily basis through the funding of their currency assets and liabilities in the interbank market to meet settlement obligations, he says.
Regulatory divergence
Haircuts are part and parcel of margining, though. The bigger problem is how regulators treat FX derivatives.
Non-cleared physically settled currency forwards fall outside of the scope of US rules, meaning dealers do not have to post collateral on these trades.
William Winterton,
Clifford Chance
It remains to be seen whether US banks will seek to margin those trades anyway, either of their own volition or as a result of prudential encouragement, says William Winterton, senior associate in banking and finance at law firm Clifford Chance.
EU regulators have, however, taken a radically different approach, deeming them in scope.
This is the key headline difference between the EU and US margin rules on uncleared derivatives, says Winterton.
However, the problem remains there is no EU-wide definition of an FX forward and, as such, consensus on whether it is even a derivative. The final draft rules provided some clarity on the issue, largely by kicking the can down the road.
An EU-wide definition of an FX forward is expected under forthcoming regulation the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (Mifid II). EU banking regulators have therefore decided to defer imposing variation margin on physically settled FX forwards until Mifid II is in force or December 21, 2018, whichever date come first.
If it is decided these commonly traded instruments are in fact derivatives, then this could make it is more expensive to trade them in the EU than in the US.
Isdas Cogan says: Our members want the rules to be as harmonized as possible to make them practically workable.
Absurd habits of thinking can collapse on themselves, suddenly, like the Dutch tulip mania of the 17th century. Something like that is bound to happen with the current madness about sexual and racial identity. Watch this (above) its quite funny. College students at the University of Washington seem ready to entertain the idea that a thirty-something 59 white guy may in fact be a seven-year-old 65 Chinese woman.
That, Im convinced, is going to go the way of the Dutch tulip bulb. Not so the idea that science skeptics could face prison time. It would have seemed absurd not long ago and it is absurd. But watch Bill Nye the Science Guy musing on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s suggestions that climate change deniers be treated as war criminals or traitors:
Nye is far from dismissing this out of hand. From Climate Depot:
Bill Nye, the science guy, revealed he is openly favorable to the idea of jailing global warming skeptics at the Hague as war criminals. Nye was confronted with environmental activists Robert F. Kennedys call to jail climate skeptics for treason and lock them up at the Hague. Nye openly pondered the idea that climate skeptics deserve jail. Climate Hustles Marc Morano asked Nye in an exclusive interview, What is your thought on jailing skeptics as war criminals? Nye responded: Well, well see what happens. Was it appropriate to jail the guys from ENRON? Nye added, For me as a taxpayer and voter the introduction of this extreme doubt about climate change is affecting my quality of life as a public citizen.
Remember, the people in the grip of this particular madness, a very malignant one, are not just silly college students or even just silly college professors or administrators, but state attorneys general. That is serious. Before this mania collapses, I wouldnt be altogether shocked if people get seriously hurt going to prison for having the wrong ideas about a contentious scientific question.
H/t Nick Gillespie.
SALEM, Ohio In an effort to generate millions of dollars for rehabilitation, and to increase prison safety, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction announced April 12, that it will close and sell all of its prison farms.
The state prison system currently owns 12,500 acres of farmland, as well as 2,300 head of beef cattle and 1,000 dairy cows, at eight farm operations. The state has operated the farm system for more than 100 years, using inmate labor, and had used part of the food to feed inmates.
The state is expected to continue operating its meat processing plant, at the Pickaway Correctional Institution, the AP reports.
The phasing out of outmoded prison farming operations will improve safety and provide more meaningful career opportunities for prisoners returning to society, according to a statement put out by the DRC.
According to The Associated Press, which first broke the news, the state will continue farming this year, but prepare to auction off livestock and stop farming by 2017.
Broader reach
Gary Mohr, director of the DRC, told the AP that the decision was made because of the low number of inmates who work on the farms and take farm jobs after being released compared to the potential benefit for all inmates, if the farms are sold and the funds dispersed.
Mohr noted that in peak season, only about 220 inmates worked on the farms, compared to the 20,000 inmates who are released each year.
Few if any inmates have pursued careers in farming following their release, the DRC said.
Related: Farm and Dairy featured the Mansfield prison farm in 2014.
The union that represents the prison staff at the farms the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association disputes the need to close the farms and says they were self supporting.
Its not being done for any reason of economy, said Chris Mabe, OCSEA president.
Diverse skills
He argues that prison farms have done a lot of good even if inmates havent gone into farming jobs upon release. For instance, inmates also learn skills related to heavy machinery operation, welding, driving large equipment, and using a variety of tools for repairs.
Unfortunately, we believe the impetus for this change is purely political, said Mabe, who is a correctional counselor at the Lorain facility. It has nothing to do with DR&Cs core mission of recidivism or safety. This is about dollars and cents for corporate interests.
The DRC statement says the state has become a national leader in criminal justice reform over the past five years, finding new and innovative ways to reform the organizational structure of the states prison system and help prisoners successfully transition back into the community.
In 2011, Ohio announced plans to sell and privatize some of its prison facilities projecting the state would generate millions of dollars by privatizing those operations.
Mabe said private food lobbyists have been trying to convince state lawmakers to shut down the farms, so they could take over the food business, as well.
The DRC says that by selling the farms, the state prison system can drive more energy and resources back inside the prison walls, where safety needs are greatest.
Other benefits
The department also expects that ending the prison farms will also minimize the opportunities for inmates to bring illegal contraband into the prisons.
Its not yet clear when or how the properties will be sold, but the DRC said the privatization of these lands will allow local governments and school districts to collect taxes on the property.
The DRC says inmates who currently work for the farms will be reassigned to other programs for job training opportunities. The AP reported that about 70 prison staff employees will be affected, but said layoffs are not expected.
Mabe said there are many questions to still be answered, and hes concerned how the decision could affect the states food pantries, which had benefited from the prison farms.
COLUMBUS Ohio farmers and the Ohio Farm Bureau continued their call for a more accurate Current Agricultural Use Value formula during the second hearing of a Senate bill April 13, before the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
Farmers testifying in support of S.B. 246 said their taxes have more than doubled in the last few years, and cited concerns that non-agricultural factors are being used to calculate the formula. They also said theyre being taxed for land that they leave idle for conservation practices as though its producing cash crops.
The average statewide increase in CAUV was 294 percent, from 2008 to 2014, said Brandon Kern, Ohio Farm Bureau Director of State Policy. He said farmland taxpayers paid a total of $370 million more in 2014, than in 2008.
For those of you who have worked in small business, ask yourselves if you would be able to manage a tax increase of some 300 percent, said Lane Osswald, a Farm Bureau trustee and farmer from southwest Ohio. Its not an easy thing to budget for.
Accurate formula
Osswald and Kern said they want the CAUV program to accurately reflect farm productivity. In 2006, Ohio Farm Bureau supported changes to the formula that actually resulted in higher taxes, Kern said, because farmers agreed that outdated yield figures needed to be updated.
Our first priority is maintaining the integrity of this program so that we can justify its existence, Kern said.
He also noted that the rapid increase in farm commodity prices justified an increase in taxation but that it was followed by a rapid and near-record decrease.
Nationally, from 2013 to 2015, we experienced the second largest net farm income decrease in history, Kern said, adding that if the formula isnt fixed, many farmers wont be able to survive.
In the bills
The bill calls for two main reforms. First, it would prohibit the use of equity buildup and appreciation, as part of the CAUV calculation.
Secondly, it would make farmers investments in conservation practices more tax friendly, by assigning the lowest CAUV value to conservation ground that remains in year-round conservation, for a minimum of three years.
Currently, farmers are being taxed on their conservation ground as though its producing a crop.
Doug Erwin, a land manager from Champaign County, manages farmland and conservation land in multiple counties, including about 500 acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program.
He said conservation contracts often take land out of production for 10 or more years. They usually include an upfront payment to the landowner, or a rental payment, but he said its usually less than what the farmer could get for renting out the same acreage.
At these (current) rates, the commitment to these conservation programs is in jeopardy, he said, all at a time when farmers are being asked to do more conservation to improve water quality.
Making choices
Kurt Garver, a farmer from Butler County, said farmers like himself have two main options. Either farm it and pay the high taxes with the potential theyll lose money in the process, or turn it down and watch the land go to development.
Our family has lost over 600 acres in the last two years to development, he said. Once its gone, its gone.
Small and specialty crop farmers are also concerned.
Val Jorgensen, an organic farmer from Westerville, said equity buildup is a poor determinant of farm value, because families like her own often own their farms for many generations and never really see the benefit of equity until the farm is sold.
She said farmers can sometimes borrow against their equity, but that its a risky investment, with the added cost of interest.
Equity issue
Sen. John Eklund, R-Geauga County, questioned Kern over the assertion that equity doesnt lead to farm profitability.
I recognize you can get your equity out of your property when you sell it, Eklund said. You can also find other ways to get your equity out of your property.
He said millions of Americans have used their equity to help finance their purchases, and improve their lots in life.
Kern said over longer periods of time, equity buildup could lend itself to a more profitable farm operation, but said the five-year equity period used in the formula is a concern.
I think its the disproportional effect that an equity buildup assumption has, as opposed to what the emphasis should be on, in terms of farm income producing potential, Kern said.
Sen. Bob Peterson, R-Washington Courthouse, who chairs the Senate committee and also farms, said the proponent testimony was very reflective of whats happening out in the agriculture community.
Farmers across the state, including our (own) farming operation, are experiencing doubling and tripling of taxes, he said.
The committee will hear opponent testimony during the third hearing, April 20.
Related coverage:
Ohio Sen. Cliff Hite delivers sponsor testimony on CAUV bill (April 12).
A project worth 430,000 to build a sheep husbandry training centre in Penrith could help the future of hill farming in the area.
The Centre will be built at the college's uplands farm and will be a national showcase for the best hill farming practice, ensure the industry's future workforce and leaders have the key skills they need and provide a focal point as a demonstration farm.
The 430,000 project is based at Low Beckside Farm in Mungrisdale and includes demolition of the existing buildings, constructing the new Sheep Husbandry Centre, which will be a steel portal framed building measuring 36m x 25m x 2.95m with Yorkshire boarding and a fibre cement roof. There will be additional work provide new areas of hard standing to aid sheep handling, and improvements to the silage clamp. Robinsons Scotland Ltd has been awarded the contract and work is expected to begin later this month and be complete by September.
The Centre will be used throughout the year, particularly for practical teaching. It will be the focus for the college's lambing operations, a base for sheep shearing and for general sheep husbandry.
Alongside the specialist courses for students, the Centre will host farm events and demonstration activities within uplands agriculture and sheep management to show best practice and encourage professional development.
Low Beckside Farm is home to two flocks, a Swaledale flock of 350 ewes which are hefted to the fell at Mungrisdale and a draft flock (older ewes from the fell flock) which are kept on land at Low Beckside and Redmire.
Wes Johnson, Campus Principal, said: Our vision is that Newton Rigg College will become the UK hub for training and education in uplands land management and sheep husbandry which will not only benefit students but the UK hill farming industry as a whole.
He added: This new Centre will enable us to demonstrate the best modern hill farming practice with high standards of animal welfare and hygiene and provide the future workforce with key hill farming skills. The UK uplands are a vital part not only of our countrywide and heritage, but of British agriculture and this initiative will help ensure the future viability of this important sector of farming.
Newton Rigg is the only college in England to have its own hill farm and it also hosts the National Centre for the Uplands. It is part of York-based Askham Bryan College, which took over the running of Newton Rigg in 2011. Since then student numbers have increased year on year, particularly across the land-based courses. There are currently 600 students studying agriculture across Askham Bryan's 11 centres in the north of England.
The project has been supported by the Cumbria LEP, through the Skills Funding Agency and Cumbrian farmers have had input as members of the college's Technical Advisory Group. Support has also been given by the Cumbria Farmer Network, Lake District National Park, NFU, CLA, and Cumbria YFC.
Graham Haywood, Director of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, says: A key strand of our strategic economic plan is to target investment to maintain and nurture a vibrant rural economy, and the development of the training centre at Newton Rigg will reinforce Cumbria's reputation for excellence in uplands agriculture.
"Developing our expertise for land management and animal welfare opens up new opportunities for agriculture students to learn new skills, as well as helping to protect our hill farming heritage and contributing to environmental sustainability."
The college has formed a technical advisory group to progress the initiative with several members from the Cumbrian farming community providing input and informing the project. David Lawton is an advisory group member and with many years as an upland hill farmer. He said: This is a unique development educationally and it is ideally placed to become a centre of excellence both regionally and nationally. It will I'm sure be warmly welcomed by the farming community both in Cumbria and across the country.
Ryan Brown, Managing Director of Robinsons Ltd commented: We look forward to creating a great new facility for Newton Rigg College and further boosting its offering as the only English college with its own hill farm. We understand the importance of investing in the next generation to ensure that they have the tools to develop and be successful in this ever changing industry. Being able to provide the full project from start to finish ensures that we are able to guarantee the quality of the work and the efficiency of the project. We are delighted to be involved.
Legal ruling set to have implications for farm inheritance rows
With a limited machinery line-up presented on the day, most of the potential buyers were there to peruse the extensive sundry offering put up for sale by Brian Taylor and family, BG & BM Taylor & Co, who were keen to downsize their holdings in the lead up to a permanent move to Torbay on the South Coast.
Job Title: Compliance Risk Manager, Anti-Bribery Compliance
Employer: Starbucks
Location: Seattle, Washington USA
Job Summary and Mission
This job contributes to Starbucks success by supporting Starbucks Global Anti-Bribery compliance initiatives and to ensure compliance with Starbucks Standards of Business Conduct. This job promotes ethical behavior, facilitates proper decision-making, and provides Starbucks partners with the tools and resources to do what is right in any context. Models and acts in accordance with Starbucks guiding principles. . . . . Collaborates with attorneys, business units and departments to incorporate antitrust, privacy, conflict of interest, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), UK Bribery Act and other specific compliance issues into compliance training. . . . Continue Reading . . . .
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Image courtest of TI-USAFollowing the release of the Panama Papers and the public outrage that followed, we at Transparency International-USA have set up a web page to explain anonymous companies and how they affect ordinary people in the United States.
Transparency International-USA is advocating for an end to secret companies because they allow corruption to flourish.
Please help by writing to members of Congress urging them to pass legislation to end anonymous U.S. companies.
Find your Senators here and your Representatives here.
You can also write to Congressman Jeb Hensarling (here), Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services, and members of the Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing of the House Committee on Financial Services, to urge passage of bipartisan legislation recently reintroduced to address the problem of corporate anonymity.
One way to write is to copy and paste the message below and email it to your Senators and Representatives and other members of Congress:
We are outraged by the recent disclosures in the Panama Papers leak that expose how many rich, famous and politically connected people, from heads of state to crime bosses and business owners, hide their wealth behind the facade of secret companies.
This should be stopped. It is now time for Congress to act and pass bills (H.R. 4450 and S. 2489) introduced by Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) Both bills titled the Incorporation Transparency and Law Enforcement Assistance Act require the collection, maintenance and updating of beneficial ownership information on U.S. legal entities for law enforcement purposes.
Anonymous companies are used for dirty-money transactions and schemes that support drug traffickers and terrorists, defraud government agencies and cheat U.S. citizens, and undermine U.S institutions.
Congress should put a stop to them now.
____
Shruti Shah is a contributing editor of the FCPA Blog. Shes Vice President of Programs and Operations at Transparency International-USA. She can be contacted here.
George Clooney and Rande Gerber have jointly sold their Mexican homes for $100 million.
Randy Gerber and George Clooney
The 'Monuments Men' actor and his best friend - who is married to Cindy Crawford - have offloaded their Cabo properties, which they built on adjacent sites, to a Mexican billionaire who was desperate to have the houses, TMZ reports.
The two abodes were the last properties designed by famed architect Ricardo Legorreta before he died, and Rande and Cindy have previously featured their retreat in prestigious Architectural Digest magazine.
Despite selling up, George - who is married to lawyer Amal Clooney - and Rande won't be without homes in the area for long as they are planning to build an "even more spectacular" compound together.
The two friends also have their own tequila business, Casamigos, and Rande previously claimed they were "forced" into starting a company because they were ordering so many bottles.
He shared: "George and I started drinking tequila a very long time ago. There came a point when George said to me, 'Why don't we just make our own.' We never meant it to be a business.
"We started out just us drinking it, without anyone being able to buy a bottle. We were kind of forced into [making it a business], after about two years, we got a call from our distillery and they said to us, 'We have a situation. For the past two years, we've sent you a thousand bottles a year. Either you're selling it, or you're drinking way too much. You need to get licensed and get legit with the situation."
Anthony Mackie says he, and the rest of the Captain America: Civil War cast. feel 'lucky' to be part of the Marvel Universe movies.
Anthony Mackie
Mackie is set to reprise the role of Falcon in Civil War. We were introduced to this character for the first time in The Winter Solider but we did get a brief look at him in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Speaking on the red carpet at the premiere of Captain America: Civil War earlier this week, Mackie also praised Anthony and Joe Russo for pulling off this complex storyline.
"The one thing that I love about being in these movies is that we all realise how lucky we are to be a part of the Marvel Universe. It is not often - if ever - you go into a movie knowing that the final product is going to be really good and well received.
"I think it is very hard to believe that you can take something as epic as the Civil War battle in the Captain America comic series and make it work, but the Russo's did that. I am just really proud to be a part of it."
Civil War sees Mackie reunite with the Russo brothers as they direct their second consecutive Captain America film. The duo is going to go on to direct the Avengers: Infinity War movies.
We are going to see Mackie's character Falcon on Team Cap as he reunites with Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, and Scarlett Johansson. Robert Downey Jr, Jeremy Renner, and Elizabeth Olsen are some of the big new additions to the cast list.
Captain America: Civil War will be the third big screen outing for Mackie so far this year, having already starred in Our Brand Is Crisis and Triple 9.
The cast list for Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and Part 2 are yet to be revealed... could we see the Falcon take on a bigger role in the upcoming Avengers movies? I guess we are going to have to wait and see.
Captain America: Civil War is released 29th April.
by Helen Earnshaw for www.femalefirst.co.uk
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The Conjuring 2 is one of the horror movies that I am looking forward to the most this summer after being such a big fan of the first film.
The Conjuring 2
The movie marks the return of James Wan to the director's chair for his first feature film since the huge success of Fast & Furious 7 last year. It is also the first time that we have seen him tackle a horror film project since Insidious: Chapter 2.
The Conjuring 2 is promising to be another very chilling ride and we get a taste of that with this rather creepy new poster.
Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson are set to reprise their roles as paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren, who have travelled to London for their latest case.
Farmiga and Wilson are joined on the cast list by David Thewlis, Franka Potente, Frances O'Connor, Maria Doyle Kennedy, and Sterling Jerins.
This is set to be one of the most terrifying paranormal investigations for Lorraine and Ed as they travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by malicious spirits.
The Conjuring was a huge commercial success when it was released back in 2013 - it remains the second highest grossing original horror movie of all time behind The Exorcist... and the sequel looks on course to be as big a hit.
The Conjuring 2 is released 17th June.
by Helen Earnshaw for www.femalefirst.co.uk
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The NHS Choir has signed to the same label as Justin Bieber.
Justin Bieber
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir, which beat Justin Bieber to the UK Christmas number one, have now signed to Universal's Decca Records and will release their debut album, 'Something Inside So Strong', next month.
Justin - who is signed to Universal - encouraged his 72 million Twitter followers to buy the choir's 'A Bridge Over You' in order to help it reach number one ahead of his own single 'Love Yourself'.
He was widely praised for his selfless gesture after tweeting: "So for 1 week it's ok not to be #1. Let's do the right thing & help them win. It's Christmas. @Choir_NHS good luck. (sic)"
And in March he met up with members of the choir to congratulate them.
Katie Rogerson, a junior doctor and choir spokesperson, said: "We are all delighted to meet Justin Bieber today, and congratulate him on his tremendous achievements. It was wonderful that Justin supported the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS choir.
"By doing this, he not only recognised our mental health charities and Carers UK, but also acknowledged every single member of our hardworking NHS team across the UK.
"On a personal note, it gives me a bit of street cred with my paediatric patients as Dr Katie! I'm now a Belieber in every sense of the word!"
Britain's Princess Anne paid a visit to the set of 'Coronation Street' in Manchester yesterday (14.04.16).
Princess Anne
The 65-year-old royal - the daughter of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip - visited the iconic pebbled street alongside 50 senior and diverse leaders from businesses, Governments and NGOs from across the Commonwealth as part of a wider CSC Leaders Common Purpose visit to the UK.
Marie Mohan, Chief Executive of Common Purpose UK, said: "We are delighted that Commonwealth leaders are visiting Manchester this year to explore city-wide collaboration. At Common Purpose, we have been helping leaders to cross boundaries in Manchester for many years, introducing them to diverse people and places and showing them how they might do things differently. The visit to 'Coronation Street' in MediaCityUK is definitely a highlight for the visitors. It's fascinating to learn about how ITV works in collaboration with other sectors and industries."
The Princess appeared to be enjoying herself as she wandered along the pavement with a pair of snazzy shades protecting her eyes from the bright sun's hot rays.
Robbie Sandison, Head of Production for 'Coronation Street', added: "It was a delight to welcome Her Royal Highness and leaders from across the Commonwealth to the cobbles. 'Coronation Street' has worked together across various industries in the Greater Manchester community for over 50 years and together with ITV we're very proud of our place in the region's history."
China is dismantling a rash of subsidies it has been using to boost its exports of agricultural, medical, textile and other goods, US Trade Representative Michael Froman announced on Thursday.Froman said the US and China have signed an agreement terminating the export subsidies China has provided through the Demonstration Bases-Common Service Platform Programme.
China is dismantling a rash of subsidies it has been using to boost its exports of agricultural, medical, textile and other goods, US Trade #
Following a dispute brought by the US in the World Trade Organization (WTO), China has effectively terminated the challenged Programme channeling export-contingent subsidies to Chinese enterprises across seven economic sectors, and dozens of sub-sectors, located in more than 179 industrial clusters, the Office of the US Trade Representative said in a press release.China has terminated the Common Service Platform subsidies to Demonstration Base enterprises and will remove export-contingent criteria from the Demonstration Bases. Termination of prohibited export subsidies under the Demonstration Bases-Common Service Platform Programme will help level the playing field for American workers and businesses in the many affected sectors.Today we have signed an agreement with China to eliminate export subsidies that the United States challenged because they are prohibited under WTO rules. This is a win for Americans employed in seven diverse sectors that run the gamut from agriculture to textiles to medical products, who will benefit from a more level playing field on which to compete. This agreement once again underscores that President Obama's commitment to enforce our trade rights aggressively to secure real economic results for American workers, farmers, and businesses of all sizes and in every part of the country , Froman said.As a result of USTR's extensive efforts, this agreement addresses all elements of the massive and complex export subsidy programme. China has now issued and provided more than 130 directives, instructions, and notices to address US concerns. The transparency provisions of the agreement give us a solid basis to monitor closely and confirm whether the terms of the agreement are being met.Froman said the US win went beyond just stopping Chinese export subsidies. It shows that the US is capable of enforcing trade rules and underlines how the US will make sure that foreign trade partners live up to promises in the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership, he explained.This agreement shows our dedication to ensuring that American workers and businesses have the opportunity to compete fairly, supporting high-quality US jobs and strengthening the middle class, Froman said. It also demonstrates the resolve with which we will enforce the high standards negotiated in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, whether on labour, environment, intellectual property rights or other commercial issues.
The global framework agreement (GFA) between IndustriALL Global Union and Spanish retail giant Inditex, was the basis for a meeting in Vietnam's Ho Chi Mihn City to discuss the creation of a national Inditex trade union network, IndustriALL said in a press release.The meeting in March brought together VNUTGW factory level union leaders from the Southern provinces of Vietnam to discuss how to implement the existing GFA, and to ensure that international labour standards are followed in the over 100 Inditex suppliers and subcontractors.
The global framework agreement (GFA) between IndustriALL Global Union and Spanish retail giant Inditex, was the basis for a meeting in Vietnam's #
IndustriALL Global Union, its Spanish affiliate Industria-CC.OO, the Vietnamese trade union centre VGCL and German foundation Friedrich Ebert Stiftung brought their expertise on organizing in Inditex's global supply chain and making the GFA relevant for a local context.IndustriALL textile and garment industry Director Christina Clausen, encouraged participants to use the GFA to build a network that develops solidarity and an exchange of information among factory level union leaders.Isidor Boix, from Industria-CC.OO and IndustriALL's coordinator for implementation of the GFA with Inditex, said that the network is interesting both for the workers in Vietnam and global trade unionism.This is about defending labour rights in the global supply chain and organising workers in factories producing for the big brands, he said.Workers at Inditex factories discussed issues faced at work, like long working hours, widespread use of precarious work, low wages, hot, dusty and noisy work environment, violation of workers' rights, a lack of real collective bargaining, and a reluctance from the employer's side to pay full-time shop stewards and to allow time for union activity to build sound labour relations.Through IndustriALL's union building project and in cooperation with the VGCL and VNUTGW, collective bargaining training for the shop stewards of Inditex suppliers is focusing on how to improve the quality of CBA. Implementing the GFA inside supplier factories by instructing leaders on international standards such as ILO core conventions and OECD Guidelines is another important issue, the release said. (SH)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk India
America's National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) which represents domestic textile manufacturers, has applauded the announcement of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the US and China with respect to an agreement by China to terminate export subsidies under its Demonstration Bases-Common Services Platform.We thank the Obama administration for working diligently to construct an arrangement to eliminate these subsidies which directly damage US manufacturing jobs, output and investment, said NCTO CEO & President Augustine Tantillo.
America's National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) which represents domestic textile manufacturers, has applauded the announcement of a #
There is no doubt that China's rise to become the world's largest exporter of textile and apparel products has been aided by a pervasive series of illegal state-sponsored subsidies, Tantillo continued.These subsidies are clearly inconsistent with the rules of the World Trade Organization, and they are unfair to domestic textile manufacturers and the hundreds of thousands of U.S. workers they employ, Tantillo added.The NCTO chief said American companies must play by free-market rules, and it is time that Chinese textile manufacturers did the same. (SH)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk India
Nepal would lobby the US government to gain duty-free, quota-free access to the American market for all types of readymade garments, Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said. He also urged garment makers to expand their production capacity to ensure regular supplies to one of the main export destinations.Oli's comment during his address at the 65th annual general meeting of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC). The Prime Minister said manufacturers should focus on improving their production capacity.
Nepal would lobby the US government to gain duty-free, quota-free access to the American market for all types of readymade garments, Nepali Prime #
After US President Barack Obama signed legislation authorising special trade preferences for Nepal on February 24, Nepali garment exporters have been able to utilise duty-free tariff benefits for up to 66 types of garment items like carpets, headgear, shawls, scarves and travel goods.However, garment producers were disappointed after finding out that they do not currently manufacture the products in the duty-free list. The duty-free facility which lasts until 2025 is applicable to only 40 per cent of the Nepali garments being exported to the US.There were over 400 apparel factories across the country that provided employment to 450,000 individuals when garment export was at its peak in 2001. Investment in this sector reportedly exceeded Rs six billion at that time.Nepal's garment industry went into a nosedive after the Multi Fibre Agreement (MFA) with the US was phased out in 2005. Till that time, about 90 per cent of readymade garments produced in Nepal, amounting to about Rs 10 billion, were exported to the US. Readymade garments then had 20 per cent share in total export. Its ranking slipped to fifth position in overall exports of 2014-15, amounting to Rs 5.29 billion. (SH)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk India
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Bangladesh fashion students' denim design contest, an initiative to bring the talent of aspiring young designers of Bangladesh to the world by Denimsandjeans Dhaka, concluded successfully, as stated in a press release.
The students showcased collections on the theme 'denim in high fashion' at the fifth edition of Denimsandjeans. Students from multiple fashion universities including INIFD, NIFT, SMUCT, and BUFT had participated in this competition. The 15 shortlisted designs were voted by all exhibitors and visitors at the event.
The Fashionim runway displayed the collections of Vicunha Textil and Envoy Textil. For the first time the designs of young students of Bangladesh were showcased to an international audience which included the Diesel team from Italy and India.
Bangladesh fashion students' denim design contest, aninitiativeto bring the talent of aspiring young designers of Bangladesh to the world #
Shovon Majumder from SMUCT secured the first placed and Fatema Zohoro from SMUCT stood second in the contest. The students were well appreciated for their striking designs by all the attendees.
The whole process of students design competition was guided by Anna Troupe, a sustainable design lecturer and social entrepreneur based in Dhaka. (HO)
Denimsandjeans
Graf, the leading manufacturer of clothings for flat cards and roller cards will present its important innovative clothing solutions EasyTop, X-Comb, FlexComb and DABM at ITM in Istanbul, being held in Turkey from June 1-4, the company said in a press release.
Graf would be presenting a new flat top system, EasyTop, which can reduce the stoppage time by up to 70 per cent. The flat tops is applied on flat bars designed for magnetic attachment and are equipped with a metal carrier.
EasyTop can resist even the highest carding forces and guarantee for a high reliability in operation. They are available for working widths of 40, 51 and 60 inches of flat clothings.
Graf, the leading manufacturer of clothings for flat cards and roller cards will present its important innovative clothing solutions EasyTop, X-Comb, #
Graf will also present new products for the combing process, the X-Comb segments. The combing segments are made from metallic clothings that undergo a special surface treatment, which substantially reduces the running-in period. Graf's X-Comb can be used on comb-bodies requiring individual segments from other manufacturers and thus can be accessible for the conventional combs.
The new circular comb series FlexComb, with height adjustable geometry, a 130 combing surface and a detachable spoiler has been developed for high performance combers of the latest generation. FlexComb guarantees cost effectiveness and offers a short running-in period with efficient trash removal.
In addition Graf will present the DABM flat striping machine for the first time in Istanbul. The DABM allows gentle and correct removal of worn flexible flat clothings from the flat bars. It also allows a straight forward and efficient mechanical removal of the worn flat strips from the flat bars. (NA)
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
Looks like the fight between the Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hain makers and actress, Shilpa Shinde (Angoori) is getting uglier day by day. Recently, CINTAA had decided to send notice (ban) to Shilpa, but the actress hit back by saying, she will go ahead and file police complaint against the producer! And she does it!
The actress has apparently filed a police complaint against CINTAA for banning her from working on television!
Shilpa Shinde has been trending on Twitter. Click on 'View Photos' to read the tweets...
It all started when the rumours of Shilpa being unprofessional and was said to be throwing tantrums on the sets. The actress was irked with such wrong rumours doing the rounds and quit the show. She even lashed out at the producer (Benaifer Kohli) of the show and the channel (& TV).
This didn't stop here, as the producer came forward with her version of story against Shilpa. She revealed some of the shocking statements about Shilpa saying how she really threw tantrums on the set (regarding clothes alterations). The producer and CINTA sent notice to the actress to join the set again, but Shilpa didn't respond to their notice!
Amit Behl, Chairman, Dispute Committee, CINTAA was quoted by the website as saying, "We work for the welfare of artists and thus it is disappointing to see that our support is not being reciprocated. Shilpa has blocked our numbers and is not responding to our calls and messages. Our hands are tied and we have to take an action to sort out the issues finally."
When Shilpa was informed about the notice she said, "CINTAA is for the artists and it is ridiculous that they are supporting the producers and not understanding my point of view."
She further added, "How can they decide to ban me? I have decided to get back to them the legal way. I really wonder why no producer is ever banned; actors only suffer when it comes to any dispute."
For this, Dilip Pithva, General Secretary, FWICE was quoted by the website as saying, "Producers will be banned if they decide to work with her. That should answer Shilpa's query."
Shilpa had said in her interview to the website that she will go legal way and fight the situation. She added that she will send legal notice to CINTAA! (Images Source: Facebook)
Balika Vadhu and Bigg Boss ex-contestant Pratyusha Banerjee's death case is taking a new turn with each passing day. Recently, Pratyusha's boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh, who was booked for amendment of suicide, was given interim bail by the Bombay High Court.
This did not go well with the actress parents who feel the case has not been investigated properly by the allotted officials. The actress' mother, Soma Banerje had recently written a letter to the Chief Minister, Home Minister and the Police Commissioner of Mumbai, appealing to transfer the case to the Crime Branch.
Click On 'View Photos' To Read The (Edited) Letter
Pratyusha's mother was quoted by a leading website as saying, "We have a suspicion that she has been murdered by Rahul... He has also been threatening us and the witnesses." She felt that instead of seriously investigating the matter, the police was giving a free hand to the accused to destroy the evidence.
The Minister of State (Home) Ranjit Patil said the police administration will have to bear the consequences if their work was not found proper.
Patil was quoted by PTI as saying, "We have received the letter and have asked police officials to take up the case on a high priority basis. If the need be, we do not mind transferring the case to the Crime Branch."
He further added, "I have myself spoken to the concerned police officials and have told them that a letter from Pratyusha's mother means that her parents are not happy with the investigation and more needs to be done."
Rahul, who is undergoing treatment for depression, has been given interim protection from arrest till April 18.
(With PTI Inputs)
Both Wells Fargo and Merrill Lynch saw a fall in first quarter wealth management revenues this year, according to the latest earnings reports.
Wells's revenue dipped 3%, or was $122 million less from the corresponding quarter last year, while Merrill's was down 2.6%, or $101 million year-over-year.
Wells Fargo blamed the latest revenue figures on lower brokerage transaction revenue and asset based fees. The wirehouse also reported a 3%, or $17 million, drop in net income from the same period last year.
Net interest income, however, recorded a 14% year-over-year increase, with average loans up 13% and average deposits 8%. Noninterest income was down 8% from the corresponding quarter last year for the firm.
Lower market valuations and reduced transaction activity drove revenue declines at Merril Lynch, according to Bank of America. Wealth management client balances were $2 trillion, a decrease of $47 billion compared to the year before. The bank blamed lower market levels and valuations.
Wells reported client assets of $225 billion, which declined 1% from the same period last year. The wirehouse also said that it completed its onboarding process of financial advisors from Credit Suisse, but did not say how many specifically moved between the firms. Wells' total number of advisors rose to 15,064, a 1% increase from last quarter.
Merrill Lynch added 227 advisors from a year prior, bringing its total number of advisors to 14,412, but lost 88 from the previous quarter. The decline was mostly from transitioning advisors to the firm's Global Client Strategy team, which serves international higher-net-worth clients.
Fiduciary Rule Impact
The pressure on earnings will likely continue at Wells Fargo and Merrill Lynch, and may spread to other industry firms in future quarters as they begin to comply with the recent adoption of the Department of Labor's fiduciary rule, says Alois Pirker, Aite Group's wealth management research director. Productivity may be impacted on different levels as advisors switch from commissions to a fee-based compensation for retirement investment products, according to Pirker.
"Advisors at Merrill Lynch work more with higher-net-worth clients, shifting the franchise decisively upmarket," Pirker says. "The pressure will be felt most by businesses with more mass affluent clients like Wells Fargo."
BANK EARNINGS
Merril Lynch's parent company, Bank of America, said profits declined 13% due to a drop in trading and underwriting revenues, and a 30% increase in provisions for credit losses, mostly tied to souring energy loans.
First-quarter net income fell to $2.68 billion, or 21 cents a share, from $3.1 billion, or 25 cents, a year earlier, according to a statement Thursday from the Charlotte, N.C.-based firm. Adjusted earnings per share were 20 cents, missing the 21-cent average estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.
Wells Fargo reported first-quarter profit fell 5.9%, as the firm set aside more money for soured energy loans and increased expenses. Net income slid to $5.46 billion, or 99 cents a share, from $5.8 billion, or $1.04, a year earlier, the firm said Thursday in a statement. That beat the 97-cent average estimate of 29 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.
Additional reporting by Bloomberg
Read more:
BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - German engineering group Bilfinger SE (BFLBY.PK) announced on April 13, 2016 that it was holding talks with potential candidates for the new Chairman of the Executive Board. The company intends to name the future Chairman of the Executive Board shortly. The company confirmed that talks have also been held with Thomas Blades, but these talks have not been completed. A resolution from the Supervisory Board of Bilfinger SE on the appointment of the future Chairman of the Executive Board has not yet been made, the company said. 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.
Basilea Pharmaceutica AG / Basilea reports presentation of isavuconazole and ceftobiprole data at European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) . Processed and transmitted by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Post-hoc analysis on clinical response of ceftobiprole in staphylococcal bacteremia
Basel, Switzerland, April 15, 2016 - Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. (SIX: BSLN) announced today that a broad range of posters and oral presentations with scientific data on the antifungal isavuconazole (CRESEMBA) and the antibiotic ceftobiprole (Zevtera) were presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID). At the conference, which was held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, starting on April 9, 2016, the company hosted symposia on new perspectives in the management of nosocomial pneumonia and current challenges and recent developments for the treatment of invasive mold infections.
The data presented on isavuconazole included further analyses from the isavuconazole SECURE phase 3 study in invasive aspergillosis and the results of the ACTIVE phase 3 study in invasive candidiasis. In addition, in-vitro data on the activity of isavuconazole against a variety of fungal pathogens, including isolates with reduced susceptibility to other azoles, were presented.
For ceftobiprole, the presentations included data from a post-hoc analysis of patients with staphylococcal bacteremia from four double-blind, randomized, phase 3 studies in complicated skin or pulmonary infections. The data demonstrated that clinical responses with ceftobiprole were similar to those for standard-of-care comparators, with a trend towards lower 30-day all-cause mortality with ceftobiprole. Bloodstream infections caused by Methicillin-susceptible and -resistant Staphylococcus aureus are a potentially life-threatening complication of staphylococcal infections in other sites of the body.
Isavuconazole posters and presentations at ECCMID 2016 Pharmacodynamics of isavuconazole in experimental invasive pulmonary aspergillosis: a virtuous cycle between bench and bedside - L. Kovanda, R. Petraitiene, V. Petraitis, T. J. Walsh, A. Desai, P. Bonate, W. W. Hope; ePoster EP0006
Efficacy and safety outcomes in patients with probable or proven versus possible invasive mould disease from the phase 3 secure study, evaluating isavuconazole versus voriconazole for the primary treatment of invasive fungal disease caused by Aspergillus spp. or other filamentous fungi - J. Maertens, D. Selleslag, W. Heinz, R. Herbrecht, G. Rahav, M. Giladi, M. Aoun, O. A. Cornely, N. Azie, A. Kaufhold, M. Engelhardt, M. Saulay, A. Ullmann; ePoster EP0010
In vitro activity of isavuconazole against Candida and Aspergillus - M. C. Arendrup, R. H. Jensen, K. Astvad; Oral presentation O227
Isavuconazole versus caspofungin in the treatment of candidaemia and other invasive Candida infections: the ACTIVE trial - B.-J. Kullberg, G. Thompson, P. Pappas, J. Vazquez, C. Viscoli, L. Ostrosky-Zeichner, C. Rotstein, J. Sobel, R. Herbrecht, G. Rahav, E. Van Wijngaerden, J. De Waele, S. Jaruratanasirikul, P. Chetchotisakd, L. Kovanda, C. Lademacher, M. Lee, M. Engelhardt; Oral presentation O423
Intra-subject variability and exposure-response relationship of isavuconazole in the phase 3 SECURE study in patients with invasive mould disease caused by Aspergillus spp. and other filamentous fungi - T. Kaindl, M. Engelhardt, R. Townsend, A. Desai, L. Kovanda, M. Saulay, A. H. Schmitt-Hoffmann; Oral presentation O424
Population pharmacokinetics of isavuconazole in patients with invasive Candida infections (IC) and combined analysis of patients with IC or invasive aspergillosis - A. Desai, L. Kovanda, C. Lademacher, R. W. Townsend, S. Mujais, P. L. Bonate; Poster P1572
In vitro activity of isavuconazole against azole-resistant environmental Aspergillus fumigatus isolates, cryptic Candida strains and emerging yeasts - P. Le Pape, B. Ariza, C. Loge, R. Lavergne, F. Morio, C. Picot, S. Valderrama, C. Alvarez; Poster P1584
Ceftobiprole posters and presentations at ECCMID 2016 EUCAST zone diameter breakpoints and quality control criteria for ceftobiprole 5 mcg - E. Matuschek, J. Ahman, A. Santerre Henriksen, G. Kahlmeter; Poster P0825
A pooled analysis of clinical cure and mortality with ceftobiprole medocaril versus comparators in staphylococcal bacteraemia in complicated skin infections, and community- and hospital acquired pneumonia - J. Rello, G. Rahav, T. Scheeren, M. Saulay, M. Engelhardt, T. Welte; Oral presentation O318
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ceftobiprole in adults who are severely obese - A. Schmitt-Hoffmann, M. Engelhardt, J. Spickermann, M. Jones, A. Kaufhold; Poster P1250
Bone penetration of the new-generation cephalosporin ceftobiprole in patients following hip replacement surgery - A.-H. Schmitt-Hoffmann, M. Engelhard, J. Spickermann, M. Jones, A. Kaufhold; Poster P1251
Pharmacokinetics of ceftobiprole in paediatric patients - J. Blumer, A.-H. Schmitt-Hoffmann, M. Engelhardt, J. Spickermann, M. Jones, A. Kaufhold; Poster P1252
Ceftobiprole resistance in Danish MRSA - A. Larsen, A. Petersen, F. Hansen, A. Santerre Henriksen, R. Skov; Poster P1343
Comparison of MRSA susceptibility to ceftobiprole as determined by either Etest or microdilution methods - L. Galia, G. Cornaglia, A. Mazzariol; Poster P1345
For further information please visit www.eccmid.org (http://www.eccmid.org).
About CRESEMBA (isavuconazole)
Isavuconazole is an intravenous and oral azole antifungal and the active agent of the prodrug isavuconazonium sulfate. The drug was co-developed with Basilea's license partner Astellas Pharma Inc. Astellas commercializes isavuconazole in the U.S. and Basilea holds full rights in markets outside the United States. Isavuconazole was approved in March 2015 by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use for patients 18 years of age and older in the treatment of invasive aspergillosis and invasive mucormycosis, and was launched in the U.S. by Astellas in April 2015. Isavuconazole is marketed under the trade name CRESEMBA. The European Commission granted isavuconazole marketing authorization in October 2015 for the treatment of adult patients with invasive aspergillosis and for the treatment of adult patients with mucormycosis for whom amphotericin B is inappropriate.1 The European marketing authorization is valid in all 28 European Union member states, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Basilea has launched CRESEMBA in the UK and Germany, and launches in additional European countries are planned throughout 2016. Isavuconazole has orphan drug designation for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis and mucormycosis in Europe and the U.S. Outside the United States and the EU, isavuconazole is currently an investigational product and not approved for commercial use.
About Zevtera (ceftobiprole)
Zevtera (ceftobiprole medocaril) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic for intravenous administration with bactericidal activity against certain Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and susceptible Pseudomonas spp.2 Ceftobiprole is approved for sale in 13 European countries and Canada for the treatment of adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia and hospital-acquired pneumonia (excluding ventilator-associated pneumonia).2 It has been launched in Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Austria. Ceftobiprole received Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the potential treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia and acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections. Ceftobiprole is not approved in the United States.
About Basilea
Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is a biopharmaceutical company developing products that address increasing resistance and non-response to current treatment options in the therapeutic areas of bacterial infections, fungal infections and cancer. The company uses the integrated research, development and commercial operations of its subsidiary Basilea Pharmaceutica International Ltd. to discover, develop and commercialize innovative pharmaceutical products to meet the medical needs of patients with serious and potentially life-threatening conditions. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BSLN). Additional information can be found at Basilea's website www.basilea.com (http://www.basilea.com).
Disclaimer
This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
For further information, please contact:
Peer Nils Schroder, PhD
Head Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
+41 61 606 1102
media_relations@basilea.com (mailto:media_relations@basilea.com)
investor_relations@basilea.com (mailto:investor_relations@basilea.com)
This press release can be downloaded from www.basilea.com (http://www.basilea.com).
References
1 European Public Assessment Report (EPAR) for CRESEMBA: http://www.ema.europa.eu (http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/EPAR_-_Summary_for_the_public/human/002734/WC500196131.pdf)
[Accessed: April 12, 2016]
2 UK Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) for Zevtera: http://www.mhra.gov.uk/ (http://www.mhra.gov.uk/spc-pil/?prodName=ZEVTERA%20500MG%20POWDER%20FOR%20CONCENTRATE%20FOR%20SOLUTION%20FOR%20INFUSION&subsName=&pageID=ThirdLevel&searchTerm=zevteraretainDisplay)
[Accessed: April 12, 2016]
Press release (PDF) (http://hugin.info/134390/R/2003843/739757.pdf)
LONDON, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Norgine B.V. announced today that it has expanded its agreement with Apharm s.r.l. to distribute ZIVEREL in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. In June 2015, Norgine and Apharm entered into an agreement to distribute ZIVEREL in Spain, Australia and New Zealand.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130829/633895-a )
ZIVEREL is a medical device (class III) used to maintain the integrity of the oesophageal mucosa to avoid the irritation of the oesophagus caused by stomach acid among other causes.
ZIVEREL is a combination of hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate, which protects the oesophageal mucosa by an original mechanism.[i] The presence of a high bioadhesive capacity component (poloxamer 407) in the formulation increases the stability of contact between the chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid in the surface of the wall of the oesophagus and contributes to the protective effect against the action of hydrochloric acid and pepsin produced by the stomach. Chondroitin sulfate also has an action that promotes the repair process of the oesophageal mucosa.
Peter Martin, COO at Norgine said: "We are delighted to increase the number of countries in which ZIVEREL will become available. This recent transaction exemplifies our partnering culture and commitment to acquire further specialised innovative products to be maximised through our well-established EU infrastructure."
He added: "By ensuring ZIVEREL is widely available in the EU, patients who suffer from gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms will have access to a new treatment option for a condition which is on the rise and that can have a significant impact on health-related quality of life and reduction in personal and work-related productivity."
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is prevalent worldwide, and disease burden may be increasing. It affects up to 20% of the Western population[ii] and is associated with a range of risk factors.
ZIVEREL is available in Spain. Norgine plans to launch ZIVEREL in Australia and New Zealand in 2016 and in early 2017 in the newly added European markets.
Go to http://www.norgine.com to access release in full.
-----------------------------------
i. Simone et al. Barrier effect of Esoxxon esophageal mucosal damage: experimental study on ex-vivo swine model. Clin Exp Gastroenterology. 2012; 5: 103-17
ii. J Dent et al. Gut2005;54:710-717 doi:10.1136/gut.2004.051821. http://gut.bmj.com/content/54/5/710.full
LONDON, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Company:B.S.D CROWN LTD., incorporated and registered in the State of Israel with registered number 52-004292-0 (the "Company")
Notice by:Rotenstreich Gitzelter Trust Company Ltd. ("Rotenstreich Gitzelter ")
It is announced that the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company, which was scheduled to be held on Monday, April 18, 2016 at 2pm (London time) at the Hilton London Tower Bridge, 5 More London Place, Tooley Street, London SE1 2BY, United Kingdom, is hereby cancelled.
The cancellation of the Extraordinary General Meeting is required due to a postponement of the hearing of the motion filed on February 28, 2016 by Rotenstreich Gitzelter, together with Mr Naftali Shani, with the District Court in Tel-Aviv, Israel, requesting the Court to find and declare that the extraordinary general meeting of BGI Investments (1961) Ltd., held on February 17, 2016 was duly convened and that the resolutions approved at said meeting were duly accepted. BGI Investments (1961) Ltd. holds 25,515,677 ordinary shares of the Company.
On April 14, 2016 the Court ordered a postponement of the hearing, to be held on May 5, 2016.
Therefore, NOTICE is hereby given hereby given that AN EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING of the Company (the "EGM") will be held on Monday, May 9, 2016 at 2pm (London time) at the Hilton London Tower Bridge, 5 More London Place, Tooley Street, London SE1 2BY, United Kingdom.
The EGM is called by invitation of Rotenstreich Gitzelter, a Company shareholder, holding 10,278,451 ordinary shares of the Company (representing approximately 9.34 per cent. of the Company's issued and outstanding share capital and voting rights), whose request to convene an extraordinary general meeting of the Company's shareholders, in accordance with clause 63(b) and 63(c) of the Israeli Companies Law, 5759-1999 (the "Israeli Companies Law") and the Company's articles of association, was served on 3 February 2016 to the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") and refused. Following said refusal, Rotenstreich Gitzelter is entitled to call an extraordinary general meeting in accordance with clause 64 of the Israeli Companies Law.
The EGM will convene for the purpose of considering and voting upon the following proposed resolutions:
1. the election of the following persons to serve the office as directors of the board of directors of the Company commencing on the date of approval by shareholders at the EGM and until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting:
a)Mr. Naftali Shani;
b)Adv. Arnon Gicelter;
c)Mr. Yonatan Malca; and
d)Mr. David Blass.
2. the election of Ms. Ruth Breger to serve the office as a statutory independent director in accordance with the Israeli Companies Law for an initial fixed term of three years commencing on the date of approval by shareholders at the EGM.
3. the removal from office of all the existing directors (other than the statutory independent director), namely:
a)Mr Gregory Gurtovoi;
b)Mr Oleksander Avdyeyev;
c)Mr Israel Jossef Schneorson;
d)Mr Yosef Schvinger; and
e)Mr Chanoch Winderboim.
EGM documents
Copies of the notice, as well as the proposed directors' respective declarations, are available at the offices of Rotenstreich Gitzelter Trust Company Ltd. during regular business hours via email to: office@rglaw.co.il or upon advanced notice at 25 Ibn Gvirol Street, Tel-Aviv, Israel, Tel: +972-3-5258090 Fax: +972-3-5258080.
Remuneration and Indemnification
Pursuant to the Israeli Companies Law, the remuneration of directors is subject to the approval by the Company's remuneration committee followed by the approval of the board of directors of the Company. Subject to the required approvals by law, directors shall also be entitled to indemnification and Directors and Officers insurance policy covering actions and omissions.
Record Date
The record date for shareholders and depository interest holders to be entitled to vote is set on April 18, 2016.
Quorum
Two or more shareholders, present in person or by proxy and holding shares conferring in the aggregate at least 25% of the outstanding voting power of the Company, shall constitute a legal quorum at the EGM. No business shall be transacted at the EGM unless a legal quorum is present, and no resolution may be passed unless a legal quorum is present at the time such resolution is voted upon. If within half an hour from the time scheduled for the EGM a legal quorum is not present, the meeting shall be adjourned to May 16, 2016 at the same time and place (the "Adjourned Meeting"). If within half an hour from the time scheduled for the Adjourned Meeting a legal quorum is not present, then any two shareholders entitled to vote, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a legal quorum for such adjourned meeting and shall be entitled to resolve any matters on the agenda of the meeting.
Contact:
Rotenstreich Gitzelter Trust Company Ltd.
25 Ibn Gvirol Street, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Tel: +972-3-5258090
Fax: +972-3-5258080
Email: office@rglaw.co.il
PST Nordic AB, the subsidiary company of Panevezio statybos trestas AB, has signed the construction contract agreement with Ake Sundvall Byggnads AB. The company will make the design of the pre-fabricated reinforced concrete and steel frame, deliver and erect it, starting all activities in April 2016 and completing them by 1 September 2016. The total value of the contract amounts to approximately 0.7 mln. Euros. There will be 16 apartments in the newly built apartment building and the total area of the building will be nearly 2000 square meters. Contact person Managing Director Dalius Gesevicius Tel. (+370 45) 505 503
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.
Attendo is the leading private provider of publicly financed care and healthcare services in the Nordic region. The company was founded in 1985 and was first to provide outsourced care for older people in Sweden. In addition to care for older people, Attendo provides care for people with disabilities, individuals and families, and, in Finland, healthcare and dental care. Attendo has 19 000 employees and is locally anchored with 510 operations in more than 200 municipalities in Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark. www.attendo.com
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.
April 15, 2016 - Aker Solutions secured an agreement to provide maintenance and other services for subsea facilities at Petrobras-operated oil and gas fields offshore Brazil.
The contract is for a fixed term of three years valued at BRL 435 million net of taxes (NOK 1 billion) and may be extended by another three years. It covers maintenance, storage, supply of parts and technical assistance for all subsea equipment delivered by Aker Solutions to Petrobras in Brazil.
"Brazil is a key global offshore market," said Luis Araujo, chief executive officer of Aker Solutions. "We have a nearly four-decade presence in the country and are committed to finding solutions to help Petrobras develop its petroleum resources in the most efficient and sustainable manner possible."
Aker Solutions is in April opening a new subsea manufacturing center in Curitiba, doubling its local production capacity. The company is also upgrading its subsea services unit in Rio das Ostras to better meet customer demand.
The contract will be managed at the base in Rio das Ostras in Rio de Janeiro, at a local content rate of 87 percent. This builds on a commitment to develop partnerships with national suppliers.
"We are pleased to be able to continue providing top-notch services and technologies to support Petrobras' production and growth plans in the pre-salt deepwater fields," said Maria Peralta, head of Aker Solutions in Brazil.
The agreement is similar to one signed in 2011 for maintenance of equipment and other offshore services. Currently, Aker Solutions' subsea lifecycle services unit has about 360 employees in Brazil, of which 150 are part of the technical team working offshore. The company has about 1,300 employees in the country.
The contract is booked as part of Aker Solutions' first-quarter order intake.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Media:
Bunny Nooryani, Chief Communications Officer, Aker Solutions. Tel: +47 67 59 42 71, Mob: +47 480 27 575, E-mail: bunny.nooryani@akersolutions.com (mailto:bunny.nooryani@akersolutions.com)
Anne Cecilie Lund-Andersen, Media Relations Manager, Aker Solutions. Tel: +47 22 94 74 52, Mob: +47 99 62 12 13, E-mail: anne.cecilie.lund-andersen@akersolutions.com (mailto:anne.cecilie.lund-andersen@akersolutions.com)
Investors:
David Phillips, Head of Industry & Investor Relations, Aker Solutions. Tel: +44 208 811 7111, Mob: +44 7788 338 887, E-mail: david.phillips@akersolutions.com (mailto:david.phillips@akersolutions.com)
Lasse Torkildsen, Senior Advisor, Aker Solutions. Tel: +47 67 51 30 39, Mob: +47 911 37 194, E-mail: lasse.torkildsen@akersolutions.com (mailto:lasse.torkildsen@akersolutions.com)
Aker Solutions is a global provider of products, systems and services to the oil and gas industry. Its engineering, design and technology bring discoveries into production and maximize recovery. The company employs approximately 15,000 people in about 20 countries. Go to http://akersolutions.com (http://akersolutions.com/) for more information on our business, people and values.
This press release may include forward-looking information or statements and is subject to our disclaimer, see http://akersolutions.com (http://akersolutions.com/).
This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Aker Solutions ASA via Globenewswire
HUG#2003844
Not for publication, release or distribution directly or indirectly in the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. This press release is not an offer of securities, or a solicitation for purchase, subscription or sale of securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which it would be unlawful to do so.
Soitec's Board of Directors calls on shareholders to take part in the vote for the second Extraordinary General Meeting on April 29, 2016
Bernin, France, April 15, 2016 - Soitec (Euronext Paris), a world leader in manufacturing innovative semiconductor materials, will hold another Extraordinary General Meeting on Friday April 29 on second notice. Said Extraordinary General Meeting has been convened in order to vote on the only two resolutions (the 7th and 8th resolutions) that could not be voted on during the Combined General Meeting of April 11 due to lack of quorum, as Bpifrance Participations could not vote on these two resolutions respectively relating to the approval of the recapitalization transaction as a whole and to the reserved capital increase in favor of Bpifrance Participations.
Shareholders who have already voted remotely during the Combined General Meeting of April 11 (either by post or via the internet) or have appointed a proxy , do not need to take further action: their votes and proxies remain valid for the meeting of April 29. However, shareholders who appointed a proxy other than the Chairman are invited to contact their proxy to ensure that he or she will take part in the vote on April 29.
The Board of Directors invites all other shareholders, i.e. those who did not take part in the Combined General Meeting of April 11 but also those who attended said meeting in person, to take part in the General Meeting convened for April 29 on second notice:
Shareholders who already have an admission card for the Combined General Meeting of April 11 do not need to request another admission card if they wish to attend the April 29 meeting in person. They can also choose to vote by post, by returning their form to their authorized intermediary (for bearer shareholders) or directly to BNP Paribas Securities Services (CTS Assemblees Generales - Les Grands Moulins de Pantin - 9, rue du Debarcadere - 93761 Pantin Cedex), for registered shareholders.
Shareholders who did not take part in the Combined General Meeting of April 11 (and did not ask for an admission card for the Combined General Meeting of April 11) may choose to take part in any way (attend the meeting in person, vote by post, via the internet or appoint a proxy) and are encouraged to vote via the internet. Online voting via the VOTACCESS platform will end at 3pm Paris time on April 26. However, to avoid any overloading of the Votaccess site, shareholders are advised to vote before April 26.
The Combined General Meeting convened on first notice on April 11, 2016 was convened to decide upon all the resolutions required for the implementation of Soitec's planned capital increases[1] (#_ftn1). Said capital increases were announced on February 10, 2016 and are intended to raise between 130 million and 180 million, including 76.5 million via reserved capital increases. At the Combined General Meeting convened on first notice on April 11, 2016, shareholders widely approved the resolutions that had beensubmitted to them - which did not include the 7th and 8th resolutions - with between 86% and 99% voting in favor of them.
The second notice convening the meeting, including the agenda and the text of the 7th and 8th resolutions (identical to the text included in the first notice convening the meeting published in the Bulletin des Annonces Legales Obligatoires on March 21, 2016) has been published in today's Bulletin des Annonces Legales Obligatoires. Shareholders can download the voting form and view the documents relating to the General Meeting and the planned capital increases on the website dedicated to the transaction that can be accessed from Soitec's homepage at www.soitec.com (http://www.soitec.com).
If shareholders have any questions, they are invited to call +33 1 70 79 13 15 or to email them to investors@soitec.com.
Soitec S.A. draws the public's attention to the "Risk factors" sections of the prospectus granted visa no. 16-085 dated March 18, 2016 by the AMF, set out in chapter 4 of the registration document filed with the AMF on June 10, 2015 under no. D.15-0587 and of its update filed with the AMF on March 7, 2016 under no. D-15-0587-A01 as well as in chapter 4 of the offering memorandum included in the prospectus. The realization of one or several of these risks is likely to have a material adverse impact on the business, assets, financial situation, results or prospects of the Soitec group as well as on the market price of the Soitec S.A. shares. Copies of the prospectus are available free of charge at the registered office of the Company, Parc Technologique des Fontaines, Chemin des Franques, 38190 Bernin, on its website (www.soitec.com) and on the AMF website (www.amf-france.org (http://www.amf-france.org)).
Important Notice
This document constitutes an advertisement and not a prospectus.
No communication or other information related to this transaction or to Soitec S.A. may be transmitted to the public in a country in which any approval or registration is required. No steps to such end have been taken or will be taken by Soitec S.A. in any country in which such steps would be required (other than France).
This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute and cannot be construed as a public offer, an offer to sell or subscribe or a solicitation of an order to purchase or subscribe securities in any country other than France.
This press release does not constitute an offer or a solicitation to sell or subscribe for securities requiring a prospectus within the meaning of Directive 2003/71/EC of the European Parliament and Council dated November 4, 2003, as amended, including by Directive 2010/73/EU insofar as said Directive has been implemented in the Member States of the European Economic Area (together, the "Prospectus Directive", such expression including any relevant implementing measure in each member State of the European Economic Area).
With respect to the member states of the European Economic Area other than France (each a "Member State") having implemented the Prospectus Directive, no action has been or will be taken in order to permit a public offer of the securities which would require the publication of a prospectus in any Member State. In each Member State, the information contained herein is addressed solely to persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive.
The securities mentioned in this press release have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered, or sold in the United States in the absence of such registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement under the Securities Act. Soitec S.A. does not intend to register any portion of the planned offering in the United States or to conduct a public offering of securities in the United States.
This press release is neither an invitation to commit to, nor is it intended to encourage an investment activity for the purposes of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended ("FSMA"). This press release is directed only at (i) persons outside the United Kingdom, (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order"), (iii) persons referred to in Article 49(2) (a) to (d) of the Order (high net worth entities, non-registered associations, etc.) and (iv) other persons to whom this document may be lawfully communicated (all persons listed in (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) above being referred to as "Relevant Persons"). The securities of Soitec S.A. described herein are available only to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, Relevant Persons. Any person who is not a Relevant Person must not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.
The release, publication or distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by laws or regulations. Persons physically located in such jurisdictions in which this press release is released, published or distributed must inform themselves about and comply with such laws or regulations.
This press release must not be published, released or distributed, directly or indirectly, in Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States.
About Soitec
Soitec (Euronext, Paris) is a world leader in manufacturing innovative semiconductor materials. The company uses its unique technologies to serve the electronics and energy markets. With 3,600 patents worldwide, Soitec's strategy is based on disruptive innovation to respond to its customers' needs for high performance, energy efficiency and cost competitiveness. Soitec has manufacturing facilities, R&D centers and offices in Europe, the US and Asia. For more information, please visit www.soitec.com.
For any additional information, please contact:
Investor relations
Steve Babureck
+33 (0)6 16 38 56 27 or +1 858 519 6230
steve.babureck@soitec.com (mailto:steve.babureck@soitec.com)
Individual shareholder relations
+33 (0)1 70 79 13 15
investors@soitec.com (mailto:investors@soitec.com) Media relations
Fabrice Baron
+33 (0)1 53 32 61 27
fabrice.baron@ddbfinancial.fr
Isabelle Laurent
+33 (0)1 53 32 61 51
isabelle.laurent@ddbfinancial.fr
[1] (#_ftnref1) Readers are invited to consult the press release published by the company on February 10, 2016, along with all information on the planned capital increases on the www.soitec.com website.
Soitec press release in PDF (http://hugin.info/143589/R/2003848/739762.pdf)
This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: SOITEC via Globenewswire
HUG#2003848
ROME (dpa-AFX) - Automaker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCAU) reported Friday that its European sales for the month of March increased 13.3 percent year-over-year to 110,600 vehicles, significantly outperforming the industry average of 5.7 percent. Market share was 40 basis points higher at 6.3 percent. All FCA brands registered increases. The company posted March sales increases of 21.5 percent in Italy, 10.2 percent in France, 13.2 percent in the UK and 12.9 percent in Spain. Fiat brand posted European sales of 85,500 vehicles for the month, representing a 14.0 percent year-over-year increase and the best March sales since 2010. Market share was 40 basis points higher at 4.9 percent. For the major European markets, the Fiat brand posted March sales increase of 21.6 percent in Italy, 14.7 percent in France, 13.3 percent in the UK and 13.8 percent in Spain. Lancia/Chrysler also outperformed the market with sales up 16.8 percent to 7,300 units and share in line with the prior year at 0.4 percent. Jeep posted a 14.5 percent increase in March sales to nearly 10,700 vehicles. For the three months year-to-date, FCA posted unit sales of more than 264,000 vehicles, an increase of 16.3 percent with market share 50 basis points higher at 6.7 percent. 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.
PUNE, India, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Market-Research-Reports.com adds "Global and Chinese Chloropicrin Industry, 2016 Market Research Report" latest study of 150 pages, published in Apr 2016, to the Chemicals intelligence collection of its store.
2016 Chloropicrin Industry Report - Global and Chinese Market Scenario is a comprehensive business research report that highlights the latest business trends with a thorough description for each and every business aspect of the Chloropicrin industry. The report systematically addresses the growth prospects of the Chloropicrin market and drafts a business forecast for the period of 2016-2021.
Complete report on Chloropicrin market divided into 11 major chapters that offer an overview of current market scenario as well as Chloropicrin forecasts is now available at http://www.market-research-reports.com/450193-chloropicrin-industry .
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Another research titled Global and Chinese Nitrochloroform (CAS 76-06-2) Industry, 2015 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Nitrochloroform industry with a focus on the Chinese market. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Nitrochloroform manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry. Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international and Chinese major industry players in detail. In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and 2010-2015 market shares for each company. Through the statistical analysis, the report depicts the global and Chinese total market of Nitrochloroform industry including capacity, production, production value, cost/profit, supply/demand and Chinese import/export. The total market is further divided by company, by country, and by application/type for the competitive landscape analysis. The report then estimates 2015-2020 market development trends of Nitrochloroform industry. Analysis of upstream raw materials, downstream demand, and current market dynamics is also carried out. In the end, the report makes some important proposals for a new project of Nitrochloroform Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2010-2020 global and Chinese Nitrochloroform industry covering all important parameters. Read more at http://www.market-research-reports.com/426784-nitrochloroform-cas-76-06-2-industry .
Explore more reports on chemicals at http://www.market-research-reports.com/cat/chemicals-market-research .
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BANGALORE, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
- Q4 Revenue Growth at 1.6% qoq in USD Terms; 1.9% in Constant Currency Terms
- Q4 Operating Margin at 25.5%; Increase of 0.6% From Q3 Operating Margin of 24.9%
- FY 16 Revenue Growth at 9.1% in USD Terms; 13.3% in Constant Currency Terms
- FY 17 Revenue Guidance at 11.5%-13.5% in Constant Currency and 11.8%-13.8% in USD Terms at March 31, 2016 Exchange Rates
- Board Recommended a Final Dividend ofINR 14.25 per share
Financial Highlights
Consolidated results under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2016
Quarter ended March 31, 2016
Revenues were $ 2,446 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2016
QoQ growth was 1.6% in reported terms; 1.9% in constant currency terms
YoY growth was 13.3% in reported terms; 15.0% in constant currency terms
Operating profit was $ 625 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2016
QoQ growth was 4.3%
YoY growth was 12.6%
Net profit was $ 533 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2016
QoQ growth was 1.7%
YoY growth was 7.0%
Earnings per share (EPS) was $ 0.23 for the quarter ended March 31, 2016
QoQ growth was 1.7%
YoY growth was 7.0%
Year ended March 31, 2016
Revenues were $ 9 , 501 million for the year ended March 3 1 , 201 6
YoY growth was 9.1% in reported terms; 13. 3 % in constant currency terms
Operating profit was $ 2,375 million for the year ended March 31, 201 6
YoY growth was 5 .2%
Net profit was $ 2,052 million for the year ended March 3 1 , 201 6
YoY growth was 1 . 9 %
Earnings per share (EPS) was $ 0.90 for the year ended March 31, 2016
YoY growth was 1.9%
Liquid assets including cash and cash equivalents, available-for-sale financial assets and government bonds were $ 5,202 million as on March 31, 2016 as compared to $ 4,765 million as on December 31, 2015 and $ 5,214 million as on March 31, 2015
as on as compared to as on and as on The Board of Directors recommended a final dividend of INR 14.25 per share for fiscal 2016. This translates to a final dividend of $ 0.22 per share (at USD-INR rate of 66.26).
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130122/589162 )
"I am proud of our company's achievements in my first fiscal year as CEO of Infosys. At the same time, I am humbled by the task that is still in front of us. We started the year just two quarters into a strategy to completely reimagine the notion of services and to transform Infosys. Over the course of this year, we saw this strategy, of bringing automation and innovation to our clients, on a foundation of learning and education, start to show results in the organic growth of our client relationships, in our win rates in large deals, and in the types of projects we are seeing in strategic areas where we never participated before. I am proud of what our teams have achieved this quarter and in the year," said Dr. Vishal Sikka, CEO. "And yet despite these heartening results, they are still based on metrics of the past, of the way the industry has been. The world of our future looks entirely different - it is a world that is being fundamentally reshaped by digital technologies, and it is our endeavor to create great value for every business through solutions built on our AI technology and open, cloud platforms, to have Infoscions amplified by intelligent technology, to bring purposeful innovation to life, and in that sense, we are still very much at the beginning of this journey."
"Employee attrition reduced further in Q4, and is reflective of increased engagement with our people all through the year, and our steps to make Infosys an exciting place for the world's best talent. We continue to reimagine our internal processes to increase organizational agility," said U B Pravin Rao, COO. "The momentum of large deal wins continued this quarter and bookings were strong."
"Our growth trajectory improved in FY 16 and we navigated the external business environment well. We will continue to focus on leveraging operational efficiency levers for consistent profitable growth," said M.D. Ranganath, CFO. "During the quarter, cash generation was strong. We managed a volatile currency environment effectively."
Outlook*
The Company's outlook (consolidated) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017, under IFRS is as follows:
Revenues are expected to grow 11.5%-13.5% in constant currency*;
Revenues are expected to grow 11.8%-13.8% in USD terms based on the exchange rates as of March 31, 2016 **
*AUD/USD - 0.73; Euro/USD - 1.10; GBP/USD - 1.51
**AUD/USD - 0.77; Euro/USD - 1.14; GBP/USD - 1.44
Management Changes
The Company announced that Mr. Mohit Joshi, Mr. Ravi Kumar S and Mr. Sandeep Dadlani have been appointed as Presidents of the company effective immediately.
Business Highlights
This quarter we made significant advances in our strategy to deliver automation and innovation through our traditional and new service offerings, our platforms and tools, and through investments in the broader ecosystem - enabling us to create more depth in existing client relationships, win more deals and specifically large deals, and open up entirely new types of strategic projects for Infosys.
Driving depth in client relationships, and winning large deals
ConAgra Foods, Inc., one of North America's leading packaged food companies, chose us as a strategic partner for a multi-year managed services deal that will support ConAgra's Application, Infrastructure and Information Security systems. The design-thinking led solution will leverage Panaya and the Infosys Automation Platform (IAP) to help the client reduce total effort in support, upgrade and testing and will drive innovation, improve service levels, and reduce operating costs.
For Welsh Water, a large utilities company, we will be responsible for the setup, migration and execution of data center facilities and services, managing over 400 critical network links, business applications, server and storage management. We will also transform and manage the client's internal network communications and IP telephony services and infrastructure. The deal includes managing all projects in the client's IT ecosystem including virtualization, operating system strategy, database platforms and more.
Growing momentum in new services, platforms and tools
We continued to see new strategic projects coming to Infosys based on our Aikido service offerings as well as our platforms and tools.
IIP - Completed more than 220 engagements leveraging IIP; announced availability of IIP on AWS.
This quarter we announced the availability of IIP on Amazon Web Services Marketplace (AWS Marketplace). Businesses will now be able to gain robust data insights quickly, while tapping into the flexibility and the lower cost of a cloud-based platform.
Hershey's LLC, North America's largest chocolate manufacturer, recently used IIP on AWS to analyze retail store data. The company wanted to gain valuable, revenue-generating insight faster than a traditional analytics implementation could deliver.
Hershey needed to establish its Hadoop landscape and extend its analytics and big data capabilities quickly. Partnering with the client, we had the landscape up and the data lake seeded for their analysts in less than a week. Using the Infosys Information Platform on AWS accelerated the deployment by weeks
IAP - More than 125 engagements in IAP across segments; 21 additional deployments in this quarter across key accounts.
Johnson Controls (JCI) is transforming the role IT plays in accelerating growth and delivering value to the business. One of JCI's goals for this transformation is to drive and improve efficiency across the enterprise through Automation. Infosys is helping JCI in this journey to delivery leading edge Enterprise Automation capabilities. JCI will automate business processes, with the help of Infosys's industry leading tools and services including Self-service, Robotic and Assisted Automation, Predictive Diagnostics, and Self-Healing capabilities.
Panaya, Skava & EdgeVerve
Panaya and Skava continued to gain traction both as part of large client engagements where these products were central to the value proposition, and as standalone deals.
Cummins, a global power leader that designs, manufactures, sells and services diesel engines and related technology globally, chose us as a partner to execute its Brazilian Oracle upgrade program. Rosane Rodrigues , CIO, Cummins Brazil commented, "Our Brazilian oracle instance has all the complexities needed to support our local business, with more than 5000+ objects, catering to different product lines and supporting 2500+ users in South America . Risk of disruption to our business was a major concern. We wanted to make sure we partnered with a service provider who has in depth Oracle knowledge, understanding of localization requirements and more importantly someone who could demonstrate their ability to de-risk the upgrade project by using advanced tools. The Panaya based detailed impact analysis that Infosys presented to us prior to start of the project gave us the confidence that they exactly knew what was going to break and how to fix it. With their upgrade methodology and cloud based impact assessment tools like Panaya, Infosys is leading the way in minimizing risk involved in software changes."
Aimia Inc., a global leader in data-driven marketing and loyalty analytics, has chosen us as strategic partner for a multi-year managed services deal to deliver product engineering, maintenance and support services of various Aimia platforms and solutions. Liz Graham , EVP Operations and Strategic Initiatives at Aimia said, "We have chosen Infosys' Skava platform to implement Omni-channel Digital marketing solution for its nimbleness and ability to work in a test-and-learn manner. We look forward for a great partnership with Infosys and leveraging Skava platform in other digital initiatives."
This quarter the EdgeVerve business sustained momentum with 18 wins and 24 go-lives for both the Finacle and Edge suite of solutions across various market regions.
Lesley Secretan Director and COO of Bank Leumi (UK) plc said, "Finacle Corporate e-banking will provide us with a complete and modern e-banking solution for our changing corporate banking requirements. We chose Finacle for its out-of-the box capabilities, enhanced functionality, agile implementation approach, and the ability to work on multiple platforms. Over the years, Infosys Finacle has demonstrated extensive experience in the market, having worked on complex projects with leading banks globally. Perhaps more importantly, we chose Finacle because we liked its look and feel and felt it will be appreciated by our customers once the solution is deployed."
Design-led services - Now in every engagement and rapidly reaching all our clients.
In the last quarter, we saw a significant increase in the adoption of Design Thinking by our clients globally. More than 225 Design Thinking workshops have been conducted to date, with more than 10 design led transformation programs this quarter from across industry segments. A very significant development is that our clients are increasingly engaging with our consultants to develop and execute strategic business transformation ideas and initiatives.
Building a Culture of Innovators
Zero Distance - Covers more than 95% of the projects base lined andmanaged by Infosys.
Zero Distance, our program to drive innovation in every project, empowering all employees to be innovators, now covers almost all projects and is establishing a new way to achieve project management excellence.
Jeroen Korstanje, IT Change Manager Enterprise Content Management, ABN AMRO, said, "We have been partnering with Infosys over 10 years. In the last 3 years our partnership has reached a higher maturity and we are truly acting as partners. The Zero Distance and Design Thinking movement within the Infosys organization is adding additional value to the partnership. Looking pro-actively at opportunities to make the work easier and automate as much as possible we already implemented a number of improvements. To strengthen the partnership even more we jointly trained all staff in the Enterprise Content Management area in Zero Distance and Design Thinking. I am confident that this will bring even more value to the bank as a whole."
Extending the Reach through our Ecosystem
This quarter we announced an investment of USD 4 million in Waterline Data Science, a leading provider of data discovery and data governance software. This investment is testimony to our efforts to bring innovative data science solutions across our platforms and offerings, and commitment to deliver greater business value for our clients from their Big Data assets.
Awards and Recognition
Ranked a "Leader in the Winner's Circle - Excellent at Innovation and Execution," in HfS's Research Blueprint: Design Thinking in the As-A-service Economy.
Infosys ReachOut solution selected by The American Council for Technology - Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) as one of the top 40 finalists for its Igniting Innovation 2016 Awards. . Infosys ReachOut is a device agnostic web-based application that connects people-in-need with assistance and resources in real-time.
Infosys Finacle rated as a Market Leader in Ovum's Core Banking Decision Matrix for Europe .
. Infosys Finacle positioned as one of the top selling solution in IBS Sales League 2016.
Infosys Finacle recognized for Best Innovations in Digital Initiative - Middle and Back Office and the Best Islamic Banking Technology Provider in the Middle East at the 2016 Private Banking Middle East Awards.
at the 2016 Private Banking Middle East Awards. Awarded Tableau GSI partner of the year; Hitachi Data Systems Innovation Partner of the Year.
Beyond Business
In fiscal 2016 over INR 216 crore ($ 33 million) contributed by Infosys has been utilized across projects related to healthcare, education, culture, destitute care and rural development. In addition, the company has spent INR 86 crore ($ 13 million) crore on multiple initiatives including Chennai flood disaster relief, environment sustainability and conservation of natural resources aimed at long term sustainability of eco system.
As part of its mission to better prepare all students for an increasingly digital future, Infosys Foundation USA continued to engage with local communities and invest in computer science related programs. The Foundation announced a grant of $1M in partnership with NSF to support Computer Science (CS) professional development for teachers.This collaboration will provide opportunities for as many as 2,000 school teachers to deepen their understanding of CS.
About Infosys Ltd
Infosys is a global leader in consulting, technology, outsourcing and next-generation services. We enable clients, in more than 50 countries, to stay a step ahead of emerging business trends and outperform the competition. We help them transform and thrive in a changing world by co-creating breakthrough solutions that combine strategic insights and execution excellence.
Visit http://www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY), with US$ 9.5 billion in LTM revenues and 194,000+ employees, is helping enterprises renew themselves while also creating new avenues to generate value.
Safe Harbor
Certain statements in this press release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015. These filings are available at http://www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. In addition, please note that the date of this press release is April 15, 2016, and any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of this date. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the company unless it is required by law.
Infosys Limited and subsidiaries
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Balance Sheets as of
(Dollars in millions except equity share data)
March 31, 2016 March 31, 2015 ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 4,935 4,859 Available-for-sale financial assets 11 140 Trade receivables 1,710 1,554 Unbilled revenue 457 455 Prepayments and other current assets 672 527 Derivative financial instruments 17 16 Total current assets 7,802 7,551 Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment 1,589 1,460 Goodwill 568 495 Intangible assets 149 102 Investment in Associates 16 15 Available-for-sale financial assets 273 215 Deferred income tax assets 81 85 Income tax assets 789 654 Other non-current assets 111 38 Total non-current assets 3,576 3,064 Total assets 11,378 10,615 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current liabilities Trade payables 58 22 Derivative Financial Instruments 1 - Current income tax liabilities 515 451 Client deposits 4 4 Unearned revenue 201 168 Employee benefit obligations 202 171 Provisions 77 77 Other current liabilities 940 927 Total current liabilities 1,998 1,820 Non-current liabilities Deferred income tax liabilities 39 25 Other non-current liabilities 17 8 Total liabilities 2,054 1,853 Equity Share capital- INR 5 ($0.16) par value 2,400,000,000 (1,200,000,000) equity shares authorized, issued and outstanding 2,285,621,088 (1,142,805,132), net of 11,323,576 (5,667,200) treasury shares as of March 31, 2016 (March 31, 2015), respectively 199 109 Share premium 570 659 Retained earnings 11,083 10,090 Other reserves - - Other components of equity (2,528) (2,096) Total equity attributable to equity holders of the company 9,324 8,762 Non-controlling interests - - Total equity 9,324 8,762 Total liabilities and equity 11,378 10,615
Infosys Limited and subsidiaries
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Comprehensive Income
(Dollars in millions except share and per equity share data)
Three months Three months Year ended Year ended ended March ended March March 31, March 31, 31, 2016 31, 2015 2016 2015 Revenues 2,446 2,159 9,501 8,711 Cost of sales 1,516 1,317 5,950 5,374 Gross profit 930 842 3,551 3,337 Operating expenses: Selling and marketing expenses 134 118 522 480 Administrative expenses 171 169 654 599 Total operating expenses 305 287 1,176 1,079 Operating profit 625 555 2,375 2,258 Other income, net 114 141 476 560 Share in associate's profit / (loss) - - - - Profit before income taxes 739 696 2,851 2,818 Income tax expense 206 198 799 805 Net profit 533 498 2,052 2,013 Other comprehensive income Items that will not be reclassified to profit or loss: Re-measurement of the net defined benefit liability/(asset) - (2) (2) (8) Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss: Fair value changes on available-for-sale financial asset 3 (2) 6 14 Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations 11 53 (436) (375) Total other comprehensive income, net of tax 14 49 (432) (369) Total comprehensive income 547 547 1,620 1,644 Profit attributable to: Owners of the company 533 498 2,052 2,013 Non-controlling interests - - - - 533 498 2,052 2,013 Total comprehensive income attributable to: Owners of the company 547 547 1,620 1,644 Non-controlling interests - - - - 547 547 1,620 1,644 Earnings per equity share Basic ($) 0.23 0.22 0.90 0.88 Diluted ($) 0.23 0.22 0.90 0.88 Weighted average equity shares used in computing earnings per equity share 2,285,620,95 2,285,610,26 2,285,616,16 2,285,610,26 Basic 7 4 0 4 2,285,750,31 2,285,667,25 2,285,718,89 2,285,642,94 Diluted 6 2 4 0
NOTE:
1. The unaudited Condensed Consolidated interim Balance sheets and Condensed Consolidated interim Statements of Comprehensive Income for the three months and year ended March 31, 2016 have been taken on record at the Board meeting held on April 15, 2016
2. A Fact Sheet providing the operating metrics of the company can be downloaded from http://www.infosys.com
3. Previous period share count and EPS has been restated due to issue of bonus shares in Jun-15
Fact Sheet: http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/ENR/355774-infosys-fact-sheet.pdf
IFRS-INR Press Release: http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/ENR/355777-infosys-inr-press-release.pdf
CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Japanese yen weakened against the other major currencies in the Asian session on Friday, as positive China GDP data for first quarter improved investor sentiment. Comments from Bank of Japan's officials hinting about excessive rise in the yen also weighed on the currency.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that China's gross domestic product expanded 6.7 percent on year in the first quarter of 2016. That was in line with expectations and down from 6.8 percent in the three months prior.
The bureau also noted that industrial production gained 6.8 percent in March, topping forecasts for 6.0 percent and up from 5.9 percent in February. Retail sales advanced 10.5 percent on year, beating expectations for 10.3 percent and up from 10.2 percent in the previous month.
Speaking on the sidelines of 20 meeting in Washington, Aso warned that Japan will take 'necessary steps if one-sided and speculative moves in exchange rates are observed.'
Aso told U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew that Tokyo had 'strong concern' about recent moves in the yen.
Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda also described the yen's appreciation as 'excessive', and added that it has slightly been corrected' in recent days.
Thursday, the yen rose 0.03 percent against the euro, 0.31 percent against the pound and 0.008 percent against the Swiss franc. Meanwhile, the yen fell against the U.S. dollar.
In the Asian trading, the yen fell to an 8-day low of 109.73 against the U.S. dollar, from yesterday's closing value of 109.38. The yen may test support near the 112.00 region.
Against the euro and the Swiss franc, the yen dropped to 2-day lows of 123.56 and 113.47 from yesterday's closing quotes of 123.22 and 113.08, respectively. If the yen extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 125.00 against the euro and 115.00 against the franc.
The yen edged down to 155.31 against the pound and 75.60 against the NZ dollar, from yesterday's closing values of 154.78 and 74.81, respectively. On the downside, 160.00 against the pound and 77.00 against the kiwi are seen as the next support levels for the yen.
Against the Australian and the Canadian dollars, the yen dropped to nearly a 2-week low of 84.77 and a 2-day low of 85.68 from yesterday's closing quotes of 84.13 and 85.15, respectively. The next downside level for the yen is seen around 86.00 against the aussie and 87.00 against the loonie.
Looking ahead, U.K. construction output and Eurozone trade balance, both for February, are due to be released later in the day.
In the New York session, Canada manufacturing sales data for February, U.S. industrial production for March, New York Fed's empire manufacturing index for April, U.S. Baker Hughes rig count data and U.S. University of Michigan's preliminary consumer sentiment index for April, are slated for release.
At 12:30 pm ET, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans is expected to speak on current economic conditions and monetary policy before the J.P. Morgan Investment Seminar, in Washington.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
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BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - At 5:00 am ET Friday, Eurozone trade data for February is due to be released. The trade surplus is expected to rise to EUR 21.5 billion in February from EUR 21.2 billion in January. Ahead of the data, the euro showed mixed trading against its major rivals. While the euro rose against the pound and the Swiss franc, it held steady against he U.S. dollar and the yen. As of 4:55 am ET, the euro was trading at 0.7959 against the pound, 1.0899 against the Swiss franc, 1.1261 against the U.S. dollar and 123.18 against the yen. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
DUBLIN, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Research and Marketshas announced the addition of the,"Endoscopy Devices: Applications and Global Markets,"report to their offering.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160330/349511LOGO )
The global endoscopy device market is expected to grow from $32.5 billion in 2015 to roughly $45.2 billion by 2020, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8% for the period of 2015-2020.
Current and projected endoscopy revenue forecasts during the forecast period (2015 to 2020) are discussed. Endoscopy devices require U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pre-market Notification (PMN) approval, European Union Medical Device Directive European Conformity (CE Mark) approval, or similar approvals in other countries. Regulation of endoscopic devices is rigid in terms of proving proof of product safety and efficacy before sale to the medical community. Due to the timing of the release of this report, the figures for 2014 are estimated, except where actual results have been reported.
The report includes analysis of the leading competitors, as well as of emerging companies in the current worldwide endoscopy market. Profiles of the manufacturers of the leading products are analyzed, their specific product strategies are outlined, and their product pipelines are discussed.
This report looks at companies poised to introduce new products during the forecast period and discusses how these products may change the face of the competitive environment. This competitive environment is examined with special focus on how developing products and technologies are influencing the current standard of patient care. Detailed profiles of the current market leaders and emerging companies are discussed in detail.
Key Topics Covered:
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Summary
Chapter 3: Overview
- Endoscopy Trends And Forecast
- The Endoscope And Endoscopic Procedures
- Major Companies In The Endoscopy Market
- Drivers And Inhibitors For The Endoscopy Market
- Regulatory Developments
- Increasing Influence Of Group Purchasing Organizations
- Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER)
- Medical Device Excise Tax
Chapter 4: Medical Applications Of Endoscopy
- Urology Endoscopy
- Laparoscopy
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Endoscopy
- Arthroscopy
- ENT Endoscopy And Bronchoscopy
- Gynecology Endoscopy
- Neurology Endoscopy
Chapter- 5: Global Endoscopy Market
Chapter- 6: Advances In Endoscope Technology
- Narrow-Band Imaging (NBI)
- High-Definition (HD) Imaging And HD TV
- Third Eye Retroscope
- Double-Balloon Endoscopy Device
- Pillcam
- Picture Archiving And Communications System (PACS)
- Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES)
- Robot-Assisted Endoscopy
Chapter- 7: Endoscopy Clinical Trials Worldwide
Chapter- 8: Mergers And Acquisitions
Chapter- 9: Company Profiles Of Major Endoscopy Manufactures
- Boston Scientific Corp.
- Medtronic/Covidien
- Given Imaging Ltd.
- Johnson & Johnson--Ethicon Endo-Surgery (EES)
- Karl Storz Gmbh & Co. KG
- Olympus Medical Systems
- Smith & Nephew Inc.
- Stryker
For more information visithttp://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/76p4g3/endoscopy
Media Contact:
Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager
press@researchandmarkets.com
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U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907
Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
1. Name: Toyota Tsusho DENSO Electronics (Thailand) Co., Ltd. 2. Location: Bangkok, Thailand 3. President: Hideya Ito while also serving as President and CEO of Toyota Tsusho Electronics (Thailand) Co., Ltd. 4. Establishment: July 2016 (planned) 5. Capital: 20 million baht (Approx. US$0.6 million) 6. Ownership: 51percent owned by DENSO INTERNATIONAL ASIA PTE., LTD. and 49 percent owned by Toyota Tsusho Electronics (Thailand) Co., Ltd. 7. Employees: Approx. 30 (FY2016) 8. Business desc.: Designing and developing software used in automotive engine ECUs
1. Location: Bangkok, Thailand 2. President: Hideya Ito 3. Establishment: 2005 4. Capital: 32 million baht (Approx. US$0.9 million) 5. Employees: 200 6. Business desc.: Developing embedded automotive and related system software and selling in-vehicle electronic devices.
Sadayoshi Yokoyama, Toshiko Watanabe DENSO CORPORATION Phone: 81-566-25-5594 Fax: 81-566-25-4509 sadayoshi_yokoyama@denso.co.jp toshiko_watanabe@denso.co.jp
KARIYA, JAPAN, Apr 15, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - DENSO Corporation and Toyota Tsusho Corporation have agreed to form a joint venture in Bangkok, Thailand. The new company, Toyota Tsusho DENSO Electronics (Thailand) Co., Ltd., plans to start developing software in July 2016 to help improve the efficiency of engine electronic control unit (engine ECU) development.Recently, it has been challenging to improve efficiency when developing software used in engine ECUs because, as the control of powertrains becomes increasingly complex, the development scale expands accordingly. The joint venture will use models in all phases of software development including control-program development, design, and verification.Moreover, to be capable of supporting a wide variety of ECUs to be developed, the new company will standardize software and improve development efficiency and speed.The new company will be capitalized at 20 million baht (Approx. US$0.6 million).Profile of the joint ventureReferenceProfile of Toyota Tsusho DENSO Electronics (Thailand) Co., Ltd.* The foreign exchange rate used in this news release is US$0.03 to thebaht.About DensoDENSO Corporation, headquartered in Kariya, Aichi prefecture, Japan, is a leading global automotive supplier of advanced technology, systems and components in the areas of thermal, powertrain control, electronics and information and safety. Its customers include all the world's major carmakers. Worldwide, the company has more than 200 subsidiaries and affiliates in 38 countries and regions and employs nearly 140,000 people. Consolidated global sales for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014, totaled US$39.8 billion. Last fiscal year, DENSO spent 9 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development. DENSO common stock is traded on the Tokyo and Nagoya stock exchanges. For more information, go to www.globaldenso.com, or visit our media website at www.densomediacenter.com.Source: DensoContact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
15 April 2016, Limassol, Cyprus:
SeaBird Exploration Plc convene the Shareholders to the Annual General Meeting to be held on 10 May 2016 at 11.00 (local time) at Diagoras House 7th Floor, 16 Pantelis Catelaris Street, CY 1097 Nicosia, Cyprus.
The Agenda, recommendations by Nomination Committee and Proxy form are distributed to the shareholders, attached hereto and are listed on the company's web-page: www.sbexp.com (http://www.sbexp.com/). The Annual Report 2015 was released by announcement 18 March 2016 and is also available on the company's web-page.
SeaBird is a global provider of marine acquisition for 2D/3D and 4D seismic data, and associated products and services to the oil and gas industry. SeaBird specializes in high quality operations within the high end of the source vessel and 2D market, as well as in the shallow/deep water 2D/3D and 4D market. Main focus for the company is proprietary seismic surveys (contract seismic). Main success criteria for the company are an unrelenting focus on Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Quality (HSSEQ), combined with efficient collection of high quality seismic data. All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove accurate. These factors include SeaBird's reliance on a cyclical industry and the utilization of the company's vessels. Actual results may differ substantially from those expected or projected in the forward-looking statements.
This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
For further queries contact:
Christophe Debouvry
CEO SeaBird Exploration
Phone: +47 22 40 27 05
Nils Haugestad
CFO SeaBird Exploration
Phone: +47 22 40 27 17
Calling notice with proxy form (http://hugin.info/136336/R/2003695/739732.pdf)
SeaBird Exploration Annual Report 2015 (http://hugin.info/136336/R/2003695/739733.pdf)
This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: SeaBird Exploration Plc via Globenewswire
HUG#2003695
The "Hong Kong Cross-border e-Commerce Forum" brings together a number of industry experts to discuss the related opportunities and challenges under the theme of "Statistics of cross-border e-commerce"
HKTDC Communication and Public Affairs Department Joe Kainz Tel: +852 2584 4216 Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org
HONG KONG, Apr 15, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - Since the Central Government in Beijing began implementing the "Internet Plus" strategy last year, cross-border e-commerce has been developing at an accelerating pace. In response to this trend, the International ICT Expo (13-16 April), organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, has incorporated a number of new elements related to e-commerce. Among them is the inaugural "Hong Kong Cross-border e-Commerce Forum 2016" (14 April), which invited a number of industry experts to discuss the opportunities and challenges under the theme of "Statistics of cross-border e-commerce". The three-in-one platform for payment, shopping and logistics for cross-border e-commerce businesses was the focal point of the forum.Strengthening supply chains to enhance competitivenessAt the forum, Vice Chairman of the HKCBEA, Clement So, unveiled the "Initial Report on the Studies of Hong Kong Cross-border E-Commerce". He stated that Hong Kong's e-commerce has thrived due to the city's extensive experience in this sector thanks to a conducive free trade environment, as well as its diverse range of brands. He predicted that online shopping will continue to grow rapidly this year, and suggested that young people acquire a broader understanding of global market trends. Meanwhile, the government should allocate more resources to formulate relevant industry standards and offer assistance to small- and medium-sized enterprises, which would strengthen the city's supply chain and the niche sectors of various industries.Tremendous growth potential for Sino-Russia e-commerceGeneral Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the Beijing-based PayEase, Kino Kwok, noted that use of the Internet is increasingly popular in the Chinese mainland and Russia. While the total transaction amount of online sales reached US$10.5 billion, retail accounted for just two per cent of the total figure, with only 50 online shopping websites recording a total transaction amount of RUB4 billion or above. This points to tremendous room for growth for cross-border e-commerce in Russia. As well as introducing the China-Russia e-commerce platform TradeEase, he also spoke of different channels for developing business in the Russian market such as using localised text, employing Russian experts to oversees logistics, owning local servers, offering local customer service to increase customer loyalty, and utilising both online and offline marketing.Pros and cons of new policy on cross-border commerceSenior Business Development Manager of PayEase, Edwin Ma, pointed out that the Chinese government announced its new policy on cross-border e-commerce on 8 April. In addition to analysing the difference between the old and new policies, he also addressed the issues presented by the new policy. "'The Cross-border E-commerce Retail List of Imported Goods' was published at 9pm, 7 April, though it was implemented at the midnight of 8 April," said Mr Ma. "Consequently, goods that were already in the bonded area at the time of its announcement, but not included on the list, were not allowed to leave the area. Those goods with an imminent use-by date were to be destroyed." He also offered his analysis on other policy changes related to imports, such as tax rates.Key to successSpeaking on the subject of "Cross-border O2O Integrated Solutions Plan," Sha Qingping, Chairman of Rennibi E-commerce Technology Ltd based in Qianhai, Shenzhen, explained that a company's cross-border e-commerce platform is comprised of 12 sub-systems. He spoke about the 12 steps of founding a cross-border e-commerce company, from registration to launching its e-commerce channels. He also discussed the distribution models of cross-border e-commerce businesses including "tiered distribution", "distribution for multi-channeled orders" and "customs verification of customer order, payment processing and logistic information". He concluded that the key to cross-border e-commerce success lies in "the joining of forces to seize business opportunities".Privacy and security of mobile app downloadsIn spite of rapid technological advancement, the issues of privacy and security of mobile apps are often overlooked. As Jerald Ray, Executive Vice President for Asia Pacific of Tech Star Communication Ltd remarked, the use of mobile messaging apps and the download of mobile apps involve issues of privacy and security. He also pinpointed the significant risk in users granting apps permissions when they download mobile apps. "It's like putting your life in someone else's hand," he said.Qianhai to become a smart portIn her remarks, Huang Lifang, Assistant General Manager of Qianhai International Liaison Services Ltd, spotlighted the procedures of company registration in Qianhai and offered her thoughts on "Opportunities in Cross-border E-commerce in Qianhai". She stressed that "Qianhai seeks not to replace Hong Kong, but to add value to it." She noted that Qianhai is striving towards becoming a "smart port". At present, 3,000 Hong Kong enterprises are based in Qianhai, with the 15 per cent tax rate being the most attractive incentive. Financial subsidies and talent matching services in Qianhai also bring various benefits to Hong Kong enterprises.Defining Free Trade AreasDrawing on his experience, Former Grade Three Customs Overseer of the General Administration of Customs, Bao Huazha, elaborated on the differences between the three types of free trade areas, including free trade area (broadly defined), free trade zone (narrowly defined) and special customs supervision areas, as mentioned in the Third Plenary sessions of the Central Committee and in the "Free Trade Area and Special Customs Supervision Areas". He concluded by discussing the special areas, e-commerce and the impact of tax adjustment.Zero Tolerance of counterfeits vital to e-commerce success in ChinaWith its rapid upswing, the total value of online retail sales in the mainland reached Rmb 3,800 billion in 2015. The forum invited Han Cong, Business Division General Manager of jd.hk (Clothing and Household Goods), which is owned by the world's ninth-ranked online shopping website JD.com, to share her insights on the topic of "Breakthrough in 2016". She said that jd.hk regards quality assured products as the key to success. To guard against counterfeits among its offerings, the company launches and enforces a number of "zero tolerance" initiatives every year, including irregular inspection and rigorous supervision of sourcing channels.Fair Websites:Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition): www.hktdc.com/hkelectronicsfairseInternational ICT Expo: www.hktdc.com/ictexpoPhoto Download: http://bit.ly/1SPhyHlMedia Registration: Media representatives wishing to cover the event may register on-site with their business cards and/or media identification.To view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tcAbout HKTDCA statutory body established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and services providers. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdcTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdcLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-councilSource: HKTDCContact:Copyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - French shares fell slightly on Friday after a powerful earthquake struck southwestern Japan and official data showed China's economy grew at its slowest pace in seven years during the first quarter. Closer home, data released by Eurostat showed that the euro zone's trade surplus shrank in February to reach its lowest level in four months, as imports rose more rapidly than exports. Investors look ahead to the outcome of spring meetings of the World Bank and the IMF opening today and a key oil summit this weekend. The benchmark CAC 40 was down 18 points or 0.41 percent at 4,492 in midday trading after gaining half a percent the previous day. Car parts maker Faurecia slumped 4.5 percent after reporting sluggish first-quarter growth and reiterating its forecast of 1-3 percent sales growth for 2016. Carrefour shares climbed 4 percent as the supermarket chain reported higher quarterly sales, reflecting robust sales in Brazil, Spain and Italy. Utility EDF rallied 2.5 percent, a day after extending the outage period of its Paluel 2 nuclear reactor to March 2017. 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.
VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - U.K. shares traded slightly lower on Friday after a powerful earthquake struck southwestern Japan and official data showed China's economy grew at its slowest pace in seven years during the first quarter. Also weighing on investor sentiment, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that British construction output unexpectedly declined in February, marking its second consecutive fall. Construction output fell 0.3 percent from January, when it declined 0.4 percent. Economists were looking for no change. Traders look ahead to the outcome of spring meetings of the World Bank and the IMF opening today and a key oil summit this weekend for further direction. The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 11 points or 0.18 percent at 6,354 in midday trading after finishing marginally higher in the previous session. Rio Tinto fell over 1 percent after extending its Channar Mining Joint Venture in Australia's Pilbarra region with Sinosteel Corporation. Fellow miner Anglo American lost 2 percent and Tullow Oil plunged 5 percent. Floorcovering manufacturer Victoria retreated 5 percent after saying it is no longer in talks to buy Lano Carpets. Man Group shares jumped 5 percent. The hedge fund manager reported net inflows of US$500 million in the first quarter and said it is benefiting from its diversified business model against the backdrop of challenging market conditions. Acal shares rallied 4 percent. The specialist electronics group said its earnings for fiscal 2016 will be 'slightly' ahead of expectations. 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.
OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - Mitel Networks Corp. (MITL, MNW.TO) Friday said it has agreed to acquire Polycom Inc. (PLCM) in a cash and stock transaction valued at around $1.96 billion.
As per the definitive agreement, Polycom stockholders will be entitled to $3.12 in cash and 1.31 Mitel common shares for each share of Polycom common stock, or $13.68 based on the closing price of a Mitel common share on April 13. The transaction represented a 22 percent premium to Polycom shareholders based on Mitel's and Polycom's 'unaffected' share prices as of April 5.
The combination is expected to leverage Mitel's position as a global communications with Polycom's portfolio in the conference and video collaboration market. The combined company will be headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, and will operate under the Mitel name.
Once merged, the combined company will have a global workforce of approximately 7,700 employees. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2016.
Richard McBee, chief executive officer of Mitel will lead the combined organization and its CFO Steve Spooner continue in that role. Polycom directors will assume two seats on the Mitel board.
Mitel intends to finance the cash portion of the consideration for the acquisition, and the refinancing of its existing credit facilities. It has received financing commitments from BofA Merrill Lynch of approximately $1.1 billion in the aggregate.
Looking ahead, Mitel confirmed that its first quarter revenue and adjusted EBITDA margin will be within its prior guidance range. Mitel now expects quarterly non-GAAP revenue will be in the range of $270 million to $280 million and adjusted EBITDA margin will be in the range of 7.5 to 9.5 percent. The combined company will have a diverse revenue base with pro forma 2015 sales of around $2.5 billion.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
The scholarship foundations established by OP Financial Group to support scientific research awarded a total of 1,224,300 euros in research grants based on the applications for 2016. Both the quantity and quality of the applications increased considerably over the previous year.
- High-quality education and research provides a sustained basis for Finnish prosperity across the board. OP Financial Group's scientific foundations make their contribution in this important role by financing research done by post-graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in particular. This year we can offer financial support to 30 young talented researchers. This is a major contribution to Finnish research and future, says Jaakko Pehkonen, Chairman of the Board of OP Financial Groups Research Foundation and the Kyosti Haataja Foundation.
Established in 1972, OP Financial Group's Research Foundation is one of the largest Finnish economic research foundations. The Research Foundation supports economic research, especially research into financing and cooperative banking.
The Kyosti Haataja Foundation established in 1951 supports research into financial, social and judicial conditions in rural areas, especially among farmers.
For more information, please contact:
Heli Kangasluoma, Representative, OP Financial Group's Research Foundation and Kyosti Haataja Foundation: +358 (0)40 500 6608
In 2016, the Board of Directors of OP Financial Group's Research Foundation awarded 1,124,300 million euros in grants to the following researchers and projects:
Post doc grants
Jari Hannikainen Korkokayran ennustaminen (Yield Curve Forecasting) 65 000 Pekka Tolonen New Evidence from Hedge fund Option Holdings: Preferences and Selection Skills 65 000 Saara Hamalainen Studies on effects and origins of market frictions 32 500 Paula Makela Screening by Decision Making Mechanisms 65 000 Miikka Voutilainen Yhtenaiskasvuteoriat ja Suomen taloudellinen kehitys 1600-2000 (Unified Growth Theories and Finnish Economic Development 1600-2000). Aikasarjojen estimointi ja analyysi (Time Series Estimation and Analysis). 65 000 Mats Godenhielm Information, costs, and liquidity in OTC- and other decentralized markets 65 000 Mao Yaping Catch me if you can: the role of client-auditor IQ compatibility in earnings manipulation and audit report 65 000
Grants for full-time postgraduate studies
Ville Seppala Kotitalouskohtainen tyovoiman tarjonta - tutkimuksia puolisoiden yhteisesta paatoksenteosta (Labour Supply by Household - Studies on Spouses' Joint Decision-making) 25 000 Annika Kuusela Epatavanomaisen rahapolitiikan globaalit vaikutukset (Global Effects of Unconventional Monetary Policy) 25 000 Susanne Syren Doctoral dissertation project: Koulutus, tyomarkkinat ja persoonallisuus (Education, Labour Markets and Personality) 25 000 Annika Lindblad Time-variation in stock market volatility forecasts 25 000 Julia Salmi Doctoral dissertation on the role of information and its sharing in economic decision-making 25 000 Laura Ansala The economic and social integration of immigrants in Finland and Sweden 12 500 Eero Sillasto Exploiting Heterogeneous Deposits of a Resource 12 500 Ramin Izadi Foreign exchange at UC Berkley 15 000 Kim Ristolainen Robustness of banking crises prediction: A study within the Eurozone. (Final article of doctoral dissertation) 25 000 Krista Riukula Research studies in the field of labour and health economics 25 000 Kim Lien Nguyen Hedging Risk in Risk Arbitrage: New Evidence from Arbitrageurs' Option Holdings 25 000 Mats Ekman Essays on Social Economics 12 500 Petteri Juvonen Tyomarkkinainstituutiot ja talouden sopeutuminen (Labour market institutions and economic adjustment) 12 500 Jenni Mikkonen Insider Trading and Corporate Insiders' Personal Characteristics 25 000 Andrey Zhukov Doctoral Studies and Research Visit to Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 15 000 Mikko Salonen Essays on the allocation of indivisible goods 25 000 Kristine Koponen Macroeconomic implications of financial crises, sudden stops, and firm entry dynamics 25 000 Yijie Li The impact of macroeconomic variables on stock returns in different regimes 25 000 Saara Tuuli Essays in macroprudential policy and supply potential in the economy 25 000 Michele Crescenzi Essays on Information Economics and Mechanism Design 25 000 Niclas Meyer Research project: Corporate Social Responsibility Controversies and Director Reputation 20 000 Joona Karlsson Course stage of doctoral studies and start of doctoral dissertation project 12 500 Saara Vaahtoniemi The development of finance sector wages and human capital in Finland 25 000 Ville Savolainen Esseita osaketuottojen ennustettavuudesta (Essays on the predictability of stock returns) 12 500
Grants for project group costs
Juha Joenvaara Institutional Investors: Data infrastructure 20 000 Timo Korkeamaki CEO mobility and corporate policy risk 23 000 Marko Jarvenpaa Ohjaus ja strategisen muutoksen johtaminen osuustoiminnallisissa organisaatioissa - Tapaus OP Ryhma (Steering and Strategic Change Management in a Cooperative Organisation - Case OP Financial Group) 30 000 Marlene Isore Banks' Decisions under Uncertainty and their Macroeconomic Impact 75 000
Personal grants
Hannu Vartiainen Visit to the Cambridge University and research project "Mechanism design without commitment" 10 000 Michaela Schmoller Secular Stagnation in a Monetary Union 2 900 Salla Simola Postgraduate visit to the University College London 10 000 Kristiina Huttunen Research visit to the University College London 5 000 Tuomas Pekkarinen Research visit to the London School of Economics 5 000 Milla Siikanen Liquidity in FX market: Research Visit to Fraunhofer ITWM and Big-xyt GmbH 3 900 Jaana Kari (os. Jaako) Lifelong Physical Activity and Long-term Labor Market Performance 10 000 Nebojsa Dimic Project: Reverse cross-listing in the Emerging markets
Research visit at: Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, UK 2 000 Juha Junttila Research visit to the State University of New York Albany, project "Effect of uncertainty in economic policy on forecasting real economy" 5 000
Grants awarded by Kyosti Haataja Foundation in 2016
The Board of Directors of the Kyosti Haataja Foundation awarded 100,000 euros in grants to the following researchers and projects:
Lauri Turpeinen A multi-sited ethnography of rural-urban migration of young adults in Finland 10 000 Kimmo Huttunen Legal research into forest use knowledge base and its exploitation 20 000 Suvi Borgstrom Law for green economy: the future of natural resources and nature conservation law 11 000 Tanja Kahkonen Towards a sustainable change in the bioeconomy: values, attitudes and views in the local forest-based energy driven change dynamics 20 000 Benjamin Anang Microcredit, production system and efficiency of smallholder rice production in Northern Ghana 19 000 Hanna-Mari Ikonen Once there were entrepreneurs - follow-up study on rural women in entrepreneurial society 10 000 Henri Wallen Research into cumulative social effects in the mining industry: Case Sokli 10 000
This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: OP Yrityspankki Oyj via Globenewswire
HUG#2003481
HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/15/16 -- Immunovaccine Inc. ("Immunovaccine" or the "company") (TSX: IMV) (OTCQX: IMMVF), a clinical stage vaccine and immunotherapy company, today elected Andrew Sheldon as chairman of its board of directors. Mr. Sheldon, who currently serves as President and CEO of Medicago, joined the board after the company's annual and special meeting of shareholders. Newly named Chief Executive Officer Frederic Ors was also elected to the board.
Andy Sheldon Elected Chairman of the Board
Following his election at the AGM, the board chose Mr. Sheldon to become chairman, effective immediately, to serve until the next AGM. Mr. Sheldon succeeds Albert Scardino, who remains a director of the company.
"Immunovaccine leads the industry in development of a platform that enhances the speed, strength and durability of vaccines," Mr. Sheldon said. "Add to that the simplicity and low cost of its manufacturing processes and you have a combination that could significantly impact the ways our entire industry approaches the development of cancer therapies and the prevention of infectious diseases. With the partnerships the company is developing, there are broad opportunities to create products that address the fast changing world of cancer therapy and the chronic infections that afflict large portions of the world."
Albert Scardino, the retiring chairman, said: "Andy's experience across the pharmaceutical and biotech industries provides just the kind of leadership Immunovaccine needs as it evolves from research and development to commercialization. His partnership with our new chief executive, Fred Ors, revives their long association at Medicago and will give commercial partners and investors confidence that we understand our markets and are ready to serve them."
Voting Results of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders of the Company
Immunovaccine also announces the voting results of the annual and special meeting (the "Meeting") of shareholders of the Company (the "Shareholders") held today in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
At the AGM, the shareholders elected Andrew Sheldon and Frederic Ors as new directors and re-elected all six of the nominees listed in the management information circular dated March 20, 2016 (the "Circular").
All Directors were elected until the next annual meeting of Shareholders or until such person's successor is elected or appointed.
Each of the directors was elected by a majority of the votes cast by Shareholders present at the Meeting on a show of hands. The votes represented by proxy in respect of the election of each director are as follows:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nominee Votes % of Votes Votes % Votes For For Withheld Withheld Non Vote ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wade Dawe 25,127,131 99.85% 37,633 0.15% 3,016,830 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- James Hall 21,002,078 83.46% 4,162,686 16.54% 3,016,830 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wayne Pisano 24,591,578 97.72% 573,186 2.28% 3,016,830 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Albert Scardino 25,131,631 99.87% 33,133 0.13% 3,016,830 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alfred Smithers 25,132,131 99.87% 32,633 0.13% 3,016,830 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bradley Thompson 21,000,578 83.45% 4,164,186 16.55% 3,016,830 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Andrew Sheldon 28,181,594 100% - - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Frederic Ors 28,181,594 100% - - - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Shareholders also approved the re-appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as auditor of the Company.
Please refer to the Circular available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com for more information on the business transacted at the Meeting. A report on voting results will also be filed on SEDAR.
About Immunovaccine
Immunovaccine Inc. develops cancer immunotherapies and infectious disease vaccines based on the Company's DepoVax platform, a patented formulation that provides controlled and prolonged exposure of antigens and adjuvant to the immune system. Immunovaccine has advanced two T cell activation therapies for cancer through Phase 1 human clinical trials and is currently conducting a Phase 2 study with its lead cancer vaccine therapy, DPX-Survivac, in recurrent lymphoma. DPX-Survivac is expected to enter additional Phase 2 clinical studies in ovarian cancer and glioblastoma (brain cancer). In collaboration with commercial and academic partners, Immunovaccine is also expanding the application of DepoVax as an adjuvanting platform for vaccines targeted against infectious diseases. Immunovaccine's goal in infectious diseases is to out-license its DepoVax platform to partners to generate earlier revenues. Connect at www.imvaccine.com
Immunovaccine Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking information under applicable securities law. All information that addresses activities or developments that we expect to occur in the future is forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the date the statements are made. However, they should not be regarded as a representation that any of the plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this press release due to risks affecting the Company, including access to capital, the successful completion of clinical trials and receipt of all regulatory approvals. Immunovaccine Inc. assumes no responsibility to update forward-looking statements in this press release except as required by law.
Contacts:
MEDIA
Mike Beyer
Sam Brown Inc.
T: (312) 961-2502
E: mikebeyer@sambrown.com
INVESTOR RELATIONS
Kimberly Stephens
Chief Financial Officer
T: (902) 492-1819
E: kstephens@imvaccine.com
BEIJING, CHINA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/15/16 -- Genoil (OTCBB: GNOLF) & Beijing Petrochemical Engineering Co Ltd (BPEC), a division of Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum Group Company, are pleased to announce that they have received a $ 5 billion dollar (USD) letter of intent for an initial 500,000 barrel per day (bpd) upgrading project, to be situated in the Middle East. The letter of intent from one of the largest banks in China is to cover the initial project cost, and will be presented to a major party in the Middle East. For this project, the goal of the consortium is to develop 3.5 million bpd of upgrading capacity at a total estimated cost of $ 35-50 billion. Financing will be subject to a number of conditions and approval of the contract terms by all parties.
China is actively seeking investment opportunities around the world and Genoil has demonstrated ability in establishing connections with major national oil companies and government ministries. The GHU represents an opportunity for China to invest in environmentally friendly global energy projects, developing clean sources of low sulfur fuels for the global market. Another project for 1 million bpd is currently under consideration by a second national oil company. Additional funding for future projects will be considered on a project by project basis.
2015 Year End Audited Financials
Genoil has completed it's 2015 audited financial statement which is now available on EDGAR & SEDAR.
About the Genoil GHU Technology:
Genoil's field upgrader (GHU) is an environmentally friendly technology which reduces the carbon content of a barrel of crude oil while removing sulfur and nitrogen that cause greenhouse gases. The GHU economically (up to 75% less OPEX & CAPEX than existing processes) converts heavy crude oil, bitumen, atmospheric residues, and vacuum residues into a lighter crude so that it can be transportable by pipeline without the aid of diluent making it compatible for refineries. The GHU increases the yield of light products and decreases the residual portion of a heavy crude stream, producing a much more desirable refinery feedstock.
About BPEC:
BPEC was founded in 1979 and is a first class engineering company based in Beijing and its parent company is Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum Group Corp Ltd.. BPEC currently has about 1200 employees and holds a class A qualification of engineering consulting and engineering design. The company has been mainly engaged in engineering consulting, engineering design, EPC, engineering technology development and other related business in the fields of refining, petrochemical, coal-chemical, natural-gas-chemical, oil and gas fields, storage and transportation, etc.
About Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum Group Corp. Ltd.:
Formerly "Yanchang Oil Plant" founded by the Qing regime in Yan'an in 1905, Yanchang Petroleum is China's only century-old oil enterprise and the driller of the first oil well on the Chinese continent. Shaanxi Province where Yanchang Petroleum is located is an emerging key oil & gas province in China, with rapid growth of 5 million tons oil & gas equivalent on average every year since the beginning of the "twelfth five-year" period. In 2012, Shaanxi province became China's largest oil & gas-producing province with oil & gas equivalent of over 60 million tons. They are also one of the largest producers of coal in China with 18 billion tons of coal reserves, and 300,000 bpd of oil production.
Forward-Looking Statements:
Statements included in this release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties such as competitive factors, technological development, market demand, and the company's ability to obtain new contracts and accurately estimate net revenues due to variability in size, scope and duration of projects, and internal issues in the sponsoring client. Further information on potential risk factors that could affect the company's financial results can be found in the company's Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contacts:
Genoil Inc.
Investor Relations
Suite 218, 1811 - 4th Street S.W.
Calgary, Alberta T2S 1W2 Canada
(587) 400-0249 / (914) 433-0304
www.Genoil.ca
CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Canadian dollar lost ground against the other major currencies in Europe on Friday. The loonie declined to a 2-day low of 1.4514 against the euro and a 3-day low of 84.63 against the yen, off early 2-day highs of 1.4406 and 85.68, respectively. The loonie fell to an 8-day low of 0.9927 versus the aussie, reversing from an early high of 0.9854. The loonie edged down to 1.2865 against the greenback, after having advanced to 1.2797 at 3:30 am ET. The next possible support for the loonie is seen around 1.30 against the greenback, 82.00 against the yen, 1.05 against the aussie and 1.475 against the euro. 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.
NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 04/15/16 -- Hunt Mortgage Group, a leader in financing commercial real estate throughout the United States, announced today that it has closed on a $3.7 million Freddie Mac small balance execution to refinance a multifamily property located in Hayward, California.
Sohal Apartments consists of 35 rental units contained in three, two-story apartment buildings situated on 1.46 acres of land. The loan is a 5+15 Hybrid ARM with 30-year amortization, after one year of interest only, and step-down prepayment schedule. The borrower is Sohal, Inc., a California corporation and single asset entity, backed by Gurjinder Singh and Harwinder Singh.
"The sponsors have owned and managed the property for more than 13 years and have done an outstanding job maintaining the property as a long-term investment," noted Sergey Klimov, Vice President at Hunt Mortgage Group.
Sohal Apartments is well located, surrounded primarily by single family and commercial/retail uses and in close proximity to support services, shopping and employment centers.
The property is located within Alameda County in the Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley MSA. The city of Hayward is the third largest city within Alameda County, just 15 miles southeast of Oakland and 30 miles southeast of San Francisco.
The unit mix consists of 15 one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartments and 20 two-bedroom, two-bathroom units with a total net rentable area of 26,750 square feet. Property amenities include a leasing office and laundry room. Parking on-site is available.
The Hunt Mortgage Group deal team consisted of Klimov and Christina Hawn, Vice President.
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
NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 04/15/16 -- RealBiz Media Group, Inc. (OTCQB: RBIZ) today announced that four directors of the company had resigned and were replaced by three new directors, including the company's CFO.
Messrs. Donald Monaco, Pasquale M. LaVecchia, Douglas Checkeris and William Kerby resigned as directors of RealBiz Media Group effective Monday April 11th, 2016. Their resignations were not because of any disagreements with Real Biz on matters relating to its operations, policies or practices. Prior to their resignations, Messrs. Monaco, LaVecchia, Checkeris and Kerby served on the boards of both RealBiz Media Group, Inc. and Monaker Group, Inc. simultaneously. Their resignations were the final step in the deconsolidation of these two companies.
On April 12, 2016, the remaining RealBiz directors appointed Mr. Warren Kettlewell, Mr. Mike Craig and Mr. Thomas Grbelja as directors to fill the vacancies which existed due to the resignations of Messrs. Monaco, LaVecchia, Checkeris and Kerby on April 11, 2016. Mr. Grbelja currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer of RealBiz. Mr. Kettlewell was most recently the founding investor of Shotgun Fund and he still remains involved with several private venture capital companies. Mr. Craig was most recently President of MaaSPros Inc., a technology and licensing company. Both gentlemen bring a host of business knowledge and public company experience to the Board of RealBiz.
"This was an essential final step in the deconsolidation of RealBiz from Monaker Group. The inter-company affiliations were not helpful to the growth plans we have set for the company," said Alex Aliksanyan, CEO of RealBiz. "We now are set with a wonderfully experienced Board independent from Monaker Group that can help guide and steer the company to further dramatic growth and traction," continued Mr. Aliksanyan.
About RealBiz Media Group, Inc.
RealBiz Media Group, Inc. is a real estate digital media and technology company whose proprietary video processing technology makes it one of the leaders in providing home video tours to the real estate industry. Its client base reaches more than 350,000 real estate agents and brokers. The company provides a series of products including a consumer portal at http://www.nestbuilder.com, an agent-only platform known as NestbuilderAgent 2.0, an agent social media and marketing solution known as ReachFactor, a growing MVA network, virtual tours and mobile apps. The company enjoys access to many of the nation's largest real estate companies with numerous approved vendors and national contracts.
Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plan, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, product and service demand and acceptance, changes in technology, economic conditions, the impact of competition and pricing, government regulation, and other risks described in statements filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All such forward-looking statements whether written or oral, and whether made by or on behalf of the Company, are expressly qualified by the cautionary statements that may accompany the forward-looking statements. In addition, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Vic Allgeier
TTC Group, Inc.
646-290-6400 tel
646-841-4220 mobile
vic@ttcominc.com
VAL-D'OR, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 04/15/16 -- Abitibi Royalties Inc. (TSX VENTURE: RZZ) ("Abitibi Royalties" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Ivars Azis (the "Claim Holder") to acquire a 2% net smelter royalty ("NSR") on additional mineral claims, located approximately 3.5 kilometres east of Metanor Resources Inc., Bachelor mine in Quebec (Fig 1). This NSR agreement builds on an earlier royalty acquired around the Bachelor mine in 2015 and is the 12th royalty purchased near an existing mine since the "Royalty Search" was launched on June 9th, 2015.
In exchange for the 2% NSR, Abitibi Royalties will pay approximately CDN$3,775. In addition, Abitibi Royalties has agreed to pay the Claim Holder approximately CDN$3,775 in exchange for the right to receive 15% of total proceeds should the property be sold. The cash consideration will be paid by Abitibi Royalties from its cash flow. The new package of claims (Fig 1.) also consists of one claim (the "Additional Claim") that was added to the original claim package after the Company's press release dated July 6, 2015. For the Additional Claim, the Company agreed to pay the Claim Holder an amount equal to the next annual claim maintenance fees, estimated at approximately CDN$1,250 at the time of signing the original NSR agreement, and CDN$1,000 for the right to receive 15% of the total proceeds should the Additional Claim be sold.
The Claim Holder is actively searching for a joint venture partner in order to explore the mineral claims east of the Bachelor mine. To contact Ivars Azis, please visit www.tamarackgold.com or call 416.303.6684.
Since launching the Royalty Search on June 9th, 2015, 12 royalties near existing mining operations have been acquired, which include royalties surrounding or near Agnico Eagle and Yamana's Canadian Malartic mine in Quebec, Agnico Eagle's Lapa mine in Quebec, Alamos Gold's Young-Davidson mine in Ontario, Eldorado's Efemcukuru mine in Turkey, Goldcorp's Red Lake mine in Ontario, Hudbay's 777 mine in Manitoba, Metanor Resources Bachelor mine in Quebec and New Gold's Rainy River mine in Ontario. A list of these royalties can be found here.
The Royalty Search (www.abitibiroyalties.com) is an easy to use website that allows mining companies and prospectors a quick way of accessing capital in this difficult commodities market.
Abitibi Royalties is offering to pay the annual claim fees/taxes related to:
1) Existing mineral properties or
2) Staking of new mineral properties
In return for paying these fees, Abitibi Royalties would be granted a NSR on the property. To date, approximately 95 properties have been submitted through the website and 12 agreements have been finalized.
Share Repurchase Program
Since receiving approval to begin the Company's Normal Course Issuer Bid ("NCIB") on October 6th, 2015, Abitibi Royalties has repurchased approximately 72,700 common shares of the Company at an approximate average price of CDN$3.13 per share. The NCIB allows the Company to purchase up to 546,300 common shares (representing 5% of the Company's total issued and outstanding common shares as of September 21st, 2015) over a period of 12 months. The NCIB will expire no later than October 5th, 2016.
Update on Cash Flows
Since last reported on March 17th the Company's total cash flow in 2016 has increased to approximately CDN$625,000 from CDN$530,000 due to additional investment income.
On January 13th, 2016, the Company announced it had adopted a policy to sell covered call options on up to 25% of its shares held in Agnico Eagle and Yamana each quarter. The table below outlines the call options that have been sold to date, including call options before the policy took effect. Since August 2015, approximately CDN$645,000 in covered call income has been generated. The current market value of the shares, plus the Company's last reported cash balance (September 30, 2015) is approximately CDN$43.5 million. The Company is debt free.
Table 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Agnico Eagle Shares Option Expiry Percentage of Price $ (USD) Date Shares Owned ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40 65,100 Jan. 20, 2017 14.7 45 43,600 Jan. 20, 2017 9.8 50 31,000 Jan. 20, 2017 7.0 55 27,800 Jan. 20, 2017 6.3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 167,500 - 37.7 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yamana Shares Option Expiry Percentage of Price $(USD) Date Shares Owned ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4.5 2,000 Jan. 20, 2017 0.1 5 97,900 Jan. 20, 2017 2.8 5 200,100 Jan. 19, 2018 5.6 5.5 19,700 Jan. 20, 2017 0.6 7 925,900 Jan. 20, 2017 26.1 10 64,200 Jan. 20, 2017 1.8 12 21,800 Jan. 20, 2017 0.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 1,331,600 - 37.5 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
About Abitibi Royalties
Abitibi Royalties holds a 3% NSR on the Odyssey North discovery, Jeffrey Zone and the eastern portion of the Barnat Extension and a 2% NSR on portions of the Gouldie and Charlie zones all at the Canadian Malartic mine near Val-d'Or, Quebec. In addition, the Company is building a portfolio of royalties on early stage properties near producing mines and it holds 100% title to the Luc Bourdon and Bourdon West Prospects in the Ring of Fire, Ontario. The Company owns 3,549,695 shares of Yamana Gold and 444,197 shares of Agnico Eagle Mines.
Golden Valley Mines and Rob McEwen hold approximately 51.4% and 8.7% interest in Abitibi Royalties, respectively.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, 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.
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.
Contacts:
Abitibi Royalties Inc.
Ian J. Ball
President and CEO
416-346-4680
ian.ball@abitibiroyalties.com
www.abitibiroyalties.com
As of 1 May 2016, Tiit Magi assumes office as the member of the management board and manager of a subsidiary of Tallinna Kaubamaja Grupp AS, AS TKM King, which operates the ABC King and SHU stores. Prior to taking up this position in Tallinna Kaubamaja Grupp AS, Tiit Magi worked as the manager at Windrox OU, and he has held several positions related to sales. He also has extensive experience with managing and developing the footwear brand NS King. Magi has graduated from the Tallinn University of Technology in the field of vehicles and fleet management. Tiit Magi does not own any shares of Tallinna Kaubamaja Grupp AS. The current member of the executive board of AS TKM King, Edward Koster, who has previously held different managerial positions in Tallinna Kaubamaja Grupp AS since 2000, will continue as an entrepreneur. In addition to new challenges, Koster will be consulting on the commercial concept of a new Kaubamaja building for the Tallinna Kaubamaja Grupp AS' subsidiary Kaubamaja AS. Tallinna Kaubamaja Grupp AS is grateful for the contribution that Edward Koster, as a managing director of TKM King AS, has made to the development of the company. Raul Puusepp Chairman of the Board Phone: +372 731 5000
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.
BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - April 15, 2016) - VMTurbo, the only application performance control platform, today announced the launch of its new STEM Initiative Program, welcoming students from the Greater Boston Area to provide an interactive educational experience at a growing technology company.
"According to the National Math and Science Initiative, engineering is one of the highest earning career paths, but less than 20% of students choose to follow the STEM path," said Chris McMahon, Vice President, People and Culture, VMTurbo. "At VMTurbo, we understand what it takes to be successful in a competitive, technology-driven world, and want to give these students an inside look as well as guidance on doing so for their own futures."
Tenth grade students from Shawsheen Valley Vocational Technical High School will receive a tour of VMTurbo's office space at 500 Boylston Street and attend interactive educational sessions led by VMTurbo executives, including sales, technical and marketing leadership. Students will have the opportunity to shadow VMTurbo employees for a hands-on look at their day-to-day work. The day will close with an Executive Roundtable, featuring VMTurbo CEO Ben Nye, CFO Mo Garad, CMO Geeta Sachdev and CRO Eric Fischer.
VMTurbo will be hosting Boston-area students each quarter as part of continuing the STEM Initiative Program. For more information or to get involved, email Kelsey.Hill@vmturbo.com.
About VMTurbo
VMTurbo's Application Performance Control platform is trusted by enterprises around the world to guarantee the performance of any application on any infrastructure, cloud, virtualized or physical. VMTurbo's patented decision-engine dynamically analyzes application demand and automatically allocates shared resources to all applications maintaining a perpetual state of health.
Launched in 2010, VMTurbo is one of the fastest growing technology companies on the market. Leveraging VMTurbo's control platform, customers can confidently accelerate their adoption of virtual, cloud, and container deployments for all mission critical applications today and in the future.
Leveraging VMTurbo, customers can guarantee application performance, maximizing infrastructure and human efficiency and positively impacting their companies' business goals. To learn more, visit vmturbo.com.
Media Contacts:
Eric Senunas
617.669.3676
Eric.senunas@vmturbo.com
MIAMI BEACH, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 04/15/16 -- Car Charging Group, Inc. (OTCQB: CCGI) ("CarCharging") the largest owner, operator, and provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging services, announced its financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2015.
Highlights for the six months ended June 30, 2015* compared to the six months ended June 30, 2014 include:
Gross profits turned positive to $513,307 from a loss of ($1.56m)
EV Charging hardware sales grew over 4x to $405,979 from $98,721
EV Charging service fees grew 72% to $905,770 from $527,514
Net Operating Expenses were reduced by $3.33m to $7.20m from $10.54m
Total Loss from Operations was nearly reduced in half to $6.69m from $12.01m
Net Loss per Share was significantly reduced to (0.08) from (0.14)
*The Company's financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015 also appear in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which was filed with the SEC on Thursday, April 14, 2016.
"In the first half of 2015, the Company's acquisition integration strategy continued to deliver favorable financial improvements as compared to 2014. We demonstrated growth in our key areas, including charging equipment sales, fees and revenues, and also began the implementation of cost reductions that were vital to operating the Company in an efficient manner moving forward," stated Mike Calise, CarCharging's Chief Executive Officer. "This execution led to a significant reduction in net loss per share.
"We have dedicated major project management resources to ensure the rapid completion of our filings with the SEC," continued Mr. Calise. "We anticipate that the improved timeframes for our financial reporting should have a positive effect on our shareholder's confidence in the Company."
About Car Charging Group, Inc.
Car Charging Group, Inc. (OTCQB: CCGI) is a pioneer in nationwide public electric vehicle (EV) charging services, enabling EV drivers to easily recharge at locations throughout the United States. Headquartered in Miami Beach, FL with offices in San Jose, CA; New York, NY; and Phoenix, AZ; CarCharging's business model is designed to accelerate the adoption of public EV charging.
Through its subsidiary, Blink Network, CarCharging also provides residential EV charging solutions for single-family homes. For more information, please visit www.BlinkHQ.com.
CarCharging has strategic partnerships across multiple business sectors including multi-family residential and commercial properties, parking garages, shopping malls, retail parking, and municipalities.
For more information about CarCharging, please visit www.CarCharging.com, www.facebook.com/Car.Charging, or www.twitter.com/CarCharging.
Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement:
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. By their nature, forward-looking statements and forecasts involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the near future. Those statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Car Charging Group, Inc., and members of its management as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed conditions.
Investor Relations and Media Contacts:
CarCharging Media Contact:
Suzanne Tamargo
Suzanne@CarCharging.com
(305) 521-0200 x 214
COSTA MESA, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/15/16 -- Sipp Industries, Inc. (OTC PINK: SIPC), a diversified conglomerate corporation specializing in technology, manufacturing and distribution of commercial and consumer products announces the brewing of hemp beer is on schedule and nearing completion. As the hemp beer finishes its fermentation stage it will be kegged for the 4/20 event at Ute Pass Brewing Company in Woodland Park, Colorado.
Major Hemp and Ute Pass Brewing Company are co-sponsoring an event on 4/20 from 2pm to Close at Ute Pass Brewing Company. There will be five hemp beer flavors and styles to be showcased at the event. President Ted Jorgensen commented, "I will be attending the event at Ute Pass Brewing Company on 4/20 and look forward to meeting shareholders and patrons sampling our hemp beers."
Major Hemp has also partnered with and supplied Wally's Tamales with hemp seeds which will be used to produce "Superfood Hemp Tamales" for the event. Wally's Tamales has previously developed and marketed natural food products to local retailers in Colorado as well as Whole Foods Market.
"The Superfood Hemp Tamales are a unique recipe and hemp product we feel customers will love the taste of," stated Mike Wallard, owner of Wally's Tamales. "Major Hemp provided us quality hemp seeds and we're looking forward to partnering together on future product events and launches."
Major Hemp and Ute Pass Brewing Company will evaluate the result of the hemp beer trial run after 4/20 and will determine next steps toward large scale expansion. Under Colorado state law, Ute Pass Brewing Company can brew up to 300,000 gallons of beer per year. With established intellectual property in hemp ingredients and recipes for hemp beer, the companies are discussing a more synergistic relationship to efficiently bring the beers to market nationwide.
The company will provide further updates and announcements over the coming weeks and will be updating the 4/20 hemp beer event via social media.
About Sipp Industries, Inc.
Sipp Industries is a conglomerate corporation that specializes in technology, manufacturing and distribution of commercial and consumer products. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Major Hemp, the Company provides high quality and competitively priced bulk hemp, CBD supply, co-packing and private labeling services. For more information, please visit http://www.sippindustries.com. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SippIndustries Twitter: @SippIndustries
Contact:
Syman Vong
CEO
Sipp Industries, Inc.
Investor Relations
ir@sippindustries.com
949.220.0435
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - April 15, 2016) - Quaterra Resources Inc. ("Quaterra" or "the Company") (OTCQX: QTRRF) (TSX VENTURE: QTA) today announced that Gerald Prosalendis, a current consultant of the Company, has been named President and Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. To accommodate this appointment, Thomas Patton has resigned as President while retaining the positions of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Mr. Prosalendis has been involved in decision making at a senior level for 30 years across a variety of industries, and for the last two decades has focused on the mining exploration and development business.
"Gerald has experience in a wide range of activities involving exploration and mine development," says Patton. "He has been successful more than once in being part of a team that has created tremendous corporate value."
"I am excited and honored to take on this role," says Prosalendis. "I look forward to working with Tom and the company team to create value through exploration at Yerington. I am keenly aware of the difficult challenges that face our industry at this time, but believe that current market conditions may also present opportunities."
Mr. Prosalendis has been an officer or director of a number of publicly traded mining exploration and development companies. He was the Vice President Corporate Development of Western Silver Corporation and was involved in the successful sale of that company in 2006 to Glamis Gold Ltd. for $1.6 billion. He was also Vice President Corporate Development of Dia Met Minerals, a member of the team that developed the Ekati diamond mine and was involved in the sale of Dia Met to BHP Billiton for $687 million in 2001. He has worked with company executives to develop and implement strategic plans; identify opportunities for growth including property acquisitions, M&A activity, joint ventures and partnerships; facilitate corporate financings; and, build companies' profiles in the investment community. Mr. Prosalendis is currently enrolled in a Master's degree in environmental management at Royal Roads University, and has a Bachelor's degree from the University of Cape Town.
The Company also announced that it has granted 3,025,000 incentive stock options to 22 directors, officers, employees and consultants pursuant to the Company's stock option plan. The options are exercisable at a price of $0.065 per share for a period of five years and are subject to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.
About Quaterra Resources Inc.
Quaterra Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: QTA) (OTCQX: QTRRF) is a copper exploration and development company with the primary objective to advance its U.S. subsidiary's copper projects in the Yerington District, Nevada.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Thomas Patton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Quaterra Resources Inc.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
For more information please contact:
Thomas Patton
Chairman and CEO
Quaterra Resources Inc.
604-641-2758
Gerald Prosalendis
President and COO
Quaterra Resources Inc.
604-641-2780
ALBANY, New York, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research entitled"Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024,"theenvironmental health & safety (EHS) marketwas worth US$ 3,009.0 Mn in 2015 and is expected to reach US$ 8,315.1 Mn by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 12.0% from 2016 to 2024. North America was the largest EHS market in 2015. The growth in this region is being driven by the implementation of EHS across a large number of major industry verticals, including chemical, oil & gas, construction, and mining.
The EHS market is expected to witness prominent growth in the near future, especially in developing economies. Due to the high cost of environmental compliance software, the adoption of EHS across SMBs was too low in the early stage. Thus, in order to adhere with EHS norms and regulations, several Federal agencies have been operational across developing economies to mandate the implementation of EHS. Furthermore, these agencies have brought cost-effective solutions to comply with EHS standards primarily for SMBs and cost-sensitive economies. One of the most prominent driving factors for the EHS market is multiple statutory and legal requirements to maintain EHS safety standards. This has led the market to exhibit significant growth potential across all the regions over the forecast period.
The report provides cross-segment analysis of the EHS market components, comprising software and services. The segmentation on the basis of software includes quality & risk assessment, data analytics, cost management, environmental compliance, energy & carbon management, and others. Environmental compliance software is expected to emerge as the fastest-growing software solution. The high growth in this segment is characterized by several norms and regulations implemented by federal agencies associated with environmental protection legislation around the globe. However, data analytics software held the dominant position in terms of EHS software type in 2015 due to rising demand for analytical tools to monitor health & safety issues.
Browse the Press Release of this report, here: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/environmental-health-safety-market.htm
EHS services covered in the report are consulting, project management, analytics, training, implementation, auditing, and certification. Auditing services held the largest market share in terms of revenue for EHS services across all the regions. Auditing of EHS compliance includes heavy capital investments, thereby resulting in the largest market share across EHS services types. Furthermore, auditing service is also anticipated to be the fastest-growing segment across all the EHS service types.
End-use industries deploying EHS software and services covered in the report are chemical & petrochemical, energy & mining, construction, agriculture, transportation, manufacturing, government & public sector, retail, healthcare, and others. The chemical and petrochemical industry verticals held major market share in terms of EHS adoption across a majority of the economies.
Get Sample Report Copy or for further inquiries, click here:
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=2292
Geographically, North America is the largest market for EHS and the region is anticipated to dominate the global EHS market over the forecast period. In 2015, North America accounted for approximately 32% of the global EHS market's revenue. Key players in the global EHS market include IHS Inc., 3E Company, International Finance Corporation, Enablon North America Corporation, SAP SE, UL LLC, and Medgate Inc.
The EHS market is segmented as follows.
Environmental Health & Safety Market, by Components
Software
Quality & Risk Assessment
Data Analytics
Cost Management
Environmental Compliance
Energy & Carbon Management
Others
Services
Consulting
Project Management
Analytics
Training
Implementation
Auditing
Certification
Environmental Health & Safety Market, by End-use Industry
Chemical & Petrochemical
Energy & Mining
Construction
Agriculture
Transportation
Manufacturing
Government & Public Sector
Retail
Healthcare
Others
Environmental Health & Safety Market, by Geography
North America
The U.S.
Rest of North America
Europe
EU7
CIS
Rest of Europe
Asia-Pacific (APAC)
Japan
China
South Asia
Australasia
Rest of APAC
Middle East and Africa (MEA)
GCC Countries
North Africa
South Africa
Rest of MEA
Latin America
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In the midst of a power crisis and a commitment to grow its renewable energy industry, the connection of a 20 MW solar PV plant must be music to the ears of Ghanaian energy officials. The plant is the largest PV installation in Ghana and is a signal of intent for a country that is making great efforts to increase its reliance on clean energy. The 20 MW project was developed by Chinese technology company firm Beijing Xiaocheng Company (BXC), a subsidiary of Beijing Fuxing Xiao-Cheng Electronic (FXXCE), who put up the US$30 million in funding itself. The plant is the first large-scale solar farm in Ghana, constructed on a 100-acre piece ...
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.
AB Amber Grid (legal entity code 303090867, office address Savanoriu pr. 28, LT-03116 Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania) (hereinafter referred to as the 'Company') has publicised the Draft Agenda of the General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on 26 April 2016 (hereinafter referred to as the 'Meeting') and the Draft Resolutions of the Meeting.On 12 April 2016 the Company received a proposal of its shareholder UAB EPSO-G with holding more than 1/20 of all votes to extend the Agenda by including item 10 and the proposed Draft Resolution.The Agenda of the Meeting was supplemented with the item proposed by the shareholder and Draft Resolutions and is presented for the Meeting.Draft Agenda of the Meeting:1) Auditor's report on AB Amber Grid financial statements for 2015 and AB Amber Grid Annual Report 2015.2) Information of the Audit Committee.3) Annual Report of AB Amber Grid for 2015.4) Approval of AB Amber Grid financial statements for 2015.5) Approval of AB Amber Grid Profit (Loss) Allocation for 2015.6) Election of the Audit Company and determining the terms of compensation for audit services for the year 2016.7) Amendments to the Articles of Association8) Election of the Board of Directors.9) Abolition of the Audit Committee and repeal of the Regulations for the Formation and Activities of the Audit Committee.10) Establishing a maximum annual budget for wages of the members of the Board of Directors of AB Amber Grid and concrete wages for members of the Board of Directors, the conclusion of agreements with the members of the Board of Directors regarding their activity in the Board of Directors of AB Amber Grid, the determination of standard terms and conditions of such agreements and the appointment of a person authorised by AB Amber Grid to sign the agreements.Shareholder registration will commence at 9.15 a.m., 26 April 2016.Shareholder registration will be closed at 9.45 a.m., 26 April 2016.The Record Date of the General Meeting of Shareholders: 19 April 2016. To be entitled to attend and vote at the General Meeting of Shareholders, persons must be registered shareholders of the Company at the end of the Record Date of the General Meeting of Shareholders. Shareholders' Rights Record Date shall be 10 May 2016. Persons entitled to receive the dividend shall be the ones who will be shareholders of AB Amber Grid as of the end of the Shareholders' Rights Record Date.To be entitled to participate and vote at the General Meeting of Shareholders, persons must provide their identification documents. Persons who are not shareholders of AB Amber Grid, shall in addition to the aforesaid documents present documents certifying their right to vote at the General Meeting of Shareholders.A possibility of participating and voting in the General Meeting of Shareholders by electronic means of communication shall not be provided.On 31 March 2016, the Board of the Company approved the Agenda and Draft Resolutions of the General Meeting of Shareholders.The updated Agenda and the Draft Resolutions of the General Meeting with the item proposed by the shareholder:1) Auditor's report on AB Amber Grid financial statements for 2015 and AB Amber Grid Annual Report 2015.Draft Resolution:When taking decisions regarding approval of AB Amber Grid financial statements for 2015 and the AB Amber Grid Annual Report 2015, to take note of the opinion presented in the Independent auditor's report to the shareholders of AB Amber Grid.2) Information of the Audit Committee.Draft Resolution:To take note of the information presented by the Audit Committee on its activities.3) Annual Report of AB Amber Grid for 2015.Draft Resolution:To approve Annual Report of AB Amber Grid for 2015.4) Approval of AB Amber Grid financial statements for 2015.Draft Resolution:To approve AB Amber Grid financial statements for 2015.5) Approval of AB Amber Grid Profit (Loss) Allocation for 2015.Draft Resolution:To approve AB Amber Grid Profit (Loss) Allocation for 2015.6) The election of the Audit Company and determining the terms of compensation for audit services for the year 2016.Draft Resolution:To elect UAB PricewaterhouseCoopers as the Audit Company to perform the audit of AB Amber Grid financial statements as of 31 December 2016 (drawn up in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards and of the Annual Report and regulated activity financial statements prepared in accordance with the requirements established by the Law on Natural Gas and secondary legislation) and to set remuneration for the services of the audit of the financial statements and related statements at EUR 15,910 (excluding VAT).7) Amendments to the Articles of Association.Draft Resolution:1. To adopt the new version of the Articles of Association of AB Amber Grid (as per attachment). 2. To authorise the CEO of AB Amber Grid, Saulius Bilys, either in person or through a proxy, to sign the amended version of the Articles of Association of AB Amber Grid and to take any and all actions required for the registration of the Articles of Association with the Register of Legal Entities of the Republic of Lithuania.8) Election of the Board of Directors.Draft Resolution:1. Given the fact that the term in office of the Board of Directors (as elected in accordance with the Articles of Association of AB Amber Grid on 11 June 2013) expired before the date of the present General Meeting of Shareholders, to elect a new Board of Directors of AB Amber Grid consisting of the following members:-________________________________;-________________________________;-________________________________;-________________________________;-________________________________.2. Given the fact that the present General Meeting of Shareholders has passed the resolution on the adoption of a new version of the Articles of Association of AB Amber Grid providing for a 4-year-term of Board of Directors, upon the registration of the respective amendments of the Articles of Association, the term of the Board of Directors as elected by the present General Meeting of Shareholders, shall be 4 years.9) Abolition of the Audit Committee and repeal of the Regulations for the Formation and Activities of the Audit Committee.Draft Resolution:In consideration of the fact the term in office of the Board of Directors that was elected on 11 June 2013 expired prior to the date of the present General Meeting of Shareholders, which in accordance with the Regulations for the Formation and Activities of the Audit Committee means also the expiry of the term in office of the Audit Committee that was nominated by the Board of Directors in question, and also in consideration of the fact that in accordance with the newly adopted version of the Articles of Association of AB Amber Grid the functions of the Audit Committee of AB Amber Grid will be carried out by the Audit Committee of the parent company, UAB EPSO-G, to abolish the Audit Committee of AB Amber Grid, with effect as from the date of the registration with the Register of Legal Entities of the Articles of Association as adopted by the present General Meeting of Shareholders, and to repeal the Regulations for the Formation and Activities of the Audit Committee of AB Amber Grid (as adopted by the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of 11 December 2013).10) Establishing a maximum annual budget for wages of the members of the Board of Directors of AB Amber Grid and concrete wages for members of the Board of Directors, the conclusion of agreements with the members of the Board of Directors regarding their activity in the Board of Directors of AB Amber Grid, the determination of standard terms and conditions of such agreements and the appointment of a person authorised by AB Amber Grid to sign the agreements.Draft Resolution:With regard to resolutions adopted at the extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders which took place on 30 June 2014 and the provisions of the new version of Articles of Association of AB Amber Grid approved at the present General Meeting of Shareholders:1.1. to approve a maximum annual budget of 36 000.00 (thirty-six thousand euros) for wages of the members of the Board of AB Amber Grid.1.2. to set the following concrete wages for members of the Board:an hourly wage of 50.00 (fifty euros) (before taxes) for activity in the Board of Directors of AB Amber Grid, with a maximum monthly wage not exceeding 1 000.00 (one thousand euros) (before taxes) to be paid to the members of the Board of Directors of AB Amber Grid, except those members who are the employees of UAB EPSO-G, which holds a controlling stake in the Company.1.3. to approve the standard terms and conditions of agreements signed with members and independent members of the Board of Directors of AB Amber Grid on their activity in the Board (enclosed).1.4. to appoint and authorise Director of the Law and Administration Department of AB Amber Grid Tomas Suslavicius immediately, not later than 10 (ten) days following the adoption of this Resolution to sign on behalf of AB Amber Grid agreements with members and chairman of the Board of Directors of AB Amber Grid on their activity in the Board of Directors of AB Amber Grid in accordance with the standard terms and conditions of agreements approved by the Board of Directors of AB Amber Grid under this resolution.The shareholder EPSO-G also proposed the following candidates to the members of the Board of Directors of AB Amber Grid under item 8 of the Agenda of the General Meeting of Shareholders:- Rimvydas Stilinis,- Nemunas Biknius,- Saulius Bilys,- Vytautas Ruolia,- Nerijus Datkunas.Rimvydas Stilinis and Nemunas Biknius are proposed on behalf of UAB EPSO-G, a parent company which holds a 96.58% shareholding in the Company; Nerijus Datkunas is proposed as an independent candidate to the members of the Board of Directors of AB Amber Grid.The shareholders may familiarise themselves with the Draft Resolutions of the General Meeting of Shareholders and supplementary material thereof, also with the implementation of the shareholders' rights on working days from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. (on Fridays until 3.15 p.m.) from 1 April 2016 at the office of AB Amber Grid at Savanoriu pr. 28, LT-03116 Vilnius, tel. +370 5 2360855 These documents are also presented on the Central Database of Regulated Information www.crib.lt and at Company's website www.ambergrid.lt.Annexes:1. AB Amber Grid Shareholder Ballot 2. AB Amber Grid Power of Attorney Form 3. AB Amber Grid Shareholders' Rights 4. Information of the Audit Committee 5. Confirmation of Responsible Persons 6. Annual Report of AB Amber Grid for 2015, submitted together with the Corporate Governance Report form. 7. AB Amber Grid financial statements for 2015. 8. Draft Profit (Loss) Allocation of AB Amber Grid for 2015. 9. Draft Articles of Association of AB Amber Grid. 10. Information about the members of the Board of Directors. 11. The Standard Terms and Conditions of the Agreement of the Board Member on the activities in the Board of AB Amber Grid.The individual authorised by AB Amber Grid (the issuer) to provide additional information on the material event:Tomas SuslaviciusDirector of Legal and Administration Departmenttel. +370 5 2327732fax +370 5 236 0850e-mail: t.suslavicius@ambergrid.ltAttachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=556531
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Department of State has warned U.S. citizens to avoid travel to the Central African Republic (CAR) due to an unpredictable security situation subject to rapid deterioration, activities of armed groups, and violent crime. In a Travel Warning update Thursday, the State Department urged U.S. citizens who are currently in CAR to consider departing. U.S. citizens in CAR who require consular assistance should contact the U.S. Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon. The potential for sectarian violence remains high. Indiscriminate violence and looting has occurred in CAR since the overthrow of the government in March 2013. Despite the peaceful election of a new president in 2016 and the continued presence of a United Nations stabilization force, the security situation remains fragile. In the event of unrest, airport, land border, and road closures may occur with little or no notice, says the Travel Warning update. 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.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Business activity for New York manufacturers expanded faster than expected in the month of April, according to a report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Friday. The New York Fed said its general business conditions climbed to 9.6 in April from 0.6 in March, with a positive reading indicating growth in regional manufacturing activity. Economists had expected the index to rise to 3.0. With the much bigger than expected increase, the index rose to its highest level since reaching 9.7 in January of 2015. 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.
CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Canadian dollar declined against its major rivals in European trading on Friday, as oil prices declined on fading hopes that the oil producers' meeting in Doha would agree on a proposal to freeze oil production on Sunday.
Crude for May delivery fell $0.83 to $40.67 per barrel.
News that Iranian Petroleum Minister Bijan Zanganeh may not attend the Sunday meeting made investors skeptical about a breakthrough deal to freeze production at January levels.
As Iran has rejected calls to cut production, Saudi Arabia made clear that it won't sign any deal unless other major oil producers, including Iran, participate in the deal.
Investor sentiment dampened after a powerful earthquake struck southwestern Japan and official data showed China's economy grew at its slowest pace in seven years during the first quarter.
The currency was trading a positive territory in the previous session.
The loonie declined to a 2-day low of 1.4514 against the euro and a 3-day low of 84.63 against the yen, off early 2-day highs of 1.4406 and 85.68, respectively. On the downside, the loonie may find support around 1.475 against the euro and 82.00 against the yen.
The loonie fell to an 8-day low of 0.9927 versus the aussie, reversing from an early high of 0.9854. If the loonie extends slide, 1.05 is likely seen as its next support level.
The loonie edged down to 1.2865 against the greenback, after having advanced to 1.2797 at 3:30 am ET. The next possible support for the loonie is seen around the 1.30 region.
Looking ahead, Canada existing home sales for March, U.S. industrial production for March and University of Michigan's preliminary consumer sentiment index for April are set for release shortly.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
CHENNAI and HANOI, Vietnam, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Seamlessly Integrates 692 Branches; Drives Significant Improvement in all of the Banks Key Indicators
Intellect Design Arena Limited, a specialist in enabling true digital transformation across banking & insurance, is proud to announce that Vietnam's leading government-owned bank, Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) has won a Celent Model Bank Award in the Legacy and Ecosystem Transformation category.
The prestigious award was presented at a glittering ceremony at Celent's Innovation and Insights Day, held in New York. The award recognizes the bank's adoption of Intellect's robust Digital Core and Lending platform that drove significant improvement in all of the banks key indicators & seamlessly integrated 692 branches.
Celent, a global research and advisory firm for the financial services industry, recognizes the best practices of technology usage in different areas critical to success in banking through the Annual Model Bank Awards. Nominations are submitted by financial institutions and technology vendors around the globe that undergo rigorous evaluation by Celent analysts.
"The technology deployed by VBSP to reach the underbanked population in the rural areas of Vietnam gives a new meaning to the term 'mobile banking'," said James O'Neill, Senior Analyst at Celent. "The ability of the Intellect core banking platform to handle off-line transactions through laptops that are deployed in the field is the key to the growth of VBSP's micro lending business in these rural areas."
VBSP was seeking to increase its reach to its target market essentially extending banking services to the unbanked of Vietnam and set a firm target of 10% per year in loan portfolio growth while maintaining a delinquency target rate of 3% and below.
As a grassroots lender seeking to reach low-income consumers where they live, VBSP has operated with a patchwork quilt of separate systems. The Bank was using ad-hoc methods of capturing mobile branch transactions, resulting in both reduced productivity & increased input errors. The Bank needed a Digital core banking system that was similar to those being used by other commercial banks in the market, but also required a highly robust offline transaction processing.
The bank chose Intellect's inclusive Digital Core & Lending platform for its ambitious growth strategy. Intellect Digital Core presented the hybrid model of on-line and off-line processing, when coupled with the high number of accounts that needed to be serviced. Intellect's Digital Core has been deployed in a centralized data centre in Vietnam and can be accessed by all the 692 branches across the country.
The most important component of VBSP's Core Banking platform is Intellect Inclusive, a laptop-based application that is accessible via browser and functionally equivalent to a teller platform, but with functionality linked tightly to the role of the banks mobile branch staff across its 11,000 transaction points, with both disbursement & collection responsibilities for existing loans and origination responsibility for new loans.
Commenting on the award, Mr Hoang Minh Te - Deputy General Director, Head of Project, Vietnam Bank for Social Policies said, "We are delighted with this recognition from Celent for VBSP's initiative on Inclusive banking. As the chief tool of the Vietnamese Government to fight against poverty and to enable financial inclusion of the poor, we required a centralized, robust and scalable core banking solution that will enable us to promote policy and microfinance in Vietnam. In the 18 months since successfully implementing Intellect's Digital Core banking solution, all of the Bank's key indicators have improved materially. The most important of these indicates are customer count (increasing by 20% from 7.5 million to 9.2 million customers), loan count (increasing by 30%, from 7 million loans to 9.2 million loans), and customer delinquency rate decreasing to under 1%".
Jaideep Billa, CEO, Global Consumer Banking (iGCB), Intellect Design Arena Ltd. said, "Intellect congratulates VBSP for this prestigious recognition from Celent, one of the most respected global analyst firms. We applaud the vision of VBSP to leverage Digital Technology in their fight against rural poverty in Vietnam. We are privileged to be part of this transformational initiative. We designed the new Digital platform around customer convenience, higher volume of new loans, loan quality and increased staff productivity. The Lending programs maintained by the bank are one of the most diverse serving over 9 million customers. As the rural poor of Vietnam are not very mobile, VBSP maintains a strong physical outreach through 618 district transaction office, and over 10000 mobile branches, which are specially equipped vans. A unique aspect of VBSP's new platform is the automated scheduling of loan due-dates based on the mobile van's travel schedule to a given locale, a very important client convenience."
The Intellect platform's reporting capabilities have also been helpful in streamlining the workflows required to provide relevant and timely reports to the Bank's stakeholders, including the Vietnamese government, other non-governmental donors, and third-party investors.
About Intellect Design Arena Limited
Intellect Design Arena Ltd, a specialist in enabling true digital transformations, is the world's first full spectrum banking and insurance technology products company, across global consumer banking, central banking, global transaction banking, risk & treasury management and insurance. Visit us at: http://www.intellectdesign.com/
For Media related info, please contact:
Nachu Nagappan
Intellect Design Arena Ltd
Mob: +91 89396 19676
Email: nachu.nagappan@intellectdesign.com
For Investor related info, please contact:
Praveen Malik
Intellect Design Arena Limited
Mob: +91 89397 82837
Email: praveen.malik@intellectdesign.com
NEW YORK, APRIL 15, 2016 - Today Reuters, the world's largest international multimedia news provider, launched a new Reuters.com (http://www.reuters.com/) homepage, providing a more immersive experience for readers through a streamlined design, compelling visuals and a strong multimedia presentation. The new home page was released simultaneously across six editions: U.S., UK, India, Germany, Japan and China.
The new design allows Reuters to play to its strengths in fast-moving global news and business coverage and with more in-depth reporting and stirring visual features. The platform will also feature new advertising formats, including floating ads and custom solutions for advertisers.
On the newly designed homepage, readers will find:
The Wire, a real-time news stream highlighting Reuters agenda-setting news coverage from around the world;
The biggest and most important stories of the day, front and center, curated by online editorial teams in each region;
Markets data in a more prominent place, so readers can quickly get the latest pricing and intraday movement across equities, bonds, currencies and commodities;
Feature modules showcasing the best in Reuters multimedia, long-form investigative pieces, commentary, podcasts and ongoing coverage;
Bigger visuals and faster load times;
New ad formats providing enhanced viewability for advertisers and introducing new share of voice opportunities across all Reuters.com platforms.
"Reuters visuals are among the best in the world, and this new homepage design enables us to feature our multimedia coverage in a more compelling way," said Reuters Digital Executive Editor Dan Colarusso. "We're showcasing that depth with a striking visual presentation, while also highlighting our strength in breaking news coverage and speed. It's the best of Reuters, front and center for the user."
"We started by tackling the mobile web first, with a redesign last August, and that gave us a 40% spike in mobile users," said Reuters Digital Publisher Bill Riordan. "Now we're taking what we learned back to the desktop. This next step will mean new opportunities for users and for advertisers and there will be more enhancements to come."
To view the new Reuters.com homepage, visit http://www.reuters.com (http://www.reuters.com).
Reuters
Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world's largest international multimedia news provider reaching more than one billion people every day. Reuters provides trusted business, financial, national, and international news to professionals via Thomson Reuters desktops, the world's media organizations, and directly to consumers at Reuters.com.
Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of news and information for professional markets. Our customers rely on us to deliver the intelligence, technology and expertise they need to find trusted answers. The business has operated in more than 100 countries for more than 100 years. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges. For more information, visit www.thomsonreuters.com
CONTACT
Heather Carpenter
PR Manager, Head of Special Projects
Reuters
heather.carpenter@thomsonreuters.com (mailto:heather.carpenter@thomsonreuters.com)
646-223-8551
This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Thomson Reuters Corporation via Globenewswire
HUG#2004014
PUNE, India, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
The report "Regulatory Environment and Impact Analysis - Sterile Packaging Market Standards & Regulations, Regional & National Regulatory Bodies - Market Analysis & Forecast to 2020", published by MarketsandMarkets, The market for sterile medical packaging is projected to grow from USD 26.55 Billion in 2015 to USD 35.07 Billion by 2020, at an estimated CAGR of 5.72%.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )
Browse 33 market data Tables and 39 Figures spread through 121 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Regulatory Environment and Impact Analysis - Sterile Packaging Market"
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/regulatory-environment-impact-analysis-sterile-packaging-market-133232063.html
Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.
The market for sterile medical packaging is growing due to increasing applications of sterile packaging in the pharmaceutical & biological sectors, aging population, and rising chronic diseases. Growing demand from the healthcare industry also provides an opportunity to the market to grow further, especially in the emerging Asia-Pacific and Latin American regions. However, maintaining medical packaging integrity can act as a challenge to the growth of the market for sterile medical packaging.
North America dominated the Market for Sterile Medical Packaging in 2014 and has the most organized regulatory framework for sterile medical packaging
On the basis of key regions, the Market for Sterile Medical Packaging is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW). The North American region held the largest share among all the regions in 2014. This is mainly due to rising healthcare awareness and continuous innovation & technological developments in both pharmaceutical & medical industries which are transforming the healthcare packaging industry further, thereby driving the growth of the sterile medical packaging market.
Further, the regulatory framework in North America is organized, effective, strong, and transparent. Factors such as timelines for the medical device approval process, cost for placing the product in the market, and ease of doing business have been considered for defining the structure of the sterile medical device regulatory framework. Countries such as the U.S., Canada, and Mexico have been considered for the study. In North America, the regulations implemented by governing bodies such as U.S. FDA and ASTM have been followed as international standards and regulations by different countries across the region. While in Asia-Pacific, factors such as longer timelines for approving the medical devices in Australia, red tapism in India, and higher cost for approval of the medical device make the regulatory framework in the region complex as compared to the regulatory environment in North America and Europe.
Make an Inquiry: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=133232063
The scope of the report covers detailed information regarding the major factors influencing the growth of the Market for Sterile Medical Packaging such as drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities. This report studies and covers sterile medical packaging regulations and legislations in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW. The regions have been further studied based on laws prevalent in the top countries. The report also includes key governing bodies and the medical device approval process is mentioned for the key countries.
Browse Related Reports:
Sterile Medical Packaging Market by Material (Plastics, Glass, Others), Type (Thermoform trays, Bottles, Vials & Ampoules, Others), Sterilization Methods (Chemical, Radiation, Others), Application (Surgical instruments, Pharmaceutical, Others) - Forecast to 2020
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/sterile-medical-packaging-market-261270541.html
Skin Packaging Market by Material (Plastic films, Paper & Paperboard, Others), Type (Carded, Non-carded), Heat Seal Coating (Solvent-based, Water-based, others), & Application (Food, Consumer goods, Industrial goods, others) - Global Forecast to 2020
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/skin-packaging-market-70226116.html
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Draft decisions of the ordinary shareholders meeting of Agrowill Group AB (company code 126264360, registered address: Smolensko st. 10, Vilnius) which will take place on April 29, 2016:1. Consolidated annual report of the Company for the year 2015 and report of the Auditor:- Taken for the information.2. Approval of consolidated annual financial statements of the Company for the year 2015.Draft decision:- To approve consolidated annual financial statements for the year 2015.3. Approval of the profit (loss) appropriation of the Company for the year 2015.Draft decision:- To leave inappropriated the result of the Company for the year 2015 as indicated in the consolidated Financial Statements of the Company for the year 2014.4. Election of the Supervisory Board.-to recall members of the Supervisory Board of the Company regarding the expiry of the term of office of the Supervisory Board-to elect members of the Supervisory Board of the Company:4.1. [name, surname of the elected candidate]4.2. [name, surname of the elected candidate]4.3. [name, surname of the elected candidate]4.4. [name, surname of the elected candidate]4.5. [name, surname of the elected candidate]5. Election of the auditor of the Company .Draft decision:-To elect [..........] as the Company's audit enterprise to perform the audit of the Group financial statements (including - consolidated) for the 2016 financial year. To authorize the Company's general manager or any member of the Board to conclude the agreement for audit services, establishing the payment for services as agreed between the parties but in any case not more than [..........] EUR (VAT excluded) per year for the audit of the Company's financial statements (including - consolidated).Note: Due to ongoing audit procedures Consolidated annual financial statements for the year 2015 and consolidated annual report of the Company 2015 will be disclosed later by separate announcement before Meeting.All documents possessed by the Company related to the agenda of the Meeting, are available at the headquarters of Agrowill Group AB, Smolensko st. 10, Vilnius, Lithuania (tel. +370 5 233 53 40) and also available online at www.agrowill.ltAttached:1. General voting ballot.Vladas Bagavicius Member of the Board tel. +370 5 233 5340Attachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=556581
This announcement does not constitute an offering circular or prospectus in connection with an offering of securities of TORM plc. Investors must neither accept any offer for, nor acquire or subscribe for, any securities to which this document refers, unless they do so on the basis of the information contained in the prospectus made available by TORM plc in those jurisdictions where an offer may be made (if an offer is made). This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for, any securities and cannot be relied on for any investment contract or decision.Notice to U.S. Shareholders: The offer described in this announcement is for the securities of a non-U.S. company. The offer is subject to disclosure requirements of a country that 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 a foreign country and some or all of its officers and directors are residents of a foreign country. You may not be able to sue a foreign company or its officers or directors in a foreign court for violations of the U.S. securities laws. It may be difficult to compel a foreign company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a U.S. court's judgment. You should be aware that the offeror may purchase securities otherwise than under the offer, such as in open market or privately negotiated purchases.With reference to company announcement no. 11 dated 15 April 2016 regarding the completion of the exchange offer submitted by TORM plc on 21 March 2016, TORM A/S hereby announces the receipt of the following notifications pursuant to Section 29 of the Danish Securities Trading Act (vrdipapirhandelsloven):On 15 April 2016, OCM Njord Holdings S.a r.l. notified TORM A/S that as a consequence of the completion of the exchange offer submitted by TORM plc on 21 March 2016, OCM Njord Holdings S.a r.l. through TORM plc holds 61,203,063 A shares in TORM A/S of a nominal value of DKK 15 each corresponding to 95.9% of the total issued share capital and 95.9% of the voting rights of TORM A/S (excluding the voting rights attached to the C share as set out in TORM A/S' articles of association). In addition to the A shares, OCM Njord Holdings S.a r.l. through TORM plc holds the sole C share of TORM A/S of nominally DKK 0.01 which carries 525,000,000,000 votes in respect of certain matters as set out in TORM A/S' articles of association. Accordingly, OCM Njord Holdings S.a r.l. indirectly holds 100% of the C share capital and 100% of the voting rights attached to the C share. TORM plc is a subsidiary of OCM Njord Holdings S.a r.l. OCM Njord Holdings S.a r.l. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the following entities owned by funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management L.P., OCM Luxembourg OPPS VIIIB S.a r.l., OCM Luxembourg OPPS XI S.a r.l. and OCM Luxembourg OPPS IX (Parallel 2) S.a r.l.On 15 April 2016, DW Partners, LP informed TORM A/S that as a consequence of accepting the exchange offer submitted by TORM plc on 21 March 2016, DW Catalyst Master Fund, Ltd. and DW Value Master Fund, Ltd., respectively and in aggregate, hold less than 5% of the total issued share capital and voting rights attached to the A shares of TORM A/S. DW Catalyst Master Fund, Ltd. and DW Value Master Fund, Ltd. do no longer hold any shares in TORM A/S. The voting rights attached to the A shares held by DW Catalyst Master Fund, Ltd. and DW Value Master Fund, Ltd, were previously exercised by the DW Partners, LP as investment manager.CONTACT TORM plc Christian Sgaard-Christensen, IR, tel.: +45 27 Old Gloucester Street 3076 1288 London WC1N 3AX, United Kingdom Tel.: +45 3917 9200 / Fax: +45 3917 9393 www.torm-plc.comABOUT TORM TORM is one of the world's leading carriers of refined oil products. The Company operates a fleet of approximately 80 modern vessels with a strong commitment to safety, environmental responsibility and customer service. TORM was founded in 1889. The Company conducts business worldwide. For further information, please visit www.torm.com.SAFE HARBOR STATEMENTS AS TO THE FUTURE Matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance and may include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and statements other than statements of historical facts. The words "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "plan," "potential," "may," "should," "expect," "pending" and similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements.The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, management's examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies that are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, the Company cannot guarantee that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of the world economy and currencies, changes in charter hire rates and vessel values, changes in demand for "ton miles" of oil carried by oil tankers, the effect of changes in OPEC's petroleum production levels and worldwide oil consumption and storage, changes in demand that may affect attitudes of time charterers to scheduled and unscheduled dry-docking, changes in TORM's operating expenses, including bunker prices, dry-docking and insurance costs, changes in the regulation of shipping operations, including requirements for double hull tankers or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents, political events or acts by terrorists.In light of these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this release because they are statements about events that are not certain to occur as described or at all. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of our future performance, and actual results and future developments may vary materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.Except to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, the Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.The Exchange Offer was made in the United States in reliance on and in compliance with Rule 14d-1(c) under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). The TORM plc securities will be issued pursuant to an exemption from registration provided by Rule 802 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), which provides for an exemption for offerings in connection with an exchange offer for the securities of non-U.S. private issuers, such as TORM plc. TORM plc has furnished to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a Form CB with respect to the Exchange Offer which may be amended and supplemented as applicable. TORM plc is not required to, and does not plan to, prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement with respect to the Exchange Offer. The securities of TORM plc have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act in connection with the Exchange Offer, or under the securities laws of any jurisdiction of the United States. The securities of TORM plc may not be offered, pledged, sold, resold, granted, delivered, allotted or otherwise transferred, as applicable, in the United States, except in transactions that are exempt from or not subject to the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and in compliance with any applicable state securities laws. The Exchange Offer does not comprise an offer or placement of TORM plc securities in the United States. Neither the SEC nor any U.S. state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the TORM plc securities offered in connection with the Exchange Offer, or determined if this announcement, the Prospectus, or the Exchange Offer Document is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence.Attachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=556578
NEEDHAM, MA--(Marketwired - April 15, 2016) - Cambridge Healthtech Institute (CHI) announced the speaker agenda for the 15 th Annual World Preclinical Congress, taking place June 14-17, 2016 in Boston, MA. The leading preclinical drug discovery event, the World Preclinical Congress, features conferences, training seminars and short courses that cover the very latest in preclinical strategies and technologies, to enable better and faster decisions in drug discovery.
This annual event is where preclinical minds meet discovery technologies, and this event attracts a diverse, global audience, which include experts, as well as people who are new and eager to contribute to the field. Having chemists, biologists, pharmacologists, toxicologists, screening and formulation experts in attendance, creates an interesting cross-disciplinary environment for tackling challenges and sharing expertise.
The Plenary Keynote Presentations feature two prominent thought-leaders who are playing an important role in innovating drug discovery: Anthony J. Coyle Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President, Centers for Therapeutic Innovation, Pfizer Inc. and James Wilson, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine; Director, Orphan Disease Center and Director, Gene Therapy Program, University of Pennsylvania. During the keynote presentations, Coyle and Wilson will share their experiences and their perspectives on what has changed and what can be changed to improve preclinical research, help translate preclinical findings to the clinic, and to foster effective communication and collaboration. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions and gain valuable insights from their learnings.
Coyle and Wilson will join a distinguished faculty list comprised of over 220 world-renowned experts and visionaries in the drug discovery community.
The year's event features nearly 175 presentations within twelve topic-focused conferences, two symposia, an introductory training seminars, over 65 exhibiting companies, scientific research posters, interactive roundtable discussions and a plethora of engaging networking events.
For more information about the World Preclinical Congress, visit: www.WorldPreclinicalCongress.com.
About Cambridge Healthtech Institute (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 Preclinical 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 Director
lscimemi@healthtech.com
TYSONS CORNER, VA--(Marketwired - April 15, 2016) - To help businesses more efficiently prepare for the Federal Regulatory agency auditing process, NeoSystems Corp., a leading professional services company specializing in technology-enabled business process outsourcing (BPO) and Deltek's first Platinum Partner, has released its latest code cracking summary entitled "5 Reasons Why Workflow Automation is Essential for Audit Compliance."
Based on the FedPubs released webinar, "Audit Compliance with Workflow Automation" presented by DCAA audit expert Marty Herbert, this follow-up article provides insight into how the implementation of workflow automation can drastically simplify and improve the efficiency of the auditing process.
"Federal Regulatory agency audits can be an extremely daunting and tedious task for any company," states Marty Herbert, former DCAA auditor and NeoSystems' Director of Business Automation and Consulting Management. "To prove compliance to federal regulations, such as FAR, DFARS, Sarbanes-Oxley, and HIPAA, companies are placed under a significant amount of scrutiny. Any irregularity in process control and record keeping can cost a company compliance status. By integrating state-of-the-art workflow automation into day-to-day operations, companies can ensure consistency in their business processes and detailed records of all activity within the company."
Industry expert, Sandra Levy, Vice President of Contract Management at NeoSystems Corp., added, "our mission is to empower companies with the necessary information and tools needed to improve their overall productivity and success. Regulatory compliance can be an extremely time-consuming task that takes away from the ability to focus on their core businesses. We are thrilled to provide any support and insight we can to lessen the burden of regulatory audits, and help businesses better focus on the success and growth of their companies."
To read the full article and watch the downloadable "Audit Compliance with Workflow Automation" webinar in its entirety, go to http://bit.ly/1VnVVnw.
For more information about this webinar and NeoSystems Corp., contact LPowers@NeoSystemsCorp.com.
About NeoSystems Corporation
NeoSystems Corp, based in Tyson's Corner, Virginia, delivers integrated strategic back office services and solutions for commercial entities, government contractors, and nonprofit organizations. Today, NeoSystems supports 700 companies and over 50,000 employees with its BPO services and NeoSystems' experts have implemented hundreds of fully integrated financial and business management systems. Utilizing best of breed technology and leveraging in-depth expertise in Accounting & Finance, Human Capital Management, Hosting (SOC1/SOC2), and Information Technology, our team enables companies to improve vital operations, reduce their overhead costs and become compliant with complex requirements. NeoSystems is partnered with the world's leading software companies, including NetSuite, Deltek, Ultimate Software, IBM, Integrify, Contract Logix, and others to provide best-in-class ERP, HR, IT, Contract Management and business solutions. In March 2016, NeoSystems was named the first and only Deltek Platinum Partner and Costpoint Reseller, recognizing NeoSystems' experience and expertise as an elite Deltek solution provider. And, for six years in a row, Inc Magazine has NeoSystems has been honored as one of America's fastest growing private companies. For more information, visit www.neosystemscorp.com.
Embedded Video Available: http://bit.ly/1VnVVnw
Agency Contact:
Nancy Rose Senich
+1-202-262-6996 cell/txt.
nancy@rose4results.com
neosystems@rose4results.com
SAN DIEGO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/15/16 -- Fish & Richardson litigator Craig Countryman has been named a Rising Star by Appellate Law360, placing him among the top appellate lawyers in the United States under the age of 40. Countryman was one of only six attorneys nationally selected for this prestigious list. According to Law360, Countryman "pushed appellate courts into new territory, persuading the Federal Circuit to set precedent for patent reviews and winning certiorari at the U.S. Supreme Court..." on the standard for enhanced damages in patent cases.
Countryman, who is 34 years old, is co-chair of Fish's appellate practice and is based in the firm's San Diego/Southern California office. He has led the briefing in over 30 Federal Circuit, Ninth Circuit, and Supreme Court appeals and has argued several of them. In 2015 alone, he received favorable decisions in four appeals. He also writes frequently on a variety of patent law topics and has published over 25 articles and dozens of posts on Fish's litigation blog.
"I knew we had someone special when we hired Craig as a summer associate several years ago as even then, his ability to cut through the clutter and get to the core of an argument surpassed that of lawyers many years his senior," says Roger Denning, Fish's Southern California office managing partner who has worked closely with Countryman for several years. "Combine that with his natural gift for clear and persuasive writing and oral advocacy, and Craig is a tough act to beat."
Before attending law school, Countryman was a chemist and developed a new stereoselective synthesis of a pain-killing drug using an organocatalytic cycloaddition. He received his law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law in 2006, and his B.S. in chemistry, with honors, from the California Institute of Technology in 2003.
Fish & Richardson is a global patent, intellectual property (IP) litigation, and commercial litigation law firm with more than 400 attorneys and technology specialists across the U.S. and Europe. Fish has been named the #1 patent litigation firm in the U.S. for 12 consecutive years and is one of the busiest post-grant firms, representing more petitioners at the PTAB than any other firm. Fish has been winning cases worth billions in controversy -- often by making new law -- for the most innovative clients and influential industry leaders since 1878. For more information, visit www.fr.com.
Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=2993218
Contact:
Teresa Warren
TW2 Marketing
619-582-5750
twarren@tw2marketing.com
Kelly Largey
Fish & Richardson
800-818-5070
largey@fr.com
TORONTO, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Richmont Mines Inc. (TSX - NYSE MKT: RIC) ("Richmont" or the "Corporation"), announced that it will release the Corporations' first quarter financial results for the three month period ended March 31, 2016 before the market open on Thursday, May12, 2016. The financial statements will be available on the Corporation's website at http://www.richmont-mines.com or http://www.sedar.com .
Webcast and Conference Call
A webcast and conference call will be held on Thursday, May 12, 2016 starting at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Senior management will be on the call to discuss the results.
Conference Call Access
International & Toronto: 1-416-764-8688 Canada & U.S. Toll Free: 1-888-390-0546
Please ask to be placed into the Richmont Mines 2016 First Quarter Results Conference Call.
Conference Call Live Webcast
The conference call will be broadcast live on the Internet via webcast. To access the webcast, please follow this link:
http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=1159345&s=1&k=091F297ECBCF0B3FCDA94611973F11E8.
Archive Call Access
If you are unable to attend the conference call, a replay will be available until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, Thursday, May 19, 2016 by dialing the appropriate number below:
International & Toronto: 1-416-764-8677 Passcode: 669767# Canada & U.S. Toll Free: 1-888-390-0541 Passcode: 669767#
Archive Webcast
The webcast will be archived for 90 days. To access the archived webcast, visit the Corporation's website at http://www.richmont-mines.com or follow this link:
http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=1159345&s=1&k=091F297ECBCF0B3FCDA94611973F11E8.
About Richmont Mines Inc.
Richmont Mines has produced over 1.6 million ounces of gold from its operations in Quebec, Ontario and Newfoundland since beginning production. The Corporation currently produces gold from the Island Gold Mine in Ontario, and the Beaufor Mine in Quebec. The Corporation is also advancing development of the significant high-grade resource extension at depth of the Island Gold Mine in Ontario. With 25 years of experience in gold production, exploration and development, and prudent financial management, the Corporation is well-positioned to cost-effectively build its Canadian reserve base and to successfully enter its next phase of growth. Richmont routinely posts news and other important information on its website (http://www.richmont-mines.com).
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements that include risks and uncertainties. When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "believe", "hope", "may" and similar expressions, as well as "will", "shall" and other indications of future tense, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and apply only as of the date on which they were made. Except as may be required by law, the Corporation undertakes no obligation and disclaims any responsibility to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements include changes in the prevailing price of gold, the Canadian-United States exchange rate, grade of ore mined and unforeseen difficulties in mining operations that could affect revenue and production costs. Other factors such as uncertainties regarding government regulations could also affect the results. Other risks may be set out in Richmont Mines' Annual Information Form, Annual Reports and periodic reports. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release.
For more information, please contact:
Renaud Adams
President and CEO
Phone: +1-416-368-0291 ext. 101
Anne Day
Vice-President, Investor Relations
Phone: +1-416-368-0291 ext. 105
Richmont Mines Inc.
Ticker symbol:RIC
Listings:TSX-NYSE MKT
Web Site:http://www.richmont-mines.com
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TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/15/16 -- Investors and investment advisors are invited to listen to an update on Global Healthcare Income & Growth Fund (the "Fund") (TSX: HIG.UN), hosted by Senior Portfolio Manager Laura Lau and Portfolio Manager Michael Clare of Brompton Funds. The Portfolio Managers discuss the Fund's portfolio and the Healthcare sector. The Manager believes that current valuations for Healthcare companies are attractive given their strong growth prospects, defensive characteristics and exposure to secular trends that will drive healthcare spending for decades to come. A link to the replay of the update recorded on April 14, 2016 has been posted to the Brompton Funds website at www.bromptongroup.com.
The Fund has been created to provide investors with exposure to an equal-weight portfolio of equity securities of large capitalization global healthcare companies, providing the opportunity for capital appreciation, and the opportunity for enhanced distributions and higher risk-adjusted returns due to an active covered-call writing program. The Fund has a current distribution of $0.60 per unit per annum, representing a cash distribution rate of 7.3% based on the April 12, 2016 TSX closing price.
The Fund's portfolio is comprised of the shares of the following companies:
AbbVie Inc Cardinal Health Inc Pfizer Inc Allergan PLC Celgene Corp Roche Holding AG Bayer AG CVS Health Corp Stryker Corp Becton Dickinson and Co Gilead Sciences Inc Thermo Fisher Scientific Biogen Inc Johnson & Johnson Inc Bristol-Myers Squibb Co Laboratory Corp of UnitedHealth Group Inc Boston Scientific Corp America Holdings United Therapeutics Corp Baxalta Inc Medtronic PLC Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc
About Brompton Funds
Brompton Funds, a division of Brompton Group which was founded in 2000, is an experienced investment fund manager with approximately $2.0 billion in assets under management. Brompton's investment solutions include TSX listed closed-end funds, mutual funds, hedge funds and flow-through limited partnerships. For further information, please contact your investment advisor, call Brompton's investor relations line at 416-642-6000 (toll-free at 1-866-642-6001), email info@bromptongroup.com or visit our website at www.bromptongroup.com.
You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell units of the investment fund on the Toronto Stock Exchange or other alternative Canadian trading system (an "exchange"). If the units are purchased or sold on an exchange, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying units of the investment fund and may receive less than the current net asset values when selling them.
There are ongoing fees and expenses associated with owning units of an investment fund. An investment fund must prepare disclosure documents that contain key information about the Fund. You can find more detailed information about the Fund in the public filings available at www.sedar.com. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information may relate to matters disclosed in this news release and to other matters identified in public filings relating to the Fund, to the future outlook of the Fund and anticipated events or results and may include statements regarding the future financial performance of the Fund. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by terms such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "estimate", "predict", "potential", "continue" or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Actual results may vary from such forward-looking information. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.
Contacts:
Brompton's Investor Relations line
416-642-6000 (toll-free at 1-866-642-6001)
info@bromptongroup.com
www.bromptongroup.com
Stockholm, 2016-04-15 17:35 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --Notice is hereby given to the holders of depository receipts in respect of shares in Vostok New Ventures Ltd ("Vostok New Ventures" or the "Company") that an Annual General Meeting (the "Meeting") of shareholders shall be held on Tuesday, 17 May 2016 at 10 am CEST in the room New York at Grand Hotel, Sodra Blasieholmshamnen 8 in Stockholm, Sweden.Notice to attend etc.Holders of depository receipts wishing to attend the Meeting shall:(1) be listed in the register of holders of depository receipts kept by Euroclear Sweden AB on Wednesday, 11 May 2016; and(2) notify the Company of the intention to attend the Meeting not later than Wednesday, 11 May 2016 by mail at the address Computershare AB, Vostok New Ventures Ltd Annual General Meeting, Box 610, SE-182 16 Danderyd, Sweden, by telephone +46 8 518 015 52 or by e-mail to agm2016@vostoknewventures.com. The holder of depository receipts shall state his or her name, personal or company identification number, address as well as telephone number. If a holder of depository receipts intends to be represented by proxy, the name of the proxy holder shall be stated.Holders of depository receipts represented by proxy shall issue dated and signed power of attorney for the proxy. If the power of attorney is issued on behalf of a legal entity, a certified copy of a registration certificate or a corresponding document for the legal entity shall be appended. The power of attorney in original and, where applicable, the registration certificate should be submitted to the Company by mail at the address set forth above well in advance of the Meeting. The form to use for a power of attorney can be found on www.vostoknewventures.com.Holders of depository receipts who hold their receipts through nominees (Sw. forvaltare) must request a temporary registration of the voting rights in order to be able to participate at the Meeting. Holders of depository receipts who want to obtain such registration must contact the nominee regarding this well in advance of Wednesday, 11 May 2016.Voting forms will be distributed to the holders who have complied with the above requirements and the voting form must be brought to the Meeting.Proposed agenda1. Election of Chairman for the Meeting.2. Preparation and approval of voting list.3. Approval of the agenda.4. Election of one or two persons to check and sign the minutes.5. Resolution that the Meeting has been duly convened.6. Presentation by the Managing Director.7. Presentation of the annual report and the auditor's report as well as the consolidated annual report and the consolidated auditor's report.8. Resolution in respect of(a) the adoption of the profit and loss account and the balance sheet as well as the consolidated profit and loss account and the consolidated balance sheet; and(b) the appropriation of the Company's results according to the adopted balance sheet.9. Determination of the number of Directors and auditors.10. Determination of remuneration to the Directors and the auditors.11. Election of Directors and auditors.12. Resolution to appoint the Nomination Committee.13. Resolution regarding remuneration principles for the senior management.14. Resolution regarding introduction of new long term incentive programme.15. Closing of the Meeting.Chairman for the Meeting (item 1)The Nomination Committee, consisting of Jonathan Green (Luxor Capital), Ramsey Brufer (Alecta), Hakan Berg (Swedbank Robur Funds) and Lars O Gronstedt (chairman of the Board of Directors) proposes that Jesper Schonbeck, member of the Swedish Bar Association, is elected as Chairman for the Meeting.The appropriation of the Company's results (item 8b)The Board of Directors proposes that no dividend is paid to the shareholders and that the Company's results are brought forward.Election of Directors and auditors etc. (items 9-11)The Nomination Committee proposes that the Board of Directors shall consist of six (6) Directors without any deputy members. The Nomination Committee proposes, for the period until the end of the next Annual General Meeting, the re-election of all of the current Directors: Lars O Gronstedt, Josh Blachman, Per Brilioth, Victoria Grace, Ylva Lindquist and Keith Richman. The Nomination Committee proposes that the Meeting shall appoint Lars O Gronstedt to be Chairman of the Board of Directors.The Nomination Committee proposes a total Board remuneration (including remuneration for the work within the committees of the Board) of USD 342,000 of which USD 130,000 shall be allocated to the Chairman of the Board of Directors and USD 53,000 to each of the other Directors who are not employed by the Company, and that, in line with Swedish market practice, Directors who so wish shall be permitted to invoice the Company for their Board fees in an amount that is cost neutral to the Company, provided any Director who does so is solely liable for any tax effects.Furthermore, the Nomination Committee proposes that the Company's auditor, the registered audit company PricewaterhouseCoopers AB be re-elected until the end of the next Annual General Meeting and remunerated upon approval of their invoice.For information about the current Directors proposed for re-election, please see the Company's website, www.vostoknewventures.com.Nomination committee (item 12)The Nomination Committee proposes a procedure for appointing the Nomination Committee for the purposes of the Annual General Meeting in 2017, as per the following:A Nomination Committee shall be established consisting of representatives from the three largest holders of depository receipts in the Company. The ownership shall be based on the statistics from Euroclear Sweden AB over holders of depository receipts as per the last business day in August 2016. The names of the members of the Nomination Committee shall be announced as soon as they have been appointed, which shall take place no later than six months prior to the annual general meeting in 2017. In case of a material change in ownership prior to completion of the work to be performed by the Nomination Committee, it shall be possible to change the composition of the Nomination Committee. The Nomination Committee's mandate period extends up to the appointment of a new Nomination Committee. The Nomination Committee shall appoint a Chairman among them. If the representatives cannot agree upon appointment of Chairman, the representative representing the holder of depository receipts with the largest number of votes shall be appointed as Chairman. The Nomination Committee shall prepare proposals for the following decisions at the Annual General Meeting in 2017: (i) election of the Chairman for the Meeting, (ii) election of Directors, (iii) election of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, (iv) remuneration to the Directors, (v) election of the Company's auditors (vi) compensation to the Company's auditors, and (vii) proposal for how to conduct the nomination process for the Annual General Meeting in 2018.Remuneration principles for the senior management (item 13)The Board of Directors proposes that the Meeting resolves to approve the following management remuneration principles etc.The remuneration to the Managing Director and other members of the senior management shall consist of fixed salary, variable remuneration, other benefits and pension benefits. Except for the Managing Director, the senior management currently includes two individuals.The total remuneration shall correspond to the prevailing market conditions and be competitive. The fixed and variable remuneration shall correspond to the respective individual's responsibility and authority. The variable component should, in the first instance, be covered within the parameters of the Company's option plan and the Company's depository receipts incentive programme and shall, where payable in other instances, be subject to an upper limit in accordance with market terms and specific objectives for the Company and/or the individual.The period of notice of termination of employment shall be three to six months in the event of termination by the member of the senior management. In the event of termination by the Company, the total of the period of notice of termination and the period during which severance compensation is payable shall not exceed 12 months.Pension benefits shall be either benefit-based or contribution based or a combination thereof, with individual retirement ages. Benefit based pension benefits are conditional on the benefits being earned during a pre-determined period of employment.The Board of Directors shall be entitled to deviate from these guidelines in individual cases should special reasons exist.Resolution regarding introduction of new long term incentive programme (item 14)The Board of Directors proposes that the Meeting resolves to introduce a new long term incentive programme for up to six employees in Vostok New Ventures Ltd ("LTIP 2016") in accordance with the below. LTIP 2016 is a three year performance based incentive program.Adoption of an incentive programmeSummary of the programmeThe Board of Directors proposes that the general meeting resolves to adopt LTIP 2016. LTIP 2016 is proposed to include up to six employees in Vostok New Ventures. The participants in LTIP 2016 are required to invest in Vostok New Ventures by acquiring shares in the form of depository receipts in Vostok New Ventures ("Saving DRs"). These Saving DRs are received by way of purchase of depository receipts (representing shares in Vostok New Ventures) at market value or transfer of depository receipts that such participant already holds in accordance with the terms set out under "Personal investment" below. The participants will thereafter be granted the opportunity to receive depository receipts free of charge in accordance with LTIP 2016, so called "Performance DRs" in accordance with the terms set out below.In the event that delivery of Performance DRs cannot be achieved at reasonable costs, with reasonable administrative efforts or due to market conditions, participants may instead be offered a cash-based settlement.Personal investmentIn order to participate in LTIP 2016, the participant must have made a private investment by (i) purchase of depository receipts (representing shares in Vostok New Ventures) at market value and for a value of up to SEK 1,250,000[1] depending on the participants' position in Vostok New Ventures in accordance with what is further described below, or (ii) by transfer of depository receipts that such participant already holds (provided that the participant holds at least 100% of annual net base pay in depository receipts) for a value of up to SEK 1,250,000[2] depending on the participants' position in Vostok New Ventures in accordance with what is further described below. For each Saving DR held under LTIP 2016, the Company will grant the participants ten rights to Performance DRs, meaning rights to receive Performance DRs free of charge ("Rights"). The number of Performance DRs each participant's Saving DRs entitles to depends on the Company's fulfilment of the performance conditions. A participant cannot receive more than ten Performance DRs per Saving DR.The maximum amounts for the personal investments are based on an assumed market price of Vostok New Ventures' depository receipts of SEK 50. The market price of the depository receipts may have increased or decreased by the time of the personal investment and the Board of Directors is authorised to change the maximum amount of the personal investment to take into account any material changes to the price of Vostok New Ventures' depository receipts, in order to give as positive effects as possible for depository receipt holders in the Company.General terms and conditionsSubject to the fulfilment of the entry level of the performance based conditions for the period 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2018 and provided that the participant has kept its investment in Saving DRs during the period from the day of allocation of the Rights until the day of the release of the interim report for the period 1 January to 31 March 2019 (the vesting period) and, with certain exceptions, kept its employment within the Vostok group and not given notice of termination at such point in time, two Rights entitles the participant to receive one Performance DR free of charge per Right.Retention and performance conditionsThe number of Performance DRs each of the participant's Saving DR entitles to depends on the Company's fulfilment of the performance conditions during the measurement period. The performance conditions are based on the Company's Net Asset Value ("NAV").The determined levels of the conditions include an entry, a target and a stretch level as regards the number of Rights that vest. The entry level constitutes the minimum level which must be exceeded in order to enable vesting of Rights. If the entry level is reached or exceeded, each participant will receive two Performance DRs per Saving DR. If the target level is reached or exceeded, each participant will receive five Performance DRs per Saving DR. If the stretch level is reached or exceeded, each participant will receive ten Performance DRs per Saving DR.The Board of Directors intends to disclose the outcome of the performance based conditions in the annual report for the financial year 2018.The RightsThe Rights shall be governed by the following terms and conditions: Rights are granted free of charge as soon as possible after the annual general meeting 2016 and not later than 31 August 2016. Vest following the publication of the Company's interim report for the period 1 January - 31 March 2019 (the vesting period). May not be transferred or pledged. Two Rights entitles the participant to receive one Performance DR per Right after the end of the vesting period, if the entry level of the performance-based conditions has been fulfilled and the participant, at the time of the release of the interim report for the period 1 January - 31 March 2019, maintains its employment within the Vostok group, has not given notice of termination and maintains the invested Saving DRs. In order to align the participants' and the depository receipt holders' interests, the Company will compensate the participants for any dividends paid during the three year vesting period. Compensation will only be made for dividend resolved after the time of allocation.Preparation and administrationThe Board of Directors shall be responsible for preparing the detailed terms and conditions of LTIP 2016, in accordance with the mentioned terms and guidelines. To this end, the Board of Directors shall be entitled to make adjustments to meet foreign regulations or market conditions. The Board of Directors may also make other adjustments if significant changes in the Vostok group or its operating environment would result in a situation where the decided terms and conditions of LTIP 2016 no longer serve their purpose.AllocationThe participants are divided into different categories and in accordance with the above, LTIP 2016 will comprise the following number of Saving DRs and maximum number of Rights for the different categories: the CEO: may acquire up to SEK 1,250,000 worth of Saving DRs[3] within LTIP 2016, entitling the holder to allotment of not less than two and up to ten Rights per Saving DR; other members of management than the CEO (two individuals): may acquire up to SEK 400,000 worth of Saving DRs[4] within LTIP 2016, entitling the holder to allotment of not less than two and up to ten Rights per Saving DR; other employees (three individuals): may acquire up to SEK 100,000 worth of Saving DRs[5] within LTIP 2016, entitling each holder to allotment of not less than two and up to ten Rights per Saving DR.Scope and costs of LTIP 2016LTIP 2016 will be accounted for in accordance with IFRS 2 which stipulates that the Rights should be recorded as a personnel expense in the income statement during the vesting period. The costs for LTIP 2016 is estimated to amount to approximately SEK 11.75 million, excluding social security costs, calculated in accordance with IFRS 2.The costs for social security charges are calculated to approximately SEK 3.69 million, based on the above assumptions.In addition to what is set forth above, the costs for LTIP 2016 have been based on that LTIP 2016 comprises up to six participants and that each participant makes a maximum investment.If the maximum result is reached, and all invested Saving DRs are retained under LTIP 2016 and a fulfilment of the performance conditions of 100 percent, the maximum cost of LTIP 2016 as defined in IFRS 2 is approximately SEK 23.5 million and the maximum social security cost is estimated to approximately SEK 7.38 million.The costs are expected to have a marginal effect on key ratios of the Vostok group.Upon maximum allotment of Performance DRs, 470,000 depository receipts representing shares in the Company may be allocated within the framework of LTIP 2016, which would correspond to approximately 0.64 percent of the share capital and the votes in the Company. A total of 1,688,000 depository receipts, which comprise currently outstanding and allocated 1,218,000 options under existing long-term incentive program and maximum allotment of 470,000 Performance DRs within the framework of LTIP 2016, would correspond to approximately 2.30 percent of the share capital and the votes in the Company.Delivery of Performance DRs under LTIP 2016To ensure delivery of Performance DRs under LTIP 2016, the Company may enter into a swap agreement or other similar agreement with a third party.The rationale for the proposalThe objective of LTIP 2016 is to create incentives for the management to work for a long-term development in the Company. Furthermore, LTIP 2016 shall create conditions for retaining competent employees in the Vostok group through the offering of competitive remuneration. LTIP 2016 has been designed based on the view that it is desirable that employees within the group are depository receipt holders in the Company and that they see that working with a long term horizon pays off. Participation in LTIP 2016 requires a personal investment in Saving DRs.By offering an allotment of Performance DRs which are based performance based conditions, the participants are rewarded for increased depository receipt holder value. Further, LTIP 2016 rewards employees' loyalty and long-term value growth in the Company. Against this background, the Board of Directors is of the opinion that the adoption of LTIP 2016 will have a positive effect on the Vostok group's future development and thus be beneficial for both the Company and its depository receipt holders.PreparationThe Company's Board of Directors has prepared LTIP 2016 in consultation with external advisors. LTIP 2016 has been reviewed by the Board of Directors at its meetings on 16 March 2016 and 15 April 2016.Other incentive programs in the CompanyThe 2010 Incentive ProgramThe 2010 Annual General Meeting decided in accordance with the proposal from the Board of Directors to adopt an incentive program entitling present and future employees to be allocated call options to acquire shares represented by depository receipts in Vostok New Ventures. The program covers present and future employees. A total of 5,115,600 options were authorized under the program. A total of 1,218,000 options are currently outstanding. The option life is 10 December 2013 - 31 January 2017 and the exercise period is 1 December 2016 - 31 January 2017. If all options are exercised a total of 1,218,000 depository receipts could be allocated, which would correspond to approximately 1.66 percent of the share capital and the votes in the Company. For more information about the 2010 incentive program please see the annual report 2015.Majority requirementsResolution in accordance with the Board of Directors' proposal in respect of item 14 require support of shareholders representing not less than half of the votes cast as well as of the shares represented by depository receipts represented at the Meeting.MiscellaneousThe annual accounts and the auditors' report will be available at the Company's office at Hovslagargatan 5 in Stockholm, Sweden and at its website www.vostoknewventures.com._______________________April 2016Pareto Securities ABThe Board of Directors of Vostok New Ventures Ltd[1] Corresponding to 25,000 depository receipts based on an assumed price of SEK 50 per depository receipt.[2] Corresponding to 25,000 depository receipts based on an assumed price of SEK 50 per depository receipt.[3] Corresponding to 25,000 depository receipts based on an assumed price of SEK 50 per depository receipt.[4] Corresponding to 8,000 depository receipts based on an assumed price of SEK 50 per depository receipt.[5] Corresponding to 2,000 depository receipts based on an assumed price of SEK 50 per depository receipt.Attachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=556597
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The Swiss stock market ended Friday's session with a modest pull back, following the strong gains of recent days. The dip was attributed to profit taking. Despite the decrease, the market held above the 8,000 point level.
Investors are looking forward to the meeting of major oil producing nations in Doha on Sunday. The outcome of the meeting is expected to determine the direction for oil prices. Investors have become more uncertain on the outcome of the meeting as it draws nearer. An agreement on a production freeze could be in danger of falling apart.
The Swiss Market Index decreased 0.08 percent Friday and finished at 8,014.60. The SMI ended the trading week with an overall gain of 2.5 percent. The Swiss Leader Index declined 0.18 percent Friday and the Swiss Performance Index fell 0.13 percent.
Credit Suisse ended the day with a loss of 0.8 percent. The company is facing punishment by supervisory authorities in Japan on allegations that it leaked information to clients without passing through internal controls.
Julius Baer dropped 4.0 percent as it began trading on an ex-dividend basis. UBS also finished lower by 0.1 percent.
Among the insurance stocks, Swiss Life and Baloise both dropped 0.8 percent, while Swiss Re lost 0.5 percent. Baader Helvea confirmed its 'Hold' rating on Swiss Re.
Dufry weakened by 1.4 percent and Clariant surrendered 3.1 percent. JPMorgan downgraded its rating on shares of Clariant to 'Underweight' from 'Overweight.'
Among the index heavyweights, Nestle finished with a gain of 0.1 percent, while Novartis fell 0.2 percent. Shares of Roche ended the session unchanged.
In the broad market, Dottikon ES surged 7.2 percent. The specialty chemicals company had a revenue increase of 25% for the fiscal year.
EFG International dropped 3.5 percent after it was downgraded by Goldman Sachs.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
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Technavio has announced the top five leading vendors for the global IoT security marketin their latest research report. This report also lists 12 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, we considered revenues generated from the sales of network security solutions including hardware, software, and services (including managed services) provided by vendors.
The report provides a detailed analysis of the following:
End-users: Utilities, automotive, and healthcare
Network security components: Hardware, software, and services
Regions: The Americas; Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA); and APAC
Request sample report: http://bit.ly/25ML0aH
"The growing number of connected devices in organizations across the globe is driving the demand for IoT security. Connected devices include imaging devices with cellular communications, portable navigation devices, and media players. In 2015, the number of connected devices across the globe was 10.83 billion. By 2020, the number will reach 41.15 billion," said Amrita Choudhury, one of Technavio's lead analysts for IT security
"With an increase in the number of connected devices, it is difficult for organizations to monitor, manage, and maintain data traversing between these devices through wired and wireless networks. Thus, the need for IoT security solutions increases among organizations in order to maintain data confidentiality," added Amrita.
Top five leading vendors in the global IoT security market:
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems offers products and services related to IT and communications industries across the globe. The company's products and security solutions include switches, IP phones, workstations, access points, call center and messaging products, telepresence systems, firewalls, intrusion prevention, cloud managed solutions, fabric interconnects, and data center products.
The products and solutions provided by the company include, Cisco 3000 Series Industrial Security Appliances (ISA), Cisco AMP, Cisco AMP Threat Grid, Cisco ASA 5506H-X with FirePOWER Services Ruggedized Security Appliance, Cisco FirePOWER Next-Generation Intrusion Prevention Service (IPS), and Cisco Identity Services Engine.
GE (Wurldtech Security Technologies)
Wurldtech Security Technologies is a software company that provides cyber security solutions for connected devices to prevent persistent and dynamic cyber threats. The company provides innovative assessment products to discover and analyze different threats and vulnerability profiles and to mitigate known vulnerabilities in installed networks with Achilles Threat Intelligence Software. The products and solutions provided by the company include Achilles Industrial Next-gen Firewall, Achilles Test Platform, Achilles Test Software, and OpShield.
Infineon Technologies
Infineon Technologies, a Germany-based company, develops semiconductors and system solutions for automotive and industrial electronics, chip cards, and security applications. Its operations are diversified across four main divisions: industrial power control, automotive, power management, and chip card and security. The industrial power control division designs and manufactures semiconductors and system solutions for use in industrial electronic applications and for customer-specific product requirements. The automotive division offers semiconductors for use in automotive applications. The power management division focuses on components for power management of high-frequency applications. The chip card and security division offers different security controllers and security memories for chip card and security applications.
Intel
Intel manufactures integrated digital technology platforms. The company sells these platforms to OEMs, original design manufacturers, and industrial and communications equipment manufacturers in different industries. Their platforms are used in applications such as PCs, data centers, tablets, smartphones, automobiles, automated factory systems and medical devices. Intel also develops and sells software and services primarily focused on security and technology integration. It offers platforms that incorporate different components and technologies, including a microprocessor and chipset.
Symantec
Symantec is headquartered in Mountain View, California, US. The company is a worldwide leader in security, backup, and availability solutions. Its products and services are designed to protect information in any environment. The company's products and services range from mobile devices to enterprise data centers and cloud-based systems.
Browse related reports:
Global IoT Market 2016-2020
Russia Enterprise Application IOT Market 2015-2019
Global IoT Devices Market 2015-2019
Purchase three reports from our library for the price of one by becoming a Technavio subscriber. Subscribing to Technavio's reports allows you to download any three reports per month for the price of one. Contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and a link to our subscription platform.
About Technavio
Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.
Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.
If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160415005025/en/
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Technavio Research
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Security software pioneer Avira today announced that itearnedthe highest possible ratings in real-world dynamic protection and malicious file detection tests from AV-Comparatives, the leading independent tester of security software.
The top results demonstrate Avira's consistently high performance at defending computers against malware both on the street and in the testing lab.
In the Whole Product Dynamic Test, AV-Comparatives threw a collection of 449 live test cases at a computer. These test cases were all working exploits and URLs leading to malware just the kind of experience that the better-than-average web surfer would encounter. And, when we say better-than-average, we mean that the test computer was running Windows 7 and was fully patched for known security vulnerabilities. Avira identified 100% of the malware samples and had zero false positives - a simply stellar performance.
In the File Detection Test, AV-Comparatives ran a larger set of 163,763 recent or prevalent malware samples by their test computers. The test examined the ability of antivirus software to detect these real malware samples and also their reliability in doing this the ability to identify malware accurately, with a minimum of false positives. Avira detected 99.9% of all malware and matched this with a low number of false positives. These joint result qualified Avira to receive the Advanced+ award, the highest result.
"We are absolutely pleased with Avira winning the Advanced+ award on the basis of its results. The AV-Comparative tests are designed to mimic the conditions faced by real users, so we believe there is a close linkage between test results and what computer users will experience in their day-to-day lives," said Philipp Wolf, Avira Protection Labs EVP.
A significant part of the File Detection test focused on false positives - when antivirus software incorrectly identifies a file as being malicious. The false positives were divided into fixed groups or ranges, with Avira placed in the number one grouping.
"With our Whole Product Dynamic Real-World Protection Test and the File Detection Test of Malicious Software, we have created an environment for verifying that security software can actually perform as it should," said Andreas Clementi, CEO of AV-Comparatives."
AV-Comparatives is an independent testing organization focused on security software. Its tests have carved out a reputation within the industry as a primary measuring stick for the effectiveness and the efficiency of antivirus software.
About Avira GmbH
Avira protects people in the connected world enabling everyone to manage, secure, and improve their digital lives. The Avira umbrella covers a portfolio of security and performance applications for Windows, Android, Mac, and iOS. In addition, the reach of our protective technologies extends through OEM partnerships. Our security solutions consistently lead in independent tests for detection, performance, and usability. Avira is a family-owned company with headquarters near Lake Constance, in Tettnang, Germany, and additional offices in Munich, Bucharest, Beijing, and Silicon Valley. A portion of Avira's sales support the Auerbach Foundation, which assists education, children, and families in need.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160415005770/en/
Contacts:
Media Contact USA:
Rocket Science PR
Rich Mullikin, APR, +1 415-464-8110 x216
Mobile: +1 925-354-7444
Email: rich@rocketscience.com
Today Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) announced that Rhone Resch will step down as its CEO on May 31, 2016. SEIA says that it will name an interim leader and conduct a search for a new executive to lead the organization before Resch leaves. Resch has served as CEO of SEIA since 2004, during which time the U.S. solar industry has undergone a profound transformation. During the first year that Resch served as CEO the U.S. installed less than 60 MW of solar PV, nearly all of which was on rooftops; by 2015 this had increased more than ten-fold to over 7 GW, with utility-scale projects representing the majority of new capacity. During Resch's tenure a number of policy victories have underscored this growth, from the establishment of the 30% investment tax credit (ITC) in 2005 and its extension in 2008 to the passage of renewable energy mandates including solar and distributed generation ...
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.
Las Vegas, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - April 15, 2016) - Canyon Gold Corp. (OTCQB: CGCC) (The Company), is pleased to inform that the Company will be featured weekly on MoneyTV, with Donald Baillargeon starting April 15, 2016.
MoneyTV is the internationally syndicated television program all about money and what makes it happen, (http://www.moneytv.net), featuring informative interviews with company Spokespersons, providing insights into their operations and outlooks for their futures.
The first weekly presentation of the Company is by Ray Barner (an independent spokesperson) on the company's gold properties in Nevada and the 'Offender Alert Passive Scan' of the Company's wholly owned subsidiary 'Defense Technology Corporation (DTC).
MoneyTV has initiated coverage of CGCC.
See the first weekly presentation of CanyonGold on MoneyTV:http://www.moneytv.net/
THE COMPANY'S SUBSIDIARIES: www.canyongoldexploration.com
DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, LLC (DTC):
DTC was formed in 2007 to bring products to market in the areas of personal and collateral protection. DTC will succeed in the markets of personal and collateral protection by creating technology that is unique in design and operation. The company currently has two products in development that will have the potential to change the face of their respective industries.
DTC's Offender Alert Passive Scan is a 'next generation' walk-through detector scanning unit.
The DTC scan-system emits nothing through the subject and is passive.
(Scanner systems currently in the market are effectively an X-RAY in some form)
A patented, trademarked product that is a technologically advanced passive scanning system for detecting and identifying concealed threats. The unit can be installed into a door frame with no visual presence, providing covert detection, or can be installed as a standalone unit for portable operation.
Long Canyon Gold Resources Corp. (LCGRC) owns 30 mineral lease claims and has the opportunity to acquire additional claims in the mineral-rich Spruce Ridge area as well as in the similarly mineralized Pequop Mountains of the Long Canyon Trend Area of Nevada. These sections are adjacent to the original discovery acquired by Newmont Mining for 2.3 Billion Dollars and also the site of the Newmont open pit mine estimated to be in full operation by 2017.
* * *
"With our timely new 'Passive Scanning System' by DTC and the climbing gold market we are looking to a good future for CanyonGold and its Investors."
* * *
On behalf of the Board of Directors, Stephen M. Studdert, President & CEO
Company Contact:
1 800 520-9485 Stephen Studdert, President
Email: cgcc@canyongoldexploration.com
The Company trades on the OTCQB tier of the OTC market. Investors can find Real-time quotes and market Information for the Company on http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/CGCC/quote
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking" statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Canyon Gold Corp. believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of Canyon Gold Corp's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Canyon Gold Corp. undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 04/15/16 -- DRB Lending (DRBL), an affiliate of Darien Rowayton Bank, a leading bank and the fastest marketplace lender to reach $1 billion in student loan refinancing originations, today announced their office expansion in Manhattan for an additional 20 employees.
As DRBL continues to grow, the company has signed a lease to move into 4,550 square feet of new office space at 1995 Broadway in Manhattan. Over the next year, DRBL will continue to expand its New York presence and has plans to hire and fill the new space. This strategic business unit located in Manhattan is focused on expanding DRBL's technology and marketing capabilities. In addition to the Manhattan expansion, the new lease in Bridgeport, CT includes 11,900 square feet, room for 120 employees, and will house the core units of operations, underwriting, and customer support.
"To date, Darien Rowayton Bank has seen an overwhelmingly positive response from the borrower community as we solve a very real challenge for them in managing their student loans," said Aryea Aranoff, Chief Strategy Officer of DRBL. "DRBL's build out in both New York and Connecticut is a testament to the rapid growth that the bank has experienced, and the growth we expect to continue to experience as DRB Lending continues to innovate and seek out new ways to serve clients."
About DRBL
DRB Lending (DRBL) is an affiliate of Darien Rowayton Bank. Darien Rowayton Bank is a leading national marketplace lender and the fastest lender in industry history to reach $1 billion in student loan refinancings. FDIC insured and established in 2006, Darien Rowayton Bank has helped thousands of professionals with graduate and undergraduate degrees across the country to refinance and consolidate federal and private student loans, saving these borrowers thousands of dollars each.
For more information, visit https://student.drbank.com/.
DRB (Darien Rowayton Bank)
Jenny Chou
212.712.2100
partners@drbank.com
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/15/16 -- The Government of Canada understands the central role of science and post-secondary research in a thriving, clean economy. That's why it continues to make record investments in research that will build on Canada's record of scientific excellence.
The Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, celebrated $1.5 million in funding for 14 projects at the University of British Columbia. This Government of Canada investment was made through the Canada Foundation for Innovation's (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund, which helps universities attract and retain the best and brightest researchers from around the world by giving them access to state-of-the-art research tools.
Among the researchers receiving funding at the University of British Columbia is Dr. Janel Kopp. Dr. Kopp is investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying pancreatic cancer. The funding will help her secure new equipment for analyzing tumour progression within pancreatic cancer cells.
Quotes
"Investments like today's in Canada's research infrastructure are incredibly important to the nation's future. They give Canadian researchers the tools they need to make new discoveries that will better the lives of Canadians today and for years to come."
- The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science
"I am proud to be back home in Vancouver to celebrate this funding with the award recipients from the University of British Columbia. Every day, Canadian researchers are pushing the boundaries of knowledge and making breakthroughs that make Canada and British Columbia a destination for discovery-driven research."
- The Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence
"From health to engineering and from telecommunications to environmental protection, the Canada Foundation for Innovation provides researchers with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment that are essential for conducting world-class research that directly benefits all Canadians."
- Gilles Patry, President and CEO, Canada Foundation for Innovation
"This funding provides our researchers with new tools and equipment they need to examine issues like disease and wildfires. We are grateful to the Canada Foundation for Innovation for their continued support."
- Dr. John Hepburn, Vice-President, Research and International, University of British Columbia
"Funding from the John R. Evans Leaders Fund will allow me to acquire new equipment for examining how cancer grows from different cell types in the pancreas. This will lead to a new understanding of how pancreatic cancer develops. I am grateful to the Canada Foundation for Innovation for its support of our research."
- Dr. Janel Kopp, Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Quick facts
-- The University of British Columbia is receiving $1,545,353 in infrastructure funding for 14 research projects. -- On April 15, 2016, Parliamentary Secretary Terry Beech, on behalf of Minister Duncan, announced an investment of more than $19 million for tools and equipment through the CFI's John R. Evans Leaders Fund to support 94 projects at 33 universities across Canada. -- Dr. Janel Kopp received her PhD from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2007 and since then has worked tirelessly examining the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the development of pancreatic diseases. She is currently working on the role ductal cells have in the initiation of cancer.
Associated links
List of CFI-funded projects
Canada Foundation for Innovation
John R. Evans Leaders Fund
The CFI Research Facilities Navigator, an online directory of CFI-funded labs that are available to collaborate with the private sector
Follow Minister Duncan on Twitter and Instagram: @ScienceMin
Contacts:
Jordan Owens
Press Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
613-996-3100
Jordan.Owens@forces.gc.ca
Veronique Perron
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Science
343-291-2600
Media Relations
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
343-291-1777
ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/15/16 -- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
The Government of Canada is investing nearly a million dollars ($949,322) to develop precision, wireless technology capable of predicting diseases that affect farm output, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay announced today.
This investment with SemiosBio Technologies Inc. will provide farmers with real-time localized information to better manage plant diseases and optimize the use of pesticides. This project will focus specifically on fire blight in apples, and downy and powdery mildews in grapes, with field testing in locations across the country.
Quick facts
-- SemiosBio has already developed a sensor and pest management system for codling moths in apples, with support from AAFC (see link below). -- This investment is being made through the Growing Forward 2, AgriInnovation Program, a five-year, up to $698 million initiative. -- SemiosBio is a company that provides safe and environmentally-friendly pest management solutions to growers of tree fruits, nuts and grapes.
Quotes
"The government is pleased to support this innovative project that will help the sector adopt fully integrated pest management systems. Initiatives such as these help farmers continue to be good stewards of the land, while maintaining their competitiveness."
-- Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
"The agriculture industry is under tremendous pressure to produce more food with less environmental impact. To do this we need to optimize inputs such as insecticides, fungicides and water. Leveraging a proprietary internet-of-things (IoT) wireless network of 50,000 sensors and big data analytics, Semios delivers a precision ag service to measure and manage disease risks with less chemical inputs. With the financial support from AAFC, Semios will help growers better understand and predict crop disease, with focused treatments when and where needed."
-- Michael Gilbert, CEO, SemiosBIO
Additional links
- AgriInnovation Program
- SemiosBIO Technologies
- Green solutions send orchard pests packing
Follow us on Twitter: @AAFC_Canada
Like us on Facebook: CanadianAgriculture
Contacts:
Guy Gallant
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay
613-773-1059
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
Michael Gilbert
CEO
SemiosBIO
604-202-3245
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/15/16 -- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
For most Canadians, access to affordable and reliable broadband networks is an important part of everyday life. However, communities outside urban centres often face challenges in accessing Internet service at levels comparable to those in cities due to factors such as remote location and challenging terrain.
Ten British Columbia Internet service providers are receiving a total of approximately $16 million from the Government of Canada to increase broadband Internet access for approximately 23,000 households throughout rural British Columbia. The Government of British Columbia is also providing approximately $3.4 million for six of the projects through its Connecting British Columbia program.
Canadians in all parts of the country need access to high-speed Internet to take advantage of new economic and business opportunities and to connect with friends and family in Canada and beyond.
This funding through the Connecting Canadians program will provide the communities with access to broadband at speeds of five megabits per second or more.
Quotes
"Helping to extend high-speed Internet across the country is one of the most important infrastructure investments the Government of Canada can make to help unlock the tremendous potential of our country's northern and rural regions. By working with partners across the country, the Government is helping to deliver increased broadband coverage to underserved areas across Canada."
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
"Access to high-speed Internet is increasingly important in today's technical world, especially in rural and remote regions. This latest investment will help local British Columbia service providers, both small and large, expand Internet service to thousands of households in the north, south and interior regions of the province, and it complements investments made through our Connecting British Columbia program. As part of our BCTECH Strategy, we are committed to providing high-speed Internet access to 100 percent of the province by 2021, and today's announcement takes us one step further toward meeting this goal."
- The Honourable Amrik Virk, Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services, Government of British Columbia
"Faster, more reliable broadband Internet is essential for people in rural communities in British Columbia. This is a significant investment that will provide British Columbians with greater employment and business opportunities, better access to online education and e-health, improved communications and media, and increased access to online goods and services."
- Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country
"A strong digital economy is the backbone of Canada's future prosperity, and that begins with ensuring all citizens have access to fast, reliable Internet connections. This new partnership with the Government of Canada will make it possible for us to extend our existing investment to connect even more rural Canadian families to the emerging digital economy and the educational, medical, social and cultural opportunities this connectivity creates, thereby strengthening our communities and the fabric of our nation."
-Tony Geheran, TELUS Executive Vice-President and President of Broadband Networks
"The Connecting Canadians Program will provide a vital boost to expanding and upgrading A.B.C.'s communications network capacity in the Interior of British Columbia. We look forward to providing the next generation of fixed wireless services in British Columbia over the next few years. Our services will deliver fast, affordable and reliable broadband to 12,000 homes using the latest technology available today. The continued commitment by the Government of Canada and the Honorable Navdeep Bains is driving Canada into the next digital age."
- Bob Allen, CEO, A.B.C. Allen Business Communications Ltd.
"Mascon is very excited to be working with the federal government to bring much-needed high-speed Internet to Lee Creek, St. Ives, Mara, Tofino and Silver Creek. Once the project is completed, all these areas will be connected by fibre optics and have speeds up to 1 Gbps. Providing fibre-based services to rural communities is very expensive, but with the government helping to cover some of the costs, these projects become affordable and make a big difference to the people living in these remote regions of British Columbia."
- Darren Muloin, General Manager, Mascon Cable Systems Ltd.
"Twin Island Communications is committed to providing high-speed Internet to remote communities in the Discovery Islands. We are excited for the opportunity to partner with the Canadian government to upgrade our backhaul links in our wireless network. The upgrades will help us continue to provide service to underserved communities and will facilitate the growth we need for the ever-expanding services the Internet has to offer."
- Constantinos Tsakonas, General Manager, Twin Island Communications Ltd.
"These are areas in British Columbia where we are now providing service that have no cell phone coverage and previously no access to high-speed Internet. People living in these communities are at a significant disadvantage in the world today, isolated not only geographically but also without access to essential communications. Now as a direct result of this program, we are able to offer affordable, faster new networks and services that promote social and economic growth. Using the latest developments in wireless communications technology, we deliver high-speed Internet and data for rural communities and remote industrial applications."
- Davin Peterson, Executive Director, Base Technology Ltd.
"Funding provided by the Government of Canada and other partners in 2010 provided the capital to build a dedicated network to replace dial-up Internet access with 1.5 Mbps broadband service. The recent contributions made by the Government of Canada and partners will allow Minto Communications Society to upgrade its network to offer 5 Mbps broadband service, a level of Internet performance that better meets the needs and expectations of our residential and commercial rural users. High-speed Internet access is not an option; it is now a necessity for retaining existing residents and attracting new industry and residents into our community. Minto Communications Society applauds the Government of Canada for making this upgrade possible."
- Chris Donald, Vice-President, Minto Communications Society
"We are extremely grateful to have been given this opportunity. This funding has enabled us to expand our network by upgrading the links between our towers. This now allows us to provide a faster, more reliable quality of service to our customers in the underserved areas so they can access all opportunities of the Internet. Farms, families and small businesses are now enjoying the added benefits of these upgrades to monitor their homes, equipment and other facilities. On behalf of our loyal customers that have supported us through some tough times as we got the infrastructure in place, we'd all like to say thank you to the Connecting Canadians program and other federal partners for making this possible in the rural areas of British Columbia we serve, including Spences Bridge, Boston Bar and North Bend, Yale, and outlying areas of Chilliwack and Mission."
- George Pede, Director of Operations, Lookieloo.net Sales & Purchases Ltd.
"Without the Connecting Canadians Program we simply never would have been able to raise the funds to connect us to the rest of Canada and the world outside our door. This is our fibre optic backbone, connecting our communities and allowing access to increasing opportunities in medicine, education, cultural exchange and economic diversification."
- Carol Kulesha, CEO, GwaiiTel Society
"Rural communities continually face many challenges to joining the "technical world." Bringing high-speed Internet is a major step, and it is extremely exciting for the Village of Granisle to be included and awarded funding for Internet expansion. This will now allow us to offer increased, faster and reliable service while focusing on economic development and attracting potential business investment. Additionally, with high-speed Internet in the fast-paced technical world, our community strives to ensure that the visiting public as well as our local residents will be in a position to access online education programs, updated e-health and many online goods and services."
- Linda McGuire, Mayor, Village of Granisle
Quick facts
-- The $305-million Connecting Canadians program is extending and enhancing broadband service to over 300,000 households across Canada. -- Additionally, through Budget 2016, the Government of Canada will invest $500 million over five years for a new program to extend and enhance broadband services in rural and remote communities.
Associated links
Connecting Canadians website
Backgrounder - List of Connecting Canadians projects
Follow the Minister on Twitter: @MinisterISED
Contacts:
Media Relations
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
343-291-1777
ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca
London, UK-based Bijou Commerce, a provider of a B2B SaaS platform for fashion retailers to monetize their mobile channels, recently raised 2m in seed funding. Following the close of the round, Managing Director Beth Wond answered our questions about the company, the product, the funding and future plans.
FinSMEs: Hi Beth, firstly can you tell us a bit more about you?
Beth: Previous to my role at Bijou in mCommerce, I was a Co-Founder of Made by Silk, a technology company that offered a complete end-to-end eCommerce service and technical retail solution for brands to communicate effectively online, engage with their own customers and provide exceptional standards of service.
As part of the BFCs Digital Innovation Pillar Committee, Ive also helped mentor international designer brands define and derive their digital propositions and benefit directly from multi-channel and global digital growth.
Before my career in eCommerce, I was one of the co-founders and Managing Director at Aigua Media, an online global publisher of titles including the fashion shopping site Osoyou.com and the influential high fashion and beauty style titles Catwalk Queen, The Bag Lady, Shoewawa and Kiss and Makeup.
Previous to this I launched a start-up lingerie line with the model Caprice that gained global distribution in leading stores and I have also run consumer marketing and press teams for a US and UK based e-commerce marketplace.
FinSMEs: Lets talk about Bijou Commerce. How did the idea come about? What is the market opportunity here?
Beth: Despite sales through mobile accounting for over a half of all UK retail spend and 85% of consumers preferring mobile native apps only 2.3% of retailers believed their business to at the cutting edge of mCommerce. Coupled with the fact that retailers struggled to convert mobile traffic at the same level as desktop visitors, we looked at what user experience was required within a mobile app to maximise conversion rates for this user group.
Following a year of research, development and architectural design, 2015 saw the creation of Bijou Commerce and the defining and implementation of a native mCommerce platform and full service proposition for retailers. The unique UI and UX that Bijou Commerce and machine data learning that Bijou implements converts has been proven to convert shoppers at a higher rate than traditional mweb offerings and provides unprecedented data gathering for retail insights.
As Bijou Commerce overcomes the challenges to retailers with this rapid advancement of the mobile sales channel. This is exactly where our unique market opportunity lies the intersection of omni-channel marketing, fashion tech and the explosive growth of mobile.
FinSMEs: How does it work?
Beth: As mobile apps are becoming an increasingly integral part of the omni-channel retail requirement, Bijou Commerce has produced a unique data driven single image browsing that provides unparalleled data access, thats supported on a platform that can create cost effective, quick to market, customised native apps for both iOS and Android operating systems to leading global retailers with an on-going service solution for regular updates and upgrades.
Bijou Commerce has created a leading mCommerce platform that provides the opportunity to uniquely personalise retailers individual mobile and omni-channel customer experience. Addressing the need for full retail synchronisation, beacon technology, payment integration, live inventory and order processing, Bijou Commerce ensures a seamless branded shopping experience that engages customers, drives personalisation and significantly increases mobile conversion rates.
FinSMEs: Where are you in terms of growth right now?
Beth: Bijous proprietary platform has already been tested and benchmarked through its open test app, The Edit, which was launched in February 2015 to validate the user experience. To date fifteen leading UK retailers and publishers in the fashion and beauty sector have already agreed to work with Bijou Commerce, with more than 300 retailers in the active pipeline for 2016.
FinSMEs: You just raised 2m in funding. How are you using the funds?
Beth: We will use the funds to evolve our features and product offering to clients, adding modular bolt-ons to match retail technology advances such as bluetooth and wifi beacons.
It will also automate client onboarding with direct API feeds, front end customization, powerful personalisation and automatic copy production cutting the costs of delivery dramatically. The company will also move to make its platform code open source, providing the ability for third party developers to build new functionality and sell it through a platform marketplace.
FinSMEs: Future plans?
Beth: Future plans include expanding our product offering and forging new partnerships with even more exciting retailers in the fashion industry, offering a mobile arm to their existing sales funnel. We aim at further developing the following features that make the BIjou platform so special:
A unique Tinder Swipe UI-UX Most retailers apps and mobile sites put anywhere between 4 and 12 products on a single screen for the user to pick out. Bijous UI shows the user just one product at a time, but makes browsing through them incredibly simple. This means that your users see more product per visit.
Unparalleled Integration Bijou offers full integration in the back end and a scalable API with automatic updates. It is IOS and Android compatible and works with most eCommerce software providing a mobile arm to marketers.
Real time Insights By forcing users to express an opinion on every single product, the Bijou Commerce platform generates an approval rating for every item. Retailers can use this real-time data on disliked products to enable early action on stock levels and re-ordering.
Deep Personalisation The collected data is used to personalise the users experience, making individual product recommendations based on the individual users nuanced tastes.
Better Conversion Rates A native app provides numerous benefits for both the retailers and the customer starting with an increased conversion rate. The simple, clear swiping mechanics quickly populate a wishlist or a shopping bag, which, when combined with an optimised checkout process, delivers conversion rates 3-5 x better than typical mobile site benchmarks.
Further strengthening the development and distribution of our product offering around these 6 pillars will help us spearhead growth in the years to come.
These are exciting times for the fashion industry and we are certainly very proud to be taking part in the transformation of the backend technology supporting the sales, engagement, feedback and omni-channel marketing of major fashion retailers globally.
FinSMEs
15/04/2016
HomeToGo, a Berlin, Germany-based search engine for vacation rentals, raised $20m in Series B funding.
The round was led by New York-based venture capital and private equity firm Insight Venture Partners with participation from Series A investors DN Capital and Acton Capital Partners.
The company intends to use the funds to further international expansion and accelerate product innovation.
Founded in January 2014 by Patrick Andra, Wolfgang Heigl and Nils Regge, HomeToGo is a vacation rental metasearch engine that allows users to search and compare listings from over 6 million offers in over 200 countries from more than 250 providers.
The platform features smart filtering, which enables users to find their rental by sorting according to their preferred destination, travel dates, budget and amenities.
The company currently employs more than 70 employees and operates local sites in Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Spain, Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) as well as in the United States.
FinSMEs
15/04/2016
Parkloco, a Boston, MA-based provider of a parking industry data analytics platform, raised a seed funding round of undisclosed amount.
The round was led by Raymond Chang from NXT Ventures and Jeff Xiong from 7 Seas Ventures with participation from investors as well as industry experts Joe Caruso (Bantam Group), Jere Doyle, Geoffrey Bernstein (Indicator Ventures) and Dreamit Ventures.
The company intends to use the funds to launch and implement its enterprise software solutions for parking owners and operators.
Led by Ronak Massand and Jug (Napatsapa) Vajarodaya, Parkloco provides a real-time data platform for parking industry operators to optimize occupancy, revenue capture and performance, and improve the overall parking experience. A Brown University spin off, the company is now expanding operations in the North East and is working with some of the top national and regional operators to launch their service.
FinSMEs
15/04/2016
Ever since AirAsia BhD teamed up with Indian investors to start an airline from scratch in 2013, the venture has been a target of frequent attacks from vested interests. India's airline industry is notorious for taking care of its own and hounding out new entrants. Some powerful airline promoters are known to actually influence key policy decisions, leaving the less-powerful rivals in a quandary. So when these powerful airline promoters join hands to hound out a newbie, it is really no surprise.
Now, renewed attacks on the airline have found place in media reports and even in complaints by rival airlines to aviation authorities. The allegations can be summed up thus: AirAsia India is violating a specific requirement under which the Indian government allowed foreign airlines to invest in Indian carriers in 2012.
The allegations are that the Malaysian parent exercises substantial ownership and effective control in the Indian venture even though it holds minority 49% equity stake. In AA India, Tata Sons now holds 49% while the remaining 2% is held by functional directors, both Indians.
This story in Mint newspaper on April 11 makes several allegations. It says the documents submitted by AirAsia India to the directorate general of civil aviation to secure the airline licence wereand arestill posted on the regulators website but the brand licence agreement of April 2013 is not part of that. It also quotes DGCA M. Sathiyavathy as saying that the regulator was not aware of any such document and would investigate it if brought to its notice. Nobody has brought on anything to our knowledge about other agreements, Sathiyavathy said in an interview on the sidelines of the Hyderabad air show in March. Till now, we have no knowledge of any other agreement which are with other parties. If someone can give us the documents, we will definitely get it examined.
In a strongly worded statement today, AirAsia BhD said today that a section of the Indian media has "grossly misreported" that the brand license agreement signed between AirAsia India and AirAsia Bhd does not uphold the primacy of Indian shareholders and their effective control of AirAsia India. "We wish to point out that Clause 5.30 of the agreement explicitly states that substantial ownership and effective control of the licensee remains at all times with Indian residents. The agreement further states that the licensee shall not be obliged to undertake any act or omission which will result in a breach of the provisions of clause 5.30.....The brand license agreement is also referenced in the original Shareholders Agreement among the founding shareholders of AirAsia India. The Shareholders Agreement was lodged immediately after execution in April 2013 with the Indian government, in full compliance with all regulations."
If there has been a violation of an Indian guideline, of course AA India needs to be pulled up. But consider, for a moment, the similarity in the allegations against the Jet-Etihad equity deal where Etihad picked up 24% stake (not even 49%). At that time too, similar allegations had been levelled about the shareholder agreement between Jet and Etihad which ostensibly gave Etihad vast powers in decision making. Mandarins of the DIPP had said that time that along with the ministry of civil aviation, they ensured that some key clauses on the agreements were changed so that Etihad did not become the de-facto controller of an Indian airline by acquiring only 24% equity stake. If this agreement was to be the bone of contention, should it not have been examined in detail by the same people in the case of AirAsia India also?
Secondly, as this piece in the Business Standard points out, there is a good reason to re-examine this provision which bars foreign airlines from taking control of Indian carriers. If we want to pursue Ease of doing Business, we must examine whether allowing foreign companies control over Indian businesses actually hams our business or takes away level playing field from Indian companies.
It is another matter that AirAsia India's own internal workings and simmering discontent between some shareholders has only provided more fodder to rivals. It is a fact worth noting that almost two years into operations, the airline is struggling for funds due to shareholder apathy and its expansion plans have been de-escalated so that it keeps in step with India's slow paced regulatory changes.
Only recently, the second Indian partner Telestra Tradeplace, has signed an agreement to exit the airline and let it be run by the Tatas along with AirAsia BhD. AA India has had more than its fair share of trouble since day one. Not only has it been fighting allegations of control by the Malaysian parent, the start of its operations was severely delayed when DGCA dusted out a small little provision, buried somewhere in the Aircraft Rules of 1937, which required any objections by the public at large to be considered before a new airline is granted a flying permit. Though the provision existed earlier too, it was never mandatory and had never been used before granting the flying permit to any other airline in India. But it was applied in the case of AA India. Since DGCA managed to delay the airline's launch by several months by insisting on bureaucratic legalese, it should have examined all relevant agreements before granting the airline a permit.
Anyway, since then, AirAsia India has had other battles to fight, Along with Vistara (the second Tata airline), AA India has taken on the powerful lobby of incumbent airlines over the 5/20 rule. This lobby group comprises IndiGo, Jet Airways, SpiceJet and GoAir and has been seeking a status quo on the 5/20 rule which bars airlines from flying overseas before 5 years of Indian operations and a fleet of 20 aircraft.
AA's Tony Fernandes has been vocal about the need to remove this antiquated rule. Is that the reason for rivals to up the ante once again?
New Delhi: Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai on Friday said the response of the people was "positive" on the first day of the fortnight-long road rationing odd-even scheme.
"I have reports from all over Delhi that people are following the scheme. The final picture will emerge after we receive reports from different departments," Rai, who took a bus ride to assess implementation of the scheme, told mediapersons.
Owing to Ram Navmi holiday, light traffic was witnessed during the course of the full circle bus ride from Delhi secretariat, via Pragati Maidan, India Gate, Delhi Gate, Red Fort and Rajghat.
He said the response of the people was "positive" although some complaints were received from border areas where drivers from other states were caught for violation.
Comparing the second phase of odd-even scheme with trial run in first half of January this year, the minister said problems could be faced due to summer and schools being opened but solutions could be found.
"Following the extended weekend, traffic will increase on Monday when offices and schools will open but the government is prepared to tackle the situation," he said.
Rai appealed to residents of Delhi to leave "early" to drop their children to school so that they are not caught on the wrong side.
He also urged women drivers to help and drop back other children in their neighbourhood from school while picking their own children.
"Eighty five percent women drop children to schools and pick them back in the city. People of Delhi have given them exemption from the scheme and they should enquire about other children in their vicinity and arrange dropping them also at their homes."
Regarding complaints of over charging by App based cab aggregators providing carpooling options, Rai said that they were not registered in Delhi so government had limited role in restraining them but warned that "strict action" will be taken if any complaints are found.
He said that government will review success of the second phase of the odd-even before taking any decision on implementing odd-even every month for 15 days.
The Transport minister said that reduction in pollution and traffic congestion were "inter-linked" and both will be reduced during operation of odd-even scheme.
"The number of vehicles on Delhi roads will reduce by half during odd even. If 10 lakh vehicles are off road on any given day congestion will also be reduced. Consequently, pollution will go down since vehicles will consume less fuel due to congestion free movement," he said.
Rai said the number of buses have been "reduced" this time as many buses ran empty during trial run of the scheme in January.
"DTC will ply around 6000 buses. Additional 600 buses from schools and other private parties will further strengthen public transport. The number could vary after assessment of demand," he said.
DTC is procuring 1000 new buses and the first lot of 20 buses including 10 AC buses, is expected to arrive by the first week of May, he said.
The minister interacted with Civil Defense volunteers at India Gate and Mori Gate lauding their work during the hot day. He said officials will be directed to ensure proper arrangements for them including drinking water.
Earlier, Rai carpooled with Mehrauli MLA Naresh Yadav in his car to reach Delhi secretariat. Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha also carpooled with Yadav.
On the way to Secretariat, the minister stopped violators of the odd-even scheme and urged them to follow the same as it is necessary to bring down air pollution in the national capital.
Editor's note: On Friday, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Kerala government and the Devaswom Boards in Kerala on a petition by Subramanian Swamy and TG Mohandas seeking to abolish the boards and end the state's control over temples. In light of this development, Firstpost is republishing a three-part series analysing why it might be in state's interest to give up control of religious shrines and temples. This is the first in a three-part series on Hinduism, godmen and the judiciary
It may sound surprising. Christianity produced only one saint in India Mother Teresa during the past three decades. But look at Hinduism. Over the past two decades Hindus have managed to create more than a handful of them.
Take some of the prominent names: Dhirendra Bhramachari, Asaram Bapu, Ma Anandamayi, Baba Ramdev, Baba Ram Rahim Insaan, Putuparthi Sai Baba, and of course the man who is much in the news Sri Sri Ravishankar. So what is that makes Hindus create more godmen than other religions?
There could be two reasons. First, the absence of a single organisation, or holy book that is the final word for the Hindus. The Hindus have over 300 gods, and more than a dozen holy books.
What is even more interesting is that many of the holy books themselves have more than one version, with different stories and story endings. So there are several versions of the Ramayana; there are apocryphal Upanishads, there are several versions of stories in the Mahabharata. The list could go on. Thus, each Hindu is actually free to choose the stories he likes, and the interpretations that agree with him. That could explain why there are so many sects and sub-sects in Hinduism.
Thus, notwithstanding the shrill cries of the people who understand Hinduism least, there is no official version of Hinduism, and no accepted ultimate god.
But there is an even more pernicious reason for Hinduism spawning so many more godmen than other religions. It is the sheer inability of the existing godmen from the Hindu mainstream to market themselves. Thus the Shankaracharyas get fewer eyeballs than a Baba Ramdev. In fact, these holy men get almost no grant of land or other benefits from the government that the newly emerged godmen get.
Compare this with the tracts of land that governments have given away to a Baba Ramdev (Maharashtra has agreed to give him some 200 acres in this state). Look at the land holdings of an Ma Amritamayi. One does not get to hear much of the lands that Swami Dhirendra Bhramachari had converted into a major ashram during the days when he was powerful. Ditto with the grants that a Sri Sri Ravishankar enjoys whether it is permission to use wetlands along the Yamuna, or it is the use of armymen to work on a missionary basis (with no payment) on his site.
Is it because the mainstream holy men of Hinduism lack the skills or the willingness to promote their views? No, the real reason is that all the collections that the main temples get each day, the money is controlled by the government both state and central. The governments have done their best to ensure that Indias biggest temples are not allowed the flexibility or liberty to spend the money the way they want to.
For instance, one temple might want to set up homes for the elderly. Another temple trust may want to set up meditation halls. A third may decide to focus on medicare.
For instance, the Nirankari sect has a mission in the suburbs of Mumbai, where it offers its devotees medical (pathological) tests at nominal costs. A blood test costs Rs 10. An X-ray costs Rs 25. It comes, therefore, as no surprise that more followers visit the pravachans of the Nirankari sect than they do the bigger temples. There is convenience (near their place of residence), and there is relevance (their health care needs are met). And there is a new community that is being formed, which is what draws people together, and worship the visionary.
Each of these methods would make the temple a lot more relevant to the communities they serve and relate to. In fact, the priests of Tirupati, Sabarimalai, Vaishnodevi, Shirdi and a host of other temples would be delighted to increase their relevance to the community. But they cannot, because the community leaders are not allowed to decide how the funds should be used. It is normally a government appointee who enjoys these powers.
The result: mainstream religious heads get marginalised. And in the resultant vacuum, politicians prop up other godmen and allow them the freedom to use their devotees contributions the way they want. Politicians have a vested interest in doing this. The godmen attract followers. And the followers are persuaded to vote for a particular party. Thus politically propped up godmen grow in stature and in collections (in percentage terms) than mainstream holy men (who refuse to call themselves godmen).
This is sad. Remember, a politician who props up godmen has a five-year vision how to create votebanks for the next election. If a godman fails in achieving this objective, you can be certain that a new godman will be created.
If a politician has a five-year horizon, the bureaucrat is only marginally better. He looks to a sinecure of around 20 years, by when he will be eased out, or will pass his time on earth.
This is in sharp contrast to genuine community leaders who have a vision of 200-300 years for the community they serve. That, in many ways, explains why you will not find a single Sikh beggar on the streets (ditto with the Parsis).
True such leaders make mistakes. But communities have an auto-correct facility, which allows them to redress grievances, and ensure that the flock stays together. The best of community leaders call them holy men or any other name try to focus on community development programmes. This could be education (most crucial of all), community welfare or even community health.
It is worth remembering that the Tirumalai Trusts, which control the cluster of temples that comprise the Tirupati holy shrines once ran some of the best educational institutions in India.
However, ever since the government took control of the temple trust, the educational standards that these institutions used to cherish began to crumble and the colleges and schools have lost much of their reputation.
Against this fading glory, you have the newly arisen godmen who become the favoured few. Till, of course, the political dispensation changes.
Can this be stopped? Of course. Even the Supreme Court is against the government trying to control temple trusts.
Next: Part II The Supreme Court attempts to rescue temples
So, it turns out that 'hum do hamare do' as a slogan for family planning may just have become slightly outdated in Indian cities. The fertility rate in urban India in urban areas has dropped below two births per woman after the year 2010, according to government data.
At present, the fertility rate in urban India is 1.8 births per woman, which is lower than our colonial masters the United Kingdom, the United States and France, as per a report by The Times of India. So maybe, just maybe, all those sanskari Alok Nath films at the turn of the century had their intended effect after all.
And you thought this was good news? On the contrary, this is very worrisome news indeed. Last year, Sakshi Maharaj, the wise MP from Unnao and the BJP's 'fringe element'-in-chief, had issued a clarion call to Hindus to produce at least four children to protect Hinduism. From the looks of things, it appears that the bharatiya naari is part of a sinister conspiracy against Hinduism. In these dark ages, women don't even listen to the venerable gurujis of the Great Indian Family on how many children they must produce. The nerve!
Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand are the only few 'patriotic' states which have a fertility rate of more than 2.1 births per woman. This is the magic figure below which the population begin to decline, as per a report by The Hindu. Even (gasp) the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat fails to make the cut, with two births per woman. This puts the state's claim of being the laboratory of the great Hindutva experiment in serious peril.
More worryingly, even rural India appears to be veering from the four-child norm laid down by our Hindutva gladiators. According to data cited by The Times of India, the fertility rate in rural areas has fallen from 5.4 births to 2.5 births for every woman. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat may believe rural India remains steeped in wholesome Indian values and has not been swayed by poisonous western concepts like family planning. However, these statistics indicate that his optimism may be misplaced.
With the ideal of 'hum do humare do' fast becoming obsolete, it appears that Sakshi Maharaj has reason to be very, very worried.
The negotiations over the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets have enered the "final stages" as both India and France have managed to narrow down their differences over the pricing.
Government sources said that the deal has not been concluded yet but it is in "final stages".
The development came nearly four months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande signed a memorandum of agreement (MoU) to purchase 36 Rafale combat jets.
The Indian side has been negotiating hard to bring down the price of the Rafale deal.
Sources said the price for 36 Rafales, as per the UPA tender, keeping the cost escalation and dollar rate in mind, comes to a little over Rs 65,000 crore. This includes the cost involved in making changes India has sought in the aircraft, including Israeli helmet mounted display and some specific weaponry, among others.
"The effort is to bring down the price to less than Euros 8 billion (Rs 59,000 crore)," the sources said.
Sources said the French have more or less agreed to Indian terms.
The expectation is that the final deal will be clinched by May-end.
The deal comes with the clause of delivering 50 per cent offsets, creating business worth at least 3 billion Euros for smaller Indian companies and creating thousands of new jobs in India through the offsets.
In fact, the toughest phase in the negotiations that began in July 2015 - three months after Modi announced in Paris India's plan to purchase 36 Rafale jets - was to get the French to agree to 50 per cent offsets in the deal.
Initially, Dassault Aviation was willing to agree to reinvest only 30 per cent of the value of its contract in Indian entities to meet the offset obligations.
The French side finally agreed to invest 50 per cent of the value following a phone conversation between Modi and Hollande late last year.
The commercial negotiations, as in the pricing of the planes, equipment and other issues, actually began only in mid-January this year.
Under the proposed deal, French companies apart from Dassault Aviation, will provide several aeronautics, electronics and micro-electronics technologies to comply with the offset obligation.
Companies like Safran and Thales will join Dassault in providing state-of-art technologies in stealth, radar, thrust vectoring for missiles and materials for electronics and micro-electronics.
One of the key witnesses of the Murthal gangrapes, which allegedly took place during the Jat agitation, is claiming that he has been subjected to intimidation through 'threatening phone calls', bringing the ongoing the investigation in the case under a cloud.
ANI reported that the witness, Bobby Joshi, said that he received a call threatening him with dire consequences for speaking on the matter.
Joshi is said to have claimed that the caller said that he is 'speaking too much,' and that following the call, he complained to a senior police official.
In an interview to CNN-IBN on Friday, Joshi said that he remained unfazed by the threats and would stick to the statement he gave to the police earlier.
"I informed the police 2 days ago that I had seen some boys burning vehicles and harass two women from Ludhiana," Joshi told CNN-IBN.
"I saw the women being forced towards the farms but they somehow managed to escape. Later, I guided these women to a nearby dhaba to ensure their safety," he added.
The Haryana Government had initially told the court that no incidents of rape or molestation had taken place. However, subsequently, the Punjab and Haryana High Court censured the Haryana Police for suppressing facts related to the alleged Murthal gang rapes, ANI reported.
Later, the Haryana police, which had also earlier said that no rapes took place during the nine-day Jat agitation, told the court that they were investigating two complaints filed by alleged rape victims.
On Monday, The Times of India reported that a High Court judge had taken suo motu notice of the alleged incidents of rape, following the complaint filed by Joshi, following which the case was brought before the High Court.
Also, new charges under Section 376 (D) (gang rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) were added to the FIR, after two anonymous letters were received by the state government, from an NRI woman from Australia and a girl student from Faridabad, who were allegedly raped on the highway near Murthal during the quota agitation, the report said.
Jats in Haryana have demanded inclusion into the OBC category in order to get the reservation benefits. By 26 February, the protests were estimated to have caused 30 deaths and over 200 injuries, with economic losses due to the protests in Haryana estimated at Rs. 20,000 crore, as per an IANS report put up by NDTV.
With input from agencies
Thrissur (Kerala): Thrissur Pooram will be celebrated in line with the guidelines issued by the High Court to ensure safety and security and without losing the essence of its tradition, beauty and culture, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said on Friday.
"Safety and security is a very important matter," Chandy said a day after the Kerala High Court allowed low-decibel fireworks display in the night during the Pooram festival, exempting it from the ban imposed in the wake of 10 April Kollam Puttingal Devi temple tragedy, that claimed 108 lives.
Chandy held a review meeting with Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, Thrissur district administration and office-bearers of Pooram organising committee Friday morning during which the preparations for the festival were analysed.
"Government will continue to extend its full support to the Pooram festival," Chandy said after the meeting.
Chennithala said the meeting decided to organise the Pooram as it was organised in previous years.
Fireworks display, procession of majestically caparisoned elephants and changing of sequined parasols are the major attractions of Pooram festival.
Chennithala appealed to the people to follow the guidelines issued by the High Court and the district administration for the smooth conduct of the festival.
"There will be strict restrictions in place for this year's Pooram festival," Chennithala said.
Thrissur is best known for its Pooram festival and is the most colourful and spectacular temple festivals of Kerala.
Devotees and spectators from all parts of the state and outside throng the venue of the Pooram.
Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi Devaswoms conduct the festival on the grounds of the Vadakkunnathan Temple in the heart of Thrissur city.
Chennithala said the government is planning to suggest laser fireworks which add light, colour and texture to any event for Thrissur Pooram instead of noise making traditional fireworks.
"We have sought the cooperation of Devaswoms in this regard," he said.
On Thursday, the Kerala High Court had ordered that no unauthorised chemicals should be used in the fireworks and the sound level should not exceed 125 decibel for the Pooram fireworks.
The bench was hearing a plea by the private Paramekkavu and Thirvambadi Devaswoms, which fund the annual Pooram festival. The ongoing festival will come to an end on 18 April.
Everybody is talking about how Kerala will continue to allow temples and churches to burst crackers but without competitions. But there is not a word about how Indian Mujahideen (IM) gets its kalungii Mujahideens code word for explosives from Kerala.
On Friday, Keralas political parties went through the motions of discussing the matter of banning fireworks at festivals. And as expected, the all-party meeting bowed to the sentiments of religion and compulsions of elections, and said fireworks displays could go on under regulations but fireworks competitions would be banned.
With Keralas police chief having already gone on record saying that it will be difficult to enforce regulations, its clear that cracker shows will go on as usual. There are others who argue that it will be tough to distinguish between a display and a competition, and the latter can always be easily masqueraded as the former, especially if the officers look the other way.
But during the entire, elaborate exercise of hair-pulling over whether to ban the firecrackers or not, not a single precious word was uttered by anyone in power on the flourishing illegal trade in explosive substances that goes on in Kerala. And no one has even thought it fit to mention that some of these explosive substances, used in the making of bombs, have been falling into the hands of Mujahideen terrorists.
There is nothing to suggest that the 10 April disaster at the Puttingal Devi temple near Kollam in Kerala, that killed 116 people, was the handiwork of terrorists. Everything, on the other hand, points to the clumsy handling of the lethal firecrackers. But it is common knowledge in the intelligence community that terrorists, especially those of the IM brand, have little difficulty procuring explosive substances from within the country. Those who investigated terror blasts in the past across India suspect that Kerala is a prime source for Mujahideen for its kalungii.
There are many explosive substances that are used in the making of firecrackers, fertilisers, explosives for quarryingand bombs for killing people. Potassium nitrate, for instance, is used in fertilisers and fireworks. But it is also one of the major ingredients in gunpowder or blackpowder. And the blasting gelatin or jelly, invented by Alfred Nobel, is made of, among other things, saltpetre (sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate).
Ammonium nitrate, used predominantly as a fertiliser, is also used in mining and the making of bombs or Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Investigators say this chemical is a favourite among Mujahideen terrorists.
Prodded by the National Security Agency (NSA), Keralas director-general of police sent a circular to his officers on 13 September, 2011. It said: It is recommended that a certain level of control on explosives need to be put in place. In addition, there must be measures to prevent the easy availability of explosives to undesirable elements who may misuse them. A special cell is therefore constituted at Police Headquarters to monitor matters relating to the use or misuse of the explosives.
And not a word was heard fromor aboutthis special cell ever since, even in the aftermath of the Kollam temple tragedy.
On the other hand, investigations into the blasts in Hyderabad on 21 February, 2013 that killed 17 people and injured 119, said that the ammonium nitrate that was used in the bombs may have come from Kerala.
A close look at the past blasts clearly shows that the terrorists spent more time on reconnaissance and planning than on getting their explosives, which was easy. The charge sheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the Hyderabad blasts case shows that Mujahideen operatives discuss the procurement of explosives with the same ease as housewives talk about buying tomatoes. Some excerpts from the charge sheet:
In January 2013, Riyaz Bhatkal (A-1) informed Asadullah Akhtar (A-2) through an internet chat that in a few days explosive material would be delivered in Mangalore and Asadullah Akhtar (A-2) was directed to carry out blasts in Hyderabad along with Waqas (A-3) and Tahseen Akhtar (A-4). As planned earlier, Asadullah Akhtar (A-2) received the explosive material from an unknown person in a golden colour trolley bag.
The material was delivered near Unity Health Centre, Mangalore. Investigation has further established that, after receiving the explosives, Asadullah Akhtar (A-2) took the explosive material to their rented flat in Zephyr Heights Apartments. They checked the trolley bag and found to be containing 300 tubes of semi-solid pinkish coloured ANFO (ammonium nitrate oil fuel) of 100 grams each, and 50 numbers of detonators.
During an internet chat with Riyaz on December 30, 2012, Yasin asked him about the stage of preparation of the blasts to be conducted, to which Riyaz replied that the explosives were expected in a weeks time . . . Riyaz further mentioned that the explosives were to be collected from the supplier of Mumbai Blasts of July 13, 2011, and that there was a different supplier for the Pune 1st Aug, 2012 blast. Yasin said that white gelatin was good for explosion, and that red was not good.
Since explosive substances have legitimate uses as well, there are 1) those who make them under license 2) dealers who sell them and 3) users who buy them. Terrorists can lay their hands on the chemicals they want from any one of these three illegally. Often, huge amounts of substances have been reported stolen.
The authorities no doubt need to keep an eye on the temples and churches in Kerala that use or misuse firecrackers. What demands a closer scrutiny is IndiasKeralas in particularflourishing explosives trade that has become a source of raw material for deadly terror bombs.
Mumbai: Around 50 school students were on Thursday taken ill allegedly after they had consumed food packets served to them during an event that was held simultaneously at four city colleges, police said.
The event had been organised by Indian International Model United Nations (IIMUN) at Thadomal Shahani College in Bandra, KC College in Churchgate, Lala Lajpatrai College in Haji Ali and Whistling Woods College, they said.
"Around 1,400 students of Class VIII to X from various schools took part in the event. During the event, at around 12.30 PM food packets were served to students," a police officer said.
The aim of the event was to make a pitch for a permanent seat for India in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
At Thadomal Shahani College, five students started vomiting after consuming the food. While three of them were taken to Hinduja Hospital in Khar, two were rushed to Holy family hospital in Bandra. Two of these students were subsequently discharged, police said.
At Lala Lajpatrai College, around 12 students were taken ill after consuming the food and were rushed to Breach Candy hospital, Bhatiya Hospital and Jaslok hospital.
"All of them are out of danger," police said, adding that students who participated in KC College and Whistling Woods College also complained of uneasiness after consuming the food.
Police said they are probing the case but refused to share further details.
Talking about the incident, IIMUN, founder and president, Rishabh Shah said, "The students were going to be treated to food from an Indian multinational company that delivers home-style food to corporates and schools. They served rice and dal makhani but the rice was stale and dal was sour."
He claimed that "the food, instead of being made at four centres as promised, was made in Thane before it was sent".
India figured among 10 countries that saw that largest declines in happiness levels between 2005-07 and 2013-15, according to a report released last month.
The World Happiness Report ranked 156 countries based on the analysis of six factors by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UNSDSN).
Other countries with highest declines in happiness include Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and Yemen. Italy and Spain also figured in this list.
Nicaragua had the largest increase in happiness levels during this period, followed by Sierra Leone, Ecuador, Moldova and Latvia. Israel and Palestinian territories also had an increase in their happiness levels.
The report, however, acknowledges that the case of Indias decline in happiness is unexplained by the model.
The largest regional drop (-0.6 points) was in South Asia, in which India has by far the largest population share, and is unexplained by the model, which shows an expected gain based on improvements in five of the six variables, offset by a drop in social support, the report said.
The report ranks countries on the basis of a scale of 0 to 10with the worst possible life as a 0 and the best possible life as a 10 on six factors: Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, healthy years of life expectancy, social support (as measured by having someone to count on in times of trouble), trust (as measured by a perceived absence of corruption in government and business), perceived freedom to make life decisions, and generosity (as measured by recent donations).
The rating for the subjective factors was based on questions in the Gallup World Poll (GWP) asked of more than 1,000 people in each country.
India had a score of 4.404, much below the global average of 5.382, and was ranked 118thone below last years ranking. Denmark, with a score of 7.526, was rated as the happiest country, while Burundi at 2.905 was rated the least happy. Half the countries had a score more than 5.314.
Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Pakistan happier than India
Among neighbours, India did better only than Myanmar (119th with 4.395); Pakistan was ranked 92nd with a score of 5.132 while Nepal stood 107th with 4.793, Bangladesh at 110th with 4.643, and Sri Lanka at 117th with 4.415.
Increasingly, happiness is considered to be the proper measure of social progress and the goal of public policy, the report published last month said.
India lags Saudi Arabia (34th), Uzbekistan (49th), Kazakhstan (54th), Somalia (76th), Iran (105th) and Palestinian Territories (108th).
Even among the BRICS nations, India stood lastbehind Brazil (17th) with 6.952, Russia (56th) with 5.856, China (83rd) with 6.952, and South Africa (116th) with 4.459.
India and South Africa are the only BRICS countries that saw a decline in the happiness levels from 2005-07 to 2013-15.
Iraq, Yemen, Egypt had better social support than India
In GDP per capita, India was ranked 111th, much behind Brazil (69th), Russia (47th), China (79th) and South Africa (80th).
In terms of healthy life expectancydefined as the average equivalent number of years of full health that a newborn could expect to liveIndia (59.07 years) did better only than South Africa (50.14 years) among the BRICS nations.
China (68.59 years), Brazil (64.59 years) and Russia (64.08 years) figured way ahead.
In terms of social support, India did better than only 10 countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Syria. Iraq, Yemen and Egypt fared better than India.
India was ranked 75th in terms of freedom to make life choices, and 64th in generosity.
In terms of trust, which was measured based on the perceived absence of corruption, India stood 90th, behind countries including Libya, Iraq, Somalia, Syria, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Canada 6th, Russia 56th: How the big countries fared
Among the G8 nations, Canada ranked the highest (6th) while Russia ranked the lowest (56th).
Israel (11th) was ranked higher than the United States. The United Arab Emirates (29th) fared better than four of the G8 countries. Saudi Arabia, at 34th, fared better than Italy, Japan and Russia.
(Madhavapeddi is a desk editor at IndiaSpend.)
(IndiaSpend.com is a data-driven, public-interest journalism non-profit)
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Firstpost's Debobrat Ghose takes a Metro ride up to ITO - one of the busiest locations in Delhi. Despite a holiday, many families are either on an outing, visiting temples or their relatives. A member of the Joshi family told Firstpost: "We boarded the Metro from Kailash Colony as we are going to Dwarka to meet my parents and elder brother's family. We had a very bad experience with autorickshaws today. Despite putting 'On Duty' board, 15 autorickshaw drivers refused to take us. It is so disturbing. Moreover, they are acting pricey. Everyday, I pay Rs 30 from my residence to the Metro station. But today, they asked for Rs 50 to 60. Odd-even drive is good, but the Delhi government must ensure proper functioning of autos. Refusal has increased and due to this common man is suffering. Public transportation has to improve."
A lot of NCR commuters are in favour of the road space rationing and want the odd-even scheme to become permanent, i.e. 15 days a month. "I travel every day from Gurugram to Delhi, I am very much in favour of the odd-even scheme. I save one hour of my travel. I wish if it can be done on a permanent basis," said Geeta Sharma, a resident of Gurugram who travels to Hauz Khas for work.
Devendra Kumar, a Civil Defence volunteer, has been standing near Pragati Maidan since 6 am. He has stopped two violators and gave them roses and pamphlets and urged them to follow the odd-even rule.
An even number car was spotted and stopped by a traffic cop and challaned near Gate Number One Pragati Maidan. A traffic cop said, "We want the scheme to be made permanent. We only know what all we have to face while managing the traffic during office hours." He has challaned four people since morning.
An even number car was spotted and stopped by a traffic cop and challaned near Gate Number One Pragati Maidan. A traffic cop said, "We want the scheme to be made permanent. We only know what all we have to face while managing the traffic during office hours." He has challaned four people since morning.
Oh what a relief..odd-even is back! Make the best o it DilliValloh!& fr this at least let's 'Thx' AK hugely!No harm n acknowledging w/grace!
It was a smooth start to the odd-even phase 2. It got a good response on day one, with some people even saying that the scheme should be made permanent.
While most of the roads was less congested on Friday, motorists near the AIIMS flyover witnessed heavy traffic.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Friday said that the Delhi government's odd-even scheme is an attempt to fool people into believing that it is working. Dikshit told ANI that the scheme will not benefit the people of Delhi as there is no adequate public transport.
It was a slow day for the Delhi autorickshaw drivers at Rajiv Chowk in Connaught Place on Friday. Auto drivers wait outside Metro station hoping to get passengers.
The odd-even experiment, aimed at curbing air pollution, will once again play out in Delhi roads from Friday, taking cars whose registration numbers end with even numbers off roads on the first day of its fortnight long implementation. However, not much rush is expected, Friday being a public holiday on account of Ramnavami.
One of the new exemptions in the second phase of the odd-even scheme is that vehicles ferrying children in school uniform will be exempted from the odd-even rule but there are concerns about what will happen when the car is on its way back after dropping the child.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the government has not been able to arrive at a solution to the problem of cars returning after dropping school children and suggested car pooling.
Kejriwal said the government has exempted vehicles carrying children in school uniform during the second phase of odd even which could pose difficulty and suggest car-pooling with neighbours to avoid problems.
"We gave it a lot of thought but no solution could be found. It will cause some problems but vehicles could be shared with neighbours," the Chief Minister said.
Kejriwal said the implementation of the odd even scheme in January did not reduce pollution "as much as expected" but it significantly helped reduce traffic congestion in the city.
The Delhi government, which has projected the second phase of the road-rationing policy as the "decisive" one, said that 2,000 traffic personnel, 580 enforcement officials and over 5,000 civil defence volunteers are being deployed for its smooth implementation.
Violators will be fined Rs 2,000 in accordance with relevant section of the Motor Vehicles Act and the scheme will not be implemented on Sundays.
Two hundred metro trains will make around 3,248 trips daily during the next fortnight, a rise of about 56 trips over the existing arrangements, DMRC has said. Fifteen additional feeder buses will also leave from stations across the city.
About 2,000 officials of Delhi Traffic Police will be deployed on roads daily. The traffic department has identified 200 intersections in the city where their personnel will be deployed in teams, with their sizes depending upon the volume of traffic in those intersections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Maritime India Summit on Thursday and praised Dr BR Ambedkar, calling him "the architect of the water and river navigation policy in India".
"There is a reason why this important Summit has been organised today, on 14th April 2016. Today is 125th anniversary of a great son of India: Dr BR Ambedkar," said PM Modi.
He said that Ambedkar had emphasised on creating a new waterways policy for India. "Many of us may not know that Babasaheb created two powerful institutions related to water, navigation and power. They were the Central Waterways, Irrigation and Navigation Commission and The Central Technical Power Board. Dr Ambedkar emphasised importance of new waterways policy to lay the foundation for a regime of prosperity for millions of poor of India," he said. "We have embarked on the development of National Waterways in keeping with Babasahebs vision and foresight," the PM added.
The Prime Minister also claimed that India was the fastest growing economy in the world today. "With a GDP growth rate of more than seven percent, India is the fastest growing major economy today," he said.
"We Indians are inheritors of a glorious maritime heritage. It is my governments endeavour to revive and restore Indias position of eminence in the global maritime sector," Modi said.
"In the very early days of our government, we announced the Sagarmala programme...We want to modernise ports and integrate them with SEZs, port-based smart cities, industrial parks, warehouses, logistics parks," he said. "Our maritime agenda will complement this ambitious infrastructure plan for the hinterland which is going on at the same time," he said.
"Long coastline of India along with diverse coastal regions and hard working coastal communities can become an engine of growth of India. Our vast coastline of 7,500 km offers a huge investment opportunity," said the PM.
Modi also said that the year 2015-16 saw the highest-ever FDI inflow into India and that Moody's had recently appreciated the 'Make In India' programme.
"Our vision is to increase port capacity from one thousand, four hundred million tonnes to three thousand million tonnes by 2025," he said.
Our vision is to increase port capacity from one thousand, four hundred million tonnes to three thousand million tonnes by 2025: PM PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 14, 2016
"With more than 14,000 km of navigable inland waterways, there is tremendous potential for development," said the PM.
"Private ports have been growing at a very healthy pace and have nearly doubled their capacity in the last five years," he said. "The maritime sector not only creates and facilitates economic activities; it also connects countries and civilisations," he added.
The PM added that 18 percent of the population in India lived in 72 coastal districts.
Finally, Prime Minister Modi ended his speech by saying, "It is the right time to come to India, an even better time to come through the sea route."
At the three-day summit, agreements entailing investments of over Rs 82,000 crore will be signed, Union Shipping and Ports Minister Nitin Gadkari had said, adding this includes 35 concession agreements of Rs 5,900 crore, 20 work orders of Rs 8,250 crore and 86 MoUs involving an investment of over Rs 68,700 crore.
More than a dozen Union ministers are expected to address the summit, for which 3,000 delegates, including 300 from 41 countries, have registered, he said. Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat will also be present.
Being held at NSE Grounds in suburban Goregaon, the summit will have 13 technical sessions, 200 exhibitors and 52 participants from South Korea, which is the partner country for the event.
It will also have a museum resembling a ship displaying the maritime history of the country, made by art director Nitin Desai.
India and South Korea also signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation and mutual assistance in the port sector, Gadkari said
Watch Modi's inauguration speech here:
You can read PM Modi's full speech here:
Hon. Governor of Maharashtra;
Hon. Chief Minister of Maharashtra;
His Excellency Mr. Kim Young-Suk, Minister of the Republic of Korea
Our Union Minister for Shipping, Mr. Nitin Gadkari
Other Dignitaries on the dais;
Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen!
I have great pleasure in being with you and welcoming you at the Maritime India Summit. This is the first time that a global event of such a large scale is being organised by India. I extend a warm welcome to all the esteemed guests attending this event in the maritime hub of India. I am sure, this event; together with the seminars and exhibition, will showcase the emerging trends and opportunities in the maritime sector.
We all know that oceans cover more than seventy percent of the Earth's surface. We also know that oceans contain ninety-seven percent of the Earth's water. Therefore, maritime transport can be the most extensive mode of transport. It is also the most eco-friendly mode of transport. However, there is one more aspect to this fact. Which is that, oceans contain ninety nine percent of the living space on the planet. This means that our lifestyle, transport systems and trading behavior should not spoil the ecology of the oceans. Also, maritime security, freedom of navigation and safety and security of sea lanes is equally important.
The challenges of climate change have shown that even offshore human behavior can change the ecology of glaciers and oceans. This is already causing a lot of concern for island countries and coastal communities in particular. I hope this summit will deliberate on these issues while discussing economic issues related with oceans. The elimination of sea piracy, which was a big threat to international shipping a few years ago, is a good example of how joint efforts by maritime nations can achieve outstanding results.
Friends! There is a reason why this important Summit has been organised today, on the 14th of April 2016. Today is the 125th birth anniversary of a great son of India who also lived and worked in Mumbai. I am referring to Dr. B.R.Ambedkar, who was the architect of our Constitution. He is also the architect of the water and river navigation policy in India. I offer my profound respects to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on this auspicious day. I also wish and pray that his wisdom continues to guide us in our efforts towards nation building.
Many of us may not know that Babasaheb created two powerful institutions related to water, navigation and power. They were: The Central Waterways, Irrigation and Navigation Commission and The Central Technical Power Board. His observations while setting up these two organizations is a testimony to his great foresight.
I quote from his address on 3rd January, 1945:
The objects which have led to the setting up of two organizations are to advise on how the water resources can be best utilized and how a project can be made to serve purposes other than irrigation.
Dr Ambedkar had emphasized the importance of the new waterways policy in order to lay the foundation for a regime of prosperity for the millions of poor of our country. I am happy to state that we have embarked on the development of National Waterways in keeping with Babasahebs vision and foresight. With a GDP growth rate of more than seven percent, India is the fastest growing major economy today. The IMF and the World Bank have indicated even better prospects in the days to come. We are taking aggressive steps to ensure that our process of growth is both fast as well as inclusive. This summit is another step to realize Babasahebs dream of an economically strong, socially empowered and technologically equipped India.
I understand that more than 4500 dignitaries and delegates from around forty countries are participating in this Summit. I am particularly happy that the Republic of Korea is the Partner Country for this event. I thank the President of Korea and also the senior Minister, Mr. Kim Young-Suk who is present here.
Friends! We Indians are inheritors of a glorious maritime heritage. The worlds first dock was built at Lothal in Gujarat around 2500 BC during the Harappan Civilisation. This dock was equipped to berth and service ships. It was built after studying tidal flows.
In addition to Lothal, there were also some other Indian ports, which were major drivers of global maritime trade two thousand years ago. These included:
Barygaza - which today is known as Bharuch in Gujarat;
Muziris which today is known as Kodungallur near Cochin in Kerala;
Korkai which is todays Tuticorin;
Kaveripattinam which is in Nagapattanam District of Tamil Nadu;
and Arikamedu which is in Ariyankuppam District of Puducherry
There are many references in ancient Indian literature and in Greek and Roman works about the vibrant maritime trade of India with Rome, Greece, Egypt and Arabia. Ancient and medieval Indian traders maintained links with countries in Southeast and East Asia, Africa, Arabia and Europe.
Friends! Since my government took over, among other things, we have laid emphasis on building futuristicinfrastructure. This includes building next generation infrastructure in many sectors. Port, Shipping and Maritime infrastructure is prominent among them. It is my Governments endeavour to revive and restore Indias position of eminence in the global maritime sector.
Building upon our glorious maritime tradition, we are working hard to achieve new heights in this area. In the very early days of our Government, we announced the Sagarmala programme. This is aimed at leveraging our long coastline and natural maritime advantages. It also focuses on promoting port led development, energizing the coastal economy and infrastructure development in these areas. We particularly want to modernize our ports and integrate them with Special Economic Zones, Port based Smart Cities, Industrial Parks, Warehouses, Logistics Parks and Transport Corridors.
I must mention that our vast coastline of 7500 kilometers offers a huge investment opportunity. Apart from the length of the coastline, India's maritime potential also lies in its strategic location on all major shipping highways. In addition, we have an expansive and productive hinterland, through which flows a network of mighty rivers. Our maritime agenda will complement this ambitious infrastructure plan for the hinterland which is going on in parallel.
I call upon the global business community to partner with us to give shape to our process of port led development. I amsure, the long coastline of India along with diverse coastal regions and hard working coastal communities can become an engine of growth of India.
To enable the growth of the port and related sectors, we have carried out several reforms and taken a number of new initiatives.
Under our Make in India approach, we have taken many steps to make India a global manufacturing hub;
Recently MOODYs has appreciated the Make in India initiative;
We have done a lot of corrections on the front of Ease of doing business - we have jumped up 12 ranks in World Banks ranking;
A lot of simplification has happened in the processes for cross border trade;
We have greatly liberalized the licensing regimes; This also includes the defence sector and ship building therein;
We have taken almost sixty per cent of the defence items out of the licensing process
Most of the FDI sectors are now put on automatic approval route;
Shipyards are being given Infrastructure status; at par with the ports;
Rebate of service tax on coastal shipping has been increased to seventy per cent;
We have granted customs duty and central excise exemption on inputs used in ship building;
A scheme of financial assistance to promote ship building has been approved;
Customs and central excise duties have been exempted on bunker fuel for Indian flagged container ships;
Tax issues of sea farers have been resolved;
A new company by the name of Indian Port Rail Corporation, has been established to focus on the last mile connectivity to ports.
We have enacted a legislation for declaring one hundred and eleven waterways as National Waterways-1.
We have taken up skill development activities aggressively.
The results of our initial efforts are clearly visible:
FDI inflows have gone up by 44 per cent since this government took over. In fact, the year 2015-16 has seen the highest ever FDI inflow into India;
Indias highest ever quantity of cargo handled by major ports was in 2015;
The port efficiency parameters have shown very good improvement;
Indias fastest average turnaround time in ports was in 2015;
In the last two years, our Major Ports have added 165 million tonne capacity with record additions each year;
94 million tonne capacity was added by these ports in 2015-16 alone which is the highest ever;
The traffic in Major Ports has shown a healthy growth of more than four per cent in the last two years, despite global slowdown;
The performance of the Major Ports in the last two years has been remarkable;
Operating Profit margins which were declining, have increased;
In 2015-16 alone, the operating profit of the twelve Major Ports has increased by nearly 6.7 billion rupees;
During 2015-16, Kandla Port in Gujarat breached the one hundred million traffic landmark and displayed twenty per cent improvement in efficiency.
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust registered a net profit of ten billion rupees helped by a twelve per cent increase in efficiency.
Our flagship companies like the Shipping Corporation, Dredging Corporation and the Cochin Shipyard have registered higher profits as compared to the previous year.
However, this is just the beginning. We want to do more. We are enhancing our own capacities of execution and implementation. The National Perspective Plan of the Sagarmala Programme has been released today. During the last two years, major ports have awarded 56 new Projects involving an investment of more than 250 billion rupees. This will create an additional port capacity of 317 million tonnes per annum. Our vision is to increase port capacity from 1400 million tonnes to 3000 million tonnes by 2025. We want to mobilize an investment of one lakh crore, or one trillion rupees, in the Port Sector to enable this growth. Five new ports are planned to meet the increasing demand of the Exim trade which will rise in proportion with the fast-growing Indian economy. New ports are also being developed by several coastal States of India.
The multiple measures to promote Coastal Shipping coupled with the anticipated rise in domestic production of coal, is expected to enhance coastal transportation of coal by at least four fold by 2025. We are engaging with our immediate and regional neighbours to promote shipping and maritime security. Recently India has signed a Coastal Shipping Agreement with Bangladesh which will be mutually beneficial. India is also engaged in the development ofChahbahar Port in Iran. A special purpose vehicle by the name India Ports Global Limited has been established to take up Maritime Projects overseas.
I am informed that the Ministry of Shipping is showcasing about 250 projects with investment opportunity in the Maritime Sector. These projects include various infrastructure development opportunities in 12 Major Ports, projects in eight maritime states and other agencies. Of these, over 100 projects have been identified under the SagarmalaProgramme. With more than 14,000 kilometers of navigable inland waterways in the country, there is tremendous potential for development in this sector. My Government is committed to integration in infrastructure. We are also committed to creating an enabling environment for investors and to facilitate investments with an open mind.
Friends! All this is being done to benefit the common man. This is being done to provide employment to the youth. This is particularly being done to empower coastal communities. Approximately eighteen percent of Indias population lives in 72 coastal districts. It comprises twelve percent of Indias landmass. Therefore, there is a need for holistic and sustainable development of coastal regions and communities. Development of coastal communities especially fishermen requires an integrated approach. As part of the Sagarmala programme, we will adopt a comprehensive approach with focus on capacity building and training, upgrading of technology and for improving physical and social infrastructure. This will be done in collaboration with the coastal states.
These initiatives will create employment opportunities of approximately ten million jobs over the next ten years. This includes four million direct and six million indirect jobs. To broaden livelihood opportunities further, we are planning to deploy modern and sophisticated fishing vessels. This would enable them to harness resources in Indias Exclusive Economic Zone. In addition, we are also focusing on value addition in fisheries, aquaculture and cold chain development.
The Port Sector in India is a good mix of Private and Public Ports, with both contributing to the growth of the sector. The PPP model of development has been quite successful in this sector and has helped in bringing latest technology and best practices. Private Ports have been growing at a very healthy pace and have nearly doubled their capacity in the last 5 years. They handle around 45 per cent of the total cargo. Most of these Ports are new, with modern facilities and can match the best international Ports in terms of performance and infrastructure.
Friends! India has had a glorious maritime history. We are on the path of shaping an even better maritime future. The maritime sector not only creates and facilitates economic activities; it also connects countries and civilizations. Moreover, it is the cleanest and cheapest carrier of global trade. Investing in maritime sector is not only investing in ones own future; but in the future of the planet and that of coming generations. However, in this sector, no country can achieve the desired results in isolation. Nations have to collaborate to realize this potential and to overcome challenges in this sector. The objective of this Summit is to provide a platform and forum for such cooperation.
To conclude, I would like to say that:
This is the right time to come to India;
It is even better to come through the sea route;
The Indian ship is well equipped for a long haul;
Dont miss it;
Missing it means missing a pleasant journey and a great destination.
Once you are here, I assure you that I will personally hold your hands to see that your berthing is safe, secure and satisfactory.
Thank You!
With inputs from PTI
Kolkata: The Election Commission has issued a show cause notice to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for violation of the model code of conduct, Chief Election Commissioner Naseem Zaidi said on Thursday.
"It has been brought to our notice that she made a promise of creation of Asansol district and also made certain other utterances, for which the showcause has been issued," Zaidi told the media.
"She also made some other utterances which violated the model code of conduct," he said.
Zaidi informed that future course of action will be decided after receiving reply from Banerjee.
An unfazed Banerjee, however, dared the Commission and said, "Do whatever you like".
"I heard that Election Commission has showcaused me. What I have said I will say it again, I will say it thousand times. I will say it a lakh times. Do whatever you like. If anyone spread canards against me I will seek answers," she said during an election meeting in Birbhum district.
"Election Commission has showcaused me on Bengali New Year today, people will showcause them on 19 May," she said.
The full bench of the Election Commission of India held day-long meetings with police and administration officials and also met delegations from various political parties ahead of the third phase of the state assembly polls scheduled for 17 April.
With inputs from agencies
Kolkata: The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday transferred Birbhum SP Mukesh Kumar and the officers-in-charge of three police stations in the district following a review of poll preparedness in West Bengal, where Assembly elections are underway.
The move comes days after controversial Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar was removed from his post by the poll watchdog following complaints against him by the major opposition parties.
Birbhum votes in the second phase of the elections on Sunday.
Officials said the Commission decided to transfer these officers following an assessment of the poll preparedness and overall law and order situation as also representations made by the various political parties.
The Commission has ordered that Kumar will be replaced by Sabyasachi Mishra as the new Superintendent of Police in Birbhum.
The three other officers who have been transferred are the OCs of Bolpur, Mayureshwar and Labhpur police stations.
Earlier in the day, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi met the leaders of various political parties with Congress leaders lodging a complaint against the Birbhum SP during the interaction.
Trinamool Congress's controversial Birbhum district president Anubrata Mandal is already facing the ire of the poll watchdog, which is in the process of initiating legal action against him for allegedly violating the model code of conduct.
Opposition parties have accused Mandal of intimidating voters in the area.
United Nations: India took aim squarely against the use of secret vetoes to protect terrorists and their backers from UN sanctions, an action that China has repeatedly taken to provide cover for Pakistan-based terrorists and Islamabad.
That secrecy results in a lack of accountability and engenders impunity, India's Permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin said on Thursday facing the wielder of the secret vetoes, China's Permanent Representative Liu Jieyi, from across the Security Council chamber's horseshoe-shaped table. China is the Council's president for this month.
Each of the 15 members of the of the A1 Qaeda, Taliban and IS Sanctions Committees now has a veto and none outside the panels is told who wielded the veto in a specific instance, Akbaruddin told the Council debate Thursday on 'Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts.'
"The general membership of the UN is never ever formally informed of how and why requests for listing terrorists are not acceded to," he said. "Counter terror mechanisms such as the Sanctions Committees that act on behalf of the international community need to build trust not engender impunity by the use of this form of a 'hidden' veto."
Akbaruddin did not name China or Pakistan in his speech.
Although word does eventually gets out about who vetoed a measure, that country does not have to explain its action or publicly responsibility for it because of the official secrecy.
China has twice use the veto to protect Pakistan and terrorists based there.
Last month it prevented Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohamed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, who is behind the January Pathankot air force base attack, from being put on a sanctions list as a terrorist. And Beijing blocked New Delhi`s demand last year for taking action under the Council`s anti-terrorism resolutions against Pakistan for freeing Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the Lashkar-e-Taiba mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attack in which 166 people were killed.
Asked at a press conference about the latest veto, Liu blandly said Azhar did not meet "the Council's requirements" to be considered a terrorist.
Ironically Liu circulated a note to UN members ahead of Thursday's meeting that called for "avoiding double standards in the fight against terrorism."
"All acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable whenever, wherever and by whomsoever they are committed. Terrorism poses a global threat, from which no member state is exempt," his note said. "Cutting off the sources of terrorist financing; the disruption of financing channels is a vital and effective way to degrade and defeat ISIL and other terrorist organizations."
With China providing cover, Pakistan's Permanent Representative Maleeha Lodhi claimed that her country "is perhaps among the few countries, which has a ministerial-level committee to oversee the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions."
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon brought up the issue of state-sponsored terrorism. "We must also have the courage to address certain difficult situations, such as the support that violent extremists and terrorists may receive directly, indirectly and perhaps even unintentionally from governments," he said sitting next to Liu.
"We need to focus on implementing the relevant provisions of Security Council resolutions...and other resolutions and measures that sanction terrorist groups and individuals," Ban added.
Outlining the magnitude of the global problem, Akbaruddin said, "According to authoritative accounts 2,850 lives have been lost and nearly 4,500 others have been injured in terrorist related violence in 38 countries during the first three months of this year."
While terrorists have "mutated into hydra headed monsters" with an ever-growing footprint, "the international community's counter terrorism efforts are still in an embryonic form," he said.
To meet the challenge he called for the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. It has been stymied for over 20 years, mainly due to differences in defining what are terrorist organisations and who are terrorists. Some countries want exemption made for groups they consider to be "national liberation movements" rather than terrorist organisations, and terrorists they consider to be "freedom fighters."
GENEVA Syria's chief government negotiator sought on Friday to steer a new round of peace talks away from the political transition that U.N. mediators hope to promote, as increased fighting near Aleppo threatened to undermine a shaky truce.
Bashar Ja'afari said his focus was to submit amendments to a framework document for the talks, prompting accusations from the head of the opposition negotiating team that Damascus was "not serious" about seeking a political solution to the five-year conflict.
The Syrian government, buoyed by Russian and Iranian military support, arrived in Geneva six days after U.N. mediator Staffan de Mistura had hoped to begin negotiations.
The previous round of indirect talks ended on March 24, with de Mistura issuing a document on 12 guiding principles and vowing to shift the focus to a political transition, which the camp of President Bashar al-Assad has refused to discuss.
After almost two hours with de Mistura, Ja'afari told reporters that he had given the U.N. envoy amendments to his document and would wait for him and his team to "study in-depth" the paper over the weekend and submit it to other groups.
"We will once again discuss our proposal the next time we will meet on Monday," he said. Ja'afari declined to answer questions, and de Mistura canceled a planned news briefing.
'DIVORCED FROM REALITY'
The main opposition delegation, the High Negotiations Committee, has been in Geneva for two days.
After meeting de Mistura on Friday it said the push on Aleppo by forces loyal to Assad showed the government did not want to negotiate a peace deal.
"Today, as usual, the regime ... is sending a strong message that it doesn't want a political solution, but a military solution that will bring destruction to the whole country," said team head Asaad al-Zoubi, referring to intensified fighting in the northern city.
He said the government amendments made to de Mistura earlier in the day highlighted Damascus was "not serious about the political solution" and "divorced from reality."
The opposition told Reuters on Thursday that it was willing to share seats on a transitional governing body with members of Syria's government, but Assad must leave power and it was now time to discuss a transition.
Assad has rejected the idea of a transitional governing body, saying instead he could broaden the government to include what he described as opposition and independent figures.
Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said Assad's future was not up for negotiation in Geneva or elsewhere, Russia's TASS news agency quoted him as saying in Damascus.
A senior Western diplomat close to the talks said it was clear that Syria's government had no intention of negotiating in good faith. "The regime is doing everything it can to kill the negotiations," the diplomat said.
"If there was one moment when it shouldnt launch an offensive (in the Aleppo region) then it really shouldnt be the day before the government delegation arrives in Geneva."
(Editing by Mark Heinrich and John Stonestreet)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
To say that India-Pakistan ties are like a love-hate relationship is an understatement.
It's probably more accurate to describe the bilateral as the dictionary definition of 'trolling in international diplomacy'.
Mere days after Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit said the bilateral peace process between the two countries stands "suspended", a top Pakistani official said on Thursday that dialogue is the best option between Pakistan and India and the two sides should not think in terms of "foreclosing any options".
India-Pakistan relations have been this confusing for quite a while now. And perhaps the best evidence for this troll diplomacy are the on-and-off talks between India and Pakistan.
When Narendra Modi invited the heads of the other Saarc countries including Pakistan's prime minister Nawaz Sharif for his swearing-in ceremony in May 2014, it raised hopes about a positive turn in the ties between the two countries. What made people even more hopeful was when the two prime ministers exchanged gifts. After Modi gifted a shawl to Sharif's mother, Sharif responded by sending a white sari for Modi's mother.
A day after the swearing-in ceremony, Modi held his first bilateral meeting with Sharif. PTI had reported that the two leaders had talked about ways to enhance cooperation in the field of trade and the 26 November, 2008 terror attack investigation.
But things turned bitter after incidents of ceasefire violations at the borders increased. Between June 2014 and January 2015, Pakistan violated the ceasefire 685 times.
On 18 August, 2014, India sent a stern message to Pakistan by calling off foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan that were scheduled a week later in Islamabad after Pakistan High Commissioner in India Abdul Basit invited Kashmiri separatist leaders for "consultations" before the talks in Islamabad.
During the Saarc summit in November 2014, the two PMs had avoided each other but in a final ice-breaking moment, Modi shook hands and laughed with Sharif. Hindustan Times had reported that the two had even held an hour-long secret meeting on the sidelines of the Saarc summit.
On 3 March, 2015, Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar held talks with his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhary, seven months after India had cancelled foreign secretary-level talks.
Perhaps the most significant Modi-Sharif bilateral meet took place on 10 July, 2015 in Ufa, Russia. During their meeting, the two leaders agreed that the existing mechanism of regular meetings between DG Rangers, DG BSFs and DG MOs should be held to ensure full compliance with the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding.
And giving us all a sense of deja vu, planned talks between the the national security advisors of the two countries scheduled for 23 and 24 August, 2015 were called off by Pakistan a day before the talks were going to held because External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had given an ultimatum to Islamabad to give a commitment that it would not go ahead with meeting separatists.
And then on 30 November, as if the NSA talks had never been cancelled, Modi met Sharif at the inauguration of the Conference of Parties (CoP) 21 climate summit in Paris. On 6 December, the NSAs also held a secret meeting in Bangkok and discussed a range of issues including peace and security, terrorism and Jammu and Kashmir.
Sushma Swaraj also met Sharif and Sartaj Aziz, adviser on foreign policy at Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the PM, in Islamabad on 9 December.
And then on 25 December, Modi met Sharif on the latter's birthday in a surprise visit to Pakistan.
That's like a statesman. Padosi se aise hi rishte hone chahiyen. https://t.co/dM26am9tWf Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) December 25, 2015
But this birthday bonhomie received yet another setback after the Pathankot terror attack on 2 January 2016, in which seven Indian security personnel were killed.
However, Sushma Swaraj met Sartaj Aziz again in Pokhara, Nepal on 18 March. This was the first political-level engagement between the two sides after the Pathankot attack. At the meeting, Swaraj also accepted Pakistan's invitation for Modi to visit Islamabad for the Saarc Summit to be held on 9 and 10 November this year. The Pathankot attack figured very high in the over 20-minute meeting between Swaraj and Aziz.
The five-member Pakistani Joint Investigation Team (JIT) reached Pathankot to probe the attack on 29 March. While the JIT probe was going well initially after Indian investigators said that the JIT admitted that the attackers were from Pakistan, things soon went downhill yet again when Pakistani media reports claimed that the JIT had said that India had staged the Pathankot attack.
The repeated pattern of bilateral meetings, talks and bonhomie followed by bitter allegations, ceasefire violations or terror attacks not only reveals the dark nature of the ties between India and Pakistan but makes one feel that the diplomacy between the two countries has become a joke.
It seems this strategy is here to stay for Pakistan when it comes to relations with India:
West Palm Beach: Donald Trump's campaign manager won't be prosecuted for battery after briefly grabbing a female reporter's arm at a campaign event, but prosecutors have said the situation might have been avoided with two simple words: I'm sorry.
State Attorney Dave Aronberg said at a news conference there wasn't enough evidence to justify bringing misdemeanor simple battery charges against Corey Lewandowski for the 8 March dustup with Michelle Fields, then a reporter for the conservative Breitbart News website.
Although Lewandowski's act wasn't criminal, Aronberg said there may have been an easy way to defuse things.
"In a case like this we do encourage an apology. Had an apology been given at the beginning of all this, we could have avoided the whole criminal justice process," Aronberg said.
Although police in Jupiter, Florida, found enough probable cause to charge Lewandowski last month after viewing a video recording of the encounter, Aronberg said prosecutors are held to a higher legal standard.
"We have the burden of proving each case beyond a reasonable doubt," he said.
In a Thursday night appearance on "Hannity" on Fox News, Lewandowski thanked Trump for supporting him and said the decision to drop the charges was a relief.
"This has really taken over a big piece of my life, and I'm glad it's behind us," he said.
Lewandowski denied grabbing Fields and Republican front-runner Trump stood by him, rejecting calls by his opponents to fire or discipline him. Instead, he went after Fields, accusing her of exaggerating and changing her story.
Not backing down, Fields tweeted a photograph of her bruised forearm and said she had been yanked backward. The investigation proved that Lewandowski "pulled Ms Fields back" as she attempted to interview Trump, according to a memo by another prosecutor, Chief Assistant State Attorney Adrienne Ellis.
The memo says Lewandowski could have believed Fields was "making unwanted physical contact with Mr Trump" that led him to pull her away.
"Mr Lewandowski may have had apparent authority to assist in the protection of the candidate, specifically to maintain the 'protective bubble' around the candidate," Ellis wrote.
"While the facts support the allegation that Mr. Lewandowski did grab Ms Fields' arm against her will, Mr Lewandowski has a reasonable hypothesis of innocence." Ellis added that the video showed Trump moving his arm away
from Fields' initial contact, but said that didn't constitute battery either. "It was incidental," she said.
North West province (South Africa): The world's largest rhino farm looks like a vast fortress and is guarded by a private army.
At night a helicopter fitted with an infrared camera circles over the 8,000 hectare (nearly 20,000 acre) electric-fenced ranch in South Africa, and by day armed men in military fatigues are on patrol.
Their sole mission: to protect 1,200 rhinos from poachers, who killed 1,175 of the horned beasts across the country last year.
Rhinos are being slaughtered in record numbers to meet the insatiable demand for their horns in countries such as China and Vietnam, where they are mistakenly believed to have medicinal properties.
The horn is mainly hard keratin, the same substance found in human nails, but on the black market where it is sold in powdered form it is believed to cure cancer and other diseases.
It can fetch as much as $60,000 (55,000 euros) per kilogramme, more than gold or cocaine.
Clad in khaki shorts, blue shirt and sandals, wealthy South African businessman and rhino farmer John Hume says he has bred 600 rhino since 2008, but his target is to breed 200 each year.
Legalise trade?
"The way we are going to save the rhino from extinction is to breed more and protect them, and that is what I am trying to do here," said Hume.
His next battle is to secure the legalisation of international trade in horns, which has been outlawed since 1977.
Horns peddled on the black market are from dead rhinos but, if trade is allowed, demand would be fed from live ones. Just like nails, cut horns will regrow.
Screengrab from the AFP video.
"We can supply horns from live rhinos, while now every single horn that you are supplying to the demand is coming from a dead rhino. Surely that is stupid. It absolutely flummoxes me," said Hume.
Plans to legalise the trade are controversial, however, and are fiercely debated by conservationists. Hume opened the farm in 2008 after selling hotels he owned.
Today he employs around 60 full-time staffers plus his "army", whose strength he refuses to divulge on the grounds that it is "too sensitive."
Even the exact location of the farm where he spends some $170,000 (156,000 euros) a month in security costs is kept secret, to protect it from poachers ravaging game parks elsewhere across the country.
Harvesting horn
On the plains of South Africa's North West province where the farm is located, a dozen rhinos were due for dehorning when AFP visited.
Standing at the back of a pick-up truck, Menard Mathe used a pair of binoculars to identify the animals earmarked for dehorning.
In front of the vehicle, veterinarian Michelle Otto drew her gun and darted one animal with a powerful anaesthetic. A few minutes later, the gigantic animal began to stagger.
Otto cautiously walked towards it, and another worker secured its hind legs with a rope, forcing it to fall limply to the ground. Quickly the rhino's eyes were covered with a piece of mutton cloth and old socks used for makeshift earplugs.
The horns are measured and a line is marked precisely where it will be cut, making sure blood vessels are not touched. Then a handheld power saw cuts through the horn. The procedure is painless for the animal.
"We trim their horns for their safety and to deter poaching," said Otto.
Despite the dehorning and the massive security cordon around the ranch, 39 rhinos have been poached there since 2008.
Back at the farm building, the horns are weighed. A total of 23 kilogrammes (51 pounds) have been harvested on this day, said farm general manager Johnny Hennop.
Each horn is then numbered and they are stored in metal trunks where they are wrapped in baby diapers to protect them from moisture while mothballs are strewn around the containers to keep bugs away.
The boxes are then sealed and are ready to be moved to a safe location. Hume has a stockpile of five tonnes in banks and with private security companies.
It is potentially worth a fortune, but is worthless as long as the ban in international trade in rhino horn remains in place.
The ranch's security chief, Stefran Broekman, who previously worked at private game reserves, says he is "frustrated" that even when poachers are arrested in South Africa, some of them get away with a "small fine".
At the turn of a muddy track, Broekman's face lights up on seeing a newborn calf suckling his mother under a tree. It was born overnight.
AFP
Islamabad: Dialogue is the best option between Pakistan and India and the two sides should not think in terms "foreclosing any options", a top Pakistani official said on Thursday.
"During Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi's visit to Pakistan in December last, it was decided that the two Foreign Secretaries should meet soon. It is hoped that both sides would work out modalities for the Foreign Secretary-level talks," Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said when asked if the word "suspended" correctly defines the
current state of the bilateral peace process.
"We need to look ahead and not think in terms foreclosing any options. Both sides are in contact with each other. Once the modalities are worked out Secretary-level talks would take place," he said.
"Dialogue is the best option! Diplomacy is for interaction and engagement between countries," he said.
Zakaria's comments came days after Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit said the bilateral peace process stands "suspended".
When asked if the position in Islamabad is similar to Pakistan's High Commissioner to New Delhi, he said, "There is a difference between comments on day to day ground situation as compared to broader policy and future vision and prospects. At our level here in the Ministry, we do not give a day to day running commentary on official policy."
He said Pakistan was committed to resolving all outstanding issues with India through a sustainable, uninterrupted and meaningful dialogue without any preconditions, in order to address each other's concerns, and establish lasting peace.
On a question regarding the death Indian prisoner Kirpal Singh in a Pakistani jail, Zakaria said he died due to heart attack and preparation were underway to send his body to India.
He said Singh was convicted by an anti-terrorism court for spying.
"It is not appropriate to see everything through the prism of suspicion and conspiracy. He was kept in intensive care at the hospital but he could not survive," he said.
"We have communicated this information to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. We are in contact with the Ministry of Interior and the India High Commission with regard to transportation of dead body to India," he said.
India had raised the issue of Singh's mysterious death with Pakistan authorities and sought a probe into the matter.
On Pathankot investigation, Zakaria said that the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) after visiting India was "evaluating the information shared by the Indian side" which is part of the ongoing investigation into the Pathankot attack.
On a question about alleged Indian 'spy' arrested in Pakistan on charges of terrorism, Zakaria said investigations are still going on regarding Kulbhushan Jadhav and some arrests were already made as a result of interrogation.
"As investigations continue more aspects related to this may come to light," he said.
He said Pakistan expects that its neighbour would respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity by refraining from any interference or subversive activities.
The recent arrest and confessional statement by the RAWs officer has vindicated Pakistans position that Indian state institutions are involved in conducting terrorist activities in Pakistan, he claimed.
Zakaria said that Pakistan was a peace-loving nation and maintenance of peace and stability in South Asia is the cornerstone of Pakistan's policy.
"We are opposed to conventional or nuclear arms race in the region. Pakistan's conventional military and nuclear capability is solely for self-defense and we are committed to credible minimum deterrence," he said.
He said there was an increased understanding at the international level of Pakistan's genuine concerns regarding rapidly growing Indian conventional and nuclear capabilities and their offensive force postures and military doctrines such as the Cold Start Doctrine.
He said Pakistan remains ready to discuss arms control and restraint measures with India.
"Our proposal for Strategic Restraint Regime (SRR) can provide a basis for mutually agreed restraint measures and avoidance of unnecessary arms race in the region. We believe that the limited resources of Pakistan and India should be channelled to meeting the social needs of our people," he said.
He also expressed concern over recent violence in Kashmir.
"We expressed our deep concern on what is going on in Handwara," he said.
"We have always condemned these violations and would continue to extend political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people," he said.
Zakaria said that the issue of unprovoked LoC ceasefire violations are responded appropriately and also taken up strongly with the Indian side.
"We believe in observance of 2003 LOC ceasefire agreement. The issues related to the international borders, LOC and Working Boundary are addressed in the spirit of rules of engagement on ground. The mechanism of DG MOs' consultation plays an effective role," he said.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday that Germany had accepted a request from Turkey to seek prosecution of a German comedian who read out a sexually crude poem about Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on German television.
The request from Ankara had put Merkel in a tricky position because she has spearheaded the effort to secure a deal between the European Union and Turkey that is helping to reduce the number of migrants arriving in Europe and Germany.
Critics have accused her of getting too cozy with Turkey and the decision on Friday to pass the case to a prosecutor could fuel more accusations that she is compromising on values like the freedom of expression to secure Turkey's continued cooperation on the refugees.
Under a section of Germany's criminal code, the government needed to authorize prosecutors to pursue a case against the comedian, Jan Boehmermann, who may have broken a German law by insulting a foreign leader.
On 31 March, the satirist recited a poem on public broadcaster ZDF that mocked Erdogan with crude references to bestiality.
"There were different opinions between the coalition partners - the conservatives and the SPD (Social Democrats)," Merkel told reporters at the Chancellery in Berlin.
"The outcome is that the German government will give the authorization in the current case," she added, stressing that this was not a decision about the merits of the prosecution's case against Boehmermann.
Thomas Oppermann, a senior SPD member, criticized the government's decision, writing on Twitter, "Prosecution of satire due to 'lese majesty' does not fit with modern democracy."
In a reflection of the difficult position the case had put Berlin in, Merkel said the German government planned to remove the section of the criminal code that requires it to grant permission for prosecution in such cases.
Merkel said the government would present a draft law to remove the paragraph which should be passed in the current legislative period and come into force from 2018.
She justified the decision by pointing to the close and friendly relationship that Germany shares with Turkey, referring to the 3 million people with Turkish roots that live in Germany, their economic ties and cooperation as members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
Merkel also took the opportunity to press Turkey to uphold the values of freedom of expression, the press and art.
Kuala Lumpur: Taiwan on Friday was trying to prevent Malaysia from deporting 52 Taiwanese criminal suspects to China amidst an ongoing battle over jurisdiction involving the self-ruled island.
A Taiwanese Foreign Ministry statement said that an initial group of 20 of those detained on suspicion of committing wire fraud had been due to be returned to Taiwan on Friday. However, it said Malaysian officials had delayed the flight, saying they were awaiting legal approval.
Taiwan's statement said its officials were actively engaged in talks to pressure Malaysia to "bring home our citizen suspects to be investigated."
Malaysian officials, speaking anonymously because they weren't authorized to talk to media, confirmed that Chinese officials had requested the suspects be sent to China. The officials said the case was still under discussion but were unable to give further details.
The latest battle over Taiwanese deportations came after Kenya sent 45 Taiwanese suspects to China instead of Taiwan. Beijing wants to investigate them for defrauding victims in China by posing as police officers and insurance agents over the phone in order to obtain banking details.
China claims jurisdiction in such cases where the victims are Chinese, and says the perpetrators aren't given due punishment when they are returned to Taiwan.
Taiwan has protested that Kenya violated the legal process and accused Beijing of violating a tacit agreement not to interfere in each side's citizens' legal affairs abroad. A Taiwanese delegation is expected in Beijing soon to negotiate the matter.
Some see such moves by China as an attempt to assert its claims to sovereignty over the island and legal authority over its residents.
The sides split amid civil war and China has long sought to isolate Taiwan diplomatically by preventing it from maintaining formal ties with most countries, including Malaysia and Kenya, where China's economic cloud lends it political influence.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has covered the Kenya deportations extensively, with suspects shown being led from the plane in prison smocks with bags over their heads. Others were shown in front of police and television cameras confessing to their crimes and apologizing to their victims.
New Delhi: The third Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation concluded on Thursday with the 13 Tiger Range Countries adopting a resolution reasserting their commitment to the Global Tiger Recovery Programme (GTRP).
Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar said the 'New Delhi Resolution on Tiger Conservation' will help strengthen the commitment of the member countries toward the "Global Tiger Summit" resolution adopted in 2010 at St. Petersburg, Russia which was to double the tiger population by 2022.
"Restoration, Reintroduction and Rehabilitation is needed to increase tiger population in low density areas," Javadekar said. According to a report in The Hindu, Sokhun TY, Secretary of State, Ministry of Agricultue, Forestry and Fisheries, Cambodia said that talks are in place about taking six female tigers and two males from India in order to replenish the Cambodian forests.
Artem Sidorov, head of the Federal Supervisory Natural Resources Management Service, Russia said, "We understand that our common goals and compliance still exists."
"This resolution must not be limited to the respective ministries of environment or forest only. It's ambit must be broadened and other departments must be included," said Chencho Norbu, director general of Department of Forest and Park Services, Bhutan.
The minister said there is need to align development and tiger conservation through participation of locals and other stakeholders.
"We believe in partnership with local communities because they are the real protectors," said Javadekar.
He added, "India is ready to help non-tiger countries to develop tiger habitats."
"We have tigers, they have money," he said.
Answering a question on the tiger parts trade in China, through its several 'tiger farms', he said that China has its own legal framework and "we respect that".
He also stressed to include non-tiger countries, with rich bio-diversity, in the next conference, to be held two years later. The venue of the conference had not been decided yet.
"Strengthen co-operation at the highest levels of government to combat wildlife crime, address the demand for tiger products and increase formal and informal trans boundary coordination," the resolution stated.
The resolutions adopted also stressed on accelerated implementation of the GTRP, mutual and systematic reporting of the census, integrating tiger and wildlife safeguards in infrastructure at the landscape level, leverage funding and technical support from international organisations and financial institution in addition to the tiger range country governments.
Providing ecosystem services to the tiger reserves, emphasising the tiger recovery growth in the areas with low tiger densities, knowledge sharing and capacity development for all stakeholders and increase in the use of technology were also part of the resolution adopted.
During the three-day conference, representatives from the earlier 13 Tiger Range Countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, India, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russian Federation, Thailand and Vietnam as well as the two new ones of Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan participated. The two new countries gained entry for the Snow Leopard.
While several Tiger Range Countries like India, Nepal, Russia and Bhutan have registered an increase in tiger population, the status of tiger remains 'endangered', and has declined to 'non-viable' level in some range countries, a cause for concern. India is home to 70 percent of the world's tigers.
According to the latest figures, Bangladesh has 106 tigers, Bhutan 103, Cambodia nil, China seven, India 2,500, Indonesia 371, Lao PDR two, Malaysia 250, Nepal 198, Russia 433, Thailand 189 and Vietnam less than five tigers in the wild.
with inputs from IANS
Washington: The US seeks a "powerful" quadrilateral partnership with India, Japan and Australia for maintenance of "rules-based order" and deterring coercion or unrestrained national ambitions, a top American commander has said.
Pacific Command (PACOM) "aims to build a powerful quadrilateral partnership framework of the most powerful democracies" in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, US Pacific Command Commander Admiral Harry B Harris told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing on Thursday.
"India, Japan, Australia and the US working together will be a force for the maintenance of the regional rules-based order, counterbalancing and deterring coercion or unrestrained national ambitions," Harris said.
In his testimony, Harris said the future lies in multilateral security mechanisms.
USPACOM is evolving key bilateral relationships into multilateral ones that will more effectively address shared security concerns.
Observing that China is "out-sticking" US air and maritime forces in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region in terms of ranges of anti-ship weapons, Harris told Congressmen that he needs increased lethality, specifically ships and aircraft equipped with faster, more lethal, and more survivable weapons systems.
"We must have longer range offensive weapons on every platform. Finally, we must have a networked force that provides greater options for action or response," he said.
China is improving the lethality and survivability of its attack submarines and building quieter high-end, diesel- and nuclear-powered submarines, he said.
Noting that China has four operational JIN-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and at least one more may enter service by the end of this decade, Harris said when armed, a JIN-class SSBN will give China an important strategic capability that must be countered.
Harris said that China's military modernisation programme is transforming its forces into a high-tech military to achieve its dream of regional dominance, with growing aspirations of global reach and influence.
Given China's economic rise, the goal may be natural; however, the lack of transparency on its overall strategic intent behind its military investments and activities creates instability and regional anxiety, he said.
"China's navy and air forces are rapidly fielding advanced warships and planes. Over the past decade, the Chinese navy has significantly increased in size and is much more capable in every way. Chinese forces are operating at a higher tempo, in more places, and with greater sophistication than ever before," Harris said.
"Chinese shipyards are constructing China's first cruiser-sized warship, their first indigenous aircraft carrier, and many classes of patrol boats, frigates, and destroyers. Newer, more capable submarines continue replacing older ones," he added.
United Nations: Nine candidates seeking to become the world's top diplomat answered a total of about 800 questions over the past three days from ambassadors and advocacy groups in the first move in the UN's 70-year history to open up the usually secret selection of the next secretary-general.
General Assembly president Mogens Lykketoft, who presided over the question-and-answer sessions, said he was "very inspired" that in addition to almost all 193 UN member states taking part, 227,000 people from 209 countries and territories watched some of the webcast.
"It has already made a difference," he told reporters late Thursday. "We have established a new standard of transparency and inclusivity for the selection of the secretary-general."
According to the UN Charter, the secretary-general is chosen by the 193-member General Assembly on the recommendation of the 15-member Security Council.
In practice, this has meant that the council's five permanent members the US, Russia, China, Britain and France have veto power over the candidates. That will not change in deciding whom to recommend to succeed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, whose second five-year term ends on 31 December.
Lykketoft has said the question-and-answer sessions could be "a potential game-changer" if many countries support one candidate, which would put pressure on the Security Council not to choose someone else.
It's too early to say if that will happen since more candidates are expected to throw their hats in the ring. Lykketoft encouraged those interested to "come forward quickly."
Britain's UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said questioning and hearing from every candidate "will increase the quality of the decision-making in the Security Council when the time comes, and I think it will raise the bar in terms of the overall quality of the field."
Other council members were more cautious about the impact of the sessions.
Angola's UN Ambassador Ismael Gaspar Martins said they "could offer the council a first view of who the potential candidates really are" and help them "choose properly."
Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said "some people seem to be excited" but he clearly wasn't.
"I think it might be useful. We'll see," he said, declaring diplomatically that he has a "very good impression of all candidates."
By tradition, the job of secretary-general has rotated among regions and Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe have all held the top UN post. East European nations, including Russia, argue that they have never had a secretary-general and it is their turn. There has also never been a woman secretary-general and a group of 56 nations are campaigning for the first female UN chief.
Srgjan Kerim, a former Macedonian foreign minister and ex-General Assembly president, stressed the importance of following the unwritten rule of rotation, saying Thursday it maintains "mutual trust" and promotes needed unity at a time the world is facing many crises.
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who heads the UN Development Program, said the UN needs "a proven leader who is pragmatic and effective" and she has demonstrated those qualities. As one of four women in the race, she stressed that "all my life I have fought for gender equality and women's empowerment."
Former Serbian foreign minister and General Assembly President Vuk Jeremic, who was only nominated by his government on Monday, presented General Assembly members with an 81-page platform containing 53 specific commitments on issues from stabilising countries in West Asia and North Africa to prioritising genocide prevention.
Lykketoft said a common thread among all the candidates was that the UN has taken some great steps forward with new development goals, a climate agreement and maybe progress in Iran and a start in Syria. But there was also widespread agreement on the need for the UN to undertake "pro-active intervention to avoid conflicts and contain conflicts," adopt a stronger network to monitor human rights violations, and reform the UN bureaucracy, he said.
Former Slovenian president Danilo Turk said "the secretary-general is neither secretary nor general" but "a servant of the organisation" who must be available 24 hours a day. As UN chief, he said he would urgently review global crises, launch a program to implement the new UN goals for 2030, and carry out recruitment and budget reforms.
The other candidates are Montenegro's Foreign Minister Igor Luksic; former Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pucic; Unesco Director-General Irina Bokova from Bulgaria; former Moldovan Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman and former UN refugee chief and ex-Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres.
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LeEco has joined the bandwagon of other international smartphone makers and has applied for single brand retail licence in India.
The move comes from the company as it wants to open its own retail stores in the country. LeEco is the third company that has filed an application with the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for single brand retail licence following Apple and Xiaomi who applied earlier this month. LeEco entered India in January this year with Le 1s smartphone. A foreign company needs to manufacture 30% of its goods in India to be able to operate retail stores in the country. LeEco is seeking relaxation on this policy to make a aggressive push in the India.
The application was filed earlier this week and said LeEco will set up its distribution network over the next two months. It plans to open fully owned exclusive retail stores in top 8 to 10 cities, starting with New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, LeEco plans to display its entire Ecosystem ranging from phones, TVs, VR Headsets, Bluetooth devices and power banks. Additionally, the company will also open 500 franchise stores to ensure its consumers can experience their breakthrough products and unique content integrated offerings across its device ecosystem.
Moving ahead, Jain also revealed that the company plans to kick start local manufacturing of smartphones in the country within the next six months. Just last week, Telecom and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the company is exploring a bigger investment in India and Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Raipurs electronic cluster, Bhopal and Bhilwada in Rajasthan were suggested for its manufacturing facility. LeEco also intends to launch over 40-inches television by June-end at disruptive prices.
Atul Jain, COO, Smart Electronics Business, LeEco India, said:
India is a key market for LeEco and we plan to significantly invest in setting up our business model in the country. We are committed to offering our users cutting edge technology at disruptive prices. We have received a great response from consumers so far for our Superphones and now plan to strengthen our presence in the market by opening our own stores and e-commerce portal to offer our users the best-in-class experience. We at LeEco are also aligned with the Governments Make in India initiative and also plan to start manufacturing in India very soon.
With microSD cards being back in fashion especially with the latest flagships from Samsung, LG and HTC, it is important to check out the best SD cards in the market that will help you make full use of your devices capabilities and expand the storage to meet your needs. We studied the Samsung Evo Plus microSDXC card in detail to find out whether it is worthy of sitting inside your smartphone.
Design and Durability
microSD cards come in the same shape and size since they have to be universally compatible. Same is the story with the Evo Plus card from Samsung. But where it differs is the finish and the way the card is branded. The Evo Plus or Evo+ as Samsung has written it in a stylish way on the card comes in a white and fluorescent reddish orange colour. The Samsung branding is present on the upper white portion and the card capacity, the speed and class are present at the bottom fluorescent portion that is separated by a thin black line. Got to admit that this beautiful choice of colour does stand out and really helps in grabbing your attention amongst the vast majority of black and white microSD cards on the market that all look identical.
Everyone wants their data safe and when your data is stored on something as small as a microSD card which can easily be dropped or lost and take a while to recover, that data needs all the more protection. Firstly, the Evo+ is X-Ray proof which means that it will be perfectly fine as it passes under your airport X-Ray for example and also can resist magnetic fields upto 15,000 Gauss which is the equivalent of an MRI scanner. Not that you would take your microSD card with you while going heads first into an MRI machine, but its good to know the capabilities of the card.
Similarly, the card can withstand temperatures ranging from -25 degrees Celcius all the way upto 85 degrees Celcius. The only place that I can think of where you may encounter an issue in Antarctica and how many people could say that theyll be going there anytime soon. If it is water you are worried about, then youd be happy to know that the Evo+ can survive in seawater for upto 72 hours. All these measures make sure that your data is safe in almost every circumstance.
Storage Capacities and Compatibility
The EVO+ range comes in three different storage options a 32GB, 64GB and a 128GB variant. We were testing the 64GB variant which comes with 59.59GB of free space out of the box. Although most users would be using this card on their smartphones, the card is also compatible with tablets, actions cameras such as GoPro etc. You could also use it as an SD card on devices that have an SD card slot using the build in adapter. It also becomes easier for the user to transfer data to and from their PC or laptop in case they dont have an SD card reader lying around.
Use Cases and Performance
The EVO+ is a fast card. It offers a data read speed of upto 80MB/s and a write speed of 20 MB/s. The read speed is quite fast and is good enough to play back HD videos on your smartphone smoothly as well as record full HD videos from your camera. But if you are a 4K or UHD freak then you would be better off with the Pro or Pro+ lineup from Samsung which boasts read/write speeds of 95/90 and 90/80 MB/s respectively. I have seen a lot of instances where people use their SD cards to store photos, music etc and this card works perfectly fine with that. I personally use the SD card mainly to store my music collection which wont fit on my 32GB of internal memory that my phone has. You can also choose to set your microSD as the default storage location for whatever your camera captures. Anything that is beyond the write speed of the card will get saved on the phone memory such as 4K video, camera burst etc.
Weve not had any issues with data being lost or corrupt during our time of use with the card. Apps can also be moved to the SD card provided that the app and phones software supports it. The write speeds were always consistent and upwards of the promised 20 MB/s that Samsung claimed. We got around 22 to 23 in most tests on the phone while 23 25 on tests on PC.
The Read test speeds did often fall below promised level and the lowest recorded one was around 69 MB/s on the phone but always exceeded 80 MB/s on PC.
Conclusion
Ive seen a lot of people complaining about their phone getting slow and hanging a lot and most of them blame their phones. Upon closer inspection, I find that they have a lot of data stored on their SD cards and those cards often have really low speeds which as a result will definitely slow the performance. In some cases, Ive even seen people use Class 4 cards that only offer speeds of around 4MB/s. What you must understand is that you need to have cards that provide decent performance too in order for your phone to function fine and having a high end flagship smartphone for example isnt enough. Its like buying a Ferrari but putting adulterated fuel into the car. You definitely wont get the same performance if you do that. If you are looking for a nice memory card that is capable of storing your music, photos and HD videos then this card is for you.
You can get your Samsung Evo+ microSDXC card from MobileFun for Rs 3132 (US$ 56.99 and GBP 40) and they provide worldwide shipping as well.
International wine and beer manufacturer Constellation Brands (STZ 1.18%) announced fiscal 2016 results last week, marking the completion of another strong year, in which its top-line revenue expanded by 9% to $6.5 billion, and net income increased 26% to $1.1 billion. Is it time for the company to take a breather from a string of acquisitions alongside heavy investment in capacity expansion? Below we review the most significant points management made on its April 6 earnings call, which address how Constellation Brands intends to move forward over the next year.
It's considering an IPO for its Canadian wine business
[Our Canadian business'] size and scale across Canada includes eight wineries in key wine regions, approximately 1,700 acres of Canadian vineyards, and a network of growers to support their Canadian-produced brands. And they are the largest holder of independent retail licenses in Ontario, with more than 160 wine rack stores.
-- CEO Rob Sands
The Canadian wine business has been an important part of Constellation Brands' income statement for several years. The company hasn't yet filed its fiscal 2016 annual report yet (its fiscal year ended on Feb. 28), but a glance at least year's annual report shows that non-U.S. sales, which the company describes as "primarily Canada," reached $668 million, out of a company total of $6.0 billion.
Why would the company want to divest such a large segment from its operations? Management indicated on the earnings call that it would use initial public offering proceeds to tackle debt on its balance sheet. As I've described in the past, Constellation Brands actively employs debt to increase its return on equity and also to increase market share. So we can infer that if management wants to put IPO proceeds in service of deleveraging its balance sheet, the company essentially intends to sell one revenue opportunity (Canadian wine) in order to re-tap its borrowing capacity for other, higher-margin revenue opportunities.
Constellation is taking no prisoners in the high-end wine market
[T]he Prisoner acquisition aligns with our portfolio premiumization strategy and enables us to capitalize on U.S. market trends that favor high-end wine brands with accretive margin profiles. In particular, it strengthens our position in the dynamic and margin enhancing super luxury wine category and can be easily integrated into our existing portfolio of brands.
-- Sands
On the morning of its earnings release, Constellation announced its intention to acquire Prisoner Wine Company's "super-premium" portfolio of five wines from Huneeus Vintners, for anticipated cash paid at closing of $285 million.
This acquisition follows the company's purchase of the Meoimi luxury pinot noir and chardonnay portfolio in August of last year for $315 million. In just a few months since the purchase, evidence of Constellation's penchant for scaling production of newly acquired premium brands has surfaced. In its 2016 earnings filing from last week, Constellation revealed that it's already sold $74 million of Meiomi label wines in just seven months since the closing of the transaction.
Look for a similar trajectory for Prisoner Wines. The acquisition didn't include land; Prisoner sources its grapes from some 80 vineyards in Napa Valley. This makes for an ideal Constellation acquisition. That is, the company buys an extremely popular, high-end (and high-margin) wine with surging sales, then attempts to meaningfully increase case volume, using its grape purchasing power and connections, high capacity production facilities, and wide distribution network.
Capacity plans are proceeding at pace
Now, these investments in Mexicali and Nava will ensure that we have the capacity, quality, control and flexibility to meet expected demand for our iconic beer brands well into the future, and position us to capture the continued momentum and growth opportunities we see in the high end of the U.S. beer market.
-- Sands
Sands reported above on the company's brewery in Nava, California, which will have 20 million hectoliters of capacity up and running within the next few months. The plant's eventual capacity will reach 27.5 million hectoliters in 2018. The Nava plant will be complemented by a sister brewery in Mexicali, Mexico, located not far from the California border. This brewery will have an initial capacity of 10 million hectoliters, scaling up to 20 million hectoliters by 2020.
Constellation Brands is about $1.5 billion deep into its massive $4.5 billion Mexican beer capacity expansion. Steady progress on this initiative is extremely important, as the build-out is largely financed by debt, but also because long-term revenue expectations are tied into new capacity coming on line over the next five years. So far, management has delivered on its capacity promises on, and in some instances, beyond, schedule.
Constellation is raising outlook for fiscal 2017
"The beer business is targeting net sales and operating income growth to be in the range of 14% to 17%. This includes the anticipated incremental benefit from the Ballast Point acquisition...We expect organic net sales and operating income growth to be in the 10% to 13% range. Our projections include 1% to 2% anticipated pricing benefit for our Mexican portfolio."
-- CFO David Klein
The company's mix of popular Mexican beer brands in the U.S., and a focus on growing craft beer companies such as Ballast Point Brewery after acquisition (similar to its wine purchases) is resulting in an annual growth rate in beer that far exceeds the rest of the industry.
According to some projections, the global beer market is projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate, or CAGR, of 6% through 2020. The company's own recent CAGR is double this rate. As you can see from the second part of Klein's quote above, this success is pushing the overall business forward. Expansion of its beer business well in excess of the global industry is one of the reasons Constellation's stock has attracted so much interest since the organization started its beer acquisition spree in 2013.
It's not just about acquisition and capacity, but operating leverage as well
And for the third consecutive year, we plan to execute price increases for select products within the portfolio...we plan to continue to optimize COGS through global blend management initiatives, productivity improvements, and lower grape costs.
-- Sands
The statement above indicates that for all its acquisition activity, Constellation is still working on improving its operating leverage, by leaning into price increases where the market allows, improving productivity, and using its purchasing might to reduce inventory costs. Over the last two years, the company's operating margin has normalized to roughly 25%, which supports fairly robust profitability. Such focus provides great cash flow which shareholders currently applaud, but it's also a sort of insurance policy for a day when the company's organic growth and acquisitions cool. And in the wine and beer business, such periods are not only to be expected; they're inevitable.
Legendary international sailing competition, Americas Cup, will be held in New York City for the first time since 1920. The multiday event sponsored by Louis Vuitton brings a collection of the worlds best sailors, competing on foiling, wing sailed catamarans, in New York Citys iconic Hudson River.
During an interview with the FOX Business Networks Mornings with Maria, Americas Cup CEO Sir Russell Coutts discussed the importance of bringing the racing circuit back into the New York harbor.
I think its always been an objective to try and get the race back here [New York City], Coutts told the FOX Business Networks Dagan McDowell. Of course, it originated here in a way because a group of very influential New Yorkers challenged the business of British fleet and then brought the cup back here, named the cup after the other one.
Americas Cup use to be raced out at sea, away from spectators and could only be viewed by boat. Now, the racing is set close to the shore, specifically along the Hudson River between Battery Park and the Statue of Liberty.
Coutts, a five-time world champion sailor, also discussed the athleticism and physicality involved in maneuvering such fast boats, with some even going faster than the wind.
The sailors are real athletes. In fact, we put heart rate monitors on some of the sailors last time and two of the sailors, their heart rate didnt drop below 180 beats per minute in the 25-minute race.
The preliminary event is scheduled for May 7 and 8 and is one of six events planned during 2016 as six Americas Cup teams vie for points that count towards the final competition for the 35th Americas Cup in 2017.
International wine and beer manufacturer Constellation Brands announced fiscal 2016 results last week, marking the completion of another strong year, in which its top-line revenue expanded by 9% to $6.5 billion, and net income increased 26% to $1.1 billion. Is it time for the company to take a breather from a string of acquisitions alongside heavy investment in capacity expansion? Below we review the most significant points management made on its April 6 earnings call, which address how Constellation Brands intends to move forward over the next year.
It's considering an IPO for its Canadian wine business
The Canadian wine business has been an important part of Constellation Brands' income statement for several years. The company hasn't yet filed its fiscal 2016 annual report yet (its fiscal year ended on Feb. 28), but a glance at least year's annual report shows that non-U.S. sales, which the company describes as "primarily Canada," reached $668 million, out of a company total of $6.0 billion.
Why would the company want to divest such a large segment from its operations? Management indicated on the earnings call that it would use initial public offering proceeds to tackle debt on its balance sheet. As I've described in the past, Constellation Brands actively employs debtto increase its return on equityand also to increase market share. So we can infer that if management wants to put IPO proceeds in service of deleveraging its balance sheet, the company essentially intends to sell one revenue opportunity (Canadian wine) in order to re-tap its borrowing capacity for other, higher-margin revenue opportunities.
Constellation is taking no prisoners in the high-end wine market
Detail from an image of the hand sorting of grapes, from the Prisoner Wine Company website.
On the morning of its earnings release, Constellation announced its intention to acquire Prisoner Wine Company's "super-premium" portfolio of five wines from Huneeus Vintners, for anticipated cash paid at closing of $285 million.
This acquisition follows the company's purchase of the Meoimiluxury pinot noir and chardonnay portfolio in August of last year for $315 million. In just a few months since the purchase, evidence of Constellation's penchant for scaling production of newly acquired premium brands has surfaced. In its 2016 earnings filing from last week, Constellation revealed that it's already sold $74 million of Meiomi label wines in just seven months since the closing of the transaction.
Look for a similar trajectory for Prisoner Wines. The acquisition didn't include land; Prisoner sources its grapes from some 80 vineyards in Napa Valley. This makes for an ideal Constellation acquisition. That is, the company buys an extremely popular, high-end (and high-margin) wine with surging sales, then attempts to meaningfully increase case volume, using its grape purchasing power and connections, high capacity production facilities, and wide distribution network.
Capacity plans are proceeding at pace
Sands reported above on the company's brewery in Nava, California, which will have 20 million hectoliters of capacity up and running within the next few months. The plant's eventual capacity will reach 27.5 million hectoliters in 2018. The Nava plant will be complemented by a sister brewery in Mexicali, Mexico, located not far from the California border. This brewery will have an initial capacity of 10 million hectoliters, scaling up to 20 million hectoliters by 2020.
Constellation Brands is about $1.5 billion deep into its massive $4.5 billion Mexican beer capacity expansion. Steady progress on this initiative is extremely important, as the build-out is largely financed by debt, but also because long-term revenue expectations are tied into new capacity coming on line over the next five years. So far, management has delivered on its capacity promises on, and in some instances, beyond, schedule.
Constellation is raising outlook for fiscal 2017
The company's mix of popular Mexican beer brands in the U.S., and a focus on growing craft beer companies such as Ballast Point Brewery after acquisition (similar to its wine purchases) is resulting in an annual growth rate in beer that far exceeds the rest of the industry.
According to some projections, the global beer market is projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate, or CAGR, of 6% through 2020.The company's own recent CAGR is double this rate. As you can see from the second part of Klein's quote above, this success is pushing the overall business forward. Expansion of its beer business well in excess of the global industry is one of the reasons Constellation's stock has attracted so much interest since the organization started its beer acquisition spree in 2013.
It's not just about acquisition and capacity, but operating leverage as well
The statement above indicates that for all its acquisition activity, Constellation is still working on improving its operating leverage, by leaning into price increases where the market allows, improving productivity, and using its purchasing might to reduce inventory costs. Over the last two years, the company's operating margin has normalized to roughly 25%, which supports fairly robust profitability. Such focus provides great cash flow which shareholders currently applaud, but it's also a sort of insurance policy for a day when the company's organic growth and acquisitions cool. And in the wine and beer business, such periods are not only to be expected; they're inevitable.
The article 5 Points Constellation Brands' Management Wants to Emphasize originally appeared on Fool.com.
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Earlier today, credit-ratings service Moody's issued a report that says it believes Allergan plc.'s cash flow, and the potential for $36 billion in after-tax money tied to the sale of its generics business toTeva Pharmaceutical, will protect its investment-grade credit rating, except under certain circumstances. Despite Moody's assurances, shares in Allergan dropped today to new lows following the demise of its planned tie-up with big pharma giant Pfizer.Is Allergan's financial picture really safe, and if it is, are its shares a buy?
AGN data by YCharts.
A bit of backgroundAllergan is a global pharmaceuticals company that has built up market-leading positions in eye care and treatment for central nervous system disorders, such as depression, and Alzheimer's disease. The company's $15 billion in 2015 sales, and low-tax Irish domicile, prompted Pfizer to agree to merge with it last year in a $160 billion combination.
At the time, Pfizer cited Allergan's top-selling drugs, such as Botox, its product pipeline, and tax savings, as reasons for merging; however, after the U.S. Treasury Department announced new rules that would prohibit Pfizer from moving its headquarters overseas to cut its tax bill, Pfizer and Allergan scuttled their merger plans.
Since then, Allergan's shares have fallen sharply over concerns regarding its $42 billion in debt, its limited cash cushion, and the potential risk that regulators could block its planned deal with Teva Pharmaceutical.
Offering up some clarityMoody's indicates that it believes Allergan's financial situation is OK, as long as the deal with Teva Pharmaceutical goes as planned. Allergan agreed to sell its generic drug business to Teva Pharmaceutical last summer for $33.75 billion in cash, and $6.75 billion in Teva Pharmaceutical's stock. As a result, Allergan estimates that it will walk away with $36 billion in after-tax monies that it can use to reduce debt, acquire competitors, or fund share buybacks.
Moody's says that Allergan could keep its investment-grade rating as long as it uses that money for small-to-midsize acquisitions rather than debt-fueled megadeals, and it avoids stock repurchases without a commensurate reduction in its debt. According to Moody's analysis, Allergan's credit rating could remain top shelf even if it spent as much as $30 billion on an acquisition, as long as the deal is financed largely with cash, and the company being acquired is EBITDA positive.
One big question markThe key to Allergan's rating, however, appears to be its receiving a cash windfall from Teva Pharmaceutical. In that regard, regulators at the Federal Trade Commission could be a fly in the ointment. Although regulators in the EU signed off on the Teva Pharmaceutical deal earlier this year, the FTC has yet to formerly give the two companies its OK.
Allergan's management is confident that it will get the regulatory go-ahead, and that it will close this deal before midyear. Until the FTC officially gives its blessing, however, investors are likely to discount Allergan's share price.
Looking forwardInvestors may not be totally off-base to think that regulators could balk at giving these two generics businesses a green light to combine. After all, generic drug price increases have drawn considerable fire in the past year, and regulators could view this merger as being too anti-competitive.
That worry creates uncertainty that forces investors to consider how Allergan might fare if the Teva Pharmaceutical deal disintegrates. On that basis, its heavy debt load and $1.2 billion cash stockpile seem a bit lacking. Moody's report may also be dashing some hope of a big share buyback that could prop up its flagging share price.
Nevertheless, Allergan's shares could offer investors opportunity if prices slide below $200, and get closer to its book value of $181. After all, Allergan's balance sheet will look a lot better if the deal goes through, and even if the deal falls apart, Allergan could still spin off the business in an IPO. Regardless, I'm content to sit on the sidelines for now until there's more clarity.
The article Allergan's Credit Rating Appears Safe -- Is Its Stock? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Todd Campbell has no position in any stocks mentioned. Todd owns E.B. Capital Markets, LLC. E.B. Capital's clients may have positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Moody's and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. 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.
In mid-2014, JetBlue Airways launched its Mint premium service on a limited number of flights between New York and Los Angeles. While JetBlue has offered extra-legroom seats on its flights for many years, this was the first time it ventured into offering a "first-class"-like experience.
JetBlue's Mint premium service has been very well received. Image source: JetBlue Airways.
Mint was a phenomenal success for JetBlue out of the gate. As a result, JetBlue has expanded the scale of its Mint service numerous times in the past two years.
This week, the company announced its boldest move yet. JetBlue will upgrade seven more transcontinental routes to Mint service in 2017 and beyond. This move should help it win over even more business travelers, boosting JetBlue's unit revenue.
A bright spot for JetBlueJetBlue's Mint service utilizes a dedicated fleet of Airbus A321 aircraft configured with 159 seats. That includes 143 "Core" seats, some of which have extra legroom, and 16 full flat-bed "Mint" premium seats.
The Mint seats have the longest bed length of any domestic business class seat and come with a built-in massage function. Four of the seats actually convert to semi-private suites. Customers receive Birchbox amenity kits upon boarding and are treated to a tapas-style meal that regularly gets rave reviews.
JetBlue's Mint planes feature 16 flat-bed seats in the premium cabin. Image source: JetBlue Airways.
Customer acceptance of Mint has exceeded JetBlue's hopes. It originally thought that the Mint premium seats would cater to wealthy individuals and small businesses. It assumed that big corporations would remain loyal to JetBlue's larger rivals: American Airlines , Delta Air Lines , and United Continental .
However, JetBlue has also gained a foothold among large corporations, at the expense of American, Delta, United, and Virgin America . To satisfy surging demand for the Mint premium seats, JetBlue has had to add flights.
JetBlue's initial plan for Mint was to operate seven daily New York-Los Angeles roundtrips and five daily New York-San Francisco roundtrips. It now operates up to 10 daily roundtrips on the LA route and up to six daily roundtrips to San Francisco. Meanwhile, strong demand from corporate customers has allowed JetBlue to achieve much higher average fares than expected.
Mint expands -- rapidlyJetBlue has gone well beyond adding flights on its two original Mint routes. It now offers Mint flights from New York and Boston to several Caribbean destinations. For the most part, these are Saturday-only flights scheduled to utilize the Mint fleet on a day that has less demand for transcontinental flights.
More significantly, JetBlue is in the midst of expanding its Mint transcontinental service to Boston: its second-largest focus city. One of its three daily Boston-San Francisco roundtrips now operates on a Mint-configured A321. A second daily Mint flight on that route will start next week, and JetBlue will move to all-Mint service for Boston-San Francisco flights in September. JetBlue will then introduce Mint service on the Boston-Los Angeles route beginning in October.
On Tuesday, JetBlue announced even grander plans. During the 2017-2018 period, it plans to inaugurate Mint service on seven more routes: New York-Seattle, Boston-Seattle, New York-San Diego, Boston-San Diego, New York-Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale-Los Angeles, and Fort Lauderdale-San Francisco.
A bold stand-alone planThis massive Mint expansion appears to be JetBlue's response to losing out on its bid to acquire Virgin America. JetBlue already competes with Virgin America on all of its transcontinental Mint routes, and it will go head-to-head with either Virgin America or its soon-to-be parent Alaska Air on all of the newly announced Mint routes, except for New York-San Diego.
JetBlue is challenging Virgin America in the premium market. Image source: Virgin America.
In deciding to expand Mint to more routes, JetBlue was probably encouraged by its strong performance with large corporations. Flat-bed seats have become standard in business class on the New York-LA and New York-San Francisco routes. Only Virgin America has recliner-style first-class seats on those routes, albeit very comfortable ones. However, business travelers don't have good options today on other transcontinental routes.
Indeed, American, Delta, United, and Virgin America use the same planes on other transcontinental routes that they use for much shorter flights. Delta and United have shrunk the first-class pitch (the distance between rows) to 37" or less on many domestic aircraft, whereas 40" or more used to be typical. American Airlines offers only slightly more legroom in first class.
Today, Virgin America is by far the leader in terms of first-class seating quality on all of its routes except for New York-LA and New York-San Francisco. Its plush first-class seats offer 55" of pitch. But for redeye flights, business travelers prefer to have a bed -- and Virgin America only serves a handful of routes anyway.
By offering a vastly superior product for business travelers on more routes than ever, JetBlue has an opportunity to make a much bigger dent in the corporate travel market. This could also have a halo effect, getting more business travelers to consider flying JetBlue even on non-Mint routes.
JetBlue has big potentialBuying Virgin America would have given JetBlue a very strong platform for competing with American, Delta, and United. But this week's big Mint expansion announcement shows that JetBlue is confident in its ability to compete even as a smaller player.
JetBlue currently plans to increase its Mint fleet from 11 planes at the end of 2015 to 26 planes by the end of 2017 -- with more growth beyond that. As the expansion of Mint service brings in more and more high-fare business travelers, it should pull JetBlue's unit revenue higher, driving strong earnings growth.
The article JetBlue Goes Upscale to Compete With Bigger Rivals originally appeared on Fool.com.
Adam Levine-Weinberg owns shares of JetBlue Airways and United Continental Holdings, and is long January 2017 $17 calls on JetBlue Airways, long January 2017 $40 calls on Delta Air Lines,, and long January 2017 $30 calls on American Airlines Group. The Motley Fool is long January 2017 $35 calls on American Airlines Group. The Motley Fool recommends Virgin America. 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.
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American Express (NYSE:AXP) has begun selected layoffs as part of a $1 billion cost-cutting plan announced in January FOXBusiness.com has learned.
Company spokesperson Marina Norville tells FOXBusiness.com, There were some announcements this week that advised which roles were being eliminated as part of the larger restructuring plan.
Norville did not elaborate on the number of employees that would be impacted. She added, There will be restructuring changes throughout the year, reflecting our previously announced actions to take $1 billion out of our cost base by 2017.
In February, American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault released an internal note titled Organization Announcement, which addressed the challenges facing the credit card giant. To get ahead of the changes that are altering the dynamics of the payments business, we need to re-adjust our expense base, which is why we set a target of reducing costs by $1 billion over the next two years, Chenault wrote.
American Express is facing more competition from rivals including MasterCard (NYSE:MA) and Visa (NYSE:V). This summer, the company will lose its 16-year co-branded partnership with Costco (COST) for its TrueEarnings card, as the big box retailer has partnered with Citi.
AmEx profits fell 39.2% during the fourth-quarter of 2015, those results were reported in Janaury along with the $1 billion plan to cut costs. The company is set to report results for the first-quarter on April 20.
Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) is the companys largest shareholder with a 15.7% stake. Buffett reaffirmed his support for AmEx's management team in his 2015 annual report.
Image source: Amazon.
Let's face it:Amazon stock is expensive. Everyone's favorite online retailer, which is valued at around $300 billion, barely, and inconsistently, turns a profit. The price-to-earnings ratio is measured in the hundreds, and while the company appears to generate billions of dollars in cash flow each year, that number is greatly inflated thanks to the magic of lease accounting, not to mention stock-based compensation.
When it comes to investing, the best way to reduce risk is by paying less. While Amazon may not seem that risky, given its dominant status in the e-commerce and cloud computing markets, even the best company makes for a terrible investment if the price is too high. There are better, more reasonably priced options available.
The other retail giant
Image source: Wal-Mart.
While Amazon may be the king of online retail, Wal-Mart still sells nearly $500 billion of goods each year, mostly through its more than 11,000 locations worldwide. Like most traditional retailers, Wal-Mart has watched Amazon grow into a force of nature. While online sales still only account for about 7.5% of total retail sales in the United States, Wal-Mart is now ramping up its e-commerce investments in an effort to compete.
The company is investing heavily in a variety of initiatives, some in an effort to improve the quality of the customer experience in its stores, and others with the goal of pushing back against Amazon. Wal-Mart recently enacted a wage boost for all of its employees, bringing the minimum hourly wage for current associates to $10 an hour. Wal-Mart hopes that higher pay, along with new training programs and more transparent scheduling, will improve employee productivity and ultimately make shopping at Wal-Mart more enjoyable.
On the e-commerce front, Wal-Mart is ramping up capital spending. During fiscal 2015, the company spent $11.1 billion on capital expenditures related to its stores, and just $0.7 billion on e-commerce. In fiscal 2017, Wal-Mart plans to reduce store investments to $9.9 billion, while bringing e-commerce investments up to $1.1 billion. The company aims to grow its e-commerce sales by 20% to 30% per year.
One initiative that could have legs is online grocery pickup. Wal-Mart recently announced an expansion of the service, which allows customers to order groceries online and pick them up curbside at a Wal-Mart store for free. Wal-Mart's vast network of stores, and its ability to provide the service without any additional fees, could give the company a major advantage in the burgeoning online grocery industry.
All of these investments are taking a toll on the bottom line. Wal-Mart's earnings declined in 2015, and it expects another 6% to 12% decline this year. Growth is expected to return next year, assuming these initiatives pay off, but investors have been less than pleased. Shares of Wal-Mart are down 15% from the 52-week high, and that's after a major recovery over the past few months. The stock trades at about 17 times the low-end of company's guidance for EPS this year, which is not particularly cheap. But with earnings depressed and significant earnings growth potentially around the corner, Wal-Mart looks like a better option that Amazon.
The other cloud computing king
Image source: Microsoft.
Amazon Web Services gets most of the attention when it comes to cloud computing infrastructure. The company offers infrastructure-as-a-service and platform-as-a-service products, allowing clients to pay for only the computing services that they use. During 2015, AWS generated $7.9 billion of revenue, making it the largest IaaS provider.
Microsoft is also a major player in the cloud computing market, and although the company obfuscates its cloud results, making it difficult to tell how much IaaS and PaaS revenue it's generating, cloud is a core focus of the company. The Intelligent Cloud segment, which includes Azure, Windows Server, SQL Server, and Visual Studio, generated $6.3 billion in revenue during the fiscal second quarter alone. This number doesn't even include software-as-a-service revenue from Office 365, Dynamics, and other software products. These results are instead lumped into a different segment.
The growth prospects of Azure are just as bright as AWS, but Microsoft stock trades at a far lower multiple than Amazon. Backing out the cash net of debt on Microsoft's balance sheet, which totaled $59 billion at the end of 2015, shares of Microsoft trade for 18 times fiscal 2015 adjusted earnings. Like Wal-Mart, Microsoft is far from a clear bargain. But the company is going through a transition as it shifts its business to the cloud, and that's certainly hurting earnings in the short run.
No one investing in Amazon today is doing so because the valuation looks reasonable. It's all about growth, and Amazon has been happy to deliver on that front. But for investors who want to buy shares of companies that generate real profits, and that return some of those profits to shareholders, Wal-Mart and Microsoft are far better options than Amazon.
The article Ignore Amazon.com, Inc.: Here Are 2 Better Stocks originally appeared on Fool.com.
Timothy Green has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon.com. The Motley Fool recommends Microsoft. 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.
What happened? Shares of Integrated Device Technology , a maker of high-tech networking and automobile components, spiked Tuesday on the news that the company had received a generous takeover offer, but shares fell after it came to light that the bid might not be as promising as it seemed.
IMAGE SOURCE: INTEGRATED DEVICE TECHNOLOGY.
A group of investors in the company, collectively holding just under 5% of outstanding shares, announced in a pair of regulatory filings that they had sent a letter to Integrated's board offering to buy the remaining shares for $32 apiece in cash. This is 65% higher than the stock's closing price on the day before the offer was revealed.
Does it matter?Does it matter? Not if the bid is questionable, which at this point it appears to be. It was news to everyone, including Integrated -- to the point where the company felt compelled to issue a statement on the matter containing a distinct note of bewilderment.
Integrated quoted CEO Greg Waters as saying that "These SEC filings represent the first and only information IDT has received from this group, and we have not had any communication whatsoever with any of these parties. At this time we are unaware of any other information that would support a determination that the group's proposal represents a credible bona fide offer to purchase the company."
No further communication from the potential buyers has been forthcoming. Additionally, several media outlets reported that the registered address of one of the group's members is apparently a warehouse in Portland, Oregon.
So shareholders shouldn't get excited about this buyout offer. Although it might be legitimate, the hefty amount, the opacity of the buyers, and the oddball way it's being conducted augur otherwise.
The article Instant Analysis: Integrated Device Technology Receives Dubious Buyout Offer originally appeared on Fool.com.
Eric Volkman has no position in any stocks mentioned, and neither does The Motley Fool. 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.
Intel PC chief, Navin Shenoy. Image credit: screen-capture from Intel video.
Since 2013, Intel has been more aggressive about developing processors and platforms that effectively target low-cost personal computers using its Atom architecture. One way for Intel to try to stabilize falling PC sales is to try to bring more value to systems at even lower price points in an attempt to capture as much incremental demand as possible.
At the Intel Developer Forum in Shenzhen, China, Intel announced its newest low-cost PC platform known as Apollo Lake. Let's take a look at what this product could mean for Intel's business.
Improved performance and powerIn 2013, Intel released a platform known as Bay Trail targeted at low-cost notebooks and desktops. This part brought a new architecture and a transition to Intel's newer 22-nanometer FinFET manufacturing technology, allowing for substantial improvements in performance/power/features over the company's prior efforts.
This product family also allowed Intel to gain significant share at the low-end of the PC market while still maintaining strong gross profit margins.
Intel followed up Bay Trail with a product known as Braswell, which essentially amounted to a move of Bay Trail to the newer 14-nanometer process. Braswell wound up delivering graphics performance enhancements over Bay Trail, but CPU performance proved to be underwhelming. All told, it doesn't look like Braswell was really an impressive successor to Bay Trail.
Apollo Lake, on the other hand, should be much more impressive. Intel says that both graphics and CPU performance improve (thanks to a transition to new graphics and CPU architectures) over the prior generation. This, in my mind, is the "true" successor to Bay Trail.
Lower system costsIn a technical presentation hosted at the Intel Developer Forum, Intel highlighted the numerous platform-level cost saving opportunities that the Apollo Lake platform brings over "previous gen" (which in this case I would assume is Braswell).
Image credit: Intel.
Thanks to the improved energy efficiency and higher levels of integration of the Apollo Lake platform, Intel claims that in aggregate, system makers can see their costs reduced anywhere from $5.55 to more than $7.45.
Although saving a couple of dollars at the platform level in aggregate may not seem like much, keep in mind that we're talking about systems that are aimed to be sold at under $350 at retail -- sometimes well below that.
Those cost savings can either be used to cut costs further (to help boost demand), improve the quality of the devices sold at a given price-point/margin level, or to improve margins to the device vendor at a given price level.
Given how fiercely competitive the PC market is, I expect that system vendors will do the first and the third, and not so much the second.
What does this mean for Intel stock?At the end of the day, Intel wins when it can either:
Sell higher average selling price/margin products to its customers; Sells product in greater volumes.
I think Apollo Lake should enable a bit of both. By helping to, perhaps significantly, improve the quality of low-cost systems, Intel and its system partners might be able to stabilize low-end PC volume to some extent with this platform.
Perhaps more importantly, though, I would imagine that Intel may be able to slightly increase average selling prices of Apollo Lake versus, say, Bay Trail or Braswell. The cost savings that all of the added integration can deliver is significant, and I expect much of it to get passed on to the customer (in this case the PC maker), but I also think Intel wants to get paid for the additional value brought here.
So, if Apollo Lake is able to save about $6 on the bill of materials cost of a system, I could see Intel increasing selling prices by about $1-2, and allowing the system vendor to save on the other $4. In this case the major stakeholders win.
The article Intel Corp. Officially Outs Apollo Lake for Cheap PCs originally appeared on Fool.com.
Ashraf Eassa owns shares of Intel. The Motley Fool recommends Intel. 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: Ixia.
What: Shares of Ixia , a provider of network security solutions, slumped on Friday after the company released disappointing preliminary results for the first quarter. At 11:15 a.m. ET Friday, the stock was down about 18%.
So what: Ixia expects revenue between $108 million and $111 million during the first quarter, well below its prior guidance of $121 million to $126 million. According to Ixia, the revenue shortfall was due to an unexpected slowdown in network test spending from the company's North America network equipment manufacturer customers in March.
Ixia expects to post a GAAP loss between $0.03 and $0.05 per share during the first quarter, at the low end of its previous guidance of breakeven to a loss of $0.04 per share. On a non-GAAP basis, the company expects earnings between $0.05 and $0.08 per share, below previous guidance of $0.10 to $0.14 per share.
CEO Bethany Mayer tried to reassure investors. "Despite these near-term headwinds, we remain confident in our strategy to grow our business and are committed to financial discipline."
The company's revenue growth has not been consistent over the past five years, with a slump 2014, so this decline isn't completely out of character. With little in the way of profits over the past few years, and with a major revenuespeed bumpduring the first quarter, it's notsurprising that investors have sent the stock tumbling.
Now what: Ixia's problems during the first quarter may prove to be temporary, and if that's the case, the steep drop in the stock price on Friday may end up being an overreaction. On the other hand, with revenue now set to decline year over year during the first quarter, deeper problems may be at play.
The article Why Shares of Ixia Slumped on Friday originally appeared on Fool.com.
Timothy Green has no position in any stocks mentioned. 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.
Starbucks' stock is trouncing the market, up 26% in the last year compared to a 3% decline for the S&P 500.
Investors are still celebrating the coffee giant's awesome fiscal Q1 results that in January depicted a business firing on all cylinders: Sales spiked 12% higher, and profitability improved to a record 19.7% of sales as Starbucks dominated the holiday season.
To keep that strong business momentum going, here's what shareholders will want to see when Starbucks posts its fiscal Q2 results on Thursday, April 21.
Customer traffic-led sales growth CEO Howard Schultz and his team project that revenue will rise by 10% for the full fiscal year, which is exactly what consensus estimates call for this quarter. Sales are forecast to improve to just over $5 billion from last year's record $4.6 billion.
Image source: Starbucks.
An expanding store base will help that result, but the more important number to watch is comparable sales at existing locations. Comps soared by 8% last quarter, powered by a 4% gain in customer traffic.
And while 4% might not seem like much, considering Starbucks' massive sales base, it's huge. The uptick translated into 23 million additional customer visits around the world last quarter as the coffee giant handled 18 million more transactions in its U.S. stores alone.
Look for initiatives like an expanded lunch menu, digital ordering, and loyalty card marketing to help drive customer traffic growth this quarter, ideally without too much of a slowdown from Q1's banner result.
Retailing wins It's hard to overstate the recent success of Starbucks' consumer packaged goods division, CPG, which sells packaged coffees and single-serve drinks in grocery stores and other retailing spots. Schultz wasn't exaggerating when he told investors last quarter that "no national or global retailer has been able to leverage a retail store footprint into a CPG business remotely approaching the size, scale, and profitability of ours."
Image source: Starbucks.
Last quarter, the CPG division grew 16%, to put it in second place in packaged coffee behind food product giant Kraft. Profits grew even faster, leading to a 2-percentage-point boost in operating margin to 38% of sales. CPG's margin makes it Starbucks' most profitable operating segmentby far.
New product launches including Starbucks brand latte K-Cups, combined with growing demand for Frappuccino and Double Shot drinks, should help keep market share growing this year even as the company expands its ready-to-drink reach into new markets like China and the Middle East.
Can Starbucks keep rising? Starbucks' market-beating sales and profit growth -- which spans geographies and retailing channels -- justifies a significant premium for the stock. Still, its current valuation of 36 times earnings puts it in a class by itself. Costco and Home Depot are both posting record results on huge traffic gains lately, but they aren't valued at nearly that multiple:
COST P/E Ratio (TTM) data by YCharts.
This optimism raises the risk that investors could be disappointed with operating results in any given quarter. It isn't likely, after all, that the retailer can keep posting such consistently high customer traffic growth numbers for much longer.
However, Starbucks has a stronger brand and better growth profile than any other global retailer right now. It's also one of the best-positioned companies to attack potentially game-changing long-term opportunities like a growing middle class in China, or food and drink delivery across the U.S. Given those unique advantages, I wouldn't be surprised to see shares set new highs even though the stock seems expensive heading into next week's announcement.
The article Will Starbucks Corporation's Stock Hit a New High After Earnings Next Week? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Demitrios Kalogeropoulos owns shares of COST, HD, and SBUX. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends COST and SBUX. The Motley Fool recommends HD. 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.
A 14-year-old has been blinded in one eye and potentially faces permanent damage to his hands after allegedly testing an e-cigarette at a mall kiosk in Brooklyn, New York. The latest in a string of similar incidents, the teenagers injury may raise questions over the safety of the devices as well as how much they are marketed to youth.
Leor Domatov said he was trying out an e-cigarette at the Plaza Vapes kiosk in Brooklyns Kings Plaza Mall when it exploded in his hands and face, PIX11 reported. The injury occurred after an employee connected one of the vaporizers to the battery of the store.
I cant see anything because I got a cut through my cornea, Domatov told the news station.
Domatov, who is only 14, wouldnt have legally been able to buy one of the products because state and local law forbids the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. Domatovs father hired Marc Freund, a partner at Lipsig, Shapey, Manus and Moverman, to reportedly sue the kiosk owner and mall.
"Leor was being marketed at the entrance of the Kings Plaza Mall," Freund told the news station, "a mall that caters to children, and they're marketing these products, causing all these injuries."
Employees at the kiosk reportedly distribute promotional cards advertising the companys Instagram account and packaging that resemble popular breakfast cereals.
The employee who allowed Domatov to test the e-cigarette had only been on her second day at the job, PIX11 reported. Her boss didnt respond to a voicemail left by PIX11.
CrossFit trainer Emily Breeze is a mom-to-be who has chosen to maintain an intense fitness regimen throughout her pregnancyand received serious backlash for it. Breeze was recently filmed lifting more than 90 pounds 37 weeks into her pregnancy, which scored her praise from some commenters and outrage from others.
Watson is a CrossFit trainer who recently told the Today show that working out is her life. She regularly updates her Instagram page with healthy lifestyle pictures and videos for her 15,000 followers to enjoy, and shes gained attention over the last few weeks for her ability to deadlift crazy amounts of weight while pregnant. Though Breeze has assured her followers that shes been listening to her doctors advice as far as fitness is concerned, many have said theyre worried shes jeopardizing the health of her pregnancy by maintaining such an active life in the gym.
Related: 18 Things You Should Never Put In Your Vagina
Breeze is not the first to encounter this criticism. Just last month, Australian trainer Chontel Duncan came under fire for continuing high-intensity workouts during her pregnancy. And fitness competitor Stacie Venagro received backlash for her six-pack pregnancy in January, as well. But despite the overwhelming backlash, experts say maintaining a fit, healthy lifestyle during pregnancy is often whats best for mother and child.
The most recent set of American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines state that exercise during pregnancy has been shown to have minimal risks (though the ACOG does recommend modification based on normal physiological changes throughout the nine months). In fact, regular physical activity during pregnancy often brings with it several benefits, like: weight management, physical fitness, a reduced risk of gestational diabetes in obese women, and improved psychological well-being. The guidelines suggest that women with uncomplicated pregnancies take part in aerobic and strength-training activities before, during, and after their pregnancies. But the ACOG warns that any pregnant woman should speak to her doctor and receive a thorough clinical evaluation before embarking on a fitness regimen.
Related: 8 Sneaky Ways To Debloat In Just One Day
[Exercise] is all I know, Breeze said. Its what I believe in, and I want to have a healthy, fit pregnancy. In cases like these, its important to remember that whats right for one mother may not be right for another. While regular physical activity is encouraged in uncomplicated pregnancies, each patient should consult her physician before starting any exercise routine during pregnancy, Nitasha G. Jain, M.D., assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Columbia University Medical Center, tells SELF. We consider each patient as an individual, because everyones a little different. Exercise in pregnancy should be tailored to each individuals baseline capacity and should be discussed with an obstetrician at the beginning of the pregnancy.
For Breeze, this might mean lifting 90 pounds. And for you, it might not. Like Jain said, its all about individual differences and needs.
MORE FROM SELF:
4 Things Men Hide From Their Wives
The Surprising Behavior That Actually Rekindles Love
5 Types Of Workout Pains You Should Never Ignore
Sending a mobile optometrist to preschools is not as cost-effective as telling kids and their parents to follow up with their own eye doctors, according to a new study from San Francisco.
Bringing a mobile optometrist to preschools also didn't increase the number of children who ended up receiving follow-up eye exams, researchers found.
Dr. Eugene Lowry of the University of California, San Francisco and colleagues write in JAMA Ophthalmology that vision screening in three- to five-year-olds allows early correction of eye problems.
Ensuring follow-up exams with eye doctors after a school-based eye screening has been challenging, however. One possible solution is to bring optometrists to preschools for follow-up appointments. Those programs haven't been evaluated before now.
For the new study, the researchers used data from a vision screening program. Between 2009 and 2012, the parents of 175 children were told to take the child to an eye doctor for a follow-up exam. In 2012 and 2013, however, a mobile vision unit came to the schools for follow-up exams; during this period, 204 children were eligible for the exams.
About 60 percent of kids ended up getting follow-up exams between 2009 and 2012, while only about 55 percent got them between 2012 and 2013.
And, the researchers found, telling children and their parents to follow up with their own doctors was more cost effective than the mobile eye exams in 88 percent of cases.
On average, it cost $664 to diagnose one case of lazy eye between 2009 and 2012, compared to $776 per case from 2012 to 2013.
Lowry told Reuters Health about three quarters of students would need to complete their follow-up eye exams for the mobile method to break even in terms of costs.
"I think there are programmatic changes that could happen to increase follow up and make it cost effective," he said.
In an editorial, Eric Ross and Dr. Joshua Stein of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor suggest changes to the mobile program.
"With a few modifications to its implementation, the mobile follow-up could prove to be an effective and economically efficient solution to the problem of suboptimal follow-up," they write.
Specifically, they suggest schools wait until they've received a certain number of permission slips back from parents before inviting the mobile unit. Additionally, the mobile examinations still required parents to be present, which may have been a barrier to increasing follow-up rates.
Lowry said absenteeism may also play a role in low examination rates.
"I think this study highlights some changes that would be beneficial to make the program cost effective," he said.
In a sign of growing alarm about painkiller addiction, a group of U.S. state health officials, doctors and consumer advocates is calling for a stricter approach to treating pain in hospitals and clinics.
The group of 60, including senior health officials from Pennsylvania, Vermont, Alaska and Rhode Island, is recommending new guidelines for pain treatment, saying current standards are too aggressive and contribute to overuse of addictive painkillers.
In a letter sent Wednesday to the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the group urges the agency to stop surveying patients about how well their pain was controlled while in the hospital, a set of questions the agency uses to help judge hospital performance and determine payment. The group argued that the pain questions have had the unintended consequence of encouraging aggressive opioid use because hospitals aim for high scores on the surveys.
CMS said it would respond to the letter. It added that the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees CMS, already announced in October it would review how hospitals patient satisfaction surveys influence pain treatment and opioid prescribing.
In a separate letter, the health officials and doctors are asking a nonprofit body that accredits hospitals and clinics to re-examine the pain management standards it requires its accredited institutions to follow. The letter to the president of the Joint Commission, a body funded by the health-care industry, says these standards encourage unnecessary, unhelpful and unsafe pain treatments.
The letters add to a growing chorus of concern about addiction to prescription opioid painkillers and heroin, a chemically similar drug. President Barack Obama and members of Congress have proposed measures to combat the crisis, which health officials say is causing more Americans to die from drug overdoses than from traffic accidents.
The Joint Commission standards for treating pain, adopted in 2001, require hospitals and clinics to assess and manage pain as part of their routine care. The Joint Commission developed the standards amid concern in the 1990s that too many doctors and nurses were neglecting pain, David Baker, executive vice president of the Joint Commission, said.
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The cat is out of the bag. The mainstream media in America no longer even pretends to hide their bias and disdain against Republicans. Exhibit A was Sunday's edition of the Boston Globe dedicated to headlines about what America might look like under a President Donald Trump.
But how could a major American newspaper print something that biased, distorted and prejudicial? Sure, it was in the Opinion section of the paper but still where's equal time for the Trump side of the story?
How could a major newspaper so ferociously engage in slashing and burning a Republican candidate? Are we living in the land of the free, or a Banana Republic?
Well, two can play at that game.
What if Hillary became president? What would America look like under President Hillary Clinton?
Here are very likely news headlines that might appear with Hillary in the White House. These are the headlines the Boston Globe would never show you. Because the truth scares liberals.
America Teeters on Brink of Disaster as National Debt hits $30 Trillion
With Debt at $30 Trillion, Clinton Approves Social Security, Medicare and Disability for Illegals
Epic 1929-style Stock Market Crash Fueled by Massive Debt Crisis
Israel Hit by Iranian nuclear attack: 1 million dead and injured. Prime Minister blames Obama, Kerry, Bill Clinton
Illegal Immigrants Overrun US as Worst Border Crisis in History Unfolds
English No Longer Spoken Here. Public School Systems Across US Abandoned by American Citizens
Clinton Says Taxes Must Be Raised to 90 Percent Due to Debt Crisis, Corporate Failures and Entitlements Overwhelming System
Escape from America: Record Numbers of Business Owners Leave US
Clinton Critics Sent to Prison by IRS. Republicans Long for "Good Old Days" under Obama
ISIS Taunts America -- Claims 1,000 Terrorists Crossing US Border Each Day
ISIS Follows NY Terror Attack by Claiming to Unleash Army of 10,000 Specially-Trained Suicide Bombers Already on U.S. Soil
College Education Declared "Free" by Clinton Because 80 Percent of Student Loans in Default
Unemployment Hits 55 Percent Among Young Adults: Costs of Taxes, ObamaCare and $15 Minimum Wage to Blame Say Business Leaders
Chicago Lays Off Half of Its Teachers -- Cook County Debt Reaches $300 Billion
Unrest and Violence in Streets Across US as Debt Crisis Causes Delay in Welfare and Food Stamps
Walmart Seeks Bankruptcy Protection. Costs of ObamaCare Overwhelm Company as Mass Layoffs Begin
Middle Class Devastated by $2,000 Monthly Electric Bills Due to Prohibitive Costs of Green Energy and Coal Ban
Middle Class Bankrupted by $30,000 Annual Health Premiums Due to ObamaCare Costs
Food Stamp Use Doubles to Unimaginable 90 million Americans
Record 120 Million Working Age Americans Not Working
California, NY, NJ Lobby Congress to Allow States to Declare Bankruptcy
Trillions in Government Employee Pension Costs Overwhelm Budget,Crowd Out All Other Services
Perhaps the State Department's public proclamation last year that terrorists need jobs (thanks Marie Harf) wasn't so far off the mark, after all.
U2's front-man Bono was on Capitol Hill Tuesday testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee (Washington's establishment to end all establishments) about violent extremism and the role of foreign assistance, along with General Jim Jones, former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, and Tony Blinken, Deputy Secretary of State; a power-player trio of note.
The foremost agenda item was the unpalatable yet highly pragmatic idea that national security in the 21st century requires a revamped and multi-faceted approach (at least from Europe and the United States). This approach must include all the traditional elements of national power (diplomatic, economic, military, informational, etc.) as well as some new foreign policymaking tools like the application of smartly tailored foreign aid that is designed and implemented in accordance with specific, achievable goals.
The United States and its European allies need to start viewing foreign assistance to some messy and unsavory regions of the world as investments in our collective future, rather than charity; were paying money now so that we dont have to pay with blood and treasure later. On no other issue does foreign assistance have such obvious potential to pay big dividends than on the fight against violent extremism (a.k.a. terrorism).
Bono and General Jones talked at length about the siren-song-effect radical ideology currently enjoys across large swathes of the Middle East, and the potential for it to spill over into the western world and beyond if left unchecked by the remaining world powers. If you think ISIS's metastasis across Iraq and Syria (and Yemen, Libya, and Afghanistan) is bad, along with the ensuing domino-like collapse of Middle Eastern states and the resulting international refugee crisis, just wait until you see what's coming next out of Africa.
Thanks to organizations like Boko Haram in Nigeria and al Shabaab in Somalia, radical Islamic ideology is enjoying unprecedented popularity across the African continent, which is roughly the size of Europe and the U.S. combined and within a decade will have more than double their combined population.
What will happen to African nations once theyre saturated with hybrid, like-minded terrorist groups whose primary goals are the destruction of the U.S. and the West? We shouldn't wait to find out (General Jones has referred to the proliferation of terrorism across the Middle East and its attendant consequences as "the tidal wave that precedes a tsunami" the tsunami in this analogy being terrorism in Africa). We need only look to Boko Haram for a feasibility indicator here, a group that has in the recent past murdered more civilians in a single day than ISIS has in totality since their emergence on the scene last year.
The Bono-Jones solution to all this? It's development assistance to Africa, stupid. The global community needs to invest (more and now) in the resources that will enable Africa's people to live productive, meaningful and sustainable lives; we need to invest in their education, public health and disease control, and political participation because, as the refugee crisis has demonstrated, their problems will eventually become ours. If we want to dissuade them from joining the ranks of ISIS and other terrorist groups, which the vast majority of them do for mercenary reasons just as often as ideological ones, then it will fall to us to present them with other options.
Sounds awfully expensive, you say? Well, prevention now is a lot cheaper than cleaning up the mess five or ten years from now.
We need to offer Africans the alternatives to terrorist recruitment that their own governments cannot. This includes, yes, jobs. Sounds an awful lot like nation-building (the most abhorred verb in the Washington vernacular) you say? Well, if we invest in vulnerable populations today, help them to build their own nations through security, development, and good governance initiatives, perhaps we can prevent the devastating crush of a tsunami that spills onto our own shores tomorrow (this isnt wishful thinking, but logic).
We can avert a refugee crisis that is truly global in scale and knows no regional bounds; a humanitarian disaster that impacts each and every country in the international community and is truly unfixable; and the spread of radical ideology and its ugly step-sister jihad across the entire world.
The most effective way to protect our national security interests in the medium- to long-term is to strategically shape the future of the international community (were looking at you, Africa).
Sounds awfully smart to me.
Hillary Clinton may very well have locked up the Democratic nomination at Thursday nights debate in Brooklyn.
The main theme that ran throughout each of Clintons pointed answers was its easy to diagnose the problem. Its hard to do something about it. Its a brilliant tack for her to take especially as more critics have been pointing out flaws in Sanderss plans, especially when it comes to funding his free college for all and universal health care plans.
And it worked a charm.
Sanders suffered for it. She buried him in details no matter the topic. From breaking up the banks Sanderss signature issue that he notably struggled with during his recent Daily News interview to tackling climate change to raising the minimum wage to the conflict in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinians, Clinton showed how deep her understanding of the issues is and the level of specificity with which she has crafted plans to address them.
That doesnt mean that she was without flaws, but she did better handling them than in previous debates. For instance, Clinton is still shaky on releasing her Goldman Sachs speech transcripts and the approach of calling Sanders out for not releasing his tax returns yet doesnt exonerate her. But where she is now improved is jumping on Sanders for having absolutely no evidence that she ever made a decision based on her Wall Street ties (special thanks to Dana Bash for asking the question in the first place).
Concerning her position on the minimum wage, Clinton tried to take credit for being for a $15 minimum wage when shes actually only for a federal $12 minimum wage. Her approach is one that I agree with in that we should set a responsible floor and let cities decide if they can go to $15 based on their local economies. Although this isnt the position of the progressive left, her explanation of the importance of making incremental improvements appeared to resonate with the audience and with the viewers at home.
And then there was her defense of our intervention in Libya, which Obama called one of his biggest regrets but one that Clinton was very much committed to. This will continue to be a sticking point for her, but she handled the criticism adeptly by pointing out that final decisions are made by presidents whether it be President Obama or President Clinton, alluding to the flack shes taking for her husbands 1994 Crime Bill (even though Sanders voted for the bill himself in Congress). It was a very slick move and one that will have also registered with voters.
As usual, Bernie was on message. He talked about the rigged economy, the dangers that corporate America pose to the average worker and the importance of doing away with Citizens United. He reiterated his position that Clinton doesnt have the right judgment to be president because of her vote for the Iraq War and that she has a Super PAC. But this evening it didnt seem to matter the way it has in the past and I think thats because he was speaking almost entirely in rhetoric while she was offering clear ideas and solutions.
The latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows that Clinton is up by 17 percent in New York. Thats not apt to change and with Sanders heading Friday to the Vatican, hes giving up key campaigning time. If she wins this big in New York and she could certainly win in double digits Sanderss momentum will be slowed. He wont drop out, but there will be an even greater case that he should.
As a former Pentagon spokesman whos been stationed in both Europe and Asia over a 20-year military career, I believe Donald Trump is 100 percent correct to insist that our allies share the burden of collective defense.
While Americans should be proud of our historical role to advance global freedom -- defeating Nazism and imperialism during World War II, communism during the Cold War, and battling jihadist terror networks today, we cant be the worlds policeman forever.
We cant afford it.
Nope, were $19 trillion in debt and our own national infrastructure is crumbling. Literally.
Anybody remember the I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis? On a bright, sunny August day in 2007, it collapsed into the Mississippi River during rush hour, killing 13 and injuring 145.
Anybody seen current pictures of once mighty and prosperous industrial cities like Detroit; Gary, Indiana; or Akron, Ohio?
Or urban decay in places like Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, Milwaukee, Oakland, Los Angeles and Ferguson?
Isnt it time to do some nation-building at home?
Meanwhile, aside from natural disasters, our top allies dont worry about physically crumbling cities. And thats thanks to the American taxpayer underwriting their massive security bills since the 1940s.
So lets take a look at some facts & figures:
NATO is an alliance of 28 nations with a population of more than 910 million. America makes up over 1/3 the population, yet pays nearly three quarters of the defense expenditures. Each country is supposed to pay 2 percent of their GDP on defense. Yet only America, the U.K., Greece, Estonia and Poland are currently meeting their obligations.
According to World Bank figures, during 2011-2015 America spent about 3.5 percentof GDP on military expenditures. Meanwhile, our wealthy NATO allies arent even coming close. Italy: 1.4%; Germany: 1.2%; Canada: 1%; Spain: 0.9%. Over in Asia, Japan has spent 1.0 percent and South Korea 2.6%.
During a Washington Post editorial board with Mr. Trump last month, the newspaper noted that Japan and South Korea pay about half of the non-personnel costs of U.S. military basing. And his response: Why isnt it 100 percent?
Great question.
Even getting past the massive trade deficits with allies like Japan, were funding a system that makes our allies nicer places to live than here.
Take airports, for instance. Many of our NATO allies, Japan and South Korea put ours to shame. The first time I set foot in Japan, it was mind-blowing. Kansai Airport is a marvel of technology, entirely built on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay. Never seen anything like it. Two decades later, the state-of-the-art, luxurious air hub still beats JFK, OHare and LAX.
And then theres high-speed rail, subways, highways and ferries. Theyre modernizing while were struggling to keep ours on-line. Case in point, Washington, DC Metro authorities have been discussing potential 6-month closures of certain rail lines for repairs -- which comes after several accident and fire related fatalities in recent years.
But beyond the lopsided financial burden, our allies arent pulling their weight on the battlefield either.
As Defense Secretary Robert Gates noted on his way out of the Pentagon in 2011, only a handful of allies were willing to fight and die in Afghanistan. Some insisted their troops couldnt fight in the snow or mountains. On NATO, he said its future is dim, if not dismal. A running joke during my Pentagon days was that International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, actually stood for I Saw Americans Fighting.
In the Middle East, its even worse. While we spend billions to defend Saudi Arabia and other Gulf State allies, we get practically nothing. Though theyve signed up to fight ISIS, the vast majority of airstrikes are American. The Saudis ought to pay the bills, especially considering the role their hardline clerics play in creating jihadist networks in the first place. Lets recall that 15 of 19 hijackers on 9/11 were Saudis. The Iranians are even more hostile, yet dont claim to be an ally.
While America shoulders the free worlds defense burden, we must recognize the threats have changed. Thats despite the panicking establishments insistence they havent, both on the left and the right.
While the Soviet Union was the biggest threat during the Cold War, it no longer exists. Todays greatest long-term threats to Europe and America are radical Islam-inspired terrorism and unchecked immigration, which by the way, go hand in hand.
Next is nuclear proliferation and rogue nations like Iran and North Korea. Then the rise of China, busily hacking and cheating its way to superpower status. They dont have to conquer us if we internally collapse.
Bottom line, our allies must get serious about defense. If they cant pull their own weight, why should we go broke carrying them on our backs?
Time for a fresh approach.
School administrators in Middleton, Wisconsin have intensified their threats and intimidation of a group of mothers who host a weekly Jesus Lunch for students at a park adjacent to Middleton High School.
New video shows school officials physically confronting one of the moms in the park as one womans stunned husband observes from a distance. The moms were undeterred and told school officials they were going to serve lunch regardless of their objections.
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These ongoing attempts to suppress free speech by school officials are disgraceful, said Phillip Stamman, an attorney representing the moms. These mothers devote hours each week to serving the students with free meals and a brief message about Jesus. They should not be bullied or harassed but praised.
Stamman said his clients have been repeatedly threatened by school officials - but they refuse to comply with their demands to cease the non-denominational religious gathering.
These women will not be intimidated, he told me. They are wholeheartedly committed to serving the students a free meal while sharing a Christian message.
I first wrote about the Jesus Lunch controversy earlier this week. So allow me to give you a brief primer on the hullabaloo.
Students at Middleton High School are permitted to eat lunch off campus. So go to McDonalds. Others go to Taco Bell. And some students eat at Firemans Park, a public park adjacent to the school campus.
In 2014, a group of moms started what would become known as the Jesus Lunch. They would prepared home-cooked meals for their children and conclude the lunch with an inspirational Christian message.
Over the years, the Jesus Lunch grew into a massive weekly event with nearly 500 kids voluntarily attending.
But the school district wants to shut down the gathering and as evidenced by the video they will do anything to make sure that eventually happens.
We believe that religious or political events do not have a place in our school or on our campus, except when sponsored by a student group in accordance with our rules, which require prior approval, the pair wrote in an email sent to parents on April 12.
The district accused the moms of violating all sorts of rules especially in the area of food preparation. They implied the parents are putting their children in danger by hosting the weekly picnics.
The policies in question include food handling, visitors to campus, and expectations around student organized events, the administrators wrote. We are in no way interested in opposing religious practice in otherwise legal circumstances.
The district said parents are ignoring food handling standards.
Food of any kind that is served to students must be approved by the school/district to ensure food safety, cleanliness and health, they wrote. In addition, many students are subject to food allergies, so additional protocols must be followed to safeguard students with these conditions.
Principal Stephen Plank even accused the moms of luring students to the park with promises of free food in exchange for a Christian message.
Many students have conveyed to us their concern about a group offering free food to incentivize participation in a religious event on campus, he told News8000.com. The result of which has a divisive impact on our learning community.
The principal suggested that some students loathe the event so much they become hysterical.
There are some students that when they know this day is coming, they will leave school early, he told the news organization. We have some students that staff will find sitting in the hallway crying.
His remarks left me incredulous. I thought public schools provided safe space so youngsters could be shielded from opinions or concepts they dont agree with?
The district also believes that the public park is technically a part of the campus. They have a lease agreement with the city that allows them to use the park during school hours. So the district contends the moms and their offspring are technically on school property.
The parents contend that it is their First Amendment Right to provide free food and hold a religiously oriented event on this property during school hours, the administrators wrote. The District believes that we have jurisdiction of this leased property, which is part of our campus.
The moms believe that even though there is a lease agreement that doesnt make the public space off-limits.
Fireman's Park -- a public park owned by the City of Middleton -- remains accessible to everyone in the public for the purposes of assembly and free speech, they wrote in a statement. By law, the lease agreement between the city and the School District of Middleton does not privatize the park. The City of Middleton has sent us a letter this week and acknowledged our rental agreement of the pavilion at Fireman's Park.
So hence, the standoff between the goodhearted moms and a bunch of public school administrative bullies who dont under the concept of free speech or religious liberty.
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders shelved the niceties and went right after each others perceived weak spots at a must-win Democratic primary debate Thursday night where the front-runner challenged her rivals grasp of complex policy issues and the insurgent senator hammered her as a Wall Street pal just now talking the talk of working Americans.
The charge crystallized when Clinton seemed to surprise Sanders by declaring shed back legislation for a $15 federal minimum wage.
To suddenly announce now youre for 15, I dont think is quite accurate, Sanders said, noting Clinton previously has pushed for increasing the hourly wage to $12. I think the secretary has confused a lot of people.
However, Clinton said while she supports the goal of raising the wage to $12, she would sign legislation raising it to $15 if a Democratic Congress passes it.
I have said from the very beginning that I supported the fight for 15, Clinton insisted.
The heated dispute, in which the candidates frequently interrupted each other, was one of many at a CNN-hosted debate heavy on populist rhetoric and personal attacks.
Sanders at one point went as far as to suggest Clintons labeling of certain criminals as "superpredators" when she was first lady was "a racist term and everybody knew it was a racist term."
The two faced off in Brooklyn, for their first debate in more than a month, at a critical time. The campaign heads soon into the final stretch with the upcoming New York primary seen as a determining factor. While Sanders trails badly in delegates, he is pointing to his recent winning streak in insisting he can still win this nomination.
Secretary Clinton cleaned our clock in the deep South. We got murdered there, he conceded, before adding. Were out of the deep South now.
Im not taking anything for granted, or any voter or any place, Clinton said, while noting shes gotten millions more votes and saying the party will eventually have to unite.
Eyeing the contest ahead, both candidates courted Empire State voters Thursday by stressing their New York ties and more broadly, hitting working-class themes.
At the same time, the debate veered heavily into foreign policy in the second half, with Sanders using the issue to challenge Clintons judgment while she questioned his experience.
Describing the problem is a lot easier than trying to solve it, Clinton said at one point, challenging Sanders as he laid out his goals for achieving Middle East peace.
Sanders also took heat from Clinton for describing Israeli military action as at times disproportionate. They do not invite rockets raining down on their towns and villages, she said. Sanders said Israel has a right to defend itself, but the U.S. needs to be even-handed in peace talks.
Sanders, as he has before, hammered Clinton for supporting regime change in Libya and Iraq, warning that it has unintended consequences. He said the former secretary of states continued support for a no-fly zone in Syria which he noted President Obama does not support runs the risk of getting us sucked into perpetual warfare in that region.
But Clinton defended her stance, and argued: Nobody stood up to Assad and removed him and we have had a far greater disaster in Syria.
Earlier, Sanders also pointed to Clintons support for the Iraq war, as well as virtually every disastrous trade agreement, in challenging her judgment to lead.
However, Clinton fired back, pointing to an editorial board meeting Sanders had with the New York Daily News where he seemed to struggle to explain his plan to break up the banks and various foreign policy positions.
He could not explain how he would break up the banks, Clinton said. She defended her own judgment and said: I think you need to have the judgment on day one to be both president and commander-in-chief.
While the tone was tougher than past face-offs, the candidates hit several familiar themes. Clinton suggested Sanders is too closely aligned with the gun industry. Sanders knocked Clinton for not releasing transcripts of her past paid speeches (while saying he would soon release a new batch of tax returns).
On that point, Sanders said that despite the financial industry-fueled recession, Secretary Clinton was busy giving speeches to Goldman Sachs for $225,000 a speech.
Clinton, though, denied that any of that money influenced her decisions in office. Further, she said, I stood up against behaviors of the banks when I was a senator.
Sanders gave a sarcastic retort: Oh my goodness. They must have been really crushed by this.
As he did on the minimum wage, Sanders also seemed to accuse Clinton of shifting her position when it came to Social Security taxes, though Clinton again claimed shes been consistent.
Sanders has been on an election roll lately, winning seven of the last eight state contests, most recently in Wyoming over the weekend. On stage Thursday, he touted his landslide victories in recent contests.
But analysts note the primary map could soon be turning back in the front-runners favor, not only in New York but other Eastern primary states.
With the stakes getting ever-higher, the tone of the contest had sharpened well before Thursdays debate. Sanders recently alleged Clinton may not be qualified for president, before walking back the remark. And the Clinton campaign has criticized Sanders for the aggressive efforts by some of his supporters to persuade so-called superdelegates to back the Vermont senator.
Superdelegates are elected officials and other party insiders free to support whomever they want. Most of them are siding with Clinton, giving her an even wider delegate lead. But Clinton noted Thursday night that she holds the pledged delegate lead as well.
Going into the Empire State primary on Tuesday, Clinton so far has held the lead in most polls. Clinton spent eight years as a New York senator.
But Sanders, a Vermont senator who was born in Brooklyn, has been touting his local roots as he seeks to upset Clinton in the state.
While Sanders is on a winning streak in primaries and caucuses, he desperately needs a big victory in New York if he hopes to cut into Clinton's delegate lead and slow her march to the nomination. To date, Clinton has accumulated 1,758 total delegates, compared with Sanders 1,069. It takes 2,383 to win.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Former New York Gov. George Pataki endorsed Ohio Gov. John Kasich for president on On the Record with Greta Van Susteren Thursday evening.
The most recent Republican to hold the Empire States highest office, Pataki said a Kasich nomination would allow the party to claim victory in November against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
Kasichdoesnt just beat Hillary Clinton, he trounces her and will help us regain Washington, Pataki told Van Susteren in a satellite interview from the Grand Hyatt in Manhattan, where the New York Republican Party was holding its annual gala.
Once we win, you have to be able to govern. John Kasich has a history of bringing people together and governing successfully, he said, adding that he does not think current frontrunner Donald Trump should be president, predicting that his fellow New Yorker would drive the Republican party off a cliff.
[Kasich] balanced the budget when he was in Washington [as a Congressman in the 1990s]. He has been a very effective governor in Ohio working to create jobs and move that state forward, Pataki said.
When asked about Kasichs ability to clinch only one state in the primary battle thus farhis home state of OhioPataki blamed the governors performance on the tremendous attention Trump has been garnering throughout the nomination process.
Republicans at the convention are going to say who can win this race? Its Governor John Kasich, Pataki said.
Pataki, who held the governors office during the 9/11 terror attacks and was also mayor of Peekskill, is a former 2016 presidential candidate. New York holds its primary on April 19.
Former FBI agents who worked the notorious 1970s sting operation known as ABSCAM have written FBI Director James Comey to warn that nothing less than the bureau's "reputation" is on the line as the investigation into Hillary Clinton's email practices enters a critical phase.
The agents, in a March 16 letter obtained by Fox News, offered their support for Comey and the agents working the email case. But the letter cautioned the outcome would have long-lasting implications.
"Decisions must be made on facts alone. Much is at stake here -- people's trust in the Bureau for years to come, as well as the Bureau's reputation among our allies, partners, and friends as the greatest law enforcement agency in the world, wrote John F. Good, president of the Long Island Chapter of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI.
Good told Fox News a half-dozen FBI agents who worked the 1978 ABSCAM investigation which targeted sitting members of Congress -- belong to the chapter. The ABSCAM investigation included more than 30 political figures, with six House members and one U.S. senator ultimately convicted of crimes. The investigation was depicted in the 2013 Golden Globe-winning movie "American Hustle," in which Bradley Cooper played an agent based on Good and others.
Good, 79, told Fox News by phone that the Clinton email case boils down to whether the U.S. is a nation of laws, where all citizens are equal under the law, or there is a different set of rules for the powerful. He said the ABSCAM agents thought it was important to show support for the bureaus work in the email probe since they know what it feels like to face intense public scrutiny.
Good, though, said the pressure the ABSCAM agents faced 40 years ago pales in comparison to what Comey and the agents are dealing with today regarding the Democratic presidential front-runner and her aides.
On Fox News Sunday last weekend, President Obama weighed in on the ongoing email investigation, saying his former secretary of state had not intentionally harmed national security, but had been "careless" with her emails. White House Spokesman Josh Earnest later confirmed the president was not briefed on the investigation by the FBI or Justice Department, and had based his statements on media reports.
Obama, meanwhile, repeatedly vowed there would be no political influence in the case.
Good said that at the outset of ABSCAM, then-FBI Director William Webster had their backs and told them, "The future of the FBI rests on this case."
He said the same holds true today, but added that the retired agents are concerned Comey may not have the same level of support from the Justice Department, where Attorney General Loretta Lynch will make the decision on whether a prosecution is pursued.
"It does not appear that the same relationship between the FBI and DOJ exists today on the case," he told Fox News.
Then-FBI agent Good was a central player in ABSCAM. A native of the Bronx, and son of an FBI agent, he was known for his expertise navigating the tricky business of selecting and developing informants. In 1977, Good had been working on an ongoing inquiry into payoffs to officials in Suffolk County, N.Y., during a sewer project but the pressure from the bureau was to develop bigger and more major cases.
So in 1977, Good selected a crook's crook by working with a colorful swindler from Long Island named Mel Weinberg (the basis for the American Hustle character played by Christian Bale) to ferret out widespread government corruption. The undercover operation featured agents posing as phony Arab sheiks toting suitcases full of cash and stolen artwork, all caught on 1,000 hours of videotape.
Now 91 and living in Florida, Weinberg told Fox News that "the country is going to pot. Today's politicians are too smart, the money is greater and they all learned from ABSCAM."
EXCLUSIVE: Since 1775, the U.S. Marine Corps has prided itself on being The Few" and "The Proud." But while the Corps takes pride in doing more with less, senior Marine officers are warning that the Corps' aviation service is being stretched to the breaking point.
Today, the vast majority of Marine Corps aircraft cant fly. The reasons behind the grounding of these aircraft include the toll of long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the fight against ISIS and budget cuts precluding the purchase of the parts needed to fix an aging fleet, according to dozens of Marines interviewed by Fox News at two air stations in the Carolinas this week.
Out of 276 F/A-18 Hornet strike fighters in the Marine Corps inventory, only about 30% are ready to fly, according to statistics provided by the Corps. Similarly, only 42 of 147 heavy-lift CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters are airworthy.
U.S. military spending has dropped from $691 billion in 2010 to $560 billion in 2015. The cuts came just as the planes were returning from 15 years of war, suffering from overuse and extreme wear and tear. Many highly trained mechanics in the aviation depots left for jobs in the private sector.
Quite honestly, it is coming on the backs of our young Marines, Lt. Col. Matthew Pablo Brown, commanding officer of VMFA(AW)-533, a Hornet squadron based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina. They can do it, and they are doing it but it is certainly not easy.
Brown's squadron is due to deploy to the Middle East in the coming days.
Lack of funds has forced the Marines to go outside the normal supply chain to procure desperately needed parts. Cannibalization, or taking parts from one multi-million dollar aircraft to get other multi-million dollar aicraft airborne, has become the norm.
To get one Hornet flying again, Marines at Beaufort stripped a landing gear door off a mothballed museum jet. The door, found on the flight deck of the World War II-era USS Yorktown, was last manufactured over a decade ago.
Imagine taking a 1995 Cadillac and trying to make it a Ferrari, Sgt. Argentry Uebelhoer said days before embarking on his third deployment. You're trying to make it faster, more efficient, but it's still an old airframe [and] the aircraft is constantly breaking.
Maintaining the high-performance Hornets is a challenge with 30,000 fewer Marines, part of a downsizing that has been ongoing since 2010.
We don't have enough of them to do the added work efficiently. We are making it a lot harder on the young marines who are fixing our aircraft, said Maj. Michael Malone of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31.
Sometimes it takes the Marines 18 months to get parts for early model F-18 jets whose production was halted in 2001.
We are an operational squadron. We are supposed to be flying jets, not building them, said Lt. Col. Harry Thomas, Commanding Officer of VMFA-312, a Marine Corps F/A-18 squadron based at Beaufort.
The cuts include those made by the Obama administration as well as the sequestration cutbacks agreed to by Congress.
Asked about the Marines concerns on Friday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest put the onus on Congress to right the problem and said Republicans have blocked spending reforms that would have helped military readiness. He said Republicans championed the sequester cuts.
Lt. Col Thomas, call sign Crash, deployed to the Pacific with 10 jets last year. Only seven made it. A fuel leak caused his F/A-18 to catch fire in Guam. Instead of ejecting, he landed safely, saving taxpayers $29 million.
Thomas has deployed eight times in all, including six to Iraq and Afghanistan. Right now only two of his 14 Hornets can fly. His Marines deploy in three months.
We are supposed to be doing the type of maintenance like you would take your car to Jiffy Lube for replacing fluids, doing minor inspections, changing tires, things of that nature, not building airplanes from the ground up, he added.
The aircraft shortage means pilots spend less time in the air.
This last 30 days our average flight time per pilot was just over 4 hours, said Thomas.
Ten years ago, Marine Corps pilots averaged between 25 and 30 hours in the air each month, according to one pilot. This is the worst Ive seen it, he added. Another pilot who asked to remain nameless told Fox News that Chinese and Russian pilots fly more hours each month than Marine Corps pilots.
Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornets are supposed to have a shelf life of 6,000 hours, but they are being refurbished to extend the life to 8,000. There is talk that some aircraft might be pushed to 10,000 hours while the Marine Corps waits for the 5th-generation Joint Strike Fighter, which is slated to replace the F-18, but has been plagued by cost overruns.
Our aviation readiness is really my No. 1 concern, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller told Congress last month. We dont have enough airplanes that we would call ready basic aircraft."
Col. Sean Salene oversees nine helicopter squadrons at Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina.
Unlike previous wars, we did not have a period of time afterwards where we did not have tasking, said Col. Salene. There was no time to catch our breath.
Maj. Matt Gruba, executive officer of HMH-461, a Super Stallion squadron at New River took Fox News reporters inside one of the large helicopters, which has sent thousands of fully loaded Marines into combat over the past three decades.
Inside, hundreds of small wires cover every surface of the helicopter except the hard non-skid deck. Its up to the Marine maintainers to inspect each one. One failure could be catastrophic, as happened in 2014 when a Navy MH-53E Sea Dragon crashed off the coast of Virginia after a fire engulfed the aircraft due to faulty fuel lines.
"It would be easy to miss some small minute detail, some small amount of wear [which] could potentially, eventually cause a fire, Gruba said
Lt. Gen. Jon M. "Dog" Davis is the Marine Corps' deputy commandant for aviation, tasked with getting his aircraft back in the air.
Davis ordered the Corps to refurbish all of the old CH-53E helicopters to their pre-war condition, including fixing the chafing wires and jerryrigged fuel lines that were repaired in theater.
"The biggest thing is right now after 15 years of hard service, of hard fighting and deploying around the world, is we don't have enough airplanes on the flight line, Davis said.
The cuts have not sat well within the military leadership. Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Fox News Bret Baier in a recent interview that he felt betrayed when told to cut billions from the budget after having already done so.
I guess Id have to say I felt double-crossed. After all those years in Washington, I was naive, he said.
And last week, the Armys top officer, Gen. Mark Milley, said cuts could mean more American troops could lose their lives.
If one or more possible unforeseen contingencies happen, then the United States Army currently risks not having ready forces available to provide flexible options to our national leadership. ... And most importantly, we risk incurring significantly increased U.S. casualties, Milley testified last week on Capitol Hill.
Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton said Thursday that she was sorry for what she described as the unintended consequences of a landmark 1994 crime bill signed into law by her husband, former President Bill Clinton.
Clinton's past support for the law has come under fire from some African-Americans, who say that it has contributed to mass incarceration of young blacks.
When asked if she believed the bill was a mistake during the Democratic debate in Brooklyn, N.Y., Clinton said the law "had some positive aspects", like an effort to prevent violence against women.
When pressed on her support for the law, Clinton said she was "sorry for the consequences that were unintended and that have had a very unfortunate impact on people's lives." She also noted that her husband had apologized for the law and that her opponent, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., had voted for the bill.
For his part, Sanders stood by his criticism of Bill Clinton for defending Hillary Clinton's use of the term "super predators" in 1996 to describe some criminals.
"It was a racist term, and everybody knew it was a racist term," Sanders said.
The self-described democratic socialist, who was a congressman at the time the bill was passed, agreed the law was a mixed bag. He then called for a rethink of what he described as "a broken criminal justice system ... from the bottom on up."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Majorities of American voters think Republican front-runner Donald Trump lacks the knowledge, temperament, and the likeability to be an effective president.
On the other hand, majorities feel Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Ted Cruz do possess those traits.
Most voters believe Clinton (63 percent), Sanders (58 percent), and Cruz (55 percent) have the knowledge to serve effectively, according to a new Fox News national poll. In contrast, 60 percent say Trump doesnt.
In addition, most feel Sanders (68 percent), Clinton (62 percent), and Cruz (61 percent) have the temperament to serve, while most think Trump does not (65 percent).
Clintons advantages over Trump on knowledge and temperament are striking, comments Democratic pollster Chris Anderson, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Republican pollster Daron Shaw. That could provide a very good foundation for a general election campaign.
CLICK TO READ THE POLL RESULTS
In the 2008 Democratic primary, then-candidate Barack Obama famously told Clinton, Youre likeable enough, Hillary. Voters agree: 52 percent say she is likeable enough, while 47 percent say she isnt. Cruz does a bit better on this measure: 52-45 percent.
Sanders wins the congeniality award: 71 percent feel hes likeable enough to serve effectively. Trump is in negative territory, as 41 percent say he is likeable enough, but over half -- 57 percent -- disagree.
Meanwhile, majorities say Sanders (70 percent) and Cruz (56 percent) have the integrity to serve effectively. Its the opposite for Trump, as 58 percent think he lacks the integrity to serve. Voters split over whether Clinton does: 48 percent say yes vs. 51 percent no.
The biggest question mark for all four is whether they can be an effective chief executive. When asked if the candidate could get things done as president to solve the countrys problems, slightly more voters disagree than agree for each.
"If you simply look at these trait evaluations, you'd think that Sanders is the run-away top choice," says Shaw. "The front-runners, on the other hand, garner scores ranging from mediocre to abysmal."
The new poll also asked voters how proud they would be to have the top 2016 contenders as president.
About 3 in 10 would be proud (14 percent extremely and 17 percent very) to have the Vermont senator in the White House. Thats more than feel the same about Clinton (28 percent), Trump (24 percent), and Cruz (22 percent).
The two front-runners, Trump (56 percent) and Clinton (48 percent), have the largest numbers saying they would not be proud to have them as president.
Views among partisans
Among Democrats, Clinton gets her best score on knowledge (88 percent) and her worst on can get things done (76 percent). Democrats rate Sanders highest on likeability (85 percent) and integrity (85 percent) and lowest on effectiveness (66 percent).
Trump does best among Republicans on effectiveness as president (73 percent) and his worst on temperament (58 percent). Its the reverse for Cruz: Republicans give him his highest marks on temperament (76 percent) and integrity (76 percent) and his lowest on getting things done (62 percent).
Pollpourri
Who would voters put across the table from Russian President Vladimir Putin?
They trust Clinton more than Trump (53-40 percent) or Cruz (48-44 percent) to negotiate with Putin.
Also, more voters trust Sanders than Trump (53-39 percent) or Cruz (48-45 percent).
Men are more likely to pick Cruz and Trump over Clinton. Most women would put the former Secretary of State across the table with Putin in both instances.
One in five Republicans trusts Clinton more than Trump against Putin (20 percent).
The Fox News poll is based on landline and cellphone interviews with 1,021 randomly chosen registered voters nationwide and was conducted under the joint direction of Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R) from April 11-13, 2016. The poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points for all registered voters.
Ted Cruz on Saturday won all 14 delegates in the Wyoming GOP convention -- a relatively small number but enough for the Texas senator to declare victory and keep GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump from securing the nomination.
We are likely to have a battle in Cleveland to decide who is the nominee, Cruz told party members before they picked the delegates. If you dont want to see Donald Trump as the nominee, then I ask you to please vote for the men and women on this slate.
The Wyoming process mirrored that of Colorado, which was engulfed by political controversy after hosting a similar convention last week.
Cruzs campaign ran circles around the Trump operation there, prompting Trump to slam the multi-tiered caucus system as rigged.
Cruz was expected to do well in Wyoming because his campaign had been lining up support there for months, too.
The ground game is starting early and starting at your most local, smallest enclave, said Ed Buchanan, Cruzs Wyoming chairman.
After being tapped by Cruz in February, Buchanan started drafting activists across the state. His efforts were bolstered by two days of Cruz campaign stops in Wyoming last August.
Trump did not actively campaign in either state, while Cruz put in face-time in both.
You are going to hear this from me more and more: We have to bring our country together. We are a divided nation, Trump said at a rally in upstate New York, ahead of the states primary Tuesday in which 95 GOP delegates are up for grabs.
Before Saturday, Trump had 742 delegates, followed by Cruz with 529 and Ohio Gov. John Kasich with 143. The winner needs 1,237 delegates to win the nomination. (Kasich is running second in the New York primary, according to polls.)
Senior Trump adviser Alan Cobb said about Colorado and Wyoming: "Candidates that have allies that are party insiders have advantages in states that have a pyramid process of selecting their delegates. These folks have worked this process for years."
Mindful of potential accusations, Wyoming GOP leaders are ready. Their message: The rules were set long before anyone announced their candidacy.
Every presidential candidate for the last 40 years has managed this process and has worked through this process and has followed the process that we have in Wyoming, state GOP Chairman Matt Micheli said in an interview with Fox News. We are simply following the rules that are in place and that have been in place for a long time.
Fox News' Dan Gallo, Mike Emanuel and John Roberts contributed to this report.
Are we seeing the softening of Donald Trump?
He hasnt whacked anyone on Twitter for days.
He is being more serious and less inflammatory in interviews.
And in a hell-hath-frozen-over moment, he sat down for a clear-the-air meeting with Megyn Kelly and said nice things about her afterward.
All this comes as Trump is expanding his team by bringing in veteran Republican operatives to run the show and help him in the trench warfare for delegates.
I dont think this is an accident. I think hes making the pivot that some advisers and family members urged on him weeks ago, before the series of missteps that contributed to his big loss in Wisconsin.
Its not that Trump has gone all kumbaya on us. Hes been hammering away at what he sees as a crooked Republican process that is denying him delegates being won over by the Cruz campaign.
But other than some jabs at Lyin Ted, Trump is, well, acting like a more conventional candidate.
Now we have been through this before with Trump. Hell be more serious in a debate or a couple of interviews, only to return to flame-throwing when something gets under his skin. But this time, if his Twitter feed is any indication, he seems more determined to tone things down. Other than one jab about the New York Times reporting inaccurately on him, there arent even any denunciations of the disgusting media.
In that vein, Trumps Wednesday meeting with Megynwhich made the cover of the New York Post!seemed like a carefully choreographed truce.
A few short weeks ago, Trump, who has been angry at the Fox News anchor since the first presidential debate, was tweeting that she was sick" and "crazy, prompting the network to accuse him of having a sick obsession with her.
Kelly told viewers that the Trump Tower session, held at her request, in part to discuss a possible interview, helped clear the air and that Trump was gracious to take the meeting.
Trump says they had a very good conversation and that he gives her a lot of credit for coming to see him.
In another bit of fence-mending, Trump sat down with my Fox colleague Kirsten Powers, who had repeatedly criticized him, for her USA Today column. The headline: Donald Trumps Kinder, Gentler Version.
She asked him about his hyperaggressive style: So, why not just stick to substance and stop with the other stuff?
Maybe the other stuff is part of it, Trump said. If I didnt do it, then you might not be talking to me about a race where we are leading substantially.
In the hourlong sitdown, when Powers was asking about VP possibilities, Trump said nice things about Marco Rubio, John Kasich and Scott Walker.
Trump also caught a break in the moving-on department when Florida authorities chose not to prosecute campaign manager Corey Lewandowski for grabbing reporter Michelle Fields (although Fields is still considering a civil suit).
And Trump has now tapped Rick Wiley, Walkers former campaign manager, as his national political director, after bringing in veteran Paul Manafort to hunt delegates for the convention. The anti-establishment candidate is learning to deal with the establishment.
If Trump is acting more presidential, he undoubtedly has an eye on the fall campaign and knows he has to deal with his high negatives. He could bring those numbers down by being more diplomatic. Or perhaps the showman in him just senses that its time for a second act.
Sarah Palin's latest target: Bill Nye the Science Guy.
The former Alaska governor, at a panel Thursday on Capitol Hill, ripped the TV star's credentials and accused him of intentionally using his stature to spread what she described as an alarmist agenda on global warming.
Bill Nye is as much a scientist as I am, Palin said at a screening of "Climate Hustle" on Capitol Hill, according to an account in The Hill. Hes a kids show actor. Hes not a scientist.
Nye, who graduated from Cornell University with a degree in mechanical engineering, is famous for his show Bill Nye the Science Guy, an educational program for kids that covers the basics of various scientific topics. His program was a science classroom staple in the '90s and 2000s. After Nye ended his show in 1998, he went on to give speeches around the country with prominent figures in the scientific community.
Palin insisted that children need to question climate change and raise doubt over scientific thought rather than blindly believing what the scientific community says. Ask those questions and dont just believe what Bill Nye the Science Guy is trying to tell them, she reportedly advised parents.
"Climate Hustle," starring Marc Morano, a climate change skeptic and head of the Climate Depot blog, is largely a response to a documentary attacking such skeptics called "Merchants of Doubt." A screening was held on Thursday on Capitol Hill and was followed by a panel discussion where the 2012 GOP vice presidential nominee made her remarks.
In an interview with Morano, Nye claimed that people and companies who challenge the notion of climate change need to be investigated.
The introduction of this extreme doubt about climate change is affecting my quality of life as a public citizen, he said. So I can see where people are very concerned about this and are pursuing criminal investigations.
FoxNews.com's Danny Jativa contributed to this report.
Outside groups reportedly spent nearly $20 million last year honoring elected officials and allied organizations doling out everything from plaques to honorary degrees to donations to favored groups.
Despite rules that prohibit gifts to federal officials and put limits on campaign contributions, hosting grand gala dinners and lavish get-togethers is legal. Many of these ceremonies put on by companies, unions and universities -- include honorary degrees and awards, as well as fundraisers and donations for organizations these officials support.
The nearly $20 million in honorary expenses came from more than 240 groups, and went to more than 100 organizations, according to Senate disclosure records analyzed by The Hill.
Robert Kelner, the chair of Covington and Burlingtons law practice, told The Hill these kinds of honorary expenses are a very common way of building relationships with members of Congress.
Last year, for instance, Johns Hopkins reportedly spent over $600,000 on its commencement ceremony which included Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings and Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health as recipients of honorary degrees.
Chevron even gave $50,000 to the State Department last May, a fraction of the reported $687,000 in honorary expenses; there is no regulation on the amount of money corporations such as Chevron can give directly to federal agencies.
According to The Hill, compliance lawyers say enforcement over the expenses is essentially little-to-none.
Bernie Sanders new Jewish outreach coordinator is under fire -- and reportedly has been suspended -- over controversial and profane remarks she made on social media about Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Simone Zimmerman has a history of scathing criticism about Israeli's policies, but prompted particular outrage from Jewish groups over a newly uncovered Facebook rant.
The Washington Free Beacon first obtained screenshots of Zimmermans remarks, posted on Facebook in March 2015, in which she called Netanyahu an arrogant, deceptive, cynical, manipulative a**hole, accused him of sanctioning the murder of 2,000 people the prior summer, and said F**k you Bibi.
He is the embodiment of the ugliest national hubris and tone deafness towards the international community, she wrote.
She later modified some of the language, the Free Beacon reported.
The New York Times, citing a Sanders spokesman, reported late Thursday that Zimmerman had been suspended from her role, having only been hired for the job Tuesday.
The campaign did not respond to FoxNews.coms requests for comments.
The Netanyahu comments were far from her only Israel smackdown. In February, she wrote an opinion piece for Haaretz in which she blasted "rampant racism in Israeli society" and called for "the community to stop willfully blinding itself to the disastrous reality of holding millions of Palestinians under military occupation."
And last month, she criticized Hillary Clintons speech at The American Israel Public Affairs Committee as racist.
HRC bashes Trump's bigotry at #PC16 but repeats AIPAC's racist & orientalist talking points about Palestinians SMDH #dumptrump #dumpaipac Simone Zimmerman (@simonerzim) March 21, 2016
The revelations immediately drew fierce criticism.
Jordana Brown, a blogger for the Jewish Press wrote an open letter to Zimmerman calling her a leftist American Jew who cares more about literally everything than Israel and your people.
You are so dangerous to American and world Jewry, you cant even imagine, Brown wrote.
Daniel Greenfield, writing for Frontpage Mag affiliated with the conservative David Horowitz Center for Freedom said Zimmermans hiring represents Sanders version of Jewish outreach.
"The Bernie Sanders campaign has utterly abandoned any effort to reach out to Jews," he wrote.
Former Anti-Defamation League head Abe Foxman told the Jewish Press she should be fired.
No amount of word changes can cure her ugly characterization of the Prime Minister of Israel and the Israeli army and people defending themselves, Foxman said.
The controversy is flaring ahead of next week's New York primary, for which Sanders and Clinton are fiercely competing for votes.
While Zimmerman did not come up at their debate in Brooklyn Thursday night, the issue of Israel was a flashpoint.
Sanders said in the debate that he is 100 percent pro-Israel but also described some of Israel's military actions as disproportionate and called for a more even-handed approach in working with the Palestinians.
There comes a time when if we pursue justice and peace, we are going to have to say that Netanyahu is not right all of the time, he said.
Zimmerman has received support from some Jewish supporters of Sanders.
On principle, were not going to allow right-wingers bully us into burning our friend Simone. #NotApologizing Jews for Bernie (@jewsforbernie) April 15, 2016
Peter Beinart, an editor for The Atlantic who also writes for Haaretz.com, criticized Sanders for challenging Clinton in Thursday's debate in New York on the subject of Israel but not backing Zimmerman.
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Buzz Cut:
Trump does reset on delegates
Christie could tip nomination to Trump
Clinton, Sanders brawl in Brooklyn
Big Obama donors slow to warm to Hillary
Theres a new dog in town
TRUMP DOES RESET ON DELEGATES
Donald Trumps ability to reset the media narrative at his will has been tested the past few weeks. While he once was able to jump from one brash statement to the next, the New York businessman has had a difficult time lately changing his campaigns characterization as one that doesnt really understand the partys delegate selection process and cant navigate its way to an outright win.
But his op-ed in the WSJ looks like the first sign that he might just be able to turn things around yet again. Trumps basic point in the piece is that, yes, he understands the rules he just doesnt agree with them, arguing that the process disenfranchises voters.
In doing so, he sets the establishments process as a system severing the interests of political parties at the expense of the people, and hes the man to change all that. And in a Reaganesque move, he asks voters: How has the system been working out for you and your family?
Using this as what is likely to be his campaigns mantra over the remaining primary contests leaves Trump with two possible avenues depending on the delegate count after the last contests on June 7: If Trump wins the majority of the 1,237 delegates needed he will say he did it in spite of the establishment rules. If he loses the majority, and further loses on a second or third ballot at the convention, he will say the system is rigged. The latter could set him up for a possible third party run, which he has threatened if he felt he was treated unfairly by the Republican National Committee.
Whats most surprising about the piece, however, is that its not a rail against the establishment or the rules, but rather makes the case on behalf of voters arguing that they deserve a better system for selecting a presidential nominee. Its a change for Trump who has spent weeks lamenting the system and was called out by Sen. Ted Cruz for whining.
The RNC has already jumped on this story releasing a memo that explains how and when campaigns were given the information on each states delegate process, but their response seems to merely further Trumps additional point that the party isnt even defending the rules, theyre just saying this is what they are.
Trump makes no argument for what he would replace the system with, but does say that he will work with the party to come up with a new system to restore the faith and the franchise of voters. This will play well with his supporters many of whom have said they support Trump because of his ability get things done.
Whats also playing heavily in Trumps favor is that many voters, and even some political insiders, are not familiar with each states local delegate selection process, meaning he has more freedom in building a narrative over the next few months. At this point in recent history, the party frontrunner has been pretty clearly decided already and so the local selection of delegates has played little or no importance in the national media.
Ahead of next weeks big primary in New York, which looks like a Trump blowout, his timing on this latest campaign messaging reset could be his best move yet. Riding a likely wave of victories in the East as the frontrunner who will play by the rules he vows to change for the betterment of voters is a powerful combination.
Christie could tip nomination to Trump - WashExs David Drucker explains how the New Jersey governor enjoys a surprising amount of control over the states 51 delegates: Gov. Chris Christie could help hand the Republican presidential nomination to Donald Trump because he has unusually tight control over the 51 delegates New Jersey will send to the convention in July. Christie is one of Trumps biggest boosters and has moved aggressively with county-level party bosses to stack the delegation with loyalists who owe him favorsThe governor enjoys an unusual command over a delegation that isnt necessarily as pro-Trump as might be assumed from the billionaires dominance of the slate. If Christie makes a move, he could cash in his delegates IOUs and lead them into a rival camp.
Fox News Sunday: Trump campaign leader - Trumps campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, faces Mr. Sunday in wake of the news that he will not face charges for allegedly assaulting a female reporter. Watch Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel. Check local listings for broadcast times in your area.
Trumps favorite Bible verse - BuzzFeed: Donald Trump said in a radio interview on Thursday that his favorite teaching in the Bible is the Old Testament punishment of an eye for eye. Is there a favorite Bible verse or Bible story that has informed your thinking or your character through life, sir? asked host Bob Lonsberry on WHAM 1180 AM. Trump responded, Well, I think many. I mean, when we get into the Bible, I think many, so many. And some people, look, an eye for an eye, you can almost say that. Thats not a particularly nice thing. But you know, if you look at whats happening to our country
Cruz lays out his own primary map - WaPo: Cruzs decision to lavish attention on parochial power brokers 3,000 miles away from the next big contest underscored his novel approach to the final three months of the Republican presidential race: He is effectively creating his own primary calendar, map and electorate in hopes of cobbling together enough support to prevent front-runner Donald Trump from clinching the nomination outright. It is a strategy born of necessity for the senator from TexasWith polls showing Cruz running well behind Trump in New York and five other northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states voting in the next two weeks, the pressure for him to make gains elsewhere is intensifying.
Cruz gets icy treatment N.Y. GOP gala - The Hill: Presidential hopeful Ted Cruz got the cold shoulder from a room of 800 Republicans at the New York City GOP gala Thursday night, receiving little interaction from the audience as he went through his usual stump speechMedia at the scene reported guests walking around and talking during Cruzs address.
Cruz stands by calling McConnell a liar - RCP: Sen. Ted Cruz said Thursday that he has no regrets about his fight last summer with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in an MSNBC Town HallI cannot believe [McConnell] would tell a flat-out lie, Cruz said on the floor of the Senate July 24. Every word I said there is true and accurate. No one disputed a word I said, [Cruz] told the audience Thursday. The reaction in the Senate is how dare you say that out loud? Theyre not upset that somebody lied to them!
[GOP delegate count: Trump 755; Cruz 545; Kasich 143 (1,237 needed to win)]
RYAN DEALT A BLOW AS HOUSE MISSES BUDGET DEADLINE
WaPo: The House will miss a Friday deadline for adopting its annual budget resolution due to an intra-party fight, delivering a blow to Speaker Paul D. Ryan who pledged to show this year that Republicans could smoothly handle the basic job of funding the government. House conservatives have balked at supporting a budget that includes the spending deal struck last year by Republican and Democratic congressional leaders that would provide an additional $30 billion in funding this year, depriving GOP leaders of the votes needed to adopt the fiscal blueprint. There is no practical impact from failing to meet the April 15 deadline laid out in the law governing the budget process, but it is an embarrassment for Ryan who came to prominence in Congress as chairman of the Budget Committee.
WITH YOUR SECOND CUP OF COFFEE
Over time, words can stray far from their original meaning, and even change completely. The New Yorker looks at the lost meaning for virility and how our modern understanding is much different than its Roman roots: The Romans made virility more complex and demanding. The main challenge for Greek men who aspired to andreia had been insufficient brawninessBut the defining quality of virilitas was self-control. Virilitas was an ethic of moderation, in which strong or vigorous powers were kept deliberately reined in, in the manner of a standing army. If a man became too aggressive, too emotional, or too brawnytoo manlyhis virilitas could be lostTodays unnamed virility, though, has a different, gentler tone and intensity. The sweet spot for contemporary manliness often seems to be a less troubled kind of virilitas
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POLL CHECK
Real Clear Politics Averages
National GOP nomination: Trump 39 percent; Cruz 32.3 percent; Kasich 20.5 percent
National Dem nomination: Clinton 46.8 percent; Sanders 45.8 percent
General Election: Clinton vs. Trump: Clinton +10.4 points
Generic Congressional Vote: Republicans +0.5
CLINTON, SANDERS BRAWL IN BROOKLYN
From the opening bell it was clear that not only were the gloves off, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders were packing brass knuckles. Fox News: [Clinton and Sanders] shelved the niceties and went right after each others perceived weak spots at a must-win Democratic primary debate Thursday night where the front-runner challenged her rivals grasp of complex policy issues and the insurgent senator hammered her as a Wall Street pal just now talking the talk of working Americans.
On the Waterfront - The Atlantic takes a deep dive into a debate that tossed any notions of kumbayah and went into direct attacks. At one point, Wolf Blitzer, like a disapproving national father, felt compelled to cut in. Youre both screaming at each other, he implored. The viewers won't be able to hear either of you. Clinton pursued a strategy of hugging President Obama closecloser even, perhaps, than she had done in previous debates, which was no mean feat. Sanders, meanwhile, worked to paint Clinton as a mealy-mouthed candidate of a broken status quo.
Ahem - HuffPo: Sanders (I-Vt.) argued during Thursdays Democratic debate that the Palestinian people should be treated with dignity and that the United States shouldnt always kowtow to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Hours earlier, Sanders campaign suspended its new Jewish outreach director for advocating the exact same positions.
#mediabuzz - Host Howard Kurtz breaks down the Democratic debate coverage in wake of a spirited battle between Clinton and Sanders New York. Watch Sunday at 11 a.m. ET, with a second airing at 5 p.m.
Big Obama donors slow to warm to Hillary - Bloomberg: At least 33 of the 145 political donors who gave $25,000 or more in 2012 to Priorities USA, the super-PAC that backed Obamas re-election and now supports Clintons bid, have yet to contribute to either Clinton's campaign or affiliated outside committees, according to a Bloomberg analysis of the most recently available Federal Election Commission records Some longtime Democratic donors have been quiet so far, including trial lawyer and Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos, Sun Microsystems co-founder Vinod Khosla, and former San Francisco Giants CEO Bill Neukom.
[Dem delegate count: Clinton 1758; Sanders 1069 (2,383 needed to win)]
THERES A NEW DOG IN TOWN
Fox News: Move over, German shepherds. A new police dog is coming to town. Russian police are hoping to turn Welsh corgis the preferred breed of Britains Queen Elizabeth into bomb-sniffing hounds that can squeeze into tight spaces during search operations, state news agency RIA Novosti reports. It is not certain that they will be able to join the ranks of service dogs, but even if they dont the experiment will be interesting for everyone. We will try out the breed in search operations, said Elena Haikova, head of Moscows canine unit. Haikova believes the low height of the corgis will make them effective in sniffing out contraband or bombs in tight spaces.
Chris Stirewalt is digital politics editor for Fox News. Sally Persons contributed to this report. Want FOX News First in your inbox every day? Sign up here.
Using high-tech scanning equipment, scientists in Australia have discovered that in the battle between bed bugs and humans, some of the insects wield thicker exoskeletons, making them more resistant to insecticide.
Bed bugs are a source of itchy misery and expense for those whose homes are infested, and the number of such infestations have increased in a dramatic way since 2000, according to a new study in the journal PLOS ONE.
Related: 17-year cicadas set to invade the Northeast
To better understand what makes some bedbugs more resistant than others, scientists at the University of Sydney conducted an experiment. They used bed bugs that were obtained in 2012 in suburban Australia from a single, domestic, field infestation as well as a laboratory strain, the study reports. Before the testing, they even let the bugs have a blood meal from anesthetized rats.
They then tested the bugs resistance to insecticide by putting them on paper treated with the toxin. While they found that the laboratory strain of bedbug succumbed quickly to insecticide, the responses from the wild bugs varied. Depending on how long it took those bugs to get knocked down by the toxin, the scientists divided them into groups they dubbed intolerant, tolerant, and resistant.
Using an scanning electron microscope, the scientists measured the cuticles, or exoskeletons, of bugs from the different groups. They found that the more resistant the bug, the thicker its shell. In fact, the pests in the resistant category had cuticles that were 16 percent thicker than the bugs in the intolerant group. The resistant bugs cuticles were also thicker than the bugs from the laboratory strain that was so susceptible to the insecticide.
Related: San Diego Zoo hatches near-extinct 'tree lobster' insects
The new findings reveal that one way bed bugs beat insecticides is by developing a thicker 'skin', David Lilly, a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney and the studys first author, said in a statement.
Lilly added that research might be able to help scientists understand how to better fight the parasites.
"If we understand the biological mechanisms bed bugs use to beat insecticides, we may be able to spot a chink in their armour that we can exploit with new strategies," he said.
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Russia offered to fly Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos beyond the moon for a mere $200 million, but the billionaire entrepreneur said no.
Of course, Bezos who is also CEO of the spaceflight company Blue Origin should be able to take a flight to suborbital space on Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle in the near future.
Bezos mentioned the opportunity to fly on a Soyuz craft Tuesday during a "fireside chat" with science journalist Alan Boyle at the 32nd National Space Symposium (NSS) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. NSS is one of the largest spaceflight industry meetings in the world. [Photos: Glimpses of Secretive Blue Origin's Private Spaceships]
Boyle asked Bezos whether he would go to space, and Bezos said he intended to fly on New Shepard, which Blue Origin representatives have said will start carrying humans by 2017. Bezos added that he established Blue Origin back in 2000 not out of a personal desire to go to space but rather because he wants to help make spaceflight cheaper, safer and more accessible to everyone.
This line of questioning led to the revelation that Roscosmos, the Russian federal space agency, approached Bezos to take a ride on Russia's Soyuz capsule, which is the only vehicle that currently carries humans into space.
Roscosmos officials inquired about Bezos' desire to ride a Soyuz craft to the International Space Station (ISS), the capsule's usual destination. The Soyuz has flown a handful of wealthy space tourists to and from the ISS before, at about $20 million per seat.
"I'm definitely in their target market," Bezos told Boyle.
Roscosmos also offered Bezos the chance to do a flyby of the moon a capability that the Soyuz was built for but that has not been tested. The lunar mission would cost Bezos about $200 million, he said. The high price tag was an issue, as was the fact that the Soyuz hasn't yet been tested on a lunar flyby. Roscosmos responded by saying it would test the vehicle for him, for an additional $400 million. Bezos turned the Russian officials down.
A spaceflight golden age
The talk between Bezos and Boyle covered many aspects of Blue Origin's current goals, including getting its BE-4 engine into operation in the company's orbital vehicle, as well as in rockets built by United Launch Alliance.
But Bezos' dreams go far beyond those goals. He reiterated his long-term vision of having "millions of people living and working in space," but went farther to say that Earth should eventually conduct most of its manufacturing in space and use the planet's surface primarily for habitation. [3D Printing in Space: 21st Century Space Manufacturing and Technology]
Boyle first asked Bezos to compare the landscape for startups in the spaceflight industry today with the landscape for tech startups in the mid-1990s, when Bezos founded Amazon.com.
Bezos said he thinks the massive growth of internet-based companies over the past two decades was possible largely because those companies could build upon pre-existing infrastructure. For example, phone companies had already built the international infrastructure to allow people to connect to the internet, even though that was not part of the original purpose of phone lines. Moreover, the existence of remote payment systems and the post office allowed Amazon.com to sell products over the internet and ship them all over the world, Bezos said.
But a similar infrastructure is missing for the spaceflight industry, he noted.
"If you want to see a kind of dynamic golden age where thousands of entrepreneurs can be doing amazing things in space the reason we haven't seen it is, the big, heavy-lifting pieces are not yet in place," Bezos said. "And there may be multiple things that have to happen before you can see that kind of giant leap, but I don't think so. I really think it's just one big piece: We need much lower-cost access to space."
Blue Origin may help change that, Bezos said. One of the primary pillars that set Blue Origin apart from most (though not all) other spaceflight companies is its emphasis on reusable rockets, which would "make access to space much lower-cost, so entrepreneurs can do exciting things in space."
On April 2, Blue Origin successfully launched and landed one of its New Shepard suborbital rockets. After separating from the company's space capsule (which is built to carry humans on suborbital flights), the rocket used its thrusters to land vertically on the ground. This same rocket had launched and landed twice before, so Blue Origin is making big strides in its quest for reusability.
Blue Origin has said that its suborbital vehicle will provide commercial trips to space for civilians. It will also serve as a place to do scientific experiments in microgravity, or test technologies that will eventually go into orbit.
Into orbit
Blue Origin is not the only company pursuing reusable rocket boosters: The private spaceflight company SpaceX recently made its second reusable rocket landing this time, on a robotic "drone ship" off the coast of Florida. (SpaceX's first such landing occurred on land, at Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.)
Whereas New Shepard touched down after missions to suborbital space, SpaceX's rocket landings occurred during launches that sent payloads to orbit. [See photos of SpaceX's recent rocket landing at sea]
Blue Origin plans to get into the orbital spaceflight game as well. In the same way that Amazon.com began as an online bookseller and then expanded into selling a wide array of items, as well as other ventures, Bezos said "suborbital space tourism might be the 'books' equivalent for Blue Origin."
Blue Origin is building an orbital vehicle that it has nicknamed "Very Big Brother," which is also being designed to be reusable. Bezos said the vertical landing approach that the company is using with New Shepard can be scaled up to bigger rockets.
"In terms of that landing segment, which is the most challenging segment of this type of mission, that part just gets easier with scale," Bezos said. "In fact, in general, rockets want to be big. The bigger, the better, as far as vertical landing is concerned."
Very Big Brother will be powered by the company's BE-4 engine, which Blue Origin has a contract to sell to United Launch Alliance (ULA), which currently builds its Atlas V rockets using refurbished Russian rocket engines.
On this point, Bezos noted that ULA launches many national-security payloads and that the BE-4 engine will therefore help keep the United States strong and safe.
"Me and all of us at Blue Origin find the fact that we will get to help with the national-security missions incredibly motivating," he said.
Finally, Boyle asked Bezos to talk more about the distant future of humans in space. Bezos said he believes in increasing Earth's energy consumption because it allows people to live better lives. But he also emphasized his belief that humanity should expand into space in order to protect Earth from that growing energy appetite. In fact, Bezos said he thinks a majority of manufacturing facilities could eventually be moved into space, leaving the surface of the planet free for habitation.
"I think we need to explore and utilize space in order to save the Earth," Bezos said. "So we are going to go into space, and we need to do so in order to continue to grow our civilization and to keep this jewel of a planet the way it is. And I think we will do that."
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A supersonic plane recently zoomed past the sun, and its light-bending shock waves were captured in a stunning new image.
The plane, a T-38C manned by a pilot for the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, was photographed using an updated version of a 150-year-old technique called Schlieren photography.
Schlieren photography typically uses a bright light source and a speckled background to reveal changes in the density of air. Shock waves squish and stretch air, changing the air density. That, in turn, alters how light rays bounce off the air, and these changes show up in a shadow image. [Supersonic! The 11 Fastest Military Planes]
Old technique, new spin
In the past, Schlieren photography required a very bright light source and some complicated optics. As a result, it was typically performed only on supersonic planes in wind tunnels. However, NASA recently developed new methods of Schlieren photography, in which the sun or the moon forms both a luminous source and the mottled background needed for the images.
NASA has been working on the project in an effort to design quieter supersonic jets. The Federal Aviation Administration has banned the ear-splitting jets from flying over unrestricted air space since 1973, because of their incredibly loud sonic booms. But if scientists better understand the shock-wave structure, they can predict when and where the shock wave is the loudest, according to NASA. In turn, this could help designers craft supersonic jets that produce quieter booms.
NASA recently awarded a $20 million contract to Lockheed Martin to design a quieter supersonic jet. Early test flights could begin as soon as 2020, assuming funding continues.
Several companies are currently working on supersonic jets. For instance, Spike Aerospace is developing a commercial airliner that could speed from New York City to London in a mere 3 hours. The plane would fly at Mach 1.8, or 1.8 times the speed of sound. A more pie-in-the-sky (or plane in the sky?) idea aims to zoom people between the two big cities in just 30 minutes. That concept, called the Skreemr, would need a "magnetic rail-gun launching" system to take off and fly at 10 times the speed of sound, or about 7,600 mph.
Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
U.S. officials said Thursday that an unidentified company was defrauded out of nearly $100 million by individuals who used a fake email to pose as one of its vendors.
Reuters reported the U.S. government has filed a civil forfeiture lawsuit in federal court in New York seeking to recover nearly $25 million derived from the fraud which is being held in approximately 20 bank accounts around the world.
Authorities said about $74 million has been returned to the company, according to Reuters.
Tom Brown, the managing director of Berkeley Research Groups cyber security practice, told Reuters the lawsuit appears to be the largest email scam that Ive seen."
The email scheme is believed to have taken place between August and September after a Cyprus-based bank identified some suspicious transfers, authorities said. The fraudsters carried out the scheme by creating a fake email address posing as one of the companys legitimate vendors in Asia.
The individuals posed as a vendor while communicating with a separate company that was hired to handle the logistics of vendor payments to the American company, the complaint said.
The American company sent $98.9 million meant for the vendor to a bank account in Cyprus, according to the suit. Authorities said at least $25 million was laundered through separate accounts in Cyprus, Latvia, Hungary, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Hong Kong. The Cyprus bank was able to restrain nearly $74 million.
Authorities believe that this case is the latest example of fraudsters targeting businesses with foreign suppliers or that regularly complete wire transfers.
The FBI issued an alert to companies last week that businesses have lost $2.3 billion globally from wire fraud from October 2013 to February of this year.
Click for more from Reuters.
Captain Mickey Mouse is officially set to expand his horizons as Disney Cruise Line will embark on new itineraries in summer 2017. Deploying the entire fleet of the Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, highlighted destinations will include new Alaskan and European ports, extended Caribbean sailings and more of Disneys private island, Castaway Cay.
Alaska
The Disney Wonder will head north again in 2017, calling on fan favorites like Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway while traversing Tracy Arm Fjord, and making inaugural visits as well. It will be the first season that the cruise line stops at Icy Strait Point and sails up to Hubbard Glacier. A new 9-night itinerary will hit it all leaving from Vancouver, British Columbia, on July 24, 2017.
Adventures like one of the longest and tallest zip lines in the world will await guests at Icy Strait Point, and Hubbard Glacier will enchant as the largest tidewater glacier in North America and a great spot to witness natural dramatic ice calving.
Other Alaskan itineraries include a 7-night sailing that features Icy Strait Point plus Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan on July 17, 2017 incidentally, the 62nd anniversary of Disneylands opening and a 5-night featuring Tracy Arm and Ketchikan on Aug. 2, 2017.
Europe
While the Disney Wonder is in Alaska, the Disney Magic will be making its run in Europe, including inaugural calls at Amsterdam, Netherlands and Portland, England, with access to the legendary Stonehenge, in 2017.
May 13, 2017 will mark the start of the ships 15-night trans-Atlantic crossing from Port Canaveral, Florida to Copenhagen, Denmark. Both maiden calls and the one of seven wonders of the medieval world will be celebrated on the cruise.
(To infinity and) beyond will be a 10-night northern European itinerary that goes to Amsterdam, Netherlands; Warnemunde (Berlin), Germany; Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; St. Petersburg, Russia; and Tallinn, Estonia between Copenhagen, Denmark and Dover, England on June 18, 2017.
Other 2017 European itineraries will again showcase the Baltic, Norwegian fjords, Iceland, British Isles and the Mediterranean.
The Caribbean
Departing from Disney Cruise Lines original homeport Port Canaveral, Florida the Caribbean will continue to be a hallmark destination. In summer 2017, the Disney Fantasy will embark on its first voyages longer than a week, since originally sailing from Europe, on 10- and 11-night deep southern Caribbean circuits.
June 17, 2017 will be an 11-night sailing to Aruba, Barbados, Martinique, St. Kitts, Tortola and Castaway Cay; and June 28, 2017 will be a 10-night sailing to Aruba, Curacao, St. Kitts, Tortola and Castaway Cay.
Speaking of Castaway Cay, the Disney-exclusive Bahamian island will be frequented even more with double calls on select Disney Dream sailings: 5-night cruises leaving on June 2, 11, 16, 25, 30 and July 9, 2017; and 4-night cruises departing on June 7, 21 and July 5, 2017. Both itineraries will also feature a stop at Nassau, Bahamas.
For more information, visit Disney Cruise Lines website here.
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Daring air passengers have been known to smuggle many odd things in and out of airports.
But customs officials in Vietnam were surprised to discover what one passenger was hiding in his trousers on Monday.
The man was caught at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City allegedly trying to illegally smuggle live birds including endangered species to Taiwan by strapping them to his legs inside his pants and attempting to board an aircraft.
The man also allegedly packed several live birds inside his luggage, bringing the total of live birds found in the mans possession to 18, including 11 varieties listed as endangered species.
They included singing birds such as the white-rumped shama, oriental shama and melodious laughing thrush, Thanhnien News reported.
Photographs released by the airport show the man pulling up his trousers to reveal the live birds partially hidden in pouches and strapped to his legs.
The others were housed in boxes in his luggage.
Scientists told Vietnam news agency Hoanhapthe 11 protected species were strictly banned from export.
The man, who customs officials said was a Vietnamese national, is now being investigated by authorities.
The illegal trade of wildlife is a major international problem and is believed to be a $10 billion-a-year business.
A study by researchers from Indonesia and New Jerseys Princeton University last year found the problem was most intense in south east Asia, where bird species are being threatened by a booming black market trade. Eagle-eyed customs officials have been working to arrest the trafficking of live birds across Asias borders.
In October, a Singaporean man was sentenced to nine weeks in jail for smuggling live birds into Singapore and an additional three weeks in jail for animal cruelty.
His collection of nine birds included the in-demand melodious laughing thrush and white-rumped shama varieties.
A 37-year-old man was arrested as he tried to board a passenger ship with the animals at the Port of Tanjung Perak in Surabaya.
The live birds, some of which were made very weak under the conditions, were freed and taken for medical treatment.
Had they made it to their intended destination, the critically endangered birds would have fetched up to a whopping $1,200 each on the black market.
A major investigation by the Australian Crime Commission in 2012 linked wildlife trafficking from Australia to organised crime groups in Asia, where Australian birds among other animals are illegally bred in captivity.
A University of South Alabama student was charged with violating the schools code of conduct after campus police caught him on campus wearing an empty gun holster, in an incident recorded on video.
D.J. Parten, a junior from Mobile, said he was stopped Wednesday, detained for more than 30 minutes and then issued a citation that required him to meet with the Dean of Students, Al.com reported Thursday. Officials said they ultimately dismissed the citation after taking a closer look at the case.
South Alabama spokesman Bob Lowry told the news outlet it all started when campus police responded to a report of a person in the Student Center who may have been carrying an "unconcealed" weapon.
USAPD officers arrived at the location and following an on-site interview with a student wearing an empty gun holster, issued a campus judicial citation to the student, he said.
Upon further investigation, it has been determined that the citation should not have been issued and it has been rescinded, Lowry said, adding that University Police were conducting an internal investigation of the matter.
Parten told the website he is acting president of the USA chapter of Students for Concealed Carry. Each spring the organization holds a nationwide empty holster protest against rules prohibiting weapons on campus.
In a seven-minute video posted on Campus Reform, a campus police officer asks Parent where the weapon is that is meant to go in the holster.
I dont have it, he tells the officer, according to Al.com. Would you like a copy of the Constitution?"
Could the mundane drudgery of writing shopping lists in 600 B.C. be the key to an important discovery about the Bible?
Thats exactly what experts from Tel Aviv University are hoping to prove, the New York Times has reported.
The findings concern Eliashib, who was the quartermaster of a distant fortress and who received his military direction through writings on pieces of pottery.
To Eliashib: And now, give the Kittiyim 3 baths of wine, and write the name of the day, one of the inscriptions read. The words are scrawled in ancient Hebrew in the Aramaic alphabet.
And a full homer of wine, bring tomorrow; dont be late. And if there is vinegar, give it to them, another one of the texts read.
While the inscriptions dont seem like much of anything, an analysis of the writings has scholars proposing that literacy in 600 B.C. in the Holy Land might have been more common than originally acknowledged. This discovery could contribute fresh understanding of when the Bible was actually written.
The study, "based on a trove of about 100 letters inscribed in ink on pieces of pottery, known as ostracons, that were unearthed near the Dead Sea," as the Times noted, was released this week from the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers essentially used an algorithm to distinguish between the various authors of the texts.
After the analysis, the scholars came to the conclusion that of the 18 different inscriptions, at least six people contributed to writing them during the same period of time. But here's the twist: It seems the analysis could prove that lower ranking soldiers in the Judahite army were literate.
When Eliashib commanded the fort, there were roughly 30 soldiers stationed there. Given the wealth of writings with all sorts of recordings from many different individuals during this short amount of time, the lower ranking soldiers could have been contributing and therefore, were literate.
If the same ratio of those who could read and write at Eliashib's fort was applied to the entire population which was about 100,000 at the time hundreds of people would have been literate.
"There is something psychological beyond the statistics," Prof. Israel Finkelstein, who heads the project and is from the Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations at Tel Aviv University, told the New York Times. "There is an understanding of the power of literacy. And they wrote well, with hardly any mistakes."
"There is no such thing as consensus in biblical studies these days," Prof. Edward Greenstein from Bar-Ilan University, near Tel Aviv, also told the Times. "The process of transmission was much more complicated than scholars used to think."
This study could be the key to what researchers have discussed for years whether the Bible was written in real time, or years later in retrospect.
The argument that it was not written in real time due to a lack of widespread literacy might be dead in the water.
A longtime fugitive and Boston Mafia associate who spent years on the lam as an Idaho rancher was sentenced Thursday for unlawful possession of firearms
U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge sentenced Enrico M. Ponzo, aka Jay Shaw, to serve 46 months in prison.
Half of that prison sentence will be completed after he finishes a separate 28 year prison sentence in Boston. In 2013, a jury found him guilty of two counts of attempted murder and numerous other charges.
As part of a plea agreement, officials say Ponzo admitted that he knowingly possessed 33 firearms in February 2011 after having been convicted of felony assault and battery.
The FBI and U.S. Marshals arrested Ponzo in Marsing, Idaho, in February 2011, 16 years after he fled Boston.
A 76-year-old retired police officer from Washington state who was tried and convicted in 2012 in the abduction and killing of a 7-year-old Illinois schoolgirl in 1957 will be released from prison pending a new trial, a judge ordered Friday.
The judge said he made his decision based on records that support Jack McCullough's claim he was 40 miles away when second-grader Maria Ridulph was kidnapped. The evidence includes newly discovered phone records.
In 2012, a different judge convicted Jack McCullough in Maria's death, in one of the oldest unsolved U.S. cases ever to go to trial. McCullough was sentenced to life in prison.
Forest hikers found the girl's remains five months after her disappearance in Sycamore, about 70 miles west of Chicago. She was playing in the snow the last time she was seen alive.
DeKalb County State's Attorney Richard Schmack conducted a six-month review of evidence and concluded that McCullough could not have killed Maria, citing the new evidence.
On Friday, McCullough appeared shaken by Judge William P. Brady's decision at first, rocking back and forth, then taking a deep breath. Family members behind him hugged and cried. Moments later, McCullough looked back and smiled broadly.
On the other side of the room, Maria's brother and sister displayed little emotion. A few hours later, McCullough's stepdaughter, Janey O'Connor, drove McCullough away from a jail near the courthouse. McCullough, wearing street clothes, smiled broadly to reporters from the back seat.
It wasn't clear until the last minute that Brady would rule as he did. "Rest assured I am not trying this case... You will not hear the words, 'Mr. McCullough is guilty' or 'Mr. McCullough is not guilty' coming from my mouth."
Maria's disappearance made headlines nationwide in the 1950s, when reports of child abductions were rare.
She had been playing outside in the snow with a friend on Dec. 3, 1957, when a young man approached, introduced himself as "Johnny" and offered them piggyback rides. Maria's friend dashed home to grab mittens, and when she came back, Maria and the man were gone.
At trial, prosecutors said McCullough was Johnny, because he went by John Tessier in his youth. They said McCullough, then 18, dragged Maria away, choked and stabbed her to death.
Schmack, who wasn't involved in McCullough's case and was elected to the state's attorney post as McCullough's trial came to an end, filed a scathing report with the court last month that appeared to pick the case apart, point-by-point.
McCullough's long-held alibi was that he was in Rockford, attempting to enlist with the U.S. Air Force at a military recruiting station, on the night Maria disappeared.
Schmack said newly discovered phone records proved McCullough had, as he long-claimed, made a collect call to his parents at 6:57 p.m. from a phone booth in downtown Rockford -- which is 40 miles northwest of where Maria was abducted between 6:45 p.m. and 6:55 p.m.
Schmack also reviewed police reports and hundreds of other documents, including from the Air Force recruitment office, which he said had been improperly barred at trial. In his review he said the documents contained "a wealth of information pointing to McCullough's innocence, and absolutely nothing showing guilt."
He also noted that Maria's friend had identified McCullough as the killer five decades later from an array of six photographs; McCullough's picture stood out, partially because everyone but him wore suitcoats and their photos were professional yearbook pictures.
Maria's murder haunted the Sycamore for decades, and McCullough's conviction four years ago seemed to bring some closure. Those wounds now threaten to reopen.
Members of her family remain convinced that McCullough is guilty and have sought the appointment of a special prosecutor in an attempt to keep him behind bars. Maria's brother, 70-year-old Charles Ridulph, still lives in Sycamore and has said that his family feels let down by the state prosecutor's office about-face.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Thursday he supports the goal of offering one free year of college education to all of those who graduate from the citys school district.
Garcetti announced his support in his State of the City address touting Los Angeles improving job numbers, and painted a picture of a strong future for the city, according to City News Service.
His target for the Los Angeles Unified School District is part of an effort to meet President Obamas call to make community college free.
"Tonight Los Angeles will become the largest city in the nation to commit ourselves to a new goal: every hardworking student who graduates from LAUSD will receive one free year of community college," Garcetti said.
School board member Scott Svonkin told City News Service the mayor is expected to help the citys community colleges with a $3 million fundraising effort with the goal to implement this proposed program within a year.
The college district plans to match any funds that Garcetti is able to raise.
Speaking from the factory floor of Noribachi, an LED maker near the Port of Los Angeles, Garcetti said he slashed the city unemployment rate in half from 12 percent in 2013 and the city has also gained 109,000 news jobs. Noribachi relocated from New Mexico to Los Angeles in 2012.
Garcetti touted how well Noribachi has done since its move in an effort to illustrate Los Angeles attractiveness as a tech-friendly place to do business, according to City News Service.
"We helped launch them, because they reflect who we are as Angelenos, and who we want to be as a city -- they're high-tech, they're inventive, they're green and they're global," he said.
Noribachi makes customized LEDs. The business has seen its revenues increase 340 percent and the amount of employees have doubled to 170.
Garcetti also touched on his plan to put 260 new cops on the street, fix more broken sidewalks, fight the growing homelessness problem and create jobs for reformed gang members.
KABC-TV reported that Garcetti urged residents to support his vision for the city to fix the problems the city has faced in recent years.
"If Kobe Bryant could post 60 points and lead his team to victory in his final game, come on guys we can do this," he said.
Click for more from KTTV.
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A 76-year-old man serving a life sentence for the 1957 slaying of an Illinois schoolgirl is hoping to be set free after a prosecutor re-examined evidence and concluded the former Washington state security guard couldn't have committed the crime.
Jack McCullough was convicted in 2012 in the killing of 7-year-old Maria Ridulph, in one of the oldest unsolved cases to go to trial.
Defense lawyers will argue why McCullough should be released at a hearing Friday.
DeKalb County State's Attorney Richard Schmack agrees that McCullough should be freed. Schmack says old and new evidence proves McCullough was 35 miles away when the second-grader was abducted as she played in the snow in Sycamore, Illinois.
Maria's body was found months later.
A Manhattan judge Thursday made a surprise plea offer to the nanny who stabbed to death two young children in the bathtub of their Upper West Side apartment despite the fact parents Kevin and Marina Krim are ready and willing to testify against her.
Justice Gregory Carro made the generous offer of 30 years to life in prison, the minimum sentence for the two murder counts, to Yoselyn Ortega in exchange for her guilty plea to the shocking murders of Lucia Krim, 6, and Leo Krim, 2, in October 2012.
Through her attorney, Ortega, 53, rejected the deal, which would have made her eligible for parole by age 80.
The defendant does not wish to accept that at this time, said defense attorney Valerie Van Leer-Greenberg. Ortega, wearing her usually unruly hair freshly straightened, had no expression.
The stunning offer was made over the objection of prosecutors.
The People believe the only appropriate sentence is life without parole, said prosecutor Stuart Silberg. The family is behind that, the family will testify, the family does not want that to be the disposition in this case and in their words they want her never to be out.
Ortega used two kitchen knives in her attack on the helpless children. Lucia suffered defensive wounds from bravely trying to fight her off.
Click for more from The New York Post.
Authorities are searching Friday for a missing 33-year-old Marine from Ohio who served multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Hamilton County Sheriffs Office has issued a critical missing person alert for Anthony Tony Pastura, who was last seen in the Cincinnati area on Monday.
"Anthony suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and has made previous suicidal threats, police said in a statement.
Pastura -- a Marine from one of the heaviest-hit units of the Iraq War -- is possibly driving a dark blue, 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee with an Ohio Licence Plate 169YIE, authorities said.
A family friend of Pastura's told Fox affiliate WXIX that his cellphone pinged somewhere along the Arizona-New Mexico border on Tuesday.
Police did not confirm the cellphone ping. A spokesman from the Hamilton County Sherriff's Office told FoxNews.com Friday morning that there have been no known sightings of Pastura.
Pastura served as a mortarman with Columbus-based Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, according to MilitaryTimes.com. Pastura left the Reserve as a sergeant in December 2012.
Pastura reportedly received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon and two Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medals.
"He's the most energetic, loving guy," family friend Annie Ey said at a prayer service for Pastura on Wednesday, WXIX reported.
"He's a great father," added Ey, who said she last saw Pastura about a week ago.
"He's had his ups and downs but he seemed OK," she said. "He seemed like he was on the upswing of things."
Anyone with information on Pastura's whereabouts is urged to contact detectives at 513-851-6000 or CrimeStoppers at 513-352-3040.
FoxNews.com's Cristina Corbin contributed to this report.
Click for more from Fox 19.
A letter from a top Pentagon official has brought comfort to the widows of two Marine pilots at the controls of a MV-22 Osprey that crashed in the Arizona desert 16 years ago, killing 19 Marines.
Test pilots Lt. Col. John Brow and Maj. Brooks Gruber were flying the revolutionary aircraft when it crashed April 8, 2000 during an exercise in Marana, and for 16 years their widows had challenged the Defense Departments verdict that pilot error was the primary cause, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Friday.
Now Connie Gruber and Trish Brow say they've been vindicated. In an unusual move, Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work acknowledged in a letter last month that its impossible to point to a single fatal factor that caused this crash.
Its just a burden lifted, Gruber, of North Carolina, told the paper. Because for all these years, weve had to feel the weight of, not only did they cause their own deaths, but the deaths of 17 other Marines. That was hard to bear.
She added, They could not rest in peace until this record was set straight.
Brow said Works letter softened the sting of this years anniversary of the crash.
Its not quite as painful, she told the paper. Theres not quite the injustice.
Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) told the Union-Tribune the pilots were convenient targets because the Pentagon needed the troubled Osprey program to continue and succeed.
It was too easy to let the blame be on those who cant defend themselves, so the plane cant be blamed and the software cant be blamed, Jones said.
The Osprey performs like an airplane and a helicopter but became controversial over its performance and cost. Since the crash, the U.S. used the Osprey frequently on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq.
Police say a man charged with stealing a television in Connecticut 27 years ago flew from his Florida home and voluntarily turned himself in last weekend after recently learning there was a warrant out for this arrest.
Police in Norwalk, Connecticut, tell The Hour newspaper that 60-year-old Randy Iannacone, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, arrived at headquarters Sunday with the letter notifying him of the warrant.
Iannacone was arrested and charged with third-degree larceny. He was released with a promise to appear in court next week.
The charge stemmed from the 1989 theft of a television from the Norwalk Jewish Center, where Iannacone worked as a custodian.
Lieutenant Paul Resnick says it was "pretty cool" that Iannacone turned himself in.
Iannacone didn't immediately respond to the paper's requests for comment.
Pro-life advocates are pushing for new restrictions on abortions in Ohio a move that has become more common in recent years.
The pro-life lobby is in favor of legislation that would outlaw abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and also after a Down Syndrome diagnosis has been made.
Pro-lifers gathered Tuesday at the Ohio House and Senate in Columbus to show their support for the legislative changes to be made before recess, which is in June. Also, Keith Faber, the Senate president and a Republican, has said there will probably be legislation passed concerning the requirement of burial or cremation of fetal remains.
The two proposals in Ohio seek to clarify existing laws and help ensure the unborn are treated with dignity, the bills Republican sponsors say.
On Wednesday, abortion advocates came out in Columbus to articulate their side of the argument.
But the trend seems to be shifting more towards the Right in recent years. Since 1991, 81 percent of all abortion clinics have been closed, with much of that change happening in the most recent years, according to an Operation Rescue Survey.
The survey also shows that today, the United States has 517 surgical abortion clinics and 213 medication abortion clinics. This is the lowest number of such clinics in the past few decades.
In 2015, 53 abortion clinics closed, while another 28 reduced services.
"We have a pro-life state going here, but there is never enough until abortion ends," Paul Coudron, the executive director of Dayton Right to Life, told Dayton Daily News.
Kellie Copeland of NARAL ProChoice Ohio has also been vocal on the subject. "What is sad is that the Ohio Legislature has been so gerrymandered that these politicians have chosen their constituents," she told the Dayton Daily News. "And Ohio voters have been disenfranchised. Anti-choice advocates are exploiting that to pass legislation that does not have the support of the majority of Ohioans and which endangers womens health."
This is not the first time the Ohio legislature has mandated restrictions on abortion. The legislative body has been passing laws like this one for years.
Among the restrictions passed in Ohio: Ultrasounds are required before an abortion procedure; Planned Parenthood has been defunded; abortion clinics are required to have transfer agreements with a hospital, or have a waiver: public hospitals are not to have transfer agreements with clinics; abortion has been outlawed after 20 weeks: and state rape counselor are not to mention abortion as an option.
Ohio has joined many other states in putting stringent restrictions on abortion.
A high school band director in Louisiana has been arrested after authorities say he was found hiding in a 16-year-old girl's closet.
News outlets report officials say 30-year-old Jeremy Conner was charged Wednesday with indecent behavior with a juvenile.
Ascension Parish Sheriff's Lt. Col. Bobby Webre said in a statement Thursday that detectives began investigating the incident and learned Conner had been communicating with the girl since last year. He says Conner told deputies he sent inappropriate text messages to the teenager.
Conner is listed on Westgate High School's website as the band instructor. Iberia Parish Schools Superintendent Dale Henderson said in a statement that Conner is currently absent without leave.
Webre says more charges are possible.
It's unclear whether Conner has an attorney.
Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani traveled to Moscow once again to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other high ranking officials in defiance of a United Nations ban forbidding him from international travel, multiple intelligence sources tell Fox News.
This marked Soleimanis second trip to Moscow since July, days after a landmark nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers was reached on July 14. Fox News learned Soleimani has departed Moscow, opting to return to Tehran after one day instead of a planned two-day trip.
This marks the first face-to-face meeting between Soleimani and Putin since the Russian president ordered his military to begin a partial withdrawal of forces from Syria last month. Soleimani arrived in Moscow from Tehran early Thursday morning via private jet, a charter operated by Mahan Air, an Iranian airline.
This week, Russia sent its first component of the advanced S-300 air defense system to Tehran, a delivery planned during Soleimanis last trip to Moscow.
Using a private jet to travel to Moscow indicates that Soleimani wants to avoid public disclosure of his clandestine travels. Sources say that he has canceled a number of trips to Moscow recently, fearing that he would be exposed.
Soleimani was first designated a terrorist and sanctioned by the United States in 2005 for his role as a supporter of terrorism. He is responsible for coordinating Shia-militias that killed hundreds of American troops in Iraq during the second Iraq war.
In October 2011, the U.S. Treasury Department tied Soleimani to the failed Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States at a popular restaurant in Washington, D.C.
Soleimanis Quds Force is part of Irans Revolutionary Guard, charged with supporting proxy forces in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen, in addition to Syria. At one point, Iran sent a few thousand troops to Syria to defend the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
The Quds Force reports directly to Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Last weekend, Khamenei tweeted a photo of a gathering of his military commanders. A close-up photo of Soleimani was among the photos sent out.
In early March, Russia pulled out more than a dozen fighter jets from Syria, but dozens more remain. Moscow has recently sent its most advanced helicopter gunships to Syria to help Syrian forces battle ISIS in the historic city of Palmyra, an indication that Russia does not plan a complete withdrawal any time soon.
Sources tell Fox News Irans leadership was surprised by Putins decision to withdraw some of his forces and wants to coordinate next steps in Syria.
Since his last visit to Moscow in July, Soleimani has been seen in photos on social media leading Iranian-backed forces in Syria, including Hezbollah, not far from where the Russian military has established an air base in Latakia along the Mediterranean coast.
Months after Soleimanis visit to Moscow, Russia began its deployment of military aircraft and troops to Syria to shore up Assad.
In Moscow in July, Soleimani is believed to have helped Russia draw up plans for its military intervention. Sources told Fox News, first to report Soleimanis trip in July, that Iran wanted Syria to serve as a buffer between ISIS and Hezbollah, a Shia-Islamist group based in Lebanon.
In July, five days after Soleimanis first visit to Moscow, Secretary of State John Kerry was asked if the Iranian general would ever receive sanctions relief as part of a deal with Iran.
Under the United Statess initiative, Qassem Soleimani will never be relieved of any sanctions, Kerry testified on Capitol Hill.
In another embarrassing setback for the North Korean communist regime, a senior U.S. defense official told Fox News late Thursday that North Koreas test of a new intermediate-range ballistic missile failed spectacularly.
It blew up on launch, the official said.
South Korea's Defense Ministry also said it had failed.
North Korea was prepared to launch a new intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of hitting Guam and the Philippines as soon as Friday to celebrate the 104th birthday of the late North Korean founder and leader Kim Il Sung, two U.S. defense officials told Fox News.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter is currently visiting the Philippines to finalize plans to station U.S. troops there for the first time since 1992, when the Subic Bay naval base closed. The U.S. military has moved thousands of troops onto Guam recently.
April 15 is a national holiday in North Korea, known as Day of Sun."
The Musudan ballistic missile has a range of nearly 2,500 miles, but it has never been tested by North Korea. Officials say this particular Musudan has been seen on a road launcher, which is a concern to the Pentagon because of its mobility and potential concealment in the future.
For the past few years, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has paid respects to his father and grandfather, founder of the communist country, at Kumsusan Place of the Sun on April 15.
Last month, despite claims by North Korea that it fired two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan, two U.S. officials told Fox News that one blew up shortly after liftoff in an embarrassing new development for the North Korean military.
Both missiles were Nodong medium-range ballistic missiles, based on the Soviet-era Scud-C missile. North Korea has also launched a series of short-range rockets recently that landed in the Sea of Japan.
In February, North Korea launched a satellite into space on Super Bowl Sunday in the United States. The concern among Pentagon officials is that the components used to launch the long-range rocket into space are the same used for an intercontinental ballistic missile.
The U.S. Air Forces top officer, Gen. Mark Welsh, told reporters in March that North Korea did not possess the capability to put a nuclear warhead atop one of its long-range ballistic missiles. North Korean leaders a day later said they did.
The recent launches of North Korean missiles coincide with annual military exercises between the United States and South Korea involving more than 10,000 troops.
Three nuclear-capable B-2 bombers were sent to the region as part of the exercise in a show of force to the North Koreans.
Secretary of State John Kerry raised concerns with Russia over news a general from Iran's hardline Revolutionary Guard Corps visited Moscow in defiance of a U.N. travel ban.
Fox News reported Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani traveled to Moscow Thursday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other high ranking officials, his second trip since July.
Kerry raised the matter in a conversation Friday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, according to the State Department.
The Quds Force has been responsible for killing hundreds of American troops in Iraq. Soleimani is subject to a five-year U.N. travel ban.
He cut short his trip to just one day and returned to Iran after it was revealed that he violated U.N. Security Council resolutions, sources tell Fox News.
"Such travel, if true, would be a violation" and a "serious matter of concern," State Department spokesman John Kirby said. He didn't outline Lavrov's response to Kerry on the call.
In July, five days after Soleimani's first visit to Moscow, Kerry was asked if the Iranian general would ever receive sanctions relief as part of a deal with Iran. "Under the United States' initiative, Qassem Soleimani will never be relieved of any sanctions," Kerry testified on Capitol Hill.
The CIA declined comment on the matter when reached by Fox News Friday.
Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday the U.S. Navy ship that was buzzed by two Russian warplanes in the Baltic Sea this week could have opened fire under U.S. military rules of engagement.
The USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) was conducting flight operations with a Polish helicopter Monday when two Russian Su-24 attack aircraft came within 1,000 yards of the destroyer, flying just 100 feet off the ground. The following day, a Russian jet came within 30 feet of the destroyer.
A U.S. defense official described the maneuvers to Fox News as a "simulated attack profile."
"We condemn this kind of behavior. It is reckless. It is provocative. It is dangerous. And under the rules of engagement that could have been a shoot-down," Kerry told CNN Espanol in Miami Thursday.
In all cases, a military commander has the authority to defend his or her ship, plane or other unit. The commander is expected to use his or her best judgment under the circumstances to determine whether the ship faces an imminent threat.
"People need to understand that this is serious business and the United States is not going to be intimidated on the high seas," Kerry added. "We are communicating to the Russians how dangerous this is and our hope is that this will never be repeated."
The planes appeared to be unarmed. At the time of the incidents, the Cook was in international waters about 70 nautical miles from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, which hosts Russian military forces.
The Cook did not respond except to unsuccessfully query the Russian pilots by radio.
Russian defense officials rejected U.S. criticism of the incident. A spokesman for the Russian defense ministry said earlier Thursday that the pilots of the Su-24 jets saw the ship and turned back while using all measures of precaution.
Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said he was baffled by what he described as the "distressed reaction of our American counterparts."
The U.S. European Command statement said Wednesday that officials are using diplomatic channels to address the matter.
"We have deep concerns about the unsafe and unprofessional Russian flight maneuvers," European Command said in its written statement. "These actions have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions between countries, and could result in a miscalculation or accident that could cause serious injury or death."
"It may have been in international waters and therefore may not be any violation of international law, but it is still irresponsible behavior," NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow, a former US ambassador to Russia, told the Associated Press. "It illustrates that Russia is contributing to tensions."
It was unclear when or if the U.S. government would formally protest the Russian actions, which come at a time of tensions between Washington and Moscow over Russia's annexation of Crimea, its military intervention in eastern Ukraine and fears among former Soviet states in eastern Europe that Russian aggression could threaten their independence.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the incident was part of a pattern of unsafe Russian aircraft action.
"This incident ... is entirely inconsistent with the professional norms of militaries operating in proximity to each other in international waters and international airspace," Earnest said.
"There have been repeated incidents over the last year where the Russian military, including Russian military aircraft, have come close enough to each other or have come close enough to other air and sea traffic to raise serious safety concerns. We continue to be concerned about this behavior," he said.
The U.S. believes the Russian actions may have violated a 1970s agreement meant to prevent unsafe incidents at sea. The agreement was between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union but remains in force with Russia.
Russian jets buzzed the USS Donald Cook in the Black Sea in similarly provocative fashion in April 2014. More recently, a Russian fighter jet intercepted a U.S. Air Force spy plane over the Black Sea in January.
Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson, Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Secretary General of NATO said Thursday the alliance is ready to help fight militants in Libya if it wants military assistance.
It is a very difficult and dangerous situation in Libya, Jens Stoltenberg told Sky News. We see fighting, we see turmoil. We see increased presence of (ISIS).
Stoltenberg told Sky News that NATO isnt planning a combat mission in Libya. He said the alliance has been in touch with the Libyan government and is ready to disarm militia groups and possibly provide military training in the future.
We are ready to help, Stoltenberg said. But they have to request it so we will not send in troops and we will not do any activities in Libya at all without a request from the Libyan government.
Britain has provisionally offered to contribute 1,000 troops to an Italian-led training mission.
Stoltenberg also condemned flyby of Russian warplanes in the Baltic Sea over a US Navy destroyer that took place Monday. He called Russias behavior unsafe and unprofessional.
We've seen several examples of this kind of behavior and it just underlines the importance of transparency of risk reduction, he said. "We're going to have a meeting in the NATO Russia commission next week and one of the issues we're going to address there is exactly military activity and the need for risk reduction transparency.
Stoltenberg said that both NATO and Russia have to avoid hostile incidents like the incident in the Baltic Sea and the Turkish shoot down of a Russian plane.
"If they do happen they don't spiral out of control and create really dangerous situations."
Click for more from Sky News.
Kurdish Peshmerga forces arguably the most effective ground troops battling the Islamic State terror group in Iraq have been fighting for the past three months without a paycheck, according to experts and a top official from the region.
Unless we get direct [financial] support, we will not be able to continue the way we are currently doing so, Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), said at a forum held by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) in Washington on Wednesday.
A lack of direct financial support isnt the only problem, according to Talabani. The Kurdish-controlled area of Northern Iraq also has been forced to absorb a loss of more than $100 million a month in declining oil revenues and diminished support from the central Iraqi government in Baghdad.
"There are not a lot of jobs. Most of the days I cant find work." Haval Muhammed, Peshmerga fighter
The situation is dire. People are not getting paid. Including their frontline troops, said John Hannah, a senior counselor with the FDD and former national security advisor for former Vice President Dick Cheney, told Foxnews.com.
Hannah said the Kurds have a lot of issues, including a bloated government that was built on the expectation of a $100 per barrel of oil. The KRG has also taken on almost two million refugees, on top of a population of only five million Kurds, which has put an incredible strain on their finances.
They're facing incredible burdens with few good options for relief. They have been cut off from any of their budget from Baghdad, and have no easy access to international debt markets or to the international donor community since they are not a sovereign state, Hannah said. This shortfall has affected not just Peshmerga fighters, but public service like teachers and healthcare workers.
But sources familiar with the KRGs current financial issues say its likely they are actually losing hundreds of millions more than officials say. And the lack of payments to Kurdish forces is becoming more of a problem.
Some fighters have reportedly gone home to visit their families without returning to the combat zone. Many have begun to look for work elsewhere. Some have pulled double duty, refusing to quit the battle by day but moonlighting as cab drivers or laborers at night.
"When I come [home] from the frontlines, I have to work because of my familys needs. It is my responsibility," Haval Muhammed, 28, a Peshmerga fighter from the Sulimani area, told Foxnews.com.
Muhammed says he has two disabled daughters, leaving his wife unable to get a job. Along with his Peshmerga work, he said he often finds work in home construction when hes back from the fighting - if the work is available. "There are not a lot of jobs," he said. "Most of the days I cant find work, people don't have money to build houses."
KRG officials say that despite the lack of payment, a majority of the Peshmerga have not given up the fight.
We are facing many challenges. International community has helped us but we need more, Farhan Jawhar, head of the KRGs Cultural Committee, recently told FoxNews.com. We need more money two years ago [this] started, we are fighting the same enemy as Baghdad, but they cut our funds.
The salaries for the Peshmerga havent been paid. How do we stay here fighting?
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Pope Francis will visit the Greek island of Lesbos Saturday to highlight the plight of the refugees who are fleeing war in the Middle East.
His visit is intended to show solidarity with the thousands who have risked their lives in the perilous journey here, and now face an uncertain future in detention camps.
Today, 52,000 refugees are trapped in Greece after the Balkan countries closed their borders to block the path to Germany and Sweden. Twelve thousand Syrian refugees, mainly women and children, have been stuck at Greeces northern border with Macedonia. A European agreement with Turkey is designed to stem the tide of refugees seeking safe haven in Europe.
They hugged and kissed us. It was like we gave them the world back. Kara Schiff, 41, of Weston, Conn.
Approximately a half million people have lost their lives since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011. Five million Syrians have fled their war-ravaged homeland, according to the International Organization for Migration.
So far this year, more than 320 refugees have drowned while trying to reach Lesbos, a gateway to Europe thats only a few miles across the Aegean Sea from Turkeys western coast.
Kara Schiff, 41, of Weston, Conn., gave Fox News a close-up view of conditions on Lesbos, where she worked in February and March as a volunteer with IsraAid, an Israeli non-profit that helps victims of war and natural disasters throughout the world. IsraAid is one of many humanitarian organizations that have brought volunteers to help with this refugee crisis.
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Schiff, an advanced emergency medical technician who works for a Greenwich, Conn., non-profit ambulance service, has seen her share of pain and suffering. But her experience on Lesbos, which she describes as a life-changing one, presented her with situations she could not have imagined.
On February 23, she helped deliver a baby boy to a 12-year-old Syrian girl. The girls parents had sold her to a 50-year old man in order to raise money to evacuate the rest of the family, Schiff said.
The girl was catatonic. She didnt want any of the male practitioners to help or touch her, said Schiff, describing the birth. That little girl wasnt prepared to be a mother the child wasnt ready to be anything more than a kid.
Herself the mother of 4 children, aged 4 to 14, Schiff found this devastating.
Many of the refugees are dehydrated, said Schiff, and living on one slice of bread a day. They suffered from hypothermia that was worsened by the cold February water that splashed their rubber boats during the dangerous night crossings. Schiff and other aid workers would wade into the water to rescue the old people and children who were often in dire need of emergency care.
One day a fellow volunteer passed a 5-month-old boy to Schiff from a boat that had just been pulled ashore. Turkish smugglers had put the infant on board, while keeping the parents behind at gunpoint, thereby forcing them to pay a second fare to be reunited with their baby.
I felt happiness that the child ended up here, Schiff replied when asked what she felt as she held the nameless infant on the rocky Lesbos beach, But sadness because I didnt know what would happen to him without his parents.
According to the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, six thousand minors have been separated from their parents during this largest migration of people since World War II. Germany absorbed more than a million refugees last year.
Little comforts often made a big difference, Schiff said. For instance, the volunteers gave a used stroller to the parents of a 6-year-old boy who could not walk because he had no bones in his feet. His mother had to always carry him.
They hugged and kissed us, Schiff recalled. It was like we gave them the world back.
Schiff said that she and the other volunteers smothered their emotions as they went about their work. They did not allow themselves to express their feelings. And then they found an earless black lamb on the side of a road. They named him George. Schiff bottle-fed George for the time she was on Lesbos.
A few days before Schiff returned to the United States, the little lamb died. They buried him in the refugee camp.
Georges death gave us an outlet to release our emotions, Schiff said. We all sat down and cried and hugged.
Syrian state media says a government delegation has arrived to join the new round of U.N.-mediated peace talks with an umbrella opposition group that began this week in Geneva.
The arrival of the Damascus team, led by Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Jaafari, comes amid an escalation in northern Aleppo province that has left 34 dead on both sides. The renewed fighting has undermined the fragility of the cease-fire that has largely held elsewhere in Syria.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that of those killed in the past 24 hours in the clashes, 14 were pro-government fighters and 20 were militants.
U.N. Special Envoy Steffan De Mistura has said he hopes this round will have substantive talks on a peace process to resolve the country's five-year civil war.
A Syrian government delegation arrived in Geneva on Friday to join a new round of U.N.-mediated peace talks underway with an umbrella opposition group that seeks to find a resolution to the country's five-year civil war.
The arrival of the Damascus team, led by Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Jaafari, comes amid escalating fighting between government forces and insurgents in northern Aleppo province that has killed 34 fighters on both sides over the past 24 hours.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said of those killed, 14 were pro-government fighters and 20 were militants, including members of Syria's Al Qaeda affiliate known as the Nusra Front.
The Al Qaeda branch and its more powerful rival, the Islamic State group, are not part of a cease-fire that went into effect at the end of February. The U.S. and Russia-backed truce has held in most of Syria, except in the north, where it has practically collapsed. The Nusra Front is deeply rooted in the areas in northern Syria controlled by opposition forces, complicating the oversight of the truce.
ISIS militants have clashed with both rival insurgents and pro-government forces in Aleppo, making a wide advance on opposition-held territory along the Turkish border, the Observatory said Thursday.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch said Turkish border guards fired on hundreds of Syrian civilians fleeing the ISIS onslaught on Thursday and heading for a wall at the border. The rights group urged Ankara to allow thousands of Syrians fleeing to cross into Turkey to seek protection.
"As civilians flee ISIS fighters, Turkey is responding with live ammunition instead of compassion," said Gerry Simpson, senior refugee researcher at Human Rights Watch. ISIS is an alternate acronym for the Islamic State group.
"The whole world is talking about fighting ISIS, and yet those most at risk of becoming victims of its horrific abuses are trapped on the wrong side of a concrete wall," he added.
Turkish officials say they were aware of the report but had no immediate response. There was no information whether any of the civilians were hurt in the shooting.
The latest IS advance has displaced 30,000 already-displaced civilians north of Syria's largest city, Aleppo, the provincial capital.
The Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee, which is negotiating in Geneva, has accused the Syrian government of over 2,000 breaches of the cease-fire in deadly attacks on opposition areas.
U.N. Special Envoy Steffan De Mistura has said he hopes for a substantive round of "proximity talks" on a transitional government to end the war. The two warring Syrian sides do not actually talk to one another in Geneva but the U.N. envoy shuttles between them.
The most obvious public difference between the two sides revolves around the fate of President Bashar Assad. Opposition representatives have insisted that Assad be removed from power as part of any peace deal, while government officials have declared Assad to be a red line.
This round of talks began Wednesday in Geneva but the government said it was delayed because of parliament elections that were held this week in government-controlled areas of Syria. The opposition has dismissed the balloting as a sham and said it could further undermine the peace talks.
Taiwan said Friday it was trying to prevent Malaysia from deporting 52 Taiwanese criminal suspects to China amid an ongoing battle over jurisdiction involving the self-ruled island.
A Foreign Ministry statement said an initial group of 20 of those detained on suspicion of committing wire fraud had been due to be returned to Taiwan on Friday. However, it said Malaysian officials had delayed the flight, saying they were awaiting legal approval.
Taiwan's statement said its officials were actively engaged in talks to pressure Malaysia to "bring home our citizen suspects to be investigated."
Malaysian officials, speaking anonymously because they weren't authorized to talk to media, confirmed that Chinese officials had requested the suspects be sent to China. The officials said the case was still under discussion but were unable to give further details.
The latest battle over Taiwanese deportations came after Kenya sent 45 Taiwanese suspects to China instead of Taiwan. Beijing wants to investigate them for defrauding victims in China by posing as police officers and insurance agents over the phone in order to obtain banking details.
China claims jurisdiction in such cases where the victims are Chinese, and says the perpetrators aren't given due punishment when they are returned to Taiwan.
Taiwan has protested that Kenya violated the legal process and accused Beijing of violating a tacit agreement not to interfere in each side's citizens' legal affairs abroad. A Taiwanese delegation is expected in Beijing soon to negotiate the matter.
Some see such moves by China as an attempt by China to assert its claims to sovereignty over the island and legal authority over its residents. The sides split amid civil war and China has long sought to isolate Taiwan diplomatically by preventing it from maintaining formal ties with most countries, including Malaysia and Kenya, where China's economic cloud lends it political influence.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has covered the Kenya deportations extensively, with suspects shown being led from the plane in prison smocks with bags over their heads.
Others were shown in front of police and television cameras confessing to their crimes and apologizing to their victims.
___
Associated Press writer Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to this report.
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Muslim nations have agreed to establish a Turkey-based body to fight terrorism, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday as he urged the countries' leaders to examine the root causes of the migration crisis.
Addressing the 13th summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul, Erdogan stressed his belief that terrorism is the largest problem confronting the Muslim world.
To effectively combat terrorism, he urged Muslim leaders to overcome their differences and tackle the problem from the security and financial tracks. He called for support for a Saudi-led initiative for an Islamic alliance against terrorism and to "turn it into an effective body."
"Instead of waiting for other forces to intervene against terror incidents and other crises that occur in Muslim countries, we must produce the solution ourselves through the Islamic alliance," he said.
Erdogan announced that a Turkish proposal to establish an Istanbul-based police cooperation and coordination center had been accepted by the 57-member Islamic bloc.
The Turkish president noted that the majority of the victims of terrorism are Muslims and called it a "source of shame" that most of those who risk their lives at sea to reach Europe are Muslims.
Turkey, he said, has saved 100,000 migrants from drowning in the Aegean Sea on the way to Greece
The country also hosts 2.7 million Syrian refugees and recently entered a controversial deal with the EU aiming to curb illegal migration.
Combatting terrorism and addressing the migrant crisis are two central issues being discussed at the OIC meeting.
Turkey, which has suffered a string of deadly suicide bombings this past year, boosted security in Istanbul and shut down traffic in the area of the event.
Saudi King Salman and Iranian President Rouhani, whose countries are at odds over the Syrian and Yemeni conflict, were among those attending the summit.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was notably absent. Relations between Egypt and Turkey soured after the Egyptian military toppled Islamist president-elect Mohammed Morsi.
The conflict in Syria was also on the summit's agenda.
Egyptian foreign Minister Sameh Shukri voiced hope for a "quick political solution that meets the expectations of the Syrian people" and allows for "countering terrorism."
BIGGBY COFFEE, New Location In South Haven, MI
BIGGBY COFFEE is Opening a Brand New Location in South Haven, Michigan!
April 15, 2016 // Franchising.com // South Haven, MI BIGGBY COFFEE is excited to announce the Grand Opening of a brand new store in South Haven, MI on Tuesday, April 19, 2016! This new store is located near the corner of Blue Star Hwy and Phoenix St across from Walgreens (330 Blue Star Hwy South Haven, MI 49090). This will be the first location for BIGGBY owner/operators Tara Walston and Kim Zdybel! They cant wait to bring BIGGBY to South Haven be a part of such a vibrant and cultural community!
When asked why they chose BIGGBY for their new adventure in South Haven, Tara had a lot of wonderful things to say! The entrepreneurial spirit of working for oneself and providing a service helped in deciding to open a BIGGBY COFFEE. The opportunity to have fun, spread smiles, and share our passion for coffee is a wonderful thing! Plus in doing research we discovered what a great company BIGGBY is and how highly rated the franchise is. Our cultural values match the BIGGBY cultural values of B Happy, Have Fun, Make Friends, Love People, and Drink Great Coffee!
Tara will be behind the line making drinks on a regular basis acting as the store manager. Kim and Tara will both take an active part in the business along with Taras daughters, Brooke and Madison. Theyre also very excited for the new opportunities that business ownership will provide! This business venture is something completely new and different for us. We wanted to bring BIGGBY COFFEE to South Haven not only because of the amazing lakeshore community, but also to break that long stretch of highway between Chicago and Grand Rapids. That deserves a coffee break!
They also plan to actively partner with the local organizations and have already met some new friends along the way. We have recently been part of the Childrens Food Basket in Grand Rapids. This winter we also had the chance to participate in the Break the Ice 5K during the 2016 Ice Breaker Festival here in South Haven and loved every chilly moment! We look forward to continuing the relationships with local non-profits in the area as we open this spring!
Stop in and help Tara, Kim, Brooke, and Madison celebrate the Grand Opening of their new BIGGBY store! They will be open Monday through Saturday 6:00 am to 9:00 pm and Sunday 7:00 am to 9:00 pm. If youre a new customer, or already a fanatic, Tara would like to offer up a drink suggestion when you visit them in South Haven. Its so hard to choose just one but the frozen Mocha Mocha latte is my favorite as we head into the warmer months!
About BIGGBY COFFEE
BIGGBY COFFEE, East Lansing, Mich.-based, was started with a single store on March 15, 1995. One year later, and on the cusp of opening a second location, Bob Fish and his business partner Michael McFall, on a handshake and $3,000, decided to franchise the concept. BIGGBY COFFEEs core values of B happy, have fun, make friends, love people, and drink great coffee help coffee-lovers and the coffee-curious alike benefit from a less pretentious and fun approach to the standard gourmet cafe paradigm. Besides connoisseur-worthy drinks with pronounceable names like Teddy Bear and Caramel Marvel, BIGGBY baristas provide a unique experience focused on brightening their customers day. The Big B on the orange background caught on, and today BIGGBY COFFEE has 258 cafes open or under contract across nine states including: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Florida, and Texas.
SOURCE BIGGBY COFFEE
Contact:
Caitlin Courval
517-898-3677
ccourval@biggby.com.
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Daniel Zurbrigg, Owner of House Doctors of Naples, is Recognized with Companys Presidents Award
Zurbriggs local franchise based in Naples serves Collier County, North Naples, Olde Naples, Downtown Naples, and Marco Island.
(PRWEB) April 14, 2016 - When Daniel Zurbrigg opened House Doctors of Naples three years ago, it was with a mission to grow the company by providing quality craftsmanship and a top-notch customer service experience. In recognition of his efforts, House Doctors is proud to recognize Zurbrigg with the companys Presidents Award.
Daniel shows an awesome amount of determination and resolve to build a handyman and home improvement business in his local community. He believes in the House Doctors brand and all that it stands for. Hes also always willing to support and encourage his fellow franchisees and will go out of his way to promote and improve the brand on a national level. We appreciate all his hard work and we are happy to recognize him with this years Presidents Award, House Doctors President and CEO Jim Hunter said.
House Doctors is different because the companys friendly and experienced craftsmen and technicians are committed to providing an excellent customer experience by being on time, doing the job right and guaranteeing the work for one year. Zurbriggs local franchise based in Naples serves Collier County, North Naples, Olde Naples, Downtown Naples, and Marco Island. Zurbrigg has lived in Collier County for the last 24 years and his wife, Shenna, was born in the area.
Winning the Presidents Award was a surprise and a huge honor. Weve been focused on growing our business over the last three years by providing an excellent customer experience and its great to be recognized for our efforts, Zurbrigg said. We want to be a household name here in Collier County. We want to be the first company you think of when you need a home repair.
Zurbrigg opened House Doctors of Naples three years ago after 22 years in the corporate world, where he worked mostly in retail management. House Doctors is insured, background checked, and has uniformed technicians that are experienced. They specialize in repairs for carpentry, sheetrock, windows, doors, floors, screen repair, bathroom remodels, as well as interior and exterior home maintenance services, remodeling projects and so much more.
House Doctors attracted me because I was interested in offering home services and I liked the model and the flexibility. Some franchises out there require you to operate one exact way and House Doctors allows me the freedom to expand our services to meet the needs of our clients, Zurbrigg said. The nice thing about working with House Doctors is that were not out to sell you something we want to work with you to create the best plan to meet your goals. We just want whats best for our customers.
To learn more about House Doctors of Naples and to schedule services, call (239)455-4019, email hd521(at)housedoctors(dot)com or visit http://housedoctors.com/naples/.
About House Doctors
House Doctors Handyman Service has been helping homeowners across the United States with home repair and light remodeling projects for more than 20 years. Our friendly, insured and bonded craftsmen are scheduled to be there on time and are committed to complete customer satisfaction. Each of our technicians are experienced in home maintenance, product installations and a variety of home improvements. Were so confident in our team and products that every job we perform comes with a one-year guarantee.
SOURCE House Doctors
Contact:
Angie Shafer
House Doctors
+1 5138310100 Ext: 104
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House Doctors of Westfield Named Rookie of the Year
WESTFIELD, NJ (PRWEB) April 14, 2016 - When Ken Benedetto, the owner of House Doctors of Westfield, attended his first House Doctors convention last year, he walked away with a goal to win the Rookie of the Year Award the following year. After a year of climbing to the top, House Doctors is proud to announce that Benedetto has reached that goal and was recently named companys Rookie of the Year for 2015.
Ken is committed to building his professional handyman and home improvement business and his positive approach is inspiring. Ken has built great relationships with fellow franchises, our vendors, the home office and his clients, House Doctors President and CEO Jim Hunter said. Ken was recognized as our Rookie of the Year because of the efforts hes making to grow the company in his community and strengthen the brand nationwide.
House Doctors is different because the companys friendly and experienced craftsmen and technicians are committed to providing an excellent customer experience by being on time, doing the job right and guaranteeing the work for one year. Benedettos local franchise serves Union, Middlesex, Morris and Essex Counties of NJ, and the surrounding areas.
I attended my first convention last year and I heard about the Rookie of the Year Award. I came home and said, Our goal is to win that award next year. We spent the last year focusing on building our team, promoting the business and creating revenue through excellent customer service, Benedetto said. We were consistently in the top 10 or 15 franchises from a revenue standpoint, but I didnt realize we were doing well enough to win the award. I was surprised and excited to meet that goal.
House Doctors experienced, insured, background checked and uniformed technicians specialize in repairs for carpentry, sheetrock, windows, doors, floors, minor electrical and minor plumbing, as well as interior and exterior home maintenance services, and remodeling projects. In addition to being one of the fastest growing franchises in the House Doctors network, Benedettos business also has over a 90 percent customer satisfaction on public review and is an A rating on Angies List.
I think people appreciate what we do because we arent there to sell them something. If you have a broken fence and you call a fence company, they ultimately want to sell you a new fence. I just want to fix the broken section so youre happy with your home and youre not breaking the bank to do it. That attitude really sets us apart, Benedetto said.
Prior to opening House Doctors of Westfield, Benedetto spent 17 years working in a New York City power plant. During that time, he acquired multiple rental properties and flipped houses that needed work.
That gave me a good understanding of the work that needs done on a house and the challenges you can have when working with contractors. Over the years I build up a list of great contractors and I got to a point where I thought, you know, I can help those contractors get more work and help the community by offering their services through House Doctors. Thats what led me to open the business, Benedetto said.
Benedetto is a member of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce as well as the Tri-County Chamber of Commerce. When hes not working, Benedetto can be found spending time with his family, creating new possibilities or having a big Italian Sunday dinner with his loved ones.
To learn more about House Doctors of Westfield, call (908)490-1900, email hd529@housedoctors.com or visit https://www.housedoctors.com/tricounty/handyman-services-westfield/.
About House Doctors
House Doctors Handyman Service has been helping homeowners across the United States with home repair and light remodeling projects for more than 20 years. Our friendly, insured and bonded craftsmen are scheduled to be there on time and are committed to complete customer satisfaction. Each of our technicians are experienced in home maintenance, product installations and a variety of home improvements. Were so confident in our team and products that every job we perform comes with a one-year guarantee.
SOURCE House Doctors
Contact:
Angie Shafer
House Doctors
+1 5138310100 Ext: 104
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Joeys Seafood Restaurants Celebrates Grilled Cheese Month with Lobster Sourdough Grill
Canadian Seafood chain gets cheesy with limited time sandwich.
Calgary, Canada - April 15, 2016 -(PR.com) - Get ready to live it up because April is National Grilled Cheese Month. This is not a carry-over from April Fools Day. Somehow the grilled cheese sandwich earned the honor of having an entire month dedicated to it.
In celebration of this comfy month, Joeys Seafood Restaurants decided to join the fun and feature their own seafood version of this lunchtime classic. The Lobster Sourdough Grill is a purely decadent sandwich. Joeys chefs created this grilled cheese sandwich with a perfectly crisp and golden brown cheesy Sourdough crust and a warm and gooey, melted cheesy, lobster salad filled center.
In addition to this limited time offer that runs until May 15, Joeys is featuring an outstanding Sticky Toffee Pudding. Rich, warm toffee flowing over a cool white cloud of whipped cream atop layers of moist, lightly-spiced sponge cake, generously speckled with finely chopped dates.
Finally, their #ilovejoeys Photo Contest continues to gather momentum. Tagging any Joeys Restaurant picture with #joeyscanada and #grilledcheesemonth enters customers for a chance to win the weekly $25 gift certificate draw.
About Joey's
Calgary-based Joey's is a pioneer and leader in the fast-casual seafood restaurant category in Canada. Its signature "Joey's Famous Fish & Chips" and Fish Taco has gained the company a North American reputation for preparing generous portions of high quality seafood at affordable prices. Each Joey's franchise embodies the vision of its founder, Joe Klassen - to serve great seafood in a cozy neighbourhood seafood restaurant. Annually, Joey's serves more than 6.5 million guests system wide through its 55 restaurants in Canada. In 2015, the company celebrated its 30th anniversary.
SOURCE Joey's
Contact:
Mr. Andy Taylor
Senior Vice President
Joeys Restaurants
andy@joeys.ca
Mr. Dave Holland
VP of Marketing
Joeys Restaurants
403.513.1320
dave.holland@joeys.ca
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Pancheros Supports Iowa Man In 250 Mile Run To Benefit Cancer Research
Fresh Mexican Concept Helps Raise Awareness for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
April 15, 2016 // Franchising.com // CORALVILLE, Iowa Pancheros Mexican Grill (www.pancheros.com), a fast casual Mexican chain known for its delicious, better-built burritos, announces its partnership with Ryan Wades One Step At a Time initiative. In an effort to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (L.L.S.), Ryan will run a total of 250 miles through the state of Iowa. Pancheros has donated a significant amount to the cause and will be providing a wrapped support vehicle for the runs entirety. Ryan will also make a pit stop at Pancheros in Iowa City on the afternoon of April 23 to refuel for the rest of his charitable race.
With a goal of raising $175,000, Ryan Wade will embark on his 250 mile journey starting April 19 on the Minnesota-Iowa border in Eitzen and cross the finish line on April 25 in Farmington. Through his seven-day adventure, he hopes to raise awareness and money to help find a cure for various blood cancers. Ryan was recently nominated for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Societys Man of the Year for Eastern Iowa due to his astounding dedication and support to the cause. All donations from the One Step At a Time fundraiser will directly fund L.L.S.s research to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkins Disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.
Since becoming involved with L.L.S., Ive been motivated by my supporters who have dedicated much of their time to a cause that changes peoples lives, said Ryan Wade. With extra support from Pancheros, we will be able to generate greater awareness for an organization that makes such a significant impact in the lives of those suffering from these life-threatening illnesses.
One Step At a Time is about one mans journey to bring Iowan communities together in an effort to touch the lives of many, said Rodney Anderson, president of Pancheros Mexican Grill. Ryans commitment to helping others is an inspiration to all of us on the Pancheros team, and we are honored to play an integral role in his mission to help find a cure.
For more information on Pancheros, please visit www.pancheros.com. For more information or to donate to Ryan Wades One Step At a Time fundraiser, please visit www.onesteplls.org.
About Pancheros Mexican Grill
Founded in 1992, Coralville, Iowa-based Pancheros Mexican Grill is a fast-casual, fresh-Mexican franchise. Known best for their homemade, fresh-pressed tortillas, Pancheros has set the standard for burritos that dont start from a bag. Along with their amazing burritos, the menu also includes quesadillas, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads. Pancheros currently has 65 locations in the United States and the company plans to have 75 restaurants open across the country by the end of 2016. For more information, visit www.pancheros.com.
SOURCE Pancheros Mexican Grill
Media Contacts:
Christina Erwin
cerwin@konnect-pr.com
Emily Johnston
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The Goddard Schools Dynamic Learning Through Play Curriculum Comes To Saugus
Play Based Preschool Now Open For Enrollment
April 15, 2016 // Franchising.com // SAUGUS, Mass. - Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI), the franchisor of The Goddard School preschool system, announces its newest school in Saugus, MA is open. Located at 248 Lynn Fells Parkway, Saugus, MA 01906, the new school is owned and operated by franchisees Dave and Trisha Kahn.
To celebrate the opening, the school will kick off its Root For Earth campaign, a week-long celebration promoting environmental responsibility. During Root for Earth, preschoolers from The Goddard School will engage in a range of eco-friendly projects inspired by S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, art and math).
The event, which leads up to Earth Day and is celebrated by all Goddard Schools, marks the first time Dave and Trisha will participate in the event as new owners.
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.
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.
With two children of our own, my wife and I know how important early education is for child development, said franchisee Dave Kahn. We believe in the exceptional programs The Goddard School has to offer and are excited to bring our play-based program to the community.
The Goddard School located in Saugus, MA is located at 248 Lynn Fells Parkway, Saugus, MA 01906. To reach this location, please call (781) 484-0600 or email SaugusMA@goddardschools.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 acknowledged leader in franchised childcare and a premier educational childcare provider. For more information, visitwww.goddardschoolfranchise.com.
SOURCE The Goddard School Franchise
Media Contacts:
Amanda Bialek
213-988-8344
abialek@konnect-pr.com
Deanna Ashikyan
213-988-8344
dashikyan@konnect-pr.com
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The first time I saw it hanging in my trailer, it gave me chills, Kerry Washington says of the replica of the turquoise skirt suit that Anita Hill wore in 1991 during Clarence Thomass Supreme Court nomination hearings. It felt like a reminder to not give in to caricature.
The actress plays Hill in Confirmation, a new and already controversial film that dramatizes the hearings, premiering Saturday on HBO. Hill, a law professor and former employee of Thomas, accused him of sexual harassment in the workplace, leading to a riveting weekend of Senate testimony.
In the film, the camera lingers on the costumes reveal, panning up slowly as Hill loops the last buttons, and pausing as she stands before a mirror. I wanted to take time with that, says director Rick Famuyiwa. Thats the moment Kerry becomes Anita Hill. In a later scene, the linen bears crumpled wrinkles from 11 hours of testimony, a subtle marker of just how much she endured, Famuyiwa adds.
Given Washingtons liberal leanings and her title of executive producer, viewers may wonder whether Confirmation tilts in favor of Hill. But its creators say they were not interested in showing whose testimony was true.
Screenwriter Susannah Grant, also an executive producer, was more interested in the conflict between the function of government and the function of human beings, Grant says. The movie only has credibility if its not espousing one point of view or presenting only one side.
When asked how exhaustive her research was, Grant replies, Exhaustive is a good word. Grant consulted more than 40 people connected to the hearings, and consumed countless memoirs, articles and televised accounts. To fact-check the script, producers shared an early draft with several players involved in the hearings.
In February, Politico reported that former Republican senators Alan K. Simpson and John C. Danforth, after seeing an early script, called it unfair to everyone but Anita Hill and full of errors and distortions, respectively, and that Mark Paoletta, one of Thomas lawyers during the hearings, threatened litigation.
Is it difficult to dramatize historical moments that are readily available on YouTube? Rather than feeling trapped by the source material, I tried to let it lead me in the right direction, Washington says. My husband could recite the entire hearing, verbatim, because we watched it so much in my house.
Onscreen, Washington delivers the testimony in Hills famously soft, even-toned voicea performance thats nothing like the one Washington gives as the high-strung Olivia Pope on ABCs smash hit Scandal.
Wendell Pierce (The Wire, Treme), who plays Thomas, scoured the video of the hearings for clues on how to play the enigmatic justice. One of the most important moments for him was a line from Thomas during the hearings: If there is anything that has been misconstrued by Anita Hill or anyone else, then I can say that I am so very sorry.
That was a window into knowing that he was going through some self-reflection, Pierce says. That sentence said a lot. It spoke to his humanity.
Washington, who was 14 at the time of Thomass nomination, says the hearings split her household. My dad felt compassionately pulled toward Thomas, she recalls. He understood the pain of being a black man put in that position and having your career ripped from you publicly. And I understood that, from the perspective of race. And through my moms eyes, I was aware of the gender politics, which was something my dad couldnt as easily understand at the time. It was one of the first moments I was forced to engage with my own intersectionality as a woman and as a person of color, and how complex both of those identities could be.
RICHMOND A pamphlet from a rape survivor in New York to a conservative Republican senator in Virginia was the catalyst for legislation Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed into law Thursday to ensure that physical evidence in sexual assaults is properly retained and tested.
Natasha Alexenko beamed as McAuliffe signed legislation sponsored by Sen. Richard H. Black, RLoudoun, as well as an identical bill carried by Del. Robert B. Bell, RAlbemarle, to ensure that rape kits are retained at least two years in cases when victims choose not to report the crime and tested within 60 days when they do.
I was trying not to cry, she said after a bipartisan ceremony at the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance near Willow Lawn.
Alexenko, now 43 and living in Long Island, N.Y., was living in Newport News and working at the Mariners Museum in 2003 when she learned that the physical evidence collected when she was raped at gunpoint 10 years earlier in New York City finally had been tested.
The test ultimately resulted in a DNA match in 2007 and conviction of the rapist a year later. She founded Natashas Justice Project to push for testing of physical evidence recovery kits from sexual assault cases across the country.
What this does is it begins to link cases together and by linking cases together you take the serial offenders off the street, said Black, a former military prosecutor who began pushing for an audit of rape kits in Virginia after receiving a handmade pamphlet from Alexenko two years ago.
Black, known for his conservative positions on abortion and other social issues, enlisted the help of an unlikely ally, the National Organization for Women, to introduce a bill in the waning days of the 2014 legislative session to conduct an audit that as of December had identified more than 2,900 untested physical evidence kits from Virginia rape cases dating as far back as 1988.
He also found common cause with McAuliffe and Attorney General Mark R. Herring, both Democrats, to begin clearing the backlog of untested kits and establish standards to ensure proper handling and testing of physical evidence from sexual assaults in the future.
It is a long overdue overhaul of the way we conduct investigations and handle evidence, said Herring, whose office secured a $1.4 million grant to hire a private company, Bode Cellmark Forensics, to test the kits, beginning with evidence that had been kept in cases in Virginia Beach and Fairfax County.
McAuliffe, whose wife, Dorothy, served on the task force formed in 2014 to investigate the problem, included $900,000 in his pending two-year budget to allow the Department of Forensic Science to hire six DNA analysts to promptly test evidence collected in the kits in the future.
The survivors of these malicious crimes are trusting in us to provide a full accounting of these cases and to bring perpetrators to justice, the governor said before signing the bills.
Dana G. Schrad, executive director of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, said many of the kits in the backlog went untested because of budget cuts that limited the capacity of the Department of Forensic Science to handle them, not because of neglect by law enforcement.
I know law enforcement is thrilled about this because they want this, Schrad said. They want the kits tested whether they have an open case or not.
A report by the Department of Forensic Science last year suggested that the problem of untested kits is less severe in Virginia than other parts of the country. About 35 percent of law enforcement agencies in the state reported having untested kits2,369 at 136 agencies. The total rose to 2,902 in an updated report in December.
McAuliffe also signed a separate bill introduced by Black to allow a minor to consent to testing of physical evidence in a sexual assault, even if the parent or guardian does not. Black said the law is needed especially in cases in which the parent or guardian is a potential suspect.
He also signed legislation sponsored Del. Eileen Filler-Corn, DFairfax, and Sen. Barbara A. Favola, DArlington, to require the state to develop curriculum and provide training for law enforcement officers in how to respond in sexual assault cases and treat the survivors of the assault.
The bill was part of Herrings legislative package, which reflected the recommendations of the Governors Campus Sexual Violence Task Force, which he chaired. The Department of Criminal Justice Services will develop the curriculum and oversee the training of law officers, including campus police at colleges and universities, prosecutors, administrators responsible for enforcing federal laws to prevent discrimination against women in higher education, and others who respond to cases of sexual assault and violence.
For Black, the pamphlet from Alexenko, dropped off at his office by a friend of hers from Virginia Beach, was a revelation.
I never knew there was such a thing as an untested rape test kit, said Black, a Marine combat veteran who also served as a major in the Judge Advocate General Corps and later directed the Army criminal law division at the Pentagon.
He introduced Alexenko at the ceremony and credited her for the legislation.
There wouldnt have been one person in this room if it wouldnt have been for her, he said after the ceremony. We wouldnt have known about it.
Dorothy Mae Palmer, 74, of Fredericksburg was called home by her Heavenly Father on Tuesday, April 12, 2016, at Mary Washington Hospital after a lengthy illness.
Born in Alexandria on Jan. 18, 1942, Dotty had lived in Fredericksburg for the past 10 years after living in Alexandria for more than 60 years. She was married to the love of her life, Jack, for 57 years until he passed on March 4, 2016.
Dotty was a full-time homemaker and mother. She spent many years serving the Lord at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Alexandria, where she sang in the choir and served in the hospitality ministry and as a Sunday School secretary. Dotty enjoyed worshiping at Ramoth Baptist Church in Stafford County after moving to Fredericksburg. She enjoyed crocheting and a number of other handicrafts, reading, watching game shows and classic movies, and above all else, spending time with family and friends.
Dotty is survived by her three sons, Robert and wife Linda of Fredericksburg, William and wife Jennifer of Rockledge, Fla., and John and wife Terri of Stafford; two grandsons, Jacob and Noah of Rockledge, Fla.; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack; and her parents, Charles and Mandy Eaves.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, April 17, at Covenant Funeral Service, Fredericksburg. A service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, April 18, at the funeral home. Interment will follow at 2 p.m. in Mount Comfort Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Womens Ministry Visitation Team at Ramoth Baptist Church, 478 Ramoth Church Road, Stafford, VA 22554; or to the American Diabetes Association, Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312, or online at diabetes.org.
Online guest book is available at covenantfuneralservice.com.
The assumption that a college education should take four years is baked into American culture.
Colleges in the Colonial days were founded on the premise of a four-year degree, a concept imported from Europe. Harvard University experimented with a three-year degree when it was founded in 1636, but the test was short-lived, and the four-year degree has been the standard ever since. We expect students to enter college at 18 and leave when they turn 22, and we worry about those who take a more circuitous route to graduation.
But we need to reconsider that long-established, one-size-fits all model. For many students, attending college for four consecutive years is no longer the right path. The dynamic economy requires more flexibility, especially in fields outside the traditional liberal arts.
Take data science. In the last five years, there has been a sevenfold increase in demand for data scientists, according to Burning Glass, a company that analyzes job ads. But in the same time span, the requirements for the job have changed, requiring greater training in data visualization and less familiarity with deep quantitative reasoning. In this and other areas, the relevant skills are evolving so rapidly that no traditional undergraduate curriculum can keep up.
Instead of maintaining the four-year norm, we should reimagine a college education as a platform for lifelong learning, one that would provide students with multiple opportunities to develop soft skills as well as critical technical skillsnot just between the ages of 18 and 22 but whenever necessary.
Stanford University has provided a model for how a college for life might work. In 2014, its design school developed a proposal for what it called an open loop university, which would admit students for six years of study that could be undertaken at any time.
Under this new system, students could start college when they were readyat 16, 18 or 26 years oldand distribute the six years as they saw fit. They could loop out after two years to work for a Silicon Valley startup and then loop in a few years later if the startup failed or they wanted to try something else.
Students who returned after looping out could use the time that remained on their six-year clock to move toward new careers in their 30s or 50s.
Granted, students are rushed through college in part because of ever spiraling tuition prices. But new advances in the delivery of education can assist in lowering the cost of a degree, so that more time wont necessarily equal higher prices.
Online and hybrid classes, which mix virtual and face-to-face learning, are both less expensive to offer and more flexible than a traditional lecture- or seminar-based course. At the University of Central Florida, 60 percent of the universitys 53,000 students take online or hybrid classes, and can mix and match them with traditional classes in the same semester.
Students at many colleges already acquire knowledge in a variety of settingsthrough internships, co-curricular activities and independent research projectsyet most of the credits they earn and pay for in college are based only on the time they spend sitting in a classroom.
By giving students credit for experiential learning as well, colleges could help integrate in-class education with the hands-on experiences valued by employers. This change would also help students learn how to take control of directing their professional development.
Courses in this new model for education wouldnt need to be offered solely by traditional universities. College and universities could curate trusted sources outside their campus walls to supplement their offerings, including free open online courses; boot camps that offer short-term skill classes; and online training programs, such as Lynda.com.
With an expansion of the ways higher education is provided, students wouldnt be locked into studying at a particular place and in one set period of time. Instead, a student could move in and out of college, going back when new skills and information are needed, and higher education would become what it needs to bea lifelong and adjustable acquisition of knowledge.
Jeffrey J. Selingo, a professor at Arizona State University, is author of There Is Life After College: What Parents and Students Should Know About Navigating School to Prepare for the Jobs of Tomorrow, out this week.
Cutting red tape and addressing patient concerns
Dr. Mary-Claire King, the American Cancer Society Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington and an affiliate Fred Hutch researcher, offered the vice president two suggestions. Her first would be to streamline and speed up research at no extra cost by cutting regulatory hoops for adding a person to an existing research grant.
If we have a new project that requires a young person who transcends certain disciplines, if there were a way we could add that person to our team quickly by adding a simple supplement to an existing grant, rather than take a year to a year and a half, [it would give us] a way we could build our teams very quickly, she said.
King, who was the first to show that breast cancer is inherited in some families as a result of mutations in BRCA genes, also advised Biden to take steps to help breast cancer and other patients by giving the National Cancer Institute enough funding to pay for Phase 3 clinical trials that pharmaceutical companies dont want to sponsor.
Human drug and treatment clinical trials are typically divided into three phases; the final, Phase 3 trial is the most expensive to conduct because it tests for both safety and efficacy in hundreds or thousands of patients. Pharmaceutical companies, King pointed out, have little incentive to fund a costly trial that wont result in a new drug a trial that, for example, tests how a particular three- or four-drug combination would work if the drug with the worst side effects was left out.
Thats not of interest to Pharma but of great interest to patients seeking effective and less harsh options, King said.
Dr. Angelique Richard, chief nurse executive and vice president of clinical operations at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, also focused on patients.
We need to establish a system that supports cancer patients and families getting clear information about their best treatment options and full access to these options, regardless of [insurance] coverage, she said.
Encouraging innovation and quality through pricing
The pricing of cancer treatment is also of concern to Dr. Jeffery C. Ward, a medical oncologist/hematologist with the Swedish Cancer Institute and an advocate of community-based cancer care who has practiced in the Edmonds community since 1993. The hopes invested in personalized medicine will not be realized, he said, unless another paradigm shift occurs first in how both drug development and cancer care are reimbursed. His advice: The United States needs to provide better incentives for pharmaceutical companies to be innovative, nimble, and willing to take risks and for oncologists to provide the best, safest, and most effective treatments.
I would tell the vice president that a great impediment to the development of personalized therapies and personalized care is the way in which we pay for it, Ward said. Pharmaceutical prices have little, if anything, to do with the value they bring to the care equation. Instead, every new drug is the same price, or a little bit more, than the last drug irrespective of how good a drug it is. Copy-cat drugs routinely cost more than the innovator drug. Competition occurs through marketing, but never through price.
Similarly, a fee for service health care delivery system encourages physicians to give as much care as possible, not necessarily the right care or the best care.
But neither, Ward cautioned, should care be rationed.
As we develop personalized, but very expensive, therapies, we need a system that will pay the oncologist to provide the correct therapy in the safest and most efficient way, he said. Only a reimbursement system that rewards quality and value will fuel a cancer moonshot.
Pediatric approaches and a plug for basic research
Dr. Julie R. Park, an attending physician at Seattle Childrens Hospital, a pediatrics professor at UW Medicine and a Fred Hutch researcher, suggested new approaches to pediatric cancer. Many of her recommendations touched on themes that have emerged in recent months as a focus for the moonshot initiative. These include personalized medicine, which uses molecularly targeted therapies based on, among other factors, genomic drivers in cancer found through genomic profiling and enhanced data sharing:
Invest in infrastructure needed for banking biologic specimens as a resource to scientists worldwide and for genomic profiling of a broad spectrum of rare and high-risk childhood tumors;
Support an expansion of bioinformatics infrastructure to leverage existing clinical research and translational data in pediatric cancer;
Invest in research that will focus on targeting molecular pathways and the microenvironment in pediatric cancer, including attracting a larger group of both new and established scientist to better understand pediatric cancer.
Dr. Stanley Riddell, who led the vice president on a brief lab tour before taking part in the March panel, took a different tack, avoiding the specific to praise the benefits of undirected research. Although his recent advances in immunotherapy have attracted national attention, Riddells advice was to remember that such advances are rooted in far more basic research.
We have to continue this fundamental research into understanding how cancer develops, understanding how the immune system interacts with cancer, he told the vice president.
The power of understanding cancer at the genetic level, understanding the immune response to cancer will really yield new insights that will develop new therapies. But I think the reality is if we really want big breakthroughs, we are going to have to invest in good old fashioned R&D.
Launching the moonshot
President Barack Obama launched a new moonshot to speed up cancer cures during his final State of the Union address in January. He put Biden, who inspired the effort, in charge of mission control. The vice president dedicated himself to the cause after losing his older son, Beau, to brain cancer in 2015.
Since the initiative was announced, Biden has visited seven cancer research centers, including Fred Hutch, and met with more than 200 scientists, physicians, patients and philanthropists to gather ideas. Earlier this month, the National Cancer Institute named a blue ribbon panel to provide scientific guidance on how to advance the themes that emerged from these meetings. The panel is expected to deliver its recommendations by late summer to the NCIs National Cancer Advisory Board. The White House Cancer Moonshot Task Force, an interagency group chaired by Biden and led by cancer patient and industry executive Greg Simon, will deliver a final report to President Obama by the end of the year.
More ideas?
According to the National Cancer Institute, as part of this process, the cancer community, including patients and caregivers, will be provided a forum to post comments and insights to help inform deliberations. Until then, join the conversation on our Facebook page, and let us know your ideas for how to speed up the development of cancer cures.
doTERRA Wellness Advocate JoAnn Porter of Essential Oils Pure Gets ELITE Award
JoAnn Porter of Essential Oils Pure and doTERRA announce their wellness advocate award of ELITE. d?TERRA products are sold exclusively through Wellness Advocates to holistic health business owners and the public.
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Essential Oils Pure! and doTERRA International LLC have be working together on wellness advocate launch from February 2016. These two companies have a wealth of combined experience in Distribution, Marketing, and Training.
Essential Oils Pure! is a distributor of d?TERRA International, LLC products and built a solid market base with teams in Arizona, Utah, Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Carolina. Essential Oils Pure! is looking for growth in this market as well as holistic health professionals in additional states.
Interested parties can view full details on the following website: http://essentialoilspure.com.
Essential Oils Pure! and JoAnn Porter, an approved wellness advocate, will be sharing multiple responsibilities including:
Education to the community - Both companies will continue to education the community on product use benefits and more.
Independent distributorship opportunity - Product sales leaders recognize the value of d?TERRA's powerful compensation plan.
Customer retention - d?TERRA enjoys a 65 percent retention rate, compared to a direct selling industry average near 10 percent.
d?TERRA essential oils has been created specifically for wellness advocates with multiple features:
Single Oils - The d?TERRA collection of single essential oils represents the finest aromatic extracts available in the world today.
Proprietary Therapeutic Grade Blends - d?TERRA provides therapeutic-grade essential oils and wellness products to people who care about improving their health and that of their loved ones.
Nutritional, spa, and healthy living products - Based on essential oil technologies and a comprehensive wellness philosophy.
JoAnn Porter, CEO of Essential Oils Pure had this to say about the new award ELITE with d?TERRA:
"Consumers look to trusted holistic health business owners for quality essential oil product recommendations. Essential oil companies that distill therapeutic grade essential oils must have the expertise and know how to produce oils correctly and responsibly. Essential Oils Pure has selected doTERRA and seeks to educate holistic health business professionals and their clients."
Those interested in learning more about Essential Oils Pure! can do so here: Watch The Video Those interested in purchasing d?TERRA essential oils can do so here: http://essentialoilspure.com.
For more information about us, please visit http://essentialoilspure.com
Contact Info:
Name: Eric Williamson
Organization: Clear Media Marketing
Address: 16921 E Palisades Blvd Ste 106 Fountain Hills, Arizona 85268
Release ID: 110677
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Layton, Utah, Surgeon Participates in Annual Medical Mercy Mission to Guatemala
Utah Medical Outreach and Dr. Joseph Jensen provide medical humanitarian aid.
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Layton, USA - April 11, 2016
Dr. Jensen's heart broke when he saw the little Guatemalan girl approach him. Every step was awkward; her shoes were torn open. Once she was close enough, he realized her shoes were deliberately cut--the little girl had extra toes and normal shoes didn't fit. Carving up her shoes had been the only solution.
For the past three years Dr. Joseph Jensen has left his medical practice and hospital privileges to go to Guatemala and provide free medical care. He goes with an organization called Utah Medical Outreach--a nonprofit corporation comprised of a team of medical and professional volunteers that visit Guatemala semi-annually. Their goal is to perform surgeries, hold educational clinics, and provide medical and other humanitarian services.
In just under two weeks, Dr. Jensen will pack up donated medical supplies and head back to Guatemala for one week. While there he will perform a variety of general surgeries: finger and toe separations, abdominal and breast/breast cancer surgeries. In fact, one of the most common surgeries he performs are hernia surgeries.
In countries like Guatemala, physical labor is a necessity and hernias pose a dire threat to families' income and livelihood. Surgical mesh is essential for hernia operations. Dr. Jensen can surgically fix an abdominal hernia without surgical mesh; however there is a risk the hernia would tear again and the initial surgical benefit would be lost.
Due to the great need, Dr. Jensen welcomes monetary donations so he can purchase essential medical supplies, like surgical mesh. He admits that surgical mesh is expensive, but it is the only way to provide long-term hernia relief and reduce the risk of repeated hernias.
Utah Medical Outreach and its volunteer doctors and medical professionals donate their time and pay their own expenses; they depend on donations of surgical equipment, medical instruments, and medical supplies to support these medical missions.
Monetary donations are desperately needed to provide free medical services to needy Guatemalan children, individuals, and families who do not otherwise have access to these services.
Dr. Jensen swipes through his phone's pictures and stops on one of the pictures. A little girl wears new shoes. No holes. No tears or cuts. New shoes and a new life.
Those interested in supporting Dr. Jensen's humanitarian medical mission are encouraged to contact his office directly.
About Dr. Joseph Jensen:
Located in Layton, Utah, Dr. Joseph Jensen, DO, is the surgeon of choice for people seeking laser liposuction, laser tattoo removal, tummy tuck, laser liposuction, Smartlipo, facial rejuvenation, varicose veins treatment, laser hair removal, brown spot removal, acne scar removal, and general surgery. Using top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art equipment and always displaying sincere compassion, Dr. Jensen takes great care to ensure your utmost safety and realize your desired surgical outcomes. To achieve your desired skin and body, visit Dr. Joseph Jensen, DO.
Visit DrJosephJensen.com for more information.
For more information about us, please visit http://DrJosephJensen.com
Contact Info:
Name: Dr. Joseph W. Jensen
Email: info@DrJosephJensen.com
Organization: Dr. Joseph W. Jensen, DO
Address: 1580 W Antelope Dr #130
Phone: 801-728-9258
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/layton-utah-surgeon-participates-in-annual-medical-mercy-mission-to-guatemala/110868
Release ID: 110868
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Hollywood Photo Booth Rental in Los Angeles Launches New GIF Photo Booth
Hollywood Photo Booth is a company providing all sorts of events with high-quality photo booth installations. The company has now added a new .GIF photo booth setup to their service.
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Headquartered in Los Angeles, Hollywood Photo Booth is a company catering to clients in L.A., San Diego, Las Vegas, San Francisco and more. "Make Your Event, A Smash Hit," states the company slogan on their official website. The company has now announced a new unique service that is stated to be a .GIF photo booth. With other installations including open air photo booths, green screen booths, instant print booths and more, the new .GIF photo booth installation can apparently create an animated .GIF picture of shots taken in the booth.
The company provides photo booths for corporate events, social gatherings, festivals, fundraisers, and private events like weddings, birthday parties, bar/bat mitzvahs and more. The company claims to have high-quality professional equipment with specially trained and uniformed staff. "Professional, easy to work with, reasonably priced. I've used them twice, almost back to back for two events I've put on via my employer this summer and would definitely use them again, as well as recommend them to anyone who is looking for a straightforward photo booth set-up with professional employees who enhance any event and give guests a great time," states a Hollywood Photo Booth customer in their testimony of the services provided by the company.
A company spokesperson made an official press statement in which he discussed Hollywood Photo Booth's new service "Here at Hollywood Photo Booth, we aim to offer high-quality installations with extremely trained and polite staff. Our installations are an amazing addition to any event and allow corporations to better engage the attendees in the event. Client satisfaction is our top-most priority and we aim to make the photo booth experience a very memorable one for all clients who choose to hire us. Private events like weddings and birthdays are also ideal for out various kinds of amazing photo booth installations so that moments can be captured into amazing high quality pictures, to last forever."
He further explained about the new .GIF photo booth installation the company is now offering "We always aim to reinvent ourselves and offer the latest to our clients. Animated .GIF pictures are the latest trend ever since social media giants like Facebook included .GIF photo sending options to their chat boxes. With this new booth, all people have to do is take pictures and our friendly staff will convert the pictures into an animated .GIF picture that people can then save on their phones and share on their social media profiles. This is a revolutionary addition to our already extensive repertoire of installations and we urge people to add this amazing installation to their event to further engage the attendees in something fun and creative."
Having worked for major corporations including Microsoft, Nike, Adidas and Apple, the company is now also offering a free consultation service for people looking to hire the company for their events. People can reportedly get in touch with the company to discuss their needs and the customer representatives will assist them with everything and provide them free price quotes. The company can also be contacted using the contact page on their official website at http://hollywoodphotobooth.com/contact-us/. The company spokesperson explains that it has been made very easy for clients to get an accurate price quote for their event. Users can fill in a form and list their event specifications to get the right price quote.
For more information about us, please visit http://hollywoodphotobooth.com/
Contact Info:
Name: Michael Tertoole
Email: info@hollywoodphotobooth.com
Organization: Hollywood Photo Booth
Address: 14560 Dickens St, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Phone: 310-756-4098
Release ID: 110935
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Westerville Ohio Dentist Announces Program For Those Without Dental Insurance
Lynn Monstwil, DDS introduces its Smile Club to provide a solution for patients without dental insurance. Further information can be found at http://monstwildds.com/.
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Lynn Monstwil, DDS has implemented a new element to her practice-The Smile Club! The Smile Club is a savings club for patients who do not have dental insurance. It is available to both new and existing patients. This allows anyone with or without dental insurance to have his or her smile improved.
This update offers a savings club for Westerville and Columbus area patients that includes 15% off of regular services as well as huge discounts on preventative services, hygiene services, and oral cancer screenings. Lynn Monstwil, DDS has been able to do this by working hand in hand with patients to help them get the most out of their smiles.
The entire staff is excited to unveil the latest benefit for current and new patients as it's specifically designed to improve the experience and better fulfill the needs of Westerville families.
When asked to provide greater insight on the subject, Dr. Monstwil, Owner and Dentist at Lynn Monstwil, DDS, said, "By using our Smile Club, patients in the Westerville and Columbus areas who don't have dental insurance can still get the same benefits of regular dental care as those who do. Our goal is to make everyone smile!"
"This dental practice has made a point of listening to its customers and taking suggestions wherever possible. We do this because it's our best source of feedback into what services we need to provide to our patients in the Westerville and Columbus, Ohio areas.", says Dr. Monstwil.
Lynn Monstwil, DDS has made it part of its mission to to provide the highest level of dental care for every patient who comes in the door, and to serve all of Westerville's dental needs in the family dentist market. The business is known as a gentle, caring, comfortable environment where patients are treated as family and greeted with a genuine smile, which Dr. Monstwil is immensely proud of, with the business being operational now for 22 years.
Interested parties who would like to be among the first to experience The Smile Club with Lynn Monstwil, DDS are encouraged to visit the website at http://monstwildds.com/ for full details and to get started.
For more information about us, please visit http://monstwildds.com/
Contact Info:
Name: Dr. Lynn Monstwil
Organization: Lynn Monstwil, DDS
Address: 450 Alkyre Run Dr #260, Westerville, OH 43082
Phone: (614) 882-9828
Release ID: 110853
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It was the summer of 2008 in San Francisco and a small company called Airbnb had a dream. People with spare bedrooms would welcome strangers into their homes and share their restaurant recommendations with them for a small fee.
Fast forward to 2016 and the now quite big and successful Airbnb is considered one of the mainstays of what we have come to call the sharing economy. It is also, in every article written on millennials, the business that defines the mentality of a generation.
Why? First, because it has subtly commoditised the unique experience. It offers people a way to feel both spontaneous and that they are somehow circumventing the world of big business. The word that Airbnb uses to describe the kind of holiday its users might have is authentic. We make it easy for you to get to know hosts, boasts the website, picturing a smiling lady with a half-chopped cucumber.
But Airbnb has lost its soul. No longer is it just about one human sharing their home with another. Something quite annoying has happened: companies offering property management services have emerged to help hosts get the best deal for their rooms. This is great news for hosts, but bad news for everyone else. It is also something of a reversal of one of the principles that first made Airbnb different disintermediation.
Along with low cost and singularity of experience, disintermediation is one of the big themes of the Airbnb business model. Here is an accommodation provider that owns no property; it merely connects homeowners with holidaymakers.
Look at the London listings and youll find theres an apartment squirrelled away behind the St Pancras clock tower. This is not the sort of thing a hotel can offer you and the appeal of it is the illusion that this is something money cant buy. But guess what? If you pay a man called Peter 150 a night you can stay there, because its his home.
This is a relatively high price for properties on the site: the cost of staying in an Airbnb is typically low because people are using spare capacity. By definition, there is no break even to be met. Whereas this month the average price of an Airbnb room in London is 86 per night, the average cost of a hotel room is 130.
Airbnb is also about deprofessionalisation. The temporary accommodation industry is no longer about Mr Ritz marketing his ample suites to the profligate. Its about Jerry from Barnet and his mad Princess Diana-themed bedroom.
St Pancras clock tower Dreamstime
This causes problems. Its not great for Jerry if his spare bedroom or even his entire house becomes the location for someones bacchanalian revels. On the other side of the bargain, guests are understandably wary of finding themselves staying in the home of someone who turns out to be a knife-wielding maniac. Airbnbs answer to these concerns is trust. Airbnb, according to its website, is built on trust. It proudly adds: Trust is what makes it work.
There have been stories of guests trashing the joint. When responding to these cases, Airbnb typically says it has zero tolerance for this kind of behaviour. But the point is that it cant predict human behaviour in any meaningful way and it certainly cant prevent unpleasantness or worse from happening. The company does operate an insurance policy of sorts for your possessions, called the $1m host guarantee. Because, as Airbnb puts it, youre part of the Airbnb family, and we stand by our family. Elsewhere it reminds users that being a host on Airbnb is about so much more than money.
But Airbnb does make money. And it has a problem in that the demand for rooms to rent outstrips supply, so to continue making money it needs to persuade homeowners to host more often. It recently tried to adjust its pricing structure to make hosting more lucrative. Time will tell if this works, but in the meantime, there is another answer in the form of a brand new phenomenon: Airbnb estate agents.
In Los Angeles there is Pillow, in San Francisco there is Guesty, in New York there is Happy Host and now in London there is Airsorted. You may have seen their advertisements on the London Underground. Much like the property management arms of estate agents, all of these companies offer services for lazy hosts who dont have the time to welcome guests or change the sheets. Much less if they have multiple properties and the British Hospitality Industry estimates that 40 per cent of Airbnb hosts in London are marketing more than one place.
Airsorted promises to make more money for hosts. This is not a new aim. Scott Shatford, founder of another property management company, who describes himself as a professional Airbnb host, has written a book on the subject, called The Airbnb Experts Playbook Secrets of a Six-Figure Rentalpreneur.
But Airsorted says it has a competitive advantage over people marketing rooms themselves because it has data analytics systems that work out the maximum price it can charge and has hired a team of commercial analysts to solve the problem too. Its business model? It takes a 12 per cent cut of the rent.
Why are people so happy to give over such a potentially hefty slice of the rental income? Because they dont really want disintermediation. Theyd rather have a more complicated supply chain in which experts calculate the optimum price, push for more rent and deal with tiresome property issues.
Will this re-intermediation push up the price of an Airbnb room? Almost certainly. In February Airbnb published a report called Discover Greater London: The Impact of Sharing an Authentic London. Although it uses the language of a public authority it is an impact assessment this is actually an advertisement. A key boast is that the number of guests staying in outer London boroughs has more than doubled in many cases.
One of the hallmarks of the London rental market is the creep of young renters to the outer London boroughs as inner London boroughs become more expensive. So if anything, this shift to the suburbs is testament to the rising costs of short term rental. London boroughs like Hillingdon and Barnet are trending over Westminster and Kensington, it says but thats just another way of saying Airbnb users like a good old-fashioned low-cost option. Its probably not about Barnet being the next Shoreditch.
The market is maturing. Or rather, regressing into its former intermediated state. Is this an economic problem? No. Is it a brand problem? I think so
Airbnb is understandably keen to maintain that its hosts are not all just professional hoteliers or buy-to-let landlords cynically using the Airbnb brand as a distribution tool it says the majority of its hosts are freelancers or work in creative industries (maybe a rentalpreneur would call themselves a freelancer?). It describes the countless families for whom home sharing is an economic lifeline.
The British Hospitality Association takes a dimmer view. Although it welcomes the opportunities the sharing economy brings to owners letting their homes from time to time, it does not like the idea of illegal hotels using platforms to circumvent regulations and tax. Then it goes in for the kill: Sharing has become big business with hosts acting as landlords in all but name.
The market is maturing. Or rather, regressing into its former intermediated state. Is this an economic problem? No. Is it a brand problem? I think so. There seems to be little to prevent Airbnb turning from being a low-cost accommodation provider beloved of young travellers to a ragtag property empire administered by the future Foxtons of the short-let world.
Aime Williams is a reporter on FT Money. aime.williams@ft.com; Twitter: @Aime_Williams
Mike Rogers will step down as chief executive of life company LV after a decade in the role, as soon as a suitable successor is found, the company has announced.
Mr Rogers said 10 years is a significant milestone, but the time was now right for a new team to shape the next decade.
LV will always be special for me and I look forward to seeing its members, customers and people thrive, he said.
The hunt for a successor is underway and Mr Rogers will lead the business for the remainder of the year, and into 2017 if required, until a suitable candidate is found, LV chairman Mark Austen said.
Since 2006, when Mr Rogers took the helm of what was then insurance, banking, IFA and asset management group Liverpool Victoria, the companys fortunes have witnessed a dramatic turnaround, swingeing from a 20m loss to a 195m profit in 2015.
Gross earned premiums in that time have risen from 630m to 2.4bn last year. LV attributed the success to Mr Rogers completely reshaping and refocusing the group.
Under his leadership the business has been restructured through the closure of its banking operation in 2007 and IFA division in 2008. There have been several targeted acquisitions: Tomorrow in 2007, Highway and Britannia Rescue in 2008 plus a majority shareholding in Wealth Wizards in 2015.
A further acquisition is planned of the majority of Teachers Assurance business lines in 2016.
In a statement, Mr Austen thanked Mr Rogers for the outstanding service he has provided over the last ten years. Under his leadership LV has been transformed into the successful and profitable financial mutual it is today with a special place in the financial services market.
laura.miller@ft.com
Man Group has reported net inflows of $500m in the quarter to March 31 2016, in spite of a decrease in funds under management in GLG.
Net outflows of $500m from GLGs discretionary long-only business were mainly in relation to the performance of its $3.6bn Japan CoreAlpha fund run by Stephen Harker, which was down 16.3 per cent in the quarter, compared to the Topix index which was down 12 per cent.
In its trading statement, the group said this had resulted in a negative investment movement of $1.2bn. Funds under management in its discretionary long only business decreased by $1.7bn.
Net outflows from its discretionary alternatives business saw funds under management drop by $900m during the quarter, mainly driven by outflows of $600m from its North American equity and convertibles strategies.
The group reported net inflows of $1.3bn across its quant alternative strategies and inflows of $500m into its quant long only strategies.
Net flows into fund of funds alternatives were flat for the quarter.
Chief executive Manny Roman said the group had delivered results against a backdrop of challenging market conditions.
He added: Investment performance across our quantitative strategies and net inflows meant that group funds under management remained stable over a highly volatile quarter.
The ongoing uncertainty in the markets remains challenging and, accordingly, the risk appetite of our clients has the potential to impact flows. However, the ongoing diversification of our business has enhanced our resilience as a firm, and positions us well to navigate the current economic climate.
Mr Roman said: As we have previously indicated, we continue to explore new options for growth, both organically and by acquisition, within our disciplined financial framework.
Shares in Man Group were up 4 per cent to 157.80p this morning following its results.
Outgoing Architas chief investment officer Caspar Rock has cut exposure to Clive Beagles JOHCM UK Equity Income fund as part of a reduction of his equity positions.
Mr Rock, who runs the six-strong multi-manager range but is to leave the business for Cazenove later this year, said he had been taking a little bit of money out of equity strategies following the market rally that emerged in mid-February, while also paring back beta exposure.
Thats one way to reduce your equity exposure. You can either sell holdings or reduce your beta. If theres a downside, you should be, to an extent, protected [by doing this], he said.
We are taking a little bit of money out of equity following the rally we have seen since February 11. We were neutral equity and we have moved to slightly underweight.
Thats not just physical, but also the beta of our portfolios. We reduced the weighting [and] played around with the beta exposure in our active range.
The market volatility that marked the opening weeks of 2016 has prompted some fund selectors to de-risk their offerings by, for example, adjusting equity weightings.
In Mr Rocks case, he has reduced a huge holding in the Standard Life Investments UK Equity Unconstrained fund as well as cutting his position in Mr Beagles fund.
He has also moved money into Woodford Equity Income and the Fidelity Moneybuilder Dividend portfolio.
Elsewhere, the manager has made other attempts to position the range more defensively. This includes being slightly short duration on fixed income, but continuing to favour gilts.
This has seen him reduce his holding in the Vanguard UK Long Duration Gilt Index fund and add to the BlackRock UK Gilts All Stocks Tracker.
At the margins, we are slightly short duration, he said. We do have gilts and they have done incredibly well. Gilts have protected us where equities have been pretty dismal.
The manager has also moved to protect investors from a weakened sterling on the back of Brexit concerns.
Before Christmas, we decided to tweak down our weighting in sterling, he said. We were thinking about what the market would think about after Christmas, so we increased our overseas currency weighting.
This has seen him add to overseas positions, including BGF Asia Pacific Equity Income. He said: We have been investing overseas. It could be in equity or fixed income. The overall intention was to increase our foreign currency exposure.
Meanwhile, Mr Rock retains a preference for niche vehicles in his property exposure, in part because he sees risks in the generalist space. His holdings include Empiric Student Property, which was added to the range in recent weeks.
We have a preference for the more specialist property exposure, he said. Theres trouble on the high street, which we have to remember. You also have to remember theres a lot of supply and high prices in London and the south east.
Specialist distributor and packager All Types of Mortgages had announced a new partnership with Kensington Mortgages.
AToMs managing director Dale Jannels said the move was a chance to rekindle relationships with the specialist packager community and showed Kensingtons intent to establish itself as a go to lender when it comes to complex and specialist mortgages.
The deal will give AToMs advisers access to the lenders 90 per cent loan-to-value product, which features its approach to individual underwriting for customers with smaller deposits.
This is excellent news for brokers who have clients who are self-employed, contractors or have historic credit difficulties, said Mr Jannels.
Other product highlights include rates from 4.89 per cent, no credit scoring, 100 per cent bonus acceptable for employed, completion fee-free products and free valuation and legals on some products.
AToM has recently expanded its offerings to include complex prime, secured loans, commercials, properties abroad, bridging, conveyancing, website design/maintenance and more.
Kensingtons head of sales and distribution Steve Griffiths said that specialist distributors provide an important service for brokers who are looking for a simple way of sourcing and placing their more complex cases.
This is a really important partnership for us and we are looking forward to working together to promote our core range, 90 per cent LTV product and future proposition developments, he commented.
Since the start of this year, Kensington has increased the maximum LTVs on its core range to 85 per cent, reviewed its lending policies for older borrowers, moved to paperless processing and upped the maximum loan limits for first-time buyers and buy-to-let mortgages.
peter.walker@ft.com
Two of the oldest UK machinery companies Twose of Tiverton and McConnel are to merge next month.
Twose, which started life in 1830, and McConnel, which was established in 1935, have both been part of the giant US Alamo Corporation for many years. Alamo also owns several other UK brands, including Bomford, Kellands and Spearhead, French hedger company Rousseau and US rotary mower maker Bush-Hog.
See also: Twose all-in-one subsoiler and aerator boosts growth
The move, which will take place on 1 May 2016, will see the formation of a specialist grassland and arable machinery division, resulting in a wider product offering which the company hopes will generate new opportunities for growth.
Twose currently makes cultivators, mowers, bale handlers, forestry kit and is a big seller of rolls, while McConnel specialises in hedgers, cultivators and remote-control hillside mowers. In fact, McConnel is the worlds biggest maker of hedgecutters.
Both brands will continue to be made at Ludlow in Shropshire, while Bomford and Spearhead manufacture at Evesham and Kellands makes its sprayers at Birdlip in Gloucestershire.
The McConnel brand will now be used for all export machines, while the plan is to make more of the well-liked Twose brand in the UK. The changes will not involve redundancies, says the company, as the production facilities at Tiverton, Devon, closed many years ago.
Fed-up farmers in south Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire are demanding tougher action from police to stop criminal gangs targeting their businesses.
Farmers say gangs of quad bikers are illegally riding over their land and causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to crops in a rural crime wave that is spiraling out of control.
Other crimes landowners have suffered in recent weeks include deer lamping, hare coursing, sheep worrying, fly-grazing and lambs being shot.
See also: Lambs shot dead in sickening farm shooting
Farmers complain that after they telephone police on 101 to report crime, by the time officers arrive it is too late and the offenders have already fled.
Stephen Smith, the owner of Grange Farm, a 75ha mixed beef and arable farm in Styrrup, south of Doncaster, said farmers were fighting back by digging trenches around fields to prevent access and erecting concrete barriers around gates.
But he said more must be done and he called on South Yorkshire Police to intervene and carry out sting operations to catch offenders in the act.
Its absolute hell
Quad bikers are making our lives a misery around here. Its absolute hell, said Mr Smith.
Sometimes they are in convoys of 20 on roads, with no helmets and wearing balaclavas to hide their identity.
They access fields in the daytime, rampaging across fields and doing donuts on crops. Personally, I lost 4,000 worth of winter wheat in one such incident when it snowed. They think farm fields are playgrounds.
In the evenings, they go lamping and chase deer around fields, exhausting and then killing them with their guns.
They have no respect for the law whatsoever. We have brought it up with the police, but they are nowhere to be seen.
Police response
Paul Barnes, farm manager at Bawtry Farms, a 1,300ha mixed farm in Serlby, said quad bike gangs had smashed through fences to get access to fields.
Mr Barnes said his team was out digging ditches with JCBs to keep unwanted people off farmland.
He has even resorted to spreading poultry manure in strategic places in fields to keep the quad bikers off.
Its doing a job in one way by putting nutrients and organic matter in the soils, he said. Also, the quad bikers dont like it when they get it on their bikes.
Mr Barnes said he regularly logs crimes by calling 101, but he did not feel police were following up reports of incidents.
We get quad bikes coming on fields at all hours. You call 101 and the PCSOs come around two hours later. They have said no stingers can be activated due to public liability and health and safety reasons.
One farmer from Hatfield, near Doncaster, said gangs operating in the area were out of control and police were not doing enough to catch them.
There is not a field in the area that hasnt been done with quad bikes. There are tracks all over the place, he said.
I caught one quad bike gang pulling my fence down. I pushed one of them into a ditch. Then I got locked up.
The police dont seem to be bothered. They come round on a bicycle, but they dont have any authority. They need to catch these people.
South Yorkshire Polices budget for the financial year 2015-16 has been cut by 5.1%.
NFU president Meurig Raymond has written to the Treasury to demand more action from government to tackle rural crime.
Farmers Weekly has asked police forces in the area to comment on the story.
Story Highlights Americans say money and wealth should be more evenly distributed
Belief that upper-income pay too little in taxes has been evident for 25 years
Slight majority favoring heavy taxes on rich is unchanged over last three years
PRINCETON, N.J. -- Six in 10 Americans continue to believe that upper-income Americans pay too little in taxes. This attitude has been steady over the past five years, but is lower than in the early 1990s, when as many as 77% said those with higher incomes paid too little in taxes.
The latest update comes from Gallup's April 6-10 Economy and Personal Finance survey -- conducted during a presidential election year in which taxes have been a major area of focus for the candidates. In particular, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has made the reduction of inequality the central motif of his campaign, saying, "The issue of wealth and income inequality is the great moral issue of our time, it is the great economic issue of our time, and it is the great political issue of our time." He has called for "higher income tax rates for the richest Americans." His Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, also has called for the need to "reform our tax code so the wealthiest pay their fair share."
Republicans, in contrast, have called for simplified tax plans, which will end up reducing the income taxes all Americans pay. Ted Cruz says that under his tax plan, "All income groups will see a double-digit increase in after-tax income." Donald Trump's plan would simplify the tax code into fewer tax brackets. Although it would reduce or eliminate "most deductions and loopholes available to the very rich," the rich likely would pay less in taxes because upper-income taxpayers under Trump's plan would have a lower tax rate.
The Democratic presidential candidates are the most in sync with overall public opinion on the issue of taxing the rich, given the significant majority who say upper-income Americans pay too little in taxes.
Americans' attitudes on whether upper-income Americans pay too little in taxes are split along political lines. Three-quarters of Democrats say the rich pay too little, compared with less than half of Republicans. Independents mirror the national average. Those with an annual income of at least $75,000 per year, Gallup's highest income category for this analysis, have views that are broadly similar to those earning lower incomes.
Americans' Views on Tax Burden of Upper-Income Americans As I read off some different groups, please tell me if you think they are paying their FAIR share in federal taxes, paying too MUCH or paying too LITTLE? First, how about upper-income people? Fair share % Too much % Too little % National adults 21 15 61 Democrats 14 9 75 Independents 18 16 62 Republicans 32 20 45 Conservatives 30 20 46 Moderates 20 11 67 Liberals 10 12 76 Under $30,000 15 19 63 $30,000 to $74,999 21 11 64 $75,000+ 26 16 57 April 6-10, 2016 Gallup
Slightly More Than Half Agree With the Idea of Heavy Taxes on the Rich
A separate Gallup trend question addressing the issue of taxes paid by the well-to-do finds that a slight majority of Americans agree with the proposition that the government should redistribute wealth by "heavy taxes on the rich." Fortune Magazine first asked this question in the late 1930s, during the Depression, and at that point only about a third agreed. When Gallup updated the question in 1998, 45% agreed. Although the exact figures have fluctuated since, public opinion has been about evenly divided. Most recently, in 2013, 2015 and this year, 52% say the government should redistribute wealth by taxing the rich.
Views on heavily taxing the rich to redistribute wealth are strongly related to political orientation, with a huge gap between Republicans (22% of whom agree with the idea) and Democrats (80%), and a similar gap between conservatives and liberals. As household income rises, support for this idea drops, with those making at least $75,000 per year rejecting the idea of heavy taxes on the rich by a 59% to 40% margin. Young people, who tend to skew more Democratic in orientation, are most likely of the age groups o favor the idea.
Views on Government Redistribution of U.S. Wealth People feel differently about how far a government should go. Here is a phrase which some people believe in and some don't. Do you think our government should or should not redistribute wealth by heavy taxes on the rich? Yes, redistribute by heavy taxes on rich % No, should not redistribute wealth % Don't know/ Refused % National adults 52 46 2 Democrats 80 19 2 Independents 50 47 3 Republicans 22 76 1 Conservatives 26 71 3 Moderates 57 42 1 Liberals 77 21 2 Under $30,000 61 35 3 $30,000 to $74,999 57 41 2 $75,000+ 40 59 1 April 6-10, 2016 Gallup
Americans Generally Favor More Equal Distribution
A clear majority of Americans agree that money and wealth in the U.S. should be more evenly distributed among a larger percentage of people, as has been true since Gallup first asked this question in 1984. The percentage agreeing was generally in the 60% range from 1984 through April 2008 and then dropped slightly in the fall of 2008 just before Barack Obama won the presidential election. The current 59% agreement is right at the average of what Gallup has found since 2009.
Implications
Americans are generally on board -- as they consistently have been in recent decades -- with the concept that wealth and income should be distributed more equally in the U.S. Americans also tend to agree that upper-income Americans pay too little in taxes and that the rich should be more heavily taxed in order to achieve a more even distribution of wealth.
These attitudes are divided along partisan lines, with wide gaps in opinion between Republicans and Democrats, reflecting the starkly different positions of the two parties' presidential candidates on this issue.
Sanders has been most focused on the issue of income inequality in his campaign, and his position clearly strikes a highly responsive chord with his own partisans, although Democrats interviewed in this survey who support Clinton for their party's nomination are little different on these measures from those who support Sanders. Cruz and Trump may find a similarly responsive chord among their partisans for their "lower all taxes" positions, with again little difference between Republicans who support one or the other for their party's nomination.
Overall, the Democrats continue to have a more resonant position than Republicans with the general public on the use of taxes to help redistribute income and wealth. Other Gallup research shows, however, that Americans have become less likely to say the amount they personally pay in taxes is fair, and the Republican candidates' calls for lowering taxes in general may be more in sync with the public's views.
Inequality does not show up as an extremely high priority when Americans are asked about campaign issues, and relatively few Americans mention inequality or taxes more generally as the most important problem facing the nation today.
Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics.
Survey Methods
Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted April 6-10, 2016, with a random sample of 1,015 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.
Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 60% cellphone respondents and 40% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods.
View survey methodology, complete question responses and trends.
Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works.
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia was among the right people enshrined on the memorial wall on Saturday, Oct. 21.
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Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Criminal statistics : Crime rate goes up in 2015
Bonn Police reports show there were more burglaries and car break-ins this past year.
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Statistics show that the number of criminal offenses in the past year have increased in Bonn and Beuel. In Bonn, 19,476 crimes were committed in 2015, which is 786 more than in 2014. In Beuel, there were 2,350 crimes reported, a total of 210 more than in 2014.
Theft: 5,769 cases of simple theft were recorded in Bonn. This is an increase of 449 from the previous year. Included in this number is shoplifting, and these incidents went up by 273. Part of this increase could be because more shoplifters are being caught due to growing use of cameras and store detectives.
Serious thefts in Bonn went from 4,229 cases in 2014 to 4,579 cases in 2015.
In Beuel, cases of simple theft went from 876 in 2014 to 917 in 2015. Serious thefts increased from 1,155 in 2014 to 1,218 in 2015.
Car break-ins: 1,323 car break-ins were reported in Bonn for 2015; this is 54 more than in 2014. The number in Beuel increased from 390 to 402. Officials say there is a difference in the type of crimes and criminals from the left side of the Rhine to the right side. On the left side in Bonn, its mostly criminals who are looking for quick money, for example drug addicts who take every chance to break in and steal anything of worth. On the left side where Beuel is, its mainly criminal bands from outside the region who steal navigation systems and airbags. A group from Lithuania is currently being investigated.
Burglaries: The number of home burglaries in Bonn in 2015 was 584, similar to 2014 with 588. There were 116 burglaries in businesses in 2015; this is 13 less than in 2014. In Beuel, however, home burglaries increased by 16 to a total of 295, and break-ins at businesses rose to 37, which is 7 more than last year. Some of these might be explained by the Albanian band of burglars who drilled holes around door locks to break in, using this technique not only in Bonn but all over Europe. They are responsible for numerous burglaries between August and November of 2015.
Robbery, bodily assault and false imprisonment (holding someone against their will): 2,042 of these types of crimes occurred in 2015 in Bonn, up from 2,028 in 2014. Violent crimes including rape, serious assault, robbery and homicides have gone up from 673 in 2014 to 701 in 2015 in Bonn. Street crimes in Bonn went from 5,738 in 2014 to 5,971 in 2015.
Stolen bikes: 1,626 bikes were stolen in Bonn in 2015; this is 130 more than were stolen in 2014. In Beuel, 375 bikes were stolen in 2015, an increase of 14 from 2014.
A new weekly police radar map of break-ins and attempted break-ins can be found at: www.polizei.nrw.de/bonn
On the map, red-colored pins represent burglaries that were completed and green-colored pins represent attempted burglaries.
Cologne An Algerian man is sentenced to jail for his crime at the Cologne central train station.
A 21-year-old Algerian man is the first offender from the Cologne New Years Eve attacks to receive a jail sentence. On Thursday in a Cologne court, he received a one year sentence for stealing. He was found guilty of stealing a mans wallet in the area in front of the Hauptbahnhof (central train station). When the victim noticed what had happened, he held the thief who then kicked him. Others came to the victims aid and a fistfight ensued.
Plittersdorf turning circle : Open for business
Bad Godesberg. Much praise has gone out to Bonn roadworks for finishing the Plittersdorf turning circle early.
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Thanks to a mild winter and favorable weather conditions, the big construction mess in Plittersdorf has come to an end and the new turning circle opens Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. It connects Plittersdorfer Strae, Ubierstrae, Mittelstrae and Gotenstrae. Much praise has been extended to the civil engineering bureau for roadworks. Initial time tables had the project finishing up at the beginning of June but they were able to speed things up and finish around two months early.
This is a huge relief for people who drive in the area and for businesses who had complained about having fewer customers due to the construction. Blocked off roads and heavy machinery on Beethovenallee, Plittersdorfer Strae and the corner of Kornerstrae scared away potential business. In a visit from the director of the roadworks bureau at the end of February, Peter Esch promised he would do what he could. Signs were put up to let people known they still had access to the businesses.
As uncomfortable as the situation was, local businesses had praise for the city in responding to their needs. And Waltraud Haidous of the shop Lotto, Toto and Burobedarf (office supplies) said the construction workers were working like crazy at the site and called it the fastest construction site in Germany. Christian Sydow from the Second Hand Shop Relindis said he had seldom seen so many people and machinery at work all at once on a construction site, One can really say here in Bonn that we can be proud of a construction site.
An interesting note in this story - if you go back to the 1960s, there was already a turning circle here. It was replaced with stoplights. Officials say that bus routes affected by the construction will also return to their normal routes this evening at 6:00 p.m.
'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.
Obama at CIA headquarters to discuss US war on Daesh
Iran Press TV
Thu Apr 14, 2016 12:25AM
US President Barack Obama has paid a rare visit to CIA headquarters in the state of Virginia to discuss the country's alleged war on Daesh terror group.
With the USled coalition standing accused of having done little to tackle Daesh militancy in Iraq and Syria after around 20 months, Obama sounded optimistic about his intent to "take out" more of the terrorists in his Wednesday meeting with the Central Intelligence Agency's chiefs and other security officials.
"ISIL is on the defensive, and we are on the offensive," Obama said. "We have momentum, and we intend to keep that momentum."
The US president also bragged about how effective the coalition has been in its fight with the Takfiris, who were originally trained by the CIA in Jordan back in 2012 to destabilize the Syrian government.
"In the days and weeks ahead we intend to take out more (leaders.) Every day, ISIL leaders wake up and understand it could be their last," Obama said.
Takfiri 'cause is lost'
The US president estimated that the terror group is in its most vulnerable status since 2014.
"Their ranks of fighters are estimated to be at the lowest levels in two years and more and more are realizing that their cause is lost," he said, adding, "So we continue to work for a diplomatic end to this awful conflict."
Earlier in the day, Colonel Steve Warren who serves as the spokesman for the so-called Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) said the second "phase" of operations had kicked off.
"We are now in phase two, which is to dismantle this enemy," Warren said. "While ISIL can still put together some complex attacks, they have not been able to take hold of any key terrain for almost a year now."
Apart from the US airstrikes apparently targeting Daesh, the Takfiris face attacks by the Syrian and Iraqi army, whose forces are busy liberating areas under the militants' control.
A number of US regional allies, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, have been implicated in providing support for the terrorists, on which Washington has turned a blind eye.
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Pakistan's ISI suspected of funding attack on CIA outpost: Documents
Iran Press TV
Thu Apr 14, 2016 5:57PM
Pakistan's intelligence agency may have provided terror groups with the necessary funds to carry out a deadly attack on a US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) base in Afghanistan, newly declassified US State Department cables allege.
The heavily redacted cable, which was released by The National Security Archive at George Washington University on Wednesday, was sent about two weeks after the attack on December 30, 2009, and details an alleged meeting between operatives from the al-Qaeda affiliate Haqqani network and a number of unidentified officers with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The US document states that according to "not finally evaluated intelligence" the ISI had given the terror network $200,000 to "enable" the attack on Forward Operating Base Chapman in Afghanistan's Khost province.
Seven CIA officers and a Jordanian intelligence operative were killed during the attack that was carried out by a double agent, a Jordanian named Hammam Khalil Mohammed.
He was reportedly invited to the base to help the American spy agency track down senior al Qaeda operatives.
The CIA refused to answer questions about the report's veracity, or whether there is stronger intelligence that concretely holds the ISI responsible for funding the Chapman bombing.
Another State Department cable that was also released on Wednesday under a Freedom of Information Act request stated that the Haqqani network's leaders were holding monthly meetings with the ISI in the capital city of Islamabad as of late December 2009.
The unconfirmed allegations against Pakistan come in a time when according to a recent assessment by Islamabad, most of the Haqqani terrorist network has been obliterated by the country's armed forces.
Sartaj Aziz, an adviser on national security and foreign affairs for Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said in August of last year that most of the Haqqani network's base had been destroyed by an army operation that began in the North Waziristan tribal district.
The Haqqani network is allied with Taliban and al-Qaeda militants and has conducted many attacks against US targets, including the 2009 Camp Chapman bombing in eastern Afghanistan, which killed seven CIA agents.
Washington says future payments of hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Pakistan are contingent upon Islamabad's eradication of the group.
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Obama: Counter-ISIL Campaign Accelerates
By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, April 14, 2016 The campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has accelerated, President Barack Obama said yesterday at the headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Obama spoke to the press after a meeting of the National Security Council at the intelligence facility to review progress being made against all stripes of terrorist.
In February, the president ordered the national security team to accelerate the campaign against ISIL. "And we have," he said. "This remains a difficult fight, and a complex one, involving many countries and different communities in Syria and in Iraq. It is a military campaign and a counterterrorism effort, but it also depends on a whole range of political issues that face these two countries."
Since February, ISIL has struck in Turkey and Belgium. The terror group continues to launch attacks against innocent civilians in Iraq and Syria. "With attacks like these, ISIL hopes to weaken our collective resolve," the president said. "Once again, they have failed. Their barbarism only stiffens our unity and determination to wipe this vile terrorist organization off the face of the Earth."
ISIL on Defensive
ISIL is on the defensive in Iraq and Syria, Obama said.
"We have momentum, and we intend to keep that momentum," he said.
The president said the counter-ISIL air campaign continues to hit the terror group throughout the region. "We continue to take out their leaders, their commanders and those plotting terrorist attacks," he said. "For ISIL's leadership, it has been a bad few months."
With coalition support, local forces continue to push ISIL back in Iraq, the president said. He noted the success Iraqi forces have had in Anbar province, especially their successes in Hit.
"In Syria, a coalition of local forces -- some backed by U.S. special operations forces -- continue to make progress, pushing ISIL out of the strategic town of al-Shaddadi," he said. This cut the supply and communications line between Raqqa, Syria -- ISIL's self-proclaimed capital -- and Mosul, Iraq.
ISIL Shrinks
"In other words, the ISIL core in Syria and Iraq continues to shrink," Obama said. "Their ranks of fighters are estimated to be at the lowest levels in about two years, and more and more of them are realizing that their cause is lost. Our cyber operations are disrupting their command-and-control and communications. We continue to target ISIL's financial infrastructure, including its oil wells, refineries and supply lines."
Diplomats are working to end the Syrian civil war, the president said.
"Talks are now resuming in Geneva," he said. "And the United States will continue to do everything that we can to help the cessation [of hostilities] succeed and to advance a political solution to the Syrian civil war."
But ISIL has global ambitions, and the United States will continue to go after the terrorists wherever they are, Obama said.
"We're helping partners strengthen their security forces, from Africa to Afghanistan," he said. "As we, our allies and partners have made it harder for foreign terrorists to reach Syria and Iraq, we've seen an uptick in the number of ISIL fighters heading to Libya. So we're going to continue to use the full range of tools to roll ISIL back from Libya while assisting the new and nascent Libyan government as it works to secure their country."
The president also pointed out that ISIL is not the only terror threat the United States is addressing. Strikes continue to hit al-Qaida and its affiliates, he said.
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Number of ISIL Fighters in Afghanistan Drops Significantly, Official Says
By Terri Moon Cronk DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, April 14, 2016 Unilateral U.S. efforts and a spring offensive by Afghan forces have significantly decreased the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's footprint in Afghanistan, the NATO-led Resolute Support mission's deputy chief of staff for communications told Pentagon reporters today
Speaking by teleconference from the Afghan capital of Kabul, Army Brig. Gen. Charles H. Cleveland said U.S. Forces Afghanistan continues its authorized mission to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida, and noted the unilateral counterterrorism mission also was extended to ISIL in January 2015 after that terror organization raised its flag in the country.
But the battle for control has changed as ISIL is pushed back, he said.
"Our overall view now is we are having an effect [by] putting pressure on [ISIL], specifically in Nangarhar," Cleveland said. One indicator is ISIL appears to exist in two or three districts today, compared to six to eight districts three months ago, he said.
ISIL Forces Moving in Effort to Survive
Additionally, ISIL fighters are trying to move into Kunar and Nuristan provinces or farther south into Ghazni, Cleveland added.
"We don't think they're moving because they're able to expand or they have additional capacity," he said. "We think they're trying to survive. They're under pressure, and are trying to escape from the areas where we've aggressively targeted them."
Another indication of ISIL's decreasing numbers in Afghanistan is the number of fighters who are defecting, Cleveland said. "They're either laying down their arms and coming back to the government or trying to get back into the Taliban," he added.
Partnering With Afghan Forces
Cleveland updated reporters on the mission to train, advise and assist Afghan national defense and security forces on numerous levels in the effort. "Specifically, we partner with them at the tactical level, and particularly with their special operations forces," he said.
During a 36-hour mission last week involving unilateral U.S. strikes against ISIL targets, Afghan special operations forces were able to move into the Kot district in Nangarhar province and clear part of a valley, Cleveland pointed out.
"It's a partnership as we move forward on all of these counterterrorism operations," the general said.
Three weeks into their spring offensive, has Afghan forces have transitioned from last year's defensive to an offensive one in 2016, Cleveland said. "They're trying to take the fight to the enemy," he said. "We've already seen evidence of them in northeastern Kunduz, engaging the Taliban there."
Afghan forces also have begun re-establishing their presence in Helmand province with an offensive approach, particularly where they are trying to clear territory in the east, Cleveland said.
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Downgrading of Taiping Island to a rock will be illegal: President Ma
ROC Central News Agency
2016/04/14 22:07:20
Taipei, April 14 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou () on Thursday reiterated that the Republic of China (Taiwan) holds sovereignty over Taiping Island and said that any international court ruling that downgrades the legal status of Taiping () from an "island" to a "rock" will be illegal and will hurt the ROC's sovereignty.
"Whether from the perspective of history, geography or international law, it is indisputable that the Spratly (Nansha) Islands, Paracel (Xisha) Islands, the Macclesfield Bank (Zhongsha Islands), and Pratas (Dongsha) Islands in the South China Sea, and their surrounding waters, are inherent parts of the territory of the ROC," Ma said at a seminar on South China Sea disputes and international law.
That is why when Philippine lawyers argued in an international arbitration court that Taiping Island was not an island, but a rock, the ROC government felt compelled to defend the legal status of its territory, Ma said.
The Philippines is trying to prove that if Taiping is not actually an island, then all the smaller islets claimed by China in the region are also rocks and are not entitled to an economic exclusive zone under international law.
In its lawsuit in The Hague, the Philippines asserted that "some rocks" do not create a claim to territorial waters in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Ma said that although the ROC is an important claimant in the case, it has not been invited to appear before the arbitration court.
If the court accepts the totally non-factual argument made by the Philippine lawyers, it will seriously hurt the ROC sovereignty rights over its territory and constitute a violation of the UNCLOS, Ma said.
Taiping, the largest island in the disputed Spratly archipelago, fully meets the description of an island as defined in Article 121 of the UNCLOS, the president added.
He said he has been inviting the Philippines to send officials, representatives or lawyers to visit Taiping to see the high-quality fresh water source and the ecological environment there, and thus make a proper judgment for themselves.
During the seminar, Ma also mentioned his South China Sea Peace Initiative, which was proposed last year amid simmering tensions over competing territorial claims in that area from several countries.
The initiative calls for all parties concerned to take action to reduce tensions, abide by international law, ensure freedom of navigation and overflight, and seek a peaceful resolution to disputes.
Meanwhile, at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, international law scholars who participated in the seminar will go on a tour of Taiping on Friday.
Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei claim all or part of the islands and reefs in the South China Sea, which are thought to be rich in oil and natural gas reserves.
(By Hsieh Chia-chen and Evelyn Kao)
Enditem/pc
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US-Philippine military cooperation urged not to target third party
People's Daily Online
By ZHANG YUNBI (Chinadaily.com.cn) 18:20, April 14, 2016
Military cooperation between the United States and the Philippines should not "target a third-party" or "infringe the interests of the third-party", the Ministry of National Defense told China Daily on Thursday.
The comment was made after US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Wednesday that US forces will gain access to more military bases in the Philippines than the five already announced, AFP reported.
In response, the ministry referred to the fact that the US military bases in the Philippines were closed in the early 1990s.
The ministry said in a written reply that "now the US army has returned, has reinforced its military presence in the Philippines and has given rise to militarization in the South China Sea region".
"Reinforcing a military alliance is a sign of Cold-War thinking, and it runs against the trend of this era - peace, development, cooperation and win-win," the ministry said.
"We urge the relevant parties to break away from the outdated Cold-War thinking, and not to target a third-party, infringe interests of the third-party or impact the regional peace and stability when they embark on bilateral military cooperation," the ministry added.
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US, Philippines conducting joint patrols in South China Sea
Iran Press TV
Thu Apr 14, 2016 1:44PM
The US military has revealed for the first time that American warships have been conducting joint patrols with the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea.
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter made the revelation on Thursday at a press conference with Philippines Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmi in Manila.
Carter also said that more US forces and aircraft will be rotated through the Philippines, boosting the American military presence there.
"These patrols will continue to help build our inter-operability and improve the Philippine Navy," the Pentagon chief said.
The comments come as the United States, Australia and the Philippines are conducting joint military exercises in the region. The 11-day drills were launched earlier this month and will conclude on Friday.
The war games are part of the annual Balikatan military exercises between Washington and Manila. Australian troops have participated in the drills since 2014.
China has repeatedly criticized US military presence in the region and suspects the military drills are part of efforts to contain Beijing.
The South China Sea has become a source of tension between China, the US, and some of Washington's regional allies. The territory is rich in mineral resources and lies on a crucial trade route.
China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, despite partial counterclaims by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines. China is also locked in disputes with Japan and South Korea over the East China Sea.
In recent years, China has built major structures including radar systems and air strips over reclaimed reefs and outcrops.
Washington has sent bombers and warships on patrol close to the Chinese construction activity in recent months, infuriating Beijing.
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Jordanians to replace UAE forces in war on Yemen: Report
Iran Press TV
Thu Apr 14, 2016 6:28AM
Jordanian military forces and advisers will be replacing UAE troops fighting in the Saudi war on Yemen, following reports of serious disputes among the few "coalition" members, a report says.
Yemen's Khabar news agency, citing informed sources, reported on Thursday that the decision had been made following a recent visit by Saudi deputy crown prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud to Jordan.
Price Mohammad, who is the Saudi defense minister, met King Abdullah in the Jordanian port city of Aqaba and signed a package of agreements, including on development of military cooperation.
The report said the deployment of Jordanian forces will now be coming after the United Arab Emirates withdrew the bulk of its military force from Yemen's Ma'rib following a series of military setbacks.
The Saudi crown prince also traveled to the UAE in an effort to mend fences after reports of significant frictions between the two allies over the war on Yemen.
Emirati authorities are reportedly angry with a Saudi decision to dismiss a former general with close ties to the UAE.
In February, the Saudi kingdom sacked Khaled Bahah and appointed Ali Mohsen Al Ahmar to lead the fight against Yemen's Houthis.
Ahmar has been based in Saudi Arabia since the Houthis took over Sana'a in 2014.
Jordanian military forces reportedly took part in the Saudi operation in Aden last July following the flight of Saudi-backed militiamen loyal to former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
Early on Thursday, Saudi military aircraft carried out a fresh round of aerial assaults against the Nihm district of Sana'a Province, though there were no immediate reports of possible casualties and the extent of damage caused.
The development came only hours after Saudi-backed militiamen fired a barrage of artillery rounds at Dhubab, Harir and al-Jumhuri districts in Yemen's southwestern province of Ta'izz and Ghorab and al-Madaniyah neighborhoods in the provincial capital city of Ta'izz.
Saudi Arabia launched its military aggression against Yemen on March 26, 2015, in a bid to bring Hadi who is a staunch ally of Riyadh back to power and undermine the Houthi Ansarullah movement.
More than 9,400 people have been killed and at least 16,000 others injured since the onset of the aggression.
The Saudi strikes have also taken a heavy toll on the country's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories.
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Protests Rock Macedonia For Third Straight Night After Wiretap Pardons
April 14, 2016
by RFE/RL
Antigovernment protests continued for the third consecutive night in Macedonia's capital on April 14 following President Gjorge Ivanov's decision this week to halt prosecutions of officials linked to a wiretapping scandal.
Several thousand demonstrators bearing banners proclaiming "No Justice, No Peace" protested in front of government buildings in Skopje demanding Ivanov's resignation and the freezing of preparations for early parliamentary elections scheduled for June 5.
Protesters clashed with police, throwing rocks and flares at officers guarding the seat of the ruling nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party.
Five police officers were struck by rocks and injured, while one demonstrator was detained, authorities said.
Protests turned violent a day earlier as well when demonstrators ransacked offices used by Ivanov's team and set fire to the furniture.
European Union officials and the U.S. State Department criticized Ivanov's decision and urged him to reconsider his amnesty of more than 50 officials.
Ivanov was defiant in an April 14 interview broadcast on national television, saying his primary motive in pardoning the officials is to put an end to the political crisis that has rattled the poor Balkan nation of 2 million.
"As president, it is my responsibility to end the crisis that has lasted for too long," Ivanov said.
Macedonia has been in turmoil since opposition leader Zoran Zaev accused then-Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski of being behind the wiretapping of about 20,000 people -- including many politicians, journalists, and others in powerful positions.
Gruevski, a political ally of Ivanov's, denied the charges and accused Zaev of "spying" on the government and attempting to "destabilize" the country.
Zaev was later charged with attempting to overthrow the government and is now among those pardoned from prosecution.
Gruevski on April 14 distanced himself from Ivanov's amnesty. "It is against what we stand for. Those who have done something criminal should answer for it," he said.
An EU-brokered deal reached last year to try to end the crisis gave a special prosecutor, Katica Janeva, powers to investigate the wiretap revelations.
She said on April 14 that she would continue to investigate, including allegations of large-scale misappropriation of state funds.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Macedonian Unit, dpa, AP, AFP, and Reuters
Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/macedonia- protests-third-straight-night-wiretapping- corruption-scandal/27675514.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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US Has Raised Concerns With Russia About Baltic Sea Jet Incident
Sputnik News
20:32 14.04.2016(updated 21:51 14.04.2016)
White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said that United States has raised concerns about the recent incident of two Russian Su-24 bombers flying close to US guided missile destroyer Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea through its military defense attache at the US embassy in Moscow.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The United States has raised concerns about the recent incident of two Russian Su-24 bombers flying close to US guided missile destroyer Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea through its military defense attache at the US embassy in Moscow, Whtie House spokesperson Josh Earnest said during a press briefing on Thursday.
"The United States has raised our concerns with the Russians, fortunately there is a well-established process for doing so, it's not at all uncommon for Russian military aircrafts to engage in acts like this, so we typically would raise concerns about this through the military defense attache at the US Embassy in Moscow, I can tell you that that communication has occurred," Earnest explained.
The White House spokesperson said that Washington and Moscow would seek to resolve its differences through "a well-established military channel."
On Wednesday, the United States expressed concern after two Russian Su-24 bombers came in close proximity with the US guided missile destroyer. Washington officials said the combat jets flew in a manner that resembled an attack, ignoring safety advisories.
Earnest explained that communicating through the defense attache about the incident was the "most effective channel," and that there was "little value in further escalating the situation."
Moreover, the White House spokesperson would not rule out a potential phone call concerning the incident between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. General Igor Konashenkov said the two Su-24 bombers were conducting planned training flights in neutral waters in the Baltic Sea, and had swerved away from the US warship once they identified it.
Sputnik
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US Deploys Communications Support Aircraft to Turkey for Anti-Daesh Ops
Sputnik News
20:09 14.04.2016(updated 20:39 14.04.2016)
According to US European Command, US Marine Corps deployed a squadron of EA-6B Prowler aircraft to the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey in support of coalition operations against the Daesh.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US Marine Corps deployed a squadron of EA-6B Prowler aircraft to the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey in support of coalition operations against the Daesh, the US European Command (EUCOM) said in a statement on Thursday.
"The Prowler provides an umbrella of protection to coalition aircraft and ground troops in the fight against Daesh by intercepting communications as well as denying the enemy's ability to communicate," the statement said.
The EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine, four-seat electronic warfare aircraft produced by Northrop Grumman.
In the operations against the Daesh, the Prowler squadron will support warfighters fighting in the air and on the ground by providing electronic communications dominance, the statement said.
The squadron is expected to be deployed through September 2016, according to the statement.
The Daesh has been designated a terrorist group and is outlawed in the United States, Russia and numerous other countries around the world.
Sputnik
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Armenia Continues Shelling in Nagorno-Karabakh
Sputnik News
17:41 14.04.2016
Head of Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's press service Khikmet Gadzhiev said that the Armenian side continues shelling and provocations along the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh.
BAKU (Sputnik) Armenia continues shelling and provocations along the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh, head of Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's press service Khikmet Gadzhiev said Wednesday.
"The Armenian side continues shelling and provocations along the line of contact in [Nagorno-]Karabakh. We have evidence that the Armenian side was the first to launch military operations on the contact line in Karabakh. The Armenian side had been concentrated its armed forces on the line of contact until April 2," Gadzhiev told RIA Novosti.
Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of provoking hostilities in the April 2 escalation of violence in the Azerbaijani breakaway region with a predominantly Armenian population known as Nagorno-Karabakh. The sides reached a ceasefire agreement on April 5, which followed by near-daily reports of hundreds of violations and scores of deaths on each side.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been engaged in a dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh since 1988, when the autonomous region left the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic and proclaimed independence after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. The sedition triggered a war that lasted until a Russia-brokered ceasefire was signed in 1994.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Minsk Group, co-chaired by Russia, the United States and France, has mediated the conflict since 1992. The Group's permanent members are Belarus, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and Turkey, as well as Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Sputnik
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Update: air strikes against Daesh
14 April 2016
British forces have continued to conduct air operations in the fight against Daesh
Latest update
- Friday 8 April Typhoons destroyed a terrorist "hell cannon" in western Iraq.
- Saturday 9 April a Reaper struck a Daesh mortar team in western Iraq.
- Sunday 10 April Tornados attacked a suspected headquarters in northern Iraq, as well as a rocket base and a sniper team.
- Monday 11 April Typhoons hit four terrorist positions in northern Iraq.
- Tuesday 12 April Tornados struck three Daesh positions in northern Iraq, including rocket and mortar teams, while Typhoons destroyed two terrorist strongpoints in the west of the country.
Detail
The Royal Air Force, within the wider Coalition campaign, continues to primarily be tasked to provide support to successful operations by Iraq security forces around the city of Hit in western Iraq, Mosul and Qayyarah in northern Iraq, as well as conducting vital broader reconnaissance missions.
On Friday 8 April, RAF Typhoon FGR4s patrolled the area around Hit. Coalition surveillance aircraft located a concealed improvised artillery piece known as a "hell cannon" which had opened fire on the Iraqi troops and was hidden under trees. Working closely with surveillance aircraft, the Typhoon flight was able to score a direct hit using a Paveway IV guided bomb.
A RAF Reaper remotely piloted aircraft was tasked on Saturday 9 April to hunt for a Daesh mortar team operating in the Hit area. Intensive surveillance allowed the Reaper's crew to identify and track motorcycle-mounted terrorists who stopped to set up a mortar. They were struck by a Hellfire missile from the Reaper.
On Sunday 10 April, two flights of Tornado GR4s operated over northern Iraq to support Kurdish ground forces. One flight working east of Mosul demolished a Daesh-held building, suspected to be a local headquarters, using Paveway bombs. The Tornados then hit a building being used to stockpile rockets with another Paveway and used a Brimstone missle to account for a set of rocket launch rails nearby. The second Tornado flight provided support to Kurdish troops near Qayyarah who were coming under fire from a sniper team they were successfully silenced by a further Paveway.
RAF patrols continued in northern Iraq on Monday 11 April. A Typhoon mission destroyed a terrorist machine-gun team east of Mosul, then struck three Daesh positions east of Qayyarah.
On Tuesday 12 April, a pair of Tornados bombed through thick cloud to hit two terrorist positions, including a rocket launching team, north of Mosul, and a Daesh mortar team near Qayyarah. In western Iraq, Typhoons supported the Iraqi counter-terrorist forces pushing into Hit, and used Paveways to strike two buildings held by Daesh rocket-propelled grenade and machine-gun teams.
Previous air strikes
1 March: Whilst RAF Tornado GR4s conducted extensive reconnaissance missions against suspected terrorist locations, RAF Typhoon FGR4s patrolled over western Iraq to support Iraqi army operations south-east of Haditha. One of the few large artillery pieces operated by Daesh a D-30 122mm howitzer was located close to the Euphrates, and was successfully destroyed by a Paveway IV precision guided bomb.
2 March: Typhoons were active over a wide swathe of northern Iraq, providing close air support to the Kurdish security forces. East of Mosul, Paveways were used to destroy two groups of terrorists with vehicles, the aircraft then flew west to the area north-east of Tall Afar where they conducted a series of four Paveway attacks on a number of rocket-launchers and a stockpile of rockets. A second Typhoon mission bombed a Daesh mortar team south of Sinjar, while a pair of Tornado GR4s used a Paveway to demolish a building north of Mosul where a large group of terrorists had been observed. In eastern Syria, an RAF Reaper worked closely with other coalition aircraft to support Syrian Democratic Forces south-west of As Shadadi, as they followed up on their recent successes against Daesh in the region. A coalition surveillance aircraft identified a terrorist truck, armed with an anti-aircraft gun, concealed in an orchard, and passed the target to the Reaper for prosecution. A Hellfire missile scored a direct hit on the vehicle.
3 March: Typhoons were in action again near Mosul, they used Paveways to destroy two buildings where Daesh terrorists were possibly planning an attack. Later that night, Typhoons also bombed two heavy machine-gun positions south-west of Sinjar.
4 March: Typhoons continued to provide close air support to the Iraqi and Kurdish forces in northern Iraq, delivering three attacks with Paveway IVs against Daesh positions near Tall Afar, Kisik and Sinjar.
5 March: Four Typhoons joined other coalition aircraft in a large coordinated operation against terrorist locations in western Iraq. The RAF aircraft targeted a large Daesh weapons factory in the countryside near Qubaysah, some miles west of Ramadi. The Typhoons released a total of 16 Paveways, which completely demolished workshops and storage sheds.
6 March: A Typhoon mission returned to northern Iraq and assisted Kurdish forces south-west of Sinjar, who had come under fire from a terrorist heavy machine-gun team. A Paveway IV destroyed the target.
7 March: Reaper remotely piloted aircraft have also been extremely active over the period, primarily flying surveillance missions. An attack was conducted by a Reaper in the morning, when a Hellfire missile was used to destroy a Daesh-held building in western Iraq, close to the Syrian border. In the evening a Typhoon patrol assisted Kurdish peshmerga fighting a group of terrorists near Kisik by attacking the Daesh position with a Paveway IV precision guided bomb.
8 March: Patrols over northern Iraq continued, near Kisik, Tornados used a Paveway against a terrorist position, while a Typhoon flight silenced a heavy machine-gun position with a direct hit from a Paveway. The Typhoons were then tasked to use their remaining Paveway bombs to strike seven strongpoints in a village south of Sinjar, where Daesh had driven out the civilian population and were using it as a defensive base against the Kurdish advance. All seven Paveways struck their targets accurately.
9 March: Typhoons patrolled south of Sinjar. A vehicle used by Daesh to construct defensive positions, was destroyed by a Paveway. A second deserted village taken over by the terrorists as a fortified haven, near Ranbusi, was then attacked with six targets successfully struck by Paveways. Further south, Tornado GR4s were providing close air support to Iraqi forces in the Euphrates river valley. A Paveway was used against a group of terrorists in the open, whilst a further pair of Paveways accounted for two heavy machine-gun positions.
10 March: Both Tornados and Typhoons were active over the Euphrates valley, assisting Iraqi forces as they cleared Daesh positions to the west of Ramadi. A Tornado mission targeted a terrorist weapons cache concealed under the ramp of a destroyed bridge over the Euphrates, using two Paveways. At the same time a Typhoon mission conducted successful strikes on a heavy machine-gun team and a group of extremists engaged in close combat with Iraqi troops. In the north of the country, a Typhoon flight attacked a rocket launch point near Tall Afar, then dropped Paveways on six Daesh positions in the Kisik area where Kurdish forces had spotted terrorists preparing for a possible attack.
11 March: A Reaper worked with coalition jets to attack terrorists to the west of Sinjar. The Reaper provided targeting assistance for three successful coalition air attacks on groups of Daesh fighters, it then conducted two attacks of its own using Hellfire missiles.
12 March: Another Reaper was active in the same area and conducted an attack on terrorists who were launching rockets. The terrorists immediately left the area in a truck which the Reaper's crew tracked and successfully attacked with a Hellfire. The Reaper then directed coalition aircraft in an attack on an array of rocket launchers nearby.
13 March: Typhoon FGR4s, based at RAF Akrotiri and supported by a Voyager air refuelling tanker, provided support to Iraqi troops operating to the west of Ramadi. The Typhoons used a pair of Paveway IV guided bombs to demolish the entrance to a tunnel system which was reported to be surrounded by IEDs.
14 March: Typhoons and Tornado GR4s also provided support to ground forces in northern Iraq. Near Qayyarah, Typhoons used Paveways against two Daesh mortars and a group of terrorists engaged in a firefight with the security forces, whilst near Kisik, Tornados destroyed two Daesh positions, again with Paveway IVs.
15 March: Typhoon FGR4s provided close air support to Kurdish peshmerga pushing south from Sinjar and eliminated a heavy machine-gun position firing on Kurdish troops, scoring a direct hit on the terrorists with a Paveway IV precision guided bomb.
16 March: The Kurdish forces received further air support from the RAF the following day, when Tornado GR4s, destroyed another heavy machine-gun which had opened fire on the peshmerga some miles to the west of Kirkuk. Further south, in Anbar province, a Reaper remotely piloted aircraft patrolled over Anbar province and identified and attacked a terrorist check-point near Ar Rutbah being used to intimidate and control the local population using a Hellfire missile.
17 March: Tornados and Typhoons operated over both northern and western Iraq. Typhoons used a Paveway bomb to demolish a building from which a terrorist sniper had opened fire on Iraqi forces near Tall Afar, while a Tornado mission over Anbar worked in cooperation with a coalition remotely piloted aircraft to assist Iraqi troops engaged in combat with Daesh extremists to the north-west of Ramadi. Despite heavy cloud obscuring the target, the RAF and coalition aircraft used their highly sophisticated surveillance and targeting equipment to allow the Tornados to deliver two precision attacks with Brimstone missiles on the terrorists, then, once they attempted to retreat, to strike the remainder of the Daesh group with a Paveway.
Meanwhile, another Tornado flight Near Kisik used a Paveway to destroy a Daesh command and control position, where a number of terrorists had gathered. The Tornados then interrupted Daesh's efforts to reopen supply routes near Qayyarah, destroying targets with two direct hits from Paveways and then another Paveway and Brimstone missiles were used to destroy three engineering vehicles.
18 March: Paveway-armed Typhoons struck a group of extremists mustering east of Mosul, while Tornados similarly hit two Daesh groups gathered for possible attacks near Kisik.
20 March: Tornado GR4s were in action again over northern Iraq, when they used Paveways to destroy three weapons caches and supply points several miles south-west of Sinjar.
21 March: Two flights of Typhoons provided close air support to the Kurdish forces; one flight destroyed a Daesh group that was firing rockets at the Kurds, whilst the other flight successfully attacked three terrorist teams which were planting improvised explosive devices in the Kisik area. Across the border in Syria, careful reconnaissance work had identified a major Daesh weapons storage facility at a site near Ukayrishah, south-east of Raqqa. This intelligence success allowed Tornado GR4s to conduct a very successful strike on Monday night, delivering eight Paveway IVs which destroyed the main warehouse and three support buildings. On the ground, British training teams continue to play an important role in the large coalition programme to help the Iraqi security forces become ever more effective in their successful efforts to drive the terrorists from their country. The British instructors have focused on training infantry and combat medical skills, as well as leading the coalition's assistance in how to deal safely with the thousands of improvised explosive devices and booby-traps left behind by Daesh in an attempt to prevent the civilian population from resuming their lives in liberated territory.
22 March: Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s conducted strike operations over both western and northern Iraq. In Anbar province, a Tornado flight was able to destroy with Paveway IV guided bombs a staging post used by Daesh extremists. Further north, near Qayyarah, coalition surveillance aircraft identified renewed attempts by Daesh to build an improvised ramp up to a damaged bridge at a key crossing over the Tigris, just south of Qayyarah; RAF aircraft had destroyed the heavy engineering vehicles and a previous attempt at a ramp on 17 March. Two Tornados therefore returned to the bridge and again destroyed the ramp with Paveways, preventing the terrorists from reopening their supply route across the river. In eastern Syria, a Reaper used a Hellfire missile to demolish a Daesh storage building near Ukayrishah; the attack was very carefully planned in both timing and weapon choice to avoid causing any damage to a nearby school.
23 March: Typhoon FGR4s patrolled over northern Iraq. They used Paveways to destroy a Daesh position south of Sinjar, and a tunnel entrance, two terrorist-held buildings and a mortar team all located near Kisik. The following day, Tornados were again active over Qayyarah; working in close cooperation with a coalition surveillance aircraft, they were able to successfully engage with a Paveway a Daesh mortar team that had opened fire on Kurdish forces. Across the border in eastern Syria, a Reaper used a Hellfire missile in a successful attack on a Daesh vehicle.
25 March: Typhoons caught extremists mustering near Mosul and struck five positions with Paveway IVs.
27 March: RAF aircraft continued to provide close air support to the Kurdish forces. Paveways from a Typhoon flight silenced both a sniper and a heavy machine-gun team who were engaged in combat with Kurdish troops near Qayyarah, and a further Paveway accounted for a second heavy machine-gun team that opened fire on the peshmerga south of Sinjar.
28 March: The Typhoons were again in action south of Sinjar when they bombed two terrorist-held buildings, before flying to the area around Tall Afar where they struck a third Daesh position.
29 March: Operations over both northern and western Iraq continued. One Typhoon flight struck a reported Daesh storage building north-east of Mosul, while a second flight assisted Kurdish forces by bombing a mortar position near Quyyarah, then conducted attacks on terrorist installations nearby; one Typhoon was able to strike simultaneously four tunnel entrances, each with a Paveway, the second aircraft striking three truck-bomb facilities, again each with a Paveway. In Anbar province, two further truck-bomb workshops near Hit were successfully attacked by Tornados the same day.
30 March: Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s, flying from Akrotiri, used Paveway IV guided bombs to strike a Daesh-held building and a stockpile of concealed rockets near Fallujah. In northern Iraq, near Mosul, a second Typhoon flight destroyed two more buildings used as bases by the terrorists.
31 March: RAF Tornado GR4s - supported by a Voyager air refuelling tanker like the Typhoons provided close air support to Iraqi security forces as they advanced near the city of Hit. A terrorist observation post was identified and the Tornado flight scored a direct hit with a Brimstone missile.
1 April: Typhoons were active over western Iraq. A Daesh truck armed with an anti-aircraft gun was successfully bombed north-east of Ramadi and Paveways were used to destroy a fuel tanker converted into a truck bomb near Hit and a bunker west of Fallujah where terrorists had been spotted. In northern Iraq, a Tornado patrol employed Paveway IVs to destroy three Daesh buildings in the Mosul and Sinjar areas.
2 April: Coalition surveillance operations had identified Daesh extremists using a former Iraqi military ammunition depot near Qayyarah in northern Iraq. This intelligence indicated that the terrorists were manufacturing improvised explosive devices and other weaponry on the site. As part of a large coalition air strike on terrorist facilities in the area, four RAF Tornado GR4s were tasked with attacking 16 of these storage bunkers. Each aircraft dropped a salvo of four Paveways, and initial indications are that the strike was highly accurate and effective. An RAF Reaper was also active in the Qayyarah area, hunting a Daesh mortar team. The aircraft's crew were able successfully to locate the team, operating a truck-mounted mortar, concealed under trees on the western bank of the Tigris, and secured a direct hit with a Hellfire missile.
4 April: Typhoon FGR4s patrolled over Anbar province in western Iraq. East of Fallujah, the Typhoons struck two buildings occupied by Daesh fighters that had been identified by Iraqi ground forces with Paveway IV guided bombs. The aircraft then flew to the city of Hit, on the Euphrates river, where a coalition surveillance aircraft had spotted a large group of terrorists positioned in a line of trees on the edge of the town. These extremists were also struck using a Paveway IV.
Other RAF aircraft were active over northern Iraq; Tornado GR4s assisted Kurdish peshmerga engaged in a firefight north-west of Mosul, hitting their Daesh opponents with a Paveway, whilst Typhoons conducted a successful bombing attack on extremists mustering near Qayyarah.
5 April: A Typhoon flight operated over northern Iraq, using Paveways to attack three Daesh-held buildings north-east of Mosul, including a weapons store. They then used a further three Paveways to destroy three Daesh positions some miles south of Kirkuk, including a headquarters building and a base used by a mortar team.
6 April: A Typhoon flight tasked to provide close air support to the Iraqi security forces attacking Daesh strongholds in Hit. The Typhoons used Paveways to strike a total of seven targets identified by the aircraft themselves, the Iraqi forces and supporting surveillance aircraft. A rocket-propelled grenade team firing from a building were silenced in a precise strike which avoided causing damage to a nearby mosque. They also destroyed two heavy-machine guns; a third heavy machine-gun on the northern bank of the river; and a series of simultaneous attacks eliminated a fourth machine-gun position and two more groups of Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG)-armed terrorists. In northern Iraq, Tornado GR4s bombed a network of trenches near Qayyarah.
7 April: The Tornados were in action again over northern Iraq, where they used a Paveway to destroy a truck-bomb positioned ahead of Kurdish troops south of Kirkuk. They then destroyed a machine-gun position on the Little Zab River using a Brimstone missile. Near Qayyarah, a Typhoon flight supported Kurdish troops who had come under fire from a number of Daesh positions. Two terrorist-held buildings were destroyed, and a group of extremists caught manoeuvring in the open were also struck with a Paveway.
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'Two-state solution in danger,' warns new report from UN office on Middle East peace process
14 April 2016 The viability of a two-state solution, which envisages peaceful co-existence of both Israel and Palestine, is in danger due to the negative trends on the ground, including recent violence, ongoing settlement activity, demolitions, incitement, and the absence of Palestinian unity, a new United Nations report warned today.
The report, issued by the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO), highlights an increase in settlement activities by Israel and a further consolidation of Israeli control over the West Bank.
The report also underscores that the demolition of Palestinian homes and livelihood structures more than doubled in the reporting period as compared with the previous six months, noting that the total demolitions by mid-April already exceeded last year's total. It also expresses concern over Palestinian access to land and natural resources in 'Area C' of the West Bank, among other development factors.
Regarding the Palestinian side, the report notes that despite continuing reconciliation discussions held in February and March between Fatah, Hamas and other Palestinian factions in Qatar, no consensus has been reached on achieving genuine Palestinian unity.
"The formation of a national unity government and the holding of elections are vital to laying the foundations of a future Palestinian state," the report notes.
Humanitarian crisis, degenerated human rights situation
Citing a protracted humanitarian crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory, the report says that "some 1.1 million people in the West Bank and some 1.3 million in Gaza, over 900,000 of them refugees, need some form of humanitarian assistance in 2016."
The report stresses that the human rights situation degenerated with the dramatic rise in clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli Security Forces in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, increased instances of punitive measures against families of alleged perpetrators of attacks, and administrative detentions.
Gaza reconstruction
Turning to the Gaza Strip, the report notes that there has been steady progress on the enclave's reconstruction, and that more than 90 per cent of health and education facilities damaged or destroyed during the conflict in 2014 have been repaired, but that structural barriers continue to impede recovery.
It adds that, although the temporary Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM) has enabled a significant increase in the entry of construction material to Gaza, only the lifting of the closures would allow the people in Gaza to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. It also cites energy and water shortages in Gaza as particularly urgent and chronic.
The report will be presented to the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) at its bi-annual meeting in Brussels on 19 April. The Committee, chaired by Norway and co-sponsored by the European Union and the United States, serves as the principal policy-level coordination mechanism for development assistance to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
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US General: IS Losing Its Grip in Afghanistan
by Jeff Seldin April 14, 2016
Islamic State (IS) appears to be losing its grip in Afghanistan, due in part to a steady aerial bombardment from U.S. and NATO forces and the terror group's failure to win over Afghans themselves.
"Nobody really wants Daesh [Islamic State] in the neighborhood," Brigadier General Charles Cleveland, a spokesman for the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission, told Pentagon reporters Thursday via a video link from Afghanistan.
"We think we have significantly decreased the footprint that they have in Afghanistan," he said.
The U.S. military estimates there are between 1,000 and 3,000 IS fighters left in Afghanistan, though Cleveland said the actual number is "probably on the lower end of that."
Shrinking territory
Three months ago, IS held between six and eight districts, he said. Now it holds just two to three.
IS fighters have been seen fleeing to the Kunar and Nuristan provinces along Afghanistan's western border with Pakistan, where they are just "trying to survive," Cleveland said.
Though precise numbers are hard to come by, US and Afghan military commanders in Afghanistan are also beginning to see members of IS defect to the Afghan government or to the Taliban.
Cleveland said IS forces left in Afghanistan are mostly "disaffected" Pakistani and Afghan Taliban, or remnants of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.
Threat remains
Through the first three months of 2016, NATO has hit IS fighters with between 70 and 80 airstrikes. But while it has taken a toll, Cleveland cautioned that the militants still "present the potential to be an enormous threat."
"They've got the ability to really catch fire," he said.
Despite setbacks, the Afghan military is also successfully putting pressure on IS and working to bolster its ranks.
The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces lost about 5,500 troops last year, but held together; and Cleveland said he is expecting them to go on the offensive against both the Taliban and IS this year.
"The [Afghan] military did not collapse," Cleveland said. "While they certainly took some hits, they were able to keep themselves together. So we don't have a Mosul here in Afghanistan. We don't have a Ramadi or a Fallujah or anything like that."
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Greece Launches Military Exercise Over Migrant Camp
by VOA News April 14, 2016
The Greek army launched an unscheduled military exercise Thursday along its border with Macedonia and a cluster of islands near Turkey, with fighter jets passing over a tent city in Idomeni near the border.
Sources within the Greek army confirmed that emergency maneuvers had been ordered in the northern city of Kilkis and in Oinousses, a chain of Greek islands off the coast of Turkey. The drills involved an airborne special forces unit backed up by aircraft, and air defense units along the island chain.
The military exercise comes at a time of increased tensions among Greece and the two neighboring countries over the refugee crisis. On Wednesday, for the second time in three days, clashes erupted at the tent city between Macedonian police and refugees protesting the border closings that left more than 11,000 of them stranded in the camp.
On Sunday, around 300 migrants were injured in Idomeni when they tried to break through a border fence and Macedonian riot police used rubber bullets and tear gas to push them back.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras condemned the Macedonian police after the clash with protesters, saying their use of rubber bullets and tear gas against unarmed migrants was "shaming" Europe.
Macedonia denied using rubber bullets and said the migrants were throwing rocks at police officers.
Greece has accused Turkish warplanes of repeatedly entering Greek airspace, flying over the Oinousses islands, though Turkey disputes whether the area should, in fact, be controlled by Greece.
According to a source in the Greek air force, the two sites were chosen for the unscheduled war games because they were high-profile and had "been in the news" in recent days.
Some material for this report came from AP and AFP.
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Coalition Strikes Hit ISIL Targets in Iraq, Syria
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release
SOUTHWEST ASIA, April 15, 2016 U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, 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 and ground attack aircraft conducted six strikes in Syria:
-- Near Raqqah, a strike destroyed an ISIL bulldozer.
-- Near Mara, five strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and four ISIL vehicles.
Strikes in Iraq
Attack, fighter and ground attack aircraft conducted 30 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:
-- Near Hit, three strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed 18 ISIL boats, an ISIL command and control node and an ISIL weapons cache and denied ISIL access to terrain.
-- Near Kisik, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL tunnel system.
-- Near Mosul, 21 strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, 18 ISIL modular oil refineries and two ISIL crude oil stills and destroyed an ISIL assembly area.
-- Near Qayyarah, a strike destroyed 33 ISIL boats.
-- Near Sultan Abdallah, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL assembly area, an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL mortar cache and an ISIL mortar system.
-- Near Tal Afar, a strike suppressed an ISIL mortar 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 terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.
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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Despite Coalition Military Gains, No End in Sight in Anti-IS Campaign
by Jeff Seldin, Sharon Behn April 15, 2016
The Kurdish Peshmerga commander sat on a couch at his headquarters in Sulaymaniyah. On a nearby table there was a bowl of dried fruit and nuts. Two large sniper rifles lay on the floor by his desk.
"The longer ISIS stays, the more it becomes fashionable to youngsters with no hope, to all these youngsters who have been oppressed by the government here, in Syria, in other countries" he said in his British accent, using a common acronym for the Islamic State.
"They are not going to go away. ISIS is not going to be finished as soon as Mosul and Raqqa are taken," he warned. "It's going to be continuous. It's not going to stop."
The assessment just a few weeks ago from Polad Jangi, in charge of counterterrorism operations south of Mosul in the Kirkuk-Sulaymaniyah area, is far more grim than the latest public assessments by U.S. officials, including President Barack Obama.
It may also be much more realistic, however, according to several military and intelligence officials, who say that while gains by the U.S.-led coalition are real, they are on the periphery of Islamic State's core holdings and are far from a death blow.
"They're willing to trade space for time," said one U.S. official who spoke to VOA on condition of anonymity.
Selective engagement
What worries officials is that while Islamic State is losing ground up to 40 percent of the terrain it once controlled in Iraq and at least 10 percent of its holdings in Syria the group is learning a great deal in defeat. Where it once spread out its resources, picking as many fights as it could, it now seems to be choosing its battles more carefully.
"What you're seeing is a prioritization by ISIL on its strongholds of Raqqa and Mosul," the official said, using another acronym for the terror group. "You're going to see a really tough fight."
There also is concern that the more desperate Islamic State becomes, the more dangerous it may grow.
"It has lost senior leaders, thousands of fighters and territory," a U.S. intelligence official said. "There's little doubt the group will attempt to compensate."
And it has the experience to do so.
"ISIS actually has a tried and true playbook for its defense and is employing that to ensure it can maintain its core caliphate," said Harleen Gambhir, a counterterrorism analyst at the Institute for the Study of War. "The organization has mastered, particularly within Iraq, the art of pulling apart the Iraqi security forces."
She said evidence of Islamic State's divide-and-conquer strategy already is evident in a series of recent bombings around Baghdad earlier this month, some targeting Shia militias, that has resulted in at least 25 deaths.
Fresh fighters
Steady depletions of the group's manpower also appear to be doing little to stop Islamic State.
More than 25,000 Islamic State fighters may have been killed due to U.S. and coalition airstrikes in Iraq and Syria. Until recently, though, both military and intelligence officials estimated the group was able to replenish its forces with about 1,000 new foreign fighters a month. That's about the same rate it was losing them.
Even with an intensified air campaign, the addition of more U.S. special forces and a stepped-up effort from local ground forces in Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State force remains formidable.
According to the most recent U.S. intelligence estimates, Islamic State has dropped from a high of about 32,000 fighters to a range of 19,000 to 25,000. Earlier U.S. military estimates had put the number of so-called card-carrying, or core, Islamic State members in Iraq and Syria at about 17,000.
Recent reports that the terror group is being forced to depend on child soldiers, as opposed to using them for propaganda purposes, may also be overblown.
"As disturbing as the idea of child-soldiers is, ISIL still remains largely dependent on drawing its fighters from foreign recruits and adult populations under its control," a U.S. counterterrorism official told VOA on condition of anonymity, adding the group "probably has not shifted to a greater reliance on children."
Body counts
Several U.S. officials and analysts also warn against using the number of fighters as a benchmark for progress.
While one official said a propensity remains for the group to "throw bodies at problems," others describe Islamic State's tactics as "brilliant" at times.
"If you look at their offensive in Anbar, the one that [Abu Omar al] Shishani led back in 2014, he didn't use that many men to capture territory," said Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "He used a relatively light force to capture a significant amount of territory.
"They face an uphill battle, but I also wouldn't count them out in terms of their ability to surprise us and take territory again," he said.
There also are questions as to whether an apparent public relations backlash against Islamic State will do much to hurt the group.
'Core audience'
A survey released earlier this week by ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller, based on 3,500 face-to-face interviews, found young people in 16 Arab countries "overwhelmingly reject the extremist group and believe it will fail," with 50 percent calling Islamic State the Middle East's biggest obstacle.
Still, Gartenstein-Ross cautions it may take many more losses before Islamic State's narrative of continued growth is put to the test, especially if it is able to conduct additional terror attacks outside Iraq and Syria.
"They have a core audience that's not viewing them very critically," he said. "So they're not close to a tipping point in terms of that core audience."
"As long as they control a piece of land, they're able to control or influence a global jihadist insurgency," warned Haras Rafiq, managing director of Quilliam Foundation, a London-based organization focused on countering extremism.
"That's what they're doing," he said. "That's what's affecting us here in the West and in Europe and the U.S."
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Afghan Forces Fend Off Taliban Assault on Kunduz
by Ayaz Gul April 15, 2016
Authorities in Afghanistan say that security forces on Friday repulsed a major Taliban assault on the northern city of Kunduz, killing dozens of insurgents.
A regional police commander, General Sher Aziz Kamwal, told VOA that fighting erupted early in the morning when Taliban insurgents attacked security outposts around the strategically important city.
Fighting insurgents
He said Afghan forces killed 40 insurgents and wounded many more. The general added the fighting left two security personnel dead and wounded nine others.
A Taliban spokesman, however, claimed that its fighters staged attacks in all districts of the Kunduz province, inflicting heavy casualties on Afghan security forces and overrunning around a dozen security outposts in Imam Sahib and Qala-e-Zal districts.
Independent confirmation of official and insurgent claims were not available immediately.
Hostilities have picked up across Afghanistan since Tuesday when the Taliban launched its annual spring offensive, called Operation Omari, named after the late founder and first leader of the Islamist insurgency, Mullah Omar.
The Taliban had briefly overrun the city of Kunduz last September, taking advantage of the withdrawal of NATO combat forces in 2014.
Afghan causualties, wounded
U.S. military commanders say that Afghan security forces lost around 5,500 personnel while another 14,000 were wounded in the 2015 fighting season because, for the first time, they were fighting the insurgency on their own.
A U.S. army spokesman, Brigadier General Charles Cleveland, said that Afghan security forces are expected to perform better in 2016 because they have gotten more capability than they had this time last year.
Afghans now have a total of eight A-29 aircraft to provide closer air support and are beginning to make their first strikes and they have also been using MD-530 helicopters to provide fire support, Cleveland told Pentagon reporters Thursday via a video link from Afghanistan.
"So, I know that's a long way of telling you 5,500 casualties is incredibly difficult and incredibly difficult for any military to sustain. We do think, though, that we will see some improvement in their overall performance based on what I described to you previously," Cleveland said.
Fighting usually subsides in Afghanistan in winter when snow-covered high altitude passes prevent insurgents from moving in large numbers with heavy weapons.
However, fighting continued through 2015 for the first time in the 15-year-old Afghan conflict because of a mild winter, say Afghan army commanders.
Separately, Afghan security officials told VOA that at least 41 Islamic State militants were killed in overnight U.S. drone strikes in eastern Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan.
Targeting IS
A spokesman for the provincial police, Hazrat Hussain Mashreqiwal, told VOA that the strikes targeted a meeting of IS fighters in the remote Achin district.
General Cleveland said Thursday that IS appeared to be losing its grip in Afghanistan because of a steady aerial bombardment from American and NATO forces since the beginning of this year.
"We think we have significantly decreased the footprint that they have in Afghanistan," he said, adding that three months ago, IS held between six and eight districts, and now it holds just two to three.
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Daesh calls Muslim Brotherhood 'apostate'
Iran Press TV
Thu Apr 14, 2016 10:49AM
The Takfiri Daesh terrorist group has branded Muslim Brotherhood, a leading transnational Sunni movement, as "apostate."
The Takfiris lambasted the Egypt-based organization in a 25-page "feature" published in the latest issue of their propaganda magazine Dabiq on Wednesday.
It denounced the group's close ties with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas and its support for the establishment of democratic bodies.
The feature, with pictures of Egypt's ousted and Brotherhood-affiliated President Mohamed Morsi dominating it, also accused Muslim Brotherhood of "waging war against Islam and the Muslims."
The text dismissed democracy as "a faith that gives supreme authority to people," criticizing the Brotherhood for playing a part in various parliamentary systems across the Middle East and North Africa.
In Jordan, security officials closed the headquarters of a Muslim Brotherhood affiliate in the capital Amman as well as an office in the city of Jerash some 48 km (30 miles) north of the capital.
"Jordanian security searched the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood and evacuated it before sealing off the entrance with red wax," lawyer Abdelkader al-Khatib said on Wednesday.
Jordanian authorities view the Brotherhood, which has wide grassroots support in Jordan, as an illegal organization.
Jordan and Saudi Arabia are among a group of countries which support Takfiri groups fighting in Syria and Iraq.
According to findings of a recent study by two UAE-based think tanks, the majority of people who are promoting Takfiri ideology online are using political rather than religious arguments.
The findings are based on a study of over 45,000 Arabic-language Tweets by individuals who have either perpetrated terror attacks or trained to do so, along with 789 YouTube videos and numerous blogs.
The study found that 78.3 percent of polemics used by the terrorist Takfiri group "are essentially non-religious and principally sociopolitical."
The study's findings also showed that the rejection of "Zionism" only appeared in 3.7 percent of the material studied, while direct attacks on Israel did not feature at all.
Daesh periodically releases propaganda videos that depict gruesome scenes such as videotaped beheadings and summary executions.
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Leaked Memo Says Ghana Terror Threat 'Real'
by Francisca Kakra Forson April 15, 2016
West Africa has been on high alert following recent terror attacks on hotels in Mali, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. And now in Ghana, a leaked security document says Ghana and Togo are the next targets of the al-Qaida affiliate that claimed responsibility for the previous attacks. Ghanaian President John Mahama has told the nation not to panic.
The leaked memo says the threat of a terror attack in Ghana is "real," citing intelligence from the National Security Council Secretariat. It is addressed to Ghana's immigration service.
The document calls for stronger border surveillance, including "thorough profiling" of people from Mali, Niger and Libya.
The memo was shared on social media and picked up by local press.
President Mahama sought to reassure the nation on state-run radio Thursday.
"We have trained our own special forces. Currently a significant number of them [are] on standby. We are preparing for any such eventually but we need the alertness of the public," said Mahama.
Ghana's government put the nation on high alert in March after al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) attacked a beach resort outside Abidjan, killing 19 people.
The leaked document says information from Ivory Coast, including confessions obtained from the mastermind of the attack there, indicates that the attackers entered that country in a 4x4 vehicle registered in Niger. The memo says the attackers concealed their explosives and weapons in the spare tire compartment.
Mahama said the leak was unfortunate.
"They didn't need to put the intel in there. You just to send a directive asking for alertness and asking them to search more thoroughly vehicles and all that. Every country in West Africa is at risk and we are at risk not only from external forces but even from internal forces. We have evidence of radicalization of our own citizens who have gone out to join some of these terrorist groups," he said.
The head of the West African Center for Counter Terrorism in Accra, Mutharu Muqthar Mumuni, says panic must be avoided.
"We need to ensure vigilance and reporting of suspicious activities; however, we've got to be very careful in order not to condone acts that have the proclivity to lead to gross basic human rights violations relating to lynching of innocent people," said Mumuni.
The AQIM attacks in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast marked an alarming expansion for the group whose operations until then had been confined to North Africa and parts of the Sahel region.
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Missile Defense Agency Budget Addresses Escalating North Korea, Iran Threats
By Cheryl Pellerin DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, April 14, 2016 Escalating threats from North Korea and Iran, including aggressive ballistic missile testing, is pushing the Missile Defense Agency to find increasingly more cost-effective ways to perform its mission, MDA Director Navy Vice Adm. James D. Syring said here yesterday.
Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee on the agency's $7.5 billion fiscal year 2017 budget request, Syring said the agency needs current and future funding for technology demonstrations and prototypes of advanced technology, among other activities.
But, he told the panel, "the programs we have in development today and will be fielding between now and 2020 are adequately funded."
Ballistic Missile Defense
Overall, MDA is developing, testing and deploying a system designed to counter ballistic missile threats of all ranges -- short, medium, intermediate and long.
The ballistic missile defense, or BMD, system includes many integrated elements in a layered architecture that offers several ways to destroy incoming missiles and warheads before they reach their targets. The architecture includes:
-- Networked sensors and ground- and sea-based radars for detecting and tracking targets.
-- Ground- and sea-based interceptor missiles that can destroy a ballistic missile using the force of a direct collision, called "hit-to-kill" technology. A critical ground-based interceptor, or GBI, component called the exo-atmospheric kill vehicle uses this technology. An explosive blast fragmentation warhead also can destroy ballistic missiles.
-- A command and control, battle management and communications network that gives operational commanders links between sensors and interceptor missiles.
New Start Programs
The missile defense system's ground-based midcourse defense, or GMD, element uses integrated communications networks, fire-control systems, globally deployed sensors, and GBIs that can detect, track and destroy incoming ballistic missiles.
Over the past three years, Syring said, Congress has funded four new programs for the agency -- a new kill vehicle, GMD reliability improvements, a long-range discrimination radar, or LRDR, to be based in Alaska, and discrimination efforts -- so the system can tell the difference between real targets and things like decoys and countermeasures.
According to the MDA budget document, the redesigned kill vehicle will increase performance to address the evolving threat, improve in-flight communications to better use off-board sensor data, and enhance combatant commanders' situational awareness through hit and kill assessment messages.
The LRDR is a mid-course tracking radar for persistent sensor coverage and better discrimination capabilities against threats to the United States from the Pacific theater.
Strategy of Improvement
Syring called the LRDR and the new kill vehicle a key part of MDA's strategy of improvement by 2020.
North Korea's "last Taepodong-2 [ballistic missile] flight test at the end of 2012 -- and then revalidation in February -- underscores the importance of not just the GMD system, but the long-range discrimination radar in particular [because] there is a clear intent to continue to pursue ICBM road-mobile technology by North Korea," Syring told the panel.
"Our system today is designed to counter that if [North Korea] tests and then improves the capability to make this even more complex in the future with decoys and countermeasures," he noted, adding, "We need the radar in Alaska to help defeat that threat and everything that was done to the radar in 2020 is against that very contingency."
LRDR construction will begin in Alaska in FY 2017, Syring said, and the agency is moving forward with the redesigned kill-vehicle program to improve the system's reliability, and GBI upgrades and placements remain on track to reach 44 interceptors by the end of 2017.
Also in 2017, he said, the agency will conduct two intercept flight tests to fully demonstrate GMD system performance against intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Regional Missile Defense
On the topic of regional missile defense forces that are interoperable with systems deployed by international partners, Syring said MDA will continue to enhance the capability of the Aegis ballistic missile defense weapon system and deliver more U.S. standard missile 3-Block-1B guided missiles.
Syring has called the Aegis program one of the most adaptable and critical to U.S. and allied defense, and the program seeks to have 43 such ships by fiscal 2019.
"Our plans include maintaining support for the operational readiness of the Romania Aegis Ashore site we delivered to the warfighter in December 2015. We also remain on track to deliver the Aegis Ashore site in Poland by the end of 2018 to improve European NATO defenses against medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles," he said.
Aegis Ashore is part of the phased adaptive approach, or PAA, for phase II and III of European missile defense. In 2015, Aegis Ashore was installed in Romania as part of PAA phase II to provide ballistic missile coverage of Southern Europe. In 2018, Aegis Ashore will be installed in Poland as part of PAA phase III to support defense of Northern Europe, according to the MDA website.
Directed-Energy Weapons
Another priority, Syring told the panel, includes advancing research into directed-energy capabilities.
"Today we are focused on directed energy, which I believe is a potential game changer. Our work on laser scaling to achieve greater efficiency and lighter weight will enable a low-power laser demonstration in 2021 to determine the feasibility of destroying enemy missiles in the boost phase of flight," he said.
A directed-energy capability will make missile defense in a layered system more effective and less costly, Syring added.
"In the past, we've had MIT and Livermore Lab gainfully engaged in reducing risk with the technology for directed energy, specifically solid-state laser technology. They've done some great work that has enabled some of the contractors that are now leaning in on directed energy with the services, and expanding our thinking to what can be done with the missile defense mission," he noted.
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North Korea prepares to launch ballistic missiles: Report
Iran Press TV
Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:11AM
North Korea is reportedly preparing to launch mid-range ballistic missiles on the birthday anniversary of the country's late founding president, a South Korean news agency says.
Pyongyang deployed one or two Musudan ballistic missiles around the eastern port city of Wonsan about three weeks ago, the Yonhap news agency reported Thursday, citing an anonymous Seoul official.
"There is an ample possibility that the North would launch them around Kim II Sung's birthday on Friday," Yonhap quoted the official as saying.
The North celebrates Kim's birthday anniversaries on April 15 each year with massive military parades featuring its most impressive-looking weapons or with missile launches.
South Korea's Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun said the military has been on high alert for any missile launch by the North since its leader, Kim Jong-un, vowed to conduct more tests.
Kim said in March his country would soon test a nuclear warhead and ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
South Korean Defense Ministry noted that the Musudan missile, reportedly set for launch with a design range of about 4,000 km (2,485 miles), is not known to have been flight-tested.
It further added that the North may choose to test-fire the Musudan in the near future as it tries to build an intercontinental ballistic missile designed to put the mainland US within range.
North Korea, which is under UN sanctions over its nuclear tests and missiles launches, accuses the US of plotting with regional allies to topple its government, and says it will not relinquish its nuclear deterrence unless Washington ends its hostile policy toward Pyongyang and dissolves the US-led UN command in South Korea.
North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2005 and carried out four nuclear weapons tests in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2016. It also launched a long-range rocket February this year, which Pyongyang said was aimed at placing an earth observation satellite into orbit. However, the US and South Korea denounced the move as a cover for an intercontinental ballistic missile test.
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Failed North Korean Missile Launch Detected On Founder's Birthday
April 15, 2016
by RFE/RL
The United States and South Korea say North Korea appears to have failed in an attempt to launch a missile on April 15, likely to mark the birthday of its founding president.
A Pentagon spokesman said U.S. Strategic Command detected and tracked what it believes was a failed missile launch by Pyongyang.
That assessment echoes an April 15 statement by South Korea's joint chiefs of staff, which said the North "appears to have attempted a missile test near its east coast early Friday morning, but it appears to have failed."
South Korean media reported a day earlier that Pyongyang was preparing a midrange ballistic missile test as part of celebrations for the birthday of the North's founder, Kim Il Sung.
The Pentagon spokesman said U.S. Strategic Command systems detected the launch at around 5 a.m. local time on April 15 in North Korea.
The missile did not pose a threat to North America, the spokesman added.
A Strategic Command spokesman told Reuters that he had no details about the type of missile used in the launch. "We'll probably let North Korea characterize it themselves," he was quoted as saying.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that it appeared to be a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile with a range of more than 3,000 kilometers.
In recent weeks, North Korean media have carried repeated threats of preemptive nuclear strikes against both South Korea and the U.S. mainland.
The reported failed launch on April 15 follows Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test in January and a long-range rocket launch weeks later, which led to fresh UN sanctions.
A U.S. State Department official said Washington is monitoring the situation closely.
"We call again on North Korea to refrain from actions and rhetoric that further raise tensions in the region and focus instead on taking concrete steps toward fulfilling its international commitments and obligations," the official told Reuters.
With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP
Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/north-korea-failed- missile-test-founder-birthday-/27675977.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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North Korean Dud Missile Still Cause for Concern
by Brian Padden April 15, 2016
North Korea's failed attempt to launch an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Friday is not the military set back it may seem, analysts said. It is instead, part of the natural progression in the development of an advanced nuclear weapons program.
"While I think people will look at the failure and they will conclude that that is a reason not to be worried about North Korea, the reality is that their missile scientists will learn a lot even from the failure," said Jeffrey Lewis, the director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California.
Musudan medium-range missile
There has been growing concern over North Korea's increasing missile and nuclear capabilities, as the country continues to threaten its neighbors, South Korea and Japan, as well as the United States.
It is presumed that the missile North Korea unsuccessfully tested on Friday was the Musudan medium-range ballistic missile, which had not been tested in the past.
Observers have been anticipating that North Korea would mark the Friday birthday of Kim Il Sung, the country's first president and grandfather of current leader Kim Jong Un, with the launch of a midrange missile.
Earlier this week the South Korean military detected the deployment of this type of missile near the east coastal city of Wonsan in the North.
This medium range missile has a potential range of 3,000-4,000 kilometers and could reach targets as far away as Guam.
The Musudan is based on an old Soviet submarine launch ballistic missile design that the North converted to be fired from a mobile land-based launcher.
Officials in Seoul and Washington concluded the attempted launch failed but declined any further comment. Analysts however said trial and error are part of the development process.
"Taking that design and converting it to a road mobile version is a difficult task and when they do conduct the flight test like this, they learn. They collect data and then they can go back and correct the mistakes," said Daniel Pinkston, a lecturer in international relations with Troy University in Seoul.
Hype or not
North Korea has in the past been accused of exaggerating its advanced military capabilities.
Pyongyang recently claimed to have successfully conducted a submarine-launched ballistic missile test, but Lewis and other experts at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in California, studied satellite images and came to a different conclusion.
"North Koreans declared that it was an enormous success and we were able to demonstrate quite conclusively that it exploded. So the North Koreans will definitely lie to exaggerate their capabilities," said Lewis.
Officials in Washington and Seoul also discount Kim Jong Un's claim that his country's fourth nuclear test in January was that of a hydrogen bomb. According to their assessment the bomb blast was not powerful enough to be that of a hydrogen bomb. Although they did say it was more powerful than past atomic bomb tests and could have incorporated some hydrogen bomb components.
North Korea's claim to have developed the capability to miniaturize nuclear warhead to fit on a ballistic missile is viewed as a credible threat by military leaders in South Korea and the United States, but it has not yet been verified.
North Korea also made an unverified claim that it had successfully tested an engine designed for a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile that could reach the U.S. mainland. While Pyongyang has demonstrated the capability to launch missiles or rockets into space, analysts said it has not yet developed the re-entry vehicle capability needed for successful long-range missile strikes.
Some may look at these failed weapons tests and over-hyped claims and conclude that North Korea's repressive command and control structure has hampered this technological development just as it has severely restricted economic growth in the poverty stricken country.
But Pinkston said both Kim Jong Un and his father Kim Jong Il have prioritized missile and nuclear development programs and maintained a strong long-term commitment to them, despite the high costs imposed on the North Korean people.
"They can select all the best people. They can squeeze resources out of the economy and they've been able to sustain that dedication for decades," he said.
The United Nations Security Council has banned North Korea from developing nuclear and ballistic missile technology. China, the North's key ally, has urged the Kim Jong Un government to return to international talks and dismantle its nuclear program for economic assistance and security guarantees.
In March, the United Nations imposed tough new sanctions to pressure Pyongyang to comply with these restrictions, but North Korea has responded by firing of a series of short and mid-range missiles almost on a weekly basis.
Youmi Kim in Seoul contributed to this report.
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Saudi Arabia sends ammunition to anti-Iran terror groups in Pakistan
Iran Press TV
Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:50PM
Saudi Arabia's former Crown Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz says his country is supplying anti-Iran militant groups in neighboring Pakistan with large volumes of ammunition.
According to Turki bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz, the kingdom's former head of the presidency of meteorology and environment, Muqrin made the remarks when they paid a visit to former deputy minister of defense and aviation Abdul-Rahman bin Abdulaziz at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh, where he had been hospitalized for some health problems earlier this month, Kuwaiti online newspaper Alaan reported on Wednesday.
Muqrin said, citing military sources, that Riyadh had sent the ammunition via C-130 military transport planes in five stages to terrorists in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan which borders Iran. The aircraft unloaded their cargos at Dalbandin airport, which was constructed by the financial assistance of Saudi Arabia in the 1980's.
He also said that the Saudi Arabia, via Kuwait, had also sent similar ammunition cargos to anti-Iran militants who are active near the border of Iran's southwestern province of Khuzestan.
Muqrin expressed his concern about these operations, saying that they would have adverse consequences for the security of the Kingdom.
Riyadh has reportedly spent $100 billion to nurture Wahhabism throughout the world, which is directly responsible for the rise of such terror networks as the Daesh Takfiri group wreaking havoc in several countries, mainly Iraq and Syria.
Takfirism, or the practice of accusing others of being "infidels," is a characteristic of Wahhabism, the radical ideology dominating Saudi Arabia and freely espoused by the country's clerics. Saudi Arabia also provides widely-reported support for Daesh.
Riyadh has also been under fire for violating international humanitarian law since the start of its deadly campaign in Yemen last March, which has so far claimed the lives of 9,400 Yemenis, including 4,000 women and children.
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Iran to make aggressors regret action: Defense min.
Iran Press TV
Thu Apr 14, 2016 10:29AM
Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan says Iran's military forces are fully prepared to defend the country and make any aggressor regret their action.
"Iran's Armed Forces have proved that they will make regional and extra-regional powers regret if they lay greedy eyes on this country," Dehqan said in the northern Iranian city of Bandar Anzali on Thursday.
He also said the Iranian nation and military forces will stand with full power against the hegemonic system led by the US if it decides to take action against the "resistance front."
The "resistance front" is generally referred to the alliance between Iran, Syria, Lebanon's Hezbollah and any side which fights against the Israeli occupation and colonial powers.
Dehqan said certain powers back terrorist groups across the world, citing their invasions of countries which have led to the rise of the most violent militants, including Daesh.
Those countries have "fomented the worst crimes against humanity in Yemen, Iraq and Africa," he said.
Their crimes "have even reached the apparently developed and civilized countries that thought they...can prevent unrest within them," Dehqan said in an apparent reference to terrorist attacks in Europe.
Referring to the wars in the Middle East, Dehqan said the US and the Israeli regime are killing innocent people "by waging proxy wars" and are seeking to "create insecurity in the region."
The best way to establish security in the region, he said, is the withdrawal of "arrogant countries," such as the US from the Middle East.
"There is no need for the presence of foreign countries, and the region can provide security for itself," Dehqan stressed.
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Iranian Military Official Accuses Saudi Arabia of Supporting Daesh
Sputnik News
02:24 14.04.2016(updated 08:12 14.04.2016)
A senior Iranian military official claimed that Saudi Arabia, along with neighboring Gulf states, provides material support to Daesh extremists with an aim toward spreading terrorism to Iran.
General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan, commander of the Iranian Army's ground forces, commented in an interview Wednesday with Press TV that regional countries, specifically Saudi Arabia, are providing material support to Daesh, helping the violent extremist group spread terrorism in Iran.
"We know that some reactionary regimes of the region, including Saudi Arabia which sponsors Daesh terrorism and sort of supports the terrorists both financially and spiritually and its puppets, who all enjoy help from the US and Israeli intelligence services, are planning to get terrorist groups into our country," Pourdastan said.
In 2014, Daesh extremists were identified in Iraq's eastern Diyala Province, bordering Iran's western Kermanshah Province, attempting to carry out terror attacks in Iran, claimed Gen. Pourdastan. He said that, at the time, Iran's "armed forces intervened in a timely manner and took decisive action."
Following the 2014 Daesh advance, Iran defined a 25 mile (40km) perimeter beyond its border as a red line warning that any attempt to cross would be met with a firm response. The perimeter includes Iraqi territory, raising the specter that Iranian forces could violate Iraqi sovereignty in its efforts to prevent terrorism from spilling into Iran.
The Iranian military official offered that Iran's "defensive doctrine means that we do not intend to invade any country." He stated that Iranian troops must be prepared to expand defense drills to provide a deterrent against Daesh and other terrorist groups.
Pourdastan repeatedly referred to Daesh extremists as Takfiri, a term referring to a Sunni Muslim who accuses another Muslim of apostasy. The term has become synonymous with Daesh in Iranian parlance, in reference to the group's fundamentalist Sunni doctrines, but has also been used to refer to violent religious extremist groups including al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
Sputnik
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Iraqi forces recapture city of Hit from Daesh Takfiri militants
Iran Press TV
Thu Apr 14, 2016 3:20PM
Iraqi forces have recaptured the city of Hit located in Anbar Province from Daesh Takfiri militants following weeks of fighting, the military says.
"Units from the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) completely liberated Hit," Iraq's Joint Operations Command said in a statement on Thursday.
CTS spokesman Sabah al-Noman said the recapture of the city was completed on Thursday, adding that Hit "is cleared of any Daesh gunmen."
The recapture marks the latest defeat inflicted by the Iraqi forces on the Daesh Takfiri terrorists in the country.
Iraqi forces entered Hit, located northwest of the provincial city of Ramadi, on April 4.
The liberation of Hit comes less than a month after Iraqi forces recaptured the nearby city of Kubaysah.
In December 2015, Iraqi forces made their biggest victory against Daesh group in Anbar, recapturing Ramadi which had been seized by Takfiri militants last spring.
Preparations are underway for the recapture of Fallujah, which is the second largest city in the western violence-hit province.
Over the past months, Daesh has lost a significant portion of the territories it used to control in Anbar and other provinces to Iraqi forces.
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Iraq legislators vote to remove parliament speaker: Reports
Iran Press TV
Thu Apr 14, 2016 1:14PM
Iraqi lawmakers have reportedly voted to unseat Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri and his deputies amid a major dispute in the chamber over a plan to overhaul the cabinet line-up to counter corruption.
Parliamentary sources said Thursday that the vote was held amid the absence of Jabouri and his two aides.
The parliament, called the Council of Representatives of Iraq, reconvened after two previous sessions for voting on a government reshuffle ended in chaos.
During the Thursday meeting, MPs also appointed Adnan al-Janabi, a senior tribal leader, as the acting head of the parliament.
Janabi said legislators are required to choose a new presiding board for the council during the session due to be held on Saturday.
The vote came a day after a fistfight erupted in the parliament hall. A head of the brawl, dozens of legislators had also held a sit-in inside the parliament building in protest at alleged attempts by a number of political parties and blocs to maintain their influence over key government posts.
Following the Thursday vote, Jabouri said in a statement that the session runs contrary to the constitution and that the required quorum of 165 was not reached.
This is while three lawmakers, including Niyazi Oghlu, who were present at the meeting, put the number of participants at more than 170.
The parliament voted on March 28 to give Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi a three-day deadline to present his new government or face a vote of no-confidence.
The premier met the deadline and presented a list of nominees, but he has faced stiff resistance from the powerful parties seeking to maintain their influence. Most of those on Abadi's list were later substituted with new names on a second list distributed among lawmakers on Tuesday.
However, a number of lawmakers called for a vote on the prime minister's original list and staged the sit-in protest after the voting session was postponed to Thursday.
An emergency session was called on Wednesday, but in ended with clashes among lawmakers.
There have been widespread calls among the public for deep reforms in Iraq's economic policies and a robust determination in the government for tackling corruption.
Weekly protests in the capital Baghdad last month called by prominent cleric Muqtada al-Sadr led to a sit-in by him inside the city's heavily fortified Green Zone area, prompting Abadi to propose changes in the cabinet.
Sadr and his followers want a government run by technocrats and experts instead of politically-affiliated ministers who would serve the goals of their parties.
The new Iraqi cabinet would be tasked with uprooting corruption and dealing with the violence-torn country's economic woes.
In February, Abadi called for "fundamental" changes to the government which, he said, should include academic and professional figure.
Since then, several of his reform measures have been delayed or undermined by political parties, whose powers would be affected in the wake of such changes to the running system.
The latest development on Iraq's political scene comes as army troops and allied volunteer forces have been engaged in large-scale military operations against Daesh Takfiri terrorists controlling swathes of land in the northern and western parts of the country since 2014.
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Political Crisis in Baghdad Hits Boiling Point
by Sharon Behn April 14, 2016
Iraqi lawmakers broke into fistfights Thursday as Baghdad plunged deep into a political crisis over how the fractured country should be governed.
The first victim of the scrum appears to have been the outspoken Sunni Speaker of Parliament Salim al Jabouri. But several lawmakers also have been calling for the ouster of Prime Minister Haider al Abadi and even President Mohammed Fuad Masum.
The three are still holding onto their posts, but lawmaker and former national security advisor Muwaffak al Rubaie told VOA their positions "are untenable."
"Either we have general elections or we go back to parliament and choose a new president, a new speaker and prime minister," al Rubaie said, adding, "I don't think new elections are practical now."
The political eruption comes after months of street protests calling for Prime Minister Abadi to make good on his promises to reform what many see as an elitist system of political cronyism.
"This is the most significant period in Iraqi politics since 2003," Toby Dodge, consulting Senior Fellow for the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.
"Finally, you have the population of Iraq saying to their politicians, 'You have completely betrayed us, you have let us down'," Dodge said.
Some politicians are putting forward multiple solutions to avoid an even greater political meltdown.
Veteran statesman and former prime minister Ayad Allawi weighed in, calling onpopulist Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al Sadr and those inside parliament to agree on what he calls a "political road map" to gradually lead the way out of the crisis.
Allawi said Prime Minister Abadi "is going in circles without presenting proper reforms."
The only way out of the paralysis, Allawi told VOA, was to start reforms gradually, focus on defeating Islamic State, work on political reconciliation and make the parliament fully democratic.
"The key for this road map is to have the legislature operating without any pressures and to empower the Council of Representatives," he said. "Once the parliament is empowered to do what it should do, to legislate, then all the political players will be satisfied."
Dodge was skeptical. Protesters galvanized by Sadr last summer to demand change at the pinnacle of the Iraqi state might not be so easily satisfied.
"They have flung a gauntlet down at the seat of the post-2003 political elite, and it's a challenge that the political elite can't meet without removing themselves from office and taking away their power and finances," Dodge explained.
"Senior politicians in the Green Zone talking about something as vacuous and meaningless as a road map to empowering parliament won't deliver meaningful reforms."
Dodge added the core of the fight is about much more than cleaning up a vastly corrupt government. It was the start of the post-Islamic State struggle for power in Baghdad between the various ruling Shi'ite factions, he said.
But Kenneth Katzman, an Iraq expert at the Congressional Research Service in Washington, D.C., believed the bedrock of the current crisis is the dramatic fall in oil prices that has left the Baghdad government without any real resources.
Although the average Iraqi is suffering, Katzman said, the political class in Baghdad has been living a parallel life of tremendous privileges, good salaries, and protection that they do not want to give up.
"The politics flows from that. Abadi has been weakened politically because of these demonstrations that show his government to be ineffective, and then various Shia politicians are using his weakness to bolster their own fortunes," Katzman told VOA.
The result, Katzman said, could be very destabilizing. Abadi has already pulled some military units back from the front lines against Islamic State into Baghdad to shore up his government.
"You could get a petition in parliament for elections or an extra-constitutional putsch by a Shia commander or by Sadr. You could get the Sunnis pulling out entirely," he said.
But Baghdad's leadership has pulled back from the brink before. And Iran, which wields a strong influence over Baghdad, is unlikely to support any move that would lead to outright instability.
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Russia rejects flight over US warship was unsafe
Iran Press TV
Thu Apr 14, 2016 11:56AM
Russia says its aircraft observed all required safety measures when flying over a US warship in international waters of the Baltic Sea, dismissing claims of unsafe conduct.
"After detecting the ship within their visibility range, the Russian pilots diverted from it with all safety precautions," Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Thursday.
The remarks were made after the US military officials claimed that Sukhoi Su-24 planes had multiple simulated attack passes on Monday and and Tuesday near the US Donald Cook destroyer in neutral waters of the Baltic.
The US officials described the passes as unsafe and unprofessional.
"Frankly speaking, the reason behind such a painful reaction from our American colleagues is unclear," said Konashenkov.
"Being present in the operational proximity of the Russian naval base of the Baltic Fleet, the US destroyer's freedom of navigation by no means cancels the principle of air navigation freedom of Russian airplanes."
The US Navy sent the Donald Cook to the Baltic Sea along with three other vessels last week "to boost security in Europe."
The Donald Cook had left the Polish port of Gdynia and was about 70 nautical miles from Kaliningrad in the Baltic Sea when the Russian jets made 20 passes of it, the US says.
US officials said the jets were flying within 915 meters (1,000 yards) from the destroyer at an altitude of just 30 meters (100 feet).
Washington believes the overflights breach a 1970s agreement which was designed to prevent unsafe incidents at sea.
The incident occurred as tensions are on the rise between the US and Russia over the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.
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Russian Pacific Ships Enter Indian Ocean for Joint Int'l Exercises
Sputnik News
09:39 14.04.2016(updated 10:53 14.04.2016)
Russia will participate in international joint military exercises with countries from the Asian-Pacific region, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Eastern Military District's press service said Thursday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) A group of Russian warships from the Pacific Fleet has entered the Indian Ocean for international joint military exercises with countries from the Asian-Pacific region, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Eastern Military District's press service said Thursday.
"There are 20 warships and vessels with participants from 32 Asian-Pacific region countries involved in the exerciseThe Russian sailors will operate together during the exercise with ships from 15 countries, including from Australia, China, the United States, Japan, and countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations," Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov said.
According to Martov, participants of the exercises will have a drill to recapture a ship, seized by pirates. For that purpose, the Russian side will involve anti-terror and aviation groups.
The goal of the Komodo 2016 navy exercises is to promote the cooperation on maritime issues including information exchange, training and personnel reciprocation, according to the official website of the drills. The exercises will last until April 16.
Sputnik
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Kadyrov Tries To Parry Putin Criticism, Calls Crosshairs Video 'A Joke'
April 15, 2016
by RFE/RL
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has sought to deflect implicit criticism from Russia's president after Vladimir Putin suggested some regional leaders in Russia were "hunt[ing] for enemies of the nation among opposition figures."
Kadyrov, who has governed his North Caucasus region with a free hand that many rights activists blame for disappearances and even execution-style killings of his critics, reacted via Instagram by saying he was "sometimes too emotional" but citing personal loss and sacrifice in the "everyday fight against the most determined enemies of Russia."
The 39-year-old weapons and sports-car enthusiast called "a joke" a video he posted to Instagram in January showing prominent opposition figure Mikhail Kasyanov in crosshairs.
Kadyrov has repeatedly denounced and threatened the Russian opposition, calling them "enemies of the nation who must be punished."
"I received my diplomatic education in the everyday fight against the most determined enemies of Russia, in which I lost my closest and dearest relatives, friends, and comrades," Kadyrov, whose ex-militant father led Chechnya with Moscow's blessing until he was killed by a bomb blast in Grozny in 2004, wrote. "This explains why my way of self-expression is sometimes too emotional, but it is absolutely sincere."
Of the crosshairs video of Kasyanov, which also showed Kremlin critic and activist Vladimir Kara-Murza, Kadyrov wrote, "...It was a joke, a figure of speech. By no means did it contain or could it contain any direct threat against anyone."
'Proven' Loyalty
Kadyrov thanked Putin for his critical remarks and vowed to continue to struggle "for the interests of Russia and the people of our great country."
Putin said in his April 14 program in language that was unusually blunt: "I hope that both Chechnya's leadership and other Russian regional leaders will come to realize the level of responsibility both before the people on their territories and the entire Russia; and that they will come to understand that such statements against their opponents do not contribute to stability in our country. On the contrary, it damages stability."
Putin added praise for Kadyrov -- who once "fought against us in the woods" alongside Chechen separatists targeting Russia's federal forces -- for his "proven" loyalty to Moscow.
"One needs to understand what sort of people they are," Putin added. "Let alone the fact that we are talking about the Caucasus where people are hot-headed, the very involvement of these people in a governing job at a high political level is not an easy thing. We're all human beings. We are all stemming from our own individual past."
Kasyanov's Parnas party issued a report in February accusing Kadyrov of amassing a 30,000-strong "private army" that constitutes a threat to national security.
That document came one year after Parnas co-chairman and former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov was shot dead near the Kremlin in an attack that some opposition figures suggested was carried out with Kadyrov's involvement. Five men from Chechnya have been arrested and charged with Nemtsov's killing.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian and North Caucasus services, AP, and Interfax
Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-kadyrov-putin- criticism-crosshairs-video/27676887.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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Canada refuses to cancel arms sales to Saudi despite rights violations
Iran Press TV
Thu Apr 14, 2016 6:23AM
Canada's Liberal government has refused to cancel a controversial contract to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia despite Riyadh's human rights violations, particularly in the war against Yemen.
Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion signed off on export permits for the USD 15-billion sale of light armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia on Friday. The contract had been initially signed under the previous Conservative government in February 2014.
Dion, which has come under fire over authorizing the sales, told reporters on Wednesday that Canada's credibility would be harmed if it didn't honor the contract.
"Credibility matters. The Liberal Party committed during the 2015 election campaign to respect the previously agreed contract Our government will not weaken the credibility of the signature of the government of Canada," Dion said.
He also claimed that canceling the agreement would impede Canada's efforts to convince Saudi Arabia to improve its human rights record.
"If we drop the contract, we will set back the clock on those productive efforts too, and we will simply hand the contract to a non-Canadian, potentially more ambivalent provider," Dion said.
However, leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP) Thomas Mulcair accused the government of lying to the public regarding the contract.
"The government lied to Canadians about who signed what when in the Saudi arms deal, and that is a very serious matter," Mulcair said.
Yemen has been under military attacks by Saudi Arabia since late March last year. At least 9,400 people, including 4,000 women and children, have been killed so far.
On March 22, Amnesty International also called on the United States and Britain to halt their arms deliveries to Saudi Arabia amid the brutal Saudi military campaign against Yemen.
Amnesty criticized Riyadh for "repeatedly" using prohibited cluster munitions in attacks that have "killed and maimed civilians."
Human Rights Watch has also called for an arms embargo, urging the US, the UK, France and all other nations to suspend the sales of arms to Riyadh until it "not only curtails its unlawful airstrikes in Yemen but also credibly investigates alleged violations."
In February, the European Parliament called for a European Union (EU)-wide arms embargo against Riyadh.
Leading international lawyer Philippe Sands said on Wednesday that Britain has breached international, EU and its own domestic laws by selling arms to Riyadh that were used in the war against Yemen.
The UK government, which supplied export licenses for some USD 4.3 billion worth of weapons to Riyadh last year, had "not asked the right questions" when it came to whether or not it should sell arms to Saudi Arabia, said Sands.
"Having asked the wrong questions, it has reached answers that are implausible."
Riyadh has been under fire for violating international humanitarian law since the start of its campaign in Yemen in March 2015. The regime has not responded to the numberless reports of violations.
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Syria starts counting votes in parliamentary polls
Iran Press TV
Thu Apr 14, 2016 3:28PM
The voting process for Syria's parliamentary elections has concluded and the counting work has begun amid peace talks between the Damascus government and opposition.
Staff at polling stations are opening the seal of ballot boxes and taking out the votes under the supervision of candidates' representatives.
Preliminary estimates show that the voter turnout may far exceed the one recorded in the 2012 parliamentary polls.
"I was also in charge of the same region four years ago and there were a total of 900 votes in these two polling stations. Today there has been about 1,700 votes and I think this may be a common situation," said Jamal Almouzen, manager of a polling station in Damascus.
According to local media, the elections started at 07:00 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) and ended at 12:00 p.m. local time (2100 GMT) while people actively took part in the voting across the government-held regions.
A number of opposition parties were running in the race, but armed opposition groups have boycotted the vote and called it illegitimate. The ruling Ba'ath party is expected to prevail.
The results of the polls are expected to be released in the near future.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the parliamentary polls intended to avoid a "legal vacuum" before early elections are held under a new constitution.
Wednesday's elections coincided with the beginning of the latest round of UN-brokered indirect negotiations between the Syrian government and the opposition in the Swiss city of Geneva.
The last round of the Syria peace talks came to a halt on March 24 over disagreements on the role of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's future.
The discussions come against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire in the war-wracked country. The truce, brokered by the US and Russia, went into effect on February 27 across Syria, excluding terrorist groups such as Daesh and al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front.
Syria has been grappling with a deadly crisis it blames on some foreign states for more than five years. The Militancy has left over 470,000 people dead, according to a February report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research.
Backed by the Russian air cover, Syrian forces have managed to liberate many militant-held areas over the past few months.
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Renewed Fighting Threatens Latest Round of Syria Peace Talks
by Henry Ridgwell April 14, 2016
Syrian government delegates are due to attend peace talks with opposition representatives Friday in Geneva to try to bring an end to five years of fighting that has killed more than half a million people. However, there are growing fears that the cease-fire which has underpinned the negotiations is about to break.
There's been an upsurge in fighting in Aleppo and Homs, where opposition supporters accuse the government of carrying out airstrikes on civilians.
The United Nations' Special Envoy to Syria who is overseeing the talks said humanitarian relief is struggling to get through to besieged towns.
"Everyone in the meeting was disappointed," Staffan De Mistura told reporters Thursday. "Indeed, many of them are actually frustrated by the lack of new convoys reaching some areas."
Those difficulties suggest the cease-fire is becoming increasingly shaky, says Ben Barry of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
"The less the tension is on the frontlines, the easier it is for humanitarian aid convoys to pass through," he said. "And as tension rises, it becomes more and more difficult. And put that together with evidence that the Syrian government appears to be gearing up for another major offensive around Aleppo."
'No veto' for opposition
The Syrian opposition represented at the talks by umbrella group the High Negotiations Committee said Thursday it would accept a transitional government that includes current government figures.
"We will have no veto, as long as they don't send us criminals, as long as they don't send us people who are involved in the killing of Syrians," said the HNC's Salim Al-Muslat.
The opposition insists Syrian President Bashar al-Assad cannot be part of the country's future.
But government negotiators, who will join the talks Friday, said the opposition is dreaming.
"Others need to forget the dreams they had for the last five years and to come with factual, actual solutions to the problem," said Faisal Mekdad, Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister.
But it's unclear exactly who is directing the Syrian government delegation, according to Barry.
"There has been evidence of different political factions jockeying for influence. And who exactly is writing what instructions for the Syrian delegate to the peace talks, I think is an important question," he said.
Meanwhile, the United States' ambassador to the U.N., Samantha Power, voiced her fears that the renewed fighting in Aleppo could derail the peace talks, and urged Assad's key ally, Russia, to "get the Syrian regime back with the program."
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After the Syrian War: A Huge, Costly Cleanup
by Cecily Hilleary April 14, 2016
War destroys people, infrastructure and economies, but activists say we still don't have a clear idea of its long-term impact on the environment and civilian health -- much less, who should be responsible for the clean-up.
Five years into the Syrian conflict, about half of all urban areas are in ruin, says Wim Zwijnenburg, project leader for PAX, a humanitarian disarmament group based in the Netherlands. Left behind are millions of tons of "conflict rubble" a mix of crushed cement, mangled metal, industrial and medical waste, asbestos and explosives residues that have to be removed, transported and either disposed of or stored.
"And it's not yet clear to what extent that could be an environmental health issue," Zwijnenburg said, "but looking for example at September 11th, when first responders were cleaning up the rubble from the World Trade Towers, years after, they face a lot of health problems because of being exposed to all the dust."
"The debris pile acted like a chemical factory," said atmospheric scientist Thomas Cahill, who conducted a study of air quality at Ground Zero. "It cooked together the components of the buildings and their contents, including enormous numbers of computers, and gave off gases of toxic metals, acids and organics for at least six weeks."
Prior to the war, Syria had invested billions of dollars in creating four industrial zones to attract international investors. The largest, Sheikh Najjar, once housed hundreds of factories, primarily pharmaceutical, textiles and plastics.
"They have been severely damaged during the war, and the question is, what kind of toxins or hazards are being released," said Zwijnenburg. Across Syria, cement plants, quarries, power stations, oil refineries and hospitals have been destroyed, likely releasing waste products and contaminants into the air, soil and water.
Ordnance, too, leaves a footprint that could also pose a long-term threat to health and the environment.
"Explosives contain substances like RDX, TNT and PBX," said Zwijnenburg. "A lot of times there are residues left over after detonating, or if it didn't fully detonate, explosives can start leaking and end up in the groundwater."
Syrian's environmental governance, poor enough prior to the war, has collapsed, resulting in a buildup of household, industrial and medical waste which is either burned or left to rot either way, a health hazard.
Assessing damage
The U.N. Environmental Program (UNEP) was created in 1972 as the leading global environmental authority. It has conducted ecological studies in a number of post-conflict zones.
"But they need to be invited in by a country and they need sufficient free rein to go around taking samples and measurements," said Douglas Weir, manager of the Toxic Remnants of War Project, a network of environmental and humanitarian NGO's pushing for greater protection of the environment in conflict.
If requested, the UNEP would send in teams with expertise in waste management, water quality, asbestos and soil/land contamination to take samples of water, soil, ash, dust and more.
The U.N. would also compare its findings with baseline data on Syria's environment prior to the conflict, something that could be problematic.
All this is assuming that world governments contribute to the effort.
Germany, Switzerland and Norway, for example, funded UNEP's assessment in Lebanon after the 2006 war with Israel.
"Syria was an up-and-coming industrial state," Zwijnenburg said, "but there were hardly any regulations in place, nor a sufficient, capable government able to deal with all the complexities of industrialization."
The Syrian government, he added, also did a poor job of collecting environmental data.
Determining liability
So who will ultimately pay the price for cleaning up Syria?
"That is probably one of the least popular conversations among governments involved in armed conflicts," said Weir. "Environmental law in peacetime has blossomed since the 1960's and 1970's, but the only place law hasn't been developed is in relation to conflict."
Only once has a state been forced to be liable for damage, said Weir.
"In the 1991 Gulf War, after Iraq bombed all the Kuwaiti oil wells and you had these huge fires and oil spills," he said, the fires burned for months, sending off toxic soot, smoke and ash and causing widespread ecological damage.
The U.N. Compensation Commission evaluated millions of claims of loss and damage in Kuwait and neighboring countries and awarded more than $52 billion for damages, which were paid out from Iraq's oil-for-food program.
Assessing culpability in Syria will be challenging, if not impossible, given the many players involved. And even in cases where liability is established, it is not easily enforced. During its 2006 war with Lebanon, Israel bombed a power station's oil storage depot. Fifteen thousand tons of heating oil formed a 150-kilometer oil slick along the coast of Lebanon and Syria.
The U.N. General Assembly subsequently adopted nine non-binding resolutions calling on Israel to compensate Lebanon more than $850 million in cleanup costs. Israel has refused to do so, citing lost lives and environmental damage of its own and pointing out that Hezbollah started the war.
In announcing the findings of the 2006 assessment of Lebanon, UNEP director Achim Steiner noted that the international community could be of great help in providing dollars and technical support with cleanup efforts.
In the end, more than a dozen countries helped clean up Lebanon. The refugee problem , however, has strained budgets and tempers across Europe and the Middle East. It is too soon to tell how generous these economies can afford to be when it comes to mopping up and rebuilding Syria.
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Battles Rage Around Aleppo Amid Syria Talks
by Aline Barros April 15, 2016
Syrian forces have engaged in fighting on different fronts near the northern city of Aleppo, said a group that monitors the war in Syria, as U.N.-mediated peace talks got underway in Geneva.
"Fierce fighting raged between regime troops and loyalist militia against IS (Islamic State) to the east of Khanasser," southeast of Aleppo city, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Separately, it was being reported that the army backed by Russian warplanes launched an assault north of Aleppo Thursday, threatening to block a vital rebel route into the city. At least 14 pro-government fighters and 20 militants were killed over the past 24 hours around the flashpoint area of Handarat.
"Aleppo is the key to war and peace in Syria...Every side in the war has a stake in Aleppo," said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the observatory.
A senior official in Washington told the French news agency the United States is "very concerned" about reports of a Russian-backed Syrian government offensive near Aleppo.
The five-year-old conflict in Syria began as a peaceful revolt and spread in 2012 to Aleppo province, which borders Turkey.
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Turkish Parliament Considering Lifting Immunity for Kurd Deputies
by Dorian Jones April 14, 2016
The Turkish parliament has begun the process of lifting the immunity of leading parliamentary deputies of the pro-Kurdish party.
Parliament is considering a motion by the ruling AKP to amend the constitution to ease immunity for parliamentary deputies.
The move is widely seen as aimed at the pro-Kurdish HDP, with its leading members facing charges of supporting terrorism.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said opposition parties have an obligation to support the move in the battle against terrorism. The reform is expected to easily pass in parliament, with the main opposition Republican People's Party supporting it.
Political scientist Cengiz Aktar of Istanbul's Suleyman Sah University says it is widely expected the leading members of the Kurdish Party are likely to be prosecuted and jailed, a move he warns will have far-reaching consequences.
"Those who continue to call for peace, those who continue to call for dialogue, will again be sidelined and marginalized in Turkish politics; this will be the result. If, in the meantime, the remaining HDP parliamentarians leave the parliament, then it will be a major, major crisis," said Aktar.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the driving force for the prosecution of the pro-Kurdish deputies. He insists the deputies are no different than the PKK rebels the Turkish military is fighting in the country's predominantly Kurdish southeast.
Large parts of many towns and cities in the region have been destroyed in the crackdown, which observers say has alienated much of the population from the Turkish state.
That process will accelerate with the prosecution of the deputies, warns Kadri Gursel, a columnist for Al Monitor website and expert on the Kurdish conflict. Gursel says such a move comes at a time when it has never been more favorable for the PKK in its 30-year conflict with the Turkish state.
"As long as Turkey is at odds with other actors in the region, this creates favorable conditions for PKK to have foreign support. And PKK has unprecedented strategic depth in the region, stretching towards Iraq, Iran and Syria. And in Istanbul live 1.5 million Kurds; [Kurds] are spread all over Turkey. So it is an unmanageable situation," said Gursel.
In 1994, four Kurdish deputes were jailed on terrorism charges. Experts say the imprisonment resulted in a surge in support for the PKK and its armed struggle. Their imprisonment also saw Turkey being internationally isolated.
This latest move to prosecute pro-Kurdish deputies comes as the U.S. State Department and the European Parliament each expressed concern this week over the deteriorating human rights situation in Turkey.
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Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow reaffirms support for Ukraine at Kyiv Security Forum
NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
14 Apr. 2016
Speaking at the Kyiv Security Forum on Thursday (14 April), NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow focused on NATO's response to Russia's aggression and on the Alliance's support to Ukraine's efforts to reform its defence forces and democratic institutions.
The Deputy Secretary General underlined that NATO "will never accept Russia's military occupation of Crimea". "NATO stands by Ukraine and its right to be an independent, sovereign nation", Mr. Vershbow said.
He also stressed a clear need for Ukraine to adopt NATO standards and said that this is not "just a technical exercise". "Civilian control of the armed forces and democratic oversight of the security and defence sector are essential, interconnected principles shared by all NATO Allies. These are principles that Ukraine needs to embed irreversibly in its own institutional set-up", he said.
Deputy Secretary General Vershbow underscored that NATO will continue to support Ukraine's reforms. "We back this political support with practical assistance through an advisory mission in Kyiv supporting comprehensive reform of the security and defence sector." NATO also supports Ukraine through capacity building Trust Funds and through the Annual National Programme, which includes reform of its defence forces and democratic institutions, and reform to tackle corruption and strengthen the rule of law.
"Ukraine's leaders have set an ambitious course towards Euro-Atlantic values and standards; they must now deliver. But so must we. Allies will continue to support Ukraine, through NATO and bilaterally. And we will further improve our own coordination to make the most of the resources we have available for Ukraine", he said.
Mr. Vershbow said that the Minsk agreements must be implemented in full and that "strengthened security is needed in parallel with the fulfilment of the political aspects of the Minsk agreements".
"NATO will reiterate its insistence on full implementation of the Minsk agreements when the NATO-Russia Council convenes next week", Mr. Vershbow said.
Speaking about the upcoming NATO Summit, the Deputy Secretary General said that Allies will "reaffirm their continuing commitment to support the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine by holding a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the level of Heads of State and Government" in July in Warsaw.
Mr. Veshbow highlighted that the security and independence of Ukraine are vital for Euro-Atlantic security and that Ukraine has long been one of NATO's closest partners. "As we approach the Warsaw Summit, now is the time to make Ukrainian defence forces and Ukrainian democratic institutions truly fit for purpose, in line with NATO standards. Ukraine has missed many previous windows of opportunity in the last 25 years. Let us resolve not to miss this one", he concluded.
During his visit to Kiyv, Deputy Secretary General Vershbow also met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin and other senior officials.
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US modernizing missile systems against Russia, China: Pentagon
Iran Press TV
Thu Apr 14, 2016 3:37PM
The Pentagon has once again confirmed that it is planning to upgrade its missile systems to protect America from the increasing Russian "provocation," says a senior US military official.
Speaking before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee, Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Brian McKeon laid down the Department of Defense (DoD) plans to focus on "developing and implementing a strategy to address Russian military actions."
"Russia is making significant investments in cruise missiles, including a cruise missile that violates the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which eliminated an entire class of US and Russian missiles nearly three decades ago," he told the panel.
The DoD's plans further include "modifying and expanding air defense systems to deny Russia offensive capabilities" as well as "investing in the technologies that are most relevant to Russia's provocation."
The official was trying to persuade the lawmakers to approve the US Missile Defense Agency's requested budget for the 2017 fiscal year which amounts to $7.5 billion.
He said Russia and China are sitting on top of the list of America's "evolving challenges," accusing Moscow and Beijing of actions that signal "a return to great power competition."
Also on the Pentagon's to-do list is "modernizing" defense capabilities in order to remain ahead of a growing ballistic missile threat posed by North Korea, Iran and Syria, McKeon said.
He added that Washington is open to partnering with allies that are "most concerned with Russian behavior" and counter the perceived threats.
The INF treaty, which was signed by then the US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987, maintains that the two countries cannot possess, produce, or test-fly nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with intermediate ranges, defined as between 500 to 5,500 kilometers (300 to 3,400 miles).
The two sides have repeatedly accused one another of breaching the 30-year old agreement.
In June last year Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov blasted the US over "ramping up the issue of 'Russian violations' to justify" its own plans to deploy missile systems across Europe.
Russia does not look favorably upon the North Atlantic Organization Treaty (NATO)'s growing deployment of missiles and nuclear weapons near its borders, with the Russian President Vladimir Putin saying in June last year that if threatened by NATO, Moscow will respond to the threat accordingly.
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VANCOUVER, April 14, 2016 - Northair Silver Corp. (TSX VENTURE:INM) (the "Company" or "Northair") is pleased to announce that securityholders of Northair have approved the previously announced business combination with Kootenay Silver Inc. (TSX VENTURE:KTN) ("Kootenay"), to be completed by way of a plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement"), at a special meeting held earlier today. Under the terms of the Arrangement, Kootenay will acquire all the issued and outstanding common shares of Northair in exchange for 0.35 of a common share of Kootenay, plus 0.15 of a warrant to purchase Kootenay common shares at an exercise price of $0.55 for a period of five years from closing, for each Northair share held.Securityholder participation was very high, with 72.39% of the Company's outstanding securities having exercised their vote. Northair would like to thank all of its securityholders for their support, engagement and participation, and looks forward to the future prospects of the combined company as a leading Mexican silver explorer and developer.Northair will be seeking final court approval of the Arrangement on April 19, 2016 and, subject to the satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions, the Arrangement is anticipated to be completed on or about April 21, 2016. If closing occurs as contemplated Northair's shares are expected to trade until market close on Wednesday April 20and be de-listed on Thursday, April 21The Northair disclosure of a scientific or technical nature contained in this news release was reviewed by David Ernst, a professional geologist and vice-president of exploration of Northair, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101.The Kootenay Silver technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed on behalf Kootenay Silver by James McDonald, P.Geo, President, CEO & Director for Kootenay, a Qualified Person.Northair is focused on advancing its flagship La Cigarra silver project located in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, 26 kilometres from the historic silver mining city of Parral. The property boasts nearby power, good road access, gentle topography, established infrastructure and currently hosts a NI 43-101 Resource estimate of 51.47 million ounces of silver in the Measured & Indicated categories grading 86.3 g/t silver and 11.46 million ounces of silver in the Inferred category grading 80 g/t silver. The mineralized system at La Cigarra has been traced over 6.5 kilometres and is defined at surface as a silver soil anomaly and by numerous historic mine workings. The La Cigarra silver deposit is open along strike and at depth and is approximately 25km north, and along strike of Grupo Mexico's Santa Barbara mine and Minera Frisco's San Francisco del Oro mine. Kootenay Silver Inc. is an exploration company actively engaged in the discovery and development of mineral projects in the Sierra Madre Region of Mexico and in British Columbia, Canada. The Company's top priority is the advancement of precious metals projects contained within its Promontorio Mineral Belt in Sonora, Mexico. This includes its La Negra high-grade silver discovery and its Promontorio Silver Resource. Kootenay's core objective is to develop near term discoveries and long-term sustainable growth. Management comprises proven professionals with extensive international experience in all aspects of mineral exploration, operations and venture capital markets. Multiple, ongoing J/V partnerships in Mexico and Canada maximize potential for additional new discoveries while maintaining minimal share dilution.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 does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer of securities in the United States. The securities issuable in the transaction have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless exemptions from such registration requirements are available.The information in this news release has been prepared as at April 14, 2016. Certain statements in this news release, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", constitute "forward-looking statements" under the provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws. These statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expected", "may", "will" or similar terms.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Kootenay and Northair as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements in this press release relate to, among other things: anticipated benefits of the Transaction to Kootenay and Northair and their respective securityholders; the pro rata shareholdings of the current shareholders of Northair in Kootenay; the timing and receipt of required securityholder, court, stock exchange and regulatory approvals for the Transaction; the ability of Kootenay and Northair to satisfy the other conditions to, and to complete, the Transaction; the anticipated timing of the mailing of the information circular regarding the Transaction; the closing of the Transaction; analyst coverage, liquidity and access to capital markets of Kootenay; length of the current market cycle and the requirements for an issuer to survive the current market cycle and future growth potential for Kootenay. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the respective parties, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies.
Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: satisfaction or waiver of all applicable conditions to closing of the Transaction including, without limitation, receipt of all necessary securityholder, court, stock exchange and regulatory approvals or consents and lack of material changes with respect to the parties and their respective businesses; the synergies expected from the Transaction not being realized; business integration risks; fluctuations in general macro-economic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets and the market price of Kootenay's shares; fluctuations in the spot and forward price of silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in the currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar); changes in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; and the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities; title to properties; the failure to meet the closing conditions thereunder and the failure by counterparties to such agreements to comply with their obligations thereunder.
In addition, Northair may in certain circumstances be required to pay a non-completion or other fee to Kootenay, the result of which could have a material adverse effect on Northair's financial position and results of operations and its ability to fund growth prospects and current operations. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release concerning these times. Many factors, known and unknown, could cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by law, Kootenay and Northair expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in Kootenay or Northair's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources: This news release uses the terms "Measured and Indicated Resources" and "Inferred Resources", which have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of a Measured and Indicated and/or Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. Kootenay and Northair advises U.S. investors that while this term is recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize it. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that part or all of a Measured, Indicated and Inferred resource exists, or is economically or legally minable.
Andrea Zaradic, President, CEO & Director(604) 687-7545Northair Silver Corp.Chris Curran, Manager of Corporate Communications(604) 687-7545James McDonald, President, CEO & Director(403) 238-6986Kootenay Silver Inc.Ken Berry, Chairman(604) 601-5652
The wild interior at Lot 1. Photo: Louie Douvis
Address 20 York Street Sydney, New South Wales 2000 View map Book online Opening hours Mon-Fri 6am12am ; Sat 5pm12am ; Sun Closed Features Bar, Licensed, Business lunch, Vegetarian friendly, Degustation, Gluten-free options, Private dining, Accepts bookings, Romance-first date Prices Expensive (mains over $40) Chef Adam Swanson Seats 400 Payments eftpos, AMEX, Cash, Visa, Mastercard Phone 02 9279 3555
Lot.1 may be the new Italian kid on the block, but it has staked an ambitious claim on the neighbourhood.
Since November, it has drawn steady streams of office workers into its York Street espresso bar with homemade pastries and paninis in the morning, while tempting the business lunch crowd with fresh pasta and wine.
By 5pm, the cocktail crowd is already trickling in to take advantage of aperitivo hour, where traditional Italian snacks (think polpette, prosciutto and arancini balls) are served gratis on the bar every week day.
Chianti beef cheeks with carrot and radicchio. Photo: Louie Douvis
Just over a month ago, patrons were given another reason to stay a little longer when the restaurant opened.
Sprawled across three floors of a converted 19th-century waterhouse, Lot.1 is an homage to the "European way of life" where the emphasis is on "keeping it in one house", says chef Adam Swanson. The 36-year-old is also chef and owner of the award-winning Zucca Mezze restaurant in Adelaide.
Lot.1's fitout is a curious, striking mix of old and new. A wall of 19th-century sandstone brickwork divides it from the espresso bar next door, and provides a beautiful backdrop for the in-house cocktail bar. This is juxtaposed with sweeping timberwork paneling along another wall, while timber sculptures, designed to replicate milk swirling through coffee, stretch across the ceiling. Vibrant purple ceiling lights lend a slightly ethereal disco vibe.
Adam and Eve dessert. Photo: Louie Douvis
Swanson sources produce from NSW as well as his home state of South Australia for the dinner menu. Divided into small and large sharing plates, it is informed by Swanson's Italian heritage and the tricks he picked up in his nonna's Adelaide kitchen, with added "modern flair".
"My philosophy is four or five ingredients on a plate. If you go back to traditional Italian food, it's really about simplicity," he says.
Smoked burrata mozzarella filled with fresh cream rests on a nest of charred leek strips on a bed of smoked leek puree. The tomato element a classic with mozzarella takes the form of rich drops of concentrated passata dotted across the plate. The burrata's creamy curd is injected with herb-oil so that, much like a poached egg, it oozes on to the plate when sliced. As advised, we use the silken cheese to mop all the elements onto our forks at once. Divine.
As red wine lovers, we can't go past the chianti beef cheeks, which are artfully topped with radicchio and carrot strips. The beef is meltingly tender after simmering in a Chianti reduction for several hours, while the radicchio, cooked in vinegar and stock, cuts through the richness. The carrot strips, tossed in roasted garlic oil, are also delicious. We mop up the chianti jus with a plate of creamy polenta topped with candied walnuts.
Though we're more than comfortably full by this point, we succumb to food envy after spotting a nearby table tuck into dessert. Our waiter pitches the Adam and Eve as "love on a plate". Impressively plated, a column of light sponge slices with vanilla bean panna cotta sit on a bed of coffee-chocolate soil. Biblical trimmings adorn the dish: snakes of tempered chocolate, toasted apple slices, mini toffee apples (candied cherries) and a scoop of decadent chocolate-apple gelato.
We have indulged in cocktails over the evening (the espresso martini is highly recommended) but the wine list has a good selection of local and overseas drops. For those into the stronger stuff, a palate-cleansing grappa can also be arranged.
With Lot.1's basement bar due to open at the end of the month, diners may well find themselves lingering much later than they planned.
THE PICKS
Burrata, Chianti beef cheeks, Adam and Eve dessert
THE LOOK
Eye-catching combination of sculpted timber and rustic sandstone
THE SERVICE
Jovial, informative and prompt
Butter chicken kebabs? Yes. We have arrived. The crew from Bang has set up Trunk Road in Darlinghurst and is pumping out the popular late night curry on "roadie" size Indian flatbread with pride. It's one of many new additions to the Sydney food and drink scene over the last month, which also welcomed deep-fried garlic cloves, Burgundy snails and the possibility of dehydrated chicken tears.
Of course, it wouldn't be a monthly food round-up in 2016 without mention of Nutella and/or fried chicken, so we've got you covered for both of those, too. Dig in.
WHERE TO EAT
Trunk Road
163 Crown Street, Darlinghurst, trunkroad.com.au
Started by Nicholas Gurney and Tapos Singha from Bang, that casual mod-Bangladeshi diner that stirred up Surry Hills last year, this newbie is up the Darlinghurst end of Crown Street and offers a very simple menu in a very lavish setting. Myffy Rigby
Read: the full review
Capriccio
159 Norton Street, Leichhardt, 02 9572 7607, capriccio.sydney
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There's really nothing like throwing down the lunching gauntlet with a silken mortadella sandwich punctuated by some light acid from globe artichoke slices and the peppery bite of rocket, all captured within a charred chewy Italian bread roll. Yeah. MR
Read: the full review
WHERE TO DRINK
Jangling Jack's Bar and Grill
175 Victoria Street, Potts Point
There's a lot I dig at this long and narrow small bar from Jon Ruttan and his partner Orlan Erin Raleigh; a Primal Scream and Let It Be-era Beatles soundtrack, emerald green pressed-metal walls, deeper green fortune-teller lamp shades, blues posters, quality whisky, andouille sausages, Reschs on tap and Nick Cave vinyl on display. Snags, Reschs and Cave the Holy Trinity of "I saw Custard in 1992" inner-west rock dad. Callan Boys
Read: the full review
77
77 William Street, Darlinghurst, 02 8094 9616
William Street's favourite late-night dance den is back and it's better than ever, re-launched under the stewardship of former Drink 'n' Dine group maestros Jamie Wirth and Mike Delany. CB
Read: the full review
HOT AND NEW
Bistrot Gavroche
Level 1, 2-10 Kensington Street, Chippendale, bistrotgavroche.com.au
This is Bistroland, The Happiest Kingdom Of Them All. And while it may not be the best French food in the world, here's the thing it does actually taste French. Terry Durack
Read: The full review
Salt Meats Cheese, Broadway
68 Bay Street, Ultimo, 02 9281 5048, saltmeatscheese.com.au
Sydney's Broadway precinct has lots of things. Top-notch Malaysian restaurants, a wide choice of dumplings and a shopping centre where children treat the travelator like it's a Disneyland ride. Now thanks to the kind folk at Salt Meats Cheese, it also has a place where you can drop in for a negroni, stay for pasta and finish with a Nutella-based dessert. CB
Read: the full story
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With Aggie Muster coming up Thursday, it seems an appropriate time to mention the excellent new book by John A. Adams Jr. "The Fightin' Texas Aggie Defenders of Bataan & Corregidor" (Texas A&M University Press, $30 hardcover).
Adams is the author of three other books about Texas A&M, including one on Muster, when Aggies get together every April 21 (San Jacinto Day) to share a meal and call the roll of those who have died in the past year. Two dozen Aggies observed Muster on Corregidor shortly before it fell in 1942.
Adams' new book tells the stories of the 89 Aggie soldiers who fought at Bataan and Corregidor during the early days of World War II and were subjected to incredible brutality after being captured by the Imperial Japanese forces.
Of the 89, six were killed in the battles and five escaped or were evacuated, two would be missing in action, 31 died on prisoner ships and 15 in prison camps, and only 30 returned home after surviving capture. Adams lists all 89, what camp or ship they were held, and their fate.
"While there have been many books on the saga of Bataan-Corregidor, none has focused solely on the contributions and sacrifice of the citizen soldiers from Texas A&M University," Adams writes. "This is their story: a chronicle of valor, grit and sacrifice that has never been told and should never be forgotten."
Texas Ranger: "Whiskey River Ranger: The Old West Life of Baz Outlaw" by Bob Alexander ($34.95 hardcover) is the 16th book in the University of North Texas Press's Frances B. Vick Series that focuses primarily on biographies of legendary Texas Rangers.
Several of the previous bios have dealt with notable Ranger captains and commanders such as J.A. Brooks, John Rogers, John Brooks, Bill McDonald, John B. Jones and Frank Jones. In this volume, Alexander traces the life and times of a good-bad Ranger sergeant.
Outlaw, says Alexander, "could be a fearless and crackerjack lawman, as well as an unmanageable maniac" who fought a losing battle with alcoholism and died in a brothel brawl in El Paso in 1894 at age 40.
"Whiskey River Ranger" is Alexander's sixth book in the UNT series. The author is a retired federal agent.
Now in Paperback: The University of Oklahoma Press has brought out new paperback editions of two books by Charles M. Robinson III that have been around for a while.
"The Frontier World of Fort Griffin: The Life and Death of a Western Town" ($14.95) was first published in 1992. It tells the story of the frontier post and the wild west town that grew up in its shadow, once known as the "toughest town in the West."
"The Indian Trial: The Complete Story of the Warren Wagon Train Massacre and the Fall of the Kiowa Nation" ($14.95) first came out in 1997. The book concerns the Jacksboro Indian Trial involving Satanta and Big Tree and the aftermath of the verdicts.
Each book is a compact, fast-paced account of about 200 pages plus index.
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By Lou Kesten, Associated Press
What would you do if you could control time? Visit the future and grab an iPhone 50? Kill a despised historical figure while he's still a baby? Carve out some time to catch up on your Netflix queue?
Will Joyce, the genius who discovers time travel in "Quantum Break" (Microsoft, for the Xbox One, PC, $59.95), wants none of that.
He's the kind of quirky brainiac who just wants to unlock the secrets of the universe.
Unfortunately, his tinkering has busted the time-space continuum so badly the whole thing's about to collapse.
You play Jack Joyce, Will's brother, who's dragged into the whole mess by an old friend named Paul Serene.
Paul is head of Monarch Solutions, one of those mysterious corporations that's so powerful it needs its own military and he has his own ideas about how to harness time travel. Is Paul insane? Can Will be saved? It's up to Jack to find the answers.
Fortunately, he's the kind of average-Joe who turns out to be ridiculously skilled with firearms. Unfortunately, saving the world is going to require him to kill hundreds of people who made the mistake of signing on with Monarch.
So what could have been a brain-bending time-travel romp turns into yet another trigger-happy orgy of violence. Sigh.
At least Jack's exposure to Will's device gives him some unique talents. He can dodge bullets, freeze enemies and unleash "time blasts" that hurl opponents into the air. Occasionally, Jack needs to use his powers to solve rudimentary puzzles like, say, reversing time to restore a broken bridge.
What's most distinctive about "Quantum Break" is the way it's presented. Most of the time you're controlling Jack in computer-generated scenarios, like you would in a typical video game. But on occasion you're invited to put down your controller and watch what Paul and the other characters are up to.
These non-interactive episodes are shot on full-motion video, with human actors in real-life settings. The quality is decent about on the level of an episode of "24" and the cast has some familiar faces, like "The Wire" veterans Aiden Gillen and Lance Reddick. Jack is played by Shawn Ashmore, best known for "The Following," and it's a little disconcerting to switch from watching the real actor to controlling a computerized version.
The combination feels like binge-watching a season of a middling TV thriller, except you have some control over the outcome. The video segments you see are determined by some of the choices you make in-game, enough so that you'll want to play through "Quantum Break" a few times to see all the variations.
That makes it all the more disappointing when the drama wraps with an exasperating firefight that depends more on old-fashioned ballistics than trippy quantum physics. "Quantum Break" pulls off some neat tricks with its overall presentation I just wish its separate elements were cleverer.
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Nowadays, jail escapees are fairly rare in San Angelo and other West Texas towns, but there was a time when jail breaks were ordinary nuisances. Here are just a few:
Jan. 11, 1961:
San Angelo prisoners and an ex-convict from Stamford who were in the Tom Green County Jail awaiting trial caught an unwary jailer by surprise and broke to freedom shortly after 9 p.m. on a Tuesday.
Two were rounded up by police minutes afterwards several blocks apart. The third was still at large late Tuesday night as police searched the city and road blocks were set up at practically every road leading out of town.
Of the two who were tracked down quickly, patrolman J.D. Wright found one sitting in car parked at a service station at Fifth and Randolph streets.
The other was arrested walking on Fourth Street. Neither offered any resistance.
Assistant jailer Sidney Bingham said the three escaped from the main cell on the second floor when he opened the cell to empty a garbage can. The jailer said one of the men grabbed him and twisted his arm, forcing him to hand over his keys.
Sept. 29, 1961:
A prisoner broke out of the Runnels County Jail, where he was being held on a forgery charge. He was free about an hour and then recaptured.
The prisoner "apparently got hold of a saw blade in some way," Sheriff Don Atkins said. The prisoner used the saw blade to cut through the bars in a window. Then the prisoner squeezed through and walked down the back steps.
State Highway Patrolman John Perkins, one of about 40 people involved in the search, arrested the prisoner at Miles near the Runnels-Tom Green County line.
It was the first jailbreak in Ballinger since the jail was rebuilt more than 30 years earlier, Sheriff Atkins said.
June 12, 1961:
A city jail prisoner escaped from a San Angelo Coliseum work detail about 10 a.m. The prisoner had been jailed on a drunk charge and was one of four trusties cleaning the coliseum, working off his fine.
Pat Moore, coliseum building superintendent, said the prisoner "took a notion to walk out the back door."
July 3, 1961:
A young man from Illinois was held in Menard on a forgery charge. He battered through the wall of his Menard County Jail cell on a Sunday afternoon.
The prisoner, from Mahomet, Illinois,was walking east on the Mason Road about 8 miles from Menard when a highway patrolman spotted him at 9:15 p.m.
When arrested the man told the officers, "I was going home to Illinois."
Menard County Deputy Sheriff Tuck Bowman said the man ripped a piece of plumbing from the inside of his cell and battered through a hole in the concrete wall to the outside. Another inmate being held at the jail for serious threats didn't choose to follow. However, at 8 p.m., three and a half hours after the break, the second prisoner crawled through the hole, went to a telephone and informed sheriff's officers what was happening. No law officers were at the jail when the escape occurred.
Jan. 24, 1960:
A 19-year-old prisoner attempted to escape while being taken from the Tom Green County jail to the courthouse to plead guilty to a burglary charge. The prisoner broke away from sheriff's deputies, ran about 50 feet, slipped and fell on the wet courthouse lawn and was recaptured. The incident occurred behind the courthouse about 10 a.m.
Deputy Sheriff James Layman said he shouted for the prisoner to stop and drew his gun but found it unnecessary to use it. Deputy Barney Martinez said he was just drawing a pistol as the prisoner fell.
When he was taken from the county jail to the courthouse he was not handcuffed.
On the trip back he was.
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Terror group unable to go on offense, he says
By Gregory Korte, USA TODAY NETWORK
WASHINGTON The United States and allied forces have the Islamic State on the defensive, President Obama said Wednesday, with the terrorist group failing to mount a single offensive operation in Syria or Iraq since last summer.
"We have momentum, and we intend to keep that momentum," he said. "It's harder than ever for them to move, and for them to amass forces."
In remarks after meeting with his National Security Council at CIA headquarters Wednesday in Langley, Virginia, Obama hinted at no changes in U.S. strategy, saying the current military, intelligence and diplomatic efforts are depriving the Islamic State of fighters, money and leadership.
But he also said the ultimate solution has to be a diplomatic one. "The only way to truly destroy ISIL is to end the Syrian civil war that ISIL has exploited," he said, citing an acronym for the Islamic State.
Acknowledging recent terror attacks in Brussels, Turkey and Iraq, Obama condemned ISIL in some of his strongest language of late. "These depraved terrorists still have the ability to inflict horrific violence on the innocent, to the revulsion of the entire world," he said. "Their barbarism only stiffens our unity and determination to wipe this vile terrorist organization off the face of the Earth."
Obama meets with his National Security Council about once a week, but has also been taking a tour of its agencies to highlight their roles in defeating ISIL.
Police chief candidates Frank Carter (from left), Jeff Davis, Mike Hernandez and Tim Vasquez answer questions during a forum Thursday at the McNease Convention Center.
SHARE City Council candidates Trinidad Aguirre Jr. (from left), Bill Richardson, Daniel Cardenas, Harry Thomas, Lane Carter and Elizabeth Grindstaff answer questions during Thursday's forum. Residents laugh at a joke by a police chief candidate during Thursday's forum. More than 150 people attended the City Council and police chief candidate forum Thursday at the McNease Convention Center.
By Federico Martinez, federico.martinez@gosanangelo.com / @Federico_SAST
San Angelo Police Chief Tim Vasquez's leadership was called into question during a candidate forum by three challengers vying for his position in the upcoming May 7 elections.
The San Angelo Candidates Forum, which also featured a debate for city council candidates, was held Thursday at the McNease Convention Center.
Vasquez's challengers, which include Frank Carter, Jeff Davis and Mike Hernandez, accused the chief of not using officers effectively to protect citizens and promised they would find money to allow the department to hire more police. Vasquez challenged those claims.
"Everyone wants the job until they get it," Vasquez quipped during the debate. "We're maximizing the officers we have as efficiently as possible. That's policing today; it's different from the way we did it in the past.
"You need to put your resources where the crimes are happening."
The candidates were debating the effectiveness of the "sector" system the police department uses to patrol the city. Vasquez says the strategy allows the department to concentrate on areas where more crimes occur. Carter, Davis and Hernandez said they believe officers are spread too thin and are not able to respond quickly when police are needed outside those sectors.
Carter, a lieutenant on the force, argued that the department should return to "districts," which station more officers in neighborhoods and encourage them to interact more with residents.
Davis, a former officer, and Hernandez, a lieutenant in the department, said they aren't opposed to the "sectors" concept, but they like how districts encourage more neighborhood involvement.
The four candidates agreed that drugs and gangs are a growing problem in San Angelo.
Davis blamed the problem on drug cartel members crossing the border illegally.
"We're only 150 miles from the border," said Davis, who believes the police department should step up efforts to fight the invaders. "The drug cartels are already here. We need to let them know this is our city."
Vasquez agreed that some problems are caused by drug cartels, but he said addressing illegal immigration is the responsibility of federal law enforcement.
More than 200 people attended the forum, which was sponsored by the Standard-Times, Conexion Hispana, KIDY-TV, Foster Communications, the city of San Angelo and Lowe's Grocery. Many attendees seemed fully engaged clapping when candidates said something they liked, or grumbling out loud when they disagreed.
Davis listed a number of ideas he believes would save the department money, including replacing police vehicles with hybrid vehicles that use less gas. He also would like to implement random drug testing and create more youth programs.
His challengers expressed skepticism about his ideas, pointing out that hybrid vehicles often cost more to buy and asking where he would get the money to purchase them.
In comparison, the debate among City Council candidates for Districts 1, 3 and 5 was rather mild.
Candidates agreed on major issues such as the need to continue addressing water shortage and dissatisfaction with current sanitation services.
District 3 candidate Daniel Cardenas criticized the current council and city administrators for not being transparent enough and not doing enough to seek public input on important issues. His opponent, Harry Thomas, said the city's priorities should be fixing streets and addressing water issues.
Bill Richardson, a candidate for the District 1 seat, said the city needs to improve customer service and better utilize its resources. Trinidad Aguirre, who is also running for District 1, said he believes the city is doing a good job of communicating with residents but can improve those efforts by better using social media.
District 5 incumbent Elizabeth Grindstaff touted her experience on the Council. The city is dealing with major issues such as budget challenges, water and crime issues that need someone with experience and knowledge of those problems, she said.
Her challenger, Lane Carter, responded that although experience is important, it doesn't always mean a person has the best solutions or can relate best to residents' needs.
"You may be hearing the citizens, but they many not be being listened to," Carter said. "I want to represent everyone in District 5."
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I wouldn't say that the GOP is falling in love with Ted Cruz, but maybe it's falling in like.
In arguably the most improbable political season of our lifetimes, this fact has to rank high on the list of things no one could have seen coming. If they gave out report cards for first-term senators, Cruz would get an "F'' in the "plays well with others" category. Party leaders believed that his 2013 gambit to shut down the government over "Obamacare" was a disaster for everyone but Cruz, and they have harbored a not-so-secret disdain for him since.
But that's all over at least for now.
Like Perseus pulling Medusa's head out of a sack to petrify his enemies, Cruz has been able to dangle the prospect of a President Trump to strike fear in the hearts of even his biggest detractors.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, once said choosing between Donald Trump and Cruz was like choosing between being shot or poisoned. Graham chose his poison. He's out there raising money for Cruz.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, whose hatred for Cruz was the stuff of Sicilian blood feuds, seems to have reconciled himself to the fact that Cruz is the only person who can stop Trump. McConnell's definitely not in love, but he recognizes that these are the cards we've all been dealt.
Team Cruz fears that people such as McConnell will use the convention in Cleveland this summer to reshuffle the deck and get a new deal a new candidate more palatable to the establishment. "There is still distrust over whether or not the party is actually willing to accept Cruz as the nominee or if they're using him to shut down Trump only to then stab Cruz in the back come summer," Erick Erickson, a conservative talk show host and Cruz backer, told The Washington Post.
The concern is understandable but overblown. Although a contested convention is likely, the "white knight" scenario, in which someone other than Cruz, Trump or John Kasich swoops in and "steals" the nomination, is not.
At an open convention, the delegates, not Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, are in charge of everything. Imagine if attendees of the great nerd conclave known as Comic-Con set the rules for Comic-Con. Now imagine someone proposed replacing a screening of the new "X-Men" movie with a mandatory daylong seminar on crop rotation in the 14th century. Would it happen?
Yes, it's theoretically possible that the delegates will choose a white knight, but that would only happen after days of deadlocked voting.
In other words, the delegates would have to really want someone other than Cruz. And given the Cruz campaign's success at lining up huge numbers of sympathetic delegates, that seems unlikely.
Although there is no coherent ideological agenda implied by the term "anti-establishment," it is a recognizable attitude. Trump and Cruz have very different philosophies. (For starters, Cruz has one.) But they are both avatars of the anti-establishment mood, a mood that will be well represented on the convention floor. It seems unlikely that delegates' ultimate choice would be someone so synonymous with the establishment.
The most likely scenario is that should Trump lose on the first ballot, Cruz will win on the second or third. In fact, some see a path where Cruz cobbles together his own delegates, unbound delegates and, say, Marco Rubio's delegates and wins on the first ballot. He's that good at working the system.
There's some irony here, of course. Cruz spent years building his reputation as the guy who wants to tear down the system, and now it's the system, not necessarily the voters, that may put him over the top.
Nervous Republicans should find this reassuring. Yes, in a normal year, failure to win a majority of votes in the primaries would present a serious PR problem. But this isn't a normal year. Meanwhile, Cruz is demonstrating, yet again, his ability to do what is required to win. That's a skill set that will be much needed come the fall.
Jonah Goldberg is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a senior editor of National Review. Contact him at goldbergcolumn@gmail.com.
Even though he is an immigrant with no Social Security number, Roberto Sanchez filed income tax returns with the state of New Mexico every year for nearly decade without incident. Every year at tax time, he used an ID number issued by the federal government instead of a Social Security number on his tax forms.But when it came time to file his 2012 taxes, Sanchez could not get his state tax refund. It was the second year of Gov. Susana Martinezs term, and the new Republican governor had won office promising to crack down on illegal immigration. The state tax agency sent Sanchez a letter saying there was a discrepancy in his returns. Sanchez enlisted the volunteer help of an attorney to recover his return of $219.The next year, it got worse. Not only did the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department refuse to issue Sanchez his return of $329, the agency claimed that Sanchez actuallythe state $291 instead. The agency said the ID number from his tax returns didnt match the Social Security number on his W-2 yearly income statement, so it claimed Sanchez owes penalties and interest. Sanchez couldnt collect the money this time, so he sued the state to get his money back.Several immigrant rights groups are backing Sanchez and three other immigrants in similar lawsuits against the state, which could have far-reaching consequences. Between 2012 and 2014, New Mexico challenged the validity of 14,500 tax returns worth more than $4 million. The legal action also highlights the divergent ways states handle tax returns from immigrants, as they weigh the fear of fraud against the need for fairness.David Urias, an Albuquerque lawyer who is part of the team representing Sanchez, said New Mexico is targeting immigrants because it assumes most wont follow up with the departments demands for more documentation.A lot of times we hear this myth that immigrants dont pay taxes when theyre here. [But] they do, Urias said. If theyre working, they pay income tax like everybody else. To take that money from them, to take those overpayments that are due to them -- thats the act of swindlers, not the act of a legitimate state government.Urias and the other lawyers are trying to temporarily block the state agency from using its new policy, at least until the case reaches trial this summer. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the United Workers Center of New Mexico are also representing Sanchez and his fellow plaintiffs. While state law prevents the groups from filing a class action lawsuit against the state, they hope to at least change the state policy.Demesia Padilla, New Mexicos taxation and revenue secretary, called the lawsuits a bogus political charade when they were filed last year. The lawsuits, she said in a statement, are asking us to turn a blind eye when illegal immigrants seek tax refunds using tax returns that have fraudulent Social Security numbers. Thats ridiculous. Her office reiterated that statement this week but did not otherwise respond to questions about the immigrants refunds.States that impose income taxes are about evenly split on how they handle returns from taxpayers who use federal Individual Tax Identification Numbers (ITINs) that do not match the Social Security numbers they use in their jobs, said Verenda Smith, deputy director of the Federation of Tax Administrators. Half process the returns; the others dont. She said states have been divided ever since the federal government first rolled out the ITINs in 1996.Its a tricky one, Smith said. There is harm here. It is a situation where you have a taxpayer who has worked, has overpaid taxes and deserves to get that refund back. On the other hand, if the worker is using somebody elses Social Security number illegally, that identity theft harms the rightful owner of the number, Smith added. Theres no good answer to this one.The controversy at the state level mirrors concerns at the federal level, as well. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration has long warned about the potential for fraud in tax returns using ITINs. As a result, the Internal Revenue Service made it far more difficult to obtain an ITIN, and the number of applications for the alternate number dropped by 58 percent between 2011 and 2014.Tax filers who do use the ITINs have had to wait longer for their returns. Last year, the IRS said the wait for processing the returns could be as long as 11 weeks, as it sorted through a backlog of 120,000 applications. That prompted the National Taxpayer Advocate to warn that the IRS attempts to crack down on fraud do not effectively target the fraud nor do they balance the anti-fraud regime with the taxpayers need for a process no more intrusive than necessary, part of a taxpayers right to privacy.In New Mexico, Urias, the lawyer for the immigrants, said the states decision to block immigrants from getting their tax returns put the state squarely at odds with the federal government. The whole point of creating the ITIN was to let people without Social Security numbers file their taxes, he said.Plus, he warned that holding up or denying refunds to immigrants would discourage them from paying taxes in the first place.I will never understand why the Taxation and Revenue Department would want to disincentivize people from paying their taxes. It seems a little backwards for me. Thats exactly whats going to happen, he said.Padilla, the New Mexico revenue secretary, has been at the center of several other dust-ups over unauthorized immigrants. But the previous controversies centered on her agencys job of issuing drivers licenses. From 2003 until earlier this year , New Mexico allowed unauthorized to qualify for licenses, despite repeated attempts by Gov. Martinez to get the legislature to reverse the policy.In 2010, Padilla sent letters to 10,000 license holders who werent U.S. citizens. The letters demanded that the license holders come to state offices to prove their identity. Many of the same immigrant rights groups that filed the tax return lawsuits went to court to block Padillas drivers license verification program. Padilla eventually agreed to a settlement that put an end to the program.
The drama over whether Congress should allow financially strapped Puerto Rico to restructure its debts has kicked up a notch after the recent announcement that the territorys main financier was putting a moratorium on paying its debt, among other things. This week, a group called Main Street Bondholders launched an ad campaign calling the proposed federal legislation a bailout that removes any incentive for Puerto Rico to remain at the table with bondholders. The group says it represents the interest of retiree investors In response, House Speaker Paul Ryan issued a lengthy statement charging that big-money interest groups on Wall Street were dumping a lot of money toward sabotaging this legislation in order to force a last-minute bailout upon Puerto Rico. That would put U.S. taxpayers on the hook for creditors bad loans, Ryan said, which is what Congress is trying to avoid.Anytime someone mentions big-money interest groups on Wall Street, it can be tempting to assume they're referring to Republican mega-donors Charles and David Koch. In this case, that's correct: The Main Street Bondholders were formed by the 60 Plus Association, a conservative small-government group that spent millions in the 2012 and 2014 election cycles to help elect conservative or Tea Party candidates. Much of its funding came from conservative groups with ties to the Koch Brothers . The group has been quiet until recently and no information is readily available yet on its funding and expenses this election cycle.Meanwhile, a new study shows that Puerto Ricos financial problems have been a long time coming. Produced by the George Mason Universitys Mercatus Center, the study highlights various parts of the territorys history that have led to the massive $70 billion debt load Puerto Rico is suffering under today. Amazingly, a key part of the story is a translation error from English to Spanish, which is the islands prime language.It happened all the way back in 1952, during Puerto Ricos constitutional convention. The balanced budget provision of the constitutions English version said that appropriations made for any fiscal year shall not exceed the total revenues, including available surplus But total revenue, was translated to -- or "total resources," which has a much broader meaning. The provision effectively allowed Puerto Rico to spend more than it made. With no debt cap in place, the island freely took on debt so much so, that even as early as 1982, an academic journal was warning of a future crisis.The study, written by Marc Joffe (who is also acontributor) and Jesse Martinez, points to other historical factors. A big one started when the IRS exempted income earned in Puerto Rico from taxation, which led to a lot of pharmaceutical companies parking their headquarters there. But Congress phased out that tax perk by 2006 -- which is precisely when Puerto Ricos recession started because it lost a top industry. The studys recommendations include: allowing the island to restructure its debt, installing a federal financial oversight board, and revising its constitution to make its spending and debt restrictions more like state provisions.In Iowa, ethanol production alone accounts for $2.2 billion per year in state GDP and supports more than 8,600 jobs. Now the state is taking a big stand to try and grow its stake of the biochemical industry that one report says will expand to more than $250 billion per year and 50,000 new jobs across the country by 2020.This month, Iowa enacted the first-ever tax credit for renewable chemical manufacturing and advanced bio-refining companies. For the next 10 years, the state will make up to $10 million a year available in credits for companies who work on extracting chemicals from biomass (like corn husks, which Iowa has a lot of) for use in consumer products. The idea is to attract more industries that transform organic by-products (plant materials) left over from producing ethanol, biodiesel and other biomass-based fuels, into higher-value chemicals. These chemicals would be used in other industries like pharmaceuticals, plastics, textiles and cosmetics.Supporters of the credit point to a good history with the states ethanol production tax credit. The aforementioned study, produced by Iowa State University and funded by the biochemical industry, notes that Iowa produces 17 percent of the nations corn yet has nabbed one-quarter of the countrys ethanol production business.Critics of the credit question whether it would actually create jobs. Like many tax credits that state legislatures across the country approve , the legislation lists requirements for companies to qualify for the credit but it doesnt list any specific jobs requirements. Meanwhile, the state uses money from its High Quality Jobs program (which does have job creation requirements) to pay for the credit.
On Thursday, in the morning, at the Brisbane Conventtion and Exhibition Centre, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC attended the Salvation Army 2016 Red Shield Appeal for Queensland Official Opening and addressed guests.
Following, at the Executive Building, the Governor presided at a special meeting of the Executive Council.
In the afternoon, at Government House, the Governor received the Electoral Commissioner of Queensland, Mr Walter van der Merwe and Deputy Electoral Commissioner of Queensland, Mr Dermot Tiernan, for the return of the Writ following a referendum for fixed four-year terms for Queenslands Legislative Assembly held on 19 March 2016.
In the evening, at Pullman Brisbane, the Governor attended Tennis Australias Fed Cup Official Dinner and addressed guests.
(TNS) Four years ago, Google began pumping superspeed Internet connections to ordinary households in Kansas City making it the first market in the country to get such vast bandwidth in the home.Now the company, building on the pricey network that made Google Fiber service possible, wants to test new technology to see if it can make the Internet fast and wireless.If the emerging technology works in a city setting Google wants to run tests downtown, on the Country Club Plaza and in six other spots it could make Kansas City the most wired and wireless place in the world to tap into the Internet.Yet unlike the landline cables strung to living rooms across the metro area, this play comes without an immediate plan to hook you up.Google isnt eager yet to raise hopes of constant connectivity. The tests will operate in a radio spectrum that your tablet, your laptop and your smartphone cant reach. Theyd need new chips or antennas.It remains uncertain whether it will work or how and when it might be of use to consumers. At best, Google estimates it might understand whats possible by the end of next year.The company also is looking at whether it could use wireless technology to beam the Internet to places where its too expensive to bury cable or string it on utility poles. That could be helpful in dense areas of cities, or in remote neighborhoods where too few customers live to justify expensive construction.A Google consultant, Robert Jystad, presented the companys plan Thursday morning to a Kansas City Council committee. The company is asking for two-year, and discounted, permission to put antennas on city light poles and other structures in eight areas: downtown, the Plaza, Waldo, 18th and Vine, Zona Rosa, Brookside, Westport and near Barry Road and Interstate 29. The testing will be outdoors in four places and inside at all eight.Jystad said the project is motivated partly by the inability of existing Wi-Fi and cell networks to keep up with fast-growing demand for bandwidth.The council later voted 11-2 to give Google access to city light poles for the project.Google wants to explore how well a range of frequencies can channel video streaming, online game-playing and the many other data swaps that work well only with a wide opening to the Internet.For decades, the targeted radio spectrum could be used only by the U.S. military. In practice, it remained mostly vacant.So a year ago, federal regulators opened it up in hopes that newly available frequencies might relieve the airwave congestion that makes connecting to the Internet on the go such a hit-and-miss game.The Federal Communications Commission calls it the Citizens Broadband Radio Service not to be confused with the stuff of truckers or 1970s hobbyists.The spectrum would be used for a number of different services, and part of that would be open to anyone unlike cellphone frequencies, for which companies pay the federal government for exclusive use.Google told The Star it wants to operate in that spectrum in Kansas City experimentally. Its unclear how long it would take to attach its antennas to city light poles and inside buildings in the eight areas. The company also said it didnt know how long it would take to test the system.The company has received an experimental license from the FCC to operate on newly available frequencies. In applying for that permission, Google promised to avoid interference with existing operations. Google has done some testing in the 3.5 gigahertz range in conjunction with the Defense Department and the Navy to make sure such signals wouldnt foul up radar used for some air traffic control.Part of the appeal of Kansas City is the chance to work in an urban environment, where all manner of radio signals police and fire radios, Wi-Fi, cellphone systems can clutter the airwaves.Its also where Google has spent heavily likely hundreds of millions of dollars to string fiber-optic lines on utility poles and underground to knit together its landline Google Fiber service.Councilman Jermaine Reed said the pilot program could further elevate the citys techie bona fides.Were really showcasing how were on the cutting edge moving forward, he said. We in Kansas City are in the spotlight leading the way on technology.Assistant City Manager Rick Usher said that if the technology pans out, it could potentially tie into various smart city plans to improve energy use and allow various electronics across the city to coordinate more easily.It could be another way to tap things into the Internet, he said.In its slide show for the City Council, Google said: If successful, the Kansas City metro area will be the first gigabit region to benefit with new advanced wireless services.Google Fiber offers landline connections with upload and download speeds of 1-gigabit-per-second delivering bandwidth to homes that previously was available only to university campuses and other large institutions.Since Google Fibers entry into the Kansas City market, AT&T and Consolidated Communications have begun selling gigabit connections at consumer prices. And Time Warner Cable, while not matching Googles speeds, has dramatically increased the bandwidth it offers at the same price it formerly charged for much slower hookups.The possibilities of the wireless technology could lead in multiple directions.For instance, it could lower the cost and disruption of outfitting home Internet service.Kansas City has seen its streets and lawns torn up since Google Fiber came to town to build its system and its competitors have done the same to keep pace.Analysts see some potential with that application, although radio waves in that spectrum dont penetrate walls well and cant match the capacity of fiber-optic cable.Wireless companies such as Overland Park-based Sprint have used a similar technology in recent years placing multiple small cell antennas in urban areas to save money and reach where more expensive cell towers cant do the job.In voting against the Google proposal in committee, Northland Council Member Dan Fowler complained about construction disruptions and Googles sometimes plodding rollout.They go in and run roughshod, he said.Council member Teresa Loar, also upset with how Google Fiber has operated in some neighborhoods, was the other vote against the project.In an interview posted on Re/code early Thursday , Google executive Craig Barratt said the company wants to see how wireless technology could deliver robust Internet connections to isolated homes more cheaply and with much less of the digging that has prompted so many complaints in Kansas City.It allows you (to) reach houses and users that are in lower-density settings where fiber becomes too expensive, said Barratt, who oversees Google Fiber. We think, over time, there will be a sort of heterogeneous mix of technologies that we can use, depending upon the type of problem were trying to solve.Google came under fire for skipping over Kansas City area neighborhoods where it found only middling demand for its Internet service. The company said it couldnt justify the expense of construction in areas where too few customers seemed willing to buy.Using radio signals, rather than expensive construction to extend cables, might shift that dynamic.Meanwhile, federal regulators look at the 3.5 GHz spectrum as a little-used data lane that might increase the speed of wireless Internet. Theres some worry that signals like the ones Google plans to use could either interfere with or jam those of other data traveling in nearby frequencies.The coordinating of the next-door spectrum signals would be automated by technology thats yet to get much testing in real-world conditions.Will it work? Have we struck a balance that will allow a variety of innovative uses to flourish? FCC commissioner Ajit Pai wrote about the evolving rules . We will see.
Ensuring the timely implementation of independent security assessments as required by Irwins AB 670 passed in 2015.
Establishing a process to inform lawmakers of sensitive information related to cybersecurity so resources can be allocated appropriately.
Requiring all state agencies to comply with any future state audits related to cybersecurity. (Twenty state agencies did not respond to the state auditors survey last year.)
Direct the Department of Technology and OES to work with lawmakers and other stakeholders to develop a comprehensive set of performance metrics that would provide greater transparency and accountability.
Frustrated that Californias cybersecurity readiness suffers from underlying systemic issues, two Assembly lawmakers have urged Gov. Jerry Brown to rethink how the state prepares for a potential cyberattack.The request by Assemblymembers Ed Chau, D-Arcadia, and Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, came just weeks after Californias chief information security officer (CISO) struggled to defend the Department of Technologys cybersecurity readiness before two Assembly committees.At issue is a state auditor report released last summer that revealed Californias dismal compliance with its own security standards to protect sensitive information.If we do not take substantial action now, we are concerned that the unaddressed weaknesses will lead to similar problems with similar unfortunate results, the lawmakers wrote in their March 16 letter to Brown.Among the questions raised in the letter is whether the Department of Technologys CISO would be more effective and autonomous at the Office of Emergency Services, the Department of Finance or the governors office.There is some question [of] whether CISO should really be under the department, Irwin toldin a sit-down interview. Should that be more of somebody functioning independently as opposed to reporting directly to the head of Technology?That office is currently vacant after Michele Robinson resigned in March, just two weeks after lawmakers pointedly questioned her at a joint hearing held by the Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee and the Select Committee on Cybersecurity. A week and a half later, Department of Technology head Carlos Ramos announced his resignation.In their letter sent the day of Ramos announcement, lawmakers suggested Brown consider designating a single individual to coordinate cybersecurity across the executive branch. Currently cybersecurity oversight falls to a handful of entities, including the Technology Department, the California Highway Patrol, the state Attorney General, and the Office of Emergency Services.Thats problematic to lawmakers who say they want better coordination, oversight and accountability.We want to see how a response is going to be structured and who is in charge, Irwin said. Whether it is OES or Department of Technology, I dont think thats necessarily our role to define who that is.Lawmakers also want to know exactly how much the state spends each year on cybersecurity, a fact Robinson was unable to provide lawmakers at last months hearing. They also urged Brown to direct state agencies to complete emergency response plans for cybersecurity within the next 12 months, which mirrors a bill Irwin is shepherding through the Assembly.Other recommendations in the letter include:
Tax Lobby Hinders Free IRS Tax Preparation
OpenGov Acquires Ontodia
Wouldnt it be a relief if filing taxes was a free and automated experience? Thats exactly the option the IRS has tried to give citizens and the No. 1 thing tax filing services like Intuits TurboTax and H&R Block have labored vociferously to prevent.On Wednesday, April 13, the Sunlight Foundation highlighted a report by Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren that detailed how tax preparation companies have invested millions to halt the IRS efforts to create a free tax filing system. The report noted that simple filing or return-free filing as the option is called would allow the IRS to receive W-2 tax forms directly from employers calculating how much citizens get back or what they owe. The process would have the IRS send its figures to taxpayers in the mail, and citizens could approve or disapprove the figure. Disputes would just require filers to submit tax documents in the usual way.The proposal, according to the report, has potential to save taxpayers a few hundred dollars each year. Warrens analysis estimated that, on average, taxpayers spend 13 hours preparing returns and $200 paying for tax services each year. This amounts to about 10 percent of the average federal tax refund.Sunlight reported that in the last five years, Intuit TurboTaxs parent company spent more than $13 million to lobby against software for simple filing; and between 2010 and 2013, Intuits lobbying dollars against simple filing policies totaled more than $1.9 million in the House and Senate. The spending is a rare instance when a tech company actually lobbies to make the government less digital and more dependent on the private sector.To protect profits, according to Sunlight, the tax lobby has created what amounts to a token free filing service for Americans earning less than $62,000 a year. Under the banner of the Free File Alliance, the companies established a coalition that partnered with the IRS to provide the free filing services in exchange for an IRS promise it would not create its own software. According to the, the Free File program processed roughly 2.8 million filings in 2014 out of the 100 million that were eligible. If simple filing was the default, one can only imagine the number of free returns the IRS would collect.In response to this, and in conjunction to its report, Warrens office has introduced the Tax Filing Simplification Act of 2016, a congressional bill that, if passed, would demand that the IRS offer free software by 2018. At the same time, the bill prevents officials from entering into any prohibitive public-private contracts that hinder access to free tax software."Congress should be making it easier for Americans to file their taxes each year, not bowing to the interests of the tax prep industry," Warren said. "The Tax Filing Simplification Act is a commonsense bill that would help taxpayers all across this country file their taxes with less stress and fewer costs, and it would push the IRS to use the authority it already has to simplify Tax Day for all Americans."The financial transparency and analytics platform OpenGov appears to be in a state of constant growth. To date, the startup has raised more than $47 million thanks to venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz and this week, the company announced its acquisition of the open data publishing company Ontodia.The deal expands OpenGovs services and potential customer base. Like OpenGov, Ontodias services are centered on generating open data insights. This includes a handful of offerings that provide data publishing, data management and analytics through CKAN an open-source data portal popularly known for its use in government and the federal open data site Data.gov.With Ontodias tools, OpenGov Co-founder and CEO Zachary Bookman said in a blog post that his company would leverage Ontodia skill sets and data to contextualize and refine OpenGov's financial analysis. In 2015 the company launched OpenGov Comparisons, a set of tools for governments to compare themselves to similarly sized jurisdictions. Ontodias database brings additional U.S. Census information and Labor Department statistics into the equation for analysis.By adding a flexible, open source, open data platform and service to our quickly expanding portfolio of government financial solutions, we are getting one step closer to realizing our vision of transforming how governments analyze, share, compare, and allocate public money Bookman wrote.OpenGov and Ontodia did not disclose monetary or any other specific details about the acquisition.
After returning to action on Friday, Fernando Alonso got the green light to race on throughout the entire Chinese grand prix weekend.
Following medical checks on Thursday, the FIA declared that the Spaniard would need to be checked again after driving in only the first Friday practice session.
Alonso, who sustained chest injuries in his huge crash in Melbourne, was twelfth quickest in that session before meeting with FIA medical delegate Jean-Charles Piette.
"As the driver has been cleared to take part, no further medical checks will be undertaken unless the driver presents any abnormal symptom," the governing body declared in a statement.
The first practice session in China was also notable due to some apparent Pirelli tyre failures.
Felipe Massa's Williams suffered two separate failures on his left rear, while the same corner of Kevin Magnussen's Renault was similarly affected.
The session was stopped for 30 minutes for an investigation, but Pirelli concluded that the failures were in fact "not tyre related".
Williams agreed that smoke was coming from Massa's tyre before it blew, with technical boss Pat Symonds admitting to Auto Motor und Sport: "We had a problem with the rims and we're investigating it now."
A modification was prepared for the second practice session, Williams confirmed.
Renault, meanwhile, declared on Twitter: "We're still investigating what happened on Kevin's car during FP1, and that means he won't be running in this (second) session."
(GMM)
Japans Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) established the Council in December 2013; the Strategic Road Map was first published in June 2014. With the increased dissemination of fuel cells for households, the launch of fuel cell vehicles onto the market, and steady progress in the construction of hydrogen stations, the Council has revised the plan, setting new targets. For vehicles, these targets are:
Japans Council for a Strategy for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells, which includes experts from industry, academia, and government, recently issued a revised version of the Strategic Roadmap for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells.
About 40,000 fuel cell vehicles by 2020; 200,000 by 2025; and about 800,000 by 2030, in total. Currently there are some 500 fuel cell vehicles on the roads.
The number of hydrogen stations is to increase to about 160 stations by 2020 and about 320 stations by 2025. There are about 80 currently.
The council also discussed the technical and economic challenges concerning the utilization of hydrogen generated using renewable energy.
The new plan published by METI also calls for research and development to reduce the cost of fuel cells to one-fourth the current level.
The Asahi Shimbun reported that the Japanese government projects that the cost of fuel cells can be halved from the current level by 2020 and lowered to around one-fourth by 2025 by reducing the use of expensive cell materials and the standardization and sharing of cell components.
Reduction in stack cost will enable the auto industry to introduce popular-market FCV models priced less than 3,000,000 (US$27,500), according to the plan.
Toyota Motor has said it plans to achieve annual global sales of more than 30,000 Mirai fuel cell vehicles by 2020.
Achievers
Morris J. Clarke, associate professor of biochemistry at Winston-Salem State University, has been named leader of the Executive Council of the Advisory Committee for Biotechnology in the Piedmont Triad.
Jerry Barker, chief sales officer for SightLife, a current advisory committee member, will be joining as the councils newest member.
Russ Read, executive director of the National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce, has been selected to lead the advisory committees strategic work plan known as BioIgnite, which is focused on innovation, infrastructure and investment to help grow jobs.
Michael Kelly, chief financial officer of Piedmont Pharmaceuticals, remains as chair of the advisory committee, with Daniel Erb, dean of the High Point University School of Health Sciences, as vice chair.
New members of the committee are: Jennifer Byrne, CEO, PMG Research; Algie Gatewood, president, Alamance Community College; Gary Graham, president, Graham Personnel Services; Genevra Kelly, MPH, Institute Partnerships, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine; and Troy Knauss, partner, Guardant Partners and vice chairman, Angel Resource Institute.
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High Point business owner and published leadership author Bill McKenzie recently delivered the opening address to the Randleman Chamber of Commerce 2016 Leadership Team.
McKenzies book, If Youre Not The Lead Dog, The View Never Changes: A Leadership Path for Young Adults, is being used by select North Carolina schools and business organizations for leadership awareness and motivation.
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U.S. Rep. Mark Walker honored Richard and Jennifer Kaffenberger, teachers at Turrentine Middle School in Burlington, as the 6th District Community Heroes of the Month for April 2016.
Their son, Harry, died in 2011 from prescription drug misuse. He was 17.
Since this tragedy, the Kaffenbergers have dedicated their time and energy to educating others especially parents and teens about the dangers of prescription drug misuse.
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An article written by Sojung Claire Kim, assistant professor of strategic communication at High Point University, Online Discussion Effects on Intention to Participate in Genetic Research: A Longitudinal Experimental Study, appeared in the journal Psychology and Health.
Kims published research indicates that online discussions have a positive impact on peoples intentions to participate in genetic testing and research.
Kim conducted her research with co-authors Joseph Cappella and Vincent Price of the University of Pennsylvania.
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Andrea Patterson-Masuka, a Winston-Salem State University assistant professor of communication and media studies, was recently appointed to the local research board for the city of Greensboros Participatory Budgeting Project.
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Randolph Hospitals Breast Center has been granted a three-year/full accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, a program administered by the American College of Surgeons, making it one of only 17 breast centers in North Carolina with the accreditation.
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The White House recognized Greensboro native Shelbi Flynn as a Champion of Change for her efforts in helping New Orleans residents enroll in the Affordable Healthcare Act.
She collaborated with community leaders there which resulted in 40,737 new enrollments.
Flynn works in the New Orleans Health Department as a public health associate for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White House to feature individuals doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities.
Awards
Cone Health hospitals have received the 2016 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence from Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals.
The distinction puts Cone Health hospitals among the top five percent of more than 4,500 hospitals nationwide for clinical performance. The award is based on the quality of care provided at Alamance Regional Medical Center, Annie Penn Hospital, Moses Cone Hospital, Wesley Long Hospital and Womens Hospital.
For information, visit www.healthgrades.com/quality.
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Averitt Express recently honored associate Bill Ford of Burlington for 25 years of service.
He is one of the nearly 900 active Averitt associates who are members of the companys Over 20 Team, an exclusive group of associates who have served 20 or more years with Averitt.
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The National Civic League has named the City of Asheboro as a finalist for the 2016 All-America City Award. This marks the second year in a row that Asheboro has been selected as a finalist for the award.
A cross-sector team, including young people, will present Asheboros story and programs to a jury of nationally recognized business, local government and philanthropic leaders on June 17-19 in Denver, Colo. Winners will be selected from the finalists on June 19.
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Novant Health is the first health system worldwide to be revalidated for the Health Information and Management Systems Society Analytics Stage 7 Ambulatory Award for its adoption and use of an electronic health record. All Novant Health medical group clinics approximately 440 locations were revalidated as part of the award.
In July 2013, the organization finalized the implementation of the electronic health record in all physician clinics across the Novant Health system. The implementation was completed three years early and under budget.
Novant Health initially received the HIMSS Analytics Stage 7 Ambulatory Award in October 2013.
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Crumley Roberts has awarded the 2016 Servants Heart Spirit Award to Katrina Carter. This is the fourth year Crumley Roberts has bestowed the award upon an individual who has given back to the community in a significant way.
Carter, an accountant with Crumley Roberts for more than 11 years, works to promote mental health education. As a recipient of the Servants Heart Spirit Award, Carter received a Red Crystal Heart paperweight from Tiffanys.
Crumley Roberts also donated $5,000 to the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Guilford in her honor.
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Senn Dunn Insurance, a House Doctors awarded the 2015 Brand Ambassador Award to Steve Cranford, owner of a House Doctors franchise in High Point.
Cranford opened House Doctors of High Point almost 14 years ago.
In addition to his award from the House Doctors team, Cranford has also earned the Angies List Super Service Award every year since 2012.
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Marsh and McLennan Agency, was recently awarded the 2015 Central Blue Streak Circle of Achievement Award for Regional Agency of the Year by Central Insurance Companies.
Blue Streak is a personal lines service developed more than 30 years ago to provide agencies a more efficient way to handle personal lines and as a result, is better equipped to provide first-rate service to their clients. The Blue Streak Circle of Achievement is presented annually to an agency for exceptional performance in producing new business.
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Annie M. Brown, a 1953 N.C. A&T graduate, received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award in September 2015.
After Brown received a B.S. in commercial education from A&T, she became the first certified teacher in business education at the South Ayden School in Ayden.
Military
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Arafa Simmons has completed basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio.
Simmons is the daughter of Lisa Simmons of Greensboro and Eric Simmons of Duluth, Ga. She earned a bachelors degree in 2015 from UNC-Greensboro.
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U.S. Army Pvt. Isaiah T. Ingram has completed basic infantry training at Fort Jackson, S.C.
Ingram, a 2015 Dudley High School graduate, is the son of Karen M. Ingram and grandson of Mary Brown, both of Greensboro.
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Senior Chief Mark Hudson, a 1994 Ragsdale High School graduate, is serving with a U.S. Navy helicopter squad that flies the Navys newest and most technologically-advanced helicopter.
Hudson is an aviation machinists mate with the Grandmasters of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 46, a Mayport, Fla.-based squadron that operates the Navys next generation submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk. Each helicopter is nearly 65 feet long, may weigh up to 23,500 pounds and can travel more than 120 miles per hour.
As an aviation machinists mate, Hudson is a maintenance supervisor and coordinator.
GREENSBORO Cirque du Soleil is the second major act in a week to cancel shows at the Greensboro Coliseum to protest House Bill 2.
The Canadian circus company announced Friday that it has canceled performances of its North Carolina shows: "Ovo" from April 20 to 24 at the coliseum and July 6 to 10 in Charlotte, as well as "Toruk Avatar" in Raleigh from June 22 to 26.
"The new HB 2 legislation passed in North Carolina is an important regression to ensuring human rights for all," the company said in a press release.
Cirque du Soleil said its belief in equality for all guides its relationships with employees and customers. "We behave as change agents to reach our ultimate goal of making a better world with our actions and our productions," the release said.
"We sincerely hope that the customers that have purchased tickets for our performances in North Carolina will understand our motivation and we look forward to performing in North Carolina when this issue is addressed," it added.
The announcement followed Bruce Springsteen's cancellation of his April 10 Greensboro show because of HB 2.
Cirque du Soleil's show, "Ovo," features more than 50 elaborately-costumed artists, including acrobats, aerialists, foot jugglers, slack-wire unicyclists, contortionists and trambolinists. They perform to live music combining bosso nova, samba, funk and electro.
The coliseum had sold 10,000 tickets to seven performances, said Andrew Brown, coliseum public relations manager. Prices ranged from $35 to $145.
Online and phone ticket purchases will be automatically reimbursed. Those who bought tickets in person must return to point of purchase for refunds. Customer service can be reached at 1-877-924-7783.
Brown estimated that the coliseum would lose about $68,000 in projected revenues, primarily from parking fees and concession sales.
That comes on top of the estimated $100,000 in projected revenue that it lost from Springsteen's cancellation.
HB 2 bans local governments from adopting anti-discrimination rules that include LGBT people, some of which had already been passed in Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh.
The part of the bill thats gotten the most attention is a provision requiring transgender people to use restrooms, showers, locker and changing rooms that correspond to the sex on their birth certificates in public buildings, schools and universities.
That part of the law has been framed by state legislators and supporters as a way to protect women and children. Sexually predatory men may claim to be transgender, the argument goes, making it easier for them to spy upon, molest and rape women in bathrooms and other facilities.
But thats a fundamental misunderstanding of transgender people, critics say.
Cirque du Soleil's action is one of the entertainment industry's latest responses to the new law.
On Wednesday, Ringo Starr canceled his June 18 concert at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary because of HB 2.
Singers Jimmy Buffett, Rhiannon Giddens, Cyndi Lauper and Brandi Carlile have criticized the law but haven't canceled their shows in the state.
On Monday, Buffett called HB 2 a "stupid law," but said that his shows next week in Raleigh and Charlotte will go on as scheduled. Whether he schedules more shows in the state will depend on whether the law is repealed, he said.
Lauper said Friday that she will donate all profits from her June 4 show in Raleigh to Equality North Carolina's efforts to repeal the law.
Carlile, an openly gay singer, said on her Facebook page that she won't cancel her North Carolina shows. She is scheduled to perform May 7 in the White Oak Amphitheatre in the Greensboro Coliseum complex.
"I'm a small artist, and I'm gay; many of my fans are gay as well," Carlile wrote. "To cancel my shows in NC would further oppress my fans who are hurt by this legislation, who worked hard to suppress it, and who need a place where they can come together."
Earlier this month, Broadway composer Stephen Schwartz -- known for shows such as "Wicked," "Godspell" and "Pippin" -- said he and his collaborators will not allow any theater or organization based in North Carolina to produce their shows.
He encouraged fellow theater writers and producers to do the same until the legislation is repealed.
Nancy and Donald Moseley heard a knock on the front door of their home near Reidsville.
Standing outside were Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page, District Attorney Craig Blitzer, Chief Assistant District Attorney Mark Keeney and Detective Capt. Tammi Howell.
"We made an arrest," Page told the Moseleys.
It was 5:45 p.m. on Aug. 25, 2015.
My body froze up like it did when they told me LaDonna and Troy had been killed, Nancy Moseley said. I shut down.
Troy French, 48, and LaDonna Moseley French, 45, had been gunned down in their home just across the road from the Moseleys on Feb. 4, 2012. Now, 3 frustrating years later, their families were hearing that this much-discussed and highly analyzed crime at last might have closure.
Page had fanned out deputies to Browns Summit, Greenville, N.C., and Greensboro to tell other members of the French and Moseley families the stunning news:
Jose Silvano Alvarez Jr. had surrendered to deputies at the Rockingham County Sheriffs Office and would be charged with murder in the shooting deaths of Troy and LaDonna French.
It was a name they knew. He is the brother-in-law of Whitley French Alvarez, the daughter of the Frenches who is the only witness to their deaths that night.
A figure known to them as a hooded intruder of medium size now had a name, and the relief they felt was interspersed with the anguish of the knowledge that the person charged was someone whose family they knew far more than casually.
This case, which Page once told North Carolinas governor had gone cold, now turned on a fragment of DNA evidence analyzed in excruciating fineness by labs outside North Carolina. That evidence linked five blood drops found on the stairs in the Frenches home to a second-level male relative a half-sibling of John Alvarez, Whitley French Alvarez's new husband.
The DNA showed that Jose Alvarez Jr. and John Alvarez were born to the same mother, but that they had different fathers, a detail that shocked both families.
Deputies traveled to the Greenville home of Whitley French Alvarez and John Alvarez to tell them.
Hunter French, the couples son who had just begun his senior year at Greensboro Day School, heard the news from deputies while at a baseball training camp in Greensboro.
Ann French-Faucette, Troy Frenchs mother, was told by deputies who came to her home in Browns Summit.
The intruder she had described so many times, whom she had described as awakening her by crawling on top of her in her childhood bedroom after midnight, a figure in a dark, hooded sweatshirt, apparently was someone she knew but had not recognized.
Could her brother-in-law of a few months be the person Whitley French Alvarez had watched from the stairs pull out a 9-mm handgun and fire repeatedly into first her mother and then her father before fleeing out the front door of their home on Pinewood Road?
She knew her alleged assailant.
But the man charged with killing her parents and somehow cutting her arm doesnt match exactly the description she had given to investigators during interviews.
She had described the assailant as standing 5 feet 8 to 5 feet 9 and weighing 160 to 170 pounds. Jose Alvarez Jr. is 5 feet 4 and has been described as very thin.
Family members asked themselves repeatedly: How could he be the killer?
Nice and quiet'
Jose Alvarez Jr. attended school and church in Rockingham County. He had grown up there. He spent his first 28-plus years living in his parents home, which most recently is in Stokesdale. He moved to a rented apartment in Greensboro in May 2015, three months before his arrest.
But in a place where everyone knows everyone, few people remember much about this first-born son of Elaine and Jose Alvarez Sr.
At 29 he is the eldest of their four children, four years senior to John Alvarez. They also have two school-aged brothers.
He is a graduate of Rockingham County High School, the same school his brother, sister-in-law and Troy and LaDonna French attended and where Ann French-Faucette, Whitley's paternal grandmother, worked at as a guidance counselor.
I dont remember him, French-Faucette said. Evidently, he didnt get in trouble, because mostly the children I saw were the ones having problems, and I dont remember him.
Before attending that high school and Rockingham County Middle School, Alvarez studied at three different elementary schools in Rockinghams school system: Bethany, Dillard and New Vision School of Math, Science and Technology, a year-round magnet school in Madison.
Jose Alvarez Jr. was a groomsman at the wedding of John and Whitley Alvarez on May 16, 2015, just a few days after he had submitted to the DNA swab that later would link him to the crime scene.
Photographs from Whitley and John Alvarezs wedding show Jose Alvarez Jr. by his brothers side. He appears happy and calm.
In one photograph Whitley stands left of center as John Alvarez jumps in apparent joy next to her. Three groomsmen behind them are in the air as well, two with their arms outstretched. Whitley's five bridesmaids surround the couple looking tough but happy.
Two more groomsmen stand on either side of the bridesmaids. One is Jose Alvarez Jr., who is barely off the ground but is sticking out his tongue as he clowns around.
In another photo Jose looks mischievous as he makes a bridesmaid he is escorting laugh.
In a third photograph, Hunter French and Jose follow John Alvarez and the rest of the groomsmen, who are all trying to look tough. Several of them, including John Alvarez, cant help but crack a smile.
Despite those moments, Jose Alvarez Jr. seldom stood out. Even in the revelry of that day, few family members paid attention to him. That has been his pattern.
Jose had no prior history of criminal activity, his record showing only two traffic infractions.
He worked as a landscaper for Jose Alvarez Sr.'s landscaping company and at New Garden Landscaping and Nursery in Greensboro.
Alvarez Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance has tended private grounds in the Triad for 20 years.
New Garden Landscaping and Nursery for 40 years has created and maintained grounds of both residences and commercial properties. The company also houses and sells plants and materials out of its facility on Garden Village Way, where Jose Alvarez Jr. worked.
Conrad Hayter, president of New Garden Nursery, didnt want to answer questions about him. Coworkers referred questions to Hayter, because they were told to do so by their supervisor.
Nancy Moseley, LaDonna Frenchs mother, once hired Jose Alvarez Jr. to tend to the roses in her yard, which is across the road from the house where he is accused of shooting her daughter.
"He was as nice as he could be and quiet," she said.
Thats how family members had known him.
Bonded families
Now, the family knew him as the man accused of killing Troy and LaDonna French.
Since their daughter's death, Nancy and Donald Moseley had become close with Elaine Alvarez, the mother of Jose Alvarez Jr., who visited the Moseleys regularly and often took along her two younger sons.
They just came by one day, and we just acted like friends that were comforting each other, Nancy Moseley said. Its so sad. They are fine people.
Kathy Hayes, LaDonna Frenchs sister, invited the Alvarezes to her familys Christmas celebration in 2015 at Nancy and Donald Moseleys house.
The Alvarezes took a fruit basket to Nancy Moseley. The families enjoyed a meal together before the celebration broke up.
French-Faucette and Jose Alvarez Jr.'s parents sat together occasionally at Hunter Frenchs baseball games, because the school-aged Alvarezes also play baseball.
They have a harder road than I do, French-Faucette said. They have this to face with a son, which I think is far greater than death, I really do. My heart goes out to them.
The Alvarezes have declined repeated requests to talk about their sons arrest and have hung up on a reporter at least once. The Moseleys encouraged them to share their feelings, but they wouldnt speak about any of these events.
A day of emotions
Less than 24 hours after Jose Alvarez Jr.'s arrest, members of all three families the Frenches, the Moseleys and Jose Alvarez Sr. would see each other face-to-face in what must have seemed a stunning reunion. They met early on the afternoon of Aug. 26, 2015, a Wednesday, outside Courtroom D at the Rockingham County Courthouse in Wentworth.
This courtroom, in which district court cases are heard, is on the second floor of a 3-story, 4-year-old building.
So these families, joined first by geography, then by marriage and now by unthinkable tragedy, gathered in a large, open hallway. Jose Alvarez Sr. leaned against the sill of the floor-to-ceiling windows that line the outside wall overlooking the parking lot and a wooded field on the southeast side.
Dressed casually, he took off his white baseball cap, laid it on a bench to his left, buried his head in his hands and cried. Nearly a dozen members of the Moseley and French families, sitting beside him on two benches, occasionally rose to hug him, support him and generally try to comfort him. But seldom did anyone speak as he continued to sob for at least 15 minutes.
Whitley French Alvarez, John Alvarez and Hunter French werent there. Neither was Elaine Alvarez.
Everyone else arrived early for the first court appearance of Jose Alvarez Jr. At 2 p.m. a bailiff allowed them into the courtroom, and they gathered on three rows of the center section of seats.
The atmosphere in the courtroom was different from that of a typical first appearance. Several additional court officials were present, solely as spectators.
Ordinarily one or two bailiffs are in a courtroom at a time. For the Alvarez hearing, there were five.
One bailiff stood near the judges bench. Another leaned on a wooden rail that divides the gallery from the area reserved for court officials. A third sat at the bailiffs table beside the judge's bench. Two others stood by the double-door entrance to the courtroom.
Rockingham County District Attorney Craig Blitzer entered into the courtroom with Assistant Chief DA Mark Keeney, who would represent the state.
Even Rockingham County Clerk of Courts Mark Pegram came into the courtroom and stood near the judges bench, which he rarely does.
Everyone stood as Rockingham County District Court Judge Tony Grogan entered.
But then the family had to wait. Grogan oversaw the first appearances in several cases before listening to the details of the charges against Jose Alvarez Jr.
They watched closely as those other defendants talked with the judge on an open video connection.
Jose Alvarez Jr.s charges comprised a capital case. By law he had to be in the courtroom. Grogan explained the severity of those charges, and his matter-of-fact statement would make the three families even more emotional.
A bailiff led Jose Alvarez Jr. in through a door opposite the jury box and in front of the gallery to the defense table. Wearing an orange jumpsuit, he shuffled toward the table, his feet in shackles. He kept his head lowered, never making eye contact with his family. He never spoke.
He stood alone to face the judge.
Craig French began to shake uncontrollably as he watched the man accused of killing his older brother, Troy.
I tried to stop shaking, but I couldnt, because I wanted to go after him, French said. It was the hardest thing in this whole thing other than losing my brother.
Jose Alvarez Sr. again buried his face in his hands.
Other family members wept audibly.
Judge Grogan began to address Jose Alvarez Jr., telling him he faced two charges, filed in the courthouse under Nos. 15CRS052311 and 15CRS052309.
You are charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Troy and LaDonna French, Grogan said. These charges come with a maximum sentence of death or life in prison.
The room erupted in sobs and sniffs from family members. Some were quieter, others more audible, the judges words overpowering their self-control.
Jose Alvarez Sr.'s head remained in his hands.
Grogan told Alvarez Jr. he would appoint Eden-based defense attorney Seth Woodall to represent him.
That wouldnt last. Woodall spent two hours working on Alvarezs behalf before the case automatically was referred to the Office of Indigent Defense Services, an arm of the Administrative Office of the Courts created by statute to represent defendants in cases involving the possibility of a death sentence.
That agency assigned the case to Vincent Rabil, a capital defender based in Winston-Salem, and Woodall formally was removed as counsel. That all happened quietly, out of public view.
Standing alone in the courtroom, Jose Alvarez Jr. listened as Grogan considered whether to grant bail.
We request that Mr. Alvarez be held without bond, Keeney told Grogan.
No one argued on Alvarez's behalf.
Grogan agreed to the request, meaning Alvarez would return to the Rockingham County Jail. His next appearance in district court would be Sept. 10.
He was led out of the courtroom. Members of the families continued to weep.
Jose Alvarez Jr. did not speak during the hearing. In the months since, he has not responded to requests for comment. Letters sent to him at the Rockingham County Jail have drawn no reply from him or his attorney.
Rabil also has declined numerous requests to discuss this case, to explain how five drops of blood could lead to first-degree murder charges, when the murder weapon proved by ballistics to be a handgun missing from the Frenches home has not been found and when no motive has been asserted by the prosecution. There is only one known witness from that night, Whitley French Alvarez. There are the details that sometimes conflict.
Rabil offered only a few words that sounded curiously like the case could be headed for a plea agreement. "We are working with the prosecution to quickly bring a resolution to this case," he said.
No ill
In the seven months since that afternoon in the courtroom, members of all three families have been working to forge their own resolutions. Some of these are evident.
The night my son was killed, I forgave whoever it was, and I didnt know who it was, but I had forgiven him, French-Faucette said. Gods son has forgiven me for so much. Theres nothing I cant forgive.
French-Faucette said she knew Craig French, Troys younger brother, has remained angry, but she watched as that anger turned to compassion when a still sobbing Jose Alvarez Sr. approached her son.
When you raise your children, and you know them that well, I knew that everything would be fine, French-Faucette said.
Craig French hugged Jose Alvarez Sr.
He was extremely apologetic to me, and when he hugged me, you could just feel it, Craig French said.
He said he told Alvarez that he held no ill regard towards you and that he would pray for Jose Alvarez Jr. during the ordeal of prosecution he was about to face.
I have no ill feelings towards that family, French-Faucette said. In fact, hes in my prayers.
EASTON, Md. Its been a long while since South Carolina could look down on its neighbor to the north. Thanks to North Carolinas anti-LGBT legislation (HB 2), also referred to as the bathroom bill, the state effectively has begun redefining itself from its long-popular characterization as a valley of humility between two mountains of conceit (South Carolina and Virginia).
The new law, which ludicrously requires transgender people to use the restroom consistent with the sex on their birth certificates, liberates South Carolina from its persistent place as the brunt of late-night jokes. Remarking on it, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said her state doesnt have that problem. Brava.
The law was hurriedly passed and signed by Gov. Pat McCrory in response to what one state official called a restroom free-for-all, referring to sudden hysteria over the possibility of transgender individuals using the wrong restroom. How would anyone know? Will officials now post monitors at public restrooms to check birth certificates and human bladder-evacuation portals? This would be riotously funny if it werent so patently discriminatory.
Many bad deeds go unpunished, but not this one. The economic fallout from the law already is being felt and the price of not doing business is about to go up. Bruce Springsteen recently canceled a concert in Greensboro and Deutsche Bank has frozen a planned 250-job expansion in the state. But the real showdown will be this weekend when not nearly as many buyers and designers as usual will attend the biannual High Point furniture market the largest in the nation and the states biggest economic event.
A 2013 study by Duke University placed the annual economic impact of the market at $5.38 billion. The furnishings industry also generates more than 600,000 visitor days to the state each year and accounts for 37,000 jobs.
If there were a Darwin Award for states, North Carolina would win hands-down. Already the High Point Market Authority reports that hundreds or thousands of the 75,000 retailers and designers who attend wont be visiting because of HB 2, which, come to think of it, sounds appropriately like a disease.
Many of those who plan to attend have expressed deep reservations amid likely plans to go to the relatively new Las Vegas furniture market next go-round. Among these is Don Wooters, interior designer and co-owner of Eastons Dwelling and Design, who told me he feels guilt about going to North Carolina.
I feel like a traitor going to High Point, putting capitalism before human rights, he said. I dont feel good about that and I know its wrong.
Wooters isnt only baffled by the bigotry of the legislation but also by whatever generates the fear behind it. Why do people feel they have to be afraid? Its a big sign of how uneducated America is.
Another local designer, Jamie Merida, owner of Bountiful, told me he decided to go if only to make his case to vendors that they have six months to straighten out this mess or he, too, will be off to Las Vegas.
Although North Carolina has been noted in recent years for its increasingly hard-right politics, it is still shocking that a state that boasts several of the nations top colleges and universities and is home to the Research Triangle could codify what is so plainly a discriminatory law. In comments Tuesday, McCrory, feeling the pressure, softened his defense of the law but stopped short of opposing the provision on bathroom use by transsexual people.
As in all other times when bigotry raises its hideous head, better angels will prevail. Either the courts will overturn the law or the state will come to its senses, if only for economic reasons.
As to that valley of humility? In 1900, when Mary Oates Spratt Van Landingham, a cultural leader and author, first conjured the image in a speech, she was bemoaning her states then-lesser native literature.
Could it be that being located between Virginia and South Carolina, our people for so long have been furnished such conspicuous illustrations of self-appreciation that they have, by contrast, learned modesty and silence? she said. Where there are mountains of conceit, there are apt to be valleys of humility.
Today, those mountains have good reason for self-appreciation by comparison. And North Carolina has proved itself a valley of ignorance, whose legislators and governor could use a moment of silence to consider their ill-conceived conceit.
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He wishes NASA more success.
Astronauts these days get to enjoy delicious space lettuce and a morning espresso, perks that are definitely going to make Elon Musks Martian colonists super jealous. So, to throw eventual Red Planet inhabitants a bone, NASA is undertaking a study to figure out how to grow potatoes a la Matt Damons character in The Martian, though presumably without the exploding airlock and probably on a much tighter budget.
Researchers cant just blast potatoes 140 million miles over to our neighbor planet, so instead they tell The Wall Street Journal theyve gathered up 65 varieties known for their hardiness on Earth. Money will be on the ones that can grow best in soil from a Peruvian desert that receives one millimeter of water per year; these winners (or survivors, more like) will enter round two, where theyll be put in a simulator that mimics the atmosphere. Mars has water, but the atmosphere there is between -84 and -284 degrees, contains high levels of radiation, and is 96 percent carbon dioxide. These conditions have led one researcher to predict, I dont think theyll grow in the open air; he says under some sort of biodome is more likely.
The teams theory is that maybe ten of the test-group potatoes will yield decent-size tubers in the end, but they also warn exposure to severe drought and temperature extremes could change their flavor. Specifically: It may make them so bitter they are inedible. In other words, Martians are going to be expecting constant resupplies of ketchup.
[WSJ]
Xperia X series pre-orders on the Sony Xperia Store will come with an "exclusive offer"
Sony has announced that its brand new Xperia X series of smartphones will soon be available for pre-order from the Xperia Store. The announcement came in the form of an email which the company sent out to those who had registered their interest in the devices.
In the email, Sony also said that pre-orders will come with an "exclusive offer," although the company didn't reveal what exactly the offer would be.
The exclusive offer - going by the email - will only be available on Xperia X and XA pre-orders (as well as on the Xperia Ear accessory), meaning those pre-ordering the Xperia X Performance will be out of luck.
Meanwhile, the Japanese company also released a promotional ad (embedded below) for the Xperia X smartphone that focuses on the device's camera. Take a look:
Via
Culture
Salman Rushdie loses eye, use of hand in attack: Agent
The British writer Salman Rushdie, who was attacked in the United States in August, lost sight in one of his eyes and paralyzed his hand, as well as other injuries, according to what his agent indicated in a statement released to the media.
Haiti - FLASH : Verification Commission, terms of reference handed to Executive
The Communication Office of the Presidency confirmed that the sub commission in charge of work on the terms of reference of the Independent Commission for Electoral Evaluation and Verification had delivered Thursday, April 14, 2016, its final report to President a.i. Jocelrme Privert for validation purposes.
Indicating that after two days of work, the members of this subcommission have agreed on the composition of the Commission, its mission, its mandate and the deadline for fulfilling its tasks.
Recall that this Independent Commission for Electoral Evaluation and Verification has as main mission of restoring the confidence of political actors in the electoral process by establishing the accuracy of the results of the 2015 elections.
For now, the Government has not officially communicated details on the terms of this report. However, we learned informally with members of this Subcommission and various sources: that it is proposed that the Commission be composed of 5 members : one representative of the Order of Chartered Accountants, 1 representative of the Association of engineers / architects of Haiti, 1 representative of the Anglican church, 1 former election adviser and one member of the Independent Electoral Commission of evaluation of 2015. We also learned that Me Gedeon Jean was selected as representative of the former Commission (established under the administration Martelly-Paul) and Francois Benoit, a former adviser to the CEP, still remainb 3 other members to be appointed.
According to Pierre Esperance (RNDDH) one of the members of the subcommission, the Verification Commission should be limited to the polls of 25 October, the first round of presidential elections, the second round of parliamentary and municipal elections.
According to its terms of reference the Commission will have at the level of confirmed fraud, identify fraudsters who must be punished, however, it seems according to our sources, that the exclusion of persons receiving these frauds is not in the terms of reference adopted by the subcommission...
Finally, the Commission would have a term of 30 days from next week to carry out its work.
To be continued...
See also :
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17154-haiti-elections-draft-outline-of-the-commission-of-electoral-verification.html
HL/ HaitiLibre
Haiti - Economy : Towards common strategies to fight against smuggling
This week at the National Palace, President a.i. Jocelerme Privert, met a delegation of various entities of the State and of private business sector around the problem of smuggling in Haiti.
Composed of representatives of the private sector business, the Minister of Commerce, Ms. Jessy C. Petit-Frere, of Minister of Justice, Me Camille Edouard Jr, of Director-General a.i. of the National Police of Haiti, Michel-Ange Gedeon, the Director General of Customs, Victor H. St. Louis and that of the General Tax Directorate (DGI), Morlan Muradin, the delegation was invited by the Head of State to decide on common strategies to combat the scourge of smuggling in Haiti.
After the meeting it was agreed that measures against smuggling would be submitted shortly by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, then communicated to the public. Another technical meeting is also scheduled with the MEF, Customs, the DGI, the PNH and the private business sector.
For its part the Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH) has once again reiterated its concerns this week, facing the rise of smuggling that develops on the border, which further deprive the treasury of tax revenue, generating unfair competition vis-a-vis local producers and prevent investment in areas affected by smuggling.
In a note, George B. Sassine, the President of the ADIH urges the Haitian government to regain control of four officially recognized crossing points for trade between the two countries by providing the adequate infrastructure for the control of goods and counteract smuggling.
Furthermore "ADIH strongly recommends keeping and even amplify the list of [Dominicans] products to be received only by sea in the ports equipped with correct customs structures.
HL/ S/ HaitiLibre
The Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center has been a hub of the Hamptons since 1998, with the building dating back even further. The building has been part of Westhampton Beach for over three generations, first opening as a movie theater before the building was later purchased by United Artists and changed to a single-theater movie house. Then, in the mid-1990s, a group of village residents and business owners purchased the theater and started the movement to create a performing arts space.
Published on 2016/04/14 | Source
Lee Jong-suk has been invited to an event by the luxury brand Dior Homme and will pay a surprise visit to Taiwan in response to the invitation.
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Lee Jong-suk's agency said on April 14th, "Lee Jong-suk has been invited by Dior Homme to represent Korea and will visit Taiwan. After he attended the official events by Dior Homme, he will have a photoshoot for a cover page of a famous fashion magazine in collaboration with Dior Homme. An interview is also included in his schedule on this day".
After Lee Jong-suk arrives in Taiwan, he will attend Breeze Xin Yi boutique opening event by Dior Homme. He then will have a photoshoot for the cover page and pictorial for the famous fashion magazine GQ as well as an interview with fashion magazine Vogue.
Lee Jong-suk drew much attention when he was invited to a Burberry fashion show in January this year, where many celebrities were also invited from all over the international places.
Lee Jong-suk's surprise visit to Taiwan has been announced online. This news has brought much excitement to his fans in Taiwan as well as other fans in the international places.
Lee Jong-suk received much love from his international fans for his roles in 'I See Your Voice', "Pinocchio" and 'Doctor Stranger'. To respond to the love from his fans, he is currently filming Korea China joint drama, 'Ruby Lovers' currently.
Meanwhile, Lee Jong-suk also confirmed his cast for MBC's new Wednesday & Thursday drama "W" by Song Jae-jeong, who is well-known for her previous work, 'Nine: Time Travelling Nine Times'. He will begin filming "W" in May and focus on the drama fully afterwards.
the employees primary place of work remains in Australia; and
the employee does not enter into a new contract outside Australia to perform duties outside Australia.
"In this situation, the fact that the employees ordinary place of employment is outside of Australia does not affect the application of the FW Act during the course of the secondment," he says.
But if an employee is seconded to work overseas for a specified period exclusively for another company related to the employees Australian employer, and the overseas business has agreed to pay his or her wages, then the employee will be subject to the labour laws applicable in the country in which he or she is working.
TWU National Secretary Tony Sheldon says the government is putting aviation workers at risk.
Open Skies policies allowing foreign airlines greater access to Australian routes are importing a culture of abuse and exploitation and threatening living standards for aviation workers, Sheldon said in a statement.
It is up to the Government to ensure Australian standards are upheld for all employees working here, Sheldon says.
According to the TWU, Qatar Airways also prohibits employees from joining a union and demands a confidentiality agreement which stops them reporting abuses, even after they leave.
Clayer says the key issue is whether the employer is Australian owned or based in Australia or the employees are Australian-based.
If a corporation registered in Australia is the employer of an Australian citizen and the Australian citizen is located in Australia, either when an offer of employment is made or at the time that employment commences, the employee will be covered by the Act, he says.
Moreover, the Act may apply if the employee is performing any work on behalf of or related to a companys Australian business, particularly where any work-related travel to Australia may be required.
In these types of arrangements, the employee may be entitled to Australian benefits under the Act.
Qatar recently increased its flights into Australia from 14 to 21 per day with a new Doha Sydney route and also flies to Perth and Melbourne.
Retain any complaints from customers as a result of such comments.
Provide evidence that enquiries or sales declined in the period following the employee making such comments.
Obtain forensic data on the number of people who saw or accessed the comments and how long they remained accessible online.
Obtain witness statements from customers detailing their concerns about dealing with the business.
Obtain witness statements from any employees implicated detailing whether they felt threatened, offended or intimidated as a result of the comments.
Obtain a witness statement from the owner of any confidential information disclosed, detailing the impact of any disclosure on them
Yet to go in guns blazing and fire that employee could result in an unfair dismissal claim if termination of employment was found to be harsh, unjust and unreasonable, says Ellis.
In a recent unfair dismissal case, an employee was fired for misconduct after voicing dissatisfaction with his supervisor and payments on Facebook.
In O'Keefe v Williams Muir's Pty Ltd T/A Troy Williams The Good Guys[2011] FWA 5311, the employee, who posted "Damian OKeefe wonders how the f*** work could be so f***ing useless and mess up my pay again. C***s are going down tomorrow", said in his defence that he was extremely "angry" when he wrote the comments and did not intend for his supervisor to see.
Even though the employees privacy settings were set to maximum and he did not name his employer, his co-workers spotted the comment and passed it onto his superiors.
The FWC agreed that his comment constituted threatening behaviour and that his employers were justified in sacking him.
In another case, a Centrelink worker who wrote that his clients were whinging junkies and spastics on a social media forum won his case for unfair dismissal, despite his employer arguing that he has brought the Department into disrepute.
In this case, there was no evidence that the Departments reputation was actually damaged or that anyone actually formed an adverse perception of the Departments impartiality, Ellis says.
This is probably largely a result of the fact that Centrelink is not a commercial enterprise reliant on customer loyalty, but was also a product of the special interest forums in which the comments whether the comments were a one-off or part of a more sustained campaign.
However, if the employee had worked for a brand where client loyalty is imperative, his employer could have argued against his reinstatement by providing evidence that his comments had a detrimental effect on the employers business, Ellis says.
In recent years, MerleFest, presented by Window World and slated for April 28May 1, has drawn an increasingly international audience to the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, N.C. While the iconic festivals mix of Traditional Plus programming has gained worldwide attention, an enormous increase in attendance from the rugged Canadian province of Saskatchewan has surprised some in Wilkesboro.
Weve seen a 1,000 percent increase in visitors from Saskatchewan over the last three years, says Steve Johnson, artist relations manager for MerleFest.
This year, over 30 visitors from Saskatchewan will arrive at MerleFest for the annual celebration of the best in North American roots music. Saskatchewan has a population of just over 1 million, about the same as Rhode Island, in an area almost the size of Texas.
The Saskatchewan group attending this year includes festival organizers, musicians, fans and music industry representatives.
It speaks to how much we truly honor the music that was born out of this region, says Tracy Lalonde of the Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Tyme Festival, on her third visit. My first trip took me to landmarks that were in iconic songs Id heard since I started following the music and that blew me away. When we can connect to the music like that it allows us to appreciate it even more.
They started coming from Northern Lights three years ago, says Johnson. In 2013, we hosted a small group that came on a mission to learn about MerleFest after I received a nice introduction letter from the group. Who knew it would come to this?
We just introduced ourselves as people who had been involved with these music festivals at the Ness Creek Site for a long time and that we would appreciate any chance to get up close to see how things were done at MerleFest, remembers Patton MacLean, one of the first group from Saskatchewan.
The letter landed on Steve Johnsons desk in January 2013.
Frankly, I didnt know what to think, says Johnson. They said they were coming to MerleFest to check things out. We had some mutual musician friends who had played up there and loved it. I agreed to meet them before the festival. We toured the campus, and they met some MerleFest team members.
The visitors invited Johnson to return the visit. In 2014, Johnson took them up on the offer, flew into Saskatoon on a Thursday night in August, and drove three hours north to the Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Tyme Music Camp and Festival.
It was a bit unsettling because we drove for three hours and only went through a couple of small towns. When we hit the dirt road and the big forest, I started to wonder what I had gotten myself into. But when we got there, I found this beautiful festival site carved out of the meadows and forest of evergreens and silver birch. Backstage I saw a campfire area under spruce trees with all of the festival musicians picking in a moonlit jam. It was something else a great night of picking, featuring some of the artists you will see at MerleFest in 2016.
Johnson has since made multiple visits to festivals in Saskatchewan where he first saw some artists slated to perform at MerleFest this year: master storyteller Bonnie Logan, folk duo Kacy and Clayton, old-time trio In With The Old, bluegrass adventurers The Slocan Ramblers, and Americana soulsters The Brothers Landreth.
Saskatchewan has a rich music scene, especially considering its size. Saskatoon reminds me of my hometown of Asheville in some ways with lots of places to hear live music and lots of musicians working on different projects. A lot of great music passes through, too. Its a good town for a music fan, says Johnson.
A shortlist of Western North Carolina musicians who have visted Saskatchewan in recent years includes Tellico, Town Mountain (with Jon Stickley), Steep Canyon Rangers, Mark Bumgarner, and, most recently, Jim Lauderdale.
Of her experiences at the Ness Creek Site, Anya Hinkle of Tellico says, The Northern Lights Bluegrass Festival is one of the most memorable experiences Ive had as a performer. The students, the performers, the setting, the food it was amazing.
Its a beautiful place with some of the friendliest, most welcoming folks Ive ever played with. Weve always had a great time in Saskatchewan, says Town Mountains Jesse Langlais, who in 2012 suggested that his new Canadian friends visit MerleFest and Western North Carolina for the first time.
Is there an aim for this sudden rise in visitors from this relatively wild and rural Canadian province?
Weve had a lot of musicians from North Carolina come visit us, and a lot of musicians from Saskatchewan have been having playing down in North Carolina. We want that to continue, says Gord Olson, co-founder of the Ness Creek Music Festival and a first-time visitor to MerleFest in 2016.
The bottom line is that it feels like a sisterhood, says Lalonde, currently director of the Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Tyme Music Camp. We hope some of our N.C. friends will consider visiting us and experiencing our festivals, our hospitality and our own brand of traditional music.
I think there are a lot of similarities between this part of the world and our part of the world. If people like playing music and building community together, thats a good place to start, says MacLean, co-founder of the NorthAmericana Concert Series and now a volunteer at MerleFest.
Well, they are coming, and were excited to welcome them, says MerleFests Johnson.
For more information on Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Tyme Music (http:// northernlightsbluegrass.ca), The Ness Creek Music Festival (http://www. nesscreekmusicfestival.com) or the NorthAmericana Concert Series (http://northamericanafest.com ), contact Patton MacLean at [email protected] or (306) 290-0024.
MerleFest, considered one of the premier music festivals in the country, is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of the son of the late American music legend Doc Watson, renowned guitarist Eddy Merle Watson. MerleFest is a celebration of traditional plus music, a unique mix of music based on the traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, and expanded to include Americana, country, blues, rock and many other styles. The festival hosts a diverse mix of artists on its 13 stages during the course of the four-day event. The annual event has become the primary fundraiser for the WCC Endowment Corporation, funding scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs.
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By Bailey Faulkner
Boone Saloon is the place to be on Friday, April 22 prog rock-funk fusion quintet Eminence Ensemble is coming to Boone for an unforgettable night of music. Will Bradfords longtime independent cult alt-rock project SeepeopleS will be the nights opening act.
If youve never seen either of the groups, Friday night is a perfect opportunity to check out why they are two of todays hottest bands.
Eminence Ensemble
Justin Neely (guitar, vocals)
Zac Flynn (bass)
Johnny Bosbyshell (keys, vocals)
Nick Baum (percussion, vocals)
Tanner Bardin (drums, vocals)
Based in Boulder, Colorado, Eminence Ensemble has been heavily touring since forming back in 2008. The members founded the band while attending the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Billing itself as a progressive rock and fusion band, Eminence Ensemble has cited Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, Yes and Michael Jackson among its greatest influences. While you can detect those influences in the bands music and performances, Eminence Ensembles fusion of styles and genres sets the band apart as something totally unique.
Known for its explosive live performances and captivating, unique style of songwriting, Eminence Ensemble is a crowd pleaser to say the least. If you want to check out some live performances online, click here.
If you leave Boone Saloon with a craving for more Eminence Ensemble, you should check out Pardeepalooza, the annual music festival that the band helps host at the State Bridge Amphitheater in Bond, Colorado. Its a ways away from North Carolina, but the drive is worth it for a true music lover! You can check out the lineup from last years Pardeepalooza here. The lineup to this years show will be available in the coming weeks.
SeepeopleS
Will Bradford (guitar, vocals, songwriting)
Ian Riley (bass, vocals)
Dan Capaldi (drums, vocals)
Doug Porter (guitar, vocals)
Fred Copeman (keys, vocals)
Portland, Maines SeepeopleS isnt new to the music scene the band has toured and produced music since 2000. In that time, it has amassed a long list of notable achievements.
The bands music has been featured on ABCs television series The Gates and CBS Judging Amy. The music community has positively received SeepeopleS as well. Members of Morphine, Dave Matthews Band, Spearhead and Parliament-Funkadelic have been featured on the bands studio recordings.
In 2015, the band released Dead Soul Sessions, a 25-track behemoth that mixed rock, trip-hop, alternative, psychedelic, R&B, funk, acoustic, electronica, ambient and pop. That probably sounds like a ton of styles, and it is the band describes their sound as anti-genre-new-music.
Along with the bands weird, mind-bending world view, SeepeopleS musical flavors truly set the band apart from any group that could fall into only one or two genres.
Phish drummer John Fishman obviously likes what he hears: the legendary jam bands drummer recently joined SeepeopleS to play a set at a pre-caucus party in Orono, Maine in support of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders campaign. Jerry Greenfield of Ben and Jerrys ice cream also joined the musicians on stage to support Sanders. Along with Fishman, the band ended the night with a cover of Billy Joels Movin Out (Anthonys Song).
Boone Saloon
Fridays show will begin at 10 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door.
If you want to check out more about the bands playing, click on these links for more information: Eminence Ensemble, SeepeopleS.
Considering the unique style of both bands, Fridays show will truly be a must-see. Dont miss out!
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When it comes to weight loss, salmon probably isnt the first food you think of. Many people eat
Pardia will not continue the possible further deliberations over the establishment of a new central organisation, it states in a press release .
The Federation of Salaried Employees (Pardia) has declared its decision to withdraw from the preliminary discussions over the establishment of a new central organisation following a meeting of its executive board on Tuesday.
The Union of Health and Social Care Professionals in Finland (Tehy), another member union of the Finnish Confederation of Professionals (STTK), has similarly announced its decision to withdraw from the discussions.
The new central organisation would be established by merging STTK and the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK). The member unions of both SAK and STTK are expected to determine by the start of June whether or not to join the massive organisation.
Niko Simola, the chairperson of Pardia, acknowledges that the preparatory work has shed some much-needed light on the reform needs of the trade union movement. Unfortunately, we have yet been able to agree on a thorough enough reform to warrant our participation, he adds. However, you only need to look in the mirror if you want someone to blame.
Pardia, he underlines, is pleased with the approach taken by STTK.
It has demonstrated that it is a modern central organisation that updates its practices and borne its responsibility for developing the labour markets by adopting a very solution-oriented approach. We want to continue developing STTK to an even more agile and modern direction, continues Simola.
The majority of the 55,000 members of Pardia are employed by state agencies and institutions.
Aleksi Teivainen HT
Photo: Martti Kainulainen Lehtikuva
Source: Uusi Suomi
The acting Minister for Justice has come under pressure to release another round of emergency funding to combat gang violence in the wake of the latest gun murder.
The daylight shooting of an innocent Dublin man yesterday marked the fourth life lost since February to the escalating feud between the Kinahan and Hutch mobs.
Chairperson of the Dublin City joint-policing committee Daithi de Roiste said that more resources and a long-term plan are needed.
We seem to have a government by press release, and until we start pumping resources in this lawlessness is going to exist on the streets of our city.
We have criminal gangs operating above the law and nobody can seem to get it under control. Until we put dedicated resources in to challenge this nothing is going to happen, he said.
Chairperson of the Policing Authority Josephine Feehily said this week that gardai had been very successful in recent months in the fight against gangland crime.
I think those are areas, when we have a body of data, that we would certainly be asking the commissioner some questions about, but theres no getting away from the fact that, in the last couple of months, theyve been very successful and shown their professionalism and their competence, she said.
However, Mr de Roiste questioned her statements.
Disgrace
If anybody thinks they are doing such a good job why are there people being shot every other week? Its an absolute disgrace that this is allowed to happen in our city.
We need to properly resource the gardai to go after these criminals, strip them of their wealth and end this shooting on our streets, he said.
Resources have to be allocated with immediate effect. We need to know what the plan is to smash these gangs. If the gardai need international expertise Im open to that because the situation is at breaking point, Mr de Roiste added.
Meanwhile, north-inner-city councillor Gary Gannon said that he is sick of seeing knee-jerk initiatives being rolled out after another shooting.
When it comes to resources, we need to look at why people get involved in crime. The 5m that was given to gardai could have been used for an early years initiative in the area that would make a difference in the long term.
The money is not making a difference in the short term, he said.
Ive grown up in the north inner city constantly watching people welcoming new garda initiatives and nothing ever comes of it.
Were just lying to ourselves. People arent taking drugs just because someone is selling them beside them, he added.
A spokesman for the Department of Justice did not respond when asked if extra funding would be made available.
The Government moved decisively to strengthen the resources available to gardai to deal with serious armed crime through a special ring-fenced additional allocation of 5m, as well as steps to establish a dedicated Armed Support Unit in Dublin, he said.
Gardai are becoming increasingly concerned that the New IRA terror group are planning a spectacular bomb attack to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising this month.
The fears come after a massive garda operation on Wednesday night which led to the discovery of a large haul of explosives in a car.
Armed officers from the Emergency Response Unit stopped the vehicle just before the Long Mile Road junction at around 7pm.
Two Tallaght men were arrested at the scene after being subdued by armed gardai and forced to lie on the ground.
Senior sources have revealed that gardai and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) are extremely worried that the New IRA will carry out a bomb attack in either Northern Ireland or the mainland UK to mark the Rising anniversary on Sunday, April 24.
This organisation seems to be getting stronger all the time, but this weeks garda operation shows that the Special Detective Unit are on top of these individuals in terms of surveillance, a source said.
There is little doubt that the seizure of explosives has helped save lives. However, there are still major concerns about this organisations
capabilities ahead of events later this month, and garda operations will continue, a source said last night.
Dangerous
This terrorist organisation seems to have a point to prove and that is a very dangerous state-of-play, the source added.
The Herald can reveal that one of the arrested men is a 42-year-old man who is one of the countrys most prominent dissident republicans.
He has previously been cleared of IRA membership charges, and was heavily involved with the Continuity IRA.
The suspect previously served a lengthy sentence for possession of firearms, and it is suspected that some of his associates were involved in the murder of veteran criminal Eamon Kelly in December 2012.
It is now suspected the arrested man is involved with the New IRA, the organisation which claimed responsibility for the van bomb attack that led to the murder of prison officer Adrian Ismay in Belfast last month.
In the aftermath of that incident, the PSNI warned that dissident republicans are intent on killing security force members to mark the upcoming centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising.
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Stephen Martin said while the terror threat level in the North has been categorised as severe for a number of years he was now describing it as the upper end of severe.
I believe there are people within dissident republican groupings who want to mark this centenary by killing police officers, prison officers and soldiers, he said.
Earlier this week, the Herald revealed that gardai made two highly significant arrests and seized 10,000 in cash as part of a major surveillance operation against The New IRA last Friday in Co Louth.
A young woman who has bravely refused to allow cystic fibrosis restrict her life has called for greater awareness and support for the condition in Ireland.
Ciara Aston (24) travelled to Greece to visit a sea turtle protection society and worked at a marine wildlife station in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Thats despite the fact she relies on a daily routine of inhalers, vitamins, antibiotics and digestive enzymes to keep her condition under control.
Ciara even travelled to San Diego in the US on a J1 student programme for three months.
Now, the young Cork woman has called for greater awareness of cystic fibrosis in Ireland one in 19 people here carry the gene for the condition.
Ciara has also called for public backing for Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Week, which culminates today in a major national fundraising drive dubbed the 65 Roses.
I am one of the lucky ones, Ciara said.
I have been able to live a relatively normal life. Ive been able to pursue my passions in terms of travel and work.
I love to go horse-riding and I suppose I do have a pretty good fitness regime, she said.
It is important to be fit because of the condition.
Ciara works with Amazon in Cork and said they are a wonderful firm.
When she was younger, her dream was to become a garda but her focus now is to one day work with animals in a care role such as in a rescue home.
Ive had fantastic support from my family and friends over the years, she said.
Ciara lives in Carrigaline, Co Cork with her parents, Dave and Ann, and her brother Keith (21).
Risk
But it is also very important to have the supports there in hospitals when you need them.
When I go to a hospital for a check up, Im in a special room and the doctors and nurses come to me rather than the other way around, she said.
That is very important in terms of infection risk for cystic fibrosis patients, she added.
The Cystic Fibrosis National Awareness Week fundraising collection takes place nationwide today with the aim of raising 65,000.
A Northern Ireland man has been granted bail charged with careless driving causing the death of a motorcyclist in a road crash on Dublins quays.
Patrick McArdle (47) is facing trial on the charge, following the death of a motorcyclist who was killed instantly in a collision with a truck in the docklands last summer.
The case against him was adjourned when he appeared at Dublin District Court yesterday.
Mr McArdle (inset), with an address at Forest Park, Drumintee, Co Armagh is charged with driving without due care and attention, causing the death of Slawomir Korytowski, a Lithuanian national in his 30s.
The offence is alleged to have happened at North Wall Quay, near the 3 Arena on the morning of July 3 last year.
Garda Sergeant Karl Murray told the court he arrested the defendant by arrangement at Store Street Garda Station at 1.47am yesterday morning.
He made no reply to the charge after caution.
Sgt Murray said the charge related to a traffic accident last year and the DPP had directed trial on indictment.
This means the case will be sent for trial to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court when a book of evidence is ready.
Sgt Murray applied for an adjournment and said he had no objections to bail.
Judge John Lindsay granted bail in Mr McArdles own bond of 300, with an independent surety of 1,000.
The judge granted free legal aid after a statement of the defendants financial means was handed in to court.
Mr McArdle did not address the court during the brief hearing. He is due to appear in court again on a date in May.
The defendant has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charge.
Armed gardai are hunting for a convicted rapist who is the chief suspect in a recent assassination attempt.
Members of the Regional Support Unit (RSU) have been conducting a number of raids in the Bray area following the incident, which occurred in the same Wicklow town last Friday morning.
The victim, aged in his early 30s, was targeted as he made his way to work.
A gunman, who was wearing a balaclava, approached him outside his home and attempted to fire a number of shots. However the weapon is believed to have jammed.
The intended target then confronted the would-be hitman and a struggle ensued before the perpetrator fled the scene.
It is believed a shotgun was produced during the assassination attempt.
The incident occurred at 7.30am on Friday in the Oldcourt estate, in Bray.
Several armed units from the RSU immediately flooded the area and proceeded to carry out a number of raids.
The raids continued over the weekend and our picture show local officers, supported by armed units conducting a number of searches, in the area on Tuesday afternoon.
A number of properties have been searched in the north Wicklow area as part of the investigation.
No arrests have yet been made in relation to the incident and officers from Bray Garda station are appealing for anyone with information to contact them.
The chief suspect in the attempted hit is a convicted rapist who is also suspected of carrying out a number of shootings in the Co Wicklow area.
The man, aged in his 20s, is also the suspected hitman in the murder attempt of Jonathan Burke in the Heatherwood estate, Bray in November 2014.
Burke (41) survived the shooting but was subsequently left paralysed as a result of his injuries.
Last Fridays intended target is an individual who has no involvement in organised crime. It is believed that he was targeted over a personal dispute involving a senior member of a gang led by convicted killer Richie OCarroll.
Dispute
A source said that the dispute has been ongoing for a number of years, which highlights the unforgivable nature of criminals.
It is over something that happened a long time ago, the victim of the attempted shooting isnt a player by any stretch of the imagination and probably assumed that the threat level had decreased due to
the amount of time that has passed.
These lads never forget though, and the incident could have ended in tragedy had the gunmans firearm not jammed, the source said.
Micheal Martin is to tell Enda Kenny he must win the support of at least eight Independents as precondition for Fianna Fail facilitating a Fine Gael-led minority government.
At a Fianna Fail parliamentary party meeting last night, Mr Martin was also told by his members to put nothing in writing if he reaches agreement with Mr Kenny.
However, central to any agreement between the two parties will be an onus on Mr Kenny to secure the support of at least eight Independents.
This will bring Fine Gael and Independents combined support to 58 TDs and will allow Fianna Fail to abstain from certain votes if a deal is reached on forming a minority government.
Plans
The move comes after Mr Martin abandoned plans to lead the next government after failing to win the support of any Independent TDs during todays vote for Taoiseach.
Mr Martin received no additional support during yesterdays vote despite warning Independents it was their last opportunity to remove FG leader Mr Kenny from office.
But the FF leader immediately dug in his heels in relation to water, as he accused FG of acting in an unhelpful and provocative manner after the party passed a motion this week reaffirming its commitment to a national utility.
Despite admitting that the future of water is not the single most important issue facing our country, Mr Martin indicated that his partys position to suspend charges remains.
He demanded an investigation into the money spent by Irish Water on a post-election lobbying campaign designed to prevent its abolition.
The post-election lobbying campaign by this state company is unprecedented in our history. It is a total waste of public money and of the legitimate balance of powers between parliament and State companies, Mr Martin told the Dail.
Senior sources in both parties now admit that the ability to form a stable government hinges significantly on whether a deal can be reached on water.
Fine Gael wants to maintain charges and the public utility while Fianna Fail is adamant charges must be suspended and Irish Water replaced with a slimmed-down body.
As expected, yesterdays vote for Taoiseach which took place 47 days after the election proved inconclusive.
Mr Kenny did however secure the support of Independent TD Katherine Zappone, as 14 other Independent TDs abstained from the vote and withdrew from the talks.
After the vote, Mr Kenny extended an invitation to Mr Martin to re-open talks between the two main parties on forming a government just hours after talks between the two parties negotiation teams broke down.
Mr Martin addressed his own TDs on two occasions yesterday, as questions were raised internally over his decision to issue the ultimatum to Independents.
FF negotiator Charlie McConalogue admitted last night that Mr Martins defeat meant the party is giving up on hopes to leading a minority government.
Gamble
The Herald has learned that a claim by FG during the negotiations that the party was on the cusp of securing the support of six Independents prompted Mr Martins gamble.
A senior FF source said the claim contradicted strongly what Mr Martin was being told privately by Independents about their voting intentions. During his speech following the vote, Mr Martin made a thinly-veiled swipe at Independents.
It is not unreasonable to ask that people state who they are willing to support. Many very candid positions have been stated in private which have yet to be repeated in public, he said.
In a further boost for Mr Kenny, there were indications last night that Labour is moving to support the FG leader at a future vote for Taoiseach.
A source said if Fine Gael agreed to demands important to us a party, Labours seven TDs may support Mr Kenny.
In his own speech to the Dail, Mr Kenny said he respected the rights of Independent TDs to abstain. The decision had been made earlier in the day at a meeting of 14 Independents in Agriculture House.
Editors note: Features and show times are subject to change without notice. Carmike Cinemas in Billings (Shiloh 14 and Wynnsong 10) also offers a movie line at 255-7676 and real-time updates are available online at fandango.com. Vue and Brew has a movie line at 633-4438, and info can also be found at vueandbrew.com.
Arriving this week
'BARBERSHOP: THE NEXT CUT'
Genre/rating: Comedy. PG-13.
Shiloh 14: 1:15, 4, 7, 10 p.m. daily.
Wynnsong 10: 1, 4:05, 7:10, 9:55 p.m. daily.
Synopsis: With their surrounding community having taken a turn for the worse, Calvin (Ice Cube), Eddie (Credric the Entertainer) and the crew at Calvin's Barbershop come together to bring some much-needed change to their neighborhood. Regina Hall, Sean Patrick Thomas, Eve, Anthony Anderson, Jazsmine Lewis, J.B. Smoove and Common co-star.
'CRIMINAL'
Genre/rating: Action-drama. R.
Shiloh 14: 1, 4, 7, 10 p.m. daily.
Wynnsong 10: 1:15, 4:15, 7:05, 9:50 p.m. daily.
Synopsis: The memories and skills of CIA agent Bill Pope (Ryan Reynolds) are implanted into the brain of dangerous criminal Jericho Stewart (Kevin Costner) in order to stop an international terrorist. The supporting cast includes Gary Oldman, Gal Gadot, Alice Eve and Tommy Lee Jones.
'DISNEY'S THE JUNGLE BOOK'
Genre/rating: Action-adventure. PG.
Amusement Park Drive-in: Friday and Saturday showings on Screen 1. Gates open at 7 p.m.; movie begins at dusk.
Shiloh 14: IMAX showings (in 3-D): Noon, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 10 p.m. daily. Big D showings (in 2-D): 12:30, 3, 5:30, 8 p.m. daily. Other 3-D showings: 1:30, 4, 6:30, 9 p.m. daily. Other 2-D showings: Noon, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 10 p.m. daily.
Vue and Brew: Show times TBD; information at 633-4438, vueandbrew.com.
Wynnsong 10: 3-D showings: 1:40, 4:25, 6:55, 9:30 p.m. daily. 2-D showings: 1:30, 4:10, 6:50, 9:20 p.m. daily.
Synopsis: Mowgli, played by newcomer Neel Sethi, is a man-cub whos been raised by a family of wolves. But he soon finds that he's no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home hes ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery guided by Bagheera (voiced by Ben Kingsley), a panther who becomes his stern mentor, and Baloo (voiced by Bill Murray), a free-spirited bear.
'MY GOLDEN DAYS'
Genre/rating: Romance. R.
Art House Cinema & Pub: 3:45 and 8:15 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Wednesday and Thursday. (Additional 12:30 p.m. matinee Sunday).
Synopsis: Paul Dedalus (Mathieu Almeric), an anthropologist preparing to leave Tajikistan, has a series of flashbacks that include his childhood in Roubaix, his mother's attacks of madness and his father's alienating depression. He remembers his trip to the USSR, where a clandestine mission led him to offer up his own identity for a young Russian, whom he considered a phantom twin for the remainder of his life as well as remembering Esther (Lou-Roy- Lecollinet), the beautiful, rude love of his life. Quentin Dolmaire stars as Paul in his younger days.
Returning feature
'EDDIE THE EAGLE'
Genre/rating: Drama. PG-13.
Vue and Brew: Show times TBD; information at 633-4438, vueandbrew.com.
Synopsis: Michael "Eddie" Edwards, played by Taron Egerton, is an unlikely but courageous British ski-jumper who never stopped believing in himself even as an entire nation was counting him out. With the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach (played by Hugh Jackman), Eddie takes on the establishment and wins the hearts of sports fans everywhere with his improbable performance at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.
Special showings
Shiloh 14: "Roberto Devereaux," presented by the Metropolitan Opera, 10:55 a.m. Saturday and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. "The is Winter Jam," 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Also playing
'BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE'
Genre/rating: Action-fantasy. PG-13.
Amusement Park Drive-in: Friday and Saturday showings on Screen 2. Gates open at 7 p.m.; movie begins at dusk.
Shiloh 14: 3-D showings: 6:30, 10 p.m. daily. 2-D showings: Noon, 3:30, 7 p.m. daily.
Vue and Brew: Show times TBD; information at 633-4438, vueandbrew.com.
Wynnsong 10: 2-D showings: 1, 4:25, 7:50 p.m. daily.
Synopsis: Fearing the actions of a god-like superhero left unchecked, Gotham Citys own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropoliss most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than its ever known before.
'THE BOSS'
Genre/rating: Comedy. R.
Shiloh 14: 1:15, 4, 7, 10 p.m. daily.
Vue and Brew: Show times TBD; information at 633-4438, vueandbrew.com.
Wynnsong 10: 1:10, 4, 7, 9:30 p.m. daily.
Synopsis: Melissa McCarthy plays Michelle Darnell, a titan of industry who is sent to prison after being convicted of insider trading. When she emerges ready to rebrand herself as Americas latest sweetheart, not everyone whom she used and abused on her way to the top is so quick to forgive and forget.
'DEADPOOL'
Genre/rating: Action-fantasy.
Shiloh 14: 1, 4, 7, 9:50 p.m. daily.
Synopsis: A former Special Forces operative named Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) becomes a mercenary after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor and adopting the alter ego Deadpool, he hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.
'THE DIVERGENT SERIES: ALLEGIANT PART 1'
Genre/rating: Fantasy. PG-13.
Shiloh 14: 1, 4, 7, 10 p.m. daily.
Synopsis: Tris (Shailene Woodley) must escape with Four (Theo James) beyond the Wall that encircles Chicago to finally discover the shocking truth of what lies beyond it.
'GOD'S NOT DEAD 2'
Genre/rating: Faith-based drama. PG.
Wynnsong 10: 1:30, 4:30, 7:30 p.m. daily.
Synopsis: When high school teacher Grace Wesley (Melissa Joan Hart) is asked a question in class about Jesus, her reasoned response lands her in deep trouble and could expel God from the public square once and for all. The supporting cast includes Robin Givens, Hayley Orrantia and Ernie Hudson.
'HARDCORE HENRY'
Genre/rating: Action-fantasy. R.
Shiloh 14: Noon, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 10 p.m. daily.
Wynnsong 10: 1:35, 4:15, 7:10, 9:45 p.m. daily.
Synopsis: Over the course of one day in Moscow, Russia, a newly resurrected cyborg named Henry must save his wife/creator from the clutches of a psychotic tyrant with telekinetic powers, AKAN, and his army of mercenaries. Fighting alongside Henry is Jimmy, who is Henry's only hope to make it through the day.
'KRISHA'
Genre/rating: Drama. R.
Art House Cinema & Pub: 6:15 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Wednesday, Thursday. (Additional 1:45 p.m. matinee Saturday, 3 p.m. matinee Sunday).
Synopsis: When Krisha shows up at her sister's home on Thanksgiving morning, her close and extended family greet her with a mixture of warmth and wariness. A palpable unease quickly permeates the air as Krisha tries to make up for lost time by catching up with her various relatives.
'MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN'
Genre/rating: Faith-based drama. PG.
Shiloh 14: 1, 3:40 p.m. daily.
Wynnsong 10: 1:45, 4:30, 7:15, 9:55 p.m. daily.
Synopsis: When 10-year-old Anna (Kylie Rogers) is stricken with a rare, incurable disease, her family especially her fierce mother, Christy (Jennifer Garner) rallies around her, though the girl's prognosis is grim. But after Anna suffers another traumatic event a fall from a tree that nearly kills her doctors find that the disease has disappeared completely from her body. Now the grateful family must come to grips with another unexpected challenge and Anna becomes the center of a media circus.
'MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2'
Genre/rating: Comedy. PG-13.
Shiloh 14: Noon, 2:30, 5, 7:30, 10 p.m. daily.
Synopsis: As Ian (John Corbett) tries his best to be a supportive husband and father, it's Toula (Nia Vardalos) who struggles to keep her motherly bond with daughter Paris (Elena Kampouris) as decision time nears for her to choose a college close to home, or far away. But a recently discovered family secret brings the Portokaloses back together for an even bigger and Greeker wedding.
'ZOOTOPIA'
Genre/rating: Animation-comedy. PG.
Shiloh 14: 2-D showings: 12:10, 2:50, 5:30, 8:10 p.m. daily.
Vue and Brew: Show times TBD; information at 633-4438, vueandbrew.com.
Wynnsong 10: 2-D showings: 1:10, 4, 6:45, 9:25 p.m. daily.
Synopsis: Zootopia is a city like no other, a melting pot where animals from every environment live together. But when optimistic Officer Judy Hopps arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isnt so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking fox, Nick Wilde.
CASPER, Wyo. A police officer on the Wind River Indian Reservation is facing a federal kidnapping charge for allegedly chaining his wife in their basement, court records show.
William Arthur Curran II forced his wife into the basement of their home and put handcuffs on her wrists and ankles, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court of Wyoming.
The complaint states Curran is a police officer for the Bureau of Indian Affairs on the Wind River Indian Reservation and has been since July 2014.
Nedra Darling, public affairs director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, confirmed Curran is employed by the agency. She said she could not comment further on the issue because it involves personnel matters.
Curran appeared Thursday for his initial hearing in federal court in Casper. A judge read the charge and told Curran he would have a detention hearing within the next week. At that hearing, it will be decided whether Curran should remain in jail pending trial or be released. Curran requested he be appointed a public defender.
He appeared in the courtroom in jeans and a T-shirt, and was handcuffed.
According to the criminal complaint, Curran arrived at his home at about 10 p.m. Monday in Fort Washakie. His wife and two children were sleeping.
Currans wife told a Federal Bureau of Investigations agent her husband was drunk at the time, the complaint states. The couple argued and the woman tried to leave the home. However, Curran blocked the bedroom doorway and hit his wife.
According to the complaint, Curran then picked up his wife and carried her toward the basement. While doing so, the woman was able to pick up her cellphone and a cork screw bottle opener from their kitchen counter. She tried to stab Curran in the back with the cork screw. However, Curran threw the woman onto the ground and pushed her down the stairs into the basement, the complaint states.
Curran grabbed his wife by the arms and dragged her into a room where he keeps his police gear, according to the complaint. He cuffed her wrists and ankles and retrieved a pistol. He then threatened to kill his wife and bury her, the complaint states.
The woman dialed 911 on the cell phone and hid the phone behind her. A recording from the Fremont County Sheriffs Office states Curran told his wife, I can bury you, according to the complaint.
Curran continued to threaten his wife while her hands were cuffed for about an hour and a half, the complaint states. She was eventually able to convince her husband to allow her to go upstairs with him. Curran directed the woman to sleep on a couch and checked on her frequently, according to the complaint.
When interviewed the next day by detectives, Currans wife had bruises and abrasions on her face, arms and legs, the complaint states.
Kind of a drag if you miss The Buckinghams concert Wednesday
The Buckinghams, a Chicago-based pop rock band that exploded onto the charts in 1967 with Kind of a Drag, are coming to the Maryland Theatre.
CASPER, Wyo. A Glenrock man who led law enforcement officers on a two-county police chase last fall still faces charges for ramming patrol cars, court records show.
Frank Banzhaf faces four felony charges in Converse County District Court for attempting to cause injury to a peace officer. He is also charged with four counts of felony property destruction. In all, Banzhaf could face up to 80 years in prison.
A Natrona County Circuit Court judge sentenced Banzhaf on Monday to 45 days in jail for driving drunk and eluding police.
Banzhaf is awaiting an arraignment in Converse County.
According to police records, Banzhaf led Natrona County sheriffs deputies on a chase Oct. 18 before traveling onto U.S. Highway 20-26, where he crashed into several law enforcement vehicles.
Banzhaf, 34, was being held in the Natrona County Detention Center as of Thursday afternoon.
Authorities received a 911 call about 9:40 p.m. from Old Chicago on Second Street in Casper, according to a police report. The caller said Banzhaf left the restaurant without paying his bill. Workers were able to settle Banzhafs bill in the parking lot, where he was seen stumbling. Banzhaf got into his car and drove away.
A Natrona County sheriffs deputy caught up to Banzhaf and tried to pull him over on Hat Six Road. Banzhaf sped up and continued onto U.S. Highway 20-26, according to the report. Banzhaf was driving faster than 95 mph and was drifting back and forth across both lanes, the report states.
Banzhaf turned off the highway before getting back on and crashing into the sheriffs car and a Wyoming Highway Patrol vehicle. The chase continued through Glenrock and onto Interstate 25, where Banzhaf side-swiped a police car, according to the report. Then Banzhaf struck another Wyoming Highway Patrol car.
At this point, Banzhaf attempted to flee in his car north in the southbound lane of I-25, the report states. Due to the danger posed by Banzhaf, both the Natrona County sheriffs deputy and a Converse County sheriffs deputy rammed Banzhafs car, according to the report.
Law enforcement repeatedly told Banzhaf to get out of his car, but his only response was to flip the officers off, the report states. One deputy used pepper spray on Banzha, while an officer shot Banzhaf with a stun gun. A deputy climbed into the car and pulled Banzhaf out, at which time he was handcuffed.
Insider: A QB change won't save IU's season. It's already lost.
IU quarterback Connor Bazelak's struggles have IU fans suggesting change, but at this point change might not make much difference.
The Burleigh County Commission has voted to no longer support Bismarcks Renaissance Zone. The five-member commission was unanimous in refusing to send a letter of support for the program to the state Commerce Department.
Department guidelines require letters of support from the county and the Bismarck School District when Bismarck submits its application for state approval. The zone is scheduled to end May 1 and Bismarck commissioners approved seeking a five-year extension of the program on March 22. The Bismarck School Board is expected to vote Monday on Bismarcks request for a letter of support.
The program allows developers who invest in older downtown properties to receive state income tax and local property tax breaks. The programs goal is to boost economic development and housing opportunities by improving older buildings and properties.
The Tribune believes the county commission was wrong to refuse a letter of support. The Renaissance Zone has provided downtown Bismarck with a number of renovated buildings and that has translated into more jobs and more tax revenue. While developers get tax breaks for a period of time, the tax breaks eventually end and the result is higher taxes on the improved structures.
Among the downtown projects that have benefited from the Renaissance Zone are the former Front Page building at 521 E. Main Ave., which was converted to Civic Square, a professional office building; the office building at 217 N. Third St., converted to J.L. Beers; the former hair school at 124 N. Fourth St., converted to Toasted Frog; and the former Wilhelm Motors site at 100 W. Broadway Ave., converted to Broadway Centre. The Bismarck Tribune expansion project in 2005 was done with Renaissance Zone help.
Overall, according to Bismarck officials, there have been 118 projects approved, with improvements valued at $65.2 million. An estimated 465 full-time jobs were created, 50 new downtown businesses started and 17 downtown businesses expanded.
The county commissioners are apparently concerned about the loss of tax revenue. County commissioner Doug Schonert complained the program never seems to end. Dustin Gawrylow, managing director of the North Dakota Watchdog Network, expressed concern that the city will expand the zone. Some also are worried the focus on downtown puts the burden on taxpayers in other areas of the city.
Whether Burleighs lack of support will doom the program remains uncertain. Rikki Roehrich, who administers the Renaissance Zone program for the Commerce Department, said letters of support from the county and the school district play a big role in the departments decision. If the school board supports the zone, and it should, it will be a draw of sorts. The Commerce Department should renew the zone for Bismarck. And the city should be reasonable in how it uses the program to ease the concerns of Gawrylow and others.
The Renaissance Zone has served Bismarck well and, if renewed, will continue to do so.
This past March, a group of 100 Jewish National Fund (JNF) donors, including Central Floridians Bruce Gould and Jim and Jill Riola, experienced something unique as they all traveled to Israel with JNF's $1 Billion Dollar Roadmap Mission for one unbelievable week to engage in the many projects JNF has developed to grow the country's northern and southern regions. What made this trip even more special was that each participant is a member of one of JNF's specialized task forces and committees.
"Our donors have taken a leap of leadership to actualize the vision," said JNF CEO Russell F. Robinson, the driving force behind the visionary $1 Billion Roadmap. "They believe in what JNF is doing. They want to see Israel grow and succeed, and come here often to see how their investment is doing. These are some of the most dedicated individuals in philanthropy today."
Gould, an attorney and member of the Israel Relations Committee, shared his thoughts of the trip: "I got involved in Jewish National Fund in 1996 in a future leadership mission. It was my first time to Israel. I fell in love with the country, I had an awesome time. I never realized my purpose in life beforehand and that the love of my religion really centered on Israel. I found that JNF is really the only organization that is 100 percent Israel, you can see what we do and you can touch what we do. You can see the results."
JNF's $1 Billion Roadmap is an unprecedented campaign focused on investing in the future of Israel. The campaign has set ambitious goals for each of JNF's seven program areas: Community Building, Zionist Education & Advocacy, Disabilities & Special Needs, Forestry & Green Innovations, Water Solutions, Heritage Sites, and Research & Development. To ensure that these goals come to fruition, JNF launched task forces and committees to give donors a meaningful and hands-on way to help the land and people of Israel
Co-chair of the Ofakim Task Force Jim Riola, who is an attorney and World Chairman's Council member, first came to Israel during the Gaza War, just as the ceasefire ended in 2009.
"I thought people were crazy to come to Israel at a time when rockets were still falling. But I came, and from then on I've been hooked." Jim, who has served as president of the Orlando JNF board, sits on the National Campaign Strategy Committee, continued, "My connection with the city of Ofakim is because that's where the facility of Aleh Negev is located."
Jill Riola, also an attorney, is a member of the Task Force on Disabilities. She and her husband Jim have been involved with JNF since 2008 when they hosted a luncheon for Gen. Doron Almog, founder and chairman of Aleh Negev. The luncheon was held last year at Jill's law office under the auspices of Lawyers for Israel, of which Jill now serves at the national co-chairman.
Ronan Plot, the Knesset's director-general, receiving an award from Special in Uniform from Jim and Jill Riola for his dedication to encourage organizations and government agencies to hire people with disabilities.
"I had never heard of Aleh Negev," she said. "Jim and I have no children, no disabilities in our family, but we were just so moved by what Doron has accomplished. After the luncheon Doron asked me to be on the Task Force on Disabilities and, if you've ever met him, you know there's no way you can say no to him. So, I joined a few months ago and this is my first mission."
Each committee and task force had its own specialized itinerary for the $1 Billion Roadmap Mission focusing on specific areas and JNF partners throughout Israel. Participants, representing 10 of approximately 20 dedicated task forces and committees, saw for themselves the work they help fund, and consulted with key organizational leaders on the ground to discuss future opportunities and existing challenges. These groups, comprised of people from across the U.S., are helping to realize JNF's vision on how best to enhance and grow the Negev and Galilee, where JNF plans to see the population expand by 500,000 and 300,000, respectively, by 2023.
(Kveller via JTA)-My son is 4 1/2, a delightful age when he is still full of sometimes grammatically incorrect sentences that provide a glimpse into the magical and unique way that children see the world. In everything, my husband and I look for teaching moments. Our policy is to tell the truth, even if we need to simplify it a little bit.
Like most first-generation Americans, he hears the words "when I was little..." from us a lot. It's followed by a comparison of how different his American childhood is from our Soviet childhoods: everything from toys and food, to freedom of religion and celebrating diversity.
Once we went to our local Chabad for a model matzah baking. At the end, the kids received real shmurah matzah, and the rabbi even mentioned to us that it comes from Dnepropetrovsk, in Ukraine. (When I was little, there were no matzah bakeries in Dnepropetrovsk.) That morning, as I was getting my tortilla out of the fridge, I mentioned to Will that once Passover starts, I won't be eating any tortillas and we giggled about the difficulty of spreading peanut butter and jelly on matzah without breaking it.
Somewhat thoughtfully, Will remarked: "You'll probably be really sick of matzah by the end of Pesach! Aaaaaand, you can't have pancakes!"
Even though I was already risking being late for work, I decided that the moment was right to share my thoughts on Passover with my son since he had brought it up.
"You know what? You're right, by the end, I do miss real bread," I said. "But you know what else? I'm really happy when I eat matzah. It reminds me that I'm free to eat it and free to celebrate Pesach. Did you know that when I was little, we weren't allowed to?"
Aha! I saw the spark of interest in his eyes; my cue to continue.
"When I was little, and even when Grandma Yana was little, we weren't allowed to celebrate Pesach and eat matzah," I said. "In the Soviet Union, the government didn't want Jews to celebrate their holidays. We couldn't go to the library and learn to make matzah. And Jews couldn't even speak Yiddish in public. Can you imagine what it would be like if you were only allowed to speak Russian at home and never, ever outside?"
Confused surprise flashed across my son's face.
"Is that why everyone only remembers some words in Yiddish but not all?" he asked. "And is that why you want me to speak Russian? So I don't forget it like they forgot Yiddish?"
Bingo! A connection had been made. It was imperfect, but I'll take it.
I came back to eating matzah. Yes, I miss hametz by about Day 5. But the truth is, Passover is one of my favorite holidays precisely because it celebrates freedom. Freedom of my Jewish people from slavery, freedom of refugees/Americans by choice like us to be Jewish, and most recently, freedom of self-determination for Jews in Ukraine, who joined Ukrainians of all backgrounds to proclaim that they, too, want to live free of corruption and outside political influence.
My son is the new generation that will not know political oppression and religious suppression. He is the pure generation that hears about things so unthinkable to him that he probably assumes we exaggerate. Watching him grow up free and teaching him what it means to be Jewish is an honor and a joy. It is something I do openly, buying Jewish books in Barnes & Noble and celebrating holidays in public spaces.
These are such simple things, yet so unthinkable for my parents and grandparents. They managed to pass on what little they knew out of sight and with some apprehension. I eat matzah for them, to be reminded that Jewish freedom comes with a heavy price. But in today's America, passing on the significance of that freedom is both my luxury and my responsibility.
Olga Chernov-Gitin is a first-generation American who lives with her husband and two children in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
By Pamela Ruben
Ruth Darvin is a woman of firsts. In the 1960s the Philadelphia native was an early female systems engineer with IBM and then Westinghouse at a time when she recounts "one computer filled an entire room." After relocating to Florida with her late husband, Herb Darvin, she became one of the first volunteers with the Jewish Pavilion in the Oviedo-Winter Springs area. More than a decade later, Darvin serves as vice president of the Jewish Pavilion Executive Board as well the immediate past president of the Pavilion's Friends Board. The active volunteer continues to visit up to a dozen seniors bi-weekly, bringing her signature smile and a listening ear to just about every Jewish elder-care resident in East Seminole County, including residents of Arden Courts of Winter Springs, Brookdale Tuskawilla and Brookdale Oviedo, as well as Tuskawilla Nursing and Rehab Center.
Darvin was inspired to make elder visits, by her sister-in-law's mother, Ruby, who visited Ruth's aging parents and in-laws, Sarah and David Cohen and Vida Darvin, on a regular basis. While Ruth commuted between the Northeast and Florida as often as she could, she saw the impact that regular visits made on her parents as residents of a senior living community. When her parents passed away, she reached out to the Jewish Pavilion with the time and the desire to bring connection and companionship to elder-care residents within her own community.
When she first began volunteering, there was only one or two Jewish residents in elder-care homes in the Winter Springs/Oviedo area served by the Pavilion. In the last several years, Darvin has spent up to 3 hours at a time serving as a senior companion. She also regularly attends holiday services and Shabbats, and assists Judy Appleton, Pavilion Program Director for the East side of town, whenever she can.
While Darvin visits residents of all levels of care, she is known for her sensitivity and her ability to connect to memory care residents. She shares that she has learned how to relate to memory care patients through time and experience. "Often, I just listen to what they have to say," noted the dedicated volunteer. "If they speak in gibberish, I answer back the same way. They appreciate being accepted the way they are. Occasionally, I am treated to a moment of clarity and then we can chat like old friends." Darvin develops a close relationship with the seniors she visits, who become like family. One gentleman she visited for five years, couldn't recall her name, but always referred to her affectionately as "Princess."
Several years ago Darvin penned a letter to the Jewish Pavilion's Executive Director, Nancy Ludin, sharing another first she had experienced with a memory care whom she regularly visits. She wrote, "I have been visiting a man who has Alzheimers' Disease for about seven years at Arden Courts... As the years passed he became progressively worse until he only could speak gibberish. He constantly would clap his hands. I learned that I should mimic his words and motions, which I did.
"His caregivers liked to tell me that he never spoke or smiled at all-until I would come. When I was there he smiled all the time and also spoke in a constant stream.
"Last week when I greeted him we had our usual conversation and continually clapped our hands. Then all of sudden he put four words together-"YOU ARE THE BEST." It was like his brain was struck by lightning for an instant and he was able to clearly think as he did in the past. For the rest of my visit, he proceeded to say my first name over and over. When I said goodbye, he waved to me with a big smile on his face." Darvin added, "The visits of volunteers of the Jewish Pavilion are so meaningful. They bring warmth and happiness to so many elders. They share the holidays and Shabbat with them. They light up their life."
"While not every volunteer is comfortable working with dementia or Alzheimer's patients, Ruth brings out the best in the residents she visits in all levels of care. Visitors tend to drop off as residents lose their lucidity, but Ruth is a true friend, and has visited some residents for three, four and even five years. Her patient manner and her regular visits, week after week, year after year, provide these residents with a special friend they can count on," shared Director Ludin.
Last summer, Darvin experienced a senior living community from the other side, when she fell and fractured her wrist and her orbital socket. For three weeks she became the resident of the rehabilitation wing of one the same senior living communities that she regularly visits. Though Darvin had numerous and regular visitors, she found the lack of independence to be a challenge, and the reliance on others more than a bit frustrating. The experience caused her to gain additional compassion for the full-time residents she continued to spend time with, once she returned home and regained her physical health and driving independence.
Though a senior herself, Darvin remains young and active by staying connected. This community role model has taken her activism to the red carpet, serving as a volunteer model at the Jewish Pavilion's "Spring into Fashion Show" for the last two years. Still a "techie" after all these years, Darvin connects with her adult children, Bev Darvin (Fred Cwerner) of New Jersey and Howard Darvin (Amy) of Melbourne, as well as her four grandchildren (Arielle, Andrew, Cayla, Sarah) through email, skype, and Facebook. She is a Hadassah member, and is devoted to her weekly bridge and mah jong games, which came right to the doorstep of the facility while she rehabilitated from her injury.
How hard can making matzah be? Mix flour and water, and bake.
Actually, there are various ways that one can go about producing matzah-and the results are all a little different.
When you're standing in the supermarket just before the holiday trying to choose matzah, it might help to know what you are looking at. It's not just the orange box versus the blue box, or even hand-made versus machine-made. According to leading kashrut supervisors at the Star-K and Orthodox Union (OU) kosher-certification providers, there can be differences between the flour, the baking process, and even the time it takes for the matzah to be produced.
The flour
Rabbi David Stein, head of the Star-K in Israel, says the differences between matzah start even before the wheat is harvested. There are three types of flour: shmurah mi'sh'as k'tzirah (made from grains that have been supervised from the time of their harvesting until the actual baking of the matzah), shmurah mi'sh'as techina (made from wheat guarded from the time it is milled into flour), and shmurah mi'sh'as lisha (watched from the time the flour is mixed with water).
In all three cases, the "watching" aspect ("shmurah" in Hebrew) is meant to ensure that the wheat does not get wet and transform into chametz (a leavened product). The longer the grains are watched, the more kosher-and generally, the more expensive- the matzah will be.
Hand vs. machine
The most obvious difference between types of matzah is how the matzah is produced: hand and machine are the two most common types. Rabbi Moshe Elefant, chief operation officer of the OU's kashrut department, says hand-made matzah precisely reflects that description.
"This is the way it was always done before the advancement of machinery, and the way it is still done in many communities," Elefant says.
The reason that many people still opt for hand matzah is for the intention behind the process, explains Elefant. Not only is it a Torah commandment to eat matzah on Passover, but according to some opinions, the Torah requires us to perform the act of making matzah "l'shmah," for the sake of the mitzvah.
"Many people prefer hand matzah for the seder because the baker has to have that intent of making matzah and a machine does not have the ability to have intent," says Elefant.
Yet making matzah is an inexact science, Stein says, explaining that not all machine matzah or all hand matzah is made the same. "If you don't know where you are getting your hand matzah, it is better to get machine matzah," he says.
There are three types of machine matzah as far as the level of kashrut is concerned, but much more variation in hand matzah practices. Stein says the Jewish sages teach that it takes at least 18 minutes for matzah dough to become flour. The kashrut level of matzah changes depending on how careful the factory is about these 18 minutes.
In the most lenient factories-the so-called "regular" machine matzah factories-the matzah-making machine isn't cleaned almost all day long.
"Some regular factories will have someone standing there with a vacuum cleaner that will clean the dough as it falls off," says Stein. "Some don't, and the machine goes straight through the cycles without cleaning. Really, anything that falls would be botul ('insignificant' in Jewish law), but this is not the best situation."
The next level of machine matzah is 18-minute matzah. This is matzah produced in a factory where the machinery is designed to be dismantled and thoroughly cleaned every 18 minutes.
In either case, there is always a team of dough kneaders who ensure the dough not being fired is constantly needed; as long as the dough is being kneaded, it will never become chametz.
A final and strictest level is matzah "chabura." According to Stein, in this situation, all dough must make it into the oven within 18 minutes, whether or not it's being kneaded. After 18 minutes, the machinery and all of the tools, bowls, and other materials are thoroughly cleaned.
"These people make sure there is no chametz left over," says Stein. "The price of this level-and each different level-is significantly different."
Today, most machine matzah consumed around the world is imported from Israel, where there are dozens of matzah factories. Only one machine matzah factory-the facility of Manischewitz-exists in the United States, according to the OU.
Non-traditional traditions
There are some smaller communities, especially variant sects of Hasidim, that add extra levels of stringency to their matzah baking practices. For example, according to Stein, there are those who mill their matzah by hand.
"This is not a very popular chumra (stringency)," says Stein, noting that today this is mostly practiced by the Sanzer Hasidim of Kiryat Sanz, in the Israeli city of Netanya.
Another stringency is "kefirah shel yad," hand-reaped matzah.
Finally, there are those who hold that the matzah eaten at the seder must be made in the afternoon on the same day Passover starts. The holiday begins on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan, when the Passover sacrifice was brought to the Jewish Temple. The matzah being baked that afternoon models the time of the sacrifice. Such an enterprise requires great care.
"People who do this will start at chatzot (mid-day)," says Stein, who does this himself in his synagogue in Rehovot, Israel.
Alternatives
Today, there is a growing community of gluten-free individuals who cannot eat matzah made of wheat flour and water. For those people, oat matzah is produced. Stein says he knows of no hand-made oat matzah factories, but that the product is becoming plentiful on the grocery store shelves.
"It is very difficult to eat oat matzah if something isn't done to take the bitterness out," says Stein. "The oat matzah is very expensive."
Sephardim eat a softer version of Ashkenazi matzah. There is "nothing theoretically wrong with this," says Stein.
"Ashkenazim don't eat it because we are afraid. The Ashkenazi minhag (custom) is to eat only matzah that is crisp and thin," he says.
Egg matzah-which is no longer made with eggs, but rather with apple juice or grape juice, according to Elefant-is another type of matzah that Sephardim love and Ashkenazim should stay away from, unless there are extenuating circumstances.
"The halacha (Jewish law) says that other liquids mixed with chametz make the flour rise quicker," says Elefant. "Avoid it, if you don't have to have it." The same goes for chocolate-covered matzah.
"On Pesach, we try to avoid foods that are chametz or can become chametz with one exception: matzah," Elefant says with a chuckle.
He continues, "Pesach is a holiday of customs and traditions. Each family and community has its own traditions that are passed down from generation to generation. One thing remains consistent: matzah... The matzah we eat is forever."
The Jacksonvilles Main Public Library will host an overview of the Jewish history of the United States oldest European city, presented by the St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society. The presentation will be open to the public at no charge and will be held in the Lounge at 303, adjacent to the Laura Street entrance of the Main Library at 303 North Laura Street at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 22.
The presentation affords the Jewish Historical Society an opportunity to share new information about the Jews buried in the St. Augustine National Cemetery and the work being done to link Antonio Martinez Carvajal, the chief harbor pilot of St. Augustine in the 1570s to the Carvajal family of Mexico City whose family members were burned at the stake in the 1590s after having confessed under torture to participating in Jewish rituals.
For more information about the event, contact the St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society, Rabbi Merrill Shapiro, president, at Rabbi32164@gmail.com or 804-914-4460.
Sen. Ben Cardin speaking at a news conference with other leading Democratic senators at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Nov. 19, 2015.
WASHINGTON (JTA)-The top Democrat handling foreign relations in the Senate says he will endeavor to get Congress to reauthorize Iran sanctions before year's end, a key goal of pro-Israel activists.
"There's general agreement we have to extend the sanctions against Iran, and we need to do it before they expire at the end of this year, " Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told JTA on Thursday.
Last month Cardin toured Israel, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, where he met with leaders to discuss best methods of dealing with Iran in the post-nuclear deal environment.
Reauthorizing sanctions was the major request last week when a record 18,000 American Israel Public Affairs Committee activists ended a three-day conference in Washington with a day of Capitol Hill lobbying.
Yet in a move highly unusual for an AIPAC lobbying day, activists did not attach legislation to the request because Republicans and Democrats have yet to agree on a way forward post-Iran deal.
Pro-Israel Democrats like Cardin are caught between an Obama administration that shows little enthusiasm for anything that could be construed by Iran as a U.S. bid to undercut the deal and Republicans determined to toughen what they say has been a giveaway to Iran.
Cardin said he can get Democrats behind a simple reauthorization, adding it is needed to keep in effect sanctions the Obama administration say will "snap back" should Iran violate the deal. The deal offers sanctions relief in exchange for rollbacks in Iran's nuclear program.
"Speaking as the ranking Democrat on the committee, and on behalf of the Democrats, we could get it done quickly if we were to just do that part," he said, meaning a simple reauthorization of the sanctions, which were passed in 1996 and reauthorized in 2006. The sanctions must be renewed every 10 years.
Cardin said concerns about whether Iran would expand its influence in the region came up during his March 18-26 tour of the region in conversations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi King Salman and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the emir of Qatar.
"Israelis believe Iran will comply with the letter of the agreement as it relates to nuclear provisions," he said. ""They are very concerned it will push envelopes on ballistic missiles, on terrorism and on human rights."
The Obama administration says reauthorization is not required and is opposing it for now.
"It is not necessary to extend the Iran Sanctions Act at this time, as it does not expire until December 2016," a senior administration official told JTA. "Right now we are focused on ensuring that Iran adheres to its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA," the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the formal name for the Iran deal.
The official cited other laws that would snap back sanctions or penalize Iran for activities not directly related to the deal-for instance, its recent ballistic missile testing.
"We can do everything we need to do" under existing law, the official said.
Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, was unavailable for an interview, but his spokesman forwarded recent statements suggesting that he was not likely for now to back Cardin's straightforward reauthorization.
Any reauthorization legislation "must also deal appropriately with the waiver issue, because I believe President Obama used the Iran waivers in a manner that Congress never intended," he said last month.
The failure so far to strike a deal is notable in part because Corker and Cardin are known for their ability to compromise; they fashioned the agreement last year under which Congress considered the Iran deal. Cardin was one of four Democrats who joined Republicans in opposing the deal.
Likewise in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., its top Democrat, who often jointly sponsor legislation, have yet to do so to reauthorize the Iran sanctions.
Engel said in an interview that Democrats may have to compromise, being in the minority in both chambers.
"We need the reauthorization for sure," he said. "The Republicans want a little bit more, and they do have the majority in both houses. We want to pass things."
Royce was unavailable for comment, but his office provided a recent statement in which he joined Engel in saying they were working to reauthorize the Iran Sanctions Act.
The grappling over how and whether to reauthorize the sanctions act comes as Congress and the administration contend with how to deal with other Iranian actions, including backing for terrorism and recent ballistic missile tests, which violate U.N. Security Council resolutions.
The administration, under pressure to react to the missile tests, last week sanctioned two entities involved in launching the missiles, an industrial group and the Revolutionary Guard Corps missile command. Such sanctions make it harder for the entities to trade in dollars or for individuals attached to the entities to travel.
Republicans and some Democrats want more; two of the Republican presidential candidates, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, have cited the tests as reason for the United States to abrogate the nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions. Royce and Engel say they want new congressional sanctions to target the missile program, and Cardin told JTA he also was considering new sanctions targeting the missile testing.
Lawmakers from both parties have also sought assurances from the administration regarding a report that it is considering allowing Iran to work around a ban, under sanctions still in place, on trading in dollars. The Associated Press earlier this week quoted Treasury officials as saying they are considering allowing such transactions to take place outside of Iran. That would facilitate trade for Iran, since the vast majority of foreign transactions include trading in dollars at some point.
Administration officials have hinted that in order for Iranians to feel the benefits of the nuclear deal, some sanctions may have to be eased.
The lawmakers, including top Democrats such as Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the minority whip in the House, say the workaround is a giveaway uncalled for by the nuclear deal.
"I do not support granting Iran any new relief without a corresponding concession," Hoyer said in a statement. "We lose leverage otherwise, and Iran receives something for free."
Cardin also discussed with Netanyahu the negotiations to extend the defense assistance agreement between Israel and the United States, due to expire in 2018, for another 10 years.
The Jerusalem Post reported this week that Netanyahu is delaying signing the new memorandum of understanding because he fears President Obama will use it to provide cover for moves at the United Nations to define the parameters of a two-state solution with the Palestinians.
Cardin said the report was groundless, and that he expected an agreement to be signed soon. He said talks were delayed only because the new defense assistance pact will include complex arrangements on sharing defense technologies, including in missile defense and combating tunneling, a form of warfare Hamas used against Israel in the 2014 Gaza Strip war.
By Jane Edelstein
More than 200 people recently attended the grand opening of Nate's Shul-the new home of Chabad of North Orlando. While dark clouds remained overhead, sunshine and smiles prevailed as children reveled in games and snacks and adults enjoyed conversation and camaraderie. And finally, the question of "who is Nate?" behind "Nate's Shul" was answered.
"We are honored to name our shul after Nathan Kaplan (Of Blessed Memory), who was the grandfather of Rabbi Chaim and Lauren," said Rabbi Majesky, who along with wife Chansky, serve as the spiritual leaders of the Chabad of North Orlando.
Rabbi Yanky and Chansky Majesky (r) presenting a hanging photograph of grandfather Nathan to the Thomas family. Lauren Thomas stands smiling in sunglasses on the far left.
"Rabbi Chaim and Lauren Thomas are true partners in everything we accomplish in our community," noted Rabbi Yanky Majesky
Three generations of the Thomas family, longtime members of the Jewish community who live in Longwood, mounted the stage to accept a special plaque, and to tell a few tales of Nathan's memorable life. Although not a particularly religious man in a ritual way, Nathan had a strong sense of Jewish history and tradition, and was very dedicated to Am Yisrael Chai.
"I can promise you that Nathan is (spiritually) here with us today, and kvelling without a doubt," noted Rabbi Majesky.
The event also included comments from various members of the Chabad community talking about their unique relationship with Chabad, from perspectives of education, religion, community-and just plain fun. The ceremony also featured City of Longwood Commissioner Ben Paris presenting a Welcome Proclamation to Rabbi Majesky and the community.
Two high school girls from Miami who went missing Saturday afternoon during a weekend trip to Orlando, Fla., with their school were found by search teams on Sunday and were on the way to a local hospital, where they will be reunited with their families.
A police helicopter spotted Brocha Katz and Rivkah Moshe, both 16 years old, who were last seen taking a walk together at the Caribe Resort. A rescue team was sent to an isolated spot in a densely forested swampland near the hotel where they were staying.
While they were only several thousand feet away from the hotel, it took the rescue team more than two hours to reach them.
Thank G d, the girls are back and have been reunited with their parents, said Rabbi Yosef Konikov, director of Chabad of South Orlando. They are generally OK, and theyre in an ambulance now on the way to the hospital. Obviously, everyone here is elated.
The girls families, who came up from Miami to Orlando when their children were reported missing, expressed their gratitude for everyone who was involved in the rescue.
How did the girls get lost so close to their hotel?
Apparently, the girls decided to take a walk around the lake, which is located right near the hotel, adjacent to the woods. The land around the lake was uneven and one girl accidentally slipped and fell into the lake. The other girl knew that her friend did not know how to swim and jumped into the water to help her out.
Once they were both out of the lake, they tried climbing back up to ground level, but found that it was too steep. The girls tried walking around the lake and found a spot to climb up that led into the woods.
Eventually the girls found themselves totally lost in the woods and it was already getting dark. They just kept walking all night, trying not to fall asleep. During their travels they saw a bear and plenty of other animals.
Police initially searched the forested areas around the resort with infrared-equipped helicopters and K-9 teams, but came up empty. Meanwhile, hundreds of volunteers gathered from Orlando and came up from Miami, where the girls are from, to assist in the search.
Eventually the girls came to a small clearing, where the helicopter that came in the morning spotted them. The helicopter dropped down a note to the girls upon spotting them.
Portions of this article were from Onlysimchas.com.
SAINT-DENIS, France (JTA)-After three firebombs hit the synagogue of this poor and heavily Muslim suburb of Paris, municipal authorities advised the local Jewish community to lower its profile.
Like dozens of attacks on French synagogues since 2000, the January 2009 incident at the Chabad House of Saint-Denis, which did not result in any injuries, was believed to have been Islamist extremists' retaliation for Israel's actions-that year against Hamas in Gaza.
"We were told by the mayor from the Communist Party that it would be prudent if we tone down our activities at least until things calm down in the Middle East," recalled Yisroel Belinow, who runs the Chabad House here with his wife, Rivky, and his brother, Mendel.
"We had absolutely no intention of complying," he said.
Instead of laying low, the Belinows that year produced Saint-Denis' first public community Passover seder, starting an annual tradition. Members of this besieged congregation say it succeeded because it reflects their unity in the face of rising anti-Semitic violence.
Each year since 2009, the Beth Chabad of Saint-Denis-a small building under constant army protection-welcomes about 100 congregants for a group seder dinner. It is led by Belinow, an introverted and soft-spoken man, and his more outgoing and older brother.
"It's the best answer we could come up with to the attack," Belinow said.
On the evening of Jan. 11, 2009, assailants ignited and hurled firebombs into the Chabad House kitchen. The fire charred the dining area but failed to catch because of a quick intervention by Mendel Belinow, who was inside the building. Belinow said police found 15 unignited firebombs in parts of the building, including a children's play corner. No one was convicted in the attack.
"The attack lasted an instant and made an impression for a few weeks. But the seders-they're now an annual event that's part of the definition of this community," Belinow told JTA during a community event last month in Saint-Denis.
Saint-Denis' 15,000 Jews are all that remains of a community that was halved after the 1980s, when many left for more affluent and safer areas. Jewish emigration from Saint-Denis increased in 2000 amid a surge in anti-Semitic attacks. Gradually estranged from areas where it became unsafe to wear a kippah, the Jews here joined a quiet exodus that has depleted Jewish communities north of Paris.
With 100 guests, attendance at public seders in this drab suburb is relatively high for France. The Chabad House of Toulouse, where 23,000 Jews live, gets similar and even lower attendance, which sometimes leads to the event's cancellation. And in Nice, where 20,000 Jews live, some 120 local Jews attend the local Chabad House's public seder, which is being prepared for the fifth consecutive year.
Group seders are less popular in France than elsewhere in Europe because it has a predominantly Sephardic community with "close family ties and a tradition of hospitality," said Avraham Weill, a Chabad emissary and chief rabbi of Toulouse. "People get invited to family seders, lowering demand for a public one."
Some of the Saint-Denis seder guests are poor Jews with no family in France, including Mordechai Elbaz, a 60-year-old former dope dealer who lives in a moldy two-room apartment. He plans to attend the seder this year with his only relative-a sister, who is on a visit from Israel.
Other Saint-Denis congregants choose the public seder over a family setting. Caroline Wildbaum, 47, a regular at the Mendels' Chabad House, has attended Saint-Denis seders with her four children, now aged 15 to 22, since the first year.
"I have a rather large family, so it's not like I come here not to feel alone," said Wildbaum, who lives in the nearby suburb of Sarcelles, a municipality known as "little Jerusalem" for its Jewish community of 60,000. "Having a seder here doesn't subtract from the family atmosphere, it amplifies it."
She added: "None of Sarcelles' synagogues offer this feeling of unity and family."
The Chabad House is now the only synagogue in Saint-Denis, which once boasted four. Drugs are sold openly at a local train station. Young, jobless gang members loiter there. In November, two suspected terrorists were killed here in a police raid on alleged perpetrators and accomplices tied to the terrorist attacks that month in Paris, which killed 130 people.
During the raid, the Jewish community of Saint-Denis went into lockdown for a few days. But true to his institution's ethos, Mendel Belinow vowed activities would only "increase in volume," starting with a public lighting of Hanukkah candles the following month.
At the Chabad House, congregants exchange hugs, kisses and back slaps. They call each other by their first names and address one another, including the rabbis, with the less formal pronoun "tu." Wildbaum sometimes teases the Brooklyn-born Rivky Belinow by calling her "my sister the princess" while playfully imitating her American accent.
Many credit the Belinows with generating this atmosphere.
"Mendel, with his fiery speeches and warm hugs, sets the tone," said Ascher Bouaziz, a physician in his 60s who has worked his whole professional life in Saint-Denis. "Yisroel is more reserved. His administrational skills keep the place ticking. And Rivky, her charm and sweetness just melts everyone who meets her. That's the secret to this place."
Yet some connect the social cohesion also to the external threats, which are "making Jews seek comfort in a community where members have exceptionally strong ties to one another," according to Irene Benhamou, a 59-year-old mother of two. "When you are surrounded by people who want to kill you, you find less time for bickering and formalities."
Her youngest son was threatened with a knife on the street last year in what she said was an anti-Semitic incident. It made her decide to move four months ago to Noisy-le-Grand, an affluent eastern suburb, but she still comes to Saint-Denis for community events.
For Bouaziz, this year's Saint-Denis seder may be his last. Next year he is planning to join the 20,000 French Jews who have immigrated to Israel since 2014.
"I don't feel safe here," he said. "When I retire I want to live where I can wear my kippah without inviting attack and army protection."
But Yisroel Belinow wryly jokes about the security arrangements at his synagogue.
"At every seder, there's one extra on top of the guest list," he said of the prophet Elijah, for whom room is traditionally left at the seder table. "The only difference here is that we have Elijah plus four French Legion soldiers."
With a few strokes of the pen, Wednesday, April 6, the landscape of Orlando was profoundly altered as Orlando Torah Academy (OTA) closed on their building. OTA is now the proud owner of a 17,000 sq. ft. building on a 1.5 acre campus. This dramatic new chapter in its history was precipitated by phenomenal and sustained growth since its inception. Founded almost 6 years ago with an enrollment of a mere 12 children, OTA has grown to almost 60 students this year. With new families already registering for next year, OTA is anticipating over 20 percent growth to more than 70 students from 1-year-olds through seventh grade for this coming academic year.
Orlando Torah Academy had been renting space for the past year and a half in a building off of Sand Lake Road and John Young Pkwy. A few months ago, the owner of the building, Larry Liner, a generous supporter of the school, approached the deans of OTA, Rabbi Yehuda Schepansky and Rabbi Avraham Wachsman, and told them that he had received a cash offer for $1.8mil to sell the building to a timeshare resale company. The school would have 60 days to find a new location. Knowing the difficulties inherent in finding a new school building on such short notice and, being the middle of the school year, the upheaval it would create in the continuity necessary for excellence in education, the rabbis said they would match the offer and buy the building. They were given until March 15 to raise all of the money.
The school immediately launched an urgent local and national campaign to raise $1.8 million. This was a task that many thought was unrealistic and well nigh impossible. The rabbis and the Board of Directors knew that if this was the necessary course for the school to take and the right thing to do, G-d would surely help the school succeed. Personal solicitations began and a mailing went out. In the course of a month a little over $200,000 was raised. The rabbis also met with Howard Lefkowitz to arrange getting a loan from the Jewish Capital Alliance of Central Florida (JCA). It was a good start, but with time running out a more radical approach was needed.
Ira Zlotowitz from Lakewood, N.J., and president and founder of Eastern Union Funding, was vacationing with his family in Orlando and spent Shabbos in the Jewish community in Dr. Phillips. Understanding the urgency and the critical need for a vibrant Jewish school in Orlando, Zlotowitz helped launch an international crowdfunding campaign. This campaign was particularly unique in its combination of interest free loans and donations.
As the rabbis continued to meet with people locally and across the country, the OTA story hit the national Jewish media. Donations and interest free loans began pouring in from all over the world. Jews, young and old were joining in. Even the young students of OTA were emptying their piggy banks to help the school. From $2 to $40,000, almost 1000 people from Orlando, around the country and around the world wanted to be a part of this historic and incredible campaign. Each day students and parents would watch the big screen in the OTA lobby as the numbers on the crowdfunding website continued to increase. The hand of G-d was clear to everyone and as the deadline arrived Orlando Torah Academy had raised $1,800,000.
Orlando Torah Academy's new building.
"This is a tremendous step in the development and growth of Orlando's Jewish community," said Rabbi Wachsman. "Orlando Torah Academy is unique in its diverse student body. OTA offers a challenging dual curriculum program that attracts Jewish children from across the spectrum of religious affiliation and traditions. The professional and experienced staff at OTA are both warm and caring and the parents feel part of a large family all working together towards the same goals and aspirations." The purchase of the entire building will allow the school to continue expanding, broadening its impact and enhancing its ability to fill the vital role of molding today's boys and girls into tomorrow's principled leaders and passionate role models. By providing the necessary space to add more classrooms, a most conducive environment for effective education can be introduced. In addition, the school would like to add a new computer and STEM lab, a commercial kitchen and build a playground.
For those that have not yet participated, there is still so much to be done. The children of Orlando Torah Academy offer a very bright future for Orlando.
For more details about how to get involved, to take a tour or see if OTA is right for your child please contact Rabbi Schepansky or Rabbi Wachsman at 407-270-4936.
Yesterday a group of students from New York University came to visit Karnei Shomron. They were on a semester in Israel program and as part of a course on religion and politics, they were interested in how religious beliefs affected the settlement movement. They also wanted to learn more about the partnership between Jews and Christians on the settlement issue.
I was eager to meet these young students but as soon as they entered, before I even had a chance to open my mouth and say anything, I was met by a feeling of distance, bordering on hostility. They were extremely polite and respectful, but seemed suspicious of what I had to say. After my talk, there was time for questions and answers but very few had questions. I could not help but wonder if they gained anything from my talk and what exactly they were interested in learning.
We then took a short walk in the community and discussion continued. I made the point that we were waiting for significant leaders in the Muslim world to condemn the terrorism and extremism represented by ISIS and other violent groups, to create a counter-movement that would attract young Muslims to a different vision of Islam than the one presented by radical groups and that is sweeping across Europe, gathering recruits and potential terrorists at an alarming rate.
One of the students identified herself as an American Muslim and argued with me. She insisted that most Muslims were not supportive of ISIS and that whenever terrorist attacks were perpetrated by Muslims, her community would hold prayer vigils and reach out to the general community with a different message. I responded that such activities were positive but would not influence behaviors in the Middle East. And I challenged her and the others: Where is the outrage expressed by a Muslim cleric on the streets of Gaza when Arabs are passing out candies in celebration of another Jew murdered in a terrorist attack? Where are the Muslim clerics who excommunicate or effectively disassociate themselves from the Muslim leaders who are preaching violence, terrorism and hatred?
The instructor then stepped in to cut off the discussion with the following statement: We all know there are many different narratives and we can discuss this further on the bus ride back.
We parted and they boarded their bus back to Tel Aviv. But as I left them I continued to ponder the significance of the instructors statement regarding narratives. I can well understand that there was no time to iron out the differences in opinion between myself and the group. But the instructor did not mention a lack of time. He talked about narratives.
Are there no longer facts? I referred to factual situationsthe distribution of candies and sweets on the streets of Gaza after 9-11 and subsequently, after numerous terrorist attacks against innocent Israelis. These incidents happened. They are fact. Can we no longer discuss the morality of incidents? Is it all relegated to narratives?
I am a Jew who lives in Israel. The Land of Israel is the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people and the Jewish people have come home to this land after nearly 2,000 years in exile. Is that a fact or a narrative?
Sometimes I feel as if I live in an ivory tower, cushioned and mercifully protected from the antagonism against Israel that is so prevalent in so many societies around the world. Universities are known to be hotbeds of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel sentiment. I am always deeply moved by accounts of students who participate in CUFI (Christians United For Israel) on Campus, as they recount the often harrowing experiences they have on their own campuses when they stand publicly for Israel. It must be so hard to stand up for what is right and true when so many around you are not even willing to acknowledge the facts that form the foundation of a pro-Israel opinion.
Israel is a very open society and our citizens have diverse opinions about so many things. But there are basic ideas that are part of the consensus. Zionism is part of our consensus. Even though there are some people on the far left of the political spectrum who are questioning the basics of Zionism, they remain a fringe. Soldiers who fight in the IDF are our boys and Israelis feel a camaraderie for one another, regardless of whether we are religious, traditional or secular. There are non-Jews in Israel who have chosen to partner with the Jewish people, who define themselves as Zionist or as proud Israelis, and they are welcomed and treated as brothers and fellow travelers.
When I encounter people from abroad who cannot even agree on the facts that underlie our national story, I am at a loss. How can I convince anyone of the rightness of our cause if they dont accept a single fact I present as truth? When we reduce disagreements to narratives, we can no longer argue points of view. If each person has his own narrative, there are no longer varying points of view about one story, but varying stories. We lose the ability to create consensus around one set of facts, one story. We lose the search for truth. And that is tragic.
Sondra Oster Baras is the director of Christian Friends of Israeli Communities Israeli Office. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, in an Orthodox Jewish home. She moved to Israel in 1984 and later moved to the Samarian town of Karnei Shomron were she and her husband raised five children. She is an advocate for the settlement movement.
(Rabbis Without Borders via JTA)There are two funny images I like to circulate this time every year as we approach the Passover holiday. The first is a cartoon of a truck with large text on the side reading Mortys Passover Cleaning. On the drivers side door is the word chametz inside a circle with line struck through it. Underneath the large Mortys Passover Cleaning text on the side of the truck it reads: Orthodox $89.95, Conservative $49.95; Reform $19.95.
The second image is of a persons office cubicle completely covered in aluminum foileven the desk chair, computer, keyboard and mouse. Most likely this photo was taken of the scene of an office prank, but I like to circulate it with the question, Do we go overboard when it comes to Pesach cleaning?
Lets look at the first photo. Is there some truth to this? I always maintain there has to be some truth to a joke for it to be funny, so lets say that on the whole, yes, Orthodox Jews would spend more money for Passover cleaning than Conservative Jews and Conservative Jews would spend more money for Passover cleaning than Reform Jews. Perhaps this image strikes us as offensive, but well unpack that in a moment.
I remember as a kid before we got granite countertops watching my mother cover all the countertops in tin foil and then redoing this process each morning of the holiday because some of the tin foil had ripped the night before, causing little sections of the white Formica counter to be revealed. This was done despite the fact that our house was completely spotless after having been thoroughly cleaned for the holiday. The thinking was that the counter is of a porous material and would have retained some of the hametz from the year, which would contaminate our Passover food.
We all spend exorbitant amounts of money on this eight-day holiday (only seven in Israel) to get special food that has been labeled kosher for Passover. We take spring cleaning to the next level, and then up a few more levels to make sure there is no hametz in our homes. We stockpile enough kosher for Passover food to feed an army, as if were planning to never return to a grocery store again or that the supply of matzah may run out.
Are our intentions misguided?
Most rabbis encourage congregants to fully embrace the strictures of Passover, and I certainly want everyone to observe the holiday with fervor and joy. But I question what can only be characterized as the intense OCD-like tenacity with which we tackle the minutiae of Passover observance.
After all, our ancestors in Europe werent buying kosher for Passover bottled water!
Rabbi Jason Miller is an educator, entrepreneur, social media expert and blogger. He is president of Access Computer Technology, a computer consulting firm based in Detroit, and is the founder-director of Kosher Michigan, a kosher certification agency.
A recent visit with a young Japanese friend, a paratrooper in the IDF, provided an insight into the nature of Israel and other places.
He said that fellow soldiers take him for Chinese or Korean, even though he explains that he comes from Japan.
Israelis do a lot of traveling. Its tough being cooped up in a small country with hostiles all around. We can reach Europe, depending on destination, with 30 minutes of flying (Cyprus), four hours (Italy or France), or five hours (Britain).
There are more than four million departures annually by Israelis, which is equivalent to half the population. The statistics dont distinguish between individuals. There are people who travel several times each year, and some who never leave. U.S. statistics show about 60 million departures, a far smaller percentage of 320 million.
Its common for IDF graduates to trek through Europe, the U.S., Latin America, India, and Thailand. There is relatively little travel to the Far East.
Just as Israelis have trouble distinguishing East Asians, outsiders have trouble comprehending the large number of ethnic groups among this countrys Jews.
American Jews who claim to know and love, or not to love this place, make a common mistake of lumping together the Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox. Nothing could be further from reality, and the error defines as deficient someone who claims to understand Israel. While the ultra-Orthodox seek to isolate themselves from the countrys institutions, except to exercise their weight in the Knesset to gain benefits, the Orthodox operate as super patriots. Ultra-Orthodox avoid the IDF like the plague, and shun as marriage partners for their daughters those who have served. Orthodox have surpassed the kibbutzim in providing disproportionately to elite units and the officer corps.
The two clusters of religious Jews approach the character of ethnic groups, due to their distinctive cultures and endogamy. That is, they tend to marry among themselves. Both also tend to stay within the Ashkenazi or Sephardi communities, in choosing their synagogues and their marriage partners. Some of the ultra-Orthodox Ashkenazi congregations limit their childrens marriage opportunities to other members of the same congregation, out of concern that followers of some other Rebbe, although Ashkenazim, cannot be proper Jews.
Some of the Ashkenazi schools among the ultra-Orthodox do what they can to exclude students from ultra-Orthodox Sephardi families, on the claim that their knowledge of religious law is not up to the Ashkenazi standard.
To be sure, the categories are open to individuals who move from one to another, or leave the inclusive category of religious for a life that is secular in large or part.
There appears to be an increasing tendency of ethnic mixture among secular Israelis. Government statistics show that 34 percent of Jewish couples have one partner born in Europe or America (i.e., most likely Ashkenazim) and another born in Africa or Asia. However, in more than one-half of the Jewish couples, both partners have been born in Israel, with no official report of their parents origins.
Israelis think in terms of ethnicity. Sephardim do less well in obtaining desirable employment than Ashkenazim, and claim discrimination. The accents and skin color of Russian-speakers and Ethiopians work against their chances. Romanians and Moroccans suffer from distinctive stereotypes, while Kurds and Iraqis (the latter being Jews with backgrounds in Baghdad or Bazra) score differently in socio-economic traits after three generations of living in Israel, despite both coming from Iraq. Those called Iraqis have higher levels of education and occupational achievements than Kurds or other groups coming from outside of Europe, perhaps reflecting earlier generations who served as administrators during British colonial rule in Iraq. We hear that they are the most German of Sephardi Israels.
Israels non-Jews also have their ethnic differences. Circassians came from the Caucuses, arguably outside of the Middle East; they are Muslim, but Arabic is not their mother tongue. The Druze mother tongue is Arabic, but they are not Muslim. Bedouin and those calling themselves Arabs or Palestinians are Muslims and speak Arabic. Each of these groups tend to be endogamous, with Druze asserting that none leave or enter their community. That claim may be more spiritual than real, but its hard to know across ethnic divides.
The American record is one of considerable success in absorbing European immigrants into its melting pot. Recent years have also shown considerable coupling between individuals of different races, but there remain distinct cultures of African Americans, Latinos, various clusters of South Asians and East Asians, and more recently Muslims that test what it means to be American.
Europeans have become significantly more heterogeneous since WWII, with values of inclusivity and openness in the lands that produced the Holocaust. On a visit to Freiburg, Germany, we passed by a kindergarten with a multi-cultural mural on its outside wall, showing a black, blond, and brown child, reflecting the kids in that university town.
Now, however, the issue of Islamic violence and streams of refugees from Middle Eastern and African chaos are testing Europeans values.
Tribalism is a synonym for ethnicity. Conceptual definitions are muddied, and controversial among those who object to the word tribe as suggesting something primitive. There are also the labels of clans, extended families, and hamulas, used for smaller units within tribes or ethnic groups.
All of these appear to greater or lesser degree throughout the world, often producing more serious problems than encountered by our Japanese friend whose colleagues in the IDF did not distinguish him from Chinese and Koreans.
Culture matters. Ethnic differences provide interesting and exciting encounters, and confusion as we try to understand one another. Some of them spill over from interesting to threatening.
Comments welcome
Ira Sharkansky (Emeritus)
Department of Political Science
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
irashark@gmail.com
For some, the members of the Israeli NGO calling itself Breaking the Silence (BTS) are whistleblowers and human rights activists; for others, they are a tiny group of dangerous messianists who tour the world promoting anonymous and false allegations of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) war crimes. The recent expose on Israels Channel 2 showing how they gather sensitive and potentially classified information on IDF tactics and equipmentfar removed from any human rights claimsincreased the suspicion and hostility with which they are viewed by many Israelis.
This debate is important, particularly when some college students in the U.S. are trying to push the BTS activists into Jewish and pro-Israel frameworks such as Hillel. In response, critics note that although BTS is a fringe group with a handful of activists, unfounded accusations against Israel feed BDS (the Boycott, Divestment Sanctions movement), demonization, and other forms of political warfare. BTS speakers allegations seem persuasive simply because they are Israelis, have served in the military, and look the part of righteous whistleblowers.
In these controversies, the details appear to get lost, while vague ideological perceptions take over. BTS supportersincluding the CEO of the New Israel Fund (NIF), a BTS core funderuse shut-down techniques, arguing that valid criticism of the group is a smear campaign.
The real problem with BTS is the money they have, provided by irresponsible donors, including European governments and the NIF. Together, these funders give over $1 million every year to BTS under the official facade of promoting human rights and international law among Israelis. These donations enable a handful of activists to buy influence completely disproportionate to their size in Israeli society. With this money, BTS holds events in churches, parliaments, and universities, promoting specious allegations of Israeli war crimes and other immoral acts. To make their arguments seem reasonable, BTS activists and their supporters systematically strip away the context of Palestinian terror and thousands of rocket attacks, leaving only a highly exaggerated and fictitious version of Israeli responses.
For the European governments, the kosher certificate provided by the NIF to BTS is enough to justify much larger grants, which go unsupervised and are renewed year after year. NGOs in general are a big business in Israel, and external funding for the radical political groups is very controversial. Due to its central role, the NIF is seen by many Israelis as a self-selected and externally based alternative government to Israels elected leadership, operating outside any of the democratic checks and balances. A small group of NIF officials meeting in total secrecy provide seed money, and help their NGOs file applications and gain access to the European state funders, which then increase the existing budget many times over.
For a significant part of the Israeli public, the powerful but undemocratic power of fringe groups like BTS, and the damage that they do in helping to demonize the Jewish state, has reached the boiling point. Responding to the unparalleled sums of money involved, and the secrecy that envelops European funding processes for Israeli political NGOs, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked advanced legislation aimed at making these donations more transparent. (It is important to note this law would not affect private donors like the NIF, which are inherently different than governments that infringe on Israels sovereignty.)
Whether or not the proposed Israeli legislation is passed, or instead, European governments negotiate guidelines with the government, this will not end the debate on American college campuses. In these cases, one option would be to demand that all such appearances and events with BTS and similar groups include an Israeli who served in the IDF and can present a very different picture. If necessary, the sponsoring organization will have to pay for the costs of ensuring a fair discussion. In that way, BTS will not be given the privileged position it currently enjoys, based on its $1 million budget, and instead of propaganda, college campus and other audiences will be able to hear different perspectives and decide for themselves.
Gerald M. Steinberg is a professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University and the president of NGO Monitor, a Jerusalem-based research institute.
No, the headline doesnt refer to Americas president.
Im referring to the president of the Palestinian Authority (PA), Mahmoud Abbas. But lets keep President Barack Obamas party, the Democrats, in mind as we examine the latest developments involving Abbas and his Fatah party.
Established in 1964long before there were any settlements or occupied territoriesFatah has long been the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and it carried out many of the PLOs most notorious terrorist massacres.
The 1972 Munich Olympics massacre was perpetrated by Fatah (using the fake name Black September). The 1978 Coastal Road Massacre of 37 innocent civilians, including the niece of a U.S. senator, was carried out by Fatah. So were many, many other infamous atrocities.
Yasser Arafat was chairman of both Fatah and the PLO; Abbas was his second in command with the nom de guerre of Abu Mazen. In a personal conversation with me, the late Yitzhak Rabin told me that Abbas was one of the terrorists surrounding Arafat. Since Arafats death, Abbas has been the leader of Fatah, the PLO, and the PA.
The U.S. State Department claimed after the signing of the 1993 Oslo Accords that Fatah has become moderate, and it was removed from the official U.S. list of terrorist groups. But Fatahs Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade has continued to carry out terrorism against Israelis to this day. Moreover, the official Fatah emblem still shows a map of all of Israel (not just the disputed territories) as Palestine, criss-crossed by hands holding rifles. Some moderates they are!
How has Abbass Fatah responded to the current wave of Palestinian stabbings of Israelis? By glorifying the stabbers and urging other Arabs to carry out knife attacks, too.
Think about that for a moment. Fatah is the party of the head of the PA. In other words, it is the Palestinian equivalent of what the Democratic party is in the U.S.the party of the head of the government. Can you imagine the reaction if the Democratic party publicly endorsed murdering civilians?
Here are a few samples of what Fatah has been saying about the terrorists and the stabbings:
On March 27, the official Fatah Twitter account posts an illustration of a large knife, with the skyline of Jerusalem on it, above the slogan, Israel is forcing the young Palestinians to follow this path to Jerusalem.
On March 9, Fatahs Facebook page posts an image of a huge hand holding a knife over a map of all of Israel. On the arm are the words The Heroic Martyr; the map is labeled Bashar Masalhathe name of the terrorist who recently stabbed to death an American tourist, Taylor Force.
Also on March 9, photos of three terrorists are posted on the Fatah Facebook page, over the slogan, Happy are the Martyrs. The three are the aforementioned Bashar Masalha; Fuad Kassab Al-Tamimi, who shot attacked and wounded two Israelis in Jerusalem the previous day; and Abd Al-Rahman Raddad, who stabbed an Israeli in Petach Tikva the previous day.
On March 8, the Fatah Facebook page posted this about Masalha, Al-Tamimi, and Raddad: O the pride of all O the pride of all of the young Palestinians, may your blood remain a source of true honor for the homeland for which you sacrificed alleven your precious lives. We promise you that your blood will continue to be a torch that illuminates our path, until we achieve what you died for as Martyrs. Your blood has taught us a lesson in the school of life.
These are just three samples of an enormous number of similar Fatah declarations, which have been exposed and translated by Palestinian Media Watch.
Now think about Fatahs declarations in American terms. Imagine if the Democratic partys Facebook page called the San Bernardino mass-murderers the pride of all young Americans. Imagine if Democratic party leaders hailed Dylann Roof (who carried out the South Carolina church massacre) as the Martyr, and promised that your blood will continue to be a torch that illuminates our path.
At a bare minimum, surely President Obama would have that Facebook page dismantled and would fire any party officials who praised the murderers.
Mahmoud Abbas, by contrast, has not penalized a single Fatah official for glorifying and inciting the stabbers. On the contrary, he himself has repeatedly praised the stabbers, has sent condolences to the families of stabbers who were killed in the act, and has even characterized the attacks as a peaceful popular uprising.
The Palestinians should be held to the same moral standards as everyone else. To suggest that they cant help it and therefore should be excused when they behave like this is, frankly, racist. There is nothing in their DNA that compels them to be murderers or inciters. Their presidents party should be judged by the exact same standards and criteria that we judge the American presidents party.
Where is the outrage from those who pressure Israel to make concessions to those who honor and praise terrorists?
Over the years, Ive spoken at or attended a number of academic conferences on the subject of rising anti-Semitism. Parleys like these are essential for boosting our understanding of why, seven decades after the end of the World War II, the taboo around anti-Semitic invectivewhether directed at Jews as Jews, or through code words like Zionistshas been broken. Historians, sociologists, and political scientists, along with scholars from similar disciplines, all play a decisive role in determining how the trajectory of anti-Semitism changes even as its core themes, like its implacable opposition to Jewish sovereignty and its dark warnings about powerful Jews working against the national interest, remain the same.
From April 2-6, all these topics again came under the spotlight at a major conference at the Indiana University Institute for the Study of Contemporary Anti-Semitism, under the able direction of Professor Alvin Rosenfeld. The papers being delivered suggested that the conference was digging deep into the weeds: Over four days, attendees discussed why anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism exercise little attraction in countries like Japan, India, and China; examining the manipulation of the Holocaust in public debates around Israel and Zionism; and revisiting, through such subjects as Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry of 1946 on the future of the land of Israel, the historical foundations of anti-Semitism in our own time.
All very interesting and perhaps even a little obscure, you might think, but dont make the mistake of believing that a conference like this one is a purely ivory tower affair. The very title of the conferenceAnti-Zionism, Anti-Semitism, and the Dynamics of Delegitimizationmakes clear what the conference organizers correctly regard as the heart of the current problem. Our goal is to open more eyes toward what is happening, Rosenfeld told The Algemeiner, to get more people to start paying attention to contemporary anti-Semitism and the role that hostility to Israel plays in generating it.
Thus do we come to the perennial question of whether anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. Its a question that is often put to me, and my brief answer is that historically, the two were distinct, but today, they are largely the same. The great scholar of anti-Semitism, Professor Robert Wistrich, whose sudden passing in 2015 robbed the academic community of one of its sharpest and most charismatic figures, put it much more precisely, and it is worth quoting in full:
Anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism are two distinct ideologies that over time (especially since the creation of Israel in 1948) have tended to converge, generally without undergoing a full merger. There have always been Bundists, Jewish communists, Reform Jews, and ultra-Orthodox Jews who strongly opposed Zionism without being Judeophobes. So, too, there are conservatives, liberals, and leftists in the West today who are pro-Palestinian, antagonistic toward Israel, and deeply distrustful of Zionism without crossing the line into anti- Semitism. There are also Israeli post-Zionists who object to the definition of Israel as an exclusively or even a predominantly Jewish state without feeling hostile toward Jews as such. There are others, too, who question whether Jews are really a nation; or who reject Zionism because they believe its accomplishment inevitably resulted in uprooting many Palestinians. None of these positions is intrinsically anti-Semitic in the sense of expressing opposition or hatred toward Jews as Jews. Nevertheless, I believe that the more radical forms of anti-Zionism that have emerged with renewed force in recent years do display unmistakable analogies to European anti-Semitism immediately preceding the Holocaust.
In this regard, Wistrich stressed the grim associations between the Nazi boycott of German Jews during the 1930s and the current Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) hate campaign targeting the Jewish state. It is these functional overlaps between old and new forms of anti-Semitism, rather than the stated intentions of those who engage in boycotts of Israel, that really matter. Put another way, most boycotters will, often at the same time, angrily deny that they are anti-Semites and insist that the charge of anti-Semitism is a meaningless smear designed to choke off free debate about the legitimacy of Israel. But what counts is how these political views are put into practice. Examine that and you will find, as recent research by the AMCHA Initiative watchdog group has revealed, a verifiable correlation between anti-Zionist activism and anti-Semitic outrages.
What AMCHA has shown is that the more exposed a university campus is to the propaganda of anti-Zionismthe slander that Israel is an apartheid state, the denial of Jewish indigeneity in the land of Israel, the celebration of Palestinian violence against Jews and Israelisthe more likely it is that Jewish students will face harassment. The fact that it is Jews living in the Diaspora, rather than the State of Israel itself, that are first in the line of BDS fire tells us a great deal about both the beliefs and tactics of this campaign.
Of course, campus bien-pensants will tell you that such data means nothing because the real challenge is not perceived anti-Jewish prejudice, but the hierarchy of oppression, which determines that Jews are the beneficiaries of white privilege. As Harvard University professor Larry Summers put it in a recent Washington Post column, on too many American campuses, [T]here is hypersensitivity to prejudice against most minority groups but what might be called hyper-insensitivity to anti-Semitism.
Yet the portents are changing, and for the better. Seven states in the U.S. have now passed legislation to counter any material impact that the BDS hate campaign might have. The Board of Regents of the University of California recently determined in a statement that there are anti-Semitic forms of anti-Zionism. While this manifestly doesnt mean that BDS advocacy is banned, it does stigmatize the underlying message as hate speech.
We need more of these victories against the anti-Semitic incarnation of anti-Zionism, and scholars of the phenomenon have a critical role to play. Our adversaries have, for too long, enjoyed an uncontested playing field upon which to stake their claim that opposing Zionism is duty towards global justice. Now, though, the triangle of pro-Israel advocacy, anti-BDS legislation, and further scholarly unmasking of this movements malicious aims is finally making its mark.
Ben Cohen, senior editor of TheTower.org & The Tower Magazine, writes a weekly column for JNS.org on Jewish affairs and Middle Eastern politics. His writings have been published in Commentary, the New York Post, Haaretz, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. He is the author of Some of My Best Friends: A Journey Through Twenty-First Century Antisemitism (Edition Critic, 2014).
HILLSBOROUGH A pair of rainbow flags has been stolen from a rural Orange County church about a week after a pair of similar banners were burned outside of the same church.
News outlets report that Hillsborough United Church of Christ reported the theft to the Orange County Sheriff's Office on Thursday and replaced the stolen flags with another new set.
The theft comes in the wake of church members finding the scorched remains of a pair of rainbow flags Saturday morning.
Rev. Jay Kennett says the banners were raised last month to support the LGBT community in the wake of House Bill 2, which prevents local and state governments from mandating protections for LGBT people in the private sector or at stores and restaurants.
Deputies are still investigating both the flag-burning and the theft.
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From rigid corsets to barely-there nylon briefs, a new exhibition at Londons Victoria and Albert Museum explores three centuries of underwear in Europe, focusing on Britains relationship with its most intimate garments.
Fashion and underwear are inextricably linked, Susanna Cordner, research assistant on the Underwear exhibition, told AFP.
Corset, cotton, whalebone, about 1890. Museum no. T.90-1984. (Victoria and Albert Museum, London)
Its like the chicken and the egg, one influences the other and its cyclical, she added.
Read: A smart underwear to get that perfect body posture
The show, which opens Saturday, comprises more than 200 pieces and will run until March 2017. The story begins in the 18th century with a look at the heavy undergarments of the time, made form natural fibres that allowed high-temperature washing and helped hygiene.
Close Trompe loeil corset dress, designed by Antonio Berardi, Spring/Summer 2009, worn by Gwyneth Paltrow. (Victoria and Albert Museum, London)
These were clamped in place by corsets that supported the bust and sculpted the silhouette, forming a solid base for dresses to be worn over.
One of the exhibitions centre-pieces -- a hand-made corset fashioned by an Englishwoman of modest means -- shows that such complex items were not confined to high-society, but had to be worn by all women for fear of upsetting moral sensibilities.
Mans top and pants, designed by Sibling, Spring/Summer 2013. (Victoria and Albert Museum, London)
The show also reveals how men also used corsets and other garments to provide support while playing sport and to flatter the shape, but not nearly to the extent of the women of the age.
See: Were talking lingerie (and lots of it)
A copy of a silk corset from 1890 boasts a 48 centimetre (19 inch) waist, compared to todays average of 71 centimetres (28 inches), and led to warnings from doctors and calls to ditch the restrictive garment.
Installation view of Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear. (Victoria and Albert Museum, London)
Other shape-defining garments on display include crinolines, the stiffened 19th-century petticoats that accentuated the hips and buttocks, but which had an unfortunate tendency to catch fire.
For men, a jockstrap, originally introduced for cyclists in the United States in 1887, shows how underwear was used to enhance the male figure.
Advertising poster designed by Hans Schleger for the Charnaux Patent Corset Co. Ltd, about 1936. (Victoria and Albert Museum, London)
Modern-day smalls on show reveal the importance of new, lighter fabrics in helping to produce less restrictive garments that hug the figure in a more natural fashion and are easier to maintain.
Read: Your guide to the prettiest, trendiest lingerie of 2016
Every period had different preoccupations and different technologies that they used to express those different times and styles, explained Cordner.
The story begins in the 18th century with a look at the heavy undergarments of the time, made form natural fibres that allowed high-temperature washing and helped hygiene. (AFP)
However, the second part of the exhibition shows how corsets have remained popular with designers such as Agent Provocateur, playing on the garments erotic undertones.
Other highlights include long cotton drawers worn by Queen Victorias mother, and flesh-coloured leggings decorated with a mirrored-glass fig leaf, designed by Vivienne Westwood.
The rivalry between the Congress and the Trinamool in West Bengal might cast a long shadow on the Opposition unity in Parliament, at least during the second the budget session due to start from April 25.
The Trinamool reacted sharply to Congress president Sonia Gandhis accusations during an election rally where she drew a parallel between West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
With the party launching a rare attack on the top Congress leadership, Trinamool sources said chances of supporting the Congress on key issues against the NDA government in Parliament, is unlikely, at least for the time being.
We are fighting against the Congress here. The Congress chief has actually launched a no-holds barred attack on us. How can they expect our help in Parliament? said a senior leader. The Opposition unity is crucial for the Congress as it can stall key bills or force the BJP to come at a negotiating table. Trinamool is the fourth largest party in Parliament and has 12 MPs in Rajya Sabha where the government is in minority.
We know why you said what you did today. The circle is now complete: Sonia and Modi are on the same side. Mamata Banerjee is on the other side. In Bengal your party is a facsimile of the Communists. In Delhi, you play along with the BJP government, Trinamools national spokesperson Derek OBrien said on Wednesday, responding to Gandhis political onslaught.
Trinamool had often lent crucial support to the Congress in Parliament. When 23 Congress MPs were suspended by Lok Sabha speaker, we had also walked out in protest, said a Trinamool MP.
The second budget session will also coincide with the ongoing assembly polls in West Bengal where the Congress and Trinamool are at loggerheads.
The Sonia-Modi arrangement is so neat, it has reduced national politics to a protection racket, said Derek.
Swara Bhaskar has made a mark in Bollywood by playing unconventional characters in movies like Tanu Weds Manu and Raanjhanaa. Her next, Nil Battey Sannata, will see her portray the role of a maid struggling to bring up her daughter. She feels, saves her from falling into the trap of doing stereotypical cinema.
She also believes that her ideals should reflect in the kind of work she chooses to do, be it films or theatre. The 28-year-old is known to not mince words when it comes to expressing her opinion.
Calling herself progressive and reckless at the same time, she says, I usually end up doing something I fear the most, but if its something I strongly feel about I will do it, said Bhaskar, who recently received a lot of flak for her open letter in support of Umar Khalid, the PhD student from Jawaharlal Nehru University, who was charged with sedition for raising anti-national slogans on campus.
Talking about the issue, she says, I believe in progressive politics and dont believe in being neutral. Appalled at what was going on in the country, I felt this was the only way to register my protest and at that time Kanhaiya or Khalid were not the heroes they are today.
The open letter became a Twitter sensation. I did not realise that it would mean falling out with my producers. I believe that I lost out on a National Award after I read something on those lines on an online portal where some sources confirmed the same, because of my take on the JNU sedition row. What could be worse (laughs)? says the JNU alumus, further adding that she will be more careful about her timing but doesnt regret having had her say in the matter.
Swara has a taste for protest poetry. She works with a motley group of actors, writers, directors, musicians and producers called Swaang, who share their videos on social media. She says she has a major problem with lyrics of Punjabi rap. I dont get what Yo Yo Honey Singh or other Punjabi rappers are trying to convey. I am okay with sexually explicit content and item numbers but I have a problem with people celebrating rape or other such violence, she signs off.
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Bollywood actor Sridevi has visited the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai to seek blessings along with her friends. She visited the temple on Thursday on the occasion of the Tamil New Year.
She took to Twitter on Friday to share some photographs of her visit with her fans.
In one photograph, see can be seen posing with a gods idol behind her. Feeling blessed at the Meenakshi temple, Madurai on Tamil New Year. A divine experience, she captioned the image.
Feeling blessed at the Meenakshi temple, Madurai on Tamil New Year. A divine experience. pic.twitter.com/UfB5x6fdot SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) April 15, 2016
In another image, she can be seen with her friends.
With my holy circle of friends at the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai. A fantastic visit and darshan on Tamil New Year, she wrote along with the image.
With my holy circle of friends at the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai. A fantastic visit and darshan on Tamil New Year. pic.twitter.com/muYC2IzuqY SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) April 15, 2016
This year marks the 125th anniversary of Pope Leo XIIIs encyclical Rerum Novarum and the beginning of the modern Catholic social encyclical tradition. In this landmark text, Leo courageously set out to examine the new things of his time, especially the changes associated with the Industrial Revolution. These included the emergence of an urbanized working class, the breakdown of old social hierarchies, and the rise of capitalism as well as ideologies such as socialism, liberalism, communism, and corporatism.
On April 20, 2016, Acton Institute is holding a free conference in Rome exploring similar themes. This conference on Freedom with Justice: Rerum Novarum and the New Things of Our Time will take place in Rome, Italy from 14:00-19:30 (GMT +2) at the Centro Congressi Roma Eventi Fontana di Trevi. Remote participation is also possible through the online Live Broadcast. Among the speakers will be Rev. Prof. Wojciech Giertych, OP, Professor and Theologian of the Papal Household. For more information about this event or to register, visit www.acton.org/Rome2016.
Acton Institutes director of research, Dr. Samuel Gregg, recently authored an article in Crisis Magazine which highlighted the radical character of Leo XIIIs attempt to engage the modern economic world:
Eighty-one year old men are not the first people who come to mind when we hear the word revolutionary. But 125 years ago, one such manVincenzo Pecci, better known to history as Pope Leo XIIIdid something radical. By issuing the first modern social encyclical, Rerum Novarum , he ushered in a new era for Catholicisms relationship with what we often call modernity, especially the world created by the Industrial Revolution and the upheaval in ideas precipitated by Adam Smiths Wealth of Nations . This wasnt the first occasion that Leo entered into discussions of political economy. His second encyclical, Quod Apostolici Muneris (1878), promulgated just 10 months into his pontificate dealt directly with the topic of socialism. Not mincing his words, Leo bluntly stated that socialismwhatever its formcorrupted the state, damaged the family, violated legitimate property rights, contradicted the commandment against theft, and, above all, was contrary to divine and natural law. Thats strong stuff. Yet, as Rerum Novarum illustrated, Pope Leo wasnt a libertarian. But then neither was Adam Smith, at least by contemporary standards. Certainly, Leo admired the French Catholic free market liberal, Frederic Bastiat (1801-1850), whos buried in Eglise Saint Louis des Francais in Rome. In a pastoral letter published only 18 months before being elected pope, the-then Cardinal Pecci of Perugia wrote: A celebrated French economist, Bastiat, has grouped and shown as in a picture the multiplied benefits man finds in society. That said, Leo was not blind to the social turmoil (or what the twentieth-century economist Joseph Schumpeter famously called creative destruction) thats part-and-parcel of capital-intensive market economies.
Read Greggs full piece A Revolutionary Pope for Revolutionary Times at Crisis Magazine. Again, for more information about this event or to register, visit www.acton.org/Rome2016.
Indian airlines in a tearing hurry to fit in more flights every day have received a rap on their knuckles from the aviation regulator.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked domestic carriers to have a realistic turnaround time (the time taken to make an aircraft ready for departure after it has landed) to avoid inconvenience to passengers. This comes after the regulator received several complaints from passengers on how airlines had been hurrying up disembarking procedures especially at the smaller airports.
There have been instances where people with a disability are still inside the aircraft waiting to disembark and the airline allows passengers to start boarding, said a DGCA official. There have been several cases where airlines begin boarding while the aircraft is still being cleaned. Cases have also been brought to our notice where passengers getting off have complained that there is no place for them to step out as the ladder is already blocked by passengers who are about to board, he said.
DGCA officials brought up this issue in a meeting on summer schedule slot coordination held on March 17 at the headquarters of the aviation ministry with airlines. Airlines were advised to follow a realistic turnaround time in view of safety and security considerations, said the minutes of the meeting.
More flights mean more revenue for an airline. A higher aircraft utilization is good but not at the cost of inconveniencing passengers, said another official.
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Indias Alkem Laboratories has been accused by Germanys health regulator of fudging data on clinical trials of an antibiotic and brain disorder drug, becoming the third Indian firm to be scrutinised since 2014 for suspected manipulation of trial data.
The medicines are now being reviewed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on the recommendation of the German regulator, which inspected Alkems Taloja plant in western India last March.
Alkem was found to have engaged in intentional misrepresentation of data and duplicated results of electrocardiogram (ECG) readings of patients in trials, the German regulator said in a notice sent to the EMA on March 24, 2016.
The notice and other information on the review dated April 1 was seen by Reuters on the EMA website on Friday.
In recent years, Indias GVK Biosciences and Quest Lifesciences were found to have duplicated ECG data, resulting in the withdrawal of approvals for hundreds of drugs last year.
The EMA said it was assessing the benefit-risk of certain medicines that had received marketing approval based on trials conducted by Alkem between March 2013 and March 2015.
The drugs include the antibiotic cefuroxime and rulizole, used to treat the neurological disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, sold both by Alkem and Slovenias Krka, the EMA said. Alkem was conducting trials on the drugs for Krka.
The German regulator made Alkem aware of its findings on Sept. 8, 2015, according to the notice.
Mumbai-based Alkem did not immediately reply to requests for comment on Friday. It said last month that UK regulator MHRA had inspected the Taloja plant and made eight observations.
Krka did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
The German regulator said Alkems quality management system neither avoided nor detected the data manipulation. The regulator has urged the EMA, the medicines regulator for the European Union, to take necessary action and consider if impacted drugs need to be suspended or recalled.
Alkem, one of the fastest-growing drugmakers in India, debuted on Indian stock exchanges in December, raising more than $200 million in an offering that received an overwhelming response from investors. Since the listing, its shares have dipped 3 percent.
Apart from conducting clinical trials for drug companies, it sells generic versions of medicines ranging from anti-infectives, anti-diabetics and anti-malaria drugs to 55 countries, including United States and Europe.
The EMAs opinion will be considered by the European Commission, which will take a final decision on the medicines, the EMA said.
The three-year-old Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) has its days numbered. The Rs 1,000-crore experiment of the previous UPA government has remained a non-starter, and the Modi government is keen to merge it with another public sector lender, sources said. However, the issue could turn into a political war between BJP and Opposition Congress.
While the Centre is looking for an appropriate merger partner for BMB, former finance minister P Chidambaram, who was part of the launch team, said the decision to merge BMB with another bank will be a terrible idea.
I hope the idea is not being killed because it was launched by the UPA, Chidambaram told HT through a text message, when asked about the current governments decision.
Soon after the launch of BMB, a majority of lenders, both public and private, introduced their own all-women branches, and even came out with special products for women.
The uniqueness of BMB was lost soon after its launch as most other banks came up with the same model within their own business space...however, it wasnt possible for these banks, including BMB, to continue with this model... BMB has customers who are men, employees who are men... so how do you differentiate? said Ashvin Parekh, managing partner, APA Services.
Top officials of the bank have urged the government to take the final call on the fate of the lender at the earliest, as the uncertainty is impacting business and morale of employees.
A final decision on the banks fate needs to be taken very quickly as reports of the merger is impacting our employees and customerswho will come to the bank, if there is uncertainty, said SM Swathi, executive director, BMB.
The Banks Board Bureau (BBB), which came into force from April 1, is looking for a match for the lender.
However, senior officials, who have been with BMB since its inception, questioned the decision. On one hand several new licences are being issued for setting up banks and on the other, this banks future seems uncertain..when the country needs more banks especially to handle niche businesses, what is the problem in continuing with BMB? an official questioned.
Launched in 2013 by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, BMB currently has around 56 branches. However, the bank has not been able to make much of a dent in the market. Total advances stood at Rs 446 crore as on September 30, 2015, while deposits amounted to Rs 920 crore.
The bank also offers insurance products for women like Nirbhaya primarily a maternity cover and Sakhee targeted at the rural women, besides Komal Kali a recurring deposit scheme for the girl child. It is running without a chairperson since August.
We are looking at all options and a decision will be taken soon, a senior finance ministry official said.
The bank, with zero non-performing assets (NPAs) loans that do not yield returns will not have a problem in finding a taker, the BMB official said.
According to earlier reports, the finance ministry was considering a proposal to merge BMB with State Bank of India (SBI), though no decision was taken. When asked about the merger proposal, SBI chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya had said at that time: I have not been approached on this...I think this is something they are discussing at the Cabinet... Bharatiya Mahila Bank has `1,000-crore capital and their loan book must be Rs 150-200 crore and zero non-performing assets along with very few branches. So it is really a very small entity as of now. So well see.
Sources, however, said a merger proposal with SBI would be examined carefully before a final decision is taken.
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Indias exports which have fallen for 15 straight months till now are likely to end below the lowered $260-billion target for this fiscal, said a senior commerce ministry official.
The target was set at $300 billion at the beginning of the last financial year. The next fiscal, however, is expected to be better, the official added.
The case of plunging exports has been a global trend which is why the government is not feeling the pinch. Finance ministry is not bothered till the current account deficit is in control and even if the commerce ministry is approaching with ideas to bail out falling exports, it is not bothered, the official said.
Indias merchandise exports fell by 5.7% to $20.7 billion in February this year. The figures for March are expected later this week.
Last week World Trade Organisation cut its global trade growth forecast to 2.8% from 3.9% earlier on account of slowdown in emerging economies and financial volatility. This wasnt good news for India as it is aiming to increase its share in the global trade to 3.5% from the current 2% now by 2020, by when it also aims to double its exports to $900 billion.
Meanwhile, India is exploring bilateral trade deals with Iran and UAE.
UAE is our biggest trading partner. Similarly, Iran is important as India imports a huge amount of crude oil and exports essential commodities to the country. Thus, new trade deals are the way forward to growth, the official added.
A pre-primary favourite for a partys nomination to contest the November elections isnt convinced the principal rival is faithful to the cause: Im not even sure he is one. Hes running as one. So I dont know quite how to characterise him, went the charge. The opposing camp, meanwhile, warns the frontrunner not to destroy the party to satisfy personal ambition. Theres much chatter concerning convention chaos.
If youre starting to scowl over the prospect of yet another analysis on the Trump train derailing the Republicans, you are thinking off-track. In recent days, Hillary Clinton has been feeling the Bern and questioned Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders claim to fly the Democratic Party banner. His campaign adviser ticked her off for mouthing off. One recent poll shows nearly a quarter of Sanders supporters wont back Clinton in the general. If Democrats thought they could sit by and munch popcorn (or quinoa) while the Republicans ate their own, now theyre getting indigestion over their own party making a meal of getting a nominee.
Read | Rivals Clinton, Sanders tied in support among Democrats: Poll
This is the latest chapter in the most bizarre presidential election cycle in America in decades, one where even New York, which rarely sees hard fought contests, has begun to matter.
That, of course, refers to the primary in the Empire State on April 19. Bernie Sanders met Brooklyn hipsters, Ted Cruz met with Bronx cheers, the Trump rail rolled into Long Island and Hillary Clinton fumbled her swipe into the NYC subway. It isnt as if politicians dont make a beeline for New York, but its usually for its eponymous city, to midtown and lower Manhattan, fund-raising central, where blue bilious billionaires adhere like barnacles. Those are the people presidential contenders abuse in public and amuse in private.
Read | Trump blasts rigged rules on picking Republican delegates
In a way, New Yorks recent relevance is fitting since three of the main remaining participants are, in various ways, natives. Sanders is the liberal New York Jew, the fauna that flourishes on the Upper West Side. Despite his decades in Vermont, he hasnt quite lost that New York accent. Clinton is the Midwestern carpetbagger (by way of Little Rock, Arkansas), who pretends to be at home in Harlem even if she cant quite swipe a Metrocard, the ubiquitous pass for the subway system. Trump, of course, remains a denizen, displaying the sort of brazenness that makes it the city of hucksters on the make. The outsiders Cruz and Kasich have as much chance of cracking the code as they have of finding parking downtown on a weekday. Thats, at least, the city; theres also the rest of the state, succinctly dismissed as Upstate, that expanse between NYC and Niagara Falls.
Not that New York oughtnt to matter. But in this game of democracy gone wild, states that are a gimme for a party or a candidate often draw as much electoral interest as sunbathing during a Delhi summer. While there are arguments that the process allows insurgent candidates to dethrone the anointed (see Clinton, Hillary, 2008 and Bush, Jeb 2016), it has progressed this time into a mandate for madness. Primary voters may have cast their ballots in their millions, but the nomination may actually depend on establishment rules. If a Donald Trump emerges with the most delegates but not enough to hit the magic number, a contested convention could chew him up. And if a Sanders wins eight out of nine contests, but still drowns in a deluge of superdelegates (party grandees at various levels), his supporters could take their case of sour grapes to the convention floor to whine about the injustice league.
Read | Howd US be under President Trump: Boston Globe mocks on frontpage
After two-and-a-half months of grassroots voters turning up, you may well have a high command dictating the outcome.
Meanwhile, the primaries could continue to matter all the way to June 7, a day when the calendar includes California. If it gets that far, both parties should seriously consider cancelling the primary process and instead taking to holding an awards night in Los Angeles and have a jury give a statuette to the best performer in the role of presidential candidate.
(Anirudh Bhattacharyya is a Toronto-based commentator on American affairs. The views expressed are personal)
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The Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board (UEPPCB) fears that the Ganga pollution may rise manifold during the Char Dham yatra which begins next month.
The boards main concern is that hotels, ashrams and lodges along the Char Dham route (Rishikesh, Haridwar and Garhwal) continue to dump their waste into the Ganga despite restrictions and the volume might increase by 70% when they reach the capacity during the yatra. Over six lakh pilgrims go on the Char Dham pilgrimage every year.
Board member secretary Vinod Singhal, however, was hopeful that the state government would support the board in environment compliance.
Read | More biometric centres for pilgrim registration on Char Dham routes
A pollution survey report submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) last month revealed that at least 1,500 hotels and ashrams are dumping waste in the Ganga besides 60 industries in Haridwar and nearby areas along the river. The situation might become complex as the sewage treatment plants along the river are under capacity, officials said. Peyjal Nigam project engineer VK Goel said Haridwar needed at least a treatment plant with an additional 15 MLD treatment capacity and Rishikesh and Garhwal with over 20 MLD capacity.
According to the tribunal, In Uttarakhand alone, daily sewage output into the river is 142.99 MLD whereas contribution from trade effluents from grossly polluting industries is 7 MLD and treated and untreated effluent from other industries is 67 MLD.
In Haridwar, the Jagjitpur has a capacity of only 18 MLD and it receives over 45 MLD waste daily. Same is the case in Sarai.
In Rishikesh, only a 6 MLD plant is running at Lakadghat. In Garhwal there are two STPs-Tapovan (3MLD) and Swargashram (3.50 MLD). All of them are under capacity plants which might prove ineffective during the yatra, officials said.
However, hoteliers blame it on the government. Its the urban body that has to come up with STPs and not individual hotels and ashrams, Sunil Gulati of Ellbe hotels said.
Action so far
The board has already sealed three hotels early this year that didnt obtain the non-objection certificate which is mandatory under Section 25 of The Water (Prevention and Control Pollution) Act, 1974. At least five ashrams have been found to be violating the section. The board has slapped notices on 15 hotels having more than 50 rooms for not disposing their sewage waste as per the prescribed norms. They have been asked to reply on April 15.
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A section of auto and taxi unions have given a call for a one-day strike on Monday, to protest against app-based cab services, a move which may cause hardship to commuters in the national capital.
Rajendra Soni, who is general secretary of both Delhi Autorickshaw Sangh and Delhi Pradesh Taxi Unions, said that autos and black-yellow taxis will not ply on the capitals roads on Monday.
Soni said the AAP government has so far not issued 10,000 new permits of autorickshaws which it had cancelled after alleged irregularities in their distribution.
On one hand, government talks about strengthening public transport, but on the other hand it has not issued 10,000 new permits of autos so far. Besides, we have also been demanding to stop app-based taxis as their operation is illegal. They are snatching our livelihood.
When we had met Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai on March 14, he had assured us to fulfil our demands within next 15 days, but till now, no decision has been taken by the government, he said.
There are around 13,000 black-yellow taxis and around 81,000 autorickshaws plying on the streets of the capital.
If they go on strike, commuters may face hardships while using public transport as the fortnight-long odd-even scheme is already in place in the capital.
Earlier this week, a section of auto and taxi unions had taken out a protest march against the app-based taxi services in the Capital.
The Delhi government has banned the sale, purchase and storage of all forms of chewable tobacco, including gutkha, pan masala, khaini and zarda, in the national capital for one year.
The department of food safety had issued a notification on Wednesday in this regard.
According to the notification, unpackaged products of chewable tobacco, too, are covered under the ambit of the ban.
Read | Punjab bans manufacturing of gutkha, pan masala
The manufacture, storage, distribution, or sale of tobacco which is either flavoured, scented or mixed... and whether going by the name or form of gutka, pan, masala, flavoured/scented tobacco, kharra, or otherwise... whether packaged or unpackaged and/or sold as one product, or though packaged as separate products, sold or distributed in such manner so as to easily facilitate mixing by the consumer is prohibited for a period of one year, the notification stated.
Read | 85 pc pictorial warning on tobacco products in force from today
Health department officials said a notification was issued by Delhi government in September, 2012, in pursuance of a series of directions from Supreme Court for a ban on gutkha in the city. But since the term gutkha was used in that notification, tobacco retailers started selling the components of gutkha (betel nut and raw tobacco) in separate pouches, thus defeating the purpose behind the ban on gutkha.
The health department had, therefore, come up with a new proposal for banning all raw chewable tobacco products in Delhi, a senior official said.
The second phase of Delhis odd-even road-rationing scheme started on a bad note on Friday with particulate pollution far beyond permissible limits but the levels decreased as the day progressed.
Real-time data from monitoring stations of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee revealed poor readings on Friday morning . The levels of PM2.5 the tiniest and deadliest particulate matter that affects lungs and enters the blood stream, and PM10 slightly bigger in size -- were far beyond permissible limits .
This was despite the significant dip in vehicles on roads due to the odd-even scheme and a public holiday (Ram Navmi).
Air quality experts blamed the pollution on low wind speed.
The wind speed on Friday 8 am at RK Puram was 1 m/s. At noon, it went up to 2.8 m/s. Air pollution levels corresponded accordingly. According to Hindustan Times air pollution monitoring index PM 2.5 was 298 microgrammes per cubic metre at 8am but dropped to 62 microgrammes per cubic metre at noon. It further decreased to 48 microgrammes per cubic metre at 2 pm.
The permissible level of PM 2.5 is 60 per cubic metre while for PM10 it is 100 micrograms per cubic metre.
According to System of Air Pollution Monitoring and Forecasting (Safar) under the ministry of earth sciences, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi on Friday was 269 a poor rating that comes with the advisory that sensitive people may experience health effects.
On Thursday though, the AQI scaled a moderate rating of 101-200; the health advisory deems this acceptable for general public. The portal, however, had not updated its readings after 10 am.
The air quality for the past week has been in the moderate and satisfactory range- unusual for Delhi. Met officials have attributed this to high wind speed, in the range of 5 m/s and 8 m/s .
Delhi last year overtook Beijing as the city with the worst air in the world as per WHO rankings, in which 13 of the 20 most polluted cities were in India. The Delhi government brought in the odd-even scheme to tackle air pollution but the fickle weather made it difficult to understand its impact on air pollution.
Scientists are hoping the second phase of the scheme will help them understand the impact better as weather is more stable in April .
Former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Friday accused her successor Arvind Kejriwal of publicising the odd-even road rationing policy in a blatant attempt to fool people into believing that the formula was a raging success.
The second phase of the odd-even scheme began in the national capital on Friday and Kejriwal has called on the people to make it a success.
Odd even scheme returns: Live Coverage of Day 1
I really dont see any benefit here. This is nothing but inconvenience. They should have gone ahead with the programme only if they honestly thought it was a success. They should also ensure adequate transportation to people, which is not there right now. Half the buses are broken down, how are people supposed to travel now? Dikshit told ANI.
She further accused Kejriwal of going out of his way to publicise the scheme saying that the chief minister was trying to make the scheme sound like a one of a kind, never heard before formula.
They have publicised this to make it sound like it is out of this world and they have tried to create such an impression, but its clearly not working, Dikshit added.
Echoing similar sentiments, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Vijender Gupta told ANI that the Delhi government was not proving anything by implementing the formula only for 15 days and asserted that the odd-even scheme was not a permanent solution to the national capitals traffic woes.
Full Coverage: Breathe Delhi
The governments aim through this programme is not clear. This is all just a waste of effort and time and its not even a permanent solution. Its just time pass by the government. People are saying that they might have to buy another vehicle if this continues, Gupta said.
Kejriwal, however, found some support from Trinamool Congress spokesperson Derek O Brien, who wished him luck for the successful implantation of the scheme.
Rise & Shine #Delhi. Good luck @ArvindKejriwal & team for Chapter Two #oddeven Do what it takes, Brien tweeted.
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) have announced extra trains and buses to cope up with the rise in the numbers of commuters opting for public transport.
The chief minister has conceded the first phase didnt reduce pollution as expected but insisted the scheme freed up choked intersections and slashed traffic on Delhis busiest stretches. Kejriwal also said that public transport needs to be strengthened before the scheme could be implemented on a regular basis.
According to the scheme, private cars with registration numbers ending in odd digits will be allowed on odd dates and those ending in even digits will ply on even dates. The scheme is starting on Friday, April 15 and will end on April 30. The restrictions will be enforced from 8am to 8pm Monday through Saturday.
In pics: Fewer cars and more cops, Delhi roads see odd-even effects
VIPs, women drivers, CNG-certified vehicles, two-wheelers, those carrying the differently-abled, two-wheelers, and emergency vehicles are exempted from the scheme. The exemption will not apply to Delhi chief minister and his Cabinet colleagues as they have decided to abide by the rule.
Those found violating the scheme will be penalised with a fine of Rs. 2000.
About 5000 civil defence volunteers will be at various traffic intersections carrying placards explaining the rules to motorists.
The Aam Aadmi Party government had implemented the first phase of the radical initiative between January 1 and 15 to clean up Delhis toxic air, considered the worst in the world.
With the New York presidential primary only a few days away, most candidates are canvassing the state to drum up votes. But Bernie Sanders has taken a peculiar detour to Rome. (Not Rome, NY. The one in Italy.)
Sanders is delivering a 10-minute speech this morning at a Vatican conference hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Saint John Paul IIs encyclical, Centesimus Annus. Sanders will be speaking on economy and social justice.
In The Detroit News, Actons research director Samuel Gregg considers what Bernie might learn at the Vatican:
In Sanders case, the invitation is somewhat ironic, given that the text being commemorated by the conference is one of the papacys most explicit affirmations of the market economys moral legitimacy and economic effectiveness. Put simply, the pope wrote, on the level of individual nations and of international relations, the free market is the most efficient instrument for utilizing resources and effectively responding to needs. That cannot be easy for a self-described democratic socialist to hear.
And at The American Spectator, Kishore Jayabalan, director of Istituto Acton in Rome, says that while in Rome Sanders really should read up on Leo XIII and Pope St. John Paul:
At a very superficial first glance, and as Sanders himself has claimed, the Catholic Church would seem to support the candidates passionate quest for greater income equality and social harmony. Yet even his own supporters are blissfully unaware of what socialism is, and the nefarious means, as defined by the Italian theorist Antonio Grasmci, needed to achieve such objectives: the negation of private property, the traditional family and organized religion, especially Christianity. While socialists rarely mention these obstacles anymore, their overcoming remains necessary to achieve the socialist vision of a completely egalitarian society.
Unfortunately, Sanders wont be staying around in Rome long enough to attend a free conference sponsored by the Acton Institute next week. This conference on Freedom with Justice: Rerum Novarum and the New Things of Our Time will take place in Rome, Italy from 14:00-19:30 (GMT +2) on April 20 at the Centro Congressi Roma Eventi Fontana di Trevi. Remote participation is also possible through the online Live Broadcast. Among the speakers will be Rev. Prof. Wojciech Giertych, OP, Professor and Theologian of the Papal Household. For more information about this event or to register, visit www.acton.org/Rome2016.
Atul H Mehta was not keen on taking up mathematics and statistics during his higher studies and took up a course in company secretaryship instead after a friend advised him to do so. Today, he does not regret his decision and has achieved great success by becoming the president of Institute of Company Secretaries of India.
Over the years, his work has involved preparing project reports, identifying the potential market and clientele, getting reports vetted by banks or public finance institutions, applying for loans from financial institutions before disbursing that money to the shareholders of the company involved.
Company secretaries act like in-house lawyers, taking care of day-to-day functions/activities of corporate secretarial department in an organisation, says Mehta.
They are professionals who take care of governance-related issues in a company and also sign documents that are sent to regulators, including the ministry of corporate affairs, stock exchanges and Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
They are also responsible for conducting board meetings, preparing the agenda, issuing notices to the board of directors, following up orders for these meetings, and handling legal compliances of an organisation.
The job involves giving advice on conducting a business, dealing with situations involving conflict of interest, suggesting ways to prepare financial reports, and developing corporate strategy and assisting in planning.
Besides company law, there are several other laws applicable to organisations doing business. Companies with more than 20 employees are governed by a range of labour laws that include Minimum Wages Act, Bonus Act, Gratuity Act, Factory Act, Foreign Exchange Regulation Act etc. Company secretaries are required to deal with these as well.
Several SEBI regulations apply to a listed company. The regulator expects companies to get their quarterly results published in the media and ensure that they comply with these regulations. Most of these functions are taken care of by a company secretary employed with the firm, says Mehta.
Company secretaries are much sought after. Today, there is demand of approximately 7,000 company secretaries in India, he adds. Every listed company is required to have on its rolls a full-time CS as per Companies Act 2013. In India, there are about 10 lakh companies, out of which a lakh are private limited ones, of which 7,000 are listed in the stock market. About 1,000 of these 7,000 firms are large and are required to employ several these professionals.
When it comes to studying for becoming a company secretary, students must remember that about 90% of the CS syllabus consists of corporate law. Most of these laws also form part of the LLB course. A LLB qualification along with the CS course is an added advantage. Some of the skills that one requires to become a CS include an analytical mind, interest in case studies and laws of the country.
Career as a company secretary at a glance (HT Photo)
All you need to know about a career as a company secretary (HT Photo)
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Like a show stopper in a fashion show or a lead actor in a movie, every conference has a star speaker. At the 17th Global Development Networks Annual Global Development Conference, the celebrity speaker among an array of highly qualified academics and influential policymakers was Finnish educator, author and scholar Pasi Sahlberg. The topic of the conference, which was held in Lima on March 17 and 18, was Education for Development: Quality and Inclusion for Changing Global Human Capital Needs.
The world is talking about the Finnish school system. So I am keen to hear Sahlberg, one of the conference attendees, a professor in Britain, told me during the lunch on the first day at the rooftop cafeteria of the conference venue, Universidad del Pacifico. Its a holistic system that helps both high achieving and low achieving students achieve their best, she explained, as we went for a second helping of ceviche, a popular sea food dish.
The 57-year-old Sahlberg wears many hats: He has worked as a schoolteacher, teacher educator, researcher and policy adviser in Finland and has studied education systems and reforms around the world. His expertise includes school improvement, international education issues, classroom teaching and learning, and school leadership.
Sahlbergs best-seller book Finnish Lessons 2.0: What can the world learn from educational change in Finland is an account of how the northern European nation built its world-class education system in four decades. The book traces the evolution of the countrys education policy and highlights how they differ from the US and much of the rest of the world.
The Finnish story is a story of building a long-term improvement on commonly shared inspiring vision of the future of the school, political consensus, and professionalising the teaching profession, Sahlberg, who is currently a visiting Professor of Practice at Harvard Universitys Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, MA, told HT Education in Lima, Peru.
He added improvement in quality will only come when policymakers and educators realise that education is seen as part of social complex that is surrounded by other public policy sectors. One lesson from the Finnish system is that educational improvement takes time, we cannot rush it. Second, enhancing equity and equality of education has turned out to be the winning strategy in improving the quality of student learning, explained Sahlberg, who has been an adviser to many governments and international organisations.
Educational equity means early childhood education for all children, funding all schools so they can better serve those with special educational needs, access to health services for all children in all schools, and a national curriculum that insists that schools focus on the whole child rather than narrow academic achievement.
Thanks to this holistic education system that focuses on quality than quantity, Finnish students have been consistently scoring near the top in the Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA, for reading, mathematics and science.
The Finnish system has been independent evaluated by several organisations and academics. One such evaluation was done by Janet English, an American educator who is now using the Finnish teaching methods in her high school.
In her very engaging blog she writes that extensively about how teachers function in the system: Teachers aim to connect students emotionally and intellectually with the content. It is common for teachers to give students a choice in what they want to learn within the Core Curriculum.
Commenting on the Indian education system, where enrollments have reached almost 100% but learning levels have been poor, Sahlberg says, Increasing access eats resources that would be required to maintain or improve the quality of education. As it often happens the enrollment gains bring significantly more children to schools who would benefit from special education or more individualised educational approaches. When resources are scarce this will not be possible. Without investments in equity, quality of education most often suffers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently said that the government is planning to overhaul the education system. Hopefully, the focus this time around would finally be on quality than quantity.
Pasi Sahlberg is a Finnish educator, author and scholar . (Handout Image)
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She made headlines a week ago when home minister Rajnath Singh posted a tweet congratulating her for being part of a team that successfully decoded the deadly Zika virus, a critical advancement that will help in treatment. Meerut girl Devika Sirohi, a research scholar at Purdue University, US, is proud to be part of a team led by Purdue University researchers which is the first to determine the structure of the virus, which reveals insights critical to the development of effective antiviral treatments and vaccines.
The team also identified regions within the Zika virus structure where it differs from other flaviviruses, the family of viruses to which Zika belongs, that includes dengue, West Nile, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and tick-borne encephalitic viruses. Excerpts from an interview.
Tell us about yourself.
I was born in Meerut and finished my schooling there. I did my bachelors in biochemistry from University of Delhi and masters at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. I learned a variety of disciplines spanning immunology, cell biology, molecular biology and developmental neuroscience.
Currently, I am engaged in PhD research at Purdue University, US. The bulk of my PhD work is focused on dengue virus. I am the lead author and participated in multiple stages of the project including its initiation.
Read more: UP girl Devika Sirohi now a popular face after decoding Zika virus
Why did you choose to go abroad for higher studies? Why Purdue?
Purdue is an excellent place for doing basic and/or applied interdisciplinary research in a variety of areas. A lot of talented scientists supported by good infrastructure and a great learning environment, from what I had heard. I joined Dr Richard Kuhns laboratory and the opportunities for growth here have been tremendous. He is the director of the Purdue Institute for Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Diseases and head of Purdues Department of Biological Sciences.
How did you zero in on a college abroad?
Research, resources and faculty are what I looked at when I was zeroing in on a graduate school for PhD.
What is your research area and focus?
My research is focused on the structure and maturation of flaviviruses. Flaviviruses include pathogens such as dengue, West Nile, yellow fever and Zika virus and impact millions of people around the globe.
How was your experience being part of the research team that decoded Zika virus?
Given our experience with dengue and other flaviviruses, structure studies with Zika were a natural extension. We heavily relied on the expertise that Richard Kuhn, Michael Rossmann and Ted Piersons research groups have gained over many years of work with different flaviviruses. Purdue has state-of-the-art biological safety level II laboratories, cryo-electron microscopy facility and necessary infrastructure that made the structure studies feasible in a short time-frame. This was a collaborative project between Richard Kuhn and Michael Rossmann at Purdue University and Ted Pierson at National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The team also included Zhenguo Chen, Lei Sun and Thomas Klose, who are post-doctoral research associates at the university. Each person in the team brought with them their unique skill sets and contributed to the success of the project. Zika virus is a bag of unknowns and inspires tremendous scientific curiosity. We have just scratched the surface and we will continue our efforts to deepen our understanding of the virus.
Your future plans?
I plan to pursue research as a post-doctoral fellow after I defend my PhD thesis.
Do you wish to contribute to research in India as well?
My research interest lies in the field of infectious diseases; many of which are endemics in India. Therefore, I will be connected to research in India either directly or indirectly. Research in any country requires funds, infrastructure and opportunities.
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A British parliamentary panel has launched an inquiry after an immigration tribunal ruled as unlawful the deportation of nearly 48,000 non-EU students most of them Indians for allegedly passing a mandatory English language test fraudulently.
In a damning ruling in March, the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) allowed an appeal by two students accused of cheating in the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) conducted by a subsidiary of US-based ETS.
Senior Labour MP Keith Vaz, who chairs the home affairs committee of parliament, called it a devastating verdict and told the Home Office at a hearing on Tuesday that a full inquiry had been opened into the issue that led to thousands of innocent individuals being branded as cheats and deported.
It began in February 2014, when a sting operation by BBCs Panorama programme uncovered cheating, including the use of proxies to impersonate candidates in speaking and listening tests, and invigilators at a London centre providing answers.
The Home Office reacted by claiming its own investigation after the programme had revealed 46,000 invalid and questionable tests conducted by ETS, and suspended the company.
Extrapolating fraud uncovered in one London centre by the programme, the Home Office revoked the sponsorship licence of 60 institutions and detained or removed thousands of non-EU students and migrants who had obtained the TOEIC certificate at different centres. The actions affected genuine students who had not cheated.
Harsev Bains of the Indian Workers Association told Hindustan Times: Seventy per cent of the 48,000 affected were Indians. Due to their personal and national humiliation, many left of their own accord, the majority were deported.
The biggest disappointment was this was not briefed or highlighted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his (November) visit. I certainly hope the students will be adequately compensated. However, I would not be surprised if they choose not to come back to the UK after the way they were disgracefully treated.
A Home Office spokesperson said: We are very disappointed by the decision and are awaiting a copy of the full determination to consider next steps, including an appeal. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.
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The all-India ranking for higher education institutions in the country released by the human resource development (HRD) ministry last week is being seen as a big step in improving the quality of education imparted by Indian universities. It also aims to make these universities globally competitive. While 100 institutions each were ranked under the university and engineering categories, 50 each were ranked in management (research and teaching) and pharmacy (research and teaching) categories.
Prominent names missing from the list
One of the surprise elements was that some prominent institutions in different disciplines were missing in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). These include Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, National Law School of India University (Bengaluru), Faculty of Management Studies (Delhi), National Institute of Design (Ahmedabad), Mudra Institute of Communication (Ahmedabad), Indian Institute of Mass Communication (Delhi/Dhenkanal) and School of Planning and Architecture (Delhi and others).
The rankings were arrived at after detailed analysis and validation of the data submitted by more than 3,600 higher educational institutions in the country classified in six categories. These rankings followed an Indian approach, where an academic institute was assessed on parameters, including teaching-learning; research; collaborative practice and professional performance; graduate outcomes; placements; outreach and inclusive action and peer group perception. Each of these was subdivided into nearly 20 sub criteria to comprehensively assess an institution.
Citing reasons for prominent names not making the cut, Ashok Thakur, former secretary to the government of India, department of higher education, HRD ministry, says, This is the first year of NIRF and it is possible that many institutions, including some very good ones could not participate or could not upload complete information. For example, in the category of universities, though we have more than 740 in the country, only about 250 of them participated.
Read more: Ranking framework to help institutions, students and industry
Professor Surendra Prasad, who is part of the core committee involved in devising the ranking framework, says, NIRF has ranked only those institutions, which registered with it for ranking. Those who registered, were allowed to submit the data required for the rankings. Those who did not, were out of our loop. It was entirely their choice.
Karthick Sridhar, vice chairman, Indian Centre for Academic Rankings and Excellence Pvt Ltd, however, says, NIRF could have been more proactive in reaching out to institutions. Conducting workshops at regional levels, addressing queries, setting up a dedicated phone and email assistance service and engaging more closely with stakeholders so as to educate them on the requirements could have been done in a better way. Many technical universities felt handicapped as they were not aware if they were to participate as a university or an engineering college or both. The data requirements set forth by NIRF was way too demanding such as data of the last three years. There was no proper channel of communication between institutions and NIRF. All phone calls made to a particular number at National Board of Accreditation were either unanswered or queries redirected to UGC or AICTE. No one agency took complete charge and addressed the situation. In the process, many well-known institutions ignored the rankings and hence many not-so-well-known institutions got their chance under the sun.
Institutions cite their own reasons for not being able to make a mark on the NIRF. I think institutions like FMS have been clubbed with their parent university as FMS is not a standalone institute. It is a constituent component of University of Delhi. So the university has been ranked and not individual faculties and departments, says ML Singla, dean, Faculty of Management Studies.
Categories not exhaustive
Another aspect where there is scope for improvement in the NIRF is the number of categories under which institutions have been ranked. This number isnt exhaustive.
In the years to come, the number of categories will have to be increased in order to cater to various types of institutions as one can only compare apples with apples. For example, apart from subject-wise categories, even within the universities, the newer ones want separate parameters for ranking, which, to some extent, is understandable as their challenges are different from the established ones. As far as the overall parameters are concerned, these seem to be very relevant and adequate. In our country, even an engineering or a dental collage can don the mantle of a university to circumvent regulation. The national rankings can highlight such discrepancies and help separate the wheat from the chaff, says Thakur. Data from the Category B institutions in all domains continued to exhibit major inconsistencies despite NIRFs best efforts to remove them. It was decided, therefore, that no rankings be announced for Category B institutions this year. Similarly, due to non-representative participation in the domains of architecture and general degree colleges, no rankings were announced this year.
Data verification a big challenge
The general nature of the NIRF rankings also brings into question the verification of data. Prasad says, This was one of the biggest challenges for us operationally. Data-based objective rankings can be only as good as the quality of the underlying data. Enormous effort was spent on making sure that data are scrutinised carefully to remove as many inconsistencies as we could spot. We used some automation (statistical tools), but more importantly a large number of senior volunteers (without a conflict of interest) for this purpose. Wherever available, we used data from independent sources. Wherever data collected from institutions was used, they went through very strict scrutiny. Wherever we did not have confidence, we desisted from doing a ranking. That is another reason, we did not rank all categories.
Data vetting is the key in ranking institutions further. A random sampling method must be in process and any data that looks out of the ordinary must be reexamined. Technology must be employed at the highest level and government must seek support of agencies that have expertise in this area. Physical verification of infrastructure is out of question in a country that is so large and an education system that is so complex, adds Sridhar.
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Tabrez Noorani, a producer on the Academy Award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, will direct a movie on sex trafficking after first encountering victims of the trade in Los Angeles more than 10 years ago.
Love Sonia, which starts filming next week, will feature actress Freida Pinto, who starred in Slumdog Millionaire, with newcomer Mrunal Thakur in the lead role.
Read: Anupam Kher, Freida Pinto to feature in a film on sex-trafficking
This is a movie that found me, Noorani told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in Mumbai, where he is scouting for locations. Its a story that needs to be told, to show the plight of these girls, what they go through.
Noorani, whose production credits also include The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Life of Pi and Eat, Pray, Love, said his introduction to human trafficking was in Los Angeles in 2003, when some girls were found in a container shipped from China. One of the victims was a young Indian girl, he said.
The incident inspired Noorani to work with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) focused on trafficking in Los Angeles, as well as groups in India and Hong Kong. He has participated in several raids of brothels, he said.
He then spent years working on the screenplay. The film, which marks Nooranis directorial debut, tells the story of Sonia, a young Indian village girl who gets trapped in the global sex trade industry.
Securing investors was a challenge, he said. It took a long time. There arent many people who want to put money into something like this, he said. There havent been a lot of films on trafficking out there because it isnt such an easy, uplifting story.
Anupam Kher will co-star with Freida Pinto in Love Sonia.
Almost 36 million people are enslaved worldwide --trafficked into brothels, forced into manual labour, or even born into servitude, according to the Global Slavery Index. About half - 16 million - are in India.
India is both a destination and a transit country for women and children trafficked into sex trade. Many are from poor rural areas, lured with the promise of good jobs or marriage. Instead, they end up sold into prostitution in cities such as Mumbai.
Read: Anupam Kher starts shooting for the Wachowskis Netflix show Sense8
It is an unflinching look at the issue. Its something you cant water down because that would be unfair to the story, said David Womark, a producer on Life of Pi, who is producing Nooranis film.
But a great drama can highlight the human element of the problem, he said.
Actors Paul Dano, Manoj Bajpayee and Anupam Kher will also star in Love Sonia, which will be filmed in India, Hong Kong and Los Angeles. It comes on the heels of another film on trafficking, SOLD, which opened earlier this month. Featuring Gillian Anderson, it tells the story of a Nepali girl who is unwittingly sold by her impoverished parents to an Indian brothel.
Happy & Proud to be part of this amazing international film LOVE SONIA dir by Tabrez Noorani.:) https://t.co/jjzQ9VcyVd Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher) April 14, 2016
Amidst the gloom and despair of the sex trade industry, there is also hope, Noorani said. These women and girls - they are full of spirit. Some manage to break free and move on. Theres a lot of hope.
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Hail Ceasar! star Alden Ehrenreich is the frontrunner to play a young version of iconic character, Han Solo, in an upcoming Star Wars spin-off, set to be directed by The Lego Movies Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
Read the Star Wars The Force Awakens review here
Among 2,500 actors auditioning for the role, Ehrenreich made up the final shortlist along with Taron Egerton (Kingsman: The Secret Service) and Jack Reynor (Transformers: Age of Extinction).
Read: One of these three actors will play a young Han Solo
The 26-year-old Los Angeles native now leads the pack thanks to his impressive performance during a series of screen tests, reported Deadline.
Watch the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer here
Its worth noting that Ehrenreichs casting is not yet official and the coveted role could still go to another actor.
Read: More than 2500 actors have auditioned for the role of Han Solo
Written by Lawrence Kasdan and his son Jon, the still-untitled stand-alone Star Wars film will be an origin story about Han Solo and his best buddy Chewbacca. Filming is set to star next January for a May 25, 2018 release in the US.
Read: Harrison Ford to auction Han Solo jacket in aid of epileptic daughter
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At least 22 senior officials in the ministry of railways are under the scanner following the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) negative reports about them.
These officers belong to the Indian Railways North Eastern zone that covers Uttar Pradesh, western Bihar, and Uttarakhand.
After the anti-graft agency red-flagged their names, most of them have been removed from sensitive postings in which decisions involving monetary transactions are taken. Three officials continue to stay in their posts but their financial powers have been withdrawn.
One officer has been on sick leave for long, said a source.
Every year, the CBI prepares two lists that identify officers with doubtful integrity. The suspects names and other particulars are kept away from public glare but shared with their department heads for a discreet check on their activities.
The CBIs lists are prepared with inputs from the chief vigilance officers of central ministries, public sector units and undertakings. If an officer features in either of these lists, it has an adverse effect on their career.
The copies of the two lists are kept in the custody of the CBI and head of the concerned ministry, department or undertaking.
The purpose of the agency placing the officers on such a watch is not only to pre-empt their corruption, it can also begin a formal, open probe against them on receipt of adequate material evidence establishing any irregularity, said the source.
He or she can get removed from a sensitive posting immediately and if that is not possible, his or her financial powers would be taken away, said the source.
It can also blight the officers access to career-advancement opportunities and post-retirement jobs of commercial nature, added the source.
The Indian Railways runs 12,000 trains daily to carry over 23 million passengers, more than the combined population of Belgium and Hungary, across 8,000 stations in the country. There are 17 zones including the NER.
As part of its probe into the high-tech manipulations of Indian Railways static and Electronic In-Motion Weigh Bridges last April, the CBI had conducted raids on 65 nation-wide locations and subsequently registered four cases against private firms and unknown railways officials.
Last December, the agency had booked two senior officers of the Northern Railway, along with others, for alleged irregularities related to the supply of cheap packaged drinking water instead of the government-approved Rail Neer brand in premium trains.
A small settlement established four decades ago after a bloody movement by Left sympathisers on the India-Bhutan border in West Bengal is slowly moving away from the CPI(M) after years of unwavering support.
Lal Jhamela Basti was set up by local villagers who claimed their right to land was given away by the then Congress government to a private tea company in the early 1970s. The agitation was led by two CPI(M) youth Lal Somra Oraon and Jhamela Somra Oraon who clashed with police forces. Many CPI(M) workers were injured in the violence but the villagers were able to settle down in the area.
Each of the 329 families was given three bighas of land for free and the settlement was named after the two leaders. Lal Somra Oraon, now 80, tells HT that he still supports the CPI(M). He was once the CPI (M)s local committee secretary and used to head the CITU-affiliated Cha Bagan Mazdoor Union.
But more than 45 years later, Lal Jhamela Basti is no more a CPI(M) citadel. The area is decorated with Congress, TMC and BJP flags. Many of the settlements 1,325 voters say they may not vote for the Left when Nagrakata the assembly constituency the Basti falls under goes to the polls on April 17.
Lal is respected by everyone and leaders of different political parties make a beeline for him.
I cannot forget the miseries and pain we had to undergo during the Congress rule when we were fighting for the trade union and land rights, Lal says, adding he is still a CPI (M) member. But will he vote for the Congress with whom the CPI (M) has an alliance? As a loyal CPI (M) man I have to follow the partys instruction, he reluctantly says.
The incumbent Trinamool Congress is locked in a fight with an informal Left-Congress alliance and the BJP in the state.
Padam Rai of the CPI(M) who won the 2013 gram panchayat election from this village but switched to the Trinamool Congress admits the Left is losing support.
Joseph Munda, who won the last assembly election from the area, is the Congress candidate this time. Sukra Munda is the TMC nominee. The other hero of the struggle, Jhamela, is now a paralytic. It hurts when none from the party for which he sacrificed so much care for him, his wife Basanti says.
Jhamela greets visitors by trying to raise his right hand in the traditional style of Left cadre. Many political changes have come to the Basti but Jhamela is still a diehard CPI (M) supporter, Basanti says.
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A poster depicting newly-appointed Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya as Lord Krishna, other politicians including chief minister Akhilesh Yadav as one of the Kauravas and the state as Draupadi in Varanasi has triggered a controversy with the ruling Samajwadi Party accusing the saffron party of trying to tarnish the CMs image.
The poster, which went viral on social media, was released ahead of Mauryas first visit to the temple town.
CM Yadav, his cabinet colleague Azam Khan, Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi are shown disrobing UP.
The poster depicts a scene from the Mahabharata where Krishna rescues Draupadi from Duryodhana trying to disrobe her in the presence of her husbands, the Pandavas, and other members of the family.
A case was registered in Varanasi against BJP worker Rupesh Pandey who put up the poster, news agency ANI reported.
Read: From tea seller to state party chief, Keshav Maurya is BJPs face in UP
A poster depicting BJPs Uttar Pradesh chief Keshav Prasad Maurya as Lord Krishna has triggered a controversy.
Slogans on the poster read Rakshamam Keshawah or Save me Keshava, another name of Krishna, and Kaliyug mein Keshav updesh hi nahin dete ranbhoomi mein yudh bhi karte hain (In Kaliyuga, Krishna not only preaches but he also fights in the battleground).
The controversial poster shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi and national BJP president Amit Shah as well. It also carries the photograph of one Rupesh Pandey claiming to be a BJP worker.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has distanced itself from the poster saying it does not have any association with it and Maurya claimed he has no idea who Pandey is.
We have no idea from where this poster appeared. We will look into the matter. It has not been done by the party, media in-charge of the BJP in east UP Sanjay Bhardwaj said.
I have no idea about any such poster. I dont know from where it appeared and who created it. I have just come to know from you (media persons) about the poster issue. I have asked Kashi region BJP president Laxman Acharya to carry out a probe, Maurya said.
He said Acharya would submit the report within a week and action will be taken on the basis of probe report.
Pandey, however, claimed to be a diehard fan of Maurya and a dedicated worker of the BJP for last two and half decades.
I strongly believe that the BJP will do well under the leadership of Keshav Prasad Maurya in the upcoming elections. The party will certainly get UP rid of SP and BSPs caste-based politics. The BJP would form a government in the state, Pandey said.
Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in the state early next year.
Read: Aim to make the state SP-BSP free, says new UP BJP chief
Samajwadi Party city unit president Rajkumar Jaiswal lodged a complaint against Pandey for sticking the posters at various locations in the city and defaming the SP state chief at the Kotwali police station.
Jaiswal said the posters hurt the sentiments of Samajwadi Party workers and they would not tolerate the move.
SP workers burnt an effigy of Maurya near the BJP office in Gulab Bagh on Friday.
I am deeply hurt by such a depiction of my party leaders. The BJP is upset over the popularity of Akhilesh Yadav. That is why they are resorting to such acts. The public will teach the BJP a lesson in the upcoming assembly elections, SP district unit chief Satish Fauji said.
Kotwali police station inspector Sriprakash Gupta said a case has been registered against Pandey under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) following a complaint by SP leaders. He also said that a section of the information act has also been imposed in the complaint.
Gupta added that an investigation is on and action would be taken those found guilty.
A dispute over the Lake George Project's impact on the health of the Pascagoula River continues, with some observers challenging George County Board of Supervisors President Larry McDonald's recent statements on the issue.
The river's status came into the spotlight Tuesday, with a press conference at the Pascagoula River Audubon Center, where Gautier resident Nancy Blue talked about her feelings for the river. Blue's nomination led the American Rivers organization to include the Pascagoula River on its 2016 list of the most endangered rivers in the U.S.
Tuesday afternoon, The Mississippi Press received an email from George County Board of Supervisors President Larry McDonald characterizing statements reported from Tuesday morning press conference as "unjustified, unfair, and is honestly environmental fear mongering."
Blue had described the Lake George Project as "a real estate venture disguised as a way to protect our river from climate change." American Rivers cited impacts of the project's two dams on "one of the last undammed river systems ... in the lower 48 states."
McDonald took issue, saying, "The Lake George Project does not 'endanger' or pose an 'urgent' threat to the Pascagoula River."
McDonald continued, saying, "American Rivers should recall that in 2009 they listed the Pascagoula River as the 9th most endangered river because global warming was predicted to alter river flows and lower flows could have disastrous effects on the River's fragile ecosystem.
"The Lake George Project's main purpose is to provide enough water storage capacity to keep the Pascagoula River's flows above the drought levels which will directly benefit endangered species, the environment, and economic activities."
Since Tuesday, some have taken issue with McDonald's statements. On Wednesday, a Mississippi Press correspondent received an email from Ocean Springs resident Julia O'Neal stating, "The George County Supervisor (Board of Supervisors President) made that up about the 2009 report."
According to O'Neal, "That is NOT what the 2009 American Rivers listing said. Rather, the endangerment in 2009 was the threat of the Richton Salt domes being hollowed out and used for oil storage (both the danger of the salt traveling through the river to the Gulf, and the potential for oil leaks)" O'Neal quoted the report summary: "But this natural treasure could be lost if the U.S. Department of Energy uses the river to hollow out natural salt domes for future storage of 160 million barrels of oil under a project initiated under the Bush administration."
The full 2009 report can be found at
. Click here to read it:
The 2009 report clearly identifies the Richton salt dome project as threat that put the Pascagoula on American Rivers' most-endangered list that year. It includes one mention of global warming, arguing that the salt dome project would damage a river under stress: "With global warming already predicted to alter river flows in the Southeast, the double-blow of climatic-induced low flows and water withdrawals for the oil storage project could have disastrous effects on this fragile ecosystem."
"Politicians are famously loose with the truth, but McDonald's statement is fabricated out of thin air, simply to serve his real estate and business desires," wrote O'Neal. "(How many of the George County Board of Supervisors even "believe in" global warming?) He should not get away with this bald faced lie."
Ben Raines, senior reporter for al.com who covered the Pascagoula area years ago, stated, "I was the environment reporter for this area for 14 years and I remember when this project was first proposed. Those quotes from Larry McDonald are patently false."
An attempt on Thursday to reach McDonald for further comment had not drawn a response as of Friday morning.
Note: This story was updated at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 19, with the following response from McDonald:
"Opponents to the Lake George Project appear unable to discuss any part of this proposal without making personal attacks. The Board of Supervisors will not take part, or be intimidated, by these tactics.
South Mississippians can read and decide for themselves why American Rivers, in 2009, sited 'global warming' and 'low water flow' as threats to the Pascagoula River.
The Lake George Project's main purpose is to provide enough water storage capacity to keep the Pascagoula River's flows above the drought levels which will directly benefit endangered species, the environment, and economic activities.
The reality is that the Pascagoula River is changing. Three years of hydrologic and climate data collection indicate wide swings in water flow with droughts becoming more frequent and lasting longer on the Pascagoula River.
Why are opposition groups so scared of the Lake George Project going through the permitting process?
The Corps of Engineers and the State of Mississippi have comprehensive environmental review processes in place which are managed by highly qualified staff. There is no truth to the rumors of hidden development deals. In fact, it is impossible for any such hidden agendas to survive the permitting process. Once these agencies complete their reviews, all information will be open to the public."
Supervisor Larry McDonald
2016 Board President
Major Amit Deswal of the 21 Para, who was killed in an encounter with Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) militants in Manipurs Tamenglong district on Wednesday, was born on Army Day (January 15) in 1985.
He decided his career goal as a child and worked hard to achieve it, said his younger brother Sumit Dewal, talking to HT at the familys Sector 6 residence in Jhajjar, where they shifted last year.
People gathered at Major Amit Deswals house in Jhajjar on Thursday. (Manoj Dhaka/HT Photo)
Major Deswal followed in the footsteps of his father, a retired subedar major, to join the Indian Army. He is survived by his wife Neeta and three-year-old son Arjun. They along with his father Subedar Major Rishi Ram Deswal (retired) had gone to Manipur to visit him on April 6. Amits mother was alone to receive the news here. His younger brother was at Jamnagar when the news came in, said Ram Kumar, his uncle.
Promotion was due next year
His promotion was due next year. Even his posting orders had come, said Sumit. He was excellent in both academics and sports. He won many prizes during his commando course. He used to tell me about his achievements to motivate me, he said.
Major Deswal completed his schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya and later took admission in Delhi University for bachelors in commerce. He stood second in the merit list of the Indian Military Academy in 2005, released by the Union Public Service Commission. He was commissioned on June 10, 2006, in the regiment of artillery, from where his father retired in 2009. After several successful operations, he was selected for the special forces and later entered the elite unit of the army in 2011.
Major Deswal was given an important role in Manipur for Operation Hifazat-2 in January 2016. Taking leave from the operation, he last visited his home in February for one week to attend Sumits wedding.
He was born on the Army Day, and we knew he was meant to be an army man. Our father has already started teaching his son Arjun how to swim and is preparing him for the same career, said Sumit.
Sustained six bullet wounds
Major Deswal had sustained six bullet injuries, the post-mortem examination conducted on Thursday revealed. With other soldiers in his unit injured as well and there being bad weather in the region, Major Deswals body will be kept in Assam for Thursday night, where the army will pay tributes to him. The body will be flown to Delhi on Friday morning, from where it will be brought to his native village of Surehti in Jhajjar district, said Sumit.
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For 69-year-old Nirmala (name changed), having a special child was never a hardship until two years ago. Tragedy struck her household in July 2014. Her daughter, then 36, was raped by their security guard. Nirmala rues the fact that she could not reach home in time after her help left the house.
There was a time-gap of 40 minutes between her leaving and my reaching home. The accused had not left. I felt something strange in my daughters behaviour as I stepped into the house. There was an eerie silence and she refused to eat dinner. At night she kept screaming, says the mother, an expert in mother and child health.
Her daughter, a cerebral palsy patient, could not speak out that night. The disease has rendered the womans cognitive ability and communication skills to a six-year-old childs. The ability plummeted to that of a three-year-old after the incident.
Nirmala says her daughter opened up when they were on a road trip to Dehradun the next day. She kept crying in the bus and talked about some bad man. I kept asking her what he did and thats when she told me through actions, she claims. On reaching Dehradun, she took her for a medical test and got an FIR registered, which was later transferred to Delhi.
Nirmala then realised how unfriendly and insensitive the legal system in India is towards mentally-challenged people. Her experience began at the hospital itself.
The staff was untrained to handle the victim, she says. The Delhi Police reportedly refused to detain the culprit until the case was formally transferred.
There was no provision for a psychologist during the trial. She took one to the court on receiving a notice summoning her daughter to record her statement. My daughter was fluent with three languages but lost confidence post the incident. Her statement was recorded through an audio-visual and the psychologist translated her narrative to the judge, who refused to record it. He insisted my child speak and asked her to sing a song. My daughter broke down that led to an adjournment, she recalls, adding the judge warned that he would give bail to the accused on the next hearing.
Thereafter, Nirmala refused to take her daughter back to the court. The mother went to the court and informed the judge, this time a woman, that her daughter was recuperating after a surgery and had 22 stitches in her mouth. Despite showing surgery documents, the judge asked for a medical certificate.
Nirmala has moved the Supreme Court requesting her daughters case be tried under the special law meant for the welfare of a sexual abuse child victim. The petition is listed for a hearing on May 3 before Justice Dipak Misras bench.
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Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday ordered a probe into the killings of two rhinos, including one during the stay of Britains Prince William and Kate Middleton at Kaziranga National Park.
He asked TY Das, additional chief secretary, to investigate the killings and submit a report immediately.
Poachers had struck early Thursday morning in Kazirangas Burapahar range, sawing off the horn of a rhino after pumping it with 80 bullets from automatic weapons. The range had fewer guards to protect the animals, as some had gone to Bagori range 12 km away for a meeting of forest guards with the British royal couple, who had stayed Wednesday night at a resort in that range.
Officials said the chief minister also directed an anti-poaching special task force to intensify operations against poachers in the UNESCO World Heritage Site and evolve strategies to protect wildlife by taking locals into confidence.
The Duchess of Cambridge feeds a rhino calf during a visit to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) near Kaziranga National Park, Assam. (PTI Photo)
Poachers had killed another rhino three days before William and Kate had arrived. The royal couple had primarily come to see conservation measures undertaken in the 860 sq km national park, which is also a tiger reserve.
Read: Rhino killed, Assam park security during Wil-Kat visit questioned
Assam has lost more than 200 rhinos to poachers since January 2000. Most of the rhinos were killed in Kaziranga.
The other wildlife preserves that have lost rhinos are Orang National Park, Manas National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, which is often called mini Kaziranga.
The family members of Kirpal Singh, the Indian prisoner, who died under mysterious circumstances in a Lahore jail, have denied Pakistans claim that he died of a heart attack and demand post-mortem to ascertain the facts.
How can we believe that he died of heart attack? His body should be sent to us and post-mortem be done. We want to know the truth, nephew of Singh told ANI.
With India raising the issue of Singhs death, Pakistan has said that the Indian prisoner died of heart attack while asserting that it was not appropriate to see everything through the prism of suspicion and conspiracy.
The Indian prisoner Kirpal Singh died on April 11 due to heart attack. It is not appropriate to see everything through the prism of suspicion and conspiracy. He was kept in intensive care at the hospital but he could not survive, Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said.
Read: Pakistan says Kirpal Singh died of heart attack as India takes up issue
He said that Islamabad was in touch with the Indian High Commission with regard to handing over Singhs body.
We have communicated this information to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. We are in contact with the Ministry of Interior and the Indian High Commission with regard to transportation of dead body back to India, he added.
Read: Family seeks Kejriwals help to get Kirpal Singhs body from Pakistan
Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had on Thursday met the family members of Singh in New Delhi and promised a full inquiry into the matter.
Indias acting high commissioner in Islamabad, JP Singh, met the director-general for South Asia in the Pakistani Ministry for Foreign Affairs to request that Singhs body be flown to India at the earliest.
Our acting high commissioner met DG South Asia in the Min of Foreign Affairs & asked for earliest possible repatriation of mortal remains, tweeted Indian ministry of external affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup earlier.
Our Acting High Commissioner met DG South Asia in the Min of Foreign Affairs & asked for earliest possible repatriation of mortal remains Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) April 13, 2016
Kirpal Singhs kin had on Tuesday staged a protest at the Attari border and raised anti- Pakistan slogans near the Integrated Check Post (ICP).
Read: Pak killed another Sarabjit: Kirpal Singhs sister
A fortnight after Bihar enforced liquor prohibition, the states 38 de-addiction centres in as many districts are awaiting patients. Three alcoholics have died since the ban on April 1, with the latest case from Khagaria de-addiction centre on Wednesday.
Of the total 550 beds in these centres, only 106 less than 20% were occupied on Wednesday, while only 251 were admitted at these centres since April 1. The admissions at the de-addiction centre are contrary to the governments expectation. On April 5, chief minister Nitish Kumar asked the health department to scale up the number of beds in the de-addiction centres from 10 to 20.
While 17 districts had already complied with the directives, another 21 were in the process of increasing the number of beds. However, the government now finds that even 10 beds are not occupied at most of the de-addiction centres. This has prompted the government to infer that liquor sale is going on clandestinely.
Officials said there was reluctance among patients to stay back at the centre for fear of losing their wages.
Those coming to our centres are usually from the lower socio-economic strata, not sure about two square meals a day. Maximum that they (alcoholics) stay at our centre is for three days, after which they insist on being released for fear of losing wages, said Dr VP Agarwal, nodal officer of the Purnea de-addiction centre.
Three persons one each at Katihar, Kaimur and Khagaria have died after reporting at our de-addiction centres. We cannot say if all these deaths were due to alcohol withdrawal, health secretary Jitendra Srivastava said.
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The BJP-led government in Maharashtra will give a 2,000 square metre plot in Mumbais upscale Andheri to actress and party parliamentarian Hema Malini for Rs 1.75 lakh to set up a dance school.
More than that, she need not pay a penny for the land worth about Rs 70 crore in the suburban neighbourhood because of a twist of fate.
The throwaway price drew widespread criticism against chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is accused of showing undue benevolence to the actress-danseuse known as the Dream Girl during her Bollywood heydays in the 70s.
The government clarified that it had not fixed the price but followed existing policy, which state that charitable and education trusts are required to pay only 25% of the total cost of an allotted land in accordance with rates on February 1, 1976.
Sources said the collectors office revaluated the price and found that the market price in 1976 was Rs 350 a square metre. This amounts to Rs 7 lakh for 2,000 square metres. Thus, 25% of Rs 7 lakh is Rs 1.75 lakh.
The plots value is around Rs 23 crore, according to the government ready reckoner rate. But real estate industry sources said the market value could be anywhere between Rs 60 crore and Rs 70 crore.
The decision came after 19 years as Malini had applied in 1996 for land to set up a dance school and cultural complex through her charity, the Natya Vihar Kala Kendra.
The Fadnavis government allotted the plot in Andheris Ambivli locality on December 29, 2015.
Earlier, the 67-year-old trained Bharatnayam dancer had paid Rs 10 lakh for a plot allotted to her by the Shiv Sena-BJP government in 1996.
But she could not use the land because it falls in the protected coastal regulation zone. Hence, she was forced to reapply for an adjacent plot, a revenue official said.
Mumbai suburbs collector Shekhar Channe said the actress wont have to pay a single rupee for the Andheri plot since she had deposited Rs 10 lakh in 1996 and it would be adjusted now.
It has been alleged that she was yet to return the land given to her in 1996.
State revenue minister Eknath Khadse had tried to deflect criticism, saying the BJP government was implementing a decision taken when the Congress-NCP was in power. The previous government had changed the plots status, which was earlier reserved for a public ground, he said.
Malini didnt respond to calls and text messages for her comments.
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Dalbir Kaur, the sister of alleged Indian spy Sarabjit Singh, who died in Lahores Kot Lakhpat jail three years ago, said on Friday that Union home minister Rajnath Singh had given an assurance that all concerns related to the bringing of the body of Kirpal Singh back from Pakistan will be addressed.
Home Minister assured us that all our concerns will be addressed and the body of Kirpal Singh will be soon brought back. He also said that he is in contact with the Pakistani government, Dalbir Kaur told ANI in New Delhi.
Read: Pakistan says Kirpal Singh died of heart attack as India takes up issue
Jagir Kaur, the sister of Kirpal Singh, who died under mysterious circumstances in a Lahore jail, was accompanied by Dalbir Kaur to meet the home minister.
What happened to Sarabjit, the same thing has happened to my brother, Jagir Kaur said.
Read: Pak killed another Sarabjit: Kirpal Singhs sister
Family members of Kirpal Singh met Rajnath Singh in Delhi on Friday to express their concern over the gruesome treatment meted out to Indians languishing in Pakistani jails. Dalbir Kaur, the sister of Sarabjit Singh, accompanied them.
Dalbir Kaur had met external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj over the same issue last month, and added that what was happening in Pakistan was nothing new or surprising.
Kirpal Singhs family have rejected Pakistans claim that he died of a heart attack and have demanded a post-mortem to ascertain the true facts behind his sudden death.
How can we believe that he died of heart attack? His body should be sent to us and post-mortem should be done. We want to know the truth, Singhs nephew told ANI.
Kirpal had allegedly crossed the Attari-Wagah border to Pakistan in 1992 and was subsequently sentenced to death in a serial bomb blasts case in Pakistans Punjab province.
It is just the middle of April but vast tracts of India are reeling under the scorching heat, with temperatures zipping past the 40 degree Celsius mark, triggering a crippling water shortage.
From Rajasthan to the Gangetic plains of West Bengal and from Punjab to Tamil Nadu, most regions have been declared facing a heat wave by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Rising temperatures have already killed over 100 people.
Most of the weather stations in this region have temperature recorded over 40 degree Celsius, the IMD said in an advisory.
The unusually-hot summer comes on the back of two successive droughts that have ravaged farm incomes and pushed thousands of farmers to suicide. The IMD has predicted an above average monsoon this year.
But the heat has already sparked fierce wars over water in cities ranging from Ranchi to Nagpur. Authorities are rationing water, banning car-wash services and employing tankers but warn the situation may get out of hand if the mercury soars in May.
The future, too, appears bleak with the IMD predicting an increase in the heat wave intensity. A government report earlier this week said temperatures in central India could shoot up to 44.5 degree Celsius.
A special train carrying five lakh litres of water arrives in drought-hit Latur in Marathwada region, which is facing its worst water crisis on record. (Anshuman Poyrekar/ HT Photo)
Water levels in major reservoirs the source for 70% of Indias hydro electricity generated have dipped to 22% of the total storage capacity, the lowest in a decade.
The only beneficiary of the searing sun appears to be the hospitality industry, as bookings have soared in tourist destinations in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
So far, we have got 10-20% higher bookings than in April last year, said Sandeep Sahni, president of the Uttarakhand Hotel Association.
In Telangana that has seen the maximum heat-related deaths, the government said summer vacations will begin from April 16 instead of 23. The government also banned labourers from working between 11am and 3pm at construction sites.
The IMD forecast that temperatures will touch 45 degree Celsius in the weekend after Hyderabad and Nizamabad recorded 44 degree Celsius on Friday.
In neighbouring Odisha, where 31 heat-wave deaths were reported, normal life was thrown out of gear with at least 14 urban centres crossing 40 degree Celsius for the past 10 days.
(With agency inputs)
India on Thursday called for concrete action against countries that sponsor and host terrorists by invoking the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that combats money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
Finance minister Arun Jaitley said the body must ensure effective implementation of legislation in various countries relating to terrorist financing and take concrete action against countries sponsoring terrorism and hosting terrorist infrastructure.
Jaitleys remarks came during the sixth annual ministerial meeting of India-US Economic and Financial Partnership with his American counterpart Jack Lew.
India and the US are among 37 members of FATF - the intergovernmental policy-making body that was set up in 1986. Pakistan, however, is not.
But the target of the ministers call for effective implementation and concrete action against countries sponsoring and hosting terrorism couldnt have been clearer.
The FATF must also address offshore tax evasion and avoidance including through tax havens, Jaitley said, according to an official statement about his meetings on Thursday.
Offshore tax evasion and tax havens figured prominently during the meeting, with an announcement to intensify collaboration on the issue, going beyond sharing experience and expertise.
The two countries will continue to hold joint tax audits and tax examinations abroad, they said in a joint statement issued after the meeting, and that Competent Authorities of the two countries engaging in bilateral dialogue to move forward cooperation in these areas. But no dates were announced.
India and the US began discussing collaboration on offshore tax evasion around 2015, when it first figured at the annual bilateral meeting of the two finance ministers that year. Few months later in October, they signed the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which enjoins them to share information about cross-border accounts by their nationals.
The two sides will continue to engage in discussions on full reciprocal arrangement on FATCA, the statement said, adding they look forward to increased cooperation.
The stress on offshore tax evasion comes at a time of a fresh urgency felt around the world in the aftermath of the devastating revelations about clients of a Panama law firm.
Another significant announcement was about the US offering support for Indias National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and, the statement said, expressed interest in further discussions in areas such as municipal finance.
Dubbed the fund of funds, the NIIF was set up in December 2015 as Rs 40,000 crore umbrella fund for investing in Indias infrastructure. Half of this money is coming from the Indian government and the private sector is expected to come up with the rest.
The Congress on Thursday released photographs of Sudip Kalkal, a lawyer accused of provoking riots and arson at Haryana finance minister Captain Abhimanyus Rohtak house, in which he is seen posing with chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, agriculture minister OP Dhankar and even Capt Abhimanyu.
Kalkal was recently sent to police remand again when a new audio clip purportedly revealed his role in the arson at Capt Abhimanyus house. In the audio, he is allegedly heard saying that they have made Maharshi Dayanand University shut its gate and gheraoed Capt Abhimanyus house,special investigating team in-charge Siddharth Dhanda had said.
The SIT said Kalkal was a relative of former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The chief minister also called Kalkal a Congressmanduring his visit to Kalanaur and Meham.
With the Thursday revelation, the Congress hit back at the BJP. Some Congress leaders also said that Kalkal was a relative of Capt Abhimanyu, and not of Hooda. Our constant stand is that Kalkal is a BJP man and does not belong to the Congress. Just because he is married in a village where Hoodas relatives reside doesnt make him his relative. The way he was clicking photographs with BJP ministers undoubtedly reveals he is a BJP man, said former Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Batra, who released the photographs along with Kuldeep Sharma in Gurgaon.
Meanwhile, several photographs of Kalkal went viral on social media wherein he was seen clicking selfies with famous personalities. The BJP, too, used the same logic to shun the allegations made by the Congress. Health minister Anil Vij said: Photos cannot prove such allegations. People from all parties come to social events and click photographs. Capt Abhimanyu, too, hit back at the Congress. Good to know that Kuldeep Sharma has contributed to the investigation by releasing these photographs. But this only proves his relations with Kalkal, he said.
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- A new business venture called Ocean Springs LIVE has launched to bring new live music experiences to the local area and will offer a free concert series in the city in June.
According to Ocean Springs LIVE founder Vicki Applewhite, the company has partnered with Blackwater Brass, which will serve as the series house band and kick off each concert evening with this "signature NOLA groove-funk music sylings.
The series will combine live music and art experiences on the grounds of Rosetti Park, located between Church Street and Cox Avenue in Ocean Springs.
Applewhite said the goal of Ocean Springs LIVE is not only to provide new live music experiences for local residents, but to encourage more business in the downtown area.
"It is our hope that Ocean Springs LIVE will bring a larger new audience to downtown early for a free show," she said, "and that they continue their night out downtown, visiting and exploring the variety of pubs, restaurants and nightclubs in Ocean Springs."
The first concert is set for June 4, with additional concerts on July 2, Aug. 6 and Sept. 3. The series is expected include a wide range of musical genres, and will include both local, regional and national performers.
The first headliner will be announced on Monday at 11 a.m. on the Ocean Springs LIVE website.
"Ocean Springs LIVE will fill a void in the current Gulf Coast music scene," said Corey Christy of Blackwater Brass. "There is growing interest in live music and an huge inventory of regional bands that need to be seen on the coast. Ocean Springs LIVE will help close the gap between these two things and create a new exciting option for both residents and visitors of the Gulf Coast."
Each concert will begin at 5 p.m. and continue until just after sunset. Families are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to the park and picnic meals will be available from Eat, Drink, Love Catering and Lola Fleur Catering.
Businesses or individuals interested in supporting Ocean Springs LIVE with sponsorships or volunteerism can contact Applewhite at 228-861-0029.
Ocean Springs LIVE can also be followed on Facebook and Twitter.
The Narendra Modi-led government is struggling to keep its promise of adding more jobs, a big reason behind its election victory in 2014, with employment generation in eight sectors slowing to a seven-year low in 2015, government data showed.
Textiles, leather, metals, automobiles, gems and jewellery, transport, information technology and the handloom sectors together created 135,000 jobs during 2015, 67% lower than 421,000 jobs that were added in 2014, the last year of the United Progressive Alliance government.
Worse, during October to December last year, 20,000 people lost jobs in these sectors, partly because of shrinking exports.
Merchandise exports have shrunk for 15 successive months till February as orders continue to dry out from much of Europe.
India has become the worlds fastest growing major economy at 7.6% outpacing China last year, but this expansion may not have created enough jobs to absorb armies of young people who join the work force.
About 12 million people join the jobseekers queue in India every year.
According to the labour bureau data, India had added 419,000 jobs in 2013, 321,000 jobs in 2012, 929,000 jobs in
2011, 870,000 in 2010 and 1.28 million in 2009.
The governments Economic Survey tabled in Parliament in February has also said job creation for millions of Indians who will join the work-force every year over the next decade remains a key concern.
Indias economy needs to create enough good jobs jobs that are safe and pay well, and encourage firms and workers to improve skills and productivity, the Economic Survey said.
The labour bureau survey found that 19,000 people lost jobs in the gems and jewellery sector in 2015, followed by followed by handloom/Powerloom at 11,000.
Employment fell by 8,000 each in leather and automobiles sectors while 4,000 people lost their jobs in the transport sector.
IT/BPOs created the highest number of jobs adding 76,000 more employee during the year, followed by textiles (72,000) and metals (37,000).
A 19-year-old student was killed in firing by security forces trying to quell protests in north Kashmirs Kupwara on Friday as the fifth civilian death this week sparked fresh anger in the Valley.
The incident is being seen as an embarrassment for Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, who directed security agencies a day ago to not harm civilians during protests.
A police official said villagers tried to storm a Rashtriya Rifles camp in Natnusa village on the national highway after Friday prayers. They were reportedly angry over the death of four people in police firing in the district earlier this week.
The people pelted stones on the camp prompting the army men to open fire. One protester injured in the firing died at a hospital while three others were wounded, said the official.
The firing killed Arif Hussain Dar, a class-11 student. The three injured people were rushed to Srinagar hospitals.
According to eye witnesses, none of the injured was critical. People accompanying the injured people said an army bunker in the middle of Handwara town was not attacked and insisted that the army fired at peaceful demonstrations after prayers.
We exercised maximum restraint despite stone pelting by large crowd. Only when the mob stormed the army post was forced to open controlled fire in which some miscreants were injured, army spokesman NN Joshi said.
Police said 40 of their men were injured in clashes with protestors.
Read: Two men killed after soldiers fire at protesters in Kashmirs Handwara
The incident triggered fresh demonstrations in Kashmir with people taking to streets in Srinagar and Kupwara.
Shouting slogans, thousands took Arifs body and marched down to his village in Kupwara, bringing back memories of the 2010 street protests across Kashmir against the government where over 100 people lost their lives.
Read: Handwara minor in protective police custody, activists protest
I am in the thick of stone pelting and wont be able to talk, said Kupwara superintendent of police Aijaz Ahmad.
Violence erupted on Tuesday in Handwara 85 kilometres from Srinagar -- when police fired on a mob that had gathered following allegations that an army personnel molested a local girl.
The army has since then released a video of the girl where she allegedly denies the molestation charge.
Pressure mounted on the state government as social media erupted in condemnation of the spate of killings and questioned the way security agencies were dealing with crowds.
Read: Kashmir shut down for 3rd day, mobile internet services suspended
Separatists, who asked people to protest after Friday prayers, urged local residents to observe a shutdown on Saturday. Most of the Valley observed a spontaneous shutdown on Friday to protest against the killing.
Kashmir University all its examinations scheduled on Saturday.
Authorities clamped a curfew the region and suspended mobile internet services but struggled to contain protests over the death of Mohammad Iqbal, Nayeem Qadir, Raja Begum, and Jehangir Ahmad Wani.
Restrictions were in force on Friday in many parts of Srinagar and curfew was imposed in Handwara and Kupwara towns. Friday prayers were not held in Srinagars Jamia Masjid.
Read: Kashmir firing: Army orders probe as CM Mehbooba demands strict action
Sporadic protests broke in many parts of Kashmir. A group of young people attacked a paramilitary camp with stones in Tral town of south Kashmir.
In the central district of Ganderbal, civilians threw stones at security forces after Friday prayers.
Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters and detained several people for questioning.
The Union home ministry has decided to restart the construction work on a lift irrigation canal along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh that was stopped by the Indian Army after the Chinese army objected to the project.
The decision was taken after locals protested for about 20 days the stopping of the work on the water channel that was being done under Operation Sadhbhavana by the army at Demchok.
We are concerned about the development along borders. The home ministry assured us that construction activity will be taken up under BAPD (Border Area Development Programme). A team of ministry is likely to visit the area next month, a senior administrative official, who did not wish to be named, said.
China does not view the LAC in Ladakh sector as clearly demarcatedand usually objects to construction activity along the same. In 2014, India had protested against the construction of a Chinese road link in the same area because it was reportedly being done in Indian territory.
Two days back, locals and the leaders of the area held a meeting with the district administration where they were assured of resumption of the work. According to the district administration, the home ministry has said it will fund the resumption of the work under BAPD.
The Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) had objected to the construction of the water channels and even pitched tents along the LAC to ensure the work is not resumed. The local commander had said the orders to stop the construction activity had come from Delhi.
In March, the Indian Army had directed civil authorities to stop laying a road in Chumar area of Ladakh along the LAC after the Chinese army objected. Leh district authorities had written a letter to the home ministry seeking directions on the resumption of the work. The work was being done under BAPD.
Sources said that officials from the home ministry will visit both Demchok and Chumar.
Ladakh shares a 225-km Line of Control and a 955-km LAC with China. Sources said that the neighbouring countrys objections to development work along the border are likely to figure in talks during defence minister Manohar Parrikars three-day visit to China in April.
The armies of the two countries had faced off at Chumar in 2014 when PLA troops pitched tents in Indian territory and New Delhi rushed in military reinforcements to counter them.
A leopard, which strayed into the Meerut cantonment area and injured at least two labourers at a construction site, was caught by a joint team of forest and wildlife experts on Thursday after a 45-hour rescue operation.
The animal was first spotted by a hospital staff near a military hospital in the cantonment area on Tuesday morning. The employee raised an alarm to alert other hospital staff and teachers of a special kids school inside the premises.
Frightened by the commotion, the leopard climbed a banyan tree and remained there until Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) officials tried to nab it by shooting three tranquiliser darts in the night. However, the animal managed to escape in the dark.
The leopard later resurfaced at a construction site in the cantonments Fazalpur area.
We were taking it to the forest of Shivalik where it will be released after examination, AK Awasthi, conservator of Meerut division, said admitting that the animal was in deep shock and requires a medical check up before its release.
A team of wildlife experts, forest officials, and veterinary doctors has been sent along with the animal to ensure its smooth release.
The leopard was caught after a 45-hour operation from the army cantonment in Meerut on Thursday. (HT Photo)
The experts of the WTI and forest department began their rescue operation on Thursday morning after cornering the animal at the construction site. The team covered it with a long net and also placed a cage there.
They then released smoke to bring it out and placed a bait inside the cage to attract the hungry leopard. When it came out in the afternoon, the team tranquilised it with a dart and took it away after it fell unconscious.
We took it away from there immediately in order to rescue it from the crowd, the conservator said.
It was indeed a Herculean task to catch the animal without hurting it, DFO Manish Mittal, who remained with his team during the long rescue operation, said.
The city had witnessed a similar incident two years ago when a leopard was spotted inside a wood store in Sadar area and then entered into the cantonment hospital. The entire city was kept on alert for over a week but the animal mysteriously disappeared after dodging teams of forest officials and wildlife experts.
With the CBI getting the nod to prosecute him in the alleged cheating and corruption in the LTC Scam, JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Anil Sahni denied the charges on Friday and refused to resign.
Its a conspiracy against me... Why shall I resign on moral ground when I have not done anything wrong, the second term Rajya Sabha member from Nitish Kumars party told PTI.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari gave his approval to CBI to prosecute JD(U) MP Anil Sahni, against whom the agency had filed a charge sheet for alleged cheating and corruption in LTC Scam.
The Bihar MP is reportedly the first from the Upper House who will be prosecuted by CBI after sanction in this regard was given by the Chairman.
The MP said he would also talk to lawyers to file a defamation suit. Sahni alleged that he fell victim to a racket which operated in raising fake bills for LTC for parliamentarians. Twice I drew attention of the authorities in 2013 about false bill submitted in my name by racketeers against LTC, he said, defending himself in the controversy.
I invite the probe agency to check my bank accounts in Delhi as well in Patna to ascertain flow of money on this count, he said.
The JD(U) Rajya Sabha member, son of former JD(U) RS MP Madan Sahni, said he would seek time with Chief Minister Kumar, who is now also JD(U) National President, to discuss the issue.
Asked who was conspiring against him and for what reason, the JD(U) MP hailing from Muzaffarpur, said he did not know persons behind the conspiracy.
I might be targeted as I hail from a poor community and have been raising issues concerning dalits and have-nots, the JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP said.
Pakistan on Friday said it has briefed envoys of the Arab and ASEAN countries over Indo-Pak ties and the arrest of an alleged Indian spy.
The Pakistan Foreign Office issued a statement saying that the envoys of Arab countries and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states based in Islamabad were briefed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the arrest of RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) Officer Kulbhushan Yadav.
It said the envoys were briefed about Yadavs alleged confession about Indian sponsored subversive activities and terrorist financing to destabilise Pakistan.
It was emphasised in the briefing that in order to achieve regional peace and stability, it was imperative that India immediately stops its interference in Pakistan and resolves all contentious issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, through the process of sustained dialogue, the statement said.
The briefing comes days after Yadav was reportedly charged with terrorism and sabotage in an FIR filed against him by the provincial Balochistan government.
The Pakistan Army had also released a confessional video of Yadav, who said he was a serving Indian Navy officer.
India has acknowledged Yadav is a retired Indian Navy officer, but denied allegations that he was in any way connected to the government.
Two men were run over by a train while they were busy taking a selfie on a railway track in Mirzapur near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
According to reports, Vinod Kumar and Jitendra Kumar, residents of Semara village in Chandauli, had gone to the Ram Navmi fair at Shivshankari Dham, Kailhat in Mirzapur.
After spending a couple of hours at the fair they walked along a railway track on which Brahmaputra Express approached them from behind.
The duo stood on the track to take a selfie with the approaching train in the background. Before they managed to click the picture, the speeding train crushed them to death.
Police recovered the identity card of one of the victims and their families were informed about the incident.
The Congress on Friday took a dim view of the suspension of the diplomatic passport of beleaguered industrialist Vijay Mallya whose Kingfisher Airlines has defaulted on loans of over Rs 9,400 crores, saying why did government allow him to leave the country in the first place.
If Mallyas case was so sensitive, why did the government allow him to run away in the first place, party spokesman Manish Tewari said.
Talking to reporters, he also raked up the Lalit Modi controversy wondering why external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj ensured that the ex-IPL chief got travel documents in London for his worldwide travel despite being an Indian fugitive.
This showed the double standards of this government, he alleged.
Tewari alleged that the Centre deliberately allowed Mallya to go to Britain as several high ups in the government would have been exposed if he had stayed in India.
Mallya on Friday suffered a major blow when his diplomatic passport was suspended by the government which has threatened to revoke it.
To add to his problems, the Enforcement Directorate, which is probing money laundering charges against the flamboyant 60-year-old liquor baron, moved a special PMLA court in Mumbai seeking a non-bailable warrant against him in connection with a Rs 900 crore IDBI loan fraud case.
The passport of Mallya, who is an MP and has been in Britain for over a month and refused to appear before ED, was suspended by the External Affairs Ministry on the recommendation of the agency.
There are days when ones hard work inspires another. The saying went well with Delhi Daredevils leg-spinner Amit Mishra, whose four-wicket haul (in three overs) against Kings XI Punjab broke the visitors back. This was after Delhi skipper Zaheer Khans miserly three overs laid the foundation.
Delhi went on to beat KXIP by eight wickets to record their first victory this season.
Playing his 100th IPL game, the Haryana leggie couldnt have asked for better figures against a side whose middle order is rated one of the best this season. While credit has to be given to Mishra for the heart he showed against the likes of Shaun Marsh, David Miller, Glen Maxwell and Manan Vohra, it was Zaheer who encouraged him by setting attacking fields.
With KXIP 37/1 in six overs, Zaheer was aware the opposition would go after the spinners and that this was the time to pick a few wickets. It was as if he planned and Mishra delivered. The previous day, Mishra had said team mentor Rahul Dravids message to him was to focus on picking wickets without caring about leaking runs.
Mishra flighted the first ball to Marsh, and the Aussie southpaw jumped out only to be foxed by the break and dip.
Next up was Miller. He had played just nine balls when Zaheer called in a slip and short leg for the KXIP skipper. The South African was clearly being urged to go for a lofted stroke against Mishra.
The leggie began on a positive note by beating Miller first ball but in his second over, the South African planted his leg and went for a slog sweep. Mishra changed his length and Miller was trapped in front.
Against Maxwell, the plan was simple --- cover the leg-side boundary and urge him to go over cover. Against India a few months back, Maxwell had been dismissed twice trying to clear the cover region, once to Yuvraj Singh as well.
Mishra was aware of his weakness. He tossed the ball up and the Australian fell in the trap one more time. As Maxwell half-chipped-half-lofted to Carlos Brathwaite at long-off, KXIPs backbone had been broken in the space of 10 balls.
With Vohra at the other end, Mishra kept mixing up his deliveries and waited for him to make a mistake. A googly was all it took to trigger the dismissal as Mishra bowled it slightly wide of the crease and it crashed into Vohras stumps.
Mishras day at work was over in just three overs and it gave Zaheer a chance to test his other options. The Delhi skipper had bowled like the Zaheer of old and completed his quota by conceding just 14 runs.
Chasing 112, the Delhi batsmen had an enjoyable time with Quinton de Kock helping himself to an unbeaten half century (59) and Sanju Samson (33) playing the supporting role.
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Shah Rukh Khan has stepped out of his comfort zone with Maneesh Sharma-directed Fan. A far cry from his romantic image, Fan takes us back to the days of Anjaam and Darr when SRK played obsessive lover/stalker with aplomb. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge changed all of that.
Read: SRKs Fan gets no love from censors
In Fan, the actor plays movie star Aryan Khanna obviously based on his own persona with even shots done outside his luxurious Mumbai home. He also plays Gaurav, a creepy obsessed fan with prosthetics and brilliant white teeth. It is about the imaginary relationship between a star and his fan. It is just that the fan is street smart, cynical and expects too much from the star.
Read: SRKs Fan is no ripoff
Gaurav wins a Aryan Khanna tribute and decides to head to Mumbai to meet his favourite star. Things dont go well and Gauravs love sours and turns into hate. He will then travel around the world, following on Aryans footsteps, and staging crimes whose blame will be pinned on his erstwhile god.
The film also stars Waluscha DSouza and Sachin Pilgaonkars daughter, Shriya. The film lacks any songs and plays like a thriller. Only, it needs more teeth and tighter editing.
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On Aug. 15, 1942, Honor Jones, an observer at an Aircraft Warning Service Post in Hurley, noticed a black ball of smoke in the sky heading east near Wade. As it turned south he saw that it was an airplane and watched it burst into flames and glide and disappear into a swamp about one-half mile from Wade.
Jones heard three explosions. Because his telephone line was out of order, he drove 20 miles to Moss Point to report the crash through the Army Aircraft Warning System in Mobile, Ala.
As events unraveled, it was revealed the aircraft was a Douglas DB-7/A-20 Havoc attack bomber, one of the most produced during World War II. The mid-wing, twin-engine, three-place medium bomber had a reputation for getting its crews home, even when both crew and aircraft suffered crippling blows.
And on this summer day while flying a scheduled round trip from Hattiesburg (Miss.) Air Base to Brookley Field in Mobile, the pilot reported fire in his right engine. As the aircraft lost altitude, First Lt. Harold W. Prusa, a passenger, attempted to bail out at about 600 feet, while the pilot First Lt. Walter W. Ruoff made a forced landing and along with Staff Sgt. Vernon W. Vogt rode the aircraft down and answered shouts from farmers who had come into the woods looking for them.
Ruoff had major injuries while Vogt's were not as serious. They were taken by car to Jackson County Hospital where Ruoff was treated for a broken back, hand, and numerous cuts and bruises. Vogt suffered burns, scalp lacerations and cuts about the face and legs.
"I was at the hospital about one hour when a call from Miss Frances Jones informed me that Lt. Prusa was pinned beneath the ship and was dead," wrote Vogt in his report. "His chute had evidently fouled up when he attempted to abandon ship."
Through correspondence in 2007 with Terry Ganey, then of Columbia, Mo., Mitchell Cirlot of Pascagoula, who shared his file on the crash with this column, said he was told the plane crashed on the property of Jimmy Faggard. Ganey told Cirlot he believed he located during a 1992 visit to Mississippi the farm where Vogt, who was his uncle, had come out of the swamp.
"My uncle told me that later the Army Air Force went in there and removed all the instruments and whatever was salvageable from the plane," Ganey wrote Cirlot.
The wreckage may still exist and it would be interesting to know if anyone knows where it is, or if anyone recalls any stories about the crash from their friends or relatives.
Army clothing must have been a commodity during that era because Vogt was asked to return to the Army Infantry headquarters "one khaki shirt and one khaki trousers loaned during recent airplane crash emergency" to Vogt, who was assigned to the Hattiesburg Air Base.
Story of the crash was covered on the front page of "The Chronicle" as was the ensuing probe into the crash. The aircraft was first used in 1939, had a wing span of 61 feet 4 inches, length of 47 feet, 7 inches, height of 17 feet 7 inches, weighed 19,750 pounds and was powered by two 1,600 horsepower Wright R-2600-23 engines. Its top speed was 340 mph and it had a range of 1,240 miles. It accommodated a three-man crew and its armament was a 2,000-pound bomb load and 12 machine guns.
Correspondent Joanne Anderson may be reached at joandy42@cableone.net.
The Khar police registered a case against food outlet Box8 which supplied food to Thadomal Shahani College and Lala Lajpatrai College from where 17 students had to be rushed to hospital after they suffered food poisoning on Thursday.
The students were attending an awareness programme on a permanent seat for India at the United Nations Security Council, which was organised by Indian International Model United Nations (a non-profit organisation). The event was held across several colleges in the city.
The organisers had placed the order for food online, which was cooked at Box8s kitchen that is located in Thane. The food was transported to the locations in packets, said an officer from Khar police station.
The police said at least 1,000 students were present at the venues for the event that was scheduled between 10am and 6pm, with a lunch break post noon. The Tardeo police, meanwhile, collected food samples from the packets and sent them to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The reports are awaited.
We have recorded the statements of most of the students at Lala Lajpatrai College, the organisers and the outlet that provided food, said Dnyanesh Devde, senior inspector of Tardeo police station. The police said the outlet claimed the food had been freshly cooked.
The Khar police have registered a case under sections 273 (sale of noxious food or drink), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.
An official statement from Box8 said: We are deeply concerned about the news report of illness caused to some students yesterday. Box8 maintains a rigourous quality process through preparation of food and delivery system, including tasting the food before serving, which too was followed yesterday without any adverse results. Matter is being inquired by the authorities and we have been fully co-operating to identify the cause. Once the cause is identified Box8 will spare no efforts to deal with the same.
Week after an auto driver, Vikrant Kumar, was killed by gangster Goru Bachcha over parking issue, his family refused to cremate his body until the accused is arrested.
Read: Gangster Goru Bachcha flaunts Akali student wing connection
His body has been preserved in a private hospital. Deceaseds brother Vijay Kumar said, Police have failed to arrest the accused even seven days after the murder.
The family had met deputy commissioner Ravi Bhagat seeking compensation through local MLA Darshan Singh Shivalik. The DC had even assured financial help and job for his dependents, but to no avail.
Punjab Polices war on drugs is losing thrust, so much so that the Punjab and Haryana high court now has threatened to issue orders to withhold the salaries of the officials not appearing before trial courts.
Claiming on the one hand to be going after the associates of synthetic-drug racket kingpin Jagdish Bhola, police officials are, on the other hand, ignoring even bailable warrants to turn up to depose against them. One of the constables pleaded court that he could not appear in the trial court because he was on VIP duty.
The police officials are either colluding with the accused or making concerted effort to delay trial and create circumstances that the court releases the accused on bail. It demonstrates the lack of commitment for taking the pending cases to their logical conclusion, the high court bench of justice Surya Kant and justice PB Bajanthri observed recently, while hearing the bail matters of some accused.
The high court had to intervene in the matter and ask director general of police (DGP) to submit a list of official police witnesses along with an undertaking that theyd be assigned no duty on the dates they were required in the trial court. If it was found that the official skipped the hearing deliberately, he or she is to be dismissed from service, the court asked the DGP to submit in writing.
As almost every cop standing as witness in these drug cases is found to be skipping trial proceedings, we will be constrained to restrain the police department from releasing the salary of all the official witnesses until they would depose before the court concerned, the high court has said, asking the DGP to take necessary steps or it would intervene with additional punitive action against the erring officials.
It was highlighted during the hearing that in the case of drug racket accused Canadian citizen Sukhraj Singh Kang, a trial court was forced on March 25 to issue bailable warrants against cops who had not turned up for witness examination. Of the 29 prosecution witness cited against the accused, 22 are police officials, of which only one has been examined.
The three prosecution witnesses against accused Kulwant Singh, who were to be examined on March 25, also did not turn up even after bailable warrants. These cases under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances), money laundering and other Acts were registered in 2013. The trials, including the one against Bhola, are at various stages in the trial courts of Punjab.
Notice to DGP, ADGP (prisons)
The high court has also issued show-cause notice to the DGP and additional DGP (prisons) to seek explanation on the conduct of officers who, in the courts eyes, are delaying the conclusion of trial against Bhola drug racket accused Tarsem Singh.
The court found tacit collusion and connivance between the jail authorities and the prosecution agency, as one or the other accused under trial remained absent on the trial date, compelling the court to adjourn the matter every time. Police and the jail authorities have made the learned special court judge a mute spectator virtually, as no effective proceedings have been conducted since November 2015, the high court recorded in its order.
The high court also observed that accused drug maker Jagjit Singh Chahal, who was on bail, was absent from the trial court proceedings. Terming his absence prime facie case of misuse of concession of bail, the court has asked him by a notice why his bail should not be cancelled now.
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The minor son of city industrialists who was found murdered on Wednesday was subjected to torture by kidnappers, revealed the post-mortem report.
Class-10 student Jaskirat Singh (14) was kidnapped on Monday. The report by a medical board of comprising three doctors revealed that the accused used a rope to strangle the boy thrice and his eight ribs were found fractured, the medical board said, adding the accused had tied bricks to the boys body and the police presume that the accused might had planned to throw the body into a river.
The accused dumped the body in a field, 3km from a bridge over the Beas river near Goindwal after spotting a checkpoint and closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed at the entrance of the bridge.
Fractures in ribs indicate that the accused strangulated the boy by sitting on his chest as there were no visible marks of sharp injuries on his chest, examination revealed.
The three-member board comprising Dr Ranbir Singh, Dr Harpreet, and Dr Narinder Singh conducted the post-mortem on Thursday at the Kapurthala civil hospital.
The board also denied that the accused used acid to kill the boy. We did not find any traces of acid on the body. His face was swollen due to extreme heat and blockage of blood flow, Dr Narinder told HT over phone.
Kidnappers might be known to family: Cops
The police are suspecting involvement of persons close to the family behind the crime. The police said it was a planned murder and a ransom call was made to misguide the police and the family. The kidnappers made a call from a mobile phone which was snatched from a migrant migrated worker on March 21.
Read: Family accuses police of shoddy handling of case
Station house officer Sukha Singh, who is part of the three-member special investigating team, said preliminary investigations point towards rivalry and someone close to the family kidnapped and killed the boy.
We have recovered the CCTV camera footage from shops in the market, but the kidnappers faces are not clear. The CCTV camera installed at the bridge near Goindwal was also damaged by a truck driver on April 10, a day before the boy was kidnapped, SHO added.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rajinder Singh also said a person known to the family was behind the incident. He did not divulge details and said investigations were no.
Police ask shopkeepers to install CCTV cameras
The deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) held a series of meetings on Thursday with various non-governmental organisations and shopkeepers in Kapurthala and Phagwara and asked them to install CCTV cameras on their premises.
Superintendent of police (headquarters), Kapurthala, Balvir Singh said they have directed resident and shopkeepers to install CCTV cameras. There are around 30 functional cameras in the city and we have decided to install 50 to 70 more cameras in city markets this month, he said.
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Going out of the way director general of police (DGP) Suresh Arora has allowed cops to take off on their birthdays and marriage anniversaries, even though there is no such provision in Punjab Police rules.
The DGP has shown this generosity following the point raised by a woman cop in a meeting held at Punjab Police Academy (PPA), Phillaur.
During the meeting of probationer deputy superintendents of police (DSP) and sub-inspectors (SI) at Phillaur on April 4, a probationer woman SI, Renu, had raised the point that cops should get day offs on their marriage anniversaries and birthdays, so that they could celebrate the days with their families without any burden or work pressure on mind.
Accepting the suggestion, the DGP sent a letter to all commissioners of police and senior superintendents of police (SSPs) in this context.
Referring to the woman cops suggestion, the DGP said, Though there is no rule to give day off to cops on their birthday and marriage anniversary, the cops can avail day off from their respective heads on such days.
Hailing the DGPs orders, cops said earlier, they used to work on such specials days and their families used to wait for them to celebrate the days.
Cops not getting weekly offs since 2003
The cops in Ludhiana have not been getting weekly offs after the transfer of the then senior superintendent of police (SSP) Harpreet Singh Sidhu in 2003.
A cop, requesting anonymity, said, Sidhu had started to give weekly off to cops. Once he had issued warning notice to Focal Point SHO for coming to police station on his weekly off. But, after Sidhu was transferred from the city, weekly off system was collapsed.
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Is Gulzar really going to give lectures at Panjab University? A day after PU announced that he had accepted the offer to take up its Tagore Chair, the poet-filmmaker denied having said yes, adding that he was not sure what my role would be.
Heading a chair has certain benefits but it has certain responsibilities too, he added.
Also, he categorically denied reports that he had allowed Punjabi translations of his translations of Rabindranath Tagores works.
When HT got back to PU vice-chancellor Arun Kumar Grover over the denial, he insisted that the poet had not made a categorical refusal, and then later in the day sent another offer to Gulzar, who in turn said he would ponder over it. Actually, in response to the Chair offer sent via email by the V-C on March 10, Gulzar had replied on March 23: I have been travelling for some time. I received your letter when I came back. I will check up my schedules and get back to you. Thank you very much for the honour. The university took this as acceptance and issued a press release on Wednesday, stating that he had agreed to assume the Tagore Chair.
In his renewed offer on Thursday evening after HT told him about the denial, Grover wrote to Gulzar that even one event a year would be enough to do honour to the Chair. He added that just one visit to re-release his two books of Tagores translations and give a lecture to the faculty and students would be sufficient.
At this, Gulzar told HT over phone again: Well, the V-C is reasonable in making this offer; however I would need time to ponder over it. As for a function to re-launch the Tagore books, I would do it in my personal capacity, and it can be dedicated to the Tagore Chair. He added that the function should not be confused as acceptance of the Chair.
The university had, as was clear from the announcement press release, envisaged a wide role for him.
The university will be enriched by the series of lectures that Gulzar Sahib will be delivering and also through the meaningful interaction with faculty, students, artists, writers and intellectuals across disciplines in this region which will be organised as part of the activities of the Chair, it had said, adding, The students of the School of Communication Studies and listeners of Radio Jyotirgamaya, will be exposed to the literary acumen of Gulzar sahib and learn the nuances of popular writing styles for creative media.
Gulzar was honoured by PU with its first Sahitya Ratan Award last year and he had held a lively interaction with the faculty and students. Besides being chancellor of Assam University, Silchar, he is a recipient of several academic honours, including being chosen as national fellow by the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies at Shimla.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal) headed by former Punjab chief minister Surjit Singh Barnalas wife will merge into the Congress, with a formal announcement to be made by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi during his visit to Punjab on Saturday.
The decision to merge the outfit with the Congress came after the Barnala family met Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her residence on Delhi on Thursday.
Among those who met Sonia were SAD (Longowal) president Surjit Kaur Barnala, her son and outfit general secretary Gaganjit Singh Barnala and Gaganjits son Simar Partap Barnala. Simar Pratap had unsuccessfully contested the 2015 Dhuri assembly bypoll on Congress symbol. We have decided to merge out party with Congress unconditionally, Gaganjit Barnala told PTI, adding that a formal announcement will most likely be made on Saturday.
The merger is viewed as a move to strengthen the anti-SAD-BJP sentiment and to counter the growing influence of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab.
Surjit Singh Barnala, along with Harchand Singh Longowal, had signed an accord with then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in the 1980s for bringing peace to Punjab during the troubled times of militancy.
Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badals estranged nephew Manpreet Singh Badal earlier joined Congress and merged his outfit Peoples Party of Punjab (PPP) with it.
Congress general secretary and in-charge of Punjab affairs, Shakeel Ahmad too said the announcement is likely on Saturday. The Barnalas share a good rapport with former chief minister and Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh and this has helped in initiating the merger move ahead of Punjab assembly elections slated early next year. Sources said Simar Pratap is likely to be the party candidate from Dhuri, a seat represented by Gaganjit Barnala once.
Rahul to hold meeting for unity
Chandigarh: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will reach Zirakpur around 11.30am on Saturday and will hold a meeting with almost 2,000 party members, including sitting and former MLAs, MPs, and block unit presidents.
The meeting, organised by poll strategist Prashant Kishors organisation Indian Political Action Committee, assumes significance as the state Congress, which faced factionalism, wants to put up a united face to take on the SAD-BJP alliance and an emerging AAP in the polls.
Senior Congress leaders Jagmeet Brar and Bir Devinder Singh were suspended for their outbursts against party leaders, especially Amarinder Singh, earlier this month. PTI
Reacting to the reports on seed dealers from Gujarat illegally operating in Bathinda, deputy commissioner Basant Garg has directed the agriculture and the police department to take action against such elements.
It must be mentioned that many seed dealers from outside the state sold spurious cotton seeds, prone to pest attack, to gullible farmers last year.
Garg said they were holding regular meetings with seed dealers from time to time in order to ensure that only recommended varieties of seeds were being provided to farmers this year. Many of the dealers, especially from Gujarat are publicising duplicate seeds among farmers and it cannot be tolerated at any cost, Garg said.
He added that the administration was making all possible efforts to ensure proper cotton crop and yield this year. The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and agriculture department experts are creating awareness among farmers. We have taken steps to eliminate whitefly before the cotton crop seeds is sowed, for which an exhaustive plan has been drawn, he informed.
Meanwhile, chief agriculture officer Nachhattar Singh Aulakh said the farmers were being asked to sow only 38 verities seeds, which have been recommended by the PAU. Pamphlets have been distributed among the farmers, besides training camps at villages, to make them aware about the recommended seeds and pesticides, he said.
He added that some people were falsely selling seeds, claiming it to be whitefly-resistant. During regular inspections, it was found that some farmers are buying non-recommended varieties, which are more vulnerable to pest attack and can cause huge damage to the crop and the farmers may end up suffering losses like last year, he said.
Telugu actor Ram Charan has made it clear that he is not appearing with Bollywood actor Salman Khan in any film, contrary to media reports. The actor, who is busy shooting for the yet-untitled Telugu remake of Tamil blockbuster Thani Oruvan, said so while on a visit to Delhi.
Ram, who was last seen in Bollywood film Zanjeer, a remake of director Prakash Mehras 1973 released film Zanjeer, says that Salman once approached him for producing a film but they are not starring together as of now.
Read: Salman Khan | Ram Charan Tejas savior in Bollywood
Read: My father made me sign Zanjeer, says Ram Charan Teja
No, I dont know how these rumours are coming in. I am not starring in a film with Salman Khan, said Ram.
Watch Zanjeer trailer here:
He added: But it was very nice of him when he once approached and said he wants to produce a film, and but of course the script and everything he has to select... but we are not acting together as of now.
Ram is known for his performances in Telugu films like Magadheera and Chirutha.
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The story of TV actor Pratyusha Banerjees tragic death has taken another turn. Her mother has now written to Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, requesting a probe by Mumbai Police Crime Branch into the actors alleged suicides.
In her letter to the CM, Soma Banerjee, has alleged that Pratyushas boyfriend and actor-producer Rahul Raj Singh was solely responsible for her death.
...she fell prey to conman Rahul Raj Singh, who has not only cheated my daughter and is solely responsible for death, but also cheated many innocent girls like her to the tune of lakhs of rupees, said the letter, dated April 13, signed by Pratyushas mother.
Read: Pratyusha Banerjee suicide- Who said what in the case
The letter, which has also been addressed to minister of state for (home) Ranjit Patil, Mumbai police commissioner Dattatray Padsalgikar and joint commissioner of police (law and order) Deven Bharti, alleged that their complaint was not being heard by police.
The actors mother alleged that instead of seriously investigating the matter, the Bangur Nagar police, where the case has been registered, was giving a free hand to the accused to destroy the evidence.
Memoriesss to cherish... Mom ,, dad aur main!!!! A photo posted by Pratyusha Banerjee (@iamprats) on Sep 29, 2015 at 1:23am PDT
He (Rahul) also has been threatening us and the witnesses. The death of my daughter is being coloured and portrayed as a suicide committed due to depression, it stated.
Our appeal to you is that the investigation in the case should be transferred to Mumbai Crime Branch for a fair investigation so that justice is done after our daughters untimely and mysterious death, the letter further said.
Goa it issss!!!! Love u babyyyyyyyy... .. @rahul.r.singh.378 A photo posted by Pratyusha Banerjee (@iamprats) on Oct 22, 2015 at 6:22am PDT
The Balika Vadhu fame actor was found hanging at her residence in Goregaon on April 1. She was then rushed by Rahul to a hospital in Andheri where she was declared dead.
Rahul, who has been booked for abetment of suicide, has been undergoing treatment for alleged depression at a hospital in Borivali since April 3.
Read: TV actor Pratyusha Banerjee of Balika Vadhu fame commits suicide
The Bombay High Court had on Tuesday granted Rahul interim protection from arrest till April 18.
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Even if Anthony had a year to analyze and dissect each piece...(he couldn't tell if it would)... stand the harsh light of public exposure.
WUWT insider Willis Eschenbach tells you all you need to know about Anthony Watts and his blog, WattsUpWithThat (WUWT). As part of his scathing commentary , Wondering Willis accuses Anthony Watts of being clueless about the blog articles he posts. To paraphrase: Click here to read more.
Seizing the popularity it has got after Gerua from Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer Dilwale was shot at its scenic locales, Iceland now wants to attract niche Indian travellers.
There has been an interest among Indians to visit Iceland after the picturisation of the song Gerua from movie Dilwale in Iceland. The locales of Iceland were beautifully captured in the song. We want to leverage on this interest and increase the number of tourist arrivals from India, Ambassador of Iceland to India Thorir Ibsen said in Mumbai.
Read: SRK did Fan way before Dilwale but still it got so delayed? Heres why
He said Iceland would like to invite more Bollywood filmmakers to come and shoot in his country.
Recently, Promote Iceland, a body that promotes Iceland as a tourist destination, conducted its maiden roadshow in Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai to reach out to Indian travellers. The strategy of Promote Iceland is to target the premium travellers from India as Iceland is not for budget tourists.
We have not been very active in the Indian market in the past. But now we think that Iceland has gained interest in India and we want to build on the momentum through our maiden roadshows. The roadshow was a platform for us to meet the travel trade and understand the requirements of Indian travellers, Promote Iceland Manager Trade Delegations, Thorleifur Thor Jonsson said.
Being blessed with beautiful landscapes, roaring volcanoes, monolithic glaciers, icy mountains and deep fjords, Icelands beauty sometimes seem surreal and will appeal to those Indians who are looking for new and niche destinations, Ibsen added.
Iceland received a little over 1,000 tourists from India last year.
Follow @htlifeandstyle for more.
Brazils Supreme Court on Friday rejected a last-ditch attempt by President Dilma Rousseff to halt the impeachment process against her, clearing the way for a key vote in the Congress.
Justices refused a request for an injunction against proceedings that the government lawyer called Kafkaesque and said amounted to denying Rousseff the opportunity to defend herself against allegations of illegally fudging government budget numbers to boost her re-election chances in 2014.
The 7-3 ruling in an emergency Supreme Court session that began late Thursday and went well past midnight in the capital Brasilia paved the way for Sundays vote by the lower house of Congress, which is due to decide whether to send Rousseff to an impeachment trial.
In an atmosphere of maximum drama and tension in Latin Americas largest country and economy, debate in the lower house begins later Friday leading up to the vote on Sunday.
If the vote passes on Sunday, the Senate will have authority to open a trial against Rousseff. If the Senate finds her guilty with another two-thirds vote, she would be forced from office.
That leaves Brazils Vice President Michel Temer closing in on the interim presidency, as required under the constitution should Rousseff be suspended or removed from office.
Temer and Rousseff always made an awkward couple. As head of the PMDB centrist party, Temer represented the biggest force in leftist Rousseffs shaky coalition.
For years, the PMDB played that kingmaker role and it worked. But in March, the party voted to quit the government and go into opposition, supporting the rush to impeach Rousseff.
The 75-year-old lawyer has a low profile for someone in such a lynchpin position at the top of Latin Americas biggest country and economy.
A constitutional scholar, he is perhaps best known to voters for having a 32-year-old former beauty contestant as a wife.
But now, with his boss possibly sliding toward political oblivion, Temer appears hungry to take himself and his party out of the shadows.
In fact Rousseff accuses him of manipulating the impeachment proceedings to rise to the top, calling him a conspirator.
Temer, seen as a master operator in the snakepit of Brasilias Congressional politics, initially played his cards cautiously.
For months he made his displeasure at Rousseff known, sending a letter in December where he complained of feeling undervalued as a decorative vice president.
But he was careful to stay on the fence, even as other PMDB members openly attacked Rousseff and pushed ahead the impeachment momentum.
Occasionally, he let the mask slip, publishing a document in October called A bridge to the future in which he criticized excesses in government policies.
But while lower-level supporters liked to refer to him as President Temer, he insisted he had no ambitions, except perhaps at the next scheduled elections in 2018.
Finally last month Temer came out into the open, calling on the PMDB to abandon the government and go into opposition.
But nothing was as brazen as the leaking Monday of an audio recording where he practices the speech hed give if he replaces Rousseff.
We are living in strange and worrying times, times of a coup and pretending and treachery, Rousseff said. Yesterday they used the pretense of a leak to give the order for the conspiracy.
For such a colorless, backroom wheeler and dealer, Temer has a surprising side.
Not only is he married to a woman less than half his age, but this is his third marriage. He has five children born across four decades.
Nor is he the stuffed suit that he might appear on television. In addition to a highly regarded work on constitutional law, this child of Lebanese immigrants has authored a book of poetry.
He has served three times as speaker of the lower house of Congress and has been president of the PMDB for 15 years.
Temer does not apologize for his dour manner, telling Piaui magazine in 2010 that joking is not his thing. I dont know how to do this. If I tried, it would be a disaster.
That persona may account for his rock-bottom popularity -- he would get just one percent of the vote in a presidential race against other leading figures, according to a recent Datafolha poll.
Becoming interim president because of a Rousseff impeachment would be one way for the kingmaker to become king.
There was a time when Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders were extremely civil to each other, in stark contrast to the Republicans brawling across the room. They can barely stand each other now.
Clinton and Sanders clashed furiously and frequently at the Democratic debate on Thursday, that got so scrappy one TV network said, October civility gives way to April anger.
The New York Times was surprised by the contempt they showed each other and said the debate was packed with sarcasm, snideness and smackdowns.
When Clinton said she had stood up to Wall Street, a reference to big banks and financial institutions, Sanders shot back: They must have been very, very upset by what you did.
After leaving office as secretary of state, Clinton received massive sums of money for speaking at some of these banks and is battling perception she will bat for them when elected.
In another exchange, Clinton said anyone who doesnt agree with Sanders is promptly described by him as the establishment, something he rails against constantly.
At one point during one of their exchanges that went out of control, moderator Wolf Blitzer of CNN cute said, If youre both screaming at each other, the viewers wont be able to hear either of you.
The two candidates are locked in a bitter fight for the Democratic nomination with the silver-haired senator from Vermont winning seven of the last eight nominating contests. Clinton still leads Sanders 1,289-1,038 in the count of pledged delegates (Democrats also have super-delegates), and is likely to sweep New York, but is struggling to shake him off. The Thursday night debate is unlikely to change the race, most experts agreed, but it was clear Sanders was prepared to fight till the last, and was not likely to give Clinton a pass.
He questioned her judgment for supporting the Iraq War as a senator, and, as secretary of state, not preparing adequately for the aftermath of the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya.
Clinton slammed him on gun control as she has in the past on his ambivalence, his inability to explain how he will deliver on his campaign promises, such as breaking up big banks.
They differed vigorously on Israel with Sanders, who is Jewish, insisting the Jewish state reacts with disproportionate aggression to provocations from Palestine. Clinton sided with Israel.
A former US defence contractor has been sentenced to nearly five years in jail for illegally exporting to India military blueprints and technical drawings of parts used in some high-tech hardware like F-15 jets using a local churchs website.
Hannah Robert, 49, circumvented the US government and provided export-controlled technical data related to various types of military technology to an individual in India, said asssistant US attorney general John P Carlin in a statement.
Robert, a resident of New Jersey, was sentenced to 57 months of imprisonment.
We will vigorously prosecute and bring to justice those who abuse their access to sensitive defence information and violate the Arms Export Control Act, Carlin said.
Prosecutors say she ran two New Jersey-based companies that contracted with the Pentagon to supply defence hardware and spare parts. She owned a third company in India that manufactured parts. Currently under home detention pending trial, she was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of violating the Arms Export Control Act, one count of conspiracy to violate the act and four counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to court documents, Robert, founder, owner, and president of One Source USA LLC, used a local churchs website to transfer technical drawings of military hardware parts. The exported technical drawings include parts used in the torpedo systems for nuclear submarines, military attack helicopters, and F-15 fighter aircraft, the Department of Justice said.
She transmitted export-controlled technical data to one PR in India so that they could submit bids to foreigners, including those in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to supply them or their foreign customers with defence hardware items and spare parts. Neither Robert nor PR obtained approval from the US Department of State for this conduct, the Justice Department said.
Rescuers were rifling through the remains of collapsed buildings in southern Japan on Friday, after a powerful earthquake left at least nine people dead and injured hundreds, sparking fires and buckling roads.
Tens of thousands of people fled their homes after the 6.5-magnitude quake struck the southwestern island of Kyushu on Thursday night, leaving lumps of broken concrete strewn in the streets.
Houses collapsed, factories stopped work and a high-speed train was derailed, while the roof of the treasured Kumamoto castle in the southern city of the same name was also damaged.
There was a ka-boom and the whole house shook violently sideways, Takahiko Morita, a resident of nearby town Mashiki, said in a telephone interview with public broadcaster NHK.
Furniture and bookshelves fell down, and books were all over the floor.
Dozens of aftershocks followed the quake, which hit about 9:26 pm local time on Thursday evening, and officials warned the death toll could rise as rescuers scoured the collapsed structures.
As rescue workers toiled through the night, an eight-month-old baby girl was pulled from the rubble alive and unharmed, NHK reported.
As far as we can tell from infrared images from a police helicopter, there appears to be a significant number of houses destroyed or half-collapsed, said disaster minister Taro Kono.
There are fears the number of injured could rise.
Firefighters walk among collapsed houses caused by an earthquake in Mashiki town, Kumamoto prefecture, southern Japan. (Reuters)
Rescuers are concentrating their searches in Mashiki, a town near the epicentre of the quake where the most deaths have been recorded.
On the streets, the remains of collapsed Japanese-style houses many of then aged, wooden structures could be seen, and damaged roof tiles lay in piles.
Scores of people spent the night huddled in front of the town hall, some in tears, while others wrapped themselves in blankets to ward off the nighttime chill.
Im so scared of the aftershocks that I cannot sleep, 94-year-old Tomiko Takahashi told Jiji Press.
Nuclear plants safe
By Friday morning, the government said it had confirmed at least 860 people had been injured, at least 53 seriously. An official from the local Kumamoto disaster agency said at least nine were dead.
We are combing through Mashiki where the damage was serious to see if there are any people who are still seeking rescue, said government spokesman Yoshihide Suga.
Gen Aoki, a Japan Meteorological Agency seismologist, urged residents to be on guard for more aftershocks and warned rain in coming days could make the situation worse.
(AFP)
Please do not go near damaged houses and structures that are about to collapse, he said at an early morning briefing.
About 57,000 households in Kumamoto prefecture have been left without water, according to local government figures.
Nuclear plants in the region were unaffected, but several major manufacturers including Honda, Bridgestone, and Sony said they had suspended operations at factories in the area.
Train services on Kyushu were temporarily halted after Thursdays earthquake and a super fast bullet train derailed luckily while it was empty said Yusuke Nanri, a spokesman for operator JR Kyushu.
Some 1,600 military personnel were joined by nearly 2,000 police officers and more than 1,300 firefighters to help in the search and rescue efforts, Suga said early Friday.
The initial quake, which struck at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles), was followed two and a half hours later by another measuring 6.4 magnitude, according to Japans meteorological agency. The US Geological Survey measured it a smaller 6.2 magnitude.
In total, more than 100 earthquakes rocked the region after the first hit, and officials warned the could continue for a week or so.
Japans two sole operating nuclear reactors, located on Kyushu, were functioning normally, an official at the Sendai plant told AFP.
Japan, one of the most seismically active countries in the world, has been particularly on edge over the vulnerability of nuclear power plants after a massive undersea quake on March 11, 2011, that sent a tsunami barrelling into the countrys northeast coast.
Some 18,500 people were left dead or missing, and several nuclear reactors went into meltdown at the Fukushima plant in the worst atomic accident in a generation.
Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday authorised a Turkish demand for criminal proceedings against a German TV comedian over a crude satirical poem about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a bitter row over free speech.
The government will give its authorisation in the case at hand, Merkel told reporters, adding that it was up to the courts to decide on his guilt or innocence.
However, Merkel also announced that Germany would by 2018 scrap the rarely-enforced section 103 of the criminal code -- insulting organs or representatives of foreign states -- under which the comic, Jan Boehmermann, has been accused, as a result of the embarrassing affair.
A section 103 probe can only go forward with the approval of the federal government.
Ankara this month filed a formal request for a criminal inquiry to be launched in Germany against the popular Boehmermann, who accused Erdogan of having sex with goats and sheep while gleefully admitting he was flouting Germanys legal limits on free expression.
The so-called Defamatory Poem also audaciously labelled the Turkish president a paedophile.
Merkel -- who had previously labelled the poem deliberately insulting -- had pledged Turkeys request would be very carefully examined, even as she underlined the German Constitutions guarantees of freedom of expression, academia and of course the arts.
On Friday she said her government, after heated internal debate, had concluded that only the judiciary should decide whether Boehmermann had committed a criminal offence.
In a state under the rule of law, it is not a matter for the government but rather for state prosecutors and courts to weigh personal rights issues and other concerns affecting press and artistic freedom, she said.
Merkel stressed that Berlins decision did not amount to a prejudgement on his legal culpability and that prosecutors and courts would have the last word.
A new study of Pakistani school textbooks backed by a US government commission has concluded their contents will make it virtually impossible for a new generation of Pakistanis to envision a peaceful future with Hindu-majority India.
The report Teaching intolerance in Pakistan: Religious bias in public school textbooks, released this week and sponsored by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), noted that the textbooks are riddled with errors about minority faiths and cultures.
The textbooks, which reach more than 41 million children, negatively portray religious minorities as untrustworthy and inferior, the USCIRF said. The study was conducted by Pakistan-based NGO Peace and Education Foundation (PEF).
According to the study, a tenth grade Urdu textbook states: Because the Muslim religion, culture and social system are different from non-Muslims, it is impossible to cooperate with Hindus.
The report said: This kind of education closes all doors for a new generation of Pakistani Muslims to see a peaceful future with Hindus of India, and worse yet, it provides a rationale to treat Pakistani Hindus as outsiders.
In contrast, it ignores how Hindus and Muslims have cooperated and coexisted peacefully for centuries in the subcontinent.
USCIRF chairman Robert P George said: Pakistans public school textbooks contain deeply troubling content that portrays non-Muslim citizens as outsiders, unpatriotic, and inferior; are filled with errors; and present widely-disputed historical facts as settled history.
He added this reflects the alarming state today of religious freedom in Pakistan.
The report said the social studies, Pakistan studies, and history curriculums teach students a version of history that promotes a national Islamic identity of Pakistan and often describes conflicts with India in religious terms. It added, The conflation of national and religious identities creates a narrative of conflict and historic grievance between Pakistani Muslims and Indian Hindus.
The report cited a social studies textbook of Sindh province that states: Even a half century after the creation of Pakistan, (Hindu racist) organisations are still working to eliminate Muslims. As a result, violence has occurred between Hindus and other groups living in Pakistan, which resulted in the destruction of Babri mosque and Hindu-Muslim riots in Gujarat...
The report further said: In post-independence history, wars with India are emphasised and examples of peace initiatives are largely ignored, resulting in an unbalanced historical discourse focused on intractable conflict.
The new study found some intolerant passages identified in another study in 2011 were removed from textbooks, while many new examples of bias were added, including passages that portray Pakistani Hindus as Indians.
The study made several recommendations, including the acknowledgement of peaceful coexistence and religious diversity in Pakistan so that students learn to respect all faiths.
The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan US government panel that monitors the right to freedom of religion abroad and makes policy recommendations to the President, secretary of state and Congress.
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War games between the US and the Philippines in the South China Sea have stirred up tension, with China saying on Friday that Washingtons decision to conduct joint patrols in the region means it is unlikely to remain neutral about disputes.
The US has dispatched around 300 soldiers and attack aircraft for the annual drill with the Philippines. The troops and aircraft will remain in the region till the end of April.
The US action amounts to it wading deeper and deeper into a regional row, on which it has promised to stay neutral, Chinas official Xinhua news agency said in a comment piece.
In late January, a US Navy guided missile destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles (22 km) off Zhongjian Dao, part of Chinas Xisha Islands, without prior notice to the Chinese side. It was a clear violation of international law, the commentary said.
File photo of US soldiers disembarking from a military helicopter while taking part in the annual "Balikatan" (shoulder-to-shoulder) war game with Filipino soldiers in April 2015. (Reuters)
Describing the US approach to the maritime disputes in the South China Sea as lopsided, the commentary said that the worlds sole super power has clearly gone back on its words.
It added, However, in addition to its commitment not to take sides, Washington must be reminded of one simple fact: neither muscle-flexing nor arbitrary intervention will shake Chinas resolve to safeguard its sovereignty and maritime rights.
China claims nearly the whole of the South China Sea and is locked in territorial disputes with several countries, including Vietnam and Malaysia. Chinas defence ministry has accused the US of militarising the region.
The joint patrols between the US and the Philippines in the South China Sea have led to militarisation in the region, which is harmful to regional peace and stability, the ministry said a statement.
The Chinese military will pay close attention to the situation, and resolutely defend Chinas territorial sovereignty and maritime interests, it said. The statement added the US and Philippines strengthening military alliance, increasing frontline military deployment and holding joint military drills with specific targets reflected Cold War mentality.
It seems like cable set-top boxes are on their way out of American homes. If the president has anything to say about it, of course. According to sources, which have opted to remain anonymous, U.S. President Barack Obama is allegedly set to announce his support for opening the market for cable set-top boxes on Friday.
The president's stance on the issue was allegedly sent to federal regulators in a letter on Thursday night, which, according to the sources, emphasized the president's initiatives to enhance competition in the otherwise monopolized market of cable TV.
With Obama's support, the Federal Communications Commission, which has so far taken the lead in attempting to crack the market for TV set-top boxes, would have a far stronger backer than it has ever had before. After all, the cable set-top boxes market, which is practically monopolized by a handful of large firms, is worth billions of dollars a year, with the average American family spending about $200 a year to rent their cable boxes from a provider.
For Obama, the sheer presence of cable boxes in U.S. homes is a prominent symbol of corporate power over consumers. After all, with the advancement of technology, the cable boxes have become quite outdated and extremely expensive to lease. By opening the market for cable set-top TV boxes, other manufacturers, who could offer consumers more advanced devices at lower prices, could very well force the hand of prominent cable and satellite TV companies to make their prices more competitive.
Jason Furman, the chairman of Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, and Jeffrey D. Zients, the director of the National Economic Council, described the president's emphasis on the issue.
"Instead of spending nearly $1,000 over four years on a set of behind-the-times boxes, American families will have options to own a device for much less money that will integrate everything they want, including their cable or satellite content, as well as online streaming apps, in one, easier-to-use gadget," they wrote.
Furman and Zients further compared the aged set-top boxes to the rotary phone, which used to be rented by customers as a condition of service during the 1980s. After the FCC moved to open the telephone industry to competition, the functionality, style and most of all, the price of the phones significantly improved.
Obama's initiative is allegedly being backed by notable tech firms, such as Google, Apple and Amazon. If successful, the era of the ubiquitous cable TV set-top boxes might very well come to a definitive close.
@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Theres been too little recent action at the federal and state levels to crack down on puppy mills, so grassroots advocates are turning more and more attention to local ordinances and getting their communities to set up firewalls against the sale of dogs from mills. Photo by Allen E. Sullivan/For The HSUS
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In the latest blow against the scourge of puppy mills, Philadelphia, the nations fifth largest city, this morning banned all sales of puppy mill dogs in pet stores and at outdoor venues like flea markets. The unanimous vote by the Philadelphia city council on the bill introduced by Councilman Kenyatta Johnson signals growing support among lawmakers and citizens in Pennsylvania a state with 900 puppy mills against these operations that typically keep and breed animals in deficient and abusive conditions. With todays action, the City of Brotherly Love joins more than 140 other localities around the United States, including Chicago and Los Angeles, with similar ordinances restricting puppy mill sales. Together, these developments are driving the market toward shelter and rescue adoption and responsible breeders.
Reform has a funny way of finding a pathway when there are roadblocks set in place. After Congress failed to set minimum standards for the treatment of laying hens in the egg industry, for example, we went to Americas biggest food retailers and ran the table with them in changing their purchasing practices and instituting cage-free policies.
On the puppy mill front, in recent years, theres been too little action at the federal and state levels to crack down on the mills, so grassroots advocates are turning more and more attention to local ordinances and getting their communities to set up firewalls against the sale of dogs from mills.
This political movement focused on municipal action will wither when there is legitimate reform at the state and federal levels. But some segments of the industry have fought sensible reforms every step of the way.
We are starting to see some progress on this front, after a few years of stasis. Connecticut last year passed a bill banning breeders with severe Animal Welfare Act violations, and just yesterday, the Louisiana state senate passed a bill to crack down on the sale of puppy mill dogs at pet stores. Maryland last month passed a bill that requires pet shops to only source from breeders licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and without the most egregious Animal Welfare Act violations. The bill also bans outdoor sales of puppy mill dogs. It is now awaiting the governors signature.
New Jersey is now considering the most comprehensive puppy mill sales bill ever in any state. Introduced by state Senator Raymond Lesniak, a great champion of all animals, the bill would ban the sale of puppy mill puppies at pet shops and at outdoor venues. And, emulating the USDAs 2013 Retail Rule, it would make New Jersey the first state to ban puppy mills from shipping puppies sight-unseen to customers, requiring that the customer visit the breeders facility (or, in the case of a responsible breeder, their home) and meet the dog prior to sale.
Our campaign against puppy mills leaves nothing to chance. We work with local law enforcement officials to carry out rescues at puppy mills, like one just last month where we pulled out 295 dogs living in filth and horror at an Arkansas puppy mill. We have been working with pet store chains to convert to a humane model of adopting out puppies from rescues and shelters, instead of selling dogs. To date, our pet store conversion program has helped 15 pet stores change to this model and these stores have adopted out more than 6,300 dogs and cats, many from shelters with high euthanasia rates. Courts have ruled in our favor when local puppy mill ordinances have been challenged in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Rhode Island.
Our goal is simple: to end the era of production of dogs in mills and to drive consumers to rescues and shelters, and to responsible breeders. Philadelphias decision today is just the latest indicator that theres a growing movement to spurn the mills.
Scientists have discovered a total of three new primate species in Madagascar. The three new species are mouse lemurs and live in the South and East of the island nation.
Mouse lemurs are small, nocturnal primates that can only be found in Madagascar. Just 20 years ago, only two species were known to exist. Now, with the recent findings, that number has jumped to 24 species in total.
The reason for why these various species have gone unnoticed for so long is simple: mouse lemurs look similar. Because they're nocturnal, they're also elusive, and they can only be distinguished reliably with genetic methods.
"By using new, objective methods to assess genetic differences between individuals, we were able to find independent evidence that these three mouse lemurs represent new species," said Peter Kappeler, Head of the Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit at the German Primate Center and one of the researchers behind the study. "The genetic techniques we used could facilitate species identification, thus also contributing to further new descriptions in other animal groups."
About three years ago, the same research groups described two new mouse lemur species. The closely related Madame Berthe's mouse lemur is actually the smallest primate in the world, weighing in at just 30g.
Finding these different species, although they're closely related, is important. This is largely due to the fact that scientists will be able to better target conservation efforts by knowing the distribution of different species.
"To know the exact distribution area of individual species is necessary to identify functioning protected areas," Kappeler said. "Furthermore, this new information is an important element towards better understanding how biodiversity in Madagascar arose."
More than 100 known species of lemurs are threatened by extinction, according to the IUCN "Red List." In fact, lemurs represent the world's most endangered group of mammals. Both deforestation and hunting have helped reduce population numbers. This, in particular, shows how important it is to monitor these populations of lemurs and understand what species may or may not be vulnerable.
The new findings reveal that mouse lemurs are more diverse than expected. It's likely that scientists will continue to uncover more species in the future with genetic techniques.
The study was recently published in the journal Molecular Ecology.
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After more than 40 years in jail and 19 failed attempts at getting approved for parole, former Manson Family member Leslie Van Houten managed to earn the approval of the California parole board. After a five-hour hearing at the California Institution for Women in Corona, Van Houten finally saw hope.
Van Houten was the youngest among those who were convicted in the brutal Manson Family killings way back in 1969. During her conviction, she was initially given the death penalty, but after a change in California law, her sentence was downgraded to life in prison.
After getting the all-elusive approval of the parole board, Van Houten simply stated that the decision made her feel "numb."
"I don't let myself off the hook. I don't find parts in any of this that makes me feel the slightest bit good about myself," she said.
During her long stint in prison, Van Houten proved herself to be an ideal inmate, earning both her bachelor's and master's degrees behind bars. She also organized a number of notable self-help groups for women in prison. Indeed, her actions seemed to have shown that through the years, the now 66-year-old Van Houten became a changed woman.
Despite her efforts in earning more freedom for herself, however, her parole is not guaranteed. After the initial approval from the parole board, the decision is set to be endorsed to an administrative review and later on to the governor of California, Jerry Brown.
Of course, her possible parole has caused much criticism, especially among the families of the people she murdered on that fateful night almost 50 years ago.
Cory LaBianca, whose mother and father were killed by the Manson family, acknowledged that Van Houten might have done good things in prison. Regardless of what she has done behind bars, however, LaBianca believes that it was her actions before she ended up in prison that should determine whether or not she gets parole.
"I very much disagree with the ruling. We all need to be held responsible for our behavior. The least we can do, for someone who commits a crime against another human being, is to keep them in jail," LaBianca said. "Maybe Leslie Van Houten has been a model prisoner. But you know what, we still suffer our loss. My father will never be paroled. My stepmother will never get her life back."
Rich Pfeiffer, Van Houten's attorney, disagrees with the criticism. According to the lawyer, throughout the years, his client has suffered from the stigma brought about by her participation in the gruesome murders and not much else.
"A lot of people who oppose parole don't know anything about Leslie's conduct. Her role was bad. Everyone's was. But they don't know what she's done since then and all of the good she's done," he said.
@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
After Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took grave offense to a satirical attack by a comic on March 31, German Chancellor Angela Merkel decided to allow the prosecution of the German comedian, citing a law that criminalizes insults towards people of power.
Merkel announced Friday that she would authorize a criminal investigation that is set to examine whether prominent comedian Jan Bohmermann committed an illegal act by reciting a satirical poem about the Turkish president on German TV.
During a broadcast on German broadcaster ZDF, Bohmermann honed in on Erdogan, suggesting that he hits women. The comic also poked fun at the possibility that the Turkish president watches child pornography and is a fan of bestiality.
Needless to say, Erdogan was not amused. Since he came to power back in 2014, he has already managed to lodge more than 1,800 criminal cases against people who offended him. Just last year, he had two cartoonists arrested after they published a political cartoon that did not sit well with the Turkish president.
Fortunately for Erdogan, Germany actually has a law that prohibits people from offending those in power. However, the law was created back when Germany was still under a monarchy, with the law targeting those who offend the nation's royalty. Thus, it is quite outdated and is set to be repealed starting 2018.
During her announcement, Merkel emphasized the importance of Turkey as a partner.
"The result is, that the German government grants the right to prosecute Jan Bohmermann. I want to explain further that Turkey is a state with whom we have strong ties. There are a lot of Turkish citizen living in Germany. We have strong economic relations and our responsibility to work together in the NATO," she said.
She did, however, state that the final decision would be left to prosecutors and the nation's courts.
The Chancellor's decision was quickly criticized by a number of prominent people, with Thomas Oppermann, the head of the Social Democrats Merkel's own partner in the coalition government, disagreeing with her decision.
"I think this decision is wrong. Criminal proceedings against satire for 'insulting a majesty' do not fit in with modern Germany," he said.
If convicted, Bohmermann might face up to three years in prison, or face a fine.
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News, events, history, and other mid-week tidbits.
Tuesday, October 25, 4:30 7 p.m.
Orr Area EMS Open House
Brats and burgers will be served. Event includes a new ambulance tour and blood pressure screenings. For more info: 218-780-3798.
Orr Fire Hall
4540 Lake St., Orr
Tuesday, October 25, 12 6 p.m.
Essentia Health Job Fair
Talent recruiters and department managers will be on-site at Essentia Health-Virginia. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to attendnurses, nursing and clinical assistants, surgery technicians, radiology technicians, respiratory therapists, human resource professionals, and those interested in environmental services or nutrition services. Essentia staff will greet candidates, conduct an initial screening and filter them to appropriate hiring managers for interviews. Select candidates will be verbally offered a position before leaving. Candidates are asked to bring a resume, but its not required. Attire is business casual. For more info: www.essentiacareers.org.
901 9th St. N., Virginia
Lets be fair. Racehorse names are notoriously silly, and so even if the newly christened Horsey McHorseface had not been named for an internet meme, he wouldnt have necessarily been given a noble moniker.
Still, you have to hope that Horsey earns a better nickname for use around the barn.
Photo: Bjorn Baker Racing Photo: Bjorn Baker Racing
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In case you missed it (or have already forgotten), Boaty McBoatface is a name proposed for the #NameOurShip campaign by the Natural Environment Research Council in Great Britain. The name has earned the lions share of public support in a vote for the name of a new polar research ship.
James Hand, a former BBC radio host who originally suggested the name, apologized for the joke after it took off, but there was no harm done. The NERC always maintained the right to name the ship at their discretion, citing the public poll as simply a way to gather suggestions.
But back to Horsey. The two-year-old was purchased at a sale in New Zealand last November and is now in training with Australian race trainer Bjorn Baker. The stables staff came up with the name.
We had a laugh about it in the office and thought, Hey, why not? said racing manager Jake Bruce.
According to ITV.com, the colt is scheduled to make his racing debut in May.
Incidentally, the NERCs poll for their ships name closes tomorrow, April 16, so theres still time to suggest Horsey McHorseface as the name for the research vessel.
Hey, why not?
Leslie Potter is Managing Editor of HorseChannel.com. Follow her on Twitter: @LeslieInLex.
In light of the rising power of platforms for renting out private accommodations, hotel groups first expressed casual indifference, quickly followed by vehement outcry. But now, since the phenomenon has been established for the long-run, a third pragmatic phase is underway that includes part of the sharing model that has begun in hospitality.
"If you can't beat 'em join 'em," as the popular saying goes and that is what is taking place right now with equity participation or with the creation of collaborative offers by several hotel groups.
The arrival of the sharing economy had a salutary effect on the price/value ratio. From the hotelier's point of view it had blatantly got worse due to a shortage combined with growing demand. The "sharing economy" helped give meaning back to non-market values. In the eighteenth century, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the eternal idealist, insisted on these immaterial values: "Of all the things that matter to me, most cannot be bought." A few centuries later, pragmatism quickly caught up with start-ups that were developed on the principle of sharing and community spirit. Between the tools for good rate management and the "Ten commandments" of the "super host", the relationship between platform managers and their subscribers is growing imperceptibly closer to franchise and revenue management.
In the end, the two models, which are very different at first, will end up meeting and we may already bet that the commercial hotel model could carry the way in the mind of a demanding client. In response to Rousseau, Voltaire always had the right retort: "What idiot, if he had a good bed, would sleep outside?" he wrote in Dictionary of Philosophy. Why deprive oneself of the comfort and experience of service when the price/value ratio has been readjusted in the right direction? The new concepts - and those that wish to raise themselves back up - are lucky to be able to rely on increasingly "user friendly" technology.
From public spaces to rooms, from dining areas to meeting rooms, the hotel experience is undergoing a technological revolution in order to better exploit each square meter at around the clock in order to facilitate flux management, create personalized atmospheres, recreate conviviality and transport guests into an "experimental" universe far away from their habits and domestic environment. This is what made the strength of the hotel industry when it reinvented itself at the end of the last century. It had lost its ability to surprise and stay ahead of household equipment. It is both luck and an opportunity that is available as long as investment follows.
Each actor has his own role, and in his category can resuscitate what almost went missing in hotel products. Sovereign funds invest in perfecting service and preserving heritage; institutional investors and promoters finance the development of the latest generations of properties; hotel operators give new meaning to the notion of experience by breaking codes and valorizing personnel; inventors of all stripes see the hospitality industry as a formidable playing field.
http://hospitality-on.com/en/editorial/georges-panayotis/the-voltaire-syndrome/#ixzz45nWZzszT
Georges Panayotis
Chairman & CEO
+33 (0) 1 56 56 87 87
Hospitality ON
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For some types of businesses, offering consumers choice is a big deal. Hotels offer a perfect example: Because big hotel chains often manage a variety of different brands, they can suggest options from budget properties and posh, boutique hotels to lavish, upscale resorts, hoping to appeal to the broadest range of consumers possible. But, perhaps unintentionally, Airbnb might be winning at the differentiation game.
The rising popularity of Airbnb is not a new story. More travelers are renting. But now that the sharing economy is in full swing, more consumers are now comfortable hosting. Airbnb's supply seems to be growing exponentially, offering renters an unprecedented range of accommodation choices. Options can range from a US$15 per night spot on the couch to an $8,000 per night mansion on a sprawling 100-acre property (and everything in between). Airbnb offers something for everyone, and the website is attracting a wide range of spenders.
For example, while younger consumers typically have a passion for seeing the world, they often travel on a tight budget. Tastes and preferences, however, generally become a bit more expensive a few years down the road, once travelers get a bit older and settled into their careers. These general patterns in leisure travel spending are becoming increasingly apparent among Airbnb renters. According to Phocuswright's From Hotels to Homes: Opening the Door to the Airbnb Traveler, leisure Airbnb renters between the ages of 18 and 24 paid roughly $100 per night for their last Airbnb (see Figure 1). Nightly rates, however, spike among older age groups, generally closer to $200.
Figure 1
Airbnb Accommodates Broad Spectrum of Travel Spenders | By Brandie Wright Photo by Phocuswright
Younger Airbnb'ers truly appreciate the low-cost lodging options made available by the private accommodation brand. Compared to older groups, younger renters were significantly more likely to be "completely" satisfied with the price paid and value of their last leisure Airbnb stay (see Figure 1). Low prices are important to them because it simply makes travel possible. Older renters, however, may not have been as satisfied or concerned with price because other elements of the travel experience become more important with age such as splurging on nicer listings with better amenities and more comfort. When asked to rate different elements of their last Airbnb stay, older travelers expressed a significantly higher level of satisfaction with the arrival and check-in process, linens and toiletries, cleanliness and privacy (see Figure 2).
Figure 2
Airbnb Accommodates Broad Spectrum of Travel Spenders | By Brandie Wright Photo by Phocuswright
Most of the big hotel chains realize that offering a single type of lodging experience to a globe of travelers with a wide variety of tastes and preferences is a surefire way to limit profits. Because Airbnb still draws a younger audience, most hotel groups consider their lower cost brands to be most at risk to direct competition. Study findings suggest, however, that plenty of Airbnb'ers are booking upmarket, offering another piece of evidence that Airbnb's competitive threat to hotels is stronger than most think.
Phocuswright's From Hotels to Homes: Opening the Door to the Airbnb Traveler offers an unprecedented view of the Airbnb consumer exploring who's renting with the brand, why and how often. This study also takes a deep dive into travelers' last Airbnb rental experiences, revealing facets about their trips such as what motivated them to rent, where they stayed and for how long, their experiences with hosts, overall satisfaction and much more. This report also delves into the business side of things, examining the experiences of travelers who rented an Airbnb for a business trip within the past two years.
Learn more and purchase your copy HERE.
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Caribbean Travel Marketplace, the region's largest marketing forum, will return to The Bahamas for the second consecutive year when the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) stages the event from Jan. 31 - Feb. 2, 2017 at Atlantis, Paradise Island.
In addition to CHTA, Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2017 will be organized with the support of The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Nassau/Paradise Island Promotion Board (NPIPB), Paradise Island Tourism Development Association (PITDA) and The Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA).
Pictured (l-r) Hon. Obie Wilchcombe, Minister of Tourism, Islands of The Bahamas; Joy Jibrilu, Director General, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, and Frank Comito, CEO and Director General, Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, CHTA.
We are delighted to announce that next year CHTA's Caribbean Travel Marketplace will once again be hosted here on our beloved Islands of The Bahamas. We look forward to welcoming back those delegates who joined us this year as well as inviting new travel partners to enjoy our hospitality and see firsthand the exciting new products and experiences which The Bahamas and the Caribbean offer," said Joy Jibrilu, Director General, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.
"The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association welcomes the opportunity to co-host Caribbean Travel Marketplace along with our partners at the Ministry of Tourism, NPIPB and PITDA. Marketplace is an invaluable forum for showcasing the incredible range of hotel and tourism-related offerings available in The Bahamas and throughout the Caribbean. Atlantis is the ideal host property for this event, providing one location for the more than 1,000 attendees to meet, network, and enjoy themselves. We will be offering attendees the opportunity to discover The Bahamas through pre- and post-trips to our Family Islands, Grand Bahama and to several new properties just completed or under development in Nassau and on Paradise Island," said BHTA President Stuart Bowe.
CHTA will be adding several new components to the event aimed at attracting even more buyers and suppliers.
"With the support of The Islands of The Bahamas, we are enhancing the scope and impact of Caribbean Travel Marketplace, attracting new delegates and building upon the successful sales and marketing professional development sessions offered earlier this year," said Karolin Troubetzkoy, president of CHTA. "Caribbean Travel Marketplace presents the best opportunity to generate last-minute seasonal business while setting the state for long-term business and enhancing the relationship between hoteliers and buyer companies," she added.
Caribbean Travel Marketplace affords tourism suppliers the vital opportunity to meet face-to-face with wholesalers from around the world selling Caribbean vacation packages over the course of two days of business meetings. CHTA hopes to build on its success from 2016 by expanding its outreach to wholesalers in Latin America and emerging destinations as well as tour operators specializing in niche markets. As a result of the concerted efforts made by CHTA, Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2016 attracted 19 new buyer companies, bringing the total to 109 companies. In addition to the buyers, there were 243 suppliers and over 1,000 delegates in attendance at Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2016.
CHTA will offer a full day of professional development opportunities for attendees on Jan. 31, 2017, followed by the Opening Ceremonies in the evening. The educational sessions will provide attendees with the tools for developing revenue-generating opportunities that will help them make money and cut costs.
Companies interested in learning about sponsorship opportunities should contact Matt Cooper, chief marketing officer, via matt@caribbeanhotelandtourism.com or call (305) 443-3040.
Contact CHTA by email events@caribbeanhotelandtourism.com or telephone 786-476-8623 for more information.
Last month, Drake teased his a new liquor brand hes launching called Virginia Black. Dizzy worked with Brent Hocking to create the American whiskey brand. Hocking previously created DeLeon Tequila, which he eventually sold to Diddy & Diageo.
Last night, Drake unveiled a TV spot via his Instagram, as well as a pretty cheesy pic of him holding a bottle of the liquor. The branding evokes 1970s disco and funk vibes, down to its gold labeling. Drake and Hocking also provided a mission statement to Billboard for the new liquor: We believe everyone should have access to glamour, swagger and soul. Virginia Black grants them that access, allowing people to embody the lifestyle always, not just on special occasions.
That statement makes it seem like this wont be exorbitantly priced, which is a nice gesture from Drizzy. The liquor isnt on sale yet, and doesnt have a release date. However, we wouldnt be surprised to see it hit shelves in conjunction with his upcoming album Views From The 6. Drake joins Diddy, Jay Z and 50 Cent as a rapper with a liquor brand under his belt. Not bad company to be in, all things considered. We do have one question for Drake, though why didnt he make a Canadian whiskey?
Drake-VirginiaBlack
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e industry commentators may say that robotic workers threaten millions of jobs around the world but one Chinese restaurant chain is sure to disagree after it was forced to scale back operations thanks to the incompetent AI.When Guangshou-based eatery Heweilai introduced the $7,000 machines to three of its restaurants last year, the move was met with much excitement and customers flocked to see the wait-staff in action.Fast forward a few months and two of those restaurants have now closed with the third only in operation after firing its entire robotic workforce.Maintenance costs may have been lower than the average workers salary but, according to one human employee, there were too many tasks the machines couldnt do and too many variables in play.The skin-and-bones staff member said the robots which frequently malfunctioned couldnt handle soup dishes, pour water or take orders and had to follow a fixed route that sometimes resulted in clashes.Zhang Yun, a vice president at the Guangdong University of Technology, told a local newspaper that the robots werent ready for the job.He said mechanical workers will be widely used within the manufacturing industry in the future, as many tasks are repetitive, but said further development is needed before robots are able to work effectively in the service sector.
t month, a key HRINZ judge claimed that New Zealand businesses may be lagging behind their European counterparts when it comes to CSR but now, one French-born HR head has said Kiwi companies actually outdo overseas organisations on multiple fronts.New Zealand is sometimes even going above and beyond [European companies], notably because of its culture, insists Laurent Sylvestre , general manager of people and culture. There are lots of things here in New Zealand that HR professionals in Europe can definitely learn from.Sylvestre, who worked as a national HR manager in both Paris and Le Mans, now heads up the people and culture team at Kiwi engineering icon Beca. He told HRM that New Zealand can easily compete with and even outdo some of the top global organisations when it comes to HR.Ive worked for eight years in the corporate world in Europe and yes, Ive seen cutting edge HR technology, HR philosophy and HR development tools but Ive also seen some pretty poor behaviour in the way some companies treat people, says Sylvestre. Behaviour which is way worse than the way we treat employees in New Zealand.In New Zealand, you have a work life balance which is way higher than what you would find in Europe, youve got a sense of community which is way better than what you would find in most of Europe and youve got values at work which are way better than most of the companies you would find in Europe, he continued.While some New Zealand organisations often operate on a smaller scale compared to European, Asian or U.S. companies, Sylvestre says this size actually works to our advantage, with many companies being much quicker to adopt innovative people practices.Many European and U.S. HR practices can come across as pretty old school, not very nimble and driven out of massive corporate culture, usually due to scale, he explained.Despite the smaller scale, Sylvestre says that many New Zealand organisations are still successfully operating in a global marketplace which is testament to the countrys ability to compete.I think that globalization is such that every single business in New Zealand that operates in a global context has to run faster than the big boys in Europe and the U.S. to compete, he told HRM.We are competing in exactly the same markets take us for example in Asia so our people practices, philosophies, technology, everything has to be better, he continued.We can be better because we are more innovative, more nimble and hungrier. New Zealand has the opportunity to break out of the global HR mold and do some more unconventional and innovative stuff and lead the way globally, he added.
Google decided that they needed to add voice to offer a triple-play. So for $10 you can have a landline equivalent. I have a bunch of questions.
One, if you only have 120,000 subscribers*, do you think that not having triple-play was the problem?
Was it harder to rollout fiber to the home than you thought? This article suggests that government regulations, electric companies, ILECs, cable guys and franchise rules with fees, has a lot to do with cities getting FTTH or not.
"Laying down high-speed fiber is expensive. Digging trenches in the ground and stringing cables along utility poles is expensive. Getting permission to do all that is expensive. But it turns out that all of that is a fraction of the cost of offering TV programming, according to the head of Google Fiber, Milo Medin. And it's a cost Google can't avoid paying. Video "is the single biggest impediment" to Google Fiber's deployment, Medin told an audience at the COMPTEL telecom conference in Dallas in 2014." [source]
Also, Google Fiber had to raise rates for TV in Kansas City AND got rid of its free service there.
Lots of real world troubles for triple-play. (It's why Telco TV will end up being a huge money suck.)
Back to the voice addition, Why choose landline and not Google Fi, the cellular service that Alphabet just opened up to anyone (invites no longer needed)? I often wonder why VZW didn't offer quad play by adding cellular plans with its FiOS bundles, but it may have to do with sticker shock on the bill.
"As for Google Fiber's new phone service, it is like a standard landline, with 911 support, caller ID, and voicemail--which is transcribed and emailed like Google Voice. The service also allows people to have calls automatically forwarded to a cell phone." [time]
Another way to do it is to just do Cloud Phone - Google Voice basically - or to do simul ring or sequential ring. Add SMS to that number as well. The voicemail to text is nice.
Are they shipping an ATA? How will they connect to the cat3 wiring in the house so that the RJ11 phone jacks work? They could have re-invented the landline.
They are getting a boost from the FCC with the new order about to come down on set-top boxes. The smaller providers would be happy to not have to buy, install, RMA set-top boxes. However, it is big revenue for the big guys - $231 per year to rent a box.
Re-invention of this stuff should already be happening.
BTW, Google Fiber, which started in 2012, has 27,000 video subscribers in Greater Kansas City according to this article. This article says "Google ended 2014 with 29,867 video subs " combined. Wikipedia says about 120K broadband subscribers, whichis the same number that The Verge reported.
Colors and shapes of underwater world via Getty Images Little Corn Island, Nicaragua, Caribbean, Atlantic Ocean
When you think of travelling with a tour, you might picture a large group of rowdy young people or a sense of sticking to a routine. But some destinations require the expertise of a local, someone who knows the ins and outs of a particular city, and not just the typical tourist traps.
Some of the most popular tourist destinations across the world offer an abundance of tours, but below, TourRadar, a site that allows you to book guides or tours, has helped us narrow down some of the least crowded destinations still worth a trip.
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Of course, if you're the type of person who doesn't like an agenda or having restrictions, you can always book a guide for smaller parts of your trip. We suggest looking into them if you are checking out any type of ancient architecture or religious monuments.
And with our dollar slowly picking up steam, you can also check out some of these budget-friendly destinations ideal for Canadians.
TourRadar also has an emphasis on small local tour groups, and includes guides everywhere from the stunning beaches of Little Corn Island in Nicaragua to the forests of Kyrgyzstan and even the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, India.
Below, the site lists 17 beautiful destinations that you should definitely check out with a local expert.
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A U.K. court has ruled that Cyanide is not an acceptable name for a baby.
On Thursday, an unnamed mother from Wales was banned from naming her twin daughter after the poison that killed Adolf Hitler. While the woman believed the moniker to be lovely and pretty, the court ruled that the name might bring harm to the child in the future.
The mother, who is from Powys, Wales, was also banned from naming her twin son Preacher. While this name was not considered as unusual as Cyanide, the court ruled that both monikers were not in the best interest of the children.
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The issue was first brought to the courts attention by Powys County Council social workers who learned of the twins names.
In court, the mother argued that she has the right to name her own children. She also noted that cyanide has positive connotations, as it is responsible for killing Hitler and Goebbels and I consider that this was a good thing.
It is hard to see how... the twin girl could regard being named after this deadly poison as other than a complete rejection of her by her birth mother.
Nonetheless, Appeal Court judges ruled that even allowing for changes in taste, fashion and developing individual perception, Cyanide was still not an appropriate name for a baby.
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Justice Eleanor King also added, It is hard to see how... the twin girl could regard being named after this deadly poison as other than a complete rejection of her by her birth mother.
The twins three older half-siblings are now responsible for giving the kids new names.
All of the mothers five kids are in foster care due to her history of mental illness and drug abuse.
In the U.K., parents have the freedom to choose any name for their child, as long as it is not offensive. Regarding this case, Justice King said: This is one of those rare cases where the court should intervene to protect the girl twin from emotional harm.
This isnt the first time a country has banned an unusual baby name. In 2015, for instance, two French couples were banned from naming their children Nutella and Strawberry. Later that year, the French court also barred one couple from naming their son Prince William.
Baby name laws vary around the world. Flip through the slideshow below to see which countries are the strictest:
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Gov. Gen. David Johnston says Canada showed its true colours during the niqab debate and in its response to the Syrian refugee crisis.
In an interview with CBC News, Johnston said Canadians responded to the two issues "in an exemplary way."
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On the niqab debate he said Canada's "showed its strength" and the issue failed to impugn or "sidetrack us from who we really are."
That debate, which almost engulfed the federal election campaign, revolved around Zunera Ishaq's choice to take the oath of citizenship while wearing the niqab.
Zunera Ishaq took the oath of citizenship in October while wearing the niqab. (Photo: The Canadian Press)
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The niqab issue was quickly utilized by the Conservatives as an election issue arguing it was essential for new Canadians to show their faces at citizenship ceremonies.
Liberals and the NDP did not make similar arguments, and instead accused the Tories of using the niqab to distract voters from other issues.
Ishaq, who took the oath while wearing the niqab in October, said much of the discussion that swirled around the religious garment was based on misconceptions about Islam, the niqab, and of women who embrace both.
She attributed much of the misinformation to the previous Conservative government, accusing former prime minister Stephen Harper of turning her personal choice into a national vote-getting strategy.
Johnston, who was appointed governor general while Harper was in power, told CBC News that although the niqab issue has since died down, he still worries about divisive ideas that could damage Canada's reputation.
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"I continue to worry about any initiatives that would cause us to be small-minded, and to lose that sense of A, inclusiveness, B, fairness, C, equality of opportunity," he said.
Canada's Gov. Gen. David Johnston (left) greets Syrian refugee Osama and his baby daughter as they arrive at the Welcome Centre at Toronto's Pearson Airport on Dec. 18, 2015. (Photo: Chris Young/The Canadian Press)
In December, Johnston greeted government-sponsored Syrian refugees arriving in Toronto.
At the time, he said the Canadian goodwill expressed in response to the Syrian refugee crisis has "great momentum."
"I'm very heartened and believe that we will see it with a strong momentum because it's so grassroots,'' he said of the response to the crisis. "It has shown so many Canadians participating in so many different ways."
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With files from The Canadian Press
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S. Larose
If you want a real taste of the food scene in Quebec, Canada, head over to the Eastern Townships. Nestled between Montreal and the U.S. border, this bucolic region is dotted with charming towns, historic buildings and hidden culinary gems.
Its a destination not to be missed by those looking to leave the beaten path in search of new foodie finds.
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Weve created a food itinerary that maps out the most delicious digs in the region. Follow along and be sure to wear those stretchy pants.
Day One
Breakfast Of Eggs Benny
Hop in a car and head to Le Cafe de la Brulerie for breakfast. This warm and inviting cafe, located in the town of Granby is the perfect place for a leisurely breakfast of eggs Benedict with smoked salmon. The warm and inviting atmosphere will keep you lingering long after youve wiped your plate clean.
Breaking Bread At Lunch
Theres no better place for a delicious and hearty lunch than La Mie Bretonne. This charming French bakery and pastry shop makes all of its bread (30 varieties and counting) onsite, using only local or sustainable flour. Their wide selection of sandwiches packed with local cheese, pates, and sausages, are sure to satisfy anyones hunger pangs. A cup of coffee and some homemade macarons will seal the deal.
Afternoon Cider
Next, make a quick pit stop at Union Libre Cidre et Vin to sample the local cider and walk around the beautiful estate. Union Libre is Quebecs leading producer of Fire Cider, a drink made by fermenting heat-concentrated apple juice.
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Nightcap (With A Side Of Duck)
End off the night at Auberge Brouerie Sutton to savor local beer and order one of their delectable Truite des Bobines or duck dishes to share. Better yet, come back in the fall when the Lac Brome Duck Festival, a food festival in the village of Knowlton, is in full swing.
Day Two
Brunch On The Orford Express
Your second day of exploration begins on board the Orford Express -- a beautiful train that takes you through some of the most stunning landscapes in the Eastern Townships. Discover the cities of Sherbrooke, Magog and Eastman while enjoying an exquisite brunch consisting of frittata, crepes and seasonal fruit.
Bleu Benedictine Cheese
While in the Magog region of Quebec, be sure to make a stop at LAbbaye Saint-Benoit-du-Lac monastery, which recently celebrated its centenary. You dont need to be religious to find yourself deeply devoted to their awe-inspiring Bleu Benedictine cheese and homemade jams. Take the guided tour to learn more about the life at the monastery.
Dinner At Le Hatley
After checking in at Manoir Hovey, a charming inn with a lakeside view, enjoy dinner at Le Hatley, the inns restaurant. The restaurants chef, Francis Wolf, serves up quintessentially Canadian meals made with the finest local and regional products. After dinner, enjoy the multimedia show Foresta Lumina at Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook and take a hike through the enchanted forest, its magic!
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Nightcap
Theres no better way to end your weekend discovering the Eastern Townships than at Manoir Hovey, a five-star inn located on the shores of Lake Massawippi. Find the perfect spot in the Tap Room Pub, order a glass of port, and plan your next trip to Quebec.
Day Three
Sugar Sublimity For Lunch (Because Youre On Vacation)
An hour drive away from Manoir Hovey is les Sucreries de lErable, an old general store built in the 1800s. This place is known for its maple syrup pie, a popular Quebec dessert the owner claims to have perfected. Grab a cup of coffee and take a bite of this tree-tapped delicacy.
Before this sweet indulgence, consider going to Velo Volant at Au Diable Vert where you can ride through the treetops on a suspended recumbent bicycle. How fun does that sound?
Dinner At Quatre Canard
Situated at the base of Mount Bromont is Quatre Canard, a restaurant in Hotel Chateau-Bromont, an outstanding hotel and spa in the city of Bromont. Indulge in local cuisine while sipping on a glass (or two) of local wine. If day three of your weekend getaway falls on a Sunday, consider having a leisurely brunch with friends or family.
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Province of New Brunswick press release
The province of New Brunswick is offering free post-secondary tuition for students from low-income families.
Premier Brian Gallant announced Thursday that families with household incomes of $60,000 or less are eligible for the new program.
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"We are doing this so university and college tuition can be free for low income and many middle class New Brunswick families," Gallant said in a press release.
The province has earmarked $14.5 million for Tuition Access Bursary which will top-up federal grants to fully cover the student's tuition.
The only catch: the money is available only to students who will attend universities and colleges in New Brunswick, as
as part of a push to increase enrollment there.
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The new tuition program is restricted to only post-secondary schools in the province, like the University of New Brunswick.
According to the Maritime Province Higher Education Commission, New Brunswick recorded a 5.9 per cent decline in home university enrollment last year. Some have attributed that to a decreased youth population, while others say it's because of crippling student debt.
Earlier this month, about 50 students from the University of Moncton showed up at the provincial legislature to bring attention to a lack of action on changes to the grant program, reported CBC News.
They wore shirts emblazoned with the number 35,200 according to the New Brunswick Student Alliance, that's the average debt a student in the province graduates with, which is the highest in the country.
Grants to start 2016-17
Thursday's announcement drew praise from the group.
By directing resources to the students who need it most when they need it most, government is dramatically improving financial aid and increasing access," said Lindsay Handren, the alliance's executive director.
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Students can expect the grants to take effect in the 2016-2017 academic year.
Meanwhile in Newfoundland and Labrador
The student grant program was an idea taken up with great fanfare by Newfoundland and Labrador. But less than a year after implementing it, the province is returning to student loans.
Last summer, Newfoundland and Labrador decided to convert student loans to non-repayable grants.
On Thursday, Finance Minister Cathy Bennett said a financial crisis has forced the province to roll back the program. With a budget deep in the red partly due to a drop in oil revenues, Bennett cut the grants.
The province also announced that it will be scrapping $14 million in funding to Memorial University.
Also on HuffPost:
Tourisme Laurentides
If you truly want to escape from the stressors of life, head to the Laurentians region of Quebec, Canada, an area known for its incredible spa facilities. The mountains, rivers and lakes of the stunning region make any act of relaxation here all the more indulgent. But you havent truly lived until youve experienced the body-tingling results of a Nordic spa treatment amidst Quebecs natural glory. So whether you want to enjoy a hot stone treatment like the one at Ofuro Spa, located 40 minutes away from Montreal, or visit Le Bagni Spa Station Sante, a nordic spa with access to an enchanting river, the Laurentians region and its 22,000 square kilometers of pure beauty has you covered.
Imagine the invigorating sensation of working up a sweat in a wood-heated sauna, then plunging into an ice-cold river or outdoor pool. For optimal effect, repeat that process a few times until you finally unwind in a eucalyptus steam bath or fall asleep on a comfortable chair. Spa Le Finlandais even redefines the relaxation experience with novelties such as the bubble chair and the multi sensorial stations!
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Doesnt that sound like pure bliss?
The sharp contrast between hot and cold -- commonly referred to as Nordic or Scandinavian hydrotherapy -- is a centuries-old relaxation method but has only recently left northern Europe to take the rest of the world by storm.
Quebec, especially the Laurentians region, has become a top-rated destination for Nordic spas. From Nordic spas in the regions small inns and hotels to the internationally renowned Polar Bears Club and Scandinave Spa Mont-Tremblant, the area is full of establishments offering the invigorating treatment. We present five reasons you should jump on a plane or hop in your car to La Belle Province and head straight to a Nordic spa.
Your Immune System Is Stimulated
Blood pressure rises and blood vessels contract when your body experiences the shocking sensation of a hot and cold treatment. This stimulation causes your metabolic rate to increase, activating your immune system. In other words, a nordic spa treatment increases the production of white blood cells helping you stay healthy.
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It Soothes Overworked Muscles And Aching Joints
Those who train on a regular basis sing the praises of steam baths for helping muscles relax. Nordic baths, however, help overworked muscles heal and recover even more quickly.
Its A Great Way To Eliminate Skin Toxins And Tone Skin
A hydrotherapy treatment will actually clean and tighten your skin, allowing for a healthy glow. (Its not just in your head!) The hot temperature opens your pores to naturally eliminate toxins in your body while the cold will firm up your skin. Sold yet?
Its The Perfect Excuse To Do Nothing
Were conditioned to believe multitasking is the only way to be productive -- its partly why were so stressed all the time. But theres absolutely nothing virtuous about running ourselves to the ground. Nordic spas, like all spas, permit us to do absolutely nothing and not feel guilty about it.
Read a book, jot in your journal, daydream or just take in the tranquil beauty of your surroundings and breathe. What are you waiting for? Take the plunge!
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Hollywood is booming with babies this week! According to Us Weekly, Ryan Gosling is going to be a dad again. The 35-year-old Canadian star is expecting his second child with longtime girlfriend Eva Mendes.
A source also confirmed the news to E! Online, adding that the 42-year-old mom-to-be is in her second trimester.
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Its not surprising that the couple chose to keep their pregnancy under wraps. The two are notoriously private and were able to keep their first pregnancy a secret for several months.
At the time, a source told People, Mendes just hasn't ever wanted anyone beyond her close friends and family knowing more than they had to. And Ryan is certainly private and always has been.
Gosling and Mendes first child, Esmeralda Amada, was born in September 2014 and the couple has managed to keep her out of the spotlight.
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The actress did allude back in October that she would be taking a break from Hollywood so she could put her family first.
If Im even like, Oh, what should I wear? Or, should I do this project? All I have to think about is my daughter and her face, and I know the answer immediately, the actress said on The Today Show.
Gosling and Mendes exciting news comes just hours after it was confirmed that the other famous Canadian Ryan Ryan Reynolds is expecting his second child with wife Blake Lively.
And if that wasnt exciting enough, Megan Fox and Susan Sarandons daughter Eva Amurri also revealed their pregnancies this week.
Also on HuffPost
Ryan Gosling's 100 Sexiest See Gallery
Man: "your skin is so natural looking, you aren't wearing any make-up, right?"
Me: "Um, nooooo?"
Man: "Let me guess your age..." Proceeds to pull out a number 12 years younger than I am.
Me: "I look my age and that's ok actually."
Man: unsure how to handle that.. "let me show you our face serum, because if you aren't careful to maintain your skin now, these wrinkles on your face will get much deeper, by 45, creams won't help anymore."
Me: "what's wrong with a woman looking 40?"
A North Carolina mom says a judge tried to boot her from court for breastfeeding her young son.
Stephanie Rhodus appeared in county court Monday during a custody hearing involving one of her other children, she told the Asheville Citizen-Times.
When she was breastfeeding her eight-month-old, Archer, uncovered, the judge had some choice words for her.
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"Maam, you need to cover up for you not to realize that is absolutely ridiculous," Judge Peter Knight said in a recording obtained by the outlet.
Step outside and cover up right now. Stand up and go, now.
Judge tells mom that breastfeeding in court is ridiculous and inappropriate. We object https://t.co/INoaYDZa1bpic.twitter.com/Fab9YUoaYj Today's Parent (@Todaysparent) April 15, 2016
Archer was crying, but the judge kept scolding Rhodus, telling her that nursing her baby in the courtroom was absolutely inappropriate.
Rhodus, 25, told ABC News she was shocked.
"He was so condescending and so aggressive, and I knew that by law I had the right to breastfeed my child there, and I wanted to declare that I had the right to do that there, but I was terrified."
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She said she stopped nursing Archer and apologized to Knight.
Under North Carolina law, a mother can breastfeed anywhere, even uncovered. Rhodus told ABC the judge ruled against her in the custody case, and she thinks feeding her baby affected his decision.
"He was so condescending and so aggressive, and I knew that by law I had the right to breastfeed my child there, and I wanted to declare that I had the right to do that there, but I was terrified."
In a statement emailed to the Washington Post, Knight said the court accommodates breastfeeding women, even when theyre waiting for their case to be called.
"However, when a case is called and a party is participating in a formal hearing before the court, all litigants are expected to respect the same rules of procedure, decorum and dress.
He said that accommodations for breastfeeding would have been made if needed.
Rhodus has received a lot of support online. A "nurse-in" is planned for Tuesday outside the Hendersonville courthouse, the same day the mom will appear in court to appeal the custody ruling.
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What do you think? Did the judge step out of line? let us know in the comments below.
Also on HuffPost
Phil Tifo
Lets face it, the people we love the most can often be the ones who push our buttons like no other. Thats especially true when on family vacation. But with advanced planning, a solid itinerary and these tips, youre set for a stress-free time.
Make Sure Your Destination Is Family Friendly
The Outaouais region in western Quebec is the perfect vacation destination. Theres something to offer every family member as its bursting with outdoor adventures, museums and wildlife parks. Thats the most important thing for a stress-free time -- ensuring your accommodations and activities are kid-friendly. It will make the experience more fun for both you and the little ones.
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Stay Outside
Summer is made for outdoor activities and theres nothing kids love more than being able to move around at the park. Gatineau Park in the Outaouais is an ideal destination for a day trip or a fun-filled camping weekend. With hiking trails, parkways and horseback rides, Gatineau Park is a must-visit destination.
Mix Culture With Fun
Its sometimes hard to plan cultural activities for the entire family. Luckily, Outaouais is home to fun museums and cultural centres that satisfy everyones criteria. Head over to the Canadian Childrens Museum, the Canadian Museum of History or better yet, the National Gallery of Canada. Its known as the countrys finest art gallery and has self-guided family tours available.
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Hang Out Where The Wild Things Are
There are a number of excellent wildlife parks in the Outaouais region that bring you up close and personal with animals. Parc Omega wildlife park is an impressive spread of land where you can see bears, bisons and deer all in the comfort (and safety) of your car.
Get A Good Nights Sleep
The Outaouais region in Quebec offers accommodations for every type of family. From cottages to bed and breakfasts, the options are limitless. But for a true Quebec experience stay at the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello, known as the worlds largest log cabin. Unwind in one of six jacuzzi rooms and recharge for another day of adventure in a chalet-inspired suite.
Just watch him... explain quantum computing?
That's what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did Friday at the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo, Ont., where the federal government will invest $50 million over five years.
Trudeau was responding to a reporter, who made a joke about asking the prime minister to break down quantum computing before asking a real question on Canada's ISIS mission. (Watch the video above.)
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Trudeau walks on stage to make an announcement at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ont. on April 15, 2016. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)
"I was going to ask you to explain quantum computing but.. when do you expect Canada's ISIL mission to begin again, and are we not doing anything in the interim while we prepare?" said Colin Perkel from The Canadian Press.
Trudeau called his bluff.
"OK. Very simple, normal computers work by..." he said as the audience started cracking up.
"No, no, don't interrupt me. When you walk out of here, you will know more no, some of you will know far less about quantum computing."
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'Quite accurate'
"What quantum states allow for is much more complex information to be encoded into a single bit. Regular computer bit is either a one or a zero, on or off," said Trudeau.
"A quantum state could be much more complex than that, because, as we know, things could be both particle and wave at the same time, and the uncertainty around quantum states allows us to encode more information into a much smaller information. So that's what's exciting about quantum computing," he concluded, before the audience gave him a standing ovation.
(via Perimeter Institute)
So, was Trudeau's explanation full of bit?
Martin Laforest, a quantum computing expert at the University of Waterloo, told The Huffington Post Canada Trudeau's explanation was "quite accurate" given that he "learned about quantum computing this morning."
The University of Waterloo's quantum computing institute has a handy explainer. Here are some excerpts from the centre for your learning pleasure:
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"A traditional computer uses long strings of bits, which encode either a zero or a one. A quantum computer, on the other hand, uses quantum bits, or qubits." "Think of it this way: whereas a classical computer works with ones and zeros, a quantum computer will have the advantage of using ones, zeros and superpositions of ones and zeros. Certain difficult tasks that have long been thought impossible (or intractable) for classical computers will be achieved quickly and efficiently by a quantum computer."
Trudeau says the funding will help the Perimeter Institute continue its scientific research, training, and education outreach. He called the centre an example of Canada's stature in innovation and research.
The work researchers are doing, Trudeau says, will lead to the technological discoveries of tomorrow that will contribute in tangible ways to our understanding of the universe.
The prime minister did go on to answer questions about the Islamic State and the Supreme Court ruling on Metis rights.
With files from The Canadian Press
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There are few experiences as exhilarating and memorable as watching a whale in its natural habitat.
The Charlevoix region, in Quebec, Canada has become one of the most popular destinations for the activity thanks to its picturesque bays and breathtaking scenery.
But before you book that ticket and board the boat, here are some tips to help you have a whale of a time while riding those waves in search of Shamu.
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Set Sail On A Sunny Day
Plan your expedition on a clear and calm day to increase your chances of seeing the majestic marine mammal in its natural habitat. The experience of seeing a whale break through the waters surface on a clear day is a moment that cant be missed.
To fully experience the Charlevoix waters, consider going on a Katabatik aventure. You can kayak through the St. Lawrence River for the first part of your excursion, then hop on an inflatable boat affixed with two engines to view whales. This is the perfect option for the adventure seeker.
Take In The Surroundings
As you wait for that million-dollar moment, be sure to take in the scenery of the Charlevoix region. Theres stunning coastal views, horizons that seem to never end and breathtaking cliffs that will leave you with goosebumps. Remember, whale-watching is as much about your surroundings as it is the marine mammal.
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On another day, visit Parc National des Grands-Jardins to get an up-close-and-personal look at the spectacular fauna and flora you may have seen as you rode those waves.
Take A Guided Cruise
Theres a number of guided whale-watching tours available for you to take while in Quebecs Charlevoix region. With the direction of a certified naturalist-captain, an excursion on board the AML Grand Fleuve or the AML Zephyr observation boats, for example, will make your experience all the better. Youll see the majestic creatures and nature through the eyes of an expert.
Dress The Part
Wear a rain jacket, dress in layers and bring extra clothes in case you get wet. Also, dont forget to wear comfortable rubber-soled shoes and a pair of sunglasses. Youre a sailor for the day after all, might as well dress the part! There are plenty of small boutiques throughout the Charlevoix region you can visit in advance of your outing. While youre at it, stop by Boutique Charlevoix to pick up a memento made by a local artisan for a loved one at home.
Bring A Camera
Bring a fully-juiced camera and phone on your whale-watching expedition. Exploring one of North Americas most breathtaking regions is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and youll want to capture the breathtaking beauty on film.
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Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate hiked to an ancient Buddhist monastery high in the mountains of Bhutan on Friday, a day after meeting the king and queen of the tiny Himalayan nation.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge arrive for a ceremonial welcome at Paro International Airport, Bhutan. (Photo by KGC-178/STAR MAX/IPx)
The couple hiked up to the spectacular seventh-century Buddhist monastery, perched on the edge of a cliff 12,000 feet (3,636 metres) high in the Himalayas and known as the "Tigers' Nest".
William's father Prince Charles undertook the same trek in 1998 but only made it halfway because of a polo injury, stopping en route to paint a watercolour of the monastery.
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Charles, Prince of Wales takes a break from hiking to sketch the stunning views of Bhutan's "Tiger's Nest" monastery on February 11, 1998. (Photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images)
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had a private dinner on Thursday with Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema.
Earlier, they braved the rain to attend an open-air archery venue, where they tried their hand at the national sport.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge tries her hand at archery in Bhutan's National Stadium. (Photo by KGC-178/STAR MAX/IPx)
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They are spending two days in the tiny kingdom, famously the last country to get television and home to just 750,000 people, before returning to India for a visit to the Taj Mahal on Saturday.
Bhutan's Oxford-educated monarch known as the Dragon King came to the throne in 2006 after his father abdicated and agreed to cede absolute power to a parliamentary democracy.
The country held its first elections in 2008 and is known for pursuing a unique economic development model of "Gross National Happiness", which aims to balance spiritual and material wealth.
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Richard Lautens via Getty Images FORT ST. JOHN, BC - MAR. 4: Fort Saint John, ON - MARCH, 5 - Protestors look over the Site C hydroelectric dam project on the Peace River.13 aboriginal women have gone missing from the 20,000 population city of Fort Saint John in the north-eastern corner of British Columbia. There has been a severe lack of interest or resources into the investigations. (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
Premier Christy Clark has ambitious plans for the copious amounts of electricity -- far more than British Columbia is expected to need for more than a decade -- generated by the Site C dam on the Peace River: sell it to Alberta.
In a recent interview with Alaska Highway News, Clark said the power from the Site C dam, scheduled to come online in 2024, could potentially provide electricity to Alberta -- where the government has recently committed to closing all of its coal-powered energy plants.
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"We could potentially electrify the oilsands, which would make the oilsands the cleanest oil produced anywhere on the globe," Clark said. "If Canada wants to make an argument for our resources to find their way to market, let's make them the cleanest in the world and let's make that our brand."
"Here we have a government floundering for a market while they go ahead building the project."
Need for Site C Unproven
Clark's suggestion that Site C may power the oilsands shines a spotlight on the B.C. government's ever-changing rationale for building the project.
Ken Boon, a Peace Valley farmer who lives on family land that will be flooded if the dam is built, said he finds the prospect of prime agricultural land being destroyed to supply the oilsands with electricity "very disturbing."
"It highlights that they don't have a market for the Site C power," Boon told DeSmog Canada. "So here we have a government floundering for a market while they go ahead building the project."
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In its final report, the federal-provincial panel tasked with reviewing the Site C dam said that, due to the severe environmental impacts of the project, the project should not proceed unless there is an unambiguous need for the power.
"Electrifying the oilsands doesn't seem like a demonstrated unambiguous need," Boon said.
Harry Swain, chair of the Joint Review Panel that reviewed Site C, said B.C. Hydro never mentioned Alberta as a potential market for the dam's power in its application.
"One recognizes that things change over time, but this has an air of desperation," Swain told DeSmog Canada.
"In the rationale for building the dam, B.C. Hydro put forward load forecasts that included a fair amount of electricity for the LNG industry and continued growth in other industrial, commercial and residential demand. Well, the truth is that since 2008 demand has been falling, not rising," he said.
As DeSmog Canada recently reported, B.C. Hydro's records show that without an expanded natural gas export sector, there is no demonstrable need for the Site C dam.
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B.C. Hydro anticipates domestic energy consumption won't surpass domestic energy supply until 2028, at the earliest.
According to B.C. Hydro's estimates, major industrial users of electricity, such as the pulp and paper industry, will use less energy than previously thought -- partially because the cost of electricity will increase 28 per cent over the next five years, in part to pay for the Site C dam.
A DeSmog Canada investigation revealed B.C. Hydro is in fact paying independent power producers not to produce electricity due to an oversupply problem.
"The case that we need this power by 2024 was not made then, and is in even worse shape now," Swain said.
He added that electrifying the oilsands would require new transmission lines and likely a new regulatory process with Alberta.
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"It does not appear to be a practical alternative," he said.
"It's residential schools. It's smallpox in blankets. Now it's energy development. It's criminal. They should be held accountable for the damages."
Destination for Site C Power a Moving Target
B.C. LNG projects have been delayed, labeled unprofitable, caught up in land disputes and lack committed investors -- hence Clark's wandering eye.
"I think... we want to have as many customers for B.C. Hydro product as we can," Clark told the Alaska Highway News.
Clark added that exporting power "allows us to lower rates for people who live here," but did not make mention of B.C. Hydro's plan to raise hydro rates until at least 2019.
Clark also didn't mention that Site C's power is going to cost $80 to $90 per megawatt hour to produce, but the pool price for electricity in Alberta right now is hovering at around $30 per megawatt hour.
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Site C is 'Cultural Genocide': Chief
West Moberly First Nation Chief Roland Willson said Clark's suggestion that Site C might be used to electrify the oilsands is absurd.
The purpose of Site C "is a never-ending moving target," Willson said. "First it was for LNG, then it was to sell power to California, now it's Alberta."
He said recent revelations that B.C. Hydro is paying power producers not to produce highlights that there is no need for Site C.
"So it's absolutely ridiculous that we're destroying a valley to potentially sell the power to the Alberta tar sands now."
The West Moberly and Prophet River First Nations are currently fighting against Site C in court, arguing the project infringes on rights guaranteed by Treaty 8.
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Willson said Site C will not pass the Sparrow test, a legal litmus test for determining if a government decision justifiably violates First Nation's rights, because there is no demonstrable need for the power it will produce.
"They're taking away from us what we value," Willson said, saying the effects of this project amount to "cultural genocide" for his community.
"It's residential schools. It's smallpox in blankets. Now it's energy development," he said. "It's criminal. They should be held accountable for the damages."
This article originally appeared on DeSmog Canada. With files from Emma Gilchrist.
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Hemera Technologies via Getty Images Hand holding Canadian money
By Craig and Marc Kielburger
Merna Forster was stunned as she watched Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announce on International Women's Day that women will be represented on one of Canada's banknotes again.
"After fighting for this for years, it was hard to believe the victory," the historian and author of 100 Canadian Heroines(Dundurn, 2004) and 100 More Canadian Heroines (Dundurn, 2011) tells us.
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Forster has been campaigning since a picture of the Famous Five (who led the charge in the 1800s to get women legally recognized as "persons" with rights) was removed from the $50 bill in 2011, replaced with the arctic icebreaker CCGS Amundsen, a ship named after a white male explorer. A petition Forster launched on Change.org in 2013 garnered more than 73,000 signatures to bring women back to Canadian currency. (The Queen doesn't count.)
The lack of diversity on our money is hardly fitting for a country that likes to think of itself as a leader on progressive issues. Even the U.S. is getting ahead, announcing last year its upcoming redesigned $10 bill will feature an iconic American woman, to be chosen by the public.
Now that this oversight is finally being rectified, our question is: why just one? It smacks of tokenism. How can one woman represent all Canadian women?
Australia achieved gender parity on its currency featuring both a man and a woman, one on each side, on every monetary denomination except one. (The Australian $5 note features the Queen and their parliament buildings.)
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There are some obvious great choices to represent women on our bucks, like a personal favorite 1812 heroine Laura Secord. Here are also seven lesser-known Canadian heroes we also think would be ideal on Canadian currency.
How better to encourage young women to look at non-traditional careers than by honouring Elsie MacGill -- Canada's "Queen of Hurricanes." As the world's first female aeronautical engineer, MacGill oversaw Canada's production of Hurricane fighter planes during World War II. She also helped devise the first international safety regulations for commercial aircraft.
And certainly we'd put forward Canada's first female member of parliament, Agnes MacPhail. She was also the founder of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Canada, advocating for better prison conditions for women.
One name we've written about before is Viola Desmond, who fought segregation in Canada. Almost a decade before Rosa Parks' famous bus boycott in the U.S., Desmond refused to sit in the balcony of a Nova Scotia movie theatre after being told the main floor seating was for "whites" only.
Mary Two-Axe Earley is another little-known but powerful activist deserving of recognition. In the 1960s, she stood up for indigenous women who were stripped of their rights by discriminatory laws under Canada's Indian Act.
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On Forster's suggestion, we'd nominate Madeleine Parent, the Quebec trade union activist who fought for workers' rights in the early 20th Century and helped found the National Action Committee on the Status of Women.
We can't overlook the contributions of Canadian immigrants and minorities, like the incredible entrepreneur, philanthropist and activist Jean Lumb, a.k.a. Wong Toy Jin. At age 18, she started her own grocery business in Toronto, and went on to support diverse causes, from education, to health care, to the arts. In the 1950s, Lumb advocated for change to discriminatory laws that kept immigrants from bringing their families to Canada. She went on to become the first female Chinese-Canadian member of the Order of Canada.
And of course we expect Canadian youth representation. When we open our wallets, we'd love to see faces like Shannen Koostachin.
Koostachin, from Ontario's Attawapiskat First Nation, was a tireless activist for aboriginal education. When the 15-year-old was tragically killed in a car accident in 2010, her cousin Chelsea Jane Edwards founded the Shannen's Dream campaign to advocate for equal funding for aboriginal schools.
Come on, Canada, let's make a real investment in diversity!
Brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger founded a platform for social change that includes the international charity, Free The Children, the social enterprise, Me to We, and the youth empowerment movement, We Day. Visit we.org for more information.
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Five Toronto Transit Commission special constables have been charged with attempting to obstruct justice and fabricating evidence for writing false tickets to homeless people, a shocking situation both in substance and because it is so rare for officers to be charged criminally in relation to their duties.
The problem, however, isn't only the professionalism of a few constables, nor is it simply a question of management wanting to pad their statistics for budgetary reasons. The problem is bad laws.
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Unlike those of us with homes and adequate incomes, people living in poverty are targeted and ticketed for activities necessary to their survival: sleeping in a park, vending goods on the sidewalk, or even setting up a basic shelter such as a tarp or a box in order to survive the night. Municipal bylaws prohibiting those activities stand in the way of people's safety and survival. Ontario's Safe Streets Act, for example, stops people from earning an income relatively safely by prohibiting squeegeeing and targeting people for panhandling.
These laws criminalize people for being poor.
The TTC case lays bare the prejudice faced by people living in poverty and is one of many examples of how bad laws lead to bad enforcement. Whether it is a homeless man in Montreal accumulating more than $100,000 in fines or city staff using chicken manure to clear a homeless camp in British Columbia, the laws underlying these actions are largely the same.
These laws also perpetuate prejudice against people living in homelessness and poverty, dehumanizing and reducing them to a problem to be regulated.
Using laws to target people living in homelessness and poverty increases displacement, pushing people into more remote locations and putting their safety at risk while decreasing their access to police protection and making it harder for service providers to find an assist people. The health impacts are clear: homelessness and poverty lead to poor health and early death. Using the law to further marginalize this group of people achieves nothing and increases the harms they already experience.
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Fines and possible arrests and charges make it far more difficult for people to exit homelessness and, given people's inability to pay tickets and the failure of ticketing to deter people from continuing in these acts of basic necessity, one has to wonder what possible societal benefit is being derived here.
These laws also perpetuate prejudice against people living in homelessness and poverty, dehumanizing and reducing them to a problem to be regulated. The result is an ugly NIMBYism that poisons and divides our communities, making solutions to our housing crisis nearly impossible to implement.
The United Nations has twice this year alone called for an end to laws that criminalize homelessness, recommending specifically that Canada repeal laws that "penalize homeless persons for finding solutions necessary for their survival and well-being." It is time for our cities and provinces to repeal the laws that perpetuate this type of enforcement and cause these significant individual and societal harms.
As a country we need to be working towards an end to homelessness and poverty, not ticketing those whom our system has most egregiously failed.
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Over 85% of us will suffer from lower back pain at some point in our working lives. When that pain strikes, patients will try anything to find relief: bed rest, painkillers, injections and more. When you consider just how frustrating chronic back pain can be to deal with it's no surprise that it's the leading cause of disability worldwide and second only to the common cold as a cause of lost work time.
30 years of clinical practice as a chiropractor has taught me that one size does not fit all when it comes to back pain. There is no silver bullet. While some treatments may help some people, they don't work well for others, so it's very important to offer a targeted combination of approaches based on a thorough assessment and diagnosis.
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Chiropractors are specifically trained to diagnose the underlying cause of back pain and recommend treatment options to help keep you doing the things you love to do. Here is how a chiropractor would approach your back pain:
Assessment
The first step is always a thorough assessment that includes both the specific complaint and your general state of health. Your chiropractor will ask you to share the history of your condition to help determine your pain's location, duration, constancy/intermittency, intensity and character, and whether there is an associated referral of pain into the arms or legs. A physical examination includes specific testing such as checking the ranges of motion, function and mobility of the spinal joints, and orthopedic tests to determine exactly what is happening to your body.
As you go through your assessment, your chiropractor will be looking for yellow and red flags. Yellow flags are psycho-social barriers to recovery that include a belief that bed rest, time off work and passive interventions are the key to recovery (the opposite is true), alongside social withdrawal and low job satisfaction.
Red flags are potentially serious problems that mean a referral to another practitioner is required because the condition is not one a chiropractor can treat. Fortunately, red flags are very rare, and most patients with back pain can be treated by a chiropractor.
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Diagnosis
From the assessment stems a diagnosis of the condition. The spine is complex and there are many potential sources of pain. Research clearly shows what chiropractors and other spine clinicians have learned: most back pain (as much as 90%) is "non-specific". While clinicians used to identify a specific disc, joint, ligament or muscle as the source of the pain, we now know that this level of specificity is not really possible. What "non-specific" really means is that the back pain is related to how your spine and associated tissues function and move and not the result of tissue or structural damage.
Nerves carry messages to the brain, for example to transmit the sensation of pain. They also carry messages from the brain, including how to make muscles contract and coordinate movement. That's why it's important for a chiropractor to understand and assess how the nervous system is functioning and how this could be related to the complaint.
This is particularly useful in deciding whether a patient is likely to respond to the care a chiropractor provides, or whether a referral to another practitioner is warranted. Loss of muscle function related to the bladder or bowel are very rare, but can be dangerous and indicate conditions for which urgent surgery may be required. The presence of pain, numbness and other sensations, even if severe, usually do not mean you need surgery.
Prognosis
Non-specific back pain can be categorized as Acute - symptoms lasting less than 6 weeks, Subacute - symptoms lasting 6-12 weeks, Chronic - symptoms lasting 12 weeks or more or Recurrent/flare up - symptoms are similar to original symptoms, and return sporadically or as result of exacerbating circumstances. Episodes of acute low back pain are very common; the key is to prevent these from becoming chronic or recurrent. There is a growing body of evidence on how to identify those patients who are at most risk of experiencing chronic pain, and this informs how a chiropractor or other healthcare provider would tailor their approach.
Treatment
A chiropractor has a large number of tools available to help care for people with low back pain and other musculoskeletal conditions. The evidence, including a number of high-quality interprofessional guidelines shows that the chiropractic approach is in fact the most appropriate approach for most back pain patients. This includes engaging you to keep moving and going about life, a focus on exercise, education about your condition, and spinal manipulation and/or mobilization (which can include neck and back adjustments). The goals are to help people return to full function, and to train and motivate them to care for themselves so they can manage and prevent future debilitating episodes.
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Based on the assessment, and keeping in mind the patient's unique history and context a chiropractor can recommend a combination of massage, acupuncture and manual therapies, alongside exercises to strengthen the back. As a patient's condition improves, the exercises can be modified to maximize their benefit.
Throughout your care, a chiropractor will provide you with clear, detailed information about the treatment you are receiving, and manage your expectations around what a treatment can and can't do. The key is constant, clear communication and continuous reassessment to see if you are responding to treatment, and amending the approach as necessary.
Once you experience low back pain you can appreciate how much of an impact it can have on everyday life, and how routine activities can all of a sudden become huge obstacles. That's why it is so important to make sure you tackle back pain with the right tools, the right evidence and the right approach for your needs, whether it's from your chiropractor, physician, physiotherapist or other practitioner.
Alan Sirulnikoff via Getty Images Legislative Assembly Building, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
A big victory in New Brunswick last week shows how important it is to all of society that working people have a strong voice to speak up to people in power.
Last month, the New Brunswick government introduced Bill 24, an omnibus bill that, among other things, changed the rules around collective bargaining and arbitration for both public and private sector employers and workers.
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And, while the changes were being brought in to deal specifically with public sector collective bargaining and to reduce wage settlements for those workers, even the province's own Labour Minister Francine Landry when questioned, did not seem to know why the law would also apply to the private sector.
That's bad enough. But what's even more troubling is that the government of Premier Brian Gallant did not initially appreciate just how destructive and divisive the new legislation would be in the province.
Unions such as Unifor and our members saw right away that the bill would result in unnecessary labour conflict across the economy as it gutted free and fair collective bargaining, put a downward pressure on the wages of all New Brunswickers and would make it very difficult to achieve negotiated contracts.
Employers would have had little incentive to come to the bargaining table to negotiate openly or freely toward a collective agreement, preferring an arbitration system slanted in their favour under this legislation.
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The bill would effectively suppress the wages of all workers in the province and limit their rights to free association.
Unifor and others from across the New Brunswick labour movement packed the province's Legislature to voice our concerns with Bill 24. And on April 5, Unifor Atlantic Regional Director Lana Payne and I met with both the premier and the labour minister to outline what was wrong with Bill 24.
Two days later, the parts of the proposed labour law changes in the omnibus bill were withdrawn and private sector collective bargaining rules would remain as they were. The minister announced a joint committee of all stakeholders to review the rules for public sector collective bargaining.
We will be an active part of that process.
This victory came as a result of a united labour movement that stood together in solidarity against a poorly thought out piece of legislation that would have done a lot of harm. In doing so, the labour movement stood up for the good wages for all New Brunswickers, not just those who happen to be represented by a union.
Legal opinions obtained by Unifor showed that not only would the proposed changes damage labour relations in the province, they would violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms for all New Brunswickers. The bill would effectively suppress the wages of all workers in the province and limit their rights to free association.
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While every employer wants to save money where it can, it is a fool's game for a government to try bringing in labour laws that so blatantly tilt the balance in employers' favour.
When you cut or suppress wages, you cut consumer spending, and that ultimately hurts businesses and the economy.
Fighting laws like Bill 24 just makes good economic sense. Wages aren't just a cost. They are the consumer spending that truly drives a modern economy. Every dollar a worker earns is put back into the economy in the form of spending on the goods and services that businesses provide, further driving the economy.
That means wage suppression is economic suppression, and a fool-hardy policy for any government to pursue. It just makes no sense. Not for the economy, not for business and not for workers
And, while the removal of sections of Bill 24 is a great victory for working people in New Brunswick, much work remains as the province reviews collective bargaining rules in the public sector.
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We will be front and centre as that review takes place, as we have been from the beginning.
Beyond that, we must fight back against the attitude that driving down wages for working people and tilting the system in favour of big employers is a good thing.
Such policies ultimately hurt the economy and all workers, and it is vital that the labour movement continue to show the solidarity is has throughout this struggle if we are to make real progress.
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Chris Wattie / Reuters Canada's Foreign Minister Stephane Dion speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, January 26, 2016. REUTERS/Chris Wattie
The Canadian government will go forward with the export permits that allow Saudi Arabia to acquire Canadian-made Light Armored Vehicle III (LAV III).
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stephane Dion, stated that Canada would block future export permits if Saudi Arabia uses the purchased military equipment against its own citizens. That said, Dion believes this is not the case so far.
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The total exports are evaluated at more than $11 billion and is aimed at helping Saudi Arabia in the fight against Islamic State.
We have provided military equipment to Saudi Arabia since 1993. That's Liberals and Conservatives signing export permits.
Minister Dion said in a statement that ''we will not weaken the credibility of the signature of the Government of Canada.'' What kind of message would Canada send if they cancelled or reviewed all the contract signed by the previous government? It would be the kind of message that would steer away everyone interested in Canadian-made weapons if you ask me.
I believe that if Canada cancels the contract, other countries will jump on the occasion to sell their own weapons.
It is a very delicate matter and I am having issues trying to figure out what is the best way to approach this whole situation.
On one side, I totally understand Canada's decision to go forward with the export permits. Many Canadian workers would be directly affected if the contract was cancelled and millions of dollars would have to be paid by Canadian taxpayers to cancel the contract.
''Any time a contract is broken, financial penalties are sure to follow. In this case, it is the Canadian taxpayer who is on the hook. Cancellation would deprive almost 2,000 workers of their livelihood, principally in London, Ontario. We must take into account the chain of repercussions for an industry on which around 70,000 Canadian jobs directly depend and which plays an important role in fostering research and development in Canada,'' said Dion in his statement.
I believe that if Canada cancels the contract, other countries will jump on the occasion to sell their own weapons. This wouldn't be an improvement on the human rights issues in Saudi Arabia; it would only cost Canadians jobs and millions of dollars.
Saudi Arabia wouldn't really be affected by a cancelled contract, they would most likely turn to Russia or countries such as France and Germany. The only loser in this would be Canada.
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Let's be honest here. If we were to cancel the contract, do you believe Saudi Arabia would stop abusing human rights? I don't think so.
On the other side, it is hard for me to understand how can Canada, a "champion" in the human rights field, could sell weapons to a country that still decapitates people. However, if Canada declined to issue export permits, diplomatic relations between Ottawa and Riyadh would be in jeopardy.
My biggest concern is the LAV III will most likely be used by the Saudi National Guard, a unit known to take part in the country's repression.
That said, I believe that by cancelling the contract, we would lose the opportunity to further openly address our concerns about human rights with Saudi Arabia. We are actively trying to free Raif Badawi and if we want to keep working on it, it is not by cancelling a military contract that it will give us more leverage; it will only make matters worse.
Forget about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) being elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). This is outrageous if you ask me. For me, it's like having North Korea discussing nuclear non-proliferation.
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But as a Canadian taxpayer, I am tired of paying millions of dollars in cancelled military contracts and I prefer seeing Canadians working instead of sending a huge defense contract to another country. I am clearly against the KSA human rights abuse, but I am more concerned about Canadians losing their jobs.
I don't think Canadians can afford to lose more jobs, and with a $29.4-billion deficit, paying millions of dollars in cancellation fees would be horrendous.
If the contract wouldn't be signed and workers wouldn't depend on it to feed their families, I would be against selling LAV IIIs to KSA. I believe we should honour this contract and stop selling more weapons to Saudi Arabia, however.
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Tim Draper via Getty Images Canada, British Columbia, Victoria, waterfront on Inner Harbour, night
For me, the best part of traveling is when I chat with the locals. I learn from them what life is like in the town or city. Where do they eat? What shops do they visit? It can be an amazing way to explore a new destination.
Or if you have already visited the area, you can rediscover the region in a new way.
I have been visiting lovely Victoria, British Columbia since I was a child. When I was younger, my father would take me to all the regular tourist destinations.
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This time, I wanted to experience the province's capital through the eyes of a Victoria resident. So I asked a few locals what their favourite spots are.
The locals were warm, friendly and eager to share the restaurants, music scene and shops that they frequent.
Parks
Cadboro Bay - A family friendly green space, Cadboro-Gyro park is adjacent to the beach. The park is a popular spot with children. It has large concrete climbing structures, in the shape of an octopus, a big salmon, a tugboat and the local Cryptid, the sea monster Cadborosaurus.
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Located at Beacon Hill Park and approximately one hectare in size, the Cook Street Playground is located between Cook Street and Nursery Road, across from the Victoria Lawn Bowling Club. The playground provides play and picnic opportunities for everyone.
Cafes
Ruth and Dean cafe is a favourite spot for the locals to grab a cup of coffee and relax. They are famous for their cakes, so be sure to arrive with plenty of appetite!
Nourish Kitchen & Cafe uses natural ingredients to showcase their love of wholesome culinary techniques. A woman I was chatting with suggested this place. She told me it is a cafe she visits frequently.
Restaurant
Agrius is known to have delicious dishes and also be a part of the Slow Food Movement. This restaurant values local, sustainable and traditional approaches to food cultivation and preparation.
Another favourite is Cafe Brio. They are an established restaurant in Victoria for 19 years and create Italian inspired rustic west coast dishes.
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Stay
Fairmont Empress Hotel - This gorgeous accommodation has been hosting guests in Victoria since 1908. They have a world famous high tea which locals and visitors alike frequent. The lobby is warm and welcoming. When I think of the heart of Victoria, my mind always goes to the Fairmont Empress hotel.
Music
Interested in checking out the local music scene? The Sunset Room is a local favourite spot.
Picnic lunch
For organic healthy foods try Mother Nature's Market & Deli. Delicious wholesome foods you can pack with you for a picnic in the park.
Books
Munro Books listed by National Geographic as the third best bookstore in the world! Founded by Alice Munro, a Canadian short story writer and Nobel Prize winner.
An established fixture in Victoria since 1963, the staff are extremely knowledgeable, there are rows and rows of books on every topic you can imagine, gorgeous architecture and chairs for you to sit while you flip through pages of your favourite books.
Style & Home Decor
Lower Johnson Street - This area is filled with gorgeous unique boutiques. There are also several home decor stores along this street. If you love to fill your home with beautiful items, this is the street for you.
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Getting There
To get some spectacular views and try a different way of traveling to the island. Helijet has transportation from downtown Vancouver to Victoria, daily.
Or another option is to travel by ferry.
Stay tuned for the next installment in my travel blog series!
Your suggestions are always welcome, as I continue on my journey to live life to the fullest. Let's explore some wonderful places and have the very best 2016!
Todd Korol / Reuters The Athabasca river runs through the city of Fort McMurray, Alberta, November 3, 2011. Fort McMurray is the hub of Canada's tar sands industry. REUTERS/Todd Korol (CANADA - Tags: BUSINESS ENERGY)
By Andrea Harden-Donahue
If you follow mainstream media and you havent heard "we need to get our oil to tidewater" ad nauseum, something weird is up.
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Heres the thing... its totally wrong.
I clearly have a strong opinion on Energy East. Some may be inclined to think this discounts the arguments below (I beg to differ by the way...).
To those who may be reading and of this opinion, Im not the only one calling this bluff. In a recent iPolitics piece written by former top senior manager with one of Canadas top energy companies, Ross Melot (who earlier argued the business case for Energy East is shaky at best), stated clearly
...Premier Notley just became the latest Canadian politician to play games with pipelines. Shes telling Albertans a pipeline to tidewater can cure what ails the industry. It wont it cant because the problem a pipeline to tidewater was intended to address doesnt exist anymore.... Money spent on a pipeline right now would be money wasted. But Notley cant say that aloud not while also delivering the bad news on her provinces finances.
Tarsands woes arent due to lack of access to pipelines
The core premise of this argument is that lack of pipeline access to tidewater is forcing tarsands crude to be sold at discounted rates. With greater access and market diversity, will come higher prices for tarsands crude.
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First of all, the price differential between tarsands crude (classified as Western Canadian Select WCS) and other key crude oil price benchmarks like West Texas Intermediate (WTI) has reduced significantly since 2013 (when you could legitimately make an economic case for getting oil to tidewater). In fact, Scotia Bank Energy Economist Rory Johnson projected that by 2017 there would be no price differential at all.
Several pipeline projects between Illinois, Cushing and the Gulf Coast came online in 2013/2014, relieving a regional transportation bottleneck, allowing tarsands crude to flow further to the U.S Gulf Coast.
The Gulf Coast refineries are the ultimate destination for tarsands crude. It is home to over 2 million barrels per day of oil refining capacity, much of it geared towards heavy oil.
Current pipelines actually give tarsands producers 500 thousand bpd of surplus capacity to the Gulf Coast, and U.S. Midwest, another important destination for heavy oil.
The price differential that exists is explained not by lack of access, but primarily by the quality and remote location of the tarsands. Bitumen is thick and heavy, requiring dilution for transporting by pipeline, creating more havoc when leaked in waterways, generating more carbon pollution when produced. It costs more to refine and and produces less valuable end products like gasoline (generally $2-3 per barrel of the price differential). And, simply put, Hardisty, Alberta is far from major markets, so this adds to the costs of shipping tarsands crude.
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Further, accessing Asian and European markets via Kinder Morgan or Energy East pipelines will do little to fetch more money. The cost of getting the crude there increases and they have less capacity to refine heavy crude. In fact, evidence suggests the money received for crude shipped to these markets will be less than what tarsands producers get with Gulf Coast and U.S. Midwest refiners.
So if lack of market access isn't causing the tarsands current struggles, what is?
Alberta's deficit, one that is causing serious struggles for workers and families across the province and this country (with many workers traveling to Alberta for high paying jobs) is first and foremost, a victim of the global oil price crash.
Heavy oil in the tarsands is more difficult to produce, and more expensive. And right now, it has a lot of competition. Returning to Melots article, he adds further critical context. Albertas problem is twofold: Its oilsands have been buried by fracked American oil that is both higher-value and cheaper to produce..."
Undeniably, the U.S. is awash in cheaper fracked oil, the production of which is wreaking havoc on communities, waterways and our shared climate.
Melot also rightly argues that, longer-term, the tarsands will face marginalization in a 'world committed to weaning itself off carbon.'
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Energy East is proposed as 40 year infrastructure. If it is operational in 2020 as TransCanada aspires it be (I think this is overly ambitious, this means Canada will be producing and shipping 1.1 million barrels of oil at least until 2060. And we have pipelines with longer lives than 40 years already. In fact, the natural gas pipeline TransCanada wants to convert for Energy East is up to 40 years old in segments located in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (and TransCanada has the worst pipeline safety record in Canada yikes!)
This is past the 2050 deadline the Paris agreement included as a goal for weaning ourselves off of fossil fuels, which many climate scientists support. It runs in conflict with over 100 scientists in Canada who have publicly called on no further expansion of the tarsands.
Pursuing this kind of infrastructure locks Alberta and Canada into producing and shipping what will become stranded assets within the projected life time project. This not only puts our climate, communities and waterways at risk, its represents an economic risk too.
The truth is we can meet the deadline and de-carbonize by 2050. Its not technology that stands in our way, but political will and the powerful fossil fuel lobby.
For some inspiration on the direction forward, check out this story about the Indigenous community of Little Buffalo located in the heart of the Peace River tarsands, launched a solar project installing 20.8kW to power their health centre.
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Stay tuned for more on the direction forward in tomorrows blog on the Leap Manifesto and the many responses it is inspiring.
For more information on why the oil to tidewater argument doesn't add up, please see this useful briefing (a key source for this blog) by Oil Change International, Environmental Defence and the NRDC.
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The most selfish thing I have done is choosing to be a parent.
When I got married 14 years ago, I had no intention of ever being a mom.
Two years into our marriage, the questions began. And as we approached our fifth anniversary, the pressure from our families took on a new level of intensity. Our visits with parents amounted to just one topic being discussed over and over and over again.
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Not a single conversation could take place without a snide remark to outright accusations and suggestions for medical interventions. No one was ready to accept that we had chosen to not have kids.
They couldn't have raised us to be that selfish. It MUST be a medical issue, they concluded. Not just that, MY uterus must be to blame.
To make things worse for us, two of our close friends delivered babies three days apart. One of them also happened to be our neighbour... she was a harried new parent, I a willing helper... and soon I found myself playing peekaboo or rocking the baby to sleep every evening after work.
Despite the fun I had watching that kid for an hour daily, I knew that was about all I could take. I didn't get any maternal pangs. Nor did it feel like the life I wanted. I was happy with my career and the spontaneity that came with a child-free life. We could just take off for the weekend or plan a trip to South Africa without a thought. While these friends were embroiled in the challenges of sleep training and diaper changes, we were watching movies, going to late night dinners, continuing our travels all over the world. It was the perfect life.
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There were times when the neighbour's toddler would accidentally call me "mummy" and my heart would do a flip. But I figured eh. And the feeling usually passed the next minute. My husband had started enjoying the increased interactivity that toddlerhood brought, but his limit with anyone under three feet was an hour. As soon as there was a tantrum or meltdown, he would be done.
Neither of us felt inadequate or incomplete. We didn't hate kids... we just didn't want any of our own. We babysat our friends' infants and toddlers and we enjoyed all the goofiness and reverberating belly laughs but we always felt a sense of relief when the parents came to take their kids back.
We got a lot of comments:
"You'll make such great parents!"
"You're naturals at this!"
"Aww! Look at her...she's aching for a baby!"
"Stop being so selfish!"
No.
They couldn't know what kind of parents we would be. We were just having fun (while making sure no one got hurt under our watch). My uterus was just fine. And that last one just got to me! I always wanted to yell, "You are the ones being selfish! We're doing this planet some selfless good!"
A child-free life suited us. We talked about it at length, over a gap of every few years. The little itty bitty feet tap-tapping on our hardwood floors didn't enchant us. The fat rolls and chubby cheeks failed to enamor us. For 12 years, we arrived at the same conclusion: parenthood was not for us.
Sacrifice isn't part of our vocabulary. Selflessness isn't either. We do everything because we want to. Because we derive happiness out of it. Because we love to feel loved.
And then something changed. The kids were growing up... the more we spent time with them the more we realized we wanted this "thing" for our own... this feeling of being loved unconditionally, of creating someone to nurture, of calling someone our own. Interestingly enough, it wasn't my ticking time bomb of a uterus that initiated the conversation. It was my husband.
At a layover from a memorable trip to Hawaii, while standing in a Starbucks line, he said, "I didn't sleep at all last night. I want us to have a child of our own."
Just like that. No drama. No prefacing with anything. Just out of the blue.
Next words I hear: "I can help the next customer in line."
I was in a daze. I just ran from there to the restroom and must have uttered "sh$*" 500 times with tears streaming down my face. I didn't know why I was reacting this way.
I just knew that it felt so right and so wrong at the same time. It meant the end of us as we knew it. I was lamenting that. It meant a whole new beginning... One where a child wouldn't accidentally call me "mom." I was rejoicing over that.
Lessons... we learn so many of them every day. Some that last with us for a long time; others that we forget as soon as they are learned. Now we would have the responsibility to pass them on. To be role models. To do "the right thing."
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It's daunting to be responsible for another life. But it's also selfish... to pass on one's DNA. To have someone who looks up to you. To feel the pride and joy that comes with the pain and tears.
Some say that parenthood is the most selfless of "loves" one experiences in one's life. In our case, it wasn't selflessness that drove us to the decision.
We chose parenthood because we wanted something out of it.
As a mother, I have laughed way more in the past year than in the last 36 put together. I revel in that feeling of pure contentment when my child comes and snuggles with me. I love it when she chooses me over and over again to comfort her.
Yes we were selfish then and we are selfish now. But we wouldn't have it any other way.
I note down when I got the first sloppy kiss. The first hug.
She has become our world... and she is everything we had imagined our child would be. We put her first but really what we're doing is putting our happiness first.
Sacrifice isn't part of our vocabulary. Selflessness isn't either. We do everything because we want to. Because we derive happiness out of it. Because we love to feel loved.
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Yes we were selfish then and we are selfish now. But we wouldn't have it any other way.
This post originally appeared on The Cultural Misfit.
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The five things you need to know on Friday April 15, 2016
1) EURO AWAY DAY RETURN
I know its felt like its been going on for years already, but today is legally the first day of the EU referendum campaign. Alistair Darling has a speech warning of the economic risks of Brexit, while Boris has a speech in Manchester as the Leave camp say billions more could be spent on the NHS if we stop sending cash to Brussels.
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Meanwhile hardline Eurosceptic Tory MPs have been shunning the PMs bonding session (no my dear boy, its not a Bondage Session, despite recent events, one veteran MP told me) in Chipping Norton overnight. Some Outers did manage to turn up, however, just to prove that they arent churlish.
The most chilling feature was the dread dress code: casual. Ever since William Hague and David Lidington organised these away days back in the late 1990s (many of us hacks wasted hours doorstepping them for titbits about Michael Ancram strumming his guitar late into the night), many MPs have loathed them. In a pure Thick Of It moment, it seems there was little mobile phone reception. One source with a signal tells me Anthony Wells did a session on why the pollsters got 2015 so wrong and Andrew Neil did a talk about the US elections. Some Tories whisper that the party expects to make life very difficult for Corbyn in the May local elections - but they won't shout it from the rooftops during the 'truce' over the EU vote.
The FTs George Parker points out that a bit of bonding is in dire need given the mutinous mood among the Parliamentary Tory party. He cites a Eurosceptic underlining the message weve been getting that a narrow In vote would spark a leadership challenge. The letters would flood in, one MP says, claiming that Graham Brady would receive more than the 50 letters from MPs needed to trigger a vote.
On the Today prog, Alistair Darling said that the EU referendum felt closer than the Scottish independence referendum. He said "the nationalists fell because they couldnt make an economic case and the Brexiters were struggling similarly. But Its too close to call. Asked if he was worried about the result, he replied Yes I am.
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Yet Darling himself is blamed by some on the Left for ruining Labours chances in Scotland. Many Corbynistas think his sharing of platforms with Cameron was deadly and yesterdays snaps of Neil Kinnock grinning alongside the PM made them distinctly queasy.
Corbyns own speech on the EU yesterday proved that he retains his scepticism about Brussels. Kate Hoey even told the BBC: I dont believe Jeremy has gone back on all his views at all and she wasnt far wrong (Owen Smith admitted on Question Time Jez's euro-enthusiasm was only '7/10'). But Red Ken is in the headlines again, gifting the Brexiters a story: hes told his local paper the Ham & High (my own former employers) that if theres an Out vote I would personally start thinking about emigrating to somewhere the economy is not going to collapse.
Jacob Rees-Mogg has told The House magazine that Barack Obamas decision to back Cameron on the EU will boost the Brexit cause. But ahead of the Presidents UK trip, his deputy national security adviser has briefed this: He will be very straightforward and candid as a friend on why it's good for the UK to remain in the European Union.
2) CHILLAXED ON TAX
Some MPs think the PM is already too casual when it comes to chillaxing. Although the PM survived this week largely unscathed by the Panama Papers, the FT quotes a well-connected Tory explaining why the row was allowed to get out of hand last week: The PM didnt want to take calls on it he wanted a holiday. Punters on Question Time last night certainly expressed their anger at the tax issue.
George Osborne declared yesterday that the UK and other EU states were dealing a hammer blow to tax avoiders. But that deal notably didnt include the US and the Government isnt out of the woods yet on tax avoidance.
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The Public Accounts Committees report today is pretty damning on the record of HMRC over the past five years. The tax man has no clear strategy for stopping tax fraud that costs us a whopping 16bn every year. The PACs main concern is the lack of prosecutions, pointing out just one resulted from the HSBC Swiss scandal last year. Its report states: HMRC told us it investigates around 35 wealthy individuals for tax evasion each year. But it did not know how many wealthy individuals it had successfully prosecuted.
PAC chairwoman Meg Hillier has written a blog for HuffPost pointing out just 35 wealthy individuals are investigated every year, and the plan to increase that to 100 a year by 2020 proves much more can be done. Most people sweating over their tax returns will be worried about whether theyve made a minor mistake. They need to know that HMRC is actively pursuing those who wilfully dont pay their dues.
3) NHS EMERGENCY
The NHS continues to be a real political headache for the Government. With the most severe junior docs strike looming (will the consultants stepping in mean its a safe strike?), there were fresh stats yesterday showing waiting times in A&E were getting worse. Heidi Alexander said were heading back to the bad old days of patients waiting hours on end in overcrowded A&E departments or stuck on trolleys because no beds are available.
The FT reports that the stats show that tight funding (yes despite ring-fencing) is increasingly having a toll on performance and that the figures were the worst month in six years.
The Indy reports on how Chorley Hospital in Lancashire has been forced to stop running its A&E department, warning that staff shortages (caused by agency staff working in Scotland and elsewhere) left it with no other safe options. The A&E will be temporarily downgraded to an urgent care centre, meaning it will close at night and will not be able to take the most seriously ill patients until further notice.
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BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR
Watch this gorilla at Twyford Zoo execute an incredibly balletic pirouette
4) BAKER DAY
Nicky Morgans plans for forced academisation look to be in even more trouble after a significant intervention on Newsnight by former Tory Education Secretary Ken (now Lord) Baker. Baker, in his amiable, elderly peer kind of way, managed to gently savage the current plans by making it sound obvious that forcing all schools to convert to academies was plain daft and unnecessary.
Echoing the points made by many Tory backbenchers this week, Baker pointed out that it has taken decades for his own City Technology Colleges (business-backed forerunners of academies) to develop organically. Baker also stressed how important parent governors were.
Morgan (like Gove before her) shares the PMs belief that pupils cant wait years for radical reform, but Baker is such a senior Tory voice on all this that it adds further pressure for a clarification (aka concession or even U-turn) ahead of the Queens Speech. Gove himself clashed with Baker, but in the end had to bow to the man who is still seen by many Tories as the most genuinely radical Education Secretary of modern times.
5) AN MPS LOT
Talk about trust in politicians is yet again on the agenda. Yesterday, the Hansard Society audit of political engagement found some good news: levels of claimed interest in (57%) and knowledge of (55%) politics have both risen eight points in the last year (something Team Corbyn believes is partly because of the impact hes had in enthusing disaffected voters, young and old). More people say they will definitely vote in the next general election too.
Today, we have an exclusive piece on a new study of the way MPs view their job - and are viewed by the public. The Commons Administration Committee publishes will today publish its report of views of 50 MPs who left Parliament in 2015 (many couldnt cope with the long hours and lack of family life). Committee chairman Sir Paul Beresford has written us a blog on how MPs need to get across their real work in Parliament - even though many people think their own local MP is doing a good job, voters tend to view negatively MPs as a whole.
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Writing for the Times today, Philip Collins points out that the first MORI poll on this in 1983 showed just 18% of voters trusted politicians to tell the truth and that has risen to 21% in 2016. But he adds that the UK is also one of the least corrupt systems in the world and that other countries have a much lower opinion of their MPs. More importantly, Collins says its not a bad thing that politicians are not trusted to tell the whole truth: Trust is always linked to the nature of the activity in question and it is in the nature of politics that trusts most vital ingredient is missing. The politician is not, and can never be, impartially motivated.
COMMONS PEOPLE
Our latest Commons People podcast is now out HERE. Hear us discuss the Brexit camp designation, Corbyns EU speech, tax transparency and that Tory revolt over forced academisation.
If youre reading this on the web, sign-up HERE to get the WaughZone delivered to your inbox.
This week, crucial decisions at the International Maritime Organisation in London could undermine the central goals of the global climate deal agreed in Paris last December.
The Paris Agreement makes it impossible for any country or any sector to say climate change isn't their problem. It has created unprecedented momentum for all sectors in all countries to take action and be part of the solution.
The shipping industry plays a fundamental role in boosting global trade and prosperity. Maritime leaders have rightly recognised the need to invest in more energy-efficient vessels and to apply measures like slow-steaming. But to ensure a level playing field, collective action is urgently needed across the sector.
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Because maritime carbon pollution happens beyond national boundaries, emissions from shipping did not get a specific reference in the final text agreed at the Paris climate conference. That is why the industry will be gathering at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in London from 18th-22nd April with the aim of agreeing a plan for the sector to manage its emissions.
Failure to get an agreement could put the integrity of the Paris Agreement - and the safety of us all - at risk.
The IMO, predicts emissions from shipping may rise by 50-250% by 2050 from 2012 levels. That would take the shipping sector from a carbon footprint the size of Germany, at 3% of global emissions, to one nearly the size of the entire EU.
We need robust sustainability regulations for shipping that are internationally recognised and respected. This will ensure shipping plays its part in the global transition to carbon neutrality.
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It is now a year since the Marshall Islands called for measures to help the shipping sector to reduce its emissions. That proposal gained support but countries agreed to wait and see what the climate summit agreed.
In fact, the level of ambition agreed in Paris went far beyond what many had expected, with 195 governments signing up to a global goal of reaching 'net zero' emissions in the second half of the century.
Now the Marshall Islands have resubmitted their plan for the shipping industry to manage its pollution whilst maintaining a thriving maritime sector. They are joined by France, Germany, Morocco, the Solomon Islands and Belgium but the UK's position remains unclear.
These countries are supported by ever louder calls from ship owners and builders calling for a plan for the shipping industry to manage its pollution within a strategy to ensure a thriving industry of opportunity.
In February, the International Chamber of Shipping called for the shipping sector to put forward its own 'intended nationally determined contribution', following the national climate plans that countries announced ahead of the COP21 climate summit.
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The Sustainable Shipping Initiative, backed by Maersk, Cargill and China Navigation Company, launched a sustainability roadmap last month, and has called for more focused, urgent action to be adopted.
So why is the UK prevaricating?
Last November Amber Rudd's leaked letter to Patrick McLoughlin showed the Department of Energy & Climate Change's frustration that McLoughlin's Department of Transport was dragging its feet in meeting the UK's clean energy targets.
In the Labour Party we are absolutely united in our belief that shipping must define its 'fair share' of tackling climate change, and develop an emissions reduction plan for the sector. In the words of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative, this is "the minimum" that countries must agree in London this week.
The new IMO Secretary-General, Kitack Lim, has called tackling climate change "a top priority for IMO". It must be a top priority for the UK's Department of Transport as well.
Donald Trump, multi-billionaire and idiot, is currently the front runner in the battle to receive the US Republican nomination for the 2016 Presidential Election. As the prospect of a Donald Trump America becomes more and more likely, let's take a look at what the world's biggest 'democracy' might look like this time next year if Trump miraculously wins the race to the Whitehouse.
So, what would change in a Trump America?
America's relationship with the world
One of the obvious changes that would occur in a Donald Trump America is the country's relationship with the rest of the world. With his right wing agenda and disregard for anybody who doesn't agree with him, Trump will be a spitting image of Russia's Vladimir Putin's (maybe just a bit more orange).
The world's superpower will also become a lot less super, and a lot less powerful with a giant umpa lumpa running the country. For starters he might not have much of a relationship with the UK in the future if he is banned from visiting. If he does manage to sneak past border control, we can only hope he finds his way to Bolsover and bumps into the beast himself, Dennis Skinner. That would be a showdown I would pay to see!
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Another country who wants nothing less than a Donald Trump America is North Korea. Kim Jong Un will be devastated if he has a new competitor for the title of 'World's Most Mentally Unstable Leader'! In all seriousness though, it is very unfair to compare Trump to Kim Jong Un - Kim still has his real hair.
The White House will need new doors
Another significant change that will have to take place in a Trump led America is the interior of the White House. With an ego as big as Donald's, the doors to the White House will have to be widened to get his self-inflated head into the building. The same goes for the corridors and archways.
The cutlery, soap and writing utensils will have to be made smaller though to accommodate Donald's tiny hands.
There will also be no press room in a Donald Trump Whitehouse. The press are 'so dishonest' and if they ever criticise Trump, they will be sued by his press office for libel!
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A very big wall
If there is one thing history has taught us, it is never to build big walls. Donald Trump doesn't care though as he knows this idea will lure the stupid into voting for him. Out of all the things I have posted in this list, this is the least likely to happen. Trump is deluded if he thinks Mexico will pay for the construction of the wall. Furthermore, who actually will build it?
When asked whether he would build a wall on the Canadian border, he called this 'impractical'. Of course it is impractical because only white people will travel from Canada so that doesn't bother the Trump supporters!
If the wall does ever get built, maybe Trump will sell it as a major tourist attraction like the Great Wall of China? Don't expect to climb on the wall to pose for photos though, because you will probably get shot.
The new US Cabinet
As much as Trump would like to have complete control of the world, he will still have to have a handpicked cabinet to assist with the day to day running of the United States. So, who will be on his team:
Donald Trump Jr - Secretary of State
Eric Trump - Wall Builder (well somebody has to do it if the Mexicans won't)
Chris Christie - Attorney General
David Duke - Vice President
Sarah Palin - Any role in the cabinet would be a satirists dream
When a leak causes the downfall of one Prime Minister and forces another to publish his tax returns - quickly followed by a clutch of his counterparts doing the same - it's safe to say we are in the middle of more than a typical media frenzy. The political repercussions from the publication of the Panama Papers are being felt from Iceland to Downing Street and from China to Argentina.
Here in the UK, it is now hard to see how anyone running for high office will in future be able to avoid full transparency over their tax affairs. Tighter restrictions on the way wealthy individuals move money across borders to reduce their tax burden seem inevitable.
But, while we may be transfixed by the temporary discomfort felt by David Cameron and a host of other high-profile individuals around the world, the more fundamental impact of the biggest corporate leak in history will, I believe, be on the way British business behaves. For the Panama Papers have shown conclusively that the age of business secrecy is coming to a close. The internet has killed it. Companies had better prepare for a new era of transparency, or pay the price not only in government interventions but also a consumer backlash.
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We can't say we have not been warned. The last few years have shown how supposedly private data can now be instantly and widely shared across the web, with the law providing no protection. If even the US Government is powerless to prevent massive leaks of confidential and highly sensitive information, then companies had better stop putting their head in the sand. The exposure of cosy tax deals between Luxembourg and a host of multinationals, back in 2014, was just a taste of what the future holds.
But smart companies can see this change brings opportunities, rather than just threats. Consumers now rank "honesty and transparency" alongside price and quality when considering whether to buy a product or brand. The firms embracing this are seeing their market share increase.
This new revolution is led by the tech sector, for whom transparency was not an afterthought, but central to how we operate and what we offer. Rather than being resistant to openness, digital entrepreneurs see the sharing of information with consumers as a key driver of their business.
We can see its transformative impact across a growing number of sectors. Uber, Airbnb, and eBay have all developed sophisticated "feedback" settings to publish the behaviour of their users, showing consumers the track record of other people in their community.
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Funding Circle has created an open methodology for loan applications, and clear performance and bidding data to explain how their system works. Transferwise are opening up pricing for international money transfers: an area which up until recently was cloaked in secrecy.
At Property Partner, every month we share an extraordinary level of detail about the housing market, our investment performance and measures of liquidity in our resale market. This approach is what make us - and the many other companies with a similar approach in their own sectors - such a radical departure from the past.
Some tech companies arguably buck the trend: Google and Amazon appear to have somewhat opaque tax affairs, for example. But overall the drive towards openness and transparency is exciting and it is the internet that is making it possible.
And that's the wider lesson from the Panama Papers: rather than the soap opera of individual cases. Right now the debate is centred on what Government should do to ensure wealthy individuals pay their fair share of tax and whether politicians should be required to publish their tax returns. Yes, the EU is putting forward proposals to force larger companies to declare turnover in each member country and how much tax they pay.
Today's world is dominated by social media and it plays a significant role in our lives - both at work and at home. There are an estimated 2.3 billion social media users globally.* But has our need to keep people updated on our every move or thought gone too far?
Arguably a benefit of social media is that it reduces isolation by connecting people all over the world. However, in many ways, it can be a 'false reality' - simply a window through which you see just a snapshot of another person's life. This snapshot is often carefully choreographed and portrays the subject at their best moment and in their best light. As such, when seeing others though social media it's natural to make assumptions about how their life might be and you might believe that they, and others, are all having a great time while you are missing out. A recent study by researchers from the University of Houston in Texas has shown that social media is contributing to depression due to users comparing themselves to others.**
For some, being online is their main source of social interaction and, over time, this can turn out to be an isolating and lonely experience. And, while the 'rewards' of communicating online are instantaneous, it can also create an 'always on' state of alertness from which can be a struggle to switch off.
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There can be big benefits to taking some time off social media, however, by logging-out and tuning-in to other means of social interaction. Taking a 'social media holiday', where you meet and speak to people in person, might just be the break that you need.
Take the case of Faye Smith, for example. Faye is founder and director of Keep Your Fork Marketing. Although she might not seem like the type of person who would take time off from social media, with two email accounts, three phone lines and five business social media accounts, being constantly online isn't actually for her. Like so many others, she has learnt that, for her mental health's sake, she has to take a break from it.
She comments: "If I'm out of the country I don't connect my phone to emails, social media channels or the internet. Last year I went to Portugal with friends for ten days. It was bliss. No social media leaves time for contemplation and enjoyment of the now - not how the images will appear on Instagram or Facebook. Instead, I watched the sunset, read novels, played games and reflected. I rarely had my phone with me and the usual work stresses slipped away. The beach holiday resulted in a social media holiday which was actually much more beneficial to my mental health."
If you're considering taking a social media holiday, bear the following in mind:
1.Suspend your accounts - suspending them for a week means you can take a break without the temptation to check for any new notifications.
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2.Make an effort to meet with friends face to face - you may find that cutting down on your social media time leaves a temporary void so arrange to see friends and family personally and you'll feel in touch when you're off-line.
3.Enjoy the gift of renewed focus - think of all the occasions when your attention was split between checking social media and having a conversation or watching TV or walking along and just tune in to the moment of what you're doing without the distraction.
4.Get an alarm clock - using your phone as an alarm can make it tempting to automatically check the online scene the minute you're getting up. Having a separate alarm clock removes that temptation.
5.If you find you crave social media, try checking out apps designed to block certain sites at certain times of the day. This helps to avoid that mindless checking and re-checking we all fall victim to!
Taking a social media holiday can be an incredibly refreshing experience. It gives you time to enjoy life in the 'here and now' instead of analysing what others are seemingly doing. It has never been easier for us to stay connected with one another, to receive updates on what each of our friends are doing - but it is easy to forget that this is not always a healthy or desirable option.
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*Global social media research summary 2016. Smart Insights:
http://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/social-media-strategy/new-global-social-media-research/
**Mai-Ly N Steers, Robert E Wickham and Linda K Acitelli (2014). Seeing everyone else's highlight reels: how Facebook usage is linked to depressive symptoms. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology 33(8): 701-731:
It is a national scandal that the number of families and households turning to food banks is at record levels and is continuing to rise.
Today's report from the Trussell Trust on food bank usage shows well over 1.1million three day emergency food parcels were provided to people in crisis by the charity's network in 2015-16, compared to 41,000 parcels in 2009-10: a mortifying increase of 2,612% in the number of people who needed food aid to put a meal on the table since David Cameron became Prime Minister.
Low pay and rising bills have pushed hundreds of thousands of people into relying on food banks, and the Bedroom Tax, sanctions and delays at the Department of Work and Pensions have made things worse. Three quarters of Trussell Trust foodbanks reported low wages were a significant problem for working people who had been referred. Other significant problems for working people seen by the foodbanks include 56% reporting insecure work contracts, 47% reporting high living costs, and 44% reporting problems accessing working benefits.
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Food banks have become a truly shameful symbol of a Tory Government that is failing to stand up for ordinary people.
I first asked the Prime Minister back in 2012 about the queues of ordinary people at food banks who could not afford to feed their families. He failed then to acknowledge that this was a real problem and he continues to do so. While his Chancellor was giving tax breaks to those at the top, he was also cutting public services and support for those already struggling to get by. But far from rebalancing our economy and making work pay, the impact of these Tory reforms has been to take money away from ordinary people, both those in work and those seeking work.
The UK, both urban and rural, has been hit by a decade of record low wage growth with former industrial parts of the UK being hit the hardest. And the coming cuts to Universal Credit will only make matters worse, as they take 1,600 a year from over two million low- and middle-paid working people.
We need to tackle the scandal of low pay in Britain. We know the system is broken when some people working in the food and farming industries are being paid wages so low that they cannot afford to eat the food they are packing or picking.
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Our food system also generates a scandalous level of waste with the UK throwing away 15 million tonnes of food a year. Just over half of all food is wasted before it reaches our shopping bags.
We all have a visceral reaction to those statistics, knowing that good food is thrown away while more than a million people are queuing at food banks. Yet in the UK, only 2% of our good surplus food is currently redistributed to charities. If we diverted just a quarter of all this wasted food for redistribution, it would make surplus food the second largest supporter of charity after the Big Lottery.
My Food Waste Bill could go a long way towards tackling the huge amount of food waste in Britain and redistributing more than half the nation's food waste. This would be a step in the right direction but we need to do far more to address the root causes of food poverty.
The Government must take a strategic and joined-up approach to food policy to ensure people are able to feed themselves and their families healthily and adequately.
Emergency food aid should remain just that: the Tories must never be allowed to make food banks a permanent feature of British society.
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A hair of the dog, a roll and bacon, and bottle of that trusty Scottish favourite Irn-Bru are just some of the hangover 'cures' I've been told about and if you were like me in my youth; you've had ample opportunity to try them all many times over!
For those of you who know me, I'm an avid fan of Twitter and try to keep myself up to date with the latest crazes and trends online and it was during one of my better days that I stumbled across a product called Phizz. This new product was promoted, reviewed and shared by customers on Twitter and Amazon as an effervescent rehydration product with a blend of vitamins and minerals to promote well-being and increase energy; with my M.E, Crohn's and other chronic conditions, this sounded right up my street. I was put in touch with the team at Phizz who sent me a five dose (10 tablets) 'Petite' pack to try.
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The shiny, bright white and yellow tube arrived in the post within a couple of days and I was despirate to get started and try the product myself. A half glass of water and two Phizz tablets was all it took to get started and as the tablets danced around the glass, a fresh and fruity odour was released; the test was on!
While Phizz is advertised as a dual hydration formula with added vitamins and minerals; I wasn't expecting the sweet and salty combination and it did take a few minutes to acclimatise to the unexpected taste and finish drinking it. I should add that traditional rehydration therapies are salty and as someone with Crohn's I've drunk my fair share of these over the years; I just wasn't expecting the sweet and salty combination to taste quite so strange. The effects of the Phizz tablets didn't hit me instantly but built up gradually within an hour of drinking the concoction. After the hour passed I was very aware of improved focus and energy and found I wasn't as sluggish as usual. The noticeable benefits faded after around four to five hours and this was a common outcome in the five days I tried the product. Phizz advises that a maximum of four tablets should be consumed in any 24 hour period but I stuck to two tablets each day over a five-day period.
The Phizz website and literature state that their formulation contains a World Health Organisation inspired rehydration formula and includes B-Group vitamins, Vitamins A, C and E, Calcium, Copper, Magnesium, Potassium, Selenium and Zinc, and is the first of its kind in the UK.
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Hangovers and its associated headaches and fatigue are made worse as a result of dehydration caused by consuming alcohol. Phizz is definitely worth a try for periods of exertion and those busy mornings after those late nights spent dancing around your handbags.
Ian West/PA Archive
I come from an ordinary working class background and feel profoundly fortunate to have had a unique experience in my formative years that has given me a certain perspective on life. I feel it my duty to share it.
I was born in 1947. Yes I know I know I don't look that old. I was a post WW2 baby boomer.
Twenty million Europeans died in that terrible war. We were all born in the hope of a better future; that this abomination would never happen again.
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As a kid none of my friends or family had ever been abroad or knew anyone from a foreign country. Only our fathers had been abroad to fight and kill people - or be killed.
In 1964 at the age of 17 I started my singing career and, using my school lessons, began to record in French, then Italian, Spanish and German. Pretty soon I had begun travelling in Europe, and became a recording artist and star in all the countries in the West and in the then Eastern bloc.
I had the most amazing times getting to know and enjoy their different cultures and sharing ours. To be part of, accepted and loved by all these countries was often challenging but a great education in life. Everybody was so proud of their nationalities and eager to know about mine. Some of the stories they told me about their country's experience of the war and its impact were eye opening and truly heart breaking. There were some heated discussions; but the one thing we all had in common was the desire to never to let it happen again.
All my family and friends were fascinated. I sent regular postcards home telling of my adventures and each time brought them home a national doll from each country. Eventually my mum and dad had to move to a bigger house to fit in all the presents and awards.
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I never once met a British person or artist on my travels. It was completely new territory. Through the sharing of British culture I was given the opportunity to experience first- hand trans-national communication before it became the norm for everyone.
Later I was asked by the BBC to represent Britain in the Eurovision Song Contest in order or them to capitalise on my unique career in Europe. It was a really uncool thing to do. So I refused.
Until I discovered that the event was born after the Second World War from that intense desire shared by all Europeans to use culture and communication to bring the nations together in a creative rather than destructive way. I thought that was cool.
The Sixties consciousness was very much underpinned by this ideal. I believe that is why our generation in Britain had such a huge creative surge and worldwide young people were so enthralled by the peace movement.
I have been disappointed that the BBC has chosen of late to use this event to make fun of and belittle other countries and to send our worst offerings instead of our best, which would help to raise the standard of everyone.
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The Common market was also born from this desire to make peace instead of war. It was Churchill's great vision after the war to unite Europe along with other enlightened European leaders. Gradually, as this began to take place during the late Sixties and Seventies, I was joined by other British artists keen to take part in Europe. As the Common Market became a reality we were joined in the early hours in Heathrow departure lounge by brief-cased businessmen eager to trade too.
I was often used as an ambassador for Britain by politicians all over Europe keen, (and some not so keen), (put up a picture of me and De Gaulle cartoon) for Britain to join the European Union.
Soon this also became a reality and Europe was flooded with British people wanting to take the sun and enjoy the food, wine and lifestyle of Europeans. My family and friends visited. Some people decided to really go for it and stayed to make a living or retire there. My children naturally thought of themselves as British Europeans and my grandchildren cannot imagine being anything else. Our current world of the internet has tended to make young people less parochial, they communicate across the world. They were born to be technology natives and, though some older people are technology emigres, it is only natural that a lot of us might cling to the past and not be able to fully embrace the future.
Which brings us bang up to the present.
I work as Chair of the Featured Artists Coalition, which has spawned the International Artist Organisation. Together we represent the rights and interests of European music artists and creators. The EU is currently working on the Digital Single market. This is essential to our future. It is the future. An artist's job is to break down barriers, tear down the walls that separate our shared humanity. We are intrinsically international. In order for our music industry to survive we recognise the necessity of European and global markets. We have never thought of ourselves as being isolated from the rest of the world. Our innate desire is to bring people together, to create community and union. We are the modern day explorers and pioneers.
In our FAC and IAO experience, working with the EU and artists from the other countries has been very instructive and much fun. We have got to know our own MEPs, our representatives and other countries' MEPs. We are working really well with the Brussels' bureaucrats who love our input -they really aren't that stuffy once you get to know them. They have welcomed us and our ideas with open arms. They want us to take part in this exciting journey into the future not to stand on the outside complaining. They want us to help change things for the better. How many people know who their MEP is?
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If we want to do something about the bureaucracy, expenses culture, outdated policies and general silliness of Brussels, we have to get involved: kick the ball around; don't take pot shots from lines. There is far more to win than there is to lose. Those that want to stay huddled up in the past will be left behind. Jingoism is profoundly unattractive. Certainly not cool.
It is our task as creators to share our vision and hope for a creative and productive future as part of Europe that Churchill dreamed up so long ago. It is the only way I know of that can curb corporate greed and allow all people to enjoy the fruits of the digital world we are living in today.
I believe that the movement away from Europe is retrogressive.
Loving your country, being patriotic is a good thing. The European Union, however, is there to prevent the negative aspects of nationalism which has in the past resulted in the deaths of 60million people and even more in the First World War. It forces us to come to terms with our differences, to see them as something that enriches us, makes us bigger than the sum of our parts. Its purpose is to reinforce our national identities and respect those of other countries: to find common ground about the essential things in life. It is far from perfect but at least it is a political fight and not a blood bath.
The intention behind the EU is powerful and valuable. Britain has an enormous part to play.
The driving force is to break down barriers. We know that it is not going to be easy. But at least it is a political struggle, a conflict of words, and not taking up arms.
It will take courage, wisdom and compassion. But to leave now at this point in the process is cowardly.
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It is a loser's game
I refuse to back out. I love winning.
And I am determined to win in Europe.
Sandie Shaw
"O ye who believe... say not to anyone who greets you with the greeting of peace, 'Thou art not a believer.'" (Qur'an 4: 94/95)
Have you ever identified yourself as something, lived and breathed it all your life, and then told you're not really what you believe yourself to be?
I've always called myself a Muslim, but last week the Muslim Council of Britain made a statement about me, saying I was excluded from the family of Islam.
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What's my offence - am I neglecting my prayers, or not eating halal meat?
Allow me to first tell you how I came into my faith and practice it today, and then judge for yourself.
My name, Waqar, is an Arabic word meaning 'dignity', given to me in honour of its mention in the Qur'an (71: 14). I am a descendant of Abu Bakr, the first caliph of Islam. Growing up, I remember my parents doing lots of Muslim things both in and outside the house - saying 'assalamu alaikum' whenever returning home, answering the phone or meeting someone; my mother wearing her headscarf whenever she stepped out; teaching me the Qur'an, how to perform ablution, the words and postures in salah (prayer), reciting 'bismillah' before meals, and saying 'alhamdulillah' in gratitude afterwards.
As a young boy, I regularly went to the mosque, and often made the call to prayer. I loved attending religious classes and was addicted to reading about Islam, especially the life of the Prophet Muhammad. From an early age, I got used to attending Friday prayers.
I was a secondary student when my father wrote a response to Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses and other books that vilified the Prophet. This inspired me to write about my faith too, and defend the Prophet's honour whenever and wherever he was insulted.
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Soon after graduating, I got married to my wife, who has always proudly worn the hijab. We have three beautiful children - the eldest is our daughter whose name derives from the Qur'an's first chapter, followed by two boys, both named after Prophets also mentioned in the sacred text. As per Islamic custom, we recited the words of the adhan (call to prayer) into their right ears when they were born, and also held aqiqah ceremonies for them, where the meat we ate and distributed was halal, as is the food we consume today.
We have continued the same tradition as our parents in the raising of our own kids - teaching them Islamic etiquettes, learning the Qur'an, and going to the mosque. My eldest son has already decided that he wants to become an imam!
All my life, I have believed in the five pillars and six articles of faith. I never miss salah, and also try to rise for tahajjud, a voluntary night prayer which the Qur'an says is granted special acceptance. I observe fasts during Ramadan, believe in paying zakah and have always dreamed of going to Makkah for hajj.
I respect all divinely revealed scriptures, revere the long line of Allah's Messengers, and regard Muhammad as the Seal of the Prophets.
Furthermore, my community requires me to make the Qur'an and hadith my guiding principles, to invoke blessings on the Prophet, and to put Islam above everyone and everything. Whenever I leave the house, I wear a ring with the inscription 'Is Allah not sufficient for His servant?'
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But does any of this make me a Muslim?
This Arabic word literally means 'one who submits to God', but also one devoted to peace. All Muslims are required to say the shahadah: 'I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.' The Prophet taught that "a Muslim is one from whose hands and tongue other Muslims are safe" (Sahih Bukhari), and also said, "Whoever prays like us and faces our qiblah (Makkah) and eats our slaughtered animals is a Muslim, and has the same rights as other Muslims" (Sahih Bukhari).
I tick every one of those boxes.
However, while I fulfil all the descriptions of a Muslim given by Allah and the Prophet, the MCB still won't recognise me as one. All the Muslim stuff I believe and do just isn't Muslim enough. For them, anyone who says that Messengers of any kind can still come after Muhammad is a non-believer; and because Ahmadiyya Muslims like me consider Mirza Ghulam Ahmad to be the Messiah and Mahdi (a prophetic figure foretold by Muhammad himself), we cannot be part of the ummah.
Unfortunately for the MCB, their own criterion for who is and isn't a Muslim has no basis in the primary Islamic sources. It is also inconsistent with the belief of the majority of Muslims, including their own affiliates, that Jesus - a Prophet - will come again in future.
When Muslims start playing God in this way, is it any wonder religious prejudice, bigotry and hate are on the rise here in Britain? The MCB claims to be committed to "pluralism, peaceful coexistence and extend a hand of friendship and cooperation for the common good of all", but seems to have a different rule when it comes to Ahmadiyya Muslims. They appear content to regard extremists like the murderer of Asad Shah as their co-religionists, but not those who live by the motto 'love for all, hatred for none.'
How Malaria Moves From Mosquitoes To Humans
Malaria is a parasite that can infect mosquitoes and humans as well as other animals like reptiles and birds.
Only female mosquitoes feed on blood, and when a mosquito drinks malaria-infected blood, the parasite sets up inside its body.
After a three-week process, the malaria parasites have moved into the mosquito's salivary gland, ready to be passed on to the next animal it bites.
As we honor the anniversary of one of the most horrific shipwrecks of all time, we are reminded that every wreck dive we do as scuba divers grants us the opportunity to remember those who have lost their lives at sea. While leaving flowers at a cemetery helps us to remember and honor our loved ones on land, visiting a shipwreck in person is a wonderful way to memorialize those lost at sea.
April 15th marks the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. She rests under more than 12,000 feet of water - a depth so great that she was not found until 73 years after her fateful voyage. Titanic rests as a memorial to her passengers and crew, a reminder of the more than 1,500 who perished that night.
As scuba divers, we seek every opportunity to study shipwrecks in person and to learn their stories. Some, like Titanic, will never be visited by divers because of their location. Of those we are able to visit, some carry a dark past down to the ocean floor. Other shipwrecks are intentional - dropped to a sandy bottom purposefully at the end of a ship's service.
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But each shipwreck that we scuba divers approach carries a story and a lesson to be learned - we are reminded that the ocean will always be more powerful than we will ever be. We are reminded that we owe it to those who have lost their lives at sea to learn their stories and to remember them.
And for those of us who feel so connected to all things maritime, what better way to show respect than to visit a shipwreck and to admire the abundant life she now hosts in her new home.
If you are headed to the Caribbean, there are endless shipwrecks you can visit as a diver. Some of these wrecks have fun stories to share, others tell a tale of life lost. Wherever you dive a wreck, learn and honor its history.
As with all diving, but especially with wreck diving, safety is your first priority. PADI - the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, recognized as the world's leading scuba diver training organization - has very high standards for dive professionals that can be trusted the world over. With over 6,000 PADI dive centers and resorts around the world, it's easy to choose a quality dive shop with a proven safety and performance record.
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Many wreck dives will require you to have advanced skills, so visiting these locations in particular offers the perfect opportunity to learn and to hone those skills with your PADI instructor.
Here are some highlights of wreck dives in the Caribbean, ready for you to explore and to admire the awesome power of nature to take over these ships with new life.
Wreck Dives in the Caribbean
James Bond Wrecks, New Providence, Bahamas - The Bahamas offer an incredible variety of wreck dives, including some of the most widely recognized. You can relive the adventures of James Bond by diving two sites used in the Bond films. The Vulcan Bomber is a wreck purposely sunk for the movie Thunderball, and the Tears of Allah is another wreck that was used in the movie Never Say Never Again. Don your tuxedo (or wetsuit) to film your own version of 007.
Photo courtesy of Stuart Cove
Photo courtesy of Stuart Cove
MV Bianca C, Grenada - Known as the "Titanic of the Caribbean," this 600-foot passenger ship caught fire in 1961 while anchored off Grenada. Two of her crewmembers were killed as a result of the initial explosion and resulting fire, but because of the quick action of local Grenadians, all of her passengers and other crewmembers were saved. You can now visit the Bianca C, known as one of the best wreck dives in the world and the largest in the Caribbean. Although the top of the wreck is at about 23 meters/75 feet, the main deck sits between 28-38 meters/90-125 feet, so it's an advanced dive. Over the years, some of it has collapsed, but there's still a lot of structure to see. She is encrusted with sponges and corals and visited by schools of jack, barracuda, and spotted eagle rays. Because of the depth, quality images of the Bianca C are an extra challenge for photographers; however, Grenada boasts a number of other amazing wreck dives as well, including the Buccaneer, the Veronica L, and the Shakem.
Photo of the Buccaneer courtesy of Dive Grenada
Photo of the Veronica L courtesy of Dive Grenada
Photo of the Shakem courtesy of Dive Grenada
SS Stavronikita, Barbados - The most famous wreck on the island, this Greek freighter is now part of the Folkestone Underwater Park, and she hosts a rainbow of huge tube and rope sponges. The Stavronikita lies in 36 meters/120ft of water with the stern at 30 meters/100ft and the bow at 21 meters/70ft. After catching fire while at sea, she was purposely sunk in 1978 just offshore to create this stunning artificial reef filled with new life.
Photo courtesy of PADI
Photo courtesy of PADI
Photo courtesy of PADI
Wherever you dive this year, be sure to learn the story behind the shipwrecks you visit. Every story has people behind it, and as divers, we can honor those people every time we dive a wreck. Remember them as you explore each wreck and as you watch it teeming with new life.
If you're diving in the Caribbean, be sure to check out these locations for unusual sightings, and don't miss out on these impressive marine life encounters.
If you're not yet a diver, here are some great places to learn to dive in the Caribbean.
Go explore the world!
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This article was completed and photos were contributed with assistance from PADI. Amanda Walkins is a PADI Diver and former PADI dive shop manager in Roatan, Honduras.
WASHINGTON, DC (Herald de Paris) -- Graceful, lean and fit as a racehorse with a strong handshake that puts many men to shame, Dr. Jill Biden took the stage at the White House on Wednesday, as part of her Joining Forces initiative.
Dressed in a sleek, black, brass-buttoned, cropped jacket, Dr. Biden, a woman who herself, has suffered tremendous loss, stood resolute in her commitment and conviction to Educate the educators of the children of military families both here and overseas. The event was held in collaboration with the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) and the University of Southern California (USC). Dr. Biden launched the Joining Forces Initiative with First Lady Michelle Obama with the mission to give all Americans the opportunity to step up and show their support for those who serve in the United States military. Dr. Biden said, "I have been privileged to shine a light on the thousands of families -- and children -- who have taken on these challenging roles without complaint. They are my everyday heroes who often want no acknowledgment. One of the best parts of my role as Second Lady is spending time with so many veterans and military families. As I travel to bases across the country -- and the world -- I am always inspired by their strength and resilience."
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As I listened to Dr. Biden talk about her work and how she met, "Teachers in Illinois who are using writing and art therapy to help National Guard kids with deployed parents express their fear and anxiety." and the fact she met a teacher in Georgia, "Who arranges parent-teacher conferences by Skype so that a parent deployed in Afghanistan can participate," something else struck me. It was the American spirit. Here we had a woman, a high achiever yes, but in basic terms, an ordinary woman, who did not need to be doing any of this. A woman could easily put her feet up and simply be Second Lady. It made me think of First Ladies, Second Ladies, indeed, the spouses, female or male, of President's, Prime Ministers and leaders around the world. It made one think about some of the things that made America unique. America is a country that has a strong sense of giving back, where individuals rise up and stand up, to make the world better for others, even when they don't need too, or indeed, cannot afford to. More importantly, it is a country, where it is allowed and acceptable to do so.
It happens in all strata's of society in America. Currently everyday American's are battling in their individual states to raise the minimum wage from approximately $8.25 per hour to a livable $15 per hour. A minimum wage that has been raised many times in the past few years in many countries including Australia, New Zealand and Canada. "Standing up," and taking positive action, is an intrinsic part of the American spirit, it is part of what attracts others to America, it is part of what has made America build the country it has, with some extraordinary technological, scientific, cultural and artistic achievements and also lead the world in many areas. It has not been without fault at times of course, slavery a prime example, but America, considering it's size, has been relatively quick to rectify its wrongs, again with the will of the people and the will of individuals - be it Vietnam, slavery or raising the minimum wage. In the western world, the British royalty aside, there are few spouses of any leader who go out of their way to identify and create unique initiatives, and build significant resources to create betterment.
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It gets right to the core of the American people. These women, Dr. Jill Biden, the First Lady Michelle Obama, and those who have come before, be it Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, or Nancy Reagan, don't do it because it is solely expected, they do it as it is who they are, it is who they are as Americans. Although admittedly, Ms. Clinton's reasons are more politically minded but she made great strides for women and equality. Either way, it is the humanity of being an American. That is one thing that one hopes never gets lost in this new corporate world. Dr. Biden continued, "One of the students I met that day told me that her family moved to Fort Riley in the middle of the school year, and so she missed the auditions for the school play. But, because her teachers knew how difficult transitions and starting over can be, they gave her the opportunity to be part of it. That doesn't always happen for military students."
Dr. Biden is right, and one can only imagine the impact that had on this child's life -be it school play, sports fields, attention can be made and must be made to the individual child - whether its military family, or indeed otherwise.
Dr. Biden said that Fort Riley, which has 8000 military children, "Represents what I hope all schools could do for our military families: a community-wide effort -- one in which Kansas State University has invested heavily in educating their teachers -- to better serve the needs of their military students." Dr. Biden pointed out that, "Not every public school is in a military community where nearly all of the student population is military-connected. Not every teacher, faculty member and administrator lives the same life as military families do, day in and day out. And, in some cases, not all public schools and teachers have been afforded the opportunity and resources they need to truly understand how to recognize and support the needs of these unique and inspiring students."
The tenacious Dr. Biden has deftly targeted a matter that has been largely overlooked. She along, with Michelle Obama, is in the process of making a difference and creating a movement in the United States and around the world, to be aware of what children of military families deal with in terms of constant moves and transitions.
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In closing, Dr. Biden stressed how the smallest act of kindness can make more of a difference in the lives of so many military students and their families than anyone might realize. And that is exactly what is needed around the world-for all people. Loving kindness. As I said in my award winning film Buddha Wild, http://www.buddhawildfilm.com it is not just enough to say have, "Loving kindness." You have to do it. You must act. You must do it.
"In the context of the government's fight against the "parallel state" or "parallel structure"--which it alleged was a clandestine network of followers of Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen within the executive and legislative branches that sought to overthrow the government--a court ordered that a Gulen-affiliated holding company, Koza Ipek Holding, be placed under government-appointed trusteeship on October 27. Koza Ipek Holding owned five media outlets, which re-opened with a pro-government editorial line shortly after the takeover. Another holding company, Kaynak Holding, with the nation's largest publisher of educational textbooks, was put under trusteeship on November 18."
"Most Gulen-affiliated television channels lost a significant portion of their audience after pay-television platforms dropped them, beginning with Tivibu on September 27. By October 15, four (out of six) digital pay-television platforms had dropped the channels. The government's media regulatory institution, RTUK, warned the operators that the removal violated broadcasting requirements for platform operators to be fair and impartial and was inconsistent with standard legal procedure. Despite the RTUK warning, a fifth pay-television platform, Turksat, dropped Gulen-affiliated channels on November 16."
"On October 28, police used teargas and water cannons to disperse crowds of supporters in front of the office building housing the Kanalturk and Bugun TV television stations, then forced their way into the building and shut down the two channels during a live broadcast. The police action was the result of a court ruling creating a board of trustees to manage the stations' parent company, Koza Ipek Holding. Critics of the takeover cited procedural irregularities and asserted that the media outlets were targeted for criticizing the government. Government officials denied any political motives, stating the connection between Koza Ipek Holding and Gulen justified the action."
VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - APRIL 15: U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders leaves the Vatican on April 15, 2016 in Vatican City, Vatican. Candidate Bernie Sanders came to Rome to attend a conference sponsored by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences marking the 25th anniversary of Pope St. John Paul II's social encyclical 'Centesimus Annus.' (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
With the growing tensions on the campaign trail hitting a near boiling point between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders, everyone who follows politics closely saw this collision course on the horizon. Right from its inception, last night's CNN Democratic debate lived up to it's heightened expectations as the most contentious, bruising political fight of the Democratic primary nomination battle to date.
It embodied the rough-and-tumble, raw, and bare-knuckle punching slugfest brand of politics that New Yorkers are not only used to, but yearn for come election season.
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Going into the debate, both candidates had a lot on the line.
For Clinton, she needed to not only accomplish what any frontrunner attempts to do at a debate-- do no harm to her own campaign-- but she also needed to find a way to cool off the 'berning' momentum swirling around her rival following his wins in eight of the last nine contests.
Sanders, on the other hand, had a much more difficult task. Down by double-digits against Clinton in the state, his challenge was to position himself to do the near impossible-- find a way to do what he says he'll inspire nationally by creating a 'political revolution,' but instead use the debate to create one in the Empire State.
As they have in past debate performances, overall, both candidates did relatively well and accomplished some of what they sought to achieve going into the debate. Clinton walked away mostly unscathed but fell short of delivering a body-blow that could bury Sanders' campaign six feet underground. Sanders threw some tough punches, but didn't do much to spark a political revolution in New York.
It's too early to tell what, if any, lasting impact the debate had on the shape of the race in New York, but nonetheless, there were several key take-aways.
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Lets dive into Sanders showing first. Understanding that he's made enormous gains recently, particularly in New York where he had a near 50-point deficit a month ago and now is behind Clinton by just 14-points, Sanders needed to fundamentally alter the overall dynamics of the race. This debate was his best opportunity yet, and while he finally took the gloves off and went for the jugular, it's unclear if his effort was enough to change the state of the race with just days before New Yorkers go to the ballot box.
Sanders landed some potent barbs against Clinton. He tied her to Wall Street by questioning her donations from the financial service industry as well as her private paid speeches. Sanders, along with the moderators, also antagonized Clinton more than usual over the release of her speech transcripts. This knock on Clinton served two purposes. First, it amplified the perception Sanders has been trying to create in which he paints Clinton has having a cozy relationship with Wall Street. Secondly, it served the purpose of exacerbating concerns about her trustworthiness and honesty after Clinton repeatedly refused to release the transcripts unless Republicans do the same. Her lack of a better response to this issue continues to haunt her campaign and makes her look like she's hiding something.
Also noteworthy was when Sanders caught Clinton in a miniature flip-flop over the $15 per hour minimum wage issue. Initially Clinton said emphatically that she'd supported the "fight for $15," yet then backtracked saying she supported a national $12 minimum wage. He also drove the conversation on climate change, a flagship issue for Democrats, and questioned Clinton's resolve on the issue given her maxed out contributions from 43 fossil fuel industry lobbyists and the big campaign cash her SuperPAC has received from the same interests. Potentially, the most provocative statement came from Sanders in an attempt to appeal to African American voters when he called Clinton's past comments of "super predators" a flat out "racist term." The politically advantageous move was clearly an attempt for Sanders to exploit the issue in order to make inroads with this crucial constituency. It remains to be seen whether or not it worked.
On the flip side, like always, Clinton had another solid debate performance. She held her own, came off looking Presidential, deeply knowledgable about every issue and at times even broke out of her often polished demeanor to convey intense passion, particularly when it came to gun control.
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A master of policy, Clinton displayed an unrivaled understanding of each topic discussed. She smartly hit Sanders on his imperfect record on gun control, a cogent issue in crime-ridden New York. Pivoting away from his attacks against her for not releasing her speech transcripts, Clinton slammed Sanders for not releasing his own tax returns, which at the time made him look somewhat like a hypocrite. And in speaking to the expansive Jewish population in New York, Clinton was a vigorous defender of Israel while Sanders doubled down on his statements where he said the Jewish-state's attacks against Gaza were "disproportionate." Similar to past debates, Clinton also continued to wrap her arms around President Obama, still the most popular figure among Democratic Party voters, especially among minority voters.
Her most epic line of the night, however, was when she implored the moderators to have a discussion that pertains to women's rights issues. The matter isn't just a bedrock issue for Democrats, but it also directly and indirectly implies the historical significance of Clinton's candidacy as the possible first woman President in the U.S.
CAIRO, EGYPT - APRIL 8 : King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia (L) attends a meeting with the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (R) at the Egyptian Presidential Palace in Cairo, Egypt on April 8, 2016. (Photo by Pool / Egyptian Presidency/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has been burning the candle at both ends. Having burned his way through Egypt's largest political party, the Muslim Brotherhood, Sisi went on to give secular liberals who supported his coup against Mohamed Morsi the same treatment: imprisonment, torture or banishment. A significant part of Egypt's political and intellectual elite is now in exile. He has one source of legitimacy left - the international community. This week, he's been burning his way through that.
Sisi's week should have started on a high - the visit of the Saudi King Salman. After all the tension between the two countries (at the time of Salman's succession, the pro-Sisi media declared the then crown prince not fit for office) and after all the reports of money from Saudi drying up, this should have been an occasion to silence all doubters: Salman was investing $22 billion in Egypt. The Egyptian presidency described Salman's visit as "crowning the close brotherly ties between the two countries."
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Salman's visit had been much hyped, as indeed Sisi's visit to Britain was in November last year. Sisi expected each to be a breakthrough of its kind. And yet during his visit to London, Cameron cancelled all British flights to Egypt as a result of the downing of a Russian airliner over Sinai, sounding the death knell of the Egyptian tourist industry. A similar disaster awaited Sisi in Salman's visit.
Part of the brotherly deal was to hand the Saudis two uninhabited but strategic islands in the Gulf of Aqaba that had been under Egyptian control for much of the last century and were given back to Egypt by Israel in 1982. Egypt informed Israel in advance of its intention to give the two islands to the Saudis.
The surrender of Egyptian land to its Saudi neighbor did not go down well domestically for a president who has built his image on being Egypt's new Nasser. The Muslim Brotherhood said no one had the right to abandon the property of the Egyptian people for a fistful of dollars. Ayman Nour said the agreement would be rescinded "once the Egyptian people became free". The secular opposition movement April 6 is planning a rare and risky street demonstration on Friday.
Ibrahim Eissa, formerly one of Sisi's rottweilers, turned on his former master. He said: "Sisi's Egypt is putting itself behind Saudi Arabia, not ahead of it as Nasser and Sadat did, and not at its side as Mubarak did." Ahmed Shafiq said that regardless of the history of the islands, this was a disaster for Egypt. The brotherly visit turned into a nightmare for the Egyptian president.
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The surrender of the islands in exchange for important Saudi investment inevitably fed the impression that Sisi was selling Egyptian territory for financial gain. Nour, leader of the Liberal Gahd El Thawra party went further by leaking what he claimed was a Saudi embassy document showing that Saudis had given expensive Rolex watches to the president, speaker of parliament and prime minister, and Tissot watches and analog clocks to each member of parliament. However, the Saudi ambassador to Cairo said the document was a fraud.
The second calamity to befall the Egyptian president was the withdrawal of Italy's ambassador, after the torture and murder of an Italian student in Cairo. What happened to Cambridge doctoral student Giulio Regeni was no different than the fate that befell thousands of Egyptian victims of the security forces, to whom Sisi has given blanket immunity. According to preliminary coroner reports, his fingernails and toenails had been pulled out; there were cigarette burns around his eyes and feet and numerous cuts on his face. His spine had been broken. The brave student held out for 10 days.
The head of the Giza Investigations Unit, Khaled Shalaby, initially claimed that Regeni had died in a traffic accident and then claimed criminals had murdered him. The difference this time is that Italians were being lied to and there was outrage across Italy.
Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minister who in an interview with Al Jazeera described Sisi as a great and ambitious leader, has had to do a sharp U-turn, even by the standards of Italian driving. Renzi saw in Sisi an opportunity to bundle together Italy's regional security, business and foreign policy interests. The Italian oil giant ENI is sitting on the largest gas field in the Mediterranean, off the coast of Egypt. Italy's largest bank, Banca Intesa, has large interests in Egypt. Italy was an enthusiastic supporter of Sisi as a counter-terrorism fighter not just in Egypt, but in Libya.
The first European country that Sisi visited, has now become the first to withdraw its ambassador. Italy has suddenly found out what it is like to be at the receiving end of gross human rights violations in Egypt. It is asking for EU solidarity in its demand for the truth about Regeni.
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On Wednesday, Sisi lashed out against his critics for the second time in a month, blaming everyone but himself for the two public relations disasters. He said Egypt's achievements were unprecedented in 20 years. He defended his parliament, his intelligence services and hailed the demarcation of maritime boundaries with Saudi Arabia. Egypt, he said, was being undone by "the people of evil who are inside us and within us". He said the Egyptian people were doing themselves harm by talking about the border agreement.
In a ramble that contradicted itself sentence by sentence, Sisi told Egyptians to shut up about the two islands and to await a full parliamentary debate. This is supposedly the debate that will be conducted impartially by all those members of parliament sporting expensive watches. Sisi struggled on: "In one sentence ... we have not abandoned something that belonged to us ... we simply gave people what was theirs ... Egypt has not abandoned a single atom of sand to others, and given it to the Saudis."
Sisi blamed the Egyptian media for the international furore over Regeni's death: "It is we, the media people, who do this to ourselves... It is we who created the problem... Bring here all that was published ... there are among us and within us evil people who are just sitting doing this kind of work ... we announce a project or a decision and then they cast doubt on it and they accuse the state about it."
Sisi then addressed the elephant in the room -- the man who appointed him defense minister and whom he has put in jail, Mohamed Morsi. He said of Morsi: "I told him the people have chosen you and we shall assist you for the sake of the people and for the sake of the country, not like they are doing, hurting the country and destroying it."
Emad Shahin, a visiting professor at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University said:
"Sisi is suffering from the security dilemma. The more you try to build up your security, the more you rely on fear and division, the more you distrust civilian institutions and rely totally on the army, the more insecure you become. It's like someone who has fire inside his house and he is going on the grass outside in order to make himself safe. In the end the fire will catch him up wherever he tries to hide."
"People think of him as the general who can provide security and they deliberately sacrifice freedom and uncertainty for his promises. This bet has not paid off. Most of his projects are failing, whether it's the Suez Canal, or the islands. The problem with the islands was not even maintaining the minimum level of transparency. We woke up and we were told by the government that these islands never belonged to us, when every text book every schoolboy reads says they do."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at the Canada 2020 and the Center for American Progress luncheon gathering in Washington, Friday, March 11, 2016. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Shortly after winning a majority government late last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau opined about new-found hope, optimism and the advent of so-called sunny ways. A bold refugee plan, the upholding of Canada's middle class, key infrastructure investments and building and maintaining reconciliation with Aboriginal Canadians were just a few of the younger Trudeau's promises. To the question of why gender balance was so important when choosing cabinet, Trudeau's shrug and "because it's 2015" quickly went viral and indeed worked to support the progressive attitude the young leader was trying to sell to Canadians.
Trudeau made a habit, during the campaign and indeed after taking office, to make clear that Charter issues were not to be toiled with. Under his leadership we were to believe that a new vision on the Charter and on "Canadian" would come from the top. During a Federal Election debate, in perhaps his most powerful and convincing moment of the campaign, Trudeau steadfastly declared that "a Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian".
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More than a year after the Supreme Court of Canada overturned a criminal prohibition on physician-assisted suicide and months after the federal government successfully secured an extension on producing new legislation covering the controversial medical service, we are beginning to get a glimpse of what exactly sunny ways look like under the Trudeau Liberals.
On Thursday, the Ministers of Justice and Health, Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott, held a press conference on newly-proposed legislation related to aid in dying. The legislation appears to employ a narrow interpretation of the Carter decision, extending strict access to competent adults coming to the end of life. As for cases of mature minors, those suffering solely from mental illness and those requesting advanced directives related to physician-assisted death, the Justice Minister stated that review processes for these cases would continue and did not rule in or out possible changes to the law down the road. The Minsters collectively held firm throughout the question period that this was the best way forward for Canada.
And this is where issues arise related to the Charter and the Supreme Court's ruling. The Federal Minister of Justice reaffirmed her view that the proposed legislation was in line with the Supreme Court's decision in Carter and indeed the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Additionally, in her retort to one question, the Justice Minister seemed to suggest that the Supreme Court's decision did not extend beyond terminal cases of disease. But these feelings and assertions don't adhere to the facts as they pertain to the Supreme Court's decision or indeed to the exact Charter from which the decision was born.
In Carter, the Supreme Court clearly stated the following in outlining its decision:
We conclude that the prohibition on physician assisted dying is void insofar as it deprives a competent adult of such assistance where (1) the person affected clearly consents to the termination of life; and (2) the person has a grievous and irremediable medical condition (including an illness, disease or disability) that causes enduring suffering that is intolerable to the individual in the circumstances of his or her condition.
Indeed, the Court's decision in no way ruled out the possibility of non-terminal cases of illness, disease or disability from meeting the necessary requirements for access to aid in dying. After a lengthy federal case and after the exhaustive Report of the Special Joint Committee on Physician-Assisted Dying, the door to access for mature minors and the mentally ill was left wide open and still a Liberal Majority government posits that more time is needed to debate and review evidence. In the mean time, the best that could be offered, given the emotional nature of the discussion and time requirements to pass legislation, was a relatively restrictive take on the implementation.
But to competent adult patients suffering with incurable diseases such as treatment-resistant depression and ALS, the new legislation provides far less than the sunny ways the Prime Minister promised. Indeed this legislation appears to reflect new national polling on the controversial issues related to physician aid in dying more than it does our Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Map of Ukraine with a Russian flag over the contested area of Crimea.
Many Ukrainians expect America and Europe to save them. Suggest that they are living a fantasy gets you tarred as a blatant fool and Russian stooge. Yet Ukraine shouldn't waste time posing as a fairy tale maiden in distress waiting for rescue by the Western knight in shining armor. Kiev risks ending up as a failed state.
Ukraine has suffered through a difficult existence. It long was part of the Russian Empire or Soviet Union. Since gaining independence Kiev has endured horrendous political leadership. In recent years the presidency flipped from pro-Western incompetent Viktor Yushchenko to pro-Russian kleptocrat Viktor Yanukovich. After the latter's ouster oligarchical economic interests remain in control, only through a different set of fractious politicians. Moreover, the country itself is badly divided, melding together vastly different western and eastern sections.
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Obviously life isn't fair. But no one gains from pretending otherwise. The West and Ukraine both need to make policies based on reality, not fantasy. This argument does not make one a fan of Vladimir Putin or Russia. Rather, it recognizes that we live in the world as it is, not as we wish it would be.
Ukraine is stuck in a bad neighborhood. Rather like Mexicans say of America, Kiev's tragic lot is being so close to Russia and so far from God. The colossus next door has special historical, cultural, economic, and security ties to Ukraine. Many people share at least some of those connections. This explains Moscow's willingness to accept international criticism, economic sanctions, political isolation, and military threats to prevent Ukraine from joining the Western bloc. Making this observation is not an endorsement. But good policy requires honest analysis. Acting as if Putin had been mysteriously transformed into Adolf Hitler and planned a blitzkrieg across Finland, the Baltic States, and Poland, on into Germany and to the Atlantic helps no one.
America and Europe don't have much at stake in Ukraine. It's an unpleasant truth which sets off much screeching in Kiev, but that makes it no less true. Despite the outrage over Russian behavior expressed in Brussels, "Old Europe" feels little threat from the east. The economic benefits of integrating even an undivided Ukraine at peace into the European Union would be modest and take much time. Today Kiev is an economic black hole and the fiscally strapped Europeans have shown no inclination to contribute anything close to the aid levels required by Ukraine.
The U.S. has even less interest in the region. Other than Ukrainian expatriates who believe the sun rises and sets in Kiev and ideological Neoconservatives who believe Washington should war against any power that resists America's dictates, no American even thinks about Ukraine. Much silly rhetoric has been spewed in the presidential contest so far on all manner of subjects. Yet Russia is rarely mentioned and even then mostly to complain about Moscow's intervention in Syria, not Ukraine.
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For most of their respective histories America and Europe got along just fine with Ukraine under St. Petersburg's and later Moscow's control. That has not changed. Bleeding Ukraine elicits sympathy, not concern. Neither America nor Europe is prepared to impose serious sanctions designed to break the Russian economy. Neither America nor Europe is prepared to risk war with Russia. The West will not retrieve Crimea, suppress Donbas separatists, guarantee Ukraine's territorial integrity, or even bail out the latter's economy. Which means Kiev is effectively on its own.
Ukraine's leaders only fooled themselves if they thought otherwise. Despite the antics of Washington's war lobby, led by the likes of Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, none of America's post-Cold War presidents was prepared to toss away the success of the end of the Cold War by triggering a war with Russia over lesser stakes. The most obvious case is the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances after Ukraine relinquished the nuclear weapons left by the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Some Ukrainians convinced themselves that the U.S. must "enforce" the agreement--presumably by nuclear war, if necessary. Washington's refusal to act militarily is seen as a great betrayal. Actually, no. The U.S. joined Britain and Russia in making a series of commitments, but none involved a security guarantee, let alone a promise to go to war. First, the three signatories lauded Ukraine for signing the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. They also committed themselves to respect Ukraine's sovereignty and borders and refrain from threatening Ukraine with military force or economic coercion.
How was this to be enforced? The signatories committed themselves to ... go to the UN on Kiev's behalf if the latter faced aggression "in which nuclear weapons are used" and consult "in the event a situation arises that raises a question concerning these commitments." Which means no one promised Ukraine anything meaningful if anyone violated the accord. Nevertheless, Kiev signed. Meaningless verbiage was all that Ukraine was going to get. The Clinton administration was not prepared to offer Kiev a bilateral security treaty or NATO membership. The West has no more interest in going to war for Ukraine today than in 1994.
Russia won't be surrendering Crimea short of war or collapse. Sanctions may be painful economically, but are not crippling, either economically or politically. So far Putin remains more popular than almost any of his Western counterparts. His poll numbers are down and could fall further, of course, but he would be unlikely to respond by retreating from his most dramatic, celebrated, and costly initiative.
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Nor does making things worse in Moscow necessarily benefit Ukraine or the West. Weimar Russia would be a fearsome phenomenon to behold. Unfortunately, the alternative to Putin is not likely some Western-style liberal, but a harder-line nationalist, of whom there are many. Imagine chaotic Ukraine-style politics in Moscow followed by greater repression. In none of these scenarios is Russia likely to improve its relationship with the West, let alone disgorge its conquest.
Moreover, in an age of self-determination the objective should be to assess what the people Crimea want, not to shift control back to Ukraine. The referendum held under Russian control can't be trusted but that doesn't mean it wasn't accurate. Throughout most of its history Crimea was part of Russia and the majority of residents are ethnic Russian. If they want to stay in Russia, their wishes should be respected. Thus, the West's objective should be a fair vote.
The West has no credibility complaining about Russian aggression. Moscow has behaved badly and shares much blame for the conflict engulfing the Donbas. However, there are real Russian separatists who genuinely object to rule from Kiev. And there are some nasty Ukrainian forces, extreme nationalists every bit as brutal as Russian fighters.
Moreover, the allies cheerfully, even joyously trampled Russian security interests for years. Expanding NATO obviously was directed against Moscow, something well understood by Russians. The allies launched an unprovoked war against Moscow's traditional friend, Serbia, dismembered that nation, and created a new country. Having done so, they then denied a similar right of self-determination to Serbs caught within a new hostile state in which they had suffered from brutal ethnic cleansing by triumphant ethnic Albanians after the war.
The allies promised to bring Ukraine into NATO, an understandable anathema to Moscow. Europe then pressed Kiev to shift West economically. Through all this Putin did nothing, even though Ukraine's previous president, Yushchenko, was actively hostile to Moscow and sitting president, Yanukovich, maintained Ukraine's ties both east and west. Only after the West pushed a street revolution against Ukraine's corrupt but nevertheless elected president did Putin act to safeguard what he saw as Russia's interests.
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Bad behavior by Putin to be sure, and unjustified. But no one has clean hands, least of all the U.S., which bombs, invades, occupies, and divides other nations as it sees fit without concern for other nations' interests, international law dictates, or likely consequences. Sanctimonious complaints from Washington about the conduct of other countries merely undercut American credibility. Certainly Moscow has no reason to take America's moralistic pretensions seriously.
The status quo benefits no one. Two years ago Russia seized Crimea. A Moscow-backed insurgency in eastern Ukraine has waxed and waned since then. Russia and Western parties signed the Minsk agreement to end the Donbas conflict, which has reduced fighting though implementation remains sketchy on both sides.
No one believes that sanctions are going to force Moscow to return Crimea. Nor do they offer any reason for Putin not to initiate another territorial grab if he is so inclined (in fact, there is no evidence that he wants to rule over non-Russians). At best the economic penalties encourage fuller implementation of Minsk by Russia, though not Ukraine. They also make a moral statement of sorts, but there are much better ways to do that.
The continuing conflict is guaranteed to leave Ukraine a financial, economic, and political wreck. The way forward to normalcy is difficult enough. Suffering through a "frozen conflict" could disrupt life for a generation or more.
Sanctions punish average Russians, allow Putin to blame the West for his nation's economic problems, and give the Russian government even greater power over the economy and financially-strapped businesses. Beyond that is the negative impact on Western companies and consumers.
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Moreover, waging a low-grade economic war against Russia inevitably discourages Moscow from helping on other issues, which are many. The U.S., in particular, seeks Russian assistance in Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, and Syria. Washington and Moscow share concerns over terrorism. The U.S. should stop pushing Russia toward China. It is one thing to sacrifice other concerns to achieve something significant. But in this case the U.S. is gaining nothing on an issue of at most modest importance. Confrontation with Russia is a penny-wise, pound-foolish policy.
Instead, the allies should seek to negotiate a compromise everyone can live with. They should offer to end sanctions, pledge not to include Ukraine (and Georgia) into NATO, and support Ukrainian ties both east and west. Moscow should insist Ukrainian separatists accept autonomy, hold an internationally monitored referendum in Crimea, restructure Kiev's unsustainable debt, and accept nonexclusive political and economic ties between Ukraine and the EU.
Ukraine is free to make its own decisions on its own responsibility. Life isn't fair, President Jimmy Carter said, and Kiev's position reflects that reality. Of course, Ukraine is a sovereign state and might prefer full western integration, including NATO membership. But the allies need to act in their interest: adding a conflict-waiting-to-happen to the alliance would be extremely foolish. Kiev is free to decide its future, but it must do so knowing that no Western nation, including the U.S., is prepared for war with nuclear-armed Russia over Ukraine. Negotiating the best deal possible would be better than pining for a rescue that will never come.
by Doug Kirkpatrick, US Partner at NuFocus Strategic Group
Item: Arvind Suresh, writing in Discover magazine, reports that Jacob Sherson, an associate professor of Physics at Aarhus University (AU) in Denmark, and his colleagues have been working on ways to develop quantum computers by efficiently manipulating atoms with lasers. They are working to transcend the challenge of developing ever-smaller transistors to crunch bits of information in one of two states, 0 or 1. Quantum computers, based on quantum systems (atoms, electrons, photons) allow bits to exist as 0 and 1 simultaneously, allowing for massive, parallel increases in computer power. One challenge in manipulating atoms is "sloshing", where a sudden move with a laser "tweezer" may cause an atom to slosh in the tweezer and produce calculation errors. Inspired by a Danish tech radio show, Sherson decided to gamify the challenge and invite citizen scientists to find the best solution. The project, Quantum Moves, created games where players manipulated atoms as efficiently as possible. By mapping the mouse positions of successful players, thousands of scientists can solve the problem far faster than one lonely researcher trying to find the perfect algorithm.
Item: Atul Gawande, in The Checklist Manifesto, describes how Peter Pronovost, a critical care specialist at Johns Hopkins Hospital decided to try a radical idea: a checklist for ICU doctors. He created a simple, five-point checklist for doctors to avoid infections when putting in a central line (first point: wash hands with soap!). For one month, nurses observed how often doctors followed each step. In more than a third of patients, doctors skipped at least one step. The following month, Johns Hopkins administration authorized nurses to stop doctors if they saw them skip a step--a revolutionary move in the hierarchical hospital environment. Over the next year, the ten-day line infection rate dropped from 11 percent to zero.
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Item: James Surowiecki, author of The Wisdom of Crowds, describes the hunt for USS Scorpion, a nuclear submarine that disappeared in May 1968 somewhere in the North Atlantic. Based on the last radio contact, the Navy began searching a radius twenty miles wide, a nearly hopeless task. Fortunately, naval officer John Craven had a better idea. He concocted a multitude of potential scenarios, and then concocted a team with a diverse range of skills and backgrounds. He asked the team members to give their best individual guesses regarding Scorpion's fate, and place bets on the likelihood of each scenario with bottles of Chivas Regal as prizes. Craven built a composite scenario built on all the guesses. Five months after Scorpion's disappearance, this intelligence, built on the collective wisdom of Craven's team, enabled a navy ship to find Scorpion 220 yards from where the group (but no individual group member) predicted it would be.
Like the quantum computers of the future, where one relatively small quantum machine could have more computing power than all conventional computers combined, quantum organizations will creatively and effectively deploy crowdsourcing, gamification, voice activation, collective intelligence and myriad other social technologies to let people bring their entire brains to work. As Chuck Blakeman wrote in Inc. magazine: "In the Participation Age, which is already upon us, everybody is getting their brain back, and work once again is becoming a meaningful, integrated part of our lives, not something we put up with to make money."
The benefits of participation are real: in the book Firms of Endearment: How World-Class Companies Profit From Passion and Purpose, the authors examine how to build high-performance companies on love, involving all stakeholders (all of whom, coincidentally, happen to be human beings). They found that humanistic firms of endearment (FoEs) maximize value to society as a whole, not just to shareholders, by creating emotional, experiential, social and financial value. Publicly held FoEs returned 1,026 percent for investors over the 10 years ending June 30, 2006, compared with 122 percent for the S&P 500. FoE Costco, for example, pays people 40% more than Sam's Club, yet generates significantly more profit per employee.
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Powerful social technologies are finding their way into companies and organizations around the world. Open Space, detailed by discoverer Harrison Owen in his book Open Space Technology: A User's Guide, has been practiced in over 100,000 different meetings in 160 countries, involving self-organizing groups of between 5 and 2100 participants. In a safe, diverse Open Space environment, participants self-organize and grapple with the burning issues most important to them, where collective wisdom can emerge.
The World Cafe, a process discovered by Juanita Brown and David Isaacs in 1995, has also found resonance around the world as a social technology to drive multi-stakeholder engagement. The World Cafe publishes an Impact Map that shows its influence around the world.
Rod Collins, former Chief Operating Executive of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program and author of Wiki Management: A Revolutionary New Model for a Rapidly Changing and Collaborative World, shares an exercise he calls the "Elegant Set", a method of quickly aggregating the collective intelligence in a room of diverse stakeholders. Keith McCandless and Henri Lipmanowicz, co-authors of The Surprising Power of Liberating Structures: Simple Rules to Unleash A Culture of Innovation, describe several simple yet powerful exercises designed to unleash innovation and performance through engagement.
To the degree they are deployed, liberating social technologies will exert tectonic pressure on traditional organizations to, well, liberate people. Once exposed to these technologies, people will expect to have a voice and expect their voice to be heard. Given the typically low employee engagement levels measured by numerous researchers, it would appear that organizations have little to lose by listening.
Doug Kirkpatrick is the author of Beyond Empowerment, The Age of the Self-Managed Organization. He is an organizational change consultant, TEDx and keynote speaker, executive coach, writer, educator and SPHR.
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He played the first season of his business career in the manufacturing sector, principally with The Morning Star Company of Sacramento, California, a world leader in the food industry, as a financial controller and administrator. He now engages with the Morning Star Self-Management Institute, Great Work Cultures, The Center for Innovative Cultures and other vibrant organizations and leaders to co-create the future of management. Contact Doug at Twitter @Redshifter3.
Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Mt Juliet, speaks in the House Chamber of the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, Tenn. on Monday, Feb. 8, 2010. The House voted 65-31 on Monday to override Gov. Phil Bredesen's veto of a bill to limit local authority on requiring calorie counts to be listed on restaurant menus. The bill was introduced in response to a decision in Nashville last year to require menu labeling at chain restaurants. The Democratic governor vetoed the bill in July, citing Tennessee's obesity rate that ranks among the highest in the nation. (AP Photo/Josh Anderson)
If social conservatives in Tennessee get their way, the state will soon become the second in the nation to use the coercive power of the government to force people into bathrooms that violate their very sense of self or risk punishment. Legislation targeting trans students pending in both houses in the state's legislature would require public school and university students to use a bathroom or locker room that matches the sex recorded on their birth certificate. Limited-government it's not.
Tennessee legislators, though, aren't original in their bigotry. North Carolina controversially passed an even broader law in March, and at least 30 similar bills have been introduced in a total of 16 states this year alone. Proponents of these discriminatory anti-trans bathroom bills have advanced many arguments for why they are necessary. Most are absurd "urban legends." Some argue these bills are necessary to stop predatory men from dressing up as women, entering the female restroom, and then attacking unsuspecting women. The more restrained say it will stop men from just trying to sneak a peek. Not surprisingly, these are solutions in search of a problem. There is neither evidence that anyone has used the fictional "transgender defense" for illegal conduct nor reports of any increase in public safety incidents in any of the hundreds of jurisdictions that have extended legal protections to transgender people.
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"...forcing transgender people to use the wrong restroom will have terrible consequences for their very real privacy interests..."
The argument getting the most traction, however, is the idea that compelling trans people to use the bathroom that corresponds to their assigned sex at birth protects the privacy of non-transgender boys and girls and men and women. "Letting boys into girls' restrooms and changing areas, for example, is an invasion of privacy," said Matt Sharp, a lawyer with the conservative Alliance Defending Freedom, in defense of Tennessee's bill. One of the stated purposes of Florida's defeated bill last year was "to secure privacy ... for all individuals using single-sex public facilities." North Carolina legislators this year went so far as to name their anti-trans bathroom bill, the "Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act."
As a threshold matter, no one is proposing letting boys into girls' bathrooms. Preying on misinformation about transgender people and calling trans girls boys, advocates for these harmful measures decry the fictitious end of sex-segregated spaces altogether.
But even beyond the absurd distortions peddled in state legislatures across the country, these purported privacy justifications for unconstitutional government discrimination aren't remotely persuasive. It does not infringe anyone else's rights to share public space with those who are different. People just don't get naked in the restroom, and we should all just keep our eyes to ourselves, anyway. Like previous efforts to expel people of color, people with disabilities, and others from communal space, these arguments for privacy just mask a fear of difference. And as courts have repeatedly recognized, those who are uncomfortable with sharing such spaces can seek out private spaces for themselves rather than force transgender people to be forever stigmatized and isolated.
The privacy argument for these anti-trans bathroom bills falls completely apart when it comes to enforcement. Who exactly will have the authority to verify who is "male" or who is "female"? Will there be pee police? What will happen to androgynous men and women who don't conform to the police officer or bureaucrat's notion of what "real" maleness or femaleness is? For legislators trying to protect privacy, the unintended or ill-considered consequences of these bills seem to undermine their purpose.
But let's get real, these bills aren't motivated by privacy concerns -- they're motivated by ignorance, misinformation and fear. Many people, particularly social conservatives, find transgender people, at best, curiosities, and, at worst, less than human, even if the more political hide their disgust with carefully crafted language. The bill's sponsor in Tennessee, Republican Rep. Susan Lynn, called her measure "very friendly." Trans students may mistake her kindness for cruelty because forcing transgender people to use the wrong restroom will have terrible consequences for their very real privacy interests as well as their safety.
"These bills aren't motivated by privacy concerns -- they're motivated by ignorance, misinformation and fear."
Five years.
What is it about saying "five years" that makes it seem like you've reached a milestone? Reunions are in five-year increments, anniversaries seem more important on the fives, decisions just seem more finalized if they've reached a five-year mark.
My mom died five years ago this month. It feels like five days. Sometimes it feels like five hours.
"Grief doesn't have a milestone," my friend Wendy told me. Amen to that.
Things happen in our lives for myriad of reasons. It's only after the fact, sometimes years later, that we realize it. It was hard to find those reasons when I was doubled over in pain of heartache five years ago. I simply could not believe that my mother wasn't with me anymore. The emptiness was excruciating.
Grief is paralyzing, my friend Laura succinctly put it once. I had those days, wracked with guilt when I donated her clothes to a worthy charity, sitting on the couch, zoning out, holding onto a favorite pillow. It simply didn't sink in. My therapy was talking to friends and going through my treasure trove of e-mails and letters from her. I've got letters from college days, from Italy sojourns, my first job, second job and New York. My mom was a letter-writer and I'm very glad that she was. Put together, they're a record of our lives.
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I have found in myself a strength that I never knew existed. I know that sounds like a cliche - you don't realize how strong you are until you need to be. I have to attribute that to my mom. My mom arrived in America from Italy when she was four years old. She came though Ellis Island with her mother and brother, my Uncle Charlie. Her father and older brother had been in America for two years by the time she arrived. For most of the next eight years, her mother was ill and she died when my mom was 12. So here she was, trying to assimilate in a new country, and she lost her mother.
But she came through it, taking care of things that needed to be taken care of, excelled at school, learned to write shorthand, learned how to play Bridge, was a fabulous cook, enjoyed a career.
So when I think about how much it hurts when I can't pick up the phone and laugh with her and discuss a recipe that Giada made or how Gail Collins always gets it right, I realize I'm pretty lucky. She was with me for 47 years.
The strength that she instilled in me got me through the sale of her house and writing about her has actually been therapeutic. I'm quasi-starting over and have rediscovered my love of Italy, not that it was ever really gone. Just lying in wait. Everything I do now is all about my quest to live and work in Italy. I feel like I've come full circle.
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The first time I lived in Italy was 1986, in Rome. Mom came to see me at Christmas and then we went to Assisi, San Gimignano and Siena. We loved Siena. I still remember our wonderful dinner at a place called Medio Evo, complete with a bottle of Chianti Classico. I also remember our waiter tried to get away with overcharging us. Mom was having none of that!
I bought a poster of the Palio, the city's famous horse race, and it's currently framed and hanging in my apartment. Fast forward 30 years and I'm back in Siena in late 2015, I fall in love all over again and have finalized my plans to return this summer.
When my mom went back to work, as a Kelly Girl, she faced challenges and took them head-on, including dealing with a conniving boss at her first job. She eventually flourished and retired after a successful career at Procter and Gamble.
I had so much respect for her. She guided me through many rough patches and always had the right words to say; she could always find a solution. We were a good team. And I even forgave her for all those times she made me go to bed with pin curls and plastic curlers in my hair. (You try it!)
So here I am, five years later. It still hurts. I still cry. But then I think about how she'd likely be very happy about all the new things I've done in the past five years and how I've decided to follow the Italy dream. As I wrote in 2012, to stop reaching for a goal would be a disservice to her.
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And I often read and re-read a few of her credos: "Remember: success equals effort. I hope you do what you need to do for yourself. Don't be scared. I'm right here to help."
"Believe in yourself. I believe in you. Get that 'get-up-and-go' spirit back. You have had a good year so far because you took risks and were willing to work hard. Let it continue."
And my favorite message from 1996: "Have a good weekend and stop worrying. Be positive. Be professional. Be good. I'm always thinking about you. Don't worry. Things will work out one way or another. Love, Mom."
Mom and me in Rome, 2004.
Spring 2016 is going to be the most exciting season the J. Luce Foundation has experienced since its inception. There are so many ways that you can get involved and help better humanity!
It began in 1998 with Orphans International Worldwide, and was joined in 2008 by the J. Luce Foundation. The Stewardship Report began publication in 2010. Last fall, a chapter of Lions Clubs International, the New York Global Leadership Lions Club, joined (Facebook).
The Manjushree Home for Tibetan Orphans in India.
The Foundation and its partners support projects uplifting of humanity around the world - often promoting arts, education and orphan care.
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The Manjushree Home for Tibetan Orphans in Tawang, India -- under the auspices of H.H. the Dalai Lama -- has been supported by Dr. Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura, for decades. Dr. Kazuko, founder of the Gaia Holistic Foundation and board member of Orphans International Worldwide (OIWW), has been known as the most prominent non-Tibetan supporter of this project. This fascinating story may be read in HuffPo.
This spring, at a dinner in a Chelsea loft in NYC, the J. Luce Foundation will launch in cooperation with the Gaia Holistic Foundation, The Manjushree Fund for Tibetan Orphans. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, April 27 and tickets may be purchased here.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been a long-time friend of
Dr. Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura, who is today an enormous supporter.
Dr. Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura told us:
I really hope you will join us for our Gala Dinner on Wednesday, April 27 when we establish the Manjushree Fund under auspices of Gaia Holistic Foundation and the J. Luce Foundation! With the help of many devoted friends from the U.S. and Japan, we completed the magnificent Academic Building there last year with a total expenditure of $669,049 in the remote village in Himalaya --Tawang -- located at the borders of Bhutan, Myanmar, and old India. Tawang is the only original Tibetan village now in existence. It contains very important Tibetan Cultural Heritage, including the Monastery of Dalai Lama 5th that used to be the second largest monastery in old Tibet, the birth place of Dalai Lama 6th, as well as an important Stupa being built by H.H. Dalai Lama's Oracle, Khandoma. The scenery there is just breathtakingly magnificent, with waterfalls, mountains, and rivers. The children are all so wonderful and compassionate.
Join us on The J. Luce Leadership Experience - The Ideals of Hellas.
The J. Luce Leadership Experience - Hellas is scheduled for May 14-22, coordinated by Global Adviser and Corporate Sponsor Georgia Nomikos, C.E.O. of The Orpheus Luxury Collection. The trip is to expose young global leaders to the wisdom of ancient Hellas while allowing the students to witness the realities of modern Greece in refugee camps, orphanages, and civic institutions.
The extensive ten-day itinerary for this leadership experience is online and you may read about the trip in The Huffington Post. In addition, there is an exciting video about the experience on YouTube. This subsidized trip costs $2,950 per person based on double occupancy plus airfare.
Georgia Nomikos tells us:
This May our young global leaders will embark on a journey to the land of Socrates... to the sacred Hellas... the land that gave birth to philosophy, to science, to medicine, to theater, to music and arts, to leadership and democracy all based on the highest of human virtues. They will experience the 'Spirit of Hellenism' - and discover the foundation of the Humanistic Ideals of Leadership. With these Hellenic Ideals our young leaders will therefore lead with great passion, inspiration and wisdom to make a positive change and a better world for all.
The J. Luce Foundation not only provides challenge grants, but also "spotlights" individuals and organizations that it supports. Each year, the J. Luce Foundation promotes and attends important events of its supported organizations.
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This spring, the Foundation will have tables at two events for the Osborne Association which deals with prison reform and inmate education in New York State, and
Legacy High School, a superb special needs institution serving the NYC Tri-State.
The author attending last year's Osborne Association
Lighting The Way Breakfast at the New York Hilton.
The Osborne Association has been around for over a century - and the J. Luce Foundation has been supporting it since the Foundation's inception. Jim Luce has written numerous articles about this prison reform organization in The Huffington Post. Foundation board members have toured Rikers Island and the penitentiary at Sing Sing up the Hudson River in Ossining.
On Thursday, April 21, the Foundation will host a table at the Osborne Association's Lighting the Way Breakfast in the New York Hilton Midtown. If you would like to attend, please contact info@lucefoundation.org.
Stacee Mandeville, the C.E.O. of Red Leaf Coaching and Global Adviser to the Foundation, says:
It is truly exciting that our foundation is slowly but surely exposing more in our leadership circle to various vetted charities in the NYC. Because there are so many, it is helpful to have them screened - and wonderful to have a group of friends to attend with.
Luce Scholar Jeff Guan and Vishu Grover, director of Legacy High School.
On the evening of Thursday, May 5, our Foundation is supporting the South China Seas Trunk Sale to 'Benefit Children in Asia & Beyond.' Held twice a year in the home of Ambassador Sichan and Martha Siv across from the United Nations in New York. A great place to shop for distinctive treasures including handmade products supporting women and communities - consciously sourced from their own personal network: accessories and clothing, purses and jewelry, silks, scarves, shawls, Cambodian silver, toys and decorative items. Plus - autographed books -- Golden Bones and Golden State -- by Ambassador Sichan Siv. Facebook. Invite.
On Wednesday June 1, the Foundation will host a table at the Legacy High School Annual Dinner at Battery Gardens near Battery Park in lower Manhattan. LHS is a premier special needs institution in New York from which Foundation Board member Mathew Luce graduated. Tickets are $100 each and scholarships are available. Please RSVP to info@lucefoundation.org.
One of the last events of spring season 2016 will be the annual Roosevelt Island Cherry Blossom Festival to be held on Saturday, April 30. Sponsored in part by our foundation, I will serve again as master of ceremony - in full kimono (I studied once in Tokyo). See my past story in HuffPo.
The incomparable Roosevelt Island Cherry Blossom Festival in NYC.
Recent events of the Foundation have been equally amazing and will be repeated next spring. These include the Marietta College Leadership Conference in Ohio and the International Day of Happiness at the United Nations - across the East River from Roosevelt Island.
Marietta College has one of the oldest leadership programs of an undergraduate institution in the U.S., its McDonough Leadership Program. The Foundation attended the conference with Luce Scholars and Global Advisers. Five J. Luce Foundation Fellows presented a panel on social responsibility. Story.
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The International Happiness Day at the United Nations was an enormous success, intermixing presentations by U.N. Ambassadors and experts, with thrilling cultural performances, and a panel with Jim Luce and other Lions Club members. Prominent Lions were in attendance (HuffPo).
Dr. Judy Kuriansky produced the event, in her role as advisor to Ambassador Toriello of the Mission of Sao Tome and Principe to the United Nations. Also a Global Advisor to the Foundation, adjunct professor of Psychology at Columbia University Teachers College, and a prominent member of the mental health NGO community at the United Nations, Dr. Judy says:
The Lions' panel was perfect on the topic of "Happiness Through Service," when Jim Luce talked touchingly about his personal journey from wealthy Wall Street mogul to philanthropist adopting an Indonesian orphan and devoting his life to other needy children, followed by Lion District Governor Guillermo Perez and inspiring youth representing Lion and Leo clubs.
The J. Luce Foundation (Facebook), focused on supporting young global leadership, publishes The Stewardship Report on Connecting Goodness (Facebook). It's sister organization, Orphans International Worldwide (Facebook), works to raise global citizens in the developing world, while the New York Global Leaders Lions Club (Facebook), strives to support the efforts of both organizations.
This summer, beginning in San Francisco Thursday, May 26 hosted by Board member Seal Bin Han, Orphans International will host its Annual Summer Orphan Tour. Stops will include the United Nations, and possibly Dublin and Zurich. These events fund projects from India and Sri Lanka to Nepal and Indonesia.
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Please note that our New York Global Leaders Lions Club (NYGLLC) continues to meet every Monday night with 35 members and you are welcome to join us. For further information, contact info@lucefoundation.org.
In early 2016, tiny Alabama-based Cleber, LLC managed to conquer two Goliaths with one stone. It became the first American company to receive authorization from both the US and Cuba to set up a manufacturing operation on the island's Mariel Special Development Zone. Like David in the biblical story, Cleber used simple technology to accomplish what no one else had managed to before: slay two sets of monster bureaucracies with one blow. The embargo-busting, low-tech stone is its 'Oggun' tractor, an updated version of the 1940's Allis-Chalmers Model G.
The co-founders, Cuban-born Saul Berenthal and Alabaman Horace Clemmons, are former IBM engineers and retired entrepreneurs, who found unlikely success in Cuba in great part due to their intuitive grasp of 'frugal innovation' principles. Like other frugal innovators worldwide, they created a low-cost, high-quality good by re-imagining processes and repurposing resources to meet the needs of a market with enormous financial constraints.
The adaptation of frugal innovation principles to the needs and challenges of developing nations like Cuba has been described by Navi Radjou, Jaideep Prabhu and Simone Ahuja in their work on Jugaad Innovation. 'Jugaad', a colloquial Hindi word, roughly translates as an innovative fix or an improvised solution born from ingenuity and cleverness. The term bears a surprising similarity to the colloquial Cuban term 'resolver' - improvising and making do through inventiveness. No wonder, then, that the Cuban experience is home to a wealth of local frugal innovation examples.
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Cleber's entrance into the Cuban market provides another example of how the six guiding principles of jugaad/frugal innovation can be used to create value in Cuban markets.
1. Seek Opportunity in Adversity. Frugal entrepreneurs perceive harsh constraints as an invitation to innovate.
The small-hold farmers and cooperative members who farm 70% of Cuba's arable land deal with frequent input shortages (from fertilizers, to seeds, to fuel, to parts), obsolete technology, and major inefficiencies in transportation and distribution. The situation is further aggravated by two factors - the final consumer's wallet is limited to the $25/month salary of average Cuban workers, and pressure on market prices and on quality specifications from a growing tourist sector.
The end result is low productivity, higher costs, variable quality and a wasteful drag on foreign reserves as Cuba resorts to importing approximately 80% of its food requirements, much of it, cash in advance.
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Cleber realized that this overwhelming set of related problems was a Cuban national priority and a dynamic that had to be resolved before US tourists landed en masse on Cuban soil. Only 'out of the box' thinking could uncover a solution.
2. Keep it simple. The "resolver" mindset requires that frugal entrepreneurs focus on developing "good enough" offerings that are accessible and easy to use.
Since all of the patents for the Allis-Chalmers Model G tractor had expired, the partners were able to simply copy the basic design, upgrade it with newer technology (e.g. from manual lift to hydraulic lift) and cobble together a vehicle from easily acquired off-the-shelf components.
The end result is perfect for small plots, simple to operate and maintain, and relatively cheap when compared to other tractors. Fossil fuel models will eventually give way to all electrical models charged by solar panels. Granted, the vehicle will sell for about $8,000 to $10,000, a steep price for a small farmer in Cuba, but Berenthal and Commons are placing their bets on remittances helping to defray costs.
3. They do more with less. Frugal innovators compensate for a lack of resources by finding ways to leverage social networks and the intimate knowledge of their communities to create and deliver value.
Berenthal and Clemmons noted that many U.S. companies arrive in Cuba asking: "What can we sell you?" They, on the other hand, found a way to deliver superior value to the Cuban market by instead, asking what customers need. "A lot of our plan just came from listening to what the Cuban people want and what the Cuban government wants...we suggest that prospective Cuba entrepreneurs always include in any proposal economic, social, and cultural justifications".
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Potential partners would also be well served to "learn, understand and respect the Cuban culture; adopt a style that shows mutual respect; study, understand and follow established protocols; expect hard business negotiations; and, be patient and persevere." In other words, fostering knowledge networks is as important as having the right product or service.
Since the Oggun is an open-source manufacturing model (OSMM) that uses a modular design and common components across a broad range of agricultural and light construction equipment, the basic design serves as a platform from which modules can be created with interchangeable components. This provides for varied and economical equipment that can be made available to small-scale farmers that can easily be adapted to suit their needs. It also makes it easy and inexpensive to service and maintain, as parts and components are available in a wide variety of international markets and from different suppliers.
But the current configuration of the Oggun is only the beginning. Once the Mariel facility is running smoothly, Cleber plans to invite Cuban inventors and entrepreneurs to submit their Oggun-based product ideas and plans for possible adoption. For a percent of the business, Cleber will also produce the product for these entrepreneurs with great precision and cost efficiency if that is how the inventors prefer to market it.
The Oggun takes advantage of Cuba's extraordinary DIY self-sufficiency and it will soon, take advantage of its inventiveness and creativity.
4. Think and act flexibly. To innovate in a constraint-based environment, frugal entrepreneurs must quickly respond to changes in their environment with entirely new value propositions.
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Cleber's rollout strategy also demonstrates adaptability. It balances available investment capital, responsiveness to increasing market demand, and adjustment to the vagaries of US-Cuba normalization negotiations by building capacity to serve the market even before the Mariel Zone is fully operative.
Initially, the Oggun vehicles will be assembled in Alabama and exported to Cuba. Once the Mariel plant is ready in 2017, U.S. manufactured parts will be exported to Cuba and vehicles assembled in there. The next phase of the project calls for Cuban manufactured components to be assembled on site for national markets. They expect to build 100 tractors a year to start with. Over time, the partners expect to ramp up to a thousand vehicles a year for both local and export markets.
And the Oggun is not only a tractor. It is also an excavator and a skidsteer loader with wide variety of applications in the construction sector. Solving the agricultural, construction and housing bottlenecks is an essential component of the country's economic growth and social welfare strategy, especially as the country ramps up for a growing US tourist sector. The Oggun will provide a bottom-up solution.
5. They include the margin. Frugal innovators search for ways to include marginal segments of society, not just out a sense of empathy, but because it makes business sense for them.
The fact that Cleber is already receiving inquiries and solicitations from Latin America, Africa and Asia bodes well for the company's future export success in 'base of the pyramid markets' where jugaad innovation is key. 'Base of the pyramid' (BoP) is a term given to the 4.5 billion people in the world who live on $5 per day or less. Increasingly, private-sector companies and investors, often in partnership with local communities, are developing profitable business models that provide creative low-cost/low price solutions to the many day-to-day challenges faced by individual in this global US $15 trillion economy.
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The combination of Cuban 'resolver' in a jugaad innovation lab, together with an adaptive Cleber platform and a large BoP export market could turn this modest business experiment into a global success not only helping Cuba by generating foreign income and tax revenues, but by also benefiting the world with great products at affordable prices for these largely underserved and marginalized markets.
6. They follow their hearts. Frugal innovators take risks, trust their intuition, are passionate about what they do, and believe they pursue a good cause in the process.
While the Oggun is a perfect example of jugaad innovation, neither the Cleber owners nor the Cuban government had any knowledge of these six principles. The business partners found each other because of their shared passion for solving some of Cuba's mind-boggling problems through instinct, intuition and creativity. Think of what could happen if both sides were to study and apply these principles in order to leverage the potential of jugaad/resolver innovation for Cuba and for global 'base of the pyramid' and low income markets. Cuban jugaad innovation might actually become a revolutionary movement, not only in, but outside of Cuba as well.
Julia Sagebien, Associate Professor, Dalhousie University
Last week's Curios covered cat magic, fairy circles, and shooting at one trillion frames per second.
Curio No. 997 | The cat righting reflex meets the dead cat bounce
Most animals are naturally afraid of high places. Not cats. Incidences of cats falling from tall buildings are so common, vets have named the phenomenon high-rise syndrome. Scientists believe this to be an adopted trait from their big-cat relatives--who prefer to hunt from high places. Also, are also amazingly good at landing upright after long falls. Their landing mechanism, studied since the 1800s, and is called the cat righting reflex. When a cat falls, it twists to create angular momentum, then pulls in its paws to increase the torque, turning it upright again. Then it flattens its body out like a parachute, similar to flying squirrels... keep reading.
Curio No. 996 | How Super Soakers could save the planet
Like many inventors, Lonnie Johnson stumbled upon his most famous creation by mistake. Johnson was building an environmentally-friendly heat pump that ran on high-pressure water. When he hooked a prototype up to his bathroom sink, his everyday faucet became a high-powered jet cannon. As he watched the water fly through the air in a perfect stream, he had his "Eureka moment." Johnson put the heat pump on hold and focused on designing a high-pressure squirt gun for kids. In his spare time. His day job was designing stealth bombers for the Air Force, after a previous stint at NASA engineering missions to Jupiter and Saturn. After several years of refining his invention on nights and weekends, Johnson received a patent and sold the rights to a toy company... keep reading.
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Curio No. 995 | Dumb people or dumb marketers?
Never underestimate the public's math illiteracy, I guess. In the early 1980s, executives at fast food chain A&W were struggling to compete with McDonald's wildly popular Quarter Pounder. Until somebody on the marketing team had a brilliant idea: the Third Pounder. It would cost less than a McDonald's Quarter pounder but contain more beef. 1/12th of a pound more to be exact, as I'm sure Curio readers can easily figure. And, at least according to most early reviews, it also tasted better. Yet when the Third Pounder came out, sales were lethargic. The crack team at A&W was stumped... keep reading.
Curio No. 994 | A musical road that slows speeders down
Finally an idea that could actually slow down speeders. In Tijeras, New Mexico, the state Department of Transportation has installed a custom patch of asphalt on Route 66 that--when driven over at exactly 45 miles per hour--plays the tune to "America the Beautiful." How is that possible? Precisely engineered metal plates are imprinted into wet asphalt to create grooves different distances apart. When driven over at a certain speed, the tires and road vibrate at the exact frequencies of specific musical notes. The more identically-spaced grooves in a row, the longer the note is held for... keep reading.
Curio No. 993 | Mysterious African fairy circles invade Australia
They are called fairy circles. And scientists are mystified by patterns of them dotting the Namibian grasslands in Africa. The patches of bare soil, which range from 6 to 36 feet in diameter, cover huge areas--and exist for an average of 41 years before giving way to new patches. Around the edges, vegetation grows thickly. After decades of investigation, biologists still don't understand how or why they are formed. Hence the name. (Although to my five-year-old daughter, fairies are a perfectly scientific explanation for such a phenomenon.) One early theory blamed large termite populations living under the grasslands... keep reading.
Curio No. 992 | The best bourbon in the world?
For whiskey lovers, a 20-year-old bottle of Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve bourbon is as good as it gets. The cult whiskey came to fame after the Beverage Testing Institute gave it an unprecedented 99 out of 100 for its 1996 batch. Today it is considered the best bourbon ever produced by celebrity tastemakers like Anthony Bourdain and David Chang. But is Pappy really that much better? The Van Winkles started producing bourbon in the late 1800s. When prohibition shut down the vast majority of distilleries from 1920 to 1933, Pappy Van Winkle was one of only six allowed to stay open--thanks to a "medicinal" whiskey permit... keep reading.
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Curio No. 991 | One trillion frames per second
Most movies are shot at 60 frames per second (fps). Newer smart phones can shoot video at 240 fps. A professional videographer might have a high-speed camera that can shoot over 1,000 fps. The more fps, the higher quality slow-motion videos a camera can produce. Since so many frames are recorded every second, even a speeding bullet or 100 mph fastball can be recorded hundreds of times as it flies by the camera and then played back slowly. The MIT Media Lab has taken this concept to the extreme. Their new camera technology, called femto-photography, can record 1 trillion frames per second! It is so fast it can capture a single burst of light as it flies through a scene... keep reading.
Rana Husseini is an award-winning journalist, senior reporter for the Jordan Times, and human rights activist. She is a leading international investigative journalist whose reporting has put violence against women on the public agenda around the world. She has also been an activist on the issue of so-called honor murders for more than 23 years.
Husseini has earned a medal from His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan for her activism in the human rights field and for defending women's causes in Jordan. She is the recipient of many awards, including the Reebok Human Rights award, Human Rights Watch award and Marie Claire Top Ten Women of the World award.
In addition to her extensive experience in the journalism field, Husseini has conducted several consultancies and advocacy for women' s rights in the Middle East and Jordan with local NGOs, UN agencies and international organizations. She has served as special advisor to UN Women (previously UNIFEM), Equality Now and Freedom House on women's issues and press freedoms in Jordan. Husseini also worked as a consultant and trainer for the Jordan Media Institute and the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) by conducting training workshops for local reporters, journalism students on reporting on gender, human rights and violence against women.
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Husseini is a regular speaker at major international events such as the Global UNDP Meeting on Action to Address Gender-Based Violence and Human Rights Conference. Lan Anh Vu caught up with Husseini to learn more about her journey of investigating over the years and the lessons she has learned along the way.
As told to Lan Anh Vu
How I got involved in working on the issue of the honor crimes
I was studying in the United States and came back to Jordan, where I was appointed as the crime reporter for the Jordan Times in September 1993. In June 1994, I came across the sad story of a 16-year-old girl who was killed by her brother. When I went to investigate I was shocked to learn more of her story. She was raped by one of her brothers, and he attempted to kill her because she told her family. She became pregnant, underwent a secret abortion, and was forced to marry a man 50 years older than her. Six months later, this man divorced her; the day he divorced her, the second brother killed her and blamed her for the rape. I spoke to the uncles, who were a part of the plot; they also blamed her for the rape and accused her of seducing her brother.
I reported the story. The following day, an intellectual woman called the newspaper and started screaming and yelling at my editors, saying that they should stop me from writing and reporting these crimes because this is not us or our society. I became even more enraged and decided to show her and everyone else that this is our society, and we need to work on changing such issues.
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Later, I went to the courts and discovered that the killers were getting away with lenient sentences of three or six months, or a maximum of a year. I decided to document this as well because no one was really talking about it at the time.
What motivates me is that those women have no voice, no value and nobody there to defend them, so this is one area where I feel I am able to make a difference. The most important thing, as I told my colleagues, is that I know I have saved lives directly or indirectly, and this is something very important. For me, that is the most rewarding thing; it is a very good feeling to be able to help someone. I'm doing the right thing, and I know that I don't contradict human rights or religions; any normal person would know that those killings are wrong.
I think the honor crimes happen in many countries around the world. It's a big problem, and it varies from one country to another. It depends on the population; the higher the population, the more you will see murders and crimes and general violence against women. This happens in countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Turkey, to name a few, so I would say that these crimes are not restricted to any society, religion or nation.
Impact on the families of the victims
I spoke to some families; the impacts were very bad. These crimes do not help or solve the problem, as some families might think. They actually start new problems, especially for the person who was chosen to do the killing. I have met some who regret killing the female relative they lived with. Others were too depressed to talk about it. I think that some of the killers are also victims because they do not want to kill, but societal and family pressures alter them from normal human beings into killers.
Positive changes
There are a lot of positive changes in Jordan. The issue is no longer taboo and is heavily discussed in the press and among citizens, government officials, NGOs and other figures in society. I can tell you that there has been a major change in the mentality of people in Jordan. People are now more open to and aware of this issue. Voices against these crimes and lenient laws are growing, and there is more acceptance towards the work that is done by the government and civil society to end these crimes.
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There is a major change in the way the judiciary is handling these cases. There are harsher penalties than there were in the past. Judges have become more aware that they need to hand out stricter punishments against perpetrators of such crimes. In the past, it was three months, six months, or a maximum of a year. Now, the perpetrators receive lengthy sentences; the prison punishment terms range from 7.5 years to life in prison.
Lessons learned
You have to be very patient, because change will not come overnight. Before, I was very excited and wanted things to happen quickly--but they don't. I've also learned to listen to other people's opinions and absorb them and try to answer them in a smart way. Of course, the most important thing is to always have hope. There is always hope that things will change, but it takes time, so you have to be patient.
How we could end the honor crimes
We have to continue to raise awareness, encourage religious and community leaders to speak up against these crimes, and encourage women and let them know they are not alone and that they can seek help. We should work on humanizing the victims and telling their stories to the world. We should work on improving the education system. Governments should improve their services to victims, and more NGOs should be encouraged to work on targeting laws that discriminate against women.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
by Mary Gaylord
Last week I went out with three girlfriends to enjoy some beer at a local brewpub. One woman I know quite well, the other casually, and the third woman was someone I was meeting for the first time. We all have kids - which is how we are connected - and we all live in the same small town of Superior, Colorado in Boulder County. As we enjoyed our finely crafted Belgian beer and pizza, the conversation ran it's typical course - schools, kids, neighborhood goings-on, etc.
Then I decided to venture into unknown and potentially dangerous territory. I asked if anyone at the table had conservative or Republican leanings. In a soft but confident voice, one woman offered that she is conservative; a self-described "Constitutionalist." A 2nd woman chimed in that she is of the same mind; a supporter of conservative values and constitutionally based policies. The other person at the table I know well, listened attentively - as I acknowledged that I already knew her leanings to be to the left. I outed myself as an independent.
The conservative leaning friends discussed their concerns about presidential candidates as well as the fact that they keep their conservative leanings quiet, knowing that Boulder County is dominated with not just left-leaners, but some very far left-leaners. We agreed that it's a sad state of affairs when people cannot feel comfortable expressing their viewpoint without fear of being dismissed, judged, or attacked.
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After the initial wave of uncertainty as to the direction this conversation might take we relaxed into the realization that while our perspectives differ, we are also able to lean into the friendly and gracious manners we extend to people who live in our small community - challenging the notion that "one doesn't talk about politics in polite company." There seemed to be tacit agreement that our relationships with each other mattered more than our political differences. After all, our kids play together - what do they care when it comes to politics? Try explaining to a 4th grader that they can't play with their friend because their parents are voting for "fill-in-the-blank."
I'm reminded of a song made famous by Sting, Russians, where Sting sings:
In Europe and America, there's a growing feeling of hysteria conditioned to respond to all the threats in the rhetorical speeches of the Soviets.
Mr. Krushchev said we will bury you. I don't subscribe to this point of view. It would be such an ignorant thing to do If the Russians love their children too
In the current political climate, it seems we could easily replace the word "Russians" with the words "Democrats" or "Republicans" and "Mr. Khrushchev" with many of our public office hopefuls.
During the Cold War years Americans were mostly unified against the Soviets and the threat of nuclear aggression. In the present day, it seems we are anything but unified and have defined the enemy as each other. Unified doesn't mean we all must think the same thing or vote for the same person. It means we have differences and can still be unified as a community, supporting each other, and letting our children play together. I love my children and want a better life for them - I want a better example than what we are seeing, and, perhaps than we are demonstrating - I want my children to understand that differences need not divide us and that we are much more than simple labels. What about you? What do you want for your children, for yourself? And what are you willing to do to get there?
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Many politicians and business advisors believed that companies and corporations would be pouring into the world largest untapped market at full speed. Although all major United Nations Security Council sanctions have been lifted, there has not been a considerable amount of businesses entering the Islamic Republic.
In his latest speech, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei claimed to know the reason by arguing that "The U.S. Treasury... acts in such a way that big corporations, big institutions and big banks do not dare to come and deal with Iran."
Khamenei's swift method of blaming the U.S. for almost everything domestically, regionally or globally is classic and politically-driven. It does not adequately and fully address the question concerning why corporations are still reluctant to do business with Iran.
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First and foremost, big corporations and companies aim at opening businesses in a country where the social, political, and economic environment are stable.
As Steve, a CEO of an American company who was eager to do business with Iran (has obtained a waiver to operate in Iran but changed his decision few months after the sanctions were lifted) pointed out that
Iranian leaders rhetoric and attitude, that appear to have become more confrontational in the region particularly after the implementation day of the nuclear day, made us hesitate to whether it is safe to invest in Iran. Iranian leaders' words and actions are causing further political instability. And for us, political instability means high-risk in financial investment.
Large firms and corporations need an environment where they can aim at long-term investment rather than a short-term one. They prefer to open their own stores, provide services, hire people, and plan for many years of investment, so finally they can begin receiving the profits and fruit of their investments.
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But the Islamic Republic is not making efforts to provide such a platform and make the process easier for businesses. Instead, the defiant senior cadre of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have publicly launched ballistic missiles several times after the nuclear deal, provoking other countries and potentially causing a regional conflagration. Iranian leaders including the moderates have applauded such moves.
After the nuclear deal, the Islamic Republic began more publicly declaring its military, financial, intelligence and advisory role in several conflicts including supporting Bashar Al Assad's and the Iraqi government. Iranian leaders are also publicly calling on other Shiite proxies in the region to join the war in Syria or other parts of the region.
These actions talk about wars rather than peace, which businesses need. Rather than rejoining the forces of globalizations , cooperating with regional state actors, and building stronger political and economic ties with other countries in the region, the Islamic Republic has further distanced itself from other nations in the region after the nuclear deal.
"It is worth noting that political rhetoric of leaders of a country, the respect that they enjoy in their region, as well as the neutral or active position that they take towards conflicts do play crucial role in whether we are going to do business with that country or not" another CEO of an American company which has subsidies in France and Dubai pointed out.
Unfortunately, Khamenei's rhetoric, (not that different from that of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's former President), is mostly incendiary and confrontational rather than being diplomatic.
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Based on this, many companies do not desire to be linked to the Islamic Republic and run the risk of being alienated by other regional countries. Although, Iran has a significantly large, untapped market, the markets of other regional countries when combined together are much more lucrative than that of Iran. If businesses have to choose between Iran and other countries in the Middle East, they will choose the latter.
In addition, although Iran's business registry indicates that it takes between 13 to 15 days to open a business in Iran, the reality is that this process can take months and months due to the politics and corruption involved in the decision-making and due to the mistrust that Iranian ruling clerics have towards Western businesses.
More importantly, it is crucial to point out that the Supreme Leader and the IRGC, which exercise major control over the nation's wealth, political and economic life, desire that corporations do businesses on a state level with Iran rather than the private sector.
Most of the business deals which were carried out after the implementation day of the nuclear deal -- including in aviation sector or oil and gas industries -- were done between corporations and the Iranian government. In other words, the major beneficiary of these business deals were the government and IRGC.
The Islamic Republic makes it much more difficult for large corporations or smaller firms to do business with Iranian private sector and non-governmental companies. This is due to the fact that from the perspective of Khamenei and the IRGC, the more closed the economic system of Iran is, the easier they can control the population, maintain their comparative advantage and monopoly over the wealth.
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Finally, if Iran wants more money flowing in or more businesses investing in this country, Tehran needs to change its behavior rather than blaming the rest of the world for its failure to attract investments. In addition, instead of pointing fingers at the US or other nations for why large corporations in the West are not doing business with Iran, Khamenei should watch more carefully his speeches and words. Moreover, Khamenei and the IRGC should change their desire to reap all of the business deals while depriving the rest of the country and private sector from doing business with the West. Currently, the best bet -- the most cost effective and low risk strategy -- for foreign companies and corporations is to focus on short term profit, use third parties in the region -- or to use their own foreign subsidiaries -- to indirectly sell their products in Iran through resellers and distributors.
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is an American political scientist, business advisor and the president of the International American Council on the Middle East. Harvard-educated, Rafizadeh serves on the advisory board of Harvard International Review. An American citizen, he is originally from Iran and Syria, lived most of his life in Iran and Syria till recently. He is a board member of several significant and influential international and governmental institutions, and he is native speaker of couple of languages including Arabic and Persian. He also speaks English and Dari, and can converse in French, Hebrew.
You can sign up for Dr. Rafizadeh's newsletter for the latest news and analyses on HERE. You can also order his books on HERE.
You can learn more about Dr. Rafizadeh on HERE. This post first appeared on The National.
On April 13, 2016, Randi Weingarten published a blog post on Huffington Post's website, "A Coordinated National Effort to Decimate Public Schools." She makes a number of allegations about charter schools in the United States in an effort to paint a picture of large-scale conspiracy and malfeasance aimed at toppling the collective institution of public schools.
Weingarten bolsters her argument with a number of statements about charter schools and their history, performance and behavior. These include remarks about work done by the research group I direct, the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University. My point in this rebuttal is to set the record straight on the specific facts she has distorted. Not only are her inferences about the performance our research illuminates incorrect but her arguments undermine her own long-run interests and those of her teachers.
In her blog, Weingarten states, "A well-regarded Stanford University Study found that charter school students were doing only slightly better in reading than students in traditional public schools, but at the same time doing slightly worse in math." She refers to our 2013 study, "The National Charter School Study," but errs in both fact and interpretation. The main findings of the report are as follows. Over the course of a school year, charter school students learn more in reading than district public schools -- it is as if the charter school students attended about seven more days of school in a typical school year. The learning in math is not statistically different (not worse as she claims).
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Weingarten misses three other key facts from that study, however. First, the results she cites are the average one-year growth, blending brand new charter school enrollees with students with longer persistence. When the length of time a student attends a charter school is taken into account, the results are striking: In both reading and math, we discovered that students' annual progress rose strongly the longer they attended charter schools. For students with four or more years in charter schools, their gains equated to an additional 43 days of learning in reading and 50 additional days of learning in math in each year.
Second, the results showed strong improvement for the sector overall -- the proportion of charter schools outperforming their local district schools rose and the share that underperformed shrank in both reading and math compared to performance four years earlier. The shift in performance is neither idle drift nor nefarious conduct on the part of charter schools -- we found no differences in the demography of students served by charter schools over the period.
To be clear, CREDO along with others has repeatedly called out the low performing charter schools. Evidence shows that improvement of poorly performing schools is unlikely so they must be dealt with. We hold the same view about the thousands of district schools that fail to educate their students.
Third, Weingarten ignores the most profound success of charter schools with students who need the most support. Here is the fact: Urban low income and minority students are the ones best advantaged in charter schools. CREDO released "The Urban Charter School Study" in 2015, a report conveniently overlooked by Weingarten. We found that gains in urban charter schools are dramatic overall (equivalent to 28 days of additional learning in reading and 40 days of additional learning in math every year) but for low income minority students they are nothing short of liberating: as much as 44 extra days of learning in reading and 59 extra days in math.
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Weingarten's critique of charter schools has it all wrong. Parents see what happens to children in district schools -- and the lack of response on the part of the districts. Charter schools take a different approach that appeals to parents; namely, they act with the conviction that all students can learn and expect educators to modify their approach to make it happen. Nothing stops the AFT from recommending these proven practices for their own members. If Weingarten and her organization were truly dedicated to the cause of public education, they would embrace the thousands of positive examples of charter schools and seek collaboration, partnership and emulation instead of derision.
school lunch with a sandwich, fresh fruits, crackers and juice. the toning. selective focus
Spring is almost in full swing and summer is just around the corner. Millions of children in America cant wait for summer vacation, but for millions of poor children who rely on school meals its a mixed blessing.
I qualify for free and reduced lunch. I can get a free breakfast, I can get like a muffin, juice, anything like that, in the morning, and then lunch, I dont have to pay, so I can get whatever I wanted for lunch. So Ive always been able to eat at school for lunch and breakfast.
Linda Ransom is a Columbus, Ohio high school senior and the winner of a Childrens Defense Fund Beat the Odds scholarship whose family struggles to make ends meet. When Linda was seven her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and the medical crisis led to a family financial crisis. Lindas mother lost her job, and with a mountain of medical bills is still trying to catch up ten years later. Theyve been homeless for stretches of time. Food has often been beyond their means. Linda says, If we didnt have any food at home, I knew I could get some at school, and sometimes I could take a couple things from the breakfast line and I could just save it for later, so when I got home, if I was hungry, I could eat it.
Hunger doesnt take a summer vacation and poor children like Linda who rely on free and reduced price breakfast and lunch during the school year to keep the wolves of hunger at bay face a long summer of food deprivation. It was hard without school during the summer, but being able to qualify for something like food stamps or having a food pantry near us, that helped a lot, Linda says, but at the end of the month, it was kind of like a hit-or-miss kind of situation.
Hit or miss. No child in rich America should go hungry this or any summer, especially when 100 percent federally funded summer feeding programs are available if local officials and communities apply for or use them. But more than 1 in 4 families with children are food insecure and struggling to keep food on the table. The federal Summer Nutrition Programs could help millions more children escape hunger this summer by providing meals if responsible adults act now. The need is urgent. Although 19.7 million children received free or reduced price lunches during the 2013-2014 school year, only 3.2 million children 16.2 percent participated in the Summer Nutrition Programs.
If local school boards, community groups, faith congregations, mayors, and county representatives act now, they should be able to get 100 percent federally funded Summer Nutrition Programs in their area or add more if there already are some summer food sites. The federal Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer option offered through the National School Lunch Program are designed to replace the regular school year breakfast and lunch programs. Meals provided through the Summer Nutrition Programs also can link children without summer learning opportunities, camps or other costly options to educational and recreational programming to keep them learning, active and safe during school vacation. Summer feeding programs also create jobs for food preparers, servers, bus drivers and others.
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Schools, community recreation centers, playgrounds, parks, places of worship, day and residential summer camps, housing projects, migrant centers, and Native American reservations are among places that can serve as summer feeding program sites. Many more sites are needed to fill the summer hunger gap for millions of children. Far too many communities have no sites at all or have sites difficult for children without transportation to reach. Check in now with your school officials, mayors and county executives to learn what they are doing to prevent childhood hunger. Some questions to ask include:
How many children receiving school year breakfasts and lunches will be served by Summer Food Service Programs? What steps have they taken or will they take immediately to get more summer feeding sites up and running?
How are parents notified about free summer food options?
Are there district school buses that could be outfitted to deliver summer meals to inaccessible rural areas?
How many weekend and holiday meal backpacks are provided to children within the Summer Food Service Programs? Has your school district reached out to seek community support for these backpacks?
In districts with large percentages of children in housing projects, have you or local officials asked housing authorities to make sure they get food to hungry children?
Are faith communities and service organizations with kitchens in your community aware of the 100 percent federally funded resources and planning to provide summer meals this summer? Do they know about the Childrens Defense Funds Freedom Schools program that provides summer reading enrichment and food to stop summer learning loss and hunger among low-income children?
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been working very hard to reach more children and is testing exciting new ways to help overcome barriers blocking summer meals for hungry children. Some communities are using mobile vans to transport meals. Others use electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards to transfer money to help families purchase extra food for children in the summer. When 4.9 million households, including 1.4 million with children, had no cash income in fiscal year 2014 and depended only on food stamps to stave off hunger, every public official, congregation, and school system needs to use every tool available to help keep children from going hungry over three long summer months.
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With Bernie Sanders' most recent gaffe that Israel killed "over 10,000 innocent people," and accusing it of "disproportionate" killing in Gaza during the 2014 Protective Edge campaign, the prospect of a first Jewish president is clearly far less appealing to Israel than some would have thought. And considering Hillary Clinton's entourage of Sidney Blumenthal, Huma Abedin et al., the possibility of another four years with a Democratic president in the White House seems altogether unappealing.
This, however, does not mean that Donald Trump is a far better option. If he does not "know that Israel has the commitment to make [a peace agreement]," and believes that a hall filled with a Jewish audience has "probably more [businesspersons] than any room [he's] ever spoken," it raises serious questions. It also did not help that a few minutes later he added that he knows the audience will not support him "because I don't want your money," and "You want to control your own politicians."
With the three most prominent contenders holding "questionable" views regarding Israel, and with the one clearly pro-Israel contender trailing in the polls, it would seem wise for Israel to prepare for even more "light" between itself and its biggest ally--as President Obama referred to his desire to distance the U.S. government from Israel.
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But there is more to this anti-Israel trend than the U.S. elections. Throughout the world, politicians and opinion leaders express anti-Semitic and anti-Israel views freely, and often with a tone of righteous indignation. The UK Labour party has had to deal with a "seemingly unending list of anti-Semitism scandals," as Arutz Sheva's Ari Soffer put it. Sweden's Foreign Minister, Mrs. Margot Wallstrom, Mr. Jan Marijnissen, chairman of the Socialist Party in the Netherlands, Albrecht Schroter, mayor of the German town of Jena, and Gabor Huszar, mayor of Szentgotthard, Hungary, all pointed to Israel as a contributor to the November 13 terror attack in Paris.
With stars like former Pink Floyd front man, Roger Waters, bashing Israel at every opportunity, with the spreading of blood libels such as digging tunnels under the Temple Mount to build an underground city beneath the Dome of the Rock, with the growing momentum of anti-Israel movements such as BDS and Jewish Voice for Peace, particularly on U.S. campuses, and the increasingly active anti-Israel policy of the UN Security Council, it looks like Israel is headed straight for the rapids.
To counter this venomous wave of hatred, Israel has engaged some gifted speakers and presenters. Roseanne Barr, Yair Lapid, and other eloquent speakers do a great job at exposing the irrationality and bigotry behind Israel's bashers. But for all their efforts, and for all the efforts of the World Jewish Congress, that the state of Israel, the fact is that the world is becoming increasingly anti-Israeli.
The hatred is entrenched so deeply that nothing we will say or do in our defense will matter because people cannot listen. They are inherently predisposed to believe Israel's accusers.
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Throughout history, anti-Semitism has never been rational. The truth was never an issue in the eyes of Israel haters, neither was reason. The notion that Israel is at fault for everything that is wrong with the world has prevailed over everything else, and their craving to punish, or altogether destroy Israel was uncontrollable.
Hitler, in his infamous heap of lunacy known as Mein Kampf, wrote that if "the Jew is victorious over the other peoples of the world, his crown will be the funeral wreath of humanity and this planet will ... move through the ether devoid of men." Now that these words are being published and circulated again in Europe and the Arab world, and as otherwise legitimate political figures call this monster, "the greatest man in history," we should start thinking really hard about our next move.
But when it comes to thinking about our next move, our biggest, if not only, fault is exposed. Much has been written and said about the fragmentation of Jewish society, and the chasm between Diaspora Jews and Israel, but it is hard to overestimate the importance of this topic.
The very essence of our nation entails the tenet, "love your neighbor as yourself." At the foot of Mt. Sinai, we became a nation when we agreed to live "as one man with one heart." Moses received our code of law when he had climbed Mt. Sinai, the mountain of Sinaa [hatred]. And when we agreed to abide by the law of loving others above the hatred we became a nation. It is with good reason that Rabbi Akiva titled "Love your neighbor as yourself" as the great Klal of the Torah, because it kolel [contains] and embodies the very essence of our nation.
Our forefathers experienced conflicts and conciliations, but following King Solomon's principle that "Hatred stirs up strife, and love covers all transgressions" (Proverbs, 10:12), they learned how to overcome their egos and maintain unity through crises. When they could not cover transgressions with love, they fell into unfounded hatred and dispersed throughout the world.
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Brotherhood and covering hatred with love are not archaic Biblical notions. They are imperative for our survival as a nation and as individuals because they are the source of our strength. Our nation was formed not by biological kinship or geographical proximity, but by clinging tooth and nail to these tenets. They are so much a part of who we are that one might argue that in the spiritual sense, when they are absent, the essence of Judaism fade away.
When Jews were given the task to be "a light unto nations," it was intended that they would spread the light of brotherhood and covering hatred with love. Today, this is the remedy the world needs most. The more the world declines into perpetual conflict, the more people will become enraged with us. More and more people will hold us responsible for every ill-will that surfaces in humanity, especially when it concerns conflicts within and between nations, and the irrationality of it will not make it seem any less true.
The one solution to anti-Semitism in all its forms is Jewish unity--brotherhood and love that covers all hatred. It is our utmost urgent task, and we have not even begun. The political right blames the political left, and vice versa, but neither view is right as long as it entails hatred of the other view.
We need not agree; we only need to sit together and talk, for once, like members of the same nation, about our common fate--that we are, after all, the carriers of the message of love and brotherhood to the world, but the world sees none of them coming from us. If we display unity above differences instead of the current display of fragmentation, the world will regard us differently. If we succeed in employing among us "love covers all transgressions," let alone "love your neighbor as yourself," will humanity not come and watch? Will people not want to employ unity among themselves, as well?
In one form or another, the one rule that all primary religions have "imported" from us is the rule of loving others. But we fell into unfounded hatred before we shipped out the user's manual so no one knows how to use this beautiful concept. Now we have to implement it among us and thereby demonstrate its feasibility. This is all the anti-defamation effort we should do.
Protesters against police violence march towards the White House in Washington, April 29, 2015. The marchers joined the cause of those in Baltimore who said they seek answers about the fate of Freddie Gray, who died after suffering spinal injuries while in police custody. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
This week, in a Tarrant County, Texas courtroom, Ethan Couch was handed a two-year prison sentence as a condition for his continued probation stemming from an intoxicated manslaughter conviction. In 2013, four people were killed when Couch rammed his truck into them while driving under the influence of alcohol. Two other persons were seriously injured, thrown from the bed of Couch's truck during the crash.
Prosecutors argued that Couch, then 16, deserved a 20-year prison sentence for his crime. The defense countered by arguing that Couch suffered from a condition called affluenza which is defined as "the unhealthy and unwelcomed psychological and social effects of affluence regarded especially as a widespread societal problem such as feelings of guilt, lack of motivation, and social isolation experienced by wealthy people." They argued that his parents' wealth veiled him from understanding the consequences of certain actions. Thusly, he should not be unduly punished for said actions.
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The court sided with the defense. Couch was given a ten year probation and ordered to abstain from alcohol consumption. He was also ordered to complete rehab and reportedly did so at a luxury rehabilitation facility that included horseback-riding among its featured activities.
In December, a video surfaced of Couch violating the terms of his probation. He went missing after failing to show for a subsequent meeting with his probation officer. Now fugitive from the law, Couch was found several weeks later at a Mexican resort town near the Pacific Ocean. While in Mexico, he reportedly consumed large amounts of alcohol and consorted with prostitutes. He was extradited back to the United States to await sentencing.
Last April, Allen Bullock participated in protests in Baltimore, Maryland, following the death of Freddie Gray, the 25-year-old black man who died of spinal cord injuries while in police custody. On April 25, 2015, Bullock climbed atop a police cruiser and damaged the vehicle by breaking its windows with a traffic cone. Mr. Bullock, who had minor offenses as a juvenile, was arrested, and his bail was set at $500,000. He spent ten days in jail as his parents struggled to make bail for their son. (Comparatively, the bail set for two of the police officers arrested for homicide in the death of Freddie Gray was $250,000 and $350,000, respectively.)
On March 29, Bullock was sentenced to serve twelve years in prison. Ultimately, all but six months of his sentence was suspended. Bullock must serve five years of probation, complete 400 hours of community service, get his GED and write an apology letter to the Baltimore City Police Department.
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These cases are a prime example of American justice in black, white, and green. Both cases involve nineteen year-olds. One is white. One is black. One comes from wealth. One comes from one of the most impoverished communities in America. And far too often in this nation, the right combination of race and resource results in leniency from the justice system, and the wrong combination results in undue punishment.
Couch's actions killed four and seriously injured two. Bullock's actions hurt a car. Couch became an international fugitive from justice. Bullock voluntarily turned himself in to authorities.
For his crimes, Couch's parents offered to pay for his stay at a $450,000 a year luxury rehabilitation community. For his crimes, Bullock's bail was set at an amount well beyond his parent's means.
And although Bullock will just serve approximately one-fourth of Couch's sentence, the court actually sentenced him eight years longer than a court sentenced Couch. Given the gross wealth disparity among blacks and whites in America, wherein the median wealth of white households is 13 times the median wealth of black households, these injustices in black, white, and green may only increase, unless new approaches are pursued.
Thankfully, also this week, the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance, in partnership with the Center for Court Innovation, announced that the Dallas County Public Defender's Office was one of 10 applicants nationwide to receive a 2016 Community Court Grant Program award. The Dallas City Attorney's Office in partnership with the Public Defender's Office is establishing Dallas County's first-ever county/municipal partnership to establish Dallas County's first-ever felony community court. The South Dallas Second Chance Community Improvement Program Court (S.C.C.I.P.) will receive a $200,000 grant to fund a two-year program targeting young adults in South Dallas.
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Dallas is the epicenter of poverty in America. It leads the nation in childhood poverty for cities over 1 million residents. Here, poverty increased by 40% between 2000-2012. Recently, two South Dallas neighborhoods made the FBI's notorious list of the 25 most violent communities in America. Dallas was the only Texas city to make this list.
The newly funded community court, which will operate in South Dallas, will "respond to quality-of-life crimes by ordering offenders to pay back the communities they've harmed through visible community service projects such as painting out graffiti, beautifying neighborhood parks and cleaning up litter and debris from public streets."
The community court will also "link offenders to drug and alcohol treatment, mental health services, job training, and public benefits; services designed to help them address the underlying issues fueling their criminal behavior."
After successfully completing the program, defendants will have the opportunity to have their records expunged. National research has proven the community court model to effectively reduce crime, to reduce substance use, and to increase services to victims, all the while saving tax-payers money and improving the public's confidence in the justice system.
If affluenza works as a defense, it would seem logical that poverty would, too. It has not. Therefore, courts like S.C.C.I.P. are a welcome and necessary approach for restorative justice, especially for historically marginalized communities that have for far too long suffered greater penalties then their wealthier, and oft times, whiter counterparts when appearing before the judicial system. Still, more must be done to ensure that all persons - regardless of their financial means or their racial heritage - receive equity before the courts.
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Instead of paying for a luxury rehabilitation center, maybe Ethan Couch should have gone through S.C.C.I.P. Thankfully, many who would not be granted nor could afford such luxuries as Couch will have this opportunity. And we will all be the better for it!
Does the government work for us or against us? As the result of a decision by the Social Security Administration ("SSA"), the government is working better for all of us today. For convincing SSA to do the right thing, we should thank Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Representative Mark Takano (D-CA), and 119 of their colleagues. We are also indebted, for this victory, to two effective, dedicated nonprofits, Justice in Aging and the GLBTQ Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), as well as Foley Hoag, LLP, the law firm that assisted them.
SSA is responsible for two crucially important programs. It administers Social Security, which provides a floor of economic protection in the form of insurance to working families whose wages are lost as the result of death, disability or old age. It also administers a companion program, Supplemental Security Income ("SSI"), which provides means-tested benefits to extremely low-income seniors and people with disabilities.
These programs exemplify the good that can be done when all of us work together through our government to improve all of our lives. But, despite its positive mission, SSA has been engaging in a destructive practice that represents government not working for us, but against us. SSA has been sending, to hundreds of thousands of Social Security beneficiaries and SSI recipients, bills for what it concludes are overpayments.
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These are not cases of fraud (which are vanishingly rare) but, frequently, cases where it was the government itself that made the error. The beneficiaries and recipients did nothing wrong. They reported all information correctly, but the government did not act on the information in a timely way or created the error in some other way. To add insult to injury, our government outrageously calls those receiving these notices "debtors," though they have done nothing wrong, and, indeed, may be scrupulous about paying their bills on time.
The federal government has enormous power. When it chooses to go after someone, it is generally an intimidating experience even when the person in its crosshairs is an innocent, law abiding citizen. If this powerful entity is seeking large sums of money that you don't have, it can be a disruptive and upsetting experience. Moreover, in the case of Social Security and SSI overpayments, the government is going after people who are generally our most vulnerable fellow Americans. Over the last year, this intimidating power got turned on the most vulnerable members of the LGBTQ community, as a result of the 2013 landmark Supreme Court decision, US v. Windsor.
The Windsor case struck down the offensively-named Defense of Marriage Act. As a result of the Supreme Court decision, same-sex couples who were legally married under state law finally had their marriages recognized by the federal government. For couples in which one or both partners received SSI, this important victory was followed by a distressing letter from the government. Under SSI's stringent and complicated rules, married recipients receive lower benefits than those who are unmarried. Consequently, a year after that landmark case, SSA began reviewing its SSI rolls to determine whether the benefits it was paying some of its recipients, now that same-sex marriages were recognized as marriages, were now inaccurate in amount.
When SSA found that benefits were now too high, it did not just change the benefit level going forward. It sought repayment of the difference between the two amounts for every benefit paid all the way back to July 1, 2013, the month following the Windsor decision. Here was the government coming after people for large sums of money that they didn't have.
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Take, for example, the case of Mary S., a veteran living in New York. She has served our nation with distinction, in Iraq and elsewhere. Unfortunately, she has suffered mightily for her service. Among other horrors she experienced, she witnessed her best friend, standing right next to her, in Fallujah, blown up and killed instantly. She now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder with all the limitations and hardships that brings. As a result of this wartime disability, she is receiving the Social Security disability benefit she earned. Because that benefit is so low, however -- just $448 a month -- she also found that she qualified for a small SSI benefit, as well.
Despite her many hardships, Mary was fortunate to fall in love and marry her wife in 2012. She immediately reported her marriage at the local SSA office, but was told that it didn't affect her benefits. After the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act in 2013, the marriage all of a sudden did affect those SSI benefits, a fact generally known only to experts who have studied the complicated statute and its regulations. Because Mary's wife receives a small monthly Social Security benefit of around $880, and because they are married so that income is considered joint income, Mary was now considered to have income that was too high.
More than two years after the Windsor decision, Mary received a notice that she would no longer receive her SSI benefit. This was difficult, low as their combined income is, but manageable. Outrageously, though, along with the news that her income would drop substantially going forward, she was hit with a bill for $6,609. That was the amount of money Mary had innocently received and spent on rent, food, and other necessities for the prior two years. The bill was from the very government she had enlisted to defend. She had zero savings. Indeed, the only money she had when the notice came in the mail was $5.00!
Imagine how distressing that would be. Like Mary, the people the government is seeking Social Security and SSI overpayments from are generally not wealthy people. They tend to be our most vulnerable fellow citizens. Nearly half of unmarried elderly Social Security beneficiaries and nearly a quarter of married couples rely on Social Security for virtually all of their income. These are not people who can just dip into their savings accounts when the government decides it has made a mistake and wants the overpayment back. These are people who are living check to check, already struggling to put groceries on the table and afford increasingly expensive prescription drugs.
And SSI recipients are even more vulnerable. To qualify for SSI, an individual must have close to no income or assets. To an even greater extent than Social Security beneficiaries, people who receive SSI are not equipped to handle a sudden "debt" they had no idea existed.
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So how much money is recouped by preying on the most vulnerable? As it turns out, a negative amount. Last year, a report from the Office of the Inspector General found that SSA spends three times more than it collects trying to recover overpayments. Between 2008 and 2013, SSA spent over $323 million to collect $109.4 million in the low-dollar overpayments. There is no moral or fiscal justification for this cruel practice.
In the case of overpayments resulting from the striking down of the Defense of Marriage Act, the injustice has now been corrected. That is thanks to the work of many dedicated individuals. Justice in Aging, GLBTQ Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and the law firm of Foley Hoag brought litigation to stop these collection efforts. Learning about the litigation and the issue, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) joined with Representative Mark Takano (D-CA) and 119 of their colleagues to send a letter to the Acting Social Security Commissioner urging a blanket waiver, so that SSI recipients in same-sex marriages are not hit with overpayments.
To her credit, the Acting Commissioner listened. SSA has now announced a waiver process which identifies the SSI beneficiaries who were affected and essentially exempts them from being targeted for overpayments. This news comes as a huge relief to some of our country's most vulnerable couples. Justice is being done in this case.
Now, it is time for SSA to continue down the right path by ending the crusade to collect overpayments that beneficiaries (or their relatives) received through no fault of their own. The government should do everything it can to assure accurate payments, but when mistakes happen, as they inevitably will, the cost should not be thrust upon the individuals, who often will have no ability to repay.
Although SSA has a waiver process in situations that violate "equity and good conscience," that isn't good enough. This places the burden on the individual. Imagine, if English is not your first language, if you never finished high school, if you have barely any income and no savings. Imagine receiving a letter from the government stating that you owe a staggering amount, an amount so large that you have no idea how you can possibly pay it. That kind of distress should not be rained down upon law-abiding Americans by their government, even if a waiver will be granted if and when one is sought.
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While politicians earn points by being hard on so-called government "fraud, waste, and abuse," these efforts at recoupment cruelly torment those our Social Security system is intended to serve. If these politicians are really concerned about fraud, waste and abuse, they should increase the enforcement dollars overseeing large and powerful government contractors and auditing the wealthiest taxpayers. Going after ordinary, law abiding citizens is nothing short of harassment and bullying.
I've been very vocal about the lack of diverse faces and voices in the travel industry as a whole (see this post for one of my more detailed rants on the issue). Western travel media in particular is rife with tourism campaigns and travel shows that are practically devoid of people of colour.
Sad as this is to witness, it's not altogether surprising: the quintessential globetrotter has long been depicted as white. I mean, when a simple Google search for the term "traveler" yields these images what can you really expect?
But despite not being considered or targeted in mainstream travel marketing, people of colour *are* travelling-- for fun, work, education, and spiritual growth-- more than ever before.
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Especially African-Americans. According to the New York Times, the Mandala Research firm found that nearly one-fifth of African-Americans take one or more international trips per year, and they spend $48 billion on travel within the United States *alone*.
And with the explosion of black travel (often referred to as the "black travel movement") has come the much-needed creation of black-owned travel startups that provide resources and support for melanin-rich voyageurs.
With this in mind, I'd like to feature five of my favourites. These companies work hard to provide experiences that are tailored to a more diverse set of travellers; they change the narrative about what travellers look like and how they travel.
These companies go further than just featuring brown skin on marketing materials-- they travel to lesser known "brown" destinations, and offer itineraries designed to foster integration and appreciation (rather than just observation and appropriation).
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And if that weren't exciting enough, these five companies are all led by fierce, fearless sistas, who are as well-versed in how to run a successful business as they are in navigating foreign territory. I'm deeply honoured to know them all personally and have gleefully watched their ventures flourish over the years.
So, without any further ado, here are five black-owned travel startups you should know about:
Nomadness Travel Tribe & TV (for the budget-conscious travel junkie)
The brand: One part web-series, one part online travel community, the Nomadness umbrella was one of the first of its kind. Over 11,000 members strong and anchored by a popping Facebook group, Nomadness is a one-stop shop for the urban traveller looking to see the world by any means necessary. Members can chat travel and trade tips on the forum, arrange international meetups, participate in group trips, and rock branded merchandise that identify them as part of what is affectionally known as "Tribe". While adherents may be hardcore in their pursuit of passport stamps, they are also so close-knit that the unofficial tagline of the group has become "Family by Choice".
The leader: Plucky Evita Turquoise Robinson is as vibrant as her middle name suggests. A native of New York, she's a born hustler and innovator-- she initially started NomadnessTV as a way to record her experiences living in Japan, France, and Thailand and show other black people that they could travel too. She is also the brainchild behind NMDN ALTERnative Travel Conference, the first ever travel conference geared towards urban travellers. (Shameless plug: I spoke at a panel about travel blogging there!)
How to join: Tribe hopefuls can apply to join the group on Facebook by searching for Nomadness Travel Tribe on the site.
Up in the Air Life (for the traveller who enjoys the finer things in life)
The brand: A self-proclaimed "upscale travel company dedicated to social adventures", Up in the Air Life specializes in creating lifestyle experiences for working professionals who enjoy the finer things in life. While this travel tour company's online forum explicitly states that it's open to all travellers, its owners and employees are all people of colour, and its tour offerings (which boast jaunts to places like Haiti, Brazil, and Colombia) are skewed toward locations that comprise the African diaspora. Members (known as Lifers) are wanderers who not only explore the world in style but live life to the fullest.
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The leader: Software sales rep and travel enthusiast Claire Soares is an adventurer at heart: I first met her in London (where she flew, on a whim, for 48 hours from the U.S.) then in Madrid, Spain (the day before she ran with the bulls in nearby Pamplona). Affable and fun, Claire's zeal for life and knack for planning group trips for family and friends prompted her to found UITAL.
How to join: Sign up for UITAL's tours on their website and join their Facebook group for updates and travel advice.
Bucket List Beasts (for the adrenaline junkie)
The brand: Bucket List Beasts is the startup that takes adventure travel to another level. Offering adrenaline- filled experiences that push the envelope (and the limits of your sanity), the emphasis is on living each day as if it were your last. Members post pictures of themselves bungee jumping, shark diving, and drinking shots of cobra blood to the group's online forum, and go on hosted trips to extreme destinations as far flung as Antarctica. Like surprises? Last year the enterprise hosted a mystery trip to Easter Island where attendees had no clue where they were going until they got to the airport. If you're looking for a group that will excite you and challenge you to break out of your comfort zone, this is it.
The leader: It's not hard to see why Sonjia Mackey is known as "Lioness" to her friends and acquaintances. After all, she embodies her feline counterpart in every sense of the word: she's a fearless bosslady with a competitive streak. Carpe diem personified, Sonjia has travelled to all 7 continents, done the world's highest bungee jump in Macau, and swum with crocodiles. If it's extreme, Sonjia has done it, and would like to inspire you to do it, too.
How to join: Search for the Bucket Lists Beasts group on Facebook.
Travel Noire (for the savvy, ultra-hip traveller)
The brand: With features in major media outlets like CBS, The New York Times, and TIME Magazine, Travel Noire is the little startup that could. Now a huge digital platform dedicated to making travel more inclusive, Travel Noire's slick Instagram feed (which has amassed an impressive 200,000 followers) was one of the first to share a steady stream of real travellers of colour interacting with jawdropping foreign backdrops. The message is loud and clear: not only do we travel, but we look darn good doing it. Artisanally crafted group experiences and travel education are at the core of the company's mission-- group trips to places like Bali are offered alongside online seminars teaching newbies the art of travel hacking.
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The leader: Zim Ugochukwu is a visionary, wise beyond her years, and used to thinking outside the box. At 19, she cloned a gene and was the youngest precinct judge for the state of North Carolina, and this year she was included in Forbes' prestigious 30 under 30 list. Despite these heady accolades, she radiates light and humility-- something I couldn't fail to notice when we both served as travel experts on Toyota's digital campaign for the 2016 Avalon.
How to join: Go to Travel Noire's website to find information for upcoming excursions as well as details for how to join their online community #TNDistrict.
Tastemakers (for the traveller who has Africa on their mind)
The brand: This company's slogan is bold but sets the tone for its mission: jetsetters are encouraged to "Travel Africa, Skip Mediocre". With bespoke itineraries promoting immersive experiences in less-touristed places like Senegal, Rwanda, and Ghana, Tastemakers Africa is changing global perceptions about travel to the continent. It also has a mobile app that links curious travellers to unique cultural experiences from Cairo to Cape Town and Addis Ababa to Accra. At the forefront of the movement to use technology to empower people of colour to see more of the world, this insider's guide to experiences in the Motherland is perfect for the traveller who wants to scratch beneath the surface.
The leader: Cherae Robinson has gone where few (wo)men have gone before in her quest to encourage more millenials to travel to Africa. This tenacious entrepreneur has worn many hats in her professional tenure (she has expertise in fundraising, media, and international development) and her work with humanitarian and public health agencies like the CDC, WHO, and CARE means that her resume reads a bit like an ad for alphabet soup. This superwoman, cited as one of the 10 Women to Watch by the United Nations, responds to the demands of a rapidly growing startup with aplomb.
The Takeaway
Bottom line: The Black Travel Movement is growing at a spectacular rate and being shaped by groups like the ones highlighted above. Spread the word!
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In the recent announcement of Microsoft suing the US Government over data requests.
has it come to this following the Apple versus FBI case is a reflection of the state of antiquated laws that were mostly drawn up in the end of the 18th century and the race of the new digital technology economy that have rendered these obsolete.
Is personal data the same as property ownership?
The key issue is if the definition of personal data is the same as personal property ownership? In a common law defined back in 1790 the question is whether data ca or cannot be 'owned' the way property is dependent on the type of data used. There is past legal example in the Google versus perfect 10 starting in 2006 where Google was sued for copyright violation by Perfect 10 for indexing their photos posted on unauthorized websites. The case ruled partially in favour of Google being allowed to continue search listings but not to create thumbnails from the data. It remains unclear how owns data beyond just copyright violations in law.
The objection from Microsoft is raising the bar of legal objection for being blocked from telling data owners that their data has been accessed by a government. Citing this as a violation of the fourth amendment right for a person to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures. There remains a contradiction in the need to get access for public safety and national security and the lack of trust generated by the Edward Snowden revelations and Julian Assange wiki leaks over the purpose of surveillance and the huge rise in cyber threats.
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Need for Separate custody and access rights control
In a world where our personal data is held on mobile devices, smart payment cards and trusted to cloud services on social media sites and widely used by those cloud companies from 'opt-in' for marketing and other commercial use. Who is authorized to access your personal data if the rise of strong encryption such as the recent WhatsApp message security prevents direct access for legitimate legal reasons?
The School Improvement Grant programat least as the Obama administration envisioned itis a thing of the past, thanks to the Every Student Succeeds Act.
But the feds have poured more than $7 billion into SIG since it supercharged the program in 2009. And in some places, schools have, indeed, made gains. So will that progress be sustained?
Teachers in SIG schools worry it will not, according to a report released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Educations Institute for Education Science. The report, which was based on a three-year study by researchers at the American Institute for Research and Mathematica, followed 12 SIG schools through three years in the program.
Two of those schools appeared to have strong prospects for sustainability, according to teacher surveys. Six schools appeared to have mixed prospects for sustainability. And the remaining 4 schools appeared to have weak prospects for sustainability, the report said.
Maybe unsurprisingly, schools that focused on professional development and put strong organizational systems in place early on seemed to have the best prospects for sustaining their gains, the report found.
And, more often than not, teachers at the SIG schools that got extra support from their districts reported that these outside efforts werent particularly helpful. In a separate survey, just 10 out of 22 schools that got extra district support thought it had a positive impact on their turnaround efforts.
Heres a look at how students in the various schools studied perceived their schools improvement at different points along the way:
For more on SIGincluding a profile of a Kentucky schools turnaround journeycheck out our turnaround collections page .
Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 .
'Don't force me! Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don't do this wicked thing.' But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her. Her brother Absalom said to her, 'Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister; he is your brother. Don't take this thing to heart.' And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom's house, a desolate woman. When King David heard all this, he was furious. And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar. -- Second Samuel 13:12b, 14, 20-22
Too often in the biblical witness, violence against women and girls focuses disproportionate energy on the feelings and actions of men. King David is furious. Absalom feels hatred. And the desolate Tamar is instructed to be quiet. Her rapist was, after all, her kinfolk, her half-brother, a member of her tribe. In instances when the Bible addresses harmed women and girls, the story is far from pretty. Tamar is silenced. Queen Esther is commended. Hagar is sent away. "Be quiet for now," Absalom instructs his sister. "Be quiet," is too often the message now as it was then. It has been two years since 276 Nigerian girls were forcibly taken from their school. We cannot be quiet.
Anywhere I've traveled in the world where people are experiencing great suffering, the question from caring people has always been, "What can we do to help?" and the reply from those who suffer has been, "Don't forget us." This was my experience in Tijuana where the maquiladoras exploited and abused Mexican factory workers. It was my experience in Soweto where South African men lived apart from their families, in shantytowns, in order to send a few dollars home. It is true in Chibok, Nigeria where parents with daughters, a scant ten years older than my own sweet girl, beg the world to #BringBackOurGirls. Sadly, we in the United States have a hard time remembering hard news. We are much better at forgetting.
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On April 14, 2014, Islamist, militant group, Boko Haram, kidnapped 276 girls from their school in the north-eastern Nigerian village of Chibok. 276 children were rounded up and carted away - some were married off to grown men. To be clear, the students were treated this way because they were females daring to get an education. Most of the girls were Christian and forced to convert to Islam. While some of the captives escaped, 219 girls still remain separated from their mothers and fathers two years later. It has been 730 days.
I cannot imagine the pain, but we all need to imagine the pain. What might it be like to experience the enormous loss of the girls in our lives? My home would be stiflingly silent without my daughter. There would be so many gaping holes, yawning hungrily for her body, her laughter, and her spirit. As I write this at our dining room table, I force myself to imagine 730 days and immediately start crying. That would mean two birthdays, two Christmases, her favorite holiday, and two first days of school that would make me crazy with grief. We would no longer buy the Haagen Dazs milk chocolate and almond covered vanilla bars she loves. I'd have to figure out something to do with all her dolls and all those pink dresses. I wouldn't have the pleasure of bathing her and doing her hair while eating our favorite popcorn. Saturday mornings at the playground followed by long Saturday afternoon naps - gone.
Writing at our dining room table, I see the pink Easter basket my daughter has repurposed to hold her many coins. As I stare off in space, waiting for the next sentence to come, my eyes light upon the single daffodil she rescued from last Thursday's rain. It was covered in mud but became perfect and beautiful once she rinsed it in the bathroom sink. As I sigh and fall back in my chair, already emotional from imagining a world without my daughter, I see her beautiful, dirty socks in a pile on the floor. I make a mental note to never complain about her dirty socks again. Dirty socks confirm that my daughter is in the next room, safe and sleeping, but 219 other mama's and papa's daughters are not safe and not sleeping in their rooms. As people of faith, we cannot imagine the pain of losing our girls without doing something about the Chibok girls. John Calvin said it best, in my opinion. A proper response to God's grace towards us is gratitude. My gratitude has legs - it writes and prays and attends vigils. What will your gratitude do? This year, my gratitude also imagines life without my daughter and remembers 219 schoolgirls. It breaks my heart to imagine their 730 days of captivity, and I believe it breaks the heart of the God who created them. We cannot be quiet.
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And what of the intersection of faith and kidnapped schoolgirls? What of the intersection of holy texts and men who visit harm on women and girls? As a Protestant minister raised in the Roman Catholic Church, I have experienced faithful folks from many traditions seeking answers to their pain in the holy books that they love. Christian believers look to the Bible for help with pain, but on the question of sexual violence and harm, I don't believe the Bible has much to say that is useful. Creative re-interpretations of the text aside, the biblical witness normalizes violence against women and girls in ways that could destroy faith in a loving God. The church is complicit in this violence. In its failure to preach and teach against violence and abuse, the church fails women and girls. In its failure to complicate the ways we name and image God, the church fails women and girls. In its failure to treat women as full members of the body of Christ, authorized to serve anywhere their gifts will take them, the church fails women and girls and boys and men. All the people of God need spiritual leaders that say God loves and values all the people. If God loves and values all the people, so should God's people. The minute the church sets men apart for higher office simply because they are men, the church declares war on women and girls. Good people of faith ignore our misogynistic tradition at their own peril. Our holy texts set the stage for ways of thinking and being in the world that are death dealing. Because the texts say, directly and indirectly, that God is male and males are sovereign...kidnapping and selling schoolgirls can grow out of the book that we love. The church cannot be quiet.
I desperately pray that this story ends well - that the girls return home, receive care, and begin mending the shattered pieces of their lives. I desperately pray that the need to march daily and call for the release of these particular girls, or any child of God, is no longer necessary. I desperately pray that the will to end violence against women and girls will be more than a hashtag or a trending topic on Twitter. I hope we, like the Chibok parents, will not give up hope. Will not forget. Will not be quiet.
Absalom never said a word about his sister, Tamar. Two years later, however, he had their brother killed. I imagine silence killed Tamar long before a sword killed Amnon. Our silence kills too. On this second anniversary of the Chibok girl's kidnapping, what will you say? What will you post on Facebook? How will you remember them on Twitter? If you have a public platform, when will you speak about it? If you pastor a church, when will you preach about it? If you think you have done enough, I invite you to get curious about doing more.
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It is early morning as I put the finishing touches on this piece. My daughter is awake and finds her way onto my lap, as she does most mornings. She is warm like a biscuit, fresh from the oven. I have to pause and hug her and cover her face in kisses while offering a prayer for the Chibok girls and their parents. I hold back tears when my daughter asks me, "What are you writing?" and "Who are the Chibok girls?" With tears in my eyes, I give an age appropriate answer. She puts her arms around my neck and lays her cheek next to mine. She says, "Chin up. Don't fail," and gives me a hug. I don't know where her words came from, but they give me the power I need to finish writing.
Today, I shared the Chibok girl's with my little girl. I will preach again on violence towards women and girls because I must not be quiet. Through my tears, I read this article to my husband and am surprised by his emotion. What I am doing is not special. They are simply conversations with people I love - conversations you can have with your loved ones. Thank you for not forgetting our girls. Thank you for not being quiet.
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. Consider the interlocking issues of race, gender, and class. How do you imagine these issues affect the reality that these particular girls are missing two years after their abduction?
2. What steps have your community of faith taken on the Chibok schoolgirls in general and the topic of violence against women and girls in general? Why has your community taken those steps or failed to do so? What will you do or say to help your community remember all our girls?
3. Mother Theresa said, "We can do no great thing, only small things with great love." What small thing will you say or do, individually or collectively, to #BringBackOurGirls?
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ADDITIONAL READING
1. She Who Is by Elizabeth Johnson. Johnson reviews the history of Christian language about God and explains the need for feminist language about God, thereby providing background for non-theologians. She then develops an inclusive and creative Christian spiritual doctrine. Highly recommended for all collections serving educated lay readers, theologians, and clergy.
2. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century, one rooted in inclusion and awareness. Drawing extensively on her own experiences and her deep understanding of the often masked realities of sexual politics, here is one remarkable author's exploration of what it means to be a woman now.
3. Those Are MY Private Parts by Diane Hansen. Hansen shares this primary message: "America, please teach our young children about their sexuality before the child molester does." In just 12 pages of rhyme, the book gives parents a great starting point for having important, candid discussions with their children about recognizing and preventing sexual abuse. Now available in Spanish, "Esas Son Mis Partes Privadas!"
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Supporters of Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders are flocking to local town hall meetings asking why their U.S. Representative or Senator is a Superdelagate for Hillary Clinton when their district or state supported Sanders. They ask, "Shouldn't they represent the will of the people?" Contrariwise, on the Republican side, supporters of Donald Trump are incensed that his rival Ted Cruz secured 34 of 37 delegates in Colorado. The delegates were selected not by the voters but at the state convention. Trump excoriated the system as "corrupt" and bemoaned: "We're supposed to be a Democracy."
There is an inherent misunderstanding on the part of many voters that political parties are Democratic institutions. While they are regulated, political parties have plenary authority to select their nominees in any way they choose. They are under no obligation to allow the voters to select their nominees. In fact, voters in most states and territories vote in the primary and caucus system not for a specific candidate, but for a slate of delegates pledged to support a candidate. Surprisingly, they do not vote directly for individual candidates.
Ken Rudin, the host of NPR's Ken Rudin's Political Junkie maintains: "People don't know - or they forgot - that party leaders can still have their way if voters fail to make a clear choice. That's why we have superdelagates (on the Democratic side) as well as state party conventions. They are the last chance for the establishment to display the power they once routinely had. In the rare times when the voters and the party don't see eye to eye (i.e., Republicans 2016), the party will do what it can do to have its way."
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Madison proved correct. During the early years of the Republic, supporters of a centralized federal government, led by U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, formed the Federalist Party, while the exponents of a decentralized federal government led by U.S. Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, formed the Democratic-Republican Party.
Contrary to conventional belief, the current practice of selecting Presidential nominees is far more Democratic than it has been for most of American history. Originally, members of Congress would caucus to decide their party's nominee. Then political conventions were established wherein delegates to the convention choose the nominee. The delegates are not always representative of the vox populi, but are often hand-selected by the party's high command.
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The Presidential primary process was first utilized in 1912, and it was far from Democratic. Only fourteen states held primaries and they proved functionally impotent. Former President Theodore Roosevelt, a progressive Republican, became disillusioned with the more conservative policies of his Republican, handpicked successor, William Howard Taft. He challenged Taft in the primaries, telling news reporters, "My hat's in the ring. The fight is on, and I'm stripped to the buff." Roosevelt mustered 284 delegates in the primaries, compared to just 125 for Taft. However, Taft secured the nomination because of the support of "pledged delegates" (individual Republicans who had a vote at the convention). Roosevelt subsequently formed the Progressive Party and ran as their nominee. Democrat Woodrow Wilson defeated both Taft and Roosevelt.
In 1952, U.S. Senator Estes Kefauver (D-TN) won 12 of the 15 Democratic primaries. He had even defeated Incumbent President Harry S. Truman in the New Hampshire Primary, forcing Truman to announce that he would not seek re-election. Kefauver was a folk hero of sorts for his role as Chairman of a Special Senate Committee on Organized Crime. At the time, television was an inchoate medium; many stores placed the new gadget in their windows so that spectators could watch the hearings.
However, the choice of primary voters had little impact. The convention chose Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson, who had not entered any primaries and who was not even a Presidential candidate. In fact, Stevenson was actively seeking re-election as Governor. A Draft Stevenson movement emerged, and his name was placed in nomination. Stevenson reluctantly accepted the Democratic nomination.
In 1968, Vice President Hubert Humphrey entered only one primary, South Dakota, which he lost. Humphrey supported the Vietnam policy of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Many members of the Democrat establishment supported the war, while rank-and-file Democrats did not. Instead, they supported U.S. Senator Eugene McCarthy (D-MN). Humphrey forces placed "favorite son" candidates as substitutes for Humphrey in some states. They then transferred their delegates to Humphrey. Though Humphrey had not won any primaries himself, the convention chose Humphrey. Reflecting on the way the Democratic Party worked against his nomination, McCarthy asserted that he "set out to prove...that the people of this country could be educated and make a decent judgment...but evidently this is something the politicians were afraid to face up to." Eventually McCarthy reluctantly endorsed Humphrey, telling his supporters: "I'm voting for Humphrey, and I think you should suffer with me." Humphrey lost the General Election to Republican President Richard M. Nixon.
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In many respects, the political parties today take the will of the voter under advisement, but party officials are not legally bound to ratify them. Even recently, there are examples of candidates who were out of the party's mainstream who actually won delegates, but who were not seated. In 2000, perennial Democratic Presidential candidate Lyndon Larouche pocketed 22% of the vote in the Arkansas primary. Under state party rules, he was eligible to be awarded seven to ten of the state's 48 delegates to the National Convention.
A lawsuit was filed on behalf of Larouche and his delegate slate asking the judge to order that they be seated at the state and National Convention. However, Judge John Ward denied the request. He ruled that the state had the right to "refuse to . . . seat delegates for Lyndon La Rouche," and ruled that the state could instead award those seats to delegates supporting Vice President Al Gore.
Many voters believe political parties are mandated to award their nomination to the candidate who garners the most votes. Actually, there have been examples where a candidate garners fewer votes, but still musters his party's nomination. In 1972, U.S. Senator Hubert Humphrey (running again for the nomination) actually won 67,921 more popular votes than the party's nominee, U.S. Senator George McGovern (D-SD). However, California had a winner-take-all rule, meaning that despite the fact that McGovern won the Golden State by only about five percentage points, he secured all of the state's 271 delegates.
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As Richard Winger, the Editor of Ballot Access News emphasizes, political parties are independent from the government. "All over the world that is true, except in highly authoritarian countries." In fact, the Helsinki Accords, signed by the U.S. and thirty-four other countries in 1975 calls for: "a clear separation between the State and political parties; in particular, political parties will not be merged with the State."
I've co-authored this article with Sam Ovens of Ovens Enterprises as a sequel to our article earlier this week about beginning your entrepreneurial career as a consultant. The skill sets developed as a consultant are very much integral to this next discussion. The big problem that I see with entrepreneurs and business owners today is that they are generalists who are good at a wide range of things instead of specialists who are magnificent at just one.
I'm sure you've visited dozens of cheap restaurants who have a menu the size of a phone book and serve hundreds of different meals all at substandard quality. They serve every meal they know because they want to broaden their net of potential customers however they end up hurting themselves because they can't serve any one meal well.
The same is true in business.
Entrepreneurs start out with one area of mastery in mind and then a couple of years goes by and they are selling ten different things to all different types of customers and they forget what their core competence is.
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You don't have to comb through much business history to see this pattern repeat itself again and again. An entrepreneur starts a business with one area of mastery in mind and then over time they serve multiple different things and now are weak in the one area they had once mastered because they're spread too thin.
Corporate raiders and takeover artists prey on this. A company starts off selling one core thing well and then starts picking fights in industries it has no idea about and then before long a conglomerate is formed competing in five different industries but overall performance is down because there is a lack of focus on one particular thing. The company then gets broken up into pieces where they are operating with their core focus and then before long again the bloat up only for this process to be completed again.
It doesn't matter whether you're a consultant, flower shop owner, restaurant owner or software company owner, you want to be a specialist and truly master one thing. Here are three reasons why:
1). You Will Eliminate 95% Of Your Competition
When you're a generalist everybody is your competition. An excellent example of this is the local print shop that sells website design, business cards, stationary, signwriting and digital marketing services. In each one of those categories they have a whole new world of competition and it is impossible to be good at all of them at once. Most print shops that do this will do a horrible job of all of these things when if they focused on printing only they could quickly build a name as the best in that one category.
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How can a print shop busy with all of those things compete with a digital marketing expert whose sole focus is Google Adwords advertising? The expert will beat the bloated generalist company any day of the week and run laps around them in the business world.
How can a restaurant selling Italian, Chinese, Thai and burgers compete in the burger market with a passionate burger expert who cares about nothing else? How can a generalist consultant who offers all round business advice compete in the tax advice market with a seasoned tax specialist?
You get my point. Specialists will always beat generalists and as soon as you cut the fat in your business and narrow down to focussing on one thing you will be surprised how 95% of your competition becomes irrelevant.
2). Your Business Will Become More Simple And Fun
Complexity is the devil in business and when you're a generalist you attract complexity like a moth to a flame.
Consider the complexity of running the cheap restaurant with one hundred menu items compared to running an InNOut Burger franchise with just one type of burger and an option of a drink and fries.
With the generalist restaurant you would have to stock hundreds of different types of spices, meats and vegetables and then every time a new order comes through it's an entirely different process from start to finish. The inventory management and kitchen processes would be an absolute nightmare plagued with complexity.
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Now on the other hand consider running an InNOut Burger franchise. You would only have to stock one type of meat patty, one type of bun and a few other things. Then whenever an order came through you would complete the same process which you had just completed before and you would be an expert at it since you had done it thousands of times.
The same story is true in any business. When you try to do a range of things you are not prepared and simply can not compete with somebody who has just mastered one thing.
3). You Attract A New Class Of Clients & Can Charge Premium Prices
When people are in desperate need of something or when something is mission critical the specialist is always seeked out and the generalist isn't even considered.
If you had a brain tumor would you go to a general practitioner or would you go to the brain surgeon? The answer to this is obvious and in the business world things are exactly the same. When something is important and results are on the line generalists in the business world are out and it's an expert's game only.
Why? Because you can depend on the expert to get things done and get results. If you need digital marketing results you go to the digital marketing expert not the print shop down the road that does digital marketing too.
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When you focus and specialize you attract a whole new class of customers who are serious, make decisions quickly and treat you with respect. It's a whole new class of customers and they come with a whole new class of pricing too.
First class customers in need of an expert will pay two ten times as much because the result is important. This means that you can work with fewer customers, charge higher prices and make a whole lot more profit in your business whatever your industry.
So in summary specialists beat generalists and if you want to enjoy a long and fruitful career in business then you must specialize instead of offer a broad range of things to a broad range of people.
Over the past few weeks we've seen much of what the unintended consequences of draconian anti-LGBTQ laws can do to a state. Businesses pull out, banks freeze expansions, rock bands cancel, entire film crews refuse to show up, and billions in federal funding for schools, highways and housing is blocked, because that money hinges on a state not discriminating against its citizens.
For the most part laws like North Carolina's bathroom bill are conceived of and written by sexually frustrated older white men who think that being transgender is a perverted choice by male sexual predators who want to skulk around female locker rooms and bathrooms. For them it's a perversion.
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"This is that concept of 'othering' us," said Amy Hunter, Coordinator of the ACLU Transgender Advocacy Project. "The typical trope is that transgender women are really just perverted men who put on women's clothes to do something untoward in the women's restroom
Former presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee thought it was funny during a campaign speech to say, "I'm pretty sure that I would have found my feminine side and said, 'Coach, I think I'd rather shower with the girls today.'"
And what about the unintended consequences of writing laws that only consider a small segment of a larger population?
In a Mother Jones article titled, "I'm a Transgender Man in North Carolina. Here's What the Bathroom Law Means for Me" Charlie Comero, a 35-year-old transgender man in Charlotte, North Carolina describes what the new laws mean to him. Think about that. Imagine being a man and being forced by law to use the woman's restroom. Now imagine being a father and sending your eight-year-old daughter into a restroom and seeing a man walk out five minutes later. Let that sink in. Take your time. Think about how that father feels. Now think about how Charlie Comero feels. I'll let you read the rest of the article over at MoJo.
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Kids in school are equally affected by laws such as this; and, in Michigan, the ACLU is making sure that they are protected and don't go down the same road as other states.
ACLU of Michigan issued a statement in March to Michigan Department of Education in which they wrote:
Every student has the right to learn in a safe and accepting school environment. A supportive, respectful learning atmosphere for transgender students gives them the equal opportunity for success that every student deserves. Parents, schools, and lawmakers working together as a team is the best way to ensure that every student, regardless of their gender identity, will receive the support they need to achieve. The draft guidelines from the State Board of Education will promote an enriching educational experience that makes achievement much more possible for transgender students.
The board of education had proposed a set of policies to make Michigan schools more inclusive for students, should they be adopted by the local school boards. They were developed by the State Board of Education in response to requests from school districts and parents. The ACLU statement was in response to the uproar which ensued after they were released.
Over the course of the last month, the Michigan State Board of Education has accepted public comments for consideration in person, via phone, or in writing. During one meeting in particular, students literally begged the board to consider the proposal. Amy Hunter, during a recent guest appearance on T&Z Talk said, "I was in attendance at that board meeting and the kids' testimony was incredibly powerful. There were folks in tears it was so powerful," when relating what she had witnessed at that meeting.
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You can listen to the entire interview with Amy Hunter on T&Z Talk below.
Hillary Clinton might struggle with young voters, but she polls well with medieval dictatorships that execute wizards and don't allow women to drive. Unfortunately for Clinton, Riyadh isn't scheduled to hold a Democratic primary (yet). But there's nothing that Debbie Wasserman Schultz can't fix.
We understand that part of the job of Secretary of State involves "diplomacy", that long-forgotten art of talking to people instead of drone-bombing them. And we recognize that being an effective diplomat means building cordial, constructive relationships, even with countries that lob off the heads of Hogwarts graduates.
But when you receive "white gold jewelry with teardrop rubies and diamonds containing a necklace, a bracelet, earrings, and a ring" from the despotic ruler of a 14th century kingdom of sadness, maybe it's time to find a new not-so-secret admirer.
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There are many hurtful accusations on the internet which suggest that Hillary Clinton is cold, calculating and generally incapable of normal human feelings. Horrible slander. Back in January, Hillary and her husband said they were "saddened" by the death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, their philanthropic "friend" who donated $10 million to the Clinton Foundation. Later, as Secretary of State, Clinton approved a $29 billion weapons sale to Saudi Arabia ("not a bad Christmas present", according to Hillary's e-mails). And rest assured, The Kingdom has put this high-tech U.S. hardware to good use:
These are the very fighter jets the Saudis have been using to intervene in the internal affairs of Yemen since March 2015. A year later, at least 2,800 Yemeni civilians have been killed, mostly by airstrikes--and there is no end in sight. The indiscriminate Saudi strikes have killed journalists and ambulance drivers. They have hit the Chamber of Commerce, facilities supported by Medecins Sans Frontieres (also known as Doctors Without Borders), a wedding hall, and a center for the blind. The attacks have also targeted ancient heritage sites in Yemen. International human rights organizations are saying that the Saudi-led strikes on Yemen may amount to war crimes.
There is now a growing international movement which seeks to place an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia. This would be an unacceptable blow to America's bustling defense industry.
Frankly speaking, Bernie Sanders lacks the foreign policy expertise -- and fancy-pants "nonprofit" Foundation -- to keep the weapons to Riyadh flowing.
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Upset woman holding her alarm clock with an expression of fright
Alarm clocks are a common fixture in most bedrooms, but do they actually help us get better rest?
Let's take a look at the history of alarms and see what the experts think about their role in achieving healthy sleep.
Origins of Alarm Clocks
People have been using alarms of sorts to wake up well before clocks were even a thing. The morning sun was the original cue to rise and shine, and roosters have likely been crowing sleepers awake for eons.
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Plato is said to have woken up early with a clever device that used draining water to signal a whistle as the contraption filled, supposedly spurring the development of later mechanical time-keepers. Church bells have awoken communities for morning service for centuries, and by the 1300s, we can find descriptions of chiming clock towers in Europe designed to inform residents of the time.
Later, booming industrial factories in the 18th century relied on an on-time workforce, and would sound morning whistles to rouse their workers living nearby. Some cities and companies even employed a "knocker-up", designated people that would go door to door delivering wake up calls.
Although existing as early as the 1500s, it wasn't until the 1870s that alarm clocks started to become a common thing in private homes with the advent of the mechanical wind-up version. Over time, this fixture cemented it's position in the bedroom, incorporating additional features like radio receivers, cuckoos, snooze buttons and more. Modern alarm clocks continue to evolve, with everything from light-based alarms to clocks that run across the room, and even phone apps.
With jobs, school and other responsibilities, waking up by a set time remains a must for the majority of us. So naturally, many people depend on alarm clocks to start the day. But, are they really doing us a favor, or is this reliance on alarm clocks detrimental?
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How Morning Alarms Help Us
Alarm clocks have been in use for centuries because they solve a real problem--ensuring we wake up on time. Their utility is undeniable, and many of us would probably have a hard time making it to work every day without one.
Mark Muehlbach, Ph.D., F.AASM, R.PSGT, clinical director at the Clayton Sleep Institute in St. Louis, provides a little background on why waking up in the morning can be so difficult:
Ideally, a person will wake on his or her own when they need to each morning. These are the people who set an alarm but wake a few minutes before the alarm sounds, as if their brain has an expectation to be awake at a certain time. On the other hand is the person who needs two or three alarms to wake them.
Our busy schedules and external influences like mobile phones, televisions, tablets, streetlights, neighborhood noises and a myriad of other stimuli can interrupt our sleep, which requires our bodies to demand more sleep and, in turn, lead to us waking feeling drowsy and tired.
For humans, it is not that difficult to override our internal clock: staying up late or having an irregular sleep/wake schedule can influence our internal clock and make it difficult to arise when we need to. Shift workers (those who work when the rest of us sleep) often alter their internal body clock, flipping and flopping their day/night schedules, and may need alarm clocks to wake them as they battle their internal biology.
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Here's a an overview of the ways alarm clocks benefit us:
Staying on Society's Time
Without alarms, many of us would oversleep and wind up late for work. As great as sleeping in sounds, being on time is a (harsh) reality we often must abide. In order for business and schools to run smoothly, agreeing on a set time to be there can be essential, whether you'd like more sleep or not.
Normalizing Sleep Schedules
Alarm clocks can also be helpful for keeping sleep schedules regular. Waking up around the same time each day is beneficial for our internal biological clocks. Using an alarm clock can help keep your schedule consistent and normalize your sleep patterns.
Peace of Mind
Richard Shane, PhD, psychotherapist and Founder of
, suggests that alarms can also provide peace of mind, adding:
Some people don't set an alarm but then look at their clock when the awaken during the night. This can cause anxiety and making it hard to sleep. In this case it's helpful to set an alarm to allow a safer feeling during the night.
Potential Downsides of Alarm Clocks
However, alarm clocks aren't always helpful; in fact, sometimes they can be counterproductive to overall health and even for getting good sleep.
Sleep Anxiety
Sleep anxiety, or worrying about not falling asleep, can paradoxically contribute to
. And, alarm clocks are right there helping, counting down the precious minutes of sleep left until wake up time. Most sleep experts suggest covering clock faces or turning them away from the bed so you're not tempted to watch the minutes tick by.
Stress
Levels of the stress hormone cortisol naturally rise
for most people. Although there's no studies showing alarms further increase cortisol, being startled awake by a loud alarm first thing in the morning certainly doesn't make things more relaxing.
Researchers are also looking into correlations between heart attacks and alarm clocks, due to their adrenaline-spiking jolt which can trigger the flight-or-fight response and
.
Social Jetlag
Social jetlag refers to the sleep deprivation many people experience as they try to eek by on less sleep in order to keep up with social demands. One
showed that two-thirds of adults sleep over an hour more on weekends as opposed to weekdays, and that although wakeup times are staying the same, we are going to bed later. Researchers argue this is messing with our internal biological clocks, affecting sleep and significantly increasing risk of weight gain and obesity as well.
Bright Lights
Some alarm clocks have brightly-lit faces, and while good for seeing the time, researchers have found that
can affect sleep.
How to Wake Up Refreshed and On-Time
So, is there a better way to wake up? The ability to rise the morning after a full night's rest, without needing an alarm, is something plenty of people would prefer over blaring beeps.
However, most of can't just toss the alarm in the trash and tell the boss we'll be in whenever we get up. Following good sleep habits and making sure you're actually getting enough sleep are good ways to begin repairing your internal clock, though.
1. Follow Good Sleep Hygiene
refers to habits shown to help encourage better rest. These include things like:
Eating a balanced diet with plenty of nutrients, and drinking plenty of plain water during the day.
Avoiding stimulants in the evening like caffeine, and moderating alcohol in the hours before bed.
Getting regular exercise and some time in the sun (for Vitamin D).
Sleeping in a cooler bedroom with a comfortable mattress and bedding.
Minimizing use of electronics like smartphones and TVs before bed, and keeping bedrooms as dark as possible during rest.
2. Go to Bed with Plenty of Time
If you find it impossible to wake up in the morning without an alarm or feel groggy after waking fairly often, take a look at how much sleep you're actually getting.
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Dr. Lynn Johnson, psychologist and author of The Healing Power of Sleep, says we need seven and a half to eight hours of sleep a night, adding:
Do you need an alarm clock? That means you aren't going to bed early enough to actually restore your brain and body to peak performance. Your work will be sub-par when you don't clean out the brain with sufficient sleep. You're working as if you'd been drinking. Judgement, creativity, and self-discipline are all weakened without restorative sleep.
And, when sleep experts say you should get seven to eight hours of sleep, they mean actual sleep, not just time spent in bed. If you tend to take a while to settle in and relax, factor that into your allotted bed time.
For example, if it usually takes you around 30 minutes to get in the zone and you need 7.5 hours to feel your best, aim to be in bed at least eight hours before you need to wake up. Turning in with time to spare can also reduce sleep anxiety, so you aren't counting down the time on the alarm.
If you find it takes a very long to time to fall asleep or you wake often through the night, try instituting earlier cut-off times for things like caffeine and electronics, or incorporate stress relief habits like deep breathing, stretching or mindful meditation before bed.
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3. Keep Regular Hours, Avoid Snooze
If you're one of the many that can't wake up on time without an alarm, it might surprise you to know that we all actually have an internal alarm of sorts. Researchers have identified biological processes that signal to the body when it's time to get drowsy and when it's time to wake up.
The best way to support this natural rhythm is keeping a regular bedtime and waketime. People on regular schedules often find they wake up before their alarm even goes off, for example.
But there are several things that can throw our internal clocks off, including aging, shifting schedules, and travel. So, alarm clocks aren't all bad, and for a lot of people, they are very necessary to maintain a regular schedule.
But, try not to hit snooze, says Dr. Muehlbach:
Don't set your alarm clock early and keep hitting the snooze button. Set your alarm for the time you need to be up and force yourself out of bed, if necessary. Frequently resetting your alarm by hitting the snooze is only disrupting your sleep.
Other sleep researchers concur, suggesting that hitting the snooze button actually sets you up for groggier mornings, and can even make you feel like you had a worse night's sleep overall. Use your alarm clock to stick to a regular schedule, as this will be most helpful for your body's internal clock.
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4. Try a Smarter Alarm
A few companies and app developers offer takes on gentler versions of morning wakeup calls. From rousing you with bright light or vibrations to aiming for a more ideal wakeup time in your sleep cycle, you might find one of these solutions help you wake up on time without the headache inducing bleating of a traditional clock.
Several free or inexpensive apps can be found in both Android and iOS stores, and companies like Philips and Lumie make popular wake-up alarm clocks.
If you do require an alarm clock, Dr. Richard Shane offers the following suggestions for minimizing sleep disturbances:
Turn the face of the clock away from you to help you let go of looking at the clock.
A clock with blue numbers is preferable to red.
Try an app or alarm with soothing sounds to wake up so you don't jar yourself awake.
Put your phone on airplane mode.
One wearable smart alarm, the Sleep Shepherd Blue, aims to help people sleep better by monitoring biofeedback and brain waves, inducing relaxation with binaural beats and waking you up gently at the ideal stage. Engineer and Sleep Shepherd creator Michael Larson, PhD, explains the workings behind the smart alarm concept:
A normal night's sleep typically encompasses four or five cycles. These light and deep stages are determined by our base brainwave activity rate, which is slow for deep sleep and faster in light sleep, closer to the very fast rate when we are awake. A "dumb" alarm clock erupting during deep sleep drags our brains immediately awake leaving us feeling groggy. We feel best when our alarm rouses us from light sleep.
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A "smart" alarm would sense our state of sleep leading up to the appointed wake time and go off when our bodies are nearly awake anyway. Since we don't always have the luxury of waiting until that happens, a "brilliant" alarm would gently encourage the brain to speed up over time, rather than with a jolt. The Sleep Shepherd Blue is designed to do this using binaural beats, which have been long known to have brain entrainment effects.
5. Listen to Your Body
If you wake up every morning groggy and tired, it might be time to readjust your sleep schedule, perhaps going to bed 15 or 30 minutes earlier until you feel more refreshed.
Changes in age, stress, health and many other things influence the amount of sleep we need. Even an old mattress can contribute to less restful sleep according to research, so be aware of your sleep environment too.
If you have the basics of healthy sleep down and still feel tired, there could be other factors at play. Dr. Muehlbach explains:
Difficulty waking in the morning may be associated with several factors. Quantity and quality of sleep can have a big impact on your ability to arise easily. If you do not get enough sleep on a routine basis (7-9 hours a night for an adult) you will be tired.
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Disrupted sleep, which is influenced by sleep disorders like sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome, or by your bed partner's snoring, the sound from an unmuted television or mobile phone, pets or children tossing and turning in your bed, etc. can make it hard to wake.
Additionally, certain drugs can also contribute to morning drowsiness, such as alcohol the night before, prescription and over-the-counter sleep aids, some antihistamines and blood pressure medications.
If difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep impacts your ability to feel rested during the day and incorporating healthy sleep habits isn't helping, bring it up with your doctor. Things like sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and insomnia can have a significant affects on how you feel during the day, and often go undiagnosed.
Do you rely on an alarm clock, or is your internal clock well-tuned? Share in the comments.
This article originally appeared on the Amerisleep blog.
Voice of America
http://www.voaafrique.com/media/video/washington-forum/3253159.html?z=3039&zp=1
[TV version]
The Voice of America, which began broadcasting in 1942, is an international multimedia service funded by the US government through the Broadcasting Board of Governors. VOA broadcasts approximately 1,500 hours of news, information and cultural and educational programs each week to some 125 million listeners, viewers and readers.
Voice of America: Let's go back a bit in history. There has already been more than half a century of diplomatic rupture between the United States and Cuba. Can you remind us of the key dates in the history of this blockade between the two countries?
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Salim Lamrani: it is worth recalling that the dispute between the United States and Cuba can be traced back to the nineteenth century when the island was a primary objective of US foreign policy. The Founding Fathers had always seen Cuba as a natural appendage to be added to the American Union. Thomas Jefferson spoke of this as early as 1805. We are also aware of the "ripe fruit" theory of John Quincy Adams.
In the twentieth century, during the island's Republican period, the US supported the military dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista and opposed Fidel Castro's rise to power well before 1959. Allow me to quote Allen Dulles, then director the CIA who, in December of 1958, said: "We must prevent Castro's victory."
When Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, he immediately encountered the hostility of the United States, which early on had welcomed the dignitaries of the former regime and had immediately imposed economic sanctions against Cuba. Let me recall the lucid observation of former President John F. Kennedy who said the following: "We should have given a warmer welcome to Fidel Castro because it would have avoided many problems."
VOA: If we move forward a bit in time, we quickly come to the embargo. How did this come about?
SL: The United States first imposed economic sanctions on Cuba in 1960. It is important to remember that Washington's diplomatic rhetoric used to justify hostility toward Cuba has fluctuated over the years. In 1960, when Eisenhower imposed the first economic retaliatory measures, he evoqued the process of expropriation and nationalization of US companies. Then in 1962, Kennedy used the alliance with the Soviet Union as justification for the imposition of total economic sanctions. In the 1970s and 1980s, the intervention of Cuba in Africa in support of independence movements was advanced as the reason. Since 1991 and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States justifies maintaining its hostile policy toward Cuba for reasons of democracy and human rights.
It is important to remember that this diplomatic rhetoric has shifted significantly over the years.
Recently, President Obama made a very clear statement on US policy. He realized it had been ineffective. It is obsolete because it is a relic of the Cold War.
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VOA: Is Cuba still a communist bastion of the Cold War?
SL: Latin America has changed over the past half century. Cuba is obviously a different society with a political system and a model of society distinct from that of the United States. It should be recognized that there exists two completely different conceptions of democracy. The two presidents even pointed this out in their joint press conference.
I think Washington has come to understand the need to base its relations with Havana on the principles of reciprocity, entente cordiale and dialogue. The policy of hostility has failed.
Public opinion clearly demonstrates that a majority in the US now support a normalization of relations with Cuba. This goes beyond the cleavage that exists between the Democrats and the Republicans. Many states with a Republican majority, especially in the Midwest, want to have normal relations with Cuba for obvious economic reasons.
VOA: The embargo has not been lifted and, in terms of economics, it may take time. What will be the consequences for the island if the process promoted by Barack Obama does not achieve its goal?
SL: The economic sanctions constitute the main obstacle to the development of the country. They are unanimously condemned by the vast majority of the international community. In October of 2015, for the 24th consecutive year, 191 of 193 countries, including the United States' most faithful allies, demanded that Washington change its policy and lift the sanctions.
The reasons are obvious. The sanctions are anachronistic because they date back to the Cold War. They are cruel because they affect the most vulnerable categories of the Cuban people, not the leaders. Finally, they are ineffective to the extent that the initial goal of overthrowing the Cuban Revolution has clearly failed.
The outcome of this policy is instructive: Rather than isolating Cuba internationally, these sanctions have instead isolated the United States.
President Obama has adopted constructive measures concerning the easing of some restrictions. Unfortunately however, the sanctions are still in force. It is true that Congress remains an obstacle, but I think that this is marginal. The President of the United States, as chief executive, has the power required to dismantle 90% of these sanctions without Congressional approval. There are very few sections where he is precluded from taking action.
VOA: Do you agree that Barack Obama has made an historic change, even if the future of Cuba still raises many questions?
SL: Undeniably. President Obama has ended a historical anomaly, restoring the link with the Cuban people. He has rebuilt the bridge that had been broken in 1959. I believe he will make history as the president who adopted the most constructive approach to resolving a dispute dating back more than half a century. If there is one thing Barack Obama's presidency will be remembered for, it will be the process of normalization of relations with Cuba.
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Translated from the French by Larry R. Oberg.
First of all, there are only two names that matter right now. One you know, and one you should.
The first is Tim Armstrong, the former Google sales leader who spent the past seven years turning AOL from a moribund web portal into a rapidly growing and acquisitive ad tech and web content driver. Under Armstrong, AOL bought Huffington Post and a number of ad tech companies, and his focus and drive continues. There were rumors back in 2014 that Armstrong wanted to buy or merge with Yahoo - but those overtures were rebuffed by Marissa Mayer.
Tim Armstrong at the AOL Newfronts [photo credit: Steven Rosenbaum]
It's worth remembering that Verizon is a very different organization than AOL/Huffpost. Verizon is a public company with a market cap of 206.85 billion and a headcount of 177,900 employees. AOL, on the other hand, was a small, agile and fast-moving tech company with just 5,600 employees and a market cap of $3.92 billion when it was sold. So there's no doubt that the melding of these two cultures won't happen overnight. But one thing is clear, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam and Tim Armstrong have a shared vision - and a strong working relationship.
McAdam has said that there is a three-tier strategy to Verizon: Connectivity, Content and Traffic.
Jim Cramer of CNBC's Mad Money asked McAdam if Yahoo would support the three-tier strategy; McAdam said: "At the right price I think marrying up some of their (Yahoo's) assets with AOL under Tim Armstrong's leadership would be a good thing for investors. Armstrong has set aggressive largest for growth - from its current 700 million users to two billion in just four years. Armstrong's AOL will be the top global media company with revenues between $10 billion and $20 billion by 2020."
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In order to see what the combined entity would look like - start with Verizon's current assets. The Huffington Post, TechCrunch, Moviefone, Weblogs, Inc. including Engadget, Autoblog, Cambio, Stylelist, 5Min Media, Visible, Adap.tv, Truveo, GoViral, Things Lab's social software Brizzly.
On the Yahoo side - there's a collection of content resources as well, such as Yahoo Sports, Yahoo Finance, Yahoo Music, Yahoo Movies, Yahoo Weather, Yahoo News, Yahoo Answers and Yahoo Games. Yahoo commands a huge audience. Nearly 1 billion people visit a Yahoo website every month. And Yahoo Video talent includes a roster of name brand presenters including Katie Couric, Joe Zee, formerly the creative director of Elle; and David Pogue, personal tech author and a former columnist for the New York Times.
"Verizon is looking to the future," Brett Sappington, director of research of consulting firm Parks Associates told the LA Times. "It's about being able to create an audience, and increasingly that audience is going to mobile and moving away from traditional forms of media."
Does this mean Verizon wants to attract an audience of millennials and teens who prefer watching videos on their mobile devices than on television? In a word, yes. And Yahoo's 1 billion users would be an enormous addition to AOL's 2 million and Verizon's 105 million wireless subs.
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So, the good news is Tim's plan to own what are essentially the last two 'portals' seems likely to come true. The question is, at what price?
When you look under the hood, there's a good news and a bad news piece to the Yahoo assets.
A Re/code reports that Yahoo expects a 15 percent fall in revenue for 2016, shrinking earnings by more than 20 percent - so that's bad.
But it turns out the silver lining might be Yahoo's treasure trove of technology patents. There could be as much as $4 billion in value in that IP according to the NY Post. Yahoo holds 6,000 patents including early IP in mobile messaging, data mining, behavioral ad targeting, and more.
One executive who knows the value of patents is Tim Armstrong. Armstrong sold AOL patents to Microsoft for $1.1 billion In April 2012.
Whether or not Verizon closes a deal with Yahoo - their focus and direction are clear. And last weeks small, but telling investment in AwesomenessTV may be a clue.
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Recently both First Lady Michele Obama and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton have been promoting "women's empowerment." The normally reserved Clinton has discussed how the "double standard" for women shaped her career, and the First Lady promoted a song about girl's empowerment titled, "This is For My Girls."
Neither Secretary Clinton nor the First Lady Clinton have been the first or the last politician to don the empowerment mantle. But what does empowerment mean? My Random House College Dictionary offers the following definition of "empower": 1. "to give power or authority to; authorize. 2. to enable or permit. empowerment, n."
Sounds simple enough. In politics, however, empowerment has assumed a number of different, sometimes contradictory, meanings over the past sixty years. It began in the 1950s as a radical critique of the power structure; it was co-opted by various liberal and conservative groups in the '60, '70s and '80s; and it has wound up today as a political buzzword for mainstream politicians of all persuasions precisely because it has lost its power to threaten the establishment.
If there is a birthplace of the modern empowerment movement it is Montgomery, Alabama. When, on a cold winter afternoon in 1955, Rosa Parks refused to offer her bus seat to a white patron, she sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and ignited the modern civil rights movement. Beyond precipitating the fall of Jim Crow laws, the boycott created a sense of community and power among people who had felt left out. As Jo Ann Robinson, one of the organizers, said of the boycott victory, "We felt that we were somebody."
At the heart of the early civil rights movement was a compelling vision of democratic reform based on the idea of giving power to disenfranchised people to challenge unjust laws. Though the word itself was not yet in fashion, this was "empowerment" in its literal form: The purpose of the movement was to put clout in the hands of African-Americans -- a group that had previously lacked the electoral, political or economic wherewithal to better their own lot. This particular vision of empowerment, as articulated by Martin Luther King, Jr., depended on building "a beloved community" of enlightened people, black and white, that would, through the power of Christian love and nonviolent protest, transform American society. King's vision was revolutionary in that it challenged deeply held American faith in individualism and asked people to transcend race and class differences.
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The example of Montgomery inspired civil rights activists in the 1960s to expand their protest, and the continued efforts of the movement hewed closely to the goal of helping those who genuinely lacked political and economic power. The spirit that animated many young people, black and white, found expression in the Port Huron Statement. Written by Tom Hayden and other leaders of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), the document became the bible of the New Left. It attacked the "structural separation of people from power" which contributed to "the sense of outer complexity and inner powerlessness." Student in both SDS and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) aimed to destroy the old bureaucratic system by empowering people through "participatory democracy." With that idea in mind, the young organizers of the SNCC moved into local communities in the South in an effort to build grass roots power structures. At the same time their counterparts in SDS set up shop in poor urban areas in the North.
By the early 1960s, through these efforts, a radical notion of empowerment had emerged. It had three essential ingredients. First, it was based on the optimistic notion that a transcendent moral wrong would pull together an enlightened community of citizens who would root out injustice in society. Second, it rested on a foundation of grass roots democracy that challenged the dominant system of leadership by professionals. Third, it offered a fundamental critique of the status quo.
Empowerment took a strange twist after 1965. Most people think of the 60s as a decade of radical thought and social revolution. Images of burning cities and angry protesters suggest a time of dramatic change. In fact, during the decade the concept of empowerment was stripped of its radical assumptions. Public rhetoric became more shrill, but the underlying assumptions of empowerment actually became more conservative. The polarizing politics of the decade led many people to abandon hopes of forging broad-based coalitions that transcended racial and class divisions. As reform groups lost faith in government they fragmented into smaller, self-conscious interest groups. Rather than build coalitions they chose to mobilizing minorities. The change was most noticeable in the civil rights movement where advocates of Black Power abandoned King's emphasis on building a bi-racial community. Eldridge Cleaver, "minister of information" for the Black Panther Party argued that blacks were awakening to the "vast power latent in their mass" and "must harness their numbers and hone it into a sword with a sharp cutting edge." James Baldwin, author of the militant manifesto The Fire Next Time, declared that the "only thing white people have that black people need, or should want, is power."
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A host of other groups joined the chorus demanding empowerment. Native Americans, preaching "red power," formed the American Indian Movement. The stonewall riot ignited a nationwide gay "liberation" movement. Two days after the riot, angry homosexuals marched through the streets of New York chanting the new mantra of the movement: "Gay Power!" The Grey Panthers, a group of senior citizens who modeled their organization after the Black Panthers, made "Grey Power" the rallying cry of their movement. Feminists, declaring that "sisterhood is powerful," helped build the most successful social protest movement of the 1970s.
Beginning in the 1970s, conservatives moved in to fill the empowerment vacuum created by the fragmentation on the left. From Barry Goldwater's drubbing in 1964 they had learned that they couldn't just criticize the welfare state; they needed to articulate a compelling alternative vision. Conservatives had to be true to their convictions of limited government and individual initiative without appearing heartless or reactionary.
Appropriating the concept of empowerment became one of the means. In 1977, Peter Berger and Richard Neuhaus constructed the intellectual scaffolding of the conservative empowerment movement with publication of their essay, "To Empower People." They argued that liberal programs did more harm than good because they crippled mediating institutions, like the family and the church, which gave people a sense of control over their lives. The key to solving many social problems, they argued, was to dismantle the welfare state and "empower" people to help themselves.
In the 1980s two conservatives sharpened these ideas into a powerful new ideological weapon: social scientist Charles Murray and congressman Jack Kemp. The genius of Murray's bestselling book, Losing Ground, was that, unlike past conservatives, he did not blame the poor for their plight. Instead, like Berger and Neuhaus, he attacked the well-intentioned liberal reformers for constructing a welfare state that he argued enslaved the poor. Murray contended that destroying the welfare state would in the end empower the poor. His argument helped establish a foundation for a new activist conservatism. Kemp applied the same logic to urban development. Federal policies had contributed to the decay of inner cities, he argued. Only the free market, in this case his much-heralded enterprise zones, could revitalize the nation's cities and empower the people who lived there. By the end of the decade, Kemp and other activist conservatives had made empowerment the linchpin of their new faith.
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The conservative appropriation of the term turned the empowerment ethic upside down. The civil rights-era vision of empowerment held that people gained power through a shared sense of struggle. In the conservative incarnation, empowerment became synonymous with rugged individualism. The original proponents of empowerment were poor African-Americans who were excluded from the mainstream of American life. Corporate America propounds the new version. Civil rights activists used empowerment as a tool for social change; today, the establishment uses it in support of the status quo.
Since the 1990s, both liberals and conservatives have embraced the rhetoric of empowerment because it allows them to offer the illusion of change. Conservatives use the term to depict themselves as bold reformers committed to helping the disenfranchised through the healing power of capitalism; in reality, the concept diverts attention from their abdication of responsibility. Liberals find empowerment a convenient way to convince an angry middle class that they have found a "new" approach to old problems; in fact, they have found only a rhetorical device to disguise their failures.
Next week's UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on the "world drug problem" will be only the third such meeting in the organization's history. And it comes at a critical time in the global drug policy debate.
Much of the attention surrounding this event will focus on the most contentious aspects of the discussion: how the "war on drugs" has been lost and measures are urgently needed to reframe drug policy. Some activists will argue for overhauling the international drug control regime. Indeed, for advocates of alternative policies - including legalization and decriminalization (two different things) - UNGASS is a significant opportunity to build momentum for their views in the mainstream international debate. Their opponents will firmly defend the building blocks of the current international system, although many of them will also acknowledge the need for more flexible, evidence-based policy implementation. Different sides will marshal evidence that seeks to support their case. In a sign of progress, many governments will promote a balanced, health-based approach to prevention and treatment that sits alongside disruption of transnational organized crime networks that feed the "supply" side of the problem.
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But there is another pressing issue that has a chance to unite all sides in the drug debate: access to pain relief medicine for the world's poor.
While opioid analgesics such as morphine are a cost-effective medication for treatment of moderate to severe pain related to cancer, HIV/AIDS, surgery, and other conditions, they are not adequately available in most developing countries. This is because of inappropriate legal and regulatory restrictions, weak health systems, inadequate training of healthcare workers, and misconceptions about pain treatment. It was not supposed to turn out like this.
The international drug control conventions were not designed to prevent access to essential medicines. In fact, they recognize "that the medical use of narcotic drugs continues to be indispensable for the relief of pain and suffering and that adequate provision must be made to ensure the availability of narcotic drugs for such purposes". Tragically, the unintended consequence of current policies has left around 5.5 billion people, or 75 percent of the world's population, without access to proper pain relief treatment.
The International Narcotics Control Board, the independent international body that monitors implementation of the UN drug control conventions, highlighted the gravity of the situation in a recent report. According to the Board, just 17 percent of the world's population - located in the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand - accounts for 92 percent of morphine consumed worldwide. The UNGASS draft outcome document, negotiated among countries in Vienna last month and to be agreed on next week, gives this global challenge unprecedented attention in a high-level UN political statement.
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As an Australian diplomat to the United Nations in Vienna between 2011 and 2014, one of my top priorities was advocating for greater global access to essential pain relief medicine. It was an issue my ambassador knew well and a cause the Australian government strongly supported. I got to work with some intensely smart, dedicated professionals from the UN, NGOs, and academia. We had some successes both diplomatically and in the field, including two pilot projects to strengthen health systems. But a challenge this big requires persistent effort over a long period as well as the collective action of governments, multilateral organizations, civil society, and business.
Even as the issue of limited access has been gaining traction, numerous countries have, in something of a cruel irony, been grappling with a growing prescription opioid misuse problem. As Vox reported recently, "Painkillers now kill more Americans than any illegal drug." It is therefore important to address the question of how to respond to these two public health challenges - ensuring availability and avoiding misuse - at the same time.
It would be understandable for policymakers to assume that increasing availability of these drugs would increase the rate of misuse. But when you look at the data, things get more complicated. By considering consumption of opioid painkillers (measured in milligrams per capita) on a national basis and then comparing this against annual prevalence of misuse of prescription opioids, it becomes clear that there is no simple correlation between the two. Analysis in the UN's 2014 World Drug Report shows a relatively high prevalence of misuse of prescription opioids not only in rich countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United States that have high per capita consumption for medical purposes, but also in lower-middle-income countries such as Nigeria and Pakistan, which have among the lowest per capita consumption of opioids for medical purposes. Meanwhile, Switzerland, Ireland, and the United Kingdom all have high levels of medical consumption but relatively low levels of misuse. While further research is needed in this area, the available data suggests that making painkillers more accessible at the national level does not inevitably lead to greater rates of misuse.
High-income countries should therefore focus less on the risk of exporting the problem of misuse to low-income countries and instead emphasize facilitating the legal international supply of these medicines and, crucially, strengthening health systems to distribute them effectively and responsibly.
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Si Ya Wendy Ni had spotted a problem: The subway in New York City seemed to be running late way more often than it should.
Wendy decided to investigate, and discovered that one factor was the accumulation of trash on subway tracks, which caused fires along the track.
Yesterday at the White House Science Fair , Wendy, Amro Halwah and Stephen Mwingira, all classmates from Baruch College Campus High School presented a potential solution: A vacuum that could travel ahead of a train and remove trash.
The Baruch College Campus students were among 40 teams that attended the science fair at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue yesterday. (Wendy is currently a freshman at Marist College; Stephen is a junior, and Amro is a senior. Their project started last year, when Wendy was a senior.)
President Barack Obamas administration held the first White House Science Fair fair six years ago, noting that high-achieving science students deserved just as much recognition as students who succeeded in sports. This year was the last fair that will be held during Obamas administration.
You remind us that together, through science, we can tackle some of the biggest challenges we face, Obama told more than 130 students gathered at the White House for the fair. You are sharing in this essential spirit of discovery that America is built on.
The White House has created a number of new efforts focused on K-12 science, technology, engineering, and math, including a public-private initiative to improve students performance in STEM fields and an effort to recruit 100,000 new STEM teachers. The U.S. Department of Education also issued a Dear Colleague letter about how schools and districts can access federal STEM money yesterday.
Obama toured and tested students projects at the fair. The online womens blog Jezebel has a collection of photos of the President marveling at students science projects through the years.
The Baruch College Campus students said the project that brought them to the science fair was an opportunity to experience the creativity and perseverance that scientific endeavors can require. Their project was funded by a grant from the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam project, and supported by teachers and mentors from a local New York energy company.
We posed the idea to our mentors and some alumni, and they said it might not be possible, Wendy said. But eventually, they built a prototype that effectively sucks up trash.
The students said they hoped their project would inspire other students to get involved with STEM.
Im hoping to inspire more young girls to join the STEM field, Wendy said. Stephen noted that the creativity involved in creating their subway vacuum was what got him interested in STEM.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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It was in the first days of January 2013 that we found that my wife could have leukemia. Our daughter was 3 years old, and my wife, Mai, was 15 weeks pregnant for the second time. For about a month she couldn't get rid of her cough -- something that didn't really worry us. We took a lot of precaution with medication for cough because of the pregnancy, and we were just writing everything off on pregnancy being hard on the immune system and the fact that we couldn't hit the cough with harder drugs.
It was a routine blood test that they usually do during pregnancy that showed that something could be wrong. She went to that appointment alone, and when I came back after work she broke down in tears: "We could be losing the baby."
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We had no idea what leukemia is, or what even bone marrow is, for that matter, along with neutrophils and leukocytes, and many other terms we would learn in the weeks, months and years to come. What the disease does is essentially kill the patient's immune system. Any small scratch can get infected, and any infection could be fatal.
The confirmation that it was, in fact, leukemia, came a few days later, in the maternity ward of the hospital.
We were devastated. Not only this was a threat to pregnancy, but it was a threat to her life. Leukemia, it turns out, is a nasty blood cancer. Cancer, at 32 years old, in an otherwise healthy, lively, happy woman with absolutely no previous health problems.
We had to put an end to the pregnancy within two days of receiving the diagnosis, in order to start intensive chemo as soon as possible. And although my wife was in remission after about ten months of it, the cancer came back this past May. Again, we were devastated beyond words. We really hoped the cancer chapter was over. Mai grew back her hair, started working again and we were thinking about what to do on vacation this year.
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"Instead of vacation and enjoying summer with our daughter, she ended up going through more and more and more chemo."
But this time around the doctors made it clear that a cure is only possible by going through a bone marrow transplant, or as we affectionately call it, BMT. Just chemo wasn't going to cut it.
That's when the real learning started.
Bone marrow is the birth place of blood cells in your body, and it lives in the bones. It is entirely unrelated to the spinal cord (I know you would assume that -- we did). Getting a transplant involves the use of even harder-hitting chemo and radiation in order to kill her own bone marrow, and another person's stem cells will be injected in order to gradually replace the "original" ones. The difficulty comes from the fact that the donor in question needs to be compatible. The science behind compatibility is complicated, and the best option for a donor, by far, is a sibling.
"Although Mai has an older brother, when he was tested for compatibility it was found out that he isn't compatible."
Unfortunately, a sibling has only a 25-30 percent chance to be compatible. Multiple doctors and nurses told us anecdotes from their experience -- there are multiple cases of large families with three to four siblings or more where not even one was compatible.
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The curious thing is that 20 or 30 years ago there were many larger families, but the science behind bone marrow transplants simply wasn't there. Today, the science is here but families are typically much, much smaller. You need to rely on others.
The next best option is to find a donor who is not related to the family, by tapping into a worldwide network of donors. Amazingly, such a thing actually exists. Most developed countries operate bone marrow donor registries -- they are databases that allow doctors to look up compatible people based on the DNA. A patient in need of a BMT could find a donor in a country a world apart, and there are procedures in place that allow that to happen. A nurse flies to, say, France, where the stem cells are typically harvested in the donor's blood through a simple, almost painless procedure (the donor regenerates these cells within days, hence not losing anything).
The nurse then puts the little baggie in a basket and brings that to the patient's country overnight. The stuff is not even on ice. These stem cells are then injected and the patient gets an actual, real chance at beating leukemia.
Although the international network has reached over 24 million people, there was no match for Mai amongst those who signed up to be donors. Not even one. The difficulty comes from the fact that, although born in Canada, Mai is of Vietnamese origin. People of Asian descent are severely under-represented in all registries, and there is simply no public registry in Vietnam.
"Again, we were devastated. Doctors told us that we have two months to find a donor. And we tried."
To borrow the words from Michael Lewis, in theory, "the world is newly configured" to allow this sort of thing to happen. Facebook allowed us to reach over a million people through likes, shares, ads and such. The message was for Asians and people of Vietnamese ethnicity specifically to sign up to become a donor. The person needs to be 18 to 35 years old (or about that depending on the country of registry). All it takes is filling out a form. You then receive a kit of Q-Tips to swab the inside of your cheeks. Send that back for free. All of it is free. That's it. If you can save someone's life, you get a call. Even at that, there's a small percentage of people registered ever get a call in their life.
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The other option to receive a transplant is to find a compatible umbilical cord. There are pros and cons, but still, it's also an option. Women who give birth can sometimes donate their umbilical cord to the same registries that operate bone marrow donor databases. The cords are frozen and accessible to the worldwide registry network.
Because of all the social media activity, the story was picked up by local, national and international media that have written about this. Mai was on the cover page of two newspapers here in Montreal. Her latest stint at the hospital included dozens of interviews. Media companies helped out with ads running on TV, radio, Internet, in doctor clinics via CCTV and even on electronic billboards next to highways.
Although thousands of people signed up as a result of our efforts, after two months we didn't find a donor.
But despite that, there was a compatible umbilical cord that turned up somewhere. It was shipped to Montreal, thawed, and the stem cells from it were injected into my wife's blood. They call this Day Zero. It's rebirth. It will give her -- us -- another chance.
Some woman somewhere in the world was giving birth and signed a form and donated her umbilical cord, making it available through the international donor registry. If she didn't do that, the umbilical cord would've been thrown in the trash. Instead, she gave life another time, without even knowing it since this is entirely confidential. The whole thing really sounds like something out of a science fiction novel.
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The incredible thing is that we were far from being alone in our search for a donor.
Mai is lucky that she is petite. Fun-sized. If she wasn't, the umbilical cord blood would not even be a viable option. In fact, over 10,000 people just of Asian descent are currently waiting for a donor. Countless others of other ethnicities are also trying to find a match. The reality is that anyone who is non-Caucasian will likely not be able to find a donor. There are many campaigns being run for them. Some have received quite a bit of coverage, such as Amit Gupta's. He ended up finding a donor, against all odds.
Others are still searching, while time is running out. Such as Ryan. Or Morrow. Or Chao Wei. Or Leni. It's even more difficult to find a donor if you're of mixed ethnicity, such as the little Baylor.
It's not even a question of money. People who are 18 to 35 years of age can sign up in their country's registry to potentially save someone's life by giving their stem cells (in most cases, a painless procedure similar to giving blood).
All you need to do is sign up, return the swabbing kit (for free) and hope to get a call to save a life one day.
Here are some registries:
US -- BeTheMatch.org
Canada -- OneMatch.ca and Hema-Quebec for Quebec
UK -- AnthonyNolan.org
Australia -- ABMDR.org.au
For others, please look up your country at BMDW.org
It's a donor that went through the procedure that once said that this is just like giving an organ without losing it. Apparently that's exactly what it feels like. It's easy, free and amazing. If you do get called, the person in need is just like you, sharing your DNA. The stem cells harvested in the blood regenerate within days. You lose nothing.
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When this happened, we didn't know anything about this. But now you do. The world is not split into people sick and people not sick. It's split into people already sick, and those not sick yet. Anyone can get hit with this. It could be a family member, a friend. Please sign up to get a chance at becoming donor.
If you're an expecting mother, please consider donating your umbilical cord. There's nothing to lose. It could save a life such as Mai's.
The United Nations General Assembly is about to gather in New York for a special session to tackle the "world drug problem." This should be the event where President Obama declares an end to the "War on Drugs" and officially pivots United States drug policy toward public health, harm reduction, and civil and human rights.
"We knew we couldn't make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news," said Ehrlichman. "Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did."
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When judged by that troubling benchmark, Nixon and his presidential successors were outrageously successful. These cynical policies have destroyed generations of Black families and communities across the country and have led to an explosion in the prison population, with people of color making up two-thirds of all individuals in prison for drug offenses.
But President Obama has started to shift toward a more humane, public health approach to drug policy and our justice system.
During this year's State of the Union address, the first issues he addressed were criminal justice reform and battling prescription drug abuse. In October of last year, the President told a crowd at a West Virginia community resource center that "when it comes to substance abuse, treatment and recovery, those things are possible if we work together and if we care about each other." The White House has hosted a summit on successful pre-booking diversion programs, hearing about local efforts to tackle mass incarceration. And just last month, the President attended the National Prescription Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit to announce additional access to treatment, sterile syringes, and other public health approaches and responses; and granted commutations to 61 people sentenced to extremely long sentences for drug crimes.
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All of these are strong statements about our changed approach. But there is perhaps no bigger stage than the United Nations to articulate a new vision for how we will address the "world drug problem" as a country.
While we cannot undo the damage that has been caused by the War on Drugs, or the discriminatory policies sparked by the Nixon administration and carried out and exacerbated by subsequent administrations, we can ensure that the same mistakes don't continue to be repeated at home or replicated abroad.
Vengeance may best be served cold for some people, but in Strauss's Elektra it is a rite of unbridled passion and Nina Stemme conveys all its fury in a fiery performance of the title role in the Metropolitan Opera's stark and searing new production.
With Adrianne Pieczonka giving a captivating reading of Chrysothemis, Waltraud Meier singing the tortured Klytamnestra (to use the opera's German spellings for all the characters), and Eric Owens as Orest, his mother's nemesis, the new staging by the French director Patrice Chereau is 100 minutes of almost nonstop rage that ends in one of opera's most frenzied bloodbaths.
It is a gripping account of the classic Greek tragedy that the Met Opera will make available to audiences around the world on April 30 when the matinee performance of Elektra will be simulcast to more than 2,000 theaters in some 70 countries.
Chereau uses a spare unit set of whitewashed stone with an entrance to the Atreus family palace at center under a sort of bandstand shell in Mediterranean blue. Steps lead down from a porch to a courtyard, while a metal door on rollers that looks like a storage warehouse entrance leads off stage right. The costumes are sort of Eileen Fisher modern.
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Strauss was still aglow from the success of his first opera, Salome, in 1905 when he happened to see a play by Hugo von Hofmannsthal titled and based on Sophocles' tragedy about Agamemnon's troubled daughter. The composer immediately contacted the playwright with an idea for an opera, but it was more than three years before their collaboration reached the stage in Dresden.
Elektra was a departure musically for Strauss. Expressionism was coming into vogue, and the dissonant, clashing chords that open the opera, and the harsh atonal passages that build the drama throughout - especially in the confrontational duets between Elektra and her sister and mother - were excitingly new at the time.
In a way Hofmannsthal's libretto owes almost as much to Freud or Shakespeare as to Sophocles. Freud's Studies of Hysteria had been published and one case study of a patient with split personality resembles some of Elektra's symptoms. Klytamnestra's nightmares, with her suppressed memory of murdering her husband, echo Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams. And, of course, there is the obvious comparison to Hamlet.
The character of Elektra has been one of the most enduring from ancient Greek literature. Depending on which playwright you read - Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles all had a go writing about her - the details of her story as well as the endings vary, and Hofmannsthal's version, which cites Sophocles as its inspiration, is as valid as any of them.
The back story, however, is pretty much agreed on by all. Agamemnon, the chief Greek general of the Trojan War, returned home to find his wife, Klytamnestra, had taken a lover, Aegisth, in his 10-year absence. Wife and lover then kill him at his welcome-home banquet.
Agamemnon's young son, Orest, is hustled off to safety by Elektra and her sister(s) (in other versions Iphigenia is Agamemnon's other daughter, but she doesn't appear in Sophocles' play or Strauss's opera). In due course, Orest will return to avenge his father's murder by killing his own mother and her lover.
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The opera begins in the courtyard of the Atreus palace in Mycenae where servants taunt Elektra for her continued grieving over her murdered father. Chrysothemis comes out to appeal to her to drop her obsession and return to palace life, a suggestion Elektra treats with utter contempt.
Klytamnestra enters and complains about her nightmares that keep recurring and asks her daughter's advice on how to stop them. Electra replies that a special sacrifice would end them. Klytamnestra hopefully asks what should be sacrificed. A virgin, maybe? When her daughter replies that it is she, the Queen, who must die, her mother retreats into the palace.
When Orest does finally arrive, he is in disguise and he and Elektra don't recognize each other immediately. Once they do, however, they have a touching reunion then waste little time dispatching Klytamnestra and Aegisth. Revenge for their father's murder is complete and Orest walks off while Elektra does an agitated dance of exultation.
Much of the opera consists of Elektra's lamentations, beginning with her opening "Allein! Weh ganz allein," which Stemme imbues with genuine anguish and grief in a strong yet plaintive voice that carries over the huge orchestra even from the back of the Met stage.
The role is a demanding one with a daunting range, both vocally and emotionally, and Stemme masters it completely, from tender remembrances of her father to her fantasizing about dancing on the corpses of his murderers. Her long "Orest" soliloquy when she finally recognizes her brother is a small tour de force.
As Chrysothemis, Pieczonka is excellent as the young sister who basically has a "life goes on" outlook and longs only to become a wife and mother and live a normal existence somewhere far away from Mycenae. Pieczonka has a lovely vibrant soprano that soars to grand heights, especially in her early "Ich kann nicht sitzen" aria.
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Education Images via Getty Images Villagers From Different Villages Attending Training Session At Ralegan Siddhi Near Pune, Maharashtra, India. (Photo by Education Images/UIG via Getty Images)
NEW DELHI -- For centuries now, village councils in India have doled out terrible retribution against those who defy the social norms of their communities. Maharashtra has become the first state to pass a law which says that with the exception of the courts, no one can act as judge, jury and executioner.
On Wednesday, a day before the 125th birth anniversary of Dalit icon B.R. Ambedkar, the state legislature unanimously outlawed the social boycott of individuals by any person or any extra-judicial group in Maharashtra.
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This is the first serious attempt by a state to reign in these groups, which go by different names such as "Caste Panchayat" in Maharashtra and "Khap Panchayat" in Haryana. They wield immense power in communities which are governed by social codes rather than the law of the land. In the rural hinterlands, the decrees of village elders, who are often members of these groups, are taken more seriously than court rulings.
While recognizing the challenge of implementing the law effectively, human rights activists in Maharashtra are rejoicing at its passage, and they give due credit to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in the state for working with civil society to get the job done.
"If executed properly, this law has the capacity to change the fabric of society. It is a renaissance and a recognition of individualism," said Mukta Dabholkar, human rights activist and daughter of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.
After waging a long struggle to get superstition and black magic outlawed in Maharashtra, Dabholkar was just a few months into the fight against caste panchayats, when he was shot dead by two men in August 2013. He used to say caste is the biggest superstition in this country. This was a big part of his life, his daughter told HuffPost India.
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While working together on this movement, Dabholkar said that they discovered how tools like excommunication and boycott were used not out of any conviction or desire to uphold tradition, but out of vested interests and the desire by some to control others. We saw how machinery of caste operates to keep itself alive," she said. "It is like politics, you control people, you control power."
It is a renaissance and a recognition of individualism.
Maharashtra has seen some appalling instances of social boycott involving people from all different backgrounds. There was the famous case of the mountaineer who conquered Mount Everest, but was ostracized in his village because his wife did not wear a bindi and mangalsutra. In Osmanabad, Dalit families were chased out of their village because they played songs dedicated to Babasaheb Ambedkar
Now, anyone who indulges in social boycott will face three years in jail and a fine Rs.1 Lakh, which can be awarded partly or fully to those who suffer the ordeal.
It was a long struggle. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should be congratulated for the grit and political tenacity he has shown," said Irfan Engineer, who heads the Mumbai-based Centre for Study of Society and Secularism.
Engineer is also the son of Asghar Ali Engineer, who led the reform movement within the Dawoodi Bohra, a small sect of Shia Muslims based in Mumbai.
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The boycott which his father suffered was so severe that he could not find a place to bury his mother because the graveyard was closed to him, and he was buried in a graveyard for Sunni Muslims in 2013.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should be congratulated for his grit and political tenacity.
It Started With The Bohras
While the anti-boycott movement picked up just a few months before Dabholkar was killed, the law isnt entirely without precedent.
In 1949, Home Minister of Bombay Province Morarji Desai got the Legislative Assembly to pass the Prevention of Excommunication Act, which was aimed at protecting reformist members of the Muslim-Bohra community, who were ostracized by the then High Priest, and denied access to mosques and graveyards.
While the Bombay High Court upheld the law on the grounds of religious freedom, it was struck down by the Supreme Court in 1961. The apex court saw merit in the High Priests argument that he must have some control to prevent dissidence and anarchy, and ruled that invalidating excommunication on any grounds also violated the free practice of religion.
Then, excommunicated members of the Bohra community approached the political reformist Jayprakash Narayan, who helped set up the Justice Narendra Nathwani Commission, but later dissociated himself with it. In 1979, the Nathwani Commission recommended that excommunication in the Bohra community should be made illegal.
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Four decades on, Maharashtra has a law that outlaws boycott in all communities.
Instead of letting this moment pass, Krishna Chandgude, a human rights activist who was deeply involved in the anti-boycott movement, wants the rest of the country to follow the example set by Maharashtra.
Khap Panchayats, Caste Panchayats, whatever you call it. It is a parallel judiciary which weakens the Constitution, he said.
It is a parallel judiciary which weakens the Constitution.
Challenges
Activists say that the Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2016, is quite comprehensive but the real test will be its implementation.
The Act requires the appointment special officers who will detect social boycott, and help the police bring the culprits to justice. Activists, however, are worried that the power-wielding village elders are likely to influence or bribe state officials, which is usually the way things go in India.
For this reason, Dabholkar is worried that social boycott is a bailable offense under the Act.
For any chance of effective enforcement, experts say that human rights activists will have to work closely with state officials to inform people about the law. They will have to take the lead in convincing victims and survivors of a boycott to speak out. This can be an incredibly dangerous proposition which requires activists to build trust before someone agrees to open up.
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Another big challenge will be proving social boycott in a court of law because many of these situations involve oral directions -- nothing is written down or recorded. The police could find it incredibly hard to find evidence of premeditated boycott unless a member from inside the community speak out.
It is rare for people to speak out against their own communities.
To show that there is concerted action is difficult, said Engineer. It will be a huge effort to get convictions in court. But even if there is one conviction it will drive fear in the minds of people."
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ASSOCIATED PRESS A polling official makes an ink mark on the index finger of a woman before she casts her vote during the second phase of Assam state assembly elections inside a polling station on the outskirts of Gauhati, Assam state, India, Monday, April 11, 2016. (AP Photo/ Anupam Nath)
Political differences led to divorce in a village in Assam after a Muslim man separated with his wife as she decided to go against the village diktat of voting for the Congress party.
The wife, a BJP supporter, voted for the saffron party in the state assembly elections.
Dilwara Begum was divorced by her husband Ainuddin after she defied the village diktat and voted for BJP candidate Pramod Borathakur.
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The bizarre incident took place in Donam Addahati village in Sonitpur district, where the village heads apparently have a strong inclination towards the Congress, said news reports quoting regional media.
In the diktat, the villagers were mandated to cast their votes for the Congress.
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NOAH SEELAM via Getty Images Visually impaired Indian students take the Intermediate (10+2) Political Science (Civics) examination on laptops at an examination centre on the outskirts of Hyderabad on March 15, 2010. Nethra Vidyalaya Junior college provides free education exclusively for low socio-econimic underprivileged blind students. The question paper was scanned and recorded in the laptops of 55 students who listened to the questions through their headphones and typed the answers. AFP PHOTO/Noah SEELAM (Photo credit should read NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images)
We live with a saturation level of technology and gadgets around us. Nearly every day, new gadgets are invented to make our lives easier. But not each gadget is accessible to differently abled people. It is difficult for a lot of people to use the traditional input systems such as keyboards, mouse and touchscreens and read on traditional monitors. An Indian company called BarrierBreak is trying to now bridge the accessibility gap.
BarrierBreak is a company that develops and sells a range of accessibility technology products. These products cover solutions for a range of conditions, from visual impairment to learning disabilities. The company sells gaming products, screen readers and magnification software, among others.
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"Our vision at the company is not just to be an NGO but to be better enablers for differently abled people. We are here to make a profit but while developing technology that can be even used in a wider consumer market. At our company, 75% of our staff has some disability. That shows that they can understand the problem better and deliver amazing solutions. We believe that from simple things to cutting edge technology can help people. We focus on the problem rather than the technology," founder Shilpi Kapoor said in an interview with Huffpost India.
"We also hold a yearly event called TechShare. We invite people from all over the world to showcase the innovations in the accessibility sector. We have got an immense response over the years. Big corporations like Mircosoft and Google are helping us taking these innovations to a larger audience. In TechShare, a panel of experts give out Global Elevate awards to encourage more entrepreneurs to work in this sector," she added.
Many of their products are ingenious. The company has developed a big trackball as an alternative for a mouse, for people who lack motor skills. Another of their mouse alternative is Tracker Pro, which is a camera that tracks the head movement and moves the pointer accordingly.
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One of their premium products is Eyeglaze Edge, which allows a person with limited mobility to operate the computer using eyes. By looking at cells displayed on a screen, a user can generate speech either by typing a message or selecting pre-programmed phrases.
BarrierBreak has developed keyboards for people with visual, learning or motor disability. They have also developed simple gaming solutions like 2x2 cube, adaptive toys, and games.
The company has developed a wide range of products for the visually challenged. The solutions include handheld and stand magnifiers, 2.1x power glasses, braille displayer, screen magnifying software and much more. They also have hardware magnifiers, which enables people to read newspapers and books in a better way.
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"I have been handling post-sales support at BarrierBreak. I test the products, I ensure that they are working well. These are not products where we can say chalega. A lot of people depend on these daily. We leave no stone unturned. I also guide the customers on how to use the products. It is a great work to do," said Amit Bagwe, who is a training & support executive in the company. He is a holder of an IT degree who has visual impaired, so he decided work with people who would help others with disabilities.
"Before joining Barrierbreak, I was working with an NGO. Although I did some testing work with the company. In one of their events they invited me to join the company and my boss at NGO also encouraged me. I have been working here for 4 years. I really feel happy when people who use the products give me good feedback," he added.
BarrierBreak has also been setting up model resource centres across the country, where physically challenged people can go and access the technology they have developed. Right now there are 4 centres in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Mumbai and Chennai.
"There are surely libraries across the countries which have books in braille, but there are a lot of other people who have a different disability. We want to set up centres for addressing all those problems with the technology we have in our hands," said Kapoor.
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Major tech companies have recently focussed on aiding accessibility. Google has released a bunch of tools to help the differently abled people. Microsoft has also developed a 'Seeing AI' which focuses on assisting the visually impaired. Twitter and Facebook have also released tools of accessibility.
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ASSOCIATED PRESS Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, second left, wearing white, visits the site after a massive fire broke out during a fireworks display at the Puttingal temple complex in Paravoor village, north of Thiruvananthapuram, southern Kerala state, India, Sunday, April 10, 2016. Dozens were killed and many more were injured when a spark from an unauthorized fireworks show ignited a separate batch of fireworks that were being stored at the temple complex, officials said. Most of the people died when the building where the fireworks were stored collapsed, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, the state's top elected official.(Press Trust of India via AP)INDIA OUT
The Kerala Director General of Police TP Senkumar said during an interview that he had objected to the back-to-back visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi shortly after the fire tragedy in Kollam. He was especially opposed to the idea of the Prime Minister visiting the area within hours of the explosion in the Puttingal temple in Paravur, which left over 100 people dead.
Speaking to The Indian Express he said, "I did object to the idea of the Prime Minister visiting the region within 12 hours of the accident. I told them it would be better for the PM to visit the spot a day after the disaster. But the PM wanted to visit that day itself. Our entire force had been working from early morning, engaged in rescue and relief work. So much work was still left and all of them were tired because there was no provision of even drinking water. We had to make arrangements for the safety and security of Prime Minister Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi too."
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Rahul Gandhi at the site.
He said that some of the police personnel who were working round-the-clock for rescue operations and also had to be employed for the security of politicians were nearly on the verge of collapse. The district administration, he alleged, couldn't even supply them with drinking water.
Senkumar added that he had to coordinate with the SPG (Special Protection Group) for the visit. He explained that the protocol demands that during the visit of a VVIP, the secretary of the concerned department communicates with the police. However, this time, the Prime Minister spoke to Kerala CM Oommen Chandy, whose office asked Senkumar to expect a call from the SPG.
Following Senkumar's revelation, Chandy rushed to defend his government, the Prime Minister and all other politicians. "The PM's visit to the spot was a great relief for the people. National leaders visited and their presence and advice and help was a great thing for Kerala. All rescue operations were over in the morning. We all concentrated on treatment of the injured after 6 am," he said.
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He even dismissed Senkumar's allegations as a 'non-issue'. Instead he contested the DGP's claims by asserting that the PM or Rahul Gandhi's convoys didn't hold up relief work at all.
"There is no harm in national leaders coming to the site. It helps the residents get maximum assistance," he said, not exactly specifying how these political leaders visiting would expedite and aid relief work being carried out by the police on the ground.
Union Minister Rajeev Pratap Rudy defended the PM's visit too and said that he only visited the site after the rescue work was over, at 5 pm that day. The PM is said to have flown down 15 burn specialists with him to help treat the victims.
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Hindustan Times via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - MARCH 11: An auto rickshaw driver waits as he was stuck in huge traffic Jam due to the Art of Living foundation's 3-day-long World Culture Festival Near Akshardham Temple on NH-24 on March 11, 2016 in New Delhi, India. With Art of Livings World Culture Festival begins on Friday, major traffic snarls may grip arterial roads in East Delhi. Four major roads - NH-24, Ring Road, Noida Link Road and DND Flyway witness heavy traffic. Delhi Traffic Police imposed 13 major traffic diversions to avoid inconvenience to general commuters. People have been advised to take public transport to commute. Around 6,000 personnel from all 11 districts of Delhi Police and its specialized units like the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and Special Cell deployed at the World Culture Festival. (Photo by Ajay Aggarwal/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
NEW DELHI -- Close to 400 people die in road accidents everyday in India, and a large number of deaths are caused because the victims cannot get medical aid in time. In other words, road accident victims often die because no one stops to help them or because an ambulance can't reach them in time.
Given the traffic situation, the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government has figured that it would be easier for an autorickshaw to reach road accident victims than an ambulance.
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And so, the Delhi government is offering Rs. 2,000 to autorickshaw drivers who take road accident and trauma victims to hospital, The Hindu reported today.
Delhi, a city of 22 million people, has 152 state-run ambulances, which works out to one for every 144,736 people, The Wall Street Journal reported in 2014. The World Health Organization says there should be at least one ambulance per 100,000 people.
The truth is that in Delhi, ambulances do not reach the victims in time. If we follow protocols and wait for ambulances, we will not be able to save lives. We are giving this economic incentive to Good Samaritans because they lose time from work. In most cases, their clothes are bloodied and we do not want them to suffer because of helping accident victims," Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain told The Hindu.
"We cannot put a price tag on a life saved. This is just a token, and it is optional it will be up to the people to take this money, he said.
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In March, the Supreme Court approved the central government's guidelines to protect "Good Samaritans," who help road accident victims, from being harassed by police.
The National Crimes Records Bureau report says 4,50,898 road accidents resulted in 1,41,526 deaths in 2014. The maximum fatalities were reported on Delhis roads with 2,199 deaths during the year.
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Mail Today via Getty Images MUMBAI, INDIA - MAY 15: Hrithik Roshan and Farhan Akhtar during a press conference to unveil the first look of 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' at Novotel, Mumbai on May 15, 2011. (Photo by Yogen Shah/India Today Group/Getty Images)
Shakun Batras Kapoor and Sons, produced by one of Bollywoods most sought-after banner, Dharma Productions, has been one of the biggest hits from this year. The film also drew abundant critical acclaim for its sensitive portrayal of a wildly dysfunctional family which included a homosexual son, a role that was essayed wonderfully by Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.
However, not many are aware that some of Hindi film industrys top-stars were offered the same role, and they said no to the film because they had reservations about playing gay.
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Yes, its 2016 and some of our industrys brightest talents are so protective about the heterosexual alpha male personality of their screen avatars, that they won't accept a role that marks a departure from it.
Among the actors who were given a narration of the film are Farhan Akhtar, Saif Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Aditya Roy Kapur and Shahid Kapoor, film-critic and journalist Rajeev Masand has revealed in a column for Open Magazine.
Karan Johar had previously said that he had a tough time trying to cast for Fawad Khan's character. In an interview with Bombay Times, he said It was a tough film to cast. There was a point when we almost didn't make it. We kept it on the back-burner for over a year. No one was willing to do Fawad Khan's role. We went to six actors and after six rejections, I told Shakun that we should drop the idea and he started developing another screenplay. Later, in a flash of thought Fawad came to my mind. I sent him the script, he loved it and said he would do it.
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Its especially disappointing to find Akhtar in the list as he was one of the first Bollywood A-lister to laud Kapoor and Sons publicly. He is also known for his 'liberal' politics and has often made his opposition to the Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code known. In fact, he had said that the law that criminalises homosexuality is 'primitive'. "I feel it is a primitive law and does not have any place in today's society. People have the freedom to choose who they want to be with. As long as they are consenting adults, they have the right to do what they want and I don't think we should be peeping inside people's bedrooms and telling them what to do," he had told Hindustan Timesin an interview.
Yet, he is believed to have had 'reservations' about playing a gay character. One can only wonder about the reason he got cold feet. Was it the assumption that a money-spinning, traditional Bollywood hero could be a crook, a violent loafer, a sociopath, a corrupt man, a womaniser, but never a gay man on screen? After all, these are characters routinely essayed by Bollywood's heroes for the industry's biggest hits.
It is saddening also because Akhtar is the guy who is credited with bringing in the so-called 'Bollywood New Wave' with Dil Chahta Hai, a film that challenged existing norms in the industry and the society. At a time when we need our writers, actors and other artistes to disrupt the status quo, the alleged reason for Akhtar backing out of the film is disheartening.
Same holds true for Saif Ali Khan, an actor who hasnt shied away from experimenting and whose film-palette include movies as wide-ranging in genres as Being Cyrus (2005) , Omkara (2006), and even a Humshakals (2014). It is quite strange that Saif Ali Khan had no problem signing up for a stupid, sexist movie such as Humshakals and decided to reject Kapoor And Sons.
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Why Roshan was not inclined to take up this role is best-known to himself but one would imagine that he wouldn't get into something that would question his alpha screen hero image, carefully cultivated with his screen characters and biceps. This, despite having authored a heartfelt essay for The Times Of India wherein he wrote about how 'homosexuality is not a disease' and that 'discrimination against homosexuals is wrong.'
The most disappointing bit here is, all the men mentioned in the list are competitive actors and may have pulled off the role had they showed a little more gumption. After all, why would they lose out on a chance to experiment with a character that allows them to demonstrate their acting prowess?
Top Hollywood stars (all major box-office draws) like Marlon Brando, Robert Redford, Al Pacino, Tom Hanks, Will Smith, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, have essayed the role of a homosexual character at some point in their careers, but unlike them, Bollywood stars are a reluctant, image-obsessed lot in an industry that begs for more maturity.
If in todays day and age, a top producer has to run pillar-to-post to cast for the role of a gay man, there is something seriously rotten in the way Bollywoods leading men look at homosexuality. For all its inclusiveness, this instance stands out, and is a horrid reminder of the film industrys regressive attitudes.
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RAVEENDRAN via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA: Chief minister of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh Mulayam Singh Yadav (L) talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a function during which an agreement to link two key central Indian rivers was signed, in New Delhi 25 August 2005. The pact is part of the national project 'Inter Linking of Rivers' which aims at shoring up surplus water resources to combat droughts and floods. AFP PHOTO/RAVEENDRAN (Photo credit should read RAVEENDRAN/AFP/Getty Images)
Seventy-eight-year old Hans Raj Bhardwaj, usually referred to by the media as an 'old Congress loyalist', has said that the UPA-I government, headed by Manmohan Singh wanted to dissolve the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led Samajwadi party government in Uttar Pradesh. This was in 2007 and the party was allegedly annoyed with the Yadav government's corruption.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Bhardwaj said, "Mulayam was continuously under pressure of dismissal over alleged corruption. I advised the government that his government could not be dismissed only on the ground of corruption. So long as they were in majority, they would have to be challenged on the floor of the House. But the Congress was not convinced. And this became a controversy."
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He added that though Manmohan Singh was in two minds about the decision, a 'core' group of the party was for the dissolution of the UP government. Bhardwaj claims to have let his displeasure known in front of party members like Sonia (Gandhi), Pranab (Mukherjee), Shivraj Patil, Manmohan Singh, P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal.
The government, as we know, wasn't dissolved.
However, it must be noted that this isn't the first time that Bhardwaj has taken potshots at the Congress. In fact, he has relentlessly criticised the Congress over the past couple of years and has not previously made a mention of this incident. Speaking to The Indian Express back in July 2015, Bhardwaj had said, "No, they are not in a fit state of health to control this powerful campaigner who is backed by a powerful cadre. That is why there was a virtual walkover in 2014." He was referring to Modi and Congress' presence or lack thereof in several states like UP and Bihar.
An article on IBN Live notes the fact that Bhardwaj has been relentless in his attacks on his own party, doesn't surprise the Congress party itself.
DP Satish wrote in IBN Live last year, "His 'outbursts' have not shocked anybody in the Congress. According to many top Congress leaders the party has now become a sour grape for him. Bhardwaj has never been a front ranking leader of the Congress, though he claims and believes that he is one of the stalwarts of the party. A five time Member of the Parliament (all through backdoor Rajya Sabha), he was a junior minister for Law in Rajiv Gandhi and PV Narasimharao Governments for nine years. He never contested in any direct elections and has no grassroots level support.
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He was elevated to the rank of a Cabinet minister of Law and Justice by Sonia Gandhi in the Congress led UPA 1 between 2004 and 2009. Most part of his tenure was controversial including the alleged 'let off' of main accused in the Bofors scam Ottavio Quattrochchi."
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Perry Preschool. Abecedarian. Chicago Child-Parent Centers. Boston. Tulsa.
For early-childhood advocates, those namesshorthand for some of the most well-known studies of early learning programsare routinely used to justify expansion of prekindergarten programs.
And that expansion is taking place. More states are using their dollars to either expand preschool programs or launch them.
But an analysis of 10 influential early-childhood studies , including the five mentioned above, points away from prekindergarten as an effective intervention for struggling children, according to a new report from the American Enterprise Institute. Katharine Stevens, AEIs research fellow focusing on early-childhood education and policy and the reports lead author, contends that strongest research shows that high-quality programs focusing on infants, toddlers, and families do the most to improve child outcomes not pouring money into preschool for 4-year-olds.
Lets just say that youre expanding a pre-K program that costs $10,000 a year. What are you getting for your money? Stevens asked hypothetically in an interview. What youre getting is that children entering kindergarten know a few more letters at the beginning of kindergarten than they otherwise would. It seems to me that we would be better off taking our $10,000 and using that to tackle the environments that are shaping kids in the first months of their lives.
Stevens and co-author Elizabeth English started by asking experts in the field which early-childhood studies they considered to be most important. Perry Preschool is a well-known study that has tracked children from their toddler years to middle-age. Boston and Tulsa, Okla. have been the sites of research in prekindergarten research. The Chicago Child-Parent Center study also tracked participants well into adulthood. And Abecedarian was a study of a high-quality child care program that participants entered as infants and left when they started kindergarten.
The other early-childhood programs included in the report are the Abbott Preschool Program in New Jersey; Georgias pre-K program; the Head Start Impact study; a study of the Nurse-Family Partnership, a home-visiting program ; and a study of Tennessees state-run preschool program.
The report goes into detail on each program, noting that many of them had very different features. For example, Boston, Tulsa and Tennessee, generally look like many state-run pre-K programs. Perry Preschool, however, despite having preschool in the name, offered center-based education as only one of its interventions. A weekly home-visiting component was also an important component. The Nurse-Family Partnership program, in contrast to Perry and to state pre-K programs, had no preschool component. The interventions started with women who were pregnant for the first time and continued until their child turned two.
The report also goes into detail on the strengths and weaknesses of the different research methods used by the scientists who were tracking program outcomes. Randomized control trials, which allow researchers to compare children who enrolled in a program to children who did not, are called the most rigorous method for determining a programs impact. Other methods have flaws that mean the findings have to be examined closely, the report says:
Research results are often reported as though they are universal truths, rather than findings from a particular study of a particular program in a particular context. Nonexperts--including parents, policymakers, and the general public--often fail to realize the extent to which the reported results are uncertain, shaped by the specific methods that generate them, and speak only to narrowly tailored questions. In other words, while research findings may be presented in black-and-white terms, especially in policy conversations around early childhood, those findings have more gray and less relevance than is often acknowledged.
The most rigorous studies that show long-term positive impacts are Perry Preschool, the Nurse-Family Partnership and Abecedarian, Stevens concludesand none of those programs looks like todays average state pre-K. What they do have in common is that the programs worked closely with families, and with very young children.
Stevens says she believes programs for children younger than age 4 have not received the same attention as prekindergarten, because prekindergarten has a built-in set of supporters: local school systems, teachers unions, and state superintendents among them.
Theres a whole set of alliances around adding pre-K in a way that there isnt around advancing the understanding that child care is a really crucial early-childhood prorgram, she said.
The analysis also argues that researchers need to focus more on the long-term impact of programs, and should try more innovative research approaches. Rather than spending tens of billions of dollars to scale up unproven programs, the federal government can contribute most effectively by helping build the knowledge base needed to support future investment, the report said.
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.
Students who receive testing accommodations could get new protections when they take state-required college admissions exams, under proposed draft regulations for the Every Student Succeeds Act.
Draft regulations released earlier this month by the U.S. Department of Education acknowledge a growing problem as states increasingly embrace the SAT or ACT as their official high school test, and require it of all students. If finalized, the rules would require states to show that students are being treated equally when their states require them to take the SAT or ACT.
As EdWeek reported in February, the College Board and ACT have denied many students the testing accommodations theyre used to, putting students with disabilities in a tough spot when their states require them to take those exams . In some states, students must choose: take the test without their normal supports and risk a compromised score, or insist on their normal accommodations and give up the chance to use the score for college admissions, as their fellow students can do.
That accommodations disparity caught the eye of the U.S. Department of Justice , which had begun collecting information on the accommodations practices of ACT and the College Board (and other testmakers).
Testing Accommodations Under the Every Student Succeeds Act
Enter ESSA, the latest incarnation of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. One of its new provisions, as EdWeek highlighted last fall, allows states and districts to use a nationally recognized high school assessment for accountability instead of its statewide test. Lots of questions began to float about what that would mean, but one question, in particular, focused on how well tests like the SAT and ACT can measure mastery of a states academic standards. Thats not, after all, what college-entrance exams were designed to do.
The latest turn of events came out of the negotiated rulemaking process for ESSA. As our Politics K-12 blog explains , thats a process that puts appointed panelists in a room, gives them some guidance, and asks them to come up with draft regulations on certain portions of the new law. If they cant, which is the most typical outcome, the Education Department drafts regulations itself. One of the issues that negotiated rulemakingknown among insiders as neg reg"tried to tackle was a set of assessment provisions in ESSA. That nationally recognized high school assessment provision is one of them.
After a couple of rounds of meetings, the Education Department drafted some regulatory language based on what the negotiators had discussed so far. These arent set in stone; Theyre guidance for further discussion , and must still appear in the Federal Register for comment. But its notable that language about the accommodations disparities now appears in those draft regulations. Its a sign that federal officials are watching that situation.
Draft Regulations for High School Testing Under ESSA
Heres a link to all 25 pages of proposed regulations on assessment , dealing with questions about 8th grade math testing, testing for students with disabilities and English-learners, and other issues. If all you want is the section about the nationally recognized high school assessment, thats been excerpted in this five-page section .
So here are the notable draft-regulation tidbits about that new provision of ESSA that allows a nationally recognized high school assessment, with some semi-flippant EdWeek air quotes to help with translation.
Before allowing a district to use such a test, states must ensure that the use of appropriate accommodations ... does not deny any student the opportunity to participate in the assessment or afford any benefit from such participation that is not equal to the benefit afforded to students who do not use such accommodations. EdWeek air quotes: You cant put students in a situation where some come out with a college-reportable score and some dont. Whats the definition of a nationally recognized high school assessment? Its an assessment of student knowledge and skills of high school students that is administered in multiple states and used by institutions of higher education in those states for the purposes of entrance into postsecondary education or training programs or courses of study or for placement into courses in postsecondary education or training programs or courses of study. EdWeek air quotes: Yes, this probably includes PARCC and Smarter Balanced, since theyre given in multiple states and usedat least in some statesto place students into college courses. Could this mean that districts could use PARCC or Smarter Balanced in high school instead of the test their state picked? An interesting question, though maybe not too likely to move from the abstract to the real world, since states are dropping consortium tests most often at the high school level.
A few other notable tidbits from the draft regulatory language on testing:
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Mount Greylock School Building Committee Discusses Design Details
Stephen Wentworth, third from left, attends Thursday's meeting of the School Building Committee. He is slated to fill a vacancy on the committee.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Mount Greylock School Building Committee on Thursday started digging into the nitty gritty of design work that will produce a final plan for the district's addition/renovation project.
Although the broad strokes of the project were hashed out in the project's feasibility and schematic design phase, much of the detail work was saved until after the district and the Massachusetts School Building Authority knew that the project had local voters' approval, which it won last month.
On Thursday night, architect Dawn Guarriello took the committee through some of the design refinements that have been made since the schematic design was submitted to MSBA.
The committee also discussed the role of working groups looking at items ranging from locker choices to materials to how to incorporate the stained-glass pieces that have been produced by Mount Greylock students over the years and which adorn the current junior-senior high school.
Principal Mary MacDonald said subgroups are being formed to address specific parts of the building, incorporating input from faculty, staff, students and community members.
To further outreach to the last group, co-Chairwoman Paula Consolini is developing an online form that will be posted on the Friends of the Mount Greylock Building Project Facebook page.
Committee member Richard Cohen emphasized that the School Building Committee should have an opportunity to review decisions being made by the working groups, particularly those that can impact cost.
"Anything that impacts cost estimating we would absolutely bring to your attention," said Guarriello, part of the team at Perkins Eastman.
Also on the subject of cost, the district's construction manager told the committee about how the project will be tracking "value engineering" ideas during the final design and construction phase.
Turner Construction's Ziobrowski also talked about an ambitious construction timeline that hopes to complete asbestos abatement this summer in the building's "central spine" the area between the auditorium and gymnasium that will be completely renovated in the building project.
"The goal is to have all the abatement done before the kids go back to school," Ziobrowski said. "We know it's a stretch, but that's the goal. In mid-September, once school starts, the [interior] demolition really goes to town. I know it's a loud operation, and we'll be as sensitive as we can, installing masonry walls that are somewhat soundproof."
Much of that abatement will take place in an area where the current Tri-District administration is located.
One of the first moves later this spring and early summer will be to relocate the offices of the Tri-District staff, a move that raised a question from Cohen.
Cohen asked whether the school committees that govern the Tri-District Mount Greylock, Williamstown Elementary and Lanesborough Elementary had been consulted about whether it made sense to move the Tri-District offices to temporary quarters at Mount Greylock only to move them again when the school's current academic wings are torn down as part of the add/reno project.
From Day 1, it has been understood that the central administration would be relocated off-site. The MSBA does not pay for square footage used to house district administration.
"When we talked about phasing, we found we were able to take advantage of the vast real estate Mount Greylock has," MacDonald said.
"That might be the right decision," Cohen said. "The administration may have discussed this. [Mount Greylock School Committee Chairwoman] Carrie Greene may have been involved. But this is a decision that should have been made by this committee and the Tri-District committees.
"It really is not something that is in the purview of the administration."
Superintendent Douglas Dias said Cohen raised a good point and that he would pursue the question with the district's counsel to make sure the decision process is proper.
In other business on Thursday, the School Building Committee was informed that Chris Galib is stepping down from the body. Stephen Wentworth has volunteered to take her place in the chair reserved for a member of Lanesborough's Finance Committee; Wentworth attended Thursday's meeting but is unable to vote on the committee until the Mount Greylock School Committee approves a new roster.
Rachel Sussman's use of resin and gold powder technique captures the cracks in the museum's pavement for her 'Sidewalk Kintsukuroi' photography series.
Mass MoCA Show Challenges Visitors to Consider 'Space Between'
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The galleries at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art are renowned for the challenging, inventive creations featured in them, but a new show at the museum challenges visitors to pay attention to the areas between the galleries.
With "The Space Between," which opens on Saturday, April 16, Williams Graduate curatorial intern Nina Wexelblatt has fashioned an experience that takes advantage of the parts of a museum experience that are not often focused on what happens as you move from one exhibit to another.
Wexelblatt says she was inspired by the building and campus themselves, which display a level of character that most museum buildings, built for their specific purpose, do not have. Wexelblatt's own visits to the museum, her own interaction with the space, also informed her conception for the show.
"I was also inspired by my weird experience of coming to Mass MoCA and even after many visits still being disoriented, and maybe getting lost or wandering," she said. "I wanted to do a show that could only be in a kind of space like this, and also something that would harness that disorientation or make that wandering quality productive, or make it something unexpected, and that would reward aimlessness or getting lost or stumbling on something."
Wexelblatt chose a group of artists whose work had already dealt in some capacity with the concepts of the in-between, of gaps and absences, which resulted in some sight-specific installations, as well as some adaptations of previous work, as with Rachel Sussman's use of resin and gold powder to fill in the cracks in one of the museum's courtyard, a technique she used for her "Sidewalk Kintsukuroi" photography series.
Andy Graydon will install a sound piece in the light well between the Sol Lewitt gallery and Building 5, consisting of human voices offering incomplete art proposals for the actual space the sound art exists in. Each landing of the three-story staircase feature a different channel of audio.
Amalia Pica's "Stabile #2 (with confetti)," features a scattering of confetti on the floor of the museum lobby, greeting visitors even as it hints that they might have missed the party.
"Her practice is a lot about communication and miscommunication, and what the physical remnants of that communication could look like," Wexelblatt said. "Maybe people would become more sensitive to not just what's presented, but maybe the way that things are put together the structure of those experiences, the structure of communication, the structure of movement, in a way that they are not always trained to be aware of."
Walead Beshty's sculpture is actually a display of a glass cube that has been shipped inside a FedEx Box, along with the box itself. It's a collaboration with the invisible workers of shipping companies that get our packages from one place to another.
Amalia Pica's 'Stabile (with confetti)' greets visitors even as it hints that they might have missed the party.
"They're not art handlers, so it cracks and breaks," said Wexelblatt, "and there's scuff marks and stickers that get put on the box and then it's displayed alongside the box that has these cracks and things along the surface of it. It's investigating the in-betweens of these invisible systems. It becomes an index of the treatment where you don't see it at all, you never think about what happens in transit. But there it is, this object that makes visible all the things that happened in transit. It's evidence of that in-between space."
Wexelblatt also included work in the show that is not properly on the Mass MoCA campus, as with Edson Chagas' billboard installation, featuring two photographs of found objects, one taken in his homeland of Luanda, Angola, and one taken in London. The billboard is currently on Route 8, but will move to the corner of River and Marshall streets in May.
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The parent-trigger movement that allows parents to petition to take over failing schools is hitting obstacles in California because the system to determine if schools are indeed failing is in transition.
In 2010, California was the first state to pass a so-called parent-trigger law , which allows parents to overhaul schools that are determined as failing by turning them into charters, removing the administration, or taking other measures. Its also the only state, out of six that have such laws, to successfully execute a campaign.
But now California school officials and parent advocates have different opinions about how to figure out which, if any, schools are actually failing and are subject to parent-trigger campaigns.
Two school districtsLos Angeles Unified and Anaheim Cityrejected parent-trigger petitions because, they argue, the test scores are outdated.
It gets a little bit technical: California is moving to a new accountability system, which, in part, will incorporate the results of the Smarter Balanced assessments that began in spring 2015.
Under the parent-trigger law, California has used adequate yearly progress, or AYPa measure under the federal No Child Left Behind law that is being phased out to determine if a school is failing. But California froze its 2013 scores when it switched to the new testing system, meaning the test results are several years old. The latest AYP scores dont even include test resultsonly participation, attendance, or graduation figures.
Two school districts have argued that those test results are too old to use for a parent-trigger campaign.
In the Anaheim case, a judge ruled last year in favor of the parents, saying that the older test scores should count in allowing for parent-trigger efforts. The decision is under appeal. (Heres a story I wrote about Anaheim when I was working for EdSource last year .)
In Los Angeles Unified, district officials recently rejected a petition by the 20th Street Elementary Schoo l, saying test scores were outdated so the school did not qualify for an overhaul. Parent Revolution , a group that organized that schools parents, is using the Anaheim court ruling to dispute the districts decision.
You cant just rule a statewide law out of existence, said Gabe Rose, chief strategy officer for the California-based group that has served as a national leader in the movement.
California isnt alone in changing accountability methods. States across the country have switched in the past few years to new testing systems. Plus, Congress last year passed the new Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaces the NCLB law and will affect states accountability systems.
John Rogers, an education professor at the University of California-Los Angeles who has researched the parent-trigger movement, said he thinks the California cases point to a bigger issue: The long and slow and painful death of parent trigger, he said.
Rogers said he started his research without knowing if the parent-trigger movement was working. But now he believes the parent-trigger movement has been unable to make widespread change, both in California and nationwide, as it was intended to do. See Education Weeks snapshots of the parent-trigger attempts in California as of last year .
State lawmakers and board of education members have been slow to take up the issue because they dont see it as a viable threat, Rogers said.
It doesnt have much power anymore, Rogers said. It seems to be a sideshow to either district-level reform or charter reform. It never really made much sense.
Rose disagrees about the effectiveness of the parent-trigger movement.
I dont think parent trigger is being uniquely ignored [in California], Rose said. I think the state is working very, very, very slowly on anything with accountability right now.
Meanwhile, other states have had little success in passing parent-trigger laws in recent years. As of last month, four states had introduced parent-trigger bills in 2016 legislative sessions, but no action had been taken this year.
A fifth state, Illinois, sent a bill to a legislative committee on April 5. But nothing has happened in committee on that bill so far, said Rep. John Anthony, who introduced the bill, in an email.
Rose said his group continues to have conversations with other states about joining the parent-trigger efforts. But he blames teachers unions and other groups for stalling such plans.
The people in power having taken power away from [parents], Rose said.
Education Week has been tracking the parent-trigger movement since it started. Here are some of our stories:
Contact Sarah Tully at stully@epe.org .
Follow @ParentAndPublic for the latest news on schools and parental involvement.
Dont miss another K-12 Parents and the Public post. Sign up here to get news alerts in your email inbox.
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
By Emmanuel Felton
Updated.
A California appeals court, reversing a trial courts ruling in the landmark Vergara case , has found that Californias job-protection laws for teachers do not in fact violate the state constitutions equal protection guarantee.
The appeals court ruled April 14 that the plaintiffs in the Vergara case had failed to prove sufficiently that the states teacher-employment laws, including tenure and termination provisions, inevitably cause a certain group of students to receive an education inferior to the education received by other students.
In a unanimous decision, the panel of three judges ruled that while the job-protection laws may in fact lead to the employment and retention of more bad teachers, the statues say nothing about how those ineffective teachers are assigned.
Critically, plaintiffs failed to show that the statutes themselves make any certain group of students more likely to be taught by ineffective teachers than any other group of students, wrote Presiding Justice Roger Boren.
The trial courts rulingciting a California Department of Education report that established that high-poverty schools were far more likely to employ high numbers of ineffective teachershad given credence to the notion that there was a so-called dance of the lemons in school districts because administrators were restricted from terminating poorly performing teachers. The appellate judges ruled, however, that the department of education report never suggested that the employment-law statutes caused those disparities. They instead placed blame on the counterproductive hiring and placement practices of district administrators.
This phenomenon is extremely troubling and should not be allowed to occur, the justices argued. But it does not inevitably flow from the challenged statutes, and therefore cannot provide the basis for a facial challenge to the statutes.
While the appeals courts ruling notes that the plaintiffs did successfully highlight some of the issues with tenure and seniority protections, the prime culprit for the concentration of ineffective teachers in poor and minority schools, the court concluded, is individual staffing decisions.
The plaintiffs case was originally funded by a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, David Welch, and brought by the group Students Matter , a California nonprofit that aims to use impact legislation to improve schools. The case had cemented strong divisions between influential education-advocacy groups, becoming a veritable litmus test for competing approaches to school improvement.
The original ruling had been stayed pending the appeal, so the laws remained largely unchanged.
The decision comes just hours after a similar suit was filed in Minnesota . The plaintiffs in the Vergara case are expected to appeal the decision to the California Supreme Court.
For more on the Vergara case:
Nearly two years after California superior court judge Rolf M. Treu struck down five key sections of Californias job-protection laws for teachersa ruling that has spawned copycat lawsuits in other statesan appeals court in Los Angeles yesterday completely overturned his verdict.
In a unanimous decision the three-judge panel ruled that Treu had erred in finding that the challenged provisionswhich grant teachers due process rights, establish the time framework for schools to make tenure decisions at 18 months, and require school districts to lay off teachers based on senioritywere the root cause of the troubling pattern of poor and minority students being more likely to get taught by ineffective teachers.
Not surprisingly given the history of the case , the new ruling in the Vergara v. California case has been met with conflicting reactionsas well as vows on both sides to press for change.
In a statement, the California Teachers Association, declared the opinion a stinging rebuke to the allegations made and millions of dollars spent by wealthy anti-union education reformers to bypass voters, parents, and the legislature with harmful education policy changes.
But the backers of the suit lambasted the rulings logic and vowed to take their fight to the states highest court.
Every student deserves a great public education; yet Californias education laws make this impossible , said David Welch, the Silicon Valley entrepreneur who helped fund the suit. Today, the courts failed to safeguard students constitutional rights. I hope and expect that the California Supreme Court will step in and protect the rights of millions of students across California.
The Court of Appeals decision mistakenly blames local school districts for the egregious constitutional violations students are suffering each and every day, added Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr., lead counsel for the plaintiffs. But the mountain of evidence we put on at trial provedbeyond any reasonable disputethat the irrational, arbitrary, and abominable laws at issue in this case shackle school districts and impose severe and irreparable harm on students. We are disappointed by the Court of Appeals decision today, but expect that the California Supreme Court will have the final say.
Other observers focused on the practical aspects of the ruling and the school-equity issues that remain at stake.
Im sad, not because of the decision necessarily, but I just hope that the conversation doesnt die with it, said Katharine Strunk, an associate professor at the University of Southern Californias Rossier School of Education. The research is incontrovertible, every piece of high-quality research says that the kids who need it the most arent being served well. It doesnt matter if the laws are unconstitutional or not, we must tackle that head on.
American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten argued that the ruling places the onus on administrators to address those issues .
When it comes to tenure and due process, these are essential protections for teachers to do their jobs, but they should never be used as a cloak for incompetence or an excuse for managers not to manage, said Weingarten. This is what the court ultimately found when it concluded many school districts are able to use the existing law effectivelyit is not the law that is the problem, but rather the administration of the law. Heres the simple truth: We cannot fire or sanction our way to high-quality schools. We stand ready to roll up our sleeves and do the hard work necessary for every public school to be a place where parents want to send their children, where educators want to work and where children thrive.
Weingarten said that, moving forward, districts and states should be focusing on the very real teacher shortage problem.
John Rogers, a professor at the University of California at Los Angeless education school who had supported an amicus brief opposing the original ruling, echoed that point.
To some extent the decision puts to rest a case that was always in something of a time warp, said Rogers. The case arose out of a set of political dynamics that were created by the recession and budget cuts. We are in a very different political context now, as we struggle with how to deal with the teacher shortage. The critical issue is getting more people who are deeply committed and well-trained into the profession and supporting them through their careers.
Teacher shortages, Rogers asserts, are felt hardest in schools that primarily serve poor and minority students.
I was in Los Angeles during the late 1990s and early 2000s after the legislature decided to decrease class sizes, despite the fact that so many teachers were retiring, said Rogers. In south Los Angeles districts like Lynwood, Compton, and Inglewood, more than 50 percent of teachers lacked a credential. We need to find ways to address the shortage and do it equitably.
While the case will almost certainly be appealed to the state Supreme Court, Lily Eskelsen Garciapresident of the National Education Association, the nations largest teachers unionargued that the best solutions to these types of equity problems wont come from the courts .
The Vergara v. State of California lawsuit was an example of using our court system for political goals. The unanimous three-judge panels opinion states it clearly. The plaintiffs caseinstead of addressing and proposing solutions to the real problemsfocused on the wrong issues, proposed the wrong solutions, and used the wrong legal process, she said in a statement. Ensuring that every student gets a good education is a critical goal but one that cant be solved with stripping our teachers of their rights. Today was a win for our educators, our schools and most importantly, our students.
USCs Strunk is less sure.
What Ive been saying about Vergara all along is I dont know if its right for the courts to do this, she said. But weve been trying for years to fix this in the legislature and through the proposition system. If you look at polls, they consistently say that the public does not agree with tenure laws as is, but we cant make a change in Sacramento. I hope that regardless of what happens with the Supreme Court that this will serve as a wake up call for legislatures. We need to really be thinking hard about how we staff schools.
The research is clear, she added. We know providing good teachers is the most important thing we can do in schools.
Press Release: IMF Reaches Staff-Level Agreement with Tunisia on a Four-Year US$2.8 Billion Extended Fund Facility
End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMFs Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF's Executive Board for discussion and decision.
Press Release No. 16/168
April 15, 2016
Mr. Amine Mati, Mission Chief for Tunisia at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement in Washington today:
I am pleased to announce that, in support of the governments comprehensive economic reform agenda, the Tunisian authorities and IMF staff have reached a staff-level agreement on a 48-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for 375 percent of Tunisias quota in the IMF (about $2.8 billion). This agreement will be subject to approval by the IMFs Executive Board, which is expected to consider Tunisia's request next month.
The EFF supports the authorities economic vision and reform priorities spelled out in the forthcoming Five-Year Development Plan. The governments economic program recognizes the importance of accelerating the pace of economic reforms for Tunisia to reduce vulnerabilities, boost growth, and foster sustainable job creation. Preserving macroeconomic stability, modernizing public institutions, boosting private sector activity, and reinforcing the stability and efficiency of the financial sector are essential to achieve higher inclusive growth and make a significant dent in unemployment, particularly for the youth.
To this end, the Fund-supported program focuses on boosting public investment, making the tax system more equitable and fair, and improving access to finance for small businesses. Building on the achievements of the previous program, the EFF seeks to re-orient public expenditure towards priority investments and to improve public service delivery through a comprehensive civil service reform that also contains the wage bill.
Near-term priorities include the approval of draft legislation aimed at strengthening central bank independence and banking sector stability; the completion of the restructuring of the three public sector banks to ensure that they operate on a sustainable footing; and the adoption of an equity-enhancing tax strategy.
With the implementation of these policies, Tunisia will be better placed to address economic challenges and mitigate risks that could arise from a worsening international economic environment or rising regional security tensions. Overall, the EFF will help the Tunisian authorities achieve their objectives of generating faster and more inclusive growth, reduce regional inequalities, and raise the living standards of all Tunisians.
IMF Survey : Conflicts and the Refugee Crisis: An International Call for Action
More than 23 million people in the Middle East are displaced due to conflict
Massive scale, pace of the current refugee crisis require a collective international response and stepped up financial support
Host countries need to scale-up labor market reforms to better integrate refugees
Efforts to deal with the current and unprecedented refugee crisis require a bigger, bolder, and broader approach the IMFs Christine Lagarde told a seminar at the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings.
2016 IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings
This is a humanitarian crisis of huge scale requiring collective and massive action, Lagarde said. The financing volumes and levels of government support need to be bigger than what people think of at the moment, she added.
The seminar Conflicts and the Refugee Crisis: an International Call for Action brought together senior national policymakers, members from international organizations, and other stakeholders to identify key policy responses to build awareness of the need for scaled-up and robust international cooperation. The panelists also discussed the impact of the crisis on source, transit, and host countries.
Many of the refugees stem from the current Syrian conflict which alone has produced nearly five million refugeesthe majority of which fled to Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan. Europe has also experienced an unprecedented surge of asylum seekers, with about 1.2 million entering the European Union in 2015.
Lagarde stressed that all the international institutions have to be a part of the equation and need to develop policies on how to best integrate the influx of refugees into labor markets fairly. For countries that are able to integrate refugees into the workforce, the influx can boost growth potential, Lagarde said, citing IMF research that showed that long-term growth could increase by 0.2 percent on average in the European Union. In a region where average growth is about 1.5 percent, 0.2 percent is worth looking at, she added. The current crisis is not something that matters only to Lebanon, Jordan or Germany, but it matters to everyone. Security and hosting refugees is a public good, Lagarde emphasized.
Panelists discuss the economic and political challenges of hosting refugees (photo: IMF)
A Humanitarian Crisis
Kyung-wha Kang, a United Nations Assistant Secretary-General agreed with Lagarde that the response has to be more of a collective endeavor. Over 42,000 people every day get displaced because of conflict, violence or persecution, she said.
The Assistant Secretary-General reminded the audience that other countries are also dealing with conflicts, such as Iraq and Afghanistan. She went on to say that before the Syrian crisis, we always talked about the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the largest conflict-related displacement situation, but now due to the scale of this current refugee crisis, the DRC has dropped off the radar even though conflicts and displacements continue. Kang added that the speed of migration hitting the shores of Europe and neighboring Arab countries is one of the biggest challenges policymakers are facing.
Kristalina Georgieva, Vice President of the European Commission, talked about Europes experience, which is in the process of adopting a four-pillar approach aimed at building a much stronger Europe to cope with these shocks of migration flows. The plan, which is still under talks, consists of harmonizing asylum policies, particularly in terms of social benefits and access to labor markets; securing external borders; combating human trafficking; and tackling the root causes of displacement.
Integrating Refugees
Jordan has historically supported refugee inflows across their borders for decades and has borne the majority of refugees from Syrias civil war. Jordans Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Imad Fakhoury, cited Jordanian citizens as being truly heroes because of their constant hospitable approach welcoming their Arab brothers and sisters into our borders over many decades.
Fakhoury mentioned that Jordan has adopted a holistic approach of integrating the refugees into the labor market. The country recently opened up certain sectors of the economy to allow Syrians to find work. We have found a way to expand the economic pie of Jordan but not displace Jordanians from their own jobs, he said.
Nevertheless, with a high debt-to-GDP ratio at around 90 percent, the 1.3 million Syrians displaced in Jordan is taking a heavy toll on the countrys finances, said Fakhoury, who is seeking financial support from the international community to sustain its economy and infrastructure. Fakhoury emphasized that countries like Jordan should be recognized for their efforts and sacrifices, but should not be left to shoulder the burden alone.
Ian Bremmer, President of Eurasia Group, agreed with the Ministers call for collective action but argued that there should be less focus on great powers and more focus on what can be done to help support the local and regional powers who are clearly going to be forced to bear 99 percent of this burden.
Lagarde agreed that the IMF is working on making better policy recommendations that give countries affected by the refugee crisis credit for making changes that are macro-critical. Responding to a question from an audience member about the IMFs role on women and girls in refugee situations, she said its not mainstream business to focus on [these types of] issues, but the membership understands that many of these issues have macroeconomic dimensions. I will continue to raise my voice wherever I can, she concluded.
IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde asking the panel to recognize Jordans consistent efforts throughout the crisis (photo: IMF)
Imperial Valley News Center
Marketers of Indoor Tanning Systems to Pay Refunds to Consumers
Washington, DC - The Illinois-based marketers of Mercola-brand indoor tanning systems will pay refunds to consumers and will be permanently banned from marketing or selling indoor tanning systems, under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.
In the FTCs complaint, which was filed in federal court, the Commission charged that Dr. Joseph Mercola and his two companies ran ads claiming that their indoor tanning systems are safe, that research proves indoor tanning does not increase the risk of melanoma skin cancer, and that their systems which deliver both ultraviolet (UV) light and red light can reverse the appearance of aging. The FTCs complaint alleged that these claims are false, misleading, or unsubstantiated.
According to the complaint, the ads also falsely stated that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has endorsed the use of indoor tanning systems as safe, and represented that an organization called the Vitamin D Council has recommended the tanning systems without disclosing that the Council was paid for its endorsement.
The Vitality Elite tanning bed sold by Mercola.
These types of false claims are especially troubling because of the serious health risks posed by indoor tanning, said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection. The fact is, indoor tanning is not safe because it increases the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma.
According to the FTC, Dr. Mercola and the two companies Mercola.com, LLC and Mercola.com Health Resources, LLC advertised their systems through the Mercola.com website, Google search ads, YouTube videos, and newsletters and claimed that consumers could Slash [Their] Risk of Cancer by tanning indoors and improve the clarity, tone and texture of [their] skin, basically giving [them] a more youthful appearance.
The defendants sold several different models of indoor tanning systems, intended for home use, including beds, door mount models, and standing systems, with varying numbers of UV lamps. Mercola brand tanning systems include the D-Lite, Sun Splash, Sun Splash Renew, Vitality, Vitality Refresh, and Vitality D-Lite. The systems sold for between $1,200 and $4,000 each.
The proposed stipulated final order bans the defendants from marketing or selling indoor tanning systems. It also prohibits them, in connection with the sale of devices other than indoor tanning systems, from making false or unsubstantiated health-related or efficacy claims, from misrepresenting the existence or results of scientific tests or studies, and from falsely claiming that the benefits of such devices are scientifically proven. The proposed order also requires clear and conspicuous disclosure of material connections between the defendants and any individual providing an endorsement or review of such a device.
Finally, the defendants must pay refunds to consumers who bought Mercola brand indoor tanning systems between January 1, 2012 and the present. An FTC redress administrator will send refund eligibility notices and claim forms to these consumers. Purchasers who want a refund must return the claim form by the date stated in the letter. The defendants are required to pay a maximum of $5,334,067 to cover the cost of refunds and administration of the refund program.
The Commission vote authorizing the filing of the complaint and approving the proposed final order was 3-0. The complaint and proposed final order were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division.
The FTC is a member of the National Prevention Council, which provides coordination and leadership at the federal level regarding prevention, wellness, and health promotion practices. This case advances the National Prevention Strategys goal of increasing the number of Americans who are healthy at every stage of life. These cases are part of the FTCs ongoing efforts to protect consumers from misleading advertising.
The Commission files a complaint when it has reason to believe that the law has been or is being violated and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. Stipulated final orders have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.
Imperial Valley News Center
New Research Ship Ready for Duty
Arlington, Virginia - Amid booming fireworks, steely skies, blustery winds and the joyful cheers from a large crowd of well-wishers the brand-new research vessel Neil Armstrong recently arrived at its new home at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, officials announced today.
During a pierside ceremony featuring remarks from former astronaut Neil Armstrong's widow, Carol, current astronaut Sunita Williams, and Frank Herr, head of the Ocean Battlespace Sensing Department at the Office of Naval Research, spoke about the important work the new research vessel will perform.
"Our Navy and our federal partners who use the ship gain great value from the research the ship enables over its life," said Herr. "I estimate that Neil Armstrong will enable more than 11,000 scientific journal articles, generations of scientists who will gain at-sea training while performing work for their graduate degrees, and a huge amount of ocean engineering development for new sensors and devices, which continue to permit our oceanographers to lead the world in understanding the oceans."
Since the end of World War II, the U.S. Navy has provided state-of-the-art research ships to select universities and oceanographic institutions to support mutually beneficial scientific studies of the marine environment.
The Navy and other federal agencies fund the construction of oceanographic research ships, and provide them to U.S. academic institutions for operational management and use. This allows contributing agencies to take advantage of research opportunities using the entire U.S. academic research fleet -- providing a range of ship sizes and capabilities, cooperative missions and significant cost savings.
The Neil Armstrong is operated by Woods Hole, a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to marine research, engineering and higher education, under a charter agreement with ONR.
"The U.S. Navy is proud to support the national research fleet by delivering state-of-the-art research vessels like the R/V Neil Armstrong," said Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Mat Winter. "The collaborative projects that will be undertaken on the Neil Armstrong highlight the vital partnerships ONR has developed with research institutions and academia."
Named after the first person to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong replaces the R/V Knorr, which Woods Hole operated from 1970 to 2014. Knorr was a celebrated vessel, serving as the command ship during the discovery of deep ocean thermal vents (nicknamed "black smokers") in 1977 and the wreck of RMS Titanic in 1985.
Neil Armstrong is a deep-ocean, general-purpose research vessel that will be used for a wide range of scientific studies including ocean chemistry and geology, underwater acoustics, marine biology and ecosystem management, and marine technology.
Some of this work will be essential to gaining a greater understanding of the Earth's changing climate and learning more about the environments in which the Navy operates, said Tim Schnoor, who oversees ONR's research vessel programs.
The 238-foot Neil Armstrong can sail on cruises as long as 40 days and accommodate 24 scientists in addition to the 20-person crew. The vessel has advanced sonar to map the ocean bottom in greater detail and state-of-the-art meteorological sensors.
It also features the latest navigation and ship-positioning systems and a specially designed hull that minimizes bubbles sweeping below it, improving sonar sensing. The ship also runs on clean diesel engines that are more fuel efficient than Knorr's.
Neil Armstrong and other Navy-owned vessels are among the largest in the U.S. academic research fleet, enabling research programs around the globe. The ship's first science mission will occur in the North Atlantic Ocean within the next few months.
Imperial Valley News Center
President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden's Meeting with Prime Minister Edi Rama of Albania
Washington, DC - President Obama joined a meeting today between Vice President Biden and Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama. The President, Vice President, and Prime Minister emphasized the importance of Albania's partnership with the United States.
The President and Vice President expressed appreciation for the critical role Albania plays in advancing regional security and reaffirmed the importance of keeping the door open to Euro-Atlantic integration for stability in the Balkans. The President and Vice President commended Albania for its leadership in promoting religious tolerance, Albania's important contributions to the international coalition against ISIL, and for the significant steps Albania has taken to counter terrorism and violent extremism. The President, Vice President, and Prime Minister also agreed on the importance of continued reforms in order to advance Albania's European integration.
Pennsylvania Legislature Votes to Legalize Medical Marijuana
Pennsylvania legislators voted overwhelmingly this week to pass a medical marijuana bill into law, joining the growing group of states to legalize weed in a limited fashion. And it is very limited indeed in Pennsylvania, but the new legislation will address the needs of those who pressed hardest for its passage, a group of parents.
The Pennsylvania medical marijuana law was sought by parents of epileptic children with debilitating seizures, some of whom went door to door trying to convince fellow citizens of the need for this legislation to be approved for over a year. Let's look at the details.
Pain Relief
Although the state Senate first approved a bill legalizing medical marijuana in 2014, it faced continued opposition until now. This week it passed in the House of Representatives by a wide margin, a vote of 149-46. Governor Tom Wolf said he would sign the bill into law on Sunday.
Pennsylvania has now become the 24th state to legalize a comprehensive medical marijuana program, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Parents who were concerned about debilitating seizures and who believe a cannabis oil can be calming for their children expressed relief.
"Every day we roll the dice on our child's or our loved one's life," said Christine Brann, whose 5-year-old son, Garrett, is diagnosed with a severe form of epilepsy known as Dravet syndrome. Some parents were reportedly in tears after the vote, according to ABC News.
Conditional Use
The Pennsylvania law would limit marijuana to medical use only -- there are 17 conditions that qualify for cannabis treatment and the forms of consumption will be highly regulated. There will be no marijuana sold for smoking, the traditional method of recreational consumption. But pills, oils, liquid concentrates, edibles and other regulated alternatives will be available. Pennsylvania will collect a 5 percent state tax on all medical marijuana sales.
Governor Wolf released a statement after the vote, writing, "Today the House passed SB3, sending the medical marijuana legalization bill to my desk. I am proud and excited to sign this bill that will provide long overdue medical relief to patients and families who could benefit from this treatment. I applaud members of both parties in the House and Senate who have come together to help patients who have run out of medical options and want to thank the thousands of advocates who have fought tirelessly for this cause."
Accused?
If you live in a state that has not legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use and have been accused of a crime related to its consumption -- or any other crime -- speak 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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Public Workshop on the Agriculture Sector to Inform Development of the 2030 Target Scoping Plan Update
Sacramento, California - California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Natural Resources Agency and California Air Resources Board are jointly hosting a public workshop on the agriculture sector on April 27, 2016. This workshop will support the process to update the AB 32 Scoping Plan to reflect Californias goal to reduce statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, as directed in Executive Order B-30-15. This workshop builds upon the Natural and Working Lands public workshop held in Sacramento on March 23, 2016.
A copy of the presentation and other workshop materials will be available on the Scoping Plan webpage at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/scopingplan/scopingplan.htm
Materials will be posted by April 26, 2016, at 5:00 p.m. This workshop is open to the public and full participation by all
parties is encouraged:
DATE: Wednesday, April 27, 2016
TIME: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
PLACE San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
Central Region Office
Governing Board Room
1990 E. Gettysburg Avenue
Fresno, California 93726
Directions: http://www.valleyair.org/General_info/Directions_Fresno.htm.
A live webcast of the workshop will be available at:
http://www.valleyair.org/Workshops/public_workshops_idx.htm.
Remote participants will be able to submit e-mail questions
during the workshop at an address provided in the presentation.
Background on the 2030 Target Scoping Plan Update
This public workshop is part of the public process to update the
AB 32 Scoping Plan to reflect the Governors Executive Order
B-30-15, which establishes a mid-term GHG reduction target for
California of 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. All state
agencies with jurisdiction over sources of GHG emissions were
directed to implement measures to achieve reductions of GHG
emissions to meet the 2030 and 2050 targets. ARB was directed to
update the AB 32 Scoping Plan to reflect the 2030 target, and
therefore, is moving forward with the update process. The
mid-term target is critical to help frame the suite of policy
measures, regulations, planning efforts, and investments in clean
technologies and infrastructure needed to continue driving down
emissions.
In an effort to further the vision of AB 32, Governor Brown
identified key climate change strategy pillars in his January
2015 inaugural address. The pillars recognize that several major
areas of the California economy will need to reduce emissions to
meet the 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target. One of the key
pillars identified by Governor Brown was to ensure that State
agencies are managing farm and rangelands, forests and wetlands
so they can store carbon.
ARB is collecting public comments on the workshop material at
http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/scopingplan/scopingplan.htm. The webpage
to submit comments will be live beginning on April 27, 2016 at
8:30 am.
Environmental Analysis
This workshop will serve as a scoping meeting as required by the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to CEQA and
ARBs Certified Regulatory Program (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14,
15251(d); Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, 6000060008), staff is
reviewing the Proposed 2030 Target Scoping Plan Update to
determine if the proposed project will result in any potentially
significant adverse environmental impacts. Staff will provide an
overview of ARBs process for preparing the environmental
analysis (EA) and its content. Staff welcomes public input at
the workshop on the appropriate scope and content of the EA at
the beginning of our process, including the reasonably
foreseeable methods of compliance with the Proposed 2030 Target
Scoping Plan Update, the potential significant adverse impacts
associated with the methods of compliance, potential feasible
mitigation measures, and feasible alternatives to the proposal
that could reduce or eliminate any significant adverse impacts.
A Draft EA will be released for a 45-day public review and
comment period with the proposed Draft 2030 Target Scoping Plan
Update in early Fall of 2016. Comments received at this public
workshop will be considered when preparing the CEQA document.
If you require a special accommodation or need this document in
an alternate format (i.e. Braille, large print) or another
language, please contact Rachel Pallatin at 916-324-3502 or
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , as soon as possible, but no later
than 10 business days before the scheduled event/meeting.
TTY/TDD/Speech to Speech users may dial 711 for the California
Relay Service.
California is in a drought emergency.
Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.
You are receiving this single arbcombo email because you are a
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following lists: capandtrade, cc.
Under Secretary Sewall Travels to Mali and Guinea
Washington, DC - Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Sarah Sewall is on travel to Mali and Guinea April 14-21. Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zainab Hawa Bangura will accompany Under Secretary Sewall.
In Mali, Under Secretary Sewall will meet with Prime Minister Modibo Keita as well as other government officials, civil society representatives, and members of the diplomatic community to encourage implementation of the 2015 Accord for Peace and Reconciliation and to emphasize U.S. support for ensuring accountability for conflict-related sexual violence. She will also discuss the threat of violent extremism and meet with Malian officials who are drafting the countrys first national action plan to prevent violent extremism.
In Guinea, Under Secretary Sewall will meet with senior government officials and civil society representatives to discuss the investigation of the 2009 stadium massacre case, the ongoing challenge of sexual and gender-based violence, and the global threat of violent extremism. She will visit a U.S.-supported program focused on the elimination of female genital mutilation and cutting and meet with survivors and family members of victims of the 2009 stadium massacre.
The quality of care among commercial virtual visit companies in the US where patients used websites to request consultations with doctors they have never met via videoconference, telephone or web chat, has been found to be quite varied, according to a new study published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.
Such consultations have grown rapidly and the need to develop a regulatory framework or industry standards will partly depend on the level of variation in the quality of care provided, according to the article.
So Dr Adam Schoenfeld of the University of California, San Francisco, and co-authors examined variation in the quality of urgent healthcare among eight virtual visit companies.
The study used 67 standardised patients who presented to the virtual visit companies with six common acute conditions: ankle pain, streptococcal pharyngitis, viral pharyngitis, acute rhinosinusitis, low back pain and recurrent female urinary tract infection (UTI).
The 67 patients completed 599 virtual visits with 157 internal medicine, emergency medicine or family practice physicians from May 2013 to July 2014. This involved 372 videoconference, 170 telephone and 57 web chat encounters.
The authors measured the completeness of histories and physical examinations, correct diagnosis and adherence to relevant guidelines in management decisions.
Virtual visit physicians asked all the recommended history questions and performed all the recommended physical examination manoeuvres in 417 visits (69.6%) and named the correct diagnosis in 458 visits (76.5%). However, they named the wrong diagnosis in 89 visits (14.8%), or provided no diagnosis in 52 visits (8.7%).
Physicians adhered to guidelines for key decisions in just over half of the visits (325, 54.3%), and they referred patients to local bricks-and-mortar healthcare providers in 83 patient encounters (13.9%).
The completeness of histories and physical examinations, and the correct diagnosis varied by condition and virtual visit company.
Also, variation across websites was greater for viral pharyngitis and acute rhinosinusitis than for streptococcal pharyngitis and low back pain or ankle pain and recurrent UTI.
The authors noted that the study limitations included not knowing whether virtual visits were superior to or inferior to in-person visits, the exclusion of some virtual visit companies and the studys sample size.
JAMA Intern Med. Published online April 4, 2016. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.8248.
Medico-legal expert Eileen Barrington SC advises that when responding to Fitness to Practise charges, getting the tone and balance right is key, Lloyd Mudiwa reports.
The medical professions disciplinary process can break down into three phases the investigative phase; the hearing itself; and the imposition/confirmation of a sanction by the High Court, Senior Counsel (SC) Eileen Barrington explained at a recent medico-legal conference, and there were factors that needed to be taken into account at each of these stages.
Addressing BLMs Reform and Innovation: The future of healthcare regulation and claims in Ireland conference in Dublin last month (March 4), Ms Barrington, who represented Consultant Paediatrician Prof Martin Corbally in his landmark Supreme Court case against the Irish Medical Council in 2014, said the effect of that cases outcome was that its got rid of some of the smaller complaints about communication that dont go on to an inquiry any more.
Nonetheless, she added: Following a complaint, the most important advice to give to a medical practitioner is dont do anything.
She continued: Contact your indemnifiers, contact your union, take legal advice. Because the first thing that can be done is that the Medical Council writes out looking for your observations and comments, and you fire back a set of angry responses typed up at 1am in the morning and that ends up being a document that you are cross-examined on a year-and-a-half later over a day it can be a bit of a disaster.
Thus, she said, doctors needed to approach their medical indemnifier, explain that they had been the subject of a complaint and ask for advice as to how to address that complaint.
Frequently, medical practitioners are aghast to be the subject of a complaint, and if they do respond on their own perhaps dont fully appreciate that their responses would be communicated to the complainant. Therefore, its very important to consider the tone of the response thats going to be made.
A complainant may, for example, say they were the subject of a sexual assault during the course of a procedure and a doctor will say what is she talking about doesnt she appreciate that I saved her life, which, of course, is neither here nor there, and doesnt in fact address the issue at all, and starts the medical practitioner off completely on the wrong foot.
Apology
Considering the question, tone, and the topical issue, an apology also must be considered. Apology was a difficult thing, she acknowledged. In these initial observations and comments it is important to try and achieve some balance in relation to a complaint, because the potential range of outcomes of disciplinary inquiries is much greater than a standard litigation where a person brings proceedings and has to prove their case.
First of all, disciplinary inquiries are much less formal than court proceedings and rules of evidence are far more relaxed. The range of possible outcomes is much greater you could be struck off or simply be the subject of a lower sanction of advice or admonishment.
But even a lower sanction could be a significant problem, particularly for younger doctors, in subsequently moving through the ranks and reaching consultant status, Barrington cautioned. So it may be that the sanction is a low one but the finding itself is particularly significant and can be very damaging for a medical practitioner.
A practitioner has to consider to what extent am I going to acknowledge that any of this happened, or am I going to say nothing at all and put the complainant on proof.
Insight
The difficulty with that approach was that if the complainant succeeded, then the doctor appeared as if they had been obstructive and not shown sufficient insight into the complaint, Barrington advised. The problem, she added, was getting a balance between demonstrating an insight and making unnecessary concessions.
In my view it is best to, somewhere in the observations and comments, if there has been some degree of wrongdoing, to acknowledge it. On the other hand, there are cases where it is best to say nothing at all. If its an allegation, say of sexual assault, thats denied, well then denial is the only thing thats required to be put in.
She said a problem often encountered was where a complaint was made against a consultant and it was a member of their team that was responsible for an error that had occurred, and the consultant had the understandable and admirable response of wishing to apologise for what his team member has done.
What we often find is that a consultant apologises because an outcome hasnt been good for a patient and thereby they are taking responsibility for the outcome, because it is their team [that is] responsible. So then the consultant finds themself cross-examined on what exactly they are apologising for, if at the same time they are going to say Actually, I personally didnt do anything wrong at all, which is ultimately what they are going to be saying when it comes to defending the allegations directed personally at them.
Barrington said she had seen cases where so much information was volunteered: while the clinical notes were fairly scanty, a midwife took it upon herself to recreate exactly what she said had happened with a timeline and detailed notes and put this all in, in a bid to prove the case against her.
Of course, the experts and prosecution authority were then able to rely on exactly what she said had occurred to criticise her. They wouldnt have known all that just from the records that were being kept, Barrington observed.
She added: So there is balance to be achieved, and in coming to that balance it is important to have assistance to get the tone right to display some insight and to make admissions, if its appropriate, and to consider the long-term consequences of the admissions, because this is the key document thats going to give rise to cross-examination if the matter proceeds to an inquiry, and it will go on to inquiry if its a serious complaint at all.
'We Got Robbed': Pakistani Twitter Had a Meltdown Over 'Controversial' No Ball to Virat Kohli
Judge Sides With LA Archdiocese: Katy Perry Could Own Convent
Pop star Katy Perry has been trying to buy a convent in Los Angeles, but the five nuns who live there opposed the sale. Meanwhile, the local archdiocese says they decide who buys. Now a judge has sided with church officials and Perry seems primed to buy the property.
According to a CNN report with a remarkable number of the star's song titles, LA Superior Court Judge Stephanie Bowick threw out a prior sale by the nuns. But they say they may appeal, so Perry's deal is not quite sealed.
Sisters of the Immaculate Heart
The five nuns living in the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Convent promised this property to an LA restaurateur, Dana Hollister, for $15.5 million. Perry's offer was reportedly only $14.5 million, yet the archdiocese sought to block the sale to Hollister.
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles explained why it turned to the court in a statement. The restaurateur reportedly wasn't putting up much money, despite offering more than Perry. "The Archdiocese was forced to take legal action to protect all the five sisters from being taken advantage of by the Dana Hollister transaction in which Hollister improperly took possession of their property for only $44,000 in cash and a contingent promissory note," church officials said.
Why All the Fuss?
Remember, it's Los Angeles, so even the convent has a swimming pool and apparently "a sweeping view of the San Gabriel Mountains." The nuns are said to prefer Hollister as the buyer because Perry, raised Catholic, is too zazzy for their taste.
A lawyer for the star said he is confident the sale will go forward now. If money is the issue for the Archdiocese, Perry is certainly the solution.
Only the all-powerful Taylor Swift is her rival when it comes to earnings, and last year Perry beat Swift in the money game, making $135 million. She appeared on the cover of Forbes in a blazer embroidered with dollar signs, triumphant. Maybe next year, they'll do the shoot from her convent with the sweeping mountain view.
Follow FindLaw for Consumers on Facebook and Twitter (@FindLawConsumer).
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Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the
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Emilia Clarke faces a new round of questioning about Game of Thrones sex and nudity this month, with season 6 launching, and by this point shes come up with a pretty convincing answer.
Rather than cut down on the number of naked women, she thinks there should be more opportunity to objectify the men.
"There's plenty of female nudity [on Game of Thrones], myself included, and I feel like I think we should get some equal male nudity and female nudity," she told Conan OBrien on his chat show. "I think it is a discussion that should be had."
Somewhat shyly, she concluded: Free the penis.
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Her comments echo ones she made to Glamour earlier this month, joking that if she were behind the camera she would: "bring back all the pretty boys, get them to take their trousers down, and be like, 'I'm now the queen of everything! I'd like close-ups of all the boys' penises, please.'"
Season 6 of the show begins on 24 April with an episode called The Red Woman, it will be simulcast on HBO and Sky Atlantic in the US and UK.
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The first image to be released from Hollywood's Ghost in the Shell remake has incited a backlash from fans of the seminal anime film bemoaning Scarlett Johansson's casting.
The first look at the American actor's character has sparked fresh outrage from those who last year campaigned aginst producers' decision to cast the Avengers actor in the lead role as cyborg policewoman Major Kusanagi, The Guardian reports.
Leading the commentary against Johansson's casting is Asian actor Ming Na-Wen, the voice of Disney's Mulan who can currently be seen on Marvel television series Agents of SHIELD.
Some fans of the 1995 original went so far as to express potential plans to boycott the film.
Ghost in the Shell began life as a popular manga comic series, with the film - directed by Mamoru Oshii - serving as a clear influence on esteemed Hollywood films such as The Matrix and Avatar.
The remake will see Mitsuhisa Ishikawa's animation studio Production I.G. return to assist in the translation of the visceral sci-fi world depicted in the original.
Rupert Sanders (Snow White & the Huntsman) will direct Johansson in the live-action remake which has begun shooting in New Zealand. Co-starring Michael Pitt and Juliette Binoche, the film is due to be released in the UK on 31 March 2017.
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It's a scene every Star Wars fan remembers with a heavy heart - Obi-Wan Kenobi is mowed down by Darth Vader in the first Star Wars film Episode IV - A New Hope (1977).
While ultimately serving a purpose to the story - through his death, Kenobi became a guiding presence to Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) on his trajectory to Jedi Knight thanks to the force - it has now emerged, all these 40 years later, that the legendary character, memorably played by Alec Guinness, was originally supposed to survive the film.
Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew has been treating fans to a sneak peek at select pages from the original copy of his Star Wars scripts over the past few months.
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The latest photo to be tweeted by Mayhew shows a very different outcome to Kenobi's battle with villain Darth Vader.
In the original script, Kenobi survives and is even assisted by Skywalker who helps his protege defeat a group of attacking stormtroopers in the tense Death Star showdown.
We'll never know how these turn of events would have affected the story, but it's not a stretch to imagine that Obi-Wan would have joined Luke on his journey to Yoda's refuge, Dagobah, as seen in The Empire Strikes Back.
Another Star Wars revelation to have been revealed via Mayhew's Twitter account includes the definitive answer on whether or not Han Solo (Harrison Ford) shot Greedo first in the Mos Eisley Cantina (answer: he did).
Last week, the trailer for the franchise's upcoming spin-off prequel Rogue One dropped; you can view our shot-by-shot breakdown here - including the moment eagle-eyed fans spotted a scene filmed in a certain London underground station.
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UPDATED: Although reported on by numerous sources, it turns out 'manager' Brian Message wasn't actually Radiohead's manager at all.
The band has issued this statement: "At an industry event in London last night Brian Message was asked about new Radiohead music. Quotes attributed to him and taken from his talk have subsequently appeared, describing him as Radiohead's manager.
"Brian Message is not Radiohead's manager - he is a partner in Courtyard Management but plays no operational role, and therefore any quotes from last night's event, or any supposition arising from them, should not be attributed to Radiohead's management or be seen as official quotes on behalf of the group.
Although billed as Radiohead's manager, working for Radiohead's management company and with various places reporting he is Radiohead's manager, Brian Message is not Radiohead's manager.
ORIGINAL: Rumours surrounding Radioheads new album have been circulating for some time, with fans believing its release could be imminent. Fortunately, thanks to the bands manager, the rumours can be killed as he revealed when the album will be out.
Speaking at The Wanstead Tap in London, Brian Message told audiences how the follow-up to The King of Limbs would be available in June, the same month they kick off their world tour.
"The new Radiohead album out in June will be like nothing like you've ever heard, Message revealed, as Tweeted out by the venues account.
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In January, Radiohead registered a company called Dawn Chorus leading many fans to believe the album could be released at any moment.
Later in the year, in February, the band established Dawnchorus Ltd., adding to the speculation. What made this particularly meaningful was that, before the release of both In Rainbows and The King of Limbs, Radiohead started up companies.
Recently, long-time collaborator Stanley Donwood described the new album as 'a work of art, adding that - as of March - it wasnt actually finished yet.
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With just over a week to go until Game of Thrones' sixth season lands, HBO is drip feeding clips to keep spoiler-hungry fans at bay.
The previous one to be released was this particularly tense one featuring Kit Harington's presumed deceased Jon Snow while another focused on Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Theon's (Alfie Allen) escape from Ramsay (Iwan Rheon).
The latest scene to be teased, however, is one that places the newly blind Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) at the forefront.
The clip shows a mysterious woman approaching the young Stark girl - seemingly with the intention of training her in combat.
'Stand and fight, blind girl," the woman says, throwing a stick at Arya before brandishing one herself.
"I can't see," a worried Arya replies as she attempts to fend off the woman's blows.
Could this signal the start of a new training regime that'll see Stark evolve into a fighter who must rely on her senses? We certainly hope so.
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Over the past year, Arya's storyline has been teased via reports of Williams' filming schedule. First, there were photos of what appeared to be an underwater scene followed by leaked footage of the actor performing "Assassin's Creed-type" stunts.
It seems after a season of remaining silent and washing floors, Arya is being handed some solid action.
Game of Thrones' season six premiere, titled "The Red Woman", will air simultaneously with the US broadcast on Sky Atlantic from Sunday 24 April. The episode will be repeated the following evening at 9 PM.
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The US government is urging PC users to uninstall Quicktime from their computers, over fears that weaknesses in the software could leave them vulnerable to cyber-criminals.
As discovered by security firm Trend Micro, Apple, which develops Quicktime, is ending its support for the Windows version of the software.
This means it will no longer be issuing security updates, making it easier for hackers to use the software as a way into their targets' computers. The firm's experts also identified two "critical vulnerabilities" affecting the software, which could provide a window for hackers to launch cyberattacks against users.
Recommended Read more Microsoft has finally killed off Internet Explorer
Trend Micro's warning was echoed by the US Department of Homeland Security's Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), which said users who still have Quicktime for Windows running on their machines could now be vulnerable to "loss of confidentiality, integrity or availability of data," as well as facing increased risks from viruses and other security threats.
US-CERT also warned exploitations of these weaknesses "could allow remote attackers to take control of affected systems."
The only solution to the problem, it says, is to uninstall Quicktime for Windows from the Control Panel.
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
This kind of 'deprecation' happens fairly frequently, as software companies introduce new products and decide to stop spending time working on outdated progrms. Microsoft officially ended support for versions 8, 9 and 10 of Internet Explorer in January, leaving people still using them open to the same kinds of cyberattacks.
However, Microsoft told users in advance that support for these versions would cease - there appears to have been no similar warnings from Apple, although the company has been slowly winding up their support for Quicktime for Windows for a few years.
Trend Micro said there was no evidence that any hackers had exploited the Quicktime vulnerabilities so far, but since Apple won't be issuing any more security updates or keeping up with hacker activity against the software, it's now a prime target.
It's important to note that this issue does not apply to versions of Quicktime for Apple computers. Apple did not provide a comment on the matter when contacted by Reuters.
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The cost of operations to remove multiple decayed teeth from children has soared by more than 60 per cent since 2010/11 to more than 35m a year, councils have warned.
The Local Government Association (LGA) said it was concerned that children are being forced to miss school to have hospital operations on their teeth.
Its found there were more than 100 operations a day to remove multiple decayed teeth in young children and teenagers in Englands hospitals.
The researchers blamed excessive consumption of fizzy drinks and sugary foods as a major reason why more children are having teeth removed.
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
Figures show 35.3m was spent on multiple teeth extractions among under-18s in 2014/15, compared with 21.9m in 2010/11. Since then almost 140m has been spent.
There were 40,970 procedures among under-18s in 2014/15, compared with 32,457 in 2010/11, the LGA's analysis showed.
Izzi Seccombe, community well-being spokeswoman for the LGA, which represents more than 370 councils responsible for public health, said: "Our children's teeth are rotting because they are consuming too much food and drink high in sugar far too often.
"Nearly half of 11 to 15-year-olds have a sugary drink at least once a day. As these figures show, we don't just have a child obesity crisis, but a children's oral health crisis too.
"What makes these numbers doubly alarming is the fact so many teeth extractions are taking place in hospitals rather than dentists.
"This means the level of tooth decay is so severe that removal is the only option. It goes to show that a good oral hygiene routine is essential, as well as how regular dentist trips can ensure tooth decay is tackled at an early stage.
"Poor oral health can affect children and young people's ability to sleep, eat, speak, play and socialise with others. Having good oral health can help children learn at school, and improve their ability to thrive and develop, not least because it will prevent school absence."
Data from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) shows a steady climb in the numbers of children aged 10 and under needing the removal of one or more teeth, reaching 128,558 extractions since 2011, of which 14,000 cases involved children aged under five.
Press Association
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Chinas official statistics agency reported this morning that the worlds second largest economy is growing at its weakest quarterly rate in seven years.
Chinese GDP expanded at an annual rate of 6.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2016. Expansion has not been so slow since the first quarter of 2009 when the global economy was in crisis and the countrys GDP grew by just 6.1 per cent:
The economys slowdown seems to be getting worse.
Chinas growth over the whole of 2015 was 6.9 per cent, the slowest since 1990 when growth dipped to just 3.9 per cent:
Yet todays figures were in line with the consensus of most economists.
And they mean the Beijing government seems to be still on track to meet its own target of 6.5-7 per cent GDP growth for 2016.
China's extraordinary 'nail houses' Show all 8 1 /8 China's extraordinary 'nail houses' China's extraordinary 'nail houses' Nail houses in China A general view shows the demolition of a 'nail house', the last house in the area, at a construction site in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. The owners of the house had filed but lost a lawsuit against the developer of the land to seek more compensation before agreeing to the demolition of their home. The land will be used for a high-rise apartment project. Chinese media have since seized on disputes between developers and owners of so-called 'nail houses', whose owners have stuck to their ground and resisted demolition, holding up development projects in the world's fastest-growing major economy China's extraordinary 'nail houses' Nail houses in China A half-demolished apartment building standing in the middle of a newly-built road thanks to a Chinese couple that refused to move in Wenling, in eastern China's Zhejiang province. Luo Baogen, 67, and his 65-year-old wife have waged a four-year battle to receive more than the 41,300 USD compensation offered by the local government of Daxi, a Chinese newspaper said. The phenomenon is called a 'nail house' in China, as such buildings stick out and are difficult to remove, like a stubborn nail China's extraordinary 'nail houses' Nail houses in China A 'nail house', the last building in the area, sits in the middle of a road under construction in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. According to local media, the owner of the house didn't reach an agreement with the local authority about compensation of the demolition China's extraordinary 'nail houses' Nail houses in China A three-storey 'nail house', the last building in the area, with a Chinese national flag on its rooftop is seen in the middle of a newly-built road in Luoyang, Henan province. According to local media, the house owner did not agree with government's compensation plan for relocation and refused to move out China's extraordinary 'nail houses' Nail houses in China A six-floor villa is viewed on the construction site in the central business district of Shenzhen. Choi Chu Cheung, the owner of the villa, and his wife Zhang Lian-hao, refused to accept the compensation offered by the developer who plans to build a financial centre on the site. The couple are demanding that the developer compensate them with property similar in size or raise the offer from 6,500 yuan ($840) to 18,000 yuan ($2,327) per square metre China's extraordinary 'nail houses' Nail houses in China A 'nail house', the last house in this area, stands in the centre of a construction site which will be developed as a new apartment zone in Chongqing Municipality. The owners of the house insist in seeking more compensation before agreeing to the demolition of their home, local media reported China's extraordinary 'nail houses' Nail houses in China A view of where 75-year-old Yao Baohua's house (C) still stands in the rubble of a vast development site in the city of Changzhou in China's eastern Jiangsu province. The Yao home is the last one standing in the rubble of a vast development site in Changzhou, a Chinese 'nail house', the moniker earned for both their physical appearance and their owners' stubborn resistance China's extraordinary 'nail houses' Nail houses in China Chinese authorities carry sticks as they stand guard while workers demolish houses which are claimed illegal by the local government in Wuhan, central China's Hubei province. Land seizures have been a problem for years in China, and have given rise to the term 'nail house' to describe a holdout tenant or occupant, likening them to a nail refusing to be hammered down, and violent resistance has been reported in numerous cases as ordinary people take matters into their own hands to resist eviction they deem unfair
So should we be relieved?
Not so fast.
As is widely known, China needs to transition from a growth model based on massive investment and construction, fuelled by state-directed bank lending, to one based on household consumption and services.
But the latest data shows that this rebalancing is still tentative at best and might even be desribed as having stalled. Service sector growth slowed from 8.2 per cent to a disappointing 7.6 per cent. And there were big upside surprises in infrastructure and real estate output:
Economists say this reflects the Chinese government's loosening of credit via state-owned banks over the past year in response to fears of a hard economic landing. Total new credit advanced in the economy was RMB6.6 trillion in the first quarter, up 42 per cent on a year earlier:
This looks like an old-styled credit-backed investment-driven recovery The Chinese government was clearly giving growth all the attention in Q1, and now the question is how long it will maintain this undoubtedly unsustainable model. said Wei Yao and Claire Huang of the French bank Societe Generale.
Worse, many economists continue to doubt the veracity of the Chinese GDP figures.
The economic consultancy Capital Economics produce a proxy GDP reading for Chinas GDP based on statistical measures that are harder for the Beijing authorities to manipulate, such as electricity use and rail freight volumes.
And this indicator suggests the true rate of GDP growth in the Chinese economy is closer to 4 per cent:
The silver lining? On this metric, according to Capital Economics, Chinas growth slowdown does seem to have bottomed out. So things may be worse than we thought in China but they may not be getting worse in the way we might be led to think.
Why does any of this matter? Because China is still the single biggest contributor to global GDP growth. If China slows down very rapidly - or crashes - we will all feel it.
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Britain has joined forces with France, Germany, Italy and Spain to clamp down on tax evasion and corruption in the biggest effort yet to stop the rich and powerful stashing money away from the taxman in offshore accounts.
The announcement comes in light of the leak of thousands of confidential documents, the Panama Papers, detailing the secretive accounting methods used by some of the world's most powerful people to avoid paying tax.
The Chancellor George Osborne said: "Britain will work with our European partners to share data on ultimate owners of firms to strike another hammer blow against tax dodgers.
"This agreement will help expose the secretive shell companies and trusts used to evade tax, launder money and hide proceeds of corruption."
The international deal will make it harder for business and wealthy individuals to operate without paying correct taxes, the Treasury said.
The countries will now automatically exchange information on the "beneficial owners" of companies and trusts, including information that pertains to more secretive countries such as America, China and Saudi Arabia.
Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.
The exchange will take the form of a register detailing those benefiting from companies, trusts, foundations and shell companies, in a coordinated effort for better transparency on money kept overseas.
The announcement was made on Thursday under the watch of Christine Lagarde, IMF managing director, and Jose Angel Gurria, head of the OECD.
They will now push for the rest of the G20 nations to follow their lead.
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The bailout deal that rescued Greece from the jaws of bankruptcy may be on the brink of collapse after the International Monetary Fund said it was reconsidering its position as a creditor.
Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the IMF, has said that the budget targets set for Greece are highly unrealistic and would require heroic efforts by the Greek people to meet the level of austerity required.
The statement hints that the IMF may be considering pulling out of the deal agreed by Athens and eurozone creditors in July. Germany has warned that it would not be able to support the bailout plan without the IMF.
Lagarde was unable to say how the IMF would stay involved, except that it will not walk away from Greece.
The IMF wants Greeces European partners to grant Athens substantial debt relief, contrary to Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos and German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who told Reuters on Tuesday that he saw no need for debt restructuring.
The IMF has called for changes to value added tax, income tax and the public sector wage bill as well as cuts to pensions.
But Greece has resisted these tough measures, unwilling to hurt the countrys 2.7 million pensioners any more. They have already suffered 11 cuts to their monthly stipend since 2011.
Writing in the Financial Times, Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras said that his government could not understand why the IMF wanted to change the reforms to make them less progressive, shifting the burden on to the relatively poor.
Our government was reelected with a mandate to meet the twin objectives of fiscal discipline and credibility, on the one hand, and inclusion and social fairness, on the other, Mr Tsipras said.
Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greek finance minister, said that the conflict between Greeces European creditors and the IMF dates from the 2010 bailout of Greece.
Five years on, this IMF-EU impasse continues, causing a one-third collapse of Greek GDP and fuelling hopelessness to a degree that has made real reform harder than ever, he wrote in the German newspaper Der Spiegel.
The IMFs austerity package is inhuman because it will destroy hundreds of thousands of small businesses, defund societys weakest, and turbocharge the humanitarian crisis.
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.
Mr Varoufakis said that a decision on the future of the deal will be suspended until July when default and another debt crisis "will loom".
"At that point, in July, the IMF plans to corner Chancellor Merkel into choosing what costs her less politically: Continuing with the Greek program without the IMF? Or granting the Greek state substantial debt relief?
"As long as Mrs Merkel chooses one of these two options, the IMF will be out of the woods: Either it will exit or the debt write-off will have rendered its Greek program consistent with its 'primary directive'," he wrote.
Athens has said it will submit pension and income tax legislation to parliament in the week beginning April 18.
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Scientists have come up with a formula that could predict which area in a city is next in line for gentrification.
Cambridge University researchers used half a million tweets and Foursquare check-ins in over 40,000 venues from 2010 and compared them with deprivation scores.
The data showed the five London neighbourhoods that would be prime areas of gentrification in the next five years: Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Greenwich, Hammersmith and Lambeth.
These underdeveloped areas that were visited by various groups of strangers were most likely to become more desirable, according to the research team, which also involved academics from the University of Birmingham, University College of London and Queen Mary University.
Statista (Statista)
Hackney emerged as the area most likely to gentrify.
The East London borough had the highest social diversity score combined with the second-highest deprivation score in 2010. It had also seen the most improvement on the UK index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), which measures the prosperity of neighbourhoods across England, by 2015.
The area is now becoming more middle-class with house prices rising far above the London average, fast-decreasing crime rate and a highly diverse population, the study found.
Tower Hamlets, Greenwich, Hammersmith and Lambeth were next on Londons gentrification list, according to Cambridge researchers.
We found that the most socially cohesive and homogenous areas tend to be either very wealthy or very poor, but neighbourhoods with both high social diversity and high deprivation are the ones which are currently undergoing processes of gentrification, said Desislava Hristova from Cambridge Universitys Computer Laboratory.
Barking and Dagenham, Brent as well as Newham and Lewisham were likely to remain less desirable neighbourhood as they showed high scores of deprivation but less diversity.
The study, based on data from 2010, shows us how London has evolved rather than predicting the future. But if the study were to be repeated based on todays data it could show the areas which are most likely to undergo gentrification in the next five years.
Predicting gentrification of neighbourhoods could help local governments and policymakers improve urban development plans and alleviate the negative effects while harvesting economic growth, according to the research.
Growing resentment over the lack of affordable housing, with traditionally poorer parts of London becoming gentrified by middle-class families seeking to buy their own homes, has provoked a series of protests in Camden, Brixton, and Brick Lane in recent months.
Theres no easy solution to dealing with the problem, according to Dr Alasdair Rae, an expert on urban deprivation based at the University of Sheffield.
But building more affordable homes, developing a genuine anti-poverty strategy for inner cities, and recognising the uneven impacts of austerity across the country would be a start, he told the Independent in October.
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Swedish startups are planning a protest over issues with the country's education, tax and housing systems that are threatening to drive businesses out of the country.
Plans for a protest at Stockholms parliament building the Riksdag on May 11 come after Spotify co-founders Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon published an open letter on Medium.
In the letter, the founders warned that they would have no choice but to quit Sweden, taking thousands of jobs from the country and moving them to the US, if politicians didnt take action to address a housing shortage, the limitations of the education system and tax laws.
Since 2000, Sweden has produced seven $1 billion tech companies, including music-streaming service Spotify and payments group Klarna. It is also home to companies like online phone app Skype, video developer Mojang and social games company King.
While it has long punched above its weight in the startup world, Sweden risks losing its new businesses, Ek and Lorentzon warned.
They said that a lack of affordable rental property in Sweden makes it very difficult to attract new talent from overseas. To demand that young people who come to a new country should directly buy expensive condominiums reduces the attractiveness and is not sustainable, they wrote.
Spotify's founders warned that they may have to quit Sweden. (Thomas Trutschel/Getty)
Henrik Torstensson, CEO of health and fitness app Lifesum, told the Independent that the problem was not affordability but availability.
The rental system in Sweden is broken because of the lack of available rental apartments, and because too few apartments are being built. Politicians and the government must make sure that more rental housing is built, he said.
Better programming education should be taught in primary schools onwards, the founders said, in order for Stockholm to take advantage of its momentum.
Henrik Bergqvist, CEO and Co-Founder of Pickit, an aggregated image bank, told the Independent that while the Swedish government invested heavily in education in the 90s, the greater problem was keeping talented Swedes in the country.
Swedes grew up with the internet, meaning were a digitally savvy nation. However it will be difficult for companies to remain in Sweden in the long run, particularly with skilled employees moving to the US, Bergqvist said.
The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 Show all 20 1 /20 The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 1. British Airways British Airways has come top of a list of the best British brands for third year in the row. The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 2. Rolex Rolex retained second position, also for the third year running, but faced increasing competition from third placed LEGO The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 3. Lego LEGO jumped up eight places in 2016 The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 4. Dyson Dyson, the electronic goods specialist, climbed ten places to fourth, its highest ever position in the survey, following a high profile advertising campaign fronted by eponymous entrepreneur James Dyson The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 5. Gillette The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 6. Mercedes-Benz Mercedes Benz only sent 55 C55 AMG estates to the UK in right-hand drive The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 7. Apple Core values: Apple was ordered to pay $625.6m by a court in East Texas The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 8. Jaguar The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 9. Kellog's The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 10. Andrex Andrex puppy: Soft, strong and very long... no wait, thats the product, not the pup. Very sweet, though The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 11. Nike The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 12. Heinz Heinz, Jaguar and Marks & Spencer all re-entered the top 20, replacing Boots, BMW and Fairy. The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 13. Coca-Cola The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 14. John Lewis John Lewis' festive advert features a girl, Lily, who connects by telescope with an old man alone on the Moon The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 15. Haagen-Dazs 5. Haagen-Dazs chocolate fondant 3.29 for 200ml, tesco.com Overwhelmingly chocolatey with both chocolate ice cream, sauce and brownies in the mix. Just don't eat more than one. The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 16. Google Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California Justin Sullivan/Getty Images The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 17. Virgin Atlantic Winging it: behind-the-scenes documentary 'Virgin Atlantic: Up in the Air' ITV The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 18. Marks & Spencer Getty The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 19. Amazon.co.uk AFP The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 20. Microsoft The biggest faller within the Top 20 was US tech giant Microsoft, which dropped 16 places. Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
Finally Ek and Lorentzon called for changes to tax law to allow companies to give stock options to employees.
Imagine how amazing it would be if the right Sweden was the country where employees became a shareholder in the companies where they work. It suits us and our culture perfectly, the founders said.
More than 1000 people have joined a Facebook group run by Sthlm Tech, a co-working space and monthly startup meetup in Stockholm.
Rather than move to London, NYC or Berlin, let's join together to send a message they can't ignore: WE WANT TO STAY IN SWEDEN! the organisers wrote.
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Primary schools in England have been accused of social segregation after a report showed more than 1,500 schools were turning away disadvantaged pupils in favour of children from higher-income families.
A report from the Sutton Trust found some of the most popular primary schools particularly faith schools - had complicated oversubscription criteria that actively discouraged parents of poorer children and allowed the schools to be selective about which pupils were granted a place.
The findings have raised concerns about a lack of equity in access to primary schools resulting in pupils from lower-income backgrounds potentially missing out on places at top-performing state schools.
Dr Rebecca Allen, who co-authored the report, said: There are some parts of the country where many schools are accepting some children ahead of others what we found is that those children had a social profile that was more affluent than the neighbourhoods that they were recruiting from.
The main way that a child would get a place at a school ahead of someone living closer to that school is through religious selection and it happens that children who attend church for example tend to be from wealthier families.
The report found a direct correlation that showed the most popular primary schools used more complex criteria for selecting new students.
British primary schools typically use around five different criteria, but of the most socially selective primary schools, at least one detailed as many as 18 oversubscription criteria.
These included giving a high priority to looked after children sharing the faith of the school, prioritising attendance at named churches over a long period of time and prioritising children of staff.
In several instances, schools were found to be in breach of the Admissions Code.
Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), said: It is important is that every child from whatever background has access to a good local school which draws from a balanced intake across the local community and reflects all levels of ability and background.
There need to be clear criteria that give all parents a chance to secure their child a place in their local school. Complicated admissions policies with conditions that potentially exclude local children of whatever social background are detrimental to education and communities. Policy-makers need to understand what is happening beneath the radar of their school reforms education is becoming an instrument of social segregation, not an answer to it."
The findings come as thousands of parents across the country wait to be told which primary school their child will be offered a place at in September.
According to the researchers, places at Church of England schools are increasingly competitive in correspondence to often soaring Ofsted reports and higher achievement rates.
Dr Allen said: There is a reason these schools are popular - they are often successful and have historically been so.
"If we want to keep criteria for large religious schools to select [new admissions], I think we need to dampen down the effects of that either by allowing for a select number of places available on religious ground or a number of places left for the local community.
Recommended Read more Government officials under investigation over illegal faith schools
Of all the schools surveyed, there were more than 1,000 primary schools where the proportion of pupils taking free school meals was more than 10 per cent lower than that found among children in the neighbourhoods from which they recruit.
Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, criticised Government policy for allowing selection by stealth among higher achieving schools.
There is a national admissions code which applies to all schools which is supposed to make sure that admissions are as fair as possible, she said.
However, the increasing fragmentation of the system as a result of Government policy has removed robust oversight and scrutiny of this code.
The consequence is that there is now selection rife in the system, with those from the poorest backgrounds being disadvantaged.
This has been compounded by the fact that key provisions and safeguards in the admissions code have been removed or diluted by the Government, with much of it now being non-statutory, meaning that schools are not required to follow it.
"Consequently we now have selection by stealth, as practices are introduced which are designed to deter children from socio-economically deprived backgrounds with increasing numbers of parents unable to secure a place in their local school.
As a result of Government policy, children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are being denied the entitlements they should expect from a public education system.
It comes as the Institute for Fiscal Studies warned spending per primary school pupil would fall 7% in real terms between 2016 and 2020.
The economic think tank said this would be the largest real-terms fall over any period since at least the late 1970s, but added that due to substantial growth in the 2000s, real school spending per pupil in 201920 would still be more than 50% higher than in 2001.
Lucy Powell MP, Labours Shadow Secretary of State for Education, said: Parents will be very surprised to learn that schools budgets face real cuts after the Prime Minister personally promised to protect their budgets at the last election.
"Schools will be forced to reduce the number of teachers and teaching assistants and stop funding extra-curricular activities. These cuts will have a huge impact on standards and outcomes.
At the same time, this Governments costly reorganisation of our schools system, forcing every primary and secondary school to become an academy by 2022, will remove even more money, time and effort away from where the focus in schools should be on raising standards. This unnecessary and unfounded distraction to academise all schools is the wrong priority and harms standards in the classroom.
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Students have reacted to claims from university professors that they struggle to read books from cover to cover by admitting it is true - but insisting it's because universities don't give them enough time to finish them.
University academics caused a furore this week by claiming many students found the thought of reading books all the way to the end daunting, due to shorter attention spans and an inability to focus on complex philosophies.
Jenny Pickerill, a professor in environmental geography at the University of Sheffield, told Times Higher Education magazine: Students struggle with set texts, saying the language or concepts are too hard.
"I recently had a student suggest an alternative book for a module I am teaching which they found easier to engage with. It was a good book, but it was not really academic enough and I am still unsure if that matters or whether I should be recommending more readable books. There is currently a disjuncture between the types of reading we want students to engage with and the types students feel able or willing to do.
Jo Brewis, professor of organisation and consumption at Leicester University, weighed in saying "graduates and postgraduate students seem mainly not to be avid readers. Recommending whole books would overwhelm them, she added, and she tended not to do so.
Students have been quick to reject the claims, insisting the reason they struggle to read is because they don't have enough time.
Minesh Parekh, Education Officer at University of Sheffield Students Union said: Its just not true that students find reading whole books too challenging. The reason some students dont read whole books isnt because they struggle to, but because of problems with how were assessed, and the over-emphasis universities place on assessment.
This over-emphasis on assessmentas opposed to genuine learningmeans that when writing an essay or preparing for exams it makes more sense to read a journal article or a chapter of a book because were not given the time or thinking space.
Mr Parekh pointed out that the way in which undergraduates are assessed is according to methods set by the very same professors who criticise their abilities.
Chantelle Francis, Academic and Inclusions Officer for the Sheffield University English Society, said: I would argue that it is the time constraints that students struggle with as opposed to the actual material in most cases. Im sure that if students had longer to read a text, theyd likely understand it better, because theyve had more time to engage with it and appreciate it. But to suggest that students attention spans are low or that we are of insufficient ability is unfair.
Professor Brewis said that she would like her students to read more because it would enable them to make more considered arguments in their coursework or examinations, and to demonstrate to us as assessors tha they have considered the debates and controversies the literature and arrived at reasoned conclusion on that basis.
An undergraduate course such as English Literature arguably a subject which requires intensive reading has a typical reading list of between 20 and 30 books per term according to the University of Sheffield English Department.
The majority of students who spoke to The Independent admitted that they would rarely finish a course book within deadlines required.
I would say that it is simply a case of needing to prioritise, said Ms Francis, do you finish a book that you probably won't write your essay on, or do you complete the seminar work that's due in for the next day? I know what I'd rather choose.
At the beginning of the last academic year it was reported that record numbers of students were seeking help for stress and anxiety related issues.
Ruth Caleb, chair of Universities UKs mental well-being working group said that counselling services are facing an annual rise in demand of around 10 per cent on previous years, suggesting that undergraduates are feeling increasing amounts of pressure to succeed.
I think most students do thoroughly enjoy the challenge of reading, said Ms Francis. I remember having to read Derrida and thinking I'd lost the plot - but these materials are supposed to be engaging and difficult.
It's fine for students to not understand something first-time - that's what our professors are there for. We are not expected to have all the answers.
Lizzy Kelly, a history student at Sheffield added: Students might be more inclined to read what academics want them to if our curricula werent overwhelmingly white, male and indicative of a society and structures we fundamentally disagree with because they don't work for us.
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The media has won the right to report on a hearing underway today over whether a privacy injunction preventing a newspaper from publishing the identity of a celebrity couple should be overturned.
Lord Justice Jackson heard arguments from lawyers representing The Guardian and other media organisations on Friday, who claimed the issues in the case should be reportable in the interest of open justice.
Judges will now make a decision on whether to uphold the order in open court.
In January, the Court of Appeal granted an injunction preventing the media from printing details about a three-way sexual encounter involving a high-profile individual.
On Friday, lawyers for News Group Newspapers, publishers of The Sun On Sunday, asked three Court of Appeal judges to lift the injunction banning the newspaper from printing the names of the couple and details of the individuals extramarital activities.
People news in pictures Show all 18 1 /18 People news in pictures People news in pictures 7 October 2015 Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in an ice hockey match between former NHL stars and officials at the Shayba Arena in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Vladimir Putin spent his 63rd birthday on the ice, playing hockey with NHL stars against Russian officials and tycoons EPA People news in pictures 6 October 2015 German designer Karl Lagerfeld (R) and model Cara Delevingne (C) appear at the end of his Spring/Summer 2016 women's ready-to-wear collection for fashion house Chanel at the Grand Palais which is transformed into a Chanel airport during the Fashion Week in Paris, France Reuters People news in pictures 5 October 2015 Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne addresses the Conservative party conference in Manchester. The Chancellor argued that reducing the payments to people in low paid jobs would give them economic security by reducing the Governments spending deficit Getty Images People news in pictures 4 October 2015 Cowboys captain Johnathan Thurston takes a moment in the centre of the field with his daughter Frankie Thurston, holding dark-skinned doll, after winning the 2015 NRL Grand Final match between the Brisbane Broncos and the North Queensland Cowboys at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. The image quickly became the talking point of Australias National Rugby League Final and provoked a strong reaction on social media, with many praising Thurston for giving his child a toy that promotes inclusiveness and diversity Getty Images People news in pictures 3 October 2015 Pope Francis gives a thumbs-up as he greets people at the end of an audience to the participants of a meeting organized by the "Food Bank" at the Paul VI audience hall in Vatican Getty Images People news in pictures 2 October 2015 Britain's Finance Minister George Osborne (L) throws an American football as he meets with former American football players Dan Marino (2nd R) and Curtis Martin (not pictured) at 11 Downing Street in London, ahead of the New York Jets playing against the Miami Dolphins at London's Wembley Stadium on 4 October Getty Images People news in pictures 1 October 2015 An honor guard opens the door as Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall to attend a meeting with members of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia People news in pictures 30 September 2015 Former Mrs America Lisa Christie, who alleges misconduct by Bill Cosby, holds up photos of her younger self during a news conference at the law office of attorney Gloria Allred in Los Angeles People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Matt Damon has defended himself against claims that he instructed gay actors to remain in the closet. He had said I think youre a better actor the less people know about you and sexuality is a huge part of that. Whether youre straight or gay, people shouldnt know anything about your sexuality but an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show said, I was just trying to say actors are more effective when theyre a mystery. Right? Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Marion Cotillard has said that there is no place for feminism in Hollywood. Speaking to Porter magazine, she saidFilm-making is not about gender/ You cannot ask a president in a festival like Cannes to have, like, five movies directed by women and five by men. For me it doesnt create equality, it creates separation. I mean, I dont qualify myself as a feminist." Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Paul Walkers daughter, Meadow, is suing Porsche over her fathers death in a lawsuit that claims he was trapped in the burning car because of design flaws and the seat belt. The Fast and Furious star was killed when the Porsche Carrera GT he was a passenger in hit a pole in California in 2013. The driver, his friend Roger Rodas, also died when the vehicle burst into flames. AP People news in pictures 28 September 2015 Robert Mugabe waits to address the United Nations General Assembly. The leader of Zimbabwe reportedly exclaimed 'We are not gay!' as he criticised Western nation's "double standards and attempts to prescribe new rights that are contrary to our values, norms, traditions and beliefs. In 2013 he described homosexuals as worse than pigs, goats and birds. Reuters People news in pictures 28 September 2015 South African comedian Trevor Noah hosts the first 'Daily Show' since taking over from Jon Stewart as host. Stewart had presented the US satirical news show since 1999 and was described by Noah during the show as a 'Political father' 2015 Getty Images People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Sir Elton John may have received a phone call from the real Vladimir Putin. Mr Putin's spokesman announced he had made contact weeks after the singer was duped by pranksters pretending to be the Russian President. Getty People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Actor Leonardo DiCaprio was mistakenly declared as the artist who produced the Mona Lisa by Fox News anchor Shepard Smith. It was in fact Leonardo da Vinci. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 A new biography claims Donald Trump expected to be dead by 40 and never marry. The Guardian says the a new book also claims that in 1980, Mr Trump manufactured a fake vice-president of his real estate conglomerate, whom he called John Baron. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 The Dalai Lama has said that Britain's policy towards China is just about 'Money, money, money.' And asked 'Where is morality?' People news in pictures 24 September 2015 Puff Daddy secured the number-one spot on the Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings list, with the publication calculating he made an estimated $60million (39m) between June 2014 and June 2015.
Gavin Millar QC, representing News Group Newspapers, said the well known man, referred to as "PJS, had been named by publications in the US and Scotland, and added: A number of people in this jurisdiction know the information. He said the order should be lifted.
Judges were told that PJS could pursue a damages claim against The Sun on Sunday and a trial could be staged, regardless of whether the privacy order was overturned.
But Desmond Browne QC, leading PJS's legal team, said anonymity would be the only proper relief for his client.
Additional reporting by the Press Association
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The man who voiced the Mind the Gap announcements on the London Underground has died.
Phil Sayer, 62, whose voice can be heard around the capital's Tube system and on automated PA systems at railway stations across the country, died from cancer on Thursday.
A former radio presenter, Mr Sayer presented a daily BBC radio show in the 1980s and later set up a voice-artist company with his wife Elinor Hamilton.
Phil Sayer's iconic voice
Mr Sayer retired from voicing in April after a sudden decline in health.
Notable deaths in 2016 Show all 42 1 /42 Notable deaths in 2016 Notable deaths in 2016 Debbie Reynolds was an American actress, singer, businesswoman, film historian, and humanitarian. She died on December 28 in Los Angeles Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Actress Carrie Fisher died on December 27 aged 60 Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Comedian and Actor Ricky Harris died on December 26 aged 54 Rex Notable deaths in 2016 British singer George Michael died on 25 December aged 53 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Rick Parfitt OBE was an English musician, best known for being a singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist in the rock band Status Quo. He died on December 24 in Marbella, Spain Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Lord Jenkin of Roding died at the age of 90 on the 21 December PA wire Notable deaths in 2016 Rabbi Lionel Blue died on the 19 December Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Zsa Zsa Gabor died on December 18 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Leonard Cohen died on 7 November Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Grand secretary of the Orange Order Drew Nelson died on 10 October aged 60 after a short illness PA Notable deaths in 2016 Aaron Pryor, the relentless junior welterweight died Sunday, Oct. 9, at the age of 60 at his home in Cincinnati after a long battle with heart disease AP Notable deaths in 2016 Polish Director Andrzej Wajda died on October 9, aged 90 Reuters Notable deaths in 2016 Stylianos Pattakos has died following a stroke on 8th October. He was 103 years old. AP Notable deaths in 2016 Dickie Jeeps, was an English rugby union player who played for Northampton. He represented and captained both the England national rugby union team and the British Lions in the 1950s and 1960s. He died on 8th October. He was 84 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Duke of Westminster Billionaire landowner the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor has died on 9 August, aged 64 Rex Features Notable deaths in 2016 Christina Knudsen Sir Roger Moores stepdaughter Christina Knudsen has died from cancer on 25 July at teh age of 47 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Caroline Aherne The actress Caroline Aherne has died from cancer on 2 July at the age of 52 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Christina Grimmie Christina Grimmie, 22, who was an American singer and songwriter, known for her participation in the NBC singing competition The Voice, was signing autographs at a concert venue in Orlando on 10 June when an assailant shot her. Grimmie was transported to a local hospital where she died from her wounds on 11 June Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Kimbo Slice Former UFC and Bellator MMA fighter Kimbo Slice died after being admitted to hospital in Florida on 6 June, aged 42 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Muhammad Ali The three-time former heavyweight world champion died after being admitted to hospital with a respiratory illness on 3 June, aged 74 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Sally Brampton Brampton who was the launch editor of the UK edition of Elle magazine has died on 10 May, aged 60 Grant Triplow/REX/Shutterstock Notable deaths in 2016 Billy Paul The soul singer Billy Paul, who was best known for his single Me and Mrs Jones, has died on 24 April, aged 81 Noel Vasquez/Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Prince Prince, the legendary musician, has been found dead at his Paisley Park recording studio on 21 April. He was 57 Notable deaths in 2016 Chyna WWE icon Joan Laurer dies aged 45 after being found at California home on 20 April Notable deaths in 2016 Victoria Wood The five-time Bafta-winning actress and comedian Victoria Wood has died on 20 April at her London home after a short illness with cancer. She was 62 Notable deaths in 2016 David Gest The entertainer and former husband of Liza Minnelli, David Gest has been found dead on 12 April in the Four Seasons hotel in Canary Warf, London. He was 62-years-old PA Notable deaths in 2016 Denise Robertson Denise Robertson, an agony aunt on This Morning for over 30 years, has died on 1 April, aged 83 Notable deaths in 2016 Zaha Hadid Dame Zaha Hadid, the prominent architect best known for designs such as the London Olympic Aquatic Centre and the Guangzhou Opera House, has died of a heart attack on 31 March, aged 65 2010 AFP Notable deaths in 2016 Ronnie Corbett British entertainer Ronnie Corbett has passed away on 31 March at the age of 85 2014 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Imre Kertesz Hungarian writer and Holocaust survivor Imre Kertesz, who won the 2002 Nobel Literature Prize, has died on 31 March, at the age of 86 REUTERS Notable deaths in 2016 Rob Ford Rob Ford, the former controversial mayor of Toronto, has died following a battle with a rare form of cancer. The 46-year-old passed away at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto on 22 March Notable deaths in 2016 Joey Feek Joey (left) passed away in March after a two-year cancer illness. She was part of country music duo, Joey + Rory, with her husband Rory (right) Jason Merritt/Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Umberto Eco Italian writer and philosopher Umberto Eco died 19 February 2016 aged 84 EPA Notable deaths in 2016 Harper Lee Harper Lee, the American novelist known for writing 'To Kill a Mockingbird', died February 19, 2016 aged 89 2005 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Vanity Vanity, pictured performing in 1983, died aged 57 REX Features Notable deaths in 2016 Dave Mirra The BMX legend's body found inside truck with gunshot wound after apparent suicide aged 41 Notable deaths in 2016 Harry Harpham The former miner became Sheffield Labour MP in May after many years as a local councillor. He died after succumbing to cancer, at the age of 61. Notable deaths in 2016 Dale Griffin The Mott the Hoople drummer died on January 17, aged 67 REX Notable deaths in 2016 Rene Angelil Celine Dion's husband and manager Rene Angelil has lost his battle with cancer on 14 January, aged 73 2011 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Alan Rickman Legendary actor Alan Rickman has died on 14 January at the age of 69 after battle with pancreatic cancer. He is largely regarded as one of the most beloved British actors of our generation with roles in Love Actually, Die Hard, Michael Collins, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and an illustrious stage career 2015 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Maurice White The Earth, Wind & Fire founder died aged 74. The nine-piece band sold more than 90 million albums worldwide and won six Grammy awards Notable deaths in 2016 Lawrence Phillips Former NFL star found dead in prison cell on 13 January in suspected suicide, aged 40 AFP/Getty Images
In a Facebook tribute, Ms Hamilton said: Phil Sayer voice of reason, radio, and railways. A dearly loved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend.
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Poisonous chemicals dumped in the sea are coming back to haunt us in the fish we eat, interfering with a critical defence system of the body, according to new research.
The scientists warned that newborn babies are particularly at risk as they are exposed to high concentrations of the pollutants in breast milk and their defence mechanism is not yet fully developed.
The pollutants were found to hamper a tiny pump in the cells of the body, which acts as a bouncer to kick out potentially harmful toxins.
This is normally so effective that the pump is a major problem for pharmaceutical companies as it often expels drugs too quickly, particularly those designed to attack cancer. It also protects our reproductive organs and plays a key role as an enforcer of the blood-brain barrier.
Samples of the pollutants including pesticides such as the banned DDT, flame retardants used in upholstery foam and coolants like PCBs were taken from muscle tissue of eight yellowfin tuna by scientists at the prestigious Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego.
Such chemicals have already been found in humans and also in marine wildlife such as whales, dolphins and seals.
It had been thought that the chemicals were able to slip past the bouncer, a protein known as P-gp. But the researchers found that instead they attached themselves to it, preventing it from doing its job effectively.
Amro Hamdoun, an associate professor at Scripps and lead author of a paper about the research in the journal Science Advances, said the P-gp protein was the bodys main line ... and first line of defence against natural and synthetic toxins.
When we eat contaminated fish, we could be reducing the effectiveness of this critical defence system in our bodies, he said, adding: We think this is going to be of greatest concern to vulnerable populations, both among humans and wildlife.
Among the most at risk are newborn babies, partly because the pollutants are concentrated in their mothers breast milk by a natural process.
Professor Hamdoun added: We, all animals, have P-gp in our intestines to keep harmful things in food out. However, babies in the first six months of life have relatively low levels of P-gp in the intestine.
How dangerous these chemicals are to human health is not yet fully understood, but Professor Hamdoun said more should be done to stop people from eating fish with high levels of the toxins.
I eat fish and I consider fish to be a very healthy food. The issue we are raising is there are some fish that are quite contaminated and I think we need to work harder to eliminate those from our food supply, he said.
The level of exposure to these chemicals through seafood is going to depend on how much fish people eat. We think it might behove us to think about whether our food is clean or contaminated.
Kenneth Linton, a professor of protein biochemistry at Queen Mary University of London, who was not involved in the research, stressed the importance of P-gp to human health.
One of its main functions appears to be to limit accumulation of toxic compounds by preventing their uptake from the gut and also causing their secretion from the liver back into the gut, he wrote in an email.
[It] is also highly expressed in sanctuary sites sites, such as the brain and the reproductive organs where it provides a barrier to entry of toxic chemicals into these sensitive organs.
He said the Scripps study had shown the pollutants, which he said were mainly byproducts of the petrochemical industry, were potent inhibitors of P-gp.
This has the potential to affect the accumulation and distribution of other, more toxic, chemicals (including therapeutic drugs) in the body, he added.
Asked how serious the consumption of such chemical was, Professor Linton said: Its not killing us at present, but if we continue to let it happen maybe this is a forewarning we should take heed of.
The Marine Conservation Society said the study highlighted the need to stop treating the seas as a dumping ground for chemicals and other waste.
Research of this kind shows that there may be many unexpected consequences on human health in future as a result of our throwaway society, an MCS spokesman said.
We urgently need new policies and action from Government, new practices from industry and behaviour change from the public to halt the stream of waste entering our seas.
Bruce Sterling's announced the first-ever English publication of his story for 25 minutos en el futuro. Nueva ciencia ficcion norteamericana, a Spanish-language sf anthology of translated works by anglophone writers whose work is largely unknown in Mexico.
"Before and After Mexico," is a kind of climate-oriented, intensely social-speculative riff on Clan of the Cave Bear, telling the stories of warring theories of civilization long after the collapse of our own.
The CornWaterMan, who never spoke, brought his tall clay stove to the plaza. He passed out his ancient black-and-white bowls of corn and beans, and his smaller bowls of ritual herb tea. The CornWaterMan wore stilted clog shoes, and stiff, checkered robes, and a slit-eyed wooden helmet fringed with tall parrot feathers. The CornWaterMan fed the lost souls in the canyon. This was his purpose. He fed the poor, the desperate, the drunks, the foreigners, the crying scolded child, anyone for whom life was too hard. In easy times, the silent CornWaterMan was easy to overlook. In hard times, he was the most important man. Hard times were always coming to the pueblo, some day. It was already hard times, somewhere, for some poor body. Bowl Owl was, by his own shrewd reckoning, the most powerful chief in the pueblo. He nevertheless bowed before the CornWaterMan. The "CornWaterMan" was not a mere mortal man like Bowl Owl. He was an office that outlasted the centuries, as the corn did, as the water did.
Before and After Mexico
[Bruce Sterling/Medium]
(via Warren Ellis)
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One of the two soldiers on trial for the rape of a female colleague has admitted verbally abusing her following the alleged attack.
Thomas Fulton said he regretted swearing at Corporal Anne-Marie Ellement and calling her a slag at a barracks in Sennelager, Germany in 2009.
Fulton and Jeremy Jones deny raping the former Royal Military Police corporal and have repeatedly insisted the sex was consensual at all times.
Bulford Court Martial Centre in Wiltshire heard that Cpl Ellement, from Bournemouth, Dorset, had killed herself two years after making the rape allegation.
Cpl Ellement was found in the early hours of the morning - naked apart from a cardigan - outside her accommodation block, crying and seemingly drunk.
She said the two men - who have since left the army - had forced her to have sex with them.
The three had been drinking in the mess and had joked about having a threesome.
In a police interview recorded two days after the alleged incident was supposed to have taken place, Cpl Ellement said: Tom kept mentioning all night about having a threesome and I thought he was joking, because I would never do that.
Family and friends of Corporal Ellement leave the court including her sister, Khristina Swain (second right), and her mother Alexandra Barritt (left) (PA)
"Tom showed me a text saying 'Tell Anne-Marie Jez fancies her' and Tom and I were having a laugh about that.
"I pretty much remember the majority of stuff and we went upstairs to Jez's room so he could get changed to go out.
She said the next thing she remembered was Fulton on top of her trying to have sex with her as she said No it really hurts, it really hurts. Stop.
The last thing she recalled was Jones grabbing her breasts.
Fulton told the court that they had been drinking in the mess but the possibility of a threesome was a serious consideration. We were actively considering it.
He said: "We went back to the room with the intention to have sex. She kissed us, she instigated things.
"She had sex with us and she was consenting at all times."
The three soldiers went to Jones's room at 12.30am, where Fulton said Cpl Ellement helped him undress.
He removed her jeans and bra while Cpl Ellement kicked off her shoes before both men had sex with her, Fulton said.
Fulton later awoke to find Cpl Ellement had left the room wearing his lightweight trousers, he told the court.
Cpl Ellement with her sisters (Family handout/Liberty/PA)
The soldier found Cpl Ellement walking through a nearby car park and asked for his trousers back but she refused, he claimed.
"I said something along the lines of 'Give me back my f****** trousers'. She said no. I said 'Stop being a c***," he said.
"She pulled the lightweights down in front of me and she threw them to my chest.
"As she walked off I said 'F*** off you slag'. I was frustrated that she had spoiled a really good night for us all.
"I was 21. It is the biggest regret of my life that I never walked Anne-Marie back that night."
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Fulton said he and Jones then took a taxi to a nightclub but received a phone call on the way informing them that Cpl Ellement was upset.
They returned to the camp where they were arrested on suspicion of raping her.
Fulton was informed that the case had been dismissed in January 2010 but the pair were interviewed and charged with two counts of rape in 2015.
Ex-corporals Fulton, formerly of 174 Provost Company 3 Royal Military Police, and Jones, 28, formerly of Close Protection Unit Royal Military Police Operations Wing, each deny two charges of rape.
The trial continues.
Additional reporting by PA
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Five people have been arrested on suspicion of terrorist offences including one man who was detained at Gatwick airport after an investigation involving MI5, Belgian and French authorities.
West Midlands Police said three men and a 29-year-old woman were arrested in Birmingham on Thursday night and a 26-year-old man was held at the airport in the early hours of Friday.
Officers were searching a number of properties in Birmingham as part of the ongoing investigation.
Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale, who leads on counter-terrorism for the West Midlands, said: This action forms part of an extensive investigation by West Midlands Counter-Terrorism Unit, together with the wider counter-terrorism network, MI5 and international partners including Belgian and French authorities to address any associated threat to the UK following the attacks in Europe.
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The arrests were pre-planned and intelligence-led. There was no risk to the public at any time and there is no information to suggest an attack in the UK was being planned.
Police said all five were held on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. They were being questioned at a police station in the West Midlands. The men arrested in Birmingham were aged 26, 40 and 59.
Police refused to give any further details beyond a statement on their website.
Belgian and French authorities have detained dozens of suspects in their investigations into the terrorist attacks on Brussels and Paris, which were both claimed by Isis.
Thirty-two people were killed in bomb blasts at Brussels airport and on a subway train in the city last month. A total of 130 victims were killed and hundreds wounded in Paris when suicide bombers and gunmen attacked a concert hall, a football stadium, restaurants and bars on the same night in November.
A spokesperson for the Belgian federal prosecutors office said they were unable to comment on the arrests.
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A man has described how he helped drag an injured police officer to safety from a frenzied attack by a man wielding an axe.
The female officer, who remains in hospital with serious injuries, was one of five officers wounded while responding to reports of a domestic incident in the Gleadless area of Sheffield on Wednesday night.
Nathan Sumner, 35, of Plowright Close, has been charged with the attempted murder of the female officer as well as number of other offences in connection with the incident.
The female officer, who has not been named, lost a finger when she was attacked with a hatchet. She also suffered a fractured skull and a broken leg.
Simon Ellis, a resident of Plowright Close in Gleadless, came to the officers aid after witnessing the attack in which she allegedly pleaded desperately for help.
Eyewitness Simon Ellis dragged the female police officer to safety after she suffered "multiple serious injuries" in the attack (PA)
Mr Ellis told Sky News: The lady police officer, whos been injured the most, came half-staggering, half-falling out of the stairwell pursued by this big bloke, this bodybuilder, with an axe.
It was a frenzied attack, chopping at her with an axe. She was on the floor with her baton up, pleading for somebody to help her, to stop him hurting her.
The man fled from the scene when a male officer arrived, after which Mr Ellis, unable to carry the injured officer, dragged her into his flat.
She said Hes going to finish me off, hes going to kill me, youre going to have to get me out of here. Drag me, drag me. So I dragged her by her body armour with blood pouring out everywhere.
A Co-op store in Blackstock Road, Sheffield, where a man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder (PA)
Mr Ellis said paramedics attended to the officer in his hallway for more than an hour.
Deputy Chief Constable Dawn Copley said: The officers who attended in Gleadless last night were faced with an extremely dangerous situation and showed immense bravery dealing with a violent individual.
Our thoughts are with those who were injured on duty and full welfare support has been put in place for all officers affected.
The female officer was the most seriously hurt of five police officers injured in the attack, which began at a flat. The incident culminated in a nearby Co-op store where the suspect was subdued by officers using batons and a Taser.
In addition to attempted murder, Sumner also faces seven counts of assault by beating, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of making threats to kill, affray, threatening to kill a person with a blade in a public place and the production of cannabis.
Sumner will appear at Sheffield Magistrates Court on Friday.
Additional reporting by Press Association
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Food bank usage has continued to rise for another year, according to figures from the countrys biggest provider, as new data revealed that hunger is most common in areas with high levels of disability and long-term illness.
Overall 1,109,309 emergency food packages were distributed by the Trussell Trust in 2015-16 up slightly from last year. The charity, Britains leading food bank provider, said the figure was one million too many and urged the Government and the public not to accept the levels of food poverty in the UK as the new normal.
The average number of visits per food bank user in the past year was two, meaning that the number of people who had to rely on the charity is likely to be around 554,000.
A separate report by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Hunger, published today, estimates that more than half of the emergency food aid supplied in the UK comes from independent food banks and other organisations not covered by the Trussell Trusts figures indicating that the true scale of hunger in the UK could be far greater.
The charity, which manages 424 food banks in the UK, gathers data from its outlets, which are manned by volunteers. Its audit shows that changes to and delays in accessing state benefit payments remain the most common reasons people turn to food banks.
New research carried out for the charity by the University of Hull has also mapped food bank demand, finding that areas with more people unable to work due to long-term sickness or disability have the highest usage.
Food banks also reported that insecure work arrangements and high living costs were key drivers of food poverty. The APPG on Hunger report found that, according to the latest figures, the poorest households require 41 per cent of their income to cover the costs of food, fuel and housing; an increase of ten percentage points since 2003, but a slight fall of one percentage point on 2013.
The group, led by Labour MP for Birkenhead Frank Field, also found worrying levels of hunger being reported at schools. A survey circulated to 19 schools in Birkenhead and 13 in South Shields uncovered two institutions where staff reported one in five children were arriving at school hungry.
Kerry McCarthy, Labours Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson, said that the of food banks was a national scandal.
Food banks have become a truly shameful symbol of a Tory Government that is failing to stand up for ordinary people. While those at the top are given tax breaks others are struggling to get by, she said.
Emergency food aid should remain just that - food banks can never be allowed to become a permanent feature of British society.
But a spokesperson for the Government said reasons for food bank use were complex and claimed it would be misleading to link them to any one thing.
This Government is determined to move to a higher wage society, introducing the new National Living Wage that will benefit over 1 million workers directly this year, and were also spending 80bn on working age benefits to ensure a strong safety net for those who need it most. The vast majority of benefits are processed on time and the number of [benefit] sanctions have actually gone down.
The Government intends to cut a further 3bn from the welfare bill by 2020.
David McAuley, chief executive of the Trussell Trust said: Todays figures on national food bank use prove that the numbers of people hitting a crisis where they cannot afford to buy food are still far too high. One million three day food supplies given out by our food banks every year is one million too many. This must not become the new normal. Reducing UK hunger will require a collective effort from the voluntary sector, Government, DWP, businesses and the public, and the Trussell Trust is keen to work with all these groups to find solutions that stop so many people needing food banks in future.
Frank Field said the rise in levels of hunger in the UK was very troubling.
There are at least two forces operating, he said. One is the breakdown in parenting, and the second is an increase in the numbers on a low income. Its a tragedy if one of these strikes a child, but its an unbounded horror if a child is hit by both. How can the worlds fifth richest nation not know the extent of physical damage caused to its own children by a lack of food?
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An audience member lambasted David Cameron and his government on Question Time, saying he has stripped us of everything.
The woman, who appeared on Thursday night's programme, talked for so long that the roaming microphone was removed from her, following a number of heated interruptions.
Public anger at the Prime Ministers involvement in the Panama Papers scandal came to a head at the debate in Doncaster as the audience member launched an extended attack on Tory hypocrisy.
I see a lot of women, my friends, like myself who is going to lose my job in two weeks time because the Tories have been stealing our tax, and domestic violence services are closing, she said, referring to a local branch of Womens Aid which is closing after 40 years.
Tax evasion is the elephant in the room which makes the rich richer while communities suffer, she said.
The point was aimed at Conservative MEP and Brexit campaigner Daniel Hannan.
I dont know how you dare talk about Europe being corrupt when we have Cameron who said he would look after the vulnerable in 2010, she also argued.
Mr Hannan responded by arguing that austerity policies could have been wiped out if we were not in the EU.
What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Show all 5 1 /5 What's the European Parliament ever done for us? What's the European Parliament ever done for us? A cap on the amount of hours an employer can make you work The Working Time directive provides legal standards to ensure the health and safety of employees in Europe. Among the many rules are a working week of a maximum 48 hours, including overtime, a daily rest period of 11 hours in every 24, a break if a person works for six hours or more, and one day off in every seven. It also includes provisions for paid annual leave of at least four weeks every year Getty Images What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping the people of Britain to avoid smoking In 2014 MEPs passed the Tobacco Products Directive strengthening existing rules on the manufacture, production and presentation of tobacco products. This includes things like reduced branding, restrictions on products containing flavoured tobacco, health warnings on cigarette packets and provisions for e-cigarettes to ensure they are safe What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping you to make the right choices with your food Thanks to the European Parliament, UK consumers have access to more information than ever about their food and drink. This includes amount of fat, and how much of it is saturated, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and so on. It also includes portion sizes and guideline daily amount information so people can make informed choices about their diet. All facts must be clear and easy to understand What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Two year guarantees and 14-day returns policy for all products Consumers across the EU have access to a number of rights, from things which are potentially very useful, to things which used to be annoying. For example, shoppers in the UK receive a two-year guarantee on all products, and a 14-day period to change their minds and return a purchase, these things are useful www.PeopleImages.com-licence restrictions apply What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Keeping your air nice and fresh (and safe) Believe it or not, although the situation is improving, some areas of the UK have appalling air quality. A report by the Royal College of Physicians released on 23 February says 40,000 deaths are caused by outdoor air pollution in the UK every year. Air pollution is linked to a number of illnesses and conditions, from Asthma to diabetes and dementia. The report estimates the costs to British business and the health service add up to 20 billion every year
According to Institute for Fiscal Studies, between 2010 and 2015, all the austerity cuts put together saved 36 billion pounds, he said.
This caused the angry audience member to shout across him boring and its a lie, resulting in her microphone being taken away so that Mr Hannan could finish.
Over the lifetime of that same parliament, our gross contribution to the EU budget was 85 billion, said Mr Hannan.
The subject of the debate was inheritance tax.
David Cameron revealed that he had received 200,000 from his mother in 2011 following his fathers death when he published his tax statement on Saturday.
It will remain untaxed provided his mother does not pass away before 2018.
Women's groups and disability charities have also condemned Conservative cuts.
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A sailor dubbed Captain Calamity after having to be rescued by coast guards nine times in seven months, has sold his ill-fated yacht.
Steve Shapiro and his crew mate Bob Weise, both aged 71, set sail from Scandinavia in a 40ft yacht named Nora in July, with plans to cruise across the Atlantic to their native US.
The expedition, however, became repeatedly beset by problems as the duo tried to navigate down the west coast to England.
Described as a catastrophe waiting to happen by veteran sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnson, the pair were initially rescued by Norwegian and Danish services, once when Nora's propeller shaft was damaged and a second time when the battery failed.
They were rescued twice in Scotland after running aground and having further propeller problems. The pair also ran aground in Northern Ireland and again in the Republic of Ireland leading to further rescue efforts.
Two more rescues were made in Cornwall following a mechanical problem and when one of the men got into difficulty rowing to the yacht.
The 40ft yacht named Nora after being set alight near Hayle Harbour, Cornwall (ABC/YouTube)
The ninth call out came when the boat tipped over near Hayle Harbour, Cornwall, causing a fire on board.
Following the incident, Mr Weise, a former army helicopter pilot, abandoned the Atlantic mission.
Appearing to have followed Mr Weises lead, Mr Shapiro, a screenwriter from California, recently sold Nora to new owners through Wooden Ships, an international yacht brokers based in Dartmouth, The Times reports.
Wooden Ships confirmed to the Independent the yacht had been sold, but gave no further details about the sale.
The yacht is understood to be moored at Hayle Harbour where the final catastrophe in the ships chaotic journey took place.
Speaking to The Times on Thursday, Peter Haddock, Hayles harbour master believed the sale was due to a combination of being short of funds, the dream just coming to an end and listening to local advice.
Wooden Ships have not disclosed how much the boat sold for, but Mr Haddock believes it went for around the 20,000 mark. He added it could be worth 40,000 to 50,000 in mint condition.
The sale, however, may be part of a bigger scheme for Mr Shapiro. In February he told reporters he may sell Nora and upgrade to a larger vessel. He previously told the BBC: She is indestructible and seaworthy, but she is a little cramped.
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Thousands of children in England are starting school underweight, a group of MPs has warned.
A report undertaken on behalf of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger has revealed that an increasingly high number of children do not get enough to eat at home and are arriving at school hungry.
For a minority of children, the school lunchtime represents the only chance each day to eat something substantial, the group reported.
At some schools, more than one in five children arrive to classes hungry each day, and for some children, their free school meal may be the only hot food they eat each day, researchers said.
In an age of rampant child obesity, there has been a shock increase in the number of children starting their first and final years of school who are underweight, the group said in a statement.
Data from the National Child Measurement Programme for England last year showed that at least 6,367 children started reception class underweight an increase of 16 per cent since 2012.
As many as 7,663 children started their final year of primary school underweight, up from 15 per cent in the same year.
Chart: Statista
In some cases, childhood hunger was seen as part of a bigger picture of neglect, but concerns have also been raised about poverty levels in a number of disadvantaged childrens homes.
"Some, maybe most, of these parents do not have sufficient income properly to feed their children, said MP Frank Field, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger.
Whether the reason for this is a long delay in paying benefits to which they are entitled, low or irregular wages, trying to square previous debts we do not know.
Mr Field went on to say that there is not enough data to build a full picture of underweight childrens home environments, but findings suggested that too many children have hunger as their most constant companion.
One suggestion that came from the report was to discuss the possibility of using some of the proceeds from the new sugar tax to extend free school meals to disadvantaged children during school holidays.
The group also noted that many poorer families were not making use of the NHS Healthy Start voucher scheme, which allows for free milk, fruit, and vegetable allowances. Around one quarter of families who are entitled to the help scheme are failing to take up the vouchers.
"Something very troubling is happening and there are at least two forces operating, said Mr Field. One is the breakdown in parenting, and the second is an increase in the numbers on a low income. Its a tragedy if one of these strikes a child, but its an unbounded horror if a child is hit by both.
"How can the worlds fifth richest nation not know the extent of physical damage caused to its own children by a lack of food?
As well as a rise in malnutrition, the study found that a rising number of infants and pregnant mothers are anaemic. Previous reports have shown that an increasing number of people being admitted to hospital in an emergency were found to be malnourished.
In a speech on life chances in January, Prime Minister David Cameron proposed an "all-out assault on poverty" as part of social and economic reform.
UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. 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Data collected 2011 for the House of Commons Library suggested that more than half a million under-fives were anaemic, the highest level in 20 years.
Former Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has accused the charity of scaremongering in its figures on food poverty.
The MPs say they are working with the United Kingdom Statistics Authority in a bid to obtain better data.
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The Governments new Universal Credit welfare system is punishing the working poor with new sanctions on people who work full time for low pay, academics have warned.
Universal Credit combines various benefits into one payment and is being rolled out to people both in work and out of work.
But low-paid workers are expected to look for more hours or take on extra jobs to get more cash as a condition of the in-work wage top-ups, and report to regular jobcentre appointments to prove their activities.
People working under 35 hours are expected to find more meaning even full-time workers on zero hours contracts who sometimes end up with fewer hours in a week can face conditionality.
Workers who miss jobcentre appointments can face sanctions amounting to hundreds of pounds.
The new rules are an extension of the much-criticised sanctions system which has long applied to the unemployed, and which MPs on the work and pensions select committee warned last year could be 'purely punitive'.
There are concerns that sanctions might lead to a range of unintended consequences, including severe financial hardship and associated wider social impacts, they said in a report, adding that there was strong academic evidence to suggest that sanctions led to poorer quality employment, temporary employment or unstable employment.
Stephen Crabb has said he will not cancel Universal Credit (PA)
Professor Peter Dwyer, of the University of York, who is studying benefit conditionality, told the Guardian newspaper:
[This] is political dynamite. Does the government want to be associated with punishing the working poor? When this happened with tax credits they were forced to take a step back.
The newspaper reports an example of a full-time zero-hours bar worker who was fined 218 because she went on a family holiday and did not attend two jobcentre appointments.
The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned Show all 16 1 /16 The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "One case where the claimants wife went into premature labour and had to go to hospital. This caused the claimant to miss an appointment. No leeway given" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Its Christmas Day and you dont fill in your job search evidence form to show that youve looked for all the new jobs that are advertised on Christmas Day. You are sanctioned. Merry Christmas" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "You apply for three jobs one week and three jobs the following Sunday and Monday. Because the job centre week starts on a Tuesday it treats this as applying for six jobs in one week and none the following week. You are sanctioned for 13 weeks for failing to apply for three jobs each week" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A London man missed his Jobcentre appointments for two weeks because he was in hospital after being hit by a car. He was sanctioned" 2011 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Youve been unemployed for seven months and are forced onto a workfare scheme in a shop miles away, but cant afford to travel. You offer to work in a nearer branch but are refused and get sanctioned for not attending your placement" 2013 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "You are a mum of two, and are five minutes late for your job centre appointment. You show the advisor the clock on your phone, which is running late. You are sanctioned for a month" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man with heart problems who was on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) had a heart attack during a work capability assessment. He was then sanctioned for failing to complete the assessment" Rex The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man who had gotten a job that was scheduled to begin in two weeks time was sanctioned for not looking for work as he waited for the role to start" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Army veteran Stephen Taylor, 60, whose Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) was stopped after he sold poppies in memory of fallen soldiers" 2014 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man had to miss his regular appointment at the job centre to attend his fathers funeral. He was sanctioned even though he told DWP staff in advance" 2014 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Ceri Padley, 26, had her benefits sanctioned after she missed an appointment at the jobcentre - because she was at a job interview" Jason Doiy Photography The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man got sanctioned for missing his slot to sign on - as he was attending a work programme interview. He was then sanctioned as he could not afford to travel for his job search" 2012 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Mother-of-three Angie Godwin, 27, said her benefits were sanctioned after she applied for a role job centre staff said was beyond her" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Sofya Harrison was sanctioned for attending a job interview and moving her signing-on to another day" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Michael, 54, had his benefits sanctioned for four months for failing to undertake a weeks work experience at a charity shop. The charity shop had told him they didnt want him there" Getty The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Terry Eaton, 58, was sanctioned because he didnt have the bus fare he needed to attend an appointment with the job centre" Getty Images
To make matters worse, the Chancellor George Osborne has also cut work allowances for UC before the system is even rolled out.
This means that low-paid workers can work fewer hours before the money is clawed back, making it less attractive to take additional hours.
The Government also effectively rolled its tax credit cuts for low paid workers into Universal Credit, which is set to come full online just before the 2020 general election.
Universal Credit, which has been beset by delays and other problems, was the pet project of former Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith. Mr Duncan Smith resigned after the most recent Budget, arguing that the Government was balancing the books on the back of the most vulnerable in society.
The new Work and Pensions Secretary, Stephen Crabb, signalled in a speech earlier this week that he would not cancel the programme, however.
A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said: It is right that for the first time ever we are supporting claimants who are in low paid work to increase their earnings and progress in their careers.
Universal Credit is a vital reform that will make work pay and is already transforming lives, with claimants moving into work quicker and earning more than under the old system.
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Senior figures behind the campaign to pull Britain out of the European Union have advocated charging patients to use the NHS and cutting 50 billion of public expenditure to reduce the deficit.
On Friday Vote Leave suggested that a large chunk of the UK's 10.6 billion net contribution to Brussels could be diverted to fund the NHS if Britain quits the EU.
But the Remain campaign said such proposals were a cynical attempt to win support from floating voters and directly contradicted previous statements by leading figures in the Leave campaign.
These include Boris Johnson, who suggested that money currently being sent to Brussels could be used to build new hospitals.
But the London Mayor is previously on record as suggested that he did not believe in a free NHS.
If NHS services continue to be free in this way, they will continue to be abused like any free service, he said in 2003.
If people have to pay for them, they will value them more. Above all, there is an economic point. In a very modest way, this extension of private funds into the NHS would help the Chancellors straitened circumstances.
What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Show all 5 1 /5 What's the European Parliament ever done for us? What's the European Parliament ever done for us? A cap on the amount of hours an employer can make you work The Working Time directive provides legal standards to ensure the health and safety of employees in Europe. Among the many rules are a working week of a maximum 48 hours, including overtime, a daily rest period of 11 hours in every 24, a break if a person works for six hours or more, and one day off in every seven. It also includes provisions for paid annual leave of at least four weeks every year Getty Images What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping the people of Britain to avoid smoking In 2014 MEPs passed the Tobacco Products Directive strengthening existing rules on the manufacture, production and presentation of tobacco products. This includes things like reduced branding, restrictions on products containing flavoured tobacco, health warnings on cigarette packets and provisions for e-cigarettes to ensure they are safe What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping you to make the right choices with your food Thanks to the European Parliament, UK consumers have access to more information than ever about their food and drink. This includes amount of fat, and how much of it is saturated, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and so on. It also includes portion sizes and guideline daily amount information so people can make informed choices about their diet. All facts must be clear and easy to understand What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Two year guarantees and 14-day returns policy for all products Consumers across the EU have access to a number of rights, from things which are potentially very useful, to things which used to be annoying. For example, shoppers in the UK receive a two-year guarantee on all products, and a 14-day period to change their minds and return a purchase, these things are useful www.PeopleImages.com-licence restrictions apply What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Keeping your air nice and fresh (and safe) Believe it or not, although the situation is improving, some areas of the UK have appalling air quality. A report by the Royal College of Physicians released on 23 February says 40,000 deaths are caused by outdoor air pollution in the UK every year. Air pollution is linked to a number of illnesses and conditions, from Asthma to diabetes and dementia. The report estimates the costs to British business and the health service add up to 20 billion every year
Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of Vote Leave was previously chief executive of the Taxpayers Alliance, which advocated far harsher public spending cuts than those carried out by the Government.
In addition last March when Mr Elliott was still a director of the organisation it set out details of how it would increase charges for NHS services.
These included a 20 flat-rate GP consultation charge; a 20 daily hotel charge for overnight hospital stays; and a 25 fine for missed outpatient hospital appointments.
In 2010 Mr Elliott said: What we want is spending cuts. Thats how they should solve the fiscal equation we are in at the moment. Weve actually outlined ourselves how you could cut spending by 50bn so it is doable.
Farage on Government's leaflet
James McGrory, spokesman for the Stronger In Europe campaign said it showed that Vote Leaves new found enthusiasm for the NHS could not be taken at face value.
Leave campaigners are trying to pretend to be friends of the NHS but these same people have long campaigned for policies which would destroy our NHS as we know it, he said.
This puts them fundamentally ad odds with the interests and values of British people. They have no credibility in this area.
But a spokesman for Vote Leave rejected this.
BSE really need to do better on day one of the campaign than brief a handful of selective or wrongly attributed quotes, he said.
If we Vote Leave we can spend the 350 million we hand to Brussels every week on people's priorities, like the NHS.
Unveiling the Leave campaign's first billboard ad, the Labour MP Graham Stringer said leaving the EU would help the NHS.
"Our NHS is struggling to cope with rising demand and needs the support that is currently siphoned off to Brussels, he said.
Instead of handing over 350 million a week to the EU we should spend our money on our priorities like the NHS."
But Downing Street insisted that Brexit would mean "less money for the NHS", with Mr Cameron's official spokeswoman saying: "A strong NHS needs a strong economy and the Prime Minister has been very clear that our economy is stronger in the EU."
Health unions also criticised Vote Leave's figures as "spurious and outrageously misleading", insisting the NHS's financial woes were made in Whitehall and not Brussels.
Unite national officer for health Barrie Brown said: "It defies belief to think that Boris Johnson and Michael Gove would do a massive political U-turn and divert billions of EU cash into the NHS - when they have supported real cuts to the NHS budget and been enthusiastic flag-wavers for the privatisation and break-up of the NHS."
And TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "The reality is that Brexit would plunge the NHS into a staffing crisis, which could lead to the longest hospital waiting lists we've ever known. And with experts warning that Brexit would hit Britain's economy, the consequences for NHS funding would be dire."
Justice Secretary Mr Gove is expected to echo the NHS warnings during a speech in Nottingham, as fellow leading Leave figures Commons Leader Chris Grayling and Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers also step up the Brexit campaign in the coming days.
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Jeremy Hunt has refused to get back around the negotiating table with junior doctors after a lengthy discussion with protesting medics.
Doctors have been staging a permanent protest outside the Department of Health building on Whitehall to encourage officials to return to discussions with the British Medical Association over a new contract.
On Friday, two doctors from the protest were invited to meet the Health Secretary and went inside to discuss the dispute with him.
Dr Ben White, one of the doctors at the meeting, told the Independent that Mr Hunt had disappointingly refused to return to negotiations.
This morning, the Health Secretary invited myself and the other junior doctor on duty outside the Department of Health inside the Department to discuss the junior contract with him, he said.
Disappointingly, despite a lengthy discussion in which we attempted to stress the dire impact on patient safety of his proposed contract, he did not offer to do the one thing in his power which would stop the forthcoming industrial action, that is, to get back round the table and resume talks with the BMA.
Junior doctors with supporters during an earlier strike outside the Department of Health (PA)
We have therefore been left with no alternative but to continue our peaceful protest until such time as he is willing to engage in talks. It is baffling and distressing to all junior doctors that the Health Secretary, who purports to be an advocate of patient safety, is so resistant to talking when this is so clearly the only way to avert industrial action.
We appeal to him to please urgently reconsider this stance and re-engage with the negotiations which would end the prospect of further strikes in an instant.
Mr Hunt however struck a different tone after the meeting, tweeting: Had a good discussion this morning with [Dr Ben White] & Dr Paola Rodriguez about the junior doctor contract thanks for making the time.
Doctors take it in shifts from 9am till 9pm to stand outside the Department two at a time. They say they will remain until meaningful talks about the new NHS-wide contract resume.
In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 20,000 Junior Doctors marched through central London in protest at the new contract changes the government is trying to impose which they say will be unfair and unsafe In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors protest in London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 4 year old Cassius takes part in a demonstration in Westminster, in support of junior doctors over changes to NHS contracts, London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Protest over proposed changes to junior doctors' contracts, Leeds In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Over 5000 junior doctors rallied in Waterloo place, before marching through Whitehall and onto Parliament Square, in opposition to Jeremy Hunt's new working conditions for doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Demonstrators listen to speeches in Waterloo Place during the 'Let's Save the NHS' rally and protest march by junior doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors marched in London to highlight their plight In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK A protester at a demonstration in support of junior doctors in London
Junior doctors say a new contract, which Mr Hunt is set to unilaterally impose, will put patient safety at risk by incentivising unsafe staff rostering.
The Government says the contract will help implement the Conservatives manifesto pledge of improving care at weekends, dubbed a seven-day NHS.
Medics will be holding a further all-out strike against the proposed contract between 8am and 5pm on 26 and 27 April. Unlike during previous strikes, emergency care will also be withdrawn.
Alabama governor Robert Bentley left his wallet in Tuscaloosa when he headed off for his beach house. So his aides sent a state police helicopter to fetch it, at a public cost of about $4000.
"I requested they deliver my wallet, I didn't know how they were going to do it," the governor told AL.com. "I did not request that a helicopter was used. You have to have your wallet for security reasons. I'm the governor. And I had to have money. I had to buy something to eat. You have to have identification."
Bentley's about to be impeached, but over an unrelated a sex scandal.
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Sadiq Khan has said a question should be asked about what is going on in families with Muslim women who wear hijabs and niqabs.
In an interview with the Evening Standard, Labours London mayoral candidate said that he questioned why young Muslim women in London are choosing to keep their heads and bodies covered a sight that Mr Khan said he did not see growing up in the capital or when visiting Pakistan.
The MP for Tooting, said: When I was younger you didnt see people in hijabs and niqabs, not even in Pakistan when I visited my family.
In London we got on. People dressed the same.
What you see now are people born and raised here who are choosing to wear the jilbab or niqab. There is a question to be asked about what is going on in those homes.
Whats insidious is if people are starting to think it is appropriate to treat women differently or that it has been forced on them. What worries me is children being forced to adopt a lifestyle.
Shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan (Getty Images)
The 45-year-old, who became the first Muslim cabinet minister under Gordon Brown in 2009, said he also believes that women working in public service should allow people to see their faces, saying that eye contact matters.
He added: There is no other city in the world where I would want to raise my daughters than London.
They have rights, they have protection, the right to wear what they like, think what they like, to meet who they like, to study what they like, more than they would in any other country.
Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Show all 7 1 /7 Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Sadiq Khan - Labour The MP for Tooting, Sadiq Khan says the mayoral election will be a 'referendum on the Tory housing crisis'. He has also pledged to freeze fares until 2020. Son of a bus driver, and doesn't let anyone forget it. His Conservative opponent has made claims about people who he has previously associated with - but attacks so far have failed to stick Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Zac Goldsmith - Conservative The MP for Richmond, Zac Goldsmith is a longstanding campaigner against the expansion of Heathrow airport. Despite his environment credentials - he once edited The Ecologist magazine - the Tory candidate has said he would 'rip out' Boris Johnson's cycle lanes if they don't work. A very wealthy man, his campaign has been dogged by accusations of racism against Sadiq Khan Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Sian Berry - Green Party A councillor in the London Borough of Camden, Sian Berry is campaigning on improving homes for renters, cleaning up London's air pollution, and flattening fare zones to help Londoners. She previously ran as the party's mayoral candidate in 2008. In 2012, the Green Party came in third place Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Caroline Pidgeon - Liberal Democrat A Liberal Democrat London Assembly member for eight years, Caroline Pidgeon has a strong record on the Assembly's transport committee standing up for commuters and cyclists alike. She wants to set up a 2 billion housing investment fund and make all the capital's buses zero emission Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Peter Whittle - UKIP UKIP hasn't fared so well in London in previous elections, but is hoping for a breakthrough this time. Peter Whittle has been UKIP's culture spokesperson for two years. He tends to focus on the impact of immigration on London's housing crisis Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance George Galloway - RESPECT George Galloway has made a habit of defying the odds and pulling off stunning victories when standing for Parliament. His campaign - based on the slogan 'a London for all' has so far failed to make headway in the polls - has his luck run out? Mayor of London 2016 - the candidates at a glance Sophie Walker - Women's Equality Party A journalist, Sophie Walker is campaigning for the little-known Women's Equality Party. She is pledging to make 'equality and diversity the fuel that drives our nation's capital' with measures to increase women's representation in enterprise, more affordable homes and flexible childcare
Mr Khan, known for actively campaigning against extremism, has been accused by his Conservative rival, Zac Goldsmith, of giving a platform, oxygen and cover to people who are extremists.
Mr Goldsmith, 41, has, in turn, been accused of racially profiling voters after leaflets in support of his campaign were targeted at the British Indian community, mentioning concerns they might have of their jewellery being burgled and the Richmond Park MPs visit to Wembley Stadium to welcome Indians Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.
The 2016 London mayoral election will be held on 5 May.
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A horse has been named Horsey McHorseface as a tribute to what the British public would like to call a new research ship.
The two-year-old horse was named by trainer Bjorn Bakers team at Sydneys Warwick Farm racecourse, reports the BBC.
Boaty McBoatface was the leading choice in a non-binding poll by the UKs National Environmental Research Council (NERC) to find a name for the new 200million polar research ship.
Horsey McHorseface was bought for 32,000 in November last year and was shipped to Australia.
Mr Bakers racing manager Jack Bruce told the BBC: We bought him from a ready-to-run sale in New Zealand where he put in a very good breeze.
It is not yet clear whether NERC will stand-by the comical Boaty McBoatface for the ship.
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A charity is aiming to provide thousands of Kenyans with a basic income for at least the next decade in a bid to investigate how a fundamental level of economic freedom could change peoples lives.
GiveDirectly, an organisation that was set up to transfer cash payments to those in poverty in Kenya and neighbouring Uganda, has said it now wants to structure its donations in such a way that would guarantee at least 6,000 Kenyans an ongoing income, high enough to meet their basic needs a universal basis income or basic income guarantee.
The charity is hoping to put $10million of its own funds into the scheme, to match the first $10million donated by others.
The debate around introducing a universal basic income or citizens income has picked up pace in recent years with an increasing number of politicians, public policy architects, think tanks and charities advocating the idea.
Such a scheme would provide all people living in a country with a basic amount of money that would be enough for them to live on a payment that would not be dependent on means-testing or a requirement to work.
It would be provided to everyone regardless, indefinitely, and would replace any existing system of social security and benefits.
(Getty Images)
GiveDirectly has said it aims to provide a basic income to all full-time residents of the selected villages in Kenya, and that the payments would continue even if people left the villages.
Writing in Slate magazine, the charitys co-founders, Michael Faye and Paul Niehaus, said that the key question is how the knowledge that your livelihood is secured for more than a decade affects your behaviour now.
Do you take more risk? Get more schooling? Look for a better job?
They said that, across many continents and contexts, experimental tests have shown that poorer people do not simply stop trying to better their circumstances when they are given a basic income one of the criticisms levelled at its proponents.
They make productive use of the funds - feeding their families, sending their children to school and investing in businesses and their own futures. Even a short-term infusion of capital has been shown to significantly improve long-term living standards, improve psychological wellbeing and even add one year of life.
There has been a shift away from the assumption that individuals arent good at making decisions for themselves and that experts had to make decisions for them towards appreciating the power of giving people more control over their own lives, they said.
(Getty Images)
Advocates of a universal basic income believe it to be a simple system that neither introduces perverse incentives discouraging work nor mandates work to receive benefits and avoids the paternalism at the heart of many social programmes, Mr Faye and Mr Niehaus said.
Pilot schemes for a basic income are being considered by the governments of Finland and Canada, while Switzerland will become the first country to hold a referendum on the issue in June.
In the UK, a number of Labour politicians have begun to favourably view the concept, and the SNP passed a motion at its spring conference last month to introduce it in Scotland. The Green party has supported the idea for a number of years.
GiveDirectlys co-founders added: Should we move from a patchwork system of overlapping poverty-reduction programmes, administered separately to address different issues (nutrition, housing, employment) to simply guaranteeing a basic income? What would happen if we did? Were planning to find out.
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Two years after the world united in outrage over the abduction of hundreds of schoolgirls from the remote Nigerian village of Chibok, the horror for Boko Harams victims is not over even for those who escaped.
Speaking in an exclusive interview for The Independent, Boko Haram survivor Yagana reveals how she and her children still face the distrust and stigma of being a Sambisa woman, named after the forest where militants hid following the Chibok kidnaps.
She was living in Bama in northeast Nigeria with her mother and children when the militants arrived.
It was Fajr [prayer] when they came, she says. We were on our way running to the barracks in Bama, when they shot two people in front of us. We ran back home and stayed there.
My mother and two of my children ran in a different direction. My husband and I were divorced, so he was somewhere else too. Boko Haram took us to Shehus Palace and enrolled us in Islamic school.
It is not known how many of the Chibok girls themselves are still alive. Only 57 of the 276 schoolgirls are confirmed as having escaped, and a video that emerged on Thursday purports to show just 15 of those still in captivity.
But while the video and the anniversary itself have sparked renewed calls to bring back our girls, little attention has been paid to the fate of those who, after suffering horrific treatment at the hands of Islamists, are victimised all over again when they return to mistrust and persecution in their communities.
Yagana is one of around 250 survivors who have been working with the peace-building charity International Alert to overcome the stigma that goes with being former Boko Haram wives.
The process aims to teach the victims about forgiveness and understanding through Islamic principles, and part of that involves discussing their experiences of capture.
'They said our men were pagans and they would marry us themselves' (Picture by Fati Abubakar for International Alert/Unicef)
'When you are with them, there is a constant fear that they can kill you' (Picture by Fati Abubakar for International Alert/Unicef)
All they brought us to eat was beans, Yagana says. We were not allowed to go anywhere.
When you are with them, there is a constant fear that they can kill you. Or maybe the bombs or stray bullets from the [government] soldiers can also kill you. It was just terrible.
Yagana says it was when she and her fellow captives were told they would be married to fighters Boko Harams pretext for allowing its members to rape victims that they felt compelled to risk fleeing.
They said our men were pagans and they would marry us themselves. So the day before the marriage, we jumped over the fence and ran.
It took Yagana a month to recover from the physical trauma of what she had been through but the psychological challenges remain, in spite of the workshops focussed on recovery and forgiveness being run by Alert and its partners in the Federation of Muslim Womens Associations in Nigeria (Fomwan).
Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Show all 16 1 /16 Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Fifteen year old Nigerian refugee Fati, hugs her mother Mariam while carrying her sister, at the Minawao refugee camp in Northern Cameroon UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Fifteen year old Nigerian refugee Fati, carry her eight month old sister, who she last seen when she was 3 months old, at the Minawao refugee camp in Northern Cameroon. She was abducted by Boko Haram and spend four months in captivity. She was given to a man and forced to be his wife. She was eventually freed by Cameroonian soldiers and have been reunited with her family in a refugee camp in Cameroon UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Nigerian refugee's at the Minawao refugee camp in Northern Cameroon. The conflict in North-East Nigeria prompted by Boko Haram has led to widespread displacement, violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, protection risks and a severe humanitarian crisis. This is one of the fastest growing displacement crisis in Africa one of the worlds most forgotten emergencies, with little attention from the donor community UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Nigerian refugee children at the Minawao refugee camp in Northern Cameroon UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Nigerian refugees line up to receive food aid at the Minawao refugee camp in Northern Cameroon UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Didja Damna (26) with her daughter, 17 month old Ngarvounsia, as she gets treatment at the Maroua hospital in Northern Cameroon UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Didja Damna (26) with her daughter , 17 month old Ngarvounsia, as she gets treatment at the Maroua hospital in Northern Cameroon. Didja have four other children and had her first child when she was sixteen. Ngarvounsia lost weight and have been treated for three day's in hospital and is recovering UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Fadi ,the wife of internally displaced Alagi Dubji feed her daughter, Ina Petal( 13 months) a peanut butter supplement, at their home in Maroua in Northern Cameroon. Ina received treatment for malnourishment and is doing well after she was discharged from the hospital. Alagi and his family had to flee from his village near Maroua after Boko Haram fighters burned down his house.Alagi had 40 children with 26 still alive UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram A malnourished girl gets treatment at the Maroua hospital in Northern Cameroon UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram More than 135 displacement sites have been noted along the border with Nigeria UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Temporary schools in the refugee camp of Kabelewa, counts eight classrooms for 549 pupils. Out of those 549 children, only 12 had already been to school before UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram As the river continues to dry up in April and May, we expect to see an increase in violence in the Diffa region. Both refugees and internally displaced people are affected by the insecurity, fleeing attacks and also fleeing to safer locations ahead of attacks. Generally noticed is a movement from locations near the border towards the inland area along the main road where spontaneous new sites are being created and host villages' population increasing UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Forced displacement in the region of Diffa is becoming regular and is linked to the volatile security situation in the region. Diffa, the Niger's poorest region, has been affected by the consequences of the increased acts of violence in Nigeria, conducted by the armed group Boko Haram, increasingly expanding and targeting the civilian population in Niger - and Diffa region in particular. With water levels starting to fall, the Nigeria-based armed group is seizing the opportunity to cross over the Komadougou River, into Niger from Nigeria UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Fatima Abubakar, 13, in Dar Es Salam refugee camp, Lake region of Chad. Fatima lost five family members during the attack of her small village in Nigeria, in the shores of the lake Chad. She now lives in Dar Es Salam refugee camp, in Chad, with her father, mother and 3 siblings, "The table was all set and we were just about to have our breakfast together when the gunshots started outside. We immediately left in panic. I escaped with my mother. We left in two pirogues. My mothers pirogue had a whole and they put a cloth to stop the water from entering. But they had to come back to shore. I thought I would be forever alone and that my parents were dead. I cried for days. When I met them both days later in Ngouboua (an island in Chad) I couldnt be happier. I sometimes think about our table, where the breakfast was served, and how the house would be now" UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Hafsa Mohammed sews in the UNICEF-supported child friendly space in Dar Es Salam refugee camp, Lake region of Chad. Every childs future starts with a dream and Hafsa Mohammed, 16, has a very clear idea of what she wants to become. She wants to be a successful businesswoman and own a notions store. She now lives in Daresalam refugee camp, Lake region of Chad. I have started again to sew. I used to do it back in Nigeria. My parents encouraged me to do it. It will be useful for me to start my own business and I would be happy to teach others as well, explains Hafsa UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Salta Bintou Hassan is 11. She lost her arm after an suicide attack on Bagasola market in October 2015. After spending two months in the hospital of N'Djamena, she is back with her family. Yet, her life will never be the same UNICEF
Yagana says she didnt like the women [at the displacement camp where she now lives] they would whisper when I passed by.
Another survivor, Aisha, told International Alert how she became pregnant after she was raped by a Boko Haram fighter. I felt helpless and felt they had ruined my life, and no one would now take care of me I hated the baby.
Like Yagana, Aisha says life was bad in a government camp even after she was freed as part of the major Nigerian army offensive in late 2015.
The women called me Boko Haram wife and wouldnt let me use their belongings. A group of them even beat me up, she said.
The Nigerian government says it is assessing the new video to establish its authenticity, but two women whose daughters are missing have confirmed their identities among those shown.
The footage is the first to emerge of the girls since May 2014. It is understood to have been filmed on Christmas Day 2015, and sent to the Nigerian government as a representation of proof of life for the wider group.
Charities say the Chibok girls represent just a tenth of all the women and girls abducted by Boko Haram since 2012 to be used as wives, sex slaves and, in some cases, suicide bombers.
They want the second anniversary of the most famous single kidnapping to focus attention not just on those who are still captives, but on those who are trying to rebuild their lives once free.
Kimairis Toogood from International Alert said: With more victims now returning from captivity, we are appealing to the international community and the Nigerian government to do more now to support efforts to re-integrate them, and ensure they can build a life for themselves and their children.
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The Canadian government led by Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has introduced legislation to permit voluntary euthanasia for Canadians suffering from serious medical conditions. Under the proposed new law, people who wish to died will be able legally to have an assisted death using drugs provided by their physicians, and administered by those physicians, by family members or by themselves.
The legislation would apply only to adults who are mentally competent, who have a serious, terminal condition and who are suffering intolerably and for whom death is reasonably foreseeable. Each case would have to be assessed by two independent doctors; if the doctors objected to participating in euthanasia, they would nonetheless be obliged to refer their patients to another doctor who did not.
At a press conference in Ottawa, Justice Minister Jodi Wilson-Raybould said some would inevitably find the legislation troubling, but added that for others, it wont go far enough. The law, she went on, would allow competent adults to apply for a peaceful death instead of the prolonged, frightening, undignified deaths that they may otherwise face.
Voluntary euthanasia would only be available to Canadians and Canadian residents under the law. Patients from the US and elsewhere would not be able to travel to Canada for an assisted suicide, which is legal in some form in several other countries including Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Colombia and Japan. It is also legal in a handful of US states including Oregon, New Mexico, Montana and Vermont.
The Canadian Supreme Court overturned a ban on assisted suicide in February 2015, but the previous Conservative government led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and backed by religious groups opposed voluntary euthanasia and declined to introduce new legislation. Mr Trudeaus Liberal Party was elected to power in a landslide last October. The government has said it will allow Liberal MPs to vote freely on the controversial law, but given the partys large parliamentary majority, it is expected to pass comfortably.
Mr Trudeau has said he came to support assisted death after experiencing the painful decline of his own father, former Canadian leader Pierre Trudeau, who died in 2000 after suffering from prostate cancer and Parkinsons disease.
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Bernie Sanders took his message on economic inequality to the Vatican today when he addressed a conference on social justice hours after taking part in a Democratic candidates debate in New York on Thursday night that was unusual for its rancour and ill-humour.
For an American politician - one who calls himself a democratic socialist - to arrive at the Holy See essentially to decry an unfettered open market system was a rare, jarring event. If Mr Sanders was received warmly inside, he was fairly mobbed by reporters as he emerged outside.
Mr Sanders noted at the conference that the Catholic Churchs first encyclical on social justice, written in 1891 by Pope Leo XIII, lamented the gap between the rich and the poor.
And let us be clear. That situation is worse today, he said, taking up one of his main campaign themes. In the year 2016, the top 1 percent of the people on this planet own more wealth than the bottom 99 percentAt a time when so few have so much, and so many have so little, we must reject the foundations of this contemporary economy as immoral and unsustainable.
Young people in particular have had enough of it, he contended. Our youth are no longer satisfied with corrupt and broken politics and an economy of stark inequality and injustice.
Answering questions from reporters, he said he never hesitated when asked to attend the conference even though the dash to Italy removed him fro the campaign trail for 24 hours at a crucial moment with primary voting in New York set for Tuesday.
When I received this invitation it was so moving to me, that it was something that I just simply could not refuse to attend, he explained. While campaigning Mr Sanders has repeatedly cited Pope Francis, notably his words on the idolatry of money and on climate change.
As well as giving him a presidential sheen, if only for a brief moment, the visit to Rome may help distract attention from a debate post-mortem that mostly held that the 74-year-old senator had squandered a chance to change the dynamics of a race which still sees him lagging behind Hillary Clinton in the delegate count in part by simply being overly angry and aggressive.
The debate, hosted by CNN in Brooklyn, was most testy when Mr Sanders accused Ms Clinton of failing fully to support a national minimum wage of $15 an hour. She furiously defended herself and for a while the two simply shouted past each other. If you're both screaming at each other, the viewers won't be able to hear either of you, moderator Wolf Blitzer admonished.
The Sanders campaign moved on Friday to drive the point home with a scathing TV ad. The spot, released in the biggest New York TV markets, didnt name Ms Clinton directly but hardly needed to as it explored the contrast between taking speaking fees of $200,000 or more from Wall Street banks - which she has done - with a reluctance to ensure better wages for workers.
At the Vatican, Mr Sanders also decried what he calls the corrupt electoral system in the US where billionaires can buy elections. Jeffrey Sachs, economist and head of the United Nation's sustainable development network and a foreign policy advisor to the Senator, told the Vatican conference that it's time to end the impunity of the rich and powerful.
In a disappointment for Mr Sanders, an audience with Pope Francis seemed unlikely to materialise before he departed for the return flight to the United States. Indeed the Pontiff did not show up at the conference at all, sending a written apology for his absence which he put down to his imminent departure this weekend for Greece and the island of Lesbos, which is at the epicentre of Europes immigration crisis.
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Texas inmates can no longer have social media accounts, even if they are run by friends or family members on the outside, state authorities have ruled.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) published an update to its orientation handbook to include a rule that bars prisoners from having active profiles on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for the purposes of soliciting, updating, or engaging others, through a third party or otherwise.
TDCJ spokesperson Robert C. Hurst told The Independent that inmates in Texas correctional facilities do not have Internet access and therefore cannot create their own accounts. When its determined there is an active social media account in an offenders name, TDCJ will reach out to the company and request that account be taken down.
He added that social media companies now require correctional agencies to have a specific rule in place that prohibits from maintaining active social media accounts in order to have the accounts removed.
The new language in the handbook strengthens the TDCJs ability to enforce the prohibition.
Mr Hurst explained that inmates had previously sell mementos and tchotchkes through social media based on the notoriety of their crime. Additionally, he said, offenders had previously harassed victims and continued their criminal activity.
According to the Texas Tribune, serial killer Elmer Wayne Henley sold items via social media accounts operated by an outside associate.
Law enforcement officials can request information about Twitter users via valid legal process, a spokesperson for the social media site told The Independent. They list what information is available to law enforcement on a guidelines page. According to a recent report, Twitter received 123 information requests from the state of Texas during the second half of 2015.
Representatives from Facebook declined to comment on the TDCJ policy, but did confirm that the company suspends prisoner accounts if they violate Community Standards or if they are provided with "valid legal authority stating prisoners are prohibited from accessing" the site.
Despite the safety concerns expressed by the TDCJ, the new guideline sparked free speech concerns from civil liberties groups in the state.
I think that while TDCJ may have sincere goals in trying to implement this new policy, it raises very serious concerns about the stifling of free speech and frankly probably reaches far beyond, in terms of its impact, legal director for the Texas Civil Rights Project, Wayne Krause Yang, told the Tribune. We don't know whether TDCJ is going to attempt to exercise, and has the power to enforce, this policy and against whom. If and when it does, it could present some very serious concerns.
Mr Krause Yang added that the TDCJ appears to be attempting to extend its policies beyond prison walls. Those types of policies have a name theyre called laws. They should be considered by the representatives of the people, too, because this policy doesnt just affect the people behind the bars.
Additionally, critics feel the new policy could hamper work done by advocates to raise awareness in the case of death row inmates or the wrongfully convicted.
It sounds to me like the only reason theyre implementing this is because their actions in the prison, which they like to keep very private, are just becoming way too public, and they dont like that, Julie Strickland, an advocate for death row inmate Rodney Reed, told the Tribune.
Mr Reed was convicted of the 1996 murder of Stacey Stites, although defense attorneys say they have evidence that indicates the woman was killed by another man. Ms Strickland runs a Facebook page and Twitter account that push for Mr Reeds exoneration.
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Jamaican lawmakers will debate a constitutional amendment that would replace Britains Queen Elizabeth II as head of state and make the island a republic.
The proposal is a major action item on the new governments 2016-2017 legislative agenda, and would replace the Queen with a Non-Executive President, Governor General Sir Patrick Allen said Thursday in a speech to parliament posted on the governments website.
Jamaican Labour Party leader Andrew Holness scraped a narrow win in general elections in February as voters opted for promises of tax cuts and a higher minimum wage over the previous governments austerity program.
The legislative agenda also includes a proposal to set fixed election dates and term limits for the Prime Minister, as well as a proposal to fully legalize marijuana for specified purposes.
The measures would need to be passed by Parliament to become law. The government also plans to set up a single anti-corruption body, and reform the tax and pension system, Mr Allen said.
The Queen is also head of state of other Caribbean nations, including Barbados and the Bahamas.
Where cannabis is and isn't legal Show all 10 1 /10 Where cannabis is and isn't legal Where cannabis is and isn't legal UK Having been reclassified in 2009 from a Class C to a Class B drug, cannabis is now the most used illegal drug within the United Kingdom. The UK is also, however, the only country where Sativex a prescribed drug that helps to combat muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis and contains some ingredients that are also found in cannabis - is licensed as a treatment Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal North Korea Although many people believe the consumption of cannabis in North Korea to be legal, the official law regarding the drug has never been made entirely clear whilst under Kim Jong Uns regime. However, it is said that the North Korean leader himself has openly said that he does not consider cannabis to be a drug and his regime doesnt take any issue with the consumption or sale of the drug MARCEL VAN HOORN/AFP/Getty Images Where cannabis is and isn't legal Netherlands In the Netherlands smoking cannabis is legal, given that it is smoked within the designated smoking areas and you dont possess more than 5 grams for personal use. It is also legal to sell the substance, but only in specified coffee shops Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal USA Although in some states of America cannabis has now been legalised, prior to the legalisation, police in the U.S. could make a marijuana-related arrest every 42 seconds, according to US News and World Report. The country also used to spend around $3.6 billion a year enforcing marijuana law, the American Civil Liberties Union notes AP Photo/Ted S. Warren Where cannabis is and isn't legal Spain Despite cannabis being officially illegal in Spain, the European hotspot has recently started to be branded, the new Amsterdam. This is because across Spain there are over 700 Cannabis Clubs these are considered legal venues to consume cannabis in because the consumption of the drug is in private, and not in public. These figures have risen dramatically in the last three years in 2010 there were just 40 Cannabis Clubs in the whole of Spain. Recent figures also show that in Catalonia alone there are 165,000 registered members of cannabis clubs this amounts to over 5 million euros (4 million) in revenue each month Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Uruguay In December 2013, the House of Representatives and Senate passed a bill legalizing and regulating the production and sale of the drug. But the president has since postponed the legalization of cannabis until to 2015 and when it is made legal, it will be the authorities who will grow the cannabis that can be sold legally. Buyers must be 18 or older, residents of Uruguay, and must register with the authorities Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Pakistan Despite the fact that laws prohibiting the sale and misuse of cannabis exist and is considered a habit only entertained by lower-income groups, it is very rarely enforced. The occasional use of cannabis in community gatherings is broadly tolerated as a centuries old custom. The open use of cannabis by Sufis and Hindus as a means to induce euphoria has never been challenged by the state. Further, large tracts of cannabis grow unchecked in the wild Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Portugal In 2001, Portugal became the first country in the world to decriminalize the use of all drugs, and started treating drug users as sick people, instead of criminals. However, you can still be arrested or assigned mandatory rehab if you are caught several times in possession of drugs Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Puerto Rico Although the use of cannabis is currently illegal, it is said that Puerto Rico are in the process of decriminalising it RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images Where cannabis is and isn't legal China Cannabis is grown in the wild and has been used to treat conditions such as gout and malaria. But, officially the substance is illegal to consume, possess and sell Getty
Copyright: Bloomberg
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A parole review board in California has recommended the release of Leslie Van Houten, one of several Manson Family members convicted of the 1969 murders of Leno LaBianca, a wealthy Los Angeles grocer, and his wife Rosemary. Ms Van Houten, who is 66, has previously been denied parole 19 times. If the boards recommendation is approved, she would be the first member of Charles Mansons cult involved in the infamous Tate-LaBianca killings to be freed.
The ruling is likely to be sent to the desk of California governor Jerry Brown, who may choose to block Ms Van Houtens release. Another Manson follower and convicted murderer, Bruce Davis, was approved for parole in 2012, but Mr Brown reversed that decision.
Recommended Read more Charles Manson family member sends corrections to Wikipedia
On 9 August 1969, members of the Manson Family slaughtered pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four other people at the LA home that Tate shared with her husband, film director Roman Polanski. Ms Van Houten was not involved in the Tate killings, but the following night she went with Manson and several of his followers to the Los Feliz home of the LaBiancas, who had also been randomly targeted for murder. Then 19, she was the youngest of Mansons acolytes to participate in the crime.
Ms Van Houten struggled with 38-year-old Mrs LaBianca, and then held her down as she was stabbed repeatedly. A Manson accomplice, Charles Tex Watson, handed Ms Van Houten a knife and told her to do something, as Manson had made clear that he wanted everyone involved to incriminate themselves in the murders.
She stabbed Mrs LaBianca around two dozen times in the back, though she has since claimed that she believed her victim was already dead at the time. After killing the couple, the cult members used their blood to scrawl hate messages on the walls of the home.
Five people were convicted of the Tate-LaBianca murders. Manson, Watson and Patricia Krenwinkel have all been denied parole multiple times. Another of the killers, Susan Atkins, died in 2009. At their 1971 trial, a prosecutor said Ms Van Houten was the most likely of the group to be eligible for parole in later life. She was nonetheless convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death with her fellow Family members. Their sentences were reduced to life in prison when the death penalty was outlawed in California between 1972 and 1977.
A model prisoner, Ms Van Houten has earned two college degrees during her time behind bars, and been praised for her work in supporting the elderly women inmates at her prison. According to the Associated Press, she told the parole board this week that she bitterly regretted her crimes. I dont let myself off the hook, she said. I dont find parts in any of this that makes me feel the slightest bit good about myself.
Following the panels decision to recommend her parole, Ms Van Houten said she felt numb, her lawyer, Richard Pfeiffer, told the Los Angeles Times, adding: A lot of people who oppose parole dont know anything about Leslies conduct. Her role was bad. Everyones was. But they dont know what shes done since then and all of the good shes done.
Leno LaBiancas daughter, Cory LaBianca, who was 21 at the time of the murders, opposed the ruling. Maybe Leslie Van Houten has been a model prisoner, Ms LaBianca said. But my father will never be paroled. My stepmother will never get her life back. Theres no way I can agree with the ruling today.
Just one member of the Manson Family convicted of murder has ever been released: Steve Clem Grogan, who helped Manson to kill Hollywood stuntman Donald Shorty Shea, also in August 1969. Grogan was sentenced to life in prison, but freed in 1985.
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A Muslim woman was asked to get off a plane without any explanation after she asked her neighbour to switch seats.
The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) has called for an investigation of a possible bias motive as the woman was of Somali descent and was wearing a headscarf.
Hakima Abdulle was told to disembark a Southwest Airlines plane at a Chicago airport after she asked the man next to her whether she could move to the aisle seat, and he had agreed.
She was traveling alone on a connecting flight to help a pregnant family member in Seattle, according to Zainab Chaudry, the Maryland Outreach Manager at CAIR.
A flight attendant then approached Ms Abdulle and said they were not allowed to swap seats, despite the airlines policy of unassigned seating.
Ms Abdulle asked why she could not switch. The flight attendant did not adequately respond and asked her to get off the plane.
When police asked the flight attendant at the gate if there was any reason why Ms Abdulle had been taken off the plane, the flight attendant replied No and that she not feel comfortable with the passenger.
Ms Abdulle asked to speak to a supervisor and was rebooked on a flight to Seattle several hours later.
She suffered acute distress and anxiety as a result of this experience. She was publicly humiliated before a plane full of passengers, said Ms Chaudry, who has called for an investigation and a formal apology by Southwest Airlines and to reimburse Ms Abdulle's airfare.
Her husband, Abukar Fadaw, who spoke on his wifes behalf at a press conference to discuss the incident while Ms Abdulle was in Seattle, said his wife became upset.
She was crying in front of everybody, he said.
He asked the flight attendant over the phone to explain why his wife was being escorted off the plane as she spoke limited English.
They ignored me, he said.
The couples lawyer, William Burgess, said it is a violation of federal law for an airline to discriminate against passengers on the basis of religion - yet he said he has received about half a dozen similar reports from Muslims this year alone.
A statement from Southwest Airlines read: "Information available, collected at the time of the event, indicates that our employees followed proper procedures in response to this customer's actions while onboard the aircraft. Out of respect for the customer's privacy, we will not share specifics about her conduct or travel experience.
It continued: "We are not in the business of removing passengers from flights without reason, our goal is to get each one of our Customers to their final destination safely. We are responsible for the comfort of all passengers and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind."
Ms Chaudry added the incident was part of an alarming trend.
Last month a Muslim couple and their three children were asked to leave a United Airlines plane at Chicago airport after the pilot cited safety issues.
I have one bag of clothes, one backpack with a computer, iPad, and phone. I have zero other possessions.
Today I have no address. At this exact moment I am sitting in a restaurant and there's no place for me to go to lie down.
By tonight I will find a place to lie down. Will that be my address? Probably not.
Am I minimalist? I don't know. I don't care. I don't like that word. I live the way I like to live no matter what label it has.
At any moment, you are exactly where you want to be, for better or worse.
A lot of people get minimalism confused.
It's not necessarily a good way to live. Or a free way to live for many people. It's just the way I like to live.
I like to be a wanderer. Without knowing where I am going to end up. To explore with no goal. To love without expectation.
For now. Maybe not for later. Maybe not yesterday.
"Does minimalism mean not having a lot of possessions?"
No, not at all. I think minimalism means having as little as you require. That means different things to everyone.
For me, having little means I don't have to think about things that I own.
My brain is not so big. So now I can think about other things. I can explore other ways of living more easily.
Some people don't like that. I know many people who love roots. Who love being sentimental towards items. This is fine. Who am I to judge?
The other day I threw out my college diploma that was in storage. I threw out everything I had in storage. The last objects left in my life.
At 48 years old I have nothing and nowhere. Other than the people I love and the experiences I love.
A friend asked me, "You worked hard for that diploma. Are you sure you want to throw it out?"
Yes. I've worked harder for other things since then. I don't keep all of these things around either. They are gone.
Society tells us a diploma is a special life achievement. It isn't. It's yesterday. I don't hold onto all the things society tells me to hold onto
"How do you deal with kids if you are a minimalist?"
Like 50% of Americans or more, I'm divorced. I have two beautiful children with my first wife. I love my children very much.
I miss them almost constantly. I'm not minimalist if minimalism means having zero attachments. I'm attached to my kids.
I see them as much as I can. Sometimes they visit me (wherever I am) and sometimes I visit them. And some times they stay with me for an extended period of time.
I hope to talk to them every day for the rest of my life. If they lived with me I probably wouldn't be able to live the way I do and I probably wouldn't want to.
But life has delivered me to this shore. So I pick myself up and explore the jungle on this new island.
"Do you have to get off the internet to be a minimalist?"
Sometimes. For four million years we were "disconnected." For 20 years we have been "connected."
I have 238,795 unread emails in my inbox. Emails are a suggestion but not an obligation.
Love and spirituality and gratitude are found in personal connection. Not in an email response.
Sometimes I might return an email ten years later. Those are fun. I pretend like I just got the email a second ago and I return it, "Sure I'll meet you for coffee tomorrow!" I get fun responses.
I never answer the phone. I have no voicemail. My phone number is 203-512-2161. Try it and see.
I go on Twitter one hour a week to do a Q&A every Thursday from 3:30 4:30 EST. I've been doing that for six years.. I post articles on Facebook but don't really use it for anything else.
I have a kindle app on my iPad mini and read all of my books there.
I understand real books are beautiful. So I go to bookstores for hours and read them. But I won't own them because they won't fit in my one bag.
I never read random articles on the Internet unless they are by people I know. Mostly I read books I love.
A friend asked me, when he heard all of this, "But aren't you afraid you're going to miss some information?"
I asked him, "What information?"
99% of information we read, we forget anyway. The best way to remember is to "DO."
Otherwise, I look at nothing online.
Experiences happen when you disconnect. And I choose experiences over goods or information.
"Does minimalism mean having few emotional attachments?"
I love my friends. I love my children. I love talking to people at a party or a dinner or an event and learning from them.
Love is minimalism. Desire, possession, and control are not minimalism.
Minimalism of things? No. Minimalism of fear, anxiety, stress, mourning.
I don't like any intrigue. I don't like to gossip about people.
When I do that, I feel like I am carrying those people in my backpack. So the more I gossip, the heavier my baggage is.
I don't like feeling bad if someone doesn't like me. That's also baggage. I try to leave that behind.
And we're all different. You never really know why someone is doing the things they are doing.
Sometimes its for deeply sad reasons. Sometimes they are projecting. Sometimes they had a bad day, or a bad life. Sometimes It's for reasons we'll never understand.
"Why did they do this?" or "Why is this happening to me?" won't fit in my one bag.
Did I check the box on physical health, emotional health, creativity, and compassion today?
Those items don't need to fit in my bag. They are gone by end of day. I'll find them again tomorrow.
How do you get rid of an attachment that is in your baggage? I don't really know.
I certainly carry around extra baggage. So I just get back to the four items I said above starting with physical health.
Then I always find my baggage is a little lighter.
"Does minimalism mean having no accomplishments?"
No. If anything, the more you accomplish, the more you can afford to get rid of the things society uses to hold you down.
Or, the reverse. Either way.
"Is minimalism healthy?"
Yes. Sometimes. For instance, I don't like to eat more than I need. Although going extreme on that becomes an obligation to carry around.
I don't like to have experiences that are unhealthy.
For me, experiences are always more important than material goods. A story is more important than a gift.
A material good might not fit in my bag. But a joyful experience is lighter than an atom.
I get to look forward to it beforehand. I get to have it. I get to remember it forever afterwards and learn from it and love it. And it weighs nothing.
What if an experience is not so joyful.
One thing I know: joy is a choice inside and not an emotion given to you.
Sometimes I make the wrong choice. I can't help it. But sometimes I make the right one. I hope today I will.
"What are minimalist emotions?"
Love, joy, wonder, curiosity, friendship connection. These are things you give away. Not take from others.
Emotions that can't fit in my bag: possession, control, anxiety, fear.
I don't include anger. Anger is just fear clothed. When I'm angry I try to find the underlying fear. Get naked with it.
Am I good at this? Not really. I try to get better.
If I judge myself for something I did wrong then I just did two things I don't like to do: the wrong thing, and the judging.
Minimalism is about not judging yourself or others.
"You have to have goals to succeed! How can you be a minimalist with goals?"
Goals are ways the mind tries to control you. "I need X to be happy."
When I feel like I need something outside of me to be happy, I have to make room in my bag for it.
I don't have enough room. I have some shirts and pants and toothpaste and a few other things. Goals don't fit.
I have interests and things that I love to do. If I get better at those things each day (or try to) I feel good.
When I have less things in my bag, I feel more free. Did I get 1% more "free" today, whatever free means?
When I spend time with friends, I find joy in the connection. Sometimes the only thing we need in life is not a goal achieved but a hand to hold.
These three above items catapult me to achieve every goal I never had.
It's magic.
"Should I sell my house and get a smaller house?"
No. OrI don't know. Don't do it for a label. If you like your house, keep it. If you like your job, keep it.
Figure out the 10-15 things you want in your bag before you die tomorrow.
"What's the first step I should take? Should I throw things out?"
I have no clue.
This is the problem with self-help books. They seem to be written by someone on a pedestal giving advice without having any blemishes.
I have too many blemishes to give advice. I am a homeless man with no address, with some failures and some successes and no possessions.
Today I can start over. Or today I can ask too many times: "Why?"
But there's one thing I can do: I can always help someone else. That makes my day and life lighter.
Anyone can have miracles in their life.
Miracles don't happen. Miracles are given.
"If you are a minimalist how come sometimes you have really long articles?"
Because I don't care what you think about me.
[Read James' follow-up post, where here reflects on the feedback he's received so far on this essay.]
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The US army has announced the first 22 women who will become infantry and armour officers following new rules this year which further opened up ground combat jobs for women.
They are reportedly near completion of their training and will become second lieutenants within a few weeks, in charge of units of about 40 troops.
While only a small number of women were expected to volunteer for the jobs, the Marine Corps said about 200 women a year would likely sign up to the newly opened ground combat positions.
Incrementally over time, its been one success after another, Lt. Col. Jerry Pionk, an Army spokesman told USA Today.
Although women worked for the army in Iraq and Afghanistan, this is the first time these divisions will be more gender diverse.
Three years ago the pentagon ordered all armed services to admit women into all jobs by 2016, opening up more than 110,000 positions. Since then military services developed gender-neutral physical tests to screen applicants.
Now, thanks to rules implemented in 2016, divisions like infantry armour and special forces and other very physically demanding jobs are on offer to women for the first time, opening up the last 10 per cent of army roles that were not previously available to women.
13 of the women will enter the armour field while the remaining nine will become infantry. Infantry members wear heavy body armour - packs can weigh more than 100 pounds - and must walk long distances. Ground combat roles can involve living in difficult and austere conditions for long periods of time.
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter denied the Marine Corps' request to make an exception for infantry, machine gunner and fire support roles, arguing performance of mixed-gender units did not perform as all-male units.
But Mr Carter said his rule would apply without exception and that standards would not decline as a result of admitting women.
Theyll be allowed to drive tanks, fire mortars and lead infantry soldiers into combat, Mr Carter said in December last year. Theyll be able to serve as Army Rangers and Green Berets, Navy SEALs, Marine Corps infantry, Air Force parajumpers, and everything else that was previously open only to men.
He also addressed the important issue of women becoming role models for future applicants.
So far 29 women have tried to complete the Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course but none have succeeded.
Three women did graduate, however, from the Armys Ranger School, a physically demanding course for small unit leaders.
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Call it the Brawl in Brooklyn and so it was as the two rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, went full bore trying to diminish the other and burnish themselves just five days from the New York primary. But it was a brawl with some news and some surprises.
Ms Clinton had resisted having this debate at all the ninth between them - seeing little upside in giving oxygen to the Senator from Vermont, who, in spite of scoring a string of big victories in recent state contests, needs a breakthrough more than she does. And that must come in New York on Tuesday.
It is not clear, as ever, whether the debate, furious and feisty though it was, will have changed the dynamic of the race, which is bad news for Mr Sanders who remains the underdog in New York and remains seriously adrift in the race to win delegates before the nominating convention in July in Philadelphia.
But it was surely Senator Sanders who gave the greatest jolt of electricity to the night in the one area he might be at the biggest disadvantage, foreign policy. (He has not served as Secretary of State.) He stood there on the stage at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and squarely spoke up for the innocent Palestinians killed and wounded during what he called the disproportionate Israeli assault on Gaza in 2014.
Bernie Sanders's answer on Israel's military response in Palestine https://t.co/Utmd92C6lQ BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) April 15, 2016
The gasps of the Jewish lobby might have changed the tide cycle of New York Harbour for good. It is an unwritten rule of New York politics that you never, ever criticise Israel openly. And surely not when you are days from an election in the state. And yet here was Mr Sanders declaring: "We are going to have to say that Netanyahu is not right all the time," referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Expanding the confines of American politics is partly what the Sanders campaign has been about and surely that is healthy. He dares say and do things most others politicians never would. Donald Trump, in an entirely different way, has been doing the same on the Republican side, which earned him the endorsement of The New York Post, owned by Rupert Murdoch, on Thursday night.
Mr Sanders is tireless in pushing those boundaries and pushing Ms Clinton. On foreign policy again, he assailed her for her role in involving the US in the toppling of Muamar Gaddafi in Libya in 2011, pointing to an admission made by President Barack Obama this week that not planning properly for what was meant to happen the day after in Libya may have been the biggest mistake he made in office.
Ms Clinton resorted to blaming Mr Obama, saying he was the one who took the decisions, both as regards Libya and also the ongoing catastrophe in Syria. This was rich given that she had spent much of the rest of the debate trying to claim Mr Obamas coattails, aware that he remains popular with many New York voters and certainly its minority populations. She actually drew the first boos of the night when she tried to suggest that any time Mr Sanders attacked her he was in fact attacking Mr Obama.
The Senator also managed to elicit from the former first lady her most explicit expression of regret yet for having back her husband in passing a savage sentencing law in 1994 that led to an explosion of black incarceration in America. I am sorry for the consequences that were unintended and had very unfortunate consequences for peoples lives, she offered.
You cant fault either candidate for their passion or their energy. One is just shy of seventy and the other, Mr Sanders, is four years past it. (And, amazingly, he was due to leave directly after the debate for the airport for a flight to the Vatican where he is to speak at a conference on Friday.) And dont imagine that Ms Clinton, who was just as fiery and focused, did not have her moments also.
She not only speared Mr Sanders on his patchy support for gun control but twisted the blade and he struggled to offer a coherent comeback. Few topics will stir more emotion in Brooklyn than the scourge of gun violenceHe was stumped when, after he had faulted her from taking money from special interests and the banks on Wall Street, she asked him to name on example where that had influenced her in making or supporting policy. There are no examples, she declared.
And she also very effectively and consistently tagged Mr Sanders as a dreamer with very ambitious ideas that he would never have any hope of actually getting through the US Congress or implementing. Its easy to diagnose the problem she said over and over, its harder to solve the problem.
She may be right. But the question New York Democrats will surely ask themselves when they vote on Tuesday is will they play safe and settle for Ms Clintons pragmatic incrementalism, or be steered by their hearts to Mr Sanders who makes no bones about what he is after: a political revolution.
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They were loud, passionate and determined that Donald Trump should hear their message - we do not want you as our president.
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside a hotel in New York where Mr Trump was speaking to Republican party supporters on Thursday evening, bearing signs and banners and chanting songs. To a voice, they declared that the Republican frontrunner was danger to the country and could even spark a civil war if he was elected.
"Trumpism is a philosophy that people do not believe. He is so against immigrants. But all the people here are immigrants, said Mino Jones, an actor and activist from the citys Harlem neighborhood.
Masha Datz (left) said that 'everything he stands for, we are against' (Andrew Buncombe ) (Andrew Buncombe)
But what does that mean? Does that mean he wants to get rid of his current wife, because she is an immigrant. Is he going to get rid of her?
The protesters were gathered outside the Grand Hyatt Hotel as Mr Trump joined fellow candidates Ted Crux and John Kasich to speak at the Republican gala dinner, ahead of next weeks New York primary election. The latest polls put the tycoon considerably ahead of his rivals. But while Mr Trump may be the frontrunner, to those gathered outside the hotel located close to the citys Grand Central station, he was little short of the devil.
With everything that Trump says, it seems to bring racism out, said Jean Bowdish, 65, a human resources worker.
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the hotel where Donald Trump was speaking (Andrew Buncombe ) (Andrew Buncombe)
She said that some of Mr Trumps supporters may believe he can solve their economic woes, but that others were attracted by the divisive comments he made. She said anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant and anti-LGBT groups and individuals felt emboldened by him.
The fight against racism was never won, she said, referring to the struggles of the civil rights era. Anyone thinking we are living in a post-racial society because we have elected a black president is just talking bullsh*t.
Michael Haire said he thought Mr Trump would oversee an authoritarian society (Andrew Buncombe ) (Andrew Buncombe)
Masha Datz said that everything he stands for, we are against. He is destroying the idea of what America stands for, said the retired teacher.
One of her friends said she believed Mr Trumps hot-headedness and lack of international experience might lead him to start an overseas war. Another friend said she believed Mr Trumps election as president would start a war within the US.
Salwa Mozzed was not old enough to vote, but she knew that she had not time for Mr Trump.
'All the people here are immigrants,' said Mino Jones, (Andrew Buncombe ) (Andrew Buncombe)
I think its important that we come out and fight against so much hatred, said the 15-year-old student, from Brooklyn.
Leda Sabio, an immigrant from Honduras, had come with her family because she wanted to send a message to Mr Trump that not all hispanics love him.
If he is elected he would start deporting all the undocumented people who have been here for years and have their families here, said the social worker. This is not what America is about. Its a nation of immigrants.
Michael Haire, a hospital worker, said the rise of Mr Trump, who announced his candidacy last June to some mockery within the media, had taken him by surprise. But he said that now Mr Trump was on the brink of securing the Republican nomination, he had to be confronted.
My neighbour on my left is from Mexico. The neighbour on my right is from Pakistan," he said. "I think Trump would create an authoritarian society that we have not seen since the days of Joseph McCarthy. He will unleash the rabid, right-wing people.
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Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders squared-off in Brooklyn on Thursday night for their ninth and final Democratic Debate, just five days ahead of New Yorks April 19 primary.
CNNs Dana Bash, one of the shining stars of the night, asked Ms Clinton why she hasn't released transcripts from her speeches to Goldman Sachs. Ms Clinton responded by calling the transcripts a non-issue, arguing that she will release the transcripts when other presidential candidates are expected to do the same.
I did stand up to the banks. I did make it clear that their behavior would not be excused," she began. If youre going to look at the problems that actually caused the great recession, youve got to looks at the full picture.
Still, Bash pressed Ms Clinton to answer her question, and received applause from the crowd: What about the speeches?
There are certain expectations when you run for president," Ms Clinton responded. "This is a new one but I will tell you this, there is a longstanding expectation that everybody running release their tax returns.
The former secretaty of state has made more than $2.9 million from speeches to big banks, The Intercept reports. Combined with her husband Bill, the couple has made more than $139 million in paid speeches.
When Mr Sanders responded to Ms Clintons rebuttal, he offered to take the first step and release his very boring tax returns from 2014.
I am going to release all of the transcripts of the speeches that I gave on Wall Street behind closed doors, Senator Sanders said, not for $225,000, not for $2,000, not for 2 cents. There were no speeches.
Mr Sanders said that his wife Jane does the family's tax returns, and promised to release his returns "very soon."
Unfortunately, I remain one of the poorer members of the United States Senate, and thats what that will show.
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The Rupert Murdoch-owned New York tabloid paper famous for such headlines as "Headless body found in topless bar" has officially backed Donald Trump for the Republican nomination on the same day that its editor stepped down after 42 years.
In a Thursday evening announcement, the New York Post made its case for the business mogul and former reality TV star saying he has electrified the public and they expect a pivot from the oft-inflammatory candidate if he wins the nomination not just on the issues, the editorial board writes, but in his manner.
The endorsement lays out all of Mr Trumps flaws and rookie mistakes and says that his policies appear to be made up on the fly. But the paper owned by Mr Murdochs News Corp attributes his less refined characteristics to his newcomer status in the political sphere, as demonstrated by his political incorrectness.
Indeed, his political incorrectness is one of his great attractions it proves hes not one of them. Hes challenging the victim culture that has turned into a victimizing culture.
The Post continues: Trump is now an imperfect messenger carrying a vital message. But he reflects the best of New York values and offers the best hope for all Americans who rightly feel betrayed by the political class.
The editorial boards endorsement of Mr Trump fell on the same day that longtime New York Post editor-in-chief Col Allan announced his retirement from the tabloid.
It has been an enormous privilege to edit this great paper, Mr Allan, 62, said. Journalists at the Post are the best in the business, and I know that the paper will continue to grow in scale and influence.
Mr Murdoch called Mr Allan a great friend and colleague and thanked him for the time spent working with News Corporation. Mr Allan edited two papers for the company, according to Mr Murdoch, including Australia's Daily Telegraph.
Mr Allan will be succeeded by the Posts Sunday editor, Stephen Lynch, who is set to begin on 1 May.
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The girlfriend of a British academic has been arrested along with two men in connection to his alleged murder.
Hilary St John Bower, 60, who taught English at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, was reportedly dismembered after he was killed.
His girlfriend, named only as Ms Xu, is accused along with the two men of murdering him "over an emotional dispute", Shenzen's public security bureau said.
Mr Bower had been missing for three weeks after he vanished on 22 March while travelling from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, where he lived.
Local reports suggests Mr Bower had a number of girlfriends in China.
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. 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Police said a girlfriend, named by media as Shi Xiumei, reported him missing at a Hong Kong police station on 30 March. Mr Bower is reported to have been living with Ms Xiumei and their six-year-old son.
Ms Xu, 38, is said to have been Mr Bower's girlfriend for 17 years. She was arrested along with the two men on 8 April.
However, there is speculation his death could be linked to a recent property deal.
He had been due to retire this year and had recently sold his flat in Shekou, Shenzhen City, for 820,000. He is not thought to have received the money from the sale.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are providing support to the family at this difficult time, and will remain in close contact with local authorities."
The case is still under investigation.
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Angela Merkel has accepted a request from Turkey to seek the prosecution of a comedian who read out an offensive poem about the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on German television.
Under an obscure paragraph of Germany's criminal code, the government has to authorise prosecutors to pursue a case against the comedian, Jan Bohmermann, who stands accused of insulting a foreign leader.
"There were different opinions between the coalition partners the conservatives and the SPD (Social Democrats)," Ms Merkel said.
"The outcome is that the German government will give the authorisation in the current case," she added, stressing that this was not a decision about the merits of the prosecution's case against Bohmermann.
However, the German leader also announced that the country would by 2018 scrap the rarely enforced section 103 of the criminal code insulting representatives of foreign states as a result of the embarrassing affair.
According to Reuters, Justice Minister Heiko Maas, a Social Democrat, said this was the first such case in which the statement at stake was made by a journalist in a satirical program. "Freedom of opinion, the press and art are things requiring the highest protection under our constitution," and that also needed to be taken into account, he said.
"The idea of lese-majeste no longer has a place in our criminal law," Maas said.
The German Federation of Journalists added Ms Merkel's announcement sent "the wrong signal to the Turkish government."
In the poem Bohmermann calls the Turkish premier a "goat fucker" and also says Mr Erdogan "watches child porn while kicking Kurds", in reference to accusations against him that he is persecuting the Kurdish minority in the country.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes Show all 8 1 /8 Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Just a week before he was elected President, he called Erdogan Amberin Zaman, the Turkey correspondent for 'The Economist', a "shameless militant woman disguised under the name of a journalist" after she had asked an opposition leader whether "Muslim society is able to question" the authorities. "Know your place," Erdogan said. "They gave you a pen and you are writing a column in a newspaper. "And then they invite you to a TV channel owned by Dogan media group and you insult at a society of 99 per cent Muslims," he said he said according to Today's Zaman newspaper. Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Turkish people are pictured chanting slogans during an anti-government protest on Taksim square in Istanbul, on 29 June, 2013. The protests were sparked by brutal police action against a local conservation battle to save Istanbul's Gezi Park, and soon turned into nationwide demonstrations against the government. Amid the protests - the worst in Turkey for years - Erdogan accused demonstrators of being "arm-in-arm with terrorism," according to Reuters. "This is a protest organized by extremist elements. We will not give away anything to those who live arm-in-arm with terrorism," he said. GURCAN OZTURK/AFP/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes During last years protests, activists used social media to organise and disseminate information. Several dozen tweeters were arrested following the protests, according to local media reports. Erdogan responded by calling the technology a "menace". "There is now a menace which is called Twitter," Erdogan said. "The best examples of lies can be found there. To me, social media is the worst menace to society," BBC New reported. Vladimir Astapkovich/RIA Novosti via Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Not helping to allay accusations of authoritarianism, after Turkish police detained 49 people, including well-known business people and those close to the ruling party, Erdeogan ominously told reporter that Turkey "is not a banana republic" that can be affected by unnamed "operations", according to Today's Zaman newspaper. People who are backed by the media and certain funders cannot change this country," he said. "People backed by certain dark gangs both inside and outside Turkey cannot mess with the country's path. They cannot change conditions in Turkey. Turkey is not a country that anyone can launch an operation into. The [Turkish] nation will not allow that. The AK Party, which is governing this nation, will not allow this." Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Friends and relatives of the miners who died in an explosion at the Soma mine are pictured praying following the burial in Soma cemetery of the last body to be recovered from the mine in May 2014. At the time, the then-Prime Minister badly misjudged the Soma mining disaster, in which 301 workers died. He told the relatives of dead and dying miners that "these types of incidents are ordinary things", following allegations that the government had ignored safety concerns about the privately owned mine, the Guardian reported. In his defence, Erdogan recounted in a separate speech a list of mining disasters which occurred abroad, including a British disaster in 1862, and one in America "which has every kind of technology". Oli Scarff/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Palestinians pictured attending Friday noon prayers in a destroyed mosque that was hit by Israeli strikes, in Gaza City. As Prime Minister, Erdogan has condemned Israel, accusing it of deliberately killing Palestinian mothers and warned that the it would "drown in the blood it sheds." Speaking to thousands of supporters during a rally in Istanbul ahead of the 10 August election, Reuters reported him as saying: "Just like Hitler, who sought to establish a race free of all faults, Israel is chasing after the same target." "They kill women so that they will not give birth to Palestinians; they kill babies so that they won't grow up; they kill men so they can't defend their country ... They will drown in the blood they shed," he said. AP Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes Amid the worst protests in Turkey for years which had spread across dozens of cities last June, Erdogan accused demonstrators of being "arm-in-arm with terrorism," according to Reuters. A demonstration to halt construction in a park in an Istanbul square grew into mass protests against a heavy-handed police crackdown and what opponents called Erdogan's authoritarian policies. "This is a protest organized by extremist elements," Erdogan said before departing on a trip to North Africa. "We will not give away anything to those who live arm-in-arm with terrorism," he said. Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most controversial quotes The Turkish President's craziest quotes In March 2014, Erdogan accused a 15-year-old boy who died from injuries sustained in last year's anti-government protests of being linked to terrorism. Berkin Elvan, who became a symbol of anti-government protests, had gone to pick up bread when he was hit with a teargas canister - sending him into a nine-month coma before he passed away. In a speech broadcast on state TV, Erdogan said of Berkin: "This kid with steel marbles in his pockets, with a slingshot in his hand, his face covered with a scarf, who had been taken up into terror organisations, was unfortunately subjected to pepper gas. How could the police determine how old that person was who had a scarf on his face and was hurling steel marbles with a slingshot in his hand? ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images
"Erdogan is definitely a president with a small tail," adds the comedian, in a line where "tail" is understood in German to refer to another part of the male anatomy.
Ms Merkel has recently helped broker a deal with Mr Erdogan that for every refugee returned from Greece back to Turkey, one will be admitted into the EU from Turkey's refugee camps.
Additional reporting by agencies
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The French President Francois Hollande has sent a warning shot across the bows of his ambitious young protege and economy minister, Emmanuel Macron.
Questioned about speculation that Mr Macron might run for the French presidency next year, Mr Hollande, said: He knows what he owes me. It is a question of personal and political loyalty.
The President was speaking the week after Mr Macron, 38, launched his own political movement and on the day that he appeared
in presidential mode with his wife and family in the glossy pages of Paris Match magazine.
Mr Hollande said he had no problems with Mr Macrons political manouevres so long as he remained in my team and under my authority.
The youthful economy minister, speaking during a visit to London, once again denied that he had any immediate presidential ambitions. He was asked about his decision to appear in a picture spread in the magazine with his wife Brigitte, who is 19 years his senior, and one of his seven step-grandchildren. He said that this was a piece of stupidity which wont happen again.
President Hollande looked irritated when questioned about Mr Macrons ambitions during a two-hour television debate with journalists and members of the public on Thursday night. The debate was billed as Mr Hollandes last chance to turn around disastrous public opinion polls before the presidential election in 12 months time.
The president gave a pugnacious performance in which he suggested that he and his government were being unfairly denied credit for their achievements in the last four years.
Things are better in France. There is more growth, there are fewer debts and fewer taxes. Competitiveness is up, he said.
In international affairs, Mr Hollande said, France had played an exemplary role in the attempts to defeat Isis and end the civil war in Syria.
Opinion polls in recent days suggested that 89 per cent of French voters were dissatisfied with Mr Hollandes presidency and 75 per cent thought he should not bother to run again.
The poor viewing figures for Thursday nights TV debate only 3,474,000 viewers compared 7,900,000 for a similar programme in 2014 suggest that many French people have written off the President. He told one questioner that he would not decide whether to run before the end of the year but his combatative mood suggested that he has not yet given up hope.
French political commentatorss believe that there is no chance of Mr Macron defying Mr Hollande but that he is ready to challenge the Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, for the centre-left nomination if the President decides not to run. The reforming young economy minister, previously an adviser to the president, is currently by far the most popular member of the government.
During Thursday nights TV debate, a group of 300 young left-wing protesters fought with riot police and smashed cars and bus shelters in central Paris after being turned back from the Elysee Palace. The group had broken away from the rolling, nocturnal demonstration called Nuit Debout (rise up at night), which claims to be a citizens forum which is trying to restore genuine democracy.
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She was called, rather cruelly, by one French journalist, the girl in the iron mask.
Laurence Chirac, 58, the hidden elder daughter of the former French president, Jacques Chirac, has died after suffering from acute depression and anorexia for more than four decades.
Ms Chirac, a brilliant student as a girl, lived most of her life in seclusion in a cottage in the grounds of the Chiracs chateau in Correze in south west France. Her father once described her illness as the greatest tragedy of my life.
Her mother, Bernadette Chirac, blamed her daughters anorexia and suicidal impulses on a bout of meningitis contracted during a family holiday in Corsica in 1973.
In a frank book of interviews published just before her husbands second successful presidential election in 2002, Bernadette Chirac also implied that Laurence had been badly affected by Jacques frequent absences from the family in his early political career.
In 2007, after he left the Elysee Palace, Jacques Chirac made a similar confession. He told the journalist and author
Pierre Pean: Maybe I should have done more for Laurence, psychologically speaking.
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. 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The comparison with the man in the iron mask the imprisoned twin or illegitimate brother of King Louis XIV in the late 17th century is, however, unfair.
Laurence Chirac was rarely seen in public during her fathers 12 years in the French presidency. In 1995, when Jacques Chirac was sworn in as President for the first time, his elder daughter was seen at the Elysee Palace hiding behind a pillar. She seldom appeared in family photographs, although she was included in a portrait for Paris Match for her fathers 80th birthday in 2012.
Nonetheless, both Jacques and Bernadette Chirac visited her regularly in hospital or in her sheltered home in the ground of the Chateau de Bity. As Prime Minister in the mid-1970s, soon after she fell ill, Jacques Chirac would often eat two lunches an official one and then one alone with his ailing daughter.
Laurence Chirac died after a heart attack in Paris on Thursday. She is survived by her mother and her father, 83, who is suffering from a form of Alzheiners disease and is now rarely seen in public. She is also survived by her sister, Claude, 54, who runs her fathers political and charitable foundation.
According to French media reports today, Laurence Chirac made 15 suicide attempts. In 1990, when her parents and sister were on holiday in Thailand, Laurence threw herself from the fourth floor window of the familys Paris apartment. She suffered serious injuries to her pelvis, legs and skull.
She recovered but, according to the website of the news magazine Le Point, made 14 further attempts to take her own life.
Despite her illness, Laurence Chirac began medical studies in the late 1970s. She had been a brilliant student as a girl and succeeded for a while in passing medical exams despite her acute anorexia. She was, however, forced eventually to give up her studies and spend long periods in a clinic.
From the late 1980s, her mother Bernadette campaigned to raise money for research into anorexia then a little understood affliction in France. As French First Lady in 2004, she used her influence to help create a specialised clinic for anorexics the Maison de Solenn, named after that daughter of the former news anchor Patrick Poivre dArvor, who committed suicide in 1995 at the age of 19.
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A detention centre for asylum seekers in Greece is being urgently spruced up ahead of a visit by the Pope as thousands of people remain trapped inside, waiting to find out if they will be sent back to Turkey.
Workers were dispatched to whitewash the wall surrounding Moria, a former refugee camp on the island of Lesbos, while others painted fences, cleared litter and moved stray tents.
The last-minute efforts on Friday came ahead of Pope Francis arrival tomorrow with a delegation of Catholic and Orthodox leaders.
Sacha Myers, who is working inside Moria with Save the Children, told The Independent that the now very white wall was not a priority for the families living inside Moria.
We hope the improvements continue but they dont change the fact that we have still got thousands of people locked inside this detention centre with no idea how long they were be here, she said.
The camp was built to hold 2,000 people and now there are 2,900. Families are living on top of each other, there is absolutely no privacy.
Were seeing a real deterioration in conditions.
Ms Myers, a communications and media manager for the charity, said she had met Iraqi and Syrian mothers whose babies were ill with diarrhoea and fever amid declining hygiene.
The Moria detention centre on Lesbos island, Greece, on 15 April 2016. (AP)
Some people are aware of the Popes visit, she added. They really want him to help them and understand their issues.
Save the Children is warning that child refugees are being held in appalling conditions at the centre, where they report illness, fights and theft.
Charity workers described dirty rooms without enough beds, where children are denied legal services and basic support despite concerns for their mental and physical wellbeing.
High-profile visits by Angelina Jolie, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Labour MP Yvette Cooper, among others, have done little to improve the situation in Moris.
It was set up last year as one of two refugee camps in Lesbos, but on 20 March the gates were locked as it was turned into a detention centre as part of the controversial EU-Turkey deal.
In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee children at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees queuing for food at the Kara Tepe camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees' tents at the Kara Tepe camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees at the Oxy transit camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees waiting to board ferries to the Greek mainland in Mytilene, Lebos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees waiting to board ferries to the Greek mainland in Mytilene, Lebos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees waiting to board ferries to the Greek mainland in Mytilene, Lebos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos The graves of drowned refugees in Mytilene, Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos A building used to house unaccompanied children at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees queuing to register at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees at the Moria camp in Lesbos In pictures: Refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugees arriving on smugglers' boats from Turkey in Lesbos
The Pope will be joined by leaders of the Catholic and Orthodox churches as he tours Lesbos, which has seen the highest number of refugees arrive out of any island in Europe.
After visiting Moria, they will have lunch with refugee representatives and make a joint declaration, before heading to the islands capital for a prayer service in memory of the many asylum seekers who have drowned attempting to reach Europe.
The Vatican said the five-hour visit to Lesbos was purely humanitarian and religious in nature, not political, and wasn't meant as a criticism of the deportation programme seeing some asylum seekers sent back to Turkey.
Pope Francis said he intended to express closeness and solidarity both to the refugees and to the Lesbos citizens and all the Greek people who are so generous in welcoming (refugees).
The pontiff has been outspoken in calls for greater compassion and international co-operation in the refugee crisis, denouncing the globalisation of indifference during a trip to Lampedusa another migrant hotspot.
Pope Francis kisses the foot of a man during the foot-washing ritual at the Castelnuovo di Porto refugees centre on Thursday 24 March, 2016 (AP)
Controversy continues over the situation in Lesbos, which is now subject to the 18 March EU-Turkey deal.
It stipulates that anyone arriving clandestinely on Greek islands will be returned to Turkey unless they successfully apply for asylum in the country.
For every Syrian sent back, the EU will take another Syrian directly from Turkey for resettlement in Europe but other nationalities make up more than half of those arriving.
In return, Turkey was granted concessions including billions of euros to deal with the more than 2.7 million Syrian refugees living there, and a speeding up of its stalled accession talks with the EU.
Additional reporting by AP
A chimp named Chacha escaped from his enclosure at the Yagiyama Zoological Park in Japan and ran around a neighborhood for two hours. He was shot with dart from a tranquilizer gun and fell from his perch on a telephone poll. It looked like quite a fall, but zoo officials say he is OK.
NY Times:
Television footage showed Chacha perched atop the pole, agitated and screaming at zoo workers below. Even after being shot by a sedative arrow in the back, he desperately tried to escape, dangling from a power line.
He finally fell head down into a blanket held by a dozen workers on the ground.
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Three French schoolgirls suspected of torturing a younger girl are being questioned by police, it has been reported.
In an interview with Europe 1 radio, the father of the victim said the girls had stubbed out cigarettes on the 12-year-olds face and arms, according to the BBC.
The victim was also apparently left with a dislocated jaw, was urinated on, and slashed with a knife.
It is also alleged that the gang, from south-eastern Paris suburb Creteil, extorted money from the victim and tortured her after she had gone to steal from a grocers.
The girls father said: Its very complicated she kept silent about it, and finally she told us I feared causing problems for you.
According to Le Parisien, the alleged attackers are aged between 13 and 15.
The girls mother, quoted in the newspaper, said that she had found her daughter bleeding and shaken in the street on Tuesday and that this is when she discovered what the schoolgirls had subjected her to since December.
The girls accused of the wrongdoing are now in custody, Le Parisien reports.
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Turkish border forces have been accused of using live bullets to drive away refugees fleeing the latest round of violence between Isis forces and opposition groups in war-ravaged Syria.
Human Rights Watch, who made the claim, has called on Turkey to halt the shooting at Syrian civilians, adding that fresh fighting between Isis and armed opposition groups in northern Aleppo has resulted in the displacement of 30,000 people in just 48 hours.
The human rights advocacy group, citing international aid workers and heads of displaced person camps near the Turkish border, adds that three of the refugee camps are now deserted as a result of the fighting.
Recommended Read more A tale of two refugee camps on Lesbos
As civilians flee Isis fighters, Turkey is responding with live ammunition instead of compassion, said Gerry Simpson, senior refugee researcher at Human Rights Watch.
The whole world is talking about fighting ISIS, and yet those most at risk of becoming victims of its horrific abuses are trapped on the wrong side of a concrete wall.
One Ikdah camp resident said to HRW: We left the camp but headed north through olive groves towards the Turkish border. We were about 2,000 people. As we approached the border wall we saw Turkish soldiers on a hill behind the wall and they just started shooting at us.
They shot at our feet and everyone just turned round and ran in all directions. I took my family and we walked to another [displaced persons] camp nearby, called al-Rayan. Were afraid now because Isis is close to this camp too. But where can we go.
Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Show all 11 1 /11 Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Turkey's two million Syrian refugees There are already over 2.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, but their current camps can only hold 200,000 people ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Turkish citizens protest a new deal, also criticised by human rights activists, which will see refugees who arrived in Greece after March 20 be sent back to Turkey AP Photo/Emre Tazegu Turkey's two million Syrian refugees An estimated 80% of Syrian refugee children already in Turkey are unable to attend school BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Refugee children beg for water near the Turkey-Syria border. Turkey has been accused of illegally deporting asylum-seekers back to Syria BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees In Turkey, no-one from outside Europe is legally recognised as a refugee, meaning the 2016 deportations may not meet international legal standards for protecting vulnerable people BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees A refugee child cries as she is searched by police at the Syria-Turkey border, where 16 refugees (including three children) have been shot dead in the last four months BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Many refugees are living rough on the streets of cities such as Istanbul or Ankara (pictured) ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Turkish soldiers use water cannon on Syrian refugees BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Syrian refugees shelter from rain in the streets of Istanbul BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees A derelict building housing Syrian refugees in Istanbul Carl Court/Getty Images Turkey's two million Syrian refugees Turkey houses around half of all the refugees who have currently fled Syria Carl Court/Getty Images
According a monitor of the region, speaking to AFP news agency, the city of Aleppo is key to all sides fighting in Syrias five-year civil war and holds the key to war and peace. The once flourishing city has been divided into zones held by the regime in the west, and opposition areas in the east, since a rebel offensive in 2012.
Raising concerns for the durability of the ceasefire, jihadists from the Islamic State group and the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front, the regime and loyalist militia, Kurdish fighters and rebels are now all battling each other on several fronts in the province.
Turkeys closed border is forcing Syrian men, women, and children to dig ditches and hide to escape the horrors of war, Mr Simpson added. Turkeys attempt at creating a so-called safe zone is a terrible joke for civilians cowering underground and desperate to escape Syria.
The violence at the Turkey-Syria border is terrible proof of whats wrong with the EU-Turkey deal... EU countries and Turkey should be working together to provide genuinely safe havens for Syrian refugees, not slamming doors shut in rapid succession.
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What do Genoa, Eindhoven and Nuremburg have in common, besides being agreeable cities that are also important business centres? They are destinations previously served from London by full-service airlines, such as British Airways, KLM and CityJet, but which are now the sole preserve of budget carriers. For business travellers heading for these locations and seeking a non-stop flight, there is no choice but to use Ryanair. Its a similar story to many other business cities, now served solely by low-costs such as easyJet or Germanwings - the Lufthansa offshoot currently being transformed into Eurowings.
The leading budget airlines are making a play for business travellers. But their one size fits all philosophy means you could be sitting less comfortably than you wish. With the average passenger getting taller and broader, not everyone fits their one size.
The only legal stipulation about passenger seating is how easily it allows you to escape: a plane should be capable of evacuation in 90 seconds with only half the emergency exits in use.
Every airline sets its own dimensions on seat pitch - the distance between the front of your seat and the front of the one ahead - and the width of seats. These can vary between aircraft types and even differ by row on the same plane, making specific comparisons tricky. But a US Senator, Chuck Schumer, says the average seat pitch has reduced from 35 to 31 inches since the mid-1970s, representing a loss of legroom of one inch per decade. Widthways, the average seat has shrunk from 18 to 17 inches, even though the average rear has widened.
From 12 May, easyJets Gatwick fleet will start getting planes with six extra seats - without any change in the external dimensions. Similarly, Ryanairs new generation of 737 jets, which start flying in 2019, will be exactly the same size as now, but with eight extra seats. Both airlines say that the amount of personal space for each passenger will not be affected: they are doing clever things to free up space.
As even infrequent flyers will testify, though, flying in the cheap seats feels more crowded than ever. Load factors for budget airlines are higher than they have ever been; for easyJet and Ryanair, 90 per cent-plus is the norm - which means there are only a dozen or so empty seats on a typical flight. Good for the environment, bad for personal space. Go back a decade or two, and 70 per cent was the norm - adding up to 40 or 50 spare seats.
Airlines maintain that they are meeting the demands of the travelling public, and if passengers want a bit more space they can pay for it - and it comes wrapped into their business fares. Buy one of Ryanairs Business Plus fares, and you can book a seat in the front row at no extra cost, with plenty of legroom (more so in 1B and 1C than the others) - as well as a 20kg case checked in for no additional charge. These advantages depend on the good seats not already having been booked - and on you sticking to the original flight. Switch at short notice, as you are entitled to do on business fares, and you may find yourself stuck in an ordinary seat.
Is it the fault of money-grabbing airlines? No, we passengers are to blame. Not enough business travellers patronised British Airways, KLM and CityJet to sustain legacy services to key business destinations. And passengers are apparently not so alarmed by shrinking space that they reward efforts to increase it. Some years ago, American Airlines made a tremendous play of ripping out several rows of economy seats from each aircraft, to grant an economy seat pitch of 36 inches - far better than most airlines. I had the pleasure of flying on a couple of those planes and it was indeed refreshingly comfortable. But not enough people felt the extra space was worth a significant premium on fares. Average passenger numbers on each flight fell, as expected, but yields (the average fare per passenger) fail to rise commensurately. The seats soon went back in.
So for the tall/wide/comfort-focused business traveller who cannot abide budget airlines, what is the alternative? You could try a plane-train arrangement, using a legacy carrier to an airport with good rail connections. But given the scope for mis-connects and the unjoined-up nature of air-train links, you might decide simply to grin and bear it. Or, if you prefer, scowl and bear it.
Up to the minute: the business travel news you need in 180 words
Blue yonder
After Alaska Airlines takeover of Virgin America, JetBlue could become the sole premium low-cost airline in the US. The carrier is rolling out its Mint product, involving Airbus A321 jets kitted out with flat beds for business passengers, from its Boston base. From the autumn, there will be three flights a day each way to and from Los Angeles, including an overnight eastbound departure. jetblue.com
Turkish alert
The US has ordered the departure of family members of American government civilian workers in Izmir, and restricted official travel to Turkey to mission-critical travel only. It is telling business and leisure visitors to the country: Exercise heightened vigilance and caution when visiting public access areas, especially those heavily frequented by tourists, and advising them to Stay at hotels with identifiable security measures in place. travel.state.gov
Humber number
SunAir, the Scandinavian franchise partner of British Airways, is launching services this week from Humberside airport to both Aalborg and Billund in Denmark. The Friday and Sunday flights take 80-90 minutes aboard a Dornier 328 aircraft. sunair.com
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Killing a poacher for the first time was traumatic for all involved, says Joseph Okouyi, senior wildlife warden at Minkebe national park. My men returned fire and hit the poacher, killing him instantly. They didnt know what to do, he says.
In the rush to escape they failed to bury the body, an omission that proved unsettling in the week that followed. Twelve days later, fearing a bad omen, Mr Okouyi and his men ventured back into the forest in north-east Gabon to retrieve the corpse.
The journey was arduous, and the smell, when they got there, even worse, but it was a relief to do the right thing. We had to return the body to his family, says Mr Okouyi. He is a human. He needs a good sleep.
Minkebe national park is the front line in Gabons escalating war with poachers. Bordered by Cameroon to the north and Congo to the east, the Belgium-sized expanse of pristine rainforest is an easy target for central African gangs looking to make a quick buck from Africas white gold.
Gabon has around 40,000 forest elephants roughly half the worlds population a large proportion of which live in Minkebe. But what was once a haven for the sub-species has, for 15 years, been a site of mass slaughter.
From 2002 to 2011, poachers ran amok in the park. Beyond the reach of the authorities, a camp of 7,000 people trading ivory, gold, prostitutes and drugs sprung up amid soaring gold and ivory prices, the latter reaching a high of $240 a kilo. By the time Gabonese paratroopers razed the camp in 2011, over 10,000 of Minkebes elephants were dead.
A permanent battalion of 100 eco-guards and soldiers now patrol Minkebe, but poachers have returned, crossing from Cameroon in smaller groups of 10 to 50. For six months clashes have increased in frequency and intensity as hunters embraced a new tactic: shooting at eco-guards on sight.
A short timeline of elephant poaching Show all 10 1 /10 A short timeline of elephant poaching A short timeline of elephant poaching 1880s.jpg Robert H. Milligan, New York Public Library A short timeline of elephant poaching 1910.jpg Creative commons A short timeline of elephant poaching 1979.jpg Surreal Name Given, Flickr A short timeline of elephant poaching 1980s.jpg Scotch Macaskill A short timeline of elephant poaching actual elephant forensic.jpg Space for Giants A short timeline of elephant poaching 1990s.jpg Space for Giants A short timeline of elephant poaching 1999.jpg Vidhi Doshi A short timeline of elephant poaching Ivory elephants.jpeg Space for Giants A short timeline of elephant poaching elephantfence.jpg Space for Giants A short timeline of elephant poaching Elephant dust (1)_1.jpeg Space for Giants
Its worse than ever, says Professor Lee White, the British-born director of Gabons national parks agency (ANPN). In the past, poachers would drop their weapons and run. But recently theyve been shooting at my men at the first opportunity.
The escalation is driven partly by improvements in the ranger force. With training from British and US armies, ANPN guards have never been so effective at tracking and apprehending poachers. But its also down to pressure piled on hunters, usually poor members of the persecuted baka pygmy minority, by ruthless and brutal paymasters operating out of a military base in Djoum, just over the Cameroon border.
People we arrest quite openly tell their story, says White. They were picked up in southern Cameroon, and in two thirds of cases were either employed or forced by the Cameroon military to join a poaching gang and head into the forest.
Professor Lee White, left, with President Bongo Ondimba, centre, with and ministers of Interior and Mines in Minkebe (Mike Fay)
Interrogations of arrested poachers revealed many face severe punishment beatings, possibly worse upon returning to Cameroon empty handed. White says: Around six months ago the risk of being arrested, having guns and ivory confiscated and eventually being deported back to into the clutches of the poaching gangs in Cameroon started to outweigh the risks of shooting at my men.
Poor front line poachers are mere cannon fodder, says White, and see little of the huge profits ivory can bring. Meanwhile, entire streets and houses in Djoum are built with money from Minkebe gold and ivory. Around 70 per cent of Minkebe's ivory passes through Cameroon, on an established the trafficking route that ends with hauls being shipped to the far east, where ivory can fetch up to $2,000 per kg.
As long as the rewards from ivory remain so high, conservationists will continue to face aggressive tactics from poachers on the front line. Last November a soldier with an eco-guard patrol was shot in the shin by a poacher armed with a Kalashnikov. The bullet exploded his bone and he had to travel three days through the forest to reach an area where a helicopter could get him out.
Minkebes remote location is one of the greatest challenges for ANPN staff. Intensive logging right up to the Gabonese border means Cameroonian poachers have easy access to northern regions of the park, while Prof Whites men must hike or travel by boat for four days. The helicopter is expensive, and must be used sparingly.
A forest elephant in Gabon. Forest elephants are known their long, straight tusks (Ruth Starkey)
Despite these challenges, Gabon is committed to protecting its elephants. Since succeeding his father in 2009, President Ali Bongo has prioritised the modernisation of Gabons national parks. When Prof White took over ANPN the same year, it had no vehicles and just 60 staff controlling 13 national parks and three million hectares. It now employs 700 and has a budget of almost $20 million, which pays for military training, weapons and vehicles.
The improvements have been a life-line for the forest elephant, whose hard, straight tusks are prized by consumers and carvers in the Far East. The subspecies faces an especially perilous future because of the lawless and war torn regions in which it roams; densely forested parts of the Congo basin, where Kalashnikovs change hands for fistfuls of dollars. Scientists say poachers slaughtered two thirds of forest elephants in just over a decade.
To further emphasise his commitment to reversing this trend, President Bongo last year signed up to the Giants Club, the elephant protection initiative backed by the Evening Standard. On April 29-30, he will join fellow African heads of state, business leaders and conservationists at the inaugural Giants Club Summit to drive protection measures and work out a co-operative framework to deal with the poaching crisis.
If the situation in Gabon worsens, Mr Okouyi worries he will soon be forced to bury one of his own men. If we carry on this way, I do fear one of our men will be killed. Take the incident in November if the bullet hit him in the chest, he definitely would have died.
On 29-30 of this month African heads of state, business leaders and conservationists will meet in Kenya at the inaugural Giants Club Summit to drive front-line protection measures and work out a co-operative frame-work for saving Africa's elephants. The Kenyan government will follow the summit by burning 105 tonnes of ivory, the largest ever amount to be burned in one go. To find out more about The Giants Club Summit go to: spaceforgiants.org/giantsclub/summit
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The reverberations created by the release last week of the Panama Papers continue unabated. Today the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, along with his counterparts in Germany, Italy, France and Spain announced that the nations were to work together to strike a hammer blow against tax evasion. New regulations will enable tax and law enforcement agencies in the five countries to share details about the ultimate owners of shell companies, and to do so in a timely fashion.
Such measures are welcome, although it may be wondered why co-operation with some of our closest European allies was not at this level already. Osborne has also contacted finance ministers of the other G20 countries urging that they join the data-sharing efforts: their responses will be closely monitored. Indeed, for all that the steps taken by Europes big five are a helpful sign of action, for an information exchange to have real clout it is American involvement that is most keenly needed.
Indeed, for all the focus in the last fortnight on the role of tax havens in British Overseas Territories (BOTs) and Crown Dependencies, it is notable that it is America which is increasingly the destination of choice for offshore investors, with states including South Dakota and Wyoming joining the long-renowned Delaware in offering low levels of tax and high levels of secrecy for discerning clients. Trust money is flowing in greater volumes than ever out of traditional hotspots like Switzerland and Bermuda to the USAs more discreet territories. Whether there will be much appetite among Americas political class to join European efforts to clamp down on the tax dodgers remains to be seen therefore.
Moreover, the moves towards greater transparency dont extend to those BOTs which have come under scrutiny recently. It is a weakness for Osborne, and his European partners are likely to increase the pressure for reform in those territories once the current celebration of today's announcement passes. For all that the Chancellor will disclaim responsibility, Britains position vis-a-vis places such as the Cayman and British Virgin Islands is undeniably problematic.
On the other hand, the UK Government can at least point to the fact that it has committed to public registers of beneficial ownership, unlike Germany et al. That is a model others should follow and for which Osborne and the Prime Minister deserve some credit.
One important feature of the new transparency rules is that they remind us that the Panama Papers revealed more than simply some embarrassing facts about David Camerons family finances. That he fell so squarely into the spotlight last week was largely a consequence of his poor handling of the revelations. The danger was that the furore around him might distract attention from the wider problems which the Mossack Fonseca documents showed up primarily the use of secret, shell companies to shuffle vast sums of ill-gotten gains away from prying eyes. Tax evasion is part of that equation; the other part is laundering the proceeds of corruption and other criminality.
Angel Gurria, secretary general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development made a good point in response to today's initiative when he highlighted the need to crack down on the professional enablers who make tax dodging possible. He is absolutely right. Attention rightly focusses on those who are themselves the dodgers, yet evasion of the dues they owe is made feasible by lawyers, accountants and other financial experts who at best turn a blind eye to suspicious activity. Many of those individuals themselves benefit from living and working in low- or no-tax locations. Their own significant wealth is dependent on the maintenance of secrecy and, ultimately, of the status quo.
This much is clear then: the work of Britain and its European allies is a good start. But much more remains still to do if the tax evasion and money laundering which feeds global wealth inequality is to be brought to an end.
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Kate and William have spent the past week on a Royal tour of India and Bhutan, a trip that has cost taxpayers many thousands of pounds. You might ask what they are achieving, apart from a PR exercise for the Monarchy. The Foreign Office claims their trip to Bhutan is important to support a new democracy, headed by a young King and Queen. So it was a chance to meet their counterparts, practise archery and exchange small talk.
As for raising pressing political and economic matters in India, I doubt that Port Talbot workers were very hopeful Prince William would be able to achieve much in an informal lunch chat with the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. The Chairman of Tata Steel declined to attend a charity gala at the Dukes hotel at the start of the tour, citing travel commitments. The pair have spent their time touring charity projects, meeting conservationists and homeless kids and at each event, the Duchess (supported by a team of stylists, hairdressers, dressers and PAs) has dressed in a manner that ranges from the demure to the plain dowdy.
Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Show all 32 1 /32 Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, paint an elephant statue at Kaziranga Discovery Park in Panbari village, in Kaziranga, some 250 km from Guwahati, the capital of the north-eastern state of Assam Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, feeds a baby elephant at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) at Panbari reserve forest in Kaziranga in the northeastern state of Assam, during the royal visit in India Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge, meet a rhino calf at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) at Panbari reserve forest in Kaziranga in the northeastern state of Assam Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Catherine and Prince William take a Game drive at Kaziranga National Park at Kaziranga National Park in Guwahati Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William visit a contact centre run by the charity Salaam Baalak, which provides emergency help and long term support to homeless children at New Delhi railway station Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge meet a young dancer as they watch dancing by the fireside during a Bihu Festival Celebration at Diphlu River Lodge Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge meet Prime Minister of India Narenda Mod in New Delhi's Hyderabad House during day three of the royal tour to India and Bhutan Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Catherine and William visited the Banganga Water Tank. They were given a traditional welcome at Bangana Water Tank and met representatives from SMILE, an organisation working in an economically deprived urban area to support local enterprise Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Duchess Of Cambridge enjoys a game of cricket during a visit to meet children from Magic Bus, Childline and Doorstep, at Mumbai's iconic recreation ground, the Oval Maidan Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge at India Gate in New Delhi Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Prince William and his wife Catherine take part in an event at the Gandhi Smriti, a museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, in New Delhi Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge meet young entrepreneurs during a visit to Mumbai Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge prepare to lay a wreath at the Inida Gate in New Delhi Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge remove their shoes at Gandhi Smriti in New Dehli, India before paying their respects at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India The Duke and Duchess toured the museum housed in the Old Birla House and paid their respects at the place where Mahatma Gandhi's life ended on 30 January 1948 Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William pose for a picture at India Gate Memorial Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Prince William and Catherine pay their respects at the place where Mahatma Gandhi's life ended on 30 January 1948, at Gandhi Smriti, the Old Birla House museum Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge poses with local school children as they tour Old Birla Hous in Gandhi Smriti in New Dehli Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India The Duke Duchess of Cambridge meet children from local charities Magic Bus, Childline and Doorstep, and join game of cricketwith boys from the Dilip Vengsarkar Academyat the Oval Maidan recreation ground Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are garlanded as they arrive at the Banganga Water Tank in Mumbai Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Catherine, Duchess Of Cambridge plays football during a visit to meet children from Magic Bus, Childline and Doorstep Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge react after playing football during a visit to the Banganga Water Tank in Mumbai Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William play football games during a visit to the Banganga Water tank, where they met representatives of SMILE Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at a Bollywood Charity Gala hosted by the British High Commission and the British Asian Trust at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrives for a Bollywood Inspired Charity Gala at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge speak with Boman Kohinoor during a meeting in Mumbai Prince William and Kate Middletons visit to India The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stand after laying a wreath on the martyrs memorial at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai
Surely the main point of the couples trip (apart from the endless photo-ops) was to fly the flag for Britain, to drum up visitors, promote our exports and encourage investment? In her over-anxious effort not to offend anyone, the Duchess ended up looking decidedly dreary. Wearing a printed cotton frock (which to me looked no different from those made by workers on low wages in the Third World) and high street earrings (ditto), what message was she trying to send out?
Royals visit Bhutan monastery
Even clothes by cutting edge designers like McQueen were altered beyond recognition, turned into something more suitable for the brides mother. My disappointed Indian friends think Kate should have worn high fashion, not high street, and cant understand why she looks so prim and proper.
Attending a wedding in Mumbai a few years ago, I stayed at the same hotel as the Royal couple, and went to some swish parties. The Indian women of all ages looked extremely glamorous, putting us Brits to shame. As for Kate covering her flesh this isnt a predominately Muslim country (79 per cent are Hindu) and sari-wearing Indian women frequently reveal their bare midriffs. The British fashion industry inspires the rest of the world and is a key part of our economy, but whoever is advising the Duchess of Cambridge should be sacked.
The British Monarchy has worked its usual magic, turning a vibrant commoner into an underweight thirty-something with no pizazz. Princess Diana had her shortcomings, but she understood perfectly that the public expected glamour at all times and she never let them down, promoting British designers brilliantly. Kate has turned into the Duchess of Drab.
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Had the press reported John Whittingdales relationship, it would not have been in the public interest. As elements of the press, though, have form over publishing salacious material come what may, it is in the public interest to know why they did not publish and that requires us to know what they did not publish. Paradoxically, it is that which is not in the public interest to publish, may need to be published.
Peter Cave,
London
Lack of workers' rights? The EU's to blame
Jeremy Corbyn warns there could be a "bonfire" of workers' rights if the UK votes to leave the EU in June.
Surely it is the EU which is causing a "bonfire" to British workers' jobs, conditions, pay and working hours by allowing UK businesses to recruit very cheap labour from EU countries.
Emily Stevens,
Brighton, East Sussex
Cameron's wrongheaded view on farming and the EU
Cameron has really taken the biscuit this time by claiming farmers will lose out big time if we leave EU. I remember clearly our farm subsidy policy before we joined the European Economic Community (EEC). It not only ensured farmers got good prices but ensured cheap food for all. Immediately after we joined the EEC our food costs rose and we had wine lakes and beef, apple, and butter mountains all paid for by consumers. Yet Cameron claims Britain will no longer produce as much food if we leave EU. What would he be doing ? Watching our farmers sit idly by.
Eric R. S. Davidson,
Isengard, Banffshire
Crackdown on corporate bosses
Two of the default arguments put forward by those defending the massive salaries some corporate bosses pay themselves is that (a) theyre only paying themselves the going rate for the job and (b) if they didnt get it they would hawk their indispensable genius abroad. Even if this bizarre defence had a wisp of logic, it in no way negates what your leader describes as absurd, obscene, and unfair. But of course the fat cat bankers and their counterparts in the Corporate Club have always known what the public thinks about them. But they seem to imagine that their power, buttressed by their boardroom cronies, gives them a kind of diplomatic immunity. Perhaps the revolt by the BP shareholders might be the first short step towards dragging them into the real world.
Donald Zec
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Manuel Valls, the French Prime Minister (above), would like to extend the ban on Islamic headscarves in French schools to universities, we reported on Wednesday. He made the comment "in a lengthy interview with the centre-left newspaper Liberation", we said.
Some pedants hold that "lengthy" means "overlong". I would not dream of being so pernickety. My objection is simpler: that "lengthy" is itself overlong. If the duration of the interview was relevant, we could have just called it "long". As it was, we should have dropped the adjective altogether.
Forgo forego: We misspelt forgo twice in our reports of Ted Cruz's epic struggle to deny Donald Trump the Republican nomination on Monday. Some observers thought Cruz might moderate some of the positions he has adopted in order to try to win more support from the party's establishment. We asked: Is he prepared, for instance, to forego his claim that there is 'zero recorded warming' of the planet? (It was, incidentally, a question to which the answer was no.)
We also reported on the unusual decision by the Republican Party in Colorado to allow party activists rather than the wider electorate to choose the delegates to the national convention who will in turn choose the party's candidate. With Trump rampaging like a wounded bull ("it's a crooked deal"), we noted mildly that "questions will be raised about the decision of the Colorado Republicans to forego ordinary caucus or primary voting".
For- without an "e" meant without (and similar things) in Old English, so forgo means to go without. Forego, on the other hand, means to go before, and has fallen out of use except in the past tense as "foregone".
It may take forever: My eccentric campaign to have "for ever" as two words is no more successful now than when I launched it a couple of years ago. This week in The Independent, the computer search tells me I lost five-nil.
We could have written: "angry gun-toting Bats can be consigned for ever to that special corner of comic book movie hell"; "Apple's App Store, which changed mobile technology for ever"; "just because you take a photo in the Snapchat app doesn't mean it has to disappear for ever"; "a huge new bot platform that could change the future of the internet for ever"; and "the good times may not last for ever". But in each case we didn't. Only on Sunday, when we quoted Scarlett Johansson saying, Long, long ago, I had someone in my life who was forever unavailable", when it was an adverb, did it have to be one word.
We are not Germans: why use a compound word when two short ones will do?
All together now: Sometimes, though, a compound word has come to mean something different from the same words used separately. On Wednesday, we reported extracts from a speech on the European Union that Jeremy Corbyn was going to deliver the next day. We said that he was going to argue that "reforming the organisation from within is better than leaving all together".
The word "altogether" is formed from all and together, but it means completely, whereas all together could mean everyone together. We made it look as if the Labour leader were arguing against several countries leaving the EU at the same time.
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Prurient interest in the intimate details of other people's lives isnt confined to the tabloid press. We all like a bit of smut and innuendo, dont we? A week ago, I put down the Daily Telegraph and felt slightly nauseous. To be blunt, I was disgusted with myself for bothering to spend half an hour reading Charles Moores scoop revealing that the Archbishop of Canterbury was not of Jewish extraction, and did not have a lying alcoholic and conman for a dad, but was the product of a one-night stand between his mother and Winston Churchills private secretary. This titbit was billed as the affair that shook the establishment; I disagree.
Charles Moore and Justin Welby are the same age, were both at Eton and both attended Trinity College, Cambridge. Whereas Moore had a happy childhood, Welby was shy and lonely, according to his contemporary. Charles Moore writes that he had heard rumours about Welbys lineage from several sources, and engineered a private meeting. Welby then offered to take a DNA test, which proved the rumour was true.
I dont care particularly who the Archbishops dad was - and neither will the vast majority of his flock. This journalistic stunt wont change history but it illustrates how - at every social level - Brits love gossip and secrets, especially when they're dressed up as being historically significant.
Charles Moore renounced the Anglican Church when it voted to admit women priests, and embraced Catholicism. Moore has written that gay marriage is a fad, like asbestoscommunism and high-rise buildingsanyone who opposes it will look like the people who opposed the slave trade. Worse, hes claimed that traditional views of Christianity are being drowned out by a form of gay rights sharia. You may not agree with gay marriage, but this is inflammatory language - Margaret Thatchers biographer reflects a retrogressive, narrow-minded view of the world while opinion polls regularly demonstrate that the British public are far more tolerant when it comes to gay rights.
Justin Welby, on the other hand, was brought up by an alcoholic mother and her hard-drinking husband, and knew about emotional deprivation and anxiety from the outset. The family was forced to move continuously and his school fees were waived for two years. All this makes me admire the Archbishop, even though I despair of the Church of England and its feeble attempts to embrace right-wing believers in an attempt to shore up their declining membership.
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Moores description of how the Archbishop took the DNA test by brushing swabs around his mouth was creepy - surely the person who emerges from this story as brave and modern is Welby, not his interrogator. And what about the impact on his 86-year-old mother, forced to put out a statement detailing the fact that her son was conceived after a drunken one-night stand with a womanising chap who happened to be Churchills Private Secretary? Jane Welby has led an exemplary life, in recovery since 1968, so why should she have to justify her actions to the public?
Worse, what about the impact on Welbys children, especially as one of his daughters has written about her own battles with depression on the same Telegraph website - an article which has been liked by millions of readers? I dont suppose Moore gave her a second thought.
Whittingdale avoids questions
Charles Moores nasty little scoop - which he claimed was important to correct Welbys biography - proved beyond any doubt that shameless prying into the private lives of public figures isnt the prerogative of reality TV or the tabloid press.
This week, BBCs Newsnight decided to run a story (claiming it was in the public interest) about the Culture Secretary John Whittingdales former girlfriend. Before he occupied his present post and was a backbench MP, Whittingdale (a divorced, unattached middle-aged chap seeking a bit of company) met a woman on a dating website and they saw each other for a few months. Now we know she was a sex worker - to be precise, a professional dominatrix. So what?
There already exists a Register of Members' Outside Interests - do the hypocrites want that to include the names of every person a Minister has ever shagged, in case they can be blackmailed? By running the Whittingdale story as if it was a piece of major news, the BBC is no better than Moore, or the National Enquirer.
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As the EU referendum campaign began formally on Friday, we might have expected the Out camp to have raised one of its key themes: getting back control of our laws or our borders, perhaps, or how we would survive and prosper economically outside the EU?
Instead, Vote Leave campaigned on the NHS, even though it has very little to do with the EU at all. Stretching their own argument to breaking point, the Outers claimed that money could be diverted to our cash-starved NHS if we no longer had to send 350m a week to Brussels.
They even appeared to blame this weeks poor accident and emergency performance statistics on spending money instead on EU bureaucrats.
Vote Leave's misleading figures imply we pay 18bn a year into the EU. In fact, taking account of what we get back reduces it to 10bn. If we vote to leave in June, then any government would be under strong pressure to use the savings on matters now funded by the EU such as payments to farmers, aid to poor regions and scientific research. It is nonsense to suggest that Brexit would be a magic wand for the NHS.
Yet there is method in the Out camps madness. It is happy to have any kind of row about the EU and money, even if its own figures are wrong, because it reminds voters that EU membership comes with a price tag.
Never mind the quality; just talk about the money. That is why Vote Leave is delighted by the row over the 9m cost of sending a government leaflet about the referendum to every household.
We shouldnt be surprised by its approach. The two officials who run Vote Leave, Matthew Elliott and Dominic Cummings, used exactly the same tactic in referendums in which they opposed reform of the voting system and a North East regional assembly respectively. They talked up the cost of the proposed change -- and won both contests.
Although Elliott also ran the Taxpayers Alliance, which backed radical reform of the NHS and a shift to an insurance-based system, he now seems to be a passionate defender of our health services public funding.
Other Outers, such as Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Daniel Hannan, have also questioned the NHS in its current form. Why are the Outers suddenly wearing "I love the NHS" badges? Because it gives them a chance to reach out beyond their core support to floating voters among NHS workers and relatively well-off people who care about the health service.
What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Show all 5 1 /5 What's the European Parliament ever done for us? What's the European Parliament ever done for us? A cap on the amount of hours an employer can make you work The Working Time directive provides legal standards to ensure the health and safety of employees in Europe. Among the many rules are a working week of a maximum 48 hours, including overtime, a daily rest period of 11 hours in every 24, a break if a person works for six hours or more, and one day off in every seven. It also includes provisions for paid annual leave of at least four weeks every year Getty Images What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping the people of Britain to avoid smoking In 2014 MEPs passed the Tobacco Products Directive strengthening existing rules on the manufacture, production and presentation of tobacco products. This includes things like reduced branding, restrictions on products containing flavoured tobacco, health warnings on cigarette packets and provisions for e-cigarettes to ensure they are safe What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping you to make the right choices with your food Thanks to the European Parliament, UK consumers have access to more information than ever about their food and drink. This includes amount of fat, and how much of it is saturated, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and so on. It also includes portion sizes and guideline daily amount information so people can make informed choices about their diet. All facts must be clear and easy to understand What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Two year guarantees and 14-day returns policy for all products Consumers across the EU have access to a number of rights, from things which are potentially very useful, to things which used to be annoying. For example, shoppers in the UK receive a two-year guarantee on all products, and a 14-day period to change their minds and return a purchase, these things are useful www.PeopleImages.com-licence restrictions apply What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Keeping your air nice and fresh (and safe) Believe it or not, although the situation is improving, some areas of the UK have appalling air quality. A report by the Royal College of Physicians released on 23 February says 40,000 deaths are caused by outdoor air pollution in the UK every year. Air pollution is linked to a number of illnesses and conditions, from Asthma to diabetes and dementia. The report estimates the costs to British business and the health service add up to 20 billion every year
It also hands the Outers the opportunity to raise their most potent issue - immigration - without appearing to do so. Heres Priti Patel, the Employment Minister, supposedly talking about health: It is becoming clear that our membership of the EU is putting the NHS under threat. Every week we send 350m to Brussels - thats money that could be better invested in helping patients who rely on our NHS. What we get back from the EU is a city the size of Newcastle (population 288,000) of new immigrants to the UK every year. Current levels of migration are causing unsustainable pressures on our public services and we can see that the NHS is creaking under the strain. And the Outers accuse the In camp of running Project Fear.
True, there is one issue where the EU might impinge on health. There are genuine fears that the EUs planned trade deal with the US TTIP - could allow private health companies to provide services now run by the NHS.
The European Commission and the British Government insists that guarantees are in place to prevent that. But David Owen, the former Foreign Secretary who left Labour to form the Social Democratic Party in 1981 partly because Labour was then anti-EU, is now campaigning for an Out vote.
He cites a threat to the NHS from TTIP and EU single market rules promoting competition. Jeremy Corbyn, who has changed places with Lord Owen since the 1975 referendum, is worried that TTIP could lead to privatisation but in his long overdue intervention in the referendum on Thursday, he argued that it would be much better to campaign for EU reform from inside rather than hand control to the free market enthusiasts in the Leave campaign.
PM on Corbyn and the EU
In this game of playground politics, Outers claim that Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, started the squabble over the NHS. He warned last month that the economic shock of leaving the EU would inevitably leave less money for public services like the NHS.
That was stretching it a bit, but Hunt also had a more relevant argument. He warned that some of the 100,000 skilled EU workers who work in health and social care might leave Britain if we quit because of doubts over their visas and residence permits.
The Tory-dominated Vote Leaves response to Hunt was revealing: it blamed the NHS cash crisis on Hunt and David Cameron. Now it hopes the spotlight on the Prime Minister's family wealth will damage him further. Every five points off his trust rating is worth one point to us in the In/Out battle, smiled one leading Outer.
Both sides should stick to the real questions rather than bombard voters with misleading propaganda on everything under the sun. Very big issues are at stake in this referendum, but the NHS is not one of them.
IPUT chief executive Niall Gaffney, centre, with Savils chairman Roland OConnell and IDA CEO Martin Shanahan at the launch of 7 Hanover Quay in Dublin last year
John Mulcahy, pictured on right, with his then boss, Nama chief Brendan McDonagh, outside Leinster House
NAMA's former head of portfolio management is to take over the chairmanship of the biggest unlisted property vehicle in the country.
John Mulcahy was yesterday named chairman designate at IPUT. He will take over from Frank Close, who will step down later this year.
Mr Mulcahy led Jones Lang LaSalle's Irish business before joining Nama in 2009. He retired from that position in 2014 before joining IPUT six months later.
That move raised eyebrows and led Finance Minister Michael Noonan to declare there was "no conflict of interest" in Mr Mulcahy moving back to the private sector.
In his Nama role he was the key decision maker in deciding when the state bad bank should sell its loans and property.
Now, as chairman of IPUT's investment committee, he is a key voice in advising the fund's management team on possible purchases.
Mr Mulcahy's appointment was announced at the investment fund's AGM in Dublin. At the meeting, current chairman Mr Close told investors the firm had agreed terms for a 150m loan from US bank Wells Fargo to fund the refurbishment or rebuilding of several buildings IPUT owns in central Dublin.
The fund is redeveloping office blocks at 47-49 St Stephen's Green and 10 Molesworth Street in Dublin 2.
In a statement, the fund, which is led by chief executive Niall Gaffney, said it took in 85.8m in rent last year -helping it boost the net asset value (NAV) of its portfolio by 5.01pc. NAV is a key measure of the health of any property investor.
The "fair value" of its portfolio increased 251m, driven mostly by its Dublin property book.
IPUT's portfolio is almost entirely based in Dublin. It owns a string of office blocks including Riverside 2 on the south quays and the headquarters of law firm A&L Goodbody at 25-28 North Wall Quay.
Addressing shareholders, Mr Close said, "IPUT recorded a total property return of 25.3pc for 2015 with both core and active portfolios contributing to this performance.
"This allowed the Fund to distribute 79.2 m in dividends to our shareholders, an increase of almost 19m on 2014," he added.
"The first four months of 2016 has seen continued momentum. We are continuing to look at acquisitions in key locations. While there is always some level of uncertainty, we foresee another year of satisfactory growth in 2016 as the commercial property market continues to grow on the back of higher rental values and increased occupier demand."
Shares in the unlisted property vehicle were trading at 1,001.57 - the most recent price available.
Green leaders and innovators across construction, manufacturing, retail and other sectors have been honoured for their work in helping make the shift towards a more sustainable economy.
The 8th Green Business awards, of which the Irish Independent is media partner, last night awarded Ecocem's Conor O'Riain its 'Green Leader of the Year' award for his work in helping to promote use of eco-friendly cement.
Acting Environment Minister Alan Kelly was among almost 500 guests at the event in Dublin.
The awards provide the platform for large, medium and small organisations to demonstrate the highest achievements in green operations, with more than 100 companies submitting entries.
Other winners included An Post, Dawn Meats, IKEA, Dairygold, AIB, Croke Park Stadium, Astellas Ireland and the BAM Civil/Wayss & Freytag joint venture for construction of the 4.9km Corrib tunnel under Sruwaddacon Bay in Mayo.
You may be asking yourselves if there's a compelling reason for another Jungle Book movie, given the winning and definitive nature of Disney's 1967 animated version, but if so you'd be wasting your time. This new cgi live action mishmash will be followed just two years' hence by another Jungle Book, a Warner Brothers motion-capture production directed by Andy Serkis. That's a whole lot of Kipling, and it should be pointed out that this film is not quite as cuddly or toddler-friendly as the Disney original.
So why make it? To retell a classic tale using recent advances in Cgi, the studio executives might tell us, and cast new light on Rudyard Kipling's Raj legends, but cashing in on a well-known story is surely closer to the mark. It's so well known, in fact, that it must have been hard to dream up a new way of telling it, and at least this Jungle Book has made a genuine effort to do so. In returning to the darker elements of the source material, which after all was originally written for Kipling's sickly daughter who died at the age of just six, director Jon Favreau and writer Justin Marks have created a grimmer and more grown-up adventure in which jazz music and broad humour no longer have a place.
Newcomer Neel Sethi is Mowgli, a child abandoned in the dense jungles of north-eastern India who's raised by a wolf pack and watched over by the kindly panther, Bagheera. He bonds with his adoptive mother and grows up thinking of himself as a wolf, but during a seasonal truce at which predators and prey meet to drink in peace at a traditional watering hole, Mowgli's presence is detected by the jungle bully, a tiger called Shere Khan.
Feared by all species, Shere Khan has a bad temper, a terrible personality and dictatorial tendencies. It's his way or the highway, and when he decides that the man cub's presence can no longer be tolerated in the jungle, Mowgli is forced to go on the run. Bagheera sensibly reasons that Mowgli's best chances of survival entail returning to his own kind at a village bordering the jungle, but the boy can't bear this idea, and runs off alone.
After surviving an encounter with a treacherous python called Kaa (voiced with mellifluous seductiveness by Scarlett Johansson), Mowgli's life is changed forever when he makes the acquaintance of a tuneful and criminally lazy bear.
Bill Murray provides the voice of Baloo, and does a charming job, supported by a strong voice cast including Ben Kingsley (Bagheera), Idris Elba (Shere Kahn), the late Garry Shandling (Ikki, a neurotic porcupine) and Christopher Walken, who plays the giant monkey king, Louie.
The skill with which these anthropomorphised, talking animals are rendered is impressive, and the real boy and the animated creatures are blended with such skill that you stop noticing the joins. The scene in Louie's crumbling palace is particularly well animated, as well as a crucial battle sequence at the end, and the film's sense of adventure is enhanced by pared-back storytelling and great momentum in the direction.
There's a real darkness to Jon Favreau's film that's in marked contrast to previous versions, but there's also, Bill Murray excepted, a fatal lack of charm. The jungle in this movie is scary, full of hidden dangers, and if I was Mowgli I'd be heading for the bright lights and cheering curries of that village. The songs made famous by the 1967 Disney version are too embedded in our collective conscious to be entirely ignored, so Mr Murray gives us a rather half-hearted version of Bare Necessities, while Christopher Walken's I Wanna be Like You has perhaps wisely been shorn of its dubious racist undertones.
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It's all very nicely done, but just a little bit joyless, and as I mentioned earlier, excludes younger children from the party by virtue of its intermittent grimness.
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The Jungle Book (PG, 105mins).
Matt LeBlanc shared a picture of him filming for the upcoming series with rapper Tinie Tempah (BBC/PA)
Matt LeBlanc with a new Rolls-Royce Dawn, during filming for the new series of Top Gear
Matt LeBlanc has taken the wheel of the new Rolls-Royce Dawn and put it through its paces around Ireland's Ring of Kerry.
Viewers of BBC Two's new series of Top Gear will see the former Friends star driving around Co Kerry's scenic route in the luxurious convertible (or drophead).
The name Dawn was previously given to just 28 drophead models between 1950 and 1954.
Fine Gael politician Brendan Griffin praised the show's Irish adventures earlier this week, saying he was "delighted".
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He revealed he had contacted the popular motoring show two years ago to invite them to film in Kerry and the Wild Atlantic Way.
"I believed that the landscape, the roads and the people would be a perfect fit for the programme," he said.
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He added that a visit would expose the area to a "whole new audience and will present a massive opportunity for tourism".
One lucky fan has already snapped a selfie with Matt LeBlanc in Killarney ahead of Top Gear filming this weekend.
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Louise O'Donoghue sent her selfie and a pic of his autograph to Kerry's Full Breakfast on Radio Kerry.
She bumped into new Top Gear presenter Matt in The Killarney Oaks Hotel on Thursday night.
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Speaking to Ray D'Arcy on his RTE Radio One show, Louise said she was an "obsessed" Friends fan.
"I was going in [to The Killarney Oaks] for a pint after work and he was there," she said.
Looks like an awesome drive. https://t.co/zuKbBP04Lv Matt LeBlanc (@Matt_LeBlanc) April 14, 2016
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"He was sitting behind me and I started freaking out. I went up to the bodyguard. Nobody was going up to him, so I went up and asked if it was okay if I got an autograph and a picture, if he didn't mind.
"He was having dinner but after I got an autograph, hug and pictures. I was so happy. I was like a little girl!"
LeBlanc, fellow host Chris Evans, and the Top Gear crew are in the Kingdom this weekend to film two segments for the upcoming new series.
Speaking on his BBC radio show on Wednesday, Evans revealed they would be hitting Dingle and Killorglin.
"Matt and I are going to Ireland on Friday to make a couple of Top Gear films that will be combined. We're thinking of going to the Dingle area," he said.
Evans spoke to his newsreader, who is of Irish stock, about where to visit and asked her about Dingle.
She said, "It's beautiful, wonderful food, lovely pubs".
"We won't have time for any of that!" he replied, "Technically we'll be working. We'll try and eke out some time for a bit of socialising."
Evans also mentioned visiting the neighbouring village of Killorglin and asked about driving further south along the coast.
"We don't want to go inland, we want to go on the coast road. It's better for shots," he said.
Netflix confirmed that the new series will be streamed internationally and it will premiere on BBC One in May.
An honest essay has numerous characteristics: original thinking, a good structure, balanced arguments, and plenty more.
But one aspect often overlooked is that an honest essay should be interesting. It should spark the readers curiosity, keep them absorbed, make them want to stay reading and learn more. An uneventful article risks losing the readers attention; whether or not the points you create are excellent, a flat style, or poor handling of a dry subject material can undermine the positive aspects of the essay. The matter is that a lot of students think that essays should be like this: they believe that a flat, dry style is suited to the needs of educational writing and dont even consider that the teacher reading their essay wants to search out the essay interesting. You might want to have online essay editor service to boost your confidence in writing with an error-free output. Academic writing doesnt need to be and shouldnt be bland. The excellent news is that there is much stuff you can do to create your essay more attractive, while youll be able only to do such a lot while remaining within the formal confines of educational writing. Lets study what theyre.
Have an interest in what youre writing about
Dont go overboard, but youll be able to let your passion for your subject show.
If theres one thing bound to inject interest into your writing, its being fascinated by what youre writing about. Passion for a subject matter comes across naturally in your essay, typically making it more lively and fascinating and infusing an infectious enthusiasm into your words within the same way that its easy to talk knowledgeably to someone about something you discover fascinating.
Include fascinating details
Another factor that may make an essay boring maybe a dry material. Some topic areas are naturally dry, and it falls to you to form the article more interesting through your written style and by trying to seek out fascinating snippets of knowledge to incorporate, which will liven it up a small amount and make the data easier to relate to. A way of doing this with a dry subject is to create what youre talking about that seems relevant to the critical world, as this is often easier for the reader to relate to.
Emulate the fashion of writers you discover interesting
When you read lots, you subconsciously start emulating the fashion of the writers you have read. Reading benefits you a lot, as this exposes you to a spread of designs, and youll start to require the characteristics of these you discover interesting to read.
Borrow some creative writing techniques
Theres a limit to the quantity of actual story-telling youll do when youre writing an essay; in the end, essays should be objective, factual and balanced, which doesnt, initially glance, feel considerably like story-telling. However, youll apply a number of the principles of story-telling to create your writing more interesting.
consider your own opinion
Take the time to figure out what its that you think instead of regurgitating the opinions of others.
Cut the waffle
Rambling on and on is dull and almost bound to lose the interest of your reader. Youre in danger of waffling if youre not completely clear about what you wish to mention or havent thought carefully about how youre visiting structure your argument. Doing all your research correctly and writing an essay plan before you begin will help prevent this problem.
Editing is a vital part of the essay-writing process, so edit the waffle once youve done a primary draft. Read through your essay objectively and eliminate the bits that arent relevant to the argument or labor the purpose.
employing a thesaurus isnt always a decent thing
Avoid using unfamiliar words in an essay; theres too great a likelihood that youre misusing them.
You may think that employing a thesaurus to seek out more complicated words will make your writing more exciting or sound more academic, but using overly high-brow language can have the incorrect effect.
Avoid repetitive phrasing
Please avoid using the identical phrase structure again and again: its a recipe for dullness! Instead, use a variety of syntax that demonstrates your writing capabilities and makes your writing more interesting. Mix simple, compound, and complicated sentences to avoid your paper becoming predictable.
Use some figurative language
Using analogies with nature can often make concepts more accessible for readers to know.
As weve already seen, its easy to finish up rambling when youre explaining complex concepts mainly after you dont know it yourself. One way of forcing yourself to think about a couple of pictures, present it more simply and engagingly is to form figurative language. This implies explaining something by comparing it with something else, as in an analogy.
Employ rhetorical questions
Anticipate the questions your reader might ask.
One of the ways ancient orators held the eye of their audiences and increased the dramatic effect of their speeches was by using the statement. A decent place to use a statement is at the top of a paragraph, to steer into the following one, or at the start of a replacement section to introduce a brand new area for exploration.
Proofread
Finally, you may write the top interesting essay an instructor has ever read. Still, youll undermine your good work if its plagued by errors, which distract the reader from the particular content and can probably annoy them.
Three Irish college students are currently winging their way around Europe - with no phones, cards or cash - as part of a survival challenge.
Conor Bradshaw (20), Katie Mannion (21), and Gareth Jordan (20), otherwise known as the Paddys in Paris, are competing in the Red Bull Can You Make It? Challenge.
The adventurous trio left Ireland on Monday, and their challenge is to travel from Barcelona to Paris, using only Red Bull cans as their currency.
"Over the next 7 days we are uncontactable - with no phones, cards or cash. We will be racing through European cities using RedBull as our only means of currency for food, travel and accommodation as we aim for our final destination Paris, Katie said in her last Facebook post before departure.
Yesterday, they traded two crates of Red Bull for three bus tickets to Geneva, Switzerland at Molly Malone's pub in Bordeaux. The team also tucked into meals of burger and chips, after 48 hours of eating raisins and rice cakes.
So far, they've posted videos about their experiences making wine at a Bordeaux vineyard, and from the bull ring in Pamplona, Spain.
They have talked their way out of paying a motorway toll fee while driving to San Sebastian, and they have driven 700 kilometres across Spain in a nine seater van with two German teams participating in the same challenge.
The Irish team are competing with 165 other international groups that were chosen from a total of 3,000 applicants.
A judge ordered a 12-week old baby be placed in emergency foster care after an allegation that he was travelling in a car with his parents who were both intoxicated.
Limerick District Court heard the infant was at "significant risk" in his parents' care.
Sergeant Gary Thompson, Newcastle West Garda Station, told the court that when he arrived at the scene he found the baby's mother and father were both drunk.
"Both mum and dad were extremely intoxicated," Sgt Thompson said.
"There was a strong smell of alcohol on them both. They both had glazed eyes, and they were behaving in an erratic and unreasonable manner."
Sgt Thompson said he also smelled cannabis on the boy's parents.
Giving evidence, the mother admitted she had a "drink problem", but denied taking drugs.
She admitted consuming "two glasses of wine" last Wednesday after remaining sober for five months previously. "I had a slip," she told the court.
Social services became aware of potential issues last November, after the mother, who was seven months pregnant, allegedly presented at hospital with raised alcohol levels in her blood.
Una Kissane, a social worker with Tusla, told the court there was a "serious risk" to the baby if he was allowed stay in his parents' care.
"The only place for (baby) is in general foster care, in order to ensure his safety," she added.
Sgt Thompson said gardai were forced to take the mother into custody last night, as she was "a danger to herself and others".
Judge O'Leary granted the emergency care order for eight days, finding there was an "immediate risk to the child".
A man whose leg was amputated after he was struck by a car taking part in an international rally event has secured 564,000 damages.
The award to Blaine Murphy was made after the Court of Appeal rejected as "perverse" a High Court judge's finding he was primarily liable.
The appeal court increased by almost 364,000 the High Court's award of some 199,000 compensation to Mr Murphy, now aged 30, of Cashelmara, Knocknacarra, Galway.
He had appealed the High Court's finding of 66.66pc contributory negligence against him, which had cut his award for injuries suffered as a 19-year-old spectator at the 2005 Galway International Motor Rally.
He sued County Galway Motor Club Ltd, which organised and managed the rally under the auspices of Irish Motorsport Federation Ltd (Motor Sport Ireland), and Motor Sport Ireland Safety Team, which provided safety services for the rally.
Devastating
The appeal court found the three defendants 75pc liable with 25pc contributory negligence on his behalf.
Ms Justice Mary Irvine said he had suffered "devastating" injuries at the young age of 19.
The judge, with whom Mr Justice Michael Peart and Mr Justice Paul McDermott agreed, found the greater degree of responsibility lay "by far" with the experts, the three defendants.
She could not but think of fathers kicking ball with their children or teaching them to swim and that Mr Murphy "will likely be denied all of this and so much more".
The judge found the High Court erred in how it awarded sums under various headings, including awarding a "wholly inadequate" 100,000 general damages for future pain and suffering. That sum was increased to 175,000.
She increased the sum for future loss of earnings from 229,602 to 280,815.
A 16-year-old Dublin boy, who knocked a garda over while speeding on a stolen motorbike, has been given a three-month custodial sentence.
The boy admitted driving a stolen motorbike, not having a licence or insurance, escape from lawful custody, dangerous driving as well as a hit-and-run charge in connection with the incident in south Dublin on October 25, 2014.
During a pursuit, the teenager had been riding the stolen moped at Mount Tallant Avenue when he knocked over Garda Oliver Farrell who was on foot, the Dublin Children's Court heard.
Judge John O'Connor was furnished with a probation report on the youth which showed the teenager has recently tested positive for cocaine use as well as other substances. The teenager had been given numerous chances to work with the Probation Service and avoid detention. However, he failed to co-operate with agencies trying to help him.
Judge O'Connor imposed a six-month detention-supervision order . The teenager will have to serve a three month sentence in a detention centre followed by three months probation.
Judge O'Connor has said the teenager was out of control, taking killer drugs and putting his life at risk.
Earlier Judge O'Connor said all this was having an effect on the teen's mother who said her son, will not allow me to be his parent.
Earlier, Gda Farrell said he attempted to stop the teenager but the boy drove at him and he had to take evasive action. The garda was struck to his right side and the teenager carried on driving.
There were numerous incidents of dangerous driving and failing to stop before the teenager crashed into the back of a patrol car at Harold's Cross Road.
Following his arrest he managed to get out of the garda car and briefly escape before he was recaptured.
Judge O'Connor noted the boy had no prior criminal convictions. A welfare report had shown the teen was becoming far more challenging and he is at a high risk of re-offending.
Earlier counsel for the boy said the he wanted to complete continue his education and to complete the Leaving Certificate.
However, it was conceded the teenager's behaviour had become an issue in his educational course and the boy has had anger-management difficulties.
A convicted killer who robbed a post office while armed with an axe has been sentenced to four years, with the final 18 months suspended.
Kenneth Wilson (46) of Deansrath Road, Clondalkin, Dublin has 18 previous convictions including manslaughter, armed robbery and a charge of possession of firearms for which he was sentenced to ten years.
In 1999 he was jailed for five years for his role in the killing of Patrick Joseph Craig, a father of six, in 1992.
Wilson was one of two masked men who burst into Mr Craig's home and shot him as he lay in bed.
The court heard Wilson did not intend to cause serious harm and was under the influence of his co-accused at the time. Mr Justice Paul Carney called it a a brutal and vicious assassination."
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court previously heard that in November 2012, Wilson and two other men entered the Bawnogue Post Office, Clondalkin. Wilson was armed with an axe while the other men had a crowbar and imitation handgun.
The men began to break down the security glass with their weapons while two staff members, including Louise Thunder, who was four months pregnant, locked themselves in the bathroom. The men took over 7,000 from the registers before fleeing in a blue BMW.
The car was spotted near Deansrath Lawns with Wilson running away from it. When he saw gardai he slowed to a walk and went into a house. Gardai followed him in and found him sitting on a stool and out of breath.
Wilson claimed he had been there all morning and that he had just let a man in who climbed over the back wall. He was arrested and interviewed ten times but refused to make admissions. Only a small amount of the money was recovered.
Wilson later pleaded guilty to robbery at Bawnogue Post Office on November 28, 2012.
In a short victim impact report, Ms Thunder said she feared she might lose her unborn child because of the trauma.
Defence counsel Padraig Dwyer SC previously told Judge Sarah Berkeley that Wilson sees this as the last of his offending behaviour. He said he was now looking for work and that he was at a low risk of re-offending.
Sentencing Wilson today, Judge Berkeley noted he had not re-offended since the incident.
He has done his best to be a law-abiding citizen for the last four years, she said.
She sentenced Wilson to four years' imprisonment, but suspended the last 18 months.
Jude Miley with his mum and dad Anne Louise and Greville from Dundrum in Dublin Photo: Ronan Lang/Feature File
A father whose young son is profoundly brain damaged following an operation at Crumlin Children's Hospital has told the High Court the family were never given any hope for the boy.
Jude Miley was just six months old when a suture used in an operation to release his diaphragm and help his breathing remained untrimmed, causing damage to the heart muscle.
Two days later, the baby had a heart attack and was rushed to theatre for emergency surgery which saved his life.
His parents, Anne Louise and Greville Miley, were told Jude had suffered irreversible damage and an MRI scan days later showed he had widespread damage to the brain.
In proceedings brought on behalf of the child, now aged four, the hospital has admitted liability and the case is before the High Court to assess damages.
Greville Miley, who cares full time for his son, told the court on Friday he and his wife were told by doctors in Ireland that Jude was not going to recover because of the damage to brain.
Using their own funds, and money from a trust fund set up by friends, they brought Jude to the US where there was "an enthusiastic ethos" to his son's recovery.
While doctors here suggested PEG feeding for his son, doctors in the US had dealt with feeding properly by using new therapies, leading to his son eventually being able to eat certain foods. Jude also took his first steps walking unaided at a clinic in the US, he said.
Doctors here could advise but could never give practical examples because anyone here with his son's level of brain damage or less was "still lying in a bed, still in a wheelchair, not walking and not talking".
Mr Miley was giving evidence in the action on behalf of Jude, of Holywell, Upper Kilmacud Road, Dundrum, Dublin, against Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Dublin.
Jude was born on July 16, 2011, and, by January the following year, a condition regarding the contour of his diaphragm was diagnosed.
Necessary surgery was carried out on January 24, 2012, which, it was alleged, was below the standard of care.
It was claimed a suture was placed in the wrong place damaging the heart resulting in the baby deteriorating culminating in the child suffering a cardiac arrest on January 26, 2012.
It was alleged there was failure to use the correct suture or a suture had been placed to protrude in such a way as to abrade the baby's heart muscle.
Other claims included alleged failure to take into account and act appropriately upon the baby's parents concern post operatively regarding Jude's condition. Liability was admitted last year.
Mr Justice Anthony Barr has already approved a 1.8m settlement under accommodation and loss of earnings headings and now has to assess damages under other headings, including future care. The case continues next week.
Garda Jimell Henry appeared in court charged with seven counts of illegally disclosing information and with possessing cocaine. Photo: James Connolly
A garda has appeared in court charged with seven counts of illegally disclosing information contrary to the Garda Siochana Act and a separate charge of possessing cocaine.
Gda Jimell Henry (34), Cairns Hill, Sligo, appeared at Sligo District Court.
Gda Det Insp Jim Delaney told Judge Kevin Kilrane that he put the charges to Gda Henry at Sligo Garda Station at 10.20am yesterday after arresting her at her home earlier.
He said Gda Henry had said 'no reply' to each of the eight charges.
The witness also said that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed that the case be heard on indictment before the Circuit Court.
Ms Henry faced seven counts of disclosing information obtained during the course of her duties as a member of An Garda Siochana knowing that the disclosure of that information was likely to have a harmful effect.
All the charges relate to alleged offences on dates in December, 2014 and January 2015.
The alleged disclosures are alleged to have taken place at 6.07am on December 16, 2014 in Dublin; at 10.41pm on January 14, 2015 in Mullingar; at 5.32pm on December 27, 2014 in County Sligo; at 10.40pm on January 14, 2015 in Mullingar; at 8.22am on January 13, 2015, in Dublin; at 7.58am on January 13, 2015 in Dublin, and on December 31, 2014, at 8.01pm in Dublin.
The charges relate to alleged breaches of Section 62 of the Garda Siochana Act 2005.
Gda Henry was also charged with the unlawful possession of cocaine on January 16, 2015 at Tullymagracken North, Sligo.
Det Insp Delaney said gardai consented to bail subject to a number of conditions.
He asked that she surrender her passport, remain in the jurisdiction, does not contact any witnesses in the case and sign on once weekly at her local garda station.
He also asked for an independent surety of 10,000 "due to the gravity of the charges".
The case was adjourned for an hour to allow for Gda Henry's passport to be retrieved from her home and for her father Kevin Henry to provide evidence of the surety.
When the case resumed, Judge Kevin Kilrane released Gda Henry on bail.
He issued a court order that the amount of money in Kevin Henry's bank account should not fall below 10,000.
He also ordered Gda Henry to sign on at Sligo Garda Station each Friday between 9am and 9pm.
The judge said Gda Henry should not make contact with witnesses known to her or witnesses she ought to know were involved in the case.
Defence solicitor Gerry McGovern asked for legal aid.
He said his client did have a salary but this had now been reduced to 185 per week.
Judge Kilrane granted the application.
Gda Henry was released on bail to appear again at Sligo District Court on May 12 for the serving of the book of evidence.
Gda Henry, dressed in black leggings, brown boots and a blue and white top, and carrying a brown hooded coat, left the court with her father.
THE inquest into the death of a Dublin man violently killed by his flatmate will be a very delicate case for all involved, a court hearing heard.
The family of Tom OGorman (39), who was killed by his tenant Saverio Bellante, from Italy are seeking a full ventilation of the manner of his death through the inquest process.
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Mr OGorman, a journalist and researcher at the Iona Institute, died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and stab wounds to the chest at his home in Beech Park Avenue, Castleknock, Dublin 15 in January 2014.
Acting for the family at Dublin Coroners Court barrister Aisling Mulligan said she had made submissions in relation to the scope of material to be examined at the inquest hearing.
The extent to which the inquest will be opened will need to be quite broad, Ms Mulligan said.
The inquest into his death was opened on March 26 2014 and adjourned to allow for an investigation and subsequent trial at the Central Criminal Court. Last February, the family applied for a full inquest to be held through their legal team.The OGorman family were not present in court for this latest short hearing but were aware of the proceedings, Ms Mulligan told Coroner Dr Brian Farrell. They have grave concerns about Mr Bellantes psychiatric treatment and the dangers attached to it in the lead up to the killing. The family feel this was not fully ventilated at Mr Bellantes trial.
Preparation is underway for the material format of the hearing, including what witnesses will be called. Its a very delicate case for all purposes and for family and the people involved, Ms Mulligan said.
Mr Bellante he was found not guilty by reason of insanity at the Central Criminal Court but large elements of the case were not ventilated because of the type of case that was run, Ms Mulligan said. The OGorman family hope to have the full circumstances of Mr Bellantes psychiatric treatment and its connection to the killing of Mr OGorman aired in court.
Additional submissions will be made to the Coroners office in the coming weeks and the inquest was adjourned for further mention until May 13.
An American man prosecuted over the emergency diversion of an aircraft has been found not guilty.
Jeremiah Mathis Thede, 42, was accused of acting in a manner likely to negligently endanger an aircraft.
Jurors took less than an hour to find the Californian innocent.
The United Airlines flight from Rome to Chicago in June last year landed in Belfast after crew became concerned.
Afterwards Mr Thede's solicitor Patrick Madden said: "The prosecution case and the decision to divert the flight was all based on information which is inaccurate from the cabin crew, it was based on speculation, misunderstanding and misinterpretation.
"In fact there was simply no credible evidence in this case to suggest that Mr Thede had acted in any way to endanger this flight."
The Californian denied being aggressive towards cabin crew after they refused him pre-flight crackers. His barrister said airline witnesses during his Antrim Crown Court trial had contradicted each other and added they had over-reacted to a series of relatively minor events.
The service diverted to Belfast after staff became worried and claimed they had been approached by passengers - some even moving children away from the agitated accused. None of the fellow travellers have given evidence.
Thede, 42, was on an 11-hour flight on June 20 last year.
The accused, from Berkeley near San Francisco, has previously described how he was down to his last dollars following a long European trip and problems with a credit card and had eaten only an apple during five hours waiting at Rome airport for the delayed flight home.
He has said he requested crackers immediately upon boarding, then repeatedly during the flight, because he was hungry.
Unable to sleep, he proceeded to repeatedly go to the bathroom and search through his luggage while organising contacts from his long European trip. Flight attendants claimed he left his meal tray obstructing the aisle and alleged that his behaviour was odd.
Thede's barrister Aaron Thompson quipped that the whole trial was a bit crackers.
Before sending them away, Judge Desmond Marrinan had told jurors it would be a fatal flaw to just take the crew's word for it and counselled the panel to avoid rumour or speculation.
He said the key issues had included Thede's alleged failure to obey United staff and whether passengers were likely to take matters into their own hands - which may have led to trouble or fighting.
A relief pilot disturbed from his sleep to deal with the incident earlier told the trial Thede was unpredictable and his behaviour was odd.
The judge said: "He formed the view that the defendant was unwilling to obey instructions."
Mr Madden said his client was delighted and relieved at the verdict delivered by the jury of seven men and four women in half an hour. He will now return to the US.
He said they would consider legal proceedings against the airline.
"United Airlines should reflect on this case. They should also consider how they handle complaints from passengers in future."
A Dublin man found in possession of over 72,000 of cocaine has avoided jail after a judge found he was vulnerable and probably targeted by drug dealers.
Raymond Creighton (26) of Poddle Green, Kimmage, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing 1.03 kg of cocaine worth 72,100 at Cashel Road, Crumlin on February 5, 2015. He has two minor public order convictions from 2011.
The court previously heard Creighton told gardai that he had been standing on the side of the road waiting on a friend when two people he knew pulled up in a car and started slagging him.
He said he agreed to hold drugs for them and thought he might have gotten 100 or a bit of hash for the job. Garda Triona Gallagher told the court that Creighton said he hadn't expected the drugs to be worth so much.
Gda Gallagher agreed with Seamus Clarke BL, defending, that Creighton was a vulnerable and soft man who had been shocked at the drugs' value.
Gardai raided a house in Cashel Street, belonging to a friend of Creighton's. A rucksack of cocaine and a weighing scales were found in the house owner's bedroom, but Creighton immediately admitted he had put them there.
He said he owed the two people in the car up to 200 for a drugs debt.
Sentencing Creighton today, Judge Sarah Berkeley said there were a number of exceptional circumstances in Creighton's case.
She said he was not known to be involved in the drug scene, that he immediately admitted to possessing the drugs and co-operated with gardai to a high degree.
He appears somewhat vulnerable and could be targeted by drug dealers, Judge Berkeley said, adding Creighton had learnt a serious lesson.
While a custodial sentence would have a significant deterrent, I have to consider how a lengthy prison sentence would affect a young man like the accused, said Judge Berkeley before imposing a four year sentence and suspending it entirely.
A man who took part in imprisoning, stripping and beating a married man because he wanted to teach him a moral lesson for entering his girlfriend's bedroom has been jailed for six months.
In Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today, Judge Sarah Berkeley sentenced Lucky Shaka (24) to two years' imprisonment, but suspended the final 18 months.
Shaka, along with his girlfriend Sonia Odusanya (21) with addresses at Thornfield Square, Clondalkin, Dublin pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning Innocent Wilson at a flat in Thornfield Square on April 12, 2014.
The court previously heard Mr Wilson believed Odusanya was his girlfriend but that she saw him as just a friend. As a result of this she and two others decided to teach him a lesson.
She lured him to her flat before Shaka and another man showed up and began assaulting the victim. They told him they were going to take pictures and a video of him naked and put them up on the internet and on Youtube in order to humiliate him.
Mr Wilson managed to escape out a window but the men captured him again and dragged him back while beating him up.
At this point another man saw the commotion and asked what was going on. He was informed that Mr Wilson was trying to have sex with Odusanya.
He helped the others bring Mr Wilson back to the flat and took part in stripping him.
Odusanya told gardai after her arrest that this wouldn't have happened if Innocent hadn't tried to have sex with me. She received a suspended two year sentence last month.
Judge Sarah Berkeley said that the reasoning of the accused was they were dealing with morally reprehensible behaviour by assaulting and imprisoning him. She described Shaka as the most culpable of the three.
Pieter LeVert BL, defending Shaka, agreed that they wanted to teach him a lesson because he was married.
A local authority has agreed to quash planning approval for a bathing changing area at the home of a neighbour of film-maker Neil Jordan, the High Court heard.
Mr Jordan and his wife Brenda Rawn objected to the flat-roofed shelter/changing area in the rear of their neighbour Robin Power's home at Sorrento Terrace, Dalkey, Co Dublin.
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council last August decided the development required planning permission, and a retention application was lodged.
In November, the council approved the application.
Mr Jordan and his wife objected - as did Ian Lumley of An Taisce, who said the development was injurious to the architectural composition of Sorrento Terrace.
Mr Jordan and Ms Rawn appealed to An Bord Pleanala.
Consultants for Mr Jordan and Ms Rawn said there had been a fundamental failure by the neighbour to abide by established rules and guidance for the development of Sorrento Terrace. They also brought High Court judicial review proceedings seeking to quash the council's decision.
Their counsel Michael O'Donnell yesterday told Mr Justice Paul McDermott that the council had consented to an order quashing its decision.
It agreed to have the matter remitted back to the council on grounds that it failed to notify three prescribed bodies of the matter.
Counsel said the local authority was also consenting to paying his clients' costs. The judge said he would make the order sought.
An application for the costs of a notice party in the case, Mr Power's consultants Elark, trading as Alternative Building Solutions, was withdrawn.
A nurse allegedly withdrew large sums of money using an ATM card belonging to a terminally ill nursing home resident.
The registered nurse is facing allegations of professional misconduct and non-compliance with the code of professional conduct at a fitness to practise inquiry.
It is alleged that nurse Elizabeth Yvonne Williamson (nee Claffey), while working at the Bloomfield Care Centre in Rathfarnham, Dublin, used an ATM card belonging to a resident, referred to as KD, without his consent to withdraw large sums of money.
Ms Williamson allegedly made withdrawals between October 2011 and May 2012.
Ms Williamson allegedly withdrew approximately 5,300 at various times between October 10, 2011 and May 8, 2012.
It is further alleged that Ms Williamson used the elderly resident's ATM card on April 6, 2012 at an Asda shop in Northern Ireland, making a purchase of more than 250.
A hearing yesterday took place at the Nursing and Midwifery Board's headquarters in Blackrock, Co Dublin.
The inquiry heard that KD, who is now deceased, was a "vulnerable, frail and elderly man receiving palliative care".
KD, who suffered terminal cancer, was placed at Bloomfield Centre after alleged behavioural issues at another facility.
Phillip Farrelly told the inquiry he knew KD for many years, as they both had been long-term residents in the Howth area.
Mr Farrelly said that during one visit to Bloomfield, KD told him that one of the nurses had used his bank card and PIN code to make purchases for him. "I felt upset by this," Mr Farrelly told the inquiry.
"KD was in his 70s. I felt there was only one [way] this was going and that was disappointment for KD."
In a letter written to the Nursing Board's Preliminary Proceedings Committee prior to the inquiry, Ms Williamson argued that all the withdrawals she made using KD's card were made with his knowledge and at his request.
The matter of came to light in October 2012 after KD wrote to his bank regarding potential theft from his account. After a garda investigation into the matter, Ms Williamson repaid KD 6,000 and wrote a letter of apology to him, the inquiry heard.
More than 10 witnesses are expected to give evidence today.
Two Dublin men appearing at an out-of-hours sitting of the Special Criminal Court this evening have been charged with possession of 150kg of explosives.
The men were also charged with IRA membership.
John Brock (43) and John Roche (52) were arrested this afternoon by members of the Special Detective Unit as part of ongoing investigations into dissident republican activity.
Mr Brock, with an address at Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, Dublin 24, and Mr Roche, with an address at Bridgefoot St, Dublin 8, were both charged with possession of 57kg of homemade explosives, consisting of ammonium nitrate fuel mix, and thirty-eight 2.5kg rolls of Kemegel industrial explosives at Naas Rd, Dublin 12, on April 13th, 2016.
Both men were also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on the same date.
Detective Garda Dermot Bolger, of the Special Detective Unit, told State Solicitor Michael O'Donovan that he arrested Mr Brock under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act at 3.15pm today on St Ronan's Avenue, Clondalkin.
He said he explained to Mr Brock the reason for his arrest in ordinary language and cautioned him.
Mr Brock made no reply, the court heard.
The detective garda detained Mr Roche in Ronanstown garda station before transporting him to the Special Criminal Court, where he showed the charged man a copy of the original charge sheet, to which Mr Brock again made no reply, the court heard.
Detective Garda Deirdre Ryan, also of the Special Detective Unit, told the court that she arrested Mr Roche this afternoon at Rossmore Avenue, Ballyfermot.
She explained to Mr Roche the reason for his arrest in ordinary language and cautioned him, to which Mr Roche made no reply, the court heard.
The detective garda said that she then detained Mr Roche in Ballyfermot garda station before transporting him to the Special Criminal Court, where she showed the charged man a copy of the original charge sheet.
Again, Mr Roche made no reply, the court heard.
When the registrar read the charges to the men, neither of them stood up.
Presiding judge Mr Justice Paul Butler, sitting with Judge Alison Lindsay and Judge Martin Nolan, remanded both Mr Brock and Mr Roche in custody until next Thursday morning, April 21, when bail applications are expected to be made.
Michael OLeary clowns around with outgoing Senator Sean Barrett after the Ryanair chief executive spoke at Trinity College about the Brexit referendum. Photo: Tom Burke
A British vote to quit the EU would not mean a return of the North-South border in Ireland, Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers has said.
Ms Villiers, a strong advocate for Britain quitting the EU, has accused the "Stay" camp of "scaremongering." In her first major speech on the June 23 EU referendum vote, Ms Villiers said the British-Irish common travel area long pre-dated the European Union's existence.
The speech came as the Acting Cabinet devoted a great deal of time at its meeting yesterday to the Brexit issue with a report from Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan.
At the same time the British Ambassador in Dublin, Dominick Chilcott, urged the 130,000 British people living in Ireland to register for a vote in the referendum.
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary appealed to Irish people living in Britain to mobilise in favour of EU membership.
He believed most British people favoured EU membership but the referendum could be a mid-term backlash against Prime Minister David Cameron.
Ms Villiers denounced comments from some quarters that so-called "Brexit" could undermine the Northern Ireland peace process as "scaremongering of the worst possible kind".
Ms Villiers said Ireland's Ambassador in London, Dan Mulhall, had pointedly refused to endorse the idea that Brexit could unravel the peace process in evidence he gave to the British parliament's Northern Ireland committee.
She argued that the "Common Travel Area" between Ireland and Britain would outlast the EU. The unique status of Irish citizens in Britain would also persist into the future. Ms Villiers said the reinstatement of a "hard border" in Northern Ireland would not be required as the United Kingdom could use existing laws to deal with illegal entry of immigrants and also prevent illegal working in the UK. Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan said he knew Ms Villiers opposed Britain's EU membership. But he said the Irish Government wanted Britain to stay in the EU which continues to support peace and prosperity in the North with generous funds.
"North-South cooperation is far easier when both jurisdictions are within the EU," Mr Flanagan said.
Independent Michael Healy Rae and Fianna Fail TD Dara Calleary at Leinster House ahead of the Dail vote for Taoiseach. Photo: Laura Hutton/Collins Photo Agency
Enda Kenny's prospects of being re-elected Taoiseach now hinges on Fine Gael and Fianna Fail doing a deal on water charges.
The future of Irish Water remains the most significant impediment to the formation of a Fine Gael-led minority government, according to senior figures in both parties.
Mr Kenny's decision to hold a parliamentary vote on retaining Irish Water has infuriated Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin.
Mr Martin is also expected to tell Mr Kenny that Fianna Fail will not facilitate a Fine Gael government if he does not win the support of at least eight Independent TDs. Fianna Fail needs Fine Gael and Independents to have a combined 58 seats in a future government to allow Mr Martin's party abstain from certain votes.
For the first time in weeks, Mr Martin yesterday dug his heels in on the issue of water charges after he abandoned his plans to become the Taoiseach.
Fianna Fail last night conceded that the next government is likely to be a Fine Gael-led minority administration after Mr Martin's ultimatum to Independents backfired.
Mr Martin picked up no additional votes - in contrast to Mr Kenny who received a boost after securing the support of Dublin South West TD Katherine Zappone.
The two party leaders were scheduled to meet last night to discuss how to get talks aimed at forming a minority government back on track.
But in a significant development, Mr Martin was instructed by his own TDs to refuse to put any deal on a minority government in writing.
At the Fianna Fail parliamentary party meeting, backbenchers pointed to the 'Tallaght Strategy' - an agreement struck in 1987 which worked on a case-by-case basis.
But a senior Fine Gael negotiator told the Irish Independent the party is pushing for guarantees for support for a period of at least three years.
The issue is likely to come to a head when the two teams reconvene. The same source admitted the gap between the two parties on water could "make or break" negotiations.
After yesterday's vote, Mr Martin accused Fine Gael of acting in an "unhelpful and provocative" manner after the party passed a motion this week reaffirming its commitment to a national utility.
Despite admitting that the future of water is "not the single most important issue facing our country", Mr Martin indicated that his party's desire to suspend charges remains.
And he demanded an investigation into the money spent by Irish Water on a "post-election lobbying campaign" designed to prevent its abolition.
Fine Gael wants to maintain charges and the public utility - while Fianna Fail is adamant charges must be suspended and Irish Water replaced with a slimmed-down body.
As expected, yesterday's vote for Taoiseach - proved inconclusive. Mr Kenny did secure the support of Ms Zappone as 14 other Independent TDs opted to abstain from the vote and withdraw from the talks.
In a further boost for Mr Kenny, there were indications last night that Labour is moving to support the Fine Gael leader at a future vote for Taoiseach.
A source said if Fine Gael agreed to certain demands "important to us a party", Labour's seven TDs may lend their support to Mr Kenny.
"We have a policy platform that we want implemented. We will discuss our next move but everything is on the table," said the source.
After the vote, Mr Kenny extended an invitation to Mr Martin to reopen talks between the two main parties on forming a government - just hours after talks between the two parties' negotiation teams broke down.
Mr Martin addressed his own TDs on two occasions yesterday as questions were raised internally over his decision to issue the ultimatum to Independents.
Fianna Fail negotiator Charlie McConalogue admitted last night Mr Martin's defeat meant the party is giving up on leading a minority government.
The Irish Independent has learned that a claim by Fine Gael during the negotiations - that the party was on the cusp of securing the support of six Independents - prompted Mr Martin's gamble.
A senior Fianna Fail source said the claim "contradicted strongly" what Mr Martin was being told privately by Independents about their voting intentions.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny will have to give Independents five ministerial roles if he listens to TD Finnian McGrath.
The Independent Alliance deputy said Mr Kenny will need to give Independents at least a third of all ministries in a minority government on RTEs Sean ORourke programme this morning.
Mr McGrath agreed that would be at least five positions as a Fine Gael minority looks like the only option for a new government after third failed attempt to elect a Taoiseach yesterday.
The Dublin North-Central TD said Independents would meet to discuss what areas they would seek in their discussions with Mr Kennys party.
[To enter Government] wed look to get firstly an implementation of Independent Alliance policies, secondly guarantee of three budgets, ideally I'd like to see five. And third full parity of esteem, he said.
Fianna Fails Barry Cowen joined Mr McGrath and said his party would look to agree three budgets in their talks to facilitate a Fine Gael minority.
That may be possible. Something we will explore and something we will seek to agree with Fine Gael in our discussions, Mr Cowen said.
But as I said to you earlier, were going into it with an open mind. People dont want to see another election.
A former stripogram boss is to take on senior political figures like Sinn Fein's Caral Ni Cuilin and the DUP's Nelson McCausland in the Assembly election for Stormont next month.
Geoff Dowey (60), who ran a stable of RUC-uniformed strippers, is a candidate in the hotly-contested North Belfast constituency.
The Newtownabbey man has formed his own political party, Northern Ireland First, with a manifesto calling for the liberalisation of drugs and prostitution laws in Northern Ireland.
The manifesto calls for cannabis to be legalised and says that our prostitution laws target men - making them discriminatory.
Standing as a candidate in the Stormont election marks a new departure for Mr Dowey, who previously ran stripogram agency Angel Promotions and the Erotic Ireland website,
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph last night, Mr Dowey said his campaign was only just beginning.
"I'm looking forward to having a few frank discussions with DUP candidates about their stance on gay marriages," he said
The former porn king said he had entered political life because he was "fed up" with political culture in the province.
"I am doing this because I am - like a lot of people - totally fed up with the conflict politics of Northern Ireland," he said.
"It's like kids falling out in a schoolyard.
"While we're fighting among ourselves we're missing he big picture."
And his racy past is no barrier to winning the support of voters, he claimed.
"Young adults I've spoken to have said they'd rather vote for a former porn king than the bunch we have running the country at the moment," he said.
Realistically, he accepts that his risque past will lose him votes among sections of the electorate.
But, in other quarters, he reckons his chequered history will do him no harm at the polls.
"People realise this was a business run by a chap who went up against the general feeling in Northern Ireland with the RUC strippers and the punishment beating strippers - and brought a little bit of humour to life," he argued.
Asked whether his porn career was now behind him, Mr Dowey said: "Who knows what's round the corner?
"I haven't ruled out anything. The adult industry has always been there. It's a legitimate business.
"When we accepted the European Bill of Rights it gave everyone the right to watch porn on TV. So you can blame the Europeans for me, I'm afraid."
But, with only five members in his new party, Mr Dowey has quite a mountain to climb .
A council has told a distraught family that its pest control service is too busy to deal with a swarm of rats which has infested their home.
The young family, including primary school-age children, have witnessed large rodents scurrying through their kitchen, living room and upstairs bathroom.
A total of 18 rats have been caught and killed in just three days at their terraced home on Edinburgh Street, off the Lisburn Road in south Belfast.
Despite their landlord's efforts to tackle the infestation with traps and poison, the rats keep coming back to the family house.
The City Council said there is a long backlog for pest control, and the family, who reported the case on Tuesday, was advised that it could be two weeks before they are dealt with.
A spokeswoman said: "We are committed to responding as soon as possible but as there is a huge demand on our free pest control service, the caller was advised that it can take up to 10 to 14 days.
"An appointment was scheduled at the beginning of next week - well within the advised timeline - and advice offered on action that could be taken in the interim.
"It should be pointed out that the Council has no statutory responsibility for dealing with rats.
"However, in the 12 months to the end of March 2016, we dealt with more than 2,700 requests for service and baited more than 12,200 manholes."
It is thought that the rats are invading the property through a hole over a sewer in an alleyway to the back of the house.
The landlord said his efforts to explain the situation to the local authority fell on "deaf ears".
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"The council told me it would be 10 days before someone could come out and look at it," he said.
"But that's not satisfactory, particularly as it's a family with three young kids and the rats are running through the house.
"The council told me that I would need to get a private firm. My man is doing what he can do with traps, but the problem is outside the house.
"I can't stand by and let this happen to my tenants. I couldn't deal with this on my own and I'm asking public authorities to deal with that problem and that's the response I got. This is falling on deaf ears.
"The tenants have lived at the property for two years. They first noticed the problem this time last year, and the maintenance man came out and dealt with it. But that was four or five rats.
"We then got the call on Friday evening about the new rats and we set up the traps and came back on the Sunday."
Some 10 rats had to be killed after being found in the traps. The following day, the tenants found two more running through their living room. Residents in the area said they had complained to the council several times about the infestation but that no action had been taken to resolve the issue.
An elderly woman said she spotted rats running up and down the street, while others claimed that the bins had not been emptied for a number of weeks.
Johnny McCluskey, who works in building maintenance, said that the incident was the worst case he had dealt with.
"I personally caught 16 rats after I set the traps on Friday, and I came back on the Sunday and I killed 10," he said.
"I have never come across anything on this scale in my life."
Marian Buckley holds a photo of her daughter Karen while her husband John gives a statement. Picture: Mark Condren
The grief-stricken father of student Karen Buckley has penned an uplifting poem to mark the first anniversary of her murder.
Occupational therapy student Karen was brutally beaten to death with a spanner in Glasgow on April 12, 2015, by Alexander Pacteau.
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A special memorial mass is due to take place in Co Cork this evening and ahead of the ceremony her heartbroken father John has written a verse.
Expand Close Tragic Karen Buckley. Photo: Crown Office/PA Wire / Facebook
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The piece was published on Facebook by Karens close friend Julie Malone who also paid tribute to the murdered woman.
Ms Malone said that a year ago today a light went out in their lives.
A light that shone so bright that it's still hard to believe it's gone. I still miss you everyday Karen. Miss how you could make anyone feel welcomed, important, special and loved on entering a room.
I miss your little laugh, your funny sayings and how you pronounced certain words. I miss being able to pick you up in a bear hug. I miss your hugs more.
Grief is a tough and on ongoing journey which everyone who knew you is on,at different points, going different speeds. I don't think the journey has a destination but everyday gets a little bit easier.
You had an amazing short life, you travelled, had great friends and achieved everything you set your mind to, you were so determined.
I know you are looking down on us with your cheesy smile helping us on our journeys, keeping us safe, helping to heal broken hearts and only a prayer away.
Tonights mass, led by Fr Joe OKeeffe, will begin at 7.30pm at the Church of St. Michael the Archangel, in Analeentha, Mourneabbey.
A special memorial service was also held in Glasgow to mark the first anniversary of her death on Tuesday, when Karen's Glasgow Caledonian University friends and classmates paid tribute to her.
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Pacteau was jailed for 23 years for murdering Karen.
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John Buckley's Poem
Hope
THE spirit comes, it is within
The light shines through and out again,
Bells will chime, cracks will heal,
For hope abounds to turn the wheel,
So with hope and Love Divine,
We climb big mountains all the time,
Angels guard us, as we pass nearby,
The golden gates of Heaven,
An open heart, will hold the key,
When turned unfolds the prize to be,
The prize is love and hope shines through,
Divine and pure and all for you.
Forensic officers remove a wheelie bin on Sherriff Street in which it is believed a weapon was thrown. A man was shot outside Noctors pub on the junction of Sheriff Street and Oriel Street near Connolly Station in Dublin. Photo: Damien Eagers
This is the innocent dad-of-three who was shot dead in a botched revenge hit by the Kinahan gang yesterday.
Father-of-three Martin ORourke (24) was shot twice in the face on Sheriff Street in broad daylight.
He was shot dead by a reckless hitman who unleashed a hail of gunfire in broad daylight as he tried to assassinate a close associate of the Hutch mob.
This morning he was described as a harmless lovable young fellow by Father Peter McVerry.
Speaking on Morning Ireland, the homeless campaigner said he knew Martin ORourke "very well".
Martin had a drug problem, which he was trying to address. He was trying to become drug free. A couple of years ago, he became drug-free. I brought him to a drug treatment centre in an effort to get drug free in Athlone but unfortunately he relapsed back into drug use.
Father McVerry described the shooting as a total tragedy for him, his family and his friends.
The fourth feud-related murder this year is believed to have been orchestrated by the Kinahan gang, and claimed the life of a 24-year-old bystander.
Gardai believe that north inner city criminal Keith Murtagh (32) was meant to be the actual target of yesterday's savage fatal shooting but Martin O' Rourke was shot at least twice in the face instead.
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Mr O' Rourke had been living in sheltered accommodation for homeless people in the Halston Street area of the capital's northside.
He had a history with drugs, but had no involvement in the bitter gang war that has now claimed five lives.
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It also comes just days after it emerged garda overtime - sanctioned in the wake of the gangland attack at the Regency Hotel last February - has been stopped, despite feud tensions running high.
Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald is now under mounting pressure to release another round of emergency funding to combat gang violence.
The latest incident unfolded close to Noctor's pub, in Sheriff Street in Dublin's north inner city, at around 12.25pm.
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It is understood that Mr O'Rourke was in the Sheriff Street area to buy drugs.
The gunman ran towards Keith Murtagh - but in the confusion he shot up to six times, causing Mr O'Rourke fatal injuries. The killer then left the scene on a bicycle and dumped the small black handgun in a bin on Sheriff Street Lower.
Gardai located the weapon within minutes of the murder.
They have identified a chief suspect and it is believed he has worked as a 'gun for hire' for the Kinahan cartel.
He has previously been arrested by gardai investigating the slaying of Michael 'Mad Mickey' Devoy (41) in 2014.
Sources say the hitman is just one of a network of young thugs who are prepared to kill for money for the Kinahans.
It is understood that a friend of the intended victim contacted gardai asking for an escort out of the area, and he was in hiding last night.
Murtagh is extremely well-known to gardai because of his involvement in crime and he is very close to jailed killer Derek 'Del Boy' Hutch. Both Murtagh and Hutch were involved in a botched cash-in-transit robbery in Lucan in May, 2009, in which Murtagh was shot by gardai and seriously wounded, while fellow criminal Gareth Molloy (27) was shot dead.
In July, 2010, Murtagh, of Mariner's Port, Sheriff Street Lower, Dublin, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possession of a weapon with intent to endanger life at Foxboro Road, Lucan, on May 15, 2009, and was jailed for eight years.
Yesterday's killing in broad daylight happened less than 50 metres away from Sheriff Youth Centre, where children were about to arrive.
Superintendent Kevin Gralton said: "An innocent bystander getting shot, if that is the case, of course it's a low."
Chairperson of the Dublin City joint policing committee, Daithi de Roiste, called for more resources and a long-term plan.
"We seem to have a government by press release and until we start pumping resources in, this lawlessness is going to exist on the streets of our city. "We have criminal gangs operating above the law and nobody can seem to get it under control." Chairperson of the Policing Authority Josephine Feehily said this week that gardai had been "very successful" recently in the fight against gang crime.
However, Mr de Roiste questioned her statements. "If anybody thinks they are doing such a good job why are there people being shot every other week? It's an absolute disgrace that this is allowed to happen in our city."
A spokesman for the Department of Justice did not respond when asked if extra funding would be made available.
"The Government moved decisively to strengthen the resources available to gardai to deal with the serious armed crime through a special ring-fenced additional allocation of 5m, as well as steps to establish a dedicated Armed Support Unit in Dublin," he said.
Gardai discover a quantity of explosives found in a car stopped at the junction of the Long Mile road and the Naas Road
Gardai discover a quantity of explosives found in a car stopped at the junction of the Long Mile road and the Naas Road
Gardai at the scene where a quantity of explosives was found in a car at the Long Mile Road in Dublin. Photo: Arthur Carron
Gardai discover a quantity of explosives found in a car stopped at the junction of the Long Mile road and the Naas Road
Gardai are becoming increasingly concerned that the 'New IRA' terror group are planning a "spectacular bomb attack" to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising this month.
The fears come after a massive garda operation on Wednesday night which led to the discovery of a large haul of explosives in a car.
Armed officers from the Emergency Response Unit stopped the vehicle just before the Long Mile Road junction at around 7pm.
Two Tallaght men were arrested at the scene after being subdued by armed gardai and forced to lie on the ground.
Senior sources have revealed that gardai and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) are "extremely worried" that the 'New IRA' will carry out a bomb attack in either Northern Ireland or the mainland UK to mark the Rising anniversary on Sunday, April 24.
"This organisation seems to be getting stronger all the time, but this week's garda operation shows that the Special Detective Unit are on top of these individuals in terms of surveillance," a source said.
"There is little doubt that the seizure of explosives has helped save lives. However, there are still major concerns about this organisation's capabilities ahead of events later this month, and garda operations will continue," a source said last night.
Dangerous
"This terrorist organisation seems to have a point to prove and that is a very dangerous state-of-play," the source added.
The Herald can reveal that one of the arrested men is a 42-year-old man who is one of the country's most prominent dissident republicans.
He has previously been cleared of IRA membership charges, and was heavily involved with the Continuity IRA.
The suspect previously served a lengthy sentence for possession of firearms, and it is suspected that some of his associates were involved in the murder of veteran criminal Eamon Kelly in December 2012.
It is now suspected the arrested man is involved with the 'New IRA', the organisation which claimed responsibility for the van bomb attack that led to the murder of prison officer Adrian Ismay in Belfast last month.
In the aftermath of that incident, the PSNI warned that dissident republicans are intent on killing security force members to mark the upcoming centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising.
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Stephen Martin said while the terror threat level in the North has been categorised as "severe" for a number of years he was now describing it as "the upper end of severe".
"I believe there are people within dissident republican groupings who want to mark this centenary by killing police officers, prison officers and soldiers," he said.
Earlier this week, the Herald revealed that gardai made two "highly significant" arrests and seized 10,000 in cash as part of a major surveillance operation against 'The New IRA' last Friday in Co Louth.
Forensic officers remove an object from a wheelie bin on Sherriff Street, a man was shot outside Noctors pub on the junction of Sheriff Street and Oriel Street near Connolly Station in Dublin
Homeless charity campaigner Father Peter McVerry has described the man who was shot dead yesterday in the latest gangland attack in the city as a harmless lovable young fellow.
Father-of-three Martin ORourke was shot twice in the face on Sheriff Street in broad daylight yesterday.
Gardai believe the dad-of-three was an innocent bystander in a botched revenge hit by the Kinahan gang in the latest murder in the Hutch-Kinahan feud.
Speaking on Morning Ireland, the homeless campaigner said he knew Martin ORourke "very well".
Martin had a drug problem, which he was trying to address. He was trying to become drug free. A couple of years ago, he became drug-free. I brought him down to I brought him to a drug treatment centre in an effort to get drug free in Athlone but unfortunately he relapsed back into drug use.
Father McVerry described the shooting as a total tragedy for him, his family and his friends.
The homeless campaigner said the current feud between the Hutch and Kinahan gangs was extremely dangerous because its gotten so personal.
He said: Its not about money, its not about territory and there doesnt seem to be anyway of stopping it.
Father McVerry said the only way to defeat gang culture was for people to give evidence against them.
That was what destroyed the Dundon-McCarthy gang in Limerick. But it comes at a terrible price because people die. People who give evidence face serious threats to their lives and their families.
He argued that the gardai cant be held responsible for stopping every murder.
The garda cant be on every street all the time. They dont have the resources. Their hands are tied. They have had some success in intercepting weapons and stopping some killings, but it is a case of just delaying the inevitable.
These gangs arent going to stop because one or two of their members get arrested. Yes, the gardai presence is a help but you cant have gardai on every street corner.
Forensic officers remove an object from a wheelie bin on Sherriff Street, a man was shot outside Noctors pub on the junction of Sheriff Street and Oriel Street near Connolly Station in Dublin
Gardai have identified a chief suspect for yesterday's shocking gangland murder and the Herald has learnt that he has worked as a 'gun for hire' for the Kinahan cartel in the past.
A manhunt was underway for the north-inner-city criminal last night after he was caught on CCTV having brutally killed a low-level criminal - named locally as Martin O'Rourke (24), who was not his intended target.
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Senior cartel members 'Fat' Freddie Thompson and Liam Byrne remained in the capital last night, but it is understood that crime kingpin Daniel Kinahan is in the UK.
Cartel head Christy Kinahan is believed to be residing in Dubai. None of these gangsters is suspected of direct involvement in yesterday's shooting.
However, sources said that gardai are in "no doubt" that the cartel are behind yesterday's brutal murder of Mr O'Rourke.
The 25-year-old criminal who is the chief suspect for yesterday's murder has been arrested twice by Tallaght gardai investigating the slaying of Michael 'Mad Mickey' Devoy (41) in January, 2014.
'Mad Mickey' was murdered shortly after his release from Portlaoise Prison, and the main theory is that he was shot dead because he was the gunman for a botched murder attempt on heroin trafficker and cartel figure Greg Lynch three months earlier outside a northside pub.
Lynch was shot in the face, after a gunman opened fire on a crowd attending a 21st birthday party in Hanlon's pub on North Circular Road, but survived the reckless gun attack in which three innocent women also received gunshot injuries to their legs.
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Gardai believe the north- inner-city criminal, who was being hunted last night, also murdered Devoy on behalf of the cartel.
The body of Devoy was riddled with bullets before it was discovered on the side of the road in Bohernabreena, Tallaght on the night of January 18, 2014.
A senior source told the Herald: "This 'gun for hire' is a heavy hitter in terms of organised crime and has close links to a number of gangs, including the Christy Kinahan cartel.
Provos
"He is involved in extortion, debt collection and is associated with Provos in the north inner city."
Sources say the young criminal is just one of a network of young thugs who are prepared to kill for money for the Kinahan cartel.
It is not clear whether he will now be under threat himself after he shot the wrong man yesterday, instead of intended target Keith Murtagh (32).
The cartel have now been involved in four out of the five murders linked to the deadly feud with associates of Gary Hutch, which kicked-off when Hutch was shot dead in Spain last September.
Cartel l
David Byrne, who was shot dead in the Regency Hotel gun attack, is the only cartel member who has been killed so far.
Gardai have mounted a large number of operations against the Kinahan cartel since the Regency Hotel attack.
Earlier this week, they seized 11 English-registered luxury vehicles in the latest raids targeting the cartel.
Detectives from the Criminal Assets Bureau, who were backed up by Revenue investigators, were involved in the search operation at a premises in west Dublin on Tuesday.
It is understood that gardai took the vehicles because of alleged Revenue-related offences.
The raids were linked to an operation last month in which around 1m worth of property and 100,000 in cash was seized when gardai raided 12 homes and six businesses in a series of dawn searches.
Last Friday, officers raided the homes of notorious heroin trafficker Greg Lynch and his father Gerard 'Bra' Brady, as well as an unoccupied property in the Oliver Bond flats complex -the family home of cartel figure Daniel Kinahan where he was brought up - as part of their ongoing investigations.
President Michael D Higgins believes prejudice against the Muslim community is fuelled by a lack of understanding of the Middle East.
Mr Higgins called on Irish people to engage with Islamic culture at the opening of an exhibition featuring one of the most valuable Korans in the world at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin.
The Koran was created by calligrapher Ruzbihan Muhammad al-Tab'I al-Shirazi in Iran in the mid 16th century.
It is believed only five Korans signed by Ruzbihan have survived, and historians consider this to be one of his masterpieces. Mr Higgins said the increasing number of visitors to the library will gain a "deeper understanding" of different cultures across the world.
"For Irish and European audiences, the opportunity to encounter Islamic and Persian culture directly is all the more important, in a context where Islamophobia and other insidious forms of prejudice against Muslims are rampant throughout Europe," said Mr Higgins.
"Such prejudice is often fuelled by an ignorance of the politics and history of the Middle East, a blindness to the many ways in which our Muslim citizens and residents enrich European life, and a misrepresentation of the tenets of the Islamic faith itself."
Mr Higgins said the advocates of a "distorted and hateful" version of Islam are "persecuting those of other persuasions" with the view to destroy the cultural trace of previous generations.
He said: "That the epicentre of such devastation, which reaches out to Africa, Asia, and even to the heart of our European cities, should affect one of the cradles of civilisation, the holy lands of Iraq and Syria, is particularly tragic."
The Public Service Executive Union (PSEU) president Maria Ryan discussed the possible formation of a mega union involving the PSEU, IMPACT and the Civil Public and Services Union (CPSU). Photo: PA
Mid-ranking civil servants are to lodge a claim for additional annual leave - in part to compensate them for increased competition for promotion.
The Public Service Executive Union (PSEU) president Maria Ryan hit out at the opening of recruitment to members of the public as a "slap in the face" for its members.
It will be seeking additional time off for members at executive officer level, who currently receive between 21 and 25 days' annual leave.
She also told its annual conference that civil servants would not wait until 2018 for a further pay restoration if the economy continues to grow.
She discussed the possible formation of a mega union involving the PSEU, IMPACT and the Civil Public and Services Union (CPSU).
Ms Ryan said members had suffered numerous cuts and substantial worsening of conditions since 2009 - describing the increases in working hours as "a particularly bitter pill to swallow".
Redress
She said the Landsdowne Road Agreement was a start to unwinding these impositions, but called for the unwinding of FEMPI legislation to be accelerated.
"Our message is crystal clear. If this country's economy continues to grow at the healthy rate that we are witnessing currently, it is not sustainable to maintain the imposition of emergency legislation and the pace at which the unfair impositions on public servants are lifted will have to be accelerated.
"Against a background of growth of 7pc-8pc, public servants cannot be expected to wait until 2018 to get some redress to this," she said.
She acknowledged that external factors including a possible Brexit and the delay in forming a government could adversely impact on growth.
However, she added: "Public servants were dumped on when the economy and public finances were in trouble and we are entitled to expect to see the benefits of the recovery, sooner rather than later."
To applause she told delegates the union would resist attempts to have pay determined by outside bodies rather than collective bargaining.
Eddie Hutch (58) was shot dead at his home in Dublins north inner city on the night of February 8
The murder of Gary Hutch (34) at 11.30am on September 24 was the first slaying of the feud
Yesterday's murder was the fifth killing the feud - but who are the victims
Gary Hutch
September 24
The murder of Gary Hutch (34) at 11.30am on September 24 last was the first slaying of the feud and it kicked off the gang warfare that has now claimed five lives.
Hutch was chased around a swimming pool in a private apartment complex by a gunman in a balaclava before he was gunned down at the Angel de Miraflores complex, near Marbella.
It is understood that the reason for his murder is that his former associates had suspected that Gary was a garda informer. It later emerged that Garys uncle Gerry The Monk Hutch had organised the payment of 200,000 to the Kinahan cartel to spare his life and allow him to retire.
David Byrne
February 5
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David Byrne (34) became the second victim of the feud when he was shot dead in the Regency Hotel gun attack on February 5. His murder and the non-fatal shooting of two of his pals was believed to be revenge for the Gary Hutch murder five months earlier.
Five killers stormed the hotel including one disguised as a woman and three as gardai, armed with AK-47s.
Gardai believe that cartel boss Daniel Kinahan was the primary target of the assassination team but he escaped unharmed, so his associates were then targeted.
Eddie Hutch
February 8
Expand Close Eddie Hutch (58) was shot dead at his home in Dublins north inner city on the night of February 8 / Facebook
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Whatsapp Eddie Hutch (58) was shot dead at his home in Dublins north inner city on the night of February 8
Eddie Hutch (58) was shot dead at his home in Dublins north inner city on the night of February 8.
He was murdered in a revenge attack for the Regency Hotel shooting where gangster David Byrne was shot dead three days earlier.
Considered to be a soft target, Eddie (above) was targeted because he was a brother of Gerry The Monk Hutch.
Immediately after the
murder, the four-man murder team escaped from Hutchs home at Poplar Row in a silver S-series 06 BMW car which was abandoned at St Patricks Parade.
The four killers ran from the BMW to a Toyota Landcruiser and sped from the scene.
Noel Duggan
March 23
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Gardai believe the Kinahan cartel are responsible for the murder of Noel Kingsize Duggan (55) at 5.45pm on March 23 in Ratoath, Co Meath.
Notorious cigarette smuggler Kingsize knew his life was under threat because of his long friendship with Gerry The Monk Hutch.
He was shot a number of times in his car at his home in The Old Mill housing estate in Ratoath.
A man in dark clothing was seen fleeing the scene and ran to a dark-coloured BMW on Fairyhouse Road before the car sped a short distance away and was then burnt out.
Martin O'Rourke
12.25pm yesterday
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Martin ORourke, in his mid 20s, was shot dead at around 12.30pm yesterday in Sheriff Street in the north inner city in a case of mistaken identity.
Gardai believe the intended target was Hutch gang associate Keith Murtagh (32), who was in the area at the time of the murder.
Murtagh was previously jailed for his role in a botched cash-in-transit robbery and was not injured in yesterdays shooting.
The gunman fired at least six shots before escaping on a bicycle which he abandoned nearby. He was dressed in black, had a scarf covering his face and is described as being of strong build.
The victim was taken to the Mater Hospital but pronounced dead there an hour later.
Gardai at the scene on Sheriff Street. Photo: RollingNews.ie
Australian tourists have been warned about travelling to Ireland because of "tensions" linked to the 1916 centenary, as well as petty crime here.
However, tourism bosses have rejected the suggestion that visitors are at risk whilst on holidays here.
Australia's Foreign Affairs department updated its travel advice on Ireland ahead of the anniversary of the Easter Rising.
It said people should exercise "common sense" and be on alert for "suspicious behaviour".
"Tensions between dissident republicans and unionists have increased in the lead up to the centenary of the Easter Rising (24-29 April)," the warning states.
"You should avoid all protests and demonstrations, including those associated with Northern Ireland, as they may turn violent," the advice continues.
Separately, Australian travellers were warned that car theft and break-ins are increasing, especially in Dublin and tourist locations.
Credit card and ATM scams are becoming more common, it says.
But Failte Ireland pointed to its most recent visitor attitudes survey which revealed that 92pc of tourists list safety and security as one of their top reasons for visiting Ireland.
A spokesman said the warning from Australian authorities does not reflect what visitors feel on the ground.
"The Australian advice flies in the face of what we know and what visitors have told us about security."
Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism also maintained Ireland is a safe country for tourists to visit.
"When compared to the number of tourists entering the country, Ireland is a very safe destination and the rate of crime against tourists is quite low," a spokesman told the Irish Independent.
Over 1,000 Tesco staff have overwhelmingly backed industrial action if the company cuts long-serving workers earnings by up to 35pc.
Mandate announced the ballot result after the supermarket chain announced plans to move the workers onto a new contract.
It said 99pc voted in favour of industrial action, up to strike action, and there was an 85pc turnout.
Tesco initially gave an ultimatum to move staff who started working for it before 1996 onto the new contract by April 18 but has deferred this until May 16.
Mandate will now begin a ballot of its 12,000 members at the chain, in support of the long-serving staff.
Assistant General Secretary, Gerry Light, said notice will be served on the supermarket chain that staff will immediately place pickets on stores if it imposes the changes without agreement. This could lead to store closures.
Mandate has claimed that Tesco refused to attend talks at the Workplace Relations Commission, although Tesco claims discussions had adjourned.
This industrial action is not the result of a pay claim, said Mr Light. This is the most successful retailer in the country saying that people on 14 an hour are too expensive and trying to cut their wages by up to 35pc. Thats deplorable.
Tesco said it was disappointed with the result of the Mandate ballot.
We have proposed a generous compensation offer including a voluntary redundancy scheme at 5 weeks per year of service uncapped and compensation of 2.5 times annual loss of earnings for colleagues moving to our main contract, it said in a statement.
We are proposing to move these colleagues to our main contract, which already covers the vast majority of our workforce, as the pre-1996 contract means we have too many colleagues working during the early quieter times of the week and not enough during the busiest.
Director of Corporate Affairs, Christine Heffernan, said the pre-1996 contracts are not fit for purpose due to changing opening hours and the growth in online shopping.
She said the old contracts were agreed at a time when stores did not open at weekends or for late nights.
Despite the ballot result, there is some hope that the row can be resolved.
Mandate said Tesco has accepted an invitation to attend the Workplace Relations Commission for a conciliation conference.
It said it is "cautiously welcoming" Tescos commitment to attend talks, but it must be with the intention to "genuinely engage".
It seems the company was waiting for the result of the ballot before they agreed to engage, but better late than never," said Mr Light.
Tesco said it has written to the WRC "to confirm that we remain open to constructive discussions".
Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has defended his opposition to new anti-terrorism laws which were approved by the European Parliament in the wake of the horrific attacks in Paris and Brussels.
Mr Adams insisted he is not concerned about possible public backlash from his stance on opposing the sharing of passenger name records among European Union member states as part of an attempt to combat terrorism.
"Maybe this measure you asked me about can have an effect but we are not convinced," Mr Adams said.
However, acting Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald insisted the new anti-terror laws were essential in fighting against the growing threat from jihadi terrorists.
Ms Fitzgerald's comments came as agreement was reached in Strasbourg yesterday on the sharing of passenger records by 461 to 179 votes, after five years of debate on the issue.
Sinn Fein has adamantly opposed the sharing of name records and voted against the introduction of the EU directive on several occasions.
"Every state has the right and the duty to protect their citizens. We are not convinced this measure will enhance security for citizens or for states," Mr Adams said.
"We had bombings there recently and it has been revealed since that agencies involved knew who the perpetrators were and where they were moving and they weren't able to stop them," he added.
After the vote, Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson said the EU directive "undermines civil rights" and will not protect citizens from future terror attacks.
However, Ms Fitzgerald insisted last night that sharing of passenger information was a very important element in identifying terrorists before they strike.
"The recent terrorist atrocities in Paris and Brussels and the ongoing concern about the threat from foreign fighters emphasise clearly the need for coordinated and targeted action among the Member States of the EU," she said.
The European Parliament also passed new data protection rules yesterday which were approved.
Acting Minister for European Affairs and Data Protection Dara Murphy said the new directive would protect personal data and ensure information was used to improve society for EU citizens. "I believe we have struck a good balance with these new rules, with strong protections for individuals' personal data, based on the key principles of data protection," Mr Murphy said.
A Unicef survey which delved into inequality, in which Ireland was listed seventh
Denmark is the best country to raise children according to data published by International childrens rights organisation Unicef.
The Scandinavian country is closely followed by Finland, Norway and Switzerland while Ireland places seventh on a list which measured levels of child inequality between rich and poor families internationally.
The organisations Fairness for Children report delved into inequalities in income, education, health and life satisfaction between children in different countries around the world.
While Ireland ranked seventh on the list, our UK neighbours fell in joint fourteenth place with Germany, Greece and Hungary.
In a list which ranked inequality in education, Ireland was listed in ninth place out of 37 countries, for proficiency in maths, reading and science.
However, despite ranking high in education, Ireland lags behind the UK in twentieth place when it comes to the gap between rich and poor families when it comes to healthcare.
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The smallest gaps between rich and poor children receiving similar standards of care presented in Austria, Germany and Switzerland which ranked highest on the list.
Ireland ranked thirteenth on a list measuring life satisfaction, where children were asked to rank the quality of their lives on a scale of one to ten while the country currently has the fourth worst income inequality in the EU, with an income gap of over 76pc.
Despite the postives of the research, it was revealed that almost a third of all Irish children live in deprived households.
Peter Power, Executive Director of UNICEF Ireland, said: "100 years ago this month, the Proclamation proclaimed to cherish all Irish children equally."
"This report demonstrates that as a demographic group Irish children are falling behind other sections of society."
Writing in the Irish Independent, Mr Power added: "The message is stark: as inequality increases, wealthy nations of the world are failing their most vulnerable children," he said.
"Those with the least ability to narrow the gaps are being allowed to fall furthest behind."
Pope Francis issued his most important document to date last week. In it, he completely rejects using the teachings of the Church as a stick to beat people with, but he still wants those teachings presented in full. Photo: AFP Photo
The very first Christians lived in a world that was alien to their values. One way in which it was alien was in its attitude to divorce. Both Jewish society, from which the first Christians emerged, and the Roman society in which Christianity took root, allowed divorce and remarriage. Men in particular could discard an unwanted wife very easily.
Christianity took a very strict view. Following the words of Christ, marriage was to be permanent and indissoluble. Some Christians allowed for some exceptions to this rule, but Christianity has never been lenient about divorce.
The early Christians could easily have accommodated themselves and their nascent Church to the mores they saw around them with respect to divorce. They could have concluded that they would make no progress in converting people to Christianity unless they adapted Christ's teaching. But they didn't do this. Instead, they adapted the culture.
This arose from self-confidence. They believed in what they were doing.
The Church today does not have this strong self-confidence. It doubts itself. I am not just referring here to the Catholic Church, but to Christianity more broadly.
Like the early Christians, the Church today finds itself in a society that readily accepts divorce, but unlike those early Christians it has lost faith in its ability to convert society to its view. It doubts this view itself.
It is worried it is losing people because of the growing disconnect between how we live now and what Christianity teaches.
Various branches of Christianity have approached this problem in different ways. The liberal Churches have adapted. This goes to the extremes of the Lutherans in Sweden where a senior Lutheran bishop has said he favours abortion rights. Divorce has long since been accepted.
This has not brought Swedes back to church. All it has done is drive away the orthodox faithful who have not been replaced.
The Catholic Church has taken the view that it must hold fast to what it believes are eternal truths and the teachings handed down by Christ. To do otherwise would be a huge act of infidelity, and even on pragmatic terms would not work given the massive failure of the liberal Protestant approach.
Under Pope Francis, the Catholic Church continues to teach what it has always believed to be true on all the important issues. Last week saw the release of a new papal document called 'Amoris Laetitia' ('The Joy of Love'). It is the most important document of his papacy to date.
Abortion, in the eyes of the Church, is as categorically wrong as it ever was.
About gay marriage, the Pope says: "There are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God's plan for marriage and family".
Surrogacy is "the exploitation and commercialisation of the female body".
Gender ideology denies "the difference and reciprocity in nature of a man and a woman and envisages a society without sexual differences, thereby eliminating the anthropological basis of the family."
And so on.
So where is the friendly, smiling, accommodating Pope Francis in this? He is still very much there. Pope Francis was never going to change the fundamental teachings of Catholicism. As he has said, 'I am a son of the Church'.
What he has an absolute horror of, however, is a type of Christianity that uses the teachings of the Church simply as an opportunity to judge and condemn people.
This is the Christianity that will say to the cohabiting couple, 'I condemn you. Go away until you mend your ways'. Likewise, with the person who is divorced and remarried, or who has had a child outside of marriage.
Quite apart from the scandals, it is the harsh and authoritarian presentation of its teachings that has alienated untold numbers of people from the Church.
Francis is therefore telling the Church and its pastors to adopt a wholly different approach. The cohabiting couple should not be condemned and sent away. Nor should the person who is divorced and remarried. Nor should the woman who has had a child outside of marriage.
Instead the Church should look first for the good in the lives of people. The cohabiting couple, for example, might have a very strong, loving relationship, better than what many married couples have.
There is a key passage in 'Amoris Laetitia' that really sums up his whole pastoral outlook. Referring to "irregular situations", Pope Francis says: "There are two ways of thinking which occur throughout the Church's history: casting off and reinstating. The Church's way, from the time of the Council of Jerusalem [in the first century] has always been the way of Jesus, the way of mercy and reinstatement [in the Church]."
He says: "No one can be condemned forever, because that is not the logic of the Gospel." Here he has in mind in particular the divorced and remarried.
But elsewhere he states: "In order to avoid all misunderstanding, I would point out that in no way must the Church desist from proposing the full ideal of marriage, God's plan in all its grandeur."
He says: "A lukewarm attitude, any kind of relativism, or an undue reticence in proposing that ideal, would be a lack of fidelity to the Gospel and also of love on the part of the Church for young people themselves".
Within the Church, as in society, conservatives are concerned to uphold certain moral standards, and this can easily harden into the sort of harsh authoritarianism that the Pope rightly condemns.
But liberalism easily becomes the opposite error. A liberal pastor who meets a cohabiting couple certainly won't condemn them, but he might very well never encourage them to marry either if they seem happy as they are. He might adopt an 'I'm ok, you're ok' approach.
This kind of error is much more prevalent in the Church today, in the West at least, than the opposite error.
In fact, any priest who believes Pope Francis has effectively given him permission to play down the Church's teachings on marriage and the family has simply not been listening to what he is really saying.
Pope Francis does not want the Church's teachings to be used as a stick to beat people with, but he does want them to be offered to people in their fullness, and for people to be encouraged, bit by bit if need be, to live them out in their fullness. Anything else betrays what Pope Francis is really driving at.
Cynicism about politics is terrible; something which I deplore whenever I encounter it. I believe in politics, its power to influence change and make life better for people. I believe in our democratic institutions, our Constitution and our capacity as a civilised population to manage our own affairs through the vehicle of an elected parliament and government.
I had the privilege to serve as a TD for 15 years and know absolutely that elected politicians, in all their diversity, can through collective action and decision-making do really important things for society.
Whether it is by legislation, debate, enforcement and implementation of policies or through diplomacy, national interests can be nurtured and protected from injury or sabotage through politics.
But the behaviour of our elected politicians since the election seven weeks ago is doing real damage to the profession of politics and the integrity of our democratic institutions. While not cynical, I am dismayed at the poor level of competence being displayed. It is an insult to the electorate.
As we mark the centenary of our independent State, one cannot but feel a level of pride at the strides made in our country's economic and social development, transiting as we have from backward, inward-looking nationalism to a modern, progressive and pluralist society. Even taking into account the economic crash from which we struggle to emerge, as a country we are holding our own and performing better than most in similar adversity.
We have survived the ignominy of an IMF/ECB bailout thanks to the tolerance and good sense of our population, who in the main accepted necessary and painful fiscal adjustments in public spending. To quote the late Brian Lenihan, "We have turned a corner".
Our recent experience has a lot in common with other heavily indebted European countries. Politics has not been unstirred by these global catastrophic events. Inevitably harsh cuts and national penury has been accompanied by unemployment, emotional distress, personal indebtedness, emigration and a growing disenchantment with establishment political parties.
In countries like Spain and Greece, there has been a shift to the protest-driven and populist parties of the far left as represented by Podemus and Syriza. In Ireland, the fracturing of the vote includes an electoral preference for Independents as well as the flight to the far left, a heady mix which has delivered an inconclusive election result and the current stalemate.
But even as so many flee in anger to the politics of protest, most people essentially cling to the moderate middle ground by plumping for one of the two conservative parties - Fianna Fail or Fine Gael.
From day one, this suggested that those two big parties should form a grand coalition; a novel but not entirely outrageous prospect. Or so it seemed.
In other countries, it would have been the obvious next step. But seven weeks have passed, during which almost every other possibility has received consideration.
So anathema is the prospect of such an alliance to both parties, that scant consideration has been given to it.
A belated and strategic offer last week by Fine Gael to form a coalition based on full equal partnership with Fianna Fail was acrimoniously rejected.
This week's offering was for both parties to work out how either would support a minority government headed up by one of them.
Fly fishing comes to mind. People cannot believe the length of time it has taken to reach what the Taoiseach curiously termed a "brave and bold" move. It was neither of those things.
Time passes slowly in the environs of Leinster House. TV political correspondents repeat themselves; journalists struggle to file copy, such is the paucity of progress. I was out of the country for 10 days and missed nothing. The paralysis and lack of creativity emanating from the main parties is staggering. Micheal Martin's surprise ultimatum to the Independents on the eve of yesterday's vote at least broke the slumber.
Labour is still licking its wounds amid an unseemly leadership wrangle. Do they not grasp that Labour could be the "meat in the sandwich" in any such arrangement?
Why are they so wedded to defeatism and opposition? Look what the PDs achieved with between four and eight seats over two governments? After a disastrous election in 1997, the party was reduced from 10 to four seats. Yet we had the numbers to form a stable government which lasted for five years.
The Labour Party, rather than languishing on the opposition benches with Sinn Fein, the loony Left and a clatter of Independents, could be demonstrating its competence supporting or participating in a minority Fine Gael government. Just because you take an electoral mugging does not mean you are down and out.
Enda Kenny has been uncharacteristically lethargic. True, he moved earlier to reach out to like-minded parties to support him as Taoiseach but has failed to secure that support. Micheal Martin, too, has disappointed; being pompously evasive as though he had a better hand.
There has been no statesmanlike contribution from either man.
Perhaps the worst side-effect of this big-party paralysis is the opening it provides for the Independents to hog the airwaves with homespun and folksy theories of how to run a country. Some have notions of ministerial office.
Already there are signs of the disastrous incoherence and instability that any reliance on Independents would involve.
Independent TD John Halligan has called off any further discussions with Fine Gael or Fianna Fail unless he gets commitments about cardiac care in his constituency. Where does it end? Independents are, by their nature, eccentrics and wedded to their locality. No serious government should rely on them and expect to last a full term, particularly in the current climate.
It was difficult enough in 1997-2002, when we had plenty of money to keep them happy. But in a stressed political context, stitching them in would be a white-knuckle ride for government whips.
Meanwhile, as the tiresome pirouetting on the plinth continues, TDs seem oblivious to the gobsmacked reaction of the public.
Credibility is draining away; people shake their heads, resigned to another unnecessary election. Our hapless politicians are sailing along, blind to looming shocks ahead - such as a possible Brexit in June, smouldering industrial unrest from all quarters and rising homelessness. Politics is being debased.
Who says you never hear any good news? The exposure of the Panama Papers to the daylight was terrific news. And it could get better. Through these last weeks, I have lived in a permanent state of excitement. It derives less from the story itself than from its origins.
All through my own life, and those of other old hands in the trade, we have had to put up with countless obstacles, from lack of money to out-of-date laws which hindered the practice of journalism.
The people who have investigated the Panama Papers have not changed everything, but they have opened up the possibility, or rather probability, of radical change.
The investigation was launched by an international consortium headed by an Irishman, Gerard Ryle, and supported by an excellent German newspaper, 'Suddeutsche Zietung'. All the organisers knew what they faced, including late-night work, long delays and very likely, colossal expenses.
They have produced a result that deserves the term revolutionary, in its achievements and in its potential.
As the trade knows very well, and greatly to its cost, both the print and broadcasting media have put up with far too much for far too long.
The solution, very properly, has emerged from within the profession. Now we can hope, and with some confidence, for the transparency and the other benign developments that will follow if we continue on the right road, on the one hand, asserting the freedom of the press, and on the other hand, attacking the secrecy and outright corruption that characterise the world financial scene.
Over recent decades, the system has grown murkier and murkier, to the point where the role of offshore tax havens has seemed to become a permanent feature maintained by the participants, big and small, in the markets.
All around the world, supposedly sovereign governments tamely adopt practices dictated by those more powerful than themselves. Now, we must set about cleaning the Augean Stables that have resulted. The extent of the malpractices have not yet been revealed with anything approaching accuracy, but the clues multiply.
To take the Panama Papers alone, we read they number more than 100 million documents. The names on the list include several 'world leaders'" and celebrities of numerous kinds. Of these, the name of the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un was possibly the most predictable. But a greater number would have fallen into the category - now happily in danger of abolition - of 'squeaky clean'.
Of these, the most startling must be the family of David Cameron (right). A few years ago, he lost a campaign against tax evasion and "aggressive" tax avoidance. Now his family stands accused of such practices.
I find it very hard to believe that the British Prime Minister did anything wrong, to say nothing of anything illegal. But the mere fact that the accusation could arise has told us more than we had ever guessed about the way the world is run. In Ireland, we have a special kind of insight into this area.
In the aftermath of the financial crash, European governments, especially those of Ireland and Greece, felt the heavy hands of the real holders of power like the ECB and the IMF.
These grew a little lighter with the 'monetary easing' introduced by Mario Draghi, but the legacy remains.
Doubtless, you remember Yanis Varoufakis from that period. For a while, he must have been the most unpopular man in the world. He was condemned almost daily and usually quite unfairly for taking a different view from that held by the Great Ones of the Earth.
But as finance minister of Greece, he gained a respect which in my view, he thoroughly deserved.
Since then, he has not lost his wit or his sharp tongue. Lately, he has come up with an interesting idea.
He blames the international decision (back in the 1920s, if my memory serves me right) to abandon the system of fixed exchange rates and let the chips fall where they might. Now we know where the chips fell. A depressing piece of information.
An interesting idea, and not the only one in the fertile Greek mind. We have to ask ourselves if perhaps he was right then and is right now.
Irish people, and other people familiar with Irish affairs, might usefully ask themselves some tough questions. He views Ireland as sharply and as aptly as he views his own country.
We might very well end up agreeing with him when he calls our own country a "model prisoner".
Not too harsh, perhaps when you take into account our eagerness to comply with the demands of our masters.
Clearly the time has come for a completely new system, led by Gerard Ryle and marked by total transparency and stripped legality. That will not happen any time soon.
But unless it does happen, the world will remain divided between rich and poor, a system with built-in unfairness and built-in secrecy.
All these developments have occurred at a time when we face enormous threats, domestic and foreign.
We are badly prepared to meet all or any of them. A month ago, you and I would have said that surely we can rely on the new Dail. No longer. Instead, we wonder what kind of government the new (and old) deputies will give us.
Or whether they want one at all.
Another audacious, reckless daylight assassination and an innocent victim lies dead. It is a stark reminder that the feud between the country's two most notorious crime gangs is far from over.
Yesterday afternoon, the acolytes of the Kinahan crime cartel were sent out to murder someone with close connections to the Hutch family but instead got the wrong man.
The victim, who is in his 20s, was gunned down close to Noctor's Pub on Sheriff Street while the intended target got away.
So far, all the incidents that have occurred in this horrendous feud have been heavily symbolic and organised in a way to be as dramatic as possible.
But it was only a matter of time before someone with no connection to the feud was caught in the crossfire.
The spiral into madness began when a five-man hit team stormed the Regency Hotel two months ago.
They were seeking revenge for the murder of Gary Hutch, the nephew of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch who is also being targeted by the mob.
That was followed by the murder of the Monk's older brother, Eddie Hutch senior, three days later in the heart of the north inner city, which is considered the family's stronghold. Then the cartel went after the Monk's best friend and lifelong associate, Noel Duggan, when they gunned him down outside his home in Ratoath last month.
The latest attempt to notch up another score in this diabolical gangland game sent a chilling message to Hutch: the mob are not going to quit until they have killed him and wiped out most of his associates in the process.
Yesterday's attack took place in the heart of Hutch territory. The fact that it was perceived as a potential flashpoint and thus heavily patrolled by armed gardai did not deter the audacious killers. They have shown they have absolutely no fear of the gardai whatsoever - and are taking full advantage of the way our police force has been emasculated, under-resourced and poorly led.
The gangsters were probably further emboldened when they heard the unprecedented words of criticism cast in the direction of Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan by her middle-ranking managers at the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) conference earlier this week. The criminal underworld do not have to be told these days that the garda organisation is in a state of crisis.
When the most unprecedented gang war broke out with the Regency attack, it was a wake-up call for the Commissioner and her master Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald.
In a blaze of publicity they tripped over each other to announce extra resources, armed units and jointly declared war on the mobs.
So far, the counter-offensive has made inroads into the Hutch gang, and the Kinahan side are also under pressure. But quietly, behind the scenes, the overtime budget has been reduced and phased out over recent weeks.
And as soon as that happened, the killers were back on the street in broad daylight - again demonstrating their sense of invincibility.
Hairdressers from salons all over Ireland went head to head at the L'Oreal Colour Trophy 2016 semi final event in the O'Reilly Hall in UCD recently.
Each competitor was vying for a place in the final, which will take place in Dublin's Convention Centre on Monday June 20th.
This year's award categories include the L'Oreal Men's Image Award, the 'star award' and the highly coveted L'Oreal Colour Trophy.
Louth was well represented at the awards with Catherine McElligott and the team from The Hair Shop on Francis Street in Dundalk reaching the final of the L'Oreal Colour Trophy.
She will go on to compete against some of the country's top stylists at the grand final in June.
Eleanor Dowdall from the same salon has also earned herself a place in the final in the Star Award category of the awards.
Leona Collins and the team from Leona Collins Professional in Drogheda are also through to the final of the L'Oreal Colour Trophy and will compete in June.
The L'Oreal Colour Trophy, the industry's fashion focussed, trend led event celebrates its special 50th Anniversary this year. The awards, which honour the brightest hairdressing talents across the country, involves the biggest icons in the industry and showcases all that is loved about hair colour, trends and fashion.
The spectacular event, which will feature exclusive shows from Peter Mark and Zeba hair salons - will showcase the best of emerging and established Irish hairdressers, while featuring the elite of International industry judges and show teams at a gala black tie dinner.
The L'Oreal Colour Trophy is the most sought after award in the Irish hairdressing industry entrants were invited to create a well-executed, inspirational on trend colour on their model.
This is then complimented by a beautiful style, finish and total look, taking inspiration from current and upcoming trends.
The judging panel at all stages of the competition features some of the highest profiled names in the international hairdressing industry including Jack Howard (Paul Edmonds), Adam Reed (Percy & Reed), Alan Edwards, Siobhan Jones (Headmasters), Andrew Mulvenna and Tina Farey (Rush).
For the first time ever the L'Oreal Colour Trophy winner will get the opportunity to compete on a global scale at the L'Oreal Professionnel Business Forum in Lisbon in October.
Tickets for this year's final are now available and cost 200 each.
For more information visit, www.lorealcolourtrophy.ie
This year L'Oreal Colour Trophy ROI celebrates it's 49th year, making it the longest running hairdressing event in the world. Find out more and get involved now.
A man wanted for questioning over a double murder in Ravensdale almost four years ago has opposed his extradition from Spain after he was arrested in connection with the 2012 killings of two Dublin men.
Jason O'Driscoll (32), who is from Dublin but who is also believed to have an address in the North, appeared at a closed door extradition hearing on Thursday in Madrid after he was detained on foot of a European arrest warrant at Alicante airport on Tuesday last week.
O'Driscoll was detained in connection with the murders of Anthony Burnett (32), and Joseph Redmond (25) after he had flown to Spain from Northern Ireland.
The pair, from Ballybough in Dublin's north inner city, were found in the front seats of a burning car close to Ravensdale Forest in March 2012 in a shocking double murder that stunned North Louth.
It is believed they had been tortured and shot in the head before the vehicle was set alight. The fire was noticed by a passer-by in the early hours of the morning and members of Dundalk Fire Service attended the scene.
O'Driscoll opposed his extradition to Ireland at the closed-door sitting and was remanded to a local prison pending a new hearing at which a judge will decide whether to send him back here or not.
Ireland now has around 40 days to present a formal request for his extradition.
A source at the Audiencia Nacional, the Madrid court where O'Driscoll appeared in front of Judge Jose de Mata, told the Irish Sun: 'He opposed extradition and the judge ordered his unconditional remand in prison'.
Spanish officers were waiting for him after a tip-off as he got off the EasyJet flight from Belfast on Tuesday afternoon.
A spokesperson for the Spanish authorities said: 'A security operation was put in place with absolute discretion, making sure that the other passengers hardly realised what was happening and there wasn't a delay in them leaving the plane'.
It is believed the victims, who had previous convictions for offences in the Dublin area, were lured to the border to meet members of a gang. A car used in the murders is believed to have been stolen in Lisburn.
The Mystic Celt restaurant is gearing up for their annual fundraiser, which this year will be in memory of their dear friend, the late Jonathan 'Johnny' Doyle.
The benefit night has already received huge levels of support.
All the monies raised on Thursday, April 14, will go to the Oncology Day Centre in St Vincent's Hospital.
The event is already completely sold out so Chef Paul Smith is looking for people to either donate money or purchase some raffle tickets so the fundraising target of 10,000 can be reached.
Johnny achieved so much in his short life, only starting Potter's Farm after he was diagnosed with cancer, sadly passing away a year later. He, along with his wife Amy, won 'Best Artisan Award' in the Wicklow Chamber 2015 awards and organised a real 'Farm to Fork' experience with the Mystic Celt. He took chef Paul Smith out to his farm to pick out a prime heifer, 'Black Bess', and then the two of then headed to Farrelly's Butchers.
Johnny and Paul regularly checked the hanging of this beauty and then four weeks later the pair, along with the butcher, were dining on some of the best beef you could find.
The music on the benefit night will be provided by Feedback and guests. Everyone working and playing on the night are giving their services free of charge and all the raffle prizes have been donated.
'Every penny that is spent on the night goes to the benefit with much of the ingredients donated as well,' said Paul.
He also thanks Suzie Cahn, Dan Whelan, Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese, Richard and Natasha, Colin O'Brien, Derek Dunnes, Woodroofes, Farrelly's' Butchers and Healy's mini mart.
It will be all hands on deck as the Native Woodland Trust prepares for its last planting day of the season at its site in Laragh.
Volunteers are being invited to come along to the planting day on Saturday, April 16, from 11am to 1 pm, when the trust will be hoping to get as many trees planted as possible to create a native woodland.
Volunteers do not need to have any previous experience as they will be shown what to do.
The event is weather-dependent and there is a short, steep slope to get to the site, meaning it many not be suitable for everyone.
While the trust will provide the tools, participants are advised to wear weather appropriate footwear and clothing. They should also bring along a drink and a snack.
The group will meet at 11 a.m. at Trooperstown Forest car park (a map is available at www.nativewoodlandtrust.ie). For further details, contact Rebecca on (087) 9619083 or rebecca.doyle@nativewoodlandtrust.ie.
The Native Woodland Trust is an environmental charity dedicated to the protection of Ireland's rare native and ancient woodland. The trust achieves this by setting up woodland reserves around the country, such as the Laragh reserve, which allow the Trust to protect existing woodland as well as plant new native woodland for the future. It also runs educational and fun events for members and the public to encourage more people to use their local woodlands.
The community of Blessington will join together to commemorate the events of 1916 for the upcoming Blessington and Lakeside 1916 Festival which runs from Sunday, April 17, until the following Sunday, April 24.
An array of musical, drama and film events, many of which are free to attend, have been scheduled to take place throughout the week.
The festival will open with a youth orchestra concert in Our Lady's Church, Blessington at 2 pm featuring the Kilbride Band and a youth orchestra from Galway who will play traditional Irish tunes. Tickets are 10 at the door.
Also, on opening night, the Tramway Theatre will play host to a seminar on 1916 which will explore the role of Women in 1916, look at the history of the Irish working class and consider Patrick Pearse's revolutionary theories on education.
From Tuesday, April 19, there will be various screenings of the film 'A Terrible Beauty', 90-minute feature docudrama, which takes a unique look at the events of Easter Week 1916 in Dublin.
On Friday, April 22, a Patrick Kavanagh Presentation on a local 1916 hero will take place at the Tramway Theatre from 7.30 p.m. while on Saturday, April 23 'Paul Twyning', a comedy in three acts by George Shiels will be presented at Kilbride Community Centre. Tickets cost 10 in support of the 1916 festival.
Festivities will come to a close with a spectacular open air event on Sunday 24 with a parade along Blessington Main Street through to the Town Square, assembling at Blessington Mart at 1.30 p.m.
The parade will feature local residents, community and youth groups.
On arrival, there will be an outdoor concert featuring local performers and musicians.
For further information on any of the planned events, please contact Eoghan O Neill on (087) 3882364 or Paul Tyrrell on (087) 9667886.
The film industry in Wicklow is estimated to be worth 70 million annually - mainly based on the filming of Vikings at Ashford Studios and Penny Dreadful at Ardmore.
Speaking at a presentation to the elected members of Wicklow County Council, Christine Flood, Senior Executive Officers of the County Wicklow Economic Think Tank, outlined a report on the economic development of the county.
The Think Tank is a collaboration between local businesses, Wicklow County Council and Wicklow Local Enterprise Office.
Priority areas include brand Wicklow, communications and marketing, film retail, industry and infrastructure and tourism.
The council has already passed a 100 per cent reduction in development contributions for film studio infrastructure.
A site has also been identified at Wicklow County Campus for the development of a film industry hub. There are also opportunities for the development of a part of Clermont house and courtyard as part of the hub.
Retail wise there are plans to develop a new Florentine Centre in Bray which will consist of two anchor stores of 3,000 and 900 square metres each, four retail units of 700 square metres each, four 500 square metres restaurants, a six screen multiplex cinema and underground parking.
Ms Flood also explained how developing a fresh and engaging brand for Wicklow would help promote the whole county.
'It encapsulates what Wicklow has to offer businesses, potential investors and tourists and residents.
'The communications and marketing group are working with the agency appointed to develop the brand and web portal. The new brand will be launched in April.'
The web portal www.wicklow.ie is to be redeveloped so that it provides relevant and targeted information to businesses, potential investors and residents.
It will be integrated with social media and will be designed to be mobile phone friendly. The portal design has already been completed.
A focus will also be placed on communications with the business community. The council's Chief Executive Bryan Doyle will meet leading employers twice per year. A ratepayers contacts database will be created and also under development will be a guide about doing business in Wicklow, as well as promotional videos and an interactive map.
A maritime business development group was also established to carry out a baseline study of the four harbours in the county.
Wicklow Sub Group has been working on proposals for Wicklow Port and have made presentations to Enterprise Ireland.
Grant opportunities are also being investigated.
County Wicklow's connectivity to east coast ports, motorway and rail infrastructure should make it attractive for maritime business, while also providing plenty of tourism opportunities.
A mass grave containing up to 100 deer carcasses at Luggala Estate is under investigation.
The gruesome discovery was made by a local man out walking who came across a pit which held a large number of recent and decomposed sika deer carcasses.
Wicklow County Council, the Gardai and the National Parks and Wildlife Service are all investigating the find.
Wicklow County Council received a telephone complaint on Monday, April 4, which was followed up by an email complaint on Tuesday, April 5.
The matter was immediately referred to Wicklow County Council's Environmental Warden, who carried out an inspection of the site on Tuesday, April 5.
The Environmental Warden advised the Estate Manager about the situation and a clean-up and removal of the carcasses was organised.
The well-know country estate is located beside Wicklow National Park. There are also fears that the mass grave could be located near to a local water source.
A spokesperson for the Wild Deer Association of Ireland said the find totally goes against best deer management practises.
'We strongly condemn this incident, to hunt deer in such a wantonly and wasteful manner is a crime against wildlife. This incident is contrary to traditional and best practice deer management where venison is a highly sought after and prized meat by hunters.
'In the absence of a natural predator, it falls on man to manage deer numbers, reducing negative impacts on the wider ecosystem, at all times this should be undertaken with regard for animal welfare.'
The group also claims that misleading statements which have been made about Wicklow deer and the spread of TB has resulted in the vilification of wild deer in the county. Deer are a protected species under the Wildlife Act.
According to a statement released by Wicklow County Council, 'the matter will be reviewed again over coming days by the Waste Management Section of the council and if further action is required it will be determined at that time.'
A trial date has been set for a former Anglo Irish Bank official after the Court of Appeal quashed his conviction for conspiring to conceal or alter bank accounts being sought by Revenue.
Former Chief Operations Officer Tiarnan O'Mahoney (57) of Glen Pines, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, had been jailed for three years by Judge Patrick McCartan in July 2015.
He was convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury that same month after he pleaded not guilty to seven charges.
The charges alleged that in 2003 and 2004 they conspired to hide or omit accounts, connected to Sean FitzPatrick from Anglo's Core Banking System (CBS) or from documentation provided to Revenue, who were conducting an investigation into bogus non-resident accounts which may have been liable for Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT).
Yesterday (Tuesday) the Court of Appeal remanded Mr O'Mahoney to appear before Judge Melanie Greally for a new trial date to be set.
His defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC indicated that his client was anxious for the case to get on as soon as possible. He said it is a matter associated with a number of other 'Anglo' cases and, as such, should be run consecutively to other such trials rather than being conducted at the same time.
Mr Grehan suggested that, having considered this, a date could be set either this coming October or November or October 2017.
Dominic McGinn SC, prosecuting, indicated that one such trial was due to commence this coming May and 'may spill over into the autumn sitting'. He said it was the State's preference to have the case listed for October 2017.
Judge Greally noted that the case was expected to last six weeks. She said she would fix a date for this coming October and another date for this July to ascertain if the other trial would overlap.
She also set down a provisional date in October 2017 should Mr O'Mahoney's trial not be ready to proceed later this year.
Mr O'Mahoney was remanded on continuing bail until July 22, next and a trial date of October 24, 2016 was fixed. A provisional trial date of October 9, 2017 was also set down.
Judge Greally said considering the fact that Mr O'Mahoney had appeared at all court dates there was no need for any signing on condition. She ordered that Mr O'Mahoney should notify the gardai of any intention to travel outside of Ireland or the UK.
Irish Water has submitted a planning application seeking to construct a new treatment plant at the Vartry Reservoir in Roundwood.
Permission is being sought from Wicklow County Council to construct the new plant at the site of the existing plant.
The Vartry provides water to more than 200,000 people across Co Wicklow and South Dublin.
Altogether, upgrade works at the Vartry will cost in the region of 200 million.
Irish Water regard the Vartry Scheme as a priority project.
Geoff O'Sullivan, Project Manager with Irish Water, said: 'We are pleased to submit this planning application as an important step in securing the drinking water to the Vartry Water Supply area of North Wicklow and South Dublin.
'The scheme has had no major upgrade since it was built over 150 years ago and is now in need of urgent investment.
'Irish Water will invest up to 200 million in the upgrade which is seen as a priority project.'
The construction of the new water treatment plant is a key element of the Vartry Water Supply Upgrade Project.
Upgrade works includes the construction of a 4km pipeline and pumping station to secure the transfer of treated water from Vartry to Callowhill, the decommissioning of the existing water treatment plant and existing tunnel to allow for remediation works to be carried out. Ageing pipes and fittings within the dam of the reservoir will also be replaced and improvements to the Vartry dam spillway will be carried out.
This will also allow for more intense rainfall events to ensure public safety.
An energy recovery system for the water transfer pipeline system is planned at Callowhill.
Although no additional water will be abstracted from the reservoir, the upgrade works will also enable the extension of the water supply network from Vartry to areas of mid-Wicklow, including Rathdrum, Aughrim, Avoca, Ballinaclash, Roundwood, Laragh, Annamoe, Redcross, Conary and Glenealy.
These areas are currently served by water sources which have been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as being at risk of failure to meet the current drinking water regulations.
The Vartry plant was originally constructed in the 1860s and involved the building of two reservoirs and a water treatment plant, a four kilometre long tunnel under Callowhill and 60 kilometres of trunk main to deliver water to the supply area.
Please note this competition has now closed. Thanks to all who entered!
Discover the hidden beauty of Irelands Lakelands this May Bank Holiday. We're delighted to be offering our readers the chance to win one of two amazing getaways to enjoy the heart of Ireland over the May Bank Holiday AND be part of Discover Irelands latest promotional campaign! You'll need to be available for the 30th, 1st and 2nd of May to enjoy your prize.
Ireland's Lakelands are an undiscovered jewel. Punctuated by clear flowing rivers, expansive lakes, lush, scenic countryside and colourful towns, its the perfect playground for adventure and activity on and off the water.
Those who know the magic of Irelands Lakelands and waterways keep it as a closely guarded secret, those who dont, have an inspirational experience to enjoy. Try your hand at the short quiz below, fill in your details and you'll be entered into the draw to win one of two bank holiday weekend breaks!
Prize 1:
The Lakelands abounds in beautiful trails for walking and cycling as well as every type of water activity imaginable from kayaking to canoeing, paddle boarding to pier jumping. Enjoy thrilling adventure on and off the water in the stunning surrounds of Lough Derg.
The prize includes:
3 nights self-catering accommodation in the rural setting of Fuchsia Lane Farm Cottages
Experience the thrill of mountain biking at Bike Park Ireland
Enjoy watersports on Lough Derg with Watermark Ski Club
Dinner in local restaurants on two evenings
Prize 2:
The roots of Irish Christianity can be traced to the Lakelands region with the peace and tranquillity of the lakes enabling a millennia of faith and retreat. Be your own captain and cruise through centuries of history and culture, experiencing the history of high kings, fallen warriors and ancient monks that still lingers in the air as you explore the cultural richness of the Lakelands region.
The prize includes:
Captain your own cruiser on a 3 night cruising break for 4 people with Locaboat Holidays
Guided tour of Athlone Castle
Sculpt your own piece of bog oak at Celtic Roots Studio
Tour of monastic settlement of Clonmacnoise
Dinner included on one evening
Just fill out your details at the end of the quiz, and you'll be entered into the draw to win.
One Show presenter Alex Jones has told a conference on fertility that she did not realise she might have problems having a family in her late 30s.
The 39-year-old said that until she married her husband Charlie Thompson in December last year, she had not realised the potential complications in fertility associated with her age.
The BBC host was speaking at a conference with leading fertility experts, who said young adults were putting their future chances of parenthood at risk by a lack of knowledge about their fertility.
Jones said she and her husband have not yet started trying for a baby "in earnest" but it had taken a while for the reality of her age to sink in.
"For me the penny didn't drop. I thought, I've just met this boy, I've got this lovely job, that I absolutely, to this day, adore, although it's not more important than a family - I'd like to be really clear about that," she said.
The remarks came during the Fertility Health Summit which has heard that young women's desire for a career is one of the main factors in delaying pregnancy.
Jones complained she has been labelled a "career girl" and added: "I just happen to have a career and, while you're waiting for a family, why wouldn't you try your best and do the job to the best of your advantage?"
Speaking at the conference at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, in London, which was convened by the British Fertility Society and the college's Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, Jones said there was a lack of information available to young women.
She said the topic was "a bit of a murky pond" and criticised the lack of action taken by those in the NHS to ask about family planning, and educate patients about IVF and fertility.
She added that some doctors were too embarrassed to ask questions about sex: "You have to have those honest conversations in order to establish where people are.
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"(My husband and I) haven't started trying in earnest, so we don't know."
The Welsh host also criticised the IVF "postcode lottery" saying it was "unfair" that in her hometown of Carmarthenshire, south Wales, people got multiple attempts at IVF on the NHS, while in her current home in West London, people were rarely given any.
The Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir has signed a deal with Decca Records
The NHS Choir has signed a deal with the same record label as Justin Bieber.
The Lewisham and Greenwich NHS choir won the battle for the Christmas number one against the Canadian pop star last year after he urged his fans to support them.
He called on his fans to "do the right thing" and help the charity single get to the top spot, saying that "for one week it's okay not to be number one".
Following the success of their song A Bridge Over You, they have been signed to Decca Records who will release their debut album titled Something Inside So Strong.
Choir co-ordinator Caroline Smith, who works as a children's physiotherapist, said: "I'm delighted to be able to represent and support the NHS with such a special album.
"When everyone comes together in the choir it's really powerful, I've never experienced anything quite like it."
Decca is a part of Universal Music which represents big-name artists such as Bieber, Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar and more.
The choir is made up of around 30 members of staff from across the NHS workforce.
The album is due for release in May and is described as being "a collection of uplifting classics from those at the heart of the NHS".
It will also be a celebration to mark the 70th anniversary of the passing of the NHS Act of July 1946.
Royalties will be paid into the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust and will be used to provide services that "enhance patient experience or staff working lives".
There is no mention of a cover of a Bieber song, but the track list does include popular songs such as Bill Withers's Lean On Me , Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud and Carole King's You've Got a Friend.
Matt LeBlanc with a new Rolls-Royce Dawn, during filming for the new series of Top Gear
For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only Undated BBC handout photo of Matt LeBlanc driving a new Rolls-Royce Dawn around Ireland's Ring of Kerry, during filming for the new series of Top Gear which will return in May.
Matt LeBlanc driving a new Rolls-Royce Dawn around Ireland's Ring of Kerry (BBC/PA)
Matt LeBlanc has taken the wheel of the new Rolls-Royce Dawn and put it through its paces around Ireland's Ring of Kerry.
Viewers of BBC Two's new series of Top Gear will see the former Friends star driving around Co Kerry's scenic route in the luxurious convertible (or drophead).
The name Dawn was previously given to just 28 drophead models between 1950 and 1954.
Fine Gael politician Brendan Griffin praised the show's Irish adventures earlier this week, saying he was "delighted".
He revealed he had contacted the popular motoring show two years ago to invite them to film in Kerry and the Wild Atlantic Way.
"I believed that the landscape, the roads and the people would be a perfect fit for the programme," he said.
He added that a visit would expose the area to a "whole new audience and will present a massive opportunity for tourism".
Another favourable "boost" was received last year with the news that blockbuster Star Wars had filmed scenes on the Skellig Islands.
Mr Griffin said: "Major programmes and films such as Star Wars' visit to the Skelligs, and now Top Gear's trip to Kerry, draw attention to the area and their importance cannot be underestimated.
"This is a free showcase for our spectacular county and culture."
LeBlanc and Top Gear co-host Chris Evans dismissed rumours of a rift.
The presenters were reported to have fallen out over a stunt filmed at the Cenotaph war memorial for the revamped BBC series.
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Writing on Twitter, the US star said: "I'm at war with @achrisevans? That's funny, I thought we were pals."
Evans, 50, also laughed off the report.
"Just been on the phone to @Matt_LeBlanc to confirm we are 'at war' as reported in The Sun today. He says, 'sure, whatever..' Why I oughta !" he tweeted.
The new series of Top Gear will return in May.
Welcome. to this spring/summer edition of Line Out. It's my first time editing the magazine, and as a rugby fan I've had an absolute ball creating this issue for Irish Independent readers.
It has a bit of a travel theme coming in to the summer months - from clothes to pack for your holidays to the best grooming items for getaways, gadgets for travelling and a look at the destination sure to be on any rugby fan's wish list for the winter, Chicago. Ahead of Ireland's game against the All Blacks in November, Pol O'Conghaile has the top tips for anyone planning to head Stateside to support the boys in green.
Foodies will also love our Friday night "fakeaway" special - performance nutritionist Daniel Davey of Food Flicker has prepared some tasty and healthy twists on your favourite take out food that are easily copied at home.
Mike Ross is back with all the best techy recommendations, and our fashion team have dissected all the trends for the coming season throughout the edition.
All that plus chats with our cover star Fergus McFadden, Tommy Bowe and Dan Carter, there's lots to love in Line Out. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together.
Vicki Notaro, Editor
(@vickinotaro)
Leslie Van Houten listens during her parole hearing in Corona,California, in this file pool photo taken June 28, 2002
Leslie Van Houten, a former follower of Charles Manson, was recommended for parole on Thursday, officials said.
The full Board of Parole Hearings will review the decision during the next four months, then could send the case to California Gov. Jerry Brown, according to corrections spokesman Luis Patino.
Brown will have 30 days to decide whether to approve or deny the recommendation.
Van Houten and others were convicted for the 1969 murders of supermarket executive Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. Van Houten was sentenced to death in 1971 but one year later the death penalty was overturned. Her first conviction was overturned, too, because her lawyer died before that trial ended.
She was tried twice more (one ended in a hung jury) and in 1978 was sentenced to life in prison.
In 1994, Van Houten described her part in the killings in a prison interview with CNN's Larry King.
"I went in and Mrs. LaBianca was laying on the floor and I stabbed her," said Van Houten, who was 19 at the time of the murders. "In the lower back, around 16 times."
Van Houten reportedly has apologized to the LaBianca family.
She was not directly involved in the killings of five people at the home of film director Roman Polanski, near Hollywood.
Protesters outside the Convention Center prior to Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump speaking at a campaign rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Donald Trump campaign aides were meeting in Washington with congressional supporters last night in a desperate attempt to improve relations with the Republican Party.
The meeting was called as groups opposing his lightning-rod presidential run planned demonstrations at his appearances in New York state.
About a half dozen Congress members who have endorsed Trump met near the US Capitol, where the campaign told them they believed the Republican front-runner can secure enough delegates to win the nomination ahead of the party's July 18-21 convention.
MoveOn.org and other progressive groups, meanwhile, were calling for thousands of demonstrators who oppose Mr Trump's positions on immigration and other issues to descend on a state party gala in New York City and a fundraiser in the Long Island town of Patchogue, a suburb that is home to a large Latino population.
The Capitol Hill meeting came as the anti-establishment Trump was trying to broaden his appeal in order to secure party support and win the Republican nomination to run in the November election.
Mr Trump announced this week that he had hired Rick Wiley as his national political director. Mr Wiley, a longtime Republican strategist, was the campaign manager for Scott Walker, the Wisconsin governor who dropped out of the presidential race last autumn.
One source said a series of policy speeches that Mr Trump was preparing to deliver might come up in the Washington meeting. Mr Trump himself was not attending, but senior adviser Ed Brookover did.
US Representative Chris Collins of New York said the campaign told those at the meeting that they saw a path to securing 1,265 delegates - 1,237 delegates are needed to win the nomination.
Emerging from the meeting, Mr Brookover said it was a "back-of-the-envelope" calculation.
New York billionaire Trump is still seeking converts to his cause. Many Congress members had backed other Republican presidential candidates who have since abandoned the race.
Trump himself is engaged in a war of words with the Republican National Committee and its chairman, Reince Priebus, over party rules that, for example, allowed party regulars in Colorado to choose a slate of delegates to send to the party's nominating convention without Republicans in the state actually voting.
All the Colorado delegates went to US Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who is trying to stop Trump from gaining the 1,237-delegate majority needed to win the nomination on the first ballot at the convention in Cleveland in July.
Failure to win the first ballot would open the way to a contested convention at which Cruz, Ohio Governor John Kasich or an 11th-hour dark horse could theoretically win a second or subsequent ballot and become the party's nominee.
Going into New York's primary election on Tuesday, Trump holds a wide lead in opinion polls. He has been campaigning intensely in his home state.
Later last night, Mr Trump was to address a fund-raising event in Patchogue, the site of the fatal stabbing of Ecuadorean immigrant Marcelo Lucero in 2008 by a teenager who was part of a gang of white youths who targeted Latinos in the area.
The fundraiser's venue is near where Lucero was attacked, and immigrant advocates have planned protests there. Suffolk County Police Commissioner Timothy Sini said several different demonstrations coinciding with the event were expected.
Meanwhile, in the Democratic camp, presidential contenders Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton joined striking Verizon workers' picket lines on Wednesday after Sanders was endorsed by New York City transit workers in his fight for union support that has largely gone to Clinton.
Sanders addressed hundreds of striking workers in Brooklyn as "brothers and sisters" and thanked them for their courage in standing up to what he characterised as corporate greed by the mammoth communications company.
Employees cheered as Sanders, who was born in Brooklyn, criticised Verizon Communications for wanting to take away health benefits, outsource jobs and avoid federal income taxes, calling it "just another major American corporation trying to destroy the lives of working Americans."
"Today I became a Bernie supporter. Basically just having his presence and knowing that he acknowledges the working class matters," said technician Kerryann Reid (36), who said she had worked for Verizon for 15 years.
On Wednesday afternoon, several dozen workers picketing a Verizon store in Manhattan cheered as Clinton arrived to show her support.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un looks at a rocket warhead tip after a simulated test of atmospheric re-entry of a ballistic missile, at an unidentified location in this undated file photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on March 15. Reuters/KCNA/Files
North Korea attempted and failed to launch what experts believe was an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Friday in defiance of U.N. sanctions and in an embarrassing setback for leader Kim Jong Un, drawing criticism from major ally China.
The failed launch, as the reclusive country celebrates the "Day of the Sun" on the birthday of Kim's grandfather, follows the North's fourth nuclear test in January and a long-range rocket launch in February, which led to new U.N. sanctions.
But the North has nevertheless pushed ahead with its missile program, supervised by Kim, in breach of U.N. Security Council resolutions.
The U.S.-based 38 North website, which specializes in North Korea, said there has been activity at the country's nuclear site based on satellite imagery and on Wednesday said the possibility of a fifth nuclear test "could not be ruled out".
China, North Korea's most important economic and diplomatic backer, has been angered by Pyongyang's nuclear tests and rocket launches in the face of U.N. sanctions that China has also backed.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the U.N. Security Council was clear on North Korean rocket launches.
"At present, the situation on the peninsula is complex and sensitive," he told reporters. "We hope all parties can strictly respect the decisions of the Security Council and avoid taking any steps that could further worsen tensions."
Chinese state media was more direct.
"The firing of a mid-range ballistic missile on Friday by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), though failed, marks the latest in a string of saber-rattling that, if unchecked, will lead the country to nowhere," China's official Xinhua news agency said in an English language ommentary.
"...Nuclear weapons will not make Pyongyang safer. On the contrary, its costly military endeavors will keep on suffocating its economy."
Friday is the anniversary of North Korean founding president Kim Il Sung's birthday which is widely celebrated. In 2012, it was marked by a long-range rocket launch attempt which also failed.
The U.S. Defense Department said in a statement the launch at 5.33am Korea time (8.33pm GMT Thursday) was detected and tracked by the U.S. Strategic Command which also assessed it had failed.
"We call again on North Korea to refrain from actions and rhetoric that further raise tensions in the region and focus instead on taking concrete steps toward fulfilling its international commitments and obligations," a U.S. State Department official said.
It was likely a Musudan, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said, an intermediate-range ballistic missile with a design range of more than 3,000 km (1,800 miles) that can be fired from a road mobile launcher but which has never been flight-tested.
The United States, which has 28,000 troops stationed in South Korea, said on Thursday it was aware of reports that North Korea was preparing to test intermediate-range missiles and was closely monitoring the Korean peninsula.
"Timing wise, today's missile was a cannon salute on the Day of the Sun, leading up to the party congress, but now that it has failed, it is an embarrassment," said Chang Gwang-il, a retired South Korean army general.
The North is scheduled to hold its ruling party congress in early May, the first such meeting in 36 years.
The North could not completely ignore the sanctions, but considered it the right time to attempt a missile launch to send a message to the world "we don't surrender to sanctions", Chang said.
Some experts had said North Korea may choose to test-fire the Musudan as it tries to build an intercontinental ballistic missile designed to put the mainland United States within range.
North Korea, which regularly threatens to destroy South Korea and the United States, often fires missiles during periods of tension in the region or when it comes under pressure to curb its defiance and abandon its weapons programs.
The North and rich, democratic South are technically still at war since their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.
Former Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming, who says judges must lift a ban which is preventing a tabloid newspaper from reporting on a ''well-known'' man's ''extramarital activities''
Tabloid newspaper editors have asked judges to lift a ban which is preventing them from reporting on a ''well-known'' man's ''extramarital activities''.
The Sun On Sunday wanted to publish an "account" of the man's ''sexual exploits'' with others.
The man took legal action and earlier this year two Court of Appeal judges imposed an injunction - preventing the newspaper from identifying the man in an article.
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Lawyers for News Group Newspapers, publishers of The Sun On Sunday, asked three Court of Appeal judges to lift the ban at a hearing in London on Friday.
Abdeslam (left in picture) was caught on CCTV at a petrol station while fleeing back to Belgium
Germany's domestic intelligence agency denied yesterday its head had told German lawmakers a prime suspect in the Paris attacks had documents about the Juelich German nuclear research centre.
The Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) media group had cited sources in a parliamentary committee as saying BfV intelligence agency chief Hans-Georg Maassen had told the committee in March about the documents on Juelich.
"This is not right," a BfV spokeswoman said. "We have no information about this. Our president Maassen never talked to any members of parliament."
The media group had reported that printouts of articles from the internet and photos of Juelich chairman Wolfgang Marquardt had been found in the apartment of Salah Abdeslam in the Molenbeek area of Brussels.
Abdeslam, who born and raised in Belgium to Moroccan-born parents, was arrested on March 18 in the Belgian capital and four days later, suicide bombers killed 32 people in Brussels airport and in a metro train station.
The 26-year-old is now in Bruges prison awaiting extradition to France over his suspected involvement in the November 13 shooting attacks in Paris.
Concerns that Islamist militants are turning their attention to the nuclear industry's weak spots have risen since the Brussels attack.
Juelich is near the Belgian border and atomic waste is stored there. The nuclear centre said in a statement that there was no indication of any danger and that it was in contact with security authorities and nuclear supervisors.
RND reported that Maassen had informed the committee in charge of monitoring German intelligence agencies whose meetings are confidential.
A nun who has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, fleeing the scene and failing to report the accident said she can't remember anything about her arrest.
Philadelphia nun Sister Kimberly Miller (41) said she blacked out for four hours during the November crash, but claims the blackout was caused by insomnia drug Ambien.
At first I thought it was a dream because I had handcuffs on, she testified in Washington Township Court at a six-hour trial this week.
I was in my habit. Im a nun.
I dont understand how I got to New Jersey. I couldnt figure out where all the time went, she added.
Police claimed Miller was driving erratically in the early morning hours of November 15, before she backed into the doors of a car repair shop.
They reported the nun to have failed a field sobriety test at the scene and said her blood alcohol concentration was twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent. She was later charged with DUI.
The arrest was captured on dashcam video which shows a disorientated Miller walk around the front of her car.
Miller told the court she has a history of sleepwalking as well as a painful arthritic condition that she takes medicine for.
She said she often drinks wine to help her sleep.
She told the court she went to an event at a children's bookstore, before going back to her convent where she put on her night clothes, drank a glass of wine, took an Ambien and went to sleep.
She claims the next thing she remembers was being at a police station in New Jersey and speaking to a police officer.
I asked him where I was, Miller told the court.
I asked him how I got there. I asked him what time it was.
Witnesses and officers testified Miller's speech was slurred, her eyes were droopy and they smelled alcohol when they stopped her car.
Students at the little Flower Catholic High School for Girls in Philadelphia where she teaches has launched an online petition to keep her job. It has over 2,000 signatures so far.
CCTV still issued by the Metropolitan Police of a black Ford Ka moments after it knocked a woman over when it failed to stop at a pedestrian crossing on Siviter Way in Dagenham, East London on April 14 last year. Photo: Metropolitan Police/PA Wire
CCTV stills issued by the Metropolitan Police of the moment a woman was knocked over (clockwise, from top left) when a car failed to stop at a pedestrian crossing on Siviter Way in Dagenham, East London. Photo: Metropolitan Police/PA Wire
Shocking CCTV footage has been released which shows a woman being knocked over when a car failed to stop at a pedestrian crossing.
The black Ford Ka drove off after the collision and footage has been released by the Metropolitan Police as part of an appeal to identify the driver.
The car's windscreen was damaged and the vehicle was later found to have been scrapped.
The woman, who was 25 at the time, suffered a fractured collar bone and skull. She has had two operations and is still recovering following the crash on April 14 2014 in Siviter Way in Dagenham, east London.
Detective Constable Liz Carrey, from Barking and Dagenham CID, said: "Police have conducted extensive inquiries to trace who was responsible for this collision.
"This has been a life-changing experience for the victim, both physically and mentally. The victim was seriously injured and she would like some closure to help her come to terms with the incident.
"We know the car has been scrapped, but someone may have seen it damaged or the driver of the car may even have spoken about what happened. I would ask anyone who has information to search their conscience and contact police."
A man and woman, both 39, were summonsed to appear at Barkingside Magistrates' Court on November 18 2014 but the date was set aside and they were told to await further instruction.
The toddler was eventually found nearly three miles away and over an hour later in Gosforth, north Newcastle, by a police officer.
Two teenage girls have been arrested on suspicion of kidnapping a three-year-old girl in Newcastle.
The toddler disappeared from a Primark in the city centre at around 5pm on Wednesday evening.
It triggered a city-wide search after officers found she had left the store with two teenage girls she did not know, leaving her mother "incredibly" distressed.
Police trawled through CCTV from Newcastle City Council, local shops, Newcastle University, bus companies, the metro and their own cameras in search of the girl.
She was eventually found nearly three miles away and over an hour later in Gosforth, north Newcastle, by a police officer.
The alleged kidnappers, aged 13 and 14, were arrested on suspicion of child abduction and taken for questioning.
Chief Inspector Dave Gould said: "Thankfully the child was quickly located by officers and then reunited with her mother. This has been an incredibly distressing time for the girl's family and specialist officers are working with and supporting the family.
"We mobilised all available local police resources to make sure the girl was found as quickly as possible and also included assistance from the public, and many of our partner agencies including Newcastle local authority and university as well as staff from retail premises, bus companies, train station and metro system.
"I would like to thank all of those involved for their help in finding this little girl and helping reunite her with her mother.
Jeremy Corbyn wants a level playing field on pay and conditions for solve the migration issues within the EU. Photo: PA
Jeremy Corbyn insisted there was "nothing half-hearted" about Labour's pro-EU campaign as he made his first major speech of the Brexit referendum battle.
The left-winger - who voted Out in the 1975 referendum and has expressed Eurosceptic views over subsequent decades - has been accused of making only a lukewarm contribution to the Remain argument so far.
But he said it was clear that the party was "overwhelmingly convinced" that being part of the bloc was in the best interests of the country on issues such as workers' rights and the environment.
There remained serious "shortcomings" that needed to be addressed by Brussels, such as the proposed trade deal with the US which gave "huge cause for concern" about the potential for privatisation of public services, he warned.
All of those could be better dealt with, however, by remaining in the EU "warts and all" rather than by pulling out and leaving the country at the mercy of the Conservatives, he argued.
"We have had a very big debate within the party and within the trade unions. Overwhelmingly, the Labour Party and the trade unions have come to the view that they want to campaign for a social, just Europe to protect the workers' rights that we've got, to extend them and extend that degree of justice.
"That is the position we have reached. That is the position that has been adopted by the party. That is the party that I lead and that is the position I am putting forward."
He went on: "There is nothing half-hearted about what we are doing, there is nothing half- hearted about our campaign, there is nothing half-hearted about our alliances.
"I have attended a number of meetings of the Party of European Socialists. I have had lengthy conversations with prime ministers and party leaders all across Europe on the social justice case, the environmental case, the issues of climate change, trade and steel and all those issues.
"I have made numerous speeches on all these subjects. There is nothing half-hearted about what we are doing."
Mr Corbyn also said that the EU should consider introducing an EU-wide minimum wage to reduce the incentive for people to immigrate to Britain.
The Labour leader yesterday made his first speech of the EU referendum campaign, arguing that there was a "strong socialist case" for staying in the bloc.
But he accepted that there were concerns about the impact of migration on the UK - and said changes to wage laws could help reduce perceived pressures.
He said an EU-wide minimum wage could be tied to the cost of living in each EU member state, which would provide a "level playing field" for British workers.
"I don't think too many [migrants] have come, I think the issue has to be of wages and regulations," he said when asked.
"There has to be a case for a minimum wage tied to the cost of living across the continent.
"There is nothing wrong with people wanting to migrate to work around the continent, but there has to be a level playing field on pay and conditions."
Such a proposal would likely not see the same cash minimum wage across all countries - but instead see the wages match as a proportion of the cost of living.
Mr Corbyn's call comes a day after a report from the Migration Observatory suggested that higher wages was the main reason people from other EU states came to Britain - with very little evidence that the welfare system was a pull factor.
The report says the eurozone crisis has also led to six countries - Poland, Romania, Spain, Italy, Hungary and Portugal - accounting for 80pc of the increase in EU migrants living in Britain in recent years.
Britain will vote in a referendum on whether to remain in the European Union on 23 June this year.
A Syrian government delegation has arrived in Geneva to join a new round of UN-mediated peace talks with an umbrella opposition group that seeks to find a resolution to the country's five-year civil war.
The arrival of the Damascus team, led by Syria's UN ambassador Bashar Ja'afari, comes amid escalating fighting between government forces and insurgents in northern Aleppo which has killed 34 fighters on both sides over 24 hours.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said of those killed, 14 were pro-government fighters and 20 were militants, including members of Syria's al Qaida affiliate known as the Nusra Front.
The al Qaida branch and its more powerful rival, Islamic State, are not part of a ceasefire that came into effect at the end of February. The US and Russian-backed truce has held in most of Syria, except in the north, where it has practically collapsed.
The Nusra Front is deeply rooted in the areas in northern Syria controlled by opposition forces, complicating oversight of the truce.
IS militants have clashed with rival insurgents and pro-government forces in Aleppo, making a wide advance on opposition-held territory along the Turkish border, the Observatory said.
New York-based Human Rights Watch said Turkish border guards fired on hundreds of Syrian civilians fleeing the IS onslaught on Thursday and heading for a wall at the border. The rights group urged Ankara to allow thousands of Syrians fleeing to cross into Turkey to seek protection.
"As civilians flee Isis fighters, Turkey is responding with live ammunition instead of compassion," said Gerry Simpson, senior refugee researcher at Human Rights Watch.
"The whole world is talking about fighting Isis, and yet those most at risk of becoming victims of its horrific abuses are trapped on the wrong side of a concrete wall," he added.
Turkish officials said they were aware of the report but had no immediate response. There was no information whether any of the civilians were hurt in the shooting.
The latest IS advance has displaced 30,000 civilians north of Syria's largest city, Aleppo, the provincial capital.
The Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee, which is negotiating in Geneva, has accused the Syrian government of more than 2,000 breaches of the ceasefire in deadly attacks on opposition areas.
UN special envoy Steffan De Mistura has said he hopes for a substantive round of "proximity talks" on a transitional government to end the war. The two sides do not actually talk to each other in Geneva but the UN envoy shuttles between them.
The most obvious public difference between the two sides revolves around the fate of President Bashar Assad. Opposition representatives have insisted that Assad be removed from power as part of any peace deal, while government officials have declared him to be a red line.
This round of talks began on Wednesday but the government said it was delayed because of parliamentary elections that were held this week in government-controlled areas of Syria. The opposition has dismissed the balloting as a sham and said it could further undermine the peace talks.
Norman Davis
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We are living in the world of the oppressed and depressed.
Now mind you I am not talking about the people in the streets. Not drug dealers, hustlers, gamers. Not the homeless. I'm talking about the toe-tapping, tambourine playing, singing, shouting and dancing church folks.
It appears that going to God's house is one of the most dreadful and lowest times of the week. The praise and worship leaders have to transform themselves into dentists, because getting the congregation to worship is sometimes as hard as pulling teeth.
Going to church for many has become only an item to check off on a to-do list. It has become as commonplace to them as remembering to pick up the clothes from the cleaners. Now that's really exciting, getting that clear plastic bag that is really too long for the dress or too short for the suit and has a warning printed on it that it can suffocate a small child.
Sadly enough most churchgoing people don't share the same sentiment as David in the Bible. He said, "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord." Psalm 122:1.
Many might not say it, but the nonparticipation in worship makes me think that they were mad while they were in the house of the Lord.
Some would probably feel they had a good reason for that attitude. "I don't like the way the choir sang, or the way Sister Cat whines when she reads the announcements. I don't appreciate having to stand up so many times and say Hallelujah. I'm tired of slapping people high-fives."
If you are able to go church, if you are able to hear the choir sing, to see the church announcement bulletin, you should be glad. If you are blessed to stand up, you should be glad. If you have arms and hands to stretch out, then there is no reason for you not to be glad. Multitudes of people around the world are lying in hospital beds, and countless more are totally incapacitated without arms, hands and feet. They would be glad if they could go into the house of the Lord.
So my advice to you is to, while you are yet able, "Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing." (Psalm 100:2.) Don't complain, but "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord." (Psalm 100:1.)
God further said "no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." (Psalm 84:11.) Such a loving God is the only one "who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." (Psalm 103:1.)
Truly now, child of God, I ask you, why are you not glad? To you who are not yet glad, let me help you with that. You too cannot only be glad, but you can receive joy unlimited. Bow your head, acknowledge that you are a sinner. Ask Jesus to forgive you and come into your heart right now, and you won't be glad by yourself. The word of God says in Luke 15:7, "Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth."
I also rejoice with you and thank God that you are now saved by grace. Be glad!
Norman Davis serves as an elder for High Calling Ministries International in Anderson and is a former contributing writer to a Christian publication based in New Jersey.
By Nikie Mayo of the Independent Mail
History will remember them as the "Clemson Five."
Five students, who were at the forefront of a peaceful protest about improving racial inclusion at Clemson University, were arrested Thursday and charged with trespassing after they refused to leave Sikes Hall.
Those arrested were: D.J. Smith, Me'Khayla Williams, Rae-Nessha White, J. Ian Anderson, and Adrian "A.D." Carson. Four of them are between the ages of 20 and 22. Carson is 36.
Those five students and dozens of others had participated in an all-night sit-in at Sikes Hall, which houses the offices of key university officials, including President Jim Clements.
Led by Smith, the students said Thursday that they would not leave the building until they felt university officials heeded their demands. They called for more diversity on campus, more funding for groups made up of minority students and changes in the names of "offensively named" buildings such as Tillman Hall. The hall is named for Benjamin Tillman, who was a self-described racist.
Even as they emerged from the building with tickets outlining their charges, those five and others said they planned another night of camping out at Sikes Hall.
Before the arrests, Almeda Jacks, the university's vice president for student affairs, and the school's Chief of Staff Max Allen, spoke with students and urged them to leave the building late Thursday afternoon.
"Our mode right now is we've got to get back to normal business," Allen said, talking about how the administration building had been overtaken by students since Wednesday.
Jacks said she cared about the students and told them they had until 5:30 p.m. to get their belongings and get out of Sikes.
"If you don't, I hate to say this, but you could be arrested," she said.
Jacks went on to talk about how the students could face separate discipline from the university.
"We want you to graduate," she said.
Many of the students left the building at that point, but stayed outside to show support for the five who refused to go. Student Sherman Jones led a crowd of hundreds in a chant: "We are the Clemson Five. The Clemson Five are us."
Before the arrests, Clements released a detailed statement outlining the university's efforts to create a better experience for minority students. He said, in part, that the administration had allocated more than $100,000 per year for travel and special events involving minority students or student organizations whose primary constituencies are underrepresented groups. He talked about the importance of having a multicultural center and said the school has stepped up efforts to recruit minorities.
"Since 2013, we have seen an increase of nearly 13 percent in our African-American undergraduate enrollment and an increase of nearly 31 percent in Hispanic undergraduate enrollment," Clements wrote. "In the graduate school, we have seen African- American enrollment increased more than 7 percent and Hispanic enrollment more than 36 percent.
From Fall 15 to Fall 16, we are up 30 percent in African American enrollments and 16 percent overall."
The students involved in the protests, including many who did not stay inside to get arrested, said Clements' statement is not enough.
"There's a lot of talk here about the Clemson family," said Roslie Shumate, a junior from Greenville. "But many, many times, we are not made to feel like we are part of the family."
Follow Nikie Mayo on Twitter @NikieMayo
Clemson sophomore Rohan Willis (center) listens to his peers speak on racial issues at Clemson during a protest march meant to bring attention to equality issues present at Clemson University on Wednesday, April 13, 2016 in Clemson.
By Mike Eads of the Independent Mail
CLEMSON A student march at Clemson University led to a sit-in Wednesday, drawing attention to ongoing racial problems on campus.
Approximately 50 students and a handful of faculty supporters filled the lobby of Sikes Hall, home of the offices of President Jim Clements, Provost Bob Jones and other top Clemson administrators. The students brought food, blankets, laptops and everything else they needed to ride out the night.
The sit-in began after a lunchtime campus march to demand more action from the university to improve the campus climate for minority students. The march ended with a peaceful demonstration on the steps of Sikes Hall just before 1 p.m., after which some of the participants walked into the building's lobby and declared a sit-in.
By 4:15 p.m., Clements was meeting with protesters for the second time in four hours. He was flanked by Jones, Student Affairs vice president Almeda Jacks and interim Chief Diversity Officer Max Allen, all of whom talked with various protesters.
Senior D.J. Smith and other organizers said the purpose was to restate the goals presented to Clemson administrators in early 2015, when around 100 students marched across campus to demand better recruitment of minority students and faculty, a population mix on campus that mirrors South Carolina, removal of Benjamin Tillman's name from the Old Main Building overlooking Bowman Field, increased spending on diversity programming and more.
Smith said abusive behavior toward minorities on social media outlets such as Yik Yak and Facebook, as well as incidents like one Monday when bananas were hung next to an African-American history banner on campus, spurred the students into action.
"Some of these issues keep arising, and that's what led to the sit-in," said Smith, who is a psychology major and graduate of D.W. Daniel High School.
Several faculty members turned out over the course of the day to visit with the students, including new Faculty Senate President Mary Beth Kurz.
"We want to figure out how to support the students," she said.
The tone remained civil throughout the day. Interim Dean of Students Chris Miller met with the students while Clements, Jones and Allen sat in on the quarterly meeting of the university trustees, which happened at the Madren Conference Center. Clements, Jones and Allen joined Miller at Sikes Hall after that meeting ended.
Jones and Jacks worked out a deal with the protesters: any students who wanted to stay overnight in the lobby could, but the building would be locked up, and campus police would be stationed near the exits. No students were allowed to enter overnight.
The lockdown is normal procedure, Jacks said. Student records and other sensitive data are housed there, and the building is restricted to a handful of university employees outside business hours.
The organizers agreed to Jacks' terms, and the lockout began at 5:30 p.m. Neither side would speculate as to next steps, or how the sit-in would be resolved, but each commended the other for the constructive tone.
Smith said the sit-in was part of a National Day of Action taking place at schools across the United States. The effort, coordinated by the Black Liberation Collective, was meant to draw attention to student debt problems and racial issues.
Clements admitted to marchers earlier in the day that the campus culture isn't perfect, and he doesn't have all the answers to the banana incident Monday or other lingering race and diversity issues.
"You were hurt, and I was hurt," he said on Monday about the incident. "It's sad and sickening those things happen at Clemson or anywhere. There are a lot of things we're doing and more things we need to do, but we're chipping away."
Clements launched several new diversity initiatives last fall including reorganizing the Gantt Multicultural Center, conducting national searches for a new chief diversity officer and stepped-up recruitment of minority students and faculty.
The university president drew criticism Tuesday for missing a public meeting at the Hendrix Student Center to address the banana incident. He showed up for the march Wednesday with several of his senior administrators in tow and took questions for 15 minutes, breaking off from the quarterly trustee's meeting.
Several students asked him variations of the same question: Why do things like Monday's incident keep happening? Clements didn't offer any quick solutions, but did say that everyone administrators, students, staff and faculty must keep working the problems.
"I don't have all the answers, but I'm sitting with a bunch of smart people to help with those answers," Clements said.
Follow Michael Eads on Twitter @MikeEads_AIM
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By Independent Mail
Want to enjoy some good barbecue, live music and a good game of cornhole while helping those in need?
The Golden Harvest Food Bank will present the Electric City Throwdown 6-9 p.m. Tuesday at The Smokin' Pig in Sandy Springs.
Headlining the concert is The Eric Scott Band, a country-rock band from Anderson. The Throwdown will also feature a tug-of-war competition and cornhole tournament.
"We are so excited to host the Electric City Throwndown," said Nirmala Bruce, Golden Harvest's upstate development officer. "It will be a great evening for the community to come together, have some fun (and) all for a great cause."
The event is a benefit concert and barbecue to raise funds for Golden Harvest and awareness about the one in seven people in Anderson and Pickens counties who struggle with hunger, said food bank spokeswoman Ashley Siler in a news release.
The Golden Harvest Food Bank serves the hungry in a 30-county area in eastern Georgia and western South Carolina. It operates distribution centers in Anderson, Aiken and Augusta, Georgia.
The food bank provides low-cost food for area soup kitchens and other charities which distribute food directly to those in need. In Georgia and South Carolina, Golden Harvest serves more than 300 agencies and food pantries. In 2015, the food bank distributed more than 17.2 million pounds of grocery products to those charities.
Tickets for the concert and barbecue are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. Tickets include a dinner plate and non-alcoholic beverage from The Smokin' Pig.
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By Ray Chandler, Special to Independent Mail
Several years ago Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw worked with a drug addict wanting help to a center in Anderson, the sheriff told a group of community and business leaders at the monthly Oconee Alliance business forum on Thursday.
"He dried out, but then he went right back to doing what he was doing," Crenshaw said.
Contrast that with a more recent case, from 2012, when Crenshaw encountered a former addict he well knew who had been helped through a ministry-based rehabilitation program.
"He had a job, he was working, and he was looking after his family," Crenshaw said. "A year earlier he had been crawling through windows where elderly people lived, trying to steal prescription drugs."
The situations were among the things that convinced Crenshaw to try to find a rehab program that could be a key part of the anti-drug program he has initiated since taking office.
Crenshaw and Ashley Williams, coordinator of Christ Central Ministries, spoke in a presentation that involved the vision for the Central Christ Ministries resource center that officials plan to install in the former Oconee County Detention Center.
"This is part of our vision to build partnerships to help the community," Crenshaw said. "This program has the potential to be a model that could spread across the country. I've always felt that you had to incorporate (drug) prevention and treatment along with enforcement."
Williams, who started the Oconee chapter of Christ Central Ministries in Seneca seven years ago, said the resource center will enable a major expansion of the ministry's mission.
"The jail population continues to swell, and 68 percent of inmates have a drug abuse problem," he said. "We want to stop the revolving door, and help them get back on their feet and be sustainable."
The program offers "a guardrail against homelessness and addiction," Williams said.
The planned center will have a 36-bed emergency shelter and an expanded GED program.
Williams said, Christ Central already has helped more than 100 people get their high school diplomas through their GED program. The new center should see that number grow.
In the past, Christ Central has had to send addicts seeking help to facilities in Columbia or Travelers Rest.
"With this facility we'll be able to have a recovery program right here in Oconee County," Williams said.
Christ Central officials said besides people battling alcohol or drug addictions and those seeking basic education and job skills, prospective clients of the center will be inmates of the county jail transitioning to freedom or people facing economic hardship.
The shelter will also be available to victims of abuse or victims of loss of homes from fire.
Funding the conversion of the former jail to the ministries needs will be the ministry's responsibility.
The final lease agreement between the ministry and the county is expected to be completed by the end of May, and the ministry plans to begin work on the emergency shelter portion of the conversion shortly after that, Crenshaw said.
Some volunteer work on the conversion will begin earlier. Beginning April 22 the ministry will host community work days the second and fourth Fridays and Saturdays of each month.
Visit ccmoconee.org to find out more about getting involved.
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Oconee County Associate Probate Judge Karen W. Lee has been appointed to replace suspended Probate Judge Kenny Johns.
Responding to a clarification request from Lee, South Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Costa Pleicones issued an order that gives Lee "all powers previously vested" with Johns.
Pleicones signed an order Tuesday placing Johns on interim suspension. The reasons for his suspension have not been made public.
Johns, 49, is a former Walhalla City Councilman who was elected as Oconee County's probate judge in 2010. He was serving his second term in the post.
Mount Pleasant Fire and Rescue member Arthur Kluttz was among this years United Way local Governors Award medallion winners. The Medallion Awards are North Carolinas highest honor for volunteerism only 20 are given across the state, according to a press release.
Kluttz has contributed, in many ways, to Mount Pleasant Fire and Rescue for more than 74 years. Starting as a member in 1974, he was appointed as fire chief 22 years later. Even after retiring in 1991, he still attends every fire meeting faithfully.
Over the course of those strong and dedicated 74 years, Kluttz was named Cabarrus County Firefighter of the Year (1971 and 1982), Mount Pleasant Firefighter of the Year (1982 and 1992), led construction for the new fire station (1974), and served on the town board of directors (1957). Even after experiencing two life-changing setbacks in recent years, he earned the title of firefighter of the Year in 2014 from the NC State Grange and Saint John Grange of Cabarrus County. He is a man of little words, but anyone you ask will agree that he is the pillar that holds up Cabarrus County. Outside of the firefighter work, he owns Miller Lumber Company and still manages it at the age of 91.
United Way announced the local Governors Award winners today, including three honorees who won Medallion Awards
The other Governors Award winners honored during an appreciation breakfast at Village Tavern in Charlotte were:
Elaine Allman and Fredricka Savage, for volunteer work with Iredell County Animal Services.
Jane Dennis, Girl Scouts Hornets Nest Council.
Jesse Milliken, Union County Community Shelter.
Tony Canupp, for volunteer work with Barringer Academic Center.
Richard Ridley, for volunteer work with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.
Sardis Presbyterian Church, for volunteer work with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, Rama Road Elementary School.
Geoffrey Scantlebury, for volunteer work with Central Piedmont Community College- Continuing Education.
Bruce Taylor, for volunteer work with United Way of Central Carolinas.
Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts opened the event and honored each of the winners. The awards coincided with National Volunteer Week, April 10-16.
To conclude the week, United Way and the Charlotte Knights are honoring all of the Governors Award winners during the Knights season-opening homestand. Each winner received a Knights prize pack during the awards event, and on Sunday prior to the game, the winners will be recognized on the field and enjoy seats in the Duke Energy MVP section.
United Way is the local administrator of the Governors Awards, which are overseen by the North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service. Hands On Charlotte and Share Charlotte also help organize and promote the annual awards.
In addition to the Governors Awards, United Way of Central Carolinas also recently announced it has met its $22 million goal, with the help of donors, Charlottes corporate community and the Carolina Panthers.
Infosys, IT bellwether and one of India's largest software companies, reported consolidated net profit of Rs. 3,597 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, registering growth of 3.81% qoq and 16.14% yoy. The companys revenue stood at Rs. 16,550 crore, clocking growth of 4.07% qoq and 23.41% yoy.
For the year ended March 31, 2016, the company reported consolidated net profit of Rs. 13,491 crore, up by 9.42% yoy. It's consolidated revenue for the current period stood at Rs. 62,441 crore, registering growth of 17.11% yoy.
On standalone basis, the company reported net profit of Rs. 3,399 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, registering growth of 6.79% qoq and 12.4% yoy. Its revenue stood at Rs. 14,158 crore, clocking growth of 4.39% qoq and 18.72% yoy.
For the year ended March 31, 2016, the company reported standalone net profit of Rs. 15,785 crore, up by 29.77% yoy. It's standalone revenue for the current period stood at Rs. 53,983 crore, registering growth of 14.13% yoy.
Rationale:
Infosys posted a robust set of numbers that largely met IIFL estimates in a seasonally weak quarter. Further, the company also has pleasantly surprised the street with a stellar revenue forecast. The company estimates revenue growth of 11.8-13.8% in actual currency terms for the 2016-17 fiscal and by 11.5-13.5% in constant currency terms.
The company delivered a healthy 1.9% qoq dollar revenue growth during Q4 FY16 in constant currency (CC) terms. The growth was volumeled as the billed man hours grew 2.4% qoq; onsite (2.7% qoq) efforts growth higher than offshore (2.3% qoq). The consistent strong traction in volumes was the key highlight and for the full year FY16, volume growth stood at robust 14.5% which was the highest in five years (preceding four years average at ~10%). Realization in CC terms declined by 0.9% qoq during Q4 FY16 and 1.1% yoy in FY16 mainly reflecting the pricing pressure in commoditized services. The pursued strategy of renewing existing service lines through automation and innovation and introducing new capabilities such as design thinking to deepen customer engagement has started to bear fruit.
Result Highlights: (Rs. in crore)
Reported Results IIFL Estimates Variance (%) Consolidated Revenue 16550 16601.9 [0.31] Consolidated Net Profit 3597 3555.43 1.17
Consolidated EPS for the quarter stood at Rs. 15.74.Bloomberg estimated the companys consolidated net profit at Rs. 3514.55 crore.Infosys at its meeting held on April 15, 2016, inter alia, has recommended a final dividend of Rs. 14.25 per equity share for the financial year ended March 31, 2016.Infosys Ltd ended at Rs. 1172.05, down by 10.25 points or 0.87% from its previous closing of Rs. 1182.3 on the BSE.The scrip opened at Rs. 1194 and touched a high and low of Rs. 1195 and Rs. 1166.5 respectively. A total of 7057525(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 269213.4 crore.The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 5 touched a 52 week high of Rs. 1249.9 on 04-Apr-2016 and a 52 week low of Rs. 932.55 on 10-Jul-2015. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 1214.85 and Rs. 1151.4 respectively.The promoters holding in the company stood at 13.07 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 57.18 % and 12.48 % respectively.The stock traded below its 50 DMA.
Today, Indian banks are embracing the social media platform in a big way. They are not only using the social media platform to promote their products, but are also using this space to promote their events, let their customers know about the latest developments at the bank and announcing the bank progress. Social networking sites are also used, in a big way, to resolve customer queries, customer grievances, for customer satisfaction, improve branding, analysing customer needs, and offering facilities like real-time banking and money transfers.Most of the banks today have advertised heavily on Facebook and have managed to gain a huge fan base, along with decent amount of interaction on the Facebook platform. Competition within banks has intensified. Banks are helping in resolving customer queries, customer grievances and satisfying customers. Axis Bank, on its page, says the customer query would be responded to within an hour of posting it, while ICICI Banks says that the bank would reply to the queries within a few hours.Going by the numbers, today, leading private sector entity, ICICI Bank, has a large fan base of over 47 lakh fans, as against 35 lakh fans, in May 2015. Axis Bank has almost 32 lakh fans today, as against 30 lakh fans last year, in the same period. The countrys largest bank, State Bank of India, too, has seen a rapid rise in its fan base on the Facebook platform in the last one year. Interestingly, the banks fan base has more than doubled in the last one year. The bank has 52 lakh fans today, as against 24 lakh fans same time last year.SBI carries different tabs on its home page, such as a live webcast of press and analysts meet, along with other tabs like SBI Quick, SBI offers, photos, videos, corporate website link, SBI ATM Locator, SBI Branch Locator, Tools & Calculators, YouTube, Savings Account and SBI Mingle. Similarly, ICICI Bank, too, has some interesting features like Expression App, EMI Personality Quiz, Photos, Videos, Charge In, Bank on-the-go, Testimonials on 24x7 branches, Personality Quiz, Customer Care numbers, Product Suite, 1 Minute Challenge, milestones, events held and Fan of the month.Banks not only promote themselves through the Facebook channel but on Twitter as well. The countrys largest bank, SBI, has 569k followers on the twitter handle @TheOfficialSBI. It provides daily updates on the banks products, services, initiatives and tips from experts. Similarly, by starting a twitter started in November 2011, ICICI Bank has 87.4k followers on the twitter platform, @ICICIBank. Recent developments, product offerings, offers, campaigns and financial education is given out through this twitter handle. It has a separate handle for service queries for customers, @ICICIBank_Care.Smartphones have indeed led to an increase in the use of social media sites. The value of transactions on the mobile device has seen a phenomenal increase, thanks to the rise in the number of smartphones in the country. Mobile banking has seen a rapid increase in recent times, with more and more retail customers coming forward to transact on the mobile phone. Banks also find it easier to tap Gen Y on social media sites today than at bank branches. In order to keep pace with these changes, Indian banks are increasingly coming up with technology innovation with the help of mobile, analytics and social media, to suit their customer needs and serve them more efficiently. Youngsters find it more convenient to transact on their smartphones than visit a bank. According to data from RBI, the value of mobile banking transactions touched Rs 49,029 crore in December 2015.In a recent development, ten of the country's biggest banks, along with the Reserve Bank of India have launched a Unified Payments Interface (UPI), an app that will reduce the cost and time taken for making simple payments.Indian banks have also launched a banking service by which you can transfer funds using the social media platform. This means you can send money to anyone with a bank account, if you know the other persons mobile number or email address, or if the person is your friend on Facebook or a follower on the Twitter platform. For instance, ICICI Bank came up with a mobile banking service called Pockets, aimed at the youth. Anyone, need not be a customer of the bank, can easily download the e-wallet from Google Playstore, fund it from any bank account in the country and start transacting immediately. The wallet allows users to instantly send money to any email id, mobile number, friends on Facebook and bank account. The users can pay bills, recharge mobiles, book movie tickets, order food and send gifts using this e-wallet. Users can choose to add a zero-balance savings account to the wallet, which will allow them to earn interest on their idle money. For each transaction, there is a unique dynamically generated OTP (One Time Password) that is sent to the senders mobile number, registered with ICICI Bank, to verify that the transaction is initiated by you.Axis Bank too unveiled Ping Pay, a unique multi-social payment solution to enable customers, specially the youth and smart phone users, to transfer money and mobile recharge, person-to-person, including to non-Axis Bank account holders, using social and messaging channels like WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, email and phone contact lists. The person-to-person fund transfers through Ping Pay would happen via NPCIs Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) and currently the transaction limit is at Rs 50,000 per day.
Infosys Ltd ended at Rs. 1172.05, down by Rs. 10.25 or 0.87% from its previous closing of Rs. 1182.3 on the BSE.
The scrip opened at Rs. 1194 and touched a high and low of Rs. 1195 and Rs. 1166.5 respectively. A total of 7057525(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 269213.4 crore.
The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 5 touched a 52 week high of Rs. 1249.9 on 04-Apr-2016 and a 52 week low of Rs. 932.55 on 10-Jul-2015. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 1214.85 and Rs. 1151.4 respectively.
The promoters holding in the company stood at 13.07 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 57.18 % and 12.48 % respectively.
Infosys Ltd has announced that the Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting held on April 15, 2016, inter alia, has recommended a final dividend of Rs. 14.25 per equity share for the financial year ended March 31, 2016.Stock view:
Atul Gupta, an IT advisor, and partner at KPMG India, attended an interview with Business Today where he revealed details about the cyber Kare app.He stated that the app was developed to help the company's senior management in carrying out a self-assessment of their company's cyber security risk exposure. Gupta stated that the developers made the app for mobile devices to make it easily accessible. Since it is a mobile app, it can also be used at any time and at any location. He also stated that there is a lot of risk in cyber and the app is designed to showcase various components which facilitate organization exposure.The app also has an offline mode which means user assessment data is stored on their mobile phones. According to Gupta, the app allows the management to keep a close watch on cuber risk from a strategic view point. The IT advisor stated that the idea behind the app was inspired by the identification that cyber security was a risk hotbed for organizations, and it was evaluated as a business risk. He added that the senior management had a growing need for more awareness about risk exposure. The management also carries out regular evaluations to identify the level of preparedness in dealing with cyber threats.Gupta stated that the toolkit analyzes cyber exposure by considering macro factors such as business channels, the nature of the business and the industry. He also stated that the app was created to give the senior management a viewpoint of the firm's exposure to the cyber risk. The app has also been developed in a way that feedback is given by business leaders without necessarily involving inputs from IT and tech security.Gupta also revealed that the app also offers recommendations about how the firm can lower its cyber security exposure through key actions. It also suggests how the company can strengthen itself against potential risks. The recommendations are therefore guidelines on how the company can boost its cyber security structure.
John Ramsay, the CEO of Syngenta was in an ET Now interview where he stated that his company has been in constructive talks with the government.Mr. Ramsay stated that he was encouraged by the statements that were made in the budget, and they are a clear indicator that there is significant recognition of Agriculture. He also stated that it is also an indicator of what should be done for his company to be able to support small-scale farming in India.The CEO added that weather cycles are a common factor and for that reason, smallholder farmers require security through initiatives such as crop insurance. This will keep farmers assured that they will sell their crops at good prices. He also believes that the firm can play a big role to the farmers because it can provide technological and educative support. This will help farmers yield more profits. Bringing technology to the market is, therefore, an important factor, and the CEO revealed that the firm has been working closely with the national and state governments on some policies that can foster improvement.The executive believes that there is a lot of potential in the country's agricultural sector, and there can be more produce if farming is carried out in a sustainable way. He, however, pointed out that it is important not to be carried away by technology as far as GM seeds in India are concerned. He stated that GM is just one of the technologies involved in the industry. Instead, the focus should be diverted to understanding that a farmer has various challenges including different growing conditions and pests. Farmers, therefore, rely on different technologies to overcome these challenges. General education and insurance support can be of great help.Mr. Ramsay revealed that the Agricultural sector can grow at 5% per annum, but it has the potential to grow at a higher rate. He also believes that a proper subsidy system would be of great help to farmers.
newsfeed.mu
Remember the scenic song from Shahrukh Khan-Kajol starrer Dilwale, 'Gerua'? Yes, the same one which was shot at the exotic locales of Iceland and looked gorgeous on the big screen! Looking at the popularity it has got after 'Gerua' was shot there, Iceland now wants to attract niche Indian travellers. There has been an interest among Indians to visit Iceland after the picturisation of the song Gerua from movie Dilwale in Iceland. The locales of Iceland were beautifully captured in the song. We want to leverage on this interest and increase the number of tourist arrivals from India, Ambassador of Iceland to India Thorir Ibsen said in Mumbai. He also added that he'd like to have more Bollywood filmmakers to come and shoot in his country.
Iceland also has 'Promote Iceland', a body which promotes Iceland as a tourist destination. It even conducted its maiden roadshow in Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai to reach out to Indian travellers. The strategy of Promote Iceland is to target the premium travellers from India as Iceland is not for budget tourists.
We have not been very active in the Indian market in the past. But now we think that Iceland has gained interest in India and we want to build on the momentum through our maiden roadshows. The roadshow was a platform for us to meet the travel trade and understand the requirements of Indian travellers, Promote Iceland Manager Trade Delegations, Thorleifur Thor Jonsson said.
dna
Nana Patekar is one actor who has closely been working towards helping the Mahrashtra drought victims and their families, and without making a noise about it. In fact, you might already know that he, along with his friend Makarand Anaspure, has started NAAM foundation, an NGO working towards this cause.
Time and again Nana has come to the forefront to talk about this issue, and once again he spoke about it and made total sense. Talking about the plight of the farmers from drought prone areas, he said, "A massive migration is taking place to cities. And I want to tell everyone: if someone knocks at your car window, don't treat them like beggars. They are farmers.They are helpless. They need food, water and access to toilets. Let's take responsibility for one person each. It's not hard."
He also spoke about the High Court's order of shifting IPL matches that were scheduled to be played in Mumbai this year.
He said, "Wouldn't they have to water the grounds even if there are no IPL matches? But it's an emotional issue. How can we celebrate when people are dying?"
Well, that's a pretty valid point right there.
indianexpress
He added that we, as people, and our politicians have 'failed'. "People are concerned. But they haven't seen it first-hand. They must come here (Marathwada). People must question the system. It is a crime to be silent. Are we blind that we cannot see people are dying? If they are not our people whose are they then?" he added.
Nana also had something to say about the Pratyusha Banerjee suicide case. He slammed the media for focusing on her case, "It is sad that Pratyusha (Banerjee) committed suicide. But does it have to be on Page 1 every day? Who is interested in how many times Indrani (Mukerjea) married? I detest reading newspapers."
indya101
Randeep Hooda has time and again spoken on issues concerning his home state Haryana. Whether it's the Jat reservation row or renaming Gurgaon to Gurugram, he has always made valid points about major news items that most celebrities avoid speaking about. But this time, he has something more relevant to add.
Randeep, whose upcoming film Laal Rang is set in Haryana, hopes that the movie will give the locals a reason to celebrate as the state has been depicted in the right light. However, the actor, who prides himself on being a Haryanvi, is upset that Bollywood's portrayal of the region has been misleading so far.
mid-day
"I have a grudge against some filmmakers who have shown the state in a bad light. It's not only about khap panchayat, honour killings and female infanticide. It's an interesting place but somehow, we choose to highlight the negative aspects. Bollywood associates it with crime. In the wake of the riots and everything that happened there, I hope our film will give the people of Haryana a sense of identity and the songs will give them a reason to celebrate."
Randeep who played a Haryanvi in Imtiaz Ali's Highway is referred to as Bollywood's dark horse who has time and again proved he is equally good on camera, as he is off screen too. Watch out for his Sarbjit!
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If you haven't yet secured your car with high-end anti-theft devices, now is a good time to do it. A vehicle was stolen every 13 minutes in the capital in the first three months of the year, marking a sharp 44% rise over the same period last year. Only around 4% of these cars are recovered.
Delhi saw 9,714 vehicle thefts in the the first quarter of 2016, up from 6,724 in the first three months of last year. By April 13, the number had crossed 11,000, according to police figures.
Investigators blame the spurt on the creation of an app to register vehicle thefts, which has taken the pressure off local police stations to prevent and solve these cases. Car-theft investigations have virtually come to a standstill as no particular thana is held responsible any longer for unsolved cases.
The app automatically gives the user an untraced report after 21 days. For the app, introduced by the previous police chief, an e-police station was created and it became the `central agency' for handling vehicle thefts. The lax policing situation in the capital has led to it attracting car thieves from outside, according to police sources. The Meerut (Sotiganj) gangs are said to have devised a new way to crack open new electronic locks of high-end cars as well.
cdn.rideapart
The app needs to be done away with or at least tweaked, the sources said, so that the responsibility for thefts goes back to the police.
Investigators accept the situation is grim. Lack of deterrence has emboldened thieves so much that they are using techniques and gadgets to override the modern anti-theft systems. Not only do they carry duplicate electronic keys but can also neutralise engine control modules (on-board computers) in fuel-injected vehicles in a few minutes.
"In 1990, a vehicle was stolen in New York City every 3.5 minutes, but new anti-theft technologies and a police crackdown ensured a 95% fall in vehicle thefts by 2013. Now, a vehicle is stolen in NYC once every 72 minutes. In Delhi, the focus is on doing away with probe," a senior cop said.
Motor vehicle theft makes up a fifth of all IPC crimes reported in Delhi and it is getting better organised by the day .
wikimedia
All that thieves need is a window of 3 hours to dispose off a stolen vehicle, sources said. Late at night, they can cross over into Haryana or UP from any place in Delhi within half an hour. Then, getting the vehicle to a salvage yard in places such as Meerut takes only about an hour more. Using deft hands and machines, the yards take apart a car in no time, and the chances of it being traced thereafter are practically nil. While many of the stolen vehicles are dismantled for parts, some are sold in Nepal, the northeast, and also Bihar and West Bengal.
indianexpress
Till 2014, five-six gangs from Sotiganj in Meerut, and other areas in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, were active in Delhi, operating in twos and threes. Today, the thieves travel in sedans in groups of six-seven. They are armed to the teeth and take away two-three vehicles at a go.
The outlying police districts that share borders with neighbouring states have higher vehicle theft rates, with the maximum cases reported from east and northeast districts of UP . While the theft rate has shot up, the recovery rate remains abysmal. On average, if 100 vehicles are stolen, only four are traced.
Last year, 22,223 vehicles were stolen in Delhi and 6,019 of these were cars. At the end of the year, 2,322 were found. In 2013, the number of stolen vehicles was 26,330. It was 24,231 in 2012, and 26,729 in 2011.
A 24-year-old imaginative housewife, who aspired to wear the pants in the family and earn the respect of her in-laws, landed in the police net after her script went awry. Priyanka Patel, a resident of Halimni Khadki in Shahpur, did not want her husband to be controlling her. She also wanted to send across a message to the spouse, an employee with a private firm, that she was as capable as him. The couple apparently even had a tiff earlier over his remark about male dominance being the order of the day. So, she resorted to a Bollywood-style con job and got herself a Railway Protection Force uniform stitched when she went to her hometown in Madhya Pradesh.
ahmedabadmirror
Ten days ago, Priyanka told her husband and in-laws that she was no longer a housewife and that she had been recruited as an RPF constable. She also asked her husband to drop her to Kalupur railway station every morning for duty, which he did unfailingly. She would go back home by herself in the evening. The in-laws had no reason to disbelieve her because she also had a uniform ready. On Wednesday, too, Sanjay dropped Priyanka to the railway station. In the evening, when she was returning home, she bumped into two police constables Shivkumari and Urmila.
panoramio
They told Priyanka they had never seen her before and began chatting with her. When they asked her where she had undergone her training, she was flustered and at a loss for words. Sensing something fishy, the two women constables grilled her further and a nervous Priyanka spilled the beans. She told them that she was a housewife and was posing as a cop only to create a good image of herself in her husband's family. During investigation, the railway police found that for the past 10 days, she had been taking a train to Maninagar from Kalupur railway station. At Maninagar, she would spend time with other women constables.
indiarailinfo
The police checked the CCTV footage at both railway stations, but she was not found to be indulging in any criminal activity. Senior Inspector H C Rathwa said, "It was a race for superiority between the husband and the wife. There is no other offence against her except that she had impersonated a public servant. She has been booked her under Sections 170 and 171 of the IPC. The cops produced her in the court where she was granted bail." When Mirror contacted Priyanka, her husband answered the call and said that it was a small issue between the couple which has now been sorted.
Marshal of Air Force Arjan Singh, who turned 97 on Thursday, was felicitated with a rare honour in his name. To commemorate the nation's oldest serving soldier and the only living General with a five-star rank, the Air Force base at Panagarh in West Bengal will now be known with a different name - Air Force Station Arjan Singh.
veethi
The station was renamed in Arjan Singh's name on 14th April by Chief of Air Staff Arup Raha. The veteran soldier is famous for commanding the Indian Air Force in the India-Pakistan War of 1965. The event that was held in Delhi saw former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Army Chief General Dalbir Singh, and others in attendance, reports NDTV.
PTI
The Air Force Station Arjan Singh will house the US-made C-130J military transport aircraft, capable of carrying out special operations, and be flying with the newly raised Mountain Strike Corps aimed at fighting threats from China.
The second phase of the odd-even traffic restriction for fifteen days was rolled out on Friday. The government has decided to deploy 120 challan teams compared with 110 in the first trial period in January. There will also be around 1,000 more volunteers than the 4,300 put on the ground last time to spread awareness and cajole Delhiites into following the rule.
Odd even starts today. Lets all join hands and resolve to make it a success. Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 15, 2016
On the first day, the traffic was comparatively less mainly because of a lot of offices remaining shut due to Navami. The real test of the scheme will be on Monday, as the scheme is not applicable on Sundays.
Transport minister Gopal Rai said the Delhi government will be ramping up its enforcement to help people follow the rule.
I believe people in Delhi will follow odd-even today, all need to think positively: Transport Minister Gopal Rai pic.twitter.com/qZUutiN9Cl ANI (@ANI_news) April 15, 2016
A lot of residents also expressed their support to the scheme.
I think its a wonderful initiative,one of its kind tried out in country: Delhi resident on #OddEven scheme in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/MlFVPcd3rF ANI (@ANI_news) April 15, 2016
The #OddEven round 2 starts from today in Delhi. Read before stepping out. pic.twitter.com/buj4pfOUPc (@ashu3page) April 15, 2016
Odd even rule in Delhi, travel time cut by half, brilliant Sharath Sreenivasan (@sharathsr13) April 15, 2016
Odd even was first introduced by the Aam Aadmi Party government in January with an aim to control the alarming air pollution in the national capital.
The scheme starts on Friday, April 15 and will end on April 30. The restrictions will be enforced from 8am to 8pm Monday through Saturday.
BCCL
However, unlike the first phase in January the government has a big problem ahead of it this time around - school children. While schools were closed during the first phase, the government itself has admitted that they failed to find a solution to the problem of how children will be picked up in cars after school.
Moreover, even though the scheme was introduced to control pollution, by the government's own admission, pollution did not come down during the period, but it helped in easing the traffic. And just like in the first phase, women commuters are exempt from odd even this time around too.
PTI
To make public transport more accessible, both DTC and Delhi Metro have increased the frequency of their services.
According to reports, the Kejriwal government will consider odd-even for 15 days every month if the second phase is a success.
All it took for 54-year-old Tim Mahoney of Kentucky to travel more than 12,000 km -- at his own expense -- to deliver a prosthetic limb for the injured police horse Shaktiman in Dehradun was a Facebook post seeking help.
TOI
The 14-year-old horse's left hind leg had to be amputated after it was allegedly attacked by BJP workers near the assembly on March 14 in an incident that triggered nationwide outrage. Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi, who led the workers and was arrested for the cruelty, has claimed he was not involved in the attack.
Around this time, artificial limb expert Jamie Vaughan, who was treating Shaktiman, posted on Facebook that the leg would have to be couriered from Virginia and would take 8 to 10 days to reach Dehradun. She asked if anyone travelling to India would be willing to carry the leg along. Mahoney, who once worked for Bank of America and retired in 2015, chanced upon the post and felt an instant connect.
hindustantimes
The distance was vast, the trip was not going to be light on the pocket, and Mahoney had never met Vaughan. But he decided to undertake the journey with the sole purpose of delivering the leg for an animal in pain.
"I saw the post and took the decision to deliver the artificial leg to Dehradun," Mahoney told TOI on Wednesday. He first flew to Virginia, collected the prosthetic leg from the manufacturing centre and then took a flight to New York.
He reached New Delhi on April 8 and arrived in Dehradun the next day. Shaktiman was fitted with the artificial leg the same evening. While Mahoney has visited India on six occasions for professional reasons, this is his first personal visit to India and his first ever to the hill state.
eprahaar
"I am in love with this great country. Each visit was a memorable one and perhaps it was the love for animals and for this country, its people and culture that led me to bring the prosthetic leg," he said.
Asked if the journey was worth it, Mahoney smiled and said, "Shaktiman is a beautiful horse. After seeing it I realized it was worth the effort. I will fly back to the US, where my wife and I intend to open an animal rescue centre."
Every morning, Asma clears the floor of a revered tree barely 25 meters from her home while her relative Qurban Ali watches over it. Thereafter, Hindus in the vicinity offer prayers to the tree over health issues.
Represenatational image/oneindia
Devotees believe that the divine tree can boost intelligence level, end financial woes and enable a worshipper to master his skills.
The tree, known as Ramrama, is the latest addition to the symbols of communal amity in Ayodhya, the land of Rama. "It was discovered about a decade ago and is called Ramrama because the name of Lord Rama is naturally engraved on it. Muslim families nearby take care of it, keep the premises clean and ensure that no one harms it as it is revered by Hindus," said Rajendra Prasad Majhi, a devotee who visits the place every morning.
The tree was discovered by Pandit Arjun Prasad Bihari, who worked at a local publishing house, in 2005. "I had read about it in Vishnu Purana but never knew it existed. While reading a story in a special edition of Kalyan (a publication of Gita Press), I read that the tree was in a place called Ashokvan in Ayodhya which compelled me to search for it. References of Ashokvan took me to Takpura where I found it," Bihari told TOI.
Represenatational image/astropeep
The tree is being promoted by local organisations working to develop Ayodhya's tourism potential. Sri Saryu Avadh Balak Sewa Samiti member Ashish Mishra said, "There is so much to Ayodhya than the dispute. There are over 7,000 temples and stories of faith every ten yards but the richness of the culture is yet to attract tourists. Ramaram is being promoted as the 'tree of life' by local tourist guides."
Mahant Girishpati Tripathi of Tewari Mandir is not surprised by the uniqueness of the tree. "All religious literature on Ayodhya says that Ram exists in every particle on this earth. The tree is a 'pratyaksha' (perceptible) specimen of the same," he said, adding that the uniqueness intrigues visitors.
Hindus and Muslims in the area also organise fair and wrestling competitions around the tree before Shardiya Navaratra every year.
Represenatational image/newindianexpress
Though the botanical name of the tree is not known, seers claim that it finds mention in religious texts particularly in Vishnu Puran. According to Pandit Arjun Prasad Bihari, "Shlok number 28 on page number six of the sixth chapter in Vishnu Puran talks about the Ramaram tree. It says that Ramaram was the son of sage Kashyap and Ilaya (one of his 13 wives)." Different Hindu Puranas keep Kashyap at the centre of the story of creation. These stories say that humans, animals, fishes, birds and plants are his children.
Anger is a healthy emotional response that every human experiences but how we deal with it is what defines what it becomes, healthy or unhealthy. Anyone who is always angry can relate to the fact that it could negatively affect all aspects of their lives. But did you know that heart attacks, strokes, sleep disturbances, mood issues, and anxiety , and so on could be a product of anger? Well yes! It comes in the form of Internalized anger which is bottled up and not expressed and externalized anger which is expressed in a disrespectful, aggressive, and sometimes even dangerous manner. Some of you may well already know that anger could have a negative effect on your health but some of you might not, but so we are all clear, INFORMATION NIGERIA highlights 6 signs your anger is killing you
An angry outburst puts your heart at great risk: According to experts, most physically damaging is angers effect on your cardiac health. In the two hours after an angry outburst, the chance of having a heart attack doubles. Repressed anger where you express it indirectly or go to great lengths to control it, is associated with heart disease.
Anger ups your stroke risk. If youre prone to lashing out, beware. One study found there are three times higher risk of having a stroke from a blood clot to the brain or bleeding within the brain during the two hours after an angry outburst.
It weakens your immune system. If youre mad all the time, you just might find yourself feeling sick more often. In one study, Harvard University scientists found that in healthy people, simply recalling an angry experience from their past caused a six-hour dip in levels of the antibody immunoglobulin A, the cells first line of defense against infection.
Anger problem can make your anxiety worse. If you worry a lot, its important to note that anxiety and anger can go hand-in-hand. In a 2012 study published in the journal Cognitive Behavior Therapy, researchers found that anger can exacerbate symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a condition characterized by an excessive and uncontrollable worry that interferes with a persons daily life.
Anger is also linked to depression. Numerous studies have linked depression with aggression and angry outbursts, especially in men. In depression, passive anger where you ruminate about it but never take action is common, says Aiken. His No. 1 piece of advice for someone struggling with depression mixed with anger is to get busy and stop thinking so much.
Hostility can hurt your lungs: A group of Harvard University scientists studied 670 men over eight years using a hostility scale scoring method to measure anger levels and assessed any changes in the mens lung function. The men with the highest hostility ratings had significantly worse lung capacity, which increased their risk of respiratory problems. The researchers theorized that an uptick in stress hormones, which are associated with feelings of anger, creates inflammation in the airways.
So guys, get a grip of your anger before for your healths sake!!!
Khaled Zerkani has been given 15 years in jail by a Belgian appeal court for recruiting Islamists, including some of the Paris and Brussels attackers. He was jailed last July for 12 years but prosecutors called for a longer sentence, arguing he had corrupted entire communities of youth.
Among his recruits were Paris attackers Abdelhamid Abaaoud and Chakib Akrouh, and Brussels bomber Najim Laachraoui. Zerkanis fellow recruiter Fatima Aberkane was also given 15 years. Based in the Brussels area of Molenbeek, Zerkani was seen as guru of a network that from 2012 to 2014 recruited jihadists to fight in Syria. When police dismantled the network and put 32 people on trial, at least half of them were tried in absentia because they had travelled to Syria and some of them had died there.
According to court files Khalid Zerkani would not only preach to would-be jihadists but would put them in touch with smugglers in Turkey who would transport them into Syria, and would dole out stolen gifts to them earning himself the nickname Papa Noel Santa Claus.
In February, federal prosecutor Bernard Michel told the Brussels court of appeal that Zerkani was the biggest recruiter of candidates for jihad that Belgium had known. He also had direct mobile contact with so-called Islamic State, he said. Thirty-two people were killed in the 22 March bomb attacks on Brussels airport and Maelbeek metro station, four days after Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam was caught near his home in Molenbeek. He had been on the run for four months.
BBC.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has disclosed that when it comes to money matters, President Muhammadu Buhari is very strict.
Osinbajo made this disclosure yesterday at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja during the presentation of The Essentials of Beauty Therapy, a book written by the wife of the president, Hajiya Aisha Buhari.
The vice president told the author not to expect large donations from him and the president as they were still on half salaries.
Osinbajo, who noted that he represented Buhari at the event, said he (the vice president) was pleased to be associated with the presentation of the book.
The president and I are on half salaries. The president is very strict on money issues. So, dont expect me to make a large donation, he said.
The vice president noted that the day coincided with the commemoration of the second anniversary of the abduction of over 200 Chibok girls, assuring that they were still alive and would be rescued.
Mr. Osinbajo, who was the special guest of honour at the event, stated that if Mrs Buhari had not gotten education, she would not have had the opportunity to impact on others.
In her remarks, the wife of the president said the proceeds from the launch would be used to cater for victims of insurgency and mal-nourished children in internally displaced persons camps across the country.
Earlier, chairman of the occasion and former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by his wife, Senator Oluremi, commended support for victims of insurgency.
He also lauded Mrs Buhari for her effort and urged generous donations, noting that the proceeds from the book launch would go towards the rebuilding of the northeast.
The book, reviewed by Dr Vivian Oputa, is designed as a workbook for the students, practitioners, tutors and provides information relevant to their specific needs in simple-to-understand language.
Contents are based around the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) Vocational Enterprise Institutions, National Innovation Diploma in Cosmetology and Beauty Therapy international syllabus.
The colorful event, which had Senator Daisy Danjuma as chief launcher, was attended by wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir David Lawal; Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita; Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, who represented the 36 state governors; Emir of Birnin Gwari, Mallam Zubairu Jibril Mai Gwari II; Pastor Tunde Bakare, former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, ministers, among others.
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his working visit to China, which has yielded additional investments in Nigeria exceeding $6 billion.
The president was of the belief that the several agreements concluded with the Chinese during the visit will have a huge and positive impact on key sectors of the Nigerian economy including power, solid minerals, agriculture, housing and rail transportation.
According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, North South Power Company Limited and Sinohydro Corporation Limited signed an agreement valued at $478,657,941.28 for the construction of 300 Mega Watts solar power in Shiriro, Niger State.
In the solid minerals sector, Granite and Marble Nigeria Limited and Shanghai Shibang signed an agreement valued at $55 million for the construction and equipping of granite mining plant in Nigeria.
A total of $1 billion is to be invested in the development of a greenfield expressway for Abuja-Ibadan-Lagos under an agreement reached by the Infrastructure Bank and Sinohydro Corporation Limited.
For the housing sector, both companies also sealed a $250 million deal to develop an ultra-modern 27-storey high rise complex and a $2.5 billion agreement for the development of the Lagos Metro Rail Transit Red Line project.
Other agreements announced and signed during the visit include a $1 billion for the establishment of a Hi-tech industrial park in Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone in Igbesa, Ogun State.
Furthermore, the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone and CNG (Nigeria) Investment Limited also signed an agreement valued at $200 million for the construction of two 500MT/day float gas facilities.
An agreement valued at $363 million for the establishment of a comprehensive farm and downstream industrial park in Kogi state was also announced at the Nigeria-China business forum.
Other agreements undergoing negotiations include a $500 million project for the provision of television broadcast equipment and a $25 million facility for production of pre-paid smart meters between Mojec International Limited and Microstar Company Limited.
About 100 Nigerian businesses and 300 Chinese firms participated in the Nigeria-China business forum which took place a day after President Buhari began his visit to China.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has again refused to grant the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by embattled Senate President Bukola Saraki seeking to stop his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT.
Delivering judgment on the matter on Friday, Justice Abdul Kafarati dismissed the application for lack of merit and constituting an abuse of court process.
The judge held that the reliefs prayed for by Saraki are not cognisable under Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution, which lists the fundamental rights of citizens.
Saraki had for the umpteenth time through his counsel Ajibola Oluyede, filed the application challenging the trial at the CCT for falling short of Article 3 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution.
The Senate president prayed the court to nullify the charges brought against him on alleged false assets declaration while he was Kwara State Governor between 2003 and 2011 on the grounds that they constituted breach of his fundamental rights.
Saraki argued that the prosecution wants to achieve the political objective of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to remove him as Senate president.
He, therefore, prayed the court to restrain all the federal agencies involved in his prosecution for denying him fair hearing as enshrined in the Constitution.
They are: the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF); the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC); Inspector General of Police (IGP); Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB); Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) and its chairman Justice Danladi Umar; Ataedze Adza; the CCB boss Sam Baba; and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mohammed Diri.
But the judge ruled that the application constitutes an interference with the statutory functions of the agencies, maintaining that the CCT is competent to conduct the trial.
He upheld the objection by counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) and ICPC, Suleiman Abdulkarim that the issue of political objective in the prosecution is a sentimental claim that has no basis in law.
There are Criminal procedure laws that put in place the method of protecting the accused, the judge added, noting that the trial cannot be regarded as an infringement of Mr. Sarakis right.
Since the same appeal by the applicant was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, Mr. Kafarati stated, it is inappropriate for the applicant to approach the Federal High Court seeking similar redress.
If the court grants the application, there will be conflict with the ruling of the appellate Court
I do not see the need to go to the merit of the case, the judge ruled.
In his reaction to the ruling, counsel to Saraki, Mr. Oluyede, said they would appeal the verdict at the Appeal Court.
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has taken his disagreement with President Muhammadu Buhari to the Chinese Government, urging the Asian country not to grant the $2 billion loan being sought by the federal government of Nigeria.
In a letter dated April 12, 2016, Fayose said that as a major stakeholder in the Nigerian project, it would be unwise for the country to take additional external loan considering the fact that 25 per cent of the national annual budget is being used to service debts.
He argued that the negative impact of servicing any additional foreign loan on the economy would be better imagined than experienced.
The letter with reference number EK/GOV/28/10, was addressed to President Xi Jinping of China and delivered by Chief of Staff to the governor, Barrister Dipo Anisulowo in Abuja on Thursday, through the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Gu Xiaojie.
Anisulowo, who was accompanied by Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Segun Adewumi, Chairman House Committee on Information, Gboyega Aribisogan, Chairman House Committee on Health, Dr Samuel Omotosho and Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said Governor Fayose, who is currently in China, will also deliver a copy of the letter directly to the Chinese President.
The letter read in part: I write as one of the major stakeholders in the project Nigeria, and a governor of one of the federating units making up Nigeria, to draw your attention to report that the Federal Government of Nigeria is on the verge of obtaining a $2 billion loan from the Export-Import Bank of China.
This $2 billion loan is part of the N1.84 trillion the Federal Government of Nigeria has proposed to borrow to finance the 2016 budget, which is yet to be signed by the President, Mohammadu Buhari owing to unending controversies between the Executive and Legislative arms of government.
According to reports, Nigeria desires to raise about $5 billion abroad to cover part of its 2016 budget deficit. This is projected to hit N3 trillion ($15 billion) due to heavy infrastructure spending at a time when the slump in global oil prices has slashed the countrys export revenues.
While conceding that all nations, especially developing ones need support to be able to grow because no nation is an island, I am constrained to inform you that if the future of Nigeria must be protected, the country does not need any loan at this time.
The government of China should be mindful of the fact that Nigerians, irrespective of their political and religious affiliations are totally opposed to increment of the countrys debt burden, which is already being serviced with 25 per cent of the Federal Government annual budget.
It will interest the government of China to know that some of the projects for which the loan is being sought are not captured in the controversial 2016 budget, which has been sent to the President by the National Assembly for his assent. For instance, the Lagos Calabar Rail project was not included in the budget proposal the President presented to the National Assembly and it was not included in the Appropriation Bill passed by the National Assembly.
Most importantly, Nigeria is presently servicing debt with about 25 per cent of its annual budget and what will happen to the economy in 2017, when the country will begin to service the additional debt to be incurred this year is better imagined than experienced.
The Chinese government must also be aware that some western nations approached by the Federal Government for loan diplomatically and cleverly declined.
This must have been informed by the suspicion in the present governments capacity to salvage the nations economy as well as the sincerity in the fight against corruption. More so that Nigerias Foreign Reserve, which is the only guarantee for foreign loan has declined to a very uncomfortable level.
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State yesterday led a federal government delegation to Chibok, the community where over 200 schoolgirls were abducted two years ago by Boko Haram.
The delegation, which included Ministers of Environment Amina Mohammed; State for Power, Works and Housing, Mustapha Baba Shehuri; State for Budget and National Planning, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed and Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Investments, Maryam Uwais, interacted with parents of the abducted girls.
Others who visited Chibok on the second year anniversary of the abduction included Senate Majority Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume; Senator Binta Masi Garba from Adamawa State, a founding member of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) Group, Hadiza Bala Usman, and state government officials.
The visitors, who traveled by road from Maiduguri, the state capital to Chibok, a journey of about three and a half hours and returned by evening, under heavy security, were greeted by the horrible sights of Boko Harams destruction in communities along Maiduguri-Damboa road.
The leader of an association of parents of the remaining 219 Chibok girls still held captive by Boko Haram, Mr. Yakubu Nkeki, read an emotional poetry written by the parents to express how much they miss their daughters, and hoping for their return.
We dont know whether you are dead or alive, whether you have eaten or not, whether you are forced to do things you wouldnt want to do or not but we miss you and pray for you the note says as parents wept profusely.
The parents expressed concerns on the silence on the report of a Presidential fact-finding committee set up former President Goodluck Jonathan to establish facts surrounding the abduction of their children.
The parents demanded that the committees report be made public so that they will know if anyone has questions to answer.
The committee submitted its report in 2014 but has not been made public.
In his remarks, Governor Shettima said his administration shared the pains of the Chibok parents and was working hard with the Federal Government for the release of the girls.
Leader of the federal delegation and Environment Minister, Ms. Mohammed said President Buhari sent them to Chibok to show the extent of his affection for the traumatized parents.
It is with heavy heart that we visit today. We visit today because it is not for want of efforts that your children, our children have not been found.
We had prayed that we will bring good news to you now, but the only news that we are bringing to you is our continuous commitment to bring back those daughters to their families and their communities, she said.
Ms. Muhammad said that government would continue to liaise with the military and its allies in the international community towards finding the girls.
He wants your daughters back and he wants all other captives back, he wants to end this insurgency and he is doing everything to achieve these important objectives that top his priorities since assumption of office, the Minister said.
Senator Masi corroborated the remarks by Shettima and Mohammed just as she quoted from the Bible.
Masi, who hails from Michika in Adamawa State, said: Insurgents have no regards for religion, they attack anyone no matter your religion.
A founding member of the BBOG group, Aisha Usman, broke down in tears when it was her time to address the parents.
I know exactly how you feel, she said and could not continue.
Mrs Uwais, also a founding member of the BBOG, called on the parents to remain strong, assuring that government was doing everything within its powers to rescue their daughters and others still being held captive by Boko Haram.
The Minister later announced governments donation of a truck of food items, clothing and money to the mothers of the missing girls.
Apparently not done with spilling the beans on how the June 21, 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State was allegedly manipulated in favour of Governor Ayo Fayose, Dr. Tope Aluko, has again opened up on how the plot was perfected inside a hotel barely a week before the poll.
Aluko, who was Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state at the time of the election, alleged that sensitive materials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), such as ballot papers and result sheets, were delivered to PDP chieftains to allow for the manipulation of the poll long before the first ballot was cast.
The former PDP scribe made these fresh allegations while speaking on a special interview programme on Wednesday on ADABA 88. 9 FM, Akure.
He claimed that the electoral materials were delivered through Akure Airport, Ondo State and taken to a hotel owned by Fayoses Chief of Staff, Dipo Anisulowo in Are-Ekiti, where the alleged manipulation was carried out.
He said ballot papers were thumb-printed and result sheets filled by PDP members, which gave the party undue advantage.
Mr. Aluko also alleged that Department of State Services (DSS) operatives led by an unnamed female officer, stormed the said hotel owned by Anisulowo and arrested PDP chieftains engaged in the illegal act but they were released within three hours because according to him we (PDP) were in government at that time.
The whistleblower further claimed that a lorry conveying some of the electoral materials was intercepted by soldiers led by the recently retired Brig.-Gen. Aliyu Momoh but again, they were released following orders from above.
According to him, the Fayose administration received the refund of the N5.2 billion spent on Ado-Ifaki highway by the Kayode Fayemi administration but that the governor initially denied until it was confirmed by former President Goodluck Jonathan during the PDP presidential campaign rally.
He also alleged that the money was diverted to the Ado-Ekiti flyover, following the outcry generated.
Aluko said: Ask him (Fayose) why did (former Works Commissioner) Kayode Oso flee?
Finance Commissioner Toyin Ojo told DSS interrogators about the states finances, including the N5.2 billion refunded on the Ado-Ifaki Road carried out by Fayemi.
You will recall that the governor denied receiving the refund but Ojos revelation made him (Fayose) divert the money for the flyover.
Responding to questions on the threat by the Ekiti Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi to prosecute him, Mr. Aluko said Ajayi is also liable for prosecution for his alleged role in an attack on a court.
He said: I pity Owoseni Ajayi who is saying that I should be prosecuted because he (Ajayi) was the one who disrupted the delivery of a ruling by Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi.
Owoseni told Fayose on phone that should the judge deliver the ruling on the perjury case, it would go against him and his planned swearing-in would be in jeopardy.
Aluko also denied that his disagreement with the governor stemmed from Fayose reneging on a gentlemans agreement to make him Chief of Staff.
According to him, I am not doing this because I was denied appointment. I discovered that this man has no plans for Ekiti and I went to him that Oga, its almost a year in office now and we have not done anything for the people.
Fayose replied me by saying dont worry, Ekiti people are easy to deceive because by the time you buy them ponmo (cow skin) and booli (roasted plantain), you have stolen their hearts.
It was there that our crisis started. The issue of Chief of Staff was secondary.
Fayose derailed from our blueprint for the development of Ekiti. He cancelled the monthly allowances for the aged.
He imposed taxes on primary school pupils, among his other anti-people policies but when I reminded him, he told me that Ekiti people are gullible.
I need the prayer of Nigerians so that I will not fall prey to the evil machinations of those planning to kill me by all means because of the truth I told Nigerians.
Federal police may have been involved in the abduction and murder of 43 students in Guerrero state two years ago, Mexico has said for the first time. The admission comes after its national human rights commission found a witness who came forward with evidence. The witness reported that two federal police and a third municipal police force were present when the students were taken off a bus and may have even participated in their disappearance, Jose Larrieta Carrasco, the commission member leading the case, said.
Thursdays announcement added a new twist to a probe that has come under fire from international human rights groups and independent investigators. The attorney general said the students had been taken by the corrupt officers and given to a drug cartel, who killed them and dumped their bodies, adding that the announcement would deepen this line of investigation.
International investigators say there is no evidence to support this. A federal police statement said the allegations were not new and that all officers present in the region that night gave statements, but that for the moment no wrongdoing was found against any agents.
Prosecutors have already charged municipal police officers in connection with the mass abduction in Iguala, a city in Guerrero, on September 26-27, 2014. The bus was one of five that around 100 students had seized that night to use for a future protest. Iguala police officers opened fire on the buses before the students disappeared. The commission said the police fired on the tyres of the bus that stopped near the courthouse, prompting the students to toss rocks at the police.
Aljazeera.
Punch
The immediate past Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Thursday said lack of political will to save oil revenue under former President Goodluck Jonathan was responsible for the challenges facing the country presently.
Vanguard
ENUGUSeveral people were injured while two houses were burnt at Alor Uno in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State following crises between the Ejuona people and their Ugbene neighbours over which of them were the aborigines or slaves.
Thisday
Following the broadcast of the proof of life video showing 15 of the abducted Chibok girls by US cable news network, CNN on Wednesday, THISDAY has confirmed that the 219 girls who were kidnapped from their secondary school in Chibok, Borno State, exactly two years ago have been broken up into groups and are being offered by different Boko Haram cells to federal government negotiators in exchange for huge sums of money.
The Sun
(NAN) The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has assured Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to fulfilling his campaign promises to the people
Daily Times
President Muhammadu Buhari has given assurance that his administration would give priority to building and developing resilient and viable cities.
Guardian
Nigeria loses about $14 billion to disputes between farmers and pastoralists in the Middle Belt region, according to new DFID funded research by the global humanitarian organisation, Mercy Corps.
National Mirror
Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, yesterday said Boko Haram terrorists are taking advantage of the recent pastoralist/ sedentary farmers conflict to further their dastardly agenda.
Leadership
The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has explained that the federal government is negotiating with MTN Nigeria Ltd over the N1.04trn fine to show that it has no intention of penalising the telecommunications giant out of business
Tribune
For the first time in the United Nations 70-year history, candidates have taken part in public questioning by foreign delegates. Representatives from the 193 member states were eager at Thursdays session to know their stance on pressing issues, including the refugee crisis, the future of peacekeeping missions, gender equality, the economic impact of sanctions, peace talks in the Middle East, and implementing the ambitious 2030 Agenda.
The world is changing rapidly as it faces a surge of transnational conflicts, poverty and inequality, the largest refugee crisis since World War II, and dwindling resources in the least developed countries. One person the leader of the UN is supposed to represent the interests of all seven billion people on our planet.
But with a torrent of crises spanning the globe and calls for an overhaul of the UN getting louder amid several scandals, it will not be an easy job. Nine people think they are up to the task and want to succeed Ban Ki-moon as secretary-general, whose second five-year term ends on December 31. For the most difficult job in the world we now have the most difficult job interview of the world, said Mogens Lykketoft, the president of the General Assembly.
Over the course of three days from April 12-14, each candidate was given two hours each to speak in front of a crowded General Assembly. People from 70 countries also submitted more than 1,000 questions on social media under #UNSGcandidates. We are sailing into uncharted waters here, Lykketoft said.
The televised debate is meant to make the selection more transparent, inclusive and unbiased. This public scrutiny is also intended to hold the future leader accountable to promises made during the candidacy. The change ends the UN member states long-felt frustration that the five permanent members of the Security Council the US, Britain, France, China and Russia held sole power over selecting the secretary-general, which they did behind closed doors until today.
Aljazeera.
The senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, yesterday affirmed that the 219 schoolgirls abducted in Chibok, Borno State two years ago by Boko Haram insurgents are alive.
He said the recent video of some of the girls released by a Boko Haram source on the commemoration of the second anniversary of the abduction, showed the veracity of their parents claims.
Sani, who spoke on CNN, said negotiations with Boko Haram for the release of the girls remained frozen, given the military campaign against the insurgents.
He, however, advised government to treat any offer of negotiation with caution to avoid the pitfalls which prevented the previous administration from securing the release of the girls.
He said: Negotiation at this stage has been frozen, because of the military campaign emphasised by the government. And I believe there is a need to explore the option of negotiation to ensure that the girls are brought back home alive.
In the last three to four credible negotiations with the group (Boko Haram) on the issue of the girls, they were emphasising on the need to release their members that have been in detention for years. The issue of ransom came very late. What is important is to get these girls out.
There are three ways to which we can get them out. One is to negotiate. And secondly is to use force, but the use of force comes with implication and consequences. Thirdly, it is to use force and continue to open the door of negotiation. I believe the third option is very much needed. We need to continue to use force to show it clearly to the insurgents that they cant win militarily and also to open the door for negotiation, which will make it possible for the girls to be brought back home alive.
On how the government can recognise the credibility of Boko Haram negotiators, Sani, who once led an initiative involving former President Olusegun Obasanjo to negotiate, said: We should be very careful at this time. But, the fact that we can get such a very credible video from some sources; it shows that those sources are elements that need to be used to achieve the goal of getting these girls out
I believe Nigeria should take this opportunity. The last government fell into the hands of many scammers, but I believe with such a very credible video, there is hope that these girls are alive. And the sources that provided the video should be used to get the girls out.
The rights activist also lauded President Muhammadu Buhari, saying he has confronted insurgency with a decisive action.
According to him, the present administration had made significant progress in ending the problem even though more still needed to be done in routing the insurgents.
Sani also urged government not to abandon the path of negotiation even as he hailed the #BringBackOurGirls campaigners for keeping the abduction on the front burner.
On the night of 1415 April 2014, 276, female students were kidnapped from the Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria
Responsibility for the kidnappings was claimed by Boko Haram, an extremist and terrorist organization based in northeastern Nigeria. 57 of the schoolgirls managed to escape over the next few months and some have described their capture in appearances at international human rights conferences.
On that night of 1415 April 2014, a group of militants attacked the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Nigeria. They broke into the school, pretending to be guards, telling the girls to get out and come with them. A large number of students were taken away in trucks, possibly into the Konduga area of the Sambisa Forest where Boko Haram were known to have their fortified camps. Houses in Chibok were also burned down in the incident.
The school had been closed for four weeks prior to the attack due to the deteriorating security situation, but students from multiple schools had been called in to take final exams in physics.
After Juniper Networks discovered unauthorized code in its networking gear late last year, the company's developers launched an internal code review for its other networking product lines. As a result of the effort, Juniper found and patched a number of security vulnerabilities in Junos OS, the FreeBSD-based operating system used in Juniper's routing, switching, and security devices, that could lead to privilege escalation, denial-of-service, and spoofing attacks.
The good news is Juniper didn't uncover any vulnerabilities that were already being exploited. More good news: The patches are available and should be applied.
Juniper Networks launched an investigation into all of its products late last year after discovering unauthorized code in its ScreenOS software, which is used in NetScreen firewall, VPN, and other traffic-shaping technology. The unauthorized code let attackers remotely gain administrator access to affected devices via SSH and telnet, as well as to decrypt VPN traffic passing through the network appliance.
Security experts concluded that multiple nation-state groups, including the NSA, had most likely taken advantage of the weakness in ScreenOS encryption and had been able to decrypt and monitor Juniper traffic in the United States and around the world.
The big question back then was whether other Juniper gear had been similarly compromised. The answer so far seems to be no.
Issues fixed in Junos OS
Juniper's internal product security testing team found multiple escalation-of-privilege flaws in Junos OS. Attackers can exploit certain combinations of Junos OS command-line commands and arguments to gain root access (CVE-2016-1271) to the operating system, according to the Juniper Networks SIRT (Security Incident Response Team). The vulnerability, which has a common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) value of 7.8 and is rated as high severity, would let attackers achieve elevated privileges and gain complete control of the device, the advisory warned. Fixes are available in the following versions: Junos OS 12.1X46-D45, 12.1X47-D30, 12.3R11, 12.3X48-D25, 13.2R8, 13.3R7, 14.1R6, 14.2R4, 15.1R1, 15.1F2, 15.1X49-D15, and all subsequent releases.
"No other Juniper Networks products or platforms are affected by these issues," the advisory said.
As a workaround, administrators can also use access lists or firewall filters to limit access to the router's CLI only from trusted hosts or from "highly trusted" administrators. Juniper said these vulnerabilities are currently not being exploited in the wild.
Juniper also fixed a BGP processing bug that could crash the RPD daemon in any product or platform running Junos OS with family BGP-based L2VPN or VPLS (CVE-2016-1270). Upon receipt of a specially crafted BGP "family l2vpn" update message, the RPD daemon would crash and restart.
With enough volume, this attack could lead to an extended denial-of-service attack. The good news is that the vulnerability can't easily be exploited because it's configuration-specific, as well as the fact the attack vector can be triggered only from inside the customer network.
Finally, Juniper closed 11 security vulnerabilities in the cURL and libcurl libraries, which are related to the ability to download updates or import data into Junos devices. Of the 11, only three have a CVSS score of higher than 5.5. The fixes are in Libcurl and cURL versions 7.42.1.
The denial-of-service flaw in hostname processing is the most severe, with a CVSS score of 9, as remote attackers could use a zero-length host name (http://:80, for example) to cause an out-of-bounds read or write error and crash the system. The other denial-of-service bug in cookie sanitization (CVE-2015-3145) could let remote attackers cause an out-of-bounds read or write error with a cookie path containing only a double-quote character. The final bug in libcurl's DarwinSSL implementation would allow man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof servers via a specially crafted TLS certificate.
The ongoing ScreenOS saga
Juniper recently updated ScreenOS to swap out controversial random-number-generator components for a more modern and superior method. Experts believe nation-state snoops were able to spy on digital communications because ScreenOS had used DUAL_EC_DRBG and ANSI X9.31 random-number-generator components, which are considered flawed.
ScreenOS now uses HMAC-DRBG, "the same random-number-generation technology currently employed across (its) broad portfolio of Junes OS products," Juniper said in a brief bulletin posted last week. That latest version, ScreenOS 6.3.0r22, contains the changed code.
Juniper Networks has been quiet about its reasons for using DUAL_EC in the first place, but it's a good sign that the company has changed how ScreenOS handles encryption.
In case administrators missed it, devices running ScreenOS was also susceptible to the DROWN attack, as it supported the long-deprecated SSLv2 protocol. The vulnerability was fixed in ScreenOS 6.3.0r19. Administrators could also disable SSLv2 and SSLv3 manually via the "unset ssl ssl3" CLI command.
There's no such thing as bug-free software, so Juniper's code review is welcome. There may be no other signs that anyone else has backdoored the company's networking gear, but nation-state spooks aren't the only malicious actors to worry about. Prioritize and apply those patches before someone exploits those flaws.
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By Kay Miller Temple
People store stuff, and lots of it. Stuff has value, whether it be based on cost, functionality or sentimentality. But the real value of stuff becomes fully apparent when that stuff is lost, damaged or destroyed.
Though a self-storage operator isnt responsible for damage to tenants stored goods, bad things can happen at a facility, including natural disasters and accidents. Operators brace themselves for loss by actively managing risk through various measures. They can also help tenants understand and manage their own individual risk.
There are two options for customers to protect their stuff in storage: tenant insurance and tenant-protection plans. Both can bring in extra facility revenue, but the latter does impact owner risk. Because these products are sometimes influenced by state regulations, experts say its important to understand the particulars of each. Most self-storage operators are familiar with tenant insurance but may have questions about protection plans. Heres an overview.
History
The ability to manage the risk associated with storing goods has changed over the industry's history. In the early years, operators relied on a "release of liability" provision in their rental agreement, which stated stored property wasnt the facility owner's responsibility. Then came a tenant-insurance product. At first, customers mailed their premiums directly to the insurance company, with no involvement from the facility operator.
But in the 1980s, when self-storage management software became a standard business tool, something new happened: Facility owners became directly involved with offering insurance. These transactions were focused on tenant convenience, says Ted Dobbs, protection sales leader with Phoenix-based Deans & Homer. Insurance products were offered, premiums were collected and sent to the insurer, and a commission was passed to the facility. Later, this involvement was determined by certain government bodies to be an insurance transaction requiring a license and subject to oversight by state insurance regulatory agencies.
Since then, assisting tenants with protection has become a "good news/bad news" situation, according to Dobbs, whose company has more than 35 years of experience insuring the self-storage industry. At the time of this writing, 16 states have enacted some form of law to allow a limited license for managers or facility owners to offer pay-with-rent insurance. This is good news for operators in those 16 states, Dobbs says, but its a problem for operators in the other 34 states and the District of Columbia. As an alternative to traditional tenant insurance, tenant-protection plans emerged in 2002.
The Basics
One philosophy behind the protection plan is risk sharing. Due to its flexibilityand with companies offering different productstheres no strict, standard, one-size-fits-all definition of a protection plan. So perhaps understanding what a protection plan is begins with understanding what its not.
"The protection agreement is not insurance, it is not a warranty, and does not require the owner/operator to have an insurance license," Dobbs says. "The agreement is part of the rental agreement and is simply the transfer of some limited liability for loss or damage to stored property back from the tenant to the owner in exchange for additional rent. The facility owner may retain all of the potential liability created by this agreement, or they may transfer part of or all of that risk to an insurance company by purchasing a separate policy of contractual liability insurance."
Matt Schaller, vice president of sales and client services at Tenant Property Protection, says protection plans involve an action called contractual risk transfer. "An agreement to indemnify another is not insurance and has nothing to do with insurance," Schaller says. "This point cannot be overemphasized. Indemnification is the contractual promise of one party to make the other party whole after a loss or occurrence. Since the process of indemnification is not insurance, protection plans do not fall under the licensing laws of the states."
Protection plans can have a $0 deductible along with a purchase-value coverage as opposed to actual-cash-value coverage often found in tenant insurance. In addition, traditional insurance often has an "other insurance" clause usually not found with protection plans, according to Schaller. "This clause can severely penalize and reduce the loss payment to a storage tenant if they have a homeowner's, renter's or business owner's policy in place at the same time, he says. Protection plans offer much more flexibility in operation and program design."
Pros and Cons
Making a decision about a protection plan involves looking at the pros and cons from the perspective of the tenant and the self-storage business. Tenants can purchase a protection plan for their goods directly from their storage facility, which is convenient. This does, however, increase the risk for the business, prompting some operators to purchase another insurance product to lessen risk. Theres also the potential for a tenant to be unhappy with the outcome of his claim as settled by the facility.
Another issue is protection products are often still viewed as insurance. Some insurers in the industry have said that no matter how you label the product, it could still be scrutinized by state regulatory agencies.
But there are also many positives to offering a protection plan, for both tenants and operators, according to Joseph Torrisi, executive vice president of insurance services for On the Move Inc. Offering such a product can actually enhance the customer experience. "The relationship and the sharing of risk are agreed upon between the tenant and the facility, not a third-party insurance carrier that has no interest in the facility's reputation or relationship with the tenant," Torrisi says.
Flexibility with pricing is an additional plus. "Prices charged to tenants for protection plans are set by the facility, or essentially the free market," Torrisi says. "We have facilities that are offering products at no additional charge, giving the facility a competitive edge in the marketplace."
Theres also a benefit to having a facility insured by one policy as opposed to hundreds of individual tenant-insurance policies. In addition, theres the increased facility revenue obtained from charging for the coverage. "Operators not only benefit from the income opportunity, the revenue is also counted as additional rent, adding tremendous value to the portfolio," Torrisi says.
When considering a protection plan, its important to understand what it is and isnt, as well as what it can and cant do. This knowledge is an essential step in limiting your business liability and offering customers peace of mind.
Kay Miller Temple has spent 30 years in health careand recently received a Master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Walter Cronkite School at Arizona State University. To read more articles by Kay, visit www.insideselfstorage.com.
Valet self-storage operator Clutter has raised $20 million in a Series B round of investment to help fund expansion to new markets. The round was provided by Sequoia Capital, a Menlo Park, Calif., venture-capital firm, which also led a $9 million infusion for the company last October. Clutter previously announced its intent to add seven more metropolitan markets this year, including Boston and Houston.
"Clutter's strong use of technology enables them to provide a step-function better storage experience at price parity with the incumbents in this $30 billion market," Omar Hamoui, a partner at Sequoia, said in a press release. "[The Clutter team has] surpassed all our expectations, and we're excited to double down on our support for their efforts to build a transformative company."
Clutter has grown nearly five times since Sequoias investment six months ago, now employing a staff of 175 across its service markets, the release stated. Hamoui believes the valet-storage operators business model and customer-payment structure bode well for the long term. This is more of a high-value subscription business than a one-off purchase," he told the "Los Angeles Times. "The revenue is fairly regular and recurring."
Clutter has now raised $32.3 million in capital investment. "To have had Sequoia, an investor in Google, Apple, YouTube and other landmark companies, lead both of our rounds is a true testament to their belief in not only the team that we've created, but the market opportunity ahead of us," Brian Thomas, co-founder and CEO of Clutter, said in the release. "Sequoia's world-class guidance and resources will allow us to continue our vision of making the world more convenient."
The latest investment came from Sequoias Growth Fund as opposed to its Venture Fund, which provided the first infusion. The last company to receive investments from both funds was WhatsApp, a cross-platform mobile-messaging app, which was acquired in 2014 by Facebook for about $22 billion, the source reported.
Similar to other valet-style storage operators, Clutter offers by-the-bin storage targeted at urban residents who dont have adequate home storage. The Los Angeles-based company uses an online platform that allows customers to schedule free item pickup, maintain an image catalog of stored bins and bulky items, and schedule delivery of items to their home. The company launched in 2013 and offers service in Northern and Southern California, New Jersey and New York.
With an impressive career that spans banking and politics, the wife of the U.S. presidential hopeful is a fundraising force in his campaign.
Heidi Cruz may be standing by her man during the race for the Republican presidential nomination, but shes turned the stereotype of the conservative, churchgoing couple on its head. A working mom and a power broker in her own right, investment banker Cruz is more Hillary Clinton than Laura Bush. By using her Wall Street connections to help husband Ted Cruz finance his Oval Office run, though, the Goldman Sachs Group managing director has given ammunition to critics of moneys influence on U.S. politics.
Ted loves the business Im in, Cruz said during a 2011 panel discussion on women in finance at Claremont McKenna College in her native California, where she earned a BA in economics and international relations in 1994.
No doubt. Tax returns released by the Cruz campaign in late February show that the couple earned $1.2 million in 2014 significantly more than Teds $174,000 salary as a U.S. senator for Texas. Meanwhile, Ted has gathered almost $120 million in political donations, making him the financial front-runner among Republican candidates, more than $80 million ahead of Donald Trump. Theres no telling how much Heidi pulled in herself, but shes regarded as the secret to Teds fundraising success.
Cruz, 43, has always been an overachiever. The daughter of Seventh-day Adventist missionaries, she earned a master of European business degree from the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management and an MBA from Harvard Business School before turning 30. Her first job out of college was as an investment banker at J.P. Morgan & Co. in New York, where she focused on international structured finance and Latin American mergers and acquisitions. Cruz then took a detour into politics by decamping to Austin, Texas, to join then-governor George W. Bushs 2000 presidential election campaign as an economic adviser. There she met her future husband, an attorney who also served on the Bush team.
Cruz went on to spend four years in Washington, working as a special policy assistant to Robert Zoellick, then chief U.S. international trade negotiator, before becoming director of the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Latin America desk and adviser to National Security Council head Condoleezza Rice.
In 2004 she took a position with Merrill Lynch & Co. in Houston as an energy investment banker to be closer to Ted, who had recently been appointed solicitor general of Texas. The following year she moved to Goldman Sachs, where she now heads the firms Southwest private wealth division.
Although Cruz is on an unpaid leave of absence from Goldman, she and Ted have been dogged by criticism for their ties to the financial industry. One of the biggest knocks against the couple is that they took out a margin loan from Goldman and a private line of credit from Citibank, both between $250,000 and $500,000, to fund Teds 2012 Senate bid. The fact that the Cruzes didnt correctly disclose the Goldman loan to the Federal Election Commission has made them a bigger target for advocates of caps on campaign spending. For his part, GOP rival Trump never misses an opportunity to cast Ted Cruz as beholden to lobbyists and special interests.
Though shes worked as an investment professional for more than a decade, Heidi Cruz still talks like a politician. The job that I have at that firm is, in many ways, in my view, the heart of helping people who have achieved the American dream, she said of her Goldman post in a recent interview with CNN.
I have no doubt that she might really interpret the work that shes doing in that way, says R. Marie Griffith, director of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis. So far in the campaign, the Cruzes have come to represent Wall Street as much as Washington and the front pew at church. People in my field are a little bewildered right now because it seems like religion matters less in this election than its mattered in a long time, Griffith says.
New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli takes nothing for granted.
Since 2007, when the New York State legislature appointed him, DiNapoli has shown a progressive bent by striving to restore a higher level of ethics and transparency to his office. This push stems from recent scandals, he says. DiNapolis predecessor, Alan Hevesi, resigned as part of a plea deal after being accused of misusing state employees to care for his ill wife and was later imprisoned for corruption. Because of the circumstances under which he came into office, DiNapoli has had to earn the publics trust. His efforts have paid off: He was elected twice, in 2010 and 2014.
He may be one of the most unique politicians that weve seen in New York State history, says veteran political consultant Hank Sheinkopf, whose past clients include Mike Bloomberg, Bill Clinton and former New York governor Eliot Spitzer. Hes perfectly satisfied to be where he is and to get up and do this job every day.
Soon after being sworn in, DiNapoli launched a series of reforms at the New York State Common Retirement Fund, including the creation of an aggressive Pension Fund Task Force. Among his other changes to date: a ban on so-called pay-to-play practices that prohibits the fund from working with investment advisers who have donated to the state comptroller or a candidate for the post, more third-party oversight and monthly reporting of investment transactions.
A big part of what were known for is managing the third-largest public pension fund in the nation, which weve been doing under difficult circumstances, DiNapoli, 62, tells Institutional Investor. New York State Common has grown to $189.4 billion from $156.6 billion in 2007, having hit a low of $100.9 billion in 2009.
In New York State and elsewhere, public pension funds have come under attack in recent years. For example, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has cut payments to his states underfunded pension system and argued that it should become a hybrid of a defined benefit and a defined contribution plan. U.S. public pensions are only 80 percent funded, according to the Lexington, Kentuckybased Council of State Governments.
DiNapoli, who holds a masters degree in human resources management from the New School and served as a member of the New York State Assembly from 1987 through 2007, has spoken up for defined benefit pensions and their cost-effectiveness. Hes also worked toward integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into New York State Commons investment strategy. In December the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) announced a $5 billion commitment to sustainable investments, the first of which is the creation of a $2 billion index that will exclude or reduce allocations to coal-mining companies and other businesses with a big carbon footprint.
Besides being the funds sole fiduciary, DiNapoli and his office publish audits of state agencies, public authorities and local governments, and reports on issues that affect New Yorkers. The OSC recently challenged the Metropolitan Transportation Authoritys subway delay statistics as misleading and released its latest annual report on Wall Street bonuses, which have declined since 2013. Both the state and city budgets depend heavily on the securities industry, and lower profits could mean fewer industry jobs and less tax revenue, DiNapoli wrote in a March 7 statement on this years Wall Street report.
The veteran politician developed a zeal for social improvement early in life. There was that cauldron of activism and engagement that had a big impact on me in my formative years, DiNapoli recalls of the 1960s and 70s, citing the womens and civil rights movements. At age 18 he became a trustee of the Mineola Board of Education on his native Long Island, an achievement that made him New York States youngest elected official at the time.
DiNapoli, whos running for reelection in 2018, has no plans to slow down. In an era where, postGreat Recession, people care about finances both personal and at the state level, I think the work of this office is more relevant in these tough times than ever, he says.
Toyota is set to team up with Microsoft and global insurance company Aioi Nissay to launch a usage based insurance product in the United States.The three companies will come together in a joint-venture which will see them use their expertise to launch in the ever-expanding market, according to Nikkei Asian Review.Aioi Nissay, a unit of international insurance group MS&AD, will take a 50% stake in the business with Toyota taking 45% and Microsoft the remaining 5% as the business looks to launch by May 2017.According to Nikkei Asian Review, the JV will aim for approximately 450 ,000 policies by 2020 and an insurance income of $55 million as insurers across America will be offered model insurance plans and pricing data for an 8% fee.The rumoured insurance business follows closer ties between Toyota and Microsoft as the two businesses will work together on connected cars.Toyota announced this week that they will launch Toyota Connected to serve as a data hub for the business and Microsoft will provide cloud solutions for the enterprise.Weve all been talking about big data for a long time, but we are at a unique point in history where the technology is catching up with what we hope to achieve by delivering new services and capabilities into the vehicle, said Zack Hicks, president and chief executive officer of Toyota Connected.Well be able to bring you services that make your life easier, and push the technology into the background and give you those things you really want, which isnt a blaring screen, its really letting people know that youre running late for a meeting.Kurt DelBene, Microsofts executive vice president of corporate strategy and planning, said that the two businesses will work closely on the future of the automotive industry.The automotive industry is undergoing a massive transformation as drivers increasingly see their cars as mobile devices that extend their digital lifestyle, DelBene said.That means people now care as much about their cars computing power as its horsepower. So were working closely with carmakers, including this deep partnership with Toyota, to make automobiles more intelligent with sensors, screens, connectivity and vast networks of data that will help improve the whole driving experience.Leading law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has announced that they have hired a senior partner from DLA Piper.Samantha Kelly has joined the business in Sydney following her time as a senior insurance partner at DLA Piper and its predecessor DLA Phillips Fox.Kellys experience is in the defence of general liability and casualty claims, product liability, environmental liability and defamation and she follows Jacques Jacobs who switched from DLA Piper to Norton Rose Fulbright last month. Wayne Spanner, Norton Rose Fulbright managing partner in Australia, said that the recent additions to the insurance team highlight the quality of the practice.The addition of someone with Samanthas experience and capability caps off a series of quality appointments to our national insurance team, Spanner said.We are proud of the track record we have gained in advising international and domestic insurers, and look forward to continuing to help those clients with the addition of Samanthas skills in class actions, general litigation and commissions of inquiry.Kelly said that the move comes as the law firm looks to lead the way in environmental liability.I am pleased to be joining a global law firm that has made a significant investment in the provision of international insurance advice, especially in contentious matters and those involving environmental liability.I look forward to working alongside the Australian insurance partners and the other high quality insurance teams in the UK, the US and around the world.The likelihood of a La Nina climate event developing before the end of 2016 is now at 50%, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has said.La Nina, often associated with above-average winter to spring rainfall over northern, central and eastern Australia, could follow hot on the heels of El Nino the effects of which is still being felt albeit in a weakened form.While the 201516 El Nino remains at weak to moderate levels, recent changes in the tropical Pacific Ocean and atmosphere, combined with current climate model outlooks, suggest the likelihood of La Nina in 2016 has increased to around 50%, the BOM said in a statement.As a result, the Bureau's ENSO Outlook status has moved to La Nina WATCH.The BOM said that while long-term forecasts may lack accuracy at this stage, more than 60% of models surveyed show that La Nina is now likely.International climate models suggest El Nino will continue to weaken during the southern autumn, returning to neutral levels by mid-2016, the statement continues.By spring, five of the eight surveyed models suggest La Nina is likely, with three neutral.ENSO forecasts made at this time of year tend to have lower accuracy than at other times, with a clearer picture to emerge over the coming months.The likelihood of La Nina is not the only thing to watch, the BOM said, as warming temperatures could also lead to more rain over the winter months.Australia's climate is also being influenced by record warm temperatures in the Indian Ocean, the statement continued.The warmth in the Indian Ocean will likely provide extra moisture for rain systems as they cross Australia during the southern autumn.
A Potomac, Maryland, physician who owned and operated a pain management clinic has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for a $3 million health care fraud scheme.
Sixty-year-old Paramjit Singh Ajrawat was also ordered to forfeit and pay restitution of $3 million at sentencing on April 11 in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The U.S. Attorneys Office said in a news release that Paramjit Ajrawat and his wife, Dr. Sukhveen Kaur Ajrawat, owned and operated Washington Pain Management Center in Greenbelt.
Prosecutors say the Ajrawats filed claims for procedures that were not performed to Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and other federal health benefit programs.
They were convicted in September of numerous offenses, including health care and wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and aggravated identity theft.
Prosecutors say Sukhveen Ajrawat died in February.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics Fraud Maryland
The maker of the assault rifle used in the 2012 massacre of more than two dozen students and teachers must face a lawsuit by victims families accusing Bushmaster Firearms International LLC of wrongfully selling the weapon to civilians.
Connecticut State Judge Barbara Bellis on Thursday rejected Bushmasters argument that a 2005 federal law shields gunmakers.
The families claim Bushmaster, maker of the AR-15 rifle used by Adam Lanza in the attack at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, was specifically engineered for the U.S. military to kill in combat and is being wrongfully sold to civilians to make a profit. Bushmaster is a unit of Cerberus Capital Management LPs Remington Arms Co.
The ruling didnt address the merits of the plaintiffs claims, focusing instead on whether the court had jurisdiction over the subject matter in the complaint, given federal and state laws. The ruling does allow the case to move forward, which the lawyers say is a victory in such a case.
The decision marks a huge victory for the Sandy Hook families in their effort to hold gun companies responsible for the Sandy Hook massacre, their law firm, Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder PC, said in a statement. Josh Koskoff, one of the lawyers, said the families look forward to continuing their fight in court.
Jessica Kallum, a spokesman for Madison, North Carolina-based Remington, didnt immediately reply to a message seeking comment on the ruling.
National Debate
The attack reignited the national debate overt gun violence and spurred calls for lawmakers to strengthen firearm-control laws, such as expanded background checks on buyers, a ban on civilian sales of military-style rifles and a limit on the ammunition capacity of magazines. Those efforts have mostly failed, leading President Barack Obama to seek change through executive action, though such measures are minor by comparison.
The ruling came hours before Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, the two Democratic presidential hopefuls, were to face each other at a debate in Brooklyn. Clinton has repeatedly criticized Sanders over his support for laws protecting gunmakers from liability, and she pressed him on the issue at a debate in January. That debate took place across the street from the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, where nine people were shot and killed last year by a white supremacist.
Sanders, the junior senator from Vermont, voted for the 2005 law, called the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, or PLCAA. In January he attempted to neutralize one of Clintons attacks against him by issuing a press release backing legislation that would weaken the 11-year-old law. Days before, Clinton called Sanders a pretty reliable vote for the gun lobby.
Protects Gunmakers
In moving to dismiss the case, Bushmaster argued it was shielded by the act, which protects gun makers and dealers from liability when crimes are committed with their products, with six exceptions. The families argued two exceptions applied to the case.
Lanza, 20, shot and killed his 52-year-old mother, Nancy, before going to the school he once attended and killing 20 children and six adults. Lanza killed himself after the massacre with a Glock pistol. The suit was filed by one survivor and the families of four adults and five children who died.
The rifle used in the killings was legally purchased by Nancy Lanza. In the house she shared with her sons, troopers found boxes of ammunition for the shooters weapons and for a 303 British rifle, .45 caliber handguns, a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson, a 5.56 mm Winchester weapon, a box for battle-tested vest accessories, a cache of knives and three Samurai swords, according to police records.
According to the complaint, the size and firepower of the rifle used by Lanza are liabilities in home defense, and there is one tragically predictable civilian activity in which it succeeds mass shootings.
Related:
Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Topics Lawsuits Legislation Gun Liability
A Connecticut insurance agent authorities say defrauded a specialty lender, insurance carriers, the city of Hartford and the state of Connecticut out of more than $2 million to fund a lavish lifestyle has been sentenced to more than six years in prison.
Earl OGarro, an owner of Hartford-based Hybrid Insurance Agency LLC, was sentenced on April 13 in federal court to six years and four months behind bars, followed by three years of probation.
The 33-year-old OGarro was convicted in December of two counts of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud.
Prosecutors say among his offenses, OGarro secured a $500,000 loan from the state, which he then used to pay for a condominium in the Dominican Republic and private school tuition for his children. His prison term starts May 13.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics Fraud Connecticut
ING Groep NV sold its remaining stake in NN Group NV at a loss as the Dutch bank completed its drawn-out exit from the insurance business.
The bank sold 45.7 million shares, representing a 14.1 percent stake, for about 1.4 billion euros ($1.6 billion), or 30.15 euros a share, ING said Thursday in a statement. The deal is expected to result in a net loss at settlement to the bank of about 100 million euros in the second quarter, reflecting the difference in market value on the day of a previous share sale in January and the transaction price.
ING shares were 0.8 percent lower at 10.96 euros, while NN was down 2.5 percent as of 11:30 p.m. in Amsterdam.
ING sold NN shares in an initial public offering in July 2014 as part of a restructuring imposed by European regulators following the banks 10-billion-euro bailout in 2008. The bank had follow-on offerings in February, May and September of 2015 as well as in January this year, ING said in the statement.
This marks the final step in INGs repositioning as a leading European bank, Chief Executive Officer Ralph Hamers said in the statement. This transaction completes our restructuring and the divestment of our insurance and investment management activities.
Credit Suisse Group AG, JPMorgan Chase & Co., UBS Group AG and ING managed the share sale. The Dutch bank continues to hold warrants for about 35 million shares in NN Group at an exercise price of 40 euros per share, according to the statement.
We expect ING to reserve the full first-quarter profits for future dividends; the profits will not accrue as capital, said JanWillem Knoll, an analyst at ABN Amro Group NV with a buy rating on the stock. We dont believe ING to have excess capital currently, as it does need a management buffer on top of its fully loaded capital requirement.
Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Topics Carriers
The founder of cyber-security firm Kaspersky Lab expects more attacks on financial targets after hackers recently stole funds from Bangladeshs central bank and moved the Russian rubles exchange rate.
Criminal innovations that we see in some parts of the world become massive because criminals communicate and spread techniques around the world, Eugene Kaspersky said in an interview with Bloomberg TV Thursday. The most professional cyber-criminals are looking for new types of victims stock exchanges, for example.
Attacks of this kind are akin to cyber-terrorism, Kaspersky said. Technology that cracks banks safety systems is available for purchase, and its possible that some individuals hire professionals to hack financial systems to paralyze them, rather than to profit from the attack, he said.
Global losses from hacking and undesired spamming exceed $100 billion a year, according to Kaspersky Lab. Some advanced attacks, such as using malware to make ATMs distribute all their cash, were designed by Russian-speaking hackers, but have spread to the U.S., Europe and Asia, the company said.
Related:
Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Topics Cyber
Medical marijuana will be legalized in Ohio by summer, state representatives pledged, calling their legislative effort more responsible and comprehensive than any ballot proposal.
The Ohio legislation comes as the national Marijuana Policy Project pursues a medical marijuana issue for the states fall ballot. Polling during a more sweeping ballot campaign that failed last year made clear to the Republican-controlled state Legislature that the issue wasnt going away.
House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, a Clarksville Republican, said it would be irresponsible for those pursuing ballot campaigns to proceed rather than joining the legislative effort.
This is the peoples House and were responding to the good citizens of the state of Ohio that had expressed interest in medical marijuana and its purposes, Rosenberger said. But we need to ensure that were doing it the right way.
Marijuana Policy Project spokesman Mason Tvert said he was surprised that a top state political leader would ask voters to give up their constitutional right to bring forward a ballot issue.
Ultimately, we think it would be irresponsible for us to abandon our initiative plans based on the Legislature saying it intends to do something it may never end up doing, he said. Patients and families and activists have been begging the Legislature to take action on this issue for years and years.
The House bill, expected this week, would allow licensed doctors to prescribe edibles, patches, plant material and oils. State Rep. Kirk Schuring, a Canton Republican who chaired a medical marijuana task force, said it will prohibit home growing which he says is too hard to control.
The House leaders set an aggressive schedule for the legislation. It would clear the House this month, the Senate next month, reach Republican Gov. John Kasich by May 31 and become law by Aug. 31. A nine-member Medical Marijuana Control Commission would be appointed within 30 days of the law taking effect and take about a year to write rules for the program. Dispensaries could be up and running in under two years, Schuring said.
Republican Senate President Keith Faber was quick to rein in the Houses predictions, saying its impossible to say at this point what the final product will look like or even if well have a final product.
The control commission would represent medicine, law enforcement, employers, labor, pharmacists, the general public, the pro-medical marijuana movement, alcohol and drug addiction services and mental health.
The bill also would urge Ohio universities and hospitals to conduct medical marijuana research, Schuring said.
Doctors certified by the commission to prescribe medical marijuana would have to regularly report on cases where it is recommended, including the conditions it was used to treat, the form prescribed and why it was picked over more conventional medicines.
The Ohio State Medical Association, the states largest physician-led group, expressed opposition to the House plan. It said there is already a process in place for conducting clinical research of potentially beneficial medications and for bringing medicine to patients.
Ian James, who led last years Issue 3 marijuana legalization effort, called the House proposal historic.
Weve never had in the states history a time when the Statehouse has so thoroughly vetted medical marijuana, considered its positives, its negatives and brought so many people together, he said. The devil is always in the details, but this is encouraging.
Schuring said the bill will also take steps to protect local communities, employers and financial institutions.
Communities will be able to opt out of hosting dispensaries, businesses seeking drug-free environments will be protected from medical marijuana use at work and banks will have safe harbor to invest in marijuana-related businesses without facing federal penalties.
Ohio would also call on the federal government to reduce the classification of marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule II narcotic under the plan.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics Legislation Cannabis Ohio
Spending on medicines increased by double digits for a second year in 2015 and reached $425 billion based on invoice prices. After adjusting for rebates and other price concessions by manufacturers, net spending was $310 billion, up 8.5 percent over 2014 levels, according to a healthcare industry research report.
The surge of new medicines remained strong and the use of recently launched brands remained at historically high levels, while the savings from brands facing generic competition were relatively low, according the report, Medicines Use and Spending in the U.S.: A Review of 2015 and Outlook to 2020, from the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics.
The findings reflect a market where drug manufacturers are accepting lower prices on well-established drugs while gaining increasing revenues on newer specialty and innovative drugs. Specialty drug spending reached $121 billion on a net basis, up more than 15 percent from 2014.
The studys outlook for medicine spending through 2020 is for mid-single digit growth, driven by innovative treatments and offset by brands facing generic competition. The report forecasts that U.S. spending on medicines on a net price basis will reach $370-400 billion in 2020, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 4 to 7 percent. This growth will reflect increased spending on innovative medicines, offset by lower spending on brands that will lose market exclusivity over the next five years.
The average patient with a commercial plan paid $44 per prescription last year.
The average patient cost for brand prescriptions filled through a commercial plan has increased more than 25 percent since 2010, reaching $44 per prescription last year. according to the report from the New Jersey research institute.
The report says that a number of additional innovative medicines should become available for patients over the next five years as the late-phase pipeline currently holds 2,320 novel products.
Healthcare Delivery
The study found that longer-term trends continued to play out last year, driven by the Affordable Care Act and rising overall healthcare costs. Increasingly, healthcare is being delivered by different types of healthcare professionals and from different facilities, while patients face higher out-of-pocket costs and barriers to access.
The invoice prices for branded medicines rose 12.4 percent in 2015, compared with 14.3 percent in the prior year. The study says that heightened competition among manufacturers, along with more aggressive efforts by health plans and pharmacy benefit managers to limit price growth, resulted in concessions that reduced price increases on an estimated net basis to 2.8 percent, significantly lower than in prior years.
The challenge of balancing access and the cost of care in an era of innovative but more expensive treatments continues as a theme across our healthcare system, said Murray Aitken, IMS Health senior vice president and executive director of the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics. The level of price concessions achieved in 2015 points to a shift in market dynamics as manufacturers accept lower price increases on existing products. At the same time, spending on new brands continued at near-historic levels.
The reports findings include the following:
Growth in specialty drugs. Spending on specialty medicines has nearly doubled in the past five years, contributing more than two-thirds of overall medicine spending growth between 2010 and 2015. Increased specialty spending was driven primarily by treatments for hepatitis, autoimmune diseases and oncology, which accounted for $19.3 billion in incremental spending. Overall, 2015 saw a 21.5 percent spending increase for specialty medicines to $150.8 billion on an invoice price basis.
Spending on specialty medicines has nearly doubled in the past five years, contributing more than two-thirds of overall medicine spending growth between 2010 and 2015. Increased specialty spending was driven primarily by treatments for hepatitis, autoimmune diseases and oncology, which accounted for $19.3 billion in incremental spending. Overall, 2015 saw a 21.5 percent spending increase for specialty medicines to $150.8 billion on an invoice price basis. Transformative new medicines. A total of 43 New Active Substances (NASs) was launched in 2015, a third of those receiving orphan drug designations from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). An additional 30 brands were launched last year, bringing new combination therapies, alternative dosing and treatment administration options to patients. Among the 2015 NAS launches were notable advances in precision medicines, rare disease therapeutics and chronic disease medicines that could benefit large populations.
A total of 43 New Active Substances (NASs) was launched in 2015, a third of those receiving orphan drug designations from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). An additional 30 brands were launched last year, bringing new combination therapies, alternative dosing and treatment administration options to patients. Among the 2015 NAS launches were notable advances in precision medicines, rare disease therapeutics and chronic disease medicines that could benefit large populations. Prescription volume growth. Total prescriptions dispensed in 2015 reached 4.4 billion, up 1 percent year over year. Demand was higher in some therapy areas such as antidepressants and anti-diabetes, each of which increased about 10 percent in 2015. Among those therapy areas that declined, narcotic drugs saw a 16.6 percent drop in the number of prescriptions dispensed. Provisions under the Affordable Care Act for coverage to the uninsured through Medicaid expansion and Health Exchange Plans (HIX) have been the leading drivers of retail prescription growth in the past two years. At the same time, growth in Medicare Part D subscriptions has slowed, and the number of retail prescriptions filled through commercial plans (excluding HIX) and for cash have declined.
Total prescriptions dispensed in 2015 reached 4.4 billion, up 1 percent year over year. Demand was higher in some therapy areas such as antidepressants and anti-diabetes, each of which increased about 10 percent in 2015. Among those therapy areas that declined, narcotic drugs saw a 16.6 percent drop in the number of prescriptions dispensed. Provisions under the Affordable Care Act for coverage to the uninsured through Medicaid expansion and Health Exchange Plans (HIX) have been the leading drivers of retail prescription growth in the past two years. At the same time, growth in Medicare Part D subscriptions has slowed, and the number of retail prescriptions filled through commercial plans (excluding HIX) and for cash have declined. Patient cost exposure. The average patient cost exposure for brand prescriptions filled through a commercial plan has increased more than 25 percent since 2010, reaching $44 per prescription last year. The increased prevalence of health plans with pharmacy deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance is contributing to the rise. In response, brand manufacturers are steadily increasing their use of mechanisms such as coupons or vouchers to help patients offset these expenses. Within the diabetes market, for example, coupons are being used by patients in commercial plans to reduce their costs. Of those diabetes patients facing $50 or more per prescription, about half were able to reduce their out-of-pocket cost to zero in 2015. The average patient cost exposure for generics has remained at approximately $8 per prescription since 2010.
The average patient cost exposure for brand prescriptions filled through a commercial plan has increased more than 25 percent since 2010, reaching $44 per prescription last year. The increased prevalence of health plans with pharmacy deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance is contributing to the rise. In response, brand manufacturers are steadily increasing their use of mechanisms such as coupons or vouchers to help patients offset these expenses. Within the diabetes market, for example, coupons are being used by patients in commercial plans to reduce their costs. Of those diabetes patients facing $50 or more per prescription, about half were able to reduce their out-of-pocket cost to zero in 2015. The average patient cost exposure for generics has remained at approximately $8 per prescription since 2010. Healthcare delivery changes. Over the past five years, Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs) have expanded their affiliations with healthcare professionals (HCPs) in an effort to increase negotiating power with insurers, leverage economies of scale and drive pay-for-performance initiatives. More than 54 percent of all HCPs nationally now are affiliated with IDNs. Newer facility types addressing patient access and convenience, such as urgent care centers and pharmacy in-store clinics, have grown by 115 percent in the past five years, and are part of an increasingly diverse set of healthcare facilities. The number of prescriptions written by nurse practitioners and physician assistants more than doubled over the past 5 years, reaching 676 million prescriptions in 2015.
Topics USA Excess Surplus Medical Professional Liability Manufacturing Drugs
Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Texas), chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, is the Gerald Solomon-Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big I) Legislator of the Year for 2015, the association reported.
Chairman Conaway was instrumental in ensuring that the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP) was not harmed during the 2014 Farm Bill negotiations, and led the charge to reverse $3 billion in program cuts included in the 2015 Bipartisan Budget Agreement.
The combination of these cuts, coupled with the $12 billion in cuts to the program over the past eight years, would have devastated the crop program and its agent distribution force.
In his acceptance remarks, Rep. Conaway discussed how he negotiated the reversal of budget cuts that ultimately preserved the efficacy of the FCIP. He also graciously thanked his colleagues, staff and the Big I agents who worked with him on the effort.
Breaking down last years budget deal was a big issue and it was bipartisan, said Rep. Conaway. There were bipartisan efforts on all sides.
Rep. Conaway also said that the FCIP discussion gave us the opportunity to tell the world why crop insurance is so important and to walk them through the history of the cuts.
The Big I fought alongside Rep. Conaway and launched a nationwide grassroots campaign against reopening the Farm Bill to cut crop insurance. The chairman noted that launching grassroots and explaining the program to members of Congress helps lay the groundwork for future farm bills and legislation.
Serving his sixth term in the House, Rep. Conaway represents the 29 counties that comprise the Lone Star States 11th congressional district, which includes the cities of Midland, Odessa and San Angelo. In addition to leading the Agriculture Committee, he serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He also holds a leadership position as Deputy Republican Whip.
A native Texan, he grew up in Odessa and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting from Texas A & M University-Commerce. Rep. Conaway also served in the U.S. Army.
The Legislator of the Year Award is bestowed annually by the Big I upon a member of Congress who has provided outstanding leadership on insurance issues. It is named as a tribute to the late Congressman Gerald Solomon (R-New York), the former House Rules Committee chairman and Big I member who championed independent agent and broker legislative concerns during his 20 years in Congress.
Source: IIABA
Topics Agencies Texas Agribusiness Politics
The Florida Surplus Lines Office (FLSLO) has announced that Florida has made the decision to withdraw from the Nonadmitted Insurance Multi-State Agreement (NIMA), effective June 1, 2016. The decision marks the second state to leave the Agreement, with Louisiana previously leaving last October.
FSLSO made the announcement via a bulletin dated April 13 to provide guidance regarding the filing of multistate surplus lines policies where Florida is the home state of the insured. All multistate policies issued or renewed on or after June 1, 2016, and any subsequent endorsements to those policies, for which Florida is the home state will now be filed with FSLSO and not through the Surplus Lines Clearinghouse.
All Florida home state new and renewal policies with an effective date prior to June 1, 2016, as well as any endorsements to new and renewal policies effective prior to June 1, 2016, will be filed with the Surplus Lines Clearinghouse through May 31, 2017.
Pursuant to F.S.626.932, Florida will continue to tax premium exposures for multistate policies at the rate of the state in which the risk or exposure is located. Business rules for calculating the correct fees are programmed into FSLSOs management systems. No changes need be made for SLIP or XML batch filing, however, you may need to contact your agencys information technology vendor or staff regarding revisions to your agency management system that may be necessary.
However, FLSLO is still contracted with NIMA to serve as the Surplus Lines Clearinghouse provider, so other states filings are not affected by the State of Floridas withdrawal from NIMA.
In a statement to Insurance Journal on April 15, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) said as a member since 2011, Florida was fully committed along with the other member states to the benefits envisioned by the multistate agreement, to include the reporting, payment, collection and allocation of premium taxes for non-admitted insurance.
However, despite the achievement of these benefits, nationwide participation in NIMA, especially among large states, did not occur as expected and lead to the decision to withdraw. Florida will continue to use the Clearinghouse services on a single-state only basis via an independent contract separate from the NIMA arrangement. We appreciate the efforts and participation of all the other NIMA member states in this joint venture and look forward to the continued relationship with the FSLSO, OIR said.
NIMA, Inc. was established in 2011 and is governed by NIMA. Members now just include South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and Puerto Rico. Tennessee is an Associate Member of NIMA, Inc.
The Agreement provides a mechanism to report, collect, allocate and distribute surplus lines tax revenues consistent with the Non-admitted and Reinsurance Reform Act of 2010 (NRRA). The NRRA is part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act passed in 2010 and allows only the home state of the insured to require premium tax payments for non-admitted insurance in the absence of an agreement among states.
Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty, who served as an officer for NIMA, told Insurance Journal last fall that he was disappointed there hadnt been more participation in NIMA, especially since the agreement had been successful in generating additional revenue for the states participating.
The detractors of NIMA have been successful at making the case that you just make more money if you keep it at home, McCarty said. I think many of the facts and statements they have made have been misleading. (Hear podcast)
The National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices (NAPSLO) praised Floridas decision, saying a top state legislative priority for the group remains achieving uniformity among all states on the regulation and taxation of surplus lines premium.
NAPSLO continues to advocate that home state taxation, where surplus lines taxes are calculated at the home states tax rate on 100 percent of the premium and retained 100 percent by the home state, is the only viable and uniform national solution, NAPSLO said in a statement. With Floridas withdrawal from NIMA, the reality of this uniformity envisioned by, and made possible with, [NRRA] is one huge step closer. We applaud Floridas decision to effectuate this change.
Florida is the second of the six NIMA jurisdictions to withdraw from the tax-sharing agreement since it became operational in July 2012, with Louisiana withdrawing from NIMA last October. Floridas announcement leaves only Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming as full members of NIMA, along with Tennessee participating as an associate member. During associate membership in NIMA, states can utilize the Clearinghouse reporting platform, the Surplus Lines Automation Suite (SLAS), for a free trial period to allow for the reporting of single and multistate policy information without sharing tax revenue. Additionally, the Clearinghouse transaction fee is waived for associate members.
This announcement does not impact the remaining NIMA states filing procedures.
Related:
Topics Florida Excess Surplus
Five defendants have been arraigned in California for committing over $635,000 in tax and insurance fraud and failing to pay employees prevailing wage on public works contracts, the California Department of Industrial Relations reported.
Babak Brian Abghari, 36, Newport Coast, Homayoun Harry Abghari, 57, Huntington Beach, Julio Roberto Alvarado, 47, San Pedro, Cody Lawson, 34, Long Beach, Phyllis Martinez, 51, Anaheim, are each charged with eight felony counts of taking and receiving a portion of a workers wage on a public work, 56 felony counts of recording a false or forged instrument, six felony counts of making a false statement to discourage an injured worker from claiming benefits, and seven felony counts of willful failure to pay taxes, with sentencing enhancement allegations for property loss over $200,000.
Babak Aghari and Homayoun Aghari are also charged with three felony counts of misrepresenting facts to a workers compensation insurance company. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 49 years and six months in state prison.
The defendants are scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on May 12, 2016, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Houmayoun Abghari and Babak Abghari are accused of owning and operating PCN3, a general contracting company that mainly conducts public works projects.
Between Jan. 1, 2000, and March 30, 2015, the defendants are accused of fraudulently paying PCN3s employees less than the prevailing wage in cash, and keeping the extra money owed to their employees. The defendants are accused of shorting the victims hours on certified payroll reports and/or requiring their victims to give cash back.
Martinez is accused of working as an office clerk at PCN3 and knowingly signing fraudulent certified payroll records under penalty of perjury.
Lawson is accused of working as a superintendent and Alvarado is accused of working as a foreman for PCN3 on public works projects. Lawson and Alvarado are accused of not paying employment taxes. Lawson and Alvarado are accused of giving paychecks or cash to victims for their work on the projects.
On several occasions the defendants are accused of telling the victims to get a fictitious business license and paying them less than the prevailing wage for sub-contracting work they performed.
Houmayoun Abghari and Babak Abghari are accused of discouraging the victims from filing for workers compensation benefits after being injured on the work. Houmayoun Abghari and Babak Abghari are accused of knowingly filing false tax returns in which they understated the pay and amount of hours that their employees received.
One of the victims contacted the International Brotherhood of Iron Workers, who notified the Orange County District Attorneys Office (OCDA). The OCDA and the Department of Industrial Relations and Labor Commissioners Office investigated this case.
Prevailing wage laws are on the books to ensure skilled workers on public construction contracts are paid fairly, and employers who skirt these laws with wage theft are committing crimes, said California Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su. My office is proud to work with the Orange County District Attorneys Office on our common goals of bringing scofflaws to justice and ensuring a level playing field for legitimate businesses in the State.
Deputy District Attorney Donde McCament of the Insurance Fraud Unit is prosecuting this case.
Source: California Department of Industrial Relations
Topics California Workers' Compensation Fraud
Noi siamo fiduciosi del fatto che la Clinton comprenda il ruolo degli Stati Uniti nel mondo, non abbiamo dubbi che lei affrontera in modo assiduo i problemi che il nostro Paese deve affrontare, e lei ha dimostrato la sua disposizione allanalisi ed al duro impegno. E un estratto delleditoriale con cui il magazine The Atlantic ha palesato il suo appoggio alla candidata democratica alle elezioni presidenziali, Hillary Clinton.
Il magazine ha deciso di dare il suo endorsment alla Clinton definendola uno dei candidati piu preparati di sempre e, inoltre, ha bollato Donald Trump come demagogo, xenofobo, sessista, uno che non sa niente ed e un bugiardo, specificandolo che lo considera il candidato piu dichiaratamente non qualificato nei 227 anni della storia della presidenza americana e che sarebbe una minaccia esistenziale per la Repubblica.
Fondata nel 1857, la prestigiosa e storica rivista solo in altre due occasioni si era apertamente schierata a favore di un candidato alla Casa Bianca: nel 1860 con Abraham Lincoln e nel 1964 con Lyndon B. Johnson. A sottolineare limportanza e leccezionalita della decisione e il direttore di The Atlantic, Scott Stossel, che paragona la scelta di sostenere la Clinton a quella fatta nel 1964 a favore di Johnson che si scontrava con il repubblicano Barry Goldwater.
Many investors, like the economy in general, have been in recovery mode since the crash of 2008. As the economy seems to be on the upswing, even those looking to get back into the investing game may do so with considerable trepidation. While there is a certain amount of risk inherent in every type of investment, wary investors are looking for ways to protect their portfolios from the ravages of the next financial crisis, whenever it may occur.
Mutual funds, in particular, offer a number of ways to invest while limiting your exposure to the economic turmoil in the United States. From investing in foreign bonds and U.S. government bonds to taking advantage of overseas stock opportunities and ultra-short-term debt products, there are eight key strategies you can employ to mitigate your risk and protect your mutual fund investments from the next crash.
Choose Bond Funds
Bonds are traditionally considered one of the safer investment vehicles because they provide returns of principal and guaranteed interest payments each year. When it comes to protecting your mutual fund investment from economic unrest, government-issued bonds are even safer than corporate bonds. Though the markets may crash and the economy may take a dive, the likelihood of the U.S. government declaring bankruptcy and defaulting on its obligations to bondholders is low.
Similarly, investing in bond funds that specialize in debt issued by highly stable foreign governments can help mitigate the risk of an American crash. Though the U.S. economy undoubtedly affects those of other nations, the impact of an American crash is unlikely to make most large first-world countries insolvent. Stay away from bond funds that invest in riskier countries, such as Greece, since they bring a degree of risk that could be avoided by simply "buying local." To protect against the risk of inflation as interest rates rise, you can invest in inflation-protected funds that invest in domestic and foreign bonds with coupon rates that change with inflation.
Get Foreign Exposure
In addition to foreign bonds, funds that invest in highly rated foreign corporate stocks are also a good way to limit your risk in a volatile market. Again, though an American crisis can, and did, have far-reaching effects, stable, well-governed foreign corporations are unlikely to suffer too badly if the U.S. markets take a dive. In fact, some foreign stocks may actually gain value if the market crashes and its U.S. competitors take a serious hit.
Avoid Leveraged Funds
One of the key drivers of the 2008 crisis was the misuse of leverage by the financial industry. While leverage can be an excellent mechanism that allows funds to generate accelerated profits, it also significantly increases a fund's risk. Mutual funds are highly restricted with regard to the amount of leverage they can use. In fact, the maximum amount of money a fund can borrow is 33% of its total portfolio value. Though this is much lower than the leverage used by most hedge funds, for example, it still increases the likelihood of the fund becoming insolvent in the event of a market downturn. If you are looking to eliminate unnecessary risk, steer clear of leverage funds and other debt-fueled products.
Reduce Risk
Money market funds are widely considered some of the most stable mutual funds around. Because these funds invest only in ultra-short-term debt issued by the U.S. government or very highly rated corporations, the risk of default is incredibly low. Of course, minimal risk typically means limited returns, so money market funds are not built for serious wealth creation. However, they can be a low-risk resource for those looking to hedge against a potential crisis.
Consider Noncyclical Funds
Although the stock market is often painted as one of the riskiest places to put your money, protecting your mutual funds from economic turmoil does not have to mean avoiding stocks altogether. There are several stocks, called noncyclical stocks, that tend to remain relatively stable during a bear market because the issuing companies provide goods and services that people need regardless of the economy.
The utility sector is an excellent example of a noncyclical industry because people need to have electricity, gas, and water no matter how the economy is doing. Alcohol and tobacco, though certainly not necessities, also remain strong during a down market because consumers are willing to spend money on these items even when funds are tight.
Use Alternative Funds
The aftermath of the 2008 crisis had investors looking for a new way to invest that did not require returns to be so closely correlated to the health of the market. New mutual funds have been developed, named alternative funds, that utilize investment strategies normally reserved for hedge funds, such as arbitrage investing.
Although some strategies, such as the use of leverage or illiquid securities, are not built for portfolio protection, these funds will allow investors to mitigate risk by taking long and short positions in stocks and derivative securities. When the market tanks, these funds allow shareholders to benefit from the downturn by betting on the success and failure of different assets.
Spread the Risk
One of the chief benefits of mutual fund investing is it automatically provides a significant degree of diversification. However, to protect your fund investments from the next financial crisis, diversify further by investing in different types of funds, such as the ones mentioned above, to spread your risk around.
Stick It Out
One of the primary reasons investors lost so much during the financial crisis was that gripped by panic, everyone liquidated their investments at once, creating additional strain on the financial system. Those who rode out the storm and left investments in place generally recovered what was lost over time.
If you are inclined toward a more short-term investing strategy, a crisis can actually provide a lot of opportunity for profit but at considerable risk. However, most mutual funds are designed to be long-term investments, so go ahead and hold on to them for the long haul.
Even if the next financial crisis hits next year, the likelihood the U.S. economy will be forever devastated is low. Every economy has ups and downs, some big and some small, but the overall performance of the U.S. markets over time has been bullish. The most important thing you can do to shield your mutual funds from the ravages of an economic freefall is to take a deep breath and wait for the storm to pass.
In ending its ban on female drivers, the Saudi Arabian government has implemented a change that many believe will lead to significant positive impacts on the kingdom's economy.
The end of the ban, effective June 24, 2018, is a part of the kingdom's Vision 2030 program of reform. The goals of Vision 2030 are: "To rise from our current position of 25 to the top 10 countries on the Global Competitiveness Index; to increase foreign direct investment from 3.8% to the international level of 5.7% of GDP; and to increase the private sector's contribution from 40% to 65% of GDP." The Vision aims to make Saudi Arabia a "vibrant society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation that is effectively governed and responsibly enabled." (See also: The Kingdom Is Coming to Emerging Markets.)
Other aspects of Vision 2030 are focused on human rights. It states, "Together we will continue building a better country, fulfilling our dream of prosperity and unlocking the talent, potential, and dedication of our young men and women." While not a direct contributor to output, with the introduction of women drivers, the economy saw an immediate uptick, as measured by the Tadawul All Share Index (TASI), a broad-based index of Saudi companies, as investors anticipated more women entering the workforce.
It seems that investors anticipate that allowing women to get behind the wheel will have a meaningful economic impact by encouraging Saudi women to explore employment opportunities without having to rely on others to get them there. As of 2017, according to the World Bank, only 22% of Saudi women participated in the workforce, compared with 79% of men.
The total population of Saudi Arabia is 33.60 million as of July 28, 2018, based on the latest United Nations estimates, and its growing, as is the number of women ready and able to drive and work. Saudi women are finally encouraged to explore new roles in economic and commercial landscapes. In fact, a survey by Kantar TNS, a research agency, showed that 82% of Saudi women plan to obtain a driver's license.
The Importance of Mobility
According to the McKinsey Global Institute, if women were to participate in the economy on par with men, their contribution would add $28 trillion, or 26%, to the global economy in 2025.
As an example, after decades of steady gains, women's labor force participation in the United States peaked in 2000, an important turning point, as rising participation fueled household income and economic growth, according to the Brookings Institute. Furthermore, it helped offset a declining prime-age male labor force participation. Declining prime-age women's participation since then has weakened growth, exacerbating the labor force participation decline stemming from an aging population. With fewer workers contributing to the economy, economic growth and improvement in living standards have been weaker than they otherwise would have been. However, the demographics of Saudi Arabia differ in that an aging economy is not currently a concern: the median age in the country is 30.2 years.
Until now, weak foreign direct investment (FDI) has limited productivity in the region, but this move forward should spark investment interest from many global regions, bringing with it the adoption of new technologies and business models. By now, Saudi Arabia has become one of the hottest emerging markets for global investors. (For additional reading, check out: How to Invest in the Saudi Arabia Stock Exchange.)
Allowing women to drive represents a decline in the hard-line extremist rule and influence. In the early 1980s, efforts toward social reform came to a halt with the emergence of the religious Sahwa movement in the kingdom. But now, Saudi Arabia is seeing a reform of social culture. In fact, soon after the ban was lifted, a team of Saudi female doctors at a government-run hospital in Khobar, in the east, launched an ambulance service with an all-female staff to serve women and grant them more privacy.
Another sector in the kingdom attracting women is hospitality. Accor SA (AC.PA) includes females in its hotel management training program, and the "Young Hotelier of the Year" award at the well-respected Hotelier Middle East awards ceremony went to a Saudi Arabian woman.
The Bottom Line
The movement allows for more freedom of choice and a broader participation in change and development. So how can investors jump in for the ride? Firstly, insurance companies such as AXA Cooperative Insurance Company (8250.SR) will benefit. AXA had 11% of the auto insurance market in the kingdom in 2017, up from 9% in 2016. Furthermore, auto producers, such as Toyota Motor Corporation (TM) and Hyundai Motor Company (HYMTF), sell the most number of cars in Saudi Arabia, and their sales figures should see dramatic improvement. The finance and banking and industries will also be a draw for women, as these institutions will able to expand without having to go overseas for talent.
The oil giant, Saudi Aramco, recently opened its own driving school for women, accommodating nearly 3,600 student drivers made up of employees and their relatives. The company's highly anticipated IPO is slated for 2019, and this move should only help its valuation. (See also: What Is Saudi Aramco Really Worth?)
Finally, women in Saudi Arabia, for the first time, are working at airports, hotels, restaurants and retail stores. The Social Development Bank has proposed granting women low-interest loans to purchase private taxi cars to work with Uber, another highly anticipated IPO. Until then, a broad blend of Saudi multi-cap stocks can be found in the iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (KSA).
Nicolellis range bars were developed in the mid-1990s by Vicente Nicolellis, a Brazilian trader and broker who spent over a decade running a trading desk in Sao Paulo. The local markets at the time were very volatile, and Nicolellis became interested in developing a way to use the volatility to his advantage. He believed price movement was paramount to understanding (and making profits from) volatility. So, Nicolellis developed the idea of range bars, which consider only price, thereby eliminating time from the equation.
Key Takeaways Range-bar charts are different from time-based charts because each new bar in a range bar is based on price movement rather than units of time, like minutes, hours, days, or weeks.
Brazilian trader Vicente Nicolellis created range-bar charts in the mid-1990s in order to better understand the volatile markets at that time.
In volatile markets, many bars will print on a range bar chart, but range bars will be fewer in slow markets.
The ideal settings for range-bar charts depend on the security, price, and amount of volatility.
Calculating Range Bars
Nicolellis found that bars based on price only, and not time or other data, provided a new way of viewing and utilizing volatility of financial markets. Most traders and investors are familiar with bar charts based on time. For instance, a 30-minute chart shows the price activity for each 30-minute time period during a trading day and each bar on a daily chart shows the activity for one trading day. Time-based charts will always print the same number of bars during each trading session, trading week, or trading year, regardless of volatility, volume, or any other factor.
Range bar charts, on the other hand, can have any number of bars printing during a trading session: during times of higher volatility, more bars will appear on the chart, but during periods of lower volatility, fewer bars will print. The number of range bars created during a trading session will also depend on the instrument being charted and the specified price movement for each range bar.
Three rules of range bars:
Each range bar must have a high/low range that equals the specified range.
Each range bar must open outside the high/low range of the previous bar.
Each range bar must close at either its high or its low.
Settings for Range Bars
Specifying the degree of price movement for creating a range bar is not a one-size-fits-all process. Different trading instruments move in a variety of ways. For example, a higher-priced stock such as Google (GOOG) might have a daily range of $20 or $30; a lower-priced stock, such as Blackberry Limited (BB) might move only a fraction of that in a typical day. Blackberry Limited is the company previously known as Research In Motion (it is named as such in the charts below). It is common for higher-priced trading instruments to experience greater average daily price ranges.
The chart below shows both Google and Blackberry with 10-cent range bars. One-half of the trading session (9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. EST) for Google can barely be compressed to fit on one screen since it has a much greater daily range than Blackberry, and therefore many more 10 cent range bars are created.
These charts compare two trading instruments' daily activity shown with 10-cent range bars. Notice how the Google chart has many more 10-cent range bars than Blackberry. This is due to the fact the Google typically trades in a greater range. Only half of the trading session for Google could be squeezed into the upper chart; the entire trading session for Blackberry appears in the bottom chart. Image by Sabrina Jiang Investopedia 2021
Google and Blackberry provide an example for two stocks that trade at very different prices (one high and one low), resulting in distinct average daily price ranges. It should be noted that, while it is generally true that high-priced trading instruments can have a greater average daily price range than those that are lower priced, instruments that trade at roughly the same price can have very different levels of volatility, as well. While we could apply the same range-bar settings across the board, it is more helpful to determine an appropriate range setting for each trading instrument.
One method for establishing suitable settings is to consider the trading instrument's average daily range. This can be accomplished through observation or by utilizing indicators such as average true range (ATR) on a daily chart interval. Once the average daily range has been determined, a percentage of that range could be used to establish the desired price range for a range bar chart.
Another consideration is the trader's style. Short-term traders may be more interested in looking at smaller price movements and, therefore, may be inclined to have a smaller range-bar setting. Longer-term traders and investors may require range bar settings that are based on larger price moves.
For example, an intraday trader may watch a 10-cent (.01) range bar on McGraw-Hill Companies (MHP). This would allow the short-term trader to watch for significant price moves that occur during one trading session. Conversely, an investor might want one dollar (1.0) range-bar setting for the same stock, which would help reveal price movements that would be significant to the longer-term style of trading and investing.
Trading with Range Bars
Range bars can help traders view price in a "consolidated" form. Much of the noise that occurs when prices bounce back and forth between a narrow range can be reduced to a single bar or two. This is because a new bar will not print until the full specified price range has been fulfilled, and helps traders distinguish what is actually happening to price.
Because range-bar charts eliminate much of the noise, they are very useful charts on which to draw trendlines. Areas of support and resistance can be emphasized through the application of horizontal trendlines; trending periods can be highlighted through the use of up-trendlines and down-trendlines.
For example, the chart below shows trendlines applied to a .001 range bar chart of the euro vs. U.S. dollar (EUR/USD) forex pair. The horizontal trendlines easily depict trading ranges, and price moves that break through these areas are often powerful. Typically, the more times price bounces back and forth between the range, the more powerful the move may be once price breaks through. This is considered true for touches along up-trendlines and down-trendlines: the more times price touches the same trendline, the greater the potential move once price breaks through.
Image by Sabrina Jiang Investopedia 2021
The chart below illustrates a price channel drawn as two parallel down-trendlines on a range-bar chart of Google. We have used a one range bar here, where each bar equals $1 of price movement and which does a better job of eliminating the "extra" price movements that were seen in the first chart using a 10-cent range-bar setting. Since some of the consolidating price movement is eliminated by using a larger range bar setting, traders may be able to more readily spot changes in price activity. Trendlines are a natural fit to range-bar charts; with less noise, trends may be easier to detect.
This 1 Range-bar chart of Google illustrates a price channel created by drawing parallel down-trendlines. The move to the upside was substantial once price broke above the channel. Image by Sabrina Jiang Investopedia 2021
Interpreting Volatility with Range Bars
Volatility refers to the degree of price movement in a trading instrument. As markets trade in a narrow range, fewer range bars will print, reflecting decreased volatility. As price begins to break out of a trading range with an increase in volatility, more range bars will print.
In order for range bars to become meaningful as a measure of volatility, a trader must spend time observing a particular trading instrument with a specific range-bar setting applied.
Through observation, a trader can notice the subtle changes in the timing of the bars and the frequency in which they print. The faster the bars print, the greater the price volatility; the slower the bars print, the lower the price volatility. Periods of increased volatility often signify trading opportunities as a new trend may be starting.
The Bottom Line
While not a technical indicator, range bars can be used to identify trends and to interpret volatility. Since range bars take only price into consideration, and not time or other factors, they provide traders with a unique view of price activity. Spending time observing range bars in action is the best way to establish the most useful settings for a particular trading instrument and trading style, and to determine how to effectively apply them to a trading system.
In June 2015, Gene Munster, a senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray, argued that Facebook Inc. (now Meta) had a 45% upside potential. The tech company was then trading just above $90, meaning Munster thought the stock could get as high as $130. He was righteventually. FB reached $130 in January 2017 and then kept climbing, topping $200 in July 2018. It hit the brakes immediately after that when the company released earnings that included a disappointing outlook for future growth.
That had to happen sooner or later. In 2018, Facebook had about 2.3 billion users worldwide. Thats almost a third of the worlds population, and more than half of those who have internet access. It is an impressive figure, but there is a point of saturation. Eventually, Facebook will stop adding users and users will stop increasing the time they spend on its sites.
There are other challenges that could not possibly have been anticipated in 2015. The biggest among them in 2018 was the firestorm caused by the continuing revelations that Facebook and other social media sites are the primary platforms used by foreign political operators to spread false information in hopes of swaying the opinions and votes of millions of Americans.
Let's examine some of the risks that exist for investors interested in Meta and Facebook, its best-known operation.
46 The number of minutes per day that, in 2015, Facebook (now Meta) CEO Mark Zuckerberg claimed that people were spending on average on Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram (which FB acquired in 2012). It was up to 68 minutes in 2018, according to Statista.com.
Dependence on Ad Revenue
According to the company's financial statements in 2015, Facebook (now Meta) received approximately 90% of its revenue from advertising. That figure had grown to 98% by 2017, according to Statista.com. To put this in perspective, Apple, Inc. has been trying desperately to introduce revenue streams outside of the iPhone, and Facebook is far more reliant on advertising than Apple is on the iPhone.
Since Facebook is so reliant on ad revenue, its fundamentals are not that different from cable or satellite firms. Apply a few telecommunications metrics and a funny pattern emerges. The company's average revenue per user (ARPU) in Q2 2015 increased by almost a quarter at 23%, despite total ad purchases declining by more than half at 55%. This is possible only because the cost of advertising on Facebook rose by 219%. Ostensibly, this means some ad users are getting fantastic results on Facebook but most are not, and this only further concentrates the company's lack of revenue diversification. As of Q2 of 2022, ARPU had reached approximately $10 per user, worldwide.
Advertising has been very good to FB so far, but a company relying on one revenue source is not any different from an investor relying on one really strong security. It is better, or at least less risky, if the company has a diversified money stream in case advertising dollars dip.
Virtual Reality Unrealized
Seemingly every tech giant has been throwing serious money at virtual reality.
Meta's purchase of Oculus, which went for a reported $2 billion, may turn out to be a winner. Or not. Oculus tops a list of the most promising virtual reality initiatives of 2017, according to Datamation. The following two are Google and Microsoft. As of late 2018, all are making progress in developing games and practical applications using virtual reality, but no clear winner can be declared.
Social Media Competition
Meta has shown a propensity to mimic or buy out competitors. In 2012, the company spent $1 billion on Instagram. It made a far less lucrative purchase in 2014, buying the little-known WhatsApp for $19 billion. Those buys made strategic sense. Those apps could have drawn users away from Facebook.
In the tech sector, however, rival apps come thick and fast. Meta cannot buy all of them, and one of them might catch fire. This is illustrated by Snapchat, a company Meta tried and failed to buy for $3 billion. As of 2018, Snapchat had 188 million users, but that was down a bit from its peak of 191 million and its stock got hit badly for the loss.
It is hard to imagine Facebook going the way of MySpace, the once-dominant social site that is now a footnote in Internet history. Facebook's 1.97 billion user base as of Q2 2022 dwarfs the MySpace peak of 75 million, and Facebook has much better cash flow, generating $4.45 billion in free cash flows.
But MySpace illustrates how quickly consumer tastes change. Facebook is entering its second generation of usersand younger Americans use Snapchat and Twitter as frequently as they use Facebook. Google and Apple, two players with longer track records, are challenging Facebook in the app install market, too.
Market Risks
Of course, the biggest risk to any stock is probably systematic, not specific. There is not much any company could have done in the buildup to the 2007-2008 stock market crash, especially one tied to housing or finance. The Nasdaq lost more than 75% of its value during the dot-com crisis, and it is difficult to predict if or when another free fall is coming.
Regulatory Risk
There is also the chance of regulatory risk. Facebook uses what is still a relatively new technology, and social media is a relatively unregulated market. Since American industries tend to become more regulated over time, it seems likely Uncle Sam will increasingly have his fingerprints on social media companies. Poll any investor and ask if regulations are good or bad and the likeliest response is "bad."
And thats where the political firestorm over misuse of Facebook by political operators enters the picture. Facebook, accidentally or on purpose, allowed the political data firm Cambridge Analytica to harvest the data of millions of its users, and that data made its way into the hands of foreign political operators during the 2016 U.S. elections. One way or another, political operators used Facebook and other social media platforms to spread false information throughout the election season. Meta is addressing these problems, but the government may decide it wants to as well.
The Bottom Line
If the economy suffers or if funding dries up for new startup technologies, the ceiling for FB will almost certainly take a hit. Meta has mimicked the Google model of aggressive integration, but that strategy depends on an active technology sector with new ways to reach or add value to consumers.
Meta has solid fundamentals and an enviable position in the social media sub-sector. However, there is no obvious route for the company to grow its valuation or reach huge new audiences. If the tech economy does not go the way Meta hopes, investors may be holding a stagnant stock.
Investopedia does not provide tax, investment, or financial services and advice. The information is presented without consideration of the investment objectives, risk tolerance, or financial circumstances of any specific investor and might not be suitable for all investors. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Investors should consider engaging a qualified financial and/or tax professional to determine a suitable investment strategy.
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Obtaining permanent residency statusor gaining citizenship in a foreign countymay seem like a good idea for those who no longer want to live in the country where they were born or whose passport they hold. But some nations make that transition especially difficult unless you marry a citizen of that country (or, in some cases, if you have ancestors who were citizens).
In addition to marriage and ancestry, countries with high barriers to attaining citizen status may have special residency or citizenship tracks for people who fit certain categories, such as being a highly skilled professional or investing substantially in a business enterprise. But these situations don't apply to the vast majority of prospective citizens.
Austria, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, and the United States are five nations that make it especially difficult for foreigners to establish permanent residency or obtain citizenship.
Key Takeaways For those individuals who no longer want to live in the country where they were born, obtaining permanent residency status or gaining citizenship in a foreign county may be a desirable option.
In addition to marriage and ancestry, countries with high barriers to attaining citizen status may have special residency or citizenship tracks for certain people, especially highly skilled professionals or investors.
Austria, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, and the United States are five nations that make it especially difficult for foreigners to establish permanent residency or obtain citizenship.
Austria
Many countries in the European Union have tough immigration laws. However, Austria seems to have one of the longest processes to become a citizen. Anyone who is not a citizen of a European Union country, and is staying longer than six months, must have a residence permit before entering Austria.
People who plan to stay longer than 24 months must also sign an Integration Agreement, a process designed to enhance their German-language skills and ability "to participate in the social, economic, and cultural life in Austria."
Permanent residents must live in the country continuously for a period of 10 years before being eligible to apply for citizenship. If approved, applicants must renounce any other citizenship.
Germany
Obtaining permanent residency in Germany is difficult unless you are a citizen of another European Union country. Foreign nationals living in Germany must demonstrate competency in the German language, and knowledge of the political system and society, in order to gain German citizenship. Applicants must also demonstrate that they have the ability to earn a living and have contributed to the national pension plan. They must also have proof of suitable accommodation.
To become a citizen, applicants must have lived in the country at least eight years (the number is seven if applicants have passed a competency test) and renounce citizenship in any other country.
Japan
It takes longer to be granted a permanent resident visa in Japan than to become a citizen. Those who want to become a citizen of Japan must have lived in the country for five years, receive permission from the Justice Minister, and complete a large amount of paperwork (which may or may not include questions involving the personal lives of applicants).
The process, according to the Japanese Ministry, can take six to 12 months, although those who have gone through it have reported that it can take years. If approved, applicants must be ready to renounce citizenship in other countries.
Switzerland
To obtain a settlementor a permanent residence visa, unless you are an EU citizenyou must have lived in the country for five or 10 years. If you qualify for permanent residence by the length of time you have lived in the country, you also qualify to apply for citizenship. However, this is not guaranteed; applicants for citizenship must also prove they have been assimilated into Swiss society and do not pose a threat to security.
What's more, all cantons and municipalities have their own rules about granting citizenship. Switzerland permits dual citizenship.
United States
While the United States was founded mostly by immigrants, the process for achieving permanent residency and citizenship has become increasingly more complicated since the early 2000s and the so-called "war on terrorism." Unless a person is coming to the U.S. through a family member or an approved job, it is very difficult to establish permanent residency (sometimes known as receiving a green card). There are special categories for those seeking refugee or asylum status, and a lottery for others who wish to apply.
Those who have had permanent residency status for five years can begin the process of applying for citizenship by filling out the application and taking a test, which includes knowledge of the history and the government, and of the English language. Before becoming a citizen, people must swear an oath to the Constitution. The United States permits dual citizenship.
What Are the Easiest Countries to Become a Citizen? Among the countries that make becoming a citizen the easiest are Ireland, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, and the Dominican Republic.
What Countries Allow Dual Citizenship? As of 2022, more than 60 countries allow dual citizenship. Among the largest of these countries are the United States, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Brazil. Russia, Mexico, the Philippines, and Egypt.
How Many Citizenships Can a Person Hold? There is no limit on the number of citizenships a person can theoretically obtain, assuming that each country allows dual citizenship. Moreover, the individual would have to conform to each country's residency rules (if any) to maintain citizenship in each place.
The Bottom Line
Moving from a temporary visa to permanent resident statusor citizenshipis particularly difficult in some countries.
A moving average is an indicator derived from the average price of a security over a specified period of time and is applied to charts to follow market trends as securities move up and down. In addition, support and resistance levels (where the price of a security reversed its upward or downward trend in the past) can sometimes be established by monitoring moving averages over time; these points are then used to make buy or sell decisions. However, moving averages are rarely effective as standalone tools because of at least seven disadvantages.
Key Takeaways A moving average is a technical charting indicator based on averages of past price movements.
Common moving average time frames include 20, 50, and 200 days.
Moving averages are used to identify trends and potential support/resistance areas.
Like most forms of technical analysis, moving averages are based on past price moves and do not forecast the future.
Moving Average Disadvantages
Moving averages are available with many charting applications and offer a quick, easy way to see trends in a stock, commodity, or market. Common time frames for moving averages include 20, 50, and 200-day moving averages. Technical analysts also use moving averages to identify potential changes in trend. For example, a "death cross" pattern happens after a stock has moved higher, begins to move lower, and the 50-day moving average crosses over the 200-day.
While moving averages are widely used by investors and traders alike, the indicators are far from perfect:
Moving averages draw trends from past price information only. Like any type of technical analysis tool, chart indicators don't take into account changes in fundamental factors that may affect a security's future performance, such as new competitors, higher or lower demand for products in the industry, and changes in the managerial structure of the company. Ideally, a moving average will show a consistent change in the price of a security over time. However, since every asset has unique price histories and levels of volatility, there are no uniform rules that can be applied across all markets. Moving averages can be spread out over any time period and this can be problematic because the general trend can be different depending on the time period used. For example, what appears to be an uptrend using a 50-day moving average might be part of countermove in a downtrend that is reflected in the 200-day moving average. An ongoing debate is whether or not more emphasis should be placed on the most recent days in the time period (such as with exponential moving averages). Many feel that recent data better reflect the direction the security is moving, while others feel that giving some days more weight than others incorrectly biases the trend. Some investors argue that moving averages (and other forms of technical analysis) are meaningless and do not predict market behavior. They say that the market has no memory and that the past is not an indicator of the future. Securities often show a cyclical pattern of behavior that is not captured by moving averages. That is, if a market is bouncing up and down a lot, moving averages are not likely to capture any meaningful trends. The purpose of any trend is to predict where the price of a security will be in the future. However, if a security is not trending in either direction, it doesn't provide an opportunity to profit from either buying or short selling.
The Bottom Line
Many traders and investors rely on moving averages to identify trends and support/resistance levels, but for an indicator to be effective, its function must be understood: when to use it and when not to use it. The perils discussed herein indicate when moving averages may not be effective tools, such as when used with volatile securities, and how they may overlook certain important statistical information, such as cyclical patterns.
Given the drawbacks, moving averages may be a tool best used in conjunction with other indicators and analytical methods. In the end, personal experience will be the ultimate indicator of how effective moving averages truly are for your portfolio.
Investopedia does not provide tax, investment, or financial services and advice. The information is presented without consideration of the investment objectives, risk tolerance, or financial circumstances of any specific investor and might not be suitable for all investors. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal.
In a democracy like the United States, anybody can run for office and become elected to positions in the federal government, such as to the Senate. However, it takes time, money, and connections to run a successful campaign. Indeed, even if an ordinary citizen has ambitions to run for office, if they need to work to put food on the table, a few months on the campaign trail is just not a viable option. It is no surprise then, that most current senators (and many in the house of representatives) are multi-millionaires.
In an effort to be transparent and prevent conflicts of interest, the Ethics in Government Act requires many elected officials to file an annual financial disclosure statement that reveals their assets, investments, and businesses interests. Senators are one of the groups of people who must make this disclosure. Their statements are made available to the public and can give a good idea of the financial position of their filers.
Here, we take a list at the ten wealthiest senators as of of the 116th congress in 2020 (disclosures about the current 177th Congress are not yet publicly available).
Key Takeaways U.S. Senators are required to disclose their financial assets each year.
The salary for a U.S. senator as of 2022 is $174,000 per year.
Most U.S. senators today are millionaires, and most of them made their fortunes before entering politics.
There are three mega-millionaires in the U.S. Senate: Mitt Romney of Utah, Rick Scott of Florida, and Mark Warner of Virginia.
Here we look at the top 10 wealthiest U.S. senators.
Understanding Congressional Wealth
All senators have a government-paid salary which, as of 2021, is $174,000 a year. However, many senators make much more from other sources and have a high net worth. Many of them started their careers in business and made the bulk of their fortunes before joining the political world.
On top of that, senators are high-profile people with a lot of power, and through that, they have access to various business opportunities and to other important people, which allows them to further increase their wealth through investments.
The top 10 wealthiest below all are estimates of their personal wealth. Their positions on the list vary from time to time as well, as each senator listed gains or loses a few million dollars here and there.
From 1789-1815, U.S. senators were paid $6 per day.
Sourc: OpenSecrets.org.
1. Sen. Rick Scott (R - Florida)
The former governor of Florida was elected to the Senate in 2019.
Sen. Rick Scott of Florida started his career in business, which is where he made the bulk of his wealth. He created one of the largest hospital networks, the Columbia Hospital Corporation.
Scott has an estimated net worth of more than $300 million as of 2022.
2. Sen. Mark Warner (D - Virginia)
Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia is one of the wealthiest members of the U.S. Senate and in fact of the entire Congress. As of the latest information, from 2018, his net worth is approximately $215 million.
Born in 1954, Warner grew up in a middle-class family. From as early as his college years, Sen. Warner had political aspirations. At one point during his time as a political science student, he even suggested to his parents that he would one day become president.
The bulk of Warners wealth came from Columbia Capital, a venture capital firm he founded shortly after graduating from law school. Under his direction, the firm made several successful early investments in companies in the telecommunication industry, including XM Satellite Radio and Nextel Communications.
3. Sen. Mitt Romney (R - Utah )
Sen. Romney needs no introduction, having been the unsuccessful Republican candidate for the presidency in 2012. The U.S. senator for Utah is the third-wealthiest senator, with a net worth estimated at $175 million.
Like most of the wealthiest senators, Romney made his fortune in business before he got started in politics. He co-founded and ran the private investment firm, Bain Capital.
4. Mike Braun (R - Indiana)
A former Indiana representative in the House, Mike Braun is now the state's junior senator. Worth an estimated $137 million, Braun earned his millions as the CEO of Meyer Distributing, a maker of truck parts and equipment.
Today, he is one of the wealthiest, and also most politically conservative senators.
5. Sen. John Hoeven (R - North Dakota)
Sen. John Hoeven has served as the senior U.S. senator from North Dakota since 2011. Before that, he was the states governor for 10 years. Hoeven's net worth has been estimated at $47 million.
Sen. Hoeven worked in banking before he started his political career, and served as the CEO of First Western Bank and the Bank of North Dakota. Sen. Hoeven remains an owner of First Western Bank and sits on its board of directors.
6. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D - California)
Californias Sen. Dianne Feinsteins estimated net worth was estimated at $88 million.
Blum Capital, a private equity firm founded in 1975 by her husband, Richard Blum, is the source for most of that wealth.
7. Sen. Ron Johnson (R - Wisconsin)
Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson started out in the late '70s as an accountant at PACUR, a Wisconsin-based polyester and plastics manufacturing company owned by his brother-in-law. He moved up through the ranks, and became the company's CEO by the mid-'80s.
Sen. Johnson has an estimated net worth of $78 million.
8. Sen. James E. Risch (R - Idaho)
James Risch has been the junior senator from Idaho since 2009. He was previously the state's governor.
He has an estimated net worth of $42 million, much of it in farm and ranch land in Idaho.
9. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R - Kentucky)
Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, currently the minority leader of the U.S. Senate, has an estimated net worth of $34 million as of 2018.
McConnell has been a senator since 1984. The bulk of his wealth comes from a gift his father bestowed on him in 2008. He and his wife, Elaine Chao, also reported a gift of between $5 million and $25 million from her family in his 2008 disclosure. Chao, who is an economist, was a cabinet secretary in the administrations of George W. Bush and Donald J. Trump.
Most of McConnell's wealth is reported to be held in a Vanguard 500 Index fund.
10. Steve Daines (R - Montana)
Steve Daines of Montana is estimated to be worth $33 million, rounding out the top 10 wealthiest senators of the 116th Congress. Before becoming a politician, Daines was an executive at Proctor & Gamble, before becoming an executive vice president at cloud services startup RightNow Technologies in 2000. That company went public in 2004, and was acquired by Oracle in 2012, a windfall for Daines. That year, Daines first ran for office.
Many citizens and analysts believe that Congress is out of touch with the needs of the average American citizen because of the sizable wealth of many of its members.
Who Is the Richest U.S. Senator? In the 116th Congress, public disclosures had Florida's Rick Scott in first place with a net worth of around $300 million. Kelly Loeffler, who served between 2020-2021 as a Republican senator from Georgia was estimated to have been worth $500 million at the time.
What Is a U.S. Senator's Salary? The salary of a U.S. senator is $174,000 per year as of 2022.
Who Is the Poorest U.S. Senator? According to the latest figures available, Senator Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, is the poorest U.S. senator. Her net worth was estimated at $32,500.
Do U.S. Senators Make a Lot of Money? The salary of a U.S. senator is a respectable $174,000 per annum, but many senators make much more money through other investments, the use of their high-profile status to make connections, and various business dealings.
The Bottom Line
Despite being a democracy, it takes time, money, connections, and clout to become elected to the U.S. senate. It's no surprise, then, that nearly all of the senators today in Washington are millionaires. Most of them earned their money prior to becoming politicians, as businessmen, financiers, and entrepreneurs.
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EV Stocks Driving Higher: (NASDAQ: $MULN) (NASDAQ: $TSLA) (NYSE: $NIO) (NYSE: $F)
Vancouver, Delta, BC - October 20, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Investorideas.com, a leading investor news resource covering EV and automotive stocks releases a special report featuring Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), covering the continued growth of the EV market as government policy and infrastructure plans sync up with consumer and investor interest in the EV space.
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Textron Systems has been contracted to provide new tactical vehicles to Iraq, as the country continues to battle the Islamic State, as well as Colombia, through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.
According to a recent report, service officials have contracted Louisiana-based defense firm Textron Systems Marine & Land Systems to build 60 new Commando Select armored personnel carriers for Baghdad.
All of the vehicles will be outfitted with dual turret armed with a 40mm grenade launcher and a 50 caliber heavy machine gun. Of the 60 vehicles headed to Baghdad, four will also be equipped with a command and control systems, according to the notice. Textron will also provide the same number and variants of the armored personnel carrier to the Colombian military.
The contract carries a total value of $65.9 million. Program officials at U.S. Army Contracting Command in Michigan will oversee the program. The vehicles will be assembled at Textron's facility in Slidell, La.
The deal comes at time when Iraqi forces are waging a pitched battle against Islamic State militants near Mosul. IS fighters overran the country's second-largest city in 2014 after Iraqi military and police forces fled in the face of the assault. Local forces abandoned millions of dollars worth of weapons and equipment sold to the Iraqi military by the United States during their hasty retreat.
Iraqi forces, backed by American and coalition warplanes, are currently in the midst of a counterassault to retake the city.
| Soruce: UPI | By S.Seal
According to the commander in charge, an Iraqi army offensive touted as the first phase of a campaign to recapture the northern city of Mosul from Islamic State has been paused until more forces arrive to hold ground.
Almost three weeks into the operation, Iraqi forces have retaken just three villages from Islamic State in the Makhmour area, which is set to be a key staging ground for a future assault on Mosul, around 60 km (40 miles) further north.
The faltering start has cast renewed doubt on the capabilities of the Iraqi army, which partially collapsed when Islamic State militants took around a third of the country in 2014. Major General Najm Abdullah al-Jubbouri, who is in charge of the offensive, said that Iraqi forces were now waiting for the arrival of federal police units and additional local tribal fighters to hold territory after it is retaken.
That would free up his forces to go on the offensive against the insurgents, Jubbouri said in a statement, dismissing what he described as efforts to disparage the army. He also stated, "We do not want to use all our units to hold territory."
The initial target of the latest offensive was Qayara -- an Islamic State hub on the western bank of the Tigris River -- but Iraqi forces have so far failed to recapture the hilltop village of Nasr on the eastern side. In the statement, Jubbouri said the militants had dug a network of tunnels beneath Nasr and prepared suicide bombers and a fleet of vehicles rigged with explosives, some of which contain weaponries chlorine, a chemical weapon Islamic State has used before in northern Iraq.
U.S. Army Major Jon-Paul Depreo, operations officer for the international coalition fighting Islamic State in Iraq and neighboring Syria, said at the weekend the insurgents were determined not to lose Nasr because of its strategic position on high ground.
Depreo also said difficult terrain meant it was not possible to deploy a large number of forces there against the militants, who are more familiar with the area.
Depreo told, "These (Iraqi army) forces aren't from that area necessarily, so they're learning the area."
The coalition, led by the United States, has trained thousands of Iraqi police and soldiers in preparation for the operation to retake Mosul -- by far the largest city in Islamic State's self-proclaimed caliphate.
Depreo said the fighting was only one part of the challenge. "There's going to be a lot of fighting but there's also going to be a lot of logistical infrastructure that needs to follow and be established."
Shi'ite militias and Kurdish peshmerga have played a major role in the fight against the ultra-hardliner Sunni militants elsewhere in Iraq, but with Mosul the plan is for the army to take the lead to avoid inflaming ethnic and sectarian sensitivities in the mainly Sunni Arab city.
The army won its first major victory over the insurgents last December in Ramadi and aims to retake Mosul this year, but Iraqi officials privately question whether that is possible.
"It's a tough fight," Depreo said of the offensive in Makhmour, describing it as a "shaping operation" for the bigger battle ahead, adding: "We have a lot of work to do before we take control of Mosul again."
| Soruce: Reuters | By S.Seal
In 2010 the former Iraqi Minister of Oil Hussain Shahristani, also known as a teacher, was invited to the parliament to speak about the petroleum product shortages in the country. Due to 70% utilization of the country, the refineries are not meeting the domestic demands.
Shahristani left the parliament with flying colors after announcing the Ministry is working to build four refineries at the same time. The plan came about in such a way that no one quite knew on what basis the sites were selected or the feasibility studies behind them.
Feasibility studies and front-end engineering and design were done later at a cost of $226 million without ever looking critically at the locations selected by the Ministry. Failing to find willing private investors, the Ministry decided in January 2014 to sign a contract with engineering contractors to build the 140,000 barrels a day Karbala refinery financed from its own budget.
This refinery was planned in the late 1980s in a different location between two major power stations north of Hilla province and where millions were spent on preparing the site and installing facilities. The move to Karbala remains unexplained.
The contract was signed for $6.5 billion, much higher than comparative projects in the region such as Al Zour in Kuwait and the Yanbu and Jubail refineries in Saudi Arabia where the investment costs per daily barrel refined averages about $24,000 while for Karbala it stands at more than $46,000. Completion is expected in 2018 or 2019 and luckily some construction is visible on site.
In 2013, the government signed a memorandum in the presence of the Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki and the Minister of Oil Kareem Luaibi, (more recently known as Mister M), to build the 150,000 barrels a day Maissan refinery with a Swiss company by the name of Satarem, which undertook to invest $6.5 billion, again much higher than what the refinery should cost.
The warnings were immediate that Satarem is a questionable company. Its chairman, who owns a satellite channel in Lebanon, said on television that it was the first time he was meeting the oil minister, which implied the limited role, if any, of the ministry in this deal.
Satarem turned out to be just a postal address in Switzerland. Muthanna Kubba, an Iraqi living in the same city where the company is registered, conducted a thorough investigation and informed Iraq accordingly about its status, activity and inexperience in refining.
Other analysts chipped in and parliamentarians, including the Parliament Integrity Commission, were equally apprehensive to the extent that some thought the deal is scuttled. However, the Maissan International Refinery Company (MIRC) was established by the investor but could show no evidence of a financing bank or a construction contract.
There were allegations that the refinery site may have been turned over to MIRC officially even though it became known than the CEO of Satarem, Jerome Friler, had been convicted for previous business dealings.
But bad ideas die hard and the Ministry of Oil decided last February to go ahead with the project with this legally bankrupt company and a Chinese entity by the name of Wahan. The only company I could find by that name (Wahan Global Enterprises Limited) was incorporated in 2004 and dissolved by deregistration in 2011. If this is the case, then we are in another phase of carelessness or utter misconduct by the Ministry.
The Ministry of Oil insists on concluding this shady deal with a company that has no background in refining nor has it concluded its own feasibility study of the project. The consequence will be a further damage to Iraqs refining program sooner or later.
Ahmad Mousa Jiad of Iraq Business News said: The Ministry should not take advantage of the fiscal and political crisis in the country to conclude a scandalous deal under the pretext of foreign investor and by using a deceptive non-economic argument by saying this refinery will not cost the government anything. For this, he was attacked personally and unjustly by one Ministry consultant.
Many Iraqi experts are finding it extremely difficult to have their opinion heard, but for the love of the country and industry cannot give up. At a time when corruption allegations are hitting two previous ministers, it will be only a matter of time for more to be disclosed, especially about this shady deal.
But what is $6.5 billion between friends when reports suggest that some $400 billion of Iraq money may have been lost through corruption? And what can people like me say when Iraq last year imported ornamental flora from Iran to the tune of $175 million?
| Soruce: Gulf News | By S.Seal
Iraq is reportedly planning for importing cooking oil from Egypt, as revealed by Iraqi trade ministry on last Sunday. As Baghdad wants to reduce its reliance over Turkish products, it has significantly come up with this decision.
A trade delegation, sent by Iraqi government, is holding talks in Cairo on buying cooking oil for the monthly food ration.
On the month of December, trade ministry of Iraq stated that it has planned for reducing government imports of cooking oil from Turkey.
Baghdad strongly objects a move of deployment of Turkish troops in northern Iraq, while Ankara says that it is a decision to fight Islamic State militants.
| Soruce: Trust | By S.Seal
On March 20th, 2016, Iraq has exported its first gas condensate from the port at Khor al-Zubair to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Hamed Zubai, undersecretary at the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, reported that the Iraqi Oil Marketing Co. had arranged for the 10,000-cubic-meter consignment, and the Basrah Gas Co. had successfully exported the shipment.
Zubai said, Due to surplus exceeding local consumption, gas condensate exports will continue. In addition, the ministry seeks to export other types of associated gas-processing products.
He also added, Exporting condensate opens the door for the state to secure added financial returns, driven by the fact that the global price per ton is around $350.
Whereas natural gas refers to gaseous hydrocarbons that accumulate in porous sedimentary rocks and consist mainly of methane, gas condensate refers to a natural gas liquid recovered from gas wells that consists mainly of pentane. Iraq is one of the worlds richest countries when it comes to natural gas.
Citing the Oil & Gas Journal, the US Energy Information Agency (EIA) reported that as of January 2015, Iraq had reserve of gas of about 112 trillion cubic feet, ranking it 12th globally in total volume of reserves. The EIA estimates that about three-quarters of Iraq's natural gas resources are of the associated type, meaning that they are located deep underground and mixed with oil. In contrast, neighboring Iran and Qatar do not have associated gas, which is mixed with petroleum.
Associated gas puts constraints on actual production, first, because increasing production is associated with increased oil production. Secondly, separating the gas from crude oil requires special techniques and facilities. Lack of infrastructure is always a concern or Iraq. The country is already down ridden with economic crisis. At this point, infrastructural reforms cannot be considered as a viable idea.
In an extended report on Iraq's natural resources sector, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated that in 2011 Iraq burned 12 billion out of the total 20 billion cubic meters of gas produced. According to the World Bank, Iraq ranked fourth among countries that burn off the most gas.
In addition to the estimated loss of $5 million a day as a result of burning associated gas, along with environmental damages, the practice hinders gas-powered energy production in a country that suffers from power supply shortages. As a result, political, social and financial problems are escalating in the country.
Royal Dutch Shell, which has investments in southern Iraqi oil and gas projects, estimated in 2013 that converting wasted gas to electricity would generate 4.5 gigawatts of electric power or enough to cover the needs of about 3 million homes.
This has pressed government officials to change their approach to the exploitation of their countrys natural resources. In this regard, Oil Minister of Iraq announced, In the first licensing round, companies were not compelled to extract associated gas. But starting with the second round of licensing, provisions have been added to compel contractors to extract said gas.
He also said, In 2015, we achieved an exploitation ratio of 50% of the 3 billion cubic feet of associated natural gas extracted daily. Free gas production rose from a maximum of 600 billion cubic feet per day in 2013-2014 to a maximum of 1.1 trillion cubic feet per day in recent months. In addition, during the same period, liquid gas production increased from a maximum 4,300 tons per day to 5,000 tons per day in recent months.
In that context, the Basrah Gas project, launched in 2011 by the Iraqi government in partnership with Royal Dutch Shell and Japans Mitsubishi, began operations in 2013. It is one of the largest associated gas extraction and processing projects in the world, representing the cornerstone of Iraq's effort to exploit its gas resources more efficiently.
Iraq's first shipment of gas condensate indeed represents progress toward better exploiting the country's gas resources. Expanding that effort, particularly if export-ready volumes are increased in the future, will open new revenue streams that the government sorely needs in light of falling oil prices, rising deficits and reliance on foreign loans.
Increasing Iraq's gas production requires a similar increase in oil production, and the feasibility of the latter cannot be accurately determined. Moreover, the unreliable security situation in northern and western Iraq has seriously hindered efforts to complete the development of free gas fields there, such as at the Akaz gas field in Anbar and the Mansuriya field in Diyala.
Still, the responsibility for drafting an effective, sustainable and more transparent energy policy rests squarely on the shoulders of Iraqi officials. Gas exportation, despite the associated potential gains, may not always be the best solution, particularly if the sector can be exploited locally to diversify the economy and address the growing need for electric power.
| Soruce: Al Monitor | By S.Seal
Airport security has changed quite drastically over the last few years..
Last week, American Science and Engineering Inc. announced that it landed a five-year contract with Al Najaf International Airport in Iraq to provide its scanning technology. However, financial terms are not disclosed yet.
Joe Reiss, AS&E's vice president of product management and marketing, told The Sun that the deal is significant because it "validates our value proposition for providing a combination of detection technologies."
Reiss said airport security has traditionally been about "checkpoints," or screening the baggage of would-be passengers, and not about the airport itself as a facility.
Under the contract, AS&E will provide one of its hulking Z Portal cargo screening systems, which will be used to scan vehicles as they enter the airport property. It offers multi-view, drive-through screening for left, right, and top-down imaging of cars, vans, trucks and their cargo.
"Our Z Portal has been used extensively for border security and high-threat facility applications," Reiss said. "Well, now airports are now considered high-threat facilities."
The company would also offer several of its Gemini parcel-inspection systems, which will be used to scan baggage both outside and inside the airport.
Reiss said, "As a business, we've had a good amount of gear deployed with the military and so on."
"This allows us to increase our commercial presence." Najaf is a city of about 1 million people that's about 100 miles south of Iraq's capital, Baghdad.
In a statement, Sheikh Faed Al-Shimary, director general of the Najaf Airport Authority, said, "Passengers and freight forwarders are increasingly turning to Najaf Airport for their international air travel and shipping requirements."
It added, "We chose AS&E's comprehensive detection solutions because they provide rapid inspection of vehicles and carry-on luggage in a high-security and high-traffic environment while ensuring the flow of passengers and commerce -- and because it is well-known in our region for delivering exceptional, responsive customer service."
AS&E is headquartered at 829 Middlesex Turnpike, where the majority of its 300 or so employees work. It reported fiscal 2015 revenues of $126.8 million. Shares closed Friday at $27.20, up 5 cents.
| Soruce: Lowell Sun | By S.Seal
The crowd at City Hall in Boston last night had gathered for the annual Irish Emigrant awards, annually given to New England Irish heroes. The Guinness and good cheer flowed as the Irish gathered to toast their local heroes.
The venue was packed. Earlier in the day, Irish Emigrant, run by Connell Gallagher, a sister paper of Irish Voice, met with Mayor Marty Walsh, to award him with his special badge of honor a Waterford crystal shamrock.
A politician who struggled with alcohol abuse and overcame it and fought cancer off as a young man, Walsh is everything that NYs Bill De Blasio is not approachable, humble, a working mans mayor.
He embodies the lunch-pail-guy, populist approach of a La Guardia or a Huey Long. Walsh has huge positive ratings and a great future.
Walsh, son of Irish immigrants, needs no briefing on Irish issues. He is on top of his Irish stuff perhaps more than any politician in America. On his way to meeting with Bill Clinton before the debate, he instanced the banning of Gerry Adams and the deportation of Malachy McAllister as issues he wanted to discuss.
The second honorees also have an incredible story. The Barley House Wolves are New Hampshires first American-born hurling club. The Wolves were originally formed in 2006 by combat veterans from the New Hampshire Army National Guard as a way to stay connected as they adjusted to life post combat. They had seen hurling on the TV screen at Shannon en route to Iraq and had decided to use it as their bonding method.
Today, the Barley House Wolves are represented by N.H. veterans & active service members from all branches of the military, along with members of local law enforcement, fire rescue service, and civilians who have come to love the Irish sport. Recently they defeated the Wexford club in Boston to make an incredible breakthrough. They were saluted in fine style when they accepted their awards.
Melinda Thompson ( whose grandfather was a Grady from Ireland) is an authentic American hero who saved a young Irish woman from a dreadful fate of life in prison. Aisling Brady McCarthy was falsely accused of killing a one-year-old baby girl. Prosecutors had thrown every trick in the book at her: refusing her bail, withholding evidence, leading damaging medical findings without proper evidence.
The case of the Boston nanny was a sensational one covered widely in the world's media. Into the maelstrom stepped Thompson, wearing her trademark black outfit, looking like an avenging angel.
I remember a priest who had 30 years' experience of visiting prisoners and who had met McCarthy telling me that without any doubt the girl was innocent.
Melinda Thompson won a huge victory. She offered her services pro bono, then proceeded to tear the prosecution's case to shreds and win Aisling her freedom. It was a victory hailed and welcomed nowhere more than in Boston's Irish community which had stood with the Brady family.
Her victory was reminiscent of the Oscar winning movie Spotlight, also based in Boston, where the truth of clerical child abuse was eventually ferreted out by dogged reporters. Melinda did the same with the Aisling Brady McCarthy case.
The final honoree was one of the great givers in the Irish community, the unofficial mayor of West Roxbury, Richie Gormley. Richie is so popular that he ran away with an unofficial poll of locals, and some from all over the world. To confuse matters jokester Ritchie ordered a set of mayoral chains from Ireland and marched in the Pat's parade with them.
The late former mayor Tom Menino put it best., "What can you say about Richie Gormley except that he is very quietly one of the most generous people around. Its fitting that he would receive such an honor because he has helped so many people in West Roxbury and many of them dont even know it. Hes a great guy."
Quite a night for Boston Irish and those receiving the honors. The goodness in the Irish community there still runs very strong.
Last week as we passed the 40th day since the general election and still a government had not been formed, one of the left wing deputies in the Dail pointed out in a speech that Jesus only had to wander in the desert for 40 days and nights before something happened.
Here in Ireland last week, 40 days after the general election, we were still wandering in the political darkness with not an angel in sight.
On Wednesday of last week, for the second time since the election, the Dail voted and failed to elect a new taoiseach. Thanks to the general election result which produced a near stalemate between the two main parties as well as a large number of clueless independents, neither of the main party leaders could get a majority in the Dail to be the next taoiseach.
The obvious solution was some kind of super coalition between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, but Fianna Fail refused to even consider the possibility. To the general disgust of the public, the leaders of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at that stage last week had not even met to try to work out a solution.
That has now changed, and serious negotiations are underway between the two sides aimed at forming a minority government. Whether this will be led by Fine Gael or Fianna Fail is unclear at the time of writing, although Enda Kenny still has his nose in front. The crucial requirement to make this work is that the main party not in power will give an undertaking to support the minority government on a range of basic issues.
Before the independents will vote to back a minority government they want an assurance that, whoever is in the driving seat, the new administration will last for two to three years. The Dail meets again on Thursday of this week when another vote for taoiseach is due, but it is still unclear whether a deal can be hammered out in time.
The only game in town now is the formation of a minority government, and any possibility of a super coalition between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail has been abandoned. We will come to the reasons for that in a moment, but the first thing to be said is that this is a lost opportunity of great significance because to describe such a development as historic is not an exaggeration.
Bringing Fine Gael and Fianna Fail together in a government would clearly mark the beginning of the end of the Civil War divide in Irish politics. In the year of the centenary of the 1916 Rising it would be especially appropriate, marking the beginning of a new modern era and the end of the politics of the past.
It would, of course, be an enormous step for either of the two main parties to take, even though at this stage there is a very little difference between them in ideology or policy. Both are centrist, free market parties, and the historic divide between them on the North has not been relevant for decades. Even so, the idea of them catching up with history and coming together still seems far-fetched to some people.
That is why, when Fine Gael leader Kenny and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin did finally have a meeting last week after the failed vote in the Dail, what Kenny came up with was something of a shock. What caught everyone by surprise was the extent of the offer which he was willing to make.
The offer to Fianna Fail was an invitation to join in a full partnership government with an equal sharing of ministers and even the possibility of giving Martin equal time as taoiseach. Clearly this partnership government went far beyond the usual coalition model.
No one expected that Kenny would go that far, since he still leads the largest party in the Dail. Fianna Fail accused him of playing political games.
But the fact is the offer was made. Kenny is a man with an eye on his legacy and his place in history.
Martin, you would think, would have been delighted with the offer and would have grabbed it with both hands. But Fianna Fail, in spite of all the guff they spout about being the party that truly represents the interests of the Irish people, is more focused on what is good for the party than what is good for the country.
Their main problem is that if they joined with Fine Gael in a super-coalition government it would leave Sinn Fein as the main opposition party in the Dail. In that situation, with dif cult decisions ahead, Sinn Fein would be able to play the populist game and eat away at Fianna Fails traditional support. Although the situation is different here, what the Shinners did to the SDLP in the North sends shivers down Fianna Fail spines.
The second reason for the Fianna Fail refusal is naked opportunism. They are playing a slightly longer game, believing that if they stay in opposition and support a minority Fine Gael-led government, they can pull the plug on it in a couple of years on a populist issue and then become the largest party after the next election. Its all about power, you see, not about whats best for the country.
Given that Fianna Fail is the party that wrecked the country and has come back from the dead only because of national anger over the austerity program that was forced on the country, their behavior is nauseating. Listening to Martin talking about a fairer way of dealing with the economic crisis, you would never think he was a minister in the government that caused it.
Martin has been arguing this week that reducing the debate to one about ending Civil War politics is misleading because he says their differences with Fine Gael are substantial.
Few people agree with that, and most people regard what Fianna Fail are doing as cynical and opportunistic.
And nothing exemplifies that better than Fianna Fails shameless use of the water charges issue to curry favor with the voters.
Under pressure from the EU, it was the last Fianna Fail government which agreed that water had to be metered and charged for, like happens in all other European countries. But once they were in opposition they reversed their position so they could exploit the widespread resistance to the new charges.
They have been playing this game for years. It was to win an election in the 1970s that a Fianna Fail government abolished the rates (local taxes) that used to pay for water services.
And it was successive Fianna Fail governments that then starved local councils of the central funds they were supposed to get to maintain water services.
The decades of neglect and the fragmentation of services across the 32 local authorities left our water and sewage systems in a shameful state, with inadequate supply of fresh water and pollution in rivers and lakes. The only sensible solution was a national water utility and water charges to pay for urgently needed investment.
The fact that Kennys government made a mess of winning public acceptance for the Irish Water utility does not negate the fact that it is absolutely necessary for the future of the country. Fianna Fail knows this, but they exploited the situation in a deeply cynical manner and said the abolition of Irish Water was a red line issue for them, piling up votes as a result in the election.
Water is just one of a number of difficult problems that have to be dealt with by whoever forms the next government. How do we know Fianna Fail wont exploit them as well to continue its populist vote building?
Given that they were almost wiped out in the 2011 election because of the crash they caused, there was some hope that maybe Fianna Fail had learned its lesson, that the partys culture of political strokes and backhanders and irresponsible vote buying might have come to an end.
But the way they are behaving now shows this is not the case. In particular, the way that they have dismissed out of hand the idea of ending Civil War politics by joining Fine Gael in a government capable of making the hard decisions that will be needed in the years ahead shows that they are still the same old Fianna Fail.
De Valera, the original slippery merchant, would be proud of them.
On August 28, 1922, the funeral for Michael Collins was held in Dublin. A century later, the revolutionary's relative has shared the mass card used that day.
A relative of Michael Collins has shared an image of the mass card from the Irish revolutionary hero's 1922 funeral.
In 2016, as the centenary of the Easter Rising was being commemorated in Ireland, Michael Collins's grand-nephew Declan McGuill shared images of the mass card that was used in Collins's funeral.
McGuill told JOE.ie: We are related to Michael Collins through our great-grandmother, Margaret Collins-ODriscoll, who was his sister. Our grandfather, Joseph McGuill, of Bridge Street, Dundalk, was married to her daughter (and Michael Collins niece) Mary Collins-ODriscoll,
Their son and the only child surviving to adulthood was our Dad, Sean McGuill (also of Dundalk). Michael Collins is, therefore, our great uncle."
My mother informs me that the memorial card we have would really only have been given to family (and perhaps extended family) members so it obviously holds a very special place in our familys archives.
Who is Michael Collins?
The British sent Collins to a prison camp in Frongoch in Wales for his role in the 1916 Easter Rising, which McGuill and his relatives planned to visit to commemorate their hero ancestor.
Collins emerged out of Frongoch as one of the new leaders of the independence movement. He became Director of Intelligence for the Irish Republican Army during the War of Independence and organized a special assassination unit called The Squad expressly to kill British agents and informers.
When talks to end the War of Independence were arranged for October 1921, Michael Collins was one of the delegates who traveled to England to negotiate with the British government. A truce had been established in July 1921 to allow the two sides to meet for the talks that eventually led to the Anglo-Irish Treaty, which saw the establishment of the Irish Free State and the partition of Ireland into North and South.
A prominent advocate for the Anglo-Irish Treaty, Collins was one of the main political figures on the Pro-Treaty side of the Irish Civil War that followed the Treatys implementation.
Unfortunately, Collins was killed in an ambush in August 1922. His death came in his native Cork, at the hands of those who had fought alongside him in the War of Independence.
Traveling in a convoy through Beal na mBlath, Co. Cork, Collins was convinced that they wont shoot me in my own county. The convoy was ambushed by anti-Treaty forces, however, and Collins received a single gunshot wound to the head that killed him instantly.
He is believed to have been shot by fellow Corkman Dennis Sonny ONeill, a former member of the Royal Irish Constabulary who had fought for the British Army during World War I. ONeill joined the IRA in 1918 and joined the anti-Treaty side during the Civil War.
Michael Collins's funeral
Thousands of people lined Sackville St (modern-day OConnell St) in Dublins city center for Collins funeral in August 1922 to pay tribute to The Big Fellow, a hero in the fight for Irish independence and a man who worked hard for the benefit of Ireland in the establishment of the Irish Free State.
Some 500,000 people, almost a fifth of the population of the country at the time, gathered for his funeral ceremony in Dublins Pro Cathedral.
H/T: Joe.ie
* Originally published in 2016. Updated in August 2021.
On June 29, 1916, Sir Roger Casement was found guilty of treason for his role in the Easter Rising and was sentenced to death by hanging.
Casement was the most prominent and intriguing figure involved in the Easter Rising. During three critical months in 1916, he kept the story of the Irish rebellion alive and came to personify the Rising and its portrayal in America.
Read more On This Day: 1916 Easter Rising leader Roger Casement is born
As the first reports of the insurrection made their way across the Atlantic and appeared on April 25, 1916 (a day after Easter Monday, the day the Rising started), Sir Roger was the primary focus of attention. A headline on the front page of The Washington Post announced: Capture Sir Roger in Irish Filibuster. A smaller headline underneath ominously speculated: Predict Death for Knight.
On April 29, the Saturday of the rebels' surrender, The New York Times published 18yes, 18separate articles of varying length and approach about the Rising. An editorial and an essay of commentary concentrate directly on Casement.
Several news reports about Casements capture include the judgment he is mentally unbalanced. His psychological state receives examination so often someone today is forced to wonder why journalists kept raising the topic. Were British authorities whispering questions about Casement to make people wonder about him? Was the larger intention to sully the cause of Irish nationalism he championed?
Casements humanitarian work in Africa and South America for the British Foreign Service earned him a knighthood and prominence in the U.S. His elite status and confrontational stance against Britain proved irresistible to American editors.
For instance, the day after the surrender, The Boston Globe published a lengthy Sunday profile, Sir Roger Casements Astounding Career, and on May 14 The Washington Post ran an essay by Casement under the headline England Seeking U.S. Aid to Dominate All Europe, Says Sir Roger Casement.
On June 4, The Washington Post ran a mock conversation, offering a debate about Casements sanity. Headlined, Madmen Make History: Sir Roger Casement Would Have Been Immortal If He Had Succeeded, one of the fictional speaker's notes, If America had not had at all times a sufficient supply of madmen on hand, it would not have become America.
All the press attention towards Casement is critical to assess because he served at this historic moment as a human lightning rod for attracting American interest in the struggle for Irish independence.
The post-Rising executions of 14 rebels at Kilmainham Gaol took place between May 3-12. Casements trial in London didnt begin until June 26, and, unlike the Dublin court-martials, the proceedings involving Sir Roger were public and extensively covered.
Read more On This Day: Last of the Easter Rising rebels was executed in Britain
When someone tries to understand him in relation to the Rising, almost everything about Casement proves unique and complicated.
Hes arrested prior to the insurrection ostensibly on a mission to keep it from happening.
Hes taken to London for his trial.
Hes charged with treason for his actions in Germany rather than his involvement in the Rising.
Hes sentenced to hang instead of being shotand his appeal results in even more attention.
Each particular about him is distinctive, yet in the eyes of Americans, he was lumped together with other rebels. That he was arriving in Ireland along with a shipment of German arms underscored the perception that Casement occupied a place as a ringleader at the center of revolutionary activitieseven though the reality was different.
Theres a certain irony that American dollars bankrolled Casements nationalistic dreams. Prior to his arrival in New York on July 20, 1914he stayed until October 15 that yearhis opinions about the U.S. wouldnt evoke Yankee endearment. I dont like the U.S.A., he wrote to a cousin in 1914. The more I see of it the less I like it. The people are ignorant and unthinking and easily led by anything they read in their rotten papers.
Despite these views, he understood the importance of the U.S. as an emerging world power. In early 1912, he met with President William Howard Taft in Washington, an indication of Casements clout, as well as recognition by the British of Americas place in the global community. Later, Casement began to see the Irish-American community as having the wherewithal to support the effort to achieve independence for Ireland.
From Casements arrival in New York until his death, he was subsidized by American dollars. For three monthsas the Great War beganhe toured the U.S., raising funds to buy arms for the Irish Volunteers. Casement worked with members of Clan na Gael, the secretive American organization with direct ties to the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), and particularly with Clan leader, John Devoy.
Both Casement and Devoy shared such boiling-point hatred of the British they conspired with Germany for assistancea case of the enemy of my enemy becomes my friend.
Clan na Gael coffers supported Casements controversial trip to Germany, which began in October of 1914 and continued until his ill-fated return to Ireland prior to the Rising. At dinner on April 10, 1916, the night before he left Germany, Casement told a friend: I feel that I am going to my end, but at least it is for Ireland!
During the summer of 1916, Casements fate was a prime topic not only for the American press but also among government officials in Washington. The coverage of Casementhis capture, trial, appeal, and executionkept him and his cause on Americans minds, and that attention, in turn, exerted pressure on the U.S. government.
Members of the House and Senate sought to help Casement by contacting President Woodrow Wilson. How the White House handled the case reveals a deliberate, if not strategic, duplicity thats representative of the 28th presidents approach to Ireland and to Irish America.
Politically motivated lip service and feigned sincerity mask the policy reality of Wilsons reluctance to get involved in what he considered an internal matter for the British.
A revealing gauge of American public opinion comes in reports of Cecil Spring-Rice, the U.K.s ambassador in Washington. In his dispatches, Spring Rice keeps returning to the U.S. reaction to the events in Ireland, particularly their impact on Irish Americans. His observations gleaned from the press and staff reports, provide evidence of the change in American opinionfrom questioning the Rising to favoring its objectiveas it evolved.
Many of his unpublished dispatches are in the British National Archives at Kew, and those during this period amplify his judgments about the Rising and the executions, including Casements.
One particular message stands out. In a coded telegram dated August 1, Spring Rice reports he made an informal verbal agreement with Michael Francis Doyle, Casements U.S. lawyer, that neither would say anything about Casements scheduled hanging two days later. His last sentence refers to Doyle and provokes puzzlement: He tells me privately that Clan Nagael [sic] want Casement executed.
When so many American politicians and groups were working to save Casement, why Clan na Gael didnt mind imposing the death sentence remains a mystery.
Despite thinking Casement should not become a martyr, Spring Rice circulated extracts from what are known as Casements black diaries, documenting multiple homosexual encounters. Its now clear that Spring Rice deliberately wanted to blacken Casements name.
Roger Casement is one of the most tragic figures in Irish history, Devoy observed in his memoir, "Recollections of an Irish Rebel." Beyond that judgment, Casements human complexity and distinctiveness are as compelling now as they were a century ago.
*Robert Schmuhl is the Walter H. Annenberg-Edmund P. Joyce Chair in American Studies and Journalism at the University of Notre Dame and the author of "Irelands Exiled Children: America and the Easter Rising" (Oxford University Press). This article is abridged from his essay, Roger Casement and America, which appears in the April 2016 issue of Breac: A Digital Journal of Irish Studies.
*This article was originally published here in 2015.
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Social Justice Ireland has said a lack of investment in services here is putting our economic recovery at risk.
The organisation said the focus of the next programme for Government needed to be on spending on infrastructure and services in areas such as housing, health, child care, and rural broadband and education.
Update 10.05pmFianna Fail has agreed to reconvene talks with Fine Gael on the formation of a minority Government.
In a statement tonight a spokesperson Fianna Fail commented: "Tonight's meeting of the Fianna Fail Parliamentary Party agreed that its negotiating team will reconvene talks with Fine Gael with a view to facilitating the establishment of a Fine Gael-led minority Government."
I can see where he is coming from, because anybody in the city or its hinterland would have to be painfully aware that the hospital is struggling to deliver general health services, not to mention cardiac services.
However, it struck me that every Independent TD interested in lending support to either of the two major parties in a minority government would most likely be on their own local radio stations asserting that some service or other for their area would be a red-line issue.
The unfortunate reality is that all of these red-line issues around the country, as worthy as they might be, will add up to a lot of money.
In an era of scant resources, which we are still very definitely living through, there will not be enough money to go around to address all of the issues that local politicians around the country hold dear to their hearts. Consequently, one wonders how it will be possible, or indeed affordable, to create anything resembling a stable and sensible government.
In the midst of all of the political horseplay and demands, which will be an essential element of any support for a minority government by the many diverse independents, there is a bigger global story.
That story is the still-precarious nature of the global economy, which was highlighted again this week in stark fashion.
In Washington this week, the IMF published its latest update on the global economy.
The revised forecast makes for salutary reading and should act as a stark reminder that whatever programme for government is eventually agreed in this country, the fragile external environment will have a strong bearing on the ability to deliver it.
The reality is that Ireland is a very small and very open economy that is totally exposed to the vagaries of the global economic cycle. We discovered that to our extreme cost from 2008 onwards, and we could well discover it again over the next couple of years. We need to behave prudently.
The IMF is now predicting global growth of just 3.2% this year and 3.7% in 2017. This compares to growth forecasts of 3.4% and 3.8% in January. It is hard to argue with this growth downgrade.
The IMFs managing director, Christine Lagarde, summed up the latest musings of the IMF with the statement that the global recovery is too slow, too fragile, with the risk that persistent low growth can have damaging effects on the social and political fabric of many countries.
The reference to the political fabric should resonate.
Global politics at the moment are quite scary. We have the emergence of forces such as Donald Trump in the US, Ukip in the UK, and Le Pen in France, difficulties in forming a government in Spain, and of course the bizarre manner in which the Irish electorate voted in February.
You know things are wrong when China is one of the few countries with any semblance of political stability.
The IMF highlights a number of key global risk factors. These include a return of financial turmoil due perhaps to further weakness in emerging market currencies, and a sharp decline in capital inflows; a protracted period of low oil prices could further destabilise the outlook for oil-exporting nations.
Last week, Africas second-biggest oil exporter, Angola, said it would apply for an IMF loan to get it through the difficulties caused by low oil prices.
There are risks from a slowdown in China, and non-economic shocks related to geopolitical conflicts political discord, terrorism, refugee flows, or global epidemics. The IMF also made strong comments about the negative impact Brexit would have on the UK and global economies.
The analysis looks pretty realistic at the moment. As we seek to negotiate a government in this country, our political masters and political populists should bear in mind the potentially dangerous global economic backdrop.
Speaking as staff moved into the companys new Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) base, in One Albert Quay, Malwarebytes founder and chief executive Marcin Kleczynski said he hoped the company would need more office space by the end of next year, such has been its recent growth.
The firm, founded by Mr Kleczynski when he was a teenager after he accidentally infected his familys computer with malware while downloading a game, has grown rapidly and now protects 250m computers worldwide.
Its sales growth in 2015 topped 100%, while the final quarter of last year was the 31st quarter in which Malwarebytes generated positive cash flow.
In March, 2015, Malwarebytes announced 50 roles in Cork and hopes to have filled its 80-person capacity office by the end of next year.
Were going to try to keep ahead of schedule [on recruitment] as far as we can, but should there be any shift in security spending whether it goes up or down well adjust to that, said Mr Kleczynski.
But Im hoping, by the end of next year, were looking for a new office, potentially, or expanding this one. So thats 80 people by the end of next year. I think thats optimistic, but certainly achievable.
Staff based in Malwarebytes Cork office perform a range of functions, the largest of which is sales.
Sales and support engineers are also employed at the city centre office, and while the companys main engineering hub is based in Clearwater, Florida, in the US, and though there is no immediate plan to develop Cork as an engineering base, it may happen in the future.
Because of the cutthroat nature of competing for engineering talent in the San Francisco Bay area, Malwarebytes has given up trying to hire engineers at its Santa Clara office, while it is close to exhausting the talent pool around its Florida base, too.
In Santa Clara, it is cutthroat to try and hire engineers, said Mr Kleczynski. I have given up I have given up trying to hire skilled engineers in the Bay Area. Its very difficult to find. We find we have much higher success in [Malwarebytes other bases] than in Santa Clara Honestly, I prefer to hire engineers elsewhere.
As a result, there is potential to add engineering roles in Cork, with the likelihood that projects would be moved to its EMEA office from the US.
He added that the Cork office was very important to the company, while Anthony OMara, Malwarebytes EMEA vice president, said the cluster of security and enterprise technology companies in the city was a major draw.
Mr OLeary, speaking in Trinity College Dublin, where he was endorsing Sean Barretts re-election to the Upper House, said the Dublin Airport Authority should pay the excess.
A 2014 report put the cost of developing the second parallel runway at 250m but last weeks announcement about the planned development put the price tag at 320m.
Mr OLeary described the cost increase as nonsense and without justification.
A second runway is a good idea and hopefully we will need it, he told the Irish Examiner.
It was approved by the aviation commission in 2014 at a cost of 243m. So we are somewhat taken aback that it has spiralled by 30% to 320m within 12 months without a sod being turned
We have a meeting with the Dublin Airport Authority to find out what the other 70m is for. If the regulated cost of the project is 250m then we will fully support it.
We are not paying for another round of DAA badly designed gold-plated, badly located facilities.
Mr OLeary said there is no justification for the IAA wanting to add another control tower.
You only need one tower, he said. They have come up with some nonsense if they dont build one that is 300m taller then they wont be able to see the first 10 yards of one end of the runway.
Ive asked them what do you do at night or in bad weather, and they say they use radar. So my attitude is put up a few video screens and away you go.
It is this sort of wasteful expenditure, much beloved of the quangos of this country, and we cant afford this sort of nonsense. Look at the damage the 10 travel tax did here for six years.
Mr OLeary said Ryanair supports the runway but only at a cost of 250m.
We dont want a rerun of Terminal 2, which is a shambles, he said. Massively over-costed and functionally useless. Aircraft coming in the morning, there is nowhere for them to park because they blew all the money building two terminals up the front for shopping and they dont have enough money for parking stands.
France, working closely with Italy, Germany, and Spain, wants G20 nations to make it impossible for people to hide behind trusts or foundations to avoid paying tax or reporting assets.
Britain which also resisted such a move in 2013 is continuing to oppose full disclosure. A clash would come at a particularly politically sensitive time for UK prime minister David Cameron, who has been forced to justify his familys tax affairs to parliament and the press after leaked documents showed his father based his fund offshore.
The Panama leaks which led to Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne taking the unprecedented step of releasing their tax statements will make it more awkward for Britain to claim it is at the centre of a push to improve tax transparency on a global level.
Panama has breathed new life into the tax evasion crackdown, its accelerated the process, French finance minister Michel Sapin said while en route to Washington for the talks.
What has become clear is that we need complete cross-border transparency and international tools to deal with the problem.
A UK official, who asked not to be named, suggested Britain would continue to resist Frances push for full disclosure of beneficiaries of trusts since they are a commonly used vehicle under British law for example when making provisions for children.
The official argued a comprehensive crackdown would detract the focus from outfits set up specifically to avoid tax.
The UK government is in the centre of the debate about tax avoidance with a network of overseas territories like the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands that offer shelter to the assets of the wealthy.
Mr Cameron said this week he aims to force those jurisdictions to disclose the real owners of companies registered there.
* Bloomberg
Glanbia Ingredients Ireland Ltd is to cut 2c/l off its milk price, which means it will pay 22c/l including Vat for March milk.
The companys suppliers will receive 24c/l, but this figure will include an exceptional Ornua bonus and a co-op top up, which Mr OLeary says is effectively the farmers own money.
Ornua announced on Tuesday that it will suspend its 0.14c/l levy on dairy farmers until the Ornua purchase price index returns to a level equivalent to 30.5c/l incl Vat.
Glanbia announced its 2c per litre price cut yesterday.
This latest price cut is a huge hit on Glanbia suppliers, at a time when they are already under massive financial pressure, said Mr OLeary. The 22c/l Glanbia Ingredients Ireland milk price is 1.7c/l less than with what they were receiving from Ornua for March based on the PPI, namely 23.7c/l including Vat. Glanbia Ingredients Ireland should aim to return that price to farmers before any top-ups.
ICMSA dairy committee chairman Gerald Quain said that the Ornua purchase price index only fell 1.2% points, equivalent to 0.3c/l. As a global brand, Glanbia should pay a top rather than a bottom price, he said.
Glanbia Ingredients Ireland Ltd have invested in scale over the last number of years and actively encouraged their suppliers to do the same and it is absolutely imperative that their suppliers are not put to the wire for merely following Glanbia Ingredients Ireland Ltds lead and trying to improve their businesses, said Mr Quain.
The farmer groups also criticised Lakeland for cutting 1c/l on its core price for March milk, down to 24.5c/l from the 25.5c/l in February.
Compliance manager with the Irish Mortgage Brokers Association, Karl Deeter, said instead there should be greater trust in the ability of planners and the local authority.
He said a third party right to object to An Bord Pleanala, after the local authority has made up its mind, did not exist in many countries as the planning departments and local authority are expected to make the correct decision.
The role of the planner as a planning professional needs to be strengthened so we are not getting caught up in An Bord Pleanala objections to projects, as its hugely costly and causes projects to come in behind time, he said.
"First stage objecting and observations are fine but if planners subsequently make a decision, then there should be a very high bar set before any unattached third parties can refer a matter to An Bord Pleanala. High fees would also help this as would a block on petition objections such as happened at the Moore Street development".
Mr Deeter also argued a new land tax should be introduced for all land, not just land in urban areas.
In cities, in particular, there are a lot of people holding onto land and to buildings in the expectation of rising prices; there is an expectation that you can just sit on it and that is causing serious problems in terms of housing supply in this country, he claimed. If landowners want to sit on it, let it be taxed.
He also said agricultural land should not be excluded from such a tax. Land is an asset that generates grants if not income. Farmers cant have it both ways: They get their grants and CAP payments for this asset so why shouldnt they pay tax?
Rates are paid on commercial buildings so why shouldnt they be paying an annual tax?
In his speech to the annual gathering of planners in Athlone, he was also vocal in his condemnation of modular housing plans in Dublin.
Heads should roll over this. People who were involved in planning this project have serious questions to answer. These emergency houses were costing 100,000 each, then 140,000 and now 240,000. They dont make sense any longer if you can buy a house down the street for 70,000 less. Why and how did they get it so wrong? he said.
Meanwhile, the president of the Irish Planning Institute, Deirdre Fallon, has called for the establishment of the Office of the Planning Regulator to be expedited and to have more teeth as originally proposed in the Mahon Tribunal report.
Under the bill published, the regulator can make recommendations on an application but the final decision goes back to the minister. We believe the offices recommendations should be binding as the Mahon report conclusions suggested, she said.
Meanwhile the bill, which allowed for the establishment of the office, still has not got to committee stage, despite having been published a year and a half ago.
Ms Fallon said there are housing developments with planning permission but are not being built as the necessary infrastructure, such as roads, had not been provided and developers still cannot access finance. She called for a new central fund to help kickstart such projects and also for a minister for housing and planning.
She also suggested a free planning information advisory service be put in place.
Patrick McArdle, aged 47, appeared at Dublin District Court, charged with careless driving causing death to Slawomir Korytowski on July 3, 2015, at North Wall Quay. The Lithuanian national, who was in his 30s, died instantly after his motorbike collided with the truck.
Garda Sergeant Karl Murray told Judge John Lindsay that the accused met gardai at Store St station, by arrangement, yesterday morning. The DPP has directed that Mr McArdle, of Forest Park, Drumintee, Co Armagh, must face trial on indictment. This means the case will go forward to the Circuit Court, after the book of evidence has been completed.
The Sinn Fein leader said serious issues such as child poverty and homelessness need to be addressed, instead of just inconclusive votes for a taoiseach. However, his criticism came as Sinn Fein again failed to nominate or support a candidate for taoiseach the primary role of TDs since the general election seven weeks ago.
Public patience is wearing very thin with both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. They need to get real and come up with an agreement for a government soon. I dont believe these have been serious negotiations. No one ever really believed that Fianna Fail could win support for a Fianna Fail-led minority government. Its all been part of the charade and the two large conservative parties trying to outmanoeuvre one another.
According to the Health Information and Quality Authoritys (Hiqa) 2015 overview report of nursing home inspections in 2015, some 424 notifications of allegations of abuse were received, compared to 357 in 2014 an increase of almost 19%.
Some 967 notifications of an unexpected death of any resident were received up from 625 in 2014.
Hiqa received 4,155 reports of an injury to a resident that required medical and/or hospital treatment in 2015. However, it stressed there is evidence of over-reporting by centres, as just 54% required hospital treatment, while 95% of these were rated as of minor/moderate risk.
There were 137 reports of unexplained absence of a resident from a nursing home, up from 122 in 2014.
There is a total of 577 centres providing 30,106 residential beds here.
A total of 411 nursing home inspections were carried out last year in 343 registered residential centres across the country, with almost half of all inspections being unannounced.
Some 59% of all registered centres received an inspection in 2015. Of the centres that received an inspection, 84% received one inspection, 13% received two inspections, and 3% received three or more inspections.
The chief inspector with Hiqa, Mary Dunnion, said good levels of compliance with regulations relating healthcare, food, and nutrition and end-of-life care were found in the centres inspected.
The provision of high-quality, safe service is found in centres where managers, providers, and persons in charge continually look for innovative ways to improve the evolving needs, preferences and rights of individual residents, she said.
However, head of advocacy and communications at Age Action Ireland, Justin Moran, expressed concern at the substantial rise in reports of abuse in nursing homes.
It is essential that all of these cases are reported to the HSEs elder abuse caseworkers and properly investigated. We need a proactive approach to tackling elder abuse with more training for care staff and ensuring residents know how to report cases of suspected abuse, said Mr Moran.
He also questioned why so many people are in nursing homes in the first place.
Many older people need quality nursing home care, but thousands could be at home with their families and in their communities if the proper supports were provided, said Mr Moran. Thats what they want. Its what the Governments National Positive Ageing Strategy promises.
And its better value for money. The next government must prioritise investment in services that enable older people to stay home as long as possible and introduce a statutory right to community care.
In a statement, Nursing Homes Ireland said the report highlighted high standards of care right across the nursing home sector which provides reassurance for residents, their relatives and friends and wider public.
It is important to note the report focusses on areas requiring improvement and it states numerous specific examples of good practice in nursing home care are not documented within it, but published within individual inspection reports, said a statement.
It does provide an analysis of good practice, further endorsing high-quality care that is provided by dedicated, committed, and caring management and staff within nursing homes.
Nursing Homes Ireland also highlighted the critical issue of adequate staffing levels in the sector and said it had recently engaged directly with Hiqa on the issue.
The attack is being linked to the feud between the Kinahan crime cartel and the Hutch gang, which has claimed five lives, including four in Dublin in 10 weeks.
Yesterdays target, a senior Hutch figure, is thought to have left a pub onto Lower Sheriff St in Dublins north inner city, at the same time as a homeless man was passing.
It is thought both men ran for cover when a gunman approached and that the victim may have ended up stuck between the gunman and his intended target.
Gardai said up to six shots were fired, at least two hitting the victim, who suffered fatal head injuries. The gunman escaped on a bicycle down Sheriff St.
The victim was named locally as Martin ORourke, aged 24. He was described as having a chaotic lifestyle, blighted by drugs, drink, homelessness, and low-level criminality.
He was a father and had an address in the Bridewell area, but was in and out of emergency accommodation and drug-addiction services.
Gardai made quick progress and discovered a handgun, the suspected murder weapon, dumped into a wheelie bin nearby.
The gunman also abandoned his bicycle and fled on foot. He is described as being of strong build and wore black clothing and possibly had a scarf over his face.
Superintendent Kevin Gralton of Store Street Garda Station stressed that the investigation was in its infancy and said it was too early to confirm various reports.
He appealed to anyone who witnessed the shooting or saw the man on the bicycle to contact gardai.
The intended target, aged 32, is a convicted armed robber and is suspected by the Kinahan cartel of taking part in the Regency Hotel assault on February 4, in which Kinahan lieutenant David Byrne was shot dead.
That was a revenge attack for the shooting dead by the Kinahan gang of Gary Hutch last September in Spain.
Three days after the Regency attack, Edward Hutch brother of Gerard The Monk Hutch was shot dead in Hutch heartland in the north inner city.
Last month, Noel Duggan, a criminal associate of The Monk, was shot dead in Ratoath, Co Meath, again at the suspected hands of the Kinahan cartel.
The Kinahan gang have killed four people. They will keep going, at least until they get all the Regency crew, said a senior source. He feared more innocent lives could be lost and suspected the Hutch gang will carefully plan a revenge attack.
Senior members of both sides are in Dublin, according to Garda reports.
Michael Collins, aged 34, of Upper Kilmona, Grenagh, Co Cork, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Packie Hogan, aged 42, at Glen Rd, Ballinaraha, Blarney, Co Cork, on February 10, 2011.
Collins also denied possession of a rifle and possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life on the same occasion.
A number of county councillors are also bitterly disappointed they were not informed by Cork County Council officials of talks, with waste management operator, Indaver, about the plan.
The anger locally, and among public representatives, came after Indaver and council officials admitted to the Irish Examiner that discussions were continuing about burying the ash at the Bottlehill landfill, 20km north of Cork City.
Bottlehill Environmental Alliance spokesman, John ORiordan, said that local families were horrified at the disclosure, claiming a former county manager had given assurances to householders, in the mid-2000s, that incinerator ash would never be buried at the site.
Mr ORiordan said the local authority had a huge millstone around its neck, after spending 48m on the landfill site, which had been due to open in 2010, but which mothballed after a surplus of landfill nationally made it uneconomic.
Locals were concerned, he said, that ash could be gouged out of the ground by floods.
This new proposal worries us, because of the elevation of the site and its number of aquifers. A lot of water comes off it and we were hit by 70mm of rain in less than 20 hours last Sunday. Our fears are enhanced by the likelihood of more and more severe rainfall events, said Mr ORiordan.
The revelation comes as a Bord Pleanala oral hearing is due to commence in Carrigaline, next Tuesday. Indaver is making a third attempt to secure planning for a 160m incinerator plant in Ringaskiddy, with a chimney stack reportedly the size of an eight-storey building.
Councillor Seamus McGrath said the talks between the council and Indaver were a serious error of judgment.
Seamus McGrath
Under the Strategic Infrastructure Planning system, the council is obliged to submit an independent assessment of the proposal (to Bord Pleanala for the Indaver oral hearing). In my view, it is inappropriate for the council to have been engaging with Indaver on this issue, prior to fulfilling its role in the planning process.
I want to be clear. I am not for a second suggesting the councils report would be influenced, as I know that would not happen, given the professionalism of the officials. However, the perception of this is all wrong.
The FF council leader said he would be calling on senior officials to make a statement on the full extent of their engagement with Indaver.
Councillor Marcia DAlton (Ind), an environmental engineer, said even if officials did not want to release commercially sensitive information, they could at least have briefed councillors about the nature of activities being proposed for the Bottlehill site.
Councillor Ger Keohane (Ind) claimed he had asked, on a number of occasions, about plans for Bottlehill and had not gotten a reply. As councillors, we should have been entitled to know officials were in discussions with Indaver.
At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Gerald Keys imposed the four-year term, suspending the final 14 months, on Dean OConnor, aged 24, of Ferndale, Ennis Rd, Limerick.
Mr OConnor was on bail at the time of the offence and Judge Keys described Mr OConnors well-planned operation to falsely imprison, assault and steal from PJ Looney at his isolated home near the west Clare village of Kilmihil in August 2014 as a cowardly act.
Judge Keys said: Attacks of this kind are not uncommon and persons who reside in rural areas must be able to feel safe and secure in their homes. I regard these type of offences as serious.
The judge said that the motive in Mr OConnors crime was financial to rob Mr Looney. He said: After assaulting Mr Looney, you then proceeded to tie up his arms and legs.
In the case, Mr OConnor and his accomplice, who has never been apprehended, were disturbed by a neighbour and brother-in-law of Mr Looney, Tom OSullivan who, alarmed at seeing two strangers in the area, drove his tractor up Mr Looneys avenue.
The accomplice and OConnor, who has 28 previous convictions, fled and Mr OSullivan described in court as a man of considerable courage was able to free Mr Looney and raise the alarm.
In his victim impact statement, Mr Looney said: 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: 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.
Mr Looney was described in court as a very, very small farmer and a man of limited means.
In the case, Mr OConnor pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, burglary and assault of Mr Looney on August 10, 2014, at Shyan West, Kilmihil.
OConnor and his accomplice rendered Mr Looney completely immobile after tying him up with the cable wires.
Detective Garda Donal Corkery said that after Mr OSullivan disturbed the robbery, gardai were on the scene pretty quickly and a holdall bag containing a can of petrol and cable ties were found near the home.
Mr OConnor was arrested the following month by gardai where he made admissions. OConnors 28 previous convictions include four for theft; two for burglary and one for assault.
Counsel for Mr OConnor, Pat Whyms BL told the court: My client is absolutely appalled at his own behaviour and apologises profusely through me to the victim.
He said: He is very disappointed and disgusted with himself that he was involved in an attack on an elderly man.
He said that in talks with a psychiatrist to draw up a report on Mr OConnor, Mr OConnor expressed his horror at his own behaviour and said that couldve been my grandfather, the poor man.
Mr Whyms said Mr OConnor had lapsed into criminality because of drug use and has gone off the rails.
Senior Fianna Fail sources have told the Irish Examiner todays vote will be the last opportunity for them to vote for Mr Martin and to support a Fianna Fail-led minority government.
The sources have said that should the Independents not do so, the party will concede and begin talks to facilitate a Fine Gael minority government headed by Enda Kenny.
The high-risk move by Mr Martin follows a series of engagements by Fianna Fail with Independent TDs.
One source said it was time for Independents to call Fine Gaels bluff. The source also said it was unreasonable that Fine Gael would not support a Fianna Fail-led minority government.
Talks between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael on the formation of a government ended abruptly. A Fine Gael source said the partys negotiators were frustrated and disappointed at what they said was the unwillingness of Fianna Fail to engage on policy matters.
Mr Kenny told his party the Dail will still make another attempt at electing a Taoiseach today, a vote expected to produce no result.
Enda Kenny
Fine Gael sources said talks with Fianna Fail broke off after a reluctance by Mr Martins side to discuss policies for a minority government.
Fianna Fail, on the other hand, said that Mr Kennys negotiators were refusing to explain how many Independent TDs Fine Gael can rely on.
However, in an extraordinary move, Mr Martin also personally contacted Independents in an appeal to vote for him as Taoiseach and therefore support a Fianna Fail government.
Party sources confirmed the phone calls came amid concern that Independents are refusing to get off the fence.
Party sources also said that if there is no movement to support Mr Martin today, that he will allow Fine Gael form a minority government under Mr Kenny.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney held separate talks with the Independent Alliance urging them to support Mr Kennys bid for power.
Two members of the separate Rural Independent group of five TDs held a clear-the-air meeting over pints in McGrattans pub on Tuesday night over fears the group is about to split.
Fullsize Skellig Michael replica beehive huts and a temporary roadway, along with the resurfacing of an existing pathway to facilitate the filming of Star Wars: Episode VIII are being built on the headland at Ceann Sibeal near Ballyferriter.
A significant slice of the headland is being taken up by the film set in what is an area of special protection for a bird species. Helicopters will also be operating near the cliff face during the breeding season.
Permits for a project to begin filming on privately-owned land on Ceann Sibeal on the mainland on the Dingle peninsula had been granted by the Department of Arts, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht, after the promoters followed established processes through the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the council said.
The headland is considered one of the best areas for the cliff nesting Chough in the country.
Regarded as a member of the crown family, Choughs have iridescent black plumage and striking red beak and legs. Ireland has the most westerly population of the cliff nesting choughs in Europe, and the Dingle peninsula, with 119 breeding pairs, is a stronghold.
Skellig Michael
The short film shoot next month on the cliff edges, mostly in the western half of Ceann Sibeal, will take place during the breeding season, but will not adversely interfere with them, according to an ecological assessment for the department.
To limit interference, crew and personnel movement will be capped at peak numbers of 100 people in the designated conservation area and restricted to the replica village or its base.
The filming, over a week- long period, is to be strictly controlled with camera helicopters flying at a minimum distance of 100m from the headland in the vicinity of the beehive huts and restricted to three days.
Filming is to take place during daylight and at sunset on occasion, according to the criteria laid down by the Department of Arts, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht. Department representatives will be on site.
Further protection measures will be applied if adverse reactions by the breeding birds are observed.
Two kilometres of temporary trackway are being laid, and a number of full-sized replica beehive huts constructed on the cliff edge in works that began some weeks ago. The site is under tight security.
Of 93 pharmacies visited in the exercise last December, 46% sold products containing domperidone, most often seen in Ireland in the form of Motilium, despite being told the purchase was for a patient who was on heart tablets.
The figure was better than a year earlier, when 50 pharmacies were visited and 78% of them wrongly sold the drug but the Pharmacy Regulator has expressed concern at the continuing high level of breaches.
Medical authorities worldwide imposed restrictions on the sale of domperidone in 2014 following concerns that it had caused deaths in people with heart problems.
The drug is used to relieve nausea and vomiting and is helpful for people left feeling ill by strong medications taken for other complaints.
Patient information leaflets now specifically state, however, that the drug should not be taken by anyone on medication for heart conditions or high blood pressure.
One of the three warnings now carried on the patient leaflet states: Domperidone may be associated with an increased risk of heart rhythm disorder and cardiac arrest.
It says the risk may be higher in people over 60 years old or in those taking doses higher than the recommended limit of 30mg per day which usually means one tablet three times a day.
In some countries, the drug is now available by prescription only, and in Ireland it is meant to be stored behind the counter so customers must engage with a staff member while buying it.
Problems highlighted by the mystery shopper exercise were the failure of some pharmacies to remove the drug from the general shop floor and the failure of others to ask any questions of the person requesting the drug.
Where questions were asked, the mystery shopper said the drug was for their partner who was over 60, suffering bloating and nausea and on heart tablets.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, the professions regulator, said: On the basis of this scenario, domperidone is not a suitable medicine for this patient and a sale should not be carried out.
However, out of the 93 pharmacies tested, 43 either sold the drug without questioning the shopper or sold it despite the details provided to them.
The regulator said: The results of the test purchase exercise continue to be of concern to the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland when non-prescription domperidone-containing products are sold contrary to the marketing authorisation for domperidone and Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland guidance.
The regulator is contacting all the pharmacies involved and is to carry further mystery shopper exercises to check if compliance rates are improving.
Mr Jordan and his wife Brenda Rawn objected to the enclosed flat roofed shelter/changing area in the rear of their neighbour Robin Powers home at Sorrento Terrace, Dalkey, Co Dublin.
The shelter is 11sq m and 3m in height.
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Co Council last August decided the development required planning permission and a retention application was lodged.
In November, the council approved the application.
Mr Jordan and his wife objected, as did Ian Lumley of An Taisce, who said the development was injurious to the architectural composition of Sorrento Terrace.
Mr Jordan and Ms Rawn appealed to An Bord Pleanala. They also brought High Court judicial review proceedings seeking to quash the council decision.
Their counsel Michael ODonnell told Mr Justice Paul McDermott the council had consented to an order quashing its decision.
It agreed to have the matter remitted back to it on the grounds that it failed to notify three prescribed bodies of the matter.
Mr ODonnell said the council was also consenting to paying his clients costs.
The judge said he would make the order sought.
An application for the costs of a notice party in the case, Mr Powers consultants Elark, trading as Alternative Building Solutions, was withdrawn.
Staging a protest outside Social Protection Minister Joan Burtons office, the Irish Postmasters Union (IPU) said her refusal to reverse the policy will sound the death knell for branches country-wide.
Ned OHara, IPU general secretary, said welfare payments make up to 30% of all post office business or as much as half of its overall business when you include related transactions.
Taking this work away from the network will close post offices all across the country, he said.
The IPU said the Department of Social Protection is issuing letters to casual and part-time workers who receive benefits, asking for their bank details for future payments.
There is no reference to the post office or that people could continue using the post office if they choose, the union said.
Irish Postmasters Union general secretary Ned OHara, left, with IPU officers at a protest at the Department of Social Protection.
The postmasters claim welfare recipients are being led to believe they have no choice and are being forced to use banks, where they face charges to collect their payments.
Mr OHara said Ms Burton is refusing to withdraw the letters after both sides met this week.
We cant understand why the minister is applying this policy when there is strong public support for post offices, he added. The IPU collected half a million signatures before the election calling on the Government to support the network.
The Department of Social Protection confirmed it was offering recipients the choice of getting payments directly into a bank account, as part of a national plan to phase out cheques.
In line with the national payments plan, the Department of Social Protection is seeking to reduce cheque usage in the economy, said a spokeswoman.
Casual workers have to date been paid by cheque, which they can lodge direct to their accounts or negotiate at bank or post office counters. The majority of the departments customers who are paid by cheque choose to lodge them direct to their bank accounts.
The department is now offering these customers the option of being paid direct to their bank accounts.
The spokeswoman said cheque payments are not issued through the post office and as such do not reduce the number of existing cash payments made through post offices under the contract between the Department of Social Protection and An Post.
Roy ODriscolls partner, Jenna Lane, told an inquest yesterday that she was so worried she sought a meeting with the governor of Cork Prison to discuss her concerns.
And it emerged that Mr ODriscoll, 25, from Summerhill, in Mallow, Co Cork, had been transferred from Portlaoise Prison just days earlier where a senior nurse staff member deemed him to be at unprecedented risk of suicide to Cork Prison, without consultation with Portlaoise medical staff.
Mr ODriscoll, who was serving a seven-year jail term for assault, was found dead in his cell in Cork Prisons D-unit just days later, on May 10, 2013.
Ms Lane told Cork City Coroners court that when she last visited her partner in Portlaoise on April 27, 2013, he was his usual self.
But she said when she next visited him at Cork Prison on May 5, the change in him was incredible.
Roy had his head in his hands on the table. He was wearing prison clothes, he was unshaven, unwashed, and his hair was untidy, she said.
His nails had been eaten off almost completely and the skin around the tops of his fingers was bleeding. He wasnt the usual Roy.
Id never seen him in such a condition. He was confused, in and out of conversation, and what conversation there was, was confused.
She told the chief prison officer she wanted him checked. She said she spoke to Roys father, James, later, and he expressed his concerns to the governor.
Earlier, the inquest was told that concerns for Mr ODriscolls mental health were mounting in Portlaoise from early April.
An anonymous note had been passed under his cell door complaining about his personal hygiene, and another note had urged him to kill himself.
He felt he was being bullied by other inmates, he became withdrawn, refused to do his landing cleaning work, and refused to leave his cell.
Amid concerns he was suffering from a possible depressive illness, he was placed on an at-risk supervision routine, and checked by prison staff every 15 minutes while locked in his cell.
The prisons senior nurse manager, Karl Shelly, said by April 30, the medical team agreed Mr ODriscoll was at heightened risk of suicide.
Mr Shelly said he hadnt ever seen anybody with this level of risk it was an unprecedented level of risk, he said.
Chief officer of Portlaoise Prison at the time, Paddy Brennan, who has since retired, said prison officers have no access to an inmates medical records, and didnt know why Mr ODriscoll was under special supervision.
Mr ODriscoll was disciplined after starting a fight with another inmate on April 29, 2013, and sought a transfer to Cork Prison, arriving on May 1 2013.
Mr Shelly said medical staff at Portlaoise found out about the transfer afterwards.
He told city coroner, Dr Myra Cullinane, that had he known about the transfer, he would have advised against it.
While transfer decisions are a matter for governors, he said the Irish Prison Service (IPS) has transfer protocols which allow a red-flag to be raised in specific medical or mental health cases.
But Ultan Moran, the operational governor of Portlaoise, noted from a management point of view that despite their concerns for Mr ODriscoll, the medical staff had not opted to place him in a safety observation cell.
Cork Prison GP, Dr George OMahony, assessed Mr ODriscoll the day after his transfer to Cork, and directed he be placed under special observation in D-unit after he complained of low mood and expressing thoughts of self-harm.
He said he felt Mr ODriscolls mental health issues were being aggravated by perceived pressures from other inmates.
Former prison psychiatrist, Dr Eugene Morgan, assessed Mr ODriscoll on May 3 and 4 and found him confused and difficult to engage with.
By May 7, he said Mr ODriscoll was expressing fleeting ideas of self-harm and was not actively suicidal, but he decided he should stay in D-unit.
Mr ODriscoll was found dead in the cell on May 10.
The inquest continues today.
Cork Airport yesterday said it expects the airlines decision to introduce winter services to Gran Canaria, Tenerife, and Malaga to add about 50,000 extra passengers from the region.
We are pleased to launch our Cork winter 2016 schedule, which includes three new winter services to Gran Canaria, Malaga, and Tenerife, with nine routes in total including a four times daily service to London, which will deliver 850,000 annual customers and support 640 jobs at Cork Airport, said Ryanairs chief marketing officer, Kenny Jacobs.
The announcement was welcomed by Cork Airport.
This is fantastic news for our customers from the region, said Niall MacCarthy, managing director at Cork Airport.
Ryanair, our second biggest customer, is expected to carry 850,000 passengers this year, an increase of 50,000 on last year. So far this year, Cork Airport has seen a significant increase in our passenger numbers, up by over 10%, making us Irelands fastest growing airport. Weve had a fantastic start to the year and weve already welcomed nine new routes as well as new airline partners, he said.
The winter services from Cork Airport will see weekly flights to Gran Canaria and Tenerife and a twice-weekly service to Malaga.
Routes already serviced by Ryanair for winter 2016 include Lanzarote, Gdansk, Liverpool, London Stansted, London Gatwick, and Wroclaw. The new services will increase the number of weekly Ryanair flights this coming winter from Cork to over 40, an increase of 11%.
The company said it is releasing 100,000 seats for sale across its European network from 19.99 to celebrate the launch of the new Cork winter schedule.
The fares will be available on ryanair.com until next Monday.
The boy admitted driving a stolen motorbike, not having a licence or insurance, escape from lawful custody, dangerous driving as well as a hit-and-run charge in connection with the incident in south Dublin on October 25, 2014.
During a pursuit, the boy had been riding the stolen moped at Mount Tallant Ave when he knocked over Garda Oliver Farrell who was on foot, the Dublin Childrens Court heard.
Judge John OConnor was furnished with a probation report which showed the teenager has recently tested positive for cocaine use as well as other substances.
The boy had been given numerous chances to work with the Probation Service and avoid detention.
However, he failed to co-operate with agencies trying to help him.
Judge OConnor imposed a six-month detention-supervision order. The boy will have to serve a three-month sentence in a detention centre followed by three months probation. The judge has said the teenager was out of control, taking killer drugs and putting his life at risk.
Earlier Judge OConnor said all this was having an effect on the boys mother who said her son, will not allow me to be his parent.
Earlier, Garda Farrell said he attempted to stop the teenager but the boy drove at him and he had to take evasive action. The garda was struck to his right side and the boy carried on driving.
There were numerous incidents of dangerous driving and failing to stop before the teenager crashed into the back of a patrol car at Harolds Cross Rd.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say there is an established link between pregnant women catching zika and their babies developing microcephaly, as well as other neurological abnormalities.
Thomas Frieden of the CDC said: There is no longer any doubt that Zika causes microcephaly. Never before in history has there been a situation where a bite from a mosquito can result in a devastating malformation.
Experts in Brazil have uncovered evidence of extremely severe brain damage in babies. They have mapped out the largest set of brain scans of children suffering from microcephaly, which was presumably caused by mothers being infected with the virus while pregnant.
They examined 23 youngsters and found severe cerebral damage, which indicates a poor prognosis for neurological function.
Since October, there has been a significant increase in the number of cases of microcephaly among babies born in Brazil, and scientists have linked the condition with the virus. In February, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the link between microcephaly found in babies born to infected mothers should be considered a public health emergency of international concern.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, describes a range of brain abnormalities found in babies with microcephaly and born in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco between July and December last year.
All but one of the babies were born to mothers who had a rash during pregnancy, consistent with a zika infection. Other infectious causes of microcephaly, such as toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, rubella, syphilis and HIV, were ruled out.
The team, led by Maria de Fatima Vasco Aragao, analysed the types of abnormalities and lesions shown in MRI and CT brain scans of the children. The scans revealed that the majority of babies had severe brain damage.
This study shows the largest, and most detailed, case series of neuro-imaging findings in children with microcephaly and presumed, Zika virus-related infection, to date, the authors wrote.
We have described the imaging [CT and MRI] findings in a series of children with presumed Zika virus-related congenital infection, which, in most of the cases, show severe cerebral damage.
The brain damage caused by Zika virus infection in these children was extremely severe, indicating a poor prognosis for neurological function.
Researchers noted brain calcifications calcium build-up in the brain and other problems, including malformations of cortical development, decreased brain volume, and ventriculomegaly (enlarged brain cavities).
POSTMASTERS protested at the Department of Social Protection yesterday over the latest in an ongoing series of attempts by the department to take business away from post offices and hand it to the banks.
The position of postmasters is simple we regard the post office network as a national asset entrusted by the people to the Government to manage on its behalf.
It is important to understand that Irelands 1,100 postmasters are sub-contractors to An Post and cannot decide on which social, financial or citizen services they provide. These decisions are the gift of government and then commissioned through An Post or other arms of government.
That is why the IPU believes that the future of the post office network is a political decision and not for exclusive definition by market or consumer trends. Citizens can voice their opinions and Government policy should reflect the overwhelming will of the people.
The position which we believe acting Tanasite Joan Burtons department has taken in recent years is an open market view: That society is ever-increasingly moving towards use of electronic funds transfer (EFT) and that government transactions should follow suit.
Irish Postmasters Union general secretary Ned OHara, left, with IPU officers at a protest at the Department of Social Protection.
However, is the decision that simple and it is in our social interest to hand the future of our post offices over to an open economy logic? Postmasters do not think so.
Yesterdays protest was triggered by a recent letter which the Department of Social Protection sent to casual and part-time workers, seeking their bank details for future payment. The letter made no reference to using the post office, or that people could continue using the post office if they choose.
On receipt of this letter our customers believed they had no choice and were being forced to the banks, where they are faced with bank charges in order to collect their payments. However, of course the post office remains available even though the department intentionally failed to mention this.
Social protection transactions account for 30% of all post office business and an estimated 50% including spin-off transactions. Taking this work away from the network will close post offices across the country. We are not scaremongering, sit down with any postmaster, do the sums and our point will be borne out.
Last Tuesday, we met with Ms Burton to highlight the issue and at the meeting she refused to withdraw the letters and to cease the transfer of post office business to the banks.
However, there are a number of important political and social issues to consider. First of all there is very strong public support for post offices. The IPU recently collected 500,000 public signatures calling on the Government to support the network. So, we can fairly deduce that the public want the post office network to remain and consider it to be a meaningful and valuable part of our society.
Secondly, the need for more locally based services and greater regard for communities were central issues during the recent general election campaign. The post office is a core piece of infrastructure that can help to deliver on this. Surely any new Government that may emerge should listen to what voters raised at election time.
Members of the Irish Postmasters Union who staged a protest at the Department of Social Protection. Picture: Conor Healy
Thirdly, we in effect as taxpayers own the post office network. An Post is 100% owned by the State, which sub-contract postmasters to run the local offices. Why therefore would the Government not encourage as much business as possible through its own Network rather than handing this gratis over to private commercial banks?
Furthermore, we currently have in place a Department of Communications-led, An Post and IPU-supported working group, chaired by Bobby Kerr, to develop a five year strategy to grow and diversify post office services, including new epayment choices.
How can it be that a Department of Communications-led group is working to develop post offices, while the Department of Social Protection is sending letters that will shut them down?
Also a great many people continue to like using the post office. It creates social interaction and people can avail of multiple other services in one swoop. Customers also tend to do their other business while in the town, village or urban centre so we help to put cash into the local economy around us.
And though hard to quantify, there is the wide acknowledgement of social and community value of post offices. It is a shared public space which brings people together, a source of citizens information and an unspoken community watch system for older or vulnerable people.
In fact there are many opportunities that the post office network offers to address issues in our society.
Post offices can be expanded into more meaningful front offices for government services, can support greater access to health and transport services in rural areas and can provide a greater number of essential commercial services.
We would have thought that 500,000 signatures presented to the Government last November, and the overwhelming demand for better local access that came up at general election time would have provided a very clear message on what the public wants for their post offices.
If we want to support communities, local economies and have accessible services as it seems clear that people do post offices can play a key role.
However, for this to happen we have to recognise the value of post offices to the countrys social and economic infrastructure. This means using the network and the leadership required needs to come from Government.
It to highlight all of these issues that led us to protest at the Department of Social Protection. We hope that the next Government will listen to what half a million signatories, voters and postmasters have said.
For more information see www.communityandpostoffice.ie
Ned OHara is General Secretary of the Irish Postmasters Union.
GOD be with the days when all an Independent TD had to worry about was a list of goodies in order to secure their vote. These days the poor crayters are buckling under the weight of the expectation of a nation.
So it seemed yesterday ahead of the latest farcical vote to elect a leader of the country. While Enda Kenny and Micheal Martin were the two candidates, the real power resided with the 15 independents who have been shuttling between talks and broadcast studios for weeks now.
From early on, the independents were on the airwaves wrestling fiercely with their consciences. In the case of the Healy-Raes, there was two voices for one conscience, but dont rule out a split there yet. Theres a long road to run.
Martin had put it up to the Independents with the ultimatum that this would be the last chance they will ever get to vote for him as Taoiseach. How could anybody with a pulse pass up on such an offer?
The Indos were in a tizzy. Now they knew how it felt to carry a nation on ones shoulders. Now they could feel Bonos pain. It was as if he was there with them, guiding them towards their destiny with three chords and the truth.
As the clock ticked towards a reconvening of the Dail, there was only one thing for it. A meeting. So it came to pass that just as the country sat down to either eat dinner or grab lunch, the Rural Five broke bread with the Independent Alliance.
They emerged sometime later with a document that bore the signature of 14 Independents, good and true. The sight of scribbled signatures at the bottom of the page brought to mind another great document, the Anglo Irish Treaty, which also bore the name of a Michael Collins from West Cork.
Independent Michael Lowry pictured at Leinster House ahead of the Dail vote for taoiseach.
But here were the Independents bookending Civil War politics with their declaration that they intended to remain seated on the fence until the latest vote for Taoiseach had passed.
We are stepping back from the talks on the formation of a new government with both parties until they agree a reciprocal agreement that they will give mutual support to each other, in the event of either party leader becoming Taoiseach in a minority government, the document read. And with that, Micheal Martins hope of pulling down the top job was handed a death warrant.
That momentous decision took any mystery out of the vote to come in the afternoon. With the independents all hanging back, it was inevitable that Kenny would garner more votes for Taoiseach and relegate Martin to a supporting role in the next government.
The usual shenanigans had to be endured once the House opened for business.
Gerry Adams was quick out of the blocks, pleading that those who want to be nominated [for taoiseach] go off and discuss policy matters which have not been discussed. He suggested that the election of a taoiseach be put off until the two lands sorted themselves out.
That was the first of three occasions in which Adams rose to speak before the vote itself. He is quite obviously agitated that he will not be assuming the role of Leader of the Opposition, as would be his expectation if Micheal and Enda had come together to govern.
The nomination itself ran along the same lines as last weeks farrago. Fine Gaels Noel Rock proposed, and used the occasion to blow kisses at the Independents, lauding them for their selfless duty to the flag.
On the other side, Lisa Chambers gave a comparatively lengthy speech, informing the rapt audience that Micheal is still making every effort to form a Fianna Fail minority government. Straight faces were maintained for that excursion into fantasy and one wondered were the newest TDs handed the silliest lines to parrot for the occasion.
It was two hours before the whole matter was down and dusted. Kennys nomination went down in flames by a vote of 52-77, Martin by 43-91.
Afterwards the slow train got back on track. As far as Fianna Fail was concerned, the talks had arrived at a point where policy had to be discussed.
That could only occur once it was clear which party was going to govern and which was going to oppose, or at least sort-of oppose.
The numbers had dictated that it was unlikely that Martin would overtake Kenny in a vote, but the Fianna Fail leader wanted that confirmed. So he put it up to the independents vote for the man who lost the election (Enda) or vote for the man who thinks he won the election (his good self).
That was all yesterday was about. Now they can return to the talks about talks and keep talking until they talk their way past the talks about talks all the way into simply talks.
Following the vote, Kenny rose to tell the House that it was incumbent on all involved to intensify efforts to form a government.
I hope everybody who has accepted the responsibility about doing something about this will face up to the responsibility.
Martin responded, saying there was much progress but more to do.
If you want to find a way to make the new situation work then we continue to be willing and flexible, he said.
They dont have much time. The Dail reconvenes next Wednesday. If Kenny is not elected Taoiseach on that day, the chances of another election go through the roof.
Between now and then, the talkers will have to sort out the major policy issues and agree to a framework in which Martins party will not bring down the government. In this process, time is finally the enemy.
The Labour leader who voted Out in the 1975 referendum and has expressed Eurosceptic views over subsequent decades has been accused of making only a lukewarm contribution to the Remain argument so far.
However, he said it was clear that his party was overwhelmingly convinced that being part of the EU was in the best interests of the country on issues such as workers rights and the environment.
There remained serious shortcomings that needed to be addressed by Brussels, such as the proposed trade deal with the US which gave huge cause for concern about the potential for privatisation of public services, he warned.
All of these issues could be better dealt with, however, by remaining in the EU warts and all rather than by pulling out and leaving the country at the mercy of the Conservatives, he argued.
We have had a very big debate within the party and within the trade unions, he said.
Overwhelmingly, the Labour Party and the trade unions have come to the view that they want to campaign for a social, just Europe to protect the workers rights that weve got, to extend them and extend that degree of justice.
That is the position we have reached. That is the position that has been adopted by the party. That is the party that I lead and that is the position I am putting forward.
There is nothing half-hearted about what we are doing, there is nothing half-hearted about our campaign, there is nothing half-hearted about our alliances.
I have attended a number of meetings of the Party of European Socialists, I have had lengthy conversations with prime ministers and party leaders all across Europe on the social justice case, the environmental case, the issues of climate change, trade, and steel and all those issues. I have made numerous speeches on all these subjects. There is nothing half-hearted about what we are doing.
Mr Corbyn said he did not believe too many EU nationals had come to live and work in Britain and said higher wages, not curbs on free movement, were the key to immigration questions.
I dont think too many have come. I think the issue has to be of wages and regulations, he said.
Asked whether British prime minister David Cameron welcomed Mr Corbyns intervention, the Tory leaders official spokeswoman said: What we are increasingly seeing as we get closer to the vote on June 23 is a number of people from different backgrounds coming out and setting out why it is in the interests of the UK to remain in the European Union.
The prime minister thinks it is important people hear those arguments, because we will be stronger, safer and better off if Britain remains in the EU.
He kept them in his apartment, in the Molenbeek area of Brussels, German newspapers have reported.
Juelich is near the Belgian border and atomic waste is stored there. The centre said in a statement there was no indication of any danger and that it was in contact with security authorities and nuclear supervisors.
The law on retaining and sharing passenger name records had been stalled for years because of opposition within the European Parliament to the blanket collection of such data.
Islamist militant attacks in Paris last year and in Brussels last month spurred France and other governments to call for the swift adoption of passenger name records laws to improve security against terrorism.
The girl disappeared from Primark in Northumberland St on Wednesday at around 5pm.
Northumbria Police said the teenagers and the girl were complete strangers.
The girls disappearance sparked a city-wide search after officers found she had left the store with the two older girls, leaving her mother incredibly distressed.
Police trawled through CCTV from Newcastle City Council, shops, Newcastle University, bus companies, the Metro and their own cameras in search of the child.
She was eventually found nearly three miles (4.8km) away and over an hour later in Gosforth, north Newcastle, by a police officer.
The alleged kidnappers, aged 13 and 14, were arrested on suspicion of child abduction and taken in for questioning.
A force spokesman said yesterday they were still in custody. He would not comment on any apparent motive.
Chief Inspector Dave Gould said: Thankfully the child was quickly located by officers and then reunited with her mother. This has been an incredibly distressing time for the girls family and specialist officers are working with and supporting the family.
We mobilised all available local police resources to make sure the girl was found as quickly as possible and also included assistance from the public, and many of our partner agencies including Newcastle local authority and university as well as staff from retail premises, bus companies, train station, and Metro system.
I would like to thank all of those involved for their help in finding this little girl and helping reunite her with her mother. Our inquiries will now continue to establish the circumstances of what happened and speaking to the two teenage girls in custody regarding the incident.
A spokeswoman for Primark said they are co-operating with the police on the investigation.
Mr Sanders campaign said his rally in Manhattans Washington Square Park brought out 27,000 people, one of the largest gatherings in support of the 74-year-old democratic socialist, who has galvanized Democrats and independents alike with his calls for reforms to corporate America and remedies for income inequality.
When I look at an unbelievable crowd like this I believe were going to win here in New York, Mr Sanders declared in front of the iconic Washington Square Arch in the citys Greenwich Village neighbourhood.
Ms Clinton attracted a smaller but still enthusiastic crowd of 1,300 people at a Bronx community centre, where she made no mention of Mr Sanders but focused instead on Republican rivals Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.
Mr Trump wants to set Americans against each other, she said. He wants us to build walls. I want us to build bridges.
Referencing Mr Cruzs earlier criticism of New York values, Ms Clinton said: I think New York values are at the core of American values.
Mr Sanders did not return the favour, mentioning Ms Clinton by name throughout his speech. He noted that she had the support of super PACs and had voted in favour of the Iraq War, drawing boos from the crowd.
A beautiful sea of blue! #BrooklynDebate pic.twitter.com/Wp1R2kgB3r Hillary for New York (@HillaryForNY) April 14, 2016
Foreshadowing a likely issue in last nights debate, Mr Sanders urged Ms Clinton to back an expansion of social security benefits, a major cause among liberals.
I am still waiting for her response, Mr Sanders said.
The rallies set the stage for a high-stakes Brooklyn debate last night and capped a day in which both candidates courted organised labour. Mr Sanders picked up support from the local transit workers union and walked a picket line with striking Verizon workers a small army of backers who could pass out leaflets in subways in the days ahead.
Ms Clinton also walked a picket line in solidarity with the Verizon workers and addressed the National Action Network, led by the Rev Al Sharpton, giving her a visible platform for the citys black community. There, she stressed her differences with Mr Sanders on gun laws, calling gun violence a national emergency.
New York City offers by far the largest bloc of votes in next Tuesdays primary, and campaign officials estimate it could account for about 70% of the state vote. In 2008, when Ms Clinton duelled with then-Illinois Senator Barack Obama in the states primary, more than half of the vote came from the citys five boroughs.
Polls have shown Ms Clinton with a lead against Mr Sanders, putting pressure on him to overcome the former secretary of states edge. Ms Clinton holds a lead of about 250 pledged delegates in the chase for the nomination, an advantage Mr Sanders is trying to chip away in upcoming primaries in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and beyond.
Mr Sanders sought to lower expectations, saying this is a tough race for us given Ms Clintons tenure representing New York in the Senate. He also noted that the primary does not allow independents to participate or feature same-day registration. However, he added defiantly: I think weve got a surprise for the establishment.
As Ms Clinton dug into campaigning in her adopted home state, Mr Sanders prepared to fly to Rome for a 10-minute speaking slot today at a Vatican conference on social and economic trends. He was expected to head overseas after the pair finished their debate last night.
His comments in Rome would dovetail with his campaign push for economic equality.
What Im planning to say is that it is not acceptable from a moral perspective, from an economic perspective or from an environmental perspective, that so few have so much and that greed is running as rampant as it is throughout the entire planet, said Mr Sanders.
The 5 Essential Traits of Digital Innovators
The PC market has been slowing down for years. Updated numbers are in from Gartner and IDC and they are not good.
Gartner found that PC shipments totaled 64.8 million, which was a steep 9.6 percent decline from the first quarter of last year. IDC brought more of the same type of news: It found that PC shipments sunk 11.5 percent compared to the year-ago quarter.
The news is not a one-time thing. The InformationWeek story on the results said that the quarter represented the sixth straight in which things went south. Gartners numbers also represented a milestone: It was the first time since 2007 that the firm estimated sales of less than 65 million units.
Mozilla Browsing for New Browser
Computerworld reports that Mozilla is working on its next-generation Firefox browser. The thinking now is that what comes next will be quite different from the current version.
The article cites something Mark Mayo, the head of the companys cloud services engineer team, said in an article he wrote for Medium: that things change and the old processes may no longer work. The bottom line is that Tofino, the name the research is going under, may replace the technology Firefox now uses.
Next MoCA Standard Released
The Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) has released the next version of its standard, MoCA 2.5. MoCA is a standard for carriage of data over coaxial cable. The new version, according to TechHive, runs at a maximum of 2.5 Gigabits per second (Gbps). This more than doubles the previous version, MoCA 2.0, which runs at 1 Gbps.
MoCA 2.5 also adds push-button setup protocol, improved security, and features aimed at allowing MoCA to work efficiently with earlier MoCA versions.
AT&T Makes Better Labor News than Verizon
AT&T is faring better than Verizon, whose employees continue to be on strike. AT&T, according to WirelessWeek, has struck a deal with the Communications Workers of America (CAA) covering 9,400 employees who work on mobility technology in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Texas.
The deal was reached on Feb. 28 and will be retroactive to the previous day. The announcement of the voting results was made this week.
IBM Watson, University of Illinois Launching Research Center
IBM Watson, the distributed natural speech processing platform, makes announcements on a regular basis. That likely will keep going, judging from the latest piece of news: Big Blue and the University of Illinois are launching a research center that is aimed at helping a machine do something extremely close to real thinking.
The Center for Cognitive Computing Systems Research (C3SR) will be in the schools College of Engineering, according to ZDNet. The goal is to make the system truly cognitive:
Set to open this summer, C3SR will work to build integrated cognitive computing systems modeled on IBMs Watson technology. The systems will ingest reams of data pertaining to college curriculum, including videos, lecture notes, homework, and textbooks. After reasoning through the vast datasets, the systems will eventually attempt to pass a college level exam.
IBMs OpenPower technology will be used. Any hardware designs and cognitive algorithms that are created will be released to the open source community.
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.
Microsoft is suing the US Government to protect its users privacy. This high-profile suit puts it in the drivers seat as the plaintiff not the defendant as was the case with FBI and Apple.
It has sued the US government, arguing that secret warrants to search people's email violate constitutional rights of Americans. Note that this lawsuit can only be served in America due to its constitutional rights system.
Microsoft says its customers have a right to know when the government obtains a warrant to read their emails, and because Microsoft must have a right to tell them according to the federal court filing in Seattle.
The lawsuit states that a requirement to keep silent on warrants for data - based on a presumption that tipping people off might hamper investigations - violates constitutional protection of free speech and safeguards against unreasonable searches.
In the past 18 months, federal courts have issued nearly 2,600 secrecy orders gagging Microsoft from saying anything about warrants and other legal actions targeting customers data, according to the filing.
"We believe that with rare exceptions consumers and businesses have a right to know when the government accesses their emails or records," Microsoft chief legal officer Brad Smith said in a blog post. It warrants a thorough read.
"Yet it's becoming routine for the US government to issue orders that require email providers to keep these types of legal demands secret. We believe that this goes too far, and we are asking the courts to address the situation. Internet giants have complained that these types of secret search warrants erode trust in US technology companies while trampling on the rights of citizens and businesses, he said.
The situation has become more urgent as computing and data storage services shift from software packages loaded onto individual computers to servers running in the Internet cloud.
"Today, individuals increasingly keep their emails and documents on remote servers in data centres - in short, in the cloud. But the transition to the cloud does not alter people's expectations of privacy and should not alter the fundamental constitutional requirement that the government must - with few exceptions - give notice when it searches and seizes private information or communications, he said.
Microsoft's legal challenge follows a high-stakes battle over FBI demands for access to an iPhone used by a gunman in a December 2 rampage that left 14 dead in San Bernardino, California.
The government wanted Apple to create a new tool to bypass the smartphone's security systems, but the company refused. Although that showdown ended with investigators saying they had extracted the data from the iPhone on their own, the Justice Department reignited the battle last week in a separate case involving someone accused of trafficking in methamphetamines.
Apple argued that the government is overstepping its authority and is intent on establishing a troubling legal precedent, contending that lawmakers should decide the degree to which third parties can be compelled to work for the government.
The sale of 47.7% of its shares in Autohome will leave Telstra retaining just a 6.5% stake in the business.
The sell-down of most of its stake in Autohome doesnt seem, however, to have dimmed the big telcos interest in the Asia market, with CEO Andy Penn saying that the region remains one of the key elements of Telstras growth strategy.
Telstra bought its 55% stake in Autohome in 2008 and according to Telstras announcement late on Friday, the sale price of US$29.55 per share reflects a premium of 12.7% to Autohomes volume weighted average price over the past 60 days.
But, chief executive Andy Penn says it is now the right time to realise significant value for Telstra shareholders from the sale, referencing the telcos role in Autoholmes rapid growth since 2008.Autohome has played an important role in building our presence in the Chinese technology sector and we look forward to working with Ping An and Autohome management as a minority investor in the next stage of the companys evolution.As one of the largest financial services companies in Asia with a nationwide presence and customer base in China, Ping An will be a strong partner for Autohome.For the next phase of the companys development, as Autohome moves away from being purely online to operating an offline sales platform in China, it will benefit from a strategic investor in Ping An which has expertise in car insurance and financing.The sale transaction for approximately A$2.1 billion is expected to be completed in the second half of FY16, with the final amount subject to a number of adjustments, including foreign exchange rates and the value of Telstras retained stake in Autohome. Completion is also subject to any required Chinese regulatory approvals and Autohome Board approval.Penn said Autohome had been an excellent investment for Telstra and demonstrates the opportunities that exist in the Asia-Pacific region.We continue to grow our enterprise services businesses in the region with strong consolidation opportunities in our Pacnet business, joint venture in Indonesia and the exploration of future growth opportunities.In terms of proceeds from the sale, we remain committed to our capital management strategy. We will take a balanced approach in considering the use of these funds, which includes potential capital management options.
Microsoft today asked a federal court to invalidate part of a 1986 law that it alleged has been abused by the government when authorities demand the company hand over customers' data, including documents, emails and other information stored in the cloud.
In a lawsuit targeting the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Microsoft asked for a judgment that would declare unconstitutional a section of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), a 30-year-old law that government agencies increasingly cite when forcing email, Internet and cloud storage service providers to hand over data to aid criminal investigations.
Microsoft didn't object to the ECPA as a whole, but to what it said had become the routine issuing of gag orders alongside the demands for data.
"We believe that with rare exceptions consumers and businesses have a right to know when the government accesses their emails or records," said Brad Smith, Microsoft's chief legal officer, in a long post to a company blog Thursday. "Yet it's becoming routine for the U.S. government to issue orders that require email providers to keep these types of legal demands secret."
"This is a very aggressive move on Microsoft's part," said Michael Carroll, a professor of law and director of the Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property at the American University Washington College of Law, in Washington, D.C. "They're essentially saying, 'I want to violate the gag orders, but I don't want to be sued for doing that.' So they're disputing the constitutionality of the gag orders."
Microsoft ticked off statistics to make its point that secrecy had become habitual: In the last 18 months, the Redmond, Wash. company received 5,624 federal demands for customer information or data. Of those, 2,576, or 48%, were tagged with secrecy orders that prevented Microsoft from telling customers that it had been compelled to hand over their information. About 68% of the gag orders -- 1,752 to be exact -- had no end date. "This means that we effectively are prohibited forever from telling our customers that the government has obtained their data," Smith said.
In the complaint filed with a Seattle federal court, Microsoft said that was unacceptable.
"There may be exceptional circumstances when the government's interest in investigating criminal conduct justifies an order temporarily barring a provider from notifying a customer that the government has obtained the customer's private communications and data," the complaint read. "But Section 2705(b) [of the ECPA] sweeps too broadly."
Microsoft asked the court to strike the section on the grounds that it violates both the First and Fourth Amendments to the Constitution.
"I think this is a smart strategy," Chris Calabrese, vice president of policy at the Center for Democracy and Technology, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group, said of Microsoft's lawsuit. "This is important for the courts, and judges, to work out because in a lot of ways, what we need is some clarification on the secrecy [aspects of the orders]."
Calling the ECPA "antiquated," Microsoft hammered on the impact of data demands and gag orders on cloud-based services, the fastest-growing part of its business.
"The government ... has exploited the transition to cloud computing as a means of expanding its power to conduct secret investigations," Microsoft's lawyers asserted. "As individuals and business have moved their most sensitive information to the cloud, the government has increasingly adopted the tactic of obtaining the private digital documents of cloud customers not from the customers themselves, but through legal process directed at online cloud providers like Microsoft."
"Microsoft was like the frog in boiling water," said Jim Dempsey, executive director of the Berkeley Center for Law & Technology at the University of California Berkeley School of Law. "[The gag orders] just got to be too routine. They saw it in individual cases, then in dozens, then hundreds, then thousands. They reached a breaking point, much like Apple did with unlocking orders."
In effect, what Microsoft said in its complaint is that the law has been grossly misused by the government, either through policy or practice. "Microsoft is arguing that this is a systemic problem, and gotten to the point where gag orders are issued on a blanket basis. It's interesting that they've taken the declaratory route, which is almost like a class action. This is a systemic problem [Microsoft argued], and it deserves a systemic solution," Dempsey said.
DOJ spokeswoman Emily Pierce declined to comment on the Microsoft complaint, saying, "We are reviewing the filing."
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Everybody needs the appropriate amount of time to rest. In today's working industry, people have become more conscious about their health - especially, when it comes to sleep. Which is why companies like Google, Zappos, Ben & Jerry's, and The Huffington Post have nap rooms in their office sites. These are just some of the companies that recognize that a handful of sleep can mean a boost in productivity. According to The Huffington Post, stress and being overworked are noticed. Which is why these companies and more have been devoting their time and effort to make sure their workers get their much needed rest and work-life balance, as told by the New York Times.
Organizations like McKinsey's have been investing and encouraging health and wellness programs in companies. The organization focused on ways to improve employee's sleeping such as installing nap rooms for a quick power nap.
But the notion of this kind of program is still new to the working world. "We still view sleep as something that interferes with work," said Els van der Helm, a sleep specialist at McKinsey who co-authored the report. Nap rooms, for example, "aren't always used very much, or there's still a taboo in using them," she told The Huffington Post.
The Huffington Post article emphasizes on how companies can begin promoting wellness. It goes on to say that it should start from the top. Experts say that the focus on sleep should start from senior leadership, like Apple and Netflix executives did. The importance of work-life balance is crucial for workers as it also translates to support for employees.
"CEOs and top execs have to set an example and not send emails at 3 in the morning," describes Josh Bersin, a talent researcher. "If you don't have rules around this, it's just insane."
BlackRock announced on Thursday that it will cut 400 jobs and will undertake a
$76 million restructuring charge after the company posted a 20 percent loss in first-quarter profit in the face of a dramatic setback in financial markets.
The company's investment performance faltered and its net inflows last quarter, even if they are still in the tens of billions of dollars, dropped in reaction to the U.S. market's difficult start to the year.
"We did have a tough quarter," Larry Fink, Chief Executive Officer of BlackRock told Reuters. "The entire industry had a tough quarter in active management and we were no different," he added.
At the start of 2016, U.S. stocks, energy and corporate bonds all dropped sharply and were only able to regain their footing in February.
Fink also said that the restructuring that BlackRock will undertake will enable the company to concentrate more on other growth areas, including sustainable investment.
As the world's largest asset manager announced its lower first-quarter earnings, it has taken charge of $76 million to "simplify" its operations which means job cuts as well. The CEO also said that the company will also be hiring personnel for its exchange-traded funds and alternate business which includes investments in technology and hedge funds.
Fink warned in a comprehensive interview that the U.S. is coming into "an uncertain earnings environment."
Investors took the company's disappointing investment performance in stride. They initially sold shares and then bidding them up by 1.7 percent to $354.32 by midafternoon.
The earnings shortfall was attributed by Fink to lower fees collected on what is called "active" investments, which include several mutual funds and hedge funds wherewith managers assess financial markets and companies, making bets as to how they will perform in the future.
"The biggest challenge for them currently is the continuing effort to revamp and improve their actively managed strategies," said Daniel Culloton, a Morningstar analyst.
Delta Air Lines announced on Thursday that demand for U.S. travel remains steady and domestic fares are beginning to increase for the first time in a year, relieving the concerns of investors and boosting airlines stocks on the same day.
Shares of the airline company rose 1 percent, while American Airlines Group Inc and United Continental Holdings Inc also climbed up, at 3 percent and 2 percent respectively.
Delta said that the airlines' financial measure - revenue divided by all the planes seats and the total miles flown by them - will stop dropping this year. That means the previous month-long decline that airlines are currently experiencing will stop.
This is due to strong bookings and the easing of currency pressures regarding international flights. In areas where the demand is weak, the airline company said it will cut its service, if needed.
It appears that Delta Air Lines efforts in revenue recovery are paying off. A January 2016 report indicated that of the three largest air carriers in the United States, Delta is the most pro-active in terms of achieving targeted capacity cuts to support its revenue recovery.
Unit revenues in American Airlines, United Continental and Delta Air lines declined in 2015 due to the combination of shrinking fuel surcharges on certain international routes, a strong dollar, and the increasing low-cost competition in the United States.
The airline company is hoping that the situation will change for the better. Glen Hauenstein, Delta's incoming president advised in a conference call on Thursday that the turnaround in passenger unit revenue will be a couple of months later in 2016 than previously forecasted.
And Wall Street also thinks the same way.
A recent survey conducted by Hunter Keay, a Wolfe Research analyst shows that one third of airline investors surveyed believed that Delta would not be able to hit its revenue goal this year.
WASHINGTON There is a consensus that aggression by one nation against another is a serious matter, but there is no comparable consensus about what constitutes aggression. Waging aggressive war was one charge against Nazi leaders at the 1946 Nuremberg war crimes trials, but 70 years later it is unclear that aggression, properly understood, must involve war, as commonly understood. Or that war, in todays context of novel destructive capabilities, must involve the use of armed force, which the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court says is constitutive of an act of aggression.
Cyberskills can serve espionage the surreptitious acquisition of information which is older than nations and not an act of war. Relatively elementary cyberattacks against an enemys command-and-control capabilities during war was a facet of U.S. efforts in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, in the Balkans in 1999 and against insurgents hacking their emails during the surge in Iraq. In 2007, Israels cyberwarfare unit disrupted Syrian radar as Israeli jets destroyed an unfinished nuclear reactor in Syria. But how should we categorize cyberskills employed not to acquire information, and not to supplement military force, but to damage another nations physical infrastructure?
In World War II, the United States and its allies sent fleets of bombers over Germany to destroy important elements of its physical infrastructure steel mills, ball bearing plants, etc. Bombers were, however, unnecessary when the United States and Israel wanted to destroy some centrifuges crucial to Irans nuclear weapons program. They used the Stuxnet computer worm to accelerate or slow processes at Irans Natanz uranium-enrichment facility, damaging or even fragmenting centrifuges necessary for producing weapons-grade material. According to Slate magazine columnist Fred Kaplan, by early 2010, approximately 2,000 of 8,700 were damaged beyond repair, and even after the Iranians later learned what was happening, another 1,000 of the then-remaining 5,000 were taken out of commission.
For fascinating details on the episodes mentioned above, and to understand how deeply we have drifted into legally and politically uncharted waters, read Kaplans new book, Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War. Three of its lessons are that cyberwar resembles war, much of it is very secret and everything essential to the functioning of modern society is vulnerable.
The things controlled by or through computers include not just military assets (command-and-control systems, the guidance mechanisms of smart munitions, etc.) but also hospitals, electric power grids, water works, the valves of dams and the financial transactions of banks. And, Kaplan notes, unlike nuclear weapons or the ballistic missiles to deliver them, cyberweapons do not require large-scale industrial projects or concentrations of scientists with scarce skills. All that is needed to paralyze a complex society and panic its population is a roomful of computers and a small corps of people trained to use them.
Clearly the United States needs a cyberdeterrent capacity the ability to do unto adversaries anything they might try to do unto us. One problem, however, is that it can be difficult to prove the source of a cyberattack, such as that which Vladimir Putin did not acknowledge launching, but almost certainly did launch, in 2007 to punish Estonia for annoying Russia.
To appreciate how computer keystrokes can do damage comparable to a sustained air campaign using high explosives, consider what happened in 1995 in the private sector. Barings, founded in 1762, was Britains oldest merchant bank, having weathered the Napoleonic wars and two world wars, and its clients included Queen Elizabeth. One of its young traders, Nick Leeson, in the banks Singapore office, was so skillful at navigating the derivatives markets that at one point he produced 10 percent of the banks profits. Inadequately supervised, he created a secret Barings account from which he made risky bets, including a huge one on Japans stock market rising. He did not, however, anticipate the Kobe earthquake. Japans stock market plunged, causing enormous losses in Leesons account that Barings could not cover. The bank quickly collapsed and was bought by a Dutch company for one British pound.
If one rogue traders recklessness, motivated by mere avarice, can quietly and quickly annihilate a venerable institution, imagine what havoc can be wrought by battalions of militarized cyberwarriors implacably implementing a nations destructive agenda. It is long past time for urgent public discussion of the many new meanings that can be given to Shakespeares Cry Havoc! and let slip the dogs of war.
North Carolina is finding its way home through a rebound of the downtowns in which many of us were raised. Theyre cozy and cool, reconnecting us with the old-school chords of community. And theyre good for business.
We write a lot in this space about Winston-Salems downtown revitalization. But its worth noting that many other downtowns are springing back as well. Our legislature should do all it can to encourage this, including the full restoration of all state historic preservation tax credits.
The latest downtown rebound in area news is Mocksville, the Davie County seat. People are coming to shop, eat and hang out.
At night, there is often nowhere to park in downtown, which is unheard of, Marjorie Foster, one of the owners of Fosters Jewelers, recently told Lisa ODonnell for Journal West.
Fosters is a downtown bedrock, dating to the time when Harry Truman was president and people poured into the towns department stores and five-and-dimes. But a few decades ago, Walmart built a store on U.S. 601, and bit by bit, commerce and customers followed, leaving downtown in the doldrums, ODonnell reported.
Just as in so many towns nationwide, the big chill set in. Just as other towns, Mocksville lost a bit of its community feel.
Now, just in time for spring and with summer on the way, that big chill is finally thawing.
Entrepreneurs, riding on Davies economic comeback, are refurbishing old buildings. One of those, New Jersey transplant Dan Reynolds, renovated a vacant store and started OCallahans, an Irish pub with an ambitious menu that included shepherds pie, bangers and mash and imported beer, Journal West reported. He added a back porch for live music and organized such events as a St. Patricks Day celebration that drew hundreds of revelers. In the process, OCallahans created a buzz, and prospective business owners took note. In April, The Factory coffeehouse will open at 128 N. Main St. at the former site of Scarletts Unique Boutique, which sells homemade gifts and is moving about 50 yards away to 185 N. Main St., a downtown landmark that once housed a gas station.
The rebound also includes Honor Darling, a clothing boutique, and Restaurant 101, right beside OCallahans. And theres Four Oaks, a tavern thats also being transformed into an events center.
The town provides support with facade grants, festivals and parades. Its also working on a master plan for down- town development.
Clifton Lawson, a local graphic designer who is one of the owners of The Factory, lived for a while in Franklin, Tenn., a burg with a thriving downtown. Thats the way things are going with our downtown area, and I want to be a part of it, he told Journal West.
Hes not alone. Bring on the fun, downtown Mocksville. We look forward to reading similar success stories from across the state. Its time we all came home to our downtowns.
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A proposed $55 million 27-story apartment tower for Milwaukee's east side has been rejected by the Common Council.
The council on Tuesday voted 10-5 to support the project, falling two votes short of the supermajority needed for approval. The zoning change needed 12 votes because a protest petition was signed by enough adjacent property owners, said Ald. Ashanti Hamilton, council president.
The opponents were Ald. Robert Bauman, whose district includes the site, along with aldermen Cavalier Johnson, Mark Borkowski, Jose Perez and Tony Zielinski.
The exterior of the Hotel Metro on the corner of Milwaukee and Mason St. Credit: Journal Sentinel files
MKE Diner News and notes on the restaurant scene from dining critic Carol Deptolla SHARE
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The rumors that have been swirling for months are true: French restaurant Pastiche Bistro in Bay View is moving into the Hotel Metro downtown.
For Pastiche founder Michael Engel, it's a little like coming full circle. He was the chef at Hotel Metro's restaurant when it opened in 1998 and was there until 2000.
"I love that place," he said. "It's so much a part of who I am."
Engel said in December that the Bay View restaurant would move downtown. He did not reveal a location at the time and declined to confirm in January that the location would be Hotel Metro.
Pastiche will remain open until the end of August at the Bay View location, 3001 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Engel said the hotel restaurant will continue to operate with its current menus until then.
Starting Sept. 1, the restaurant will become Pastiche at the Metro, and the menu will switch to Pastiche's traditional menu, Engel said.
Rachael Karr, his business partner in Pastiche since December, will be the head chef at Metro. She began working for Engel nine years ago.
"She finishes my thoughts; she does what I do," Engel said.
The dining room will be redecorated, he said, and the kitchen also will be updated. He's hoping the restaurant will be restored to resemble its appearance in 1998.
Pastiche not only will operate the restaurant, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner to serve hotel guests, but also prepare the food for weddings and other banquets and for Zen on Seven, the rooftop deck and event space.
Karr said the plan for the menu at Metro, 411 E. Mason St., is be more like a Parisian bistro's similar to the current menu but revised a bit for downtown, she said.
In February, Pastiche opened a second location in Brown Deer, in what had been the River Lane Inn.
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Prominent politicians are being asked all the time to pose for selfies with adoring supporters, especially in Vegas.
Most of the time, such pictures are politically harmless. But you have to be careful.
Last weekend, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson learned this lesson when he agreed to pose for a quick photo with politician and businessman Wayne Allyn Root
Root is a self-described "conservative media dynamo" and "capitalist evangelist." He is also a regular crackpot, having peddled suggestions that President Barack Obama is a "mentally ill psychopath" sent to America "to destroy the country" and that U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts was blackmailed into supporting Obamacare.
On Sunday, Root posted a picture on Twitter of him hanging out with Wisconsin's first-term Republican senator at the Republican Jewish Coalition.
"Good man!" Root wrote on his tweet.
Spent time with U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin at Republican Jewish Coalition event in Vegas today. Good man! pic.twitter.com/2iDUo70t0b Wayne Allyn Root (@WayneRoot) April 10, 2016
The grip-and-grin post prompted Wisconsin Democrats to start spinning tales about possible connections between Johnson and Root.
"It's no surprise that Sen. Johnson decided to spend his weekend in Las Vegas hobnobbing with huge political donors and conspiracy theorists," said Brandon Weathersby, spokesman for the Dems.
But there's no conspiracy here.
Reached in Nevada, Root said he and Johnson had never met before this weekend, when they had little more than a quick exchange.
"He doesn't know me from Adam," said Root, a big supporter of GOP frontrunner Donald Trump. Root said Johnson appeared as though he had no idea who Root was.
Root said he likes to take pictures of himself posing with prominent Republicans, including nearly all of the GOP presidential candidates over the past 20 years. He did acknowledge, however, that he failed to get a snapshot of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker during his short-lived presidential campaign last year.
As for his chat with Johnson, Root said the state's senior senator told him that he plans to support the GOP presidential nominee. Johnson didn't disclose how he voted in the state's April primary.
What Root said he doesn't understand, he said, was why anyone would consider the Nevada businessman -- who was the Libertarian vice presidential candidate in 2008 -- to be "radioactive."
Could it be that Root once called Obama an "arrogant, egomaniacal sociopath"? Or that he suggested that the president has the "mindset of a mentally ill psychopath despot of a third world nation"? Or that the president is a "real, live Manchurian candidate"?
Or that he believes the president was sent to the U.S. by unknown forces -- perhaps communists or the Bilderberg Group -- "to destroy this country"? Or that the "socialist cabal" in the Obama administration is blackmailing key Republicans in the House and Senate and members of the U.S. Supreme Court?
Root didn't shy from any of it, especially the idea that Obama has mental issues.
"There's something wrong with the man," Root said. "Either you agree that the president is mentally unstable or he's a bad guy."
There you go.
As for Wisconsin Republicans, they responded to Root's tweet by pointing to a year-old Twitter post in which Democratic challenger Russ Feingold posed with a former staffer, Michael Wilder, who resigned eight months later from Sen. Chris Larson's campaign for Milwaukee County exec.
When he stepped down, Wilder was under investigation for his relationship with an local teen. Milwaukee County prosecutors eventually dropped the case.
Good to see former staffer, Mike Wilder at Mr. Perkins in Milwaukee this afternoon. #Russ4WI pic.twitter.com/lLNJFYVeFP Russ Feingold (@russfeingold) May 15, 2015
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Frontier Airlines on Friday began new nonstop service from Milwaukee to Atlanta, as part of an expansion for the airline in 42 markets throughout the United States.
The airline also began nonstop service between Milwaukee and Dallas this week. It plans to add service between Milwaukee and Philadelphia this year.
Frontier announced the new Milwaukee service in January.
The new service comes amid an overall trend of increasing passenger numbers at Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport this year.
Frontier's nonstop service between Mitchell and Dallas will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, while the Milwaukee-to-Atlanta service will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
The airline will be competing with Southwest and Delta on the Milwaukee-Atlanta route.
On the Milwaukee-Dallas route, Frontier will compete with American to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Southwest, which flies to Dallas Love Field.
The additional competition on the routes will almost certainly usher in a period of lower airfares on the routes as American, Southwest and Delta move to match Frontier's fares, airline industry watchers have said.
Privately held Frontier has been shifting to an ultra-low-cost carrier model that offers low base fares but adds fees for many services.
Commenting about the airline's expansion of services Friday, Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele encouraged area residents to take advantage of the flights to and from the hometown airport.
"The best way to recruit more service to Milwaukee is to support our local airport," Abele said. "Starting your trip from MKE sends a clear message to airlines that we have the demand to support even more service. This is important because each large aircraft flight generates $19 million in annual economic benefit to the Milwaukee region."
The airline is also reportedly considering an initial public offering of stock.
Frontier, owned by Phoenix-based private equity firm Indigo Partners, is working with Barclays Plc, Deutsche Bank AG and JPMorgan Chase & Co. on the IPO, Bloomberg News reported in March, citing anonymous sources. Citigroup Inc. also will reportedly be working on the IPO. The carrier began talks with banks in December about going public.
Denver-based Frontier announced in June that it will almost double the size of its fleet over the next five years to 101 aircraft from 56.
Frontier controls 6.16% of the market at Mitchell.
Together, Southwest and Delta control about 75% of the market share in Milwaukee. Southwest is the overall market share leader with just under half the market at Mitchell.
Frontier, as it stands today, is far different from the airline that served Milwaukee as the successor to Midwest Airlines, which was based in Oak Creek and for years was the dominant carrier at Mitchell. Midwest was purchased in 2009 by Republic Airways Holdings Inc., which also bought Frontier and combined the two carriers under the Frontier name.
Frontier's operations in Milwaukee were greatly scaled back in 2011 and 2012. In 2013, Frontier was sold to airline executive William Franke and his Indigo Partners firm. Franke is a pioneer of the low-fare, high-fee model that is being used across the airline industry.
James Ridge portrays the title figure in Richard III during American Players Theatres 2012 production in Spring Green. Dale Gutzman calls Richards demise one of the grandest deaths in Shakespeare. Credit: Carissa Dixon
SHARE As Hamlet, Matt Schwader had a few words for poor Yorick in American Players Theatres 2013 production. Carissa Dixon Deborah Staples plays the famous death of Cleopatra in an Illinois Shakespeare production. Illinois Shakespeare Festival
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Shakespeare really knew how to hurt a guy or gal.
Stab him, a la Mercutio and Tybalt. Stab him with a poisoned blade, like Hamlet and Laertes. Stab him through a curtain: poor Polonius.
He smothered Desdemona. Hung Cordelia. Fed Portia hot coals. Introduced Cleopatra to an asp.
Let's not even talk about what happened to those two guys in "Titus Andronicus." The Bard still has flour on his hands from that.
On April 23, the theater world marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, celebrating the leading playwright in the English language. An unending stream of productions, books and scholarship attest to his genius.
But as we celebrate his greatness at dramatizing the many facets of human life, let's not forget how well, and how often, Shakespeare depicted the end of lives.
"Death is a major part of everything that Shakespeare ever wrote," said Dale Gutzman, who has directed dozens of Shakespeare productions.
As Bill Bryson notes in his Eminent Lives biography of the master, deaths outnumbered births each year in London during Shakespeare's lifetime (it was migration that swelled the city's population).
"For Shakespeare, death often meant finding a kind of...authenticity in what we've gone through," Gutzman said.
A character's death may be tragic, it may be horrible, but if that character dies facing his fate directly, that would be a good death, Gutzman said. He cited the words of Macbeth before his final battle: "At least we'll die with harness on our back."
Hmm, that kind of warrior talk sounds a lot like "today is a good day to die." It's no wonder that Chancellor Gorkon, in "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," declared that "you've not experienced Shakespeare until you have read him in the original Klingon."
Some have to die
Just counting the deceased in Shakespeare can make a knave weak. In May, the cheeky Spymonkey troupe in England will begin performing a show called "The Complete Deaths," packing 74 deaths from 37 Shakespeare plays into an evening of theater.
Still, death simply happens to characters, while others face their demise consciously, or even choose it. In "Romeo and Juliet," Tybalt is killed unexpectedly. The actor needs to perform as if he were going to live forever, said director Leda Hoffmann. But because Romeo and Juliet choose to die, that requires different internal preparation, she pointed out.
Drawing on the thinking of theater artist-theorist Konstantin Stanislavsky and playwright Anton Chekhov, Hoffmann works with actors to discern their characters' motivation. In this way of working, she said, if a character has a goal and that goal is accomplished or forever unable to be accomplished, then the character must die or at least cease to exist in the play.
Romeo's objective, she said, is to find true love. Believing that his true love is dead, and that no possibility of true love exists anywhere else in the world, he has to die.
In addition to accessing a character's emotion and motivations, actors and directors think in detail about what the audience will see and hear.
In staging a death scene, theater and opera director Paula Suozzi considers how much a character has to talk, where and what kind of injuries she has sustained, and the likely response of characters around the dying person.
"Before modern medicine, the superstition around death was quite intense," she said.
She appreciates the expertise of fight choreographers, who can explain specifically what kind of death would flow from an injury.
Actors portraying a dying character need to play the action without pitying themselves.
Then the audience responds with sympathy, she said.
Theater may be make-believe, but that doesn't mean it's not dangerous.
"I think about safety and how we can effectively and safely get actors into a position (to die) without putting anyone in physical risk," said fight choreographer Andrew Joseph Perez, who acted in Next Act Theatre's recent production of "Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992."
Next to safety, Perez emphasizes effectively selling the scene and the play.
He began working on stage combat in high school, when he took fencing lessons before auditioning to play Inigo Montoya in a production of "The Princess Bride." He was given a different role, but the director also asked Perez to help choreograph the fighting.
That combination of safety and stage realism can take some pains to achieve, as Perez discovered when a director asked him to stage a "Lear" fight scene between Regan and Goneril, with one woman breaking a wineglass and shoving the broken shards down the other's throat. Even using sugar glass (breakaway fake bottles), that would be unsafe, not to mention prohibitively expensive, he said. (He worked out a combination of strangling and poisoning that seemed to make everyone happy.)
Dying for fun and profit
For an actor, playing dead can be fun.
"Show me a death scene I didn't like," said Deborah Staples, whose Shakespearean deaths include Cleopatra, Gertrude, Desdemona, Regan and Goneril. She's preparing to play one of the Bard's greatest terminations this summer, when she will portray Hamlet at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival.
Sometimes, Staples noted in a follow-up email, everything comes together perfectly, as it did one night when she played Emilia in Mark Clements' production of "Othello" at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. She "timed the gel cap of blood in my mouth perfectly with saliva and words, so that the blood spurt out of my mouth and dripped down my face on the last word I spoke."
Staples has found being dead onstage restful and regenerating: "It brings an incredible closure to the experience, and you are forced then to methodically make your body rest because you don't want to be heaving."
Perez, whose deaths as an actor have included Romeo, approaches dying onstage the same way he approaches fight choreography. He considers the physics of it: How would a body move after being hit that way? In one of his Romeos, on a huge stage set, he had to fall down stairs and land in a good position while ensuring the knife was accessible to Juliet.
Beyond that, he tries to be real in the moment.
"I have yet to encounter a death where there wasn't some element of surprise (for the dying person)," he said.
In 2014, Gutzman and fellow sexagenarian Marilyn White played the leads in an unusual production of "Romeo and Juliet" set among retired actors in a nursing home. He found playing the dying Romeo at his age "probably the most transformative experience...as an actor in my life....My whole life was kind of relived many times during the rehearsals of that show."
No discussion of death in Shakespeare would be complete without a grim nod at the gory "Titus Andronicus," whose 14 terminations include beheadings, hangings and two guys baked into a pie, then fed to their mother.
That sounds icky today, but Gutzman notes that revenge tragedies were popular in Shakespeare's day, and "Titus" was considered one of his greatest hits when he was alive.
Looking past its cruelty, Gutzman sees the seeds of "Lear," "Hamlet" and other plays in it. And for those who find its scenes of cutting off hands and cutting out tongues preposterous, Gutzman points to what Boko Haram terrorists are doing in Africa.
Shakespeare's best deaths
In Gutzman's mind, Richard III has one of the grandest deaths in Shakespeare: surrounded by the enemy, standing everybody off. Macbeth, too, fully faces his fate. The audience rises to those moments "that transcend our mundane lives and make somebody a superhero, even if they're a supervillain," he said.
Suozzi relishes the Hal-Hotspur fight in "Henry IV Part I," in which Hal kills his familiar foe, then praises the dead Hotspur's nobility of spirit. "That's a particularly poignant one. It comes after a good swordfight I'm a sucker for a good swordfight," she said.
Hoffmann ponders the mystery of the Fool in "King Lear," who disappears after Act 3. "He doesn't die on stage, maybe he doesn't even die," she said. She saw a Royal Shakespeare Company production, drawing from a cryptic line in the text, that hanged the Fool at intermission. In her staging at Alchemist Theatre, Hoffmann had David Flores, as the Fool, fall asleep onstage and never wake up.
Shakespeare's tragedies suggest how well he understood "all that lives must die," as Gertrude says early in "Hamlet."
But he also knew the value of a timely resurrection. As Hermione in "The Winter's Tale" at American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Staples played the statue of a wronged woman who miraculously returns to life.
"Pure magic," she wrote.
Jocelyn Ridgely portrays a woman who becomes a moral force in The Plough and the Stars. Credit: Pear Photography
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One hundred years ago this month, the brutally suppressed Easter Rising became the opening salvo in the fight for a free Ireland. Right on cue, Milwaukee Irish Arts is among the theaters including Dublin's Abbey Theatre marking the anniversary with productions of Sean O'Casey's "The Plough and the Stars."
It's the right choice, but not an obvious one: "Plough" doesn't commemorate but castigate, taking on Irish mythology about revolutionary martyrs and focusing instead on the everyday poor who were less interested in making history than surviving it.
When it opened at the Abbey in 1926, surviving relatives of those revolutionary dead walked out. A group of armed republicans tried kidnapping an actor to stop the play; a riot ensued. O'Casey openly wondered in the press whether the increasingly conservative Irish Republic was "determined to make of Ireland the terrible place of a land fit only for heroes to live in."
Set in one of the Irish slums that took a pounding from British guns during the Rising, the first two of the four acts of "Plough" presented under Bo Johnson's direction over 140 minutes, with one intermission and Irish folk music during set changes play as comedy.
Blustering men like Peter (Robert W.C. Kennedy), the Marx-infatuated Covey (Eamonn DeCogain), Fluther (Dylan Bolin) and Jack (David Rothrock) argue about politics and play at revolution, much like the students before taking to the barricades in "Les Miz."
Excepting the colorful Kennedy a stage veteran adept at accommodating his performance to the cavernous onetime church that Irish Arts calls home this workmanlike quartet doesn't achieve the textured individuality O'Casey allows them.
Which is OK, because in this as in so much of O'Casey's work, it's the women who are strongest and most compelling, as they struggle to preserve what little they have while history comes calling, stealing their men and destroying their lives.
O'Casey's sisterhood ranges from little Mollser (Rose Callahan) a consumptive child asking whether any of the rebels have "a titther o' sense" all the way to Bessie, a drunken curmudgeon who, in Jocelyn Ridgely's expert hands, credibly morphs from a caricature into a moral force.
Before getting there, she'll repeatedly tangle with Mrs. Gogan (a fun, broadly comic Linnea Koeppel) until the two realize that they're more alike than different, right down to the taunts they both hurl at rebels in love with themselves and their own rhetoric.
We get a variation on this theme in a fine performance from Liz Shipe as Rosie, a prostitute who decries the rebels' vaunted freedom as less worthy than a lottery win. Witnessing the losses endured by these women including Jack's wife, Nora (Maggie McGwin) one can see her point.
IF YOU GO
"The Plough and the Stars" continues through Monday at the Irish Cultural & Heritage Center, 2133 W. Wisconsin Ave. For info, visit milirisharts.wordpress.com/. Read more about this production atTapMilwaukee.com.
TAKEAWAYS
What Are We Fighting For? (Part I): In a long, excellent essay on the Easter Rising in the March 31 issue of the London Review of Books, Irish writer Colm Toibin quotes historian David Fitzpatrick, who suggests that the rebels deliberately seized the particular Dublin buildings they occupied because those buildings were near densely populated slums like the one presented in O'Casey's play. Doing so ensured that British reprisals would be especially bloody and thereby potentially provoke greater outrage. So much for all that rhetoric about fighting for the Irish people.
What Are We Fighting For? (Part II): O'Casey takes his deadliest aim at all this hot air in Act II, as a silhouetted figure intermittently proclaims from the speeches given during the Rising by one of its soon-to-be-executed leaders, Patrick Pearse. Befitting this figure's shadowy presence on stage, those speeches are filled with empty cant about dying for Ireland; meanwhile, the flesh-and-blood figure of Rosie stands before us, very much alive as she complains to a bartender (Nate Press) that business is down because the men are "all thinkin' of higher things than a girl's garthers." It's Rosie, here, who wins our sympathy and respect; O'Casey ensures we're suspicious of any would-be saint and the purpose of any would-be revolution humorlessly and self-righteously denying the pleasures of the here and now.
Jack and Nora: O'Casey most fully illustrates the tension between everyday life and abstract ideals through the marriage of Rothrock's Jack and McGwin's Nora, whose loving relationship literally gets interrupted by history's knock, when one of Jack's comrades (Kevin Callahan) comes to the door.
As he's done many times on stage, Rothrock embodies a naturally passive character who must half convince himself to take on an official persona that his best, more private self rejects; here, it's clear he'd rather stay with Nora even as he nevertheless plays his expected role on the world's stage. Feeling abandoned, Nora falls apart, morphing from sassy and coquettish to a woman out of her mind. It's a dauntingly challenging transition for any actor as is the huge tonal shift from comedy to tragedy that takes places as this play hurtles toward its conclusion.
McGwin fares better during the early scenes' comedy, but it's one of her lines from the second half of the show that most sticks with me. Responding to Jack's rhetorical question about whether she wants him to be untrue to his comrades, Nora responds, "I'm your dearest comrade." Rothrock makes clear that Jack knows Nora is right. Then he walks out the door, leaving her behind.
Mother Courage: Brecht's great "Mother Courage" still hadn't been written when "Plough" debuted, but it's the play that was most on my mind while watching some of the scenes in "Plough" that set Irish audiences on edge in 1926.
Rosie's focus on making a living rather than winning a revolution or a delicious scene in which Bessie and Mrs. Gogan use the uprising as an invitation to do some looting skips the men's starry rhetoric for the earthy world of the plough, in which what matters most is how and whether the tumult in the streets affects one's material well-being and whether one is doing the little things more likely to yield a bountiful future.
The Covey may go on longest about Marx and materialism, but it's the women who best practice what he preaches, focusing on grabbing hold of the material goods they need to survive and making common cause in the process.
Who are the real cynics, here? The women in this play trying to feed and clothe themselves and their loved ones? Or would-be revolutionaries launching an uprising that was premature and poorly planned, invoking abstractions like "the people" without fully thinking through the cost to actual persons?
Acting Irish International Theatre Festival: Can't see "Plough" during this short run? Never fear: Late May brings a reprieve in the form of a reprise, when this same production opens the five-day Acting Irish International Theatre Festival, during which nine theater companies from Canada, Ireland and the United States will perform Irish plays at Next Act Theatre (including a performance of O'Casey's "Shadow of a Gunman," which joins "Plough" and "Juno and the Paycock" to form his Dublin trilogy). For festival schedule info, visit milirisharts.wordpress.com/aiitf-2016/. For tickets, visit nextact.org/rental-events/aiitf-2016/.
By ,
London calling.
If you read that phrase and thought of high tea, royalty and Big Ben, skip to my next recommendation. If you hummed the opening lines of a Clash song, read on for I've the perfect book for you Elizabeth Hand's"Hard Light" (Minotaur). Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll drive Hand's latest novel, a crime story seeped in regret and obsession, and tinted with scenes of dark brilliance.
Cass Neary is a photographer. Tall, blonde, always broke, usually drunk, she's been an "accessory to more than one murder."
She's off the grid and off the beaten path. She's the "last punk standing."
A "teenage refugee who jump started the punk scene" in New York in the late '70s where she and her Konica camera had 15 minutes of fame. She's Patti Smith or better yet she's "Gloria" (only taller).
In "Hard Light," she flees Reykjavik, Iceland, for London to rendezvous with Quinn, the love of her life, and a man who makes her feel "off-balance from a toxic cocktail of impossible yearning, lust, and apprehension."
While waiting for Quinn, Cass crashes a London gangster's party (as in the Krays not N.W.A.) where she recognizes a William Mortensen print on the wall. Ansel Adams once called Mortensen the "the anti-Christ" because of the way he manipulated eroticism and perception in his images.
Cass calls him "the patron saint of Photoshop and Instagram" even though she doesn't own a cellphone.
Like the earlier books in this series (although this one can be read as a stand-alone), Hand's plot shifts to unexpected places and eccentric people. In this case a Marianne Faithfull character, the black market for stolen antiquities, an Interpol investigation and murder.
I loved everything about this book, especially the history of punk music and new wave photography the author shot through the narrative as well as working into the back stories of her characters.
Like Tamsin Gregollan, a "statuesque red-head," who claims she was "deflowered by Salvador Dali," that she punched "Eric Clapton for being mean to Patti Boyd," and met her husband at Cotchford Farm just days before "Brian Jones drowned in the swimming pool there."
Since I did my due diligence to discover who's real and who's fictional in this novel it's a heady mix I might as well share that this same farm in the English countryside was also where A.A. Milne created Winnie the Pooh. Seriously. Reading this novel was like listening to Lou Reed, The Ramones and Blondie... on vinyl. It's close to pitch-perfect.
The other book that sang out to me this month, was Lyndsay Faye's"Jane Steele" (Putnam), a smart satirical gothic romance that plays as much to Charlotte Bronte's fans as Edgar Allan Poe's. Set in 19th-century England, the main character, Jane Steele, has lived "a life of infamy" and in these pages she has penned her autobiography, inspired to do so while reading "Jane Eyre."
Jane Steele is the other Jane's twisted doppelganger, a whiskey-drinking woman who takes pleasure in murdering those who have tortured her and denied her rights to a hearth and home.
Is Jane Steele the rightful heir to a fortune?
Is she the lady of the manor?
To say more, would be a sin of extraordinary proportions. Instead let me humbly share that there's no madwoman in this mansion's attic, but there's more than enough crazy to go around, including dark deeds in the cellar. Jane Steele falls in love with Mr. Thornfield and "wrestles" with how to "force it to flourish," using "tactics that would have positively curled Miss Eyre's hair."
Flushed with humour and humors, this novel is a hoot. I laughed not only at Jane's audacity as a character "No weeping," she reminds herself during a crisis, "thinking is better than weeping" but also the author's accomplishments skillfully mashing up a modern serial killer novel with a 19th-century novel of manners. The notion of such a thing isn't making you lightheaded, is it?
"Bugger swooning," Jane Steele would say.
Carole E. Barrowman is a professor of English at Alverno College and co-author of three "Hollow Earth" novels, including the recently published "The Book of Beasts."
CONVERSATION WITH CAROLE
Carole E. Barrowman will lead a conversation with novelist Jessica Knoll ("Luckiest Girl Alive") at 7 p.m. April 19 at Boswell Book Company, 2559 N. Downer Ave.
Sturgill Simpson, pictured here at the Eaux Claires music festival in Eau Claire County last summer, released a new album Friday, A Sailors Guide to Earth. Credit: Jeffrey Phelps
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Frightened Rabbit
Painting of a Panic Attack
Atlantic Records
The magnetic quality of Scott Hutchison's voice is not how its burr marks him (and, by association, the rest of his band) as Scottish. Instead, the magnetism emanates from his rasp and quaver, which generate an uneasiness that splashes the stain of reality onto the careful artistry of his band's music.
For its fifth long-player, Frightened Rabbit travels to Brooklyn to get recorded by another indie-rock artisan, the National's Aaron Dessner. He twiddles with and tweaks these songs, gently, until "Woke Up Hurting" could be a Thompson Twins dance-floor hangover and "An Otherwise Disappointing Life" rewires R.E.M.'s midtempo material into a mellower yearning.
Hutchison's response to the alterations is often self-lacerating and honest poetry, such as the semi-martial depression of "Blood Under the Bridge" and the folk elegy of "Die Like a Rich Boy." Yet he and Frightened Rabbit also respond with hope and scaled-back Coldplay uplift, the brighter and lovelier colors brushed over this canvas.
Frightened Rabbit performs April 28 at the Pabst Theater, 144 E. Wells St.
Jon M. Gilbertson, Special to the Journal Sentinel
Sturgill Simpson
A Sailor's Guide to Earth
Atlantic Records
After plumbing the depths of classic Nashville sounds on his first album, "High Top Mountain," and exploring his own psyche on 2014's "Metamodern Sounds in Country Music," Sturgill Simpson was hailed by critics as a savior of country music.
As the Kentucky native releases his third album, "A Sailor's Guide to Earth," it turns out the scope of those plaudits was way too narrow. The stunning, personal disc is framed as a cohesive dispatch from a sailor to his family back home. In actuality, it's an introspective missive from the artist to his first son, who arrived just as the cries of stardom were pulling him farther onto the road.
The vibrant album features varied sonic landscapes that bound from rich symphonic strings to classic horn-driven soul. Simpson explores hard-won life wisdom with his son, from the existential love-filled lullaby of "Breakers" to the world exploration of "Brace for Impact (Live a Little)."
Along the way, Simpson gains broad new perspective of his own. In his pangs of uncertainty, tears over the inevitability of life's changes and overriding belief in the power of love which will be felt palpably by any parent experiencing this powerful album Simpson draws on music to help save us all.
Sturgill Simpson performs June 4 at the Riverside Theater, 116 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Erik Ernst,Special to the Journal Sentinel
Black Mountain
IV
Jagjaguwar Records
The music of the 1970s seems to be a bottomless fountain of inspiration for homage, parody, deconstruction and, in the case of rock band Black Mountain, a special cosmic feeling. On its fourth non-soundtrack album, the Canadian five-piece sounds higher on that feeling than it could ever get on the favorite drugs of that particular decade.
Still, the longer tracks such as the bookending "Mothers of the Sun" and "Space to Bakersfield," each running eight to nine minutes live in a cloud of marijuana dynamics, and fascinate via slow-motion shifts rather than face-melting jams. One of those tracks, "(Over and Over) The Chain," takes three minutes just to blink itself fully awake.
Individual elements shove against overarching somnolence: Jeremy Schmidt's keyboards, which never merely ape their Floyd-to-Bowie precedents, and especially Amber Webber's voice, more womanly will than feminine wiles. Whenever the cosmic feeling starts to wane, Black Mountain's individual elements usually clarify its collective third eye.
Black Mountain performs May 10 at Cactus Club, 2496 S. Wentworth Ave.
Jon M. Gilbertson
Elephant Revival
Petals
Itz Evolving Records
There is a calm that permeates the track list of Colorado-based Elephant Revival's fourth album, "Petals." Don't let the acoustic tranquility be mistaken for simplicity, though.
The quintet softly layers a syncopated bounce of picked and bowed strings that build to the bellow of rich cellos along the sweet lilt of Bonnie Paine's voice in the jazzy swing of the opening "Hello You Who." The title track hums and jumps in a playful chorus, while "Raindrops" replicates a serene atmosphere that beckons for the listener to contemplate and reflect as the sonic swirl flows across an ethereal path. In "Home in Your Heart," the group finds a groove in bluegrass and folk influences paired with the warmth of the people closest to us.
It's a rich, welcoming place to be, and one Elephant Revival has carefully crafted with deceptive ease.
Elephant Revival performs May 11 at Turner Hall Ballroom, 1040 N. 4th St.
Erik Ernst
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Waukesha A 23-year-old woman found drugged and nearly naked in a Brookfield motel last fall told police she had been forced into prostitution by two men she met while staying at a Waukesha shelter.
Juan A. Williams Jr., 30, of Waukesha and Rodney D. Cleary, 26, of Milwaukee are charged with human trafficking, a felony punishable by up to 25 years of prison and supervision.
According to the criminal complaint:
Police found the woman at a Motel 6 on Oct. 31. The complaint doesn't indicate why officers entered the room where they found the woman, shaken and terrified, with a naked man.
She told police she had been drugged and sexually assaulted in the room, and she feared she would be seen by other men she knew were at the motel. She explained she expected to be photographed and have her pictures posted on a website frequently used by pimps to promote prostitution.
She was taken to a hospital where Williams' DNA was collected from her body.
The victim told police she met Williams and Cleary in August, through another resident of the Women's Center in downtown Waukesha. She said they offered to help her get back on her feet with money and a place to stay.
Over the next two months, she told police, she had prostitution dates with about 30 men at a variety of locations around Waukesha, including the parking lots of the city library, the Hope Center and a Dollar Store.
She said Williams and Cleary kept all the money and controlled her by physical violence and drugs.
Investigators found that ads featuring seminude photos of the woman had been posted on the prostitution website by someone using the email address rodneycleary14@gmail.com.
Steve Hiniker, executive director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, at a news conference Friday said an expanded freeway wont solve rush-hour congestion. Credit: Michael Sears
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Activists representing 25 local and statewide organizations delivered 3,400 petition signatures to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Friday, calling for the agency to scrap plans to expand the I-94 east-west freeway between 16th and 70th streets in Milwaukee.
Instead, the Coalition for More Responsible Transportation is urging the agency to repair the six-lane highway and use savings to improve transit service and repair local roads.
"We don't want the highway, we don't need it and we definitely can't afford it," said Elizabeth Ward, conservation programs coordinator with the Sierra Club-John Muir Chapter.
Near the Marquette Interchange, the activists made their case against the freeway expansion on the last day of public comments on the project's final environmental impact statement.
Under the preferred option, the highway would be expanded from six to eight lanes at an estimated cost of $850 million. The project would also eliminate closely spaced interchanges and left-side exit and entrance ramps. Construction could begin in 2019.
"It's clear that the efficiency and safety in that area is in need of being upgraded," said Michael Pyritz, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
Steve Hiniker, executive director of Madison-based 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, a land-use organization, said an expanded freeway won't solve rush-hour congestion.
"We know this from other projects across the state and the country," he said. "We know that every time a highway is expanded, traffic simply fills in and makes it congested again. Why? Because cities attract traffic."
Lester Williams of Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope said: "We need more jobs, more help in our community, as opposed to a freeway, a road."
Dennis Grzezinski, an attorney for Midwest Environmental Advocates, said the added lanes will cause safety issues and aren't needed.
Under the expansion plan, for the short stretch west of the Stadium Interchange, the department has proposed converting the outside shoulder to a fourth lane in each direction. Through an area bordered by four cemeteries, lane widths would narrow to 11 feet, rather than the standard 12 feet.
"They really need to go back to the drawing board," Grzezinski said.
Grzezinski said the agency rejected the coalition's proposal to repair six lanes and dramatically expand transit north and south of the freeway. He said billions of dollars are being spent on expanding the interstate system in the region while "the support for transit has been fading away," harming those without cars or driver's licenses.
"This is a matter of not just this disparity but it's a matter of racial, social and economic segregation and discrimination," he said. "Overwhelmingly, who are the folks who don't have cars, don't have licenses, don't have the choice to get in their car and drive on the multibillion dollar freeways? It's people of color, minorities and the disabled. There are civil rights problems with what the agencies are doing and they are not facing up to it."
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IRS must change
I found Catherine Rampell's column of April 12 about the Internal Revenue Service almost completely wrong ("Abolishing IRS rewards tax cheats," Opinions, April 12).
She says the remedy to the IRS mess is to give the bureaucrats more money, not abolish it. Actually, she is misrepresenting the case for abolishing an out of control, undemocratic agency. We do need a tax collecting agency, but it has got to change. She is right about one thing: the tax code is a mess. But throwing more money at the bureaucrats is not going to solve that issue.
Rampell is right about another thing: there is "lingering rage over the IRS's 2013 scandal, when it improperly targeted for review conservative group applying for federal tax exempt status." Improperly? More like criminally. And partisan. It is the blatant, pervasive and protracted partisanship on the part of the leftist Democrat bureaucrats that is contributing to the call for abolition of the IRS. These rogue liberal bureaucrats dominate the culture in the federal and state bureaucracies and are a serious threat to the constitutional well-being of our country.
Of course, not all government employees abuse their power. But, it does not take a lot of bad apples to wreak havoc on this country's social and political climate. The conservative groups are still waiting for equal treatment under the law. The guilty parties are still on the job: not one has been fired.
If the IRS would spend more time answering their mail and less time waging war on those they deem politically incorrect, it might not have suffered budget cuts.
Maybe abolishing the IRS is not such a bad idea. But a better solution would be to reform the civil service so that unelected, overly protected bureaucrats are held strictly accountable for their illegal activities. They must not abuse their power. They must treat all citizens equally and honestly in strict accordance with the law, regardless of politics.
Leon Cline
Greenfield
Who pays taxes
Stockholm syndrome is the emotional attachment of a hostage to his or her captor. A corollary posits that hostages will turn on each other before they turn on their captor. Blogger Jay Miller and Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell illustrate the latter proposition ("Simplify nation's tax laws" and "Abolishing IRS rewards tax cheats," Editorial, April 12).
Miller, who chides "wealthy individuals setting up trusts...to escape the reach of the IRS" uncritically cites the claim of prominent politicos that "companies are exploiting loopholes in the tax laws at the expense of ordinary citizens."
Rampell vilifies "megacorporations that can afford armies of accountants and tax attorneys to grind down what they owe Uncle Sam" making "life more painful for law-abiding taxpayers."
Miller and Rampell invoke the ever-popular shifting-the-burden argument to pit taxpayer against taxpayer, ignoring the inconvenient fact that, according to the IRS Statistics of Income program, the top half of taxpayers pay more than 97% of all income taxes collected. They also give a pass to the millions of "ordinary citizens" whose specific aim is to minimize their personal tax burden through mortgages, IRAs, 401(k)s, annuities, etc., thus shifting that burden to others.
Corporations and the affluent are fun and easy targets for pundits. We shan't hold our breath awaiting Miller's and Rampell's mass indictments of the bottom half of taxpayers who pay little or no tax at all.
David H. Doro
New Berlin
Larson was essentially right
Sometimes, PolitiFact struggles with matters of degree. The April 11 evaluation of a claim by state Sen. Chris Larson is a good example ("Larson's vote spending claim misfires.)"
Larson said that in the recent campaign for county executive, Chris Abele spent $42 for each vote he got, while Larson himself only spent $2. In other words, Abele spent 21 times as much per vote.
PolitiFact rates this as False. It has arrived at $26 and $1.70 per vote, respectively, for Abele and Larson. Using these amounts then, Abele spent 15 times as much per vote.
Yes, 15 times as much is not 21 times as much, but does that really push Larson's statement all the way to False? His point was that he was far outspent, and the numbers bear him out.
This seems like a case of Mostly True.
Howard Hoffman
Milwaukee
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Madison A Dane County judge issued a decision Friday blocking Wisconsin officials from enforcing a law barring labor contracts that require workers to pay union fees.
The order by Dane County Circuit Judge C. William Foust comes a week after he ruled the measure, known by advocates as a right-to-work law, violated the state constitution.
GOP Attorney General Brad Schimel has promised to appeal, but he couldn't do that until Foust entered Friday's order.
Schimel had said he wanted Foust to put his ruling on hold while he pursues an appeal. Foust didn't do that, but wrote in Friday's ruling he would hear Schimel out on that point when he files a motion for a stay.
But Foust also made clear he believes the unions are being deprived of an important right under the new labor law, known as 2015 Act 1.
"The right of the union to be paid for the work it performs is not trivial," Foust wrote. "Act 1 makes it a crime for the union to require someone to pay for the services he or she receives from the union. Enjoining the attorney general and the state from pursuing criminal prosecutions is appropriate relief."
In a statement, Schimel said he would ask Foust on Monday to stay his ruling while he pursues an appeal.
"I am confident the law ultimately will be upheld and Wisconsin will remain a right-to-work state," Schimel said in his statement.
The case is ultimately expected to be decided by the state Supreme Court, which is controlled 5-2 by conservatives.
Fred Perillo, a lawyer for the unions challenging the law, praised Friday's order as a well-reasoned decision that champions the idea that the government can't take property without compensation.
"It is the type of decision that should appeal to conservatives on the court," he said.
Wisconsin is one of 26 states with right-to-work laws, which bar businesses and unions from signing labor deals that require workers to pay union fees. The laws in all the other states have withstood legal challenges.
Supporters of the law say people shouldn't have to pay fees if they choose not to join a union. Unions are required to represent all employees in a work unit, and they say they should be able to collect fees from everyone who benefits from the higher wages and job protections they provide.
Gov. Scott Walker and his fellow Republicans in the Legislature approved the law last year. The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, Machinists Local Lodge 1061 and United Steelworkers District 2 sued soon afterward.
Foust's ruling last week concluded the law violates the state constitution's prohibition on taking property without fair compensation. That's because the law interferes with the unions' ability to generate revenue from all the workers it protects, Foust found.
In 2014, the Little Plover River a Class 1 trout stream near Stevens Point fell below minimum water levels set by the Department of Natural Resources. Irrigation in the region is one reason flows dry up in the summer. Credit: Jim Gifford
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A long-awaited study that examines how irrigation is affecting the closely watched Little Plover River in central Wisconsin could help prevent the river from running dry again.
The results of the state-funded research also may provide clues on how large-scale groundwater withdrawals are affecting streams, rivers and lakes elsewhere, according to scientists.
Groundwater issues have become increasingly contentious in Wisconsin, especially in the 1.75 million-acre Central Sands region home to a large potato and vegetable growing industry. The region relies on more than 3,000 high-capacity wells to grow crops.
The Little Plover, a Class 1 trout stream, flows for about 6 miles near Stevens Point before it enters the Wisconsin River. But more than its reputation for fishing, the river is infamously known for stretches that run dry, as they did in 2005 and 2009.
The culprit?
For years, scientists have said irrigation of potato and vegetable crops has had a major effect on the river. Wisconsin is the No. 3 producer of potatoes in the country, and much of the crop is centered around Stevens Point.
But agricultural interests have long insisted that other factors are often overlooked, such as climatic factors such as drought and growing urbanization where roads, parking lots, homes and businesses keep rain from soaking into the ground.
Industry official Tamas Houlihan emphasized that the Little Plover looks healthy today.
"I just walked it," said Houlihan, executive director of the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association. "It hasn't gone dry since 2009."
But officials said water flows frequently fall below the minimum levels set by the Department of Natural Resources. For example, last summer the river was below acceptable levels about 50% of the time.
By tapping independent experts who consulted with environmental groups and the potato and vegetable industry, DNR officials hoped the $230,000 study would move the debate beyond years of finger-pointing.
"We thought the study would be a tool that would help advance the discussion," said Larry Lynch, a hydrogeologist at the DNR.
"It's easy to point fingers," said Sen. Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point.) "We need to get people to the table to come up with solutions that meets everyone's needs."
Earlier this week, the results of the study by the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey and the U.S. Geological Survey clearly pointed to farming's outsized effect on the Little Plover.
State hydrogeologist Kenneth Bradbury and his federal colleague, Michael Fienen, concluded:
The ecology of the river is closely linked to groundwater, making the Little Plover vulnerable to groundwater pumping.
About 80% of all of the water used in the river basin comes from irrigation.
Not only do wells matter to the health of the river, but their location is critical. For example, removing about 15 wells closest to the river would substantially increase water flow in the Little Plover in an average year.
As the water table drops, the top few feet used by streams and lakes are depleted, but farmers' wells still may have plenty of water.
The results were discussed on Tuesday at a meeting in Stevens Point, drawing an audience of more than 300. The DNR announced plans for the study in January 2014.
For years, advocates of the Little Plover have been demanding the DNR do something about the river, which American Rivers, a conservation group, named one of the nation's 10 most endangered in 2013.
The DNR also has been under growing pressure from environmentalists and property owners in the Central Sands, where residents see a correlation between shrinking lakes and rivers and the number of pumps spraying long arcs of water on the landscape.
"People are really hungry to know what is going on in the ground in the Central Sands," said Denny Caneff, executive director of the River Alliance of Wisconsin.
His group had hoped the DNR would have examined another area other than the Little Plover, which has been studied extensively.
"It's another way of delaying action," Caneff said.
But the DNR's Lynch said the study can be used in places other than the Little Plover.
The underlying technology computer modeling can predict the effect on water resources of streams and lakes when farmers make changes in their irrigation practices, or crop selections. The modeling will be used by growers, environmental groups, consultants and regulators to produce "what-if" scenarios, Lynch said.
"We wanted a tool that can be used in many places in Wisconsin," he said.
Until now, the lion's share of the work on the Little Plover has come from George Kraft, director of the Center for Watershed Science and Education at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
He has investigated groundwater issues for years on the Little Plover and elsewhere in the Central Sands, often angering agriculture with his conclusions that irrigation at current levels is harming water resources.
"I'm feeling a little better," Kraft said, referring to the study's findings. "My reputation has been kicked around a little."
Bradbury said his work "did not refute the work of Dr. Kraft if anything, it built on that work."
Example: Both came up with the same estimate of how much groundwater pumping is taking from the river.
Houlihan, of the potato and vegetable growers, said his group views the modeling as a tool to help farmers manage water resources.
But he said growers are already trying to conserve water by crop selection (snap beans require less than half as much water as potatoes, for example) and using irrigation equipment that is more efficient.
"Absolutely, there is an effect" irrigation has on streams and lakes, he said. "I'm not trying to minimize that there isn't an issue."
But he has criticisms about the study.
One, he said, it hasn't gone through the peer-review process. "It's not appropriate to release information on a study before it's completed," he said. "I wish they would have waited."
(Bradbury said the work has been reviewed and comments are going into the final study. He said he did not expect major changes in the report.)
Two, Houlihan said, the modeling relies too heavily on shutting down wells.
"Once they get results, there will be a push to shut down pumps," he said. "Our growers are afraid of this."
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A case deciding whether lead poisoning victims could sue paint companies was sent to the Court of Appeals after the Wisconsin Supreme Court deadlocked in the decision released Friday.
Justice Rebecca Bradley recused herself from the long-running case early on, and did not participate in the ruling.
Lawyers argued the case to the court earlier this month.
The court in 2005 ruled that victims in such cases could hold various makers of lead paint liable based on their shares of the market at the time, a doctrine called the risk contribution theory.
The Legislature passed a law in 2011 blocking such suits, and in 2013 tried to make it retroactive, which would eliminate the already-filed claims of Yasmine Clark and 171 other plaintiffs who had sued after the 2005 ruling and before the 2011 law.
A Milwaukee circuit judge in 2014 found that Clark had a vested right to her claim, which was legal at the time she filed it in 2006.
The defendant companies, and the state, say the 2005 case was only "speculative," and that Clark never had a "settled expectation" of being allowed to sue under risk contribution theory.
That 2005 case, Thomas vs. Mallett, was written by then-Justice Louis Butler, who was later defeated for re-election, based partly on a backlash by business interests against the ruling. The plaintiff in that case ultimately lost his case when it finally got to a jury.
Under risk contribution theory, a plaintiff doesn't have to prove a particular manufacturer caused the injury, only that a manufacturer made or marketed white lead carbonate pigment at the time a house where the plaintiff lived existed. Then it becomes the company's burden to prove it either didn't, or that its products were not used in the region where the house was located.
Lead carbonate makers say risk contribution theory is arbitrary and irrational because it eliminates the requirement that a plaintiff prove a defendant caused the injury and second, that the theory changes the rule of liability after the conduct at issue.
"The Supreme Court's ruling returns this case to the Court of Appeals, where the issues will be argued and decided," Tony Dias, attorney for Sherwin-Williams, said in a prepared statement. "We look forward to that opportunity. Our position remains the same, that the law should be upheld."
Madeline Kennedy of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report
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Anissa Weier (left) is brought into a Waukesha County courtroom for a bail modification hearing on Friday. The request was denied. Morgan Geyser (right) also attends the hearing. The girls are charged with stabbing a classmate in 2014 to please Slender Man, a fictional character. Credit: Charles Auer
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Waukesha Two girls charged in the Slender Man stabbing case lost motions to reduce their $500,000 bail and live with family under strict monitoring until their trial.
Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren noted the serious penalties the girls face if convicted as adults up to 45 years in prison in suggesting they might still be flight risks if released from jail, despite their ages.
Morgan Geyser, 13, and Anissa Weier, 14, were 12 when they were arrested in May 2014 after their sixth-grade classmate was found at the edge of some woods, bleeding from 19 stab wounds. The girls told police they plotted the attack to please Slender Man, a fictional internet character.
Geyser's lawyers presented several witnesses who testified about the dramatic changes she has undergone since treatment, including medication, of her early onset schizophrenia, and plans for her to live with her grandfather, a retired police chief, in Manitowoc County.
She also would remain under the supervision of social workers monitoring the civil commitment order that sent her to Winnebago Mental Health Institute in December, as well as GPS monitoring, said her attorney, Anthony Cotton.
"Unlike the co-defendant," he said, "Morgan's entry point to this crime was her psychotic condition," which was unidentified and untreated at the time of the attack.
"She's a different person now," Cotton said.
After beginning medication at Winnebago, Geyser stopped hearing voices from Harry Potter characters, and other delusions, and began showing appropriate emotions such as remorse, according to testimony of a social worker and a psychologist. She was even named patient of the month before doctors deemed her stabilized and ready to return to the community.
Bohren acknowledged and lauded the significant progress Geyser had made, but said in the end it was still too risky to have her in the community, since if she went off the medication she could become dangerous.
Weier's attorneys also suggested that electronic monitoring and house arrest would be sufficient protection of the public, while allowing a 14-year-old girl access to the outdoors and her family.
Assistant District Attorney Kevin Osborne noted that both girls did try to flee the area after the original crime, and questioned the ability of Weier's family to monitor her situation, since they didn't notice the months of planning the girls said went into the crime.
Bohren did agree to allow Weier an extra three hours to meet with social workers during trips to Waukesha every other week.
The girls will return to the Washington County Juvenile Detention Center in West Bend.
Their appeals of Bohren's earlier decision not to transfer their cases to juvenile court remain pending.
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Mazin Sahib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) |
Leading Sunni Muslim politicians have opened an office in Washington to represent Sunni interests. Theres talk of an autonomous Sunni region again as a result. But other Sunni MPs say its all nonsense.
In Dhuluiya victims of the IS group demanded that families associated with IS fighters leave the area.
On Iraqi social media, one often sees slogans such as We Want A Sunni region or read about people discussing the Sunni region as if it already exists. Some locals are even saying that the fact that senior Sunni Muslim politicians have opened an office to represent Sunni Muslim interests in Washington is a preparation for the Sunni region-to-be.
And there are other indications that the countrys Sunnis are planning a region of their own. A paper presented by the largest Sunni Islamist political party in the country, the Iraqi Islamic Party, acknowledges the rights of Iraqs Sunnis to form their own region as long as it is all done within the countrys constitutional and legal framework, the paper said.
The partys paper also said that the party supported national reconciliation and reform, as long as there is clear plan for this and that its not subject to too many delays and compromises.
Another signal was given by senior Sunni politicians, Atheel al-Nujaifi, the former governor of the Ninawa province, and Rafi al-Issawi, the countrys former Minister of Finance.
In a statement al-Nujaifi confirmed that the Sunni politicians were setting up a body to represent Iraqs Sunni interests in Washington.
It was created to convey the suffering and oppression of Sunnis in Iraq to the international community, al-Nujaifis statement said, before adding that, contrary to popular rumour, the US has not made military bases in any would-be Sunni Muslim region a condition of their support for any such project.
However despite the grandiose claims, the idea doesnt have any support on the ground, another Sunni politician, Zuhair al-Chalabi, the former head of Mosuls reconstruction committee, told NIQASH.
The land that is being talked about is actually occupied by the Islamic State group right now, al-Chalabi said. Those who are calling for a Sunni region are just being stubborn. This idea is motivated by political interests and its not coming from Sunni leaders who have true popular support.
Although the idea has become more popular since the security crisis sparked by the extremist Islamic State, or IS, group, it isnt practical on either a political or economic level, al-Chalabi added.
Turning the country into regions based on ethnic or sectarian lines will divide the country and put Iraqi identity back thousands of years, argues Hani Ibrahim Ashur, a local political consultant. The politicians think they will be able to expand their interest in the whole region and thats why they like the idea, he says dismissively.
The Iraqiya bloc, which used to be the largest opposition bloc in the country, has always been against the creation of regions like this, says Karima al-Jiwari, an Iraqiya MP.
Anyone who wants to divide Iraq is not an Iraqi, al-Jiwari says. Anyone who promotes the idea of division is being paid to do so. The worst thing is that it is the weakness of the government thats taking Iraq to these lows.
Some morally bankrupt politicians are promoting the idea of creating regions along sectarian lines and this is very dangerous, argues Abbas al-Bayati, a Turkmen MP, who is also a member of the Committee on Foreign Relations in the Iraqi Parliament. Its dangerous because there are different kinds of Iraqis in all the different areas.
Al-Bayati believes the placement of any Sunni Muslim region would also be wrong most people talk about centring it in Mosul without even considering the Anbar province. Additionally if a Sunni region was created, it would just become the next pawn in the Middle Easts wider, ongoing Sunni-versus-Shiite conflict.
Some locals, including al-Bayati, also suspect that the US is keen on the idea of a Sunni Muslim region in Iraq. Local political consultant, Amir al-Saadi, agrees, saying that the US continues to support this project.
However al-Saadi isnt sure its really the best idea. If the Sunni people are to rely on the resources in the region they would have, this would not improve the conditions of their lives. Additionally, looking at the Kurdish experience in Iraq, with the political crises and the economic crisis, and you have the best proof of the difficulty in creating a new region inside Iraq.
Via Niqash.org
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Integrity UK: Iraqi Sunni Endowments Chief praises Anbar peoples resistance against terrorism
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |
The Democratic debate in Brooklyn last night took an unusual turn when a grumpy old Jewish American upbraided a slightly younger Illinois Methodist for not respecting the dignity of the Palestinian people.
BLITZER [Used to work for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee lobby] : . . . Senator, lets talk about the U.S. relationship with Israel. Senator Sanders, you maintained that Israels response in Gaza in 2014 was, quote, disproportionate and led to the unnecessary loss of innocent life. (APPLAUSE) What do you say to those who believe that Israel has a right to defend itself as it sees fit? SANDERS [former kubbutznik, i.e. left wing Zionist annoyed by the rise of the far right wing Likud Party]: Well, as somebody who spent many months of my life when I was a kid in Israel, who has family in Israel, of course Israel has a right not only to defend themselves, but to live in peace and security without fear of terrorist attack. That is not a debate. (APPLAUSE) But but what you just read, yeah, I do believe that. Israel was subjected to terrorist attacks, has every right in the world to destroy terrorism. But we had in the Gaza area not a very large area some 10,000 civilians who were wounded and some 1,500 who were killed. AUDIENCE MEMBER: Free Palestine! SANDERS: Now, if youre asking not just me, but countries all over the world was that a disproportionate attack, the answer is that I believe it was, and let me say something else. (APPLAUSE) (CHEERING) SANDERS: And, let me say something else. As somebody who is 100% pro-Israel, in the long run and this is not going to be easy, God only knows, but in the long run if we are ever going to bring peace to that region which has seen so much hatred and so much war, we are going to have to treat the Palestinian people with respect and dignity. (APPLAUSE) (CHEERING) SANDERS: So what is not to say to say that right now in Gaza, right now in Gaza unemployment is s somewhere around 40%. You got a log of that area continues, it hasnt been built, decimated, houses decimated health care decimated, schools decimated. I believe the United States and the rest of the world have got to work together to help the Palestinian people. That does not make me anti-Israel. That paves the way, I think BLITZER: Thank you, Senator SANDERS: to an approach that works in the Middle East.
The Israeli propaganda line is that the Palestinians are natural, intrinsic terrorists who are always attacking Israelis out of blind hatred for Jews and who casually deploy terrorism on a mass scale and refuse to recognize the inexorability and naturalness of several million European and North African and other Jews living in Palestine.
Perhaps Sen. Sanders would not agree with what I am going to say. But this narrative ignores that in 1800 there were virtually no Jews in Palestine. It ignores that the Jewish settlers in British Mandate Palestine derailed British plans for a Palestinian state by 1949 (as put forward in the 1939 White Paper), in accordance with all the other Class A Mandates established at and after the Versailles Peace Conference that ended World War I. That is, the French Mandate of Syria became Syria and Syrians have Syrian citizenship, the British Mandate of Iraq became Iraq and Iraqis have Iraqi citizenship. Even Class B Mandates became independent countries and their inhabitants became citizens Tanganyika became Tanzania and Zanzibar, Ruanda-Urundi became Rwanda and Burundi. Why did not the Mandate of Palestine result in a state of Palestine in which the Palestinians were citizens?
It was because the Jewish settlers let in by British Mandate authorities over the objections of the native Palestinians (whose families had lived there since time immemorial) who conducted an ethnic cleansing campaign in 1947-1948 and expelled 720,000 Palestinians out of 1.2 million, then declared Israel and locked the refugees out. Many of those refugees were forced to crowd into refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, where they still huddle, penniless and displaced and besieged permanently by the Israelis.
The simple-minded Zionist talking point that the British split their Mandate into Palestine and Jordan, and that Jordan is Palestine, is historically laughable and does not answer the question of why the Palestinians dont have a state of their own and why over 5 million of them are stateless, lacking the rights of citizenship in any state. French Syria was also split into Syria and Lebanon, and everybody got citizenship; this is also true of Ruanda-Urundi, which was split.
Part of what Sen. Sanders likely means by Palestinian dignity is that you cant have dignity as a human being in the modern world if you dont have the right of citizenship in a state. Palestinians are deprived of that dignity. There are likely only about 12 million stateless people in the world, and Palestinians are the largest single such group. Not only do Palestinians not have a state and not only are they therefore left without the basic human rights that come with citizenship, they labor under Israeli military occupation
Israel is actively depriving the Palestinians of the right to be citizens of a state. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu actually ran on this platform in the last election in Israel, and won on it.
Sen. Hillary Clinton [whose campaign in part is being funded by billionaire cartoonist Haim Saban, a virulent opponent of Palestinian rights and investor in squatter settlements in the West Bank] responded that Israel withdrew from Gaza (which it occupied in 1967) in 2005, but then was subjected to thousands of rocket attacks, and had no choice but to attack Gaza.
She also alleged that Hamas uses human shields and that therefore Israelis have no choice but to kill women and children.
Neither of these allegations is true. Even if they were, youre not allowed deliberately to kill women and children and innocent non-combatants in order to get at the enemy.
Israel did not actually withdraw from Gaza. It retains 1/3 of Gaza land as a buffer zone, and routinely shoots Palestinian farmers who own that land and try to farm it. It denies Gaza an airport and a seaport. It even routinely shoots Gaza fishermen. It controls the major checkpoint. It coerces Egypt (with a standing threat of violence) into policing the Rafah checkpoint on the Sinai. It keeps Gaza Palestinians in a large outdoor concentration camp. In a particularly evil and creepy move, the Israeli military even set a calorie limit for Palestinians, including Palestinian children, in Gaza (a limit it has been embarrassed into lifting). Gaza is still occupied, and the UN recognizes Israel as the occupying authority, which lays all the obligations of the Geneva Convention of 1949 on the Israeli state with regard to nurturing the welfare of the people living under its occupation.
Sen. Sanders statistics give a good indication of whether Israel is fulfilling its duties under the Geneva Conventions (Conventions that were intended to forestall any more Axis-like aggression and war crimes).
As for configuring the nearly two million people in Gaza, half of them children, as terrorists, usually this discourse is just a form of racism. And although small chemistry-experiment rockets fired from Gaza (often not by Hamas) occasionally do property damage or inflict human casualties, saying that there are thousands of them gives a propagandistic impression. All but a handful land uselessly in the desert. All life is precious, but in 2005-2008 in the lead-up to the 2008-09 Israeli assault on Gaza, rockets killed 11 Israelis; in the same period, Israel killed 1,250 Palestinians in Gaza, including 222 children.
Oh, and those towns on which the rockets sometimes manage to fall? They are the home towns of the Palestinians displaced to wretched huts in Gaza, to which they could walk home in an hour or a few hours if they were allowed to.
The biggest problem is actually the future of the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Are you going to keep them under Occupation forever? Are you going to push them into the Mediterranean and give Europe millions more refugees?
Notice how @HillaryClinton says Palestinian "autonomy" not independence-she's echoing Bibi Peter Beinart (@PeterBeinart) April 15, 2016
It has been clear for some years that the far-right Likud governments policies are unacceptable to most Americans, including to most Jewish Americans. Our political class and the AIPAC lobbyists have tried to obscure this truth just as they obscure climate change.
In response to Sen. Sanderss comments, Jewish Voice for Peace issued this statement:
Rebecca Vilkomerson, Executive Director of Jewish Voice for Peace: It was heartening to hear the beginning of a much needed conversation about Israels disproportionate use of force against Palestinians in Gaza during the Democratic debate tonight. Today showed that the movement for Palestinian rights is shifting the discourse at the highest political levels. However, there is still a long way to go before we see our political leaders take courageous steps not just to recognize the humanity of Palestinians but to take action to secure their rights.
What Sen. Sanders is saying is that the status quo is not sustainable. Sen. Sanders is right.
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The Young Turks: CNN New York Democratic Debate | The Biggest Loser Was
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by Neda Simaika and Raihan Faroqui | (informed Comment) |
The award-winning author and professor of English at Brooklyn College (CUNY), Moustafa Bayoumi, discusses the fight to protect American values for all people (including Muslim Americans), a healthy dose of imagination, and the Netflix original series, Master of None.
Q. In your recent book, This Muslim American Life, you write, I became a citizen because I believe the fight for preserving the rights of the people of the United States, not only other citizens, is worthwhile. And I can do that more effectively as a citizen of the country where I live. In that fight, lies the defense of American values of tolerance and respect. Hows that fight going?
This Muslim American Life
Its forever an incomplete project. Im certainly not the only one whos involved in this fight, and the battles are there every single day, especially during presidential election years. I think we always have to be clear-eyed about that and know the kind of confrontations that are in front of us.
But at the same time, I feel confident because the battles that many people within Muslim-American communities in this country are waging are oriented precisely around the values that I, and many others, cherish deeplyvalues such as equality and justice for all. Those are the things that were fighting for and well have to keep fighting for.
Q. Its an unlikely pastime for a tenured English professor. Though it does seem the civil rights struggle of Muslim-Americans (and many minorities, for that matter) is the stuff of novels, and your essays do appeal to a human sensibility, rather than a political one. Why should non-Muslims read your books?
One thing that fundamentally interests me is the way that people, and communities, have become political pariahs in this country. In tracing how that happens, we can often uncover how power itself operates in our society. Who has the power to declare a community suspicious? What resources are expended to patrol that suspicion? If its the Muslim-American community or the Arab-American community today, who knows who it will be tomorrow?
Thats one of the reasons why, since 9/11, the Japanese-American community on the West coast has been very active in advocating for Arab-American and Muslim-American rights and issues, because they see some parallels between what happened to them and whats happening to Muslim-American communities in this country. And in that recognition lies something very profound, namely that these fights are not really about our identities but about our collective politics. These are struggles over what kind of society we want to live in. We should all care about the health of our collective society.
Q. What are your thoughts on coalition building? Is yours a call for groups to come together?
Yes, completely! We are living in a time where theres a lot of opportunity for thinking about the relationship between domestic marginalization and international marginalization. This is extremely important. What we need to cultivate is an imagination that exceeds both the boundaries of the nation-state and the limitations of party politics. We need to be able to imagine new kinds of politics.
In recent years, we have seen many iterations of a kind of grassroots organizing that really seeks to connect local and global politics. Whether thats happening in Ferguson, Missouri or on the West Bank, its all extremely interesting and important. And I think these movements also indicate the possibilities of another kind of society slowly emerging, another kind of collective that could not only challenge the status-quo but could rethink what a more just, more equitable planet would actually look like.
Q. Your message can seem uplifting at times. At one point in This Muslim American Life, you express hopes that How Does It Feel to Be a Problem one day becomes a book about history. What will it take to get there?
Despite how it may sound, Im not a believer in the uplifting message. Nor am I really quite an optimist either. Its more that I dont want to be defeated by the pessimism of this age. I dont think pessimism is an option, so I refuse it. Of course, there are countless ways to be beaten down by the political system today, which is as overwhelming as it is powerful.
But there will always be alternatives, and our work is to come up with those alternatives in rich and creative ways. If those alternatives end up sounding optimistic, so be it. The tone is probably a result of me trying to water the imaginations of people who are reading my work, to let them know that other ways of living and thinking and being and cooperating are possible.
Q. Meanwhile, the ascent of Trump and his kind has been unbelievable. Isnt the phenomenon also forcing Muslim Americans to become more politically active to survive, giving youth a chance to reclaim the narrative?
And you accuse me of being an optimist! But I think you are right. We should not be afraid of Trump and what he represents. If we do, well just play right into his (small) hands. Lets look at what faces us squarely, lets mobilize, and lets fight right back. We have to do that for the good of the nation, for the good of where we live.
There are forces in this country that really want to push a clash-of-civilizations narrative. I reject the idea of the clash of civilizations categorically. Its bogus and doesnt exist. But the problem is that if you push the clash-of-civilizations thesis hard, it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. We have a responsibility not to let that happen. So I think there is an opportunity here to reject the rhetoric thats emanating from the likes of Donald Trump and instead to come together and discover who else is with us. I suspect what we will find is a huge, friendly, and diverse group of people.
Q. Humor and satire are refreshing in such an otherwise difficult conversation concerning issues youd sometimes rather avoid. Your writing humorously frames certain issues in a way that you want to read, and read more. And you also praise Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert for their contributions. What do you see as the role of humor and satire in this conversation?
Humor is crucial. With humor, the criticism can often be more scathing, more honest. One doesnt have to soften the blow. We suffer from some of the most debilitating representations around today, and so I use humor to offer a big F-you to this representational logic whenever I can. I feel its more effective to get people laughing about the absurdity of representation than it is to lecture at them like a boring professor. (Being a boring professor is my day job. I dont need to subject my readers to that.) With humor too, its often easier for readers to see the world from the perspective of the marginalized. You can always tell people what life is like for you, but its better to show them. And satire can make that experience even more pointed.
Q. So maybe there just need to be more Muslim-American comedians. Even Aziz Ansari, with his new show Master of None on Netflix and his stand-up comedy, has not only given first-generation Indian-Americans limelight, but immigrant life in general.
Absolutely! I think there definitely need to be a lot more Muslim Americans involved in the culture industry in general. Not just in front of the camera, but also behind the camera. Not just acting but also writing. And producing, being involved on many different levels. You know, there was a recent study about publishing that found that the publishing industry is still 89% white. The countrys not 89% white.
We cant just complain that were being misrepresented. We have to take charge of those representations at the same time. I think the Aziz Ansaris show is very interesting on several levels. Its excellent to see him represent brown-ness, immigrant-kid-ness, and Indian-ness with more complexity that we are used to in popular culture. But its also interesting that theres no discussion of religion at all in the show. Its as if hes running away from his Muslim-ness
Q. He admits that hes not an observant person. Maybe if he were more observant or outwardly claimed religion, the show may not have been as successful.
That certainly could be. But whats interesting to me is that the show wont touch anything that has to do with Islam. I frankly dont care how observant people are. What matters is how others see you, and Muslim has become recognizable as an identity today. In this way, its approximating Jewishness. It doesnt matter how observant you are to Jewish-ness; you belong to that category because that category exists.
In fact, I think its even necessary that we have different representations of observance and religiosity within Muslim communities. For one thing, thats simply accurate. There are many different ways to be Muslim and Muslims themselves have varied attachments to observance and piety. Thats how we live our lives. Most representations, though, tend to offer the very religious person on one hand and the very secular person on the other, often following a Good Muslim/Bad Muslim logic (or Bad Muslim/Good Muslim, in this case). But thats simplistic and dangerous. Richer portrayals of Muslim life and Muslim-American life could go a long way in expanding our imaginations of how can we live together well, both in this country and on this planet.
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TeleSur
In a rare move by Washington, the 2016 U.S. report on human rights said Israel unlawfully killed over 70 Palestinians and tries minors in military courts.
The United States accused Israeli Defense Forces of excessive use of force in the Palestinian territories, and arbitrary arrest and associated torture and abuse, often with impunity, as part of the U.S. State Department annual report.
The report, released Wednesday, said of 149 Palestinians killed in 2015 by Israeli security forces in the West Bank only 77 were in the course of attacking Israelis.
There were numerous reports of the ISF (Israel security forces) killing Palestinians during riots, demonstrations, at checkpoints, and during routine operations; in some cases they did not pose a threat to life, the report read.
The new report is a rarely seen before criticism from the U.S. administration against Israel, Washingtons key and most important ally in the Middle East. Israeli media downplayed the report and attempted to counter it with known Israeli figures, which tend to be biased.
As of Nov. 15, there were 6,828 were Palestinian prisoners or detainees from the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza in Israeli facilities including 264 Palestinian minors, the U.S. State Department said.
It added that most of those Palestinians imprisoned in Israel face discrimination, harsh conditions and torture.
These prisoners often faced harsher conditions than those of the general prison population, including increased incidence of administrative detention, restricted family visits, ineligibility for temporary furloughs, and solitary confinement.
The report also touched on the fact that in August the (Israeli) Knesset passed a law authorizing force-feeding of hunger-striking prisoners.
The report highlighted how Israeli authorities prosecute Palestinian minors under the Israeli military law which denies many of the rights Israeli law would grant them.
Meanwhile, the report also slammed Tel Aviv over the governments systematic discrimination against Arab citizens.
The most significant human rights problems were institutional and societal discrimination against Arab citizens of Israel, many of whom self-identify as Palestinian, including the Bedouin, in particular in access to equal education and employment opportunities; institutional and societal discrimination against Ethiopian Israelis and women; and the treatment of refugees, asylum seekers, and irregular migrants, the report said.
It also included alleged terror attacks against Israeli civilians by Palestinians as significant human rights problems in Israel and the Palestinian-occupied lands.
Killing of Palestinian Children
The U.S. report coincided with the release of another report by the Swiss-based NGO Defense For Children International Palestine, which exposed Israeli unlawful treatment of Palestinian children, including killings, detention and unfair trials.
The report, called No Way to Treat a Child, was published Thursday and is based on testimonies from 429 children who were detained at some point by Israeli forces between January 2012 and December 2015.
Interrogators used position abuse, threats, and isolation to coerce confessions from some of these children, the organization said in its report.
DCIP documented 66 children held in solitary confinement, for an average period of 13 days, during the reporting period More than 90 percent of children held in solitary confinement provided a confession.
The news comes at a time of heightened tension between Israel and Palestinians as clashes continue in the West Bank, East Jerusalem. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 160 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds others injured since unrest broke out on Oct.1.
The clashes were sparked by successive incursions by hard-line Israeli groups into Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the third-holiest site in Islam.
Via TeleSur
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Related video added by Juan Cole:
RT: Israeli forces abuse detained Palestinian minors HRW
VAL-D'OR, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - April 15, 2016) - Abitibi Royalties Inc. (TSX VENTURE:RZZ) ("Abitibi Royalties" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Ivars Azis (the "Claim Holder") to acquire a 2% net smelter royalty ("NSR") on additional mineral claims, located approximately 3.5 kilometres east of Metanor Resources Inc., Bachelor mine in Quebec (Fig 1). This NSR agreement builds on an earlier royalty acquired around the Bachelor mine in 2015 and is the 12th royalty purchased near an existing mine since the "Royalty Search" was launched on June 9th, 2015.
In exchange for the 2% NSR, Abitibi Royalties will pay approximately CDN$3,775. In addition, Abitibi Royalties has agreed to pay the Claim Holder approximately CDN$3,775 in exchange for the right to receive 15% of total proceeds should the property be sold. The cash consideration will be paid by Abitibi Royalties from its cash flow. The new package of claims (Fig 1.) also consists of one claim (the "Additional Claim") that was added to the original claim package after the Company's press release dated July 6, 2015. For the Additional Claim, the Company agreed to pay the Claim Holder an amount equal to the next annual claim maintenance fees, estimated at approximately CDN$1,250 at the time of signing the original NSR agreement, and CDN$1,000 for the right to receive 15% of the total proceeds should the Additional Claim be sold.
The Claim Holder is actively searching for a joint venture partner in order to explore the mineral claims east of the Bachelor mine. To contact Ivars Azis, please visit www.tamarackgold.com or call 416.303.6684.
Since launching the Royalty Search on June 9th, 2015, 12 royalties near existing mining operations have been acquired, which include royalties surrounding or near Agnico Eagle and Yamana's Canadian Malartic mine in Quebec, Agnico Eagle's Lapa mine in Quebec, Alamos Gold's Young-Davidson mine in Ontario, Eldorado's Efemcukuru mine in Turkey, Goldcorp's Red Lake mine in Ontario, Hudbay's 777 mine in Manitoba, Metanor Resources Bachelor mine in Quebec and New Gold's Rainy River mine in Ontario. A list of these royalties can be found here.
The Royalty Search (www.abitibiroyalties.com) is an easy to use website that allows mining companies and prospectors a quick way of accessing capital in this difficult commodities market.
Abitibi Royalties is offering to pay the annual claim fees/taxes related to:
1) Existing mineral properties or
2) Staking of new mineral properties
In return for paying these fees, Abitibi Royalties would be granted a NSR on the property. To date, approximately 95 properties have been submitted through the website and 12 agreements have been finalized.
Share Repurchase Program
Since receiving approval to begin the Company's Normal Course Issuer Bid ("NCIB") on October 6th, 2015, Abitibi Royalties has repurchased approximately 72,700 common shares of the Company at an approximate average price of CDN$3.13 per share. The NCIB allows the Company to purchase up to 546,300 common shares (representing 5% of the Company's total issued and outstanding common shares as of September 21st, 2015) over a period of 12 months. The NCIB will expire no later than October 5th, 2016.
Update on Cash Flows
Since last reported on March 17th the Company's total cash flow in 2016 has increased to approximately CDN$625,000 from CDN$530,000 due to additional investment income.
On January 13th, 2016, the Company announced it had adopted a policy to sell covered call options on up to 25% of its shares held in Agnico Eagle and Yamana each quarter. The table below outlines the call options that have been sold to date, including call options before the policy took effect. Since August 2015, approximately CDN$645,000 in covered call income has been generated. The current market value of the shares, plus the Company's last reported cash balance (September 30, 2015) is approximately CDN$43.5 million. The Company is debt free.
Table 1.
Agnico Eagle Shares Option Expiry Percentage of Price $ (USD) Date Shares Owned 40 65,100 Jan. 20, 2017 14.7 45 43,600 Jan. 20, 2017 9.8 50 31,000 Jan. 20, 2017 7.0 55 27,800 Jan. 20, 2017 6.3 Total 167,500 - 37.7
Table 2.
Yamana Shares Option Expiry Percentage of Price $(USD) Date Shares Owned 4.5 2,000 Jan. 20, 2017 0.1 5 97,900 Jan. 20, 2017 2.8 5 200,100 Jan. 19, 2018 5.6 5.5 19,700 Jan. 20, 2017 0.6 7 925,900 Jan. 20, 2017 26.1 10 64,200 Jan. 20, 2017 1.8 12 21,800 Jan. 20, 2017 0.6 Total 1,331,600 - 37.5
About Abitibi Royalties
Abitibi Royalties holds a 3% NSR on the Odyssey North discovery, Jeffrey Zone and the eastern portion of the Barnat Extension and a 2% NSR on portions of the Gouldie and Charlie zones all at the Canadian Malartic mine near Val-d'Or, Quebec. In addition, the Company is building a portfolio of royalties on early stage properties near producing mines and it holds 100% title to the Luc Bourdon and Bourdon West Prospects in the Ring of Fire, Ontario. The Company owns 3,549,695 shares of Yamana Gold and 444,197 shares of Agnico Eagle Mines.
Golden Valley Mines and Rob McEwen hold approximately 51.4% and 8.7% interest in Abitibi Royalties, respectively.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, 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.
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.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) [advocacy website] on Thursday asked a federal judge to issue an injunction pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed in February [complaint; press release]. The ACLU is attempting to block [ACLU case statement] a Kansas state law that requires individuals to prove American citizenship when they are registering to vote while applying for a drivers license. The Kansas law took effect January 1, 2013 and was passed [Reuters report] in an attempt to deter voter fraud. The ACLU claims that Kansas is violating the Motor-Votor Law of 1993 [DOJ backgrounder] by demanding additional proof of citizenship. The ACLU is concerned that as many as 20,000 people, namely young people and minorities, are prevented from registering to vote because they do not have the means to comply with this law. The lawsuit, which names Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobash as a defendant, is set for trial in 2017.
Voting rights have been a contentious issue in the US recently. Last month an Ohio judge granted an emergency order [JURIST report] allowing 17-year-olds who will turn 18 by the November election to vote in the recent Ohio primary. Also last month the Fifth Circuit agreed to reconsider [JURIST report] Texas voter ID law before the entire court. Last May the New Hampshire Supreme Court struck down [JURIST report] a 2012 law requiring voters to be state residents, not just domiciled in the state. Last March Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed a new law [JURIST report] that made Oregon the first state in the nation to institute automatic voter registration. In November 2014 a federal appeals court rejected [JURIST report] a Kansas rule that required prospective voters to show proof-of-citizenship documents before registering using a federal voter registration form.
[JURIST] Connecticut Superior Court [official website] Judge Barbara Bellis on Thursday denied a motion to dismiss [opinion, PDF] raised by three gun companies who are being sued by families affected by the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre. The ten families filed [JURIST report] the civil action against the companies for manufacturing, distributing, and selling Bushmaster semi-automatic AR-15 rifles, the weapon used by the Sandy Hook shooter. Defendants Remington Arms, Camfour, and Riverview Guns Sales [official websites] attempted to dismiss the case last December by claiming that the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) [text, PDF] grants them immunity from civil liability cases. However, Bellis allowed the case to proceed upon consideration of the families legal claim that the gun companies may have negligently promoted a weapon too dangerous for civilian use. The opposing parties plan to meet next Tuesday and proceed with the matter.
Since the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, the Connecticut legislature has tightened gun laws while the families of victims have called for gun control. In October, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld [JURIST report] Connecticut and New Yorks gun control legislation that bans semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines. A judge for the US District Court for the District of Connecticut in January 2014 upheld [ruling, PDF] the constitutionality of the states new gun control law [text, PDF], while still acknowledging the Second Amendment rights of gun owners. The new law, enacted in response to the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012 expanded a previous ban [JURIST report] on assault weapons and introduced a prohibition on high-capacity ammunition magazines.
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam [official website] vetoed [statement] a controversial bill on Friday that would have made the Bible the states official book. Haslam stated that the bill violates the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution as well as Article 1, Section 3 of the Tennessee Constitution which states that no preference shall be given by law to any religious establishment or mode of worship. The bill passed through the Senate and barely passed through the House last year. The legislature may still override the veto rather easily, as it would require the same number of votes it took to originally pass the bill through the House and Senate.
Throughout the country religion continues to raise controversial First Amendment questions. Earlier this week, a California federal judge required Los Angeles County to remove [JURIST report] a Latin cross from the county seal. In November a judge for the US District Court for the Western District of Arkansas [official website] ruled that a nativity scene on Baxter County Courthouse grounds violated the First Amendment [JURIST report]. In September the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit [official website] ruled that a six-foot-tall statue of Jesus may remain [JURIST report] on US Forest Service land. Last May the Ninth Circuit upheld [JURIST report] a Santa Monica city ordinance prohibiting unattended exhibits, including Nativity scenes, in Palisades Park.
FILE - In this Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, file photo, Spain's Princess Cristina arrives at a makeshift courtroom for a corruption trial, in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. A Spanish police official says the leader of the anti-corruption group that brought criminal tax fraud charges against Princess Cristina has been arrested by financial crimes officers. The official says Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) chief Miguel Bernad was detained at his Madrid home on Friday April 15, 2016. The group has pursued criminal tax fraud charges punishable by up to eight years in prison against Cristina, the sister of King Felipe VI, after prosecutors declined to do so, saying Cristina should face an administrative fine at most. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)
Luc Fortin blows a kiss to his family during a swearing in ceremony Thursday, January 28, 2016 at the legislature in Quebec City. Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard has lost another cabinet minister due to health reasons. Couillard says Culture Minister Luc Fortin has been told by his doctors to go on leave for an undetermined period. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
A police officer stands guard as a convoy thought to be containing attacks suspects arrives outside the federal court building in Brussels on Thursday, April 14, 2016. Suspects from the Brussels and Paris attacks appeared in court Thursday for a court hearing to decide whether or not to extend their detention. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
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Nasa releases changing landscape of Earth
From volcanoes in Iceland to wildfires in California, Nasa has made nearly three million images of Earth's thermal emissions available to the public for free. The stunning images were captured by Japan's Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Readiometer (Aster) instrument onboard the Terra spacecraft. Together, the database has been described as a 'multimodal version of Google Earth' allowing anyone to have a look at a region's environmental changes in incredible detail. Read More...
Recently, David Cameron presented to the British public his White Paper on whether the UK should remain in the EU, in preparation for the June referendum. For those who are unfamiliar with the referendum, its intended to resolve the degree to which the UK caves to an unelected uber-government in Brussels, in trade for purported benefits of an all-Europe trade partnership, or whether it chooses independence going through the hard work of creating individual agreements with EU countries, but gaining the ability to unilaterally make its own decisions regarding such weighty issues as migration, borderlessness, human rights, etc.
The migration issue is a major one. After much hand-wringing between the UK Government and the EU, a settlement has been arrived at that Brussels says it wont budge on. In order to retain the UK in the EU, it will grant a seven year holiday on full-access to in-work benefits by newly-arrived migrants. In his White Paper, Mister Cameron presents this emergency brake as a major concession that he has achieved with the EU. However, what this concession really means is that the UK will bear the blows from a smaller cudgel for the next seven years, after which, the larger cudgel will be employed on a permanent basis.
He seems a bit baffled that British citizens are not impressed at his achievement, and its this character flaw that separates him (along with other political leaders) from the British people he truly doesnt get why the populace is not pleased to be temporarily beaten with the lesser cudgel for a limited period, followed by the permanent use of the larger cudgel.
To the average citizen, this should be easy to understand, yet this character flaw is the norm amongst not only British politicians, but virtually all career politicians, everywhere.
In my years of working closely with government leaders (and would-be leaders) from my own country and internationally, Ive learned over time that theres a mind-set thats common to those who have made politics their lifes work. They think fundamentally differently from businesspeople, who learn to make things work both practically and economically over an extended period. They must do so, or go out of business. Political leaders, however, dont have this restriction. For them, the job is not one of being profitable and effective in satisfying the public with a good or service. For them, profitability is irrelevant. Further, they need not satisfy the public; they need merely to succeed in imposing their programmes onto the public.
Politicians approach life from an entirely different viewpoint from businesspeople and businesspeople almost invariably fail to understand this. Although a former businessman who has entered public life may be able to place a foot in each camp successfully, those who enter politics early on, or those who have an initial career in the Civil Service, but later switch to politics, lack the fundamental understanding of the workings of economics and the free market.
They dont so much seek to undermine the free market as much as they simply dont recognize its relevance. (This, understandably, is a fact that businessmen find hard to acknowledge or adapt to, when dealing with political leaders.)
Career politicians assume that the nature of leadership is to burden the populace with legislation and taxation. They truly dont understand the concept of limited government. Its an absurd anomaly to them, so the question is therefore only the manner in which they burden the populace. Lessening the burden is simply not an issue. Whilst they understand that voters wish to be told that the burden will be diminished, its not by any means the intent of leaders to do so. In a politicians mind, the purpose of the existence of the populace is to fill the trough for the leaders. And, of course, the fuller, the better.
In working for, with and (often) against political leaders on issues, Ive found this to be almost universally true, regardless of which country they represent. Indeed, Ive rarely been successful when appealing to any leader to drop a proposal because it might not in the interest of the populace. I have, however, often been successful in getting a leader to drop a proposal when Ive advised him that it may be used by the opposition to cost him votes in the next election.
Again, the only exceptions to this have been those who were not career politicians. Regardless of whether I was dealing with my own countrys leaders, British Parliamentarians, or US Congressmen, virtually all of them have been career politicians and have, by definition, regarded their own position of power to be the primary concern.
The UK has had career politicians since time immemorial; the US had its first presidential career politician as early as 1825, in John Quincy Adams. In my own country, career politicians are not quite as common as in the US and UK. Consequently, we enjoy a somewhat more enlightened perception amongst our political leaders than the US and UK. Many come from the private sector and successfully return to it after they leave office. (Its also true that career politicians Ive known that have been ousted typically have had a difficult time obtaining and retaining employment after leaving office, as they simply dont understand business or real life.)
This suggests that there should be term limits for politicians; that no one should serve in political office for more than a given number of terms. (Two? Three? Four?) This would certainly serve to keep the mix more healthy.
The likelihood of this coming about? Dont hold your breath. No politician is going to vote to limit the amount of time he will be able to use the system to his own ends.
So, then, what about that UK referendum?
The purpose of this article is to offer insights into the thought process of career politicians, to assist the reader in predicting how his political leaders will act in any given situation, so it began with an example that of the UK Governments settlement with the EU with regard to the upcoming referendum as to whether to remain in the EU.
However, an associate has asked that I additionally offer an assessment as to how I feel the EU question is likely to be resolved following the referendum in June, given the true nature of political leaders. So, lets have a look at that.
Certainly, theyve already revealed their objective. Mister Camerons White Paper goes on at length (39 pages of encouragement) to recommend remaining in the Union. He describes it as the best of both worlds influencing the decisions that affect us, in the driving seat of the worlds biggest market, yet, we will be out of the parts of Europe that do not work for us.
Mister Cameron also offers a warning as to what will become of Britain, should she leave the EU. Leaving Europe would threaten our economic and national security at a time of uncertainty a leap in the dark.
Of particular interest is his repeated reminder that, The central element of the deal that the Government has secured is an International Law Decision and cannot be amended or revoked unless all member States, including the UK agreethe International Law Decision is legally-binding and irreversible.
Mister Cameron goes on at length to describe the protection that this allows the UK, as it would mean that the EU could not unilaterally apply greater demands on the UK without unanimous approval by all EU nations, including the UK. What he does not say, however, is that this agreement is reciprocal, which means that, although the UK may opt out of the EU now, the settlement presently under review requires that, should the UK choose to remain in the EU, it cannot in future make a Brexit unless all the 28 Member States agree unanimously. From that day forward, the UK will be on-board the EU train, even if it heads off an economic cliff. (Oh-oh.)
Mister Cameron closes with the comment, It offers us certainty. We are stronger, safer and better off in the EU, compared to years of disruption and the uncertainty of leaving for an unknown destination outside. The reader is left with the scary image of the UK being outside in the cold, poorly-clothed and with nothing to eat. Of course, this image is an inaccurate one, as, EU or no EU, individual European States will still seek trade with Britain, as its vital to the EU economy an economy thats presently nearing collapse.
So, to put the situation more simply, the EU train is approaching an economic cliff. Its made a final stop, prior to resuming travel, in order for British passengers to get off, if they so choose. In order to keep them on board, theyve offered a few concessions offering to make the seating a bit more comfy. However, once the UK has agreed to resume travel, theyll be strapped into their seats with no further opportunity to exit the train, even as it heads inexorably toward the cliff. Although a Brexit now would cause more immediate pain than to stay in, in the long run, all things being equal, Britain would be the first to escape the doomed train, and the first to recover, following the crash.
So, thats it, then Britons need to vote in favour of the Brexit?
Well, actually, in spite of all the above, not necessarily. And thats because, all things are not equal. Theres a rather large fly in the ointment and thats that that the process of withdrawal is rigged in favour of the EU. They have the option of prolonging the Brexit, so that it might take as long as a decade or more to negotiate. During that time, the EU would be free to carry on passing new legislation that was unfavourable to the UK. Would they do so? Unquestionably, yes. They would make an example of Britain, doing all in their power to demonstrate what happens to defectors. They would do this, even to the detriment of other Member-States. (Remember, this is not about progress, its about power. Brussels has positioned itself for more power and the deck has been rigged to assure that they get it.)
The upshot is that, if Britain could withdraw from the EU quickly, it would be in for a rough road initially, but, ultimately, would be recovering, just as the EU was collapsing. It would therefore emerge as a healthier economy, with the advantage with regard to future negotiations.
But that will not occur. The EU will prolong the Brexit and make it as painful for the British people as possible. We cannot know how vindictive the EU might be, or even can be. Consequently, there can be no clear answer as to whether its best to exit now, or stay on board and hope for the best. Either way, it will be very painful for the UK. What we cant know is which choice will be worse. Certainly, the EU will ultimately collapse and all bets will then be off. There will be a re-shuffle of the European deck and entirely new agreements to be considered.
Armed with our understanding as to the nature of career politicians, we can anticipate that what were likely to witness will be the EU and the UK Government working in concert to expand their mutual power, whilst Britain, as a nation, pays the price.
Jeff Thomas
email: jeff.thomas1066@gmail.com
(Kitco News) - Gold prices are modestly higher in early U.S. trading Friday, on a corrective, bargain-hunting bounce from the strong selling pressure seen the past two days. A weaker U.S. dollar index on this day is also working in favor of the precious metals bulls. June Comex gold was last up $4.50 at $1,231.10 an ounce. May Comex silver was last down $0.003 at $16.17 an ounce.
World stock markets were mostly steady to weaker Friday. U.S. stock indexes are pointed toward slightly lower openings. Still, most world stock markets had a good week as risk appetite in the world marketplace is presently on the upswing. Thats good for stocks and bad for safe-haven assets like gold and U.S. Treasuries.
In overnight news, Chinas first-quarter gross domestic product grew at a 6.7% rate, year-on-year. The number was in line with market expectations, but was the slowest growth rate in seven years for the worlds second-largest economy. Also, other economic data released was upbeat, including figures on retail sales, industrial production and home sales. World markets took the Chinese economic data in stride and had little reaction.
Economic data coming out of the European Union showed the Euro zones trade surplus decreased in February as imports rose more rapidly than exports. Exports were up 0.7% and imports were up 2.6% in February. Also, European Central Bank economists lowered their Euro zone economic growth forecast for 2016 to 1.4%, from an estimate of 1.7% growth in December.
The key outside markets see the U.S. dollar index slightly lower in early U.S. trading. Earlier this week the index fell to an eight-month low, before seeing a corrective bounce at mid-week. Meantime, Nymex crude oil futures prices are lower and trading just above $40.00 a barrel. This weekend a major world oil producers meeting is being held in Doha, Qatar. Oil production limits will be discussed. Participants include Saudi Arabia, Russia and Venezuela. Most energy market watchers do not expect the meeting to yield any significant results.
U.S. economic data due for release Friday includes the Empire State manufacturing survey, industrial production and capacity utilization, the University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey, and Treasury international capital data. IMF, World Bank and finance officials from major nations will meet today through Sunday.
(Note: Follow me on Twitter--@jimwyckoff--for breaking market news.)
Wyckoffs Daily Risk Rating: 2.5 (Trader and investor market risk aversion is not elevated today.)
(Wyckoffs Daily Risk Rating is your way to quickly gauge investor risk appetite in the world market place each day. Each day I assess the risk-on or risk-off trader mentality in the market place with a numerical reading of 1 to 5, with 1 being least risk-averse (most risk-on) and 5 being the most risk-averse (risk-off).
Technically, June gold futures bulls still have the overall near-term technical advantage, but they have faded and needed to show power soon. Bulls next upside near-term price breakout objective is to produce a close above solid technical resistance at this weeks high of $1,264.70. Bears' next near-term downside price breakout objective is closing prices below solid technical support at the $1,220.00. First resistance is seen at $1,240.00 and then at Thursdays high of $1,245.90. First support is seen at this weeks low of $1,225.40 and then at $1,220.00. Wyckoffs Market Rating: 6.0
May silver bulls have the overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls next upside price breakout objective is closing futures prices above solid technical resistance at the October high of $16.372 an ounce. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $15.20. First resistance is at $16.372 and then at $16.50. Next support is seen at Thursdays low of $15.925 and then at $15.80. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 6.0.
By Jim Wyckoff, contributing to Kitco News; jwyckoff@kitco.com
Follow @KitcoNewsNOW
Editors note: If youd like to sign up for our free weekly newsletter, click here!
(Kitco News) - So those concerns about a potential hard landing in China have been snuffed out-- the numbers came in showing that the Chinese economy expanded at a rate of 6.7% in the first quarter, down marginally from 6.8% growth in the previous quarter. This could mean good news for gold, as Kira Brecht says in her Kitco commentary today, Healthier consumers earn more and can save more in their favored wealth preservation vehicle, which is gold.
In other news this week, Deutsche Bank has reached settlements in lawsuits over allegations it manipulated gold and silver prices. According to the letters, the German bank also agreed to help the plaintiffs pursue similar claims against other banks as part of the settlements. Translation: Deutsche Bank basically said they rigged precious metals prices and now will also expose the other banks involved.
Rosa Abrantes-Metz, an economist for plaintiffs for both cases told Kitco News exclusively in an email that, I think this settlement may lead to more settlements with other banks. [T]he structure of these fixings and the empirical evidence were very telling in supporting collusion and manipulation. If we in fact learn that actually was the case, I would be the least surprised person out there!
Lets talk politics, GOP candidate Ted Cruz compared the accommodative policies of the Fed to "playing games with money" and said they are an ineffective way to "juice the system." In an interview with CNBC on Friday, Cruz went on to say that such actions create bubbles, and that a crash will be coming.
While former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan said Thursday that "Monetary policy has done everything it can unless you want to put additional QEs on. They're not helping that much in the sense that ultimately determines whether or not you're getting an effect from the QEs, he said during an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Alley."
With the U.S. elections seven months away, it is important for investors to start considering how each presidential candidate could potentially affect their portfolio, particularly their gold investments.
Kitco News has launched a new series Gold-Ocracy that asks veteran industry experts how they think Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz, John Kasich, and of course, Donald Trump could affect the global economy. This Friday, reporter, Sarah Benali interviews legendary investor Doug Casey on the topic so be sure to check out his thoughts.
Next Tuesday are the New York primaries New York Values? Fuhgeddaboudit!
Happy Weekend
By Daniela Cambone of Kitco News; dcambone@kitco.com
Follow @DanielaCambone
Ed Gonda is a Level 1 sex offender living on Bainbridge Island. Heas served the time for his crime, and now has a family. But the requirement that he register with the state alerted his neighbors to his crime, making it difficult for him and his family to move on from his criminal past. (LARRY STEAGALL | KITSAP SUN)
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By Josh Farley of the Kitsap Sun
Ed Gonda and his family moved to Bainbridge Island upon hearing it was a pastoral laid back, forgiving kind of place.
After finding a rental, he and his wife enrolled their daughter in school. As Christians, they found a local church they liked. They made friends with neighbors and island residents.
But eventually, word got out.
Gonda had a criminal past. And not for burglary or drug possession, but for a sex offense.
The news traveled fast, and people who they thought they knew well acted swiftly. His daughter could no longer play with friends down the street, he said. The church pews around them were vacant on Sundays. They more or less stopped going out anywhere on the island.
Were treated like were diseased, his wife said.
Having a daughter, Gonda can empathize with islanders. He would never want a pedophile around her, and he has family members who were the victims of sexual abuse.
Gonda didnt go to prison for being a pedophile. In 1995, when he was in his early 30s, he had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl he lived with at the time.
Gonda pleaded guilty to his charges and did about four years in state prison. He participated in and paid more than $10,000 for sex-offender treatment. He has committed no new crimes since he got out of prison about a decade ago, according to a check of his criminal history. As sex offenders go, he is considered a Level 1 by law enforcement, the level least likely to re-offend. He said that just to be safe, he avoids places where teens close to his victims age congregate.
I admit, I was wrong, Gonda said. But Ive changed. Why are people still looking at me for something I did 15 years ago?
Law enforcement makes a determination of how likely a sex offender is to re-offend and rates them on a scale of 1 to 3.
But the public often fails to see any nuance.
People look at them in a bucket, said Bainbridge Island Police Commander Sue Shultz. They say Any kind of sex offender is a sex offender, and always will be a sex offender.
The registration of sex offenders was one of three components of the Community Protection Act of 1990, passed in the wake of two tragic and brutal killings. Its a popular measure with the public, and the Legislature has strengthened and spent more money on the laws surrounding sex offenses. Lawmakers have also bolstered penalties for failing to register as a sex offender.
The subject of debate is who is included in the registries, who is not and how often should they be checked on.
Shultz said that twice a year, Bainbridge officers very discreetly check on the islands sex offenders to ensure theyre living at their registered address and that they havent made any significant changes in appearance that would necessitate a new photo being put on file. Level 3 sex offenders though Bainbridge doesnt currently have any are checked on every three months.
Random attacks by sex offenders are rare. Shultz and other officials point out that more than 90 percent of sexual abuse cases occur between a victim and someone they thought they could trust.
Outside of two incidents of non-sexual criminal activity, none of the 11 Level 1 sex offenders on Bainbridge Island have been reported to police for even an allegation of sexual abuse, Shultz said. That doesnt mean it cant happen, but she encourages residents to put it into perspective.
So far, the legislative decree for the registry has been to err on the side of caution. While extremely rare, recent horrifying crimes committed by sex offenders have galvanized lawmakers to act.
Kitsap County Prosecutor Russ Hauge uses the analogy of an airplane crash.
It doesnt happen very often, he said. But when it does, its a tragedy.
Hauge chaired a task force convened by Gov. Chris Gregoire in the wake of the killing of Zina Linnik, a 12-year-old girl abducted and murdered by Terapon Adhahn, a Level 1 sex offender. A result of that task force was the creation of a sex-offender policy board that reports to the governor, and the creation of a pot of grant money awarded to local law enforcement to make face-to-face contact with every sex offender in the state.
Nobody knows how much of a safety factor it adds, Hauge said. But a murder of a young girl damages the community in an incalculable way.
Victims advocates, who see the impacts sex offenses have on victims, have a hard time finding any sympathy for the registrants, said Lucy Berliner, a longtime advocate and head of the Harborview Center for Sexual Assault and Traumatic Stress.
The only consequence I can see of registration is the inconvenience for the sex offender, she said.
Aside from law-enforcement monitoring costs, registration also creates an entirely new class of crime: failing to register. All sex offenders have 72 hours to register with their local sheriffs office any time they move to a new permanent residence.
The crime carries a maximum of five years in prison, and if the offenders failed to register twice before, up to 10 years in prison.
Not counting the states 37 county jails, there are more than 300 inmates serving time for failing to register in the states prison system, at a cost of more than $1 million a year.
The cases take up law enforcements time and resources. Trina Washburn, Kitsap County Detectives Support Specialist, has five file cabinets of active county sex-offender registration cases.
Registration, as one might imagine, isnt popular with offenders. Its often the worst part of a criminal sentence.
Ive had attorneys tell me, My guy will do twice the amount of time in custody as long as they dont have to register, said Kevin Hull, Kitsap County deputy prosecutor and head of the offices special assault unit. That tells me that there is some value to it.
Registration, however, is not negotiable, Hull said.
If we can prove a sex crime, then were going to prove a sex crime, he said.
There are more than 20,000 registered sex offenders in the state, with almost 800 in Kitsap. Of those, there are 44 Level 3 offenders, 148 Level 2s and almost 600 Level 1 sex offenders.
The registration period 10 years for lesser sex crimes, 15 years for midrange sex offenses and life for the most serious also starts over anytime the offender commits a new crime.
Registrations effect can be two-fold: law enforcement keeps an eye on an offender for many years after a conviction, and for some cases, a lifetime. Conversely, it also has a deterrent effect on an offender, because, as David Boerner, a longtime Seattle University law professor and one of the architects of the act that created registration, points out, They know who I am and where I am.
A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF JUVENILE SEX OFFENDERS
Thomas Weaver, a Bremerton defense attorney who handles sex cases, questions the indiscriminate nature of a sex offender registry. While lower-level sex offenders might not have their pictures in the paper like Level 3 offenders do, theyre still on the list, he said.
Currently, Weaver has a case in which the 19-year-old defendant is charged with having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl. The defendant is permitted to have sex with a teen if hes no more than 48 months older than the teen but in this case, hes 54 months older.
A conviction would require the defendant to register for a decade.
(The need for registration), I think, is to provide notification to the community of a potential danger, he said. I dont see how, in the case of a 19-year-old having sex with a 15-year-old girl, the community needs to be notified every time he moves.
Sexting, where teens send lewd photos to each other over mobile phones, may seem to some just an immature teenage mistake. Under the law, however, it can be considered Dealing in depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct a class B felony requiring 15 years of sex offender registration for those convicted of it.
Weaver said he also regularly gets what he calls playing doctor cases that involve siblings. Typically, an older brother, at least three years older than his sister, has touched her private parts. Such a conviction, if the girl is under 12, is a class A felony which, barring an appeal from the defendant, means a lifetime of sex offender registration.
Theyre still coming to understand sexuality, Weaver said. What were saying as a society is youre supposed to have the sexual maturity of an adult when youre pubescent or even prepubescent.
Those convictions are adding up.
Were creating a whole world of juvenile sex offenders, Weaver said.
State Rep. Jan Angel, R-Port Orchard, is for harsh sentences for sex crimes and for monitoring of offenders, such as GPS anklets. But she said shes heard from constituents that in some cases involving young adults, the rigidity of the law can interfere with an offenders ability to move on in life.
Things happen, theyre young, she said. Should they be tied with this for the rest of their lives when they become upstanding adults?
State Rep. Sherry Appleton, D-Poulsbo, a member of the Houses public safety and emergency preparedness committee, is crafting legislation that would help certain juveniles who are not predatory offenders opt out of registration.
A lot of these kids get into trouble and now theyre labeled as sex offenders for life, she said. Then they have no life, they cant get into the military, they cant get a job, cant get an apartment. We have to have a way to get them off these registries.
Sex offenders can petition the courts to end their requirement. Theyre eligible after at least 10 years of registering two years in juvenile cases. But even if theyve completed sex offender treatment and kept their nose clean since they were released from incarceration, the time and money to go through the process may still end with a judge hesitant to grant the request, Weaver said.
THE REGISTRYS LIMITS
Weaver does wonder about a slippery slope in registration. For example, why not enact a burglary offender registration to notify the public when such convicts are released, he wonders.
A kidnapping registry was created in the wake of Washingtons sex offender registry, he said. Nevada has a registry for convicts of many different crimes. And there have also been calls in some states for a registry of arson offenders, a crime that also often involves an underlying psychological component.
Where to draw the line?
As a sex offender, Ed Gonda can understand why people would be afraid of Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders. His familys few options of places to live are apartments and houses that accommodate sex offenders. But he doesnt want to go to those places out of fear for his wife and daughter. Other landlords, however, wont rent to him because of his status.
So where can we live? he wonders.
While in prison, he changed his name. He still feels blessed to have found a family and for the neighbors on Bainbridge Island that do accept him.
God gave me a family, a wife and a new start, he said. I just wish someone would give us a chance.
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By Tristan Baurick of the Kitsap Sun
An unprecedented full-season salmon fishing closure looks likely for Puget Sound.
Negotiations between state and tribal fishery managers broke down this week over proposed annual allowances for recreational and nontribal commercial salmon fishing. With no agreement reached, state Department of Fish and Wildlife officials are warning anglers that salmon fishing could come to a halt in two weeks.
"We realize that closing salmon fishing in Puget Sound for the foreseeable future is not only disappointing but is detrimental to many communities across the region," Fish and Wildlife Director Jim Unsworth said in a statement Friday.
The breakdown occurred Thursday at the Public Fishery Management Council's annual meeting in Vancouver, Wash. The meeting is where the state's salmon fishing seasons are adopted and then sent off for approval by federal regulators.
This marks the first time an agreement wasn't reached since the state and tribes began working as fishery co-managers 30 years ago.
Tribes say Fish and Wildlife's proposals for recreational and commercial fishing would not adequately protect threatened salmon species.
"Unfortunately, the political leadership with (Fish and Wildlife) did not provide a fisheries package that met the conservation needs of stocks of concern," Lorraine Loomis, chairwoman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, said in a statement.
"We have argued on the side of conservation and caution this year, and for the tribes that means closing fisheries," she added.
Tribes promised to "greatly restrict" their fishing of coho salmon in the sound.
It was a bad year for salmon last year, and this year is expected to be worse. Just under 260,000 coho are predicted to return to the sound this year. That's about one-third the size of last year's run.
There will still be salmon fishing opportunities in the ocean and Columbia River this year.
Fish and Wildlife could seek a federal permit separate from the tribes but that route doesn't look promising. There's probably not enough time to obtain a permit from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration before the summer fishing season, said Ron Warren, head of Fish and Wildlife's fishing program.
"We knew setting salmon-fishing seasons would be challenging this year due to the poor forecast for coho," he said. "Our staff worked really hard to put forward a set of proposed fisheries that met agreed-to conservation goals. Unfortunately, we were not able to reach an agreement."
The areas of the sound currently are open to salmon fishing including marine areas 5, 11, 12 and 13 will close to fishing May 1 unless an agreement is reached.
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By Rob Woutat
Several steps have been proposed for ameliorating the problem of over crowding Washington's state prisons. Some argue for building another prison, others for sending our prisoners to other states, others for allowing judges to give shorter sentences to first-time, nonviolent offenders.
We Americans are so eager to imprison felons that we imprison more people per capita than any other country on earth. While we don't hack off peoples' hands for theft, stone women to death for adultery, or imprison them for "crimes against the state" when they speak against the government, we're unusually quick to lock people up as a solution to the problem of crime.
But we also know that jails and prisons are trade schools for criminal enterprise, that people who go there, like people who go to prep schools and Ivy League colleges, learn skills from one another and make associations that benefit them when they "graduate." If you doubt this, you're probably unfamiliar with our high rates of recidivism and their causes.
The National Institute of Justice reports this highly pertinent fact: An inmate's criminal history before incarceration is a reliable indicator of whether he will reoffend within three years of his release. Fifty-six percent of the offenders sampled did not reoffend within the next three years. (Forty percent did reoffend, as predicted from their earlier criminal history. Four percent increased their crime rate after release, having learned new skills from other inmates or found an increased antipathy toward the social order on the outside.)
If you were suddenly released from prison no better equipped for a law-abiding life than you were before, maybe even better equipped for the criminal life than you were before, do you doubt that you would return to the neighborhood that was familiar to you, to the people you knew, to the habits you formed over years? To not do that would almost defy human nature.
So the question then becomes, how can we strengthen the chances for that 56 percent who are less likely to find themselves in prison again?
It's a sad fact that many Americans, preferring the punitive element rather than the restorative one, believe that whatever the crime, incarceration should be as miserable as we can make it. To do anything else, according to this school of thought, is to be "soft on crime," and to some policymakers, that's a political death wish.
But by segregating inmates according to the level of danger they pose to prison staff and other prisoners, our penal institutions acknowledge that not all prisoners are the same. So if recidivism is to some extent predictable, as the National Institute of Justice learned, it seems unwise not to take advantage of the fact by doing two things: First, get nonviolent, first-offense inmates out of prisons as soon as practicable by offering a chance for early release for those who have become equipped with the knowledge and skill to hold whatever kind of employment they're suited for.
Prisons provide job training already, but more varied kinds of opportunities are needed. Most if not all provide the opportunity to earn a GED certificate, but that's hardly enough these days to earn much more than minimum wage. We will do society a much greater service if we provide nonviolent inmates the ability to also handle jobs that require the higher-level skills our communities currently need.
The second step is to recognize that job training by itself isn't enough to make former inmates productive, taxpaying citizens. Giving them new clothes and a few dollars, then releasing them to the world without jobs and other forms of positive support is for some inmates an invitation to offend again.
A job placement service would help complete the process of restoring qualified inmates to full citizenship. "Coddling criminals!" you say? Cognitive-behavioral programs in prisons can reduce recidivism by an average of 6.3 percent, and a RAND study showed that prisoners who participate in education programs are 43-percent less at risk of returning to prison after release. Every dollar spent on these programs turned into $4 to $5 of savings for taxpayers.
If we can reduce the prison population and lessen the tax burden it puts on society by turning prisoners into taxpayers, the choice seems pretty obvious.
Doug Sellman writes:
The days of cannabis prohibition in New Zealand appear to be coming to an end. Peter Dunne is reflecting a change in public attitudes towards cannabis that is gathering momentum. The brave admissions by Helen Kelly and others about their illegal use of cannabis for medical purposes has helped reignite public discussion about cannabis law in general. Drugs, including alcohol, are here to stay our job is to get better at managing them as a society. Declaring war is a failed strategy, which needs to be replaced by scientifically based harm-reduction approaches.
I agree with this.
Excessive harm is caused at both ends of the continuum, where big business flourishes, one within the law and the other outside of it. Both share the goal of profit maximisation from supplying and selling as much of their drug as possible.
Sellman is basically comparing alcohol companies to illegal drug gangs.
Behind the scenes, however, alcohol corporates target new young customers, avoid paying tax, schmooze politicians, and attempt to denigrate those who point out their devious tactics. The organised criminal cannabis suppliers also flagrantly target the young and avoid paying tax, but they dont try to pretend they are anything but gangsters making money out of drug dealing.
So alcohol corporates are gangsters!
Leaving recreational drugs in the hands of big business, without very strong regulation, is a recipe for harm maximisation.
We do have very strong regulation around alcohol. Almost every aspect of the industry is regulated.
Lobbying of our parliamentarians may already be under way by business leaders salivating at the new fortunes they anticipate reaping. This is especially so since the dramatic changes in the United States where four states now have laws allowing private businesses to supply and sell cannabis. There are alternatives to a private business model, one of which is the establishment of state-owned enterprises. Government monopolies of retail sales of alcohol exist in Scandinavia and are documented as a highly effective harm reduction intervention for alcohol .
Sellman wants the state to take over the alcohol industry. Every pub, hotel and bottle store in NZ must be owned by the Government. I cant think of anything more dreadful.
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OMSA has dismissed two complaints against Whale Oil by a Joshua James.
What is interesting is the complainant lied over the details of his complaint, and when asked by a Whale Oil staff member for details of what comments he was upset by, refused to tell him. Instead he complained to OMSA (again refusing to give details).
What this means is this left activist is trying to use the OMSA complaints process to damage a blog he doesnt like. It had nothing to do with the substance just an attempt at censorship.
Its activist like Mr James that makes bloggers cautious of joining a complaints body. The concern that people will try and use it against you as a weapon. This may be why only three blogs have joined so far Kiwiblog and Whale Oil for OMSA and Pundit for The Press Council.
One solution Id propose is limiting the number of complaints an individual can make in a year.
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Shenandoah, IA (51601)
Today
Partly cloudy and windy. High near 85F. Winds S at 25 to 35 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..
Tonight
Windy. Partly cloudy skies giving way to showers overnight. Low 57F. Winds SSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Higher wind gusts possible.
The story of the Tuskegee Airmen is told in the free mobile exhibit and film "Rise Above." "Rise Above" is at the Smoky Mountain Air Show and two other East Tennessee locations.
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By Amy McRary of the Knoxville News Sentinel
A mobile theater rolls into East Tennessee this weekend telling the story of the Tuskegee Airmen in a you-are-there narrative. The "Rise Above" traveling exhibit is at the Smoky Mountain Air Show at the McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in Alcoa Saturday and Sunday, at Green McAdoo Cultural Center in Clinton April 19-20 and at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge April 22-23.
"Rise Above" tells the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, America's first black military pilots and their support personnel. Admission is free to "Rise Above."
Before 1940 African Americans were banned from flying in the United States military. The all African-American Tuskegee Airmen squadron was formed in Tuskegee, Ala., in 1941. They were part of the Army Air Corps World War II program to train African Americans to fly and maintain combat aircraft.
The airmen included pilots, navigators, bombardiers, instructors, maintenance and support staff. They not only fought for their country but stood against segregation and prejudice, helping lead to integration of the U.S. military. A total of 996 pilots and more than 14,000 support personnel were part of the Tuskegee Airmen. Four hundred-fifty pilots were sent overseas. Sixty-six were killed in action; 32 were prisoners of war. The traveling tribute is presented by the Commemorative Air Force's Red Tail Squadron, a volunteer nonprofit that tells the airmen's story.
Also at the air show as part of the Tuskegee tribute will be the CAF Dixie Wing's P-51D Mustang "Red Nose" airplane, a plane used in World War II. Tuskegee Airman Lt. Col. George Hardy will also be at the air show.
Hardy began his Tuskegee Airman training at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in 1943 and graduated as a pilot the next year. During World War II he flew 21 combat missions over Germany. His military service also included 70 combat missions in 1970 and 1971 in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
The free "Rise Above" exhibit is a 53-foot rolling movie theater that shows the short film "Rise Above" on a 160-degree panoramic screen. The sides of the modified trailer of the truck expand to create stadium seating to seat 30 people at a time.
The film aims to give viewers the feeling of being in a cockpit above the clouds in a P-51C Mustang. That plane was the Tuskegee Airmen's signature aircraft.
"It's an exciting way to show this important part of history," said spokesperson Darcy Castro. "It's an important piece of history and also a very inspirational piece of history. We are talking not only about the pilots but their ground support and personnel, all of the people in the program. They all played a pivotal role. They really helped pave the way for the Civil rights movement of the 1960s and they definitely led to the integration of the Armed Forces."
After the air show, "Rise Above" goes to Green McAdoo, 101 School St., Clinton, April 19-20. The cultural center is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; admission is free. On April 22-23, the exhibit parks outside AMSE, 300 S. Tulane Ave., Oak Ridge. The museum is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. AMSE admission is $5 adults, $4 for ages 65 and older, $3 for ages 6-17. Admission to the "Rise Above" exhibit is free in all locations.
By Jamie Satterfield of the Knoxville News Sentinel
Knox County prosecutors will continue to use a gang enhancement sentencing law despite an appellate court ruling striking it down as unconstitutional, and at least one judge is willing to let them.
Deputy District Attorney General Kyle Hixson said Thursday that Knox County prosecutors will neither dismiss current charges seeking to apply the gang enhancement law nor stop filing them.
The decision comes after the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals struck down the law, which boosts penalties for crimes committed by gang members, as unconstitutional last week, ruling the law was so poorly drafted it provided no connection between the crimes committed and the activities of a gang.
PDF: Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals' ruling
The law was designed to punish more severely violent crimes committed by gang members on behalf of or in furtherance of a gang. But a three-judge panel of the appellate court ruled the law's definition of a gang member is so broad it could encompass even fraternity members and that the law allows boosted penalties for crimes unrelated to gang activity.
The Tennessee Attorney General's office is considering whether to ask the state Supreme Court to review the ruling. Until the attorney general files a petition for a review by the high court and the Supreme Court agrees to hear it, the appellate court ruling is not legally binding for any case other than the one at issue in the opinion.
That case was prosecuted in Knox County and the trial overseen by Criminal Court Judge Bob McGee.
Hixson said because the decision is not yet considered the law of the state but rather the law of the case, District Attorney General Charme Allen believes her office should continue to apply the gang enhancement law until the issue is settled.
"If we dismissed (gang enhancement charges) now and the decision is then reversed by the Tennessee Supreme Court, then we have lost (the ability to prosecute) those," Hixson said. "We are not flouting (the appellate court's) opinion. We're just preserving our rights."
If the Supreme Court upholds the decision or the attorney general decides to let the ruling stand without a challenge, any case in which the gang enhancement law is used in the interim will then be struck down, requiring a new sentencing hearing. Any underlying conviction will stand, though. That's because under the law, prosecutors first must convince a jury a gang member committed a crime. Then, a second mini-trial is held before the same jury to determine whether the defendant is indeed a gang member under the law and whether the crime qualifies under the law as gang-related. If the jury chooses to impose the gang enhancement, the defendant's penalty range is boosted by one level on the sentencing scale.
Knox County Criminal Court Judge Steve Sword said Thursday he intends to allow prosecutions under the gang enhancement law to continue pending a final resolution. He already has held the law constitutional and believes the appellate court was in error.
"You are receiving constant benefits of being a gang member" even if the underlying crime was not committed on behalf of the gang or in furtherance of gang activities, Sword said.
"I think the Court of Criminal Appeals is defining (gang-related crimes) too narrowly," he said.
Like Hixson, Sword noted if he's wrong, the cases affected by his decision will not require new trials but rather new sentencing hearings, so the fallout would be limited.
Knox County prosecutors are already facing as many as 60 new sentencing hearings if the decision is allowed to stand.
Knox County Criminal Court Judge Scott Green said Thursday he has not yet decided how to handle gang enhancement cases in the time between last week's decision and a possible Supreme Court review. McGee could not be immediately reached for comment.
According to state records, few of Tennessee's other jurisdictions use the gang enhancement law to boost penalties and instead more often use it as a bargaining chip in plea negotiations. Allen's office, on the other hand, makes prodigious use of the law.
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When people dine at one of more than 20 participating restaurants on Tuesday, 15 percent of their purchases will go toward caring for homeless animals in Tennessee.
The Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley is organizing "Paws on the Table," a new event in which Knoxville businesses will join forces with the nonprofit group to further the goal of ending the euthanasia of adoptable animals.
The humane society, a Knoxville organization chartered in 1885, aims to save the lives of animals in need by promoting three primary actions: adopt, spay, keep. To achieve this goal, the society runs an adoption center that takes in homeless animals from 20 surrounding counties and spays, neuters, deworms and vaccinates the animals before putting them up for adoption.
The center does charge an adoption fee, said spokeswoman Amber Mullins, but the fee only covers about half the costs of rescuing and rehabilitating the animals. The organization depends on private donations, grant money and fundraisers like "Paws on the Table" to pay for the rest of the costs, Mullins said.
The group also runs a low-cost spay and neuter clinic, offers behavioral training to encourage animal owners to keep their pets and serves as a community resource center.
"This is our first year for Paws on the Table, and we have already seen a wonderful show of camaraderie among Knoxville businesses as they have joined to support (the society's) vision of a no-kill Tennessee by 2025," said employee Katie Crossen.
Many of the restaurants participating in "Paws on the Table" have dog-friendly patios for those who wish to enjoy a meal with their animals. Interested diners can find a list of participating restaurants by visiting HSTV's website at HumaneSocietyTennessee.com.
In this April 13, 2016 photo, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam talks with reporters in Nashville, Tenn. Haslam vetoed a bill that would make the Holy Bible the official book of Tennessee on Thursday, April 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
By Richard Locker of the Knoxville News Sentinel
NASHVILLE Gov. Bill Haslam's veto of the bill designating the Bible as the official state book of Tennessee was only the fourth of his five years, three months in office.
Haslam is following a tradition among Tennessee governors of wielding his veto pen sparingly. Generally, that's because governors work closely with the legislature and because it takes only the same majority vote of the House and Senate to override a veto that it takes to approve a bill in the first place.
Most state constitutions require a two-thirds vote to override a veto.
Haslam specifically has rarely exercised his veto authority because he's a Republican who has served with a Republican legislative majority during his entire tenure, and a GOP supermajority for the last four years.
Haslam's three previous vetoes:
In 2012, a bill that would have outlawed Vanderbilt University's "all-comers" policy, which required all student organizations receiving university funding to be open to all Vanderbilt students a policy that angered some many conservatives. But the governor noted that Vanderbilt is a private university and the state should not interfere with its internal operations as long as they are otherwise.
In 2013, the "Ag-Gag" bill, which would have required anyone who records by photograph, digital image, video or similar medium "for the purposes of documenting" abuse of livestock to turn over the the unedited recordings to local law enforcement within 48 hours or face a criminal charge.
Animal protection groups call the bill an effort to prevent the kind of undercover documentation of animal abuse that made national headlines when the Humane Society of the United States released videos of beatings and other abusive practices against horses at a Fayette County trainer's stables in 2011. The state attorney general called the bill "constitutionally suspect."
In 2014, a bill Thursday that its sponsor said was aimed at preventing "flash mobs"that vandalize property in Tennessee and increasing the penalty for polluting retail products. But Haslam said that a legal review found the bill had the unintended consequence of reducing criminal penalties for some types of polluting in Tennessee, including illegal dumping in rural areas.
The Legislature did not attempt to override any of the three.
The last time the Legislature overrode a gubernatorial veto was in 2010 when a Republican majority overrode Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen's veto of a bill that allows people with handgun carry permits to take their weapons into businesses selling alcoholic beverages.
It was the second time lawmakers overrode a Bredesen veto of a "guns in bars" bill. He vetoed it first in 2009 but after lawmakers overrode it, the law was voided by a Nashville judge. Legislators returned the following year and passed a new version tailored to meet the judge's ruling.
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On Sept. 25, 1780, 900 patriots assembled at Sycamore Shoals in what is now Elizabethton, Tennessee, organized themselves, and the next day started their trek across the Appalachian Mountains to Kings Mountain, South Carolina. There on Oct. 7, 1780, this force of patriots met a force of 1,000 British regulars. This force of patriots, many from this section of the country, soundly defeated a far superior, better trained and equipped force of British regulars.
This resounding defeat stopped Charles Cornwallis' invasion of North Carolina and what is now Tennessee. This in effect was the beginning of the end of the Revolutionary War. This small band of patriots had been ordered by the British to lay down their weapons. Fortunately for us, they refused to do so.
This militia of farmers, shopkeepers, merchants and ordinary citizens used their own weapons, many of which were inferior to those of the British regulars. They were, in fact, not "well regulated" until they met at Sycamore Shoals and organized themselves for battle.
If there is any doubt about the meaning of and the reason for the Second Amendment to our Constitution, this should answer your question.
William D. Guinn, Knoxville
By Choi Sung-jin
The United States has been stepping up its pressure to tear down what it sees as nontariff barriers in Korea, reports said Friday.
Meeting Korean reporters at the U.S. embassy in Seoul, a U.S. official said: "Some U.S. businesses operating in Korea are experiencing difficulties because of unreasonable regulations that are not found elsewhere in the world."
The official warned that if this situation continues, it could "adversely affect the Korean government's efforts to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement."
He cited five issues as examples of Seoul setting up nontariff trade barriers: mandatory reporting of aircraft maintenance and safety checkups; notification of reparation records before delivery of new vehicles; regulations on automobile seats; obligatory registration of electronic payment businesses, and rules on cloud computing equipment.
The U.S. official also expressed dissatisfaction with the Korean government's plan to open the domestic legal services market that passed the National Assembly in February. "Unlike the purpose of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, the Justice Ministry's bill that restricts the advances by U.S. law firms won the parliament's approval without any changes," he said. "That gives the impression to Washington that Seoul is not implementing the accord faithfully."
Commenting on Donald Trump's recent remark that Korean companies are one-sidedly benefitting from the Korea-U.S. FTA, the official said the Republican candidate said so "because U.S. businesses operating in Korea are experiencing so much difficulties."
The official's complaint came amid increasingly louder U.S. disgruntlement over the widening trade deficit with Korea, from $13.2 billion in 2011 to $28.3 billion last year.
U.S. Senate Financial Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, in a recent letter to the Korean ambassador to the U.S., Ahn Ho-young, said: "For Korea to join the TPP, it should first implement the bilateral FTA fully." In October, the U.S. Congressional Research Service also issued a report that said the level of Korea's implementation of the FTA can affect its accession to the TPP.
Equally burdensome is that the U.S. discussion to rectify the trade imbalance is linked to Washington's designation of currency-manipulating countries. Korea is one of the countries, along with Japan, China and Taiwan, whose surplus in trade with the U.S. has been increasing. The U.S. Treasury Department will announce the list of currency manipulators soon.
An official at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy attempted to play down the U.S. official's remark. "We think these are part of trade disputes that can occur anytime," he said. "The government will continue to discuss these matters with the Office of U.S. Trade Representative."
General Electric (GE) CEO Jeff Immelt said Friday the company has not been affiliated with any tax havens to evade its financial duties, in answer to the rising allegations that the company stashed a large amount of cash overseas.
"We are completely about transparency. We pay taxes," Immelt said during a press conference held in Seoul. The CEO added the company has no affiliations with tax havens, including Panama.
The remark came as U.S. charity group Oxfam earlier claimed GE has stashed US$119 billion overseas.
"We have cash outside the United States, because we do business outside," Immelt said. "But we don't use any tax haven, and we have a great track record in paying taxes," he said, dismissing the allegations as "wrong."
Immelt was in South Korea to mark the 40th anniversary of the company's presence in the country.
During the visit, Immelt said the company aims to continue to broaden its presence in South Korea, adding that the country is a good "testbed" for global companies.
"I believe Korea is one of the world's best testbeds. It is a great place to try ideas. Although the market is not so big compared to China, it is sophisticated," Immelt said.
"CEOs in Korea are willing to do things in scale quickly. So they don't mind moving quickly to do big things," Immelt added, highlighting the country boasts a quality business environment.
While Immelt did not elaborate on the business officials he met during his trip to South Korea, the Kumho Asiana Group said earlier that its head Park Sam-koo met him on Thursday, apparently to discuss forging possible business partnerships.
GE also said it is interested in participating in South Korea's KFX project, which aims to build F-16 class fighter jets to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 fighter planes.
"We always had a strong military presence in Korea. We always worked effectively with the Korean air force and navy. We had a solid performance," Immelt said. "The notion of an indigenous fighter appears to be well-supported. We want to be a good competitor on this." (Yonhap)
By Nam Hyun-woo
Six securities firms have been designated as specializing in investing in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the Financial Services Commission (FSC) announced Friday.
The FSC said that it has named IBK Securities, Yuanta Securities Korea, Eugene Investment & Securities, KB Investment & Securities, Korea Asset Investment & Securities and Kiwoom Securities as SME-specialized investors after assessing 13 firms that applied for the designation.
Those selected companies will be subject to financial support from state-run institutions after investing in SMEs for two years. If they fail to pass a mid-term assessment after a year, they will lose the right to the support.
K-Growth, which organizes venture capital for promising SMEs, will lower its assessment standards in selecting SME merger and acquisition (M&A) funds operator for those six companies. Korea Development Bank will organize funds operated by the companies. The FSC believes this will expand opportunities to finance SMEs through the capital market and those companies will earn experience in managing funds related to SMEs.
However, controversy stirred over the inclusion of KB Investment & Securities among the companies, which are mostly small and medium-sized securities firms.
Earlier this month, KB Financial Group won its bid to buy a controlling stake in Hyundai Securities at 1.3 trillion won. Once KB Investment & Securities merges with Hyundai, it will become a mega-sized security firm with capital that will surpass 3.8 trillion won.
The FSC said that KB Investment & Securities will lose its right to specialize and invest in small and medium sized firms if it merges with Hyundai Securities. If the merger takes place within the next year, KTB Investment & Securities, who scored seventh-highest in the FSC's assessment, will take its place.
By Yoon Ja-young
Moody's Investors Service has drawn criticism for its negative report about the South Korean opposition bloc's victory in the April 13 general election.
"The Saenuri Party's loss of its parliamentary majority in Korea's legislative elections is likely to make it harder to pass structural reforms, and that would be credit negative," said Steffen Dyck, vice president and senior credit officer of the sovereign risk group at Moody's.
"Even before the elections, Korea's parliament was frequently mired in deadlock. Earlier this year, opposition lawmakers conducted a lengthy filibuster in an attempt to prevent the passage of an anti-terror bill. If legislative delays worsen ahead of Korea's next presidential election, due in December 2017, it would reduce the government's effectiveness."
He expected the victory of the opposition bloc to hinder passage of the labor reform bills.
"President Park Geun-hye has proposed labor reforms that could help to invigorate Korea's economy. But the plans, which would reduce protections for older workers, have met with strong political opposition. Without a parliamentary majority, the chance of their passage is even slimmer than before."
In response, some government officials said that the ratings agency was "overreacting" to the outcome of the election.
"I think the ratings agency was too quick and went too far in stating that the opposition's victory negatively affects the sovereign credit rating," a senior government official said. "It's like the agency is talking about South Korea as an underdeveloped nation."
He said that even if the opposition bloc won the election, they could negotiate with the ruling party and produce policies good for the nation's economy in the medium to long term.
He said the agency's report on possible ratings cuts following the opposition's victory could send a misleading message to foreign investors.
"The ratings agency should have been more cautious about releasing such a report," the official said.
He also said the Ministry of Strategy and Finance should protest the ratings agency for making such a report.
Some analysts also said that the opposition's win does not necessarily mean the end of the labor or economic reform drive.
Ha Joon-kyung, a professor of economics at Hanyang University, said, "After the Asian financial crisis, Korea is kind of always concerned of foreign investors withdrawing their money. It is overly sensitive. Though the opposition bloc will be the majority, it doesn't mean there will be a revolution. They share the same values regarding economic soundness. Their economic philosophy is not totally different."
He said it is necessary to be open to many options and induce the National Assembly to play its role and lead the economy to improvement.
He said politicians shouldn't use ratings agencies in a way that is favorable to them.
"Just like analysts at securities firms make a comment, either positive or negative, when governance structure changes at a business, global credit ratings agencies mention how political changes would affect government bond investments."
He said sovereign credit ratings agencies can prefer some economic policies for better sovereign ratings. For instance, Moody's comment shows that labor reform may help improve Korea's credit rating.
Even so, it doesn't mean a country's economic policy should head in that direction, Professor Ha stressed.
"The sovereign credit rating basically reflects the country's capability to pay back loans, while a country's economic policy aims at better lives for its people."
A scene from "Descendants of the Sun" / Courtesy of KBS
By Ko Dong-hwan
The curtain has fallen on the mega-hit TV drama "Descendants of the Sun," which aired its finale Thursday, saddening fans who are already missing stars Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo.
But while it may have become the latest hallyu (Korean wave) blockbuster, it has also drawn criticism for its unconvincing plot and scenes with excessive product placement (PPL) advertisements.
The lead characters were depicted as superhumans who could stand up as if nothing had happened, even after being shot several times.
Elements of the far-fetched plot were seen in the last episode, when Korean special forces captain Yoo Si-jin (Song Joong-ki), the male lead, and Sergeant Major Seo Dae-young (Jin Goo) returned to their romantic partners, who thought their lovers were killed in action a year ago.
Netizens lampooned the rendezvous, citing the drama's unrealistic storyline and dubbing the male lead's return a "Phoenix's resurrection."
"The drama's hilarious rendezvous scenes wouldn't be tolerated if it weren't for Song Joong-ki," one netizen said.
Excessive product placement also wore on viewers throughout the 16-part drama.
Putting aside the business logic that such placement may offset the 13 billion won ($11 million) production cost, it was still inappropriate for the romance-drama set amid a fictitious war to lay bare the producers' business intent by deliberately showing the products, ranging from kitchenware, sandwiches and a franchise cafe, to almonds and a chocolate bar.
The biggest backlash came in the 13th episode on April 6, in which Seo Dae-young, while driving a Hyundai Motor luxury Genesis sedan with Yoon Myung-joo beside him, takes his hands off the steering wheel to embrace and kiss her.
The sedan drives autonomously while the two kiss. Netizens said they felt uncomfortable watching the scene and it seemed dangerous.
"Descendants of the Sun" did not escape the traditional frame of hallyu dramas, ending with romance between the leading characters. SBS's "My Love from the Star" (2013-2014), the previous hallyu blockbuster in China, also received poor reviews of its synopsis and entirely owes its success to the two leading actors, Kim Soo-hyun and Jun Ji-hyun, according to media reports.
American scholar Robert Fouser
"Conditions for Citizenship in the Future: A Manual of Democracy for Koreans" is Robert Fouser's
first book written in Korean. Robert Fouser's "Seochon-holic"
By Jon Dunbar
American scholar Robert Fouser just published his first Korean-language book. Only weeks later, he is also publishing his second.
The well-known figure in Korean language education and architectural preservation has returned to Korea for a couple months for the publication of his two new books, titled "Conditions for Citizenship in the Future: A Manual of Democracy for Koreans" with Sejong Books and "Seochon-holic" under Sallim Books.
"The first 20 pages or so (writing) in Korean were very difficult, but it started to flow after that," Fouser told The Korea Times in an interview. "The biggest difference I found was I spend more time thinking about writing style when I write in English, but in Korean I focus on getting my thoughts on paper clearly. I have a pretty clear idea of what 'good English' is, but less of a clear idea of what 'good Korean' is, so I just wrote focusing on content."
The former associate professor of Korean language education at Seoul National University left Korea in August 2014, moving to his hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan. However, Korea hasn't left his thoughts.
"Conditions for Citizenship in the Future: A Manual of Democracy for Koreans" came out March 28, quickly scaling Kyobo's book charts to enter the top 10 in the politics/social science category, climbing up to No. 7. It's a personal essay on democracy in Korea with a speculative eye to the future.
For the book, Fouser said, "I focus on my stance on exposing who I am and my 30-year relationship with Korea in the first half and then explaining my thoughts about Korea in the second half."
In the book, he identifies the main problem Korea faces as domination at the hands of an elite he labels "Gangnam."
"Everybody wants to join this elite because life is secure once inside, but an elite is an elite, so only a few can get in and those who are already in need to use their capital, social and monetary, to stay in. This makes for a lot of stressed and unhappy people, which explains that 'Hell Joseon' phenomenon."
"Hell Joseon" is a self-deprecating term used by disaffected youths these days to describe dissatisfaction with life here. But Fouser said he is optimistic the young generation that was raised in Korea's post-1987 democratic era will create a more open society.
His second book, "Seochon-holic," hits shelves later this month. It's a collection of essays touching on Fouser's encounters with the rapidly disappearing "hanok" (Korean traditional building) in neighborhoods, as well as language learning and teaching, living in a hanok in Hyehwa-dong in the late '80s
"Since about 2010, many Koreans have started to take an interest in older areas of cities, partly because of the rampant redevelopment that took place in the 2000s," Fouser explained. "To younger Koreans, old neighborhoods with winding alleys are exotic."
During his visit here, he has been documenting the ongoing urban renewal process that uproots old neighborhoods, paying close attention to construction progress at Donuimun New Town in Gyonam-dong, northwestern Seoul, where many hanok were demolished. His pictures of the area before demolition are being exhibited at a gallery in Kyoto, Japan.
He has turned his attention to Okbaraji Alley, a historic old area near Seodaemun Prison that is currently being demolished.
Song Hye-kyo, right, and Prof. Seo Kyoung-duk / Courtesy of Facebook
By Ko Dong-hwan
Actress Song Hye-kyo, the female lead in TV drama "Descendants of the Sun" that ended Thursday, has continued highlighting overseas Korea's history under Japanese colonial rule during World War II.
Prof. Seo Kyoung-duk from Sungshin Women's University, well known for promoting Korean interests abroad, said on Facebook Friday he and Song had donated brochures about Korea's independence movement campaign during the period to the museum at the site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in the Chinese city of Changsha. The donation commemorated the anniversary of the government-in-exile's establishment on April 13.
Prof. Seo Kyoung-duk planned and made the brochures, above, and Song funded the campaign.
"I planned and made the brochures and Song sponsored them," Prof. Seo said on Facebook. "We have been the best double team working together on promoting our country's history for years, providing brochures to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Museum of Fine Art Boston and one in Toronto. We hope our effort goes out especially to those who didn't know about Korea and the Korean language."
On Tuesday, Song rejected a modeling offer from Japan's Mitsubishi Motors because the Mitsubishi Group is involved in a lawsuit over alleged use of Korean forced labor during Japan's occupation in World War II.
Seo left a comment on Facebook the same day, referring to a conversation he had had with the actress, who has been interested in social and historical issues.
Song said: "Mitsubishi hasn't taken responsibility for their past actions yet, right? That means I am not going to be modeling for them."
By Choi Sung-jin
Major Asian media outlets wired the news of parliamentary elections in Korea Wednesday, which turned the governing party into a minority group for the first time in 16 years.
Commenting on the ruling camp's loss of its largest-party status, foreign news agencies made a common analysis that the prolonged business slump of the past eight years under the governance of two conservative administrations has disappointed voters, forcing them to shift their support to the political opposition.
There were subtle differences between Japanese and Chinese media, however, about the effects the election results will have on Seoul's diplomatic policy.
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun expressed concerns that President Park Geun-hye's "diplomacy of principles" would meet a massive headwind, which might pose obstacles to the implementation of a bilateral agreement to resolve the wartime sexual slavery issue, as well as President Park's hard-line stance against North Korea.
"The election results will inevitably reduce the political influence of President Park for about two years, until the end of her tenure," the Japanese financial daily said. "The President is stressing that Seoul would carry out the comfort-woman' agreement reached late last year in disregard of the election outcome, but her opponents' influence will become far stronger than before." The newspaper predicted the policy drive of Korea's governing party will sharply weaken.
The right-wing Sankei Shimbun said the parliamentary election was a referendum of President Park's first three years in office, as well as the skirmish for the presidential election next year. "Because of the crushing defeat, the Park administration will not be able to maintain its influence toward the end of its tenure," it said.
The Chunichi Shimbun analyzed that the Saenuri, which had appeared to enjoy advantages because of splits in the opposition camp, not just suffered a total rout in Seoul and surrounding Gyeonggi Province, but also took a drubbing in its traditional support base of the Gyeongsang provinces. "The Park administration will experience difficulties in managing state affairs in the next two years," it said.
Analyzing the causes of the ruling party's defeat, Nihon Keizai also said: "The internal feud over candidate nomination dismayed supporters," adding that low economic growth during eight years of conservative rule also affected the vote adversely.
Sankei agreed. "Confrontation between pro-Park and anti-Park factions within the Saenuri rose to the surface," it said. "Voters made a stern judgment over the pro-Park group bent on strengthening factional power."
China's Xinhua News Agency forecast President Park will experience difficulties pushing ahead with her economic reforms because of her party's failure to win a majority of seats.
"Aside from independent members, the opposition camp emerged as the majority force by winning 167 seats in total," the state news agency said. "Saenuri failed to carry even a third of precincts in the Seoul metropolitan area, and lost 17 out of 65 electorates in its strong ground of the Gyeongsang region."
The South China Morning Post said popular discontent with economic policies overwhelmed national security issues, including North Korea's nuclear provocations, in this election, noting that Korean politics has a structure in which conservative parties benefit if inter-Korean tension rises.
"Prior to the election, political watchers had expected voters would cast their ballots to President Park's conservative party to buttress her economic reforms, but the forecast went wide of the mark from exit polls," it said. "The election result is expected not only to put a brake on President Park's economic reform plans but also to exert great influence on next year's presidential election."
The Hong Kong-based English daily also described in detail how the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea ushered in Professor Kim Jong-in, economic adviser to Park in the 2012 election, and how it "absorbed the supporters of the Saenuri Party successfully."
Noting that people's criticism of Park's economic policies in this election prevailed over North Korea's nuclear test and missile launch, SCMP said: "In Korea, household debt is snowballing and youth unemployment is soaring to a record-high level."
No South Korean victims have been reported so far in a deadly earthquake that struck southern Japan, a South Korean official said Friday.
The 6.4-magnitude temblor hit Kumamoto Prefecture and the surrounding areas on the island of Kyushu at around 9:26 p.m., Thursday, leaving at least nine people dead and hundreds injured.
"We have not received any reports yet of South Koreans being harmed in the earthquake," Park Ki-jun, deputy chief of the South Korean consulate general in Fukuoka, told Yonhap News Agency by phone.
An emergency task force has been set up at the consulate general to determine whether any Koreans were among the victims. Late Thursday, the consulate general assisted some 50 South Korean tourists who were taking cover at a parking lot outside a Kumamoto hotel.
In Seoul, the government said it has sent text messages to South Korean tourists and residents in the quake-affected areas, urging them to stay safe. (Yonhap)
'For me, it was all about getting rid of the wrong answer,' says one
By Jung Min-ho
Faced with the worst job market and frustrated with a bunch of old politicians who hardly represent the people's wishes and needs, Korea's young voters were right to be angry.
Many people in their 20s and 30s, the generation that is usually considered indifferent to politics, cast their ballots this time in Wednesday's general election in which the ruling Saenuri Party lost its parliamentary majority.
According to the National Election Commission, voter turnout in the election reached 58 percent, marking the highest percentage of eligible voters casting ballots for a general election in 12 years. The high turnout was mainly attributable to increased voting by those in their 20s and 30s.
The commission did not reveal the details of the results by age. However, according to exit polls conducted by KBS, the turnout of people in their 20s was 49.4 percent, a major leap from the 36.2 percent in the general election of 2012. That of thirtysomethings was 49.5 percent, up from 43.3 percent. On the other hand, the turnout of voters in their 50s and 60s changed very little.
Many say they headed to the polling stations to express their anger, largely aimed at the ruling party and the government behind it.
"For me, this election was all about getting rid of the wrong answer: the Saenuri Party," said a 30-year-old man surnamed Kim. "Frankly, I can't even remember the politician I voted for. I just voted against the ruling party.
"The current president is from that party and it has the most seats at the National Assembly. But it has never delivered many of the things it promised to young people. No more excuses. I'm done with it."
Kim said he is not a big fan of the opposition parties, either. "But at least I don't have many reasons to hate them yet," he said.
A 23-year-old Seoul resident, surnamed Park, said the main reason she voted for a candidate from the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) was the party's pledges to create jobs and help jobseekers.
"I think many of my peers share frustrations about the job market. The candidate of my district, who is now a lawmaker-elect, seemed to care about the issue," Park said. "I don't like the MPK, but I wanted to see change."
The stronger-than-expected voice of young voters is expected to push policymakers to reflect their needs in the upcoming National Assembly, which will begin its four-year term on May 30.
Job creation is the most serious issue for many of them. According to Statistics Korea, Friday, the unemployment rate for people aged 15 to 29 was 11.8 percent last month, the highest youth unemployment rate for March since the agency started collecting related data in 1999.
The issue stretches beyond just the number of jobs; many of those who are employed worry about job stability. Surveys show that an increasing number of workers in their 20s end up with low job security, which many believe is the chief cause of the nation's declining marriage rate as well as low birthrate.
GGGI director general Yvo de Boer
By Kim Se-jeong
The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), established in 2012 under former President Lee Myung-bak, was a symbol of Korea's low carbon, green growth drive. During his presidency, Lee showed international leadership by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and directed the domestic economy on to a green path.
However, since President Park Geun-hye was elected in 2013, green growth has become an old-fashioned topic and Korea's international green leadership has disappeared as well.
The GGGI remains committed to its mandate to transfer knowledge about sustainable ways of green growth from the developed world to the developing world.
"Korea should feel proud of what it has done for green growth," Yvo de Boer, the organization's director general, said during an interview with The Korea Times.
He hoped that the upcoming international event on Jeju Island in September will remind Korea of its commitment to sustainable growth.
GGGI is inviting all its partners to Jeju Island for the Global Green Growth Week to share their experiences.
"What we want to do is bring together a number of topics that are related to green growth," said de Boer.
The institute is inviting private sector and international financial institution representatives to discuss financing green business projects. Government representatives from Asia will talk about challenges in transforming energy sources from fossil fuels to renewable ones. Companies will also showcase their green technologies.
He is encouraging Korean companies to participate. "The global economy is moving in a different direction. More companies see renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainability as opportunities to develop their businesses."
Companies such as LG and Hanwha are leading the private sector in Korea with battery storage technology and solar power panels, but he said there is a new trove of opportunities for other Korean companies to venture into.
De Boer said he is proud to host the event on Jeju Island, which aims to be carbon free by 2030.
"Jeju is committed to green growth. It is a good example of a province that is seeking to go green as a core engine of its growth," he said.
De Boer hopes to see Korea make green growth commitment again.
"My sense is that in Korea there's much fear in making this leap to the future," he said. "Korea's resource is brains of the people. Korea is perfectly positioned to capitalize on what will drive future economic growth, instead of hanging on to what drove economic growth in the past."
GGGI is currently running 34 projects in 24 countries. The international organization is advising the United Arab Emirates on ways to diversify its oil-dominant economy and reduce its reliance on oil for electricity. In Indonesia, the GGGI is helping the national government realize that biomass is a viable source of energy, replacing coals and trees.
Saenuri Party's defeat expected to derail talks
By Jun Ji-hye
The ruling Saenuri Party's defeat in the general election may put the brakes on Seoul and Washington's talks about the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here, analysts said, Friday.
The opposition bloc has taken a negative stance on the deployment of the anti-missile system, arguing that it will worsen the nation's relations with China as well as cause potential safety, health and environmental risks.
Since the North's Feb. 7 launch of a long-range rocket, the Park Geun-hye government and the ruling party have pushed for THAAD deployment here, citing that it will help enhance national security amid growing missile threats from North Korea.
Now that the ruling party lost its majority in the National Assembly, its push for THAAD may lose steam, according to the analysts.
"As the governing party lost in the 20th general election, some issues over which the ruling and opposition parties have been disputing will emerge again as the subject of political debates," said Choi Chang-ryul, a professor of political science at Yongin University. "Deployment of a THAAD battery will be one of those issues, and this can put the brakes on the ongoing talks about its deployment with the U.S."
Sean King, an East Asia specialist with Park Strategies in New York, also said, "South Korea's various liberal forces are less open to stationing America's THAAD on ROK territory, which China abhors."
China is strongly opposed to THAAD deployment in Korea out of concerns that the system's AN/TPY-2 radar system could snoop on its military activities and missile capabilities.
Concern has also been raised regarding possible health and environmental hazards from radio waves emitted by its radar, as Seoul and Washington began their working-level talks, March 4, to iron out details of the deployment such as possible location.
Even if the allies decide to deploy the missile defense system on the peninsula, the government will still face a number of obstacles leading up to the actual deployment due to possible conflicts in the National Assembly regarding budget matters, experts added.
The 20th National Assembly whose term will begin on May 30 will have 171 liberal lawmakers from three opposition parties out of 300 in total. They will be likely to bring up the issue of THAAD deployment during a parliamentary session regarding how the allies will share its deployment cost.
A possible consequence of the general election on THAAD deployment was handled as an issue during a U.S. House Armed Services Committee hearing, Thursday.
Brian McKeon, principal deputy under the secretary of defense, told the session that the Saenuri Party lost its parliamentary majority, but the result is not expected to affect Seoul's position on the issue.
"I don't think this changes things for President Park and her approach to the deployment," McKeon told the hearing. "So I think we're optimistic that we will get to a decision. I just don't have a timeline for you."
McKeon said that there have been some meetings out in Korea considering the siting and the funding issues since the allies began their discussion.
Regarding China's opposition, McKeon added, "We have a firm view as expressed previously this is about protecting our deployed forces and our Korean partners and has nothing to do with China or China's deterrent and they shouldn't worry about it."
Vice Adm. James Syring, head of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, also told the hearing that THAAD "can provide fantastic coverage capability for not only our allies, but also for our U.S. deployed forces."
"I'm confident in the design of the system and its intercept record," he said, "and if the decision were to be made, I stand by it as the right solution."
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye
By Jun Ji-hye
North Korea attempted to fire what is presumed to be a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) early Friday from its east coast, but the launch appears to have failed, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
It was the authoritarian state's first test launch of a Musudan missile, thought to have a range of some 3,000 to 4,000 kilometers, far enough to reach Guam, home to U.S. naval and air bases.
"North Korea tried to launch a missile from the East Sea area at about 5:30 a.m., but it is presumed to have failed," the JCS said.
Military authorities in South Korea and the United States refused to clarify what kind of missile was launched, but sources noted it was thought to be the Musudan, also known as the BM-25.
The latest launch was on the 104th anniversary of the birth of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un. Pyongyang has marked the national holiday in the past with elaborate military events.
A few seconds after it was fired from the launcher, the missile deviated from its "normal" trajectory, the JCS said, noting that South Korea and the U.S. concluded the launch had failed after a joint assessment.
It is presumed the missile exploded during its booster phase before fixing its angle and entering orbit.
On April 13, CNN reported that U.S. intelligence satellites had spotted signs the North might be preparing for the unprecedented launch of a mobile ballistic missile, which could potentially hit parts of the U.S.
Quoting two U.S. officials, CNN said: "If the regime proceeds with a launch, the latest assessments are the most likely scenario is the launch of the so-called Musudan missile."
In previous weeks, the South Korean military detected the repressive state deploying two Musudan missiles near the east coast city of Wonsan for a potential launch.
The military is preparing for the possibility the North could carry out additional provocations at any time, officials said.
A series of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions prohibit North Korea from launching ballistic missiles.
But the repressive state has continued to take provocative actions even after the UNSC adopted a harsher sanctions resolution against the regime in early March, in response to its fourth nuclear test in January and the long-range rocket launch in February.
Since the new resolution, the North has protested with the firing of short and mid-range missiles and its new 300-millimeter multiple-rocket launcher, heightening military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye
Bereaved family members of the Sewol ferry disaster victims look around Paengmok Harbor on Jindo, South Jeolla Province, the nearest port to the sinking, Friday, a day before the disaster's second anniversary. Two years after the sinking, the families say not much has been done to find the exact cause of the accident.
/ Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon
By Kim Bo-eun
Two years after the Sewol ferry disaster, people remain divided over how to cope with the nation's deadliest peacetime maritime tragedy.
Not much has been determined about the exact cause of the sinking, with the Special Investigation Commission's investigation still ongoing.
The disaster of the sinking ferry which killed more than 300 passengers mostly Danwon High School students on a school trip has become a political issue as bereaved family members and civic groups, as well as opposition parties, continue to demand that the government take responsibility for its poor capacity to deal with the accident.
The political stalemate has caused "Sewol fatigue" for a growing number of citizens, who say it is time to put the incident to bed and move on.
There are numerous online postings critical of the bereaved family members who have been staging a sit-in at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul. Postings read: "Now stop it. I'm sick of it," "Come on, it was only an accident," or "You should not take advantage of your children's death."
But rather than criticism, a larger number of people show indifference to the incident which to many is fading into oblivion.
However, the families and civic groups supporting the victims' families say little has changed since the tragedy occurred, with the truth about the disaster still a mystery and the government still avoiding responsibility.
Unresolved issues
For bereaved family members, remarks about having to move on are too painful for them to accept.
Time has not healed their grieving, as they still have not received a convincing explanation for why the accident occurred.
"I wish the month of April did not exist. I wish there were no cherry blossoms," Ms. Park, who lost her high school daughter, told The Korea Times days ahead of the disaster's second anniversary.
"I do not want monetary compensation. All I want to know is what caused the death of my daughter and the other victims," she said.
Parents of the Danwon High School victims take turns coming to Gwanghwamun Square from their hometown in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, for the sit-in protest that has been held since a few days after the disaster occurred.
What they want is "the exact truth" about the incident why the ferry sank, why the passengers were not rescued and how the poorly managed ferry had been operated. Going through time from inadequate rescue operations to post-accident issues, they have lost trust in the government, and the special act on investigating the Sewol disaster is not enough to discover the truth.
The Coalition 4.16 on the Sewol Ferry Disaster, a civic group, continues to collect signatures for revisions to the act, so that the current special commission can get law enforcement rights and adequate time for a proper investigation. The commission's investigation period is set to finish in June, while the salvaging of the ferry will begin next month and it will be hoisted out of the water by the end of July, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
"We collected 60,000 signatures and petitioned for a revision to the act in February, but it was not passed in the provisional session of the National Assembly," a 4.16 Coalition official said. "We will continue to collect signatures."
The government has failed to respond to these demands, and public support is waning, but for bereaved family members, this is their only hope.
"Honestly, those who have not been through this cannot know how we feel," Park said. "We will continue to do what we can to discover what caused the disaster."
The Sewol tragedy killed 304 passengers as it sank off the coast of Jindo, an island of South Jeolla Province, en route to Jeju Island from Incheon. Nine bodies still remain unaccounted for.
The government was in hot water for its belated and inadequate response to the accident, which critics say resulted in the failure to save lives during critical timing of the sinking.
Prison sentences have been handed out to the captain of the ferry, crew members, the head of the ferry operator Chonghaejin Marine, the son of the late owner of Chonghaejin as well as a maritime police official, but other government officials responsible for the accident and the inadequate response remain unpunished.
Police believe a woman found dead on Jeju Island this week is from China or Southeast Asia after they examined the body of the homicide victim, they said Friday.
The dead woman is most likely in her 30s and was discovered near a barley field in the city of Seogwipo on South Korea's largest island of Jeju on Wednesday. When a man gathering bracken found her body, it was partially covered by grass and soil and badly decomposed.
The Seogwipo Police Station began to distribute leaflets to ask the public for any leads to identify the victim.
In the leaflets, the police give a description of the woman. She was 163 centimeters tall, had curly blonde hair, and wore a striped sweater, a blue skirt and black leggings that are sold in Chinese shopping malls. She wore black semi-boots with the words "Design By Korea" on the sole, it said.
The police, who do not discount the possibility that the victim is a South Korean, are working to identify her by her fingerprints, but no South Korean has yet to match them.
Investigators have also sent DNA samples taken from her body to the National Institute for Scientific Investigation to see if she was sexually assaulted.
The results of an autopsy conducted the previous day showed that the victim sustained a total of six wounds to the neck and chest, which were all made with a sharp weapon.
As the body was badly decomposed, the police have failed to determine when she was killed. But they believe she has been dead for less than four months, because the owner of the barley field did not see the body when he planted barley seeds in the field between December and January. (Yonhap)
By Kim Rahn
Oxy Reckitt Benckiser, one of the manufacturers of humidifier disinfectants that allegedly killed more than 100 people here, is under suspicion of fabricating toxicity test results and attempting to cover up other evidence.
Amid such suspicions, the prosecution's investigation of the scandal is focusing on the British company among other manufacturers. Prosecutors plan to summon former and incumbent officials of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser next week and take legal action against those responsible.
In August 2011, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) announced that harmful chemicals in the disinfectants were suspected of causing death by lung failure. After the announcement, Oxy Reckitt Benckiser allegedly sought its own test through a research institution to refute the KCDC's findings. As its own test also showed a link between the company's products and lung failure, the company allegedly concealed the test results, according to the prosecution.
Prosecutors seized the original test data during a raid of the company in February.
It is also alleged that the manufacturer attempted to run other tests favorable to it by providing limited data on its products to research teams at Seoul National University (SNU) and Hoseo University.
Oxy Reckitt Benckiser also allegedly deleted customer complaints about breathing difficulties and possible side effects because of its products from its website before the prosecution started its investigation. The prosecution restored most of the deleted content.
"We are looking into whether the company systemically moved to hide evidence of the harmfulness of the products," a prosecutor said. "If confirmed, those responsible will face charges of destruction of evidence."
Another suspicion is that the company restructured itself to avoid civil or criminal responsibility for the scandal.
In December 2011 when the scandal was growing, Oxy Reckitt Benckiser changed its corporate entity from a stock company to a limited liability company, registering as a new organization although the company name, assets and employees did not change.
According to the law, the new entity will avoid any legal responsibility, such as the obligation to pay compensation, even if its products are found to be the cause of the deaths. Company officials as individuals will still face charges if they are found responsible.
The disinfectants have killed 143 people so far, according to the government. Civic groups claim 103 of them used Oxy Reckitt Benckiser's products.
North Korea threatened Friday to take actions against the United States as Washington's condemnation of the North's human rights situation points to its hostility toward Pyongyang.
North Korea continues to control political activity and ban or limit political opposition while maintaining a network of political prison camps, the U.S. State Department said in its annual human rights report on Wednesday.
The North called the U.S. move to slam its human rights conditions sinister acts to disgrace the communist country and overthrow the North.
"There are no such things as prison camps, summary execution or human trafficking in North Korea. Everything mentioned in the report is a big lie," a foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by the Korean Central News Agency.
The North threatened to take actions to make the U.S. bitterly repent what it did, without elaborating on what measures it will take, it showed.
North Korea has long been labeled as one of the worst human rights violators in the world. Pyongyang has bristled at such criticism, calling it a U.S.-led attempt to topple its regime.
The communist regime does not tolerate dissent, holds hundreds of thousands of people in political prison camps and keeps tight control over outside information.
In December, the U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution for the second consecutive year that calls for referring the North to the International Criminal Court for human rights violations. (Yonhap)
Actor Song Joong-ki and actress Song Hye-kyo in the popular TV series "Descendants of the Sun," the final episode of which aired on Thursday / Korea Times photo file
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Skin care products, fashion and food are three of the many industries that saw increased revenues due, in part, to the success of Korean dramas overseas.
The popular TV series "Descendants of the Sun," which aired its final episode on KBS on Thursday, may boost yet another industry medical services.
Kim Su-wan, a professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, said Korean hospitals will be one of the beneficiaries of the stunning success of the drama all across Asia.
"The success of Descendants of the Sun' came amid a wave of positive assessments about medical services in Korea from foreign patients, and thus, is likely to have a positive impact on the reputation of Korean hospitals," she said. Plenty of papers show a positive relationship between hallyu or the Korean Wave and tourism, made-in-Korea products and the number of foreign students pursuing Korean studies.
The TV series describes the battlefield romance between the captain of the special forces unit dispatched to the fictional war-torn country Uruk and the female surgeon in charge of the medical corps there. Chinese and Southeast Asian fans were drawn to the series and watched it in real time via the Chinese video streaming website iQiyi and on other similar websites. With millions of viewers throughout Asia, the drama's popularity has surpassed that of another popular Korean drama, "My Love from the Star," which aired on SBS from December 2013 to February 2014.
Kim Su-wan, a professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, at the front gate of Deoksugung Palace in central Seoul on April 10 / Korea Times
"Citizens of other countries, particularly those from the Middle East, rely on word of mouth from their fellow countrymen when they make key decisions, including their selection of overseas hospitals," Professor Kim said. "Descendants of the Sun has attracted many Middle Eastern fans. Also, many patients have had a positive experience with the medical services they received here and go back home and tell their friends about it. These elements all help enhance the image of Korean hospitals."
Professor Kim spearheaded the survey of 327 Middle Eastern medical tourists from July 2014 to September 2015 to assess their satisfaction level with Korean hospital services and to identify possible policy implications from the results of the survey. Pollsters interviewed tourists at Incheon International Airport on their way back home, asking them about their medical treatment and other related services they received in Korean hospitals.
Over 85 percent of the patients said the medical services they received here were fine and that they would recommend Korean hospitals to their friends and family should they seek treatment overseas.
However, the patients said they had difficulty communicating with Koreans, as Arabic language services were not as good as they had expected. Taxi service was another source of the patients' complaints.
Professor Kim called on policymakers to take these issues seriously. "Policymakers often say that to attract more foreign patients we need this or that. I think it is a bad idea to consider foreign patients as a target to attract or increase," she said. "What's underneath their complaints about language services is something related to our cross-cultural understanding. Hospitals and those who are engaged in medical tourism have to work on this."
She said medical tourism has a positive spillover on overall tourism and shopping because the patients are accompanied by their families, relatives or friends, who go sightseeing or shopping while the patients receive medical treatment. "The increase of inbound medical tourists has created jobs. Several agencies now provide organized trips and shopping center tours for foreigners," said Kim.
She will present her survey findings during a conference hosted by the Japanese Association of Middle Eastern Studies in May.
A 2014 Korea Tourism Organization report found a rapid increase of foreign patients in Korean hospitals in recent years, from some 81,000 in 2010 to nearly 270,000, representing 191 countries. "Some 15,000 jobs will be created if foreign patients reach 300,000 or more," it said.
Medical tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. In 2005, 19 million people flew to other countries for medical treatment, and this number rose to over 53 million in 2012. According to a 2013 Medical Tourism Association report, Asia is the No. 1 region for medical tourists, with a 38 percent market share, followed by North America and Latin America. Thailand is the world's No. 1 country for foreign patients who seek quality affordable medical services, accommodating 2.2 million foreign patients in 2011.
In the past decade, Professor Kim said, there has been a noticeable trend in popular medical tourism destinations, particularly for Middle Eastern patients.
"The United States was popular with those patients before the September 11 terrorist attacks. After that calamity, however, an increasing number of Middle Eastern patients have changed their destinations because tightened immigration rules made it difficult for Muslim patients to enter the United States," she said.
Southeast Asian countries, such as Singapore and Thailand, have since become popular. "Some are turning their attention to Korea, as patients who experienced Korean medical services speak positively about the hospitals here," she said.
Kim is optimistic about the outlook for medical tourism in Korea in the near future. In addition to its quality services at relatively lower prices, she said medical tourism is benefitting from hallyu. Hallyu has promoted many trendy and amazing destinations in the country, which medical tourists are eager to discover, she said.
The overseas success of Korean TV series has also boosted the sales of many beauty products. Korean cosmetic giant Amore-Pacific, for example, has posted increased overseas earnings, particularly in China, after the stunning success of Korean dramas there. Since 2011, the overseas revenues of its brand Mamond have surpassed its domestic revenues. The cosmetics company stepped up its hallyu marketing in China by hiring actress Park Shin-hye of the popular TV series "The Heirs" as its model. The drama, which aired on SBS in 2013, is one of many that starred A-list Korean actresses and that have captivated Chinese fans and helped increase their interest in Korean skin care products and skin services.
Last week, President Park Geun-hye mentioned Korean cuisine and fashion as other industries that have benefited from hallyu. During her speech on April 11 at the opening of the Korean cuisine center, where visitors can enjoy a variety of Korean foods, she said that Descendants of the Sun sets an example of a win-win partnership between the content of hallyu and manufacturing. Park said the drama has been globally successful and would have a positive impact on exports of Korean foods, fashion and skin care products.
Actor Song Joong-ki, who played the male lead of the drama, also attended the opening event. He was recently appointed a goodwill ambassador by the KTO.
By Maija Rhee Devine
In jest, a friend remarked, "You can never apologize enough to a Korean."
While one may laugh it off, the opinion seems to fit the apology some former Korean comfort women and their advocacy groups demand from Japan for crimes against Koreans committed during WWII. Since 1991, when Kim Hak-soon became Korea's first former comfort woman to break the silence she and Korean society had kept for 46 years, Japanese officials delivered apologies (sah-gwa, a regret for less than the gravest offenses) several times beginning with Prime Minister Miyazawa Kiichi in 1992, and most recently Shinzo Abe in December 2015.
None of these "regrets," however, has calmed the comfort women's most vocal advocates, including the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan. According to them, apologies lack sincerity when not bolstered by what they term "legal" responsibility and compensation from Japanese government's appropriated funds. So far, only privately raised, humanitarian "sympathy" money Peace Funds for Asian Women, matched by Japanese non-legislated government funds has been offered. Abe's agreement to pay $8.3 million, accepted by S. Korean President Park Geun-hye in 2015, also did not fit the Korean activists' definition of "legal" responsibility.
These hardliners equate comfort women and WWII Holocaust victims and insist that Japan's apologies match what German Chancellor Willy Brandt offered in 1970 in Poland at a commemoration of Jewish victims of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Brandt knelt in silence, which was interpreted as asking for "forgiveness" (sah-joe for the gravest sins) for Germany's crimes against humanity committed during WWII.
Smashing the views the Korean activists propagated for decades, a few Korean scholars now hold their own countrymen culpable for the part they played in the implementation of the Japanese comfort women system, and they urge that Korea apologize to their comfort women. By depriving women and girls of basic human rights for centuries, Korea primed their women, the scholars say, to become exceptionally vulnerable targets of abduction, deceitful coercion or destitution-driven consent to work as sex workers. Korea also produced thousands who aided the implementation of the comfort women system. And, after the return of their comfort women, Korea slammed shut the gates of its society, leaving them shivering in the cold without food, housing, medical assistance or compassion for what they endured.
Noting Korea's responsibility is Professor Park Yuha of Sejong University, an author recently ordered by a Korean court to pay $8,262 to each of the nine former Korean comfort women for defaming them in her book by, for one, grouping them with some Korean women who, perhaps destitution-driven, willingly sought employment as sex workers. While disagreeing with Park, some former Korean comfort women and their spokespersons do acknowledge a measure of Korea's culpability and, according to Park, they sued the Korean government for $300 million claiming that to be their share of the $800 million Korea received as war reparations from Japan in 1965.
Some Korean academics stress that Korea's overdue apology to their own women must be given immediately. However, Professor Bong Gwan-jun of KAIST argues, "We must make Japan apologize and compensate again before we admit our responsibility." Yet another apology from Japan before Korea does right by its own women?
Jun's word "again" resonates with the jest about no apology to a Korean being good enough. Attempting to blowtorch out of Japan a Willy-Brandt-on-the-knees-style begging for forgiveness, matched by "legal" funds, may never happen. Meanwhile, the surviving 44 comfort women of the 238 who registered in S. Korea and the non-registered survivors, in their 90s, may die with han, hearts beaten to pulp.
Maija Rhee Devine authored an autobiographical novel about Korea, The Voices of Heaven. Her works-in-progress are a nonfiction book about former Korean comfort women and a novel, Journals of Comfort Women.
North Korea continues to control political activity and ban or limit political opposition, while maintaining a network of political prison camps, the U.S. State Department said in its annual human rights report Wednesday.
But the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2015 was markedly muted and dry, compared with previous ones, about the North, and did not use expressions like "deplorable," "grim" or "among the worst in the world" to portray the situation.
It was unclear if it reflects a lack of U.S. interest in the issue or it was an intended restraint at a time when a American college student has been held in the communist nation after being sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for stealing a propaganda sign.
"Historically authoritarian regimes like the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Cuba, China, Iran, Sudan, and Uzbekistan continued to control political activity and ban or limit political opposition," the report said in the introduction.
"The most recent national elections, held in March 2014, were neither free nor fair," the report said. "The government operated a network of political prison camps in which conditions were often harsh, life threatening, and included forced and compulsory labor."
The rest was largely the same as the 2014 report, including an account that the North subjected citizens to rigid controls over many aspects of their lives, including denial of the freedoms of speech, press, assembly, association, religion, movement, and worker rights.
Pyongyang has long been labeled as one of the worst human rights violators. The communist regime does not tolerate dissent, holds hundreds of thousands of people in political prison camps and keeps tight control over outside information.
But the North has bristled at such criticism, calling it a U.S.-led attempt to topple its regime.
The North's human rights problem has drawn renewed international attention thanks to the 2014 U.N. Commission of Inquiry report that concluded that Pyongyang commits "widespread, systematic and gross" violations of human rights, and the International Criminal Court should handle the problem as "crimes against humanity."
The landmark report led to the U.N. General Assembly adopting a historic resolution later that year calling for referring the North to ICC and the U.N. Security Council discussing the issue for the first time. A similar General Assembly resolution was again adopted last year with calls for ICC referral. (Yonhap)
Rep. Woo Sang-ho Rep. Bae Deok-kwang
By Yoon Sung-won
Discussions over cutting the basic charge for mobile services are expected to pick up speed at the National Assembly following Wednesday's general election.
Lawmaker-elect Woo Sang-ho of the Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) has pledged to prioritize a bill to abolish the charge.
"The bill to abolish mobile service basic rates failed to pass the standing committee (at the 19th National Assembly) due to the opposition of the government ruling party," according to Woo, Friday. "Once I reenter the 20th National Assembly, I will certainly propose the bill, above all."
Woo secured his seat in the Seodaemun-A constituency in Seoul.
In April last year, Woo and 14 other opposition lawmakers proposed a bill to revise the Telecommunications Business Act so the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning could prohibit telecom companies from collecting basic charges as a part of the mobile service fees.
The three telecom companies SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus say they need to collect a monthly basic charge of around 10,000 won from each subscriber to support their massive investments in nationwide networks. But their argument became less persuasive after Korea Post, the state-run postal service agency, rolled out budget mobile services without basic charges.
Expectations are that Woo will push to gather forces within his party to propose the bill after the new Assembly convenes on May 30.
The ruling party has made a similar move.
Lawmaker-elect Bae Deok-kwang of Saenuri Party, who won his seat in the Haeundae-B constituency, said he will push to reduce the basic rate.
"Telecom expense is one of the three burdens on the people, alongside housing and education expenses," Bae said. "I will do my utmost to lessen the burden of telecom expenses in the 20th National Assembly."
During the 19th Assembly, Bae suggested halving the current rate to between 4,000 and 5,000 won. He said telecom companies should only be allowed to collect the basic rate within three years of any massive new investment. But Bae did not propose a bill then.
110406 Public Servant Minister Welcomes New Bougainville Affairs Minister Hon Joe. Lera
By Joe Elijah
A low key reception led by the Public Servant Minister Hon Raymond Masono, to welcome the New Bougainville Affairs Minister Hon Joe Lera was held at the Buka airport over the weekend.
On arrival at the Buka airport, the Regional Member cum Minister for Bougainville Affairs was accompanied by the Member for North Bougainville Hon Lauta Atoi and ABG Mi8nister for Mining Hon Robin Wilson.
Upon arrival the ABG Public Servant Minister, Hon Raymond Masono went straight in to a press conference where he wasted no time in asking the New Minister for Bougainville Affairs, many questions on outstanding issues between the two Governments.
Minister Masono in congratulating, Mr. Lera on his new role as the Bougainville Affairs Minister said he will work very closely with the Minister in the remaining months of his tem to address these outstanding sensitive issues like the new mining act of 2015, referendum and many others before the next National Election in 2017.
Hon Masono added that, it is only then the new Minister for Bougainville Affairs listen to the ABGs recommendations on some of its sensitive issues, to make both Governments well informed and to create a sound Political and Social working relationship.
Minister Masono was pleased with the term MIDDLEMAN used by Minister Lera to bring both Governments together in order to create a better and workable communication system.
Ends
120416 Congratulatory notes still flowing for the Minister for the Bougainville Affairs
By Joe Elijah
While congratulatory messages are still flowing for the New Minister for Bougainville Affairs Hon Joe Lera, an ABG Ministerial Committee is planning to pay a visit to the Prime Minister Hon Peter Oniel this week.
In a press statement upon the arrival of the Minister for Bougainville Affairs, Hon Joe Lera, he thought he made it clear to the Public Servant Minister, representing the President Hon Dr. Chief John Momis, that he wanted to set things straight, by first sitting down with the ABG Ministerial team and discuss their queries, before he can make an appointment for the ABG Team to travel to Port Moresby, to meet with the Prime Minister himself and his Cabinet.
Hon Lera added that he wants to be the middleman between the ABG and the National Government, to address any queries as in the past many ministerial committees have travelled to Port Moresby, and have come back frustrated, because what they may have gone for was not entertained causing friction between the two Governments.
Let me first sit with the ABG Ministerial Committee and find out what they want, so that I can personally take it up to the Prime Minister myself, a thing which never happened before. He said.
During this week ABG plans to send a Ministerial Team to meet with the Prime Minister, Hon Lera added that it will be a waste of resources, money and their time, because the Prime Minister will in the end, send them back to him for Protocol wise, to address their queries before ABGs query can be fully addressed at the National level.
Hon Lera is now calling on both Governments to come straight and not break protocol as he is the legitimate Minister responsible for Bougainville Affairs, Hon Lera wants to make sure his office plays its roles and objective in addressing many Bougainville sensitive issues, and only then both Governments listen to him, their problems, queries and other matters will be addressed in full.
End
Leslie Van Houten was the youngest of the women who helped commit murders in Los Angeles at the direction of Charles Manson in August 1969. She has been in prison for 46 years the original death sentences for Manson followers were vacated when California's capital punishment law was ruled unconstitutional and for the first time, a two-member parole panel has declared her "suitable for parole." Van Houten had been turned down for parole 19 times previously. Before parole is granted, the decision has to be reviewed by the state's full parole board and Gov. Brown would have the chance to block Van Houten's release.
Van Houten was not involved in the most notorious Manson Family crimes the killings of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others at her Benedict Canyon home during a heat wave in the summer of 1969. The following night, Van Houten accompanied Manson and other family members to a Los Feliz home and took part in the killings of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, Van Houten stabbed Rosemary LaBianca in the back numerous times, and talked about the crimes at her parole hearing Thursday at the women's prison in Chino. From today's AP story:
On Thursday, Van Houten described in graphic detail for the panel how she helped secure a pillow over the head of Rosemary La Bianca with a lamp cord and hold her down while another member of the "Manson family" began stabbing the woman in her home.
Van Houten said she had looked off into the distance until another Manson follower told her to do something and she joined in the stabbing. "I don't let myself off the hook. I don't find parts in any of this that makes me feel the slightest bit good about myself," she told the panel.
Manson had departed the LaBianca home before the murders were carried out and stopped for a milk shake at a Denny's in Sylmar, where he left the victims' wallets, hoping apparently that African Americans would be blamed for the killings. Manson left the actual killers to hitchhike across the Valley to the Manson Family encampment at the Spahn Movie Ranch in the hills above Chatsworth.
Cory LaBianca, who was 21 when her father and stepmother were murdered, said she was disappointed in the move to release Van Houten. District Attorney Jackie Lacey also opposes parole for Van Houten. The parole panel cited Van Houten's record as a model prisonerduring the entire time she has been in prison.
"Your behavior in prison speaks for itself. Forty-six years and not a single serious rule violation," Commissioner Ali Zarrinnam told Van Houten Thursday.
The Manson followers are the longest serving females in the California prison system. Patricia Krenwinkel has the most time; Susan Atkins died in prison in 2009.
Van Houten's original conviction was overturned on appeal. She was retried twice and convicted in 1978 of two counts of murder and conspiracy. She was 19 at the time of the crimes.
Van Houten, right, with Krenwinkel and Atkins during their trial.
Susan Rubio, an elected member of the City Council in Baldwin Park, is also the wife of state Assemblyman Roger Hernandez, a Democrat from West Covina who is running for Congress. On Wednesday, a judge issued a temporary restraining order telling Hernandez to stay 100 yards away from his estranged wife. They are in the midst of divorce proceedings, and Rubio has accused the assemblyman of numerous instances of domestic violence.
According to the coverage in the Daily News, Rubio and Hernandez have had a stormy relationship and he has faced allegations before. He declined to comment for the story, the paper reports. Hernandez is currently running against Rep. Grace Napolitano, and Rubio's sister, Blanca, is running for Hernandez's seat in the Assembly.
From the Daily News:
The assemblyman and former West Covina mayor and councilman has been accused of domestic violence in the past though charges have never been filed against him. In 2012, a former girlfriend accused Hernandez of striking her with a belt and slamming her against a wall during an argument. The woman later obtained a protective order, which is similar to a restraining order, after an argument at a West Covina restaurant. When a council colleague and other local elected officials demanded the assemblyman step down in light of the allegations, Susan and her sister Blanca, a Baldwin Park school board member, stood by his side. The couple married in June 2013. Hernandez filed for divorce a year and a half later. During their marriage, Hernandez accused Rubio of having an affair on multiple occasions and in two cases punched or socked her in the chest when he confronted her with his suspicions, according to her written declaration. He also broke several of her personal belongings, including her car windshield and two cell phones in a fit of anger. On the night of July 6, 2014, Rubio went to the hospital for an examination after Hernandez allegedly grabbed her out of bed and she fell to the floor, according to the documents.
When writer Ken Ilgunas set out to walk the 1,700-mile proposed route of the Keystone XL pipeline and talk to the people he met there, he expected challenging debates about climate change, energy security and national sovereignty. In researching his new book, Trespassing Across America: One Mans Epic, Never-Done-Before (and Sort of Illegal) Hike Across the Heartland, he expected to experience the wisdom of the people and decipher the pipes symbolic meaning. He expected enlightenment.
Instead, he found a country we wish were just a caricature: an America that does not actually value debate, or enlightenment, or wisdom at all.
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Its a reality so empty its hard to know what to make of it. The point of Ilgunas walk is to meet real, unmediated humans. But hes confronted daily with a kind of hypermediated discourse that has obliterated the idea of empirical facts and replaced dialogue with a war of ideas between medieval walled villages, where data brought by outsiders are not just rejected but are ignored as if they never existed.
In this regard, there was no happy ending, said Ilgunas, 32, speaking via Skype from Costa Rica, where he was traveling once again. I was very disillusioned with just how fixed in their beliefs people were. I was frustrated by the lost art of conversation. I was going into [this trip] with my own prejudices, but I wanted to open myself to learning as much as I could and developing a more nuanced opinion about climate change and the pipeline. And in the end, honestly, I just became more opposed to it.
Make no mistake: Ilgunas met nice people, generous people, good people. He just couldnt talk politics with them.
This is interesting because Ilgunas, though personally opposed to the pipeline, is not an environmental polemicist. He works somewhere between the modes of Henry David Thoreau and Paul Theroux he lives deliberately and reflects on what that means, traveling to places such as the Alaskan bus where Into the Wild subject Chris McCandless lived and died, hitchhiking across the country, or walking his old hometown of Wheatfield, N.Y., to record how it was paved by suburbs. His 2013 book, Walden on Wheels, was a well-received account of getting his masters degree at Duke University while living out of a van in order to beat student loan debt.
This approach affords a welcome opportunity to see a complex subject like suburban sprawl or student debt or global oil infrastructure with fresh eyes. Yet, in Trespassing Across America, Ilgunas quickly finds his basic project shut down. Arriving in September 2012 at Fort McMurray, Canada, he hires a plane to fly him high above the vast peanut-butter-like tar sands deposits that are to be diluted and pushed through the Keystone XL pipeline, and he questions how mile after countless mile of hideous destruction could be happening in relatively eco-friendly Canada, writing, this seemed like the work of some deranged Third World tyrant bent on industrializing his nation at any cost. He doesnt know it at this start of the journey, but that remove, flying high above the bitumen, is about as close as he will get to the subject itself.
The locals he meets in the Alberta province talk about jobs, jobs, jobs; the oil work is brutal, dehumanizing, incredibly lucrative (truck drivers making $4,000 per week), and the best thing to ever happen to men who need to feed their families. The warnings start.
If you start talking to people out here about the environment, says a man named Alan, theyll punch you. Theyll get violent. Ilgunas takes this to heart and keeps his head down and right away this becomes a different book.
Backpacking through the vast, empty prairies of Alberta and Saskatchewan, he sees few people, is chased by a bull moose, and deals with his fear of cows. He writes nicely about its natural history and the beauty of this empty quarter, scribbling in his notebook, I was walking amid a hidden wonder of the world. The Sand Hills are steep furry pyramids of grass that glowed pink red in the dusk light. They are round, bulbous gumdrops, geographic Napoleon hats.
Right away, he experiences a generosity that is real and frustrating. When he raps on doors asking to refill his water bottles, people invite him in, give him a room or an empty RV or the floor of a church to sleep on. Even the ones who loudly proclaim their support for the pipeline say its OK to go on trespassing across their land. Drunk workmen in a bar who tease him about being a writer and eye his journey with dark suspicion end up giving him money. People stop their cars to feed him. To travel alone is to force yourself to depend on others, he writes. It is to fall in love with mankind.
But even the kindness of strangers couldnt deliver the depoliticized human discussion about the pipeline that he sought, the open questioning, the reasoned dinner-table hashing out of basic truths. He is a reluctant interrogator, constantly backing away from encounters that might prove too hot.
I knew if I said, Im this treehugging liberal from New York and Im walking this pipeline to oppose it, there would have been no conversation whatsoever, and I wouldnt have got their perspective, said Ilgunas. So I had to kind of talk with them artfully.
Which unfortunately means no real talking. Ilgunas walks into a face-full of what one strongly suspects is regurgitated Fox News and Rush Limbaugh, and for reasons of either politeness or fear he cant break through. Finally, in the middle of the book, he is invited to lunch by Stan, a pro-pipeline guy who thinks climate change is fake but who says he hopes the backpacking stranger can help him understand differently. When he asks Ilgunas, Dont you believe environmentalism is all about power? voicing a conservative belief that climate change is a plot to increase government control Ilgunas shuts down. From the phrasing of this one question, I gathered that any sort of mutual understanding was impossible.
Why? That is where the discussion starts. What we want from a book like this is something like the messy integration of human imagination and petrol captured in Rick Bass Oil Notes (Bass is a petroleum engineer by trade); a thirsty humans take on the vast manipulation of rivers in Joan Didions essay Holy Water; the humanity found in the perambulations of Thoreau, John Muir, Edward Abbey, Peter Matthiessen; the raw discovery, exposure and anger in William DeBuys The Last Unicorn. We need him to transcend the confrontation.
Such discussions are rare in the country, but they are happening. Breakthrough local initiatives like the Blackfoot Challenge in Montana have been making great strides by putting farmers, environmentalists and government agents at one table and doing the hard work of talking to one another. And it is hard work.
Maybe thats not possible for a man whos just passing through and has to camp somewhere in plain sight for cops and others to constantly hassle him. But I cant help but feel he should have stayed an extra day when insight was within reach. Instead, near the end of the book he admits he hasnt had a single good intellectual conversation on the nearly five-month trip and lets loose a rant:
Not one person I encountered has said anything even halfway intelligent when denying global warming. They saw themselves as too freewilled and independent to be duped into accepting something that an accomplished and well-trained scientist says is true. But it is a false enlightenment to accept only those ideas that align with ones worldview and reject those that dont.
Instead of dialogue, he was finally appropriated as a symbol of resistance. As he approached the pipes terminus at the Valero Refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, in February 2013, other pipeline protesters walked with him, interviewed him, stopped for selfies and whisked him off to Washington, D.C., to speak to throngs of climate change activists who considered him a hero. But he feels sheepish, acknowledging that even as he brought new attention to the pipeline, he hadnt changed many minds on the ground.
Still, he felt good about the experience. Unlike the hitchhiking and birch-bark canoe adventures he recounts in Walden on Wheels, Ilgunas said, I feel like those are accomplishments that are pretty hollow because theyre affecting no one but myself. And I was striving for something more with the Keystone XL trip; I had more than myself in mind.
I did really love my life every day on that journey, he added. Even though I was exposed to indifference and was often disillusioned and was chased by dogs, I did feel that I was in the right place at the right time in my life.
Ilgunas declared to the CBC at the outset that he was out for a good walk. The frustration he found along the way reveals that its going to take a singular event or talent to get people to really talk to one another about climate change. Maybe walking, no matter how good, isnt quite enough.
Kuipers is a writer in Los Angeles and is the author of Operation Bite Back: Rod Coronados War to Save American Wilderness.
Like most of us, Larry Maizlish seldom scrutinizes the pages of fine print that accompany his credit cards. The other day, however, he decided to give it a go for his Lexus Pursuits Visa card, which offers points for vehicle repairs.
I had the time, Maizlish, 53, told me. My eyes were feeling good.
That was fortunate because he had to dig deep to come across a nasty little stink bomb planted by the cards issuer, Comenity Capital Bank.
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About halfway through the pages of legalese, after the usual boilerplate about Comenity being able to change the terms of the contract any time it pleases, so there, Maizlish found this:
You grant us a security interest in all goods you purchase through the use of the account, now or at any time in the future and in all proceeds of such goods.
Thats a fancy way of saying that Comenity reserves the right to send guys to your home and take any stuff youve purchased with your card if you dont pay your bills.
And if youve maybe sold the stuff on EBay, theyll take the cash you earned.
Call it the Sopranos clause.
I wouldnt have even known it was there if I didnt make the effort to read the whole thing, Long Beach resident Maizlish said. Its kind of hard to believe.
Hard to believe because credit cards traditionally have represented whats known as unsecured debt, meaning no collateral is required to receive the loan. If a borrower fails to make payments, the lender has few choices except to negotiate a settlement for less money or file a lawsuit.
Secured debt, on the other hand, is guaranteed by collateral. Car and home loans are the most common forms of secured debt. Miss your payments and adios wheels, sayonara house.
Comenity is securing its credit-card loans with all the goodies cardholders put on plastic.
This kind of thing fell out of favor among many card issuers in the 1990s, after Sears paid $273 million in refunds to customers to settle charges that it used a security interest provision to unfairly muscle people into making payments.
Comenity, however, has stuck with the practice. The company is a leading issuer of store cards, including for retailers Ann Taylor, J. Crew and Pottery Barn.
Ive never heard of anything actually being repossessed, said Linda Sherry, director of national priorities for the advocacy group Consumer Action. But these cards make it clear they can do it if they want.
Think of it as leverage. Some people might think they can get away with not paying their credit-card bills, unfazed by the prospect of having their credit score go down the toilet.
But those same people likely will sit up and take notice if faced with the explicit threat of losing their flat-screen TV or washing machine or refrigerator.
That doesnt mean the store or bank is actually going to do it, said Douglas Crowder, a Los Angeles lawyer specializing in consumer debt issues. Its all about the threat factor.
Theyd really send repo guys to a cardholders home?
If it was a large enough purchase, it might be worth their while, Crowder replied. For anything with a resale value of less than $2,000, say, its hard to imagine theyd go to the trouble and expense.
A Comenity spokesman, Larry Meltzer, declined to address whether the bank would dispatch repo men to cardholders homes.
He said only that the security interest clause in the terms of Comenitys credit card agreements is designed to preserve rights it may have under applicable laws.
Bankruptcy is a key consideration. Under most Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings, much of a consumers outstanding debt can be erased.
During bankruptcy proceedings, consumers are asked if they want to reaffirm their secured debt. In other words, will they commit to keep paying off their car or home loan so they wont lose the property?
Credit cards with security interest provisions are a way for these lenders to get on the list of reaffirmed loans, said Chi Chi Wu, a staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. Reaffirm our debt or lose your TV. Its a way to scare you into staying on the hook.
Thats not to say these are idle threats. While the chances of a store or bank trying to repossess an electronic device or appliance seem low, it can happen. So dont just dismiss any such warnings as bluffs.
Still, you do have rights. Section 9609 of the California Commercial Code says collateral only may be collected by a creditor without breach of the peace. So obviously no rough stuff is allowed.
Repo men cant enter your home without permission. If you slam the door in their faces, the creditors sole alternative is to turn to the courts. Its willingness to do so will depend on the value of the item cheaper goods simply wont justify the legal costs. But pricier items, and not just diamond rings, might be sufficient to get lawyers involved.
People are purchasing a lot of very expensive appliances for their homes $5,000 stoves, $7,500 refrigerators and theyre putting them on plastic, Sherry observed. If you bought a bunch of appliances together, the store is going to want them back if you dont pay your bills.
To find out if your credit card contract has a security interest provision, try looking it up in a database of card agreements maintained by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
If you have a store card, you can also search Comenitys own site to see if its one of theirs.
Maizlish, with that Comenity-issued Lexus Pursuits card, said he used his plastic for some recent home improvements.
I guess if I dont pay my bills, they can come and rip out my windows or take out the rear patio, he said.
He doesnt think this would ever happen. But just to be safe, hes contacting Comenity and seeking written clarification of the companys intentions.
If they wont provide it, Maizlish said, theres no reason to keep using this card. Theres no shortage of other credit cards out there.
David Lazarus column runs Tuesdays and Fridays. He also can be seen daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and followed on Twitter @Davidlaz. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com.
It sounds as if President Obama lately has been listening to Bernie Sanders tough talk on business.
From expanding overtime rules for employers to imposing stricter corporate tax regulations and fiduciary responsibilities on stockbrokers, Obama is using his executive power to demand greater accountability and contributions from American firms.
Whether the policies are being pushed by Sanders anti-business campaign rhetoric, as some believe, or represent the culmination of years of getting nowhere with recalcitrant congressional Republicans, Obamas harder line on corporate interests has been met with howls from business chiefs and may mark a kind of makeover of the presidents legacy.
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In Obamas first term, with the nation reeling from the financial crisis and the public fuming at government bailouts of big banks, some in the Democratic Party shook their heads at what they regarded as the presidents failure to match his tough talk on Wall Street and corporate excess with equally strong action. Although Obama pushed through the sweeping Dodd-Frank overhaul of financial regulations, legislative compromises and long delays in following up with regulations blunted its impact.
Obama hasnt exactly dropped the gloves since then, but the recent regulations unveiled by the White House with more to come, analysts say reflect a sense of urgency in the waning months of his administration. They come as the 2016 presidential candidates and ordinary Americans voice frustrations that the U.S. economy remains stacked in favor of corporations and the well-to-do.
This is an administration under attack from the left for not being sufficiently anti-business, said Robert J. Shapiro, an economic advisor to former President Clinton and chairman of consulting firm Sonecon Inc. There is a real consensus across the Democratic Party that you have to go after aspects of inequality and aspects of corporate abuse.
(Associated Press)
Obama gets tough on businesses
Corporate inversions: Makes it harder for companies to avoid U.S. taxes by moving headquarters abroad
Retirement savings: Requires investment advisers to put clients' interests first
Overtime: Extends overtime benefits to an estimated 5 million people
Climate change: Sets state-by-state targets for reducing greenhouse gases from power plants
Bruce Josten, the top lobbyist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said, Theyve made it perfectly clear theyre going to try to push out as many of these regs as they can, as fast as they can. The sheer amount of new regulations, he argued, is driving the business community crazy.
Josten accused Obama of helping make business-bashing acceptable in political discourse, as demonstrated in the presidential campaign, with his own sharp rhetoric.
In highlighting this months new rules to rein in corporate inversions the most significant of the recent administration actions Obama called it an insidious tax loophole that multinationals have been irresponsibly exploiting at the expense of U.S. workers. It sticks the rest of us with the tab, the president said. And it makes hardworking Americans feel like the deck is stacked against them.
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The corporate inversion regulations are aimed at stopping firms from moving their headquarters overseas to avoid U.S. taxes, often by merging with smaller companies in lower-tax countries. Two earlier sets of Treasury rules on inversions, in 2014 and last year, were seen as weak and had little effect, but this third round was much more expansive with the potential for eliminating tens of billions of dollars of tax reductions by multinationals.
Just two days after the new rules were issued, the New York-based pharmaceutical giant Pfizer nixed its $150 billion merger deal with Allergan, a former Irvine-based company one-twelfth of Pfizer's size that came to be headquartered in Ireland after multiple transactions.
Allergan's chief executive, Brent Saunders, called the Obama administrations action capricious and complained it had taken aim at the Pfizer-Allergan deal. Treasury officials denied that they had targeted any specific transaction.
But the new regulations extended far further than most initially believed. The tax rules not only make it harder for deals like Pfizer-Allergan, involving what Treasury called serial inverters, but also limit a much more widely used practice in which multinational firms make loans or shift finances between affiliates to strip out earnings in higher-tax countries or take advantage of tax breaks such as interest deductions.
Theres a sense [the rule on earnings stripping] is not just targeted at abusive situations, but rather ordinary inter-company transactions that have been blessed for decades, said Lee Morlock, an international tax partner at Mayer Browns law offices in Chicago. He and other tax experts said multinational firms would now have to take a second look at any planned transactions involving inter-company debt and equity.
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Its a little bit of a blunt instrument, said Eric Toder, co-director of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center at the Urban Institute, who like others was surprised by the Treasury action. It is somewhat of a departure in policy. Companies have been using earnings stripping more aggressively over the years as the economy has become more global and tax planners have gotten more sophisticated in employing such techniques, said Kimberly Clausing, an economics professor at Reed College who has written extensively on the subject. Clausing estimated that earnings stripping accounts for at least 30% of the more than $100 billion in corporate tax revenue lost annually by the U.S. government because of overall profit-shifting maneuvers.
Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew, in announcing the inversion regulations, did not rule out taking other steps on the issue in the final months of the Obama administration. Although Obama and others agree that overall corporate tax reform is needed the U.S. business tax rate is the highest among advanced economies there is almost zero chance of any legislation this year, and many doubt it could happen even in the next three years.
Earlier this month, the Obama administration also issued regulations aimed at protecting retirement savers from being hurt by conflicts of interest and some other agents who sell stocks, bonds and other investments. While consumer groups and Democratic lawmakers cheered the rules, the financial industry, GOP leaders and other critics argued that they would drive up the cost of investments for average investors.
The administrations proposed change in overtime, meanwhile, would more than double the threshold for white-collar workers exempted from overtime pay, to $50,440 from the current amount of $23,660. The White House also is expected to issue more health and safety, and environmental regulations affecting corporations.
Jared Bernstein, chief economist for Vice President Joe Biden during Obamas first term, disputed that the administration had suddenly cranked up its efforts to get tough on businesses. He noted that some of the policies issued, such as the overtime rule, had been in the works for some time, before the political campaigns began.
At the same time, he acknowledged that the administration had not done enough to bring Wall Street to heel, particularly in the White Houses reluctance to criminally prosecute those who had clearly engaged in financial misbehavior before the Great Recession. Nor could Bernstein account for why the Obama administration didnt issue the tougher inversion rules earlier when it had the chance.
Many of us were scratching our heads why the first two efforts on tax inversion didnt have sharp teeth, said Bernstein, who is a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
If Obama was too soft on business, part of that can be explained by the top advisors who surrounded him earlier, said Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. They include former chiefs of staff Rahm Emanuel and William M. Daley, who are seen as centrist and business-oriented, as well as confidants like former Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner, who some saw as sympathetic to the financial industry during his tenure and now serves as president of Warburg Pincus, a Wall Street private equity firm.
I think part of the story [of Obamas stronger hand with businesses] is that some of the people pushing him toward the center are gone, Baker said.
Still, like many Democrats, he said what ultimately has pushed Obama to implement stiffer regulations on businesses was the realization, however slowly, that his efforts to compromise and get changes through legislation would never happen in the current partisan climate in Congress.
Geoff Garin, a Democratic strategist and president of Hart Research Associates, argued that history would show that Obama struck a healthy balance in his dealings with businesses.
Its hard to argue hes anti-corporations in as much as hes invested a lot of political capital negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership, he said, referring to the pending Pacific Rim free trade deal that many Democrats have bitterly opposed. Its clear that people like Bernie Sanders would like Obama to be a lot tougher on corporations, but the thing about Obama is hes not knee-jerk pro-business or knee-jerk anti-business.
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San Francisco is urging some 37,000 Uber and Lyft drivers to register themselves as businesses adding red tape that could hurt ride-hailing companies bid to grow their workforce, but also helping affirm that those drivers are independent contractors, not employees.
City Treasurer Jose Cisneros said Friday his office had mailed notices to 37,018 people identified as drivers for transportation network companies.
A spokeswoman for Cisneros said that because of taxpayer confidentiality laws, the office of the treasurer and tax collector could not discuss how it obtained the drivers data, only that it follows nearly two years of enforcement work, including multiple requests for information and subpoenas to get sufficient data about business operations from TNCs domiciled in San Francisco.
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I take seriously my obligation to fairly implement San Franciscos business registration requirements, Cisneros said in a prepared statement. I urge all the people receiving this notice, and all unregistered businesses operating in San Francisco, to take prompt action to come into compliance immediately.
Drivers who receive the notice will have to either register as a business or let the city know they no longer drive for a ride-hailing company within 30 days, or face a penalty. Registration costs $91 a year and can be done online.
For drivers who have been working for multiple years but havent registered as a business, fees will be calculated automatically based on their start date and will include penalties and interest.
If all drivers who were sent the letter registered as a business, it would generate $3.37 million a year for the city.
The registration requirement will hit drivers hardest, although if it deters them from driving for ride-hailing companies, then Uber and Lyft, which have been in an ongoing recruitment race as they expand, also will feel the effects.
We have serious concerns with the citys plan to collect and display Lyft drivers personal information in a publicly available database, a spokeswoman for Lyft said. People in San Francisco, who are choosing to drive with Lyft to help make ends meet, shouldnt have to compromise their privacy in order to share a ride.
A spokeswoman for Uber said the company partners with entrepreneurial drivers and, as independent contractors, they are responsible for following appropriate local requirements.
The silver lining for the ride-hailing industry is that the treasurers move helps reaffirm the companies position: Drivers should be treated as independent contractors, not as employees. Both Uber and Lyft have been tied up in class-action lawsuits filed by drivers seeking to be classified as employees.
Business permit requirements differ from city to city. In San Jose, Uber and Lyft drivers have long had to register their business and hold a Tax Registration Certification as a condition of operating at San Jose International Airport.
The Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collectors website does not specify whether drivers for ride-hailing companies need to register for a business license. The office for the treasurer did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Twitter: @traceylien
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Bernard Labadie, the Canadian conductor who had become the frequent go-to guy for 18th century music at Walt Disney Concert Hall and elsewhere in this region, returned Wednesday night with his Quebec-based chamber orchestra, Les Violons du Roy, kicking off a short North American tour.
For that alone, he and we were grateful, as Labadie has had to overcome stage 4 lymphoma during the last two years. He is not out of the woods yet; these days, he conducts seated without a baton to conserve his depleted energy. But otherwise, Labadie was pretty much his old musical self in front of this hybrid group that combines period-performance techniques with modern instruments.
One of the deviations from the hard-core, period-performance party line was the presence of transcriptions on the Disney Hall program. In a short talk after intermission, Labadie said they were very much a part of period-performance tradition back in the day. (These guys didnt care about authenticity, he said.) With that in mind, Labadie made his own transcription of J.S. Bachs Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, originally written for organ yet made famous in the 20th century by massive, wonderful Technicolor arrangements for symphony orchestra by Leopold Stokowski and Eugene Ormandy.
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Of course, Labadies version was nothing like those big-thinking showpieces. Instead, it illuminated the polyphonic aspects of the piece, far more so than the symphonic transcriptions or even the organ original. The repeating underlying passacaglia theme was set forth by harpsichord, cello and bass; there were duets, a pizzicato episode, violins questioning and answering each other, a lot of dynamic
contrasts. It sounded like a lively, long-lost Brandenburg concerto -- and it was the best thing on the program.
The other unusual twist on the program was that each of the three remaining pieces -- all standard fare from Bach and Handel -- was preceded by a meditative prelude. Another Labadie transcription -- this time, a rather dreary one of the Gravement movement from the Organ Fantasia in G, BWV 572 -- led into the Suite No. 1 from Handels Water Music, which gradually came together with increasing spirit and careful dynamic shadings.
As a preface to Bachs Keyboard Concerto in F Minor, BWV 1056, pianist Alexandre Tharaud played the Aria from the Pastorale in F, BWV 590, and preceded the Keyboard Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052, with the Adagio from a Bach solo keyboard concerto (BWV 974) based on an Alessandro Marcello oboe concerto and arranged by Tharaud. As played on a defiantly anachronistic Yamaha grand piano, both short meditations seemed to anticipate Chopins preludes.
Tharaud pretty much continued in that poetic vein in both concertos -- very legato, delicate, genteel, heavy on the pedal, clashing with the sharper-etched manner of Labadie and Les Violons du Roy. For me, these concertos needed a lot more rhythmic definition, swing and drive than what Tharauds concept could accommodate.
Labadie resurfaces here next in December when he returns to the Los Angeles Philharmonic with Handels Messiah.
Sandra Oh left Greys Anatomy two years ago to pursue new adventures and an old love theater. The actress, 44, had spent 10 seasons on the ABC drama, winning Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards and earning five Emmy nominations for her portrayal of hard-driving heart surgeon Cristina Yang.
Since hanging up her scrubs, the self-described Korean Canadian Los Angeleno has focused on stage and screen projects that, she says, reflect her super-indie roots and desire to help voices that havent been heard get heard.
This weekend, Oh begins a two-week run in the world premiere of Julia Chos Office Hour at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa. She plays a writing professor who reaches out to a student others see as strange and scary with unexpected results.
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Tell us about Office Hour.
Its hard to talk about without giving away all the reveals. There are so many layers. At the outset, its about a conversation between a professor named Gina and a student named Dennis. Inside that conversation, so much more is going on.
One interesting thing is the suggestion that there are multiple realities. It will jar you out of your own point of view or make you realize you came in with a very specific point of view. It also opens up something great the idea of uncertainty.
Raymond Lee and Sandra Oh in South Coast Repertorys 2016 world premiere of Office Hour by Julia Cho. (Ben Horak / South Coast Repertory)
Cho has said she was inspired to write Office Hour by the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting in part because the gunman also was of Korean ancestry. Although the play explores campus violence, it sounds like the core issues are race, culture and alienation.
Dennis represents so much of the shadow side of all of us. The parts that are ignored, wounded, angry. Ginas task is to make contact with him, to make a connection with that part of Dennis. Hopefully, its also a chance for all of us to make a connection with that part of ourselves.
What does this play mean to you?
I find that this is a deeply Asian American play. I feel extremely connected to it through my own cultural experience. By that I mean there are subjects that we dont talk about in our community and that I dont think the community at large is aware of. Dennis feels unseen, ignored, misunderstood. Somehow, that leads into an experience I think a lot of young people have and an experience a lot of people who feel that way in terms of the larger society have. Of course, Dennis is also a very troubled character.
As an actor, it is rare to have this kind of rich material to draw upon. Julias writing has such a beautiful, lyrical quality. The emotional lives of her characters have a real poignancy. I hope this play will resonate with everyone.
You are best known for roles on television (Greys Anatomy, Arliss) and in movies (Sideways, Under the Tuscan Sun). People may not realize that youve been performing onstage since you were a kid.
I was born in a suburb of Ottawa and started acting in plays when I was 10. I attended the National Theatre School of Canada and started working in TV and film. Until Greys Anatomy, I was able to find time to keep doing plays such as Diana Sons Stop Kiss in New York and [Federico Garcia] Lorcas The House of Bernarda Alba at the Taper.
You seem to be drawn to material with social and political themes.
Its not that I do a play specifically because of its social aspect, but there must be an element of that because those are the choices I make. Ive picked roles mostly because they are great parts in beautiful plays that hope to both entertain and tell stories that are not usually told.
The chance to tell such stories was one reason you left Greys Anatomy.
I felt I had done my job. I had explored everything that I could with my character. I loved the camaraderie of that show. So the motivation to go was creative. I am so grateful that [series creator] Shonda Rhimes understood that I needed to make that choice. After I left, I did Ariel Dorfmans play Death and the Maiden in Chicago, and it felt great to be thrown into the deep end and remember that I could swim. I also helped a wonderful animator produce her film Window Horses [with a voice cast that includes Oh, Ellen Page and Shohreh Aghdashloo] about a young Chinese-Iranian-Canadian woman who is a poet. And I shot a micro-indie called Catfight. In my work choices lately, I want to be moved, to feel I really have to do this.
What moves you?
A lot of peoples focus is on the struggle to not be seen as other. But I am at the stage in my life where I want to tell stories from an Asian American perspective. The reason why is that its not generic. For example, anyone can do Office Hour. The only thing that is fairly specific is that the professor and student be of the same race or culture. There is a level of specificity I can bring to this play from my own cultural experience. I want to explain my cultures experience.
I didnt think this way 15 years ago. Back then, I just had to be accepted as the same. I dont want to be that anymore. Its not like I want to play the other. I want to play us.
Youve expressed interest in returning to Greys Anatomy for its eventual series finale. Rumor has it you may appear on the show even sooner.
I love that there are rumors.
Whats next for you?
Im going to do the Sundance playwrights lab to workshop Hansol Jungs Wild Goose Dreams, where I play a North Korean defector. I want to do more theater, including more theater in L.A.
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Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks is far too independent an artist to feel comfortable in the role of African American spokesperson. But she didnt hold back when asked for her thoughts about the controversy over Hollywoods diversity problem that came to a head with another overwhelmingly white edition of the Academy Awards.
At lunch at the trendy Bowery Hotel not far from the Public Theater, where her heralded drama Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) had its 2014 world premiere (the play opens Sunday at the Mark Taper Forum), she complimented Chris Rock on the job he did hosting the Oscars. But to the question he posed in his opening monologue Is Hollywood racist? Parks had a no-nonsense answer.
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Yeah, and so is America, she said. Hollywood is only as interesting as the rest of the country. Hollywood thinks, Were separate, were cool, were gorgeous, were glamorous, we walk on red carpets all day. Guess what? Youre all just as kookaburra as the rest of us.
What interests her is the way the movie business reflects the nation. Hollywood doesnt particularly value the contributions of women, she said. Interesting that neither does the rest of the country on any given day. Hollywood enjoys and seems to encourage crazy violence. Gosh, thats happening in the rest of the country too.
Parks is glad theres a conversation happening around these issues but doesnt see this as grounds for congratulations. I was at the University of Utah recently giving a lecture and sitting down with an awesome group of faculty, she recalled. One of them was saying, This country should be better than that, just like we say, Hollywood should be better than that. Yo, yo, yo, lets get real. Hollywood is exactly what it is and should not get a pat on the back for looking at itself or laughing at Chris Rocks jokes.
A dramatist who enjoys caricaturing cultural attitudes in her work, she went on an improvisatory riff: Diversity and inclusion are such a pain and Im a good person when I do it and Im so annoyed I have to include more roles for women and black people. Oh poor me. Im just so trodden upon!
This wasnt a subject that Parks, a charmingly sociable playwright, came to discuss. But confronting the world in all its shameless contradictions is her hallmark. She has a writers compassionate gaze, but her mode of being is theatrical. She is every inch a dramatist a point that was underscored when the sound of something crashing into the window right next to our corner table provoked an impromptu vignette.
Sounds like someone fell off a ledge, Parks said, leaning over to see what was going on. Hello, do we need to help you? she shouted, giggling in disbelief.
The tinted window preserved the mystery, but could someone really have fallen onto the new pristine Bowery, a destination these days not for bums but millennial dandies?
Im making the most dramatic choice, she replied. There would be people screaming if that had happened. No, theyre doing construction.
Back to our beautiful food, as Parks joyfully christened it, and to the real subject of our meeting, her even more beautiful career. Since she burst onto the scene with Imperceptible Mutabilities in the Third Kingdom in the late 1980s, this Army brat who was born in Kentucky, attended school in Germany and graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1985, has created a body of work that has made her one of the most decorated playwrights of her generation.
Parks, a preternaturally youthful 52, has won nearly everything. The Herb Alpert Award, multiple Obies, the Pulitzer Prize for Topdog/Underdog (she was the first African American woman to win a Pulitzer for drama), a MacArthur genius grant and, most recently, the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize. This last award was particularly meaningful to her not only because it came with $300,000 but because it cuts across artistic disciplines, something she has striven to do in her work, which bridges poetry and music in drama.
A finalist last year for the Pulitzer Prize, Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) has added to her trove. The play received the $100,000 Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama Inspired by American History.
Representing a swerve for Parks into episodic long-form storytelling, this is the first installment in a Civil War drama that she now believes will have 12 parts divided into four separate plays. Hero, the protagonist, is a slave who is persuaded to fight for the Confederacy on the promise that if he joins his master in battle he will win his liberty. Parks takes up a classic subject of drama freedom exploring it not just as an existential conundrum a la Sophocles but as a traumatic historical condition.
Oskar Eustis, the artistic director of the Public Theater, where Parks has been in residence as the master writer chair, told me that he considers this the best play she has ever written. Parks smiled when she heard this but said she leaves those calculations to others.
Some artists grow cautious when being taped for an on-the-record conversation, but Parks hardly seemed to notice the micro-recorder next to the attention-stealing breadbasket. (Here we go, she said. Dont eat the bread, eat the bread, dont eat the bread, eat the bread.) She asked me about my life in Los Angeles (we met as judges on the Obie Awards in the late 1990s) and updated me on her divorce, her young son and her recent engagement to a guy she met on an Internet dating site.
Parks plays reflect the spontaneous, direct and utterly infectious energy of their creator. Her early works Imperceptible Mutabilities, The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World and The America Play were marked by a dreamlike fluidity that brought to mind the great Adrienne Kennedy. But the verbal inventiveness, a melange of jazz, Beckett and spoken word, was purely Parks own.
The three dramas that followed this period Venus, In the Blood and one with an unprintable title that, like In the Blood, was loosely inspired by Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter had narratives that were more readily graspable. These plays, produced at the Public Theater under George C. Wolfes leadership, had some complaining that Parks was losing her avant-garde edge, that she was becoming more accessible and, good heavens, institutional.
Im not sure what that was about, Parks reflected. I guess it was some fear that I was leaving this little world downtown, where youre real. What is that even?
The success of Topdog/Underdog, Parks 2001 play about a pair of brothers named Booth and Lincoln whose sibling dynamic takes on a syncopated historical rhythm, was both exhilarating and disorienting. She wrote the play in three days (it came very quickly, the way a lot of things do when theyve been brewing for years), and it was an immediate sensation.
George C. Wolfe directed it downtown with Don Cheadle and Jeffrey Wright, she said. And then we had Mos Def and Jeffrey Wright uptown, with George C. directing. The play opened on Broadway on a Sunday and won the Pulitzer on a Monday. It was like, Oh, man!
Success of this magnitude isnt easy to follow, but Parks, who was living in Los Angeles at the time, a stones throw from the beach in Venice, had one advantage: She wasnt interested in repeating herself. She taught at the California Institute of the Arts, she wrote a novel (Getting Mothers Body), and she worked on the TV adaptation of Zora Neale Hurstons Their Eyes Were Watching God for Oprah Winfrey.
Her next theatrical project, however, surprised everyone. Parks committed to writing a play a day for a year. The producing vision for 365 Days/365 Plays was equally outlandish: a grass-roots theater festival involving scores of theater folk nationwide.
I started writing in November, the year I won the Pulitzer, she said. I didnt know it then, but looking back it was my way of saying thank you to the art form..... I will bow to you every single day and offer the little thing that I have in my mind to you. It was devotional.
From a certain vantage, it may have seemed as if Topdog/Underdog had knocked this gifted dramatist off course. 365 Days/365 Plays was more notable for its communal goodwill than for its artistic impact. Getting Mothers Body received mixed reviews. The book she wrote for a Ray Charles jukebox musical, which opened at the Pasadena Playhouse in 2007 and is still vying for Broadway, could easily be mistaken for commercial work-for-hire. And her rewrite of the book for Porgy and Bess ignited controversy when Stephen Sondheim criticized the creative teams presumption. (The production, though polarizing, went on to win the Tony for best musical revival.)
Parks wasnt concerned if some saw her as artistically adrift. There are people clamoring for me to be something. But for an artist, the biggest person you have to answer to, aside from your mom or your dad (Oh, I hope they like it!), is yourself. Im tuned into the world, but when it comes to expectations, who do I answer to? I answer to myself.
This is a philosophy she tries to instill in her students at New York University and in those writers who join her for Watch Me Work, the live-streaming workshop she conducts at the Public. Im always saying, Listen to that small voice within, she said. Thats where your writers voice is.
This doesnt stop people from offering Parks their two cents. I still get it today, she said. There are people who need to tell me when they meet me that Topdog/Underdog wasnt such a good play. You know, its not really your best play, theyll say. As if they think Im going to take my name off the cover because they dont like it.
In an early essay, An Equation for Black People Onstage, Parks raised a few provocative questions: Can a White person be present onstage and not be an oppressor? Can a Black person be onstage and be other than oppressed? For the Black writer, are there Dramas other than race dramas? Does Black life consist of issues other than race issues? In Parks view, There is no such thing as THE Black Experience. Her mission: to explore The-Drama-of-the-Black-Person-as-an-Integral-Facet-of-the-Universe.
Shes not discounting the importance of racial concerns. Theyre big, important issues, she acknowledged. But there are questions of the human condition Who am I? What am I doing here? These are issues that everybody asks regardless of their race or gender or upbringing or social status or whatever. As people of African descent, we should remind ourselves that were not merely supposed to be addressing questions of race relations. I say race relations in a funny little voice because, gosh, the white man is standing on my neck again. The plays like that are very important and at a certain point they begin to serve the needs of white narcissism.
Parks, who studied with writer James Baldwin in college, flatly rejects the idea that black characters need to be seen always in relationship to white characters. Drama for her has its roots in what she calls the mythic or epic experience.
Once we recognize that we exist within this context, we can see the connections between our lives and the folks in Ramayana or the Mahabharata or The Odyssey or The Oresteia or the epic works of Horton Foote or those 10 great plays of August Wilson or any of the works that chart that ginormous wave of human experience, she said. Even though they differ widely in style and scope, all of my plays recognize that were part of this huge wave.
Music is a crucial element. For Parks, lyric is what arises when characters are pressed on all sides. Thats when the wine flows out of them, she said.
Parks wrote the songs for Father Comes Home From the Wars and even performed them onstage with her guitar in an early workshop production at the Public that was directed by Jo Bonney, who staged the New York premiere and is helming the Taper production. These are not elaborate songs, she stressed. Were not talking Mozart or the Gershwins.
But songwriting has become an integral part of her creative life. I love to play out, she exclaimed.
In its exploration of history through a contemporary theatrical filter, Father Comes Home From the Wars represents a pure distillation of the Parks aesthetic. She owns her style here with an agile grace.
I appreciate that you recognize that because thats the subject of the whole play, she said. What do you do if youre allowed to own yourself? How can you own yourself even before freedom comes? And after freedom comes, what is the best use of yourself?
Freedom, a birthright, never gets easier not even for a master playwright. One would think you develop these muscles of craft and then you can sit down and repeat yourself, she said. But what Ive discovered is that youre onto the next level, like in a video game.
When she gets stuck, she calls on her ancestors. We are tough, she said in her sunshiny way. Not getting nominated for an Oscar isnt going to stop us from working. Lack of opportunities, obvious inequities, unfairness, evil, hatred, lies are not going to make us want to stay home and quit. Whether youre black or white, you can look at your heritage and find someone there who endured. You call on them, and you keep on going.
Susan Sarandon has always marched to the beat of her own drum. She openly smokes weed. Last year, at almost 70 years old, she attended Burning Man -- a psychedelic gathering in the Nevada desert filled with art, sex and drugs. And she has never been shy about sharing her political views, recently spending a majority of her time stumping for Bernie Sanders campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Even so, the 69-year-old made headlines last month when she got into a heated political feud with fellow actress Debra Messing on Twitter. OK, so first, a primer: On March 28, Sarandon went on MSNBCs All In with Chris Hayes to talk about her support for Sanders. Hayes asked if she would vote for Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton should Sanders lose the nomination, and she replied she was going to see what happens. Hayes expressed surprise, but Sarandon just replied with a shrug: Some people feel Donald Trump will bring the revolution immediately.
Even though she never actually said shed vote for Trump over Clinton, that was the story that emerged from the interview. It was a sentiment that made many people on Twitter extremely mad, including Clinton supporter Messing, who tweeted this:
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Susan Sarandon muses tht Trump prezcy wud b better 4 the country thn Hillary.Wonder if she'd say that if she were poor,gay,Muslim or immgrnt Debra Messing (@DebraMessing) March 30, 2016
What followed was a passionate back-and-forth between Sarandon and Messing that went on for days. Messing even got another actress, Kathy Najimy, in on the action:
@SusanSarandon U & I have marchd togethr in pro choice & pro lgbt marches on washington. how, w/ any conscience evn hint tht Ud vote 4 trump kathy najimy (@kathynajimy) March 31, 2016
So why did Sarandon engage Messing on Twitter?
At first, I engaged with her because I felt like if I said I didnt say that, just read it, it would have stopped, Sarandon told The Times in Las Vegas this week, where she was in town to accept CinemaCons Icon Award. I dont want to guess why she kept at it and brought other people into it. If somebody ultimately doesnt get it, theres no point in continuing to talk to them. At a certain point, I stopped, because that was clear.
Sarandon said she has never met Messing in person, and that the two have not communicated outside of Twitter since their recent spat. She said she blames the whole thing on the outlets that picked up her MSNBC remarks and put misleading headlines on them.
Some people [on Twitter] said, She didnt say that. Is that libel? Can she sue? Sarandon continued. But if people want to get themselves all twisted up and they get out on a limb, theres nothing you can do.
As for Messing?
I answered her on Twitter, and I felt that that was enough, Sarandon said. When it started evolving into a life of its own, there was no point.
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With Confirmation airing on HBO this weekend, the landmark 1991 Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings, in which attorney Anita Hill accused her former supervisor Thomas of sexual harassment, is once again a topic of discussion. This article was originally published in the Los Angeles Times on Oct. 21, 1991.
Sheila James Kuehl, Abby J. Leibman and Jenifer McKenna are managing directors of the California Womens Law Center, a statewide policy center that supports the legal rights and interests of women and girls.
To listen to the rhetoric of U.S. senators supporting the confirmation of Judge (now Supreme Court Justice) Clarence Thomas, sexual harassment in the workplace is terrible -- serious and devastating in its effects on women. Yet these same senators, in their cross-examination of Anita Faye Hill, just as piously spouted every ridiculous male stereotype about women and every male vision of female malevolence or incredibility.
Gov. Pete Wilson also made pious general denouncements of sexual harassment, then last week vetoed a bill that would have given a victim of sexual harassment a remedy, short of going to court, for the actual harm she had suffered, as well as punishing the employers illegal behavior.
His stated reason? Bad for business. As though it would be better for a business to have to defend itself in court (where a harassment victim can recover civil damages) instead of more informally to a state commission.
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The governors veto and the Senates confirmation of Thomas sent a clear message to working women that womens experiences will always be belittled if they contravene male myths about women.
Its as though you were not only allowed to punch me in the stomach every day at work, but that the legal definition of my pain is your opinion about whether I suffered or not. Your statement, as my boss, that it didnt hurt would be the legal standard for my claim. Worse yet, if you were a male, you would be judging my pain by whether or not such a blow would have hurt a healthy male.
But the law, at least in California and the other Western states, recognizes the inequity of such a standard and the clear prejudice behind it. The focus is not on perceptions, which may differ, but on harm, which is actually suffered by a worker. It recognizes that a female worker may suffer harm not understood by a male employer.
Since a Supreme Court ruling in 1986, sexual harassment has been defined nationally as verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that affects the working conditions of an employee -- hiring, promotion, firing or evaluation--or creates a hostile or intimidating work environment. Such behavior is action-able (though not criminal), even if not meant as harassing behavior, and even if the behavior is only generally aimed at all women and not at the particular woman complaining.
But under this environmental harassment standard, guilt depends on who is experiencing the harm. Behavior that men shrug off may be physically harmful and deeply disturbing to women. Clearly, so long as men were allowed to define what constituted a hostile environment (that which would intimidate a reasonable man), women were expected to put up with normal obnoxious male behavior as part of their working conditions.
The law went another step in January when the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, covering the Western states, held that the standard for harassment must be the perspective of the reasonable woman, saying that a sex-blind reasonable person standard tends to be male-biased and tends to systematically ignore the experiences of women.
The court recognized what women have always known, that because women are disproportionately victims of rape and sexual assault, women have a stronger incentive to be concerned with sexual behavior. . . . Men, who are rarely victims of sexual assault, may view sexual conduct in a vacuum without a full appreciation of the social setting or the underlying threat of violence that a woman may perceive.
This is the appropriate standard, reflecting the old adage that the public generally believes to be the law: Your right to swing your arm ends where my nose begins. The rest of the federal appeals courts should follow suit.
Beyond legal definition, supervisors and workers alike realize that sexual harassment, like rape, is about nothing but power. If we truly want equality in the workplace, we must recognize illegitimate uses of power for what they are--unequal burdens placed on women to keep them from advancing, or competently doing their job.
Although inspired by actual events surrounding the 1973 Chilean military coup, Colonia cant help but feel like a political thriller that has been effectively stripped of most of those pesky politics.
The end product is a standard-issue cult drama that nevertheless has its gripping moments thanks mainly to the presence of Emma Watson, who brings an intelligence and fierce determination to her portrayal of an airline attendant whose layover in Santiago de Chile turns out to be anything but brief.
When her pro-Allende German activist boyfriend, Daniel (Daniel Bruhl), is apprehended and tortured by Augusto Pinochets secret police, Watsons Lena manages to infiltrate the Colonia Dignidad, the compound holding him, which is fronted by a religious cult presided over by a monstrous ex-Nazi named Paul Schafer (Michael Nyqvist).
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Schafer and the Colonia Dignidad did, in fact, play a real-life role during Pinochets reign of terror, but director Florian Gallenberger and screenwriter Torsten Wenzel, obviously aiming for an Argo vibe, fail to persuasively weave those elements into the well-worn woman-in-peril tapestry.
Although there was a more substantial story to be told here, Watson, with her razor-sharp Hermione Granger conviction very much intact, gives us reason to care about her characters predicament even as the dramatics that put her there prove considerably less convincing.
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Colonia
Not rated.
Running time: 1 hour, 50 minutes.
Playing: Laemmle NoHo 7, North Hollywood.
A half-dozen fascinating stories intertwine in the documentary The First Monday in May, a film that suffers from the diffusion although director Andrew Rossi mostly stands accused of being overly attuned to his subjects rich possibilities.
In a broad sense, The First Monday in May is about the Metropolitan Museum of Arts popular 2015 exhibit China: Through the Looking Glass, a collection of fashion designs inspired by Chinese culture. The best-attended fashion-related event at the Met since Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, Looking Glass helped settle some of the controversy over whether designing clothes is just decorative art.
But the show also sparked new controversies, which Rossi engages thoughtfully. Many of the featured designers were inspired by Orientalist stereotypes. Does displaying those works tell a story that shouldnt be ignored, or does it also exploit the exotic trappings of the Far East?
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As with Rossis acclaimed documentary Page One: Inside the New York Times, First Monday covers too much ground, here weaving in the involvement of Vogue editor Anna Wintour and the complex planning behind the celebrity-studded opening gala.
That said, the famous faces give the movie a touch of glamour, which helps enhance curator Andrew Boltons vision. Debates about how best to represent both fashion and China with the likes of Baz Luhrmann and Wong Kar-wai weighing in are provocative and useful. But Rihanna walking the red carpet in an Asian-inspired ensemble is fine art in motion.
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The First Monday in May.
MPAA rating: PG-13, for brief strong language.
Running time: 1 hour, 32 minutes.
Playing: The Landmark, West Los Angeles.
Francofonia revolves around a fascinating historical footnote, the kind of improbable alliance that many a screenwriter would eagerly turn into a period drama. In Nazi -occupied Paris, a German officer and the director of the Louvre joined forces to protect the museums holdings from expatriation to Germany.
Luckily, Alexander Sokurov got there first with his new cinematic essay, an artful construction of archival material and new footage thats expertly made to look old. It naturally recalls Russian Ark, the masterful 2002 feature he shot in one sinuous, unbroken take at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. The new film doesnt match the earlier works thrilling poetic force, but the two pictures share a deep appreciation of the inseparability of art and history.
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This time around, granted after-hours access to the Louvre, the Russian filmmaker ruminates on who we would be without our museums. The elegantly crafted film can be silly or frustratingly enigmatic, and it takes a while for it to fully engage. Sokurov begins by evoking Chekhov, then intercuts scenes of himself editing his footage and video-chatting with the captain of a symbolically storm-tossed ship, before focusing on the films paired heroes.
Jacques Jaujard (Louis-Do de Lencquesaing) and Count Franziskus Wolff-Metternich (Benjamin Utzerath) are both in their mid-40s when Hitler arrives in Paris. There are no big emotional moments or revealing exchanges in the enactments of imagined scenes between these art historians. Their shared commitment to preserving cultural heritage plays out between the lines, and in Wolff-Metternichs evasion of orders from Berlin.
Delving into the uneasy relationship between art and war, Sokurov observes that most countries national collections are built in part from the spoils of war. Napoleon Bonaparte himself leads the viewer through the galleries of the Louvre, and in a running joke that doesnt quite work, hes accompanied by Marianne, the symbol of republican France.
Francofonia is a love letter to France and the Louvre, but its also a harrowing reminder that not all cultures have been held in such high esteem. On the Eastern Front, Leningrad met a very different fate than did Paris.
Sokurovs open-ended Eurocentric meditation is, above all, a stunning visual achievement. The fluency with which he combines the pixels, ghosts and artifacts is extraordinary, and his deft use of drone footage is a lesson to many gadget-happy filmmakers.
When the director speaks of artwork lost at sea as the result of warfare, he connects his museum prowl to the movies fictional ship captain and, by implication, to recent years wholesale destruction of ancient treasures in Syria and elsewhere. That point is brought home powerfully when he turns his lens on a 9,000-year-old sculpture.
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Like a sleek novella amid dime-store paperbacks, Jean-Luc Godards 1964 movie Une Femme Mariee (A Married Woman) is the French filmmakers coolly intellectual, artistic dissection of modern bourgeois life that gets overlooked in his prolific 60s output, coming as it does between the gangster verve of Band of Outsiders and the jagged sci-fi noir of Alphaville. And yet it remains a thoughtful, probing exercise in erotic stagnation no less engaging for lacking pulpiness. As a digitally restored version makes its way into theaters, and onto Blu-ray next month, its neglected status will hopefully improve.
Godards subject is the percolating dissatisfaction of Charlotte (Macha Meril), a beautiful woman married to the attentive and jealous Pierre (Philippe Leroy) yet driven to meet an actor named Robert (Bernard Noel) in hotel rooms. Godard wastes no time making his point about sex turned presentational and mechanical: The fragmented opening assemblage of fade-outs and fade-ins is of hands, legs, faces and lips in modes of caress, but displayed like close-ups of posed mannequins. Charlotte and Robert are ostensibly together, their bodies act it out, but her mind asking questions, worriedly assessing her schedule is elsewhere.
As Charlotte continues her day, which involves picking up Pierre at the airport from his trip with a colleague to the Auschwitz trials in Frankfurt and preparing for a hosted dinner, Godard is nothing if not upfront about mixing personal turmoil and world upheaval and stretches out his thoughts on the movies true culprit: consumer culture, a readily available parade of visuals and text dictating how lives are to be lived, and enjoyed.
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Characters routinely push products and remedies on each other (Charlottes obsession being bust enhancement), and defend their economic status or philosophical beliefs like practiced salespeople. In a brilliantly stylish, modernist sequence at a pool, a melancholic Charlotte flipping through an undergarment catalog overhears two sexually naive teenage girls discuss an upcoming rendezvous with a boy, while her imagined interjections of forlorn advice become ghostlike subtitles in the center of the frame. Her desire to communicate is literally stifled. During a montage of magazine ads, Godard lays over a Sylvie Vartan pop song, the refrain of which When the film is sad, it makes me cry speaks directly to a noted provocateurs then-evolving feelings about cinema as both pleasure art and manipulation tool.
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Though A Married Woman is Godard at his most considered and theme-savvy, its also loosely comedic and emotional in ways his other movies arent (and arent meant to be). Charlotte is a palpably lonely figure, exquisitely trapped by romantic convention and the call of marketing forces swirling around her. The overall effect is of a character study, a polished critique and considering Godards folding-in-on-itself schemes its own cinematic ad of sorts for the art film of its day. Yet it feels connected to our current media-saturated, reflection-less world too. When Charlotte says she prefers the present to the past, its because theres no time to think.
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A Married Woman (Une Femme Mariee)
In French with English subtitles
Running time: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Not rated
Playing: Landmark NuArt, West Los Angeles, one week only
Swedes Erik Torstensson and Jens Grede shook up the saturated denim industry in 2012 when they started their label Frame, but one pair of $200 skinny stretch jeans called Le Skinny de Jeanne changed everything for their young brand.
The style was worn by models Miranda Kerr, Karlie Kloss, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and other fashion influencers who helped turn the Los Angeles-made Frame into a thriving multimillion-dollar fashion business selling denim and ready-to-wear pieces for men and women.
Frames first brick-and-mortar store is located on Melrose Place in Los Angeles. (Ivan Kashinsky / For the Times)
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And on Thursday, the label, which has its headquarters in Culver City, opened its first brick-and-mortar store on Melrose Place in Los Angeles.
In addition to Frame, Grede and Torstensson have a stable of a dozen separate fashion and creative companies, including operations specializing in public relations, art direction, talent brokering and brand management, all of which fall under their umbrella company, Saturday Group. Through Frame, the duo has created elevated wardrobe essentials that are synonymous with the model-off-duty aesthetic and sold at more than 650 retailers worldwide.
On a March visit to L.A., Torstensson and Grede, who live in London, sat down to talk about their brand. The two agreed the road to Frames success was more organic and unassuming than it was a drive to create the next great denim company, though thats exactly what happened.
When we started, there was no master plan, Torstensson says. We just started with skinny jeans in the perfect blue. That was the idea in the beginning, but there was also a bigger idea. We want to provide chic essentials for women around the world and now men as well. So, when we thought about the brand and the woman and how she lived and who she is, it was always to have a full wardrobe in mind. The idea of the Frame lifestyle was kind of there from Day 1.
This lifestyle, while rooted in denim, has been rounded out during the last four years to include cashmere sweaters, T-shirts, leather and suede jackets and silk blouses, all with Frames French-cool-meets-California-ease aesthetic.
We definitely have a European, maybe more French, point of view, says Grede, But then, we channel it through a California ease of dress. Its in the contrast where it becomes interesting.
Blending European and American style tastes appears to come easily to Grede and Torstensson. They are often jet-setting to and from project locations and their offices in London, New York and Los Angeles, and at least once a month, they travel to their Culver City office and to downtown L.A., where the denim is made, for fittings and design and production meetings.
This is the home of the brand, says Grede. We produce our denim here because the best people in denim live in Los Angeles.
According to Grede and Torstensson, opening their first store in Los Angeles was a no-brainer, and the new space on Melrose Place was designed to reflect the SoCal landscape surrounding it.
When you do a store, you should do it close to where you are so you can oversee it and develop it and learn from it, says Grede. L.A. just seemed like the most natural place. I dont think we even considered anything else. Architect and fellow Swede Christian Hallerod designed the Melrose Place store. The 1,550-square-foot spaces overall look is a mix of California woodwork and natural light, thanks to large windows, blended with a scaled-back Swedish aesthetic.
It has a Big Sur influence with a lot of wood, natural materials and nice big windows as we wanted the light to speak for itself, says Torstensson about the inspiration for the store. Its a mix. Everything should always be a mix between London and L.A., like it says on the [Frame] label.
Grede says that in addition to carrying the labels full range of goods, the store will be a testing ground for new products, styles and cuts exclusive to L.A. This will be our platform and place to experiment and have that conversation with our customer, he says. Thats what were most excited about to try new and unexpected things.
Louise Redpath, marketing manager, opens the doors in the new Frame store on Melrose Place a few days before it welcomes the public. (Ivan Kashinsky / For the Times)
The duo says they are planning to open a store in New York by this summer and they eventually would like to open a second L.A.-area store, this time on the Westside. With their robust celebrity following and Grede and Torstenssons ability to add a cool factor to their line, having the second L.A. store might be perfect for their fans and customers.
We would love to do a store on the Westside, Venice or even Brentwood, if the right space came up, says Grede. I think [Los Angeles] is like two different cities on each side of the 405.
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Enrique Olvera doesnt believe in Mexican food.
The 40-year-old chef behind Pujol in Mexico City and Cosme in New York cites the difference between Texas barbecue and California cuisine to prove his point. Nationality in general is a stupid discussion, he says. There is a Mexican cuisine that is from Los Angeles, just like there is a Mexican cuisine that is from Oaxaca.
Olvera is Mexicos most famous culinary star. His flagship, Pujol, is currently ranked No. 16 on San Pellegrinos influential list of the worlds 50 best restaurants. With seven concepts stretched across North America six in Mexico and one in Manhattan hes rarely in one place long enough to settle into a routine.
On a recent night he was behind the stoves at Providence (Michael Cimarustis fine-dining sanctuary, ranked No. 1 on Jonathan Golds list of 101 Best Restaurants three years in a row), serving Maine lobster with charred seaweed mole and fiddlehead ferns as part of the restaurants 10th anniversary guest chef dinner. Another morning finds him making an ad hoc taco tour of L.A. Hes on a Culver City sidewalk waiting for his order from Wes Avilas roving truck, Guerrilla Tacos.
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This dichotomy of high and low is a familiar place for Olvera, who ushered in a new era of Mexican cooking at Pujol one that blends the technique and precision of fine dining with the flavor and soul of street food.
Guerrilla Tacos sweet potato taco with almond chile, feta cheese, fried corn and scallions. This vegetarian taco is a signature of the roving trucks chef, Wes Avila. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Enrique! Avila calls from the truck, delivering his signature vegetarian taco, piled high with roasted sweet potato, feta cheese, fried corn and scallions. A few minutes later, a dish of surf clams emerges from the trucks window. The clams, slivered into long strips and served in their own palm-sized shell, are dressed with a Vietnamese-style noc nam, or dipping sauce, and scented with yuzu, a citrus most often associated with Japan and Korea.
Avila, who worked for Alain Ducasse in Paris and later Gary Menes at Le Comptoir in Los Angeles, brings his fine-dining training to the street, whereas Olvera brings the energy of the street into the dining room. Both are deeply imbued in the flavors of their own community, which for Avila is the melting pot of Los Angeles, and for Olvera is the mercados of his hometown, Mexico City.
Tacos are cultural expression, Olvera says. And in L.A. theres that approach of, Screw it as long as its delicious, who cares what kind of cuisine it is?
An order of clams from Guerrilla Tacos. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Olvera, who in addition to his work as a chef organizes the annual Mesamerica conference, a multi-day gastronomic summit in Mexico, likes to talk about authenticity, which he defines as who you are, not where youre from.
I dont have a mariachi hat, says Olvera, dressed in white Italian leather sneakers, dark denim and a black windbreaker. I dont play Alejandro Fernandez in my car. Im extremely Mexican, but there is nothing Mexican about me.
Half an hour later, he inverts a bottle of Tapatio over an octopus coctel outside Mariscos Jalisco, Raul Ortegas seafood truck that has been parked on East Olympic Boulevard for over a decade. It can never be too spicy, he says.
Instead of the familiar tacos dorados filled with potato and topped with green salsa Olvera is accustomed to in Mexico City, the tacos dorados at Mariscos Jalisco are crisp yet pliable corn tortillas stuffed with shrimp and decorated with a rough dice of tomato salsa and delicate slab of avocado. Thats the beautiful thing about food, he says lifting his paper plate, its yours. It doesnt belong to the culture, it belongs to you.
The seared bluefin tuna taco, right, and the sweet potato taco by Guerrilla Tacos. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Back in the car, inching toward Mexicali Taco & Co. on the 101 Freeway, Olvera compares the sprawling yet comparatively sparse street food scene in Los Angeles with Mexico Citys vast web of esquites and al pastor.
In Mexico, I miss diversity, he says. Here you find people from everywhere with many different interests. In a way, Los Angeles is like a spice route now a lot of people from many places.
The cliche is that all of Los Angeles is Hollywood, a city of shallow roots and perpetual reinvention, but the food in Los Angeles has deep roots that spread laterally, borrowing ingredients and tinkering with existing formulas. Korean bulgogi tacos, vegan ramen and sushi burritos have come to exemplify a cuisine that cant be pinned down.
I love the way that you guys are playing around with your food, Olvera says.
A pastor taco at Mexicali Taco & Co. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
At Mexicali a taco al pastor and a vampiro the griddled Sonoran specialty that welds carne asada and flour tortillas together with melted cheese arrive and Olvera dives into the pastor, a familiar taste from the streets of Mexico City where the combination of spit-roasted pork and sliced pineapple is a sidewalk staple.
Whereas cochinita pibil belongs to the Yucatan, tlayudas to Oaxaca and chilpachole to Veracruz, Olvera says that everyone tries to claim al pastor as their own. Food historians attribute the spit-roasted meat to Lebanese immigrants from Puebla who adapted lamb shwarma into pork-filled tacos arabes in the early 20th century. The addition of pineapple, which Olvera credits to Mexico City, has since been exported to taquerias across North America, including this one Mexicali which sits on a nondescript block of Figueroa Street on the outskirts of L.A.'s Chinatown and is named after a border town home to La Chinesca, the largest Chinatown in Mexico.
Like people, food wanders. And in a city like Los Angeles, the pleasure of eating lies in the uncertainty of whats next. For Olvera, the Philippines is next, where hell wander the spice route that gave Mexico mangoes, cilantro and tamarind. After that, hes off to Japan before returning home to Mexico, a trail of paper and ceramic plates in his wake.
food@latimes.com
Editors note: On Aug. 22, the California Supreme Court voted to uphold the April decision, and let teacher tenure laws stand. You can read more about the August ruling here.
California will be able to keep its teacher tenure and seniority laws, at least for now, because theyre constitutional. Thats what a California appellate court said in its ruling Thursday, overturning a lower courts decision in the case Vergara vs. California.
So what is this case, and what does it mean for teachers in California and across the country?
What is the Vergara case?
Beatriz Vergara is a Latina teenager from Pacoima who attended Los Angeles Unified School District. She, along with eight other families, sued the state of California in 2012 in a case called Vergara vs. California. (Later on, the judge added the California Teachers Assn. as a defendant, at the union's request.)
The plaintiffs targeted the state laws behind the process through which teachers earn tenure after their first two years on the job, and a policy called "last in, first out" that laid off teachers based on reverse order of seniority instead of performance. They argued those laws were unconstitutional because they ultimately translated into a disproportionate amount of ineffective teachers working in schools that served primarily poor black and Latino students. During her testimony, Vergara said that her history teacher called her stupid.
See the most-read stories this hour >>
She and the other plaintiffs are backed by Students Matter, a Silicon Valley nonprofit founded by tech entrepreneur Dave Welch.
In 2014, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Rolf Treu ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, saying that tenure and layoff statutes in California are unconstitutional. The state appealed, and because the judge decided to stay the ruling pending the resolution of appeals, teachers didn't see any changes to the way they received tenure or layoff notices.
Earlier this year, a three-judge panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal heard arguments from both sides about whether to reverse that decision.
What happened in Thursday's ruling?
On Thursday, that appellate court ruled that the judge got the ruling wrong, and that the statutes are not unconstitutional.
Any potential harm done by the tenure process didn't occur because of the laws themselves, the court said. Rather, the ruling stated, the evidence presented by the plaintiffs showed that staffing decisions are made by district administrators.
Therefore, the court concluded, there isn't enough proof to rule that the statutes themselves are making education worse for poor black and Latino students. If the lawsuit had targeted implementation, the court wrote, the ruling might have come out differently.
https://twitter.com/Joy_Resmovits/status/720738379416010753
What's next in California?
The plaintiffs say they will appeal the decision to the California Supreme Court. They dispute the core tenet of the ruling: that administrators, not the laws, hurt disadvantaged students.
https://twitter.com/LATeducation/status/720744924426018816
So it's still possible that teacher tenure could be overturned. But that's unlikely given the strong language shutting down the Vergara argument in the appellate court decision, said Stuart Biegel, a UCLA education and law professor.
"The court's job is merely to determine whether the statutes are constitutional, not if they are 'a good idea,'" presiding Justice Roger Boren wrote in the 3-0 opinion.
https://twitter.com/Joy_Resmovits/status/720739903584083968
That said, state lawmakers might not touch the topic until the case is fully resolved, which may take a few more rounds.
The case itself and the attention it has drawn might also help local advocates pressure local districts to regulate the way they hire, assign and fire teachers. For example, unions negotiate so that older teachers in many districts are allowed first dibs on their preferred schools, which often puts experienced teachers in high-income neighborhoods, and introduces younger teachers and more turnover to low-income schools that serve mostly minority kids, said Katharine Strunk, a USC education and policy professor.
Even Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers union, said Thursday that elements of California's teacher tenure need fixing.
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How does the ruling affect teacher tenure in other places?
If the 2014 California ruling had held -- or if it does hold in a higher court -- Vergara would deal a huge blow to teacher tenure, and it might have made it easier to undermine the practice in other states.
New York and Minnesota have ongoing lawsuits similar to Vergara. Now, though, judges could point to the California appellate ruling as a reason to deny the plaintiffs in those cases too, said Mark Paige, a public policy professor at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth.
Even if the other cases do fall through, the Vergara case drew national attention because of the core issues at stake, the powerful forces competing and the outcome of the trial.
note to copy: the following three grafs are taken from our earlier story (and are from sonali's reporting): https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-court-rejects-bid-to-end-teacher-tenure-in-california-marking-huge-win-for-unions-20160414-story.html
They wanted the knockout punch, and had they gotten that through sort of a systemwide strike-down, then the dominoes could have fallen in Minnesota and in New York, Paige said. But had they gone with a focus it probably wouldnt have served the objective of striking down tenure entirely.
This case has brought much-needed attention to the way that state teacher tenure and layoff policies, paired with local agreements between teachers unions and school districts, cause high-needs students to get stuck with inexperienced teachers and high turnover of those teachers, Strunk said.
Even if a higher court maintains Thursday's decision, Strunk said, were seeing a lot of pressure on state legislatures to do something.
Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli.
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Neighborhoods in the San Fernando Valley, Hollywood and the Westside will feel the biggest impact from Los Angeles new law requiring the retrofitting of wood-frame apartment buildings to better withstand a major earthquake, according to a Times data analysis.
City inspectors spent about two years developing a list of 13,500 so-called soft-story buildings that will probably need seismic strengthening. These apartments, which feature flimsy first floors that often serve as parking spaces, became popular after World War II as Los Angeles was spreading north into the Valley and west toward the ocean.
But theyve also proved to be vulnerable to violent shaking. Buildings collapsed in the 1989 Loma Prieta and the 1994 Northridge earthquakes, including one apartment building where 16 people died.
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Los Angeles building officials sifted through tens of thousands of city records and walked block-to-block to identify these structures. Owners of each building have been put on notice, and a number of them have already begun the retrofitting process. The retrofits can cost as much as $130,000, which has sparked concerns from owners and residents feeling the pressure of rising rents and a housing crunch.
Some property owner groups were opposed to the public release of this data, citing concerns that the list isnt perfect and that further inspection will show some of the buildings might not need retrofitting.
But seismic safety experts said this preliminary list marks a milestone in providing the public with important safety information about where they choose to live.
This is a critical first step. Fundamentally, you cant fix the buildings if you dont know which buildings need to be fixed, said seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones, who served as Mayor Eric Garcettis earthquake safety advisor in 2014 and helped shepherd the citys retrofit efforts into law. I think the process of creating these records is helping the city come to grips with what is necessary to really do this.
Renter rights advocates also supported making the list of buildings public.
Tenants should know, if theyre renting an apartment, how safe those apartments are, said Larry Gross, executive director of the Coalition for Economic Survival.
SEARCH THE DATABASE: Will your L.A. apartment need a seismic retrofit?
Three decades ago, Los Angeles similarly required retrofitting of 8,000 un-reinforced brick buildings that were at risk of collapsing in a major earthquake. Those addresses were also made public, sparking outcry from many property owners. Today, almost all the buildings have been strengthened or demolished. No one died from brick-building damage in the Northridge quake.
These brick buildings populate the more historic parts of the city, including downtown, and were a common form of construction through the early 1930s. Soft-story apartments became popular in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and are found in areas that experienced rapid development during that era.
In the Northridge area today, soft-story buildings still make up a significant part of the residential landscape. More than 3,200 buildings on the list home to at least 75,000 units are in the San Fernando Valley, according to The Times analysis of the list obtained through a California Public Records Act request.
The analysis identified at least 55 large buildings with 100 or more units. More than half of those are in the Valley, west of the 405 Freeway.
Many soft-story buildings are also in Hollywood, around Koreatown and in certain Westside neighborhoods such as Palms, Mar Vista, West L.A. and Venice. All told, more than half of the 13,500 buildings were in the Valley or the Westside, according to the analysis.
On six blocks of Mentone Avenue in Palms, for example, there are more than 90 addresses listed in the citys inventory. Similar patterns emerged in other residential clusters nearby.
I drove down Palms Boulevard, and I was just blown away, Jones said. Its just apartment after apartment after apartment.
Racial slurs and harassment by another tenant can amount to discrimination under fair-housing laws. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The soft-story design was praised as an affordable and efficient way of providing parking and multiple housing units on a relatively small lot, said Alan Hess, an architect and historian who specializes in California modern architecture.
Accommodating a population boom and the blossoming car-centric culture, these buildings sprang up both in undeveloped spaces in the city and more suburban areas.
They were definitely meant to be mass housing with a lot of the amenities that people expected in the 1950s and 1960s coming from California. There are decks, there are balconies, there are accessibility to the automobile parking their car right under their unit basically, Hess said. In that sense, they were well-designed for the purpose. They met the need and they were extremely popular both with renters as well as with builders, who could build them pretty easily and cheaply.
Also known as dingbats, these buildings were considered modern and are an iconic snapshot of a very particular time in Los Angeles, Hess said. Many today are beloved for their charming retro feel. The design phased out in the 1970s and 80s replaced by taller multi-unit buildings that provided even more housing on a smaller piece of land.
It wasnt an awareness of its seismic vulnerability that stopped the expansion of dingbats. It was more to do with the price of land, Hess said. You see patterns, especially in places like Palms. You go down the street, and there will be these small bungalows, individual houses from the 20s, and then next to it would be a row of dingbats, and obviously, a bungalow was torn down for the dingbat. And you go a little bit further, and then youll see, from the 70s or 80s, a multi-story apartment house on several pieces of property where a couple of dingbats were obviously torn down to build these higher, denser housing units. You see the whole pattern, the evolution of the apartment in Los Angeles.
Retrofitting the soft-story buildings is important not just for safety reasons, seismic experts said. The apartments represent an important part of L.A.'s affording housing stock, and losing them after a quake would be devastating for a city trying to recover. Jones noted that the Northridge quake alone damaged about 49,000 apartment units, two-thirds of which were in soft-story buildings.
Last month, building owners received courtesy notices outlining the new retrofit law: Beginning in May, the official order to comply will be mailed on a rolling basis. Owners of the citys largest apartment buildings, with 16 or more units, will receive the first wave of orders. The next wave will include soft-story buildings that have three or more floors, followed by any remaining buildings on the list.
Owners have two years, from the date they receive the compliance order, to either submit proof that the building doesnt need retrofitting or plans for retrofit or demolition. Within 3.5 years of receiving the order, owners must obtain their retrofit permits.
The entire retrofit must be completed within seven years of receiving the order, officials said.
With the law now in motion, property owner groups have been hosting workshops to help owners navigate the retrofit process. Structural engineers have been putting together webinars and FAQs, and the city hosted a seismic retrofit resource fair last week to answer questions about contractors and financing.
The question of how to fund these costly retrofits remains a major concern, said Jim Clarke, who represents the property owner group Apartment Assn. of Greater Los Angeles.
The law requires owners to front the retrofit costs, which can range from $60,000 to $130,000 possibly even more for larger buildings. The city recently agreed to allow owners to pass on half the costs to tenants through a rent increase of up to $38 more per month.
Lawmakers are also looking into other financial aid options such as tax breaks and repaying a loan through property taxes.
Clarke called on lawmakers to aggressively continue efforts to secure financial aid, which is crucial to getting these 13,500 buildings retrofitted. Many of the owners are older mom and pop landlords who invested their retirement in one building, live in one of the units, rely on the rent as income and cannot easily afford a costly retrofit, he said.
The passage of the law and the release of the list are just the beginning, Clarke said. Its not over, people. We need to focus on completing this task, and part of it is finding ways to pay for these projects.
rosanna.xia@latimes.com
jon.schleuss@latimes.com
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Rules proposed Friday to regulate Airbnb and other vacation-rental websites in Los Angeles could set the stage for a political showdown, with the city seeking information from the companies in order to track down illegal rentals.
The plan would empower Los Angeles to fine the online platformsand the hosts if they advertised rentals that defied restrictions on where and how often rooms or entire homes could be used for short stays.
The websites also could be fined if they failed to hand over addresses and other information to the city. Airbnb and other companies have been reluctant to share data, including how long travelers had stayed and the price they paid, arguing that doing so would trample on hosts privacy rights.
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The proposed law takes a step backward, putting consumer privacy at great risk by requiring online platforms to give the government unfettered access to confidential user data without any idea of how that information would be used, Airbnb spokeswoman Alison Schumer said in a statement.
But critics contend that requiring the websites to help find and halt illegal rentals is a crucial step in stopping scofflaws. City Councilman Mike Bonin said that if the companies dont hand over information, were shooting blind.
Were not asking for a ton of deep, personal private information, Bonin said. What units are being rented? How often?
The law would allow short-term rentals in Los Angeles but impose several restrictions:
People would be able to rent out only their primary residence, defined as the place they live at least six months out of the year. Hosts could rent out only that home, or a room within it, for up to 90 days annually.
They would be barred from offering apartments that fall under rent stabilization or affordable-housing covenants, and would have to pay the same kind of lodging taxes as hotels, which would go into a city fund for affordable housing.
The plan drew praise Friday from housing and labor advocates worried about how the rise of such rentals has affected housing availability.
Roy Samaan, a research and policy analyst with the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, called the proposal a great step forward.
It allows legitimate home-sharing without displacing rent-controlled tenants, Samaan said.
But the Los Angeles Short Term Rental Alliance which includes hosts who use Airbnb, HomeAway and other platforms called the plan overreaching and misguided, saying it would hurt residents who rely on renting out a second home to support their families.
Bryce Fujii, an Airbnb host who lives in Canoga Park, said it would be stifling to be able to share his home for only up to three months of the year. Renting out a private bedroom has connected Fujii to global travelers and helped him make his mortgage payments, he said.
If L.A. passes the law, its probably the nail in the coffin, Fujii said. I will be looking to leave California.
The plan was released after a string of heated public hearings packed with rental hosts, housing advocates and neighborhood activists.
As it stands, short-term rentals are illegal in many residential areas of the city, according to a planning department memo. But Los Angeles has struggled to enforce those rules as Airbnb, VRBO and other websites explode in popularity, especially in tourist hot spots such as Venice and Hollywood.
Fans say such night-to-night rentals provide an economic lifeline to strapped Angelenos and a way to share a slice of their lives. Criticsincluding housing activists and hotel worker unions complain they have disrupted neighborhoods and pulled needed housing off the market.
However, those critics largely have focused their ire on commercial operators renting out a string of homes or apartments nonstop, not people offering up a spare bedroom from time to time. Bonin said the proposal targets those de facto hotels while allowing genuine home-sharing.
Several other big cities, including San Francisco and Portland, Ore., already have regulations. Bonin and city planning officials said they had sought to learn from those efforts to make L.A.s rules as easy as possible to enforce.
The proposal hinges on a registration system: Hosts would be given an official number that would have to be displayed in online listings. If they failed to do so, they could be fined and so could the websites they use.
Hosts would be charged at least $200 daily for advertising a rental that lacked a registration number or otherwise broke the rules, while the websites would face fines of $500 a day.
Other violations could trigger stiffer fines: Hosts who rented out a room or home beyond the number of days allowed could be docked $2,000 per day. The websites, in turn, could be penalized $1,000 per day for refusing to turn over addresses of rentals that failed to register with the city.
Rental websites say they want to crack down on illegal hotels, city planner Matt Glesne said. Were putting the ball in their court a little bit and saying, How can we work together?
Angelenos will be able to weigh in on the proposed rules at a May hearing; the city planning commission will take up the proposal in June. If approved, the law would then have to be vetted by the City Council.
Follow @latimesemily for whats happening at Los Angeles City Hall
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We still suffer from Manson murders, victims daughter says in opposing Van Houten parole
Cory LaBianca acknowledges that one of the Manson family members who was convicted of killing her father and stepmother in 1969 has done some good things during her decades behind bars.
Its what Leslie Van Houten did before ending up prison -- joining in the grisly slaying at the couples Los Feliz home -- that should determine whether she should be freed, LaBianca says.
At one point choking up, LaBianca told The Times she was disappointed that a California review board on Thursday recommended parole for the 66-year-old convicted murderer.
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1 / 6 The five victims slain the night of Aug. 9, 1969 at the Benedict Canyon Estate of Roman Polanski. From left, Voityck Frykowski, Sharon Tate, Stephen Parent, Jay Sebring, and Abigail Folger. The next night, it happened again. Rosemary and Leno LaBianca, a wealthy couple who lived across town, were stabbed to death in their home. (Associated Press) 2 / 6 Charles Manson is led back to his cell after court appearance in 1970. (Bill Murphy / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 6 Four young female members of the Charles Manson family kneel outside the Los Angeles Hall of Justice on March 29, 1971, with their heads shaved. The women kept a vigil at the building throughout the long trial in which Manson and three others were convicted of murdering actress Sharon Tate and six others. (Wally Fong / Associated Press) 4 / 6 Charles Manson is escorted to court for preliminary hearing in 1969. (Bill Murphy / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 6 Charles Manson receives the news that he was denied parole in 1997, for the ninth time in March, 1997. (Eric Risberg / Associated Press) 6 / 6 Charles Mansion in the high security area of the Corcoran State Prison in 1998. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
I very much disagree with the ruling, she said in a rare telephone interview. We all need to be held responsible for our behavior. The least we can do, for someone who commits a crime against another human being, is to keep them in jail.
LaBianca did not attend the parole hearing, held at the California Institution for Women in Chino, but her cousin attended. Her son listened via telephone, she said. At one point, she said, he couldnt bear to hear the detailed account of the slayings.
He started crying. My son is 41 years old, LaBianca said. He stood, crying, and told the [parole] commissioner, I cant listen to this.
Over the years, members of her family have attended parole hearings but for the most part, she said, they chose to remain in the background. When her mother and the ex-wife of Leno LaBianca, Alice LaBianca, chose to speak out in 1998 against Van Houtens parole, it was considered a rare public statement.
On Thursday, as news set in that the board, after 19 prior denials, recommended parole for Van Houten, Cory LaBianca said she would ask Gov. Jerry Brown to block her release.
The ruling will be reviewed by the parole boards legal team. If upheld, it will be forwarded to Brown, who could decide against Van Houtens release. A spokesman for the governor said it would be premature for his office to comment.
Van Houtens attorney, Rich Pfeiffer, has said his client was long overdue for release, listing her accomplishments behind bars: earning bachelors and masters degrees, running self-help groups and facilitating victim-offender reconciliation sessions.
According to comments carried by the Associated Press, Commissioner Ali Zarrinnam told Van Houten: Your behavior in prison speaks for itself. Forty-six years and not a single serious rule violation.
Pfeiffer said that commissioners were impressed by how his client had spent her time in prison.
A lot of people who oppose parole dont know anything about Leslies conduct. Her role was bad. Everyones was. But they dont know what shes done since then and all of the good shes done, Pfeiffer said.
To LaBianca, however, the accomplishments are eclipsed by the horror of what happened on Aug. 10, 1969.
Then 19, Van Houten and others stormed into the home of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. As Charles Tex Watson stabbed Leno, Van Houten and another woman held down Rosemary. After Watson stabbed her with a bayonet, he handed a knife to Van Houten. She testified to stabbing Rosemary in the back at least 14 more times.
And I took one of the knives, and Patricia had one a knife, and we started stabbing and cutting up the lady, Van Houten testified in 1971. (Patricia Krenwinkle was a co-defendant and family member).
The blood of the victims was used to scrawl messages on the walls, as had been done at the Benedict Canyon home where, on the previous day, Manson family members killed actress Sharon Tate and four others.
Maybe Leslie Van Houten has been a model prisoner, Cory LaBianca said. But you know what, we still suffer our loss.
He didnt get to live his, and Ill live it for him, she said of her dad. And Im proud of that.
But the killings enter the mundane in unexpected, haunting ways. Recently, her grandson asked about her father, wondering how he died.
How do you answer that to a 6-year-old? LaBianca said, sighing. It doesnt end. This doesnt end.
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In the wake of controversial North Carolina and Mississippi laws that critics say discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, the Los Angeles City Council voted Friday to refrain from conducting business with the two states.
City Council members voted 12 to 0 to stop doing business with the states, including participating in any conventions or other business that requires city resources. Councilman Mike Bonin, who wrote the resolution, said the laws in North Carolina and Mississippi would create a climate of intolerance and a climate of violence in those two states.
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I can guarantee you in these two states that hate crimes are going to increase and people are going to be beaten, said Bonin, who is gay and represents coastal neighborhoods from Westchester to Pacific Palisades. And I can guarantee in these two states that young kids struggling with their identity are going to be bullied and some of them will ponder suicide. Thats not what Los Angeles stands for.
Bonin spokesman David Graham-Caso said the councils resolution is functionally a travel boycott.
It is not our intent for the city to stop purchasing goods from private, equality-minded companies, he said in an email.
I can guarantee you in these two states that hate crimes are going to increase and people are going to be beaten. Mike Bonin, L.A. city councilman
Republican North Carolina lawmakers passed a law last month limiting legal protections for LGBT people at hotels, shops and restaurants. Also restricted were the bathrooms and locker rooms that transgender people can use.
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed a law this month that allows government employees to refuse to issue marriage licenses or perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples and that allows businesses and faith-based groups to deny housing, jobs and adoption and foster-care services to people based on their sexual orientation.
L.A joined other places and companies calling for boycotts or other actions in response to North Carolina and Mississippis laws. Earlier this month, Bruce Springsteen canceled a concert in Greensboro, N.C., citing passage of the new law.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti expressed his support for the council vote.
In recent weeks, we have seen both of these states pass legislation that betrays the basic rights to equal protection and self-expression that all Americans are guaranteed by the Constitution, he said in a statement. These bills are thinly veiled as actions to preserve religious freedom or protect against sexual violence, but will instead promote intolerance and discrimination against the LGBT community.
Bonin proposed ceasing business with North Carolina until it repeals its law and amended the resolution Friday to also include Mississippi, until that state repeals House Bill 1523.
In the resolution, Bonin cited some of North Carolinas bill, which includes legally barring North Carolinians from any bathroom or locker room that does not match the gender assigned on their birth certificate.
On Tuesday, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory announced he had signed an executive order intended to affirm and improve the states commitment to privacy and equality. The executive order would expand the states equal-opportunity employment policy to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
But critics dismissed the executive order, arguing that the governor was not making any significant changes.
In May 2010, L.A. was part of a wave of cities that voted to boycott Arizona after lawmakers there passed a law targeting immigrants in the country illegally. City Hall staffers were ordered to review contracts with Arizona companies for possible termination and official travel to the state was supposed to be suspended.
But in the aftermath of L.A.s vote, the city still did business with Arizona, with the L.A. City Council granting several exceptions, including to approve contracts to buy Taser guns made in Arizona and red-light traffic cameras. Some critics said the councils decision was ultimately more symbolic than anything else.
Twitter: @brittny_mejia and @davidzahniser
Times special correspondent Jenny Jarvie in Atlanta contributed to this article.
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Mayor Eric Garcetti sought to draw attention to Los Angeles march toward economic recovery during his annual State of the City speech Thursday, celebrating declining unemployment even as he acknowledged that many Angelenos including tens of thousands who sleep on the streets each night have missed out on the benefits of rebounding jobs and real-estate development.
In the speech, delivered at the Harbor City headquarters of an LED lighting manufacturer, Garcetti struck a delicate balance: claiming credit for the citys improving economy while addressing other important measures of civic health, such as violent crime and homelessness, that have grown worse on his watch.
Unlike his first two State of the City speeches, Garcettis address Thursday did not feature announcements of significant new mayoral initiatives. However, he did say he would be helping to drum up financial support for a program offering Los Angeles Unified School District students a free year of community college.
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School officials had not previously announced the program, which resembles President Obamas proposal in his 2015 State of the Union address to offer two free years of community college for all U.S. students. Los Angeles Community College District board President Scott Svonkin said Garcetti had agreed to raise $1.5 million toward the program, splitting its initial $3 million cost with the district.
In its broad framing around policies meant to encourage prosperity, the speech seemed calculated to tap into the concerns over income inequality that have come to dominate politics at both the local and national level in 2016. On that front, Garcetti pointed to one of his administrations signal legislative achievements: The passage last summer of a $15 citywide minimum wage, which he called the largest anti-poverty measure in our citys history.
But Garcettis economic message wasnt purely populist. Indeed, it was obviously intended to appeal to an audience other than the progressive Democrats who have advocated for low-wage workers: the business owners and developers who have helped fuel L.A.s revival and have long complained of bureaucratic obstacles at City Hall. Garcetti said tax reductions and holidays enacted by his administration had resulted in $160 million in savings for businesses.
When I raised my hand to become your mayor, I described City Hall as a place where jobs came to die, he said. Three years later, he added, City Hall is widening the circle of opportunity and were seeing those benefits ripple across every corner of our city.
To illustrate that success, Garcetti cited jobs data, asserting that the city was not simply being buoyed by the nations broader economic recovery. He noted that unemployment in L.A. dropped more steeply last year than in California and the U.S. as a whole.
Some may say that this is just coincidental, that were riding a national wave. But thats not what the numbers say, he said. In Los Angeles, were not riding the wave. Were creating one.
A somewhat different picture emerges from a more thorough review of the numbers themselves.
In February, when the citys most recent jobs data was published by the UCLA Anderson School of Management, L.A.s unemployment rate was 5.8%. That was higher than both the states 5.5% unemployment rate and the U.S. unemployment rate of 4.9%. Since Garcetti assumed office in June 2013, L.A.s economy has added 109,000 jobs, a 6% increase. The number of jobs in California increased 5.8% over the same period.
Raphael Sonenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State L.A., said its standard practice for mayors to take credit or reap blame based on their cities economic fortunes.
When things go badly, no matter how much they explain that mayors dont control the economy, they really do get punished for it, Sonenshein said. When things are going decently, its reasonable to take a reasonable amount of credit.
Toward the end of his speech, Garcetti also looked ahead to a series of contentious November ballot measures in which he and other elected officials will ask voters to approve billions in funding to expand public transportation and house the homeless.
Garcetti said the budget he is scheduled to release next week includes $138 million to reduce homelessness, a figure in excess of the $100 million the City Council pledged last year but that has so far failed to materialize. It is unclear whether the council will approve the mayors suggested spending level.
peter.jamison@latimes.com | @petejamison
emily.alpert@latimes.com
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A Los Angeles judge on Friday drastically lowered the bail for several defendants charged in a $150-million fraud case that prosecutors have described as one of the largest insurance scams in California history.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy reduced bail to $1.635 million from as high as $21.5 million after dismissing aggravated mayhem charges in the case. The charges carried a potential life sentence.
Prosecutors argued that the aggravated mayhem counts were justified, saying that the scheme resulted in dozens of patients suffering serious scars after a physicians assistant not Dr. Munir Uwaydah, the certified surgeon patients believed would conduct the procedure performed surgeries on them.
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One woman testified to grand jurors that she was in excruciating pain after her shoulder surgery and later learned that whomever performed her procedure had accidentally left 24 inches of gauze beneath her skin.
But the judge disagreed with the prosecutions argument.
I just dont find evidence of specific intent to permanently disfigure, Kennedy said at a court hearing Friday.
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A district attorneys spokeswoman said the office is reviewing Kennedys decision.
The remaining charges, which are laid out in two indictments, include accusations of conspiracy, insurance fraud and capping, which entails illegal patient referrals, as well as other crimes.
One of the defendants in the case, Kelly Soo Park, was acquitted three years ago of murdering 21-year-old model Juliana Redding at her apartment in 2008. Prosecutors earlier said that Uwaydah gave payments totaling six figures to Park and her family before the slaying and before Parks arrest on the murder charge.
Parks attorney, Mark Kassabian, told Kennedy on Friday that his client whose bail was previously set at $10 million is prepared to post bail.
Uwaydah, the accused ringleader who prosecutors initially said had been arrested in Germany, remains at large.
For more news from the Los Angeles County criminal courts, follow @marisagerber
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On a shady downtown sidewalk, antiabortion activists were preparing for their lunchtime protest. Members of Students for Life gathered outside Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris office. Her sin on this day? Her investigation of the antiabortion activist who created an elaborate ruse to expose Planned Parenthoods perfectly legal practice of providing fetal tissue for medical research.
Can I get an abortion victim? asked a middle-aged woman who was positioning giant photos of bloody fetal tissue near the microphone stand for maximum visual impact.
Last week, as my colleague Paige St. John first reported, investigators from Harris office searched David Daleidens Huntington Beach apartment seizing computers, hard drives and California IDs issued under the aliases that he and an associate used to gain access to meetings of the National Abortion Federation and surreptitiously film Planned Parenthood doctors discussing how they procure fetal tissue.
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Daleiden and his allies claim that he is a citizen journalist whose 1st Amendment rights were violated by the attorney generals raid. The National Abortion Federation and Planned Parenthood, both of which are suing him, claim he perpetrated a fraud.
Sensing an opportunity to create a political martyr out of Daleiden, and raise some cash, antiabortion organizations including mainstream ones like the Susan B. Anthony List and radical ones like the Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust urged like-minded activists to show up here Wednesday to demand that Harris resign.
California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris vowed to investigate whether antiabortion activist David Daleiden broke any laws in filming Planned Parenthood officials discussing how they procure fetal tissue. (Nick Ut / Associated Press)
(Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust also has launched a chilling effort called the Irregulars. In August, founder Jeff White, a former Operation Rescue leader, wrote: We are declaring war on Planned Parenthood. We are soldiers or warriors that employ irregular military tactics harassing, pursuing and sabotaging Planned Parenthoods evil plans at every turn. He urged young people to come to California because this is where Planned Parenthood is strongest. The post was removed but was provided to me by the Feminist Majority Foundation, which monitors groups like his.)
Harris has accepted money from Planned Parenthood. On her Senate campaign website, she asks voters to sign a petition in support of the organization.
That, abortion foes say, makes her unfit to investigate Daleiden.
Hardly.
Public officials are not prohibited from doing their jobs because they get money from a business, or a nonprofit, or some other kind of organization, said Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson, vice president of the Los Angeles Ethics Commission. This is how the political world goes round. Officials get contributions and sometimes they take action in a way that affects their contributors.
Public officials are not prohibited from doing their jobs because they get money from a business, or a nonprofit, or some other kind of organization. Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson, vice president of the Los Angeles Ethics Commission
When I asked Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life, why it was OK for Republican attorneys general to accept money from antiabortion organizations, then try to outlaw abortion (Michigan, Kansas and Texas come to mind), she changed the subject.
The question is, why was taxpayer money wasted on 11 agents raiding a one-bedroom apartment when David was already cooperating with the investigation? she said. And why wasnt there an investigation of Planned Parenthood? I would be happy to investigate everybody. Lets figure out what actually happened.
But of course, we know what actually happened.
Daleiden set out to prove that Planned Parenthood breaks the law. A dozen state investigations have found no wrongdoing. A Texas grand jury impaneled to investigate Planned Parenthood ended up indicting Daleiden on charges of trying to buy fetal tissue and using a fake California drivers license.
Hawkins tried to explain that away: If you look at the Texas situation, you have a politically motivated, pro-abortion assistant DA.
But the assistant district attorneys boss was not pro-abortion. And she was in charge. Anyone who pays attention knows that I am pro-life, said Harris County Dist. Atty. Devon Anderson. I believe abortion is wrong. But my personal belief does not relieve me of my obligation to follow the law.
I guess you could say the same about our own attorney general.
::
Maybe it was too close to finals. Only about 30 students showed up for the low-key event. Most arrived by bus from Washington and Oregon.
Kamala Harris is supposed to be the person we trust to go after criminals, but instead she targets an innocent, law-abiding citizen, said Veronica Fealy, founder of the Bay Area antiabortion group Shield for the Unborn. A gray-haired man across the street nearly drowned out her amplified voice, screaming: Choice! Choice! Choice! It wasnt as exciting as a Donald Trump rally, but it jolted me awake.
Back in July, after Daleidens videos hit the Internet, Harris vowed to investigate whether he had broken any laws when he created fake IDs and registered fake companies with the state. Last month, I wondered in print why it was taking her so long to wrap it up. Ten days later, her investigators raided Daleidens home. I thought it was kind of a cool coincidence.
Antiabortion news sites claimed I had goaded Harris into action. On LifeNews.com, Operation Rescues Cheryl Sullenger wrote, There is evidence that Abcarian was acting as a surrogate for an impatient Planned Parenthood. She described me as a so-called journalist.
Well then. I guess I would call her a so-called pro-lifer. After all, she served about two years in federal prison in connection with the failed 1987 firebombing of a San Diego abortion clinic.
I would love to think I am powerful enough to command the attorney general to do my bidding.
But Im pretty sure she was just doing her job.
robin.abcarian@latimes.com
Twitter: @AbcarianLAT
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Opening a new chapter in a high-profile stamp-world mystery, a valuable inverted Jenny stamp has surfaced six decades after it was stolen at a collectors convention.
The stamp one of the worlds most famous pieces of postage was among four of its kind taken at a 1955 collectors convention. While two were recovered more than 30 years ago, there had been no sign of the others until this one was submitted to a New York auction house this month and authenticated.
Its one of the most notorious crimes in philatelic history, and theres a piece of the puzzle now thats in place, said Scott English, the administrator of the American Philatelic Research Library, which owns the stamp and is working with auctioneer Spink USA and federal authorities to recover it.
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The would-be consigner, a man in his 20s who lives in Britain, said hed inherited the stamp from his grandfather and knew little about it, said George Eveleth, head of Spink USAs philatelic department. He said authorities had told the auctioneers not to release the name of the consigner.
While its unclear whether the man can shed any light on the long-cold trail to the thieves, the stamp was accompanied by an intriguing item: a 1965 letter about a monetary loan from a noted stamp dealer to a well-known auctioneer, both now dead, Eveleth said. The letter isnt necessarily connected to this stamp, however.
Still, the Bellefonte, Pa.-based philatelic library hopes the stamps discovery could lead to new clues.
Were going to remain optimistic, English said. Because, think about it: Here we are, 61 years later, and a stamp has appeared.
Worth 24 cents when issued in 1918, inverted Jenny stamps fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars today. While other stamps are rarer, the Jenny is one of few that is readily recognized even by noncollectors, Eveleth said.
It made its way into popular culture in movies such as 1985s Brewsters Millions, in which Richard Pryors character uses one to mail a postcard, and television shows including The Simpsons, in which Homer Simpson finds but disregards a sheet of them at a flea market. The U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative inverted Jenny stamp in 2013.
The original was made to celebrate the launch of U.S. air mail. Some were printed with the Curtiss JN-4H Jenny biplane inverted, and a savvy customer bought a 100-stamp sheet before anyone realized the error.
Over the years, they were separated, coveted, counterfeited and narrowly saved from the blitzkrieg of London in World War II and from a flood in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
A block of four was on loan to the American Philatelic Society when stolen from a display case at its 1955 convention in Norfolk, Va. The lender, who died in 1980, gave her rights to the stolen stamps to the society, which shares some ties with the American Philatelic Research Library.
Two of the Jenny stamps were recovered in the 1970s and 80s from different Chicago stamp connoisseurs, who said theyd bought the stamps from people who had since died or whose names they didnt know, according to a 2014 article in American Philatelist, the societys journal.
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Shawn Bagley thought he knew what he was getting into when he was elected to become one of Californias so-called superdelegates to the Democratic National Convention, and energetic debate with other activists was part of it.
What Bagley had not anticipated was being jolted out of bed by a 2 a.m. phone call from an angry Bernie Sanders supporter. The caller accused Bagley, a retired produce broker from Salinas, of stealing democracy from the citizenry.
Why is Bernie Sanders letting these people loose on us? said Bagley, a Hillary Clinton backer who says he was branded corrupt, immoral and thickheaded over the course of some 200 social media posts and phone calls from Sanders fans. He lost my vote at 2 a.m.
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Sanders supporters are known to be a spirited bunch. But as their frustration mounts over their candidates failure to significantly cut into Clintons lead, no small number of them are lashing out in ways that are not particularly helpful to his campaign.
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There is the activist in Chicago who unleashed a movement to harass superdelegates backing Clinton, with an online hit list complete with delegate phone numbers and some home addresses. There are the online trolls who have come to be known as Bernie bros, who attack journalists, politicians and fellow voters they perceive to be pro-Clinton with misogynistic, often vulgar attacks. There are the campaign surrogates -- some of them high-profile -- who use language the campaign finds itself having to walk back.
On Thursday, Sanders apologized for comments made by Paul Song, chairman of the progressive California group Courage Campaign, during Sanders huge rally the night before in New Yorks Washington Square Park. Song railed against corporate Democratic whores, saying the party establishment was beholden to the pharmaceutical industry. The Clinton campaign demanded Sanders disavow Songs words, which it did. Song himself also apologized, saying the comment was not directed at Clinton.
The hostility from some Sanders backers reflects a very different tone than what supporters projected a year ago at Sanders first large rally in Vermont, a lakeside park affair that resembled a peace festival. It comes as Sanders, the underdog candidate who trails in the delegate count despite a string of electoral wins in recent weeks, has stepped up his attacks on a political system he says is rigged for Clinton and a corporate media he says wants him to lose.
His increasingly hostile tone can be a combustible mix with a group of supporters who, in many cases, are new to the mechanics of party politics, delegate lobbying and campaign messaging. As a campaign so heavily focused online, it is especially vulnerable to the Internets darker impulses.
People on the Internet can be jerks, said Neil Sroka, spokesman for Democracy for America, a large grass-roots advocacy group supporting Sanders. I dont think that is news to anyone who has spent time reading comment sections in the average newspaper. When you have a strong online presence, you are going to have all the good and the bad that comes with it.
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Sroka says the Sanders campaign is hardly condoning the behavior, pointing to occasions where staffers and the candidate himself have scolded supporters for inappropriate remarks.
But others complain the campaign too often looks the other way, particularly in the case of antagonism toward the superdelegates who have pledged to support Clinton at the convention in Philadelphia in July.
These people are worried someone is going to come to their house, said Bob Mulholland, a Democratic political operative in California who supports Clinton and recently wrote an open letter to the Sanders campaign accusing it of fanning the flames of harassment. They have been put on a hit list.
Mulholland is talking about a database of superdelegates published online by activist Spencer Thayer, who originally called it the Superdelegate Hitlist and included a graphic of a donkey in cross hairs. Thayer has since toned it down, changing his sites name to Superdelegate List.
But he makes no apologies for collecting and publishing the personal information of the delegates, many of whom are just regular people like Bagley. Its uncharted territory for Democrats. The last time the votes of superdelegates mattered in a convention was in 1980, and the technology did not exist to quickly find and broadcast the personal information of these delegates to anyone who might begrudge them.
Some Sanders supporters point out, however, that activists sympathetic to Clinton tested the waters for a similar, unsanctioned superdelegate lobbying effort on her behalf in 2008.
Even so, the Sanders campaign has struggled for months with loutish behavior online that extends beyond a few jerks. Most any woman who has said anything critical about Bernie or positive about Hillary on social media has been subject to Bernie bro harassment, said Laura Olin, who advised the 2012 Obama campaign on social media.
A frequent target is Joan Walsh, a national affairs correspondent for the Nation, who is supporting Clinton for president, though the magazine has endorsed Sanders. They never stop, and you wind up on Twitter trying to convince a BernieBro that BernieBros exist -- and even as hes being Exhibit A, hes calling you a whore, $hill, sellout and on and on, she said in a direct message on Twitter.
Jill Filipovic, a freelance journalist and attorney who often writes positively about Sanders, said that when she criticizes him, she is subjected to a mass dogpiling of tweets sort of treating you like youre a dumb girl. The degree to which any criticism of this candidate is met with this complete brick wall of rage -- its like criticizing Jesus, she said. Its truly bizarre.
She gets attacked by Clinton supporters, too, but not on the same scale, she said. I do think its gotten worse as the campaign has gotten more heated, Filipovic said.
Most of the sexist slurs directed at Clinton on social media -- such as hag, shrill, and other words too crude to print -- have come from Donald Trump supporters, according to a study by a pair of Dutch researchers published in the Washington Post in February. But 14.7% of those slurs came from Sanders supporters, and mostly from men, according to the study.
Some women who support Sanders, though, say theyve endured boorish behavior from supporters of all the presidential campaigns. They also say the term Bernie bro itself diminishes the legions of feminists working for Sanders, who they argue has the best agenda for women.
The term, said Sarah Leonard, a senior editor at the Nation, implies the more progressive candidate draws his support mainly from men, and therefore his presence in the race is the force of misogyny.
Like other Sanders supporters, Leonard bristles at all the hostile behavior that has emerged. But she says she sees where it is coming from: The stakes are high for the left, with the candidate vying to be the first female president running against the candidate vying to be the first socialist president.
It makes people on the left very protective of Bernie Sanders, Leonard said, and they can be overly aggressive.
Halper reported from New York and Pearce from Los Angeles.
Twitter: @evanhalper, @mattdpearce
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The men and women who make up one of Bernie Sanders best political assets in New York are doing just about everything to help him except one: vote.
The Working Families Party, a nearly two-decade-old political force in the Empire State, has sprung into action on behalf of Sanders, the independent-turned-Democratic presidential hopeful. But only registered Democrats can vote in Tuesdays primary, shutting out the nearly 50,000 Working Families members.
Though their ranks are minuscule compared with the states 5.8 million Democrats, Sanders inability to count on support at the polls from them or others outside the Democratic Party underscores the reality that a core source of his strength throughout the nomination battle, independent liberals, cant vote for him in dozens of states, including New York.
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In this unexpectedly drawn-out Democratic primary in which delegates are awarded proportionally, a few thousand votes here or there could help Sanders snatch a handful of delegates from front-runner Hillary Clinton. Sanders campaign has said its current strategy to win the nomination is to come within striking distance of Clinton in pledged delegates and persuade the so-called superdelegates, party leaders and elected officials who can back the candidate of their choosing and who largely support Clinton, to switch allegiances.
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The urgency of Sanders challenge was apparent Wednesday evening at a rally in downtown Manhattan where the senator from Vermont drew 27,000 supporters, the latest in a string of yuge rallies scheduled in the run-up to New Yorks most consequential Democratic presidential primary in decades.
One of the first speakers reminded the audience that New Yorks primary was closed to all but registered Democrats, prompting boos across Washington Square Park. Sanders himself raised the issue at the conclusion of his more than hourlong speech, acknowledging a tough race for us.
We have a system here in New York where independents cant get involved in the Democratic primary, where young people who have not previously registered and want to register today cant do it, Sanders said from the foot of parks signature arch, the Empire State Building gleaming in blue and green behind him.
Still, Sanders predicted a surprise for the establishment.
If we have a large voter turnout on Tuesday, we are going to win this thing, he said, echoing predictions hes made in other states.
Johanna Weiss of Brooklyn, who arrived at the Sanders rally more than six hours before he took the stage, said she switched her registration to the Democratic Party just before the October deadline. She said she only learned about the need to do so because of her engagement with the Sanders campaign online through social media.
I was very active with the campaign on Facebook, so I was lucky enough to have stuff coming up in my feed all the time. And Im always reminding family members get out there, switch if you need to switch, she said.
Back in the fall and the late summer, a lot of people didnt know who Bernie Sanders was, she said, adding that media coverage of his candidacy only became widespread after similar voter deadlines had passed.
I still dont necessarily consider myself a Democrat, she added, saying shed vote for Green Party candidate Jill Stein in November if Sanders isnt the Democratic nominee. I still have some qualms with the Democratic establishment.
Hurley Graham of Queens, who also attended the rally and is registered as a Libertarian, said that by the time he learned he had to switch parties to participate in the Democratic primary, it was too late.
It certainly is a handicap for a lot of voters, he said, blaming Democratic leaders in New York who overwhelmingly support Clinton, a state resident for the last 16 years. Whatever theyre going to do to handicap [Sanders], theyll do.
On Thursday, dozens of voters at City Hall protested the states closed primary system, which one speaker called the largest act of voter suppression in the state of New York. Taxpayers should not fund such elections in which millions of voters are ineligible to participate, said John Opdycke, president of the group Open Primaries.
Jackie Salit, president of IndependentVoting.org and campaign manager for former New York Mayor Michael R. Bloombergs campaigns related to the Independence Party, held up a full-page newspaper ad from the state Board of Elections that noted that Tuesdays primaries were open only to registered Democrats and Republicans, but said no similar voter education effort was made ahead of registration deadlines months before.
She said shes glad Sanders is speaking out about the issue now.
I would like him to be more vocal, not just about the consequences in any particular race but about the systemic problems that exist and that do affect a major portion of the constituency that is drawn to him, she said. To conduct voter suppression against people on the basis of their identity is both shameful and illegal. To conduct voter suppression against people on the basis of political choices that theyre making, i.e., to be independent and not be affiliated with a party, is just straight up un-American.
The Clinton campaign has said she has performed best in elections in which the greatest number of voters participate, not Sanders. Clinton won 17 of the first 21 states where turnout exceeded 7% of eligible voters, campaign manager Robbie Mook wrote in a memo on the eve of last weeks Wisconsin primary.
Clinton won open primaries in Ohio, Illinois and Missouri but lost them in Michigan and Wisconsin, among others.
Whether a presidential nominating contest is open or closed varies by state and by party. In California, for example, only registered Republicans can participate in the GOP presidential primary. Unaffiliated voters can cast ballots in the Democratic primary, but members of the Green or Libertarian parties, for instance, may not.
But all voters will be able to vote in congressional and other down-ballot races under Californias top-two system.
New York Assemblyman Fred Thiele, the Assemblys only independent lawmaker, has introduced legislation to implement the same system in New York.
New York state has some of the most archaic voter laws in the entire country, he said. If you want to vote in New York, you really have to want to; and even if you want to vote, sometimes they wont let you.
The Working Families Party has joined with independent unions who also back Sanders to hold rallies throughout the state, register new voters (who had until a few weeks ago to sign up) and knock on doors, said Bill Lipton, the partys state director.
Tens of thousands of people have shown up to these rallies, which is indicative of huge momentum, he said. The volunteer energy from young people especially is like nothing Ive ever seen before.
And even if its members cant support Sanders, he said, the Working Families endorsement is an important signal to progressive Democrats.
Were the Good Housekeeping seal of approval for progressives, he said.
Twitter: @mikememoli
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Bernie Sanders will launch first California TV ads, making contrast with Hillary Clinton over fundraising
As Hillary Clinton travels to California for a pair of high-dollar fundraisers with film star George Clooney, Bernie Sanders will launch his first paid television advertising in the state with a message highlighting what his presidential campaign sees as a key contrast.
The new 30-second spot is called "$27, a number that has become as closely identified with Sanders as 47% was in a negative way for Republican nominee Mitt Romney four years ago.
It represents the average contribution that Sanders supporters have given to his campaign. A flood of small donations has given him the resources to compete through the June 7 California primary and its expensive collection of television markets.
I think its the best $27 you can spend, one voter says in the ad.
The spot will debut on KGO-TV in San Francisco on Friday evening and on KCBS in Los Angeles on Saturday night, timed deliberately to coincide with Clintons major fundraisers with Clooney in both cities. The events have minimum asking prices in the tens of thousands of dollars.
Its a very powerful statement about what Bernies campaign is about, Tad Devine, the campaigns chief strategist, told the Los Angeles Times. Hes trying to create a political revolution in America, not just by talking about these issues, but by acting on them.
Devine said the spot will ultimately air in greater rotation in California and other states that will vote after New Yorks primary on Tuesday. He said the availability of early voting in California makes it important to go up with advertising there even more than a month before the primary.
Hes made a decision that hes not going to be part of a corrupt system that relies on enormous contributions to super PACs, Devine said. He thinks its the reason that we have gridlock in Washington, the reason we cant take on some of the biggest problems of our time, including immigration reform, clean energy and college affordability.
Sanders has made Clintons use of super PAC contributions a key part of his message, hammering at the point during a debate Thursday night in Brooklyn.
Clinton called it a phony attack, and one not only directed at her but against President Obama, who also relied on a super PAC in his two presidential campaigns.
Devine said Clintons defense overlooks the ways in which technology particularly the use of smartphones has made it easier than ever to raise small-dollar donations to sustain a presidential campaign.
If President Obama were running for president for the first time today in 2016, with the means that we have today to raise the kind of money that Bernie Sanders has demonstrated can be raised, I think he would have had the opportunity to make a decision about whether to participate in the super PAC system or run outside of it, he said. I would give him the benefit of the doubt and say he may have decided differently than Hillary Clinton did.
Not every weakness in Californias public schools is tantamount to an assault on the state Constitution. After a problematic lower-court ruling struck down various job protections for California teachers, an appeals court rendered a more sensible conclusion Thursday: the states current seniority and tenure laws arent optimal, but they fall short of being unconstitutional.
At issue in the case of Vergara vs. California were laws that lay out a long and tortuous procedure for teachers to appeal a firing, require that less experienced teachers almost always be let go first when districts carry out layoffs and give principals only 18 months to decide whether a new teacher deserves tenure.
These laws go too far. Bad teachers are a stain on schools; parents will go to almost any lengths to avoid the worst of them. Students lose learning time and, perhaps worse, their interest in school under the weakest and least motivated instructors.
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The laws should be changed, but it is not the courts job to intervene in every poorly crafted or outdated statute. The question was whether these protections so harmed education and discriminated against the black and Latino students who often come from low-income families and attend schools with fewer resources that they violated constitutional guarantees of equal treatment and a free and high-quality education.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Rolf Treu decided that they did, despite evidence that truly awful teachers make up a tiny percentage (perhaps 1% to 3%) of the overall teaching force. In addition, as the appeals panel noted, theres little proof that the weakest teachers are disproportionately assigned to schools with large numbers of black and Latino students. Even if thats so, that problem isnt caused by state law, but by union contracts in each district that give more experienced teachers first shot at job openings at other schools, instead of assigning teachers where theyre most needed.
What happens next? Probably nothing very good. The school reform-minded plaintiffs vow to appeal. With the pressure of a lawsuit off its neck, the Legislature, which has been far too solicitous of the wishes of the California Teachers Assn., is less likely to pass AB 934, a reasonable legislative fix to the laws in question that would still protect teachers from capricious and vindictive firings.
Worse, the battle lines between reformers and union-allied groups become even more deeply etched. This state has real problems to work on in its schools, especially the lack of counselors and the looming teacher shortage. If California cant draw more enthusiastic and well-trained new teachers to fill openings in classrooms, education will suffer mightily especially for disadvantaged students. This is the big issue that both sides should get to work on resolving.
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Its not exactly news that some states, citing a largely imaginary threat of voter fraud, have imposed unnecessary burdens on those who want to participate in democracys most important activity. Now we learn that the states trying to make voting harder have an ally at the federal agency designed to make voting easier.
Brian D. Newby, the executive director of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, has agreed to requests by Kansas, Georgia and Alabama that the versions of a federal voter registration form used in their states be altered to require proof of U.S. citizenship. Such forms are available at state and local government offices, including DMVs thus the term motor voter and allow citizens to register to vote by mailing in the form.
As with demands that voters produce government-issued photo IDs on Election Day, the proof-of-citizenship requirement for voter registration is justified by its proponents on the grounds of preventing fraud. But it is extremely rare for non-citizens to seek to register, just as impersonation of voters at the polls is rare. Besides, the standard form requires registrants to affirm, under penalty of perjury, that they are U.S. citizens.
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Weighed against the virtually non-existent problem of fraudulent registration is the fact that a proof-of-citizenship requirement excludes potential voters who dont possess such documentation, a group in which poor Americans (and probably racial minorities) are overrepresented. It also discourages registration by others such as college students seeking to vote where they attend school who might find it time-consuming to lay hands on a birth certificate or passport. In Kansas, according to a study by the Wichita Eagle, more than 40% of people on a list of suspended voters those who attempted to register but didnt meet all of the requirements were under 30.
In 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that Arizona on its own couldnt require proof of citizenship for voters in federal elections and had to accept and use the registration form issued by the EAC. The court left open the possibility that states could petition the agency to make changes. But here it was Newby, acting alone, who agreed to the requests from state officials to add the requirement for proof of citizenship, a proposal the commission rightly had rejected in the past.
The League of Women Voters and other groups are challenging Newbys action in court, arguing that he exceeded his authority and departed from long-standing commission policy that proof of citizenship wasnt necessary to determine the eligibility of a voter-registration application. We hope they prevail, but the move to require proof of citizenship also calls for action by Congress.
Under the Constitution, Congress can override state decisions about the time, places and manner of elections for the U.S. House and Senate and also can pass legislation to enforce the 15th Amendments ban on racial discrimination in voting.
Even if the courts stymie this latest exercise in voter suppression, Congress should revisit the issue and make it clear that the promise of motor voter that registering to vote would be no harder than necessary remains the law of the land.
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Social conservatives in North Carolina used a familiar playbook when they helped pass a draconian law restricting which restrooms transgender people can use. The tactic was fear: They whipped up anxieties about modesty and vulnerability in public restrooms until they created full-fledged bathroom panic over victimization by sexual predators. This week, with banks, businesses and Bruce Springsteen announcing boycotts to protest the discriminatory law, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory announced half-measures to try to dampen the backlash, but he did nothing to alter the deception inherent in bathroom panic.
The North Carolina law, House Bill 2, took aim at an ordinance that was about to go into effect in Charlotte, N.C. The Charlotte City Council had voted to prohibit discrimination against gay and transgender people in public accommodations and by government contractors, expanding an existing law that protected other minorities. In response, the state legislature invalidated the ordinance and seized the opportunity to target transgender people using the crudest and most baseless of fears: No men in womens bathrooms.
When McCrory signed HB2 into law, he claimed he was protecting the basic expectation of privacy in the most personal of settings and acting to stop a radical breach of trust and security. Peter Sprigg of the conservative Family Research Council defended the need to force transgender people into restrooms aligned with their birth gender by citing legitimate fears that people have about their safety. Yet hundreds of similar nondiscrimination measures are in place across America, and law enforcement officials have reported no surge in bathroom victimization as a result.
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Sprigg and company borrowed their playbook from a successful effort in Houston last year. With a ballot measure, voters there repealed a nondiscrimination ordinance after a campaign that included an ominous television ad showing a man in a dress following a little girl into a bathroom stall.
As the New York Times reported, the ballot measure fight was turned from one about equal rights to one about protecting women and girls from sexual predators. The anti-discrimination ordinance lost, 61% to 39%.
Fear mongering against gays and transgender people is a time-tested strategy, despite plenty of evidence that there is nothing to fear but fear itself.
Such fear mongering against gays and transgender people is a time-tested strategy, despite plenty of evidence that there is nothing to fear but fear itself. In the battle for marriage equality, the nation was told time and again that marriage itself, along with the American family, would be imperiled if same-sex couples were allowed to marry. Freedom will be taken away, said one infamous 2009 ad titled Gathering Storm. Religion would be destroyed because the clergy would be forced to conduct same-sex weddings, no matter their convictions. Yet none of these doomsday scenarios has come to pass.
The particular terrors that fueled the campaigns in Houston and North Carolina have an even longer history. In the debate over dont ask, dont tell, opponents of openly gay service spent decades fanning the flames of anxiety about straight recruits sharing quarters sharing showers! with known gays and lesbians. At one point, senators held congressional hearings in the bowels of a nuclear submarine to infuse the news cycle with frightening images of the compromised privacy of military life. The message was clear: In such conditions, gay people were not to be trusted, unit cohesion could not be maintained and an inclusive policy would be a clear and present danger to the United States.
Again, none of this was true, as a wealth of research before and after dont ask, dont tell concluded (some of it was buried by those opposed to change).
A 2003 Palm Center study found that the experience of military and paramilitary organizations that lifted their gay bans showed that cohesion, morale, recruitment, retention and privacy will be preserved or even enhanced by ending policies that required gay people to lie about their identities or stay out of uniform. Other scholars noted that, all across the globe, people in various contexts that might seem erotic (especially when social conservatives insisted on eroticizing them) in fact developed an etiquette of disregard. In doctors offices, in military barracks, in locker rooms and restrooms, most people simply finished their business and ignored those around them. Those who had predicted disaster were spectacularly wrong.
But no amount of evidence seems capable of stopping the fear strategy. The Rand Corp. has completed a new study on transgender military service concluding, unsurprisingly, that ending discrimination against transgender troops will not harm military readiness. The Pentagon has neither released the study nor met its own deadline for reviewing the policy. Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.), who wrongly predicted that openly gay military service would complicate things and make it very difficult for us to take care of the troops, is now opposing service by transgender troops because guess what he cant understand which bathrooms they would use. And Elaine Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness, who had earlier wrongly predicted that openly gay troops would drive away one-quarter of the military, is now predicting that transgender service will increase sexual assaults.
Voters should see these kinds of fear-based charges for what they are a cynical, angry and wildly inaccurate response to LGBT people gaining equal rights. In the barracks and at the marriage altar and in the bathroom, equality for sexual minorities does not cause harm to others.
Nathaniel Frank is the director of the What We Know Project at Columbia Law School. He is completing a book on the history of the marriage equality fight.
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This tax day, hope for a more powerful Internal Revenue Service.
For decades, one of Americas two major parties has done everything in its power to cut taxes, especially on the wealthiest, and to demonize the agency in charge of collecting them. (Hint: its not the Democrats).
In the face of this assault, the rest of the countrys political class has largely gone along, or gone silent. Precious few have enthusiastically defended what Alexander Hamilton called the vital principle of the body politica robust power to collect the money necessary to achieve the nations common goals.
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If the American revolution was about rejecting taxation without representation, the American constitution was about enabling taxation with representation. The notables who gathered in Philadelphia in 1787 made sure the federal government would have the power to tax that it had lacked under the disastrous Articles of Confederation.
To Hamilton, taxation was an indispensable ingredient in every constitution without which government must sink into a fatal atrophy. In embracing an expansive federal taxing power, he echoed Adam Smiths Wealth of Nations, which described taxes as a badge, not of slavery, but of liberty.
No one relishes paying taxes, of course. Nevertheless, as the sociologist Vanessa Williamson has shown, most Americans understand that taxation is the price of a civilized societywhich is remarkable given the reigning rhetoric. When pollsters ask Americans how they feel about our tax system, most dont question its legitimacy or kvetch that their rate isnt fair. Instead, they complain that its too favorable toward the rich and overly complex. They also say its frustrating to deal with beleaguered IRS employees. In other words, the most common grievances come from having too hamstrung an IRS, rather than the opposite.
Lets begin with the leading complaint: that the rich get special treatment. The IRS estimates that around one in six tax dollars go unpaida loss that likely exceeds a half trillion dollars a year. Since most American have their taxes deducted from their wages, theres no mystery as to the main source of this tax gap: Its the tax evasion of the affluent that leads to the big revenue losses.
Yet audits have been falling for decades. Under Ronald Reagans IRS, one out of every 50 individual returns was audited. By the mid-1990s, the ratio was around one in 66. After hostile GOP hearings and legislation, it fell to less than one in 100. And thats despite the fact that every $1 spent on IRS enforcement yields $6 in recovered taxes.
Given the complexity of our code, the IRS does pretty well... Its bad reputation stems mostly from false accusations--and the misguided reforms that have followed them.
Some may wonder, doesnt the IRS deserve this treatment? Isnt it terribly managed? Actually, no. Given the complexity of our code, the IRS does pretty well, collecting more than $3 trillion at a direct cost of around $11 billion. Its bad reputation stems mostly from false accusationsand the misguided reforms that have followed them.
Consider the aforementioned GOP onslaught in the late 1990s. All the most serious chargesarmed raids by tax collectors, unjustified subpoenas, aggressive collection of taxes people didnt actually owewere later proved false. But not before a new federal law upended the IRS, requiring the agency to jump through more procedural hoops with fewer resources. In the next 15 years, the agency would lose 24,000 employees.
More recent charges against the agency have been only slightly more grounded. In 2013, for example, the inspector general of the IRS alleged that lower-level staff had applied special scrutiny to conservative political groups seeking tax-exempt statusan allegation Republicans seized on to once again slash the IRS budget.
As subsequent investigations showed, what was portrayed as a partisan power play turned out to be an ill-conceived screening process developed by a short-staffed IRS grappling with ambiguous law. Thanks to the new budget cuts, however, the IRS sunk into even greater chaos, with the share of Americans saying it did an excellent or good job plummeting from 44% in 2011 to 27% in 2013. Not incidentally, the IRS also essentially gave up policing the increasing number of nonprofits of borderline legality that are flooding American politics with big money.
Republicans have perfected the self-fulfilling critique: Say that the IRS is broken, break it more, repeat.
How do we end this vicious cycle? Simplifying the tax code would help a great deal. Yet merely giving the IRS an adequate budget, sufficient staffing and updated technology would go a long way. So too would empowering the agency to collect unpaid taxes from those whose outlaw behaviorhowever lawyered up or genteelis most costly to the nations finances. Remember that $6 for every $1 spent on better tax enforcement? Targeted efforts that focus on high-income taxpayers produce more than $47 for every $1 spent.
The tide wont turn, however, until those who believe in a well-functioning IRS get out of their foxholes. As the Founders insisted, government doesnt work if it lacks sufficient authority to pursue citizens common goals. Politicians who demonize the IRS should be treated not as champions of liberty but as enablers of dysfunction.
Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson are the authors of American Amnesia: How the War on Government Led Us to Forget What Made America Prosper.
Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Islamic States Islamist utopia has taken hold of the imagination of small Sunni communities almost everywhere, including in Brussels, where suicide bombers killed 32 people last month.
Its worldview, Salafi jihadism, is perhaps the most powerful weapon in its deadly arsenal. A traveling and expanding ideology, Salafi jihadism, or religious totalitarianism, has evolved into an influential social movement with a repertoire of ideas, iconic leaders, far-flung supporters, networks of recruiters and theorist enablers who provide members with theological sustenance.
Regardless of what happens to Islamic State, Salafi jihadism is here to stay and will likely gain more converts in politically polarized Arab and Muslim societies.
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Regardless of what happens to Islamic State, Salafi jihadism is here to stay and will likely gain more converts in politically polarized Arab and Muslim societies. The challenge is to shine light on this growing ideology and make sense of it.
Islamic State leader Abu Bakr Baghdadi and his inner circle rely particularly on three Salafi jihadist manifestoes to justify what they do. The most well-known is The Management of Savagery. Circulated in PDF format under the pseudonym Abu Bakr Najji in the early 2000s, the manifesto provides a strategic road map of how to create an Islamic caliphate.
The second book is Introduction to the Jurisprudence of Jihad by Abu Abdullah Muhajjer, which calls on Salafi jihadists to do whatever it takes to establish a purely unified Islamic state.
The final book is The Essentials of Making Ready (for Jihad) by Sayyid Imam Sharif, aka Abdel-Qader Ibn Abdel-Aziz or Dr. Fadl. This massive work focuses on the theological and practical meanings of jihad in Islam, and it has become a central text in jihadist training. Fadl admitted that he wrote the book in the late 1980s as a manual for training camps of what subsequently became known as Al Qaeda.
The three manifestoes represent the most extreme thinking within the Salafi jihadist movement and the degeneration of this ideology into Fiqh Damaa (the jurisprudence of blood). Despite differences, there are common conceptual threads.
First, the three authors call for all-out war and advocate performing offensive jihad as opposed to only defensive jihad in order to bleed the kuffar (infidels), or the enemies of Islam, thus creating chaos and fear. Second, although this total war should target both the near enemy (Muslim rulers) and the far enemy (the U.S. and its European allies), they prioritize the fight against tyrannical Muslim rulers who do not apply sharia (Koranic law).
Finally, all three call on the movements planners to kill with impunity, to observe no limits and follow in the footsteps of the prophets companions, who, in their opinion, brutally punished dissenters and rivals. They cite selective cases of early Islamic history to prove their claim that excessive violence produces the desired effect: submission. According to their logic, viciousness is the secret to success, while softheartedness is a recipe for failure.
They also argue that the ends reclaiming Islams golden age and establishing the Islamic state justify the means: savagery.
Although all three Salafi jihadist theorists advocate offensive jihad rather than defensive jihad, Najji explicitly makes the case for all-out war. He offers an expansive plan with three stages in which violence escalates qualitatively and strategically rather than in an ad hoc and random way.
In the first stage, Nikayawal-Tamkeen (vexation and empowerment), Salafi jihadists break the will of the enemy by carrying out attacks against vital economic and strategic targets such as oil facilities and the tourism infrastructure. As security forces rush in to protect these targets, the state weakens and its powers wither away, a condition conducive to savagery and chaos. Salafi jihadists can take advantage of this security vacuum, notes Najji, by launching an all-out battle on the thinly dispersed security forces.
Once the rulers are overthrown, a second phase commences, Idrarat Tawhush (the administration or management of savagery), and the third and final stage, Shawkat Tamkeen (empowerment), sees the establishment of an Islamic state. This Islamic state, Najji explains, should be ruled by a single leader who can then unify diffuse and scattered groups in a caliphate.
Not surprisingly, Najji emphasizes the significance of the media and propaganda as an ideological tool to mobilize and recruit the Muslim masses to the side of Salafi jihadists during the first and second stages of the long war, and then to control them and pacify them during the final stage.
All three authors argue that Salafi jihadists must hasten social and institutional disintegration of the state system, induce mayhem and be prepared to manage this cataclysm. The goal is to kill and terrorize not for the sake of killing or terrorism but for a higher moral purpose: cultural cleansing and the imposition of Gods laws on infidels.
For example, Najji points out that the worst chaotic condition is by far preferable to stability under the system of apostasy, thus turning the received wisdom of the mainstream religious establishment on its head.
He depicts Salafi jihadists as the vanguard best equipped to trigger an apocalypse, an end to the world as we know it and a religious rebirth.
We must drag all the people to battle and bring the temple down on the heads of everyone, Najji states. Even if the whole umma [the global Muslim community] perishes, they would all be martyrs, he adds, justifying the death of millions of Muslims.
As to their favorite methods of violence, the three authors have a preference for beheading and burning, which they see as effective in instilling fear and deterring others from resisting.
The three manifestoes provide a glimpse into Islamic States worldview, one characterized by a perpetual war against real and imagined enemies. According to this ideology, stability can only be attained when enemies are either subjugated or forced to recognize the groups sacred mandate.
Islamic States absolutist ideology is a doubled-edged sword. On the one hand, it has cemented the ties that bind among Islamic State combatants. On the other, it has blinded the group to the complex realities of governance at home and international relations abroad. Ideological fanaticism has led Baghdadi and his associates to monstrously miscalculate by turning the entire world against it, including the clerical Muslim establishment.
The groups religious ideology is important inasmuch as it allows it to exploit a poisonous environment, and to offer an alternative model (the Islamic State) to secular political authoritarianism. But in the final analysis, Islamic State is a product of the breakdown of Middle Eastern institutions and geostrategic regional and global rivalries. Syrians and Iraqis would not have embraced Islamic States Islamist worldview if their legitimate grievances had been addressed.
While ideas are the first line of defense against Islamic State and other Salafi jihadists, the key to delegitimizing this transnational ideology will depend on the reconstruction of the political process and genuine political reconciliation among warring ethnic and religious communities, a complex and difficult process that will take years to materialize.
Fawaz A. Gerges is professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and author of ISIS: A History.
Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Its 2005. After Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day OConnor announces that she plans to resign. President George W. Bush tells the press that anyone he nominates to succeed OConnor will make it crystal clear that he or she will vote to overturn Roe vs. Wade.
Imagine the howls of outrage. Its hard to believe even a single Democratic senator would vote for a nominee who made such a promise in exchange for a seat on the Supreme Court. Even some Republican senators might balk at confirming a judge who promised to vote a certain way.
You would hear a lot of senators quoting this statement by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at her confirmation hearings in 1993:
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It would be wrong for me to say or preview in this legislative chamber how I would cast my vote on questions the Supreme Court may be called upon to decide. A judge sworn to decide impartially can offer no forecasts, no hints, for that would show not only disregard for the specifics of the particular case, it would display disdain for the entire judicial process.
Subsequent nominees appointed by presidents of both parties have generally hewed to Ginsburgs policy of no forecasts, no hints. And presidents havent attempted to secure such promises.
Enter Bernie Sanders. At Thursdays debate with Hillary Clinton in Brooklyn, N.Y., Sanders reiterated his longstanding view that he would demand not a hint or a promise but a public commitment that any Supreme Court nominee would vote to overturn a precedent Sanders doesnt like.
Sanders was asked if he would ask President Obama to withdraw his nomination of Judge Merrick Garland if Sanders won the election. Sanders answered yes and added this:
I think that we need a Supreme Court justice who will make it crystal clear, and this nominee has not yet done that, crystal clear that he or she will vote to overturn Citizens United and make sure that American democracy is not undermined.
Whoa.
This statement is shocking less because Sanders would be asking a nominee to behave unethically than for what it shows about Sanders understanding of politics.
A Supreme Court nominee who promised to vote a certain way would almost certainly be unconfirmable and probably would be rated unqualified by the American Bar Assn. In the unlikely event that such a nominee were confirmed, he or she would (rightly) be pressed not to participate in any case that might put Citizens United in jeopardy.
To be fair, Hillary Clinton flirted with the idea of a litmus test -- actually two litmus tests -- in the debate. She said:
You know, there is no doubt that the only people that I would ever appoint to the Supreme Court are people who believe that Roe vs. Wade is settled law and Citizens United needs to be overturned. But Clinton didnt say she would require a public promise from a nominee that he or she would vote to reaffirm Roe vs. Wade or overrule Citizens United.
Also, in describing Roe as settled law, she acknowledged that a nominee could say that Roe was settled law without promising never to consider arguments that it ought to be overruled or revised. Thats essentially what Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said at his confirmation hearings under dogged questioning from the late Sen. Arlen Specter.
A prospective Supreme Court nominee might be willing to say whether he or she believed the same about Citizens United (a much more recent decision than Roe vs. Wade and arguably less settled as a precedent). But a public promise to overturn it? No lawyer in his or her right mind would make such a commitment to a president or to the Senate.
Sanders defenders will say that he is just being honest about having a litmus test for Supreme Court nominees, whereas other candidates (and presidents) are just as determined to apply such a test but dissemble about doing so.
Sorry, but theres a big difference between choosing a nominee you suspect might share your views about Roe vs. Wade or Citizens United and demanding a promise that the nominee would vote to reverse a ruling. The latter approach is not just politically stupid; it undermines the independence of the judiciary.
Someone as experienced in politics as Sanders should know the difference.
Twitter: @MichaelMcGough3
Thursday nights Democratic debate in Brooklyn between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders got a bit contentious, but fell far short of the nasty exchanges between Hillary supporters and Bernie backers that have been firing up social media for months.
I did not have to dip very far into my Facebook news scroll to find some unflattering comments about Sanders and his supporters. Heres one: I have officially had it with Bernie Babies, as I stated yesterday, and now Ive lost all respect Ive ever had for Bernie Sanders. He is a fraud. A typical idealistic demagogue. Disgusting old man.
And another: I think people are finally getting tired of Bernies bitter, angry, intolerant old self. I hope Hillary smokes him from here on out. The old Socialist pimp needs to be shut down permanently.
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Under a graphic listing Sanders alleged faults (rude, arrogant, angry white man) someone wrote, Add hypocrite. I am so OVER this SOB.
This vituperation sometimes spills into public view. Observing coverage of Wednesday nights big Sanders rally in Manhattan, one prominent Clinton supporter tweeted: Hate rally in Washington Square -- are they passing out armbands?
This over-the-top disdain among Clintons militants is easily matched by the insults coming from Sanders troops. Sanders had to disavow the comments of one campaign surrogate who appeared to suggest Clinton is a corporate whore. On Facebook, Sanders partisans were not as quick to reject that characterization. Calling her a whore is an insult to whores. wrote one person. Another said, Even honest people, like Bernie, sometimes need to disavow the truth for damage control.
Responding to Clintons performance in the debate, one young woman commenting on the Bernie Believers Facebook page said, Shes so irritating! ASIDE from the fact that shes a warmongering liar and a war criminal. Another wrote, I was trying not scream at the TV and prevent myself from actually hearing everything she said. And I failed.
The meanest remarks from the Sanders side are often attributed to Bernie Bros, young men who rove the Internet, eager to flame Clinton supporters and throw misogynistic darts at the candidate herself. Sanders has been forced to put distance between himself and these particularly aggressive advocates. We have many hundreds of thousands of supporters, and some of them have gone over the edge, the Vermont senator told Ebony magazine. I apologize for that.
Vitriol is not new to politics, and it may be that, like the abundant viciousness on the political right, this dueling invective on the left is merely being amplified by the megaphone of social media. Awful and harsh as the language is, it may not indicate that there is an unbridgeable split among Democrats. Few, if any, Clinton supporters say they would not vote for Sanders were he to become the nominee, even if they hate the prospect. I would have to vote for the SOB to save us from GOP control, wrote one Sanders critic, begrudgingly, but it would be a vote against sane gun laws and a vote for megalomaniacal, imbecilic rule.
It is not uncommon, though, to hear Sanders most fervent backers insist that they could never vote for Clinton. One of their social media manifestos reads, Were not democrats, were not republican, we are Berniecrats. We will not vote for anyone but Bernie, even if that means we write him in.
Judging from their Facebook posts, many of these folks loathe the Democratic Party nearly as much as they despise Republicans. In their eyes, Hillary Clinton is a phony, a vote stealer, a shill for corporate interests and a neoconservative imperialist. They are convinced that she would be as awful as Donald Trump or Ted Cruz if she were elected president, so they see no point in giving her their vote.
It is hard to know how widespread this affliction of political myopia may be among Democrat-leaning voters. Still, when November comes, I suspect most of those who are now feeling the Bern will soberly contemplate issues such as climate change, Supreme Court nominees, immigration and same-sex marriage. If their 74-year-old champion is not on the ballot, they will hold their noses and cast their ballots for the woman who beat him because they realize they could do so much worse.
Sen. Bernie Sanders was anxious to land some tough blows during a debate against Hillary Clinton in his native Brooklyn on Thursday night as he strove for an upset victory over a front-runner whose roots in the crucial electoral state also run deep, but Hillary Clinton came to the matchup prepared.
Their intense sparring underscored the unwillingness of either candidate to yield an inch, even at a time Clinton has pulled far ahead of Sanders in convention delegates. Many seasoned strategists have declared her risk of losing to be almost nil, but Clinton nonetheless cannot afford a setback in New York, the biggest prize in the Democratic contest to date.
A victory here, where polls have consistently shown her well ahead, would put her on a path toward cruising to the nomination, but a loss would generate a fresh round of second-guessing about her abilities as a candidate.
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So the two clashed repeatedly during the debate, held at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, amplifying the heated rhetoric they had aimed at each other in the days leading up to the contest some of the most bitter of the campaign to date.
Early in the debate, Sanders suggested he regretted saying earlier this month that Clinton was not qualified to be president, but almost immediately, he went on to question her fitness.
I do question her judgment, Sanders said. I question a judgment which voted for the war in Iraq, the worst foreign policy blunder in the history of this country, voted for virtually every disastrous trade agreement which cost us millions of decent-paying jobs. And I question her judgment about running super PACs, which are collecting tens of millions of dollars from special interests, including $15million from Wall Street.
Clinton hit back, once again bringing up Sanders struggle to respond to questions about his proposals during an interview earlier this month by the editorial board of the New York Daily News. The Vermont senator had bungled his effort to explain how he would carry out his plan to break up big banks and bobbled other questions about his policy vision.
Ive been called a lot of things in my life, Clinton said of Sanders unqualified comment. That was a first.
Talk about judgment, she said. On even his core issue, breaking up the banks, when asked, he could not explain how that would be done, and when asked about a number of foreign policy issues, he could not answer about Afghanistan, about Israel, about counter-terrorism, except to say if hed had some paper in front of him, maybe he could.
As Clinton has often done in the race, she used President Obama as a shield against Sanders implications of untoward influence from campaign donors.
Make no mistake about it: This is not just an attack on me; its an attack on President Obama, she said, noting Obama had also benefited from a super PAC in his campaigns but had still enacted new regulations on Wall Street.
Sanders repeatedly returned to the financial help Clinton had received from the industry, scornfully suggesting that while he was drafting legislation to break up big banks in the Senate, Secretary Clinton was busy giving speeches to Goldman Sachs for $225,000 a speech.
Clinton sought to deflect Sanders repeated demand that she release transcripts of such speeches by questioning why Sanders had not yet released his tax returns, something she said was a more conventional act of disclosure for presidential hopefuls.
Sanders said he would release the first of several years of tax returns Friday. Asked why he was not releasing more than one year of taxes, he turned to his wife, who was sitting in the audience.
Jane does our taxes, he explained as his wife chuckled along from the audience. Weve been a little bit busy; youll excuse us.
Since the Democratic candidates last debated more than a month ago in Florida, Clinton has scored victories in key states including Florida, Ohio, Missouri and Arizona, only to see Sanders begin his own winning streak, largely in rural-state caucuses but also in Wisconsins primary on April 5.
New York, which will award 291 delegates proportionally Tuesday, offers Clinton her latest, best chance to put the nomination out of Sanders reach if not mathematically, at least in the eyes of many Democratic voters and leaders.
Polls by several organizations show her leading the race by around 12 percentage points, buoyed by 2-1 leads from key voting blocs among the states Democrats, particularly African Americans and Jews. Those two groups together are likely to make up more than a third of the Democratic primary electorate. The candidates engaged in several testy exchanges on issues of concern to those groups.
Sanders, who is Jewish, stood by earlier descriptions of Israels response to terrorism in the Gaza Strip as disproportionate remarks that had riled some pro-Israel advocates.
He was critical of a 2014 assault by Israel that killed and wounded thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, and said the U.S. needed to be more evenhanded in its approach to the conflict.
Clinton expressed regret for civilian casualties but said Israel did not invite rockets raining down on their towns and villages, adding, I dont know how you run a country when you are under constant threat.
Both candidates have stumbled in the state in their outreach to black voters. Clintons deep ties with African American activists have been particularly strained at times by her support for anti-crime legislation her husband championed while in the White House, some of the provisions of which she now says were overly harsh.
Her past support for that law got more unwelcome attention when former President Clinton got into a shouting match last week with Black Lives Matters protesters in Pennsylvania, during which he defended his wifes use of the term super predator two decades ago in talking about some youthful criminals.
It was a racist term, and everybody knew it was a racist term, Sanders said during the debate.
Hillary Clinton again expressed her regret for supporting the 1994 crime law and talked of the need for white people to recognize that there is systemic racism in the justice system.
I am sorry for the consequences that were unintended and have had a very unfortunate impact on peoples lives, she said, referring to the 1994 anti-crime bill. The very first speech I gave in this campaign was about what I would do to reform the criminal justice system and to end the over-mass incarceration.
Clinton embraced New Yorks recent decision to begin phasing in a minimum wage of $15 an hour, but, pressed by Sanders and CNN moderators, acknowledged she has only proposed a nationwide minimum wage of $12. If legislation for a national $15 wage came to her desk as president, she would sign it, she said.
Clinton was the aggressor when the conversation turned to gun control. The debate took place hours after a Connecticut judge issued a key ruling in favor of families of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting in their lawsuit against the manufacturer of a rifle used in the killings.
Sanders opposition to holding firearms manufacturers liable, which he repeated in his interview with the Daily News editorial board, has become a political liability for the Vermonter in New York City, where Democratic voters are overwhelmingly in support of gun control. At the debate, he said of the Sandy Hook families, They have the right to sue, and I support them and anyone else who wants the right to sue.
The Daily News skewered him and gave Clinton a fresh line of attack on an issue on which she has been pounding Sanders since early in the race. Gun control is one of the few policy areas on which Clinton has been able to position herself to the left of her socialist opponent, who represents a state where a large proportion of voters place a high value on hunting and gun ownership.
Sanders, Clinton said, has been largely a very reliable supporter of the NRA while in Congress.
Both candidates can claim home-state connections: Sanders was born and raised in Brooklyn, and Clinton represented the state in the U.S. Senate, owns a home in Chappaqua and has based her campaign here.
Clinton entered the New York contest as the heavy favorite, with endorsements from leading Democrats including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and most of the states congressional delegation. The state has a demographic profile similar to places where she has scored decisive wins a large share of black and Latino voters.
Sanders enjoys strong grass-roots support and the backing of the New York Working Families Party, a progressive force in state politics. But because only registered Democrats are eligible to vote Tuesday, some of his most ardent supporters cant cast ballots for him.
Times staff writers Cathleen Decker and Chris Megerian contributed to this report.
Follow @mikememoli and @evanhalper for more 2016 campaign news.
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Bernie Sanders fares poorly against Hillary Clinton with fellow Jews, polls indicate
Sen. Bernie Sanders has gone further than any other Jewish candidate in a presidential campaign, but hes not garnering much support from Jewish voters, polls indicate.
The Vermont senators standing among Jews has been much speculated about since his campaign started to take off late last year. But until recently, the Democratic campaign has taken place in states with too few Jewish voters to measure or to really matter.
In Florida, for example, which has one of the countrys largest Jewish populations, Jews made up only 4% of the Democratic primary turnout too small for exit polls to analyze.
Now that the campaign has moved to New York, however, which has the nations largest Jewish population, the numbers are in, and theyre not favorable.
That shouldnt be terribly surprising. Both Hillary Clinton and former president Bill Clinton have long been popular among Jewish voters, and while American Jews tend to be liberal, theyre more often regular Democrats than the sorts of independents most drawn to Sanders.
On the other side, Sanders is not actively engaged in Jewish life. He has also been critical of Israel, although he lived briefly as a young man on a secular, socialist kibbutz. When asked about his faith, his responses have reflected a generalized commitment to liberal concepts of social justice as opposed to any specific link to Jewish ideals of equality.
None of that is unique to Sanders, of course a large percentage of American Jews lead largely secular lives, and many are critical of Israel but it may have dampened any connection that large numbers of Jewish voters might have felt toward him.
The best evidence so far comes from two recent polls of New York voters.
The Sienna College Poll, which has a long track record of surveying New York voters, found Clinton leading Sanders among Jewish voters 60%-38%. Thats almost as large as her lead among black voters, the poll found. Overall, she led 52%-42%, the poll found.
African Americans make up about 20% of the expected turnout for the Democratic primary, the poll projected. Jews make up just over 10%.
The NBC/Wall St. Journal/Marist poll found roughly the same breakdown, Clinton leading among Jews 65%-32%, part of an overall lead of 57%-40%. That poll pegged Jewish voters as likely to make up 16% of the electorate for the primary.
The Sienna poll also indicates that Sanders poor showing among New Yorks Jewish voters is not a reaction to recent campaign controversies.
During an interview with the editorial board of the New York Daily News on April 1, Sanders significantly exaggerated the death toll of Arab civilians in the last fighting between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza. Several Jewish groups sharply criticized him afterward.
But the poll, which was taken April 6-11, showed Sanders doing somewhat better than a survey Sienna had taken at the end of February in which he got support of 27% of Jewish voters.
The Sienna poll, conducted by telephone using cellphones and landlines, surveyed 538 likely Democratic primary voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points for the full sample.
The Marist poll was conducted April 10-13 and also has a margin of error of +/- 4.5 points.
A California assemblyman seeking a congressional seat has been ordered to stay away from his estranged wife, a Baldwin Park City Council member, after she said he violently abused her during their marriage.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Commissioner Alan Friedenthal granted a temporary restraining order Wednesday that requires Assemblyman Roger Hernandez (D-West Covina) to have no contact with Councilwoman Susan Rubio, whom he is divorcing.
Hernandez, who has served in the California Assembly since 2010, is challenging Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-Norwalk) for her 32nd Congressional District seat.
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Married in June 2013, Hernandez and Rubio began divorce proceedings in 2014. Rubio alleges in a declaration seeking the order that during the marriage, Hernandez engaged in pushing, shoving, hitting and choking her.
Rubio said that after an April 5 divorce hearing, an enraged Hernandez came aggressively toward her and began shouting in her face.
I was frozen and not able to react, she stated, noting that her attorney blocked the assemblyman from moving closer.
Rubio said the act was extremely frightening and gave her flashbacks of the violence during her marriage, so she decided to seek the restraining order, according to court documents.
Rubio said in her declaration that she was physically attacked, assaulted, battered, and suffered injuries. She attached several photos, including one of a bruised and scratched left arm. She also accused Hernandez of damaging numerous items of personal property in his violent and out-of-control anger.
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Hernandez attorney Steve G. Fox told The Times that he and his client have not seen the restraining order.
Its all trumped up, Fox said Thursday. This is smoke and mirrors.
Fox said he told Hernandez to talk to his wife after a court hearing in which she asked for a new attorney.
There was no incident at any time. I was right there. My client didnt do anything to create a disturbance, Fox said.
Rubio did not return calls on Thursday seeking comment.
In her declaration for the court order, Rubio cited several domestic violence incidents during their marriage.
In December 2013, she said, Hernandez slammed his elbow into the right side of her head as they were eating in an In-N-Out Burger parking lot. When she lost her phone on the beach in Santa Monica on New Years Day 2014, she said, Hernandez accused of her losing it so he would not see messages from her lovers. Rubio said that after the couple returned home, Hernandez grabbed me by the neck and began choking me and then knocked her to the floor.
Rubio said that Hernandez was violent again in July 2014.
[Hernandez] grabbed me out of bed by the arm, and I fell on to the floor on my back, Rubio said in her declaration. Hernandez then took her phone battery to prevent her from calling the police, Rubio said.
Eventually, Rubios sister arrived, and Hernandez was forced to let his wife go to the hospital, Rubio stated.
To protect the Petitioner I lied and told the hospital staff that I likely injured my back while working out I had suffered deep bone bruising, Rubio said.
In her statement, Rubio said that she did not previously seek a restraining order because of fear of retaliation and because she and her estranged husband are elected officials.
Rubio also noted in her declaration that Hernandez previously has been accused of violence against women, including by a former campaign manager and a former girlfriend. Hernandezs former girlfriend, Carolina Taillon, obtained a restraining order in October 2012 after indicating she had been attacked by the politician.
Under the order issued Wednesday, the assemblyman is required to stay 100 yards away from Rubio, her home, her workplace and her vehicle. The order remains in effect until a May 4 hearing before their divorce court judge.
In an email sent Thursday evening, Hernandez responded to news of the restraining order.
My wife and I are nearing the completion of a 16 month divorce case, he wrote. And despite all of the tensions that arise in any difficult situation and negotiation, at no time prior to today has there ever been a suggestion that she would need a restraining order. In fact, just minutes before this alleged incident, we were both in front of a judge with our lawyers and this issue was never raised.
richard.winton@latimes.com
Follow @LACrimes on Twitter
ALSO
Assemblyman challenging fellow Democrat Rep. Grace Napolitano in San Gabriel Valley
Ethics agency drops case against Assemblyman Roger Hernandez citing death of witness
Updates from Sacramento
Unless all the polls are dramatically wrong -- something thats seldom the case, despite everyones memories of Michigan -- Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will claim big victories on Tuesday. But the events of this last week have made clear that their celebrations will be muted.
Clinton still faces weeks of battling with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has the money and ardent supporters to continue running even if his chances of winning the nomination grow faint.
And on the Republican side, Trump has realized how badly his campaign has been outmaneuvered by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and how little room for error he has in the campaigns remaining weeks.
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Good afternoon, Im David Lauter, Washington bureau chief. Welcome to the Friday edition of our Essential Politics newsletter, in which we look at the events of the week in the presidential campaign and highlight some particularly insightful stories.
THE BRAWL IN NEW YORK
In advance of Tuesdays primary, Clinton has held onto a lead of roughly a dozen points in New York, give or take a few, depending on the poll. Her lead is based on strong support from African Americans and another key constituency in New York, Jewish voters.
As Mike Memoli reported, Sanders faces another big problem in the state: Many of his most fervent supporters cant vote for him because theyre not registered Democrats.
Sanders will face that same problem in most of the states that vote the week after New York -- all but one limit their primaries to registered Democrats.
Assuming Clinton wins the nomination, one of the demands the Sanders camp makes in exchange for his support could be a renewed push to end closed primaries. Sanders wife, Jane, seemed to hint at that in a recent interview. Proposals to change the rules for future contests tend to be easy for nominees to agree to because, by nature, those changes will not affect them.
For now, though, the campaign continues. As Thursday nights debate showed, the two candidates are heartily sick of each other, and their mutual attacks are growing increasingly heated.
History shows that parties almost always heal after such fights -- the battle was much fiercer eight years ago, after all. Still, the intensity troubles many Democrats who would like to see the party start unifying to take on the Republicans this fall.
Check out David Horseys sketches of the partisans.
Both sides have engaged in some nasty rhetoric, but its not equally distributed. As Evan Halper and Matt Pearce reported, the Sanders campaign repeatedly has had to apologize for or explain away harassment, misogyny and other misconduct by some of Sanders backers, particularly on social media.
Tuesday night, well bring you all the results and analysis of the primary on Trail Guide and on our Politics page.
And as the race unfolds, keep watch on the delegates in both parties with our Delegate Tracker, which shows where each candidate stands and where each has won support.
A KEY WEEK FOR TRUMP
On the Republican side, the key thing to watch is not who wins New York, but how big Trumps delegate haul will be.
New York sends 95 delegates to the Republican convention, the fourth-largest delegation behind California, Texas and Florida.
Unlike the Democrats, who distribute their delegates in all states proportionately to each candidates vote, the GOP in New York has a complicated rule: If a candidate wins more than 50% of the statewide vote, he gets all 11 of the states at-large delegates. Otherwise, delegates go to any candidate who gets at least 20%. Winning 50% in any congressional district gets a candidate all three of that districts delegates. On the district level, too, if no candidate gets 50%, delegates go to any candidate who gets more than 20%.
Most recent polls show Trump just above the 50% mark statewide, with Ohio Gov. John Kasich in second and Cruz in third. But both Kasich and Cruz are targeting a handful of congressional districts, including some urban districts that have few Republican voters, hoping to maximize their delegate counts.
For Trump, every delegate matters. Hes currently just barely on track to win the 1,237 delegates he would need for a first-ballot majority at the convention in Cleveland in July. And he knows that if he fails on the first ballot, he will have a very difficult time winning on a subsequent one.
As Melanie Mason and Mark Z. Barabak reported, in one state after another, Cruz has managed to outmaneuver Trump and get his own loyalists elected as convention delegates, even in states in which they are bound to vote for Trump in the initial vote. On a second or subsequent ballot, those delegates would be free to abandon Trump and back Cruz.
In the last week, Trump has beefed up his staff with some experienced Republican operatives in a belated effort to fix serious weaknesses in his delegate operation, but hes awakened very late to the problem.
His defeats in state-by-state delegate contests have generated many heated complaints from Trump and his allies. But as Michael Finnegan explained, the popular vote has never entirely determined who wins party nominations.
Meantime, as our colleague Stephen Battaglio reported, the prospect of Trump becoming the nominee is making executives from television stations in swing states worry. Their profit projections depend heavily on spending by candidates in election years, and based on what hes done in the primaries, they fear Trump might not drop as much money on ads as they had expected to get from the GOP nominee.
SOME OTHER STORIES OF NOTE
Citizenship applications are on the rise. Trump is part of the reason why. But, as Kate Linthicum discovered, Republicans inadvertently helped fuel the drive to get more immigrants to naturalize when they successfully went to court to block President Obamas plan to limit deportations. Read her article to find out how that happened.
Cathleen Decker had two sharp analytical pieces from New York that are well worth a look. One examined how much candidates on both sides live within their own ideological bubbles. The other looked at the scramble by the candidates for bragging rights on who is the real New Yorker.
And, speaking of the real New York, Halper took a look at the surprising vibrancy of the citys tabloid newspapers, which have driven the campaign debate over the last two weeks.
By contrast, Decker noted, Californias politics, unlike New Yorks, mostly unfold on TV.
WHAT WERE READING
The 1994 crime bill that President Bill Clinton signed into law has become the subject of a lot of talk during this campaign year. But as Ron Brownstein notes in the Atlantic, much of that discussion has been historically inaccurate.
The historical record doesnt support the lefts now-common assertion that the crime bill was primarily a politically motivated concession by Clinton to white racial backlash, Brownstein writes. In some ways the bill unquestionably misfired. But on the whole it did more to advance, than impede, the ongoing revival of Americas largest cities.
And in the Cook Political Report, Amy Walter looks at how the anti-Trump forces in the GOP may be winning the delegate race, but losing the PR war.
If Republicans think that denying Trump the nomination will solve their problems, they forget that the guy is neither a magnanimous winner nor a gracious loser, she writes. Forget about Trump running as an independent in the fall. He wont have the organization or time to get on the ballot in most states. But, hes got something more important than ballot access: Twitter and TV. He will be happy to continue his campaign against the GOP via social media.
IF YOU LIKE THIS NEWSLETTER, TELL YOUR FRIENDS TO SIGN UP
That wraps up this week. My colleague Christina Bellantoni will be back Monday with the weekday edition of Essential Politics. Until then, keep track of all the developments in the 2016 campaign with our Trail Guide at our politics page and on Twitter at latimespolitics.
Send your comments, suggestions and news tips to politics@latimes.com.
Were there: Lt. Gov. Newsom says he has enough signatures for gun control initiative
Citing the failure of the state Legislature to act, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that he has collected 600,000 signatures of California voters to qualify a gun control initiative for the November ballot.
Were there. This is going to be on the November ballot, Newsom said Thursday. Over 600,000 registered voters want to take some bold action on gun safety.
Newsoms campaign plans to begin delivering signatures tomorrow to county clerks for verification. If at least 365,880 signatures are found to be valid, the measure will qualify for the ballot.
Newsom said most of the proposals in the initiative have one thing in common, that over the past number of years they have suffered the fate of either being watered down or rejected by the Legislature. Were hopeful and confident that the voters of California will overwhelmingly support the initiative.
The broad measure would require background checks for purchasers of ammunition; ban possession of ammunition magazine clips holding more than 10 rounds; provide a process for felons and other disqualified persons to relinquish firearms and require owners to report when their guns are lost or stolen.
The initiative would also address an issue caused by the previous adoption of Proposition 47, which made thefts of guns worth less than $1,000 a misdemeanor. The ballot measure would make all gun thefts a felony.
Last week, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin De Leon (D-Los Angeles) said key provisions of the initiative, including the ban on large-capacity magazines, are addressed by legislation this year, but that bills could be harmed by the initiative going forward.
A campaign committee including gun groups and law enforcement is being formed to defeat the initiative, according to one member, Sam Paredes, executive director of Gun Owners of California. He noted that the measure has already been opposed by the California State Sheriffs Assn., which said it would put restrictions on law-abiding people without taking guns from criminals.
its an initiative that carries multiple proposals that were either killed by the Legislature as not workable or vetoed by the governor, Paredes said. Newsom has collected failed policy issues from the Legislature and put them up as an initiative. Its going to be a massive effort to defeat him.
Paredes said the initiative is a cynical attempt by Newsom to gain higher office.
We know hes doing this to pump himself up for his gubernatorial run, Paredes said.
Newsom said his campaign for governor is secondary to his effort to enact gun safety laws.
He said he has been active in the gun safety movement going back 15 years when he was mayor of San Francisco and a founding member of the group Mayors Against Guns. The National Rifle Assn. was so upset, they protested at his wedding in Montana, he said.
I expect a good challenge from them, Newsom said of the NRA. They have been very aggressive to date. But we are very enthusiastic to be getting to this next phase.
He cited internal polls indicating more than 70% of California voters support the initiative, and a Field poll that found greater support for provisions of the measure, including the ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines.
A Laguna Beach resident running for U.S. Senate wants voters to know that he is an independent and claims the California Secretary of States office deprived him of that opportunity.
Paul Merritt, who ran for the Laguna Beach City Council two years ago, recently filed a petition in U.S. federal court in Santa Ana asking a judge to require Secretary of State Alex Padilla to designate Merritt as an independent on ballots for Californias June 7 primary.
Merritt is one of 34 candidates vying to fill the seat currently held by Sen. Barbara Boxer. She and Sen. Dianne Feinstein have long served as Californias representatives in the U.S. Congress.
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Merritt, 65, objects to the no party preference label attached to his name on the states certified list of candidates, made public on April 1. Other candidates also have the no party preference label.
Merritt said in an email that Padillas office registered and certified him as an independent candidate, but without notice or hearing and against my written objection removed the word from the ballot.
I learned the that [the Secretary of State] also went into my personal statement to the voters and rewrote my approved statement ... striking the words I wrote ... registered independent voter.
As of Thursday morning, Padillas office had not returned calls seeking comment.
No politician in their right mind would put no next to their name, said Merritt, a self-employed trust administrator focused on real estate and stocks, said in a follow-up interview. I find it offensive. No party preference signals, Gee, this guy is wishy-washy, this guy cant pick a party.
Its not that we didnt pick a party. We dont want to be a part of any party.
Merritt said he called the Orange County Registrar of Voters in late March asking if there had been any objections to his personal statement. He said he was told there were none but discovered the alleged omission after reading a copy of the state voter guide.
The top two candidates in Californias primary, regardless of their party affiliation, advance to the general election under the states voter-approved election system.
The field includes state Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris and Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Santa Ana), both Democrats, and Republicans Duf Sundheim and Tom Del Beccaro, two former state GOP chairmen.
Merritt, an advocate of border security and environmental protection, is hoping to make inroads in a state with strong democratic strongholds.
Counties begin mailing vote-by-mail ballots on May 9, according to the Secretary of States website.
Her website looked professional, and she was described as an A-1 guide a travel and fashion blogger who was also a local celebrity, actress and model. So we hired her to take us on a shopping excursion when our ship sailed into port near Bangkok, Thailand.
It would have been easier to go on one of the ships Bangkok excursions, but the three of us had visited the city before, explored the usual tourist spots and were looking for a little retail therapy for a change of pace. Tracey seemed a natural choice: She promised to take us to the most popular markets and also hidden markets. Everything from little souvenirs to traditional tailors. Well help you negotiate the best price.
It was a mistake.
Tracey walked about 10 paces ahead of us all day, took us to shops that werent interesting and avoided our requests by saying everything we wanted to see was too far away.
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All of these things were simply annoyances we would have written off, except she also took us to a restaurant we would remember forever. And not in a happy way. The food was killer almost literally. One member of our group was sick for days.
Many experienced cruisers steer clear of their ships excursions because of cost and crowded conditions, but our experience illustrates one of the downsides to booking your own port tours.
So whats a cruiser to do? Book with the ship and pay more, or take your chances with the Internet or lines of taxi drivers waiting near the gangway when you leave the ship?
Frequent cruiser Cordula Schneider often chooses her ships excursions. Im by myself, Schneider said. Im not comfortable going it alone. Thinking about fighting off a bunch of cab drivers or 20 to 25 tuk-tuk [pedicab] operators by myself is terrible.
Another good reason to take a ships tour: Its smart to take one at the very beginning of a cruise, said Allyn Shulman, another frequent cruiser. You want to meet people, and its an ideal way.
Colleen McDaniel, managing editor of CruiseCritic.com, offers more reasons to book with the ship. The biggest benefit is that the tour operators have been vetted by the line and are considered trusted partners, she said.
Additionally, ships will always wait in port until all passengers taking cruise line-sponsored tours have returned; if for any reason your group is delayed returning to the ship, you wont be left behind, which isnt something guaranteed to passengers who have booked excursions through a third-party provider.
Still, you can save money by going it alone or sharing expenses with fellow travelers. I recently booked a daylong excursion to a beach club for $79; it consisted of a 15-minute bus ride, a day in a lounge chair overlooking a pretty shoreline, a draft beer and a bus ride back. Four friends on the ship shared a cab to the same location for $3 each and got in free.
McDaniel acknowledges there are advantages to going it alone or sharing with friends. You can comparison shop and look for alternative tour options, she said. You can end up with more private time with a guide, or tours that involve smaller groups.
Bob Levinstein, chief executive of CruiseCompete.com, often advises against ship excursions.
They are more expensive and you get a less-intimate, more crowded, more commercial experience, he said. Besides, he added, most of the best excursions sell out immediately.
His solution is to book through an independent consolidator such as those listed on his website (www.lat.ms/shoreexcursions). He also suggests checking port reviews on AllThingsCruise.com and discussion sites such as CruiseAddicts.com.
McDaniel suggests using the Roll Calls (www.cruisecritic.com/rollcalls) segment on her website to meet other travelers on your upcoming sailing and organize independent tours together.
So whats the bottom line? Should you book ships excursions or outside tours? It all depends on you and the situation.
Be aware of your personal comfort level, McDaniel said. Take that into account when booking your excursions, whether youre looking for the convenience and assurance of a ship-sponsored tour, or the flexibility and customization of an independent excursion.
travel@latimes.com
::
Cruise tip of the week: do-it-yourself laundry
Worried about washing your clothes after a visit to a steamy port? Dry-cleaning services are often available aboard ships, but so are do-it-yourself laundry facilities and ironing boards. Among the cruise lines offering launderettes are Carnival, Crystal, Cunard, Disney and Princes
A record-setting floorless dive coaster coming this summer to Ohios Cedar Point amusement park will plummet down a pair of 90-degree drops before navigating a series of loops inspired by fighter jet maneuvers.
Set to debut on May 7, the 3,400-foot-long Valravn roller coaster built by Swiss-based Bolliger & Mabillard will back up to the Cedar Point marina along a spit of land stretching into Lake Erie.
Located next to the 1964 Blue Streak, the parks oldest coaster, Valravn replaces the Good Time theater and Autopia-like Turnpike Cars and forces the relocation of the Dodgem bumper cars and Scrambler-like Calypso ride. Valravn will zip back and forth across a midway that cuts underneath the new coaster.
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You are totally engulfed by the action of this ride, said Rob Decker, who worked with the ride maker to design Valravn. The whole visual is intoxicating. Everyone walking around it is going to get energized just by the sheer physical energy of the ride powering around these big, majestic turns.
Decker, who is responsible for planning and design for Cedar Fair, the parent company of Cedar Point, has worked on 38 coasters in his 27-year career from Fury 325 at Carowinds to Leviathan at Canadas Wonderland to Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion.
What sets Valravn apart from other Cedar Point coasters is the rides massive structure. To support its wide trains, the track rails are spaced 6 feet apart compared with the 3- to 4-feet-wide tracks of most coasters.
In terms of its stoutness, it stands out, Decker said. Theres nothing else like it at Cedar Point. Theres no other structure thats that big.
The dive coaster remains a relatively rare beast in the United States, with versions of the ride found at Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Griffon) and Busch Gardens Tampa (Sheikra).
Like all floorless dive coasters, Valravn will dangle riders over a precipice for a few heart-pounding seconds before the train descends straight down a vertical drop. The new ride lays claim to 10 world records, including the tallest, fastest and longest dive coaster.
Cedar Point has a dominating roller coaster history, Decker said. We really have to challenge ourselves when we develop rides for Cedar Point.
The Valravn experience begins before riders even sit down in the three-row trains with eight seats across.
Do you want to be in the front row because its all visceral or the back row because the dynamic is that much more intense? Decker said. Then its do you sit over the rail or way out on the wing? If youre a daring person, youre going to be out on the edge.
The train ascends the 47-degree lift hill, tipping riders back so theyre gazing at the sky. Off to the left is the tranquility of Sandusky Bay and to the right is the craziness of Cedar Points 70-plus rides.
Theres no going back at this point, Decker said. Theres no one thats going to save you. In reality, of course, youre perfectly safe.
Valravn begins with its marquee element: a 90-degree drop. After climbing to the top of the lift hill, the train hangs for four seconds over the first drop. The trains tiered seats offer every rider an unobstructed view of the ground below.
Youre pointing downward, but the train doesnt drop, Decker said. It just freezes in place. For anyone with height problems, this is going to be sheer terror.
Then the brakes release and the train hurtles down a 214-foot vertical descent at 75 mph.
You have this feeling of almost coming apart from the ride because youre in free-fall, Decker said. Your stomach is going to leave your body on this one.
At the bottom of the first drop, G forces push riders down into their seats as the track makes a 90-degree transition at the very last moment.
You almost glance right off the ground, Decker said.
The first drop leads directly into a 165-foot-tall Immelmann element, a fighter jet-like maneuver that takes riders through a half loop and half roll that reverses the trains direction.
Youre getting all these physical sensations, all in the matter of maybe 10 seconds, Decker said. Its out of control in the free-fall, and then the ride grabs hold of you and holds on tight before it releases you again. Youre freaking out. Youre not sure what to expect next.
After a brief mid-course brake run, Valravn rolls directly into a second 125-foot vertical drop this time without stopping at the top.
Youre expecting it might stop or hesitate, Decker said. But its just going to roll through and take you right over the edge.
After a dive loop and a 270-degree corkscrew-like roll, Valravn navigates an airtime hill designed to disperse the last of the trains energy before heading back into the station.
Now its time to breath, Decker said. Youre going to exhale if youve held your breath or catch your first breath. After 2 1/2 minutes of maneuvering this way, that way, up, down and over, you come back into the station hooting and hollering. The excitement just kind of builds anticipation for the next riders.
Valravn derives its name from the supernatural predatory birds of Danish folklore who increase their power by consuming slain knights killed in battle.
Cedar Point proclaims Valravn its 18th coaster, although Roller Coaster Database sets the number at 17. The discrepancy lies with Pipe Scream, a Zamperla DiskO that Cedar Point calls a coaster and RCDB classifies as a flat ride.
In either case, Valravn moves Cedar Point ahead of Canadas Wonderland into sole possession of second place in the chase for the coveted title of Roller Coaster Capital of the World. Much to the dismay of Cedar Point fans, the Sandusky park remains stubbornly behind Six Flags Magic Mountains 19 coasters, regardless of creative mathematics. For now, Cedar Point will have to make do with the title of Roller Coaster Runner-Up of the World.
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Chinas Communist Party has long preached resistance to Western values, such as democracy and freedom of speech.
Now, according to a Chinese military newspaper, these values are infiltrating China via an unlikely Trojan horse: the Disney animated movie Zootopia.
The Peoples Liberation Army Daily recently branded the cartoon a computer-animated buddy-cop film set in a city populated by animals an instrument of American propaganda. The film has earned more than $230 million in China, ranking it among Disneys top-grossing films in the worlds second-largest market.
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Hollywood has long been an effective propaganda machine it has a deep understanding of the U.S.s [political] strategies said the commentary, written by Wang Chuanbao, a professor at the military-backed Nanjing Institute of Politics. Many Hollywood blockbusters will carefully select a topic or theme, and spare no efforts to promote Americas values and its global strategy.
The commentary claimed that the filmmakers intended to telegraph subtle messages about the American Dream via the role reversal of its animal characters the film is about a rabbit and a fox attempting to track down predators who have gone missing. The culprit is a diminutive sheep.
If one thinks carefully about it, if a rabbit can strike back, are there any American Dreams ordinary people cannot realize? it said. In cruel reality, it is always wolves that eat lambs, not lambs that eat wolves.... Hollywood easily reversed a thing so simple that even kids know it, and thus attracted a huge audience.
The commentary was headlined, How can a sheep be turned into a crazy scapegoat?
If one thinks carefully about it, if a rabbit can strike back, are there any American Dreams ordinary people cannot realize? commentary written by Wang Chuanbao, professor at military-backed Nanjing Institute of Politics
In recent years, President Xi Jinping has overseen a sweeping ideological campaign to restore legitimacy to the Communist Party, partially by keeping Western influence at bay.
In January 2015, education officials banned textbooks deemed to endorse Western values in university classrooms. Last month, Chinas Civil Affairs Ministry banned foreign names for places such as roads, bridges, buildings, and residential compounds, explaining that they are not a true reflection of the history and culture of this vast nation, according to the official New China News Agency.
In March of last year, the Global Times, a nationalistic state-run tabloid, blamed Western values for sparking the 2014 Ukrainian revolution and the Arab spring, and called them a ticket to hell that can only bring disaster to China.
The Peoples Liberation Army Daily commentary also called American video games such as Call of Duty 8 and Battlefield 4 a propaganda vehicle, as they make the U.S. military appear sleek and sophisticated, while countries America would like to contain Cuba, Russia, China are portrayed as backward and crude.
Comparing to [other] cartoons and video games, Zootopia is more subtle, it said. It has no obvious hostile propaganda, no deliberate distortions, which makes it easier to lose ones vigilance, the commentary said.
What would you say in response? Tell us on Facebook >>
Chinese Internet users widely lambasted the commentary; many noted that until Chinas film industry truly stacks up to Hollywood, their viewing habits wont change.
What else is there for us to watch if we are not allowed to watch Zootopia your brain-damaged Chinese cartoons? wrote one user of Sina Weibo, Chinas Twitter equivalent.
Because the box office is high and everyone likes it, they are jealous, said another. Why cant you reflect on what you can do [yourselves]? Why do we all like foreign programs?
Nicole Liu of The Times Beijing bureau contributed to this report.
Follow @JRKaiman on Twitter for news from Asia
ALSO
Taiwan accuses China of abducting its citizens
Nine dead and hundreds injured as quake strikes southern Japan
Judge rules against gay couple in Chinas first-ever same-sex marriage case
Army troops and other rescuers rushed Saturday to save scores of trapped residents after a pair of strong earthquakes in southwestern Japan killed at least 32 people, injured about 1,500 and left hundreds of thousands without electricity or water.
Rainfall was forecast to start pounding the area soon, threatening to further complicate the relief operation and set off more mudslides in isolated rural towns, where people were waiting to be rescued from collapsed homes.
Kumamoto prefectural official Riho Tajima said the death toll stood at 22 from the magnitude-7.3 quake that shook the Kumamoto region on the southwestern island of Kyushu early Saturday. On Thursday night, Kyushu was hit by a magnitude-6.5 quake that left 10 dead.
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1 / 17 Evacuated residents wait at a park in Kumamoto city April 16 after another strong earthquake shook Japan. (Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP/Getty Images) 2 / 17 Rescue workers take care of an elderly woman in Mashiki, Kumamoto, Japan. (Taro Karibe / Getty Images) 3 / 17 Medical staff prepare to evacuate patients from the hospital in Kumamoto City over fears it could collapse as a wave of aftershocks shook the area. (Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP/Getty Images) 4 / 17 A patient is evacuated by emergency staff from an hospital in Kumamoto City over fears it could collapse as a wave of aftershocks shook the area. (Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP/Getty Images) 5 / 17 A road damaged by the April 16 earthquake in Mashiki, Kumamoto, Japan. (Taro Karibe / Getty Images) 6 / 17 People get up right after the April 16 earthquake at the evacuation center at the Mashiki Town Gymnasium in Mashiki, Kumamoto, Japan. (Taro Karibe / Getty Images) 7 / 17 A rescue worker carries an 8-month-old baby girl after she was pulled from the rubble after Thursdays earthquake near Mashiki, Japan. Rescuers were scrambling to find survivors after the powerful earthquake in southern Japan left at least nine people dead and hundreds injured. (AFP/Getty Images) 8 / 17 Police rescue team members search through damaged houses to check for survivors in southern Japan after Thursdays magnitude 6.2 earthquake. (Koji Ueda / Associated Press) 9 / 17 An aerial view shows the damaged Kyushu highway in the city of Mashiki in southern Japan after Thursdays magnitude 6.2 earthquake. (Jiji Press / AFP/Getty Images) 10 / 17 A general view shows a collapsed wall next to houses in southern Japan after Thursdays magnitude 6.2 earthquake. (Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP/Getty Images) 11 / 17 Taketoshi Nagano surveys his damaged house after a 6.2 earthquake hit near Mashiki, Japan, on Thursday. (Taro Karibe / Getty Images) 12 / 17 Members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces make rice balls at an evacuation center Friday, a day after the 6.2 earthquake hit near Mashiki, Japan. (Masterpress / Getty Images) 13 / 17 A man walks on a street covered with rubble in the Japanese town of Mashiki. A 6.2 earthquake hit Japans southwestern island of Kyushu on Thursday, collapsing homes and sparking fires. (Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP/Getty Images) 14 / 17 A man with a child walks past houses destroyed by Thursdays earthquake in Mashiki, Japan. (Naoya Osato / Associated Press) 15 / 17 A motorcyclist drives on a road badly damaged by Thursdays earthquake in southern Japan. (Kimimasa Mayama / EPA) 16 / 17 A resident carrying a dog walks by houses damaged by Thursdays 6.2 earthquake in southern Japan. (Naoya Osato / Associated Press) 17 / 17 A resident walks by a collapsed house in southern Japan. Aftershocks rattled communities as businesses and residents got a fuller look Friday at the widespread damage from Thursdays 6.2 earthquake. (Koji Ueda / Associated Press)
Japanese media reported that nearly 200,000 homes were without electricity, and that drinking water systems had also failed in the area. TV video showed people huddled in blankets, sitting or lying down shoulder-to-shoulder on the floors of evacuation centers. An estimated 400,000 households were without running water.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that 1,500 people had been injured in the quakes. Tajima said that 184 people were injured seriously, and that more than 91,000 people had been evacuated from their homes. More than 200 homes and other buildings were either destroyed or damaged, she said.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed concern about secondary disasters as forecasters predicted rain and strong winds later in the day. With the soil already loosened by the quakes, rainfall can set off mudslides.
Daytime today is the big test for rescue efforts, Abe said. Landslides have already cut off roads and destroyed bridges, slowing down rescuers.
Police received reports of 97 cases of people trapped or buried under collapsed buildings, while 10 people were caught in landslides in three municipalities in the prefecture, Japans Kyodo News agency reported.
TV video showed a collapsed student dormitory at Aso citys Tokai University that was originally two floors, but now looked like a single-story building. A witness said he heard a cry for help from the rubble. Two students were reported to have died there.
In the town of Mashiki, where people were trapped beneath the rubble for hours, an unconscious 93-year-old woman, Yumiko Yamauchi, was dragged out from the debris of her home and taken by ambulance to a hospital. Her son-in-law Tatsuhiko Sakata said she had refused to move to shelter with him after the first quake Thursday.
When I came to see her last night, I was asking her: `Mother? Im here! Do you remember me? Do you remember my face? She replied with a huge smile filled with joy. A kind of smile that I would never forget. And that was the last I saw of her, Sakata said.
Among the other casualties, according to the Kumamoto prefectural government, were a 69-year-old man who died of head injuries and a 28-year-old woman who suffocated.
The area has been rocked by aftershocks, including the strongest with a magnitude of 5.4 Saturday morning. The Japan Meteorological Agency said that the magnitude-7.3 quake early Saturday may have been the main one, with one from Thursday night a precursor.
The quakes epicenters have been relatively shallow about 6 miles and close to the surface, resulting in more severe shaking and damage. National broadcaster NHK said as many as eight quakes were being felt an hour in the area.
One massive landslide tore open a mountainside in Kumamotos Minamiaso village all the way from the top to a highway below. Another gnawed at a highway, collapsing a house that fell down a ravine and smashed at the bottom. In another part of the village, houses were left hanging precariously at the edge of a huge hole cut open in the earth.
Suga, the chief Cabinet secretary, told reporters that the number of troops in the area was being raised to 20,000, while additional police and firefighters were also on the way.
He pleaded with people not to panic. Please lets help each other and stay calm, he said in a nationally televised news conference.
At a hot springs resort, dozens of people trapped were picked up by military helicopters, Asahi TV reported.
Kyushu islands Mount Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan, erupted for the first time in a month, sending smoke rising about 328 feet into the air, but no damage was reported. It was not immediately clear whether there was a link between the quakes and the eruption. The 1,592-meter 5,223-foot-high mountain is about a 1 1/2-hour drive from the epicenter.
The historic Aso Shrine, a picturesque complex near the volcano, was seriously damaged, with a number of buildings with curved tiled roofs flattened on the ground like lopsided fans. A towering gate, known as the cherry blossom gate because of its grandeur, especially during spring, collapsed.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority reported no abnormalities at Kyushus Sendai nuclear plant.
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Two years ago, Kwon Oh-hyun was living a life of rhythm and harmony, working as a singer-songwriter.
He spent weekdays composing music that he sold to production studios; on weekends he performed rousing rock songs live at venues around South Korea.
Then, on April 16, 2014, the Sewol ferry sank off the countrys south coast, resulting in more than 300 deaths. Kwons younger brother, Kwon Oh-cheon, was among the many high school students who perished.
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Kwon no longer sings the same kinds of songs.
Before my brothers death, I was really into upbeat music, the 28-year-old Kwon said. But after that, I could only write or perform sad songs.
The Sewol disaster remains a painful subject in South Korea, and victims families are still fighting for an investigation that will determine and explain exactly what happened. The ferry had been en route from Incheon on the countrys northwestern coast to the resort island of Jeju when it sank.
Relatives and friends of the victims wont forget the sordid details that emerged about the ferry and the company that ran it.
Instead of working to evacuate the sinking ferry, the captain and crew fled on the first rescue ship that came to the scene, and some crewmembers sipped beer while waiting to be rescued. The owner of Cheonghaejin Marine, the company that owned the Sewol, ignored orders to appear for questioning; later, his body was found decomposing in a plum orchard, surrounded by empty liquor bottles.
As the details trickled out, South Korean society united in rage and sorrow, but as the emotional duress dragged on, the sinking became politicized. Right-wing civic groups have accused the victims families of milking the spotlight and trying to use the sinking as a pretext to wrest compensation from the government.
Though the ferrys captain and senior crew members were sentenced to prison terms in a 2014 trial, a group of bereaved families and politicians have continued seeking answers to questions such as how the ferry got permission to leave port dangerously overloaded and why the Coast Guard failed to rescue more passengers. About 170 of the more than 470 people aboard the vessel were rescued.
The victims families have maintained that they wont give up until the complete truth about the sinking has been found, while right-wing groups urge them to give up and go home, arguing that further investigation is a waste of government time and money.
An ad hoc fact-finding committee organized by the government and outside experts from fields including maritime safety has taken statements from the ferrys crew and Cheonghaejin Marine staff. In June, the committee is scheduled to put forth a bill in parliament mandating further investigation into how the ferry sank.
In the meantime, filmmaker Kim Dong-bin timed the release of his documentary Upside Down to coincide with the sinkings second anniversary. The film tells the story of four high school students who died in the sinking, through interviews with their fathers.
Kim said he was motivated to make the film in part by how the Sewol has become a divisive subject in South Korea. There is this negative stigma surrounding the Sewol. Unless they feel it on their skin, I find it hard to motivate people to care about the tragedy, Kim wrote in an email.
Kwon is among those who have no trouble caring. He still thinks of the morning he heard the Sewol was in distress, knowing that Kwon Oh-cheon and his classmates were aboard on a school trip to a holiday island. Kwon rushed to the scene, arriving in time to identify his brothers body when divers recovered the teenager from the ferrys hull, the second confirmed casualty.
In the months after the sinking, Kwon would vomit after eating anything, even sometimes after drinking water, and lost more than 50 pounds over a period of six months.
Doctors told Kwon he had a form of bulimia caused by guilt over being alive and able to enjoy food, while his brother was dead. He was encouraged to attend regular counseling, but declined, saying he would rather his wounds remained raw.
The pain I feel over my brothers death is my last connection to him, Kwon said. If I lose this anguish, I will have fully lost him.
Kwon and others maintain a sit-in site in Gwanghwamun Square in the center of the South Korean capital, where they have set up temporary housing and hung sparsely worded, emotional messages, including, Together to the end and Lets reveal the truth of the Sewol. They take shifts staying round-the-clock at the site, passing out pamphlets with information on the sinking.
On a hazy, early spring evening, as the city buzzed with families out to see blooming cherry blossoms, the families and their supporters held a concert in Gwanghwamun Square, singing songs and drawing pictures in honor of those who died.
Kim Min-soo, a 23-year-old college senior who felt sympathy for those who lost loved ones, knelt on the concrete, using pastels to draw a picture of the Sewol ferry on top of tall blue waves.
An accompanying message read: We wont forget.
Borowiec is a special correspondent.
Germanys government cleared a path Friday for the possible prosecution of a popular TV comedian for reading a poem on air satirizing Turkeys president, despite concerns that legal action would be an attack on free speech.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the decision was not a verdict on comedian Jan Boehmermanns guilt or innocence. She also announced that her government would abolish its obscure law that permits the prosecution of anyone in Germany who criticizes foreign leaders.
The Turkish government requested that criminal proceedings be brought against Jan Boehmermann over the poem, which suggested that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan engaged in sexual acts with goats.
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Merkel said the German government had no choice but to allow the possible prosecution under the rarely enforced criminal code written in 1953.
Its not up the government, in a state based on the rule of law, but rather up to state prosecutors and courts to weigh press and artistic freedom against basic personal rights, she said. The decision was neither a pre-judgment against the person involved nor an intervention for a decision on the boundaries of free speech and a free press but rather it is simply the case that state prosecutors and courts will have the final word.
Critics said Merkel, who grew up in Communist East Germany and had long been a champion for free speech and democratic freedoms, had caved in to pressure from Ankara because she needs Turkeys support for resolving the refugee crisis. Her backers said free speech has limits and doesnt protect Germans from insulting foreign leaders.
In Turkey, analysts expressed concern that Erdogan would use Germanys decision to further clamp down on domestic dissent.
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Since Erdogans ascent to the presidency in August 2014, nearly 2,000 cases have been opened against Turkish citizens for insulting the president. Among those investigated are journalists, politicians, a beauty queen and children.
Erdogan and the AKP will use Merkels decision quite happily; they will be relishing it, said Cengiz Aktar, a political scientist and senior scholar at the Istanbul Policy Institute, a think tank. Now they can say, look Germany is a democratic country and they allow prosecution for insulting the presidency. Merkel has given him a golden gift.
Merkel and other European Union officials are due in Turkey on April 23, to visit refugees in the southeastern city of Gaziantep, near the Syrian frontier. That city and its environs host vast numbers of Syrians, displaced during six years of war.
Germanys center-left Social Democrats (SPD), who are the junior partners in Merkels grand coalition government, were firmly against the decision on the Boehmermann issue, but were overruled, said Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Its our view that the prosecution shouldnt have been authorized, he said.
It wasnt the first time Boehmermann had tried to get under Erdogans skin. On March 22, he sang a song lampooning the Turkish leader as a thin-skinned authoritarian who trounces civil liberties. Turkeys Foreign Ministry summoned the German ambassador for a meeting over the song, but the envoy maintained that freedom of expression is treasured in Germany, where memories of the countrys Nazi past are never far from the surface.
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Boehmermann, whose show was canceled this week, and his family have been under police protection in Cologne, authorities said. Before reading his poem, he acknowledged he was testing the boundaries of satire. In the poem, he also accused Erdogan of repressing minorities, kicking Kurds and slapping Christians.
He did not have any comment on Merkels decision. Prosecutors have already been exploring whether the comedian broke the law. If convicted, he could face up to three years in prison or even up to five years if the court rules the insults to be slanderous. Legal analysts said that it was more likely he would face a fine if convicted.
Special correspondents Kirschbaum reported from Berlin and Johnson from Ankara, Turkey.
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Popes visit to Greek island of refugees will be rich on symbolism as churches show unity
Pope Francis will visit the Greek island of Lesbos, the epicenter of Europes refugee crisis, to illustrate Christian unity and concern over the unending turmoil in the Middle East that has sparked the biggest exodus of refugees -- Christian and Muslim -- since World War II.
Francis will make a brief visit Saturday to the Aegean island that has received many of the million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa. He will be joined by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the head of the Orthodox Church based in Istanbul; Ieronymos, the archbishop of Athens and All Greece; and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.
The visit is a rare show of accord between the Catholic and Orthodox churches, which have been divided since the Great Schism of 1054.
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The visit is rich in symbolism.
Francis will set foot on an island that is not just a modern byword for the refugee crisis, but one that hosted Paul the Apostle on a visit in 58 A.D. and was overrun by desperate ethnic Greek refugees fleeing persecution in Turkey in 1922, the precursor to a formal population exchange that was one of the largest movements of people in history at the time.
1 / 6 Migrants gather at the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. Pope Francis will be visiting the camp on Saturday. (Louisa Gouliamaki / AFP/Getty Images) 2 / 6 Refugees and migrants can be seen on a beach behind a cross in a camp serving as a detention center on the Greek island of Lesbos. Human Rights Watch reports that none of the detainees had proper access to healthcare, sanitation facilities or legal aid. (Petros Giannakouris / Associated Press) 3 / 6 Pakistani migrants play cricket near a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. On Saturday, Pope Francis will be visiting the island, which has become the epicenter of Europes refugee crisis. (Milos Bicanski / Getty Images) 4 / 6 A Pakistani migrant does his laundry near a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. Pope Francis will be visiting the island on Saturday, along with Orthodox church leaders and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. (Milos Bicanski / Getty Images) 5 / 6 A man looks through a gate at the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. (Milos Bicanski / Getty Images) 6 / 6 People line up at the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. The refugees hope that Greeces northern borders will reopen to allow them to move to wealthier countries such as Germany and Sweden. (Milos Bicanski / Getty Images)
Lesbos is also now the focal point of a controversial deal between the European Union and Turkey, criticized by human rights groups, designed to deter any more people from making the narrow crossing from the Turkish coast to the Greek islands, the porous frontier of the European Union.
Francis will visit the Moria refugee camp first, a registration center hurriedly converted into a detention center for about 2,500 refugees and migrants under a March 18 deal. Since midnight on March 20, any migrant or refugee arriving on Greek islands is detained and subject to a fast-track asylum evaluation process and returned to Turkey if not approved.
In visits to Lesbos and neighboring island Chios earlier this month, Human Rights Watch found that the camps housed women with young children, pregnant women, unaccompanied children, elderly men and women, and people with physical and psychosocial disabilities. None of the detainees had proper access to healthcare, sanitation facilities or legal aid, Human Rights Watch said.
The Moria facility on Lesbos is surrounded by a three-layer fence topped with barbed-wire. About 150 children kept at the center will be gathered at the barricades. The pontiff and the Orthodox leaders will individually greet about 250 asylum seekers at the camp before they speak and sign a joint declaration.
The three men will also hold a memorial and brief prayer at the port of Mytilene for those who have perished trying to make the crossing to Greece.
Francis first trip outside Rome on his accession to the papacy in 2013 was to the Italian island of Lampedusa to commemorate thousands of migrants dying in the crossing from North Africa. Last month on Holy Thursday, Francis washed the feet of migrants in a center for asylum seekers outside Rome, calling them children of the same God.
Since 2015, some 4,400 people have died in the Mediterranean, according to U.N. refugee agency figures. From last year to March 20, Greek authorities reported 580 people dead or missing on the route from Turkey to Greece. The United Nations said in September that an average of two children died a day attempting the crossing.
Three children will present the religious leaders with laurel wreaths that will be thrown into the sea as a memorial.
The refugee crisis and the persecution of Christian communities in the Middle East have helped spur closer ties between the two churches. Francis and Patriarch Kyrill II of Moscow, the head of the most populous Orthodox church, met in Cuba in February, the first such meeting in history.
Their joint statement began by saying their gaze must firstly turn to those regions of the world where Christians are victims of persecution -- the Middle East and North Africa. They called upon the international community to act urgently to prevent the further expulsion of Christians from the Middle East, seek an end to violence and terrorism and work toward a swift return to civil peace, enabling refugees to return to their homes, wounds to be healed and the souls of the slain innocent to rest in peace.
While not a formal visit, Francis visit to Lesbos is only the second time a pope has visited Greek territory since the Great Schism. Pope John Paul II visited Greece in 2001, the first time in 1,291 years, amid protests from the Orthodox faithful. Francis visit comes on the cusp of Orthodox Easter, the most important religious holiday in the Orthodox calendar.
The church split in 1054 into a Roman Catholic Church based in the Vatican and an Orthodox Church based in what was then called Constantinople, now modern-day Istanbul. Francis is the spiritual leader of a billion Catholics; Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is spiritual leader of about 300 million Orthodox believers.
Bartholomew, an ethnic Greek with Turkish citizenship, was the first ecumenical patriarch to attend a papal inauguration since the schism and has greeted Francis, the son and grandson of Italian immigrants to Argentina, at the Patriarchate in Istanbul.
The religious leaders will be joined by a strictly secular leader -- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, a self-described atheist who refused the traditional religious ceremony when he took his oath of office.
Despite the differences, all are focused on the refugee crisis and Europes reaction to dealing with it. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the visit will have a humanitarian and ecumenical perspective.
It does not directly touch on political positions, or other such things, but their focus is fundamentally humanitarian, experienced in an ecumenical key, he said.
For the Greeks, the visit is an opportunity to highlight to the world that more than 50,000 refugees are still stranded in the country, which is still struggling with financial problems that have entailed three rescues in six years. The migrants and refugees, who are expected to be relocated in the thousands to other countries, are still gripped by hopes that borders in the north of the country will reopen to allow them to move to wealthier countries such as Germany and Sweden.
In Idomeni, the Greek border town with Macedonia where 10,000 people are camped out waiting for the border to reopen, clashes between migrants and Macedonian police were reported just days before Francis visit, the second time in a week after Macedonian police used tear gas to disperse a group trying to break down a fence, prompting official Greek complaints.
In Piraeus, the countrys main port, authorities have struggled to persuade migrants and refugees camped on piers that they should move to alternative accommodations. As of Friday morning, there were still 3,770 people living in tents in Piraeus, according to Greek government figures.
Our country is in a very difficult situation, Ieronymos, the Athens archbishop, said Tuesday. We are raising fences and preventing refugees from going to those countries which, indeed, are responsible for this situation.
Petrakis is a special correspondent.
A North Korea missile launch meant to celebrate its founders birthday has apparently failed, South Korean and U.S. officials said Friday, an embarrassing setback in what was reportedly the inaugural test of a new, powerful mid-range missile.
The U.S. and South Korean officials provided few details, including the type of missile. But South Koreas Yonhap news agency carried an unsourced report that a Musudan missile, which could one day be capable of reaching far-off U.S. military bases in Asia and the Pacific, exploded in the air a few seconds after liftoff.
Despite the failure, the North has another Musudan loaded on a mobile launcher and Pyongyang will likely fire it, according to South Korean and U.S. authorities, Yonhap reported.
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The launch comes as the two Koreas trade threats amid Pyongyangs anger over annual South Korean-U.S. military drills that North Korea calls a rehearsal for an invasion. The North has recently fired a slew of missiles and artillery shells into the sea in an apparent protest against the drills.
The surge in belligerent rhetoric and nuclear and missile activity in the North may also be linked to leader Kim Jong Uns preparations for a major ruling party meeting next month that analysts believe he will use to further solidify his autocratic rule. Some believe that Kim may try to use the countrys claims of recent nuclear and missile success as a way to turn domestic focus toward tackling the countrys abysmal economy.
A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the official wasnt authorized to comment publicly, said the U.S. Strategic Command systems have detected and tracked what officials assessed as a failed North Korean missile launch.
We strongly condemn North Koreas missile test in violation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions, which explicitly prohibit North Koreas use of ballistic missile technology, the official said.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command said the missile launched from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America.
The Souths Defense Ministry said it wasnt immediately known whether the missile fired from an eastern costal area Friday morning was a short-range or mid-range missile.
The ministry refused to say why it believes the North Korean launch appeared to be a failure.
The Norths launch came amid speculation in the South that its rival was preparing to test a medium-range missile with a range of 3,500 kilometers (2,180 miles) enough to reach U.S. military installments in Japan and Guam. Foreign experts have nicknamed the missile Musudan after the village in the northeast where North Korea has a launchpad.
North Korea has never flight-tested a Musudan, though it unveiled the missile during a 2010 military parade. South Korean defense officials said North Korea has deployed Musudan missiles since 2007.
Friday is the birthday anniversary of the late Kim Il Sung, the current leaders grandfather and the nations founder. North Korea has occasionally used such celebrations to stage nuclear or missile tests that outsiders consider provocations.
In the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, citizens in formal clothing lined up to bow deeply before huge statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, his son and the father of Kim Jong Un, and laid brightly colored flowers at the statues feet.
North Korea has unnerved the international community this year with an escalating campaign of belligerence. This includes a nuclear test in January, its fourth, and a long-range rocket launch in February, as well as nuclear threats against the United States and Seoul.
There is debate among analysts about the exact state of the Norths nuclear capabilities many believe Pyongyang has a handful of crude nuclear bombs but each nuclear and missile test pushes them farther along in their goal of a nuclear-armed arsenal of long-range missiles.
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Stanley Park, which wraps around Vancouvers Coal Harbor like a warm hug, is one of the most scenic and peaceful spots in Canada.
Until 9 oclock.
If you were standing right here when the gun goes off, says David John Waine, you wouldnt hear for a week.
Waine is referring to the 19th century cannon he has tended for 22 years. For Waine and other locals, the angry retort is strangely comforting.
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When it doesnt go off, we certainly hear about it, says Brian Quinn, Vancouvers manager of parks operations. It is part of what Vancouver is.
Its certainly older than Vancouver: The gun, which is aimed at the bay-side convention center, was cast more than half a century before the city began to take shape. And it has been firing on Vancouver since 1898, 12 years after the first mayor took office.
Over the years its been stolen, vandalized, even struck by lightning. One year it nearly sank an unarmed fuel barge. But its fallen silent for an extended period just once, during World War II, when the city feared residents might mistake the cannons roar for a Japanese attack.
As for how and why the cannon wound up at Brockton Point, no one is sure, says Sarah Kirby-Yung, chairwoman of the Vancouver park board. There are different stories, but I dont think there is a definitive history that says exactly what it was, she says.
The most-accepted tale claims the cannon, gifted to Canada by the British government in 1856, was one of three naval guns brought around Cape Horn to British Columbia. The other two were mounted as decorative pieces in front of the legislative building in Victoria before being melted down in 1940.
The Stanley Park gun escaped that fiery fate because it had proved an invaluable aid for sailors, first to mark the 6 p.m. curfew for salmon fishermen, then to help mariners set their chronometers vital information for skippers navigating the tides separating the harbor from English Bay.
Before the cannon, a lighthouse keeper would light a stick of dynamite attached to a fishing line and cast it over the water each night. The sound of the dynamite could be faint, however, especially on windy or stormy nights. Cannon blasts provided a more efficient, not to mention safer, way of marking time.
Ships chronometers eventually improved to the point at which a nightly recalibration wasnt needed. And thats when parents stepped in, using the 9 oclock gun to mark summer curfews.
When I was younger, after the gun went off, I had 10 minutes to get home, Waine remembers.
Cellphones call kids home now. Yet Vancouver still fires its cannon.
It serves more than timekeeping, Kirby-Yung says. I think it serves a message of tradition. Theres very few things that have been happening in any city since 1898.
The tradition isnt unique to Vancouver, though. If anything, the Canadians came late to the party. Cape Town, South Africa, has been shooting off its noon gun since 1806, and Hong Kongs noonday cannons first began firing in the 1860s, about the time a similar tradition took hold in Edinburgh, Scotland. Even the Gric cannon in Zagreb, Croatia, is older, having first been used as a timekeeping device in 1877.
But the Stanley Park gun has a rich history.
It was forged outside London in 1816 during the reign of King George III, whose crest graces the barrel. According to the late historian Chuck Davis, theres no evidence it was fired in anger, but the cannon was deployed to protect coal miners from restless native tribes and later in a saber-rattling showdown with the U.S. over placement of the international border.
The gun was then retired from military duty and placed in Stanley Park, where it is now under of the care of Waine.
With his white beard and mustache and a shock of unruly shoulder-length white hair, the 61-year-old Waine looks a little like a cross between Santa Claus and Jerry Garcia, with prescription glasses. But his penchant for dressing all in black often gets him mistaken for another celebrity.
People ask me if Im Kenny Rogers, he says.
On a recent Saturday morning, Waine parks his aging white Dodge pickup near a bike path running behind the cannon and grabs a paper sack containing a pound and a half of gunpowder. After placing the sack in the cannons barrel, he shoves it into position with a wooden rammer and drops one end of an electronic match into the gunpowder. He attaches the other end of the foot-long match to a timer.
But Waine, who signs his emails Keeper of the 9 OClock Gun, is more than just the cannons volunteer caretaker. Hes also the guns unofficial spokesman, biggest fan and chief storyteller, rattling off tales with a well-practiced cadence.
Theres the one about the boy who jammed a fist-size stone into the muzzle. When the gun fired, the rock shot across the harbor and struck an Esso fuel platform. The barge was moved slightly to one side after that incident.
Or the time the gun was stolen by engineering students from the University of British Columbia a considerable feat of engineering given that the gun weighs 1,500 pounds. Upon its return, the gun was encased in a stone and metal cage for its protection as well as that of unsuspecting fuel barges.
But that didnt deter another group of UBC students, who broke into the cage eight years ago and painted the gun red.
Waines favorite story is another from his youth. Back then local boys would take their dates on a carefully timed romantic walk along the waterfront.
The gun goes off and your date jumps into your arms, Waine says with a chuckle. Ive seen it happen.
It wont happen anymore. Now a red warning light flashes and an alarm buzzes for 10 seconds before the gun discharges.
That hasnt totally eliminated the element of surprise, though, because the alarm cant be heard in the restaurants and tourist hotels lining the other side of the harbor. But the cannon can be, and its blast can be unnerving in the era of terrorist bombings.
And for that, Quinn, the manager of park operations, apologizes.
Ive never considered that, he says.
Nor, he says, has anyone considered silencing the gun.
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Word that the Zika epidemic has begun to recede in Colombia was overshadowed this week by news that the country, one of the hardest hit by the virus, has reported its first known cases of microcephaly, a birth defect featuring smaller than normal heads in newborns.
The Colombian health ministry confirmed on Friday a dramatic drop in new cases of Zika, a virus that can cause fetal birth defects if pregnant women are infected. The virus, which has infected 64,839 Colombians since September, is also associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a type of paralysis.
Suspected new Zika cases reported during the first week in April totaled 2,022 -- one-third as many as at the height of the epidemic in early February. Colombian officials now predict that the epidemic should end by late June. They also lowered their projection of expected cases to 220,000 from the previous 600,000.
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But health vice minister Fernando Ruiz Gomez also told reporters Thursday that two cases of microcephaly have been confirmed and that the number will soon rise. Based on the incidence of the birth defect in past Zika outbreaks in other countries, Colombia will see 95 to 300 microcephalic babies born through September, Ruiz said.
We could be entering a phase of increases in cases of microcephalia, Ruiz said. He declined to identify the cities where the two affected babies were born, saying only they are in the states of North Santander in northeastern Colombia and Cundinamarca in central Colombia.
Although overshadowed by the scope of the epidemic in Brazil, where hundreds of microcephalic births have been reported, this tropical country has also been hit hard by the virus. The carrier mosquito Aedes aegypti can thrive anywhere below an altitude of 7,000 feet, which is home to 70% of the Colombian population.
The World Health Organization has declared an emergency health crisis in Colombia due to the Zika epidemic. This week the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed a direct link between Zika and microcephaly.
Ruiz emphasized that microcephalia occurs only in a small subset of pregnant women infected with Zika. Of the total 11,776 pregnant Colombian women diagnosed with Zika since September, 2,756 of them have now given birth to apparently healthy babies.
Total Guillain-Barre syndrome cases so stand at 277, a figure that could rise to 380 by June, said ministry epidemiologist Claudia Cuellar. Although the disease usually causes only short-term symptoms including partial paralysis, some patients are left with lasting muscle damage.
Dr. Marta Ospina, the director of Colombias National Institute of Health, cautioned that microcephaly is not the only neurological effect that Zika could have on newborns. Encephalitis and learning disabilities are other possible effects on victims.
Special correspondent Kraul is based in Bogota.
MORE ON THE ZIKA VIRUS
Five ways scientists are going after the Zika virus
Even in peak mosquito season, Zika risk is low in California
10 ways to keep yourself safe from Zika, now definitively linked to birth defects
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have thrown pleasantries out the window.
The election season's ninth Democratic presidential debate took place in Brooklyn on Thursday night, in a state with 291 delegates at stake next week. Clinton needs a win to cool Sanders' surge; counting the Wyoming primary, Sanders has won seven consecutive contests dating back to March 22.
Sanders needs most, if not all, New York's delegates to keep pace with Clinton. He trails by the former Secretary of State by 658 delegates three months from the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, one Sanders hopes to contest.
Thursday's CNN debate was a contentious affair. Months of campaign stops and repeated policy stances are beginning to wear on the candidates, and it showed throughout the night. Sanders' wry sense of humor clashed with Clinton's pragmatism.
Clinton ducked questions about Wall Street speeches. Sanders mixed sarcasm with substance, losing a few votes among those opposing his views on Israel and an ongoing lawsuit of gun manufacturers by Sandy Hook parents.
Neither can afford to lose Tuesday primary. The Brooklyn debate, the final scheduled Democratic debate, proved as much.
Wall Street Speeches and Tax Returns
CNN moderators tagged Clinton over her refusal to release Goldman Sachs speech transcripts. Dana Bash repeatedly asked the former Clinton about her unwillingness to do so, reiterating that Democratic voters want transparency.
Clinton redirected Bash's question to candidates' tax returns.
"There is a long-standing expectation that everybody running release their tax returns," Clinton said. "I've released 30 years of tax returns. And I think every candidate, including Senator Sanders and Donald Trump, should do the same."
Sanders said he would release 2014 tax returns on Friday and mocked Clinton's assertion that she fought big banks while serving as New York senator.
"Senator Clinton called them out, oh my goodness. They must have been really crushed by this," Sanders said to applause. "Was that before or after you received huge sums of money by giving speaking engagements behind closed doors? They must've been really upset."
In his own words, Sanders said his returns won't be exciting because he didn't give Wall Street speeches and remains "one of the poorer members" of the Senate.
Hillary Clinton: When everybody releases their speech transcripts, I'll do it too #DemDebate https://t.co/yDhqXCFtt1 https://t.co/35an1lrzk7 CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) April 15, 2016
Sanders Calls Violence in Israel 'Disproportionate'
Asked about the 2014 Israel-Gaza war that left thousands dead on the Gaza Strip, Sanders called Israel's response "disproportionate" and led to "the unnecessary loss of innocent life."
"The question is not does Israel have a right to respond, nor does Israel have a right to go after terrorist and destroy terrorism. That's not the debate. Was their response disproportionate?" Sanders asked. "I believe it was."
Sanders said he is "100 percent pro-Israel" but believes Palestinian people should be treated with respect and dignity, comments that may not sit well with pro-Israel advocates.
Clinton didn't press Sanders for a direct answer, instead referencing to peace talks with Middle Eastern leaders like Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
"I have been there with Israeli officials going back more than 25 years that they do not seek this kind of attacks," Clinton said. "They do not invite the rockets raining down on their towns and villages."
Sanders: Israel has a right to defend itself but calls Gaza op disproportionate https://t.co/ev4IeNYpwm #DemDebate https://t.co/SWSMkqTKaw CNN (@CNN) April 15, 2016
Memorable Quotes
"We are going to have to say that Netanyahu is not right all the time" - Sanders, on the Israeli prime minister.
"Describing the problem is a lot easier than trying to solve it," - Clinton defending her role in the Israel-Palestinian conflict as secretary of state.
"If you're both screaming at each other, the viewers won't be able to hear either of you," - CNN moderator Wolf Blitzer.
"I've been called a lot of things, and that was a first," - Clinton, after Sanders called her "unqualified."
"We've had eight debates before, this is our ninth. We've not had one question about a woman's right to make her own decisions about reproductive health care, not one question," - Clinton.
"Public colleges and universities tuition fee? Damn right," - Sanders.
"We've heard a lot from Senator Sanders about the greed and recklessness of Wall Street, and I agree. We've got to hold Wall Street accountable. We'll, what about the greed and recklessness of gun manufacturers and dealers in America?" - Clinton, on Sanders' gun policy record in Vermont.
"I am sure a lot of people are very surprised to learn that you supported raising the minimum wage to $15 bucks an hour," - Sanders, citing Clinton's initial disapproval of the measure.
Pro-immigration forces are planning rallies in such major cities as Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Houston and Denver to mark the Supreme Court formally hearing arguments in President Obama's immigration executive action case.
In all, some 20 demonstrations are planned across the country on Monday, April 18, all aimed at expressing support for the Obama administration's executive actions, which could save as many as four million undocumented immigrants from deportation.
As part of the D.C. demonstration, Grammy-award winning band La Santa Cecilia is scheduled to hold a live concert in front of the court building. Organizers have stated labor unions, undocumented workers and families and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg are also slated to be on hand.
Oral Arguments set to Commence on April 18
Oral arguments on the long festering issue are slated to begin on Monday, with the legality of the program known as DAPA sitting at the forefront of all the intense litigation.
"It hits close to home," said Jose "Pepe" Carlos, a DREAMer and band member. "I was undocumented for 25 years, it's really unjust and unfair that we're not given the credit we deserve as Latino Americano immigrants."
Carlos said he is no longer undocumented, but indicates his parents still are and he worries if DAPA is struck down by the Supreme Court, their right to remain in the U.S. could be thrown into jeopardy.
"Hopefully it goes through because it's not just my parents but a whole generation of parents who are going to benefit," he said.
Republicans take Hardline Stance on Immigration
Indeed, the stakes are high and the political battle lines have been drawn. The Republican led House of Representatives recently filed a brief with the court and will be granted time to address the justices during the oral arguments phase of the proceedings, where they will express their stern opposition to the president's actions.
Beyond that, Republican presidential front-runners Donald Trump and Ted Cruz have both expressed plans to carry out mass deportations if either of them is elected as Obama's successor. Trump has also vowed that he will build a massive wall along the Mexican border that will further keep out immigrants.
A recent Pew Research study found that more than 27 million Latinos will be eligible to vote this election season and a recent Washington Post-Univision national poll found that four in every five Hispanic voters now has a negative image of Trump and if the election was held today he would lose the Latino vote to Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton by a 73 percent to 16 percent margin.
"We want to send a message that this is very personal for our community," said Rocio Saenz, SEIU International executive vice president. "We are in the moment where we are going to have to make a decision on what type of country we'll have."
The suspect behind the recent EgyptAir hijacking incident is requesting political asylum in Cyprus. 56-year-old Seif Eddin Mustafa claimed he is afraid of how the Egyptian authorities might treat him due to his political beliefs, officials revealed.
Cyprus' Interior Minister Socrates Socrates Hasikos told The Associated Press that they are reviewing Mustafa's request for asylum. He also confirmed receipt of a request by Egyptian authorities for Mustafa's extradition.
According to Mustafa's lawyer, Robertos Vrahimis, the EgyptAir hijacker fears he might suffer unpleasant treatment from Egyptian authorities.
However, Cyprus Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou said Egyptian authorities have given written assurances that Seif Eddin Mustafa will be punished with death penalty and that his case will undergo a fair trial.
Vrahimis added that he has not had further discussion with Mustafa due to an issue with the Cyprus Central Prisons over the employment of an Arabic-speaking translator. Only a translator approved by prison authorities will be permitted entry, which Vrahimis contend would violate attorney-client privilege.
Business Standard reported that a court hearing on extradition proceedings is scheduled for April 22. Denial of the asylum request would effectively extradite Mustafa.
According to CNN, Mustafa seized control of an EgyptAir plane on March 29 that was headed to Cairo from Alexandra, Egypt. Mustafa diverted the plane to Cyprus, where he was later captured.
Mustafa admitted to the EgyptAir hijacking, claiming that he only wanted to talk to his estranged ex-wife, who was onboard the plane. Authorities described Mustafa as "psychologically unstable" at the time of the incident. Although he threated to blow up the plane with a fake suicide belt, the suspect denied any terrorism-relative motive.
Airbus 320 was carrying 70 people, including 55 passengers and 15 crew members.
This is not Mustafa's first run-in with the law. He has a criminal record for forgery, burglary, drug dealing and impersonation.
A lawsuit was filed against Carnival Corporation and Fathom Travel for alleged discrimination in their Cuban cruise. The lawsuit details that two Cuban-Americans were declined of reservations over their Cuban birth.
According to Cruise Law News, the lawsuit said that the cruise lines violated the civil rights of two Cuban-American passengers by denying their reservations on the Adonia just because they were born in Cuba. The lawsuit filed by law firms of Koyzan, Tropin and Throckmorton and Robert Rodriguez seeks a class action certification.
Travel Weekly reported that Amparo Sanchez and Francisco Marty were the ones deprived of their civil right outlined in Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating on the basis of national origin. The suit said that Sanchez and Marty contacted Carnival separately to reserve a Fathom cruise and because of their 'heavy accent,' they were asked about their national origin. This led to them not being able to travel in the Fathom due to their country of origin. Carnival Corp. which owns the Fathom brand said "It is our hope and intention that everyone can travel and we will continue to pursue a change in the regulation that puts cruising on the same footing as aircraft travel is today in Cuba."
Meanwhile, USA Today wrote that Robert Rodriguez, one of the lawyers of the plaintiff, said he was shocked when his clients explained that they were told by a booking agent that they couldn't purchase the trip since they are Cuabans. Rodriguez said "The more I started researching this, the more I became upset. I was surprised and let down."
However, Carnival said it was forced into the decision by the government of Cuban which prohibits people born in Cuba to return to the island by sea but not by air. The suit names Carnival Corp and Fathom Travel Limited Corp as defendants. It seeks a judgment based on the defendants' conduct and asks for a jury trial.
Apr 15, 2016, 12:08pm ET
GM recalling 1M trucks over seatbelt fault
GM is recalling a larger number of its full-size pickups.
General Motors is recalling close to one-million full-size pickup trucks in the United States to repair a seatbelt issue. The recall covers Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 models from the 2014 and 2015 model years.
According to GM, trucks included in the recall were equipped with flexible steel cables that connect the seat belts to the vehicle; over time those cables can fatigue and eventually separate, causing the seatbelt to fail.
GM discovered the defect through warranty data. The automaker says it isn't aware of any crashes or injuries linked to the recall.
In all the recall covers 895,232 trucks. Of those, about 3,000 are still on dealer lots. GM has ordered a stop-sale on those vehicles until the issue is resolved.
GM plans to remedy the defect by having dealers enlarge the side shield opening and by installing a pusher bracket on the tensioner. If necessary, dealers will replace the tensioner entirely.
In addition to the vehicles being recalled in the U.S., GM is also recalling Silverado and Sierra models in Canada, Mexico, Latin America and the Middle East. With those vehicles include, the worldwide recall stands at 1,037,982 units.
Allentown police Thursday night were investigating two male gunshot victims and a multi-vehicle crash that followed an attempted robbery.
Police believe both victims were wounded in the same incident, and both were conscious and alert despite their injuries, Assistant Chief Glen Dorney said.
The incident unfolded about 7 p.m., beginning with the attempted robbery of a male's Hoverboard on Pioneer Street at West Tilghman Street, less than a block west of the busy North Seventh and West Tilghman streets intersection, Dorney said.
"Somehow during that interaction, there were shots fired," he said.
A white vehicle seen leaving that scene crashed a few blocks to the northeast, at North Sixth and West Washington streets.
Two occupants fled the crash, but a third male was found in the backseat with two gunshot wounds, Dorney said.
"He was shot in the head," the assistant chief said, adding that the male was conscious, alert and stable: "Sounds like non-life-threatening."
While dealing with the crash, police learned a male shot in the head had just walked in to Lehigh Valley Hospital at North 17th and West Chew streets. Dorney described that victim's condition, at least initially, as "walking, talking, conscious and alert."
That victim claimed not to have known who shot him. Investigators believe he was one of the two who had fled the crash.
"We are investigating as if it was related to this" attempted robbery, shooting and crash incident, Dorney said.
Police did not immediately have a description or further information to release on the third person who had fled the crash. Nor did police immediately recover any firearms in the probe.
Police closed off the areas around the robbery and shooting and the crash during the ongoing investigation.
"Sounds like have a pretty extensive scene," Dorney said.
Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
UPDATE: Violent robbery suspect ordered held on additional $200k bail
David Bermudez has been charged in recent years with biting off part of a woman's ear during a domestic dispute and helping beat a man unconscious during an armed home invasion.
Friday morning, authorities plan to add more charges to his record, Bethlehem Township police report.
Bermudez, 37, formerly of Bethlehem, is scheduled to be arraigned by video at 11 a.m. before District Judge Patricia Broscius on charges stemming from the Sept. 5, 2012, armed robbery of a gas station in Bethlehem Township and a similar crime four days later at a 7-Eleven in Allentown, township police Sgt. Rick Blake said Thursday.
The specific counts have yet to be made public.
A car allegedly connects the robberies.
Bermudez was one of two men wearing masks and carrying guns who at 10:44 that night in September 2012 entered Rudy's Gulf at 2900 Easton Ave. in the township, Blake said.
David Bermudez (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)
Juan Fernandez, who is believed to be the second man in the station with Bermudez, committed suicide in 2014, authorities said. Fernandez also was part of the Lower Saucon Township home invasion for which Bermudez is being held in Northampton County Prison, authorities said.
Bermudez's wife, Jessica Liz Ruiz, was charged March 28 with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, court papers say. She was released on $5,000 unsecured bail, court papers say. She remained in the car during the Bethlehem Township robbery but wouldn't let the driver leave, police said. The driver hasn't been named.
Marianne Padilla Diaz, 22, formerly of Bethlehem, was arrested Tuesday by the Comandancia de la Policia Estatal de Guayama in Guayama, Puerto Rico, Blake said. Padilla Diaz, who was the clerk in the gas station and was also having a relationship with Bermudez, faces extradition on felony counts of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, and misdemeanor theft and conspiracy to commit theft.
The Allentown convenience store followed Sept. 9, 2012, at 1801 S. Fourth St.
Both robberies came before the Northampton County Investigative Grand Jury and the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office agreed to both cases being tried in Northampton County, Blake said.
Bermudez remains in Northampton County Prison in lieu of bail from the home invasion charges.
Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Miguelangel Tsiounis
Miguelangel Tsiounis
(Courtesy photo)
A Northampton County judge will decide next month whether to grant house arrest for a wheelchair-bound habitual drunken driver.
Miguelangel Tsiounis was on parole for his second drunken driving conviction when he allegedly drove drunk Oct. 23, 2015 in Freemansburg.
The 30-year-old Bethlehem Township man was sentenced to 90 days to five years in prison for the second offense, but spent his sentence on house arrest due to his condition.
Defense attorney James Burke is looking for house arrest again because Northampton County Prison is ill-equipped to care for him due to his paralysis. Tsiounis suffered a spinal injury on Aug. 27, 2005, due to a fall.
"Because of health reasons, we're asking for house arrest, which I think is more than reasonable," Burke said Thursday.
Tsiounis drives with the aid of a hand-operable car.
He pleaded guilty to his third DUI offense Thursday in front of Northampton County Senior Judge Leonard Zito. His sentencing is in May, Burke said.
The Express-Times archives say Tsiounis drove drunk, crashed into a parked snowplow and punched a paramedic in 2009. It's unclear how the 2009 case was resolved. It's not listed in an online criminal docket.
His second offense was Jan. 5, 2013, in Bethlehem.
Tsiounis was first charged in 2005 for underage drinking, speeding, driving without a license and drunken driving in Bethlehem Township.
The district attorney's office agreed to throw out the charges, however, because Tsiounis would lose medical assistance to treat his spinal cord injury if he had charges pending against him. He injured his spine less than two months after he was charged in 2005.
Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
DA lays out 3 initiatives to combat Lehigh Valley heroin 'epidemic'
Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli, left, holds a news conference Thursday, April 14, 2016 outlining a plan to combat a growing heroin epidemic in Pennsylvania. He is joined by state Rep. Dan McNeil, D-Lehigh. (Pamela Sroka Holzmann | For lehighvalleylive.com)
In a packed room of 200 people during a forum earlier this year in Whitehall Township, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said everyone raised their hand when asked if they knew a person with a drug or alcohol addiction.
Some, he said, wore T-shirts with photographs of loved ones and the dates of death from heroin overdoses.
And then, audience members expressed frustration with law enforcement for failing to get dealers off the streets, physicians for prescribing addictive painkillers and the system for making it difficult for families to afford treatment for loved ones who are addicted.
During a news conference Thursday at the Northampton County Courthouse, Morganelli said he agrees with Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin that despite their best efforts, law enforcement officials "cannot prosecute the problem away."
"We'll never win the war on drugs as long as billions of dollars are being made in the drug trade," Morganelli said. "Drugs and overdoses are killing an awful lot of people. There are a lot of wasted lives."
Morganelli said strategies have not been changed targeting drugs and the increasing heroin epidemic since U.S. President Richard Nixon was in office and stated, "We have been losing the war on drugs."
"Along the way, we have also lost a lot of good folks who found themselves trapped in addiction," Morganelli said.
Morganelli was joined at Thursday's announcement by Pennsylvania state Rep. Dan McNeill, D-Lehigh, who organized the February forum in Whitehall and a second program last month.
The district attorney laid out initiatives to attack the problem. Morganelli, a Democrat from Bethlehem, is seeking the Democratic nomination for state attorney general in the April 26 primary election.
If elected, Morganelli said he would focus on these areas:
Attack the source of the "poison" focusing on transnational crime organizations.
Step up education and distribution of resources to save lives of those at risk.
Step up law enforcement and funding for county drug task forces across the state with more authority for county sheriffs.
Morganelli held news conferences earlier this year on overdose deaths in Forks Township and Bethlehem Township that led to charges.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, deaths from drug overdoses have risen steadily over the past two decades and currently outnumber deaths from car accidents. Pennsylvania went from being placed 14 to 7 nationally in states with drug overdose deaths, Morganelli said.
Morganelli said in late February that he would use whatever tools are available to curb what he called an epidemic of overdoses. McNeill echoed the district attorney on Thursday, calling the heroin addiction more than just an epidemic, but a "sickness" that is increasingly getting out of hand.
McNeill said what used to be a small amount of marijuana being passed around at a party has turned into needles spread out on a table. While naxolone is a wonderful tool, it's not prevention, he said.
"I think this is going to grow to a lot of people," he said. "This epidemic has to be stopped and the drug dealers got to go."
Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The council has granted permission to a 49-house expansion to Radharc Na Sleibhe in Mountrath, despite numerous objections from residents who fear the new development will increase the problem of antisocial behaviour in the unfinished estate.
Levelcraft Limited, who bought the partially completed phase 1 estate back in 2014, have been given the greenlight to construct a 49-unit housing development, consisting of 37 two-storey semi-detached houses, four two-storey detached houses, and eight two-storey townhouses.
The proposed development will be accessed from the existing Radharc na Sleibhe estate and will also include estate roads, footpaths, a public open space, amenity areas, foul and surface water drainage, landscaping and all associated infrastructure works and services on a site of 1.704ha.
Submissions against the plans were made by residents of the Shannon Road, Mr James and Ms Laura Scully, Mr Brendan Carroll, Ms Mary Curran, and Ms Denise and Ms Mary Carroll.
They claimed that there is a lot of antisocial problems in the area caused by the adjoining housing development, which remains unfinished with regards to lighting, pedestrian crossings, cycle lanes, stop signs, speed limits, road markings etc.
An extension of this development will only aggravate any existing problems that are ongoing, said the residents, going on to claim that a further 49 houses would put more pressure on the mains public water.
Despite these submissions, Laois County Council has now granted conditional permission to Levelcraft.
Regarding the issue of water and the public mains, Jason Redmond and Associates, acting on behalf of Levelcraft, said that a wastewater connection is feasible for the new development without an infrastructure upgrade by Irish Water.
It also appears that there is adequate spare treatment capacity for the increased load from this development.
The site was partially developed by Newell Construction Ltd, but KPMG were appointed receivers in June 2012. Phase 1, comprising 19 units, was partially complete and in a very poor state of repair at that time.
Levelcraft Limited, with company directors, Lynus and Patricia Breen, purchased the remaining unfinished units in 2014 and completed units, roads, drainage, services, and boundary walls.
any exotic tongues were spoken - and many local tongues treated to an array of tantalising foods - when the Portlaoise Further Education Centre held its festival of languages recently, as part of an international initiative challenging racism.
The festival, hosted in the centre over two days in March, displayed more than 20 languages spoken in the local community by participants studying in the FEC.
Members of the public were invited to see an amazing visual display of languages and to sample some typical food from different cultures. They were also treated to personal testimonies from some of the new arrivals to our country.
This educational and cultural event was organised by Deirdre Brennan, ESOL co-ordinator, who hoped the event would celebrate the rich diversity in Portlaoise and promote intercultural dialogue.
Diversity - it enriches our culture, our societies, it makes our economies. It drives us to think broader and to respect our differences.
Diversity has the power to make society better. These are some of the reasons why Portlaoise Further Education Centre held a number of events to mark Action Week Against Racism, explained Ms Brennan.
Also over the two days, March 14 and 15, members of the Syrian community who attend the centre in Portlaoise held culture information sessions to demonstrate the other side of Syria'.
They wanted the people of Portlaoise to know their Syria, a sharp contrast to the images in the media of war and destruction.
The event was an opportunity to sample the rich culture and heritage of their home, and the sessions were very well received and proved a real eye opener for many.
Organised to tie in with the European-wide Action Week Against Racism, March 12 to 21, the local festival was a positive way to celebrate strength in diversity, and to highlight the changing multicultural landscape of modern Ireland.
Present at the festival was Mr John Lannon, chairperson of Doras Luimni, an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation working to support and promote the rights of all migrants living in Limerick and the wider Mid-West region.
The name of the organisation, derived from the Irish word for door, indicates its ideal to be seen as an open door welcoming new communities.
Well, well. Only three by-elections tonight and weve won two of them
One was a solid hold in Taunton Deane, where we lost the parliamentary seat last May.
Taunton Halcon (Taunton Deane) vote result:
LDEM: 389
CON: 222
LAB: 133
UKIP: 118
GRN: 42 Britain Elects (@britainelects) April 14, 2016
Taunton Halcon (Taunton Deane) result:
LDEM: 43.0% (+2.7)
CON: 24.6% (-11.0)
LAB: 14.7% (+14.7)
UKIP: 13.1% (+13.1)
GRN: 4.6% (-19.5) Britain Elects (@britainelects) April 14, 2016
Our vote went up despite the presence of a Labour candidate, The Greens have really fallen out of favour.
But better news was to come. We gained a seat in Cornwall.
Wadebridge West (Cornwall) vote result:
LDEM: 604
CON: 356
LAB: 222
IND: 111
GRN: 95 Britain Elects (@britainelects) April 14, 2016
Wadebridge West (Cornwall) result:
LDEM: 43.5% (+19.2)
CON: 25.6% (-39.9)
LAB: 16.0% (+5.8)
IND: 8.0% (+8.0)
GRN: 6.8% (+6.8) Britain Elects (@britainelects) April 14, 2016
The Tories really tanked. There must be a story around why they lost almost 40% of their vote. That was in the seat held by Dan Rogerson till May.
This certainly shows that the Liberal Democrats are still alive kicking and wining in the West Country.
Congratulations to our new Councillors Chris Booth and Karen McHugh and their campaign teams.
We didnt manage the treble though the final by-election, also in Cornwall, saw a Conservative hold. But only just. We missed out by just 60 votes with another strong increase.
Menheniot (Cornwall) result:
CON: 40.5% (+2.5)
LDEM: 35.9% (+11.6)
UKIP: 13.5% (-17.7)
LAB: 5.1% (+5.1)
GRN: 5.0% (-1.5) Britain Elects (@britainelects) April 14, 2016
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
Last month I accompanied Tim Farron on a visit to a British Red Cross centre in Gravesend, Kent to learn about the projects they run for unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASCs). Home to the British end of the Channel Tunnel, Kent has always had a high proportion of UASCs, but 2015 brought an unprecedented number, with over 1000 new children entering into the care of the Local Authority. During our visit we met young people from Sudan and Eritrea who spoke about their experiences both in transit and since theyve arrived in the UK.
In many ways it was similar to the visit I took with Tim and Catherine Bearder to Cologne in February, but there were also startling differences, and the starkest difference was in access to language courses and education.
In Cologne, language was the absolute priority. The Deputy Mayor, Andreas Wolter explained to us that they had learnt lessons from the 1970s when little attempt was made to integrate the influx of Turkish people to Germany, leaving what he described as dual societies, with little effort to teach German to first generation Turks. Now, with the new refugees from Syria and beyond, they were investing in German classes for everyone as soon as possible after arrival. We met Syrian teenagers who had been in Germany for a few months and happily introduced themselves in German- name, age, where they were from and what career they were planning to pursue.
The contrast in Kent was bleak. Only two of the seven kids we met were having English lessons, and they all needed translators for more than the absolute basics, despite some of them having been in the UK for more than six months. Access to ESOL level one- the standardised entry level English as a second language course- is almost impossible for them. None of the colleges in Kent offer it anymore, and the college in Lewisham they used to travel to had recently stopped the course. All the young people were adamant that they wanted to go to school. They want to learn English, get an education and get a job.
Both experiences have provided Tim and our team with incomparable insight of the challenges to integration, of safeguarding for the vulnerable, and the clear value of getting it right. Yesterday, Tim launched a blueprint which answers some of the challenges of implementing the campaign to resettle over 3,000 unaccompanied refugee children from within Europe, with input from experts across the sector and local government officials.
Anyone who is paying attention will realise that the refugee crisis isnt going away, and my colleagues and I will continue to support Tim in pushing the UK government to stand up for the rights of those fleeing conflict and persecution, both at home or abroad.
Earlier this week Tim also visited the border between Greece and Macedonia with my colleague Vinous, who will to follow this up with a piece on the experience out there in the next few days.
* Fionna Tod is the Parliamentary Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Defence and International Development
Willie Rennie will today unveil the partys bold, positive and progressive plans to make Scotland the best again as he launches the Scottish Liberal Democrat manifesto.
He will set out ambitious proposals for a transformational investment in education, a step-change in mental health services, the protection of our environment and guaranteeing Scots civil liberties.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Willie said:
Scottish Liberal Democrats offer an ambitious, positive and uplifting programme for Scotland. The Liberal Democrats are back to our best. Scotland should be the best again too. Our programme for Scotland is ambitious and progressive. We are offering the biggest investment in education since devolution, new plans for mental health services, new laws to guarantee our civil liberties and new investment so we can exceed our climate change targets. To embed these proposals in government policy over the next five years we need more Liberal Democrat MSPs in Parliament. And thanks to the combination of our bold and optimistic proposals and our record of action in Holyrood over the last five years, the party is set to grow again at this election. Voters can count on Liberal Democrats to devote the next five years to making Scotland the best again.
Its all happening in a couple of hours time at a childrens soft play centre. Its jungle themed, presumably to ensure that there are no embarrassing pictures of pigs
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
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A YOUNG father switched labels on meat products in Tesco claiming that he couldnt afford food for his family.
Limerick District Court heard that John Hanley, 24, with an address at Bawny Bridge, Dock Road, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft at Tescos in the Crescent Shopping Centre on March 18 last.
The defendant put a 4 label on meat products that had a value of 26, with the centre incurring a loss of 22, Judge Mary Larkin heard.
Inspector Donal Cronin, Henry Street garda station, told the court that perhaps his plan was over ambitious and he was observed switching the labels by staff.
He has 74 previous convictions, including a history of theft offences, as well as handling stolen property and burglary.
The offences began in November 2009 at Blanchardstown court and in Smithfield.
His defence told the court that he is not on social welfare and has a young family.
He has an eight-month old baby and was trying to feed his family. He had no money at the time, said his defence.
He moved to Limerick a year ago, recently married and has one baby.
Why doesnt he look for a job? asked Judge Larkin. Hes not trying to support his family by going to Tesco robbing.
His defence interjected to say that it wasnt a large sum. Thats not the point. He brought a child into the world, replied the judge.
She imposed a one-month prison sentence suspended for 24 months on his own good behaviour. He was also ordered to enter a Section 99 bond to attend the probation services to undergo training.
If he doesnt engage hell end up back here again, she warned.
PRO surfer Jamie OBrien paid a visit to Limerick this week, taking in the standing wave at the Curragower Falls while he was here.
The former Pipeline Masters winner, who hails from Hawaii, is the star of his own You Tube show, produced with Red Bull, called Who is JOB and is in Ireland on a ten-day trip shooting an episode for the show, which regularly draws viewers in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, online.
While he has been filming scenes at the Cliffs of Moher and other Irish surf spots, a lull in swell conditions brought him to Limerick, courtesy of a video posted online by UL student Paul Deering, which the Limerick Leader reported on in 2014.
They came in on Tuesday and surfed the river wave, explained Paul, a second year physiotherapy student who regularly surfs the river wave.
They had a full crew of people with them, another few really good surfers as well, good camera equipment and drones, everything. They came to Limerick specially for the wave. Jamie has some ancestry in Limerick as well.
They surfed the wave for about four hours, even though it wasn't really working - and he was still able to surf it. The tourism potential for it is absolutely massive; even on the day there was about 20 or 30 people watching the wave from the Curragower. He was completely stoked that he got to surf it and hopefully he will be back.
This is going to put the river wave on the world map when the web series goes out. This wave is unique in Ireland, definitely the only one of its kind and one of just a few in the world, added Paul.
There is a wave in Munich that is a massive tourist attraction, people travel from all over to go to it. This wave is unique in Ireland, definitely the only one of its kind and one of just a few in the world. It is the fact that it is easy to catch when it gets going and it is so rippable, it would be an attraction for any pro-surfer to come and hit it up, he added.
A THREE month baby boy has been placed in the care of the State after gardai removed the infant from his parents amid concerns for his safety and wellbeing.
The child, who was born in January, was taken to University Hospital Limerick on Wednesday night after gardai from four different garda stations attended a hostile disturbance in a village in County Limerick.
Sgt Gearoid Thompson told Limerick District Court gardai initially responded to reports of two people driving under the influence with a child in the rear seat.
He said several arguments had erupted between and that a large number of people had gathered at the scene when he and several colleagues arrived.
It was a very fractious and high tensioned environment, he said.
Sgt Thompson told the court that having spoken to the infants parents, he believed they were extremely intoxicated.
He said they were argumentative and unreasonable and that they were behaving in an irrational manner. He added that there was a smell of cannabis emanating from them.
Judge Marian OLeary was told that given what had unfolded gardai became concerned for the safety of the child but that efforts to ensure he was cared for by relatives of his parents on the night proved unsuccessful.
Sgt Thompson said he subsequently invoked Section 12 of the Childcare Act and removed the baby from his parents.
The babys mother, who has two other children, was arrested and detained at a garda station in County Limerick where she slept for the night before being released shortly after 7am yesterday.
Senior Social Worker, Una Kissane, told the court she became aware of the situation after she picked up a voicemail which had been left on her phone by Sgt Thompson in the early hours of Thursday morning.
She said she believes the childs mother is a chronic alcoholic and she told the court that TUSLA first became involved last November when the mother presented at a pre-natal examination with serious levels of alcohol in her system.
While the Child and Family Agency has been working with the family since the baby was born, Judge Marian OLeary was told the various care plans have not worked out and that there is an immediate and serious risk to his safety,
Ms Kissane said TUSLA has made two separate applications for an interim care order over the past fortnight on foot of a number of anonymous complaints relating to the drinking of the childs parents.
However, the applications were refused as the presiding judge was of the view the evidence presented in court was not sufficient.
Yesterday, the babys mother insisted she was not drunk on Wednesday night and she told the court her baby is thriving and well cared for.
She accepted she has a drink problem and had slipped on Wednesday night when she drank two glasses of wine. I dont accept I was highly intoxicated, she said.
Solicitor Muiris Gavin, representing TUSLA, rejected her assertion and put it to the woman that she has chronic difficulties with alcohol and is not capable of caring for her son until she addresses her addiction problems.
Granting an Emergency Care Order, Judge OLeary said having heard the evidence, she was satisfied, as a fact that there was an immediate and serious risk to the safety of the infant.
The order remains in place until the end of next week.
PERMANENT TSB sent two letters to a County Limerick couple asking for the sum of one cent which was outstanding on their mortgage to be paid today.
The letters given to the Limerick Leader state that the arrears amount is 0.01. The bank writes: We trust you will make this payment today and adds: If youre worried about your mortgage repayments, talk to us.
The home owner, who did not wish to be identified, said it was absolutely ridiculous.
When I opened the letter I couldnt believe my eyes. I had to show it to my husband and ask him, Does that actually say one cent?
We were laughing because they would hardly accept one cent at the counter if you went in or if you tried to pay it over the phone. It makes no sense, or cents!
We got a second letter then - two letters looking for one cent in the space of a week. I mean the cost of one stamp is 70 cents, said the woman, who resides in East Limerick.
She says she cannot understand what the anomaly is as the money is taken by direct debit.
I havent done anything about paying it yet. I dont know how Im going to pay one cent unless I get time off work to actually go down and pay it. I dont think they would take it off a card as it is too small.
I showed it to my work colleagues, they said this is unbelievable and should be highlighted, she said.
Limerick solicitor Ger ONeill, based at Glentworth Street, represents a number of clients facing home repossessions and has been a vocal critic of some banks very aggressive and threatening manner towards clients.
This just demonstrates the uncaring attitude of banks to their customers. This is so stupid. It shows the red tape that goes on. They are not dealing with people, they are dealing with accounts and they have got to start dealing with people, said Mr ONeill.
He gives an example of one of his clients in mortgage arrears, who is under extreme stress and has been suicidal.
I have written to them, telling them dont write to her at home you could put this lady over the edge. I will get a written authority from her and please address everything to me. The next thing is she gets a letter at home saying, We will now be dealing with your solicitor.
She is panicking when she sees a letter coming in from the bank. Then a month later she gets the automatic letter with your account is in arrears etc - the same thing again. I talked to who I was dealing with, who promised not to do that, and they dont know anything about it because it is automatically coming out. It is dreadful.
I think what happens is if you are behind, the system triggers it and it doesnt matter what the figure is - whether it is one cent or five thousand or 55 thousand. I dont think the system seems to recognise the difference, said Mr ONeill.
Another of his clients was threatened with a receiver because he missed a mortgage payment but only had 5,000 to pay off on a property worth hundreds of thousands of euro.
I mean the mind boggles. He might have missed a month or something but the house was worth a couple of hundred thousand. The repayments werent even that big.
I think in the end he organised to pay the whole amount off. And he would have been a customer for over 20 years and would have paid off a couple of hundred grand then suddenly you get threatened that a receiver will be appointed... said Mr ONeill. Unless they start realising they are dealing with people then there is going to be no change, he concluded.
A WOMAN who was dismissed by a city bar a day after her solicitor intended to file a claim with the injuries board has been awarded 5,000 by the Labour Court.
Russells Bar, Fr Russell Road, appealed the Rights Commissioner's decision, on August 18, 2015, to award employee Teresa Renia Czapiewksa 5,000 compensation, and the decision was upheld at a hearing on March 2.
On February 14, 2014, the claimant suffered an injury and was then uncertified unfit for work. On June 4, 2014, Ms Czapiewksas solicitor wrote to the employer, setting out a range of matters in relation to health and safety in the workplace. The letter also confirmed that the claimant intended to a file a claim with the injuries board. The next day, the court heard, Ms Czapiewksa received a letter of dismissal from Russells Bar.
Ms Czapiewksa contended that her dismissal was a direct retaliation to her letter from the previous day. She therefore contended that this was in contravention of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005.
It was noted at the Labour Court that Section 27(3) of the Act states that an employer shall not penalise or threaten penalisation against an employee for...making a complaint or representation to his or her safety, health and welfare at work.
The respondent contended that the dismissal arose from the implications of a downturn in the business. The respondent asserted that the letter on June 4 had not been received at the time of dismissal and that, therefore, the penalisation had not taken place.
During the case, the respondent stated that the decision to terminate the employment was made in May 2014, and that other employees had been dismissed in late May.
The Court takes account of the fact that the claimant had been absent from the respondents workplace since February 2014 and had, as of June 5, 2014, given no date of return.
The Court, on the balance of probability, finds that the respondents decision to terminate the employment of the claimant was taken on June 5, and that this decision followed receipt by the respondent of the claimants letter of June.
The Court, therefore, must hold that the letter of June 4, was the operative reason for the dismissal of the claimant and that her complaint of penalisation has been made out, the Labour Court heard.
In its determination, the Labour Court found that Ms Czapiewksa was penalised within the meaning of the legislation, and that the appropriate redress was an award of compensation.
The Court measures the amount of compensation, which is just and equitable, having regard to the circumstance of the case at 5,000, the Labour Court concluded.
THE FAMILY of the late Tiffer Morris who died in a tragic carbon monoxide poisoning accident, are hoping that the bittersweet story of their Aintree Grand National success will alert people to the dangers of the silent killer carbon monoxide.
An estimated 600 million people worldwide tuned in on Saturday to see the Mouse Morris-trained Rule the World seal a sensational victory in this years Aintree showpiece.
The heartwarming scenes as he crossed the finish line were tinged with sadness as thoughts turned to the one person the Morris family dearly wished was with them, their late son and brother, Tiffer.
While we are trying to enjoy and celebrate it, it is very hard that he isnt here with us. Its kind of bittersweet almost, said Tiffers older brother Jamie this Monday while en route to the home of Rule the World owner, Michael OLeary, to drop off the winning trophy.
I know Tiffer is looking down. He would have been so proud to be there.
Jamie, his father Mouse, mother Shanny, and her husband, Bruree-based trainer Enda Bolger, are hoping that the huge media attention which has surrounded the Aintree win will make people more aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and encourage them to buy carbon monoxide alarms.
Christopher Tiffer Morris, 30, lost his life while in Argentina, on May 31 last. It is understood that a combination of carbon monoxide, and lack of ventilation in the apartment where he was staying, resulted in the deaths of both Tiffer and his friend, Munra Borghi.
The carbon monoxide was emitted from a faulty flue coming from the gas water heater. This gas water heater was situated in the kitchen, three rooms away from the bathroom where Munra was found in the shower and three rooms away from the bedroom where Tiffer was found.
People have no comprehension how incredibly dangerous carbon monoxide is, said Shanny this week.
She explained that Munra must have died within seconds of having stepped into the shower.
Munra's girlfriend had been alone in the apartment the afternoon previous and had been feeling unwell. Her symptoms were nausea and headache. She attended a doctor but it was not realised that this was early signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. Others signs can be feeling like the onset of flu or feeling sleepy.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is called 'the silent killer' because it has no smell, taste or colour. It is a gas released by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels such as natural gas, bottled gas, petrol, diesel, oil, paraffin, bio-fuels and even wood or coal on an open fire.
In 2011 a father and his two children died in their sitting room, resulting from the chimney flu becoming blocked because of a crisp bag that had been thrown onto the fire, Shanny explained.
According to Jamie, who, along with Tiffer received his secondary school education at Glenstal Abbey in Murroe, the last year has just been a complete emotional roller coaster.
It has been very tough all round for the family. Having wins like this helps to pick us up. There is never a minute Tiffer is out of our minds. Sometimes you have to try and put it to the back of your head just to get through your day.
All you want to do is to think about him and remember the memories but its so painful and so incredibly tough, that its a struggle to get through the day unless you try to think of other things for a little bit.
I think the biggest thing I realised since Tiffer died is that there was also another young man from Glenstal, who was in school the same time as us, Padraig Hughes who died in 2008 from carbon monoxide poisoning leaking from a faulty flue from the boiler room below his bedroom at home. Thats one per cent of Glenstal who died from carbon monoxide poisoning which is unbelievable, said Jamie.
The key thing is to push people to get CO alarms, and if travelling, to pack a portable alarm, which we never realised you could get. Tiffer was very organised about what he packed for South America, if he/we knew that portable carbon monoxide detectors were available, he would definitely have packed one.
Shanny stressed her need to prevent this tragedy happening to any other family, as the pain, nearly a year later, she said, is still too hard to bear.
There is nothing we can do to bring Tiffer or Munra back, but our need is to stress the importance of installing carbon monoxide detectors in homes and workplaces, particularly in rooms where there are fires, kitchen stoves or gas heaters but also in bedrooms as the poison can travel.
CO detectors can be bought in most hardware shops for as little as 20. Portable CO detectors are available on-line, and are a must for anyone travelling.
PhoneWatch Ireland provide 24 hour monitored CO detectors and, to my knowledge, are the only alarm company in Ireland to do so, she said.
The Morris family have enjoyed a remarkable few weeks with victories in both the Irish National and Saturdays showcase race at Aintree. Having trained Rogue Angel to victory on Easter Monday at Fairyhouse, an emotional Mouse Morris admitted he had his own guardian angel to thank for Saturdays success.
Mouse Morris Emotional After Win VIDEO: An emotional Mouse Morris dedicates his Irish Grand National win to his late son. Posted by RTE Sport on Monday, 28 March 2016
Just after the Irish Grand National, Dad turned to me and said, I was asking your brother for a bit of help today, said Jamie, and just before the English National he said, It would be unfair to ask your brother to work overtime!.
As it turns out, my brother is not as lazy as we thought he was, smiled Jamie.
Jamie is taking part in a charity race for the Kidney Research Foundation at Punchestown on April 30 and he wants to use the occasion to highlight the importance of carbon monoxide detectors.
Meanwhile, there were a lot of happy Limerick punters on Saturday when the JP McManus - owned and Enda Bolger-trained Gilgamboa put in a tremendous display to finish fourth in the National.
The eight-year-old was one of the least experienced horses in the field, having had just nine previous starts over fences. The horse is in good form, he came out of it well and Im still on cloud nine, said Enda.
He ran a great race and he's something to look forward to for next season. I was chuffed to bits with how he ran and Robbie (Power) gave him a lovely ride. He'll be going to Martinstown for his summer holidays now. Hes going to be a fine horse for the future.
THE Department of Education has confirmed that the University of Limerick did not seek prior written approval in relation to an additional 150,000 severance payment to a staff member, following on from two earlier payments amounting to more than 450,000 which were recently questioned by the Comptroller & Auditor General.
Following these payments, which were revealed last week by the Limerick Leader, the department also confirmed to this newspaper that it was not made aware of a further two severance packages, amounting to nearly 60,000 each, offered to two employees who have now been suspended from the Universitys finance department for nearly a year.
The department told the Leader that it was only informed of the 150,000 severance package, made in 2014, subsequent to it being paid.
A report published by the C&AG last week outlined that the Department of Education and Skills has sought assurances from UL identified as Body D in that report that it now clearly understands that severance payments should not be made without prior written sanction from the Department, and that the necessary sanction should be obtained prior to making such payments in the future.
However, another, more recent set of consolidated financial accounts for the University of Limerick, for the period ending September 2014, were laid before the C&AG this January, after being approved by the Governing Authority in June 2015.
Those accounts show that a severance payment of 150,000 was made to a staff member, who has not been identified.
A number of queries were put to UL this week, after this latest payment came to light, including whether UL sought approval from the Department, or the Minister for Education in relation to this payment, which it is obliged to do.
UL declined to comment on this, and other severance packages, saying only: The university does not comment on individual employment cases.
The amounts in respect of the two suspended employees were for 59,988 and 58,570.10. That document, which was produced by Arthur Cox solicitors in Dublin, has already been published by this newspaper. Both employees refused to sign it.
In a statement this Wednesday, the Department said it was not aware of any details of a proposed severance agreement. As the Department did not have sight of any proposed severance agreement that may have been offered to employees of the universitys finance department around 2015 we are not in a position to comment on any alleged terms of that proposed agreement.
In a recent value for money report, the C&AG identified two severance packages offered by UL between 2011-2013 totalling over 450,000.
Sanction had not been received by the Department for these payments, and they also found that they included some confidentiality clauses which were not appropriate.
In a brief statement to the Limerick Leader last week, UL confirmed that it made severance payments in 2012 as outlined in C&AG report.
These payments were disclosed in our financial statements at that time, it said.
A footnote in ULs consolidated financial accounts, for the year ending September 2012, states that wages and salaries include severance payments of 220,331 and 231,506 respectively to two staff, amounting to a total of 451,837.
While the accounts appear on the C&AGs website, these consolidated statements are not on ULs own website.
The UL spokesperson said last week: It should be noted that confidentiality clauses in 2012 predated protected disclosure legislation and that since the introduction of the legislation, it is a statutory right, under the act to make a disclosure and this cannot be prevented by any confidentiality clauses."
Fianna Fail deputy Willie ODea said the reply by UL in respect of the Protected Disclosure legislation appeared disingenuous, particularly as the Act was introduced in 2014, and as a severance package offered in April 2015 stipulated that the employee withdraw her complaint under the Protected Disclosures Act.
These are legitimate questions that are being asked, and they will be answered, Mr ODea said.
We are all very proud of the university in Limerick, having fought so hard for it to gain university status, and its a matter of great regret that the university has become embroiled in controversies like this. Its one of the key institutions in Limerick.
Its incomprehensible that after the HEA/Mazars report that nothing has happened. That report was commissioned at the taxpayers expense, and the employees should be reinstated immediately.
The Limerick Leader has made persisted attempts over the past week to contact the then Minister for Education Jan OSullivan to confirm whether she has been made aware of any of these payments, but she has not been available to answer the queries.
THE official screening of the National City of Culture Film Limerick trilogy will take place at the Limerick Film Festival, at LIT Millennium Theatre, this Friday night.
At 8pm, the festival will showcase three short films, which were filmed, produced and edited over the past two years by a multitude of local talent.
The Limerick City of Culture initiative partnered with the local Behind the Scenes film group, which also received assistance from Screen Training Ireland.
The trilogy was led by Film Limerick project manager, Ronan Cassidy, and acclaimed writer and director, Gerry Stembridge, who mentored six first-time directors and writers throughout the project.
The three short films to be screened include romantic-comedy Date:Time, written by Philip Shanahan and directed by Paul Corey; comedy The Apparel, written by Daniel Mooney and directed by Peter Delaney; and drama Day Off, written by Peter McNamara and directed by Stephen Hall.
Stephen Hall will be heading to Short Film Corner at Cannes Film Festival next month, with his film Safe. Filmmaker Peter McNamara is currently finishing off his latest film, Narcan, which he shot in New York, in 2015.
Before the project commenced, Mr Stembridge chose the six young filmmakers, and worked with the writers on developing the script.
The mentor worked with the directors on casting to secure the best available local talent for each of the three films.
He also oversaw the filming and mentored the directors on set and ensured that the links between the stories were taken care of, so that the final product would stand up as a single entity, explained project manager, Ronan Cassidy.
Speaking about the project during the final filming phase, Mr Stembridge said that the trilogy was about representing a modern Limerick.
People who walk in Limerick and go out to pubs and restaurants in Limerick, they never talk about what it feels like to live in Limerick. And a film can create that feeling, and theres all different moods and all different atmospheres of different parts of the city, and film is the best thing to capture that because its a visual medium.
He added that people will enjoy the three short films visual impact of Limerick, saying that people will know what the place looks like and feels like.
Speaking ahead of the big night, Mr Cassidy said the team is looking forward to showing it to the local public for the first time.
We are excited and we are nervous, as it will be the first time we will get a public reaction. The reaction that we have got so far has been very, very positive.
The whole reason why this was set up in the first place was to give local filmmakers a lift and a bit of boost in the career, and I think it has paid off. There are a few people doing really, really well, and I think this scheme has really, really helped. I have not seen this buzz around Limerick film in a really, really long time, he enthused.
The three films are expected to be screened on RTE in the future. A date has yet to be confirmed, he added.
The screening at LIT is a free event, and there will be a demonstration on how each community film project came together.
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The element gold is a pirate's booty and an ingredient in microcircuits. It's been used to make jewelry since at least 4000 B.C. and to treat cancer only in recent decades. It's in the pot at the end of the rainbow and in the coating on astronaut visors. Gold is an element that bridges old and new and myth and science seamlessly.
Properties of gold
Gold, the 79th element on the Periodic Table of the Elements, is one of the more recognizable of the bunch. It is malleable and shiny, making it a good metalworking material. Chemically speaking, gold is a transition metal. Transition metals are unique, because they can bond with other elements using not just their outermost shell of electrons (the negatively charged particles that whirl around the nucleus of an atom), but also the outermost two shells. This happens because the large number of electrons in transition metals interferes with the usual orderly sorting of electrons into shells around the nucleus.
(Image credit: blueringmedia/Getty Images)
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Atomic Number (number of protons in the nucleus): 79
Atomic Symbol (on the Periodic Table of Elements): Au
Atomic Weight (average mass of the atom): 196.9665
Density: 19.3 grams per cubic centimeter
Phase at Room Temperature: Solid
Melting Point: 1,947.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1,064.18 degrees C)
Boiling Point: 5,162 degrees F (2,850 degrees C)
Number of isotopes (atoms of the same element with a different number of neutrons): Between 18 and 59, depending on where the line for an isotope is drawn. Many artificially created gold isotopes are stable for microseconds or milliseconds before decaying into other elements. One stable isotope.
Most common isotopes: Au-197, which makes up 100 percent of naturally occurring gold.
How is gold formed?
Gold, and other elements heavier than iron, are formed just before stars explode into supernovae. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Gold represents a tiny fraction of the elements in the known universe. The reason for its rarity is owed to the incomprehensible amount of energy needed for its formation. Gold is formed in stars, but only in those that are exploding in giant supernovas (opens in new tab), or incredibly dense ones that have come together in monstrously powerful collisions, according to the journal PNAS (opens in new tab) .
Stars, such as our sun, generate energy through the power of fusion , where smaller elements are fused, or combined, together into heavier elements. To start with, a star may be mostly hydrogen , the smallest element. The process of fusion under immense pressure and heat in the star's core will generate helium . When hydrogen runs low and the star begins to reach the next phase of its life cycle, it will fuse helium into the next heavier element, and so on.
This process continues until the element of iron, where the balance suddenly shifts. Because fusing iron does not create energy, it consumes it, according to the University of Oregon (opens in new tab). With no means of generating internal energy to counteract its own immense pressure and gravity , the star begins to collapse onto itself. If the star is large enough the result is a supernova a massive star explosion, according to NASA (opens in new tab). Heavier elements are formed during the incredible energy generated during this process, including gold.
Related: How can a star be older than the universe?
Gold throughout history
From Eastern Europe to the Middle East to the tombs of Egyptian Pharaohs, gold appears throughout the ancient world. Five thousand years ago, the massive Nile River was the key to the ancient Egyptian empire, according to the Australian government (opens in new tab). Its water allowed a bounty of crops to be grown along its edge, keeping its citizens, and its armies, well fed. But there was also a shiny yellow metal that came running down the river, the element of gold. The Egyptians eagerly took this visually appealing treasure and found that because it was naturally pure and malleable, it required little refinement to be turned into mesmerizing decorations.
Gold as a decoration didn't stop at ancient Egypt: A Stone Age woman found buried outside of London wore a strand of gold around her neck; Celts in the third century B.C. wore gold dental implants; a Chinese king who died in 128 B.C. was buried with gold-gilded chariots and thousands of other precious objects.
Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamuns Funerary mask was made of gold and has endured for thousands of years. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Gold swiftly came to be a symbol, and unit, of wealth, and it has maintained this allure through time and around the globe. Several millennia after the Egyptian pharaohs and their tombs of gold, the Aztec Empire's gold riches were plundered by the Conquistadors who sought the valuable metal for their own. Later still, workers flocked to Western coast of the United States to take part in the California "gold rush", seeking their own fortunes, according to National Geographic (opens in new tab). Therefore gold has driven humans to diplomacy, mass migrations, and even acts of genocide. Without this metal, our history would be quite different.
Related: Tenochtitlan: History of Aztec capital
Gold also plays a strong role in Australian history. In the late 19th century, so many flocked to the country to take part in its booming gold rush that the population of Australia tripled. Owing to its pervasive deposits, the country is still mined for the metal today, according to the Australian government. However, one company, named Evolution Mining, found a different treasure in their hunt for gold. When drilling into the Australian outback's surface in search of gold deposits, the miners instead unearthed sheets of stone that resembled "shatter cones," which form on the outer rims of impact craters. They followed this finding with advanced mapping techniques that allowed the team to confirm the uncovering of a 3.1-mile-wide (5 kilometers) meteorite crater, a finding even more rare than a lode of gold, according to Forbes (opens in new tab).
What is a karat of gold?
Most gold jewelry isnt made of pure gold. The amount of gold in a necklace or ring is measured on the karat scale. Pure gold is 24 karats. Bars of gold kept in Fort Knox and elsewhere around the world are considered to be 99.95 percent pure, 24-karat gold.
As metals are added to gold during jewelry-making, the gold becomes less fine and the number of karats drops. For example, 12 karat gold contains 50% gold and 50% alloys by weight.
The word karat comes from the carob seed. In ancient Asian bazaars, the seeds were used to balance scales that measured the weight of gold.
How much gold is in Fort Knox?
The Federal Bullion Depository at Fort Knox in Kentucky holds part of the U.S. reserve of gold. (Image credit: Bettmann/Getty Images)
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To keep up with the country's mounting gold reserves, the United States Bullion Depository opened at the Fort Knox U.S. Army Garrison in Kentucky in 1937. The first shipment of gold arrived from Philadelphia in trains surrounded by military troops.
Fort Knox is framed in steel with walls of concrete. Despite the defense of a 20-ton steel door, a dirty rumor in the 1970s suggested that the gold in Fort Knox was gone. To quell people's fears, the director of the United States Mint guided congress people and journalists through one room of the vault, and its 8-foot-tall stacks of 36,236 bars of gold.
The depository holds about half of U.S. Treasury's stored gold, according to the U.S. Mint (opens in new tab). Each bar weighs 400 troy ounces (about 27.5 pounds), according to the U. S. Department of Treasury. One troy ounce equals about 1.1 avoirdupois ounces. The entire stockpile, as of 2021, weighs 147.3 million troy ounces, which is worth about $130 billion at today's prices. Fort Knox held a record amount of gold on Dec. 31, 1941, reaching a whopping 649.6 million ounces, the U.S. Mint reported.
Other important artifacts have also "seen" the insides of Fort Knox. For instance, during WWII, the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights were sealed inside for protection, being returned in 1944 to Washington, D.C. Other items stored there at some point in history, according to the U.S. Mint include: the Magna Carta; the crown, sword, scepter, orb and cape of St. Stephen, the King of Hungary.
What is fool's gold?
Pyrite, the inferior mineral nicknamed fool's gold, only mimics gold in looks. Pyrite is more common, harder, and more brittle than gold. When crushed into powder, it looks greenish-black, whereas real gold powder is yellow. Pyrite contains sulfur and iron. During World War II, it was mined to produce sulfuric acid, an industrial chemical. Today, it is used in car batteries, appliances, jewelry and machinery.
Although fool's gold can be a disappointing find, it is often discovered near sources of copper and real gold. So perhaps, miner who stops digging once they have a piece of pyrite in hand is the real fool.
Fun facts about gold
Two-thirds of the world's gold is mined in South Africa, according to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Seventy-eight percent of the world's yearly supply of gold is used in jewelry, according to the AMNH. The rest goes to electronics and dental and medical uses.
The atomic symbol of gold, Au, comes from the Latin word for gold, aurum.
Astronaut helmets were equipped with a visor coated with a thin layer of gold. The gold blocks harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun.
The world's largest gold crystal is the size of a golf ball and comes from Venezuela. The 7.7-ounce (217.78 grams) crystal is worth about $1.5 million.
Earthquakes can create gold: A 2013 study in the journal Nature Geoscience found that during earthquakes, water in faults and fractures vaporizes, leaving gold behind.
The first purely gold coins were manufactured in the Asia Minor kingdom of Lydia in 560 B.C., according to the National Mining Association.
Gold has a number of artificial, unstable isotopes (the exact number depends on the scientist you consult), but occurs naturally only as Au-197.
You can eat gold if you really want to. Gourmet shops sell edible gold leaf and flakes that add glitter to everything from pastries to vodka to olive oil. Don't fear for your stomach: The gold isn't digested and just passes right through, according to Edible Gold, a company that sells gold leaf.
How is gold used?
Gold is also used in medicine. The radioactive gold isotope Au-198 can be injected directly into the site of a tumor, where its radiation can destroy tumor cells without much spillover to the rest of the body. In 2012, researchers reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that they could link nanoparticles of Au-198 with a compound found in tea leaves to treat prostate cancer. The tea compound is attracted to the tumor cells, keeping the nanoparticles glued to the right spot for several weeks while the radiation treatment occurs. (The method has yet to be tested on humans.)
In some cases, gold nanoparticles are the only way a drug can work. The anti-cancer drug TNF-alpha kills cancer very effectively. Unfortunately, it's also incredibly toxic to healthy cells. However, clinical trials now underway have found that linking TNF-alpha drugs to gold nanoparticles can successfully treat tumors, because the drugs hit their targets directly, according to Benchmarks, an online publication of the National Cancer Institute.
There's just one problem with humanity's continued love affair with gold: Getting it out of the ground. About 83% of the 2,700 tons of gold mined each year is extracted using a process called gold cyanidation, said Zhichang Liu, a postdoctoral researcher in chemistry at Northwestern University in Illinois. This process uses cyanide to leach gold out of the rock that holds it. Unfortunately, cyanide is toxic, and the process is anything but environmentally friendly.
There could be hope for lovers of gold baubles (and electronic circuits and nanomedicine), however. In 2013 Liu and his colleagues reported in the journal Nature Communications (opens in new tab) that they'd stumbled upon a way to extract gold from ore with benign starch rather than toxic cyanide.
"Actually, we found this method by accident," Liu told Live Science. While trying to fabricate a porous material, the researchers mixed a starch called alpha-Cyclodextrin with gold salts (charged molecules of gold). To their surprise, the gold precipitated out of the solution rapidly.
The team has since patented the method, which easily extracts gold at more than 97% purity in one step, Liu said. They're now working with investors to scale up the process. "Hopefully, we can find a nice, green way to replace the cyanidation process," Liu said.
If someone is facing a health emergency or terminal illness, it can be difficult to know the right thing to say. Do you tell them everything will be OK? Change the subject? Share the story of your Aunt Sally, who died of cancer 10 years ago?
The best response is something along the lines of, "I'm so sorry to hear the news. I'll be here to support you in any way I can," sociologists told Live Science. But you'd be smart to tweak this message on a person-by-person basis.
"There are no easy answers to what you should say or what you should do," said Amanda Gengler, an assistant professor of sociology at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. [7 Ways to Recognize Depression in 20-Somethings]
If the person is a close friend, family member or even an acquaintance, contact them as you normally would, by phone or email, for instance, the experts said.
"The best advice I can give is to offer to help in concrete ways," Gengler told Live Science. Often, people will say they can help, but the sick person has no idea what they are willing to do. It's easier for someone to take you up on a specific offer to babysit, drive them to treatment, or deliver groceries or meals, she said.
Sometimes, the sick person might just want to binge-watch Netflix for 3 hours with you. "Ask if they want company, or if they would rather have some time alone," Gengler said.
While it's good to reach out, be mindful that the person might be receiving dozens of well wishes, and that it's hard to respond to all of them. Don't expect an immediate, or even any, response.
"If the person reaches out, great," Gengler told Live Science. "And if not, don't get angry about it. Don't make this about you."
There are many reasons a sick person might not answer. They might feel too sick or tired. Also, while it's nice to get sympathetic messages from friends, it also can be emotionally exhausting. Countless somber reactions can emphasize the gravity of the situation, Gengler said.
"There's no easy solution to this, because the answer would obviously not be for other people to be flippant about an extremely catastrophic situation that someone is facing," she said.
But there is a way to take off the pressure. If you're emailing, you can include, "You don't have to answer this, but I'm here if you need me," said Deborah Carr, a professor of sociology at Rutgers University in New Jersey.
What NOT to do
If you learn that a friend is sick, don't evade them, Carr advised.
"In general, people avoid circumstances that make them uncomfortable," she said. "We're so worried that we're going to do the wrong thing or say the wrong thing, and so people often go underground."
But that's problematic, Carr said. "The most important factor that helps people deal with any problem, from terminal illness to divorce, is social support," she said. "It's really important that people are there just simply showing up can be really powerful." [5 Ways to Foster Self-Compassion in Your Child]
After reaching out, don't minimize their situation by saying, "Look on the bright side: At least it's not X," or "Don't worry; it will be all right," the sociologists said. Also, don't try to one-up them by talking about someone who is worse off, they added.
"You don't want to invalidate their concern that's going to shut the conversation down," said Linda Francis, an associate professor of sociology at Cleveland State University. "Because, quite possibly, everything isn't going to be all right. Any kind of forced or false cheerfulness is going to make the speaker feel better; it's not going to make the sufferer feel better."
Instead, you can validate their situation by saying, "I'm so sorry; how awful," Francis said.
Then again, it's hard to know how someone will react. One mother at a Ronald McDonald House whom Gengler interviewed disliked it when people said, "I don't know how you do it," Gengler recalled. "She thought, 'I'm a mom; you're a mom of course you do whatever you can to save your kids.'"
After expressing concern and support, you can ask general questions, such as "How are you doing this week?" This allows the other person to take control of the conversation and share as much or as little as they want. In addition, don't give unsolicited advice, the experts said.
"It's OK to be encouraging, as long as you're not being unrealistic," Francis said. "The important thing is just to express your concern."
Follow Laura Geggel on Twitter @LauraGeggel. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.
Land subsidence and sea level rise are worsening flooding in Annapolis, Md., and elsewhere along the East Coast.
The 5,000 North Carolinians who call Hyde County home live in a region several hundred miles long where coastal residents are coping with severe changes that few other Americans have yet to endure.
Geological changes along the East Coast are causing land to sink along the seaboard. That's exacerbating the flood-inducing effects of sea level rise, which has been occurring faster in the western Atlantic Ocean than elsewhere in recent years.
New research using GPS and prehistoric data has shown that nearly the entire coast is affected, from Massachusetts to Florida and parts of Maine.
The study, published this month in Geophysical Research Letters, outlines a hot spot from Delaware and Maryland into northern North Carolina where the effects of groundwater pumping are compounding the sinking effects of natural processes. Problems associated with sea level rise in that hot spot have been in some places three times as severe as elsewhere.
"The citizens of Hyde County have dealt with flooding issues since the incorporation of Hyde County in 1712," said Kris Noble, the county's planning and economic development director. "It's just one of the things we deal with."
On average, climate change is causing seas to rise globally by more than an inch per decade. That rate is increasing as rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap more heat, melting ice and expanding ocean waters. Seas are projected to rise by several feet this century perhaps twice that much if the collapse of parts of the Antarctic ice sheet worsens.
Ocean circulation changes linked to global warming and other factors have been causing seas to rise much faster than that along the sinking mid-Atlantic coastline more than 3.5 inches per decade from 2002 to 2014 north of Cape Hatteras in North Carolina, a recent study showed.
Antarctica at Risk of Runaway Melting, Scientists Discover Study Reveals Stunning Acceleration of Sea Level Rise Sea Level Rise Making Floods Routine for Coastal Cities
The relatively fast rate of rise in sea levels along the East Coast may have been a blip for now. The rate of rise recorded so far this century may become the norm during the decades ahead. "Undoubtedly, these are the rates we're heading towards," said Simon Engelhart, a University of Rhode Island geoscientist.
Engelhart drew on data from prehistoric studies and worked with two University of South Florida, Tampa scientists to combine it with more modern GPS data to pinpoint the rates at which parts of the Eastern seaboard have been sinking.
Their study revealed that Hyde County a sprawling but sparsely populated farming and wilderness municipality north of the Pamlico River is among the region's fastest-sinking areas, subsiding at a little more than an inch per decade.
Taken together, that suggests the sea has been rising along the county's shorelines recently at a pace greater than 4.5 inches per decade a globally extraordinary rate. Similar effects are playing out in places that include Sandy Hook in New Jersey and Norfolk in Virginia, the analysis shows.
Gloucester Point, Va., which is home to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, was also found to be sinking at a similar rate. Scientists there have been "noticing impacts," said Carl Hershner, a wetlands expert who has worked at the institute since 1971. "Flooding in our boat basin is one piece of evidence."
An inventory of wetlands and shorelines is being developed by the institute that may help reveal the impacts of subsidence and sea level rise locally. "There's rather compelling evidence of marshes losing area," Hershner said.
The main cause of East Coast subsidence is natural the providential loss of an ice sheet. Some 15,000 years ago, toward the end of an ice age, the Laurentide Ice Sheet stretched over most of Canada and down to modern-day New England and the Midwest. Its heavy ice compressed the earth beneath it, causing surrounding land to curl upward.
Since the ice sheet melted, the land beneath it has been springing back up. Like a see-saw, that's causing areas south of the former ice sheet to sink back down, including Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.
The data suggests that some land in coastal Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, on the other hand, is rising slightly, although not quickly enough to keep up with the global rate of sea level rise.
The study shows that subsidence is occurring twice as fast now than in centuries past in a hot spot from Fredericksburg, Va. south to Charleston, which the scientists mostly blame on groundwater pumping.
"If you draw down your aquifer, the land above the aquifer kind of collapses," said Timothy Dixon, a University of South Florida professor who helped produce the study. "If that happens to be on the coast, that can also increase your flood potential."
In areas south of Virginia, groundwater levels appear to have been recovering this decade as well pumping has been reduced, slowing the subsidence problem. Virginia says it's working on the problem.
"In most places, you wouldn't notice it; it wouldn't matter," said Jack Eggleston, a U.S. Geological Survey scientists who has researched the effects of groundwater pumping on the region's topography. "But in terms of practical effects and practical problems, it does matter when you're right on the shoreline."
The compounding problems of land subsidence and sea-level rise have been pronounced in states where legislatures led by conservative majorities have been reluctant to discuss sea level rise and have been dismissive of the science behind climate change.
The Tar Heel State's legislature drew criticism from climate scientists and others in 2012 over a new law that barred state officials from basing regulations on sea-level rise projections until mid-2016.
"There's a strong level of denial about the existence of the problem," said Pricey Harrison, a Democrat in the North Carolina assembly who opposed the bill. "You can't talk about climate change, you can't talk about sustainability if you want any legislation to move."
To help win support for the bill from Democrats, it was amended to require the state to refine sea level rise projections that were first published in 2010. After lawmakers approved the legislation, then-Gov. Bev Perdue, a Democrat, allowed it to become law without her signature.
The refined sea level rise projections were finalized and published by an independent science panel last month, warning of heavy impacts on coastal communities.
The science panel report concluded that tides could rise by 6 to 11 inches over 30 years in northern parts of the state if greenhouse gas pollution rates continue, or an inch less than that if they're substantially reined in. The estimate included projections for land subsidence and rising seas. In the state's southeast, the panel projected a rise of 4 to 9 inches.
Even without future warming, high tide flooding is already getting worse along the East and Gulf coasts, where subsidence and erosion are rife. The problems become most plainly clear during king tides.
"We can have up to 4-foot tides," said Christine Voss, a University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill ecologist involved with a project that's documenting the effects of king tides. "People are noticing that these flooding events are occurring more frequently, and perhaps with greater depth of inundation."
Although the state is barred from basing any regulations on the new projections before the summer, the estimates are available for counties and local cities, which are not directly affected by the 2012 law.
During the decades ahead, those local planners will be grappling with the profound global crisis of sea-level rise along with natural and human-caused factors that intensify its damages.
By late century, global sea level rise could be so rapid as to make the local effects of subsidence seem trivial, particularly if current pollution levels continue, which recent research has shown could trigger runaway melting in Antarctica.
"Rates of local subsidence may be important now," said Andrew Ashton, a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution scientist who researches changes in coastal environments. "But they'd be swamped by sea level rise for most projections by mid-century."
The challenges that lie ahead threaten to swamp towns, farms and wilderness areas, and to do so more quickly along the Eastern seaboard than in other regions.
For most of the coastline, adapting to the rapid changes ahead may require expensive projects private and public works that construct or improve coastline defenses, such as seawalls, marshes and oyster beds, or that relocate homes and infrastructure out of harms way.
For some communities, that will mean confronting problems that had nary been imagined. For others, it may involve finding news ways to cope with old threats.
"We're very active and very conscious about our water and where it pumps to, where it drains to," said Noble, of Hyde County. "It's just a way of life here."
You May Also Like: Greenland's Melt Season Started Nearly Two Months Early The Suit Against the Clean Power Plan, Explained Carbon Pollution Seen As Key Driver of Sea Level Rise
Originally published on Climate Central.
Much of the recent progress in AI research has been courtesy of an approach known as deep learning.
Artificial intelligence has had its share of ups and downs recently. In what was widely seen as a key milestone for artificial intelligence (AI) researchers, one system beat a former world champion at a mind-bendingly intricate board game. But then, just a week later, a "chatbot" that was designed to learn from its interactions with humans on Twitter had a highly public racist meltdown on the social networking site.
How did this happen, and what does it mean for the dynamic field of AI?
In early March, a Google-made artificial intelligence system beat former world champ Lee Sedol four matches to one at an ancient Chinese game, called Go, that is considered more complex than chess, which was previously used as a benchmark to assess progress in machine intelligence. Before the Google AI's triumph, most experts thought it would be decades before a machine could beat a top-ranked human at Go. [Super-Intelligent Machines: 7 Robotic Futures]
But fresh off the heels of this win, Microsoft unveiled an AI system on Twitter called Tay that was designed to mimic a 19-year-old American girl. Twitter users could tweet at Tay, and Microsoft said the AI system would learn from these interactions and eventually become better at communicating with humans. The company was forced to pull the plug on the experiment just 16 hours later, after the chatbot started spouting racist, misogynistic and sexually explicit messages. The company apologized profusely (opens in new tab), blaming a "coordinated attack" on "vulnerabilities" and "technical exploits."
Despite Microsoft's use of language that seemed to suggest the system fell victim to hackers, AI expert Bart Selman, a professor of computer science at Cornell University, said the so-called "vulnerability" was that Tay appeared to repeat phrases tweeted at it without any kind of filter. Unsurprisingly, the "lolz" to be had from getting the chatbot to repeat inflammatory phrases were too much for some to resist.
Selman said he is amazed Microsoft didn't build in sufficient safeguards to prevent such an eventuality, but he told Live Science the incident highlights one of modern AI's major weak points: language comprehension.
Teaching AI
AI is very good at parsing text that is, unraveling the grammatical patterns that underpin language Selman said, which allows chatbots like Tay to create human-sounding sentences. It's also what powers Google's and Skype's impressive translation services. "But that's a different thing from understanding semantics the meaning of sentences," he added.
Many of the recent advances in AI technology have been thanks to an approach called deep learning, which at some level mimics the way layers of neurons behave in the brain. Given huge swathes of data, it is very good at finding patterns, which is why many of its greatest successes have been in perceptual tasks like image or speech recognition. [A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence]
While traditional approaches to machine learning needed to be told what to look for in order to "learn," one of the main advantages of deep learning is that these systems have "automatic feature discovery," according to Shimon Whiteson, an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Oxford.
The first layer of the network is optimized to look for very basic features in the data, for instance the edge of objects in an image. This output is then fed to the next layer, which scans for more complex configurations, say squares or circles. This process is repeated up the layers with each one looking for increasingly elaborate features so that by the time the system reaches the higher levels, it is able to use the structures detected by lower layers to identify things like a car or a bicycle.
"With deep learning, you can just feed raw data into some big neural network, which is then trained end-to-end," Whiteson told Live Science.
Big payoffs
This has led to some superhuman capabilities. Selman said deep-learning systems have been shown to outperform medical specialists at diagnosing disease from MRI scans. Combining the approach with so-called reinforcement learning, in which machines use reward signals to hone in on an optimal strategy, has also been successful with tasks where it is possible to build accurate virtual simulations, said Kaheer Suleman, chief technology officer and co-founder of Canadian AI startup Maluuba. Google's AI system, dubbed AlphaGo, became an expert by playing itself millions of times and using this combination of methods to sharpen its skills and develop strategies.
"The big challenge for AI is in domains where there is no massive collection of labeled data, or where the environment cannot be simulated well," Suleman said. "Language is a great example of such a domain. The internet contains endless text, but nowhere is its "meaning" labeled in some machine-digestible form."
Maluuba is developing algorithms that can read text and answer questions about it, but Suleman said there are several features of language that make this particularly difficult. For one, language is hugely complex meaning is spread across multiple levels, from words to phrases to sentences. These can be combined in an infinite number of ways and every human uses language differently.
And all language is abstract; words are simply symbols for things in a real world that a machine often can't experience.
"From the perspective of machine learning, the learned system is only as good as the data you provide it," Whiteson said.
Without access to the lifetime of data on the physical world and the wealth of social interactions that a human has accumulated, its little surprise Tay didn't understand what, for instance, the Holocaust is, let alone why it's inappropriate to deny it.
Looking ahead
Despite these challenges, Maluuba posted a paper last month to arXiv, an online repository for preprint research papers, describing how its system was able to answer multiple-choice questions about unfamiliar text with more than 70 percent accuracy, outperforming other neural network approaches by 15 percent, and even outdoing hand-coded approaches. Maluuba's approach combined deep learning with neural network structures, engineered to interact with each other in a way that interactions result in a rudimentary form of reasoning. The company is also working on spoken dialogue systems that can learn to engage in natural conversations with humans.
Selman said language-focused AI can be surprisingly powerful for applications where the subject matter is fairly restricted. For instance, technical helplines are things he predicts could soon be automated (and some already are, to a degree), as could relatively senior administrative jobs that boil down to routine interactions like updating spreadsheets and sending out formulaic emails.
"Weaknesses are exposed in these uncontrolled, very open-ended settings, which involve multiple aspects of human intelligence but also really understanding other people," Selman said.
But progress is certainly being made on this front, Whiteson said, with Google's self-driving car being a prime example. Sharing the street with humans requires the machine to understand more than just the rules of the road it also needs to be able to follow unstated social norms and navigate ethical dilemmas when avoiding collisions, he added.
And as advances in AI and robotics result in increasing numbers of machines being used in the real world, the ability to interact with humans is no longer some lofty goal for sci-fi aficionados. Researchers are now searching for new approaches that could help machines not only perceive, but also understand the world around them.
"Deep learning is great, but it's not a silver bullet," Whiteson said. "There are a lot things still missing. And so a natural next step that people are working on is how can we add things to deep learning so that it can do even more."
"Now all of these thorny questions about what it is we want machines to do and how do we make sure they do it are becoming of practical importance so people are starting to focus on them a lot more now.
Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.
Some say it looks like cottage cheese. Others liken it to an orange peel. But regardless of what you call cellulite, chances are, you have some on your body.
But what's actually going on beneath the skin to give it that dimply, puckered appearance?
Basically, cellulite is fat found just beneath the surface of the skin that's bulging out through a web of connective tissue, said Dr. Michele Green, a dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
Related: 7 plastic surgery myths revealed
When you're young, that connective tissue, made up largely of a protein called collagen, holds the fat in, but as you age, the fat begins to stick out through the tissue, Green told Live Science. That causes a dimpled, lumpy appearance on the skin, she said.
One way to picture what's going on is to think of a net that's holding your fat. If the fibers of the net are too loose or too tight, the fat can poke out through the holes.
But what ultimately causes cellulite to appear as people age isn't really known, Green said.
Exactly when it shows up, and how visible it is, are thought to be influenced by hormones and genetics, Green said. Perhaps because of hormonal factors, men don't get as much cellulite as women do (though some men do get cellulite), she said. And yes, although cellulite is fat, its appearance actually has nothing to do with weight, she said.
Age is another factor. Cellulite starts to appear after puberty, and generally gets worse after that, Green said. Unfortunately, there's nothing a person can do to avoid it, she said.
And despite a massive industry dedicated to banishing cellulite, or at least reducing its appearance, your cellulite is here to stay. "Once it's there, it's there," Green said.
Even procedures such as liposuction, which literally removes fat from the body, can't get rid of cellulite, Green said. (According to the National Library of Medicine, liposuction may actually make cellulite look worse.) [Body Enhancement Nightmares: Top 10 Crimes Against Nature]
Certain procedures may be able to reduce the appearance of cellulite, but only temporarily, Green said. It's similar to how someone might deal with a wrinkle, she said. For example, getting a filler injected into a wrinkle will puff up the area, making the wrinkle less visible, but it's not permanent, she said.
Originally published on Live Science.
As slide continues at world's number 2 container port, Shanghai's throughput also slips 1.6% compared with the first three months of 2015
The Port of Singapore, the worlds second-busiest container port, handled 2.52m teu last month, almost 8% down from the 2.74m teu in March 2015, posting its third consecutive year-on-year decline for 2016.
The port, however moved 5.6% more containers in March than the previous month's 2.38m teu, initial data from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore showed.
For the first three months of 2016, the island city-states port moved 9.0% fewer containers at 7.39m teu compared with 8.12m teu in the same three-month period last year.
From January 15 this year the MPA granted a 10% concession on port dues for container vessels calling at the port of Singapore and carrying out cargo works with a port stay of not more than five days. The concession, which will be in place for a year, is on top of existing concessions such as the Green Port Programme incentives and the 20% concession first introduced in 1996.
The rival port of Shanghai handled 3m teu of containers in March, up 16% from the previous month and 2.1% more than the same month a year earlier, according to data from the Shanghai International Port Group.
A total of 8.5m teu was moved in the first quarter of 2016, down 1.6% from the first three months of 2015, SIPG said.
In 2015, Shanghais container throughput rose 3.5% to 36.5m teu, putting it ahead of Singapore, which handled 30.9m teu, a contraction of 8.7% from a year earlier.
First published on www.lloydslist.com
Acting Librarian of Congress David Mao has appointed Juan Felipe Herrera to serve a second term as the 21st Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry.
In his first term as Laureate, Juan Felipe Herrera traveled the country championing poetry; he also launched an ambitious project on the Librarys website, said Mao, who announced the appointment this evening at Herreras end-of the-term lecture at the Library of Congress. We look forward to seeing what Herrera will accomplish in his second term, and we know he will continue to inspire and educate with his warmth, enthusiasm, and creative genius.
On being appointed to serve a second term, Herrera, who is the first Hispanic poet to serve in the position, said, Deep gratitude and great joy, and many thank-yous to the Library. I look forward to continuing my first years momentum and sharing the inspiration tsunami given to me in every community that I visit throughout the U.S.A. as Laureate.
Herreras second term will begin Sept. 1. He will follow previous multiyear laureates such as Natasha Trethewey, Kay Ryan, Ted Kooser, and Billy Collins and develop a second-term project. Details about his second-term project will be announced in late summer.
Herreras historic first term was noteworthy for his online project, La Casa de Colores," which is comprised of two initiatives: La Familia, a submission-based epic poem asking for the participation of the general public, and El Jardin, a series chronicling his experiences exploring and interacting with the Librarys resources and collections.
The author of 30 books of poetry, novels for young adults and collections for children, Herreras most recent work is Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes (2014), a picture book showcasing inspiring Hispanic- and Latino-Americans, and Notes on the Assemblage (2015), a volume of poems.
Herrera was born in Fowler, California in 1948. As the son of migrant farm workers, Herrera moved around often, living in tents and trailers along the road in southern California, and attended school in a variety of small towns from San Francisco to San Diego. In 1972 he graduated from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a Bachelors degree in Social Anthropology. He then attended Stanford University, where he received a Masters degree in Social Anthropology, and in 1990 received a Masters of Fine Arts degree at the University of Iowa Writers Workshop.
Herrera has written over a dozen poetry collections, including Half the World in Light: New and Selected Poems (2008), which received the National Book Critics Circle Award and the International Latino Book Award. He is also a celebrated young adult and childrens book author, whose honors include the Americas Award for both Cinnamon Girl: Letters Found Inside a Cereal Box (2005) and Crashboomlove: A Novel in Verse (1999), as well as the Independent Publisher Book Award for Featherless / Desplumado (2005), the Ezra Jack Keats Award for Calling the Doves (1995) and the Pura Belpre Author Honor Award for both Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes and Laughing Out Loud, I Fly (1990).
For his poetry Herrera has received two Latino Hall of Fame Poetry Awards, a PEN USA National Poetry Award, the PEN Oakland / Josephine Miles Award, a PEN / Beyond Margins Award, and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Bread Loaf Writers Conference, and the Stanford University Chicano Fellows. He is a recent recipient of an honorary doctorate from Skidmore College.
Herrera has served as the Chair of the Chicano and Latin American Studies Department at California State University, Fresno and held the Tomas Rivera Endowed Chair in the Creative Writing Department at the University of California, Riverside, where he taught until retiring in 2015. He is currently a visiting professor in the Department of American Ethnic Studies at the University of Washington-Seattle. Elected a Chancellor for the Academy of American Poets in 2011, he served as the Poet Laureate of California from 2012-2015.
The Library of Congress Poetry and Literature Center is the home of the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry, a position that has existed since 1936, when Archer M. Huntington endowed the Chair of Poetry at the Library. Since then, many of the nations most eminent poets have served as Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress and, after the passage of Public Law 99-194 (Dec. 20, 1985), as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry. The Poet Laureate suggests authors to read in the Librarys literary series and plans other special events during the literary season. For more information, visit loc.gov/poetry/.
The Library of Congress, the largest library in the world, holds more than 162 million items in various languages, disciplines and formats. The Library serves the U.S. Congress and the nation both on-site in its reading rooms on Capitol Hill and through its award-winning website at loc.gov.
Local News, Business & Finance, Press Releases
By Phil Andrews Published: April 15 2016
The business downturn in local communities over the last couple of years is getting a significant boost through such programs as Small Business Saturday.
Freeport, NY - March 15th, 2016 - Small Business Saturday is being touted across Towns, Counties, and States across America. One regional chamber of Commerce in NY State Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. recently installed its Suffolk County Director Kimberly Grant-Bynoe and hung a large banner as a photo backdrop at her installation. In addition, the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce provided over 100 attendees Shop Small shopping bags (American Express Sponsor) to promote Small Business Saturdays.
Everyone from the President of the United States Barack Obama, State and Local Officials and Chambers of Commerce across America are recognizing the need to rebuild small businesses in local communities. The Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. has decided to add small business Saturday to its annual plan to promote shop small in New York State.
Small business is the backbone of the local economy, and when local communities thrive it raises the quality of life for all those who live in those communities. It is our goal annually to identify small business owners in our region every year on Small Business Saturday and promote Shop Small through supporting their local business establishments. Phil Andrews, President - Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Advocacy is an important component to various types of business organizations such as the US Black Chambers, Inc. and its member chamber Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
The business downturn in local communities over the last couple of years is getting a significant boost through such programs as Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday was celebrated on November 28, 2015 in Counties, Towns, Cities, and State across America.
Our chamber hopes that Small Business Saturday grows beyond a fad throughout America. Shop Small is a key concept that helps builds America and puts local communities back to work in a very substantial manner.
President Barack Obama stated Small businesses are the engines of our economy. From the pop-up shops in our town squares to the family-owned restaurants that bring our neighborhoods to life, they are what keep America going. They provide the jobs, create the products, and develop the services that drive our Nation forward. That is why my Administration has made it a priority to ensure small business owners have the tools, resources, and expertise they need to succeed.
Phil Andrews is the President of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. located online at www.liaacc.org. You can also keep up with Phil Andrews & LIAACC by following along on Twitter.
Crime, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: April 15 2016
The First Squad reports the details of a Robbery which occurred on Thursday, April 14, 2016 at 9:19 p.m. in Baldwin.
Baldwin, NY - April 15th, 2016 - The First Squad reports the details of a Robbery which occurred on Thursday, April 14, 2016 at 9:19 p.m. in Baldwin.
According to detectives, as four employees (2 males ages 23, 19 and 2 females ages 32, 25) were closing the United Deli located at 590 West Seaman Avenue they were forced back inside by two subjects. Subject 1 armed with a black handgun demanded the male victim, 23, to open the register.
The victim complied and placed an undisclosed amount of US currency and a Dell laptop into the subjects backpack. The subjects fled scene southbound on Pine Street. No injuries are reported at this time.
Subject 1 is described as male black, mid 20s wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, mask, and gloves.
Subject 2 is described as black, thin build, mid 20s wearing pink striped pants, dark hooded sweatshirt, mask, gloves and a blue backpack.
Detectives ask anyone with information about this crime to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.
Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com
Columnists Press Releases
The Taliban destroyed an Afghan National Army helicopter as it landed on a remote Army base in the northeastern province of Kunar late last month. The Afghan government previously claimed the helicopter was damaged in an emergency landing, but the Taliban recorded the attack on video.
The dramatic video was produced by Al Emera, an official propaganda outlet of the Taliban, and released today by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Muhajid.
The Taliban claimed the helicopter, an Mi-8 Hip transport, was destroyed by an IED, or improvised explosive device, as it landed on a hilltop outpost in the Nari district in Kunar on March 24. According to the Taliban, 21 Afghan Army commandos were killed in the attack. The number of Afghan soldiers killed in the blast has not been confirmed.
The video is narrated by Taliban fighters who recorded the attack. As helicopter landed at the small base, several soldiers were close by watching the aircraft land. Within 30 seconds after landing, a massive blast toppled the aircraft, and completely destroyed it. There is little chance anyone onboard survived the blast. The fate of the soldiers who were watching the landing is unknown. The blast was likely caused by a bomb that was placed underneath the aircraft, as the explosion appeared to originate from under the helicopter.
The placement of the IED, which was on the helicopter landing pad inside the base, would indicate security is extremely weak on the outpost, or the Taliban placed soldiers inside who planted the bomb. Additionally, the Taliban team that recorded the video and likely detonated the bomb was close to the base, indicating that Afghan troops are not patrolling the perimeter.
The Afghan government denied initial claims that the helicopter was destroyed by the Taliban. On March 29, Kunar Governor Wahidulllah Kalimzai told Pajhwok Afghan News that the helicopter landed at the outpost due to some technical fault.
The helicopter was carrying logistics for security posts and made an emergency landing on a military base after developing some technical fault, he said, according to Pajhwok. He also claimed that the air crew was not injured in the so-called emergency landing.
Such reports are usually difficult to confirm as the incidents often occur in remote areas. However, both the US and Afghan militaries have a spotty track record when reporting on such incidents. For instance, on Dec. 17, 2013, a US Blackhawk helicopter went down in Zabul province, killing six US soldiers. The Taliban claimed it shot down the Blackhawk. But the US military discounted the Talibans claim and said in a press release that initial reporting indicates there was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash.
Three weeks later, the US military told the families of the soldiers killed that enemy action caused the crash and loss of life.
The exact cause of the destruction of the Blackhawk has not been disclosed, but like the Afghan National Army helicopter that was attacked in Kunar, the cause may have been an IED planted by the Taliban. Three US military officials told CNN that the Taliban has been deemed responsible either by shooting the helicopter or if the low-flying aircraft set off a bomb hidden on the ground.
In the past, the Taliban has shot down several US helicopters using RPGs, or rocket-propelled grenades. The most newsworthy strike took place in August 2011 in the Tangi Valley in Wardak province. Taliban RPGs struck a US Army Chinook that was involved in a raid to capture a senior Taliban commander. That attack resulted in the deaths of 38 US and Afghan troops, including 17 Navy SEALs from SEAL Team 6, the unit that killed al Qaedas founder and first emir, Osama bin Laden.
Jihadists in Afghanistan have also advertised the testing of what they described as an anti-helicopter fragmentation mine that is designed to take out US Army Apache attack helicopters. In July 2013, the Islamic Jihad Union, the al Qaeda-linked offshoot of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, displayed one such weapon in a video about its operations in Paktika province. It is unclear if such a device has been successfully deployed against US aor Afghan military helicopters.
Images from the blast that destroyed the Afghan National Army helicopter in Kunar:
Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.
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The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Unveils $40K/night Abu Dhabi Suite
The suite spans between the UAE capital's Nation Towers on the 48th and 49th floors.The journey, exclusively for 50 diners on the last Friday of each month, commences in the hotel's grand Reception Hall where guests are met by one of the hotel's butlers who will escort them to the Abu Dhabi Suite's private elevator.Upon arrival at the Abu Dhabi Suite, guests will be free to explore the 1,120 square metre suite, which retails at AED150,000++ per night.Journeying through the suite, guests will discover exquisite culinary delights in each room; from a cinema full of candy, a dedicated cheese and dessert room, a caviar ice-bar, an oyster room, roaming chef stations and of course, a private bar equipped with the hotel's top mixologists.For a break between tasting, guests can sojourn to the suite's private spa for shoulder massages by therapists from the hotel's Remede Spa and for the ladies, manicures by the hotel's Sisters Beauty Lounge.Brunch in the Clouds is exclusively for adults over 21 years and is available at AED400++ per person or AED650++ with bubbly per person.Mr Moustafa Sakr, General Manager of The St. Regis Abu Dhabi says: "Since opening, there has been a lot of curiosity about the suite. Brunch in the Clouds allows us to engage more with our local community and to let them see the suite for themselves. We also want to highlight the hotel's genuine unassuming service and the culinary skill of our chefs. We see this as a powerful opportunity for people to really understand our passion for luxury and for hospitality."The first Brunch in the Clouds will take place on Friday 29 April, followed by subsequent brunches on Friday 27 May, Friday 29 July and Friday 26 August (Brunch in the Clouds will not take place in June due to Ramadan).Reservations may be made by emailing restaurants.abudhabi@stregis.com.Visit website:
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Ambedkar, the Architect of Damodar Valley Corporation
April 14, 2015 marks Babasaheb Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkars 125th birth anniversary. The following article is being published on that occasion.
Sometime in April 2003 a Bengali engineer of the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), posted somewhere near the Jharkhand-West Bengal border, met me at Patna with the request to address a seminar to mark the Ambedkar birth anni-versary celebrations organised by their employees association. I enquired from him if he could relate the leader anyway with the Damodar Valley Corporation, the first ever river valley project of India. He was unaware of it but he told me that Dr Meghnad Saha, the eminent physicist, is remembered in his organisation for planning the river valley project. Ambedkar is not recalled for any role in this respect. To put it very mildly, this is simply the result of intellec-tual profligacy, leading to complete black-out of information about his great foresight and leadership for the pioneering river valley project.
Last November (2015), I met the DVC Chair-man, Andrew W.K. Langstieh, at his head-quarters at Kolkata to gather information if the Corporation has any archival materials throwing light on the role Dr B.R. Ambedkar played in the establishment of the river valley project for water management in the country. The Corporations librarian, after due search, informed me that no such material was available there. Dr Ambedkar is not known to the employees. This sounds like the case where the children are unaware of their father!
Wavell and Ambedkar Crossed
Swords over DVC
As a member of the Viceroys Executive Council, Dr B.R. Ambedkar held charge of Labour and Public Works. In present-day parlance, he was the Minister for Labour and Public Works of the Union of India. In that capacity Ambedkar was actually the architect of the Damodar Valley Corporation which was the first river valley project in India. Following successful implemen-tation of the DVC, independent India embarked upon a massive programme for implementation of multipurpose river valley projects all over India in the Five-Year Plans for economic development. Lord Wavell was the Viceroy of India when the first river valley project was taken up for formulation.
The Viceroy had in mind a British engineer for the top slot of the upcoming venture. The veteran journalist of yesteryear, Durga Das, focused on an epic clash of the two titansViceroy Wavell and the member of his Executive Council, Ambedkarwere arrayed against each other over the issue:
A chief engineer was needed to head the commission to draw up plans for flood control in the Damodar Valley Corporation in Bihar. Wavell favoured the choice of a British expert who had been adviser on the Aswan Dam project in Egypt. Ambedkar, however, wanted an American who had experience of the development undertaken by the Tennessee Valley Authority. He argued in support of his demand that Britain had no big rivers and its engineers lacked experience in building big dams.1
The Viceroy was the supreme authority repre-senting the British Empire in India, extending from the Khyber Pass to Burma and the Himalayas to Kanyakumari, embracing Pakistan and Bangladesh and Burma of the present-day. India was far larger than the truncated India today. Under the colonial dispensation the Viceroy enjoyed unrivalled power and authority over the subcontinent and hardly anybody was expected to challenge that Supreme Paramount authority; any such challenge was tantamount to indelible audacity.
Can we imagine that a Cabinet colleague in independent India takes a position on any issue of public interest and crosses swords with the Prime Minister or, for that matter, a State Minister with his Chief Minister as Ambedkar did with the Viceroy of India? If anyone at all does, he does not survive as a Minister thereafter even for a minute. But anybody who stands up and presses for ideas different from the Paramount must be a man of indomitable courage and commitment for public cause. As a matter of fact, Ambedkar responded to the call of his inner conscience and humbled the supreme authority of the Empire in India. He could do it because he did not espouse his personal agenda in self-service. What he did was in the best interest of the country.
Commenting on his indomitable spirit and moral courage, Durga Das again noted: Ambedkar was perhaps the most erudite member of the Executive Council and was a powerful speaker. He was a nationalist to the core.....Once an Indian colleague proposed a Bill to apply economic sanctions against South Africa because of maltreatment of Indian settlers in that country. The European members opposed the measure. Ambedkar thundered the table in anger and said Indias self-respect was at stake. His spirited intervention proved decisive and the Council approved the Bill.2
Nevertheless, Arun Shourie in 1997 had launched a tirade against Ambedkar in his work, Worshipping False Gods. He presented Ambedkar as the loyal Minister3 of the Empire to the glee of many loaded with malice against the Executive Member. Ambedkars only objective in the case of the DVC was that an American engineer with working experience in the Tennessee Valley Authority would be befitting for the assignment in the interest of eastern India where the Damodar was the river of sorrows for Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand. In the downstream, the ferocity of the Damodar inflicted untold miseries on millions of villagers in Bengal for year after year over decades and perhaps centuries. Devastating floods of Damo-dar having inflicted widespread damages without parallel in 1823, 1848, 1856, 1859, 1863, 1882, 1890, 1898, 1901, 1905, 1907, 1913, 1816, 1923, 1935, and 1843 are on record. He did not fight with Wavell for setting up a river valley project in his home Bombay Presidency as is the norm these days. His difference with the Governor-General was based on principle.
We can imagine the scene in the Executive Councils meeting inside the Cabinet Chamber. The Viceroy wanted a British engineer for the DVC. Ambedkar stood up to veto the Paramounts proposal. Not only did he oppose it, but successfully torpedoed the move also. Imagine as well the carping and conspiratorial Anglo-Indian press reporting the event next day for their powerful dailies. The tone and tenor of their despatches were all but venomous. They did not conceal their disdain in hurling insinuation at the Viceroy for his failure to tame a native member of his Council. The Anglo-Indians were joined by the well-heeled loyal Indians, a powerful and privileged class, in hurling abuses in the vilification campaign against Ambedkar.
How come Ambedkar was still not dismissed from the Executive Council? Were the colonialists so generous and accommodative of a rebel in their ranks at the higher echelons of adminis-tration? His courage was fired by his unmixed patriotism that had trounced them not once but twice. He risked his position in the Executive Council with studied nonchalance and calcu-lated objective. In the given circumstances, Dr Ambedkar unleashed an earthquake in the Executive Councils Cabinet meetings. The alien ruling class, together with the Anglo-Indian community, was scarcely accustomed to pocket it. Shourie is a motivated author who lacked honesty about Ambedkar.
Ambedkars Vision for National Water Policy
His historical role as the Minister of Public Works in creating the Damodar Valley Corpo-ration is all but forgotten. Or has he been swept under the carpet beyond public eyes? We recall his mission and put his vision in the correct perspective.
Dr Ambedkar visited Calcutta at least twice besides Patna. In Calcutta he addressed meetings in January and September 1945 at Rotunda, Writers Buildings to initiate the groundwork for the DVC project. According to him, My purpose is to tell you that the Government of India is very much alive to the disadvantages arising from the state of affairs and wishes to take steps to evolve a policy which will utilise the water resources to the purpose which they are made to serve in other countries.4
Dr Ambedkar wanted the DVC to be a multi-purpose river valley project for utilisation of enormous water resources for comprehensive development of the country. The project is a welcome one to the Government of India. It very clearly shows a fine prospect of the control of the river, a prospect of controlling floods, of securing a fine area for perennial irrigation with resultant insurance against famine and a much needed supply of power. I am sure it will be more than welcome to the governments of Bengal and Bihar, if they realise what the project will mean to them and their people.5
The objectives of the project were outlined in the following terms:
1. An aggregate controlled reservoir capacity of about 4,700,000 acre-feed;
2. Sufficient water for perennial irrigation of about 760,000 acres, besides water navigation purposes;
3. Electrical energy amounting to 300,000 kilowatts, and it would promote directly the welfare of five million people and indirectly of many more millions.6
The model Ambedkar had in mind was the best known river valley project in the world. It was the Tennessee Valley Scheme in the United States of America. While addressing a meeting on January 3, 1945, the visionary articulated the objectives as follows: The Government has very much in its mind the Tennessee Valley Scheme operating in the United States. They (technical experts) are studying the Scheme and feel that something along that line can be done in India if the Provinces offer their cooperation and agree to override provincial barriers which has held up so much of their progress and their prosperity.7 Ambedkar spelled out further steps in the direction taken by the government. As a preliminary step for securing the best use of the water resources of the country, the Government of India have created a central organisationcalled the Central Technical Power Board, and are contemplating to create another to be called the Central waterways, Irrigation and Navigation Commission.8 The objectives of these two organisations, clarified the Executive Member, is to advise the Provinces on how their water resources can be utilised and how a project can be made to serve purposes other than their irrigation. The Damodar river is the first project along this line. It will be a multipurpose project. It will have the object of not only preventing floods in the Damodar river but also have the object of irrigation, navigation and the production of electricity. Here he declared that the authority which will be in charge of this project after it is completed, will be more or less modelled, as far as may be possible, on the Tennessee valley Authority.9
There is only one thing, which the Government of India expects from the Provinces to do. It expects the Provinces to bear in mind the absolute necessity of ensuring that the benefits of the project get ultimately right down to the grassroots, i.e., everyone living in the Valley and some of those in the vicinity. This, in my view, is essential, and it is for this reason that we want the establishment of some agency early enough so that that agency can set about planning at once in which its essential and ultimate object can be secured.10 Tracing out the constitutional difficulty as he anticipated, he spoke out his mind in no ambiguous terms: Irrigation has been the only objective of our waterways policy. Further, we have not taken sufficient account of that fact that there is no difference between railways and waterways, and if railways cannot be subjected to provincial boundaries, neither can waterways at any rate those that flow from province to province.11
The disadvantages of this error are many and obvious. To give one illustration, a province needs electricity and wishes to utilises its water resources for the purpose but cannot do so because the point at which water dam lies in another province, which being agricultural does not need electricity and has no interest in it or money to finance the project, and would not allow the needy province to use the site. Complain as much as we like, a province can take unfriendly attitude and justify it in the name of Provincial autonomy.12 Dr Ambedkar sounds absolutely prophetic if we consider the internecine disputes over the Kauvery river running through Tamilnadu and Karnataka. Both the States are at daggers drawn over its water resources.
Clarifying the Central Governments position, Ambedkar said in the second meeting at Calcutta: The Damodar Valley Project is a matter of grave urgency, and it would be criminal folly not to come to an early decision, without which it is not possible for us to proceed further in the matter. I, therefore, hope and trust that, with your cooperation, we should be able today to return with our decisions fully and firmly made. 13 Continuing further he said: Let me tell you that the Government of India is very keen, very earnest, and is prepared to play its full part in carrying through its project.14
He committed the Government of Indias resources for the project. The Government of India is prepared to assume direct responsibility for securing staff and organisation necessary to carry out all further preliminary investigations in such manner as will facilitate and expedite construction with assistance as the two Provinces can render without serious detriment to their post-war development works. The Government, however, realise the shortage of engineering manpower in Bengal and will endeavour to find the necessary staff by drawing upon services, if found available, of a military unit and its equipment to assist the preliminary investigation. This will avoid drawing on the strained resources of the province at a large extent that is necessary and will secure a most rapid supply of equipment.15
There is an element of irony in the authorship of the first river valley project falling into the hands of Ambedkar. He not only laid the foun-dation of the prestigious project but also he inaugurated the National Water Policy. The same man, when a student in school, used to be denied access to the water source or taps for drinking water. His untouchability stood against him driking water from the common source. And yet he was the architect of the National Water Policy, no matter even though the vast DVC and the countrymen have forgotten that historical fact.
Footnotes
1. Durga Das, India-From Curzon to Nehru and After, Collins, London, 1969, p. 236.
2. Ibid
3. Arun Shourie, Worshipping False Gods, HarperCollins Publishers India, 1997, p. 100.
4. Dr B.R. Ambedkar Writings and Speeches, vol. 10, Bombay, 1991, p. 286.
5. Ibid.
6. Dr B.R. Ambedkar Writings and Speeches, vol. 10, Bombay, 1991, p. 286.
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid, pp. 222-223.
10. Ibid. p. 288.
11. Ibid. p. 221.
12. Ibid. 221.
13. Ibid. p. 287.
14. Ibid. p. 287
15. Ibid. p. 287.
Dr A.K. Biswas is a retired IAS officer and a former Vice-Chancellor, B.R. Ambedkar University, Muzaffarpur (Bihar)
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Myanmar: New Parliament, Sui Kyi and the Rohingyas
by Aparupa Bhattacherjee
Despite the opposition from those parliamen-tarains closer to the Establishment, the new parliament in Myanmar has passed a bill providing a new position for Suu Kyi. With the NLD majority within the parliament taking a conscious decision not to upset the existing power structure that prohibits Suu Kyi from becoming the President, the move by the National League for Democracy (NLD) is a compromise and acceptance of the reality. This really augurs well for the democratic transition of Myanmar, as the country cannot afford a hostile approach from the elected members and the Establishment.
But the crucial question is: would the parliament also pursue such a strategy of compromise and address one of the most crucial questions that would help or mar the democratic transition processthat is, the one related to the Rohingyas?
Will the New Parliament address the Rohingya Issue?
Of course, the Rohingya question is not the only issue facing the democratic transition of Myanmar; there are numerous other ethnic divides, militant groups and peace initiatives that the new government and Suu Kyi has to address.
But the Rohingya question demands special parliamentary attention for two sensitive reasons. First, unlike the other ethnic groups, the Rohingyas have a large disadvantage: they are not considered to be Myanmarese in the first place and not a part of the process of the Constitution and parliment. Other groups do have issues and faultlines, but the larger Myanmarese nation and parliament accept them as citizens. Rohingyas are not considered as Myanmarese citizens and have no locus standi in any parliamentary discussion. Second, there is no group or section within Myanmar that could project the views of the Rohingya community. The Rohingyas have neither a militia, as most of the other ethnic groups have, that forces the state to respond, nor do they have a political voice within Myanmar. On the other hand, though divided over numerous faultlines, the Myanmar nation is united in terms of their opposition towards the Rohingyas. And that makes this section different from the other ethnic groups and political processes. Neither are the Rohinyags considered as an ethnic group, nor is there a political process.
So an unfortunate answer for this questionwhether the new Parliament would address the Rohingya issue would be in the negative. No, the new Parliament is unlikely to address the Rohingya issue. First, if one has to go through the NLDs electoral campaign, it remained silent on the Rohingya issue. Perhaps, winning the elections and entering the parliament was the primary objective than talking about national reconci-liation. Though the NLD did speak about political and ethnic reconciliation, it remained silent on the Rohingya issue. Second, the majority in Myanmar do not want even to talk about the issue; they are convinced that the Rohigyas are in fact Bengalis and have no place inside the country. With such a maximalist view, the NLD consciously kept a low profile on the issue.
After winning the elections and having taken control of the parliament, the NLD is not likely to speak up. There are larger issues, starting from finding a prominent role for Suu Kyi within the parliament and addressing the national reconciliation processes with different groups. The Establishment is another issue that needs to be appeased for the NLD. Projecting the Rohingya issue is not likely to get any positive response from the Establishment; hence the NLD will avoid speaking on the subject and look into other issues that it considers vital for its survival and further expansion.
Outside the NLD, none of the other parties is likely to bring up this issue inside the parliament. Nor will the regional parties from the Rakhine region, for example, the Arakan National Party, raise this issue with a positive approach.
Will Suu Kyi address the Rohingya Issue?
If the NLD is unlikely to make it an issue and the parliament unlikely to debate it, the other option is Suu Kyi, the Noble Laureate. Unfortu-nately, her position has also been not so convincing. A new book (The Lady and the Generals by Peter Popham) claims that she was unhappy with the questions in a BBC interview on the Rohingyas and apparently lost her temper with the interviewer. Worse, the book reports that she commented off-air after the BBC Today programme: No-one told me that I was going to be interviewed by a Muslim. With Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy on the driving seat today, the larger question is: would the Noble Laureate remain silent on the crucial Rohingya issue that is hurting Myanmars international image?
In Myanmar today, there is so much of hope with the ongoing democratic transition, especially with the NLD taking over power since last month. Although Suu Kyi is barred from becoming the President, Htin Kyaw, her close confidant, has been chosen for the post; hence it could be speculated that the real power will be in her own hands. This is a crucial phase for not only Myanmars political reforms and democratic transition, but also for its larger national reconciliation process with numerous ethnic groups. There is an ongoing peace process and efforts towards a National Ceasefire Agree-ment with all the ethnic armed forces is the next step. However, this process unfortunately does not include the radical violence against the Myanmarese Muslims, especially the Rohingyas in the Arakan State.
Ethnic solidarity and integration had been given prominence by the NLD in all its pre-election campaigns. Suu Kyi has always stressed on National Reconciliation but, unfortunately, this has not been transformed into action. The newly formed NLD Cabinet seems to consist primarily of the Burmans with only one member from an ethnic minority. On the Rohingyas, she avoids and refuses to state anything when questioned about the problem. When pressed on the Rohingya issue during the above BBC interview, she was reported to have commented: I think there are many, many Buddhists who have also left the country for various reasons. This is a result of our sufferings under a dictatorial regime.
The Rohingya crisis has attracted the attention of the international media and leaders. Why does Aung San Suu Kyi refuse to voice her opinion about the crisis that has compelled the entire world to sympathise with the Rohingyas?
Why is Suu Kyi Silent on the Rohingyas?
To appease her vote-bank?
Many interpret her silence on the Rohingyas as a part of electoral politics to appease her vote-bank, a majority of whom are Buddhists. Myanmar is approxi-mately 96 per cent Buddhist and four per cent Muslim. It seems Suu Kyi has chosen the heavier side preferring to retain their support rather being concerned about the plight of the four per cent.
Suu Kyi is worried about taking up the cause of minority Rohingyas largely because of the majority narrative in Myanmar in the last few years. Emergence of radical groups and a violent majoritarian narrative on religious grounds has shifted the larger national political discourse. She is cautious perhaps of this larger majori-tarian Myanmarese discourse. Though the Rakhine Buddhist and Rohingya rift has been in existence since the 1990s, post-2012 it took a serious and violent turn. The 969 radical Buddhist movement was led by Ma Ba Tha (Association to Protect Race and Religion), and one of the most controversial monks of Asia, Asin Wirathu. This group and the monk openly engage in anti-Islamic propaganda and preach hatred throughout Myanmar. Their openness indicates the support of the ruling elites; to an extent it might be orchestrated by the Tatmadaw elites as well. Subsequently, it also led to the rise of Burmese nationalism with the use of Buddhism. Today any support for the Rohingyas in Myanmar is considered equivalent to anti-Buddhism and, therefore, anti-national. Perhaps this majoritarian politics is forcing Suu Kyi to remain silent.
Is Suu Kyi Islamophobic? This is a new question that is likely to haunt Suu Kyi after the revelation of her BBC interview mentioned above. Mishal Husain, according to reports during her interview, repeatedly asked her to denounce the violence against the Muslims in Myanmar whereas Suu Kyi continued to retain her stand that not only the Muslims, several Buddhists have also suffered.
Worse was Suu Kyis comment about being interviewed by a Muslim. This statement has not only resulted in numerous international supporters of Suu Kyi being disheartened, but also compels one to raise another question: does she also have misgivings about the Muslims similar to many of her countrymen and women?
If yes, it will be surprising, given the fact that Suu Kyi has grown up in a multicultural atmosphere and her values are perceived to be multicultural. Aung San Suu Kyi, who had been partly educated in India, is quoted to be a follower of Gandhian philosophy which upholds tolerance as its principal value. Both her later education and life in Britain have been in a multicultural environment before she returned to Myanmar in 1988. Furthermore, she has been bestowed with popular awards such as the Noble Peace Prize and the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Hence, the above statement from Suu Kyi is not only shocking but upsetting as well.
Is her concern for Rohingyas genuine? There is a different reason for her silence on the Rohingyas. As mentioned by Suu Kyi time and again, if she takes a stand on behalf of the Rohingyas it will make the situation worse for them. The fear here isit will further infuriate the anger of the Rakhine Buddhists against the Rohingyas. To some extent she is correct. Increasing international focus on the Rohingya suffering has made the Rakhine Buddhists agitated, further deepening the existing rift between the two communities. The anger was evident when Buddhist mobs attacked several international Nongovernmental Organisations including several doctors from Medecins San Frontieres (MSF). Some attacks have also hampered the much-needed aid being delivered to the Rohingyas.
But silence is definitely not a solution to this problem. Given the present situation, the Rohingya crisis has crossed the national boundaries of Myanmar and is perceived as a problem by both South-East and South Asia. It is high time that Suu Kyi breaks her silence on the Rohingyas. With the NLD in power, the parliament should have a reasonable debate on the Rohingyas. Such an approach will also reduce international tensions and pressure on the Rohingya issue and provide more space and time for the new government. In the long run. Such an approach will also help consolidate Myanmars democratic transition.
Aparupa Bhattacherjee is an independent researcher and focuses on South-East Asian politics, especially Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Fall of a State that was once a World Model; Kerala VIPs face the Fury of a (...)
IMPRESSIONS
For the first time in history a woman of colourful reputation, backed by a jail term, has become the fulcrum of power in the State, holding the Chief Minister, several Ministers, MLAs and police bosses to ransom. To understand the enormity of this achievement, we must remember that the present Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, is the shrewdest political manipulator Kerala has ever seen. He plotted the ouster of the influential K. Karuna-karan and of the popular A.K. Antony from chief ministership, thus clearing the way to his own rise to the top. He also subdued his alliance partners, K.M. Mani and Kunjalikutty, masters of machinations in their own right, the moment they showed signs of asserting themselves. Such a genius of intrigue being upstaged by a charming cheat?
But Sarita Nair is no ordinary woman. A B.Com graduate and mother of two, she dances and a film or two featuring her are in the works. She began life with a bank job which she used to take loan-seekers for a ride. Articulate, intelligent and bold to a fault, she seems ready for a fight whoever the adversary. She was made for politics.
But she went into business. With a partner (now in jail for, among other things, killing his wife), she floated a company to provide solar energy to all kinds of enterprises. Finding shortcuts through political influence was the preferred modus operandi of the company. Chief Minister Chandy was one of her early contacts and she used the link to line up some big deals. When the bubble burst she said vast sums of money were paid to VIPs while some VIPs tried to exploit her as a woman.
In the initial stages Sarita never made any charges against Oommen Chandy himself. But he must have been rattled within. He made two uncharacteristic mistakes. The first was to say that he did not know Sarita Nair and never met her. In no time photographs appeared on screens and in newspapers showing Sarita whispering things into the ears of the Chief Minister. Subsequently Chandy said he might have seen her two or three times. Against published and telecast evidence, the Chief Minister sounded like telling untruths. In the eyes of the public, he lost.
His second mistake was another untruth. Commentators started saying that Chandy was reaping what he had sowed when he used the ISRO spy case of 1994 against K. Karunakaran. Chandy challenged the media to cite a single instance of his attacking Karunakaran over the ISRO case. In no time, the channels showed a young Oommen Chandy softly but in strong words saying that the ISRO case had so badly damaged Karunakarans and the Congress reputation that his continuance in office would be fatal for the party. When the news-clip was brought to his attention, he smiled and brazened it out by denying any link between then and now. In the eyes of the public, he lost heavily.
Sarita Nair, having initially protected the Chief Minister, later turned against him because, she said, there was no sign of his returning to her, as promised, the money she had paid to his nominees at various times. Indicating that there was some truth in her claims, a couple of the Chief Ministers close personal aides had to abruptly leave their jobs in the early stages of the scandal. Now, openly and directly, Sarita said she had paid a bribe of Rs 1.9 crore to the Chief Ministers personal representative in Delhi. Denials by party spokesmen filled the air. Then, before a jungle of television cameras, raising her finger as well as her voice, Sarita challenged the Chief Minister (without mentioning his name) to file an FIR against her. People were stunned.
In the last week or so the master tactician in Oommen Chandy seems to have recovered. Vigilance and police reports have come out exposing conspirators behind Sarita Nair. The needle of suspicion points to government leaders, primarily because some of the Ministers are known for corruption. But counter-disclosures help fill the air with confusion, giving the Chandy group some breathing space.
The real tragedy is Keralas. Till a decade ago the Kerala model was internationally lauded for its achievements in the social sector. The States educational advancement and village-covering health services were the envy of others. All that is gone. Now money rules. Perhaps Kerala will fare better if Sarita Nair becomes the next Chief Minister. It certainly will not fare worse.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Evolution of Political Corruption
From N.C.s Writings
In just about a years time, we shall be celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the countrys independence when power was transferred from the unwilling hands of the British rulers to the leaders of our freedom struggle. And it is exactly fifty years now that in the last general election under colonial rule, in 1946, the leader of the Indian National Congress toured the length and breadth of this vast land promising the public that once the power was transferred, he and his party would hang every black-marketeer from the next lamp post.
Fifty years have passed and today the leader of the very same Congress party is facing charges of cheating and large-scale corruption before the court of a Delhi Magistrate. And he still has not given up the august post of the President of the party that was at the vanguard of our countrys freedom struggle.
Not only is this a solitary case of shocking misdemeanour on the part of a political leader who was until three months ago the Prime Minister of this great country. A whole array of political personalitiesformer Ministers and other leaders including the Presidents of two largest Opposition partiesface arraignment before the law court on charges of having been involved in mega-size hawala transactions. The rich harvest of political big-wigs who have figured in the Jain hawala diary reads like a VIP court circular.
Nowadays as the lid is being removed from the cesspool of corruption in public life, one is at a loss to make out how the malaise has overtaken our body politic in these five decades since independence.
The quantum of black money in circulation and how to deal with it have been discussed from time to time by economists from Kaldor downward, but no succinct analysis has so far been made by our pundits in sociology or political science or by the media seniors how this degeneration has come about, its history, its magnitude stage by stage, and what it really means for our democracy and its future. Individual monographs have come out from time to time such as the one on the ramifications of the Birla House by a journalist from Calcutta in the fifties, while the late D.R. Mankekar brought out a gallery of guilty men in the sixties. In the old days, the peponderating influence of the Birlas over the Congress leadership was widely known. That was more in the nature of an open liaison between the top leadership of the national movement and one of the nationalist-minded business houses who despite the frowns of the Raj stood by Gandhiji, who ironically breathed his last within the precincts of the Birla House.
When independence came, the Congress leadership was particularly keen on jealously guarding its own image before the public as leaders who could not be corrupted even if the new situation required a continuous demand for financial help for the party. The multifarious activities in which the Congress and other political parties were engaged required a good amount of funds flowing in regularly. Many of these activities became part of the new governments agenda but the parties required big money to fight elections, the Congress being the largest of them had a bigger budget.
If the political parties needed funds, the business community needed government support and patronage. Thus was provided an opening for fresh opportunities for acquiring funds which the ruling parties, particularly the Congress, could thrive on. At the same time, the Congress leadership of those early years after independence, was alert about the need to retain their image of being averse to all the means of securing unearned money from the business community.
As a result, an interesting division of labour was maintained by the first generation of leaders, from 1947 to 1969, that is, upto the time of the Congress split. By this arrangement, leaders like Nehru, Sardar Patel, Pant and others who could sway the public politically, preserved their image as being above corrupt or underhand dealings, while others like S.K. Patil or Atulya Ghosh were expected to do the dirty job. And fund collection for some consideration was certainly one of them. This came out very sharply in the Mundhra scandal, over which T.T. Krishnamachari resigned because he had winked at the LIC giving him a loan which he would not have otherwise got. Mundhra did pay a good amount as quid pro quo to a senior Congress leader who was never mentioned in all the preceedings; instead, TTK took the onus upon himself for having done something irregular. The reason why the name of the actual recipient of the Mudhra bribe was held back was that the Congress party leadership was anxious that its own image before the public must not be smudged, as these top leaders were the main vote-catchers for the Congress party.
This neat division of labour within the Congress leadership, however, collapsed with the Congress split in 1969. When Indira Gandhi assumed the leadership of the Congress, she did not bother about that delicate division of labour; instead, she herself approached the business magnates and funds came from them direct to her, or through her trusted henchmen like Rajni Patel and others who were her underlings. By this arrangement, the resources of the Congress were concentrated only in Indira Gandhis hands who became the omnipotent dispenser of all favours and concessions while the business world too could exercise more direct influence on the government through her and her retinues. Secondly, it was not a deal between the government and the corporate sector as a collective, but one between the head of the government and specific elements of the business world whom she would favour. In the bargain, the distinction between party fund and the leaders coffers was blurred, and individual businessmen or houses became the favourites of the establishment.
This had its impact on the shape of politics. Instead of the party holding the purse-strings, the leader became the sole dispenser of all funds, and through it came his or her power. Thus the leaders family and favourites became all powerful. The unwholesome rise of Sanjay Gandhi as an extra-constitutional authority could be ascribed in a large measure to this new development. The early days of Maruti and the mafia that grew around it bear eloquent testimony to this. The hereditary dispensation enjoyed by Indira Gandhis progenies can certainly be ascribed to this new style of political financing.
Another stage was reached in the eighties, that is, when Indira returned to power after the devastation she had brought upon herself during the Emergency. This time a new style was followed for clearing the target for raising funds. So long the traditional style of the Congress fund collection for the election was to approach the business houses on the eve of the election campaign. However, in 1984-85 this seasonal drive for funds was far less conspicuous. Under the new style of fund collection, the leader in authority turned more to mega-purchases on government account, and would charge a cutback on such purchases. For obvious reasons, this involved dealing with foreign companies, particularly in the field of defence. This way came the kickback from the German submarine deal (which is yet to be unearthed) and after this came the Bofors scandal under Rajiv Gandhi. Such deals are transconti-nental by nature, and despite exposures, and the establishment of the fact of kickback money having been given to individual operators, nobody has been punished, as the matter is supposed to be still under investigation.
The importance of the Bofors scandal in the evolution of political corruption in our country needs to be understood in all its implications. First, it directly involved the Prime Minister, as the needle of suspicion has been definitely pointed at some of his cronies and members of his family. Secondly, it involved arms supply. Although the Bofors gun is widely established, the fact that kickbacks from a foreign arms company could have major political repercussions contributed to a large extent to the ruling Congress party having lost the elections in 1989. Thirdly, it opened up tremendous possibilities for foreign companies intervening in our politics through the sordid channel of bribery and kickbacks. The fact that even to this day the Bofors scandal has not been fully unearthed enhances the danger of foreign firms intervening in our politics.
It is important to note that just in this period, agents of big foreign interests have become conspicuous in our politics. To comprehend this, one has only to recall the enormous clout that the Italian giant, Snam Progettis local agent could wield in the Rajiv establishment in the eighties. What role Quattrocchi has played in the inner recesses of the Rajiv establishment is yet to be assessed, but nobody doubts that it is of far-reaching consequence.
It is precisely in this background that one has to take into account a phenomenon like Chandraswami. Despite several warnings, Narasimha Rao did maintain close relations with him. This could be seen not only in the recent disclosures about Chandraswamis misdoings, but in the fact that he kept close to Narasimha Rao, despite the gentle warnings that the then Prime Minister received from friends and well-wishers. And Chandraswamis circle of devotees is a very extensive onecomprising not only Narasimha Rao but former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar, and even T.N. Seshan, the Chief Election Commissioner, who has been talking about our countrymen having lost their character. It is not enough to say that Chandraswami dabbles in politics: within the network of his shady activities on an international scale, one finds Adnan Khasoggi, the Sultan of Brunei and Tiny Rowlandsa worldwide mafia involved in a variety of excursions from high finance to arms sales and one would not be surprised to find it having been involved in drug trafficking. The infamous St Kitts cook-up to frame V.P. Singhs son, which was designed by Chandraswami during Rajiv Gandhis term, in which Narasimha Rao was involved, brought out the type of dangerous politics that was being pursued behind the facade of the so-called godman. It is after years of notorietywhen he got protection and immunity from his political patronsChandraswami is now finding himself in difficulty before the law court, and he would have no hesitation today implicating his VIP political patrons.
It is not in the least surprising that in the very period in which Chandraswamis antecedents are coming to light, the country has learnt a lot also from the Jain hawala deal which has taken a heavy toll of politicians. What needs to be stressed is that the exposure of these rackets of Jains and Chandraswamis and their tribe tells us that not only were big money deals involved, but these are into-related with harbouring terrorists and underworld characters who could be a threat to our security. The fact that persons occupying high offices in our democracy have not hesitated to make use of these shady characters makes it clear not only that they themselves have been wallowing in corruption but also that they allow the countrys security to be endangered through such contacts. Corruption is not just a moral issue but equally involves a threat to the countrys interest and security.
What is disturbing is that the allegations of corruption have ceased to be a matter of disgrace in public life. Hence, one sees the Congress leaders have yet to insist that they could not afford to have as their leader one who is facing charges of corruption in the company of the disreputable Chandraswami and that a hawala-tainted politician could sneak back into the present government as a full-fledged Cabinet Minister. What is yet to be realised by our political leaders is that in the public eye, corruption is looked down upon and anybody tarred with it carries no authority whatsoever in the judgement of the common public. Politicians may look at corruption as a manageable private affair but the wider public, getting more and more awakened, regards corruption of Chandraswami and the hawala dimension as an undoubted curse to be purged out of our politics.
(Mainstream, July 20, 1996)
India must put quality control at the centre of its policies on IP filing if it doesnt want to deal with a mess of its own making later
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Ryan Gosling once again proves he's a complete hero by defending girlfriend Eva Mendes
Our crush on Ryan Gosling is getting ridiculous.
Not content with breaking up street fights in New York, saving the lives of journalists, supporting feminism and being a totally dashing, the talented actor has now proved he's the perfect boyfriend by defending girlfriend Eva Mendes.
RYAN GOSLING'S HOTTEST LOOKS (opens in new tab)
The couple were walking through the Bowery Hotel in New York before the premiere of their new movie The Place Beyond The Pines when a fashion photographer yelled: 'Hey, baby' at Eva across the room.
This did not please Gosling who reportedly got extremely annoyed with the man in question.
'Ryan completely flipped out, and it got heated,' said an eyewitness who spoke to The New York Post. 'Ryan got in the guys face and said, "Who are you calling baby?" Eva had to jump in and calm everyone down before it came to fisticuffs. Ryan then made nice and shook the guys hand.'
Now, we're sure Eva Mendes can fight her own battles, but you've got love the Gosling for defending his lady's honour.
Swoon.
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RYAN GOSLING HELPLINE SET UP FOR DISTRESSED FANS
HEY GIRL! RYAN GOSLING THE FEMINIST
RYAN GOSLING BREAKS UP STREET FIGHT IN NYC
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Across the globe, making a toast ahead of drinking alcohol is the done thing. In the Netherlands they say proost, the Czech say na zdravi, in France its sante, the Italians say cin cin or salute and the Finnish raise a glass to kippis.
Its customary to say cheers before sipping your wine at dinner or downing a shot of tequila in the bar on a Friday night. But have you ever wondered why exactly it is we say cheers?
Across the globe, making a toast ahead of drinking alcohol is the done thing. In the Netherlands they say proost, the Czech say na zdravi, in France its sante, the Italians say cin cin or salute and the Finnish raise a glass to kippis.
All in all were wishing each other well, cheersing to good health or simply expressing our joy at being together.
According to Mental Floss, it is widely understood that the custom of toasting originated with the ancient Greeks and Romans who gave offerings to the gods during ceremonial banquets. Wine was poured, glasses were raised and those present would announce respect to the dead and to the health of the living.
Thats where the English cheers which means have good cheer is said to have come from.
But why do we call it a toast? Theres no bread. Theres no toaster.
Well, actually there once was. The phrase to toast literally comes from the practice of adding a bit of toasted bread to your drink. One of the first accounts of this custom can be found in the Shakespeare play The Merry Wives of Windsor: Go getch me a quart of sack put a toast int.
The quality of wine in the Elizabethan era was so poor, drinkers often popped a bit of toast in it to add flavour.
Yum.
Austal has welcomed the Commander of the Royal Navy of Oman (CRNO), Rear-Admiral (RADM) Abdullah bin Khamis bin Abdullah Al Raisi to the companys Australian shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia, to officially name two 72 meter High Speed Support Vessels (HSSVs) designed and built by Austal for the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO).
In a formal ceremony, RADM Abdullah bin Khamis bin Abdullah Al Raisi named the ships RNOV AL MUBSHIR (S11) and RNOV AL NAASIR (S12).
The first vessel RNOV AL MUBSHIR (S11) is on schedule for delivery in the first half of 2016; whilst the second vessel RNOV AL NAASIR was launched this month and shall be delivered following further fitout, sea trials and acceptance in the second half of 2016.
Speaking at the ceremony, RADM Abdullah bin Khamis bin Abdullah Al Raisi remarked, The High Speed Support Vessel is an important new addition to the Royal Navy of Oman fleet and a continuation of a modernization process that is reinforcing Omans naval capabilities and supporting the Sultan Armed Forces (SAF). The HSSV will help us fulfil our national mission to protect Omani waters and meet other joint operational support requirements, including search and rescue and humanitarian and disaster relief.
Austal is to be congratulated on a successful build program and we look forward to deploying both the AL MUBSHIR and AL NAASIR in 2016.
Austal commenced construction of the two HSSVs in August 2014, following the award of the $124.9million contract from the RNO in March 2014.
The unique first-of-class naval vessels are an evolution of the proven Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) platform, developed for the United States Navy by Austal, now operating around the world with U.S. Military Sealift Command. The innovative design offers high speed performance, multiple-mission capability and operational flexibility and demonstrates Austals industry-leading ability to develop unique, customized naval solutions based on proven designs, for export markets.
The 38 knot, all-aluminum HSSV offers exceptional speed, maneuverability and carrying capacity (for up to 260 embarked troops and equipment and vehicles) for a range of military operations and logistics support roles. Featuring a shallow draft of 3 meters, a 900sqm vehicle deck, 395 metric ton carrying capacity and medium-lift aviation capability (for a NH-90 helicopter), the HSSV provides support for both open ocean and coastal missions.
Newly-appointed Austal Chief Executive Officer, David Singleton congratulated RADM Abdullah bin Khamis bin Abdullah Al Raisi on the RNOs strategic investment in the innovative HSSV platform - and confirmed that Austal shall provide in-service support to the RNO and the two HSSVs through the companys Middle East Service Centre in Muscat, Oman.
Singleton added, The naming of these two high speed support vessels further demonstrates Austals proven capability to design, construct and support large, multiple-vessel defense programs - a position we are justifiably proud of, as we prepare to participate in the Commonwealths Competitive Evaluation Process to build Australias Offshore Patrol Vessel and Future Frigate programs for the Royal Australian Navy.
1912 - The scout cruisers USS Chester (CL 1) and USS Salem (CL 3) sail from Massachusetts to assist RMS Titanic survivors, and escort RMS Carpathia, which carried the survivors of the Titanic, to New York.
1914 - USS New York (BB 34) is commissioned.
1918 - First Marine Aviation Force, under the command of Capt. Alfred A. Cunningham, USMC, is formed at Marine Flying Field, Miami, Fla.
1943 - USS Yorktown (CV 10) is commissioned.
1945 - USS Frost (DE 144) and USS Stanton (DE 247) join to attack and sink German submarine U 880 and then German sub U 1235, north of the Azores.
1961 - The first nuclear-powered frigate, USS Bainbridge (DLGN-25), is launched at Quincy, Mass.
1962 - USS Princeton (LPH 5) brings the first advisory unit to Vietnam and the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 362 SocTrang, Mekong Delta, South Vietnam.
1986 - Operation El Dorado Canyon begins. Navy aircraft from USS America (CV-66) and USS Coral Sea (CV-43) attack Libya.
(Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division)
EU Transport and Environment Ministers meet April 14-15 in Amsterdam for an informal joint Council meeting under the Dutch EU Presidency. The agenda features a discussion on how Member States could make a positive and constructive contribution to achieve an international framework of CO2 reduction commitments.
We fully support the initiative of the Dutch Presidency, said ECSA President Niels Smedegaard, The shipping industry endorses the Paris agreement on climate change and we are committed to ambitious CO2 emission reductions across the world merchant fleet."
Smedegaard added, "With the shipping industrys support, Member States of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will be able to develop meaningful CO2 reduction commitments for the international shipping sector as a whole that are both ambitious and realistic.
The informal Council meeting is held ahead of the 69th session of the IMOs Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) session, which takes place next week in London. MEPC will feature a discussion on a global data collection system that will provide information on the emissions from maritime shipping on an annual basis. We believe that this system should have mandatory application, said ECSA Secretary General Patrick Verhoeven, A decision in IMO should come forward in 2016 so that ships can provide the required data as soon as possible.
ECSA also supports the proposal of its international partner ICS (International Chamber of Shipping) for IMO Member States to adopt an Intended IMO Determined Contribution. This would make IMO Member States and the shipping industry answerable to the international community, in the same way that governments committed to Intended National Determined Contributions (INDCs).
The adoption of an Intended IMO Determined Contribution would also make it clear that the reduction of the sectors CO2 emissions is being addressed robustly by IMO Member States.
The development of an Intended IMO Determined Contribution should be part of a clear work plan and timetable, to be elaborated as of this year, concluded Patrick Verhoeven.
The Australian Government today tabled its response to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee report, Inquiry into firefighting foam contamination Part A - RAAF Base Williamtown.
As part of its response, the Australian Government has announced the continuation of the existing financial assistance package to fishers and businesses affected by the NSW Government's precautionary closures of the Tilligerry Creek and Fullerton Cove fisheries beyond 30 June 2016 and will also introduce a new Business Transition Payment.
Defence continues to work closely with NSW Government and other Commonwealth agencies to further investigate the nature and extent of the legacy PFOS/PFOA issue at RAAF Base Williamtown. Defence is carrying out detailed environmental investigations at Williamtown, which includes the development of a human health risk assessment.
This human health risk assessment is due to be completed by the end of July. In the interim, the Australian Government will continue to provide support to assist with the financial hardship experienced by individuals and businesses as a result of the NSW Government's decision.
The Australian Government will continue to provide an Income Recovery Subsidy to individuals who have experienced a loss of income as a result of closure of the fisheries. These payments will continue for a period of eight weeks after 30 June 2016, which is when the NSW Government is due to make a decision on the current bans.
On 1 July 2016, the Australian Government will also provide the ability for fishing businesses affected by the closures to claim a further Business Hardship Payment of up to $20,000. In addition to the Business Hardship Payment, the Australian Government will be implementing a Business Transition Payment of up to $25,000 to assist businesses pursue alternative sources of income if the NSW Government delays its decision to reopen these fisheries beyond 30 June 2016.
Marines with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve participated in exercise Arctic Eagle at Camp Grayling, Michigan, from April 4-14, 2016.
More than 300 Reserve Marines joined the 81st Troop Command of the Indiana National Guard and the Danish Home Guard to serve as the Task Force Protection team during the exercise. The Task Force Protection team worked together to prepare offensively and defensively for possible national crises in arctic regions across the world.
The purpose of the training is to exercise the Marine Forces Reserves ability to plug into a defense support to civil authorities mission in times of extreme crisis inside the United States, said Lt. Col. Michael D. McCarthy, commanding officer of 3rd Bn., 25th Marine Reg.
With an augment of the Danish Home Guard, the Marines were able to key in on the benefits of a multinational exercise while leveraging local resources available in the United States.
This gives us the opportunity to exchange tactics, techniques and procedures with the Danish Home Guard, McCarthy said. It gives the younger Marines an opportunity to do things theyve never done before like meet foreign countries and exchange culture.
The Reserve Marines, as a part of the joint bilateral task force, learned from the Danish Home Guard and conducted simulated military scenarios similar to situations they could face in cold regions.
The Marines will be tasked to provide critical infrastructure defense of a pipeline in Alaska, McCarthy said. The Marines will augment the Army and the Danish Home Guard as they are called upon to protect a pipeline under terrorist threat.
During the two weeks, the Marines encountered the advantages and disadvantages of working with a foreign military.
My team had to overcome a slight language barrier, said Cpl. Benjamin A. McClure, team leader for Co. I, 3/25. All and all, the experience was great with the Danes for me and the other Marines.
In addition to the communication barrier, the Danes had to learn the Marines methods before conducting live-fire drills.
Tactically, the Danish were different in the way they chose to advance, McClure said. They do things a little differently and a little bit slower. Overall, our tactics became very similar to the Danish Home Guard.
Sgt. Frederik Muller, a team leader in the Danish Home Guard, explained that the training has given the Danes opportunities to learn about the US military.
We learned from your Army instructors and your Marine instructors, Muller said. We do it a little different from you guys, and you guys do it a little different from us, so we share information and get better.
The Task Force Protection team experienced the full training by balancing the cold weather conditions and protecting the simulated pipeline. The exercise moved from Camp Grayling to the Combined Arms and Collective Training Facility 30 miles away to finish their training with simulated urban terrain combat.
The exercise increased the knowledge of the Marines, Danes, and soldiers on how to respond to national threats while also being pushed physically in constant snow and below freezing temperatures.
Marines are the nations 911 responders. They handle some of the harshest and worst situations you can think of, but they are not just tough. The Marines of 7th Engineer Support Battalion proved that they also have a soft side when they made a special boys wish of becoming a Marine come true.
Nathan Aldaco was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome at a young age. Since the discovery of this rare congenital heart defect in which the left heart is severely underdeveloped, he has received various surgeries, and has not only learned to survive with this disease but also thrive with the support of his family.
Earlier in the year, Nathan and his family were contacted by the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and given the opportunity for the young boy to give the foundation a list of things he would like to do. Due to the content on that list, the request was forwarded to the Marines of 1st Marine Logistics Group.
Among the items on the list from the young boys imagination were simply to watch Marines train, ride in large military vehicles, train with Marines, be a part of a medal ceremony, and have a full camouflage uniform; wishes the leaders of 7th ESB knew they wanted to fulfill.
Its a true honor to do this for Nathan, said 1st Lt. Ernesto Gaudio, 2nd platoon commander, Bravo Company, 7th ESB, 1st MLG. We wanted to make him feel like he was a part of the Marine family. We are in service to the United States of America and Nathan is a citizen of the United States. We were just making his wish come true.
With the planning and coordination complete, Nathan would have his day in the life of a Marine. Upon changing into his very own combat uniform, a day began that no one would easily forget.
Its been amazing, said Nathans mother, Rebecca Aldaco. It was more than what I expected to do. He will cherish this forever. I think the whole family is having a good time and we are all enjoying it.
His mother, father, brothers and sister dressed in flak jackets and Kevlar helmets to prepare for an afternoon with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Marines. Nathan accompanied the team to the EOD compound where they walked him through the various explosive devices theyve disarmed. Soon after, Nathan mounted up in a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle to go through a demolition range where the team demonstrated the capabilities of their EOD robots and detonated TNT, C4, dynamite and blasting caps.
The bombs were cool, said Nathan. I like working with the robots. It was fun controlling them and picking stuff up with them.
During his visit with the EOD team, Nathan and his family shared a special lunch eating meals ready to eat, or MREs, that is the typical food provided to Marines in the field. When asked if he liked the food he just laughed and said it wasnt too terrible.
The time came to let Nathan ride in some of the biggest vehicles found within MLG; but before he started driving he was presented with his very own hard hat that the Marines all signed. He controlled the D7 dozer and the excavatorin which he dug a pit, built a berm, and broke several large tree trunks.
He can take any of our jobs with the way he is driving our trucks, voiced several of the heavy equipment operators with 7th ESB.
After prying Nathan from the excavator, the young boy had an opportunity to learn about the various weapons on which these Marines train.
While the day was nearly complete, there was still another wish that needed to be checked off of the young boys list; to be a part of an award ceremony.
Nathan was beaming as he was awarded the Master EOD badge by Col. Jaime O. Collazo, the 1st MLG chief of staff. The Master EOD badge is issued after 715 years of service in a senior supervisory position in the community, and is the highest badge an EOD Marine can receive.
Emotions were high as Nathan saluted the colonel before marching off. Several Marines had tears in their eyes as they congratulated him.
It was a great opportunity, said Gaudio. First of all it was good for Nathan. I hope it was also good for the Marines. I think it touched a lot our hearts. I will certainly never forget today or Nathan and his family. I got emotional at the end but, hey, we are human beings. We are Marines but we are human.
When all was said and done, Nathans mother had a message for Nathan.
I want Nathan to know that we love him and that we are here for him. We support him and Im thankful to God for this experience as a family and that we are here as a family together to enjoy this time with him. I am just so grateful to all the Marines that did this for us.
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Throughout the year, military families make many sacrifices, from moving to not seeing loved ones during deployments. The military child of the year award, in conjunction with the month of the military child, honors children like Christian Fagala who made exceptional contributions to their community and society in the midst of their familys sacrifices.
Christian, who is the 9-years-old and son of Diana Fagala and Marine Capt. Justin Fagala, was the Marine Corps recipient of the award during the 2016 Military Child of the Year Award ceremony April 14, at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Arlington.
I am receiving an award for being the Military Child of the Year for the Marine Corps for all the things I have done [like] helping the homeless and cancer walks to donate for research, said Christian.
Christian faced many challenges at a young age, the biggest one was being diagnosed with cancer at the age of two. This also affected other aspects of his life such as learning because of the effects of chemotherapy.
These challenges did not deter Christian, as he faced them head on and made it his mission to make a difference for those who are dealing with similar struggles.
Some of Fagalas accomplishments in his mission include speaking on behalf of childhood cancer programs and raising more than $20,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and CureSearch through walks and other charity events.
When I was 4 I saw a sign on the wall that said Cancer Walks and I wanted to go and Ive been doing it ever since, said Christian. Thats how I got my personality for helping people.
In addition to contributions to the cancer efforts, Christian has dedicated more than 100 hours to the homeless outreach.
For these and other selfless acts, Christian joined five other children to represent the U.S. military services to be the recipients of the Military Child of the Year Award from Operation Homefront.
I feel honored and excited because there are many other children who have done great and I was chosen out of 500 others, said Christian.
Operation Homefront was established in 2002 to aid military families in anyway they could so they have a strong and stable lifestyle. The Military Child of the Year Award is one of the many ways that Operation Homefront helps and honors military families.
I grew up in a military family and I know what they do to help their loved ones serve, said John I. Pray, Jr., the CEO of Operation Homefront. My family did a marvelous job of helping me serve this great nation. Our families serve along side us wherever we go and we make sure there is an organization that focuses on them.
The recipients of the award had the opportunity to tour places such as the National Museum of American History before attending the award ceremony. Marine Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., the 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other senior military representatives also attended the ceremony to present and congratulate the children.
They dont help families get through the sacrifices or deal with the challenges of military lifestyles, they help families thrive in that environment, said Dunford. When we see this evenings award recipients we wont see people who have survived the military lifestyle, well see people who have challenges in their own lives that actually go far beyond the challenges they are confronted in a military lifestyle and were going to see young people that have thrived. You cant put a price tag on what that means to us.
Christian is setting his sights on raising $30,000 to cancer research and aspires to follow in his fathers footsteps by becoming a Marine in the future to give back to the community that helped him in his time of need.
When you start thinking about Christian, he is a perfect representative, said Pray. Marines are expeditionary and he has that expeditionary spirit, and he is a true Marine at heart. His parents have a marvelous impact on him and guided his life and he reflects all those values that we hold dear in this nation.
The UK had a hugely successful 30-year bond auction this week, and ordinarily that would not be news. But people have been worried about demand for gilts, believing the high current account deficit and looming specter of "Brexit" will scare off investors and drive yields skyward, imperiling Her Majesty's finances. Compounding matters, two big European banks resigned as primary dealers in recent months, blaming regulatory barriers. After an auction for 4 billion worth of five-year gilts just barely went off on January 20, most presumed a failed sale (when the full offering isn't sold) was only a matter of time.
Since that auction, the current account deficit has risen to record highs, and Brexit fears have hit fever pitch. On January 20, Prime Minister David Cameron hadn't finished renegotiating Britain's EU membership terms with his fellow EU leaders. Since then, he has wrapped up talks and scheduled the vote (for June 23), warnings of economic doom should the UK leave have hit headlines daily, and polls have narrowed considerably. If you follow the popular narrative, this should have further eroded gilt demand.
Yet it hasn't.
As the very messy chart in Exhibit 1 shows, demand bounced back. Bid-to-cover ratios-the amount of bids relative to the amount of bonds on offer-are back where they've been for most of this bull market. And in line with the 2002-2007 bull market. That dismal January auction looks more and more like an outlier.
Exhibit 1: A Messy Chart of UK Gilt Demand
Source: UK Debt Management Office, as of 4/14/2016. Excludes index-linked gilts.
Importantly, it didn't take significantly higher yields to boost demand. Actually, yields were mostly lower at those more successful auctions. On January 20, those five-year gilts the Treasury could barely sell (the bid-to-cover ratio was just 1.07) yielded 1.1%. On March 2, a similarly sized lot of five-year gilts attracted a 1.54 bid-to-cover ratio, yet yields were lower-0.86%. April 5's five-year gilt auction saw demand of 2.01 times the amount offered, with yields even lower at 0.80%. Longer-term auctions have witnessed a similar trend, as Exhibit 2 shows. If the current account deficit and Brexit potential made UK bonds significantly riskier, Exhibit 2 would not exist.
Exhibit 2: A Less Messy Table of UK Gilt Demand
Source: UK Debt Management Office, as of 4/14/2016. Excludes index-linked gilts.
Now, some will likely argue the recent improvement stems from some changes the UK's Debt Management Office made to the auction process in an effort to boost demand, and it's a fair point-but don't overstate it. One, the changes were implemented in early April, and demand had rebounded by February. Two, the changes aren't all that significant. Banks were told to boost their minimum bids from 2% of the rolling six-month average of gilts sold at auction to 5%. But that higher bid is for pricing purposes only. They didn't have to actually raise the amount they bought. As DMO head Robert Stheeman explained: "We have introduced the expectation that banks should bid for a minimum of 5 per cent because we want them to participate more fully in the overall price formation process. But the minimum we expect them to successfully bid on is still 2 per cent. We want to see what prices they would be comfortable owning 5 per cent at." And it turns out they are comfortable owning 5% at higher prices and lower yields. Which, again, speaks volumes about how markets perceive the UK's creditworthiness.
BrExit - Ne Pleurex Pas, MiLord! - de Gaulle was Right EU is NOT For Britain
It's over 50 years on from when Britain's first attempts under Harold Mcmillion to join the then Common Market was refused TWICE by the French, the first in 1963 at a a summit in Paris where at the very last minute de Gaulle literally sang "Ne Pleurex Pas, MiLord!", leaving a tearful Harold Macmillan to fly back home in disgrace.
To compound Britians humiliation and betrayal by France not even 20 years on from when Britain saved France from permanently becoming a province of a Greater Germany. A self obsessed Charles de Gaulle still bitter at by mostly being sidelined and humoured by Britain during the second world war, made his infamous speech to ram home the message for Britain to effectively get stuffed!
"England in effect is insular, she is maritime, she is linked through her exchanges, her markets, her supply lines to the most diverse and often the most distant countries; she pursues essentially industrial and commercial activities, and only slight agricultural ones. She has in all her doings very marked and very original habits and traditions"
Rambling on ... "It is very possible that Britains own evolution, and the evolution of the universe, might bring the English little by little towards the Continent, whatever delays the achievement might demand, and for my part, that is what I readily believe, and that is why in my opinion, it will in any case have been a great honour for the British Prime Minister, for my friend Harold Macmillan, and for his Government, to have discerned in good time, to have had enough political courage to have proclaimed it, and to have led their country the first steps down the path which one day, perhaps will lead it to moor alongside the Continent."
And again Charles de Gaulle vetoed Britain's entry in 1967, where it was only AFTER de Gaulle's death that Britain was finally let into the club in 1973, by which time it was too late, the damage had been done as the machinery for the trend towards monetary and political union had been firmly put into place and thus the British electorate were lied to in 1975 that they had joined a Common Market, when the truth at the time and even more so today is that the primary purpose for the existence of the European Union is to march towards FULL Political Union, a Federal Europe not too dissimilar to that of the United States.
Perhaps the people of Britain in 1975 should have paid greater attention to what de Gaulle had stated a decade earlier, for when's all said and done, whilst Britain's political elite are happy to give up sovereignty to a Federal Europe in exchange for cushy jobs on Brussels payroll. However, the people of Britain never wanted to then nor now to be part of a federal europe, and so now have this one final chance to extricate them from a trend towards political union which effectively means coming under German economic and political rule, that which Britain had fought two costly wars to prevent.
For more on why this is Britain's very last chance for Freedom see -
https://youtu.be/MF3QLhoxkwQ
Also see my facts check of the Conservative Governments propaganda leaflet.
https://youtu.be/_AaU3ZgRkeU
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Comments
Yuriy
17 Apr 16, 15:46 Brexit then scotexit?
there is some clear signs of separation virus rampaging through United Kingdom. Yet another sign of things to come if british people to open Brexit pandora box - Scots and then shortly Welsh might run to the continent. What a charade!
Nadeem_Walayat
18 Apr 16, 07:52 UK Brexit Cost
The UK subsidises the Scots and Welsh to the tune of about 14 billion a year. Whilst at the same time England subsidises the EU to the tune of about 10 billion a year. The cost of a ScotExit would be high for England but catastrophic for Scotland. Whilst the cost of BrExit would be between 2% and 5% of GDP.
Yuriy
19 Apr 16, 09:23 Ireland exit - fine
If we to agree with your statement for 14bn Scottish subsidy, despite its substantial energy reserves, Ireland should have been bankrupt many times over since its exit because Ireland was inherently poorer than Scotland. However, what we have witnessed is quite the opposite for irish. Therefore this plays against your opinion about Scotland.
Nadeem_Walayat
20 Apr 16, 07:14 Ireland ?
Ireland went through over 50 years of turmoil to get to its current state, including having to be bailed out by Britain barely 8 years ago ! The fundemental issue your forgetting is that the euro-zone is UNSUSTAINABLE, and when it collapses so will the European Union, so it is better for Britain to EXIT now theen reap the whirlwind...
A speaker at a Martinsville symposium on fair and impartial policing is seeking to eliminate racial profiling and biased policing.
Dr. Scott Cunningham, Chief of Police in Kernersville, North Carolina, came to the city to present information with the Martinsville Police Department, the Danville Police Department, and members of the community.
With thirty-six years in law enforcement and a decade of chiefdom under his belt, Cunningham decided nine months ago to begin training other departments in the practice of not profiling others based on personal bias brought about by stereotypes.
Cunningham raved over those who attended the three-day lecture and interaction at the New College Institute, calling each participant a "proactive citizen."
Cunningham led a conversation about the terms "racial profiling" and "biased policing." He asked both law enforcement and community members what the phrases meant to them. After discussing the significance of both sets of words, Cunningham delved into the science of bias. He explained that both stereotypes and biases are found in all humans.
"All of us have knowledge of stereotypes. And because of that knowledge of stereotypes, that influences my perception. If I dont do anything about that, if I leave that unchecked, then that perception, that knowledge of the stereotype, could impact what I do, how I behave, and the decisions I make. As an officer, thats critically devastating to have my decisions impacted by some type of a stereotype or a bias," Cunningham said.
He stated that people expect police officers to act fairly, impartially, legally, and professionally. In order to meet the communitys expectations, officers must have knowledge on how to stop stereotypical thoughts as soon as they start to enter their minds. However, Cunningham says that officers should have the same expectations for community members.
One way that Cunningham suggests that officers and community members foster a relationship with one another is through contact theory. With annual events like National Night Out, police departments invite members of the community to interact with law enforcement officers in a positive environment. Events actively involving both police and community members help each group see the other as regular people.
Cunningham noted that both departments, Martinsville and Danville, already had successful events promoting community and police partnership in place.
"A big part of what we learned was community policing: engaging with our citizens, building relationships with our citizens, getting to know our citizens better. So it really was perfect training for us. It really enhanced and supported much of what weve been trying to do, much of what weve been working on," said Martinsville Police Chief Sean Dunn.
Concerning the training his department received, Danville Police Chief Philip Broadfoot said it was "an eye-opener." He continued, "What this training really brought out is that the implicit biases that we all have based on our upbringing, our education, our church affiliation, our jobs, all of those kinds of things affect us in everything that we do and our relationships."
Cunningham said that the first step in improving relationships between law enforcement and community members is understanding that everyone has bias, and that no one is exempt from having stereotypical views of others. When a person accepts that biases and stereotypes are human nature, he or she can work to correct his or her preconceptions.
"Bias can be in any of us," Martinsville citizen Lane Shively said. "People should look at individuals for who they are, not necessarily by the color of their skin or their clothing. Dont group them into certain groups: female, male, or religious groups. People need to analyze others individually."
Cunningham said that over the course of three days, both departments and community members had a "very good process" and a "great discussion."
With mosquito season looming, state officials are on high alert to respond to new cases of the Zika virus and prepare Virginia for a rapid response to a potential outbreak.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe called for the creation of a Zika Task Force in February, and on Thursday the group met to discuss the ongoing creation of a Zika Action Plan for the commonwealth.
So far, 11 Virginians have been infected with Zika, which is spread through mosquitoes and sexual activity. All those cases were related to the patients travels outside the United States. There have not yet been any cases of a Virginia resident contracting Zika from a local mosquito.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed Wednesday that Zika can cause the birth defect microcephaly, which results in an unusually small skull and other brain defects should the mother become infected while pregnant.
The task force consists of members from various state departments who are working with a CDC template to develop an action plan specifically for Virginia.
The expectation is we will be dealing with Zika here in the commonwealth, not just from travelers, so we have an obligation to be as prepared as possible and to provide good education, good advice and good guidance, said Dr. Marissa Levine, commissioner of the Virginia Department of Health.
The action plan is divided into four phases, the first of which will begin with the start of mosquito season on May 1. The plan for that phase includes disrupting mosquito breeding grounds and rapidly following up on suspected cases of Zika.
The second phase will begin once a confirmed local transmission has occurred; the third involves widespread local transmissions and the fourth is triggered when there are local transmissions in multiple jurisdictions.
Task force members are working on creating action plans for each of the phases. According to the CDCs template, steps for the third and fourth phases include determining geographic boundaries, implementing ground and aerial mosquito spraying and developing intervention plans for pregnant women, the most high-risk population.
Steps have already been taken to combat Zika through education, an especially critical part of the preparation stage, Levine pointed out. The task force has started using social media, for example, to spread awareness of what the average resident can do to prevent a Zika outbreak.
If you are traveling to a Zika area, one of the things you can do for your neighbors, your family, and the rest of the community is use repellent, because you could be the one bringing it back locally, Levine said. Our mosquitoes right now dont have [Zika].
The two types of mosquito in Virginia that could carry Zika do not breed in large bodies of water, she continued, so in addition to using repellent residents should dump containers of water on their property so they cannot breed. Practicing safe sex is also an important way to prevent the virus spread, especially for those who have recently traveled to a Zika area.
The task force is working to ensure resources are available to women and their families, first to try to prevent birth defects from a Zika infection and to ensure they can cope with a birth defect like microcephaly.
Jeffrey Stern, the Virginia Department of Emergency Managements state coordinator, pointed out that Zika is a long-term issue that is not going away at the end of mosquito season. Rather, it is a disease associated with globalization, which at one point would have stayed in its area of origin but now affects Virginia because of increased global traveling.
The 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil, he added, will mean even more people will travel to areas with widespread Zika outbreaks.
We expect not just our athletes but tens of thousands of Americans to journey down, he said. This is part of the emergent stream of global diseases that we will continue to face.
Zika has swept through Latin America and the Caribbean in the past few months. Usually it causes just a mild illness, but in the past year it has infected thousands of pregnant women, especially in Brazil. On Tuesday, Brazils Health Ministry said that it has confirmed 1,113 cases of microcephaly since October.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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LONGMEADOW -- Work continues on the Brewer-Young Mansion at 734 Longmeadow St. in Longmeadow.
((DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN))
LONGMEADOW -- The landmark Brewer-Young Mansion is getting $90,000 in repairs to its stately, but failing, front portico.
Stephen J. Crane, Longmeadow town manager, said Friday that he expects work to continue for a few more months. The town, Crane said, pressured building owner JPMorgan Chase & Co. into repairing the front facade instead of simply adding new shoring and braces top those that were already there. Crane provided the $90,000 cost estimate and said he expects work to continue for a couple of months.
A bank spokesperson didn't return calls for comment Friday. The bank has said its plan is to ready the mansion for sale.
The town building office said Monson contractor Gary J. Allard is doing the work. The scope, as described in the permit, includes structural repairs or replacement the columns and their foundations.
Crane has said structure of the home itself is in good shape. It was the portico that was immediately concerning to the town and preservationists.
Mortage Lender J.P. Morgan Chase foreclosed on former owner Shahkar M. Fatemni and the mansion in 2014. But the bank was unable to get Fatemni to leave without a eviction order from Western Housing Court in Springfield which it obtained in October. The bank had sheriff's deputies enforce the eviction order.
Last month, a Longmeadow police canine unit discovered a Hartford man inside the building after neighbors reported suspicious activity.
Built in 1885, the 10,907-square-foot colonial revival has 11 bedrooms, and 7 bathrooms. It sits on 1.8 acres of land, remnants of what was once extensive grounds much of which was lost to the construction of Interstate 91.
The Brewer-Young mansion boasts a living room-ballroom, marble floors in the front foyer, leather embossed wallpaper on the first floor, as well as Egyptian-themed murals. Its glassed-in conservatory was based on the Crystal Palace from the London Great Exhibition of 1851.
The Rev. Samuel Wolcott, composer of more than 200 Christian hymns, was the first to live in the home. Edward Brewer bought it in 1901.
Ida Young, widow of W.F.Young and herself the co-inventor of the Absorbine and Absorbine Jr., liniments, bought the home in 1921.
Ida Young died in 1960 at the age of 95 but the home stayed in the family into the 1990s and changed hands again after that.
Fatemni bought the mansion in 2000.
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WESTFIELD -- Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity's ReStore in Westfield will be celebrating it's one year anniversary on Saturday, April 16, 2016 at the store at 301 East Main Street in Westfield.
As part of the celebration there will be a DJ playing music, food for customers to enjoy, and merchandise specials all day! Most activities will take place between 12 noon and 3 pm. In conjunction with the anniversary event, the Habitat ReStore will also be launching its new website: www.ReStoreWestfield.com.
The Habitat ReStore opened on April 17, 2015, and has quickly become a go-to destination for the Do-it-Yourself handyman, the person searching for a special "treasure piece", and those seeking to do home improvements on a limited budget. The ReStore is open to the public for shopping Wednesday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm. Donations can be dropped off at the store Tuesdays through Saturdays between 10am and 5pm.
"We have had a very successful first year of operation, and we could not thank the Westfield community for being so welcoming," says Bill Zagorski, the ReStore Manager for Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity. "We are looking forward to our second year, as well as years to come, when we will have an even larger impact as the money raised in the store will be used to build homes in partnership with families right here in Hampden County."
"It's hard to believe that just a year ago, Habitat's ReStore Westfield opened its doors." Said Jennifer Schimmel, Executive Director. "We're so grateful to the community welcoming us with open arms to helping us continue to serve."
MassLive Media, a new standalone digital marketing solutions company, launches today. MassLive Media, which will operate in conjunction with MassLive.com, offers a full suite of digital solutions including behavioral audience targeting, video executions, search engine marketing, social media advertising and more.
"We're here to help your business achieve its sales and marketing initiatives thanks to a unique blend of audience data, innovative digital presentation and social media integration," said Sally Azar, Marketing Manager of MassLive Media.
MassLive Media leverages the audience reach of MassLive.com - the third-largest news & information site in Massachusetts with over 3.5 million monthly unique visitors - and combines that with a team of digital marketing experts offering dynamic, cutting-edge advertising solutions that can scale from local community businesses to regional and international powerhouses.
"Digital media is a dynamic industry that requires our team at MassLive to constantly stay ahead of the curve in our knowledge of all things digital," said MassLive President Allison Werder.
"We hone these skills every day for our website, social and mobile outreach. Through MassLive Media we apply and expand this digital expertise to our marketing partnerships with local, regional and national clients."
The combination of MassLive's unique first party data and third party data from a reputable network of national affiliates enables MassLive Media to pinpoint messages to a specific set of customers based on behaviors and affinities unique to that reader. This provides effective, measurable sales and marketing solutions for clients.
MassLive Media, in association with
, is one of just 31 Google Premier SMB Partners nationwide, and can offer clients the privilege of direct access to Google. These benefits include executive, technical, sales, marketing, account and partner management support from one of the leading technology companies in the world. Advance Digital, part of Advance Local, has also been named a Microsoft Partner of the Year three years in a row for their digital advertising services.
Learn more about how MassLive Media can help your business activate your ideal customer at www.masslivemedia.com. To schedule a personal consultation contact Azar at sazar@masslive.com or via phone at 413-731-2479.
MassLive and MassLive Media are a part of Advance Local, one of the largest media groups in the U.S. reaching more than 70 million consumers through its 12 local news and information websites, which rank #1 among local media in their respective markets, and more than 30 newspapers. Our affiliated websites and newspapers are well known for their award-winning journalism. Advance Local is part of Advance Publications, along with Conde Nast and American City Business Journals.
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(AP)
Along with their efforts to promote the $15 minimum wage, local activists have also been going after restaurant operators in Western Massachusetts, accusing them of endemic "wage theft."
Wage theft is, of course, the practice of not paying out the wages or other benefits to which an employee is entitled based on either the amount of time worked or the applicable law involved.
In the restaurant industry, operators are often accused of not paying overtime, requiring employees to work "off the clock," or making illegal deductions in pay.
Holding a waitress financially responsible for customers who skip out without paying, for instance, can fit this definition of "wage theft," as can docking employees for breaking dishes or dropping meals.
Requiring an employee to "work off the clock" if they don't finish their work within a scheduled shift is wage theft, as is paying a tipped wage rate when a waiter is assigned side work that doesn't involve serving customers.
Of course, wage theft is not unique to the restaurant industry either here in the Pioneer Valley or nationwide. Companies throughout the economy are regularly caught flouting labor laws, failing to pay overtime, underreporting hours worked, and requiring work off the clock.
The motivations for wage theft are many. Greed is certainly one, and ignorance of the law can be another.
Conservative, "small-government" politicians have starved enforcement agencies of the resources they need to protect workers, while the growing "gig" economy, in which the traditional employer-employee relationship has been replaced by a tangled legal web of contractor-worker arrangements, has also promoted situations in which employees end up getting shortchanged.
There may be some in the restaurant business who are guilty of wage theft, but the majority of operators, it's fair to say, make every effort to treat employees with respect.
Hugh Robert is a faculty member in Holyoke Community College's hospitality and culinary arts program and has over 40 years of restaurant and educational experience. Please send items of interest to Off the Menu at the Republican, P.O. Box 1329, Springfield, MA 01101; Robert can also be reached at OffTheMenuGuy@aol.com
We have three great job openings http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019JB9kBRil_6OwsGyrV2rVJSi2k-AMUUoPjJpGjPUPcToeeCNnegrht_IIw4E4dgBUU4HcC6lu6BAPucCZiMxqxQS4sLh1jiBskaiNJMkUf0KBeOy6BQuAsyIEwgdnCBYA1Wnvu0Ewr1oMRWStPa_HN_i37o9sWqyEEkdugoc4xcIk_myjLcO-NMcPrXB8WHOxqOelRh1wqCjjOdNddfSCcjx1WQFfWXXub4wgmWZsaFiAJEKtWVMPA==&c=Hhx8tvpJw_Y0V-61M7wWODVfueqqFjtIlFh-8V_5BLSRi91P9Zkadw==&ch=_LsMJhxJEz7d-T6LEAV14aVSevy0N3mrZoJZZ3tO6RlglW1Wrc6X6Q== at the Great Falls Development Authority. Please pass the word to help us find some amazing new team members!
Loan Portfolio Manager
Exceptional professional sought for new position to support the growth of our business and real estate lending efforts. Join our dedicated, passionate, fun, fast-paced, results-driven economic development team. Help us grow and diversify the Great Falls regional economy and support the creation of higher wage jobs. Duties include loan servicing, reporting to a variety of funding sources, maintaining our loan portfolio management system, and responding to client and partner inquiries. Requires the ability to maintain accurate records, timely submission of reports, and strong computer and communication skills. Must be detail oriented and organized with the ability to be flexible to help achieve our overall team mission. Lending, finance, government grant management and/or accounting experience helpful. Salary range $30,000-45,000 with excellent benefits, professional development and growth opportunities, and flexible work environment. Work with a great team, help us move Great Falls Forward, and make a difference in peoples lives! EOE. Cover letter and resume to Brett Doney, President, [email protected]. Open until we find a great candidate!
Business Development Leader
Exceptional self-motivated professional sought to join our dedicated, passionate, fun, fast-paced, results-driven economic development team. Help us grow and diversify the Great Falls regional economy and support the creation of higher wage jobs. Help existing businesses to expand and attract new business investment to the region through market research, cold-calling, networking, building relationships, project advocacy and client service. Candidate must have demonstrated excellence in business development and/or economic development, and excellent marketing writing, presentation and communication skills. Requires social media, web content, proposal writing, and database management skills. Position involves extensive travel in region, U.S. and Canada. Salary range $45,000-60,000 with excellent benefits, professional development and growth opportunities, and flexible work environment. Work with a great team, help us move Great Falls Forward, and make a difference in peoples lives! EOE. Cover letter and resume to Brett Doney, President, [email protected]. Open until we find a great candidate!
Loan Officer
Exceptional professional sought for Loan Officer position to support the growth of our commercial gap and bridge financing efforts. Join our fun, creative, fast-paced, results-driven economic development team focused on growing and diversifying the Great Falls regional economy and supporting the creation of higher-wage jobs. Duties include business development with clients and bank partners, deal structuring, underwriting, and portfolio risk management. Requires the ability to work with a diverse clientele, banks, and partners to structure often complex financing for businesses, real estate projects and non-profits. Prefer candidates with SBA 504 loan underwriting experience. Minimum 3 years of experience in commercial lending, economic development or the CDFI industry, and BA or equivalent additional experience. Salary range $50,000-70,000 with excellent benefits, flexible work environment, professional development and growth opportunities. Work with a great team, help us move Great Falls Forward, and make a difference in peoples lives! Send letter and resume to Brett Doney at [email protected]. EOE. Open until we find a great candidate!
Brett Doney
President & CEO
[email protected]
http://www.GFdevelopment.org
1-406-750-2119
Economic Growth, Diversification and High Wage Jobs
Montanas first Accredited Economic Development Organization.
We provide SBA 504 Real Advantage loans statewide.
GFDA and High Plains Financial are Equal Opportunity Lenders.
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.
A team from the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International in Kyoto, Japan and Brown University may have discovered a way of diagnosing autism spectrum disorder using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans. The technique relies on software that analyzes functional connections between regions of the brain to decide whether someone is autistic.
To build the software, the researchers compiled a map of connections between different parts of the brain that measured in the thousands for each brain scanned. Lots of people participated in the scans allowing for the team to narrow down which connections seem to be more or less common in those with autism. They were able to identify 16 specific interregional connections that seem to be the markers for autism.
In a study involving 181 adults in the U.S. and Japan with and without a diagnosis of autism, their classifier was able to diagnose with an accuracy of 85% for the Japanese and 75% for Americans.
From the study abstract in Nature Communications:
The classifier achieves high accuracy for a Japanese discovery cohort and demonstrates a remarkable degree of generalization for two independent validation cohorts in the USA and Japan. The developed ASD classifier does not distinguish individuals with major depressive disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder from their controls but moderately distinguishes patients with schizophrenia from their controls. The results leave open the viable possibility of exploring neuroimaging-based dimensions quantifying the multiple-disorder spectrum.
Study in Nature Communications: A small number of abnormal brain connections predicts adult autism spectrum disorder
More from Brown U
by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, April 14, 2016
In the last 18 months, judges across the country have issued 2,600 orders requiring Microsoft to secretly turn over its customers' emails.
Today, Microsoft challenged that practice. The company says in a new lawsuit that the gag orders -- many of which last indefinitely -- are unconstitutional.
"These lengthy and even permanent secrecy orders violate the Fourth Amendment, which gives people and businesses the right to know if the government searches or seizes their property," Microsoft President Brad Smith says in a new blog post. "They also violate the First Amendment, which guarantees our right to talk to customers about how government action is affecting their data."
The company's complaint, filed in federal court in Seattle, asserts that the government "has exploited the transition to cloud computing as a means of expanding its power to conduct secret investigations."
Microsoft notes that the ability to conduct secret investigations was more limited when files were kept in offices -- where agents couldn't very well rifle through papers without attracting attention.
"As individuals and business have moved their most sensitive information to the cloud, the government has increasingly adopted the tactic of obtaining the private digital documents of cloud customers not from the customers themselves, but through legal process directed at online cloud providers like Microsoft," the company says in its complaint.
The government can make those demands thanks to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act -- a 1986 law that authorizes secret orders to obtain digital communications. The law sets out a variety of factors that will justify gag orders, ranging from the possibility that targets will intimidate witnesses to the possibility that evidence will be destroyed.
The company's lawsuit comes as Congress is considering updating ECPA to give consumers more rights. One proposal that's garnered much attention would require the authorities to obtain search warrants for all emails. Currently, the law doesn't require search warrants for emails older than six months. Instead, when messages have been in storage longer than 180 days, they can be obtained with a subpoena -- which is easier to get than a search warrant. (Judges can only issue search warrants if the authorities show they have probable cause to believe that a search will uncover evidence of a crime. But judges can sign subpoenas for any information that's relevant to a pending matter.)
Lawmakers also are considering revising ECPA's secrecy provisions by allowing email providers to notify their customers about demands for email -- but only after 180 days have passed. It's worth noting that even a 6-month gag order may pose some of the same concerns that Microsoft has identified.
That reform bill is expected to face significant obstacles in the Senate.
Of course, judges don't have to wait for a change in law, given that they currently have the power to declare the gag orders unconstitutional.
Microsoft is urging the court to do so. "The governments use of legal process directed at cloud providers such as Microsoft, when combined with accompanying secrecy orders, amounts to a substantial expansion of law enforcements ability to engage in secret search and seizure activity, adversely affecting both Microsofts right to communicate with its customers and the customers privacy interests -- simply because customers have moved their information to the cloud," the company says.
by Barbara Lippert , Featured Columnist, April 14, 2016
Its always heartening to dig up some historical pop cultural artifact, not only to try to understand its significance at the time, but also to see what it has to say about our lives today.
Or at least thats my official journalistic excuse for devoting a column to the topic of Cokes Hilltop, the now 45-year-old, syrupy, award-winning, monster hit from McCann-Erickson.
Youll recall that the spot, famously shot on a mountaintop in Italy, gathered young people from all over the world dressed in their native costumes -- think Japanese obis and African dashikis -- to belt out (actually, to lip-sync) the jingle Id Like to Teach the World to Sing.
Wildly cinematic and sophisticated, it was a big production (with complex helicopter shots!) that represented a major change from the rest of the prosaic, formulaic problem/solution-based advertising that clients returned to in the 1970s, in which someones life would transform immediately by buying/drinking/using this thing.
Rather, Coke was selling emotion: happiness, unity, positivity.
The song was for the Real Thing, with clear-eyed people of the future, blacks standing next to whites (a reason some Coke bottlers didn't want to show it at the time), mouthing lyrics that included buying the world a home and furnishing it with love/with apple trees and honey bees and snow-white turtle doves. (This while President Nixon had just re-escalated the Vietnam War, invaded Cambodia, and formed the White House Plumbers Unit). It immediately became an enormous hit single by the New Seekers that dominated AM radio for years.
OK, Im working my way to the actual news peg here. Recently, on Coca-Colas corporate blog, Unbottled, Sarah Traverso, group director of multimedia production for Coca-Cola North America, revealed that she had had the honor of color-correcting and remastering the original 1971 spot for 4K television (and rerelease on You Tube.)
The original 35mm footage on which the commercial was filmed sits in a vault in the Library of Congress, where American culture is preserved, she wrote.
So what was I doing with the original footage almost 45 years later? In layman terms, I was preserving an iconic gem for a new generation.
Traverso never mentions another airing of the spot that shot it to the stratosphere fame-wise. Thats when, last May, Hilltop was unexpectedly used as the shockingly blissful, upbeat (and, some thought, madly cynical and disappointing) ending for seven seasons of Mad Men.
Traverso's piece got wide pickup, because the Coke spot is a national treasure and favorite, yes, but also because well never get real closure (aka, The Real Thing) on Mad Men.
By the way, as appended to Dons meditational moment in full-lotus position, the footage that Weiner and group used for the finale actually looks as good or better than the newly remastered one.
And OK, the ending still rankles me. Was this "MM" showrunner Matt Weiner's sardonic answer to all of the viewers so invested in his show? Something like, You might have thought 'Mad Men' was about the death of the American dream and the rise of chaos culture and whatever else youve read into it all these seasons. Nope. In the end, its just about advertising. So heres an ad.
But thats not exactly how the story ends. I stalked Weiner through three New York City appearances after the finale, and he seemed hurt and angry that people even questioned it.
Weiner really believed in the ad, and defended the choice by saying, "In the abstract, I did think, why not end this show with the greatest commercial ever made?
Weiner also told audiences at the time that hed thought the ad was the definition of pure and beautiful, and that there isnt enough empathy in the world.
Talking about how disturbing he found the cynicism, he said: The people who find that ad corny, they're probably experiencing a lot of life that way, and they're missing out on something." He added: Unless your heart is made of ice, its hard not to react to faces that pure.
Interestingly, the only time that actual advertising was used in "Mad Men" was in the pilot (Its toasted for Lucky Strike) and the finale, when we all thought Don was toast, and Bill Backers famous ad came to the rescue. (Backer is still alive and kicking and living on his horse farm in Virginia, by the way.)
Something else occurred to me. In the end, "Mad Men" was all about finding home. That fed into the whole nostalgia "MM" meme: the pain that makes you want to go home, where you are loved. Come home. Were all worried about you. McCann will take you back, Peggy says to Don when he calls her from Esalen, at his most distraught, just before his yoga conversion.
With that ping, Don realizes that he is not loved as Dick: only beaten-up, and homeless. As much as he made it hard for himself, he was loved in advertising, and could make a home there.
So we are to believe that, ironically, advertising was the solution to his problems. He could go back to New York, be there for his (motherless) kids, win awards, and perhaps even furnish a home with love.
And that is perhaps a more convincing image to carry than the contemporary reality of The Real Thing: a liquid combo of sugar water, caffeine and color dye not much loved by millennials.
Still, the polishing of the spot is obviously an easy, inexpensive way to generate excellent buzz for the mother brand, while reconnecting it to the baby boomers who loved "Mad Men."
Does it still have some meaning in this context? The Real Thing was once a thing, and that counts for something.
by Richard Whitman , Columnist, April 14, 2016
Perhaps you've heard. CNBC has launched an in-house advertising agency, part of the international re-launch of its sales team and content studio. The new entity is called Catalyst. According to CNBC, Catalyst will be positioned as the "rights-holder to the world's most powerful audience." The goal is to "offer a team who will work with clients to fully exploit CNBC's unrivaled access to the global business and investor community."
The Catalyst concept was devised under the leadership of Max Raven, who joined CNBC as senior vice president in summer 2015. The agency will provide services within a neatly packaged -- what else -- acronym. The offering will be described as ABCDE, which stands for Audience, Brand Consultancy, Content, Data and Events & Experiences.
Of the new offering, Raven said: "Advertising platforms have multiplied to the extent that you can talk to an audience in a thousand different ways. But engaging that audience -- creating a two-way dialogue that moves the needle -- is a much more specialist art. Catalyst will help clients practice that art, so they spark the desired reaction with our affluent business and investor audience."
Right. That's totally new.
Expanding on Raven's rather nondescript description, KC Sullivan, President and MD of CNBC International added: "As a business, we've started a journey to strengthen and refine our brand positioning. We have a pipeline of initiatives planned to ensure that CNBC is differentiated in the ever-expanding media landscape. Today's launch is the first manifestation of that process."
They have a pipeline. And a manifesto. To tackle the ever-expanding media landscape. Did you get all that?
I mean really. It's sort of like a cable TV station hiring a couple of people to create ads for local car dealers. Oh wait.
by Jorge Aguilar , April 15, 2016
With President Obamas recent visit to Cubathe first by a sitting U.S. president in 88 yearsand commercial flights between the United States and Cuba resuming, the island nation can take advantage of improved diplomatic relations to invest in its country as a destination brand. But how does a country with a controversial political history improve its image for Western tourists? Cuba can follow the lead of countries like Russia and China, which have adopted their own forms of strategic branding campaigns to separate them from their political histories and focus on their allure as tourist destinations.
Separating Cuba the country from Cuba the government
Cuba is a unique cultural commodityvisiting is like stepping into the past. While Western tourists may disagree with the countrys political stance, its possible for them to embrace its people and culture regardless. Eastern European countries like Russia have accomplished this by positioning themselves as inexpensive, interesting destinations: Russias affordable accoutrements, storied history, and strong culture create intrigue for tourists. China, meanwhile, encourages tourism through grand attractions like the Great Wall, as well as through delicious food and a heritage that brings together old and new. For Russia and China, their identities as tourist destinations exist regardless of who is in power.
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As Cuba looks to accomplish a similar feat, it should consider promoting itself by portraying the real faces of its people. When tourists are familiar with the residents of the island nation, Cuba becomes humanized and personalized. The country then has the potential to develop into a sort of romantic brand: Steeped in mystique, Cuba is a location suddenly available for the Western world to see. The food, the people, the music, the islands natural beautyall of these things can help create a legacy and identity for Cuba beyond the Castro regime and its turbulent history with the United States.
Branding Cuba as a historical destination to visit before it changes
Cuba does not have to limit itself to an identity as a romantic getaway, however. It can subtly position itself as an evolving brand, a country in transition. As cruise lines, hotel chains, and even Airbnb stake early claims, now is the time for Cuba to capitalize on its historical appeal, before its old-world charm is replaced by modern-day brands like Starbucks. Furthermore, Western consumersmillennials, in particular tend to prefer brands that are authentic and true to their principles. Cuba can take advantage of this, using its heritage and culture to resonate more strongly and maintain its authenticity.
China and Russia already do this, and it works. They leverage their pasts by encouraging historical tourism through government-sponsored parades and tours of socialist landmarks. Westerners who are curious about life under different political regimes receive a glimpse of life and society that is very different from what theyre accustomed to. Cuba can do something similar, encouraging tourism to foster cultural awareness through a hands-on approach to history.
As a country in the midst of defining its character, Cuba has dual paths to explore in determining its identity. On the surface, the island holds incredible allure and appealit is the country of Hemingways memory, preserved in amber, rife with vintage cars, historical charm, stunning scenery, and appealing affordability. But as it enters the forefront of the tourism market and begins to modernize, Cuba should maintain a well-honed focus on its people, culture, and heritage, as these elements will ultimately be keys in helping it gain a foothold as a long-term tourist destination for the West.
by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, April 15, 2016
If you were waiting for an impassioned presidential debate that addresses the concrete issues we face in the 21st century, last nights Democratic CNN debate was the one to watch.
CNN moderators Wolf Blitzer, Dana Bash and NY 1's Errol Lewis posed precise and varied questions to Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, touching on matters ranging from the Mideast to gun and energy policy. The question of judgement was also hotly debated.
The tone of the Democratic nominating contest has changed as of late; last night was a clear reiteration of the growing aversion between the two candidates.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has picked up seven of the last eight primaries and caucuses. A strong win for Clinton in New York would effectively push back against the momentum his campaign has generated over the past few weeks.
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Hillary Clinton took heat, again, for her decision not to release her paid speeches. Quickly, though, she hit Sanders on his interview with the New York Daily News, in which he rejected the idea of supporting Sandy Hook parents suing AR-15 advertisers. Sanders seemed unprepared or unable to successfully rebut Clintons attack.
One of the most significant moments of the night came during a discussion of foreign policy and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Bernie Sanders, the first Jewish candidate to win any delegates for a major political partys nomination, made a powerful case against Israeli policy in the region.
As somebody who is 100% pro-Israel, Sanders began, in the long run, if we are ever going to bring peace to that region we are going to have to treat the Palestinian people with respect and dignity.
Sanders made a point of attacking Clinton on her unwillingness to accept that Israeli response to Palestinian aggression has been disproportionate. He also singled out her speech at AIPAC, which said very little about the plight of the Palestinians.
Missing a potentially injurious attack on Sanders, Clinton failed to mention that Sanders did not attend AIPAC.
CNN's Van Jones noted after the debate that the position Sanders takes on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as a presidential candidate, has never been espoused by someone at his level. Whether his opinion offends or is commendable, a new discussion is opening up in the highest ranks of the American political class.
Differences between the candidates, where they exist, are stark.
Democratic voters are split along age and race demographic lines. Considering the civil war food fight going on in the GOP, however, Sanders seemed confident post-debate, saying he doesnt know of any Democrats who would desert the party for a GOP nominee.
In general terms, Clinton believes that Sanders is great at finding problems, but inept at actually solving them. Sanders blames Clinton for taking a slow and sedate approach to the immediate issues facing our nation. He is convinced we need a political revolution to get on the right track.
Long will also work to accelerate revenue diversification and will oversee the company's Fortune events.
Her appointment is effective immediately. She will be relocating to New York from Los Angeles.
Evelyn Webster, EVP of Time Inc., wrote in a company memo that the previous publisher of Fortune and Money, Eric Danetz, is leaving the role to make room for Long, but is considering positions inside and outside of Time Inc., according to Folio.
Long stated that she will work to rethink and reimagine Times purpose and place to reach significant and lasting returns. She was named publisher of Time in 2015, after group publisher Jed Hartman left that position to become chief revenue officer of The Washington Post.
She also launched Times in-house creative studio, Stitch, and led a revenue expansion of its Time 100 Gala.
Recently, Long was instrumental in launching Time Inc.s new millennial women-focused site Motto in February.
Jorg Stratmann was also promoted Tuesday and will serve under Long as associate publisher.
Prior to serving as publisher, Long was previously Time executive director of the West Coast, and has held leadership positions in its Washington DC, Los Angeles and San Francisco offices.
Snyder told staff Thursday that he will leave the politics and culture magazine after the June issue.
New ownership often has new visions, and I think it makes sense, is typical, for there to be a change in editorial leadership, Snyder told The Huffington Post. And thats all that happened.
Snyder, a former editor at Gawker, who worked at Bloomberg and The Atlantic, has no immediate plans. "Everyone understood that it made sense for me to step aside and to let new editorial leadership come on," Snyder told CNN Money.
The magazine has been keeping mum on whether it has started the search for Snyders successor or if it already has someone in mind.
A spokesperson for The New Republic told Publishers Daily they did not have any additional details at this time.
Hamilton Fish, the former publisher of The Nation who McCormack brought to New Republic as publisher and editorial director in February, will likely take over EIC duties for at least a while, according to Talking New Media.
In a statement to staff, Snyder wrote: We published some damn fine work, sometimes under difficult circumstances. Every single day, your indomitable talent and work ethic has humbled me.
Snyder was appointed editor-in-chief of New Republic in December 2014, around the same time the publication celebrated its centennial and its top editors, dozens of staffers and contributing editors quit following disputes about the publications direction with Hughes and CEO Guy Vidra.
Hughes wanted to transition the magazine into a digital-focused media operation, but he had difficulty transforming the old and traditional publication, after reportedly investing more than $20 million in the endeavor.
The magazine cut the number of issues in half to 10 a year and moved its headquarters from its home in Washington, D.C. to New York.
Hughes announced in January that he wanted to sell the magazine and found McCormack, an Oregonian publishing executive and Democratic political donor, to take over the reigns.
In February, the Web site had 2.7 million visitors, its highest total since November 2014.
by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, April 15, 2016
Charter has promised that it won't impose data caps on broadband customers for at least three years, if regulators approve the company's proposed merger with Time Warner Cable and Bright House Network.
But that commitment obviously won't mean much in the long run if the company begins imposing data caps as soon as the three-year period expires.
This week, Roku made that point in a conversation with Federal Communications Commission officials.
The company says in a regulatory filing that it "described the importance of Charter not imposing data caps on broadband customers" during the conversation.
"As Roku explained, as more consumers adopt, or seek to adopt, streaming as their primary method of viewing video content on the television, data caps will have a more significant impact in 3-7 years after the transaction," the filing states.
Roku -- one of several services used by cord-cutters to stream online video -- also pressed the FCC to guarantee that in the future Charter will not devise broadband billing schemes that favor its own video services.
Roku's letter comes at a time when other broadband providers are experimenting with data caps, along with exemptions to them.
Comcast, for instance, recently rolled out Stream, a $15-a-month offering for broadband-only subscribers. People who purchase Stream can watch a roster of TV programs, which are delivered over broadband connections. All material accessed through Stream is exempt from Comcast's 300 GB-per-month data caps -- which have been rolled out to 15% of the company's customers.
Consumer advocates are asking the FCC to investigate whether Comcast is skirting net neutrality principles by giving consumers an incentive to use Stream instead of rival online video services, like Amazon Prime or Netflix.
(Comcast says Stream is a "cable service," and not an Internet offering. But consumer advocates say the company is playing a "regulatory shell game.")
Verizon also is exempting data from its own video service, go90.
And AT&T is cracking down on cord-cutters by charging them higher prices for unlimited broadband data. As of May 23, cord-cutters will have to pay an extra $30 a month for unlimited wireline data. People without pay-TV subscriptions who don't sign up for unlimited data will be charged an extra $10 for each 50 GB they consume over their monthly caps -- which range from 150 GB to 1 TB.
Roku isn't the only one to raise concerns about Charter's potential to thwart over-the-top services.
Dish says the deal would leave Charter in a position to undermine Sling TV, while HBO says Charter could hinder the stand-alone streaming service HBO Now.
Netflix, on the other hand, says it supports Charter's merger plans.
Regulators in New York and New Jersey have already approved Charter's merger plans. The FCC and Department of Justice haven't yet signed off on the deal.
Health officials in the US have concluded that the Zika virus causes microcephaly and other severe brain defects in babies. Share on Pinterest Zika virus is transmitted via the bite of the same mosquito that spreads dengue and chikungunya. Scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) came to this view after carrying out a careful review of the evidence. Reporting their findings in the New England Journal of Medicine, they note: On the basis of this review, we conclude that a causal relationship exists between prenatal Zika virus infection and microcephaly and other serious brain anomalies. Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC, says the study marks a turning point in the Zika outbreak, and that it is now clear that the virus causes microcephaly. The CDC say the study confirms what mounting evidence has been pointing to, and they reassert earlier guidance to pregnant women and their partners, that they should avoid becoming infected with Zika. They also urge health care professionals to pass on this message to their patients. Zika virus is transmitted via the bite of the same Aedes mosquito that spreads dengue and chikungunya; it can also be passed on through sexual contact. In many people, the infection causes no symptoms, while others may experience a mild illness, with raised temperature, rash, joint pain or conjunctivitis (itchy or sore eyes). In October 2015, the Brazilian Ministry of Health reported an unusual surge in cases of microcephaly in newborns following a Zika virus outbreak in the northeastern states. Since then, the spread of the virus to other parts South America and beyond, plus mounting evidence of a link to birth defects, caused the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare in February this year that the Zika virus is a global Public Health Emergency.
No cases of local transmission in mainland US At present, Zika virus is thought to be spreading by local transmission that is, mosquito populations are infected with Zika virus and can transmit it to humans in the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Pacific Islands, Vietnam, the Philippines and Cape Verde. However, earlier this year, an international team of researchers suggested that the virus also has the potential to spread to parts of the US. According to the latest figures from the CDC (as of April 13), the US has had no cases of locally acquired Zika virus and 358 cases of travel-associated infection that is, where infection took place in a country with local transmission and the traveler returned to the US with the virus. While nearly every state has reported cases of travel-related Zika infection, more than half are in the four states of: Florida (84 cases), New York (57), California (29) and Texas (27). Thirty-one of the cases relate to pregnant women and seven were thought to be sexually transmitted. In US territories, so far 471 cases of locally acquired Zika infection have been reported, and three travel-associated cases. The vast majority of cases are in Puerto Rico (445 cases), with the remainder in American Samoa (three) and US Virgin Islands (three). Fifty-eight of the cases relate to pregnant women.
One in 5,000 babies is born missing a small amount of genetic material from the tip of chromosome 1, a region called 1p36. Missing genes in the 1p36 region is a relatively common cause of intellectual disability. These children may also have delayed development, seizures, heart and kidney defects, and problems with vision and hearing. The number and severity of these medical conditions varies greatly among children with 1p36 deletions. Scientists think that one reason for this variability is that the genes that are missing from the 1p36 region are not the same in each individual. Knowing which genes are actually involved in the development of this syndrome would help physicians predict the type of medical conditions a child with a 1p36 deletion might encounter and would make it easier to create individualized care plans for these patients. In a paper published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, a multidisciplinary team including Baylor College of Medicine researchers has determined that mutations in one gene, RERE, can cause many of the features associated with 1p36 deletions.
"This discovery is important for the parents of the children with this syndrome because it answers one of their most pressing questions, what are the problems that my child is likely to have?" said Dr. Daryl A. Scott, associate professor of molecular and human genetics and molecular physiology and biophysics at Baylor and one of the two senior authors of this report.
Scott worked closely with Dr. Elliot H. Sherr, the other senior author of the paper, Sherr's team from the department of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, and other physicians and scientists from around the world to identify 10 patients with mutations in RERE, which is located in the 1p36 region. These patients had medical problems that were very similar to those of patients in which dozens of 1p36 genes are deleted.
"We are the first to provide evidence that RERE mutations alone can cause developmental problems typical of 1p36 deletions. RERE is important in early development," said Scott.
This discovery is the culmination of 10 years of research in mice and other animal models. Scott and colleagues demonstrated that, in mice, Rere mutations alone result in the animals having many of the characteristics observed in patients with 1p36 deletion syndrome. However, it was impossible to prove that RERE could play the same role in humans. "One of the big surprises of our paper is that just one gene can cause many of the problems observed when the tip of chromosome 1 is deleted," said Scott. "We anticipate that this finding will be of particular interest to the parents in the 1p36 Deletion Support & Awareness group."
In addition, the research is a boon to families of children with RERE mutations, who know for the first time the reason their children share this group of developmental disabilities.
"Just having an answer can be hugely beneficial for families," said Sherr, a practicing neurologist who works closely with these patients and their families. "Of course, getting a genetic answer is just the first step, but for the longest time we didn't even have that much. It gives these families hope that we can move forward."
Sherr is also with the department of pediatrics at UCSF.
The next step in Scott's research will be to focus on the role of RERE in the development of the brain, heart, eye and other organs.
Many doctors and scientists think they could improve the diagnosis and understanding of autism spectrum disorders if they had reliable means to identify specific abnormalities in the brain. Such "biomarkers" have proven elusive, often because methods that show promise with one group of patients fail when applied to another. In a new study in Nature Communications, however, scientists report a new degree of success. Their proposed biomarker worked with a comparably high degree of accuracy in assessing two diverse sets of adults.
Share on Pinterest A map of the brain connections that proved useful in distinguishing patients diagnosed with autism from people without an autism diagnosis.
Credit: Nature Communications
The technology, principally developed at the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International in Kyoto, Japan, with the major contributions from three co-authors at Brown University, is a computer algorithm called a "classifier" because it can classify sets of subjects -- those with an autism spectrum disorder and those without -- based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) brain scans. By analyzing thousands of connections of brain network connectivity in scores of people with and without autism, the software found 16 key interregional functional connections that allowed it to tell, with high accuracy, who had been traditionally diagnosed with autism and who had not. The team developed the classifier with 181 adult volunteers at three sites in Japan and then applied it in a group of 88 American adults at seven sites. All the study volunteers with autism diagnoses had no intellectual disability.
"It is the first study to [successfully] apply a classifier to a totally different cohort," said co-corresponding author Yuka Sasaki, a research associate professor of cognitive, linguistic and psychological sciences at Brown. "There have been numerous attempts before. We finally overcame the problem."
The classifier, which blends two machine-learning algorithms, worked well in each population, averaging 85 percent accuracy among the Japanese volunteers and 75 percent accuracy among the Americans. The researchers calculated that the probability of seeing this degree of cross-population performance purely by chance was 1.4 in a million.
"These results indicate that although we developed a highly reliable classifier using the training data only in Japan, it is sufficiently universal to classify [autism] in the U.S.A. validation cohort," wrote the team of clinicians and basic researchers led by Mitsuo Kawato of ATR.
Further validation
In another way of validating the classifier, the researchers asked whether the differences it notes in the 16 connections were predictive not only of whether a person had an autism diagnosis at all, but whether they relate to performance on the main diagnostic method currently available to clinicians, the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. ADOS is based not on markers of biology or physiology, but instead on a doctor's interviews and observations of behavior. The classifier was able to predict scores on the ADOS communications component with a statistically significant correlation of 0.44.
The correlation suggests that the 16 connections identified by the classifier relate to attributes of importance in ADOS. When the researchers examined where these 16 connections are and what brain networks they affect, they found that 41 percent of the specific brain regions in which the 16 connections reside belonged within the cingulo-opercular network, which matters to brain functions such as conceiving of other people, face processing and emotional processing. Difficulties with such social and emotional perception tasks are important symptoms in autism spectrum disorders.
Finally, the team looked to see whether the classifier appropriately reflects the similarities and differences between autism spectrum disorders and other psychiatric conditions. Autism, for example, is known to share some similarities with schizophrenia but not with depression or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, as indicated by a previous genome study. Applied to patients with each of these other disorders compared to similar people without the conditions, the classifier showed moderate but statistically significant accuracy in distinguishing schizophrenia patients, but not depression or ADHD patients.
Eventual clinical usefulness?
The MRI scans required to gather the data were simple, Sasaki said. Subjects only needed to spend about 10 minutes in the machine and didn't have to perform any special tasks. They just had to stay still and rest.
Despite that simplicity and even though the classifier performed unprecedentedly well as a matter of research, Sasaki said, it is not yet ready to be a clinical tool. While the future may bring that development, refinements will be necessary first.
"The accuracy level needs to be much higher," Sasaki said. "Eighty percent accuracy may not be useful in the real world."
It's also not clear how it would work among children, as the volunteers in this study were all adults.
But if the classifier's accuracy can be improved further, the researchers hope that it can be used not only as a physiology-based diagnostic tool but also for monitoring treatment. Doctors perhaps will be able to use the tool someday to monitor whether therapies produce changes in brain connectivity, Sasaki said.
New research published in the Journal of Urology challenges widely accepted beliefs
Few data are available concerning the consequences of neonatal circumcision on penile sensitivity in adults. New research reported in the Journal of Urology indicates that there are no differences in penile sensitivity for a variety of stimulus types and penile sites between circumcised and intact men. Additionally, this study challenges past research suggesting that the foreskin is the most sensitive and, in turn, most sexually relevant, part of the adult penis.
When the American Academy of Pediatrics and Canadian Pediatric Society recently revised their policies concerning routine neonatal circumcision, public interest was reignited in this long-running debate. Focusing on health outcomes, particularly protection against sexually transmitted infections, rather than penile sensitivity, the American policy statement supports routine circumcision of newborn males, while the Canadian policy does not.
Investigators examined two hypotheses that might support decreased penile sensitivity: whether the exposed glans penis of circumcised men is less sensitive than that of intact men (where keratinization is hypothesized to take place), and if the highly innervated foreskin is more sensitive than other sites of the penis.
"We directly tested whether circumcision is associated with a reduction in penile sensitivity by testing tactile detection, pain, warmth detection, and heat pain thresholds at multiple sites on the penis between groups of healthy (neonatally) circumcised and intact men," explained lead author Jennifer Bossio, PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology of the Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Ontario, Canada (working with Dr. Caroline Pukall, PhD, and Dr. Stephen Steele, MD). "This study indicates that neonatal circumcision is not associated with changes in penile sensitivity and provides preliminary evidence to suggest that the foreskin is not the most sensitive part of the penis."
Sixty-two men between the ages of 18 and 37 (30 circumcised, 32 intact) participated in the study. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) protocols assessed touch and pain thresholds and warmth detection and heat pain thresholds at a control site (forearm) and three to four penile sites (glans penis, midline shaft, proximal to midline shaft, and foreskin, if present). The authors reported that the pain, warmth detection, and heat pain stimuli likely activate nerve fibers more relevant to sexual pleasure than touch thresholds, which has been the focus of previous research.
Although in a previous study lower tactile thresholds were noted at the glans penis in circumcised men, the current investigation found no between-group differences in sensitivity across four stimulation types, lending no support to the widely accepted, but largely untested, keratinization hypothesis.
The investigators also found that the foreskin had similar sensitivity as the control site on the forearm for any stimulus type tested. Given that other genital sites (e.g., glans penis, midline shaft) were more sensitive to pain stimuli than the forearm, removing the highly innervated foreskin does not appear to remove the most sensitive part of the penis.
Sexual function was assessed via the International Index of Erectile Functioning (IIEF), a 15-item measure of men's sexual functioning over the past four weeks across the five domains of erectile function: intercourse satisfaction, orgasmic function, sexual desire, and overall satisfaction. No differences between the groups were observed on any of these measures, suggesting that sexual functioning may not differ across circumcision status.
"Methodology and results from this study build on previous research and imply that if sexual functioning is related to circumcision status, this relationship is not likely the result of decreased penile sensitivity stemming from neonatal circumcision," observed Ms. Bossio.
Nationwide study of 2.3 million Israeli adolescents examined from 1967 through 2010 finds association between elevated BMI in late adolescence and subsequent cardiovascular mortality in midlife.
Overweight and obesity in adolescents have increased substantially in recent decades, and currently affect a third of the adolescent population in some developed countries. This is an important public health concern because obesity early in life is considered to be a risk factor for death from cardiovascular disease and from all causes in adulthood.
Some studies suggest that an elevated body-mass index is associated with an increased risk of death from cardiovascular causes. However, a determination of the BMI threshold that is associated with increased risk of fatality remains uncertain. (BMI is a calculation of a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters, to quantify body mass and enable categorization as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.)
In light of the worldwide increase in childhood obesity, Prof. Jeremy Kark from the Hebrew University-Hadassah Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Faculty of Medicine, together with Dr. Gilad Twig of the Sheba Medical Center, and Dr. Hagai Levine of the Braun School and other colleagues in Israel, set out to determine the association between body-mass index (BMI) in late adolescence and death from cardiovascular causes in adulthood.
Their study, which appears in the New England Journal of Medicine, was based on a national database of 2.3 million Israeli 17 year olds in whom height and weight were measured between 1967 and 2010. The researchers assessed the association between BMI in late adolescence and death from coronary heart disease, stroke, and sudden death in adulthood by mid-2011.
During 42,297,007 person-years of follow-up, 2918 of 32,127 deaths (9.1%) were from cardiovascular causes, including 1497 from coronary heart disease, 528 from stroke, and 893 from sudden death.
The results showed an increase in the risk of cardiovascular death in the group that was considered within the "accepted normal" range of BMI, in the 50th to 74th percentiles, and of death from coronary heart disease at BMI values above 20. The researchers concluded that even BMI considered "normal" during adolescence was associated with a graded increase in cardiovascular and all-cause mortality during the 40 years of follow-up. This included increased rates of death from coronary heart disease, stroke, and total cardiovascular causes among participants.
As BMI scores increased into the 75th to 84th percentiles, adolescent obesity was associated with elevated risk of death from coronary heart disease, stroke, sudden death from unknown causes, and death from total cardiovascular causes, as well as death from non-cardiovascular causes and death from all causes. Participants also had an increased risk of sudden death.
The rates of death per person-year were generally lowest in the group that had BMI values during adolescence in the 25th to 49th percentiles, although higher rates were observed among those below the 5th percentile.
How might adolescent BMI influence cardiovascular outcomes in adulthood? The researchers considered two possible pathways. First, obesity may be harmful during adolescence, since it has been associated with unfavorable metabolic abnormalities through risk factors such as unfavorable plasma lipid or lipoprotein levels, increased blood pressure, impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, and formation of coronary and aortic atherosclerotic plaques. Furthermore, the timing of exposure to obesity during a person's lifetime may play an important role. Second, BMI tends to "track' along the life course so that overweight adolescents tend to become overweight or obese adults, and overweight or obesity in adulthood affects the risk of cardiovascular disease.
"Our findings appear to provide a link between the trends in adolescent overweight during the past decades and coronary mortality in midlife," said the paper's senior author, Prof. Jeremy Kark of the Hebrew University-Hadassah Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine. "The continuing increase in adolescent BMI, and the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents, may account for a substantial and growing future burden of cardiovascular disease, particularly coronary heart disease."
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The new study aimed to determine the BMI threshold that is linked to increased risk of early death. BMI is a calculation of a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters. The result quantifies a person as being underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese.Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem assessed the BMI of 2.3 million Israeli 17-year-olds from 1967 to 2010. The researchers studied the link between BMI in late adolescence and death from heart disease, stroke and sudden death in adulthood by mid-2011.The researchers noted 2,918 of 32,127 deaths (9.1%) were from cardiovascular causes, including 1,497 from coronary heart disease, 528 from stroke and 893 from sudden death.The findings of the study showed a rise in the risk of cardiovascular death in the group that was considered within the 'accepted normal' range of BMI. The increased risk of death from coronary heart disease was found in those with BMI values above 20.Adolescents with a BMI that was considered 'normal' between the range of 18.5 to 24.9 were at an increased risk of early cardiovascular and all-cause mortality during the 40 years follow-up. The higher the BMI, adolescent obesity was linked with an even greater risk of early death.The researchers gave two explanations for how adolescent BMI influences cardiovascular outcomes in adults.Firstly, overweight and obesity during teenage years are harmful because it is linked with unfavorable metabolic conditions, including high blood pressure, impaired ability to break down glucose, insulin resistance and the formation of plaques in key blood vessels.Secondly, BMI tends to 'track' along the life course so that overweight teenagers tend to become overweight adults.Professor Jeremy Kark of the Hebrew University, said, "Our findings appear to provide a link between the trends in adolescent overweight during the past decades and coronary mortality in midlife.""The continuing increase in adolescent BMI, and the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents may account for a substantial and growing future burden of cardiovascular disease, particularly coronary heart disease."Their study appears in theSource: Medindia
With the Syrian war approaching its sixth year, the Saudi government daily Al-Iqtisadiyya published a scathing editorial against the Syrian regime, comparing Bashar Al-Assad to Adolf Hitler. The daily stated that Assad was in fact worse than Hitler, since the latter never butchered and deported his own people. It also slammed the international community, and especially the U.S., for failing to act against the Syrian regime even after it attacked its own citizens with chemical weapons. The editorial claimed that "President's Obama's passivity is outrageous" and that Assad has become a mark of shame upon the brow of the entire world.
The following are excerpts:[1]
Bashar Al-Assad (Image: English.alarabiya.net)
"It is difficult to decide what punishment the arch-butcher of Syria, Bashar Al-Assad, should rightly receive for the crimes he has perpetrated against his people and against the international community. Some even hold the international community itself accountable for its horrible failure to act against this arch-butcher, whose like has not been seen since the fall of Nazi Germany under the rule of Adolf Hitler. This is not surprising, when the U.N. itself confirms that the number of fatalities in Assad's war against the Syrians, and that the number of refugees and displaced persons, is larger than anything that has been seen since the Second World War. It should be noted that [even] the criminal Hitler did not kill the Germans, deport them or turn them into displaced persons. On the contrary, he started his stupid war because he regarded the German people unique and noble.
"Assad has become a mark of shame [upon the brow] of the entire world since the very first day of the sweeping popular revolution against him. Why? Because the world, and particularly the superpowers, left the defenseless Syrian people to their fate in the face of a regime that scorns humaneness, [a regime that] has proved that it is willing to sign a pact with the devil in order to spend one more day clinging to the power that it does not deserve. The world deliberately disclaimed any ability to do anything to help what was left of the Syrian people. Though in the course of the Syrian war, there were several opportunities to intervene and seal the fate of this murderous, sectarian and barbaric regime, [the world], and especially the U.S., rushed to miss [these opportunities], for instance when it was proved that [the regime] had used chemical weapons against civilians, women and children, in the Ghouta of Damascus [in August 2013].
"Assad found his path clear, especially thanks to the aid of every kind [that he has received] from the Iranian regime since the start of the events in Syria and to this day. [The Iranian regime] dreams of taking over yet another Arab country after it has managed to take over the national decision-making positions in Iraq and in Lebanon.[2] Later, Russia [also] joined [Assad's helpers], finding the arena open to it, empty of any [rival] international superpower. It took advantage of the outrageous passivity of American President Barack Obama on this issue. Nobody wants to become entangled in a war of any kind, but [in this case] there is no choice, because the crimes perpetrated by Assad and his allies obligate the international community to intervene, not only in order to defend the Syrian people but in order to defend humanity [at large]. Since the beginning, the issue was not [merely] a local one, and everyone knows this.
"There is not a single weapon that arch-butcher of Syria has not used against the Syrians, on land, in the sea and in the air. He has used chemical weapons, barrel bombs, starvation, siege, executions, torture, expulsion and ethnic cleansing. He has turned half the Syrian people into huge bands of refugees and displaced persons, and has killed, wounded and crippled a quarter of [the Syrian people]. He has caused hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of damage, not only in Syria but also in the neighboring countries, and in most European countries as well. Syrian refugees have reached even Malaysia, China and Sudan! In the face of these crimes, what punishment [does Assad deserve]? Execution, which he surely deserves, is not enough, in the opinion of any Syrian who was tortured, expelled, deported, starved, arrested or held under siege.
"Even so, the only solution left [for the Syrian crisis] is to end this barbaric sectarian Alawite regime, which is supported by the governments of heretic countries and by gangs of mercenaries..."
Endnotes:
The following are some of this week's reports from the MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Project, which translates and analyzes content from sources monitored around the clock, among them the most important jihadi websites and blogs. (To view these reports in full, you must be a paying member of the JTTM; for membership information, send an email to [email protected] with "Membership" in the subject line.)
Note to media and government: For a full copy of these reports, send an email with the title of the report in the subject line to [email protected]. Please include your name, title, and organization in your email.
EXCLUSIVE: Al-Shabab Video Documents The Raid On Kenyan Forces At El-Adde Base
On April 9, 2016, the Somalia-based jihad organization Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen released a 48-minute video titled "The Sheikh Abu-Yahya Al-Libi Raid," documenting the organization's attack in mid-January this year on an AMISOM base in the town of Al-Adde in northern Somalia. The video, produced by the organization's media wing Al-Kataeb, and released on the Twitter page of Al-Shabab's news agency Al-Shahada and elsewhere, shows the capturing of the base from the Kenyan army units stationed there.
EXCLUSIVE: Report: Memo Reveals Tension Between ISIS Leadership And Military Commander Al-Shishani Shortly Before His Death In U.S. Airstrike
On April 8, 2016, the London-based Saudi daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat published a photocopy of a memo that allegedly details a meeting between two key Islamic State (ISIS) figures in Libya. The memo includes excerpts of what appears to be a recorded conversation between the two men, who are identified as Muhammad Al-Madhouni, ISIS's leader in Libya, and Abu Omar Al-Qahtani, a prominent ISIS leader in the city of Sirte,
EXCLUSIVE: The Double Life Of An English-Speaking Female ISIS Supporter - Promoting ISIS Online, Hiding Beliefs From Family
An English-speaking woman, on Facebook, is a very vocal supporter of the Islamic State (ISIS) online, while at the same time expressing her struggle to hide her allegiance to the group from her family. She appears to be a university student of Pakistani origin, stating on her profile that she attends Western Sydney University, and seems to divide her time between Australia and Mauritius. On Facebook, she has expressed her desire to immigrate to Syria, and she shares ISIS propaganda on her account.
EXCLUSIVE: AQAP Commander Sa'd Al-Awlaqi Downplays Effectiveness Of U.S. Airstrikes In Yemen, Claims They Increase Recruitment
On April 6, 2016, Al-Masra, a weekly newspaper affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), published an interview with Sa'd Al-Awlaqi, one of the group's commanders. In the interview, Al-Awlaqi tackled many issues related to the war in Yemen, the effectiveness of U.S. air strikes, and AQAP's current and future strategy.
EXCLUSIVE: Mexican ISIS Supporter Tweets Support For The Caliphate; Plans For An Islamic State In Mexico And Latin America
A Twitter user, who claims to be a Mexican ISIS supporter, tweets his support for the Islamic State, and expresses his desires that it expand to Mexico and Latin America. He also frequently discusses the Muslim population in Chiapas, Mexico.
EXCLUSIVE: ISIS: Sinai Will Become An Arena For War Against Egypt, Israel, Coalition Countries
The latest issue of Al-Naba, the weekly of the Islamic State (ISIS), features an article titled "Camp David in the Caliphate Era," which boasts that ISIS' military successes in Sinai have brought about the collapse of the Camp David Accords.
EXCLUSIVE: Two ISIS-Linked Groups In Southern Syria Join Ranks
On April 12, 2016, Harakat Al-Muthanna, a jihad group that operates in southern Syria and is known for its ties to the Islamic State (ISIS), announced that it had joined Liwa Shuhada' Al-Yarmouk (the Yarmouk Martyrs' Brigade), another ISIS affiliate operating in the region.
French ISIS Media Operatives' Ongoing Online Campaign Calls For Lone Wolf Attacks, Threatens UK
On April 5, 2016, the An-Nur Media Group, which publishes official Islamic State (ISIS) material in French on Twitter, launched a media campaign calling for supporters to participate in the media battle and disseminate ISIS productions and documents.
ISIS German-Language Blog Disseminates ISIS Productions And Content - And Recruitment Information
The "Baqiyya Bleibt Bestehen! (Baqiya - will remain!)" website distributes official Islamic State (ISIS) content exclusively in German, and serves as a nexus for recruiting potential ISIS supporters and fighters. It is hosted on the U.S.-based platform Wordpress.com, and was launched on April 20, 2015.
ISIS Claims It Tried To Assassinate A Syrian Journalist On Turkish Soil
On April 11, 2016, the Islamic State (ISIS), via its A'maq media agency claimed responsibility for the April 10 attempt to assassinate the Syrian journalist Zahir Al-Shirqat, in the Turkish city of Gaziantep on. The local Turkish media reports that Al-Shirqat is hospitalized in critical condition.
ISIS Releases Images Of Military Training Camp In Libya Named After Its Slain Leader
The Islamic State (ISIS) has released a series of images documenting training in one of its camps in Barqa province in eastern Libya. The camp is named after ISIS's former "governor" in Libya, Abu Al-Mughira Al-Qahtani, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike last November. It shows fighters receiving physical and military training, and instruction in first aid.
Jabhat Al-Nusra Releases Video Interview With Captured Hizbullah Fighter
On April 13, 2016, Al-Manara Al-Baida, the official media wing of Jabhat Al-Nusra (JN), Al-Qaeda's branch in Syria, released a video featuring an interview with Muhammad Yassin, a wounded Hizbullah fighter captured by JN in Al-Eis, south of Aleppo. In the short video, three minutes and 25 seconds in length, Yassin stated that he was born in 1990, is from the Lebanese village of Majdel Silim, joined Hizbullah in 2010, and was trained to be a fighter.
Jabhat Al-Nusra In Southern Damascus: We Kill Dozens Of ISIS Fighters Every Day
On April 11, 2016, Jabhat Al-Nusra supporter Abu 'Abd Al-Malek Al-Shami tweeted an internal communique written by Jabhat Al-Nusra (JN) in Southern Damascus. The communique, which is titled "Hear from us and not from others talking about us" stresses that JN members in Southern Damascus are an inseparable part of the organization, and issue threats to the Islamic State (ISIS).
Video By Ansar Al-Shari'a In Libya Calls For Recruits Of All Backgrounds And Skills To Join Jihad
On April 11, 2016, the militant group Ansar Al-Shari'a in Libya (ASL) released a recruitment video calling on Muslims, particularly Libyans, of all backgrounds and skill sets to join the jihad. Titled "Go Forth, Whether Light or Heavy," the video emphasizes Muslims' obligation to wage jihad by fighting their enemies, and notes the various forms of support besides actual fighting on the battlefield that Muslims can provide to help the mujahideen and jihad.
Video Glorifies Uyghur TIP Fighters Killed In Syria
On April 8, 2016, the Sawt Al-Islam (Voice of Islam) media company, associated with the jihad group Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP), published the 17thinstallment in a series of videos titled "Those Who Love Paradise," honoring TIP fighters killed in battle in Syria. TIP's Uyghur fighters are operating in Syria alongside Jabhat Al-Nusra, mainly in the mountainous north-eastern part of the country.
Issue 14 Of ISIS Magazine Dabiq: 'Paris Was A Warning; Brussels Was A Reminder'
On April 13, 2016, the Islamic State (ISIS) published the 14th issue of its English-language magazine Dabiq. The issue, released by ISIS's media company Al-Hayat, celebrates the March 22, 2016 Brussels terror attacks and praises its perpetrators.
The issue's Foreword justifies the Brussels attacks and promises more attacks to come. The opening article, titled "Knights of the Shahada In Belgium," eulogizes four ISIS terrorists, three of whom were involved in the Brussels attacks.
In Issue 14 Of Dabiq Magazine, ISIS Calls Upon Its Supporters In The West To Kill Muslim Leaders
In an article the 14th issue of its English-language magazine Dabiq, the Islamic State (ISIS) called upon its supporters living in Western countries to kill Muslim leaders it deems to be apostates. The article mentions a list of Muslim clerics living in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and Canada as appropriate targets, and labels them apostates in light of their opposition to ISIS or their alleged support of the Western governments' efforts to combat it. It also marks a list of American Muslim Congressmen and political figures as well as British parliamentarians as targets for killing.
In Issue 14 Of ISIS Magazine Dabiq, Article By British Journalist John Cantlie Attacks U.S., U.K. Policy Against Negotiation With Terrorists, Blames Them For Death Of Their Citizens
Issue 14 of the Islamic State's (ISIS) English-language magazine Dabiq, released online on April 13, featured an article by British journalist John Cantlie, who is imprisoned by the group, in which he attacks the U.S. and U.K. policy against negotiating with terrorists. Cantlie accuses the countries of being responsible for the death of their citizens by the Islamic State in 2014.
In Issue 14 Of ISIS Magazine Dabiq, Emir Of ISIS In Bangladesh Says: 'We Believe Shari'a In... [Bangladesh] Won't Be Achieved Until The Local Hindus Are Targeted In Mass Numbers'
Issue 14 of ISIS's English-language magazine Dabiq features a long interview with Sheikh Abu Ibrahim Al-Hanif, the emir of the Islamic State in Bengal, or Bangladesh. Details about Al-Hanif are not known and the name appears to be an assumed name, as is the common practice among jihadis.
Issue 14 Of ISIS Magazine 'Dabiq' Pays Tribute To Bangladeshi Jihadi Radicalized By Anwar Al-Awlaki Who Forged Documents To Enter Syria
Issue 14 of the Islamic State (ISIS)s English-language magazine Dabiq pays tribute to a Bangladeshi jihadi, identified as Abu Jandal Al-Bangali, who grew up in Dhaka and later migrated to Syria to join ISIS, and who died fighting in Syria. Abu Jandal Al-Bangali may be an assumed name.
The two-page article devoted to him notes that he "came from an affluent family with deep connections in the Bengali military" and that his father was a murtad [apostate] officer of the taghut forces." According to the article, Abu Jandal's father died in the 2009 Bangladeshi border guards mutiny; Abu Jandal is reported to have said, "My father died for the sake of taghut, but I wish to die for the sake of Allah alone."
Pro-ISIS Hacking Group 'United Cyber Caliphate' Targets Australian Websites
On April 14, 2016, the United Cyber Caliphate, formerly known as the Caliphate Cyber Army, announced on Telegram that Australia was the next target for their cyber-attacks. Following this announcement the group posted a list of Australian websites that the group hacked.
Radical Bangladeshi Group Hefazat-e-Islam Warns: 'We Will Declare Jihad From Chittagong If Islam Is Dropped As The State Religion'
On March 25, Bangladesh's Islamist organization Hefazat-e-Islam (Defense of Islam) organized a public rally in Chittagong city to protest a move to drop Islam from the country's constitution. Several religious organizations, including Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, called for strikes to oppose the move.
A 28-year-old petition seeking to remove Islam as the state religion had been pending in the High Court. However, on March 28, the High Court rejected the petition saying the group that had filed the petition in 1988 had no legitimacy.
Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias will be in Luxembourg on Monday, 18 April, to attend a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC).
The FAC agenda includes the initiatives the European Union has taken on the issue of returns, and Mr. Kotzias will present Greeces positions to his counterparts, and the discussion will also cover the EUs relations with third states as regards the halting of refugee flows from Turkey and the provision of financial assistance to countries neighbouring on Syria.
Management of the migration/refugee crisis and the positions of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will be the subject of discussion at the working luncheon of the EU member-state Foreign Ministers. with Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in attendance.
The FAC will also look at the Eastern Partnership, in light of the results of the Netherlands referendum on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and the flaring of tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Finally, the Foreign Ministers will have a joint working dinner with the Defence Ministers, during which there will be a discussion of the political situation in Libya and the potential for EU assistance.
On Tuesday, 19 April, Mr. Kotzias will travel to Paris, where he will participate in a working dinner with the French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Harlem Desir. On Wednesday, 20 April, he will meet at the Quai dOrsay with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.
The Alternate Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Nikos Xydakis, stated in Berlin today that Germany acknowledges that Greece is surpassing itself on the refugee issue, while at the same time participating in the resolution of the crisis, supporting the joint European effort and accommodating thousands of refugees. Mr. Xydakis had successive meetings today with the German Minister of State for Europe, Michael Roth, and State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior Emily Haber.
During the meetings, the collocutors focused on the refugee/migration crisis. References were made to the Greek programme for reforms and consolidation of the Greek economy, and a review was carried out of the course of bilateral relations.
In particular with regard to the refugee/migration crisis, Messrs. Xydakis and Roth agreed on the European nature of the issue and the need for Europe to rise to the occasion, giving precedence to solidarity. Mr. Roth highlighted Germanys will to contribute, acknowledging that Greece cannot be left to bear the burden on its own.
Mr. Xydakis underscored that Greece, in its effort to meet the huge challenge of the refugee crisis particularly in the midst of a negative economic state of affairs like that of the past six years very much appreciates the support and understanding of its partners and is pursuing joint solutions, in accordance with the logic of burden-sharing and solidarity among the member states of the European Union. He also highlighted Germanys positive response and noted the need for more experts to be sent to support the asylum processes, so as to improve the functioning of the plan for relocation of refugees from Greece to countries of the EU.
Messrs. Xydakis and Roth agreed that the implementation of the agreement provides an opportunity to deal with the trafficking networks through the creation of a safe route of access for refugees to Europe, via the relocation mechanism, directly from Turkey.
The refugee and migration issue was also the focus of Mr. Xydakis meeting with Ms. Haber, who highlighted the reduction of flows into Greece that has been seen of late and expressed cautious optimism regarding developments in the refugee issue in the near future. The collocutors focused on the means necessary for the implementation of the EU-Turkey agreement. Ms. Haber noted that Germany is already helping with specialized personnel who are in Greece, while a mission of additional experts is being planned for the coming time.
Mr. Xydakis has scheduled a number of interviews with the German news media during his three-day stay in Berlin, with the aim of informing German public opinion with regard to Greeces positions.
Mr. Xydakis will conclude his visit on Sunday, 17 April, with the ceremony for the unveiling the commemorative plaque in honor of the Greek men and women held at Ravensbruck concentration camp between 1943 and 1945.
On the initiative of Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, a Meeting is being held in Thessaloniki, on 21 and 22 April, between the Foreign and Interior Ministers of Greece, Albania, Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
The Thessaloniki Meeting is aimed at strengthening dialogue and broadening the prospects for further cross-border cooperation on coordination and handling of common challenges, such as the refugee and migration crisis.
Specifically, on Thursday, 21 April, a meeting will take place between the Foreign Ministers of the four participating states, and on Friday, 22 April, there will be talks between the Ministers of Interior and a joint meeting of the Foreign and Interior Ministers. The quadrilateral Meeting will be followed by a press conference.
Not for long.
Chacha, the male chimp, was on the loose nearly two hours Thursday after it disappeared from the Yagiyama Zoological Park in Sendai, the city that's hosting finance ministers from the Group of Seven industrialized nations in May.
TV footage showed Chacha perched atop the pole, agitated and screaming at zoo workers below. Even after being hit by a sedative arrow in the back, Chacha desperately tried to escape, dangling from a power line.
He finally gave up and fell head down into a blanket held by a dozen workers on the ground. It's not immediately clear if he survived.
Zoo officials are investigating how he escaped.
The Republican governor signed the bill into law Wednesday and says it will help "support the needs of Michigan's growing senior population."
GOP Sen. Margaret O'Brien sponsored the measure, which also requires hospitals to ensure that caregivers understand treatment instructions.
The bill was approved 70-38 in the House and 27-9 in the Senate last month. Many Democrats opposed it because plaintiffs' attorneys and others worry it could inadvertently strip family members' ability to be paid for their services under Michigan's auto insurance law.
The bill's supporters say those concerns are unfounded.
A preview Wednesday showed off the $30 million Polk Penguin Conservation Center, which features an underwater gallery and two acrylic tunnels where visitors can watch four species of penguins swim above, around and below them.
Zoo officials say it's designed to simulate the penguins' native habitat, including optimal air and water temperatures. Zoo CEO Ron Kagan, who made multiple research trips to Antarctica, says the penguins can "do the polar plunge" in the 25-foot-deep aquatic area.
"This is so new, they're still learning this new environment," Kagan said in an interview. "They've never been able to dive this kind of depth. They've never had this kind of opportunity for ice and snow."
Sixty-nine penguins gentoos, macaronis and rockhoppers have marched over to their new home, which opens to the public on Monday. Fourteen king penguins will arrive in a bit.
The 33,000-square-foot Polk Center is situated on two acres. In addition to the 326,000-gallon swimming pool, the new inhabitants also have the option of spending time chilling in their spacious above-ground abode that includes expansive windows that allow visitors to see in and the penguins to see out.
The environment is intended to encourage the same kind of behavior as in the wild, from leaping in and out of the water to nesting and rearing young.
"We've had penguins at the Detroit Zoo for many years, so we know how to feed penguins and keep them healthy," said Scott Carter, the zoo's chief life sciences officer. "What we wanted to make sure we could do here was make sure that we could create an environment in which penguins could really be happy, in which penguins could thrive."
The center's design, inspired by the harsh climate of Antarctica, features an exterior that resembles a towering iceberg with a crevasse and waterfall.
It's "the biggest project that the Detroit Zoo has ever undertaken" Kagan said. A $10 million donation from the Polk Family Fund is the largest gift in the zoo's 88-year history.
The center is free with Detroit Zoo admission, but requires timed-entry passes that are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Saginaw News reports the seven Beirut-based members of Lebanon's Internal Security Forces arrived Wednesday in Saginaw and are there through Thursday.
They heard from Saginaw police Chief Bob Ruth and state police Lt. Marvin Jenkins about community-based policing efforts and rode along with officers.
They earlier visited Detroit for a three-day informational and training session with Detroit police and U.S. officials focusing on community policing. And they also visited police in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, which is home to thousands who trace their roots to Lebanon and the Middle East.
The members of the Internal Security Forces are working on a pilot community police station in Beirut.
The court is weighing the fate of Obama administration programs that could shield roughly 4 million people from deportation and grant them the legal right to hold a job.
Among them is Teresa Garcia of suburban Seattle, who has spent 14 years in the United States illegally after staying beyond the expiration of her tourist visa in 2002.
She's already gotten much of what she wanted when she chose not to return to her native Mexico. Her two sons are benefiting from an earlier effort that applies to people who were brought here illegally as children. Garcia's 11-year-old daughter is an American citizen.
"That's why I come, for the opportunity for the children and because it is much safer here," the 45-year-old Garcia said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Now, she would like the same for herself and her husband, a trained accountant who works construction jobs. Neither can work legally.
"To have a Social Security number, that means for me to have a better future. When I say better future, we are struggling with the little amount of money my husband is getting for the whole family. It makes for stress every day. We struggle to pay for everything," Garcia said.
The programs announced by President Barack Obama in November 2014 would apply to parents whose children are citizens or are living in the country legally. Eligibility also would be expanded for the president's 2012 effort that helped Garcia's sons. More than 700,000 people have taken advantage of that earlier program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The new program for parents and the expanded program for children could reach as many as 4 million people, according to the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute.
Texas and 25 other states sued to block the new initiatives soon after they were announced, and lower courts have ruled in their favor. The programs have never taken effect.
The states, joined by congressional Republicans, argue that Obama doesn't have the power to effectively change immigration law. When he announced the measures 17 months ago, Obama said he was acting under his own authority because Congress had failed to overhaul the immigration system. The Senate had passed legislation on a bipartisan vote, but House Republicans refused to put the matter to a vote.
"Fundamentally, we don't think the president has the statutory or constitutional authority to issue these executive actions," said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
House Republicans told the court that Obama is claiming the power "to decree that millions of individuals may live, work and receive benefits in this country even though federal statutes plainly prohibit them from doing so."
The administration and immigration advocates say the immigration orders are neither unprecedented nor even unusual. Rather, they say, Obama's programs build on past efforts by Democratic and Republican administrations to use discretion in deciding whom to deport.
The court's last major immigration decision, the 2012 case Arizona v. U.S., lends some support to this view.
"A principal feature of the removal system is the broad discretion exercised by immigration officials. Federal officials, as an initial matter, must decide whether it makes sense to pursue removal at all," wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy. "Discretion in the enforcement of immigration law embraces immediate human concerns. Unauthorized workers trying to support their families, for example, likely pose less danger than alien smugglers or aliens who commit a serious crime."
The administration and its supporters said the challenged programs do not offer blanket protection, but depend on case-by-case reviews. The protection from deportation also would be temporary, for three years.
"It's not permanent status, not a green card, not a path to citizenship. It doesn't get you a ticket into a voting booth. At best, it's a tolerated presence," said Angela Maria Kelley, an immigration expert at the Center for American Progress.
The programs also could be revoked by the next president, as the Republican contenders have promised. That might leave people who have provided the government with information about themselves in greater peril of being deported.
Immigration advocates acknowledged that some people might not be willing to raise their hands until they know the outcome of the election.
The Supreme Court case might not even address the issue of executive authority if the justices determine that Texas and the other states don't have the right to challenge it in federal court. Such a resolution, which could attract support from both liberal and conservative justices, could enable the court to sidestep the potentially divisive details over immigration and avoid a 4-4 tie following Justice Antonin Scalia's death in February.
A decision in favor of the administration would allow the programs to take effect in the waning months of Obama's presidency. A loss or even a tie vote would block them for the foreseeable future.
Garcia said she is eager to apply for the relief Obama offers if it's made available.
Garcia said she volunteers in the local schools teaching Spanish to children, providing translation for interactions between parents and the schools and working on the school district's strategic planning effort. But she has had to turn down offers of a paying job with the school system.
Armed with the Social Security number she so desires, Garcia said, "I would work starting right now."
A decision in U.S. v. Texas, 15-674, is expected by late June.
Retired Military Officials Are Finding High-Paying Jobs With the Saudi Government and Can Make up up to 7-Figure Salaries Working for Other Foreign Governments
Retired U.S. military personnel cannot receive consulting fees or jobs from foreign governments without expressed approval...
A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft manned by Afghan pilots trained in the U.S. have conducted the first close air support missions by fixed-wing aircraft ever flown for the fledgling Afghan Air Force, a U.S. military spokesman in Kabul said Thursday.
They are beginning to take their first strikes, guided to targets by Afghan forward air controllers on the ground, Army Brig. Gen. Charles Cleveland said in a video briefing from Kabul to the Pentagon.
Cleveland did not say where or when the first A-29 strikes took place or describe the effectiveness of the missions, but U.S. and Afghan officials previously had said that combat missions by the turboprop aircraft were expected to begin in April.
Four of the A-29s arrived in Afghanistan in January and another four have since flown in to a military airfield near Hamid Karzai International Airport outside Kabul, according to Cleveland, the new deputy chief of staff for communications for the U.S. and NATO Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan.
A U.S.-funded $427 million contract calls for a total of 20 A-29s to be delivered to Afghanistan by 2018.
Eight Afghan Air Force pilots completed training late last year on the A-29s with U.S. pilots from the 81st Fighter Squadron at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia. The A-29s, which were designed for close air support, carry a 20mm cannon below the fuselage, one 12.7mm machine gun under each wing and can also fire 70mm rockets and launch precision-guided bombs.
The A-29s began arriving in Afghanistan nearly five years after the Brazilian firm Embraer, and its U.S. partner Sierra Nevada Corp., won a Light Air Support competition with the A-29 against the Hawker Beechcraft AT-6B Texan II, leading to contract disputes and delays in the program.
Last month, the A-29s working with Afghan tactical air controllers conducted live-fire training exercises outside Kabul. At a following ceremony called the Rebirth of the Afghan Air Force, Maj. Gen. Wahab Wardak, commander of the Afghan Air Force, said he expected the A-29s to begin conducting airstrikes in April.
Although Cleveland did not say where the first A-29 strikes were carried out, Afghan Defense Minister Masoom Stanikzai said last month that the aircraft would likely be used first in southwestern Helmand province, where the Afghan National Security Forces have been struggling to contain the Taliban in the region that is the center of Afghanistans opium trade.
Helmand is not a rosy picture now, said Cleveland.
Even so, he contradicted news reports that the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, former headquarters of British forces in the region, was about to fall. In February, 500 troops from the Armys 10th Mountain Division were sent to Helmand as force protection for U.S. Special Operations troops advising and assisting the Afghans.
Cleveland said that the Afghan forces, backed by nearly daily U.S. airstrikes, were making progress against newly-emergent Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, allied Afghan insurgents in eastern Nangarhar province.
"We do think that they are being contained more than they probably were last fall," he said, but "we do think that they still pose a real threat. And based on their past performance, theyve got the ability to catch fire very quickly. So we do want to continue to have constant pressure on them."
--Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
A National Guard soldier in California expressed disbelief after she found the American flag outside her home ripped from its spot along with its flagpole bracket.
Christina Sudtell, a specialist who lives in Folsom, said in a Facebook post, This especially hits me hard because Im a soldier, and this flag represents all I stand for.
Lisa Bowden, who lives in the neighborhood and has a flag outside her home, told Fox 40 that her boyfriend recently shipped off to Army basic training in Georgia and it would be heartbreaking for him if something happened to their flag.
Sudtell has since removed the posting from her Facebook page.
U.S. Army leaders are scheduled to issue their formal plan today for dealing with recommendations from a highly-publicized National Commission on the Future of the Army report.
The report, ordered by Congress, features 63 recommendations on key areas such as modernization and investment, force structure, readiness and end-strength.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told Congress recently that the Army plans to submit an April 15 report to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter that details the services plans for each of the recommendations.
The Army has done a very rigorous study of the 63 recommendations, Milley told lawmakers recently.
Right now, more or less, about 50 or so we think are achievable with relatively little or no cost or we started doing them, Milley said at an April 7 hearing before the Senate Armed Service Committee.
The remaining recommendations will incur some or significant cost in terms of dollars on the Army if it chooses to follow them, Milley said, referring the reports recommendations that deal with aviation assets.
The Commission was specifically directed to address the proposal to transfer all Apache attack helicopters (AH-64s) from the Army National Guard to the Regular Army as one part of the Armys broader Aviation Restructure Initiative (ARI), according to the commission report.
The Commission concluded that the ARI is a well-crafted plan that holds down costs while maintaining a reasonable level of wartime capacity in the Apache fleet.
The National Guard Bureau has proposed an alternative of keeping 11 Apaches in the Guard, the report states. This alternative would add between about $90 million and $175 million a year to the aviation operating costs, the commission maintains.
The NGB Alternative would also involve between $220 million and $420 million in one-time costs to provide an additional eleven Apache helicopters. The range depends on whether the additional eleven Apaches are new or remanufactured aircraft, the report states.
The commission found, however, that ARI results in a lack of strategic depth, providing for no wartime surge capability in the Army National Guard.
After extensive analysis, and numerous discussions with proponents of various plans, the commission recommends that the Army maintain twenty-four manned Apache battalions twenty in the Regular Army and four in the Army National Guard, the report states.
All the active Army battalions would be equipped with twenty-four aircraft. The four Army National Guard battalions would be equipped with eighteen aircraft, the commission recommends.
To hold down costs, Option Three assumes that only two Black Hawk battalions are added to the Army National Guard (compared with four under the ARI). This approach, which is also used by the NGB Alternative, would result in a reduction in operational Black Hawk aircraft by about 3 percent, the report states.
Under the commissions option, the Army would commit to use the Army National Guard battalions regularlymobilizing them and deploying them in peacetime. The report also makes other recommendations concerning Army aviation.
The Army faces significant shortfalls. Army aviation represents a key example, the report states. Today, some aviation assets cannot meet expected wartime capacity requirements."
The Army should retain eleven combat aviation brigades in the regular Army and maintain a forward-stationed combat aviation brigade in Korea, the commission recommends. Currently, the Army plans reduce its combat aviation brigades from 11 to 10 CABs.
So far, Milley has only named one recommendation that the Army will not consider. It involves cutting two infantry brigade combat teams in the active Army to provide manpower spaces that could be used to decrease higher priority risks.
The general has testified that infantry brigades are a key part of the Army's "foxhole strength that the Army is unwilling to reduce.
Milley also testified that the aviation recommendations make strategic and operational sense, but they will be very expensive to execute without additional money from Congress. The report also recommends that the Army should increase Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) capacity based on the current and projected threat environment. Risk may be acceptable without additional ABCT structure if the Army stations an ABCT in Europe.
The Army has already set up a rotation plan to ensure that it has one ABCT in Europe at all times.
--Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
Since 1775, the U.S. Marine Corps has prided itself on being "The Few" and "The Proud." But while the Corps takes pride in doing more with less, senior Marine officers are warning that the Corps' aviation service is being stretched to the breaking point.
Today, the vast majority of Marine Corps aircraft can't fly. The reasons behind the grounding of these aircraft include the toll of long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the fight against ISIS and budget cuts precluding the purchase of the parts needed to fix an aging fleet, according to dozens of Marines interviewed by Fox News at two air stations in the Carolinas this week.
Out of 276 F/A-18 Hornet strike fighters in the Marine Corps inventory, only about 30% are ready to fly, according to statistics provided by the Corps. Similarly, only 42 of 147 heavy-lift CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters are airworthy.
U.S. military spending has dropped from $691 billion in 2010 to $560 billion in 2015. The cuts came just as the planes were returning from 15 years of war, suffering from overuse and extreme wear and tear. Many highly trained mechanics in the aviation depots left for jobs in the private sector.
"Quite honestly, it is coming on the backs of our young Marines," Lt. Col. Matthew "Pablo" Brown, commanding officer of VMFA(AW)-533, a Hornet squadron based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina. "They can do it, and they are doing it but it is certainly not easy."
Brown's squadron is due to deploy to the Middle East in the coming days.
Lack of funds has forced the Marines to go outside the normal supply chain to procure desperately needed parts. Cannibalization, or taking parts from one multi-million dollar aircraft to get other multi-million dollar aicraft airborne, has become the norm.
To get one Hornet flying again, Marines at Beaufort stripped a landing gear door off a mothballed museum jet. The door, found on the flight deck of the World War II-era USS Yorktown, was last manufactured over a decade ago.
"Imagine taking a 1995 Cadillac and trying to make it a Ferrari," Sgt. Argentry Uebelhoer said days before embarking on his third deployment. "You're trying to make it faster, more efficient, but it's still an old airframe [and] the aircraft is constantly breaking."
Maintaining the high-performance Hornets is a challenge with 30,000 fewer Marines, part of a downsizing that has been ongoing since 2010.
"We don't have enough of them to do the added work efficiently. We are making it a lot harder on the young marines who are fixing our aircraft," said Maj. Michael Malone of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31.
Sometimes it takes the Marines 18 months to get parts for early model F-18 jets whose production was halted in 2001.
"We are an operational squadron. We are supposed to be flying jets, not building them," said Lt. Col. Harry Thomas, Commanding Officer of VMFA-312, a Marine Corps F/A-18 squadron based at Beaufort.
The cuts include those made by the Obama administration as well as the sequestration cutbacks agreed to by Congress.
Lt. Col Thomas, call sign "Crash," deployed to the Pacific with 10 jets last year. Only seven made it. A fuel leak caused his F/A-18 to catch fire in Guam. Instead of ejecting, he landed safely, saving taxpayers $29 million.
Thomas has deployed eight times in all, including six to Iraq and Afghanistan. Right now only two of his 14 Hornets can fly. His Marines deploy in three months.
"We are supposed to be doing the type of maintenance like you would take your car to Jiffy Lube for replacing fluids, doing minor inspections, changing tires, things of that nature, not building airplanes from the ground up," he added.
The aircraft shortage means pilots spend less time in the air.
"This last 30 days our average flight time per pilot was just over 4 hours," said Thomas.
Ten years ago, Marine Corps pilots averaged between 25 and 30 hours in the air each month, according to one pilot. "This is the worst I've seen it," he added. Another pilot who asked to remain nameless told Fox News that Chinese and Russian pilots fly more hours each month than Marine Corps pilots.
Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornets are supposed to have a shelf life of 6,000 hours, but they are being refurbished to extend the life to 8,000. There is talk that some aircraft might be pushed to 10,000 hours while the Marine Corps waits for the 5th-generation Joint Strike Fighter, which is slated to replace the F-18, but has been plagued by cost overruns.
"Our aviation readiness is really my No. 1 concern," Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller told Congress last month. "We don't have enough airplanes that we would call 'ready basic aircraft."
Col. Sean Salene oversees nine helicopter squadrons at Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina.
"Unlike previous wars, we did not have a period of time afterwards where we did not have tasking," said Col. Salene. "There was no time to catch our breath."
Maj. Matt Gruba, executive officer of HMH-461, a Super Stallion squadron at New River took Fox News reporters inside one of the large helicopters, which has sent thousands of fully loaded Marines into combat over the past three decades.
Inside, hundreds of small wires cover every surface of the helicopter except the hard non-skid deck. It's up to the Marine maintainers to inspect each one. One failure could be catastrophic, as happened in 2014 when a Navy MH-53E Sea Dragon crashed off the coast of Virginia after a fire engulfed the aircraft due to faulty fuel lines.
"It would be easy to miss some small minute detail, some small amount of wear [which] could potentially, eventually cause a fire," Gruba said
Lt. Gen. Jon M. "Dog" Davis is the Marine Corps' deputy commandant for aviation, tasked with getting his aircraft back in the air.
Davis ordered the Corps to refurbish all of the old CH-53E helicopters to their pre-war condition, including fixing the chafing wires and jerryrigged fuel lines that were repaired in theater.
"The biggest thing is right now after 15 years of hard service, of hard fighting and deploying around the world, is we don't have enough airplanes on the flight line," Davis said.
The cuts have not sat well within the military leadership. Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Fox News' Bret Baier in a recent interview that he felt betrayed when told to cut billions from the budget after having already done so.
"I guess I'd have to say I felt double-crossed. After all those years in Washington, I was naive," he said.
And last week, the Army's top officer, Gen. Mark Milley, said cuts could mean more American troops could lose their lives.
"If one or more possible unforeseen contingencies happen, then the United States Army currently risks not having ready forces available to provide flexible options to our national leadership. ... And most importantly, we risk incurring significantly increased U.S. casualties," Milley testified last week on Capitol Hill.
Lucas Tomlinson is the Pentagon and State Department producer for Fox News Channel. You can follow him on Twitter: @LucasFoxNews
Jennifer Griffin currently serves as a national security correspondent for FOX News Channel . She joined FNC in October 1999 as a Jerusalem-based correspondent. You can follow her on Twitter at @JenGriffinFNC.
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The deployment of Marine EA-6B Prowler jammer planes to Turkey came amid growing concerns about the potential anti-aircraft threat from ISIS and other militant groups in Syria.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria claimed Thursday that its "air defense" fighters had downed a Syrian government warplane in the southern Syrian province of Suwayda. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group based in London, said the pilot safely ejected and was not captured.
Last week, Syria's military reported that one of its warplanes had been shot down by a missile allegedly fired by the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al Nusra Front. The captured pilot was later shown in an Al Nusra propaganda video and identified as Col. Khaled Saeed.
The U.S. has yet to lose a pilot since the air campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria began in Augsst 2014 but the U.S. has also denied repeated requests from militia groups it supports in Syria for shoulder-fired missiles, or "manpads."
In a video briefing to the Pentagon on Wednesday, Army Col. Steve Warren, a spokesman for combined Joint task force-Operation Inherent Resolve, said that the U.S. only supplies ammunition and small arms to the groups it supports in Syria and has rejected requests for shoulder-fired missiles to counter Syrian and Russian air attacks.
However, several news outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, have reported that the CIA was lobbying to provide the U.S.-backed rebel groups in Syria with more advanced weaponry, including shoulder-fired missiles, for use against the Russian-backed regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad if the current "cessation of hostilities" talks in Geneva fail.
The four-seat Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler, the electronics warfare version of the old A-6 Intruder, was designed to jam enemy radars but has been used in Iraq to disrupt enemy communications and counter improvised explosive devices.
The Navy retired its Prowlers last year in favor of the EA-18G Growler, the electronics warfare version of the FA-18 Super Hornet, but the Marine Corps expects to continue flying the Prowlers through 2019.
The Marine Prowlers from U.S European Command arrived at the Incuirlik airbase in Turkey on Wednesday, the command said in a statement.
Using another acronym for ISIS, the command said that the Prowlers from Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4 (VMAQ-4) would "support electronic attack requirements associated with ongoing counter-ISIL operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve."
The command didn't say how many of the aircraft deployed but a Prowler squadron usually numbers six aircraft. The deployment was expected to last through September.
-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
Same-sex spouses will now be able to accompany U.S. service members on overseas tours to South Korea, according to Defense Department documents.
The paperwork was obtained and released by the American Military Partners Association, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that advocates on behalf of gay military families.
"A huge burden has been lifted off of the shoulders of so many of our military families," Ashley Broadway-Mack, president of the association, said in a press release. "This is incredibly welcome news for so many service members and their families who now don't have to go through extraordinary lengths to stay together."
Although gay spouses became eligible for U.S. military benefits in 2013, they're often still not permitted to join the family members at overseas duty stations due to restrictive status of forces agreements with the host countries. Because many countries don't recognize same-sex marriage -- a hot-button political and religious issue around the world -- they don't allow American same-sex dependents as part of their agreements.
South Korea, which hosts about 30,000 American troops, had been the last major U.S. host country to deny the special visa used by command-sponsored dependents overseas that allows them to stay continuously in the country.
Typically family members who follow a service member to a host country without command sponsorship are unable to use base services, including the commissary and Exchange.
However, because of a 2013 decision by U.S. Forces Korea, gay military families who chose to go to South Korea could still use base facilities. But without South Korea's buy-in, stateside officials could not grant to those families sponsorship and the perks that come with it, like travel funding, housing and special vias.
Germany began granting sponsorship in August of last year, while Italy changed its rules in July of 2014. The majority of the nations that continue to prohibit command sponsorship of gay U.S. military families are locations where homosexuality is illegal, such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
-- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @amy.bushatz.
Senate lawmakers on Thursday once again signaled to the Veterans Affairs Department they want VA doctors able to talk to patients about use of medical marijuana.
By a 20-10 bipartisan vote, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed an amendment to the military construction and veterans legislation allowing agency doctors to make recommendations to vets on the use of medical marijuana -- something they can't do now even in states where cannabis prescriptions are legal.
"We should be doing everything we can to make life easier for our veterans," Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, said in a statement. "Prohibiting VA doctors from talking to their patients about medical marijuana just doesn't make sense. The VA shouldn't be taking legal treatment options off the table for veterans."
Medical marijuana is being prescribed in some states for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, even though its effectiveness remains questionable.
The legislative amendment was sponsored by Merkley and Sen. Steve Daines, a Republican from Montana, who successfully got the same amendment through the committee in November, only to see it stripped from the bill by House lawmakers a month later.
The latest language still has to be considered by the full Senate and then be sent once more to the House for approval.
The VA won't comment on the lawmakers' actions on medical marijuana, but its website quotes a report by Marcel Bonn-Miller of the National Center for PTSD at the VA Medical Center in Palo Alto, California, and Glenna Rousseau of the VA Medical Center in White River Junction, Vermont, dismissing marijuana as useful in treating veterans.
"Controlled studies have not been conducted to evaluate the safety or effectiveness of medical marijuana for PTSD," the report states. "Thus, there is no evidence at this time that marijuana is an effective treatment for PTSD. In fact, research suggests that marijuana can be harmful to individuals with PTSD."
The federal government in 2014 approved a study on medical marijuana to be conducted by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, a California-based nonprofit research center. But the research hasn't yet been completed.
-- Bryant Jordan can be reached at bryant.jordan@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BryantJordan.
The head of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is criticizing President Barack Obama for his unwillingness to oppose planned cuts to the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Paul Rieckhoff, founder and chief executive officer of the organization, known as IAVA, on Thursday called on all lawmakers and the president to say where they stood on House legislation that will cut in half the housing allowance for students attending college on a parent's GI Bill.
The move could mean a loss of anywhere from a few hundred dollars to upwards of $2,000 a month, depending on where the child attends school.
"This is extremely disappointing to hear from our commander in chief," Rieckhoff told Military.com on Friday. "You cannot be neutral on a moving train. We need him to stand strong. He stood with us when we passed the GI Bill in 2008. We need him to stand with us now in defending it.
"This is a no-brainer for the President," he added.
In response to Military.com's request for the president's position on the proposed cut, White House spokeswoman Ruvin Hallie said, "We'll decline to comment on this."
Rieckhoff and representatives from other veterans groups rallied on Capitol Hill with half a dozen Democrat lawmakers who already have pledged to fight the cut, among them Reps. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii and Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, all of whom are Iraq War veterans.
The cuts in the housing allowance are being used to fund other veterans programs, including improvements to postnatal care for female veterans, expanded K-9 therapy for veterans suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder, the reauthorization of the VA work-study program and removal of the cap on VA home loan guarantees.
But critics, including lawmakers at the event, slammed the move, saying it amounts "robbing Peter to pay Paul."
None of the speakers oppose the new or expanded programs, but believe Congress should come up with the money from elsewhere.
Rieckhoff said that Obama, as the grandson of a World War II veteran, knows the importance of the GI Bill.
"He's always been an ally and we hope he'll be an ally again" on this, he said.
-- Bryant Jordan can be reached at Bryant.jordan@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BryantJordan.
Giants reliever Sergio Romo will be placed on the 15-day DL after being diagnosed with a flexor strain in his right elbow, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle was among those to report on Twitter. Romo will not even resume throwing for two weeks, at which time hell be reevaluated before being cleared, so hell almost certainly be out longer than the minimum.
Romo had been generating typically strong results in his first several outings, but there were some warnings signs. His swinging strike rate is down quite a bit, and Romo has only recorded one strikeout in four appearances. Of greater concern, he has lost around 1.5 to 2 miles per hour on all of his offerings as against his 2015 average velocities.
Its not clear at this point how long of an absence is to be expected, but as Alex Pavlovic of CSNBayArea.com notes, a similar malady cost righty Matt Cain a full three months last season. Of course, Cain had to rebuild his pitch count in a way that Romo wont need to, but that experience shows the potential that this kind of injury has. Fellow reliever Carson Smith of the Red Sox is still working back from his own version of the impairment suffered over three weeks ago.
San Francisco will surely also try to avoid risking further injury by rushing a return. Certainly, its far from uncharted territory, and there are clear risks. Doug Fister suffered a velocity decline after his return from a flexor strain last year, while Cliff Lee was shelved for the year in 2014 after he suffered a flexor tear upon his return from a two-month DL stint for a strain.
It appears that Cory Gearrin will move up the depth charts into a more prominent set-up role in Romos stead. Of course, the club can also turn to high-powered righty Hunter Strickland in front of closer Santiago Casilla, so theres sufficient depth on hand for the time being. Its not yet clear which minor leaguer will be summoned to occupy Romos active roster spot, but San Francisco appears to be weighing a variety of options.
Nothing is more frustrating than looking back at the past and seeing what should have been obvious at the time. Except maybe when companies talk as though the past did not happen at all.
Nicolas Negroponte explained to us in the 1980s that TV and voice were going to switch as a result of technology. We were going to get our TV on wired connections and voice was going to become wireless.
Today, there is the effort to have everything be wireless. It sounds good, except the reality is that wireless has not found a pricing model that makes it capable of carrying all the traffic.
A recent article in the Detroit News pointed out that in 2014, the U.S. wireless industry posted its first decline in revenue, even though the data service subscription grew.
In the article the claim is made that wireless is ready for video, and they point to AT&Ts acquisition of DirecTV as comparable to other carriers video solutions.
However, what they fail to realize is how different the AT&T deal is from the other players. While Verizons purchase of AOL and perhaps Yahoo puts it into the content business, it does not come with an alternate delivery service (i.e.; satellite).
Wireless efforts to find alternative backhaul services and expand to small cells, and to shift the burden to alternate networks shows that wireless cannot manage the consumption economically yet.
I have been making the point to some friends that are gung ho for NFV that if there is no connection to the services, the deployment is not going to solve the bandwidth management problem.
Seamus Hourihan used to try to explain that we are in age of session management. While that is true for the IP side of the connection, we are still managing bandwidth strategies.
Someday the communications path will truly be virtualized. For today, we are still in flux. That leaves opportunities for Ingenu, LoRa, SigFox and Wi-Fi. Existing carriers are looking for solutions and are not beyond partnering with alternatives.
Eventually normalization will be found and many strategies will be abandoned. If anyone lived through the 1996 boom, they will recognize the cycle.
Reports say the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has hauled the organiser of the spiritual contest between Bishop Daniel Obinim and a fetish priest by name Okomfo Yaw Appiah before a Kumasi High Court for not seeking permission to use the Jubilee Park for the event.
It has not been proven whether or not the organiser, Bawuah Abesiriwa, a radio presenter of Boss FM, actually sought permission to use the park but reports say that is why the KMA is dragging him to court.
On Monday evening, Bawuah Abesiriwa hosted Bishop Obinim and Okomfo Appiah on Boss FM in Kumasi. The two, after several minutes of arguing and bragging on who had more power, agreed to meet Tuesday noon for the spiritual contest.
Obinim ordered the 41-year-old fetish priest to come along with a coffin because he won't leave the event grounds alive. The fetish priest also asked the man of God to do as he had ordered.
Among the terms of the contest was that the loser would be buried in a coffin.
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The so-called spiritual father of Bishop Obinim, Okomfo Yaw Appiah, warned 'his spiritual son' to be wary of his utterances and mannerisms.
Bishop Obinim was heard on a tape recording, a couple of days ago, throwing a challenge to the priest to meet him at a place they would both exhibit their spiritual prowess to the awe of a large crowd.
Per the rules of the 'contest', Obinim and Nana Appiah were to lie in the coffin for 30 minutes, in addition to other rituals that would be performed, to determine the one who would survive and who was superior.
Obinim told the crowd that he was daring the priest to show up in the coming days or he would be compelled to storm his (priest's) residence to prove a point.
But in a radio interview later, Okomfo Nana Appiah said he was prevented by the police from showing up at the grounds because the contest could be 'bloody'.
He told ghanacrusader.com: I am not afraid of Obinim and I am ready to face him anytime and expose him.
Source: GhanaCrusader
15.04.2016 LISTEN
Listening to radio in Ghana before the days of privatisation and commercialization of the Ghanaian airwaves was to some extent awesome, due to the standard-style of radio presenting or presentation by the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.
Even though the airwaves were arguably good, decent, smooth and iconic by all international standards, it was a bit monopolised by the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation henceforth the liberalisation of the airwaves brought freedom and happiness to all radio enthusiasts.
The liberalisation of the airwaves brought in its wake, some fresh air about how different and diverse radio presentation can be.
The likes of, in no particular order Joy FM, GROOVE FM, CHOICE FM in Accra as well as LUV FM, OTEC FM and KAPITAL FM in Kumasi showed expertly how radio should be tailored towards it potential audience or listeners, whereby making radio presentation and listenership an art form.
Suddenly other stations started popping up, but instead of researching to come up with thought provoking and compelling ways to present their shows, most decided to copy the other established stations art form, thereby making radio listening in Ghana very cumbersome and samey.
Although the airwaves are still choked with radio stations doing the same thing at the same time, however it now behoves on the individual presenter or host, to fine-tune their art of radio presenting or presentation to refresh the quality of delivery to listeners.
A case in point, Chauffeur PB to the rescue: is how Prince Benjamin of Class FM does his radio-links during his show-the Class-Drive.
He does it so effortlessly so that segueing to another song becomes ordinary service.
And that is the medium through which all sorts of music or songs could be played, irrespective of the pitch or tempo.
This art is unlike a typical DJ who would miss all sorts of songs due to the songs tempo thereby marginalising certain music with certain tempos, all to the detriment and cost of a given artiste.
The Minister for Petroleum says a technical investigation of the condition of the turret bearing on the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah confirms that the bearing has been seriously damaged.
Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah says Jubilee Fields lead partners, Tullow Oil, has assured the government that oil production and gas export can continue but under revised operating and off-take procedures.
The turret bearing is no longer able to rotate as originally designed.
The Minister spoke with Joy Business after a visit to the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah to understand the extent of the problem.
The Petroleum minister explained that production from the FPSO is expected to will re-start by April 23.
A root cause analysis is ongoing and a project team is assessing to find a long-term solution to the operational problems on the FPSO.
The country Manager for Tullow Ghana Mr Charlse Darko said, the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah has now been placed on "heading control" through the use of tugs which minimise vessel movement around the bearing.
He added that, new operating procedures, including the use of a dynamically-positioned shuttle tanker (capacity of 250,000 barrels of oil) and a storage tanker (capacity of 1 million barrels of oil), are being implemented to assure safe production and off-take operations.
According to Mr Darko, although all necessary equipment for the new operating procedures, including the two tankers, are in place, it is important that additional time and due care is taken to implement new procedures and receive required approvals.
Darko said, safety and protecting the environment remain Tullows key priorities. Tullow currently estimates that production from the FPSO will re-start in approximately two weeks time and will also take time to ramp-up. Tullows production guidance will be re-issued once the new operating arrangements have stabilised.
15.04.2016 LISTEN
Deputy Managing Director of Activa International Insurance, Mr. Solomon Lartey, has said that Activa would continue to make available to Ghanaian businesses those same world class insurance services and products that companies in the United States of America, Europe, Canada or in any advanced country would enjoy.
Mr. Lartey said this when he delivered a brief speech at the launch of the 5th AGI Ghana Industry Awards held at the Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra on Tuesday, 12th April, 2016.
He said, Activa, which is the major sponsor of the upcoming AGI Awards, has for the past couple of years, opted to support the Association of Ghana Industries awards for two reasons:
1 What we are and
2 What the Ghanaian industrial sector needs (in terms of risk management and insurance security).
Activa International Insurance is a member of the Pan African Insurance Group Group Activa; the originator of the Globus Network through which we are able to provide tailor-made insurance solutions to various industry players in over 40 African countries.
This means that we bridge Legal, Linguistic, Monetary and Cultural barriers, which are essential ingredients in doing business globally, Mr. Lartey added.
Activa is rated in the A category by Messrs Global Credit Rating of South Africa and is the insurance company of the year, 2014 (AGI).
Activa International Insurance provides expert and world class client service backed by the best international financial security such as Munich Re, Swiss Re, Lloyds, Africa Re and Ghana Re among others. By virtue of its membership of the Globus Network, Activa is able to offer dedicated access to quality and reliable insurance services in over 40 African countries. Activas service is delivered by modern, dynamic, knowledge-based and efficient management systems backed by the state of the art information technology (IT) systems. We cross geographical and linguistic boundaries and have representation in 40 African countries spanning English, French, Arabic and Portuguese speaking Africa. We bring world class expertise and service delivery to the door-steps of local blue-chip and SME businesses in Ghana, Mr. Solomon Lartey explained.
Under the theme: Growing Local Industry for Export Development and Job Creation, this years AGI Ghana Industry Awards was officially launched by Hon. Rashid Pelpuo, Minister of state in charge of Public-Private Partnership, and attended by AGI President, Mr. James Asare-Adjei, CEO of the AGI Mr. Seth Twum Akwaboa and captains of businesses in Ghana.
President John Mahama has expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of secrecy among security agencies in the country following leakage of an internal memo from National Security confirming a planned terrorist attack on Ghana.
Even though the President urged Ghanaians not to panic over the terror alert leaked to the media, he was unhappy with certain details contained in the memo.
Speaking on GBC Sunrise FM in Koforidua, the Eastern Region capital on Thursday as part of his accounting to the people tour, he said it was unnecessary for the alert to be leaked to the media by the security agencies.
I think that we must deal with this without creating panic amongst our people and that is why the stories we saw in the papers on Thursday are most unfortunate, the President said.
The leaked security document reveals a Malian terrorist said to be the brain behind the attack on the Grand Bassam resort in Ivory Coast, during interrogation by Ivorian security officials, allegedly confessed that there was a planned to attack Ghana and Togo.
Following that information, Ghana was put on a high alert.
The suspected Malian terrorist was arrested after the attack on the Grand Bassam Hotel.
However, President Mahama, who is unhappy about the alert leakage, assured that the nation's security agencies were well placed to deal with any form of threat.
"We are preparing for any such eventuality but we need the alertness of the public; the public needs to be more alert today than before, if you see any strange person, any strange movement, you just need to report to the security services," President Mahama entreated.
African leaders and development partners have agreed on a common approach for accelerating the provision of unique identification to millions of people in Africa as a means to foster more inclusive economies and greater regional integration.
At a high-level meeting during the World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings, representatives from the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the East African Community, African Ministers of Finance, development partners and the World Bank Group committed to join efforts in providing identification to millions of people across Africa through a more integrated and regional approach.
African Union Commission Deputy Chairperson H.E Mr. Erastus Mwencha noted that people have a right to legal identity and recognition which are essential prerequisites for decent work, livelihoods and well-being. Those issues are at the core of Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals, he said. However, H.E Mr. Mwencha emphasized on the need for enhanced access to technology, resources, as well as advocacy and capacity for the attainment of this project.
The World Bank committed to work with countries in collaboration with the African Union and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), to develop a set of harmonized standards to support inter-operability between national identification systems and mutual recognition of identification documents.
World Bank Vice President for Africa Makhtar Diop underlined that Identification provides a foundation for other rights and gives a voice to the voiceless. He added, It is indispensable for ensuring access to education, financial services, and health and social benefits.
The leaders observed that identification, whether through civil registries or other national identification systems, can foster inclusion and access to essential services such as health care and education, financial services, and safety net programs. It can enable a more efficient administration of public services, transparent decisions and improved governance. Identification also allows for more accurate measurement of development progress in areas such as reduction of maternal and infant mortality and ending epidemics.
Globally, an estimated 1.5 billion people are unable to prove their official identity. This includes almost 170 million children under the age of five years. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest percentage of its population (around 37%) without a form of legal identification, as well as the highest rate of unregistered births (43% of 0-4 age group).
ID4D initiative
In 2014 the World Bank Group launched the Identification for Development (ID4D) initiative to support progress towards identification systems using the latest technological solutions. The ID4D agenda supports the achievement of the World Bank's two overarching goals ending extreme poverty by 2030 and promoting shared prosperity.
The ID4D program has already completed country assessments in about a third of African countries and is engaging with client countries on advancing the effort and implementing integrated and inter-operable solutions. It is also developing regional partnerships to accelerate the agenda.
Back from a fact-finding mission in Burundi, conducted in March 2016, FIDH and ITEKA condemn serious human rights violations in Burundi, mainly perpetrated by defence and security forces, against a background of ethnic and genocidal ideology. The ongoing crimes could already be qualified as crimes against humanity and there are now signs that the crisis could lead to acts of genocide. This crisis demands a strong response from the UN, notably through the deployment of a UN police and an international commission of inquiry to prevent mass atrocities. Since April 2015, 700 people have allegedly been killed, 4,300 have been arbitrarily detained, and several hundred people (800 according to some sources) have been forcily disappeared. Hundreds of other people have been tortured and dozens of women have been sexually assaulted. As a result of the conflict in Burundi, more than 250,000 Burundians have already fled the country. While the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon is set to submit options for the deployment of UN elements by 15 April, FIDH and ITEKA, call upon the international community, including the UN Security Council, to deploy an international police task force of at least 500 police officers with the objective of protecting civilians, stopping ongoing lethal violence, and preventing further armed clashes. FIDH and Iteka believe that if these trends continue, the African Union or the United Nations must send a peacekeeping force to end the violence and the repression of an increasingly genocidal nature.
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The South Sudanese government must end arbitrary detentions by the intelligence agency under which dozens of men are being held in squalid conditions without charge or trial sometimes for months on end, said Amnesty International days before opposition leader Riek Machar is due to return to the capital Juba as part of a peace deal requiring the parties to the conflict to form a national unity government.
Amnesty International has compiled a list of 35 men arbitrarily detained by the National Security Service (NSS) at its headquarters in the Jebel neighbourhood of Juba. Some of the detainees have been held for close to two years, without access to lawyers and with very limited access to their families and the outside world.
The list, published as part of a briefing Denied protection of the law: National Security Service detention in Juba, South Sudan, includes a former state governor, a 65-year-old university professor, a Ugandan aid worker and a journalist employed by UN-run Radio Miraya.
These detainees lack access to adequate food, medical care and sanitary facilities. NSS have also beaten detainees, particularly in the days following their initial arrest, said Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes.
Regardless of whether the unity government comes to pass, the authorities must ensure an end to these dark days of prolonged arbitrary detentions that violate both the South Sudanese Transitional Constitution and international law.
Amnesty International believes there are other detainees in the NSS headquarters and that these 35 men represent only a small fraction of those currently under arbitrary detention due to their perceived political leanings.
These detainees and others held without charge must immediately be released, or charged with a recognizable offence before a competent civilian court, said Sarah Jackson.
The government should also initiate prompt, effective and impartial investigations into NSS detention practices and limit the agency's activities to intelligence gathering and analysis.
15.04.2016 LISTEN
I have not had such a quiet moment, peaceful and serene atmosphere to watch for some time now in Accra but I experienced that on Easter Thursday morning as I sat on my veranda in Twenedurase up on the Kwahu scarp. I had left Accra on Wednesday to my hometown to prepare to receive some visitors and therefore I was alone as other siblings and relations who normally join the family celebrations had not arrived. As I drove up on the snaky mountain road taking turns carefully to Twenedurase, I started sweating because the weather was too warm contrary to my expectations even though there had been some rains prior to my arrival. Luckily, the good LORD blessed us with a heavy downpour of rain on Wednesday evening and the weather on Thursday morning especially, the cold breeze, the fog, the sounds of early morning birds and other earthly creatures was so beautiful.
In that quiet moment my mind drifted to the history of the crucifixion of our LORD JESUS CHIRST and reflecting on the humiliation, insults, beating, false accusations etc. he suffered at the hands of the very people he came to save, it became very clear that to be a leader and for that matter a GOOD LEADER, the suffering of our LORD JESUS CHRIST should serve as a great reminder. In my last piece on Independence without selfless leadership my former boss General Edwin Sam, called me and said Joe, that was a good piece but I have never known you to be a preacher. Yes, I have never preached in the pulpit before but poor leadership, the bane of the suffering of our people has made me a preacher.
Then I started wondering why some little minds hate NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO ADDO with such a passion that they have been trying desperately to criminalise or bastardise the name no matter how crudely they execute that mischief. They have accused him of so many bad things and all have fallen flat. Clutching onto straws, they are desperately saying that the man is violent'' and this will also not work. The mention of the name simply sends shock waves through their spinal cords which affect their mental faculties leading to failure of their destructive plans because they lack intelligence, foresight and professionalism. The accusation that Nana is DESPERATELY bent on becoming the President of Ghana is so infantile and akin to the kettle calling the pot black. The deliberations at the Supreme Court trial on 2012 elections revealed who desperately hung on to the Presidency by rigging the polls. Prof Wole Soyinka said I despise that species of humanity whose stock-in-trade is to concoct lies simply to score a point, win an argument, puff up his or her own ego, denigrate or attempt to destroy a fellow being. However, even within such deplorable species, a special pit of universal opprobrium is surely reserved for those who even lack the courage of their own lies, but must foist them on others.
The arrest, detention, prosecution and deportation of the three South African ex-Police Officers for endangering the national security demonstrated how naive and jittery some people are concerning matters of national security. National Security has become a contentious issue in the country of late because of recent terrorist attacks in some neighbouring countries, and of course, the compassion forced on us to smuggle two known terrorists from the US in mysterious circumstances as special guests to this country. The handling of National security issues in developed countries is so professional that it is devoid of trivialities, mediocrity, propaganda and politics. Unfortunately in Ghana the arena is dominated by experts whose credentials and experiences are difficult to establish. The three main reasons undermining the management of national security are that firstly, every issue is politicised. Secondly, understanding of the concept of national security is misplaced and thirdly, the myopic view of national security as exclusive preserve of the state security apparatus of Ghana Armed Forces, BNI, Police, Immigration and Fire Service and consequently the solutions to problems of national security is approached and executed militarily with trepidation in Gestapo style.
National security is a concept that a government, along with its parliaments or legislative bodies, protects the state and its citizens against all kinds of national crises through a variety of power projections, such as political power, diplomacy, economic power, military might, and so on. The concept developed mostly in the United States after World War II. Initially focusing on military might, it now encompasses a broad range of facets, all of which impinge on the non-military or economic security of the nation and the values espoused by the national society. Accordingly, in order to possess national security, a nation needs to possess economic security, energy security, environmental security, etc. Security threats involve not only conventional foes such as other nation-states but also non-state actors such as violent non-state actors, narcotic cartels, multinational corporations and non-governmental organisations. Some authorities include natural disasters and events causing severe environmental damage in this category.
Measures taken to ensure national security therefore include the use of diplomacy to rally allies and isolate threats, development of economic power to facilitate or compel cooperation, maintenance of effective armed forces, development of energy security, establishment of emergency preparedness measures (including anti-terrorism legislation), ensure the resilience of critical infrastructure, use intelligence services to detect and defeat or avoid threats and espionage, and to protect classified information using counter intelligence services to protect the nation from internal threats. When modern social scientists talk of the concept, they generally mean the ability of a nation to protect its internal values from external threats.
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Ghana's national security threats therefore include massive unemployment, morale degeneration of the youth, illiteracy, corruption, DUMSOR, proliferation of small arms, government's excessive borrowing, narcotic trade, collapse of the national health insurance scheme, unavailability of national identification cards, poverty, migration of our educated youth to foreign lands etc. The IMF's announcement that Ghana is BROKE is a very serious THREAT to our national security. From these, it should be obvious to the ordinary Ghanaian that solutions to national security are so complex and go beyond the arrest and detention of innocent people on flimsy charges. In developed countries when activities of citizens and other nationals are suspected to undermine the national security, they are monitored, investigated secretly and then arrests are made when the suspicions are confirmed to avoid embarrassments as we have experienced recently.
The charge of the three ex-South African Police officers under the pretext of endangering our national security and their subsequent deportation were very embarrassing and a dent on our democratic credentials. The trial was not allowed to continue for two reasons among others. Firstly, the secrets of STL operations which involved the collation and rigging of 2012 elections for the NDC could have been exposed badly to the embarrassment of the Government. Secondly, the repercussions from South Africa belatedly dawned on the authorities and they developed cold feet to prosecute the South Africans. If the Government had a case, the South Africans should have been prosecuted and not deported.
In Ghana most of the issues we refer to as threats to national security are purely Police responsibilities and examples are the investigations into JB's murder, the arrests of the three South Africans, Pakistanis and recently the Managing Director of Granite and Marbles. National security matters are not panic driven and recent actions are nothing short of harassment and intimidation of innocent citizens and as usual Ghanaians are looking on.
The arrest of the South Africans was politically hyped because it involved the training of security personnel of Nana Addo and his Vice and therefore enough to classify it as a threat to national security. Some of the so called experts jumped into the fray to accuse NPP of wrong doing overlooking the fact that other Security Companies in this country do import professionals from other countries to train their personnel. If Ghanaians can be forced to live with known international terrorists, why can't we live with our brothers from South Africa?
Recent events in our country do suggest a deliberate attempt to divert attention from serious national issues such as the review of the Voter Register, national strikes by state institutions, the empty coffers of the State, unemployment, excessive taxation and many others. The politicisation of national security issues and the unprofessional manner in which some matters are being handled must be the concern of all Ghanaians. The security institutions must not be politicised but must be encouraged to work independently, guard their mandates jealously and resist usurpation of their responsibilities by other security institutions who seem to be under the spell of greedy bastards. 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
It has emerged that the design the Electoral Commission (EC) intends to use as its new logo is that of an educational and career counselling centre in Turkey.
The Turkish institute may be smiling all the way to the bank if the EC goes ahead to outdoor the 'stolen' logo, since the owner may sue for theft of intellectual property.
The yet-to-be-launched logo, which activist Kinna Likimani says looks like children going to play basket ball, came to light on Tuesday when the EC organised a workshop for journalists on election reportage in Accra.
It is meant to replace the original logo of the Commission, which is made up of the national insignia the coat of arms and a hand casting a ballot.
A day after the story about the logo broke, Manasseh Azure Awuni of Joy FM posted a picture of the centre with the name and same logo as that which the EC wants to outdoor, saying, This is an educational and career counselling centre in Ankara, Turkey.
Check the Turkey's Logo:
Plagiarism
The only difference in the EC-plagiarised logo, which a huge sum of money has allegedly been spent on, is the colour variations.
The EC is yet to disclose how the logo was selected and how much was paid for the creative concept and who was the brain behind the design.
The logo, which does not depict anything of Ghanaian heritage or anything which has to do with the EC, has so far come under criticisms but the EC is yet to come out to defend its decision.
Mrs Opoku-Amankwaa, Deputy Chairperson of the EC in-charge of Finance and Administration, who addressed the media during the press conference, claimed that the logo went through a lot of processes and considerations before eventually being accepted.
Some have also said the EC's decision to change its existing logo is to provide an opportunity for some individuals or group of persons to fleece the nation like it happened in the infamous Metro Mass bus branding saga which made actress and known supporter of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Selassie Ibrahim, take a huge sum of money.
But the explanation given by Mrs Opoku-Amankwaa to the effect that the new logo was part of the process to rebrand the Commission and that it would be launched sometime this month was what gave people like Likimani, the blogger, cause to worry and subsequently stoked a debate over the propriety of the decision.
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Issues
But branding expert Nii Odartey Hutton-Mills insists the Electoral Commission could have opted for a more meaningful logo than what it is planning to launch.
The controversial design, he said, looks like a group of people who are happy.
In his estimation, the new design would have been a starting point for any firm and that it wouldn't be an end product.
In a television interview, Mr Hutton-Mills, who is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bold Advertising, expressed frustration as to what the EC aimed to achieve with a change in logo since you can do rebranding by changing colour.
Some opposition political parties have seen the new logo as a waste of time.
According to them, rather than addressing issues relevant to the November 2016 polls, the EC is interested in unnecessary things such as its logo.
Speaking to Joy Fm, General Secretary of the People's National Congress (PNC), Atik Mohammed, said the EC should not compare itself to a corporate institution which is bothered about its logo and how to change it from time to time.
Rather, he said, The Commission should be interested in its image in the public and how it is going to address the dwindling confidence of Ghanaians in its activities.
Merely changing logo has no prospect, he said, adding that the change in the EC's logo rather makes its image in the public worse.
Mockery
Director of Elections of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, made mockery of the issue when it came up for discussion on Accra-based Oman FM's 'National Agenda' morning show programme.
He could not fathom why the EC would focus on such trivialities when it had not been able to resolve the standoff over how to clean the existing electoral roll ahead of the November general election.
Policy Advisor of the Progressive People's Party (PPP), Kofi Asamoah Siaw, said the controversy surrounding the EC's new logo had come about because the new design doesn't pass for excellent.
He said many people have accused the Commission of plagiarism, adding that it could have avoided that if it had given the design of the logo to junior high school (JHS) students.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
Nana Kwadwo Twum, Kontihene of Sefwi Bekwai Traditional Area exchanging pleasantries with Akufo-Addo
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians that a New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration under his leadership will fashion out well thought-out and thorough solutions to the myriad problems confronting the country.
Against the backdrop of an economy in tatters, declining agricultural and manufacturing sectors, coupled with the inability of Ghanaian youth to find jobs, rising cost of living, widespread and rampant corruption and a collapsed National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the 2016 presidential candidate of the NPP has urged Ghanaians not to lose hope in the ability of the country to offer its citizens a decent living.
We in the NPP have the solutions to the problems of our country. We will harness the abundant human and natural resources of our nation to put Ghana onto a much better pedestal than she is at the moment, so we can generate wealth for all Ghanaians and jobs for the teeming masses of unemployed youth, he said.
Nana Akufo-Addo made this known when he paid a courtesy call on the chief of Anhwiaso in the Western Region, Ogye Ahohuo Yaw Gyebi II, enroute to the final funeral rites of Odeneho Gyapong Ababio II, Omanhene of the Sefwi Bekwai Traditional Area and former President of the National House of Chiefs.
He continued, I am therefore appealing to you to have confidence in me and repose your trust in the NPP. If you give me the opportunity to serve this nation, I assure you that I will not disappoint you. We are coming to work for the prosperity of our country, and not to line our pockets with the wealth of our nation.
Tribute to Odeneho Ababio
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Whilst at the palace of the chief of Anhwiaso, Nana Akufo-Addo paid glowing tribute to the late Odeneho Gyapong Ababio II, the reason for his presence in the Bibiani/Anhwiaso/Bekwai constituency.
He maintained that the late chief would be remembered as a stalwart in the annals of Ghana's history.
He made a significant contribution to the development of our country. He was President of the National House of Chiefs, member of the Council of State under President Kufuor and former Chairman of the Cocoa Marketing Board (Cocobod). He was also my good friend, the NPP flagbearer recalled.
With the final funeral rites for the late chief taking place on Friday, April 15 the same day as the funeral for the late JB Danquah-Adu, the slain MP for Abuakwa North in the Eastern Region Nana Akufo-Addo stated, I therefore, decided to come here today, together with the leadership of the NPP, to pay our last respects to Odeneho.
With some six months to the holding of this year's elections, Nana Akufo-Addo thanked the chiefs and people of Anhwiaso for their continued support for the NPP and further encouraged them to vote massively for him in the presidential election, and for Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu in the parliamentary poll.
Ogye Ahohuo Yaw Gyebi II thanked Nana Akufo-Addo for his visit and prayed, God grant you your heart's desire. The massive crowd you see gathered here this morning, including the chiefs, is because of the love they have for you.
He expressed his condolences to the NPP on the demise of the party's former Chairman, Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey, and the late JB Danquah-Adu.
The traditional ruler lamented the poor condition of roads in the town, and appealed to Nana Akufo-Addo to remember us when the people of Ghana entrust you with their mandate.
Nana Addo was accompanied by the MP for Bibiani/Anhwiaso/Bekwai, Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu; MP for Kwadaso, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto and the parliamentary candidate for Sefwi Wiawso, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie.
By D.I. Laary,GNA
Accra , April 14, GNA - The AI Oil continues to offer the lowest ex-pump prices, selling a litre of petrol at GHa3.2700 and GHa3.2300 for diesel, in the latest fuel prices ranking released by Energy Ghana.
The local oil retail company topped the list of 24 in the previous ranking in March, quoting a litre of petrol at GHa3.2300 and GHa3.1000 for diesel.
It displaced conglomerates such as TOTAL, SHELL, ENGEN, and GOIL who were among the list of companies charging the highest prices.
The April chart released to the Ghana News Agency ranked 17 oil marketing companies with MAXXON and ENGEN quoting the highest price for both products [petrol and diesel], selling a litre of petrol for GHa3.5200 and diesel, GHa3.4100.
The chart also showed that TOTAL, SHELL, MODEX and GOIL are quoting the same price for petrol, which is being sold at GHa4.4700 and diesel, GHa3.3300.
Competition in Ghana's fuel sector intensified after the government deregularised the oil industry last year.
Ghana passed an oil price liberalisation law in 2005 enabling industry players, bulk distribution and marketing companies to come on board in the importation and sale of petroleum products.
The policy obliges both importers and dealers to fix their prices in accordance with demand and supply forces.
Energy Ghana, a subsidiary of Energy Media Group, unveiled fuel app in the beginning of the year, which enables consumers to compare fuel prices charged by different supplies amid growing competition in the industry.
The Gh Fuel Prices app ranks oil firms according to their pricing structures and updates users on the cost of diesel and petrol on a regular basis.
"The app gives fuel consumers a good deal at the most economic prices and enabled them have value for their money while encouraging tough competition," Henry Teinor, the Energy Media Group chief executive officer had said.
"It provides oil and gas pricing information to consumers by offering comprehensive information to oil users to make informed choices and boost fair price war in the Ghanaian oil market.'
GNA
15.04.2016 LISTEN
Accra, April 14, GNA - Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, has charged young professionals in the country to use the knowledge they have acquired to solve problems.
He said as professionals they have had long periods of training, which prepared them for the leadership task of the nation.
Vice President Amissah-Arthur gave the task when he launched the 'Young Professional (YP) for John Mahama and Amissah-Arthur 2016' at the University of Professional Studies (UPSA), Legon.
The YP for John Mahama and Amissah-Arthur 2016 is a group formed by young professionals to canvas for votes for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on tertiary campuses and communities across the country.
Vice President Amissah-Arthur also asked the young professionals to be confident and take away any form of fear among them in order to succeed.
He said as leaders they must be able to identify problems and send feedback to the government on the impact of national policy.
He said this year's election decision on November 7 by Ghanaians would be based on the test of leadership, corruption, economic management and security of the state.
Vice President Amissah-Arthur also stated that the NDC is the only political party, which does not look at once background, religion and ethnicity to be given the platform to excel.
He said the NDC as a social democratic party has a principle to create opportunities and making it inclusive for all citizens.
He urged the youth not be distracted by things they hear from the opposition but work for the victory of the party in the 2016 elections.
Vice President Amissah-Arthur said the development that has taken place under the various NDC governments over the past 25 years has led to improvements in the living standard of the people, leading to the decline of poverty.
He said the country has made major gains in health, access to health and education, and the service sector has become the largest sector in the economy.
According to Vice President Amissah-Arthur the first of term President Mahama's tenure was to development infrastructure while the second term would be to create jobs.
He said even in the first term a significant amount of jobs has been created and many facilities have been supported to create jobs such as GYEEDA and MASLOG.
Ms Lawrencia Abena Wurah, Founder of Young Professional stated that the objective for forming the group is to engage YP out there who for one reason or the other have not been able to publicly declare their support for the NDC but have at all times voted for the party.
She said NDC remains the true definition of a party for the masses where the youth are given the space and platform to excel.
She stated that President Mahama has worked diligently to transform the country and that the YP would work very hard to ensure victory in 2016.
Mr Edudzie Tamakloe, Greater Accra Youth Organiser of the NDC stated that the YP has a critical role to play in ensuring victory for the party this year's elections.
He urged the YP to avail themselves to the party as polling agents for the NDC in the November 7, elections.
Later, Vice President Amissah-Arthur presented a Nissan Navarra pickup to the group to help them run their activities.
GNA
By Kodjo Adams, GNA
Accra, April 14, GNA - Professor Mandi Rukuni, Director Barefoot Education for Afrika Trust (BEAT), an NGO has commended African governments for instituting agricultural policies but urged them to be proactive in implementing the policies.
He said it is imperative for African governments to have in place proper mechanisms that would ensure that agricultural policies are implemented in an efficient and effective manner.
Speaking at meeting in Accra on strengthening agricultural policy practice in Africa, Prof Rukuni said there is the need to develop strategies for strengthening policy practice by first publishing the patterns and trends.
He explained that policy practice required institutional capacity and effectiveness to coordinate, advocate, formulate, implement, follow up, review and continually update policies of national interest.
Prof Rukuni said BEAT with support from The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) since 2014 has helped to Strengthen Agricultural Policy Practice in Africa (SAPPA) initiative.
He explained that BEAT is currently completing the piloting of SAPPA as a country self-assessment tool for agricultural policy practice in three countries: Ghana, Mozambique and Tanzania.
Prof Rukuni noted that BEAT and AGRA recognised that there has been an enduring absence of Africa-led policy initiatives since many African agricultural policies are not implemented.
He explained that the emphasis on policy practice is to address policy formulation and implementation, saying the long-term goal of SAPPA initiative is to create an enabling environment that supports smallholder farmers to increase productivity, profitability and social welfare.
The Professor said it is incumbent on African governments to build greater commitment towards policy implementation and strengthen agricultural policy practice, reduce cost of implementation and increase confidence to implement policies using existing resources.
He called for self-assessment by countries instead of waiting to be assessed by others or relying on international rating agencies and give priority to policies that could be implemented with existing knowledge and resources.
He urged governments to engagement farmers, producers, entrepreneurs at different points of policy implementation.
Dr George Owusu Essegbey, Director for Council for Scientific and Industrial Research/Science and Technology Policy Research Institute CSIR-STEPRI, sharing the experiences of Ghana's quest in strengthening policy practice, said the country has many policies but are weak in formulation, which needed attention.
Dr Essegbey called on Ghana to strengthen and build capacity of respective institutions to effectively implement the policies and other related action plans to sustain Africa's agriculture.
Dr Agnes Kalibata, President of AGRA, said agriculture is the most important sector in sub-Saharan Africa and that there is the need to put in place effective regulatory policies to improve the agriculture sector.
She said there is urgent need for the African Union and the National governments through the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme aligned with national strategies to roll out policies to reduce climate change.
GNA
By Nana Osei Kyeretwie, GNA
Sunyani, April 14, GNA - The Maternal Child Health (MCH) focal person of World Health Organisation (WHO), Ghana, Dr. Roseline Doe, on Thursday stated that women and children were the most affected by health care inequities and inadequacies.
Dr. Doe made the statement when speaking on the topic 'Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health in the Africa Contest' at the opening of the 2015 Family Health Division (FHD) of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) annual review meeting in Sunyani.
The four-day national meeting on the theme, 'Integrating Services for Better Outcomes' was attended by about 120 participants that comprised staff of the Division, Regional Public Health Nurses, Regional Health Promotion Officers, Regional Nutrition Officers and Deputy Regional Directors in-charge of Public Health.
Other participants were Regional Directors of Health Services, representatives of the National Population Council, Ghana Education Service, the Department for International Development of the United Kingdom and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Systems for Health.
It was to assess the Division's performance for 2015, share best practices, set new targets and strategise to achieve them in 2016 and beyond.
Dr. Doe said, world-designed Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programmes must therefore have basic essential service packages that provided core reproductive, maternal and child health services.
She said, services provided in the context of UHC that were integrated and went right down to the community level enhanced utilisation and promote better outcomes.
This she explained required deliberate policy decisions to involve all relevant stakeholders in both private and public sectors, adding that, all sectors including health, education, transport and environment must be brought on board.
'There is the need for political commitment, she said and stressed that governments must prioritise health care for women, children and adolescents and must be willing to spend money on healthcare'.
Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director of FHD said quality of maternal death audit remained poor because 2015 was 77.6 percent, representing a slight reduction of 3.1 percent of 80.7 percent recorded in 2014.
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye said maternal and perinatal death audited trainings were ongoing in some regions with support from partners like USAID Systems for Health.
He advised service providers to use the lessons learnt as guidance to improve on quality of maternal and newborn care to prevent avoidable maternal and newborn deaths.
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye mentioned the launch of the maiden edition of adolescent health advocacy week under the theme 'Adolescent Pregnancy, a Shared Responsibility' at Techiman in the Brong-Ahafo Region as one of the achievements of the Division.
He said the objective was to sentisise the general public on adolescent health issues in general and specifically on the increased adolescent pregnancies with Volta and Brong-Ahafo Regions topping the list with 22.1 per cent and 21.3 per cent respectively in the country.
GNA
Accra, April 14, GNA - Ms Vickie Bright, a lawyer and member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has expressed dissatisfaction with the silence of the party regarding appeals to sanction Ahmed Arthur, the parliamentary candidate for Okai Koi South.
She said so far she has sent five petitions asking the party to disqualify Mr Arthur as the party's parliamentary candidate for Election 2016 due to a number of irregularities she brought against the contender.
In her latest petition she said: 'I've sent several petitions to the party and none has been responded to. This is a great discourtesy to a significant and loyal party member and a clear reflection of deep-rooted bias.'
'There is clearly a prevailing culture of favouritism in the party. My latest petition sent on April 7, 2016 is still awaiting a response.'
She said the petition was triggered by the party's attitude towards Ablekuma West and Manhyia North in direct contrast to her treatment.
This is in spite of the fact that in the national elections committee of the party had declared the album to be seriously flawed and cannot be relied on.
Ms Bright said personal grudges and small mindedness on the part of certain individuals filled with their own personal agenda are clearly at play in the case.
'In Ablekuma South there was an issue of a bogus register, yet the party has chosen not to act or implement clear decisions, which have been made to resolve the problems in my constituency. The people who Ahmed Arthur removed from the voter register are presently in court with the party and himself.'
Ms Bright is calling for the immediate suspension of Arthur from the NPP and the enforcement of the findings of the Ambrose Derry Report, which was subsequently adopted and ratified by the National Executive Council and a declaration that the vetting of Arthur as a Parliamentary Aspirant is null and void.
In a writ of summons filed on her behalf by her counsel, at an Accra High Court Thaddeus Sory, she said the constituency primary was also conducted in gross violation of NPP rules.
The plaintiff averred that on May 23, 2011, Madam Vivian Addae, then Constituency Chairman, petitioned that Ahmed made false declarations in his nomination forms to enable him contest the 2012 primary, adding that he had completed short courses in Public Relations, Management and Journalism at the Ghana Institute of Journalism.
The petition was sent to the party's General Secretary, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, Flag bearer, Chairman of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Director of Elections and Research and C.K Tedam, (Esquire), Chairman National Council of Elders.
She said it does not bode well and truly ought not to be left unpunished by the current leadership the disrepute in the constituency, which is likely to cause deeper voter apathy, adding 'no doubt such mishaps shall affect its fortunes and place the NPP in jeopardy'.
The petition said: 'Presently as I write, our majority in the elections has consistently dropped from more than 20,000 a few years back to just around 9,000 in the 2012 elections. Ironically the voter population in the same period has grown exponentially.'
She called for robust action from the NPP hierarchy, adding:' With utmost respect the party must take swift remedial action now'.
'Clearly, our party is either on the expected path to victory or on the brink of self-immolation. Its destiny is in its own hands, as we target victory in 2016 but that calls for positive action and cleansing of dead wood.
'Changing our fortunes going forward is manifestly a matter of course, to maintain credible support nationwide enjoins far greater robustness of action; particularly from its elected leaders.
The suit at the high court said: "An investigative steering committee set up on June 6, 2011, found that Mr Ahmed, the first defendant, made a false declaration in paragraph 12 of his nomination form, dated March 2, 2011, and was accordingly disqualified.
On June 29, 2011, the committee's decision was endorsed by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NPP, which decided a re-run of the primary. The plaintiff said in a bizarre twist, however, the then National Chairman of the NPP wrote to the party's regional chairman to inform him that the defendant had decided to appeal his disqualification.
In a letter dated September 28, 2011, the NPP's General Secretary wrote to inform NEC that it had upheld Ahmed's appeal with the effect that he was the parliamentary candidate. This, the plaintiff said, was a violation of NPP's eligibility rules and usurped NEC powers.
Ms Bright said Ahmed was also allowed to contest the 2016 parliamentary elections, although he admitted his false declaration set out in his nomination forms. She said prior to the 2016 primary, some constituents commenced legal proceedings to restraint the conduct of the election.
Ms Bright said despite the dependency of the application for an order of interlocutory injunction, which was given widespread publicity, many were of the view that the primary would not be held on July 25, 2015.
She said, be that as it may, the application for interlocutory injunction was dismissed, but rather bizarrely on Saturday, August 1, 2015, the General Secretary of the NPP signed a release, declaring that the contest should take place on Sunday August 2, 2015.
Ms Bright said the move was clearly arbitrary, unlawful and usurpation of the mandate of the Parliamentary Elections Committee (PEC) of the constituency, governing the conduct of the contest.
She said the voters register used for the election was not the one certified by PEC and submitted to the Electoral Commission.
GNA
Joyce Danso, GNA
Accra April 14, GNA - The Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Charlotte Osei, on Thursday, appeared before the Supreme Court in a case in which the Electoral Commission (EC) is being challenged over the validity of the current Voters' Register.
Mrs. Osei was accompanied by Mrs. Georgina Opoku Amankwa, a Deputy Commissioner, and other officers of the Commission.
Her appearance is in connection with the case in which Abu Ramadan, a former Youth Organiser of the People's National Convention and Mr Evans Nimako, have sued the EC over the validity of the current Voters' Register.
However, the Supreme Court called the parties in the suit into chambers.
Shortly after the parties had met, the Journalists who were there to cover the proceedings were told that the matter had been adjourned to April 21 because one of the seven-member panel was indisposed.
The plaintiffs are invoking the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to declare the Register null and void.
They are also requesting for an order, which would set aside the 2012 Voters' Register and also to compel the EC to compile fresh voters' register before any fresh election would be conducted.
According to the plaintiffs, the current register contained names of unqualified persons, which was inconsistent with the Constitution.
GNA
Accra, April 14, GNA - Rev Fitzgerald Odonkor, the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Bank, has advised young graduates to refrain from shortcuts in life but rather pursue their vision thoroughly to achieve excellence in life.
Speaking on the topic, 'Excellence in ministry and vocation', Rev Odonkor said 'anytime someone comes to tell you that there are three steps to success then you should know that you are jumping into the deep blue sea because even though God could have created the world in half a day, He took six days to create the world and rested on the seventh day. So God Himself is a worker'.
'Anything which is valuable in life, you need to work hard for it, because there are no shortcuts to excellence. Anytime you get money very quickly without having worked for it, it will go away as quickly as it came', the astute banker and man of God said at a conference for young graduates and undergraduates with the theme; 'After school what next?'.
Sharing some life experiences, he said certain principles have over the years helped him to achieve success.
'One of them is the fact that I have always tried to be guided by excellence in whatever I do. I will recommend to you that in whatever you do you should be guided by excellence. Whatever you do, you must do it onto the Lord. And one of the ways you can achieve excellence is not to do anything halfheartedly but to do it thoroughly.'
He said there was no ideal set of circumstances for one to operate but individuals must exhibit commitment despite the circumstances they find themselves in order to succeed.
Quoting Ephesians 3:12, the CEO of Capital Bank said, it is important for one to exhibit excellence in the ministry of God and in his or her vocation.
'It is important for you to identify your call because in this world whatever you do people will criticize you. If people are not criticizing you, you are probably doing something wrong'.
According to him, challenges make life interesting, saying 'throughout my adult life, I have had to combine ministry with corporate work and at every stage there have been challenges.'
Rev Odonkor challenged all and sundry to accept change saying change brings growth. 'Whenever there is time for change you must embrace change because change is a manifestation of growth. If you don't grow you will be stagnant and finally you will die and become irrelevant. But we must all be relevant in our lives, in our generations and in our time so that we will be able to fulfill the call of God upon our lives.'
He again advised young graduates to be mindful of the choices they make in life, adding 'don't follow people, follow what God is telling you'.
Rev Odonkor spearheaded the rebranding of First Capital PlusBank to Capital Bank in December last year and so far, the bank has launched the unique savings campaign promotion dubbed, the 'V-Man' aimed at encouraging a savings culture and by giving free money vouchers to be used as deposits to open accounts.
It is also presently deploying state-of-the-art automated teller machines (ATMS) across the country configured to allow cash deposits, interbank transfers amongst others.
The bank's vision is to become the local bank of excellence for African markets, providing the standard of measure for stakeholder return.
GNA
By Francis Ameyibor, GNA
Accra, April 14, GNA - Engen Ghana Limited has donated educational materials valued at GH30,000.00 to the Ministry of Defence to revamp educational institutions under the military.
The items include: 3,000 exercise books; 19,300 A4 sized laminated periodic tables; and 1,900 A3 sized laminated periodic tables.
Mr Henry Akwaboah, the Managing Director of Engen Ghana, who presented the items, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the donation was the Oil Marketing Company's contribution towards the general development of the country.
He said access to education was a human right and it could not be taken for granted; hence the need for the corporate world to support public educational institutions.
He expressed concern that across the world there were hundreds of children and youth who were being denied not only a right, but a fair chance of getting a decent job, escaping poverty, supporting their families, and developing their communities.
Mr Akwaboah called for stronger collaboration between the educational institutions and the corporate world.
'Over the years, governments and their partners have shown that political will and concerted efforts can deliver tremendous results - including halving the number of children and adolescents who are out of school'.
He said in spite of the economic challenges, parents must not stop providing enabling conditions for their children's education.
He said Engen Ghana, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility mandate would continue to invest in the Ghanaian economy through social interventions.
Mr Akwaboah urged the Government to continue to work with parent and teacher associations, as well as the private sector and civil-society organisations, to find the best and most constructive ways to improve the quality of education.
Mr Gilbert Ken Adjei, the Deputy Minister of Defence (MOD), who received the items, commended Engen Ghana for the gesture towards improving educational institutions under the Defence Ministry.
He said the MOD would continue to focus on its key mandate of formulating, and managing the implementation of policies aimed at safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation, and ensuring the protection of life and property.
He said over the years, MOD had evolved and transformed itself to its current status of excellence with regard to the performance of its functions.
The MOD's mandate is to formulate and implement policies for the defence of the nation through the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF). GNA
By Samira Larbie/ Celestine Tsievor
Accra, April 14, GNA - The Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF), has inaugurated an empowerment club for girls to discuss their adolescent challenges and prevent violence meted out to them.
The initiative sponsored by Crossroads International and TT Brothers Company Limited and outdoored at the St Barnabas Anglican School in Accra, seeks to empower the girls with knowledge on Children's rights, Domestic Violence, Gender Based Violence, peer counseling and human anatomy with focus on sexual abuses.
Mrs Melody Darkeh, Acting National Programmes Coordinator of WiLDAF, who addressed the ceremony, said sexual abuse and violence in Ghanaian schools are increasing while abuses of children including defilement cases and child marriage had dominated the media over the years.
The club would therefore facilitate discussions on adolescent sexual reproductive health, healthy relationships, life and leadership skills to help them fight against gender based violence in schools and communities, she added
Statistics from the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service showed that an alarming total of 1,296 girls in the country were defiled, while 335 other women were raped in 2014, she added.
Mrs Darkeh noted that the girls are now able to engage the media on their own, adding that currently one of the girl's club had been given a slot to discuss issues concerning boys and girls every week.
Mrs Catherine Mikado, Director In-Charge of the Girls Unit at the Ghana Education Service said matters concerning girls should not be down played and asked parents to come up with new ideas to help train their children especially the girl- child.
This is not to say boys are not important but rather both should be given equal opportunities to enable girls get educated to the highest levels just like boys to be culturally, economically and politically empowered.
Mrs Milikado urged parents to entreat their girls to achieve their dreams by giving them proper education and encouragement and allow the club to impact them positively.
Ms Eva Lokko, Chief Executive Officer of Totally Youth and the PPP Parliamentary Aspirant for the Korle Klottey said women should unite and help develop the nation.
Ms Lokko expressed regret that early childhood marriage had brought about poverty because it deprives the girl- child of the needed education to enable her impact on society and asked stakeholders to ensure that perpetrators are dealt with.
Mr Godwin Mensah, Deputy Coordinator for Social Welfare Department said it is the right of children to have good education, good health as well as shelter and urged parents to be responsible and provide those necessities for their children.
The club has branches in Wegbe Kpalime in the Volta Region, Nkran Nkresi and Kyinaso in the Central Region, Osu Presbyterian Preparatory and LEKMA 10 & 12 Basic School in the Greater Accra Region.
GNA
15.04.2016 LISTEN
By Hafsa Obeng, GNA
Accra, April 14, GNA - Three people were on Thursday sentenced to serve 25 years each for robbing one Patrick Addai Koranteng at New Weija.
Jerry Danquah, a Driver; Isaac Donkor, a Cane Weaver; and David Asare, a Trader; were charged with conspiracy to commit crime and robbery of one Toyota Hilux, worth GH120,000.00, one HP Laptop, worth GH5,000.00, one Apple iPod, worth GH3,000.00, and one Samsung Galaxy phone worth GH 1,000.00.
They also robbed Charles Hagan, the complainant of an external hard drive worth GHC 400.00, four wrist watches worth GHC 6,500, one computer mouse worth GH100.00, one Samsung remote worth GH30.00, two necklaces worth GH500.00 and a pack of coins amounting to GH100.00.
The three pleaded not guilty to both charges but were found guilty after full trial by the court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tanoh.
Earlier the prosecutor, Police Chief Inspector Edward Afful told the court that the complainant is an Engineer working with Shell Ghana Limited and resides at New Botianor, while the convicts reside in the Sikkens area near old Fadaman.
He said on September 19, 2015 four armed men attacked and robbed the complainant of his V8 Landcruiser in his house at Attah Moses down in New Weija.
He said on October 4, 2015 at about 0200 hours the complainant was asleep when he heard a loud sound at the corridor leading to his bedroom, he woke up and realized that some people were breaking into his bedroom.
He told the court that unknown to the complainant, the convicts had already scaled over his fence wall after cutting through the barbed wires on the fence wall.
He said the armed men also broke the exit door and entered the house through the kitchen and broke the burglar proof behind his bedroom.
The prosecution said even though the complainant gave them an amount of GH600.00 on demand, they subjected him to beatings, tied him up with his own flying tie and succeeded in robbing the above listed items.
He said luck, however, eluded them as the vehicle had a tracking device on it.
Police Chief Inspector Afful said the complainant managed and called his company after the police patrol team from Weija arrived on the scene.
He said the vehicle was tracked and with the assistance of police communications, the three convicts were intercepted on board the vehicle at Tsopoli barrier on the Tema-Sogakope highway.
He said they were arrested and all the items stolen from the complainant's house were retrieved in the vehicle and were sent to Tema and later Weija.
The prosecution said at the Weija police station, the complainant easily identified them as the people who evaded his premises as they were not masked at the time of the incident.
On interrogation, they all admitted the offences and also claimed to be responsible for the earlier robberies and led the police to Denu in the Volta Region where the complainant's V8 Landcruiser was retrieved.
GNA
A.B. Kafui Kanyi, GNA
Ho, April 07, GNA - A team of investors on the ECO Project working on the installation of the first mini hydro dams in the country say project would transform the region's local economy.
The installation, the first of nine in the Volta region said the at nine sites in the Volta region said the Urs rpt Urs Plank, Leader of the team of investors from Italy and Switzerland told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the supply of sustainable energy through the dams would create jobs.
A mini hydro is a type of hydroelectric power unit that could produce 5 kw to 100 kw of electricity using natural flow of water. The installations could provide power to small communities.
Mr Plank said the aim was to supply uninterrupted power to small scale industries in the countryside to sustain those ventures.
'Our civil, geological and environmental engineers are satisfied with identified locations and happy to help improve the living conditions of people in the catchment areas with the provision of sustainable energy source,' he stated.
Ms Lisa D' Andrea, Executive Director, Lighting and Construction Africa Company Limited, which has license from the Energy Commission for the project said chiefs and beneficiary communities were anxious and 'cannot wait for the project'.
Togbe Afede XIV, President of Volta Region House of Chiefs at the first meeting of the House in the year informed chiefs about the project and called for support from them.
He said Dodi Papase, Wli Waterfalls, Tsatsadu Waterfalls, Hohoe and Afife among others were identified as sites for the dams.
Togbe Afede said if successful, the project would be first in the country, with huge socio-economic opportunities for people in the region.
GNA
The operators of the Jubilee Field have described the extent of damage to the turret bearing of the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah as critical, adding, however, that it will be resolved within schedule for full operation and export of gas to power the thermal units.
The lead operator, Tullow Oil, at the beginning of this month, said they expected to complete the planned maintenance of the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah by April 5, 2016.
The measures in place for production from the FPSO will re-start in approximately two weeks' time and production will gradually ramp up as it prepares to re-issue production guidance once the new operating arrangements are stabilised.
Speaking to journalists after a tour of the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah and the Atuabo Gas plant operated by Ghana Gas, the Minister of Petroleum, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, said the damage to the bearing was extensive.
He said the government was aware of the exigency of the situation not only in terms of revenue but also power and would work closely with the partners to resolve the problem as expected.
He said a technical investigation of the condition of the turret bearing on the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah had confirmed that the bearing had been damaged and was no longer able to rotate as originally designed.
The turret bearing system is based on special rollers which can accommodate large coupling tolerances and relative deformations of load transmitting structures, while ensuring a passive (low friction) rotation and easy maintenance during the FPSO's operating life.
Turret bearing
The turret connects the flexible pipeline fluid transfer system which helps in pumping the unprocessed oil to the FPSO for processing the export of the associated gas to the shore.
Mr Buah said to ensure safety of the facility, the operators agreed that the platform be shut down for experts to carry out a root cause analysis, which was currently being done by the project team for a long-term remediation option.
Tullow Oil has indicated that initial feasibility studies by the team had confirmed that the bearing issue could be fully resolved.
Effects of the shutdown
The shutdown of the FPSO and the non-export of gas to the shore have resulted in the Volta River Authority (VRA) returning to light crude oil and a loss of 250 megawatts (MW) from the AMERI Plant which burns on gas.
Currently, all the generating units, which hitherto run on 100 per cent gas from Atuabo, have been successfully switched to light crude.
In Tema, several of the units which run on gas are currently off.
Sunon Asogli has several of its units off due to the drop in gas flow from Nigeria.
The FPSO is currently been placed on "heading control" through the use of tugs, which minimises vessel movement around the bearing.
The Chief Executive Officer of Tullow, Mr Charles Darko, said for now its new operating procedures, including the use of a dynamically positioned shuttle tanker (capacity of 250,000 barrels of oil) and a storage tanker (capacity of one million barrels of oil), were being implemented to assure safe production and off-take operations.
No cost yet
The Chief Operating Officer of the partners, Mr Paul McDade, said, 'We are focused on resolving this issue with the bearing on the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah in a timely and safe manner. We have appointed a highly experienced project team to work on a permanent solution, while our operations team continue to ensure we have in place safe and sustainable arrangements for production from the field.'
Given the ability to continue production, he said, the partners subscribed to the appropriate insurance policies and did not expect that the issue would have a material impact on revenue.
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A Cameroonian Catholic priest resident in Ghana, Reverend Father Yves-Lucien Evaga Njana, has been dragged to the Family and Juvenile Court in Accra for having a child with a 24-year-old Ghanaian lady and failing to live up to his responsibilities as a father.
Rev. Fr Njana is the Director of the Biblical Centre for Africa and Madagascar (BICAM) situated at the Airport Residential Area in Accra.
The lady, Josephine Ganyoame, is asking the court for an order for the priest to subject himself to a paternity test to determine the father of the child.
She is also requesting the court to make an order that the irresponsibility of the priest breaches the child's right to a name, basic necessities of life, welfare, social protection and care guaranteed under the Children's Act.
Ms Ganyoame is also praying the court for custody of the child with reasonable access to the priest.
Compensation
She is also asking for a monthly maintenance of GHc600 and GHc50,000 as compensation for the emotional stress she had been put through by the priest.
In an affidavit in support of her action, Ms Ganyoame averred that around the first week of October 2014, she was nearly knocked down by a vehicle being driven by the priest at East Legon.
After the incident, she claimed that through apologies rendered by the priest, they became friends and he introduced himself as Andy who worked with a non-governmental organisation.
Subsequently, she said, when he got to know that she was a senior high school graduate preparing to enter the university, he promised to assist her financially and pay for her admission to the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).
Sexual harassment
But contrary to her expectation, she claimed, the priest started harassing her sexually and finally succeeded in going to bed with her on three occasions within three weeks.
In early November 2014, she suspected that she was pregnant and when she told him, he asked her to abort the pregnancy if it was confirmed to be so, but she refused, to his dislike.
Subsequently, she said, when it was confirmed that she was pregnant, he took her to a clinic at East Legon for an abortion but she refused for fear that she might lose her life.
After resisting subtle efforts to get her to abort the baby, she said, the priest arranged a meeting between them and two others, during which she was asked how much she needed to take care of herself.
Finally, she was given GH20,000, out of which she rented an apartment and bought a piece of land near Afienya.
Refusal to take up responsibility
But after delivery, she said, the priest failed to take responsibility for her and the baby and when she reported the matter to the police and the priest was invited, he claimed he was living in Ghana and, therefore, had diplomatic immunity and could not be arrested.
About two months later, Ms Ganyoame claimed, the priest called for a meeting involving her family, during which he threatened that if they did not stop following up on the matter, he would deal with the police and his brother, Mawuli Ganyoame.
A week later, she alleged, her brother died mysteriously in a road accident and subsequently the police and her family stopped following up on the issue.
She averred that till date the baby had not been named and did not have a surname, which was in violation of the Children's Act.
Diplomatic immunity
Mr Francis Xavier Sosu, counsel for Ms Ganyoame, told the Daily Graphic that they preferred a criminal case against the priest but because of his diplomatic immunity, they had to resort to the civil court.
He said because of the priest's diplomatic status, his prolonged stay in Ghana was not guaranteed and, therefore, the proper maintenance of the child had to be ensured. The court has slated April 20, 2016 for hearing.
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15.04.2016 LISTEN
Leadership on the continent of Africa has been a questionable one. Many believe Africa leaders have failed us in many ways. Their leadership styles and skills have not been able to produce the kind of results needed in the lives of their citizens. This is largely due to the fact that these leaders see their citizens as unconcerned and not demanding for what is due them as followers. They watched their leaders do whatever deems fit for them and they just watch on.
As these beliefs stand true, perhaps it could also be that the citizenry themselves had contributed to the nature of leaders who rule them. Worship of leaders has been the order of the day on the continent of Africa. Leaders are not known to be serving their people but rather are worshipped: given undue praises and ovations, offered high places in ceremonies and accorded with accolades. They even brand themselves in these accolades as the mark of good leadership.
Ghana is no exception. Our leaders are worship like gods and given all sought of praise even in their incompetence. Followers see nothing wrong with their leaders who are leading them in the path of hardship, poverty, misery and suffering. They even tend to be okay and want more of such leadership. This is a sharp contrast between leadership and followership.
This is obvious as the president is feared by many, over protected and given first class reception in all situations. People even fear to tell their minds to the president for being intimidated. We pretend to say all is well whereas the reality shows a different picture. In their incompetence, they are still accorded the best of all time leadership instead of proper accountability. We see party members of a ruling government showering praises on its government whilst in reality things are in bad state and government continue to creating, looting and sharing of our scarce resources.
After winning elections and exalted to high positions, they forget they are to serve. They rather tend to assume the aura of deities and woe unto any citizen who crisscross them or demand his or her share of equity. They will dispatch BNI and Police to get you to be taught a lesson and molested. Order from above is the only signage in our democratic governance. The arms of government are a failure. Only the executive is powerful, the court just exists not working and the legislature toothless dog. The executive is now the Antoa of Ghana.
They enjoyed ordering people around instead of working tirelessly to uplift the standard of living of the citizens. It is sad we have allowed this to be rooted in our democratic system destroying our common destiny. Elsewhere in the world, the picture is so different. They serve their own people as they would their families. The ordinary man has no say in a government he or she voted into power. This is pathetic and extremely melancholic.
The ordinary man is being treated with disdain and gross disrespect. A person can work for three years and paid only three months salary. How? Which country citizens in the world would allow this? They decide to pay themselves ex-gratia and other allowances and citizens have no right to demand for better life. Time will not permit me to outline numerous inequalities that have swallowed our system.
Until we come to terms with the fact that leaders are elected to serve, lead, guide and help distribute our resources, but rather worship them as dame gods, we will continue to suffer and wallow in misery. If we the citizens dont change the gear and demand for good leadership and equity, we will continue to be under mercy of these cunning politicians who will stop at nothing to come to power to be worshipped.
Ghanas woes are indeed attributed to these political deities who would rather enjoy the worship of their citizens instead of truly working for them. It is sad Ghana is still as it is and nothing transformational is taken place in the lives of its citizens. The rich continue to be rich and the poor continue to be poor. It is indeed pathetic. Our natural right has been trampled upon and better life has eluded many. God save our homeland Ghana.
Isaac Ofori
(Tutor, Fettehman SHS, Gomoa Fetteh)
[email protected]
15.04.2016 LISTEN
The Zongo Movement for Change (ZOMOC) has learnt with grave shock, comments attributed to Mr Eric Opoku, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister and Member of Parliament for Asunafo South.
The Minister is reported by the media to have shockingly claimed during a meeting with NDC officials in Acherensua in the Asunafo South Constituency that all Muslims who support the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are not true Muslims because, according to him, the Quran advises true Muslims to stay away from the elephant, which is the emblem of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The Minister also roped in Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice Presidential Candidate of New Patriotic Party (NPP), questioning and ridiculing his Isamic faith due to his association with the NPP.
ZOMOC is scandalized by the blasphemous, divisive and insulting comments by no less a person than a minister of state and a member of parliament, who is also the Chairman of the Brong Ahafo Regional Security Council (REGSEC).
We are baffled how a minister of state of a democratic, circular state like ours will exhibit such crass ignorance and gross disrespect to Muslims by misinterpreting the Holy Quran to achieve political expediency. His deliberate act to rope in the Dr Mahamudu Bawumia
The particular chapter in the Holy Quran (Surah Al Fil) which the minister referred to, does not say what the minister sacrilegiously claimed. The Chapter does not ask Muslims to stay away from elephants as the minister claimed.
The minister ought to go and learn, and understand Surah Al Fil and its antecedents.
With regards to who is a true Muslim, only the Almighty Allah can judge, and it is He alone who knows who is a true Muslim. It is not within the remit of Mr Eric Opoku to determine who is a true Muslim.
Muslims cherish and hold the Holy Quran in highest esteem. Misinterpreting the Holy Quran is unquestionably a great sacrilege and we demand the resignation of Mr Eric Opoku, or his dismissal by President John Mahama for such gross disrespect . We also demand an unconditional retraction by Mr Eric Opoku for his sacrilegious misinterpretation of the Holy Quran, and an apology for questioning and disrespecting the faith of Muslim sympathizers of the NPP. Furthermore, we call on fellow Muslims in the National Democratic Congress to condemn this blasphemous misinterpretation of the Holy Quran by the Minister.
There are thousands of Muslim NPP sympathizers in the country, and in the Brong Ahafo Region, where the Minister sits as the REGSEC Chairman. By his position as REGSEC chairman, the Minister should be the number one advocate of peace and unity in the region, regardless of one's political and religious affiliations.
When a minister and a REGSEC Chairman, irresponsibly abandons these noble responsibilities and rather dabbles in religious extremism for political benefits, it is clearly a recipe for chaos, particularly in an election year.
ZOMOC, as advocates of peace and unity calls on NPP Muslim sympathizers who have been irked by the Ministers comments and are expressing their anger on social media in the midst of this extreme provocation to remain calm.
As Ghana gears up for the general elections in November, ZOMOC urges all political commentators to eschew unguarded, inflammatory comments which could ruin the peace we enjoy as a country.
We also respectfully urge the National Peace Council to take note of such unwarranted religious attacks in our politics and call perpetrators to order.
ABOUT ZOMOC
ZOMOC is a movement which is aimed at mobilizing support for political change to ensure genuine development in Ghana and zongos in particular. Its membership is drawn from various zongos across the country, particularly the youth.
SIGNED:
1. Mohammed Hashir Issah (Operations Director) - 0505576123
2. Khalid Abdul-Qadir Mainasara (Member Publicity Committee) - 0556793087
An Islamic scholar Sheikh Mohammed Danyawo Sharubutu has taken issues with the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister Eric Opoku and other politicians who according to him employ political chicanery and propganda to prosecute their agenda.
He was reacting to the minister's description of Muslims in the NPP as not being proper members of the faith.
The political chicanery and propaganda ploy deployed by some Ghanaian politicians is a matter of great and discordant concern which when left unaddressed constitutes an act of blasphemy he said.
The minister's remarks made in the name of politics, he noted, is a matter of great concern and constitutes blasphemy.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister stated that, ''Any Muslim that aligns himself with the opposition NPP is not a true Muslim because the Quran advises Muslims to stay away from elephants, of which the animal in question represents the emblem of the Opposition Party''.
He described the remark as fallacious and gimmick. This depicts an absolute disrespect to Islam for a non- Muslim without an intensive surveillance into the well formulated semantics of the Holy Quran to interpret the contextual nature of this Holy Book devoid of circumspection.
The name 'Elephant' was only used in the context as an adjective describing the Army of Abraha Al-Ashram, and what they rode on, he explained adding although, the meat of elephants is prohibited to be consumed by Muslims based on this Hadith from ''Abdullah Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) stating that, the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings be upon him) prohibited the comsumption of all fanged beasts of prey and all birds having talons''.[Sahih Muslim page 1534]. This Hadith only prohibits the meat and not other permissable relations with those animals if deemed fit.
Moreover, nowhere across the confines of Islam, are Muslims commanded to abstain completely from Elephants as well as Elephant Tagged Entities as proclaimed by the Minister, he said.
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The usage of the pronoun [ ''HUM'' INARABIC, meaning ''THEM'' ] in almost all the verses clearly indicates that the destruction and anger of Allah was only on the Ka'aba Attackers and not the elephants, he went on adding this is because ''HUM'' is used in Arabic context ONLY for HUMANS and not animals or non living things. Animals, non living things and the feminine gender use ''HAA'' as plural pronouns respectively.
The NPP's Emblem of Elephant came about through a conglomerated choice and not to disrespect Allah's supremacy, he stressed.
He challenged the Minister to vindicate his assertions regarding this sensitive issue.
Eric Opoku, he said, should focus on politics which, according to him, he is more inclined and avoid such issues which can affect inter-faith relationship negatively.
The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has commended the initiative of Ministry of Trade & Industry to ban the importation of cement into the country.
It said the ban will protect the local industry which has excess capacity to produce cement.
In March, this year the Ministry of Trade & Industry proposed to impose a ceiling on the annual importation of cement into Ghana through a legislative instrument.
In this regard, importers of bagged cement shall be issued permits to avoid chaos in the sector.
The sector minister Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, who announced the decision to restrict imports in a statement, instructed all cement importers in the country to apply for permits.
However, companies legitimately licensed under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme were exempt from applying for permits.
The directive is also expected to ensure that the cement that are imported into the country are of standard quality to protect the construction industry.
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James Asare-Adjei, President of the AGI told BUSINESS GUIDE that any initiative to protect the local industry is good and should be supported.
If the local industry is producing cement in excess of one million tons, then why should we allow people to import? The problem we have in this country is that the economy is over liberalized which is killing the local industries, he said.
Mr. Asare-Adjei said the ban should not be limited to cement alone but other products that the local industries are capable of producing in excess.
He said the ban would also protect the local manufacturing companies and create more employment for the people.
Analysts say Africa's leading cement manufacturer, Dangote Company and other cement importers will face challenges in Ghana, following plans by the government to restrict cement imports into the country.
The country currently imports over one million tonnes of cement per annum.
This, according to the minister, had created a glut in the industry.
By Cephas Larbi
[email protected]
Former President John Agyekum Kufour has called on government to put in place strategies that will help local businesses to grow and encourage more locals to operate their own businesses.
Mr Kufour said this in a meeting he held with the National Executives of the National Association of Garages (NAG) at his residence in Accra lately.
He explained that it was the duty of government to help the private sector so it can mobilize taxes.
The former President also lauded the chairman of Jospong Group of Companies, Dr Adjepong, for further strengthening the capacity of the mechanics by promising a sponsorship package and an international exchange programme with known garages worldwide.
Chairman of NAG, Nana Opoku, expressed the group's appreciation to the former president, Dr. Adjepong of Jospong Group, Alan Kyeremanten and S.K Boafo, former Minister in charge of Chieftaincy, for the respective roles they played to help get the site ready for establishment of the National Garage Training Centre.
He said that they intend to become leaders in the assembling, servicing and production of spare parts for various brands of automobiles.
Nana Opoku, who presented a citation to the former president on behalf of the members, prayed for more government support in cash and kind to help open them up to international markets.
He re-emphasized his earlier call for people to enroll with the National Garage Training Centre for better apprenticeship training.
By Solomon Ofori
The political season(2nd semester) of the University of Ghana-Accra City campus is here once again.The annual ritual of electing new executives for the Students Representative Council (SRC) has for this time around been not only competitive but also strategic especially in the wake of the widely suggested view that the victory of an SRC Presidential aspirant is dependent on the choice of a running mate.
It is in this spirit that Team Bondah-the campaign team of Isaac Bondah,an SRC Presidential hopeful unveiled their running mate for the 28th April SRC elections.
This program was held yesterday,13th April 2016 in the SRC Conference room/JCR of the Accra City campus of the University of Ghana.In a colourful manner,cheering sympathisers and supporters of Bondah as well as the general student body thronged the JCR in Team Bondah's paraphernalia to support the unveiling of the running mate of their candidate.
This outdooring was characterized by a considerable level of political suspense as the students, even in few hours to the program were not sure who exactly was going to be outdoored as the running mate of Mr.Bondah.Many,were the guesses.Mr Richard Boateng-the Head of the SRC Publicity committee among other names had been speculated but time was going to be the ultimate decider of who gets to run alongside Mr Bondah.
Gracing the occasion were Secretary hopefuls, Mr Abdul Razak Rashad and Desmond "Papa Nii" Lamptey,WOCOM aspirants-Miss Memuna Kabuki Ibrahim and Rose Adjei Darkwah.Mr Khalid, who is running for SRC Treasurer was also present.Mr Emmanuel Abeka,Bondah's opponent however was missing even though he was found around before the program.In a typical "Anita Erskine and Kafui Dey"manner,Miss Kelly and Mr Nicholson treated the audience to an interesting and lively show as emcees for the day.
Blowing the minds of the students, was the Director of Campaign Operations for Team Bondah, Mr Eric Nana Agyemang who took to stage, and gave 200 reasons why one should support Isaac Bondah for the SRC Presidency.
After series of ground testimonies and endorsements of Bondah, musical interludes,political chants and a historical narration of the SRC and short speech by Mr Isaac Bondah,it was now time for the most awaited running mate to be outdoored. In a majestic manner, sandwiched by ladies,with a corporate look walked in this man.
The man we have been waiting for! His presence needed no introduction as his name had become a household name especially in the circles of the University of Ghana Association of Psychology Students (UNIGAPS) and also the University Christian Fellowship (UCF). Mr Bright Nuamah,a level 300 Psychology and Information Studies also the Organizer of UNIGAPS was eventually settled on to run with Mr Isaac Bondah after the profiling several student personalities.
This pair,many students argue is the best to take the City forward especially in such a defining moment like this. In a brief manner,the campaign manager, Mr Kenneth Brown admonished the team to go all out and sell the personalities of our candidates to be able to not only win the election but win convincingly.
Team Bondah also took advantage of the occasion to celebrate its Communications Director,Miss Juliet Naa Ashorkor Nortey who was celebrating her birthday that day. Unprecedented has been the tag awarded this program by even the critics who doubted the success of such a novelty.In the coming days, Team Bondah looks forward to selling its policies when the ban on campaign gets lifted.
The Vulnerable Twenty (V20) Group of Ministers of Finance met in Washington to collectively address economic and financial responses to climate change as a rapidly growing threat to growth and prosperity. The V20called for an economic and financial revolution compliant with the new 1.5 degrees Celsius and global adaptation goals as enshrined in the UN Paris Agreement reached in December 2015 that was strongly welcomed by the Group.
The V20 Chair, Cesar Purisima, Secretary of Finance of the Philippines, said: Our group has now grown to 43 vulnerable, developing countries--simply no longer accepting putting economic growth, and even the lives and livelihoods of our populations at severe risk, amid the slow pace of progress in climate finance mobilization, especially from bigger and richer countries further along in development. We see the financial system as a weapon to fight climate change with tremendous potential. So we are working hard to be pioneers in concrete and innovative economic and fiscal responses to climate change. Our voice and effort has been strengthened here in Washington and we are going to keep pushing other economies, the G7 and the G20 to follow our lead. Its a fight for our survival.
Secretary Purisima was speaking at the V20 Ministerial Dialogue held in conjunction with the 2016 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group.
We welcome the new World Bank Climate Change Action Plan and are requesting additional concessional finance in the context of debt sustainability to help realize our ambitions and scale up our own contribution. We are encouraged by the progress we've made on climate accounting, risk pooling mechanisms, carbon pricing, and expanding financial access. We likewise expect developed countries to make good on their climate finance mobilization commitments, he added.
The V20 gathering released a Ministerial Communique calling climate change a weight on the global recovery arguing that strengthened climate responses would restore robust, sustained and balanced growth while highlighting the clear compatibility of economic and climate change policies.
The communique also urged the G7 and G20 to undertake urgent efforts to realign development strategies and emission commitments with the new international target of limiting the rise in global temperatures to not more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
The V20 ministerial recognized new members with the expanded Group now spanning 43 economies systemically vulnerable to climate change and representing a combined population of more than one billion. Speaking as an incoming V20 member, John Silk, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Marshall Islands, said: The Marshall Islands is honoured to join the V20. The world needs ambitious action by all countries if we are to decarbonise globally and keep the window open for the 1.5 degree limit needed by vulnerable countries like mine to survive. The V20 is devising solutions to ramp up action. We need climate finance flows to make clean energy available to all.
The V20 body approved implementation plans to advance its effort to mobilize unprecedented levels of finance from all sources including pioneering innovation in climate financeand fiscal measures to support local actions to the limits of the capabilities of the Groups members.Decisions included a vision to implement carbon pricing regimes within the decade and calls for a Financial Transaction Tax to meetthe urgent finance mobilization needs of climate action. The bodyalso moved to create a platform for collaboration with business acknowledging the significant role of the private sector for achieving transformational change. It additionally established three Focus Groups of V20 members to specifically address the embedding of climate change costs in public and private accounting, to increase advocacy to promote V20 priorities in the international financial system, and to further work towards the creation of a V20 Risk Pooling Mechanism.
The V20 was founded in October 2015 at Lima, Peru as a dedicated cooperation group of the Ministers of Finance of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), a sister-initiative. Currently chaired by the Philippines, the V20 originally consisted of 20 developing countries from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific. The Washington, DC ministerial served to recognize the 23 new members that joined the CVF in 2015 as incoming members in the V20 initiative.
File Photo
15.04.2016 LISTEN
Ladies and gentlemen of the media, we have invited you here to set the records straight on the press statement held by the NPP concerning developmental projects in the Volta Region.
His Excellency President Mahama visited the chiefs and the people of Anlo and made a frantic statement that the Volta Region is not only a World Bank but the NDC IMF. This pronouncement by the president is a statement of fact, political parties all over the world have their strongholds. The Republicans and the Democrats of the United States also have their strongholds yet the USA is regarded as one of the advanced Democracies in the world.
The NDC and the NPP have their strongholds being Volta and Ashanti Region hence the president regarding Volta Region as the NDCs World Bank is a statement of fact and have no tribal undertone as alluded to by the NPP. We as a political party are not surprised by the NPP, treating of the president speech as being tribal, because they want to erase from the minds of Ghanaians the tribal comments they have made in the past and continuous to make.
They think Ghanaians are so gullible like them, the people of Ghana will not forget the following comments made by NPP bigwigs against the people of Ghana and the Volta Region specifically;
Kennedy Agyapong the member of parliament for Assin North and an advisor to Nana Addo is on record to have said Ewes and Gas should be killed and till date Nana Addo have not condemn such an ethnocentric and tribal comment from him. An NPP top executive is on record to have said there are no Human Beings in Hohoe, meaning the area should be rendered a ghost town. Dead bodies should be dumped in the Volta Region as allegedly said by Attah Akyea an NPP member of parliament. Hon Osarfo Marfo is on record to have said, the Regions with less resources have no right to govern this nation among others.
The people of Ghana will not forget such vexatious tribal and ethnocentric comments from the NPP, realizing that these comments are costing them politically they are desperately looking for any small opportunity to equalize hence referring to the presidents reference to Volta Region as NDCs IMF as being tribal.
The president during his speech said the NPP have done nothing for Volta Region. What the president means by that is when you compare the projects of the NPP and that of the NDC in the Volta Region that of the NDC far outweighs the NPP.
The NPP in their usual nature took the presidents call that they have done nothing on the face value and hastily rushed to organize a press statement. Per their press statement, they have indeed proven the president is right when they have listed the number of projects the NPP did in the Volta region.
WATER SUPPLY
According to the NPP more than 15 towns and villages received water extension schemes.If this is what the NPP have done in the area of water provision for their eight years in government for the people of the Southern Volta, then this is extremely insignificant compared to the NDC records in area of water provision for the good people of the region.
The NPP claimed they supplied water to Xipeand Aflao Tokor trying to deceive the public as if water was supplied to these communities, A cross check of these information reveals that these were just structures provided to harvest rain for a school at Xipe and an EP school at Aflao and not for the entire community as they have made us believe.
It is regrettable to say the least that smaller water project at Dzodze and Penyi was done by NPP. In early 2000, the government of Ghana received a grant of 1.3 million Euro and 880,000 Euro for the supply of smaller water scheme for Dzodze and Penyi respectively. The two communities established boards and had a lot of training programme purposely to manage the water. The current vice chairman of NPP S.M Amable knew about this.
The Anlo constituency alone under Hon. Clement KofiHomado as its MP extended water to more than fourty (40) towns and villages which beats the entire NPP record when it comes to water extension.
The Ohawu irrigation scheme- The rehabilitation of the Ohawu irrigation was initially done under the NPP but because of their poor negotiating skills, they left the project to rot when they were still in power just because Ohawu and Kporkuve wants the project to be named after their various towns. Their lack of negotiating skills made the people of Ghana not to have value for money under such a project hence another rehabilitation was done by the NDC to revive the irrigation scheme and the disagreement in the name of the project has been settled and it is now called Ohawu irrigation project.
ROAD PROJECTS (NPPs LIES EXPOSED AGAIN)
The NPP on page 3 and 4 of their press statement claimed they have constructed the following roads in the Volta region:
Sogakope to Adidome roads
Dzodze toAkanu roads
Abor to Anyako roads
Abor, Ohawu roads
Anloga town roads
Dzodze town roads
Kpando Dambai road
The roads mentioned above by the NPP that they have constructed in the Volta Region are either blatant lies or half-truth in other to lure the innocent masses to vote for them come November but truth always prevail over lies.
Dzodze to Akanu road, these contract was awarded in 2010 so how come the NPP claim they construct this road.
Abor to Anyako roads was done by the NDC and completed in the year 2012. This has exposed the NPP once again.
Abor, Ohawu to Xevi which is a 27km road called (VR5) was awarded to a contractor by name First Sky at a cost of $ 4,913,868. Awalavi to Dekporya which is a 22km roads called (VR6) was awarded to a contractor by name China Jiangsu Xintianda (XTD) at a cost of $ 3,830,519.27. All these contractors received their contract award letters in the year 2010 so how come the NPP is claiming they construct these roads. The NPP is the father of all lies in Ghana and their lies have been exposed again and again.
The Anloga roads was constructed under president Rawlings, this road was done by W.F in the early 1990s linking three (3) constituencies and begins from Dabala through Srogbe Whuti Anloga all the way to Keta. The NPP should have consulted their own past MCE for Keta, the then Mr. Edward Kofi Ahaibor who is currently farming at Anloga Quarters, he would have informed them about the roads in Anloga from Diversion to the EP basic school linking the police station, was done by one Mr. Zanu and not the NPP.
DZODZE TOWN ROADS- the claim by the NPP that they build Dzodze town roads cannot be the truth. The dzodze town roads are in two phases, phase one was done under Hon. Modestus Ahiable who was then the Volta Regional Minister under the NDC. The roads from market to Fiagbedu, Fiagbedu to magistrate court and Afetefe to hospital small gate which was phase I was done by the NDC and the phase II was done under the NPP. When you go to Dzodze right now, the phase I which was done several years before the phase II is still intact and the phase II have developed pot holes all over with the side bridges even curved in. The NPP should learn to give credit where credit is due.
SOGAKOPE ADIDOME ROAD: the NPP has never constructed the Sogakope Adidome roads, what they did was from Bengo to Kpedzeglo. The NDC has constructed Sogakope to Bengo which was completed in 2014 and from Kpedzeglo to Marfi Kumasi- Adaklu all the way to Ho linking four districts South Tongu, Central Tongu, Adaklu and Ho Municipal Assembly.
KPANDO DAMBAI ROAD: The claim by the NPP concerning the Kpando Dambai roads is not the complete truth. These stretch of road is in three phases. The phase I was done by the NDC which starts from Kpando and ends at Kwamekrom. The NPP did the phase II which starts from Kwamekrom and ends at Kabosu. The third phase starts from Kabosu to Dambai and this stretch was done by the NDC which was completed in November 2015.
KETA SEA DEFENCE PROJECT
President Kuffour claimed the NDC squandered money meant for the Keta Sea Defense project and he have to find money to do the project.
President Kuffour must answer these questions.
Who squandered the money meant for the Keta Sea Defense project as he alluded to?
President Kuffor must name them because it is the tax payers money which are being used to pay the loan meant for the project.
Volta Region was the target of president Kuffour and the NPP to destroy the NDC. It is under their reign that they imprisoned big shots from the region on trump up charges namely Hon Dan Agbodakpi, Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata and Mr.Victor Selomey, so how come the NPP did not prosecute those who have squandered the money meant for the Keta Sea Defense Project.
President Kuffour said they went to look for another money for the Keta Sea Defense project. How much have they gone for? Ghanaians must know.
What is the source of their money for the Keta Sea Defense project? Is it the same EXIM Bank U.S.A
What is the name of the contractor that did the work or it is the same contractor? President Kuffour must provide Ghanaians with answers.
Available documents at the Ministry of Works and Housing and the Keta Municipality reveals that the money for the project was sourced under President Rawlings from the EXIM Bank USA and the name of the company is MLS Great Lakes Dredge & Docks company of U.S.A in association with W.F. Baird & Associates. If president Kuffour has anything to the contrary we dare him to prove it.
HO POLYTECHNIC
President Kuffours claim that he built Ho polytechnic amount to re-writing the history of the school. His government undertook some developmental projects in the school which is the Ho poly auditorium and the Asorgli hostel project. This projects are all GETFUND project which is an NDC initiative. If building of auditorium and a hostel amounts to building of a polytechnic, then Volta Region has a lot of polytechnics because the Region is dotted with auditoriums and hostels.
Ho polytechnic was first established as a Technical Institute in 1968. It was upgraded to a non-tertiary polytechnic in 1986 and finally upgraded to a fully-fledged tertiary institution in 1993. President Kuffour was president from 2001 to 2008 so how could he have built Ho Polytechnic.
President Kuffour is an elderly state man of this country and Ghanaians want to adore him as such.
THE MOBILISED RESOURCES NDC HANDED OVER TO NPP UNDER THE ROAD SECTOR
The NDC government mobilized resources for the construction of the following roads in the Volta Region between 2001-2004 before we lost power and handed it over to the NPP.
Tema to Sogakope road, the source of funding is from KFW from Germany at a cost of DM 76 million Dzodze- Noefe road, the source of funding is the African Development Bank at cost of UA 12.68 million Akatsi to Aflao from the ECOWAS fund at a cost of UA 4.802 million Sogakope- Akatsi roads source of fund from KFW at a cost of UA 12.782 million
The NPP should learn to give credit where credit is due or have they gone for different source of funds for these projects? If they have they should provide the source of funds and the amount of money they have taken. All these projects, it was the NDC that sourced for the money before they left power.
LIST OF SOME FEW PROJECTS BY THE NDC IN THE VOLTA REGION
ROADS
Abor junction Ohawu to Xevi road (27km) Awalavi to Dekporya (22km) Sogakope to Bendo, Kpedzeglo to Marfi Kumasi, Adaklu to Ho linking four districts which are south Tongu, Central Tongu, Adaklu and Ho central. Dabala to Anloga through to Keta road which links three constituencies namely South Tongu, Anlo and Keta constituencies. Dzodze town roads phase I Dzodze to Akanu road Adutor roads linking South Tong and Anlo constituency Atorkor, Dzita to Anyanui roads linking more than five (5) towns in the Anlo constituency Akatsi to Aflao road Teshie to beat 9 pedestrain border Atorkukorpe to lowcost road Ewotsige road to border Pepesu to Nkwanta road Ahamansu junction to Ampeyo, Pampamwei to Dapa junction Papase to Kpomkpa roads Abuabu Asubuaye through Tintianyor to Papase junction Kpando to Kwamekrom Kabosu to Dambai road Battor Dove road Dove to Mepe road Sege Aveyime road Torgorme Fodzoku to Juapong Dam road Logba Vuita through all Leklebi towns to Leklebi Darfo Ve Golokuati through Teikrom to Fodome Ve junction through Ve-dome to Leklebi Fiafe Old district Asembly to market lane in Hohoe Asikuma to Adzokoe roads Kpando to Kudzra road Anfoega to Kpando technical. Have to Kpando roads
There are lot of completed roads which are not mentioned in the list above and a lot more are ongoing at various stages spread across the region.
EDUCATION
Under President Mahama, Volta Region now have University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) which is located in Ho with satellite campuses to be located in Hohoe and Keta. The satellite school of pharmacy which is to be located in Keta is starting the enrollment of students this September 2016. This singular important project surpass all projects done by the NPP in the Volta Region because the human resource of every nation plays a critical role in the development of that nation. Fibre optic cables have been laid by the NDC government from Ho all the way to Volta North through to Bawku. This project is to improve the future outlook of education and business within the region. Under the NDC government fifteen (15) districts namely Krachi Nchumuru, Biakoye, Nkwanta south, Akatsi south and North Tongu etc are getting new community SHS which are at various stages, with some completed. This project is providing some means of income to the people of the Region and when completed will also give permanent employment to the people of the Region and Ghana as a whole.
Under President Mahama a campus from start to finish have been built for the nursing and midwifery school located at Vodza in the Keta Municipality.
Under the NDC lots of infrastructure development at the basic, JHS and SHS have taken place in the region. These are class room blocks, dining halls, teachers bungalow, teachers common room, boys and girls hostels, and libraries etc which are all dotted over the twenty five (25) districts in the Volta Region.
The number of schools benefiting from school feeding program have increased significantly. When NPP was in power in some districts there were less than two schools benefiting from such a scheme but currently under the NDC we have increased it from over 83 schools under the NPP to 407 schools with 126,590 beneficiaries under the NDC as at June 2015.
Most of the district hospital and the regional hospital in the Volta region was built by the NDC, the NPP scores zero when we come to this area. The NPP claim they brought NHIS and the NDC have collapse it. This assertion by the NPP can never be true because the total enrollment under the scheme have improved. The outpatient utilization stands at 29.6 million in the year 2014 as compared to over 9 million in the year 2008. The question is if NHIS is collapsing, why are people still patronizing the facility. Even if the NPP brings health insurance, how will the people of the region have access to health care if there are no hospitals in the region?
WATER
The NPP cannot boast of any water treatment plant they have built in the region. Under the NDC government three constituencies namely South Tongu, Anlo and Keta are drinking treated water from Agordormie which have been extended to several communities.
The NDC government have built a multi-million water processing plant at Adidome in the Central Tongu district. This is meant to serve over 2000 communities in five districts namely North Tongu, Central Tongu, Adaklu, Agortime Ziope and Ho west.
Tongor Kpalime water supply project phase I completed to supply communities in south Dayi with treated water. The region also have a lot of bore holes constructed in the region to provide good drinking water to the people.
OTHER PROJECTS
The region under president Mahama have some significant projects which are either completed or ongoing among them are:
The Volta aerodrome popularly called the Ho airport is under construction and will be completed in 2017.
Dzita Anyanui (Akplorwutorkor) Sea defense wall have been constructed in the Keta municipality.
Sea defense wall currently under construction covering part of the coastline of Keta and Ketu south municipality.
Irrigation dam currently under construction at Segbe Border in the Ketu south municipality is going to boost rice and vegetable production in the region.
Shopping mall near completion in Anloga within the Keta municipality.
Ho central market is under construction with stores, clinic, creche and a fire service post.
Construction of a modern abattoir located at Sokode within the Ho municipality.
Construction of district assembly office complex which is near completion in North Tongu, Afadzato south etc.
Enhanced community information communication Centres located at Keta, Tegbi, North Tongu, ketu north, Agortime Ziope etc.
Ladies and gentlemen, the NPP claimed it was during their tenure that the Ketu south was converted to a municipality. This again is another untruth, you would recall during the time of Prof. Mills that there was demonstrations for Aflao to be given a municipality. It was during that time in 2012 that Prof Mills elevated Ketu South district to the status of a municipality.
President Mahama has indeed exposed the NPP with his call, this is to let the good people of the Volta region know that the only political party that can give the region any meaningful development to is the NDC party.
The parliament of Ghana has recently approved a Swiss company to start the Keta oil exploration. This act shows the commitment of the president towards the development of the region and there are a lot more developments taking place in the various districts across the region that this press statement alone cannot cover. The NPP claimed they were mentioning projects they have done in the southern Volta but went to talk about projects in the northern Volta, this only shows that the NPP does not have much to say when it comes to development in the Volta region.
The NDC government under President Mahama will construct a water treatment plant at Sogakope which will supply water along the southern coast all the way to Togo and that will resolve the water problems in these areas including Anyako in the Keta municipality.
The government is also committed to implementing the Southern Volta basin development plan which is going to revolutionize agriculture in the region as well as serve as a food basket for the people of Ghana and also provide means of employment for our youths.
President Mahama is leaving nothing to chance to make sure the eastern corridor road is completed to open up the region for business opportunities.
Looking at the massive development taking place in the region we believe the people of the Volta region will Vote massively for President Mahama and we are going to achieve the GAP ONE MILLION target we have set for ourselves.
Signed
Hon. Gyapong Kudjoe Regional Chairman
Kafui Agbleze - Regional communication officer
Simon Amegashie Viglo Regional secretary
Hon Henry Ametefe - regional organiser
Chester Ben Ati - Dep. regional communication officer
God Bless Ghana God Bless NDC
Eye Zu Eye za
Three people were on Thursday sentenced to serve 25 years each for robbing one Patrick Addai Koranteng at New Weija.
Jerry Danquah, a Driver; Isaac Donkor, a Cane Weaver; and David Asare, a Trader; were charged with conspiracy to commit crime and robbery of one Toyota Hilux, worth 120,000.00, one HP Laptop, worth 5,000.00, one Apple iPod, worth 3,000.00, and one Samsung Galaxy phone worth 1,000.00.
They also robbed Charles Hagan, the complainant of an external hard drive worth 400.00, four wrist watches worth 6,500, one computer mouse worth 100.00, one Samsung remote worth 30.00, two necklaces worth 500.00 and a pack of coins amounting to 100.00.
The three pleaded not guilty to both charges but were found guilty after the full trial by the court presided over by Mr. Aboagye Tanoh.
Earlier the prosecutor, Police Chief Inspector Edward Afful told the court that the complainant is an Engineer working with Shell Ghana Limited and resides at New Botianor while the convicts reside in the Sikkens area near old Fadaman.
He said on September 19, 2015, four armed men attacked and robbed the complainant of his V8 Landcruiser in his house at Attah Moses down in New Weija.
He said on October 4, 2015, at about 0200 hours the complainant was asleep when he heard a loud sound in the corridor leading to his bedroom, he woke up and realized that some people were breaking into his bedroom.
He told the court that unknown to the complainant, the convicts had already scaled over his fence wall after cutting through the barbed wires on the fence wall.
He said the armed men also broke the exit door and entered the house through the kitchen and broke the burglar proof behind his bedroom.
The prosecution said even though the complainant gave them an amount of 600.00 on demand, they subjected him to beatings, tied him up with his own flying tie and succeeded in robbing the above-listed items.
He said luck, however, eluded them as the vehicle had a tracking device on it.
Police Chief Inspector Afful said the complainant managed and called his company after the police patrol team from Weija arrived on the scene.
He said the vehicle was tracked and with the assistance of police communications, the three convicts have intercepted on board the vehicle at Tsopoli barrier on the Tema-Sogakope highway.
He said they were arrested and all the items stolen from the complainants house were retrieved in the vehicle and were sent to Tema and later Weija.
The prosecution said at the Weija police station, the complainant easily identified them as the people who evaded his premises as they were not masked at the time of the incident.
On interrogation, they all admitted the offences and also claimed to be responsible for the earlier robberies and led the police to Denu in the Volta Region where the complainants V8 Landcruiser was retrieved.
15.04.2016 LISTEN
By Kwamina Tandoh, GNA
Mr. Francois Pujolas, the French Ambassador to Ghana, has said France is committed to strengthening its bilateral relations with Ghana. He said France would continue to strengthen the long-standing ties between the two countries not only in the area of politics but also in the area of the economy. Mr. Pujolas said this during a courtesy call on Mr Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, the Greater Accra Regional Minister.
Mr. Pujolas said France considers Ghana as a top priority because of its ability to consolidate its democratic gains, which had created the needed atmosphere for investment opportunities to thrive.Highlighting some developmental projects embarked by the French Government in Ghana, Mr Pujolas, said France has financed the construction of road networks and traffic lights at Awoshie-Pokuase, adding that education on road regulations would be intensified across the country.
Mr. Pujolas said the Ghana Association of Microfinance Companies has also benefited from a grant of 1.5million from Agence Francaise de Development towards the Association's Capacity Improvement Project to provide technical assistance to its members. The Ambassador said in September, the French Government would organise a conference to discuss sustainable developments projects in cities to enhance development.
Mr. Pujolas said France would continue to finance development projects that fell in line with its objectives to improve the lot of the people. Mr. Afotey-Agbo said Ghana appreciates the role of the French Government to its development and economic growth. He appealed to France to continue to support the country to make life comfortable for the people.
15.04.2016 LISTEN
President John Dramani Mahama was reported in the Ghanaian media yesterday to have pummeled the National Security Council for what he described as the unfortunate release of a terror alert in the country.
According to the report, President Mahama took the opportunity to urge Ghanaians not to panic over the alert, saying it was unnecessary for the security agencies to allow such delicate information to leak into the public domain.
In an interview with GBC's Sunrise FM, Thursday, President Mahama posited; I think that we must deal with this without creating panic amongst our people and that is why the stories we read in the papers today are most unfortunate.
Continuing, he assured Ghanaians that the nation's security agencies were well placed to deal with any form of threat and urged the people to be alert and report any form of suspicious behaviour to the security agencies.
We are preparing for any such eventuality but we need the alertness of the publicThe public needs to be more alert today than before, if you see any strange person, any strange movement, you just need to report to the security services, President Mahama stressed.
To assuage the fears, which is fast gripping the people, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), explained that the latest terror alert statement emphasizing potential attacks on Ghana by terrorists, was not intended for the public. Francis Palmdeti, a spokesperson of the GIS said the alert was meant for the internal use of personnel of the various security agencies.
Indeed, the alert, which leaked into the media, has confirmed that terrorists are planning an attack on Ghana apparently to defuse the notion that only francophone countries were susceptible to terrorist attacks.
Portions of the leaked document read: Intelligence gathered by the National Security Council (NSCS), indicates a possible terrorist attack on the country is real. The alert, further stated that terrorists enter a country by concealing their explosives and other weapons.
They enter through approved and unapproved entry points. In the Ivorian attacks, they reportedly entered from Mali using a Nigerean register 44 vehicle. They reportedly concealed their weapons and grenade in the vehicles compartment for spare tyres, padded with cushions and bubble wraps to keep them stable and to prevent noise.
Mr. Palmdeti told Starr FM's Nii Arday Clegg Thursday that the Immigration Service is unhappy about the way the alert has been handled by the media. I'm not here to confirm or deny what is supposed to be in that alert. I was told it started on social media and later found its way into the mainstream media.
That alert is an intended memo that has not been approved for public consumption. It is essentially for the usage of the security agencies and so we are not excited about the interpretations that have been put to it, he stated. The Chronicle believes that President Mahama has hit the nail right on the head by pummeling the National Security for allowing such dainty information to leak into the media.
We are of the opinion that the Presidential intervention was timely and appropriate, judging from the heightened concern the alert has generated in society. The Presidential admonition would go a long way to calm down nerves in a nervy society.
The Chronicle, however, wishes to stress that as the father of the nation, it is his responsibility to ensure that anytime members of his administration put up behaviors that have the tendency to call his ability to manage the economy into question, he would act spontaneously.
On a number of occasions, some of his operatives, especially, Special Aide Stan Dogbe had incurred the wrath of the Ghanaian people and had expected head of state to comment on it, but to no avail. This is why The Chronicle wishes to commend the President for chastising the National Security for the leakage of the terror alert, and also encourage him to be bold at all time to criticize members of his administration when they go wrong.
15.04.2016 LISTEN
By Inusa Musah
Abaidoo (Mrs.) presenting a dummy of SSNITs financial donation to Mr. Yeboah, Country Director for Creating New Beginnings
75,000 pensioners, representing fifty percent of 150,000 pensioners in the books of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) are enjoying a minimum of GHc279 of their pension earnings as at March 2016, Victoria Abaidoo (Mrs.), Acting Corporate Affairs Manager of SSNIT has said.
The minimum pension earning, she said, is higher than Ghana's minimum wage. A beneficiary, Mrs. Victoria Abaidoo, took time to explain how it is calculated on the contributor's average of three years' best salary. A contributor's pension benefit is dependent on the age and number of months they pay their contributions and the average of their three years best salary.
SSNIT, she stressed, therefore, replaces the lost income of workers and so if any worker wants to get their lost money back when they go on pension, they should endeavour to register with SSNIT. We have now gone automated and biometric.
The Acting Corporate Affairs Manager of SSNIT said to The Chronicle on the sideline at the Pension House, where her outfit donated GHc50,000 to 'Creating New Beginnings Charitable Organisation', an autistic home at Frafra, in the Madina Municipality.
SSNIT's financial contribution to the beneficiary formed part of their corporate social responsibility to the society and it was aimed at helping the managers of the autistic facility to expand. Mrs. Victoria Abaidoo explained that SSNIT is able to financially give back to support such institutions owing to the viable investments that they have over the years been engaging in, adding that profits from the investments have kept the institution running.
Through such viable investments, SSNIT is able to employ and pay its workers. SSNIT, she said grows through sustaining contributions from employers who are up-to-date with the payment of their employees' contributions. The Insurance Trust, Mrs. Abaidoo said, would continue to support worthy causes and organizations, whose activities can positively affect the weak in the society. SSNIT made a similar presentation to the Ghana Blind Union.
Creating New Beginnings Charitable Organization is a UK registered charitable institution that is providing a facility for autistic children in Ghana, and the Country Director for the organization, Seth Yeboah Ocran, advised parents with autistic children, including the society, to shun discriminating such children.
Seth Yeboah was thankful to SSNIT for their financial support which he said would be channeled into expanding the facility in a bid to help them accommodate more autistic children.
He entreated other benevolent organizations, individuals and philanthropists to emulate the gesture of SSNIT.
15.04.2016 LISTEN
By Belinda Ayamgha, GNA
Armah Kofi Buah, speaking at the cocktail
Mr. Armah Kofi Buah, Minister of Petroleum says government is committed to the path of price deregulation in the petroleum downstream sector, so that the market could determine the prices of products.
Speaking at a cocktail to celebrate the launch of Puma Energy Distribution Ghana, he noted that the deregulation process would also allow the regulatory body to deliver its core mandate of ensuring fair play in the downstream arena and also ensuring quality. He noted that the approval by Parliament of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Amendment had cemented the path.
Mr Buah said the downstream sector is brimming with opportunities; with a strong stimulated demand for petroleum products, as statistics showed that the amount of petroleum products consumed in the country annually continue to surge. This certainly provides golden opportunities for industry players and we are happy that Puma has joined the competition, he stated.
He said government is also working on a Legislative Instrument on local content in the downstream sector, as has been done in the upstream sector. We think there has been real success in the upstream sector and we want to replicate that in downstream sector, he said. Mr Buah commended Puma Energy's foundation on partnerships with local communities and its shareholding structure with includes more than 50 per cent Ghanaians, describing it as more of a Ghanaian firm than a foreign entrant.
He said government is convinced, in light of the company's track record, that it is a credible partner to invest in and strengthen the downstream sector. Mr. Buah challenged Puma Energy to continue to adhere to its strong health, safety and environmental records and maintain an incident free operation as they had done, to serve as yardstick in the industry Mr. Myles Bouvier-Baird, General Manager of Puma Energy Distribution Ghana, said it is a positive step to deregulate the market and let competition determine the prices.
He noted that there has been significant increase in competitive activity since the deregulation of the downstream sector by government, a phenomenon which is good for the end user of the products. Mr. Bouvier-Baird said the company, aside providing petroleum products at competitive prices for Ghanaians, is also very interested in the communities they operate in. In line with this, Puma Energy would, from next month, launch its flagship Road Safety Campaign targeted at children.
He said the company would partner with a non-governmental organisation to identify local schools, where they would go and educate them about the road safety. It's a really fun campaign; a fun way to educate them, and after the education, we give them a few little gifts like school bags with reflectors on them to make them a bit safer, he said.
Mr. Bouvier-Baird said the company believes that through education, it could help reduce incidents around roads, especially with children. Puma Energy has been supporting the country's fuel industry for nearly 10 years through the construction and operation of the CBM import system, which is used to import crude and other oil products into the country.
The Social Security National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has presented a cheque of GH 50,000.00 to Creating New Achievable Beginnings; an Accra based NGO to assist them in building a school boarding facility and expansion of the school building to cater for admission and training of more special needs children within the Adenta Frafraha Municipality in the Greater Accra Region.
The gesture according to SSNITs Customer Service Manager of Corporate Affairs Dept., Mrs. Victoria Gifty Abaidoo forms part of the companys corporate social responsibility (CSR) in giving back to the society.
Director of Creating New Beginnings, Seth Yeboah Ocran receiving the donation commended SSNIT for the assistance. We are very grateful to SSNIT for quickly responding to our request for support towards the schools boarding facility project and expansion of the school classroom blocks to allow us admit more of such autism children who needed specialist training in Ghana he explained.
He admonished parents whose children are living with autism disorder not to hide them in their houses but rather bring them out to school to be trained so as to become useful to the society.
Mr. Seth Yeboah Ocran who also doubles as the Director of Woodfiled Minor Autism and Special Needs School called on other Corporate Organizations and well-meaning Ghanaians to come to the aid of the School in order to help it admit and train more children with special needs care in Ghana.
Creating New Beginnings is a Community based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) which has established a Woodfiled Minor Autism and Special Needs School in 2012 to provide quality special needs care for children living with autism in Ghana with the aim of assisting them to grow to be useful the society.
The school currently has population of 30 children and is located in Adenta Frafraha Community within the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.
15.04.2016 LISTEN
From Richard Owusu-Akyaw, Kumasi
cassava tubbers
Right Rev. Professor Osei Sarfo Kantanka, a renowned crop scientist has attributed the poor quality of cassava in Ghana, which has led to its scarcity, to a phenomenal change in weather.
The science Professor told a Chronicle enquiry about the reason for the poor quality of cassava on the Ghanaian market. He said in Ghana, when there is a switch from the dry season to the early stages of the rainy season, growth of cassava is retarded.
In this circumstance, many cassava varieties shed off their leaves and become inactive and dormant, while there are others which are able to stand this change in weather, Professor Osei Sarfo Kantanka explained.
He said: When cassava doesn't grow and the rains start falling, every farmer is aware there is a flash of new growth which comes with new leaves.
The crop scientist told this paper that when the flash of new growth emerges the cassava mobilises the starch reserved in the tuber to produce a new flash of growth and when it does, that affects the composition of the tuber.
Fufu, a local Ghanaian dish being prepared
When you go for the tuber at the onset of the rainy season, the composition is not the same as that of the dry season tuber and the resultant cassava becomes affected, so when cooked, it is either too soft or too hard and cannot be used for fufu, he said.
He revealed that the bad quality of cassava will happen until the weather stabilizes and until they produce their own food to be stored in the tuber, stressing it is a phenomenon widely known by farmers and chop bar operators since during this season a lot of cassava go waste.
Prof. Sarfo Kantanka, who is the immediate past Bishop of the Kumasi Diocese of the Methodist Church of Ghana, told The Chronicle the ultimate aim is to plant cassava which has stable cooking qualities to withstand the weather change.
According to him, this variety is not very common and that once in a while one comes across a variety which can stand the change in weather.
At the moment No new variety has emerged, it is the same old one which is reacting to the change in weather, he asserted.
The former genetics lecturer of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) indicated that because of the change in weather phenomenon, plant breeders always prefer varieties of maize which can withstand change in weather.
The academician also equated the change in cooking cassava to soil condition which makes the temperature around the tuber uniform, adding if you can keep the soil; it also has the tendency to maintain the cooking quality. He said temperature is a contributing factor in maintaining quality. Mulching can also maintain the soil temperature, he said, adding that: If you weed to reach the soil, temperature varies than not weeding, which keeps the tubers quite cool and the quality may remain as the temperature is maintained.
Following the poor quality of cassava, the price of cassava has soared, a development which has resulted in upward adjustment of the cost of fufu, a staple delicacy for majority of Ghanaians. The situation is a worry to many chop bar operators.
In an interaction with Madam Serwaa, a chop bar operator at Asafo, a suburb of Kumasi, she lamented about the cost of cassava, saying a bag of cassava now costs GHc150.
According to her, most of the cassava that she cooks is either too hard or too soft, which cannot be used for preparing fufu.
Serwaa noted she has no option than to increase the price of fufu from GHc2.00 to GHc3.00 because cassava is now expensive. The high cost of cassava has, therefore, compelled many households to switch from their staple fufu to rice and other dishes.
15.04.2016 LISTEN
From Michael Boateng, Sunyani
Most Rev. Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi
Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Catholic Bishop of Sunyani Diocese has admonished undergraduates to take their lectures seriously, so they can graduate with better grades, after their admission into the universities.
Speaking at the 13th Matriculation and graduation ceremony at the Catholic University College at Fiapre, in Sunyani, last Saturday, he stressed that Matriculants should sit up and learn from their lecturers and professors to gain some of their experience and avoid being a fancy of academics and make good use of their time to enable them complete their courses with flying colours.
He also urged them to prioritize time on what will stimulate their minds for critical thinking, good character and the ability to be critical. The Bishop, who doubles as the Episcopal Chairman of Catholic University College, advised the graduants to be hardworking and truthful at their fields of work to raise high the flag of the Catholic institution.
Bishop Gyamfi further entreated the graduants to stay away from people who belittle their intelligence.When you go to the outside world, try and stay away from people who belittle your intelligence and potentialsif you stay with them too, upgrade them, he said.
Bishop Kwasi Gyamfi noted that obtaining first class as undergraduates should not seem to students as a difficult task, since some past students were able to study hard for such grades. He urged them to make their parents proud by distancing themselves from third class.
Dont go for third class or second classI will not even dare you to go for second class upper; go for the first class and make your parents proud, he challenged the students. He also revealed that the vision of the Catholic University College is to create a unique university college, which could bring distinctive contribution not only to the Brong-Ahafo Region alone, which is the land of its birth, but to the entire nation.
The Most Rev. Gyamfi disclosed that the Catholic Church sees education as a tool for advancing knowledge in any society, bringing forth the establishment of the Catholic University.
Four hundred and forty eight (448) students graduated in the school this year. 162 of them were from the faculty of Education with 155 being post graduate Diploma and 7 undergraduates. Also 188 graduated from the faculty of Public Health and Allied sciences.
The Business Administration and Information, Communication and Technology faculties graduated 188 and 3 students respectively. The college has a current student population of 2,965 which is a drop of 544 from the 3,409 recorded last year. However, the college can boast of a total of 5,567 graduates since its inception.
Addressing the congregation, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the college, Dr. Anthony Bonah Koomson, advised the Matriculants to be obedient in school as they had pledged to be, since the university would hold them strictly in compliance of the pledge.
He urged them to be more focused and avoid disparaging remarks which could put off the goodwill of the university. Dr. Koomson observed that the university has extensively prepared the students making their graduation to be of value to their immediate society and the world at large.
Professor Kofi Agyekum, the Dean of students at the school of Performing Arts at the University of Ghana, who graced the occasion, stressed on the need for the graduating students to value good morals through truthfulness, hardwork and dedication to duty, since the job market is very competitive.
Entreating new students not to abuse the freedom they may be enjoying in school away from their parents, he stressed on the need for them to cut off fashion which some of them valued most than their studies and learn hard to make the investment their parents made in them worthwhile.
Exercise personal freedom with circumspection because your future depends on what you do with your time today Manage your time well today if you want to be successful tomorrow, for time management is the key to success, he added.
The college had been affiliated to the University of Ghana for the past 14 years. However, Professor Agyekum revealed that the University Of Ghana is in the process to acquire a charter for the Catholic University College.
15.04.2016 LISTEN
By Kodjo Adams, GNA
School kids being fed under the School Feeding Programme
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is working towards increasing the beneficiaries of the Ghana School Feeding Programme to three million by the end of the 2016 to improve the nutritional status of pupils and their retention in school.
Nana Oye Lithur, the sector minister, announced this in Accra at a stakeholders' meeting to discuss the quality of the food and the general improvement of the programme.
She said by the 2014/2015 Academic Year, the total number of pupils on the programme had increased to more than 1.72 million beneficiaries, from the 2006/2007 population of 413,498, representing 320.6 per cent.
The beneficiaries are from 5,000 public primary schools, representing 39.43 per cent of the total national population of public primary schools.
Nana Oye Lithur said the Government launched the School Feeding Programme, in 2005, in response to the New Partnership for Africa's Development recommendation for the adoption of a home-grown school feeding concept.
She explained that the goal of the concept was to contribute to poverty reduction and increase food security in line with the Millennium Development Goals on Hunger, Poverty and Malnutrition.
Nana Oye Lithur said the first phase of the implementation took place from 2006 to 2010.However, the programme, she said was now being implemented as a social protection strategy across the 216 districts to improve school enrolment, attendance and retention.
She said Cabinet approved the School Feeding Policy and Social Protection Policy in 2015 to strengthen the legal and policy framework of the programme, while a Bill for the Ghana School Feeding Agency was being drafted by the Attorney General.
She said a new Caterer Contracting and Procurement Guidelines had been developed to ensure transparency and compliance with national procurement guidelines, and explained that the menu served to the pupils would be based on the three geographical regions of the forest, savannah and coastal areas.
The Minister said the Government had established the Ghana Household Registry to ensure inclusion and transparency in targeting beneficiaries of the Social Protection Programme.
Nana Oye Lithur said the Ministry had introduced an electronic payment system to ensure value for money, curb delays associated with previous modes of payment and inject transparency and accountability in the programme's financial system.
She announced that the Government had secured funds to pay the 70 days of the first-term of 2015/2016 academic year and that the arrears would be released by the close of April, 2016.
The Ministry will continue to collaborate with key stakeholders, especially the Ghana Education Service, to provide credible school enrolment data through the Education Management Information Service, she said.
She said the School Feeding Programme was collaborating with the Ghana Education Service and National Health Insurance Authority to register every school going child on the School Feeding Programme free of charge and provide them with biometric ID cards.
GNA
15.04.2016 LISTEN
By Pascal Kafu Abotsi
The Registrar of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, Mr. Harry Anthony Attipoe, has taken legal action against one of the kingmakers of Appolonia, Nii Iddrisu Mansro, a reporter at Accra-based Citi FM, Mr. Elvis Washington Agyinkuma, and Omni Media, owners of Citi FM, demanding an amount of GH5 million as damages for libel.
The Registrar, who, according the statement of claim, has oversight responsibility of the Kpone Traditional Council (KTC), is also demanding an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the defendants, their servants, and agents from further publication of the said words, similar, or any words of the like effect.
The plaintiff hit the legal ground running when the Citi FM reporter, who is the 2nd Defendant in the case, after he had mischievously interviewed some non-existent chiefs, came out with a jerky article, suggesting that the rulers of Kpone and Appllonia were excited about the recent transfer of the Registrar.
In the article, Mr. Attipoe was accused of being the brain behind the woes of the people in the Traditional Area, and this was expressly captured in ever since he was transferred to the Greater Accra Region as Registrar, has created more harm than good to us Attipoe has really created serious confusion and messed up our lands, so now that he has been transferred, we thank God the new Registrar coming will come and clean the mess and put things in order.
Described as a self-styled Regent, Nii Mansro granted an interview to Mr. Washington on the March, 21, this year. Titled Ga Chiefs Laud Transfer of Regional House of Chiefs Registrar, the article was published by the 3rd Defendant, Omni Media, on its website, which the plaintiff said contained defamatory words.
While portions of the letter accused the plaintiff of corruption, others linked him to indiscriminate sale of Kpone stool lands. In the article, Nii Mansro alleged that: Mr. Harry Attipoe has been involved in giving lands to developers, whereas he (Attipoe) is not an indigene. We have evidence of land receipts with us, where Mr. Harry Attipoe has signed, with regards to the sale of Kpone land, whereas he has no right to do so.
In the course of celebrating the decision to transfer of Mr. Attipoe, the 1st Defendant was quoted to have said: Nii Mansro said the decision to transfer Mr. Attipoe is a very good one worth commending, adding that Mr. Attipoes alleged involvement in [a] series of land matters has created tension within the Greater Accra Region.
Again, the article contained: Citing the Appollonia chieftaincy dispute as an example, Nii Mansro said Attipoe, despite a case pending in court against the illegal enstoolment of one Nii Amobi, went ahead to ensure he was illegally gazetted, as some of the damning allegations.
But a publication in the Thursday March 24, 2016 publication of The Chronicle downplayed the allegations contained in the article, as written by the 2nd Defendant. The Chronicle report revealed that some chiefs in the Kpone Traditional Area, when contacted by the papers reporter, said the earlier report was baseless and unfounded.
In line with that confession, counsel for the plaintiff, A. Ossei Aidooh & Co., in the statement of claim said the words contained in the article could be contextualised naturally and ordinarily as proposing that The plaintiff is incompetent as the Regional Registrar, and is directly involved in chieftaincy and land matters in the region; the plaintiff, by his conduct, is undermining the development of the region, and his acts have harmed the region; the plaintiff is selling lands in the Kpone Traditional Area to developers for his personal benefit.
The words, in the eyes of the lawyers, also suggested that The plaintiff, on his own, ensures that persons who have illegally [been] installed as chiefs are gazetted; the plaintiffs conduct has immensely contributed to the chieftaincy feud in the Kpone Traditional Area, much to the detriment of the people, and also, that the plaintiff is a dishonest and [a] selfish person who has misappropriated proceeds from the sale of the lands in Kpone.
For all these, the plaintiff, who has argued that the article has circulated worldwide, is convinced that his credit and reputation both personal and public has been seriously ignored and damaged, and has been brought into public scandal, ridicule, odium and contempt, stressing that the words were written and published out of malevolence and spite towards him.
15.04.2016 LISTEN
By Maame Agyeiwaa Agyei
([email protected])
Lawyers for the three accused persons who are standing trial for the hatched Koala Marketing Administrator's robbery have ended the cross-examination of the Branch Manager, Mohammed Ali Kadir. The cross-examination took two days, as both defence lawyers questioned him on the robbery incident, which happened on January 19.
According to him, unlike what the defence lawyer said, supervisors are at liberty to move about, so on the day of the incident, the second accused person, Gilbert Osabutey, aka Obolo (A2), who is shop supervisor of Koala Shopping Centre, Cantonments branch, did not obtain any permission from him before stepping out. This was in response to whether he knew why the Supervisor gave him a flimsy excuse just to go out.
He also denied having any idea about whatever the second accused person (the Supervisor) discussed with the prosecution witness, Lydia Horsu, who was the victim of the robbery. The court, presided over by Aboagye Tandoh, adjourned the case to today, to enable the prosecution invite their next witness.
Meanwhile, the two other accomplices who perpetuated the robbery act declined to ask him further questions since they do not know the branch manager and had nothing to do with him.
The accused persons are Michael Edoe Ahiataku aka Old Soldier, a private security guard; Gilbert Osabutey aka Obolo, shop supervisor and Frederick Sedro Kwame aka Fred, a private security guard. Two other accomplices Stanley Obaliko aka Mohammed Sulemana and Okoe Quarcoe, unemployed, who are still in clutches during court sitting yesterday due to injuries they sustained when a taxi driver knocked them down with his vehicle during the robbery.
Meanwhile two other accomplices are still on the loose on the run and are wanted by the police. The three accused persons allegedly trailed and robbed one Lydia Horsu, a marketing administrator of Koala at Cantoments near the American Embassy. The accused persons on the January 9, 2016, at about 8am, conspired and robbed the victim of her Nokia mobile phone worth GH800, a black ladies' bag valued at GH200, a Koala ID card, invoices and GH100.
Stanley Obaliko, is facing an additional charge of possessing one automatic MAB foreign pistol with number PA151674189, six live 9mm ammunition, and five empty cartridges. Sulemana and Okoe are also standing trial for intentionally and unlawfully causing grievous harm to Lydia. The three have, however, denied the charges levelled against them and are currently on remand.
15.04.2016 LISTEN
We Have Solutions To Ghana's Problems Nana Addo
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians that a New Patriotic Party administration under his leadership, God-willing from January 2017, will fashion out well-thought out and thorough solutions to the myriad of problems confronting the country.
Against the backdrop of an economy in tatters, declining agricultural and manufacturing sectors, coupled with the inability of Ghanaian youth to find jobs, rising cost of living, widespread and rampant corruption, and a collapsed NHIS, the 2016 presidential candidate of the NPP is urging Ghanaians not to lose hope in the ability of the country to offer its citizens a decent living.
We, in the NPP, have the solutions to the problems of our country. We will harness the abundant human and natural resources of our nation to put Ghana onto a much better pedestal than she is at the moment, so we can generate wealth for all Ghanaians and jobs for the teeming masses of the unemployed youth, he said.
He continued, I am, therefore, appealing to you to have confidence in me and repose your trust in the NPP. If you give me the opportunity to serve this nation, I assure you that I will not disappoint you. We are coming to work for the prosperity of our country and not to line our pockets with the wealth of our nation.
Nana Akufo-Addo made this known when he paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Anhwiaso, Ogye Ahohuo Yaw Gyebi II, enroute to the final funeral rites ceremony of Odeneho Gyapong Ababio II, Omanhene of the Sefwi Bekwai Traditional Area.
Tribute to Odeneho Gyapong Ababio II
Whilst at the palace of the Chief of Anhwiaso, Nana Akufo-Addo paid tribute to the late Odeneho Gyapong Ababio II, the reason for his presence in the Bibiani/Anhwiaso/Bekwai constituency.
Nana Akufo-Addo maintained that the late Chief will be remembered as a stalwart in the annals of Ghana's history.
He made a significant contribution to the development of our country. He was President of the National House of Chiefs, a member of the Council of State under President Kufuor, and a former Chairman of the Cocoa Marketing Board (Cocobod). He was also my good friend, the NPP flagbearer noted.
With the climax of the final funeral rites for the late Chief taking place on Friday, April 15, the same day as the funeral for the late J.B. Danquah Adu, former NPP MP for Abuakwa North, Nana Akufo-Addo stated that: I, therefore, decided to come here today, together with the leadership of the NPP, to pay our last respects to Odeneho.
With some 6 months to the holding of this year's elections, Nana Akufo-Addo thanked the Chiefs and people of Anhwiaso for their continued support for the NPP, and further encouraged them to vote massively for him in the presidential election, and for Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu in the parliamentary elections.
Ogye Ahohuo Yaw Gyebi II, on his part, thanked Nana Akufo-Addo for his visit to Anhwiaso, praying that: God grant you your heart's desire. The massive crowd you see gathered here this morning, including the Chiefs, is because of the love they have for you.
He expressed his condolences to the NPP on the loss of former Chairman, Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey and the late J.B. Danquah Adu.
Ogye Ahohuo Yaw Gyebi II lamented the poor condition of roads in the town and appealed to Nana Akufo-Addo to remember us when the people of Ghana entrust you with their mandate.
Nana Akufo-Addo was accompanied on his visit to Anhwiaso by MP for Bibiani/Anhwiaso/Bekwai, Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu; MP for Kwadaso, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto and NPP Parliamentary candidate for Sefwi Wiawso, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie.
The Media Foundation for West Africa has condemned the attack on three foreign journalists by the security agencies in Ghana. A statement issued in Accra yesterday, said the three were attacked based on a censorship policy that has been introduced. The following is the full statement.
On April 10, 2016 security forces stationed at Saaman, a mining community in the Eastern Region of Ghana harassed three Danish journalists from Impact TV, a Denmark-based television station. The security forces also forcefully seized their filming equipment.
The three journalists, Jorgen Ebbe Christensen, TroelsKingo, and Sandra Haugaard were in the country to record a documentary on mining and environment in Ghana. The team had complied with a recently introduced obnoxious and media censoring directive by the Information Services Department (ISD) that require journalists working for foreign media to seek authorisation before conducting any filming activity in the country. The ISD's authorisation to the Danish journalists had listed the filming of Saaman as part of what has been approved for their coverage.
According to MFWA's sources, after the team finished filming and were returning, they were accosted by military personnel who had been stationed to offer security at Kibi Goldfields Limited, a local mining firm in the Saaman in the eastern region of Ghana. The security forces together with officials of the mining firm forcefully seized the equipment questioning why they had conducted filming within their mining concession.
The incident was subsequently reported to the police in Koforidua, capital of the Eastern Region. The equipment was also subsequently presented to the police and is yet to be released. According to sources the mining company is insisting on accessing content on the video recording equipment before deciding whether to release it or not.
The MFWA finds this development extremely worrying as it infringes on the rights of the journalists and limits the boundaries of media freedom in the country. The MFWA is equally worried about the implementation of the absurd policy by the ISD which seeks to impose direct censorship on journalists working for foreign media.
A recent authorisation issued to foreign journalists by the ISD in line with the policy, lists specific areas and fields that the journalists are allowed to cover and directs the crew to operate strictly within the mandate given them.
The said authorisation also required that after the filming, the journalists should ensure that copies of the video clips are made available to the Information Services Department for Conformity Reality Checkbefore the videos are aired publicly. This, the ISD said, was a directive by the National Security Council Secretariat.
The directive clearly imposes direct censorship of the media and clearly contravenes provisions in Article 162(2) of Ghana's 1992 constitution, which states that: Subject to this constitution and any other law not inconsistent with this constitution, there shall be no censorship in Ghana. The ISD's policy is also at variance with Clause 4 of the same Article of the Constitution: Editors and publishers of newspapers and other institutions of the mass media shall not be subject to control or interference by Government, nor shall they be penalized or harassed for their editorial opinions and views, or the content of their publications.
The MFWA condemns the attack on the Danish journalists and also calls on the ISD to withdraw the censorship policy.
President John Dramani Mahama
15.04.2016 LISTEN
He hasnt paid our hardworking teachers, and many other equally diligent civil servants, for more than two years. And yet, President John Dramani Mahama would have Ghanaians believe that the possibility of any terrorist attacks in the country would come from outside. This is more than simply ironic; it is patently and unpardonably absurd.
Let me tell you why, my dear reader: this is the same man who recklessly and covertly negotiated an agreement with the United States foreign ministry, the State Department, to have two Saudi-born Yemeni terrorists released from the US Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and flown to Ghana on the blindside of Speaker Edward Doe Adjaho and Mr. Fritz Baffuor, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Intelligence Committee just this past January.
Now, President Mahama is telling us that operatives of the National Security Council (NSC) ought not to have leaked news of an imminent terrorist attack by one of the sub-regional affiliates of Al-Qaeda and/or ISIS to the media (See Terror Alert: No Need to Panic Mahama Starrfmonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 4/14/16).
You would have thought that the President would call for a few heads to roll at the top-echelons of whichever security establishment caused such a leak. Indeed, one does not need Prophet T. B. Joshua to predict the possibility of a terrorist attack in the country in the offing; simple common sense ought to point us to such an imminent possibility.
If being denied ones legitimate livelihood by those who have been feeding fat, blindly and recklessly at the expense of the hardworking Ghanaian does not constitute terrorism, I dont know what else does.
And if the governments abject negligence of the Ghanaian civil and public servant is no prime recipe for a lethal backlash in the offing, I dont know what else is. Indeed, what is unfortunate is not the fact that the media should be filled with reports of an imminent terrorist attack in the country, but the fact that it has taken this incredibly long to come to the realization, even as our sages of old had observed time without number in their time, as well as our own, that if you hold a toad/frog under water unduly long, it begins to gurgle.
I also dont believe that the possibility of a terrorist attack in Ghana would serve to defuse the notion that only Francophone countries are susceptible to attacks by terrorists, unless the proponent of such a bogus theory wants his/her audience to believe that Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda are Francophone African countries. What we see here is that the dastardly activities of terrorists thrive best where there is a critical mass of radical Muslims and jihadists. In Uganda, however, that critical mass has been militant fundamentalist Christians, such as members of the so-called Lords Resistance Army, if memory serves yours truly accurately.
Nearly all the countries listed above have a critical mass of radicalized Muslim jihadists. Ghana has apparently come under the radar of radicalized Islamist terrorists and jihadists because President Mahama, in unwisely introducing Messrs. Al-Dhuby and Bin-Atef into the country from Guantanamo Bay, where they had each been kept under lock-and-key for some 14 years by personnel of the US Navy intelligence apparatus, had open the floodgates of terrorist attacks on Ghanaians.
Matters have also not been helped by the fact that we have also had such cynical Mahama human pit-bulls as Mr. Abraham Amaliba vehemently defend the inalienable right of judicially untried, albeit forensically sustainably certified, terrorists like Messrs. Al-Dhuby and Bin-Atef to be granted residential guest status in the country.
Not surprisingly, we recently came to the horrific discovery that some 13, or so, Pakistani Muslims have been prowling our small towns and villages preaching Quranic scriptures without the express invitation of any of the countrys recognized Muslim community leaders.
A government whose key operatives would virulently accuse a trio of paint-gun-toting legitimately licensed South African security trainers of endangering our national security, can definitely not be excused for being unaware of the eerie and sinister presence of these radical Pakistani jihadists. We also learn of some Yemeni nationals having been arrested and charged with possessing fake Ghanaian passports. Well, there is a tired old Akan maxim which says that If one consorts with hounds, one gets ones lips licked by hounds.
President Mahama has unwisely volleyed Ghana into the orbital tracks of global terrorists and cannot refuse to accept blame squarely and fairly for the same.
*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
President John Dramani Mahama
15.04.2016 LISTEN
The Gomoa West District branch of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled has commended H. E John Dramani Mahama and the NDC government for assisting them financially to improve their standard of living.
According to them, President John Dramani Mahama has over the years exhibited care and concern over the plight of Persons With Disabilities in the Gomoa West District.
" We really appreciate the efforts of President John Dramani Mahama for his timeless support to us. We are solidly behind him and will work assiduously towards his total victory in the November 7 Presidential elections. We hereby declare our full support for President John Dramani Mahama and the NDC. The recent increase of the Disability Fund from 2% to 3% of the District Common Fund has boosted our confidence in President Mahama and the NDC government"
The Persons With Disabilities made up of the physically challenged, blind and the deaf declared this support when the Gomoa West District Assembly disbursed their share of the Common Fund to persons of the Federation at Apam in the Central Region.
The fund being their share of the Disability Fund was to boost their economic activities and alleviate poverty among the Disabled society.
Apart from the financial support, the Assembly also supply sewing machines, network recharge and unit transfer tools to the beneficiaries . They were also given blankets and mosquito nets to reduce malaria cases in the district.
The Gomoa West District Chief Executive, Hon. Theophilus Aidoo-Mensah who disbursed the fund alongside with the District Social Welfare Officer, Mr. Ben. Narl disclosed that the Assembly has been supporting the disabled persons financially to enable them feed themselves and that of their families.
He states that an amount ranging from Ghc 300 to Ghc 500 was disbursed to the over 200 Persons With Disabilities in the district according to their level of deformities.
" Apart from the above, the Assembly has agreed to provide artificial legs to two male amputees to boost their movement. This is not the first time, we have financed the cost of artificial legs to two people already. Even though it's costly, we would support the amputees to get them out of their present plight"
The DCE continued "While thanking you for declaring your full support for H. E John Dramani Mahama, I will like individual member of the federation to be an ambassador for the NDC in your communities and campaign vigorously for President Mahama and the NDC to secure second term of office.
"You have seen the brilliant performance of the NDC government. The evidence are there for all to see.
This is evidence of the changing lives, transforming Ghana being carried out by President Mahama and the NDC government"
The chairman of the Social sub-committee of the Gomoa West District Assembly, Mr. Cosmos Amissah commended the Assembly for its continually support for the disabled persons in the district.
15.04.2016 LISTEN
By Pascal KafuAbotsi ( [email protected] )
The readiness of the police, in response to the alleged imminent terrorist attack on Ghana, cannot be gainsaid. Uniformed men, acting as supporting staff yesterday, made their presence pleasantly felt at various places of public gathering, particularly hotels and malls, following Prophet TB Joshuas prophesy last Sunday that there is a possible terrorist attack on the country. The attack, he said, would occur either on Thursday, Friday or Saturday of April this year.
In the video, which has since gone viral on social media, the prophet, during a sermon in his church, was heard saying: I am seeing Thursday, Friday, and Saturday if I may say Thursday because these evil people they are very funny. Anything can just happen. You will be very shocked to see what will happen
He continued: I see Thursday, Friday. Pray for these two nations Nigeria and Ghana over gathering in any way; over attack. I am seeing attack and that will be in a foreign way. The attack will come not in a local way. So please open your lips and pray for these two nations for protection.
T.B Joshuas prophecy came just days after a security alert, detailing the planned attacks had been sent to all security agencies in the country.
The security alert, which follows the confession of a Malian terrorist, currently under interrogation for his involvement in the Grand Bassam attacks in Cote D'Ivoire, read in part: Intelligence gathered by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) indicates a possible terrorist attack on the country is real.
The terrorist was reported to have told the Ivorian security agencies that the choice of Ghana was to take away the perception that only francophone countries were being targeted.
The Ivorian security agencies gathered that the terrorists mode of entry into countries with their explosives and weapons is through concealmentthey enter through approved and unapproved entry points.
In the case of the Grand Bassam attack, they reportedly entered from Mali, using a Niger registered 44 vehicle. They supposedly concealed their weapons and grenade in the vehicle's compartment for a spare tyre, padded with cushions and bubbled wraps, to keep them stable and prevent noise.
The statement, thus entreated all security agencies to take the information seriously, while calling for thorough profiling of all people coming from high risk countries, including Mali, Libya and Niger.
Even though the Police had served notice to the Ghanaian people that there was no cause for alarm due to their adequate preparedness, the anxiety meandering through the minds and hearts of Ghanaians knew no bounds. Speculations became rife that workers and shoppers alike, had vowed to absent themselves on the three days.
The Chronicle wanted to ascertain the veracity of the claim by the police and yesterday, took to town. The focus was on hotels and shopping malls, since experience had shown that they are mostly the target areas.
A place where foreigners, especially, throng to shop, the Accra Mall, was the first point of call. From all indications, security situation was uncontested, as police and military personnel painstakingly checked human and vehicles entering the facility.
Their vehicles were also strategically positioned in anticipation for anything sinister. The environment did not look tensed as expected; there were no signs of the announcement of an imminent terrorist attack. A relatively few people were seen around though.
At the Golden Tulip Hotel, entry was almost restricted to unknown vehicles. The mundane free entry and exit dogma was breached. The gates to the facility remained securely locked, with the companys security guards glaringly accessible for checks; the premises itself, in addition to the guards, was also occupied by policemen who looked very active and alert.
The Movenpick Hotel, Ghana's largest hotel, was also visited. There, a mini traffic jam was in order. And the detailed checking of vehicles patronising the place was the cause. In an environment that was relatively calm, police personnel and their armoured vehicles, with their engines running, were located at vantage points observing movements critically.
The Court Complex in Accra and its surrounding areas also had a fair share of the security concern. Policemen in their vans and armoured vehicles were seen, an indication that they were ready to handle the situation.
Although no instruction had been given at the places that this reporter visited, hardly could people be seen standing around talking, as used to be the case there.
Even though they expressed relief over the adequate presence and concern of the security agencies, patrons of the facilities in question only prayed to God that nothing of the sort came to pass. Most of them seemed to have faith in the man of God.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kwesi Pratt, editor of the Insight newspaper, on Accra-based Adom FM yesterday accused Prophet T.B of creating unnecessary tension and panic in the country. What he is saying is useless. Why doesnt God reveal any good thing to him, except evil ones? he cried out.
Worried that some people had refused to go out until the supposed time for the attack had elapsed, Mr. Pratt said he did not know what the man of God expected the people to live on during the period.
This man has disturbed the peace people have to enjoyhe should know that a message from God, which is prophecy, must be sacred, he charged.
Saying that the prophecy was speculative, he asked why the Prophet could not foresee the death of some members of his Synagogue of all Nations Church on the Spintex Road in Accra,, during his visit some years ago, vis a vis the collapse of his church in Nigeria, which led to the death of scores of people.
The United States government has revealed for the first time that it consulted Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, leader and flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party before the infamous transfer of the two Guatanomo bay detainees to Ghana.
The Foreign Minister and this Embassy consulted about informing other stakeholders and so we did talk to Akufo-Addo before the transfer happened, US Ambassador to Ghana Robert Jackson told some editors Friday.
Ambassador Jackson added after the transfer happened we met with a variety of religious, civil societies and political leaders. I personally met with catholic bishop conference and archbishop Duncan Williams and some of his top leadershipand I think that people now understand what happened better.
The opposition NPP had earlier accused government of breaching the ant-terrorism act of Ghana in accepting the two ex-Guantanamo bay prisoners in the country.
The party also demanded government to make a full disclosure of the terms and considerations involved in the deal.
However, speaking to senior editors of selected media houses, Ambassador Jackson reiterated that the detainees do not pose any security threat to the country.
Meanwhile, to improve Ghana's capacity to handle any terror attack, the Ambassador revealed that the US is currently supporting Ghana with a joint readiness operation - named EPIC GUARDIAN.
The eight-day exercise to be launched on April 26th will share intelligence and provide simulation exercises to test and increase the country's responsiveness to terror and trafficking threats.
15.04.2016 LISTEN
Accra, April 14, GNA A new service, using cell phones, is to provide Ghanaians with news and information, free and on demand, in five local languages, namely English, Ewe, Ga, Hausa, and Twi.
The Vodafone 321 service will be available on nearly eight million mobile devices connected to the Vodafone cellular network. The system is designed to be user friendly, even for people with limited literacy.
Dialing '321' will connect the caller to a menu of topics, spoken in the language they prefer. The voice prompts lead the caller to key messages, including current news headlines provided by Ghana News Agency (GNA); Weather Forecasts; Maternal Health; Sexual Reproductive Health; Family Planning; and Water, Sanitation and Health. These key messages will also be available as text via SMS and USSD.
The 3-2-1 Service was created by Human Network International (HNI), an American NGO. The Service has been active in Madagascar since 2010, and in Malawi since 2014. The launch in Ghana represents the first time HNI has partnered with a news organization.
'The 3-2-1 service clearly offers GNA the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to nation-building and socio-economic development as it brings news to locals in the language they are very much able to understand effortlessly. This is life transforming and a game-changer in the search to create a cohesive nation. As the news organization with the widest network of news gathering in the country, partnering HNI in this initiative unleashes our true potential', Bernard Otabil, the Chief Executive Officer of GNA said.
Also contributing to the service are DKT International, Marie Stopes International, Grameen Foundation, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Ghana Health Service, and GSMA.
The public service messages are created and curated by committees convened by HNI and including representation from government ministries, plus Ghanaian and international subject area experts.
The launch in Ghana is the beginning of a rapid expansion of the service this year into 12 countries in Africa and Asia. By mid-2016 more than 100 million people around the world will have access to the Service, in local languages and with information aligned to national priorities.
The technology behind the Service is a platform developed by a VOTO Mobile, a Ghana-based tech startup and social enterprise.
The service's Nutrition information was supported by UK Aid and GSMA, a trade organization representing nearly mobile 800 operators around the world, including Vodafone Ghana. Government-validated Nutrition content is 'a pillar of the 3-2-1 Service in Ghana,' said Kai-Lik Foh, GSMA's senior market engagement manager.
DKT Ghana helped to fund and develop the information on Sexual Reproductive Health and Family Planning. 'This service has the potential to reach millions of people in Ghana, with important and accurate information, without the caller having personal contact with a health provider,' said Kevin Hudson, Executive Director. 'It is an effective, sustainable and cost-effective intervention provided at national level, by health experts and telephone companies without the requirement for donor dependency.'
'These messages are clinically accurate and culturally appropriate,' said Akuba Dolphyne, Senior Technical Manager for mHealth Services at Grameen Foundation, which developed the information on pregnancy through a 'rigorous process' with Ghana Health Service and several nutrition experts from international NGOs.
More topics and messages will be added on an ongoing basis.
'If our experiences in Malawi and Madagascar are any indication,' said Sarah Rogers, Program Manager for HNI, 'people in Ghana are also going to love the Service. The news and weather information will generate repeat users, and the public service information will help people improve their lives by having access to trusted information across a wide range of topics.'
'Our telecom partners, end users, and content partners all benefit,' Rogers said. 'A number of new partners are already lining up to develop content for the Service, based on the strength of our business model and the success of our work in other African countries. It's very exciting knowing the national reach that we can have with 3-2-1 and I can't wait to see how the Service continues to grow.'
GNA is a leading English language newswire service to cover world politics, business and social affairs. The Agency is the foremost news agency in sub-Saharan Africa. GNA played a key role in the early days of the liberation struggle in Africa, and helped in the promotion and development of African institutions. GNA plays a very significant role in the development of the media landscape not only in Ghana, but also across the African continent.
Human Network International (HNI) is a global development organization dedicated to bringing the benefits of technology to individuals and organizations in the developing world. HNI works across all sectors to promote the free flow of information between vulnerable groups and the humanitarian and development professionals dedicated to helping them.
GNA
15.04.2016 LISTEN
Beposo (Ash ), April 15, GNA - Sheikh Mohammed Bin Fahd Rubyan, a Saudi Muslim Clergy and philanthropist, has inaugurated and hand over the first phase of an Orphanage project, estimated at GH500,000.00 to the Beposo Muslim Community.
He assured the people of mobilising the needed resources for the early completion of the second phase of the project and invited the Paramount Chief of Beposo, his wife and the sub-chiefs to join this year's Hajj to Mecca, in appreciation of their support to the project
He thanked Nana Boamah Kwabi IV, the Paramount Chief of the Beposo Traditional Area, for providing land for the project, the Ghana Muslim Mission and the Saudi Government for their various contributions to the project.
Sheikh Dr.Amin Bonsu, the National Chairman of the Ghana Muslim Mission, receiving the keys of the project, also thanked the Sheikh Rubyan and the Saudi Government for making immense contributions to the development projects in Ghana, especially to the Muslim Community, and asked for Allah's Blessings on all those who had sympathy and care for the poor and the needy.
Nana Boamah Kwabi appealed to the sponsors of the project to attach a Technical or Vocational School to the Orphanage to enable the beneficiaries to acquire employable skills.
The Omanhene, on behalf of his sub-chiefs, accepted the invitation to take part in this year's Hajj and expressed the hope that there would be no impediments.
Madam Amina Akyaa, the District Director of Education, appealed to the people, especially the Muslim Community, to pay attention to girl-child education, explaining that females had proved themselves capable of competing equally with their male counterparts in all aspects of life.
Alhaji Alhassan Baryeh, who chaired the function, advised those to be appointed as administrators of the facility to ensure that the welfare of the children became their topmost priority.
He appealed to the sponsors of the project to provide a fence wall for the compound and a pavement block to ensure the security and the welfare of children.
GNA
More than 150,000 customers have so far been rewarded with call card top-ups after depositing GHa300.00 in their accounts.
The top 50 depositors received Samsung LED flat screen television sets ranging from 32 inches to 42 inches and smart phones.
Mr Daniel Asiedu, the Managing Director of the bank, congratulated all winners for depositing consistently adding that the rewards were to whip up their enthusiasm in saving.
He said under the promotion, both existing and new customers would need to qualify for instant prizes by depositing GHa300.00 and retaining it for two weeks.
Mr Asiedu said customers with more deposits would be rewarded with quality smart phones, television sets and branded adb souvenirs.
He said the bank had earlier organised three mini award events in December, January and February where 10 top depositors for each month were rewarded with smart phones and adb branded souvenirs.
Alhaji Mamuda Hamidu, a winner of a 40-inch LED television set, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency, commended the adb for encouraging savings through the rewards.
He promised to increase his savings and encourage other people to cultivate the habit of saving with the bank.
GNA
15.04.2016 LISTEN
By George-Ramsey Benamba
Accra, April 15, GNA - Management of the Agricultural Development Bank (adb) on Thursday presented prizes to the top 50 depositors in its ongoing 'Deposit and Win' promotion.
More than 150,000 customers have so far been rewarded with call card top-ups after depositing GHa300.00 in their accounts.
The top 50 depositors received Samsung LED flat screen television sets ranging from 32 inches to 42 inches and smart phones.
Mr Daniel Asiedu, the Managing Director of the bank, congratulated all winners for depositing consistently adding that the rewards were to whip up their enthusiasm in saving.
He said under the promotion, both existing and new customers would need to qualify for instant prizes by depositing GHa300.00 and retaining it for two weeks.
Mr Asiedu said customers with more deposits would be rewarded with quality smart phones, television sets and branded adb souvenirs.
He said the bank had earlier organised three mini award events in December, January and February where 10 top depositors for each month were rewarded with smart phones and adb branded souvenirs.
Alhaji Mamuda Hamidu, a winner of a 40-inch LED television set, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency, commended the adb for encouraging savings through the rewards.
He promised to increase his savings and encourage other people to cultivate the habit of saving with the bank.
GNA
By Iddi Yire and Isaac Newton Tetteh,GNA
Accra, April 15, GNA - Dr Christine Evans-Klock, the United Nations Resident Co-ordinator in Ghana, has lauded the country's record of having a very active free press, impressive public access to information and the protection of fundamental freedoms.
She said there could be no accountability without information and that Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target was to ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.
'On this target, I think freedom of religion and respect for diversity across religious and traditional differences is an important asset to Ghana,' Dr Evans-Klock said on Thursday in Accra during the 2016 School of Social Sciences Conference of the University of Ghana (UG).
'These assets are incredibly important for governance in achieving the fundamental Sustainable Development Agenda's objective of leaving no-one behind,' she said.
The two-day conference, on the theme: 'The Social Sciences, Good Governance and Sustainable Development Goals' is under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Konrad Adenuer Stiftung, IFS Financial Services and the Office of Research and Innovation, UG.
The annual conference provides a platform for scientists to present and discuss research findings and to deliberate on issues of current national importance.
Dr Evans-Klock, who is also the UNDP Resident Representative in Ghana, said the MDGs focused on the poorest segments of society, whether in least developed, developing, or middle income countries.
However, Agenda 2030 of the SDGs went much further to outline a transformational agenda to leave no one behind by building on the success of the MDGs and completing unfinished business.
Dr Evans-Klock said one of the clearest findings from Ghana's 2015 MDG Report was that even where national trends showed that MDGs were met or where impressive progress had been made, the success was not spread evenly across the country.
She said the report was candid in showing that the three northern regions had been left behind.
'We have been proud to celebrate Ghana's success in having met the MDG to cut extreme poverty in half, that it did so significantly ahead of the 2015 target date, and that it had been the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa to meet this goal,' she said.
Dr Evans-Klock said Ghana also made substantial advancement in reducing HIV prevalence, increasing access to primary education for girls and boys equally, and reducing hunger.
She expressed appreciation on consultations for Ghana's long-term 40-year development plan, in which linkages were drawn between the global and the national development agenda, and where the SDGs featured prominently.
She hailed President John Dramani Mahama on his appointment as co-chair of the Group of Eminent Advocates for the SDGs, along with the Prime Minister of Norway.
'This recognizes Ghana's progress in the MDGs and Ghana's contributions to the design stage of the SDGs.
'Through the role of the President of the country in this group, Ghana's progress in the SDGs will continue to be given great visibility in the Region and globally. Ghana has an opportunity to lead progress in this global development agenda,' she said.
She said one of the other differences between the MDG era and the SDG now was that Ghana's status had changed from a Low-Income Country to a lower Middle Income Country; which meant that Ghana was no longer eligible for much concessionary borrowing or official development aid.
'It is going to have to finance more of the investments needed to achieve the SDGs from its own resources,' she said.
Professor Charity Akotia, the Dean of the School of Social Sciences, UG, said good governance and sustainable development were inseparable and that an aggressive and sustained development agenda was necessary to transform society.
Prof Samuel Agyei-Mensah, the Provost, College of Humanities, UG, said he was very happy that the SDGs contained reproductive rights which were absent in the MDGs.
Mr Burkhardt Hellemenn of the Konrad Adenuer Stiftung said the Foundation was not only into good governance, but contributed to sustainable development.
GNA
15.04.2016 LISTEN
Accra, GHANA Beginning April 26, 2016, the governments of the United States and Ghana will launch Epic Guardian 2016, an 8-day joint readiness exercise. Epic Guardian is a regularly scheduled training exercise held in Africa and designed to increase the effectiveness of U.S. and African government entities and security forces in responding to international threats such as trafficking and terrorism.
Previous exercises of Epic Guardian were held in Malawi, Cameroon, Djibouti and the Seychelles. A separate portion of Epic Guardian 2016 will involve similar coordination between the United States and Cabo Verde.
The U.S. government has been working directly with the government of Ghana to plan Epic Guardian 2016. The exercise will take place primarily on Ghanaian military premises. Personnel from the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Armed Forces will participate and will be joined by units from United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM) and Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAFRICA).
The training will involve personnel reacting to a simulated crisis and will cover a broad range of topics, including theater strategic planning, intermediate support, logistics, intelligence, and strategic communications among others. Training will consist of staff crisis action planning, deployment of forces, completion of field exercises, and redeployment of forces.
International threats require international solutions, said U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Robert P. Jackson. Epic Guardian is an opportunity to strengthen our bilateral relationship and to demonstrate our long-term commitment to supporting Ghana as it works to counter international threats and ensure stability and security for Ghanaians.
The training will increase Ghanas capacity in areas such as communications, logistics, intelligence gathering and analysis, crisis planning and response, and inter-operabilityall with the goal of providing for greater security and stability for Ghana and the region. The U.S. government is committed to supporting partner nations and regional allies in Africa and is proud of our robust and wide-ranging partnership with Ghana. Ghana has previously hosted many joint and multilateral exercises, including Western Accord 13 and Obangame Express 2015.
Security cooperation is a vital part of the U.S.Ghana partnership, said Jackson. We thank the government of Ghana for its ongoing cooperation to help increase regional security and we will continue to work together with African partners to promote stability on the African continent.
Mrs Charlotte Osei
15.04.2016 LISTEN
Just put yourself in the place of Mrs Charlotte Osei, the chairperson of the National Electoral Commission and see how it feels.
Since this woman was appointed she has known no peace because some people for their own political purposes have decided that they will make her as uncomfortable as possible.
There is even a former First Lady who went to the extent of challenging her qualification for the job.
This former First Lady claims that Auntie Charlotte is not even a Ghanaian and that her true nationality is Nigerian.
The sad part of the story is that Charlotte Osei is not being attacked because she has done something wrong or that there is any real evidence of her bias for any political party.
One of the main reasons for all the attacks on her is that some personalities and political parties are manufacturing excuses for their defeat in the 2016 elections even before the elections are held.
In their warped minds, they think that, if they can keep the propaganda against Auntie Charlotte going then at the end of the elections, it becomes easier to blame their loss on the imagined bias of the chair of the Electoral Commission.
The other reason is that they believe that the sustained attacks on Charlotte Osei would make her jittery and compel her to make mistakes which they can then capitalize upon in their demonization crusade.
Now they have even come to the point when all decisions of the Electoral Commission are deliberately attributed to her in spite of the fact that she is only one of seven Commissioners.
As for the propaganda on the voters register, it is laughable.
The main argument of the anti-Charlotte crusaders is that the voters register is bloated and therefore we need a new one for credible elections in November.
Fine, everybody agrees that the register is bloated and there is no debate on that score. We can all also agree on the fact that since the register was compiled many people whose names remain on the register have died.
The problem however is how do we remove these names from the register?
All the new registers we have compiled since 1992 have been bloated and it is possible that if we compile a new one today it will also be bloated.
Some experts have come up with a process for cleaning the new register called validation and everybody seems to agree that it is the way to go.
But the issue which has come up is when do we do the validation? Should it be after the limited registration exercise or before then?
If the validation is done now what will happen after the limited registration exercise, especially if that also leads to a bloating of the register?
In any case, Ghana is now doing biometric voting, which means that names on a bloated register are useless because they cannot be used to cast ballots without corresponding biometric features.
Poor Auntie Charlotte, it is obvious that her detractors will continue to pounce on her whether she does good or bad.
It is hoped that she will have the fortitude to hang on to the job and serve her nation in spite of these empty noises from very destructive throats.
Accra (AFP) - Ghana and Togo are likely targets of possible Islamist attacks similar to those recently in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, a Ghanaian intelligence report has warned.
"Intelligence gathered by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) indicates a possible terrorist attack on the country (Ghana) is real," it said in a report dated April 9.
The threat emerged after questioning of a Malian attacker involved in the Grand-Bassam attacks last month, in which jihadists killed 19 people at the resort, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Abidjan.
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for the attack, as well as a similar strike in the Burkinabe capital, Ouagadougou, in January that left 30 dead.
"According to the report, Ghana and Togo are the next targets after the attacks in Burkina Faso and Cote d'Ivoire," according to the security alert, which was published in local media Friday.
Ivory Coast is Ghana's neighbour to the west while Togo lies to the east.
The choice of Ghana is "to take away the perception that only francophone countries are the targets", the NSCS added.
It called for greater vigilance at borders, particularly "unapproved entry points" and the northern frontier with Burkina Faso.
Screening for visitors from "high risk" countries such as Libya, Niger and Mali should be enhanced, it added.
In the Ivory coast attack, the heavily armed gunmen entered from Mali in a Niger-registered 4x4 and hid their weapons in the spare tyre well, the NSCS said.
Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama said on Friday that "all West African countries were at risk" of attack.
"Indeed, no country is safe anywhere in the world and so we need to be alert and prepared for any such eventuality," he said.
"We are preparing for any such eventuality but we need the alertness of the public; the public needs to be more alert today than before."
Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are all part of the west African regional bloc ECOWAS, whose nationals do not require visas for travel within member states.
Two men who boldly entered the room of a policeman at the Central Police Barracks in Accra and made away with his property have been arraigned before an Accra Magistrate's court.
Charles Oduro, 18, and Thomas Tainvia, 27, who were charged with conspiracy to commit crime, unlawful entry and stealing pleaded guilty on all three counts.
They were subsequently bailed in the sum of GH300 each or in default serve one month each in prison.
Presenting the facts of the case to the court, presided over by Mr James Kojo Bota, Sergeant Lois Konadu said on April 7, 2016 at 10:30p.m, the police Sergeant, Karim Braimah, who had closed from duty upon returning home shut his door to attend to nature's call.
Oduro and Tainvia who were then passing by and noticed that Braimah had left the room, entered and picked his Laptop, tablet, phone, an external drive and a pen drive and bolted.
Prosecutor Konadu said Oduro and Tainvia took the stolen items to Agbogbloshie to sell but luck eluded them when the person they offered to sell the items to was the wife of the late brother of Braimah, Adwoa Mansa.
According to her, Adwoa Mansah called Braimah to enquire if he had lost some items. With this knowledge the culprits were arrested and the items retrieved.
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Two people died on the spot when an abandoned palace collapsed on them after a heavy downpour at Esreso in the Bosomtwe District of Ashanti.
Two others sustained injuries in the incident which occurred around 7:30pm on Thursday.
The four were seeking shelter in a lotto kiosk which had been placed behind the abandoned palace.
The deceased have been identified as Kwadwo Amponsah, alias Santana, 43 and Daniel Kwame Addo, 13, a pupil of Divine Preparatory JHS, while the injured are Isaac Owusu, 33 and Emmanuel.
Emmanuel and Owusu were treated at the Kumasi South Hospital at Atonsu Agogo and have since been discharged.
Isaac Owusu, one of the two who was injured
Narrating the incident to Graphic Online, Owusu said he and the other two sought refuge in the lotto kiosk when it started raining.
According to him, on entering the kiosk, they met the 13-year-old deceased, Daniel Kwame Addo in there and he explained to them that he was waiting for his father who owned the wooden structure to take money for school.
Owusu said minutes after entering the kiosk, they heard a loud noise only to realise that the old palace behind the kiosk had collapsed on them.
He said he started shouting for help and some young men came to their rescue.
He said after removing the rubble on them they found out that the two had been crushed to death.
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Accra, April 16, GNA - Ghana and the United States (US) would from April 26, 2016, launch a joint readiness-exercise towards strengthening the effectiveness of government entities and security forces in responding to international threats such as trafficking and terrorism.
A statement from the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy in Ghana, said the U.S. Government had been working directly with the Government of Ghana to plan the exercise, dubbed, 'Epic Guardian 2016.'
Personnel from the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Armed Forces would be the participants alongside their counterparts from the United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM) and the Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAFRICA).
The statement said the training would increase Ghana's capacity in areas such as Communications, Logistics, Intelligence Gathering and Analysis, Crisis Planning and Response, and Inter-Operabilityall with the goal of providing for greater security and stability for Ghana and the region.
The eight-day exercise would take place primarily on Ghanaian military premises, the statement said.
The training would involve personnel reacting to a simulated crisis and it would cover a broad range of topics, including theatre strategic planning, intermediate support, logistics, intelligence, and strategic communications.
The training would consist of Staff Crisis Action Planning, Deployment of Forces, Completion of Field Exercises, and the Redeployment of Forces, the statement said.
'International threats require international solutions,' the statement quoted the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Robert P. Jackson, as saying. 'Epic Guardian is an opportunity to strengthen our bilateral relationship and to demonstrate our long-term commitment to supporting Ghana as it works to counter international threats and ensure stability and security for Ghanaians.'
Mr Jackson reiterated the U.S. Government's commitment to supporting partner nations and regional allies in Africa, saying America was proud of the robust and wide-ranging partnership with Ghana.
Ghana has previously hosted many joint and multilateral exercises, including the Western Accord 13 and Obangame Express 2015.
'Security cooperation is a vital part of the U.S.-Ghana partnership,' said Jackson. 'We thank the Government of Ghana for its ongoing cooperation to help increase regional security and we will continue to work together with our African partners to promote stability on the African continent.'
GNA
By Belinda Ayamgha, GNA
Accra, April. 15, GNA - Mr Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, the Minister of Youth and Sports, says the Ministry is working on a project that would mobilise the youth to work with financial institutions to expand access.
Speaking at a forum for policy makers and stakeholders in Child and Youth Savings, in Accra, Mr Vanderpuye said the Ministry would meet financial institutions and youth groups to strategise on how best to make the youth accessible to the financial institutions to reach out to the unbanked.
He said although the formal sector had made efforts to include the youth in the financial sector, for instance through the requirement of a bank account before accessing student loans and National Service Allowances, it excluded the out-of-school youth and those who were in the informal sector.
He noted that some people's inability to sign their names and the inferiority complex associated with this prevented them from using traditional banking services.
The gap between the banked and unbanked had thus allowed some non-bank financial institutions to abscond with people's monies, he said.
Mr. Vanderpuye said the planned initiative would help address the problem by equipping the youth to deliver banking services to their peers and other unbanked people, especially in remote areas, where some banks did not have branches.
He explained that the selected youth would be given Point-Of-Sales (POS) machines with which to collect deposits for the partner banks, thus helping to instill the culture of savings, while creating employment for the youth also.
He urged financial institutions to look beyond making profits when it came to providing financial services for the youth and gave the assurance that the recommendations from the forum would be included in the Ministry's Policy Paper to the Cabinet.
Mrs. Magdalene Apenteng, the Director of the Financial Services Division of the Ministry of Finance, said the institution of the National Financial Literacy Week was part of the Government's long-term financial sector policy measures to raise awareness on the range of financial services.
It was also meant to make products available to the public and to help them improve their financial culture.
'It is our belief that a savings culture promotes discipline, confidence, as well as responsible citizenship,' she said,
The Ministry of Finance would collaborate with all stakeholders in ensuring that all policy decisions that promoted savings among the youth were supported,' she stated.
She also said the Steering Committee working on a Financial Inclusion Strategy for Ghana would appropriately target youth.
Mr. Emmanuel Ashong-Katai, the Head of Policy, Research and IT at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), who shared experiences from the SEC's Child and Youth Finance Week Programme, said it was aimed at encouraging the youth to understand, have access to and regularly use a range of approved investment products under the purview of SEC.
He noted that the Commission had successfully encouraged the formation of investment clubs on various tertiary and university campuses, with the one at University of Ghana being converted into a fully-fledged Mutual Fund called CM Fund, licensed by SEC.
The Commission had also reached out to the youth through churches and schools, creating a market for investment products for children, which culminated in the licensing of KIDIFUND.
GNA
Bolgatanga, April 15, GNA - Mr Albert Abongo, the Upper East Regional Minister, said if the chronic under-nutrition in children was not addressed in good time, it would affect the country's economic productivity in future.
It is estimated by health experts that between 2011 and 2020 Ghana would lose 720 million cedis through decreased productivity caused by current rates of stunted or chronic under-nutrition.
The Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions are the most affected when it comes to stunting children.
Mr Abongo said this in a speech read by the Deputy Regional Minister, Dr Robert Kugnab-Lam, at the launch of an Advocacy Video Documentary on Stunting, produced by the Strengthening Partnerships, Results, and Innovations in Nutrition Globally (SPRING-Ghana) project in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in Bolgatanga.
Mr Abongo said available statistics showed that one out of three children in northern Ghana was stunted and many children were not growing due to inadequate nutrient intake within the first 1000 days of life.
'This affects the child's ability to grow normally both physically and mentally. When this happens the children suffer later in life in terms of school performance and economic productivity. This consequently affects our ability as a country to have productive citizens,' the Minister said.
He said stunting and anaemia were the major cause of maternal and infant deaths in Ghana and called on the stakeholders, particularly the traditional and religious leaders, to join the crusade in ending malnutrition among children and women.
Mr Abongo commended USAID for the project and said the Government, through its social protection schemes such as the Livelihood Empowerment Programme, was also contributing to the reduction of malnutrition among some deprived communities in the country.
Dr Kofi Issah, the Upper East Regional Director of the GHS, said although the region had chalked some successes by the World Health Organisation's standards, the classification of all the nutrition indicators were still poor.
Dr Issah schooled the stakeholders on health and nutrition saying the two were not the preserve of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and urged all stakeholders, particularly family heads, to provide the nutritional needs of their families.
The Deputy Chief of SPRING-Ghana, Mr Babajidi Adebisi, said even though there were nearly 800 million people who were chronically undernourished with approximately 150 under five years of age being stunted, the United Nations and other partners including the USAID could contribute to mitigate the trend.
He said the SPRING-Ghana project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), had been working in the Northern and Upper East regions since 2014 focusing on anaemia reduction, infant nutrition, water, hygiene, sanitation, social and communication change behaviour.
The Advocacy Video Documentary, which included stakeholders such as traditional and religious leaders, women, youth and opinion leaders, was aimed at stimulating the stakeholders to initiate actions within their respective communities towards addressing the prevalence of stunting and anemia in northern Ghana.
GNA
Accra, April 15, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama joined hundreds of mourners at the forecourt of the State House for the burial service of the late Joseph Boakye-Danquah Adu, Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North.
The solemn occasion was also attended by Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Doe Adjaho and the Chief Justice, Mrs Justice Georgina Wood.
Other important dignitaries at the function include former President Jerry John Rawlings, former President John Agyekum Kufuor, the Chief of Staff, Mr Julius Debrah and Members of Parliament.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, Presidential Nominee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and his Vice Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as well as representatives of the other political parties were also at the burial service.
The late Joseph Boakye-Danquah Adu was allegedly murdered on Tuesday February 5, 2016 at his home in East Legon by a 19-year-old man who is currently facing trial for robbery and murder.
President Mahama and Vice President Amissah-Arthur joined hundreds of mourners to file past the body of the late Joseph Boakye-Danquah Adu to pay their last respects.
The burial service also attracted hundreds of NPP supporters from across the country.
Tributes were read from the family, widow, children, siblings, the NPP and Parliament.
Mr Mahama Ayariga, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, who read the for government, described the late Joseph Boakye-Danquah Adu as a gentleman, noble and selfless person who did his politics with a lot of civility.
Reverend Canon John Antonio Nelson, delivering his sermon, urged politicians to be selfless in their service to the people.
He also charged politicians to put their trust and hope in the living God rather rely on their own abilities.
He said God is sovereign and can do anything according to his will adding that God has a reason for allowing certain things to happen to us.
Rev Canon Nelson also comforted the wife of the late MP Abuakwa North, Mrs Ivy Adu to be patient, saying God is in control and that Jehovah is the husband of widows.
The late Joseph Boakye-Danquah Adu (JB) was born on 2nd July, 1965 to Mr Frank Brako Adu and Beatrice Asamoaa Akyeampong.
He lost his mother due to complications of childbirth, when JB was only six weeks old.
And being too young to be cared for by the widowed father, JB was sent to his grandmother who raised him at Tafo, where he attended Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana International School at New Tafo.
JB was the pride of his grandmother and he quickly become known as 'Kofi Tafo' to his relatives in Tafo.
When JB was nine years old, he relocated to Accra where he joined his father and two brothers, Frank and George, at the Airport Residential Area.
JB attended Englebert School in Airport, then moved to Garison School at Burma Camp before heading to PRESEC in 1977.
After graduating from PRESEC in 1984, JB enrolled at the University of Ghana, Legon where he pursued a course in Accounting.
He also a Chartered Accountant and spent many years in London working in the hospitality industry and building business relationships.
When his father died in 1996, JB decided to relocate to Ghana and convinced a few of his Indian friends to establish a factory here.
This is how Automotive Springs, a leader in manufacturing and supplying specialized car parts across Ghana and Africa, was born.
GNA
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IVA Struggling with debt? Compare your debt options and write off up to 80% of your unsecured debts from 80 per month Get Started for free
What is an IVA? With an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) you can make affordable monthly payments towards a percentage of your debt for 5 years. At the end of the 5 year plan, your remaining debt will be completely written off.
Benefits of an IVA
Here is a list of the cost common advantages of an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA):
Affordability You will only be asked to pay back what you can afford, with allowances taken into account for food, bills, entertainment, travel, childcare and others. You may be sacrificing certain essential costs at the moment. With an IVA they are budgeted for so they will no longer be neglected
No upfront costs When you set up an IVA, there are no upfront costs whatsoever. This means that you can put a debt solution in place today without spending a penny
You have a finishing line Do you feel like there will be no end to your debt problems? With high interest costs and charges, the balances of your credit accounts may not reduce as you need them to. With an IVA you will become totally debt free at the completion of the IVA (usually 5 years). You can use this as an opportunity to change your financial life, for good
Confidential Your IVA is not advertised in the London Gazette or local newspaper. It is your decision whether you would like to disclose it to other people or not
No more contact from creditors When you are in an IVA, your creditors will no longer have the right to contact you or refer the debt on to debt collectors/bailiffs. This is a great benefit for most people as it will take away the stress caused by constant calls/texts/emails and home visits
Stay in your house Unlike some debt solutions, an IVA will allow you to stay in your current home. This is even the case if the property has a mortgage or is owned outright
Your pension An IVA does not have an impact on your pension. You will not have to surrender your pension or withdraw money from it to pay into your IVA
Risks of an IVA
Here is a list of the cost common disadvantages of an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA):
Equity Release If you own your property and it has value, you may be asked to release the equity in the property
Credit Rating If you have a perfect credit rating, this will be damaged and you will not be allowed to take out more debt whilst in an arrangement
You must keep up with repayments If you do not keep up with your monthly repayments, there is a risk you will be made bankrupt
Who qualifies for an IVA?
There is no office guidelines to who qualifies for an IVA. It is a legally binding, Government legislation designed to help all people. Generally speaking, insolvency practitioners (IP) will look at your situation if they think the IVA proposal they submit is beneficial to both yourself (the debtor) and your creditors. This often restricts people to a certain criteria which you will have to meet:
Over 5000 worth of unsecured debt You must have 2 or more creditors of 2 or more lines of credit Must live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland Must be insolvent Must be willing to pay at least 70 per month into their IVA Must have some type or types of regular income
What debts can I include in an IVA?
You can include a wide range of unsecured debts within your IVA. These include:
Credit card debt/credit cards
Loans/loan debt
Payday loans
Council tax arrears
HMRC debt
Overpaid benefits
Catalogues
Gas and electricity arrears
Overdrafts/overdraft debt
Water arrears
Income tax arrears
Debts to friends and family
Other unsecured debts
Note: If you are a resident of Scotland, you will need to apply for a Scottish Trust Deed (legally binding). Speak to our advisors for Scottish Debt Advice.
What debts cant be included in an IVA?
Secured loans
Your mortgage (if you still live in the house)
Car finance (if you still have the car)
Rent arrears for your current property
Court fines/Police fines
Hire purchase arrears (if you still have the product)
Log book loans (if you still have the vehicle that the debts are secured on)
Student loans
Other secured debts
What does I.V.A stand for?
IVA stands for Individual Voluntary Arrangement. It is a formal way to consolidate your debts into one affordable monthly repayment, resulting in the debtor becoming debt free at the end of their payments.
Can I apply for an IVA online?
Use the IVA Calculator to check your eligibility Prepare your IVA proposal and apply for your IVA. When your IVA is accepted, your creditors can no longer contact you. Pay 60 low monthly payments. After 5 years, you are out of your IVA and completely debt free.
Will an IVA affect my employment?
In most occupations, your credit rating or credit scoring is not a factor and it may never have been checked in the past, it may also be likely that it is not checked in the future either.
There is no law to tell you that you must advise your employer that you have entered an IVA or that you owe money. They will not be notified by your insolvency practitioner. If you wanted to keep it a private matter, in most cases this would be absolutely fine. With some roles such as financial advisors, solicitors or bank workers it may make up part of your contract to advise them of changes like this. In these situations we would advise to inform your employers of your intentions before you enter into any arrangements. This way there will be no nasty surprises for you later down the line. More often than not, we find that your employer would not be concerned by your IVA and that it would not affect your employment status. An IVA is a formal solution and could affect some employments, such as if you were a solicitor or accountant for example. We would always recommend that you receive approval from your employers that your job isnt affected before you sign up for anything.
Will an IVA impact my partner?
There are certain situations where you may not want to involve your partner at all in your IVA proposal due to personal reasons. Insolvency Practitioners are very aware of these circumstances and can operate solely via telephone and email and at your convenience, so rest assured that your matters can be kept completely private.
If the debts which you are looking to place into your IVA are in joint names, then this would be different. Your IP would look to place all of your debts into an IVA, including joint debts therefore you would have to inform your partner of your plans.
If your debts are solely yours, then there would be no negative impact on your partner, their credit score would remain unaffected and they would not be entered onto any registers or be tainted in any way.
Will an IVA affect my credit score/credit file?
Whilst you are in your arrangement, you will not be able to get any credit. An IVA will stay on your credit file for 6 years, so 12 months after a typical IVA. When this time has passed and your monthly payments have ended, you will be able to rebuild your credit rating.
What proof will I need to apply for an IVA?
Proof of ID Passport/driving license/birth certificate/utility bills/national insurance identification/credit agreement Bank statements 3 months bank statements with all transactions displayed Proof of income 3 months payslips/P60/proof of benefits
How long does it take to set up an IVA?
Your initial call will only last around 5-10 minutes. The IVA process will be explained to you and you will be told what further information you will need to provide to proceed with your IVA proposal. Once you have returned the required information, an IVA will usually take between 7-14 days to get into place. You will be protected from creditors within this time, your advisor will provide you with documentation via email.
How long does an IVA last?
Most IVAs will last for a length of five years. The i v a will remain on your credit file for a period of six years and is placed on the Insolvency Register for that period. You can work out what date it will be removed from your credit file, it will be six years from the start date of the IVA term. So if the IVA started on 1 January 2000, it should be removed from your credit file six years from that date, which would be 1 January 2006. When you apply for an individual voluntary arrangement your Insolvency Practitioner (IP) will tell you if you qualify for an IVA, how long it lasts, how much it costs and provide you with any other debt advice which you may need.
How much will debt advice cost for an Individual Voluntary Arrangement?
The advice cost for individual voluntary arrangements is free of charge. Your I.V.A company will tell you if you qualify for an IVA. They will talk to you about your different debts, provide you with free debt advice and check if your creditors are likely to approve your proposal for your IVA for debt.
How does an IVA affect your life?
By taking out an IVA you may affect your overall financial position. You will not be allowed to take out credit for 6 years. You will struggle to get a mortgage or remortgage your existing property. It also may affect any future increase in earnings or windfalls you may receive, as these will need to be paid to your insolvency practitioner. Your insolvency practitioner will take control of your debts for this period, they will deal with all of your creditors and this is legally binding. That means you will not be allowed to take out any more debts whilst in the IVA.
Once the plan is completed, any debts which you accrue will be managed by yourself. Your ability to take out further debts in the future will not be impacted once the IVA has completed.
What is the IVA protocol?
The I.V.A protocol is a voluntary set of guidelines which your Insolvency Practitioner (IP) can sign up for which improves the efficiency of Individual Voluntary Arrangements. When you apply for debt advice, it is important that you understand the steps of the debt solution, so you can decide whether or not the solution is the best one for your circumstances.
How do I know if creditors will accept my IVA?
Generally speaking, most creditors will approve voluntary arrangements for unsecured debt. But some debts can not be included within one formal debt solution. Your Insolvency Practitioner will tell you how likely it is that your creditors will be willing to accept your proposal, based on the voting creditors.
Can I pay in one lump sum?
There are occasions when you may be eligible for a debt solution which is payable in a one off lump sum as a final settlement to your creditors. This is usually when the money is being gifted from some one else, or you have received inheritance or a windfall for example. With a one-off lump sum payment, the advice is usually the same as when you normally apply for an IVA. You wouldnt have to make regular payments into the solution, your IP can provide you with more advice on one off lump sum solutions for your debts. Your IP will provide you with more advice on the debt IVA and explain what is IVA to you.
Who regulates the debt industry?
At present the debt industry is not regulated. Some Insolvency Practitioners offices choose to sign up to the Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA) or register with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). You can contact the IPA using the contact details or email address on their website. Your creditors do not regulate the debt industry and your creditors will not be able to impact any decisions which the IPA or FCA make. In our experience, the regulators will take assertive action on any advisers or businesses which do not comply with their strict codes of practice. To check if a person is regulated by the FCA, enter their name into the search box in the FCA website.
Should I use a debt charity?
There are thousands of companies which provide debt help in the UK. You may be looking for an alternative to a private company. You should know that charities usually pass their fee charging products to sister companies which charge fees and disbursements, just like private companies. So what you initially thought was a good option, on further analysis could be different to what you originally thought. Charities do have their part to play though. They can help you if you have a problem with your bank accounts, maintenance arrears, living costs, credit reference agencies, child support arrears, bankruptcy, assets, accountancy issues, mortgages, creditor issues, insurance providers, mobiles, your bank account, rates arrears, PAYE contributions or if you want to work out your expenditure. They can make sure that you speak to an adviser or supervisor and look at proposals to offer your lender. A petition has started with the possibility of a debate in parliament about how charities represent themselves and their services.
Which charities help with debt?
You can contact Money Advice Service, National Debtline, Step Change, Shelter or a combination of the three. Charities are particular useful for a low debt level under 1,000. If the debt is high (such as a debt value of 10,000 or more) you would usually seek an assessment from a professional adviser. If you do decide to use a charity to guide you, make sure you check their charity number and the registration number on their website to make sure you are content that their team can answer your questions in the right ways. A lot of clients of charities have a minimum debt level which does not meet the basis for an IVA, so you could always chat to a charity that is happy to act on your behalf for low debt levels.
Although an I.V.A could be the answer to your debt problem, its important to understand the monthly payment so call us on our free phone number. Anyone customers can receive expert feedback on their rights from debt charities, if they cant help they will usually point you in the director of firms which help with IVAs.
We are homeowners, will lenders see my proposal differently?
In some cases yes. In the majority of cases, if you are a homeowner you will not need to remortgage or take out any additional finances that will effect your property. You will need to sign a additional restrictions which remove your ability to take out additional credit tied to your property, which is something that is restricted once you are in an i.v.a. There are exceptions to this, such as when you have a lot of equity in your property/properties. If you own half of a property and another party owns the other half, only your equity will be affected.
If you are landlord and you are in a position of equity, your IP may review your trading position or business to make sure the figures in question are in order. This is usually the case if you have two or more properties, as sometimes the equity can be used to form a repayment to your creditors. But this usually depends on the amount of value built up in your properties.
Banks and building societies will not change the terms of your mortgage as long as a contribution is still being made for the duration of your arrangement. Your mortgage payments will be added to your expenses and accounted for within your budget, as long as you can provide evidence that you can afford to continue to make payments into your mortgage for duration of the plan.
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business Alkem Labs accused of fudging trial data by German regulator The medicines are now being reviewed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on the recommendation of the German regulator, which inspected Alkem's Taloja plant in western India last March.
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business 'The countdown to bringing Vijay Mallya back has started' The government on Friday said it had suspended the diplomatic passport of embattled tycoon and lawmaker Vijay Mallya, who left the country last month amid pressure from lenders to repay about Rs 9,000 crore in debt owed by his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.
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Tata Steel UK has signed an agreement to sell its long products Europe (LPE) business to Greybull Capital. The sale for a nominal consideration would be in exchange for Greybull Capital taking on the whole of the business, including assets and relevant liabilities and securing an appropriate funding package. The sale covers several UK-based assets including the Scunthorpe Steelworks, two mills in Teesside, an engineering workshop in Workington, a design consultancy in York and associated distribution facilities as well as a mill in Hayange, France. However, it remains unclear whether pension liabilities would be taken over by new owners, government of UK or remain with Tata Steel.The global steel sector is currently undergoing challenging times due to overcapacity and muted demand. As the LPE business was a loss making entity, hence, the deal, once finalised, would aid Tata Steel to augment its consolidated EBITDA. Hence we expect consolidated EBITDA to increase ~6.8% for FY17E. We have valued the domestic operations at 6.5x FY17E EV/EBITDA and overseas operations at 5x FY17E EV/EBITDA (upward revised from 4x earlier). We have arrived at a target price of | 325 and assigned a HOLD rating to the stock.
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I had vaguely heard of him, but never knew the details. It was only after I became friends with Cycles, Trends and Forecasts editor Phil Anderson that I came to understand the true genius of Ganns work.
In todays Markets and Money Im going to do something different. I want to introduce you to a legendary figure in the world of stock trading.
I had vaguely heard of him, but never knew the details. It was only after I became friends with Cycles, Trends and Forecasts editor Phil Anderson that I came to understand the true genius of Ganns work.
What I especially love about Gann is that he makes you work. He doesnt give much away for free. Yet if youre prepared to put in the work, you begin to see the world in a completely different way. Things become clearer. The mysterious ways of the stock market start to make sense. But not only that. You actually start to see cycles repeating.
Gann was a prolific student of the Bible. He often said it was the greatest book ever written and contains the key to the future. But Gann interpreted the Bible in a completely unique way.
Consider this:
That which has been is what will be,
that which is done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new, under the sun.
Ecclesiastes Chapter 1, Verse 9
W.D. Gann applied this to the marketplace. Specifically, he believed that the law of action and reaction means that history must repeat. In all markets. Over and over again. Markets are driven by human beings. And human beings do not change. They repeat their behaviours, cycle-after-cycle.
That was the theory, anyway.
How did it stack up in practise?
When it comes to the teachings of Gann there are two sides. One that thinks he is far and away the greatest market oracle of all time. Nuclear physicist-turned Wall Street investment banker Asoka Selvarajah calls W.D. Gann:
The greatest genius that the financial markets have ever seen His achievements in this arena in every way match those of the greatest scientists of our century or any other.
Then there is the camp that believes has been overhyped over time. Or was even a fraud to begin with.
Whatever the case, Gann left a track record ON-RECORD that pretty damn remarkable
Heres what we DO know about William Delbert Gann
He was born on a cotton farm in East Lufkin Texas on June 6, 1878. He spent his teens working in the family business as a clerk in their cotton warehouse.
Somewhere around the turn of the century he started trading both stocks and commodities. We dont have records of this period, but he obviously had success because in 1908 he took his trading to Wall Street. Fairly soon after that he started his own brokerage on 18th and Broadway.
From then Gann was an active trader, on and off, for 56 years. So theres a fair bit of solid track record data to go on.
Ganns legend started growing almost instantly after moving to New York City.
In the month of October 1909 alone, he made 286 trades in one trading session. Only 22 of these were losing trades. A 91% success rate. The press started following him closely. A journalist from the respected Ticker and Investment Digest spent time on the trading floor observing every trade Gann made over several weeks. He later wrote, I once saw him take $130, and in less that one month run it up to over $12,000. He can compound money faster than any man I ever met.
Gann was in it for more than just money though.
Rocket expert Wernher von Braun once observed, The natural laws of the universe are so precise that we have no difficulty building a spaceship to fly to the moon and can time the flight with the precision of a fraction of a second.
Gann, too, was convinced this precision had predictive powers when applied to the markets, the political cycle, even the whole course of human history.
So while he traded like a demon, he kept studying like one too
Gann concluded that, having many more centuries of data to analyse, he would take his studies to England. After returning, he skipped past Wall Street and went straight to New Yorks Astor Library. He spent just under a year there.
A friend of Ganns, Clarence Kirven, wrote:
He is the only man I ever knew that I thought had worked as much as Mr. Thomas Edison.
That hard work led Gann to the following conclusion:
To make a success you must continue to study past records, because the market in the future will be a repetition of the past. If I have the data, I can tell by the study of cycles when a certain event will occur in the future. The limit of future predictions based on exact mathematical law is only restricted by lack of knowledge of correct data on past history to work from.
Put simply, Gann found that there is an 18-year cycle in the economy and financial markets.
Based on this cycle, he made some remarkable predictions.
Gann accurately forecast the downturn of 1921. Then the recovery out of these lows
He put out a forecast for 1929 in Ganns Supply and Demand Letter on the 23 November 1928. In it he predicted with precision the biggest boom of all time in 2929then the collapse into the 1932 lows.
So how did Gann see this cycle when others didnt?
In short, he put in the work. It was more than that, though. He saw the world differently to most other people. He used information and made connections that most other people simply do not see.
In this respect, Gann is exactly like my mate Phil Anderson. Phil sees the world through the same lens that Gann viewed it.
Phil has made it his lifes work to continue where W.D. Gann left off. That is, studying cycles and observing how the world repeats.
Hes taking Ganns cycle theoriesas well as prior research carried out by Fred Harrisonto study if there is a Grand Cycle in the Australian economy.
Hes found that there is.
Hes developed a set of indicators that track the various ups and downs within this cycle, which got underway with the low in 2009/10, and should eventually peak around 2026.
Phil is helping Australian investors apply this knowledge to their own portfolios in his newsletter, Cycles, Trends and Forecasts.
You can learn more about it here.
I mentioned earlier this week that I dont blindly follow Phils work. Im sceptical of most things. But I wouldnt recommend that you check his stuff out if I didnt think it worthwhile.
At the very least, youll gain a different perspective on how to view the world. That can only make you a better investor.
Greg Canavan,
Money Morning
For an unprecedented fifth year in a row, students in Western Piedmont Community Colleges Paralegal Program have won top honors in the statewide North Carolina Paralegal Association essay contest.
This years theme was Why I Have Chosen to be a Paralegal. WPCC students won second, third and fourth place. Jill York, current Paralegal Association president, won second place for her essay. Ashley Anderson won second place and Brittany Suriel Sanchez took third. Along with their prize money, all three students have also won free registration at the North Carolina Paralegal Association conference held in March, according to a press release from WPCC.
Its a great honor for the program, said Neal Bevans, program coordinator. Im very proud of our students. We really emphasize writing skills in our program and our students show that they know how to meet these high standards. I was pleasantly surprised when the Paralegal Program did something that no other program has ever done: won a top position in the essay contest for five years in a row.
According to the NCPA, no program in the state, even the much larger programs, has ever matched this achievement, the release said.
WPCCs paralegal program enjoys a long-standing reputation for quality instruction and the success of our students in this statewide competition demonstrates the strength of the program, said Dean of Business and Public Services Leslie McKesson.
The North Carolina Paralegal Association holds its essay contest every year and it is open to all currently enrolled paralegal students. There are more than 20 public and private paralegal programs across the state. According to NCPA representative Charlotte Ward, students submitted essays from across the state. They are judged on an anonymous basis, with reviewers unaware of the students identity or which program they are affiliated with. Essays were submitted in early January and prizes were announced in February, according to the release.
Western Piedmont Community Colleges Paralegal Program is recognized as a Qualified Paralegal Studies Program by the State Bar and offers an associate degree in applied science. A two-year program, the paralegal degree allows graduates the opportunity to become certified on the state level and to work with attorneys, corporations, governmental agencies and others, the release said.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the paralegal profession is projected to grow as much as 17 percent in the next ten years.
Anyone interested in applying to become a student in the Paralegal Program should contact Neal Bevans at 828-448-6044 or email nbevans@wpcc.edu.
Visit www.wpcc.edu/paralegal for more information.
Pensions Minister Ros Altmann has dismissed concerns that the State Pension will be scrapped, saying that while reform was essential she firmly believed there will always be a State Pension and there should always be a State Pension.
Speaking at a briefing in Westminster hosted by Team Spirit and the Pensions Advisory Service on Wednesday, Altmann said that while the pension system was one she had inherited rather than designed, she welcomed the introduction of a flat rate pension last week in place of the old means-tested State Pension.
Earlier in the day Centre for Policy Studies research fellow Michael Johnson put to the Work and Pensions Select Committee that the State Pension should be scrapped, calling it inefficient.
It is important to reform our State Pension system for the future. The State Pension revolution is needed, along with the revolution in the private pension sector with the introduction of auto-enrolment, Altmann said to the briefing, which was attended by members of the pensions industry, including former pensions minister Steve Webb, who now works for insurer Royal London.
Altmann pointed out that while it had been three and a half years since auto-enrolment was introduced in October 2012 there was still much work to be done.
Only 6% of employers have set up pensions so far, and minimum contributions have to quadruple over the next few years. We have a hell of a long way to go, she said. The tradition in this country is for someone else to take care of us in retirement but this is no longer the case. We are on the cusp of a retirement revolution, living fuller lives for longer, and we must encourage people not to spend all their money too quickly.
Minister Calls for Industry Help with Education
At the briefing, the Pensions Advisory Service revealed that one year on from the introduction of pension freedoms many people are still in the dark about what the changes mean for them and how to make the most of their options. In a report entitled Realising the Pension Revolution, the service found that: There is a distinct lack of understanding about what income people should expect to receive and what they need to receive in retirement. 73% believe the State Pension will enable them to live comfortably in retirement, with one in five citing it as their main source of income.
Nearly a third admitted they do not know how much pension income they will obtain, with 31% saying they didnt know how to obtain the estimates for this. The overwhelming majority stated they see pensions as complicated. It is therefore perhaps unsurprising that nearly three times as many people see them as depressing rather than liberating.
Altmann agreed that the complexity of pensions was a huge barrier to entry for so many people, and that education was key in ensuring the success of auto-enrolment and pension freedoms.
If we waited to financially educate people before we launched auto-enrolment if would have pushed back the launch by more than 10 years, she said. Instead we hope to educate members along the way, and we now have an opportunity to embed financial education and planning into auto-enrolment going forward. But it will take time to educate the public on finance.
The minister said that even financial education in schools was a challenge because many teachers do not understand finance and therefore cannot teach the children and called on the pensions industry to help the government change this.
Weve set up systems such as the Money Advice Service to help people deal with these changes, how can we get people to get the help available to them?, he asked. I want to work with the pensions industry, on a standardised form on the cover of the Wake Up packs people receive at retirement for example. I am hopeful we can do this and that introduction will help the guidance available be a success.
Local hula group inspires global connections When the pandemic ushered everyone indoors, Moorpark resident and longtime dancer Lisa Rauschenberger decided to get people back outsidesocially distanced, of course. She began to hold weekly hula lessons at...
Teens face high stakes in the Oval Office A press room befitting Americas commander in chief was set up inside the Reagan Library in Simi Valley. Journalists and others gathered inside. Ladies and gentlemen, I need you all...
Tigers soon to prowl in new enclosure The brand-new Bengal tiger exhibit at Americas Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College is nearly complete, and some other animals hangouts are getting a makeover, too. Mara Rodriguez, zoo development coordinator,...
Midland continued to shed jobs as the Permian Basins dominant oil and gas industry continued to contract amid low commodity prices.
The Texas Workforce Commission said Friday the Midland metropolitan statistical area had an unemployment rate of 4.3 percent in March, up from 4 percent in February and 3.1 percent in March 2015. Odessas unemployment rate jumped to 6.1 percent from 5.6 percent in February and is well above the 3.9 percent recorded last March.
Things are beginning to flip on us, finally, said Willie Taylor, chief executive officer of Workforce Solutions Permian Basin.
He said that Midlands 4.3 percent rate was the first time since about 2008 that the rate had been near or equal to the states unemployment rate. The Workforce Commission said the states unemployment was 4.3 percent in March, unchanged from February.
Commission figures show Midlands nonfarm jobs count was unchanged from February to March at 90,400 jobs. From March 2015 to March 2016, Midland lost 3,700 jobs for a loss rate of 3.9 percent.
The citys dominant industry segment, mining, logging and construction, which incorporates oil and gas, lost 100 jobs from February to March and has lost 2,200 jobs over the last 12 months. The second largest segment, trade, transportation and utilities, lost 200 jobs from February to March and has shed 1,000 jobs over the last year.
Economic development folks are going to look at the industry composition and say, This is where we need to diversify and stabilize the economy, Taylor said.
The civilian labor force actually grew by about 300 jobs from February to March but is down by about 2,100 from March 2015.
The civilian work force is going down throughout the region, he said.
Taylor said wages are also declining and more people are coming to the Workforce Solutions offices he oversees to file first-time unemployment claims.
Taylor said there have been a number of tough months for area workers, who, unfortunately can expect a few more tough months before the job market stabilizes. Labor market data for May, June and July will be closely watched for trends, he said.
Were seeing the impact of the slowdown on the tax base; it affects municipalities, schools, he said.
He urged those who have lost their jobs to not sit around drawing unemployment but instead take advantage of available training opportunities.
Ive talked with Midland College and Odessa College; I got more training dollars, he said.
Rebecca Bell, dean of community relations and special events at Midland College, said the school has seen an increase in enrollment by students who have been laid off.
Not only in our for-credit classes but short-term accelerated learning continuing education courses, she said.
The college is targeting a program that will begin in August for those who are unemployed. They can complete all the necessary training for certification in five high-demand fields: fire technician, aviation maintenance-air frame, diesel technician, auto technician and computer-aided drafting technician. Bell said these are high-demand jobs with competitive salaries. Most can be completed by May 2017 with one requiring some additional summer courses. Partial tuition scholarships are also available.
We are excited to have them coming to us for training opportunities. Thats what were here for, Bell said.
Statewide, the unemployment rate was 4.3 percent. The Workforce Commission said total nonfarm seasonally adjusted employment fell by 12,000 jobs but Texas has added an estimated 185,000 seasonally adjusted jobs over the last year.
All of the commissions MSAs saw unemployment rates move higher in March with the exception of Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, which was unchanged. Amarillo reported the states lowest unemployment at 3 percent while the highest was in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission at 7.6 percent.
**
Midland unemployment
January 2016 3.8 percent
January 2015 2.8 percent
February 2016 4 percent
February 2015 3 percent
March 2016 4.3 percent
March 2015 3.1 percent
**
Preliminary numbers for March with February numbers in parentheses:
Amarillo: 3.0 (2.9)
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos: 3.1 (3.1)
Lubbock: 3.3 (3.2)
College Station-Bryan: 3.4 (3.3)
Dallas-Plano-Irving: 3.7 (3.6)
San Antonio-New Braunfels: 3.7 (3.5)
Abilene: 3.8 (3.7)
Sherman-Denison: 3.8 (3.7)
Waco: 3.9 (3.8)
Fort Worth-Arlington: 4.0 (3.8)
Midland: 4.3 (4.0)
Texarkana: 4.3 (4.6)
Tyler: 4.3 (4.1)
Killeen-Temple: 4.4 (4.2)
San Angelo: 4.4 (4.3)
Wichita Falls: 4.5 (4.3)
El Paso: 4.8 (4.7)
Victoria 4.8 (4.4)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land: 4.9 (4.7)
Laredo: 4.9 (4.7)
Longview: 5.4 (5.2)
Corpus Christi: 5.6 (5.3)
Odessa: 6.1 (5.6)
Beaumont-Port Arthur: 6.4 (6.2)
Brownsville-Harlingen: 6.9 (6.8)
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission: 7.6 (7.5)
It appeared that midway through the fourth and final Educate Midland roll-out meeting that those in attendance were set for another bleak look at a district challenged academically like few others in Texas. But by the time the meeting ended, the audience saw that there could be a light at the end of the tunnel.
The statistics havent been seen as promising at any of the three previous meetings, and Thursday night at Greater Ideals Life Center on Midlands southeast side, it was much of the same. For many in the audience, the performance of Midland ISDs African-American students were of interest.
- In third-grade reading, African-Americans are passing at a 49 percent clip, which trails the MISD average (65) and state average (77).
- In Algebra I, African-Americans pass at a 53 percent rate. That trails the district average (68) and state average (81).
- In college preparedness, 22 percent of African-American students are prepared, while the district average is 48 percent and state average is 54 percent.
There were reasons to wonder about the scope of the challenge in front of a community -- the entire community -- just like Midlanders had seen in the three previous meetings about the education initiative. Midland ISD, according to just about every academic indicator presented recently doesnt measure up. In the worst performing region in the state, Midland ISD lags.
Still, when Rosiland Perkins, a former teacher of 26 years and leader of Greater Ideals impactful summer academic program, took the floor, no one was going to be allowed to feel sorry for themselves. Perkins gave a heartfelt endorsement of Educate Midland and the districts hardworking teachers. She provided a pep-talk/challenge to parents and community members that there was a light at the end of this tunnel, which symbolized an academic slump in Midland more than a decade in the making.
She said that God is no longer in his right place in todays classroom. She called for Midland to stop looking at students by race, because they are all kids and God doesnt see anyone by the color of their skin. She urged a community to be positive and to be active and stop blaming each other for what isnt going as well as all Midlanders would like.
Parents, let teachers know you care, Perkins said, adding that a concerned teacher will go the extra mile in a conference period or at another time to provide guidance on how a parent can make a difference with a child with work at home.
Perkins said not every student has two parents or even one parent who they see every day, and that the community cant afford to give up on those kids. She said the time and resources not being spent now will come back to haunt the community if students go to jail or prison and a community ends up paying the price later on.
Take the time to educate now, Perkins pleaded. Do what you can with what you have.
She reminded those in attendance that too many people ask the school system to do too much. Officials with Educate Midland, which includes Perkins, have said the collective impact process will help.
Collective impact, when implemented, is expected to provide a support system for the school district in areas -- and with school campuses -- that need help. Nonprofits, businesses, organizations, churches and student support groups are expected to be part of a collective impact model in Midland. Educate Midland board member Mark Palmer once used the old adage it takes a village to help describe the process. An Educate Midland leadership team meeting today might help fill in some of the blanks of what will be expected of Midlanders in their village.
Ramona Bell, a native Midlander and member of the Carver class of 1967, attended Thursdays meeting and said she feels very good about the Educate Midland initiative. She said the statistics about African-American performance in the district is a big concern, but it is not a hopeless case. It is just up to us to do something about it. She said it was up to the entire community, not just one race or class of Midlander.
Perkins comments before the 220 on hand brought a standing ovation from those in attendance, the lone standing ovation during the four-meeting introduction, which collectively drew around 850.
We have lost our focus, said the Rev. George Bell, pastor of Greater Ideal Baptist Church. Educate Midland is the glasses for our educational system.
With more than 50 percent of Texas traffic fatalities occurring in rural communities, the Texas Transportation Commission has been busy reorganizing how it determines which state highway projects receive funding, according to the chairman Tryon Lewis.
The commission, which is appointed by the governor, oversees the Texas Department of Transportation. The commissioners -- a chairman and four others -- have been steadily working to ensure a fair distribution of tax money, Lewis said Wednesday at the Midland County Republican Women luncheon.
I think that your trust you placed in us is well-placed, and were working every day to do something to make life better and safer, said Lewis, who was appointed to the commission in February 2015. We do project selection based on the numbers (like fatalities).
Lewis said that TxDOT had grown bureaucratic and is working to move over about 200 support positions into operations staff, or positions related to engineering, building, planning and constructing highway projects.
Rules were set so there is a rationale for which projects receive funding and in what order, in addition to making sure that rural areas were not neglected in favor of busy metropolitan areas, he said.
I think based upon that, I feel like were going to be able to say to you that were going to prioritize things the right way, Lewis said. We pick the projects that do the best good to the people and all over the state.
The Texas Legislature no longer diverts fuel tax revenue to other departments -- such as the Department of Public Safety -- and the passing of Proposition 7 led to $2.5 billion for roads. The money came as a solution to both state and federal fuel tax funding, which was inconsistent because of the dip in prices, Lewis said.
During a question-and-answer session, audience members brought up their concerns about specific roads in the Permian Basin, including Highway 158 and sections of Interstate 20. Lewis said after the luncheon that he planned to contact the district engineer and review areas that audience members mentioned.
One thing I wanted to do was to be able to visit with (MCRW) about what were doing. They work hard to get people in office to do the right things, so I basically wanted to do a report to them of what were doing and why, Lewis said. Second thing is to get feedback. We need to know the problems you're having.
Lewis, an Odessa attorney, is a former state district judge and representative for the states 81st District.
Follow Cassie on Twitter at @Cassie_Burton51
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) The Texas Supreme Court has dismissed the state's effort to overturn an Austin lesbian couple's marriage that came months before same-sex weddings were legalized nationwide.
Three justices objected Friday, including Judge Don Willett, who wrote that the marriage meant Texas' then-same-sex marriage ban was "frustrated rather than followed."
It has been 11 months since Queens rapper and French Montana Coke Boys member Chinx was shot dead after a show in the area. The case still remains unsolved, but police have shared some new details about how and why the murder took place, while also pleading to the public, specifically the rap community for help in this matter.
Trying to gather some momentum on the case, the two detectives investigating the case shared new details about what happened that night. Clearing up what had previously been reported, it appears as though Chinx was the target of an assailant, not the victim of a random drive-by.
"I wouldn't call it a setup, but was he a target? Yes," Lt. Richard Rudolph told Fox 5 News. He said that the shooting was on Main Street, not on Queens Boulevard.
"When he arrives at the intersection of Queens Boulevard and Main Street that is when an unknown individual approaches the driver side of Chinx's vehicle," says Lt. Louron Hall.
"We believe our shooter walked up and fired into that car," said Rudolph.
They dispel any notion that Chinx was involved in any sort of major crime, but do admit that the fact he was about to make it big and make a lot of money could have been a factor in this.
One of the main problems has been lack of cooperation from the public.
"Nobody who knows anything about this murder, specifically, is cooperating with the police at this time," Rudolph said. Lt. Louron Hall added, "Individuals in the rap industry, we really need those people to come forward to assist us."
With trust in the police at a low point right now across the country, the police's cries for help may not be received all that kindly. That sentiment would be double if the rap community as a whole took Cam'ron's strict no snitching stance.
2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Bryan Message spoke to the media this week, allegedly revealing that Radiohead's new album would be released in June of 2016. Message is a partner in Courtyard Management, which represents the band, so this is exciting news, right? Well, he might not be the right guy to talk to when it comes to Radiohead.
The next Radiohead album would be the first since 2011's The King of Limbs.
According to numerous outlets, Message spoke to a reporter at an industry event about the new album, saying, "the new Radiohead album out in June will be like nothing you've ever heard (via UPROXX)."
This all sounds pretty exciting, right? Well, hold on because Radiohead's management has issued a statement that says that Message isn't exactly related to the band in any way.
"At an industry event in London last night Brian Message was asked about new Radiohead music," the companies official statement in response to the news stated, according to Pitchfork. "Quotes attributed to him and taken from his talk have subsequently appeared, describing him as Radiohead's manager. Brian Message is not Radiohead's manager - he is a partner in Courtyard Management but plays no operational role, and therefore any quotes from last night's event, or any supposition arising from them, should not be attributed to Radiohead's management or be seen as official quotes on behalf of the group. Radiohead are managed by Chris Hufford and Bryce Edge at Courtyard Management."
Anyway, this might've been a music management partner speaking too soon and leaking information, and the company trying to cover it up. Either way, we'll have to wait for an official announcement from Radiohead.
Radiohead will play a series of shows in addition to festival dates, go here for details: https://t.co/lbrOF9kmw3 pic.twitter.com/ejaiQLK61R Radiohead (@radiohead) March 14, 2016
2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
In the third and fourth videos of their Genius series, rappers 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne discuss their project Collegrove, a collaborative effort, as well as getting extremely honest about a variety of subject matter. Amongst the topics discussed were CeeLo Green and his early days in the hip-hop group Goodie Mob. They also spoke highly of rapper OutKast and his lyrical flow.
For more serious subject matter, 2 Chainz talked out his own lyrics to Genius, exposing the meaning behind the Collegrove EP song Section, where he has rap lines about selling his mother drugs.
Its something that I still cannot even really comfortably talk about, 2 Chainz said.
Warning: Below videos contains strong language
Im gonna give you a scenario, he further said, requesting that those listening in think of a neighborhood rife with drugs where residents can simply walk up the street to cop.
Imagine youre staying in this neighborhood and youre dealing with somebody in your family that you love very much having a habit that you or them cant control, he said on the show.
He further said, Its stuff that n**gas will never understand or for me smiling every day releases those little pain enzymes that Ive been through coming up in section 8 and dealing with what I had to deal with. Im still not comfortable talking about this sh*t because its some f*cked up sh*t that a ton of you n**gas wouldnt even understand.
2 Chainz and Lil Wayne have been working together for some time and the release of Collegrove is the biggest project that they have yet to collaborate on. But on this one, 2 Chainz took the lead rhyme wise and the two decided to release some of their show to TIDAL, where Wayne has upwards of 3 million users. In support of Collegrove, the two also did a few shows together, including a debut of Rolls Royce Weather on Jimmy Fallon.
2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
We need to calm down after hearing this news about the collaboration! Just hours before the release of Taylor Swift's Midnights, the pop star gave a first look at the music videos for her highly anticipated 10th studio album. In a teaser
Someone should sue the President for ...
Los Angeles, CA Unions scored a major victory as a California court overturned an earlier ruling that found teacher tenure unconstitutional, which is prompting cheers and jeers.
As previously reported, in June of 2014, Superior Court Judge Rolf Treu ruled in favor of nine students who sued the state, arguing tenure and seniority policies make it virtually impossible to fire bad teachers. Then in September of that year, the California Teachers Association and the California Federation of Teachers, representing a combined 400,000 members, filed an appeal arguing that the June ruling was riddled with errors. At the same time Governor Jerry Brown filed his own appeal to the decision.
Thursdays ruling by the Second Appellate District Court to reverse Vergara v. California brought applause from California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. He stated, All of our students deserve great teachers. Teachers are not the problem in our schools they are the answer to helping students succeed on the pathway to 21st century college and careers. He added, The Appellate Court clearly recognized that Vergara was a flawed ruling and overturned it unanimously. Now we can move forward together to recruit, train, and support talented and dedicated educators in school districts all across our great state.
Disappointed by the ruling, Republican Senator Bob Huff contended, Justices who serve on the Second District Court of Appeals in Los Angeles have served up a menu of continued educational failure for our states students and parents. The decision to overturn Judge Treus ruling on teacher tenure and other areas of the education code only serves to deny our students access to great schools, great teachers and a learning experience like no other. This ruling locks many of our children into low-performing schools and denies them the highest quality education we can give them.
Huff went as far as to call for an immediate appeal of the latest ruling.
Assemblymember Frank Bigelow View Photos
Sonora, CA Republican Assemblyman Frank Bigelow is proposing that Tuolumne be one of five counties in a pilot program creating a Jail Industry Authority.
The bill, AB 2012, was approved 73-0 this week in the full California Assembly. It would allow the Board of Supervisors in the five pilot program counties to authorize the county Sheriff to create this new entity that would be tasked with transforming the county jail into productive workplaces where inmates learn skills, gain work ethic and reduce idleness.
The Jail Industry Authority will not only benefit the inmates by providing them with vocational skills, but it will help our communities, says Bigelow. This legislation is critical as these types of programs provide a proven reduction in recidivism rates.
The other four counties that would be in the pilot program are Los Angeles, San Joaquin, Sonoma and Ventura. The legislation states that the authority would develop and operate industrial, agricultural, or service enterprises or programs, employing prisoners in the county correctional facilities under the jurisdiction of the sheriff or county director of corrections.
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Congressman Tom McClintock View Photos
Washington D.C. Congressman Tom McClintock has strong words about how to handle Puerto Ricos debt and talk of allowing it to declare bankruptcy. Congressman McClintock said The Puerto Rican economy is in a death spiral as its population flees and new investment is repulsed by crushing taxes and leftist economic policies. McClintock does not favor allowing it to file for bankruptcy and outlines exemptions to manage the situation as detailed in his new blog Redeeming an Island Paradise here.
According to the Associate Press on April 5th Puerto Ricos Senate approved a measure to allow the governor to declare a fiscal emergency and declare a moratorium on debt payments. Like all U.S. states and territories, Puerto Rico cannot declare bankruptcy under federal law but states are allowed to let their cities and utilities seek bankruptcy relief, while a 1984 amendment to the nations federal bankruptcy laws may specifically exclude Puerto Rico, a territory, from doing so. Nearby, the City of Stockton declared bankruptcy in June 2012 and was able to exit bankruptcy in February 2015.
Puerto Rican Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla has warned that a debt restructuring measure needs to be approved before Puerto Rico defaults on a $422 million bond payment in May but that is only part of their debt. Congressman McClintock sums up noting Puerto Rico is now more than $70 billion in debt, overwhelmed by poverty and suffering an unprecedented population exodus of citizens fleeing these policies. The CIA world factbook reports the population of Puerto Rico is 3,598,357 noting population loss began in 2005, and a net loss of 64,000 in 2014, more than double the net loss in 2010 of 26,000. The factbook also states their public debt rose to 105% of GDP in 2015, about $17,000 per person, or nearly three times the per capita debt of the State of Connecticut, the highest in the US.
A legal case about Puerto Ricos bankruptcy options has been argued all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. On March 22nd arguments were heard by only seven justices due to Antonin Scalias position not being filled and because Justice Samuel Alito recused himself due to owning Puerto Rican bonds involved in the case. A decision has not been made yet, the AP reports a Supreme Court ruling that favors Puerto Rico would allow its utilities and transportation authority to go into bankruptcy restructuring about $20 billion in debt. It could also give the island more negotiating power as it deals with creditors.
The House Committee on Natural Resources canceled yesterdays vote on the issue with Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) stating The Administration is still negotiating on provisions of the legislation, creating uncertainty regarding H.R. 4900, the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA). He said This legislation needs bipartisan support, but Members need time to understand the complexity of the issue and the ramifications of any proposed changes. It is unfair to all Members to force a vote with provisions still being negotiated.
The AP reported House Speaker Paul Ryan said many lawmakers are still learning about the issue and House Republicans will have a meeting today to discuss what should be done about the territorys financial woes. For Congressman McClintocks views read his newest blog Redeeming an Island Paradise here. A spokesman for House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said she is still examining the legislation. Pelosi had rejected the previous version, saying it would exert undue and undemocratic control over the territory.
The Senate has not yet acted on the issue. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch said to the AP last week that senators are waiting to see how the House moves forward until they take it up.
We love our animals whether they're our pets or ducks stuck in a storm drain. In Florida, we have soft hearts for our animals, and these stories from the past week show it from heart-warming rescues to gators eating gators.
Guinea pig rescued from house fire
A man and his small pet escaped serious injury in a house fire recently. A fire broke out at a home at 3300 Cross Fox Drive in Mulberry.
A man received minor burns. Polk County Fire Rescue firefighter John Williams rescued a guinea pig from the smoke-filled home. Photos show the small creature receiving oxygen. The fire apparently started in the kitchen.
(Polk County Fire Rescue)
Clearwater firefighters rescue trapped ducklings
Clearwater firefighters rescued two ducklings from an area storm drain recently. Fire and Rescue officials say the rescue took place in the 600 block of Court Street on April 6. Firefighters opened two storm drains 100 feet from each other, then used a fan in an attempt to direct the ducklings toward one opening or the other. The ducklings were then plucked to safety.
(Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department)
Smokey Jr. bear cub rescued from Lake wildfire at Tampa zoo
A 6-pound male bear cub rescued amid a Lake County brush fire recently is "alert but very timid" and now in the care of veterinarians at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. The cub, named "Smokey Jr.," arrived at the zoo recently and is being housed in the outdoor area of the zoo's new veterinary hospital. It is feeding well, which is encouraging for his hopeful reintroduction to the wild, zoo officials said. Access is being restricted because of the risk of habituating it to people, they said. Firefighters with Lake County and the Florida Forest Service found the bear Thursday and contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
(Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo)
Baby swans stolen from Lake Eola
Police are searching for six baby swans that were thought to be stolen from Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando recently. The young swans, called cygnets, are thought to be less than a week old. City Commissioner Patty Sheehan said park rangers noticed them missing Tuesday morning from their nest near the red pagoda on the east side of the park. Rangers don't think a predator got them; instead, they think someone stole them. If caught and prosecuted, thieves could face felony charges.
(Twitter: @LakeEolaSwans)
Gator eats smaller gator
An alligator met a gruesome end earlier this week in Lakeland, and it was all caught on video. The video shows a larger alligator capturing and eating another, much smaller alligator. The video was taken at Circle B Bar Reserve by viewer Alex Figueroa, who was out on his morning walk over the weekend.
A veteran zookeeper has been killed by a tiger at a South Florida zoo, officials said.
Zookeeper was killed in the Malayan tiger's enclosure
Tiger was 13-year-old male
Officials declined to comment on whether there have been other incidents with tiger
Palm Beach Zoo spokeswoman Naki Carter said Stacey Konwiser, 38, was killed Friday afternoon by a 13-year-old male tiger.
West Palm Beach Police spokeswoman Lori Colombino says Konwiser was attacked in the Malayan tiger's enclosure. Colombino says the tiger was tranquilized.
Media reports say guests were herded into the gift shop for a short time. Police said the tiger is in a contained area and guests were not at risk. The zoo said it will remain closed Friday.
Zoo officials say Konwiser's husband was also a zookeeper there. They declined to comment on whether there had been other incidents with the tiger.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials said they planned to investigate.
Sadly this isnt the first time something like this has happened.
We talked to Carney Anne Nasser, Senior Counsel for Wildlife and Regulatory Affairs.
"OSHA has already acknowledged after Dawn Brancheau's death, OSHA acknowledged the inherent dangers of having direct contact with wild animals in the work place. Yet it has consistently refused to impose specific work place safety standards to keep individuals like Dawn Brancheau, like Stephanie James in the Knoxville Zoo who was crushed by an elephant, like Stacey Konwiser who was killed today. They've refused. It's really, enough is enough, she said.
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Imagine youre from Minnesota or Malaysia.
Youve never been to San Antonio before, but somehow you found yourself in Alamo Plaza on Thursday evening, dodging drive-by cascarones and Chick-fil-A cows grooving to YMCA, and stumbled into the raucous opening ceremonies for the 125th anniversary of Fiesta.
What does Fiesta mean? asked Eka and Chandaloka, two Buddhist monks from Penang, Malaysia, who peacefully strolled out of the Alamo to be greeted by about 2,000 revelers and an Air Force rock band playing Journey hits.
Fiesta means party? asked Eka, who had traveled here from Houston. That is so cool. This is good city. The people wear so many badges!
Earnest and sounding just like the cop in Fargo, tour bus visitor Sandy Henrichs, from Bloomington, Minnesota, said she was on the fourth day of a five-day tour to San Antonio.
Imagine my dumb luck, she said, marveling at the Carmen Miranda-like women balancing garish Fiesta hats and random sash-adorned beauty queens. Ive never heard of Fiesta. It wasnt on the itinerary. Im posting this to Facebook.
Theres such a community feel here, chimed in her tour guide, Annette Carrico, from Little Elm. It has a small town feel.
So were told.
But for 11 days every April, San Antonio also is full of surprises, fantastic music and dance, brutal satire of pompous politicians, dressed-up dogs, day parades, night parades, film fests, charro rodeo, and rugby tournaments.
Fiesta royalty, including Rey Feo LXVIII Darren Casey, rule over the festivities that annually raise money for charitable organizations.
A physically and culturally sprawling celebration unlike any other in the nation, Fiesta opened with a familiar lineup of military salutes and tie cuttings.
Locals were buzzing about Tuesday nights hail storm and wondering out loud if rain that is predicted for the weekend might crimp Fiestas style. At the end of the evening, fireworks lit up the clear night sky.
King Antonio XCIV, R. Huntington Hunt Winton III a descendant of William B. Travis mingled through the crowd in front of the Alamo and posed for scores of cellphone photos.
A TV reporter in a rainbow-colored cowboy hat led the sun-covered crowd in Viva Fiesta cheers. A kind female SAPD officer agreed to take a photo of some tourists. One, two, three, she said. OK, lets do one more.
Fiesta means celebration, family and just a time to get outdoors, said Andrea Gunter from New Braunfels, who was with her husband, Drew, and 4-year-old Audrina, who was wearing a sash that said Tiny Miss San Antonio. We really like Fiesta de los Ninos.
Dee Barragan held her daughter, Bianca, with one hand and cuddled her 3-month-old bulldog, Lilly Mae, festooned with a crown of flowers, with the other.
Its her first Fiesta, she said, of her Winston Churchillian pooch. But oh, my Ive been coming maybe 20, 25 years. My favorite thing is NIOSA (Night In Old San Antonio) because of all the wonderful food.
And just in case you, too, are from Minnesota or Malaysia, you can find nearly everything you need to know about Fiesta at fiesta-sa.org
bselcraig@express-news.net
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Insect parts mixed with food, rodent feces and pooled blood inside refrigerators were among the nauseating violations included in this weeks hefty dirty list.
A total of 27 eateries from the South Side to the Far West Side to Stone Oak received 14 or more demerits this week.
Among the spots with the most citations includes Beijing Express at 5203 Fredericksburg Road, which received 44 demerits after an inspector saw cross contamination hazards and pooled blood inside the walk-in cooler.
Meanwhile, evidence of insects was seen in five establishments, including Baitong at 6934 W. Military Drive, Bayseas at 217 W. W .White Road, Tequila Mexican Restaurant at 1059 S.E. Military Drive and Kneaders Bakery and Cafe Hardy Oak at 21639 Hardy Oak Blvd.
Even worse, an inspector observed insect parts mixed with food at the Oak Hills Country Club at 5403 Fredericksburg Road, and rodent feces at Taqueria Jalisciense at 1604 Pleasanton Road.
To make the Express-News' list of dirtiest restaurants, an establishment must have 14 or more demerits during a random city inspection.
Get all the highlights of this week's dirtiest restaurant list in the slideshow above, or see a full lineup below.
The San Antonio Express-News examines hundreds of restaurant inspections each week conducted by the San Antonio Food and Environmental Health Services division to bring you the eateries with 14 or more demerits.
The demerit system is based upon the number of violations found during a regular food establishment inspection. There are three categories of demerits and each are assigned a demerit score of 5, 4 or 3 points, according to the health division.
Scores and demerits listed are only representative of the state of the restaurant at the time of inspection and are surveyed at random.
rsalinas@mysa.com
Here is the full list of establishments on this week's list, see slideshow for information from the reports:
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Finally hit the Big B (Berlin). Target visual. Flak not quite intense. Visibility good. Lots of damage. Rail yards a mass of bomb craters. Mission lasted 7 hours. All went well. One flak hole.
As a As a 20-year-old Air Force radio gunner on a B-24 bomber when I scribbled that diary note 71 years ago, I never dreamed Id be returning to Berlin decades later - this time as a tourist with my wife. Our aim: to see the citys amazing resurgence and impact on Jewish life.
We were not disappointed.
All I could see were puffs of smoke near what appeared to be a sea of railyard bomb craters as our 466th Bombardment Group peppered an area of the city with thousand-pound bombs from 22,000 feet up.
When our train pulled into Berlin, I couldn't help wondering if this modern rail station grew out of the railyard area we had hit that March day in 1945.
From Warnemundt, Germany, where our cruise ship docked It had been a dull, three-hour, 170-mile train ride to the German capital with fleeting views of green fields, farms, domestic animals and working windmills.
The citys tortured East-West division wasn't immediately evident except for a portion of the Berlin Wall retained for historys sake. More than half of its buildings were leveled in World War II, but almost everywhere today shiny new structures co-exist with old landmarks.
Berlin today is a pulsating city of 3.4 million, nine times the physical size of Paris, with more bridges than Venice - and a horrific past.
Watching thousands of seemingly busy Germans scurry by, I was haunted by the thought that some of these people could be descendants of former enemies whose homes and lives our bombs had destroyed.
A 13-hour tour included stops at an abandoned Jewish cemetery, the gravesite of Germanys Socratic philosopher Moses Mendelssohn, the gold Moorish-domed New Synagogue and a vast Holocaust Memorial virtually within the shadow of the Brandenburg Gate, the nations symbol, and its nearby Reichstag capitol building.
As one whose European relatives shared the fate of 6 million Jews, it was an emotional and exhausting day but a surprisingly encouraging experience.
Seeing scores of mostly serious young Germans awaiting entry and inside the huge Jewish Museum was unexpected. The odd-shaped, zinc metal-coated building with the zig-zag, narrow window lines symbolizing a fractured Star of David was designed by Daniel Libeskind, the original designated master planner of Manhattans new World Trade Center.
Its strategically located adjacent to the only section of the Berlin Wall still standing and a field that was the site of Gestapo headquarters.
Signs of Jewish history and culture are everywhere, said our guide, Markus, a 36-year-old city native. He pointed out streets named after prominent Jews -- Mendelssohn, Baruch Spinoza, Gustave Mahler. And to see a pedestrian near the Brandenburg Gate wearing a yamulke, the skull cap worn by ultra religious Jews, was reassuring.
We entered the Jewish Museum via an adjoining 18th century Baroque building that had been a courthouse and museum. Purses were opened, contents examined, and backpacks and packages had to be left in a room near the entrance. After screening by airport-like security devices, we were led downstairs through a tunnel to the museum, a maze of broken, angular rooms with exhibits, depicting the highs and lows of Jewish life in Germany through the ages.
Only a small portion deals with the Holocaust. Among the artifacts here is a hand-written note by a young man in a concentration camp, confessing his love for a girl and vowing to be with her when theyre freed. Both lives ended in a Nazi extermination camp.
When a member of our group criticized the guide for racing through the exhibit and not allowing time to read and reflect, Markus snapped, It can take four days to see and digest everything here. I have only a few hours to show you whats important. Youre welcome to leave us. Take all the time you want in each section or come back later on your own.
He later apologized to her.
Exhibited artifacts date back 800 years.
You learn Jews were accused of starting the Black Plague in the 13th century and expelled from the city and their houses burned. Upstairs theres a painting of a Catholic saint canonized after being murdered in the 13th century. Jews were blamed for the crime with antagonists claiming it was part of a ritual.
An encased pair of denim blue jeans catches your eye - the 1873 brainchild and product of Bavarian-born Levi Strauss and partner Jacob Davis. Philosopher Mendelssohns glasses are displayed, noting his record of championing tolerance and civil rights and establishing a school. Also displayed is a wallet thrown from a truck carrying Jews to a forced labor camp. With it is the photo of the owner and his wife, two of the 6 million.
Heart-rending, too, is a narrow, odd-shaped, room with high ceilings and dark walls and thousands of iron disks you walk over on an uneven floor. The disks represent faces of 6 million murdered Jews.
Once estimated at nearly 200,000, the German capitals Jewish population was less than a few thousand when World War II ended. Since then, some 50,000 Jews have settled here, many from the former Soviet Union.
Elsewhere in the city, Holocaust reminders appear on some streets as engraved plaques, identifying victims who had lived nearby.
A huge Holocaust memorial is within view of the Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag parliament building. Its comprised of rows of concrete casket-like pillars, 2,711 in all, covering three acres simulating a cemetery. In an area across the street is the relatively new fortress-like U.S. Embassy.
Seven synagogues, Jewish pre-schools, a high school and a Yeshiva-like college operate in the city, Markus pointed out. A few kosher restaurants are in business near the restored eye-catching, gold-domed New Synagogue. The 1866 Moorish-styled edifice, ruined by rampaging Kristallnacht Nazi adherents in 1938 and then by Allied bombers, has been restored. It serves as a Jewish museum and area community center.
Before boarding the train at a Spandau area station to return to our ship, I asked Markus about the status of the Nazi party.
No problem at all today. It no longer exists, he said. Unlike in your country, America, weve outlawed the Nazi party in Germany.
Si Liberman is the retired editor of the Asbury Park (N.J.) Sunday Press and a freelance writer.
In January 2008, CalPERS made what would seem to be a no-lose investment: the purchase of a 9.9% equity interest in Silver Lake Technology Management, which serves as the fund manager, or colloquially, the general partner, for various Silver Lake private equity funds. In her early years as a star analyst, Sallie Krawchek observed, Its better to work for a Wall Street firm than invest in one. That same logic would seem to apply for CalPERS participating side-by-side with the firms founders in the management company: they would reap rewards akin to those of owner/operators rather than those of ordinary investors.
Yet from the end of its fiscal year 2011 to 2012, CalPERS showed a nearly 50% drop in the market value of its stake in Silver Lake in its Annual Investment Reports in the absence of any big decline in assets under management or other bad news. By contrast, publicly traded private equity firms KKR and Blackstone showed declines only half as large in their unit prices over the same period. In early 2013, as reported by Fortunes Dan Primack, CalPERS sold approximately 30% its Silver Lake holdings back. In March 2015, Silver Lake stated in an SEC filing that CalPERS owned only 0.5% and intended to exit in the next few years, which in 2016, Silver Lake stated could be in the next few months.
What happened? Industry rumors, including from insiders, suggest that CalPERS took a loss well over $100 million on a $275 million commitment. Data first supplied by CalPERS to us showed an $80 million loss even with what looks like an implausibly rich valuation of its remaining interest. After we told CalPERS that it was required to show more of the history of its investment, CalPERS provided a second set of records that was radically at odds with the first disclosure. These records showed the giant pension fund, remarkably, just breaking even, which is still poor result.
As well explain in detail later, this second, less damaging data story is inconsistent with other disclosures CaLPERS had made about Silver Lake, its established practice for how it reports investments, and documents about the transaction obtained from independent parties. In other words, other information as well as CalPERS own records and established practices strongly suggest that CalPERS suffered a significant loss on this investment.
CalPERS poor performance results directly from its failure to insist on protections widely recognized as necessary for minority investors. An individual knowledgable about the initial Silver Lake investment stated that it did not include a customary anti-dilution provision.1Silver Lake did indeed dilute CalPERS as it restructured the ownership of the management company.
CalPERS embarrassing result is due to the fact it listened to the two most dangerous words in investing: Trust us.
Just as troubling: CalPERS appears to be trying to cover up its loss. One might normally wonder whether the inconsistencies in documents that CalPERS provided in response to our Public Records Act requests were the result of incompetence in record-keeping, since the differences between the spreadsheet that depicts CalPERS breaking even and other reports made by CalPERS show numerous eight figure discrepancies. But CalPERS short explanation of its tah dah spreadsheet is that it found and attributed contingent investments to the Silver Lake parent investmentand thats contrary to how it reports its cash flows and returns from other private equity investments. Further, CalPERS also scrubbed the metadata on its records to obscure when they were created, a step which requires third-party software.
Put it another way: CalPERS could have been so eager to muddy the waters regarding Silver Lake that it was willing to create the impression that its private equity information systems are so deficient that they routinely have $10 to $90 million errors on single investments. If CalPERS maintain that this is the case, which is what the public would have to believe in accepting the story in its second spreadsheet, that should send alarms ringing among beneficiaries, legislators, trustees, and California taxpayers and lead to demands for an investigation of CalPERS reporting and controls. We asked CalPERS staff about large inconsistencies in the information provided and they declined to comment.
The fact that CalPERS decided to attribute cash flows in with this investment that it in other cases it has reported separately highlights another troubling issue: CalPERS increasingly has been making co-investments in private equity in addition to investing in private equity funds. Co-investments are the right to invest side by side with the general partner of the fund in a fund investment, in addition to investing through the fund. These opportunities are offered only at the discretion of the fund manager. While they allow investors like CalPERS to save management and carry fees (with the tradeoff of bearing the full brunt of portfolio company fees), these investments take place completely outside the publics view. Thus private equity investments are becoming even more opaque as the SEC has raised red flags about private equity practices and returns to public pensions funds have overwhelmingly fallen short of their own benchmarks.
Finally, this incident reaffirms a pattern weve documented again and again with public pension funds. While they can be and typically are very competent investors in traded securities, they are no match for private equity firms. And rather than steer clear of private equity, they instead compound the error by putting their trust in general partners who view them as just another meal ticket. As UK-based private equity researcher Peter Morris said by e-mail,
The significance of this story goes way beyond Silver Lake, private equity and CalPERS. Finance academics and regulators alike make it a core article of faith that big investors like CalPERS are sophisticated. The sorry saga of CalPERS and private equity helps to show that both academics and regulators need to change the way they think about these big investors.
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Background: CalPERS Naive Approach to Taking Stakes in General Partners
In publicly traded stocks, CalPERS ambitions served it well. In the 1990s, it acted as a leader in corporate governance reforms and backed its commitment up by operating as an activist investor. That strategy proved effective, not only burnishing CalPERS reputation but also improving its returns.
CalPERS, as the largest single investor in private equity as of the early 2000s, again wanted to establish itself as a leader; indeed, until recently, this was an explicit policy goal. The giant pension fund saw acquiring stakes in fund management companies as a way to further that aim.
But individuals familiar with how CalPERS approached these deals described a process that lacked an investment thesis, which in turn resulted in questionable investment discipline. For instance, one rationale for CalPERS to participate at the management company level could have been to earn a much higher return, or alternatively, to have a less risky investment, since most of the income at large private equity firms comes mainly from fees which are not at risk of market performance. However, CalPERS sought only modestly better results than from investing in private equity funds themselves.2 It also had no exit strategy other than assuming that its chosen firms would do a public offering or be acquired by a larger financial institution. By contrast, private equity funds have typically cashed out their investors out by year ten, and the general partners have incentives to realize profits and return at least some proceeds relatively early in the funds life. 3
Another potential benefit of CalPERS investing in general partners would have been to increase their expertise, so that they could move in the direction that Ontario Teachers has, of doing more private equity investing in-house. However, McKinsey ruled that out in a study for CalPERS in the early 2000s. In addition, CalPERS didnt ask for the sort of measure that Japanese investors who want skill transfer routinely get, such as having a set number of trainees work side by side with firm professionals.
Finally, CalPERS did not obtain any voting rights. It was prohibited by law.
Andrew Silton, North Carolinas former Chief Investment Officer, in a 2012 post, A bad idea: when pension plans own a piece of a money manager, set forth why he opposed this type of investment, using the State of Floridas pension fund investment in Providence Equity Partners as his example:
These are the kinds of investments that create conflicts of interest and undermine confidence in pension plans. The last we thing we need is a bone-headed investment that gives critics another excuse to attack public employee pensions. Even if the investment turns out okay, this is still a bad idea. The real reason for this type of investment is that the boards and staff of pension plans like to be viewed as sophisticated players. However, the playing field is hardly level. The private equity firm is, after all, in the business of buying and selling companies. The folks on the other side of the table, even if theyre advised by an investment bankers, are completely outmatched. How can Florida objectively review the investment performance of Provident [sic] and decide whether to continue to participate in their investment products when they also own a piece of the manager? Normally, if investment performance deteriorates, a private equity investor can simply decide not to participate in any new funds. However, Florida will now face a dilemma; if they choose not to invest, they will be hurting their economic interest in the manager. If they decide to participate, they will be not be acting as good stewards of the plan.
Obviously, CalPERS did not consider those to be serious concerns.
The Silver Lake Investment
In 2006, CalPERS had approached a short list of private equity firms that it viewed as attractive and said it would be interested in acquiring a stake in the fund management entity. CalPERS had bought a 5% stake in Carlyle in early 2001 and had considered that investment to be successful.
In 2007, in three transactions, CalPERS, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and other investors had together purchased a 28.9% interest in Apollo.4
According to a source familiar with the Silver Lake transaction, in late 2007, Silver Lake contacted CalPERS to take them up on their offer. The CalPERS staff apparently did not consider the issue of adverse selection; for example, that Silver Lake approached CalPERS at that time because it foresaw that it might face liquidity issues. CalPERS did examine the proposed valuation in light of the developing financial crisis but in the end accepted Silver Lakes assessment. CalPERS also objected to the lack of an anti-dilution provision in the proposed agreement. But Silver Lake partners Jim Davidson and Glenn Hutchins pressed CalPERS hard to agree to omit that provision, arguing that their interests were aligned.
In December 2007, CalPERS board authorized an investment of up to 10% in Silver Lake. On January 3, 2008, CalPERS purchased 9.9% of Silver Lake Technology Management for $275 million, valuing the firm at $2.8 billion.
As of June 30, 2011, CalPERS reported that the market value of its stake in Silver Lake was just shy of $330 million. A year later, even though the price of KKRs and Blackstones units declined by 22.2% and 24.6% respectively, CalPERS reported a market price for its Silver Lake position of $166.9 million, nearly a 50% decline.5
Later in 2012, CalPERS decided to restructure its interest in Silver Lake. CalPERS was to be diluted pari passu with the founders, so as they withdrew, CalPERS interest would be diluted massively. Silver Lake had proposed a full repurchase at a large haircut to the original $275 million price; the eventual deal was a partial buyout. Dan Primack of Fortune, using data from CalPERS Annual Investment Report, noticed that CalPERS ownership had fallen by approximately 30% and that the cause was the sale of units back to Silver Lake.6
In its March 31, 2015 Form ADV filing,Silver Lake Technology Management, LLC wrote:
CalPERS previously owned 9.9% and currently owns 0.5% of Silver Lake Technology Management and is also an investor in certain Funds. The Adviser and CalPERS have an agreement pursuant to which, by a future date, the Adviser has the right to purchase CalPERSs remaining stake at a fixed price and pursuant to which CalPERS can force the Adviser to repurchase the remaining stake upon similar terms. As a result, the Adviser expects to acquire CalPERSs remaining stake within the next few years.
Bear in mind there was no similar statement in Silver Lakes March 31, 2014 ADV filing, which means the buy/sell agreement was struck in the previous 12 months.
CalPERS First Story: They Lost Money
In early 2015, having heard reports of CalPERS loss in its Silver Lake investment, we submitted a detailed Public Records Act request for financial information about the Silver Lake investment. This is what we got back. Recall that this is an investment in a private equity fund manager, an operating business, and not in a private equity fund. Private equity funds, indeed all alternative investments, which are defined as funds, are subject only to limited disclosure under the Public Records Act. Moreover, CalPERS clearly does not regard this investment as a private equity fund, since it has never listed it in its quarterly disclosure of Private Equity Program Fund Performance Review. However, without ever giving a basis for refusing to provide anything but a portion of the information sought, CalPERS provided one quarter-end of data in the same data format they would use if the Silver Lake stake were a private equity fund:
This does show an $80 million loss. But on further inspection, this looks to be understated.
If you subtract cash out from cash out and remaining value you get $59.26 million. As of this date, per Silver Lakes SEC filing, CalPERS owned 0.5%.
That remaining value values Silver Lake at $11.85 billion when it had assets under management of $26 billion in early 2015. How credible is that? Look at the Silver Lake figures versus the market capitalization of the publicly-traded private equity firms:
This is admittedly a very crude comparison given the difference in the stock markets view of private equity firms in March 2015 versus now.7 But you dont need the refinement to get the general picture. The changes in units outstanding over the intervening period were not large for any of these firms. So if you gross up the current market caps to a March 31, 2015 price level by using the change in stock prices as an approximation, you can see that the Silver Lake $11.85 billion valuation is awfully rich given its much smaller size.
And thats before you get to the fact that private, non-tradeable equity is valued at a discount to public stocks, with the rule of thumb a 20% to 40% discount. So the Silver Lake valuation should be markedly lower than public market comps.
Now perhaps CalPERS remaining value is the fixed price mentioned in the Silver Lake Form ADV. But recall that the ADV specifically mentioned that the put-call arrangement was operative only at a future date. But why would Silver Lake give CalPERS such a rosy valuation? This seems even more unlikely given that:
1. If Silver Lake did nothing, CalPERS would continue to take losses and would have no recourse 2. Silver Lakes offer to buy out CalPERS in 2012 was at a large discount to both its purchase price and its recent market value estimates. Silver Lake thus previously took advantage of its bargaining leverage. Why should it change its behavior?
Consider how remaining value is often treated for the few assets remaining in a private equity funds at the end of its life, the ones that have proven hard to sell. They are effectively always on sale, and its not infrequent that a general partner will maintain roughly the same valuation for several years, then take an offer at lower than the target price, explaining why it was better to get out then.
The bigger point is that remaining value in CalPERS private equity reports is not market value; its a very loose concept. So it is not at all implausible that that $59.26 million is the strike price for three years or more out. Equity risk premia are generally set off the 10-year Treasury bond, but well be charitable and use the 5 year to match the time frame of the exposure better. The five year Treasury was trading at 1.40% at the end of March 2015. The equity risk premium, per a regularly performed survey of CFOs, was 4.5%. CalPERS sets a 300 basis point premium for private equity to that (which weve argued is too low). That gives you an 8.9% discount rate. That gives you a present value of $ 45.9 million. This would bring the total loss close to $100 million.
Nevertheless, several experts we asked to look at the Silver Lake valuation (even allowing for the possibility of needing to discount it) found it hard to square with the 0.5% stake with the remaining value shown. As one expert said, In my experience staff spreadsheets tended to drift pretty far from accounting statements.
CalPERS Second Story: They Barely Broke Even
We objected to the skimpy PRA response, and argued that we disagreed strongly with CalPERS trying to claim that its investment in Silver Lake was in an alternative investment fund.8 They also sent the data below:
Here are the major differences from the first spreadsheet:
1. The first one lists a commitment amount of $275 million and shows cash in of that amount as of March 31, 2015. Commitment amounts are authorized maximums in the contract signed at closing. The first spreadsheet is consistent with an equity purchase at a set date. By contrast, the second spreadsheet shows an authorized amount at the end of the first quarter of 2008 of $292.6 million, nearly $18 million more than the commitment amount. At March 31, 2015, the second spreadsheet shows an authorized amount of $294.1 million. The increases in the authorized amount are not readily explained. 2. The second spreadsheet shows cash in as of the closing date of $276.8 million which increases over time to $290.9 million as of the end of 2Q 2015. But the increases from quarter to quarter look too small to be capital calls for deals, and look too large to be the sort of other charges you might expect to see for an investment like this, say having to reimburse the cost of a special annual audit. 2. Cash out as of March 31, 2015 is $229.9 million, $94.1 million more than in the first spreadsheet.
Where did all the extra money come from? From the transmittal e-mail:
The spreadsheet differs from the Q1 2015 information that was sent to you on September 25, 2015 (PRA #2141). This is a result of the original report inadvertently excluding the investment structures related to Silver Lake Technology Management to which CalPERS optional commitments to various Silver Lake investments and CalPERS share of the carried interest flowed.
Translation: CalPERS had some special side deals with Silver Lake that were part of the original investment and those results should be included.
How credible is that position, that CalPERS has almost $100 million more of cash out of the Silver Lake investment by March 31, 2015 that it somehow forgot about? Remember, under the Public Records Act (PRA), CalPERS is supposed to send records, not special-purpose documents it made up.
The wee problem is that this second spreadsheet differs from other documents that were almost certainly prepared with more care. For instance:
1. We have multiple documents from one of the parties to this transaction. They repeatedly and consistently describes the 2008 investment as a $275 million purchase 2. The second spreadsheet is not consistent with CalPERS Annual Investment Report. The unaudited Annual Investment Report (AIR) is published every year as of CalPERS fiscal year end, June 30, separate from the Comprehensive Annual Investment Report (CAFR). For year end 2012 through 2014, the Cash Out and Cah [sic] Out + Remaining Value columns in second spreadsheet tie with the AIR; the difference between Cah [sic] Out + Remaining Value minus Cash Out as of the end of the second quarter equals the market value shown for Silver Lake Technologies Management in the AIR. But not in 2010 and 2011:9 Similarly, Cash In is not consistent with Book Value in the AIR, when it should be up through the share buyback, meaning fiscal years 2010 through 2012: 3. CalPERS CAFR for fiscal year 2014 in its Schedule of Fees & Costs for Private Equity Partners (which is footnoted as being on a calendar year basis, so this schedule is confusingly for calendar year 2013), shows expenses for Silver Lake Technology Management of $3.25 million. This is presumably for the 2013 restructuring. There is only a $1,000 (yes, one thousand dollar) fee listed for the previous year and none for any earlier years. It is not clear how this charge is included in the second spreadsheet
Keep in mind that the reduction in book value from fiscal year end 2012 to 2013 of $76.9 million is generally consistent with the second spreadsheet, which shows an increase in Cah [sic] In of $75.5 in the second quarter of 2013 versus first quarter, consistent with the buyback closing then. The decline in book value in the next year, of an additional $15.2 million, is presumably due to dilution. But the book value then, of $178.8 million, is roughly 2/3 of the highest book value we see, as of end of fiscal year 2010 (earlier years are not available online). Its puzzling to see the small reductions in book value after that but before the buyback. But its pretty safe to treat the fiscal year 2010 as pretty close to the book value as of the time of the investment.
So if we believe the book value is accurate, that would mean CalPERS held a roughly 6.6% stake in Silver Lake as of June 30, 2014. How did it decline to 0.5% as of March 15, 2015, a mere 9 months later? The change in Cah Out for the end of fiscal year 2013 to 2014 is greater than for 2014 to 2015, so theres no fingerprints of another buyback to explain the plunge.
Mind you, Silver Lakes current Form ADV does say that CalPERS did obtain additional investment rights in connection with its investment in the management firm. But the picture that this section presents is inconsistent with the tale of the second spreadsheet:
CalPERS, by virtue of its stake in the General Partner of Silver Lake, has in the past received and will in the future receive the opportunity to co-invest fee-free on a blind pool basis in transactions made by the Funds over a preset time period. Such investments are added to Silver Lakes affiliates investments for purposes of calculating limits under the LPA on the General Partners ability to make co-investments. For the most recent Silver Lake Partners fund, CalPERS has exercised this right to invest a significant amount of capital on this basis. These pportunities are distinct from the individual company co-investment opportunities offered to all limited partners including CalPERS which are subject to the Advisers sole discretion, as described above.
The part that is completely inconsistent with the second spreadsheet is a significant amount of capital. For CalPERS, that translates into amounts much larger than the $20 million or so shown as the cash out over and above the $275 million commitment amount for the investment in Silver Lake Technologies Management. And thats before you get to the issue we pointed out earlier, that it has not been CalPERS practice, either with its other reports on Silver Lake or its general practice for reporting on private equity funds, to lump returns on co-investments in with the returns from the fund proper.10
In other words, if the mystery additional cash flows in the second spreadsheet did indeed come from the Silver Lake Management co-investment blind pool, the amounts are so small relative to the capital that Silver Lake states was provided that they must have been cherry-picked.
Andrew Silton, North Carolinas CIO, was one of several experts who spent a considerable amount of time trying to make sense of these figures. His take:
My guess is that theyve taken different accounting approaches to this investment. Silver Lake has taken the view that theyve diluted CalPERS and CalPERS has not accepted that view. Meanwhile, Im guessing that the investment staff and accountants arent synced up on the investment either. The staff is estimating market values, which accounts some of the diminution in the value of the asset (we see that in the spreadsheets), and the accountants for financial reporting purposes are even further behind with respect to book value. Im betting, both staff and the accountants would like to slowly let the air out of the investment over multiple reporting periods. The figures are so far apart, I dont think they can be reconciled except by assuming each of the relevant parties is on a different page.
Ouch.
Also noteworthy: CalPERS scrubbed the metadata on both spreadsheets. This is not normal practice in FOIA responses generally and CalPERS PRA responses in particular.
What Do We Have to Believe to Believe CalPERS New and Improved Story?
CalPERS, no doubt, will attempt to dismiss the analysis above, claim that the second spreadsheet is accurate, and maintain that it got out of its Silver Lake investment whole.
But to believe that, you have to believe that CalPERS is utterly incapable of keeping accurate, consistent records on one of its most important single investments in strategic terms, one that has also repeatedly commanded a considerable amount of senior staff time. As weve shown, CalPERS has numerous eight-figure inconsistencies, the largest over $94 million, on an investment of either $275 or $290.9 million. That level of disparities should sound alarm bells not just among CalPERS beneficiaries and California taxpayers, but also the legislature and Governors office.
This shifting what happened with Silver Lake story raises another set of troubling questions. The fact that CalPERS found some tah dah funds that it previously missed, at the very best, says that CalPERS has large pockets of money that it accounts for nowhere until pressed. And as CalPERS makes more and more co-investments, the new vogue in private equity, the less and less the public will know about how these risky investments are doing.
No matter how you look at this, CalPERS lost a significant amount of beneficiary money relative to its targets and as we have argued, probably in absolute terms, by placing unwarranted trust in a private equity partner, a failing the SEC has effectively called out across all private equity limited partners by describing how vague the limited partnership agreements are on critical points and how lax ongoing oversight is. CalPERS has compounded the damage by engaging in what looks like a coverup on top of the crime of incompetent negotiating.
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1. There are ways to reduce this risk, such as having a put option. But CalPERS did not seek any compensating terms.
2. CalPERS expected its improved return to come from saving paying management and carried interest fees. Oddly, it did not expect to do better by having access to all the portfolio fees that most fund managers charge. Needless to say, this view would work in favor of the private equity fund manager in valuing the stake sold to CalPERS.
3. The incentive to realize some profits relatively early comes from the fact that the use of IRR for computing fund returns has an overly-positve impact on total reported returns. This can distort behavior, since a general partner may sell a business earlier than would have been optimal if the returns were reported on a more accurate basis, such as public market equivalent. However, general partners have additional incentives to sell some business before year 4, when most firms start raising their next fund, since investors will be skeptical of reported returns for the most recent fund if no actual cash profits have been realized.
4. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority did not get anti-dilution protection on its investment in Apollo, and knowledgeable individuals said that means that it is virtually certain that CalPERS didnt either. That precedent no doubt played into CalPERS not standing up more firmly with Silver Lake.
5. Note that the valuation of this position was prepared from time to time by outside accounting firms, and otherwise by Silver Lake. As weve noted repeatedly in our private equity reporting, the well-established practice is to understate losses in down equity markets, on the cheery view that the investors will get out only when pricing is favorable. So the plunge in market value is even more striking.
6. More precisely, the year-to-year change in reported book value was 27.8%.
7. And thats before you get to complicating factors like the fact that most of these firms have announced share repurchases: KKR of $500 million, Apollo, $250 million, and Carlyle, $200 million. And their businesses are not exactly comparable. Blackstone is a diversified alternative asset manager. KKR puts much more firm money in deals than the other players do. Apollo manages real estate and credit funds in addition to private equity funds, and both feature lower fee levels than private equity firms.
8. As one expert on FOIA said of CalPERS response, It merely lists sections of the Public Records Act. This is particularly disingenuous given that the request letter contained a lengthy discussion as to why the legal form of the investment, as well as CalPERS consistent failure to include it in any of its legally mandated disclosures of private equity investments and other alternative investments in its periodic filings meant that under the language of the statute, as confirmed by CalPERS treatment of this shareholding, it was not an alternative investment vehicle. Its also procedurally patheticnot surprisinglyin that they failed in their legal obligation to state the express provisions of the PRA that they are relying on. To claim Its exempt pursuant to 6254is to basically say that Its exempt pursuant to the PRA. 6254 is pages long and contains dozens of different exemptions, and you are left not knowing which they are claiming.
9. No, CalPERS was not using book value for remaining value as opposed to market value in 2010 and 2011. Book value is also listed in the Annual Investment Report. If you take the book value as of the Annual Investment Report for the end of FY 2011 and add it to the cash out for 2Q 2011, you get $325,168,492, nearly $10 million greater than in the second spreadsheet. This seems even harder to fathom given CalPERS claim that the Silver Lake Technologies Management had additional cashflows associated with it. Youd expect that to result in higher, not lower, market values in the event of discrepancies.
10. Although it would not apply in this case of a blind pool co-investment, which is an unusual arrangement, a big reason for reporting co-investments separately is that staff chooses which deals to invest in, so measuring staffs performance is important from a managerial perspective.
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The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Collier County Inc. has named Dr. Pamela J. Baker as executive director / CEO.
Mark Sobiech was named president of Norris Furniture & Interiors.
United Way of Collier County said Stephanie Spell is a new member of its board of directors. Spell heads the Community Engagement Department within the Collier County Sheriff's Office.
Baer's Furniture announced that Jerome Baer has become president and CEO. Robert Baer continues as chairman of the board. Allan Baer moved from president to vice chairman of the board. Ronald Baer became executive vice president and will also serve as chief operations officer. Cathy Baer Haubenstock, Laurance Baer and Ira Baer each assumed senior vice president positions while Ira Baer remains CFO. Michael Baer has chosen to retire.
Events
The Public Relations Society of America, Gulf Coast Chapter will host a luncheon meeting on "Branding, Identifying, Finding, Funding and Capturing your Ideal Candidate" at 11:30 a.m. April 26 at the Naples Hilton, 5111 U.S. 41 N. Information: www. gulfcoastprsa.org
"PR101 Be Good at Doing Good: Marketing Your Mission," will be hosted by The Florida Public Relations Association Southwest Florida Chapter at 8 a.m. May 12 at Embassy Suites. Embassy Suites, 10450 Corkscrew Road, Estero. Information: www.fpraswfl.org
To submit your business news directly online, go to naplesnews.com/BIZwire or email news@naplesnews.com.
A display board lists the many biographical subjects students selected for the 2016 Essay Contest sponsored by the Estero Historical Society and Estero Chamber of Commerce. Awards were presented April 13. Laura Gates/Banner Correspondent
SHARE Middle school finalists display their certificates during an awards ceremony for the 2016 Essay Contest sponsored by the Estero Historical Society and Estero Chamber of Commerce. Laura gates/Banner Correspondence Carolyn Fischer recognizes Estero Chamber of Commerce and Estero Historical Society members during the 2016 Essay Contest awards ceremony at Three Oaks Middle School April 13. Laura Gates/Banner Correspondent Fourth grade finalists display their certificates during an awards ceremony for the 2016 Essay Contest sponsored by the Estero Historical Society and Estero Chamber of Commerce. Laura Gates/Banner Correspondent Royal Palm Academy student Joseph Baier reads from his "Essay of Distinction" on Carl Strickland as Carolyn Fischer, of the Estero Historical Society, listens. Laura Gates/Banner Correspondent
By Laura Gates, Banner Correspondent
Four Estero fourth-graders and three middle school students now boast the status of paid writers.
These juvenile biographers excelled at an essay contest jointly sponsored by the Estero Historical Society and the Estero Chamber of Commerce, taking home top honors and prize money during an awards ceremony at Three Oaks Middle School Wednesday.
"It's absolutely essential to have those writing skills," said Principal Mike Carson. "I am extremely proud of them."
Five of the six middle school finalists came from Three Oaks, which has partnered with the Historical Society on multiple initiatives. A sixth finalist, Aryanna Aufderheide, is an Estero home school student.
She chose Barron Gift Collier as the subject of her essay out of curiosity about why the neighboring county bears his name. Although Aufderheide found out about the essay contest just one week before deadline, she decided to test her writing skills and go for the prize money.
"I think it's interesting when people become millionaires when they're really young," added Aufderheide, whose essay took runner-up honors. "Barron Collier became a millionaire at 26."
Three Oaks eighth grader Luis Hernandez-Ulloa captured first place -- and a $150 cash award -- for his essay on Billy Bowlegs, a Seminole chief who led the final war against white settlers.
"I wanted to write about someone who was not so well known in the history of Southwest Florida," he said.
Runner-up Tianji "Didi" Zhang chose to research Harvey Firestone, the third member of "The Millionaire's Club," which also included Henry Ford and Thomas Edison. Although he did not maintain a residence in Southwest Florida, Firestone was a frequent visitor at the Edison-Ford estates.
"He worked with Edison and Ford to store rubber and use it for good," explained Zhang, referring to the trio's research into growing American organic rubber.
This was the second consecutive year the Historical Society and the Chamber have teamed up for an essay contest. Organizers specifically reached out to local fourth grade teachers this year after learning state standards for social studies include Florida history.
Catherine Tumbleson, a teacher at Three Oaks Elementary, made the essay contest optional for students. The lone entry from her class, an essay on "Florida cracker" Jacob Summerlin written by Kyle King, took first place honors.
"I'm very proud of him," Tumbleson said of her perseverant pupil. "He has worked hard on his writing all year long. I'm glad it paid off for him. I hope this will motivate him to keep writing."
The other five finalists for fourth grade all came from Pinewoods Elementary, where the essay contest was woven into curriculum. Royal Palm Academy student Joseph Baier was recognized with the Essay of Distinction Award for his biography of Officer Carl Strickland.
Strickland was the first black officer to be hired by the Naples Police Department in 1954. He served just one month before being killed.
Although Baier's essay might not have been the most well researched or skillfully written, judges singled it out for its connection to current events.
"It was very well written for his age and very thoughtful for the times," commented Marlene Fernandez, Historical Society archivist and essay contest judge.
Baier said he selected his subject after watching news reports about racially motivated killings and attacks on police officers.
"Sometimes, as a kid, I wonder what is happening in our world," he read from his essay opener. The piece went on to call Strickland a "role model" from local history for breaking down barriers, just like Rosa Parks and Jackie Robinson.
Debi Montenieri presented cash awards from the Chamber of Commerce, totaling $500. She also served as one of the essay contest judges.
"I enjoyed reading them," she said. "It's surprising how well these kids write and how much research they do to get really interesting facts about people that I didn't know."
Montenieri will be reading more essays next month, as the Chamber also sponsors a scholarship program for college-bound seniors. Any graduating senior who attends Estero High School or lives in Estero may apply for one of three $2,500 college scholarships.
The Historical Society also has a busy month ahead, with the society's annual Tea Luncheon April 23 at Shadow Wood Country Club. This year's theme is "Birds of a feather flock together." Expect to see hundreds of ladies in feathery hats, said organizer Beverly MacNellis.
"One of the delights of this event is the creative hats the ladies make up with their hot glue guns," she said. "Awards are given out to the best."
More information about Historical Society and Chamber of Commerce events may be found on their respective websites: esterohistoricalsociety.com and esterochamber.org.
Essay contest finalists were: Fourth Grade -- Katherine Bradford Alexakis, Micah Boyce, Taylor Cheh (runner-up), Kyle King (winner), Eva Pokharel and Aevlin Yeagle (runner-up). Middle School -- Aryanna Aufderheide (runner-up), Piper DuPelle, Luis Hernandez-Ulloa (winner), Kiya Robinson, Allison Skolmutch and Tianji "Didi" Zhang (runner-up). Essay of Distinction: Joseph A. Baier.
IF YOU GO
Estero Historical Society Annual Tea
WHEN: Noon April 23
WHERE: Shadow Wood Country Club, 22801 Oakwilde Blvd., Bonita Springs
TICKETS: $45
INFORMATION: Visit esterohistoricalsociety.com or call 239-498-0678
Michael Jasinski, in front of the top kayak, and Aubrey Hunt, both 12, paddle their way back to the dock after a short kayak trip during the Earth Day Festival at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida on Saturday, April 18, 2015. Scott McIntyre/Staff
SHARE More than 850 people turned out for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida's Earth Day Festival on April 18, 2015. Visitors enjoyed live animal shows, boat rides along the Gordon River, live music, crafts and more. daily news file (3) Keira Thompson pets an alligator named Dewey with the help of Alicia Greer, right, during last year's reptile show at the Earth Day Festival at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Ava Svaton, 5, shakes hands with Cycler, a Waste Management robot while Dominic DiBlasio Jr., 7, Riley Grothe, 3, and Bennett Brink, 4, wait their turn during the Conservancy of Southwest Florida's 50th Anniversary Celebration Earth Day Festival, Saturday, April 19. John M. Wissocki /Banner Correspondent. Alicia Greer shows Dewey, a two year old alligator to the crowd during a reptile show at the Earth Day Festival at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida on Saturday, April 18, 2015. Scott McIntyre/Staff Related Coverage Earth Day Events in Southwest Florida
By Kristine Gill of the Naples Daily News
A baby loggerhead weighing less than a pound will likely steal the spotlight Saturday at the annual Earth Day Festival at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. The daylong event aims to connect people to nature in an effort to encourage conservation and at the forefront this year is a shelled, pseudo ambassador.
"She's darling," spokeswoman Catherine Bergerson said.
But the tiny sea turtle has been without a name since the Conservancy brought her in March 29 through a research program at Florida Atlantic University. Taken from a Sanibel nest, the marine reptile was part of a study looking at how temperature affects the gender of sea turtle eggs.
"It's hot chicks and cool dudes," Bergerson said, explaining the link.
Around noon Saturday, smack dab in the middle of a day's worth of events, the Conservancy will announce the turtle's new name, the result of a public contest that closed last week. A committee will get together to decide which submission best fits the cute critter. They did the same two years ago for another female loggerhead. They named that turtle Betsy, in honor of a Bonita Springs sea turtle activist named Betsy Sandstrom who was terminally ill at the time.
Click here for a list of Earth Day events in Southwest Florida
On March 29, the same day the new turtle was brought in, Conservancy workers released Betsy after a two-year stay in captivity. She too was part of the FAU study on gender and was released in the Ten Thousand Islands.
"It was such a truly serendipitous situation," Bergerson said of the turtle's naming. "She's living on and furthering the legacy "
Saturday marks at least the 15th year the Conservancy has held an Earth Day celebration for children and families, Bergerson said.
Doors open at 10 a.m. and events are scheduled until 6 p.m. Watch a puppet show, take a guided nature walk, watch student-made nature films and interact with reptiles and their caretakers. There are also activities going on most of the day including kayak rentals and live music by Bug Tussle Ramblers.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 3 to 12 and free for those 2 and younger.
"For less than the cost of a movie ticket, you can have fun all day," Bergerson said.
By Jacob Carpenter of the Naples Daily News
A former victim's advocate accused of bilking dozens of clients at a Collier County domestic violence shelter plans to plead to a felony charge, according to court records.
Rossana Lucero, who's accused of fraudulently obtaining more than $200,000 from more than 110 women at The Shelter for Abused Women & Children, is expected to plead to one of her two felony charges next month. The 53-year-old was arrested in February 2015.
It's unclear whether Lucero will plead to a charge of obtaining more than $50,000 by fraud or aggravated white collar crime, and whether she will plead guilty or no contest. Both counts carry a maximum of 30 years in prison.
In a letter to Collier Circuit Judge Fred Hardt, Lucero's lawyer, Chris Brown, said he and prosecutors haven't arrived at an agreed-upon punishment. As a result, Hardt will hear testimony and argument from both sides and issue a sentence.
"A large amount of time and effort has gone into depositions and investigation of this case," Brown wrote in his letter. He added that the case involves "scores of victims and a large amount of restitution."
Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigators said Lucero took advantage of more than 110 women in her position as a victim's advocate, primarily between 2010 and 2014.
Dozens of women, many of them immigrants, told investigators that Lucero charged them for visas, permits and fees. Most women paid about $500 to $1,000 in total, though some handed over nearly $5,000.
FDLE agents determined most of those charges were fraudulent and landed in Lucero's bank accounts. During a search of Lucero's office, investigators found $3,000 in blank money orders attached a client's file, as well as $7,000 in blank money orders in a briefcase.
Brown declined to comment ahead of Lucero's plea, which is set for May 17.
Hardt will have wide latitude in handing down a punishment. Florida sentencing guidelines call for a minimum prison sentence of about two or four years, depending on whether Lucero pleads to the fraud or white collar crime charge.
Lucero, who spent nearly a decade working at the shelter, was fired from her position immediately after being confronted with the allegations. Following Lucero's arrest, the shelter's executive director, Linda Oberhaus, said the clients would be reimbursed by the nonprofit.
Corey Perrine/Staff Jose Ramirez, 17, of Marco Island Academy, left, collects a straw ballot from Jason Hartgrave during a public forum Thursday at Marco Island Presbyterian Church. The Southwest Florida Citizens' Alliance hosted the first in a series of candidate forums, this one with Collier County School Board candidates. Three of six candidates John M. Brunner, Louise Penta and Lee Dixon participated in the forum.
SHARE John Brunner, from left, Louise Penta and Lee Dixon talks about issues during a public forum Thursday, April 14, 2016 at Marco Island Presbyterian Church on Marco Island, Fla. The Southwest Florida Citizens' Alliance hosted the first in a series of Candidate Forums beginning with Collier County School Board Candidates. Three of six candidates showed " John M. Brunner, Louise Penta and Lee Dixon. Candidates who were not present " Erick Carter, Eugene Ungarean, and Stephanie Lucarelli. (Corey Perrine/Staff)
By Melhor Leonor of the Naples Daily News
Three of the six candidates running for Collier County School Board attended a conservative group's forum Thursday, opposing the role of the federal government in education and supporting public funding of charter schools.
District two candidates John Brunner and Louise Penta, and District 4 candidate Lee Dixon, aligned on most of the topics raised by moderators Thursday at the forum on Marco Island, including those that have divided the board in recent months.
On a question about whether the district should retain an internal auditor an issue pushed by school member Erika Donalds but rejected by the majority of the board the candidates present said it was a critical need.
"With a billion dollar budget, you should absolutely be performing internal audits," Dixon said.
Brunner called for an employee under the title of "Inspector General," who would evaluate the performance of district programs.
Among the few issues that split candidates Thursday was the district's "Bring Your Own Device" program. BYOD, as it is popularly referred to throughout the district, allows students to bring their own electronic devices for guided use in the classroom.
Penta, who said in an interview last week that cellphones lead to disciplinary issues in the classroom, said that "these devices don't belong in schools." She said teachers spend too much time monitoring what students are doing on their devices to make sure it aligns with the given directions.
Brunner and Dixon both said in elementary school, there is no place for these devices. In middle and high school, use should be limited.
"By high school, they need those skills," Brunner said.
Missing from Thursday's debate were District 2 candidates Stephanie Lucarelli and Gene Ungarean, and District 4 candidate Erick Carter. At the end of the debate, the candidates present took opportunities to highlight the absence of some of their opponents.
"He should have been here discussing these issues, letting you know where he stands," said Dixon of his only opponent, Carter.
Carter said in an interview he only planned to attend "major forums" and that he looked forward to debating with Dixon then.
Keith Flaugh, with the Southwest Florida Citizens Alliance, said Ungarean planned to attend but called to say he could not due to a "personal emergency."
District 2 candidate Stephanie Lucarelli did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.
The seats appearing on voters' ballots later this year are currently held by board members Kathleen Curatolo and Julie Sprague, who have not indicated whether they plan to run for re-election. The Collier County School Board doesn't put limits on the number of terms a school board member can serve.
In Collier County, school board members must reside in the district that represents the seat they are running for at the time of filing and through their term on the board. Board members, however, are elected by voters countywide and are supposed to represent the interests of the entire school district.
District 2 contains schools in North Naples, including Veterans Memorial Elementary and Barron Collier High. District 4 includes Lake Park Elementary and Naples High.
The deadline to enter the school board race is June 24. School board elections will be held Aug. 30.
Collier and Lee Republican Party leaders met at the Barefoot Beach Boat Club off Bonita Beach Road on Thursday, April 14, 2016, to select delegates to their party's national convention in Cleveland this summer. (Ryan Mills/Staff)
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By Ryan Mills of the Naples Daily News
Last month more than 173,000 Lee and Collier county Republicans went to the polls to pick a candidate for president, but on Thursday evening it was six local party insiders who selected the three delegates who could help choose the GOP nominee as Southwest Florida's 19th congressional district representatives at the Cleveland convention.
Normally an under-the-radar process, it is the delegate selection caucuses like the one that took place Thursday inside the Barefoot Beach Boat Club off Bonita Beach Road that could be the deciding factor in this year's unruly race between businessman Donald Trump, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
The Southwest Florida delegates were chosen by six leaders of the District 19 caucus: a party chairman, and a state committeeman and committeewoman from both the Collier and Lee parties.
Before the vote, 23 people who applied to be delegates had two minutes to make their case. Most were longtime grass roots activists, elected officials and local party insiders who had campaigned for Republican nominees going back decades: Romney, McCain, Reagan, the Bushes and even Barry Goldwater.
Not surprisingly, two of the three slots went to the party chairs, Mike Lyster of Collier and Jonathan Martin of Lee. The third went to local attorney and longtime Lee County Republican Executive Committee member Lisa Musial. None would disclose a preference for either of the two front-runners, Trump or Cruz.
"I think it's a very fair process," said Musial, who is originally from Cleveland. "It's very transparent."
Trump easily won the Florida primary last month, garnering 46 percent of the 2.3 million votes cast in a split field. Cruz won only 17 percent of the Florida vote, finishing behind Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who received 27 percent and then suspended his campaign.
Thursday's caucus also selected three alternate delegates, two of whom Roz Lesser and Michael Hook are outspoken Trump supporters. The third, Jesse Purdon, who runs U.S. Rep. Curt Clawson's Collier County office, wouldn't identify a favorite.
Though Trump is leading in raw votes and pledged delegates nationally, his path to winning an outright majority of delegates 1,237 by the end of the primary cycle is narrowing. With an even tougher path to victory, Cruz is attempting to block Trump at the convention by winning over delegates who would switch to him on a second ballot.
It's a strategy that isn't sitting well with Trump supporters, some of whom have been accused of threatening wavering delegates. That strategy will likely be less pronounced in Florida, where state party rules bind the state's 99 delegates to Trump for the first three ballots.
Lyster said he doesn't think either Trump or Cruz will wrap up the nomination before the convention.
"There's going to be deals all over that convention floor, and I'm thinking not for the Florida delegation," he said.
Lesser, an alternate delegate and Trump supporter who is the treasurer for the Lee County Republican Executive Committee, said she thought Thursday's process was fair and transparent. Still, she believes the deck is being stacked against her candidate nationally.
"I think we're going to get railroaded," she said.
A similar delegate selection process is playing out in restaurants, hotels and party headquarters across the state's 27 congressional districts. In addition to the 81 delegates selected at the district level, there will also be 18 "at large" delegates: state officeholders, top party officials and Republican National Committee members.
On Saturday, Collier's caucus leaders will be at the Oliva Cigar Company in Hialeah to select delegates for Congressional District 25, which also includes portions of Broward, Hendry and Miami-Dade counties. Lee's caucus leaders helped select delegates in District 17 on March 31 at a Perkins in Bartow.
Lyster said he thinks an open Republican convention is a positive for his party, but he's not happy with the tone of the campaign right now.
"It's fascinating to me that if you know what the rules are, and you know you have to have 1,237 (delegates) to get the nomination, then that should be your goal," Lyster said. "So what if you got 42 percent of the vote across the country? That's not how the country is run.
"I'm kind of discouraged by the way people are acting, and I think it's going to damage the country."
Anne Peatross fills boxes last week at Harry Chapin Food Bank in Fort Myers. The food bank is among participants in the new Satisfy The Hunger campaign, of which the Naples Daily News is a partner. JAMIE STODDARD/DAILY NEWS STAFF
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By Dave Osborn of the Naples Daily News
Many think of Southwest Floridians as people who eat well yet few may realize that thousands don't receive enough food.
So the Daily News and other organizations on Sunday will launch Satisfy The Hunger, a campaign to raise money to feed thousands of Collier County citizens. An ad will run in the Daily News every day through June 3, asking readers to donate at least $25, although any amount is welcome.
Three other partners with the Daily News in the effort are the Community Foundation of Collier County, United Way of Collier County and Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation.
All money collected will go toward feeding the hungry, said Robin Lankton, Daily News regional marketing director.
RELATED LINK: Get more details on Satisfy the Hunger campaign
"The Community Foundation of Collier County administers the Satisfy the Hungry Community Food Drive at no cost," Lankton said. "Therefore, 100 percent of the money collected is distributed to those in need."
The newspaper will host seven events through the end of the drive, collecting items. All will be held at the Daily News, 1100 Immokalee Road, Naples, expect one that will be at participating Publix stores 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 7.
The other six are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 15, "Take a Bite Out of Hunger"; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the following: April 22, "Baby Basics"; April 29, "Snacks for Kids"; May 13, "Spring Cleaning"; May 20, "Take Care of Yourself"; and June 3, "School's Out for Summer."
Agencies that receive money must be accountable and prove they spent it on food, Lankton said.
"They will have to supply a report," she said. "They will have to say how this money was spent."
Collier County is home to some 42,000 "food insecure" people, said Richard LeBer, president and CEO of the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida, based in Fort Myers. He defined those individuals as people who often don't know where the next meal may be coming from at some time during the year.
LeBer said those people could be someone's next-door neighbor.
They have jobs but not quite enough income," he explained. "They have to choose between rent, a car payment, medical needs or food."
Harry Chapin Food Bank annually distributes 18.4 million pounds of food to a five-county area including Collier. And in Collier alone, the food bank provides more than 2.5 million meals.
"The Satisfy the Hunger program is very important to us," LeBer said. "We just love it that all of these organizations are collaborating to raise food for the community. We will be right in the middle of the campaign, helping make sure the food people donate gets distributed by agencies in Collier County to feed hungry people."
Lankton said she helped launch a similar campaign, Season of Sharing, in Sarasota in 2000.
"When we were approached last year by our partners, I immediately thought of how the Daily News could help the food pantries during the lean days of summer when the shelves are barest and the needs are the greatest," Lankton said.
The Daily News is honored to partner with the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation and the Community Foundation and United Way of Collier County to shed light on the issue of hunger in Collier County, said Bill Barker, the Daily News president and publisher.
"In a community of enormous wealth, more than 42,000 residents do not know where their next meal is coming from, including 16,000 children who go to school hungry each day," Barker said. "We need to reach out and assist our neighbors who struggle to put food on the table, and make Collier County a healthy, more satisfying place to call home."
Residents who are hungry live throughout the county, from Immokalee to Naples, LeBer said.
"We all live one paycheck away from unexpected disaster," LeBer noted.
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Joel Goldman, Naples
An old friend
I join in the community's welcome to Gannett Co. Inc. as the new parent of the Naples Daily News. I came to Naples from Rochester, New York, in 1997 as a snowbird and became a permanent resident about 10 years ago.
Rochester was the corporate headquarters for Gannett until 1986, when it relocated to Virginia.
Gannett's founding father, Frank Gannett, lived in town where he not only was building his media empire, but was also politically active and a generous contributor to the community.
The Gannett Co. gave birth to USA Today in 1982, founded by Al Neuharth, who steered it to national success.
So I have been happily reading Gannett newspapers for many moons and enjoying the experience. Likewise, I look forward to my Naples Daily News and coffee each morning.
In part, as a result of its acquisition by Gannett, the future for the Daily News is indeed bright. Being in a growing, upscale market is also a plus for Gannett. Gannett will, however, face the difficult issue of owning two fine publications which overlap each other (referring to the News-Press of Fort Myers).
I would expect Gannett to address this issue with class and decency as Frank Gannett exhibited in his nurturing of the company.
With my best wishes for continued success.
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Walter S. McFarland, Bonita Springs
McFeatters column
Ann McFeatters' column on April 9 was full of distortions and selective use of facts. Let me cover just her unemployment comments.
The last seven years of economic recovery is the slowest since the Great Depression. The Labor Department unemployment figure (U-3) quoted by most of the media grossly understates the true unemployment picture.
The Labor Dept U-6 number is substantially higher than the U-3 number. The U-6 number includes the U-3 figure. But U-6 also includes workers forced to take temporary jobs. It also includes those who are so discouraged that they have stopped looking for work. U-6 also includes workers grossly underemployed an engineer working at a Starbucks, for instance.
There are more than 90,000,000 capable Americans who are not working and not paying income taxes.
The Labor Department employment participation rate is the lowest for the past 36 years. In addition, the (non) Affordable Care Act has been a destructive element in our economy. This act has lowered the standard work week to 29 hours or less. Most new jobs for the past seven years have been part time jobs, which Ms. McFeatters forgot to include in her column.
Morgan & Morgan PAs Ft. Myers office looks to raise $5,000 over the month of April to donate to the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida. The effort is led by Scott Weinstein of the offices Complex Litigation Group, whose son has epilepsy.
The firms 15 attorneys and 60 support staff members are looking to raise money in two ways. First, they each pay $5 to participate in the offices casual Fridays. Theyll also be raffling off gift cards and miscellaneous items. The other way theyre raising money is by participating in the Walk the Talk for Epilepsy walk at 9 a.m. on April 17 at North Collier Regional Park.
Morgan & Morgan is proud to participate in fundraising for The Epilepsy Foundation of Florida through the Walk the Talk for Epilepsy 2016, managing partner Brian Vigness said. We have firsthand knowledge of the severe challenges faced by individuals and families dealing with epilepsy. We are once again extremely honored by our employees efforts to raise money and awareness for this terrific organization.
The Epilepsy Foundation of Florida is dedicated to meeting the needs of the more than 400,000 Floridians living with epilepsy and seizures across the state. The money raised provides important services to individuals living with epilepsy.
Morgan & Morgan PA is Morgan & Morgan is a leading personal injury law firm dedicated to protecting the people, not the powerful. Its 300 attorneys provide legal services to clients in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, New York, Pennsylvania, Arkansas and Alabama.
For more information, contact: Laura Wood, 12800 University Drive, Suite 600, Fort Myers, FL 33907 239-433-6880 http://www.forthepeople.com/fort-myers/
Backseat Drivers: Can Logano go all the way this year? Alex Weaver, Mamba Smith, and Kim Coon discuss whether Joey Logano has an advantage with his early lock-in to the Championship 4.
Toni Bright, Chief Compliance Officer, CoesterVMS (PRNewsFoto/CoesterVMS) PR NEWSWIRE
CALIFORNIA
PLEASANTON
Ellie Mae said that Alex Hughes has joined the company as vice president of investor relations.
Hughes brings to the firm nearly two decades of investor relations and financial markets experience.
Prior to Ellie Mae, he served with Dolby Laboratories, Chegg Inc. and Sun Microsystems.
HAWAII
HONOLULU
Collateral Analytics has appointed Robert Walker as senior vice president of customer retention and acquisition technologies.
Walker is a veteran of the real estate data and analytics industry and joins Collateral Analytics from Lender Processing Services where he led the team that developed the Realtor Valuation Model for the National Association of Realtors.
INDIANA
INDIANAPOLIS
Stonegate Mortgage Corp. said that Michael Bender has returned to the company and been named East regional manager.
Bender has over 10 years of experience in the mortgage industry and most recently worked as regional sales director at ACH Trust, a division of Towne Mortgage.
Previously, he served as business development manager at Stonegate Mortgage, as well as business development manager at ICBA Mortgage and regional manager at Genworth Home Equity.
MARYLAND
BETHESDA
Walker & Dunlop Inc. said that Mitch Resnick had joined Walker & Dunlop Commercial Property Funding, its commercial mortgage-backed securities lending platform, as managing director.
He will oversee WDCPF capital markets executions with responsibility over pricing, hedging, securitizations and investor relations.
Resnick previously served at Freddie Mac as vice president of capital markets and also as a vice president at Goldman Sachs in its real estate finance group.
ROCKVILLE
CoesterVMS, a national appraisal management company, has hired former Iowa appraisal board regulator Toni Bright as chief compliance officer.
Bright brings to the firm experience in real estate and compliance, having been in charge of multiple boards for the State of Iowa as a regulator for the last 10 years.
MASSACHUSETTS
BOSTON
Boston Private said that Charles Nilsen has joined the company as senior vice president and national director of residential lending.
Nilsen brings more than 30 years of experience in the financial industry to his new role.
Prior to joining Boston Private, he served as New England regional sales manager at EverBank, and also held the roles of area manager at Wells Fargo and New England regional manager at JPMorganChase.
TEXAS
HOUSTON
Sutherland Mortgage Services, a division of Sutherland Global Services, has named Michael Danlag as head of mortgage servicing and Kim Hoffman as head of mortgage operations.
Danlag joins Sutherland after working at PHH Mortgage as vice president of loan servicing and post-closing.
Hoffman was most recently chief operations officer for Morgan Stanley's residential lending unit.
Are you a mortgage professional who recently changed jobs? Let us know! Send your announcement and photo (if available) to Glenn McCullom at glenn.mccullom@sourcemedia.com.
While in Slovakia (15 April 2016), the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, General Petr Pavel met with the Slovak Minister of Defence, Mr. Petr Gajdos and Chief of Defence of the Slovak Armed Forces, General Milan Maxim.
The meeting with the Minister of Defence of Slovakia, Mr. Petr Gajdos was an opportunity to discuss a number of topics, including Slovak defence priorities, the implementation of the Readiness Action Plan, and long-term military adaptation. The Chairman praised Slovakia for its decision to host one of the eight NATO Force Integration Units on its territory and for its commitment to increase the national defence budget: "I welcome Slovakias pledge to increase its defence spending to 1.6% by 2020. It is vital that we invest in our security to ensure modern and effective capabilities as well as ready, mobile and responsive forces.
The Chairman also commended Slovakia for its contributions to NATOs operations and missions, specifically highlighting the role Slovakia plays in Afghanistan, stating Slovak soldiers are training Afghan Security Forces in our Resolute Support Mission and you provide valuable financial support to the Afghanistan National Army Trust Fund.
During his bilateral meeting with Lt General Maxim, General Pavel acknowledged Slovakias priorities and commitments to modernisation and capability development, as demonstrated by recent and planned acquisitions as well as the continued development of Special Operation Forces capabilities: "It is important to adapt to new challenges. NATO is adapting. Slovakia is adapting. This shows our resolve to stand by each other.
Hypocrite in a pantsuit
The Clinton campaign received far more money from the drug and medical device industries than any other presidential candidate in either party during the first six months of the campaign, according to figures compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. She accepted $164,315 during that period.
Bernie's the honest one
(NaturalNews) She likes to bill herself as a, the common folk, the unwashed masses. But unlike her chief opponent, Hillary Clinton is one of the most bought-and-paid-for presidential candidates we've had in a number of election cycles.Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is challenging Clinton for the Democrat presidential nomination , can rightfully boast that he's not owned by entire industries the way the former U.S. senator and first lady is, and that is especially true of Big Pharma.In fact, according to, the daily newspaper that covers Congress and the White House, Clinton is by far the largest recipient of drug money this election cycle.As further reported by, a national publication from Boston Globe Media Partners that launched last fall, though Clinton said during a recent interview she was proud to be an enemy of the drug companies, she is hypocritically taking huge sums of their money (by comparison, Sanders' campaign returned a $2,700 contribution from that rat fink Martin Shkreli , the now-indicted CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, the company that hiked prices for a life-saving drug by 4,000 percent overnight.Asreported further:That massive figure does not include third-quarter contributions, which were being filed with the Federal Election Commission at the time of the report. While the donors mostly represent individuals who are affiliated with Big Pharma, they include at least two senior executives of a company that recently imposed massive drug price increases on patients.Both Clinton and Sanders have promised to crack down on drug pricing, both for hard-to-treat diseases and medications in wide use that have been around for decades. The difference, obviously, is that Sanders is much more serious about the issue.While Clinton has already laid out a plan to attack the drug companies , she has been accepting major contributions from individuals within the pharmaceutical industry (they, too, must think she isn't serious). For instance, she has received contributions form two execs at Jazz Pharmaceuticals, which recently raised prices on a drug used to treat sleep disorders by 800 percent, from $2 a pill to $19.Both of those executives, chief executive Bruce Cozadd and Robert McKague, a senior vice president, gave Clinton the maximum individual amount of $2,700.Josh Schwerin, a Clinton spokesman, when asked whether his boss would continue to accept Big Pharma donations, said she is "committed to protecting consumers from drug companies who put profits ahead of people." So, in other words,she will.During a recent Democrat presidential debate when asked what enemies they were proudest of, Sanders and Clinton both said drug companies. But of course not all Democratic activists are buying Clinton's so-called pledge."I do think she should give it back," said Roger Hickey, co-director of Campaign for America's Future, a liberal group that seeks to convince all presidential contenders to commit to battling rising drug prices. "She should show that she's serious about cutting out the influence of the drug companies so she can be sure that her reforms will be fair."Continuing, he told, "This is one of those issues where voters want to get beyond the sound bites. The Democratic Party has a sad history of saying one thing during election years and doing another when they're in power."That said, the Sanders campaign has taken some money from people affiliated with Big Pharma $8,346 during the first months of the campaign, all from individuals, though."We don't accept pharmaceutical PAC checks. Never have. Never will. But if you work as a drug researcher or hold another job and support Bernie, we welcome your help," said campaign spokesman Michael Briggs.
Benefits of homeschooling
85th percentile while the public school students [average] in the 50th percentile on nationally standardized achievement tests
Can I go to court for homeschooling?
(NaturalNews) Around 3% of US children are homeschooled every year for a variety of reasons, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The most common reason for homeschooling is that the parents of the child are concerned about the environment in schools or don't feel that their children are making enough progress.This was certainly the case when Tiffany and Anthony Swearengin from Missouri decided that the school environment wasn't working well for their children and notified the school that they would be homeschooling. As reported by, the Swearengins were shocked to later receive a Notice from the chief deputy juvenile officer in Douglas Country, Missouri, stating that they would be required to appear before the Truancy Court of 44th Judicial Circuit, at the Juvenile Court Center.After causing alarm and telling the Swearengins that "the above named juvenile [would] be placed in the legal custody of the Missouri Children's Division" if the parents failed to attend the "mandatory hearing," the corrupt city officials were found to have literally just fabricated an illegal court to scare and threaten the parents into returning their revenue-generating children to the school.According to, Tiffany Swearengin was asked by Assistant Superintendent Mike Henry "if there was anything the public school could have done to keep them from withdrawing their children to homeschool, since now the school would be receiving less money from the state."No such court legally exists, and after an investigation by the Home School Legal Defense Association, the letter has been labelled as "improper intimidation and retaliation against any parent who withdraws a child from public school to lawfully homeschool."Some jurisdictions do run "informal" programs that are sometimes called a " truancy court " to encourage regular school attendance but the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) states that such programs "don't try to trick people or scare them into thinking they are in a real court. They are honest and transparent."The Swearengins are not the first parents in the US to opt out of the state-run school system in favor of homeschooling their children. According to BodyMindSoulSpirit.com, there is a multitude of reasons to homeschool your child It is thought that, by homeschooling you can teach your child to read within a few months spending just 10 15 minutes each day and using the "sounding out" technique. Meanwhile, the Common Core curriculum for mathematics has been brought into question because it's just a little bit "fuzzy" meaning that children are now struggling with basic math problems and need to use their hands for multiplication.According to the HSLDA, homeschooled students score in the "." Furthermore, homeschooled students are thought to be up to seven years ahead of public school children when it comes to reasoning skills and one year ahead academically.Quality of education aside, the food served at schools is leading to a health crisis as school lunches are mostly made up of processed foods and an increasing amount of school meals contain GMO products . While the US government continues to allow schools to poison our children with processed, sugar-laden foods that are packed full of GMO products there's yet another reason to homeschool your child.According to the lawsuit by the Home School Legal Defense Association in the case of the Swearengins, "the notice to appear in this case is not a lawfully issued notice to appear in a lawfully established court in spite of its appearance and 'mandatory' nature. The Missouri Code establishing the court system of Missouri does not establish 'truancy' courts."Homeschooling is legal as long as you abide by the laws of your home state as stated by, some states have few or no requirements, whereas others ask for portfolio reviews or standardized testing at intervals to check the progress of your child.
The controversy of our food labeling system
Wasting a perfect all-natural product
(NaturalNews) For three generations, the Ocheesee Creamery, a tiny family-owned dairy farm located in Grand Ridge, Florida, has skimmed milk the old-fashioned way to produce the most natural cream, ice cream, whole milk and butter. For years, they have been selling the byproduct, skim milk, in its most natural form at the local farmers' markets and health food stores.While Mary Lou Wesselhoeft has always had the desire to provide her customers with the most natural products, she's now being forced to dump about 400 gallons of skim milk each day, because a judge in Florida has ruled that they can't call it skim milk because there are no synthetic vitamins added.The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs has now forced her to call the all-natural pasteurized skim milk they produce "imitation milk," or infuse it with synthetic vitamin A, which would make it anything but all-natural "I just want to tell the truth," said Mary Lou Wesselhoeft of Ocheesee Creamery. "Our skim milk was pure skim milk, and nobody was ever confused when we called it skim milk. I refuse to lie to my customers, so I have stopped selling skim milk until I am allowed to tell the truth again."How can it be possible that a perfectly natural product is forced to be labeled as imitation The dictionary definition of skim milk is simply milk with the cream removed. Even Chief Judge Robert Hinkle couldn't deny that."You know something's been removed in order to make it skim milk," Judge Hinkle said."It's hard to call this imitation milk. It came right out of the cow," Hinkle said. "Anyone who reads imitation skim milk would think it didn't come out of a cow."However, he could not rule in favor of the creamery, because this would go against the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as well as the state laws upon which the food labeling system is based. Judge Hinkle added that most of the skim milk sold in stores has added vitamins to comply with state laws.The Department of Agriculture notes that under state and federal law, skim milk can't be sold as skim milk unless vitamins in the milk fat are replaced so that it has the same nutritional value as whole milk."Consumers have the expectation they'll get a certain amount of nutrition," Davis said. "(Ocheesee's milk) is not skim milk and that disclaimer of imitation accurately portrays that. It's either they make their product skim milk or they sell it as imitation."Mary Lou and Paul Wesselhoeft have refused to add synthetic vitamin A to their skim milk, nor will they call their natural product imitation milk.The Wesselhoefts and their attorneys note that the state is violating their First Amendment rights by forcing them to label something they say it is not. The creamery's attorney, Justin Pearson of the Institute for Justice, will not accept the decision, and plans to appeal the case to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals."Her entire business is based on selling pure, all-natural items and that's exactly why her customers purchase dairy items from her. So the idea of being forced to label one of these all-natural dairy items as imitation is absurd," he said. "It would be disastrous to her business."While this may take months, the creamery will continue to sell other natural dairy products , such as whole milk, cheese and butter. However, they will have to disappoint at least some of their customers, since Florida has made it impossible for them to sell skim milk. They will also be forced to keep wasting thousands of gallons of all natural skim milk, thanks to absurd state rules.
"Lots of discussions going on" between Costco and farmers
Other efforts demonstrate company's desire to provide people with healthier options
Moving on from negative issues of the past?
(NaturalNews) In response to the growing desire by Americans to consume more organic foods , Costco has announced its recent effort to work with farmers to help them buy land and equipment that will enable them to grow organics. The more organics that are grown means the more organics that Costco will be able to supply its customers; Costco will be better poised to meet the growing demand for these healthier foods as a result.The move is a logical one.After all, consumer demand is unraveling at seemingly warp speeds according to the Organic Trade Association, organic food sales have soared from $11.13 billion in 2004 to $35.95 billion in 2014 a pace that the store is having difficulty keeping up with. "We cannot get enough organics to stay in business day in and day out," Costco CEO Craig Jelinek told investors at a shareholder meeting.Right now, the plan is only in the beginning stages. At the moment, Costco is working with just one partner on this effort with a plan that involves loaning money to help San Diego-based Andrew and Williamson Fresh Produce buy equipment as well as more than 1,000 acres of land inthe Mexican state of Baja California."By helping them with financing, we got access to and purchased about 145,000 cases of organicraspberries that we normally would not have access to," said Jeff Lyons, Costco's senior vice president of fresh foods.Costco has similar future plans in mind, including working with a large group that has operations in Chile and Mexico."There are lots of discussions going on," Lyons said. "The challenge for the farmer is: 'We may go down this road and what happens if something bad happens?' We have to make sure we don't get them in a position of financial trouble. We need to make sure the loans are totally secure. If it doesn't work out for them, we want to continue to buy conventional from them to make sure they're A-OK."Additionally, Costco began working with a Mexican vendor a couple of years ago in an effort to obtain wild shrimp from the Sea of Cortez. Undoubtedly, this move is a necessary one that would enable the company to break away from their role in supplying the demand for and therefore supporting slave labor and human trafficking involving shrimp caught in Southeast Asia.Costco has also taken measures to, shall we say, beef up their supply of organic ground beef; over the past year, they've contracted with organic field owners in Nebraska and purchased cattle as well so ranchers there can raise livestock that will help ensure that the company will have asufficient supply for their organic ground beef program Such initiatives may help the company distance themselves from the negative publicity they've attracted. They've been involved in a fair share of eyebrow-raising situations through the years, from their role in supporting slave-labor shrimp processing to responding too slowly about whether or not they would sell GMO salmon (they ultimately opted not to).They've also faced issues brought on by people with nothing better to do than sue others, as was the case when the family of Robert Harris, who choked and died from a piece of steak given to him as a free sample from a California Costco store, sued Costco.The fact that Costco has stepped up to the plate to work with farmers in order to meet the growing demand for organic food is certainly commendable. It demonstrates that they're paying attention to the fact that people are concerned about what's in their food supply and that they're steadily gravitating towards organic choices.On the other hand, it would have been nice if the company had worked with farmers in this manner all along without the imbalance in organic food supply and customer demand (and store profit) acting as a key motivator. But at least the initiative is in place in what will hopefully end up being a successful, ongoing farm-to-market effort.
America's 'Fight For 15' fast food worker protesters are unskilled at everything except playing victims... here's how they can bully their way to $100 / hour while burning down their own communities Friday, April 15, 2016
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
Tags: Fight for 15, crybullies, minimum wage protests
(NaturalNews) We now have an economy where instead of young people going to college and learning skills that earn them decent money, they attend politically correct universities that teach crybully tactics to churn out "social justice warriors" who rely on "mob-onomics" to try to extort money out of local employers.
Welcome to the "Fight for 15" crybully protests which are largely focused on fast food workers who demand $15 / hour wages for the simple reason that they need 'mo money! What's the strategy for achieving such wages... do they boost their skills and value, then professionally negotiate with employers? Nope. They shout down their opponents and battle with police, believing that they alone have a unique generational right to bully their way to "economic justice" by demanding money be transferred out of the paper thin margins of small business owners and into their own pockets (so they can buy more pot, of course, 'cuz it's legal and everything).
While it sucks to earn minimum wage in America, the obvious answer to resolving a personal income deficiency is to learn more skills that hold value for prospective employers. But today's college-educated, P.C. aligned victimtards aren't interested in becoming more skilled... they're only interested in becoming more belligerent and intimidating to their employment opposition. With enough kicking and screaming, they figure, society will cave in and give them all $15 / hour. After all, kicking and screaming worked with mommy and daddy... and it even worked with their "safe space" college professors, too. So why not try it in the jobs market, too?
If society rewards this kind of behavior, it will only be amplified even more Sadly, today's hyper-sensitized (and economically illiterate) political leaders will probably give in to all this temper tantrum crybully behavior. If they surrender to the "Fight for 15" demands, they will only be emboldening "social justice warriors" to threaten even more violence for even higher pay.
If screaming and marching and bullying local police can earn them a $15 / hour minimum wage, then smashing out all the windows of local businesses might garner $20 / hour. And if that gets them some crybully traction, the next step obviously involves setting fire to local businesses while demanding $25 / hour. It's all for "justice," right? So there's no limit to where this goes as long as weak-spined bureaucrats keep rewarding this collective victimtard behavior with increased pay.
It's kind of like a kidnap-and-ransom operation where the kidnappers cut off the toes of your family member and demand you send them a bag of money. After they get that bag of money, they start slicing off ears and thumbs because you keep paying! You're behaviorally conditioning these people to throw ever more catastrophic rage tantrums by financially rewarding them for doing so. It's sort of a reverse Pavlovian tragedy playing out in the world's largest street theater operation that's ever been pulled off.
Before long, we will have enraged masses of self-righteous youth setting off pipe bombs all over town while demanding $50 / hour. It's not domestic terrorism if you're already a victim, you see. It's called "social justice," and pipe bombs are only the beginning. With enough gasoline and petroleum jelly, they can even build flamethrowers to burn down the very businesses they are attempting to extort, all while collecting government food stamps and housing subsidies because they made themselves unemployed when they destroyed the economic viability of the local economy. (Quick, somebody blame Donald Trump!)
How to solve America's unemployment problem and make everybody extremely wealthy using tactical nukes As you might have guessed, this economic problem can be readily solved with government jobs programs. One group of young crybully terrorists can be hired by the federal government to run around cities, setting fire to buildings and public infrastructure. Another group can follow in their footsteps under FEMA disaster recovery grants, toting fire extinguishers and water buckets, putting out the fires and thereby creating massive economic growth at the local level.
This all stems from Crybully Economics 101: The way to get paid to fix something is to first destroy it (or threaten to). The more credible the threat, the more you get paid.
Such an arrangement unleashes a joyful utopia of economic opportunities for victimtards and any government willing to pander to their demands. Roving bands of hammer-wielding youth can smash out windows while another group repairs them using government subsidies. Youth gangs armed with machetes can chop down orchards and vineyards while a follow-up group plants trees to save the Earth. Particularly privileged youth groups can use eco-friendly power tools to drill large holes in freight ships docked at ports, while another group can earn a fortune running government subsidized ship salvage operations that recover the sunken treasure. (Or oil slicks, or whatever... does it really matter?)
The more you follow the "Fight for 15" logic, the more you realize the ultimate economic expansion in America comes from nuking our own large cities, then hiring recently unemployed workers to rebuild them. It worked in Iraq, didn't it? Read Confessions of an Economic Hitman to learn how the war racket really operates...
Sooner or later, so much of the population will have been slaughtered with radiation poisoning -- and so many cities will have been destroyed -- that the demand curve for disaster recovery labor will push minimum wages up to $100 / hour. Mission accomplished! (And don't mind the radiation... it's good for you, just like GMOs!)
If only the Pentagon's nuclear arsenal were turned inward, destroying domestic targets, we would finally achieve equality and social justice, you see. As today's youth are repeatedly taught in college, in order to achieve true economic equality, you must first destroy those who are not yet as poor as yourself. When everyone is equally impoverished, that's EQUALITY. And today, that economic destruction begins with the fast food industry, which will either suffer a wave of bankruptcies under $15-an-hour wage laws or rapidly replace human workers with automation system, thereby permanently rendering human employees obsolete.
Get ready for years of mob violence and crybully extortion demands Either way, we are all about to witness many years of mob violence and crybully street protests demanding money, housing, food and free mobile phones... all carried out in the name of "social justice" and blared through the loud mouths of the self-declared privileged class of professional whiners and victimtards who only halt their activities briefly to change their Pampers (or cry for mommy).
Summer training camp sign-ups have been announced at MIZZOU. Hurry! They're being taught by Melissa Harris-Perry and Univ. of Missouri journobully Melissa Click. Former Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields will be giving special demonstrations on how to fake personal injuries to get other people arrested while screaming that you're the victim.
Summer camp events include Mr. Big Boss shout-a-thon melee training as well as practical safety / survival courses like "How to escape the burning building you just set on fire while you were standing in it." Prizes will be given out to survivors, including vaccines with extra mercury (it makes you smarter!) and all-you-can-eat food buffets sponsored by Monsanto and Archer Daniels Midland.
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Public interest groups challenge labeling restrictions
A violation of First Amendment rights?
Herbal molecule protects liver from alcohol damage
(NaturalNews) Through a decade of research, the son of a pharmaceutical technician from Hyderabad, India, discovered a naturally occurring molecule called NTX that largely protects the liver from the adverse health effects of drinking alcohol.Harsha Chigurupati founded Chigurupati Technologies in 2006 before partnering with Bellion Vodka to create an alcoholic beverage infused with NTX, which could reduce harm to the liver by up to 93 percent, according to clinical trials Needless to say, the technology is revolutionary. But there's just one problem: The government is preventing it from reaching the masses.Because health claims on alcoholic beverages are prohibited under the U.S. Treasury's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau the agency responsible for regulating marketing claims on alcoholic beverages, among other things Chigurupati Technologies and Bellion Vodka cannot market their product for what it is. Instead, they are forced to use extremely vague language describing the beverage as a "smarter way to drink."However, that could change, because for the first time ever, TTB's labeling restrictions are being challenged through a health claim petition backed by Chigurupati Technologies and public interest groups The Coalition for Safer Drinking and Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty.The groups banded together for a 9:30 A.M. ET press conference Wednesday April 13 in Washington D.C. at the National Press Club to discuss their plan of action.The health claim petition , reaching around one thousand pages in length, seeks action from the TTB, specifically requesting that the developers of NTX be permitted to state the "factual health benefits" of Bellion Vodka and other functional spirits, said Linda Parry, CEO of Product Launchers, the public relations firm representing CFSD.The health claim is a precursor to a lawsuit, Parry told. If the TTB refuses to grant their request, a lawsuit will be filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. It remains unclear when the bureau will respond, she said, adding this is "uncharted territory for the governing body."Speakers at the event include Ian Bress, Chief Financial Officer of Bellion Vodka; Harsha Chigurupati; William Hennessy, spokesman for CFSD; Norm Singleton, President of Campaign for Liberty; and Jonathan W. Emord, an attorney with Emord & Associates, P.C. and author of the book The Rise of Tyranny Chigurupati Technologies and the public interest groups plan "to confront the TTB's use of excessive governmental regulations, cronyism and financial gain in the $1.2 trillion a year alcoholic beverages industry," according to a press release generated by CFSD.A team of PhD scientists working for Chigurupati Technologies were able to find a way "to counter the negative health effects of alcohol," the press release continues."Their work has led to the discovery of a proprietary compound, NTX , which proved in clinical testing to protect the liver from potential damage caused by moderate/social alcohol consumption and to reduce the amount of DNA damage associated with alcohol ingestion."To learn more about how NTX works and the government's war against it, click here to purchase a copy ofAdvocates for safer drinking argue that the government's ban on labeling health claims on alcoholic beverages is a violation of First Amendment rights."Despite the claims of modern 'progressive' judges, law professors, politicians, and attorneys, the First Amendment makes no distinction between commercial, political, or other types of speech," said Singleton with Campaign for Liberty."It simply says the federal government cannot restrict speech. Therefore, laws censoring speech aimed at convincing someone to purchase a certain product are just as unconstitutional as laws censoring speech aimed at convincing someone to vote for a certain candidate."As Natural News reported in recent months, Chigurupati Technologies has substantial research backing up claims that the NTX molecule, made in part from licorice root extract and sugar alcohol , shields the liver from the damaging effects of alcohol consumption."This may be the closest thing to a 'miracle cure' for liver disease, cirrhosis and liver cancer that's ever been discovered. Yet nobody in the pharmaceutical industry has ever mentioned it," Health Ranger Mike Adams wrote in February.When reached out to TTB inquiring about their restrictive labeling policies, Congressional and Public Affairs Director Tom Hogue said the "matter is currently under investigation," adding that he was unable to comment at the time of our request.We also contacted the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to see if they had any authority over labeling alcoholic beverage health claims in the Lone Star State; Marketing Practices Coordinator Mary Aiello said that responsibility lies in the hands of the federal government.In other words, individual states have no control over labeling on alcoholic beverages.Stay tuned for updates ascontinues to follow this story. http://www.naturalnews.com [PDF]
Ahead of a trial in the state of Washington to determine whether the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) intentionally violated campaign finance disclosure laws, the organization said it relied on the advice of outside counsel in forming an account with millions of dollars in contributions from the likes of Coca-Cola, Nestle and PepsiCo.
The trial was postponed on April 11, so that the office of Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson could review GMAs conversations with its lawyers regarding an account that funded a campaign designed to defeat a 2013 food-labeling ballot initiative.
In March, Thurston County Superior Court Judge Anne Hirsch ruled GMA violated state law by failing to register as a political committee and report its contributions from its members to defeat Initiative-522. In the fall of 2013, Washington voters rejected the ballot measure, which called for labeling of foods containing GMOs (genetically modified organisms).
The trade association, which received roughly US$11 million to defeat the initiative, didnt disclose the individual contributions of its members, and in reporting its initial contribution on June 10, 2013, it listed the contributors name as Grocery Manufacturers," Hirsch noted in her March 9 opinion.
Of the $14 million GMA raised from its members in solicitations for a new account, PepsiCo alone contributed nearly $3 million, while Nestle and Coca-Cola funded upwards of $2 million each, according to Fergusons office.
Hirsch can impose treble" or triple damages if she determines GMA intentionally violated the law. A 1976 ballot initiative that was approved by Washington voters requires the disclosure of political campaign expenditures to the public.
Fergusons team sought to prevent GMA from introducing evidence of its conversations with its lawyers, arguing the disclosure was untimely. Hirsch postponed the trial until Aug. 15, so the state could review the evidence.
This attempt to introduce records at the last minute, after resisting our efforts to obtain them earlier in the process, continues GMAs pattern of trying to hide the ball from the people of Washington," Ferguson said in a statement.
In response to such criticism, GMA reported notifying the state on March 30 that it was waiving the attorney-client privilege concerning relevant meetings in which its outside counsel was present. The trade association also notified the state that its outside counsel could be available for deposition, but possibly not before the April 11 trial.
The state has continuously claimed a flagrant violation and an elaborate scheme, and having been unable to prove that, has deliberately tried to suppress the facts that actually disprove it," GMA said in a statement. GMA will show the Court a careful and law-abiding organization that proceeded under the guidance of lawyers, and the state wants to suppress this information."
GMA Changed Strategy Following Victory in California
Initiative-522 was not the first GMO-labeling ballot measure that was defeated after large sums were donated by the food industry. A campaign to defeat Californias Proposition 37 in 2012 raised $39 million, and roughly half of the funds were contributed by food manufacturers, GMA noted in its trial brief. The trade association said it only contributed about $2 million.
The defeat of Californias ballot initiative came at a steep price. As Hirsch pointed out, some GMA members and staff received negative responses from the public and the supporters of the California initiative, including death threats."
At a meeting on Feb. 28, 2013, GMAs board of directors voted to create an account, the Defense of Brand (DOB) account, for the express and specific purpose of shielding the contributions members made from scrutiny and to eliminate filing requirements for contributing members," Hirsch noted.
Louis Finkel, GMAs executive vice president of government affairs, conceived the idea of the account before he was aware of Washingtons ballot initiative, according to GMAs trial brief. Pamela Bailey, president and CEO of the trade group, supported the plan.
Noted GMA: Mr. Finkel believed that the DOB account would vest GMA with substantial funds it could employ flexibly across the nation at its own discretion; raise those funds through a predictable, semi-annual dues assessment against interested members; make GMA the lead GMO-labeling spokesperson for the grocery industry that its mission required; give members budget certainty; and permit GMA to disclose future GMA contributions as coming from GMA rather than an individual member thus, to the extent possible, avoid targeting smaller members for retaliation."
The trade association denied Finkel or Bailey believed disclosures limited to GMA contributions could impact the outcome of Washingtons ballot initiative.
During the Feb. 28 board meeting, GMAs outside counsel was present. William MacLeod, a partner with the law firm of Kelley, Drye & Warren, described the account as brilliant and creative" in communications with Finkel, GMA noted.
Mr. MacLeod expressed no reservation about going forward with the DOB account and treating its expenditures as GMA contributions," the trade organization declared in its brief. Mr. Finkel and Ms. Bailey relied on this advice in determining that the DOB account was not a Washington political committee and could treat itself solely as a unitary contributor under Washington disclosure law."
Hirsch reached a different conclusion. She found GMA violated Washingtons public campaign finance laws by failing to register as a political committee and knowingly hiding the actual source of the funds it received to oppose the GMO-labeling ballot measure.
There is one, and only one, reasonable inference that can be drawn from the facts before this court: that the GMA intentionally took steps to create and then hide the true source of the funds in the DOB account from the voting public of Washington State," the judge wrote in her opinion.
Bardsey Island is located two miles across Lleyn Peninsula in North Whales. This tiny island is only 2.5 kilometers long and one kilometer across. Most of the land areas consist of farmlands. It is currently owned and managed by the Bardsey Island Trust in coordination with the Natural Resources Wales because the British island is also recognized as a National Reserve.
According to BBC, the island doesn't have much signs of industrialization. There are no paved roads, electricity and even modern toilet. The population on the island holds the largest sheep-to-person ratio. BBC said, "The population includes 200 grey seals, 300 sheep and just four year-round humans - making the island's sheep-to-person ratio larger than even that of New Zealand." While the largest human population recorded were 140 residents during the 19th century.
Bardsey is also known as the "island of 20,000 saints." It is considered as a Holy island because of a monastery built on the island in the year 516 during the Medieval times. Since then, it has become a Christian pilgrimage site, especially during the middle ages.
In a report by the Daily Mail, they said that the name "island of the 20,000 saints" originated from folklores, which say that the island was a burial site of 20,000 "saints" and religious people during the middle ages.
There are also legends associated with the island, according to the same BBC report. They said, "Bardsey was sacred to Celtic druids, and that it was the real Avalon where King Arthur was buried." Other historical characters believed to be buried on the island include Welsh kings of Llyn and St. Cadfan, the saint who built a monastery on the island. The folklore also states that during the middle ages, it is believed that anyone who died on the island will not go to hell. This is why the island is considered sacred up to this day.
Today, it is popular for tourists who want to witness the serenity on the island while surrounded by sheep. There is also one shop that tourists can visit when on the Holy Island. However, there's no shop attendant, only a lock box to deposit your cash. There's also fishing and bird watching on the island.
There is one operational farm on the island and a private boat operator, who services people who want to go to the island. The trips are regular but weather dependent during the winter.
Others might think there's not much to see in Britain's Holy island, but Richard Farmer, Chairman of the Bardsey Island Trust, said in an interview with BBC, "What Bardsey has that other islands don't have is they are wildlife islands, conservation islands." He also said that they are trying their best to keep the island as a living community.
The boat operator, Collin Evans, also believes in the beauty the island has to offer. Like the other admirers of the island, he believes that deserves to be maintained and preserved, "They may be comparatively remote today, but years ago they were in the world's traffic."
The Telegraph has selected New Zealand for the fourth time as the best country to visit for their Travel Awards. This selection was based on the votes of more than 75,000 readers. The Telegraph also gives 26 reasons why New Zealand has topped the chart.
This includes the amazing mountainous terrain that contributes to its splendid landscapes, the long beaches with the extraordinary sunset and the popular vineyard locations like Hawke's Bay, Martinborough, Marlborough and Central Otago. In fact, the middle earth that we see in the movie "Lord Of The Rings" is taken in New Zealand. The strong ties between New Zealand and Britain were also recognized in this selection.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the first case of sexually transmitted Zika Virus in the U.S.
According to the report of CDC, the first reported case of sexual transmission of Zika virus occurred in Dallas, Texas. For their protection, CDC dubbed both the patients as Patient A and Patient B. Patient A and B has been a together for 10 years.
After two days of his return to Dallas from his visit to Venezuela, Patient A reported experiencing a fever, pink eye and a rash in his upper body and face. Within three days, Patient A recovered but his partner, Patient B, suddenly developed similar symptoms -- pink eye, fever and rash.
Both patients admitted that they had anal sex without using condoms one day before Patient A developed any symptoms and one day after Patient A recovered. Both patients claim that they are in a monogamous relationship.
According to the report from National Public Radio, the assistant of the physician who checked both patients thought of possible sexual transmission of Zika virus between the couple. The physician's assistant then collected blood samples from both patients.
Urine, saliva and sperm samples were also taken from both patients after a few days. Even if the Zika virus is not detectable in either of the patients' samples, a thorough analysis showed that Patient B has been infected with Zika.
Patient B never went to any known Zika virus hotspot. Researchers also ruled out the possibility of Patient B getting bitten by a mosquito. Due to the cold weather in Dallas in January, the larvae of Aedes aegypti mosquito would not survive. Mosquito traps that were laid around the home of the couple only managed to get hold of different species of mosquito that are not known to carry Zika.
CDC gave their gratitude to the couple who came forward and their health care provider for reporting their case. CDC also encouraged other clinicians and public health officials to report suspected sexually transmitted cases of the Zika virus to their local health department to further understand the biology of the case.
Few days ago, CDC has also confirmed that pregnant women infected with the Zika virus has higher risk of giving birth to a baby with microcephaly.
The China State Council said 357 government officials are facing expulsion and major repercussions the news about the tainted vaccine scandal erupted. The Chinese government said that the illegal sale of improperly stored vaccines will cost hundreds of officials their job, as per CNN.
So far, 192 criminal charges were filed, according to BBC. The illegally transported and improperly stored vaccines were allegedly sent to 59 health institutions. The Chinese community was greatly displeased with the scandal. Some argued that the government should have acted abruptly since the illegal vaccine ring had been reportedly operational in China since 2011.
In another report by CNN, there are over $88 million or 570 million Yuan worth of vaccines illegally sold in China over a period of several years. Some pharmaceutical companies involved in the illegal trade were also ordered to cease operations to aid the investigations.
China has been plagued by health and food issues; that's why when the news about the recent vaccine scandal broke, the Chinese community went berserk.
Aside from the economic implications of losing millions of dollars to illegal trade, another pressing issue concerning this scandal is the safety of the medicines which are illegally transported and improperly stored.
The World Health Organization (WHO) in China said that vaccines tend to lose their efficacy if handled incorrectly. The vaccines are intended for children. The illegal vaccine trade will not only affect the economy but bears a bigger impact on the health of children in China.
With the tainted vaccine scandal looming all over the country, BBC quoted the English-language China Daily who said that parents are having reservations about the government's credibility and have even stopped their kids' vaccination.
The punishment of local officials gave the impression that the culture of impunity in Chinese government can be avoided. According to Beijing News via BBC, the action of the government is a warning to certain officials that they could not hide illegal actions.
The community is hopeful that by pointing out the organizer of the illegal vaccine ring and by punishing the hundreds of officials tasked to manage the countries affairs, the illegal vaccine syndicates in China will finally be put to an end.
"I am allergic to myself" 28-year old Julie Reid said during her interview ABC's Tampa Bay affiliate WFTS.
Reid was diagnosed to have a rare immunological condition called cholinergic urticaria three years ago causing her to change her lifestyle tremendously.
Cholinergic urticaria, according to National Organization for Rare Disorders, is an immune system disorder that causes the skin to have an immediate reaction or hypersensitivity to heat, emotional stress and/or exercise.
This skin condition makes Reid to break out in hives all over her body because she has become allergic to her own sweat and tears, ABC News reported.
"You don't realize how much your body sweats until you become allergic to it," Reid wrote on her personal blog explaining how her condition affected how she lives her life.
"I am allergic to my own sweat (and tears). Me, out of all people, someone who was so physically active every day and loved being out in the sun," Reid shared.
Julie Reid, a 28-year old Florida resident was diagnosed with cholinergic urticaria causing her to allergic to her own sweat and tears.
Reid has been living in Florida for eight and a half years and worked as a gymnast and dance instructor. But due to her condition, she quit her job. Enjoying the outside scenery is also impossible for her because Florida heat is too much.
Simple tasks such as showering and vacuum cleaning can also make her break into hives. Depression has also struck Reid. She developed agoraphobia and has also gained more than 100 pounds. With no job, Reid has lost her source of income and her health insurance.
To add up to her burdens, the government has denied her disability assistance and benefits. She has to sell her furniture just to make ends meet. Her medications and check up is not that cheap either.
After three years of suffering from the rare disease. Reid is now imploring for help. For more information about Julie Reid, and how to help her, you can visit her personal website.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge trekked through blue pine forests to visit a famed Buddhist monastery in Bhutan on Friday during their weeklong tour of South Asia.
Taktsang Monastery, also known as Tiger's Nest, clings to the side of a cliff. Once Prince William and his wife, the former Kate Middleton, reached it, they greeted monks in maroon robes and lit butter-fueled ritual lamps.
They listened to a guide tell the history and legends surrounding Buddhism's most sacred monastery complex in Bhutan, built in 1692 at an altitude of 3,000 meters (10,000 feet). According to one legend, an 8th-century Buddhist master flew to the site on the back of a tigress and subdued a local demon before staying three months to meditate.
It normally takes locals more than two hours to make the steep climb, but the royal couple climbing hand-in-hand were a bit faster. "The royal couple climbed very fast," Bhutan's information secretary, Kinley Dorji, told the Associated Press.
Halfway up, the prince told reporters the view was "absolutely stunning."
Horses were kept at the ready in case the royals became tired, but they did not use them.
William's father, Prince Charles, had planned to make the same hike in 1998, but he was injured in a polo match, so instead he stopped before the ascent and painted a scenic picture in watercolor.
On Thursday, the British royals met with Bhutan's popular king and queen and practiced archery, a national sport in the Himalayan country.
The British royals are on a weeklong tour of India and Bhutan. They have already visited Mumbai, New Delhi and the wildlife reserve of Kaziranga National Park in the northeast Indian state of Assam, where they hoped to raise awareness of the plight of endangered rhinos and other animals threatened by poaching and habitat loss.
On Saturday, they plan to return to India and visit the Taj Mahal, retracing the steps of a 1992 visit to the monument of love by William's mother, the late Princess Diana.
One of the largest school districts in the Bay Area is defending its discipline policies after an NBC Bay Area investigation revealed children were being left with arrest records for what some described as just childish misbehavior at school.
One of those students is Kai Segura, now 18, who as a freshman at Leland High School in San Jose, saw a muddy field and slid on it, doing somersaults as friends cheered him on. He saw the yellow tape circling the school lawn. He knew not to do it. But he saw the slippery opportunity, and as a 15-year-old, simply went for it. The stunt, captured on video, landed him with a juvenile arrest record for what he describes as an innocent lapse in judgment.
The quad was blocked off with tape and my friend told me that it would be pretty cool if a freshman went mud sliding, because it was [usually] a senior thing, Kai said, speaking exclusively to NBC Bay Area about what happened three years ago. So I went mud sliding and then I was escorted off the grass by my school resource officer.
Kai was caught up in what is seen by some parents as a larger issue: School administrators call police officers when theres trouble, no matter how big or small a result that can often land teens with hard-to-expunge criminal records.
Critics call the policies Draconian. But at least one school district leader said what happens when the police are called is not the districts problem.
I take care of discipline for the districtand if consequences go beyond that into the legal realm, thats not our purview, thats not our business, said Dane Caldwell-Holden, director of student services for the San Jose Unified School District.
Last year, NBC Bay Area examined 20 of the largest school districts in the Bay Area, and discovered San Jose Unified School District ranked second in the number of students it referred to law enforcement during the 2013-2014 school year, which means school districts with even larger student populations still sent fewer students to police when compared to San Jose Unified.
Referrals to law enforcement can often result in a police officer issuing a juvenile citation to a student, which is equivalent to an arrest. Despite the fact these citations leave students with a juvenile arrest record, San Jose Unified School District says what happens to students once police get involved is not their concern.
Caldwell-Holden has been in his position for three years and said he has worked hard to bring down the number of suspensions and expulsions for students. However, when it comes to the use of police on school campuses, Caldwell-Holden said the district isnt responsible when students end up with criminal records, even if it is the result of minor infractions.
I know what happens when I issue my own consequences, Caldwell-Holden said. I dont know what happens when police issue their consequences.
San Jose Unified School District referred 203 students to police last year, down from 283 the year before. But NBC Bay Area also found that certain students are being impacted at disproportionately high rates. Hispanic students, for instance, make up 53 percent of the school district, but represent 73 percent of the students sent to police.
<a href="http://data.nbcstations.com/national/KNTV/scottpham/baySchoolReferrals/" target="_blank">View an interactive on a separate page.</a>
Caldwell-Holden insists the district isnt relying on police for routine disciplinary issues.
We rely on the police to help us with safety and security on campus, he said. We rely on the police to advise us when somethings happened thats a matter of law and not a matter of discipline. But it would be absolutely inappropriate for us to ask the police to help discipline a student. Discipline is our purview.
Yet critics argue that is exactly what is happening at many school districts in the Bay Area that employ police officers on school campuses, including San Jose Unified.
Several videos taken in November 2012 by several of Kais classmates show the teen doing a series of somersaults across the muddy lawn, while being cheered on by other students. Kai was suspended for four days for his antics, but he was also given a juvenile citation.
I thought it wouldnt be that big of a deal, Kai said. I didnt think I was going to be arrested or suspended for four days because of it.
The citation Kai received for trespassing and disturbing the peace means he was technically arrested. Kai had to meet with a probation officer, who ruled that his actions were not severe enough to recommend criminal charges.
Kai and his mom, Raylene Fedor, thought that was the end of it until they saw NBC Bay Areas investigation that revealed kids who receive juvenile citations while at school could still be left with a criminal record, even if the probation department declines to pursue charges. Fedor called the probation department and confirmed her son still has an arrest on his record, which he will now have to petition a judge to remove.
Im not saying my son should not have been disciplined, Fedor said. Im upset that theyre taking it to a new level.
Fedor used to be a law enforcement officer herself, serving as a reserve deputy in Minnesota for five years before her family moved to California. She has immense respect for police officers, but says officers are put in an incredibly difficult and dangerous situation when school districts do not clearly define the roles of campus law enforcement.
He probably should have known better, Fedor said. There was tape across it that said, caution. But hes a child. He was [15-years-old] at the time. I dont excuse his behavior but I think we need to take it in the realm of a [15-year-old] with muddy grass and he wanted to play on it. Is that harmful?
Of the 20 largest school districts NBC Bay Area reviewed, 85 percent have officers on campus. But of those districts, only 35 percent have written agreements with police to detail the role of officers.
San Jose Unified contracts with the San Jose Police Department to place officers at 14 schools, but NBC Bay Area discovered there is no written policy detailing what exactly those officers should be doing on campus. NBC Bay Area also learned the San Jose Police Department only requires 30 minutes of training for officers on school campuses, even though the US Department of Justice recommends 40 hours of additional training for those officers.
Fedor says that is unacceptable.
If an officer is going to become a canine handler, he goes to canine handling school, she said. Or if theyre going to go into narcotics, they receive very specific training for the job that theyre going to be doing. But were sticking officers in schools with no additional tools and its not OK. Its just not OK.
Haldwell-Colden says hes been happy with the officers on San Jose Unified and that its not the districts responsibility to ensure those officers are properly trained.
We just contract with their officers, he said. We cant make them train their officers.
Following NBC Bay Areas investigation, the San Jose Police Department now plans to have a written policy in place by next school year that will detail the responsibilities of its school-based officers. This summer, some of those officers will also get 40 hours of additional training instead of the current standard of just 30 minutes.
San Jose police, however, says the district also has a role to play in the process, and says its officers generally look to school administrators to find out when it is appropriate to give a student a juvenile citation.
The planned changes will come too late for Kai. His arrest could remain on his criminal record even as an adult. Now that he is 18, he can legally apply to have his record sealed. There are no guarantees, however, a juvenile court judge will rule in his favor. Kai and his mother now worry about how his arrest record might impact his future.
Its difficult, Fedor said. I mean, Im a mom, I want to protect my child. I want to protect him and help him and nurture him and I want the best for him. And this is something that I cant fix.
Kai had hoped to join the very police department that issued him the citation, but has since changed his mind.
Its impacted me because I wanted to be an officer with San Jose and if San Jose was the one that cited me, there is no way I could go back to San Jose and apply to be an officer.
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Watch the entire series in this NBC Bay Area investigation:
Bernie Sanders issued a global call to action at the Vatican Friday to address "immoral and unsustainable" wealth inequality and poverty, using the high profile gathering to echo one of the central platforms of his presidential campaign.
The Democratic senator from Vermont cited Pope Francis and St. John Paul II repeatedly during his speech to the Vatican conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of a landmark teaching document from John Paul on social and economic justice after the Cold War.
Sanders arrived in Rome hours after wrapping up a debate in New York Thursday night, saying the opportunity to address the Vatican conference was too meaningful to pass up. The roughly 24-hour visit precedes Tuesday's crucial New York primary, which Sanders must do well in to maintain any viable challenge against Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.
He told the audience of priests, bishops, academics and two South American presidents that rather than a world economy that looks out for the common good, "we have been left with an economy operated for the top 1 percent, who get richer and richer as the working class, the young and the poor fall further and further behind."
During a discussion later in the afternoon, Sanders was peppered with questions from academics and ecclesiastics at the conference, giving the presidential hopeful a chance to expand on his core campaign messages about the need to reform banking regulations, campaign finance rules and higher education.
"We don't choose to politicize the pope," Sanders told attendees, "but his spirit and courage and the fact, if I may say so here, that his words have gone way, way, way beyond the Catholic Church."
Earlier, Sanders warned that youth around the world are no longer satisfied with the status quo, which includes "corrupt and broken politics and an economy of stark inequality and injustice."
"They are not satisfied with the destruction of our environment by a fossil fuel industry whose greed has put short term profits ahead of climate change and the future of our planet," he said. "They are calling out for a return to fairness; for an economy that defends the common good by ensuring that every person, rich or poor, has access to quality health care, nutrition and education."
He sat next to the other main guest of honor at the Vatican: Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose is renowned for his anti-imperialist, socialist rhetoric.
As he walked through Vatican City's Perugino gate, Sanders was greeted about two dozen supporters, some of whom carried signs bearing Sanders' name.
The senator told reporters that he was honored to address the conference and admired Francis' message on the economy and the environment.
"I know that it's taking me away from the campaign trail for a day but when I received this information it was so moving to me that it was something that I could just simply not refuse to attend," he said.
Pope Francis apologized that he couldn't personally greet participants at the Vatican conference. No meeting with Sanders was expected.
Sanders was accompanied on the trip by his wife, Jane Sanders, and 10 family members, including four grandchildren.
The conference was organized by a Vatican advisory group comparable to a think-tank that Francis appointed to guide him on a wide range of public policy issues.
Back home, Clinton holds a significant delegate lead against Sanders, but the senator has vowed to stay in the campaign until the party's July convention. His message calling for a political revolution to address wealth inequality and the influence of Wall Street on U.S. politics has galvanized many Democrats and independents.
Despite being enmeshed in an increasingly bitter campaign against Clinton, Sanders aides said the trip was not aimed at appealing to Catholic voters who comprise a large share of the Democratic electorate in New York and an upcoming contest in Pennsylvania.
The Vatican has been loath to get involved in electoral campaigns and usually tries to avoid any perception of partisanship involving the pope. Popes rarely travel to countries during the thick of political campaigns, knowing a papal photo opportunity with a sitting head of state could be exploited for political ends.
As a result, the invitation to Sanders to address the Vatican conference raised eyebrows and allegations that the senator lobbied for the invitation.
The chancellor for the pontifical academy, Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, has said he invited Sanders because he was the only U.S. presidential candidate who showed deep interest in the teachings of Francis.
Other attendees included Morales of Bolivia and President Rafael Correa of Ecuador, along with Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, a member of the academy, and Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs, an adviser to the United Nations on environmental and sustainability issues. Sachs has advised Sanders on foreign policy issues.
The Rev. Matt Malone, editor of the Jesuit magazine America, said Sanders' trip was unlikely to have much of an impact on Catholic voters, noting that conferences like the one Sanders is attending "happen all the time."
"I don't think that Bernie Sanders going to the Vatican is going to help Bernie with Catholics any more than Ted Cruz going to a matzo factory is going to help him with the Jewish vote," said Malone, who served as a speechwriter to former Rep. Marty Meehan, a Massachusetts Democrat.
Popes rarely attend such events and do so only if the topic is of special interest and there is room in their schedule, Malone said.
International crime rings targeting California's booming agriculture industry are increasingly stealing truckloads of high-value nuts, prompting authorities and the firms falling victim to ramp up efforts to break the spree costing millions.
The sophisticated organizations in many cases use high-tech tactics, hacking into trucking companies to steal their identities. Armed with false shipping papers, they pose as legitimate truckers, driving off with loads of nuts such as almonds, walnuts or pistachios valued at $150,000, and some worth $500,000 each.
Days later, when a shipment fails to arrive to its intended destination, the nuts may already be in another state or on a ship destined for Europe or Asia, where they fetch top dollar on the black market, authorities say.
Nut thefts hit an all-time high in California last year _ with losses totaling $4.6 million from 31 reported cases, more than the three previous years combined, according to CargoNet, an alliance of cargo shipping firms and law enforcement agencies aimed at preventing losses.
Losses for all four years combined reached nearly $7.6 million, the group said.
"It's made my life miserable,'' said Todd Crosswell, general manager of Caro Nut Co.
Caro was victimized six times last year for a total loss of $1.2 million. In each case, thieves stole cashews imported from Vietnam and Africa that were roasted, salted and packaged in Fresno.
"You get hit with that kind of loss -- it hurts,'' Crosswell said.
The value of nuts grown and processed in California, the nation's leading agricultural state, have soared in recent years as global demand for the health-food snack grows in places such as China and emerging economies.
California produces more almonds, walnuts and pistachios than any other state, with a combined value of $9.3 billion in 2014. Almonds alone were valued at $5.9 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The high value of nuts grabbed the attention of criminal organizations, who are exploiting weaknesses in the cargo shipping industry to reap big profits, said Dan Bryant, supervisory special agent for the violent and organized crimes programs of the FBI Sacramento office.
Bryant declined to identify any organizations under suspicion, citing an ongoing criminal investigation.
"It's not just some teenage kids ripping off nuts,'' he said. ``These are sophisticated people.''
Local authorities also are taking action. One state lawmaker has introduced a bill to fund a statewide taskforce targeting all types of cargo thefts. And law enforcement officials and nut processors met Thursday to share information to help prevent more nut thefts.
Alarmed by a spike in large-scale nut thefts, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux last year beefed up his agriculture crimes unit from two to six detectives.
In 2013, his office investigated a pistachio theft worth $189,000. No cases were reported the next year, but in 2015, six loads of almonds and pistachios were stolen at a combined loss of $1.6 million.
Investigators tracked at least one load to Los Angeles and made one arrest. Boudreaux declined to name the suspect due to the ongoing investigation.
"They do tend to have some overseas connections,'' said Scott Cornell, an investigator for Travelers Insurance and an expert on cargo thefts. ``Wherever they can sell it and move it, they're going to.''
Food and drinks are the most frequently stolen cargo items, Cornell said. Nuts are an easier target than other products, such as electronics, because there is no serial number and the evidence is gone once it is eaten, he said.
Crosswell, of Caro Nut Co., said he's put in place new safeguards with hopes he doesn't fall victim once more, taking photographs and fingerprints of the roughly 25 truck drivers each day who pull up to the shipping docks.
Despite these efforts, Crosswell said he fears the criminals will strike again.
"Whoever they are, they're watching,'' Crosswell said. ``They'll try it again. They'll figure out how to beat the system. We just have to stay one step ahead of them.''
Editors note: This story was updated on April 19, 2016 and includes additional comments from the city of Chicago Law Department.
The city of Chicago will not release police reports of a teenager shot 16 times because he was a juvenile. The city says state law prohibits it from releasing the normally public documents, though a Northwestern University Law professor says the city is wrong. NBC5 News, which requested the documents, has appealed the citys decision with the Illinois Attorney Generals office.
Warren Robinson, 16, was shot and killed after being chased by Chicago police in July 2014, three months before the now infamous Laquan McDonald shooting.
Warren Robinson was a 16-year-old kid and three days before his birthday July 5th 2014 Warren Robinson was executed by the Chicago police department, said attorney Michael Oppenheimer who represents the Robinson estate.
Oppenheimer says police responded to a call of a man with a gun, dressed in a hoodie with red lettering. He said they claimed Robinson ran and hid under a car in the 8700 block of South Sangamon, and when surrounded, pointed a gun at police, who opened fire.
In January NBC5 Investigates filed a Freedom of Information Act request for copies of all police reports involving Warren Robinson. Two months passed, longer than allowed by state law, with no documents. In its requests for extensions of the time to respond, indications were that the documents would be produced.
Then in March the city Law Department denied our request.
A Law Department spokesman said in an e-mail, The State prohibits the City from releasing law enforcement records that relate to a minor who has been investigated, arrested or taken into custody before his or her 18th birthday.
But the citys take, said Northwestern University Law professor Sheila Bedi, is absolutely false.
There is a binding Attorney Generals decision that says it cannot withhold information relating to a juvenile when the issue is police misconduct, Bedi said.
But a city official disagreed. While the Attorney Generals Office did issue a decision on this FOIA issue in 2012, the Juvenile Court Act has since been amended to address this issue and supersedes the PAC opinion, a spokesperson wrote in an email.
"While the City is prohibited from releasing these records, the email continued, the Juvenile Court Act does provide a mechanism for a requester to obtain the records. After the City denies a request for these records, the requester can seek an order from the head of the juvenile court. The judge may consider and weigh public interest and privacy factors in their release. The City has no discretion and must deny a request for these records, however, the judge does have discretion, and requesters may find relief there.
While the city wouldnt release information, the Cook County Medical Examiner did. The autopsy shows Robinson was shot at least 11 times in the back and five times in the chest and arm. And the report contains a photo of a gun on the ground taken at the scene of the shooting.
Pat Camden, the Fraternal Order of Police spokesman who was on the scene not long after Robinson was shot, told reporters, When police tell you to drop your gun, drop you gun and nothing is going to happen. You put an officer in fear of his life, hes going to defend himself.
But Oppenheimer disputes that Robinson had a gun.
No he didnt have a gun, he said. He was running from police. We have witnesses who say he was running without a weapon.
Oppenheimer says no fingerprints were found on the weapon recovered at the scene.
Also on the scene that July 2014 night was Robinsons legal guardian, Georgina Utendahl.
He went to church, with his grandmother and me, also his sisters. Um he was a jokester, she said that night.
In a recent interview she said Robinson did not belong to a gang, but had behavioral issues and had recently spent time in juvenile custody over an incident with a paintball gun. The family has filed a federal civil rights case claiming Chicago police acted recklessly.
To this day I still feel like they were covering up something, she said.
Now 20 months after the shooting, a spokesman for the Independent Review Police Authority says its investigation has not yet been completed.
Want to meet some of your favorite actors from NBCs hit show Chicago Med? Nows your chance!
Torrey DeVitto and Brian Tee will be at an event in Chicago Sunday to meet and take photos with fans.
The event will be held from 1 3 p.m. at the AT&T Flagship store, located at 600 N. Michigan Ave.
DeVitto stars as Dr. Natalie Manning, an emergency pediatric medicine specialist. Tee stars as Dr. Ethan Choi, a tireless yet impulsive doctor who found his calling in medicine while serving as a Naval combat doctor. He also recently starred as Hamada, the head of park security in Jurassic World.
Fans planning to attend the event are encouraged to RSVP here.
A school funding reform bill was approved by an Illinois Senate committee Wednesday.
The bill, which calls for increasing funding by $120 million, was approved by the Senate Executive Committee in a 10-1 vote, sending it to the full Senate.
That tally includes six members of the committee who voted present, tentatively approving the measure until legislators are offered information on how the states school districts will be affected.
The legislation will not receive a vote on the Senate floor until these numbers are made available.
Sen. Andy Manar, who introduced the legislation, said he hasnt received the numbers from the Illinois State Board.
We are anxiously awaiting the details, Manar said. As soon as the state board has those, they will be distributed. I talked to them Tuesday and they said theyll get them as soon as they can.
The board released figures Tuesday showing how Gov. Bruce Rauners education budget will affect school districts across the state.
The plan would fully fund the general state aid to schools instead of prorating it like it's been done the past seven years with the state struggling to balance its books.
The total budget for schools would be just over $10 billion for the fiscal year beginning July 1, but despite the additional support from the state, wealthy suburban school districts would see a drop in state aid.
The head of the state's largest district, Chicago Public Schools, blasted the plan as continuing a "reverse Robin Hood" education policy where poorer districts lose out. He said Chicago schools where the vast majority of students are poor and minority stands to lose $74 million, and noted drops in struggling districts in East St. Louis and North Chicago.
"The budget he puts forth continues to cut education funding for poor districts throughout the state of Illinois, including Chicago Public Schools, while increasing funding for wealthier districts," said CPS Chief Forrest Claypool.
Under state law, districts are supposed to get a minimum amount of state money per student. Additionally, some districts get additional funds for other things, like serving high numbers of low-income students, and make up the rest with property taxes.
Among other things, the bill would change districts' reliance on property taxes, taking local wealth more into account when distributing funds.
The plan would give more state money to school districts with large numbers of low-income students. Manar claims funding under his new plan would be based on need.
The plan would also not allow school districts to lose money during the first year of the formula change. That portion of the plan would be phased out over a four year period and would allow districts to adjust to receiving less state funding.
Senate President John Cullerton has asked for revisions to the states school aid formula before lawmakers approve next years K-12 budget.
Rauner has stressed the importance of passing an education budget. Although he supports changing the funding formula, he wants it done later so the process wont delay the budget.
Sen. Dave Luechtefeld also fears the bill could get held up and affect a K-12 budget. In addition to this, he is not convinced that House Speaker Michael Madigan will address school funding reform this spring.
Manar, who has been working to change the states funding formula for three years, plans to provide CPS with $200 million to fund the districts beleaguered pensions. Illinois currently contributes to downstate teachers retirement benefits, but not to CPS.
The senators plan also looks to cut into the disparity between the states best and worst-funded schools. In the state, certain districts spend up to $30,000 on a since student, while others spend only $6,000.
Three years ago, the inequity wasnt as bad as it is today, Manar said. If we dont act, we can expect in three years it will be worse.
New England has officially opened its first Amazon fulfillment center is its in Windsor, five miles south of Bradley International Airport.
The facility is a testament to its time: half manual labor, half mechanics.
Robots do most of the heavy lifting by locating items ordered online in the 1 million square-foot facility and an employee will then make sure each order matches up before shipping it off.
Each new fulfillment center has its improvements for efficiency as we go, Amazon spokesperson Aaron Toso said. From the things weve learned, we have made our robots help us use this facility more efficiently.
Toso said just about every package assembled here will go to customers in New England.
We want to get as close to our customers to reduce those shipping times because we dont want you to have to wait for your package, Toso said.
From an economic development perspective, Gov. Dannel Malloy sees this as a big win for Connecticut.
Amazon received a $3.9 million tax abatement from the town of Windsor over five years, plus tax breaks to build the facility. In exchange, Amazon brought in 800 full-time jobs and started collecting sales tax late last year.
Were happy that we were actually the first location chosen in New England for a facility such as this one, Malloy said. We must be doing something right and I appreciate the relationship we have of Amazon in all regards.
When asked whether the use of drones have been discussed, Toso said Amazon does not have any such plans for Connecticut.
A former Hartford school administrator accused of inappropriately texting a 13-year-old girl has been arrested and newly released court documents reveal details of the sexually explicit texts he is accused of sending.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, 57-year-old Eduardo Genao, of Hamden, was the executive director for compliance for Hartford schools when he met the teen in March at an event at Bulkeley High School.
First, he asked the teen to send him photos she took of the presentation and gave her his phone number, according to police, but the messages became inappropriate within days.
Genao first texted the girl to thank her for the photos, police said.
The teens mother, concerned that an older man was texting her daughter, began monitoring the texts and told police they went from friendly to sexually explicit.
During one conversation, Genao revealed that he knew where the teen lived because of her cell phone number.
On April 3, Genao sent the girl a photo from his hotel room in Atlanta and she sent a photo from a birthday party. Then, Genao asked her for something more daring, the arrest warrant application says.
Then he went on to ask if shed had sexual intercourse and other sexually charged questions, according to the arrest warrant application. She revealed her grade during the text messages and Genao also sent a text saying it was dangerous for him to text her and he could get in trouble, the arrest paperwork says.
During one communication, Genao asked the 13-year-old to show him her breasts and other body parts, arrest paperwork says.
The teen told investigators she thought it was weird that Genao was still sending her text messages.
Police said they started investigating on April 4 and he has been charged with one count of risk of injury to a minor.
The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters has reached out to Genao and his attorney for comment several times in recent weeks and they have had no comment.
Glastonbury police are searching for the driver who hit a 9-year-old child on a bicycle in a crosswalk in Glastonbury on Thursday evening and fled.
Police said a woman driving a tan SUV with Connecticut license plates hit the child at the intersection of Griswold Street and Milestone Drive at 5:55 p.m. and went west on Griswold Street, police said.
Police said the child was not seriously injured.
The vehicle might be a Chevrolet and the front bumper or fender on the drivers side should have minor damage, according to police.
The driver was described as a middle-age blond woman.
Anyone who witnessed the crash should call Sergey Sharov at 860-633-8301.
"Who doesn't love Hartford?" presidential candidate Donald Trump said, kicking of his campaign rally in Hartford on Friday night.
"We need jobs," said Trump, talking about the "devastation" of job loss and companies like GE moving out of the state. The Republican front-runner even took a stab at the state's Democratic governor, Dannel Malloy.
"We lost GE!" Trump said. "I'll tell you what, if I were governor, I would not lose GE."
If he were elected president, Trump would "bring companies back," he promised, discussing manufacturing in the United States.
The doors of the Connecticut Convention Center opened at 4 p.m. and Trump arrived about 7 p.m., but hundreds of people started lining up earlier on Friday, some as early as 8:30 this morning.
Hartford police said there were up to 7,000 people inside the venue for the rally and more than a thousand still waited on line when the doors closed.
Several people were ejected from the Convention Center for protesting.
"Get 'em out. Get 'em out but don't hurt 'em," Trump said while the people were being escorted out.
"Those people impede on the freedom of speech."
Before taking the stage, Donald Trump spoke one on one with NBC Connecticut backstage about why he says the Connecticut race matters.
You look at Connecticut and theyre being devastated by all of these companies leaving. Losing General Electrics is a disaster Trump told NBC Connecticut Reporter Abbey Niezgoda. Youre losing so many companies to Mexico and other countries. Its not going to happen if Im president believe me.
NBC Connecticut also asked him about the criticism from Connecticut democrats that his views dont line up with the views of voters in the state.
Im very accepting and also I want to make the country great for everybody, not for anybody in particular for everybody, Trump said.
At the same time we have to be vigilant. We cant let people into the country where there could be a big problem. We have enough problems.
Hartford police said they have been preparing for the rally for days. There were no arrests reported on Friday night.
Police warned people earlier on Friday that if they work in the city, they should leave work early to avoid the congestion.
Some large companies, including Travelers, heeded the warning and advised their employees to leave at noon or work from home, and thats something other commuters are considering.
At noon, the line for buses was around 100 people deep.
Police said they didn't plan on shutting down any roads, but would have adjusted depending on what happens with visitors and protesters.
Hartford police said they have been planning security measures all week and visitors should expect to see Secret Service, State police and Hartford police, as well a K-9s and the bomb squad.
Were working hand-and-hand with the Secret Service. Theyre bringing this show to town every day all around the United States, so theyre very good at planning it and mapping out what we can expect, Deputy Police Chief Brian Foley said.
With Connecticut primaries looming at the end of the month, political candidates are spending their time and money to get the attention of the state's voters while delegates are still up for grabs.
Republican John Kaisch was the first candidate to make a public appearance in the Nutmeg State last Friday.
As for Democratic candidates, Senator Bernie Sanders' campaign has spent $765,000 on ads for Connecticut TV stations and Hillary Clinton's spent $250,000, according to FCC filings.
Its not clear if they will be visiting the state in advance of the primaries.
Abbey Niezgoda contributed to this report.
A deputy constable is expected to recover after undergoing several hours of surgery after he was shot four times while talking to another constable after a traffic stop in Houston, authorities said Thursday.
Harris County Deputy Constable Alden Clopton was wearing a protective vest when he was shot from behind about 11:20 p.m. Wednesday, Constable May Walker said during a Thursday morning news conference.
Video captures a Texas deputy constable being shot four times in the back near Houston late Wednesday night.
A motive for the shooting is unknown. Asked if authorities believed the shooter was targeting law enforcement, Houston police spokesman Kese Smith told The Associated Press that both deputy constables were in uniform and had marked vehicles.
"I can't see how someone can mistake them for someone other than law enforcement," Smith said.
The suspect fired six shots, four of which hit Clopton, Walker said. Officials had said earlier that Clopton had a bullet lodged near his heart, plus abdominal wounds. The other shots hit the other deputy constable's car and the ground.
"It was virtually an ambush is what it was," Walker said, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Clopton's protective vest likely saved his life, and Walker said he faces a long recovery.
Authorities were questioning a male who showed up a nearby fire station after the shooting and matched the description of the suspected shooter, Smith said. The person had not been arrested or charged, he said, but authorities also were not currently looking for anyone else.
Clopton is an 11-year veteran of the force who is married and has five children, said Pamela Greenwood, spokeswoman for the Harris County precinct seven constable's office. He comes from a law enforcement family, with three brothers who are law officers.
According to Smith, the shooting came after a female reserve deputy constable made a traffic stop and called Clopton to assist. The vehicle that was pulled over left and Clopton was standing outside the window of the female's vehicle when he was shot.
The female deputy constable got out and shot back, but it was unknown if she hit the fleeing suspect, Smith said. The person being questioned at the fire station did not have any injuries, Smith said, adding that he didn't think the shooting was related to the traffic stop.
Clopton is the second Harris County law officer to be shot from behind in an unprovoked attack in the past year. Texas prosecutors in August charged a 30-year-old man with capital murder in the killing of sheriff's Deputy Darren Goforth, who was gunned down while filling his patrol car with gas in what officials described as a "senseless and cowardly act."
Associated Press writers Sarah Rankin in Chicago, Bernard McGhee in Atlanta and Diana Heidgerd in Dallas contributed to this report.
The tragedy hit hard from Argyle to Denton last weekend -- a head-on collision that killed two mothers and their daughters along U.S. Highway 377.
Denton police said in the moments before that crash that killed Ashley Morgan, Lorelei Cotter, Emma Shafer and Tita Shafer Saturday morning, the driver of the car that crossed the centerlines cell phone was in use.
At this point, Officer Orlando Hinojosa said in a press release on the crash, cell phone usage cant be discounted as a possible factor in the crash.
The news brought many on social media Friday to again question the need for tougher laws on distracted driving. It's something Denton city leaders have spent the first part of the year mulling, as well.
Nearly two years ago, the city banned texting and electronic messaging while driving. At that time, the council stopped short of an all-out device ban behind the wheel.
As they reviewed the ordinance in February, interest in taking the ban to that next step did resurface, though.
Now, City Spokesperson Lindsey Baker said the Traffic Safety Commission has recommended a full ban be considered.
So it will.
On May 24, the council is scheduled to debate expanding the ordinance to include any use of a hand-held electronic device while driving.
Denton would not be the first to take the step.
This year alone, their fellow Denton County communities of Argyle, Little Elm and Lake Dallas have all enacted all-out device while driving bans, though most are still in a grace period.
A bill is also moving through the Texas State Legislature to get some sort of distracted driving law on the books statewide. Previous attempts have failed.
There is still debate among the public about whether such bans work or can be enforced.
Since Dentons texting ban went into effect, police told us in December that 31 tickets had been issued for violations in about 10 months of ticketed enforcement.
At the same time, Argyle reported 225 tickets in the life of their four year ban.
The possibility of heavy rain and storms in the weather forecast concerns recent North Texas storm victims who are still trying to make repairs to damaged homes and vehicles.
This weeks giant hail stones in Wylie added to the challenge for roofers, already scrambling to make repairs from previous damage in Collin County.
Just about every home on Ronnie Richards street in Plano had problems from a March 23 hail storm and hes had many complications since trying to get repairs to the damaged drywall, roof, skylights, gutters and fence.
First, the insurance adjuster has to come out and then the roofer, and they have to give estimates. Then we had to go through the mortgage company, he said.
Richard said an insurance check finally arrived Friday to begin repairs from the hail damage.
It just was pounding the house. Id been in the house with hail before, but Id never heard anything like that, he said. By the time I had gotten downstairs with my 2-year-old, the hail had already busted through the skylights, and it was rolling at my feet and everything, so it was pretty crazy.
Heavy business at the Plano location for Service King Collision Repair on Central Expressway increased again after this weeks hail in nearby Wylie. The company has 34 North Texas shops.
Its certainly a challenge. And, back to back hail storms like that, said Steve Sikes, Service King Vice-President for Business Development. We take advantage of all 34 locations when we have this, so that we can move cars to locations that werent affected. So, all of them are feeling a piece of this storm now.
Sikes said insurance companies estimate 100,000 vehicles have been damaged by hail in North Texas this year. Car rental companies are struggling to provide vehicles for hail damage customers who need substitute transportation.
Sikes urged owners to put vehicles in a garage if possible with more bad weather in the forecast and repair shops already jammed.
We seem to have skipped a few years as it relates to having nasty weather and now [we're] getting it all in one year, Sikes said.
Richard hopes the roofers will start work on his house next week before theres more damage inside.
I definitely am concerned when theres storms in the forecast, he said.
A California appeals court handed teacher unions a big victory Thursday by reversing a trial judge's ruling that found tenure deprived students of a good education.
The 2nd District Court of Appeal said the plaintiffs failed to show tenure and other provisions of the education code were unconstitutional.
"The court's job is merely to determine whether the statutes are constitutional, not if they are 'a good idea,'" presiding Justice Roger Boren wrote.
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge had ruled two years ago that five provisions of the state education code -- including policies allowing teachers to receive tenure within two years and be dismissed during layoffs based on seniority -- were unconstitutional because they deprived some of the state's 6.2 million students of a quality education by keeping more senior, but less effective, teachers on the job.
In a ruling that threatened to shake up public schools across the state, Judge Rolf Treu had said the evidence "shocks the conscience."
But in reversing that ruling, the appellate court said state law wasn't to blame for inequities.
"Although the statutes may lead to the hiring and retention of more ineffective teachers than a hypothetical alternative system would, the statutes do not address the assignment of teachers," Boren wrote. "Instead, administrators -- not the statutes -- ultimately determine where teachers within a district are assigned to teach."
Vergara v. California had pitted the state and its largest teacher unions against a group of students who asked the judge to consider laws regarding teacher tenure, dismissal and seniority consideration for layoffs. A Silicon Valley-based group called Students Matter brought the lawsuit on behalf of nine students, contending the targeted laws hinder the removal of ineffective teachers and disproportionately hurt low-income and minority students.
The case was closely watched and highlighted tensions between teacher unions, school leaders, lawmakers and well-funded education reform groups over whether policies like tenure and last-in-first-out keep ineffective teachers in the classroom, particularly in already low-performing schools.
The lawsuit was filed by nine public school students, including Beatriz Vergara, and backed by Students Matter, a nonprofit group founded by Silicon Valley entrepreneur David Welch.
Attorneys for the state and its teachers unions had argued that the case was flawed and should be overturned because no evidence was presented showing the disputed statutes are the cause of educational inequalities, saying the suit was never about helping students.
A similar lawsuit was filed in New York after the Vergara decision, contending that state's teacher tenure and layoffs by seniority laws deprive students of a sound, basic education as guaranteed under the state constitution. Lawyers for New York's teachers union have asked for the case to be dismissed.
Attorney Theodore Boutrous Jr. says in a statement Thursday that the 2nd District Court of Appeal's ruling is a "temporary setback" and expects to appeal the decision to the California Supreme Court. He argues that teacher tenure amounts to "egregious constitutional violations" of students.
Check back for updates on this breaking news story.
Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton maintains a double-digit lead over rival Bernie Sanders in New York as both candidates aggressively campaign around the state ahead of Tuesdays primary, a NBC 4 New York/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll has found.
Clinton had the support of 57 percent of likely Democratic voters in the poll released Thursday, while Sanders held 40 percent. Those numbers mirror a NBCNews/Wall Street Journal/Marist Poll released Monday, in which Clinton was supported by more than half of the respondents and had a 14-point lead over the U.S. senator from Vermont.
As the primary approaches, the back-and-forth of the candidates has not dramatically changed the New York contest, said Lee M. Miringoff, the director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, in a statement.
As with prior polls, support for the two candidates appears to run along generational lines. Sanders was up by 13 points on Clinton with voters younger than 45, while Clinton enjoyed a 38-point lead with voters older than 45. Seventy-six percent of polled voters under 30 supported Sanders.
Thursdays poll, which has a 4 percent margin of error and included 591 likely voters, also found a geographic divide between the two candidates.
Clinton's backers are more heavily concentrated in the New York City area, where Sanders has been campaigning recently, the poll found; she had the support of 61 percent of polled voters in New York City, 60 percent in the nearby suburbs and 49 percent in upstate New York.
Meanwhile, half of the likely voters polled upstate said they planned to vote for Sanders. The Brooklyn-born politician had the support of 35 percent of likely voters in New York City and 36 percent in the suburbs.
The release of the poll came hours before a Democratic debate at the Brooklyn Navy Yard's Duggal Greenhouse at 9 p.m.
Sanders and Clinton have been campaigning in New York this week in advance of the primary.
On Wednesday, Sanders walked a picket line with striking Verizon workers in Brooklyn, then held a huge rally in Greenwich Village's Washington Square Park. But he came under fire Thursday morning for a supporter who called some elected officials "corporate Democratic whores" for taking money from corporations.
Clinton on Wednesday held rallies in the Bronx. She was criticized earlier in the week for being part of a skit at a political gala, along with New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, that made use of a stereotype about black people.
On a recent weekday morning, Inspector Carlos Valdez stood nervously behind a podium as more than 200 top NYPD cops grill him about a surge in robberies and burglaries in the 40th Precinct in the Bronx.
"Alright, Carlos, you know why youre up there," Chief James ONeill said. "A lot of things going on in the Four-o. Crime is definitely not headed in the right direction."
Valdez defended his work, and that of the detectives from the 40th precinct, whore standing behind him.
"Were up in robberies, assaults, burglaries and grand larcenies, but were also up in arrests for those index crimes," said Valdez, his voice cracking.
The brass doesn't let up.
"This is going on too long," snapped Commissioner Dermot Shea. "We need it fixed yesterday."
This was the exchange the I-Team witnessed in an unprecedented look at Compstat, a crime-fighting innovation that helped make New York City into America's safest big city. It requires police officers to not just question suspects, but each other.
Compstat, a statistical system for tracking crime, was introduced by Commissioner Bill Bratton and Jack Maple in 1994, during Brattons first stint as head of the NYPD. Twenty-two years later, Bratton is once again the city's top cop, Compstat is still in use, and crime has fallen 75 percent -- a fact Bratton calls a "New York miracle." New York had 1,946 murders in 1993, or more than a five a day. It had 352 in 2015.
The system is based on tracking and stopping smaller crimes to stop bigger crimes, and to pinpoint hotspots where crimes are clustered. It has since been exported to other cities, like Philadelphia and Los Angeles, where Bratton also served as chief of police.
The NYPD recently allowed the I-Team unprecedented access to one of its weekly Compstat meetings at One Police Plaza in downtown Manhattan. Television monitors displaying stats, graphs and maps line the walls, above long tables filled with high-ranking officers.
At one end of the room sat the bosses, lobbing the questions, and at the other was a podium, where precinct commanders like Valdez take turns trying to answer them.
Valdez was assigned to the 40th precinct several months ago to address a spike in crime. Valdez put out extra officers to streets with jumps in robberies. He also met with detectives about unsolved cases big and small from murders to burglary patterns.
"Analyzing data, deploying resources and vigorous follow-up, that is Compstat," Valdez said. "In the end, crime prevention is really the goal."
While the I-Team was visiting and recording his team at work in the Bronx, someone shot a 20-year-old man to death nearby right next to a playground, in the middle of the afternoon.
In a separate incident several weeks ago, two police officers were fired on. Burglaries soared 400 percent in just a month. Valdez opened his case book to reveal more than 100 crimes that needed solving.
At the Compstat meeting, the interrogators press Valdez for minute details of the precincts crime pattern, all the way down to how many smartphones have been reported stolen.
I want to say its nine, said Valdez.
How many have we obtained and put an alarm on those phones? asked Shea.
Ill have to get back to you on that, answered a member of the Four-o team.
ONeill told Valdez and his team they could do better. "If you have a robbery problem, everybody up at that podium needs to be tuned in. Im not sure Im hearing that."
Valdez wasn't the only precinct commander to get grilled, though. Next up was Fausto Pichardo of the 43rd Precinct, also in the Bronx. Pichardo's precinct had no homicides to report -- but O'Neill was quick to point out the area had the highest volume of robberies in the city.
"We took six robberies in sector Eddie," Pichardo responded. "We immediately deployed a dedicated uniformed robbery order on each single platoon."
O'Neill also brought up up people who missed parole meetings.
"I'm sure they're causing problems elsewhere," O'Neill said.
Afterward, O'Neill and other NYPD brass work out a prescription for the precinct -- to target repeat offenders even harder.
"The major takeaway is to follow through," Pichardo said.
Pichardo said commanders are constantly adjusting anti-crime strategies whether or not police headquarters is calling for answers.
"The problem is if we have to go in and tell them what we our plan is going to be we have already failed," he said. "We put the plan in place two weeks ago when we saw the trend was going up."
But after the meeting, ONeill told the I-Team the point is not to embarrass anyone, but to ensure success. Were not looking to throw curveballs at people [we] just want to make sure their whole operation is efficient.
I know Carlos will turn the Four-o around, said ONeill.
Bratton, meanwhile, said the point is to hold commanders accountable. But he also praised Bronx commanders for the overall reduction in violence.
We have never had a two month period beginning of a year with so few shootings, he said.
O'Neill said he thinks the rigorous public interrogation that precinct commanders endure helps make a difference in crime in the city.
"There is direct accountability," he said. "I think thats the genius of Compstat."
Donald Trump has retained a massive lead over his two Republican rivals in the New York primary with days to go before voting, an NBC 4 New York/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll has found.
Fifty-four percent of Republican voters surveyed said they were planning to vote for Trump on Tuesday, with a 29-point gulf between him and his closest rival, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, the poll found. The same percentage of voters said they were going to vote for Trump in an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll released on Monday, which pollsters say indicates the political landscape has not changed much since candidates began campaigning heavily in the Empire State.
Trump led the field regardless of region, age, gender, religion, education and income among likely Republican voters polled.
Kasich has seen a slight uptick in the week leading up to the election. In Monday's poll, the Ohio governor had the support of 21 percent of surveyed voters; in Friday's poll, that number had climbed to 25 percent. Friday's poll had a 5.5-point margin of error.
Cruz, who drew jeers for his comments about "New York values" earlier in the campaign and was apparently ignored at a GOP dinner in Manhattan Thursday, has the most ground to gain. Only 16 percent of voters said they supported Cruz, down from 18 percent in Monday's poll.
Kasich also was the leading second choice for likely Republican voters, according to the poll. Thirty-seven percent of those surveyed said they'd probably cast a ballot for Kasich if they changed their mind, compared with 30 percent for Cruz and 14 percent for Trump.
However, more than half of those polled say they're not likely to change their choice between now and Tuesday. The poll found that 64 percent of the 313 Republicans polled strongly supported their chosen candidate. Trump had the most committed support, with 70 percent of his supporters saying they will not waver in their commitment to him.
The release of the poll comes after more than a week of stops and rallies for Trump, Kasich and Cruz. On Thursday, Trump made an appearance near the site of a hate-crime killing on Long Island amid protests, then flew to the New York State Republican Gala. He, Kasich and Cruz all spoke at the event.
Prior to that, the three candidates had made stops throughout the Empire State, with Cruz and Kasich visiting matzo bakeries in New York City. Cruz, who was shouted at by a protester during his first stop at a restaurant in the Bronx, has made the fewest appearances in the state.
On Thursday, a NBC 4 New York/Wall Street Journal/Marist showed Hillary Clinton leading Bernie Sanders among likely Democratic voters.
Three men and a woman were arrested Thursday night in Birmingham, England, and one man was arrested at London's Gatwick Airport early Friday in an operation involving British, French and Belgian authorities, NBC News reported.
A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police would not say specifically whether the detentions were linked to arrests in France and Belgium relating to terror attacks in both countries. A British security source, however, told NBC News the arrests were "Paris- and Brussels-related."
The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the British investigation focused mainly on Mohamed Abrini, who allegedly confessed to being the so-called "Main in White" who was among the Brussels airport bombers.
The five suspects were being questioned by counter-terror officials Friday.
Philadelphia Police Friday identified the driver they say struck and dragged a scooter driver about 200 feet then left him for dead.
Police charged Ramon Morales, 62, of Cedar Street Thursday in the Port Richmond hit-and-run that left Thomas Dunbar dead Wednesday night.
Dunbar, 36, was operating a motorized scooter driver along Lehigh Avenue near Aramingo Avenue when he was struck and dragged about 200 feet, said Philadelphia Police. Medics rushed Dunbar, of Almond Street near Venango in Port Richmond, to Hahnemann Hospital, where he later died from head and torso injuries.[[375744211, C]]
After striking the man, the driver of a Pontiac Aztec with New York tags drove off, witnesses told police.
"After striking someone on a motor [scooter] and dragging that person about 200 feet we're certain the driver of the striking vehicle knew what he did," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.
Investigators found the SUV about 90 minutes later park at Cedar and Madison streets -- that about 1 mile from the scene of the crash.[[375704311, C]]
Officers executed a search warrant on Morales' home and led him away in handcuffs around 3 p.m. Thursday. His lawyer Morales would make no statement.
Police charged Morales with murder, homicide by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter.
American Airlines said that a record number of flight passengers and staffing problems have contributed to checkpoint lines long enough to cause people to miss flights, and Philadelphia International Airport topped the list as one of the worst offenders.
During this year's spring break, nearly 6,800 passengers missed flights across the United States because of TSA checkpoint delays. Philadelphia International, Seattle-Tacoma International, Los Angeles International and Miami International airports were all among the places with the worst delays and the most missed flights, an American Airlines spokesperson told NBC News.
The TSA has admitted that it underestimated a surge in passengers and the impact of budget cuts, leading to the long lines. The administration is now hiring up to 200 new workers each week to try to make up the gap and correct the problem. NBC News, however, reported that American Airlines officials warned passengers that they expect delays to worsen as more people travel over the summer months.
"The lines at TSA checkpoints nationwide have become unacceptable," American spokesman Ross Feinstein said in a statement.
Heres a first for California: Marijuana, not in a grow house, but in a museum. The Oakland Museum of California says Altered State: Marijuana in California is the first-ever museum exhibit dedicated to the much debated drug.
Usually, exhibits take about three years from idea to opening, but associate curator Sarah Seiter says the marijuana exhibit was fast tracked to about two years in hopes people could come see it before voting this November.
We really want this to be a place where people can have a dialogue and have a really honest conversation about what their hopes and fears are around legalizing marijuana, Seiter said, explaining the museum is not taking a side.
She says more than 100 community members have served as consultants on the exhibit in order to make sure Altered State is welcoming to all, regardless of their stance on weed.
Families were actually using the space to talk to their kids about marijuana, Seiter said of an area titled Youth and Weed.
Other displays include Cannabis Science, featuring live marijuana plants; Criminal Dope, highlighting the history of drug laws and arrests, and Cannabis Confessional, featuring a space where people can write their opinions anonymously.
Its easy to make decisions based on myth, so hopefully we can do it in a more educated way. So I think its great, Cheryl Ziperstein, of Albany, said of the exhibit.
Current polls show about more than half of Californias likely November voters support legalizing pot. William Gomez, of Rodeo, is not one of these.
An exhibit like this of marijuana is telling our kids its okay to do it, which I think its not okay, Gomez said.
Though he says he opposes marijuana, he would not be opposed to taking his kids to learn about the issues, as long as he tours it first.
The exhibit opens to the public on Saturday.
A series of virtual kidnapping schemes have been attempted in recent months in Maryland, according to a review of police reports by the News4 I-Team.
A virtual kidnapping is an extortion scheme, in which a criminal demands money from a victim by phone while pretending to hold captive a victims loved one.
The FBI issued warnings about a series of virtual kidnappings in New York and Texas in 2014. The recent cases in Maryland indicate the crime has spread to the Washington, D.C., region.
FBI guidance on how to respond to a virtual kidnapping attempt.
The execution of a virtual kidnapping scheme can be elaborate but relies on deception. An alert released by the FBI in 2014 said, (Virtual kidnappers) coerce individuals to isolate themselves from their familiesor make families believe that their loved ones are being heldall to extract a quick ransom before the scheme falls apart.
In the Maryland cases reviewed by the I-Team, victims said the scheme was executed by cellphone. Each said they answered calls from unknown, unrecognized phone numbers. The victims said the callers had male voices and claimed to be in close proximity to a relative of the victim. The victims said the caller threatened to harm or kill the victims loved one if the victim didnt immediately wire thousands of dollars.
Jamie York, a husband and father of two from Frederick County, said the virtual kidnapping he suffered was traumatic and almost cost him about $1,000. York said he was called on his cellphone and told his wife had been in a car accident and was being held until York paid money to cover the costs of damage and injury. He said a female voice could be heard screaming on the other end of the phone. York said,
The caller told me, Ive got your wife, York said. Shes at gunpoint. You need to keep the phone to your ear. Do not call police. Get to the nearest Western Union.
York said the caller was insistent he not talk to anyone else until the money was wired.
Hes screaming at me, You need to hurry up, York said. Hes constantly engaging you in conversation.
York did complete the money wire transfer. He said an alert store employee was able to cancel the transaction after York discovered the virtual kidnapping was a hoax.
A Suitland man described a similar scheme, in an interview with the I-Team.
I got a phone call out of thin air basically saying your brother has been in a serious accident, he said.
The Suitland man said the caller threatened to harm his brother if money was not wired.
A report last year from the Frederick County Sheriffs Office said there was a series of recent virtual kidnapping schemes in the Frederick-area.
In 2015, four members of a virtual kidnapping ring were sentenced to federal prison for duping more than 124 families out of about $190,000 through bogus kidnappings in California. Federal court records indicate at least one of the victims was from Maryland.
According to federal prosecutors, The ring targeted victims from Mexico and Central America that spoke primarily Spanish and were not United States citizens.
Virtual kidnappers strategically prevent victims from hanging up the telephone, until money is exchanged, FBI Criminal Investigative Division Assistant Section Chief Tim Ferguson said.
They try to keep individuals on the phone as long as possible, so the victim cant try to contact a family member, Ferguson said.
Reported by Scott MacFarlane, produced by Rick Yarborough, and shot and edited by Jeff Piper.
A 9-year-old Virginia boy who survived cancer and has raised thousands for cancer research was honored Thursday night with the Military Child of the Year award.
Christian Fagala, of Quantico, Virginia, was just 2 years old when he was diagnosed with cancer and treated at Walter Reed Military Medical Center.
By age four he was speaking to large audiences to raise money for childhood cancer programs. So far, he's raised $20,000 toward cancer research.
Christian, whose father is a Marine, is one of six children recognized as a Military Child of the Year by Operation Homefront, an organization that supports military families.
Each child receives $10,000 and a laptop. But the true meaning of the award is to recognize military children who often relocate and take on extra responsibilities for their families.
An employee at a Fairfax County recreation center was charged with trying to rape a 77-year-old woman in her own home within an apartment complex for senior citizens and people with disabilities.
Malcolm Reheem Hall, 28, of Centreville was arrested Thursday and charged with attempted rape, sodomy and two counts of animate object penetration, Fairfax County police announced Friday.
Police said Hall walked into the victim's unlocked apartment on April 5 and sexually assaulted her.
Hall is a part-time Fairfax County Park Authority employee at the Cub Run RECenter in Chantilly, police said. He began working as a custodian at the recreation center in Sept. 2015.
Hall was fired from that job pending the outcome of the case.
Police do not believe Hall victimized any other residents.
Residents of the Forest Glen at Sully Station complex said they were unaware of the disturbing crime.
The complex has two buildings on Woodmere Court in Centreville. Just inside the front door of one building is a security door residents said often was propped open during ongoing construction work.
Anyone with information that can help police is asked to call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-8477.
The board of regents for the University System of Maryland has approved a tuition hike at Maryland's public colleges.
System spokesman Mike Lurie says in an email that the board voted Friday to increase undergraduate tuition by 2 percent for in-state students and 3 percent for out-of-state students. It is the smallest annual increase in tuition since a freeze was lifted in 2010.
Gov. Larry Hogan included the increases in his annual budget, but the board of regents, which includes 12 of the state's public universities, must still approve the proposal.
Annual in-state tuition at the University of Maryland, College Park would increase $185 to $10,181.
More than 20 children were hurt in a school bus crash Friday afternoon in a parking lot at RFK Stadium.
A Prince George's County school bus slammed into a light pole in Lot 8 of the stadium about 2 p.m., D.C. Fire spokesman Doug Buchanan said.
Twenty-two children and two adults, including the bus driver, have minor injuries and were taken to hospitals for treatment, Buchanan said. There were a total of 46 people on the bus.
"It was enough to shake and rattle the bus, and that was enough to move some kids around in the bus and for us to come here and make sure everyone was OK," Buchanan said.
The students attend Woodbridge Elementary School in Catonsville, Maryland.
D.C. police and D.C. Fire & EMS crews were on the scene.
There is no word yet on what caused the crash.
"For one reason or another, the school bus driver just didn't see [the pole] or just misread the distance," Buchanan said.
The students who weren't hurt were taken back to school on another bus.
All of the injured students and adults left the hospital Friday night.
What to Know Trooper Ezra Ganeshananda, 26, was parked on the shoulder of the Beltway when a Mercedes slammed into his car, police said.
Police believe the Mercedes driver had been involved in an earlier crash, though it was not clear if he hit someone or if someone hit him.
The driver, who also was hospitalized, will face criminal charges, authorities said.
A Maryland State Police trooper hurt in a chain-reaction car crash on the Capital Beltway Thursday is still listed in critical condition, state police said.
Trooper Ezra Ganeshananda was seriously injured after he was trapped for more than an hour in the wreckage of his cruiser following the collision. Drivers on the Capital Beltway stopped to try to rescue him but found themselves helpless.
"I touched his shoulder, I'm like, 'Officer, are you OK? Are you awake?' I didn't get no response," tow truck driver Tom Herrera said. "I just got on his walkie-talkie, and I just said 'Trooper down on 495.'"
"All of us came down and were trying to help the trooper, but we couldn't do anything with our bare hands," tow truck driver Chiebere Obimma said. "There was one state trooper, I don't know his name -- that man did everything possible to save the trooper. He was crying."
Ganeshananda, 26, was sitting in his cruiser when it was hit twice about 2 p.m. Thursday on the Beltway (I-495).
Witnesses told police a driver in a 2011 Mercedes Benz C300 sped along the left shoulder of the freeway, and then the right shoulder. The driver of the Mercedes then slammed into the trooper's car.
Ganeshananda was parked on the shoulder of the Beltway north of Annapolis Road (Route 450) and was wrapping up an investigation of a single-car crash when the Mercedes slammed into his car, police said.
That driver, who police identified as Prasad Yadavalli, 60, may have been involved in an earlier hit-and-run crash, police said. Investigators did not immediately know whether Yadavalli caused that crash or was the victim.
Yadavalli's car slammed into the trooper's car a second time when a tow truck hit the Mercedes, trapping the trooper inside.
"The only thing I heard was the impact," Obimma said. His rig was damaged in the crash.
Herrera used his tow truck to move the Mercedes out of the way.
Crews pried Ganeshananda out of the car. A Maryland State Police helicopter landed on the Beltway and rushed the trooper to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center.
"When he went into the helicopter, I was praying for him," Herrera said.
Herrera said he saw the Mercedes get rear-ended earlier, and that Yadavalli had begun to drive erratically before his car hit the trooper.
"The car was just out of control. He was hitting everything. I think he just was out of it," Herrera said.
Yadavalli, who also was hospitalized, was not immediately available for comment. A call to his business went unanswered.
He will face criminal charges, Cpl. Devaughn Parker said Thursday afternoon.
"There will be charges here, coming soon," he said. "We're going to consult with the state's attorney's office to make sure all charges are appropriate."
Yadavalli had not been charged as of Friday evening.
Ganeshananda is a road patrol trooper who had been on the job less than a year. Fellow troopers, including his brother, were with him Thursday evening as his treatment continued.
The Beltway was partially closed in Maryland for nearly four hours Thursday after the chain-reaction car crash, leaving drivers in bumper-to-bumper traffic for miles.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing.
Members of a small Muslim community in Culpeper Couny, Virginia, bought land where they plan to build the county's first mosque -- but the county board denied them a permit, saying the site doesn't meet requirements.
A group of locals that has grown to more than 20 members seeks to create the Islamic Center of Culpeper (ICC). The group began meeting in 2011, first in a train station and then in a small home next to a member's car dealership.
"It was really small and like a family, and it's still like that," member Dr. Nabeel Babar said.
As the size of the group grows, members want a proper prayer space. They recently closed on a property off Rixeyville Road with an abandoned house surrounded by weeds.
But on April 5 the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors denied the ICC's request for a sewage system permit. A roomful of Culpeper County residents cheered, the Culpeper Star-Exponent reported.
In a 4-3 vote, the board denied the ICC a pump-and-haul permit for a septic system, in which waste is directed to a tank and then pumped out by a septic tank cleaner. Board members said they rejected the permit out of compliance with the law, the newspaper reported.
But in the past 20 years, the county has rejected only 1 out of 19 similar permits in the past 20 years, the Star-Exponent reported.
Member Mohammad Nawabe said he is seeking to live and worship side by side with his neighbors.
"This is my right. I'm trying to protect my right too," he said.
News4 reached out to the four supervisors who denied the ICC's permit request. Three supervisors responded, but only one agreed to an on-camera interview. An hour before that interview was set to occur, the supervisor canceled.
Members of the ICC will press forward with their plan to create the center and may reach out to the Department of Justice.
A neighbor of the abandoned house, Reggie Massie, said the construction of the mosque was OK with him.
"Doesn't bother me at all. I'm open to it," he said.
The owner of a herd of cattle in Bloomfield is facing 15 counts of animal cruelty charges and an additional 60 violations for state statutes not meeting disease testing requirements.
The Department of Agriculture lauched an investigation after receiving a tip that Kelly Baker was not properly feeding her cattle at the Wintonbury Land Trust at 27 Duncaster Rd.
Baker told NBC Connecticut, "Any allegations of animal cruelty are not only false but we find them to be beyond insulting to our endeavor to raise 100% grass fed beef in a sustainable and natural way."
The agency issued a quarantine order of the entire herd after it learned that Baker had not provided the required proof of vaccines for the herd and suspected that she had not complied with having the herd vaccinated, Bloomfield Police said.
Over the last six months, police and the department observed that metal feeders had been repeatedly pushed and knocked over by the cattle, which usualy indicates that the animals have not been fed, animal control officers said.
Baker had been reached a number of times to ask about feed and the animals vaccinations, police said. Baker told them she had been feeding the animals more than three times a day with hay provided to her by Auer Farm.
Animal control soon learned that the only agreement between Baker and Auer Farm for hay was for goats that lived on the land but not cattle. The property manager at Auer Farm told officials that in the last three weeks, Baker had "doubled" the amount of hay she had previously taken.
Upon visiting, animal control officers said cattle looked too thin compared to well-fed cattle. The officer also said on several occasions feed was not in the metal grower, police said.
During one of the visits, the animal control officer saw a baby calf, who they believe was only a few days old, lying on the ground with no hay and parts of the umbilical cord still attached, according to Bloomfield Police.
The cattle will remain quarantined until Baker can provide the Department of Agriculture with proper vaccination and permit documents.
Below is Baker's full statement:
I am the farmer who has been charged with animal cruelty. Our cows are at 26 Doncaster Rd in Bloomfield. I would certainly appreciate if people knew my take on the situation.
We take great pride in raising Scottish Highland cattle and provide them with the utmost care and respect. We offer our animals ample hay during the winter months and during the growing season they graze on pasture. They have a constant supply of fresh, clean water and access to shelter if they choose to use it. We raise the animals for beef; they provide us with our livelihood. Treating them humanely and respectfully is certainly a foundation of our business. We have very healthy animals. Our veteranarian rarely needs to be called but due to allegations of animal cruelty, we invited him to come out to provide his professional opinion. As anticipated, he agreed that our 2 bulls, 9 cows and 4 new calves looked to be very healthy and well within the range of what might be expected at this time of year.
Any allegations of animal cruelty are not only false but we find them to be beyond insulting to our endeavor to raise 100% grass fed beef in a sustainable and natural way. We can only assume that these allegations were brought forth by a concerned but very uninformed individual.
Police say a pair of youths spray-painted swastikas and profanities on the driveway and garage door of a Maine home.
Scarborough police say the graffiti sprayed on April 3 didn't target the family's religious beliefs and isn't considered a hate crime.
Police say the spray-painting wasn't random.
Authorities did not identify the 16-year-old Windham girl and 17-year-old Old Orchard Beach boy who were charged because they're juveniles.
Police say both face a felony charge of aggravated criminal mischief.
Scarborough police say the pair also spray-painted graffiti on a town-owned concession building at Wiley Field.
They are expected to be arraigned in a Cumberland County courtroom in late May.
Police said they have captured the man who was wanted for attempted murder after firing a gun at an officer in Salem, Massachusetts, on Thursday.
Authorities announced around 3:40 p.m. Friday that Jeremiah Wooden had been arrested.
Salem Police said they attempted to stop Wooden, who was wanted on five outstanding warrants, on Fairfield Street near Lafayette Street at 6:15 p.m. Thursday.
During a foot pursuit and struggle, Wooden removed a gun from his pocket and fired a round at an officer. He fled on foot. The gun was recovered in a nearby backyard.
No officers were injured.
Wooden was arrested without incident in nearby Lynn by Salem Police, Lynn Police and state police. In addition to the warrants, he faces charges including armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery on a police officer and assault and battery with a firearm, as well as several other firearm charges.
The suspect is also accused of driving without a license, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
After his arrest, Wooden was booked at the Salem Police Headquarters and transported to the Essex County Correctional Facility.
Wooden is due to be arraigned Tuesday in Salem District Court. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.
A man fired shots at officers Thursday evening in Salem, Massachusetts, according to police.
The officers were trying to apprehend the suspect on Fairfield Street near Lafayette Street around 6:15.
No officers were injured.
The suspect fled on foot. Police are searching for him., but say he is no longer in the area.
A gun was found in the area.
"I knew it had to be serious when I heard the officer's voice," said a neighbor who did not want to be identified. "He said to stop."
The woman says she didn't see the suspect, but she heard the shot.
"I saw the officer with the gun drawn," she said. "I heard a pop, and I knew it was a gun."
Police are asking people to avoid the area. Anyone with information is asked to call (978) 744-1212.
3 football teams punched their postseason tickets. Week 7 recap
Tiverton, which lost to Davies on Friday night, was eliminated from postseason play. Here's where teams stand after Week 7.
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Andrew Howie lives in Champaign and hides his pretentious music taste behind self-deprecating humor. If you seek radio hits, this is not the column you're looking for. Come here to find the acquired tastes, the obscure albums, the innovative and bizarre.
Reporter/Columnist
Julie Wurth is a reporter covering the University of Illinois at The News-Gazette. Her email is jwurth@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@jawurth).
Reporter
Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
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NOTICE: This Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is intended for persons living in Australia.
Immediate release tablets containing gliclazide (pronounced gli-cla-zide) Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet This leaflet answers some common questions about GLYADE. It does not contain all the available information Reading this leaflet does not take the place of talking to your doctor, pharmacist, or diabetes educator. All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking GLYADE against the benefits they expect it will have for you. If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist, or diabetes educator. Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again.
What GLYADE is The name of your medicine is GLYADE. GLYADE contains the active ingredient 'gliclazide'. Gliclazide belongs to a group of medicines called sulphonylureas.
What GLYADE is used for GLYADE is used to control blood glucose (sugar) in patients with Type II diabetes mellitus. This type of diabetes is also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM), or maturity-onset diabetes).
Why GLYADE is used for Type II diabetes mellitus GLYADE is used when diet and exercise are not enough to control your blood glucose. GLYADE can be used alone or together with insulin or other medicines for treating diabetes.
How it works Glucose is used by the body as fuel, and all people have glucose circulating in their blood. In diabetes, levels of blood glucose are higher than is needed, which is also known as hyperglycaemia. If your blood glucose is not properly controlled, you may experience hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) or hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose). High blood glucose can lead to serious problems with our heart, circulation and/or kidneys. It is very important to control high blood glucose whether or not you feel unwell. This really helps to avoid serious long-term health problems, which can involve the heart, eyes, circulation, and/or kidneys. A section at the end of this leaflet contains advice about recognising and treating hyperglycaemia. GLYADE is used when diet and exercise are not enough to control your blood glucose properly. It lowers blood glucose by increasing the amount of insulin (a hormone that controls blood glucose levels) produced by your pancreas. As with many medicines used for the treatment of diabetes, there is a possibility that blood glucose levels may become very low during treatment with GLYADE. This is known as hypoglycaemia. A section at the end of this leaflet contains advice about recognising and treating hypoglycaemia. GLYADE is available only with a doctor's prescription. GLYADE is not addictive. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why GLYADE has been prescribed for you.
Before you take GLYADE There are some people who should not take GLYADE. Please read the lists below. If you think any of these situations apply to you, or you have any questions, please consult your doctor, pharmacist, or diabetes educator.
Do not take GLYADE if you are allergic to: gliclazide, or any of the other ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet. you have had an allergic reaction to any other sulphonylureas, or related medicines such as sulfa antibiotics or to thiazide diuretics (a type of "fluid" or "water" tablet). Symptoms of an allergic reaction to GLYADE or to these medicines may include skin rash, itchiness or hives, shortness of breath, swelling of the face, lips or tongue, muscle pain or tenderness or joint pain. If you are not sure if you have an allergy to GLYADE, check with your doctor. are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. GLYADE may affect your developing baby if you take it during pregnancy. Insulin is more suitable for controlling blood glucose during pregnancy. Your doctor will usually replace GLYADE with insulin while you are pregnant. are breastfeeding or plan to breast-feed. GLYADE is not recommended while you are breastfeeding. It is not known whether GLYADE passes into breast milk. you have Type 1 diabetes mellitus (also known as insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM), or juvenile-onset diabetes). you have unstable diabetes you have diabetic ketoacidosis (a problem which affects the acidity of your blood and can lead to coma - which is mainly associated with Type 1 diabetes). you have severe kidney disease you have severe liver disease you are taking an antibiotic medicine containing the active ingredient miconazole the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack. If you take it after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well. the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering. If it is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal. If you are not sure whether you should start taking GLYADE, talk to your doctor.
For children Do not give GLYADE to a child. There is no experience with the use of GLYADE in children.
For older people Elderly people can generally use GLYADE safely. There are no special instructions for older people taking GLYADE.
Tell your doctor straight away if: you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breast-feeding. Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved. you are allergic to any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet; to any other medicines; or to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes you have an intolerance to some sugars as GLYADE contains lactose If you have a family history of or know you have the hereditary condition glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency (abnormality of red blood cells), lowering of the haemoglobin level and breakdown of red blood cells (haemolytic anaemia) can occur. you have had any of the following medical conditions: kidney disease liver disease a history of diabetic coma. adrenal, pituitary or thyroid problems heart failure you have any medical condition, or do anything, that may increase the risk of hyperglycaemia - for example: you are ill or feeling unwell (especially with fever or infection) you are injured you are having surgery. you are taking less GLYADE than prescribed you are taking less exercise than normal you are eating more carbohydrate than normal. drinking alcoholic drinks. not eating regular meals. taking more exercise than usual. If you have not told your doctor, pharmacist or diabetes educator about any of the above, tell them before you start taking GLYADE.
Taking other medicines Tell your doctor, pharmacist or diabetes educator if you are taking any other medicines, including medicines you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop. Taking GLYADE may change the effect of some medicines, and some medicines may affect how well GLYADE works. You may need different amounts of your medication or to take different medicines. Some medicines may lead to low blood glucose (hypoglycaemia) by increasing the blood-glucose-lowering effect of GLYADE. These include: some medicines used to treat fungal or yeast infections (miconazole which is contraindicated) alcohol other medicines used to treat diabetes (such as biguanides and insulin) some medicines used to treat high blood pressure and other heart conditions (including angiotensin receptor blocker, beta-blockers) some medicines used to treat depression and other mental illness (MAOIs) some cholesterol-lowering medicines (clofibrate) some medicines used to treat arthritis, pain and inflammation (including high dose aspirin, ibuprofen, phenylbutazone) some antibiotics (chloramphenicol; tetracyclines; long-acting sulphonamides) some medicines used to treat acid reflux and stomach ulcers Some medicines may lead to high blood glucose levels (hyperglycaemia) by weakening the blood glucose-lowering effect of GLYADE. These include: alcohol some medicines for epilepsy (danazol) some medicines used to treat depression and other mental illness (chlorpromazine) some hormones used in hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptives (oestrogen, progesterone) St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) preparations used to treat depression some medicines for asthma (salbutamol, intravenous terbutaline). barbiturates, medicines used for sedation glucocorticoids Some medicines may lead to unstable blood glucose (low blood sugar and high blood sugar) when taken at the same time as GLYADE, especially in elderly patients. These include: A class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. GLYADE may change the effects of some other medicines. These include: some medicines used to prevent blood clots (warfarin) You may need different amounts of your medicine or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor, pharmacist or diabetes educator can tell you what to do if you are taking any of these medicines. They also have a more complete list of medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking GLYADE. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure if you are taking any of these medicines.
How to take GLYADE Follow all directions given to you by your doctor, pharmacist, and diabetes educator carefully. They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet. If you do not understand the instructions on the box, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help. Your doctor will tell you how many tablets to take each day. They may increase or decrease the dose, depending on your blood glucose levels.
When to take it Swallow the tablets with a glass of water. GLYADE tablets can be broken in half. However they should not be crushed or chewed. Crushing or chewing the tablets may change the effectiveness of the tablet. It is important to take your GLYADE at the same time each day - usually with breakfast. Taking GLYADE with food can help to minimise the risk of hypoglycaemia. Do not skip meals while taking GLYADE.
How long to take it Continue taking GLYADE for as long as your doctor recommends. Make sure you keep enough GLYADE to last over weekends and holidays. GLYADE will help control your diabetes but will not cure it. Therefore, you may have to take it for a long time.
If you forget to take it If is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise, take it as you remember (with food), then go back to taking your tablets as you would normally. Missed doses can cause high blood glucose (hyperglycaemia). If you are not sure whether to skip the dose, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you have missed. If you double a dose, this may cause low blood glucose (hypoglycaemia).
If you take too much (overdose) Immediately telephone your doctor, Diabetes Australia or Poisons Information Centre (telephone in Australia: 13 11 26) for advice if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much GLYADE. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention. If you take too much GLYADE together with other medicines for diabetes or alcohol, you may experience symptoms of low blood glucose (hypoglycaemia). If not treated quickly, these symptoms may progress to loss of co-ordination, slurred speech, confusion, loss of consciousness and fitting. At the first signs of hypoglycaemia, raise your blood glucose quickly by following the instructions at the end of this leaflet. If you experience any of these symptoms, immediately get medical help.
While you are taking GLYADE
Things you must do If you become pregnant while you are taking GLYADE, tell your doctor. Tell all doctors, dentists, pharmacists and diabetes educators who are involved with your treatment that you are taking GLYADE. If you are about to start taking any new medicines, tell you doctor and pharmacist that you are taking GLYADE. Take GLYADE exactly as your doctor has prescribed. Otherwise you may not get the full benefits from treatment. Make sure you check your blood glucose levels regularly. This is the best way to tell if your diabetes is being controlled properly. Your doctor or diabetes educator will show you how and when to do this. Make sure that you, your friends, family and work colleagues can recognise the symptoms of hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia and know how to treat them. Instructions at the end of this leaflet can help you with this. Visit your doctor regularly so that they can check on your progress. Carefully follow your doctor's and dietician's advice on diet, drinking alcohol and exercise. Tell your doctor immediately if you notice the return of any symptoms of hyperglycaemia that you had before starting GLYADE. These may include lethargy or tiredness, headache, thirst, passing large amounts of urine and blurred vision. These may be signs that GLYADE is no longer working, even though you may have been taking it successfully for some time.
Things you must not do Do not give GLYADE to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you. Do not use GLYADE to treat other complaints unless your doctor tells you to. Do not stop taking GLYADE, or change the dosage, without checking with your doctor. Do not skip meals while taking GLYADE.
Things to be careful of If you drink alcohol while taking GLYADE, you may get flushing, headache, breathing difficulties, rapid heart beat, stomach pains or feel sick and vomit. Protect your skin when you are in the sun, especially between 10am and 3pm. Sulphonylureas (the group of medicines that GLYADE belongs to) may cause your skin to be more sensitive to sunlight than it is normally. Exposure to sunlight may cause a skin rash, itching, redness, or a severe sunburn. If outdoors, wear protective clothing and use a 30+ sunscreen. If your skin does appear to be burning, tell your doctor immediately. Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how GLYADE affects you. Also, be especially careful not to let your blood glucose levels fall too low. GLYADE may cause dizziness and drowsiness in some people. Low blood glucose levels may also slow your reaction time and affect your ability to drive or operate machinery. A section at the end of this leaflet contains advice about recognising and treating hypoglycaemia. Drinking alcohol can make this worse. If either of these occurs, do not drive, operate machinery or do anything else that could be dangerous. If you are travelling, it is a good idea to: wear some form of identification showing you have diabetes carry some form of sugar to treat hypoglycaemia if it occurs, for example, sugar sachets or jelly beans carry emergency food rations in case of a delay, for example, dried fruit, biscuits or muesli bars keep GLYADE readily available If you become sick with a cold, fever or flu, it is very important to continue taking GLYADE, even if you fell unable to eat your normal meal. If you have trouble eating solid food, use sugar-sweetened drinks as a carbohydrate substitute or eat small amounts of bland food. Your diabetes educator or dietician can give you a list of foods to use for sick days.
Side Effects If you do not feel well while you are taking GLYADE then tell your doctor, pharmacist, or diabetes educator as soon as possible. All medicines can have side effects. Most of the time they are not serious but sometimes they can be. GLYADE helps most people with Type 2 diabetes, but it may sometimes have unwanted side effects. These can include: hyPOglycaemia and hyPERglycaemia. A section at the end of this leaflet contains advice about recognising and treating hyPOglycaemia and hyPERglycaemia runny or blocked nose, sneezing, facial pressure or pain, bronchitis, sore throat and discomfort when swallowing, upper respiratory infection, coughing, back pain, arthralgia, arthrosis, high blood pressure, chest pain, Headache, unusual weakness, Viral infection, urinary tract infection, dizziness stomach upset with symptoms like feeling sick, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation. decrease in the number of cells in the blood (e.g. platelets, red and white blood cells) which may cause paleness, prolonged bleeding, bruising, sore throat and fever have been reported. These symptoms usually vanish when the treatment is discontinued. Increase of some hepatic enzymes levels, and exceptionally a liver disease, your vision may be affected for a short time especially at the start of treatment. This effect is due to changes in blood sugar levels. Other side effects are usually mild when they occur. Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them. However if you do - or if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell - you should consult your doctor or pharmacist. Other uncommon side effects have been reported and you may wish to discuss this issue with your doctor, pharmacist, or diabetes educator. If any of the signs below occur stop taking GLYADE then tell your doctor immediately or go to the Accident and Emergency department at your nearest hospital: Skin rash, redness itching and/or hives, blisters, angioedema (rapid swelling of tissues such as eyelids, face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat that may result in breathing difficulty) have been reported. Rash may progress to widespread blistering or peeling of the skin and may be the first sign of rare life threatening conditions (e.g. Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and severe hypersensitivity reactions (DRESS). Exceptionally, DRESS have been reported: initially as flu-like symptoms and a rash on the face then an extended rash with a high temperature. As for other sulphonylureas, the following adverse events have been observed: cases of severe changes in the number of blood cells and allergic inflammation of the wall of blood vessels, reduction in blood sodium (hyponatraemia), symptoms of liver impairment (e.g. jaundice) which in most cases disappeared after withdrawal of the sulfonylurea, but may lead to life-threatening liver failure in isolated cases.
After taking GLYADE
Storage Keep your tablets in the pack until it is time to take them. GLYADE will not keep as well outside its blister packaging. Keep them in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30C. Do not store medicines in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave them in a car or on a windowsill. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines. Keep GLYADE tablets where children cannot reach them. 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 taking GLYADE, or the tablets have passed their expiry date, return any leftover tablets to your pharmacist for disposal.
Product description
What it looks like GLYADE tablets are round, white and cross-scored on one side. GLYADE tablets come in a blister strip. Each box contains 100 tablets.
Ingredients Each tablet of GLYADE contains 80mg of gliclazide as the active ingredient and a number of inactive ingredients. The inactive ingredients in GLYADE tablets include lactose monohydrate, maize starch, purified talc, magnesium stearate and pregelatinised maize starch. The tablets are gluten free.
Manufacturer/Distributor GLYADE is a product discovered and developed by Servier Research International. It is distributed in Australia by: Alphapharm Pty Ltd trading as Viatris Level 1, 30 The Bond 30-34 Hickson Road Millers Point NSW 2000 www.viatris.com.au GLYADE is registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. Australian Register Number: AUST R 70433
Recognising and treating hyPOglycaemia (very LOW blood sugar levels) Hypoglycaemia may occur during GLYADE treatment. The first signs of hypoglycaemia are usually weakness, trembling or shaking, sweating, lightheadedness, dizziness, headache or lack of concentration, irritability, tearfulness, hunger, and/ or numbness around the lips and tongue. At the first signs of hypoglycaemia take some sugar to raise your blood sugar level quickly. Do this by eating 5 to 7 jelly beans, 3 teaspoons of sugar or honey, drinking half a can of non-diet soft drink, taking 2-3 glucose tablets or a tube of glucose gel. Then take some extra carbohydrates - such as plain biscuits, fruit or milk - unless you are within 10-15 minutes of your next meal. Taking this extra carbohydrate will help to prevent a second drop in your blood glucose level. If not treated quickly, hypoglycaemia symptoms may progress to loss of co-ordination, slurred speech, confusion, fits or loss of consciousness. If hypoglycaemia symptoms do not get better straight away after taking sugar then go to the Accident and Emergency department at your nearest hospital - if necessary by calling an ambulance. Contact your doctor or diabetes educator for advice if you are concerned about hypoglycaemia.
Deborah Alsina THOUGHT LEADERS SERIES ...insight from the worlds leading experts
Please can you give a brief overview of the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) home screening kit for bowel cancer?
FIT (faecal immunochemical test) is a screening test for bowel cancer which detects hidden traces of blood in stools. It is now used in population screening around the world including Italy, The Netherlands, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Slovenia, Malta, Japan, parts of Canada, and Southeast Asia.
Screening Play
Currently in the UK, the screening programmes in each of the devolved nations use the guaiac faecal occult blood test (gFOBt) which also detects hidden traces of blood in stools but is a less sensitive test. The UK National Screening Committee recently recommended the introduction of FIT to replace gFOBt, but this is yet to be approved in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, so we are calling for its swift introduction. However, Scotland has already agreed to introduce FIT and is working towards implementation.
The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme is designed to identify bowel cancer in people who have no symptoms. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland screening is available every two years to people aged 60 74. In Scotland it is available for those aged 50 -74. Eligible participants are sent a test in the post every two years. The current screening kit requires individuals to collect three samples of poo over two weeks. Regular screening can lead to detecting bowel cancer early when the chances of survival are high.
How does the test work?
Like the current gFOBt test, FIT requires patients to collect a stool sample at home but FIT requires only one sample rather than three required by gFOBt. It is easy and hygienic to post the completed test for analysis in a laboratory.
FIT works by detecting tiny amounts of blood in the stool that could indicate cancer or large polyps, growths that can develop into cancer. FIT measures the level of blood in the stool and is sensitive to human haemoglobin whereas gFOBt only indicates the presence of blood. Because of this, it is more accurate than the current gFOBt.
It is also a quantitative test and so, unlike the current gFOBt, the cut-off level for detecting blood in the stools can be adjusted to change the sensitivity of FIT.
FIT has a relatively quick processing time between obtaining a sample and receiving a result. This turnaround time means that patients could receive rapid reassurance if their result is negative and also be referred quickly for endoscopy should their result be positive.
Currently, how many of those invited actually take part in the NHS bowel cancer screening programme in the UK? What impact do you think the FIT will have on this figure?
At the moment in some areas of the UK only a third of those who receive a test complete it, meaning thousands of people are missing out on the chance to detect bowel cancer early when it is easier to treat.
Thats why, during Bowel Cancer Awareness Month in April we are focusing on screening. As 2016 marks the ten year anniversary of the introduction of bowel cancer screening in England, we are urging people to spread the word among their family, friends and colleagues to take the test.
As FIT only requires one sample and the collection method is simpler, FIT has been shown to increase the number of people participating in the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, particularly for previous non-responders and first-timers, as well as hard to reach groups, such as ethnic and deprived communities. Results from a recent pilot study showed that overall participation in FIT for first time invitees was 61 per cent compared with 50 per cent for the current test.
One of the benefits of FIT is that because it is a quantitative test, sensitivity levels can be varied so that more cancers or their precursors, polyps, can be detected. However we know that a high sensitivity level will have a significant impact on colonoscopy services, particularly as many endoscopy units are currently struggling to cope with an increasing demand for the service. Therefore there is likely to be a staged implementation with sensitivity levels only being increased once endoscopy services can cope with the additional demand. Whilst this is pragmatic, it is essential that this does happen or it will have limited additional impact and lives will continue to be lost needlessly.
How important is the early diagnosis of bowel cancer on survival chances?
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Early diagnosis is key because bowel cancer is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early. In fact nearly everyone diagnosed at the earliest stage will survive bowel cancer, yet this drops significantly as the disease develops.
What role does screening play in detecting bowel cancer in the earliest stages? How accurate is the FIT?
Screening has a vitally important role in detecting bowel cancer early as it can detect bowel cancer before it becomes symptomatic, which can often imply later stage disease. There is a marked stage shift in those detected through screening to those detected after symptomatic presentation. A third of people (34 per cent) who are diagnosed with bowel cancer through screening are diagnosed at stage 1, the earliest and most treatable stage, compared to only six per cent of those who are diagnosed through emergency admission to hospital.
One of the reasons we have been campaigning for the introduction of FIT is because of its accuracy. A FIT pilot study demonstrated a significant, two-fold increase in detection of cancers and a four-fold increase in advanced adenomas when implemented at 20 milligrams of haemoglobin per gram of faeces or 20g/g. Whilst it is unlikely that the test will be introduced at such a sensitive level, it does highlight the potential gains that are possible by implementing FIT.
In contrast, the gFOBt only detects up to 50 per cent of bowel cancers in patients with no symptoms.
You recently described colonoscopy services in the UK as struggling. Why do you think this is the case?
There is an increasing demand for colonoscopy services due to an ageing population and roll-out of screening programmes, and its vital that these issues are resolved before they reach crisis point. Its worth noting that currently 24 per cent of bowel cancers are detected after an emergency admission when outcomes are frequently poorer. We need to change this and ensuring people can access timely diagnostic testing is part of the solution.
In our report, Diagnosing bowel cancer early: right test, right time, we highlighted the increasing demand and how the lack of capacity is impacting on waiting times. Waiting for a diagnostic test can be a very stressful time and so it is important that people are not kept waiting more than six weeks.
Added to this are other issues such as the difficulty in qualifying for an urgent referral and varying quality in services.
It is also impacting on our ability to provide adequate surveillance screening for high risk groups, such as those with genetic conditions such as Lynch syndrome. Research has shown that services for people at high risk are at best patchy and that needs resolving quickly.
The lack of capacity within our endoscopy service is a major challenge across the UK and over the last few years, there appears to have been a great deal of talk but not a lot of action in terms of resolving it. We need a national endoscopy training programme (200 non medical endoscopists is a good start but not enough) and a clear national strategy for addressing this quickly, if we are serious about saving lives from bowel cancer.
Whats your vision for Bowel Cancer UK moving forwards?
Last year, we announced an ambitious new agenda to become the UKs leading bowel cancer research charity, dedicated to stopping bowel cancer for good.
This move into research will focus on improving access to early diagnosis, and best treatment and care, by unlocking the reasons people die, piece by piece.
On World Cancer Day (4 February 2016) we launched our new 2016 research strategy and outlined a new research project bringing together 100 clinicians and scientists to identify critical gaps in current research into bowel cancer which, if addressed, we believe will help save the lives of thousands of people diagnosed with the disease.
This landmark study will be the most comprehensive review of bowel cancer research ever to take place in the UK and will be chaired by Professor Richard Wilson, Clinical Director, Northern Ireland Cancer Trials Centre and Network, Queen's University Belfast and Ian Tomlinson, Professor at Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford and is being carried out in partnership with the NCRI CSG and the ACPGBI.
Where can readers find more information?
For more information visit bowelcanceruk.org.uk
About Deborah Alsina
Deborah began her career in publishing and has subsequently worked in the voluntary sector for nearly 25 years. She has worked with a broad range of organisations from academic think tanks to charities working on international human rights issues. Deborah joined Bowel Cancer UK as Director of Services and Strategy in June 2008, a year after losing her father to the disease and was appointed Chief Executive a year later.
A determined advocate for earlier diagnosis and best treatment and care for all, Deborah represents the charity in numerous policy advisory committees relating to bowel cancer and also works with international partners on issues of shared concern. She is also increasingly involved in exciting new research collaborations. Frequently asked to give presentations and speeches about bowel cancer, Deborah is also proud to act as Bowel Cancer UK's lead spokesperson.
Business / Companies
by Staff reporter
Indian giant car maker Tata International Limited has pledged to expand its business portfolio in Zimbabwe to include infrastructure development and pharmaceuticals.Tata chief finance officer Behram Sabawala said his company was looking for long term deals not "quick buck".He said Tata was confident the problems the country was facing were temporary.Distributors of Tata vehicles in the country Blackwood Hodge Zimbabwe general manager Elliot Shoniwa said Tata had huge plans.He said Tata was confident about Zimbabwe and that explains why it moved into the country at the height of economic challenges.
AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company, today announced that 91 percent (n=20/22) of genotype 1 (GT1) chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients who failed previous therapy with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) achieved SVR12 with 12 weeks of ABT-493 and ABT-530 with ribavirin (RBV) in the primary intent-to-treat analysis. Additionally, 86 percent (n=19/22) of GT1 patients who received ABT-493 and ABT-530 without RBV, achieved SVR12.[i] SVR12 was achieved in 95 percent of patients with and without RBV (n=20/21, n=19/20; respectively) in a modified intent-to-treat analysis, excluding patients who did not achieve SVR for reasons other than virologic failure.
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The results were evaluated in the ongoing MAGELLAN-1 study of AbbVies once-daily, investigational, pan-genotypic regimen of co-formulated ABT-493 (300mg) and ABT-530 (120mg) for the retreatment of non-cirrhotic patients with GT1 chronic HCV who have failed previous therapy with DAAs. These data will be presented today at The International Liver Congress (ILC) 2016 in Barcelona, Spain.
Retreatment options for those patients who have previously failed therapy are limited, and present a particular challenge for treating physicians, said Fred Poordad, M.D., vice president of academic and clinical affairs at The Texas Liver Institute in San Antonio. The high SVR rates seen in the ongoing MAGELLAN-1 study are significant as they show promise in addressing this particular clinical challenge.
No patients discontinued treatment due to adverse events, and two patients experienced virologic failure, one from each arm. The most common adverse events (10 percent of patients overall; n=44) were headache (30 percent), fatigue (27 percent) and nausea (20 percent).
While high virologic cure rates have been demonstrated in clinical studies with current DAA regimens, we recognize that not all patients achieve a cure, said Rob Scott, M.D., vice president, development and chief medical officer, AbbVie. Through our ongoing clinical development program, we are striving to give HCV patients a potential option for retreatment.
AstraZeneca today reported new Phase I extended follow-up data on osimertinib in both first- and second-line treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), at the European Lung Cancer Conference (ELCC) 2016. Late-breaker presentations reinforced the efficacy and safety profile for osimertinib previously seen in the AURA clinical trials programme.
Phase I data from the AURA trial on osimertinib investigated as first-line treatment in 60 patients (pooled 80mg and 160mg dose cohorts) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive advanced NSCLC showed an objective response rate (ORR, a measurement of tumour shrinkage) of 77% (95% confidence interval (CI): 64%-87%) and a progression-free survival (PFS) of 19.3 months, with 55% of patients remaining progression-free at 18 months (95% CI: 41%-67%).1 Median duration of response (DoR) was non-calculable (NC) (95% CI: 12.5 months to NC) at the time of data cut off, with 53% of patients continuing to respond at 18 months (95% CI: 36%-67%).1 Of the 60 first-line patients, five had tumours also harbouring the T790M mutation at diagnosis (known as de novo patients) and all five of these patients showed durable responses. The most common adverse events were rash (78% overall; 2% Grade 3), diarrhoea (73% overall; 3% Grade 3), dry skin (58% overall; 0 Grade 3) and paronychia (50% overall; 3% Grade 3). All of the Grade 3 or above events in these categories occurred at the 160mg dose.
Klaus Edvardsen, Vice President, Clinical Oncology and Interim Head of Oncology, Global Medicines Development at AstraZeneca said:
In a Phase I study with osimertinib as first-line therapy in EGFR-mutation positive NSCLC, we are seeing consistently durable responses. In many cases, responses continue for at least 18 months including in a small group of patients with the T790M mutation detectable at diagnosis. The ongoing Phase III FLAURA trial will further characterise the potential of osimertinib 80mg in the first-line EGFRm setting.
Updated pooled results from AURA Phase II studies in 411 pre-treated patients with EGFR T790M mutation-positive NSCLC treated with osimertinib 80mg showed a median PFS of 11 months (95% CI: 9.6-12.4 months), an ORR of 66% (95% CI: 61%-71%) and a median DoR of 12.5 months (95% CI:11.1 months to NC).2 Pooled treatment-related adverse events data from the AURA Phase II studies included rash (41% overall; <1% Grade 3), diarrhoea (38% overall; <1% Grade 3), dry skin (30% overall; 0% Grade 3) and paronychia (29% overall; 0% Grade 3). Interstitial lung disease was seen in 12 patients (3% overall; 2% Grade 3), hyperglycaemia in 1 patient (<1% overall; 0 Grade 3) and QT prolongation in 14 patients (3% overall; 1% Grade 3).
Osimertinib recently received accelerated approval as the first indicated treatment for patients with EGFR T790M mutation-positive metastatic NSCLC in the US, EU and Japan. The ongoing confirmatory Phase III trial, AURA3, is assessing the efficacy and safety of osimertinib versus platinum-based doublet chemotherapy in patients with EGFR T790M mutation-positive, locally advanced, or metastatic NSCLC who have progressed following prior therapy with an EGFR-TKI.
AstraZeneca is also continuing studies in the adjuvant and locally-advanced/metastatic first-line EGFRm settings, in patients with and without brain metastases, in leptomeningeal disease, and in combination with other compounds.
A simple but effective sensor for monitoring the respiration rate of individuals has been created. Taking advantage of the hygroscopic character of ordinary paper, scientists at Harvard University have developed an electrical sensor to detect the periodic changes of humidity by breathing in and out. As they report in the journal Angewandte Chemie, the respiration data can be transmitted to and collected by nearby smartphones or tablet computers for further processing, storage, or transmittance to practical therapists. A simple face mask carrying the sensor system and worn in hospital wards may thus save lives.
A person's respiration rate often reflects their health status and physical condition. Second- to minute-long pauses in breathing characterizes sleep apnea, and breathing too fast at rest can give important prediction of cardiac arrest. Furthermore, athletes count on their breathing as an indication of fitness, favoring slow but deep breaths during exercises. How can breathing be monitored in a user-friendly, safe, and inexpensive way? Interestingly, there are few practical and cost-effective methods available to detect respiration rates, apart from simply counting the rising and falling of the chest. A team of chemists and bioengineers under guidance of George M. Whitesides have designed a low-cost monitoring system based on a paper patch that hosts the electrodes for the detection of the humidity changes in the paper fibers during respiration. The sensor is incorporated in conventional face masks used in hospitals.
The scientists asked healthy individuals wearing these functionalized face masks to perform exercises at various levels and monitored the sensitivity of the sensor and the reliability of the data. In addition, they explored the conditions at rest by examining normal breath rates, pauses, and random combinations of fast, slow, shallow and deep breaths. The idea behind the system was that extra humidity by exhalation would increase the water layer on the cellulose fibers, while inhalation results in the opposite effect. "Essentially, the paper sensor transduces variations in the level of moisture of its immediate surrounding to an electrical signal," the authors say.
The amplified and processed data are then transferred from data acquisition electronics to a smartphone or tablet computer running a convenient Android app to display and analyze the incoming data stream. "The system is non-invasive, and thus allows physical scientists access to physiologically relevant human data under simple IRB [Institutional Review Board] approvals," the authors state. It is the simplicity and the low cost combined with reliability that will make their paper-based electric respiration sensor highly attractive to the healthcare system.
Chancellor George Osborne will today warn that resistance to antibiotics will become an even greater threat to mankind than cancer without global action. His comments will be presented in a speech at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting in Washington today, 14th April 2016.
Professor Colin Garner, the chief executive of Antibiotic Research UK (ANTRUK), the worlds first charity tackling bacterial antibiotic resistance, says:
It is fantastic that the Chancellor will today highlight in Washington the threat of antibiotic resistance and that this may be larger than the cancer threat. Effective antibiotics underpin all modern medicine, including cancer treatments, surgery, childbirth and heart operations. We are in danger of going back to a pre-antibiotic era unless we very quickly find significant funds to find new antibiotics, as well as safeguarding our current ones. ANTRUK is working with Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, to ask the government for funds to be given to charities such as ours. Whilst discussions have been going on over the past three years about global initiatives, we have raised sufficient funds to commence our first research project. The time for talking is over and we are looking to the UK Government to take a world leading role. The Chancellor has a fantastic opportunity to make this happen by working with UK stakeholders.
Kevin Hollinrake MP for Thirsk and Malton and with a keen interest in antibiotic resistance and antibiotic drug development says:
The Chancellors call today to world governments highlighting the issue of antibiotic resistance is to be welcomed. I am working with charity Antibiotic Research UK to request the UK government to provide UK solutions to the problem of antibiotic resistance by taking a world leading position. I am meeting with the Prime Minister shortly and will be asking him to provide financial assistance to those in the charity sector tacking antibiotic resistance.
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To meet the challenge of the rise in antibiotic resistant bacteria (superbugs), national charity Antibiotic Research UK is commissioning the first ever research programme to screen antibiotic resistance breakers against antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. This will test whether existing therapies, already in use and being safely administered in humans, can be co-administered with antibiotics. This is the first of five projects to be carried out in the next 5 to 7 years, with the ultimate objective of developing new antibiotic therapies for use by the early 2020s to overcome superbugs.
ANTRUK has ambitious goals to reverse the decline in antibiotic drug development particularly given the lack of appetite among big pharma to find new therapies.
New research in laboratory animals suggests that the drug palovarotene may prevent multiple skeletal problems caused by a rare but extremely disabling genetic bone disease, and may even be a candidate for use in newborn babies with the condition. Scientists at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, who previously repurposed the drug to prevent excess bone formation in animal models of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), have extended that research in animals carrying the exact human disease-causing mutation.
In humans with FOP, an activating mutation in the ACVR1 gene triggers extraskeletal cartilage and bone formation and accumulation starting in early childhood. The extraskeletal bone occurs in muscles and other tissues where it does not belong. This pathological process, collectively called heterotopic ossification (HO), causes progressive loss of skeletal motion and hampers breathing and swallowing.
Currently untreatable and painful, FOP often causes death early in adulthood.
"This work represents a big step toward therapy," said co-study leader, Maurizio Pacifici, Ph.D., a developmental biologist and director of Orthopedic Research in the Division of Orthopedic Surgery at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). "The mice used in this study were engineered to carry the human mutation that causes FOP, and the drug showed powerful and comprehensive benefits for skeletal growth and function in addition to inhibiting HO. If these results translate to humans, we may be able to treat children with FOP early in life, before the disease progresses."
The research appeared online March 12 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
"This is the first study to show in the mouse model of FOP that the drug palovarotene inhibits and abates multiple musculoskeletal problems associated with FOP," said co-study leader Eileen M. Shore, Ph.D., a professor in Genetics and Orthopaedics at the Center for Research in FOP and Related Disorders in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Another co-author from Penn Medicine, Frederick S. Kaplan, M.D., is a world expert in FOP.
Masahiro Iwamoto, D.D.S., Ph.D., also of CHOP, and a co-study leader with Pacifici and Shore, said, "This study has generated an unexpected and exciting finding, in that palovarotene appears to be better tolerated by mutant mice than control mice. If this finding translates to patients, the drug could be even safer for children with FOP than we previously realized."
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Palovarotene was originally tested in adults with emphysema. Although the drug was not then developed beyond phase 2 trials for that indication, it showed few side effects. As a retinoic acid receptor- (RAR-) agonist, palovarotene is a class of drug that selectively targets a regulatory pathway involved in cartilage formation. The extra bone that occurs in FOP appears first as cartilage before becoming fully mature bone cells. Iwamoto and Pacifici showed in 2011 that palovarotene inhibited HO in mouse models of genetic HO and injury-induced HO. The Department of Defense supported this research, given that injury-induced HO is prevalent in severely wounded soldiers.
The current study extended that research by using palovarotene in a novel mouse model carrying the human mutation, ACVR1 R206H, that causes most cases of FOP. The drug had potent effects--it prevented HO, and also preserved limb motion and normal bone growth in young mutant mice. The benefits for growth were a welcome surprise, said Pacifici, because palovarotene and similar retinoid agonists can impair skeletal growth--a side effect seen in control mice.
When the scientists gave palovarotene to nursing female mice, they passed along the drug's benefit to their offspring with the mutation. If the drug's benefits translate to humans, said Iwamoto, it could mean that newborn babies diagnosed with FOP could benefit from early treatment. "This is especially important, because once the extraskeletal bone forms in patients, it is permanent."
A major complication of FOP it that surgeons cannot remove the excess bone tissue, because tissue damage and injury from surgery trigger even more bone formation and growth. In this study, palovarotene not only inhibited spontaneous HO, but also prevented HO when mice were experimentally injured. This is another indicator of the drug's potential benefits for humans--possibly allowing the safe removal of previously formed HO in FOP patients and preventing HO in the general population experiencing trauma or surgery.
Clementia Pharmaceuticals is currently conducting phase 2 clinical trials in individuals with FOP, based on the 2011 preclinical results published by Iwamoto and Pacifici. That international study is being done at four sites, including the FOP Center at Penn Medicine, and is testing whether palovarotene is safe and effective in children and adults experiencing disease flare-ups.
Source: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Scientists want to know whether taking antibiotics early in life can disrupt your immune system function lifelong.
Regardless of our age, antibiotics at least temporarily wipe out many of the good gut bacteria, or microbiota, that help us digest and use food and eliminate waste. That may be particularly problematic for children because, up to about age 3, this useful group of bacteria also is helping educate their immune system about what to ignore and what to attack, said Dr. Leszek Ignatowicz, immunologist in the Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.
That means early antibiotic use may also have a lasting impact on the diversity of children's immune cells, specifically their T cells, that do both, potentially increasing their lifelong risk of inflammatory bowel disease, allergies and more, said Ignatowicz, principal investigator on a new $1.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health that will help parse the impact.
"There has to be that balance, and we think that in the early stage of life, balance is achieved by the microbiota dynamically educating plenty of peacekeeping regulatory cells," Ignatowicz said.
The grant is enabling scientists to give commonly used, broad-spectrum antibiotics to younger and older mice, look at what that does to the diversity of the T cells in the gut, how long any impact lasts and whether the long-term result is a host of potential diseases that can result from an overactive or underperforming immune system.
"We hypothesize that adult mice with a well-developed immune system will quickly rebuild their diversity as the flora rebuilds," he said. "But we propose that in younger mice, this will not occur as completely as it does in adults. That could mean that in young children, instead of millions of different bacteria in the gut, their T cells only interact with say 100,000, which will impact their diversity," Ignatowicz said.
T cells have the ability to call the immune system to action or keep it nonresponsive. The healthy gut has more of the peacekeeping regulatory T cells to ensure control of the more aggressive effector cells. Ignatowicz notes this does not make the immune system centered in the gut weak, just balanced, both poised to attack invaders and ignore useful guests, like the gut microbiota.
T cell education is supposed to work this way in the gut: Another type of immune cell, dendritic cells, literally holds up pieces of the bacteria mix - both from the individual and his/her environment, which essentially enables the immune system to grow accustomed to and accepting of the gut microbiota.
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Without a diverse microbiota, T cells may never learn to ignore these common environmental triggers, so rather than helping prevent inflammation - an early sign of attack - T cells will be more likely to promote inflammation that can result in a host of so-called autoimmune diseases, where the body essentially attacks itself, including Crohn's, psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.
However, an ample microbiota can even help convert some T cells that learned to be effectors in the thymus gland - where T cell education begins - to regulatory cells, he said.
In fact, another primary aim of the new studies is to determine what percentage of the regulatory cells come directly from the thymus and how many get converted to peacekeepers in the gut. There is conflicting data, but Ignatowicz thinks most come from the thymus, a tiny gland behind the breastbone, but still have plenty to learn when they get to the gut.
The fetus' gut is sterile, so microbiota begin to populate with the act of birth. In fact babies born by C-section start out with a different colony of microorganisms than those who came through the reproductive tract since there are different bacteria in the two locales. The microbiota further develop based on what touches the baby and vice versa, even kisses, as well as the bacteria on the food the baby eats and in his environment.
Broad-spectrum antibiotics, which might be given for anything from a skin infection to bronchitis and tonsillitis, are notorious for wiping out the microbiota, which is why they often cause temporary diarrhea even in adults.
Microbiota also quite literally take up important gut space, leaving less room for invaders, such as the feces-borne bacterium C. difficile, which is often spread by touch and in health care settings, causing diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain. In fact, taking an antibiotic is one of the more common reasons hospitalized patients get C. difficile. In a laboratory setting at least, scientists have shown mice missing their normal microbiota will even colonize with flora from the lake or soil, Ignatowicz said. While the mice live with their new flora, there are problems with an underdeveloped immune system.
The objective of genetic medicine is to analyze all the genes that make up the human genome, in order to identify as many genetic diseases as possible. Indeed, each gene variation has the potential to trigger specific defects. Among all genetic conditions, diseases known as "recessive" occur only when both the father and the mother are healthy carriers of the same defective gene which can be passed down to their children. This category includes a disease that combines intellectual disability, epilepsy and hypotonia. In order to identify the cause of this disorder, researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) sequenced the genomes of families presenting these symptoms, and identified the responsible gene: PIGG. In collaboration with a Japanese team, they were able to confirm its crucial role in the onset of this disease, opening the door to specialized diagnostics and prevention. Results can be read in The American Journal of Human Genetics.
The human genome is composed of 20, 000 genes. As of today, 3,200 are known to cause diseases, of which 1,700 are associated with recessive diseases. In the idea of finding the cause of a specific intellectual disability with hypotonia and epileptic seizures, Periklis Makrythanasis, lead author of the study and a researcher in the Department of Genetic Medicine and Development at the UNIGE Faculty of Medicine, looked into the cases of consanguineous families presenting this disorder. Why consanguineous? Because the probability of suffering from a recessive disease is then higher, since both parents must carry the same genetic defect. There is therefore a higher chance of identifying a gene responsible for this syndrome by studying the members of an affected consanguineous family, he answered. This disease, however, does not only affect inbred groups; these populations are simply at higher risk of being affected.
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The UNIGE researchers studied families in which several members presented these three symptoms. Using genome sequencing, they identified one gene which likely caused this intellectual disability. This gene, known as PIGG, is an important element in the protein production chain. Indeed, its role is to encode an enzyme that processes the modification of other proteins. If it dysfunctions, it prevents some of these proteins from being processed normally, and thereby causes intellectual disability, epilepsy, and hypotonia, which characterizes this syndrome.
But once the gene was identified, the team still needed to confirm that it indeed caused the disease. "We entered PIGG into an international database, known as Matchmaker, in order to see if other researchers had also noticed this gene's involvement in people with similar symptoms. Luckily, Japanese and British scientists gave us a positive answer", explained Stylianos Antonarakis, head of the laboratory which conducted this study.
In collaboration with researchers from the University of Osaka, led by Yoshiko Murakami, last author of this study, the scientists conducted in vitro experiments on the gene's biochemistry, which allowed them to confirm its role in provoking the disease.
This discovery is significant for the research and prevention of recessive genetic diseases. Indeed potential defects in the PIGG gene can be detected by sequencing patients from consanguineous families or any family and this analysis can even be performed prenataly. "As personalized genetic diagnosis becomes possible, this disease will be identified among other people presenting the same symptoms. These results also pave the way for futur new treatment. To solve a problem, you need to identify the cause, which is what we have done here", concluded Periklis Makrythanasis.
RICHMOND A letter from a rape survivor in New York to a conservative Republican senator in Virginia was the catalyst for legislation Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed into law Thursday to ensure that physical evidence in sexual assaults is properly retained and tested.
Natasha Alexenko beamed as McAuliffe signed legislation sponsored by Sen. Richard Black, R-Loudoun, as well as an identical bill carried by Del. Rob Bell, R-Charlottesville, to ensure that rape kits are retained at least two years in cases when victims choose not to report the crime and tested within 60 days when they do.
I was trying not to cry, she said after a bipartisan ceremony at the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance near Willow Lawn.
Alexenko, now 43 and living in Long Island, New York, was living in Newport News and working at the Mariners Museum in 2003 when she learned that the physical evidence collected when she was raped at gunpoint 10 years earlier in New York City finally had been tested.
The test ultimately resulted in a DNA match in 2007 and conviction of the rapist a year later. She founded Natashas Justice Project to push for testing of physical evidence recovery kits from sexual assault cases around the country.
What this does is it begins to link cases together and by linking cases together you take the serial offenders off the street, said Black, a former military prosecutor who began pushing for an audit of rape kits in Virginia after receiving a letter from Alexenko two years ago.
Black, known for his conservative positions on abortion and other social issues, enlisted the help of an unlikely ally, the National Organization for Women, to introduce a bill in the waning days of the 2014 legislative session to conduct an audit that as of December had identified more than 2,900 untested physical evidence kits from Virginia rape cases dating as far back as 1988.
He also found common cause with McAuliffe and Attorney General Mark Herring, both Democrats, to begin clearing the backlog of untested kits and establish standards to ensure proper handling and testing of physical evidence from sexual assaults in the future.
It is a long overdue overhaul of the way we conduct investigations and handle evidence, said Herring, whose office secured a $1.4 million grant to hire a private company, Bode Cellmark Forensics, to test the kits, beginning with evidence that had been kept in cases in Virginia Beach and Fairfax County.
McAuliffe, whose wife, Dorothy, served on the task force formed in 2014 to investigate the problem, included $900,000 in his pending two-year budget to allow the Department of Forensic Science to hire six DNA analysts to promptly test evidence collected in the kits in the future.
The survivors of these malicious crimes are trusting in us to provide a full accounting of these cases and to bring perpetrators to justice, the governor said before signing the bills.
Dana Schrad, executive director of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, said many of the kits in the backlog went untested because of budget cuts that limited the capacity of the Department of Forensic Science to handle them, not because of neglect by law enforcement.
I know law enforcement is thrilled about this because they want this, Schrad said. They want the kits tested whether they have an open case or not.
McAuliffe also signed a separate bill introduced by Black to allow a minor to consent to testing of physical evidence in a sexual assault, even if the parent or guardian does not. Black said the law is needed especially in cases in which the parent or guardian is a potential suspect.
He also signed legislation sponsored by Del. Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, and Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, to require the state to develop curriculum and provide training for law enforcement officers in how to respond in sexual assault cases and treat the survivors of the assault.
The bill was part of Herrings legislative package, which reflected the recommendations of the Governors Campus Sexual Violence Task Force, which he chaired. The Department of Criminal Justice Services will develop the curriculum and oversee the training of law officers, including campus police at colleges and universities, prosecutors, administrators responsible for enforcing federal laws to prevent discrimination against women in higher education, and others who respond to cases of sexual assault and violence.
For Black, the letter from Alexenko, dropped off at his office by a friend of hers from Virginia Beach, was a revelation.
I never knew there was such a thing as an untested rape test kit, said Black, a Marine combat veteran who also served as a major in the Judge Advocate General Corps and later directed the Army criminal law division at the Pentagon.
He introduced Alexenko at the ceremony and credited her for the legislation.
There wouldnt have been one person in this room if it wouldnt have been for her, he said after the ceremony. We wouldnt have known about it.
Business / Local
by Staff Reporter
Government has invited Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe to officially open the 57th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo.The exhibition runs from April 26 to 30 under the theme "Innovate -Integrate-Industrialise".Last year, Zambian president Edgar Lunga was the main man.Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha is quoted saying:"The trade fair will be held under the theme Innovate, Integrate and Industrialise'."The theme fits the purpose because it recognises that the only way to grow the Zimbabwean economy is to improve the competitiveness of locally produced products through industrialising the manufacturing sector," said Bimha.Last week, ZITF board chairman, Bekithemba Nkomo, said 63 percent of local exhibitors would come from Harare, while 28 percent would come from Bulawayo. The rest would come from other cities around the country."At this year's edition, Harare based companies account for 63 percent of participation," Nkomo said.
Like many of her coworkers, Felicia Johnsons favorite part of her job at Lynchburg Sheltered Industries is the paycheck.
The 28-year-old is one of about 25 people with intellectual or developmental disabilities at the nonprofit facility participating in the prevocational service being phased out as the state restructures its Medicaid waiver system.
I like the work, not sitting at home, said Johnson, who has worked at LSI for five years.
The Medicaid waivers system uses state money to draw matching federal dollars to help support people with disabilities through a range of services. LSI staff is worried they no longer will be able to provide pay through work after the redesign goes into effect July 1.
Many nonprofits are in the process of figuring out how to adapt their programs and shift with the bureaucracy.
Its in flux right now, and I think a lot of providers are not sure whats going to happen. Obviously, were one of them, LSI Executive Director Cecil Kendrick said.
The redesign is meant to address a backlog of more than 10,000 people waiting for waivers as well as meet the settlement Virginia made with the Department of Justice in 2012 after failing to reach standards of federal law.
DBHDS Director of Community Services Heather Norton is working her way to organizations affected by waiver restructuring. She said LSI is on the list.
They have to do business differently than it previously has been done, so were working with them to navigate what services are going to look like in the future, Norton said.
Kendrick said his understanding is LSI will not be able to provide work and a paycheck to these individuals. LSI is trying to get certified to provide day services. Norton said the day service section will cover work-for-paycheck programs.
There are some misconceptions out there for people, but there is nothing under day services that prohibits somebody from getting paid, Norton said.
ARC of Central Virginia, which provides day services for people with disabilities, is in the process of adapting to meet new requirements and keep waiver money coming in. ARC Executive Director Karen Wilder is set for training through DBHDS next week.
We dont have the complete regulations on how exactly its going to work for day support, so thats kind of up in the air. Were just trying to figure out how thats going to affect us, Wilder said.
Each plan must meet a 2014 rule by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requiring people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to be as integrated into communities as possible. CMS is reviewing the waiver redesign.
The same shift in philosophy resulted in the DOJ agreement and plan to close the Madison Heights Central Virginia Training Center in 2020 by gradually moving residents into group homes. Many guardians for people at the center contest it works for everyone.
Its all about environment. They want folks with disabilities to be out in the community and be doing things out in the community, whether its work-related or volunteer-related or just getting out do things and interact with the community, Wilder said.
Kendrick said he is concerned LSI might not meet requirements for community integration, although the facility is in the industrial park off Odd Fellows Road.
Most of those in the prevocational program sit in tables of three in one area of the warehouse. Across the high-ceilinged room a mix of long term employees who are disabled and those who are not convert cardboard boxes.
Because we have a large congregate of people with disabilities, they view that as not necessarily totally integrated into the community like I guess working for Areva or Centra Health or even The News & Advance, Kendrick said.
Johnson examined a wire hanger with her hands and straightened out a dent. She set the bottom against the table to verify it was appropriately flat. After she and others return hangers to shape so they may be fed through a machine, the hangers will return to Bedford County uniform service Cintas with which LSI contracts.
Each person with a disability has a service plan with skills they need to work, such as focus or behavior issues. The people in the prevocational training program the middle tier of three have varying degrees of verbal ability. Many dont speak in sentences.
The service we provide them are job supports, Kendrick said. Some individuals with disabilities, they require more supervision, different kinds of supports for them to be able to maintain employment.
LSI uses a Department of Labor formula allowing pay lower than minimum wage for people with disabilities depending on the amount of work they are able to do.
There are people who love coming to work here every day. They may not make a ton of money, but they enjoy coming to work. They enjoy hanging out with their friends, and that may be going away, Kendrick said. Not to say theyre going to be left out in the cold, but its not going to be the same.
The United Steelworkers Union which represents employees at the Goodyear plant in Danville is conducting its own investigation of Tuesdays fatal accident at the plant.
Mike Wright, the unions director or health, safety and environment, said the USW based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania immediately sent an investigator to the plant after hearing of the accident. He has been there the last couple of days, Wright said Thursday afternoon.
A union official also is assisting the family of the victim, Greg Cooper, 52, of Chatham, who worked at the plant for 18 years, Wright said.
We try to investigate every fatality, Wright said. We also send someone to work with the family to make sure they get the benefits they are entitled to.
The union also is arranging counseling for those affected by the incident, Wright said.
Of course, were all really devastated when anyone in one of our workplaces is killed, he said.
The Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Goodyear officials are investigating the incident.
Wright said USW officials are in talks with the company and union members following the accident.
There will be some intense discussions with the company about what we need to do about this, and with the members, Wright said. This will go on at the plant level and the corporate level.
Tuesdays fatality was the third at the plant in eight months. Goodyear previously had a fatal incident in Danville in 2007, according to OSHA.
Goodyear shut down following Tuesdays incident and employees return to work Friday. They were paid while the plant closed production.
The USW tries to investigate every serious workplace incident where it has membership, Wright said. The USW the largest industrial union in North America has about 850,000 members in the United States, Canada and Aruba.
The union investigated about 70 serious workplace incidents last year, Wright said. USW will investigate incidents at its workplaces that involve non-members, as well, he said.
We can learn something from all these accidents, he said. Workplace hazards dont discriminate. They dont care whether or not youre a member. When someone is injured or killed, thats a point in which were all brothers and sisters.
Wright declined to comment on what happened in Tuesdays accident and said the unions probe could take days or months.
OSHA safety director outlines procedures in Goodyear investigation Goodyear employees are being paid during the Danville plants temporary closure following the death of a worker there Tuesday morning, said a company spokeswoman.
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HARD TIMES FOR GOD
Anglican Bishop Claude Berkley yesterday said the church has had to scale-down its annual Family Day in an effort to save $300,000.
We had to scale down on some of the functions we have planned, the Bishop told Newsday.
For this year our Family Day on Corpus Christi will no longer take place at UWI. It will instead be observed in individual parishes as opposed to at a central location where there would be less cost for infrastructure and reduced overheads. He said the Church has determined it cannot afford to spend money on tents, stages, transport costs, audio equipment, and various facilities for children that would have been required at a centralised event. Last year, the event was held at Tobago.
The Bishops disclosures came one day after Finance Minister Colm Imbert, in an interview with Newsday, announced he would ask civil servants to draw up guidelines to limit State sponsorship disbursed to organisations like churches and NGOs in light of the economic slump.
In the Senate on Tuesday, it was disclosed that in October 2015 and November 2015, while the State was implementing fiscal restraint, at least two State enterprises were giving out financial assistance to entities such as: the Inner Circle of Jesus Christ, San Fernando; United Praise Agency, Ste Madeleine Village and the Brother Jerome Foundation, San Fernando; St Augustine Anglican Church, La Brea; Holy Name Convent, Point Fortin; St Michaels Spiritual Baptist Church, La Brea and the Anglican Church in La Brea.
The Anglican Bishop yesterday said the church has already begun to see a fall in its revenues but he nonetheless backed Imberts move to regulate sponsorship. We depend on people giving donations, Berkley said. There are some investments but those are not yielding big returns these days given the climate that we are in.
And now the peoples ability to donate has been affected. We must implement extra fund-raising initiatives. He said he was in support of the Minister of Finances move to limit State sponsorship.
I think the Government has a responsibility to try to manage what funds are available and if that is the position we will have to seek to live with it, the Anglican Bishop said.
While the churches need the financial support, we also have to exercise some core responsibility. Berkley said the Anglican Church has received support from the State from time to time.
The Anglican Church was among several entities which received donations from the Peoples Partnership administration. For Christmas 2015, a series of organisations received $55 million, in a move that led then Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley to ask, is this a gift or is this a bribe? In terms of the impact on congregations, Berkley said the Church has had to offer more counselling, particularly to people who have lost their jobs.
The people are lamenting the cost of living and the high cost of goods which is affecting them and the proposed changes that are coming, the Bishop said.
Roman Catholic Archbishop Joseph Harris yesterday said the Catholic Church is bracing for the impact of the recession. It has just started, Harris said. We have not begun to see anything as yet. But he said the Church was catering for more persons turning to it.
During a recession, more people go hungry people, more people need essential services and cannot get them, the Archbishop said. The Church will have to respond as best as she can. Harris welcomed Imberts move to regulate sponsorship, saying the State should not be sponsoring churches in the first place.
I dont believe in a secular society the State should be helping out the Church, the Archbishop said.
That is something for people to do themselves. Give back to Caesar what is Caesars and to God what is Gods.
News / Africa
by Staff reporter
JOHANNESBURG - Officials at the Zimbabwe's embassy in Pretoria were taken to task yesterday by protesting members of a new party, Zimbabwe People First (ZPF), which was recently formed by sacked deputy president of that country, Joice Mujuru.The protesters were demanding the right to vote in Zimbabwe polls from South Africa, where they reside.Insults were hurled at the embassy's minister counsellor, Simon Chisorochengwe, who came out to receive the protesters memorandum. He was closely guarded by members of the South African Police Service.The protesters, wearing white ZPF T-shirts, became agitated when Chisorochengwe told them that Zimbabwe's Ambassador to South Africa Isaac Moyo was not available.The protesters then asked Chisorochengwe to explain what his title "minister counsellor" means.Chisorochengwe told retorted: "Take time to read the Vienna Convention."His remarks drew and angry response."This is not Vienna, you old man. We don't read Vienna Conventions, which do not help us. Just tell us what is your job in there," shouted one protester, who only identified himself as Thomas.Interim convener of the party in South Africa Lawrence Mavhaire weighed in: "This is the problem with our Zimbabwean government. We are asking you to introduce yourself and you tell us about Vienna. How is that going to help us?"As the shouting intensified Chisorochengwe retreated into the safety of high security gates of the embassy. "We will shut this embassy," shouted a protester.Before long the protesters started chanting "Chisoro must fall".When Chisorochengwe eventually returned to the high security gates, Mavhaire said he would only hand him the memorandum if he came outside the secure enclosure. He later handed the memorandum over.Mujuru was booted from both Zanu PF party and the Zimbabwe government in December 2014 at the sixth Zanu PF congress. She was sacked after a spirited attack by First Lady Grace Mugabe during her Meet the People Tour rallies who alleged Mujuru was planning to assassinate Mugabe.After keeping Zimbabweans guessing over her next move, she went on to launch the ZPF movement with other former Zanu PF heavyweights who had been ousted. Mujuru has said her ZPF party would give the vote to millions of Zimbabweans based outside the country.She also said her party would repeal the controversial Public Order and Security Act, realign the Criminal Code Codification and Reform Act, ensure the Electoral Act would fully comply with the county's constitutional provisions and requirements.Mujuru said the party would respect property rights through addressing historical compulsory acquisition by way of compensation.
Church leaders tell Colm, rethink cuts
National Bishop for the Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies (PAWI) Hazrat Ali said, when you look at the social ills of our society, people who seem to respond first and continue to really make an impression on these ills of society, are the religious organisations .
And when I say religion, I dont only mean people who belong to the Christian realm. On a continual basis, the religious community continues to impact the social fabric of our society. So I believe that is something that should be rethought, because the religious community is doing a lot. Ali said that while he could understand this could be an interim decision given the economic climate and Imbert cannot please everyone, he does not advise limiting funds in the long term, given that churches are usually first responders when dealing with social ills .
Sat Maharaj, Secretary General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) agreed with Alis perspective that religious organisations play a very important role in the development of society and therefore, it is essential the State continues to fund them. In Maharajs view, churches whatever denomination reach out to the community and while they receive private funding, they still depend in large part on State funds .
It is my view that a large part of the funding must come from the state itself, Maharaj added .
Whereas we get private donations, we still depend on a large part on state donations because we are doing the job the state cannot do. The SDMS leader did, however, take issue with the fact that only certain churches have been receiving state funding .
Head of the Anjuman Sunnat ul Jamaat Association (ASJA) Yacoob Ali, inveighed against the Finance Ministers decision, saying, Anybody is free to spend their money in the way of the Lord, whatever they want to do with it, once theyre not breaching any practice in the country .
If he has the reasons for not giving churches funds to do their work, he can go to Parliament and pass a law that it wouldnt be tax deductible. That is the most he can do. He can make it tax deductible, but if someone wants to give in the way of the Lord, no government has the authority to stop that.. .
If they want to help a church, a mandir or a mosque, they are free to do that. Head of the Inter Religious Organisation (IRO) Harrypersad Maharaj, agreed that churches are important to society and called for Imbert to have a consultation with religious heads before taking any decisions .
He went on to say that at this time, during the recession, when several persons have been laid off, and an increase in murders has been predicted, it is of the utmost importance that the State continues to financially assist religious bodies. Churches are where people turn, he said, for solace .
Dillon seeks info on State witness
The letter was sent by Attorney Ramdeen on Monday to Minister Dillon who said that he is yet to receive the correspondence, however he added that having read about the concerns expressed by State Witness WPC Nicole Clement, he will be seeking the necessary information from Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams on the matter and then will be in a better position to respond.
Minister Dillon was expected to meet with the Acting Commissioner yesterday following his Cabinet meeting. Newsday understands that when the plight of WPC Clement was featured in the media on Tuesday a meeting was held between the police, the Office of the DPP and Colonel Ainsley Bishop, who are all responsible for the affairs of state witnesses.
However, up until yesterday State Witness Clements situation regarding her many grouses had not been rectified, and sources revealed that she was planning to walk out of the programme now that her 48 hour ultimatum to the Minister of National Security to rectify her ills has not borne fruit. Newsday also understands that another female state witness has already walked out of the programme claiming that she could no longer felt safe.
Port retirees seek higher pensions
We are seeking an increase in pension which was supposed to take effect since 2013, Hernandez said. We were able to get the management of the Port Authority and the union to reach an agreement. But when the matter was sent to the UNC-led Government it was too late, they could not do anything because the election was right there. The agreement was reached in September 2015. He said documents were lodged with the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure three months ago but there is yet to be a response. Therefore, they were bringing the matter to the attention of the Office of the Prime Minister.
10-hour surgery for Las Cuevas cliff victim
Antonio is expected to make a full recovery, but will have to undergo rehabilitation therapy for a period of about eight to ten months, her friend Aubrey Bre Clarke told Newsday.
Initially family members had been told that the surgery would have lasted about four to six hours.
Clarke, said on his online gofundme web page, that after the surgery the surgeon told them that the procedure was extremely complicated. The surgeon also said that the injuries were more severe than they first thought. She is also expected to make a full recovery with months of therapy.
The damage, he said, was more severe than the X-rays done at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital (PoSGH) showed.
Antonio, who suffered multiple fractures to her pelvis and sacrum, a broken right leg and right heel, was due to have another surgery done on the heel. She was also due to have two more CT scans to ensure that everything was set properly and another to ensure there was no additional damage to the chest cavity, Clarke said.
Antonio already had one CT scan on arrival at the trauma hospital in Toronto. She was hospitalised at the PoSGH for two weeks, where she had none and where was informed that they could not treat her multiple fractures.
After Antonio had been wheeled back to her room from surgery, Clarke said, Elissa called me over, slowly moving her finger, and when I got close I thought she was going to tell me something deep and she whispered, I feel like one of the Fantastic 4.
Dillon attends regional Defence Ministers meeting
Delegates also heard from Minister Dillon about the importance of building a robust defence response to new and existing threats.
He said as new threats of war have moved from the battlefield to the doorsteps of citizens, and they have a responsibility to defend.
The defence and security challenges, as well as the changing reality of our times require an on going assessment of instruments and mechanism of appropriate cooperation amongst States.
The issues of drug trafficking, the issues of money laundering, the illegal movements of ammunition are similar throughout the hemisphere. Dillon added, As we discuss issues pertaining to the military role, environment, as we discus issues pertaining cooperation collaboration, I charge you as you do so with an underlying philosophy and that philosophy must be grounded in two words, cooperation and collaboration.
'He Had the Chance to Go in
and Save the Children'
News / Africa
by Joan Clos
Africa Renewal: What are the consequences of Africa's fast-growing urbanization, and should Africa control this phenomenon?
So what you are saying is that urbanization can bring benefits?
Many African governments tend to develop new megacities in order to decongest existing cities. Is this sustainable or a fire brigade solution?
What kind of support does UN-Habitat provide to national governments to develop environmentally sustainable human settlements?
New cities are springing up in Africa but so too are slums. What kind of policies should African governments adopt to address the proliferation of slums?
Are there best practices in the world that African countries can adopt? What can we learn from Kigali or Lagos?
The major event on your calendar this year is Habitat III. How significant is this event for the African continent?
What outcome can African leaders expect from Habitat III?
Many African countries face huge urbanization problems. Without resources, how can such countries implement policies that provide for adequate human settlement?
Are there elements of the recently signed Paris agreement on climate change that illuminate the work that you do?
Lastly, what is your message for Africa?
Joan Clos is the Executive Director of the Nairobi-based United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). In this interview with Newton Kanhema for Africa Renewal, Dr. Clos talks about the effects of urbanization in Africa and the forthcoming Habitat III, a major UN conference on housing and sustainable urban development to be held in Quito, Ecuador, in October 2016. The following are excerpts:Joan Clos: The share of the population living in African urban areas now is about 30%, but will rise to 50% in a very short period of time. That will present several challenges in both governance and the capacity of cities or even national government to react. It's important to have a national urban policy which can be transformed into local initiatives. Urbanization is more of an opportunity than a challenge because it goes in parallel with development. If governments plan and design urbanization well, they will enjoy the benefits that urbanization brings to a society. Urbanization will be a big opportunity for Africa in the coming years.Yes. In the way and pace that African societies are going, urbanization is a consequence of development and also the driving force for accelerating this development.Megacities tend not to be sustainable but they are good evolutions for economic prosperity if they are well planned. In fact, there are many big cities around the world that are much bigger than the megacities of Africa. Tokyo, for example, has more than 35 million people, compared to some of Africa's megacities that have around 10 to 12 million people. The question is not the size but the capacity of the cities to develop, not spontaneously but in a well-designed and well-planned manner. The problem is not the emergence of megacities, but the lack of planning. The challenge is how to transform megacities so they can be productive without accumulating the problems of unplanned urbanization.We provide advice to member states on strategies that can be applied to urbanization to increase efficiency and productivity. This includes suggesting a national urban policy composed of three pillars. The first pillar is rules and regulations; this is important because urbanization is about the rule of law. The second pillar is about the quality of urban design, and the third is financial planning. Urbanization is a costly exercise which requires a lot of resources.Slums are a natural consequence of spontaneous urbanization. In that sense they should be considered a temporary outcome of development. In order to prevent the slums, we need to accelerate development. Slums should be integrated in a much better manner with proper rights to housing. You cannot fight slums in an isolated manner. What you need is an integrated policy that addresses the livelihoods of people, such as employment, income, training and human capital. Authorities need to provide affordable houses for the middle class. It's a long and difficult process; there's no radical solution.Well, there is a lot of experience in and outside the region. There are no easy and quick solutions to urbanization because it is a process of transforming a society and it requires time. What is important is to approach the question with a good strategy and a midterm and long-term vision. And this is what we providea framework of ideas that address different problems that cities face. We are helping Kigali to introduce new concepts for city extension, well-planned urbanization, quality public spaces and a balance between public spaces and buildable plots. In Lagos we have a very interesting case of a big city that, although it's mentioned as one of the mega-capitals of Africa, has the capacity to initiate policies that can generate income, sustain domestic services and transform the wealth of its habitants. Lagos is a good example of the approach other African cities should adopt.This is a very important meeting taking place in Quito, Ecuador, 20 years after Habitat II, which took place in Istanbul, Turkey. Habitat III will be a review of urbanization over the past two decades. It will also be the beginning of a process to implement agreed strategies on urbanization for the next 20 years. There is no doubt that urbanization is going to accelerate over the coming years and Africa will experience the most rapid pace in the world. I am happy that African leaders are mobilizing their governments for Habitat III, as they will be actively participating, engaging and deepening the debate on urbanization over the coming years.Habitat III would provide an important opportunity for African leaders to share experiences on transforming urbanization as a tool for development. Very often we approach urbanization as a problem of poverty, lack of services, etc., and not as an opportunity to accelerate the pace of development. Habitat III will align urbanization as a development tool with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.The issue of financing urbanization is a very complex one but economists say the wealth that urbanization generates is much more than the cost of urbanizing. The question is how to share the wealth created by urbanization among all stakeholders. One of the tricky points that need to be addressed is that urbanization is not just building buildings, but finding a balance between the art and science of building cities and building buildings.Yes, climate change is important to urbanization. This is particularly so in the developed world, where cities are a source of greenhouse gas emissions. Yet the effects of climate change are most felt in the cities that do not have sufficient infrastructure. It's a complex equation that needs to be addressed globally. It means taking measures to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and helping cities that suffer from the consequences to adapt to new conditions. In some parts of the world cities are the main emitters of greenhouse gases and in others cities suffer the worst from climate change.Africa has a huge opportunity to address the new challenges of urbanization. It's a wave and it's a process. They should devise strategies that focus on the capacity of urbanization to generate prosperity. The big question is how to direct this process, and with which objective and vision. I urge people in Africa and their governments to take urbanization as an opportunity and as a tool for development.
(Newser) "I would like to see my parents prosecuted," 20-year-old Mariah Walton tells the Guardian. "They deserve it." Walton has pulmonary hypertension, a condition that has left her permanently disabled, requiring a breathing device and possibly, soon, a heart and lung transplant. The problem could have been fixed if a congenital hole in her heart had been closed when Walton was an infant or with treatment when she was a child. But her parentsfundamentalist Mormons living off the grid in Idahopreferred to rely on prayer. Now it's too late. The Guardian has an eye-opening look at the legal protections granted to faith healers in Idahowhich are keeping Walton from getting her wishand the lives those protections cost.
Idaho is one of only six states that have laws preventing the prosecution of faith healers. Without them, Walton's parents could have faced medical neglect charges. But Walton is still alive; others aren't so lucky. The Followers of Christ, a Pentecostal sect of faith healers in Idaho, is estimated to have a child mortality rate 10 times that of the rest of the state. Walton and others have been trying to pass legislation to end the protection of faith healers, but Republican legislatorsone of whom calls the Followers of Christ "very nice people"refuse to even hear a bill. They use the First Amendment to justify the existing laws and the danger they put children in. Read the full story here. (Read more faith healing stories.)
(Newser) Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton continued the newly aggressive nature of the campaign right from the get-go of Thursday night's debate on CNN. The first question was about Sanders' recent questioning of Clinton's qualifications to be president, and he began nicely enough in response. "Does Secretary Clinton have the experience and intelligence to be president? Of course she does," he said. "But I do question her judgment." He then ticked off a litany of familiar complaints, including her vote in favor of the Iraq war and her embrace of big money in the campaign. "Do we really believe when a candidate says she is going to bring change to America, when she is so dependent on big money," Sanders said.
Clinton fired back, immediately bringing up Sanders' much-panned interview with the New York Daily News and suggesting that he's the one lacking in the proper qualifications. "I think you need to have the judgment on Day 1 to be both president and commander in chief," she said. As for the notion that she'd be swayed be the money of special interests, she said that President Obama also took advantage of a Super PAC and thus this is an attack on him, too. (The remark drew boos.) "This is a phony attack that is designed to raise questions when there is no evidence or support to undergird the insinuations he is putting forth in these attacks," she said. (Read more Bernie Sanders 2016 stories.)
(Newser) North Korea's "Day of the Sun" became the "Day of the Flop" after an attempt to mark its founder's birthday with a missile launch fizzled, according to South Korean officials. An official from South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff says the missile launch from the country's east coast early Friday deviated from a normal trajectory, the Washington Post reports. An American military official says the US also detected and tracked the failed launch, which took place on the most important day in Pyongyang's calendar, the birthday of Kim Il Sung.
Officials suspect the missile was a Musudan intermediate-range missile, also known as a BM-25, which Pyongyang has displayed in military parades but never tested before. The country fired a different kind of medium-range missile into the sea last month. Even North Korea's closest ally denounced the latest launch attempt, reports Reuters. The launch, "though failed, marks the latest in a string of saber-rattling that, if unchecked, will lead the country to nowhere," China's Xinhua news agency said. "Nuclear weapons will not make Pyongyang safer. On the contrary, its costly military endeavors will keep on suffocating its economy." (Seoul is getting some vital information from a high-level defector.)
(Newser) A man billed as a "perfect donor" by a sperm bank turned out to be a mentally ill felon whose lies on his donor application weren't uncovered for more than a decade, according to families who are now terrified for their children's futures. On its website, Georgia-based firm Xytex described Donor 9623 as a completely healthy man with an IQ of 160 who was working on a PhD in neuroscience engineering, the Toronto Star reports. In reality, he was college dropout Chris Aggeles, a 39-year-old man who has been diagnosed with bipolar and narcissistic personality disorders and schizophrenia and has spent time in prison for burglary. His sperm was used to create at least 36 children in Canada, the US, and the UK between 2000 and 2014. Families discovered his identity after Xytex accidentally included his name in an email and they Googled his name.
Three Canadian families with children between 4 and 8 years old are now suing Xytex, and lawyer Nancy Hersh says she may also file suits for British and American families, the Guardian reports. The lawsuit, which notes that schizophrenia can be hereditary, alleges that Xytex allowed Aggeles to keep selling his sperm even after problems surfaced. Angie Collins, one of the Canadian mothers suing, tells the Star that her big problem is not with Aggeles, but with the companies that sold his sperm without checking his background. Collinsdescribed by Hersh as the "Erin Brockovich of the sperm-bank set"has devoted much of the last two years to pushing for greater oversight of the industry to make sure this never happens again. (Here is what women do want in a sperm donor.)
(Newser) Republican Gov. Bill Haslam on Thursday vetoed a bill seeking to make Tennessee the first state to designate the Bible as its official book, the AP reports. Haslam, who considered entering a seminary before deciding to join the family truck-stop business after college, said in his veto message that the bill "trivializes the Bible, which I believe is a sacred text." The bill had narrowly passed both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly after sponsors said it aimed at honoring the significance of the Bible in the state's history and economy, as opposed to a government endorsement of religion. "If we believe that the Bible is the word of God, then we shouldn't be recognizing it only as a book of historical and economic significance," Haslam said.
Lawmakers passed the bill despite the state attorney general's warning that it would violate both the US and Tennessee constitutions, the latter of which states that "No preference shall ever be given, by law, to any religious establishment or mode of worship." The bill is sponsored by Sen. Steve Southerland, an ordained minister, and Rep. Jerry Sexton, a retired Baptist pastor. Both are Republicans from eastern Tennessee. Both are vowing to mount bids to override Haslam's veto next week, which would require a majority in both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly. Earlier in the session, the Legislature approved a resolution to add the .50-caliber Barrett sniper rifle to the state's official symbols plus nine state songs, including the moonshine-themed "Rocky Top." (Ancient letters suggest the Old Testament is a lot older than previously thought.)
(Newser) A high school band director in Louisiana has been arrested after authorities say he was found hiding in a 16-year-old girl's closet, reports the AP. Jeremy Conner, 30, was charged Wednesday with indecent behavior with a juvenile. Ascension Parish Sheriff's Lt. Col. Bobby Webre said detectives began investigating the incident and learned that Conner had been communicating with the girl since last year. He says Conner admitted sending inappropriate text messages to the teenager. Conner is listed on Westgate High School's website as the band instructor. Iberia Parish Schools Superintendent Dale Henderson said in a statement that Conner is currently absent without leave. More charges are possible. (Read more Louisiana stories.)
(Newser) Microsoft sued the Justice Department Thursday in a case that will test broad principles of privacy in the digital age. But the root of the complaint is far more specific: Microsoft says the feds have demanded access to customer data 5,624 times in the past 18 months and 2,576 of those demands came with gag orders that prevented the company from letting people know the US was snooping, reports TechCrunch. The government says it can do so under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, but Microsoft argues that the law, written more than 30 years ago, is outdated and, worse, unconstitutional. The government has exploited the transition to cloud computing as a means of expanding its power to conduct secret investigations," says Microsoft. What's more, 1,752 of the demands were open-ended, meaning the government can keep spying on someone for as long as it wants.
Some coverage:
The suit "raises a fundamental question of how easily, and secretly, the government should be able to gain access to individuals information in the cloud-computing era," observes the Wall Street Journal.
The key point of the case is that it "focuses on the storage of data on remote servers, rather than locally on people's computers, which Microsoft says has provided a new opening for the government to access electronic data," reports Reuters.
Engadget notes the business angle: "Sure, Microsoft's lawsuit aims to protect civil liberties, but the company says it also wants to ensure it can continue to sell products that its customers can trust."
The New York Times points out the broad scope: The suit, "unlike Apples fight with the Federal Bureau of Investigation over access to a locked iPhone, is not attached to a single case. Instead, it is intended to challenge the legal process regarding secrecy orders."
(Read more Microsoft stories.)
(Newser) The lower chamber of Brazil's Congress has begun debate on whether to impeach President Dilma Rousseff, with the crucial vote slated for Sunday, the AP reports. The government had carried out an unsuccessful bid before the country's Supreme Court to try to halt the process, but that appeal was lost, Reuters notes. The atmosphere in the lower Chamber of Deputies was electric at the start of Friday's session, with some congressmen chanting "Dilma Out!" before proceedings began. Lawmakers backing impeachment allege Rousseff's administration violated fiscal rules. They say the government used sleight-of-hand accounting in a bid to shore up public support.
However, many of those pushing for impeachment face grave accusations of corruption themselves. Rousseff's defenders insist she did nothing illegal and say similar accounting techniques were used by previous presidents. The country's attorney general called the whole procedure "Kafka-esque" and said it meant Rousseff wouldn't be able to fully defend herself, Al Jazeera reports. If 342 of the lower house's 513 legislators vote in favor of impeachment, the process moves to the Senate, which would decide whether to open a trial. If the Senate moves to impeach Rousseff, she would be swapped out with Brazil's vice president, Michel Temer, as soon as May since she would be suspended from office for up to 180 days during the trial. (Read more Brazil stories.)
(Newser) Guantanamo's oldest prisoner won't soon return to Pakistan or the US as he had hoped: The Guantanamo parole board has ruled that 68-year-old Saifullah Paracha will remain in custody as "a continuing significant threat to the security of the United States." The Pakistani businessman has been in custody since 2003 over claims that he worked with alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed to facilitate financial transactions and develop propaganda for al-Qaeda, reports the Miami Herald. Parachawho lived in the US from 1970 to 1986was also allegedly in contact with Osama bin Laden and researched chemical and nuclear materials for the terrorist group, though he was never charged with a crime.
During a hearing on March 8, Parachawhose son was convicted of trying to help an al-Qaeda operative reach the USsaid he "never worked with anybody to harm anyone," was "duped" into handling certain finances, and only tried to secure an interview with bin Laden while chairman of a TV broadcasting studio in Karachi. The board says his "refusal to take responsibility for his involvement with al-Qaeda" and "refusal to distinguish between legitimate and nefarious business contacts" made their decision clear, though Paracha's lawyer says he "cannot show 'remorse' for things he maintains he never did." The prisoner will respond to the boards concerns in a review in October, his lawyer adds, per the AP. (Read more Guantanamo Bay stories.)
News / International
by Staff Reporter
PETA Distributes 'Huntsman' Condoms as a Way to Nip Future Generations of Animal-Slayers in the Bud
Harare -
In the wake of the global outrage sparked by Walter Palmer's trophy hunt in Zimbabwe - during which the American dentist shot Cecil the lion with a high-powered crossbow and left him to suffer with a steel arrow through his body for more than 40 hours - notorious trophy hunters including Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have received packs of complimentary Huntsman Condoms, camouflage-wrapped prophylactics that boast they are "a piece of safety equipment that makes no compromises on pleasure or performance". But a new video reveals the condoms' surprising source: PETA.The animal rights group distributed the condoms, with one aim: to encourage hunters to stop reproducing."Bad parents who gun down wildlife and stick animals' heads on the wall could pass their psychopathological bloodlust on to their kids", says PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk. "If our condoms have prevented even one more wretched hunter from being born, we have saved animal lives."PETA - whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to abuse in any way" - notes that hunters kill millions of animals every year and have contributed to the extinction of species all over the world, including the Tasmanian tiger and the great auk. Like Cecil the lion, numerous animals are injured but not killed by hunters, escaping only to die slowly and painfully from blood loss and starvation.For more information, please visit PETAAsia.com or PETA Asia's Facebook page.
(Newser) A man convicted four years ago in the oldest cold case ever tried was freed Friday after an Illinois judge vacated his conviction and subsequent life sentence, CNN reports. According to CBS News, 76-year-old Jack McCullough was convicted of kidnapping a 7-year-old girl, choking her, and stabbing her to death in 1957. The case was reopened in 2008, and McCullough was arrested in 2011 and convicted the following year. After an appeal by McCullough, Illinois state's attorney Richard Schmack launched a six-month investigation that found what he calls "clear and convincing evidence" that McCullough is innocent. While the judge Friday vacated McCullough's conviction, he stopped short of declaring him innocent, and a new trial will be held, the Chicago Tribune reports.
McCullough, who lived in the same neighborhood as the kidnapped girl, says he was 40 miles away at an Air Force recruiting center at the time of the kidnapping. It's an alibi that passed a polygraph test in 1957 and made it impossible for him to be the culprit based on the FBI's original timeline for the kidnapping. That timeline was later changed by police, and Schmack says documentsincluding phone and Air Force recordssupporting McCullough's alibi were wrongly not allowed at his trial. A friend of the kidnapped girl picked McCullough out of a photo lineup when the case was reopened. But his was the only non-yearbook photo in the lineup, and she picked a different man out of a photo lineup 50 years earlier. That info wasn't allowed at McCullough's trial either. No physical evidence was ever found to support McCullough's conviction. (Read more wrongful conviction stories.)
Being known not only as the South Korea's nation MC, Yoo Jae Suk is also considered to be a respectable generous man.
Yoo Jae Suk continuously warms every heart by doing good deeds. The nation's MC gave 50 million KRW ( about 43,000 USD) to the 'House of Sharing'. It was revealed upon the updated post of the homepage of Gwangju's 'House of Sharing' on April 14 regarding the donation Yoo Jae Suk offered. He had given 30 million KRW (approximately $26,000) toward the construction of the building, 'Human Rights Center for the Comfort Women Victims of Japanese Soldiers,' and for another 20 million KRW that's about $17,000 toward the welfare of the comfort women themselves for a total of 50 million KRW, according to allkpop.
One of the managers of the said charity, An Shin Kwon, expressed his heartfelt thanksgiving for Yoo Jae Suk's donation to the charity and for not forgetting the comfort women despite his hectic schedule. Stating, "Up to now, Yoo Jae Suk has donated a total of 110 million KRW (~ 95,000 USD). He must be busy with his broadcasting activities, but he does not forget to put the elderly comfort women victims first, so we are grateful toward Yoo Jae Suk."
This is not the first time Yoo Jae Suk donated to a charity; in fact, he started his generous deeds last 2014 and continuously donated to a series of organizations and charity.
On March 9, Table Community Welfare Foundation x Coal Briquette Bank announced that the respectable host Yoo Jae Suk even paid for 100,000 coal briquettes worth up to 50 million KRW (approximately $42,000), said allkpop.
Without doubt, Yoo Jae Suk really values the essence of generosity by returning it to his community.
He is best known for being an MC and comedian in various television programs e.g. Infinite Challenge, Happy Together and Running Man.
On Wednesday, almost 40, 000 workers of communications giant Verizon called a strike and walked off their station in one of the biggest union strike seen in the last 5 years. A labor impasse in 2011 also took the workers to the streets involving a much larger crowd of 45, 000 people.
Workers were called into collective action by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers who represent Verizon workers in jobs such as frontline customer service, network technicians, and traditional wireline phone operations.
Walkout could hamper Verizon's Fios Internet, telephone and TV services and business in a number of states in the East Coast. The walkout, however, does not include wireless operation which is also the company's biggest source of revenue and profits.
Verizon stated that it had already prepared for such scenario as the company already trained non-union employees to prevent unwanted service disruption.
"There's no way that these 10,000 people ... can make up for 40,000 people who have decades of experience (in highly technical jobs)," CWA representative Bob Master remarked as quoted by Reuters.
What are Verizon workers complaining about?
In recent years, Verizon has been outsourcing 5, 000 jobs or even more to countries with lower labor cost primarily the Philippines, Mexico, and the Dominican Republican. With more low-paid non-union contractors entering the fray, the picketers fear being sidelined to unemployment.
"The main thing is that it's taking good-paying jobs and taking them away from the American public," said Ken Beckett, a technical telecommunications associate and a CWA member as reported by CNN Money.
Meanwhile, self-confessed socialist and Democratic presidential aspirant Bernie Sanders joined the striking works after the mass walkout.
"I know your families are going to pay a price," Sanders shouted as quoted by Associated Press. "On behalf of every worker in America who is facing the same kind of pressure, thank you for what you're doing. We're going to win this thing!"
A lot has been said and written about Michael Schumacher and his health. However, nothing has been confirmed conclusively about whether or not he is recovering from his ski injuries. But Sabine Kehm says that even though the legendary F1 champion is in a serious condition, he is showing signs of improvement.
Schumacher met with a ski accident in French Alps in December 2013 and has since been off the radar. According to an insider, he still remains in vegetative state, unable to speak and has a team of 15 top medical staff caring for him 24x7 at his mansion in Switzerland.
Not much is revealed about Michael Schumacher and his health due to a media blackout. But Sabine Kehm, his manager, recently made an announcement that Schumacher is making progress, even if it is slow, in his rehab programme.
There are as many as 15 people keeping a constant watch on his condition which costs about 100,000 weekly. Even though this was a tough decision for the family, Sabine said that it is very encouraging to see that Michael is making progress.
In an interview she said, "We are happy to say still he does improvement and I say this always considering the severeness of the injury he had. But of course it will take a very long time for everybody involved to fight, and we are happy to take this fight."
In another interview Sabine added that we "must always keep the seriousness of his injuries in mind".
An insider also added that Schumacher is unable to talk or walk and that his "progress is painfully slow. There is no miracle on the horizon."
It is Professor Jean Francois Payen is leading the team of professional doctors who are conducting brain operations and other medical procedures on Schumacher.
New Delhi:
The second phase of the fortnight-long odd-even scheme today rolled out in Delhi with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealing to the people of the city to join hands and make the road-rationing plan a success. Few vehicles are expected to be on the roads for three days beginning today as it is a holiday because of Ram Navami today and Saturday and Sunday follow.
The effect of the scheme will be felt on Monday as officer goers and school children step out to reach their destination. Odd even starts today. Lets all join hands and resolve to make it a success, Kejriwal tweeted. (Also Read: Odd-even scheme: Check Delhi's air quality in real time with this Twitter app!)
Metro and DTC have increased their services in order to accommodate load of passengers during the scheme. The government has prepared a plan to implement Odd-even scheme with deployment of 5,000 civil defence volunteers, 400 ex-servicemen and 2,000 traffic police personnel. (Also Read: Odd-even formula: Women will continue to be exempted)
Government has formed 120 teams of the enforcement wing of transport department which will prosecute those violating the odd-even rule with imposition of a fine of Rs 2,000 on errant car drivers.
2,000 officials of Delhi Traffic Police will be deployed on roads daily. The traffic department has identified 200 intersections in the city where their personnel will be deployed in teams, with their sizes depending upon the volume of traffic in those intersections. Under the scheme, odd-numbered cars are allowed to run on odd dates while even-numbered cars are allowed on even dates. (Also Read: Odd Even Formula: No school buses to be used this time)
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London:
Shah Rukh Khan unveiled a new version of his famous wax figure at Madame Tussauds here to promote Fan, which releases today. In the new version, SRKs wax statue has been dressed as Gaurav, the character of an obsessive fan from the movie. The model will be open to public viewing at the London Eye, which is a first for any wax statue.
Describing the experience of playing two different roles (Gaurav Chandana and superstar Aryan Khanna) as schizophrenic, SRK, 50, said when he watched the film, he failed to relate to Gaurav. It was awkward and strange to watch the twenty-something character onscreen, he told reporters. ( Also Read: Fan Movie Review )
With Fan, SRK returns to a genre he hasnt experimented with in years. He shot to fame with Anjaam and Darr where he played obsessive characters that established him as one of the promising newcomers of the time. ( Also Read: Karan Johar seeks Shah Rukh Khan's help to watch 'Fan' first )
Gauravs bitterness towards his favourite cine idol is what makes the premise interesting in Fan, the actor said.
He (Gaurav) starts getting disappointed, which turns his whole life around. So, there is a darker side where it leads to an aggressive obsession and little bit of a revenge kind of a story. Its a completely new subject, never tackled before and very, very interesting, he said. ( Also Read: Hats off singers, but spare me from singing: Shah Rukh Khan )
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United Nations:
Days after China blocked its bid at the UN to ban JeM chief Masood Azhar, India slammed use of hidden veto and demanded accountability, saying the world bodys general members are never informed of the reason for not acceding to requests for sanctioning terrorists. The procedures of unanimity and anonymity of the Al Qaeda, Taliban and ISIS Sanctions Committees need to be revisited. The procedures of unanimity and anonymity result in a lack of accountability, Indias Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin told the UN Security Council in an open debate on Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts here.
Against the backdrop of China last month again blocking Indias bid to ban the mastermind of the Pathankot terror attack Masood in the UN Sanctions Committee, Akbaruddin said each of the 15 members in the committee now have a veto. Without naming China, he said none except these 15 members are told of who is it that has wielded the veto in a specific instance.
The general membership of the UN is never ever formally informed of how and why requests for listing terrorists are not acceded to. Counter terror mechanisms such as the Sanctions Committees that act on behalf of the international community need to build trust not engender impunity by the use of this form of a hidden veto, Akbaruddin said.
After the attack on the airbase in Pathankot in January, India had in February written to the UN calling for immediate action to list the chief of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) under the UN Sanctions Committee.
The Indian submission was considered by the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) for technical aspects of the evidence provided. The technical team then with the support of the US, UK and France had sent it to all the members, sources had said.
All were told that if there are no objections, the designation will be announced after the expiry of the deadline but just hours before the deadline, China requested the UN committee to keep on hold the designation.
When asked at a briefing earlier this month as to why China had put a hold on the listing request by India against Azhar, Chinese envoy and President of the Security Council for the month Liu Jieyi had said that any listing would have to meet the requirements, stressing that it was the Council members responsibility to ensure that the criteria were followed.
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Beijing:
Now robots can touch and sense objects around them, thanks to the scientists who have developed a self-powered, transparent smart skin. Endowing robots and prosthetics with a human-like sense of touch could dramatically advance these technologies. Scientists have come up with various smart skins to layer onto devices. However, boosting their sensitivity has involved increasing the numbers of electrodes, depending on the size of the skin. This leads to a rise in costs. Other systems require external batteries and wires to operate, which adds to their bulk.
The researchers from Peking University in China created a smart skin out of ultra-thin plastic films and just four electrodes made from silver nanowires. Other prototypes contain up to 36 electrodes.
Additionally, one component harvests mechanical energy - for example, from the movement of a prosthetic hands fingers - and turns it into an electric current. Therefore, the skin would not need an external power source. Testing showed that the skin was highly sensitive.
It could feel a honeybee as it flew towards and away from the device. It also demonstrated electrical stability, maintaining the same level of output over 30,000 cycles. The study was published in the journal ACS Nano.
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News / Local
by Blessing Rwizi
A 41-YEAR-OLD taxi driver last week lost his car to a stranger who claimed to be a traditional healer.Manica Post reported that Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa, confirmed the incident that happened at Meikles Park last Saturday at around 8pm.He urged motorists to desist from carrying strangers.Insp Kakohwa said Ben Muzaraweti was sleeping in his Toyota Ipsum, Registration Number ABV 9079 on the day in question when he was approached by the suspect."The man claimed to be a traditional healer and hired Muzaraweti to drop him at House Number 8, Haig Close, Westlea medium-density suburb where he wanted to see one of his clients."The two agreed, but upon arrival, the self proclaimed traditional healer asked Muzaraweti if he could give him the car to drive since his passengers were used to seeing him driving a car whenever he visited them. In a bid to please his client, Muzaraweti agreed and gave the wheel to the unidentified man, who then proceeded into the gate," said Insp Kakohwa."Muzaraweti took a walk with the belief that the man was surely dealing with his clients. When he returned after 20 minutes, the stranger had vanished with his car," he said.The car has not been recovered.
New York:
Indian-origin researcher Professor Shree K Nayar and his team of scientists from Columbia University have developed one of a kind flexible sheet camera. One can wrap the flexible sheet camera around objects of everyday use to click pictures that cannot be captured with conventional cameras. Nayar and team designed and fabricated a flexible lens array that adapts its optical properties when the sheet camera is bent. This optical adaptation enables the sheet camera to produce high quality images over a wide range of sheet deformations. Cameras today capture the world from essentially a single point in space, said Nayar.
While the camera industry has made remarkable progress in shrinking the camera to a tiny device with ever increasing imaging quality, we are exploring a radically different approach to imaging, he said. We believe there are numerous applications for cameras that are large in format but very thin and highly flexible, he added.
If such an imaging system could be manufactured cheaply, like a roll of plastic or fabric, it could be wrapped around all kinds of things, from street poles to furniture, cars, and even peoples clothing, to capture wide, seamless images with unusual fields of view.
The design could also lead to cameras the size of a credit card that a photographer could simply flex to control its field of view. The new flex-cam requires two technologies - a flexible detector array and a thin optical system that can project a high quality image on the array.
One approach would be to attach a rigid lens with fixed focal length to each detector on the flexible array. In this case, however, bending the camera would result in gaps between the fields of views of adjacent lenses. This would cause the captured image to have missing information, or appear aliased.
To solve this problem, the researchers developed an adaptive lens array made of elastic material that enables the focal length of each lens in the sheet camera to vary with the local curvature of the sheet in a way that mitigates aliasing in the captured images.
This inherent optical adaptation of the lens is passive, avoiding the use of complex mechanical or electrical mechanisms to independently control each lens of the array. The researchers arrived at their passively adaptive lens array by optimising its geometry and material properties.
They fabricated their prototype lens array using silicone and demonstrated its ability to produce high image quality over a wide range of deformations of the sheet camera. The adaptive lens array we have developed is an important step towards making the concept of flexible sheet cameras viable, Nayar said.
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Puducherry:
Even as most political parties in this Union Territory have announced their strategy for the May 16 assembly polls, the ruling AINRC is keeping everyone guessing as it is yet to spell out its plans.
The Congress-DMK combine has already reached a seat-sharing pact and AIADMK has announced candidates for all 30 seats, while the five-party Peoples Welfare Alliance has also finalised the number of seats to be contested by them.
But Chief Minister N Rangasamy is yet to announce the strategy of his All India N R Congress and is on a pilgrimage for the last two weeks visiting various shrines in Tamil Nadu seeking divine blessings.
He has also visited a temple dedicated to his spiritual guru Appa Pythiasamy in Salem district as he always does before taking crucial decisions.
AINRC stormed to power in 2011 Assembly polls in alliance with AIADMK months after it was founded by Rangasamy, who broke away from Congress.
However, the alliance did not last long as Rangasamy ditched the AIADMK and formed the government with the outside support of the lone Independent member V M C Sivakumar.
AIADMK has now announced its candidates for all the 30 constituencies virtually shutting its doors on AINRC.
Incidentally, AIADMK had won the recent Rajya Sabha election from the Union Territory with the support of AINRC, as Rangasamy agreed for the understanding facing a rebellion in his party then.
BJP which contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election in alliance with AINRC is likely to contest the poll on its own. Congress, eyeing to capture power, is contesting in 21 seats leaving the remaining nine to DMK. The run-up to the polls also witnessed some key personalities switching their loyalties to other parties.
Former Home Minister P Kannan, who had contested the polls in the past on Congress ticket, has joined the AIADMK. He has been fielded in Raj Bhavan constituency, where Congress veteran and former union minister V Narayanasamy or senior leader K Lakshmi Narayanan is likely to contest.
Sivakumar, who annexed the T R Pattinam seat in Karaikal as an Independent in the 2011 polls, has also joined the AIADMK and seeks re-election from the same segment.
Indore:
Reserve Bank, which is looking into Panama Papers leaks among other agencies, today said no conclusion can be drawn yet whether the offshore entities of Indians in Panama are illegal. RBI Deputy Governor S S Mundra, however, said that some unverified assumptions from government indicate that entities of most of the Indians associated with the leaks were opened in Panama under RBIs Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) as per norms.
It will be premature to arrive at any conclusion on the Panama Papers issue at this stage. At this moment, it will be wrong to think that all entities of Indians opened in Panama are illegal or none of these entities is not illegal, Mundra said.
He said the probe into the Panama Paper leaks concerning Indian nationals has just begun.
The team will gather documents and investigate how black money was sent out of the country, if it is so, to set up entities in Panama, the Deputy Governor said.
He was speaking on the sidelines of an event organised by Axis Bank.
The prima facie unverified assumptions from government suggest that offshore entities of most of the Indians associated with the Panama Papers leaks were opened under RBIs Liberalised Remittance Scheme as per norms.
However, these assumptions are yet to be verified and probed with documents. Any conclusion can be drawn only after that, he said.
Mundra said RBI is of the view that transmission of the recent cut of 25 basis points in Repo Rate will take place effectively in banking sector.
Axis Bank today unveiled its computer tablet-based app for its Joint Liability Group Lending Programme.
The government had announced setting up of the special multi-agency group to look into all cases of Indians setting up offshore entities in tax havens after The Indian Express published the first set of names as part of its ongoing investigation in The Panama Papers.
Released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) early this month, the Panama Papers contained names of nearly 500 Indians, including celebrities and industrialists, who allegedly had set up offshore entities in various tax havens.
The probe group comprises officials from RBI, I-T Department, Financial Intelligence Unit and Foreign Tax and Tax Research. It has been set up to determine the legality of the transactions following the leaked documents of Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.
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Washington:
The worlds leading economies today embraced a new crackdown on tax havens and the use of shell companies to hide money, as the Panama Papers scandal claimed another victim.
A draft communique from the G20 finance ministers meeting in Washington endorsed a plan that would rip away the shield of secrecy for companies and individuals stocking assets offshore behind anonymous companies, a dramatic move that could put a deep dent in tax evasion, money laundering and illicit finance.
Making the beneficial owners of companies, trusts and foundations transparent is vital to protect the integrity of the international financial system, the draft G20 communique said.
The move came as Spains industry minister Jose Manuel Soria resigned over allegations he had links to offshore companies.
Files from the leaked document trove of Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca showed Soria was an administrator of an offshore firm in 1992. He was just the latest in a number of powerful officials, including the leaders of Russia, Iceland, Britain and Argentina, linked by the Panama Papers to offshore tax havens.
Soria stepped down admitting mistakes in explaining his alleged offshore interests and the obvious harm that this situation is doing to the Spanish government, which is one of the five European powers behind the new proposal to end anonymity for the beneficial owners of shell companies.
Yesterday, in the strongest reaction yet to the leaked Panama Papers, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain proposed a blacklist of havens like Panama if they failed to share corporate registry data.
And they proposed setting up databases of the beneficiaries of shell companies for the use of tax and other authorities around the world.
In a joint statement during a meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Washington, finance ministers of the five said: The recent extensive leaks from Panama show the critical importance of the fight against tax evasion, aggressive tax planning and money laundering.
Today we deal another hammer blow against those who hide their illegal tax evasion in the dark corners of the financial system, British Finance Minister George Osborne said in a statement.
Their proposal was to be weighed by the ministers of the entire G20 today, with expectations they will embrace it, even while some, including the United States, allow the creation of anonymous shell companies, trusts and foundations as part of normal business.
World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said the illicit financial activities enabled by tax havens undermined the fight against poverty.
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News / Local
by Tendai Gukutikwa
THE quest for spiritual healing last Tuesday landed two Angolans in court after they illegally crossed into Zimbabwe with the intention of attending a Prophetic, Healing and Deliverance Church service held in Sakubva.Manica Post reported that Costa Daniel Antonio (36) and Afonso Esteve Joao (33) were awaiting deportation back to Angola after they were found guilty of contravening immigration laws.They appeared before Mutare senior magistrate, Sekai Chiundura.Antonio and Joao were both sentenced to three months imprisonment each which were wholly suspended on condition of good behaviour.Antonio told the court that they were on their way to Prophet Walter Magaya's service held in Sakubva as they needed deliverance from epileptic demons."Your Worship, we are all epileptic and were on our way to Prophet Walter Magaya's sermon which was held in Sakubva. We had contacted the Prophet and we were to get our deliverance in this city. We erred by entering the country without valid travelling documents and beg for your forgiveness," said Antonio.Fletcher Karombe prosecuted.The State alleged that on April 4 at Forbes Border Post, the two were arrested by immigration officers after they entered and remained in Zimbabwe without passports or permits permitting them to enter and remain in Zimbabwe thereby contravening the law.
News / Local
by Letwin Mubonesi
A 35-YEAR-OLD Mutare woman was last week arraigned before the courts on theft charges after she allegedly stole property belonging to her Australian-based employer.Manica Post reported that Loveness Chidhakwa who resides at Chikwana Village in Marange appeared before senior Mutare magistrate, Mrs Sekai Chiundura, facing theft charges as defined in Section 113 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. Fletcher appeared for the State.It is alleged that during the month of January 2016 at Boadervale, Chidhakwa unlawfully took her employer's property without her consent and some cash amounting to $1 150.Karombe told the court that Chidhakwa was employed by Victoria Murimba as a domestic worker.Murimba travelled to Australia on December 28, 2015 leaving the accused in custody of her three children.In early January this year, Chidhakwa was given her salary and she resigned from work. She packed her things and left."Her employer came back from Australia in February and realised that Chidhakwa had stolen her dinner plates, cutlery, two suits and also went on to collect $250 from one of her employer's clients. She also stole $900 which was inside the pockets of one of the suits she had stolen," said Mr Karombe.When asked to explain why she committed the offence, Chidhakwa denied stealing her employer's property.She admitted to have collected $250 from her employer's client."I never stole anything from her. I only collected $250 from Mrs Mudede, but the money was lost before I gave it to her," she said.The matter goes for trial on April 21.Chiundura granted her $50 bail.
News / Local
by Nqobile Bhebhe
Bulawayo City Council is bracing for a bruising fight with Local Government minister Savior Kasukuwere by resolving to defy a ministerial directive of slashing allowances.Early this year the ministry sent a directive to all local authorities to cut incidental allowances and other benefits.The directive also covered council staff and that irked MDC-T councillors.According to the order, the incidental allowances where to be chopped from $50 per day to a mere $10.Based on a confidential report obtained by Bulawayo24.com, councillors resolved to defy the order and maintain the "status quo".They said endless ministerial interference was annoying and crippling operations.Reads part of the resolution "That the recommendation of the Management committee of the Heads of Departments to reduce incidental allowance for staff from $50 to $10 in harmony with the ministerial directive, be not acceded to."Instead the status quo should prevail with regards to Staff Incidental Allowances".
News / National
by Stephen Jakes
Zanu PF youth member Fidelis Fengu has he agrees with the notion that President Robert Mugabe must rest.On his Facebook post Fengu said it is true that Mugabe must rest."Yes its true , and I agree Gushungo needs to rest , and we need to openly discuss succession without restrictions or faction-alisation of the issue," he said."Let those who support Mnangagwa do so , and they can campaign as much as they like without insulting anyone."He said let those that support Sydney Sekeramayi or Saviour Kasukuwere or whoever do so and campaign."Can we resolve succession in unity, peace and with a deliberate focus on development of Zanu PF and Zimbabwe," he said. "The succession issue/challenge is a great chance for Gushungo to shine as a leader."
Flint, Michigan city officials staged their own break in to destroy incriminating water evidence
The ongoing crisis with Flint, Michigans water supply continues to unfold, much like the learning disorders and other more catastrophic effects in the children who were subject to the lead in the water. Accusations of guilt and lack of leadership abound at every level of government. As in every investigation, access to emails, agreements, documentation of who said, or did, or agreed to any action during these events are critical to the discovery of the guilty parties who endangered the residents of Flint. Stealing, withholding or shredding documents could imply guilt, though such actions are not a guarantee. But it is telling that in December of 2015, there was a break in at the Flint City Hall office where the water records were kept, as reported by Government Slaves:
Mystery still surrounds an unsolved December break-in at an executive office inside City Hall where Flint water files were kept. As of Friday, March 18, there were still no suspects in the case, and officials say it may never be known what other than a TV was taken.
But the citys new police chief Tim Johnson says its too suspicious that there was a break-in where important documents were kept, just as investigations began heating up and decision makers were beginning to be held accountable. It was definitely an inside job. The power cord (to the TV) wasnt even taken. The average drug user knows that youd need the power cord to be able to pawn it, Johnson said. It was somebody that had knowledge of those documents that really wanted to keep them out of the right hands, out of the hands of someone who was going to tell the real story of whats going on with Flint water.
Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said documents were strewn about the room, and it is impossible to know if any of them were taken.
It was April 25, 2014 when Flint, Michigan officials raised their first glass of tainted water from the Flint River. This was nearly two years after the Michigan Treasury met with Flint leaders about their water program. Michigan Public Radio provides a detailed timeline of this water crisis. There were twists and turns. Three Flint city emergency managers grappled with this issue. In October 2012, Darnell Earley was the third man hired for that job. He refused to renew the contract with Detroits offer of water. General Motors complained about the corrosive effects of chlorine. They demanded and received better water before the citizens.
E coli and lead were discovered. The State of Michigan environmental regulators gave a go signal and apparently lied to the EPA about adding chemicals to protect the pipes. According to The Washington Post, this crisis is a monumental government failure on all levels and a classic conflict about price and control of resources:
The catastrophic decision by Flint, Mich., to switch to a water supply that brought toxic lead into thousands of homes is routinely portrayed as part of a long-term move to a new pipeline intended to save a destitute government millions of dollars each year. The reality is much more complicated.
The Detroit water system, which had supplied Flint for a half-century, fought fiercely until 2013 to keep the city as a customer. It ultimately offered rates that it claimed would cost 20 percent less than Flints share of the $600 million plan to build the pipeline from Lake Huron, according to documents, interviews and media coverage of those events.
Had Flint officials stuck with Detroits water, they would not have had to rely on the Flint River as an interim water source and lead would not have leached from the citys aging pipes into the taps of some of its 100,000 residents.
At a minimum, one would have to ask some pretty tough questions about whether it made sense to build new water infrastructure for a mature and declining population, Eric Scorsone, director of the Center for Local Government, Finance and Policy at Michigan State University, said Tuesday. I think the question is: What is the gain from this?'
It seems as though these tough and thoughtful questions were never truly asked by any of the officials in charge.
As with any toxic source that enters the body, it is critical to counter act those poisons with the cleanest food available.
(Photo credit: WNEM-TV)
Sources:
GovtSlaves.info
MichiganRadio.org
WashingtonPost.com
Science.NaturalNews.com
FoodForensics.com
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Hezbollah, Iran have received advanced Russian-made air defense systems
(NationalSecurity.news) Iran and a proxy group it funds, Hezbollah, have both received advanced Russia air defense systems, upping the ante for the U.S. and its allies in a war-torn Middle East that seems perpetually mired in conflict.
Israeli intelligence has confirmed to the German newspaper, Bild, that Hezbollah which has repeatedly vowed to destroy Israel, as has Iran has acquired the advanced SA-17 Buk anti-aircraft system, which were initially given to the Syrian armed forces. The Times of Israel has also confirmed the report, noting that sophisticated system is a game-changer in the region and will directly threaten Israeli aircraft operating in the northern part of the country and throughout the region, the Washington Times reported.
Nadav Pollack, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Studies, whose research focuses on Hezbollah, called the development interesting and said it was a big deal.
Israel calls these weapons tie-breakers, Pollack said, using a Hebrew phrase similar to the English game-changer.
The Buk is the system Russia-aligned rebels in Ukraine allegedly used to shoot down a Malaysian airliner over the eastern part of the country in 2014, killing all aboard.
The SA-17 is capable of targeting aircraft at low-to-high altitudes and is considered to have medium range. Also, the systems are mobile, which make them harder to locate and destroy.
In the past Israeli fighters have destroyed entire air-defense systems as they were being transferred to Hezbollah. The Times reported that several analysts believe those systems were also SA-17s, meaning Israel takes the threat they pose very seriously.
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The Austin, Texas-based private intelligence agency Stratfor has also said that Hezbollah forces are building fortified positions inside Syria in a bid to attack Israeli forces. The Times noted that Hezbollah has stated in the past that once the Syrian war winds down it will again turn its focus on defeating Israel.
In addition to Hezbollah receiving Russian-made anti-aircraft missiles, Iran has begun to receive shipments of S-300 air defense missile systems, some of the most advanced in the world. Also a medium-range system, it is capable of engaging multiple aircraft at low-to-high altitude up to 90 miles away.
The S-300 is a battle-tested system that is now in high demand by militaries around the world, though previously, UN sanctions prevented Moscow from selling them to Iran. The nuclear deal brokered by the Obama administration, however, lifted those restrictions. Russia is looking to sell as many weapons systems as possible to Iran as a way to raise hard currency in a moribund economy.
Israel strongly opposes the sale of S-300s to Iran, knowing that the systems will make it much more difficult for Israeli fighters to destroy Irans nuclear weapons infrastructure.
In addition to purchasing the S-300, Iran plans to license production of the Russian T-90 tank and has expressed interest in front-line Russian fighters like the SU-34. Russia is also assisting Iran in rebuilding its nuclear energy capability, the Times reported.
See also:
The Washington Times
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News / National
by Stephen Jakes
Matabeleland South senator for MDC-T Bheki Sibanda has expressed concerns over the the increasing number of immigrants from African countries to Europe when the continent is rich with resources.Speaking in parliament Sibanda said the first issue he wanted wanted to deal with is the question of migration, particularly migration from Africa."I submit that Africa is endowed with a range of natural resources that are found below the surface of the earth. It also enjoys in some areas good rainfall that should ensure that we are self sufficient in food, therefore able to sustain a variety of industries that we should generate out of our numerous resources, both mineral and agricultural," he said."It is therefore sad, that a significant amount of immigrants that include women and children suffer the consequences of crossing the Sahara in order to look for what they consider to be a better life in Europe."He said it is his sincere belief that as people develop as Africans, they should be seeking to change the direction of the trend of migration from Europe to Africa as they offer them sanctuary, because he believe that Africa is more endowed than Europe is, particularly with natural resources."It would also support our belief of avoiding or talking against neo-colonialism because I understand and I want to believe that neo-colonialism addresses our own self sufficiency; our ideological beliefs and identity as a people. Our cause is not supported when we lose the genius of our people who eventually move to Europe," he said."I therefore, urge that African governments concentrate their effort in utilising the resources that God has endowed our continent with. Secondly, that we improve our governance systems so that it is comfortable to remain in your own continent or country. Those of us who have lived as foreigners previously will testify that it is not an enjoyable situation to be a foreigner in any land. I strongly feel that we must do a lot of introspection as Africa and ensure that we create an environment that allows our children to remain within this continent."He said if Zimbabweans look at their own country and the level of migration that has taken place, estimated at above or close to 5 million, they will note that a lot of the people who are migrating are well educated; that is their investment which is leaving its natural habitat and going to improve the economies of other countries."I would like now to address the issue of the oversight role of Parliament over the Executive, which is dealt with adequately in the report. I do not have a lot of comments, but I have got questions that I think we must ask ourselves as Parliamentarians. Are we playing an effective role in our land in terms of our oversight role over the Executive? Are we not sometimes appendages of the same Executive that we should be performing oversight on? Thirdly, what does the whipping system do to our potential to exercise an oversight role on the Executive? I believe that it may compromise our role," he said."We are dependent on the financial resources that are collected and disbursed at the end of the day by the Executive. What does that do to our oversight role? Can we receive financial resources and be prepared to adequately put them to question. "
In an era of mass rape by refugees, U.S. Supreme Court is about to rule stun guns and pepper spray illegal
For millions of Americans who live in gun-free zones that is, cities and localities where elected officials refuse to extend to citizens their right to keep and bear arms in public lesser forms of personal defense are permitted. Many of them carry pepper spray, stun guns and other non-lethal devices in order to protect themselves from the criminal element.
But in a stunning development, the U.S. Supreme Court may decide to rule on a case this summer that could outlaw such non-lethal protective devices, and at a time when murder rates and other violent crimes are rising.
As reported by Off The Grid News, the case Caetano v. Massachusetts stems from a ruling by that states highest court that the Second Amendments right to bear arms does not apply to non-lethal weapons, therefore the states ban on such devices ought to stand.
That case involved Jaime Caetano, a woman who was carrying a stun gun in her purse for protection from an abusive ex-boyfriend. The ruling was appealed to the Supreme Court, which has yet to determine if it will hear it, Off The Grid News reported.
What makes it more likely that the nations highest court could decide to hear the case is that a different court in another state the Michigan Court of Appeals has said just the opposite, that stun guns are indeed protected by the Second Amendment.
Up to this point the Supreme Court has never ruled on whether a stun gun or other non-lethal devices are covered by the Second Amendment, but in Massachusetts otherwise law-abiding citizens can be charged criminally for attempting to protect themselves using non-lethal means.
The ability to possess a stun gun instead of a handgun is an important aspect of the right to keep and bear arms, Caetanos attorneys wrote in an amicus brief [PDF] to the Supreme Court. Some people have religious or ethical compunctions about killing. Other religious and philosophical traditions, such as Judaism and Catholicism, believe that defenders ought to use the least violence necessary.
In their brief the attorneys also said there are instances when less-than-lethal force is warranted and even preferred.
Still others might be reluctant to kill a particular potential attacker, for instance when a woman does not want to kill an abusive ex-husband because she does not want to have to explain to her children that she killed their father, even in self-defense, they wrote. Some might fear owning a gun because it might be misused by their children or by a suicidal roommate.
But the Massachusetts law, they added, deprives citizens of what ought to be their personal protection choice.
Some people who do own guns may prefer to own both a firearm and a stun gun, so that they can opt for a nonlethal response whenever possible, resorting to lethal force only when absolutely necessary, the brief noted.
Other Left-wing states have enacted laws against owning at least one type of non-lethal weapon: Hawaii, New Jersey (where Gov. Chris Christie is running for the Republican presidential nomination), New York, and Rhode Island.
The legal question asked by the brief states, Whether the Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect a right to keep and bear weapons that are less deadly (but also less common) than handguns.
An opinion column in The Wall Street Journal, by Heather Mac Donald, the Thomas W. Smith fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of City Journal, noted that crime rates have risen substantially in major U.S. cities but that the Old Media is under-reporting the spike.
An 11% one-year increase in any crime category is massive; an equivalent decrease in homicides would be greeted with high-fives by politicians and police chiefs. Yet the media have tried to repackage that 11% homicide increase as trivial, she wrote in a column published on Christmas Day.
Mac Donald says the bump in crime is due to the Ferguson Effect: cops backing off from proactive policing, demoralized by the ugly vitriol directed at them since a police shooting in Ferguson, Mo., last year.
Sources:
TheWallStreetJournal
OffTheGridNews
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Swedish government covered up rape crimes of refugees just like liberal U.S. cities cover up rape and murder crimes of illegals
Political correctness and absurd Leftism is getting scores of Europeans mostly women hurt and putting scores more at risk.
As reported by Breitbart London, a wave of sex crimes committed by thousands of younger male migrants from the Middle East and North Africa is spreading throughout the European continent, and whats more, uber-Leftist government officials in these various EU nations have been so reluctant to discuss it that they have taken to hiding the truth.
For instance, the news site noted, in recent days Swedish police were accused of covering up sexual assaults and other sex-related crimes committed by migrants against Swedish women for years at a music festival.
But since then, an Afghan teenager has been arrested and, in a fit of irony, the countrys liberal, pro-mass-immigration prime minister has lashed out at the double betrayal of women by police.
Also, it has been noted that the Stockholm Council and the organizers of the festival identified the danger that migrant mobs were posing to women some two years ago, but said that to have spoken out would have been irresponsible.
A scandal without equal
In addition, the Swedish newspaper that broke the scandal may have been tipped off about the abuse some six months ago and could very well have passed on the story completely were it not for the recently reported sex attacks throughout Germany and other European countries over the New Years Eve holiday.
Breitbart London noted further:
Quoting sources within the force, Dagens Nyheter (DN) claimed Stockholm Police consciously avoid reporting on issues which can be tied to perpetrators of a foreign background, because they fear it may help right-wing politicians.
The festival took place a month before general elections in which the anti-mass-migration party Sweden Democrats came third.
It is a scandal without equal. This must be immediately investigated. Could this be something that happened at several locations in the country, but they do not bother to tell you certain things because it could play into the hands [of the Sweden Democrats party]? Bjorn Soder, one of the partys MPs, said to Expressen.
In fact, reports are revealing, migrant sex gangs have been perusing the Sthlm music festival in search of girls between the ages of 12 and 17 for at least the past two summers.
These are so-called refugee youths, specifically from Afghanistan. Several of the gang were arrested for sexual molestation, one leaked police memo read, indicating that they were well aware of the situation, Breitbart London reported.
But as in Germany, however where local police initially released a statement claiming that the New Years Eve celebrations had passed off peacefully, the Swedish police reports about the festival were positive and made no reference to sexual assaults.
That, despite the fact that 38 separate reports of rape and sexual assault were made over the course of 2014 and 2015 information only released after press reports alleged a cover-up.
Indeed, in just one single night, police and security personnel had to intervene against about 90 young men who were all involved in sexual abuse, an eyewitness told Swedish media.
Coming to America
We should certainly have written and told people about this, no doubt. Why it did not happen I do not know, Varg Gyllander, a police press spokesperson, confessed, according to Breitbart.
Just became aware of DNs data tonight. Promise that the matter will be investigated, Swedens National Police Commissioner Dan Eliasson tweeted.
Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has since addressed the scandal as well, calling it a double betrayal because of the assaults not being made public and the fact that no one was prosecuted for them.
A psychologist says she tipped off the DN regarding claims of groping and other forms of physical sex abuse at the festival six months ago, but the paper did not follow up on the story. Editors there have since said they were tipped off but said they could not publish any stories because police refused to confirm the assaults.
Americans who think such behavior wont take place en masse in the U.S. if President Obama is allowed to import tens of thousands of migrants and refugees from some of the same countries arent being serious or paying attention.
Sources:
Breitbart.com
NaturalNews.com
Expressen.se
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NEW MILFORD For some time, Housatonic Probate Court Judge Martin Landgrebe has needed more space for the court than is available at Roger Sherman Town Hall in New Milford.
Now, Landgrebe and Mayor David Gronbach are discussing the possibility of moving the court to 25 Church St., a town-owned building across the street from town hall.
It would give the court the space it requires and the security they want, Gronbach said. Schematics had previously been drawn for moving the court to the first floor of the 25 Church St. building. I am in discussions with public works ... and the judge is in discussion with the state about what it would take to move the court.
In 2014, then-mayor Pat Murphy was considering moving the court to the Richmond Citizen Center at 40 Main St., which she said would have required moving Loaves & Fishes Hospitality House out of the building, and putting Social Services into the present Loaves & Fishes space.
That plan never took place.
Landgrebe said at that time, he had indicated concerns to Murphy about meeting court requirements in the present space at town hall. He has a small private office, a small space for staff and paperwork, and uses the meeting room on the second floor of town hall for a hearing room.
Landgrebe has been looking for more privacy for people and enhanced security.
Ive had discussions with the past and present mayors about the need for privacy and appropriate space for judicial actions, Landgrebe said. Mayor Gronbach is aware of the small space that we do have and the need to have a facility that is suitable and appropriate in appearance.
Landgrebe said the five towns covered by the Housatonic District Probate Court New Milford, Bridgewater, Sherman, New Fairfield and Brookfield will be involved in the process of find a suitable new location.
We will also be working with the current administration to get the state involved as it will be moving computers and computerized records, Landgrebe said.
Landgrebe said it is his understanding that if the 25 Church St. building is chosen, the probate court would be on the ground floor with Gallery25 now located there moved to the second floor.
Vincent Russo, communications manager with the Connecticut Probate Court Administration, outlined the requirement for court space by state statute.
Theres no specific template, Russo said. But the statute clearly states what a municipality must provide: a private office for the judge, a hearing/conference room, and the staff must have a private space where sensitive documents are not visible to the public. Confidentiality is key.
As long as the location of the court meets statutory standards, it is up to the towns where it is located, Russo said. Usually our office will work with the towns to assure the space is correct and we can help with installations like IT.
Russo said it is not unusual for a probate judge with cramped quarters to let an attorney and a client meet in his private office for discussions as Landgrebe now does.
Landgrebe has been probate judge since 1999, serving three terms as probate judge for the Bridgewater-New Milford Probate Court.
The court based in New Milford Town Hall became the Housatonic Probate Court in January 2011 after the state-mandated court consolidation of 117 courts to 54 courts.
stuz@newstimes.com; 203-731-3352
WASHINGTON With Gov. Dannel P. Malloy looking to slash Education Cost Sharing grants statewide, officials in some Region 12 towns worry plans for the districts Agriscience STEM Academy will be affected.
A request for a $29 million bond to finance construction of the Agriscience STEM center at Shepaug Valley School was referred by the House to the Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding in the state Legislature on April 12.
Of course the bonding for the AgriSTEM center is in danger, said state Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, a member of the committee. You cant be assured of anything at this point.
The only thing we are certain of at this time is the uncertainty of it all, Boucher added. Its definitely a time of crisis.
The Region 12 towns of Bridgewater, Roxbury and Washington are among the 20 municipalities Malloy has proposed to end education cost-sharing. For Bridgewater, that would mean a cut of $123,000 in education funding; Roxbury, $133,000 less and Washington, a reduction of $222,000.
It seems like theyre taking funding away from towns they perceive can sustain these cuts while continuing to fund inner-city schools, said Bridgewater First Selectman Curtis Read. This doesnt bode well for Agriscience STEM funding.
Well see if the states in the mood to bond $29 million when its making all of these other cuts, Read said.
In November, Region 12 voters approved the $39.5 million agriscience project, with the expectation the state pick up the $29 million via a bond issue and local taxpayers would fund the rest.
The project would include the addition of 64,000 square feet of space to the middle-high school and upgrading another 9,500. The academy is expected to open for the 2018-19 school year.
Region 12 estimates the academy will enroll 198 out-of-district and 30 in-district students once the program is up and running. For out-of-district students, the district will receive $6,823 in tuition paid by the students hometowns, in addition to the state-reimbursed $3,200 for each student in the program.
Superintendent of Schools Pat Cosentino believes state bonding will come through.
We are still confident that the AgSTEM program is moving forward, Cosentino said Thursday. We are extremely grateful to the Legislature, State Board of Education and the governor for their support.
But Malloy made it clear Wednesday the state is shy on revenue and tough decisions will have to be made.
"We have an obligation as elected officials to tackle the full scope of our challenge, Malloy said. That means we must align our spending with the revenue we actually have, not the revenue we wish we had.
Our expectations need to change, the governor said. We cannot afford to fund everything we always have. If we are to do what's right for the state, if we are to put Connecticut on a better path for the long-term, then we need to make tough but necessary decisions now to adapt to our new economic reality.
stuz@newstimes.com; 203-731-3352
News / National
by Ellah Mukwati
Public Service, Labour and Social Services Minister Prisca Mupfumira yesterday gave National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) workers a 24-hour ultimatum to return to work.Over 4 000 NRZ workers across the country have been on strike for almost two weeks, stopping operations including transport of imported wheat and drought relief maize, following the non-payment of over 15-month salary arrears.NRZ public relations manager Mr Fanuel Masikati said they approached the Labour Court and were given a show cause order, which Mupfumira issued to the workers on strike."Pending determination of this matter, I further direct that the collective job action be terminated immediately and in any case within 24 hours of the serving of this order," read part of the show cause order.Mr Masikati said they were advising all the workers to resume their duties."We are now appealing to all the workers to come back to work so that all the trains will resume their functions. We are saying the workers should come back to work because it is our only source of income," he said.The NRZ workers had said they would not end their strike until they were paid their outstanding salaries of more than a year.
BROOKFIELD A year after Jane Miller was booted from the Republican Party, she must again defend her conservative credentials in order to rejoin the GOP and vote in the April 26 presidential primary.
Miller was erased from the Republican rolls last April when GOP Registrar Tom Dunkerton and then-town Republican Chairman Matt Grimes used a little-known state statute to oust her from the party after an April 2015 hearing.
LAKEWOOD, CO, April 15, 2016 /CNW/ - Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE MKT: UUUU; TSX: EFR) ("Energy Fuels" or the "Company"), one of the leading producers of uranium in the U.S., is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Chalmers as Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Chalmers will join the Energy Fuels management team in July 2016 and oversee all of the Company's conventional and in situ ("ISR") uranium production operations.
Mr. Chalmers brings an extensive background in both the U.S. and global uranium mining and processing industries to Energy Fuels. From 2011 to 2015, Mr. Chalmers served as Executive General Manager of Production for Paladin Energy Ltd., a uranium producer with assets in Australia and Africa, including the Langer Heinrich and Kayelekera mines, where he oversaw sustained, significant increases in production while reducing operating costs. He also possesses extensive experience in ISR uranium production, including management of the Beverley Uranium Mine owned by General Atomics (Australia), and the Highland mine owned by Cameco Corporation (USA). Mr. Chalmers has also consulted to several of the largest players in the uranium supply sector, including BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, and Marubeni, and currently serves as the Chair of the Australian Uranium Council, a position he has held since 2007.
Mr. Chalmers represents a valuable addition to the Company's management team and an important element in the Company's overall management continuity and succession planning strategy.
"As a recognized leader in the global uranium industry, Mark has played major roles in developing and operating several successful mining operations throughout his career", noted Stephen P. Antony, President and CEO of Energy Fuels. "He is a recognized spokesperson for the uranium and nuclear energy industries, who has created shareholder value in both the conventional and ISR uranium mining sectors, and he is one of the few individuals who has extensive experience in both extraction methods. In today's competitive uranium market, it is vitally important to lower costs of production, create synergies, and build new sources of revenue wherever possible. We are very fortunate to add him to our already outstanding management team."
Mr. Birks Bovaird, Chairman of the Board for Energy Fuels, added, "After a thorough review of prospective candidates for the operations leadership role with Energy Fuels, we believe the Company's selection of Mark Chalmers confirms our commitment to managing our operations at optimum levels. At Energy Fuels, we are continuing to manage and grow our capital, including our financial, intellectual, and human assets. We expect Mark to add greatly to the executive strength we have put together to lead Energy Fuels into the future."
In 2016, Energy Fuels expects to produce approximately 950,000 pounds of uranium from its two 100%-owned production facilities, the White Mesa conventional uranium mill in Utah and the Nichols Ranch ISR project in Wyoming. The Company is also continuing shaft-sinking and resource evaluation activities at its high-grade Canyon conventional mine in Arizona and permitting activities at its large-scale conventional Sheep Mountain, Roca Honda, and Bullfrog projects. Finally in early May 2016, the Company expects to complete its recently announced acquisition of Mestena Uranium and its Alta Mesa ISR project in South Texas. This acquisition is expected to increase the Company's production scalability at the lower end of its cost curve.
About Energy Fuels: Energy Fuels is a leading integrated US-based uranium mining company, supplying U 3 O 8 to major nuclear utilities. Energy Fuels operates two of America's key uranium production centers, the White Mesa Mill in Utah and the Nichols Ranch Processing Facility in Wyoming. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the U.S. today and has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year. The Nichols Ranch Processing Facility, acquired in the Company's acquisition of Uranerz Energy Corporation, is an in situ recovery ("ISR") production center with a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year. Energy Fuels also has the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolio in the U.S. among producers, and uranium mining projects located in a number of Western U.S. states, including one producing ISR project, mines on standby, and mineral properties in various stages of permitting and development. The Company's common shares are listed on the NYSE MKT under the trading symbol "UUUU", and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "EFR".
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain information contained in this news release, including: any information relating to the Company being a leading producer of uranium;expectations regarding Mr. Chalmers future and continued employment at Energy Fuels; expectations regarding increasing production, lowering costs, achieving synergies, and creating new sources of revenue; expectations regarding Energy Fuels operational strategy; and any other statements regarding Energy Fuels' management, future expectations, beliefs, goals or prospects; constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements in this news release that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "expects", "does not expect", "plans", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" and similar expressions) should be considered forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Energy Fuels' ability to control or predict. A number of important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements, including without limitation factors relating to: expectations regarding Mr. Chalmers future and continued employment at Energy Fuels; expectations regarding increasing production, lowering costs, achieving synergies, and creating new sources of revenue; expectations regarding Energy Fuels' management and operational strategy; and other risk factors as described in Energy Fuels' most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly financial reports. Energy Fuels assumes no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as otherwise required by law. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in Energy Fuels' filings with the various securities commissions which are available online at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations, beliefs and plans of the management of Energy Fuels relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Readers are also cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, that speak only as of the date hereof.
SOURCE Energy Fuels Inc.
For further information: Investor Relations Inquiries: Energy Fuels Inc., Curtis Moore - VP - Marketing & Corporate Development, (303) 974-2140 or Toll free: (888) 864-2125, [email protected], www.energyfuels.com
VANCOUVER, April 14, 2016 /CNW/ - iCo Therapeutics ("iCo" or "the Company") (TSX-V: ICO) (OTCQX: ICOTF), today reported financial results for the year ended December 31, 2015. Amounts, unless specified otherwise, are expressed in Canadian dollars and presented under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS").
2015 Financial & Operational Highlights
Announced the engagement of Corealis Pharma Inc. ("Corealis") a contract manufacturing organization, for the analytical development, formulation optimization and scale-up of the Oral Amphotericin B Delivery System. The preparation and regulatory filings for this program are expected to be completed in 2016, with Phase 1A study data available in 2017.
Strengthened our intellectual property position around the Oral Amphotericin B asset. iCo now has eleven issued patents related to the technology.
Our Israeli partner continued to progress iCo-008 in several clinical studies, including commencement of enrollment of patients into a Phase 2 ulcerative colitis study.
Announced the appointment of Susan Koppy and John Meekison , iCo's Chief Financial Officer, to iCo's Board of Directors.
Subsequent to the 2015 year end, it was announced that the Company was undertaking a strategic re-organization in an effort to preserve its asset base and maximize shareholder value.
Summary Fiscal 2015 Results
iCo incurred a total comprehensive loss of $1,724,314 for the year ended December 31, 2015 compared to a total loss of $2,079,657 for the year ended 2015, representing a decrease of $355,343. The decrease in our net and comprehensive loss was principally the result of a gain in foreign exchange.
Research and development expenses were $648,439 for the year ended December 31, 2015 compared to $669,485 for the year ended December 31, 2014, representing a decrease of $21,046. The Research and Development expenses are now primarily related to development activities for our Oral Amphotericin B Delivery System.
For the year ended December 31, 2015, general and administrative expenses were $1,563,347 compared to $1,590,444 for the year ending December 31, 2014, representing a decrease of $27,097.
Foreign exchange gain for the year ended December 31, 2015 was $431,588 compared to foreign exchange loss of $14,672 for the same period in 2014, representing an increase of $446,260. The changes for the period primarily reflect fluctuations in the exchange rate between the Canadian and U.S. dollar.
Liquidity and Outstanding Share Capital
As at December 31, 2015, we had cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments of $3,753,982 compared to $5,707,787 as at December 31, 2014.
As at April 14, 2016, we had an unlimited number of authorized common shares with 84,457,713 common shares issued and outstanding.
For complete financial results, please see our filings at www.sedar.com.
About iCo Therapeutics
iCo Therapeutics in-licenses and redefines existing drug candidates or generics by employing reformulation and delivery technologies for new or expanded use indications. The Company holds worldwide rights to an oral drug delivery platform, with Oral Amphotericin B (Amp B) as the initial platform candidate, utilizing a known anti-fungal drug to treat life-threatening infectious diseases. iCo also has worldwide rights to two drug candidates: iCo-007 is a second generation antisense drug candidate targeting C-Raf kinase and iCo-008 is a monoclonal antibody targeting eotaxin-1. With Phase 2 clinical history, Bertilimumab (iCo-008) is a candidate for the treatment of vernal or atopic keratoconjunctivitis and wet age-related macular degeneration. iCo-008 is in Phase 2 clinical studies with iCo's partner, Immune Pharmaceuticals. iCo trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "ICO" and the OTCQX under the symbol "ICOTF". For more information, visit the Company website at: www.icotherapeutics.com.
No regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the content of this press release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulatory Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements included in this press release may be considered forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "will," and similar references to future periods. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements, and therefore these statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. All forward-looking statements are based on iCo's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to iCo and relate to, among other things, anticipated financial performance, business prospects, strategies, regulatory developments, market acceptance and future commitments. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are based only on information currently available to iCo and speak only as of the date of this press release. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified by iCo in its public securities filings and on its website, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. iCo disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
SOURCE iCo Therapeutics Inc.
For further information: Mr. John Meekison, CFO, iCo Therapeutics, 604-649-8778, [email protected]; Andrew Rae, CEO, iCo Therapeutics, 778-772-7775, [email protected]
OTTAWA, April 14, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, issued the following statement on the Supreme Court of Canada's CAP/Daniels decision:
"I thank the Supreme Court of Canada for this historic ruling on such an important matter, bringing much needed clarity to an issue that has lingered for too long.
The Government of Canada welcomes and respects this decision, which will guide our work with Indigenous peoples to advance real reconciliation and renew the relationship, based on recognition of rights, respect, and partnership. Today's decision speaks to a renewed relationship with Metis and non-Status Indians, one the Government of Canada has already been actively pursuing.
There is much work to be done. We are committed to working in partnership with Metis and non-Status Indians on a nation-to-nation basis, along with other partners, to ensure we are following the court's direction in implementing this decision.
Making progress will require real co-operation and genuine partnership in order to advance this important dialogue and map the way forward together. This is both the right thing to do and a key path to economic growth for all Canadians."
The Supreme Court of Canada CAP/Daniels Decision
This statement is also available on the Internet at www.aandc.gc.ca .
You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds or e-mail. For more information or to subscribe, visit www.aandc.gc.ca/subscriptions.
CAP/Daniels
Qs and As
Q.1. What does the declaration that Metis and non-Status Indians are "Indians" under s. 91(24) actually mean? Are they now eligible for the same programs and services as Status Indians?
The Supreme Court has declared that Metis and non-Status Indians are "Indians" for the purpose of federal Parliament's law-making jurisdiction under subsection 91(24) of the Constitution Act, 1867. We will be working in genuine partnership with Metis and non-Status Indians - based on recognition of rights, respect, and partnership - in order to meaningfully advance the work of reconciliation.
The ruling does not impact on Metis and non-Status Indian eligibility for programs and services currently targeted to Status Indians.
Q.2. In practical terms, what now is the difference between a Status Indian and a person who is Metis? What is a non-Status Indian?
A Status Indian is a person who is registered under section 6 of the Indian Act. While there is no legal or legislative definition of "Metis," they are recognized as one of three Aboriginal Peoples under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.
The Supreme Court of Canada concluded in Daniels that the term "Indian" for purposes of Canada's law-making powers under section 91(24) includes all Aboriginal peoples including Metis and non-Status Indians and there is no need to delineate which mixed ancestry communities are Metis and which are non-Status Indians. It held that determining whether particular individuals or communities are non-Status Indians or Metis and therefore "Indians" under s. 91(24), is a fact-driven question to be decided on a case-by-case basis in the future.
Q.3. What will this decision cost the federal government?
We are studying the decision to determine next steps. We will be working in genuine partnership with Metis and non-Status Indians - based on recognition of rights, respect, and partnership - in order to meaningfully advance the work of reconciliation.
Q.4. Do Metis need to form into bands like First Nations?
The Supreme Court of Canada decision has no impact on band creation or band membership, which falls within the purview of the Indian Act. There is no requirement for Metis to "form into bands."
Q.5. Are all individuals who self-identify as Metis entitled to rights under section 35 of the Constitution Act? Are they now entitled to federal programs and services?
Not all Canadians who self-identify as Metis are section 35 rights-holders. There is a distinction between Metis self-identification and Metis Aboriginal rights. The 2003 Supreme Court of Canada decision in R. v. Powley outlines the test to prove Metis Aboriginal rights, and Metis self-identification is only one component of a broader objectively verifiable process that is required in order to meet the Powley test.
SOURCE Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
For further information: please contact: Sabrina Williams, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, 819-997-0002; Media Relations, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, 819-953-1160
News / National
by Patrick Chitumba
A KWEKWE civil court has ordered Tombs Motorways Bus Company to pay a cross border trader R39,470 with interest as compensation for her property that was lost in an accident in May last year.Privilege Mashawi lost goods in the bus accident that occurred along the Zvishavane-Shurugwi road, claiming the lives of three people.Magistrate Vimbai Mutukwa ruled that Tombs Motorways Bus Company should shoulder the blame for the accident in which Mashawi lost her goods worth R39,470.The company had denied liability arguing that it was the bus conductor Christopher Mandla who had entered into an illegal deal with Mashawi for her goods to be transported from Beitbridge and not the bus company itself. It argued that Mandla was supposed to pay the compensation.However, Mutukwa ruled that Tombs Motorways must take full responsibility of the accident. She said the bus conductor was merely conducting his duties when he loaded Mashawi's goods which included televisions and beverages."The court finds that the conductor was acting within the scope of his duties when he loaded the goods on the bus. As such Tombs Motorways is ordered to pay Mashawi the amount she lost in the accident with a five percent interest."Furthermore, the bus company will foot the legal costs of the suit," ruled Mutukwa.Mashawi's lawyer Nomore Hlabano, told the court that the bus driver Willard Muchuweni was tired at the time when the accident occurred.He said Muchuweni drove the bus for nearly 700km without adequate rest from Gokwe to Beitbridge and in no time he was on his way back to Kwekwe.The lawyer also blamed Muchuweni saying as an experienced driver he should not have driven the bus with goods loaded together with passengers inside.
[April 14, 2016] 2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk First Gasoline-powered American-made, American-brand Passenger Vehicle to Qualify for Japan Eco-Car Tax Incentive
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk equipped with 3.2-liter Pentastar V-6 meets fuel-efficiency and emissions guidelines for Japan's Eco-Car tax incentive
First American-made, American-brand gasoline-powered vehicle to deliver such performance
Part of the award-winning Pentastar engine family, 3.2-liter V-6 features fuel-saving Engine Stop-Start (ESS) technology
Segment-exclusive TorqueFlite nine-speed automatic transmission is standard equipment
Industry-first rear-axle disconnect technology automatically and seamlessly matches driveline mode with driving conditions
Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk most capable SUV in its class with standard-equipment Jeep Active Lock 4x4 system Add another milestone to the Jeep brand's storied history: the 2016 Cherokee Trailhawk is the first gasoline-powered, American-made, American-brand passenger vehicle to qualify for Japan's Eco-Car tax incentive. When equipped with the 3.2-liter Pentastar V-6, the Cherokee Trailhawk also the most capable SUV in its class meets the fuel-efficiency and emissions-level requirements tied to the 58,000 consumer tax break. "At Jeep, we don't sacrifice operating efficiency for capability," says Mike Manley, Head of Jeep Brand and Global Lead Executive for International Operations FCA. "This achievement vindicates our efforts to deliver products that resonate in a highly complex industry climate." The Pentastar-powered Cherokee Trailhawk achieves a 10.3-km/L fuel-efficiency rating in Japan. The vehicle also earns a 4-Star emissions rating, which is the other requirement to qualify for Japan's Eco-Car tax incentive. The 3.2-liter Pentastar in the Cherokee Trailhawk boasts two mini-oxidation, three-way catalytic converters and four heated oxygen sensors to help reduce emissions. The 3.2-liter Pentastar shares design features with the 3.6-liter Pentastar, named three times to the prestigious list of Ward's 10 Best Engines. The smaller-displacement V-6, which is rated at 200kW (272 hp) and generates 315 Nm (239 lb.-ft.) of torque, also benefits from Engine Stop-Start (ESS) technology. A standard feature on the 3.2-liter Pentastar, ESS increases fuel economy by shutting the engine off whenever the vehicle comes to a complete stop. Meanwhile, the vehicle's radio, gauges, heating/air-conditionng system and other equipment, remain operational.
The engine restarts automatically when the driver her/his foot from the vehicle's brake pedal. Further boosting the Cherokee Trailhawk's efficiency are its segment-exclusive TorqueFlite nine-speed automatic transmission and its industry-first driveline system that automatically and seamlessly matches performance settings with driving conditions.
With its wide ratio spread, the TorqueFlite gearbox is designed to ensure the Pentastar V-6 operates at optimal levels at all times. Four overdrive ratios benefit highway driving while also reducing overall noise, vibration and harshness. The Cherokee Trailhawk's 4x4 system, dubbed Jeep Active Drive Lock, features a
power transfer unit (PTU) and rear-drive module (RDM) that automatically engage and then disengage, depending on driving conditions. This dramatically reduces spin losses and saves fuel. The combined attributes of the 3.2-liter Pentastar, TorqueFlite transmission and Jeep Active Drive Lock 4x4 system not only deliver efficiency, they make the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk the most capable SUV in its class. Its two-speed PTU produces a 47.8:1 crawl ratio. The ruggedly stylish SUV arrives at Japan dealerships in May. The Jeep Cherokee was also listed among the 10 best cars in the 2014-2015 Japan Car of the Year of Award the first American vehicle to be so honored. The Jeep brand marks its 75th anniversary this year. The entire Jeep Cherokee lineup is produced at the Toledo Assembly Complex in Toledo, OH. About Jeep Brand
Built on 75 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV with class-leading capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence. The Jeep vehicle lineup consists of the Cherokee, Compass, Grand Cherokee, Patriot, Renegade, Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. To meet consumer demand around the world, all Jeep models sold outside North America are available in both left and right-hand drive configurations and with gasoline and diesel powertrain options. Follow Jeep and FCA US news and video on:
FCA Content On Demand (COD): www.fcacod.com
Company blog: http://blog.fcanorthamerica.com
Company website: www.fcanorthamerica.com
Media website: http://media.fcanorthamerica.com
FCA360: www.fca360.com
Jeep brand: www.jeep.com
Jeep blog: blog.jeep.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeep or www.facebook.com/ChryslerGroup
Flickr: www.flickr.com/jeepexperience or www.flickr.com/chryslergroup
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/jeep or www.pinterest.com/FCAcorporate
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jeepofficial or www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA
Streetfire: www.streetfire.net/uploaded/chryslervideo.htm
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jeep or www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA
YouTube: www.youtube.com/thejeepchannel or www.youtube.com/pentastarvideo Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160413/355151 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2016-jeep-cherokee-trailhawk-first-gasoline-powered-american-made-american-brand-passenger-vehicle-to-qualify-for-japan-eco-car-tax-incentive-300251941.html SOURCE FCA US LLC
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[April 15, 2016] Benchmark Highlights Strength of Board and Commitment to Best-in-Class Corporate Governance in Letter to Shareholders
ANGLETON, Texas, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Benchmark Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: BHE) today announced that it has mailed a letter to shareholders in connection with its upcoming 2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The full text of the letter follows: April 15, 2016 Fellow Benchmark Shareholder: On May 11, 2016, Benchmark will hold its 2016 Annual Meeting where you will be making an important decision regarding the future of your Company. We urge you to protect the value of your investment in Benchmark by voting the enclosed WHITE proxy card " FOR " your experienced and highly qualified Director nominees: David Scheible, Michael Dawson, Gayla Delly, Douglas Duncan, Kenneth Lamneck, Bernee Strom, Paul Tufano and Clay Williams. These directors bring a deep, diverse range of skills, industry and C-level experience, qualifications that are wholly absent from the alternate slate of director candidates proposed by hedge fund Engaged Capital. BENCHMARK'S BOARD IS EXPERIENCED AND INDEPENDENT, AND ITS INTERESTS ARE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH SHAREHOLDERS Your Board and management team are focused on enhancing value for all Benchmark shareholders. We have taken and will continue to take numerous steps to strengthen the Company's performance and value-creation potential. Your Board has a demonstrated track record of execution and shareholder value creation. Your Board is composed of eight directors, all of whom are independent with the exception of Gayla Delly, Benchmark's Chief Executive Officer. Your dedicated and highly qualified directors have been closely overseeing and stand fully behind management's execution of the Company's strategic initiatives to achieve near- and long-term revenue growth and continued profitability. Benchmark's eight directors possess critical knowledge of the Company and our industry that is crucial to the ongoing oversight of the successful execution of management's strategy. Your Board has adopted stock ownership guidelines to ensure that the interests of all directors are aligned with shareholders and are committed to acting in their best interests. BENCHMARK'S BOARD IS COMMITTED TO BEST-IN-CLASS CORPORATE GOVERNANCE PRACTICES Your Board is committed to robust, independent oversight, evidenced by its current profile: Three new independent directors have been added in the last five years, with one new director added and a new Chairman appointed in 2016;
Average director tenure is only 6.3 years, significantly less than our peer group 1 median average tenure of 10 years;
median average tenure of 10 years; All directors have significant C-level experience;
Separate Chairman and CEO roles; and
Two out of eight directors are women. Furthermore, your Board has recently taken actions to further strengthen corporate governance, including (subject to your approval at the 2016 Annual Meeting) its decision to amend its majority vote standard to allow for a plurality voting standard in a contested election, and instituting a policy requiring any director failing to receive a majority vote in an uncontested election to tender his or her resignation. Your Board is especially proud of its best-in-class corporate governance practice. But don't just take our word for it. With a Quickscore of 1, Benchmark falls within the top decile of companies covered by Institutional Shareholder Services. Furthermore, as part of our ongoing commitment, we engage extensively with shareholders on the topic of governance. Here are select thoughts from some of our large institutional holders expressed in meetings with management over the past several months: "That's a good Board you have there. They get it. Great oversight."
Institutional Shareholder A "Great governance structure. Compensation aligned with strategy."
Institutional Shareholder B "Really happy with the way the company is set up. Cleanest and best governance presentation we have seen in a while. Congratulations on your governance."
Institutional Shareholder C ENGAGED CAPITAL'S NOMINEES LACK RELEVANT BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE AND ARE UNQUALIFIED TO SERVE ON YOUR BOARD In direct contrast to Benchmark's highly qualified directors, the director nominees proposed by hedge fund Engaged Capital have major deficiencies in industry expertise, functional responsibility and business experience. As we have previously noted, Benchmark has sought to work constructively with Engaged Capital. Benchmark repeatedly requested that Engaged Capital provide contact details for its proposed director candidates so that they could be included in the Company's candidate review process. Your Board strongly believes that maintaining rigorous selection criteria and conducting reasonable diligence on any Board candidate is necessary to protect the interests of all shareholders. None of Engaged Capital's nominees has any experience in electronic manufacturing services ("EMS"), none have ever served as a CFO or COO in any industry, and only one has very limited experience as an interim CEO. In addition, only one candidate has served on the board of a public company. Furthermore, Engaged Capital has repeatedly insisted that Mr. Springstubb a 32-year-old analyst whose career has largely been spent as a junior investment management professional, and who has absolutely no background in EMS specifically or even business management must serve as a director as part of any settlement of Engaged Capital's costly and distracting campaign2. Simply put, Engaged Capital's hand-picked slate of under-qualified nominees does not meet Benchmark's rigorous criteria of required industry, functional responsibility and business experience, as illustrated by the chart below prepared by the Board's independent third-party search firm.
BENCHMARK
NOMINEES Global
Technology
Manufacturer Global
Industrial
Manufacturer CFO Outside
Board
Experience Investor
Relations M&A Strategy Public
Markets
Debt Capital
Structure C-
Score3 Paul Tufano x x x x x x x x x Yes Michael Dawson
x x x x x x x Yes Bernee Strom x x
x x x x x x Yes Clay Williams x x x x x x x x x Yes ENGAGED
CAPITAL
NOMINEES Global
Technology
Manufacturer Global
Industrial
Manufacturer CFO Outside
Board
Experience Investor
Relations M&A Strategy Public
Markets
Debt Capital
Structure C-
Score Robert Gifford x
No Jeffrey McCreary x
x
x
Limited Brendan Springstubb
No
Given their stark, demonstrated weaknesses in skills and experience, it is difficult to see how the dissident's nominees could add any value to Benchmark's highly qualified and diverse candidates. ENGAGED CAPITAL'S ACTIVIST TRACK RECORD DOES NOT SUPPORT ITS CLAIMS THAT ITS RECOMMENDATIONS CREATE VALUE FOR ALL SHAREHOLDERS Reviewing the stock price performance for companies where activist hedge fund Engaged Capital obtained dissident representation on the Board either through settlement or a proxy contest victory4, we discovered that, there was an average 15% share price decline after Engaged Capital secured a change in board composition, as documented in the table below. Target Company Engaged
Director
Appointment Share Price
at
Appointment Closing
Price
04/11/16 Returns Returns
Against
S&P 500 Abercrombie & Fitch & Co 19-Jun-14 $42.60 $28.10 (34.0%) (38.2%) HeartWare International 14-Mar-16 31.06 30.92 (0.5%) (1.6%) Jamba Inc 13-Jan-15 16.12 12.43 (22.9%) (23.8%) Medifast Inc 22-Jun-15 32.69 29.81 (8.8%) (5.0%) Rovi Corp 19-May-15 16.49 17.48 6.0% 10.0% TriMas Corp 25-Feb-15 24.51 17.21 (29.8%) (26.4%) Average
(15.0%) (14.2%) We believe the facts with regards to Engaged Capital's track record speak for themselves. Incidentally, we do not see how examples from Glenn Welling's brief three-year stint at Relational Investors (the "prior firm" referenced in Engaged Capital's April 7 letter) have any relevance to Engaged Capital's track record. We note also that Mr. Welling was not on the board of any of the examples cited in the April 7 letter. BENCHMARK'S BOARD IS COMMITTED TO CREATING VALUE AND SERVING THE INTERESTS OF ALL BENCHMARK SHAREHOLDERS PLEASE VOTE THE WHITE PROXY CARD TODAY Benchmark is in the midst of executing on a strategic business transformation we are shifting our business portfolio towards higher-value, higher-margin end markets. These markets are characterized by longer lifecycle products and extended manufacturing contracts, with customers who have greater outsourcing needs and require higher value-added and engineering-led solutions. We believe that this transition is allowing us to effectively manage risks associated with our traditional markets, while strategically positioning us to continue our leadership as our industry evolves. Under the oversight of your Board, Benchmark is leading its peer group in this transition, and has outperformed its peers across several key financial metrics since 2011. The Benchmark Board firmly believes that Engaged Capital's inexperienced and unqualified dissident slate risks undermining the ongoing successful execution of Benchmark's strategy and ability to generate long-term shareholder value. Protect your investment in Benchmark and vote the WHITE proxy card to support the Benchmark leadership team's continued strategy to deliver shareholder value. We strongly encourage you to vote "FOR" Benchmark's eight highly qualified director nominees on the enclosed WHITE proxy card today. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, you have an opportunity to protect your investment in Benchmark by voting the WHITE proxy card. We urge you to vote today by telephone, by internet, or by signing and dating the enclosed WHITE proxy card and returning it in the postage-paid envelope provided. Please do not return or otherwise vote any blue proxy card sent to you by Engaged Capital even as a protest. If you have already sent back the blue card, you can still change your vote using the enclosed WHITE proxy card to support your Board's highly qualified director nominees. On behalf of your Board of Directors, we thank you for your continued support. Sincerely, David W. Scheible
Chairman of the Board of Directors Gayla J. Delly
President and Chief Executive Officer If you have questions or need assistance voting your shares please contact:
MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
105 Madison Avenue New York, New York 10016 [email protected] Call Collect: (212) 929-5500 or Toll-Free (800) 322-2885
About Benchmark Electronics, Inc.
Benchmark provides integrated manufacturing, design and engineering services to original equipment manufacturers of industrial equipment (including equipment for the aerospace and defense industries), telecommunication equipment, computers and related products for business enterprises, medical devices, and test and instrumentation products. Benchmark's global operations include facilities in seven countries, and its common shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BHE. Forward-Looking Statements
This letter contains forward-looking statements within the scope of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The words "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "predict" and similar expressions, and the negatives thereof, often identify forward-looking statements, which are not limited to historical facts. Our forward-looking statements include, among other things: guidance for 2016; statements, express or implied, concerning future operating results or margins; the ability to generate sales, income or cash flow; the benefits of the Secure acquisition and our ability to continue share repurchases; and Benchmark's business and growth strategies and expected growth and performance. Although Benchmark believes these statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, they involve risks and uncertainties relating to our operations, markets and business environment generally. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those indicated. All forward-looking statements included in this letter are based upon information available to Benchmark as of the date of this document, and the Company assumes no obligation to update them. Readers are advised to consult further disclosures on related subjects, particularly in Item 1A, "Risk Factors" of the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, in its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and in its press releases. Additional Information and Where to Find It
Benchmark has filed a definitive proxy statement with the SEC with respect to the 2016 Annual Meeting and has mailed the definitive proxy statement and accompanying white proxy card to its shareholders. Benchmark shareholders are strongly encouraged to read the definitive proxy statement, the accompanying white proxy card and other documents filed with the SEC carefully in their entirety when they become available because they contain (or will contain) important information. Benchmark, its directors, executive officers and other employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Benchmark shareholders in connection with the matters to be considered at Benchmark's 2016 Annual Meeting. Information about Benchmark's directors and executive officers is available in Benchmark's definitive proxy statement for its 2016 Annual Meeting. Shareholders may obtain a free copy of the definitive proxy statement and any other documents filed by Benchmark with the SEC free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Copies also are available free of charge on Benchmark's website at www.bench.com under "Investor Relations Annual Reports" or by contacting Benchmark Investor Relations at (979) 849-6550. 1 Peer group consists of Celestica, Flextronics, Jabil, Plexus and Sanmina.
2 See for example Engaged Capital's definitive proxy statement filed March 29, 2016.
3 C-Score (Yes / No / Limited) answers the question: Is the candidate comparable in experience to the CEO, CFO and or Board Members?
4 Includes all campaigns in which Engaged Capital secured the appointment of a dissident member of a slate or mutually agreeable director by way of a settlement agreement to the board as of 04/11/16. Excludes Engaged Capital's settlement with Outerwall announced on 4/12/16 given limited timeframe to evaluate returns. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/benchmark-highlights-strength-of-board-and-commitment-to-best-in-class-corporate-governance-in-letter-to-shareholders-300252079.html SOURCE Benchmark Electronics, Inc.
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[April 15, 2016]
More than 66,000 Canadians have already signed up to the new basic TV package
GATINEAU, QC, April 15, 2016 /CNW/ - In just five weeks, more than 66,000 Canadians have already signed up for the new basic television package, according to data collected by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). In addition, more than 1 out of 3 of these Canadians have also taken advantage of the new packaging options by subscribing to individual channels, small packages or both.
On March 1, 2016, Canada's licensed television service providers began offering a new basic package that costs no more than $25 per month. The companies also began offering either the option to pay for individual channels ("pickand-pay") or small packages of no more than 10 channels.
The CRTC recently asked Access Communications, Bell, Cogeco, Eastlink, MTS, Rogers Communications SaskTel, Shaw Communications, TELUS and Videotron to provide data on the number of subscribers that have subscribed to the new basic television package.
The CRTC reminds Canadians that television service providers will be required to offer full pick-and-pay starting on December 1, 2016.
For more information on the new television options, please see: "Affordable basic TV package, small TV packages and pick-and-pay TV channels."
Ask a question or make a complaint
Stay Connected
Follow us on Twitter @CRTCeng
Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/crtceng
SOURCE Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
[April 15, 2016]
Drone Service Company Sharper Shape Closes $3.25 Million in Funding From Australia and Europe
PALO ALTO, Calif., April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Sharper Shape, the global market leader of automated drone-based asset inspections, has announced US$3.25 million in new funding (2.9 million) led by Straightforward Capital, a European venture capital firm with thorough experience in the energy sector.
In addition to financing from Straightforward Capital, the funding includes strategic investment from partners of an Australia-based global performance improvement consulting company, Partners in Performance (PIP). With this investment, PIP is able to extend its service offering for its energy customers to include Sharper Shape's automated asset inspection and analyses. And, Sharper Shape will now have access to over 400 PIP consultants worldwide.
The companies are already collaborating in the U.S. via the EEI Sharper Utility partnership. The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and Sharper Shape are demonstrating and developing commercial services based on long-distance drone flights fo electric companies.
"Sharper Shape's unique services, which combine long-distance drone survey flights and automated data analysis, will provide unprecedented efficiency gains to electricity grid operators," said Andrej Srsen, Straightforward Capital's managing director. "Sharper Shape's versatile software solution, proven for the electricity industry, scales directly to other industries such as railways, oil and gas, and wind power plants."
The funding will be used to strengthen Sharper Shape's global delivery capacity and its investments in R&D.
"With these investments we can take the next steps in rolling out our service globally and continue to lead the development of automated drone-based asset management," said Tero Heinonen, CEO of Sharper Shape. "This funding, combined with our innovative partnership with EEI, will accelerate commercial long-distance drone inspections for the utility industries in the U.S. and worldwide."
About Sharper Shape
U.S.-based drone service company Sharper Shape provides fully automated inspection and maintenance planning services for infrastructure asset owners. Our Next Eagle solution is the world's first automatic asset inspection solution utilizing UAV, which drastically reduces inspection and maintenance costs for high value assets such as power lines, pipelines, railways and more.
About Straightforward Capital
Straightforward Capital is a venture capital company that helps companies to unleash their growth potential. Our funds play an active role in companies' strategic planning and development.
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/drone-service-company-sharper-shape-closes-325-million-in-funding-from-australia-and-europe-300252186.html
SOURCE Sharper Shape
[April 15, 2016] Yiwugou Attends the 2016 China International E-Commerce Expo
YIWU, China, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- From April 1113, Yiwugou.com (the official website of the Yiwu Commodity Market, which is the largest commodity wholesale market in the world), attended the 2016 China International E-Commerce Expo held in Yiwu International Expo Center, together with local e-commerce leaders such as Alibaba and JD.com, as well as notable global players including Amazon and Google. The Expo, themed "E-commercialization Brings Global Opportunity", was hosted at the same time as the 2016 World E-Commerce Conference. "The focus of e-commercialization should be on integration, and credit is the key to securing global opportunities. Since its launch in October 2012, Yiwugou.com has been committed to online and offline integration," said Wang Jianjun, CEO of the Yiwugou. "Online and offline integration will emerge as one of the most dynamic economic patterns as it offers a new approach in spurring consumption and has improved on the model of commercial circulation," said Huang Hai, the former Assistant Minister of Commerce & President of China Distribution 30 Forum (G30). "E-commercialization hinges on integration rather than subverting or replacing physical stores, making it possible to build a new ecosystem for e-commerce," he noted.
Yiwugou.com's pioneering in portal design and credit management: Yiwugou features a well-designed front page differing from those of traditional virtual e-commerce platforms. It showcases goods by classification just as they are in the physical stores of Yiwu Commodity Market, offering a holistic view of products in the Market and allowing buyers to experience the physical store of each supplier with its unique 360-degree panoramic display function. In comparison, products are displayed by category on the front page of regular virtual e-commerce platforms. A registered e-store experiencing credit problems on a traditional virtual e-commerce website may continue to operate on the same platform by registering a new account. In contrast, each e-shop operating on Yiwugou.com is tied to a corresponding offline physical store. In case of online credit-related problems, the wrongdoers will be held accountable and have their credit issues permanently recorded, thus laying a solid foundation for credit management of Yiwugou.com. Unique credit guarantee syste m. Last March, Yiwugou.com inaugurated the online business license, promoting the credit management system of e-commerce from enterprise certification up to national regulation. The featured "e-shop + physical store + credit guarantee system" has significantly fostered the development of both Yiwugou.com and Yiwu Commodity Market. Throughout 2015, Yiwugou.com registered a total GMV of RMB 4 billion and matchmaking trade volume of RMB 40 billion for the physical market.
About Yiwugou.com Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141215/164355LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yiwugou-attends-the-2016-china-international-e-commerce-expo-300252088.html SOURCE Yiwugou
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News / National
by Innocent Ruwende
President Mugabe has been invited to attend the historic Fort Hare University centenary celebrations whose alumni include some of the sub-continent's most famous leaders including him and the late president Nelson Mandela.Presenting his credentials at State House in Harare yesterday, newly appointed South African ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Mpakama Mbete said he was also pushing for South African president Jacob Zuma to visit Zimbabwe.President Zuma is expected to visit Zimbabwe this year in fulfilment of conditions of the Bi-National Commission established between the two countries during President Mugabe's State visit to the neighbouring country last year.The Bi-National Commission requires that the presidents meet annually to cement political and economic relations.Five other ambassadors from Singapore, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Conakry, Palestine and Ethiopia also presented their credentials.Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and the permanent secretary Ambassador Joey Bimha attended the ceremony."The centenary celebrations are held all year round, but President Mugabe is most likely to attend special celebrations set for next month. We have extended the invitation and he has agreed to attend."We will also ensure that President Zuma's scheduled visit to Zimbabwe takes place and we will also engage South African companies and ask them to promote bi-lateral issues between our two countries," he said.The University of Fort Hare is home to hundreds of Zimbabwean students studying under the Presidential Scholarship Scheme.First to present his credentials was the ambassador of Ethiopia Mr Mustafe Dek Abdisalam who said he would spearhead the acceleration of trade."The relationship between our two countries dates back in our struggles for independence. We have excellent relations. My ambition is to strengthen and build on what is already there. To strengthen investment and trade," he said.Next was Palestine ambassador Mrs Taghrid Senour who said she was pleased to meet President Mugabe and was looking forward to strengthening relations between the two countries."Zimbabwe has always been supportive of Palestinians. We are grateful of the continued support and I am looking forward to strengthening our existing relations," she said.Equatorial Guinea ambassador Mr Jose Ela Ebang Mbang said he was going to reinforce the strong relations which exist between his country and Zimbabwe."We have strong ties with Zimbabwe, but we did not have an embassy in Zimbabwe. Now that we have one, we will be able to accelerate various bi-lateral arrangements," he said.Singapore ambassador Mr Chua Thai Keong who will be based in South Africa hailed strong relations between Zimbabwe and his country pledging to improve on economic relations."My immediate challenge is to build on and improve existing relations. Singapore is a unique part of Asia."It is a hub and source of investments. Through Singapore, Zimbabwe can reach out to the rest of Asia," he said.Guinea-Conakry ambassador Mr Djigui Camara who will be based in Luanda, Angola said he intends to improve existing relations."We have good relations politically. The challenge for me would be to build on the relations to include economic ties. There are a lot of issues politically which we can explore for our mutual benefit," he said.
Dignitaries who on Thursday attended the public presentation of a book written by the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha, deliberat...
Dignitaries who on Thursday attended the public presentation of a book written by the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha, deliberately refused to make their donations public.It was not clear whether their decision was based on the present administrations anti-graft posture.The prominent Nigerians converged on the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, for the presentation of Mrs. Buharis book, The Essentials of Beauty Therapy: A Complete Guide for Beauty Therapy.The proceeds from the presentation, the organisers said, would be sent to parents of the over 200 schoolgirls abducted from Chibok in April, 2014 and the parents of the boys abducted in Buni Yadi.Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo started the secret donation when he announced that Mrs. Buhari should not expect any big donation from him because he and the President were on half salaries.He added that he would not be able to donate big money because Buhari is very strict on money matters.The President and I are on half salaries. The President is very strict on money issues. So, dont expect me to make a large donation, he said.Osinbajo said the presentation of the book highlighted the importance of the girl-child education as he observed that if the wife of the President had not got the opportunity to go to school, she would not have been able to write the book and teach others.He said, Girl-child education is still an issue, girls not having the opportunity to go to school. If the wife of the President didnt have the opportunity to go to school, she wouldnt have had the opportunity to reach others.It emphasises the importance of education. Her desire to dedicate the proceeds of the presentation to the victims of insurgency and particularly the families of the Chibok girls is commendable.The national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who was the chairman of the occasion, also failed to announce his donation.Tinubu, who was represented by his wife, Oluremi, however, commended Mrs. Buhari for her decision to invest the proceeds in charity.On the importance of the book, the APC leader said Nigeria and Nigerians needed to begin to pay attention to beauty industry which he said was capable of generating income and employment.He also stressed the need to set up beauty and therapy schools where interested persons would be properly trained.The book presenter, Senator Daisy Danjuma, also failed to make her donation public.She however commended Mrs. Buhari for writing the book.The Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who spoke on behalf of the 36 state governors, also followed the same line.Although, he promised that state governors would make the books available to all the local government areas in the country, he did not announce how much they would pay.Others who spoke but failed to announce their donations were the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, Dr. Musaudu Kazaure; the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Prof. Abdusalami Nasidi; and the wife of Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Zainab Bagudu.In her remarks, Mrs. Buhari said her decision to present the book now was to contribute to the support of victims of insurgency, particularly mothers and children as well as malnourished kids across the nation.She urged members of the audience to buy the book to support the girl-child education.
Bayelsa State's Governor Seriake Dickson has appointed APC members into his cabinet.
Bayelsa State's Governor Seriake Dickson has appointed APC members into his cabinet.The governor on Wednesday constituted a 14-member State Executive Council and made history by bringing on board chieftains of the All Progressives Congress as part of his 20 Special Advisers to consolidate on the achievements of his Restoration Government.This was the first time such gesture would be taking place in the history of Bayelsa State.The APC members who made the list are Ben Iyororokumo (Special Adviser on Inter Party Relations) and Clever Lawrence, Special Adviser (Information, Communication and Technology Development).Governor Dickson said the appointment of members of the opposition was in fulfillment of an earlier promise to run an all-inclusive government, regardless of party affiliations.
According to The Cable, Boko Haram leaders are angry over the release of the video of 15 Chibok girls to the media.
According to The Cable, Boko Haram leaders are angry over the release of the video of 15 Chibok girls to the media.CNN had obtained the video which, it reported, had been seen by negotiators and government officials.The American news network then showed the clip to some of the Chibok parents ahead of the second anniversary of the kidnappings on Thursday.In the video, apparently recorded in December 2015, the girls, who said they were speaking on behalf of their colleagues, expressed the desire to be reunited with their families.However, security sources told TheCable that Boko Haram leaders are said to be livid over the media leak which they consider as treachery because it was never intended for broadcast.They are reportedly accusing the government of cheating because the video was only recorded as proof of life for the negotiators.The sources said the insurgents have warned of dire consequences over the leak without going into specifics.They think the government and the media are not genuinely interested in the girls freedom, one of the security sources told TheCable.There are strong suspicions in intelligence circles that the girls have been divided into different groups among different Boko Haram divisions and the latest video is proof that they are probably in batches of 15 or less.It is thought that with the latest video, one group is only trying to negotiate using the girls in its care.Federal government officials are sceptical about negotiating with unknown elements to avoid the billion-naira industry that was created around it under the past administration.Pictures of five of the girls were reportedly shown to government officials by negotiators in January 2016 by another group of negotiators.(TheCable)
The UN on Friday says the plight of 219 Chibok schoolgirls who were abducted two years ago is a major conflict that is affecting the North...
The UN on Friday says the plight of 219 Chibok schoolgirls who were abducted two years ago is a major conflict that is affecting the North-Eastern communities.Fatma Samoura UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria said that up to 7,000 women and girls might be living in abduction and sex slavery.Humanitarian agencies are concerned that two years have passed, and still the fate of the Chibok girls and the many, many other abductees is unknown, she said.The statement quoted Samoura as saying that the abducted girls had suffered so much at the hands of their captors as they had been on forced recruitment, forced marriage, sexual slavery and rape, and have been used to carry bombs.Between 2,000 and 7,000 women and girls are living in abduction and sex slavery, said Jean Gough, Country Representative of the UN Childrens Fund, UNICEF.Women and girls, who have escaped Boko Haram have reported undergoing a systematic training programme to train them as bombers, according to UNICEF.It said that 85 per cent of the suicide attacks by women globally in 2014 were in Nigeria.In May 2015, it was reported that children had been used to perpetrate three-quarters of all suicide attacks in Nigeria since 2014.Many of the bombers had been brainwashed or coerced.As the Nigerian military recaptures territory from Boko Haram, abducted women and girls are being recovered.Over and above the horrific trauma of sexual violence these girls experienced during their captivity, many are now facing rejection by their families and communities, because of their association with Boko Haram.You are a Boko Haram wife, dont come near us, one girl reported being told.Effective rehabilitation for these women and girls is vital, as they rebuild their lives, the statement said.The UN notes that children have suffered disproportionately as a result of the conflict.The Chibok abduction was not an isolated incident.The UN says more need to be done by the Nigerian government and the international community to keep them safe from the horrors other women and girls have endured.Safe schools are a good start, but safe roads and safe homes are also needed, it says.
News / Press Release
by Zim PF (Zambia Chapter)
Zim People First (Zambia Chapter) would like to say happy birthday to President Joice Mujuru on reaching 61 years tomorrow on 15 April.We want to pay tribute to her extraordinary resilience, dignity and strength in the face of trials that would break some of us. A mother, grandmother and above all a God fearing Christian, thank you for leading by example.Dr Joice Mujuru, we thank you for agreeing to lead us into a new Zimbabwe where everyone would be equal before the law.As Zimbabweans we are a most resilient and formidable people, but we have suffered enough. We deserve better, and real change is overdue.We will to continue to pray to God to give you strength and guidance.Happy birthday Amai, and thank you for your motherly leadership.Zim PF (Zambia Chapter)Happy birthday mother.
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has hailed the international community, especially the United States of America and the United K...
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has hailed the international community, especially the United States of America and the United Kingdom for joining lovers of democracy in Nigeria to speak out against the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of President Buhari's use of State security apparatus to oppress opposition.He called on the British Government to investigate the allegation of the use of British foreign aid given to Nigeria to help combat Boko Haram terrorists to fund a witch-hunt against opposition politicians with a view to preventing continuous use of fund belonging to the country wrongly.Speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Governor Fayose said the international community must focus attention on Nigeria under President Buhari, saying; "rights of Nigerians are now being trampled upon with impunity."In its report, the United States Department of States, accused the Nigerian police, DSS and the military of gross abuse of power which include citizens brutality, arbitrary detention,bribery among other scandals Also, the United Kingdom based Telegraph newspaper published this week that hundreds of millions of pounds of British foreign aid given to Nigeria to help combat Boko Haram terrorists was instead being used to fund a witch-hunt against opposition politicians.Governor Fayose, who is presently in Guangzhou, China to attend the 119th China Import and Export Fair otherwise known as the Canton Fair between April 14 and 19, said the United Kingdom Telegraph newspaper was right in its report that the Buharis government was using British aid money to target his political opponents, particularly through anti corruption agencies ans the Department of State Services (DSS).He said only the international community could help prevail on President Buhari to respect the rule of law and stop ruling Nigeria like a military dictator. The governor described the United States Department of States report as another vindication of his position on the Buhari-led government's abuse of the rights of Nigerians, saying; "everything I predicted about Buhari is coming to pass and the international community must assist the country to sustain democracy."
Amidst criticisms of his frequent overseas trip, President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday expressed satisfaction that his just-concluded one...
Amidst criticisms of his frequent overseas trip, President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday expressed satisfaction that his just-concluded one week official trip to China had yielded over $6bn additional investments for Nigeria.The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists.Shehu said the President believed that the agreements concluded with the Chinese during the visit would have a huge and positive impact on key sectors of the Nigerian economy including power, solid minerals, agriculture, housing and rail transportation.He said, In the power sector, North South Power Company Limited and Sinohydro Corporation Limited signed an agreement valued at $478,657,941.28 for the construction of 300 Mega Watts solar power in Shiroro, Niger State.In the solid minerals sector, Granite and Marble Nigeria Limited and Shanghai Shibang signed an agreement valued at $55m for the construction and equipping of granite mining plant in Nigeria.A total of $1bn is to be invested in the development of a greenfield expressway for Abuja-Ibadan-Lagos under an agreement reached by the Infrastructure Bank and Sinohydro Corporation Limited.For the housing sector, both companies also sealed a $250m deal to develop an ultra modern 27-storey high rise complex and a $2.5bn agreement for the development of the Lagos Metro Rail Transit Red Line project.According to the presidential spokesman, other agreements announced and signed during the visit included the establishment of a Hi-tech industrial park in Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone in Igbesa, Ogun State.He added that the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone and CNG (Nigeria) Investment Limited also signed an agreement valued at $200m for the construction of two 500MT/day float gas facilities.An agreement valued at $363m for the establishment of a comprehensive farm and downstream industrial park in Kogi state was also announced at the Nigeria-China business forum.Other agreements undergoing negotiations include a $500m project for the provision of television broadcast equipment and a $25m facility for production of pre-paid smart meters between Mojec International Limited and Microstar Company Limited.About 100 Nigerian businesses and 300 Chinese firms participated in the Nigeria-China business forum which took place a day after President Buhari began his visit to China, Shehu added.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it was planning to apply option A4 in electing its candidates for all coming elections, includin...
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it was planning to apply option A4 in electing its candidates for all coming elections, including presidential candidate for 2019 general polls.It said that if approved by the membership of the party, the application of the method may begin with upcoming congresses of the party. National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, disclosed this when he received the former chairman of the National Patriotic Party (NPP) of Ghana, Mr Peter Manu, at the partys national secretariat on Friday in Abuja.Metuh said that the decision was part of the reforms to reposition the PDP for the 2019 general elections. He said that the system would not be restricted to presidential election as it would be applicable to others elective positions such as governorship, senatorial, house of representatives and down to the wards.He explained that with the proposed system, party members would have to queue behind the candidates of their choice. We are going to change our system to be that our presidential candidate would be voted for by all party members in the country. It would be at the ward level. We will no longer elect presidential candidate at the national convention.It will now be for every party member to vote for whoever would be our presidential candidate. Whoever would vie for our presidential ticket would have to tour the entire country before he can be elected. This is part of the reform we are coming up with. Basically, this would be the last convention where we would have people to be elected at the national convention. We are taking the party back to the Nigerian people, Metuh said. He said that the proposed reform was part of Sen. Ike Ekweremadus committees recommendations on how to reform and reposition PDP. He added that the proposed amendments had been sent to the state chapters for their inputs in line with our desire to have peoples opinion. After their inputs, the recommendation would be sent to the National Executive Committee (NEC) for approval. Earlier, Manu had said that the process of electing presidential candidate was one of the reforms his party adopted after it lost election to opposition party in Ghana in 2018.When we lost election, there was need to review and make amends and these amends led to some critical reforms in the party structure and organisation. We realised for example, that the modus operandi of how our presidential candidate was elected had a hand in why we lost the general election. There were as many as 17 presidential candidates in our 2008 contest when our incumbent president, John Kufor, was exiting and all the 17 presidential candidate were running for votes from a mere 3,500 delegates.So, it was money, money, money until the day of congress, he said. Manu said that NPP realised that the then opposition party, which was now in government, used that against his party and cast spell on us as being corrupt, that we were throwing money at the people. So, the first thing I did as the national chairman of the party was to expand the delegates system to cover the nooks and cranny of the party structure. So, the party structure was reorganized to start from the polling unit level where a five-member executive was elected.
The Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of Ikenne Division area of Ogun State, Patrick Onwu, who beat up a female traffic warden for...
The Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of Ikenne Division area of Ogun State, Patrick Onwu, who beat up a female traffic warden for flagging down his private car at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC filling station, IBB Boulevard, Abeokuta, last week has been demoted.According to PM News, the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, on Thursday ordered his demotion and immediate transfer of the DPO.Patrick Onwu, last Wednesday went wild and beat a female traffic officer, Inspector Anifat Bello to coma for allegedly stopping his private vehicle.He allegedly pounced on the traffic warden, Inspector Anifat Bello, who was discharging her official duty.
President Muhammadu Buhari is under a re-newed under pressure to rescue the 219 girls kidnapped two years ago from their school in Chibo...
The pressure is coming after the release of a new video showing that the girls are alive.In the video, which was released on Wednesday by the Cable News Network (CNN), 15 of the girls are shown.In Abuja, members of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign attempted to march on the Presidential Villa. They were stopped by the police.There was a protest in Lagos by women wearing red- the symbol of the campaign. They were at Alausa, the seat of the state government, demanding that the Federal Government should put in more efforts in rescuing the girls.But Buhari told the girls parents that he felt their pains and reiterated his promise to bring the girls back home.At the National Assembly, the Senate resolved to invite security chiefs to shed light on the battle to free the girls. The House of Representatives called on Buhari to rescue the girls.In the United States, the Congress said it was ready to help.A group of South Africans in Johannesburg also yesterday carried placards calling for the rescue of the girls.In Abuja, the campaigners said the proof of life video, released to the public by the CNN on Wednesday is a vindication of their position that the girls are still alive.The group said the released video is a glimmer of hope for their members and the Chibok community after many people advised them to give up and believe the girls dead.Yesterdays march also ended the day seven of the global week of action for the Chibok girls.The groups position is contained in a statement read by leader of the #BBOG strategic team, Aisha Yesufu and signed by former Minister of Education and leader #BBOG Dr. Oby Ezekwesilli.Our Federal Government, the military and the broader security team are less persuasive on the matter of our 219 Chibok girls, with the strong promise made by Mr President to rescue them as a matter of priority, we hoped that there would by now be a positive outcome on the search and rescue operation mounted for them.Our position to the proof of life video is that we see it as a glimmer of light. When we persisted in demanding for our Chibok girls, many people say to us, it is already too late, why are you persisting in demanding for these girls? The girls may already be dead and we say to them, we have no counter-factual evidence to the fact that our Chibok girls are still alive. To that extent, therefore, seeing such a video is an important cautious renewal of hope for us.We therefore have advised our Federal Government to consider that video an important tool, alongside several other leads that are being offered to use in scrutinising all information that would lead us to the whereabout of our Chibok girls and thereafter to make informed decisions as to the lowest cost, lowest risk option for rescuing our girls.We believe that the proof of life video would be a good place to start in scrutinising every possible lead that is provided our government on the whereabouts of our citizens. It should, as it escalates the rescue operation use the government-civil society roundtable to constantly provide progress reports of the operation and other related activities.Our movement will not stop reminding our President and the FG of their constitutional mandate and his personal pledge to rescue our Chibok girls. For 716 days we have advocated relentlessly and shall continue until our girls are rescued.The symbolism of our march is to reiterate that the rescue of our Chibok girls, other victims of terrorism, resolving the humanitarian crises in the Northeast, tackling of the grossly worrying problems of herders attacks on citizens as symbolised in Agatu; disclosing all military misdemeanours against civilians in their communities across the country, tackling the problem of endangered education of millions of children in Internally Displaced Persons camps nationwide, are the primary duties of government led by the federal authorities in Nigeria.The leadership of the Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA) called on the government to rebuild the burnt Chibok school, which is yet to be constructed despite the widely publicised reconstruction foundation laying ceremony by the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration.KADA said as peace gradually returns to the Northeast, government and development partners under the Safe School Initiative should fast-track the completion of the Chibok burnt school for education of the children to begin.,Abuja branch Chairman Tsambido Hosea and National Secretary Battah Ndirpaya said: After the abduction, Chibok area was attacked severally with resultant high casualties, including 11 of the parents and guardians of the abducted girls, with four killed by Boko Haram insurgents and seven due to trauma related cases.A project worth mentioning today is the Chibok burnt school, the school where the girls were abducted is yet to be constructed over one year after the widely publicised reconstruction foundation laying ceremony by the previous government. As peace gradually returns to the Northeast, we urge the government and its development partners under the Safe School Initiative (SSI) to fast track the completion of the Chibok burnt school for the education of children to commence.KADA wishes to use this opportunity to appeal to Mr President to set up special search and rescue team with a special mandate to locate and rescue the Chibok girls.The police blocked the road to the Villa and refused the group passage.
Nick Hurd, British minister for international development, on Thursday said his government annually supported Nigerias development progra...
Nick Hurd, British minister for international development, on Thursday said his government annually supported Nigerias development programmes with 400 million (N128.8b) on an annual basis.Hurd disclosed this to NAN in Lagos, saying the fund was meant to support the provision of basic services that would improve the lives of Nigerians.Nigeria is a very important partner to the people and government of the United Kingdom, he said.We annually invest about 400 million pounds in supporting the development of Nigeria, as well as improving the quality of life of the Nigerian people.We have been delivering basic education and health services that would help Nigerian children educationally, as well as helping Nigerians to have access to quality medical care.Hurd said he was visiting Nigeria to see for himself how UKs development support for Nigeria was working, as well as assess Nigerias current progresses.The minister, who was on his first trip to Nigeria, also announced his governments interest in making sure that Nigeria is a good place to do business.Hurd said his government was committed to making Nigeria a business destination and an investment country, which would create job opportunities for young Nigerians.We are currently working with the Nigerian government and many private organisations in doing programmes, and providing advice, looking at Nigerias laws and regulations, he said.This is with a view to making Nigeria a better place for foreigners and Nigerians to do business.We are also looking at the possibilities of making sure that Nigeria has a good government, more transparency, accountability and less corruption.The minister also restated his governments commitment to supporting Nigeria in her effort at ending the activities of Boko Haram in the north-east, through training of the Nigeria military.
The United States Department of States has released yet another gory and nauseating detailed report on Nigeria, accusing the government at...
The United States Department of States has released yet another gory and nauseating detailed report on Nigeria, accusing the government at all levels of injustice, brutality and inflicting pain on poor Nigerians.The report accused the Nigerian police, DSS and the military of gross abuse of power which include citizens brutality, arbitrary detention,bribery among other scandals.It also revealed that 69 percent of persons in prison across the country are awaiting trial blaming the situation on lack of judicial capacity and corruption.While explaining that the insurgency in the Northeast has rendered many hopeless, US accused the Boko haram militants of committing pogrom in which more than 20,000 people have been killed and maimed with permanent injury.The country also suffered from widespread societal unrest, including ethnic, regional, and religious violence. Other serious human rights problems included vigilante killings; prolonged pretrial detention, often in facilities with poor conditions; denial of fair public trial; executive influence on the judiciary; infringement on citizens privacy rights; and restrictions on freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and movement," the report said."There were reports during the year of official corruption; violence against women and children, including female genital mutilation/cutting; infanticide; sexual exploitation of children; trafficking in persons; early and forced marriages; discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; discrimination based on ethnicity, regional origin, religion, and disability; forced and bonded labor; and child labour it added.The report pointed out that impunity remained widespread at all levels of government; saying although President Buharis administration began initial steps to curb corruption, authorities did not investigate or punish the majority of cases of police or military abuse.
News / Regional
by Saff reporter
Killers of 20 000 innocent civilians during the Gukurahundi massacre must first apologise before setting up this commission.
The Commission is not necessary; it is just a waste of government resources.
The chief perpetrator which is the current government led by Zanu PF should accept responsibility of causing conflict before setting this Commission.
The Parly should have consulted ordinary citizens, mainly victims of government-inspired conflict before appointing commissioners.
The Commission should investigate conflicts that occurred before it was set particularly Gukurahundi.
The imposition of a minister as an overseer of the Commission renders it partisan.
Parly should start afresh at the grassroots and not present to citizens what they have already initiated.
The provision on 'investigation' in the Bill is not consistent with the ideology of 'healing'
'We (Kalangas) were insulted and we are still waiting for an apology'
Commissioners must be recommended by citizens not Parly or the President.
The clergy or church representatives must be part of the commissioners.
Current commissioners must be fired after their 5 year term because they haven't done anything tangible since 2013.
Commission offices must be decentralised to districts so that they can easily be accessed by ordinary citizens.
The Bill should be simplified in local languages and information disseminated to communities
The provision on benefits of commissioners like housing and loans should be excluded.
The Commission is a booby trap because the ruling regime will not allow a commission that can arrest it to work effectively.
Commission cannot be taken seriously when citizens are still disappearing. What is its role?
The Commission should set a tone which is victim-centred. Victims must speak for themselves.
The commission cannot achieve anything if the perpetrator is still in power.
Each community has a peculiar situation. There is need for serious engagement with grassroots communities.
The Parly should not engage urbanites. People who need the Commission the most are rural citizens.
The Bill should clarify where to report issues of conflict.
Provision on legal representation should be scrapped off.
The responsible Minister should not endorse reports "alone". Due consultation should be done.
Hearing shld be held with marginalised communities that bore the brunt of the Gukurahundi genocide.
The Bill should address issues to do with compensation especially for conflict victims.
PLUMTREE residents have urged the Zimbabwe government, whose majority is Zanu PF to first address the Matabeleland and Midlands genocide that claimed approximately 20 000 people in the 1980s before setting up a peace commission.Approximately 500 people mobilised by Plumtree Development Trust converged in Plumtree today to contribute to the National Peace and Reconciliation Bill hearing convened by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Peace and Reconciliation.Our dedicated team collated some critical points which were articulated by the generality of the citizens during the meeting.Although our list of points is not exhaustive we believe that the following points aptly summarise recommendations made by participants.Below we publish a summary of the recommendations.
Opinion / Columnist
"Will you be celebrating Zimbabwe's 36th Independence Day on Monday?" asked DJ Sodza of his Zimnet Radio listeners?The quick and short answer to that for any thinking Zimbabwean has to be a NO! What is there to celebrate?18 th April 1980 was supposed to be the day every Zimbabwean became a full citizen of Zimbabwe to claim and enjoy all the freedoms, human rights and dignities denied to the blacks by the oppressive and racist white colonial government. The cold reality is that the majority of the people have been systematically denied their freedoms and basic rights by the Zanu PF government.After 36 years of trying to cash the independence cheques and getting nothing there is no doubt that the ordinary people have been cheated and given bad cheques! How can we pretend that we are a free nation when we have been denied a fair share in the nation's wealth and a voice in its governance?Last week Health Minister, David Parirenyatwa, condemned the one room maternity ward at Chiredzi General Hospital as "unsafe". The ward is overcrowded and ill equipped. The ward was built in 1967 by the white government when Chiredzi was a small outpost serving a population of a few hundred people. Today it is the referral hospital catering for the health needs of hundreds of thousands.As a referral hospital the maternity ward would have delivered hundreds of pre-mature babies each year, for example, and the majority of these babies died for the lack of something as basic as incubator! Even the big hospitals like Mpilo rarely have enough of something as basic as incubators if they have them at all, let alone backwater rural hospitals like Chiredzi.Chiredzi hospital's tragic story was in the paper side by side with the story of Mugabe's daughter, Bona, who is in Singapore to have her baby. Grace Mugabe had left the country to be on their daughter's side; Mugabe told the nation.Mugabe has been going to Singapore for his health needs for years; in 2012 he made 8 health trips each costing US$ 3 million plus!There must be a lot more than that none of our hospitals can provide a good-enough health service for our ruling elite! If the billions of dollars being squandering on Bona's baby were spent equipping just one special ward, for example, it would be comparable quality to any in Singapore. The idea of having such ward was discounted because other Zimbabwean women would have used the same ward after Bona and her baby; putting the two on par with "ordinary" Zimbabweans, unthinkable for one whose grandmother wears nothing else but Gucci designer shoes.Whilst cities and towns up and down the country have failed to supply clean running water for weeks on end at times because of lack of funds to maintain the service; Mugabe has admitted $15 billion or the nation's GDP in Marange diamond revenue alone were looted recently! So there grinding poverty in Zimbabwe not because the country is poor but because its wealth is being wasted!The people of Zimbabwe have known for years that Mugabe and his Zanu PF party are corrupt and incompetent but they have failed to remove the tyrannical regime from office because the regime blatantly rigs elections and uses wanton violence to stay in power. In the 36 years of Mugabe's tyrannical rule, over 30 000 innocent Zimbabweans have been murdered in cold blood to establish and retain this de facto one-party cum one-man dictatorship.For the masses the struggle for freedom, justice and human dignity has never stopped; on 18 April 1980 they swapped the white oppressors for black oppressors. The struggle continues!Luta continua!Celebrate? One does not celebrate the birth whilst the wife is still in labour, especial the celebration is at the behest of those who are holding back the birth for selfish gain!
Opinion / Columnist
Former Vice President Joice Mujuru's Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) tossed its hat into the ring with an undertaking to build the economy. It projected translating its vision through a proposed economic blue print called Blueprint to Unlock Investment and Leverage for Development (BUILD). Thus, the members of ZPF christen themselves builders.Ever since that party was launched a month ago, there is very little that show commitment to the building of the nation. It has been making outlandish allegations and frivolous demands that have nothing to do with its impaired vision of building the nation.During the weekend, ZPF attempted to lure supporters from Bulawayo by demanding the implementation of devolution. It was a cheap score really. ZPF is frantically trying to win the elusive vote of the Matabeleland region by centering its campaign on issues perceived to be of innermost concern for people from that region.A few weeks ago, ZPF has been raking reminiscence of the Gukurahundi epoch, pledging to re-look into the issue. That did not bring grist to its mill. This time around, the focus has been directed to the concept of devolution. During the constitution making process, devolution gained traction in Matabeleland region. It is against this realization that ZPF attempted to placate the people they think are disillusioned, just to score a cheap political mileage.Commenting on devolution debate then, the late Vice President Cde John Landa Nkomo said: "When it comes to devolution of power, I don't know what some people think really but some of these things come from idle minds. They never look at the implications of what they say." Indeed, a renewed call for devolution is coming from idle minds. This is not what nation builders do. Nation building entails bringing different people together, not dividing them.One wonders whether ZPF is in touch with the present reality. Their demand for the implementation of devolution at a time the nation is facing financial challenges only saves to show that ZPF is not a serious party.Government is currently seized with the importation of grain to make sure that nobody dies of hunger. Treasury is having sleepless night over salaries and bonuses of civil servants. The civil servants' wage bill currently stands at 83% of total government earning. This is not economically viable, thus there are efforts to reduce it to 53%.The implementation of devolution will work at cross purpose with government efforts to reduce civil service wage bill. Devolution will entail the creation of extra offices and their bearers. The offices will need to be equipped. Vehicles will have to be purchased and treasury will have to pay the extra workforce in the provincial councils.It is true and undisputable that section 264 and 265 of the constitution call for the devolution of powers and responsibilities. However, that constitution does not force government to implement those ideas when there is no money. A levelheaded government prioritises national needs. Even a sane family man does so and it would be strange for him to have a party when his wife is in mortuary. The current economic situation naturally relegates devolution to the peripheries.ZPF is that kind of a party which, if it miraculously gets into power, will always have its priorities wrong. Such misplaced priorities do not come as a surprise to most of the people, more so coming from a leadership that has a history of misplacing priorities. Cde John Makwasha, one of the war veterans featured on the Sunday Mail's Chronicles from the 2nd Chimurenga, said that Mr Rugare Gumbo, a ZPF elder once abandoned the liberation struggle to go for his further education."Others who went to school at the time include people like Salatiel Hamadziripi and Rugare Gumbo who told us point blank kuti imi musina kudzidza ndimi murikuenda kunodzidza pfuti kana matora nyika isusu tirikuenda kuchikoro touya tokutongai," said Cde Makwasha.Veteran Zambian politician Dr Vernoon Mwaanga also said that some Zanu PF leaders domiciled in Zambia drew the ire of Zambians after they were found eating chicken in the basket which was a popular dish among the elite in Zambia. Zambians were angered because these leaders prioritized sumptuousness instead of intensifying the struggle. Gumbo was one of those leaders that culture of misplaced priority is still haunts him today.ZPF wants government to suspend the programme of buying food for people and direct resources towards devolution. Though people voted for devolution during the constitution making process, they have not demanded its haste implementation because they are not lost to the current economic environment. It is therefore, not clear whose agenda ZPF is advancing.In any case, devolution is not the best of practice for a country such as Zimbabwe. It is a product of compromise whose inclusion in the constitution was forced by the opposition for political expediency. Its impact on socio-economic development is not guaranteed. Even President Mugabe expressed his aversion for devolution during his 88th birthday interview with ZBC in 2012."We don't want to divide the country into small pieces because it will cause disunity among our people," said President Mugabe adding that the concept only worked in big countries. Most of the countries cited by the movers of devolution as success stories are quite bigger than Zimbabwe.Some provinces are economically endowed in terms of resources and therefore these regions have an edge over others. Devolution is likely to increase regional inequalities especially when provinces are given the power to utilize the revenue from their own resources. It means devolution will benefit the rich regions. Contrary to the perception held by the advocates of devolution, the practice can compound marginalization of certain regions. This will also leads to inter-regional conflict particularly in the re-allocation of resources. Some ethnic conflicts in North Africa are rooted in this system.Devolution also limits the central government oversight and there is too much duplication of functions which eventually leads to wastage of resources. There will be also a lot of competition for local investors among provinces, leading to possible ethnic hatred.Government has since adopted decentralization in public administration, which is the best practice for a country like Zimbabwe. One does not need to be clever to see that federalism and secessionism is being disguised in devolution.
Opinion / Columnist
When Cephas Msipa announced his retirement from active politics, the expectation was that he would steer clear of any political shenanigans and would remain on the self-chosen terraces of a retired cadre, but his hyper-active comments in the media, particularly on matters to do with ZANU PF, are a cause for concern.For someone, who has opted to resign from politics, Msipa's derogatory comments on ZANU PF betrays a person who feigns disinterest in politics yet is desperate to remain relevant to the country's politics and get recognition as a most vocal critic of ZANU PF.It is puzzling that Msipa, a senior member of the party for a long time, now berates ZANU PF for allegedly using violent means to remain in power yet all along he was content with the party.He did not for a day, during his tenure in the party, express his displeasure to the supposed violence and neither did he cite the issue of violence in his retirement letters from active politics'.He now wants to paint a grim picture of violence in ZANU PF and expects us to believe it.The route he is taking has been trodden by other opportunistic politicians who previously sought to build their moribund careers on the back of falsehoods on ZANU PF.Activists and politicians in the opposition and in civic society groups have previously tried to play this card before but have failed.All of them are consciously playing to the gallery of western donors, who are ready to dole out funds to anyone seen as challenging the electoral mandate of ZANU PF.Opposition political parties, faced with a bleak electoral future, now regurgitate the mantra that there are irregularities in the country's electoral system in a bid to justify their back to back defeat by ZANU PF at the polls and careless comments from a supposed party elder are timeous fodder for their propaganda.The discourse of violence, which Msipa has now joined, is used to perpetuate the opposition cliche that the electoral system is unsustainable and requiring reform.It is also intended at casting ZANU PF's tenure in Government as illegitimate, having supposedly been attained through a violent campaign.This has also become the bane of those who were expelled from the party or those who excluded themselves for spurious reasons such as Msipa's excuse of retiring from active politics'.Most of them now seek to project themselves as courageous politicians who now want to confront the unassailable ZANU PF juggernaut.To be credible, they now seek to lend credence to long-held and unsubstantiated opposition claims that ZANU PF is a violent party.We have previously seen disgraced and violent politicians such as Jim Kunaka, seeking to redeem their soiled political record by blaming ZANU PF for their violent demeanor.It is all about political gamesmanship.But it is interesting that Kunaka was to be embroiled in a violent clash outside of ZANU PF, as a member of Zimbabwe People First (Zim PF).His trademark use of violence against rivals was manifest at a ZimPF rally held in Glen View recently.Violence is in Kunaka's DNA and it had nothing to do with ZANU PF as claimed.This is the point that should not be ignored.Although ZANU PF openly condemns violence, it cannot be discounted that there are undesirable elements such as Kunaka who want to spoil the name of the party.President Robert Mugabe is on record publicly condemning political violence and urging security agents to arrest those found on the wrong side of the law.As the principal of the party, the President represents the party position and for people like Msipa to claim otherwise would be misleading.By claiming that ZANU PF is a violent party, Msipa is seeking cheap political fame and that is opportunistic.
Opinion / Columnist
That Mugabe is a charming orator is beyond doubt and there is hardly any logic behind a conflicting argument. His speeches are often characterized by standing ovations and relentless applauds throughout. That perhaps, is a notable gift we cannot seize from him. But somehow we seem to miss the point. The standing ovations or relentless applauds are hardly an expression of the common-man. They are rather an expression of distinguished dignitaries who effortlessly fit in Africa's most affluent category. Those affluent men and women with glowing faces polished with modern ointment; lack a comprehensive understanding of the real impact of bad governance. Suffice to say, in this contemporary, charisma is not a satisfactory quality to warrant an individual suitable for presidency.Meanwhile, his supposedly moving speeches do not match the reality of things. Far from the glowing depiction he portrays to the international community, President Mugabe should take full responsibility for the supreme obliteration of the country. As a direct consequence of his controversial rule, the country's population consists of impoverished citizens who have resorted to voting with their feet towards the country's border lines. Disturbingly, Mugabe, the only Zimbabwean President since 1980, has presided over the most spectacular economic collapse in modern history. Indeed, to narrate Zimbabwe's state of affairs is a heart-throbbing assignment. With unemployment soaring at the pinnacle, and life expectancy tumbling under unacceptable levels, Mugabe gives the impression that nothing is wrong. Even in those circumstances he blatantly fabricates that Zimbabweans cheerfully vote him into power. Obviously, that is the most spectacular deception of all time. Even, in the midst of those circumstances, he is determined to cling onto power until his last breath.During public forums, Robert Mugabe prefers to shift his focus on relatable matters while, in the process, drawing vibrant laughter from affluent men oblivious of the true Zimbabwean story. For example, during the recent United Nations Conference held in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, President Mugabe demonstrated that the state of the country did not bother him. His persistent exhibition of oblivion towards Zimbabwe's economy is disturbing. Regrettably, Mugabe lives on the wrong page of history. His racial discrimination towards whites is a false reflection of the general feeling of contemporary Zimbabweans. Very easily, Mugabe and the first family could be the only racists in Zimbabwe. In fact, his recent speech in Addis Ababa only inspired the handful beneficiaries of his tyranny who are so trapped in the jaws of his dictatorship that they are capable of giggling delightfully when he farts. His focus is never on pertinent matters. For example, a dialogue on his hatred for whites cannot supersede the common obligation to advance a progressive system founded upon economic development, social progression and political inclusiveness. Secondly, it is highly hypocritical to fight for the equality of black Americans while ignoring the plea of Zimbabweans whose suffering he is solely responsible for. The recent MDCT march was a good indication that Mugabe has overstayed his welcome.On the face of it, change is the last remaining hope of the generation. No event can be more exciting than the occasion to replace a selfish government whose domination is orchestrated by one man. In the same light, Zimbabwe's independence was a struggle to remove the loathsome British invaders who occupied our land illegally and oppressed the masses. Sadly Mugabe applies the same prejudice as Zimbabwe's previous invaders. In precisely the same fashion, Zanu Pf is demonstrating equivalent subjugation under the masquerade of political sovereignty. By systematic comparison, Zanu Pf's destruction has been more devastating than that of the Smith regime. The previous invaders were brutal colonizers who constructed infrastructure while Mugabe is the purported liberator who destroyed it. Under these circumstances, an enemy who builds is better than a brother who destroys. In fact a brother who destroys is the real enemy. Suffice to say, all oppression must be condemned regardless of its appearance.However, other international counterparts declare that the suffering of Zimbabweans is our own making because our behavior is not consistent with an afflicted people. By the look of things, that assertion is somewhat incorrect because Zimbabweans are stepping up to the plate. After all, only Zimbabweans have the judicial mandate to improve the political situation in Zimbabwe. Suffice to say it is not enough to do nothing about bad governance and rely solely on divine intervention. Revolutionary parties cannot be removed by all night prayers.Surely, it cannot be the will of the people to elect a controversial despot whose controversial political record is defined by 32 years of successive gloom and anguish. The reality of the matter is that Robert Mugabe was last democratically elected in 1980. His subsequent election victories were never a reflection of the people's will.
Opinion / Columnist
We all know that President Mugabe is a control freak; only an "el classico" control freak would banish cabinet meetings, forcing the country to grind to a halt, unless he is there to chair the meeting for 36 years! Not content with controlling cabinet the tyrant has extend his control freak obsession to every facet of the nation's life; he wants only his voice to be heard and is incensed that anyone else should dare speak, especially when it is critical of him.When Cephas Msipa said he was retiring from active politics he never said he would give up his basic human rights and freedoms including freedom of expression. Given that he, like everyone else in Zanu PF, had been denying the opportunity to express himself freely whilst he remained in the party; the political atmosphere in Zanu PF is stifling, as we know. He might well have taken early retirement (given that some Zanu PF leaders are 92 years old and are holding on to the seat like binnacles to a rock, he is 85 and therefore a spring chicken in comparison) to get away from the stifling setting for a breath of fresh air.Cephas Msipa has said a lot of home truths about President Mugabe and the tyrannical style of leadership. Last week he said Zanu PF was a party that thrives on violence."They (Joice Mujuru and her ZimPF) have a mammoth task before them. I know Zanu PF are good at defending themselves and remaining in power. Since 1980, they (Zanu PF) have been using the same tactic," he warned."They will do everything possible to destroy their opponents. They use all sorts of dirty tactics, including violence and intimidation. They think to win an election they need to use force."The talk of Zanu PF using violence to stay in power is a political reality President Mugabe has had to resort to many times in the past but it is not something he is proud of given his obsession with portraying himself as a great statesman, Pan Africanist and liberation hero icon! Using violence has been like gashing wound in the great bull's rump from the enemy horn which the bull has been at great pain to pretend is nothing. Msipa knows the use of violence has done irreparable damage to Mugabe's pride and reputation; he deliberately bumped into the bull's rump to hear the bull issue an involuntary groan of pain."He now wants to paint a grim picture of violence in ZANU PF and expects us to believe it," wrote Gwinyai Mutongi jumping to the defence of groaning President Mugabe."The discourse of violence, which Msipa has now joined, is used to perpetuate the opposition cliche that the electoral system is unsustainable and requiring reform. It is also intended at casting ZANU PF's tenure in Government as illegitimate, having supposedly been attained through a violent campaign."Our apologist Mutongi cannot rewrite history! Even SADC and the AU could not sweep President Mugabe's use of wanton violence in 2008; they refused to endorse his electoral victory as the true reflection of the free democratic will of the people and thus would not grant him the legitimacy he craved.SADC would only restore his legitimacy on condition that he signed the GPA, agreeing to implement a raft of democratic reforms designed to end Zanu PF's culture of vote rigging and use of violence to retain political power. President Mugabe was forced to eat humble pie and signed the agreement and formed the GNU with Tsvangirai."They would make fun of us at AU," President Mugabe told the war vets meeting in Harare last week. He was recalling the GNU days. "They would tell me, that seat is not yours. Tsvangirai should be sitting there, but I persevered."How typical of him, the meeting with the war vets was called to discuss the nation's teething economic and political problems and what should be done to alleviate the war vets' suffering and the nation at large and he was talking about how the AU members had humiliated him. He had rigged the elections and "declared war" on his own people to win the elections and he was angry that the AU had not embraced him regardless.Instead of thinking and acting in the public interest and implement all the democratic reforms during the GNU Mugabe had his own selfish devious plans. He bribed Tsvangirai and his MDC friends into cooperating with him so that not even one reform was implemented. "I persevered!" he know boasts as if he expects the whole nation to applauded for landing us all back into this political and economic nightmare.It is a great pity that Tsvangirai and his MDC friends have turned out to be so breathtakingly corrupt and incompetent; they not only failed to get even one reform implemented during the GNU they are not going to get any implement before the next elections. So Zanu PF will have no problems using its vote rigging tactics including using violence.Still, because of the country's worsening economic situation, the people will be more determined than ever to remove this corrupt and oppressive Mugabe tyrannical regime and end their suffering. Mugabe will have to use even dirtier vote rigging tricks and use even more wanton violence than he used in 2008, the whole world is sick and tired of his dirty tricks and he will find that not even SADC and AU will have an excuse to grant him legitimacy.In a cruel twist of fate; President Mugabe's use of violence to win elections is now his Achilles hell. The pressure on him to win the next elections is greater than ever and, with his popularity the lowest it has ever been, he will have no choice but to use violence to win. Having used violence again to win, this time President Mugabe will be cast out with the sodomites!
Former longtime north shore District Attorney Walter Reed eaves the federal courthouse after pleading not guilty to federal corruption charges in New Orleans federal court Monday, May 4, 2015.. His son, Steven Reed, also pleaded not guilty. (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
Jim Stark, a spokesman for the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association, addresses members of the Mississippi River Commission during its annual "high water" meeting in New Orleans on Friday (April 15).
Vanilla cupcakes with white or chocolate icing, topped with red firetrucks! ($2) are new from Fireman Mike's Kitchen booth in the Kids Food area. Sampled the first Friday of the New Orleans Jazz Fest presented by Shell at the Fairgrounds in New Orleans, Friday April 24, 2015. (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
On voting, Louisiana isn't perfect, but we're better than most
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.
LOS ANGELESAward-winning sex toy manufacturer Screaming O has partnered with the Los Angeles Academy of Sex Education (LAASE) to offer a scholarship and lifetime supply of sex toys to Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz. The offer comes in response to Cruzs now-very-public condemnation of masturbation and sex toys, which has left the sex industry clamoring to help guide Cruz toward his own pursuit of happiness.
During his time as Texas solicitor general, Cruz was instrumental in criminalizing the sale of sex toys in his state and argued against Americans right to self-love, two aspects of modern humanity that lie at the core of Screaming Os philosophy. And it became clear there was only one thing they could do to help: send Cruz back to school to learn the medical benefits of masturbationand the many ways to enjoy it.
Its sad to hear Cruz miss the point about masturbation and the important role it plays in our daily lives, but theres a good chance that he never had the opportunity to learn about it, The Screaming O President Justin Ross said. So wed like to send Cruzand his wife, if shes gameto the Los Angeles Academy of Sex Ed with all the supplies they need for a crash course in self-pleasure and how pursuing that kind of happiness can improve mental, physical and emotional health faster than anything a doctor might prescribe.
Scientific evidence shows that masturbation can be not only an important part of a healthy sexual lifestyle, but also be an incredibly effective way to reduce stress, release muscle tension, improve sleep, and even help reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. And with the United States boasting one of the highest teen pregnancy rates, and reported STI cases growing at an alarming rate, its more important than ever that the countrys influential political leaders understand the facts.
The Los Angeles Academy of Sex specializes in providing factually accurate sexuality information in a fun and informative way, and all are welcome, LAASE founder and lead educator Elle Chase said. We are prepared to provide Mr. Cruz with the tools and information he needs to make smarter decisions relating to the health and wellness of his constituents. And if he doesnt ultimately make it to the White House, we hope he brings his notebook back to Texas to spread the good word.
Ross and Chase await Cruzs response to their offer and look forward to a response from his team. In the meantime, Chase will be teaching a free class called Mutual Masturbation: Give Yourself a Hand on May 22 at The Pleasure Chest, 7733 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood, Calif.
For more information about Screaming O, click here.
For more information about LAASE, click here.
MONTREALThe Masseuse 10 is the newest movie to release on DVD from Mile High Media. The 10th installment of the series stars AVN Award-winning performer Aidra Fox as Sydney, a masseuse desperate to breathe life into her failing business.
Produced by couples-friendly studio Sweet Sinner, The Masseuse 10 offers both sensual massage and passionate sex. Directed by James Avalon, The Masseuse 10 also features Marley Brinx, Kira Noir, Logan Pierce, Seth Gamble and James Deen.
For box art and product information regarding The Masseuse 10, click here.
The Masseuse is definitely one of our more erotic series, said Mile High Media Vice President Jon Blitt. The use of massage as foreplay proves to be just as effective for viewers, as it is for the performers.
In The Masseuse 10, Sydney is a traditional masseuse who is quickly losing business. Its time for her to step up her game. Enter zen-master Drew, who shows her some erotic alternative therapies.
For DVD sales information, contact Wilma : [email protected] or (800) 363-0133.
Pictured above, Aidra Fox and Logan Pierce in The Masseuse 10. To view more photos from the movie, click here.
ALEXANDRIA, VAThe Woodhull Freedom Foundation announces its workshop and seminar schedule for its seventh annual Sexual Freedom Summit. Held August 47 in Alexandria, Virginia, the Summit is the one conference focused on sexual freedom as a fundamental human right in the US.
"There is simply no better place to be if you're concerned with the human right to sexual freedom," said Ricci Levy, President and CEO of Woodhull Freedom Foundation. "This year's Sexual Freedom Summit is our first to feature tracks on men's sexual pleasure and health, race and racism, disability, sex work, and social media, in addition to our always wide-ranging selection of workshops. There is really no other conference that combines this caliber of information on sexuality, with practical tips for advancing the movement and taking care of ourselves in the process."
From gender expression to reproductive justice, LGBT rights to polyamory, sex work to spirituality, and much more, the Summit welcomes attendees to bring ideas and concerns to the table, all within a human rights framework. The four-day schedule of institutes and workshops, roundtable discussions and sessions cover a gamut of topics, ranging from geriatric sexuality, abuse, sex education, religion, gender identities, mental health, condom use, policy trends, intellectual and developmental disabilities, consent, sex work, and more.
To view the complete list of seminars, panel discussions, and interactive workshops, click here.
Woodhulls Sexual Freedom Summit offers discounts to students, active military, seniors, and those seeking AASECT Continuing Education Credits. To register, click here.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Freeman Foundation, bloggers attending the Summit may apply to receive one of ten $100 scholarships. Along with the scholarship, those selected will also receive a discount on the cost of registration. Bloggers will be selected based on criteria including readership traffic and social media followership, with special consideration given to those who represent marginalized identities and communities. The deadline for applications is May 1, 2016; to apply, click here.
Now in its seventh year, the focus of the Sexual Freedom Summit is the goal of the sexual freedom movement: global recognition of our fundamental human right to sexual freedom. The Summit is for everyone interested in sexual freedomfrom activists, educators, students, attorneys, and clinicians, to people who are simply curious about how to make the world a freer place for all.
Returning to the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, 5000 Seminary Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22311, Woodhulls Sexual Freedom Summit is just five miles from Washington, DC and 4.5 miles from Washington Reagan International Airport, in the West End of historic Alexandria. The Summit has a conference rate arranged with the Hilton; to book, click here.
For more information on Woodhulls Sexual Freedom Summit, visit SexualFreedomSummit.org, or follow the Summit on Twitter and on Facebook. Those following the conversation on Twitter may do so by using the hashtag #SFS16.
CHICAGO, Ill. --- Northwestern University will offer annual scholarships of up to $50,000 to City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) students who are admitted as undergraduate students and transfer to Northwestern, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro announced today.
Under the new CCC Star Scholars Initiative, Northwestern will provide financial assistance for two years for students who have completed their studies at City Colleges of Chicago and come to Northwestern. Each student will be eligible to receive a Star Scholar Award in an amount of up to $50,000 to be funded by Northwestern.
I commend Northwestern for joining in the collective of Chicago colleges and universities who have stepped up to create a clear path for our students from high school to community college and on to a four-year university, Mayor Emanuel said. These institutions recognize the potential of our hardworking students, so I want to thank them for joining our effort to help break down the financial barriers to a college education and provide more ladders of opportunity to a great career and a stronger future."
The partnership with City Colleges of Chicago represents the most recent initiative in Northwesterns continuing efforts to increase access to the University for students from Chicago, President Schapiro said.
Northwestern University has always sought to attract the best students, both nationally and here in Chicago, and provide them with the financial support needed to obtain a Northwestern education, President Schapiro said. Through this partnership and others, we hope to make it possible for more students from low- and middle-income families and who are first-generation college students to attend Northwestern.
By establishing the CCC Star Scholars Initiative, Northwestern hopes to attract outstanding City Colleges graduates who otherwise might not consider the University, President Schapiro said.
Similar efforts by Northwestern over the past few years to attract Chicago Public Schools (CPS) graduates have been extremely successful. More than 100 CPS graduates are expected to enroll as freshmen at Northwestern next fall, an increase from fewer than 60 in 2010. The Universitys Good Neighbor, Great University program, which provides need-based financial aid for students from Chicago and Evanston schools, this year has 328 undergraduates receiving $2.9 million in scholarships.
Northwestern also created a special program to aid CPS students in preparing for college. As announced by Mayor Emanuel and President Schapiro in 2013, the Northwestern Academy helps CPS students prepare for and gain admittance to selective colleges and universities. The Northwestern Academy helps CPS high school students who are academically talented and enrolled in the free or reduced lunch program with supplemental educational opportunities and support services at no cost to the students in order to challenge them in high school and prepare them for higher education at selective colleges and universities.
Students in the inaugural class of the innovative college prep program will tour top-tier universities over spring break, a significant milestone in their journey to higher education. As part of the programs first trip to research colleges, the high school juniors some joined by their parents -- will depart from Chicago April 17; one group will head to schools in Pennsylvania, while the other will tour top Midwestern schools. A third group will explore college campuses this summer.
The students are all first-generation college-bound, come from a low-income family or are part of a group traditionally underrepresented in higher education. These are the highly motivated kids who qualified for, but arent enrolled in, selective enrollment high schools. The partnership with CPS involves year-round tutoring, leadership training, confidence building, counseling, family workshops and field trips to cultural institutions such as the Steppenwolf Theatre and The Adler Planetarium.
Northwestern also recently announced that it will significantly increase financial aid for its students, eliminate loans for incoming undergraduate students and provide University-funded scholarships to undocumented students who are graduates of U.S. high schools. Key initiatives include:
All-grant financial aid packages. Beginning next fall, all entering first-year students who qualify for Northwestern grant assistance will be awarded aid packages without any loans. Their aid offer will include only grants, scholarships, summer earnings expectations and a work-study job opportunity. The all-grant aid package would enable students to graduate without incurring debt for their main educational expenses.
Increased financial aid for undocumented students who are graduates of U.S. high schools. Beginning with next falls entering class, Northwestern will provide significantly increased financial assistance to academically qualified undocumented students who attended and graduated from a U.S. high school. Even though they have graduated from U.S. high schools, undocumented students are not eligible for federal grants and loans or State of Illinois grants. Northwestern will now provide the same University-funded scholarship assistance to qualified undocumented students that it does to U.S. citizens, using private funds to provide financial aid to support their studies.
An increasing number of outstanding high school students are those who were brought to the U.S. as small children after being born in another country, President Schapiro said. Despite Congressional efforts to make college accessible and affordable to these students through the DREAM Act, this bill has not yet been enacted. Therefore, as part of its efforts to reach out to underserved communities, Northwestern will provide increased funds to enable these students to come here.
Replacement of lost MAP funding. The Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP), which provides tuition grants for low- and middle-income students, is not currently funded due to the lack of a state budget. Northwestern has assured all of its full-time undergraduate students that the University will replace the lost MAP funding with University funds this year. Approximately 500 Northwestern undergraduates receive a total of about $2.4 million in MAP grants.
We continue to hope that the governor and the legislature can reach an agreement on a FY2016 budget and restore MAP funding, which supports Illinois students, President Schapiro said. In order to enable our students to continue without incurring additional costs, Northwestern will stretch its institutional resources to make up for the lost state funds.
Cheaters Beware: New Mattress Can Tell You If Your Partner Sleeps With Someone Else
Trending News: Think She's Cheating? Your Mattress Has Got Your Back
Why Is This Important?
Long Story Short
Long Story
Because this is the CIA way of working out if your partners cheating on you.A new Spanish designed hi-tech mattress can report to your smartphone who has been sleeping in your bed, giving suspicious partners the ultimate spy tool.Do you think your partner might be taking advantage of your trips away in order to play the field? If so, dont worry about confronting them or anything ridiculous like that because a smart mattress will go undercover to find out the truth for you.
Spanish manufacturers Durmet have created a mattress that keeps a 24-hour watch on activity on your bed and feeds the data back to an app on your phone.
The company promises complete confidentiality, which is crucial for this kind of detective work, and a five-year guarantee that the mattress will update you on all the goings on in your bedroom.
The excellently named Lover Detection System produces a 3D map that shows which areas of the bed have the most pressure put on them in real time, which should allow you to tell whether the intruder in your bedroom is a secret lover or the dog.
Durmet spokesman Jose Antonio Muinos says, quoted by the Daily Mail: We came up with the idea after we saw that Spaniards are the most unfaithful people in Europe. It is a concept that will bring peace of mind to men and women, not just during the night but also during the day while they are at work.
The smart mattress will retail at around $1,700, which is a little on the pricey side for a mattress, but for anyone keen to turn their place into the Big Brother house that may well seem like a bargain.
It may prompt a somewhat awkward confrontation when you confront your cheating partner with the evidence they have been fooling around but also that youve been spying on them.
This is the latest in a range of hi-tech solutions designed to catch out love cheats. Controversial app mCouple arrived last year and tracks your partners phone calls, texts and emails, Skype and Facebook usage. The apps makers mSpy insisted that users must gain consent before downloading it to their partners phone. Swipe Buster, another service, finds out if your partner is cheating on Tinder.
Own The Conversation
: Would you buy a smartress if you thought your partner was cheating on you?: Its probably fair to say that if youre willing to enlist a spying mattress to check up on your partner the relationship isnt worth spending $1,700 on anyway.: According to Ashley Madison , Madrid has the highest rate of cheating spouses. London is second on the love rat list.
Mr. Ron Holscher recently wrote a letter to the editor expressing his concerns about the interests I represent in the Legislature as your state senator. I want to thank him for providing this opportunity to respond to his observations.
His letter described that Bluestem Energy, a renewable energy developer, has contracted with me, and I will receive compensation for local small renewable REA projects if projects are completed. While LB 824 has zero effect on small projects like Bluestems, both my desire to be open with my colleagues and constituents as well as Nebraska law required that I disclose this relationship with the clerk of the Legislature and Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, thereby making it public, which I did.
First, I would like to clear up some inaccuracies in Mr. Holschers letter. The bill in question, LB 824, deals with large scale renewable energy export projects. It would reduce regulations to encourage more large scale development. This was never my bill. LB 824 was introduced by Sen. John McCollister. Mr. Holscher also implies that the compensation I receive would be perpetual, which it most definitely isnt. It is a project-by-project deal and each one stands on its own.
Next, Mr. Holscher is certainly entitled to his opinions of my work in the Legislature. However, for the benefit of all residents in my district, what I have done as a senator has always been with the best interests of my constituents in mind. My service has, every step of the way, been dedicated to promoting agriculture, rural economic development, tax relief and making good policy decisions for the people of the 47th District and the state as a whole. I want my district to grow and flourish. The policies I have supported from the beginning have been toward this end. The fact is that the development of renewable energy production facilities can be an economic boon to rural Nebraska, for counties by way of additional revenue and to property owners in the form of tax relief. I will make no apologies for my support of renewable energy development or other opportunities for rural Nebraska.
With the limited compensation provided by the Nebraska Legislature, it is necessary for most senators to have a day job, which means that each senator, unless retired, necessarily earns a living doing something else. My colleagues are farmers, doctors, bankers, insurance agents, educators and representatives of many other industries and professions. This provides us with the opportunity, with our collective experience and knowledge, to make policy for the good of the state, based on firsthand understandings of the issues on which we make laws. Most senators have their areas of expertise, and, as my record shows, my interest and experience lies in agriculture and economic development. I have recently been offered the opportunity to turn what I have been doing for the benefit of rural Nebraska into a job. I have chosen to pursue this opportunity because my time in the Legislature has come to an end. This opportunity has not changed my activity in the Legislature in any manner.
Finally, Mr. Holscher has always been critical of my stance and how Ive voted on the difficult issue of Medicaid expansion. I can understand his position. But to lash out on other, unrelated issues that he has a very cursory understanding of, at best, is unfortunate but not unheard of for Mr. Holscher. I would ask anyone who feels they must challenge my integrity to get their facts straight before leveling accusations, untrue statements and aspersions aimed at my character.
State Sen. Ken Schilz
Ogallala
All the key team changes and injury rumours heading into the weekend's Round 7 NRL Telstra Premiership games.
Draw Widget - Round 7 - Cowboys vs Rabbitohs
Cowboys: No changes expected with Lachlan Coote cleared to play and Javid Bowen set to retain his place, with Kane Linnett not expected to be a late inclusion from a shoulder injury.
Rabbitohs: Adam Reynolds will make his return from a broken jaw in a much needed boost to the Rabbitohs.
Draw Widget - Round 7 - Titans vs Dragons
Titans: UPDATED: Tyrone Roberts could be a late inclusion, returning from a knee injury and is likely to replace youngster Cameron Cullen. Agnatius Paasi is likely to start with Greg Bird out through suspension. Daniel Mortimer is expected to play, but will be monitored after receiving a significant cut to his head last week. Eddy Pettybourne will come on to the bench.
Dragons: UPDATE: Josh McCrone will come in for Benji Marshall who won't play due to a hamstring injury. The Dragons need to score points against the Gold Coast.
Draw Widget - Round 7 - Bulldogs vs Warriors
Bulldogs: No changes expected.
Warriors: Tui Lolohea gets his chance in the halves after impressive performances on the wing in the opening rounds, with Jeff Robson dropped. No changes expected.
Draw Widget - Round 7 - Broncos vs Knights
Broncos: Darius Boyd trained after missing sessions earlier in the week and will take his place, while Corey Oates' shoulder injury is showing no signs of hampering him.
Knights: David Bhana could be included on the bench with Jeremy Smith struggling with a knee injury.
Draw Widget - Round 7 - Raiders vs Sharks
Raiders: UPDATE: Blake Austin has been ruled out for two weeks with a hamstring injury. Josh Hodgson is likely to play despite a hand injury, while Paul Vaughan is in some doubt with an ankle injury.
Sharks: Luke Lewis is out through suspension, meaning Jason Bukuya will come in. James Maloney has passed concussion tests this week and should be right to play after leaving the ground early last week.
Draw Widget - Round 7 - Wests Tigers vs Storm
Wests Tigers: Aaron Woods is out with an ankle injury for four weeks in a big blow to the Tigers, no changes expected at this stage despite 19 players being named on Tuesday.
Storm: Will Chambers is a big loss, with the club announcing he will be out for up to 16 weeks with a fractured foot. Young Tonumaipea is in doubt with a leg injury.
Draw Widget - Round 7 - Roosters vs Panthers
Roosters: No changes expected.
Panthers: No changes expected.
Northwest Indianas steel industry provided 70,000 good-paying jobs as recently as the 1970s, but employment in the industry has dwindled to around 20,000 workers today.
The Region lost around $2 billion in income over that period, but no longer relies solely on the old guard of companies like ArcelorMittal, BP, Cargill, Praxair and U.S. Steel, said Donald Babcock, NIPSCO director of economic development.
Now theres a new crop of high-tech companies like MonoSol, Green Sense Farms Fronius, Urschel, Dawn Foods and Hoist Liftruck that are also investing in the Region.
These companies are the future of Northwest Indiana, Babcock said at the Leadership Innovation Convening at Purdue University Northwest, in Hammond, on Thursday. We need to understand their stories and tell them more and more. We need to share them and the creativity in Northwest Indiana.
Purdue Northwest and the The Society of Innovators of Ivy Tech Community College collaborated to stage a panel discussion on innovation at the Purdues Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center in Hammond. Tri-State Automations Founder and CEO Don Keller, Methodist Hospitals President and CEO Raymond Grady, Cimcor Inc. President and CEO Robert Johnson III, and LaPorte County Career and Technical Education Director Audra Peterson discussed Thinking Differently: The Fuel for Taking Flight. The hope was to inspire Northwest Indiana leaders to be more creative and innovative, so as to better compete in the global economy.
There is greatness in Northwest Indiana, said OMerrial Butchee, director of the Gerald I. Lamkin Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center at Ivy Tech Community College.
Keller for instance discussed how he searched for a decade for an automation company to make his contract manufacturing plant more efficient, and then started his own when he couldnt find one. He stressed the importance of salesmanship.
I started seven companies and the three that failed were because they could not sell the product, he said.
Johnson, whose firm provides online data security to the U.S. Army, NASA, IBM and Toshiba, said Northwest Indiana business people should not fear failure.
You shouldnt be afraid to fail, but fail quickly and move on to the next thing, he said.
Peterson launched the first Energy Academy in Indiana to address the silver tsunami of aging workers at NIPSCO, while Grady is working on getting Northwest Indianas first trauma center certified.
ABOARD US COAST GUARD HC-130 HERCULES A United States Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules rumbled down an airstrip on Hawaii's Big Island Thursday carrying hundreds of pounds of rare and precious cargo: seven endangered Hawaiian monk seals.
The young monk seals were found abandoned or malnourished late last year by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials in the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. They were rescued, then rehabilitated at the nonprofit Martine Mammal Center's monk seal hospital in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, where the Coast Guard picked them up Thursday for the first leg of their journey home.
NOAA found six of the seal pups on the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the northernmost islands and atolls in Hawaii. The seventh seal, a yearling, was rescued from Niihau, a privately owned island in the main Hawaiian Islands.
The Marine Mammal Center's monk seal hospital on Hawaii's Big Island then nursed the animals back to health.
On Thursday, the seals were loaded into a U.S. Coast Guard airplane and flown from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, to Honolulu. The Associated Press was on the flight.
The seals were then taken to an Oahu NOAA facility, where they will be held until Sunday.
From there, the animals will be transported by boat to the islands they were rescued from. Six of the seals will return to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and the seventh is headed to the privately owned island of Niihau in the main Hawaiian Islands. The voyage is expected to take about a week.
According to the California-based Marine Mammal Center, fewer than 1 in 5 monk seals survive their first year in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands because of threats including predation, entanglement and environmental changes.
There are only about 1,200 monk seals in the world, NOAA officials said, and they all live in the main or northwest Hawaiian islands.
The seals being transported Thursday were all females, said Michelle Barbieri, a NOAA veterinarian with the Monk Seal Research Program who was aboard the flight.
"We focus our efforts on female seals because they're going to grow up and contribute to the population in the future," Barbieri said.
While in rehabilitation, the seals were slowly nursed to a healthy weight to help increase their odds of survival. They were also taught to catch and eat fish naturally, with little human intervention, so that they could hunt for themselves when they return to the wild.
Eric Roberts, a marine mammal response coordinator with the Coast Guard in Honolulu, helped bring the pups to the hospital when they were found and was there to escort them home.
"At the Coast Guard, we pride ourselves on being lifesavers, and this is a unique opportunity where we can actually contribute to saving a species," Roberts said.
The Marine Mammal Center has successfully released eight seals so far, and this group is their biggest recovery and release effort to date.
David Scholfield, a NOAA response coordinator for the Pacific Islands, said rescuers normally transport only one or two seals at a time, making Thursday's effort "historic" and a major boost for the overall population in generations to come.
The monk seal population is still declining at a rate of about 4 percent per year. Returning these animals to their home islands could have a big impact, he said.
"These seven animals would have died," Scholfield said, "and so getting them back to health and having them potentially reproduce in the wild, and produce offspring, has a many magnitude effect" on the overall population.
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Find more of his work here: http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/caleb-jones
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders took their battle for president to a Brooklyn stage Thursday night.
In a series of fierce exchanges across a two-hour debate, they questioned each other's qualifications, and battled over issues from gun control to climate change.
The Vermont senator said Clinton has not showed the the kind of judgment we need in a president, and Clinton suggested Sanders was not ready to be President on day one.
The debate, co-sponsored by NY1 and CNN and staged at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, was held five days before Democrats vote in the crucial New York primary on April 19. NY1 political anchor Errol Louis was one of the panelists.
The stakes were high Sanders is trying to build on momentum from a string of state caucus wins, while Clinton is seeking a haul of delegates in her adopted home state that would realistically put the nomination out of Sanders' reach.
Their ninth and perhaps final debate seemed to reflect that urgency. The two Democrats began tangling from the opening question, in which Sanders was asked whether he stood by his comments last week that Clinton, a former U.S. senator and secretary of state, was not qualified to be president.
Does she have the experience and intelligence to be president? Of course she does, Sanders said. But I do question her judgment. He singled out Clintons vote as a senator authorizing the war in Iraq, her support of free trade agreements, and her giving speeches to Wall Street banks at $250,000 a pop.
I dont believe that that is the kind of judgment we need to be the kind of president we need, he said. Do we really feel confident about a candidate who says she is going to bring change to America when she is so dependent on big money interests?
The people of New York voted for me twice to be their senatorand President Obama trusted my judgment to be secretary of state, Clinton fired back. She said Barack Obama took contributions from Wall Street when he ran for president and he still pushed through sweeping reforms.
This is a phony attack, she said, that is designed to raise questions when there is no evidence to undergird the insinuations he is putting forward. Clinton said she supported the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform act, called out Wall Street for its excesses, and was willing to speak out against some of the privileges they had.
Secretary Clinton called them out. Oh my God - they must have been crushed by this, Sanders said with sarcasm. Was this before or after they gave you huge sums of money?
She fought back, seizing on the Vermont senator's difficulty explaining his positions in an interview with the New York Daily News editorial board. "Breaking up the banks - he could not explain how that would be done, Clinton said. When asked about a number of foreign policy issues, he could not answer."
That brought cheers from her supporters one of the many outbursts from the rowdy crowd that interrupted the candidates when they were not interrupting each other, giving the debate a distinctly New York flavor.
The issue of gun control brought out another sharp exchange. Clinton lit into Sanders for voting to protect gun makers from lawsuits brought by victims of gun violence, which she called the top priority of the National Rifle Association.
This is the only industry in America, the only one, that has this kind of special protection, Clinton said. We hear a lot from Sen. Sanders about greed and Wall Streetbut what about the greed and recklessness of the gun manufacturers and dealers in America?
We need to make certain that we do everything we can to make sure guns do not fall in the hands of people who do not need them, Sanders said. He said he supported the legislation to protect gun shop owners who do nothing wrong in legally selling a weapon that ends up being used in a crime.
In what might be a first for a Democratic debate in New York, if not nationally, Sanders stressed the rights of the Palestinians, saying the U.S. needs to have a more balanced approached in the Middle East.
He stood by his previous comments that Israels response to rocket attacks by Hamas in the 2014 Gaza war were disproportionate and led to the unnecessary loss of innocent life.
Of course Israel has a right not only to defend itself but also live in peace, Sanders said. But, was their response disproportionate? I believe that it was. He added, in a reference to Israels prime minister, There comes a time, when if we pursue justice and peace, we are going to have to say, Netanyahu is not right all of the time.
Clinton repeatedly sidestepped whether she thought Israel acted disproportionately, although she expressed sympathy with Israel. It is a difficult positiontrying to seek peacewhen there is a terrorist group embedded in Gaza that does not want to see you exist, she said.
At several points, the debate highlighted a contrast between the two Democrats on how they approach problems. Sanders portrayed Clinton as a compromiser on issues like climate change, when, he said, bold action is needed.
This is a different between understanding we have a crisis of historical consequence here, and incrementalism, and little steps, that are not enough, he said.
Clinton said enacting change is difficult given fierce Republican opposition in Congress. She portrayed Sanders as a big talker who accomplishes little. I dont take a back seat to your legislation that youve introduced that you havent been able to get passed, she said.
With New York Democrats preparing to vote, both played up connections to the state. Sanders was born in the city; Clinton was a senator from the state for eight years.
I love being in Brooklyn. This is great, she said.
I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, the son of immigrants, he said.
Their love of New York was a rare point of agreement, in a race that has taken a combative turn.
All three Republican presidential candidates appeared at the State Republican Party's annual gala in New York City on Thursday night. Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview with NY1, Cruz kept up his attacks against New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. Our Grace Rauh has the story.
Donald Trump was back home in New York City.
"It's been a lot of fun for me," the Republican presidential candidate said. "It wasn't supposed to be this way."
Few predicted Trump's success in the national political arena.
He has won the most Republican delegates so far, and now he is poised to win big in his home state of New York on Tuesday.
"I'll take the White House," Trump said.
Appearing at the state Republican Party gala Wednesday, Trump spoke at length and with surprising detail about his development projects in the city.
"The concrete was poured. It was nine inches higher on one side compared to the other," he said.
And he had some fun at Ted Cruz's expense
"I want to talk, just for a second, about New York values," Trump said.
Cruz knocked Trump for embracing so-called New York values. Trump quickly turned the attack against Cruz.
"Honesty and straight talking," Trump said. "It's a work ethic, hardworking people."
Later in the night, Trump picked up the endorsement of the New York Post.
Trump and Cruz found common ground taking aim at de Blasio, a Democrat.
In a one-on-one interview with NY1, Cruz accused the mayor of damaging the city.
"The policies of Bill de Blasio have hurt New Yorkers," the Texas senator said. "They're not working."
"Our mayor has to be careful, because he can blow it very quickly if he keeps going the way he's going," Trump said.
As for John Kasich, he is hanging on, hoping for a contested Republican National Convention.
"Do you know what will happen if we nominate people who have high negatives and cannot beat Hillary?" the Ohio governor said. "We're just not going to lose the White House. We're not just going to lose the Supreme Court.We risk losing everything from the White House to the court house to the statehouse."
Kasich said he has the best shot of beating the Democratic nominee in the fall.
After a testy debate on NY1 on Thursday, the Democratic presidential candidates embarked on somewhat unchartered campaign territories. Our Josh Robin explains.
It was the first time in recent memory that a presidential candidate visited New York public housing.
The city's housing authority is short a staggering $17 billion in major repairs, a hole that Hillary Clinton promises to address if elected.
Robin: Why should people feel faith within you that you can improve things across the city?
Clinton: Well, when we think about all of the people who live in NYCHA housing they're fellow New Yorkers, they're Americans.We need to be supporting better housing, and having the federal government fulfil its responsibility to NYCHA is one way to do that."
Clinton says her plan marks $125 billion for affordable housing nationwide, and it boosts incentives for affordable housing development.
At the Vatican, Sen. Bernie Sanders spoke more generally.
"Speculation, illicit financial flows, environmental destruction, and the weakening of the rights of workers is far more severe today that it was a quarter-century ago," the Democratic presidential candidate said.
Sanders didn't meet with Pope Francis. Despite a competitive stateside primary, he says he didn't want to pass up a chance to speak on income inequality at a global forum.
He left shortly after Thursday night's event in Brooklyn.
The debate was more of a raucous, confrontational forum, raising questions about whether the party will ultimately unify around whoever the nominee is.
Clinton shrugged that off. "New Yorkers had a chance to see the contrast between myself and Senator Sanders, and I hope that people will come out and vote for me on Tuesday," Clinton said.
Clinton is scheduled to campaign and raise money in California this week, including at two high-dollar events with actor George Clooney and his wife Amal.
A Sanders ad greets her there, poking at her high-priced speeches.
Hawaii Is Recruiting Teachers And It's Offering $50,000 A Year
Trending News: There's A Job Opening In Paradise And It Pays $50,000 A Year
Why Is This Important?
Because taking your lunch break at the beach never gets old.
Long Story Short
Hawaii is hiring 1,600 teachers to fill a shortage left by retiring Baby Boomers.
Long Story
In a job rut? How does coconut water, mojitos and tan-lines sound?
Hawaii is making a big push to hire more teachers because the ones they have are retiring. The island state is looking for 1,600 teachers and one of those could be you if you're look for a career change or new job in paradise.
"Teachers are in such demand everywhere. Every school district is trying to steal from the other's district," said Barbara Krieg, assistant superintendent for the Office of Human Resources, as quoted in Hawaii News Now (as seen via Thrillist).
If you've got a bachelor's degree and completed a State Approved Teacher Education Program you'll qualify to earn between $35,324 to $63,665 a year, depending on these factors. Hawaii is recruiting in mainland cities like Dallas, Chicago, New York, Newark, Portland and Los Angeles.
Sure, that's not Wall Street money many teachers in the continental U.S. make more but it's not like you'll only be force-fed Spam and it's freaking Hawaii.
New Jersey native Brittney Driggs, who teaches special education at Mililani High School, realizes the cost of living is higher on the island, but it's a decision you won't regret. "I know the pay isn't as good as the Mainland, but I think it's worth it," she said to Hawaii News Now.
"Hawaii has one of the highest teacher turnover rates in the nation and this is more so for people that come from the Mainland," said Corey Rosenlee, president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association in the story. "They say, 'I can't live here' and they leave and we have to go back and recruit, and this cycle just continually happens."
For more info and to apply, visit the Hawaii State Department of Education.
Own The Conversation
Ask The Big Question
How close are you to the beach right now?
Disrupt Your Feed
Ask yourself if your job is giving you beach bum access and then re-evaluate.
Drop This Fact
Hawaii consumes more than seven million cans of Spam a year most in the nation.
Rwanda has been so successful at fighting measles that next month it will be the first country to get donor support to move to the next stage fighting rubella too.
On March 11, it will hold a nationwide three-day vaccination campaign with a combined measles-rubella vaccine, hoping to reach nearly five million children up to age 14. It will then integrate the dual vaccine into its national health service.
Rwanda can do so because theyve done such a good job on measles, said Christine McNab, a spokeswoman for the Measles and Rubella Initiative. M.R.I. helped pay for previous vaccination campaigns in the country and the GAVI Alliance is helping to finance the upcoming one.
Rubella, also called German measles, causes a rash that is very similar to the measles rash, making it hard for health workers to tell the difference.
In the 1960s, the auto companies and their suppliers generated an estimated 300,000 jobs in the city. Now the number has shrunk to less than one-tenth of that.
Detroits fate is the result of decades of job flight, said Thomas J. Sugrue, a professor of history at the University of Pennsylvania and author of a book on Detroit called The Origins of the Urban Crisis. The auto industry has been decentralizing since the 1950s, first to the suburbs, then to small-town Midwest and Sunbelt, and later elsewhere in America and overseas. The city of Detroit is now only symbolically the Motor City.
And auto jobs are continuing to disappear. Last year American Axle and Manufacturing, a major supplier to General Motors, closed an 80s factory complex that as recently as 2007 had 2,200 workers. The company transferred the work to a lower-cost plant in Mexico, and now plans to demolish its Detroit site.
The carmakers still have a large, visible presence in Detroit. Chrysler operates an assembly plant and three smaller factories on the east side, as well as a branch office downtown. G.M. has its corporate headquarters on the riverfront, and an assembly plant that straddles Detroit and the neighboring city of Hamtramck. Ford has no operations in the city, but some of its suppliers are there.
Since the government bailed out G.M. and Chrysler in 2009, both companies have recommitted to building vehicles for the long term in Detroit. Chrysler has added two shifts at its highly profitable Jefferson North plant, and recently introduced a new version of its strong-selling Jeep Grand Cherokee sport utility vehicle. G.M. assigned the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid and several other models to its assembly plant to keep it busy for years to come.
Yet the two automakers employ fewer than 10,000 white-collar and hourly workers in the city with less than half actually residing in Detroit.
SAN FRANCISCO Over the next few years, what happens to the several trillion dollars that businesses spend on technology will be decided by executives like Jeff Allen.
As big business hitches its computer systems to the latest technology wave, Mr. Allen and others will have the tricky job of ensuring that old systems work with the many new systems finding their way into his company.
A lot of normal companies are struggling to stitch together lots of different software from different technology providers, said Mr. Allen, a marketing vice president at Standard Register, a specialty publishing and communications company in Dayton, Ohio. Eventually, he said, he will have to choose from only three or four big suppliers.
Eventually. But not right now.
Corporate technology buyers are looking at a menu of new and old technologies and names both familiar and obscure. Old-guard companies like Microsoft, Oracle, Dell and Hewlett-Packard have been joined by new names like Salesforce.com, Workday and NetSuite. Google and Amazon now have corporate-computing services. And yet another group of upstarts is nipping at that newer generations heels, ready to provide easy-to-use apps like the ones consumers download to their smartphones.
PARIS Economic growth in the 17 European Union states in the euro zone appears to have accelerated modestly in the third quarter from the previous three months, according to a private sector report released on Monday.
Business activity in the euro zone rose this month to a 27-month high, according to a survey of the zones purchasing managers by Markit Economics, a data and analysis firm based in London.
Germany, which has the largest economy in Europe, led the euro zone with strong new business and employment gains, according to the Markit survey. French purchasing managers also reported modestly improving business.
The report came on the heels of the election victory of Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany. European stock markets and the euro currency were essentially unchanged, as investors took the widely expected election outcome in stride; only the large margin of Ms. Merkels success had been unexpected.
MOSCOW A Russian government-owned conglomerate announced plans on Monday to sell to two private investors just under half of the company that makes Kalashnikov assault rifles.
The company, Izhevsk Machine Works, has made AK-47s, which are the worlds most distributed firearm, since shortly after World War II. And despite years of deep financial crisis, the company has been seen as a crown jewel of Russias military industrial complex.
Izhevsk returned to profitability in recent years in large part because of robust sales to American civilians.
The government had been searching for investors to share the burden of modernizing the sprawling machine shops and integrating the business, known as Izhmash, with other small arms makers as part of a broader overhaul of military enterprises, an important sector in the Russian economy.
HONG KONG The government of Singapore announced measures on Monday that will compel companies to give priority to local residents in the job recruitment process, a move that could create more challenges for multinational firms doing business in the Southeast Asian city-state.
The measures will require companies operating in Singapore to advertise vacancies to local residents for two weeks before they can apply to fill positions with overseas workers. The recruitment notices must be posted to a central job bank to be administered by a government employment agency, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Manpower.
Providing better jobs and diverse opportunities to meet Singaporeans aspirations are the ultimate objectives of economic growth, Tan Chuan-Jin, the acting minister for manpower, said in the statement. What we are doing is to put in place measures to nudge employers to give Singaporeans especially our young graduates and professionals, managers and executives a fair chance at both job and development opportunities.
Singapore has already taken steps this year to make it more difficult to import workers, including increasing levies on overseas hires and reducing the allowable ratio of foreign to local employees at companies in the service, manufacturing, construction and maritime sectors.
HONG KONG A report by Nomura said Thursday that Chinese municipal debt, a focal point of major concern about the countrys economy, had grown at an alarming 39 percent clip in recent years.
The report by Nomura estimated that the financing vehicles used by local governments to raise cash had created debts totaling at least 19 trillion renminbi, or $3.1 trillion, by the end of last year and posed a major risk to the economy.
Liquidity risks are rising, said Zhang Zhiwei, chief China economist at Nomura and one of the authors of the report. He added that the banks research based on a survey of 869 of these local government financing vehicles, entities set up to borrow in various ways on behalf of the cities showed that more than half of the debt would have been at risk of default last year had local governments not supported it.
The number in Nomuras report roughly matches a recent estimate by Liu Yuhui, an economist in the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a government research organization in Beijing.
BEIRUT, Lebanon Hundreds of people were allowed to leave a besieged, rebel-held suburb of Damascus, the Syrian capital, on Sunday in a rare cease-fire, according to the government and its opponents. But aid workers said they were still unable to enter the town, Moadhamiyeh, which international organizations have been trying to reach for months and where six people have reportedly died of malnutrition.
Further underscoring the challenges of providing humanitarian aid in Syria, where millions are displaced and needy, seven aid workers were abducted near the town of Saraqeb in the northern province of Idlib on Saturday.
Six were staff members at the International Committee of the Red Cross, aid officials said, and one was a volunteer at the Red Crosss local affiliate, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Officials declined to give the victims nationalities.
Kidnapping is a growing problem in rebel-held areas of northern Syria, where there is infighting among rebel factions and where jihadist organizations hostile to Western aid groups and Syrian civil activists are on the rise, along with criminal gangs seeking to profit from ransom.
PARIS Shares of PSA Peugeot Citroen tumbled on Monday as investors anticipated that the struggling French automaker was closing in on a deal to raise fresh capital that would dilute the value of its stock.
There has been speculation since early summer that Peugeot, the second-largest European automaker after Volkswagen, was seeking a tie-up with Dongfeng Motor Group, a state-owned Chinese company with which Peugeot jointly assembles vehicles in China. Expectations were heightened by a Reuters report over the weekend that said Peugeot had drafted a plan to raise 3 billion euros, or about $4.1 billion, of new capital.
According to Reuters, which did not identify its sources, Dongfeng and the French government may each inject 1.5 billion euros of capital into Peugeot in return for stakes of 20 to 30 percent each. A separate report last week from China Business News said Dongfeng was prepared to pay about $1.6 billion for 30 percent of Peugeot.
Peugeots stock closed 9 percent lower in Paris on Monday as investors wagered that the shares they now held would lose much of their value if diluted by the new capital. Peugeot has a market value of just under 4 billion euros. Even after the decline Monday, the shares are up 104 percent this year because of hopes for a turnaround.
LONDON For the fourth time in five years, a prestigious multimillion-dollar prize offered annually to African leaders for good government went unawarded on Monday, renewing questions about the stringency of its rules, the paucity of candidates and the state of democracy on the continent.
The prize, endowed by Mo Ibrahim, a Sudan-born telecommunications billionaire, is intended to reward democratically elected African leaders who retire voluntarily at the conclusion of their mandated terms after displaying strong qualities of governance and leadership.
The prize is worth $5 million over the first 10 years, followed by a stipend of at least $200,000 a year.
Since its creation seven years ago, it has been awarded three times, in 2007, 2008 and 2011. Pedro de Verona Rodrigues Pires, the former president of Cape Verde, was the most recent recipient. Nelson Mandela was given an honorary award.
PARIS The triumph by the far-right National Front party in a minor election in the south of France has created headlines across the country and prompted politicians and political analysts to take a hard look at the landscape, a little more than a year after the election of a socialist president, Francois Hollande.
The decisive victory on Sunday in Brignoles, a small city in the Var district, by the National Front candidate appeared to be more of a defeat for the two more centrist parties the Socialists led by Mr. Hollande and the conservative Union for a Popular Movement party, or UMP than a reflection of deepening support for the far right, analysts said.
Still, the National Front was energized by the victory, and the partys leader, Marine Le Pen, said it was preparing candidates to compete in many of the elections that will be held next spring.
This vote shows that the French have a wish for change, that we bring solutions for the questions the French are asking, Ms. Le Pen said on television.
JERUSALEM Israel urged the world powers on Monday not to ease sanctions against Iran as talks on the nuclear dispute were about to resume, arguing that now of all times was the time to keep up the pressure.
It would be a historic mistake to relax the pressure on Iran now, a moment before the sanctions achieve their goal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in the official English translation of his speech at the opening of the winter session of the Israeli Parliament.
I will tell you something that goes against the accepted view easing the pressure will not strengthen moderate trends in Iran, he said. On the contrary, it will strengthen the uncompromising views of the real ruler of Iran, the Ayatollah Khamenei, and will be seen as a significant victory by him.
Mr. Netanyahu was referring to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, who has the final word on Irans nuclear program.
Water to the Angels is the story of one mans quest to bring water from the Sierra Nevadas to what was, in 1907, the unremarkable desert city of Los Angeles. If the topic sounds a tad dry (sorry), or familiar a la Chinatown, Standiford does his best to separate fact from fiction regarding William Mulholland, an up-from-the-bootstraps Irish immigrant who pulled off one of the greatest civil engineering feats of the 20th century. But at what cost?
Hubris and gilded dreams are good subjects for Standiford, who has previously written about Henry Frick and Andrew Carnegie, among others; he artfully captures small moments while maintaining the historians broader view, though his sympathy for Mulholland is clear. Dam failures, worker deaths, protests by threatened residents like Mulhollands aqueduct, the book covers a lot of ground while moving along in episodic but dramatic fashion.
As Los Angeles struggles through a fourth year of drought and companies seek to privatize water supplies, the question of whether Mulholland is a hero or a villain is timely, and shows how easily the course of history can be diverted, for better or worse.
BLOOD RUNS GREEN
The Murder That Transfixed Gilded Age Chicago
By Gillian OBrien
303 pp. University of Chicago, $25.
OBriens meticulously researched book makes the case that one mans brutal murder in 1889 Chicago (and the subsequent criminal investigation) had a ripple effect in both America and Britain on the contentious cause of Irish republicanism. Dr. Patrick Cronins attempts to achieve compromise within the secret society Clan na Gael, while shining unwelcome light on the groups methods including an abortive dynamite war put him on a collision course with a rival member, Alexander Sullivan. The result was a naked, bloodied body stuffed down a storm drain and a sensationalized trial by press played out in the court of public opinion. This is academic writing at its most accessible. OBrien, a lecturer in history at Liverpool John Moores University in England, shuns true-crime formulas in favor of wide-ranging contextualization. As such, readers expecting a more generic thriller may be overwhelmed by detail. But for those who revel in knowing the human side of often faceless political movements, this book will satisfy, particularly if they have an interest in the Irish question and the trinity of Rum, Rome and Rebellion.
Uncovered by German archaeologists at the end of the 19th century, the altar reliefs are now in Berlin at the Pergamon Museum, which, currently closed for restoration, is the source for nearly a third of the 265 objects in the Met show. The sequence of high-relief panels that once lined the altar staircase depicts a mortal clash between the major Greek gods and a race of marauding giants. With its near-hysterical tone, the frieze is one of the great coups de theatre of sculptural history and a lastingly influential one. It is also physically unmovable and couldnt travel to New York. Two marvelous panels from a second, smaller frieze at the site did make the trip, though it is in a group of sculptures with no direct relationship to the altar that the life-and-death emotionalism of the Pergamons style comes through most sharply.
The group makes a startling first impression: of fallen bodies strewn across the ground, as if in the wake of an execution squad that has just moved on. A marble figure of an Amazon lies dead on a patch of earth, her face slack, her limp body thrown open. Nearby is the famous sculpture, on loan from the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, of Dying Gaul, an image of a nude man, felled by wounds, making one final, futile effort to rise.
James Cross Giblin, an award-winning writer of nonfiction for children, whose books ranged from topics like cutlery and why we use it, windows and why we have them, and walls and why we need them to cleareyed biographies of Hitler, Senator Joseph R. McCarthy and John Wilkes Booth, died on Sunday in Manhattan. He was 82.
His death, after a short illness, was confirmed by Dianne Hess, the executive editor of Scholastic Press and a longtime friend.
Mr. Giblin, who was for many years also a prominent childrens-book editor and publisher, was known most recently for his biographies for middle-grade and older readers, among them The Life and Death of Adolf Hitler (2002), which won the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal from the American Library Association; Good Brother, Bad Brother: The Story of Edwin Booth and John Wilkes Booth (2005); and The Rise and Fall of Senator Joe McCarthy (2009).
When Standard & Poors, the rating agency, revised its outlook for Bear to negative, from stable, on Aug. 3, 2007, top Bear executives scrambled to put a good spin that, too. We need to create more liquidity ASAP, said Sam Molinaro, Bears chief financial officer, in an email to Michael Minikes, another senior Bear executive, that day.
But liquidity remained a major problem. Banks were ending their evergreen financing arrangements with Bear, and Mr. Friedman doubted they would be available to the firm again unless they have amnesia, he wrote. On Aug. 20, Mr. Friedman wrote that since the S.&P. report, Bear had lost $14.5 billion in existing funding and had received only $2.7 billion from new sources. He noted that another $3.1 billion n funding was already scheduled to be pulled or was at risk of leaving. He expected another $1.9 billion in borrowings to be lost in the next week or two. There was also a significant dispute with State Street Bank over the valuation of the collateral backing its $1 billion loan to Bear, and its clear that what theyd most like is to simply pull it.
On Dec. 3, 2007, Mr. Friedman noted in an email to executives in the fixed-income division that the firm was starting to see some significant pullback in funding and lost close to $2 billion in cash in one day. Its getting ugly out there, he wrote.
In a Dec. 15 memo to Thomas Marano, the other co-head of fixed income, Mr. Friedman said he worried that another $10 billion to $30 billion of short-term funding would be pulled if and when Moodys Investors Service downgraded the firm as he expected it would (and which it did five days later). We will also effectively be out of the derivatives business equities, rates and credit since we already have firms refusing our name and many more will refuse us then, he wrote. Either way, were dead, whether from lack of cash or lack of customers.
In the same email, Mr. Friedmann worried that Bear employees would soon recognize the reality that Bear might well be out of business. Faced with a lean year for compensation and the prospect of effectively winding down the firm over the next quarter, how do they respond? he asked, rhetorically. I think we all know: Any that can find another place to work will do so. So well be alive in the way that a patient on life support is alive, hoping for a miracle.
He then asked Mr. Marano why Bears executive committee had failed to understand the seriousness of the firms predicament. Beats the hell out of me, Mr. Friedman wrote. He added that Robert Upton, the treasurer, had spoken to Mr. Molinaro, the chief financial officer, a dozen times but had been rebuffed. Mr. Friedman wrote that he had spoken over and over with Steven Begleiter, the head of corporate strategy, and been told that no one believes things are that urgent. Mr. Friedman wondered if the executive committee was confusing raising new equity with having sufficient funding to run the business. Raising new capital wont fix the world around us, he concluded in the email, just three months before the firms demise. But the point that gets lost is that if we dont do it we wont be here when the world gets back to normal.
In the end, Bears top executives opted not to raise new equity. And the firm was no longer around when the world got back to normal.
A handful of House Democrats took to the floor of Congress on Thursday to call for an overhaul of arbitration, a private justice system for resolving disputes that is often slanted against consumers.
Beginning the unusual session was Representative Hank Johnson of Georgia, a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. He implored Congress to strictly curtail the use of mandatory arbitration, in which judges and juries are supplanted by arbitrators who often consider the companies their clients.
Joined by lawmakers from across the country, Mr. Johnson urged the passage of a bill he introduced this week that would prevent civil rights cases, like employment discrimination disputes, and other critical lawsuits from being pushed into arbitration. The impact of arbitration clauses, he noted, is especially devastating for women trying to fight gender discrimination in the workplace.
Buried in the fine print of everything from consumer contracts and employee handbooks to nursing home agreements, forced arbitration clauses insulate corporations from accountability by eliminating access to the courts for untold consumers and workers, Mr. Johnson said.
SAN FRANCISCO As Yahoo prepares to accept first-round bids for its core Internet business on Monday, potential buyers have found themselves facing one big problem: How do you value a company with a declining business when the company appears reluctant to share vital financial details?
In meetings and phone calls with potential bidders, Yahoo executives have offered gloomy financial projections for the current year, but have refused to discuss the outlook for 2017 or answer questions about crucial aspects of the business. Some of the three dozen or so potential suitors have even questioned what is truly for sale.
But several big companies are expected to place bids for Yahoo anyway, according to people briefed on the matter. Verizon Communications, which has publicly expressed interest in buying Yahoos core Internet business and merging it with its AOL division, plans to press forward with a bid, some of these people said.
The Daily Mail, a British tabloid newspaper and website, said publicly that it had considered joining with potential investors, including one or more private equity firm, for a bid. And the private equity firm TPG plans to make a bid in the first round on its own, according to a person briefed on the matter.
The ailing media mogul Sumner M. Redstone will not be required to sit for a deposition in the legal battle over his mental competency, a California judge ruled during a brief hearing on Thursday.
Whether or not Mr. Redstone, 92, is competent is the subject of a lawsuit filed in November by Manuela Herzer, his former companion and onetime romantic partner, who challenged his mental capacity. A trial is scheduled for May 6.
The effort to get Mr. Redstone to sit for a deposition could have been considered a negotiation tactic by Ms. Herzer to pressure him into a settlement. A lawyer for Ms. Herzer said during the hearing that the basis for the request was the newly stated prospect of Mr. Redstones testifying during the trial.
The two sides were engaged in negotiations during the last two weeks over a settlement that would include detailed plans for Mr. Redstones health care as well as a payment for Ms. Herzer that could reach into the tens of millions of dollars, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions.
As the Zika virus bears down on the United States, federal health officials are divided over a politically and ethically charged question: Should they advise American women to delay pregnancy in areas where the virus is circulating?
Some infectious disease experts are arguing that avoiding conception is the only sure way to prevent the births of deformed babies, according to outside researchers who serve on various advisory panels.
Womens health specialists, on the other hand, counter that the government should not tell women what to do with their bodies. Indeed, federal health officials have never advised all the women in a region of the country to stop having children. Moreover, they say, most babies conceived during Zika epidemics in Latin America have been born healthy.
Several federal experts central to the discussion declined to be interviewed for this article. Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, described the internal debate as a very long conversation.
From talking to Dan Empfield, who runs the forum as part of his larger triathlon-related business, I learned that triathletes view cutting a course deliberately failing to run, swim or bike the whole way, and then lying about it as the worst thing an athlete can do, far worse than doping. In their minds, what Miller was accused of doing was an affront to a sport for which many of them spend 20 or 30 hours a week training. (Triathletes, and especially those who compete in Ironman races, are very intense, I also learned.) That it seemed to have been a pattern of behavior rather than a one-off, Rosie Ruizstyle aberration made it all the worse.
The other thing that stood out was that the initial investigation against Miller had been conducted not by race officials at the 2015 Ironman Canada race the first in which her results were formally called into question but by fellow athletes who believed she had cheated and were outraged that she had apparently been able to get away with it. That reflected the anger other triathletes felt about Millers apparent victory, and illustrated how hard it is to prove this kind of thing.
I decided it would be interesting to piece together how the investigation got started, how the athletes gathered the evidence against Miller, and why it finally spurred the Ironman officials to disqualify her not just from that race, but from others in which her finishing times were suspect.
At first, only a few people would talk to me. Residents of Squamish, the community north of Vancouver where Miller lives, feared the wrath of Miller, who has presented herself as the victim of envy and cyberbullying and who has attacked her critics in very forceful terms. But after a while, I found people willing to go on the record, both about the investigation into Miller and about the doubts theyd had about her for a long time.
At every moment, the population explosion of New York rolls across the city in not-so-slow motion. Last year, nearly 1.7 million people called 911 for medical help, the most since humans started answering telephones. On average thats about one call every 20 seconds.
On the evening of Feb. 25, a radio message came to 911 dispatchers from an ambulance in the Bronx:
Out of service.
It was the first of many such messages that night, all of them ambulances that signed off from the 911 system and returned to their stations. This was not a strike or a job action, and the people calling from the ambulances were not city employees. They were paramedics and emergency medical technicians employed by TransCare, a private company that provided ambulance coverage to large parts of the Bronx and some areas in Manhattan. TransCare had gone bankrupt.
By the end of the evening, 27 TransCare ambulances had been pulled from the street. They dropped off the face of the earth, said Israel Miranda, president of the union representing the citys paramedics and emergency medical technicians, Local 2507 of District Council 37.
The citys Emergency Medical Service, which is part of the Fire Department, scrambled to shift ambulances and crews from across the five boroughs, and brought in people to work overtime. In all, TransCare used to provide 81 tours a day in the city; it was teetering for months, so officials knew they needed a contingency plan. The city has muscles and nerve endings that most of us do not know exist. (Some cities and towns in Westchester County also relied on TransCare and have replaced it with other companies.)
Bronx prosecutors have portrayed Mr. Lightfoot as a victim, unarmed and outnumbered when he was singled out by officers as an example during a search for weapons that had been prompted by a fight in which another inmate was slashed. But defense lawyers have countered that the officers were simply doing their jobs after Mr. Lightfoot came at them with a sharp metal object.
The closely watched case has underscored the culture of violence at Rikers Island, New York Citys main jail complex, at a time when Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and other critics have called for it to be closed. A contingent of correction officers has faithfully attended the trial, with dozens of them packing the benches at times.
The case has also become the first big test for the new Bronx district attorney, Darcel D. Clark, who has vowed to focus on prosecuting crimes committed at Rikers and sat prominently in the front row during opening statements.
As the trial has moved forward, it has provided an unusually detailed look at the on-the-ground operations and intricate procedures of daily life at the sprawling complex with 10,000 inmates. A stream of testimony from investigators, a doctor at Rikers and even a former inmate has described an environment in which there were conflicts among inmates and with the officers charged with watching them.
Prosecutors said that Mr. Lightfoot drew the attention of Mr. Perez and Gerald Vaughn, who was a captain. On their orders, five officers beat Mr. Lightfoot in a cell that was covered by a drape, away from surveillance cameras, while three other officers stood outside, prosecutors said.
Exterior shots of Metropolitan Museum of Art Harold Koda interview There is the perennial debate about whether or not fashion can ever be art. LOWER THIRD Harold Koda Curator in Charge, The Costume Institute The Metropolitan Museum of Art Shots in Museum Great Hall Harold Koda (V.O) It has in some instances to do with intention. But just because its clothes, doesnt mean it cant be art. Shots of tour group gathering. Tour Guide The name of this tour is Fashion and Art Harold Koda (V.O) Fashion is laden with cultural, social, aesthetic ideaseverything that we subject the criteria of art to. Tour Guide What we do is look at the objects of artmasterpieces and highlights of our collectionfrom a very interesting viewpoint: what are the people wearing in the object of art? And more than that: what does it mean? This is something almost no one talks about, but sometimes its 60 to 70 percent of the object of art anyway. So I hope you will see fashion is not trivial. Thomas Campbell interview When I started off as a curator, art was considered to be painting, architecture, and sculpture. Anything outside of that was decorative arts, and, quite frankly, looked down oncostume and fashion being one example of that. LOWER THIRD Thomas Campbell Director, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Shots of tour stopped at Greek sculpture Tour Guide Our first object dates from Ancient Greece. The basic garment was made by one long length of linen. The flax had to be picked, it had to be spun, it had to be woven by hand, and in war the soldiers who were victorious would kill the men and capture the women as slaves to do the spinning and the weaving. So the fabric represents a great deal. Andrew Bolton interview Fashion is still considered more in the female domain than something like painting, and I think thats the reason why some people are quick to dismiss fashion as art. LOWER THIRD Andrew Bolton Curator, The Costume Institute The Metropolitan Museum of Art Tour moving on to new gallery Tour Guide So we will move on to another culture altogether, another civilization altogether. Thomas Campbell (V.O) Its our role as a center of art and culture to give fashion and costume respect and attention. Shots of Anna Wintour Costume Center Anna Wintour interview Fashion should be recognized for how it defines a time, how it can be controversial, how it can be revolutionary. LOWER THIRD Anna Wintour Trustee, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Editor in Chief, Vogue Shots of Tour Guide in medieval gallery Tour Guide So right now we are in Burgundy in France. These are courtiers in a rose garden. This is one of the earliest examples we have of cut and tailored clothing. With the growth of big, powerful courts, people began to want to outdo each other in a fashion sense. You are looking at the red carpet of the 1450s and 60s. Cross Dissolve to Met Gala red carpet Harold Koda (V.O) Fashion seems frivolous and trivial to the 19th century attitudes about fine art. Theres a kind of puritanical tradition, and we hate the notion that there might be commerce associated with anything, because somehow that makes it less pure. But as the definitions of art have become more elasticpost-Dada, post-Warholwere no longer bound by the 19th century categories of art. Anna Wintour interview In the world that we work in, you need the mixture of art and commerce. They need to exist hand in hand. Harold Koda (V.O) High fashion paired with celebrity becomes something bigger than both. Tour group looking at Madame X by John Singer Sargent Tour Guide Alright, were going to finish the tour with John Singer Sargent. This is Madame X. People wanted the artists of the day to advance themselves, and the artists of the day wanted the famous people in order to advance their career. Shots of red carpet Baz Luhrmann interview The art of what someone wears is as important and as revealing an artifact as a particular portrait painted at a particular time. LOWER THIRD Baz Luhrmann Film Director Creative Consultant for the Met Gala Tour Group at John Singer Sargent portrait Tour Guide What we dont see and what we dont know about this white duck skirt is what its saying about society. When people were in the industrial world, and they were in factories all day long, it suddenly became a status symbol to have a suntan. So this shows a complete switch in values. Andrew Bolton interview Fashion can be used to tell stories about gender, race, and identity, and challenge us to rethink what is beautiful and challenge our prejudices and our expecations. Shots of red carpet Andre Leon Talley interview Everyone aspires to go higher in life, to be better than they are, and these moments in a museum give you moments of betterment. Escapism, yes, but this could be inspiring. This could inspire someone. LOWER THIRD Andre Leon Talley Contributing Editor, Vogue Baz Luhrmann interview This is the achievement of having no delineation between what is high and low culture, what is right and wrong history. CREDITS Card 1 Directed by Andrew Rossi Edited by Andrew Coffman Card 2 Producers Fabiola Beracasa Beckman Skot Bright Music by Ian Hultquist Sofia Hultquist Card 3 Cinematography Andrew Rossi Bryan Sarkinen Alec Jarnagan, SOC Jonathan Furmanski Andrew Coffman Card 4 Assistant Camera Johnny Sousa Russell Denniston Additional Production Sound Dave LaVenture Colorist Will Cox Andrew Coffman Card 5 Met Tour Guide Kitty Benton
Did Bernie Sanders successfully paint Hillary Clinton as a pawn of Wall Street?
This has been his most sustained and passionate attack against Clinton, rooted in the campaign donations that she and her super PAC have received and in the handsome sums of money that she accepted for speeches to Goldman Sachs. And it dominated the first 20 minutes of the debate, turning them as fractious as any stretch of any of the candidates prior confrontations onstage.
But Sanders didnt make his case with significantly more skill or force than he had in the past and he needed to, given how much his slender hopes for the Democratic nomination rest on an upset victory in the New York primary in just a few days.
When the CNN anchor Dana Bash asked him to cite an example of Clintons behavior as a lawmaker and government official that demonstrated her corruption by Wall Street, he spoke in generalities, with a strained voice and halting manner that suggested considerable exhaustion after so many grueling months of campaigning. Stylistically, he lacked Clintons crispness.
But Clinton nonetheless ran into trouble when Bash asked her a question that she didnt or, rather, wouldnt answer, at least not directly or coherently: Why didnt she prove definitively that there was nothing untoward in those Wall Street speeches by releasing the transcripts, as shed been pressed to do for many weeks?
CANDIDATES from both parties have been talking a lot about the loss of American jobs, declining wages and the skyrocketing cost of college.
But missing from the debate is the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of middle skill jobs in the United States that are or soon will be going unfilled because of a dearth of qualified workers. Employers complain that electricians, pipe fitters, advanced manufacturing machinists, brick masons and radiology technicians are scarce. More than 600,000 jobs remain open in the manufacturing sector alone. These are jobs that provide a middle-class wage without a traditional four-year college degree.
American high schools once offered top-notch vocational and apprenticeship training, preparing young people for jobs like these. But over the last 70 years, our commitment to such education has waxed and waned, reflecting the countrys ambivalence about the role of school in preparing young people for employment and the value of blue-collar work itself. Progressives have argued that technical education tracks low-income and minority youths toward second-class citizenship; hence they often advocate college for all.
Over the past decade or so, however, there has been a move among educators and policy makers to reinvigorate vocational education, now rebranded as career and technical education. Some schools have been extraordinarily effective; others are struggling. If we are to offer young Americans options that are readily available to their counterparts in countries like Germany, we need to figure out what makes for success.
The comedian George Carlin used to say that he was a Roman Catholic until I reached the age of reason. For Carlin, that happened sometime in the eighth grade, when all his probing questions about faith were answered with, well, its a mystery. Of course, as a lifelong contrarian, Carlin also wondered if it was O.K. for a vegetarian to eat animal crackers.
I thought of him while reading the latest institution-shifting document from Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia the Joy of Love. The title sets the tone for the continuation of a quiet revolution. Note that its not called the Job of Love, the Duty of Love or the Unbearable Burden of Love. Instead, the pope implies that theres considerable fun to be had in human relationships. You can even find in its 256 pages a mention of the erotic dimension of love and the stirring of desire. Yes, sex. The pope approves of it, in many forms.
And while skeptics were disappointed that the latest apostolic exhortation did not change church teachings regarding Catholics who are divorced or in same-sex marriages, the document signals the end for one particular kind of medieval millstone Catholic guilt, especially in regard to sex.
Hes not talking here about the guilt that generations of clerics and their enablers should feel for the crimes of sexual abuse against the young, an institutional cancer tied to its own awful pathology.
Quite a few people seem confused about the current state of the Democratic nomination race. But the essentials are simple: Hillary Clinton has a large lead in both pledged delegates and the popular vote so far. (In Democratic primaries, delegate allocation is roughly proportional to votes.) If you ask how thats possible Bernie Sanders just won seven states in a row! you need to realize that those seven states have a combined population of about 20 million. Meanwhile, Florida alone also has about 20 million people and Mrs. Clinton won it by a 30-point margin.
To overtake her, Mr. Sanders would have to win the remaining contests by an average 13-point margin, a number that will almost surely go up after the New York primary, even if he does much better than current polls suggest. Thats not impossible, but its highly unlikely.
So the Sanders campaign is arguing that superdelegates the people, mainly party insiders, not selected through primaries and caucuses who get to serve as delegates under Democratic nomination rules should give him the nomination even if he loses the popular vote. In case youre rubbing your eyes: Yes, not long ago many Sanders supporters were fulminating about how Hillary was going to steal the nomination by having superdelegates put her over the top despite losing the primaries. Now the Sanders strategy is to win by doing exactly that.
But how can the campaign make the case that the party should defy the apparent will of its voters? By insisting that many of those voters shouldnt count. Over the past week, Mr. Sanders has declared that Mrs. Clinton leads only because she has won in the Deep South, which is a pretty conservative part of the country. The tally so far, he says, distorts reality because it contains so many Southern states.
As it happens, this isnt true the calendar, which front-loaded some states very favorable to Mr. Sanders, hasnt been a big factor in the race. Also, swing-state Florida isnt the Deep South. But never mind. The big problem with this argument should be obvious. Mrs. Clinton didnt win big in the South on the strength of conservative voters; she won by getting an overwhelming majority of black voters. This puts a different spin on things, doesnt it?
No one who is even passingly familiar with the history of the Chicago Police Department can claim to be surprised by a new report showing that the department is plagued by systemic racism and operates with utter disregard for the lives of the black citizens whom it batters, maims and kills.
Nevertheless, this report, issued on Wednesday by a task force appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, lays out with extraordinary clarity the departments long record of racial profiling, torture and killings and makes scores of recommendations that might offer Chicagoans some hope.
Mayor Emanuel created the task force in December, not long after the city released a police video showing a white police officer, Jason Van Dyke, executing a black teenager named Laquan McDonald on a street on the South Side of Chicago. The video contradicted a police news release saying that the young man was killed because he had been menacing the officer. Officer Van Dyke was not charged with murder until November, more than a year after the killing. There is no reason to believe that the officer would ever have been charged had a judge not ordered the city to make the video public.
The citys decision to withhold the video for 13 months even as the police presented false accounts of what had happened tapped into long-simmering rage about the injuries and deaths of other African-Americans at the hands of the police. The brutality dates back decades and includes episodes like the Police Departments execution of the Black Panther leader Fred Hampton during a raid in 1969 and the infamous midnight crew that beat and tortured black men from the 1970s to the 1990s. Besides killings, the department also has a long history of false arrests, coerced confessions and wrongful convictions.
Schools out
The Public School founders Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow are the latest designers to depart from the fashion calendar; instead, theyll show womens and mens wear together in December and June, and deliver collections to retailers a month ahead of schedule. DKNY (also helmed by Osborne and Chow), however, will still be part of New York Fashion Week.
Let me cover your lip kit in glitter; I can make it gold
Rihanna and Kendo Brands, owned by LVMH, are partnering on a makeup collection. WWD is light on info, but reported that the luxury goods conglomerate might have shelled out as much as $10 million to seal the deal.
Enter the Wu range
Heres Business of Fashion on the launch of Grey, Jason Wus new day-oriented (his descriptor) line, which runs $250 to $1,395. And a Mazel Tov to the designer on his recent marriage!
Love that top (top, top, top, top)
Beyonces first set of Ivy Park active wear finally arrived at Topshop to not a ton of fanfare. But, as one of the stores employees told Cosmo: Its different from other Topshop collaborations like the Kendall + Kylie collection that was only here for a month. This is going to be here forever.
A convicted child molestor was sentenced on Thursday to return to federal prison after failing to keep in contact with his probation officer and properly egister.
Arnold C. Burk, after multiple child molestation convictions in Georgia, was found living unregistered in Apison. The failure to register landed him in federal prison for over two years.
After finishing his sentence, however, Burk violated the conditions of his supervised release. He appeared before Judge Sandy Mattice.
Judge Mattice explained the reasoning behind the registration of sex offenders and added, We don't really like to lock people up the rest of their lives. It's expensive.
However, he made it clear that since Burk had forfeited registering, there was no option but a return to prison. Burk was sentenced to a term of 18 months.
Long story short, I had nowhere to go, said Burk. If I can get back to Kentucky, you'll never see my face again.
After serving this term, Burk will remain on supervised release for 15 years.
Try to remember what I said about alternatives, said Judge Mattice. There are two ways to do it. In jail. Out of jail. You choose.
The Salone del Mobile furniture fair, which wraps up Sunday in Milan, was the biggest yet with hundreds of exhibitors setting up all over the city. And this year, a handful of fashion brands entered the fray: some showcasing luxurious collections for the home, others unveiling fashion pieces inspired by design, and others still presenting experimental ideas not for sale. Here, some of the most interesting fashion happenings at Salone del Mobile this week.
Working with young Italian designers, Tods introduced five limited edition models of its classic Leo Clamp driving shoe. Under the direction of the architect Giulio Cappellini, each designer creatively reinterpreted the style to mimic design materials such as marble, wood and ceramic. Sold online (and in Tods Via della Spiga store), proceeds from the project will go to benefit LAbilita, a Milan-based nonprofit for families with disabled children.
With a stated goal of exploring the brands core philosophy of natural motion, Nike unveiled a sprawling warehouse filled with works by 10 compelling designers and furniture makers. Martino Gamper showed colorful drums (covered in Nikes Flyknit fabric) that connoted rhythm and pace and Max Lamb showcased hulking blocks of granite and aluminum, which glide atop a thin plane of compressed air, alluding to lightness and weight.
He is a fortress unto himself, but a fortress under siege.
The title character in Florian Zellers cold-eyed, harrowing The Father, which opened on Thursday night at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater, is often found in barricade position. He is an elegant old man, first seen dressed in stony shades of gray, seated obdurately in a gray chair, arms folded defensively. He is holding down the fort of his identity.
Everything about his posture says, Trespass at your own risk. But because this man his name is Andre is played by Frank Langella, one of the most magnetic theater actors of his generation, theres no way youre going to honor his wish for privacy. Before you know it, youve walked straight into his head, and what a lonely, frightening, embattled place it is.
The Father, which has already picked up a war chest of trophies for its French author and its leading men in productions in Paris and London, operates from an exceedingly ingenious premise. Its one that seems so obvious, when you think about it, that youre surprised that it hasnt been done regularly onstage.
Thats presenting the world through the perspective of a mind in an advancing state of dementia, making reality as relative and unfixed as it might be in a vintage Theater of the Absurd production. So, as in a play by Eugene Ionesco or the young Edward Albee or Harold Pinter, our hero finds himself in the company of people he is told he knows intimately, but whom he does not recognize. The same is true of the locations he inhabits, which are rarely what he assumes they are. (Or arent they?)
LOS ANGELES A California appeals court ruled on Thursday that the states job protections for teachers do not deprive poor and minority students of a quality education or violate their civil rights reversing a landmark lower court decision that had overturned the states teacher tenure rules.
The decision put a roadblock at least temporarily in front of a national movement, financed by several philanthropists and businesspeople, to challenge entrenched protections for teachers, championed by their unions.
Two years ago, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge struck down five California statutes connected with the awarding of tenure, as well as rules that govern the use of seniority to determine layoffs during budget crises. Ruling in a case brought by a group of nine high school students four of whom have since graduated the judge, Rolf Treu, said the statutes violated the students rights to an equal education under the California Constitution because they allowed poorly performing teachers to remain indefinitely in classrooms.
In reversing the trial courts decision, a panel of three appeals judges wrote that if ineffective teachers are in place, the statutes themselves were not to blame because it was school and district administrators who determine where teachers within a district are assigned to teach. The laws themselves, the judges wrote, do not instruct districts in where to place teachers.
Mr. Cafferata, a 21-year-old private first class, leapt out of his sleeping bag firing point-blank. For hours, armed with grenades and a rifle and wearing only socks and a light jacket, he filled the gap that casualties had left in the companys defensive line and forced the enemy to retreat.
Image Mr. Cafferata Jr. in 2010. Credit... United States Marine Corps
His commanding officer credited him with killing as many as 100 Communist Chinese troops, but reduced the number in the medal recommendation to 15 because he feared the actual count would not seem credible.
The citation that accompanied his Medal of Honor, awarded at the White House by President Harry S. Truman on Nov. 24, 1952, vividly captured Private Cafferatas gallantry:
Making a target of himself under the devastating fire from automatic weapons, rifles, grenades and mortars, he maneuvered up and down the line and delivered accurate and effective fire against the onrushing force, killing 15, wounding many more and forcing the others to withdraw so that reinforcements could move up and consolidate the position.
Later that morning, during a renewed enemy onslaught, a grenade landed in a shallow entrenchment occupied by wounded Marines, the citation said.
Private Cafferata rushed into the gully under heavy fire, seized the deadly missile in his right hand and hurled it free of his comrades before it detonated, it read, severing part of one finger and seriously wounding him in the right hand and arm.
PHOENIX The Democratic Party and the presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are expected to file a suit on Friday against officials in Arizona over last months chaotic primaries, when thousands of voters in the states most populous county waited up to five hours to cast ballots and countless others gave up or were barred because of errors and misinformation.
The complaint, which would be filed in Federal District Court here, would seek to increase the number of polling places for the November election and to prevent the state from enforcing a law signed last month by Gov. Doug Ducey that made it a felony to deliver someone elses mail-in ballot to the polls.
The law, singled out in the complaint, is among the rules enacted in Arizona and other states in recent months that could disproportionately affect minorities, older adults or people voting in their first election. The measures are being tested in the first presidential election since the Supreme Court removed the federal governments role as overseer of electoral changes by annulling a crucial provision of the Voting Rights Act in 2013.
As virtually every American knows by now, the complaint says, the management of last months primary election, which was conducted with an alarmingly inadequate number of voting centers, resulted in severe, inexcusable burdens on voters countywide, as well as the ultimate disenfranchisement of untold numbers of voters who were unable or unwilling to wait in intolerably long lines to cast their ballot for their preferred presidential candidate.
Senator Bernie Sanders, in the midst of a contentious battle for the Democratic nomination, says he could not refuse an invitation to visit the Vatican and talk about the world economy and social justice two issues at the core of his presidential campaign even if it meant he would be out of the country for days leading up to Tuesdays crucial primary in New York.
Just hours after debating Hillary Clinton in Brooklyn, Mr. Sanders will travel to Vatican City on Friday morning to deliver a 10-minute speech at a conference hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, a scholarly association that was established by Pope John Paul II in 1994.
Mr. Sanders insists the visit is not a political maneuver and that he was inspired to make the trip by Pope Francis message of caring for others and combating economic inequality. Others, however, say Mr. Sanders is not only seeking to discuss issues, but is also driven by a desire to be seen as a global leader on issues of social justice.
Mr. Sanders said in an interview on Thursday that he thought Francis has played an extraordinary role, and with great courage in getting the world to think more about the moral economy and how we have to deal with economic and environmental and social injustice.
There was little doubt, though, that the audience of donors and activists gathered at the Grand Hyatt New York in Midtown favored Mr. Trump. Many spoke with one another as Mr. Cruz and Mr. Kasich spoke, the din so audible that some attendees sought to hush the crowd by tapping silverware against their glasses.
Mr. Cruz has been dogged here by his derisive suggestion earlier in the campaign that Mr. Trump represents New York values and, while refusing to back off his characterization, has been unable to formulate an explanation for what he meant. At a debate in January he said the reference was in regard to the citys cultural liberalism, but he also pointed to the focus around money and the media in New York.
Questioned in recent days about what he meant, Mr. Cruz has sought to shift attention to the policies of the states best-known Democratic politicians, like New York Citys mayor, Bill de Blasio.
The dinner marked the first and last time the three Republican presidential hopefuls were to share a stage in New York before the states primary on Tuesday. Mr. Trump enjoys a wide lead in every survey of Republican primary voters here. And while both Mr. Kasich and Mr. Cruz have held rallies and media appearances in New York, neither has made an aggressive effort to actually try to defeat Mr. Trump in his home state. The two have left New York to appear at events in other primary states, in Mr. Cruzs case even going to California, and neither has aired ads targeting Mr. Trump.
The two best-financed anti-Trump conservative groups have also declined to spend money against the front-runner here. The groups, Club for Growth and Our Principles, both surveyed New York Republicans, but decided it was not worth the investment when more competitive states are looming in May.
Even so, Mr. Trump was loudly attacked outside the hotel, near Grand Central Terminal, as about 1,000 protesters lined the streets to denounce him. A handful even found their way into the hotel a building, as Mr. Trump noted in his remarks, he actually rebuilt in the 1970s but were ejected by the authorities before the dinner began.
SANDERS: I grew up in Brooklyn, New York...
(APPLAUSE)
... the son of an immigrant who came to this country from Poland at the age of 17 without a nickel in his pocket, never made a whole lot of money, but was a very proud American, because this country gave him and my mom the opportunity to send their kids to college.
I believe that this country has enormous potential if we have the guts to take on the big money interests who dominate our economic and political life. And I disagree with Secretary Clinton in the belief that you can get money from Wall Street, that you can get money for a super PAC from powerful special interests, and then at the end of the day do what has to be done for the working families of this country. I just dont accept that.
What I believe is that this country, if we stand together and not let the Trumps of the world divide us up, can guarantee health care to all people as a right, can have paid family and medical leave, can make public colleges and universities tuition-free, can lead the world in transforming our energy system and combatting climate change, can break up the large financial institutions, can demand that the wealthiest people in this country start paying their fair share of taxes.
And we can do that when millions of people stand up, fight back, and create a government that works for all of us, not just the 1 percent.
(APPLAUSE)
That is what the political revolution is about. That is what this campaign is about. And with your help, were going to win here in New York. Thank you. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
BLITZER: Secretary Clinton? Secretary Clinton?
CLINTON: Thank you. I am very grateful for the fact that the people of New York gave me the great honor of serving as your senator. You took a chance on me in 2000, and then you re-elected me with one of the biggest margins weve had in our state in 2006. During those years, we worked closely together. I tried to have your back, and time and time again, you had mine.
We took on the challenges of 9/11 together. We got the money to rebuild New York. We came to the aid of our brave first responders, construction workers, and others who endangered their own health by helping to save lives and search for survivors.
Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders on Thursday had the most contentious debate of their primary battle, just days before Tuesdays crucial New York contest. They clashed over Israel, the minimum wage, campaign finance, tax returns and Wall Street speeches. Commentators and critics largely scored the debate as even on substance, but the Vermont senator may have lost some style points for coming across as overly angry.
Whoever told Bernie to go relentlessly angry and negative gave him very, very bad advice. Hes come this far because of his inspiration. Jon Favreau, former speechwriter for President Obama
Takeaway: debate was a draw: Hillary scored on guns, abortion, doing your homework. Bernie scored on min wage, Soc Security $$ in politics. Teddy Davis, senior producer for CNN
There were many exchanges where Hillary seemed more knowledgeable than Bernie (for a Dem) but in the end, she came off shifty and establishment and he just didnt. He came off idealistic and change driven. Caleb Howe, conservative blogger for Red State
OTTAWA A unanimous ruling released Thursday by the Supreme Court of Canada opened up a wide range of benefits and rights to about 600,000 Canadians of mixed aboriginal and European ancestry, ending a dispute that stretches back to the countrys founding.
The court ruled that the federal government has the same obligation to the Metis, people of mixed Indian and European ancestry, and nonstatus Indians, those of aboriginal or mixed ancestry who are living in communities not recognized by the government, as to any other aboriginal group in Canada.
The decision will allow those groups to negotiate land claims with the federal government, and individuals to receive benefits, including access to health and education programs, as well as hunting and fishing rights, long limited to other aboriginal people. Moreover, the groups leaders will no longer be excluded from talks between the government and aboriginal groups.
Cheers erupted in the courts lobby as leaders from the groups descended a staircase holding copies of the Supreme Court decision above their heads.
Here is the Chattanooga Business Calendar for April 16-23:
Tuesday, April 19, Reality Check - Red Bank High School
7:30-11:30 a.m.
Red Bank High School: 640 Morrison Springs Road
Reality Check teaches 9th graders budgeting and emphasizes the connection between education and income by allowing students to role-play as heads of household while trying to provide for their families on a set budget. Community volunteers are needed to assist with this event. To volunteer for this Chattanooga Chamber career readiness program, please contact Cathy Humble at 763-4321 or chumble@chattanoogachamber.com.
Tuesday, April 19, Red Bank Council Meeting
12-1 p.m.
Red Bank Community Center: Tom Weathers Drive
Speaker: Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge, Rob Philyaw. Meetings cost $10.
Wednesday, April 20, Hixson Council Meeting
11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
North River Civic Center: 1009 Executive Dr.
Speaker: Hixson Fire Marshall and Fire Chief.
Meetings cost $10.
Wednesday, April 20, Ooltewah/Collegedale Council Meeting
9:15-10:30 a.m.
Collegedale City Hall: 4910 Swinyar Dr.
No meeting cost.
Speaker: Penny Hughey
Thurrsday, April 21, North Hamilton County Council Meeting
11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
Budweiser: 200 Shearer St.
Speaker: Rich Mozingo, Chattanooga Lookouts. Meetings cost $10.
Thursday, April 21, Business After Hours at The Honest Pint
5-7 p.m.
The Honest Pint: 35 Patten Pkwy.
Business After Hours brings an average of more than 75 area business people together for networking and refreshments. The location for Business After Hours in April is The Honest Pint, co-sponsored by Tobacco Free Chattanooga and Chattanooga Hamilton County Medical Society. To RSVP for this free event, please click HERE.
Friday, April 22, Destination China- Final Orientation and Interest Meeting
8-9:30 a.m.
Chattanooga Chamber: 811 Broad St.
Destination China: A Cultural Orientation for Businesspeople. Join the Chamber on our Destination China trip Oct. 15-24. Interested to learn more? Come to our orientation to review the Itinerary and plans over the 10- day long trip. RSVP to the meeting by calling Rachel at 763-4355 or email rtucker@chattanoogachamber.com. For more facts about cities and attractions we will visit view the event flyer HERE
April 22, International Business Council Meeting
8 a.m.
INCubator: 100 Cherokee Blvd
Speaker: Nick Wilkinson, Deputy Administrator for Economic Development
Meeting cost $10
Friday, April 22, Ribbon Cutting for The Blue Haven, Inc.
1 p.m.
The Blue Haven, Inc : 1918 Union Ave.
Join the Chattanooga Chamber for a ribbon cutting at The Blue Haven, Inc.
CARACAS, Venezuela Colombian health officials said on Thursday that they had discovered two cases of microcephaly linked to the Zika virus, the first to be confirmed in the country since the infection began to spread there late last year.
But officials said that they did not expect the birth defects to reach the scale seen in neighboring Brazil, which has had more than 1,000 cases of microcephaly, a disorder that causes infants to be born with unusually small heads.
Fernando Ruiz Gomez, Colombias deputy health minister, has estimated that 95 to 300 children might be born with microcephaly and that about 380 patients will contract Guillain-Barre syndrome, an autoimmune condition that has been tied to Zika cases and causes paralysis and, in some cases, death.
The total number of Zika infections is projected to reach 200,000 over the course of the outbreak, Mr. Ruiz said.
Winning election to Congress is a license to steal for certain figures, said Sylvio Costa, the founder of Congresso em Foco, a watchdog group that tracks legislative corruption. In this grotesque system, the biggest thieves are those who wield the most power.
Claims of misdeeds among other lawmakers do not bother some of the politicians wanting Ms. Rousseff impeached. Roberto Jefferson, a former legislator who went to prison after his conviction for his role in a vote-buying scheme, said that Mr. Cunhas talent for political double-dealing served as a strategic advantage.
The bandit Im rooting for the most is Eduardo Cunha, Mr. Jefferson said. (Several lawmakers seeking to oust Ms. Rousseff, including Mr. Cunha, either declined requests for comment or did not respond.)
One prominent supporter of Ms. Rousseff is Fernando Collor de Mello, the disgraced former president who resigned in 1992 over an influence-peddling scandal. He resurrected his political career as a senator, only to face charges now of taking bribes in the graft scheme around the national oil company.
Mr. Collors father, Arnon de Mello, set a precedent after fatally shooting a fellow senator on the Senate floor in 1963. Arnon de Mello managed to avoid prison after a court ruled that the episode was an accident because he was aiming at another senator.
As tempers flare over impeachment, some cite the example of Ivo Cassol, a senator from the Amazon. He was sentenced to more than four years in prison in 2013 by the Supreme Federal Tribunal on corruption charges related to contracts granted more than 15 years ago. (Mr. Cassol considers himself innocent in the case, a spokesman said.)
Despite the ruling, Mr. Cassol remains in the Senate, keeping the high courts decision at bay with appeals. He is now delivering some of the most impassioned speeches in favor of Ms. Rousseffs impeachment, calling her government disgraceful.
MANILA North Korea launched a missile early Friday apparently to mark the 104th birthday of its founding leader, Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of the current leader, Kim Jong-un. But the test was a failure, according to American and South Korean defense officials.
The Pentagon confirmed, somewhat indirectly, that the test involved a ballistic missile when it called the launch a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions that explicitly prohibit North Korea from using or testing ballistic missile technology.
The Defense Department said that its surveillance and radar systems detected and tracked the launch. It added that the missile launched from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America.
The test occurred while Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter was in the Philippines as part of a tour of Asia.
The vices of Ms. Chouinards work brought out the virtues of Mats Eks. As it was at its debut at Jacobs Pillow last summer, his Axe is sentimental and foolish, depicting a man who splits wood and a woman distraught that he isnt paying more attention to her. But at least Mr. Eks eccentric choreog-raphy gives the dancers something to do with their hard-earned skills, and PeiJu Chien-Pott made the most of it with her remarkable strength and snap.
Still, her pain-racked contortions are under-motivated. Its not as though her character just found out that she had been having sex with her son. Thats the truth that Jocasta must face in Grahams enduring Night Journey (1947), which towered over the new works on Thursday. It and Cave of the Heart (1946), Grahams harrowing take on the Medea myth, were vivified by live music, played by the Mannes Orchestra. Senior dancers gave solid performances. New company members showed promise: As the Chorus in Cave, Leslie Andrea Williams was unmannered and open, powerless to prevent the horror she foresees. Thats tragic; the recent commissions made by the Graham company are just bad choices.
April is the 400th anniversary of Shakespeares death. Following are a selection of events around the world marking the occasion, plus some other arts events to know about this week, from Tankwa Karoo, South Africa to Shanghai.
London
The Complete Walk Westminster to Tower Bridge, April 23-24
Short movies based on each of Shakespeares plays will screen outdoors on a two-and-a-half mile stretch of public space along the Thames for this event organized by Shakespeares Globe theater. Each film was shot on location, in places like Elsinore, Venice or Egypt. Screenings are free and the films will play continuously throughout the weekend. shakespearesglobe.com
Shakespeare400 at the National Theater National Theater, April 19-22
Britains National Theater will mark the occasion with talks by prominent theater practitioners about Shakespeares enduring legacy. Conversations include a discussion by the actor Simon Russell Beale, who played King Lear at the National, on Shakespeare and old age. The talks are part of Shakespeare400, a London-wide series organized by Kings College. shakespeare400.org
Stratford-Upon-Avon, England
Anniversary Celebrations Various venues, April 23
The Royal Shakespeare Company, based in the playwrights hometown, will host several anniversary events, including outdoor acrobatics shows, a demonstration of stage gore and a late-night fireworks display. Shakespeare Live! a broadcast featuring Helen Mirren, Benedict Cumberbatch, John Lithgow and other stars will be broadcast from the RSC on British television and in cinemas worldwide. www.rsc.org.uk
First things first: The pianist Cecil Taylor, one of the great American artists of the past century, is the subject of an imaginative exhibition and residency at the Whitney Museum of American Art for the next 10 days, called Open Plan. This kind of meticulous museum treatment is unusual for a musician, let alone an improvising or living one. You should go.
On Thursday, the night before the opening, Mr. Taylor played a concert at the far west end of an 18,200-square-foot open rectangular space on the museums fifth floor, by windows overlooking the Hudson River. Printed on the wall behind him was a poem he wrote on Feb. 12: would I come/into this light/unbidden, it began. It goes on:
to discover a
whisper of gas
& white a turning
whisk of an
unimagined
plume effortlessly
formed as out of
an esoteric vortex
It proceeds toward ideas of fragility and absence with phrases like unimaginable froth, darkened erosion, evanescence.
Mr. Taylor, now 87, is best known as a pianist of profound energy, articulation, abstraction and risk, not quite categorizable but possibly relatable to Duke Ellington and, say, Olivier Messiaen. Generally, you learn about him by hearing his records or attending his concerts, though in the last five years, those have become rare.
But Open Plan as a whole and definitely Thursdays sense-quickening performance, sometimes delicate and sometimes overflowing expands that definition. The scope of his work involves words and movement and certainly a kind of metaphysics. It does not end at the 88th key.
Indeed, if this campaigns debates in both parties have made one persuasive argument, it is this: We should ban debate audiences. Theyre tent revivals of the converted, full of staffers and supporters whose huzzahs and boos may be heartfelt but are meaningless all the same.
A debate audiences only real purpose is as a prop. It reflects the candidates like a vanity mirror, howling at the applause lines and hissing at uncomfortable arguments, cueing us how to feel. For the networks, it pumps up the excitement and drama that keep viewers coming back. Debate audiences are the laugh tracks of politics.
In the middle of the din, Mr. Blitzer, CNNs Dana Bash and Errol Louis of the NY1 news channel did a good job following up and pointing out when candidates evaded answering.
By this stage in the campaign, though, most of those questions and answers are familiar. Early on, Mr. Blitzer brought up Mr. Sanderss attacks on Mrs. Clintons qualifications; later, Ms. Bash raised Mrs. Clintons campaign-trail questioning of Mr. Sanderss bona fides as a Democrat. In between, it was sparring over banks, guns, the Middle East, once more and with feeling.
Its not as though there are no other topics to cover. Late in the debate (and during the debate from her Twitter account), Mrs. Clinton chided the panel for not asking one question about a womans right to make her own decisions about reproductive health care. (Scoring points off the moderators is another tactic were more used to seeing at Republican debates.)
HONG KONG For Chinese banks, the decision to lend to companies like Bohai Steel was for years a no-brainer. Lenders took heart from its state backing, which appeared as solid as the millions of tons of steel pipes that rolled off its production lines each year.
That ironclad image is now tarnished. Plunging demand and a worsening glut in production capacity have left Bohai Steel struggling to repay as much as $30 billion in debt. Worried creditors more than 100 of them are locked in negotiations with the company and local officials.
Chinas bad loans are on the rise, as companies that borrowed heavily in headier times struggle against a slowing Chinese economy. Underscoring the slowdown, China said on Friday that growth in the first three months of this year fell to 6.7 percent, a seven-year low. Growth might have been even slower, had China not revved up lending during the quarter a solution that could add to debt problems later on.
The stakes are high for banks and for the Communist Party, which ultimately controls wide swaths of Chinas economy.
Happy hour is coming to the initial public offerings market.
Jose Cuervo, a brand of tequila that is over two centuries old, is preparing for an I.P.O., according to people with knowledge of the matter.
The family-owned Mexican company is working with JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley to prepare for the deal, said the people, who asked not to be named because the process is still private.
The initial offering of stock could raise about $750 million, the people said. Jose Cuervo has not decided whether it will list in the United States, Britain or Mexico, one of the people said.
The Beckmann family has owned Cuervo, the top-selling tequila brand, for centuries. In 1758, Jose Antonio de Cuervo y Valdes received land in modern-day Mexico from the Spanish king and started producing tequila. The billionaire Beckmann family is made up of direct descendants of the 18th century founder. Cuervo is made in the central Mexican town known as Tequila, using blue agave from the region in its production.
Mitel Networks of Canada said on Friday that it had agreed to buy Polycom, a telecommunications and video conferencing equipment provider, for $1.8 billion in cash and stock.
The agreement came six months after the activist hedge fund Elliott Management disclosed it had taken a 6.6 percent stake in Polycom and urged the two companies to consider a merger as part of a consolidation push in the telecom equipment sector. Elliott, a $27 billion hedge fund, owns 9.7 percent of Mitel and has a reputation for shaking up technology companies.
Under the terms of the deal, Polycom investors would receive $3.12 in cash and 1.31 Mitel shares for each share of Polycom they own. The deal would value Polycom at $13.44 a share, based on Mitels closing price on Thursday.
Polycom is one of the most respected brands in the world and is synonymous with the high quality and innovative conference and video capabilities that are now the norm of everyday collaboration, Richard D. McBee, Mitels chief executive, said in a news release. The combined company will have the talent and technology needed to truly deliver integrated solutions to businesses and service providers across enterprise, mobile and cloud environments.
Lee Universitys Department of History will present the 10th Annual Tour of Historic Homes on North Ocoee, Centenary, and 21st streets near downtown Cleveland on Saturday, April 23.
Ten years ago, the faculty and students of Lee University began presenting the tour as part of the Rediscovering Historic Cleveland initiative. Since that time, they have researched and presented to the community almost forty homes, churches, and landmark buildings.
This years tour opens four more of Clevelands finest historic homes to the public:
The Cowan House (620 North Ocoee). Built on the north edge of Cleveland c. 1863, this home is one of the citys few remaining examples of antebellum residential design. Built from locally-produced brick, the house once had extensive outbuildings, including a summer kitchen which is now incorporated into the home.
The Webb House (1153 North Ocoee). This foursquare home was built in 1911 and features fireplaces, banisters and hardware on many of the doors. Recently restored by the West family, the two-story home also features a widows walk and original pine and oak flooring.
The Still Home (263 Centenary). Built in 1922, this classic bungalow stayed within the Still family for over three decades. The home features a central shed dormer, examples of period fixtures, a restored back porch and the original iron bathtub.
The Harris House (590 21st). Built as part of an early suburban subdivision that once a dairy farm, this handsome 1912 bungalow features original floors, fireplaces and wood trim.
The tours will be conducted by Lee history students completing their senior year Capstone experience, which includes a public history project (the annual spring house tour and, in the fall, the Fort Hill Cemetery Tour). Students conduct interviews, research architecture and design, write the tour guidebook, and provide commentary on the homes.
The opportunity to explore public history has given me a deeper appreciation for the communitys past and the importance of taking our work as historians and making it accessible to the public, said Brennan Zagami, senior history major at Lee.
Tour-goers will learn about what life in Cleveland would have been like around the time of each homes construction. They will also learn about architectural styles, as well as the extent to which parts of the homes have been restored, preserved and modernized to meet the needs of todays families.
Its hard to believe that the tour has already reached its ten year anniversary, said Dr. John Coats, professor of history and faculty sponsor for the tour. During that time over 3,000 guests have toured our homes. I hope that the tour, like its fall counterpart, the Fort Hill Cemetery Tour, has helped the community better connect to its history.
Tickets are available on Saturday, April 23, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at 590 21st St. The homes will be open for tours until 2 p.m. The $5 admission will support the William Snell History Scholarship at Lee University.
SunEdison, which grew from making chemicals and components for solar modules to become a giant of the renewable energy business, is preparing for bankruptcy, according to a filing with regulators on Friday.
The filing signaled the potential end to SunEdisons ambition to become the worlds leading renewable energy development company. And it comes after the fall of another clean energy company, Abengoa, which is going through proceedings in the United States and Spain as it seeks to avoid becoming that countrys largest corporate failure.
In the end, SunEdisons fall offers a cautionary tale on the dangers of trying to grow in too many directions at once, analysts said.
They got ahead of themselves, said Walter Nasdeo, managing director at Ardour Asset Management, a clean energy investor. Its a mess.
LONDON With political aftershocks still being felt after the leak of the so-called Panama Papers, the European Unions five biggest economies, including Britain and Germany, have agreed to share information on company ownership to try clamping down on tax evasion.
The deal, announced on Thursday in Washington, on the sidelines of the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund, followed days of controversy. Disclosures in the Panama Papers led the prime minister of Iceland, Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, to temporarily step aside.
They have also embarrassed Britains prime minister, David Cameron, whose fathers name appeared among the millions of documents leaked from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, describing the use of offshore tax havens by some of the worlds richest and most powerful people.
Another casualty of the leak emerged in Spain, where the minister of industry, energy and tourism, Jose Manuel Soria, quit on Friday.
Join us for New York primary live updates.
As the New York primary approaches, many of Senator Bernie Sanderss most energetic and enthusiastic supporters are members of the small but influential Working Families Party.
They have donated money, planted signs in their yards, organized rallies and phone banks, and knocked on thousands of doors on behalf of the man who many of them view as a once-in-a-lifetime dream candidate who shares their own left-of-center values.
There is just one hitch: They cannot vote for him on Tuesday.
It poses a problem, to say the least, said Jim Mays, 78, a Working Families member who lives in Olivebridge, in Ulster County. He gave a resigned laugh and checked off the ways he has shown his support for Mr. Sanders, including donating small amounts of money, talking up the candidate to his friends and setting out a lawn sign in front of his house.
Bernie represents the first time weve really had an idealistic, leftist candidate in this country in a long time, Mr. Mays said, adding, Ive definitely been waiting for him.
We are going up the ambition scale here, he said of his next goals: reducing homelessness, improving mental health services and addressing the dirt and disorder that tarnish the quality of New Yorkers lives.
The de Blasio administration wants to combine those goals with an effort to overcome the mayors image as a leader more interested in making grand pronouncements than filling potholes. It was a perception shaped by numerous missteps in Mr. de Blasios first two years in office: late arrivals to events, public comments that alienated an already skeptical police force, a feud with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, his fellow Democrat.
That image, which Mr. de Blasio has worked hard to shed, lent credibility to the notion that he could be vulnerable in the 2017 election, with potential challenges from both the right and left. But before the investigations came to light, Mr. de Blasio enjoyed rising popularity in polls, with no prominent Democrat emerging as a serious rival.
Now the inquiries as well as a race-tinged joke the mayor made during a skit he performed with Mrs. Clinton on Saturday have put Mr. de Blasio back on his heels.
He appears to be the type of political leader that those type of allegations accrue to, said Don Levy, director of the Siena Research Institute, which conducts political polls. A few years into his administration, his armor has taken a few hits and his accomplishments at this point just dont seem to have turned the tide on a growing narrative of his not being effective.
Mr. de Blasio has said he was not immediately informed about a separate federal investigation, also by the United States attorney for the Southern District, Preet Bharara, into the New York City Housing Authority, which began turning over millions of documents last year.
Likewise, the mayor said he first heard of the federal corruption investigation involving the donors, Jeremiah Reichberg and Jona S. Rechnitz, from news reports this month. The police commissioner, William J. Bratton, has said the federal authorities told him of the widening investigation in 2014. (At the time, people briefed on the matter have said, the focus was on Philip Banks III, then the highest-ranking uniformed officer, and Norman Seabrook, the head of the city correction officers union.)
To the Editor:
Re Democrats Set a Steely Tone in New York (front page, April 15):
Both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton stand out as informed and intelligent on the issues, and to watch them bicker and pick fights with each other in Thursday nights debate was borderline embarrassing.
I would think it would be better for the Democratic Party and for the nation as a whole if the two of them had a reasoned discussion on the details of their plans if elected, noting respectfully where they differ. Perhaps they might even agree to modify an idea if one of them shows a particularly good insight into solving some of the countrys more complex problems.
To see such obviously bright people demeaned by shouting at each other makes no sense.
BERNARD LANGS
New Providence, N.J.
To the Editor:
Hillary Clinton was clearly much stronger than Bernie Sanders in Thursday nights debate. Mrs. Clinton responded with great detail and substance, explaining all the work she has done and the work that needs to be done to address our societal problems, while Mr. Sanders responded with the same lines, attacking and being sarcastic with Mrs. Clinton without providing substance.
But what seemed like a policy breakthrough became a political albatross. Had Ms. Merkel refused to prosecute Mr. Bohmermann, Turkey could have pulled out of the deal. She has opted for the second, bad option, sullying her own liberal virtues.
Mr. Bohmermann got what he wanted; the clown has shown the powerful just how powerless they can be. But the affair also highlights the flaws of the Turkey deal itself.
First, theres the calculation that bowing to the interests of the Turkish government was a fair price for tamping down the far right. But national support for the right-wing Alternative for Germany party remains strong, despite decreasing numbers of refugees. Ms. Merkel has won some respite from critics within her own party, but the deal has opened a new front, with the center left attacking her for acquiescing to Mr. Erdogans demands.
Nor does it work as policy. There are still hundreds of thousands of refugees in Europe and many more on the way, and still there is no agreement on how to share the burden across the Continent. Meanwhile, human traffickers are beginning to build new routes over Libya to Italy.
But what the Bohmermann affair shows most impressively is that the deal was struck for the wrong reasons at the wrong time. It was a panic reaction. Ms. Merkel was under immense political pressure; her party, the Christian Democrats, had just suffered setbacks in three state elections. Other European leaders are facing similar problems.
Europe came to the table quarreling and desperate not as a partner, but as a beggar. Now Mr. Erdogan continues to treat Europe as such. Political realists love to cite game theory to justify their decisions; had they cracked open their textbooks for a refresher, they could have easily predicted this outcome.
Of course, the alternative cannot be to ignore Turkey; the refugee crisis has moved the worlds conflicts to our doorsteps. Germany and Europe need Turkey. And Germany and Europe will probably have to strike more than one deal with Turkey in the future, and will have to cooperate with autocratic states on many other issues. Even the center-right Christian Democrats, who have mostly blocked Turkeys path to the European Union, even when Mr. Erdogan was still on a fairly liberal course, are finally recognizing this reality, which is for the good.
But the moral of this story about being less moralistic is this: If you are divided and weak, it doesnt make sense to put on a strongman act in foreign policy. Lets hope that next time the clown not only humbles the mighty, but also enlightens them.
After several days of raucous horse-trading behind closed doors, the Ukrainian Parliament on Thursday picked Volodymyr Groysman, the speaker and a close ally of President Petro Poroshenko, as the new prime minister after the resignation of Arseniy Yatsenyuk. The choice was not a surprise the bickering had been over cabinet appointments and no great leap forward.
The exit of Mr. Yatsenyuk, once the darling of Ukraines Western supporters, should put an end to the infighting in Parliament between his supporters and Mr. Poroshenkos that had all but paralyzed the government. The squabbling and inaction have delayed disbursement of $1.7 billion in badly needed International Monetary Fund loans, part of a $17.5 billion bailout program that is contingent on progress in economic reforms and combating corruption.
Mr. Groysman echoed the concerns of Ukraines Western supporters on Thursday when he called corruption, ineffective governance and populism no less of a threat to Ukraine than the enemy in eastern Ukraine, meaning the separatists whose Russia-backed rebellion has played a major role in destabilizing Ukraines economy and politics.
It can only be hoped that Mr. Groysman means what he says and with Mr. Poroshenkos support will begin a serious offensive against the cozy links between rulers and oligarchs and the culture of corruption.
A jarring regulatory action this week against five large banks was bound to bring Wall Street to the fore in the Democratic presidential debate on Thursday. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders differ on how to handle banks that are deemed too big to fail.
The complexities of bank regulation have made it hard for the candidates to express themselves clearly on Wall Street issues. Mr. Sanders, who is quite knowledgeable on the subject, nevertheless left some readers of a recent interview with The Daily News concerned that he wasnt. On Thursday, Mrs. Clinton might have left viewers with plenty questions about what shed actually do to break up the banks.
The banking discussion started with a question about the news that sent a chill through the large banks this week. Federal regulators rejected special plans that large banks now have to draw up to show how they would go through bankruptcy in an orderly fashion. Early in the debate, CNNs Dana Bash noted that, if the five banks dont fix the plans, the regulators could, as a last resort, require them to break up.
Ms. Bash asked Mrs. Clinton: So, as president, would you call on regulators to start the process of breaking up these banks, something that the law not only allows, but actually explicitly encourages?
On the campaign trail and in Congress, Senator Bernie Sanders has frequently invoked Pope Francis, quoting his writings about the idolatry of money, sending solicitations for donations headlined Why we must listen to Pope Francis and praising the pope as a radical for speaking out with courage and brilliance about some of the most important issues facing our world.
Someone was listening. On Friday, Mr. Sanders was scheduled to fly to Rome to address the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, in effect the Vaticans in-house think tank on social, economic and environmental issues.
We invited the candidate who cites the pope the most in his campaign, and that is Senator Bernie Sanders, said Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the academys chancellor.
Monsignor Sanchez Sorondo, an Argentine who is close to the pope, said that Mr. Sanderss focus on climate change and his attention to poor people on the margins of society were very analogous to that of the pope. He said that made the Vermont senator an obvious person to invite to Fridays conference, which celebrates the 25th anniversary of an encyclical by Pope John Paul II about the potential pitfalls of the market economy after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
GPS Senior McKinley Self and junior Lily Everett have been recognized for excellence at recent events. Ms. Self, a four-year member of the GPS Girl Scout troop, received the Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting. Ms. Everett has followed in the footsteps of her grandmother and been named Soddy-Daisys Distinguished Young Woman, a title previously known as Junior Miss.
Gold Award recipients are honored for demonstrating leadership by taking charge and effecting change locally, nationally, and worldwide. Ms. Selfs Take Action project addressed a lack of school resources in Matuga, a Ugandan village, and successfully provided school supplies and funding for school uniforms. Ms. Self has participated in numerous local community service events. According to the Girl Scout Council, the award challenges girls to change the world and represents the highest achievement. The seven-step projects solve community problems, and award recipients become eligible for college scholarships. At GPS, M. Self is a Blue Crew cheerleader, member of the Key Club, senior representative on the Honor Council, a GPS Ambassador, member of National Honor Society and on the May Court.
An opportunity for scholarships was also the reason Ms. Everett entered the Distinguished Young Woman event. As the individual winner of four of the five categories considered by the judges scholarship, interview, talent, fitness, and self-expression she received $800. As the overall winner, she received $1,500 in scholarship funding. A member of the GPS contemporary dance company Terpsichord, Ms. Everetts talent portion of the contest was a 90-second dance to the Pink Panther, which was also her grandmothers talent in the 1970 Junior Miss contest. Ms. Everett will take her talent to the state contest at Lee University on July 15-16. At GPS, Ms. Everett is a Student Council representative, Key Club member, and GPS Ambassador.
WASHINGTON Inside the Supreme Courts chambers on Monday, eight justices will consider whether President Obama abused the power of his office by issuing executive actions to allow millions of undocumented immigrants to work in the country legally and protect them from deportation.
Regardless of how the justices answer that question, their ruling is certain to inflame the volatile immigration debate in the 2016 presidential campaign. The decision will also help determine whether Mr. Obama has a chance to redeem his legacy on immigration, or see it marred beyond repair.
If he wins, then overnight he goes from the president with the most deportations to the great liberator, said Kevin Appleby, the senior director of international migration policy at the Center for Migration Studies of New York. If he loses, Im afraid historians wont give him much credit for making the effort.
The ruling is not likely to come until June, a wait that will be excruciating for the White House, which has been caught between angry demands from Republicans for more border enforcement and rage among Latinos who expected more from Mr. Obama.
WASHINGTON The American Psychological Association has asked the Chicago lawyer who issued a scathing report about the organizations involvement with government interrogation programs to review information that came to light after his findings were released and determine whether he should alter his conclusions.
The lawyer, David Hoffman, said in his report in July that some officials at the association had collaborated with Pentagon officials during the Bush administration to keep the groups ethics policies in line with the Defense Departments interrogation policies.
The associations council of representatives voted overwhelmingly in August to impose strict ethics rules banning psychologists from involvement in national security interrogations. In December, the military sharply curtailed the use of psychologists at the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in response to the groups new stance.
But current and former military psychologists have disputed the findings of Mr. Hoffmans investigation, which was conducted at the request of the groups board.
A zookeeper performing a routine procedure in Palm Beach, Fla., was killed Friday by a Malayan tiger, a zoo official said.
The tiger did not escape from its enclosure but had to be subdued so that officials could reach the woman, a zoo spokeswoman, Naki Carter, told The Sun-Sentinel. The zookeeper was taken by helicopter to a hospital, where she later died.
No guests or visitors were ever in jeopardy, Ms. Carter told WSVN-TV. Guests were, nonetheless, told to barricade themselves at a gift shop. None were present during the attack, according to WPBF-TV.
In an email, Ms. Carter identified the zookeeper as Stacey Konwiser. It was not immediately clear what she was doing at the time of the attack.
In November 2011, after a police officer pepper-sprayed students who were sitting in the quad during a protest, the University of California, Davis, had to contend with an image problem as a video rapidly spread.
Though media relations might have been one part of the response, university officials were also concerned with Google relations.
The university paid at least $175,000 to two public relations firms to suppress the negative search results generated by its name, and the name of its chancellor, Linda P.B. Katehi, according to a report this week by The Sacramento Bee. The news has caused some California lawmakers to call for her resignation.
One of the firms, Nevins & Associates, based in Maryland, said it would launch an aggressive and comprehensive online campaign to eliminate the negative search results for UC Davis and the Chancellor through strategic modifications to existing and future content and generating original content as needed, according to its contract, which was obtained by The Bee through a freedom of information request. Under the contract, signed in January 2013, more than two years after the protest, the university agreed to pay $15,000 per month for six months.
BEIJING Chinas most senior uniformed military commander paid a visit in recent days to the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, the countrys Ministry of National Defense said on Friday.
The commander, Gen. Fan Changlong, appears to have been the highest-ranking Peoples Liberation Army officer ever to visit the Spratly group, a sprawling collection of islands that extends close to the Philippines.
Image Gen. Fan Changlong appears to have been the highest-ranking Peoples Liberation Army officer ever to visit the Spratly group. Credit... Pool photo by Ng Han Guan
Although the details made public about General Fans visit were sparse, his tour appeared intended to show Chinas determination to ward off any challenges to its claims over the islands, which are also the subject of claims by the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan. China calls them the Nansha Islands.
Taiwans government is scrambling to deal with the deportations in the midst of a political transition. Next month, President Ma Ying-jeou, who pursued closer ties with China during his eight years in office, will step down. His successor, Tsai Ing-wen, advocates more caution and public deliberation in cross-strait ties.
Image Foreign Minister David Lin of Taiwan said it was unclear whether Beijing was trying to force the suspects in Malaysia to go to China, but he said the group should be returned to Taiwan. Credit... Ashley Pon/Getty Images
A group of officials from Taiwan will travel to China next week to discuss the deportations, Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council said Friday.
Chinas Ministry of Public Security says the Internet telephone fraud in China has grown drastically, aided by the easy availability of peoples telephone numbers and other private data. And criminals from Taiwan able to speak Mandarin Chinese, but living beyond Chinas harsh criminal justice system have often been the perpetrators, according to Chinese news reports.
Telecommunications fraud syndicates led by Taiwanese crime suspects have set up operations in Southeast Asia, Africa and Oceania, said Xinhua, Chinas main state news agency. In recent years, complaints to the Chinese police about such fraud have grown from 20 percent to 30 percent annually, and over half of the losses in such cases went to gangs led by people from Taiwan, said Xinhua, citing official Chinese estimates.
Last year, one such gang swindled a payment manager in a local government office in southwest China and made off with 117 million renminbi, or about $18 million, the report said.
KUNDUZ, Afghanistan Taliban militants on Friday attacked several districts surrounding the northern city of Kunduz, which briefly fell to them last year. But even as Afghan officials said the security forces had successfully fought off the assault, residents expressed alarm that the insurgents were again at the citys gates.
The assault on Friday was the first major push by the Taliban after the group declared that its annual offensive had officially begun this week. But in fact, insurgent attacks and battlefield gains continued at a heavy pace all through the winter.
Intense fighting continued in multiple districts of Kunduz late on Friday, and a crucial highway connecting Kunduz to Takhar Province remained blocked. Military aircraft flew constantly over Kunduz city, which remained largely deserted during the day, and airstrikes were reported in the suburbs that had been the launchpads for last years insurgent takeover.
Tonight will be a difficult night for Kunduz, said Amruddin Wali, a member of the provincial council. The possibility of the city falling again is there.
BERLIN Turkeys president found himself in choice company when he fixed upon an obscure German law to attempt to punish a popular comic who had satirized him in crude terms. The same law, dating from 1871, had also been used to silence critics of the Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi of Iran and the Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.
Devised during an era of ruffled majesties, the law allows prosecution in Germany for insulting a foreign leader, but only with the consent of the government. It also presented Chancellor Angela Merkel with a dilemma: She could either compromise on cherished values of free speech or risk further roiling relations with a leader she needs to stem another potentially chaotic flood of refugees to Europe again this year.
On Friday, Ms. Merkel gave President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey what he was seeking. She announced that prosecution of the satirist, Jan Bohmermann, could proceed even as she added that the law allowing it would be repealed.
The attempt to split the difference did little to appease criticism that Ms. Merkel had blinked in the staring contest with Mr. Erdogan. We just experienced the beginning of the end of Chancellorship #Merkel, wrote another satirist, Oliver Kalkofe, on Twitter. I am ashamed by the lack of spine.
MOSCOW President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia misspoke when he said that the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung was owned by Goldman Sachs, an American investment bank.
We apologize to this publication, Dmitry S. Peskov, the presidents press secretary, said Friday, according to the Interfax news agency a rare step of contrition for the Kremlin. An aide had provided Mr. Putin with incorrect information during his annual Direct Line call-in show, Mr. Peskov said.
During the national television show on Thursday, Mr. Putin said that Suddeutsche Zeitung, which first obtained the Panama Papers, was controlled by Goldman Sachs, and that the bank was part of an American plot to try to embarrass Russia through revelations about offshore accounts and shell companies.
MADRID The Spanish minister of industry, energy and tourism resigned Friday morning after documents in the Panama Papers linked him to offshore investments in the Bahamas, and news reports then connected him to a company in the tax haven of Jersey.
The minister, Jose Manuel Soria, a member of the acting government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, is among the most high-profile figures to suffer politically since the release of the leaked papers, which identify companies and people suspected of using offshore bank accounts and shell companies to conceal their wealth or avoid taxes.
Last week, Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson of Iceland said he was temporarily stepping aside after documents showed that he and his wife had set up a company in the British Virgin Islands in 2007. Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain has also been the subject of scrutiny after acknowledging that he and his wife had owned shares in an offshore trust, inherited from his father, that were sold before he became prime minister in 2010.
The resignation of Mr. Soria, who has not been charged with wrongdoing, comes at a time of turmoil in Spanish politics, after inconclusive elections in December. Mr. Rajoys Popular Party won the most votes but lost its majority in Parliament, making it likely that new elections will be held in late June.
Just seven days after it was learned two people from the besieged Hamilton County Department of Education had submitted resumes to become the interim superintendent of the worst performing metro school district in the state, both were among three finalists picked by the school board last night.
Acting superintendent Kirk Kelly and Normal Park Elementary principal Jill Levine will be joined by retired Marine Col. Shaun Sadler for what appears to be nothing shy of a "goat roping" next Thursday. School Board Chairman Jonathan Welch said he hopes an interim leader can be chosen at the same time. The plan is to call a special meeting at 3:00 oclock next Thursday, allow each candidate 15 minutes to answer questions, and presumably call for a vote within the same hour.
Ironically, it took my brother and I about 15 minutes to once rope a goat that had escaped its pen on our farm when we were in junior high school. The interim job isnt quite the same -- $411 million budget, 42,000 students, five of its failing schools soon to be taken over by the state, our Algebra I scores in the "bottom 10" of 161 state districts and 60 percent of our third graders unable to read at grade level.
Yep, 15 minutes should do just fine, especially with the faint yet growing smell of a rat or the dreaded "good ole boy" network beginning to waft through a county school system that is hardly known for its success or integrity after the last three superintendents have er, left prematurely.
After the last dismal four years under the embarrassing Rick Smith, the school board itself has fallen under scrutiny for a "marked lack of oversight." This was best evidenced in a scalding report from the Tennessee Department of Education that Smith is believed to have hidden from the board for four months before it was uncovered. That was when Smith, a 32-year HCDE employee, tucked tail resigning before 9 a.m. the next morning -- and ran.
The assistant superintendent over "testing and accountability" during this time, believe it or not, was Kirk Kelly. Thats why it was so surprising a month ago when Kelly, and another alleged "good ole boy" pick, Lee McDade, were named as acting superintendents by the school board without so much as one word of public discussion. It was shocking but, wait! Three weeks later it was revealed Kelly was a candidate and hark! one week after that hes now the leading finalist.
Last night Chairman Welch tasked seven other members of the school board (Joe Galloway was absent but sent in his vote) to write the names of their top three candidates after studying the resumes they had been sent. Only one name appeared on every ballot Kirk Kelly.
As Al Michaels might scream into a Winter Olympics microphone, "Do you believe in miracles!"
Oh, please. This could easily be happenstance. I read too many sleuth books where the hero is trying to find skeletons in closets, but it is easily recognized that Kelly is the GOBs last hope of saving the plush jobs at the Central Office. Over 22 administrators under Smith were hauling in 6-figure salaries, you see, and they all adore Kirk, who is the lone black candidate and you know has been at the central office awhile. "Want another piece of Olives birthday cake? Well talk about hazing next week .. ")
Before the interim superintendents discussion, Kelly squirmed at questioning from the school board, answering questions at least seven times with the prefix, "Moving forward ", this because excuses have run out and "I dont know" is worse than " were are going to work ( or look at) that."
Levine, adored at Normal Park after her school boundaries were artfully redrawn, appears quite capable but her rap is that she has little, if any, "poor school" experience and, in what is understandable after the time she has spent in the system, has her own list of favorites, and otherwise. She is thought to be a brilliant and innovative educator but now there is a strong feeling educators arent so good at running large businesses with $40-plus million budgets..
The publics choice is Sadler, a Hixson High product whose career in the military would allow him to approach the system in an unbiased and structured way. His method is to help everybody to succeed, i.e. "The whole is the equal of the sum of the parts," but the school boards noticable pushback at the Chattanooga 2.0 education initiative, could be his undoing.
Sadler is so appealing to business and economy types who are financing the areas revolutionary education movement after it was discovered 65 percent of HCDE students at Chattanooga State were required to take remedial classes. Translated, Chattanooga employers cant find enough workers.
Chairman Welch said Thursday no plans have been set to search for a permanent superintendent and it is believed that decision will wait until after the Aug. 4 election, where four of the nine school board members are running for re-election.
As they say at the school board sometimes, "Always remember, it is our children are who are most important in this."
Critics had called the restoration lamentable, and headline writers mocked the project. Hispania Nostra, a preservationist group that advocates the protection of heritage sites, called the new look a disaster.
The design drew comparisons to a botched amateur restoration in 2012 of a nearly century-old fresco of Jesus crowned with thorns that has turned into a tourist attraction and economic bonanza for the town of Borja in northeastern Spain.
Matrera Castle, a ninth-century fortress that is privately owned, was declared a national landmark in 1985. The original plans for its restoration were altered after the north wall collapsed in 2013 because of flooding.
Mr. Quevedo Rojas said he submitted his design early this year to Architizer, a social network founded in 2009 that is a kind of Facebook for architects and that hands out awards in a range of categories. Entries were evaluated and shortlisted by 300 experts, with the finalists submitted to an online vote.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia Abdulnasser Gharem has exhibited his work in world-class museums and sold pieces at auction for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and is widely considered one of Saudi Arabias leading contemporary artists.
You would never know that from his studio in the Saudi capital. Fifteen-foot walls ring the nondescript house, blocking views into the courtyard. There is no sign or name on the door, which is outfitted with a camera to prevent unwelcome visitors. Even the neighbors dont know whats here, he said with a laugh.
That mix of renown abroad and discretion at home is part of life for an artist and social critic in this intensely conservative country where government control reigns and many people see contemporary art as haram, or forbidden, under the kingdoms austere interpretation of Islam.
But inside the walls, Mr. Gharem, 43, has created an oasis of sorts for a group of young Saudi artists to whom he serves as role model, mentor and sometime financier. This year, he will lead about 20 of the artists on a tour sponsored by a Saudi government cultural center to showcase the countrys art in the United States, with events in Houston, Los Angeles and other cities.
How did $681 million end up being deposited in the personal bank account of Malaysias prime minister, Najib Razak, last year?
Not in any corrupt way, officials insist.
Saudi Arabias foreign minister said on Thursday that an unspecified Saudi source had given a large sum of money as a genuine donation with no obligations attached. He joined top Malaysian leaders in waving away any suggestion of scandal.
For those who have never had fortunes deposited into their personal bank accounts with no obligations attached, this may sound suspicious. Indeed, Mr. Najib has been subject to fierce international scrutiny, including a United States Justice Department investigation, as he continues to deny any wrongdoing.
The Investigation
In July, news reports accused Mr. Najib of putting the huge sum in his own accounts. Critics calling for him to step down charged that at least some of the money had been criminally channeled from the 1 Malaysia Development Board, a government fund set up by Mr. Najib. More recently, Swiss investigators have said it appeared that about $4 billion had been misappropriated from Malaysian state companies.
CAIRO More than a thousand people gathered in downtown Cairo on Friday, chanting slogans denouncing President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and protesting his decision to transfer sovereignty of two islands in the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia.
The demonstration was the largest in at least two years in Egypt. And it was the most significant public challenge to Mr. Sisi by antigovernment activists who have been all but forced into the shadows by a state crackdown on dissent.
By venturing into the streets in defiance of a strictly enforced ban on political protest testing the authorities often reflexive use of force the activists appeared emboldened by recent criticism of Mr. Sisi, including from once resolute government loyalists.
The downtown protest and a handful of other demonstrations were in response to Mr. Sisis decision last week to transfer sovereignty of Tiran and Sanafir, two uninhabited islands at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea, to Saudi Arabia. The government said it was simply returning to Saudi Arabia territory that had been transferred to Egyptian control in 1950, amid concerns that Israel might seize the islands.
UNITED NATIONS Think of these as the United Nations primaries.
The nine men and women vying to be the next secretary general of the United Nations subjected themselves this week to an unprecedented question-and-answer session from ambassadors around the world. The candidates made their cases for why they should get the job and what they want the United Nations to be.
Ultimately, only one candidate will be chosen by the all-powerful five permanent members of the Security Council. He or she (there is a strong push for a woman to take the helm for the first time in the 70-year history of the organization) will take office on Jan. 1, 2017 and will immediately face some daunting global challenges, from stopping wars, to holding peacekeepers accountable for rape, to nudging governments to tackle climate change.
Over three days this week, the contenders took turns promoting their leadership skills, promising a more efficient and effective United Nations, and trying to maneuver around politically delicate questions.
None of the nine dared address the specifics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. All promised zero tolerance for sexual abuse by United Nations peacekeepers. Nearly everyone spoke favorably about refugees, even as some of their home countries have reacted less than warmly toward foreigners seeking refuge.
On its online form, Delta says it may elect to give you a rebate if 12 hours pass between the time you report the wayward bags and your receiving them. To start that process, Delta wants ticket numbers, baggage claim numbers and the file reference number it gives you when your bags dont show up. You should have your paperwork in order.
And that rebate? If Delta grants one, youll get a voucher for future use on Delta. You know, the same airline that youre super annoyed with for having left you with just your dirty winter clothes in a warm climate with no toothpaste and an infant to clothe. (We eventually bought more clothes, and Delta reimbursed us in full. At least we werent on Spirit, which reserves the right to request that you return the things you bought.)
You may forget you have that voucher, even if you are willing to fly Delta again. But youd better not forget, because it expires in a year. Delta would not disclose the percentage of passengers who end up using these vouchers. The airline does give members of its frequent flier program 2,500 frequent flier miles if they have to wait more than 20 minutes at the carousel after a domestic flight, but only if they know to ask for it via another online form and do so within three days.
DISPUTING FEES WITH YOUR CARD COMPANY Having given Delta an opportunity to fix the problem only to find that I could not get my money back, I called up American Express, my credit card issuer, to dispute the baggage fee charges. The dispute process can be an incredibly powerful tool for aggrieved consumers, and you can learn more about it in my 2013 column on the topic.
When I got a representative on the phone, however, she informed me that I was not allowed to dispute this fee. Why not? Because of an agreement that the airline has with American Express, she said.
This seemed unfair, but Id heard similar reports from consumers over the years about other card companies. According to Molly Faust, a spokeswoman for American Express, the company doesnt have much flexibility, given how airlines set up the fees in the first place. In the so-called contract of carriage, the airlines can and do declare many fees nonrefundable. When that happens, and the service is rendered, according to Ms. Faust, American Express tries to educate cardholders about how the fee rules work and generally wont be able to get them a refund.
Despite the insistence of my American Express representative on the phone, Deltas contract of carriage does not describe its baggage fees as nonrefundable, though those for United, Spirit and American do. Delta does, however, describe other fees this way. Perhaps thats why, after a lot of badgering from me, the American Express phone representative eventually filed my dispute after all. Ultimately, it was successful. Most people would not be that persistent, though.
I ask parents to think just for a second what it would be like on Christmas morning if your children ran downstairs and there were all of these presents, bright and shining, big and small, but with no name tags on them, he said. Can you imagine the free-for-all that would ensue?
Doing nothing and believing that your children will divide things without quarreling, he said, will not work. Its the denial that my children will never fight, theyll never quarrel, theyll just accept it, he said. That denial is a temptation for many people to not put the time and energy into carefully designating and selecting personal property.
Tracy Bennett, a psychologist in California, said she had to divide the estates of two parents and a stepmother in two years without guidance from any of them.
With her fathers estate, she gave up everything, even items of sentimental value, to avoid conflict with her sister, with whom she had a fraught relationship. When her stepmother died about a year after her father, mistakes made on the titles of assets in his estate led, she said, to her stepmothers family getting a house and other items that should have gone to her and her sister.
By the time she got to her mother, who had to be moved into a nursing home for dementia patients, she said, she was exhausted by her do-it-yourself approach. She hired a professional conservator and used an early version of a software tool called FairSplit that allowed her and her sister to pick what they wanted in rounds, without having any personal contact.
She said the conservator approached her sister, who lives in Idaho, and said that this was the best way to divide things equitably. This time, Ms. Bennett said, she got the things she wanted a few sentimental items plus kitchenware for a daughter moving into her own apartment. Her sister got more things, but that did not bother Ms. Bennett.
It was a good deal for her, she said. It was a great deal for me because I didnt have to talk to someone who causes me so much emotional trauma. It was a blind, fair split. If she had known what I wanted, she would have prioritized it to spite me.
The painter Carmen Herrera, who turns 101 in May, was sitting in her wheelchair on a gray day last month, waiting and watching, catlike.
She was quiet for the moment, but at any time she might toss off a teasing zinger toward an old friend who was present, or a directive to her assistant to make a minute calibration to one of her hard-edge abstract paintings.
Ms. Herrera, who has shoulder-length white hair and wire-rim glasses and was wearing a black cardigan sweater, held up a small, rectangular piece of painted vellum and compared it to the larger version of the same work, one done on paper, which was hanging on the wall of her large, floor-through home and studio on East 19th Street.
She grunted softly.
Silently assessing the diamond-shaped areas of red and blue on the canvas, Ms. Herrera was working, in her way deciding how much red, how much blue, and where the line between them would be though she was not applying paint just then.
Writers, like spies, tend to have trust issues, and David Cornwell, 84, has been both a writer and a spy. Under his own name, he once worked for British intelligence. As John le Carre, he has for the past half-century written labyrinthine novels about espionage and other sorts of subterfuge and imposture, all of which suggest that in this world its best to be very, very wary.
For the last 25 years, one of the things Mr. le Carre has trusted least has been television. Thats how long its been since he last allowed anyone to adapt one of his books for the small screen. But on Tuesday, April 19, a six-part mini-series based on his 1993 novel The Night Manager will have its premiere on AMC, and for a cautious operative like him thats pretty momentous.
The Night Manager, which stars Tom Hiddleston as a hotel desk clerk recruited by MI6 to infiltrate the dirty business of a suave arms dealer (Hugh Laurie), is a slightly more straightforward story than the first two televised le Carres, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1979) and Smileys People (1982). Those mini-series, each about the length of The Night Manager, were based on a couple of his twistiest Cold War thrillers and were so successful, both commercially and artistically, that it seemed for a time that long-form television might be just the right medium for Mr. le Carres shadowy chronicles of betrayal.
A man has been arrested in Texas for a burglary that happened on Jan. 25 at a Bradley County Piggly Wiggly Supermarket.
Bradley County deputies responded on Jan. 25, to the store in reference to a burglary. A hole had been cut into the roof of the business in order to gain access to the main office. A large safe inside that office was removed which contained U.S. currency valued at more than $10,000.
A Charleston, Tn. police officer located the stolen safe in the back of a truck that was reported stolen the same day of the burglary. While examining items left inside the truck, detectives were able to identify Christopher Lee Chambers as a suspect. Further investigation revealed that Chambers had been involved in several burglaries spanning from Texas to Tennessee with similar circumstances; a hole being cut into the roof and a safe being removed.
Chambers was located and arrested in Hopkins County, Tx., for an organized crime warrant from that jurisdiction, and is being held on a $500,000 bond. Bradley County has placed a hold for Chambers in order for him to be extradited back to the Bradley County jurisdiction on warrants for burglary and theft over $10,000.
Sheriff Eric Watson said, I want to thank my detectives along with the Charleston Police Department for their hard work during this investigation. Mr. Chambers actions affected communities across several states, and Im thankful he can no longer victimize any more businesses. Many times it takes a cooperative effort when dealing with criminal activity on this scale.
ALIBABA
The House That Jack Ma Built
By Duncan Clark
Illustrated. 287 pp. Ecco/HarperCollins Publishers. $27.99.
The personal-computer and Internet revolution that began in the late 20th century eventually took over most of the world, but its most prominent players Amazon, Apple, eBay, Google, Microsoft were distinctly American. In the 21st century, it is not impossible to imagine an Internet revolution beginning in China.
That possibility is, as with so many aspects of China, a function of scale. Alibaba, the sprawling Chinese digital marketplace, is already by some measures larger than Amazon. Its payment tool Alipay alone accounts for one-third of the $2.5 trillion global online payments market. The dizzying rise of the company is a crucial part of Chinas ascension as a global economic power, and if youve never heard of the company, rest assured that you will. When the Alibaba founder Jack Ma appeared onstage last year at a summit in Manila with Barack Obama, Obama interviewed him.
We often think of successful tech C.E.O.s climbing from the nerdy ranks of tinkering programmers, like Bill Gates, but as Alibaba, Duncan Clarks engaging biography explains, Mas humble origins gave no clue to his future then again, in 1970s China, the very idea of a homegrown technology business executive was inconceivable. Born in 1964 to a photographer and a factory worker, Ma grew up a mediocre student in the city of Hangzhou. About the only thing that set Ma apart was learning English, which he would practice by speaking to tourists passing through his hometown. One of these tourists, a vacationing Australian Communist, became a generous benefactor who even helped buy a house for young Ma and his wife.
Carters second mistake was authorizing American support to guerrillas fighting a Soviet-backed regime in Afghanistan, a move that eventually helped fuel the spread of radical Islam. Finally, in a misguided effort to counter views that he was too soft, Carter declared that the United States would respond with military force to any outside effort to seize Persian Gulf oil fields. This statement, subsequently enshrined as the Carter Doctrine, inaugurated Americas war for the greater Middle East, Bacevich writes.
This book, Bacevichs eighth, extends his string of brutal, bracing and essential critiques of the pernicious role of reflexive militarism in American foreign policy. As in past books, Bacevich is thought-provoking, profane and fearless. Assailing generals, journalists and foreign policy experts alike, he links together more than a dozen military interventions that span 35 years and declares them a single war. Bacevich analyzes each intervention, looking for common themes from Carters late 1970s missteps to Barack Obamas widespread use of assassination by drone strike today.
Washingtons penchant for intervention, Bacevich contends, is driven by more than Americas thirst for oil or the military-industrial complexs need for new enemies. In addition to these two factors, he argues that a deeply pernicious collective naivete among both Republicans and Democrats spawns interventions doomed by confusion and incoherence.
The ultimate responsibility for the United States actions lies with an oblivious American public engrossed in shallow digital enthusiasms and the worship of celebrity, Bacevich writes. Americans support freedom, democracy and prosperity in other nations, he tells us, as long as they get the lions share of it. Ensuring that Americans enjoy their rightful quota (which is to say, more than their fair share) of freedom, abundance and security comes first, Bacevich says. Everything else figures as an afterthought.
Bacevichs argument is heavy-handed at times, but when he writes about military strategy, he is genuinely incisive. Citing numerous examples, he convincingly argues that destructive myths about the efficacy of American military power blind policy makers, generals and voters. The use of overwhelming lethal force does not immediately cause dictators or terrorists to turn tail and run, even if thats what politicians in Washington want to believe. Rather, it often leads to resentment, chaos and resistance.
WHY AMERICA MISUNDERSTANDS THE WORLD
National Experience and Roots of Misperception
By Paul R. Pillar
211 pp. Columbia University, $29.95.
Alexis de Tocqueville, Louis Hartz, Richard Hofstadter, George Kennan, Reinhold Niebuhr and Walter Lippmann, among others, have claimed that Americans have a distinctive view of politics national and international. In his fine and courageous book, Pillar, a former senior intelligence official, agrees. Drawing on the insights of many of these luminaries, he shows how the American worldview contributes to misperceptions of other countries motives and actions and, consequently, to blunders abroad.
Americans have enjoyed safety from invasion thanks to peaceful borders and vast seas. They have been blessed with abundant land and bountiful resources. Their economic success has been remarkable, their military power peerless. Consequently, they consider themselves a unique people with a providential mission to spread capitalism and liberal democracy. The original settlers promised land and chosen people narrative endures. But Americans, as Pillar shows, are stunningly ignorant of others histories, cultures, languages, grievances and anxieties and self-righteous to boot. Opposition to America is thought to connote bad faith, even blind hatred. Countries economic failures are said to reflect not crippling circumstances but a deficit in American-style diligence. Belief in democracys universality sparks nation-building campaigns, and, when they flop, anger at foreigners ineptness. Anti-American leaders (a Putin or Ahmadinejad) dont represent their citizens true sentiments or are evil. Optimistic internationalism alternates with dispirited isolationism.
While Pillar illuminates several American foreign policy fumbles, he does not explain convincingly how the popular mind-set he deems so important has persisted in its essentials despite the transformations American society has undergone over two centuries. He portrays leaders as captives of a simple-minded public and only late in the book considers whether a supposedly bottom-up ideology may reflect top-down manipulation and pandering by politicians and lobbies. His claim that such machinations work only because of Americans attitudinal predispositions fails to satisfy.
Was it needless death after all? Yeats asked that question in Easter 1916, his poem about the Easter Rising, the armed insurrection by Irish republicans against British rule. That event occurred 100 years ago this month, and a fleet of new and reissued books commemorates its centenary. Heres a look at some of the most noteworthy titles on this history shelf:
The Irish scholar Fearghal McGarry, in a new preface to his book The Rising, says the weeklong battle must be considered as much a mythical as an historical event, as is reflected by the growing body of literature devoted to assessing the significance of its legacy. In Irelands Exiled Children, Robert Schmuhl writes about the financial and moral support offered to the rebellion by Irish refugees living in America, a place that could serve as a model for ending an empires rule the same empire from which it had freed itself. The 1916 Irish Rebellion, by the Notre Dame professor Briona Nic Dhiarmada, is a heavily illustrated companion to the film documentary of the same title, narrated by Liam Neeson and aired on PBS.
Some authors got a jump on the 100-year anniversary. The acclaimed Irish historian R.F. Fosters Vivid Faces was published in 2014. In the New York Review of Books, Denis Donoghue wrote that Foster wants to restore the martyrs to the ordinariness from which they came, and to present the revolutionary generation as a generation like any other: just like the American, the French, the Russian, Paris in 1968, Berkeley, any rising you care to name.
Quotable
My next book wont have any kind of historical setting at all because that is real work. There is at least two solid years of research in this book. . . . I know everything about the water and sewage system of Rye! Helen Simonson, author of The Summer Before the War, in an interview with The Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Seven new paperbacks to check out this week.
THIEVES OF STATE: Why Corruption Threatens Global Security, by Sarah Chayes. (Norton, $16.95.) Greed, cutting across businesses, governments and military organizations, has been a consistent obstacle to establishing stable democracies in a number of countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the former Soviet Union. The author, a former journalist in Afghanistan and later an adviser to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also outlines how corrupt governments can create conditions primed for violent extremism.
MAKING NICE, by Matt Sumell. (Picador, $16.) Over the course of this darkly funny debut collection, readers see Alby, an uncouth but tenderhearted antihero, turn to self-destruction to grieve his mothers death: He picks fights (especially with his own family), drinks too much and dips into his mothers stash of pain pills. But these stories show that the way out of grief is through connection with others.
PUBLISHING: A Writers Memoir, by Gail Godwin. (Bloomsbury, $16.) Godwin, the author of 14 novels, reflects on nearly five decades as a writer, and the practices and preoccupations that go along with the trade. Appearances by John Irving, Kurt Vonnegut and other literary stars lend a nostalgic tone to the memoir, but the books driving force is Godwins hunger to be published.
THE JAGUARS CHILDREN, by John Vaillant. (Mariner/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $14.95.) After trying to cross the border into the United States, Hector is trapped inside a broken-down tanker truck with other migrants, abandoned by the smugglers tasked with delivering them. As hope and resources wane, Hector sends a series of text messages to a contact hes never met, describing his journey from Oaxaca to the border, and trying to ensure his story is heard. These attempts form the framework for Vaillants first novel.
Catriona McPherson writes mystery stories that are both cozy and creepy, which accounts for the quirky charm of QUIET NEIGHBORS (Midnight Ink, $24.99). After bolting from her miserable marriage, a librarian named Jude Crowther heads for Wigtown, known as Scotlands Book Town, where eccentric old Lowell Glen gives her a job in his shop. Suddenly she was living in an Anne Tyler novel, Jude observes as she tackles the disorganized stock of 25,000 secondhand volumes. For a bonus, she gets to live rent-free in the gravediggers cottage of an old churchyard. Jude is soon seeking out books owned by its previous occupant, Todd Jolly, who used the endpapers as a personal journal with cryptic notes about his departed, or soon-to-be-departed, neighbors. The plot thickens nicely, with hints of murder and many delightful bookish asides, as when Jude assures us that, in organizing shelves, she knew to leave plenty room for Cs in crime and Ks in horror.
Some private detectives have day jobs. Junior Bender has a night job as a professional burglar. Timothy Hallinans latest comic caper, KING MAYBE (Soho Crime, $25.95), finds the wisecracking Bender in the awkward position of taking a phone call from Jake Whelan in the middle of a delicate heist involving a rare stamp. This has-been movie producer wants Bender to break into the office of a powerful movie mogul known as King Maybe (for his notorious habit of keeping projects in a perpetual state of limbo) to confirm that the King is still hanging on to a script of his. The tricky plot is plenty funny and packed with colorful characters like Stinky Tetweiler, a high-end fence; Louie the Lost, who couldnt make it as a getaway driver; and Tasha Dawn, who isnt a zombie private eye but played one on TV. The best scene, though, is the one in which Bender breaks into the Kings mansion (like Xanadu in Citizen Kane ) and finds himself unable to break out.
DESPERATE DETROIT: And Stories of Other Dire Places (Tyrus, $24.99) is a new collection from Loren D. Estleman that reads like a bunch of old yarns. That isnt exactly a bad thing, because Estleman has always favored a vintage style of hard-boiled noir. Here the assortment is more a grab bag of styles, from westerns to a vampire tale. But the best story, The Black Spot, features his trademark Detroit setting and tough-guy humor, as well as his durable antihero, the professional hit man Peter Macklin, whose assignment is to take out six targets in 10 days.
This being Detroit, automotive references abound, most inventively in the image of a mobsters hair swept back on both sides like the fenders of a 1949 Mercury. John Dillinger, the Depression-era mobster who narrates You Owe Me, informs us that his favorite automobile is a sweet black Ford V-8 sedan. In State of Grace, the car that spirits away the body of a prelate who died in the bed of a prostitute is a big Buick Electra. And Hows My Driving? makes the author think of his father, who drove a truck for 20 years and proudly belonged to Jimmy Hoffas Teamsters Local 299.
Tillmans abdication creates a power vacuum, which overwriting rushes to fill. Her metaphors dont merely mix. They have orgies. There had to be meaning, she writes. It hung morosely overhead. I could feel it following me, leaving a damp film on my skin when I got home. So meaning is a cloud? But a cloud that follows people? Maybe more like a stalker? Or a dog? But now it leaves a film on your skin. So its like a loyal cloudy stalker dog that leaves a film on people? O.K. Or: I got swept up in their conflicting perceptions of the moral dimensions that undergird the workings of a courtroom. How does one get swept up in perceptions? How do dimensions undergird?
Then there is what can only be called, with apologies to Jack Handey, Deep Thoughts, by Laura Tillman. Do moral absolutes exist, or is the world grayer than we would generally like to acknowledge? she writes. Or she will chew on a lawyers statement and wonder whether we are composed of a mixture of qualities, good and bad. Or, evoking dorm-room, weed-suffused bull sessions: It was astonishing to see the world as a single, quivering entity, rather than a set of various concerns parsed into distinct compartments. Or, with a salute to Captain Obvious: Both religion and mental illness are deeply personal.
Now, I write empty, high-minded claptrap all the time. I also delete 90 percent of what I write. About an hour ago, for instance, I cut the entire 215-word opening sequence of this review. A boss of mine once said, of an article I had drafted over several months, that I had done a terrific job of catching myself up to a conversation the world had been having without me. Now I had to delete it, and start over from where Id ended from where the world didnt yet know what it thought. Tillmans meditations on the Big Questions often read like those of someone trying to catch up to the worlds knowledge while selling that world her notes for $26.
These sins of writing are easily forgiven in a nonfiction author who swashbuckles us into some unknown world. But Tillman cannot offer this, for she herself remains guiltily removed from what she chronicles. One reads about the privilege-checking that is the rage on college campuses. This may be among the first privilege-checking books.
Tillman is burdened by being a privileged white person in a luckless, mostly brown border city. Upfront she declares this a story to which I had no innate right. There is some evidence that the parents murdered their children because of beliefs derived from Mexican folk-healing traditions. But Tillman, whose deference varies inversely with her interlocutors privilege, uncritically labels those traditions full of healing and hope. When interviewing Rubio, who decapitated his three children, Tillman says: I wanted to ask him questions about drugs and responsibility and the meaning of fatherhood, but it seemed cruel.
That Tillman finds it easier to attribute cruelty to her own research methods than to Rubios crimes tells you she is probably a sensitive and compassionate person. But this is dangerous writing. Her nonjudgmentalism has victims: the murdered children who end up being cast in this story as the collateral damage of inevitable forces.
For several years, Laurence D. Fink, chairman and chief executive of BlackRock, the money management giant, has been on a crusade, exhorting corporations to change their short-term ways. Executives should forgo tricks that reward short-term stock traders, he argues, like share buybacks purchased at high valuations. Instead, corporate managers should focus on creating value for long-term shareholders.
Its an admirable argument that has won Mr. Fink wise-man status on Wall Street and accolades in the press. Hillary Clinton has echoed his ideas on the campaign trail.
Certainly, as the head of BlackRock, Mr. Fink wields an outsize stick. With $4.6 trillion in assets and ownership of shares in roughly 15,000 companies, BlackRock is the worlds largest investment manager.
But if Mr. Fink really wants to get the attention of company executives on stock buybacks and other corporate governance issues, why doesnt BlackRock vote more often against C.E.O. pay packages of companies that play the short-term game?
I introduced my boyfriend, Ferdy, to my parents 25 years ago when he and I stayed at their home in Millbrook, N.Y. He was visiting from Bali, Indonesia, where we had met and fallen in love three years earlier. I was on break from teaching in Hong Kong, the city to which I had escaped from midlife crises of divorce and despair.
When my Hong Kong contract ended, I moved back to New York, but Ferdy and I faced substantial hurdles in getting him a tourist visa. Finally, 18 months later, I was able to pick him up at Newark Liberty International Airport and we drove to my apartment in Staten Island, near the college where I was teaching.
We kept each other warm in my apartment but braved winter during my time off so I could show him my city: Central Park, the Cloisters, MoMA, the Village. And we planned a weekend visit to my parents house in Millbrook.
What will your friend eat? my mother asked on the phone.
Whatever you make, I said. But maybe rice instead of potatoes.
Send your workplace conundrums to workologist@nytimes.com, including your name and contact information (even if you want it withheld for publication). The Workologist is a guy with well-intentioned opinions, not a professional career adviser. Letters may be edited.
I was hired by my present employer about three years ago, for a position that was a very good career move for me at the time. After about a year and a half, I was promoted to a higher, management-level position again, a great opportunity.
Fast-forward to today, and my job has become unrecognizable. It is a family-run business, and the owners have over time pushed me into taking on responsibilities that I am not at all interested in. They take the attitude that everyone should pitch in wherever necessary. I am certainly willing to help out in a bind. But I am frustrated that the job I am doing now is completely unrelated to the skills I want to hone and the direction I want my career to go.
Should I voice my frustrations, or jump ship? E.G., NEW YORK
A Workologist rule of thumb: Always have an eye out for other opportunities, to avoid the challenge of starting from scratch when an I-must-jump-ship situation emerges.
Hamilton County youth have a unique opportunity to participate in 4-H S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Camp. It will be held May 25-28 at the York 4-H Center in Crossville.This camp is open to youth currently in 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. The cost is $35.00. The registration deadline is Monday, May 9. For a registration packet, call UT / TSU Extension Hamilton County, 423-855-6113. 4-H S.T.E.M. Camp is made possible by a grant from National 4-H Council through funding from the Altria Group.
This camp will be filled with camping activities including swimming, archery, canoeing, zip line, rifle range and more. The science, technology, engineering and math activities include: robotics, wildlife, astronomy, water, archery and more. Adult and teen leaders are also needed to attend with the camping delegation. Training and background check required. Call the Extension office for an application packet. 4-H is the youth development program of The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and Tennessee State University Cooperative Extension. This program is open to all eligible youth.
Contact Nancy Rucker, Extension Agent and County Director, UT / TSU Extension Hamilton County, 423-855-6113, nrucker@tennessee.edu for more information.
Its about a middle-aged American businessman, Alan Clay divorced, broke and partly estranged from his daughter who travels to Saudi Arabia in the hope that he can get back on his feet by selling a holographic telecommunication system to King Abdullah. Aside from drinking illegal moonshine and performing amateur surgery on a lump he discovers on the back of his neck, he mostly just waits for a meeting that keeps not happening. The books epigraph comes from Waiting for Godot It is not every day that we are needed and both its setting, a literal and metaphorical desert, and black humor also owe something to Beckett.
Mr. Tykwer said that the minute he read the novel he knew there was a movie in it, one more upbeat and lighthearted than the book. He is a brainy, genre-tweaking German director best known to Americans for Run Lola Run (which, like a video game, restarts the same story over and over) and for collaborating with the Wachowski siblings on Cloud Atlas.
I am not one of those filmmakers who read everything thats out there in hopes of making a movie, he said recently from Germany, speaking on the telephone in English that differs from a native speakers only in being about twice as fast. I love reading for itself and am always trying to protect the act of reading from my own urges to look for projects.
But in the case of Hologram, he went on, its one of those mysterious things, which you cannot really explain. I immediately felt I had an instinctive film approach.
Mr. Tykwer already knew Mr. Eggers, from an unsuccessful attempt to make a mini-series of What Is the What, his novelized autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng, one of the real-life Sudanese lost boys. Even though Hologram had barely been released and Mr. Eggers wanted just to enjoy the publication process for a bit, Mr. Tykwer flew to San Francisco and insisted on talking to him.
Barely released in 1982 and all but unseen for over three decades, Kathleen Collinss Losing Ground is a lively movie as well as a ghostly one. Ms. Collins and her two male leads, Bill Gunn and Duane Jones, died long before the film resurfaced at Lincoln Center in early 2015 as part of a survey of independent African-American cinema produced in New York between 1968 and 1986.
Now a period piece, Losing Ground (out on Blu-ray and DVD from Milestone) seems also to be an anomaly not just because Ms. Collinss only feature-length film was among the first directed by an African-American woman or because Negro is the preferred term of self-description for the middle-class professionals at the center of her film. Given its self-contained milieu, arty references and cerebral humor, Losing Ground is far closer to Eric Rohmers or Woody Allens contemporary brand of haute bourgeois comedy than to Spike Lees confrontational social satire. In 2015, A. O. Scott of The New York Times described it as a bulletin from a vital and as-yet-unexplored dimension of reality.
Ms. Collins, a civil rights activist in her youth, was nearing 40 and a member of the faculty at City College in Manhattan when she began working on the film, which concerns the foundering marriage between Sara (Seret Scott), a buttoned-up philosophy professor who is introduced giving a lecture on existentialism, and Victor, an ebullient painter of abstract works played by Mr. Gunn, himself a talented filmmaker. During the course of a summer spent vacationing in a Hudson River town, their searches intertwine: Sara is seeking to understand the ecstatic experience, while Victor, a man with a roving eye, is looking to add some emotional content to his work.
That neither Sara nor Victor always inspires audience sympathy adds complexity to the characters. Ms. Scott (who appeared in the Broadway cast of Ntozake Shanges For Colored girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf and has had a long career as a theater director) plays Sara as a 19th-century schoolmarm. Awkward, unfulfilled and living inside her head, she is at once patronized by and patronizing of her glib, superficially easygoing husband.
Not long ago, Shailene Woodley, who, as the star of the Divergent films is a kind of living symbol of the millennial force field, was making her way around Columbia University, canvassing on behalf of Bernie Sanders. Campaigning for the Vermont senators presidential bid at a Northeastern university or any university, for that matter seems a little like walking into Peter Luger to persuade people to have the steak. Regardless of the advantages that accrue to Ivy League students, and whatever privileges might have landed them there in the first place, Columbia falls within the vast psychographic jurisdiction of Mr. Sanders, enemy of the indulged and fussed-over.
On the day that Ms. Woodley, who is 25, alighted on upper Broadway, she stopped a freshman named Jessica Grubesic and asked her if she wanted to participate in a phone bank. Ms. Grubesic came to Columbia from Albuquerque, where she attended private school and where her mother and father are lawyers. My parents brought me to Naral rallies when I was, like, in first grade, she told me, referring to the abortion rights organization. In some sense her political affinities were preordained. When she was approached by Ms. Woodley, Ms. Grubesic recalled, I said, I already phone-bank. What Ms. Grubesic did not disclose is that she makes calls for someone else, or rather the woman who in this context might be considered the other presidential candidate in the Democratic field.
To be 18 or 25 or in your early 30s and support Hillary Clinton can be compared to loving synthetic wool in New Zealand. It is a lonely and alienating relationship that will leave you vulnerable to accusations that you fail to appreciate the genuine, the authentic. Early in the academic year, when the notion of Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee seemed to be a foregone conclusion, Cian Saunders, also a freshman, sent an email blast to the Columbia University Democrats in an effort to start a pro-Clinton group. Three people wrote back saying they would like to be involved in helping to lead it. The group, in which Ms. Grubesic and another student, Caitlin Carey, play active roles, holds weekly meetings. Typically no more than a half-dozen people show up.
The affection for Bernie Sanders among the young transcends even certain racial divisions. Although blacks are overwhelmingly appreciative of Mrs. Clinton, exit polls in 21 primaries and caucuses suggested that more than half of black voters ages 17 to 24 favored her opponent, according to Edison Research. Among Hispanic voters in the same age group, nearly three-quarters favored Mr. Sanders, the Edison figures indicated.
At a time when taking photographs has never been easier, John Chiara shot New York City the hard way. Mr. Chiara, 44, who lives in San Francisco, built two box cameras the size of kitchen cabinets and loaded them with large sheets of photosensitive paper that produced negatives of the colors projected on it. New York is a very challenging place to photograph, because its been photographed so much, he said. It was exciting figuring out what I had to bring to it. The results are an alternate city that evokes the chaos and monumental architecture of the real thing but invites people to meditate on it rather than rush through. I wanted it to feel like a fragment of a memory, he said. Its like the visual you get when youre staring into space, trying to reconcile what you remember with what you saw. You dont get the whole thing at once. You have moments of clarity, but its elusive. The cameras each took weeks to build; the shooting took the better part of a year. With any image, he never knew quite what he had until he saw the finished print.
Bright sky became pitch black; trees glowed as if lit from within. As he worked, Mr. Chiaras relationship with the city softened and warmed. Theres no better way to fall in love with a place than to sincerely photograph it, he said. The tone did change. The city images, along with concurrent pictures Mr. Chiara took in the Hudson River Valley, are on display at the Yossi Milo Gallery, 245 10th Avenue in Chelsea, until May 21. The cameras will remain in New York until Mr. Chiara next returns.
Visitors to the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art can wander through Gothic to Goth: Romantic Era Fashion and Its Legacy and admire the array of costumes and accessories from the first half of the 19th century. They might marvel at the sumptuous dresses with complicated sleeves and impossibly small waists, the shawls and aprons hand-embroidered with intricate designs and the delicate jewelry woven from human hair.
But, if they look carefully, visitors will see that the 200 objects on view, which include paintings, prints, decorative arts and literary works, present the fashions in an instructive context. In different sections, Gothic to Goth identifies the diverse philosophies that were prevalent in Romantic-era America and demonstrates, through artistic examples, how those values determined stylistic choices.
By the final section, it is clear that trends that arose during the Romantic period continue to inspire fashion today.
Im not interested in looking at a dress and saying, Oh, how pretty, Lynne Zacek Bassett, guest curator for costumes and textiles at the Wadsworth since 2007, said. I want to know why the clothing looks the way it does, and how that has echoed up to the present.
The airmen and women at Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City keep a goldfish in their survival shop, where they gear up before missions. The swimmer, as they call it, is named Ashton, a reference to Ashton Kutcher in his role as a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in the widely mocked, cliche-ridden 2006 movie The Guardian and a wry acknowledgment that the Coast Guard is not always accorded the kind of respect reserved for other branches of the military.
But the Coast Guard plays a vital role in protecting the nations maritime interests. Since it was absorbed into the Department of Homeland Security, combating terrorism has been added to the sprawling mission carried out by its 88,000 active-duty, reserve, civilian and auxiliary men and women serving around the world. Despite the expanded responsibilities, its budget has been buffeted; in his 2015 State of the Coast Guard Address, Adm. Paul F. Zukunft, the Coast Guard commandant, said 40 percent of the acquisition budget had been slashed over the previous four years.
Im concerned that aging platforms and crumbling infrastructure continue to hinder mission success, Admiral Zukunft said. Today were seeing significant increase in demand across all of our daily activities, and it limits our ability to respond to major contingencies. Indeed, we are facing a time like none other in our nearly 225 years of service.
Air Coast Guard Station Atlantic City, at the William J. Hughes Federal Aviation Administration Technical Center at the Atlantic City International Airport, is the closest air station to New York City. It was formed in 1998 when Coast Guard Air Station Brooklyn and Group Air Station Cape May, New Jersey, were merged. The squadron comprises 10 MH-65D Dolphin helicopters. Its crews are responsible for covering hundreds of miles of coastline in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia as well as interior bays and rivers such as Chesapeake Bay, the Delaware and Hudson Rivers and Long Island Sound. Two helicopters are always ready to be airborne within 30 minutes.
Lt. Mark Bruno, 31, was the aircraft commander on duty on Feb. 25 when the call came in that a fishing vessel off the coast of the Rockaways was in trouble. At 4:30 a.m. his team was dispatched to New York City.
The Dolphin helicopter can fly faster than 160 m.p.h., but it would still take about 45 minutes to reach the Carolina Queen.
The helicopter crew members including Lt. j.g. Maggie Champlin, 32, the co-pilot; Petty Officer Second Class Kensuke Caldwell, 34, the flight mechanic; and Petty Officer Third Class Joe Glaser-Reich, 27, the rescue swimmer took off in darkness shortly before 5 a.m., knowing very little about what they might find.
The art exhibition at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook contains works that span about 80 years and they are by one artist, who is still working. That would be Mort Kunstler, 88, the subject of Mort Kunstler: The Art of Adventure.
The retrospective, which includes illustrations he created for pulp adventure magazines early in his career, starts with an accomplished pencil sketch of the artists childhood bedroom in Brooklyn, which he figures he drew when he was about 8. The most recent work in the show, made last year, is a detailed oil painting, Respect of an Army, depicting Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendering at Appomattox, Va., as Union soldiers doff their hats to him.
I start out as a kid with talent, Mr. Kunstler, an Oyster Bay resident, said with a wry smile as he showed a reporter around the exhibition, which also features many of his 1970s movie posters (The Poseidon Adventure, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three) as well as advertisements (Solarcaine for sunburn relief).
Not many warehouses come with design accolades, but one of the few remaining relics of the old Brooklyn waterfront has not one, but two distinguished architects to add some prestige.
The building that takes up the block of Kent Avenue between North Third and North Fourth Streets in Williamsburg opened as a warehouse in 1915 and was designed by Cass Gilbert, who also designed the Alexander Hamilton United States Custom House and the Woolworth Building. Now, a century later, Morris Adjmi, an architect praised for adding a modern touch to historic structures, has designed plans to convert the building to condominiums.
Opened originally as the Austin, Nichols and Company warehouse, the building became the epicenter of the largest grocery business in the world, according to Nina Nazionale, director of library operations at the New-York Historical Society. The warehouse was converted to rental apartments in 2010. It will be rechristened as the Austin Nichols House, with studios to three-bedroom condos priced from about $535,000 to $3 million. Sales start in about three weeks.
Mr. Gilbert designed the warehouse in Egyptian Revival style, with clean, bold lines emphasized by the enormous scale and proportion of the building. The warehouse was a highly efficient packaging and distribution center of various foods, spices, coffee and eventually liquor, incorporating piers and railway tracks, according to a 2005 report by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Although the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is not a city landmark; the City Council reversed its designation by the preservation commission.
Dont overlook condos. Investors have been snapping up condominiums to rent out amid the development boom, creating opportunities for high-end renters. A big concentration of investors can mean a surge in rentals when the building starts to close, said Marc Schaeffer, a real estate agent at Kleier Residential. You have to catch the timing right, said Mr. Schaeffer, who noticed a rise in rental listings at Carnegie Park, an amenity-laden condominium at Third and East 94th Street, and was able to get clients a $150-a-month discount on a two-year lease for a two-bedroom. Instead of paying $5,800 a month, with an expected increase of 2 percent to 5 percent the following year, his clients are paying $5,650 a month. We accomplished this by pitching our offer to similar listings in the same building and letting the owners broker know we were submitting the same offer to other apartments, he said. This worked because we were dealing with three different competing landlords.
End your lease in the summer. In general, rental demand picks up from May through August, when school is out, college grads move to the city and the weather is better. So when Elisabeth Polanco, a kindergarten teacher in Washington Heights, wanted to move to the city from Rockland County, N.Y., this spring, Sherry Mazzocchi, an agent at Citi Habitats, knew what to do. By asking for a 15-month lease instead of the typical yearlong term, she reduced the rent on a three-bedroom walk-up to $2,225 a month from $2,450, with an April 4 move-in date, saving her client $3,375 over the course of the lease.
Move in the dead of winter. Knowing it is harder for landlords to fill vacancies during the winter, when rental activity tends to wane, Jordan Kramer, an agent at Compass, helped Sasha Sherman and Ben Cohen knock $400 a month off a newly renovated East Village three-bedroom walk-up that was asking $6,000 in December 2014, for $4,800 in savings. The roommates, who were sharing with a third friend, initially offered $5,800 a month with a Feb. 1 move-in date. Aware that there were no other offers on the table, Mr. Kramer recommended his clients ask for another $200 off if they bumped their move up to Jan. 15. The landlord agreed. As a result, said Mr. Sherman, the sales manager for BOLD Organics, a frozen Italian foods brand based in Harlem, we got an incredible deal on a beautiful apartment.
Pay your rent upfront. For those with the means to do so, paying at least six months of rent in advance can net you a discount. Last year, Jesse Klein, a salesman at Platinum Properties, was working with a college graduate and the graduates mother, with a budget of $2,700 a month. After touring a number of apartments, they visited an open house for a $2,750-a-month alcove studio in the East Village, where they found other prospective renters lined up outside to see it. My clients mother literally took out her checkbook and said to the owners broker, I will write a check now for six months rent if you can knock it down by $100 a month, Mr. Klein said. I was like, All right, this woman means business. While not every landlord would entertain such a request, Mr. Klein said, the owners broker jumped on the phone and got the landlords consent.
Be creative. A landlord who wont budge on the rent may be willing to waive gym memberships, parking or other costs associated with a rental. In January, Kevin Djungu Sungu, an agent at Citi Habitats, helped a client secure a $2,550-a-month one-bedroom at a new rental building in Harlem that was originally listed for $2,650. In addition to paying the broker fee and offering a free months rent, the landlord agreed to increase free storage to one year from six months.
Be respectful. I think people get the impression that they have to be some kind of animal going in and negotiating, said Adam Frisch, a principal of Sierra Residential, a brokerage firm that specializes in landlord representation. What doesnt work is to call up and say, Listen, you have to send me a lower increase or Im going to sue you. Or Youre not taking the garbage out enough; Im going to get the city to give you a violation. His advice: Stick to the facts. Remind your landlord with a note that explains that you are a tenant in good standing and always pay your rent on time. If you point this out and ask politely for a reasonable rent reduction, Mr. Frisch said, often the answer will be yes.
Hazel Park, a Detroit suburb, is home to a wrestling supply shop, several family dentistry practices, and numerous Greek-American diners, but until last September, it had never seen a restaurant quite like Mabel Gray. With its artfully exposed plaster walls, perfectly mismatched vintage tableware, and a seasonal menu showcasing local ingredients and whole-animal butchery, the restaurant initially appears to have been airlifted from Brooklyn. But never mind appearances: Mabel Gray is thoroughly of, by and for Michigan.
Michigan has a very distinct approach to food, said James Rigato, the restaurants chef and co-owner. Were the second-most agriculturally diverse state behind California, and the auto industry has created its own cultural influence. But because most people dont travel here, most people dont know.
Visit Mabel Gray, named for the local folklore legend Alice Mabel Gray who lived in solitude on the shores of Lake Michigan and earned the nickname Diana of the Dunes, and youll be served a healthy helping of local pride. This is a place where Faygo, a Detroit-made soda pop, is on the menu, and where affable waiters will inform you that Michigan grows sugar beets 50 out of 52 weeks of the year. But Mr. Rigato lets his cooking deliver the most compelling lessons about his home states culinary riches.
The influence of metro Detroits Korean population is apparent in the kimchi vinaigrette that heats up a plate of Michigan honeycrisp apples, celery and yogurt, while the black and white garlic sauces drizzled on an order of hopelessly addictive crispy fried potatoes were a nod to the areas Korean and Middle Eastern communities, respectively.
Nick Wilkinson, Democratic candidate for State Senate District 10, announced Friday the senior leadership team for his campaigns finance committee, "which will work to ensure the 10th District has a champion for children, working families, and our neighborhoods."
Lee Davis, partner of Davis and Hoss Law Firm, and Kincaid Mills, managing principal at Pantheon Capital Management, will be serving as co-chairs of the finance committee. Mr. Wilkinsons campaign treasurer is Z. Cartter Patten, president at The Patten Group.
These leaders of our community exemplify the type of strong and dynamic campaign we will be running to make sure that the voices of the 10th district are being heard said Mr. Wilkinson. I am humbled by the swell of support I have received and encouraged by the excitement that our campaign is generating. It shows that the people of the 10th District are tired of our legislators being more concerned about unnecessary special interest issues than their own community. Working families are worried about real life issues, like whether or not they can get healthcare or a good education for their children. With the help of these three key community leaders and stakeholders, I look forward to mounting a well funded campaign focused on relevant issues facing this district and continuing our incredible momentum.
Mr. Wilkinson and his finance committee leadership will release additional members to be added to a finance committee, as well as a full schedule of fundraising events throughout the district and state when available.
Bio on Lee Davis:
Lee Davis is the founder of Davis & Hoss, PC. Mr. Lee represents people in federal and state court in Tennessee and throughout the country. Previous to private practice, Mr. Lee was an assistant district attorney in the Hamilton County District Attorney's office. Outside of court, Mr. Lee enjoys teaching and serving on the board of several local nonprofits. He has taught courses at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and the University of Tennessee College of Law and has published articles on DNA technology and the death penalty. He is the president elect of the Chattanooga Bar Association, serves as the board chair of ArtsBuild and on the board of Siskin Institute .
Bio on Kincaid Mills:
Kincaid Mills is managing principal of Pantheon Capital Management, a private investment partnership based in Chattanooga. He also serves on the board of governors of River Associates Investments a Private Equity Management Company also in Chattanooga. Mr. Kincaid graduated from the University of the South at Sewanee in 1992 with a BA in American studies. Mr. Kincaid is passionate about land conservation, the outdoors and his home town, Chattanooga. He currently serves on the board of the Lyndhurst Foundation, the McKenzie Family Foundation, and the McCallie School. He chairs several charitable Endowment Investment committees including the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga. He was born and raised a Yellow Dog Democrat; his mother's family has been voting the Democratic ticket since Mr. Jefferson was in the White House.
Bio on Z. Cartter Patten:
Z. Cartter Patten is an entrepreneur who has over 40 years experience as a registered investment advisor working in the firm he founded in Chattanooga. Currently he serves as the president of the Patten Group. He has served as the director of two public companies and has been on many private boards. Mr. Patten has served as a board member of American Rivers and is currently a director of the American Chestnut Foundation. He is a graduate of Princeton University and holds the CFA designation granted by the CFA Institute.
An article last week about airport design that prioritizes lofty architectural vision over comfort, Airports, Designed for Everyone but the Passenger, struck a chord with readers, who posted more than 400 comments in response to the piece. Among the many lamenting the awful state of airports were several comments lauding airports that get it right. Edited excerpts from their praise are below.
Less Grand Architecture
The less architecture the better. The Jackson Hole, Wyo., airport is basically just a flat-top barn. But there are deep-seated leather chairs with ottomans, fake fireplaces and big glass windows looking onto the mountains. There is good free Wi-Fi. Its almost as good as the local Four Seasons and probably costs much, much less than the designer airports. Its about the only airport where you get angry when they announce your flight is leaving instead of when they announce it isnt. The new Bangkok airport on the other hand has all the allegedly sophisticated exposed pipes but just looks like a German factory from the 1970s. I talked to a woman who works there. Three years in and she still gets lost.
Aurther Phleger Sparks, Nev.
Over time I have come to like EWR (Newark). Because the site is very constrained, there is little room for grand architecture. The changes have been incremental and usually for the better: more lanes, more dropoff levels, monorail between the terminals, train service to Manhattan and so on. To my mind these outweigh the many small absurdities that EWR inflicts on the unsuspecting traveler.
Some may complain, but at least you never get the feeling that money was squandered on high-concept design while the practicalities went begging.
Better times may be ahead, though. Higher wages in China and other emerging nations are now limiting the competitive advantage of those economies. And perhaps more important for Americans, as China reaches technological maturity, it is likely to shower innovations on consumers, creating a net gain for people in the United States.
China is already the major producer of solar panels and electric cars, for example. It is likely to contribute important innovations in consumer drones and driverless cars and in many other fields: The Chinese government is pouring immense resources into biotechnology, including new gene editing techniques. When it comes to mobile apps, messaging and electronic payments, China is arguably ahead of America. Imagine a future in which Chinese innovations benefit Americans just as the United States benefited Europe and vice versa.
This would mean more competition from China, of course, and lost jobs in some fields, but to simply focus on the negatives would be shortsighted. The reality is that innovators do not capture all or even most of the benefits they bring to the world. Once an idea emerges, its benefits begin to expand, and those benefits will surely spread to the United States.
What economists call skill-based technical change may also shift in a more egalitarian direction. The advent of information technology increased the value of workers and managers who could manipulate these new talents effectively, while smart software eliminated the jobs of many travel agents and paper-filing clerks. But consider a universe in which all it takes to work with a computer is to talk to it. That could lower the wages of technicians, while opening a new world where less skilled laborers could work with information technology effectively.
That new world is already emerging. Consider the Amazon Echo, a small stationary computer that responds to voice commands. It can play music, call a car service or build a shopping list. Imagine fully functional voice-activated computers created for the workplace as more people grow up with information technology at their fingertips.
MIAMI BEACH Plenty of chefs have burns on their forearms, but Bun Lais battle scars did not come from hot oven racks. His were a result of an inadvertent brush with fire coral while scuba diving for ingredients off the Florida coast.
The payoff was a tub filled with pointy little whelks, mottled periwinkles, a few bright orange crabs and some chitons oval mollusks that look like fossils with shells of interlocking plates. These would go on the menu at Prey, the pop-up restaurant he has been running for the last two months on the rooftop of the 1 Hotel South Beach here in Miami Beach.
Mr. Lai, 46, is a chef with a mission: to create sustainable menus that make good use of ingredients usually discarded or ignored, and, when possible, to exploit destructive invasive species like lionfish, Asian carp, Chesapeake Bay blue catfish, wild Everglades seaweeds and feral pigs. Its a concept he honed at his home base, Miyas Sushi in New Haven.
At a dinner last month, Mr. Lai served small bowls filled with citrus broth and those whelks, periwinkles and chitons tucked into a tangle of seaweed invasive to the Everglades. Alongside he poured sake infused with white pine needles, at once tart and sweet.
Peer Review: The geobiologist Hope Jahren her memoir, Lab Girl, hits the hardcover nonfiction list at No. 7 has found a larger audience than many scientists partly through her use of social media. Jahren is prolific on Twitter, and since 2013 has maintained a lively free-range blog, Hope Jahren Sure Can Write, that is nominally about interactions between men and women and academia but is more accurately, and haphazardly, about things (as she puts it on her masthead). What sorts of things? A tribute to Leonard Nimoy, for one: Nothing less than God himself . . . could take Spock away from us. For another, a cheese recipe written in pitch-perfect lolcat dialect: Ferst-thing ur going store to buyz 1 gallun hole milk. And yes, theres plenty about sexism in science, including a scathing reply Jahren wrote after a male colleague challenged her work in an email he mistakenly sent to her instead of their department head. Why, she asked, are there any women in science at all? I keep asking myself. Is the price that I paid and keep paying worth it? I am sure that you believe that youve struggled during your career. . . . Did you ever spend a night in a Turkish police station trying to explain the concept of rape? No? Well, I did. It can really disrupt your field season, boy howdy. She ended: You didnt ask for my advice, but I am going to give you some anyway: Learn to use your email. . . . But dont be discouraged, youre way ahead of me. Youve already learned how to type out what you really think and send it out into the world. I am just now learning how to do the same.
Epic: The CNN anchor Anderson Cooper and his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, top the hardcover nonfiction list with The Rainbow Comes and Goes, an extended conversation in which Cooper asks Vanderbilt about their (extraordinary) family history and the accrued wisdom of her 92 years. Dont let the soppy, gnomic title scare you off: Vanderbilt is frank and sometimes salty, as when she confides that she faked all her orgasms until she met Howard Hughes. My mom wasnt the kind of parent you would go to for practical advice, Cooper says. What she does know about are . . . the kind of things you discover only by living an epic life.
Leather Vampires: The Beast, the 14th title in J.R. Wards Black Dagger Brotherhood series, enters the hardcover fiction list at No. 2. Heres how Ward described the series to the website She Knows: Warrior vampires in black leather pants falling for females who hand their butts to them on a plate. O.K. then! Later in the interview, though, Ward identified a more conventional story, Elizabeth Lowells Summer Thunder (1983), as the most important romance novel shes ever read. Times have changed and so have heroes and heroines, but the core of what makes readers happy has remained the same, she said. Are you in love with the way they are in love?
Christian Family Theater is producing their first youth musical with Annie Jr. The three performances will be held April 29 at 7 p.m., April 30 at 7 p.m. May 1 at 3 p.m.
All performances will take place at Brainerd United Methodist Church, 4315 Brainerd Road, in their gymnasium located in Lundy Hall just behind the Balloon Factory on Brainerd Road.
The cast consist of 34 children and youth ranging from six years to seniors in high school. Of the 34 actors, over half are making their stage debut in CFT's production of Annie Jr.
"That's what we love to do" says CFT Executive Director and show Director Dale Dye. "We love working with children and introducing them to theatre. We are a training ground. Many of our student actors have later gone on to get leading roles with theater companies all around the Chattanooga area."
Christian Family Theater is a 501(C)3 nonprofit theater company that not only produces youth show but also runs youth theatre classes training children in acting, dance, music and voice. "We want to help lay a foundation to allow them to have successes on stage. Our goal is not just a good performance but also building self esteem and showing children that hard work pays off" said Mr. Dye. "We want everyone to come out and support all the hard work this cast has done putting on this show."
Tickets are $12 at the door. The first 100 advance tickets purchased online at www.cftchattanooga.com with the coupon code "NEWS2" will save $2 each through April 28. For group rates of 15 or more, email contact@CFTChattanooga.com.
Next week the UN will host a Special Session of the General Assembly on the World Drug Problem that will include major challenges to conventional approaches to drug policy. On Friday, April 22, please join Aram Barra (Global EMPA, 2015) of Mexico Unido Contra La Delincuencia and Stephen Rolles, Senior Policy Analyst at Transform Drug Policy Foundation for an engaging roundtable discussion that will recap the outcomes of this special session, the current terrain of drug policy debates and the future of the "war on drugs," and perspectives on the path to a new Political Declaration on drugs in 2019.
The lunchtime conversation, which is free and open to the public, will begin at noon. It will be held at NYU Wagner, the Puck Building, 2nd Floor, 295 Lafayette Street, New York, N.Y. RSVP is required at the event's registration page.
Tennessee employers have tens of thousands of open positions for qualified applicants across the state. With Tennessees latest unemployment rate at its lowest level since June 2007, there is an abundance of job openings across the state.
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips said, "With the continued decline in the state's unemployment rate, workers have many opportunities available to them when looking for a job. In March, our Jobs4TN.gov web site had over 175,000 job openings across the states 95 counties.
Tennessee is divided into 13 Local Workforce Development Areas (LWDA). The states metropolitan areas led the state in job openings. LWDA 9 is comprised of Davidson, Rutherford, Wilson and Trousdale counties and had the largest number of open positions in March with 53,401 jobs posted to Jobs4TN.gov.
Job availability is not limited to Tennessees larger cities. LWDA 2 had more than 6,600 jobs available in March and is comprised of smaller counties in East Tennessee.LWDA 11 and 12 in West Tennessee combined had just over 8,000 jobs posted on Jobs4TN.gov
Governor Bill Haslam created Jobs4TN.gov to be the place job seekers can visit and find all the tools they need to start a new career. The site offers multiple resources to Tennesseans who are searching for jobs.
Today, Orange County is home to top chefs with amazing pedigrees so its hard to imagine a time when one culinary king reigned over the local food scene.
Pascal Olhats, 62, brought approachable French cuisine to the area when he opened Tradition by Pascal nearly 30 years ago. The bistro, tucked in a Newport Beach strip mall, stood out in a community swimming in national chains and stuffy continental dining establishments.
I dont want to put down Orange County. But it was not known as a fine dining area, the French-born chef says in La Tradition, a documentary about Olhats debuting April 23 at the Newport Beach Film Festival.
The biopic was created by Irvine-based Grub Tribe, a 2-year-old production firm specializing in video portraits of Southern California chefs. After interviewing Olhats last summer for its chef series, Grub Tribe decided he deserved more screen time than their usual two-minute videos.
What hes done for the Orange County culinary scene and the chefs hes trained I just thought it would be a great story, said Jeff Fliegler, the films director and a founder of Grub Tribe.
The film chronicles the chefs journey, 40 years ago, from a small town in Normandy to Orange County.
He worked in the kitchens of Le Meridien hotel in Newport Beach, The Pirets at South Coast Plaza and Chanteclair in Irvine. He established his first restaurant in 1988, a dynamic time for O.C.s food scene other local chefs were making their mark: Bruno Serato (Anaheim White House), Zov Karamardian (Zovs Bistro in Tustin) and Alan Greeley (Golden Truffle in Costa Mesa).
Over the years, Tradition by Pascal which closed in 2012 became a culinary boot camp for some of todays finest local chefs: Florent Marneau of Marche Moderne, Greg Daniels of Haven Gastropub and Greg Moro, formerly of French 75.
These professionals and legendary French chef Hubert Keller are the heart of the 69-minute film as they pay tribute to Olhats as a pioneer, risk-taker, mentor and savvy businessman.
In the Orange County food scene, even the western United States, he has trained more of the chefs that we know today through his kitchen than anyone else, said Patrick Paddy Glennon, a veteran fishmonger for Superior Seafood in Los Angeles.
Daniels worked for Olhats straight out of culinary school.
He was a mentor to me, he said. He had a lot of success in an area that you wouldnt have expected in a little strip mall in Newport Beach.
At Tradition, Olhats made pioneering moves. He introduced Orange County to the clean, olive oil-centric cooking of Southern France his most famous dish was braised and baked sea bass. He made macarons long before they became trendy. He prohibited smoking at Tradition before it was banned in the state.
Pascal, I think, is pretty ahead of his time, Marneau said.
Olhats is known as an affable culinary legend who donates his time and talents to countless charitable organizations. But, in one of the most humorous segments of the documentary, many of the now seasoned chefs recall a more intense Olhats in the kitchen.
Pascal fired me twice, says Pascal Gimenez, of Cafe Beau Soleil in Newport Beach, with a laugh. I was a little bit crazy, I guess.
Marneau said stern kitchen discipline is the norm in France. He was used to it, but some werent. The intensity would kill most people if you dont have the backbone, Marneau said.
After operating several restaurants over the years, a mellower Olhats has prevailed. Hes enjoyed a long and successful career. Now, its time to give back.
After you find out who you are, you teach others, he said. And Im at that stage now. Im on my favorite period of my professional life.
ANAHEIM A 49-year-old man was behind bars Thursday on suspicion of robbing two Anaheim banks.
Victor Estigoy of Anaheim was arrested during a traffic stop Wednesday as he left work in Santa Ana, according to Anaheim police Sgt. Daron Wyatt.
Estigoy was accused of using fake pipe bombs in the holdups on July 15, 2013, at a Bank of America branch on Euclid Street and on March 25 of this year at a Chase Bank branch on Brookhurst Street, Wyatt said.
Detectives traced components from the March device to Estigoy, Wyatt said, and a search of his home lead to the discovery of evidence from that robbery.
He is in custody at the Anaheim Detention Facility on $100,000 bail.
WASHINGTON How far theyve come. And Im not talking about the GOP, whose front-runner representing 37 percent of the Republican electorate has repudiated post-Reagan orthodoxy on trade, entitlement reform, limited government and Pax Americana (and possibly abortion, but who knows?). Im talking about the Democrats.
The center-left, triangulating, New Democrat (Bill) Clintonism of the 1990s is dead. It expired of unnatural causes, buried definitively, if unceremoniously by its very creator.
The final chapter occurred last week when, responding to Black Lives Matter hecklers denouncing his 1994 crime bill, Bill Clinton unleashed an impassioned defense. He accused the protesters of discounting the thousands of lives, mostly black, that were saved amid the crack epidemic of the time, because gang leaders and other bad guys got locked up.
Yet the next day, the big dog came out, tail between his legs, saying he regretted the incident and almost wanted to apologize. It was a humiliating, Soviet-style recantation obviously meant to protect his wifes campaign, which depends on the African American vote to fend off Bernie Sanders.
You know Bill Clinton still believes his crime bill was justified. It certainly contributed to one of the most radical declines in crime ever recorded in this country.
Moreover, the Black Lives Matter charge that the 1994 law was an inherently racist engine for the mass incarceration of young black men is belied by the fact that it was backed by two-thirds of the Congressional Black Caucus, justly panicked at the time by the carnage wrought by the crack epidemic ravaging inner cities.
Its one thing to argue that the law overshot and is due for revision with, for example, a relaxation of its mandatory-sentence provisions. Its quite another to claim, as does Black Lives Matter, that it was a vehicle by which a racist criminal justice system destroyed the lives of young black men. Hillary Clinton, catching up to Sanders, has essentially endorsed that view.
For the man who changed the image of the Democratic Party 25 years ago by daring to challenge the reverse racism of Sister Souljah to have to bow to this new false orthodoxy, symbolizes perfectly how far the Democratic Party has traveled since the Clinton era.
But the 2016 undoing of classic Clintonism hardly stops there. Take trade. Bill promoted and passed NAFTA. Although Hillary criticized NAFTA when she ran in 2007-08, as secretary of state she returned to her traditional free-trade stance, promoting and extolling the Trans-Pacific Partnership as trades gold standard.
Now dross, apparently. She came out against the TPP, once again stampeded by Sanders and the partys Left, i.e., its base. She may not have sincerely changed her view, but shes boxed in to the partys new anti-trade consensus.
Other pillars of her husbands internationalism were already toppled, pre-2016, by the Obama presidency, often with her active collaboration. At the core of Bill Clintons foreign policy lay the notion of America as the indispensable nation. It is today quite dispensable, indeed, a nation in retreat.
Its much the same with another of Bills major achievements: welfare reform. President Obama has essentially dismantled its work requirements (with Bill Clintons acquiescence, a sign of things to come). No need for Hillary to repudiate her husbands legacy. Its been done for her.
How far has the party moved left? Under Bill Clinton, it gave up on gun control after stinging defeats in the 1994 midterms. Today, Hillary Clinton delights in attacking Sanders as soft on gun control.
It is nothing like her husbands party. Which is why she campaigns as Bernie lite they share the same goals, she says, but she can get things done. Hence the greatest irony of all: For the past decade and a half, the main propellant for the Hillary-for-president movement has been the rosy afterglow of Bills 1990s, the end-of-history era of peace, prosperity and balanced budgets.
Want it back? Vote Hillary. Thats the tease. Yet a Hillary victory would yield a Clinton Redux animated not by Bill but by Bernie.
When the Gudauskas brothers called out to the surfing community to donate unwanted boards, they thought theyd get a handful of beat-up surfboards.
They were shocked when they did the tally: 205 boards were donated to be sent to an impoverished area in Jamaica to help a surf community that is just starting to sprout up.
Were really thankful of the support and the surfing community coming together for another surf community. Its such a cool feeling, said Tanner Gudauskas, who orchestrated the board drive with his older brothers Pat and Dane.
The San Clemente brothers spent a recent morning bubble-wrapping the boards to put in a shipping container to be sent to Jamaica. Theyre expected to arrive at the end of the month.
The brothers, considered among Orange Countys best pro surfers, traveled to Jamaica in 2014 and fell in love with the people and culture.
They met Jamaican local Billy Mystic Wilmott, who began riding waves on his bodyboard in the 1960s. His home, Jamnesia, is a gathering spot for young local surfers, skateboarders, musicians and artists. The brothers spent time surfing with the locals and noticed the potential some of the younger surfers had.
But the boards the local surfers there used were beat up and barely usable. The brothers left the trip wondering what they could do to help.
They thought up the idea of a surfboard drive and teamed with Jacks Surfboards, where surfers dropped off their unwanted boards at one of their locations around Southern California through the month of March.
The Gudauskas brothers are no strangers to giving back. They regularly host Stoke-O-Rama events around the world that raise funds to help lifeguard, swimming and surfing programs. So far, theyve raised about $36,000 doing events in their hometown, Hawaii and other areas. Last year, they launched the Positive Vibe Warriors foundation, which raises money through online sales to go toward the Stoke-O-Rama fundraising efforts.
The brothers are paying the shipping cost about $4,000 out of funds theyve raised through Positive Vibe Warriors foundation.
Tanner Gudauskas said he was stoked by the variety of boards ranging from high-performance boards some of the best surfers on the island can use to advance their techniques to longboards that newbies can learn on. He said about 40 of the boards were just like new.
Were honestly just taken aback. Of course, we felt connected to it because we love Jamaica and we saw firsthand that the surfing community could grow, he said. I think (others) took it to heart and wanted to participate.
The brothers plan to meet with San Clemente lifeguards to get basic ocean safety tips to educate the youth in Jamaica on what to do in rip currents and educate them on other ocean-related dangers.
Then theyll travel to Jamaica in early May to have a big beach party with the new boards.
Their surf scene is growing, Tanner said. Were hoping its a really good step for the surfing community down there.
For more information, go to positivevibewarriors.com.
Contact the writer: lconnelly@ocregister.com
SACRAMENTO A fifth state prison is still providing substandard care despite billions of dollars spent for improvements and a decade of federal oversight, Californias inspector general reported Thursday.
Care at Wasco State Prison, 30 miles north of Bakersfield, remains inadequate, the inspector general said.
California is attempting to regain control of the prison health care system a decade after a federal judge seized control. Under federal oversight, the state has spent $2 billion for new prison medical facilities, doubled its annual prison health care budget to nearly $1.7 billion and reduced its prison population by more than 40,000 inmates.
Federal receiver J. Clark Kelso has returned medical care at two prisons to state control Folsom State Prison in June and the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad in February.
But Inspector General Robert Barton has found that a third of the 15 prisons his office has inspected still provide inadequate care.
Wasco is a reception center housing about 5,000 inmates.
Inspectors gave Wasco a failing grade in four of 15 benchmarks and cited widespread problems with determining inmates medical problems and planning their treatment, along with poor medical record-keeping. Nurses sometimes did not recognize problems with incoming inmates or failed to properly follow up if they needed more care.
In one case, nurses found during an initial health screening that an inmate had suffered a seizure a day earlier, but never sought a doctors urgent evaluation. The inmate died five days later.
We will be reviewing the report issued by the inspector general and making improvements as needed, said Kelsos spokeswoman, Joyce Hayhoe.
A day earlier, Barton reported that California Institution for Men is providing proper care for about 3,400 inmates in Chino, 35 miles east of Los Angeles. Of 15 benchmarks there, just one was inadequate. Eleven indicators were adequate and three proficient.
The inspector general previously found that prisons in Chowchilla, Delano, Susanville and Vacaville are providing inadequate care.
PLACENTIA Serenity had a full day of relaxation ahead of her.
Her nails would be trimmed and her matted fur shampooed and groomed. She could even get an oatmeal bath and a massage.
The 4-year-old German shepherd and 23 of her furry friends were in for a day of pampering Thursday at Pawsatively Elegant, a pet salon in Placentia that donated its services and shut down early for the special clients.
Its like a whole spa day experience and probably the first of their lives, said Maria Dales, director of German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County. Im so excited. This is Extreme Makeover: Shepherd Edition.
Serenity didnt always have a peaceful existence. About a week ago, she was rescued in a raid on a condemned home in Highland, a city in San Bernardino County.
She was living with 37 other pups, the bulk of whom were rescued by the Newport Beach-based rescue group, which has a kennel in Yorba Linda.
The county suspected that the animals were abandoned and left a notice on the residence asking for contact within 24 hours, officials said. When they didnt hear back, they seized the dogs 37 were German shepherds and one was a Chihuahua. The owner has since signed off on the seizure.
The rescue was the groups largest in its 18 years.
The dogs ranging 7 months to 8 years old were in bad shape. Their nails were curled over, and they had ear infections and severely matted fur. Their coats were covered in sticks, twigs and even excrement.
Ive been grooming since 1988 and Ive seen some horrible neglect, especially dealing with the rescues, but never to this degree, Pawsatively Elegant owner Christine Trovato said after a couple of hours of grooming.
Trovato took a liking to Casanova, one of the oldest in the bunch, who was so matted he could be mistaken for a sheep. She said he was the worst case shes seen, with claws curling all the way around his paw.
He was so grateful and so sweet. I got kisses, she said. We all worked on him as a group because hes an older gentlemen and has bad hips, I think. Its going to be really hard not adopting him myself.
Trovato said she was glad to offer her services, which can increase the dogs chances of getting into a home, she heard, by as much as 90 percent. Her staff of six had worked on only a handful of dogs after starting at 3 p.m., and planned to be there late into the night.
One of the things Ive noticed, even the dogs that looked the worst, they felt better afterward, Trovato said. Their personality comes out. It gives them an opportunity for their new forever home to see that.
German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County plans to place all the dogs in suitable homes in the coming months. After four to six weeks of training, the group will hold an open house for prospective owners, Dales said. The group is also looking for foster homes.
Contact the writer: jclay@ocregister.com or 714-796-6910
Top management recently changed at the Food and Drug Administration, with a new commissioner, Robert M. Califf, in the top spot. Therefore, this is a good time to review the basic principles upon which the FDA should base its decisions.
The first principle is not that the FDA is in charge of American medicine but rather that patients and their physicians are in charge of their care.
From that follows First, do no harm.
You and your physician should not have to ask the FDA for permission to use a medication. If you have a terminal illness, you should especially not have to ask the FDA for permission to live. Unfortunately, current law says that you do. The Supreme Court has ruled that you must comply with that law.
Therefore, we must change current law.
The first reform at the FDA must be compassionate, early access for the terminally ill to new drugs and treatments that have cleared Phase 1 safety approval.
With a large bureaucracy like the FDA, we have to be clear about the meaning of access. It does not mean a right to submit hundreds of pages of applications and wait for months to get approval. It means prompt access. Prompt means before you die.
Organizations like Patients for Stem Cells and the Abigail Alliance have made a courageous effort to obtain access for patients to medical advances. The Abigail Alliance has cast light on the thousands of patients who have died while waiting for the FDA to clear use of many drugs that were eventually approved.
Once safety has been addressed, the study of comparative effectiveness should not delay compassionate use of a new drug or procedure. A vain search for omniscience should certainly not delay the availability of a drug to the terminally ill. Yet comparative effectiveness review has blocked approval of drugs proven to help some patients because they do not help all patients in the same way.
No drug is safe in any combination with any other drug or combination of drugs in any dosage anywhere, for every age, race or gender. The goal of the FDA should be saving lives, not publishing exhaustive research papers. Caution and careful judgment are required, but demanding absolute certainty can kill people.
The FDA must neither forbid nor subsidize new drugs because they are too expensive but allow use by individuals or firms that can afford them. Anyone should be free to use their life savings to save their own life. Their experience will provide important information that will benefit everyone.
It is vital to maintain an environment in which firms can make significant investments in research on new medications and treatments with the prospect of a return on that investment. The FDA must give no credence to those who would prefer that patients suffer and die rather than allow anyone to make money helping them. Envy can also kill.
One certain principle that the FDA must apply: If patients have the right (as they should) to use willing physicians to help them die at the end of their lives, they must also have the right to investigational drugs that may save their lives.
These and other life-saving principles must be at the foundation of the FDA and the clinical details that determine drug safety and effectiveness.
In a constitutional republic based on an inalienable, individual right to life among other rights patients must have the unmitigated right to drugs that may keep them alive.
Richard E. Ralston is executive director of Americans for Free Choice in Medicine, Newport Beach.
A red Ferrari stolen 28 years ago from a Newport Beach car lot was recently found by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and prevented from being exported to Poland after a month-long investigation, federal officials said Thursday.
The 1981 Ferrari 308 GTSi with 45,000 miles on it is the same model actor Tom Selleck drove in the classic television show Magnum P.I.
Investigators took possession of the care on April 8. No one has been arrested.
The Ferrari valued at $50,000 now belongs to Travelers Insurance, which paid off the original owner after the car was stolen in 1987.
At the end of February, the Ferrari, which had been sold by a Los Angeles dealer to someone in Europe, was in line to be shipped out of the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport. An official from U.S. Customs and Border Protection noticed that the vehicles identification number was the same as another Ferrari exported to Norway in 2005.
That sparked an investigation with Customs preventing the car from being exported.
It was like finding a needle in a haystack, said Lee Harty, spokeswoman for Customs. Something just didnt look right.
Customs, the National Insurance Crime Bureau and the California Highway Patrol began looking into the vehicles history. It turned out that the identification number on the 1981 Ferrari actually belonged to a 1982 Ferrari, which did get shipped to Norway, said Lou Koven, an official with the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Officials traced the 1981 Ferrari going to Pennsylvania. The stolen Ferrari then made its way into the hands of a Texas man, who in 2015 sold it to a dealer in Los Angeles. The dealer flipped it to a buyer in Europe.
Between 1987 and 2005, the Ferraris whereabouts are unknown, Koven said.
Its a mystery, he said.
With the help of Ferrari representatives and Newport Beach police, investigators eventually discovered the car was stolen on July 19, 1987. It was a real connect-the-dots, Koven said.
The original owner expressed interest in buying back the car, officials said.
Koven said the the buyer from Poland, the L.A. dealer who sold it to him and the Texas owner likely had no idea the car was stolen.
Contact the writer: 714-796-6979 or chaire@ocregister.com
LAGOS, Nigeria With marches, chants and prayers, Nigerians marked Thursdays painful second anniversary of the mass abduction of the Chibok girls, still angry and frustrated the teenagers have not been found but hopeful a new video might lead to their safe return.
BRING BACK OUR GIRLS NOW & ALIVE, proclaimed a banner carried by red-shirted protesters marching in the capital of Abuja, using the phrase that made the captives a worldwide cause after their kidnap from a school in the northeastern town of Chibok by Islamic extremists of the Boko Haram militant group.
The fighters stormed and firebombed the Government Girls Secondary School on April 14, 2014, and seized 276 girls who were preparing for exams. Dozens escaped within hours, but 219 remain missing.
Boko Haram has killed and kidnapped thousands in a campaign of violence in recent years as it seeks to establish an Islamic caliphate in Africas most populous country of 170 million people that is divided almost equally between mostly Christians in the south and Muslims in the north. It has forced young men to be its fighters and girls to be sex slaves or even suicide bombers
But it was the mass kidnap in Chibok that grabbed the worlds attention. Since then, the inability of Nigerias government and military to rescue them has led, in part, to the electoral defeat of President Goodluck Jonathan.
A social media campaign using the hashtag (hash)BringBackOurGirls reached to the White House, where U.S. first lady Michelle Obama tweeted in May 2014: Our prayers are with the missing Nigerian girls and their families. Its time to (hash)BringBackOurGirls.
While much of the world has moved on, the girls are not forgotten in Nigeria, where there were marches Thursday in major cities. Hundreds chanted We want them back! as they demonstrated in Abuja.
President Muhammadu Buhari was visiting China on Thursday, but his office issued a statement that said he understands the torment, frustration and anxiety of the parents, and will not spare any effort to ensure the safe return of the girls.
Noting that thousands of people kidnapped by Boko Haram have been returned to their families, the statement added that Buhari shares the hope that the Chibok girls will ultimately be rescued and reunited with their families as well.
In Chibok, some parents of the girls joined Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Borno state Gov. Kashim Shettima and other officials at the burned-out school to pray for the safe return of the victims.
On Wednesday, CNN broadcast a proof of life video, believed made in December, that the government confirmed had been sent by Boko Haram in a bid to open negotiations over the Chibok girls. The video showed 15 girls, who have been identified by parents and schoolmates, wearing the Islamic hijab with one of them asking the government to keep unspecified promises.
They gave the date as Christmas 2015, but it was unclear how long the government has had the video. Some of the victims have not been seen since a month after the kidnap.
Chibok community leader Pogu Bitrus complained that the government had not shared the video.
It is unfortunate that they knew all these things and were communicating with the abductors but had no communication with us, he said by telephone from Abuja.
Residents of Chibok remain angry that their only school still has not been rebuilt, but it is not the only one. About 1,800 others also have been destroyed or closed because of the Islamic insurgency, and 1 million children are out of school, the U.N. childrens agency said this week. The name Boko Haram means Western education is sinful.
In the early days that followed the Chibok attack, Jonathan at first had denied there had been a mass abduction. International pressure soon forced him to accept help from the U.S., Britain and France, which sent advisers, including hostage negotiators.
U.S. and British drones located at least one group of about 80 of the girls, which was reported to Nigerias government and military, but nothing was done.
Andrew Pocock, who was British high commissioner to Nigeria until his retirement last year, told The Sunday Times magazine last month that a rescue was considered to be too dangerous.
You might have rescued a few, but many would have been killed, the magazine quoted him as saying.
Nigerias military has cited the same fears, but that has not stopped it from attacking towns and villages where Boko Haram has held thousands of captives. The military boasted last week that soldiers have rescued 11,595 civilian hostages since Feb. 26 although none has been from Chibok.
Why has the world forgotten our missing (hash)ChibokGirls, tweeted Oby Ezekwesili, one of the founders of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign.
In Washington, U.S. Rep. Frederica S. Wilson held a news conference to remind the world about the plight of the girls.
This is an anniversary that none of us thought that we would have to mark, because we thought by now we would have found the Chibok girls, and they would have been returned to their homes, to their parents, and we would just be fighting Boko Haram, said Wilson, a Florida Democrat.
Buhari has said that it is difficult to know whom to negotiate with in Boko Haram, a fractured group with several leaders that last year swore allegiance to the Islamic State group. Previous negotiations under Jonathan failed when it was discovered that officials were talking to people who were not credible.
Any negotiations also would be complicated by the fact that the girls are believed to have been broken up into smaller groups. There also have been unverified reports of some being carried across the border into Cameroon.
In January, Boko Haram offered to exchange the girls for detained insurgent leaders, but lately there have been unverified reports the extremists want millions of dollars to free them.
HIT, Iraq After clearing a street of Islamic State fighters, Maj. Salam Hussein began moving house to house. Rifling through drawers in living rooms and bedrooms, he pulled out a handful of papers, pamphlets and books all printed by the Islamic State group.
We find this (stuff) is every house, he said using a profanity. Look, this is for children, secondary school, he said holding up an exercise book with a childs drawing of an Islamic State flag on the front cover.
Maj. Hussein is with Iraqs Special Operations Forces, the countrys elite counterterrorism troops. His men are leading the fight against Islamic State in the western Iraqi town of Hit along the Euphrates river valley. While Iraqi forces say theyre now in control of most of the town, the operation has been painfully slow going.
Iraqi forces were met with tens of thousands of trapped civilians, making it difficult to call in airstrikes, and fierce resistance from Islamic State fighters. Commanders on the ground say theyve killed and captured more foreign fighters and the skill of the fighters they have been up against in Hit far outweighs what they saw in the battle for Ramadi earlier this year.
Hit is poised to be the most recent territorial victory for Iraqi forces battling Islamic State under close cover of coalition air support. After overrunning Iraqs second largest city of Mosul in 2014, Islamic State militants swept across northern and western Iraq, linking the groups territories in Iraq and Syria and declaring a caliphate. The group still controls large swaths of territory straddling the Syria-Iraq border.
Hit was a Daesh capital, it was their capital city in Anbar, said Gen. Abdel Ghani al-Asadi, the head of Iraqs counterterrorism forces, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State.
In chatter that Iraqi forces overheard from intercepted Islamic State radio communications, Islamic State fighters were saying that this is our headquarters and we will never leave this area, said Gen. al-Asadi. While Ramadi, the provincial capital of Anbar which was retaken by government forces in February, may have been a more symbolically important victory, al-Asadi said that Hit was always considered a higher priority by Islamic State.
Hit sits along a highway that connects Islamic State fighters in Iraq to the groups forces in Syria and was the last major town west of Ramadi fully under Islamic State control before the Syria border. Consolidating gains there will help pave the way for future operations further north, according to Iraqi and coalition officials.
On Thursday, Iraqi forces on the southern edge of Hit moved down the street of residential blocks, calling for coalition air support before advancing just a few dozen meters at a time. A handful of Humvees provided cover as a bulldozer erected a roadblock from rubble and abandoned vehicles to prevent potential suicide car bombings.
Shops along all the towns streets were shuttered. Some blocks appear to have been completely leveled by the fighting. The only civilians in the streets were groups of people fleeing, holding white flags and carrying bags of food, blankets and clothing.
Toward the end, there was nothing here, no doctors for my children or my mother. We just stayed in our houses, a resident identifying himself as Abu Muhammed said as he fled through the ruined streets with his family. We just had tea and sugar left in the kitchen at the end.
On the edge of another main street, an Iraqi officer freed song birds from a pet shop. If we leave them in the cages theyll just die, another officer explained.
Initially Maj. Hussein and other counterterrorism commanders thought the operation to retake Hit would only take a matter of days. Now, the push is entering its seventh week. Hussein said hes dealt with the long mission by upping his intake of energy drinks; he keeps a full cooler of them in his Humvee and said he now averages more than 20 a day.
Inside another abandoned home along the frontline, Maj. Hussein pulled out handfuls of clothing, long shirts and trousers in central Asian style, the strictly enforced dress code in Islamic State-ruled cities and towns.
See this, its the uniform of Daesh, he said, pulling out a child-sized garment. These people wanted to create a whole new generation thats why they were focusing on the children.
BRASILIA, Brazil The lower chamber of Brazils Congress on Friday began a debate on whether to impeach President Dilma Rousseff, a question that underscores deep polarization in Latin Americas largest country and most powerful economy.
The crucial vote is slated for Sunday on whether to send the measure to the Senate, where an impeachment trial would take place, prompting the presidents suspension from office.
The atmosphere in the lower Chamber of Deputies was electric at the start of the session, as Rousseffs critics festooned themselves with yellow and green ribbons and brandished placards reading Impeachment Now!
Lawmakers backing impeachment allege Rousseffs administration violated fiscal rules, using sleight of hand accounting in a bid to shore up public support. However, many of those pushing for impeachment face grave accusations of corruption themselves.
Rousseffs defenders insist she did nothing illegal, and say similar accounting techniques were used by previous presidents.
Miguel Reale Junior, author of the impeachment petition, said Rousseffs maneuvering directly led to the ills plaguing the country today, such as high inflation and periodic devaluations of the Brazilian real against the U.S. dollar.
Are you going to tell me that isnt a crime? Junior told the body, adding that the impeachment push was not a coup, as government supporters contend.
Solicitor General Jose Eduardo Cardozo argued that lawmakers should only consider the actual accusations against Rousseff.
He warned that impeachment would constitute an act of violence without precedent against democracy and the Brazilian people.
Flanked by people holding signs showing the constitution being ripped apart, Cardozo insisted the whole impeachment process was an act of personal vengeance against Rousseff by the house Speaker Eduardo Cunha.
Cunha, Cardozo alleged, was striking out at Rousseff for refusing to help him avoid an ethics probe into allegations he received millions in bribes from the sprawling corruption scheme in the Petrobras oil company.
Violence has been committed against the democratic state, Cardozo shouted, gesticulating wildly.
The drama comes as Brazil is facing problems on many fronts: the economy is expected to contract nearly 4 percent this year, the Zika virus, which causes birth defects, has become a health crisis in poor, northeastern states and the country is less than four months away from hosting the Summer Olympic Games.
The extraordinary session began just hours after the Supreme Court denied a government motion to annul the impeachment proceedings. Cardozo had argued that the process had been contaminated because lawmakers were considering things that went outside the accusations, such as the countrys worst recession in decades and the Petrobras scandal.
After a seven-hour session, the justices decided 8-2 early Friday that they should not be involved at this stage of the process.
The pro-impeachment camp needs two-thirds of the 513 votes in the lower house, or 342 votes, to send the proceedings to the Senate for a possible trial. If the Senate agreed to take it up, Rousseff would be forced to step down until the measure was voted on.
Both government and opposition forces say they have enough votes to win Sunday, but daily counts by Brazilian media suggest the opposition is much closer to victory.
TOKYO North Korea tried but failed to launch an intermediate-range missile Friday, the birthday of the countrys founder, Kim Il Sung, the South Korean military said.
North Korea appears to have tried a missile launch from the Sea of Japan area early morning today, but it is presumed to have failed, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The missile appeared to be a type called the Musudan, also known as a BM-25, the joint chiefs said. South Korean government officials warned Thursday that it had spotted a mobile launcher carrying one or two Musudan ballistic missiles near Wonsan on North Koreans east coast.
The Musudan is an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of traveling between 1,500 and 2,500 miles putting the U.S. territory of Guam within reach and of carrying a 1.3 ton nuclear warhead, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative.
North Korea has displayed the Musudan at its military parades and is believed to have supplied assembly kits for the missile to Iran, but it had never tested this model of missile before.
Jeffrey Lewis, head of the East Asia program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in California, said that the failure would reinforce the persistent denial about North Koreas capabilities.
But in fact, they will have learned a lot from this launch. Not as much as they would have learned if it had succeeded, but still something, Lewis said.
The Musudan uses the same sort of engine as submarine-launched ballistic missile that North Korea tested last year but which also failed.
Clearly they have a problem, but maybe next time it will work. It took them a couple of launches to get the Taepodong-2 going, he said, referring to the ballistic missile technology that has now put two North Korean satellites into orbit.
In a string of increasingly ferocious threats through its state media, Kim Jong Uns regime has been vowing missile launches and nuclear attacks, often with specific threats to blow up New York, Washington and the South Korean presidential Blue House.
At the same time, North Korea has been making a series of claims about technological advances, from building solid-fuel rocket engines to miniaturizing nuclear warheads. The regime recently claimed that it could send a nuclear-tipped missile to the United States mainland.
Although this has not been proven, American military officials and nonproliferation experts say that North Korea is clearly working toward this goal. The Musudan test could be part of this program.
At a hearing of a Senates armed services subcommittee this week, Brian McKeon, a senior Pentagon official, said that North Koreas weapons and missile programs posed a growing threat to the United States and its allies in East Asia.
North Korea is seeking to develop longer-range ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons to the United States and continues efforts to bring a road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile to operational capacity, he said.
Although an untested long-range missile was unlikely to be reliable, North Koreas successful satellite launches showed it was mastering the technologies that would be needed, McKeon said.
Since Kim Jong Un ordered his military to conduct a fourth nuclear test in January which North Korea claimed as a hydrogen bomb explosion, although outside experts are highly skeptical of this there has been a steady stream of projectiles emanating from North Korea.
In February, Kim oversaw the launch of what North Korean said was a satellite launch vehicle but which was widely viewed as part of an intercontinental ballistic missile program. Since then, there have been numerous short-range missile launches and rockets fired into the Sea of Japan.
North Korea is banned by United Nations Security Council resolutions from launching ballistic missiles or carrying out nuclear tests, but it continues to do so.
The international community has responded to North Koreas latest provocations with tough sanctions aimed at cutting off the states ability to procure parts and finance its weapons of mass destruction program.
This push coincided with two-month-long drills between the American and South Korean militaries, during which they are practicing their response to the collapse of North Korea. The drills, which conclude at the end of this month, include computer-simulated decapitation strikes on the North Korean leadership.
Amid this background of heightened tensions, North Korea has been preparing for two key events the anniversary of Kim Il Sungs birthday on April 15, and the first congress of the communist Workers Party in 36 years.
Kim Il Sung, the current leaders grandfather and eternal president of North Korea, died in 1994, but his birthday continues to be celebrated as the Day of the Sun in a country that is held together by a pervasive personality cult. It is usually celebrated with great fanfare in Pyongyang, often with elaborate military events.
Meanwhile, the country is in the grip of a 70 day campaign to prepare for the congress, set for early next month for the first time since 1980. Analysts expect Kim Jong Un to use the event to bolster his legitimacy.
Kim, who is only 33, is not only incredibly young by Korean standards, where age is revered, but did not have the kind of long preparation and introduction his father enjoyed. Kim Il Sung publicly groomed Kim Jong Il for two decades before his death, but Kim Jong Il had announced his son as his successor only a year before his death at the end of 2011.
Orange County payrolls expanded by 8,800 jobs in March, buoyed by a surge in professional, business and health-related positions, state officials reported Friday.
The countys year-over-year job growth of 3.1 percent and its unemployment rate, stable at 4 percent, highlighted a region that is firing on all cylinders, said Anil Puri, dean of Cal State Fullertons Mihaylo College of Business and Economics.
This is a very healthy job market for a mature economy like Orange Countys.
Californias economy featured some good news, too, with the jobless rate dipping to 5.4 percent in March from 5.5 percent the month before.
For the first time since the recession, California is no longer on the list of states with a significantly different unemployment rate from the nations, noted Stephen Levy, director of the Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy in Palo Alto.
With U.S. joblessness at 5 percent, the gap between the state and national rates (0.4 percent) is the lowest in the past nine years, he added.
Californias and the U.S. unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted; Orange Countys rate is not. State and county jobless numbers are based on a federal survey of 5,500 households.
Payroll growth is determined from a survey of 58,000 California businesses.
In Orange County, professional and business services accounted for nearly half of last months payroll growth. Year-over-year, the sector added 9,400 jobs for a 3.3 percent growth rate. Lawyers, computer systems designers and management, scientific and technical consultants were in demand.
Construction, still recovering from a deep recession-era slump, expanded at a torrid 13.8 percent rate over the past year, adding 11,900 jobs. But it remains below what it was, Puri said. Land is expensive in Orange County. And wage growth is slow, which makes it hard for people to qualify for loans or afford rising rents.
Healthcare and social assistance payrolls grew by 8,100 jobs year-over-year, a 4.7 percent jump. Economists attributed the growth to the aging population and the expansion of health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
Leisure and hospitality positions grew at a healthy 4.2 percent rate, although many of the jobs at fast-food chains and at amusement parks such as Disneyland, Orange Countys largest employer, are low-wage and part-time.
The number of unemployed in Orange County dropped to 64,200 in March from 73,900 a year earlier. But that figure does not count many part-time workers who want to work full time.
Bernardina Valenzuela, 63, was laid off in 2009 from a full-time, $17-an-hour job in accounts payable at an Irvine mortgage company that moved to Texas.
The only job she has been able to find since then is as a part-time, $11-an-hour usher at the Honda Center in Anaheim. If it werent for the help of my sister and a friend, I couldnt make ends meet, she said.
Valenzuela has applied for positions at Target, CVS, Costco and the new Great Wolf Lodge in Garden Grove. On Thursday, she was one of dozens at a Santa Ana job fair for Super King Market, which plans to hire 80 people when it moves into a former Ralphs location.
The job market is difficult, she said. They say it is not my age. But I think it is.
Manufacturing is the only major sector in Orange County which has seen payrolls diminish. Factory jobs dropped by 900, or 0.6 percent year-over-year.
This month, American Apparel laid off more about 100 garment workers in Garden Grove, part of broad Southern California retrenchment. Statewide, manufacturing jobs are down by 0.4 percent year-over-year.
Contact the writer: mroosevelt@ocregister.com; on Twitter @MargotRoosevelt
Its easy for underage teenagers to go online and illegally buy the flavored liquid nicotine that fuels e-cigarettes, UC Irvine researchers say.
These products are commonly sold in pre-filled cartridges and vials under the names e-liquids or e-juice. They are made of a mix of chemicals, colors, and fruity and sweet flavorings such as gummy bear, chocolate mint and watermelon, and varying levels of nicotine the addictive stimulant found naturally in tobacco.
In California, and at least 48 other states, its illegal to sell e-cigarettes and products to minors. But according to a study published this week in Nicotine & Tobacco Research, most online retailers arent vetting the age of their customers.
For the study, researchers at UCI and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill asked three teenagers, ages 16 and 17, to buy bottles of e-liquid online. They used their real names, addresses and Social Security numbers, but provided fake birth dates showing they were in their mid-20s.
Only four of 120 vendors rejected them, and nearly one-quarter of the companies who shipped products to the teenagers were in California, including in Orange and Los Angeles counties, said the studys lead author, UCI public health researcher Dmitriy Nikitin.
Three of the four vendors used age-verification software and the fourth company canceled the order after requiring the minor to upload an image of his ID, according to the study. More than a dozen of the companies marketed directly to minors by giving them free samples of e-liquids and candy and trinkets, including plastic balloon kits, bracelets and stickers.
The Food and Drug Administration is expected to begin regulating e-cigarette products soon, and Nikitin said the rules should include explicit requirements to use age-verification systems, warning labels and child-resistant packaging.
The internet will be the biggest challenge for regulators, said Dr. Neal Benowitz, professor of medicine at UC San Francisco.
The web is a huge issue because there are thousands of products you can buy online, he said.
That e-liquids are so readily available to youths is concerning not only because its illegal, but because of the potential health effects.
The bottom line from my opinion and most but not all researchers is that e-cigarettes are less harmful than regular cigarettes, but theyre not harmless. And we dont know all of the harms, said Benowitz.
Contact the writer: jchandler@ocregister.com and @jennakchandler on Twitter
Scott Baugh, former chair of the Republican Party of Orange County, has raised $500,000 toward a future bid for the congressional seat of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher.
Although Rohrabacher told the Register he hasnt ruled out a 2018 reelection bid, Baugh said he started fundraising in January because Rohrabacher told him he would step down by 2018 at the latest.
Dana has said to me that he wasnt looking to run in 2018 and he was looking to leave sooner with a presidential appointment, said Baugh, who has a 20-year friendship with the incumbent. I cant self-fund so Im looking to hit the ground running.
Rohrabacher, a friend and supporter of presidential candidate Ted Cruz, has said publicly that he would consider stepping down if offered a top-level post in the next administration. Otherwise, hes keeping his options open, he said Thursday.
I hope Scotts planning for something else because I might not be leaving, the Republican said. Im open to what the best alternative might be. It could be running for reelection or it could be serving in the next administration.
Rohrabacher, 68, is in his 14th two-year term and is expected to easily win reelection this year in the heavily GOP district, which extends from Seal Beach to Laguna Beach and reaches inland to include Costa Mesa, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo and parts of Little Saigon. Rohrabacher won 64 percent of the vote in the 2014 general election.
Among Californias 53 House members, only Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, has served longer than Rohrabacher.
Baugh, 53, declined to say whether he would challenge Rohrabacher if the incumbent sought another term in 2018.
Im not going to engage in speculation, he said.
While Rohrabacher hasnt endorsed him, Baugh says the incumbent gave him his blessing to raise money and prepare to campaign. Rohrabacher didnt dispute that, but the only current exit strategy he cited was a presidential appointment.
If Rohrabacher received such an appointment early in his next term, a special election would be held to fill the vacancy.
The sum raised by Baugh, detailed on disclosure forms due Friday to the Federal Election Commission, sets the bar high for other prospective candidates. At least one of those possible candidates, Republican county Supervisor Michelle Steel, has shown she has the ability to both raise large sums and fund her own campaign.
There are a lot of potential self-funders in this district, and Im just catching up to where they would be when they enter the race, Baugh said of his early fundraising efforts. I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support.
But with the plans of both Rohrabacher and Steel cloudy, its unclear what lies ahead in Baughs pursuit of a House seat.
Neither Steel nor her husband, former state GOP Chairman Shawn Steel, returned calls for comment. Rohrabacher is good friends with the Steels.
Like Baugh, GOP insider Jon Fleischman recounted Rohrabacher saying he planned to make this years run his last reelection campaign.
He did not foresee seeking re-election in 2018, noting that 30 years in Congress was a long time for anyone to serve, Fleischman wrote on his conservative Flash Report website Thursday.
Fleischman, a former executive director of the state GOP, is friends with Baugh and Rohrabacher and helped run Steels supervisor campaign.
Baugh served in the state Assembly from 1995 to 2000, including 11/2 years as GOP leader. The lawyer and businessman was county GOP chairman from 2004 to 2014.
His fundraising disclosures for the first quarter of 2016 show the vast majority of money came from Orange County residents, including many top political and business figures. They include Fleischman, state Sen. John Moorlach, former state Senate Minority Leader Dick Ackerman, Orange County Business Council CEO Lucy Dunn, developer Michael Harrah and former Irvine Co. Executive Vice President Gary Hunt.
Baugh said the money was raised without holding events or fundraisers and that he is continuing to aggressively build a war chest.
If he runs against the incumbent, whom hes long supported, hed need the money to overcome Rohrabachers advantage of incumbency. If he runs against Steel, hell likely need the money to keep pace.
In her 2014 race for a vacant county supervisors seat, Steel raised $762,000 and lent her campaign $300,000. She dominated the four-person June election with 48 percent of the vote and beat Assemblyman Allan Mansoor in the runoff, 62 percent to 38 percent. Mansoor raised $171,000.
Steels previous experience in elected office was serving on the state Board of Equalization from 2007 until she took her Board of Supervisors seat in January 2015.
Republican insiders have been talking since at least 2014 about the possibility of Steel, 60, running for Congress. Baugh and Fleischman are among those whove been privy to such conversations.
I know that shes expressed an interest and Danas told me because they are longtime friends, he would endorse her, Baugh said. Just because he gave me his blessing doesnt mean hell endorse me.
Rohrabacher, who spoke in glowing terms about both Baugh and Steel, said hes not made plans to endorse anybody yet.
I dont even know if Ill be leaving, he said. How can I endorse someone?
Contact the writer: mwisckol@ocregister.com
VATICAN CITY Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders issued a global call to action at the Vatican Friday to address immoral and unsustainable wealth inequality and poverty and warn of the consequences to future generations if solutions are not found.
He cited Pope Francis and St. John Paul II repeatedly during his speech to the Vatican conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of a landmark teaching document from John Paul on social and economic justice after the Cold War.
Sanders arrived in Rome hours after wrapping up a debate in New York Thursday night, saying the opportunity to address the Vatican conference was too meaningful to pass up. The roughly 24-hour visit precedes Tuesdays crucial New York primary, which Sanders must do well in to maintain any viable challenge against front-runner Hillary Clinton.
The Vermont senator told the audience of priests, bishops, academics and two South American presidents that rather than a world economy that looks out for the common good, we have been left with an economy operated for the top 1 percent, who get richer and richer as the working class, the young and the poor fall further and further behind.
Sanders warned that youth around the world are no longer satisfied with the status quo, which includes corrupt and broken politics and an economy of stark inequality and injustice.
They are not satisfied with the destruction of our environment by a fossil fuel industry whose greed has put short term profits ahead of climate change and the future of our planet, he said. They are calling out for a return to fairness; for an economy that defends the common good by ensuring that every person, rich or poor, has access to quality health care, nutrition and education.
He sat next to the other main guest of honor at the Vatican: Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose is renowned for his anti-imperialist, socialist rhetoric.
As he walked through Vatican Citys Perugino gate, Sanders was greeted about two dozen supporters, some of whom carried signs bearing Sanders name.
The senator told reporters that he was honored to address the conference and admired Francis message on the economy and the environment.
I know that its taking me away from the campaign trail for a day but when I received this information it was so moving to me that it was something that I could just simply not refuse to attend, he said.
Pope Francis apologized that he couldnt personally greet participants at the Vatican conference. No meeting with Sanders was expected.
Sanders was accompanied on the trip by his wife, Jane Sanders, and 10 family members, including four grandchildren.
His talk was titled The Urgency of a Moral Economy: Reflections on the 25th Anniversary of Centesimus Annus. The conference was organized by a Vatican advisory group comparable to a think-tank that Francis appointed to guide him on a wide range of public policy issues.
Back home, Clinton holds a significant delegate lead against Sanders, but the senator has vowed to stay in the campaign until the partys July convention. His message calling for a political revolution to address wealth inequality and the influence of Wall Street on U.S. politics has galvanized many Democrats and independents.
Despite being enmeshed in an increasingly bitter campaign against Clinton, Sanders aides said the trip was not aimed at appealing to Catholic voters who comprise a large share of the Democratic electorate in New York and an upcoming contest in Pennsylvania.
This is not going to be a political speech, Sanders senior adviser Tad Devine said. Were not looking at this through a political lens.
The Vatican has been loath to get involved in electoral campaigns and usually tries to avoid any perception of partisanship involving the pope. Popes rarely travel to countries during the thick of political campaigns, knowing a papal photo opportunity with a sitting head of state could be exploited for political ends.
As a result, the invitation to Sanders to address the Vatican conference raised eyebrows and allegations that the senator lobbied for the invitation.
The chancellor for the pontifical academy, Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, has said he invited Sanders because he was the only U.S. presidential candidate who showed deep interest in the teachings of Francis.
Other attendees included Morales of Bolivia and President Rafael Correa of Ecuador, along with Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, a member of the academy, and Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs, an adviser to the United Nations on environmental and sustainability issues. Sachs has advised Sanders on foreign policy issues.
Morales met for about a half-hour Friday morning with Francis before heading into the conference. Morales raised eyebrows with an unusual gift for the pontiff: three books about the health benefits of the coca leaf, the raw ingredient for cocaine.
The Rev. Matt Malone, editor of the Jesuit magazine America, said Sanders trip was unlikely to have much of an impact on Catholic voters, noting that conferences like the one Sanders is attending happen all the time.
I dont think that Bernie Sanders going to the Vatican is going to help Bernie with Catholics any more than Ted Cruz going to a matzo factory is going to help him with the Jewish vote, said Malone, who served as a speechwriter to former Rep. Marty Meehan, a Massachusetts Democrat.
Popes rarely attend such events and do so only if the topic is of special interest and there is room in their schedule, Malone said.
Speculation about the political fate of Pakistans embattled prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, was swirling Thursday after he left the country in the middle of an unfolding scandal over his familys offshore wealth.
Opposition politicians have pressed Sharif to resign after the Panama Papers document leak revealed that three of his children controlled shell companies through which they owned expensive residential properties in London. Demands have picked up for a judicial commission under the countrys chief justice to investigate any potential wrongdoing by the prime minister and his family.
Sharif has rejected any allegations of money laundering, claiming that his children have legitimate business abroad, and he has signaled his willingness to establish an inquiry commission.
But as the political turmoil increased, Sharif flew to London on Wednesday for cardiac medical treatment that he described as a checkup. The timing of the visit immediately prompted rumors that Sharif might not return to Pakistan until investigations were completed.
In his absence, the finance minister, Ishaq Dar, is leading important Cabinet meetings this week. However, government officials said Sharif will return Sunday, and will face the crisis.
Sharif, 66, an affluent businessman whose family has made its money through businesses primarily dealing in steel, returned to power in 2013 after his party won a majority in the general elections. He had been also been prime minister in the 1990s and was ousted in a military coup in 1999.
Sharif has tried to assert civilian control over the government but has run into difficulties with the powerful military, which has again become ascendant in both foreign and domestic affairs in recent months and commands a deep well of public support.
On Thursday, Imran Khan, the most trenchant political opponent of Sharif, also arrived in London. Khan said he was looking to hire financial investigation agencies that could look into the Sharif familys dealings.
Khan has threatened to lead street protests if an investigation is not initiated by the government.
Some political analysts here say that the major opposition political parties do not want the crisis to reach the point at which the military might step in.
But the Panama Papers leak has undeniably lent momentum to Khan at a time when he had seemed politically weakened. He led thousands of his supporters and staged a sit-in outside the Parliament in 2014, accusing Sharif of rigging the last general elections. That effort to bring down Sharif fizzled, but Khan is taking this as a second chance.
This is a godsend opportunity for us, Khan said last week, urging Pakistanis to rise against Sharif.
Another mainstream political power, the Pakistan Peoples Party, has so far seemed to be weighing its options, and there has been no major joining of forces with Khan. Analysts say the party may be looking to cut a deal with Sharif.
They are trying to find some kind of political agreement to deal with the current crisis, said Hasan Askari Rizvi, a prominent political analyst based in Lahore.
Rizvi said Sharif is expected to return to the country soon. He is not threatened to that extent, he said. However, if all political parties join hands, then Nawaz is in real trouble.
As the Zika virus bears down on the United States, federal health officials are divided over a politically and ethically charged question: Should they advise American women to delay pregnancy in areas where the virus is circulating?
Some infectious disease experts are arguing that avoiding conception is the only sure way to prevent the births of deformed babies, according to outside researchers who serve on various advisory panels.
Womens health specialists, on the other hand, counter that the government should not tell women what to do with their bodies. Indeed, federal health officials have never advised all the women in a region of the country to stop having children. Moreover, they say, most babies conceived during Zika epidemics in Latin America have been born healthy.
Several federal experts central to the discussion declined to be interviewed for this article. Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, described the internal debate as a very long conversation.
For now, we do not have a recommendation to not become pregnant, Frieden said at a Zika summit held recently at the CDCs headquarters in Atlanta. We do recommend access to contraception.
On Wednesday, the agency confirmed what many experts already believed: that the mosquito-borne virus, which is usually mild in adults, can cause severe brain damage in infants.
In view of the gathering evidence, health officials in some countries struck by Zika epidemics, including El Salvador and Colombia, have urged women to avoid pregnancy.
Dr. Marcos Espinal, who directs the Zika response of the Pan American Health Organization, an arm of the World Health Organization, said in an interview that he thought advising women to avoid conception during an epidemics relatively brief peak months, as Colombia did, is sound advice.
Yet the WHO does not follow that policy. Dr. Bruce Aylward, the agencys head of emergency response, called avoiding pregnancy a complicated decision that is different for each individual woman.
Currently, the question affects Americans only in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa, where the Zika virus is circulating locally. But if the virus spreads as expected this summer, women in Hawaii and many Gulf Coast states may also be faced with tough choices.
Despite the CDCs stance, Puerto Ricos health secretary, Dr. Ana Rius, has been advising women to avoid pregnancy, although she has done so in public interviews, not in a large health campaign. Women on the island may be following her advice, she said; preliminary figures indicate that there are 8 percent fewer pregnancies than there were at this time last year.
For women living on those islands, the disease agencys current guidelines do not advocate delaying pregnancy, instead calling the timing of conception a deeply personal and very complex decision and suggesting that women consult their doctors for pregnancy planning.
But tourists visiting the islands receive specific advice to avoid pregnancy for eight weeks after a visit, and for six months if male partners have had symptoms of Zika infection.
One expert familiar with the debate, Michael T. Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesotas Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, described it as two groups describing an elephant, one looking at the head and the other at the tail.
Advocates of delaying pregnancy give several reasons.
First, they do not believe that even the most aggressive mosquito-control efforts can protect pregnant women 24 hours a day for nine months.
No country yet has stopped dengue or chikungunya, which, like Zika, are spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, and the disease agency itself has warned that reductions of 80 to 90 percent in those mosquito populations sometimes does not reduce disease transmission.
Second, no vaccine is expected to be ready for at least two years.
Third, evidence is mounting that Zika outbreaks are intense but brief. In French Polynesia in 2013, the virus infected 66 percent of the population within seven months and then disappeared.
Because women who recover from Zika appear to be permanently immune, experts argue that delaying conception spares them the risk of having a child with severe birth defects, along with the agonizing worry and lets them conceive safely a year later.
Its a no-brainer, said Dr. Peter J. Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. They should say, Dont get pregnant watch TV for six months and you wont have a badly hurt baby.
In framing the language of the guidelines, Frieden said he was guided by the perspective of Dr. Denise J. Jamieson, a medical officer in the CDCs division of reproductive health.
In an interview, Jamieson described birth defects as a rare complication of Zika infection. Even during an epidemic, she said, most women will have healthy babies.
Further, Jamieson said, delays would also prevent wanted pregnancies, especially in older women struggling with fertility, for example.
Advice from government doctors on such personal decisions, she added, is not likely to be effective.
Joe Honick
I can still hear the reverberations of the Vermont Senator and Presidential campaigner Bernie Sanders as he took on the American defense industries on the floor of the Senate a couple of years ago. So stirring and passionate were his remarks that I wanted immediately to see if I could gain an interview while both he and that subject were hot. You can imagine my surprise when his office told me the Senator was moving on to other things.
Perhaps I should not have been so surprised. I am hardly a newbie in the political field and have witnessed all sorts of policy changes by office seekers that were obviously influenced by powerful financial supporters or other organizational elements. But Sanders was always supposed to be different. Whether one agreed with him or not, there was nothing in the shadows to raise any suspicion. Most opponents would avoid any personal hits on Senator Sanders, mostly suggesting he was and is the sole socialist in the campaign mix, and that was enough for their concern.
Sadly, in this most vulgar of campaigns in which we pretend to put forth several candidates, one of whom the nations voters will elect to the most powerful position of national leadership in the world we find Sanders descent to ordinary politician the most discouraging.
Sanders has proceeded in the last few days especially in what passed for a New York debate last night only to further diminish his standing as a different public figure, an idealist whose thinking was, well, different.
His charges against opponent Hillary Clinton have been that she has accepted money from powerful and wealthy elements. A little fast research, however, has revealed there is little spread between him and Clinton with respect to defense industry investment, for just one example. More crucial has been how deeply the personalized rhetoric between the two has become, as both parties get closer to nominating conventions. His opening gambits in the New York debate, not only slamming Secretary Clintons credibility but asserting questions not previously phrased as to her ability to assume the presidency, plunged the final nail into his previous standing as someone committed to good things above mere politics.
Again, that brand of political hits hardly surprises, had it not included Sanders.
It all boils down to what conservatives from either party cannot abide: a liberal woman President.
If Hillary is in fact the candidate for the Democratic party, Senator Bernie will have a new role to play: his real self, the person partisans of both parties have known for years, the person who could not be attacked on ethics but only on sincerely held beliefs.
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Joe Honick is President of GMA International.
Kevin Roberts, director of communications for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, is leaving his post to take a job in the private sector. His last day will be April 22.
The story was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Roberts, who was previously communications director for the New Jersey Republican State Committee, joined Christies team in 2010, first serving as deputy press secretary before becoming press secretary for Christie's 2013 re-election bid. In 2015 he was appointed communications director, a role in which he remained during the Governors unsuccessful 2016 Presidential run.
Working for Governor Christie for the last six and half years has been an incredible experience. I will always be thankful for the opportunity he gave me to enter public service and serve alongside hundreds of incredibly smart and dedicated people, Roberts said in a statement.
Roberts declined to divulge to the Journal the details of his forthcoming job.
The Journal also reported that Roberts had initially planned to leave the governors administration after Christie's 2013 re-election, but stayed on in lieu of the Bridgegate scandal, in which members of the Governors staff allegedly colluded to create traffic jams on the George Washington Bridge as a means of retaliation against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, who had declined to endorse Christie in the gubernatorial election. That incident ultimately led to the indictment of deputy chief of staff Bridget Anne Kelly.
As of press time, the governor's office has not named Roberts replacement.
Roberts departure is only the latest in what has recently resembled a communications exodus from Christies office, whose governorship is set to expire in January, 2018.
Christie's chief of staff, Regina Egea, resigned on April 7, also with unspecified plans to leave for the private sector. Egea, who was previously director of the governor's Authorities Unit, had served as the governor's chief of staff since December 2013. Amy Cradic, who has been Christie's senior policy adviser since 2012, succeeds her.
Maria Comella, former deputy chief of staff for communications and one of Christies top political aides, in March announced her resignation. Comella, the longest serving member of Christies senior staff, had been with the governor since 2009, and was allegedly responsible for shaping Christies image for his 2016 presidential run.
A March poll conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University's Public Mind found that Christie's approval rating in New Jersey now stands at its lowest point since he assumed office, with 61 percent of respondents claiming they disapprove of their governor's performance. That poll was conducted a week after Christie's endorsement of Donald Trump for President.
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Cant quite figure out how to potty train your puppy? Does your dog bark at every stranger or animal that comes near your house? If either of these describes your situation or you have another dog behavior problem youll want to come to attend a free dog behavior workshop happening this weekend.
David Codr, who writes the Dog Gone Problems column every Wednesday on momaha.com, will present the dog behavior workshop Saturday at 1 p.m. at The Bookworm, 2510 S. 90th St. in Omaha.
Codr has rehabilitated nearly 2,000 dogs around the country using dog psychology, positive reinforcement and many of the same communication methods dogs use when interacting with one another. By using these methods, Codr is able to stop most behavior problems in a single visit.
Because Codr flies out of state to fix dog problems in California, as well as Nebraska, his availability is more limited than ever. These free workshops give Codr the ability to work with more people than individual in-home sessions allow.
Codrs workshops are fun and informative. He uses humor and analogies so people can easily understand and relate to where their dogs are coming from.
Its pretty common for dog guardians to actually reward the exact behaviors they want to stop, Codr said. Once they understand this and stop reinforcing these behaviors, change happens fast. In many cases, it takes the dogs guardian longer to adapt than it does for the dog.
After the 30-minute workshop, Codr will host a question and answer session where attendees can ask questions about their own dog problems. Attendees are welcome to bring their dogs provided they are friendly with other people and dogs. If you dog isnt so great with people, Codr recommends leaving them at home.
Those who are interested in attending are asked to RSPV by emailing dgpworkshops@gmail.com with their name and the number of people or dogs attending to guarantee a spot.
Now Rahm Wants The Lucas Museum To Replace McCormick Place East
By Sophie Lucido Johnson in News on Apr 15, 2016 5:13PM
Designs for the Lucas Museum (Lucas Museum of Narrative Art)
The Lucas Museum, the modernist brainchild of Star Wars mogul George Lucas, may have a last-gasp chance for finding a home in Chicago. Lucas has been trying to build his museum in Chicago for over a year, but legal battles have complicated his plan to build it on the lakefront near Soldier Field. Now, Mayor Rahm Emanuel may try to strike a compromise with the museum's opponents, offering to demolish McCormick Place East (also known as Lakeside Center) to make way for Lucas' museum, the Sun-Times reports. In addition to making room for a scaled-down museum, demolition of Lakeside Center would also create 12 acres of open park space on the lakefront.
While most of the building would be demolished, underground parking and storage, as well as heating and cooling systems, would remain in place under Rahm's current plan, the Sun-Times reports. This would lower the cost to Lucas. In order to appease City Hall and keep McCormick Place substantial, Emanuel would propose expanding the convention center, which had already been rebuilt once after it burned down in 1967.
Sun-Times sources cautioned that demolishing McCormick Place East would result in complications, though, including the loss of floor space used in manufacturing shows. It's also unclear how the convention center remodel would be financed, and how the Chicago Park District would make up for the lost revenue if the Lakeside Center.
Originally, the Lucas Museum was slated to be built on 17 acres of lakefront space near Soldier Field. This proposal was challenged by Friends of the Parks, who filed a lawsuit contesting the legality of using the stretch of land; their lawsuit was recently supported by a federal judge. They strongly encouraged Lucas to consider building the museum at the old Michael Reese Hospital site, which the city owns after making a bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics that never came to fruition. Friends of the Park also proposed building the museum on the west side of Lake Shore Drive, on an elevated deck like the one Millennium Park is on.
However, Emanuel has implied that efforts to get Lucas to consider an alternate location have so far gone poorly. He's worried that the longer Chicago waits, the more likely it is Lucas will look elsewhere for his museum, the Sun-Times previously reported. Last month, the tiny village of Tinley Park, Illinois even made an ambitious play to be the home of the new museum.
A Georgia company that would make chicken for Costco is the firm scouting the Fremont area for a new poultry-processing plant.
The company, calling itself Lincoln Premium Poultry, will be run by a member of a family long-connected to the business of chicken. The family business, Crider Foods, had an immigration raid a decade ago, probably a concern for area residents who have worried about the workforce of the proposed plant.
Lincoln Premium Poultry executive Bill Crider told The World-Herald that immigration matters havent been an ongoing problem at Crider Foods, which makes canned chicken for Costco and other retailers, sold under the retailers own brand names.
Bill Crider is working with Deloitte Consulting to scout sites for the plant. Lincoln Premium Poultry would operate the plant, which would produce raw chicken made only for Costco.
Darin Buelow, a principal with Deloitte and leader of its real estate and location strategy practice, said it hasnt been determined how the business relationship between Costco and Lincoln Premium Poultry would be structured, or which company would buy the land or own the facility.
The scouting for a possible site for the chicken plant had thus far been done outside of public view: Development officials refused to name the company in public meetings and refused to disclose its name to The World-Herald. State and local officials also refused to disclose the names of the companies involved.
After being contacted by The World-Herald on Thursday afternoon, Crider and Deloitte confirmed that they were involved in the Fremont-area proposal. The companies said they were working on behalf of a customer they wouldnt name. Later Thursday evening, Costco and Deloitte contacted The World-Herald to say Costco was the customer.
Jeff Lyons, senior vice president for fresh foods at Costco, said in a later interview that Costco likes the Fremont area for a chicken plant because of its central-U.S. location, which he said would make it easy to ship products to its far-flung stores. The site also has good proximity to sources of grain to feed the chickens, he said.
Costco operates 702 warehouse stores, including one in Omaha and another under construction in Sarpy County. The proposed plant would slaughter as many as 1.6 million chickens a week and provide about a third of Costcos total fresh chicken supply.
Plans for the plant, which emerged last month after Dodge County landowners got wind of it, have been controversial. A meeting of the Nickerson Village Board, which would need to rezone a parcel of land for the plant, drew a large crowd of people, many of whom spoke against a chicken facility coming to the area. Opponents spoke of smells, pollution and vehemently, at times worries about the people who would be working at the plant; illegal immigrants could be drawn to the town, they said.
A decade ago, the family company behind the Fremont proposal did have a run-in with federal immigration authorities. The Crider Poultry plant in Stillmore, Georgia, operated by Bill Criders father, Billy Crider, was raided in 2006, according to accounts in multiple news media.
The company lost three quarters of its 900-person workforce as a result of the raid, The Wall Street Journal reported at the time; about 125 undocumented workers were removed by authorities and sent to immigration courts; the rest scattered.
After the raid, to replenish its workforce, Crider boosted its hourly pay rate and began recruiting local workers, the Journal reported. Meanwhile, the Athens Banner-Herald newspaper in Georgia reported that the Crider plant also hired workers through an arrangement with the Georgia Department of Corrections. The employees worked to pay off probation violation fines and to pay room and board at a halfway house.
Bill Crider told The World-Herald that the company has never been fined related to the raid.
Its not an ongoing issue for the business, Bill Crider said.
Asked about Crider Poultrys immigration raid, Costcos Lyons said, I wasnt aware of that other than in passing. It wasnt anything we looked into. It was a long time ago.
He praised the Crider family as good people.
Anybody can run into trouble, he said. At the new plant, he said, the hiring will be scrutinized.
Lyons said the plant would employ mechanical engineers and truck drivers, in addition to production line employees.
Were going to try to make sure this is a place, between the two companies, where people can have a career, not just a job, he said.
Deloittes Buelow said the size of the local workforce within a 60-mile radius of a proposed Dodge County site was a selling point for locating the plant in eastern Nebraska.
While eastern Nebraska is the first choice, a final decision has not been made. The companies involved need to ensure that there is enough interest from chicken growers area farmers would raise tens of thousands of chickens in barns on their properties.
And they have to ensure that a proposed site and plant would have the approval of local authorities. Other states also are in the running, Buelow said, though he wouldnt identify them.
Costco, he said, wants to be in a location where it is wanted. Costco is super-excited about Nebraska.
The World-Herald discovered that Crider was connected to the project after the newspaper saw blueprints for the project. Those blueprints indicated that the plant would be built for Lincoln Premium Poultry LLC. A company by that name was incorporated in Nebraska on Feb. 24, according to documents on file with the Secretary of States Office.
The companys principal office location is listed as 1 Plant Ave. in Stillmore, Georgia also the head office for Crider Foods.
The blueprints were shown to Fremont-area residents this week by a company representative and were seen by The World-Herald in a video captured by a Dodge County resident who attended a meeting.
Contact the writer: 402-444-1336, barbara.soderlin@owh.com
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More coverage of the proposed chicken plant near Fremont
Nebraska should experience rapid economic growth this summer, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bureau of Business Research said Thursday.
The states Leading Economic Indicator shot up 1.92 percent last month, compared with a 0.91 percent increase in February, said economist Eric Thompson, the bureaus director.
The rapid increase in the value of the leading indicator signals strong economic growth in Nebraska during the second half of 2016, Thompson said.
Five of the indexs six factors, which are used to predict economic conditions six months in the future, improved during March, he said.
Airline passenger counts and manufacturing hours were up. Building permits for single-family homes increased. Statewide, businesses predicted growth in sales and employment during the next six months.
And for a second consecutive month, the value of the U.S. dollar dropped during March. The continuing decline boosts the competitiveness of Nebraska firms that are in the running with some non-U.S. companies for sales.
The combination of a declining U.S. dollar and strong business expectations suggests strength in both the industrial and service sectors of the state economy, Thompson said.
On the down side, initial claims for unemployment insurance increased slightly last month.
The index is produced monthly by faculty and students in the economics department and the Bureau of Business Research in UNLs College of Business Administration.
Contact the writer: 402-444-1142, janice.podsada@owh.com
WASHINGTON (AP) President Barack Obama will strategize with his Middle Eastern and European counterparts on a broad range of issues during a weeklong trip to Saudi Arabia, England and Germany with efforts to rein in the Islamic State group being the common denominator in all three stops.
Obama, who begins traveling next week, recently said defeating IS his No. 1 priority. He paid a rare visit to CIA headquarters this week for a national security team meeting focused on countering the group.
The president is scheduled to arrive in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Wednesday, where he will hold talks with King Salman. Obama will also attend a summit hosted by leaders of six Persian Gulf countries that are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
The summit follows a similar gathering that Obama hosted with the Gulf leaders last year at the Camp David presidential retreat. The White House arranged last years meeting largely to reassure Gulf leaders who were unnerved by a deal the U.S. and other world powers negotiated with Iran to ease economic sanctions in exchange for limits on its nuclear program.
The Iran deal is now in force, and the meeting next week will focus on defeating the Islamic State militants and al-Qaida, as well as regional security issues that include Iran.
Obama will spend most of his time in England. He is scheduled to meet again with Queen Elizabeth II over lunch at Windsor Castle on April 22, a visit that coincides with her 90th birthday a day earlier.
Obama will also meet with British Prime Minister David Cameron, who is campaigning for his country to continue its membership in the European Union. Britons are scheduled to vote on its EU membership in a June 23 referendum, the first vote ever by a nation on whether to leave the 28-member, post-World War II bloc.
Obama is not expected announce a position on the referendum, although aides have voiced support for a strong United Kingdom as a member of the E.U.
Hell make clear that this is a matter the British people themselves will decide when they head to the polls in June, Ben Rhodes, Obamas deputy national security adviser, said Thursday as he outlined the trip for reporters.
Cameron has also been stung by criticism over his investment in an offshore trust run by his late father. The revelation was part of the recent dump of more than 11 million documents from a Panama law firm that is one of the leaders in setting up offshore bank accounts for the rich and powerful.
Obama also plans a town hall-style, question-and-answer session with young adults, which has become a staple of his foreign trips. Additional stops were being planned for London.
In Germany, the final stop on Obamas three-country trip, the president will hold talks and a news conference Sunday with Chancellor Angela Merkel. Merkels popularity has suffered after she angered Germans by allowing a massive resettlement of refugees from Syria and other war-torn countries. She recently helped broker a deal between the EU and Turkey to stem the refugee flow to Europe.
Obama also plans to join Merkel to open the Hannover Messe, the worlds largest trade show for industrial technology.
Before departing for Washington, Obama has scheduled a speech reviewing U.S.-European collaboration during his tenure and looking ahead to future joint efforts.
Copyright 2016 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) Belgiums transport minister has resigned after a secret European Union report detailing lapses in airport security oversight was leaked in the wake of the March 22 bombings at the Brussels airport and subway.
Prime Minister Charles Michel said Friday that, after talks with Transport Minister Jacqueline Galant, the minister presented her resignation to the King and the King accepted it.
The confidential EU document from last year was made public by two Belgian opposition parties. It said the oversight of security measures at the nations airports was flawed and cited serious deficiencies in the way safety checks are managed.
The revelations came after the attacks in Brussels killed 32 people, including 16 at the national airport. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Galant had said she had not seen the EU report, but Michel said a summary of this report was discussed and sent to the ministers cabinet in June 2015.
No immediate replacement was named for Galant but Michel said he would do so as soon as possible.
The suicide attacks in the peak morning travel period have shaken the Belgian government, police and judiciary.
The Belgian parliament has set up an inquiry to look into any shortcomings in the handling of the bombings. Belgiums interior and justice ministers volunteered to step down last month, but their resignations were rejected.
The government will work in perfect cooperation with the commission of inquiry so that all transparency can be ensured and to draw lessons for the future, Michel said. The security of all Belgians is a priority for this government.
The EU carries out around 35 safety inspections at European airports each year. The restricted report, dated April 28, 2015, details shortcomings in the supervision of security in the Brussels Airport section that travelers enter once they have cleared security checks and around the planes themselves.
The suicide bombers blew themselves up in the departure area of Belgiums main international airport, part of the facility that was not covered in the EU report.
Copyright 2016 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The U.S. military has about 20 percent excess capacity in its stateside military bases, according to congressional testimony by Pete Potocheney, acting assistant secretary of defense for installations. A round of base closings would save about $2 billion annually, he said. U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., suggested at the hearing where Potocheney spoke that the term military infrastructure savings commission would be a more appropriate term than base closing commission. In any case, Congress is signaling a lack of interest.
Workers Fighting For A Higher Minimum Wage Froze Rush-Hour Traffic In Protest
By aaroncynic in News on Apr 15, 2016 4:33PM
More than a thousand low wage workers descended on the Magnificent Mile Thursday evening as part of a global one-day strike demanding higher wages and union rights for those in underpaid jobs.
After spending a large part of the morning and early afternoon on the North Side near Loyola Universitys campus, which included a shut down of an entrance to Lake Shore Drive, workers with the Fight For 15 movement began a second set of marches in one of the wealthiest areas of Chicago.
The late afternoon protest began in the shadow of Park Tower on Chicago near Michigan Avenue where Ken GriffinCEO of Citadel LLC and Illinois wealthiest personkeeps a penthouse apartment. Citadel has owned and traded millions in McDonalds stock over the years, raking in huge profits. The group of demonstrators, made up of fast food, nursing home, warehouse, adjunct university faculty, students, airport, building maintenance and other low wage retail workers chanted and sang while well-dressed onlookers gawked at the demonstration, which featured a heavy police presence.
McDonalds, McJobs, and their wages cost us all, said Angel Mitchell, a McDonalds employee. I am a working tax payer dependent on public assistance, tax dollars that would be used to fund our public schools, universities, child care centers, and home care for our seniors and the disabled. McJobs are affecting us all while the wealthy one-percent indulge in bad, unacceptable, and unethical poverty wage paying business practices.
The workers first took over Michigan Avenue and then slowly snaked their way down Huron towards the Rock and Roll McDonalds, a frequent target of protests by fast food workers. On the way, they briefly stopped at a Bank of America location to chant banks got bailed out, we got sold out. The financial giant controls more than $2 billion worth of shares in the fast food chain.
We cannot keep allowing McDonalds to borrow money to pay shareholders and billionaires like Ken Griffin. Instead, they should be using that money to pay us a living wage, Mitchell told a sea of demonstrators from a flatbed truck in front of the chains location on Clark Street in River North.
As demonstrators marched in a large circle around the block, they were joined by a mariachi band in front of the Best Western hotel. Five people were taken into police custody after dropping a banner off the rooftop that read "McJobs Cost Us All."
Dominique Bouie, a warehouse worker who manufactures McDonald's McCafe cups and makes $8.25 an hour, told the crowd that workers had to line up at 3:00 a.m. to be sorted, and even after the complex process they may not even work for the day.
"We're making $8.25 standing there processing cups all night long and all day. Then they look us and tell us they can't afford to pay us $15 an hour. McDonald's is a multi-billion dollar company. Do you know what it means to tell people you can make a dollar menu or two for five and satisfy your customers but not satisfy your workers who made it possible?"
Good news for commuters: Karnataka govt legalises bike taxi
Bengaluru
oi-Shalini
Bengaluru, April 15: The Karnataka government has decided to legalise the bike taxi service in the state, a news that will give several commuters in the city more than a relief.
The state transport department took the decision at a meeting held on Tuesday (April 12).
Transport Commissioner Ramagowda said: "Two-wheelers though can not be considered taxis but we have recieved good feedback from the commuters since it is more affordable to other taxies. Considering that, we have decided to look forward to make it legal across the state."
He, however, added that the authorities will keep a close watch on the safety part.
"Bike taxis are not so as safe as car taxis. Hence, it will be mandatory for the bike-taxi aggegators to follow the safety rules and we will be keeping a watch. It will be mandatory for the bike-taxi riders to carry extra helmets for the pillion riders," he said.
As per media reports, the aggegators will require legal permission from the transport authorities to ply in the city. "As of now, it has not been considered as legal but once the government sets up the new rule, then we will consider the application,"he said.
Over 74 bike taxis were seized by the transport officials in March. Following that, a few of the bike-taxi operators stopped the service. But a few are still operating.
OneIndia News
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Story first published: Friday, April 15, 2016, 17:59 [IST]
Jaitley statue at Kotla: Angry Bedi asks DDCA to remove his name from stands, quits membership
Reforms in India being done by conviction, not compulsion: PM Narendra Modi
BJP leaders pay tribute to former minister Arun Jaitley on his third death anniversary
Arun Jaitley expresses Concern over Hike in H-1B and L1 Visa Fee
Feature
oi-Lisa
By Lisa
The Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is currently on official tour to Washington DC to attend the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank and other associated meetings.
FM,Chair of Fed Reserve JanetYellen,@USTreasury Sec Jacob J.Lew& @RBI Governor at IndoUS Eco meeting in Washington pic.twitter.com/bqvgtU3SAz Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) April 15, 2016
He is accompanied by Dr. Raghuram Rajan, Governor RBI, Mr. Shaktikanta Das, Secretary Economic Affairs, Dr. Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Adviser and other officials.
The Finance Minister Mr. Arun Jaitley yesterday held a bilateral meeting with United States Trade Representative Ambassador Mr Michael Froman.
FM Shri @arunjaitley calls on US Trade Representative Mr.Michael Forman in Washington. pic.twitter.com/mPD4RrBEc8 Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) April 14, 2016
The Finance Minister affirmed that the sustained engagement and rapidly increasing trade and investment partnership between India and the US are key elements of the bilateral engagement between the two countries and India looks forward to strengthening and deepening this economic engagement.
Joint Statement on Sixth Annual INDIA-US Economic and Financial Partnership https://t.co/rzctIM8jrq @PIB_India pic.twitter.com/SOTdwnzWfZ India in USA (@IndianEmbassyUS) April 14, 2016
Arun Jaitley emphasised:
India's keenness in early conclusion of a Totalisation Agreement with the United States. (As per Industry estimates, Indian professionals have contributed more than US$ 25 billion to the US Social Security during the last decade, without being able to retrieve their contributions)
India's concern over the hike in the H-1B and L1 visa fee which is discriminatory and in effect, largely targeted at Indian IT companies.
Arun Jaitley on steering India towards growth:
The Finance Minister while speaking on the theme of 'Steering India towards Growth ', at an event organised by 'Carnegie Endowment for International Peace' in Washington D.C. yesterday on the very first day of his US trip said that, "Indian economy is estimated to register 7.6% growth in FY 2015-16, notwithstanding contraction of global exports and two consecutive years of shortfall in monsoon."
Watch FM @arunjaitley addressing the Carnegie Endowment in Washington on "India Steering toward Growth"https://t.co/8AZGWLEIvf Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) April 14, 2016
He said that amid weaker outlook across the globe, India's experience of strong economic growth, comfortable price situation, low current account deficit, and adherence to fiscal recovery path have projected it as an outpost of opportunity for global investors.
FM Shri @arunjaitley addressing the gathering at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. pic.twitter.com/z6FYKHxC7Y Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) April 14, 2016
Speaking further on the occasion, the Finance Minister emphasised on India's economic recovery and the role of various initiatives taken by the present Government in achieving it.
Elaborating on the large number of initiatives taken by the Indian Government, the Finance Minister said that what distinguishes the present Government is this Government's emphasis on decisiveness, consistency in policy direction and transparency in functioning.
FM Shri @arunjaitley in conversation with Mr. Ashley J.Tellis Senior Associate for South Asia at Carnegie Endowment pic.twitter.com/yc3aDX54UI Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) April 14, 2016
He also talked about reforms in taxation, Make in India programme, increase in FDI limits, expediting the process of granting clearances to new projects, steps taken for ease of doing business, rationalisation of expenditure by making petrol and diesel prices market linked and promoting financial inclusion by linking Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) to Aadhaar.
FM @arunjaitley & @USTreasury Sec Mr. Jacob J. Lew at the Indo US Eco& Financial Partnership meeting in Washington pic.twitter.com/ZClrcKvnKv Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) April 15, 2016
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Story first published: Friday, April 15, 2016, 12:09 [IST]
UP ATS nabs 8 with links to al-Qaeda and its affiliate from UP, Uttarakhand
Dirty bomb: How terrorist organisations plan to use it
Feature
oi-Vicky
By Vicky
At the Nuclear Security Summit held in Washington, D.C last month., representatives from fifty-two countries pledged to improve nuclear security. This pledge was taken following the attacks at Paris and Brussels and with the threat of terrorists attempting to use the nuclear or dirty bomb looming large.
There has been plenty of intelligence in the past that suggests that terrorists will attempt to either make a dirty bomb or hijack a nuclear station.
There are 444 nuclear power plants which operate in 30 countries apart from 243 smaller research reactors used to produce isotopes for medical purposes and also train nuclear engineers. It is these smaller research reactors that are under threat as a terrorist who can access it could find enough material to make a dirty bomb.
Ignoring the threat is not an option today:
The threat is real and terrorists are looking to innovate and be more destructive. Nuclear plants are key targets for any terrorist organisation. Terrorists would either attempt a sabotage at the plant or make attempts to steal material. Attempts could also be made to send out radioactive material by hijacking the station.
Groups such as the ISIS have been desperate to make the dirty bomb. They have been claiming that they have access to the dirty bomb, but security officials say that at the moment they are just creating a hype. However one cannot forever continue to ignore the messages from the ISIS treating it as hype.
Special emphasis needs to be given on providing the best possible security at nuclear plants and also to the engineers who work at these plants. The engineers especially must be heavily guarded as terrorist organisations could try and abduct them in a bid to learn more about the preparation of the bomb.
Further there is a good chance of terrorists making an attempt to steal material from these plants.
The other possibility is that terrorists could storm a nuclear plant and hijack it.
Consider this incident that took place at Sweden. Four persons entered two nuclear power plants by breaking open the gates. The four had hidden overnight on the roof, but later surrendered.
These were Greenpeace activists staging a protest. It could have well bene terrorists. The point is that this exposed the security mechanism at such an important place.
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Story first published: Friday, April 15, 2016, 12:21 [IST]
Aircel Maxis case: Sensitive Materials in secret memo prompted SC to allow probe against ED office
In Two Years More than Three Crore SC and OBC Students get Scholarships
Feature
oi-Lisa
By Lisa
In order to build an inclusive society, wherein members of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) can lead productive, safe and dignified lives with adequate support for their growth and development, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing various schemes.
PM presenting the credit certificates, under various schemes to the beneficiaries from SC at Mhow #AmbedkarJayanti pic.twitter.com/PKgzs2Tiaw THAWAR CHAND GEHLOT (@TCGEHLOT) April 14, 2016
These schemes aim economic, educational and social empowerment of these target groups. Here are some measures implemented by the NDA Government for their upliftment.
Numerous programmes were hosted yesterday by the government to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar who had always supported the cause of marginalised.
Measures for educational empowerment of SC:
To enable Scheduled Caste students to complete their education at post matriculation or post-secondary stage, Department of Social justice and Empowerment provides financial assistance in the form of post matric scholarship.
SC boys and girls studying in middle, school higher secondary schools, colleges and universities are also given assistance for hostel facilities.
The Government also provides financial assistance to scheduled Caste students for pursing research studies leading to M. Phil., Ph.D. and equivalent research degree in universities, research institutions and scientific institution.
Not only that selected Scheduled Caste are also given National Overseas Scholarship for pursing higher studies of Master level courses and Ph.D. programmes abroad in specified fields of study.
During 2014-15 and 2015-16, Department of Social welfare and Empowerment also, disbursed scholarships worth approximately Rs.7,465 crore under the various Schemes, e.g., Pre-matric, Post-matric, National Overseas, National Fellowship and Dr. Ambedkar Post-matric Scholarship for EBC, being run for students belonging to Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Economically Backward Classes etc. The scholarships benefitted approximately 3, 30, 64,900 students.
Measures for Economic empowerment:
Rs. 38,832 crore has been allocated to SC Sub plan during current fiscal year to provide 100% grant to the States and UTs, as an additive to their Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP).
The main objective is to give a thrust to family oriented schemes of economic development of SCs below the poverty line.
Also, the Government has decided to provide financial assistance to 2.5 lakh Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Women Entrepreneurs under the Stand Up India Campaign.
Some of the other measures for Economic Empowerment of these targeted groups include:
Hubs are being created for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Entrepreneurs at a cost of Rs.500 crore.
Under the Mudra Yojana, 3.22 crore loans have been disbursed out of which 72.89 lakh loans have been disbursed to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe, Entrepreneurs.
The Government of India and PSUs have special provision for purchasing goods from Micro and Small Scale Industries. They have been asked to purchase at least 4% from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Entrepreneurs, which will be intensively followed up.
Under the Scheme of Venture Capital Fund, 36 proposals worth Rs.135.91 crore have been approved for Scheduled Caste Entrepreneurs. Rs.64.86 crore have been disbursed also.
The National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation has imparted motor driving training to 250 women, working as Safai Karmacharis or their dependent, out of which 60 women have got employment.
The authorised share capital of NSFDC has been increased from Rs.1000 crore to Rs.1500 crore to provide loans to SCs for taking up self-employment.
First ever the National Conference of Dalit Entrepreneurs organized by the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi on 29th December, 2015to discuss special need of these entrepreneurs.
Social Empowerment of Schedule Cast:
In order to strengthen provisions to check atrocities against Schedule Cast and Schedule Tribes, amendments in the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, have been made and new Act has come into force with effect from 26th of January 2016. New provisions will play very significant role in Social Empowerment of Schedule Cast.
The Parliament passed the Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order (Amendment) Act 2015 last year by virtue of which new communities were incorporated in the list of Scheduled Castes of Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and now they will also get all benefits of the schemes being run for empowerment of Scs.
Celebrate Samrasta Diwas:
In order to create harmony in the society and to sensitise people about the empowerment of schedule cast, the Government has decided to observe 14th April every year as 'Samrasta Diwas'.
Places related to life and work of Dr. Ambedkar are being developed as memorials. Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, laid the foundation Stone for Dr. Ambedkar International Centre at 15 Janpath and Dr. Ambedkar Memorial at 26 Alipur Road, New Delhi on 20th April, 2015 and 21st March, 2016 respectively.
Commemorative Postal Stamp and Coins were released on Dr. Ambedkar. The first two days of the winter session of the Parliament were dedicated to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
A Tableau on Dr. Ambedkar was displayed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on 26th January, 2016, the Republic Day.
All these measures together will certainly contribute in educational, economic and social development of SC and OBCs.
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Story first published: Friday, April 15, 2016, 15:57 [IST]
Indian Naval Warships pay Strategic Visit to Colombo
Feature
oi-Lisa
By Lisa
India and Sri Lanka have a close, long-standing relationship covering a wide spectrum of activities and interactions, which have strengthened over the years. The people of India and Sri Lanka have close cultural bonds and a shared vision of a democratic and pluralistic society.
Indian Naval Ships Tir and Sujata, along with Indian Coast Guard Ship Varuna, comprising the first Training Squadron, are scheduled to visit Colombo, Sri Lanka today and shall stay till 19th of April as part of their Overseas Deployment during Spring Term 2016.
The first training squadron:
The First Training Squadron forms part of Southern Naval Command (SNC) and comprises Indian Naval Ships Tir, Shardul, Sujata, ICGS Varuna and two Sail Training Ships Sudarshini and Tarangini, all of which have been built in India.
The primary aim of the Squadron is to impart sea training to Naval and Coast Guard trainees, with a 24 weeks ab-initio sea training being imparted.
All the trainees are trained in Seamanship, Navigation, Ship Handling, Boat Work, Technical aspects, etc. whilst being exposed to the rigours of life at sea, so as to earn their 'sea legs'.
The Southern Naval Command (SNC) is the Training Command of the Indian Navy, which provides both basic and advanced training to officers and sailors of the Indian Navy.
The Indian Navy has also been providing training to personnel from friendly foreign countries for more than four decades, wherein more than 13,000 personnel from over 40 countries have been trained.
The Indian Navy's focused approach for providing high quality training by constantly adapting to evolving tactics and technologies, has gained it a reputation of being one of the finest training destinations.
Strategic importance of such visits:
Such visits are considered important from strategic point of view also as Sri Lanka in November 2014 had allowed a Chinese submarine and a warship to its port in Colombo, despite India warning. This was considered as violation of the July 1987 accord between India and Lanka.
The strategic powerplay in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) continues between China and India. After China's three warships left Colombo in January this year two frontline Indian warships including aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya had entered Colombo.
While INS Vikramaditya was on a friendly visit to Colombo, Sri Lanka's President Maitripala Sirisena had gotten on board India's biggest warship and aircraft carrier.
There has been a growing concern in India about China's growing naval activities in the IOR. India has lately tried to counter China's attempt to develop maritime relations with Sri Lanka and other island nations in the India Ocean and Bay of Bengal like Seychelles, Mauritius, Maldives, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Present deployment:
Visits by IN and SLN ships to each other's countries as well as bilateral exercises such as SLINEX provide opportunities for extensive operational and training engagements and contribute to the maintenance of good order at sea between India and Sri Lanka.
The present deployment of the Training Squadron to Colombo would further cement the close relations between the two nations and the two navies.
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Story first published: Friday, April 15, 2016, 14:16 [IST]
Partial Solar Eclipse 2022: City-wise timings, when and where to watch
With AQI of 259, Delhi's air on day before Diwali least polluted in 7 years
Marshal of IAF Arjan Singh's 97th Birthday Celebrated
Feature
oi-Lisa
By Lisa
Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh DFC turns 97 today. The Indian Air Force had planned a grand function at Akash Officers' Mess, New Delhi yesterday to celebrate the occasion.
MIAF #ArjanSingh, DFC being congratulated by Ex-PM #ManmohanSingh on his 97th birthday in New Delhi today. pic.twitter.com/gn25t7JqcK AIR Defence Alerts (@AIRDefenceNews) April 14, 2016
A large number of dignitaries were in attendance which included the three Service Chiefs among others.
Tweets greeting Marshal of IAF:
Air Force Station Panagarh being renamed Air Force Station #ArjanSingh. pic.twitter.com/xP9enGaW90 AIR Defence Alerts (@AIRDefenceNews) April 15, 2016
With the Marshal a few months ago, at Air House.
Birthday greetings for Marshal of The Air Arjan Singh pic.twitter.com/UF8JTtqTM5 Lutyens' Leopard (@Leopard212) April 15, 2016
Wishing a very happy birthday to Marshal of The Indian Air Force #ArjanSingh on his 97th birthday. @MPNaveenJindal pic.twitter.com/7I3dDSUARa VIVEK SINGHANIA (@VIVEKSINGHANIA2) April 15, 2016
Happy 97th birthday to Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh! May God bless the legend!! pic.twitter.com/ixmwEStlqf Aditi Patwardhan (@AditiIndiaFirst) April 15, 2016
The legend Marshal Arjan Singh turns 97 today. Salute Sir pic.twitter.com/G80B6KMofc Aviator Anil Chopra (@Chopsyturvey) April 15, 2016
Brings old memories of Air Marshal Arjan Singh as freq visitor at my school in 1960s https://t.co/4G62qTPHwi via @ndtv April 15, 2016
About Marshal of IAF Arjan Singh:
The Marshal was born on 15 April 1919, in Lyalpur (now Faislabad, Pakistan), and completed his education at Montgomery (now Sahiwal, Pakistan).
At the age of 19, he was selected to the Empire Pilot training course at RAF Cranwell.
[Meet 96-year-old IAF Marshal Arjan Singh who defied odds to pay tribute to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam]
His first assignment on being commissioned was to fly Westland Wapiti biplanes in the North-Western Frontier Province as a member of the No. 1 RIAF Squadron.
After a brief stint with the newly formed No. 2 RIAF Squadron where the Marshal flew against the tribal forces, he later moved back to No. 1 Squadron as a Flying Officer to fly the Hawker Hurricane.
Marshal of IAF Arjan Singh's achievements:
He was promoted to the rank of Squadron Leader in 1944.
The Marshal led the Squadron against the Japanese during the Arakan Campaign, flying Close Air Support missions during the crucial Imphal Campaign and later assisting the advance of the Allied Forces to Rangoon.
For his role in successfully leading the Squadron in combat, the Marshal was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in 1944.
On 15 August 1947, he achieved the unique honour of leading a fly-past of over a hundred IAF aircraft in Delhi, over the Red Fort.
After his promotion to the rank of Wing Commander, he attended the Royal Staff College at UK.
Immediately after Indian independence, he commanded Ambala in the rank of Group Captain.
In 1949, he was promoted to the rank of Air Commodore and took over as Air Officer Commanding of an operational command, which later came to be known as Western Air Command.
Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, had the distinction of having the longest tenure as the AOC of an Operational base, initially from 1949-1952 and then again from 1957-1961.
After his promotion to the rank of Air Vice Marshal, he was appointed as the AOC-in-C of an Operational Command.
Towards the end of the 1962 war, he was appointed as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff and he became the Vice Chief of the Air Staff in 1963.
He was the overall commander of the joint air training exercise "Shiksha" held between the IAF, RAF and RAAF.
On 01 August 1964, in the rank of Air Marshal, the Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh took reins of the IAF, at a time when it was still rebuilding itself and was gearing up to meet new challenges.
The Marshal was the first Air Chief to keep his flying currency till his CAS rank.
Having flown over 60 different types of aircraft from Pre-WW-II era biplanes to the more contemporary, Gnats & Vampires, he has also flown in transport aircraft like the Super Constellation.
Marshal of IAF Arjan Singh during 1965 war:
The Marshal of the Air Force was the first Indian Air Chief to lead a young Indian Air Force into war.
He was Chief of the Air Staff when the IAF saw action in 1965. He was hardly 44 years of age when entrusted with the responsibility of leading the Indian Air Force.
In 1965, when Pakistan launched its Operation Grand Slam, with an armoured thrust targeted at the vital town of Akhnur, the Marshal led the Indian Air Force through the war with courage, determination and professional skill.
He inspired the IAF to victory, despite the constraints imposed on the full-scale use of the Air Force combat power.
Then Defence Minister YB Chavan wrote about him, "Air Marshal Arjan Singh is a jewel of a person, quiet efficient and firm; unexcitable but a very able leader."
The Marshal was awarded the Padma Vibhushan for his astute leadership of the Air Force during the war. Subsequently in recognition of the Air Force's contribution during the war, the rank of the CAS was upgraded and Arjan Singh became the first Air Chief Marshal of the Indian Air Force.
He remained a flyer to the end of his tenure in the IAF, visiting forward Bases and units and flying with the Squadrons.
Marshal of IAF Arjan Singh post retirement:
He retired in August 1969, thereupon accepting Ambassadorship to Switzerland.
He was Lieutenant Governor of New Delhi from December 1989 to December 1990.
Having been a source of inspiration to all personnel of the Armed Forces through the years, the Government of India conferred the rank of the Marshal of the Air Force upon Arjan Singh in January 2002 making him the first and the only 'Five Star' rank officer with the Indian Air Force.
Marshal of IAF Arjan Singh's principles:
The Marshal has strongly believed in four simple principles throughout his life. Firstly, one should be thorough in his profession; secondly, one should complete the job at hand to the satisfaction of everyone; thirdly, one must have implicit faith in his subordinates; and fourthly, one's efforts should be honest and sincere.
He feels that if one adheres to these four principles, one can never go wrong.
The IAF and India salutes the Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, an iconic figure and wishes him all the best on his 97th birthday and are grateful to him for guiding and inspiring through the years.
After the 'Jihad' comment, Patil now claims \"I never said it\"
Bikaner Dalit girl's rape: Congress demands CBI probe
India
oi-PTI
Jaipur, April 15: Accusing Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje of suppressing facts in the alleged rape and murder case of a minor Dalit girl, leader of Opposition Rameshwar Dudi today demanded a CBI probe into the matter.
The 17-year-old girl was found dead a fortnight ago in a water tank in Bikaner where she was pursuing her BSTC (a teacher training course) in a private educational institute. Dudi alleged the government was shielding owner of the institution as he was a RSS volunteer.
"Under pressure from the RSS, Raje was misleading public in this case," he said in a statement. "Her father, relatives and others have demanded CBI inquiry in this case but the government is apathetic towards the demand.
It was a murder case but the government says it was suicide," he said, while reiterating the demand of CBI inquiry in this matter. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had also visited the aggrieved family of the girl on Wednesday in Barmer and demanded a CBI probe. The girl was found dead in a water tank on March 30.
In the intervening night of March 28-29, the girl had been found in the room of physical trainer and instructor Vijendra Singh by the hostel warden.
Singh was arrested after the girl was found dead. The hostel warden and principal were also arrested for not informing the police when she was found in the instructor's room. Singh was arrested for rape while the other two were put behind bars for not informing police when the minor girl was found in the room of the teacher.
PTI
With AQI of 259, Delhi's air on day before Diwali least polluted in 7 years
Delhi auto-rickshaws, taxis warn of strike from Apr 18
India
oi-IANS
By Ians English
New Delhi, April 15: Posing challenge to the second phase of odd-even scheme, the autorickshaw and taxi union of Delhi on Friday threatened to go on strike from Monday against the Arvind Kejriwal government's "apathy".
They have set a two-day deadline before the Kejriwal government for their demands to be met. The demands include "uniform charges" for cab operators like Ola and Uber and their compliance with the Delhi government rules on fares.
"Kejriwal is acting like a dictator. We had on numerous occasions, including on April 5, requested an audience with him to discuss our issues, but he didn't care to bother. He forgot that we were the people who supported and campaigned for him during elections," said Rajinder Soni, a Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh leader.
Soni said while the auto and taxi drivers charge Rs 8.30 per km and Rs.14 per km respectively, cab agencies like Ola and Uber, backed by "rich business houses", charge Rs.5 to Rs.6 per km.
"This is not only against the transport department's rules but threatens our livelihood. Those rich agencies just want to wipe us all out," Soni said.
He added the auto-taxi unions of drivers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are backing the demand as well as the strike.
"People come all way from UP and Bihar looking for earnings through auto and taxi. The apathy of Delhi government is threatening them," said a leader.
IANS
Did this company benefit after roping in Karnataka CM's son as director
India
oi-Vicky
New Delhi, April 15: The opposition parties in Karnataka will have more material against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Yesterday the opposition launched an attack on the CM after it was found that a company in which his son is a director was given a plum project to set up a lab at the Bangalore Medical College.
Siddaramaiah's son bags plum project in Govt hospital: Opposition draws first blood
Were similar contracts bagged by this company to set up labs at the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology in Mysore and Kalaburgi?
This would mean that the company Matrix Imaging Solutions Pvt Ltd bagged three key government projects after the CM's youngest son, Dr Yathindra became its director. Both Siddaramaiah and his son have denied any wrong doing.
It was a tender process and all rules were followed both have said.
In another development the AICC has suggested to Siddaramaiah to advise his son to resign from the post of director. This was done to avoid the opposition to firing any fresh salvo against the Chief Minister of Karnataka.
More trouble:
The allegation is that this company bagged three key projects only after the CM's son became its director.
Dr Yathindra joined the company as a director on September 8 2014. In the month of October 2015 this company was awarded the contract to set up a laboratory at the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute.
On November 18 2014 the tender closed to set up a lab at the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiological Sciences and Research in Mysore. The company bagged this contract.
In September 2014 tenders were called to set up a lab at the November 18 2014 the tender closed to set up a lab at the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiological Sciences and Research in Kalaburgi. The tender process closed in November 2014 and the company bagged the contract.
No irregularity:
Dr Yathindra says that there is no irregularity. I have spoken to my advocate and he is there is no conflict of interest. I am ready to quit if there are violations he also said. Matrix on the other hand explained that there were four companies at the pre-bid stage. Matrix and HLL were short listed but the latter did not submit a demand draft on time.
During the process there were objections that had been raised by several senior doctors. Firstly some questioned the need to set up a private lab when there was already a state of the art lab being in place. Moreover the other objection was whether it would be right to allow a private firm to make profit on a government land.
However there were others who had overruled the objections by citing the example of the Mysore Medical College. They said that in the year 2009 the Mysore Medical College had allowed a private lab to be set up on the campus.
OneIndia News
Firecracker regulation: Implementation of 2005 SC verdict disappointing
India
oi-Vicky
New Delhi, April 15: In the wake of a major accident due to fire crackers, there is a cry to ban the same. Courts have repeatedly said that a ban on firecrackers is not the solution, but regulating its use is. The Supreme Court had passed a detailed order in the year 2005 on firecrackers while directing the department of explosives to notify regulations.
Firecrackers are part of the Indian tradition and has been used during various festivals. While festivities are important to many, the departments concerned have been slow in implementing the guidelines as mandated by the Supreme Court. For instance there are 40 notified firecrackers for which guidelines were needed. The Departments concerned have set guidelines for four.
The Supreme Court in 2005 had directed the department of explosives to notify regulations with regard to the permitted composition of each type of firecrackers. It was also stated that the packaging must include the chemical composition. The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation in the year 2008 came up with guidelines for four categories.
SC frowns upon Centre's inaction on firecrackers
The PESO guidelines stated that the sulphur content must not exceed 20 per cent, the aluminium content needs to be at 23 per cent while the nitrates cannot exceed 57 per cent. The PESO is yet to come up with another set of guidelines.
Further another set of guidelines that remain on paper are the ones that have been issued by the The Central Pollution Control Board. It made the states responsible for implementing these guidelines as fire safety is a state subject.
These guidelines specified the that the sound levels cannot exceed the ambient air quality standards and ambient noise standards. It was also stated that firecrackers are not burst by individual households. However these guidelines are yet to see the light of the day.
OneIndia News
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Story first published: Friday, April 15, 2016, 15:23 [IST]
Substandard medical gas caused serious eye injuries to dozens of patients undergoing eye surgery at Peking University Third Hospital, the hospital said on Thursday.
It released a statement following media reports that 18 patients had been left blind in one eye after having surgery at the hospital in Beijing.
All of the operations were carried out in June.
Doctors had used a batch of a medical gas called perflutren, which is used during eye surgery as a temporary filler. Suspicions were raised about the quality of the gas, according to a report from China National Radio.
In its statement, Peking University Third Hospital said the problematic batch of perflutren was applied to 59 patients, resulting in eye injuries in 45 of them.
After the incident, regulatory authorities stopped the sale and use of the same batch of the product, the statement said. The gas was produced by Tianjin Jingming New Technological Development Co, the only registered supplier of the gas on the Chinese mainland.
The hospital is filing a lawsuit against the company that produced the gas, the statement said.
An additional 26 patients underwent eye surgery at Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University in Nantong, Jiangsu province, during June, where another batch of the same gas was used.
An engineer at Tianjin Jingming, surnamed Sun, said the company and the regulatory authorities had been investigating the unexpected spike in people losing their sight after surgery during the past year.
Wang Enpu, a professor specializing in eye surgery at Air Force General Hospital in Beijing, said perflutren is used as a temporary filler to puff up the hollow part of the eye during surgery. Wang said the gas helps ensure that operations go smoothly and it disappears after surgery is completed.
"However, only experienced doctors are capable of properly using the gas for eye surgeries because it expands after going into the eye," he said.
An alternative to the gas is silicon oil, but it has to be removed after surgery and can cause side effects, such as increased eye pressure, he said.
The China Food and Drug Administration said in a report dated Jan 1 that the administration sent two teams to Peking University Third Hospital and Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University in July after receiving reports of the incidents.
It ruled out irregularities during the surgeries, according to a report in ThePaper.cn.
Woman, her two children mowed down by train; Suicide not ruled out
Google, RailTel expand free WiFi reach, cover 9 more stations
India
oi-PTI
New Delhi, Apr 15: Google in collaboration with RailTel, the telecom arm of the Indian Railways, has rolled out free WiFi service at 9 more stations, taking the total to 10 where it will offer high-speed Internet to an estimated 1.5 million passengers and visitors. Free WiFi by Google-RailTel took off at Mumbai Central in January this year.
The new stations include Pune, Bhubaneswar and Ranchi. The formal launch in Bhubaneswar is slated for Sunday, said a senior railway ministry official.
Jaipur, Ujjain and Allahabad will go live next week. "The network is now live in 10 key stations across the country and will enable about 1.5 million people to access high-speed Internet service.
We are scaling up our efforts to roll out the network quickly to cover some of smaller stations where connectivity is much more limited," Google India Head of Access Project Gulzar Azad told PTI.
As Internet adoption grows in India, easy and affordable access to high-speed network is the real need of the hour, he stressed.
The service will be formally inaugurated by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu soon, Azad added. Starting today, users in Pune, Bhubaneswar, Bhopal, Ranchi, Raipur, Vijayawada, Kacheguda (Hyderabad), Ernakulum Jn (Kochi) and Vishakhapatnam will be able to access the network using their smartphones for free.
According to Azad, about one lakh people use the service per week at the Mumbai Central station. Google and RailTel have collaborated to make WiFi network available across 100 stations to deliver high-speed Internet to 10 million Indians a day by the end of the year.
Wi-Fi service launched at Mumbai Central Station
The project will eventually be rolled out to cover 400 railway stations across India. "This project will be the largest publicly accessible high-speed WiFi network in the country, but our real hope is that this project will set new benchmarks in delivering a reliable and consistent network connectivity," Azad said.
RailTel owns a pan-India optic fibre network exclusively on railway track. It has laid out over 45,000 kms of optic fibre network across the country, which Google looks to utilise for its WiFi.
The network is built for a wide coverage and high capacity usage unlike a typical WiFi hotspot which offers connectivity in limited area. As per the plan, RailTel will be the ISP while Google will provide the wireless area network (WAN) and set up points of access at platforms.
PTI
Prashant Kishor claims Nitish Kumar in touch with BJP says don't be surprised if he joins hands with it again
Interview: Dhananjay Kumar all set to rejoin BJP after Yeddyurappa took charge as president
India
oi-Shreyas
Bengaluru, Apr 15: Former Chief Minister of Karnataka, B S Yeddyurappa assuming the helm of state BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) has now rendered a platform for a few leaders who had quit the party over internal differences to return to the BJP.
A few tall leaders, who left the party for some reasons, namely V Dhananjay Kumar, Basavaraj Patil Yatnal, Kota Srinivasa Poojary has shown inclination to throw their hat into BJP.
The OneIndia got in touch with V Dhananjay Kumar, a staunch loyalist of Yeddyurappa to learn on his political move in reaction to fresh development in the state BJP.
Former Union Minister, Kumar put his appearance in a rally organised on April 14, by the BJP in Bengaluru, where Yeddyurappa delivered a key note speech after the leader held the realm of the BJP in Karnataka.
"Certainly my taking part in the rally is a strong singling of joining the BJP, four time Member of Parliament, Dhananjay Kumar opened up the conversation through telephone.
On being asked why this decision in the wake of new development, Kumar said he always stood with B S Yeddyurappa and his wish to continue the same swayed him to land at such decision. However on contesting assembly elections in 2018, Kumar said there are many more days to go to elections and it is not an issue to be discussed at this juncture.
Kumar jogged his memory to convey that being founder members of the BJP "I and Yeddyurappa toiled to ensure sustained elevation of the party in the state. I remember, in 1983, I won the assembly election. During that year Yeddyurappa too won election. We were among 18, who emerged victories and later extended outside support to form first non-Congress government headed by Ramakrishna Hegde of Janata Party."
Kumar further continued saying he left the BJP as a result of dirty politics. "But I am always a staunch supporter of Yeddyurappa." The return of Yeddyurappa has shown a new wave in the BJP and backing the leader in his endevour to bring the party back to power is a need of the hour. Kumar has cited this as a key reason to join the BJP.
In 2013, the BJP lost assembly elections in Karnataka. "In my opinion, Yeddyurappa's exit from the BJP and subsequent forming of new party Karnataka Janata Party is a prime reason for the BJP's loss. Had Yeddyurappa completed his tenure and continued to lead the party, BJP would have had returned back to power. Such is the crowd pulling capacity of Yeddyurappa."
Kumar said maladministration of the Congress will certainly give a handle to Yeddyurappa to convince people that only BJP can resolve the problems created by the Congress. The party has to work hard in this direction.
Ironing out differences in BJP
Dhananjay Kumar rightly admitted that there are internal differences inside the BJP but broadened his argument contending that internal bickering is common to all political parties as politics now has become a dirty game of power. "Power corrupts you know", Kumar rued.
Yeddyurappa, now taking charge will certainly iron out differences. Those who indicate reluctance to follow instructions of top leader, will dig their own pit. "At least for their (those who have differences) self good, they will now rally behind Yeddyurappa. The leadership quality of Yeddyurappa itself neutralise internal differences, Kumar opined.
Operation Kamala (Lotus)
For a question on will resorting to Operation Kamala again (a process to woo non-BJP members to pull into party fold), would leave more damage than benefits to party, Kumar said operation Kamala has more benefits than loss to the BJP.
"If you had observed, the leaders who joined the BJP during Yeddyurappa's tenure as Chief Minister from the JD(S) and the Congress had not fueled internal differences or organised anti-Party politics," Kumar opined. He added that it was original party members in a frantic chase of power created trouble to the party.
OneIndia News
JNU row: Threat letter warns to behead Kanhaiya Kumar, Police steps up his security
India
oi-Mukul
New Delhi, April 15: The Delhi Police have tightened up the security of JNU student union president Kanhaiya Kumar and Umar Khalid after receiving a threat letter from a bus on Friday. Police also recovered a country-made pistol-made pistol from the bus, operating between an ISBT and JNU campus.
The letter purportedly was written by a man who had earlier threatened the student leader Kanhaiya over Facebook. Reportedly, the letter said that Kanhaiya and Umar Khalid, who were arrested under sedition charge over a controversial event in JNU campus, will be decapitated.
The weapon was recovered in a bus operating between Kashmere Gate ISBT and the JNU campus, after the driver spotted an unclaimed bag and raised an alarm. Police is trying to ascertain identity of the bag's owner and several persons have been questioned, a senior official said on Friday.
The letter was purportedly written by the person who had threatened Kumar over Facebook earlier saying that men with weapons are already present inside the campus, ready to kill him any moment, the official said.
Kumar doesn't get security cover inside the campus but the university authorities have clearly been instructed to inform Vasant Kunj (North) police station everytime he leaves the campus and security is provided accordingly.
After the alert, the police are likely to increase his security cover and also enhance vigil around the JNU area, the official added.
OneIndia News
(With inputs from PTI)
Jointness of armed forces must for victory: President Pranab Mukerjee
India
oi-IANS
By Ians English
Nilgris (Tamil Nadu), April 15: Victory in war can be achieved by through jointness of the three armed forces as was evident during the 1971 India-Pakistan war which led to liberation of Bangladesh, said President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday, April 15.
In his address at the convocation ceremony of the 71st Staff Course at the Defence Services Staff College here, he said: "The training curriculum at this college is institutionalised, to empower jointness amongst our armed forces. The army, navy and air force are the military instruments of state power."
"The history of warfare bears testimony, that ultimate victory in war will be achieved through jointness among the three services. The foremost example of excellent synergy and jointmanship exhibited in military history was during the 1971 War," he said, terming it an unprecedented "strategic military victory" by any armed forces in the world, with it culminating with the birth of a nation, on termination of the war.
Mukherjee urged to students to use their learning with maturity and prudence to effectively leverage the combat power of the Indian armed forces in times of national need.
"As your supreme commander, I implore you to do this with total loyalty, distinction, steadfastness and patriotic fervour," he said.
He also urged the students to remain well informed in the latest military technological advancements and also scientific developments for their application in defence forces.
"You should always remain well informed with the latest in military technology advancements, as well as aware of scientific developments, for their appropriate application in the armed forces.
"Study the numerous perceptions of various conflicts that have been chronicled and conscientiously study the evolution of potential flashpoints and their evaluated outcomes. It is only when you seek knowledge, that you gain wisdom in life, to take coherent and timely military decisions, which directly affects the lives of the forces under your command," he advised.
Expressing his delight at 35 officers from 25 friendly foreign countries also graduating from the college on Friday, Mukherjee hoped the deep bonds of friendship and camaraderie that they had forged amongst others will result in everlasting ties of brotherhood between the nations.
He also complimented the students' parents and family members for supporting them in their endeavour and the commandant and his staff of the college for mentoring and nurturing them in command and staff functions to produce 'role model' staff officers and leaders.
IANS
BRO Recruitment 2022: Check details for 328 vacancies, last date and salary details here
Kanhaiya Kumar to meet FTII Pune students
India
oi-PTI
Pune, Apr 15: After his visit to Nagpur, JNU Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar will next week meet the students of FTII here who had protested against Gajendra Chauhan's appointment as the chairman of the institute.
"In a day-long visit to the city (Pune), Kanhaiya will visit FTII and meet the students who were protesting against the appointment of FTII society chairman and other members," Pankaj Chavan, a convener of All India Students Federation (AISF) said here on Friday.
JNU row: Threat letter warns to behead Kanhaiya Kumar, Police steps up his security
Chavan said Kumar will also attend an AISF rally here during his visit on April 24.
"We appeal to the police to give adequate security and make sure Nagpur-like incident (wherein a footwear was hurled at Kumar) is not replicated here," Chavan said.
Kumar is out on bail after his arrest on sedition charges by the Delhi police.
PTI
Karnataka aims to bring back all children to schools. Will it succeed?
India
oi-Oneindia
By Maitreyee Boruah
Karnataka, April 15: In a novel attempt to provide education to all children, Karnataka is all set to start a massive campaign-Shale Kade Nanna Nade (My Walk Towards School)-from April 23 onwards.
The campaign, the brainchild of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR), is targeted at underprivileged children who are either dropouts or have never been to schools.
In order to speed up the campaign, the commission recently hosted a meeting at its office premises in Bengaluru. The meeting saw participation by members from a host of NGOs from various parts of the state working in the field of child rights and protection.
The campaign will kick-start with the identification of these children from every nook and cranny of Karnataka and thereafter enroll them in schools.
"Let us all come together and fulfill our dream of sending all children to schools. It is sad that education department has failed in its task to ensure education to all children in the state. Let us prove them wrong by bringing all children to schools," said Kripa Alva, chairperson of KSCPCR, presiding over the meeting on April 13.
"First we need to identify and enroll children in schools to kick-start the campaign," she added.
Since there is no statistics to quantify the number of children who are out of school, the campaign becomes gigantic. Child rights activists say it is not easy to identify these children.
"A city like Bengaluru has a huge migrant and floating population. Moreover, we can't enroll these children in Kannada medium schools, as most of them don't speak Kannada. Once the children are admitted in schools, we need to make sure they remain in schools and don't dropout," says P Lakshapathi, executive director of Association for Promoting Social Action (APSA), an NGO.
The participants at the meeting raised the issue of retention of children in schools and stressed on the need of capacity-building for the successful execution of the campaign. Most of the out of school children are identified as kids who are either from slum areas, children of poor migrants like construction workers and child labourers.
"We should have proper bridge school programmes available for these children," said an activist.
Bridge schools are places where school dropouts, mostly child labourers are provided education on an ad hoc basis. The idea of bridge schools is to help underprivileged children to join mainstream schools.
Activists fear that lakhs of children in the state are out of schools. "If in North Bengaluru only we have around 10,000 kids who are out of schools, imagine the number of children who are out of schools from across the state. It could be in lakhs," said an activist, who didn't wish to be named.
"We need proper planning and infrastructure in place to start such an ambitious plan. Otherwise it might fail midway," he added.
The KSCPCR is planning to host street plays and bike rallies across the state to sensitise civil society about the importance of sending all children to schools.
OneIndia News
For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications
Story first published: Friday, April 15, 2016, 10:15 [IST]
Kerala temple fire: 1 arrested as crime branch looks for main accused
India
oi-Vicky
New Delhi, April 15: The Crime Branch probing the Puttingal temple tragedy will have to submit its status report to the Kerala High Court in May. The Crime Branch says it is hopeful of cracking the case and putting out all the details of the investigation by then.
Kerala fire tragedy: Five Puttingal officials surrender
The crime branch has made another arrest in the case. This time it is the brother of fireworks contractor Krishnan Kutty. The crime branch picked up for questioning Kochumani and are grilling him for details regarding the whereabouts of his brother.
It may be recalled that over 100 people died when fire broke out at the Puttingal temple in Kerala where there was a fireworks display or competition on. The police say that the display was held despite a ban.
A crime branch official said that the whereabouts of Kutty is still being ascertained. He has been missing ever since the day the incident took place. We are questioning his brother for details of his whereabouts. The police say that Kochumani was present at the temple on the day the accident occured.
The police want to know if the fireworks contractors had added banned chemicals to the firecrackers. They are also seeking to know who had requested them to prepare the firecrackers beyond the permissible limits.
The police suspect that the contractors were told to enhance the capabilities of the firecrackers by one group which was competing with another. At the temple there is a fireworks competition that is held every year. This year around the same had been banned.
OneIndia News
HC seeks CBI stand on Maneka Gandhi's plea against order for probe in graft case
Non-inclusion doesnt reduce my stature: Maneka Gandhi on being dropped from BJP executive committee
Lumpy virus-affected cows in open leading to fast spread of infection in Rajasthan: Maneka Gandhi
Maneka Gandhi to hold reginal conference here on April 18
India
oi-PTI
Shillong, April 15: Union Minister for Women & Child Development Maneka Gandhi will inaugurate a one-day Regional Conference with North Eastern States on Child Adoption at the State Convention Centre here next Monday, April 18.
Social Welfare and Women & Child Development ministers of all NE states, including Sikkim, are expected to attend the conference.
About 400 delegates are also expected to attend the conference, including the stakeholders from the State Adoption Resource Agencies (SARAs), District Child Protection Units (DCPUs), Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), Specialised Adoption Agencies (SAAs) and Child Care Institutions (CCIs) in the North Eastern States.
Besides, the senior officers from the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) and the concerned Department of the State Governments in the region would also attend.
The conference is being organised with a view to familiarize the stakeholders of adoption programme in North Eastern States about the provisions relating to adoption under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 ; and orient them about the provisions of Adoption Guidelines - 2015 as well as the online adoption process through Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System (CARINGS).
PTI
Haryana: Narrow escape for Dussehra revellers as burning effigy of Ravana falls in Yamunanagar
Phase 1 of Panchayat polls in Haryana on Oct 30, Nov 2
2 killed, 1 injured in a brawl at dhaba in Haryana's Karnal
Haryana govt orders to stop production of cough syrups by Maiden Pharma
Murthal 'rapes': Eyewitness in case gets threat call
India
oi-Jagriti
New Delhi, Apr 15: An eyewitness in alleged rape cases in Murthal has reportedly got threat calls for cooperating with the police.
Bobby Joshi, a witness of the Jat violence in Haryana received anonymous threat calls after he gave a statement to the police in connection with the alleged gangrapes in Murthal.
According to Joshi he received a call saying 'You're speaking too much, hum tumhe dekh lenge'.
"I am not scared of such calls," said Joshi.
"I informed police 2 days back that I had seen some boys burning vehicles and harass two women from Ludhiana," CNN-IBN quoted him as saying.
Murthal 'rapes': Haryana adds gangrape section in FIR after victims file complaint
"I saw the women being forced towards the farms but they somehow managed to escape. Later, I guided these women to a nearby dhaba to ensure their safety," he added.
I received a call saying 'you're speaking too much, hum tumhe dekh lenge': Bobby Joshi(Murthal incident eye-witness) pic.twitter.com/ny7VauUH5R ANI (@ANI_news) April 15, 2016
I'm not scared of any threat. Another lady also saw everything that happened that day: Bobby Joshi,Eye witness pic.twitter.com/Gf49dd5duJ ANI (@ANI_news) April 15, 2016
OneIndia News
Santa Claus goes down on knees in busy shopping mall to salute a World War II veteran
Nation pays tribute to Major Amit Deswal martyred in operation in Manipur
India
oi-Shalini
Imphal, April 15: The nation on Friday, April 15, paid a tearful adieu to Major Amit Deswal from Para 21, who was martyred in an encounter with the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) insurgents in Manipur's Tamenglong distrcit on Wednesday, April 13.
One of the official on the condition of anonymity informed OneIndia that one militant was also killed during the combing operation undertaken by Rashtriya Rifles and Special Forces personnel.
On Thursday, April 14, at around 9: 30 pm mortal remains of officer was brought from Imphal to Jorhat district in Assam in an Airfoce AN 32 aircraft of 43sqn, Johrat. Today at 6.30 am the mortal remains of the slain Major was taken back to Delhi from Jorhat.
Deswal's father, Mr Ram Rishi broke down during wreath laying ceremony which was held in Imphal to pay homage to the young brave heart, who was a native of Jhajjar district in Haryana.
Later, Deswal's father was seen hugging his son's collegue and breaking down. Mr Ram Rishi who also served in Indian army was the inspiration behind his son's decision of joining the Indian Army.
Deswal received gunshot during the operation in his stomach and his body could not recovered because of the dense forest area and unavailability of medical aid.
According to source information, Major Deswal was commissioned into the Regiment Of Artillery on June 10, 2006 and had been selected for the coveted Special Forces and was posted to Manipur in Januray. The late Major is survived by his wife and young son Aryan.
Manipur CM Ibobi Singh also expressed his condolences to the bereaved father for the loss and sacrifice made by his son. Army chief Dalbir Singh Suhag also paid homage to young soldier.
Here are some tweets:
Army Chief Dalbir Singh pays tribute to Major Amit Deswal who was killed in encounter with ZUF militants in Manipur. pic.twitter.com/DCJva0BaRW ANI (@ANI_news) April 15, 2016
Delhi: Wreath laying ceremony of Major Amit Deswal who was killed in an encounter with ZUF militants in Manipur. pic.twitter.com/Z81SYLpi9n ANI (@ANI_news) April 15, 2016
OneIndia News
A woman's body was found in a hotel room in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, ten hours after her death on April 7. Lying beside her was a new-born boy she'd delivered by herself, Nanfang Metropolis Daily reported.
Local police officer Sun Yulian told the newspaper that the baby was in critical condition when she arrived at the scene after receiving a call from the hotel.
Forensic tests show that the woman, 28, had given a premature birth and died of acute amniotic fluid embolism. She cut the umbilical cord by herself after delivery.
A senior physician at the local hospital said the baby could have died if he hadn't been found and treated so quickly.
"We didn't realize that the woman was pregnant because she was wearing very loose clothing," said the hotel owner, who went to check on the dead woman because she hadn't come out of her room for two days.
The owner found the dead woman after breaking into her room. "Beside her dead body, there was a pair of scissors she used to untangle the cord," he said. "She had a cell phone which she could have used to call the police if there was any emergency."
The landlord also revealed that he hadn't heard any crying during the process.
A full investigation into the case is still underway.
PM's visit to Kollam, a big relief: Chandy
India
oi-Pallavi
Thiruvananthapuram, April 15: The Prime Minister's visit to the Kollam temple site where a firework accident took place just a few days ago has been received graciously by chief minister Oommen Chandy.
Despite the police supremo criticizing the visit at a time when the rescue operations were going on and when the forces were tired, Chandy said that Modi's visit at the site was a big relief.
Chandy said, " The PM came... that is great for people. A national leader came to Kerala and that was a big relief for Kerala people." He further added, "Their preference and help is great for Kerala. We all focus on giving the best treatment to injured people."
Just a few hours after the deadly incident claimed the lives of 100 people, PM Narendra Modi visited the site with 15 specialists from Delhi.
However, Kerala's Director General of Police TP said,"I did object to the idea of the Prime Minister visiting the region within 12 hours of the accident. I told them it would be better for the PM to visit the spot a day after the disaster. But the PM wanted to visit that day itself. Our entire force had been working from early morning, engaged in rescue and relief work. So much work was still left and all of them were tired because there was no provision of even drinking water. We had to make arrangements for the safety and security of Prime Minister Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi too."
Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy came to Modi's defence and said, "Fortunately, we have the PM who takes the call. He could have visited early in the morning, but he waited till evening, he waited for the rescue operations to be over."
Close to 100 were killed and over 1000 injured after a spark ignited fireworks stored in a shed during the firework display in the temple premises. Supported by local politicians, the temple authorities had backed the display despite warnings from the authorities.
OneIndia News
For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications
Story first published: Friday, April 15, 2016, 15:00 [IST]
With AQI of 259, Delhi's air on day before Diwali least polluted in 7 years
Political ambitions behind claims for Ambedkar's legacy, say experts
India
oi-IANS
By Ians English
New Delhi, April 15: Political parties seem to be seeking to outdo each other in claiming the legacy B. R. Ambedkar, the chief architect of the constitution, but are they true to his teachings? Experts say that support for Ambedkar is driven more by political motives rather than a clear understanding of his work.
Apoorvanand Jha, who teaches at Delhi University and frequently writes on Dalit issues, said that support of political parties for Ambedkar "is not inspired by his work or struggle" and no political party has been able to do justice to his legacy.
"The attempt to appropriate Baba Saheb Ambedkar's legacy by political parties is obscene because this is no real love or respect for him. No political party has been able to do justice to his legacy," Jha told IANS.
Ambedkar's 125th anniversary was observed on Thursday. A series of events were held by different political parties throughout the country to send a signal about their adherence to the values he espoused.
Jha said no political party has carried out major social reforms and they have retained practices which perpetuate the prevalence of caste.
Describing Dalits as the "new democratic class," Jha said they were the "most energised, liberal, vital, and upcoming political force".
"They have become a constituency, which everyone is trying to appeal to and Baba Saheb is an icon of that constituency. Their target is not Baba Saheb but the constituency," he saids.
Coomenting on the Left parties, Jha said it is pertinent for them to establish a rigrous intellectual engagement with Ambedkar before plunging into any alliance.
Kancha Ilaiah, an academician, writer and activist for Dalit rights, said Ambedkar wanted to bring about a lot of change in society.
"He had written about it in several books. He wanted to remove inequality, caste system and untouchability from the society," Ilaiah told IANS.
Ilaiah said there was were political motives behind efforts by right-wing forces to appropriate Ambedkar's legacy and the ruling BJP was trying to co-opt him in major ways.
He said if political parties and the government neglect Ambedkar, they will be seen as anti-people.
"There is definitely a political motive because RSS is an organisation which wants primacy of upper caste and the Brahmins," Ilaiah contended.
Badri Narayan, a professor at the Centre for the Study of Discrimination and Exclusion, School of Social Sciences, JNU, said that Dalit community was a "huge vote bank" for political parties.
"Dalits are a huge vote bank in India, about 15 percent. That is why they are trying to co-opt him. The reasons are very political. In Uttar Pradesh, Dalits are about 21 percent of the population and 31 percent in Punjab," Narayan told IANS.
Prakash Karat, former general secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, said it was ironical that BJP was trying to appropriate Ambedkar
"Ambedkar was one of the most trenchant critics of Hindutva and all forms of Hindu orthodoxy, with the whole caste system that is based on Hinduism and he rejected that. So, it is ironical that the BJP is trying to appropriate him, minus his radical democratic secular vision," Karat maintained
Aam Aadmi Party AAP leader Ashutosh also accused BJP of trying to appropriate Ambedkar's legacy.
"The RSS and Narendra Modi are trying to appropriate Ambedkar, but they know they can't digest his observations on Hinduism. Ambedkar is the antithesis of the RSS brand of Hinduism which is elitist and does not accommodate Dalits. The RSS icon is (Veer) Savarakar not Ambedkar," he said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's Srikant Sharma denied that his party was seeking to appropriate Ambedkar and said Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh - the ideological fountainhead of the BJP - has always believed in social harmony.
"We are not trying to appropriate Ambedkar. The RSS has always believed in samajik samrasta (social harmony). It has been a tradition in RSS that whenever a worker or prachark goes out, he dines at the home of a Dalit worker," Sharma told IANS.
He also accused Congress and the Left parties of not respecting his legacy.
K. Raju, chairman of the Congress' scheduled caste department, said his party's association with Ambedkar has been for long. "It was this association that guided the Congress to support him in drafting each and every article of the constitution in the right spirit," he said.
"We are committed to realizing his vision of aone man-one value', which has not been achieved yet," he added.
IANS
Woman gets 50 stitches on head, hand, leg after pet Pit bull attacks her
Shocking accident caught on cam: Speedy car hits bike, kills one on the spot
Caught on camera: Cop 'accidentally' fires at at mobile shop employee in Amritsar
Rahul Gandhi to meet Congress leaders in Punjab tomorrow
India
oi-PTI
Chandigarh, Apr 15: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will meet party workers and leaders in Punjab and discuss issues related to Assembly polls next year and the party's preparedness.
The meeting, organised by poll strategist Prashant Kishor's organisation Indian Political Action Committee, assumes significance as the state Congress, which faced "factionalism", wants to "put up a united face" to take on SAD-BJP alliance and emerging AAP in the polls.
Rahul Gandhi demands CBI probe into Dalit girl's murder
Senior Congress leaders Jagmeet Brar and Bir Davinder Singh were suspended for their outbursts against party leaders, especially Amarinder Singh.
Rahul will reach Zirakpur around 11:30 am tomorrow and will hold a meeting with party workers and leaders. He will stay there till 4 pm, sources said.
Almost 2,000-2,500 party members including sitting MLAs, MPs, ex-MLAs, block presidents, and other office bearers will attend the meeting, they said. Congress faced defeat in 2007 and 2012 Punjab Assembly polls and aims to wrest power in 2017.
On April 9, Rahul held a meeting, to discuss political and organisational challenges in Punjab, with Congress leaders, including in-charge of party affairs in Punjab Shakeel Ahmad, state unit chief Amarinder Singh, Ambika Soni, CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi, AICC Secretary Harish Choudhry and Prashant Kishor.
Prashant Kishor, who played a key role in victories of Narendra Modi-led BJP in the general elections and JD(U)-RJD-Congress alliance in Bihar, will help Congress in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, where elections are scheduled for next year.
PTI
Bernie Sanders arrives in Rome to attend Vatican conference
International
oi-PTI
Vatican City, Apr 15: Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders issued a global call to action at the Vatican on Friday to address "immoral and unsustainable" wealth inequality and poverty and warn of the consequences to future generations if solutions are not found.
He cited Pope Francis and St John Paul II repeatedly during his speech to the Vatican conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of a landmark teaching document from John Paul on social and economic justice after the Cold War.
Sanders hopes to meet Pope on Vatican campaign break
Sanders arrived in Rome hours after yesterday night's New York debate, saying the opportunity to address the Vatican conference was too meaningful to pass up. The roughly 24-hour visit precedes Tuesday's crucial New York primary, which Sanders must do well in to maintain any viable challenge against Clinton.
The Vermont senator told the audience of priests, bishops, academics and two South American presidents that rather than a world economy that looks out for the common good, "we have been left with an economy operated for the top 1 percent, who get richer and richer as the working class, the young and the poor fall further and further behind."
Sanders warned that youth around the world are no longer satisfied with the status quo, which includes "corrupt and broken politics and an economy of stark inequality and injustice."
"They are not satisfied with the destruction of our environment by a fossil fuel industry whose greed has put short term profits ahead of climate change and the future of our planet," he said.
"They are calling out for a return to fairness; for an economy that defends the common good by ensuring that every person, rich or poor, has access to quality health care, nutrition and education."
He sat next to the other main guest of honor at the Vatican: Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose is renowned for his anti-imperialist, socialist rhetoric.
As he walked through Vatican City's Perugino gate, Sanders was greeted about two dozen supporters, some of whom carried signs bearing Sanders' name. The senator told reporters that he was honored to address the conference and admired Francis' message on the economy and the environment.
"I know that it's taking me away from the campaign trail for a day but when I received this information it was so moving to me that it was something that I could just simply not refuse to attend," he said.
Pope Francis apologized that he couldn't personally greet participants at the Vatican conference. No meeting with Sanders was expected.
PTI
Trumps election in 2016 was not an entertainment for many; in fact it was a trauma: Report
Clinton, Sanders spar in Brooklyn debate
International
oi-IANS
By Ians English
New York, April 15: Democrat front-runner Hillary Clinton and her rival Bernie Sanders ratcheted up their attacks in a bruising, final debate in Brooklyn, New York, as he cast doubt on her judgment and she criticised his command of policy and record on guns.
The debate was hosted by TV channels CNN and NY1 News on Thursday night and came only a few days before New York's critical primary on April 19. It's the first debate the two Democratic candidates have done in over a month.
Sanders delivered first opening statement where he accused Clinton of "lacking the kind of judgment we need to be the kind of president we need." But he found himself on defence for not releasing his taxes and said he would do so on Friday, CNN reported.
Clinton again found herself in the spotlight for her paid speeches to big banks, declining to release the transcripts when pressed by CNN moderators. But she counterpunched by referring to Sanders' trouble explaining some of his core policies in an interview with the New York Daily News.
The debate was the most combative yet, with the two delivering harsh attacks that at points needed intervention from the moderators.
The event, held just across the river from Wall Street, in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, quickly turned to the issue of the big banks and their perceived excesses.
When asked to name a single policy decision Clinton made as senator that showed she was favouring the banks, Sanders said that when the "greed and recklessness and illegal behaviour of Wall Street" led to the financial crisis, he had called on the big banks to be broken up -- while Clinton was "busy giving speeches to Goldman Sachs."
Clinton shot back saying, "He cannot come up with any example because there is no example ... It's always important -- it may be inconvenient -- but it's always important to get the facts straight."
The two also displayed intense friction over gun control. Throughout the campaign, Clinton has criticized Sanders' record in Congress on gun control -- an attack she once again made forcefully on Thursday night.
When asked Clinton if she was seriously blaming Vermont for New York's gun violence in a recent statement, she said "no" and Sanders started to laugh.
She said this is "not a laughing matter" and said 90 people a day are killed as a result of gun violence as well as 33,000 people per year.
"We need a president who will stand up against the gun lobby," Clinton said.
The heated debate quickly exposed tensions on the issue of income inequality -- specifically, raising the minimum wage.
Hillary Clinton accuses Bernie Sanders of playing 'games
Sanders expressing surprise as Clinton voiced support for efforts to set the hourly pay rate at $15, the level he has long backed.
"I don't know how you're there for the fight for 15 when you say you want a $12 minimum wage," he said.
Clinton then clarified that while she does support a $12 per hour federal minimum wage, she would sign legislation raising that level to $15.
The location of the debate, across the East River from Manhattan, make it a home-turf battle for both candidates.
Clinton served as a New York senator for eight years and Brooklyn is the location of her campaign headquarters, while Sanders was born and raised in the borough.
Polls show Clinton is likely to defeat Sanders in New York. A Quinnipiac University poll released on Tuesday found 53 percent of likely Democratic voters back her while 40 percent said they are for Sanders.
IANS
India, Saudi Arabia to set up expert teams to seal projects
International
oi-IANS
By Ians English
Riyadh, April 15: Inviting Saudi Arabia investors to tap the opportunities emerging from India's new hydrocarbons exploration policy, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has agreed with the kingdom's leadership to form expert teams from the two sides to expedite specific projects.
This emerged during a series of meetings here as part of Pradhan's one-day visit to the kingdom, during which he met with Vice Minister for Petroleum Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud, and Health Minister and Chairman of Aramco Khalid Al Falih, an official statement said on Friday.
"Pradhan elaborated on the hydrocarbon exploration licensing policy and discovered small fields policy and invited the Saudi side to invest in Indian upstream sector. The Saudi side also provided details of investment opportunities for Indian companies in their country," the statement said.
"Both sides agreed to conclude discussions regarding concrete investment proposals in a time-bound manner. They also agreed to appoint high level negotiation teams for various projects which would be periodically reviewed at minister level."
Saudi Arabia has been the largest supplier of crude oil to India. The kingdom supplied about 40 million metric tonnes of crude to India in 2015-16, accounting for about 20 percent of total oil imports. India also imported 3 million metric tonnes of cooking fuel from the kingdom, or 28 percent of its needs.
Officials said the meetings also came against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit here earlier this month when the two sides discussed ways to enhancing cooperation in the oil and gas sector -- also one of the key issues brought up by the two Saudi leaderships.
"Pradhan's visit was a follow up to take forward the discussions regarding various investment proposals in areas like oil, gas, petrochemicals, exploration and production. He shared the details of various investment opportunities in India in downstream and upstream sectors," the statement said.
IANS
Former US state secy John Kerry trying to save Iran deal by himself: Report
Kerry says Navy ship could have fired on Russian planes
International
oi-PTI
Miami, Apr 15: Under US military rules of engagement, the Navy ship that Russian military jets buzzed in the Baltic Sea this week could have opened fire, Secretary of State John Kerry said.
The guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook reported that pairs of Russian Su-24 attack planes made numerous close-range passes on Monday and Tuesday.
The planes appeared to be unarmed. On at least one occasion, an Su-24 came within an estimated 30 feet (9 metres) of the Cook, which was in international waters about 70 nautical miles from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. The Cook did not respond except to unsuccessfully query the Russian pilots by radio.
In remarks to CNN Espanol, Kerry condemned the Russian actions and said that "under the rules of engagement" it "could have been a shoot-down." In all cases, a military commander has the authority to defend his or her ship, plane or other unit.
The commander is expected to use his or her best judgement to determine whether the ship faces an imminent threat. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the US has raised its concerns through its military defence representative at the US Embassy in Moscow.
AP
Mexico federal agents implicated in 43 students' disappearance
International
oi-PTI
Mexico City, Apr 14: Two Mexican federal police officers allegedly participated in the disappearance of 43 students, the National Human Rights Commission said today, implicating national agents in the 2014 case for the first time.
The announcement adds a new twist to an investigation that has come under fire from international human rights groups and independent investigators. The attorney general's office has charged municipal police officers in connection with the mass abduction in the southern city of Iguala on September 26-27, 2014.
But the governmental rights commission said that an eyewitness saw two federal agents near Iguala's courthouse, where municipal officers had stopped a bus carrying 15 to 20 students.
The commission also said another local police department, from the town of Huitzuco, had a previously unknown role in the disappearance. The bus was one of five that around 100 students had seized that night in order to use them for a future protest.
Jose Larrieta Carrasco, a commission official investigating the Iguala case, said authorities should look into a "new route in the disappearance" of the students. The attorney general's office declared last year that Iguala and Cocula police officers abducted the students and delivered them to a drug cartel.
The gang then killed the students, incinerated their bodies at a garbage dump in Cocula, and dropped the remains in a nearby river. But experts from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights who conducted an independent investigation said that there was no scientific evidence that the 43 students were incinerated at the dump.
AFP
Nine dead in Japan quake
International
oi-IANS
By Ians English
Tokyo, April 15: At least nine people were killed and hundreds injured after a powerful quake rocked Japan late on Thursday, media reports said on Friday.
The 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck at 9.26 p.m. and measured seven on Japan's seismic scale, the highest possible reading for an earthquake, marking the first time a temblor in Japan hit the peak on the scale since the devastating quake in Tohoku in 2011.
The town of Mashiki, in Kumamoto prefecture, located in southern Kyushu, was where the quake hit hardest and was logged at an intensity of 7, although the Japan Meteorological Agency did not issue a tsunami warning, Xinhua reported.
The quake, which was followed by 103 aftershocks according to the the weather agency as of early Friday morning some measuring in the upper six range on Japan's scale, left nine people dead. Three of the deceased were men and the four were women, officials confirmed.
As many as 765 people were injured in the quake and the aftershocks, officials said, as of 5 a.m., 53 of whom are suffering with severe injuries.
Some 44,400 people were forced to evacuate their homes and take shelter in 500 temporary sites in the prefecture, officials also said.
Strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake hits southwestern Japan, no danger of tsunami
The majority of Japan's nuclear power plants remain offline for regular safety inspections and in the wake of the earthquake-triggered tsunami in March 2011, that pummeled the Daiichi nuclear facility in Fukushima Prefecture, in Japan's northeast, leading to the worst commercial nuclear crisis in history.
Japan's National Police Agency has deployed 1,084 officers from 19 local police departments to the disaster-hit regions.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a press briefing that the government will do everything in its power to support the victims of the quake and ensure emergency provisions such as food, water and medical assistance are on hand to those who need it.
IANS
Panama Papers claim new victim as Spain minister quits
International
oi-PTI
Madrid, April 15: The worldwide Panama Papers scandal claimed a fresh political victim on Friday, April 15 as Spain's industry minister resigned over allegations he had links to offshore companies.
Jose Manuel Soria said he had tendered his resignation "in light of the succession of mistakes committed along the past few days, relating to my explanations over my business activities... and considering the obvious harm that this situation is doing to the Spanish government."
Soria's troubles began on Monday when Spanish online daily El Confidencial, which has had access to the Panama Papers -- millions of files leaked from law firm Mossack Fonseca -- said he was an administrator of an offshore firm in 1992.
Soria called a news conference to deny any link to the company, but as the week went by, more allegations emerged from other media outlets, revealing further alleged connections to offshore havens.
It is unclear as yet whether any of his alleged actions were illegal. Soria is the latest political victim of the Panama Papers leak, which revealed how the world's wealthy stashed assets in offshore companies and which the law firm blamed on a computer hack.
Iceland's Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson was also forced to resign over the leaks. In his statement, Soria said politics "is an activity that must always be exemplary, also where... explanations are concerned."
"When that doesn't happen, one must assume one's responsibilities," he added, in an indication that he was resigning due to how he had handled the revelations, rather than over any irregularities.
The initial revelations showed that Soria's name appeared alongside his brother's as administrator of a company based in the Bahamas created through Panama-based Mossack Fonseca.
He denied any links to that firm, and said he had told Spanish prosecutors to clear his name with the Panamanian authorities. But then other media revealed that Soria had links with another company based in the offshore haven of Jersey until 2002, when he was mayor of Las Palmas in Spain's Canary Islands.
IANS
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. U Htin Kyaw from National League for Democracy (NLD) was elected as new president of Myanmar. (Xinhua/U Aung)
After months of suspense, a democratic government took the mantle to govern Myanmar. U Htin Kyaw, a long-time aid of Aung San Suu Kyi, is the new President. In reality, Suu Kyi will remain at the real center of power.
Although the existing constitution denies Suu Kyi the top post, she has been vested with key portfolios such as education, electric power, energy and foreign ministry, apart from holding the Office of the Presidency. To allow her more legroom, a constitutional amendment was made to create the position of State Advisor, effectively making her the de facto ruler. Thus, in every sense Htin Kyaw will be the rubber stamp head and Suu Kyi will act as the real face of the new government.
While the government formation was billed as a most difficult exercise, it turned out to be a smooth affair. Even the military members of parliament (MP) who raised a lot of opposition to Suu Kyi becoming advisor received an unprecedented mandate that the National League for Democracy (NLD) received in the November 2015 general elections.
This could be because the military members know well the challenges facing a new government. From the unprecedented mandate that the NLD received from all regions and sections of Burmese populations, it is clear that the new government carries a huge burden of expectations.
Many may not understand that this resource rich country has one of the lowest (after Cambodia) per capita GDP in the Southeast Asian region. In most key human development indicators, Myanmar sits at the bottom of the pit in Southeast Asia.
The country's infrastructure, be it roads, railways or waterways, are creaky and crumbling. Also, due to long years of military rule, most of its service delivery institutions are rusty and out of sync with new realities. While the country might have a youthful population and an abundant supply of labor, jobs available are few and far between. It will test the capacities of new government to transform an ossified bureaucracy with a military mentality and deliver on key premises of governance and inclusive development.
Those who are following the affairs of the Myanmar political economy know well that it is one of the most unequal societies in Asia. While the country's economic profile has taken a positive turnaround, thanks largely in part to China and its Southeast Asian neighbors, most of the benefits of such high growth have been captured by the military elites and their cronies, leaving millions of people to fend for themselves. Therefore, bridging inequality and creating a future for the millions of the poor and impoverished population would be the foremost preoccupation of the new government.
With AQI of 259, Delhi's air on day before Diwali least polluted in 7 years
Pakistan completes O-turn, says talks with India are on
International
oi-IANS
By Ians English
Islamabad, April 15: A week after Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit said "at present the peace process is suspended", Pakistan's foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria on Thursday said the door for negotiations with India was very much open. [Has Panama Papers leak affected India-Pakistan peace talks?]
"Yes, dialogue is the best option," Zakaria said in response to a question whether the door was still open for negotiations between India and Pakistan at his weekly media briefing in Islamabad.
"Diplomacy is for interaction and engagement between countries," he said.
Asked at the Foreign Correspondents Club in New Delhi in a media interaction on April 7 about a meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries, Mr Basit had said, "There is no meeting scheduled for now. I think at present the peace process is suspended."
Foreign secretary-level talks between the two countries scheduled for the middle of January this year were derailed following the terror attack on the Pathankot Air Force base in which seven security personnel were killed.
Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad had claimed responsibility for the attack in which the six attackers were also killed.
The two neighbours had agreed to start a comprehensive bilateral dialogue during a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Sartaj Aziz, the advisor to the Pakistan prime minister on foreign affairs, in December.
It came after Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif had a seemingly impromptu meeting at the Conference of Parties (CoP)-21 climate summit in Paris on November 30 last year which was followed by a meeting between the national security advisors of the two nuclear-armed neighbours in Bangkok on December 6.
The neighbourly rapport got a significant boost when PM Modi made a surprising stop at Lahore on his way back to New Delhi from Kabul on Christmas Day on the occasion of his counterpart's birthday.
However, the terror attack in Pathankot on January 2 strained relations between the two countries.
India said it sent "actionable evidence" to Pakistani authorities against those behind the attacks.
Pakistan filed an FIR in Gujranwala in February against unknown terrorists in connection with the airbase attack.
It then sent a joint investigation team (JIT) to India last month to probe the attack.
Basit held the press conference after the JIT's departure.
In Thursday's media briefing, Zakaria said that during PM Modi's visit to Pakistan in December, it was decided that the two foreign secretaries should meet soon.
"It is hoped that both sides would work out modalities for the FS level talks. We need to look ahead and not think in terms foreclosing any options. Both sides are in contact with each other. Once the modalities are worked out secretary-level talks would take place," he said.
Replying to a range of questions, Zakaria said, "At our level here in the ministry, we do not give a day-to-day running commentary on official policy."
As to the visit of the JIT, he said that it was evaluating the information shared by the Indian side.
"It may be appropriate to allow the investigations to take its due course rather than indulge in speculations," the spokesman said.
To a question about Kirpal Singh, an Indian prisoner who died in Pakistan on April 11 following what the authorities claimed was a heart attack, Mr Zakaria said that it was "not appropriate to see everything through the prism of suspicion and conspiracy".
"He was kept in intensive care at the hospital but he could not survive. He was given death sentence and life imprisonment by anti-terrorism court," he said.
"We have communicated this information to the Indian high commission in Islamabad," he added.
IANS
Youth questions Mamata on FB chat, finds remark deleted, himself blocked
Kolkata
oi-Shubham
Kolkata, April 15: Purandar Bhat, a student of Economics who resides in Mumbai, put some questions before West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during a live Facebook session which was joined by the latter on April 13 (Wednesday).
2011 results in 56 seats going to polls on April 17" title="Assembly Polls 2016 Full Coverage; 2011 results in 56 seats going to polls on April 17" />Assembly Polls 2016 Full Coverage; 2011 results in 56 seats going to polls on April 17
Bhat logged on at sharp 8.30 pm when Banerjee's live chatting was scheduled to begin and saw a few had already put some formal questions before her. Bhat then put across 10 questions related to various burning issues in Bengal politics and expected that the CM would reply them as she was answering questions on her health, earthquake (a quake in India-Myanmar border on that evening caused minor tremors in West Bengal also), election and others with care.
Bhat's comment received many 'likes' and replies and was at the top for sometime. But to his utter disappointment, Bhat saw that his comment was not only deleted after some time, even he was blocked from making further remarks on Banerjee's Facebook page.
In a Facebook post, Bhat asked if Banerjee can not tolerate anybody questioning her, then what was the need for the "drama"? He said this is the same leader and his party who lecture others on intolerance and create ruckus in Parliament.
Here are the 10 questions that Bhat asked the Bengal CM:
1. Why didn't you punish those police officers found guilty by the CBI in the Nandigram case?
2. Why haven't you published the Singur agreement still?
3. How many paintings have you sold in last four years?
4. Which scheme is used by you and your ministers that helps your assets multiply by 3-4 times in five years? I also want to make use of the same.
5. Who is the owner of the Sonar Tari hotel in Puri?
6. If you are receiving donation from Narada, where are the receipts?
7. How many big industries have you set up in five years?
8. You claimed to have created 68 lakh jobs. In that case, why are there so many jobless people still registered with the employment bank?
9. When will the TET (Teacher Eligibility Test) results come out?
10. Who did your MLA Iqbal refer to when he told Babi Hakim (Bengal's urban development Minister) that the MLAs of Hoogly district are plundering money? Why have you made them candidates this time again?
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Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev here on Wednesday awards the highest state order to Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Wei Jinghua for his contributions to the development of bilateral ties.
In recent years, the two countries have exchanged visits at the highest levels, and bilateral relations enter a new phase of intensive development, Plevneliev says when he decorates Wei with the Order of the Stara Planina, First Class.
Wei has contributed to the deepening of bilateral dialogue under the "16+1" cooperation, bilateral trade and export of Bulgarian products to China both increased during his diplomatic term in Bulgaria, Plevneliev says.
The two countries have also signed a number of important agreements in the fields of agriculture, education, tourism, maritime transport, fight against crime, and a memorandum to promote the Belt and Road Initiative.
Wei says mutual trust at the political level between the two countries has been growing steadily, and the benefits to both nations are becoming more tangible.
He adds that the order is not only an honor for himself, but also a recognition of the work of the entire team of the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria.
2016 China Forex Expo Integrates Financial Knowledge with Online Performance Dynamics
Published April 15, 2016 by Lee R
The first investors to understand this emerging field will be best positioned to pass along the benefits to financial services clients. Tune-in for the 2016 China Forex Expo, taking place in Shenzen this weekend.
The 2016 China Forex Expo is bringing together forex brokers, IBs, binary options leaders, affiliates , and investors to provide financial perspective on technology investment.
The Overview
Taking place on this weekend, April 16-17, 2016, the agenda is chock full of keynote speeches, networking events and panels designed to give readers a foundational perspective on the emerging field of forex, or foreign exchange, as it relates to digital products and online services.
Connection to iGaming
The financial viability of online enterprises such as iGaming or specific iGaming companies or features is determined by many moving parts, most of which are not visible to the passing investor or casual observer. The 2016 China Forex Expo will feature pioneers in foreign exchange who will provide insider insight into this emerging field for all who attend.
Awards and Keynote Speech Highlight Day 1
The first day features an awards presentation to honor categories of excellence exemplified by forex companies and individuals over the previous year. This is followed by the keynote speech of the day, delivered by FXMT Pty Ltd Trading Operations Director Cory Vi, entitled How do Forex Trader/Dealer make money for their banks? In this so-called power-packed presentation of information, Vi will shed light on what happens in foreign exchange dealing rooms, and how to benefit from this insight in the pursuit of wealth creation.
Bringing Forex to Public Investors
This is just one of a variety of forex topics and speeches that will be presented at China Forex 2016, when the elusive concepts surrounding foreign exchange will be brought to light so that attendees can harness the full benefits of this emerging and vital field.
About FXMT
Founded by a group of professionals with over 50 years of collective experience in financial markets across Australia, UK and SE Asia across multiple asset classes from both the sell side and buy side FXMT forex service supports include the functional skills brought by these professionals include sales, trading, operations, legal and compliance.
By Ifeanyi Izeze
No matter how anybody wants to paint the picture, it can no longer be disputed that Nigeria now faces one of her worst periods of insecurity manifesting in violent extremism, rampant cases of kidnapping, cattle rustling, herder/ farmers violent conflicts and murderous campaign of bandits across Nigeria particularly in the Northwest.
Does anybody still doubt that the body language of this government is showing that either it is complicit in the spate of massacres in the Northwest and elsewhere across the country or has no iota of idea on what to do and how to do it and do it well? Meanwhile, President Mohammadu Buhari came with a three point agenda topmost of which was ensuring security of lives and properties across the country. How he has implemented this remains at best blurred and at worst obscured.
Adding to the absurd, the Nigerian Army now do more in gathering intelligence on politicians that want to scuttle the May 29th inauguration of Buharis second tenure than think of gathering intelligence on the various terrorists miscreants that have taken over the Northwest and the rest. So if a foreign country has cogent intelligence on any Nigerian politician trying to cause trouble in this country, is it the Army they would pass on such intelligence to announce to the public through press statements or the DSS, Police and/or NIA? Do we still need any convincing to know that something is happening in this government that the ordinary Nigerians are not paying attention to?
When the massacre by Fulani bandits was localized in Zamfara, it was described as fallout of the activities of illegal mining mafias pillaging the abundant heavy minerals: gold, diamond and maybe Uranium in the area.
The criminality gradually crept into Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi and now Katsina. So do we still believe the illegal mining mafia conspiracy theory by the government? If our leaders could only stop deceiving themselves by giving us these explanations that could best be described as stupid and call the spade what it really is, we will well on the road to genuine and effective solution to the problem.
Now Miyetti Allah has been clearly identified by top managers of our security agencies to be responsible for the spate of killings, massacre of scores of villages, kidnappings, rape etc in the Northwest and across the country but rather than carry out mass arrest of both their leaders and the foot soldiers, our government is talking of giving them over a hundred billion to pacify them while the group is insisting on N160 billion or nothing as widely reported. You see the country we call Nigeria?
The Buhari administration is on record as having paid billions in both Naira and Dollars to the terrorists/bandits in ransom and protection money over the last four years and what did it achieve? Only one thing and thats grossly strengthening the marauders and assisted their mutiny and armed banditry against the Nigerian state. No wonder they are being emboldened more and more everyday.
ALSO READ: Even cows are happy with Presidents reelection Fulani herdsmen
Who actually thinks for this government? Does it occur to the hollow heads manning our security agencies that the mere idea of proposing such dole has already created a problem for this country as several other groups will now spring up over night to visit our people with unprecedented mayhem that will attract and force this same government to also negotiate their own largees?
Hear the President of Miyetti Allah, Muhammad Kiruwa: This is the first of its kind in the history of this country for a president of the country to direct his security aids to interact with an aggrieved party to air their views. This meeting will serve as a foundation for peace between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers, and amongst the Fulanis themselves.
Without mincing words, the top command of the current national security team made up of mostly one ethnic affiliation same with the armed fulani herdsmen and bandits, have always made decisions that reflects their biasness and inclination to pamper and protect these armed bandits who ought to be dealt a heavy blow in line with the constitutional provisions. Why are the pythons not dancing and crocodiles not smiling in those areas of the Northwest?
Is it not clear that either the people at the top echelon of our security apparatuses may be behind this problem or they know what the rest of us dont know? There is something the government people know that they are not telling us. How can we continue like this as a country of serious- minded people?
It will be an obvious tramadol trip in self deceit for anybody including the service chiefs and those politicians that run the government to continue to delude themselves that they are safer than the rest of the people. The Daura kidnap incident is a clear case at hand except it was staged managed.
Just look at: it started as a local banditry in Zamfara, gradually it crept to Sokoto, Kebbi and Kaduna up to the extent that even top military and government officials and their families can no longer go to their homes in the entire Northwest except by train to Kaduna. Is it when the criminals get to Abuja and the Presidential Villa that Buhari and his security Chiefs will know that there is a problem?
Kaduna especially the southern parts is terribly decimated as villages with its peoples are wiped -off almost on daily basis and nobody including the state governor is doing anything serious and sincere to address the spate of mayhem aside organizing arrangee visits with the military top commanders to establish it was an inter-tribal conflict between the Fulanis and the indigenous people of Southern Kaduna.
The Abuja Kaduna road spate of kidnapping and armed robbery, is also as a result of the activities of the illegal mining mafias of Zamfara or the inter -tribal conflict between Fulanis and the indigenous people of Southern Kaduna, abi?
The situation in the Southern parts of the country is not better either as kidnapping has become the new hobby of miscreants including security officials as Port Harcourt and Benin people can boldly tell you.
Frankly speaking, Fani Kayode hit the nail on the head in one of his comments as he said: Our country is now exhibiting all the basic and fundamental characteristics of a classic failed state where, in parts of the north, the Federal Government and its security forces no longer have any control and can no longer claim to exert a monopoly of violence.
If this is not the case why would the Federal Government be offering Miyetti Allah and the terrorist Fulani herdsmen billions of naira to stop butchering, maiming, kidnapping and tormenting the Nigerian people and stealing their land and mineral resources. Governments are meant to fight and crush terrorists and terrorist organisations and defend their people and not beg or negotiate with them but this is the opposite of what we see today in the North. How long can we continue like this as a country? God help Nigeria!
(IFEANYI IZEZE: [email protected]; 234-8033043009)
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By Ediale Kingsley
Again, match day 2, between Ajax of Amsterdam and Tottenham Spurs ends like a movie plot, with all the suspense, drama and stunts. At the end of the first half it was Ajax that had two goals in and both legs in the final. Then Pochettinos boys needed 3 goals in the second half to snatch away a place in the final. And that they did unfashionably!
Lucas Moura scored what will be the most important hat trick of his career to make it an all English final in Madrid. Now one thing is certain, it will trophy 13th for England. But how does that figure compares to other nations? Spain tops the chart, Real Madrid alone has the exact number of trophy that England can boast of even after Liverpool or Tottenham wins it.
Here is the list of UCL Winners according to the number of trophies won:
Madrid 13
Milan 7
Bayern Munich 5
Liverpool 5
Barcelona 5
Ajax 4
Inter Milan 3
Manchester United 3
Juventus 2
Benfica 2
Nottingham Forest 2
Porto 2
Celtic 1
Hamburg 1
Steaua Bucuresti 1
Marseille 1
Borussia Dortmund 1
Chelsea 1
Feyenoord 1
Aston Villa 1
PSV Eindhoven 1
Red Star Belgrade 1
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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday vowed to stay tough with the West, stressing his country is not isolated internationally.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a televised question-and-answer session in Moscow, Russia, on April 14, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
Russia has "very friendly relations" with the overwhelming majority of countries worldwide, said Putin during his annual live Q-and-A session with the Russian public.
Russia currently has good cooperation with the United States on the fight against terrorism, he said, expressing the hope that the cooperation can lead to positive results on the Syrian crisis.
Putin promised trade policy reforms to offset the damage of Western sanctions, and said that the sanctions are unlikely to be lifted in the near future.
He said Russia would retain counter-sanctions, urging the West to repeal the restrictions "in their own interests."
Russia's relations with the West plummeted after the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis in late 2013.
Flooding has, in the last few years, wreaked havoc on the country. This year may not be different. The Federal Government has given insights into how to address the problem.
It has become an annual ritual for the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) to roll out flood forecast for the country every year. The forecast provides information that enables states and some Nigerians living in flood plains to brace up for likely flooding.
The Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) was initiated in 2013 by the Federal Government following the 2012 flood disaster that wreaked havoc in the country, destroying thousands of lives and properties worth millions. Since 2013, NIHSA has continually issued flood warnings and alerts to states.
The country has been at the receiving end of excess water from neighbouring countries because of River Niger which traverses about seven countries and River Benue, both passing through Nigeria.
However, despite their flood forecasts and alert, the country has continuously lost lives and properties to flood every year. This is largely due to noncompliance with the flood alert and warnings of the agency as well as bad environmental practices by Nigerians.
For example, in 2018, about 441,251 people were affected by flood in about 50 Local Government Areas, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.
About 192 people sustained injuries as a result of the flood with a total of 108 lives lost to the disaster. With Kogi (118,199), Kebbi (94,991), Anambra (64,331) and Niger state (51,719) most people affected.
This year, the agency has again issued another alert for states and Nigerians, saying that there is a probability that a total of 600 Local Government Areas will witness flooding when the rainy season begins in full.
The local government include: Katsina Musawa; Kebbi Dandi, Kalgo, Koko/Besse, Suru, Aliero, Argungu, Augie, Bagudo, BirninKebbi, Bunza, Ngaski, Shanga; Niger Borgu, Agwara, Magama, Lapai, Mokwa, Shiroro, Wushishi, Bida, Edati, Gbako, Mashegu, Munya; Sokoto Sabon Birni, Tambuwal, Wurno,Yabo, Gwadabawa, Goronyo, Isa, Kware, Rabah, Shagari Bodinga, Tureta, Silame, DangeShuni, Wurno, Yabo, Wamako; Zamfara Maru, Talata-Mafara, Zurmi, Birnin-Magaji/ Kiyawa, Bakura, Bungudu Shinkafi, Gusau, KauraNamoda, Maradun; Kaduna Kauru, Soba, Chikun, Igabi, Kaduna South.
Others are: Kwara Asa, Ilorin West, Oyun, Pategi; Adamawa Demsa, Fufore, Gombi, Numan, Shelleng, Yola North, Yola South; Gombe Balanga, Balanga, Dukku, Funakaye, Gombe, Kwami, Nafada; Taraba Ardo-Kola, Karim Lamido, Jalingo, Lau, Ibi; Nasarawa Keffi, NassarawaEggon, Keana, Doma, Toto, Nassarawa; Benue Tarka, Buruku, Guma, Agatu, Tarka; Delta Aniocha North, Bomadi, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Oshimili North, Oshimili South, Patani, Ughelli South; Rivers Abua/Odual, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Akuku-Toru, Andoni, Asari-Toru, Bonny, Gokana, Ogu/Bolo, Okrika, Opobo/Nkoro, Port-Harcourt; Anambra Anaocha, Awka South, Dunukofia, Njikoka, Ogbaru, Orumba North, Oyi; Imo Aboh-Mbaise, Ezinihite, Ideato South, Ideato North, Ihitte/Uboma, Isiala Mbaitoli, Isu, Mbaitoli, Nkwerre, Obowo, Okigwe, Orlu, Owerri Municipal, Owerri North, Owerri West, Unuimo; Cross River Akpabuyo, Bakasi, Biase, Calabar, Ikom, Obubra, and Yalla.
The agency classified the countrys flood scenarios for this year into three categories of vulnerability. The three categories of vulnerability include the highly probable flood risk areas which are to be experienced in 74 LGAs; probable flood risk areas to be experienced in 279 LGAs, and low flood risk areas to be experienced in 421 LGAs, making a total of 600 LGAs.
In its 2019 Annual Flood Outlook, which was unveiled in Abuja by the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, on Tuesday, warned that the disaster would emanate from either excessive rainfall or release of water from countries around Rivers Niger and Benue.
It said the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are expected to experience different levels of flooding.
NIHSAs Director-General, Clement Nze, who broke the news at the unveiling of the AFO report in Abuja, the nations capital, said some states may have severe flooding due to a rise in the water levels of Rivers Niger and Benue.
Nze also said major cities, like Lagos, Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Sokoto and Ibadan, would witness urban flooding as a result of heavy rainfalls this year.
He said: The three categories of vulnerability include the highly probable flood risk areas to be experienced in 74 LGAs; probable flood risk areas to be experienced in 279 LGAs, and low flood risk areas to be experienced in 421 LGAs.
All the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory are expected to experience different levels of flooding.
I can say that we have almost 600 local government areas in Nigeria that could be under the threat of floods in 2019, going by our predictions.
No person should build structures within the flood plains. People should clean their drainages.
States and local government areas are encouraged to desilt river channels and canals and construct/create a buffer (or detention basins) in their constituencies to collect run-off waters.
What is left for Nigeria and stakeholders is to take very seriously our predictions to avert it (urban flooding).
He stated that the predicted probable flood area coverage in 2019 is expected to be lower than that of 2018.
The DG stated that river flooding was expected in the Niger, Benue, Sokoto-Rima, Anambra, Imo, Cross River, Niger Delta, Komadougu-Yobe and Ogun-Osun River Basins.
Nze said coastal flooding was likely in Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Ondo and Lagos states due to the rise in sea level and tidal surge.
River flooding is expected in Niger, Benue, SokotoRima, Anambra-Imo, Cross River, Niger Delta, Komadougu-Yobe and Ogun-Osun River basins, while coastal flooding is likely in Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Ondo and Lagos states due to a rise in sea level and tidal surge.
Flash and urban flooding are forecasted to occur in Ibadan, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Sokoto, Kaduna, Yola, Maiduguri, Makurdi, Hadejia and other major cities due to poor drainage systems, he added.
The agency said that since it began its prediction in 2013, there had been a decrease in the flood disaster. For example, the agency said that in 2013, it recorded 70 per cent success in its prediction. According to NIHSA, between 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, it recorded 63 per cent, 55 per cent, 53 per cent and 53 per cent successes, adding that its prediction in 2018 recorded 53 per cent success.
It attributed the fall in the degree of manifestation of flood disaster from 2013 to 2018 to positive response measures that were put in place by the government, stakeholders and the citizens.
In its recommendations, the NIHSA stated that to mitigate the impact of flooding, the country should build flood-resilient communities, adding that there was a need to close the knowledge gap around the issue of floods among the decision and policymakers and planners at the national and local levels.
The agency called for improved synergy among all the government agencies whose activities were related to flooding prevention and/or mitigation, as well as the prompt sensitisation of the public on the information contained in the Annual Flood Outlook as a measure for flood early warning and flood disaster prevention.
The agency also recommended the need to educate citizens to imbibe attitudinal change towards warnings for flood prevention by government agencies and desist from unethical traditional culture and beliefs.
It called for the removal of refuse, weeds, water hyacinths and floats from water channels and on all avenues for river run-offs so as to allow free flow of floodwaters. According to the agency, this exercise is to be undertaken down to grassroots levels including local government areas.
The agency also called for the relocation of people living along the water-ways and those that are having socio-economic activities on the flood plains, by the Federal, State and Local Governments.
It encouraged States and Local Governments to desilt river channels and canals and to construct/create a buffer (or detention basins) in their respective constituencies to collects runoff waters.
The agency called for the modification of settlements to withstand floods by putting up flood barriers.
In his address, Adamu stated that the 2019 flood outlook was built on the achievements of the six previous forecasts by the NIHSA.
He said the outcome of forecasts by NIHSA has led to a progressive reduction in the incidences of flood damage in the country through the heeding of warnings by Nigerians to the alert.
He said the government must ensure the control of the flow of water to make it less destructive or totally inconsequential for socio-economic development.
The minister added that the government is working with countries around Rivers Niger and Benue and Lake Chad to control the release of water from their dams.
The outcome of these forecasts have been the progressive reduction in the incidences of flood damage, not necessarily as a result of reduced flooding, but as a consequence of the timely heeding of the warnings contained therein, by communities, agencies and government at various levels.
It is envisioned that with adequate funding and establishment of more hydrological stations on our rivers and streams, we will be able to provide more timely and possibly, daily forecasts as well as establish flood alarm systems at high risk and vulnerable areas associated with flood and other extremes of climate.
We have also been working in partnership with the riparian countries of the Rivers Niger and Benue, as well as the Lake Chad Basin, to control the releases from dams in such a way not to cause havoc in Nigeria, he added.
The minister said warnings pertaining to flooding should be taken seriously, noting that such warnings could lead to catastrophic consequences if ignored.
The 2019 AFO serves as an early warning to people and communities located in and near flood plains and other vulnerable areas to put in place the necessary actions that will ameliorate the adverse effects of the flood to lives and properties.
Therefore, the information contained in it is for all Nigerians and must be communicated in good time in order to save lives and properties from the probable floods that may occur.
Let me alert Nigerians about the dangers inherent in not taking seriously the warnings and advice in such alerts and other similar forecasts. To do so, will be tantamount to negligence, a complacency that might eventually lead to catastrophic consequences, he stated.
Adamu, however, suggested that more funds should be provided to enable the ministry, and by extension, the agency intensify its campaign across the country.
With adequate funding and establishment of more hydrological monitoring stations of our rivers and streams, we will be able to provide timely daily forecasts as well as establish flood alarm systems at high risk and vulnerable areas, he said.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Comfort Ekaro, said the 2019 AFO provides accurate information on the condition and trend of flood occurrences in the country.
According to her, this is required for economic and social development and for maintaining environmental quality.
She said the release of the AFO would provide ample opportunity for enlightenment campaigns in the media for better preparedness on flood mitigation, control and management in flood risks location across the country.
We commend NIHSA, which is the nodal agency in the area of flood forecasting and alert system for flood management in the country. Nonetheless, it is still very useful and necessary to use this platform to alert the nation on what to still expect in terms of likely flooding extent and severity notwithstanding a number of flash flooding that has already been recorded in different parts of the country due to either anthropogenic activities or high rainfall intensity of long duration, she added. The Nation
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A UN spokesman on Thursday said China's role is critical in supporting the Syrian peace process, welcoming China's recent appointment of a special envoy for the Syrian issue.
"China, as a permanent member of the Security Council, has a critical role to support the work of the UN special envoy (Staffan de Mistura) and the peace process as a whole," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, at a regular briefing, in answering a question about China's role on the Syrian issue.
Dujarric also said the UN welcomes China's recent move to name Xie Xiaoyan as a special envoy on the Syrian issue.
In appointing a special envoy for Syria on March 29, China has shown a more active role in addressing the conflict in the Middle East country.
In Geneva, Switzerland, De Mistura said Wednesday that the second round of proximity talks aiming to broker a political end to the Syrian crisis has started.
China holds the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for April. Under China's leadership, the 15-member Council is expected to look at three aspects of the Syrian issue, namely the political process, use of chemical weapons and humanitarian access.
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The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) on Thursday denied a press report that SA peacekeeping troops were left in the lurch in Darfur, Sudan.
The SANDF said it was deeply concerned by the misleading and irresponsible media report, which indicated that the soldiers are waiting for a chartered aircraft to bring them home.
The Johannesburg-based TimesLive quoted Pikkie Greeff, general secretary of the SA National Defence Union, as saying that the union had been inundated with calls for assistance from troops in Sudan.
"They have received no word about when or how they are being airlifted, with their situation apparently becoming dire," Greeff said.
The SANDF refuted Greeff's claim, saying "There is no ounce of factual truth in the article".
"The article is viewed as a poor ploy to incite panic and alarm for families, friends and loved ones of the deployed men and women of the SANDF by the sources quoted in it, and should be treated with the utmost contempt it deserves," it added.
The article is laden with distorted facts on general matters regarding the SANDF's deployment in Sudan, spokesperson Jaco Theunissen said.
The intention of the scribe and the innuendo of Greeff's sources is in this regard highly questionable, said Theunissen.
The SANDF would like to assure South Africans that members of the SANDF who are in Darfur are sound and well under the auspices of the United Nations (UN), said the spokesperson.
South Africa has 850 soldiers serving in Darfur on a rotational basis as part of the joint African Union and United Nation Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), which is tasked to help quell violence in the region.
Members of the SANDF were employed in Darfur in 2008.
In February this year, President Jacob Zuma ordered the SANDF members to be withdrawn. This termination is effective from April 1, according to a presidential decree.
"The SANDF reiterates that all planning for the withdrawal of SANDF troops and assets from Sudan is underway as determined by the relevant entities or authorities," Theunissen added.
A video has emerged showing the moments after a trailer crashed into a school building in Ibadan.
Local reports show that the shocking incident happened today along Ologuneru Road at Eleyele in Ibadan
The school children were still in their classes when the trailer crashed into the building. They were getting ready to come out for break time when they herd a loud bang and realized what had happened.
Luckily no one was hurt in the incident.
Watch a video from the scene of the incident below:
The Federal Government is making strident efforts to ensure that Nigeria build and launch its own satellite in the nearest future.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu disclosed this at the official commissioning of space, seismological and other infrastructure projects at the Center for Geodesy and Geodynamics main observatory Seismic Network Center in Toro Local government Area of Bauchi state.
Dr. Onu said investment in space Science technology by Nigeria was to enable the nation take a great leap and catch up with the developed world
Dr Onu said that satellite will improve the quality of life of Nigerians because it will have positive impact on the environment, medicine, education, security, intelligence gathering, infrastructural development and mobile telephony for good of the country.
According to Dr. Onu, the Center for Geodesy Geodynamics was established to carry out earth observation research as well as predict and monitor natural disasters not only in the country but in other parts of the world.
United States and Italy, he added, depend on the data generated by the center, adding that the Center has been contributing to the pool of data not only in Nigeria but the world at last.
Dr. Onu said incidents of earth tremor witnessed in several parts of the country between 2015 and 2018 had made it important for Nigeria to be well prepared to avoid future occurrence. He explained that the In-Ministerial Committee set up by the Federal Government on the mater is already studying the situation and will soon come up with its findings.
No nation can plan effectively without according primacy to the occurrence of natural disasters he added.
He further said that The goals and objective of the center to achieve Nigerias capability manpower and hardware development that can sufficiently address space geodesy, crustal deformation, coastal deformation, subsidence and global main sea level monitoring.
ALSO READ: Buhari extends CBN governors tenure
Speaking further, Dr.Onu said that Nigerian has a potential to be a leading nation but this cannot be achieved without the application of space science and technology . He described Space Agency as an important agency of the Ministry because of its potentials to make the nation great.
The Minister added that National Space for Research and Development Agency (NARSDA) is influencing the national life of Nigerians in many important ways. He promised to give NARSDA all the support to enable it predict, detect, monitor and manage natural disasters in the country.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Director General of NARSDA, Prof. Seidu Mohammed said that the Seismic Network and Monitoring Center being commissioned is parts of the space-based and geophysical tools that will help Nigeria in great deal in global geodetic and geodynamical activities and monitoring, prediction of seismic activities and mitigation mechanism.
Prof. Muhammed, however noted that NARSDA needed more funds to enable it acquire modern earthquake monitoring, detecting and networking equipment and establishment of more seismic stations that will be collated, with Global Positioning system (GPS) , for robust geohazards studies in Nigeria and its immediate environs.
Reprinted from Smirking Chimp
Kai Newkirk, one of the organizers of the march, appeared on this program and told me about its goals.
Democracy Spring activists are calling on Congress to take action right now on a group of different bills that would take money out of politics once and for all.
All of this is part of a massive, nonviolent campaign to save our democracy from oligarchy.
The marchers are part of a movement called Democracy Spring and Democracy Awakening, and today they staged a sit-in at the Capitol building. They plan on camping out there through the end of the week.
On Sunday, thousands of activists from around the country arrived right here in Washington, DC, after a 10-day long, 140-mile march from Philadelphia.
The fight against corporate control over our democracy is, of course, the same fight that Bernie Sanders is fighting right now in his presidential campaign.
But it's also the same fight that the founders fought more than 200 years ago when they rebelled against the British empire and created our constitutional republic.
They just called it something different -- they called it the fight against "faction."
James Madison, the author of the US Constitution, talked at length about the dangers of faction in "Federalist Paper Number 10."
First defining faction as, "[A] number of citizens ... who are united and ... adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community," he then warned that, "The instability, injustice, and confusion introduced [by faction] into the public councils, have, in truth, been the mortal diseases under which popular governments have everywhere perished."
Many historians have interpreted Madison's words as a warning about the dangers posed by political parties. And while that's probably partially true, it's not the whole story.
A faction, as Madison understood the term, was any special interest that was "adverse [in opposition to] to the... interests of the community."
This could mean a political party that cared about its own success more than the success of the republic as a whole, but it could also mean a pressure group like the shipping industry or, to pick a more modern example, the fossil fuel industry.
This fear of faction was well-grounded in historical fact.
Madison was a student of history, and he didn't want our fledgling republic to go down the road of ancient Rome and ancient Greece, which both collapsed after being taken over by powerful special interests.
Reprinted from The Guardian
Democrats have a decision to make: do they think money in politics is a corrupting force that influences the decisions made by elected officials, or not? After years railing against the Citizens United decision, which opened the floodgates to outside spending in elections, some of them appear to have done a complete reversal.
The Clinton campaign has spent the last few weeks furiously pushing back at the criticism that she is influenced by the vast donations her campaign receives from backers in the oil and financial industries. Her supporters have been vigorously arguing there's no evidence of a quid pro quo.
How quickly they forget. As journalist David Sirota reported earlier this week, in the 2008 Democratic primary campaign, Clinton harshly criticized then senator Obama for accepting donations from oil and gas executives -- and even cut a campaign commercial about it. The kicker? It was less money than Clinton has accepted from people working for fossil fuel companies so far this campaign season.
While Clinton called the suggestion that she might be influenced by the wealthy bankers who raise money for her campaign an "artful smear" in 2016, she also had no problem hurling even stronger accusations about Obama in 2008: "Senator Obama has some questions to answer about his dealings with one of his largest contributors -- Exelon, a big nuclear power company," she said. "Apparently he cut some deals behind closed doors to protect them from full disclosure of the nuclear industry."
Then there are the closed-door speeches that Clinton gave for Goldman Sachs and other big banks after she left her role as secretary of state. While she has steadfastly refused to release the transcripts, she's claimed it has never affected her position on the banks one iota. Which is fine, if that's the principled stance you want to take, but it's not one her party has had in the past. Mitt Romney was hit hard in the 2012 presidential campaign by Democrats for the speeches he gave to financial institutions.
So which is it? Are politicians corrupt (or susceptible to corruption) if they are giving highly paid speeches behind closed doors to financial institutions, or not? It doesn't work both ways.
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If it's been awhile since you watched Hillary Clinton debate Bernie Sanders, you would have been struck by the tone evidenced in the April 14th New York event. After 8 encounters, the two Democratic candidates don't like each other. That animosity produced a contentious two-hour debate.
Presentation: Recently, I asked a PR specialist to describe the four leading Presidential candidates. She said that Republicans Ted Cruz and Donald Trump are "nightmares," because they have huge presentation deficiencies that they, apparently, don't want to fix. In her opinion, Bernie Sanders seems old and angry; she noted his hunched shoulders. On the other hand, Hillary Clinton, comes across as an adult, a polished veteran of public events.
In the April 14th debate, Sanders seemed to be angry at Clinton -- or perhaps "the system" -- and occasionally resorted to sarcasm. Hectoring.
Clinton seemed relaxed. She made her points and responded effectively to Sanders's thrusts but also remembered to smile and, several times, chuckled.
Whether by instinct or design, Sanders talked down to Clinton. Not a good strategy when you are debating the first serious female Presidential candidate.
Theme: There were no surprises. Sanders believes the US economic system is rigged and most of his policy initiatives are addressed at remedying the split between the wealthy 1 percent and the rest of America. He wants to dream big and take on the biggest problems (inequity, global climate change, Wall Street") with big ideas. His strategy to accomplish this involves "a political revolution."
One of my earlier criticisms of Clinton's speeches and debate performance was the absence of a dominating theme, a rejoinder to "the system is rigged." On April 14th her promise was to "knock down the barriers to opportunity." She effectively wrapped herself in the Obama Administration, indicating that her policies built upon those of Obama.
Sanders has a more coherent theme. His problem is that as the debate ran on, Clinton made it appear that Sanders doesn't know how to accomplish his main objectives (such as breaking up the big banks). And, there was a suggestion that for the last seven years, Clinton has been working with Obama, while Sanders was off on the fringe of Washington politics.
Issues: To CNN's credit, a wide range of issues were covered, and the moderators did a good job of asking follow-up questions.
1. Breaking up the big banks: Sanders segued from a vague explanation of how he would break up enormous Wall Street institutions to an attack on Clinton, accusing her of being a tool of Wall Street (particularly Goldman Sachs). Clinton responded by saying "there is no example" where financial contributions influenced her vote. She said the way to break up big banks is follow the procedures spelled out in the Dodd-Frank bill and to let the regulators do it.
2. Minimum Wage: Sanders effectively slammed companies, like Verizon, for low pay and for moving jobs out of state or out of the country. Both candidates are for increasing the minimum wage: Sanders would raise it to $15 immediately and Clinton would raise it to $15 gradually.
3. Guns: Clinton came out strongly for restrictive gun legislation. When she accused Sanders of doing the will of the gun lobby, Sanders laughed and Clinton quipped, "This is no laughing matter."
4. Fracking: During a series of questions about energy and the environment, Clinton and Sanders revealed basic differences about fracking. Sanders position is that global climate change is an existential crisis and, therefore, "incrementalism is not enough." Clinton pointed out that the Obama strategy was to get the nation off of coal power and move to renewables; in this context, use of natural gas (produced by fracking) was a bridge strategy.
5. Social Security: Both Clinton and Sanders would defend Social Security by lifting the income "cap." However, Clinton would explore other options.
6. Women's Rights: Towards the end of the debate, Clinton gave a strong defense of women's rights (abortion, reproductive health).
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Reprinted from Paul Craig Roberts Website
Today (April 14) Syria held parliamentary elections at 7,000 polling stations, keeping the voting open an extra five hours to accommodate the massive turnout. All were allowed to vote, even displaced Syrians from the two provinces still terrorized by Washington and Israeli backed ISIS.
Washington is angry, because Syria held elections before Washington had time to purchase its slate of politicians and organize Washington-funded NGOs to take to the streets to protest and to claim that Assad had stolen the election.
Despite the massive voter turnout and extended hours for voting, the US State Department set the tone by declaring that the elections are not legitimate in Washington's eyes and do not represent "the will of the Syrian people."
Washington's two-bit punk vassals in London and Paris chimed in with both claiming that the war conditions in Syria to which London and Paris have contributed mean that the idea of elections is "totally unrealistic."
The New York Times lied, characteristically, that the elections, which seem to demonstrate nationwide solidarity against the Western-backed overthrow of the Syrian government, "highlight divisions and uncertainty." The Washington Post added its lies and misrepresentations to the propagandistic reporting.
The Western governments are far out on a limb with their lies that the Syrian people prefer to be governed by the Washington supported terrorists who were overrunning their country and conducting with Western supplied weapons mass murder on the Syrian people until Russia put a stop to it. Now the Western liars are exposed yet again by election results, and so the liars must pretend that the election lacks validity.
Contrast the reports coming from the Western conspirators against Syria with the news report by Vanessa Beeley in 21st Century Wire.
Washington's propaganda onslaught against the Syrian elections is clear evidence that Washington has no commitment to the peace accord and simply used the "peace process" in order to prevent the liberation of Raqqa and Idlib from ISIS.
Putin and Assad should take note that Washington still intends to overthrow the Syrian government and to install either a puppet or chaos as in Iraq and Libya.
FOR YEARS, THE Supreme Court's 5-4 decision in Citizens United was depicted by Democrats as the root of all political evil. But now, the core argument embraced by the Court's conservatives to justify their ruling has taken center stage in the Democratic primary between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders -- because Clinton supporters, to defend the huge amount of corporate cash on which their candidate is relying, frequently invoke that very same reasoning.
The crux of the Citizens United ruling was that a legal ban on independent corporate campaign expenditures constituted a limit on political speech without sufficient justification, and thus violated the First Amendment's free speech guarantee. A primary argument of the Obama Justice Department and Democrats generally in order to uphold that campaign finance law was that corporate expenditures are so corrupting of the political process that limits are justified even if they infringe free speech. In rejecting that view, this was the key argument of Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the five-judge conservative majority (emphasis added):
"For the reasons explained above, we now conclude that independent expenditures, including those made by corporations, do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption."
Does that sound familiar? It should. That key argument of the right-wing justices in Citizens United has now become the key argument of the Clinton campaign and its media supporters to justify her personal and political receipt of millions upon millions of dollars in corporate money: "Expenditures, including those made by corporations, do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption" -- at least when the candidate in question is Hillary Clinton.
Indeed, the Clinton argument actually goes well beyond the Court's conservatives: In Citizens United, the right-wing justices merely denied the corrupting effect of independent expenditures (i.e., ones not coordinated with the campaign). But Clinton supporters in 2016 are denying the corrupting effect of direct campaign donations by large banks and corporations and, even worse, huge speaking fees paid to an individual politician shortly before and after that person holds massive political power.
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Reprinted from WSWS
Billionaire Donald Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, blasted the Republican National Committee and RNC Chairman Reince Priebus during campaign appearances in New York and Pennsylvania this week.
Trump called the process for selecting delegates to the July 18-21 Republican National Convention a "scam" and a "dirty tricks" operation. In an interview Tuesday with the Hill, Trump said, "It's a disgrace for the party. And Reince Priebus should be ashamed of himself. He should be ashamed of himself because he knows what's going on."
The outburst was in response to a series of setbacks for the Trump campaign at the hands of his main rival, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, at state and congressional district conventions of the party in a half a dozen states, most of them held last weekend.
The most notable was the Colorado state convention on April 9, where Cruz won all 34 delegates and both Trump and the third remaining candidate, Ohio Governor John Kasich, won none. Colorado is one of six states or territories that has neither a primary nor a caucus, but chooses national convention delegates at a state convention.
The Cruz campaign, which has much closer ties to local Republican organizations, has been able to win additional delegates in several states where Trump won the primary vote, including Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana. In some cases, these delegates are still pledged to vote for Trump on the first ballot, but can switch their votes to Cruz on subsequent ballots if Trump fails to obtain the 1,237 delegates needed to gain a majority and secure the nomination.
The Washington Post reported Wednesday, based on its canvassing of delegates selected at the congressional district and state level, that between 130 and 170 delegates were poised to switch from Trump to Cruz on a second ballot, making it essential for Trump to win a first-ballot victory.
Spokesmen for the Trump campaign outdid even the candidate himself in incendiary language and hints of violence if the Republican convention fails to nominate him. Speaking on the NBC program "Meet the Press" Sunday, Trump's newly hired convention manager, Paul Manafort, accused the Cruz campaign of "Gestapo tactics" in pushing through its delegate choices at local and state conventions.
A longtime Trump associate and Republican operative, Roger Stone, went further, threatening to post the room numbers of any convention delegates who were pledged to Trump but sought to support Cruz, Kasich or another nominee. Social media was filled with statements from Trump supporters threatening violence against such delegates.
Trump continues to lead the contest for the Republican nomination and could still prevail on the first ballot, according to numerous media tallies, depending on the outcome of the remaining primary contests. The current estimate is 755 delegates pledged to Trump, with 545 for Cruz and only 143 for Kasich. Another 172 delegates remain pledged to Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who has suspended his campaign, and there are about 200 delegates unpledged to any candidate.
Trump would need to win just over 60 percent of the 854 delegates who remain to be selected in 16 primaries on three main dates: New York on April 19; five East Coast states on April 26; and the last five states, including California and New Jersey, on June 7.
Opinion polls in the six states voting April 19 and April 26 show Trump well ahead, but not by enough to assure the proportion of delegates he needs for the nomination. Kasich, who has not won a single delegate since he won his home state of Ohio on March 15, is running second in the polls in most of these states, with Cruz a poor third.
Kasich is the last remaining hope of the Republican Party establishment, which sees both Trump and Cruz as erratic and extremist candidates likely to be defeated in the general election. His dismal delegate total, barely 10 percent of the total needed for nomination, is an accurate reflection of the isolation and unpopularity of the Republican leadership, even within its own party.
A further sign of the disarray among congressional Republicans came with Tuesday's declaration by House Speaker Paul Ryan that he would not under any circumstances become a candidate for the presidency, even in the event of a contested or deadlocked convention.
Ryan called an afternoon news conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters, where he declared, "Let me be clear. I do not want, nor will I accept, the nomination for our party." In the event that no candidate wins a first-ballot majority, he said, delegates should limit their alternatives to other candidates who ran in the primaries and caucuses.
While the wrangling over delegate selection and possible convention outcomes has dominated media coverage of the Republican contest, the two leading candidates continue to move further and further to the right.
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Venezuela Power Market 2016 Growth, Size, Generation, Outlook to 2025, Investment Trend, Industry Analysis
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Venezuela Power Market Outlook to 2030 : Venezuela Power provides an detailed overview of Venezuela Power scenario.This report on Venezuela Power also includes an review of trial numbers as well as their (Venezuela Power) average enrollment in uppermost/top countries which are conducted worldwide.Venezuela Power report also covers disease clinical trials by country (G7 & E7), sponsor type, region, trial, research, review, Size status as well as end points status.Report Venezuela Power also Includes prominent drugs for in-progress trials (Note: based on number of ongoing trials and reviews).Get Sample Copy of Report Here :The report covers detailed analysis and forecast of important market dynamics of Venezuela Power industry including market drivers and restraints. It also evaluates future growth & demand opportunities for its stake holders. The report throws light on upstream and downstream markets of Venezuela Power industry. The report provides detailed analysis of production price, production capacity, production volume, production value, production cost or profit margin and supply & demand analysis/forecast.Scope of Venezuela Power Report:-1. This report includes a snapshot of all over the world clinical trials and reviews landscape on Venezuela Power scenario.2. Report on Venezuela Power also provides high level data related to the Global clinical research by country (G7 & E7), sponsor type, region, trial, review, size status as well as end points status on Venezuela Power scenario3. Report reviews top companies involved in Venezuela Power as well as provides e all trials (Trial title, Phase, Research and Status) pertaining to the company on Venezuela Power scenario.4. This report provides all the unaccomplished trials on Venezuela Power scenario (Withdrawn, Terminated) with reason for unaccomplishment on Venezuela Power.About Us: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.Contact Us:Joel JohnDeerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Web: Medical Report StoreEmail: sales@medicalreportstore.com
Global Electric Trucks Industry 2015 Market Size, Trends, Strategy, Analysis and Forecast by 2019
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9Dimen Group presents Global Electric Trucks Industry 2015 Market Research Report contains an in-depth analysis, industry segmentation, development, target markets, statistics and figures.The Global Electric Trucks Industry report delivers en executive-level blueprint of the Electric Trucks market that will help clients to build strategies to expand their market operations. The report on the Global Electric Trucks market is an in-depth study that covers all the aspects of the industry. Extensive primary and secondary research has been used to carefully prepare this report. In addition to this, the report features insights from industry experts. Correlation, regression, and time-series models are included in the report so that it may provide insightful analysis of the key industry trends.Complete report is available @:The report begins with a brief overview of the Global Electric Trucks market and then moves on to evaluate the key trends of the market. The key trends shaping the dynamics of the Global Electric Trucks market have been scrutinized along with the related current events, which is impacting the market. Drivers, restraints, opportunities, and threats of the Global Electric Trucks market have been analyzed in the report. Moreover, the key segments and the sub-segments that constitutes the market is also explained in the report.Current consumer preferences for the new products/services has been listed in the report. Players in the Global Electric Trucks market are focusing on increasing their product/service offering in order to attract more consumers. Additionally, companies are turning their attention to the emerging regions of Asia Pacific and Latin America, as these regions present untapped opportunities.Request for Sample Report @:The strategies of the key vendors operating in the Global Electric Trucks market along with their business overview and revenue shares has been mentioned in this report. An in-depth analysis of the strategies determined and implemented by the market players and their impact on the companys revenue has been covered in this research report. SMBs and MNCs in the Global Electric Trucks market can form informed decisions to get a competitive advantage in the market using the forecasts and estimates presented 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:
Global Electronic Grade Fiber Glass Industry 2015 Market Size, Trends, Strategy, Analysis and Forecast by 2019
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9Dimen Group presents Global Electronic Grade Fiber Glass Industry 2015 Market Research Report contains an in-depth analysis, industry segmentation, development, target markets, statistics and figures.Extensive primary and secondary research capabilities have been used to prepare the report Global Electronic Grade Fiber Glass Industry. The report on the Global Electronic Grade Fiber Glass market presents accurate market estimates and forecasts backed by in-depth primary and secondary research. The research report delivers key insights verified by key industry participants. These include market-leading participants, key clients and consumers, and product vendors and distributors.Complete report is available @:Significant industry insights, industry expectations, and key developments have been covered in this research study. Further, a detailed evaluation of the most influential drivers that will fuel the growth of the Global Electronic Grade Fiber Glass market is also present in the report. The key market restraints and opportunities is also analyzed by the report.The report includes a detailed analysis of the Global Electronic Grade Fiber Glass market based on different segments, which gives readers a clear perspective of the types of products, services, and technologies available in the market. The Global Electronic Grade Fiber Glass market is expected to demonstrate positive growth in several segments. The key sectors and their sub-sectors have been listed in this report. The drivers fueling the growth of the leading market segments, along with the details about the revenue these segments will generate is available in the report. Additionally, historical data about these sectors has also been included in this report. Besides the historical data, the emerging sectors in the Global Electronic Grade Fiber Glass market are mentioned in this report.Download Sample Report @:Geographic segments of the Global Electronic Grade Fiber Glass market along with a detailed study on the prospects exhibited by the emerging regional markets of the Global Electronic Grade Fiber Glass industry are included in the report. The regulatory scenario favouring the leading regions in the Global Electronic Grade Fiber Glass market has been evaluated in the research study. Evaluation of the top market players along with their revenue shares and top strategies elaborated in the report, will help new entrants or established players to form more informed decisions.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:
Exhilway Limited Seeks US $500 Million Valuation
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California, United States: Exhilway Limited, the revamped version of the former private equity fund is seeking US $500 million valuation or US $5 per share when it files its Form S-1 for the listing on the US stock markets. The company has initiated talks with several investment bankers to finalize a bunch of investors who are looking to invest in the company at the above said valuation.Exhilway Limited will also initiate pre-listing placement to the tune of US $10 million to finance its proposed business operations. The company will raise another US $40 million post listing.Exhilway Limited has completely revamped its private equity model where it will now assist eligible companies to take their businesses public in the lieu of equity, ranging between 5%-10%. Exhilway Limited is also looking to tie up with the global investment boutique banks for immediate entry into the many markets at once. The target markets are United States and India.Exhilway Limited will rely on both equity and cash income to build value. Exhilway Limited is targeting a revenue of US $1.5 billion in the next three years, however, at the end of seventh year the company is targeting to clock US $5 billion of revenue.Exhilway Limited has already started the process of shortlisting companies who are aspiring to be listed.Exhilway is a leading provider of financial services with an emphasis on customized solutions in the areas of financial advisory, capital markets, wealth management and alternative asset management. Our clients include institutional investors, corporates and high net worth families. These services are provided through varied delivery channels and specialized subsidiaries.Exhilway leverages insights, relationships and a culture that emphasizes a strong orientation towards excellence, to offer services to its clients. The Group relies on its extensive experience, in-depth domain understanding and knowledge of the regulatory environment, to offer customized solutions that enable clients to meet their strategic aspirations.Exhilway LimitedPostal Address: 9350 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 203Beverly HillsCA 90212, USAPress Contact: Ronald FaithEmail: prfund@exhilway.comWeb:
Gantner Instruments becomes one of the worlds biggest turnkey PV monitoring providers
Zwoenitz, 14 April 2016. With installations of 367 megawatts in the first quarter of 2016, the German-based company Gantner Instruments has established itself as one of the biggest independent photovoltaic monitoring companies worldwide. Since January 2016, the PV business unit Gantner Instruments Environment Solutions has already provided turnkey monitoring and control solutions for 33 projects in the United Kingdom alone. During the last week of March, the PV team set up and commissioned 18 sites in Great Britain at the same time. All of these installations meet the obligations of the Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROC).30 percent market share in GermanyFurther markets for the provider of flexible products with open interfaces and industrial solutions are Germany, India, the Philippines and the MENA region. Even in very competitive markets like Germany, Gantner Instruments installs more than 30 percent of all new utility scale monitoring systems. Our aim is to be the best partner for cost effective monitoring and control solutions worldwide, and to perfectly fulfill our customers needs for simple, easily digestible data and risk reduction, says Joerg Scholz, CEO of Gantner Instruments Environment Solutions. We are very happy that several leading players along the PV value chain - starting from Tier 1 PV module producers and leading EPCs to O&M companies and asset owners - trust our solid and reliable technology.Among Gantners new markets is the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. We are represented in all relevant tenders and project enquiries in the MENA region. As soon as the market starts up, we will be part of it, adds Scholz.Lowest running costs in the PV industryGantner Instruments has been winning over its customers with flexible products that enable the lowest running costs available in the PV industry. Thanks to the predictive analyses, the products reduce the risks for power plant owners and operators.The portfolio of Gantner Instruments Environment Solutions includes string combiner boxes, data logging and control solutions, and the independent real-time analysis platform gantner.webportal that enables reliable data acquisition, storage and control.Gantner Instruments was founded in 1982. With offices in Germany, Austria, China, France, India and the US, and more than 3 GW of installed PV monitoring, Gantner Instruments is one of the biggest independent PV monitoring companies worldwide. The PV business unit, Gantner Instruments Environment Solutions, has established itself in the PV monitoring and control business with the highest level of product accuracy and reliability. The company has access to a global PV expert network and several collaborations with leading institutes. Furthermore, it has a worldwide presence with offices in both established and upcoming PV markets, and technical experts in many geographic areas on hand to deliver local service.Gantner Instruments Environment Solutions GmbHAm Muehlgraben 808297 Zwoenitz/GermanyTel: +49 (0)37754 3351-0Fax: +49 (0)37754 3351-20eMail: office@gantner-environment.com
Smart Energy driven by The Internet of Things - Smart Infrastructure Australia
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Australian is right up with the international leadersWith a better understanding of the complexity of the transformation of the electricity industry, the words smart energy are becoming more prominent. BuddeComm believes that the term smart grids is too narrow and that eventually smart energy will become the accepted terminology, especially once the communications developments in national broadband networks and mobile broadband start to converge with smart grid developments.Smart energy signifies a system that is more integrated and scalable, which extends through the distribution system from businesses and homes, back to the sources of energy. A smarter energy system has sensors and controls embedded into its fabric. Because it is interconnected there is a two-way flow of information and energy across the network, including information on pricing. In addition it is intelligent, making use of proactive analytics and automation to transform data into insights and efficiently manage resources.This links with the telecoms development known as M2M or the internet of things (IOT). For this to happen, various functional areas within the energy ecosystem must be engaged consumers, business customers, energy providers, regulators, the utilitys own operations, smart meters, grid operations, work and asset management, communications, and the integration of distributed resources.To Download Sample Report With TOC @With energy consumption expected to grow worldwide by more than 40% over the next 25 years, demand in some parts of the world could exceed 100% in that time. This will produce an increase in competition for resources, resulting in higher costs. In an environment such as this, energy efficiency will become even more important.Quite apart from any increased demand for energy in specific markets, the move to more sustainable technologies such as electric vehicles and distributed and renewable generation, will add even more complexity to operations within the energy sector.Concerns about issues such as energy security, environmental sustainability, and economic competitiveness, are triggering a shift in energy policy, technology, and consumer focus. This, in turn, is making it necessary to move on from the traditional energy business models.As a consequence, utilities could end up in a similar situation to the companies that invested in the building of the internet infrastructure they may own the means of delivering electricity and associated services, but may not be able to take advantage of the new business opportunities that will arise. This will limit their opportunities for future growth.Another problem will surface when, due to users reducing consumption and producing energy themselves through energy-efficient strategies, the traditional pricing models become inadequate in terms of maintaining the energy infrastructure.To Enquire Regarding This Report @The potential for transformation of the energy industry to smart energy is still at a very early stage. Valuable advances have already been made in some areas, but consensus needs to be reached regarding a collective approach to inter-operability and technical standards.The report covers all of the major players and their projects, as well as the latest updates on the Smart City/Smart Grid project that will be finalised this year.Victoria remains the leader in the roll-out of the next generation of smart meters, with over 90% of the roll-out completed by early 2014.Special attention is given to the M2M or IOT developments, and the arrival of Google (Nest) in this market will shock the industry, similar to how the smartphone did to the mobile industry.ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States,Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free),Tel: +1-518-621-2074
New: Creating Piping Isometrics in PTC Creo Piping
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http://www.cad-schroer.com/products/m4-iso/isometrics-for-ptc-creo-piping/free-trial.html?pk_campaign=pr160406_M4iso4creo
With M4 ISO Isometrics for PTC Creo Piping, CAD Schroer is unveiling a new solution for the creation of pipeline isometrics, which is integrated into Creo.Cambridge, UK and Pittsford, NY 12 April 2016: M4 ISO is a software programme that has been developed specially for pipework fabrication. It facilitates the automatic creation of unscaled piping isometric drawings from Creo 3D geometric data. M4 ISO is now available as a solution that is fully integrated into PTC Creo Piping.Unscaled Piping IsometricsM4 ISO Isometrics for PTC Creo Piping uses pipeline data from Creo to automatically create unscaled piping isometric drawings, including dimensions, notes and parts lists. The unscaled approach is of paramount importance, says Mark Simpson, Product Line Manager at CAD Schroer, because it enables us to depict pipe spools of all sizes, lengths and complexities on a single sheet. This cannot be achieved with a normal drawing or 3D model. They are the Lingua franca of the pipe design and manufacturing industries.Piping Isometric Software for Creo Piping UsersThe advantage of our solution is that the Creo Piping user can, at the touch of a button, immediately obtain complete and detailed piping isometric drawings for either all, or a selection, of the pipelines, explains Mark Simpson. Although one does not see a lot of M4 ISO, it delivers excellent results. All of the drawings, bills of materials, tube cutting lists etc. are made available in the blink of an eye, and they can then be passed on to the production domain.Isometric Software FunctionalityM4 ISO provides a totally automated solution for Creo user. Once the options are selected, the drawings are fully created with one click. Thanks to the open format, the software is highly flexible, which in turn ensures that it can quickly be adapted to company-specific or project-specific requirements. The style of the piping isometric drawings produced can be modified, as can the drawing templates supplied with M4 ISO. Furthermore, the software creates fully dimensioned, unscaled drawing of pipe spools, complete with parts lists, ready for fabrication use. M4 ISO Isometrics for PTC Creo Piping is available now. Further information regarding the software can be found on the CAD Schroer homepage.Demo Video and Functionality of the Isometry Software:Free Trial: M4 ISO Isometrics for PTC Creo Piping:About CAD SchroerCAD Schroer is a global software development company and engineering solutions provider, helping to raise the productivity and competitiveness of customers working in manufacturing and plant design, including the automotive sector and its supply chain, the energy sector and public utilities. CAD Schroer has offices and subsidiaries throughout Europe and in the United States.CAD Schroers product portfolio includes 2D/3D CAD, plant design, factory layout and data management solutions. Customers in 39 countries rely on MEDUSA4, MPDS4 and STHENO/PRO to provide an efficient, flexible and integrated design environment for all phases of product or plant design cutting costs while raising quality. CAD Schroer emphasises close customer partnerships and supports its clients objectives through extensive consultancy, training, development, software support and maintenance services.CAD Schroer UK Ltd2nd Floor Godwin HouseCastle ParkCambridgeCB3 0HTKate Pottle
Global Aerospace Composites Market 2016 Industry Trends, Research, Analysis & Review Forecast 2025
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A market study based on the "Aerospace Composites Market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of QY Market research, is titled Global Aerospace Composites Market 2016. The research report analyzes the historical as well as present performance of the global Aerospace Composites market, and makes predictions on the future status of Aerospace Composites market on the basis of this analysis.The report studies the market for Aerospace Composites across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Aerospace Composites market & dynamics of demand and supply of Aerospace Composites into consideration.Request For Report Sample Here :The 'Aerospace Composites' research study covers each and every aspect of the Aerospace Composites market globally, which starts from the definition of the Aerospace Composites market and develops towards Aerospace Composites market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Aerospace Composites market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Aerospace Composites market. The geographical segmentation of the Aerospace Composites market has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Aerospace Composites is determined by evaluating the various market participants, production capacity, Aerospace Composites market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Aerospace Composites market worldwide.Do Enquiry Before Purchasing Here :The global Aerospace Composites market 2016 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Aerospace Composites production volume, data regarding demand and Aerospace Composites supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, and market attractiveness analysis has been used in the research to present a comprehensive study of the market for Aerospace Composites across the globe.About Us:PR Market Web 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: PR Market WebEmail: sales@prmarketweb.com
Defense Robotics Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast 2015 - 2021
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http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com
Most of the countries utilize the defense robotic system or are in the process of acquiring or building the technology to incorporate into military programs. These robots are used in form of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned group vehicles (UGVs) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). Unmanned group vehicles are robots that move on wheels or tracks and perform the function of sentry duties and examine the potential hostile location. Unmanned aerial vehicles are essentially remotely controlled or automated robots. The use of all these robotic system includes same purpose of replacing or supplementing human in battlefield situations. Deployment of autonomous or semi autonomous robotic system in the battle field helps in improving the military efficiency, operational performance and accuracy.Defense robotics has many advantages, the important one being performance similar to human being without danger of human casualties. Robots can endure damage done by bombs or other types of weapons that can destroy the human body. Another advantage includes various sizes of robots which enables them to fit into spaces that are not accessible for humans. Other advantages include transportation, drones and bomb disposal. The defense robotic system market across the globe is expected to show a substantial growth with a single digit increase in CAGR by the year 2019. The growth is due to the procurement of robotic vehicles for control, communication, simulation, training and other applications for military purposes.The market for defense robotics system is driven by factors such as desire to reduce the casualties in the field of operation and reduce the military spending. Development in the field of computer programming, sensing technology and material science help to create more advanced tools. Some of the factors restraining the market growth include reduced spending on defense system due to weak economic conditions, and high cost required in manufacturing of robots. Technological availability is enabling diverse applications of robots besides improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the system. Applications such as border patrolling are creating an increasing demand for UAVs and UGVs in countries such as Israel, South Korea, China and United States.Interested in report: Please follow the below the links to meet your requirements; Request for the Report Brochure:The segmentation of defense robotics market can be done on the basis of product type, application and geography. On the basis of product type, the market for defense robotics can be segmented as unmanned group vehicles (UGVs), unmanned underwater vehicle (UUVs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). On the basis of applications, the market can be segmented as simulation, control command and security, training and others. Global defense robotics market can also be segmented based on geographical markets as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the world. North America is the most technological advanced region in defense robotic system and Asia Pacific represents a strong opportunity due to the availability of technology in countries including China, Japan and India.Some of the players in the defense robotics market include iRobot Corp., Allen-Vanguard Corporation, Honeywell Aerospace, GeckoSystems Intl. Corp., Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Bluefin Robotic Corp., AB Electrolux, Deep Ocean Engineering Inc., ECA Hytec SA, McArtney Group, Fujitsu Ltd., Toyota Motor Corp., AeroVironment, Lockheed Martin and others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Morpholine Market 2016 Industry Share, Review, Trends, Growth & Analysis 2024
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A market study based on the "Morpholine Market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of QY Market research, is titled Global Morpholine Market 2016. The research report analyzes the historical as well as present performance of the global Morpholine market, and makes predictions on the future status of Morpholine market on the basis of this analysis.The report studies the market for Morpholine across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Morpholine market & dynamics of demand and supply of Morpholine into consideration.Request For Report Sample Here :The 'Morpholine' research study covers each and every aspect of the Morpholine market globally, which starts from the definition of the Morpholine market and develops towards Morpholine market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Morpholine market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Morpholine market. The geographical segmentation of the Morpholine market has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Morpholine is determined by evaluating the various market participants, production capacity, Morpholine market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Morpholine market worldwide.Do Enquiry Before Purchasing Here :The global Morpholine market 2016 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Morpholine production volume, data regarding demand and Morpholine supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, and market attractiveness analysis has been used in the research to present a comprehensive study of the market for Morpholine across the globe.About Us:PR Market Web 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: PR Market WebEmail: sales@prmarketweb.com
Global Oxygen Therapy Devices Market to Reach US$2.8 bn by 2020 owing to Changing Patient Preferences
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http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com
Oxygen therapy has emerged to be one of the most potential options used for treating various respiratory diseases due to its definitive, supplementary or palliative role. The administration of supplemental oxygen has become an essential element for appropriate management of a number of disease conditions. Various benefits of oxygen therapy include increased mental stamina, improved breathing pattern, and prevention of heart failure in people with severe respiratory diseases. The growing application area of oxygen therapy across various disease conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, and respiratory distress syndrome is driving the growth of the global oxygen therapy devices market. Furthermore, long-term oxygen therapy in patients with chronic lung disease is believed to improve the quality and length of life, contributing towards the growth of oxygen therapy devices market.The oxygen therapy devices market is segmented by product type into oxygen source equipment and oxygen delivery devices. Oxygen source equipment is further sub-segmented into oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators and liquid oxygen devices. Oxygen concentrators accounted for the largest market share of the overall oxygen therapy devices market in 2013. However, liquid oxygen devices are expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period through 2014 to 2020.Factors that have contributed towards the high growth of the liquid oxygen devices are greater mobility of the device for users and their increasing application for the treatment of various respiratory disorders. Additionally, better storage capacity of liquid oxygen devices as compared to other oxygen source equipment is also expected to drive the growth of the segment.Avail a Free Sample:Similarly, the oxygen delivery devices market is further sub-segmented into simple oxygen masks, nasal cannula, Venturi masks, non-rebreather masks, bag valve masks and CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) masks. Venturi masks are estimated to grow at higher CAGR. Factors such as delivery of supplemental oxygen at a precise and fixed concentration with minimum discomfort are driving the growth of the segment. Furthermore, based on applications, the oxygen therapy devices market is segmented into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, respiratory distress syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, pneumonia and cystic fibrosis.The COPD segment held the largest market share in 2013 of the total oxygen therapy devices market. The segment is also expected to maintain its lead during the forecast period through 2014 to 2020. Factors that accentuated the growth of the segment are high prevalence of COPD across the globe and growing patient preference to opt for oxygen therapy as their first treatment option, thereby propelling the growth of the application of oxygen therapy in COPD treatment.Geographically, North America constituted the largest market share for the global oxygen therapy devices market in 2013. Factors that have augmented the growth of the oxygen therapy devices market in North America are increasing prevalence of life-threatening respiratory diseases and better healthcare infrastructures. Furthermore, technological developments in the field of medical devices and increasing awareness of population regarding oxygen therapy are also boosting the growth of the oxygen therapy devices market in North America.According to an article published in the National Institute of Health, oxygen therapy is believed to increase the life span of individuals affected with COPD to great extent. However, Asia Pacific is predicted to foresee the highest growth rate over the forecast period. The rationale behind such high growth has been attributed to availability of large population base, greater than ever initiatives taken by the government to promote healthcare and robust economic growth. Moreover, improving consumer awareness regarding heath issues and better disease management would also drive the growth of the oxygen therapy devices market in the next few years.At present, the global oxygen therapy devices market is consolidated in nature due to the involvement of few top organizations in this field. Many emerging medical device companies are expected to foresee great development pertaining to the oxygen therapy devices market. Some of the top companies operating in the oxygen therapy devices market are Respironics, Inc. (a Philips company), Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited, Teleflex Incorporated, Invacare Corporation, AirSep Corporation, CareFusion Corporation, DeVilbiss Healthcare, MAQUET Holding B.V. & Co. KG, and ResMed, Inc.Browse Full Research Report:About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Future Trends in Human Albumin and Factor Vlll (FVIII) Market
TMR
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Human albumin is a type of protein, commonly found in human blood plasma. Human albumin is normally synthesized in liver. Factor Vlll is a blood clotting protein and also known as anti-hemophilic factor (AHF). Defect in production of Factor Vlll may result in hemophilia A (genetic deficiency in clotting factor). This protein circulates in bloodstream in an inactive form. In response to the injury, factor Vlll initiates the chemical reaction that forms a blood clot. Factor Vlll are also extracted from the human plasma or engineered from mammalian cell culture by means of recombinant DNA technology and can be used to treat patients with hemophilia disease.Brochure Download:Rising incidences of hemophilia will drive the growth of the market of human albumin and factor VIII market. According to National Hemophilia Foundation, approximately one in 5,000 male in the U.S. are affected with hemophilia. In addition, strategic collaboration by key players in order to introduce novel treatment options will further drive the market growth. For example, Novo Nordisk collaborated with National Hemophilia Foundation aiming to develop novel treatment option for hemophilia disease. Thus, these types of collaboration will build healthy platform to attract new customers and hence drive the market growth. Furthermore, rising geriatric population will significantly drive the market growth of human albumin and factor VIII market.According to a report published by World Health Organization (WHO), the number of people aged 65 years and above is expected to increase from 605 million to 2 billion by 2050. Additionally, advances in factor VIII product resulted in a major increase in quality of life of patients and hence supports the growth of human albumin and factor VIII. Moreover, various other factors like rising number of people with bleeding disorders, rising use of albumin as cell culture medium ingredient and low cost therapy will further augment the growth of the market. However, stringent regulation and lack of adequate plasma supplies will restrain the growth of human albumin and factor VIII market.In addition, high cost of therapies coupled with lack of adequate treatment modalities in developing countries like Asia-Pacific will restrain the growth of this market. For example, advanced therapeutics for the treatment are only available in the developed countries like North America and Europe.Geographically, North America dominates the global human albumin and factor VIII market. Increasing use of plasma derived products in North America will drive the growth of human albumin and factor VIII market in North America. Europe is considered as the second largest market of human albumin and factor VIII market. The growth of the market in Europe is majorly driven by aging population. Rise in geriatric population will increase the risk of the people diagnosed with hemophilia which drives the growth of human albumin and factor VIII market in European market. According to Eurostat (European Commission) report published in 2013, around 17.8% of the European population were aged 65 years and above. The market of human albumin and factor VIII market in Asia-Pacific holds a strong growth as there is a rise in total number of bleeding disorder cases in this region.In addition, emerging countries like India and China are increasingly importing albumins from western countries (i.e. North America and Europe) which will ultimately drive the overall growth of this market in Asia-Pacific region.Some of the key players dominating the global human albumin and factor VIII market comprises Baxter International, Inc., Talecris Plasma Resources, Grifols, S.A., Novo Nordisk, CSL Limited and others.Browse Report with TOC:Transparency Market Research (TMR) 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. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who use 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.Mr.Sudip S90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Styrenic Block Copolymer (SBCs) Market Trends, Company Share To 2020: Grand View Research, Inc.
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The global market for Styrenic Block Copolymer (SBC) is expected to reach USD 8.26 billion by 2020, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. Growth of major end use industries including construction/infrastructure and footwear, especially in high growth markets of China, India and Brazil is expected to be a key factor for SBC market development. Volatile raw material prices are expected to be a key challenge for market participants over the forecast period.Styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) emerged as the leading product segment and accounted for 76.2% of total market volume in 2013. SBS was followed by HSBC (Hydrogenated Styrenic Block Copolymers) which accounted for 13.2% of total market volume in 2013. HSBC is also expected to be the fastest growing product segment, at an estimated CAGR of 5.3% from 2014 to 2020.Browse full research report on Global Styrenic Block Copolymer (SBCs) Market:Further key findings from the study suggest: The global market for SBC was 1,814.8 kilo tons in 2013 and is expected to reach 2,457.9 kilo tons by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 4.5% from 2014 to 2020. Paving and roofing applications dominated SBC demand, accounting for 36.1% of total market volume in 2013. Paving and roofing was followed by footwear which accounted for 24.6% of total market volume in the same year. However, advanced materials are expected to be the fastest growing application market for SBCs, at an estimated CAGR of 5% from 2014 to 2020. Asia Pacific continued its dominance in the global SBC market and accounted for 45.6% of total market volume in 2013 to become the largest regional SBC consumer. Asia Pacific along with being the largest market is also expected to be the fastest growing market for SBC at an estimated CAGR of 4.8% from 2014 to 2020. The global SBC market is highly concentrated, as top four companies including Sinopec, Kraton, LCY Chemical and Dynasol accounted for over 60% of total market in 2013. Some of the other companies operating in the global SBC market include LG Chemicals, TSRC and Dushanzi among some other companiesFor the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the SBC market on the basis of application and region: Global Styrenic Block Copolymers Product Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2012 - 2020) Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS) Styrene-Isoprene-Styrene (SIS) Hydrogenated Styrenic Block Copolymers (HSBC) Global Styrenic Block Copolymers Application Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2012 - 2020) Paving and Roofing Footwear Advanced Materials (compounding, personal care & polymer systems) Adhesives, Sealants and Coatings Others Styrenic Block Copolymers Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilo tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2012 - 2020) North America Europe Asia Pacific RoWGrand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.Sherry JamesCorporate Sales Specialist, USAGrand View Research, IncPhone: 1-415-349-0058
Mexico: AT&T and Televisa Emerge as Viable Challengers to Telmexs Leadership in the Telecom Services Market
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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Mexico: AT&T and Televisa Emerge as Viable Challengers to Telmexs Leadership in the Telecom Services Market" to its huge collection of research reports.With revenue of US$21.5bn, or 1.9% of GDP, the telecom services market in Mexico was second only to Brazil in Latin America in 2015. Over the next five years, Pyramid Research expects Mexicos total market revenue to grow at a CAGR of 4.3% to reach $26.5bn in 2020, making it the fastest-growing market among Latin Americas largest markets. Growth will be underpinned by the entry of new players and consolidation among existing operators, which will contribute to lower prices and enhanced geographic coverage, helping to increase Mexicos currently low penetration levels. We expect mobile data, fixed broadband Internet and pay-TV to be the main drivers of top line revenue growth over the 2016-2020 period.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Key FindingsDespite the governments claims that more than $10bn has been invested in Mexicos telecom industry since the new law went into effect, the overall impact on service revenue has thus far been muted. In local currency, telecom services growth over the past two years has been relatively flat, while in US dollars, the market is down 21.0% as a result of the devaluation of the Mexican peso.Of an estimated $21.5bn in total service revenue, 46.3% came from voice services, both fixed and mobile, in 2015. Though voice remains the largest revenue generator, the service is under significant pressure given the combined impact of the elimination of long-distance tariffs, the application of asymmetric interconnection rates on America Movil, the elimination of international roaming and long-distance fees on North America-bound traffic, and rising competition, particularly from low-cost MVNOs.In 2015 we saw companies take important steps to challenge America Movil's leadership. AT&T acquired mobile operators Iusacell and Nextel, giving it 8.0% of mobile subscriptions (and 18.0% of mobile services revenue). Televisa acquired cable operators Cablecom and Telecable, bringing its broadband Internet and pay-TV market shares to 18.6% and 60.4%, respectively. With competitive pressures rising, operators have announced ambitious investment plans for 2016-2018.Pyramid Research expects M&A activity in Mexico and the US to continue in 2016, with Televisa, Movistar and AT&T all looking for assets in Mexico that can accelerate the availability of quad-play offerings as well as cross-border synergies. Potential targets include the Alestra/Axtel tie-up, Maxcom and Megacable. America Movil, for its part, may look for additional assets in the US to counter AT&Ts expansion in Mexico.Opportunities for equipment manufacturers and software providers will be plentiful in the near term. We expect the new 700MHz wholesale LTE network to represent one of the most attractive LTE equipment opportunities in Latin America in the near term, helping to explain why vendors such as Ericsson, Nokia and Huawei have expressed interest in participating in the tender. In addition to LTE deployments, operators will also be focusing on fiber-optic network buildout, SDN/NFV opportunities and the launch of IT and cloud-based services for enterprise customers.SynopsisMexico: AT&T and Televisa Emerge as Viable Challengers to Telmexs Leadership in the Telecom Services Market provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in Mexico today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2020. It delivers deep quantitative and qualitative insight into the Mexican telecom market, analyzing key trends, evaluating near-term opportunities and assessing risk factors, based on proprietary data from Pyramid Researchs databases.The Country Intelligence Report provides in-depth analysis of the following:Regional context: telecom market size and trends in Mexico compared with other countries in the Latin American region.Economic, demographic and political context in Mexico.The regulatory environment and trends: a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to national broadband plans and other infrastructure developments.A demand profile: analysis as well as historical figures and forecasts of service revenue from the fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice and mobile data segments.Service evolution: a look at changes in the breakdown of overall revenue between the fixed and mobile sectors and between voice, data and video from 2013 to 2020.The competitive landscape: an examination of key trends in competition and in the performance, revenue market shares and expected moves of service providers over the next 18-24 months.In-depth sector analysis of fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice and mobile data services: a quantitative analysis of service adoption trends by network technology and by operator, as well as of average revenue per line/subscription and service revenue through the end of the forecast period.Main opportunities: this section details the near-term opportunities for operators, vendors and investors in the Mexican telecommunications marketReasons To BuyGain in-depth analysis of current strategies and future trends of the Mexican telecommunications market, service providers and key opportunities in a concise format, to build proactive and profitable growth strategies.Understand the factors behind ongoing and upcoming trends in the Mexican communications, fixed telephony and broadband markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares, to align product offerings and strategies to meet customers demand.Leverage the graphical information (more than 20 charts and tables in the report based on the Pyramid Research forecast products), to gain an overview of Mexicos telecom market.Analysis of key telecom players in the markets and major business strategies being adopted by them, to identify the opportunities to improve market share.Explore novel opportunities to align your product strategies and offerings to meet the requirements and succeed in the challenging telecommunications market in Mexico.Browse Detail Report With TOC @Table of ContentsExecutive summaryMarket and competitor overviewRegional contextEconomic, demographic and political contextRegulatory environmentDemand profileService evolutionCompetitive landscapeMajor market playersSegment analysisMobile servicesFixed servicesPay-TVIdentifying opportunitiesOverall market opportunitiesAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.us
Consumer Payments Country Snapshot: Italy Industry Key Trends, Size, Growth, Shares And Forecast Research Report
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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Consumer Payments Country Snapshot: Italy" to its huge collection of research reports.The consumer payments market in Italy is in many ways out of step with the rest of Western Europe. It has a comparatively low penetration of payment cards, although it also has the largest point of sale (POS) terminal network of any country in the region.Key FindingsDebit cards are the most popular card type by far, but cash remains the most popular payment tool in stores for most Italians.E-commerce accounts for the vast majority of online purchases by value in Italy, although m-commerce is expected to record a compound annual growth rate of 21% between 2015 and 2019.Regulatory changes have led to a rise in demand for affordable POS terminals, and the mobile POS market in particular is an area of significant opportunity for providers.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @SynopsisVerdict Financials Consumer Payments Country Snapshot: Italy examines the consumer payments market in Italy, considering payment cards, online payments, P2P payments, and newer payment technologies such as mobile wallets and contactless. This report also examines the regulations in force in the market that players must comply with and how these have changed in recent years. Analyzes the major payment card types in terms of both card holding and usage.Identifies the major competitors in card issuing and how their position in the market has changed over the last five years.Considers consumer attitudes towards prepaid cards, P2P tools, mobile payment tools, and contactless cards, and how companies in Italy are deploying these tools to meet customer needs.Explores the online payment market in Italy by merchant type and payment tool, as well as providing a five-year forecast for the development of the market.Considers the regulations affecting the payments market and how they are likely to affect both incumbents and disruptors.Browse Detail Report With TOC @Reasons To BuyUnderstand the key facts and figures in the consumer payments market in Italy.Find out what products the major competitors are launching in the market and plan your strategy accordingly.Discover consumer sentiment towards various payment tools in the Italian market and use this knowledge to inform product design.Learn about the key regulatory requirements affecting Italian payments players and any recent or upcoming changes to those requirements.Table of ContentsPROXIMITY PAYMENTSREMOTE PAYMENTSPAYMENTS INFRASTRUCTURE & REGULATIONAPPENDIXAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.us
Refinery Catalyst Market : Global Industry Size, Growth, Share, Trends, Outlook and Forecast 2022 Brisk Insights
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According to a recent published report, the Refinery catalyst market is expected to grow at the CAGR of 4.3% during 2015-2022 and it is estimated to be $6.12 billion by 2022. The global refinery catalyst market is segmented on the basis of type, ingredients and geography. The report on Global Refinery catalyst market forecast 2015-2022 provides detailed overview and predictive analysis of the market.There are many factors responsible for the growth of the refinery catalyst market such as the application of the refinery catalysts in petroleum refineries so that throughput from refineries could be enhanced. Also there is continuous increase in the demand of the petroleum based products due to the increasing demand of transportation fuels and, refinery catalysts have got excellent potential to fulfill the ever rising demand of these products. Environment regulations have become extremely stringent these days due to the increase in the number of issues related to the environment and this factor is in turn leading to the rise in the demand of refinery catalysts. These find major application in helping the refineries to meet the fuel standards. Increasing demand of maintenance of high octane number is also driving the market of refinery catalysts. Some of the factors acting as restraint for the market are diminishing reserves of crude oil and higher cost of production. Total cost required for the production of refinery catalyst is generally higher than that required for the production of conventional catalyst.Browse Full Report with Toc :Scope of the report1. Global Refinery catalyst market by type 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.1. Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC)1.2. Hydro processing Catalyst1.2.1. Hydro treating Catalyst1.2.2. Hydrocracking Catalyst1.3. Alkylation Catalyst1.3.1. Sweetening Catalyst1.3.2. Isomerization Catalyst1.3.3. Hydrodesulphurization CatalystBrowse here for all category Reports :2. Global Refinery catalyst market by ingredients 2012-2022 ($ billion)2.1. Zeolites2.1.1. Natural Zeolites2.1.2. Synthetic Zeolites2.2. Metals2.2.1. Precious Metals2.2.1.1. Platinum (PT)2.2.1.2. Palladium (PD)2.2.1.3. Gold (AU)2.2.1.4. Rhenium (RE)2.2.2. Rare Earth Metals2.2.3. Transition & Base Metals2.2.3.1. Molybdenum (MO)2.2.3.2. Tungsten (W)2.2.3.3. Cobalt (CO)2.2.3.4. Nickel (NI)2.2.4. Other Transition and Base Metals2.2.4.1. Iron (FE)2.2.4.2. Zirconium (ZR)2.2.4.3. Manganese (MN)2.2.4.4. Chromium (CR)2.2.4.5. Potassium (K)2.2.4.6. Phosphorus (P)2.2.4.7. Bismuth (BI)2.3. chemical compounds2.4. Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) & Hydrofluoric Acid2.5. Calcium Carbonate (CACO3)3. Global Refinery Catalyst regional outlook 2012-2022 ($ billion)3.1. North America3.2. Europe3.3. Asia Pacific3.4. Middle East & Africa3.5. Central & South America3.6. Central & South AmericaContact Us :Jennifer SmithOffice 1094109 Vernon HouseFriar LaneNottinghamNG1 6DQPhone : +448081890034 (UK)Website :About Us :Brisk Insights is a global market research firm. Our insightful analysis is focused on developed and emerging markets. We identify trends and forecast markets with a view to aid businesses identify market opportunities optimize strategies.Working in a highly dynamic and multi-dimensional business makes decision making complex. Effective business decisions are a result of the synthesis of market information. Our Research and data analysis is an efficient and cost-effective way of providing robust market analysis and can yield highly valuable intelligence relating to consumers, competitors and markets.Office 1094109 Vernon HouseFriar LaneNottingham
China Calcium Carbide Markets Key Trends, Size, Growth, Shares And Forecast Research Report
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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Calcium Carbide Markets in China" to its huge collection of research reports.China's demand for Calcium Carbide has grown at a fast pace in the past decade. In the next decade, both production and demand will continue to grow. The Chinese economy maintains a high speed growth which has been stimulated by the consecutive increases of industrial output, imports & exports, 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.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @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.Browse Detail Report With TOC @Table of ContentI. INTRODUCTIONReport Scope and MethodologyExecutive SummaryII. BUSINESS ENVIRONMENTEconomic OutlookKey Economic IndicatorsIndustrial OutputPopulation and LaborForeign InvestmentForeign TradeFinancial and Tax RegulationsBanking System and RegulationsForeign ExchangeTaxes, Tariff and Custom DutiesIII. CALCIUM CARBIDE INDUSTRY ASSESSMENTSCalcium Carbide Industry StructureCalcium Carbide Industry Production, Capacity and DemandMajor Producer FacilityMarket Share of Key ProducersMajor Calcium Carbide ProducersMajor End-UsersTechnology DevelopmentChinas Calcium Carbide PriceIndustry Development TrendIV. CALCIUM CARBIDE PRODUCTION AND DEMANDOverviewCalcium Carbide Production and DemandCalcium Carbide OutputCalcium Carbide DemandCalcium Carbide CapacityCalcium Carbide Capacity ExpansionCalcium Carbide Import and ExportV. CALCIUM CARBIDE MARKET OUTLOOKCalcium Carbide Markets OutlookAcetylene Products MarketAcetylene Products Market OutlookCalcium Cyanamide MarketCalcium Cyanamide Markets OutlookSteelmaking MarketSteelmaking Market OutlookOther MarketOther Market OutlookAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.us
Global Hemophilia Market Key Trends, Size, Growth, Shares And Forecast Report 2016
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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Hemophilia Market Report: 2016 Edition" to its huge collection of research reports.Hemophilia refers to a set of hereditary genetic disorders that impairs the body's ability to control blood clotting, which controls bleeding when a blood vessel is broken. People with hemophilia lack, either partially or completely, an essential clotting factor needed to form stable blood clots. In the absence of a treatment, uncontrolled internal bleeding can occur, causing stiffness, pain, severe joint damage and even death. Depending upon the coagulation factor deficiency, there are different types of hemophilia such as Hemophilia A, Hemophilia B, Hemophilia C, Von Willebrand disease and Hemophilia with Inhibitors.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Even though Hemophilia is rare bleeding disorder, the number of people affected by it has been increasing with time. While mild hemophilia is easy to diagnose especially in kids, when they learn to move and walk, and get large bruises from minute falls, severe hemophilia patients need to go for periodic transfusion of the respective factors so as to avoid the event of life-threatening bleeding episodes. Such a periodic transfusion is done through what is commonly known as the replacement therapy. With increasing sophistication and modernization of technology, demand for advanced treatment options increases, thereby making the entire market grow.The key factors which are anticipated to drive this market include increasing penetration of recombinant factor VIII, increasing healthcare expenditure, emerging use of treatments in low income countries and increasing diagnosis rates. Some of the noteworthy progresses of this industry include the increasing adoption of prophylaxis therapy, introduction of extended half-life products and gene therapy. However, the growth of respective industry is challenged by the high cost of treatments and high reluctance by patients to switch to new treatments/products.The report provides a comprehensive study of global hemophilia market and also major regional markets. Furthermore, market dynamics such as key trends and development; and challenges are analyzed in depth. The global hemophilia industry is highly competitive consisting of several large companies including the Shire Plc, Bayer Group, Pfizer Inc, Novo Nordisk etc. The competitive landscape of the respective market, along with the company profiles of the leading players are also discussed in detail.Browse Detail Report With TOC @Table of Content1. Overview1.1 Types of Hemophilia1.1.1 Hemophilia A1.1.2 Hemophilia B1.1.3 Hemophilia C1.1.4 Hemophilia with Inhibitors1.1.5 Von Willebrands Disease1.2 Signs and Symptoms1.3 Treatments of Hemophilia1.3.1 Replacement Therapy2. Market Analysis2.1 Global Hemophilia Market2.1.1 Global Hemophilia Prevalence2.1.2 Global Hemophilia Diagnosis and Treatment2.1.3 Global Hemophilia Market Revenue2.1.4 Global Demand for FVIII for Hemophilia A2.1.5 Global Supply Capacity of Recombinant FVIII for Hemophilia A2.1.6 Global Hemophilia A Market Revenue2.1.7 Global Hemophilia B Market Revenue2.1.8 Global Hemophilia with Inhibitors Market Revenue2.2 The US Hemophilia Market2.2.1The US Hemophilia Patients Treated per Year2.2.2 The US Hemophilia Market Revenue2.2.3 The US Hemophilia A Patients Treated per Year2.2.4 The US Hemophilia A Market Revenue2.2.5 The US Hemophilia B Patients Treated per Year2.2.6 The US Hemophilia B Market Revenue2.2.7 The US Hemophilia with Inhibitors Patients Treated per Year2.2.8 The US Hemophilia with Inhibitors Market Revenue2.2.9 The US Von Willebrand Factor Market Revenue2.3 Europe Hemophilia Market2.3.1 Europe Hemophilia Patients2.3.2 Europe Hemophilia A Patients2.3.3 Europe Hemophilia A Therapy by Severity2.3.4 Europe Hemophilia B Patients2.3.5 Europe Hemophilia B Therapy by Severity3. Market Dynamics3.1 Growth Drivers3.1.1 Increasing Penetration of Recombinant FVIII3.1.2 Increasing Healthcare Expenditures3.1.3 Emerging Use of Treatments in Low Income Countries3.1.4 Increasing Diagnosis Rate3.2 Key Trends3.2.1 Increasing adoption of Prophylaxis3.2.2 Gene Therapy3.2.3 Introduction of Extended Half-Life Products3.3 Challenges3.3.1 High Cost of Treatment3.3.2 Reluctance to Switch to New Treatments/Products4. Competitive Landscape4.1 Competition by Market Share4.1.1 Hemophilia Market Share4.1.2 Hemophilia A Market Share4.2 Competition by Financials4.2.1 Competition by Market Cap4.2.2 Competition by Profit Margin5. Company Profiles5.1 Shire PLC5.1.1 Business Overview5.1.2 Financial Overview5.1.3 Business Strategies5.2 Bayer Group5.2.1 Business Overview5.2.2 Financial Overview5.2.3 Business Strategies5.3 Novo Nordisk5.3.1 Business Overview5.3.2 Financial Overview5.3.3 Business Strategies5.4 Pfizer Inc.5.4.1 Business Overview5.4.2 Financial Overview5.4.3 Business StrategiesAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.us
Global Excavator Market Key Trends, Size, Growth, Shares And Forecast Report 2016
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http://www.researchmoz.us/global-excavator-market-report-2016-edition-report.html
Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Excavator Market Report: 2016 Edition" to its huge collection of research reports.Excavators are one of the major segments of construction equipment industry. These are used extensively in numerous fields ranging from construction of roads, building structures to mining and extraction of gold and diamonds. There are several types of excavators present in the industry, based on their size and machinery.There are many types of excavators, out of which demand of hydraulic excavators is discussed in the report. The demand of the hydraulic excavators declined worldwide. The decrease was mainly due to the downturn in hydraulic excavator demand in China, Japan and Asia & Oceania during 2015 despite continuing steady sales expansion in North America and Europe.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The key factors driving the growth of the excavator industry are rising urbanization, growth in construction expenditure and growing economy. Some of the noteworthy trends and developments of this industry are growing demand for fuel efficient excavator, introduction of new product and usage of high efficiency hydraulic fluids. However, the expansion of global excavator industry is hindered by high maintaining cost for hydraulic excavators and strict regulatory compliance imposed on producers.The report Global Excavator Market provides an in-depth analysis of the excavator market along with a detailed study of the Chinese market. The major trends, growth drivers as well as issues being faced by the industry are being presented in this report. The four major players in the industry, Caterpillar, Komatsu, Hitachi and Kobelco are being profiled.Table of Content1. Excavator Market An Introduction1.1 Uses of Excavators1.2 Types of Excavators1.2.1 Compact Excavator1.2.2 Dragline Excavator1.2.3 Long Reach Excavator1.2.4 Hydraulic Excavator1.2.5 Power Shovel Excavator1.2.6 Suction ExcavatorBrowse Detail Report With TOC @2. Construction Equipment Market Analysis2.1 Global Construction Equipment Sales by Volume2.2 Global Construction Equipment Sales Share by Region2.2.1 Europe Construction Equipment Sales by Volume2.2.2 North America Construction Equipment Sales by Volume2.2.3 Japan Construction Equipment Sales by Volume2.2.4 China Construction Equipment Sales by Volume2.2.5 India Construction Equipment Sales by Volume3. Excavator Market Analysis3.1 Global Excavator Market by Volume3.1.1 North America Crawler Excavator Sales by Volume3.1.2 EU Crawler Excavator Sales by Volume3.1.3 EU Mini Excavator Sales by Volume4. Hydraulic Excavator Market4.1 Global Hydraulic Excavator Market by Volume4.2 Global Hydraulic Excavator Market Share by Region4.2.1 Japan Hydraulic Excavator Market by Volume4.2.2 Europe Hydraulic Excavator Market by Volume4.2.3 China Hydraulic Excavator Market by Volume4.2.4 Asia and Oceania Hydraulic Excavator Market by Volume4.2.5 North America Hydraulic Excavator Market by Volume4.3 China Excavator Market4.3.1 China Excavator Sales by Volume4.3.2 Chinas Excavator Sales (Domestic vs. Export) by Volume4.3.3 China Excavator Market Share by Size4.4.4 China Excavator Market Share by Regional Players5. Market Dynamics5.1 Growth Drivers5.1.1 Rising Urbanization5.1.2 Accelerating Economic Growth5.1.3 Increasing Construction Expenditure5.2 Key Trends5.2.1 Growing Demand for Fuel-Efficient Excavator5.2.2 Usage of High Efficiency Hydraulic Fluids5.2.3 Introduction of New Products5.3 Challenges5.3.1 High Maintenance Cost5.3.2 Stringent Regulations6. Competitive Landscape6.1 Global Construction Equipment Market6.2 China Excavator Market6.2.1 China Excavator Market Share6.2.2 Chinas Small-size Excavator Market Share6.2.3 Chinas Medium-Size Excavator Market Share6.2.4 Chinas Large-Size Excavator Market Share6.2.5 China's Excavator Market Share 0-20 Tons6.2.6 China's Excavator Market Share 20-40+ Tons6.3 North America Crawler Excavator Market6.3.1 North America Crawler Excavator Market Share6.4 Japan Excavator Market6.4.1 Japan Excavator Market Share6.5 EU Crawler Excavator Market6.5.1 EU Crawler Excavator Market Share6.5.2 EU Mini Excavator Market Share7. Company Profiles7.1 Komatsu Ltd.7.1.1 Business Overview7.1.2 Financial Overview7.1.3 Business Strategies7.2 Hitachi7.2.1 Business Overview7.2.2 Financial Overview7.2.3 Business Strategies7.3 Caterpillar Inc.7.3.1 Business Overview7.3.2 Financial Overview7.3.3 Business Strategies7.4 Kobelco7.4.1 Business Overview7.4.2 Financial Overview7.4.3 Business StrategiesAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.us
Two world premieres for slomo.tv at NAB Show 2016 SL 6321 with 4K servers
RED ARROW 4K Server
www.slomo.tv
www.broadcast-solutions.de
www.broadcast-solutions.de
RED ARROW and BlackJack FULL 4K replay and slow-motionNAB Show in Las Vegas will see the world premiere of two new FULL 4K replay and slow-motion servers. With RED ARROW and BlackJack 4K slomo.tv will show at their booth SL 6321 two new members to the product family that pushes the boundaries of replay and slow-motion servers even further. Slomo.tv products are being distributed by Broadcast Solutions. With these new products the company once again sets new standards in slow-motion servers. RED ARROW offers 4 channels recording, 4 channels search and 2 channels playback with six 4K physical video ports all in 4K 50p in a single 2RU enclosure. BlackJack 4K offers 3 IN, 3 Search and 2 OUT in 4K 50p/4K 60p in a single 4RU enclosure.RED ARROWWith a single 2RU enclosure RED ARROW is the most powerful replay and slow-motion server in the world. RED ARROW offers 4 channels recording, 4 channels search and 2 channels playback with six 4K physical video ports all in 4K 50p. It can also be used for 6-channel 4K 50p recording for non-linear editing.Due to its 4 graphical ports RED ARROW allows for 4 operators working on one machine together at the same time. For example, two operators work with configuration 662 (6 recording, 6 search and 2 replay channels), the other two with configuration 442 (4 recording, 4 search and 2 replay channels). While working on one machine, simultaneously each operator has its own display that can function as the main interface or in multiviewer mode.The system interface has a built-in multiviewer that provides monitoring of input and output signals and search through 4 channels using one standard 1920x1080 monitor. With its SSD based array RED ARROW provides for storage of 266 hours 100Mbit HD video. The built-in DMR SATA slots can accommodate nine (9) 3.5" SATA drives that can record 18 channels in ProRes 422 and 18 Proxy SD channels or 24 channels DVCPro HD with SD Proxy.The RED ARROW can be operated as a stand-alone unit and unlike others does not need any additional soft- or hardware.In 3G or HD the RED ARROW can operate with 20 channels recording and replays, while it provides 4 physical outputs! Equally when RED ARROW runs in 3G / HD mode the server offers 20 channels of 3G.Unlike competing products, that offer maximum 4 channel recording + PRV and PGM typically in 6RU, RED ARROW is a true game changer in the field of high-end servers and offers functionalities never dreamed of before.RED ARROW offers various interfaces for the integration with other production environments, for instance two 10 GbE interfaces.BlackJackWith this 3 IN, 2 OUT 4K 50p server again the manufacturer underlines its ambition to be one step ahead of the competition. With the brand new BlackJack 3G optionally 16 channels 3G can be recorded and up to 3 operators can edit 4 channels (slomo and highlights) with independent crossfade outputs or it may just work as a 5-channel 4K 50p slow-motion machine. Both varieties provide the usual comprehensive features that slomo.tv offers on all platforms. 12TB SSD - enough to record 266 hrs. HD with 100 Mbit/s are already on board. On all 12 input channels DMR is available. slomo.tv offers this unique engine with the capability to transcode all channels live during recording thus providing all content without delay to the external drives for further processing. Unique to the BlackJack 4K is its capability to search and mark clips on 3 4K 50p channels simultaneously (during continuous recording) and to deliver 2 channels 4K 50p with the possibility to fade between 2 separate signals.For viewing the recorded material BlackJack seamlessly integrates with standard FULL HD monitors for displaying the interface with built-in multiviewer so there is no need for several 4K / 4x3G SDI monitors.BlackJack supports a large set of codecs: MJPEG, ProRes 422, DVCPro HD, AVID DNxHD, XDCAM 50Mbit, MPEG2, MPEG4, H264, DVCPro50, DVCProHD, DV25, IMX and containers natively compatible with Apple Final Cut, Avid, Adobe Premiere, GVG Canopus. All slomo.tv servers are delivered with a specialised console with push-buttons, T-Bar and Jog/Shuttle (via RS-422 interface), mouse and keyboard.Please find additional information on slomo.tv products atand on the Broadcast Solutions website:Broadcast Solutions GmbH is one of Europes biggest system integrators. For more than ten years the German based company stands for innovation and engineering Made in Germany. With subsidiaries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East Broadcast Solutions plans, implements and realises projects in the areas of Outside Broadcast, Satellite Communication, Studio and MCR Broadcast Facilities, Sport Arena Multimedia Solutions as well as mobile Security and Surveillance Solutions. A further emphasis of the company is to consult our customers when it comes to workflow optimization, trainings and production consultancy. Acting as a distribution company in Europe and worldwide Broadcast Solutions represents innovative brands like slomo.tv, ProSat Solutions, Aviwest, Robycam as well as Serenity. With more than 100 employees worldwide and working as a hardware independent system integrator Broadcast Solutions offers its customers tailor-made solutions from idea to implementation and beyond. You can find more information at broadcast-solutions.de.Andreas Hoflich-Public Relations-Tel: +49 (0)6721 4008 287Mobile: +49 (0)173 8698083E-Mail: a.hoeflich@broadcast-solutions.deBroadcast Solutions GmbHAlfred-Nobel-Str. 5D-55411 Bingen am RheinGermany
Global WTE (Waste-to-Energy) Market Demand, Analysis & Forecast to 2021
WTE (Waste-to-Energy)
http://www.marketresearchstore.com/report/global-wte-industry-2015-market-research-report-53006
http://goo.gl/s22RRN
Global WTE (Waste-to-Energy) Industry 2015 Market Analysis Survey Research Growth and Forecast ReportThe report provides a basic overview of WTE (Waste-to-Energy) industry including definitions, applications and industry chain structure. Global market analysis and Chinese domestic market analysis are provided with a focus on history, developments, trends and competitive landscape of the market. A comparison between the international and Chinese situation is also offered.Global WTE (Waste-to-Energy) Industry Research Report 2015 also focuses on development policies and plans for the industry as well as a consideration of a cost structure analysis. Capacity production, market share analysis, import and export consumption and price cost production value gross margins are discussed.A key feature of this report is it focus on major industry players, providing an overview, product specification, product capacity, production price and contact information for Global Top15 companies. This enables end users to gain a comprehensive insight into the structure of the international and Chinese WTE (Waste-to-Energy) industry. Development proposals and the feasibility of new investments are also analyzed. Companies and individuals interested in the structure and value of the WTE (Waste-to-Energy) industry should consult this report for guidance and direction.Browse Full Report with TOC @Table of ContentsChapter One WTE (Waste-to-Energy) Industry Overview1.1 WTE (Waste-to-Energy) Definition(Product Picture and Specifications)1.2 WTE (Waste-to-Energy) Classification and Application1.3 WTE (Waste-to-Energy) Industry Chain Structure1.4 WTE (Waste-to-Energy) Industry Overview1.5 WTE (Waste-to-Energy) Industry History1.6 WTE (Waste-to-Energy) Industry Competitive Landscape1.7 WTE (Waste-to-Energy) Industry International and Global Development ComparisonGet Free Sample @About Us:MarketResearchStore.com 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 JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803
Growing Awareness among Consumers Responsible for Expansion of Asia Pacific Anti-aging Market
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/anti-aging-market.html
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=CR&rep_id=1754
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/
Transparency Market Research has published a research report about the global anti-aging market. The research report, titled Anti-aging Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019, has been compiled using primary and secondary research. Furthermore, the research report includes SWOT analysis to point out the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the market. Additionally, it also highlights the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitute products or services, the bargaining power of customers, the bargaining power of suppliers, and the intensity of competitive rivalry.According to the research report, the global anti-aging market was valued at US$122.3 bn in 2013 and is expected to reach US$191.7 bn by the end of 2019, registering a CAGR of 7.8% between 2013 and 2019.Read More:Products that promise reversal of aging signs that appear on the skin are known as anti-aging products. In recent times, anti-aging products have been in great demand due to the growing usage of moisturizer-based cosmoceutical products used for skin care. The ability of products available in the global anti-aging market to mask the signs of skin aging has given this market a huge impetus. Consumers across the globe are spending on these products and devices in order to retain a youthful appearance.The global anti-aging market is segmented on the basis of demographic, product, service, device, and region. The demographics that anti-aging market caters to are baby boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. Products available in the global anti-aging market are UV absorbers, anti-wrinkle products, hair color, and anti-stretch marks products. The services offered in the global anti-aging market are anti-pigmentation therapy, breast augmentation, adult acne therapy, abdominoplasty, liposuction services, chemical peels, eyelid surgery, sclerotherapy, and hair restoration. The devices available in this market are anti-cellulite treatment devices, microderm abrasion devices, laser aesthetic devices, and radiofrequency devices. Geographically, this market is segmented into Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and Rest of the World.The research report suggests that those born between 1946 and 1964 are the largest consumers of anti-aging products and services. The statistics also pointed out that about 8,000 become part of this category every day, an addition that is expected to continue for the coming 18 years. The rising disposable income of this age group is expected to drive the anti-aging market. Furthermore, the fact that the majority of the anti-aging products and services do not require a prescription is also fueling the overall anti-aging market.Request For Custom Research:Some of the key players in the global anti-aging market are Photomedex Inc., Personal Microderm, Lumenis Ltd, Beiersdorf AG, Coty Inc., Solta Medical Inc., Cynosure Inc., Alma Lasers Ltd, and LOreal, SA. The research report provides an insightful take on the competitive landscape of the global anti-aging market. Furthermore, it also evaluates the financial overview, research and development activities, business and marketing strategies, and investment outlook of these top players in the overall anti-aging market.Key segments of the Global Anti-aging MarketGlobal Anti-aging Market by DemographicsBaby BoomersGeneration XGeneration YGlobal Anti-aging Market by ProductsUV AbsorbersAnti-Wrinkle ProductsAnti-Stretch Marks ProductsHair ColorGlobal Anti-aging Market by ServicesAnti-Pigmentation TherapyAdult Acne TherapyBreast AugmentationLiposuction ServicesAbdominoplastyChemical PeelEye-Lid SurgeryHair RestorationSclerotherapyGlobal Anti-aging Market by DevicesAnti-Cellulite Treatment DevicesMicroderm Abrasion DevicesLaser Aesthetic DevicesRadiofrequency DevicesGlobal Anti-aging Market by RegionNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificRest of the WorldAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact us:Mr. Sudip STransparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email:A sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Coal Bed Methane (CBM) Market To 2020- Industry Trends, Forecast: Grand View Research, Inc.
http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/coal-bed-methane-industry
Global CBM (Coal Bed Methane) market is expected to reach USD 17.31 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 5.9% from 2014 to 2020. Unconventional CBM reserves, especially in coal-rich regions are increasingly gaining the spotlight as the industry strives for energy independence. Exploration and commercialization of unconventional hydrocarbon energy sources is seen as a critical step by energy agencies, to stabilize the energy supply-demand gap in the coming years. With CBM being a pure natural gas form, producers and consumers also have the opportunity to obtain much needed carbon credits and tax incentives.Browse full research report on Global Coal Bed Methane (CBM) Market:The strict framework designed for extraction by various environmental agencies coupled with the highly capital intensive process is expected to be a key challenge for industry participants over the next six years.Further Key findings from the study suggest: Global CBM production was 2,920.3 Bcf in 2013 and is expected to reach 4,667.4 Bcf by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 7% from 2014 to 2020. Power generation and industrial applications dominated CBM usage, accounting for over 64% of global volumes in 2013, with the former expected to be the fastest growing CBM market, at an estimated CAGR of 8.5% from 2014 to 2020. U.S. and Canada are the largest CBM producers, accounting for over 70% of global volume in 2013. U.S. CBM market revenues were estimated at USD 7.22 billion in 2013 and are exoected to grow at a CAGR of 5.4% from 2014 to 2020. Asia Pacific is expected to be the most dynamic regional market, with significant unexplored reserves. China, India and Indonesia are expected to lead the Asian CBM industry. The Chinese Ministry of Land and Resources has already announced plans to produce 16 billion cubic meters of coal bed methane by 2015, while Indonesia has already audited 1,000 bcf net resources and has production target of over 15,000 bcf by 2020. Key companies involved in CBM extraction include Arrow Energy, Dart Energy, Santos, PetroCHina and petronas.For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global CBM market on the basis of application and region: CBM Application Outlook (Volume, Bcf; Revenue, USD Billion; 2012-2020) Power Generation Industrial Residential Commercial TransportationRegional coverage of the database includes: North America U.S. Canada Europe Russia Asia-Pacific China India Australia IndonesiaGrand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.Sherry JamesCorporate Sales Specialist, USAGrand View Research, Inc
Global Drugs of Abuse Testing Market Set to be Dominated by On-Site Testing, Growing due to Regulatory Support
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/drugs-abuse-testing-market.html
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1746
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/
A new research report published by Transparency Market Research states that the global drugs of abuse testing market is expected to grow in the coming years due to increasing production, trade, and consumption of illegal drugs in the world. The report, titled Drugs of Abuse Testing Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2018, is available for sale on the companys website. The industry experts have compiled a comprehensive report with the help of a SWOT analysis and Porters five forces analysis to give accurate information regarding the trends and dynamics in the global drugs of abuse testing market.According to the research report, the global drugs of abuse testing market was valued at US$2.6 bn in 2012 and is expected to be worth US$3.4 bn by 2018, growing at a CAGR of 4.80% from 2013 to 2018.Read More:The global drugs of abuse testing market is segmented on the basis of technology, location, sample, and geography. The technologies used in the drugs of abuse testing market across the globe are immunoassay and chromatography. On-site screening tests and laboratory drug tests are the two location-wise segments of the global drugs of abuse testing market. The testing is done using samples of hair, urine, saliva, and others. Geographically, this market is segmented into Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World.According to analysts, the primary growth driver for the global drugs of abuse testing market is the whopping production of illicit drugs, their unlawful trade, and rising consumption. As these drugs are the underlying cause of several deaths and road accidents, testing for drug abuse and overdose has become an urgent need for several organizations at national as well as local levels. All of these factors have led to a huge demand for drugs of abuse testing.These factors have prompted companies in North America and Europe to conduct drug screening tests such as pre-employment screening, abstinence monitoring, post-incident drug/alcohol screening, and random drug/alcohol screening. Government regulations supporting the screening of drug abuse at workplaces have also encouraged the drugs of abuse testing market to grow tremendously.The global drugs of abuse testing market faces certain restraints such as the legalization of certain drugs, economic instability, social inhibitions pertaining to testing illicit drugs, and the high cost of testing.Request Brochure:Some of the important players in the global drugs of abuse testing market are Thermo Fisher Scientific, LabCorp (Laboratory Corporation of America), Abbott Laboratories, Psychemedics Corporation, Sonic Healthcare, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Alere, Roche Diagnostics, Quest Diagnostic, and Randox Laboratories, and. Of these, Roche Diagnostics holds the biggest share in the global drugs of abuse testing market. The research report on the global drugs of abuse testing market gives a detailed explanation of the competitive landscape of the market and shares valuable information regarding the company profile, financial overview, research and development activities, investment outlook, and business and marketing strategies.The global drugs of abuse testing market is segmented on the basis of:Segmentation based on technologyImmunoassayChromatographySegmentation based on locationOn-site screening testLaboratory drug testSegmentation based on sampleUrineHairSalivaOthersMajor geographies analyzed under this research report are:EuropeNorth AmericaAsia-PacificRest of the WorldAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact us:Mr. Sudip STransparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email:A sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Single Point Anchor Reservoir (SPAR) Market Could be Propelled by Rapid Industrialization and Growing Fuel Needs
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/single-point-anchor-reservoir.html
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2559
Transparency Market Research has compiled a vast amount of data on the global industry of energy. One of the reports on this industry is Single Point Anchor Reservoir (SPAR) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Market Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2014 2020, wherein key segments that can provide a boost in the success rates of business strategies in the SPAR market have been analyzed.Browse Single Point Anchor Reservoir Market Report with Full TOC at :One of the biggest factors that could work to the benefit of the global SPAR market is the high rate of industrialization shown by developing economies. These economies are expected to ramp up their demand for oil and gas through a combination of improving industrial infrastructures and a growing density of population.On the other hand, the extremely high costs tied to the manufacture of SPARs are expected to hinder the markets overall growth rate. Another factor that will restrain the global SPAR market is the long time taken to manufacture these units.However, there are an increasing number of opportunities emerging from the large amount of projects that are already lined up for drilling activities in offshore reservoirs. SPARs are extremely useful in a lot of these locations, thereby creating a higher demand for them.Key segments of the global SPAR market are formed on the basis of different criteria, with product type being the most important one. According to the type, the global SPAR market can be segmented into truss SPARs, classic SPARs, and cell SPARs.For further inquiries, click here :Classic SPARs include a heavy ballast attached to the bottom of a cylindrical hull. In the case of truss SPARs, the cylindrical hull is shorter than the one in a classic SPAR, and has a truss structure attached to the bottom of this short cylinder. The bottom half of the truss holds a small square structure, which is weaker in strength than the rest of the truss. This square is filled with heavy ballasting materials.Cell SPARs hold one large cylinder in the center. It is surrounded by smaller cylinders that differ in lengths. Currently there is only one cell SPAR in operation in the global SPAR market.The deepest production platform in the world is Perdido, which is a truss SPAR, located in the Gulf of Mexico. It operates at a depth of 2,300 meters. The first SPAR that could carry out gas and oil production was installed in 1996. It was named the Neptune SPAR and was installed by Kerr McGee.The key players in the global single point anchor reservoir market are Bumi Armada Berhad, Technip S.A., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, SBM Offshore N.V., Teekay Corporation, Samsung Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., and Hyundai Heavy Industries.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) 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. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 Sate Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207
Market Research on Transformer Oil Market 2015 and Analysis to 2025
http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1105
http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/transformer-oil-market
www.futuremarketinsights.com
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Transformer Oil Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2015-2025" report to their offering.In order to meet the residential, commercial and industrial energy requirements and ensure a smooth operation of power supply transformer plays an important role. During transformer operation, transformers dissipate heat which can damage the system if not controlled. In order to achieve seamless operation of transformer by preventing from heat damage the oil are used. Transformer oil is used in oil-filled and submersible transformers to maintain temperature of transformer. Application of transformer oil can also be seen in high-voltagecircuit breakers and switches. Since the oil is in constant contact with components it is therefore susceptible to chemical interaction. It is therefore essential to check for the quality of transformer oil at regular intervals since with continuous reaction the chemical composition of the oil may change and this may render it unfit for use.Request Free Report Sample@The market for transformer oil is subjected to the demands of the various end-use industries such as chemicals and automotive, and the type of transformer used. The oil used in transformers is hydrocarbon mineral oil. There are two major types of transformer oil used in the industry; naphthenic and paraffinic based. Though bio based transformer oil have gained attention due to stringent environmental issues but their usage is restricted due to limited advantage. The market of transformer oil will be driven by the expanding energy demand and growing installation of power grids in urban scenario. Due to growing population, the power grid companies needs to expand and upgrade their existing capacities causing penetration of transformers to increase which in turn fuel the market for transformer oil. The transition towards renewable sources of energy, strict environmental laws and shift towards organic oils may restraint the market of mineral based transformer oil.Asia is one of the largest consumer of transformer oils followed by North America, South America and Europe. For the forecasted years Asia-pacific transformer oil market will continue to lead in terms of consumption. The demand for transformer oil in Asia Pacific is rapidly growing for emerging markets of India and China. This demand is transformer oil is attributed to the increasing focus on rural and urban development in infrastructure. This involves a shift in focus from high capacity transformer to small and mid-segment transformers for domestic and agricultural uses. The transformer oil markets of China, India and also Brazil will dominate owing to the government initiative for the electricity accessibility to the countrys population. The demand for in the mineral based is anticipated to stabilize due to the shift towards green (bio based) alternatives. The demand for transformer oil in regions of Americas and Europe is related to high capacity industrial transformers. The demand for transformer oil in these regions is anticipated to be slower than those in Asia Pacific owing to the significant development of renewable sources of energy and reduced dependability on conventional sources of energy.Full Report Analysis@Transformer Oil Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified in the transformer oil market are Hydrodec Group PLC, Nynas AB, Calumet Specialty Products Partners, Valvoline,APAR Industries, Sinopec Corporation, Engen Petroleum Limited.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Robert Clevenger II nodded his head in apparent agreement Thursday as a Clackamas County Circuit judge told him that the "utter complete stupidity" of his
could have led to his death and possibly others.
Clevenger, 37, had been drinking alcohol at his home in Sandy and sometime after 8 p.m. on a Saturday fired a handgun into his lawn. The gunfire led a neighbor to call 911, which brought Sandy police officers and Clackamas County sheriff's deputies to the home in the 18900 block of Wallingford Avenue, according to a probable cause affidavit written by an officer who arrested Clevenger later that night.
The affidavit describes one officer and a deputy ducking for cover behind a truck as Clevenger fired again, including several rounds into the ground between him and the officers. Neither they nor other officers at the scene returned fire, and no one was injured.
Clevenger pleaded guilty Thursday to unlawful use of a weapon and was ordered to serve three years of probation. He was sentenced to 13 days in jail but received credit for the two weeks he already served and ordered to wear an alcohol monitoring device for three months and complete alcohol treatment. Additional charges of reckless endangering and second-degree disorderly conduct were dropped as part of a plea agreement.
Clevenger spoke only to say "yes, ma'am" and "no, ma'am" to Judge Katherine Weber and to tell her that his father, a Portland police detective who shares his name, was disappointed to learn of his arrest. Defense attorney Sean O'Halloran said his client has been attending two to three Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week since the shooting.
Clevenger moved in with his father for two months after his release from jail and was "in effect on house arrest," O'Halloran said.
It was clear that the shooting occurred because Clevenger had been "drinking and acting really stupid," said Clackamas County Deputy District Attorney Rusty Amos.
After firing bullets into his lawn, Clevenger went back into his house and had reemerged with a rifle by the time police were on his property, Amos said. He fired into a bush, shot into the lawn again and then walked back inside.
Although Clevenger was carrying and moving the guns around, it didn't appear that he was shooting at anything in particular, Amos said. When Clevenger answered the door for police, he had a 9 mm handgun holstered on his hip and claimed to not know anything about gunfire.
Eighteen officers and deputies responded to Clevenger's home that night, said Sandy Police Officer Sam Craven, who spoke with some of the emergency responders at the scene. It appeared to the law enforcement officers behind the truck that Clevenger didn't know police were on his property when he fired. The fact that he was not shooting at the truck was another indication there was no intended target.
"Just because someone is firing a gun doesn't mean we're justified to use lethal force towards them," Craven said in a phone interview on Thursday. "If he doesn't appear to be actually threatening someone or firing a gun at a person and he's not aware we're there, then we're just not justified to shoot at him."
Amos recommended Clevenger serve 30 days in jail, noting that he would have been looking at a 60- or 90-day sentence had there been evidence he was targeting anyone. He said Clevenger has no prior criminal history.
The defense attorney asked the judge to allow Clevenger to serve jail time on weekends, otherwise Clevenger could lose his job as a heavy machinery operator, he said.
Weber said while she understood the 30-day recommendation, she was moved by a letter that Clevenger's father wrote to her and believed his time in jail left a strong impression on him.
"I don't see a need to use a jail bed at this point to try to send any more of a message to you, because I fully believe you got the message," Weber said. "But if you take a single sip of alcohol, and I probably will find out about it, I will revoke your probation and I'm going to impose whatever the maximum that I can impose."
She ordered the guns seized from Clevenger's home to be released to his father and said the younger Clevenger must not possess any guns, drugs or alcohol.
As court adjourned, Weber wished Clevenger good luck and told him to thank his father.
-- Everton Bailey Jr.
ebailey@oregonian.com
503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey
BART san francisco
In this Oct. 22, 2013 file photo, Bay Area Rapid Transit passengers wait for a BART train to depart the Fruitvale station in Oakland, Calif.
(AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)
San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit is putting manspreaders and other seat hogs on notice.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports the transit agency approved fines of up to $500 for riders occupying more than one seat.
That includes people who stretch out over multiple seats, as well as those who think their a backpack or bag deserve a seat of its own. The rule exempts riders who occupy more than one seat because of their size or a medical condition.
A member of the agency's governing board proposed the rule, which was approved in a narrow 5-4 vote.
Objections included concerns over whether criminalizing seat hogging was too heavy-handed. The president of the BART police officers' union told The Chronicle the rule would likely be applied most often to riders who are homeless, which he said could cause a backlash.
Other agencies, including New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority, have launched poster campaigns to try to curb seat hogging, along with other transit peeves.
TriMet's code prohibits lying across seats on a bus or train, putting "objects or substances" on seats that inhibits their use, or otherwise obstructing the use of seats. Violators can face a $175 fine and a ban from TriMet property.
-- Elliot Njus
enjus@oregonian.com
503-294-5034
@enjus
LNG_warrenton.JPG
The site of a proposed LNG plant in Warrenton looking towards Astoria.
(Steven Nehl/The Oregonian/file)
The company behind a proposed liquefied natural gas export terminal at the mouth of the Columbia River has abandoned the project, marking the death of Oregon's second such project in a matter of weeks.
The Oregon LNG company had been pushing since 2012 to build the terminal in Warrenton, a small town on Oregon's north coast, but had recently encountered obstacles in the permitting process.
Warrenton Mayor Mark Kujala said an Oregon LNG official told him the company's decision to withdraw from the project was "a funding decision."
The news comes weeks after a city hearings officer rejected key permits for the project and after years of fervent opposition both locally and statewide. Concerns over the project's potential to harm Warrenton's fishing industry and environment had sparked protests at local meetings on the project and attracted attention from conservation groups.
"It didn't have a lot of public support, I'll put it that way," Warrenton City Commissioner Henry Balensifer III said Friday.
Friday's news comes a month after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected plans for a massive LNG terminal in Coos Bay, effectively killing the project. Federal regulators said backers of the Jordan Cove Energy Project had failed to demonstrate any need for the facility.
Under Oregon LNG's plan, an 87-mile pipeline would have shuttled Canadian natural gas from Woodland, Wash., to the Warrenton terminal, where it would await export to Asia.
But Oregon LNG lacked support from key elected officials whose votes were needed to move forward. Clatsop County commissioners voted unanimously to reject the application to build the terminal, a decision later upheld by the Land Use Board of Appeals.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, and state Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose, had also come out against the project.
Wyden said he was "relieved" to hear the project would not move forward.
"Local officials and members of the Clatsop County community raised valid concerns about this project from the very beginning," he said in a statement. "I shared the concerns that the Oregon LNG project would have had negative environmental and economic impacts, and I am relieved that local voices prevailed."
The project encountered another roadblock this spring, when a city hearings officer denied land use applications after finding the terminal could harm habitat for protected salmon and affect public fishing access.
As recently as late March, the company was planning to appeal the decision. Kujala said city officials had been thumbing through a 2-foot-thick stack of paperwork in anticipation of a May 4 hearing on the appeal.
It's unclear what changed. Oregon LNG officials could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.
Project backers touted their $6 billion terminal plan as an opportunity for jobs and economic development in Warrenton. They expected to employ more than 2,000 people during construction while hiring 150 people full-time at the facility.
The company had expected to finish the terminal in 2019, but opposition had slowed the process. If the company succeeded in appealing the city permit denial, it would have needed additional local, state and federal approval before starting construction.
"They would have had a hard path ahead of them," said Brett VandenHeuvel, whose Columbia Riverkeeper was among Oregon LNG's critics.
VandenHeuvel called Friday's news "a huge victory for clean water, for farmers, and for our climate."
-- Kelly House
The west hills have been a hub for Jewish goings-on for decades.
From synagogues to schools to kosher delis, the west side is the place to find Jewish resources in Portland -- leaving east side Jews without many accessible services.
But come mid-May, Northeast Portland Jews will have a community center to call their own.
The Center for Jewish Life, located at 2858 N.E. Sandy Blvd., is undergoing mild renovations in preparation for its public debut next month. The center, which used to be an insurance office, is getting new carpet and furniture.
Behind the project are Rabbi Chaim Wilhelm and his wife, Mushka, who moved to Northeast Portland in 2012 to connect and serve Jews in that part of town. They oversee Hebrew school and organize festivities around each holiday.
So far, they've hosted gatherings in their home or rented space from a yoga studio, children's theater or other venues.
"It's about building community," the rabbi said. "There are so many transplants."
The Wilhelms are part of Chabad, a Hasidic movement focused on outreach. Chabad couples often move to areas with little Jewish infrastructure and start their own programs and services for Jews of all flavors -- Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, unaffiliated, atheist or otherwise. Chabad doesn't require paid membership like synagogues do, which makes their services more accessible to unaffiliated Jews.
"I give Chabad a lot of credit," said David Forman, head of the board for the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. "Here's an organization that can teach the rest of the world about outreach."
The Wilhelms hope to see it become a hub for parties, book clubs, adult Hebrew language classes and more.
"Chaim and his wife are very accepting and inclusive," said Doreen Binder, whose grandson attends the Wilhelms' Hebrew school. She's not religious, she said, but it means a lot to her to have a center for cultural expression.
Binder is most excited about the center for the sake of her young grandson, she said. She wants him to grow up rooted in a Jewish identity, surrounded by kids and adults that share those cultural values, and she believes the new gathering space will enable that kind of community.
"It's a hub, a center, a core that helps you know who you are and grow from there," she said.
According to a study from the Jewish Federation, there were roughly 10,000 Jews on the east side as of 2011 -- far more than Jewish leaders had previously imagined. Considering the city's influx of transplants, that number has likely gone up.
The Wilhelms aren't the only Jews working to engage the east side population. Another Chabad couple serves Reed College students and Southeast residents out of a midcentury house near the school, and one unaffiliated congregation, Shir Tikvah, meets on Northeast Irving Avenue. Independent groups meet for yoga, karaoke or game night.
But the Sandy Boulevard center appears to be the first dedicated Jewish meeting area outside of a synagogue or house.
The Wilhelms raised enough money to launch the center, but not enough to cover expenses long term. Rabbi Wilhelm is confident local families will contribute enough to make the center sustainable.
"That is part of the Chabad model -- you step out and get things done," Wilhelm said.
For information about the center, see the Chabad of Northeast Portland website.
Note: No relation between Doreen Binder and the author.
-- Melissa Binder
mbinder@oregonian.com
503-294-7656
@binderpdx
UPDATE: This post has been updated with additional statistics from 2015.
Minority representation in Oregon police departments has barely budged in the past five years, an analysis by The Oregonian/OregonLive shows.
The examination of state certification and census data found that across the state, municipal police departments are typically 14 percentage points whiter than the populations they serve.
Suburban communities often have some of the most striking demographic mismatches. Gresham, Beaverton and Hillsboro police departments were each whiter than those cities' general populations by at least 20 percentage points, according to the data.
Gresham, more than other Portland suburbs, has experienced an influx of African Americans, the group that has most vocally advocated for police accountability in recent years. The city has the second-largest African American population in Oregon, based on the 2010-2014 American Community Survey.
"Especially in the last five years, the diversity in our city has changed so quickly, and we haven't been able to change so quickly," Gresham Chief Craig Junginger said.
Gresham has a 12 percent minority police force and a 32 percent minority population.
Police are not the only profession in which minorities are underrepresented. People of color comprise only 8.5 percent of Oregon's teachers and 14 percent of the newsroom staff at The Oregonian/OregonLive, while the state's population is 22 percent minority.
Advocates say the issue is particularly pressing in the case of police. About 70 percent of African Americans in a 2013 Pew Research Center survey said police treated blacks in their communities less fairly than whites.
Charles Wilson, chairman of the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, said police departments are only just realizing that they need to go to untraditional places to find prospective minority applicants. He suggests hair salons and fitness centers as untapped places to recruit.
"You're not recruiting for us, you're recruiting at us," Wilson said. "Right now, people tell me, 'It ain't cool to be the po-po.' That's law enforcement's fault because we're not showing people this is a viable career option."
Gresham has started sending recruiters to job fairs held by community organizations such as the Urban League and the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. The department has held open houses for residents considering careers in law enforcement, sent letters to athletes at Oregon's four-year universities and enrolled employees in training sessions on how to recruit a diverse workforce.
Still, success can be elusive, the chief said.
"You're having every department in the whole state going after the same people," Junginger said. "We're trying to be creative, but everybody else is doing the same thing."
Laurie Palmer
As hard as Gresham is trying, some Gresham residents continue to perceive that police treat minority members with unwarranted suspicion. Laurie Palmer is one example.
Palmer said a Gresham police vehicle in January pulled a U-turn to follow her Chevrolet Tahoe with its 22-inch rims and a vanity plate. The white officer said her tire crossed the road's center line, but she suspects the stop had more to do with her vehicle -- and her race.
"That's a cultural thing," she said. "They associate rims with black people."
Palmer said she later called the Department of Motor Vehicles and learned from an operator that police routinely ran database searches on her license plate. She said the operator suggested she find a different kind of vehicle.
"If there were more African American officers," Palmer said, "when you were pulled over, you would at least have a running start."
Community in transition
How we did our analysis
The Oregonian/OregonLive used employment history data collected by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training to create annual rosters of sworn officers at each municipal police department. They provide Jan. 1 snapshots.
State forms require departments to choose only one race or ethnicity for an officer -- white, Hispanic, African American, Asian, American Indian or Pacific Islander. The U.S. Census Bureau treats race differently; white and Hispanic are not mutually exclusive.
For consistency in comparisons, we grouped officers and city residents into two groups: white non-Hispanic and minority. We treated officers listed in state data as blank, "unknown" or "other" as part of the minority group.
The most recent American Community Survey data is from 2014, but there are large margins of error for many of the small cities that Oregon's police serve. We used 2010-2014 census data to reduce the margins of error. We compared that to the Jan. 1, 2014, police rosters.
We obtained newer demographic numbers from Gresham directly.
Oregon police departments give the state demographic information about newly hired officers. Unlike the census, state forms require departments to choose only one race or ethnicity for each officer -- white, Hispanic, African American, Asian, American Indian or Pacific Islander. The Oregonian/OregonLive treated blank, "unknown" or "other" races as part of a minority group.
Fully 53 municipal police departments in the state had zero minority officers as of Jan. 1, 2015. That's down from 72 a decade ago.
But overall minority representation hasn't grown much. Oregon's cadre of municipal sworn officers of color went from 7.3 percent of officers in 2009 to 7.9 percent in 2014; minorities in the corresponding Oregon cities went from 22.3 percent of the population to 24.6 percent in that period. Minorities were 8.7 percent of police in June 2015.
Police departments better match the demographics of residents in places that are overwhelmingly white.
Even majority-minority cities have very white police departments. In Milton-Freewater, a small town in northeastern Oregon, 57 percent of residents were members of a minority group compared to 6 percent of police officers.
Gresham represents a community in transition.
Since 2000, the city has shifted from 21 percent minority to 32 percent. Its African American population more than doubled, driven largely by gentrification in Portland's historically black neighborhoods.
While community organizing has historically been concentrated in central Portland, some groups are beginning to turn their attention to the east, where many people priced out of Portland have resettled. The Urban League now staffs a small office in Rosewood. Several people involved with Don't Shoot Portland, an activist group inspired by events in Ferguson, live in Gresham.
Junginger, the police chief, said recruiting a police force whose demographics reflect the community is important to building trust.
"Sometimes it makes people feel more comfortable," Junginger said. "I'm not saying that a white officer can't do a good job, but it may be that the person they're going out to see may be more receptive to someone who looks like them."
The department has sworn in 47 officers since 2010. Three were Hispanic, two were black, two were Asian and one was American Indian, officials said. Minority recruits often come from somewhere else. A recent black hire came from Atlanta, and a Native American officer moved from New Mexico.
Hispanics remain the most underrepresented in Gresham. But the department offers extra pay to anyone who passes the FBI's Spanish exam; 10 have.
Carla Piluso, Gresham's previous police chief and now a state representative, said the relatively small pool of minority candidates in Oregon makes it difficult to recruit locally.
"We are a pretty lily white state," she said. "In Gresham, we were trying to be a think tank of how to bring people into the department, but it's really a statewide issue."
'If it isn't broken'
Gresham officers by the numbers
Total: 123
Hispanic: 6
Asian or Pacific Islander: 4
African American: 3
American Indian or Alaska Native: 2
Gresham officials defend their record working with residents of color. They note that the department has received no more than 61 complaints in any of the past three years, while its officers responded to more than 75,000 calls annually.
But advocates for minority communities say an absence of complaints does not equal satisfaction, because people of color may not feel comfortable speaking up.
"There are parts of the community that believe if you step forward something will be done, and they expect something to be done," said Rep. Lew Frederick, a Democrat from Portland. "There are other parts of the community who believe that if they step forward something will be done to them, or they will not be listened to at all."
Gresham has chosen not to collect data on the race and ethnicity of drivers in traffic stops, information that other departments analyze for potential patterns of bias. Department spokesman Capt. Claudio Grandjean said command staff had a "spirited discussion" about pursuing the idea last year but decided not to for technical and philosophical reasons.
"My thought on it was, 'If it isn't broken, don't fix it,'" said Grandjean, who is Hispanic and the department's longest-serving minority officer. "We're not Ferguson. We're not even close. We're not even Portland."
But David Rogers, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, said departments like Gresham will only gain the confidence of minority residents through greater transparency.
"I think if Gresham is serious about understanding what is or isn't happening as it relates to racial disparities, they would be collecting that data," Rogers said.
Silence followed a 2009 racial bias complaint from the department's first African American officer. The Portland Mercury reported at the time that the officer resigned a training department post after accusing a fellow officer of using a racial slur.
Junginger has never commented on the case. The internal investigation records have been destroyed, and the department declined to release a document describing the outcome.
Grandjean said the accused officer was disciplined but would not specify how. Both officers involved continue to work for the department and declined to be interviewed.
Grandjean defended the department's refusal to disclose more.
"How fair is it to an officer who's made some changes after having something pointed out to him that this is unacceptable five, 10, 15 years later?" Grandjean asked.
Wilson, chairman of the black officers association, said incidents like the Gresham officer reported are especially common in small departments with "singletons," or lone minority officers.
"Every single black officer has had to face that issue at one time or another," he said. "It's more prevalent among those of us who are singletons, lonely-only."
He said all police agencies need to be more up-front with the public if they want to display accountability, something that is essential to attracting minority recruits.
"We are not, as a profession, showing we can be transparent," he said.
-- Carli Brosseau
cbrosseau@oregonian.com
503-294-5121; @carlibrosseau
1debate.JPG
Democratic Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders debate during the CNN Democratic Presidential Primary Debate at the Duggal Greenhouse in the Brooklyn Navy Yard on April 14, 2016 in New York City.
(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
By Margaret Carlson
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders could see his flame fading during the debate with Hillary Clinton on Thursday. If he loses the New York primary on Tuesday he can soldier on, but the gallop that won him eight of the last nine contests is over. You could tie up all the superdelegates in traffic in the Holland Tunnel until the Democratic convention and Sanders still couldn't win the nomination without New York.
That's probably why Sanders and Clinton rolled out all their old grievances, only louder and more insistently. There was a "no, you didn't, yes, I did" quality to the back and forth. She went after him for his lack of specificity, notably for failing to spell out his plan for breaking up the big banks. He repeatedly questioned her judgment, a big step back from his earlier blunder of saying she wasn't qualified.
"Let's talk about judgment. And let us talk about the worst foreign policy blunder in the modern history of this country," he said, referring to Iraq. "I led the opposition to that war. Secretary Clinton voted for that."
She had no comeback , perhaps because there is no comeback, unless you are ready to align yourself with Dick Cheney. Nor does she have one for the hundreds of thousands of dollars she accepted from Wall Street for speeches. She said she would turn over transcripts: "Let's set the same standard for everybody," she said. "When everybody does it, OK, I will do it."
Sanders saw an easy pitch and swung. "I am going to release all of the transcripts of the speeches that I gave on Wall Street behind closed doors, not for $225,000, not for $2,000, not for two cents," he said. "There were no speeches." There's a presumption that banks and corporations make donations and pay big speaking fees because they get something for it, whether or not they do. No model of pure ethics, Congress banned such speeches years ago because it looked bad and sometimes was.
Most of the time, Clinton seemed to know that all she had to do was to run out the clock. Her way is to nod her head as if she's only stating what anyone with half a brain would agree with, speak in her best kindergarten teacher's voice and, when exasperated, shout.
Sanders' way is to shout all of the time. It wasn't always this way. Not too long ago, when he and Clinton got along, he seemed happy to pull his punches (remember the line about how sick he was of hearing about her "damn emails"). Clinton patted him on the head no matter what he said, as if he were her doddering grandfather (though he is only a few years older than she is).
Several times, though, Clinton couldn't resist the urge to hit Sanders where he is already bruised. He had to see the left hook coming but still, he had no new explanation for his vote against holding gun manufacturers liable, other than to counter that he was an early and persistent opponent of assault weapons. He didn't nail her on her big mistake earlier in the week when she claimed that Vermont was responsible for most of the firearms used in crimes in New York. That statement was corrected by Vermont's governor and awarded three Pinocchios by a nonpartisan fact-checker.
Sanders' one big get was showing that Clinton was fudging on how she would save Social Security. Pressed and pressed, she finally admitted that she wouldn't be raising taxes on the wealthy by raising the limit on taxable income for Social Security from $118,000 to $250,000. She prefers a "combination" of fixes.
The most dramatic moment was when Sanders said that "superpredator," a term Clinton used in 1996 to describe young black criminals, was "racist," (like the word "liar," it used to be employed sparingly). The most amusing exchange was Sander's response to Clinton's claim that she called out the big banks on their mortgage practices during the financial crisis. He asked if that was "before or after" she took money from Wall Street, and then rolled his eyes. "Oh, my goodness," he chided her, "they must have been really crushed by that."
It was a good moment for Sanders but not a great one. Sarcasm doesn't become him. He's an earnest, decent crusader who believes to his core that big money has corrupted the system and tilted the playing field so that the little guy can't get a leg up. The message appeals not just to young people, but also to many more who know we accept way too much as normal that isn't. It's not right that Warren Buffett paid less in taxes than his secretary did. It's not right that corporations can give as much money as they want to help politicians get elected. We just don't think anyone will do anything about it.
Sanders would. It's why the light dimmed Thursday night.
Margaret Carlson is a Bloomberg View columnist.
For more columns from Bloomberg View, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/view.
(c) 2016, Bloomberg View
A few words of advice to investigators in Oregon Department of Justice's Intelligence Unit: If you see a social-media posting with the phrase "#IShotTheSheriff" attached at the end, that does not necessarily mean that the author actually shot a sheriff. Similarly, no need to sound the alarms if you come across a posting or tweet with the phrase #FightThePower.
In fact, there's a tool that can help contextualize information you see on social media, where people often include phrases referencing pop culture. It's called Google. (And it's even free!) Using it can help ward off the kind of deserved criticism that the DOJ now faces as a result of an investigator misinterpreting tweets supportive of the Black Lives Matter movement by the agency's own civil rights director. Turns out, DOJ attorney Erious Johnson's posting of an image showing a man in the crosshairs of a gun wasn't a threat against law enforcement as a DOJ intelligence agent assumed. It was, rather, the logo for famed hip-hop group Public Enemy.
It seems comical, at first. After all, even if investigators were unfamiliar with the logo, shouldn't the words "Public Enemy," which were printed right below the image, serve as a helpful hint? But as an outside investigator's report issued this week shows, the agent wasn't alone in his erroneous conclusions and assumptions about postings relating to Black Lives Matter.
The report instead reveals the tunnel vision through which some employees of the intelligence unit -- which gathers, analyzes and shares potential threats with law enforcement agencies -- view the world.
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Lessons on how to avoid racial profiling are only the start of what this unit needs.
The flap dates back to last September when DOJ employees in the intelligence unit were testing software from a vendor that can scan social-media sites for various search phrases and narrow down results by geographic area. One agent decided to look for posts in the Salem area that included the phrase #blacklivesmatter, which refers to the movement that has sprung up across the country in reaction to deaths of unarmed African Americans at the hands of police officers.
The search turned up Johnson's Public Enemy post, as The Oregonian/OregonLive's Denis Theriault reported. Viewing the image, the agent mistakenly assumed that the man in the crosshairs in the logo was a police officer, an assumption that was shared by "many others" according to the report written by Stoel Rives attorney Carolyn Walker. Other postings by Johnson also triggered "concerns" by the agent that Johnson's tweets were "making all white people appear to be racist" and consisted of "all this hate stuff." The tweets, Walker notes, did not include any threats and expressed frustration over police violence against African Americans, as opposed to the reverse.
The agent, however, wasn't alone in his worries. In fact, others in the intelligence unit expressed suspicion of the Black Lives Matter movement, the report shows, with one research analyst telling the investigator that "she had seen multiple news reports of police officers being shot by individuals associated with "blacklivesmatter."
The agent's concerns carried up the chain and resulted in his writing a memo that was eventually shared with Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum. Credit Rosenblum for acting quickly and decisively after learning about the apparent act of racial profiling. She ordered that the searches be shut down and told Johnson personally of the incident, she said in an emailed statement to The Oregonian/OregonLive editorial board.
Rosenblum also tapped Walker to investigate the incident, resulting in the $88,000 report. And she has called for additional training in cultural competency, anti-racial profiling, diversity training, and educating employees on what the law permits, she said.
But too often, failures are chalked up to a need for further education. In fact, the report notes that one of the agent's supervisors "thinks that with education and training, he and other police officers within the unit may have had a different perception on what the concerning crosshairs image really was."
It shouldn't take "education and training" for intelligence unit employees to not assume that #blacklivesmatter, which is ultimately about holding police accountable for their actions, is a threat. It shouldn't take "education and training" to know that you don't jump to wild conclusions without some basis in fact and research. While the report points out a lack of "cultural competency" within the criminal justice division, the DOJ should ensure that's it not just the cultural part of the equation that's missing.
-- The Oregonian/OregonLive editorial board
food.JPG
(Beth Nakamura/Staff)
By David Sarasohn
Twenty years ago, coming up from California and working as a consultant for the Oregon Hunger Task Force, Patti Whitney-Wise was struck by one difference.
In Sacramento, state legislators were remote figures, each representing hundreds of thousands of people, reachable only by appointment and negotiation. In Salem, legislators roamed loose in the state Capitol, available to anyone lurking to make a case.
Whitney-Wise recalls her immediate conclusion: "If you play your cards right, you could get something done here."
As she retires at the end of this month, as executive director of what's now called Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, it turns out that she could.
Whitney-Wise has been a vital part of a major statewide effort -- an alliance extending from the Oregon Food Bank to advocacy groups to legislators to individuals accosting legislators -- that has attacked and made some progress on an Oregon hunger problem the size of the Cascades.
The time when the state first really focused on the problem, Whitney-Wise recalls, can be pinpointed. At the end of the 1990s, the U.S. Department of Agriculture started compiling and issuing state hunger rankings, based on rolling three-year averages of population surveys. The first year, 1999, the USDA ranked Oregon as the second-hungriest state in the country. The next year, Oregon was No. 1.
Recalls Whitney-Wise, "That's when a lot of emphasis was put on hunger."
Of course, not everybody bought the USDA's statistics.
"(Gov. John) Kitzhaber and (George W.) Bush in Texas were the two governors who couldn't believe it," she says. But "those of us in the hunger community weren't surprised."
Then, early in this century, in the wake of the crunching 9/11 recession, Oregon began to make some progress. The key strategy was expanding the state's participation in the nation's central anti-hunger program -- food stamps. Oregon launched a major public and private outreach effort to sign up Oregonians who qualified for food stamps but weren't enrolled. The state legislatively expanded the numbers who qualified -- and simplified the application from 25 pages to three.
Rapidly, the federal food support coming into Oregon strengthened dramatically. Oregon became one of the top states in the nation in its percentage of eligible residents enrolled in the program and started getting participation bonuses from the Department of Agriculture. The benefits extended beyond the Oregonians who were getting something to eat; the efforts brought an additional $132 million a year in federal money into the state economy.
(Research has also found that food stamps have the largest multiplier impact of any federal funding; recipients tend to inject the money into the economy quickly, often before lunch.)
And an active advocacy effort, prominently featuring Whitney-Wise, produced a range of legislative anti-hunger efforts, including funding and expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, investing in summer food programs, and Gov. Ted Kulongoski's Act to End Hunger, a five-year plan.
Oregon improved to being only the 17th hungriest state. It was far from terrific -- it still ranked us in the top third, and nobody goes around chanting, "We're No. 17!" -- but the change was a demonstration of what effort could do.
Then came the Great Recession, and the not-so-great recovery. We've come back from the depths, but hardly all the way.
"It's still bad," says Whitney-Wise. "The new normal is not good. The new normal is worse than when we were No. 1."
Which, at least, we're not; we're closer to No. 13. According to the USDA's last figures, released last September, Oregon was tied with several other states with 6.3 percent of its households at some point experiencing hunger -- or as the USDA daintily calls it, "very low food security." Back when Oregon was No. 1, the number was more like 5.8 percent.
It's harder to be No. 1 these days. Hunger has gotten more competitive. But our prospects have certainly improved to this extent: We now know we can do something about it.
"I remain hopeful, because I've seen the difference an effort can make," says Whitney-Wise. "I feel very good about the number of people, especially young people, taking up the banner and running with it."
In fact, she remains, as always, indominantly cheerful, despite a career working with poverty and hunger -- and state legislators. She's moving to Minnesota to observe a new grandchild, a figure of even greater attraction than a Ways and Means co-chair, and will be honored at a May 12 dinner marking the 10th anniversary of Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon.
She knows Oregon problems that remain.
"We underfund our systems," she points out. "It's a beautiful state, so we think it's good enough. It's not good enough."
*
David Sarasohn's column appears on the first and third Sundays of the month. He blogs at davidsarasohn.com.
Lars Larson leads a public contingent who've signed up to speak at City Council meeting
Radio talk show host Lars Larson comments in 2009 on then-Mayor Sam Adams' legal issues in front of the Portland City Council.
(Staff/2009)
Northwest government: I love the Pacific Northwest, and I've lived here nearly my whole life. But boy does this place throw you some curves at times.
We're critically short of housing in the region and begging builders to put up more, but politicians propose new taxes and limitations on builders.
We beg our children to get higher education, and then give away more and more funding and seats in college to illegal aliens.
We say we want more jobs, but in the last year I've seen Oregon and Washington say no to literally billions of dollars worth of private new development, such as a methanol plant, an oil refinery, a natural gas export facility, a coal terminal and an oil terminal.
We get more rain than most places, but the government has literally thrown a man (Gary Harrington) in jail for capturing that rain.
We're famous for bottling stuff like beer and wine, but give a cold shoulder to a company that wants to spend tens of millions to bottle water and create jobs.
We have an unelected governor who loves the millions the state gets from gambling but says no to a proposed $26 million Coquille Indian Tribe casino in Medford.
And we happily fund welfare and food stamps while more than a hundred thousand jobs go begging for workers in Oregon and Washington.
Meanwhile, the folks in government want to create a new state-run pension savings plan for private sector workers, while they've run the Public Employee Retirement System $21 billion in the hole.
Lars Larson
Vancouver, Washington
Larson hosts talk radio's "The Lars Larson Show."
Archbishop of Canterbury praised after DNA testing reveals skeletons in the family closet 15 April, 2016 by Tobin Perry , |
LONDON (Christian Examiner) Christian and Jewish leaders around the world are applauding Archbishop Justin Welby's response to recent news that he is the biological son of Winston Churchill's former private secretaryrather than the son of a whisky salesman.
"I know that I find who I am in Jesus Christ, not in genetics, and my identity in him never changes."
The Telegraph reports Welby discovered the truth about his paternity after a DNA test last month revealed he was the son of Anthony Browne, who served Churchill during his retirement.
A comparison between a swab of Welby's mouth and samples of Browne's hair showed a 99.9779 percent chance that Browne was the archbishop's father.
Though he says he was shocked by the discovery, it wasn't devastating news.
"I know that I find who I am in Jesus Christ, not in genetics, and my identity in him never changes," said Welby, the spiritual leader of the 85-million-person global Anglican Communion.
Welby also said in the statement, "Although there are elements of sadness, and even tragedy in my father's (Gavin Welby's) case, this is a story of redemption and hope from a place of tumultuous difficulty and near despair in several lives. It is a testimony to the grace and power of Christ to liberate and redeem us, grace and power which is offered to every human being."
Rabbi Dr. Jonthan Romain, the minister at Maidenhead Synagogue in Berkshire, England, was among the first religious leaders to speak out in support of Welby.
"The news does not affect his personal identity in any wayhe is who he has becomenor does it lessen his authority as Archbishop," Romain said.
Bishop Anba Angaelos, the General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, praised the statement too, saying it indicated the "peace, love, forgiveness and resolve that we are not only all called to, but all endowed with if we but allow God's healing, reconciling and comforting presence in our lives."
In Welby's original statement he told readers he realized he was not alone in experiencing family turmoil. Soon after the disclosure, his mother admitted that she had slept with Browne after drinking too much alcohol one night. The incident happened shortly before her three-year marriage to Gavin Welby, a whisky salesman and German immigrant. His mother, Jane Williams, has been a recovering alcoholic since 1968, Far from being upset with his mother at the revelation, he praised her in the statement for her commitment to sobriety and recovery thanks to her Christian faith and Alcoholics Anonymous.
"My own experience is typical of many people. To find that one's father is other than imagined is not unusual," Welby wrote in the statement. "To be the child of families with great difficulties in relationships, with substance abuse or other matters, is far too normal."
It isn't the first time startling family revelations have been disclosed about Welby since he took the post. Just after being named archbishop, The Telegraph reported that Gavin Welby, believed at the time to be his biological father, had been married previously to an American. He also discovered his father had a sister he never knew about. Although the marriage of Gavin Welby and Jane Williams only lasted three years, Welby lived with his father after the divorce.
The news about Welby's paternity made an even bigger news splash within the tradition-bound Anglican Communion. Until the 1950s, illegitimate children could never become Anglican bishopsan historical fact that apparently his staff didn't realize. Before legal experts clarified the confusion, many worried that the revelation of Welby's biological father would invalidate all the acts of his service as bishop and archbishop, causing what some where calling a potential Anglican crisis.
Despite the drama in the past week, Welby appears ready to move on asking Anglicans to pray for the many around the world suffering through real and genuine pain.
Welby concluded his statement: "At the very outset of my inauguration service three years ago, Evangeline Kanagasooriam, a young member of the Canterbury Cathedral congregation, said: 'We greet you in the name of Christ. Who are you, and why do you request entry?' To which I responded: 'I am Justin, a servant of Jesus Christ, and I come as one seeking the grace of God to travel with you in His service together.' What has changed? Nothing!"
Three Jefferson Middle School students are well on their way to becoming entrepreneurs. At Wednesday nights Young Entrepreneurs Academy Saunders Scholars Competition, the Ensure Robo Plus leadership team of Debasmita Kanungo, Debanshu Kanungo and Caleb Qiu was named the Outstanding Business.
It feels great, said Ensure CEO Debasmita Kanungo, an eighth grade student at Jefferson. We learned group work and that you have to collaborate. Communication is very important.
Wednesdays competition took place at the The Herbert D. Doan Midland County History Center as leaders from seven companies came together to share their business ideas before a group of five investors. The students had five minutes to pitch their ideas. Each company received some funding, which was awarded based on the merit of the idea and the presentation.
Sponsored locally by the Midland Area Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Northwood University, YEA! is a program that helps transform middle and high school students into real, confident entrepreneurs. Throughout the class, students develop business ideas, write business plans, conduct market research, pitch their plans to a panel of investors, and actually launch and run their own companies.
These students have a passion for business. They spend seven months doing this. So, it is a big commitment, said Bill Gagliardi, formerly associate vice president of public relations at Northwood University. This is an outstanding match with Northwood University because of the focus on entrepreneurship.
Gagliardi, along with Sharon Miller, served as instructors for the program that meets weekly.
Each company requested a certain amount of funds from the panel of investors, who could either grant the proposed amount, decrease it or increase the amount. Ensure Robo Plus requested $681.39, but the five investors far exceeded that and granted $1,525, which was by far the largest amount of increase for any of the companies.
Im really happy that all our hard work paid off, said Ensure COO Caleb Qiu, who is 13 and a seventh grade student at Jefferson Middle School.
Ensure Robo Plus encourages STEM education and teaches the building and programming of robots. Each of the three principals have participated in a variety of robotics camps and competitions and will serve as instructors.
We decided to start this program after we found out that many of our classmates wanted to be part of robotics. But, due to limited space of programs, they have missed the chance to learn many of the skills of robotics, said Ensure CFO Debanshu Kanungo, a 12-year-old student at Jefferson.
Following a survey of science classes at Jefferson, the trio found that there was a tremendous willingness to participate in robotics and a lack of knowledge in the area. Of the 280 responses, 72 percent stated they would be willing to participate in robotics programs and 91 percent said they had not yet learned the techniques of building and programming a robot.
Our target market is middle school students in Midland, Qiu said.
The Ensure Robo Plus team now heads to Rochester, N.Y., on May 5-7, for the Saunders Scholars semifinals. Should they be one of six finalists in Rochester, they would advance to the 2016 National Saunders Scholars Competition in Washington, D.C., in June.
Participating as investor panel judges Tuesday were: John Bartos, JS&B Associates; Donna Zalewski, ITC Holdings Corp.; Rodney Boulanger, Boulanger Energy; Chris Yurgaites, Chemical Bank; and Jim Hop, Northwood.
Other students that presented:
Shock Shell Phone Cases: Nathan Witt, CEO, Northeast Middle School, eighth grade.
Business description: Shock Shell produces phone cases that incorporate industry-leading, high-impact foam and unique personalization.
Fetch: Jacob Nelson, CEO, Midland High junior.
Business description: Fetch is a new, innovative technology based personal services company designed to match consumers with freelance delivery solutions.
K & H Designs: Kenady Sasse, CFO (Dow High senior) and Halle Reid, CEO (Jefferson sixth-grader).
Business description: K & H Designs produces high-quality interchangeable jewelry that features earrings with magnetic charms.
Culture Navigator: Jerry Zhao, CEO, Dow High freshman.
Business description: Culture Navigators mission is to spread Chinese culture and produce traditional Chinese zodiac sign papercuts to tell the story and luck behind the customers birth year.
Sheepy Time Boutique: Jessica Brooks, CEO, Dow High sophomore.
Business description: Sheepy Time Boutique is a clothing design company that aims to provide clothing that never makes it to the back of the closet or the bottom of the drawer due to its design and comfort.
Rustic Suds - Chris Ludington, CEO and Christian Weckesser, CFO, Dow High seniors.
Business description: Rustic Suds sources top-market beauty and grooming products for distribution through an online subscription model.
The following students were part of the YEA! class, but did not present: Olivia Kean, CEO of Kean Ceramics, and Kirk Kramer of Sonic Franchise.
Do you have a plan?
Where will you go?
What will you do?
These are three basic questions you and your family members should be able to answer right away when talk comes up about what to do if tornadic weather threatens.
And if you dont have a plan, now is a good time to come up with one.
While tornadoes can occur any time of the year, they are especially common during the late spring and early summer months, according to information released as part of Michigans Severe Weather Awareness Week, which is just wrapping up.
On average, Michigan has 15 tornadoes a year, according to information on the Michigan State Police website. In 2015, there were 14 tornadoes across the state. The days that saw most of the tornado activity were June 22-23 (Portland, Birch Run) and Nov. 6 (the Thumb region), the state reports.
The average lead time for tornadoes to develop is 10 to 15 minutes, which means people need to be ready to react quickly when a warning is issued.
To be ready for a tornado, the Michigan State Police recommends people:
Identify the lowest place to take cover during a tornado. If a basement does not exist, find an interior hallway away from windows, doors and outside walls.
Find something sturdy such as a workbench or stairwell to get under when taking shelter in the basement or a designated spot.
Conduct regular tornado drills. Make sure each household member knows where to go and what to do in the event of a tornado.
Stay tuned to local media for news on changing weather conditions or approaching storms.
Know the difference: A Tornado Watch means conditions exist for a tornado to develop; a Tornado Warning means that a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar.
And, be aware of the following signs that can indicate an approaching tornado:
Dark, often greenish sky
Large hail
A large, dark low-lying cloud
Loud roar, similar to a freight train
Develop a 72-hour emergency supply kit with essential items such as a three-day supply of water and food, NOAA Weather Radio, important family documents and items that satisfy unique family needs.
For more information, visit http://1.usa.gov/1SE4Ddr.
B-52's demonstrate power projection in the Pacific
The U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber and crews just returned from Clark Air Base, Philippines, where they supported Exercise Balikatan 16. Exercises like BK 16 help maintain a high level of readiness, enhance military-to-military relations, and combined combat capabilities. The U.S. Pacific Command has maintained a rotational strategic bomber presence in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region for more than a decade. This presence deters potential adversaries and provides reassurance to allies and partners that the U.S. is capable to defend its national security interests in the theater.
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Active duty and Reserve Airmen came together to celebrate the Air Force Reserve's 68th birthday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, April 14, 2016.
"Celebrating our birthday is a great opportunity to recognize our diverse citizen Airmen," said Air Force Col. Dave Piffarerio, 477th Fighter Group commander. "We bring a wealth of talent, experience and perspective to missions that are crucial to our nation's defense. We cannot do that without the great support of our mission partners here at the 3rd Wing and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson."
The Air Force Reserve was created as a separate component on April 14, 1948, when the Army Air Corps Reserve was transferred to the Air Force. The Air Force Reserve lineage dates back 100 years to when Reserve airpower was established in the National Defense Act of 1916. Today, more than 69,000 citizen Airmen are stationed locally in more than 66 communities throughout the United States and overseas, serving globally for every combatant command in air, space and cyberspace.
The Total Force Policy of 1973 laid the foundation for the Air Force Reserve to augment, associate and partner with the active-duty Air Force. It has transformed from a force in 'reserve' for emergencies to a fully operational Reserve force and a major command of the Air Force.
"Today, we are agile and experienced, with nearly 70,000 citizen Airmen stationed locally and serving globally," said Air Force Lt. Gen. James 'JJ' Jackson, Chief of the Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force at Washington D.C., and Commander of the Air Force Reserve Command at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. "Citizen Airmen have answered our nation's call in every major conflict around the globe."
The Air Force Reserve mission is to provide combat-ready forces to fly, fight and win. The Air Force Reserve does this and more by offering airpower through more than 30 types of aircraft with speed, precision and lethality, and combat support through space operations and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability day in and day out.
Citizen Airmen have contributed to the prevention of multiple crises and contingencies since the Persian Gulf War and continue to assist in overseas contingency operations.
The 477th FG has participated alongside their active-duty partners in the 3rd Wing in every F-22 Raptor exercise and deployment, including the most recent deployment to Central Command area of responsibility, Piffarerio said.
The 302nd Fighter Squadron became a part of the 477th FG when they were both reactivated here in October 2007, the group is the Air Force Reserve Command's first F-22 unit and the only Air Force Reserve unit in Alaska.
The 302nd FS traces its lineage back to the 'Redtails' squadron. The famous all-black unit fought both American prejudice and Nazi militarism. Another Tuskegee Airmen unit, the 477th Bombardment Group, was activated in 1944.
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- The Air Force has a tradition of encouraging command leadership to take pilot courses on the aircraft that support their mission. Lt. Gen. John Dolan, U.S. Forces, Japan and 5th Air Force commander, recently had the opportunity to take the key staff course and fly an aircraft that often transports him to locations throughout the Kanto Plains, the UH-1N Iroquois.
"The purpose of the key staff course is to help senior leadership understand the capabilities and limitations of the aircraft available to them," Jacobs said. "This is so that they can better understand how to employ the aircraft and related personnel. For example, when it looks clear, blue and warm outside but we can't fly because winds are blowing, it can be difficult for the pilot of a heavier aircraft like the C-130 to understand the limitations of a smaller airframe without piloting it firsthand."
The key staff course involves four flights, three during the day and one at night. For the first flight, Dolan, traditionally an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot, flew the UH-1N for two hours.
Supporting Dolan throughout the flight were two UH-1N crewmembers, Capt. Brandon Jones, 459th Airlift Squadron chief of standards and evaluation, and Tech. Sgt. David Jacobs, 459 AS special missions aviator.
Before the flight, Jones and Jacobs walked with Dolan around the aircraft and explained the basic mechanics of the exterior airframe. Jones also instructed Dolan on practicing emergency egress procedures and familiarized him with the cockpit controls and gauges. Dolan asked questions on various features in the cockpit, pointing at gauges and testing the grip and movement of the control stick. After completing the ground training, the three buckled up and Dolan took the aircraft into a hover.
"It was a great opportunity to see how the 459 AS does its mission," Dolan said. "Going from a fixed wing to a rotary wing was a big difference. Fortunately, I had some great instruction from Capt. Jones and Tech. Sgt. Jacobs."
Dolan practiced sideways, forward, backward and vertical movement as well as transiting and hovering.
"I've really been wanting to do a course with the 459 AS because I have the privilege of riding with them often," Dolan said. "I wanted to get an appreciation for them because I usually only get to see them briefly and don't get to visit with the crew and squadron."
Jacobs said that he enjoys working with fixed wing pilots and seeing how their experience compares to rotary wing aircraft.
"They usually find it extremely strange to be 100 feet off the ground and not moving," Jacobs said. "Doing hover operations over a grassy area can also be disconcerting at first because they're used to staying over a flight line at low altitudes. Also, the three-dimensional movement a helicopter pilot navigates is a whole new experience for them. Every key leader I've flown with has talked about how unusual it feels to take control of a helicopter." Dolan said that the flight definitely helped him understand Yokota's UH-1N operations and has three more flights to better introduce him to the aircraft capabilities. He has been making his way through key staff courses with several airlift squadrons under his command, experiencing multiple aircraft flights.
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE BASE DARWIN, Australia -- Marines with 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, stationed out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, arrived April 13, 2016, at the Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, Darwin, Australia, to begin the next evolution of Marine Rotational Force - Darwin.
MRF-D is the six-month deployment of approximately 1,250 Marines into Darwin, Australia, to conduct bilateral exercises and train alongside the Australian Defence Force. This rotation now consists of a whole Marine Air-Ground Task Force with all four elements: Command Element, Ground Combat Element, Aviation Combat Element and Logistics Combat Element.
Four UH-1Y Venom helicopters from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367, based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, will deploy this month to Darwin to support this MRF-D rotation.
The training undergone during MRF-D deployments magnifies the combined capability of the two forces which will improve security, disaster relief capabilities and the ability to respond to crisis throughout the region.
I think this will be beneficial to our nation, said 1st Lt. Mitchell Graves, a rifle platoon commander for 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines from Damascus, Oregon. Australia has supported us in many of our encounters since World War II, including our recent conflicts. Actually being able to work with them and understand their techniques tactics and procedures, versus ours, will help solve any differences or friction during training vice on the battlefield.
The U.S. Marines presence in Australia displays their commitment to the U.S.-Australia alliance and to the Asia-Pacific region and showcases the operational interoperability of a Marine MAGTF and Australian forces.
1st Lt. Zachariah Rocco, logistics officer for the Forward Coordination Element with MRF-D, said he notices differences in work tempo and battle rhythm working with the Australian forces but also noted theyre easy to work with and work very efficiently.
The Australian Border Force and Department of Agriculture are extremely knowledgeable in their field and theyve helped us a lot in terms of pushing the requirements and setting up everything we need to make sure the Marines get here smoothly and efficiently, said Rocco, a Camden, New Jersey, native. Theyre great people, a great culture, and outstanding military, and I think when we get here and we train and we execute certain objectives the amount of knowledge we gain is insurmountable.
Beyond military training, the MRF-D Marines will be volunteering their time during community relations events such as the school mentorship program. These community engagements are another way to strengthen ties between the U.S. and Australia.
The U.S. military engagement in Australia reflects cooperation to promote global and regional peace and prosperity. It shows that the U.S. Marine Corps and the Australian Defence Forces are committed to continuing their tradition of more than 100 years of global partnerships and security cooperation between the two nations.yal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, Darwin, Australia, to begin the next evolution of Marine Rotational Force - Darwin.
One of historys most important battles happened here on a field you can walk across in less than half the 45 or so minutes the battle lasted. If George Washingtons audacity on Jan. 3, 1777, had not reversed the patriots retreat and routed the advancing British, the American Revolution might have been extinguished.
Yet such is Americas neglect of some places that sustain its defining memories, the portion of the field over which Washingtons nation-saving charge passed is being bulldozed to make way for houses for faculty of the Institute for Advanced Study. To understand the gravity of this utterly unnecessary desecration, you must understand the astonishingly underestimated Battle of Princeton.
In December 1776, the Revolution was failing. Britain had sent to America 36,000 troops at that point, the largest European expeditionary force ever -- to crush the rebellion before a French intervention on Americas behalf. Washington had been driven from Brooklyn Heights, then from Manhattan, then out of New York. The nation barely existed as he retreated across New Jersey, into Pennsylvania.
But from there, on Christmas night, he crossed the Delaware River ice floes for a successful 45-minute (at most) attack on Britains Hessian mercenaries at Trenton. This was Washingtons first victory; he had not been at Lexington, Concord or Bunker Hill. Trenton would, however, have been merely an evanescent triumph, were it not for what happened 10 days later.
On Jan. 2, 1777, British Gen. Charles Cornwallis began marching 5,500 troops from Princeton to attack Washingtons slightly outnumbered forces at Trenton. Washington, leaving a few hundred soldiers to tend fires that tricked Cornwallis into thinking the patriot army was encamped, made a stealthy 14-mile night march to attack three British regiments remaining at Princeton. They collided on this field.
The most lethal weapons in this war were bayonets. The British had them. Few Americans did, and they beat a panicked retreated from the advancing steel. By his personal bravery, Washington reversed this and led a charge. An unusually tall man sitting on a large white horse, he was a clear target riding as close to British lines as first base is to home plate. Biographer Ron Chernow writes that, at Princeton, Washington was a warrior in the antique sense. The eighteenth-century battlefield was a compact space, its cramped contours defined by the short range of muskets and bayonet charges, giving generals a chance to inspire by their immediate presence.
When the redcoats ran, the British aura of invincibility and the strategy of securing territory and handing out pardons (Chernow) were shattered. And the drift of American opinion toward defeatism halted.
In his four-volume biography of Washington, James Thomas Flexner said: The British historian George Trevelyan was to write concerning Trenton: It may be doubted whether so small a number of men ever employed so short a space of time with greater and more lasting effects upon the history of the world. But such would not have been the result if Washington had not gone on to overwhelm Princeton.
This ground, on which patriots blood puddled on that 20-degree morning, has been scandalously neglected by New Jersey. Now it is being vandalized by the Institute for Advance Study, which has spurned a $4.5 million purchase offer more than $1 million above the appraised value from the invaluable Civil War Trust, which is expanding its preservation activities to Revolutionary War sites.
In todays academia there are many scholars against scholarship, including historians hostile to history postmodernists who think the past is merely a social construct reflecting the presents preoccupations, or power structures, or something. They partake of academias preference for a multicultural future of diluted, if not extinguished, nationhood, and they dislike commemorating history made by white men with guns. The IAS engaged a historian who wrote a report clotted with todays impenetrable academic patois. He says we should not fetishize space, and he drapes disparaging quotation marks around the words hallowed ground.
The nation owes much to the IAS, which supported Albert Einstein, physicist Robert Oppenheimer and the diplomat and historian George F. Kennan. It is especially disheartening that a distinguished institution of scholars is indifferent to preserving a historic site that can nourish national identity.
The battle to save this battlefield, one of the nations most significant and most neglected sites, is not yet lost. The government in todays Trenton, and in the city named for the man who won the 1777 battle, should assist the Civil War Trust.
A lot of the times, people tend to think that children who were raised in homes with same-sex parents, such as two moms and two dad have disadvantages in lifer or are not really brought up as well as those children who were brought up by a mother and a father. However, a new research has proved that there is no such difference between a child reared in a same-sex couple's home and a child raised by a mother and a father.
The research, which was done by the University of Amsterdam, gathered up 95 female same-sex parent household and 95 different-sex parent household that are matched for parent and child characteristics. The families chosen by the University of Amsterdam to study is based from a very large, nationally representative study, the National Survey for Child Health.
University of Amsterdam research concentrated on households that had no history of instability, discontinuity or transitions. The researches also compared general health and emotional difficulties, as well as coping and learning behavior among children of female same-sex parents and different-sex parents in stable life conditions.
"Our study of households with no divorces or other family transitions finds that spouse-partner and parent-child relationships are similar regardless of family structure," said lead researchers Henry Bos, Ph.D., and Nanette Gartrell, M.D. "These strong relationships are important contributors to good child outcomes, not whether the parents are same-sex or different-sex," Dr. Henry Bos added.
The study from the University of Amsterdam gathered the conclusion that there were no differences to a child reared in a same-sex household to that of a child brought up by different-sex parents. The only exception to this is there is more parenting stress amongst the same-sex parents bringing up a child together.
Same-sex parenting is a big issue in the entire world, especially in America. However, this study from the University of Amsterdam gives a light on how there is no difference between a same-sex household and a different-sex household.
Did you know that almost 10 percent of the world's population is affected by mental health issues? According to a recent study, mental health problems such as depression and anxiety is costing the global economy almost $1 trillion (651 billion) in lost productivity yearly.
The total cost is reportedly equivalent to 12 billion working days or 50 million years. The study was conducted by the World Health Organization and was published in Lancet Psychiatry.
"Despite hundreds of millions of people around the world living with mental disorders, mental health has remained in the shadows," World Bank Group president Jim Yong Kim said. "This is not just a public health issue - it's a development issue. We need to act now because the lost productivity is something the global economy simply cannot afford."
The research also underscored the economic importance and health benefits if nations around the world will invest to a better health treatment, Daily Mail notes. Improved mental health could reportedly add an estimated $310 billion (217 billion) in returns.
Unfortunately, study authors emphasized that the current investment in mental health services is far lower than what the world needs. According to WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan, the governments should boost its efforts to ensure that access to mental health services becomes a reality.
"We know that treatment of depression and anxiety makes good sense for health and wellbeing; this new study confirms that it makes sound economic sense too," Chan stated, as per Fox News. "We must now find ways to make sure that access to mental health services becomes a reality for all men, women and children, wherever they live."
Meanwhile, mental health issues, as well as the costs and treatment benefits, were among the topics discussed at a meeting in Washington, D.C. that started Wednesday, Apr. 13. It was hosted by the World Bank and WHO, VOA News reports.
The said meeting, which aimed to encourage governments to provide better mental health treatment, was reportedly attended by development agencies, academic experts and ministers of finance. Nations that have improved mental health care including South Africa, Brazil and Ethiopia also presented their stories.
Do you think a better mental health treatment can help solve the global economic crisis? Sound off below and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates.
"Teen Wolf" Season 6 may undergo several changes, as Scott, Stiles and the rest of the older members of the Pack are headed for graduation. While many fans are expecting that the MTV series will end after Scott's graduation, many spoilers claim that the story may continue with Liam as the next Teen Wolf.
This article contains spoilers. Read on if you want to learn more about this story.
"Teen Wolf" Season 6 is rumored to be the show's last on TV, as Scott (Tyler Posey), Stiles (Dylan O'Brien) and the rest of the Pack will be graduating. Aside from this, Arden Cho recently announced that she will no longer be in the upcoming season of the show.
While many fans are debating on whether "Teen Wolf" Season 6 will serve as the show's series finale or not, several rumors hint on the possibility that the story may go on even without Scott as its lead star. Several reports claim that Liam (Dylan Sprayberry) is being groomed to become the next Teen Wolf.
In an earlier interview with The Hollywood Reporter, executive producer Jeff Davis said that there are more stories to tell after "Teen Wolf" Season 6.
"If it still has life, if there's still stories to tell, that would be great - [to] see maybe Dylan Sprayberry take over the role of the Teen Wolf and see Tyler Posey move into more of a Derek Hale (Tyler Hoechlin) role," he said.
While it remains to be seen whether "Teen Wolf" Season 6 is the series finale, Tyler Posey recently told E! News that they are already filming the third episode. Posey also refused to give further details, but he said that the upcoming season will continue to explore new and exciting mythologies.
"'Teen Wolf' also tries to push the envelope and do something creative and something that we've never done so we're trying to do that again," said Posey.
"Teen Wolf" Season 6 is expected to premiere sometime this June 2016 on MTV.
Schools are supposed to be places where kids can be safe from illegal drugs. Unfortunately, five students at Boca Ciega High School were rushed to the hospital after eating candies laced with drugs.
The illegal candies that caused harm to the students' health were marijuana-laced gummy worms, 10 News reports. The victims were given the harmful candies by their classmates.
Drug Laced Gummies at Boca Ciega High School https://t.co/Gq9fmKgM0a on @bloglovin aimlessmoments (@AimlessMoments) April 12, 2016
Authorities have already filed second-degree felonies for two students with a third one expected to be charged as well. These students might face school expulsion if they are found guilty, the Tampa Tribune reports. As for the students who were rushed to the hospital, they will be receiving disciplinary actions from the school district for eating candies laced with drugs knowingly.
Many parents and students are asking how these illegal candies are being brought to schools. "It is available online and can be brought into our area though it is still illegal in doing so just like it has always been," Sgt. Thomas Woodman told 10 News.
4 students at Boca Ciega High rushed to hospital after eating drug-laced gummies. https://t.co/KG6bNkzBe4 pic.twitter.com/z3avpXE45H 10News WTSP (@10NewsWTSP) April 12, 2016
The illegal candies can also be very hard to detect because they look like ordinary candies. Another huge problem is that school nurses are not trained to spot drug use among students.
Fortunately, school nurses are trained to look for signs of impairment such as slurred speech and dilated pupils. School district spokesperson Lisa Wolf noted. Other signs of drug use include unusual smells, tremors and diminished coordination, HelpGuide shares.
To educate families about the child care, the Virginia Department of Social Services started a website which also aims to address a number of issues about the matter. It is specifically targeted to make parents aware of what their options are when it comes to child care.
In a report, NBC12 said the Virginia Child Care website discusses health and safety topics on child care in the state. "It is just one of a number of initiatives that Virginia continues to roll out in 2015 to strengthen the quality of care in Virginia," said Social Services Director Barbara Newlin.
She explained that parents can go to the website to learn more about their child care options in Virginia. Newlin said this will help them ensure that the provider is licensed and can be trusted with the lives of their kids.
"What it means, if a child care provider is quality-rated or if that child care provider is licensed, they can understand the types of training that are available to child care providers," she added in the NBC12 report. "[It will] help them find information to understand why it's important to have their child in a licensed high-quality setting each day."
Looking at the website, parents can browse through a number of tabs and sections like finding a child care provider, how to pay for these providers and who are the licensed providers in their list. An interesting highlight of the Virginia Child Care website is the statistics that 65 percent of American children below 6 have working moms and dads.
Newlin said there is a great need for this website since children should be extremely valued by their parents. Giving them the best and most appropriate childcare service should be a priority.
The social services director claimed that children are very vulnerable and still do not have the capacity to look out for themselves. "It really is up to each parent to make to do the research necessary to find a high-quality setting for their child," Newlin added.
New research reveals that childhood stress can cause heart-related complications in the long run. Childhood stress can cause the arteries to harden which can potentially lead to serious cardiovascular impairments in adulthood.
According to New York Times, researchers from Finland conducted a study on early childhood stress. The researchers gathered the data of more than 300 participants aged between 12 to 18 years old which was published in JAMA Pediatrics. The stress level for each participant was calculated which was then based on a number of indicators. The stress indicators included the participant's financial status, the family's emotional standing, parental behavior, and other aspects that created a negative traumatic impact on the child's life.
As the study progressed, it was revealed that by the time the participants reached the age of 40 to 46, most of them revealed the signs of underlying coronary artery calcification. The health condition can eventually lead to a more serious cardiovascular impairment which can have a permanent long-term effect.
Aside from the researchers from Finland, Science Daily released an article which pointed out the long-term effects of childhood stress on the brain. The study lead by Jamie Hanson pointed out that extreme stress during childhood can negatively affect the brain's reward system in the long run.
"We found that greater levels of cumulative stress during childhood and adolescence predicted lower reward-related ventral striatum activity in adulthood," Hanson stated. "In participants with the greatest levels of early stress, we saw the lowest levels of activity in the ventral striatum in response to a reward."
Aside from heart complications published by the researchers from Finland, Dr. Hanson and his team suggested that childhood stress can lead to chronic depression in adults. Hanson and his team focused on the stress levels of kindergartners and third graders. They were them able to come into conclusion that their brain activity revealed a high risk of chronic depression and anxiety.
Whether youre deathly afraid of heights or just an adrenaline junkie, screaming on roller coasters is usually an essential part of any amusement park experience. However, if youre at The Big Sheep theme park in Devon, England, maybe think twice before belting out as you go over the first big drop.
The all-weather amusement park is kindly asking its patrons not to scream or yell as they ride The Big One, the parks newest coaster and an attraction that is being marketed as Devons Biggest, Highest, and Longest Rollercoaster. The coasters counterintuitive rule is the result of years of complaints by the residents Abbotsham, a nearby village.
Throughout The Big Ones construction, many in Abbotsham were apparently concerned about the noise the ride would cause, a concern that led to the amusement park taking a number of measures to ensure its noise level was significantly reduced. After hiring the UKs top noise consultant, which is a thing that totally exists, The Big Sheep implemented a plan to cut down on the noise.
In addition to the no screaming rule, the park also planted 2,500 trees, set up multi-direction speakers around the ride and built a giant dirt mound in the middle of the coaster. Its yet to be determined how well all of this will work, but The Big Sheeps ability to enforce its no-screaming policy is sure to cause some trouble for the park.
To ensure they know about the rule, anyone riding The Big One is greeted with a sign that says, This is a family ridenot a white knuckle thrill ride. Enjoy the views but we love our neighbors. PLEASE DO NOT SHOUT OR SCREAM! Thank ewe. Beyond this, Rick Turner, the parks owner, believes challenging riders to make it through the ride without screaming thus turning a rule into more of a test of willpower will provide patrons with a good reason to try their best not to make too much noise.
If that doesnt work, try just covering your mouth with your hand.
Dillon Thompson is a travel intern with Paste and a student at the University of Georgia.
At last nights Democratic presidential debate in Brooklyn, Bernie Sanders showed America what a revolution looks like. He remained on point, hitting Clinton hard on issues where she has lagged behind progressiveslike fracking and raising the Social Security tax capand for most of the discussion, he controlled the conversation. It is also becoming abundantly clear that he has changed the narrative. His positions are so popular that Clinton is well on her way to adopting them all from talking about breaking up the big banks to downplaying her support of $12 an hour minimum wage in favor of hopping on the Fight For 15 bandwagon.
On the other hand, the night was less kind to Hillary Clinton. Though there were moments where she shined the section on gun control, and her bringing up womens health stand out, in particular these were few and far between. More than once, the former Secretary of State was booed by the New York crowd, while on her strongest issues like foreign policy, Clinton seemed out of her depth. Her night was marked by her inability to control the dialogue. Additionally, her responses to the questions she normally struggles with like her Wall Street ties were decimating.
Three times the moderators asked Hillary Clinton about the releasing the transcripts for her paid Wall Street speeches for which she made millions of dollars. Three times, the former Secretary dodged answering directly.
Throughout this primary, Clintons biggest problem has been trust. According to Gallup, the word most associated with her is dishonest. By not releasing the transcripts to the speeches she gave to Wall Street banks, Clinton only feeds this perception which will hurt her in November if she is the nominee.
The former Secretarys answer that such a demand for transparency is a new requirement is not just revealing of where she stands on the issue of money in politics, but also of a disconnect, or inability to grasp the current political climate.
The transactional politics of the last thirty years have fallen out of favor due to the Internet, and speed at which information is shared. Whereas before, candidates could say different things to different people without concern that anyone would find out, nowadays everything is filmed, and subject to scrutiny online.
Hiding behind tradition is not going to save Hillary Clinton from backlash not now, and not in November. By withholding the transcripts, she is admitting guilt in the court of public opinion. And at the debate, she admitted it three times.
While Wall Street is a weakness for Clinton, Foreign policy is typically her area to shine. But, last night, the discussion got away from her. Two segments that stand out were when the conversation turned to the Libyan intervention, and the bloodshed that followed, and of course, the Israel-Palestine conflict.
To the first point, Clinton found herself desperately looking for a way to explain away the bloody aftermath of the US intervention in which Muammar Gaddafi was deposed. At the time, Clinton had proudly remarked We came, we saw, he died. However, today, Libya is less stable than ever; violence and terrorism abound.
In an effort to move past this line of questions, Clinton did something especially damaging to her credibility: she blamed Obama. This is what she said:
The decision was the presidents. Did I do the due diligence? Did I talk to everybody I could talk to? Did I visit every capital and then report back to the president? Yes, I did. Thats what a secretary of state does.but at the end of the day, those are the decisions that are made by the president to in any way use American military power. And the president made that decision. And, yes, we did try without success because of the Libyans obstruction to our efforts, but we did try and we will continue to try to help the Libyan people.
Throughout the primary, Clinton has been wrapping herself in the Presidents legacy. In fact, before the Libya section of the debate, she had invoked him in response to questions about her commitment to reform in light of her reliance on funds from big money interests:
Well, make make no mistake about it, this is not just an attack on me, its an attack on President Obama. President ObamaYou know, let me tell you why. You may not like the answer, but Ill tell you why. President Obama had a super PAC when he ran. President Obama took tens of millions of dollars from contributors. And President Obama was not at all influenced when he made the decision to pass and sign Dodd-Frank, the toughest regulations
By blaming Obama for Libya, Clinton only confirmed what many have thought about her all along: that her positions are based on expediency rather than genuine commitment. Clinton praised the president until she needed a scapegoat. Then she threw him under the bus.
As if the Libya section wasnt bad enough, the Israel-Palestine section was worse. Bernie Sanders criticized the United States role in the conflict as well as former Secretary Clinton for being too uneven in favor of Israel.
Clinton pushed back, stating:
[A]s secretary of state for President Obama, Im the person who held the last three meetings between the president of the Palestinian Authority and the prime minister of Israel.
There were only four of us in the room, Netanyahu, Abbas, George Mitchell, and me. Three long meetings. And I was absolutely focused on what was fair and right for the Palestinians.
And thats when things got ugly for the former Secretary.
Sanders followed up by calling for his opponent to acknowledge that Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels Prime Minister, is not right all of the time. But this appeared to be a too tall an order for Clinton who would only go so far as to say, I have spoken about and written at some length the very candid conversations Ive had with him and other Israeli leaders. Nobody is saying that any individual leader is always right, but it is a difficult position. This remark lined up a perfect shot for Sanders who promptly reminded the crowd that the former Secretary had given a cringeworthy speech to AIPAC.
Clintons inability to keep the foreign policy conversation where she has the strongest appeal focused and away from her ties to special interests her biggest vulnerability was demonstrative of a shift in this primary race. At this point, the race is close, and the only way for Clinton to win enough delegates to secure an uncontested nomination is by relying on name recognition, and closed primaries.
This week Facebook held its annual F8 conference in San Francisco where the company discussed new features and the future of the social network. While some of the announcements detailed things that wont come to fruition for several years, some new features are already available to both developers and users.
The company had a lot to talk about in two days, with some of it a bit too technical for anyone without a background in programming, but heres a few of the announcements we found exciting that could very well redirect the future of Facebook.
Sure, the term chatbot bring up memories of the AOL Instant Messenger days for people of a certain age, but the term is back now that we have AI that can help us interact with brands. At F8 Facebook announced a new platform for chatbots in Messenger and the availability of several bots. You can now use the Facebook Messenger app on your phone to do things like check the weather with Poncho, read the news from CNN or The Wall Street Journal, or order flowers from 1-800-FLOWERS. As Mark Zuckerberg put it during his presentation, We think you should be able to message a business like you message a friend.
The chatbots that are available now are relatively slow, as Gizmodo pointed out, but Facebook seems to think very highly of the tech. There are definitely faster ways to find out about breaking news or check the weather, but theres room to grow still. With Microsofts recent chatbot framework announcement it looks like the tech is here to stay for at least a little while.
As the parent company of Oculus, its obvious that Facebook would have an interested in virtual reality and 360 video. On stage at F8 the company unveiled its new Facebook Surround 360 system, which it claims makes it easy to shoot and share the 3D-360 video. The system uses 17 cameras to capture the video at 4K, 6K, or 8K, and renders it all without the need for the hand-stitching that many similar systems require. The videos can then be viewed in VR headsets, or in 360 videos through Facebook.
To help make 360 video easier for everyone, Facebook will open source the design of the Facebook Surround 360 and put it all on Github sometime this summer. The components will cost about $30,000, according to The Verge, much less than competing devices such as the upcoming Nokia Ovo.
If you follow any brands on Facebook, chances are youve seen a few Facebook Live videos pop up in your feed recently. At F8 the company announced tools to let camera makers build Facebook Live support into their cameras. Among the first cameras to take advantage of the new feature is the Livestream Mevo. Drone maker DJI also signed on to build live streaming support into its drones, which could provide for some great aerial streams, or some rather boring ones as tends to be the case with drone videos.
BuzzFeed also signed up as partners for the new Facebook Live tools, so we can potentially look forward to more live streams of people putting rubber bands around watermelons to see how many it takes for them to explode.
Instant Articles, the articles that load quickly in Facebook mobile apps without sending you to a separate website, will now be available to every publisher that wants them. The feature was previously only available to select publications, but now any publication that wants to should be able to enable the faster articles for their readers. Its a small thing, but something that those of us who end up reading a lot of articles our friends post to Facebook will definitely enjoy. Anything is better than using the slow in-app browser that feels so much worse than the rest of the app.
During part of its presentation, representatives from Oculus took the stage at f8 to show off how the Rift can be used to virtually tour any location. Using the headset and a controller, the team showed how users can visit London thanks to 3D photo spheres, and virtually take selfies of themselves near Big Ben. The feature wont be available any time soon, as Oculus still has to get its facial scanning technology right, but the company said it can currently get up to five people into a virtual location at once.
Channeling his propensity for honest, human storytelling and casual idiosyncrasies, Jon Favreau found early success in 1996 when he wrote and starred in Swingers, a humble indie that earned covetable cult status. He later made a quantum leap over to the mainstream after finding his passion as an effects man in fantasy and sci-fi, vaulting to his current status as big studio director handling nine-figure budgets. Still, he never outgrew his roots: The Iron Man director, credited with gifting the $4 billion Marvel franchise a reputation not currently enjoyed by DC Comics, just two years ago turned his small-budget passion project about a dad and his food truck into a niche event film (Chef), relying mostly on word-of-mouth to sell tickets.
Theres a poem by the late Robert A. Ward that begins, I wish you the courage to be warm when the world would prefer that you be cool. Wards sentiment, combined with Favreaus voracious appetite for being at the forefront of an evolving cinematic landscape, mostly explains the heart of The Jungle Book, Favreaus new real-world re-imagining of the classic Disney animated film. It melds two cornerstones of Favreaus career: venturing into the digital frontier, and having the courage to be warm.
The curtain rises on the computer-generated animal kingdom as the camera pans across one of The Jungle Books many breathtaking virtual sets, which were built after recording the raw footage in an empty Los Angeles warehouse. Essentially, on set, actors in motion-capture suits ran around with Neel Sethi, who makes his movie debut as Mowgli, in front of blue and green screens. Favreau and his team then used a camera system known as Simulcam, which was developed for Avatar, to capture, in real time, CG environments superimposed on a physical production set, allowing filmmakers to see exactly how something would look on-screen and then make the necessary tweaks on the spot, meaning every aspect of the image, organic or otherwise, could align and interact with perfect precision. And the results are astounding.
Where the level of technology in The Jungle Book has historically been used for maximizing the wow factor in Michael Bay explosion-packed action flicks, Favreau makes the case for special effects that actually affect. Calling the visuals simply realistic wouldnt do them justice, nor would it be technically accurate. Low-angle shots of the simulated Indian jungle, with richer colors, lusher plant life and bigger animals than anything found in the wild, toe the line between immersion and submersion. A baby elephant, typically about three feet tall, has at least a foot on Sethi, who is all legs and limbs. The real-life counterpart to Bagheera (voiced by Ben Kingsley, ever stately), a black panther and Mowglis honorary godfather, averages two-and-a-half feet in height, but the tips of Bagheeras shoulders hit just below the top of Mowglis head. Favreau and his fleet of production designers and effects artists construct spectacularly vivid set pieces to remind older audiences how they may have imagined Mowglis journey as children. Several shots are designed after some of the most iconic images of the genreMufasas final scene in The Lion King, the chicken-sized Compy dinosaurs who get the best of Peter Stormare in The Lost World all helping to combine familiar stories with new technologies, tapping into our nostalgia and repurposing it on a grander scale.
The Jungle Book hits the ground running as Mowgli darts through the grass and up trees, sharpening his survival skills through various flight techniques (fighting obviously not available to him). Sethi, 12, is the only truly live-action element of the movie, and carries the physically demanding role with both childlike charisma and the saucy attitude of an adolescent. Bagheera rescued the man-cub when he was just a toddler-boy, minutes after his father died at the claws of the Bengal tiger Shere Khan, voiced by Idris Elba (calling up again his formidable presence as an evil majesty in the wake of his turn last year, in Beasts of No Nation, as another predatory authority figure).
Trouble begins during a rare water truce between animal herds in light of the dry season, when Khan discovers the boy at a community watering hole. Khan didnt walk away unscathed on that fateful nightMowglis father dealt him a powerful blow with the red flower (fire), blinding him in one eye. Now, the tiger promises to terrorize the wolf pack that took Mowgli in as their own until he can exact his revenge on the son of the man who cooked the side of his face. It becomes clear that not even the love of a wolf mother (Lupita Nyongo, effortlessly regal) or Bagheeras watchful eye can keep Mowgli safe, so his foster family decides to send him back to the man village. He encounters the usual suspects along the way, hanging out with Baloo (Bill Murray, in his element) for most of the second act, and the film settles into a nice groove before running into a few pacing issues.
Kaa, however, gets a major adjustment. The snake is voiced not by a male but by Scarlett Johansson, who shape-shifts her femme fatale persona yet again, having seduced past onscreen prey in the form of an alien, a black widow and an operating system, to name a few. Casting a voice as patently sultry as Johanssons could only be intentional, and its an interesting decision because it sets up Favreaus adaptation for a dynamic between Kaa and Mowgli that was heavily speculated upon in the 1967 version. Theres always been something Stockholm-Syndrome-sexy about Kaa. Ignoring the phallic innuendo of a 30-foot snake touching you to death, the original Kaa was gentle but firm, confident but coy, feminine and hypnoticand he talked with a lisp. Some maintain Kaa was an ambiguously gay snake representing the LGBT community of 1960s counter-culture, a kind of reptilian Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Casting Johansson keeps that subtext going, though with obviously less subversive qualities.
But not all throwbacks thrive. The musical numbers could have sat it out. Composer John Depneys comparatively pint-sized renditions of the originals may have worked in a breezier tone, but they feel misplaced under the weight of Favreaus visual and emotional grandeur, especially King Louies (Christopher Walken) I Wanna Be Like You. The numbers are meant to be gigantic in sound and in scope, but the overstuffed framing from inside Louies cave, which is so cozy he can hardly move, allows no breathing room for the sequence.
Five days before The Jungle Books April 15 release date, Favreau and screenwriter Justin Marks were already in talks for the sequel. Not only is the Disney follow-up in development, but Warner Bros. is expected to release its own live-action version of the animated classic sometime in 2018. No voice is too loud and no words too impassioned for damning Hollywoods decades-long pivot away from producing original material. But its a consolation that one of the most benevolent filmmakers in the business is at least trying to steer studios in the right direction.
Director: Jon Favreau
Writer: Justin Marks, Rudyard Kipling (story)
Starring: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyongo, Giancarlo Esposito, Christopher Walken, Scarlett Johansson
Release Date April 15, 2016
While Chuck Noland, played by Tom Hanks, was on a deserted island for four years in the movie Castaway, three men were stranded for three days on an uninhabited island -and this wasnt a Hollywood movie scene. The unidentified castaways were rescued when a rescue plane saw H-E-L-P written out in palm tree fronds on shore.
The men told authorities after setting off for a three-hour sailing trip on their 19-foot
skiff in the Pacific Ocean on Monday, April 4, when a large wave capsized their boat. They were forced to swim two miles overnight before getting to the deserted Fanadik Island in the Pacific ocean, which is just north of Papua New Guinea. On Thursday, a Navy plane noticed their innovative S.O.S. sign along with the men waving their lifejackets to get the attention of rescuers.
A Navy crew based in Japan was responsible for the rescue according to a confirmed statement from the U.S. Coast Guard. The men were on one of the 600 islands that form the Federated States of Micronesia.
The men had been reported missing on Tuesday after they missed a flight they were supposed to catch from Chuuk, in Micronesia in the central Pacific. Immediately, there was a search in the region, which included a search plane and four ships that used radar to track the sailors route. The initial search lasted 17 hours, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Navy aircrew joined the search on Thursday morning and found the men after searching for two hours. The three men were retrieved from the island by a small boat and taken to the island of Pulap. Our combined efforts coupled with the willingness of many different resources to come together and help, led to the successful rescue of these three men in a very remote part of the Pacific, said Sector Guam public affairs officer Lt. William White.
While these men are safe and in good spirits, we can all note their fast thinking played a major role in their rescue.
Lauren Spiler is a freelance journalist based in Athens, Georgia, but most call her Spiler.
Theres something very strange happening at Vox this election cycle, and it goes beyond any notion that the site is biased in favor of one candidate or another. (In fact, after accusations flew that they were functioning as the neoliberal intellectual wing of the Clinton campaign, they seem to have taken pains to post a series of anti-Hillary articles recently.) Instead, theres this odd trend of poor research combined with a subtlebut palpablejournalistic dishonesty.
Jacobin may have been the first to notice it, in a feature pointing out how Matt Yglesias had bizarrely argued against a past version of himself when he took Bernie Sanders to task for a lack of policy specificssomething he had trumpeted eight years earlier. This, Jacobin argued, came off like a dishonest exercise in managing the Democratic Party base. Then you had Zack Beauchamp with his heinously under-researched essay on free trade, which argued that reversing harmful agreements like NAFTA would doom the global poorwhen in fact free trade has had almost nothing to do with any uptick in third-world standards of living, and has, in fact, had a detrimental effect on many countries.
These are just two of many examples, and its been a bad look for a site full of purported policy wonks. But today, in an article about the feasibility of a national $15 minimum wage, Timothy B. Lee took this combinationpro-corporate fear-mongering mixed with a severe allergy to analytical rigorto a new, unprecedented level.
Before we get into what he wrote, Id like to note that yes, there is a debate to be had about how a $15 minimum wage would affect American workers and small businesses and local economies. Its quite possible that what works in higher-income areasSan Francisco, New York, Seattlemay not function so well in rural Tennessee, where, who knows, that kind of standard could put people out of business and cost jobs. But its also important to know that we have no concrete evidence of this, and also that even the most bullish wage candidate, Bernie Sanders, wants to achieve the $15/hour goal over the next several yearsnot overnight.
How do I know that? It says so on his website, which is the first result if you Google Bernie Sanders minimum wage. This is important because a slower transition will allow for time to study the effects of a rising wage, and adjust accordingly. But it seems as though Lee either didnt perform that simple Google search, or ignored the information when it didnt fit in with the rest of his article. So lets examine what he did write, point-by-point, and maybe we can learn something from his failure.
Lees words in bold, mine following.
Hillary Clinton knows a national $15 minimum wage is a bad idea. She endorsed it anyway.
This is Lees headline, and I want you to notice how it conveys an emphatic conclusion. There is no wiggle room herethe $15 minimum wage is bad, bad, bad, and Hillary is bad for endorsing it. Just like Bernie was bad for advocating for it in the first place. There are several journalistic tics that Vox writers seem to employ, and this has become a prominent one of late: State your point unequivocally in the headline, pre-emptively eradicating any gray area.
Which, of course, would be fine, provided there was supporting evidence to follow. But just as in Beauchamps free trade piece, this tough-guy posturing gives way almost immediately to ambiguity, uncertainty, and the kind of argumentative flailing that leaves the reader befuddled at the self-assurance of the original conclusion.
We go on
The Fight for 15 movement to raise the minimum wage has had tremendous momentum in recent months, winning $15-per-hour minimum wages in several cities and then statewide in California and New York. The movement has apparently become so popular that even Hillary Clinton who had previously refused to endorse a minimum wage higher than $12 said at Thursdays presidential debate that shed sign a national $15 minimum wage bill if it reached her desk.
Yes, this is what Hillary doesadopt Bernies popular positions. It has nothing to do with what shell actually do when in office, so its a pretty flimsy premise on which to build ones argument, but thats less important right now.
Thats unfortunate, because Clintons first position was the right one. Raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour would mean gambling with the livelihoods of millions of Americans and could produce widespread unemployment in parts of the country where wages are below average.
Here, for the first time, we see the confidence of the headline begin to erode. Its subtle, but it comes across in the word gambling and could, both of which signify that were about to hear an apocalyptic prediction that might happen, should some policy be pursued. And this gets us to our second patented Vox journalistic ticproclaim the possibility of a disaster, and then paint in the gory details, as a way to cut short any rational debate on the topic. This is no different from writing, rescinding free trade could kill poor people! Its totally alarmist, and utterly lacking in nuance and fact.
Heres what Lee is essentially saying, already: If we go to $15/hour overnight, it could destroy our economy. The fact that the second part of his statement is unproven, and that the first part is a total lie (remember, even the most liberal candidate says this would happen over the next several years) is ignored in the service of doom-and-gloom blather.
But shes facing such strong grassroots pressure on the issue that she cant bring herself to clearly articulate the implication of that preference: A nationwide $15 minimum wage is a bad policy that could cost millions of low-wage people their jobs.
Could, could, could. Weve yet to get to any actual evidence, but thats coming soon. And dont worryitll be just as disappointing as everything else.
Economists disagree about whether these more modest minimum wages have produced significant job losses. One recent study, for example, found that the most recent national minimum wage hike between 2006 and 2009 reduced employment among individuals ages 16 to 30 with less than a high school education by 5.6 percentage points.
Other economists dispute that. A comprehensive study of state-level minimum wage hikes between 1990 and 2006 by economist Arindrajit Dube and two co-authors found no detectable employment losses from the kind of minimum wage increases we have seen in the United States.
In other words, theres no hard-and-fast evidence for the conclusion Lee had already drawn. What Lee fails to mention is that the original study he cites was looking at the pay raise from $5.15 to $7.25/hour, which almost every major politician agrees is still tantamount to a starvation wage. Lee believes it toolater in the article, he comes out in support of the $12 minimum wage, saying it makes more sense. So unless his actual aim is to reduce the minimum wage back to $5.15, this is not exactly the best supporting argument he could muster.
That being said, that research was a working paper, which FiveThirtyEight describes as papers [that] arent peer-reviewed, so their conclusions are preliminary (and occasionally flat-out wrong). As Lee himself notes, there are many economists who already disagree, and even if there are growing pains with an increased minimum wage, I have to reiterate: Contrary to the framework Lee has set up for his argument, nobody is saying this has to happen overnight. The idea of a sudden jump to $15/hour and ensuing economic chaos is Lees fantasy alone; in reality, there will be time to evaluate the much-needed climb up the wage ladder.
But when I asked the lead authors of both studies about Californias recent move to boost the minimum wage to $15, I found they were on the same page: The increase was so large that the effects are unpredictable. Neither man could rule out the possibility that a $15-per-hour minimum wage would cause dramatic job losses.
We dont really know, because it hasnt been done before.
Thats what the economists are saying. What Lee is saying, based on their statement of uncertainty, roughly translates to: THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING!
I hate that I even have to say this, but the fact that there may be risk associated with certain policy movies is absolutely, 100 percent, NOT a valid argument against that policy. It may impart a bit of caution about the speed at which it should be implemented, but, once again, even the democratic socialist is calling for relatively gradual change.
One more point hereweve just encountered the third Vox journalistic tic, which is the cant rule it out! fallacy. You see this trick over and over, and its more frustrating each time. By asking experts whether they can rule out a certain outcome, even though its never happened before in American history, youre ensuring a very specific answer. Of course they cant rule it out! Its never happened, and no economist worth his salt would ever be caught dead in that trap. But that doesnt mean the worst is going to happen! This, then, is a useless question. Let me demonstrate:
Reader, based on what you know of household safety, can you guarantee that I wont fall headfirst into the dishwasher the next time Im loading it, impaling myself on a steak knife and suffering the kind of brain damage that leaves me repeating the word gobble for the rest of my miserable life?
No, you cannot. But this doesnt mean I should destroy my dishwasher with a sledgehammer.
One of the most prominent left-leaning economists in the minimum wage debate is Alan Krueger, co-author of a widely cited 1993 paper finding that a modest minimum wage hike in Pennsylvania didnt cost jobs. Krueger has served in the Obama administration and supports raising the national minimum wage to $12 per hour. But in a New York Times piece last fall, he warned that a $15-an-hour national minimum wage would put us in uncharted waters, and risk undesirable and unintended consequences.
Yes, a new situation comes with some risk. Maybe we should go slow, like everybody wants.
A big concern with Californias minimum wage hike was that California is a large and diverse state. Some parts of the state like the city of San Francisco have high wages and a high cost of living; in these areas, a large majority of workers are already making more than $15 per hour, and employers paying less than that may not have much trouble finding the money to comply with the new wage.
May. Minus supporting evidence.
Let me remind you of the headline: Hillary Clinton knows a national $15 minimum wage is a bad idea. She endorsed it anyway.
Lots of qualifiers for such a certain conclusion, right?
But other parts of California arent so affluent, and in these areas the higher minimum wage could cost a lot of jobs. Small businesses in cities like Fresno could be forced to shut down, as customers just arent willing to pay the higher prices needed to cover the higher wage costs.
Could. Minus supporting evidence.
In fact, if Im not mistakenyes, thats the rare double-could! Vox probably gave him a special badge for this paragraph.
In March I asked Dube generally seen as a supporter of a higher minimum wage if it was a mistake for a state as large as California to try such a big increase. Would it be better to let $15-an-hour experiments in San Francisco and Los Angeles play out? If youre risk-averse, this would not be the scale at which to try things, Dube told me.
And nobody wants to try things at that scale. What they do want is to improve the lives of American workers. And thankfully, outside of essays that read like a press release from a corporation who would rather send that minimum wage money to the CEO instead, most people understand that certain quality-of-life measures, responsibly implemented, are worth the risk.
If imposing a $15-per-hour minimum wage on cities like Fresno is a gamble, imposing it on states like Mississippi and West Virginia is an even bigger one. More than half of employees in these states will be affected, and while we can hope most of them will get raises, a significant number could get pink slips instead.
Could. Minus supporting evidence.
The more cautious position Hillary Clinton took earlier in her campaign to raise the minimum wage to $12 while waiting to see how the California experiment works out makes more sense. Boosting the incomes of low-income workers is a worthwhile goal, but its not worth the danger of throwing millions of people out of work.
See, I dont think Lee actually does believe that its a worthwhile goal. In fact, I think hes blatantly on the side of corporate interests, because otherwise hed know that there is no single beneficial political policy on Earth that doesnt carry at least some risk.
Really, imagine you had commissioned a PR flack at McDonalds to write this article. What would they say? The answer is that theyd follow Lees blueprint: Scaremonger about the possible downsides, claim to be on the side of working people, ruefully conclude that the risks are just too great. Unfortunately, this is a recurring pattern for Vox:
Vox interviews three people again, reaches economic consensus that $15 min wage is bad https://t.co/0EhEpDlXWR Adam H. Johnson (@adamjohnsonNYC) April 15, 2016
Vox:
$15 min wage: too risky
Destroying another country & unleashing ISIS: fuck it, totally worth it pic.twitter.com/8YvdlBnX1I Adam H. Johnson (@adamjohnsonNYC) April 15, 2016
So whats really happening here, under the surface? Its one thing to write a bad essay, but when it keeps happening, over and over, theres something more than meets the eyes. Theres a term for this kind of writing: Concern trolling. Heres the definition:
A concern troll is a person who participates in a debate posing as an actual or potential ally who simply has some concerns they need answered before they will ally themselves with a cause. In reality they are a critic.
What Vox is doing is not full-on concern trolling, because they dont purport to take the opposite position. Still, the alarmist rhetoric fits right in with a concern trolls modus operandi.
As I said, there are reasonable ways to address worries about these issues. But if you ignore the plight of the underpaid American worker and dismiss a $15/hour minimum wage outright while simultaneously misrepresenting the proposed timetable for its implementation, you have an agenda. If you ignore the disastrous economic effects of free trade deals while constructing a paper-thin argument about benefits to the global poor, you have an agenda. And with this particular website, that agenda always seems to favor one group: The neoliberal corporate establishment.
Essays like Lees are nothing but modified concern trolling on behalf of the rich and powerful. And even though this is just one article on one website, its sickening to see Americas working poor thrown under the bus by callous, ill-formed intellectual arguments made by glorified apparatchiks. Vox promised to be so much more than thiswhat the hell happened?
It's being reported today that Microsoft has sued the U.S. government for the right to tell its customers when a federal agency is looking at their emails, the latest in a series of clashes over privacy between the technology industry and Washington. By filing the suit, Microsoft is taking a more prominent role in that battle, dominated by Apple in recent months due to the government's efforts to get the company to write software to unlock an iPhone used by one of the shooters in a December massacre in San Bernardino, California.
Apple, backed by big technology companies including Microsoft, had complained that cooperating would turn businesses into arms of the state. "Just as Apple was the company in the last case and we stood with Apple, we expect other tech companies to stand with us," Microsoft's Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith said in a phone interview after the suit was filed.
The lawsuit, filed on Thursday in federal court in Seattle, argues that the government is violating the U.S. Constitution by preventing Microsoft from notifying thousands of customers about government requests for their emails and other documents.
The government's actions contravene the Fourth Amendment, which establishes the right for people and businesses to know if the government searches or seizes their property, the suit argues, and Microsoft's First Amendment right to free speech.
The Department of Justice is reviewing the filing, spokeswoman Emily Pierce said.
Microsoft's suit focuses on the storage of data on remote servers, rather than locally on people's computers, which Microsoft says has provided a new opening for the government to access electronic data. For more on this report, see the full Reuters Report here.
Earlier today Reuters reported that Apple and the FBI will return to Congress next week to testify before lawmakers about their heated disagreement over law enforcement access to encrypted devices, a congressional committee announced on Thursday.
Apple's general counsel, Bruce Sewell, and Amy Hess, executive assistant director for science and technology at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, will testify on separate panels before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Tuesday, in addition to other law enforcement officials and technology experts.
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Religion has been a recurring theme in Steven Spielbergs films.
Some of his films, like Schindlers List and Munich, have explored key issues in recent Jewish history, and he has long had an interest in the story of Moses, which has manifested itself in Raiders of the Lost Ark, which Spielberg directed, and The Prince of Egypt, which DreamWorks produced at his behest. Other films, such as Amistad, have shone a positive light on Christianity, and particularly Catholicism.
And then there are the strong religious overtones in Spielbergs science fiction films, particularly Close Encounters of the Third Kind (which makes an explicit reference to the story of Moses as dramatized in The Ten Commandments) and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (with its dying and rising Christ-figure from another world).
But what happens when Judaism and Catholicism clash in one of his films?
Well find out next year, when Spielberg makes The Kidnapping Of Edgardo Mortara.
The film is based on a non-fiction book by David Kertzer that describes how, in 1858, a Jewish boy in Italy was taken from his family and raised as a Christian because he had been secretly baptized. The controversy that ensued may have played a part in the unification of Italy and the elimination of the Papal States in the 1870s.
The films screenplay is written by Tony Kushner, the politically-minded playwright (Angels in America) who wrote Munich and Lincoln for Spielberg.
And Pope Pius IX, who was personally involved in the Mortara case, will be played by Mark Rylance, who just won an Oscar for his role in Spielbergs Bridge of Spies and will soon play the title character in Spielbergs The BFG (i.e. Big Friendly Giant).1
Pius IX, incidentally, is the pope who convened the First Vatican Council, which made the infallibility of the pope an article of Catholic dogma. The Council was cut short when the Kingdom of Italy invaded Rome and ended the Papal States in 1870.
As for Edgardo Mortara himself, he was ordained a priest in France in 1873 and died in Belgium in 1940 two months before the Nazis invaded that country.
Theres a lot of fascinating material here, but how will Spielberg handle it?
Maybe Amistad can give us a clue.
As I explained in an article on that film way back when, Spielberg is comfortable with religion as an expression of ones rootedness in tradition, but he is less comfortable with evangelism, i.e. with characters who try to convert other people to their own faith. And yet, he seems to accept the possibility that people can change from one faith to another on their own initiative. (The fact that the abolitionists try to convert the slaves: not so good. The fact that one of the slaves pages through an illustrated Bible on his own and decides to believe in the God he sees there: thats okay.)
So I dont expect Spielberg to look too kindly on the Catholics who steal Mortara away from his parents. But how will he handle Mortaras apparently genuine embrace of the Catholicism with which he was ultimately raised? The film could sympathize with Mortaras freedom to choose. Or it could depict him as a brainwashed pawn.
Either way, the film should be interesting. Well find out next year.
The picture above shows Spielberg and Rylance on the set of Bridge of Spies.
1. In addition to Bridge of Spies, The BFG and The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara, Rylance was also recently cast in Spielbergs Ready Player One. The only other actors to appear in four Spielberg films are Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal, Bridge of Spies) and Harrison Ford (all four Indiana Jones films, plus he appears in one of E.T.s deleted scenes).
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, better known as B. R. Ambedkar, and to the many whom he served throughout his life, as Babasheb, one of the singular figures of the Indian revolution was born on this day in 1891.
While an untouchable (the term in general use has shifted to dalit, largely led by Ambedkar himself) his father, like his grandfather before, served in the British Army, and because of that he had access to an education. Nonetheless, the indignities he suffered ranging from not being allowed to sit inside the classroom, to having to sit on a gunny sack he brought with him to and from school so as not to contaminate the ground, to only having access to water at school if a paid servant was there to pour the water that the boy would otherwise not be allowed to touch again because his touch would contaminate it for everyone else, marked his understanding of many things.
The boy was brilliant. He graduated from Bombay University, and then won a scholarship to Columbia, where he earned his first doctorate. From there he went on to earn a law degree and a second doctorate at the London School of Economics before turning his attention to what would become his life work. In 1924 he established the Bahishkrit Hitkaraini Sabha, the Outcastes Welfare Association. Three years later he led a mass march at the Chowder Tank in Colaba, outside Bombay, demanding that untouchables have the right to draw water.
As civil rights leaders Dr Ambedkar and Mohandas Gandhi worked in an uneasy alliance. While Ambedkar was committed to independence, he had little trust of the dominant culture, and continued to press hard on behalf of the dalit communities. When Gandhi and others introduced the term harijans, meaning people of God, for the untouchables, rather than their own preferred term dalit, Ambedkar opposed having the term foisted upon them as one more example of being marginalized. He did quip that if his people were the children of God, then the upper casts would all be the children of monsters.
When India achieved independence, Dr Ambedkar was appointed Indias first law minister, basically Indias first attorney general. But, facing endless frustrations at his attempts to advance civil rights on behalf of all marginalized people, as a last straw, when his attempt to enshrine gender equality in laws concerning marriage and inheritance were frustrated, he resigned his office.
Instead Dr Ambedkar turned his attention to a new project.
For decades, feeling there was no place for him or the Dalit community within Hinduism, he had been on a spiritual quest. He explored the Sikh faith in depth, but eventually settled on Buddhism as the best way for himself and his people. He embarked on serious study and out of that wrote several books outlining what he thought was the great contribution of Buddhism both to modernity, and for oppressed peoples. In 1956 Dr Ambedkar formally converted to Buddhism at a public ceremony, and immediately after his formal conversion, he led half a million Dalits present at that ceremony in their conversions.
The movement was based in twenty-two vows, giving the emergent tradition its distinctive flavor.
I shall have no faith in Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara nor shall I worship them.
I shall have no faith in Rama and Krishna who are believed to be incarnation of God nor shall I worship them.
I shall have no faith in Gauri, Ganapati and other gods and goddesses of Hindus nor shall I worship them.
I do not believe in the incarnation of God.
I do not and shall not believe that Lord Buddha was the incarnation of Vishnu. I believe this to be sheer madness and false propaganda.
I shall not perform Shraddha nor shall I give pind-dan.
I shall not act in a manner violating the principles and teachings of the Buddha.
I shall not allow any ceremonies to be performed by Brahmins.
I shall believe in the equality of man.
I shall endeavor to establish equality.
I shall follow the noble eightfold path of the Buddha.
I shall follow the ten paramitas prescribed by the Buddha.
I shall have compassion and loving-kindness for all living beings and protect them.
I shall not steal.
I shall not tell lies.
I shall not commit carnal sins.
I shall not take intoxicants like liquor, drugs etc.
(The previous four proscriptive vows [#14-17] are from the Five Precepts.)
I shall endeavor to follow the noble eightfold path and practice compassion and loving-kindness in every day life.
I renounce Hinduism, which is harmful for humanity and impedes the advancement and development of humanity because it is based on inequality, and adopt Buddhism as my religion.
I firmly believe the Dhamma of the Buddha is the only true religion.
I believe that I am having a re-birth.
I solemnly declare and affirm that I shall hereafter lead my life according to the principles and teachings of the Buddha and his Dhamma.
While his several books outlined his hope for Dalit Buddhism, or, as many call it, Ambedkar Buddhism, he died later in the same year of his formal conversion, and so the implementation fell to others.
The Wikipedia article on Dalit Buddhism describes its distinctive features.
Most Dalit Indian Buddhists espouse an eclectic version of Buddhism, primarily based on Theravada, but with additional influences from Mahayana and Vajrayana. On many subjects, they give Buddhism a distinctive interpretation. Of particular note is their emphasis on Shakyamuni Buddha as a political and social reformer, rather than simply a spiritual leader. They note that the Buddha required his monastic followers to ignore caste distinctions, and that he criticized the social inequality that existed in his own time. According to Ambedkar, a persons unfortunate conditions are not only the result of karma or ignorance and craving, but do also result from social exploitation and material poverty the cruelty of others.'
The same article cites the scholar Gail Omvedt who summarized the unique perspective of Dr Ambedkars Dalit Buddhism. Ambedkars Buddhism seemingly differs from that of those who accepted by faith, who go for refuge and accept the canon. This much is clear from its basis: it does not accept in totality the scriptures of the Theravada, the Mahayana, or the Vajrayana.
Dr Omvedt then asks the question, Is a fourth yana, a Navayana, a kind of modernistic Enlightenment version of the Dhamma really possible within the framework of Buddhism? Given the existence of the movement, as well as other variations of modernist or rational Buddhisms in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, whether some other Buddhists might not like it, the answer obviously becomes yes.
Today the movement exists across India, although concentrated in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and counts the majority of Indian Buddhists, probably about five million people.
So, today, Dr Ambhedkars one hundred, and twenty-fifth birthday, a moment we might pause and consider him, his movement, and maybe how some variation of these reformed Buddhisms might prove a healing balm for a troubled world.
Many bows Babasheb!
Many bows!
This article from Aleteia re-affirms two things about Pope Francis exhortation.
First of all Cardinal Schonborn affirms what Cardinal Burke said in his interview at National Catholic Register that the exhortation needs to be read in continuity with the whole of the magisterium. The magisterium of the churchs teaching is, as it were, the balance and check to the exhortation. The magisterium clears up any ambiguities and clarifies any confusion.
Secondly, in a very clear passage, Fr. Jose Granados Vice President of the Pontifical Institute of John Paul II in Rome explains why the document does not change the churchs discipline on the divorced and remarried receiving communion.
The Apostolic exhortation puts an end to a two year synodal path. There is much anticipation about one concrete question, not certainly the one most important pastorally: the eventual admission to the Eucharist of the divorced and civilly remarried. In fact, this is a marginal question if we think of the great pastoral challenges the Church faces regarding the family: the fact that young people do not want to get married; a lack of social significance of the family; the great task of bringing Christ to the families in the new evangelization
Does the text allow for divorced and remarried catholic to receive holy communion, at least in some cases? After reading chapter eight (where the question is addressed) we need to conclude that this text does not change the discipline of the Church regarding the admission of divorced and civilly remarried Catholic to the Eucharist, a discipline based in doctrinal reasons, as affirmed by Familiaris Consortio 84 and Sacramentum Caritatis 29.
In fact, the text of chapter eight of the exhortation does not even mention the Eucharist. In this sense it is clear that Pope Francis, which has insisted on the importance of synodality in the Church, did not want to go beyond the Synods decisions. At no point in the text of the document do we find something like: in some cases the divorced and civilly remarried can be admitted to receive the Eucharist. This clarity would have been necessary in order to change a practice rooted in doctrinal grounds, firmly established by the constant Magisterium of the Church. Notice also that Cardinal Kaspers proposal, who asked for clear canonical rules that help discern in which cases admission to the sacraments would be possible, has not been received in this document.
The only possible hint towards a change in discipline is found in footnote 351, where it is said that in certain cases the Church can give to people who live in irregular situations the help of the sacraments. But it would certainly be strange to suggest that the Pope has intended to make such an important change of Church discipline in a footnote of an apostolic exhortation. In addition, the note refers to irregular situations in general, and not directly to the case of the divorced and civilly remarried (an specific case, since a way of life in contradiction with a sacrament is implied). Further specifications would be needed, that the Pope did not want to make, thus not implying any change in discipline.
What the documents proposes, then, is to start a way of integration, that allows these baptized people to live according to the Gospel. Thus, Familiaris Consortio 84 and Sacramentum Caritatis 29 continue to indicate the pastoral way, without exception, because these norms are not a judgment on the subjective culpability of the person, but they show the goal every evangelization aims at: a way of life in accordance to the Gospel of Jesus.
All this means that those who expected a revolution from the document have to be greatly disappointed.
Patna: Police in Patna on Thursday arrested three men in connection with the April 11 murder of local drug store owner Anil Agrawal after a robbery attempt went awry on B.M.Das Road under Pirbahore police station.
Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manu Maharaj, at a press conference, said the killers were apprehended after being identified on CC camera footage in the area.
The three men were identified as Rupesh Kumar, Chhotu, and Jitendra Singh. Two other men who were identified only as Rakesh and Mukesh were said to be absconding.
40-year old Agrawal was gunned down last Monday morning.
The SSP said all five accused in the case had monitored activities of Agrawal for the last four months before putting their plan into action. On April 11, Rupesh, Chhotu, and Jitendra ambushed Agrawal as soon as he opened his shop near Govind Mitra Road. One of them pulled a gun and shot Agrawal from a close range. They then tried to open the cash register but failed to do so. When panic of being caught by the passers-by ensued, they escaped on the getaway motorcycle being driven by Rakesh and Mukesh, he said.
Agrawal was rushed to the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) where he was declared dead on arrival.
Attempts are being made to arrest the two absconding criminals, the SSP said.
Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, while celebrating the birth anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar at party office in Patna on Thursday, chose to take cheap shots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the PM was sworn-in at the dusk time which was clearly bad omen for the nation.
"Things are happening in the nation that had not happened before. People are dying in temple fires, cases of drought and fire have gone up many fold since Modi became the Prime Minister," Yadav said.
The RJD leader, talking about the Grand Alliance government in Bihar, said that the Nitish administration was under no threat from inside or outside and was here to stay.
"Some people are saying that I will not allow the government to run smoothly. These people are mistaken. Nitish government is here to stay and my party would give full cooperation to it," he said.
Yadav, supporting the government's decision to impose ban on the sale and consumption of alcoholic drink, called the idea of prohibition 'revolutionary'. He, however, favored 'conditional' ban on the sale of toddy saying those who wanted to imbibe in toddy could go to the toddy field, drink it fresh from the tree in the form of 'Neera' and that would be perfectly fine with him.
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"We're not used to seeing growth in our check business," said Deluxe's Tracey Engelhardt, who reports a 6% to 7% increase in revenue for check orders from businesses and consumers in each of the last three quarters, driven by various factors originating from the pandemic.
Lawyer Released from Prison in Iran Describes Grim Conditions for Political Prisoners
04/15/16
Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran
Prisoners Face Denial of Medical Care, Refusal to Transfer Inmates to Hospital despite Life Threatening Illness, Solitary Confinement Aimed at Extracting False Confessions, Poor Nutrition, Denial of Family Visits
Mohammad Seifzadeh
April 14, 2016-Mohammad Seifzadeh, the prominent Iranian human rights lawyer who for years defended political prisoners in Iran and railed against the inhumane conditions of their incarceration, was freed on March 10, 2016 after serving his own five-year prison sentence, and spoke at length about the harsh conditions he experienced first-hand as a political prisoner.
Seifzadeh described the denial of medical care and critically needed hospitalization, white torture (sensory deprivation and isolation), poor nutrition, unsanitary quarters, insufficient fresh air, and denial of family visits in an extended interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. These conditions directly violate Irans own laws and State Prison Procedures.
Seifzadehs imprisonment for defending human rights in Iran was a travesty of justice to begin with, said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, and the conditions he and other political prisoners face are an affront to the rule of law and the most minimal standards of humane treatment.
President Rouhani needs to defend his citizens and confront the Judiciary over these violations, added Ghaemi.
Seifzadeh, who was imprisoned for his work defending political prisoners in Iran, also revealed that during his detention in Ward 209 of Evin Prison in Tehran, which is controlled by the Intelligence Ministry, he was put under extreme pressure to falsely incriminate his former colleague, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Shirin Ebadi. Seifzadeh and Ebadi were founding members of the banned Defenders of Human Rights Center.
When that was going on, I was in solitary confinement and my blood pressure shot up...It was out of control. They took me to the General Ward 350 and I had a stroke but they didnt say it was a stroke, Seifzadeh told the Campaign.
Solitary confinement is a common tactic used in Iran to increase psychological pressure on a prisoner to extract a false confession, which is then used as evidence to convict.
They didnt give me any treatment. They didnt even take me to the infirmary. My hands and feet gradually went numb. My hearing and vision weakened. I fell on the ground when I tried to stand, he said. Finally, when the official medical commission looked into [my case] much later in March 2016, it said I had suffered a stroke.
In October 2010, Seifzadeh was sentenced to nine years in prison and banned from practicing law for 10 years for acting against national security through establishing the Defenders of Human Rights Center. He was arrested while on bail on April 6, 2011 for allegedly attempting to leave the country.
The Appeals Court reduced Seifzadehs sentence to two years in prison, but while he was serving time he was sentenced to an additional six years for writing open letters and signing political statements with other prisoners of conscience.
Seifzadeh was released after serving five years, under Article 134 of Irans Penal Code, which allows prisoners charged with multiple offences to only serve the maximum sentence assigned for their most serious offense.
The human rights lawyer told the Campaign that doctors from one of Tehrans hospitals for cardiology had warned that he was at serious risk for a deadly heart attack or stroke if he remained in prison, but the authorities ignored the warning.
I had one medical problem after the other, and eventually they illegally exiled me to Rajaee Shahr Prison [in Karaj, west of Tehran] without a judicial order, he said.
Political prisoners in Iran are singled out for harsh treatment, which often includes denial of medical care.
I had breathing problems while sleeping and also while I was awake, he said. They took me to Baharloo Hospital and I was connected to a machine, which showed that during the night I briefly stopped breathing nine times and woke up 13 times, therefore I could not have any sort of deep sleep all night.
I paid all the hospital bills myself, added Seifzadeh. It would be unthinkable for the prison authorities or the health system to pay a prisoners expenses. Theres no budget set aside for it. If you dont pay the bills, you wont get treatment on time and you dont know if youll live or die.
Every prisoner [sent to the hospital] has three agents to watch him and is responsible for their expenses, such as meals, too, he added.
The clinic did not have medicines to treat anything worse than a cold, let alone high blood pressure, he told the Campaign. Bad nutrition and lack of vitamins weakened the prisoners.
Fruits and vegetables are non-existent, continued Seifzadeh. Some of us prepared our own food. We gave a list of things we needed and they would buy it for us from outside at our own expense. But there were also those who only ate prison food, he said. Two days a week there was stew and on other days it was only rice and soybean oil, which was greasy and unhealthy.
The cells had no ventilation, Seifzadeh said. In Evin Prison, the cell doors opened at a quarter to seven in the morning and you could take in fresh air until sunset, but in Rajaee Shahr we could only stay outside for three hours.
He added that the prison was not in any condition to hold that many prisoners, and that they used sub-standard detergents and as a result many of the prisoners developed skin allergies.
Seifzadeh also told the Campaign that the interference waves aimed at disrupting mobile phones from functioning inside the prison were so strong that they caused many prisoners to suffer headaches and nausea. I think it was a factor in my strokes as well, he said.
The prisoners living quarters would also be subjected to occasional raids. [In Rajaee Shahr Prison] they would conduct illegal searches to look for mobile phones...Having a mobile phone is not illegal, but they dont want prisoners to give interviews to anyone outside the prison, so they would grab the mobiles, he said.
Often times, both the prisoner and his family suffer injustice, said Seifzadeh. In our case, [political prisoners] were not only arrested illegally, but also subjected to unfair trials.
He noted the prisoners in Rajaee Shahr Prison were only allowed one 20-minute family visit per month. However, Seifzadeh was denied family visits for most of his own prison term, keeping with the harsher conditions that political prisoners are subjected to in Iran.
Many of the Rajaee Shahr and Evin Prison inmates are from different cities. They should be sent to prisons near their families, Seifzadeh said. There were several instances when family members got into road accidents, and even died, on their way to prison visits.
Hundreds of political prisoners remain in Iranian jails, some dating back to the widely disputed 2009 presidential election in Iran that ended with a violent state crackdown on peaceful protestors. Many Iranians have urged President Rouhani to follow through on his campaign promise of freeing political prisoners.
American Party System or Lack Thereof
"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty." -Thomas Jefferson
04/15/16 Opinion article by Sina Alavi
It seems like not a day goes by that we don't hear about Donald Trump making "crazy" comments. It is election time in America but it sure looks and feels different from all the previous elections that I remember - going back 1976 election between Ford and Carter. What gives...why is this election different from the other ones. There is no question that this election is different from the other elections, the question is how different is this election year. If this election was like any other recent elections, we would be given the usual ride with the same song and dance from both parties and things would be copacetic as far as the party establishments were concerned, and at the end of the day we would end up with a president not different from the previous one as I have written about this process here, here and here.
This is not to say we will not end up with one of these generic presidents, it is way too early to expect otherwise, the show has just begun. So let's try to make sense out of what's happening. In order to understand what's going on, we should take a quick look at the party system in America so we could put the events in perspective as they happen.
To begin with, we need to know- contrary to popular belief- The US of A is not a Democracy; even when you hear it from high level Government officials including President Obama. The US of A is a Constitutional Republic- that means Majority may not rule. Only in a Democracy people vote directly to elect their leader. In the US, we have Electoral College system which means your vote elects an elector who will select the person you voted for. These electors can change their mind and vote for someone else if they are unpledged. The Electoral College system creates a fair system for smaller states to have a say on the election of the President, but the problem arises when something like corruption raises its ugly head.
Especially, with the current political parties and their delegate system, voters have no say on who becomes their candidate. This is more true within the current Democratic Party and what they call Super Delegates, this virtually ignores the will of the voters, but since most of the time voters are duped to vote for the candidate the Party has in mind, no confrontation occurs; otherwise, voters would soon find out they have no say in Primary election for their candidates.
Political scientists break down the American Political history to six systems beginning with the second term of George Washington at 1792. Prior to George Washington becoming President, eight other presidents served as President of the United States under Constitutional Congress- with John Hanson as the first one and Cyrus Griffin as the last one. But that did not work well. So, the Constitution was written in 1787 and ratified the following year. The Constitution addressed the role of the Federal and State Governments, and the role of Executive Branch. In 1789, George Washington was elected as the first president under the Constitution by the states' electors. George Washington was elected unanimously in both terms he served. Personally, George Washington was not a Partisan person and did not believe in political parties. But, it was during his second term that marks the beginning of the First Party System. With obvious reasons, everyone around George Washington was jockeying for Power. The First Party System Which lasted until end of Monroe's second term, 1824; it was the battle ground between Federalist and Non-Federalist Parties. The Second Party System is marked with the 1824 Presidential election. By that time The Federalist Party was dismantled and Non-Federalist Party, Democratic-Republican Party, was split to Democratic Party and Whig Party. The Democratic Party from this split is considered the present Democratic Party.
Throughout the years, America went through four more Party Systems with each one spanning over a few decades. And it is said that we are in the Sixth Party System. But the reality of the situation is that The Sixth Party System ended in 1992. In fact, American Party systems ceased to exist with the election of President Clinton. So, if anyone asks you what Party System governs over the American Political arena, the answer is None, Zero, Zip, Nada. The American Party System is dead, it is deceased, it is no more and its epitaph was written by special groups, mainly by super rich Jewish American Zionist who make up more than half of the wealth of the country. You can read here and here, what the Zionists are doing to the country.
By reviewing the rise and fall of these Party Systems, one fact stands out and that is how these parties looked after the welfare of the country and the people. Even though, only two parties dominated the field, other parties did exist and had some success in getting people to follow them and the two main parties addressed major issues of the time.
Limiting power of the Federal Government or Finance of the Government at the Federal Level was the main issues in the First Party System. The slavery, treatment of Native Americans, and expansion of the union were the main issues the Second Party dealt with. The Third Party System also dealt with race and industrialization of the country. The seed of problems to come was sown started with the Third Party System, but even this party system served the people and the country.
Fast forward through the remaining three Party systems, we can easily observe how the Government was on the side of the people most of the time and the Government looked after the good of the people and the country.
We can't ignore the corruption that went on within these systems; I guess we need to accept it and say "That's politics". In 1824 election, probably Andrew Jackson should have been the President with the Majority votes but collusion between Henry Clay and Adams stole Presidency from Jackson. In Many other elections, people's votes were bought by the elites of the community, but with all that, the system provided a path that people lived better and in general the country moved forward.
So what happened in 1992, why don't we have a legitimate party system, and if we don't, then why people still go and vote. Well, nothing happens overnight, these things take years to take shape. We can go back in time and find the roots of the problem and at the same time look at the present time for evidence. Well, one of these evidences just raised its ugly head and it was right before everyone's eyes to see. I am talking about the AIPAC event in Washington where all these Presidential hopefuls showed up to suck up on the money men. Hillary needs to get her Head Out Of Israel's derriere and Messrs. Trump, Cruz, Ryan,...stop sucking up to Israel.
As long as these candidates stumble on each other to pledge their allegiance to Israel, we will not have a legitimate political system. Another example of the Zionist death grip on America is through Christian Zionist or Christian Talibans which their number is close to 50 million Americans. These people are duped by many organizations that are supported by Israeli's. And in this election they have two favorite candidates Cruz and Rubio. The money for these candidates comes from people like Sheldon Adelson. This is the same guy who suggested to Nuke Tehran to make Iranians stop their nuclear program. This guy spent over 80 million dollars on Romney in the previous election and we know how that ended. Now, he has two dogs in this race and spent tens of millions of dollars so far. Adelson even called on Romney to make phone calls on behalf of his new puppets, Cruz and Rubio. What a shame, and Romney wanted to be the President of the free world, he is acting like a gofer right now- I guess he knows who the boss is.
What we have witnessed since 1992 is that the Presidents are acting as a goon for Israel at the behest of Billionaire Jewish American Zionist. It is embarrassing to see the leaders-to-be for the most powerful nation on earth act in such a loathsome manner with no dignity for themselves. They are willing to sell the good of the country and the people just to become the puppet of these crooks.
Long gone are the days when a President saw his duty to serve his country and the people. Long gone is the time a President like James Polk made a promise to serve only one term and serve the country to the best of his abilities in that one term. Long gone is the time when a President like George Washington accepted the Presidency with reluctance with concern of not being able to do an effective job. Nowadays, you find a President like George Bush giving himself a raise or a President like Barack Obama asking for more money for when he is leaving the White House. Nowadays, you find bunch of mountebanks to run for the office in hope of enriching themselves by becoming President. Last thing on their mind is the welfare of the country and the people. Clintons went from rags to riches once they left the White House, from a bankrupt couple to a couple who amassed hundreds of millions of dollars. And, please someone tell me what is it these people do that makes them this kind of Money. What's amazing is they are not done, they want to gorge at the Public Trough again. Why she is running is obvious, she knows how to follow orders and while doing that she enriches herself. She has backing of many Jewish American Zionist, in particular the support of Israeli Haim Saban. So this is what America has to look forward to- either we have Mr. Cruz who is supported by Nut-nYahoo's best friend Sheldon Adelson or Ms. Clinton who is supported by Haim Saban. Their contributions to both parties are around hundreds of millions of dollars. What a shame. OpenSecrets.org does a good job showing the flow of money but does not give you the whole story.
If America wants to have a legitimate party system, it needs to get rid of its interests groups and foreign entities. America needs to get rid of destructive laws such as Citizens United law. It needs to create a level playing field for all parties to offer their platforms. The two party system may have worked for two hundred years but it is time to erase the monopoly of these two corrupt parties and promote other parties to flourish. The old trick of Welfare/Warfare distribution of wealth is no way to give people hope. The only citizens who benefit from this Welfare/Warfare approach are the top 0.01 percent super rich.
It is a very disheartening spectacle for a naturalized citizen who has pledged the allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America to see these presidential candidates pledge allegiance to the flag of the State of Israel. America does not need AIPAC, a foreign entity, to vet out so called Presidential candidates. Organizations like AIPAC do not want to take any chances with these candidates, they want to make sure whoever ends up in White House, would remember Israel comes first. If we didn't know any better, we would have thought it is a requirement for Presidential candidates to have a Jew or Israeli family member. The way Mr. Trump made sure everybody knows his son-in-law is Jewish, so is his daughter and his grand kids, or Hillary Clinton has to let everyone know his son-in-law is Israeli and their granddaughter is Israeli.
We need candidates who genuinely believe in "America First" slogan. This slogan should not be just a slogan or an afterthought. We need to reclaim our Party system by promoting other parties who genuinely have the interest of America in their platforms. Throughout the years, other parties tried to have a say in the election but the cartel of these two parties have stifled any effort by other parties. This cartel with the help and engineering of neo-conservatives and neo-liberals has destroyed what was a proud political system. It is time to support parties with "America First" slogan and revive the American Party system where people independently can voice their opinion. Vote Libertarian, Green, Constitution, or any other party but do not vote for either of these two non-parties.
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The earliest antivirus utilities recognized malware by consulting a database of signatures. These signatures were elements of malware files that remained invariant, and hence could be used for identification. Malware writers quickly learned to write polymorphic programs that mutate slightly with each new copy, foiling simple signature-based detection. In any case, the never-ending proliferation of malware would have required an always-growing database. Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus avoids the whole problem by using a completely different technique. When it encounters an unknown app, it runs it in a bubble, preventing the app from making any permanent system changes until its cloud-based intelligence reaches a conclusion about the program. If its malicious, the tiny local Webroot program wipes out the attacker and reverses its actions. Its a different approach from most competitors, but our tests show that it works well.
How Much Does Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus Cost?
Price-wise, Webroot runs with the pack. Like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, and several others, it costs just under $40 for a one-year subscription. Where a three-license Webroot subscription cost $10 more, the other two ask another $20 for a three-pack. Norton's standalone antivirus doesn't have a multi-license plan, and one license will run you $59.99. As for McAfee AntiVirus Plus, it also costs $59.99 per year, but that subscription gets you unlimited protection for your Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. As always, you may find any of these prices discounted for the first year, sometimes quite deeply.
You can use your Webroot licenses to install antivirus on both PCs and Macs. Some components of Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus (for Mac), in particular the web-based protection system, are identical on both platforms. Overall, the two products offer similar security features, though Webroot doesn't go quite as overboard with expert features on the Mac.
It's Surprisingly Easy to Be More Secure Online It's Surprisingly Easy to Be More Secure Online
Webroot's installer is tiny, less than 6MB, and it installs in a flash. Immediately on installation, it busies itself with a collection of startup tasks, checking off each one as it finishes. Among the listed tasks are: scanning for active malware; analyzing installed applications to reduce warnings and prompts; establishing a system baseline; and optimizing performance for your unique system configuration. Even with these added tasks, the process goes quickly.
The product's appearance hasn't changed appreciably in quite a while. Its green-toned main window features a lighter panel that includes statistics about recent scans and a button to launch an on-demand scan. Even if you never click that button, Webroot makes a full scan during installation and runs a scheduled scan every day. A panel at the right manages access to the rest of this product's significant collection of security features.
Online Console
As part of getting started with Webroot, youll set up a profile online. The process has a strong emphasis on security. I dont always use the strongest passwords for profiles used in testing, since theyre only needed for the duration of the test. But Webroot required a truly strong password and wouldnt accept anything less. In addition, it requires a secondary security code that you enter in an unusual fashion. Each time you log in to the online profile, it demands two specific characters from that security code, different each time. It might ask for the 2nd and 4th characters on one visit, the 6th and 7th on another.
As if that werent enough security, Webroot strongly encourages you to set up two-factor authentication. You set up 2FA in the usual fashion, scanning a QR code with Google Authenticator or a workalike. If you do choose to establish 2FA, it replaces the security code requirement. No more counting on your fingers to come up with the right characters!
Theres a lot you can do in the online console. If you havent used all your licenses, you can log in and click a button to add protection to another device. You can select any device and view scan results, including the filename and malware class of removed threats. And you can send remote control commands to the device.
The ability to launch a scan remotely is clearly a big plus. You can also lock, shut down, or restarts the computer. And if youve removed Webroot from an old computer, you can use the command system to deactivate it, freeing up that license for use on another PC or Mac.
Lab Test Difficulties
As noted, Webroot handles new, unknown programs by letting them run under strict monitoring. It prohibits irreversible actions like sending personal data to the internet, and keeps a journal of reversible actions, all while awaiting a verdict from Webroot's cloud analysis system. If the program under judgment proves to be nasty, Webroot wipes it out and reverses all its journaled changes.
This system just isn't compatible with many independent lab tests. Labs like AV-Test Institute(Opens in a new window) and AV-Comparatives expect antivirus programs to act right away on malware they recognize, whether detection occurs using signatures, heuristics, or behavioral analysis. Webroot's relationship with the labs has been rocky. Just one of the four that I follow has recently included Webroot in testing.
Researchers at MRG-Effitas report on two main tests, one specific to banking Trojans and one aiming to cover the full range of malware types. Security programs that don't earn near-perfect scores simply fail; these are tough tests. Webroot used to do particularly well in the all-types test, which offers certification to products that remediate all malware attacks within 24 hours. That sort of test aligns well with Webroots journal-and-rollback system. Alas, its been some years since Webroot participated in this test.
Researchers at SE Labs(Opens in a new window) use a capture and replay system to package up real-world malware attacks and unleash them on multiple antivirus products simultaneously. This lab certifies antivirus products at five levels, AAA, AA, A, B, and C; Webroot earned a respectable AA certification. To be fair, all but one of the tested products came in at either the AAA or AA level. The odd man out was Malwarebytes Premium, which earned a B. Like Webroot, Malwarebytes doesnt always align well with standard testing methods.
I use an algorithm to derive an aggregate lab score for products tested by at least two labs. With just one result, Webroot doesnt have an aggregate score.
As ever, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus and Kaspersky take perfect or near-perfect scores from the labs. With perfect scores from all four labs, Kaspersky boasts a perfect 10 points. Tested by three labs, AVG holds an impressive 9.9 points, with Bitdefender and ESET NOD32 Antivirus close behind at 9.8 points.
Excellent Malware Protection
For some years now, Webroot has done very well in my own hands-on malware protection tests, though it handles them differently from most other products. It doesnt react when I simply open a folder full of samples, or copy them to a new location. Rather, it checks each process as it launches.
In many cases, Webroot recognized and quarantined the sample almost immediately. Other samples ran for a while under Webroots restrictions, only to be wiped out a little later. After each malware removal event, Webroot asked to scan the system again to make sure it left no traces behind.
Frequently this secondary scan turned up another sample or two, in a kind of chain reaction. On removing the new-found threats, it wanted to scan yet again. The thought of enduring scan after scan might sound tedious, but each scan just took five to 10 minutes. Thats no big deal for the average user. On the other hand, at just five minutes apiece my collection of almost six dozen samples would have taken six hours. To keep the time reasonable, I settled on running the samples in groups of five, postponing cleanup for the first four of each group.
Whether by detection on launch or through a chain reaction capture, Webroot detected 99% of my samples and scored 9.8 of 10 possible points. PC Matic Home nominally scored the same, but its default-deny system doesnt actively detect most malware. Rather, it simply detects that the program isnt on its whitelist. Thats why PC Matics scores have an asterisk in the chart below.
McAfee and Malwarebytes did beat Webroots scores, by a hair. Tested with this same sample set, they both detected every single sample. Malwarebytes scored a perfect 10, and McAfee came close with 9.9 points.
Webroots scan also put a couple of my hand-coded testing tools in the cooler, but I can't really blame it. Here you have a program that's never been seen before by the cloud analysis system, and its purpose is to launch fraudulent URLs. Suspicious much? I restored my tools from quarantine and proceeded with testing.
I use the same set of curated samples for months, because the collection process itself takes weeks. To get a look at protection against the latest threats, I start with a feed of URLs that researchers at MRG-Effitas(Opens in a new window) recently found to be hosting malware. Typically, these are no more than a couple days old. I launch each and note whether the antivirus prevents browser access to the dangerous URL, eliminates the file upon download, or completely fails to notice the malware download.
Of more than 100 validated dangerous URLs, Webroot blocked 85% in the browser and wiped out the malware payload of another 11%, for a total of 96% protection.
Thats quite a good score, though eight recent products have done even better. Yes, each product gets hit with a different selection of malware-hosting URLs, but theyre always the most recent ones. McAfee leads the pack, with 100% protection. Bitdefender, G Data, and Sophos all came close with 99%. Im pleased the success stories from Webroot and the rest. What better time to quash malware than before it even lands on your PC?
Phishing Protection Triumph
There's nothing innately dangerous about a phishing websiteno drive-by downloads, malicious scripts, or other active threats, just an inviting imitation of a secure website. You're perfectly safe if youre astute enough to recognize and avoid the fraudulent page. But woe betide the careless web surfer who enters login credentials on one of these fraudulent sites. If you fall for the fraud, you've just given away full access to your bank site, shopping site, even dating site. It's not good.
These fraudulent sites get shut down and blacklisted quickly, but the perpetrators simply pop up another fake and start trolling for new victims. To test an antivirus product's phishing protection, I try for an even split between verified phishing URLs and reported frauds that are so new there's been no time to analyze and blacklist them. I launch each URL in a browser protected by the product in question, and simultaneously in browsers relying on the phishing protection built into Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. I discard any that fail to load in one or more of the browsers, and any that don't precisely fit the definition of phishing. Once I have enough data points, I run the numbers.
Webroot blocked 99% of the verified frauds and outperformed all three of the browsersan impressive showing. Bitdefender and Norton also scored 99% in their own tests, while F-Secure Anti-Virus and McAfee managed 100%.
Phishing is totally platform independent. If your smart fridge includes a full-scale browser, you can get scammed while making a shopping list. Phishing protection, though, can vary by platform. In the past Ive frequently seen situations where a companys Windows product outperformed its macOS product in exactly the same test. With Webroot, the Windows and Mac products scored almost in lockstep, but the Mac edition did just a fraction better, scoring 100%.
See How We Test Security Software
Mixed Results in Ransomware Experiments
The journal and rollback system that Webroot uses can even roll back the effects of encrypting ransomware, though the company warns that limitations, such as available drive space, can impact this ability. In truth, it would be very unusual for a ransomware attack to get past all the other layers of protection. Webroot wiped out all my ransomware samples, most by recognizing them as known bad programs, a few by noticing bad behavior after launch. I had to scramble to figure out how to test its ransomware protection.
My coding skills are rusty; there's no way I could write a never-before-seen encrypting ransomware specimen, even if I wanted to. For testing, I wrote a simple-minded ransomware simulator that encrypts all text files in the document folder using reversible XOR encryption. Webroot had already encountered this simulator in previous reviews, so it wiped out the app on launch. To avert that effect, I modified the program, changing its name, length, and a few non-executable bytes.
The newly disguised program ran unhindered, and I verified that it did encrypt the target files. In Webroot's Active Processes list, I found the program running in Monitored mode, meaning Webroot was keeping detailed track of its activity. Rather than waiting for a decision from Webroot's cloud-based brain, I cut to the chase. In the processes list I blocked the program, confirmed immediate termination, and launched a scan. The scan removed the file and reversed its actions, restoring the encrypted files, just as I had hoped.
Webroot's monitoring system works with all malware types. A similar feature in Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security focuses just on ransomware. At the first sign of ransomware behavior, it backs up important files. If its behavioral detection verifies a ransomware attack, it terminates the malware and restores the backed-up files.
That little experiment with a hand-modified version of my ransomware simulator inspired me to try testing with hand-modified versions of actual file-encrypting malware samples. Results were mixed. Out of 10 file encrypting ransomware samples, Webroot detected that two were trying to modify the Registry to launch at boot. When I blocked those actions, the samples did not go on to encrypt files. Three others launched but did nothing. That could be due to the program detecting Webroots presence. Its also possible that by modifying the files I triggered some internal integrity check.
Webroot didnt stop any of the other five from encrypting files or posting ransom notes. I treated each of these the way I did my own simulator. Looking at the Active Processes list, I saw just one process in the Monitor state, so I blocked that one and then ran a scan to undo its activity. As far as I could tell, it completely restored the files encrypted by three of the samples. It didnt remove any ransom notes, though, and it left the encrypted version of the files in place. In addition, all the recovered files got their date/time stamp reset to the moment of recovery.
As for the other two, Webroot apparently failed to journal their dirty deeds. After a full scan, the encrypted files remained encrypted, with no recovery of their original versions.
Youre almost certainly not going to be hit by a ransomware attack that some rando modified by hand. However, this test does emulate what would happen if you encountered a ransomware sample that Webroots analysis system had never seen before. And what would happen isnt great. Do keep in mind, though, that unknowns quickly become known. Whey I tried to launch the same hand-modified samples a day later, Webroot eliminated them all immediately on launch.
Helpful Firewall
For many security companies, the addition of a personal firewall is one of the features that distinguishes the security suite from the standalone antivirus. Webroot's antivirus includes a firewall, but it doesn't work quite the same as most. It makes no attempt to put your system's ports in stealth mode, leaving that task to the built-in Windows Firewall. That's fine; the built-in does a good job. The only time a firewalls stealth abilities matter is if they take over from Windows Firewall and dont do a proper job.
Webroot classifies programs as good, bad, or unknown. Like Norton AntiVirus Plus, it leaves the good ones alone, eliminates the bad ones, and monitors the unknowns. As mentioned earlier, if a monitored unknown program tries a non-reversible action like sending your credit card details overseas, Webroot prevents it.
By default, the firewall ups its game when Webroot detects an active infection, which causes the main window to turn from green to dramatic red. In this mode, any network traffic by unknown programs requires your permission, but normal activities like Web browsing proceed uninterrupted.
In past evaluations Ive been able to see the firewall in action by tweaking its settings to warn every time an unknown program attempts internet access, not just when an infection is present, or by setting it to warn for every process that isnt already trusted. This time around, I found that those changes had no effect. Checking with my contact at Webroot, I learned that a recent update introduced a bug such that the firewall is disabled. A fix is expected in two to three weeks. Im surprised that a problem of this magnitude got past the quality assurance process.
Of course, firewall protection means bubkes if a malware coder can reach in and turn it off. The more processes and services a security tool contains, the more opportunities for such chicanery. With one service, two processes, and no settings exposed in the Registry, Webroot is buttoned up tight. My every attempt to halt its protection resulted in an ignominious "Access Denied" message.
For Experts Only
Like most modern antivirus utilities, Webroot works fine even if you totally ignore it. It comes configured for maximum protection, and if you don't make any changes, it runs a scan every day. What more could you want? It turns out that theres a ton more to discover under the surface, but only if you want to.
Clicking the settings gear next to Identity Protection on the main window brings up a page with controls that toggle what it calls Phishing Shield and Identity Shield. The rest of the page displays a laundry list of just what these shields involve. They aim to fend off a wide variety of typical malware attacks including man-in-the-middle, browser process modification, and keylogging.
Identity Shield and Phishing Shield appear on the Online Protection page under Identity Protection. The adjacent Application Protection page lists apps that get special attention from Webroot. Specifically, it aims to ensure that your personal information cant be extracted from these programs. On my test system, Webroot populated the list with Internet Explorer, Firefox, and two versions of Chrome. Oddly, one of the Chrome entries referred to a non-existent folder.
You can also add programs to the list for protection. Edge seemed like an obvious choice, so I added it. Its entry in the list of protected applications also referenced a non-existent folder, not the folder from which I selected it. My Webroot contact explained that while this does look odd, it doesnt mean that the apps in question arent protected. Webroots cloud-based master file system renders those randomized temporary paths into the correct path.
Clicking the gear icon next to Utilities reveals a set of antimalware tools that let you repair damage left behind after malware remediation, things like malware-modified desktop background, screensaver, or system policies. You can also use it to quickly reboot into Safe Mode, or to perform an instant reboot. Those with the necessary skills can use another tool to manually remove any program, along with its associated Registry data. Even if you claim no tech skills yourself, you can run a removal script created by Webroot tech support.
If you really want to see what Webroot has been doing, open the Reports page and check its current or historical activity. You probably won't want to read the available scan log or threat log, but tech support might well ask for them.
The System Control page is where you find the Active Processes list, which shows all running processes and flags those that are under monitoring by Webroot. Also on this page is the SafeStart Sandbox. There are features for experts, and features for professionals. SafeStart Sandbox is among the latter. If you're a trained antivirus researcher, you can use it to launch a suspect program under detailed limitations that you specify. If you're not, just leave it alone. I don't even use that one myself.
Small Is Beautiful
Opening the folder containing a typical antivirus or security suite reveals amazing number of files and folders. When I check system free space before and after installing security suites, I find that most occupy a gigabyte or two of disk space, or even more.
As for Webroot, it's ridiculously small. Open its folder and you find just one significant file, WRSA.exe, with a size less than 6MB. That's tiny! As noted, Task Manager reveals just two Webroot processes. Norton also packs its protection into two processes, while others require more. During one test, I found 17 active processes for McAfee, for example. Webroot relies on just one Windows service, but some others run to 10 or more.
Just because a product uses more of processes or services doesn't necessarily mean it's eating up more of your system resources. It's conceivable that a program with just one resource-hungry process could overload your system. Conceivable, but unlikely. By every measure I've found, Webroot remains the smallest antivirus around.
Still a Winner
Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus doesn't jibe with the testing methods used by many of the independent testing labs, though it earned a high score in one recent test. In our hands-on testing, it earned near-perfect scores both for malware protection and phishing detection. Its score against malware-hosting URLs was also quite good.
On the negative side, its ability to protect against never-before-seen ransomware proved uneven in testing, and as of this writing, its firewall component isnt working. We also encountered a few glitches when testing the macOS version of this program. For now, were assuming these bumps will be ironed out. Webroot remains an antivirus Editors' Choice winner, sure to please those who want good things in a small package.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus and Bitdefender Antivirus Plus routinely earn perfect or near-perfect scores from the antivirus testing labs, and both come with a panoply of useful bonus features. McAfee AntiVirus Plus doesn't always score as high in lab tests or our own tests, but it's a bargain, offering protection for every Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS device in your household. These three tools round out our collection of Editors' Choice antivirus products, each with its own special merits.
Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus 4.5 Editors' Choice (Opens in a new window) Check Price (Opens in a new window) Pros Near-perfect score in our malware protection and phishing protection tests
Light on system resources
Fast scan, tiny size
Can remediate ransomware damage
Advanced features View More Cons Limited lab test results due to unusual detection techniques
Mixed results in testing with hand-modified ransomware
Firewall component not working at this time The Bottom Line Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus scans at high speed and uses just a trickle of your systems resources. It earned excellent scores in our hands-on tests and can even roll back some ransomware activity.
Its fitting that the childrens book Oliver the Owl was written by soon-to-be-retired teacher David Yorke.
The book, after all, is about following ones passion, working hard and persevering.
Yorke, 62, will follow his passion of writing for kids and plans to write full time when he retires this year after 22 year of teaching, 14 of them at Vintage Hills Elementary in Temecula.
Im going to write some more books and maybe a sequel to Oliver the Owl, he said.
The book is also Temecula artist Patti Paulsens first experience illustrating a book.
With her artwork in a published book, Paulsen joked, My dad said my college education finally paid off.
Like his previous books, Yorkes new book carries an important message. Oliver the Owl encourages children to identify their passion and work hard to achieve it.
The story follows a great horned owl who follows his dream and opens a restaurant. His friend, Shannon the Seagull, also pursues her dream of singing in public.
The book, which features cover artwork and 14 other drawings from Paulsen, is aimed at third- through sixth-graders, Yorke said.
Yorke, who has written childrens books that focused on gossiping and childhood obesity, self-published this book. It was released in March.
His previous works, published between 2010 and 2013, were illustrated by Temecula artist Lisa Owen-Lynch.
Those books Billy the Bully Goat, Freda the Fashion Ferret and Ephrin D. Elephant deal with three major issues facing children, parents and schools nationwide: bullying, gossiping and childhood obesity.
Paulsen, a professional artist whose husband also is a teacher in Temecula, said she enjoyed the Oliver the Owl experience.
She appreciated collaborating with Yorke and was surprised at how much research they both had to do to ensure her illustrations accurately reflected the books locales, including spots around Temecula and San Diego.
It was fun and more than just painting something, said Paulsen, who studied art at the Royal College of Art in London and whose works recently won the Mayors Choice Award in Temecula.
As Yorke and Paulsen worked on the book throughout the school year, Yorke said his fourth-grade students observed the process of how a book is written and published. His class and several others at the school have read the book, which Yorke published through Amazons Create Space.
Its good to show the kids you can have a passion and do something on the side of your regular job, Yorke said.
Copies of his previous books were distributed to several public and school libraries in Riverside County, and Yorke said he plans to do the same with his new book after retiring, when he will have more time to work on marketing and sales. His new book will likely be available at the Temecula Public Library, pending final approval.
Hard copies of Oliver the Owl can be purchased for $10, and eventually the book will be available online.
To buy a copy, email vintageyorkeseries@yahoo.com.
Contact the writer: community@pressenterprise.com
If your ballot for the June 7 primary seems a little long, you can thank the race for U.S. Senate.
Thirty-four candidates are on the ballot in the race to succeed retiring Democrat Barbara Boxer. Only two will advance to the November general election.
The front-runners include Democratic state Attorney General Kamala Harris and Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez of Santa Ana. On the Republican side, the leading candidates include two former state GOP chairman, Tom Del Beccaro and Duf Sundheim.
The list includes some local candidates as well. Republican Don Krampe of Murrieta is running after a bid in 2012 for Democratic incumbent Dianne Feinsteins U.S. Senate seat.
A former Marine who served in Korea, Krampe has dressed up in a Colonial outfit for public recitals of The Americans Creed. He has said Americas two-party system is dysfunctional and that as senator, he would advocate for a series of saltwater conversion plants to solve Californias water woes. He also wants to help the port of Long Beach accommodate bigger ships.
Another candidate is Republican Jerry Laws of Victorville. Im running for U. S. Senator because a vote for Jerry J. Laws is a vote for the Constitution, he wrote on his website.
If we do not do that, Honor the Constitution the Lord will have His way with us, he wrote. As your candidate for senator 2016 race, I am pro-life, pro-bill of rights and pro-states rights 10th Amendment.
Tom Palzer of Rancho Cucamonga is running as a Republican. On his website, Palzer said he has 32 years experience working with and advising elected and appointed officials at all levels of government.
My experience far exceeds that of all other candidates in this race, he wrote. I believe that The hallmark of the Republican Party rests in its conservative values. Without such values, our system of checks and balances would cease to function.
An independent expenditure committee backing Inland Assemblywoman Cheryl Brown received a $1 million contribution this month from the Chevron oil corporation, campaign finance records show.
The Keeping Californians Working, Dentists, Housing Providers, Energy and Insurance Agents committee also received $500,000 in April from the California Dental Association and $250,000 from the California Apartment Association, according to state filings.
Keeping Californians Working spent more than $11,000 in April on consulting, mailers and research to support Brown, a San Bernardino Democrat facing a challenge from Democrat Eloise Reyes.
The race for the 47th Assembly District, which includes Colton, Fontana, Grand Terrace and Rialto, is shaping up as a fight between liberal interests and moderate Democrats thats getting a lot of attention in Sacramento. Labor unions and environmental groups are among Reyes supporters while Brown has been endorsed by the California Democratic Party.
Progressives are upset with Brown and other moderate Assembly Democrats for their opposition to a provision in Gov. Jerry Browns climate change bill that would have cut petroleum use by motor vehicles. The oil industry and environments waged an intense lobbying campaign last year to sway Brown and other moderate Democrats, including Assemblyman Jose Medina, D-Riverside.
In the end, the petroleum use provision was removed from the final climate change bill. Brown has said she was concerned the provision would have hurt her constituents, many of whom drive every day to other counties for work.
Reyes wasted no time in using the Chevron donation to portray Brown as beholden to corporate interests.
It is now clear why Cheryl Brown voted against the health of children and families in the Inland Empire, Reyes said in an email to supporters. She wanted to make sure the oil companies spent millions of dollars to help her get reelected. This kind of pay-to-play politics is endangering peoples lives and must be stopped.
In an emailed response, Brown said: Current California law allows companies and wealthy individuals to create independent expenditures for campaigns. I did not coordinate with them as campaigns are prohibited from doing so. So I am as surprised as everyone else.
Regardless of this fact, Im focused on the campaign Im running based on the issues that matter most to Inland Empire working families, that of making sure we have good jobs, access to education and helping protect our seniors. I am proud to have the support from the California Democratic Party, small business owners, and labor unions because they know the type of person that I am, and the work that I have accomplished for our community.
In fact, I have more financial support from labor organizations than oil companies but my opponents dont want to admit that truth. In the end, I hope voters remember that Im Cheryl Brown, the same person Ive been throughout my 40-years of service to my community, my government, and my church.
The June 7 primary features Brown, Reyes and Republican Aissa Chanel Sanchez. The top two vote-getters in the primary, regardless of party, will compete in the November general election.
Worries about the expense of complying with Californias open meetings law seem to have derailed Riverside County Supervisor Kevin Jeffries plan to tighten oversight of county spending.
Jeffries this week proposed proposed setting up subcommittees in which two or three supervisors would review parts of the county budget. But his plan has been deferred for further study by a 4-1 vote, with Jeffries opposed.
Supervisor Chuck Washington, who co-sponsored Jeffries plan, also voted for further study.
Jeffries fellow supervisors said they were concerned it would cost too much money to staff and advertise the subcommittee meetings to ensure they complied with the Brown Act, the state law governing public meetings.
The county faces a potential $100 million budget shortfall for the next fiscal year and Supervisor Marion Ashley has come up with 16 ideas to cut costs, including a hiring freeze and work furloughs, although its not clear if any of those suggestions will be enacted.
The board recently authorized paying consulting firm KPMG $18.4 million to follow-up its review of public safety spending, which consumes two-thirds of the countys discretionary dollars, and find ways of saving money in non-public safety departments.
I find the discussion on not spending to support Brown Act compliance absolutely amazing after we just approved $18 million to have an external firm come in and do our work for us, Jeffries said at the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, April 12.
Its an incredible argument to say: One, we want it behind closed doors. Two, we want to save money, and then, three, we turned around and then brought in a firm to do what arguably our staff, our leadership should have done from the very beginning.
Executive office staff have warned the county risks burning through its reserves unless spending is reined in. One of KPMGs recommendations called for leadership and discipline to cut costs.
Jeffries proposed creating four subcommittees criminal justice/public safety; general government/other; health and human services; and public works and divvying up assignments among the five supervisors.
I felt it was time to move forward with more board involvement and engagement process than what we do today with one or two board meetings (on the budget), a workshop and then (we) just move on and wait for next years report, Jeffries told his colleagues.
Washington said subcommittees worked well in Temecula, where he was a councilman before joining the board last year.
But Supervisor John Benoit said he was concerned what it would take for the subcommittees to comply with the Brown Act.
There is a cost to that, and its not insignificant, when youre looking at meetings of the size and frequency that were talking about, Benoit said. And I am concerned that we would have that extra administrative requirement and cost.
County Counsel Greg Priamos confirmed that as standing committees, the subcommittees would be subject to the Brown Act, including requirements to advertise meetings 72 hours in advance, open meetings to the public and keep permanent minutes.
County Executive Officer Jay Orr said the board clerk would have to provide staff for subcommittee meetings; the county finance officer would have to be available.
We probably do not have enough analysts. Orr said, noting that his office has been cut 53 percent in recent years.
Ashley said while he liked what Jeffries was trying to do, Im not sure this is the way to do it. Were going to create a big bureaucracy right within a bureaucracy (and) sort of bog us down a little bit.
Supervisor John Tavaglione said its more efficient and effective to go through staff to get information on budget matters.
I think theres another way to do it without taking so much staff time, he said.
The countys annual budget is roughly $5 billion, although the board only has direct control over less than $1 billion of that.
After losing more than $200 million in ongoing revenue due to the Great Recession, the countys tax receipts are projected to grow, but officials acknowledge theyre not growing nearly fast enough to keep up with spending obligations.
Ashley proposed having Orrs office and Benoit, the board chairman, analyze Jeffries idea (to) come up with a system that will improve the way that we deal with and handle our budget without creating a big bureaucratic thing that will bog things down.
Contact the writer: 951-368-9547 or jhorseman@pressenterprise.com
A Red Flag warning is in effect for the far eastern portion of Riverside County on Friday, April 15, as lower humidity in the region means an increased risk of fire danger.
According to a message from the National Weather Service, the warning is in effect for the Lower Colorado River Valley in California as well as the western portion of Arizona. The warnings are sent out when the risk of fire in an area is extremely high because of such factors as dry air or high winds.
CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department spokeswoman Jody Hagemann encouraged people in those areas to exercise caution and avoid activities which could cause sparks, as a spark could easily grow into a large scale fire.
The warning was expected to remain in effect until 8 p.m. Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
Contact the writer: 951-368-9693 or agroves@pressenterprise.com
Whether photographer Brian Grimaldo is in his hometown of Riverside or visiting Mexico, he enjoys seeking out the hidden and unknown places.
I want it to feel like I live here and am not a tourist, Grimaldo said. Motion and emotion are the things I look for when I am taking photos.
Documenting life with his camera has become a passion for the 17-year-old, a junior at Arlington High School.
I want to get to know the roots of people, he said.
Grimaldos way of sharing his vision is through Instagram, where his account (www.instagram.com/brian.jpeg) has taken off in the past year. He has garnered a growing number of likes for his photographic interpretations of the world around him and has about 10,000 followers.
He credits a photo that he saw three years ago on Instagram, taken from the top of one of the worlds tallest buildings, as his inspiration for recording his own experiences. At the time he had only an iPod camera, but he has since upgraded to a point-and-shoot and more recently to a Nikon 35-mm DSLR.
Grimaldo is self-taught, studying how to use manual focus and editing software such as Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. He also tries to practice often, going out at least once a week to shoot photos.
I will wander around a certain location looking for a good shot and then wait for just the right moment, he said.
He shoots anywhere from his own Riverside neighborhood to Los Angeles, where he said he enjoys the cultural diversity, or even Las Vegas.
He believes that others have been drawn to his work by his subject matter and creative editing.
Mostly, kids my age take the same photos, but I like to take mine from a different angle, he said.
His images of Riverside have been popular and earned him invitations to photograph several music events at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium and around the area.
He enjoys street photography and showcasing people when they are doing things that make them happy.
Last summer, when he traveled to his fathers birthplace in Michoacan, Mexico, he didnt want to feel like a tourist capturing the usual images. Rather he focused on a father and son enjoying each others company as they celebrated a local religious festival.
You could see how happy they were, he said.
In addition to still photography, Grimaldo also enjoys making videos and has done some shooting with music and rap groups. He networks with other students through a school film club, with plans to reach out to local small businesses for photography assignments.
Future plans include possibly attending Riverside Community College and going on to further studies in photography and media. He wants to mix film and photo together as he gets more adept in both areas.
He has been working on a documentary with social commentary, depicting how the lives of people in Southern California vary to a great degree. He especially enjoys portrait photography, showing the subjects personality.
Grimaldo sees his photos as an expression of his own interest in other peoples lives and in how they interpret happiness.
I want to see a lot of the U.S., if not the world, and to portray how people live, he said.
Everyone has a story, he said. And with each shot, I am capturing a moment that wont happen again.
Contact the writer: community@pressenterprise.com
The technology industrys data-privacy battle with the U.S. government started before the fight over a killers iPhone, and its going to last long after.
Microsoft Corp. sued the Justice Department Thursday to block authorities from taking customers e-mails and other data stored by Microsoft without ever having to let them know, an escalation of a two-year tussle with the government over privacy and cloud computing. On Friday, Apple Inc. is set to continue its fight to keep the government out of another iPhone this one seized from a drug dealer in a Brooklyn case, just weeks after the FBI dropped its effort to force Apple to help it break into one used by a terrorist who with his wife killed 14 people last year in San Bernardino, California.
While these high-profile legal cases have added momentum, the industrys push against government intrusion into their customers private information began at least two years ago, in the wake of Edward Snowdens disclosures about covert data collection that put them all on the defensive. Meanwhile, some U.S. lawmakers want to require companies to give investigators access to data even when its protected by encryption.
Its a debate that is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon as Microsoft and Apple argue the very future of mobile and cloud computing is at stake if customers cant trust that their data will remain private, while investigators seek digital tools to help them fight increasingly sophisticated criminals and terrorists savvy at using technology to communicate and hide their tracks.
The companies are trying to find a way forward in a world in which the law is not very good, said Greg Nojeim, senior counsel at the Center for Democracy & Technology. It doesnt provide in the digital world the same protections it provides in the physical world. Securing those protections is good for both their users and their bottom line.
In Brooklyn federal court on Friday, Apple is expected to make the case for preserving a favorable ruling from a magistrate judge who refused the governments request for an order forcing the company to extract data from a drug dealers phone. A decision on the matter could help establish who has the current law on their side in future courtroom battles over privacy and encryption.
Apples Response
The technology company is slated to file its response to the governments appeal of the magistrates ruling. The Justice Department said this month that it would move forward with that proceeding, even though it had dropped its demand for the company to help unlock the shooters phone in California, after an unidentified third party came forward with a method to hack it. FBI Director James Comey has said that method only works on limited categories of phones, and Apple has said that its continuing technology improvements are likely to make any tool the government has for unlocking phones short-lived.
While the companies dig in against the governments efforts, U.S. senators this week released draft legislation that would grant the courts greater power to demand companies let investigators access secure information. The proposal has been denounced by civil liberties advocates as a ban on encryption, which they argue is needed to protect data from the growing threat of hackers.
Microsofts lawsuit, which names the Justice Department and Attorney General Loretta Lynch as defendants, is the most aggressive step yet by Microsoft in its feud with the U.S. over customer privacy and its ability to disclose what its been asked to turn over to investigators issues that echo Apples fight to preserve the encryption built into its iPhones.
Speech, Seizure
The software maker called part of the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act unconstitutional, citing its own First Amendment free speech rights and its customers Fourth Amendment right to know if the government has searched or seized their property. The law essentially places the company under an unlimited gag order, according to the complaint in federal court in Seattle.
The road to the lawsuit started in December 2013. Roiled by disclosures by Snowden, a former NSA contractor, about U.S. government surveillance which implicated Microsoft and other technology companies for collaborating Microsoft issued a blog post pledging new privacy protections for customers. The company promised to expand the use of encryption and said it would go to court to protect customer data privacy.
Specifically, Microsoft said it would notify enterprise customers when the government requested their data and put up a legal fight against any gag orders that stood in the way. It also pledged to fight back when governments seek customer data stored in other countries that Microsoft doesnt think they have the right to see.
Those two steps have put the company on a collision course with the U.S. government, resulting in two public lawsuits the one filed Thursday and another awaiting an appeals court ruling on whether the U.S. government has the right to Microsoft customer data stored in Ireland.
Unfamiliar Role
It has also created a spectacle one isnt accustomed to seeing Microsoft and its President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith winning the admiration of privacy advocates and leading the charge of technology companies fighting back.
Bill Fitzpatrick, the district attorney in Onondaga County New York, endorsed legislation proposed in the Senate and questioned whether Microsoft and Apple truly understand what it takes to investigate a murder or prevent a terrorist attack Without the tools offered only through secrecy, the countrys law enforcement would fail to prevent another domestic, mass casualty attack, he said.
The government doesnt want to be in your phone, it wants to be in the phones of people plotting against our communities, he said. There needs to be that understanding and I dont think these corporations are anywhere close to that.
Microsoft, which vigorously supported Apple during its skirmish over the San Bernardino terrorists iPhone, said it expects broad support from other technology companies in its own efforts. Already, cloud-file sharing service Box Inc. spoke out in favor of Microsoft, a partner and rival.
Right Case
The concerns we are articulating are shared broadly in the tech sector, Microsofts Smith said. We felt that we had the right facts to bring the right case at the right time to address an issue that has been recurring and therefore needs to be resolved but I fully expect we will hear from a number of other tech companies.
Neither the proposed legislation nor the companies legal tactics are aimed at finding a compromise to benefit the American public, said DJ Rosenthal, a former White House counterterrorism and cybersecurity expert in the Obama administration.
These issues are both just further manifestation of the gulf that now exists between the two sides, he said in an interview. I dont think this issue can be resolved until they both stop fighting each other and sit down to find a solution that protects privacy and national security.
One by one, the names of scores of Riverside County residents who have died in violent crimes were read.
The victims were as young as an unborn child and as old as people in their 70s and 80s. The names were as familiar as Riverside police officers Ryan Bonaminio and Michael Crain, and as little-known as Andrew Fierro, whose mother attended the candlelight vigil Thursday night, April 14, in hopes of calling attention to his unsolved homicide.
Id like you to remember that each light is a symbol of a living, breathing human being who we lost, District Attorney Mike Hestrin told a gathering of about 300 people.
But the event outside the Historic Courthouse in downtown Riverside during National Crime Victims Rights Week was also about the victims loved ones, the survivors.
It is their stories that must be told, Hestrin said.
Fierro, 31, a Riverside native who graduated from Poly High, was shot to death in East Los Angeles in August 2014 as he sat in his car, waiting for his wife to come out of a house with his two children.
He was so innocent, said his mother, Michele Leal. He was a hard-working family man.
Leal, who attended with her daughters Crystal and Amber, said she appreciated Thursdays ceremony. You can show respect to other people who have gone through this. Only people who have gone through this can understand, she said.
Bernice Hobdy, grandmother of another person who attended Poly High, Lareanz Simmons, said that someone from the district attorneys office always walks her to court for hearings for the defendants charged with killing Lareanz, 14, in 2012. She fears running into the defendants friends.
I think (the DAs employees) take really good care of us, Hobdy said.
Jeanette Martinez attended on behalf of her son, Joe Christopher Chavez, who was shot to death in April 2015 in Banning. Like many of the survivors, Martinez wore a T-shirt emblazoned with a photo of the victim and his dates of birth and death.
Its hard to be here, Martinez said. But Im here to make a stand for my son.
Escondido police Capt. Michael J. Loarie spoke about the importance of the survivors. Loarie is one himself. Escondido police Officer Laura Perez, a Murrieta resident, in 2014 was killed by her husband, Freddy Perez Rodas. Rodas was sentenced in December to 46 years to life in prison after he shot Perez and set the house on fire. Her body was found in a storage unit in Moreno Valley.
We found ourselves reeling, Loarie said after repeating to the crowd the victim impact statement he had read in court.
He talked about the courage of survivors to place 911 calls and take a stand against violence. He said survivors push for change in laws and policies.
Survivors fight, because thats what survivors do, Loarie said. Survivors cope. We learn what it is like to be courageous from you. Out of your critical experience, you teach us to do a better job.
After the speakers finished, the attendees made their way to the district attorneys office, where they viewed a memorial quilt and a wall where the names of those who have died violent deaths are engraved in a wall.
For the first time, the event offered Spanish translation, as many of the mourners are Hispanic, DAs spokesman Joseph Agostini said.
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Contact the writer: brokos@pressenterprise.com or 951-368-9569
In a confusing twist to a familiar tale, ethereal pop artist Grimes has hit out at the media industry for propagating sexism in the music industry, after her story about experiencing sexism in the latter made masses of headlines in the former.
Grimes, who has a new album Art Angels to promote, gave a rare-ish interview to Rolling Stone, and was asked a bunch of questions spanning musical influences, working with Jay Z, tattoos and the inevitable sexism in the music industry one, something that shes spoken out about in the past.
She was asked to comment on Keshas highly publicised court case against Dr Luke, and while she refused on the (highly commendable) grounds that she doesnt know enough about the specifics [of a] complicated situation, she did offer her own experiences:
I dont know enough about the specifics of that situation, because it seems very complicated. But I will say that Ive been in numerous situations where male producers would literally be like, We wont finish the song unless you come back to my hotel room. If I was younger or in a more financially desperate situation, maybe I would have done that. I dont think there are few female producers because women arent interested. Its difficult for women to get in. Its a pretty hostile environment.
That in and of itself paints a grim as hell picture of the kind of bullshit hundreds, if not thousands, of younger and/or less successful artists than Grimes have to deal with on the regular. As could pretty much only be accepted, that one quote made headlines across dozens of media outlets.
However, Grimes is apparently not happy that this is what the media chose to republish. She took to Twitter hours later to clap back at the media industry for propagating sexism and painting her as the victim.
most annoying thing about my job: being asked about music industry sexism Grimes (@Grimezsz) April 14, 2016
media propagates sexism by portraying me as a victim rather than the successful producer that I am. Grimes (@Grimezsz) April 14, 2016
Source: Rolling Stone.
Image: Getty / Pierre Suu.
FILE - In this Monday, Feb 22, 2016, file photo, a Samsung Gear VR oculus is demonstrated during a preview of Samsung's flagship store, Samsung 837, in New York's Meatpacking District. VR is clearly a medium in its infancy and creators are still devising new storytelling techniques that can exploit the technologys power. But its impossible to deny the technologys underlying potential. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
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FILE - In this Aug. 25, 2015, file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, right, walks with his campaign manager Corey Lewandowski after speaking at a news conference in Dubuque, Iowa. A Florida prosecutor's office plans to hold a news conference Thursday, April 14, 2016, amid reports that presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign manager Lewandowski won't be prosecuted over a videotaped altercation with a female reporter. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
They enjoyed a romantic and royal double date, and now Prince William and Princess Kate are working up a sweat.
For their second day in the magical kingdom of Bhutan, the royal parents tackled a 5-hour hike in the Himalayas on Friday.
Kate was dressed for the occasion in chic Penelope Chilvers boots which she paired with a nubuck waistcoat from the Really Wild Company.
It took the royal couple about an hour to reach the half-way point at the Prayer Wheel and William look puffed but Kate was not perspiring!
As they stopped William quipped, Easy!
Putting his arm around Kate they posed for a brief photo call with the magnificent spiritual spot perched on a sheer cliff behind them on the mountainside.
So far, so good. Stunning, William proclaimed.
Director of the National Museum Khenpo Phuntshok Tashi then explained the significance of the spot, the centerpiece of which is the giant Prayer Wheel and a group of 22 smaller wheels.
Visitors taking on the pilgrimage to Buddhists most sacred spot in the country stop at the wheel to chant and say prayers, spinning each one as they do.
The climb (which can be made by very experienced hikers in less than one hour!) culminates with an arrival at Paro Taktsang, otherwise known as Tigers Nest one of the most breathtaking temples in the world and also the most spiritual place in the whole of Bhutan.
On the way up, the royal couple stopped to talk to three trekkers from California who were returning down from the mountain, Lauren McKennan, 29, from San Francisco, Chris Steele, 27, and Alex Willmore, 28, both from Oakland.
They were pretty altogether, McKennan told reporters. There wasnt a single trail of sweat. They stopped to talk to us for three to five minutes and were absolutely charming.
Willmore added, They asked us how long we had been here and talked about how lovely the weather was.
They said how rainy it had been when they were doing the archery and how glad they were doing the trek today.
We asked for a photograph they just laughed and wouldnt do it. But they were absolutely charming, very cool, very nice. They kept on saying how beautiful it was.
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Built in 1692, there is a cave inside the temple with special spiritual significance: 8th-century Buddhist deity Guru Rinpoche, who brought Buddhism to Bhutan, is said to have flown to the cave atop a tigress before fasting for 90 days to battle the demons that inhabited the valley. The cave itself is only opened once a year in a special ceremony.
The adventure follows a day in which the couple lit butterlamps with the Dragon King and Queen of Bhutan and Kate channeled her inner Katniss.
It is a magical place that The Duke and Duchess are thrilled to be visiting, their spokesman said previously, adding that the trek will allow them to get a real sense of the natural and spiritual beauty of the country.
It is very good for Kate and William come here, Sonam Penjor who works in the Bhutan information department, told reporters.
The United Kingdom and Bhutan already had a relationship before Prince Charles came here before in 1988, but he only make it to the cafeteria, the halfway point.
So he took some nice shots but he was not able to come to this point. Maybe the altitude affected him, he added. I think his son and daughter-in-law wanted to beat him!
They wanted to recapture his fathers memories but go further. And maybe later George and Charlotte will come to follow in their parents footsteps.
Petoskey soccer pulls in third straight D2 district championship
PETOSKEY The current group of Petoskey boys soccer players have been no strangers to winning at Northmen Stadium.
The British Medical Association has organised an emergency conference to address the crises of funding, staffing and morale facing the National Health Service.
Doctors will meet on May 3 to discuss mounting financial and workforce pressures that threaten to undermine doctors, patient safety and the NHS, the union said.
Further explaining the move, BMA council chair Mark Porter said doctors from across the UK have called on the BMA to hold a meeting in response to the crisis in funding and capacity in healthcare, and the effect these have on both patient safety and doctors ability to help patients.
It is time to hear from doctors about the evidence-based solutions needed to protect high-quality patient care, Porter noted, adding: This will be an opportunity for doctors to highlight their concerns and outline the necessary solutions.
The NHS is facing huge pressure as it grapples with surging demand, a lack of funds and growing dissent amongst its workforce.
The latest monthly data from NHS England show that key performance targets - such as A&E wait times - continue to be missed while, on the financial side, it is feared that trusts could be booking an eye-watering overspend of some 2.5 billion by year end.
Gap between demand and capacity
On the primary care side, there is a significant and growing gap between demand and capacity in general practice, and the Association is calling for multi-faceted action - such as an increase in funding, reducing workload, reducing the regulatory burdens and expanding the workforce - to help alleviate the problems.
Elsewhere, the BMA is currently locked in a battle with the government over its imposition of the junior doctors contract, gearing up for another round of strikes that would see the removal of junior doctors emergency care cover for the first time in the history of the NHS.
In the next round of planned action, junior doctors will embark on a full withdrawal of services between 8am and 5pm on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 April.
According to BMA junior doctors committee chair Johann Malawana, by rejecting a return to the negotiating table ministers are wholly responsible for any future industrial action. It is not too late to avoid further action and end this dispute through talks, he said.
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Utah sandstone rock climbing possibly at risk
15.04.2016 by by Planetmountain
Climbing in areas such as Indian Creek, Castle Valley, Fisher Towers, San Rafael Swell, Valley of the Gods, Texas and Arch Canyons, Lockhart Basin and Comb Ridge may be at risk. The American Access Fund is appealing to climbers to help protect these areas.
Southeastern Utah is one of the most famous climbing destinations in the USA, offering worldclass crack climbing at Indian Creek, adventurous outings up the stunning sandstone towers of Valley of the Gods and much more. At present though, lawmakers are considering two initiatives that may significantly impact access to the unique sandstone cliffs and remote desert towers and consequently the American Access Fund is appealing to climbers for help.
Areas that may be affected include Indian Creek, Castle Valley, Fisher Towers, San Rafael Swell, Valley of the Gods, Texas and Arch Canyons, Lockhart Basin, Comb Ridge, as well as areas yet to be discovered. To find out more about what is at stake, and what precisely the The Public Lands Initiative and Bears Ears National Monument proposals are, visit www.accessfund.org
Federal officials are investigating a non-fatal shooting involving police instructors that took place at a training range at the U.S. Army Reserve installation at Fort Devens in Massachusetts on Wednesday.
An instructor from the Randolph municipal police training academy was shot at 10:05 a.m. during training, U.S. Army spokesman John Harlow told the Lowell Sun.
The shooting was non-fatal and involved police instructors, according to state police spokesman Dave Procopio.
Federal authorities will lead the investigation because the range is a federal Department of Defense facility, he said. State police detectives from the Worcester County District Attorney's office will assist.
VIDEO: Idaho Deputy Stops Motorist, Prays for Cancer Victim Instead of Giving Ticket
A Kootenai County (ID) Sheriffs deputy is being praised for a small act of kindness.
Deputy Matthew Brakeman pulled over a woman in Hayden who was speeding a couple weeks ago, but instead of giving her a ticket he offered up something else. Brakeman said the woman was going about 10 miles over the speed limit.
"Driver was not happy to be stopped. So I spoke to her for a moment," said Brakeman.
When he started talking to the driver he could tell something was different. In the passenger's seat was the driver's mother.
"I asked where they were headed. And she said to the oncologist. She then started to become a little bit emotional," Brakeman told KREM TV.
He learned the driver's mother had been battling cancer. They were on their way to another painful trip to the doctor's office. Brakeman went back to his patrol car.
"And then walked back up to the passenger side and asked her mother if she would accept a prayer. And she said, 'Absolutely.' So then we prayed and told them to have a good day and went back to my car," Brakeman explained.
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The CNN Debate has been a delight for Democrats. Here are five reasons to be glad that you are watching the CNN Democratic debate.
1). Both Clinton And Sanders Were Ready
CNN wasted no time in bringing up the recent controversies on the campaign trail. Bernie Sanders was asked if Hillary Clinton was qualified, and he said yes, but pivoted to making the question about Clintons judgement. Anyone who has listened to Bernie Sanders since his campaign launched heard the same talking points repeated. Clinton takes super PAC money, Clinton voted for the Iraq war, and Clinton is too friendly with Wall Street.
Hillary Clinton shot back by defending her own record and playing the Obama card, and pointing out to the mixed reaction of the crowd that under the Sanders threshold President Obama wouldnt be qualified to be president. Clinton brought up Sanders struggles on foreign policy and went to the New York Daily News interview.
2). Sanders Couldnt Provide a Specific Instance Where Clinton Made A Decision That Was Influenced By Wall Street
Sanders was asked by Dana Bash to name a specific decision that Clinton made as Senator that favored banks. Sanders said that Clinton should have supported his view on breaking up the big banks, and talked about her speeches to the big banks. He said, The proper response in my view is that we should break them up. Clinton replied, Well as you can tell, Dana, he cant come with any example, because there is no example. This was not a good moment for Sen. Sanders, but the script soon flipped.
3). Hillary Clinton Dodges A Question About Releasing The Transcripts of Her Speeches To Wall Street
Clinton was asked by Bash just to release the transcripts. The Democratic frontrunner replied with a dodge and discussed the problems that caused the Great Recession and the mortgage companies. Bash interrupted and asked again about the transcripts of the speeches to Goldman Sachs. Clinton repeated her stance that she will release the speeches after every candidate releases their speech transcripts including Trump and Sanders. Bash said that the question wasnt about the Republicans. Clinton stonewalled and made it clear that she wont release the paid speech transcripts unless everyone does it.
4). Hillary Clinton Says She Will Sign A $15 Minimum Wage Bill As President
Hillary Clinton made a bit of news when she said that she will use the New York model to phase in a $15/hour minimum wage. Things got heated when Sanders said that viewers would be surprised to see that Clinton now supports a $15/hour minimum wage. All heck broke loose as both candidates started talking over each other.
The Sander supporters in the crowd grumbled when she said that she has always supported the Fight For 15. Sanders said that he doesnt know how Clinton supports the Fight for 15 when she supports a $12 minimum wage. The facts though say that Clinton was correct. According to The Washington Post, Clinton endorsed the Fight For 15 in June of 2015. The reality is that if the American people want to see a $15 minimum wage, they need to vote for the Democratic nominee in November. The dispute between Clinton and Sanders boils down to whether or not the minimum wage is immediately raised to $15/hour or it is phased in.
5). Both Hillary Clinton And Bernie Sanders Are Sizzling
The debate hasnt been ugly, personal, or nasty, but neither candidate has backed off on highlighting their differences on the issues. The Democratic debate has been tense, and on a few occasions things got a bit heated, but in contrast to the Republican primary, the Democratic candidates dont look or sound deeply divided.
The CNN debate has been great on talking about the issues that matter most to ordinary Americans. Wall Street reform, raising the minimum wage to a living wage, and criminal justice reform have all been discussed. The Democratic Party is clearly the party that is most interested in the middle-class and creating more jobs.
Clinton and Sanders are delivering an outstanding debate that is full of discussion about the issues that matter most.
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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has joined with the DNC and the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign in a lawsuit against the voter suppression tactics of Arizona Republicans.
In a statement, Sanders said, The handling of the primary election in Arizona was a disgrace. People should not have to wait in line for five hours to vote. How many people were turned away? What happened in Arizona is part of a pattern of voter disenfranchisement by Republicans.
The entire Democratic Party has come together to sue Arizona Republican election officials for their voter suppression tactics.
The federal lawsuit was described as, The Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee are filing a joint lawsuit in the United States District Court of Arizona on Friday on behalf of voters affected by voting irregularities resulting from the actions of state officials. The suit is a response to decisions that caused extremely long lines and needlessly disenfranchised voters, especially minority voters, during the states March 22nd presidential primary election, and includes affected voters, Former Chairman and First President of the Navajo Nation Peterson Zah, the Arizona Democratic Party, and the Ann Kirkpatrick for Senate campaign as plaintiffs.
The message being sent is clear. Democrats are not going to allow Republicans to disenfranchise millions of voters in an attempt to rig the electorate in their favor. It has now become a tradition that every four years, Republicans will try to make sure that as many voters as possible cant cast their ballots.
Voter suppression is a key component of the Republican plan to undermine American elections. Bernie Sanders got it right. The practice is disgraceful. Voter suppression tactics are undemocratic and go against the core principles that our nation was founded on. The unity on the voter suppression lawsuit is also letting the world know that come November the Democratic Party will be united and strong.
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* The following is an opinion column by R Muse *
Maybe it is a revelation to some Americans, but unlike in America where religious leaders attempt run the government like politicians, the Pope of the Holy Roman Catholic Church is not a politician. He is fundamentally the highest ranking priest in the Catholic Church whose focus is the Christian religion and Catholic dogmata. With the job of ministering to over 1.2 billion adherents worldwide, and overseeing thousands of clergymen, the last thing Pope Francis has on his mind is American politics; until last week.
By now it is week-old news that Senator Bernie Sanders was invited by the Vatican to have a conversation with the Pope; at least that is what Senator Sanders said on MSNBC and confirmed on The View. However, according to Father Federico Lombardi, Senator Sanders was not invited by the pope, but by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (PASS); PASS is a school, not the Church.
At this point, it is apparent that not only did the invitation not come from Pope Francis, or the Secretariat of State or any Vatican authority that invites heads of state or accepts outsiders request for a Papal audience; Senator Sanders will not meet the Pope. The so-called Vatican invite was from the chancellor of PASS, Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo. What Vatican officials and political observers are not entirely clear about is exactly who in the Sanders campaign pushed Bishop Sorondo for the invitation to speak at the schools conference.
Insiders are suspicious that a Sanders consultant, Jeffrey Sachs, and Michael Shank, a communications consultant who has worked with Sachs were behind pushing for Sanders to be invited to speak for 10 minutes at the school conference; not the Vatican and not with the Pope. Both Sachs and Shank have done work for the Vatican in the past and it informs how they were able to press for what they labeled an official Vatican invitation. Politico even quoted Mr. Shank as admitting he occasionally handles press relations for the Vatican. Shank still claims the invitation was an official Vatican one; apparently everybody is lying at the Vatican.
The President of PASS, Margaret Archer, was beside herself and said that for Senator Sanders to ask for an invitation to a school conference without going through her was a monumental discourtesy. Even though her signature was nowhere to be seen on the official invitation to speak at the school; Bishop Sorondo said President Archer was lying and that she concurred with his decision to invite a presidential candidate.
According to a theologian, Catholicism scholar, and Vatican expert Massimo Faggioli, it is noteworthy that this latest episode developed while there is a transition at the office of the apostolic nuncio (diplomat) to the United States. The transition from Carlo Vigano, who the Pope forced to retire over the Kim Davis ambush, to French immigration advocate, Christophe Pierre is still ongoing.
Mr. Vigano was in Rome when the invitation to the Vatican news broke and Vatican watchers are flummoxed that not one U.S. bishop, no-one at the office of the apostolic nuncio and no-one at the Vaticans Secretariat of State was aware of, or in communication about, the unprecedented invitation from the Holy Father leading them to conclude the official Vatican invitation was not an official anything.
As was announced yesterday by Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, the Holy Father will not be meeting with the candidate, Bernie Sanders. Mr. Faggioli said this Sanders invitation episode is reminiscent of the Kim Davis episode during Pope Francis visit to the United States in September. Apparently this Pope is a quick study and was not getting caught flat-footed again by American politicians.
Another Vatican expert, publisher and editor of Inside the Vatican magazine, Robert Moynihan, said that indeed, Michael Shank had been in Rome to speak at the same school Senator Sanders is scheduled to speak at a couple of weeks before the invitation was announced. Moynihan related that Shank was quite transparent about his antipathy toward Hillary Clinton and his lack of respect for Obamas presidency; details not surprising to Americans aware of the growing animus towards Democrats.
Mr. Moynihan recounted phoning the school to get details from Bishop Sorondo himself about the Sanders invitation from the Pope after the big announcement last weekend. He did not get to talk to the Bishop alleged to issue the invitation; instead he was connected directly with Michael Shank the communications director who likely helped push for an invitation to the school he still claims is the Vatican.
Perhaps because a former Fox News character from America is running the Popes public relations, first conservatives and now a Democrats campaign misread the Pontiffs intentions regarding American politics. It is true that Pope Francis has changed the style of the papal office in talking about social and economic justice issues and not just scripture and verse, but he has not been very happy about being dragged into, or ambushed by, American politics.
Apparently, a few people associated with the Vatican, and some American publicity seekers, labor under the delusion that they can push or use the Pontiff to further their particular agenda. The more one investigates and learns about this particular debacle, the more it appears to be a repeat of the Kim Davis secret meeting with Pope at the Holy Fathers request.
According to Mr. Faggioli, the alleged invitation broke an unwritten rule of wise diplomacy; do not interfere with an electoral campaign and do not risk disappointing or antagonizing the eventual winner. He also said it violated a pattern typical of Francis relationship with politics in general and politicians in particular; he insists on keeping a healthy distance.
As a Pope, he does interact with politicians as world leaders such as presidents, prime ministers, and chancellors, but he does not invite a candidate for a chat in the middle of a campaign. Vatican insiders are discovering that this Pope does not like at all to be pushed and he does not like being used as a political tool.
One wants to believe that Senator Sanders had no hand in inviting himself to speak at the school, PASS, and that it was the work of his campaign acolytes behind his back. If that is the case, then the Senator has to get some honest staffers to run his campaign and a press officer to verify every last statement he makes is going to be true; especially on national television. This is the second time the Senator made statements without vetting their veracity; first claiming Hillary Clinton said he was unqualified when she did not, and now that the Vatican invited him to come and speak with the Pope.
Political campaigns can be dirty affairs, but they should not involve a religious leader; much less one of the Popes stature. Particularly when the Vatican was just releasing the Amoris Laetitia and the Pope is meeting with refugees and the Patriarch of Constantinople in Greece on Saturday. The last thing the Pontiff needs is distraction that this episode delivered.
As Mr. Faggioli stated, The parties involved have underestimated the sensitiveness of relations between the Holy See and the United States. And, with the papacy of Francis at a particularly delicate moment, the episode certainly does not make things easier for Pope Francis. Mr. Faggioli must understand that these are American politicians and activists; making things easier for the Pope is like expecting them to make things easier for a tool, which looks more and more like all the Vatican invitation and Pope was intended to be.
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Earlier, I wrote about how Bill OReilly and his guest, political pundit Bernie Goldberg, argued away Donald Trumps racism. But that was not the only surprising event on Thursdays OReilly Factor. As much of a surprise was OReillys startling pronouncement that,
Among women, 24 percent favorable among the ladies, 75 percent unfavorable. So thats hold firm, but now that Trump is friends with Megyn Kelly again, this has gotta go way down, right?
Yes, it was reported by Kelly Wednesday on The Kelly File, that she met with Donald Trump at Trump Tower for an hour as a chance to clear the air. A meeting requested not by Trump of course, but by Kelly.
Watch Kellys account courtesy of Fox News Insider:
In Trumps version, as told to Sean Hannity amid boos directed at Kelly, she was very very nice, and, Maybe it was time or maybe she felt it was time. And by the way, I give her a lot of credit for doing what she did. (entire interview here, Trump on Kelly at 30 minute mark)
How magnanimous.
Of course, despite Trumps revelation at the CNN town hall Tuesday, that his family wants him to behave in a more presidential manner, it wasnt Trump who reached out to Kelly after directing every slur imaginable at her simply because she asked him questions.
And yes, Trump told Hannity that its all false that hes racist and sexist.
Now OReilly laughed as he spoke, and it is always possible he was sharing an amused reaction to the GOPs catastrohpic demographics where just about everybody but Fox News White Christian Americans are concerned. If it was not that, then we are apparently at a point where Fox News biased female lead, Megyn Kelly, is the barometer for all women in the United States.
If she likes Trump, all women will like Trump, and if Trump likes her, apparently Trump likes all women. Its remarkable. A joke would be apropos. Because Donald Trump. Because GOP. Because Fox News.
Goldberg called this an unfavorable thats off the charts and admitted this cant end well for the Republican Party if the numbers hold. And there is no reason to suppose they wont given Trumps refusal to moderate his tone. Time will tell.
The problem for the Trump campaign is that not only is Kelly not the barometer for all American women (far from it in fact), but it is too late to repair the damage already done.
Even if the Republican establishment rallied behind Trump at this point, these demographic problems not to mention Sarah Palin will remain.
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Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), who inherited his Speakership and made grand promises of his leadership returning the House to regular order, has fallen flat on his face as the House was unable to pass a budget by the April 15th deadline, as mandated by law.
The budget Republican leadership was trying to pass made cuts to to mandatory spending, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and SNAP. Not good enough.
While Democrats have done all they could to assist former Speaker Boehner (R-OH) and now Speaker Ryan when their own party refused to work, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) wont be rushing to assist Ryan pass his Road to Ruin budget. So he is left with his own party, with the same folks who caused the government shutdown in 2013 now trolling Ryans 2017 budget.
Nancy Pelosi was not impressed, but not just because Republicans missed the deadline (both parties have done this and both parties have failed to pass budgets), but because of why they missed the deadline. Pelosi said in a statement, (T)he Republican Leadership proposed the most devastating Ryan Road to Ruin budget in history, and even that wasnt brutal enough for the radical forces that have taken control of the House GOP.
Why is Pelosi being so harsh? This budget that would have ended the Medicare guarantee and demanded $6.5 trillion in cuts was too mild for House Republicans. This is the cruel reality of the Republican Congress today: a Ryan Budget that severe, that destructive to working families doesnt go far enough to pass in the Republican majority.
This is the same budgetary drama the Republican-led House of Representatives has been struggling with in recent years. They cant get anything done because even when they are super cruel to the vulnerable with their budgets, the radical right objects because its not brutal enough.
Paul Ryan brought the lofty promises of the naive, but when it came time to deliver, all he had on his plate was empty promises, chaos, and inexcusable dysfunction.
All is not lost for the nation because John Boehner did a solid on his way out of dodge by negotiating a two-year fiscal deal, however Republicans wont be able to do anything about the dozen annual appropriations bills aka, regular order. Thats a no to regular order.
Paul Ryan said he could do what John Boehner could not, and yet he is relying on an accomplishment of Boehner to save his political hide. Republicans mocked Democrats when they couldnt pass a budget, and ran a No Budget, No Pay campaign against them. Any takers on that now, after years of Republican-led failure?
Speaker Ryan is the guy Republicans want to run as their 2016 presidential candidate. The Republican attraction to failure boggles the mind.
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In DC to promote the anti-science propaganda film Climate Hustle, Sarah Palin railed against the Republican establishment, vowing that voters would rise up in opposition if Donald Trump or Ted Cruz are not nominated at the Republican convention. Its a revolution!
Speaking to the Associated Press in an interview, the former half-term Alaska Governor and Republican Vice Presidential candidate promised a revolt unless Trump or Cruz got the nod and added, How dare they?
Palin denounced arrogant political operatives who underestimate the wisdom of the people.
Sarah Palin called some Republican party leaders snakes, telling the AP, There are some snakes in there. Ive had to deal with the political machinery my whole career.
Palin suggested that party leaders wont invite her to Cleveland because they are afraid of what she would say, so she might have to invite herself to the party.
Palin is probably right about party leaders not wanting her in Cleveland, but they arent afraid shes going to lead a revolution. Party leaders are embarrassed by Palin and would prefer to distance themselves from the reminder that they presented this person as ready to be President.
This reminder will be especially painful for Republicans as they seek to shut down this seasons Sarah Palin, the twin GOP down ticket disasters of Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.
Never in modern American politics has a political party contained such a group of unlikable characters all under one roof.
Way back in 2011, Gallup found that Sarah Palin was the most hated politician in America, Palin is so unpopular that Donald Trump is more popular than she is. Trump had an approval rating nearly ten percent higher than Palins (37%-28%). Trumps unfavorable rating was 17 points better than Palins (43%-60%). The only person with a lower favorability rating than Sarah Palin was Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who had a 22% favorable rating, but 50% of Americans didnt know who he was.
Five years ago, Donald Trump had a 60% unfavorable rating. Today, Trumps unfavorable rating is 69%. Ted Cruz has a 60% unfavorable rating. Sarah Palin is set to lead a rebellion unless the Republican Party gives their presidential nomination to one of the two candidates who is as despised as she is.
Just in case anybody thought that there was any hope for the GOP, Sarah Palin has arrived on the scene to ring those bells and fire those guns in an attempt to remind the American people of exactly why they cant stand the Republican Party.
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WINONA The Winona County Board of Commissioners plans to take a look at a frac sand mining ban in the near future.
During Tuesday's meeting, the board was once again met with residents lined up to speak during the public comments period, each asking the board to consider a ban on frac sand mining.
"We've had this over the last several months," said Commissioner Marcia Ward, who represents the mostly rural southeastern half of Winona County. "The group that supports a ban has been organized to show up and make that plea."
Ward said that there is currently no mining in Winona County for sand to be used in hydraulic fracturing, the process of extracting oil from shale rock. That said, silica sand, which is the same sand used in fracking, is mined at the Nisbit Mine for other industrial and agricultural purposes.
"It's the same sand," she said.
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That does not mean a ban on mining silica sand for fracking would not be welcome or necessary, said Johanna Rupprecht, policy organizer for the Land Stewardship Project in Lewiston. "It's the end use that determines the activity that's done," she said.
Rupprecht said that when silica sand is mined for fracking, everything is on a much larger scale.
"There's a much higher scale of mining, there's much higher processing, much higher transportation," she said. Winona County has already made the distinction that mining for fracking is different. The conditional-use permit granted to the Nisbit Mine establishes road use fees if the silica sand is transported for sale to mining interests. "It's the scale of the activity."
The LSP has gone as far as preparing a 50-page study on creating a ban that would stand up to legal challenges. The fracking industry has spread misinformation on the legality of a ban, Rupprecht said. "The law in Minnesota just doesn't support this idea that a ban won't work," she said. As long as the county board documents their justification for a ban the industry is hard to regulate, and compliance to conditional-use permits can be difficult and costly to enforce then a ban would certainly stand.
Part of the problem with compliance is that the location of the mine can create loopholes, said Joe Morse, a member of the LSP's Winona County Organizing Committee. The Biesanz Quarry previously mined silica sand for fracking, but because the mine is located in the city of Winona, it was not subject to the road taxes that the Nisbit Mine would face.
Rupprecht said the ban LSP is working on would also not affect operations at the Biesanz mine.
Keith Nelson, director of public works for the city of Winona, said that while the mining permit at Biesanz currently does allow the mining of silica sand for fracking, Biesanz is not mining or selling silica sand to fracking interests.
Morse, who has shown up to voice his concern during the public comment periods, said he would like a ban for many reasons, including the need to preserve the beauty of the river bluffs.
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"I have shown up there, and I've talked with other folks about showing up there," he said of the county board meetings. "They feel strongly about a ban. Most people I talk to do."
Ward said the next step for the board is to discuss a ban. Then the majority of the board would need to vote to change the zoning ordinance and, possibly, the comprehensive land-use plan. "It'd go to the Planning Commission, then we would probably hold a public hearing. The Planning Commission would need to make a recommendation to the board, there might be another public hearing, and the county board would make a decision."
In other words, Ward said, the decision to talk about a ban is the first step among many.
"It's a very important first step," Rupprecht said. "But it's only a first step."
Fast and Furious is back in the news. The reason? In January, Judge Amy Berman, an Obama appointee, ordered the Department of Justice to produce documents relating to the gun walking scandal that Congress had been seeking for four years. DOJ finally produced them, some 20,000 pages worth, this month.
For anyone who, thanks to the Obama administrations years of stonewalling, has forgotten about Fast and Furious, heres the short version. In 2010, a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agent was killed while on patrol near the Mexican border. The only two firearms found at the scene were semi-automatic rifles the Obama-Holder Justice Department allowed to walk as part of Fast and Furious, a firearms trafficking operation. That operation allowed approximately 2,000 firearms to flow illegally into the hands of Mexican cartel associates.
When the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform tried to investigate the scandal, Team Obama stonewalled. First, it denied that law enforcement officers allowed straw purchasers to buy firearms illegally in the United States with the intent to traffic them without apprehension. Almost a year later, it finally admitted that this is precisely what had happened.
Second, when the Committee subpoenaed relevant documents, Eric Holders DOJ refused to produce them, citing executive privilege. The House voted to hold Holder in contempt and filed suit to obtain the documents. Three and half years later, Judge Jackson ordered production of the 20,000 pages mentioned above.
Having reviewed these documents, Jason Chaffetz, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, has released a memo summarizing what they show. Chaffetz states:
More than previously understood, the documents show the lengths to which senior Department officials went to keep information from Congress. Further, the documents reveal how senior Justice Department officialsincluding Attorney General Eric Holderintensely followed and managed an effort to carefully limit and obstruct the information produced to Congress.
(Emphasis added)
Holder and his subordinates:
1. Presumed that allegations about gunwalking in Arizona were false and refused to adjust when documents and evidence showed otherwise. 2. Politicized decisions about how and whether to comply with the congressional investigation. 3. Devised strategies to redact or otherwise withhold relevant information from Congress and the public. 4. Isolated the fallout from the Fast and Furious scandal to ATF leadership and the U.S. Attorneys Office in Arizona. 5. Created a culture of animosity towards congressional oversight.
Chaffetzs memo goes on to substantiate each of these accusations, citing specific emails.
In cases like this, people often say that the cover-up is worse than the crime. I dont think this applies to Fast and Furious because the Obama-Holder Justice Departments original malfeasance resulted in death.
More broadly, this case illustrates that, whatever the extent of their moral shortcomings, cover-ups probably succeed more often then they fail. Here, Eric Holder largely succeeded in thwarting the Fast and Furious investigation. Four years later, Barack Obama is completing his second term. Sleazy Eric Holder is back at his top tier law firm that reportedly has represented large banks he declined to prosecute for their alleged role in the financial crisis.
And Fast and Furious is all but forgotten.
The Cambridge University Press (CUP), the oldest publishing house in the world, has set up an office in Nigeria.
The CUP publishes academic titles for pre-university students in more than 50 countries including emerging markets such as Malaysia, India, China, Kenya and South Africa.
With an estimated 10 million Nigerian children unable to attend school, education reform in Nigeria remains a key priority for social and economic development.
Over the last 20 years, the number of schools has almost doubled, and the number of universities more than tripled from 42 in 1990 to 141 in 2015. But good quality teaching resources are still difficult to access.
The Cambridge University Press is working closely with Nigerian authorities and leading education professionals to improve this situation. The CUP will be offering its expertise by partnering with local authors and curriculum experts to develop a bespoke series of high quality education materials for the Nigerian market based on the approved Nigerian curricula.
While a World Bank study found that quality textbooks are the most constant factor in school success rate, ahead of teaching training, inappropriate and/or low quality textbooks are widely in use in Nigerian schools. Social media is replete with parents outrage at such textbooks; one aimed at primary school pupils contains the phrase head is used for carrying loads.
Another that was published for junior secondary school students has a character questioning why men from their tribe should be taking our girls. Such poor quality, inappropriate textbooks are the norm in many classrooms all over the nation.
The Cambridge University Press is launching with an event for the education sector, comprising primary and secondary schools and education officials at the State and Federal Government levels at the Oriental Hotel in Lekki Lagos on May 4 2016.
Oby Ezekwesilli, former Minister of Education and former Vice President of the African Division of the World Bank will be the Guest Speaker at the event while Professor Ismail Junaidu, the Executive Secretary Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, will be the Guest of Honour.
Mrs. Ezekwesilli will speak about the challenges of providing quality education for all Nigerian children and how attaining the goal will promote social cohesion and economic development. As a demonstration of the importance of the Nigerian market, the launch event will also be attended by Cambridge University Press CEO, Peter Phillips and Colleen McCallum, Managing Director, Cambridge University Press.
The CUP will produce English language and science (physics, chemistry, biology) books (based on the Nigerian curriculum) at very competitive costs for the Nigerian school system.
With over 450 years of experience in publishing, Cambridge University Press are well placed to provide opportunities for Nigerian students to access the best teaching resources which is key to improving the level of attainment across the whole education spectrum, from primary to higher levels.
Rod Smith, Managing Director for Education at Cambridge University Press, said, Cambridge has decades of experience supporting Ministries of Education all over the world with training and quality control for the development of their own learning and assessment materials which is why we are so confident that through working collaboratively with ministers, educators, teachers and students alike, we can make a positive impact.
Cambridge University Press are the market leaders in producing material for Cambridge International Exams and have been supplying these books in Nigeria for many years. The entry of the CUP into the Nigerian market means its teaching and learning materials will be produced locally and will become widely available in Nigeria at affordable costs. Covering the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Councils (NERDC) curriculum, the Cambridge resources will be accessible and affordable to all learners at all levels from Primary 1 Senior Secondary 3 across a range of subjects.
Rod Smith, continued, The aim of this programme is to give every learner in Nigeria the opportunity to share in and benefit from the gold-standard tradition and contemporary relevance of the University of Cambridge.
Lawrence Aladesuyi, the Nigeria Country Manager of Cambridge University Press corroborated, saying CUP books have been priced competitively to bring them within the reach of every class of schools and students from a wide variety of socio-economic backgrounds.
Cambridge University Press has registered a Nigerian company and opened an office in Ikeja in Lagos to support this programme. Aladesuyi Adebanji Lawrence, a former Executive Secretary for the Nigerian Publishers Association was appointed as Country Manager to ensure that CUPs offering in Nigeria is targeted and delivered to the highest possible standards. Mr. Aladesuyi is highly regarded in the Nigerian Publishing industry, having worked in senior management positions for a number of publishers. A sales force and office staff are in place.
The first set of Cambridge Press books will be available in early May 2016. The launch event featuring delegates from Cambridge University, top officials from NERDC and some of the leading Nigerian educationists will take place to coincide with the launch of the materials.
Cambridge University Press is part of the University of Cambridge. It furthers the Universitys mission by disseminating knowledge in the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence.
Its extensive peer-reviewed publishing lists comprises 50,000 titles covering academic research, professional development, over 350 research journals, school-level education, English language teaching and bible publishing.
Playing a leading role in todays international market place, Cambridge University Press has more than 50 offices around the globe, and it distributes its products to nearly every country in the world.
The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, said on Friday that her government has given the go ahead for a formal criminal investigation against a comedian who insulted Turkish President Recep Erdogan.
In a state of law, it is not for the government, but for prosecutors and the courts to determine the balance between personal and other rights and freedom of speech and artistic expression, Merkel said.
Talk show host Jan Boehmermann will now be subjected to formal criminal proceedings for reciting a crude poem on German television in which he accused Erdogan of watching child pornography and performing sex acts with animals.
In contrast to a defamation complaint filed independently by Mr. Erdogan, the criminal probe which is based on the potential violation of a law against insulting foreign heads of state required authorisation by the German government.
Ms. Merkel announced that her government would put forward a proposal to scrap the law, referring to it as expendable.
It was unclear how long this process would take and what implications it would have for the criminal case against Boehmermann, she said.
Though many Germans find the comedians poem tasteless and Merkel herself has called it purposefully offensive, the case has unleashed a fierce debate about the limits of free speech in Germany.
I think the decision is wrong.
Prosecution of satire because of a lese-majeste law doesnt fit with modern democracy, Thomas Oppermann, head of the Social Democrats parliamentary group, said on Twitter.
The case has also raised questions about the European Unions deal to return migrants from Greece to Turkey, which critics say has made European leaders beholden to Mr. Erdogan in their desperate bid to end the refugee crisis.
Merkel knuckles under the Turkish despot Erdogan and sacrifices freedom of the press in Germany, said Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of left-wing opposition party Die Linke.
The ZDF, the public broadcaster that decided to show Boehmermanns recital of the poem, criticised Ms. Merkels thumbs-up for criminal proceedings as a political decision, he said.
The broadcaster has withdrawn the video from its archives, but maintains it did not break the law.
Ms. Merkels government spent several days mulling the Turkish request, and the chancellor acknowledged during her announcement that there had been internal divisions.
Several members of Ms. Merkels CDU backed the decision, with Peter Tauber, General Secretary of the party, saying the German government takes the rule of law seriously, even if it sometimes hurts, the statement said.
(dpa/NAN)
Leaders from more than 50 Muslim nations accused Iran on Friday of supporting terrorism and interfering in the internal affairs of regional states including Syria and Yemen.
The leaders, including Irans President Hassan Rouhani, have been attending a summit in Istanbul this week of the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to discuss a range of issues such as the humanitarian fall-out from Syrias civil war.
The Conference deplored Irans interference in the internal affairs of the States of the region and other Member States including Bahrain, Yemen, Syria, and Somalia, and its continued support for terrorism, the OIC said in its final summit communique.
It also stressed the need for cooperative relations between Iran and other Muslim countries, including refraining from the use or threat of force.
Both Turkey, which has assumed the three-year rotating presidency of the OIC, and Saudi Arabia are part of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State militants in Syria and are also opponents of President Bashar al-Assad, a stance that has put them at odds with Iran, an ally of the Syrian leader.
Shiite Iran is also allied with the Houthi movement in Yemen, which has been battling forces loyal to Yemens Saudi-backed president in a conflict that has killed more than 6,000 people since March 2015.
The final communique came a day after Irans President Rouhani urged summit delegates to avoid sending out divisive messages.
No message which would fuel division in the Islamic community should come out of the conference, said Mr. Rouhani, according to Iranian state television.
(Reuters)
In October last year, an American researcher and biodiversity conservationist, Lucy Diagne, hurriedly flew from her base in Senegal into Akwa Ibom state, in South-South Nigeria.
Mrs. Diagnes trip was part of an emergency global effort to save a baby manatee rescued from local fishermen who wanted to enrich their soup-pots with the poor little animal.
Edem Eniang, the man who led other Nigerian conservationists to buy it off their hands, understood how priceless it was to save the manatee calf.
The marine mammal is among the worlds endangered species.
Besides, the African manatee is the one species that we know the least about, says Manatee-world.com, a website devoted to the animal.
In fact, even getting photos of them is hard. You wont find too many of them compiled even from those researchers that are quite fascinated with the African Manatee.
Mr. Eniang said the baby manatee was standing in a little well, (and) couldnt move its body, and was dehydrated when he found it where it was kept in captivity.
Mr. Eniang, a senior lecturer at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, who specialises in Wildlife Resources Management, wasnt this lucky in 2013.
Before he could get to the scene where a giant manatee was caught in the Calabar-Itu River, the animal had died from wound sustained from the harpoon, a spear-like device, used in hunting it.
He was somehow able to take some scientific records of the manatee, said to have been about 3.9 metres long and weighed over 500 kg, almost the weight of two local cows.
The poor animal was later butchered, and sold in bits to locals who had a great day feasting on it.
The rescued calf, which attracted Mrs. Diagne to Akwa Ibom was just about one month old. Mrs Eniang named it AkwaCross the acronym for the neigbouring states of Akwa Ibom and Cross River because it was caught in the Calabar-Itu River which divides the two states.
Immediately Mrs Diagne got information from Mr. Eniang about AkwaCross, she thought the calf wouldnt survive except it was kept inside a special facility that could sustain it. But such specially-built facility wasnt available in Akwa Ibom or anywhere else in Nigeria.
The calf couldnt also be released back into the river, according to Mr. Eniang, because there were so many (fishing) nets and manatee traps, and the mother couldnt be found.
Fisheries by-catch is one of the biggest threats to manatee population, globally, a great number of fishermen around the world unintentionally harvest manatees trapped in their fishing nets.
And so the African Aquatic Conservation Fund, in which Mrs Diagne is the Executive Director, with headquarters in the United States, stepped in, and began the search for a comfortable home for AkwaCross.
Luckily, two aquariums one in South Africa, and another in Puerto Rico showed interest.
The AACF, according to the information it posted on its Facebook page, began talking with the Nigerian authorities on how to move the manatee out of the country.
Meanwhile, at Mr. Eniangs private home, somewhere in the outskirt of Uyo, where the manatee was put in a 2.4 by 4.5 metres pond originally built for catfish. It wasnt easy getting it to take the feed and the supplements sent in as donations from Jonathan Perez-Rivera, a biodiversity conservationist at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, and Tony Mignucci, at the Centro de Conservation de Manaties de Puerto Rico.
For most of the people rendering help at Mr. Eniangs pond, that was their first time of seeing and also getting this close to a live manatee.
Mr. Eniang had to put them through training sessions, using the how-to-do-it information he got from the university in Puerto Rico.
It wasnt an easy thing, but once we knew how to handle the animal we were able to feed it, the lecturer told PREMIUM TIMES.
Four persons, including Eniangs 20-year-old daughter, Eunice, were assigned the responsibility of feeding AkwaCross.
We first give it multi-vitamin in the morning, before the milk. We grind the multi-vitamin, and dissolved it in a milligram of warm water, Eunice said.
After feeding it with the multi-vitamin, we mix the milk, Similac, into 300 milligram of warm water.
Theres water that the white people gave us to mix with the feed; we have the lacatate green water solution, and we also have the calcium solution. We mix it together in the basin, before we prepare the feed, and then we pour it into feeding bottle which we used in feeding the animal.
Eunice said the manatee could finish three feeding bottles at a time, and is fed like that seven times a day.
On her arrival in Uyo, Mrs. Diagne was introduced to the then Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Comfort Ekpo, in the presence of the then incoming VC, Aniefiok Essien, and other management staff of the school.
Mrs. Ekpo told Mrs Diagne she believed the calf would live.
One Uniuyo lecturer at the meeting appealed for the establishment of a manatee rehabilitation facility in the school.
Later in the afternoon, Mrs Diagne was taken to see the calf.
She later stayed on to witness how the animal would take its evening meal.
Yeah, I wanna see the little guy, she said, as Mr. Eniang, accompanied by other Nigerian conservationists, led her to the mini wildlife park at the back of his house.
I have come a long way to see the little guy, Mrs Diagne said, again.
She wore an orange-colour short-sleeves shirt, with a brown combat trouser, and sneakers. She had a blonde hair. She was tall and heavily built. She exuded passion and strength.
Mrs Diagne has a PhD in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Florida, and is incredibly fascinated with manatees. She has so far spent 18 years on its research and conservation, and was the first person to scientifically prove that manatees eat mollusks and fish as well as plants, making them omnivores, not herbivores.
I learned about manatees in school when I was 12 years old, went home and told my parents I wanted to save them (my mother loves to tell that story!). Ive been fascinated with them for a long time, although I also studied seals for many years and really love them too, she told PREMIUM TIMES.
She linked her fascination with manatees to the animals ability to navigate through muddy water to specific areas over large distances, and return to the same places year after year.
How do they do it? Their eyesights are poor and the water is opaque, so how do they cover these large distances and return to the exact same places? Nobody knows. People say they are stupid and slow, but they are excellent navigators. And their intelligence is believed to be similar to dolphins, so they arent stupid.
Mrs Diagne currently trains and leads a network of African manatee researchers in 19 countries. She believes the African manatee will only be conserved by Africans who care enough to work to save it in their countries.
According to her said African manatee exists in 21 countries, and is believed to be the most heavily hunted, although no one knows how many are killed annually. She mentioned Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cameroon as countries where the hunting of manatee is reported to be worst in Africa.
That evening, just as the sun began to set, Mrs Diagne, Mr. Eniang, and four other persons stood by the pond, chattering for few minutes, while waiting for AkwaCross to come up to the water surface.
It doesnt like crowd, Mr. Eniang whispered to Mrs Diagne. It has heard noises.
See it! See it! They all shouted at the same time. But the manatee, scared by the many voices, swam underneath again, very quickly.
Oh, its tiny! Mrs Diagne said. This guy is new born!
A young man, wearing water-proof vest, climbed into the pond. With gloves on, he used his hands to search the murky water, for the manatee.
The man grabbed the animal within few minutes, brought the 35kg calf out to the surface, to the cheering of the people.
They handed him a plastic chair to sit on, inside the pond. He held out the manatee with his left hand, while using the right hand to insert feeding bottle into its mouth.
The manatees head remained visible, while the rest of the body remained submerged in water.
It was grey in colour. Its mouth resembled that of a cow. It had tiny hairs around the mouth region.
According to Seaworld.org, Manatees have a large flexible upper lip. Their lips help guide vegetation into the mouth.
Vibrissae (whiskers) are found on the surface of the upper lip. Each vibrissa is separately attached to nerve endings and has its own supply of blood.
The calf, held up in an upright position, continued to drink milk from the feeding bottle.
It was a beautiful sight to behold a baby manatee being fed, not by its mother, but by humans! It encapsulated the dream of every biodiversity conservationist, of a peaceful bond between man and animal, between the hunter and the hunted.
It shouldnt be drinking straight-up, Mrs. Diagne said to the man who was feeding the manatee. When it is with the mum, it feeds side-west.
Yeah, like that, Mrs Diagne said, as the man bent the animal a little downward.
This might just be my first Nigerian sample for genetic research, Mrs Diagne said, with a smile.
The next day would be a busy one. AkwaCross would have to go through detailed examination, some samples would be taken from it for genetic research, its heart-rate and body temperature would be taken, and its length and weight measured, and so on.
Because of the dearth of information, generally, on African manatee, AkwaCross provided a good opportunity for Mrs. Diagne.
She and the local Nigerian team assembled the next morning, at about 8a.m, at Mr. Eniangs place for the procedure.
While taking them through a brief lecture on the process it would take, Mrs Diagne assured the team that manatee could survive pretty outside the water.
Someone needs to help us monitor its breathing, she said. Manatees dont know when they are out of water; they still raise their head to breathe, they still think they are inside the water.
AkwaCross was pulled out from the pond, and brought under the shade where the procedure was to take place.
Mrs Diagne began touching the animal, while explaining some of its body parts to the team. She suddenly stopped, bowed her head, and then sighed.
Oh, no! I dont know, she said. It was a sad tone.
She sighed again.
Its off! One of the Uniuyo lecturers injected.
At that point, the painful truth became obvious to everyone: AkwaCross was dead!
Its a shame, Mrs. Diagne said. I cant believe this.
It went through a lot of trauma, being captured and put in a well. Like I said, it might not have been doing well from the start, but from the surface, it might look okay.
Mr. Eniang, too shocked to utter a word, folded his arms across his chest, and was gazing at the lifeless body of baby AkwaCross on the floor.
Everyone was downcast, and Mrs Diagne kept telling them that it wasnt their fault.
It was looking absolutely fine to me last night. You guys didnt do anything wrong.
People around the world who were following AkwaCross progress through the AACF Facebook page felt sad as well.
Mrs Diagne was smart enough to quickly reset everyones mood; the team began to probe what actually killed the baby manatee, and few minutes into necropsy, it was discovered that it died of dehydration.
She used the session to teach the team about manatee their anatomy, habitat, their significant life cycle, and what could be done to protect and conserve them.
They eat water weeds, they keep the water ways clear, and their faeces feed baby fish, and everybody wants to eat fish. Manatees are part of life cycle, they help the fish.
At Senegal, we declared a wildlife refuge for manatee and other aquatic animals. We worked in partnership with the local communities, and they banned all fishing activities. And the fishermen are now catching the biggest fish just outside the refuge.
Manatee has the potentials to boost eco-tourism in Nigeria and other African countries, but the people must first learn how to stop hunting them, said Mrs. Diagne.
The next day, Mrs. Diagne took the manatee enlightenment to Uniuyo campus where a handful of lecturers turned up for a one-day seminar arranged by Mr. Eniang.
At the school, some new converts pledged to join the growing campaign for the protection of the African manatees. There were also calls on the government, both at the federal and states, to show more interest and commitment in biodiversity conservation.
Mr. Eniang, whose name is fast becoming synonymous to wildlife conservation in Nigeria, is somewhat happy that AkwaCross didnt die in vain.
But beyond his love for conservation and the successes he has recorded, Mr. Eniang also symbolises the paradox in the story of conservation in Africa It was animals in the African wild that his parents hunted, killed, and sold in training him in school.
This is like a payback for me, Mr. Eniang said.
Today, Juliana is going to the university, and Im not killing animals to send her to school, he said. I am going to train her from money made from working for government. My generation will never hunt animals again.
But how can you plant conservation etiquette in a mind that is hungry? Theres so much hunger in the land, theres so much challenge for survival. So, nobody will listen to you except you give them an alternative. We need to build that into the conservation plan.
With declining global oil prices putting increasing pressure on states to explore alternative ways to shore up their revenue earnings, only 11 of Nigerias 36 states improved their internally generated revenue, IGR, in 2015.
The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, in its latest IGR report on Thursday named Ogun, Anambra, Borno, Edo, Bauchi, Abia, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Taraba and Sokoto as the only states that bettered their 2014 records of revenue generation performance in 2015.
The NBS, which relied on records obtained from the Joint Tax Board and states boards of internal revenue, said the IGR earnings in 24 other states declined from the levels attained the previous year.
Among the 24 states that performed poorly included Kwara, Imo, Bayelsa, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Yobe, and Zamfara.
Ebonyi was the only state whose internally generated revenue records were not available.
Overall performance of the 36 states showed that the total IGR realised for the year dropped by 3.69 per cent, from N707.86 billion in 2014 to N682.67 billion.
Details of the respective states performances showed that Ogun States IGR records were adjudged best, with a 49.42 per cent increase, almost doubling the N17.5 billion revenue earned in 2014 to N34.6 billion.
Anambra followed closely, with its IGR rising by about 29.32 per cent from N10.45 billion in 2014 to N14.79 billion, while Borno came third with a 21.8 per cent improvement from N2.76 billion the previous year to N3.53 billion.
Other states with improved performances included Edo (10.95 per cent), Bauchi (10.2 per cent), Sokoto (9.75 per cent), Taraba (8.57 per cent), Abia (7.33 per cent), Nasarawa (4.59 per cent), Niger (3.98 per cent) and Kogi (3.05 per cent).
Among the poor performers, the NBS showed that Kwara state topped, with its IGR declining massively by about 73.57 per cent, from about N12.46 billion realised in 2014, to about N7.18 billion in 2015.
The state was followed by Imo, whose IGR in 2014 dropped by 48.3 per cent, from N8.12 billion to N5.47 billion the following year. Yobe state came third with a 36.53 per cent drop in its IGR from N3.07 billion in 2014 to N2.74 billion in 2015.
Others included Bayelsa (25.76 per cent), Jigawa (23.46 per cent), Plateau (19.42 per cent), Ondo (16.05 per cent), Cross River (16.01 per cent), Zamfara (14.88 per cent), Adamawa (12.19 per cent), Kaduna (10.8 per cent) and Gombe (8.61 per cent).
Also included among the poor performers were Benue (8.55 per cent), Rivers (8.54 per cent), Katsina (7.46 per cent), Kebbi (6.73 per cent), Enugu (6.47 per cent), Akwa Ibom (5.99 per cent), Osun (5.45 per cent), Ekiti (4.99 per cent), Delta (4.93 per cent), Oyo (4.11 per cent), Lagos (2. 96 per cent), and Kano (0.37 per cent).
Among the oil producing states of the Niger Delta, apart from Edo and Abia, all others could not meet their 2014 IGR levels, with their average earnings dropping by about 6.6 per cent.
In terms of IGR volume, Lagos state was ranked highest with a total of N268.23 billion during the year, followed by Rivers with N82.1 billion, and Delta, with N40.81 billion.
At the inception of the present administration, no fewer than 30 states were said to be distressed financially as a result of the declining earnings from oil exports. Global oil price dropped from an average of $100 per barrel to $24 late last year. Oil now sells for about $40 a barrel.
To enable the states meet their minimum obligations, particularly in respect of payment of workers salaries, the federal government unfolded a bail-out package for all the states.
But, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, said only 19 of the affected states applied for and received various sums from the facility.
Beneficiaries included Kwara, Zamfara, Osun, Niger, Bauchi, Gombe, Abia, Adamawa, Ondo, Kebbi, Ekiti, Imo, Ebonyi, Ogun, Plateau, Nasarawa, Sokoto, Edo and Oyo states.
Although Akwa Ibom and Rivers states were not among the beneficiaries of the bail-out, their respective legislative assemblies recently approved requests from their governors for various loan facilities to enable them survive.
The two states are among those that receive the highest allocations from the federation account every month.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday dismissed an application filed by Senate President Bukola Saraki asking the court to nullify his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
Mr. Saraki is facing trial for alleged false asset declaration and fraud. The trial commenced in September, 2015, a few months after the lawmaker emerged Senate President against the wish of his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The senate president, whose similar appeal had previously been dismissed by the Court of Appeal, approached the Federal High Court, asking it to declare his trial at the CCT a violation of his fundamental rights.
Mr. Saraki prayed the court to consider the Tribunals chairman incompetent to try him since the chairman was also under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
After hearing the argument of counsel, the judge, Abdul Kafarati, fixed March 22 for ruling, but later declined giving judgement on the matter and declared that he was stepping down to allow a different judge look into the case.
Mr. Kafarati had on that day (March 22) told the court that he was handing over the case to the Abuja chief judge for reassignment due to allegations of bias from an online media. He said any judgement he gave could be perceived as biased.
But after returning the case file to the Chief Judge of The Federal High Court, Ibrahim Auta, the case was returned to Mr. Kafarati the following day, March 23, by Mr. Auta.
The chief judge acted in response to a request by Mr. Saraki that Mr. Kafarati be allowed to proceed with the case.
Mr. Autas decision was hinged on the fact that none of the parties in the suit complained about the conduct of Mr. Kafarati and that he (Mr. Kafarati) cannot disqualify himself from further handling the case based on mere allegations made in the media.
Consequently, a new date, April 15, was fixed for judgement.
In his ruling on Friday, Mr. Kafarati held that Mr. Saraki was wrong to have returned the case to a smaller court, after it was dismissed by a higher court.
If the court grants the application, there will be conflict with the ruling of the appellate court, he stated.
The trial judge said Mr. Sarakis appeal can be likened to an attempt by the Senate President to stall his trial, stressing that the CCT is a constitutional body in the discharge of its legal obligation which should not be interfered with by a court of law.
This court cannot interfere with the proceedings before the tribunal; it cannot also interfere with the duties of the respondents which have been imposed on them by law, Mr. Kafarati said.
The judge also held that the applicants claims that the CCTs trial falls short of the constitutional requirements is a sentimental claim that had no basis in law.
I find that none of the claims fall within chapter four of the constitution, Mr. Kafarati said, referring to Mr. Sarakis claim that the trial was a negation of his fundamental rights as enshrined in section four of the 1999 constitution.
There are criminal procedure laws that put in place the method of protecting the accused, the Judge added, noting that the trial cannot be regarded as an infringement of Mr. Sarakis right.
I do not see the need to go to the merit of the case, the judge said.
Mr. Saraki, whose application challenging the Jurisdiction of the CCT was nullified by the Supreme Court on February 5, has also lost several similar attempts at the Code of Conduct Tribunal to stall his trial.
The Tribunal, on March 24, a day after Mr. Sarakis case was ordered to be continued at the FHC, dismissed an application by counsel to the Senate President, Kanu Agabi, that the Code of Conduct Bureau should have invited Mr. Saraki to clarify the allegations against him before the commencement of trial.
The Tribunal Chairman, Danladi Umar, in that ruling, stated that the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, 1989 allows the Senate President to raise any clarifications at the level of the tribunal.
Mr. Danladi said by law, the CCB could receive complaints of breach of the Act and refer such complaints to the Tribunal, provided that it will allow the person involved to give a statement affirming or denying the said misconduct.
Political trial?
Senators in support of Mr. Saraki rose in his defence on April 6, saying they will resist any attempt to impeach their leader.
The senators, represented by Senators Rafiu Ibrahim and Samuel Anyanwu, representing Kwara South and Imo East respectivel,y told journalists on the sidelines of the tribunal hearing that they considered Mr. Sarakis trial an attempt by the APC to blacklist him before the Nigerian people.
We have since discovered that the trial of the senate president is a mere attempt to blackmail him and make him look bad in the court of public opinion, Mr. Ibrahim said. No more, no less. A dispassionate analysis of the proceeding of the CCT yesterday has pointed to the fact that the APC-led executive is still embittered against Dr Saraki over the manner of his election as senate president.
The senators, 12 of whom accompanied Mr. Saraki to the Code of Conduct Tribunal on that day, said regardless of its outcome, the trial of Mr. Saraki would be subject to other statutory procedure for the impeachment of Nigerias Senate President to happen.
For those calling for the impeachment of the senate president, we urge them to avail themselves of the provisions of the law relating to such a sensitive step. They will have to produce as many as 100 senators to achieve that aim. As long as they dont have the majority, the call is a tall dream that will remain a figment of the imagination of the groups and their sponsors, the senators said.
During a previous sitting, Mr. Saraki was accompanied by as much as 80 senators.
Buharis neutrality
President Muhammadu Buhari had in his reaction to the election in June last year said the was in support of the leadership of the Senate, as well as that of the lower house, but wished that the emergence of the leaders in both chambers of the National Assembly followed the choice of the party.
The President had in an earlier statement said he had no preferred candidates for the leadership positions in the two chambers of the National Assembly and that he was willing to work with whoever the lawmakers elected.
Mr. Buhari noted in his reaction to the elections that:That sentiment still stands, though he would have preferred the new leaders to have emerged through the process established by the party.
The President also said the constitutional order of Nigeria and the overall interest of the ordinary Nigerian were most important to him as far as the National Assembly leadership contests were concerned.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said it is planning to apply option A4 in electing its candidates for all coming elections, including presidential candidate for 2019 general polls.
It said that if approved by the membership of the party, the application of the method may begin with upcoming congresses of the party.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh, disclosed this when he received the former chairman of the National Patriotic Party of Ghana, Peter Manu, at the partys national secretariat on Friday in Abuja.
Mr. Metuh said the decision was part of the reforms to reposition the PDP for the 2019 general elections.
He said that the system would not be restricted to presidential election as it would be applicable to other elective positions such as governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and down to the wards.
He explained that with the proposed system, party members would have to queue behind the candidates of their choice.
We are going to change our system to be that our presidential candidate would be voted for by all party members in the country. It would be at the ward level.
We will no longer elect presidential candidate at the national convention. It will now be for every party member to vote for whoever would be our presidential candidate.
Whoever would vie for our presidential ticket would have to tour the entire country before he can be elected.
This is part of the reform we are coming up with.
Basically, this would be the last convention where we would have people to be elected at the national convention. We are taking the party back to the Nigerian people, Mr. Metuh said.
He said that the proposed reform was part of Senator Ike Ekweremadus committees recommendations on how to reform and reposition PDP.
He added that the proposed amendments had been sent to the state chapters for their inputs in line with our desire to have peoples opinion.
After their inputs, the recommendation would be sent to the National Executive Committee (NEC) for approval.
Earlier, Mr. Manu had said that the process of electing presidential candidate was one of the reforms his party adopted after it lost election to opposition party in Ghana.
When we lost election, there was need to review and make amends and these amends led to some critical reforms in the party structure and organisation.
We realised for example, that the modus operandi of how our presidential candidate was elected had a hand in why we lost the general election.
There were as many as 17 presidential candidates in our 2008 contest when our incumbent president, John Kufor, was exiting and all the 17 presidential candidate were running for votes from a mere 3,500 delegates.
So, it was money, money, money until the day of congress, he said.
Manu said that NPP realised that the then opposition party, which was now in government, used that against his party and cast spell on us as being corrupt, that we were throwing money at the people.
So, the first thing I did as the national chairman of the party was to expand the delegates system to cover the nooks and cranny of the party structure.
So, the party structure was reorganized to start from the polling unit level where a five-member executive was elected.
(NAN)
Pan-Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, has rejected the Grazing Commission Bill proposed by the National Assembly to address the burning issue of farmers and Fulani herdsmen clashes erupting in different parts of the country.
Afenifere described the bill as anti-people.
The bill proposes the establishment of the National Grazing Commission which will preserve and control the national grazing reserves and livestock routes and other matters related to it.
The groups leader, Reuben Fasoranti, while addressing journalists in Akure, said the bill, which empowered the commission to acquire any land anywhere in the country, would violate the subsisting Land Use Act and traditional means of land holding if enacted.
He noted that the bill was being proposed allegedly to favour the business of the Fulani herdsmen at the expense of the farmers whose farms were always destroyed by the Fulanis cows in some other parts of the country .
We reject any law that would rob the citizens of their possessions and award to another set of citizens as this offensive bill attempts to do. That is against the principle of natural justice, Mr. Fasoranti declared.
It is also against federal principle for the government of the federation to therefore want to violate the rights of other sections of the country to please a group from an ethnic unit over and above the interest of other over 400 ethnic groups.
He called on all federal lawmakers from the south and Nigerians in general to join Afenifere in rejecting the bill.
He also said the group would not keep quiet until true federalism was in entrenched in the country
We stand with the decision of the of the 2014 National Conference which recommended the scrapping of grazing route for the establishment of ranches, the octogenarian said.
He said the system of roaming animals all over the country was no more in vogue.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to embrace the ranching system in order to put an end to the incessant clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in many parts of the country .
The State Security Service in Rivers has arrested five suspects for the kidnap and murder of a National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, member Sampson Worlu.
The deceased, who served in Imo State, South-east Nigeria, was abducted in November 2015.
The victim was killed even after his family parted with a N1 million ransom to facilitate his release.
After months of investigation, a source in the SSS, who pleaded not to be named because she is not authorised to speak on the matter, said the operatives napped the five suspects.
Their names were given as Chijioke Wisdom, Chinwendu Alozie, Wilfred Jumbo, Igwe Chikezie and Gift Peace Amadi.
According to the source, the suspects were arrested through Ms. Amadi, who is said to have lured the corps member to his abduction and death.
The suspects are expected be arraigned before a Port Harcourt Magistrate Court on April 18.
A brother to the deceased, Charles Worlu, told PREMIUM TIMES that the 32-year-old victim is an indigene of Ogbogoro in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of
Rivers the State.
Narrating what happened, Mr. Worlu said the deceased, who was called to Bar on October 2015, left for the NYSC camp in Imo State following his posting in November 12, 2015.
We dropped him at Rumuokoro Junction to continue his journey to Imo State. We didnt hear from him again that day, he said.
Early the next day, we received a strange call from a dreaded voice who claimed they have abducted Sampson. They gave him the phone to speak with us and he confirmed his kidnapped.
The abductors collected the phone from him and demanded we give them Five million naira before we could see our brother again.
In fear that they could harm Sampson, we negotiated with them and dropped five hundred thousand naira for them at Eleme/Elelenwo/Akporjo Road near Shell location.
They collected it and said we should pick our brother at Rumukurushi by Hospital Junction. But they never kept to their promise. After few days, they demanded for another five hundred thousand naira, we paid but never saw our brother.
Mr. Worlu said the family reported the development to the state government, the police, the NYSC and the SSS.
He corroborated the information by the SSS source that it was through Ms. Amadi that his brother was lured to his death.
Mr. Worlu said the female suspect comes from their village, adding that she tricked Sampson using her phone and took him to where he was kidnapped and killed.
We are demanding justice. I do not see the reason why people who commit crimes are allowed to walk freely in the society, he said.
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his working visit to China, which has yielded additional investments in Nigeria exceeding $6 billion.
President Buhari believes that the several agreements concluded with the Chinese during the visit will have a huge and positive impact on key sectors of the Nigerian economy including power, solid minerals, agriculture, housing and rail transportation.
In the power sector, North South Power Company Limited and Sinohydro Corporation Limited signed an agreement valued at $478,657,941.28 for the construction of 300 Mega Watts solar power in Shiriro, Niger State.
In the solid minerals sector, Granite and Marble Nigeria Limited and Shanghai Shibang signed an agreement valued at $55 million for the construction and equipping of granite mining plant in Nigeria.
A total of $1 billion is to be invested in the development of a greenfield expressway for Abuja-Ibadan-Lagos under an agreement reached by the Infrastructure Bank and Sinohydro Corporation Limited.
For the housing sector, both companies also sealed a $250 million deal to develop an ultra modern 27-storey high rise complex and a $2.5 billion agreement for the development of the Lagos Metro Rail Transit Red Line project.
Other agreements announced and signed during the visit include a $1 billion for the establishment of a Hi-tech industrial park in Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone in Igbesa, Ogun State.
Furthermore, the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone and CNG (Nigeria) Investment Limited also signed an agreement valued at $200 million for the construction of two 500MT/day float gas facilities.
An agreement valued at $363 million for the establishment of a comprehensive farm and downstream industrial park in Kogi state was also announced at the Nigeria-China business forum.
Other agreements undergoing negotiations include a $500 million project for the provision of television broadcast equipment and a $25 million facility for production of pre-paid smart meters between Mojec International Limited and Microstar Company Limited.
About 100 Nigerian businesses and 300 Chinese firms participated in the Nigeria-China business forum which took place a day after President Buhari began his visit to China.
The Federal Government on Friday tasked the state and traditional institutions in the Plateau to work toward sustainability of peace in the state.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, gave the charge at the 2016 Nzem Berom festival held at Rwang Pam Township hall, Jos.
Mr. Mohammed noted that the revival of the festival eight years after it was suspended for security concerns, was an indication that peace had returned to the state.
He urged the authority, traditional institutions and the people in general to sustain the peaceful coexistence.
The resuscitation of this festival, which heralds the rains and a bumper harvest, is a very powerful message to the world that peace is back to the Plateau, which remains a foremost home of culture and tourism.
Culture, of which festival is a subset, is a strong instrument of unity, especially in a country with such a rich diversity as ours.
When you understand a peoples culture, you respect them more, thus reducing the areas of friction.
I have no doubt that with the good works of the state government, the wisdom of His Royal Majesty and the commitment to peace by all the good people of Plateau, peace and tranquillity will be sustained in this beautiful land, he said.
The minister noted that the festival came at an auspicious time his ministry was collaborating with the British Council and the Tony Elumelu Foundation on development of the sector.
He said they were mapping out all the creative arts and the various cultural festivals across the country to bring culture from the margins to the mainstream to create a huge economy.
Under the collaboration, there will be training for all festival managers and creative artists to put them in better stead to raise the profile of their festivals and arts.
It will also turn the various festivals and the creative arts into magnet for tourists and veritable sources of job creation.
I do hope that festival managers and creative artists in Plateau will be among the first beneficiaries of this, he said.
The minister reiterated governments commitment to its diversification policy, aimed at weaning the country from its addiction to oil.
He said government had identified culture and tourism as two of the sectors that would form the core of the diversification process.
In this regard, I am happy to announce that the federal government will be holding a National Summit on Culture and Tourism in Abuja from April 27 to April 29.
It will bring stakeholders together to deliberate on how the two sectors can effectively become money spinners for the country while also creating jobs and showcasing Nigerias rich cultural diversity and tourist attractions, he said.
He congratulated the organisers of the festival for a job well done.
Earlier, the chairman of the organising committee, Ericson Fom, said the festival was instituted by the Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation (BECO) to unify the Berom nation.
He said the festival was last held in 2008 owing to insecurity and crises in the state.
Mr. Fom said that the 2016 festival was symbolic as they were dedicating it to the memory of those who lost their lives and were rendered homeless and orphans during the crises period.
We are also dedicating the festival to a new life for the Internally displaced persons, as we solicit all form of assistance from within and outside, our guests and dignitaries through freewill donations, he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports the festival featured royal procession of the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Buba, and his chiefs, dressed in array of traditional regalia mounted on horses.
There was also the parade of well kitted Berom traditional warriors, a colourful parade of traditional dance groups and musicians.
The Zere beauty pageant show, the brave hunters presentation and exhibition of Berom cuisine, artefacts and mineral reserves were also featured.
(NAN)
The leaders of ECWA, one of the largest church denominations in Northern Nigeria, have asked the Kaduna State Government to withdraw the bill seeking to regulate public preaching.
The 63rd General Church Council of the Evangelical Church Winning All, ECWA, on Friday rose from its annual meeting to make the demand.
The church advised the Kaduna government not to pass the bill into law.
The Bill raises fears, concerns and contradiction that will in turn ultimately negate Sections 38 and 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to citizens right to worship, it said.
While commending the efforts of the Kaduna State Government towards ensuring peaceful co-existence, Council however cautions against the passage of the proposed Religious Bill which ECWA viewed in the larger context as containing a lot of flaws.
The bill, which has the backing of the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, seeks to make religious persons who want to preach publicly get permission from a registered body which will be made of Christian and Islamic leaders in Kaduna.
In its communique on Friday, the ECWA church also commended the effort of the Federal Government in recovering stolen funds.
The church notes the efforts of the Federal Government to recover stolen public funds and commends the courage behind it and cautioned that funds recovered are not re-looted.
While urging the government to respect the fundamental rights of the suspects in the process, the communique asked the government to thoroughly investigate every corruption case and pursue it diligently to logical conclusion.
A former Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Habib Jega, has died in an auto crash.
Close family sources say the accident occurred along Birnin Kebbi-Kangiwa road at about 5:21 p.m. on Friday.
The former speaker is also the Special Adviser on Local Government to the current Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Abubakar Dakingari, while confirmed the death on phone said , We are currently attending his burial according to Islamic right in Jega.
Late Mr. Jega was impeached in 2015 during the build up to the 2015 general election as rumours emerged he would join the then opposition All Progressives Congress, APC.
A Senior Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Curtis Eghosa Ugbo, was on Thursday arraigned before an Oredo Magistrate Court for criticising the governor on social media.
He was also accused of unlawful possession of gun.
Mr. Ugbo, 47, was arraigned on a three-count charge of publishing an article against the governor in a manner likely to cause breach of public peace and illegally possessing a double barrel gun without a duly acquired valid license, an offence under Section 430 (2) of the Criminal Code, Cap 48, Vol. II, laws of the Defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976 as applicable in Edo State.
Reading the first of the three counts, police prosecutor, Inspector S. E. Iredia said the governors aide committed the offence on April 12, 2016 at No 2b Ugbor Road in Benin City, Edo State.
The charge reads: That you, Curtis Eghosa Ugbo, m, on the 12th April, 2016 at No. 2b, Ugbor Road, Benin City in Oredo Magisterial District did made a publication in internet, with the caption: Whats wrong with my boss?
The ground breaking of Edo State own cement industry in partnership with a private company under Government Public Private Partnership and stakeholders, no State House Members or Speaker and National Assembly Member Presence Notice. Is Edo State now a personal business of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole?
Knowing same to be capable of disturbing public peace and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 59 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 48, Vol. II, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976, as applicable in Edo State.
After listening to the accused persons plea of not guilty, the Presiding Magistrate, C. A. Nwoha, granted him bail in the sum of N100, 000.00 and a surety in like sum, who must own a property with Certificate of Occupancy in the district.
The magistrate adjourned the case to April 29 for trial.
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State on Thursday said the state would soon become the hub of cocoa production in Nigeria with the revival of the moribund Osun Cocoa Production Industry.
The governor made the remarks in Ede during a facility tour of the resuscitated Cocoa Production Industry in partnership with Chinese Company, Golden Monkey of China.
The partnership between Osun Government and the Chinese Company to revive the cocoa production after 15 years is based on 70 and 30 percent equity respectively.
Mr. Aregbesola said the present production capacity of 20,000 metric tonnes per day was a good development when compared to its 5,000 metric tonnes capacity per day in 2001, after which it was abandoned.
With this production level, the name of our state will be on the map of the world as a centre of excellence in the processing of cocoa and other products.
The governor said the Cocoa Industry would go a long way to support the states agricultural plan to develop cocoa farming in the state.
He commended the partnering company for its commitment to the contractual agreement by hitting the ground running.
Earlier in her remarks, Song Lin, the Assistant General Manager of Skyrun Cocoa Production Industry, said the management had increased the production capacity of the industry four times.
She said the company was presently producing cocoa liquid and soon, the organisation would be producing cocoa powder and cake.
In his speech, Adewale Adeeyo, the Chairman, Board of Directors of the Industry, said the state invested a lot of energy to make the project a reality.
Mr. Adeeyo explained that with the resuscitation of the company, the business of cocoa produce buyers and farmers had been positively rejuvenated. (NAN)
A truck on Thursday knocked down two fleeing armed robbers along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The victims were escaping after robbing motorists and members of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministry.
The bandits having successfully robbed their victims took to their heels on sighting police operatives attached to Ibafo Division who were on patrol on the expressway
A witness said the truck hit two of the men, who sustained major injuries, while the third gang member narrowly escaped the crash.
Police later arrested the injured thieves and recovered some of the stolen items.
When contacted, the Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the incident said the robbery victims have identified the thieves.
The recovered items have also been returned to the owners.
He gave identities of the suspects as Sola Bilaminu and Ibrahim Sandi.
The Commissioner of Police Ogun State Abdulmajid Ali has commended the police operatives for their commitment and dedication to duty, and directed that the suspects be transferred to the Special Anti Robbery Squad in Magbon Abeokuta for thorough investigation, he said.
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Mr. Speaker of the Sejm,
Mr. Speaker of the Senate,
Madam Prime Minister,
Your Eminence Cardinal Legate,
Your Eminence Primate of Poland,
Your Excellency Archbishop, Metropolitan of Poznan,
Former Presidents of Poland,
Ministers,
Members of Parliament,
Senators,
Representatives of European Parliaments,
Your Excellency Archbishop, Apostolic Nuncio,
Your Excellencies Archbishops and Bishops,
The Reverend Priests,
Representatives of Churches and Ecclesiastical Communities,
Your Excellencies Ambassadors,
Representatives of Local Authorities,
Dear Hosts and Guests present here today,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Baptism of Duke Mieszko I is the most important event in the entire history of the Polish state and nation. I do not say it was, I say it is for the decision taken by our first historical ruler had predetermined the whole future to come for our country. Our Christian legacy continues to shape the destinies of Poland and of each and every one of us, Polish people, until this very day. This is what Holy Father John Paul II had in mind when he observed: Without Christ, one cannot comprehend the history of Poland.
Tradition has it that the baptism of the ruler of the Polan people most likely took place on the Holy Saturday of 14 April 966. And it was already at that point that Poland was born. From the baptismal waters it emerged for a new Christian life. It was born for the world, emerging from the prehistoric era and entering the arena of European history. It was also born for its own sake: as a national and political community, since the adoption of the Latin rite at baptism defined our Polish identity. From that time on, we started thinking and speaking of ourselves as we, the Poles.
Back then, we said yes to freedom and self-determination. We demonstrated that we were capable of building our nation and our own state solicitous about its welfare. To build it, defend it and die for it. It was not predetermined that the work would succeed, that a community would be formed. And yet, the work was crowned with success. A community was successfully built on a foundation of faith which has ever since inextricably grown into our identity, often featuring in our history as the principal and final shield of freedom and solidarity. By being baptized our forefathers defined the core around which the magnificent Polish nation would then be formed. And in the darkest moments, when our enemies tried to destroy the Church in order to bring down the groundwork of our Polish identity, the Polish people would defy the object and would crowd in temples in pursuit of their sense of community, and thus testifying to the timeless wisdom of the decision once taken by our forefathers.
Therefore, 966 is the most important landmark in our history. In our solemn ceremony today we celebrate the 1050th anniversary of the birth of our nation and our Homeland. It is a signal honour and a great joy to have us all gathered here in Poznan, the seat of the first bishopric on Polish soil; to have the Republic's highest authorities, the Episcopate and clergy of the Catholic Church and other Christian Communities reunited with representatives of many friendly countries from Europe and the world to inaugurate the celebration of this venerable jubilee. I cordially thank all our distinguished and most welcome guests for coming.
This is a great celebration time of the Polish spirit, which is the source of our pride and joy. It will carry on into coming months to spread all over the country. It will culminate in the first ever visit to Poland by Pope Francis and the World Youth Days. I trust that thanks to the vast efforts made by the organizers, thanks to active engagement of thousands of volunteers, this will be an occasion for unsurpassed spiritual experience.
Commencing these jubilee celebrations, we turn our minds to the previous occasion of the millennial celebration of the Baptism of Poland in 1966. This was an extraordinary experience for our whole community and a unique event of the kind in Central and Eastern Europe.
We, the Polish people, had been then struggling for 27 years under a regime imposed on us first by German occupying forces, then by communists after the war. Equally the former and the latter worked to weaken and break the bond between our nation and the Church. They realized that this way they would shake the very foundations of our community, that a nation deprived of its spiritual anchorage would be easily remodelled into enslaved masses. To this end, the Nazis applied bloody terror. The communists in power after the war sought to make the Polish people turn away from Christianity. They promoted an atheist ideology, persecuted priests and the faithful alike. They even went as far as to imprison the Primate of Poland.
And in those days, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski was inspired with the idea to protect the Polish and Christian identity of the nation against indoctrination and repression by organizing a great National Retreat. It was ushered in by the 1956 Jasna Gora Oaths of the Polish Nation, a direct reference to the oaths made by King John II Casimir in Lvov 300 years earlier. Then, a nine-year novena followed to prepare the Polish people for the millennial celebrations.
Fifty years ago, in April 1966, the millennial celebrations of the Baptism of Poland began. On 3 May, on the green at the Jasna Gora Sanctuary 250 000 of the faithful took part in a commemoration. The celebrations lasted a full year, bringing together countless numbers of Polish people. Moreover, the jubilee was celebrated among more than 50 000 of expatriate Poles in London and Chicago, Rome and Paris, even in remote Australia and New Zealand.
One can safely claim that thanks to the initiative of the Primate of the Millennium, the entire Polish nation reinforced its bond to its Christian heritage. This happened in spite of the obstacles mounted by the communist regime who for instance arrested a copy of the icon of Our Lady of Jasna Gora, provoked the faithful to clash with the police, tried to bloc access to the millennium celebrations and to disturb their course, and finally organized rival 1st millennium of the Polish state celebrations, forcing whole crews of factories and institutions to participate.
The 1966 millennial celebrations and the particular role played by the Primate of the Millennium, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, revealed the timeless significance of the Baptism of Mieszko I and the uniting power of Christianity for our community. The nation rejected the false slogan: The Polish Peoples Republic is the crowning glory of the millennium of our state. Nor were the Polish people misled by the propaganda initiative to build one thousand schools to commemorate our millennium, this in spite of the fact that it produced valid and good results for the development of education and improvement of teaching conditions. The Poles opted for the faithfulness to the Church, authentic love of their Homeland and hope for regaining of freedom. The authority of the bishops and priests was reinforced. The lifes work of Primate Wyszynski paved the way for the pontificate of the Holy Father John Paul II and for the peaceful Solidarity revolution.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Millennium had lent us, Poles, a sense of sovereignty in its most fundamental dimension: as free people and free citizens. Many initiatives taken by parish communities in defence of their priests and churches throughout the duration of the People's Republic of Poland, full commitment of the faithful who kept illegally building new churches in defiance of the authorities, spontaneous efforts to get organized and mass participation in the celebrations from 1956 to 1966, all of this proved that there is a massive power to be unleashed in our community, our power whose origins lie in our shared national and Christian identity. The power which manifested itself on a number of occasions in our history in recent centuries, which helped us to weather the most trying experiences: the loss of civil liberties and of an independent state, the attempts to denationalise and de-Christianise our people. The power which carried us through confrontation with our enemies, partitioning powers, occupying forces and led us to win and get the upper hand as even stronger and more united a nation.
We have always taken and we will always take pride in this invincible national spirit. We can and are willing to draw on this great treasure of ours. It is also a lesson for the future for us: that we, the Polish people, can accomplish great, momentous things, if only we work together in accordance with the values that unite us. The values that have their source in the unbreakable bond between the Polish spirit and its Christian roots.
A thousand and fifty years ago, Poland joined the Christian community of that era. She did so of her own accord. Aware of the benefits that this act would bring, including political benefits. Thanks to Duke Mieszkos far-sighted decision Christianisation provided a powerful stimulus for Polands development. The state gained a stronger basis on which to build its security and sovereignty. Over time it became increasingly modern, more efficiently governed, more internally integrated.
The preachers of the Good News opened before the Polish people an enormous treasury of spiritual riches, promoting the Christian vision of man in our culture. Since the end of the 10th century, the Decalogue and the Gospel have become ever more deeply rooted in millions of hearts on the banks of the Warta and the Vistula, the Oder and the Bug, the Neman and the Dneper rivers. They have provided a motivation to build a better, more humane world. That is why our joining the domain of Christian civilization, in its Latin rite, represented a real breakthrough for us.
The three pillars of this civilization have also become the pillars of Polish identity and culture.
The first of the three pillars has been and remains Greek philosophy, or the love of wisdom. And that is the primacy of objective truth. Precise instruments for investigating and analysing reality. An immovable foundation for the development of all sciences to this very day.
The second pillar has been and remains Roman legal thought and government concept. The idea of the rule of law. The idea of a republic, i.e. a state that is a common good of the citizens that rule it. It is also the civic ethos, an ethos of privileges connected with responsibilities. These are principles improved and tested over the centuries, principles that provide the groundwork also for modern-day civil, criminal, procedural and national law.
The third pillar has been and remains the core of Christian thought: the Old and the New Testament, the Decalogue and the Gospel. This novel, revolutionary vision of humanity as a family, as a community of brothers and sisters equal before the Father and His moral law. It is also a call for peace, for repentance for any evil done and for forgiveness for any wrongdoing one has suffered. An imperative to give priority to the human person over objects, over mundane advantages and the desire for possession. The protection of the weaker ones, an appeal for solidarity in helping the needy and the brilliant subsidiarity principle. It is the recognition of the dignity of women and the contribution made by them to the lives of societies in various fields. The idea of government and superiority as service and the belief that rulers, too, are subject to moral judgment. Christianity is also a unique concept of the separation between the sacred and the profane, that which is divine and that which belongs to Caesar. The idea of autonomy, but at the same time of cooperation between the secular and spiritual authorities. These are also institutions such as the university and the local school, the hospital and the orphanage. It is a new vision of military, medical and economic ethics. And, last but not least, the heights of art and genius, achieved by artists inspired by Christianity: visual artists, architects, musicians and poets.
Therefore, it should not come as a surprise to anyone that it is only in the circle of this particular civilization that ideas and phenomena such as the concept of inalienable human rights as every humans birthright, constitutionalism, a democratic state of the rule of law, universal international law, workers and emancipation movements and the modern public debate ethos have appeared. All of them are deeply rooted in the Christian heritage.
Today, it is not only Athens, Rome and Jerusalem that define the scope of this civilization. Thanks to the efforts of the 30 generations of Poles, new important centres have been added to the map of Christianitas.
For example Gniezno, where the relics of St. Adalbert, who spread the faith with his word and not with the sword, repose.
Torun and Frombork, cities connected with Nicolaus Copernicus, the chancellor of the Warmia chapter, and the author of one of the greatest breakthroughs in the history of human thought.
Cracow, the city of St. Bishop Stanislaus of Szczepanow, a brave proponent of the idea of moral duties of public authorities, the city of the Cracow Academy and of the Reverend Pawe Wodkowic (Paulus Vladimiri), one of the most outstanding theoreticians of religious tolerance. It is the Cracow of Karol Wojtya, Saint Pope John Paul II, who ushered the Church into the third millennium in the full sense of the term.
Poznan, the bishopric capital of Bishop Wawrzyniec Goslicki, a 16th-century author of original conceptions of government, which became a source of inspiration for the authors of the American Constitution and numerous other opponents of monarchic lawlessness.
Brzesc Litewski (Brest-Litovsk), the place where an ecclesiastical union was contracted, one of the most important efforts at reconciling the Christian West and the Christian East.
Czestochowa, the city one needs to visit in order to appreciate the special status and respect that women enjoy in Poland. The city where Bogurodzica, The Mother of God, a hymn regarded as the first national anthem of Poland, continues to be sung before the icon of Our Lady of Jasna Gora, Polands most venerated cult object.
Warsaw, the capital of a state without stakes and religious wars. The city where the Sejm of the Polish Commonwealth enacted the Confederation of Warsaw, the first legislative act in the world to guarantee universal religious tolerance. This is Warsaw, the seat of King John III Sobieski, the victor of the battle of Vienna, and the city on the outskirts of which an invasion of communist barbarism against Europe was stopped in 1920.
These are hundreds of localities, especially in Polands old eastern Borderland region, where ethnic and religious minorities used to live peacefully side by side.
Last but not least, these are localities connected to the lives and achievements of our numerous compatriots, world-famous artists, men and women of letters, scholars and inventors, individuals who have impressively paid back a debt of gratitude to the culture which had shaped them.
Christian civilization, for the past 1050 years co-created and defended with great dedication by the Polish people, is the result of titanic work and struggle of millions of people, an effect of numerous inquiries and experiments, historical trials and errors. It is a mature, universal creation, with a powerful impact on humanity as a whole.
It is not a fossil. It keeps organically evolving. It needs its young leaves and sprouts just as much as it needs its hidden roots. It also needs a trunk to mediate between them, that is a natural synthesis of the old and the new.
A tree may be felled. One may poison its roots and watch it wither. This does not take a lot of effort or too much time. However, to plant a new tree and wait for it to grow and bring fruit is a long process.
That is why the price for destroying the foundations of our civilization and attempts to replace them with other concepts, incoherent and loosely sketched, has always been and will always be enormous suffering and devastation. This was most clearly demonstrated by the 20th century and its two ideological projects: communism and Nazism, with their horrible consequences.
The 21st century has quickly faced us with new, difficult challenges. In a global village, the natural rivalry between different civilization models has attained an unprecedented intensity.
In Poland and in Europe, debates are ongoing on how to address these new challenges. I personally believe that the thing to do in this situation is to trust the strength of our identity, to draw on the rich treasury of ideas, experiences and solutions developed in a combined mainstream of the two great traditions: the Greco-Roman and the Judeo-Christian ones.
They are what we should base our actions on.
Indeed, the primary responsibility of the President, the Senate, the Sejm and the Government of the Republic of Poland is solicitude for our present day. Solicitude to ensure a Poland and a Europe where the dignity, rights and aspirations of all citizens are respected and protected. Solicitude to ensure a Poland and a Europe where solidarity and a sense of community should take precedence over rivalry and a play of interests. However, solicitude to ensure a good tomorrow is an equally important task for us. Solicitude to ensure that our heritage of tolerance and openness, our freedom and our material as well as spiritual strength are preserved and allowed to grow further.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are gathered here together today. In the Poznan of the Piast dynasty, the cradle of our state and of our nation, the cradle of our community, on the 1050th anniversary of Mieszkos baptism. We are here because we understand the responsibility that we shoulder. Our responsibility both towards history and towards the future generations of Poles.
In the eve of Polands accession to the European Union, Pope John Paul II pointed out that this was a great opportunity for our nation to enrich the West spiritually, the same West that once brought the Christian faith to us. Europe needs Poland, and Poland needs Europe, said the Holy Father. That is why, in paying tribute to our far-sighted predecessors of 1050 years ago, I would like to state most emphatically today that, following the guidance of our great compatriot, Poland is and will remain true to her Christian heritage. For it is in this heritage that we have a well-tested, strong foundation for the future.
Andrzej Duda
President of the Republic of Poland
Spring is the season to break out the bicycle, and theres no better place for biking than oh-so-flat southern New Jersey.
Maybe thats why the state is so bike-friendly. The American League of Bicyclists ranks it as the 11th most bicycle-friendly state in the nation.
Not quite the top 10, but not bad.
A bicycle is the perfect compromise between running and driving. You can get your exercise in and still get someplace relatively quickly.
Michael Wiesen, who has operated the AAAA Bike Shop in Ventnor for 38 years, says he is seeing more interest in bicycling than ever before, including among athletes who are converting to biking from running to ease the wear and tear on their bodies.
Whether you bike for exercise, recreation or to commute to work, youll have to do a little prep work if your bicycle has been sitting in the garage all winter.
Jim Wheatcroft, former publicity coordinator for the Jersey Shore Cycle Club, said a bike thats been idle for six months will need air in the tires, a good cleaning and some chain lubricant. Youll also want to check to make sure all the bolts are tight.
As you get your ride ready, check out our guide to bicycles, bike paths and bike safety.
Vincent Jackson
RULES OF THE ROAD
Always ride on the right side of the road with the traffic flow.
Make sure to wear bright clothing so that you will be visible to drivers.
A bicycle must be equipped with a bell or other audible device that can be heard 100 feet away, but not a siren or a whistle.
At night, operating bicycles must be equipped with a front headlamp emitting a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet and a rear lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet. A red reflector may be mounted on the rear.
BIKE SAFETY FOR CHILDREN
Parents should ride with children on the sidewalk or on a Boardwalk and not in the street.
Always have the child riding their bicycle on the inside of you.
Under New Jersey law, anyone younger than 17 who rides a bicycle, or is a passenger on a bicycle or is being towed as a passenger by a bicycle, must wear a helmet.
Where to ride
THE PROMENADES AND BOARDWALKS
Several promenades and boardwalks in Atlantic and Cape May counties offer lit areas for biking:
Atlantic City Boardwalk(4 miles) Hours: 6 to 10 a.m. daily; extended hours, 6 a.m. to noon and 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 16 to May 14.
Ventnor Boardwalk (2 miles) Hours: Daylight hours weekdays year round and Saturday and Sunday from Labor Day through June 30; also 6 a.m. to noon Saturdays and Sundays from July through Labor Day.
Sea Isle City Promenade (1.5 miles) Hours: 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays and 5 a.m. to noon Saturdays and Sundays from May 15 to Sept. 15. Access north at 29th Street Boardwalk, acess south at 57th Street Boardwalk.
Avalon Boardwalk (a little less than 9/10 of a mile) Hours: 5 to 10 a.m. May through September. Access at the north end at 21st Street, access at the south end at 32nd Street.
Stone Harbor Promenade (a little more than 1/10 of a mile): Hours: No restrictions. Access on 80th or 83rd streets.
North Wildwood Boardwalk (a little less than half a mile) Hours: 5 a.m. to noon from May to October. Access at E. 16th Avenue.
Wildwood Boardwalk (1.89 miles) Hours: 6 a.m. to noon from the middle of May to the end of September. Access at E. Creese Avenue.
Cape May Promenade (1.4 miles) Hours: 4 to 10 a.m. May 1 to Oct. 31. Access at Beach Drive between Philadelphia Avenue and Madison Avenue or Beach Drive near Second Avenue.
Ocean City Boardwalk (2.45 miles) Hours: 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Fridays from May 16 to June 17, excluding Memorial Day, May 30; 5 a.m. to noon Saturdays and Sundays from May 14 to June 19, including Memorial Day; 5 a.m. to noon from June 17 to Sept. 5.
BIKE PATHS SPANNING MULTIPLE MUNICIPALITIES
The Pleasantville-Northfield-Linwood-Somers Point Bike Path
The mostly lit, no-time restriction, except the Somers Point childrens curfew, bike path starts on New Jersey Avenue in Pleasantville and ends on Somers Avenue in Somers Point and runs 7.4 miles.
The Atlantic County Bikeway East
The unlit, dawn-to-dusk bike path runs from Harbor Square (formerly Shore Mall), 6725 E. Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Township to the Atlantic County Institute of Technology, 5080 Atlantic Ave., Hamilton Township, Mays Landing, which is 7.56 miles.
BIKE PATHS WITHIN A SINGLE MUNICIPALITY
BUENA
The unlit, 24-hour bike path starts at the intersection of the Boulevard and Route 40 and ends in a field of tall grass with a large circle near Blackwater Pond Park and runs 1.9 miles with a 0.2 mile loop behind Melini Park.
HAMMONTON
The unlit, one-quarter mile long, 24 hours bike path runs along Moss Mill Road, starting at Lakeview Drive and ending at Hammonton Lake.
UPPER TOWNSHIP
The unlit, 1.3 mile, dawn-to-dusk bike path follows the perimeter of the Amandas Field Complex at 10 Sunset Road, off Route 50
MIDDLE TOWNSHIP
The mostly unlit, 24-hour bike path starts at Cape May County Park and Zoo and ends near the Martin Luther King Recreation Center in Whitesboro.
WOODBINE
With a mixture of lit and unlit stretches, the no-time restrictions bike path begins at the intersection of routes 550 and 557 and runs 1.5 miles to County Route 660 (Fiddler Hill Road).
WILDWOOD CREST
With a mix of lit and unlit stretches, the no-time restrictions bike path, which was created in 1996, starts at Cresse Avenue and ends at Rambler Road for the first part and then continues from Rambler Road to the end of Seaview Avenue for the second part for a total of 4 miles round trip.
OCEAN CITY
Bicycle corridor (7.8 miles) From the Ocean City-Longport Bridge at the north end of the island to the Russ Chattin Bridge on the Ocean Drive causeway between Ocean City and Strathmere at the entrance to Corsons Inlet State Park. Designated on-street route with buffered bike lanes at different points, a HAWK signal to get bikers across busy Ninth Street and lots of traffic-calming measures to discourage high-speed traffic.
Route 52 Causeway (2.2 mile miles): A new bike and pedestrian lane on the causeway between Ocean City and Somers Point.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY
Millville has two existing bikeways called the Maurice River Bikeway Trail. These dawn-to-dusk bikeways are a 1.35 mile off-road bike path on the Maurice River and a connecting 0.3 mile bicycle route on Ware Avenue.
Earth Dike in Maurice River Township starts at Menhaden Road and person travels south until it ends at Matts Landing Road, 0.86 miles later.
BELLEPLAIN STATE FOREST
Belleplain State Forest is located in both Cape May and Cumberland counties. The forest has a 10-mile mountain bike trail. Visitors can pick up a map or receive information at the forest office from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at 1 Henkinsifkin Road, Woodbine. The trail is fairly technical and is divided into three parts, if a rider does not want to do all 10 miles.
Families heading to Belleplain for bicycling may want to ride through the main day use area and campgrounds. These areas have flat, paved roads, light traffic and allow children to ride safely.
Most of the forests marked trails allow bicycles, but the nature trail around Lake Nummy is for hiking only.
Another option for bicyclists is Belleplains East Creek Trail, which is slightly more than seven miles long and offers a nice ride through the forest.
There are no lighted trails in Belleplain State Forest.
OCEAN COUNTY
The unlit, dawn-to-dusk Barnegat Branch Trail starts at Burr Street in Barnegat Township and ends on Hickory Lane in Berkeley Township, which 9.5 miles.
The unlit, dawn-to-dusk Wells Mills County Park trail starts at the Wells Mills Lake County Park Nature Center, 905 Wells Mills Road, Waretown, and end at the Wells Mills Lake Bridge, which is 1.3 miles.
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.
TOKYO, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Facility offers testing for IT and audio/video, Measurement Device, and Medical products
CSA Group, a global provider of testing and certification services and a leading standards development organization, today announced it opened a new laboratory in Tokyo, offering testing and certification services including expanded services for medical devices and a new ingress protection testing laboratory.
The new laboratory in Tokyo specializes in testing and certification for information technology equipment and audio/video equipment, Measurement Device, and Medical products and offers schematic evaluations and on-site testing services.
"Information technology and new medical equipment are rapidly expanding fields," said Takaki Egawa, Tokyo Operations Manager, CSA Group. "Almost everything we use today has some form of interconnectivity. CSA Group is dedicated to expanding our services in growing markets and encouraging new and innovative solutions for these products and services we use every day. Japan is a leader in innovative technologies, and we will work with our clients here to help promote their innovative products today and into the future."
The Tokyo lab is able to evaluate and test products to applicable standards for North America, Europe and other international markets. The facility is IT/AV under 60065, 60950 and new 62368 standard as well as measurement device standard under 61010 and Medical 60601 is the most metropolitan safety testing and certification laboratory in Tokyo. Local technical experts also offer services for Appliances, IT/AV, Industrial and Medical fields.
In addition to the above services, the Tokyo laboratory will be expanding in the future to offer testing and certification for industrial products. With the addition of this new facility, CSA Group now has laboratories and offices in strategic locations throughout Asia, including China, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore.
About CSA Group
CSA Group is an independent, membership association dedicated to safety, social good and sustainability. Its knowledge and expertise encompass standards development; training and advisory solutions; global testing and certification services across key business areas including hazardous location and industrial, transportation, plumbing and construction, medical, safety and technology, appliances and gas, alternative energy, lighting and sustainability; as well as consumer product evaluation services. The CSA certification mark appears on billions of products worldwide. For more information about CSA Group visit http://www.csagroup.org.
CSA Group Contact: Makoto Sasaki, CSA Group Japan Ltd., +81-3-6865-8040, csajapaninfo@csagroup.org; Media Contact: Chie Hayakawa, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, +81-3-6859-6114, chie.hayakawa@hkstrategies.com; CSA Group Media Contact: Allison Hawkins, CSA Group, +1-416-747-2615, allison.hawkins@csagroup.org
SOURCE CSA Group Management Corporation
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Debiopharm International SA (Debiopharm), a Swiss-based company, part of Debiopharm Group, today announces that non-clinical data on the clinical-stage investigational compound Debio 1347/CH5183284 (FGFR 1,2,3 inhibitor) will be presented at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) taking place in New Orleans, by Debiopharm and Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Debio 1347/CH5183284 is currently being evaluated in Europe and USA, in a first-in-man phase I trial in patients with advanced solid tumors displaying FGFR 1, 2, or 3 genetic alterations. Debiopharm is investigating patient selection criteria with the aim of enabling personalized treatments with Debio 1347/CH5183284 associated with a companion diagnostic.
'We are very pleased to present this latest set of scientific data relating to our FGFR inhibitor, which further reinforces Debiopharm's commitment to the advancement of personalized therapies which have the potential to improve and extend the lives of individuals living with cancer,' said Dr Nigel McCracken, Vice President, Translational Medicine, Debiopharm International SA.
AACR 2016 Abstract
Title Date AND Time Ndegree(s) FGFR selective inhibitor Debio 1347 induces tumor regression in FGFR2-altered gastric cancer PDX Wed, April 20 Presented by Debiopharm International SA 7:30 - 11:00 4784 ERK signal suppression and sensitivity to CH5183284/Debio 1347, a selective FGFR inhibitor Presented by Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Kamakura Tue, April 19 Japan 8:00 - 12:00 3028
About Debiopharm International SA
Debiopharm Group is a Swiss-based global biopharmaceutical group of four companies active in drug development, GMP manufacturing of proprietary drugs, diagnostics and investment management. Debiopharm International SA is focused on the development of prescription drugs that target unmet medical needs. The company in-licenses and develops promising drug candidates. The products are commercialized by pharmaceutical out-licensing partners to give access to the largest number of patients worldwide.
For more information, please visit http://www.debiopharm.com
We are on Twitter. Follow us @DebiopharmNews at http://twitter.com/DebiopharmNews
Debiopharm International SA Contact
Christelle Tur
Communication Coordinator
christelle.tur@debiopharm.com
Tel: +41(0)21-321-01-11
Additional Media Contacts
In London
Maitland
Chiara Valsangiacomo
cvalsangiacomo@maitland.co.uk
Tel: +44(0)20-7379-5151
Russo Partners, LLC
Lena Evans
Assistant Vice President
lena.evans@russopartnersllc.com
Tel: +1-212-845-4262
SOURCE Debiopharm Group
LONDON, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Company: B.S.D CROWN LTD., incorporated and registered in the State of Israel with registered number 52-004292-0 (the "Company")
Notice by: Rotenstreich Gitzelter Trust Company Ltd. ("Rotenstreich Gitzelter ")
It is announced that the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company, which was scheduled to be held on Monday, April 18, 2016 at 2pm (London time) at the Hilton London Tower Bridge, 5 More London Place, Tooley Street, London SE1 2BY, United Kingdom, is hereby cancelled.
The cancellation of the Extraordinary General Meeting is required due to a postponement of the hearing of the motion filed on February 28, 2016 by Rotenstreich Gitzelter, together with Mr Naftali Shani, with the District Court in Tel-Aviv, Israel, requesting the Court to find and declare that the extraordinary general meeting of BGI Investments (1961) Ltd., held on February 17, 2016 was duly convened and that the resolutions approved at said meeting were duly accepted. BGI Investments (1961) Ltd. holds 25,515,677 ordinary shares of the Company.
On April 14, 2016 the Court ordered a postponement of the hearing, to be held on May 5, 2016.
Therefore, NOTICE is hereby given hereby given that AN EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING of the Company (the "EGM") will be held on Monday, May 9, 2016 at 2pm (London time) at the Hilton London Tower Bridge, 5 More London Place, Tooley Street, London SE1 2BY, United Kingdom.
The EGM is called by invitation of Rotenstreich Gitzelter, a Company shareholder, holding 10,278,451 ordinary shares of the Company (representing approximately 9.34 per cent. of the Company's issued and outstanding share capital and voting rights), whose request to convene an extraordinary general meeting of the Company's shareholders, in accordance with clause 63(b) and 63(c) of the Israeli Companies Law, 5759-1999 (the "Israeli Companies Law") and the Company's articles of association, was served on 3 February 2016 to the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") and refused. Following said refusal, Rotenstreich Gitzelter is entitled to call an extraordinary general meeting in accordance with clause 64 of the Israeli Companies Law.
The EGM will convene for the purpose of considering and voting upon the following proposed resolutions:
1. the election of the following persons to serve the office as directors of the board of directors of the Company commencing on the date of approval by shareholders at the EGM and until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting:
a)Mr. Naftali Shani;
b)Adv. Arnon Gicelter;
c)Mr. Yonatan Malca; and
d)Mr. David Blass.
2. the election of Ms. Ruth Breger to serve the office as a statutory independent director in accordance with the Israeli Companies Law for an initial fixed term of three years commencing on the date of approval by shareholders at the EGM.
3. the removal from office of all the existing directors (other than the statutory independent director), namely:
a)Mr Gregory Gurtovoi;
b)Mr Oleksander Avdyeyev;
c)Mr Israel Jossef Schneorson;
d)Mr Yosef Schvinger; and
e)Mr Chanoch Winderboim.
EGM documents
Copies of the notice, as well as the proposed directors' respective declarations, are available at the offices of Rotenstreich Gitzelter Trust Company Ltd. during regular business hours via email to: office@rglaw.co.il or upon advanced notice at 25 Ibn Gvirol Street, Tel-Aviv, Israel, Tel: +972-3-5258090 Fax: +972-3-5258080.
Remuneration and Indemnification
Pursuant to the Israeli Companies Law, the remuneration of directors is subject to the approval by the Company's remuneration committee followed by the approval of the board of directors of the Company. Subject to the required approvals by law, directors shall also be entitled to indemnification and Directors and Officers insurance policy covering actions and omissions.
Record Date
The record date for shareholders and depository interest holders to be entitled to vote is set on April 18, 2016.
Quorum
Two or more shareholders, present in person or by proxy and holding shares conferring in the aggregate at least 25% of the outstanding voting power of the Company, shall constitute a legal quorum at the EGM. No business shall be transacted at the EGM unless a legal quorum is present, and no resolution may be passed unless a legal quorum is present at the time such resolution is voted upon. If within half an hour from the time scheduled for the EGM a legal quorum is not present, the meeting shall be adjourned to May 16, 2016 at the same time and place (the "Adjourned Meeting"). If within half an hour from the time scheduled for the Adjourned Meeting a legal quorum is not present, then any two shareholders entitled to vote, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a legal quorum for such adjourned meeting and shall be entitled to resolve any matters on the agenda of the meeting.
Contact:
Rotenstreich Gitzelter Trust Company Ltd.
25 Ibn Gvirol Street, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Tel: +972-3-5258090
Fax: +972-3-5258080
Email: office@rglaw.co.il
SOURCE Rotenstreich Gitzelter Trust Company Ltd.
According to SinoInteractive's research, there has been significant improvement even in the area of stitching which is indirectly contributing to rising share in the world's cloth Industry. Top e-commerce platforms like "Sammy dress" (Sammydress.com) have started competing with local players. While Sammydress and other Chinese companies have received mixed reviews, Chinese companies have shown consistent improvement in the area of customer satisfaction.
Most of them are aware that business is like a warzone where the competitors try their best to beat their competitors by all means including reports of several companies allegedly creating fake customer reviews/products/social media communities.
SinoInteractive's research shows that there has been great improvement in quality based on recent surveys on Chinese Made apparels. The "Chinese Made" strategy is to deliver affordable goods to people in both developed countries and underdeveloped countries, resulting in China becoming a major contributor for global growth.
In 2015, there was a 23% rise in Russian orders from the Chinese e-commerce industry compared to 2014. From November 11-26, 2015, there were nearly 10 million purchases made in Chinese e-commerce portals by Russians.
In order to overcome the supply chain hurdles, Chinese and Russians came forward and established multinational logistics at Khabarovsk to increase the speed of the delivery packages.
In the apparel category, one of the preferred shopping sites by Russians is Globalegrow. The company aims to deliver fashion in lower cost so that it's affordable for everyone. Sammydress receives orders globally, mainly from the United States, Russia, Canada and UK. In order to boost their customer service, they have recruited twenty Russian employees in 2016 catering the demand of business and customers round the clock.
In the United States, "Sammy dress" and "Sammydress" are googled approximately 70,000 times a month indicating the presence of Chinese e-commerce there. Analysts believe that the price factor contributes to the brand's penetration in the global markets.
SOURCE SinoInteractive
SCHIPHOL, The Netherlands, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Today's Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of Teleplan International N.V., being held in Schiphol, appointed Dolph Westerbos as new member of the Supervisory Board for a term of four years. After the meeting, Teleplan's Supervisory Board elected Mr. Westerbos as its new Chairman.
Dolph Westerbos (52) holds Dutch and US citizenship and is currently the CEO of New York based Westcon Group, a global value-add technology distributor providing category-leading solutions in Enterprise Security, Communication, Network Infrastructure, Data Center and Cloud. Previously, Mr. Westerbos held various senior management roles within Brambles, Dell and ModusLink and brings more than 10 years' experience in the after-market supply chain industry.
Nikolai Pronk, Partner Gilde Buy Out Partners: "We would like to thank our former Chairman Adrian Schmassmann for his valuable contribution and business insight for more than 12 years and respect his decision to resign. We are thrilled to have Dolph coming on board as the new Chairman. His international business track record and technology supply-chain industry expertise will be a great addition to the Supervisory Board in supporting Teleplan's further growth plans."
"I have partnered as a customer with Teleplan over the years, and clearly see the benefits Teleplan provides to its OEMs and other partners. The market has opportunities for further growth, and I look forward to working with Teleplan to capture that value", says Dolph Westerbos, CEO of Westcon Group.
Teleplan's Supervisory Board now consists of the following five members: Dolph Westerbos (Chairman), Guy Demuynck, Boudewijn Molenaar, Nikolai Pronk and Rob Westerhof.
Teleplan International N.V. is an industry leader in lifecycle care for after-market service, operating in the areas of Computers, Communications and Consumer Electronics. Focussing on Customer Care, Managed Logistics, Parts Management, Screening & Testing, Repair/Refurbish and Resell/Recycle, Teleplan have over 30 years of proven performance providing value propositions throughout the supply chain from the point of purchase to the end of life. Teleplan innovate to consistently keep up with the advances in interactive connectivity and communication and our Telemade approach tailors to each individual customer's needs. Headquartered in Amsterdam/Schiphol, the Netherlands, Teleplan's service centres have a global reach of over 95 countries and employ over 5000 people.
For further information please visit: http://www.teleplan.com .
SOURCE Teleplan
Add another milestone to the Jeep brand's storied history: the 2016 Cherokee Trailhawk is the first gasoline-powered, American-made, American-brand passenger vehicle to qualify for Japan's Eco-Car tax incentive.
When equipped with the 3.2-liter Pentastar V-6, the Cherokee Trailhawk also the most capable SUV in its class meets the fuel-efficiency and emissions-level requirements tied to the 58,000 consumer tax break.
"At Jeep, we don't sacrifice operating efficiency for capability," says Mike Manley, Head of Jeep Brand and Global Lead Executive for International Operations FCA. "This achievement vindicates our efforts to deliver products that resonate in a highly complex industry climate."
The Pentastar-powered Cherokee Trailhawk achieves a 10.3-km/L fuel-efficiency rating in Japan. The vehicle also earns a 4-Star emissions rating, which is the other requirement to qualify for Japan's Eco-Car tax incentive.
The 3.2-liter Pentastar in the Cherokee Trailhawk boasts two mini-oxidation, three-way catalytic converters and four heated oxygen sensors to help reduce emissions.
The 3.2-liter Pentastar shares design features with the 3.6-liter Pentastar, named three times to the prestigious list of Ward's 10 Best Engines. The smaller-displacement V-6, which is rated at 200kW (272 hp) and generates 315 Nm (239 lb.-ft.) of torque, also benefits from Engine Stop-Start (ESS) technology.
A standard feature on the 3.2-liter Pentastar, ESS increases fuel economy by shutting the engine off whenever the vehicle comes to a complete stop. Meanwhile, the vehicle's radio, gauges, heating/air-conditioning system and other equipment, remain operational.
The engine restarts automatically when the driver her/his foot from the vehicle's brake pedal.
Further boosting the Cherokee Trailhawk's efficiency are its segment-exclusive TorqueFlite nine-speed automatic transmission and its industry-first driveline system that automatically and seamlessly matches performance settings with driving conditions.
With its wide ratio spread, the TorqueFlite gearbox is designed to ensure the Pentastar V-6 operates at optimal levels at all times. Four overdrive ratios benefit highway driving while also reducing overall noise, vibration and harshness.
The Cherokee Trailhawk's 4x4 system, dubbed Jeep Active Drive Lock, features a
power transfer unit (PTU) and rear-drive module (RDM) that automatically engage and then disengage, depending on driving conditions. This dramatically reduces spin losses and saves fuel.
The combined attributes of the 3.2-liter Pentastar, TorqueFlite transmission and Jeep Active Drive Lock 4x4 system not only deliver efficiency, they make the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk the most capable SUV in its class. Its two-speed PTU produces a 47.8:1 crawl ratio.
The ruggedly stylish SUV arrives at Japan dealerships in May.
The Jeep Cherokee was also listed among the 10 best cars in the 2014-2015 Japan Car of the Year of Award the first American vehicle to be so honored.
The Jeep brand marks its 75th anniversary this year. The entire Jeep Cherokee lineup is produced at the Toledo Assembly Complex in Toledo, OH.
About Jeep Brand
Built on 75 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV with class-leading capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence.
The Jeep vehicle lineup consists of the Cherokee, Compass, Grand Cherokee, Patriot, Renegade, Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. To meet consumer demand around the world, all Jeep models sold outside North America are available in both left and right-hand drive configurations and with gasoline and diesel powertrain options.
Follow Jeep and FCA US news and video on:
FCA Content On Demand (COD): www.fcacod.com
Company blog: http://blog.fcanorthamerica.com
Company website: www.fcanorthamerica.com
Media website: http://media.fcanorthamerica.com
FCA360: www.fca360.com
Jeep brand: www.jeep.com
Jeep blog: blog.jeep.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeep or www.facebook.com/ChryslerGroup
Flickr: www.flickr.com/jeepexperience or www.flickr.com/chryslergroup
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/jeep or www.pinterest.com/FCAcorporate
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jeepofficial or www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA
Streetfire: www.streetfire.net/uploaded/chryslervideo.htm
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jeep or www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA
YouTube: www.youtube.com/thejeepchannel or www.youtube.com/pentastarvideo
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160413/355151
SOURCE FCA US LLC
Related Links
http://www.fcanorthamerica.com
Ms. Clancy joined the Country Curtains Board of Directors, Finance Committee and Compensation Committee in 2015 after a distinguished leadership career in the retail sector. Ms. Clancy most recently served as CEO of Joyce Leslie, Inc., she is also Founder and CEO of MCC Retail Consultants, LLC, which launched in 2014. From 2011 to 2013, she served as CEO and President at Ashley Stewart, Inc. and from 2007 to 2011, Ms. Clancy was President at AJ Wright, a division of The TJX Companies, Inc.
Ms. Clancy was a Senior Operations Consultant at Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. Her extensive experience in retail also includes tenure at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. where she held positions as Vice President and Divisional Merchandise Manager for womenswear; Senior Vice President and General Merchandise Manager and Vice President Brand Strategy. Ms. Clancy was with Bradlees, Inc. for 15 years where she held positions in fashion merchandising and was named Senior Vice President and General Merchandise Manager. Ms. Clancy attended Boston College Carroll School of Management and earned her B.A. from Wellesley College.
"I am excited for the opportunity to lead this beloved family and employee-owned brand, rich in American heritage, quality craftsmanship and family values. I look forward to sharing my expertise and experience as we refresh and reintroduce this great brand to a whole new generation of customers, providing the superior customer service and quality that our customers have grown accustomed to," said Ms. Clancy.
About Country Curtains
Founded in 1956, Country Curtains is the first mail order curtain company in the U.S. The company has been headquartered in Stockbridge, MA since 1958. 2016 marks Country Curtain's 60-year anniversary.
Started by the late Senator John "Jack" H. Fitzpatrick and his wife, Jane (Pratt) Fitzpatrick at their dining table in Whitman, MA, Country Curtains found commercial success offering their signature curtains, including the original ruffle and ball fringe styles which remain bestsellers for the company today. Country Curtains places emphasis on fabrics sourced from around the world and locally handmade window treatments.
Today, Country Curtains offers an extensive catalog nationwide, as well as a robust e-commerce site and 22 retail locations. In 2015, Country Curtains introduced Prospect + Vine, an e-commerce destination for designer inspired home interiors and furnishings.
For more information visit www.countrycurtains.com.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160413/355489
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160413/355490LOGO
SOURCE Country Curtains
Related Links
http://www.countrycurtains.com
ATLANTA, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On the fourth Thursday of April this year, nearly 37 million school-aged children and 3.5 million different workplaces across the country will participate in Take Your Child to Work Day, which was started as a way to introduce girls and boys to the career world through real-life hands-on experience. Krystal restaurants will also be celebrating Take Your Child to Work Day with a unique twist on the Business Lunch 50-cent Pups, the brand's signature mini-hot dogs.
"Getting kids actively involved in their futures is an effort we're proud to support," said Alice Crowder, Vice President of Marketing for The Krystal Company. "Our delicious Pups provide a way for children and parents to reflect on the day together over a fun, tasty, simple lunchtime or after-work meal." Krystal Pups will be available for just $0.50 each all day on Thursday, April 24th at participating locations, while supplies last. There is no limit to the number of Pups guests may purchase. Combo deals, sides, desserts, and beverages will be available at regular pricing.
"Krystal has always strived to be a place where people and families come together. Take Your Child to Work Day is an excellent opportunity to support our communities and our children with a great meal and a strong value," Crowder added.
About The Krystal Company
Founded in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1932, The Krystal Company is the oldest quick service restaurant chain in the South. Its hamburgers are still served fresh and hot off the grill on the iconic square bun at more than 350 restaurants in 11 states. Krystal's Atlanta-based Restaurant Support Center serves a team of 6,000 employees. For more information, visit http://www.Krystal.com or http://www.facebook.com/Krystal or follow the brand on Twitter and Instagram @Krystal.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160414/355716LOGO
SOURCE The Krystal Company
Related Links
http://www.krystal.com
LEMONT, Ill., April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CITGO Petroleum Corporation employees from the Lemont Refinery served as mentors teaching interactive workshops on diverse energy sources and sustainability to local middle and high school students as part of Project Infinite Green. This innovative, locally based afterschool program offered middle- and high-school students the opportunity to learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) from industry experts both inside and out of the classroom.
Founded in 2011, Project Infinite Green engages students from sixth to twelfth grade in twice-weekly classes and fieldwork studies focused on the energy industry. Throughout the fall semester, five CITGO Lemont Refinery employees prepared and presented lessons at Lemont High School, Old Quarry Middle School and St. Cyrils Middle School on geology, molecular structure, the refining process and environmental stewardship that emphasized the science and business of sustainability
"We want to spark our children's interest in STEM-related subjects and encourage academic exploration on a local level," said Catherine Greenspon, co-founder of Project Infinite Green. "One thing that makes this program so special is the community involvement. The real-world experience that CITGO mentors have brought to the students involved in Project Infinite Green is priceless."
CITGO is both an active participant and founding partner of Project Infinite Green, providing input in the sections related to the refining industry as an important part of the energy mix and the measures it takes to protect the environment. Since the program's creation five years ago, CITGO employees have dedicated their time to teaching at Lemont-area schools. The company donates annually to Project Infinite Green and this year's support from CITGO went toward the cost of the curriculum, supplies and other program expenses for the academic year. This partnership reflects a broader initiative by CITGO to provide students with opportunities in STEM education, specifically in the communities in which the company operates.
"Programs such as Project Infinite Green are a vital part of building enthusiasm for STEM-related fields among our students," said Jim Cristman, vice president of the CITGO Lemont Refinery. "The refining industry provides great career opportunities for our future leaders. However, fewer students plan to pursue college or graduate degrees in this field. CITGO strives to empower tomorrow's workforce through our partnership with Project Infinite Green because it equips participants with the tools they need to be successful in a career in energy."
Project Infinite Green introduces students to scientific research and environmental solutions that challenge them to think analytically and work collaboratively. For their capstone project, student teams develop practical business plans that incorporate diverse and sustainable energy sources, based on their coursework throughout the academic year. The program's curriculum complements what the students are learning in school and meets Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) goals.
The CITGO Lemont Refinery, which has been in operations for more than 90 years, supports various programs that encourage STEM education. Earlier this year, employees volunteered at Old Quarry Middle School in Lemont to present information on the refining process, environmental stewardship and career opportunities within the petroleum refining industry to approximately 300 eighth grade students. Employees also serve as judges for science fairs and participate in LEGO Robotics programs. Ongoing support from CITGO for educational initiatives inspires students to challenge themselves academically and explore career possibilities they may have otherwise not considered.
About Project Infinite Green
Project Infinite Green is an after-school program that encourages STEM exploration by taking students on a journey of U.S. energy sources. Both traditional and renewable energy are covered as well as environmental stewardship, climate change, public policy and business plan formation. As a cumulative project, 6-12th grade students are challenged to create a green business plan that is feasible, reasonable and sustainable.
About the CITGO Lemont Refinery
For over 90 years, CITGO Lemont Refinery has employed more than 750 Chicago area residents on a full-time and contract basis in support of the local economy. In addition to producing high quality fuels for a large portion of the network of nearly 5,500 locally owned CITGO stations across the country, Lemont Refinery employees also make a major positive impact on the community. Each year, more than 2,500 volunteer hours and thousands of dollars are given in support of community programs such as Muscular Dystrophy Association, United Way and a variety of environmental and preservation programs. Operations at the Lemont Refinery began in 1925 with a major expansion, doubling the facility, in 1933. Over the years, new units were added to meet the demand for a better quality of gas for automobiles, aviation fuel for WWII, and the production of asphalt. Petroleos de Venezuela, PDVSA, acquired 100% ownership of the refinery in 1997 and began operations as CITGO Lemont Refinery. For more information, visit www.citgorefining.com/Lemont.
About CITGO
CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.
SOURCE CITGO Petroleum Corporation
Related Links
http://www.CITGO.com
PHILADELPHIA, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company today presented a check for $300,000 to Children's Scholarship Fund Philadelphia (CSFP) at one of its 160 partner schools to support scholarships for low-income K-8th grade students in Philadelphia. The donation is part of a larger partnership in which Colonial Penn has committed to scaling educational opportunities and supporting low-income children and their families throughout Philadelphia.
Colonial Penn's donation launches a multi-year partnership with CSFP that will allow CSFP to award over 300 new K-8th grade scholarships over the next two years for low-income children to attend the tuition-based school of their family's choice. These scholarships offer hope, opportunity and success to Philadelphia students by providing financial access to over 160 diverse, private and parochial schools in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Each year, CSFP receives an overwhelming number of applications for its scholarship award lottery. This year alone, CSFP received 10,000 applications for 2,000 awards that will be distributed in June. Because of this demand and the availability of seats in local quality private schools, CSFP launched its Campaign for 10,000 Children to provide even more children with financial access to a quality early education.
Colonial Penn's partnership allows CSFP to reach its goal of awarding 10,000 scholarships by this year and sustain its efforts in the years forward. "CSFP is grateful for partners like Colonial Penn who strive to live their core values of integrity and community-focus, and whose dedication to our city's children and families will improve our community and educate our future workforce," said CSFP Executive Director, Ina B. Lipman.
"We are proud to support CSFP and look forward to providing children with a quality education," said Gerardo Monroy, president of Colonial Penn. "As a company headquartered for nearly 60 years in Philadelphia, we are committed to supporting causes that drive positive change and contribute to the well-being of our community."
Colonial Penn's investment will yield compelling results: Over 96% of CSFP alumni graduate high school on time and on grade level. Colonial Penn made its donation through the PA Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program that provides scholarships to low-income students living in the catchment zones of the lowest-achieving PA public schools to attend a higher quality school. Because nearly half of the Commonwealth's low-achieving schools are in Philadelphia, Colonial Penn's donation provides crucial assistance for the success of the next generation of Philadelphia leaders, like those students attending St. Francis de Sales School where the partnership was announced and where CSFP provides financial assistance to over 150 Philadelphia children annually.
About Children's Scholarship Fund Philadelphia
Children's Scholarship Fund Philadelphia (CSFP) is a privately funded program, established in 1998, whose mission is to provide financial access for students from low-income Philadelphia families to safe, high-quality, tuition-based schools. It is the largest provider of scholarship support for grades K-8 in Pennsylvania. CSFP currently serves about 5,400 children in grades K-8 in more than 165 area private schools, who are receiving an average of $1,950 per child, per year. The average tuition for these schools is about $4,200 per year. The scholarships are all need-based and awarded by lottery.
https://twitter.com/CSFPhiladelphia
https://www.facebook.com/csfphiladelphia
www.csfphiladelphia.org
About Colonial Penn
Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company specializes in offering insurance directly to consumers at affordable prices. The nationwide company, a subsidiary of CNO Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: CNO), was a pioneer in designing insurance products to meet the needs of the mature market. With nearly 775,000 life insurance policies and $3.5 billion of life insurance inforce, we're proud to be serving insurance needs all across America. To learn more, visit Colonial Penn online at www.ColonialPenn.com.
SOURCE Children's Scholarship Fund Philadelphia
Related Links
http://www.csfphiladelphia.org
WASHINGTON, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Digital Citizens Alliance Executive Director Tom Galvin made the following statement after President Obama announced his support for the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) controversial set-top box proposal:
"It is simply bewildering that President Obama would come out in support of the FCC's controversial proposal to change the way we watch television at home. The FCC's set-top box proposal raises serious issues about privacy and data collection of children's viewing habits. These are issues the White House has expressed concern about in the past, but seems to ignore now.
"Americans, however, remain concerned. The majority of Americans in a recent poll said the FCC's set-top box proposal was a bad idea and over 60 percent are concerned about companies such as Google collecting information about their children's viewing habits and interests.
"So President Obama has to decide which side he's on the privacy interests of consumers or enabling a tech giant such as Google to get a little richer."
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140218/DC67126LOGO
SOURCE Digital Citizens Alliance
LOS ANGELES, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Blue Shield of California and Anthem Blue Cross of California have designated Good Samaritan Hospital as a Blue Distinction Center in the Blue Distinction Centers for Cardiac Care program, part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated health care facilities shown to deliver improved patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed with input from the medical community.
To receive a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care designation, a hospital must demonstrate its expertise in delivering safe and effective cardiac care, focusing on cardiac valve surgery, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) episodes of care. A hospital must also have earned national accreditation at the facility level.
Good Samaritan Hospital offers comprehensive cardiac care services, including inpatient cardiac care, cardiac rehabilitation, cardiac catheterization and cardiac surgery (including coronary artery bypass graft surgery).
To be designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care, Good Samaritan Hospital met the selection criteria which include:
an established cardiac care program, performing required annual volumes for certain procedures (e.g. a minimum of 125 cardiac surgical procedures annually, including both CABG and/or valve surgery)
appropriate experience of its cardiac team, including sub-specialty board certification for interventional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons
an established acute care inpatient facility, including intensive care, emergency and a full range of cardiac services
full accreditation by The Joint Commission, Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP) or national equivalent
low overall complication and mortality rates
a comprehensive quality management program
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., claiming more than 610,000 lives1 in 4each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control.1 By 2030, 40.5 percent of the U.S. population is projected to have some form of cardiovascular disease, and the cost of cardiac care is expected to reach $818 billionan increase of almost 300 percent from 2010, according to the American Heart Association. The Blue Distinction Specialty Care program seeks to reduce this burden by empowering patients with the knowledge and tools to find quality cardiac care.
Since 2006, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality providers for their specialty care needs in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacements, maternity care, spine surgery and transplants, while encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the care they deliver. Research shows that facilities designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients compared with their peers.
For more information about the program and for a complete listing of the designated facilities, please visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2013 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released 2015. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2013, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program: http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html. Accessed on Feb 3, 2015.
About Good Samaritan Hospital
First opened in 1885, Good Samaritan Hospital is a 408-bed tertiary care facility offering some of the most comprehensive care in Los Angeles. Specializing in cardiac, orthopaedic, oncologic, ophthalmologic, and women's services, Good Samaritan Hospital offers various medical and surgical programs in its six centers of excellence: Heart & Vascular Center, Comprehensive Orthopaedic Center, Davajan-Cabal Center for Perinatal Medicine, Pancreatico-Biliary, Tertiary Retinal Surgery, and Transfusion-Free Medicine & Surgery Center. For more information visit www.goodsam.org.
About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California, an independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a nonprofit health plan with 4 million members, 6,800 employees and more than $13 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 and headquartered in San Francisco, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare health care service plans in California. The company's mission is to ensure all Californians have access to high-quality care at an affordable price. Blue Shield has contributed more than $325 million over the past ten years to the Blue Shield of California Foundation. Contact your local agent or broker about Blue Shield of California products and services, or visit www.blueshieldca.com.
About Anthem Blue Cross
Anthem Blue Cross is the trade name of Blue Cross of California. Anthem Blue Cross and Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Association. ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross Association. Also follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AskAnthem or www.twitter.com/AnthemPR_CA, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AskAnthem.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for nearly 105 million members one in three Americans. For more information on the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit www.BCBS.com. We encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out The BCBS Blog for up-to-date information about BCBSA.
About Blue Distinction Centers
Blue Distinction Centers (BDC) met overall quality measures for patient safety and outcomes, developed with input from the medical community. A Local Blue Plan may require additional criteria for facilities located in its own service area; for details, contact your Local Blue Plan. Blue Distinction Centers+ (BDC+) also met cost measures that address consumers' need for affordable healthcare. Each facility's cost of care is evaluated using data from its Local Blue Plan. Facilities in CA, ID, NY, PA, and WA may lie in two Local Blue Plans' areas, resulting in two evaluations for cost of care; and their own Local Blue Plans decide whether one or both cost of care evaluation(s) must meet BDC+ national criteria. National criteria for BDC and BDC+ are displayed on www.bcbs.com. Individual outcomes may vary. For details on a provider's in-network status or your own policy's coverage, contact your Local Blue Plan and ask your provider before making an appointment. Neither Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association nor any Blue Plans are responsible for non-covered charges or other losses or damages resulting from Blue Distinction or other provider finder information or care received from Blue Distinction or other providers.
SOURCE Good Samaritan Hospital
Related Links
http://www.goodsam.org
DENVER, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- High Supply, the innovative packaging company that introduced cost effective branding to the cannabis industry, confirmed that it was recently ripped off by some of its former employees in a corporate espionage scheme that assisted California based Collective Supply in entering the Colorado market. As first reported in a lengthy story this week by MJbrander.com, the company moved swiftly to protect its proprietary information and filed a civil lawsuit in Denver District Court.
Testimony in a hearing in early March revealed that one of High Supply's investors met with David Weidenbach, owner of Collective Supply, shortly after the corporate espionage scheme was uncovered and questioned what Collective was trying to do, especially since Justin Walker (High Supply's former owner) had a Non Compete Agreement. Weidenbach boasted that he didn't care about Walker's Non Compete Agreement and they had a big law firm behind them and "can drag this out for two to three years and within six monthsput us out ofbusiness." On the witness stand, Walker admitted "with regret" that he had transmitted the confidential data to Collective. In its first ruling, the Court issued an injunction against Walker for violating his non compete agreement and banned him from various activities in the cannabis industry over the next two years, through February 2018.
After Court testimony and an ongoing investigation, assisted by private investigation firm Rick Johnson & Associates, revealed more culprits in the corporate espionage scheme, the original lawsuit was amended to include David Weidenbach of Collective Supply, who was instrumental in illegally enticing High Supply employees to provide him and his team with sensitive and proprietary corporate data. Racketeering claims have also been subsequently filed under the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act against a total of 12 defendants.
"I'm always amazed at what people think they can get away with," stated High Supply's President, Anthony Thompson, "and I am surprised at the ongoing snubbing of the Court, including a lack of response from three of the defendants who will now be subject to default judgments."
A further hearing on additional injunctive relief is imminent, and per High Supply's filed Court pleadings, the possible seizure of Collective Supply's assets and recall of all products that they've sold to High Supply's customers as a result of using High Supply's stolen proprietary information. High Supply is also preparing their evidence to be submitted to federal authorities for a criminal investigation.
Thompson added: "We are grateful that the vast majority of our customers didn't want to get caught up in an illegal espionage scheme and we keep forging ahead looking after our existing as well as adding new customers to our unique branding system."
About High Supply
Based in Denver, Colorado, High Supply is an innovative branding and packaging company that specializes in branded, child-resistant packaging for the cannabis industry.
SOURCE High Supply
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) will hold a conference call to discuss its first quarter 2016 financial results on Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. ET. First quarter 2016 results will be released to the public at approximately 6:00 a.m. ET that day via PR Newswire.
Call-in numbers for the conference call: U.S. participants (888) 679 - 8035 International participants (617) 213 - 4848 Passcode 503 030 93#
In order to facilitate the registration process, you may use the following link to pre-register for the conference call. Callers who pre-register will be given a unique PIN to gain immediate access to the call and bypass the live operator. You may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call start time. To pre-register, please go to: https://www.theconferencingservice.com/prereg/key.process?key=P84M7KQQF
Webcast Information
The conference call will be available via webcast and can be accessed from the company's website at ir.huntsman.com.
Replay Information
The conference call will be available for replay beginning April 28, 2016 and ending May 5, 2016.
Call-in numbers for the replay: U.S. participants (888) 286 - 8010 International participants (617) 801 - 6888 Replay code 29385180
About Huntsman:
Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated chemicals with 2015 revenues of more than $10 billion. Our chemical products number in the thousands and are sold worldwide to manufacturers serving a broad and diverse range of consumer and industrial end markets. We operate more than 100 manufacturing and R&D facilities in approximately 30 countries and employ approximately 15,000 associates within our 5 distinct business divisions. For more information about Huntsman, please visit the company's website at www.huntsman.com.
Social Media:
Twitter: twitter.com/Huntsman_Corp
Facebook: www.facebook.com/huntsmancorp
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/huntsman
Forward-Looking Statements:
Statements in this release that are not historical are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations. The forward-looking statements in this release are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances and involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the company's operations, markets, products, services, prices and other factors as discussed in the Huntsman companies' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Significant risks and uncertainties may relate to, but are not limited to, financial, economic, competitive, environmental, political, legal, regulatory and technological factors. The company assumes no obligation to provide revisions to any forward-looking statements should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by applicable laws.
SOURCE Huntsman Corporation
Related Links
http://www.huntsman.com
NEW ORLEANS, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore General Hospital (Department of Pathology), and Clearbridge BioMedics have collaborated on a research project that examines circulating tumour cells from breast cancer patients. Preliminary data from the study revealed heterogeneity in the circulating tumour cells (CTCs) isolated from each patient's blood samples and tumour biopsy or surgical specimens. Heterogeneity refers to the diversity or the differences between different tumours, and in this case, the differences among the different circulating tumour cells at the individual cell level. These results will be presented next week at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting held in New Orleans, USA.
Breast cancers with increased levels of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2[1] (HER2) protein driven by the HER2 gene tend to grow and spread more aggressively than other breast cancers. However, the availability of anti-HER2 therapies such as trastuzumab has improved treatment outcomes significantly. Patients are normally selected for anti-HER2 targeted therapy according to the tumour HER2 levels based on a protein expression test called immunohistochemistry, or on a gene test called FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridisation) that measures the number of copies of the HER2 gene. Tumours which demonstrate HER2 protein overexpression or HER2 gene amplification benefit from HER2-targeted therapies.
In this study, researchers examined HER2 heterogeneity in CTCs obtained from the blood of 26 breast cancer patients. CTCs were successfully identified and recovered from blood samples of patients with both HER2-positive and HER2-negative breast cancers using the label-free ClearCell FX1 System. The CTCs from these samples were found to exhibit certain molecular characteristics, such as chromosome 17 polysomy, whereby there are increased numbers of chromosome 17 carrying HER2 and other genes.
"This study demonstrated that CTCs capture the molecular heterogeneity of breast cancer at the cellular level. Some of the CTCs from patients with HER2-negative tumours were found to be HER2-positive with increased copy numbers of the HER2 gene, while some of the CTCs from patients with HER2-positive tumours did not have increased numbers of HER2 gene. The presence of HER2-positive CTCs in patients, along with tissue biopsies which are commonly used to determine if a patient is HER2-positive, can potentially help determine the appropriate treatment regime. By leveraging upon our proprietary ClearCell FX1 System, which is a label-free automated system to isolate intact and viable CTCs, Clearbridge BioMedics is happy to support such cutting edge research that aims to provide new insights leading to improved cancer management," said Mr Johnson Chen, Managing Director and Founder Clearbridge BioMedics.
"Effective treatment begins with the right diagnosis. This is why we are relentless in our pursuit to provide an accurate, specific, and comprehensive diagnosis for our patients. Like Pathology, our collaboration at the CTC Centre of Research Excellence (CTC CoRE), bridges science with clinical medicine. By studying the heterogeneity of a patient's cancer cells, personalising cancer treatment can be achieved. This will enable us to explore new methods to improve patient care and outcomes," said Professor Tan Puay Hoon, Head, Department of Pathology, Senior Consultant, Singapore General Hospital.
"Circulating tumour cells can be regarded as a form of liquid biopsy, which is non-invasive and potentially useful for our patients. To advance the development of this technology platform, further research on its applications and utility will be conducted before using it for routine clinical care," said Dr Yap Yoon Sim, Senior Consultant, National Cancer Centre Singapore and lead investigator in the study.
For more information on the study results, refer to:
Meeting: American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) 2016
Session Title: Predictive and Prognostic Biomarkers
Session Category: Clinical Research
Abstract number: 5008
Location: Section 27
Poster Board number: 2
About Clearbridge BioMedics
Clearbridge BioMedics is a clinical stage oncology research and diagnostics company that enables real-time liquid biopsy using a label-free Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) enrichment platform. It is a National University of Singapore (NUS) spin-off company that is committed to revolutionizing cancer diagnostics and patient care. The ClearCell FX1 System, using the CTChip, is based on novel microfluidics technology that effectively isolates intact and viable CTCs from patients' blood. The system uses inertial focusing microfluidics for label-free CTC enrichment, capturing heterogeneous and dynamic cancer cells that could be used for cancer screening, diagnosis, staging, personalized medicine and treatment monitoring. Utilizing the next generation non-invasive liquid biopsy to analyze blood samples for CTCs, the device allows for real time analysis of disease before, during, and after treatment, which has become increasingly critical in the new era of precision medicine.
Headquartered in Singapore, Clearbridge BioMedics currently has customers spanning Asia, Europe and North America. The company has won numerous awards and garnered global recognition for the ClearCell FX1 System. Clearbridge BioMedics has attained ISO 13485 certification in 2011.
Company website: www.clearbridgebiomedics.com. Introductory video: http://youtu.be/aRBuOxLfX3g
About NCCS
National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) provides a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to cancer treatment and patient care. We treat almost 70 per cent of the public sector oncology cases, and they are benefiting from the sub-specialisation of our clinical oncologists. NCCS is also accredited by the US-based Joint Commission International for its quality patient care and safety.
To deliver among the best in cancer treatment and care, our clinicians work closely with our scientists who conduct robust cutting-edge clinical and translational research programmes which have been internationally recognised. NCCS strives to be a global leading cancer centre, and shares its expertise and knowledge by offering training to local and overseas medical professionals. www.nccs.com.sg
About SGH
Singapore General Hospital, a member of Singapore Health Services, is the public sector's flagship hospital. Established in 1821, SGH is Singapore's largest acute tertiary hospital with 1,700 beds and national referral centre offering a comprehensive range of 36 clinical specialties on its campus. Every year, about 1 million Singaporeans benefit from advanced medical care delivered by its 800 specialists. As an academic healthcare institution and the bedrock of medical education, SGH plays a key role in nurturing doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, and is committed to innovative translational and clinical research in her continual strive to provide the best care and outcomes to her patients. www.sgh.com.sg
Media enquiries can be directed to:
Clearbridge BioMedics
Chan Yiu Lin (Ms)
Greener Grass Communications
Mobile: (+65) 9765 5897
Email: [email protected]
National Cancer Centre Singapore
Rachel Tan (Ms)
Assistant Manager, Corporate Communications
Tel: (+65) 6236 9535
Hp: (+65) 9754 0842
Email: [email protected]
Singapore General Hospital
Carol Ang (Ms)
Assistant Manager, Communications
Tel: (+65) 6321 4999
Mobile: (+65) 9845 5354
Email: [email protected]
[1] A growth-promoting protein
SOURCE Clearbridge BioMedics
NEW YORK, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- MercaDolar, an open and free-market solution enabling the individual purchase and sale of U.S. dollars for Venezuela, is now available through a secure & modern online portal.
Created by a team of young Venezuelans and Americans, the system is modeled after the current realities of the Venezuelan economy and performs the role of mediator for currency transactions. This is useful for many scenarios, including providing much-needed financial relief to loved ones in the country.
MercaDolar connects Venezuelans abroad who need to send money home with others in the country in search for scarce U.S. dollars all within a secure, anonymous, and quick process. MercaDolar does not purchase or sell currency, and it does not impose any artificial exchange rate; it simply provides a market in which transactions occur within a predefined framework, thus safeguarding the best interests of both parties.
To use MercaDolar, all that is needed is to submit a one-time application, described in details in https://www.mercadolar.com/requisitos. Once the documentation is reviewed and approved - usually within 24 hours access is granted to buy and sell dollars in the market, and a new world of freedom and economic opportunities become available. It is important to state that in order to use MercaDolar, a bank account in the U.S. is required. However, buyers can use any ACH-enabled virtual payment account, such as Payoneer, to receive their funds.
Headquartered in New York City, MercaDolar executes all its transactions within the jurisdiction of the United States, where there are no restrictions imposed on the exchange of Bolivars.
If you wish to find more information about the services offered by this initiative, you can visit their website https://www.mercadolar.com, as well as visit any of the popular social media sites, where they will gladly and promptly answer any questions.
Related Links
http://www.mercadolar.com
SOURCE MercaDolar
BLUE BELL, Pa., April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) today announced that Brittney Burchett, a software engineer at the company's Malvern (Pa.) Technology Center, has been recognized by Philadelphia Business Journal as one of its "2016 Tech Disruptors."
Burchett and fellow winners were honored at a ceremony in Philadelphia on April 14.
The honor recognizes Delaware Valley technology professionals frequently unsung who are "working hard on projects that have lasting impact on the Philadelphia business community."
Burchett received the honor for the positive impact she has had on Unisys' Malvern-based software engineering organization in a tenure of only four years. In that time, she has taken the lead in introducing novel and beneficially disruptive ways of working to the organization.
Burchett has formed multiple teams to take new product ideas generated within Unisys Engineering and nurture them through the innovation process.
In 2015, she led a five-month long initiative with West Chester, Pa. technology incubator Walnut St. Labs to develop a friendly user interface (UI) and user experience for the Unisys Stealth solution. Stealth is award-winning Unisys security software that uses identity-based micro-segmentation techniques and encryption to help organizations mitigate attacks and hacker incidents by rendering devices, data and end users undetectable on networks.
The initiative featured a contemporary twist on the traditional collaborative "hackathon" software-coding project a prototyping competition that used social media to recruit and coordinate development teams. The competition was open to anyone who was interested, from 14-year-old STEM Academy students to the West Chester commissioner's office, and drew 90 participants.
"I'm gratified to be recognized along with these visionary technology leaders," said Burchett. "I believe that great ideas can come from anywhere, and I'm continually energized by the opportunity to draw on communities both inside and outside Unisys to develop and deliver great software products."
"Brittney richly deserves this award," said Unisys Chief Engineer Jim Thompson, also a past Philadelphia Business Journal technology honoree. "Brittney's vision, energy and creativity are major assets as we evolve the way we engineer our software products to meet our clients' continually changing requirements. She is taking the lead in creating an innovative engineering culture that enhances our organization worldwide and yields tangible benefits for the clients we serve."
About Unisys
Unisys is a global information technology company that works with many of the world's largest companies and government organizations to solve their most pressing IT and business challenges. Unisys specializes in providing integrated, leading-edge solutions to clients in the government, financial services and commercial markets. With more than 20,000 employees serving clients around the world, Unisys offerings include cloud and infrastructure services, application services, security solutions, and high-end server technology. For more information, visit www.unisys.com.
Follow Unisys on Twitter and LinkedIn.
RELEASE NO.: 0415/9413
Unisys and other Unisys products and services mentioned herein, as well as their respective logos, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Unisys Corporation. Any other brand or product referenced herein is acknowledged to be a trademark or registered trademark of its respective holder.
UIS-C
SOURCE Unisys Corporation
Related Links
http://www.unisys.com
EXPERT ALERTS
With the Right Treatment, PTSD Can Be Treated Successfully
The Devaluation of the Doctor
Menswear Formalwear Trends for Weddings in the Spring and Summer
Archeological Mysteries in Najera, Spain
EXPERT ROUNDUP: Pet Tips (12 experts)
MEDIA JOBS
Segment Producer Univision Communications (FL)
News Reporter/Anchor iHeartMedia (AZ)
Executive Editor Idaho Statesman (ID)
OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES
Expert Spotlight: Don Sullivan , "The DogFather"
, "The DogFather" Giving a Good TV Interview: After the Interview
Four Budget-Friendly Ways to Promote Your Book
EXPERT ALERTS:
With the Right Treatment, PTSD Can Be Treated Successfully
Glenn Schiraldi, Ph.D., LTC (USAR, Ret.)
University of Maryland School of Public Health
"Life doesn't prepare us for trauma. Following exposure to traumatic events, millions of people develop PTSD, or lesser forms of this condition, with a wide range of symptoms. Unless proper treatment is found, many, perhaps most, of these people will secretly and needlessly battle distressing symptoms for life. The good news, however, is that PTSD can be treated successfully. With the right treatment, victims can begin to heal and return to the journey of joyful living."
Dr. Schiraldi is a graduate of West Point, a Vietnam Vet, and served at the Pentagon developed prototype courses in Stress Management for The Department of The Army. He has also served on the stress management faculties at The Pentagon, the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, and The University of Maryland, where he received the Outstanding Teacher Award. He is author of "The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook: Revised and Expanded Second Edition."
Book: http://www.mhprofessional.com/product.php?isbn=0071840591
Contact: Ann Pryor, [email protected]
The Devaluation of the Doctor
Dr. Elaina George
Board-Certified Otolaryngologist
"The practice of medicine has changed dramatically over the past 10 years. The joy of practicing individualized medicine with autonomy has given way to apathy, a decrease in the morale, a loss of collegiality, and a mentality of 'go along to get along' with physicians either biding their time until they can either retire or completely submitting to a system that pits the doctor against the patient, thereby making them part of a system that is designed to capture patient information, to control access and eventually to control outcome where 'value-based' medicine is determined by actuaries and government officials."
Dr. George graduated from Princeton University with a degree in biology, received her master's degree in medical microbiology from Long Island University, and received her medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Dr. George completed her residency at Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital. She is on the advisory council of Project 21 black leadership network, an initiative of The National Center for Public Policy Research. She hosts her own radio show, "Medicine On Call," and is a keynote speaker many organizations. She is the author of "Big Medicine: The Cost of Corporate Control and How Doctors and Patients Working Together Can Rebuild a Better System."
Contact: Ryan McCormick, [email protected]
Menswear Formalwear Trends for Weddings in the Spring and Summer
Joseph Abboud
Chief Creative Director
Tailored Brands Inc.
"The modern man is wearing a leaner, trimmer tuxedo that fits closer to the body. It's important to have the right fit and tailoring. An ivory dinner jacket is good for the summer and gives off a casual, resort feel. Lighter colored suits are also more casual and laid back. The navy blue tuxedo is also a more formal tuxedo that's on trend. I love the beauty and elegance of a traditional black tuxedo. It looks good against the bride. You can use color in accessories to personalize your look like a silver tie or polka dot pocket square or ivory vest. The groom can set himself apart with subtle accessories like pocket squares, studs and cuff links or a vest. It doesn't have to be extremely different from his groomsmen, but it's good for him to stand out."
Joseph Abboud Manufacturing Corp., located in New Bedford, Mass., is the largest tailored clothing factory in the United States. It employs 800 skilled workers and makes 1,300 suits a day. Abboud is available for interviews on a variety of menswear topics.
ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/josephabboud
Website: http://www.tailoredbrands.com
Contact: Caroline Smith, [email protected]
Archeological Mysteries in Najera, Spain
Scott de Brestian
Co-Director, Najerilla Valley Research Project
Central Michigan University
From an untouched Jewish Quarter to a church built with about 100 Roman and medieval gravestones, there are many archeological mysteries in Najera, Spain. "The Jewish Quarter, located along the Najerilla River, was one of the biggest and wealthiest Jewish communities in Spain."
De Brestian got his BA in archaeology from Boston University and his MA and PhD in art history and archaeology from the University of Missouri. He is co-director of the Najerilla Valley Research Project, an international multidisciplinary project that is examining changes in urbanization, rural settlement, art and architecture in the upper Ebro valley of Spain between the 1st century BCE and the 15th century CE. As part of the research project, De Brestian is deconstructing the town's history and its artifacts. His efforts will culminate in a 3-D model of the city across a 1,500-year period, similar to Google Maps, showing the terrain and cultural remains. He uses photogrammetry, drawings and historic maps, including a map from 1763 showing churches no longer in existence.
Website: http://www.cmich.edu/news
Contact: Rachel Esterline Perkins, [email protected]
EXPERT ROUNDUP: Pet Tips (12 experts)
Following are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss various topics regarding pet health and pet care:
Bryan Bailey
Animal Behaviorist
Raised in Fairbanks, Alaska, Bailey -- aka The Wolf Whisperer -- grew to appreciate the wildness of the land and its abundant wildlife. In particular, he developed a fondness for the gray wolves that roamed the vast mountain ranges and forests near his home. Under the guidance of a Special Forces Survival Instructor, he spent years studying the social interactions of wolves in their packs and discovered that, beyond obvious physical similarities, there were also behavioral similarities between the wolves and the sled dogs that were his family's pets.
Bailey's unique qualifications include: nationally certified Master Trainer and Pharmacotherapy Behaviorist, decorated veteran of the U.S. Navy, working extensively as a supervisor and trainer for the U.S. Navy's dolphin and sea lion projects, honor graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy with duties including training supervisor of the Monroe County Sheriff's Department K-9 narcotics detection, and search and rescue teams, and trainer for the Indiana Department of Health and Social Services to train service dogs for children with Muscular Dystrophy. He has also studied canine problem solving and pharmacotherapy at Cornell and Tufts University, wolf behavior and social dynamics at Battleground Indiana and Ely Minnesota wolf conservatories, is a certified Veterinary Technician, and has professionally shown dogs in AKC Obedience, Conformation, Schutzhund and Ring Sport. Bailey and his wife, Kira, reside in Memphis, Tenn., with their children, dogs, and cats. Together, they own ProTrain Memphis and Taming the Wild. His second book, "The Hammer," will be available in late 2016.
Website: www.TamingtheWild.com
Contact: Marissa Madill, [email protected]
Shawn Simons
Founder and Headmistress
Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats
Prior to starting Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats, a groundbreaking feral cat socialization nonprofit in Los Angeles, Simons was a television writer and producer who was extremely allergic to cats. By taking the creative tools from her lifelong relationship with the arts, she created an organization that wraps its mission in accessible branding and brings a creative approach to the work catapulting the organization into the limelight allowing them to not only fulfill their promise to the feral cats of Los Angeles, but push the boundaries of progression in rescue and charity. Simons came upon the work accidentally after buying a house that came with a feral cat colony. Now having socialized and adopted out over 1,000 cats from the street, Simons is a leading expert on progressive training for cats. Her approach balances the physiological understanding of feline emotions and animal behavior. The organization is committed to solving the feline overpopulation issue by taking a proactive approach and participating in community education and Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR). She is available to discuss socialization, leash training, transitions, introducing new pets, rescue, bottle feeding, feral cats, and TNR.
Website: www.kittybungalow.org
Contact: Barbara Teszler, [email protected]
Brian Ogle
Professor
Beacon College
Ogle is an anthrozoology instructor with specialties in zoos, aquariums, animal shelters, human-wildlife contact and pet/animal ownership at Beacon College in Leesburg, Fla., the first college accredited to award bachelor's degrees exclusively to students with learning disabilities and ADHD. Ogle has created and will launch a new academic major in anthrozoology this fall. He has written for Humane Education Quarterly and is an executive member-at-large for the Association of Professional Humane Educators. He has been quoted this year in PetMD, PetSmart.com, SheKnows.com and PolicyGenius.com. Areas of interest: birds in a zoological setting for education programs and animal shows; visitor perceptions of aquariums and the animals displayed in aquariums.
Website: www.beaconcollege.edu
Contact: Darryl E. Owens, [email protected]
Clive D.L. Wynne
Professor of Psychology
Arizona State University
Wynne also teaches a free online course about Dog Behavior and Cognition. He received his B.Sc. from University College London and his Ph.D. from Edinburgh University in 1983 and 1986 respectively. Specific topics he can weigh in on include: dog olfaction (sense of smell); dog reasoning about the physical world; dog social reasoning; the difference between domestication and taming; the importance of critical periods for social imprinting; behavioral development; hunting vs. trash scavenging as the mechanism of domestication; Belyaev's foxes; how to critically assess different methods of dog training; what temperament tests are and what they are used for.
Contact: Samantha Cartagena, [email protected]
Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM
Dr. Osborne is an author and world-renowned integrative veterinarian of twenty plus years. The first veterinarian in the U.S. to be certified as a Diplomat of the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine for humans, Dr. Osborne has applied her knowledge in the field to pioneer the exploration of new therapies for the treatment and prevention of age-related degenerative disease, as well as promotion of optimum health and performance, for pets. After graduating from the Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Osborne completed a prestigious internship at the Columbus Zoo. Shortly thereafter, she launched a very successful private practice. She offers traditional and alternative veterinary care for dogs and cats with a softer, natural touch. Her approach highlights the importance of nutrition and utilizing holistic avenues in combination with traditional treatments. Her first two books, "Naturally Healthy Cats" and "Naturally Healthy Dogs," hit the international bestseller lists. The multi-faceted Dr. Osborne is also an Emmy-nominated television journalist. She has gained national prominence through her frequent appearances on popular shows, including "Fox & Friends," "Today," Discovery's Animal Planet, and "Good Day L.A.," where she was the on-camera staff veterinarian. She has also been featured in USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Ladies' Home Journal, Woman's World, InStyle, PetMD, Dogs Naturally, SheKnows.com, and the New York Daily News.
Dr. Osborne is available to discuss holistic treatments for pet ailments; pet nutrition and recipes; anti-aging in pets; avoiding holiday hazards; cold-weather woes; reducing your pet's carbon pawprint; and more.
Website: http://chagrinfallspetclinic.com
Contact: Steve Allen, SteveAllenMedia.com
Don Sullivan
Master Dog Trainer, "The DogFather"
"We're witnessing a virtual aggression epidemic, with over 1,000 dog-bite victims sent to an ER each day -- and that's in the United States alone! Yet, people don't want to hear the connection between treat training and behavioral problems. Handing a dog a treat (or any piece of food from your hand) instantly says that the dog is the leader and you're the follower. You see, in the animal kingdom, the dog that gives up his food to another is the submissive one. Now, multiply this by the number of tasty morsels you 'lovingly' offer your pet day after day and you suddenly realize why your dog is challenging you in many areas of your life with him. Sure, yes, you might have an advantage over him in terms of size and weight, but take away the restraints like the leash, baby gates and shut doors, and who knows what disasters will quickly ensue?"
Sullivan ("The DogFather") is on a mission to get people to ditch the dog biscuits. He wants to see dog owners adopt truly effective training techniques that can prevent aggression -- and all kinds of behavioral problems -- from ever developing. Sullivan hit the world stage in 2008 with his globally televised "Secrets to Training the Perfect Dog" system. He's renowned for achieving amazing behavioral transformations in even the most extreme "bad" dog behavior cases, with positive changes seen in just minutes. Sullivan teaches how to reward a dog's good behavior with lots of physical and verbal praise, exercise and play; and he empowers dog owners to realize that a bit of discipline is not a bad thing, it's the best thing. From Sullivan's vantage, the Nature-Based Discipline, Praise & Play Method is the key to curing an aggressive dog, and it can save countless canines from being given up on every year due to disobedient and destructive behavior. According to the Humane Society of the United States, the number of annual reported dog bites in the U.S. is a staggering 4.7 million, nearly 4 million dogs enter domestic shelters each year, and approximately 1.2 million dogs are euthanized. Sullivan is sickened by these woeful statistics. He sees there's something clearly wrong with the way the masses are heading in terms of dog ownership and training, and he wants to help people turn the tide from dog-related disasters to true master/best friend harmony.
Website: www.DogFather.tv
Expert Contact: [email protected]
Kurt Venator, Ph.D.
Veterinarian, Nestle Purina
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, New York
Dr. Venator and his team of eight veterinarians at Nestle Purina speak across North America on the topics of small animal nutrition and veterinary medicine. He works closely with all U.S. veterinary schools to provide nutrition education and professional development for the veterinarians of tomorrow. His team also works actively with veterinary clinics across the country to advance the role of nutrition in clinical practice and help pets live long, healthy lives. Lastly, he directs the Purina Advisory Council, a 19-member group of world renowned veterinarians from various medical specialties who help us to advance pet nutrition, health and wellness around the globe.
The inspiration for Dr. Venator's career in veterinary medicine came from his first dog, Acadia, an overly intelligent and somewhat irreverent yellow Labrador Retriever who hailed from the small town of Luling, Texas. Memories of this special dog continue to fuel Dr. Venator's lifelong passion for pets of all shapes and sizes.
Dr. Venator resides in upstate New York with his wife and children and three yellow Labrador Retrievers. When not working for Purina, he enjoys spending time with his family, or fly fishing on a winding river, and he still finds time to practice medicine. He is available to discuss small animal nutrition and veterinary medicine; the human-animal bond; pets at work; and pet welfare.
Contact: Erick Morelos, [email protected]
Margo DeMello
President, House Rabbit Society
Program Director for Human-Animal Studies, Animals & Society Institute
DeMello, an expert on human-animal relations, has a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology, teaches masters-level courses in anthrozoology, and co-wrote "Stories Rabbits Tell." The House Rabbit Society is a volunteer-based nonprofit organization with two primary goals: to rescue abandoned rabbits and find permanent homes for them, and to educate the public and assist humane societies.
Book: www.rabbit.org/links/sections/stories-rabbits-tell.html
Websites: http://margodemello.com and www.rabbit.org
Contact: Anne Isenhower, [email protected]
Lisa Freeman, DVM, PhD, DACVN, Clinical Nutrition
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University
Dr. Freeman earned a bachelor's from Tufts University, a DVM from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, and a PhD in nutrition from the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts. She is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition. As a professor at Cummings, she teaches veterinary students, practitioners and pet owners about proper feeding for their animals, especially ones which are too sick to eat or who have chronic diseases such as heart and kidney disease or cancer. She conducts research on nutritional effects on heart disease and is director of the Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute's One Health Program and the Tufts Institute for Human-Animal Interaction. She is available to comment on general pet nutrition and special nutrition considerations for sick patients, particularly those with heart disease, as well as human-animal interaction.
Contact: Taraneh Pettinato, [email protected]
Deborah Linder, DVM, DACN, Clinical Nutrition
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University
Dr. Linder is a 2009 graduate of Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and head of the Tufts Obesity Clinic for Animals and Associate Director of Tufts Institute for Human-Animal Interaction. She is board-certified in nutrition by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition. Dr. Linder's interests include obesity management and effective client education. Dr. Linder has focused her research on safe and effective weight loss strategies for pets as well as how human-animal interaction affects health and wellness, particularly the impact of human-animal interaction on child and pet obesity. She also has new research out on the effects of reading assistance dogs on reading ability and attitudes in elementary-aged school children. She is available to talk about pet nutrition, pet obesity and human-animal interaction focused on animal-assisted reading and pet and childhood obesity.
Contact: Taraneh Pettinato, [email protected]
Cailin R. Heinze, MS, VMD, DACVN, Clinical Nutrition
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University
Dr. Heinze is a 2004 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and currently serves as an assistant professor of nutrition at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. After veterinary school, she worked in private practice for three years before pursuing a residency in clinical nutrition at the University of California, Davis from 20072009. Dr. Heinze earned a Master's degree in Nutritional Biology at UC Davis in December 2010. She is board-certified in nutrition by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition. Her professional and research interests include canine and feline obesity, nutritional management of renal disease, and long chain fatty acids. She is available to speak about pet nutrition, pet obesity and nutritional management of renal disease.
Contact: Taraneh Pettinato, [email protected]
Stephanie Borns-Weil, DVM
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University
Dr. Borns-Weil earned her doctorate in veterinary medicine at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts. Prior to joining the Tufts, Dr. Borns-Weil owned a behavior house call practice in the Boston area. She is currently a resident in animal behavior at Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic which treats many common animal behavior problems, including aggression, anxiety, compulsive disorders, species-typical behaviors, and nuisance behaviors. She has had a lifelong interest in companion animal behavior, with a special interest in aggression issues. She is available to answer behavior-related questions (why does my dog or cat do X?) and provide tips for managing these issues in pets.
Contact: Taraneh Pettinato, [email protected]
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OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:
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EXPERT SPOTLIGHT: DON SULLIVAN , "THE DOGFATHER." In advance of National Pet Month (May), we caught up with Don Sullivan , aka "The DogFather," to find out more about how he does what he does, tips for dog owners on taking care of behavioral issues, and what he's up to next: http://prn.to/dogfather
, "THE DOGFATHER." In advance of National Pet Month (May), we caught up with , aka "The DogFather," to find out more about how he does what he does, tips for dog owners on taking care of behavioral issues, and what he's up to next: http://prn.to/dogfather GIVING A GOOD TV INTERVIEW: AFTER THE INTERVIEW. You did it -- you had your interview and you aced it. But if you want to increase your chances of being asked back, there's still one final step. Dr. Shawne Duperon , a six-time Emmy-winning producer, PBS host, and media expert, shares her advice on what to do after the interview: http://prn.to/1YhyREU
, a six-time Emmy-winning producer, PBS host, and media expert, shares her advice on what to do after the interview: http://prn.to/1YhyREU FOUR BUDGET-FRIENDLY WAYS TO PROMOTE YOUR BOOK. There are an infinite number of ways for authors to promote their books. Since most authors cannot afford a full-page ad in the New York Times Book Review, it's imperative to make dollars stretch as far as you can. Here are four budget-friendly ways to promote your book: http://prn.to/1qlITtA
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PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire.
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SOURCE ProfNet
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TEHRAN, Iran, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Iran Plast Exhibition: According to the news office of the 10th International Iran Plast Exhibition, Mohammad Maghareh, the chairman of the event, touched upon a rise in the number of foreign participants at the exhibit. "Given the lifting of sanctions [against Iran] and the post-sanctions atmosphere, there has been growing demand from well-known European firms to take part in the exhibition, so much so that 500 first-rate foreign companies from 25 countries, including 13 from Europe and 12 from Asia, Oceania and Africa, will be participating in the exhibition. The figure has been unprecedented in [the history of] holding the Iran Plast Exhibition and indicates the importance of the event," said Maghareh.
Iran Plast Exibition 2016
On the fringes of the exhibition, the Dusseldorf company tasked with holding international exhibitions is holding the K2016 conference in which the world's best specialized rubber and plastic industries expo is introduced.
Maghareh also touched upon the latest changes and developments related to the 10th International Iran Plast Exhibition.
"The whole space area in the exhibition has been allotted to Iranian and foreign companies. The presence of this many foreign firms in the 10th International Iran Plast Exhibition is not comparable to any other development, trade and economic exhibitions held in Iran. The Iran Plast exhibit is the only exhibition in Iran which has been able to move closer to international standards and increase the level of its global participation by up to 30%," he said.
"The most important policy pursued by holding the 10th International Iran Plast Exhibition is to lay the groundwork to transfer technology and draw investment to Iran's complementary petrochemical industries, so that those working in this industry will be able to seize the opportunity to renovate, optimize and manage energy consumption in their aging production lines. That will help increase productivity in the invaluable complementary petrochemical industry," Maghareh noted.
It is noteworthy that a new cell phone software will be unveiled in the exhibition for the first time. Through the software, visitors can see the map of the exhibition hall they want, and can see an alphabetical list of all companies present in the hall. At this point, visitors can choose the name of a given company to see its location, information on its top executives and contact information. The software also offers a list of all participating companies categorized by the kind of goods they produce. Advanced search among companies is another feature of this cell phone application.
Iran's 10th International Iran Plast Exhibition will be held from the 13th through 17th of April, 2016. The biennial event is organized by the National Petrochemical Industries Company.
Those interested can visit the website of the exhibition at www.iranplast.ir for more information on the details of the event.
Contact:
Ms. Khalili
+98 21 21914049
Email
Press Release By: Akhbar Rasmi Media Agency
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SOURCE Iran Plast Exhibition
Related Links
http://www.iranplast.ir
WASHINGTON, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:
GASTRONOMIC MILESTONE
Profile America Friday, April 15th. Today marks the 61st anniversary of the opening of a small hamburger restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. It was the first of what would become one of the world's best-recognized brand names McDonald's. The franchise shop belonged to Ray Kroc, whose main interest at the time was selling the machines that mixed milkshakes. The name came from two McDonald brothers who ran a hamburger shop in California. The first day's revenue at the Illinois outlet was $366.12. That shop is now a museum housing artifacts from the growth of the chain, which has famously served billions of hamburgers around the world. In the U.S. today, there are nearly a quarter-million fast-food outlets serving hamburgers and other comestibles, with earnings of $185 billion per year. You can find more facts about America's people, places and economy, from the American Community Survey, at www.census.gov.
Sources: Kane's Famous First Facts, 2464
Kroc biography/accessed 2/2/2016: http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/our_story/our_history/the_ray_kroc_story.html
Franchise story/accessed 2/2/2016: http://famousdaily.com/history/mcdonalds-restaurants-founded.html
Fast food establishments and revenue/NAICS 722211: http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ECN_2012_US_72I2&prodType=table
Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotion of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Audio" in the "Library" pull-down menu).
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SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau
Related Links
http://www.census.gov
STOCKHOLM, April 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vendemore, a global provider of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) solutions today announced that it has been named a 2016 Cool Vendor by Gartner. This was announced in the "Cool Vendors in CRM Sales, 2016" report by Tad Travis and Ilona Hansen at Gartner, Inc. The report examines vendors of sales enablement applications that makes selling and maximizing knowledge about processes and products easier for salespeople.
"We are honored to be named a Cool Vendor by Gartner. We believe this confirms our choice to focus on Account-based marketing" says Christopher Engman, Founder and Head of Vendemore a Bisnode company. "Vendemore has been in this industry of delivering IP-address targeted ads and sales content for over 9 years and the interest and usage has risen sharply the last few years. Many of our largest global Fortune 2000 customers are now setting up their ABM organizations with the Vendemore ABM-platform as a base. It is important for our clients to be able to continue each sales conversation with their accounts online.
We have also been cited by Gartner in their January 2016 Tech Go-to-Market: Four Ways Marketers Can Generate Demand Within Existing Accounts 29 January 2016 report and we see the recognition as a Cool Vendor as yet another reinforcement of our roadmap. We continue to innovate and widen our offering in ABM for all our global customers."
Gartner "Cool Vendors in CRM Sales, 2016" by Tad Travis, Ilona Hansen, 07 April 2016, G00300182
Disclaimer:
Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
About Vendemore
Vendemore was founded in 2007 and is the first digital Account Based Marketing company in the world. We offer a global delivery for 100+ Fortune 2000 B2B companies worldwide with a special emphasis on North America and Europe. Vendemore is owned by Bisnode, a leading supplier of Data & Analytics in 17 countries and which for over ten years has been a Partner of Dun & Bradstreet.
This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com
SOURCE Vendemore
Related Links
http://vendemore.com
CARACAS, Venezuela, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vepica, an international engineering, procurement, and construction firm with more than four decades specializing in the energy industry accumulating more than 40 million man-hours on four continents throughout more than 3,500 completed projects around the world, announced today that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the creation of the "Vepica Energy Fund," along with Petromanoa, a company whose investors have a long and robust tradition of designing, implementing, and developing investment funds, thereby combining their efforts to launch an investment fund for energy projects in the Americas.
The "Vepica Energy Fund" will be formed with capital from both partners, and will aim to finding attractive investment opportunities in the energy sector.
"The fund will play a key role in the growth of our company, extending the value proposition of the business by participating as investors in our projects," said Miguel Bocco Jr., Chairman of the Board of Vepica.
"With this fund, we'll be able to expand our participation in the very important global energy market, combining our efforts and experience with a company as successful as Vepica, and also allow the participation of small investors in the capital of this important sector for the economic development as is the energy area," said Herman Sifontes T., Chairman of the Board of Petromanoa.
With the creation of this fund, Vepica and Petromanoa seek to strengthen their presence in the energy market by participating directly in various prospects. This initiative will favor energy sector companies seeking partners and/or investments to expand their operations, and they will be able to register for the "Vepica Energy Fund" in limited partnership to qualify for benefits.
SOURCE Vepica
Related Links
http://www.vepica.com
New Delhi : New Delhi April 12 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that Delhi is ready to provide 10 lakh litres of water daily to parched Latur in Maharashtra and sought logistical support from the central government.
In the letter, Kejriwal acknowledged that Delhi itself suffers from shortage of water, but added that the situation in Latur was worse.
"It would be very shameful for our country if anyone died of a water crisis in the 21st century. It is the responsibility of the entire country to help the people of Latur. The central government has done a commendable job by transporting water to Latur by train."
"The people of Delhi are ready to provide 10 lakh litres of water daily to Latur for the next two months. If the central government can make arrangements for transportation of the water to Latur then the Delhi government will immediately provide the water," he added.
He also asked the prime minister to make an appeal to every chief minister of the country to help Latur. "I'm sure all states would be ready to help," he said.
Around 15,000 villages in Maharashtra, a majority of them in Latur, Beed and Osmanabad districts, are gripped by an acute water shortage.
Islamabad, April 13 : At least 18 people were killed and 14 others injured when a passenger bus hit into a truck in Pakistan's east Faisalabad city on Wednesday morning, local media reported.
The ill-fated bus carrying over 50 people collided with the truck coming from opposite direction at Jhang road area of Faisalabad, a district located in the country's east Punjab province, Xinhua quoted Samaa News as saying.
Police said that the accident took place due to over speeding of the bus driver who also got killed in the collision. The bus was heading toward Sadiqabad district from Faisalabad when the accident occurred.
The injured people have been shifted to Allied Hospital Faisalabad where several of them are said to be in critical condition.
The accident disrupted traffic for some time but the rescue teams shifted all the injured people to the hospital and moved the bodies from the site after which the road was cleared for traffic, police said.
Turkey, April 13 : The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has reiterated its support for Jammu and Kashmir's right to self-determination.
In a meeting held here, on the sidelines of the 13th OIC Summit, the OIC contact group on Jammu and Kashmir voiced its continued support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir "in their legitimate struggle for the right to self-determination" in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
"The principled position of OIC continued support to the Kashmiri people in their legitimate struggle for the right to self-determination and underscored that the Contact Group had been constantly conveying the OIC's concerns to the international community regarding the flagrant human rights violations and abuse of the basic rights of the Kashmiris," the contact group said, according to a Pakistan foreign ministry statement.
Pakistan's National Security Advisor, Sartaj Aziz, led his country's delegation to the meeting, which was chaired by OIC Secretary General's Special Representative on Jammu and Kashmir, Ambassador Abdullah Al-Alim.
The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Turkey, senior representatives from Saudi Arabia and Niger attended the meeting.
Aziz reiterated "Pakistan will continue its diplomatic, moral and political support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their struggle for realisation of their right to self-determination in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions."
The group also "regretted some attempts to equate the Kashmiri struggle with terrorism, and emphasized that the Kashmiris were solely striving to achieve their inalienable right in accordance with relevant UN resolutions."
The OIC Secretary General's Special Representative on Jammu and Kashmir welcomed the establishment of a standing mechanism of OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) to monitor the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir which would present its report to the next session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers.
Al-Alim would also undertake a visit to Jammu and Kashmir shortly.
The Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir was formed in 1994 to coordinate the policy of the OIC on Jammu and Kashmir. Azerbaijan, Niger, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are its members.
Soldiers carry the mortal remains of Major Amit Deswal's who was killed in a gunbattle with Naga militants in Tamenglong district of Manipur on 13th April 2016; in Imphal on April 14, 2016. Image Source: IANS News
Gurgaon/New Delhi, April 14 : The family members of Major Amit Deswal, who died in a gun battle with tribal militants in Manipur, on Thursday said they were proud of his "martyrdom".
Major Deswal of the 21 Special Force of Rashtriya Rifles who hailed from Surheti village in Haryana's Jhajjar district, 45 km from Gurgaon, died fighting militants in Manipur's Tamenglong district on Wednesday.
"The braveheart breathed his last in the true traditions of a warrior," said Deswal's brother-in-law Sanjeev Kumar.
His uncle Om Singh said: "The family mourns his death but he died for the country, a commando, fighting till the end."
An Indian Army official said in Delhi that the body will arrive on Friday at the technical area of Palam airport, where a wreath-laying ceremony will be organised around noon.
Deswal's father and grandfather were also in the army.
The army major got married in 2009 and his wife and four-year-old son lived with him in Manipur. His other family members live in Sector 6 area in Jhajjar.
Deswal was commissioned on June 10, 2006 into the Regiment of Artillery.
"After his basic service, he recognised that his calling was somewhere more adventurous. He opted for the Special Group at first, but finally opted for the coveted Special Forces," Col. Narender Chikara (retd), with whom Deswal served in the Regiment of Artillery based in Gurgaon's Dundahera, told IANS.
"He joined the elite unit in January 2011. He was physically robust which was reflected in his performance. He got inducted in Manipur for an operation in January 2016," Col. Chikara said.
Washington, April 15 : China will play an important role in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) quota reform, with the global lender boosting a better structure of the world economy, its managing director Christine Lagarde has said.
At the news conference held here on Thursday to open the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings, Lagarde said in her next five-year term, she would push for the efforts to let IMF better mirror the global economic status, with the currently underrepresented economies to have a status better mirroring their share of contributions and participation in the global economy.
"That does not apply exclusive to China. There are other countries as well," said Lagarde.
In February, Lagarde was selected to head the IMF for a second five-year term starting June 5.
According to Xinhua news agency, the IMF chief believed the completion of the 14th IMF Quota Review earlier this year is an important step to better mirror the global economic status, but more work should be done.
The IMF is to discuss the 15th Quota Review in the next few months and is expected to complete the review by the end of 2017.
"I am convinced that, in that context, China will play an important role, because it wants to be a player in the institution and it wants to cooperate in the international domain," Lagarde said.
San Jose, April 15 : A group of around 100 Cuban migrants stranded in Panama protested near the country's border with Costa Rica, demanding permission to let them continue their voyage towards the US.
According to Panama's daily newspaper La Nacion, the protest on Thursday took place outside the Paso Canoas border crossing, where Costa Rican police cordoned off the area to stop the migrants from getting through, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Cuban protesters said that they represented 3,000 migrants who are stuck in Panama for not having the right to continue their northward journey that will take them through Central America and Mexico to the US.
They said the treatment they received was unfair since thousands of Cuban migrants stranded in Costa Rica were airlifted to Mexico and allowed to travel to the American border this year.
The protest came a day after 1,200 Cuban and African migrants entered the Costa Rican territory violently, although most of them were taken under control by police and sent back to Panama.
Mumbai, April 15 : Actor Sidharth Malhotra has praised actress Alia Bhatt's look from the upcoming movie "Udta Punjab".
Alia's look from the film was revealed on Friday morning in which she can be seen running from something or someone dangerous and Sidharth has called it a "dramatic and imapctful" one.
"Dramatic impactful transformation awaiting trailer Udta Punjab Alia In Udta punjab," Sidharth tweeted along with the poster.
Alia will be seen playing a Bihari migrant in "Udta Punjab".
The film also features actors Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Diljit Dosanjh. The looks of the other actors were unveiled earlier.
Alia's father and fillmaker Mahesh Bhatt too shared the motion poster and captioned it: "Anything is possible if you have got enough nerve".
Udta Punjab", a neo-noir drama thriller, is directed by Abhishek Chaubey. Co-produced by Phantom Films and Balaji Motion Pictures, the movie tells the story of substance abuse in the Indian state of Punjab.
The film is slated to release on June 17.
New Delhi, April 15 : Three men were killed here on Friday morning when the motorcycle they were riding on collided with a road divider, a police officer said.
The incident occured in Dhaula Kuan area on Friday at about 3 a.m., when the three friends were returning home on their motorcycle after watching a movie in Naraina area, the police officer told IANS.
Their motorcycle collided with the divider of the road while taking a sharp turn, the police officer said.
All the three were declared brought dead at the AIIMS trauma centre.
The deceased have been identified as Vellai Swami, 36, M. Senthil, 26 and Suresh, 27.
The bodies has been sent for post mortem examination, said the police officer.
Washington, April 15 : The New Development Bank, the latest multilateral funding institution in the financial world, has sanctioned a $250-million loan for India to fund its ambitious scheme on new and renewable energy, a top finance ministry official has said.
"Participated in meetings of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) finance ministers and Board of Governors of the New Development Bank. Major policy issues discussed," India's Secretary for Economic Affairs Shaktikanta Das tweeted.
"New Development Bank sanctioned four loans, including a loan of $250 million for a renewable energy scheme in India. Good beginning," Das said after the meeting that was chaired by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley here.
This, according to officials, is in the area of solar energy and is also the first such loan from the development financial institution.
A statement from the Indian side later said the multi-tranche, $250-million loan will be given to Canara bank to, in turn, lend to renewable energy projects. "The projects will result in generation of 500 MW of renewal energy and savings of about 800,000 tonnes of carbon emissions," the statement said.
In total, $811 million loans have been approved for projects in India, China, Brazil and South Africa.
Now into its second year, the New Development Bank, with noted Indian banker K.V. Kamath as president, was formed by the BRICS leadership to fund infrastructure projects in emerging economies, as also to meet the aspirations of hundreds of millions of people through sustainable development.
The BRICS finance ministers and central bank governors' engagement here was on the margins of the World Bank-International Monetary Fund Spring meetings. Besides Das, Jaitley's delegation includes Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan and Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian.
During the meetings, Jaitley said even though India has consistently recorded the highest growth figures among large economies for the last three quarters, the global growth continues to remain sluggish and has witnessed recurring downward revisions.
"Weak demand, tighter financial markets, softening trade and volatile capital flows are key headwinds to robust global recovery. Further, the efficacy of monetary policy instruments has reached its limits and that its pass through has not been seamless," he said.
"Global and regional financial safety net and oversight need to be augmented -- including new financing mechanisms," he said, emphasising the need for globally coordinated policy actions to address the persistent economic turbulence.
At the BRICS meeting, which he chaired, Jaitley raised issues of common concern of member countries -- global economy, structural reforms, voice reform of IMF and the World Bank and other new and ongoing initiatives.
He also expressed satisfaction that two key initiatives of BRICS -- the Contingent Reserve Arrangement and the New Development Bank -- were both fully operational. The meeting decided to form a technical group to examine all issues in detail and present their findings before the next meeting.
New York, April 15 : The solar system's largest planet Jupiter exerts a strong gravitational pull on its moon Europa, creating far more heat than earlier thought on the moon's ice-sheet that is enough to support a sub-surface ocean, says a study.
A team of geoscientists from Brown and Columbia universities set up experiments to estimate the heat created by the heaves and falls of Europa's icy surface -- a process called tidal dissipation.
The only way to create enough heat for these active processes so far from the sun is through tidal dissipation, according to Christine McCarthy from Columbia University.
"If you bend it back and forth, you can feel it making heat at the junction," McCarthy said.
"The way it does that is that internal defects within that metal are rubbing past each other, and it's a similar process to how energy would be dissipated in ice," she added.
People have been using simple mechanical models to describe the ice on Europa.
While those calculations suggested liquid water under Europa's surface, "they weren't getting the kinds of heat fluxes that would create these tectonics. So we ran some experiments to try to understand this process better," McCarthy added.
The experiments yielded surprising results. Modelling approaches had assumed that most of the heat generated by the process comes from friction at the boundaries between the ice grains, meaning that the size of the grains influences the amount of heat generated.
But McCarthy's team found similar results even when they substantially altered the grain size in their samples, suggesting that grain boundaries were not the primary heat-generators in the process.
The results, published in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters, suggest that most of the heat actually comes from defects that form in the ice's crystalline lattice as a result of deformation.
Those defects, the research showed, create more heat than would be expected from the grain boundaries.
Hanoi, April 15 : Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Roberto Azevedo arrived in Vietnam on Friday, the first visit of a WTO chief to the country.
"Vietnam is a story of success, in which trade makes great contribution to the development of the country," said Azevedo at a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in capital Hanoi on Friday.
"We want to enhance cooperation with Vietnam in human resource training in integration and international trade," Azevedo said.
The WTO chief said that his organization is preparing a development agenda for the coming time while Vietnam will be part of it, reported Vietnamese government's e-Portal, Xinhua news agency reported.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that his country remains a low-developing country among WTO members, which is in need of further support to increase capacity for more effective participation in multilateral trading system.
Vietnam joined the WTO in January 2007.
New Delhi/Patna, April 15 : Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Hamid Ansari has given the CBI sanction to prosecute Janata Dal-United member Anil Sahani for alleged fraud in leave travel concessions, sources said on Friday. Sahani, however, denied any wrong-doing and warned of defamation case.
The scam relates to reimbursements being claimed against fake boarding passes and bills from the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
This is the first time a Rajya Sabha chairman has given such a clearance, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat sources said.
A CBI official told IANS a charge sheet in the case was filed last year, and with the clearance from the Rajya Sabha chairman, the agency will now proceed with "further action" which is likely to be arrest of the MP.
Members of parliament or assemblies cannot be arrested without prior permission of the speaker of the Lok Sabha or the assembly or Rajya Sabha or legislative council chairman.
While this is the first time that the Rajya Sabha chairman has given such a permission, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar twice sanctioned arrests, first in 2010 against Congress MP Rajaram Pal in the cash-for-query scam, and second time against BJP MP Ashok Argal in the cash-for-vote case.
It was revealed that Sahani and three other accused allegedly used forged e-tickets and fake boarding passes to defraud the Rajya Sabha of Rs.23.71 lakh.
In Patna, Sahani, however, denied the charge.
"Under a parliamentary procedure, permission will have to be given. They are saying I took Rs.23 lakh, if I have even 23 paisa in my account I will resign," he said.
"It is a conspiracy against me because I raise issues related to poor and Dalit."
"I will ask the chairman, I have given all documents and account statements which prove I did not take any money. How is the CBI prosecuting me then?" he added.
Sahani termed it a conspiracy being hatched against him and threatened to file defamation case soon.
"Some powerful people have conspired against me, they don not want that a poor's son sit in the parliament to raise issues concerning Dalits and marginalized. I have nothing to do with cheating and corruption in the LTC Scam. I will file defamation case against them," he told media in Patna.
Shahani said that he is a victim of a "racket" which operated in raising fake bills for LTC for parliamentarians.
"In fact, it was I who drew attention of the concerned authorities twice in 2013 about false bill submitted in my name by racketeers against LTC," he said.
"After CBI submitted charges against me to Hamid Ansari, he should have asked me to explain but Ansari has given approval to prosecute me without enquiring with me. It is a political conspiracy," Shahani said.
The parliament member said he would invite the probe agency to check his bank accounts in Delhi and Patna to ascertain flow of money on this count.
The Bihar MP is reportedly the first from the upper house who will be prosecuted by the CBI after sanction was given by Chairman Ansari.
The CBI had filed the charge sheet against Sahani alleging that he, in collusion with other people, used forged e-tickets and fake boarding passes to defraud the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to the tune of Rs.23.71 lakh as travel and dearness allowance reimbursement without undertaking the actual journey.
Chennai, April 15 : The PMK on Thursday promised a total liquor ban and cancellation of licenses of all distelleries in Tamil Nadu if it comes to power in the poll-bound state.
However, the party, a staunch advocate of liquor prohibition, said in its election manifesto that it would allow sweet toddy tapping.
The party also said it would ban genitically modified crops and promised to give Rs.100,000 worth of freebies per year per family under education, agriculture and health heads.
"As the needs of education, medical treatment and agriculture will be provided free, each family can save over Rs.100,000 per year. This, they can consider as freebie," the manifesto said.
This a departure from traditional election promises made by the ruling AIADMK and opposition DMK which had distributed consumer durables like mixer/grinder, fan, laptops and televisions among voters.
The PMK, however, said journalists will get 90 percent subsidy for buying laptops.
The PMK has promised doubling of allocation for education, provision of free school education, fixing of school fees and payment of the same by the government to private schools.
It said that government schools will be upgraded and reforms will be introduced in eduction system.
For the agriculture sector, the PMK promised free seeds, fertiliser and farm motors and writing off of farm loans.
It also promised one tractor to each local body for farmers and setting up of agricultural special economic zone in each district.
The PMK is contesting the May 16 assembly polls on its own, projecting party founder S. Ramadoss' son and former union minister Anbumani Ramadoss as the chief ministerial candidate.
The other promises of the party include:
- Lok Ayukta Act and bringing chief minister and other ministers under its ambit
- Right to Public Services Act
- Yearly publication of assets details of chief minister and other ministers
- Yearly review of each minister's performance
- Tiruchirapalli as second capital of the state
- Scheme for creating over one crore jobs
- Tamil Nadu as an international logistics hub
- Scrapping of five percent value added tax on sugar
- Cash assistance to handicapped and unemployed.
New Delhi, April 15 : Tightening its noose on beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya, facing probe on charges of misappropriating a Rs.9,000 crore bank loan, the government on Friday suspended his diplomatic passport for four weeks.
The government gave Mallya a week's time to respond to the notice failing which his travel document could be impounded.
Mallya, who is in Britain, could face problems for his overseas stay in view of the suspension of the passport, sources said.
"On the advise of the Enforcement Directorate, the passport issuing authority in the Ministry of External Affairs has today suspended the validity of Mr. Vijay Mallya's diplomatic passport with immediate effect," the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said in a statement.
Mallya has been asked to respond within one week as to why his passport should not be impounded or revoked under Section 10(3)(c) of the Passports Act, 1967.
"If he fails to respond within the stipulated time, it will be assumed that he has no response to offer and the MEA will go ahead with the revocation," the statement said.
On April 13, the Enforcement Directorate sought revocation of Mallya's diplomatic passport after he failed to appear before the probe agency. He is being probed by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The Supreme Court on April 7 directed the liquor baron to disclose all his assets -- movable and immovable, and tangible and intangible -- and other shareholding and beneficial interests in India and abroad by April 21.
An apex court bench comprising Justice Kurien Joseph and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman asked Mallya to disclose all the assets held by his wife and children and indicate the date when he can appear before it in person.
Industry watchers say trouble for the sitting, independent Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, known for his lavish lifestyle, had begun shortly after he launched Kingfisher Airlines in 2005 as the aviation industry slowly started dwindling.
Mallya first took loans from IDBI bank in 2006 and again in 2009 got loans from a consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI) for airline. By 2007, he also had spent a huge amount to take over low-cost carrier Air Deccan.
But by 2010, the business tycoon had run into rough weather and tentatively had a debt of over Rs.7,000 crore -- which only increased with the passage of time.
In March 2016, the banks moved the Debt Recovery Tribunal over the loans. On March 2, Mallya left India for Britain.
However, on March 11, Mallya broke his silence from his overseas location.
"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," he tweeted then.
Mumbai, April 15 : In the hectic first two days of the first-ever Maritime India Summit, maritime investment proposals worth Rs.82,905 crore were signed by various players including major ports, state maritime boards and PSUs, officials said here on Friday.
A total of 141 MoUs and business agreements, covering a wide range of projects including modernisation of existing ports and establishing new ones, development and expansion of inland waterways, enhancement of cargo handling capacity of Indian ports, improving hinterland connectivity of ports with road-rail networks and upgradation of educational and training facilities for maritime sector, have been signed.
Some of the major Indian companies who have signed agreements include the Adanis, Jindal, Vedanta, ESSAR, and Shapoorji Pallonji Company.
A major agreement, signed between the Maharashtra Maritime Board and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, pertains to establishing a greenfield port at Maharashtra's Vadhavan, with its first phase estimated to cost around Rs.9,167 crore.
The Andhra Pradesh government signed a MoU with Inland Waterways Authority of India to develop the National Waterway 4 at a cost of around Rs.3,000 crore. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said that once it is developed, this waterway will take a significant portion of cargo traffic off the roads.
The Gujarat Maritime Board and Shapoorji Pallonji company signed a MoU to develop a new LNG Terminal at Chara costing around Rs.5,411 crore, while IL&FS will set up a Maritime Services Cluster at GIFT City, Gandhinagar.
The Vishakhapatnam Port Trust and HPCL signed a deal to double the capacity of the Visakha Refinery from 7.5 MMT at an estimated cost of Rs.18,412 crore.
The Indian Maritime University has signed MoUs with four international institutions including the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Dhaka, the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers and Plymouth University, Britain and Admiral G.I. Nevelskoi Maritime State University, Vladivostok, Russia.
Guwahati, April 15 : Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday ordered an investigation into the killing of two rhinos in Assam's Kaziranga National Park, including one gunned down by poachers when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were visiting the famed wildlife sanctuary.
The chief minister asked Additional Chief Secretary T.Y. Das on Friday to probe the killings and submit a report to him immediately.
While one rhino was killed in the park on Sunday night, poachers killed the other in Burapahar range of the park on Wednesday night, barely 30 km from a private tourist resort adjacent to the park where the British royal couple was lodged.
On Wednesday, the British royals, Prince William and Kate, visited the Bagori range of the park and spotted much wild life, including elephants, rhinos, water buffalo, swamp deer and others.
The royals during their interaction with the forest staff enquired about the poaching of wildlife, especially of rhinos, and were assured about the anti-poaching measures in the park. Rather embarrassingly, the same night a rhino was gunned down with AK 47 automatic rifle by poachers within a short distance from the royals' lodge.
Expressing serious concern over the rhino killings in the past few days, the chief minister asked the additional chief secretary to find out the details and the circumstances of the killing of the rhinoceros and to fix up responsibility.
Terming the killings as avery unfortunate, Gogoi also asked the special task force constituted to curb poaching to intensify operations against poachers and their aides and to evolve strategies to tackle rhino poaching by holding discussions with various students, social and community organisations and NGOs involved in wildlife protection.
Seven rhinos have been killed by the poachers inside the high security park since January this year.
Kolkata/New Delhi, April 15 : The IAF on Friday renamed its Panagarh airbase in West Bengal as Air Force Station Arjan Singh in honour of the country's only living five-star military officer, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, on the occasion of his 97th birthday.
Eastern Air Command chief, Air Marshal C. Hari Kumar unveiled the new name at the entrance to the air force station, located in Burdwan, 112 km from Kolkata and now set to be IAF's second C-130J Super Hercules hub after Hindan, near New Delhi.
"Air Force Station Arjan Singh, now with the induction of C-130J, would have a prominent role to play in our war waging capability, true to its name," he said at the inauguration ceremony.
The renaming was announced by IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha on Thursday evening at a function in New Delhi to felicitate Arjan Singh, a defence statement said.
Constructed during the Second World War, by the Allied forces as part of their China-Burma-India campaign, the base also played a significant role in 1965 and 1971 wars against Pakistan. During the 1971 war, it was again activated and hosted two fighter squadrons of the Sukhoi-7 and the MiG-21 aircraft.
The airbase under Eastern Air Command would now oversee tactical and strategic air operations in eastern theatre with the Super Hercules aircraft.
At the age of 44, Arjan Singh took over the IAF in the rank of air marshal on August 1, 1964 and became the first Indian to lead the force in conflict when the India-Pakistan War broke out in 1965. Serving as chief of air staff till July 15, 1969, he was also the first in the post to be elevated to the rank of air chief marshal. The elevation, on January 16, 1966, was in recognition of IAF's vital contribution in the 1965 war under his leadership.
After retirement, he was envoy to Switzerland and Kenya and lt. governor of Delhi.
In recognition of his lifelong services, the government of India conferred the rank of the Marshal of the Air Force on Arjan Singh in January 2002, making him the first and the only 'five star' officer with the IAF.
Chandigarh, April 15 : Though people in the border belt of Punjab are upset over the mysterious death of Indian prisoner Kirpal Singh in a jail in Pakistan's Lahore, the Border Security Force (BSF) authorities on Friday handed back to Pakistani authorities a man who had inadvertently crossed into Indian territory.
The Pakistani national, Mohammed Waqas Akram, was apprehended by BSF troopers from the area Border out Post (BoP) Nirmal in Punjab's Abohar sector on Thursday.
Akram was identified as resident of Pati Chak village in Pakistan's Bhawalnagar district, BSF DIG R.S. Kataria said.
"During questioning, it came to notice that the individual had crossed over to Indian territory inadvertently. Nothing objectionable was recovered from his possession," he said.
The BSF contacted their Pakistani counterparts, Pakistan Rangers, on Froday and handed over the Pakistani national back on humanitarian grounds.
Indian prisoner Kirpal Singh, 54, who was arrested in Pakistan in 1992, had died in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat prison on Monday.
While Pakistani authorities, who had labelled him as a spy and got him convicted for terror attacks inside Pakistan, attributed his death to heart attack, his family has alleged that he had crossed into Pakistan inadvertently and was murdered in the prison.
Kirpal's sister Jagir Kaur met union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday in New Delhi to seek return of his body. She had met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also on Thursday.
Chandigarh, April 15 : The Border Security Force (BSF) authorities handed over a man, who had inadvertently crossed into the Indian territory, to authorities in Pakistan on Friday.
The handover was done even as people in the border belt in Punjab are upset over the mysterious death of Indian prisoner Kirpal Singh in a jail in Pakistan's Lahore's city recently.
Pakistani national Mohammed Waqas Akram was apprehended by BSF troopers from the area Border Out Post (BOP) Nirmal in Punjab's Abohar sector on Thursday.
Akram was identified as resident of Pati Chak village in Pakistan's Bhawalnagar district, BSF Deputy Inspector General R.S. Kataria said.
"During questioning, it came to notice that the individual had crossed over to Indian territory inadvertently. Nothing objectionable was recovered from his possession," he said.
The BSF contacted their Pakistani counterparts, the Pakistan Rangers, on Friday and handed over the Pakistani national back on humanitarian grounds.
Indian prisoner Kirpal Singh, 54, who was arrested in Pakistan in 1992, died in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat prison on Monday.
While Pakistani authorities, who had labelled him as a spy and got him convicted for terror attacks inside Pakistan, attributed his death to heart attack, his family has alleged he was murdered in the prison.
Kirpal Singh's sister Jagir Kaur met union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday in New Delhi to seek return of his body. She also met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday.
Bengaluru, April 15 : Low-cost airline AirAsia India on Friday sought to clarify that its substantial ownership and effective control is with Indian residents and a section of media has grossly misreported the brand license agreement with Malaysia's AirAsia Berhad.
"We wish to point out that clause 5.30 of the agreement explicitly states that asubstantial ownership and effective control of the licensee (AirAsia India) remains at all times with Indian residents," said a statement by the line.
And as the licensee, the airline said it is not obliged to execute any act or omission leading to a breach of the provisions of this clause.
Its response came in the wake of some recent reports in the Indian media which said AirAsia Berhad has the final say in the decision making, violating Indian rules and regulations.
The brand license agreement entered with AirAsia India is consistent with other similar ventures AirAsia Berhad (Bhd) executed elsewhere in the world, it said.
"AirAsia Bhd has created a world renowned brand name, and like any other corporate with strong brand equity, the company ensures that all legal entities that operate with this name anywhere in the world are subject to strict requirements for protection of our brand and reputation," it said, adding it is "shocked and surprised" by the opposition it is facing in India from "vested interests" to block its endeavour of offering competitive services and fares to consumers.
"The constant attack on AirAsia, especially by certain members of media has saddened me but we will prevail. It is time for India to end patronage and put people first. We remain committed and determined and together with my staff, we will see this dream through," said Group CEO Tony Fernandes in the statement.
He said he had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi who promised fairness and transperancy.
The airline stressed it is fully complying with Indian regulations.
"All the important decisions concerning the day-to-day operations of the airline are taken by the management team of the airline under the overall supervision, control, and direction of the board of directors (which include a majority of Indian nationals). The board is chaired by long-time Tata veteran, Mr.S Ramadorai," said the statement.
AirAsia X, Thai AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia, AirAsia Philippines, AirAsia India and AirAsia Japan are the subsidiaries of AirAsia Berhad.
New Delhi, April 15 : Posing challenge to the second phase of odd-even scheme, the autorickshaw and taxi union of Delhi on Friday threatened to go on strike from Monday against the Arvind Kejriwal government's "apathy".
They have set a two-day deadline before the Kejriwal government for their demands to be met. The demands include "uniform charges" for cab operators like Ola and Uber and their compliance with the Delhi government rules on fares.
"Kejriwal is acting like a dictator. We had on numerous occasions, including on April 5, requested an audience with him to discuss our issues, but he didn't care to bother. He forgot that we were the people who supported and campaigned for him during elections," said Rajinder Soni, a Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh leader.
Soni said while the auto and taxi drivers charge Rs 8.30 per km and Rs.14 per km respectively, cab agencies like Ola and Uber, backed by "rich business houses", charge Rs.5 to Rs.6 per km.
"This is not only against the transport department's rules but threatens our livelihood. Those rich agencies just want to wipe us all out," Soni said.
He added the auto-taxi unions of drivers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are backing the demand as well as the strike.
"People come all way from UP and Bihar looking for earnings through auto and taxi. The apathy of Delhi government is threatening them," said a leader.
Islamabad, April 15 : Pakistan on Friday briefed the envoys of the Arab countries and Asean member-states on the arrest of an alleged Indian spy and his purported confession about "Indian-sponsored subversive activities and terrorist financing to destabilize Pakistan", the Pakistan Foreign Office said.
"It was emphasized in the briefing that in order to achieve regional peace and stability, it was imperative that India immediately stops its interference in Pakistan and resolves all contentious issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, through the process of sustained dialogue," the Pakistani Foreign Office statement said.
India has said that the arrested Indian, Kulbhushan Jadhav, is a former Indian naval officer and denied he is a spy.
New Delhi, April 15 : Leg-spinner Amit Mishra clinched four wickets for just 11 runs as Delhi Daredevils restricted Kings XI Punjab to 111 for nine wickets in 20 overs in an Indian Premier League (IPL) contest at the Ferozeshah Kotla here on Friday.
After Delhi won the toss and opted to field, Mishra, coming in to bowl in the seventh over, rocked Punjab's boat. When he started his spell, they were 37 for one in six overs, and at the end of his three-over haul, the visiting side's total reached 59 for five in 11 overs. His victims included Shaun Marsh (13), David Miller (9), Glenn Maxwell (0) and Manan Vohra (32).
Punjab batsmen showed lack of intent and discipline and fell one after another. Opening batsman Vohra was the only one who showed the will for a fight.
Punjab failed to gather any sort of momentum right from the start. In the second over bowled by left-arm spinner Pawan Negi, Zaheer Khan dropped Vohra's catch at the point and as the ball neared towards the boundary, the openers decided to take three runs.
But Vijay was found to be short of the crease as the relay throw between Zaheer and Karun Nair reached wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock in time for the stumps to be dislodged, leaving the team at eight for one in 1.3 overs.
Even though Zaheer seemed to be lethargic while dropping the catch, the veteran left-arm seamer maintained a tight line and length. The captain conceded only 14 runs in his four overs, taking a wicket.
After the powerplay overs, which yielded 37 runs, Zaheer brought in Mishra and the leg-spiner struck in his first delivery. Left-handed batsman Marsh danced down the track, only to miss the line before being stumped by de Kock.
Mishra dealt a double blow in his second over, removing skipper Miller (9) and Maxwell (0). While left-hander Miller was trapped in front of the wickets in the first ball of the ninth over, Maxwell was holed out by Carlos Brathwaite at long-off.
With the wickets of its batting mainstays falling, Punjab were 54 for four, with Delhi being in full control of the proceedings.
Mishra's next victim was right-hander Vohra, who moved back at the crease while fending off a sharp googly.
Following this, the tail-enders tried their best but the damage was already done. Spinner Jayant Yadav and fast bowler Chris Morris chipped in with a wicket each.
Brief scores: Kings XI Punjab: 111/9 (Manan Vohra 32; Amit Mishra 4/11, Zaheer Khan 1/14) vs Delhi Daredevils.
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New Delhi, April 15 : India on Friday completely rejected a statement by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) supporting the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the realisation of their "legitimate right to self-determination".
"We completely reject all such references regarding matters internal to India, on which the OIC has no locus standi," the external affairs ministry said in a statement.
At the conclusion of its 13th summit in Istanbul on Friday, the OIC said in a joint statement that it "reaffirmed its principled support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the realisation of their legitimate right to self-determination, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir".
It also said that Jammu and Kashmir was the core dispute between Pakistan and India and its resolution was indispensable for bringing peace in South Asia.
"We note with utmost regret that the final communique adopted at the conclusion of the 13th Islamic Summit of the heads of state and government of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states held at Istanbul, Turkey on April 14-15 includes factually incorrect and misleading references pertaining to the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India," the external affairs ministry statement said.
It also advised the OIC to refrain from making such references in the future.
Jhajjar (Haryana), April 15 : The mortal remains of Major Amit Deswal, killed on Wednesday in a gun battle with Manipur militants, were consigned to flames on Friday with full military and state honours at his village in Haryana.
The state government announced Rs.50 lakh for the next of the kin of Major Deswal of the 21 Special Force of Rashtriya Rifles. He died fighting Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) militants in Manipur's Tamenglong district on Wednesday.
He is survived by his father, mother, his wife Neeta and four-year-old son Arjun. His wife had recently quit her job. Neeta, along with her son, had accompanied Major Deswal's father retired Subedar-Major Rishi Ram Deswal to visit him in Manipur where he was posted for Operation Hifazat-2.
His body arrived on Friday at the Palam airport in Delhi where Indian Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag paid tributes to him.
After a wreath-laying ceremony in Delhi, mortal remains of Deswal were moved to the Major's village in Jhajjar district.
Full military honours and a gun salute were given to Major Deswal.
Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Abhay Singh Chautala were among those who paid tributes.
On Thursday, Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh reached the army unit in Jorhat to pay tributes to the martyred soldier.
One of the military officers who came to attend funeral told people that the braveheart breathed his last in the true tradition of a warrior. He said that Major Deswal died for the country, a commando, fighting till the end.
Deswal was commissioned on June 10, 2006, into the Regiment of Artillery.
After basic service, Deswal recognised that his calling was somewhere more adventurous. He opted for the Special Group at first, but finally opted for the coveted Special Forces.
Haryana Agriculture Minister O.P. Dhankar announced an ex-gratia of Rs.50 lakh to the family of the martyr and a government job to one of the family members.
New Delhi, April 15 : India and France have come closer to finalising the deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets which India wants to buy, informed sources said on Friday, adding that an agreement on price may be reached soon.
The price has been a major sticking point in the deal with India trying to bring it down for the fighter jet known to be one of the most expensive in the world.
While it was not revealed if an agreement has been struck on how much India would pay, attempts had been on to bring the price down to under 8 billion euros or Rs.6,000 crore for a complement of 36 Rafale fighters.
An agreement has, however, eluded the two sides, with France, which sold 24 Rafale jets to Egypt at 5.2 billion euros, not agreeing to bring the price too low for India.
The deal also has an offset clause of 50 percent, which will mean half of the value of the deal will come back, giving boost to domestic industries.
There had been disagreement on the offset clause earlier as well with France insisting for it to be at 20 percent, but it was resolved later.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in March that India is trying to get a "good deal" on Rafale.
Rafale is a multi-role twin-engine aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation of France. The initial plans were, however, to buy 126 Rafale jets, a deal which could not fructify. After that, a government to government contract was signed for India to buy 36 jets off the shelf.
The Indian Air Force at present has 33 operational squadrons, against a sanctioned strength of 39.5.
The IAF is also eagerly awaiting the delivery of its first squadron of indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft.
New Delhi, April 15 : The Congress on Friday declined to comment on Robert Vadra's remarks that he did not need his wife Priyanka Gandhi, the daughter of party president Sonia Gandhi, to "enhance" his life.
"I do not think any reaction is necessary," said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari when asked for comments on Vadra's remarks which earlier created a flutter.
Interacting with media here on Thursday, Vadra said: "I did not need Priyanka to enhance my life. I had enough. I always had enough. My parents gave me enough. I think I was educated enough to understand that I can sustain no matter what comes my way. That is my strength really."
Vadra's land deals in Haryana and Rajasthan are being probed by Bharatiya Janata Party governments in the two states.
New Delhi, April 15 : Terming the conditions in Jammu and Kashmir volatile, the Congress on Friday said that it was "imperative for the governor to keep a close watch on the situation".
"Ever since PDP-BJP government has taken over, incidents are taking place which clearly demonstrate that the government is not in control of the situation. As Jammu and Kashmir is a frontline border state, it is imperative that the governor keeps a close watch on the situation," party spokesperson Manish Tewari said at a press conference here.
"Since it is beginning of the summer and already the way situation turns out to be, it seems to be at least volatile if not anarchic. Keeping in view the totality of situation, we would like to stress and urge that there should be caution and circumspection and a very close watch on the situation be kept," he added.
A civilian was killed and four others were injured on Friday allegedly in a firing by soldiers as angry residents clashed with secutiy forces and tried to storm their camp amid simmering anger over four similar deaths since Tuesday in tense but curfew-bound Kashmir Valley.
New Delhi, April 15 : Rightwing group Hindu Sena's student wing Hindu Vidyarthi Sena on Friday organised a Ram Navami prayer at the Jawaharlal Nehru University to "purify the varsity".
"(After February 9 incident when anti-national slogans were allegedly raised at an event on the campus) we wanted to show that good people also reside in the campus. This prayer is happening for the purification of the atmosphere of the university. Our students' wing is also planning to fight the JNU Students Union elections this time," said Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta.
The event, jointly organised by the Sena, its students wing and Hindu Jagran Abhiyan, was held at the lawns of Mahi-Mandvi hostel. Hindu Mahasabha leader Swami Nandkishore Mishra and some other Hindu religious leaders attended the event.
Abhiyan national convenor Jitender Khurana said: "I conceptualised the idea for the prayer on March 26 and the preparations began two days later. I would conduct a seminar also in the upcoming academic session in the campus and expose the Mahishasur event that was organised here (to insult Durga)."
He also said that an online portal will be released next week to encourage cultural and educational participation of Hindu students on various topics.
New Delhi, April 15 : The Congress on Friday demanded a high court-monitored, Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the alleged Rs.20,000 crore food grain scam in Punjab.
"The Akali Dal-BJP government in Punjab has the dubious distinction of first emptying the coffers of the state and now even food grains are disappearing from the state. This is a very serious situation as it is connected with the food security of the country," said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari at a press conference here.
"Punjab is a producing state from where procurement takes place, a large amount of storage takes place and if the reports of disappearance of food grains is true, it calls for a court monitored CBI enquiry. This definitely calls for at least a HC-monitored CBI inquiry," he added.
The Punjab government, however, on Friday refuted the charge of any disappearance of foodgrains from godowns in the state. It also said that all stocks procured over the years have been duly accounted for and handed over to Food Corporation of India (FCI), through well-documented audited transactions.
It also said that all the queries raised by FCI have been satisfactorily answered by them.
Cairo, April 15 : Hundreds of Egyptians gathered Friday afternoon outside the press syndicate here to protest against the official transfer of two controversial islands in the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia.
The protesters chanted slogans against giving up what they believe to be "Egyptian territory" to the oil-rich kingdom, claiming the Egyptian leadership gave up Tiran and Sanafir islands in return for Saudi aid, reported Xinhua.
Meanwhile, police fired tear gas to disperse dozens of protesters in Cairo, nearby Giza and coastal Alexandria cities, while some protesters were reportedly arrested.
Police warned citizens on Thursday against taking part in the protests after the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group announced participation, yet liberal activists joined the Friday protests outside the press syndicate here.
Last Saturday, the cabinet announced, during Saudi King Salman's visit to Cairo, a maritime border demarcation accord that put the two Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir in Saudi waters.
The transfer of the two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia has triggered criticism against Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Seen as Saudi political and economic support for Egypt, the king's visit saw the signing of investment agreements worth $25 billion with the most populous Arab country.
Saudi and Egyptian officials said Tiran and Sanafir belong to the kingdom and were only under Egyptian control because Saudi Arabia asked Egypt in 1950 to protect them.
The agreement will be referred to the parliament to be debated and ratified.
On Sunday, several Facebook and Twitter pages under title "The land is honor," have been launched.
The Brotherhood, group of the ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi has issued a statement on Thursday urging people to protest across the country.
The interior ministry on Thursday urged Egyptians "not to get carried away by tendentious calls for protests" and warned against "any attempts to break the law."
The ministry added in a statement that it would take "all decisive legal measures" to maintain security.
Kolkata, April 15 : A day after assuring "urgent legal action" against Trinamool Congress Birbhum district chief Anubrata Mondal, the Election Commission on Friday ordered the controversial leader's movements be kept under "constant watch" during the entire West Bengal assembly poll period.
"Commission has directed CEO of West Bengal that movement and election related activities of Mondal, district president of Trinamool Congress' Birbhum district, during entire election period should be kept under constant watch and shall invariably be videographed with date and time stamping," an official said.
"The team constituted for this purpose should comprise CPF (central police force) personnel under a local magistrate," the official said .
Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi on Thursday had said the poll panel would take "urgent legal action" following threats by Mondal that the opposition would "vanish" on the day of the polls there (April 17). The opposition parties as also the civil society members had sought Mondal's arrest to create a conducive atmosphere for holding free and fair polls.
"In the interest of conducting free, fair and peaceful election in Birbhum district, the president of the ruling party Anubrata Mondal must immediately be arrested," said a memorandum submitted by a group of eminent persons including former Supreme Court judge Ashok Kumar Ganguly, Akademi Award winning poet Sankha Ghosh, human rights activists and leading cultural personalities.
Mondal said he had no idea why the Election Commission has taken the decision.
"I respect the Election Commission. I am yet to get any papers about the order. Law will run its course."
He said he would step out of his house on Saturday and visit Trinamool offices.
"Campaigning is over. I will step out of my house on Saturday, I will go to our party offices. I don't know why it has been done. On what grounds has the Election Commission put me under watch?
"I haven't beaten, killed or abducted anybody. Those who complained against me can only say."
The opposition parties have for the last three years been blaming Mondal for the political violence in Birbhum district.
On Friday, they welcomed the EC decision.
BJP candidate from Mayureshwar in Birbhum, Locket Chatterjee said it was victory of the people. "This is particularly a triumph for women he has shown disrespect. I hope peace will now prevail on the polling day".
Left Front chairman Biman Bose said this will improve the situation. "He (Mondal) was crushing all democratic traditions under his feet..but we have to wait and see. He can still use his phone to disturb the poll process."
State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said while it was a welcome development, the EC needs to take more firm steps.
Mumbai : Mumbai, April 15 (IANS Actor Randeep Hooda says that being straightforward was the reason for his "slow" progress in the industry.
In an interview for the film "Laal Rang", Randeep said: "I am a 'muhfat (outspoken)' and that is the reason I have a slow progress in the industry. I try to be diplomatic but you can get the boy out of Haryana but not the Haryana out of the boy. People don't understand my humor and misunderstand me. Sooner or later people know I mean no harm and am a good man."
About his success in the industry despite being "an outsider", he said: "Actors from small time can deal with failure but they don't know how to deal with success. In success, how to fake humbleness and fake respect, the industry kids know it very well. But I can't do such things. I achieved success on my own and that has brought about a different confidence."
Randeep, who started out with films like "D", and "Monsoon Wedding", is in a good space recently having delivered critically acclaimed films like "Highway", "Rang Rasiya" as well as the commercial successes like "Kick". He is also a part of some big projects like "Sarbjit" and even Salman Khan's "Sultan".
He will next be seen as a 'blood mafia' from Haryana in the upcoming relationship drama "Laal Rang". Directed by Syed Ahman Afzal, the film also stars Akshay Oberoi and Pia Bajpai in prominent roles and is slated to release on April 22.
International real estate advisor Savills has formed a new association with Provence based real estate agent Valancogne & Partners.
Established for over 30 years and led by Corinne Allione-Joutel and Olivier Valancogne, the agency has offices in Bonnieux in the Luberon and in Eygalieres in the Alpilles and specialises in the sale and seasonal rentals of prestige properties also in the Gard, Marseille and Aix regions.
Rupert Sebag-Montefiore, head of global residential at Savills, said the association will add to the firms network of over 600 wholly owned and associate offices.
Provence is a market which has always attracted both French and overseas buyers, and we believe we are now at a cycle in the market when its fabulous landscape and culture present excellent value for money compared with some other international markets, he explained.
Corinne Allione-Joutel and Olivier Valancogne, said that as the exclusive international associate of Savills in Provence, they will be able to offer their clients the strength of an international network and its broad, high end customer base bringing added value to its customised service.
Our philosophy is to create an atmosphere of confidence right from the first contact with our clients. Our role is to guide our clients in the best possible way whether they be seeking to purchase a holiday home or main residence or whether they are looking for the perfect holiday rental, they added.
Storm damage, burst pipes and damage from break-ins were the top reasons that buy to let property investors make insurance claims, new research has found.
The most common claim was for storm damage, which cost an average of 1,500 to repair, followed by damage to ceilings, walls and carpets caused by burst pipe with an average 4,500 repair bill.
The analysis of data from 100,000 policies by Simple Landlords Insurance also found that the third most common reason for making a claim was property damage caused by burglars with an average claim of 2,300.
The most expensive claim in the top 10 is 25,000 to repair the damage caused by an electrical fire and the report also explains how insurance premiums can vary significantly according to property type, location, and tenant type.
Andrew Weston from Simple Landlords Insurance said the research is useful for landlords as it helps them to find out the practical measures they can take to avoid the hassle and time of making an insurance claim, all of which will benefit them further by keeping premiums low.
Saving money will become even more important for landlords in coming years as tax increases announced by the Chancellor are phased in, which for many investors could make the difference between profit and loss, he pointed out.
Buying insurance is often one of the last things buy to let investors consider. Having a clear understanding of the key factors that can influence a premium will save landlords money in the long run, he added.
The report warns landlords about damages that are not covered by insurance policies. The most common reason that a landlord did not have cover was that they hadnt purchased accidental damage cover in their policy.
The report also explains that while you never know where a storm will hit, certain features can make properties particularly vulnerable to harsh weather conditions. Properties with conservatories attached and dormer windows are especially likely to be damaged by high winds and excessive rain during a storm.
An example is a property in Edinburgh which needed more than 11,000 worth of repairs, including Perspex roof covering to the buildings exterior and solid oak flooring to its interior after two panels from its conservatory roof were ripped off during high winds in January 2015.
In Keighley, West Yorkshire, another landlord sustained damage worth just under 5,000 when their conservatory roof was replaced after every single roof pane was punctured by hailstones during a storm in July 2015.
A landlord in the West Midlands was contacted by his student tenants following a break in. The burglars smashed through the back door and tried to enter all the bedrooms upstairs. All the doors were locked but the thieves damaged the doors and frames with the damage amounting to almost 5,000.
With the residential rental sector attracting more investors than ever before the first cross-industry organisation dedicated to driving the professionalism in the sector has been launched.
The UK Apartment Association (UKAA) said it will focus on driving up standards of customer service and delivery to ensure that all renters are given the best possible experience.
Its creation has been championed by Housing Minister Brandon Lewis, who is calling on the industry to work together to deliver more homes for rent and better standards for tenants.
The UKAA aims to differentiate the multi-family housing market from the amateur ad hoc rental service provided by small scale landlords that currently make up the bulk of rentals.
I want to see the private rented sector respond to the nations housing needs by providing new forms of supply and improved quality and choice, said Lewis.
I welcome the UKAA as a body that can help build the capabilities of the build to rent sector in this country, bringing together the needs of private renters with the institutional capital that wants to invest in meeting their demands, he added.
With more than nine million renters in the UK and vast potential for that number to grow, there is a huge opportunity for build to rent developments as an institutional asset class. In recent months alone, the number of developers and investors committing to projects has risen but there is still a distance to go before renting becomes the professional, service led industry backed by large institutional investors that it is in the United States.
As the first international partner of the US-based National Apartment Association (NAA), the UKAA will benefit from the experience of the US multi-family industry. A federation of nearly 170 state and local affiliates, NAA encompasses over 69,000 members representing more than 8.1 million apartment homes throughout the United States and Canada.
The NAA is eager to bring industry training, best practices and networking opportunities to the UK. In addition, our US members are increasingly seeing opportunities for global growth and are looking to NAA for guidance when entering a new market. Our partnership with UKAA will be invaluable to our association as we address the growing need for a global rental housing industry, said Doug Culkin, president and chief executive officer of the NAA.
As well as providing a valuable platform for the industry, the UKAA aims to lead educational training, customer service delivery, study tours and provide a suppliers forum, market data and a range of resources.
A growing number of high profile companies and professionals from across the sector have already signed up as members including Atlas, Hermes, Greystar, Manchester Life and Savills with suppliers including Roomservice by CORT and Yardi.
The UKAA is working in conjunction with all of the other industry bodies and is in the process of establishing regional branches, which are so far under way in Manchester and Scotland.
This evolution of the rental sector is creating some interesting dynamics and raising many questions about what renting in the UK should and will look like. There is clearly a case for using the extensive experience gained by the US and working together to create a more professional market to ultimately give renters a better service, said founder of the UKAA and chairman of Chainbow, Roger Southam.
Graeme Pollock (pictured) is director and head of east agency at the Edinburgh commercial department of DM Hall Chartered Surveyors.
Like Banquos ghost, the spectre of endless Brexit hangs over the commercial property market in Edinburgh and its immediate hinterland and, until it is banished, the feasting will necessarily remain subdued.
There has certainly been a tail-off in activity since the first Brexit deadline was missed in March this year and the market has paused until some of the mists in the crystal ball start to clear.
But, in an indication of how things might begin to develop when there is finally some clarity in the wider geopolitical arena, rents in prime office space in Edinburgh are now topping the mid 30s per sq ft levels not seen for some considerable time.
These kinds of returns are, of course, for properties such as brand new headquarter buildings in the heart of the city, but a continuing shortage of stock is still helping to bang rents up generally.
This, in turn, is leading to flurries of activity in West Edinburgh, the area in which packs of investors traditionally hunt when they cannot afford to bag anything in the city centre.
And, as people are priced out of that market, there is a knock-on effect on the more acceptable outer areas, such as West Lothian and heading up the M9 where, although it is not happening yet, rents will almost certainly start their upward progress in the next six to nine months.
West Lothian has been hit by a series of high-profile closures in recent times and there has been a sense of the manufacturing sector slipping away, but there are also positive signs, such as the relocation of defence giant Raytheon to Oakbank Park, which will likely attract related enterprises to the area.
Back in the centre, international investment in the commercial real estate sector is as buoyant as ever, underpinned by European, Middle East and Asian interests whose positive view of relative returns in Scotland appears to outweigh the Brexit risk.
One of the largest property transactions in Scotland this year the purchase of 4 8 St Andrew Square in the city centre was made by a German pension fund which had no qualms about dashing off a cheque for 120m.
Indeed, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen continue to be in the UKs top 10 cities outside London for attracting foreign interest, with Scotland pulling in more than 500m of international capital in the first half of this year.
The industrial market in Edinburgh is still extremely strong, with rents increasing for attractive stock. The sector is emerging from about 12 years of very selective speculative development into active building and these forerunners are reaping the benefits of pent-up demand.
Operators such as JW Smart and Springfield are showing a healthy appetite for speculative development and doing extremely well out of it. Outwith the city, it is slower, but there is still a market for small to medium industrial units and ground is being broken on new developments all the time.
Retail across Scotland remains a concern, with high-profile closures and traditional players refusing to commit to the High Street in the same way as they had previously been happy to do.
It would be foolish not to anticipate a significant problem in prime retail areas in Edinburgh. However, on the edges of first order retail, in areas such as Murrayfield, Stockbridge and Morningside, local occupiers are still picking up space.
In this sub-market substantial premiums can be achieved quite readily, with most properties on offer going to a closing date. Small business rates relief has helped of course, but many of these enterprises are driven by lifestyle, rather than brutally commercial, considerations.
In more traditional town centres outside of Edinburgh, there is little taste for lifestyle ventures and decentralisation continues apace with the retail needs of the communities being met by large out of town retail parks and supermarkets.
Is there hope for smaller town centres? Well, there is a trend to repurposing of retail stock with former Class 1 units achieving a new lease of life as Class 11 leisure facilities or Class 10 non-residential institutions.
As the old Chinese curse has it, we live in interesting times. It is difficult not to feel, though, that the curse would be lifted if we could finally get past Brexit, enter into a period of renewed confidence and get on with our lives.
"Awesome service." (Zahid Iqbal)
Bengali expats worldwide are invited to get their Bengali New Year gift: $3 Bonus for international calls to Bangladesh on TelephoneBangladesh.com. The condition to get the 103 free minutes to call landlines and mobiles in Bangladesh is to order a minimum of $20 Voice Credit until April 9th, 2016. The process takes less than 1 minute and can be carried out using KeepCalling app for iOS and Android, or the mobile-friendly website: http://telephonebangladesh.com/buy/voice
To get the $3 Bonus one needs to use coupon HAPPY3AR for a minimum order of $20 on TelephoneBangladesh.com. A minimum $20 Voice Credit order is required to get the Bonus, that is added to the account balance instantly.
The 103 free minutes never expire, and can be used to call Bangladesh mobiles and landlines, as well as other destinations in the world. This promotion was designed to support communication between expats and their families in Bangladesh during and after the Poila Boishakh celebration.
The promotion is open to all people who have an account on TelephoneBangladesh.com, both existing and new customers. For new customers registration on the website costs nothing, and it comes with several benefits: free features, Thank You points, transaction and call history, balance details, etc. It takes less than 1 minute to open an account and also subscribe to "Get Offers" by email.
For those wondering how to call Bangladesh using the latest and most affordable technology, TelephoneBanglades.com makes available 3 different ways to call with Voice Credit:
-KeepCalling app for Android or iOS is easy to install and works best on WiFi.
-One can call from a PC to any phone in Bangladesh using the Web Call app that is available in one's online account on the website; it requires no download, but it needs a new Java version to run well.
-Access Numbers help customers make calls without Internet access using a landline, a payphone, or a mobile; the appropriate access number is the number in one's area, available in the following list: http://telephonebangladesh.com/access_numbers_voice
TelephoneBangladesh.com, which is a service dedicated to Bengali communities abroad, features really competitive rates on the global market: 2.9 /minute unique price for mobiles and landlines. Voice Credit is basically calling credit for international calls and SMS to Bangladesh.
Yet, the lowest rate to call Bangladesh is 1.9 /minute, available with the monthly plans on TelephoneBangladesh.com. "Bangladesh 500" includes 500 international calling minutes to Bangladesh landlines and mobiles for a monthly rate of $9.49. For more talkative bengali, there is another monthly plan that includes 1000 minutes to mobiles and landlines: "Bangladesh 1000." Its price is $18.99 a month, and can be cancelled any time without any penalties or extra fees.
TelephoneBangladesh.com is known for its flexibility and for having no hidden fees. Voice Credit can be added to the monthly plan if more minutes are needed. Plus, monthly plans can be cancelled or upgraded or downgraded without any penalty.
Payment methods are also flexible. One can use PayPal or any major card displayed in the footer of the website. The service is also rewarding. One gets Thank You points as loyalty points on every purchase or each time someone uses their referral code when placing an order on TelephoneBangladesh.com. These points can be converted into Voice Credit whenever they reach 1000.
Besides the calling service, TelephoneBangladesh.com hosts a service that facilitates 1 minute mobile credit transfers from country to country. It is called Mobile Recharge and can be used to send mobile credit online to any prepaid mobile phone in Bangladesh: Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi, Airtel Bangladesh, TeleTalk and Citycell.
TelephoneBangladesh.com is an interactive website designed by KeepCalling, a global telecommunications company registered in 2002 in USA. Presently, KeepCalling provides its services to hundreds of thousands of consumers and businesses, with a focus on customer satisfaction. KeepCalling has been listed by Inc 5000 as one of the fastest growing companies in the USA for 5 consecutive years. In 2015 the company registered a revenue increase of over 200% from 2011 to 2014.
Positive Energy Corp. distributes ventilation, insulation, lighting and sealing products from well-known national and international brands such as Panasonic, Renewaire, Tamarack Technologies, Sto-Cote, Bacharach and Reflectix.
New owner Loupee said, Positive Energy was one of the first successful distributors of environmentally friendly building products in the Mountain states. We hope to add to that success by introducing a variety of innovative new building products to our customers. We intend to make the customer experience second to none with outstanding products, pricing and customer service.
Loupee has over 13 years of experience in product-specific technical support and sees customer service as my strong suit.
Loupee noted that Positive Energy will continue to operate its existing warehouse facility in Gunbarrel. The business office has been relocated to 421 21st Ave., Suite 203, in Longmont.
Positive Energy currently sells its products throughout the country online but focuses primarily on the mountain states: Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and Utah.
My hopes for this business include constantly refreshing our product mix with advanced, innovative products and delivering them more efficiently to our contractors and end users so they can continue to grow and prosper, Loupee concluded.
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sweetFrog's Perry Hall, MD location will open again on April 18. From birthday parties to fundraisers, we want sweetFrog to be the place our friends in Perry Hall choose to gather and celebrate.
sweetFrog Enterprises, LLC. is pleased to announce the reopening of its Perry Hall location in Nottingham, MD. sweetFrog offers a wide selection of premium frozen yogurt flavors, along with fresh topping choices within a self-serve model and was recently named Best Frozen Yogurt in the USA by The Daily Meal.
This sweetFrog store, located at 259 9643 Belair Road, Nottingham, MD 21236, will re-open its doors on April 18 with a variety of opening festivities that will continue every day until their Grand Opening on April 23. During this time, free t-shirts will be given out to the first 25 guests each day and a free sweetFrog party for six will be given to a lucky guest through a Like and Share Facebook contest.
The grand opening celebration on April 23 will feature prizes, balloons, stickers, lots of giveaways and appearances by the ever-popular sweetFrog mascots, Scoop and Cookie. The first 100 guests receive will free t-shirts and every purchase comes with a return-visit BOGO card. In addition, guests can get their frozen yogurt free if they can guess the weight of their cup and there will be a drawing for one lucky guest to win free FROYO for a year.
"We invite the entire community to join us for a sweet treat," said Patrick Galleher, sweetFrog CEO. "From birthday parties to fundraisers, we want sweetFrog to be the place our friends in Perry Hall choose to gather and celebrate.
The celebrating will not stop after the grand opening. From May 2-6 , sweetFrog will honor Perry Halls medical professionals, schools, fire and rescue, local businesses and churches with 50% off purchases on their designated day. In addition, there will be a 50% donation of sales to non-profit organizations who book benefit nights and 50% discounts on birthday party bookings by May 7, 2016.
About sweetFrog Frozen Yogurt:
Sweet Frog (http://www.sweetfrog.com) is the fastest growing premium, all natural, self-serve frozen yogurt restaurant company in the country. Sweet Frog currently has 344 stores including both company-owned, franchise and independently licensed locations either open or under contract in twenty-four states in the U.S, Dominican Republic, United Kingdom and Egypt. The company was founded in 2009 and is based in Richmond, Virginia. Sweet Frog prides itself on providing a family-friendly environment where customers can enjoy soft-serve frozen yogurt, gelato and sorbets with the toppings of their choice. The company was founded on Christian principles and seeks to bring happiness and a positive attitude into the lives of the communities it calls home.
Contact:
Matt Smith, Chief Marketing Officer
matt.smith(at)sweetfrog(dot)net
(804) 835-6796
10800 Midlothian Turnpike, Suite 300
Richmond, VA 23235
Pearah joins The HDF Group as new CEO Weve just delivered a major release of HDF5 with many additional powerful features, and were very excited about several innovative new products that well soon be making available to our user community.
The HDF Group today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed David Pearah as its new Chief Executive Officer. The HDF Group is a software company dedicated to creating high performance computing technology to address many of todays Big Data challenges.
Pearah replaces Mike Folk upon his retirement after ten years as company President and Board Chair. Folk will remain a member of the Board of Directors, and Pearah will become the companys Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Pearah said, "I am honored to have been selected as The HDF Group's next CEO. It is a privilege to be part of an organization with a nearly 30-year history of delivering innovative technology to meet the Big Data demands of commercial industry, scientific research and governmental clients.
Industry leaders in fields from aerospace and biotechnology to finance join the companys client list. In addition, government entities such as the Department of Energy and NASA, numerous research facilities, and scientists in disciplines from climate study to astrophysics depend on HDF technologies.
Pearah continued, We are an organization led by a mission to make a positive impact on everyone we engage, whether they are individuals using our open-source software, or organizations who rely on our talented team of scientists and engineers as trusted partners. I will do my best to serve the HDF community by enabling our team to fulfill their passion to make a difference. Weve just delivered a major release of HDF5 with many additional powerful features, and were very excited about several innovative new products that well soon be making available to our user community.
Dave is clearly the leader for HDF's future, and he has the unanimous support of the Board of Directors, said Jed Taylor, The HDF Group Board Member and Chair of the search committee. The Board has always had a strong focus on succession planning. We initiated the formal CEO succession process ten months ago, searching internally and externally to find the best leader for our employees, clients and partners. With Dave Pearah taking the role of CEO and Mike Folk remaining on the Board, we are confident that The HDF Group has the leadership to drive its success for the next chapter.
Over the past 15 years, Pearah has held increasingly senior roles in engineering, product and business leadership across multiple industries, including telecommunications, healthcare, and marketing. Most recently, Pearah was Chief Technology Officer of Cision, overseeing Product Management, Engineering and IT for the global business. Prior to Cision, Pearah served as CTO and SVP Product Management for Emmi Solutions, General Manager of the ePrescribe Business Unit for Allscripts, and Director of Product Management at Nuance/Dictaphone.
Pearah holds dual masters degrees in Technology Management and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a BS in Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a recipient of fellowships from the National Science Foundation, NASA and the Ford Foundation.
The Hierarchical Data Format, or HDF, was originally developed in 1987 at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with the goal of addressing the growing need to effectively manage very large and complex scientific and engineering data. Organizations in commercial industry, government and academia adopted HDF for many applications demanding high performance data management software. HDF supports all types of digital data, regardless of origin, size or complexity, from remote sensing data collected by satellites and computational results from nuclear testing models, to high-resolution MRI brain scans and financial time series data.
The company has grown steadily since we spun off from the NCSA to further develop HDF technologies, says Folk, who led the original NCSA project for 18 years before co-founding the company. But if we are to become truly sustainable and preserve our mission, we need a business model that will provide more consistent revenues, and can also enable the company to grow to meet the increasing demands of a data-hungry world.
Folk said, We sought someone with the experience, knowledge, and passion to take us to that next level. The Board and I are elated to have found Dave. With his strong technology management and engineering background, coupled with repeated and consistent success in leading product development efforts and software teams, hes just what we need for the job.
The HDF Group is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to advancing HDF technologies to serve the needs of users in ever-changing computational environments, while at the same time maintaining its commitment to ensure the long-term accessibility of data stored in HDF. Located in the Research Park at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois, the companys website and software may be found at https://www.hdfgroup.org/.
Within the pages of Chuck DeHaans new book, The Makin' of A Cowboy Evangelist, ($15.99, paperback, 9781498467735; $7.99, e-book, 9781498467742) readers will meet Eric, the main character, a young cowboy who is starting to find answers to put direction in his life. As hes halter breakin some colts, he begins to grasp Gods gentle touch on Who so ever will, and the difference in who so ever wont. After his born again experience he also finds a great peace, the kind thats beyond understanding Gods peace. This is a story telling of Gods simple plan of salvation, based on Gods Word through the Bible. Many cowboys that the author has known in his life, young and old, have had deep questions but too much wounding pride to ask anyone. Even though this is a fictional story, it brings truthful answers unfolding Gods will for everyone even cowboys.
I hope readers understand how God can and will establish our thoughts if we will let Him, states the author. We have a choice from Him.
In Chuck DeHaans life, his horse training and western art were intermingled for many years. When the demand for his artwork began to take up more of his time, the horses had to be cooled out and put up. For approximately 20 years, Chuck handled the advertising for Potts Longhorn Leather Company. He trained and showed their horses, as well as tested new products on his Cowtrack Ranch. Guildhall of Fort Worth, Texas published his limited edition prints. Through the years he worked with many major publishers such as The Franklin Mint, The Hamilton Collectables, The Bradford Exchange, Leaning Tree, Western Brands, as well as various book and magazine publishers.
This all started as a small boy, when Chuck found out that pencils left tracks. And from that moment on, he has unfolded his experiences and knowledge of horses onto canvas for others to enjoy. His talent which God has allowed him to work with has gained him many awards such as Texas State Artist of the year as well as the Golden Spur Award for Best Cover art by Western Writers of America. Many buckles, plaques and medals hang on the studio walls along with other awards. Collecting stories and experience for more than 82 years, Chuck has decided its time to start sharing his memories.
Xulon Press, a division of Salem Media Group, is the worlds largest Christian self-publisher, with more than 15,000 titles published to date. Retailers may order The Makin' of A Cowboy Evangelist through Ingram Book Company and/or Spring Arbor Book Distributors. The book is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.
Media Contact: Chuck DeHaan
Email: chuck(at)chuckdehaan(dot)com
For this whole genome 30x sample, the PetaSuite compressed data is less than a fifth the size of the original gzipped FASTQ file. The judges chose a new product that could give you millions of dollars worth of storage savings right now, a product that several of our judges wanted to go buy immediately after lunch.
PetaGene, the genomics data compression and acceleration company, has been awarded "Best of Show" at the 2016 Bio-IT World Conference & Expo for its PetaSuite product, which launched at the conference; http://www.bio-itworld.com/2016/4/6/bio-itworld-honors-new-products.aspx. The Best of Show award recognizes the top innovative product solutions for the life sciences industry on display at the conference.
PetaGene demonstrated its PetaSuite product at the event, showing how its innovative compression technology can significantly reduce the size of genomic data while preserving access in industry standards, such as FASTQ, BAM and CRAM formats. This size reduction not only cuts data storage costs, but also makes collaboration faster by accelerating transfers, and can reduce I/O bottlenecks to help speed up analysis. PetaSuite offers both a lossless and an innovative BayesCal compression option, with up to a four-fold reduction in storage hardware costs for lossless compression. BayesCal is PetaGenes revolutionary Bayesian-based analysis that leverages additional evidence to calculate a more complete estimate of base quality scores. The result is that genotyping accuracy is preserved or even improved, while compressibility is further boosted as a side effect.
A panel of expert judges from academia and industry examined 46 new products in IT and the life sciences considered from the 190 Bio-IT World exhibitors.
"This year saw a record number of applications and technologies for the Best of Show Award, said Allison Proffitt, Bio-IT Worlds Editorial Director. The award recognizes breakthrough innovations by leading vendors in the industry, and this years winners represent technologies that particularly impressed our judges.
There were five awards in total, with PetaSuite winning in the category for "Optimising Speed and Storage" beating out solutions from some of the largest storage vendors. In reading out the award for PetaSuite, Allison Proffitt said that "the judges chose a new product that could give you millions of dollars worth of storage savings right now, a product that several of our judges wanted to go buy immediately after lunch."
This year, the diverse judging panel included Michael Barmada, University of Pittsburgh; Catherine Brownstein, Boston Childrens Hospital; Joe Cerro, BostonCIO; Chris Dwan, Broad Institute; Martin Gollery, Tahoe Informatics; Richard Holland, New Forest Ventures; Eleanor Howe, Broad Institute; Alan Louie, IDC; Aaron Krol, Bio-IT World; Phillips Kuhl, Cambridge Innovation Institute; Katya Mantrova, Independent Consultant; Jerald Schindler, Merck; Alex Sherman, Massachusetts General Hospital; and Allison Proffitt, Bio-IT Worlds Editorial Director.
"We are honored that PetaSuite was selected by Bio-IT Worlds prestigious panel of judges for the Best of Show Award, said Dan Greenfield, co-founder and CEO of PetaGene. "We are excited to help research and diagnostic organizations by making their unwieldy genomics data smaller, faster and better, reducing their costs and even speeding up their collaboration and analysis."
About PetaGene
PetaGene is a software company helping life sciences companies and institutions to tackle the rapidly growing amount of genomic data from Next Generation Sequencing. PetaGene originally started as a government-backed research project in collaboration with the European Bioinformatics Institute to investigate new approaches to manage genomic data. Its innovative software solutions can significantly reduce the costs of genomic data storage, accelerate data transfers, and even speed up analysis.
Today, Tragic Media announced that it has joined HubSpot as a Certified Agency Partner. HubSpot, the worlds leading inbound marketing and sales platform, works hand-in-hand with Agency Partners to grow their businesses through inbound software, services, and support.
Of the announcement, Hubspots Brian Signorelli said, We are thrilled to welcome Tragic Media to HubSpots Partner Program. Their savvy, sophisticated, and innovative approach to inbound makes them a company that businesses everywhere can learn from. Watching them transform their Agency with inbound has been a rewarding experience!
Over the past year, Tragic Media has grown its business by incorporating inbound strategies to attract, engage, and delight customers. Tragic Medias mission is to create a new kind of agency, one that is built on technology and is committed to their customers growth and success. Working with the HubSpot platform has given Tragic Media the ability to track and measure the success of their clients campaigns and upgrades.
Notable milestones and achievements include:
Tragic has doubled its lead generation since starting with the HubSpot platform
The size and service offerings of Tragics projects have grown 3x since Q4 2015.
The addition of Hubspot inbound marketing, online marketing services and conversion attribution bring incredible value to new and existing clients
About Tragic Media:
Tragic Media was so named because they got started as a white label agency for larger agencies who ran into problems on enterprise web projects with heavy customization, and large e-commerce builds. Tragic Media quickly become known as the emergency 911 call for large, expensive agencies when they ran into capability issues or offshored projects with poor results.
Having started as a pure development agency specializing in high complexity builds and fixes on enterprise web projects, Tragic Media has transformed into a digital agency with a focus on delivering high performance online assets for their clients. They are experts in Magento E-commerce, Drupal, Responsive Design, Content and Inbound Marketing, Paid and Organic search all while providing clients with high touch service and giving them a clear picture of return on their project investment.
About HubSpot
HubSpot ($HUBS) is the worlds leading inbound marketing and sales platform. Since 2006, HubSpot has been on a mission to make the world more inbound. Today, over 15,000 customers in more than 90 countries use HubSpots software, services, and support to transform the way they attract, engage, and delight customers.
HubSpots inbound marketing software, ranked #1 in customer satisfaction by VentureBeat and G2Crowd, includes social media publishing and monitoring, blogging, SEO, website content management, email marketing, marketing automation, and reporting and analytics, all in one integrated platform.
Sidekick, HubSpots award-winning sales application, enables sales and service teams to have more effective conversations with leads, prospects, and customers. Recognized by Inc., Forbes, and Deloitte as one of the worlds fastest-growing companies, HubSpot is headquartered in Cambridge, MA with offices in Dublin, Ireland, Sydney, Australia, and Portsmouth, NH. Learn more at http://www.hubspot.com
Goodheart-Willcox author Melanie Lynch was named SHAPE (Society of Health and Physical Educators) Americas Teacher of the Year. Recognized for her contributions to the high school health education classroom, Lynch is a teacher at State College Area High School in State College, Pennsylvania. She is coauthor of Essential Health and Comprehensive Health, high school health education titles published by Goodheart-Willcox.
A special awards gala was held April 8 at SHAPE Americas National Convention and Expo, during which Lynch was among the elite who received recognition in the physical education, adapted physical education, school health, and dance education professions. Attendance at this conference was approximately 5,000 health and physical education educators.
Excellent teachers, like Melanie, are ambassadors to their profession, says John Flanagan, President of Goodheart-Willcox. Melanie is dedicated to her students health and well-being in the classroom and beyond. Shes being recognized for something weve known all alongthat Melanie is one of the countrys most effective educators. She brings energy to the classroom and provides her students with knowledge that will impact them throughout their lives. We congratulate Melanie and are proud of our continued partnership.
Lynch, coauthor of Goodheart-Willcoxs Comprehensive Health and Essential Health titles, which provide the most up-to-date, skills-based texts for health and wellness classes, made significant contributions to both the pedagogy and activities within the text. Written by a team of award-winning educators, these titles allow teachers to tap into the classroom experience and lessons of some of the field's best minds. Content and skills align to national standards in health education, while providing in-depth coverage of topics, such as sleep, body image, health, cyberbullying, and more.
To learn more about Goodheart-Willcox and its commitment to health and wellness education, visit http://www.g-w.com/health.
About Goodheart-Willcox
Goodheart-Willcox, established in 1921, publishes the highest quality content for Health Education as well as Career and Technical Education. Goodheart-Willcoxs expanding focus on health education emphasizes the benefits of healthy living and its impact on students success in college and career. Goodheart-Willcox titles are available in print and digital formats, and include a full portfolio of student and instructor resources. Goodheart-Willcox: Experts in Todays Health and Wellness.
Maize Analytics, a Nashville-based technology firm that provides patented machine learning software to monitor and protect patient data, announced Wednesday that it has completed a second round of funding led by Nashville investor Jim Sohr. Sohr is the Chairman and CEO of Powered Health, a portfolio of health care technology companies positioned to change the business of health care. Sohr was the CEO of AIM Healthcare Services before its acquisition by Ingenix (now Optum) a division of UnitedHealth Group in 2009.
Maize will deploy the capital to accelerate growth, expand their product line and support their rapidly expanding customer base.
Maize Analytics Founder and CEO, Daniel Fabbri Ph.D. stated: Hospitals must monitor how sensitive patient data are accessed and used. Unfortunately, most providers rely upon manual methods or older technologies to accomplish this. We expect every US hospital will have advanced EMR access monitoring solutions in the next few years, and this capital raise helps us address this growing market.
We are happy to expand our commitment to Maize Analytics, stated Jim Sohr. Hospitals and the PHI contained in their EMRs have always been a target for misuse. Innovative technologies, like Maizes, are critical in protecting patient privacy.
Maize is expanding to support Canadian health care organizations and anticipates growth in other non-U.S markets. While the North American market is our primary focus, recent Canadian regulations have put increased pressure on Canadian health care organizations to monitor EMR usage, said Dr. Fabbri.
About Maize Analytics:
Maize Analytics patented and peer-reviewed auditing system allows privacy officers to quickly and accurately identify inappropriate accesses to EMR data. By contrast, legacy technologies provide static flag-based solutions, which commonly create high false positive rates and missed breach detection. Maize uses machine learning to identify why access occurs, and then filters away appropriate accesses, leaving a much smaller subset for manual review. http://www.maizeanalytics.com
About Powered Health:
Powered Health companies are joined by a guiding mission to provide innovative software and service solutions to the healthcare industry. We power a positive change in clinical decision making, interoperability, engagement and compliance. Together they change the business of health care. http://www.poweredhealth.com
Brian Seymour, Photo credit Mark Davitt I encourage you to register to be an organ donor, because you too can save a life and be someones hero.
Iowa firefighters and EMTs are widely considered heroes. But the family of one Waterloo firefighter is still waiting for a hero of their own. Jill Junk, 57, the wife of Waterloo firefighter Joe Junk, is one of 19 Iowans on the organ waitlist in need of a new liver.
The Iowa Firefighters Association is partnering with the Iowa Donor Network to challenge each county in Iowa to gain 100 additional registered organ donors in 100 days, issuing the challenge on National Donate Life Green and Blue Day to raise awareness of the lifesaving importance of being a registered donor.
There are 624 people on Iowas organ waitlist and more than 123,000 people on the national waitlist, said Tony Hakes, Iowa Donor Network public outreach manager. One donor has the potential to save up to eight peoples lives through organ donation and help more than 50 people through tissue donation. Just imagine how many people on this waitlist we could save, if we can reach our goal of 100 people per county.
Wendy Lensing, Iowa Firefighters Association executive director, couldnt agree more about the multiple lives that can be saved through organ donation. Last month, Brian Seymour, a retired Indianola Fire Chief, past president of the IFA and an organ donor, died from injuries sustained after a major fall. Seymour dedicated 32 years of his life to public service, as a firefighter, paramedic and EMS director, and to helping others, as mission trip leader to Africa to teach children fire safety and to provide an African community with a fire truck.
In one last act of honor in helping others, Brian was an organ and tissue donor, said Lensing. In death, he positively impacted 72 lives through his gift of life. It seemed fitting for the IFA to issue this lifesaving challenge to Iowans in Brians memory and in hope of helping Jill Junk.
Judy Rottinghaus, retired Waterloo Fire Rescue firefighter and paramedic, added her support to IFAs challenge. A living kidney donor herself, Rottinghaus is not one to sit back when others are in needand especially a member of her firefighting family.
Ive been a registered donor since I signed up for my first drivers license, said Rottinghaus. I didnt have a particular person in mind when I decided to become a living donor and do not know the man who received my kidney. I am simply glad that I have given him six years that he might not have had.
Rottinghaus said she felt that because she had two healthy kidneys and could help someone, she should. And, that feeling ended up saving her life.
I gave him hope, altruistically, and he gave me life, specifically, said Rottinghaus.
Two years after her kidney donation, Rottinghaus was experiencing abdominal pain at the incision site of the kidney surgery, which required her doctors to take more images. Those images showed a problematic tumor on her pancreas. Rottinghaus likens her kidney donation as a gift of hope to the man she provided a kidney, which turned into receiving the gift of early detection and successful treatment of a precancerous tumor for herself.
Now, we have a member of our firefighter family whose battle with pancreatic cancer has led to liver failure, said Rottinghaus. We are all rallying around Jill and Joe, and hope and pray Jill receives her liver transplant very soon. I encourage you to register to be an organ donor, because you too can save a life and be someones hero.
In 2014, the lives of 29,532 Americans were saved through organ donation. Anyone can register to be a donor regardless of age or medical condition. Watch this video of the first responders encouraging Iowans to be donors and a ceremony at the Waterloo Fire Station sharing these Iowa firefighters stories. Visit IowaDonorNetwork.org to sign up to be a donor today.
About Iowa Donor Network:
Iowa Donor Network (IDN) is a nonprofit organization that operates as the primary contact for organ, tissue and eye donation services for the state of Iowa. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have certified IDN to function as the single organ procurement agency in the state. IDN also serves as the tissue recovery agency for the state and is accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks. To learn more about IDN, please visit http://www.IowaDonorNetwork.org or call 319-665-3787.
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The Womens Business Council Southwest (WBCS) hosts their annual Business Works Expo on April 19th from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm at the Irving Convention Center. The Expo connects women-owned businesses with supplier diversity advocates in the region. Through a series of events, the Expo helps provide and increase mutually beneficial procurement opportunities for women-owned businesses in corporate, government and institutional arenas. The event kicks off with a keynote breakfast with Amanda Messer, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of because I said I would, a social movement and nonprofit, then is followed by a full-day trade expo with a grab-and-go lunch, a silent auction and a networking reception.
WBCS members begin valuable long-lasting relationships here, explains Debbie Hurst, president of WBCS. Oncor Electric Delivery Co. LLC, a recognized leader of women-owned business supplier spending with an operating revenue of $3,878 million for 2015, is a very active WBCS Sustaining Member. "They have been participating in the Business Works Expo since its inception. They started meeting WBCS members then, and have given them opportunities from the beginning. Those relationships have grown and now represent some of their top suppliers."
Over the years, we have helped members to develop and grow. We have really grown together, said Oncor Supplier Diversity Manager Grace Hastings. Some WBCS members, such as Pinnacle Group and Ricochet Fuel Distributors, Inc., have been with us from the start. As suppliers, you get to know the companies, and know their innovations and solutions.
This year, Oncor gave its most prestigious recognition, the Omnis Award, to Ricochet for demonstrating excellence in business and community outreach. According to Kelly Roberts, Ricochet Fuel Distributors founder, president & CEO, the accolade came from a prized client. The same Omnis Award was presented to Pinnacle Technical Resources Inc. in 2014.
We continue to see the value from the relationships the WBCS brings, reiterated Hastings. People dont always think of women-owned businesses in the fuel logistics, technology and construction industries, but they are, and the WBCS is a great place to meet them.
The Matchmaker program, held as an additional event during the Expo, provides a chance for WBCS members to set up meetings with suppliers interested in doing business with women-owned businesses. It provides the WBCS members with an opportunity to have 1:1 face time to meet and discuss long-term procurement opportunities.
The event is co-chaired by WBCS members Jennifer Blakeney, CEO of Guaranteed Express, Inc., and Pam Glover, Manager, Supplier Diversity at Southwest Airlines Co., and organized by a committee of volunteers.
Sponsors of the program include Energy Future Holdings, Luminant, TXU Energy, KellyMitchell, Asociar, Baylor Scott & White Health, ISP Studios, Ivie, Lockheed Martin, Painters USA Inc., PepsiCo Inc., Texas Instruments, Anderson Paving, Inc., BUSINESS INTERIORS, Dell, ICON Information Consultants, RMPersonnel, Toyota, American Airlines, FedEx Office, AT&T, Fluor, Brinker International, Chevron, DFW International Airport, Ericsson, Southside Bank, Southwest Airlines Co., UPS, Walmart.
About WBCS
Headquartered in Arlington, Texas, The Womens Business Council Southwest (WBCS) is dedicated to increasing mutually beneficial procurement opportunities between certified woman-owned businesses, corporations, businesses, government entities, institutions and other organizations. With more than 1,000 WBE members and nearly 100 Sustaining (Corporate) Members, WBCS is in its 21st year of providing national certification to women-owned businesses. To find out more about the WBCS, please visit http://www.wbcsouthwest.org. WBCS is a regional affiliate of the Women Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) covering Oklahoma, north central Texas, Arkansas and New Mexico. Founded in 1997, WBENC has become a powerhouse organization for women entrepreneurs across the country.
On the heels of two tremendously successful film festivals complete with audience standing ovations, the emotionally-stirring, controversial film Love Is All You Need? will make its Southern California debut at the Newport Beach Film Festival on Friday, April 22.
Based on the sensational short of the same name, which received global media attention and tens of millions of views, Love Is All You Need? tackles the issues of bullying and prejudice head-on. The film captures the realities of the misuse of religion to promote hate in a world where gay is straight, straight is gay, and heterophobia is prevalent. Filmmaker K. Rocco Shields crafted this movie to enable audiences to experience empathy for victims of persecution, rather than just sympathy. The star-studded cast includes Briana Evigan (Step Up Series), Tyler Blackburn (Pretty Little Liars), Emily Osment (Young & Hungry), Jeremy Sisto (Suburgatory), Elisabeth Rohm (American Hustle, Joy) and Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty).
Audiences are praising the film for accurately exposing the realities of bullying, providing valuable perspective, and initiating much-needed conversations, with feedback including:
"This is going to change so many people's perspectives in such a great way."
I genuinely think it needs to be seen by the entire world."
"It should be used as part of the curriculum in middle schools and high schools. In fact, it sparked me to contact my local reps at the school district."
Earlier this month, lawmakers in Mississippi and North Carolina passed legislation that will allow individuals and businesses to refuse services based on religious beliefs. Love is All You Need? references real bullying experiences by including the devastating true stories of individuals such as Matthew Shephard, an LGBT youth who was beaten, tortured and left to die for being gay. Shields even addresses the Westboro Baptist Church directly by using sermons written by leader Fred Phelps himself.
Every year over 3.2 million students are victims of bullying, with a staggering 45% of 13-18 year-olds having experienced bullying by the age of 18 and an even more alarming 10% of bullied teenagers attempting suicide. Love Is All You Need? has been praised by both parents and children alike for its call-to-action to bring awareness to bullying and anti-discriminatory behavior. To make a further impact, 5% of the films profits will be donated to anti-bullying non-profit organizations.
Love Is All You Need? will make its SoCal debut at the Newport Beach Film Festival on Friday, April 22. The film will also have an encore screening on Thursday, April 28. Tickets for both screenings are available at http://www.newportbeachfilmfest.com. For more information about Love Is All You Need? or to watch the short film visit http://www.loveisallyouneedthemovie.com or connect with Love Is All You Need? on Facebook and on Instagram and Twitter @liayn_themovie.
Help WoodMafia plant 10,000 trees in 2016 We only expected to plant 1,500 trees in our first 12 months, and we smashed it by planting more than 10,000 in 2015 alone.
WoodMafia is celebrating a solid first year of business by planting another 10,000 trees in 2016. Offering a unique range of premium wood watches, WoodMafia plants one tree for every watch purchased.
Simon Barnett, Director of Sales and Marketing, today announced the company has pledged another 10,000 trees for 2016. We only expected to plant 1,500 trees in our first 12 months, and we smashed it by planting more than 10,000 in 2015 alone, said Simon. The support from customers and staff is fantastic, they are getting behind our social enterprise.
Simon mentioned that WoodMafia has struggled to keep up with demand with enough stock to satisfy customers and enough trees for replanting. We couldnt have asked for a more successful launch, said Simon. We have been working very hard on a new range of watches and have doubled our capacity to cope with demand.
WoodMafia prides itself on delivering a destination where Australians can peruse wooden watches, a fashion accessory that has been trending around the world. While offering high quality wood watches and accessories, the company is also dedicated to protecting the environment and has implemented innovative practices to do so. Using a practice what you preach approach, everything done at the WoodMafia headquarters is conducted paperlessly. In addition, WoodMafia offers a unique program in which their team plants one tree per sale. Anytime a purchase is made or someone wins one of WoodMafias regular giveaways, a tree is planted on the customers behalf.
WoodMafia has seen success thus far, becoming an overnight sensation that has grown 300% per quarter. The companys team planted 10,000+ trees in their first year, and they are aiming to plant at least that many in 2016. Each tree is grown in WoodMafias glasshouse, and the team ran into a problem recently. Since their items are in such high demand, WoodMafia is now seeking a new tree supplier that can keep up with the demand of their tree planting program.
With the demand for wood remaining strong, WoodMafia is offering a one-stop, trusted source where Australian customers can buy wood watches. Keeping the latest trends on tap, WoodMafia is quenching customers thirst for wood by offering the most in-demand brands and styles backed by exclusive offers that customers will only find at WoodMafia. Leveraging expert craftsmen who are experts in their trade, WoodMafia is thrilled to deliver pleasing wood watch designs that are built to last.
About WoodMafia
WoodMafia was founded in 2015 to offer Australians a destination for premium fashion accessories using recycled wood and environmentally friendly techniques. WoodMafia is dedicated to protecting the environment and demonstrates this passion by implementing in-house paperless means and planting one tree per sale.
Contact
Simon Barnett
simon(at)woodmafia.com.au
Phone: +61 468 617 635
Website: https://woodmafia.com.au/
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A Miami startup has found a solution to parking problems by allowing drivers to reserve a prime parking spot where they need it and when they need it.
Drivers frustrated trying to find parking in Miami and wasting valuable time circling a garage or lot have a new solution. A local startup has found a solution to parking problems by allowing anyone to reserve a prime parking spot where they need it, when they need it. Its arriving as a result of a ground-breaking partnership between two South Florida innovators.
MyPark, newly located in Miamis Coconut Grove, has developed an app that enables drivers to locate and reserve a prime parking spot in convenient locations close to stores at malls, on the first floor in garages, and close to the gate at the airport. Users simply tell the app where and when they would like to park, select the section where they wish to park (the best spot is selected automatically by default) and confirm their reservation. Once they arrive at their reserved space, a simple tap on a button on their iOS or Android device and the unique MyPark reservation unit will lower to provide access to their reserved space.
In addition to creating this revolutionary app, MyPark is creating strong local partnerships. They recently announced their official engineering and manufacturing agreement with Nikao of Weston, Florida. Nikao will be enhancing the design, reliability and performance of MyParks unique parking reservation units and these devices will be manufactured and assembled right here in Weston, Florida.
The two companies connected last year at Miamis leading edge eMerge conference. As MyParks business started gaining traction, it became clear it was time to enhance MyParks revolutionary concept and establish quality partnerships. Nikao was an obvious fit with their wealth of experience in design and development, as well as manufacturing. And all right here in South Florida!
Over the past year, MyPark has launched the MyPark app on both Apples App Store and Google Play, and have since acquired hundreds of registered users. In addition to the agreement with Nikao, MyPark has signed their first franchise agreement worth close to $2M with MyPark Puerto Rico, LLC and opened their first two parking locations in Miami Beach. Additional parking locations will be launched in South Florida over the coming months, followed by expansion nationwide.
Currently, MyPark is in talks with over a dozen International groups interested in opening franchises in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. With the current Nikao partnership, an updated version of the MyPark app and reservation units are scheduled to be released this month.
The MyPark story is one that reiterates the thriving tech and start-up community in Miami and South Florida. With platforms like eMerge allowing local innovators to connect and grow, the community can expect to see more exciting ideas flourishing right here in Miami!
For more information regarding MyPark, please contact Luis Mayendia - 305-456-5931 - luis(at)usemypark(dot)com or visit http://www.usemypark.com
For more information on eMerge Americas, visit http://www.emergeamericas.org
Data feeds for teams who need to innovate using education data Lingk grants institutions and data-oriented solution providers like Macmillan a cost-effective path to aggregating and organizing data to help improve student outcome goals.
To meet the overwhelming demand for cost-effective access and the secure sharing of education enterprise data, Lingk now offers an Express Data Feeds service for EdTech vendors, institutions and corporate teams. Express Data Feeds quickly gains access to high quality, legacy system education data using a modern provisioning service and data management at an affordable cost compared to outdated methods. The service is used to power data-connected cloud and mobile apps for many use cases, including improving student lifecycle experiences and student success.
Express Data Feeds are provided as a white glove service where customers can simply request a data feed from a data source (like a SIS, LMS, or CRM) and Lingk will provision the data feed in your account. The Lingk Data Engine stores data feeds in a standardized CEDS-aligned data model and provides open REST APIs for easy and consistent access. The CEDS data model is an open standard and aligns with many educational data standards including iPEDS, PESC, SIF, EdFi and xAPI.
Lingk provides a standardized set of APIs based on Common Education Data Standards (CEDS). This allows developers to focus on a single integration point for consistent data access, rather than learn the landscape of data system APIs from hundreds of other vendors and platforms, said Jeff Alderson, Principal Analyst at Eduventures, a research firm focused on innovation in education.
Benefits of Lingk Express Data Feeds include:
Simply start with a single data feed pilot using Lingk
Use Lingk to provide white-glove turnkey service for your data integration needs at a fraction of alternative methods and an ROI within a few months
Leverage Lingk data experts versus hiring staff for data integration, and redeploy your budget to core strategic initiatives
Work with open APIs and open standard data models for maximum ecosystem interoperability
Receive on-going enhancements to data feeds, standards support and workflows with a first class seat at the enterprise data table
Express Data Feeds are built on top of the powerful Lingk data engine and API platform, which has received high reviews from customers, thought leaders and analysts. The data platform provides a wide range of capabilities for securing, sharing, monitoring and reporting on data feed usage for institutions, enterprises and OEM technology partners.
EdTech vendors realize short-term and long-term benefits of the Express Data Feed service. Gareth Hancock, Chief Product Officer at Macmillan Enterprise Solutions Group, said The potential benefits of removing the barrier for connecting higher education data sources in a well organized, secure manner are enormous. Lingk provides an elegant, scalable solution to this problem, granting institutions and data-oriented solution providers like Macmillan a cost-effective path to aggregating and organizing data to help improve student outcome goals.
Institutions can use Express Data Feeds as an opportunity to provide technology leadership. Joseph Vaughan, CIO of Harvey Mudd College in California confirms this leadership benefit and claims it changes conversations with EdTech vendors. He stated, "With Lingk in the picture, you would be in a position to say: Here is the REST API for integrating with our data. Please have your developers do the integration using it. The good thing, from the vendor's point of view, is that if they've done the integration once, they've done it for everyone who is using the same data model and APIs.
Pricing starts around $5,000 for the service and discounts are available with volume purchase agreements. Customers can upgrade to a Data Platform account to receive the breadth of capabilities needed for strategic data initiatives and for deeper discounts.
Lingk will be presenting on April 19 at 11:00 AM in the Americas Cup room at the ASU-GSV Summit for Education Technology Leaders and Investors. The event is held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego.
About Lingk Inc.
Lingk provides data technologies and REST APIs that facilitate API integration at scale and secure student data through Express Data Feeds and the Lingk Data & API Platform. The solution streamlines connections between legacy systems and enterprise campus and learning solutions. With Lingk, technology and product teams reduce the costs associated with infrastructure interoperability and instead accelerate academic and business innovation. Learn more at http://www.lingk.io or follow @lingk_io on Twitter.
Barby K. Siegel, CEO, Zeno Group I am accepting the award on behalf of the women who have inspired me along the way and, as important, the amazing women I work with every day at Zeno from our interns to our Leadership team. It has been a privilege to lead Zeno Group.
In recognition of her transformation of Zeno Group from an unknown, small PR firm into a global, integrated communications agency with offices across North America, Europe and Asia, Barby K. Siegel, Zeno Groups CEO will be honored with the This Woman Means Business Award at the 12th Annual M2W - The Global Summit on Marketing to Women. M2W is designed to teach brand marketing and ad execs how to build more business with women who account for $7 trillion annual spending in the US, and over $20 trillion globally. M2W will be held May 2 & 3, 2016, New York, NY.
The award, annually presented during M2W, is given to a woman who is a proven leader in her category of expertiseis an innovator and visionaryand has a track record of building successful enterprises while energizing and inspiring the people she touches in all she does, according to Nan McCann, M2W producer. In style and substance Barby K. Siegel has repeatedly demonstrated in every way that She Is A Woman Who Means Business! and has the results to prove it.
While I am the lucky one who gets to accept this award on the stage, Siegel said, the truth is that I am doing so on behalf of the women who have inspired me along the way and, as important, the amazing women I work with every day at Zeno from our interns to our Leadership team. It has been a privilege to lead Zeno Group both in terms of the work we do for our clients as well as the environment we are building - a place where careers are built and lives are lived.
I am especially thrilled to be part of M2W the Marketing to Women Conference this year as it goes global. We spend a lot of time at Zeno studying global audiences to help clients make deeper connections with the people they want to reach. To be successful among women in the global economy, we must understand the core values and behaviors that guide them every day. Some of the most interesting work we are doing at Zeno is studying women across the generations - from Gen We to Boomers and drawing actionable insights on what makes each age group truly unique."
Past winners of the award have included, Angie Klein, VP Consumer Sales Strategy & Distribution, Verizon; Kelly Parisi, CCO, on behalf of the Girl Scouts of the USA; and Kris Malkoski, President, Global Business & Chief Commercial Officer, World Kitchen.
Malkoski, who won the award when she was VP/GM of Craftsman and the first woman to lead a male dominated brand in the tools category, nominated Siegel for this years award. She said, Barbys team at Zeno has come up with incredibly creative campaigns for us like the Worlds Largest Measuring Cup to celebrate the Pyrex 100th anniversary (achieving over 1 billion impressions!), and bringing the Craftsman luxury tractor to the Detroit Auto Show, which inspired great media coverage including Indy 500 and Dancing with the Stars winner Helios Castroneves exclaiming he wanted to race the Craftsman tractor! Barby means business in every way!
"The award is one of the highlights of M2Ws first day, McCann said. Were all looking forward to the presentation and listening to Barbys comments on the role Fearless has played in her life and the impact it has had on the women she crosses paths with every day. Her insights will reveal a new definition born out of a more personal viewpoint of fearless that the next generation of women leaders will unlock across industries from tech, autos, finance and pharma to CPG, housing, retail and travel."
In addition to this woman means business award ceremonies, M2W will include over 30 speakers and a day and half of executive sessions teaching marketers how to build better business with todays women. McCann added. Women are todays power consumers. They control 85% of all consumer spending in virtually every category. More than ever before, here and in markets worldwide, women mean business.
M2W is annually attended by Fortune 1000 senior brand marketing executives and their agencies. The audience typically includes companies as diverse as Harley-Davidson, Bayer, Aetna, ESPN, Kraft Foods, Ford, GM, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg, Diageo, Walgreens, Wells Fargo, NBA, WebMD, Burton, LOreal, ConAgra and Whirlpool. They attend, McCann said, because they recognize the brand-critical importance of engaging women.
M2W 2016 is Presented by Google, and sponsored by Associate Sponsor Unity Marketing with Showcase Sponsors: HouseParty, Luxe Bloom, Makovsky, World Kitchen, DeLonghi, VML, DeVries Global, Ketchum, Sampler, Centric, Edison Research, SheKnows Media, Marakae Marketing, Fluent, Stone Mantel, Influence Central, Womens Marketing/SITO, and Coyne PR. M2Ws official Bookseller is Paramount Market Publishing, and the Video Content Resource is Snippies.
For complete conference schedule and information visit: http://www.m2w.biz or call 860.724.2649 x11. M2W is produced by PME Enterprises LLC, 912 Silas Deane Highway, Suite 101, Wethersfield, CT 06109. PME http://www.pme-events.com is a sales and marketing agency with a special emphasis on events.
Bob Woodward, Synergy keynote speaker
KEY2ACT, the construction and field service technology leader, announced that legendary journalist Bob Woodward will be the keynote speaker at Synergy 2016.
Bob Woodward and fellow journalist Carl Bernstein contributed much of the reporting on the Watergate scandal. Since then, Woodward has written in depth about the last eight presidents, and has recently been reporting on the 2016 presidential election. During the keynote, Woodward will share his thoughts on the office of the American presidency and what he thinks voters might expect from the next president.
We picked Bob Woodward to give the Synergy 2016 keynote because our customers know its not enough to understand only whats going on in their industries. Its just as important to understand whats going on in our world, said KEY2ACT CEO John Jazwiec. We chose a nonpartisan speaker uniquely positioned to comment on macroeconomic and political trends. Woodwards thoughts will be especially relevant coming weeks before a national election.
Synergy is the annual conference that brings together members of the KEY2ACT community to learn and connect with other users. Synergy 2016 will take place October 24-27 in Fort Worth, Texas. For more information, visit the Synergy 2016 website.
ABOUT KEY2ACT
KEY2ACT is the construction and field service technology leader. Combining 20 years of experience serving customers with visionary leadership, KEY2ACT delivers differentiating innovation to its customers. KEY2ACT is focused on mechanical and non-mechanical specialty trades, facilities maintenance and other large asset or equipment-centric industries. Built on Microsoft technologies, KEY2ACTs solution, Signature, has achieved the Certified for Microsoft Dynamics (CfMD) status, Microsofts highest accreditation for partner-developed solutions. KEY2ACT protects customers investments in technology through focused solutions that create workflow efficiencies, enhance cost savings and build customer loyalty. For more information on KEY2ACT, please visit us at http://www.KEY2ACT.com, or call 1-866-KEY2ACT (1-866-539-2228).
John Stevens, P.E., Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Infinigy Infinigy is an ideal partner for Delta Drone due to its in-depth knowledge of the telecommunications-infrastructure sector, especially since the company has had a long-standing interest in civilian drones.
Delta Drone, a leading provider of civilian drones for commercial use, is expanding their operation to the United States to offer solutions for telecommunication antenna inspections by drone.
In order to successfully implement this major commercial development, Delta Drone America Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Drone SA based in Denver, Colorado, has partnered with Infinigy, a U.S. company specializing in the engineering and maintenance of telecommunications infrastructure.
Delta Drone America will be responsible for the production and management of inspection services, thanks to the deltadrone Cloud Information System to ensure traceability and security. The data acquisition phase will be implemented by a network of U.S. independent operators, based upon specifications linked to the value chain developed by Delta Drone America. Commercially, Delta Drone America will work in conjunction with Infinigy.
Since 2001, Infinigy has been a major and renowned player in the services and engineering sector of the telecommunications industry with offices in New York, North Carolina, Georgia, Colorado, California, Florida, Washington and Arizona. The companys clients include a large number of owners and managers of telecommunications-network infrastructures.
Delta Drone boasts expertise in the field of antenna inspection, as validated by its numerous missions carried out in France on behalf of the Orange Group.
John Stevens, P.E., Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Infinigy, said, We are very happy to be collaborating with the Delta Drone Group to provide our clients and, more generally, the entire U.S. sector, with an innovative solution that has a proven track record in Europe. We believe drone technology is the answer to issues faced by field personnel, infrastructure owners, carriers and provides a safe and more accurate means to collect required critical data in our industry.
Christian Viguie, Chairman and CEO of Delta Drone added that, Infinigy is an ideal partner for us due to its in-depth knowledge of the telecommunications-infrastructure sector, especially since the company has had a long-standing interest in civilian drones. Moreover, it has been granted its own Section 333 exemption, which will allow for faster deployment of the solution. We must now choose local providers to perform the data-acquisition part of the solution in accordance with our specifications and progressively meet all client needs.
In view of the number of sites in question and the logistical aspects as regards the distances involved, the speed of deployment will depend on several technical factors, such as the number of qualified pilots and the computing and storage capacity necessary for the transfer, processing and storage of the data.
About Infinigy Solutions LLC: Infinigy Engineering & Surveying was founded in 2001 to deliver quality engineering solutions to support growing wireless needs. In 2006, Infinigy was recognized as an Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Company. Infinigy has evolved into an industry leader by offering full site development solutions with Site Acquisition, A&E, and Construction Services. The company now has seven regional offices providing a national footprint to its customers.
http://www.infinigy.com
About Delta Drone: The Delta Drone Group is a renowned player in the field of civilian drones for professional use. It offers a complete service, from data acquisition to data processing through a specifically developed information system, including a supply of professional pilots. These pilots are trained and certified by the Ecole Francaise du Drone, a subsidiary of the Group.
Delta Drone is listed on the Alternext market of Euronext Paris.
ISIN code: FR0011522168.
http://www.deltadrone.com
At last Friday's Evening of Excellence held at the Spring Business Meeting in Austin, TX, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry presented National Contractor of the Year (CotY) Awards to winners in 36 categories.
A list of all winners in PDF format is available at http://www.nari.org/cotywinners2016/. Before and after pictures of winning projects are available at http://www.nari.org/photos/.
2016 National CotY Award Winners include:
Residential Kitchen Under $30,000 -- Buckeye Basements, Delaware, OH
Residential Kitchen $30,000 to $60,000 -- Adams Company, Cedar Park, TX
Residential Kitchen $60,001 to $100,000 -- NJW Construction, Inc., Lancaster, OH
Residential Kitchen $100,001 to $150,000 -- Bluestem Construction, Saint Louis Park, MN
Residential Kitchen Over $150,000 -- Platt Builders, Inc., Groton, MA
Residential Bath Under $25,000 -- Realty Restoration, LLC, Austin, TX
Residential Bath $25,000 to $50,000 -- Magnolia Homes, Waco, TX
Residential Bath $50,001 to $75,000 -- Realty Restoration, LLC, Austin, TX
Residential Bath $75,001 to $100,000 -- Marrokal Design & Remodeling, Lakeside, CA
Residential Bath Over $100,000 -- Marvelous Home Makeovers, LLC, Plano, TX
Residential Interior Under $75,000 -- TZ of Madison, Inc., Madison, WI
Residential Interior $75,000 to $150,000 -- Gordon Reese Construction, Inc., Walnut Creek, CA
Residential Interior Over $150,000 -- BRY JO Roofing & Remodeling, Richardson, TX
Residential Interior Element under $30,000 -- Berriz Design Build Group, Fairfax, VA
Residential Interior Element $30,000 and Over -- Rochman Design-Build, Ann Arbor, MI
Residential Addition Under $100,000 -- LaMantia Design & Construction, Inc., Brookfield, IL
Residential Addition $100,000 to $250,000 -- CG & S Design-Build, Austin, TX
Residential Addition Over $250,000 -- NJW Construction, Inc., Lancaster, OH
Residential Exterior Under $100,000 -- Kade Homes & Renovations, Cumming, GA
Residential Exterior $100,000 to $200,000 -- AMEK Custom Builders, Bloomington, MN
Residential Exterior Over $200,000 -- Mitchell Construction Group, Inc., Medfield, MA
Residential Detached Structure -- Bowers Design Build, Inc., McLean, Virginia
Entire House Under $250,000 -- DPS Construction Corporation, Charlotte, NC
Entire House $250,000 to $500,000 -- NJW Construction, Inc., Lancaster, OH
Entire House $500,001 to $750,000 -- WAC Contracting, Mooresville, NC
Entire House $750,001 to $1,000,000 -- Timber Innovations LLC, Kimberly, WI
Entire House Over $1,000,000 -- My House Design/Build Team Ltd., Surrey, BC
Residential Historical Renovation/Restoration Under $250,000 -- Classic Homeworks, Denver, CO
Residential Historical Renovation/Restoration $250,000 and Over -- John Kraemer and Sons, Edina, MN
Commercial Interior -- Dave Fox Design Build Remodelers, Columbus, OH
Commercial Speciality -- DP Contracting and Consulting -- Concord, NC
Landscape Design/Outdoor Living Under $60,000 -- Mom's Landscaping & Design, Shakopee, MN
Landscape Design/Outdoor Living $60,000 and Over -- Jeff King and Company, Inc., San Francisco, CA
Basement Under $50,000 -- Time 2 Remodel, LLC, Madison, WI
Basement $50,000 to $100,000 -- Kade Homes & Renovations, Cumming, GA
Basement Over $100,000 -- Kraft Custom Construction, Salem, OR
# # #
About the CotY Awards:The prestigious CotY (Contractor of the Year) Awards are presented each year by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry to its members who have demonstrated outstanding work through their remodeling projects. Entrants can choose from 36 categories in which to enter their projects. Winners from the NARI Regional level vie for the National CotY Awards held each year during the Evening of Excellence.
About NARI: The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is the premier association of remodeling professionals and industry experts dedicated to advancing the professionalism of the remodeling industry and educating the public on the benefits of using a qualified professional. NARI has 6,000 member contractors, suppliers and service providers and 52 chapters across the U.S.
"When it comes to reporting, Jet Enterprise is the 'no brainer' option."
Jet Reports flagship business intelligence solution is being showcased as the must-have software tool for innovative UK companies looking to leverage Microsoft Power BI data visualization and get the edge on the competition.
When it comes to reporting, Jet Enterprise is the no brainer option, said Ian Humphries, Managing and Product Director of The NAV People which is hosting two events in the UK this month featuring Jet Enterprise.
Jet Enterprise will be presented at the companys Season of Knowledge events, where participants learn how to extract relevant and useful corporate business analytics using Jet Enterprise in conjunction with the visual dashboard capabilities of Microsoft Power BI.
Jet Enterprise is the default Microsoft Dynamics NAV reporting tool for end-users and IT professionals alike, said Humphries, in explaining why they selected Jet Enterprise for these important demonstrations. For those with larger business intelligence requirements, Jet Enterprise provides flexibility and ease of use and is the perfect data source for Power BI.
Among those taking part in the event will be manufacturers in a variety of industries including pumps, childrens toys, food suppliers, along with retailers of home furnishing, fashion and beauty products, as well as restaurant chains.
Brian Petersen, Director of Business Intelligence for Jet Reports, said the detailed information revealed through Jet Enterprise provides businesses with the knowledge set to make significant and strategic changes to their operations, paving the way for economic growth while reducing risk or uncertainty.
Customers that combine Microsoft Power BI with Jet Enterprise have seen tremendous success in terms of the information revealed and the time saved in creating the reports, he said.
We are very pleased to have been invited to take part in this event and to work with one of Microsofts top NAV partners on the globe, Petersen said. Theyve proven their expertise and ability to identify what business needs today to stay ahead and the ability to mine data to reveal useful, targeted information is a critical part of that journey.
For more information on the upcoming Seasons of Knowledge events, please follow the links below:
Manchester April 19
Newbury April 20
About The NAV People
The NAV People started trading in the UK in 2009 and are now the countrys no.1 reseller that is solely concentrated on Microsoft Dynamics NAV with operations in three locations throughout the UK, plus a corporate US office.
About Jet Reports
Jet Reports delivers unparalleled access to data through fast and flexible reporting and business analytics solutions that are cost effective, provide rapid time-to-value, and are built specifically for the needs of Microsoft Dynamics ERP users. Founded in 2002, Jet Reports is headquartered in Portland, OR, and has distribution offices in 14 countries around the globe. Over 10,000 companies in 94 countries, rely on Jet Reports every day for their financial reporting.
Learn more about Jet Reports at: http://www.jetreports.com
We are thrilled to work with VisionSafe to provide easy access the training that professional pilots need when flying EVAS equipped aircraft, said John King.
VisionSafe Corporation, the creator of the Emergency Vision Assurance System, (EVAS) has reached an agreement with King Schools to host their EVAS Training Course on the King Schools online learning platform, iLearn.
The EVAS course is available for purchase through the King Schools website and purchasers of the EVAS product will receive 2 free course keys with each unit. The web-based course can be accessed on any online device. It is also AppAble with the KING Companion App, allowing you to download your lessons to iPads and iPhones for offline access. The Companion is available from the App Store.
The EVAS (Emergency Vision Assurance System) is a self-contained system that includes a battery powered blower which draws smoky air in through a filter, removing visible particles, and venting to a flexible air duct, which is connected to an inflatable transparent envelope, called the Inflatable Vision Unit (IVU). The entire EVAS system is contained in an aluminum container that is about the size of a Jeppeson manual, and weighs approximately 6 pounds. The system provides a clear area so a pilot can see flight instruments during a smoke in the cockpit incident. Training is required.
We are thrilled to work with VisionSafe to provide easy access the training that professional pilots need when flying EVAS equipped aircraft, said John King. Many professional pilots already rely on the iLearn environment for their training needs, so hosting this important training for VisionSafe was a natural fit, concluded Martha King.
For more information: http://www.kingschools.com/evas
About King Schools
For over 40 years, students and pilots at all levels have enjoyed King Schools clear, simple and fun video courses. King Schools estimates that over 50% of the pilots flying in the U.S. today have learned with King. The company is also a leader in on-line pilot certification and avionics training for pilots of high-performance and turbine aircraft. To find out more, please visit http://www.KingsSchools.com or call (800)-854-1001. For worldwide (858) 541-2200.
About VisionSafe
VisionSafe Corporation was formed to explore various new ways to provide vision in vision impaired conditions for individuals in common land and air environments as well as marine, submarine, and scuba diving environments. In the process, the company developed and patented the EVAS system for pilots to see to safely control and land when confronted with dense, blinding smoke in the cockpit. The system has been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration since 2001. To learn more about the product, please visit http://www.VisionSafe.com.
KingSchools.com
3840 Calle Fortunada San Diego, CA 92123
Toll-Free (800) 854-1001
Worldwide (858)-541-2200
FAX (858) 541-2201
VisionSafe.com
46-217 Kahuhipa Street Kaneohe, HI 96744
Factory: (808) 235-0849
Sales & Marketing: (973) 864-6206
Fax (973) 864-6202
Reverend Liz Walker The Emmanuel community is delighted to welcome Reverend Liz Walker and Patricia McGuire to campus as the Class of 2016 prepares to translate their talents and training into meaningful careers."
Reverend Liz Walker and Patricia A. McGuire will both be honored during Emmanuel Colleges 2016 Commencement Exercises on May 14. Reverend Liz Walker will deliver the 2016 Commencement address and receive an honorary degree. Emmanuel will bestow an honorary degree on Patricia A. McGuire, president of Trinity Washington University. The Commencement Ceremony will celebrate the accomplishments of new Emmanuel graduates as they join a global network of loyal alumni who maintain lifelong connections to the College.
The Emmanuel community is delighted to welcome Reverend Liz Walker and Patricia McGuire to campus as the Class of 2016 prepares to translate their talents and training into meaningful careers, said Sister Janet Eisner, SND, president of Emmanuel College. Reverend Walker and Patricia McGuire offer extraordinary examples of strong leadership that will serve as inspiration for our graduating students.
Reverend Liz Walker
Reverend Walker is an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal tradition and has served as the Pastor of the Roxbury Presbyterian Church since May 2014. A veteran television journalist, Walker was Bostons first African American television news anchor and was a mainstay at WBZ-TV for 21 years. In addition to her work as Pastor, Walker is a community activist, documentary film producer and co-founder of the humanitarian organization My Sisters Keeper, which focuses on economic and educational initiatives for Sudanese women and girls. She has won two Emmy Awards and was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2007. Her coverage of the plight of children displaced during the Sudanese Civil War led to an Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association in 2002. She holds a masters degree from Harvard Divinity School and a bachelors degree in communications from Olivet College in Michigan.
Patricia A. McGuire
Since her inauguration as President of Trinity Washington University in 1989, Patricia McGuire has enhanced the Washington, D.C. institutions academic offerings and nearly doubled its enrollment. She also oversaw Trinitys transition from a college to a university in 2004. President McGuire is a nationally recognized writer and speaker on topics concerning higher education, women and Catholic education. Her articles have been published in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and The Baltimore Sun. She was honored with the Carnegie Corporations Award for Academic Leadership in 2015 and the Henry Paley Award from the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in 2012. She was also named Leader of the Years by the Greater Washington Board of Trade in 2007, and one of Washingtonian Magazines 100 Most Powerful Women in 2006. She holds a law degree from Georgetown University and a bachelors degree from Trinity.
About Emmanuel College
The only Catholic college in the heart of Boston, Emmanuel educates and inspires more than 2,200 undergraduate and graduate students from across the nation and around the world. The College provides boundless opportunities for students to expand their worldview through rigorous coursework, collaborations with distinguished and dedicated faculty, participation in a vibrant campus community, and countless internship and career opportunities throughout the Boston area and beyond. Emmanuels more than 50 programs in the sciences and liberal arts foster spirited discourse and substantive learning experiences that honor the Colleges commitment to educate the whole person and provide an ethical and relevant 21st-century education. For more information, visit http://www.emmanuel.edu.
Pink Pomelo Salad A delicious choice for mom, Mango Tree journeys your taste buds through Thailand and boasts a diverse menu of traditional Thai cuisine with a modern flair.
If you want to treat mom to a world of flavors and fresh, locally sourced fare this Mothers Day, invite her to Mango Tree DC on May 8th, where visiting Chef Nongnaphat Panngam, popularly known as Chef Kate, has recently unveiled a new lunch and dinner menu that will allow guests to celebrate Mothers Day with exciting new gourmet Thai dishes and specialty drinks, including handcrafted mimosas. Plus, a special family-style meal will be offered on Sunday, providing guests with a dining experience full of taste and value. Mango Tree has everything guests need to celebrate Mothers Day with a full line-up of mom-centric gifts and surprises! Along with the meal, mom will receive a complimentary glass of wine, a free framed photo of mom and the family and complimentary valet parking, giving mom more reasons to celebrate with family and friends at Mango Tree DC.
A delicious choice for mom, Mango Tree journeys diners' taste buds through Thailand and boasts a diverse menu of traditional Thai cuisine with a modern flair. Give mom a well-deserved day off and treat her this Mothers Day to a culinary experience she wont soon forget. All mothers receive a complimentary entree, when a minimum of two persons dine from either the new lunch or dinner a la carte menu.
Chef Kates new menus are inspired by her grandmothers recipes that feature authentic Thai cuisine with a modern twist. She will entice diners with Pink Pomelo Salad (roasted coconut flakes and roasted peanut) and Eggplant Salad, (char-grilled eggplant, lemongrass, cilantro, fresh lime and soft-boiled egg). She will also serve classic Tom Yum Soup and main dishes of Lamb Shank Massaman (slow braised lamb shank, massaman curry, fingerling potato, anise and cinnamon); rich and flavorful Crispy Chicken Basil (thai basil, chili and garlic); Wok-Fried Crab Curry (whole blue crab, yellow curry and egg); and much more.
Mango Trees new a la carte lunch menu is availabe from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner menu from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Complementing the restaurants diverse menu, families or larger parties seeking an intimate dining experience with mom, can can enjoy the culinary inspiration of Chef Kate with her specially prepared Mothers Day Family-Style Menu that serves 4 6 persons. Guests who order from the family-style menu can expect to pass around platters of Thai favorites including appetizers like Yum Som O with Prawns (fresh pomelo salad with fresh prawns and grated coconut); Pamelo Pomelo Salad (roasted coconut flakes and roasted peanut); Makua Yao (eggplant, tamarind, dry chilis, slow cooked egg); Chicken Satay (24-hour free range chicken marinated in tumeric, cumin and coconut milk); Scallops (seared scallops tossed in chili and lime dressing); and Thai Beef Salad (beef lightly seared with shallots, dry chili, lime and sawtooth coriander). For the main course, guests can share generous portions of Gaeng Phed Ped Yang Red Duck Curry (roasted red duck with red curry, pinneapple and apricots); Khao Phad Pla Too Mackeral Fried Rice (brine soaked mackeral); Pla Sam Rod (deep fried seabass with tamarind and fresh mango); and Phad Kee Mao Nua Stirfried Drunken Beef Noodles (seared beef, Thai basil, baby green peppercorns, fingeroot). Desserts include Thai Tea Creme Brule and Signature Sticky Rice & Mango.
Plus, if mom is mad about lobster, Mango Trees Signature Lobster, prepared three ways, can be added for only an additional $10 if reserved by Thursday, May 5th. Indulge in crustacean goodness overflowing with lobster cooked our signature Phad Thai, Sweet Chili or Panang-style. Youll definitely be come back for more.
Family-style dining at Mango Tree DC is available on Mothers Day for just $199 for four to six adults, and two children under the age of six are free and can order from Mango Trees Childrens Menu when the rest of the party dines Family-Style. A childrens menu is available with selections beginning at just $6, for ages four to 12, and kids three and under are free.
Reservations for the Family-Style Mothers Day Menu are strongly encouraged and can be made by calling 202-408-8100 or online through http://www.mangotreedc.com/reservations.
Mango Tree DC is located at CityCenterDC at 929 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001, three blocks from the Metro. Mango Tree is open for lunch and dinner service as well as weekend brunch. For more information please visit: http://www.mangotreedc.com, https://twitter.com/mangotreedc, or https://www.facebook.com/mangotreedc.
About Mango Tree:
The Mango Tree Group is a dynamic, innovative and fast-growing company that has a vision to bring authentic Thai cuisine with a creative twist to the world, and to plant a Mango Tree in every major world city. At the vanguard of the global Thai food explosion, the Mango Tree Group comprises the Mango Tree, Mango Tree Bistro and Mango Tree Cafe brands, as well as Coca, the contemporary steamboat suki concept. The group's heritage dates back to 1957, when Khun Srichai Phanphensophon opened the first Coca restaurant in Surawong, launching the suki trend in Thailand. The pioneering spirit continued when the group's CEO and celebrity chef Pitaya Phanphensophon, Srichai's son, opened the first Mango Tree restaurant in the heart of Silom in 1994. Today, the group operates more than 72 restaurants and cafes in 17 countries in Asia, the Middle East, and the USA. Part cultural ambassador and part culinary innovator, Mango Tree has charted a course to become the premier global Thai cuisine brand, delivering quality Thai cuisine, stylish design, and intuitive service that always exceeds diners' expectations.
About CityCenterDC:
CITYCENTERDC (http://www.citycenterdc.com) is a unique, pedestrian-friendly, 10-acre mixed-use development, located in the heart of Downtown Washington on a 4.5-block parcel bounded by New York Avenue, 9th, H and 11th Streets, NW. Foster + Partners, an international studio for architecture, planning and design based in London, served as the master-plan architect and the design architect for the office and for-sale-housing components. Shalom Baranes Associates, P.C., a Washington-based architectural firm, served as the associate master-plan architect and the design architect for the residential rental component. The initial and largest phase of the project contains approximately 300,000 square feet of retail space featuring a unique mix of local, national and international retail brands and restaurants with extensive street frontage. In addition, the project encompasses 520,000 square feet of office space, 458 rental apartment units and 216 condominium units, a 1550 space parking garage, a public park, a central plaza and pedestrian-oriented streets and alleyways. Construction of the Conrad Washington, DC project at CityCenterDC, a 370-room luxury hotel with 70,000 square feet of additional retail space, will commence in the third quarter of 2015.
www.doorbearacade.com The Bearacade Door Control System is meant to hang next to a classroom door, where it can be deployed in seconds and prevents the door from opening in either direction.
In the coming weeks, Bearacade Door Control System will be featured in a special documentary on Voices In America hosted by James Earl Jones. This program educates and communicates the most crucial stories through its documentaries.
Bearacade Door Control System is a device that fits on interior doors to prevent a door from opening in either direction and provides protection to individuals from a hostile intruder. Due to the increasing amount of school shootings, this device is adding security and protection to many school districts.
The focus of the documentary will be on the origination, manufacturing and use of Bearacade lockdown response systems and will give an inside look at the system in action at Hudson City School District.
I would like to extend a special thank you to the City of Hudson, Hudson City School District, Hattie Larlham, Design Molded Plastics and everyone who contributed to this documentary, said Bill Cushwa, Bearacade Founder and CEO. It is with great pride to introduce this product to school districts and add to the safety of individuals.
Bearacade Door Control Systems has been touted by both police and school superintendents as being fast, effective and easily identifiable. The unit features a reflective External Notification Panel to alert and guide administrators and safety forces that the device is deployed. Once in place, the patent-pending Bearacade can withstand 4,800 pounds of external force.
Bearacade Door Control System was developed as a response to the inability to effectively barricade classrooms during hostile situations. Bearacade provides an added layer of school safety, in addition to standard lockdown procedures like ALICE training. If evacuation is not possible, taking shelter-in-place and utilizing Bearacade is much more effective and safer than trying to create a make-do blockade.
The documentary will begin airing across the country on PBS.
For more information about Bearacade or to see how the system works, please visit doorbearacade.com.
About Bearacade: Created and produced in Ohio by state natives Bill Cushwa and Dave Soulsby following the tragic events of the 2012 Chardon High School shooting, Bearacade Door Control System was developed as a device intended to slow or prevent a door from being opened. Bearacade is designed for the rare, short-duration moments of a hostile intruder when its safer to take shelter than evacuate. The Bearacade Door Control System is the only device that has external notification for police and emergency services personnel to know who has been barricaded or not.
We wanted to offer an additional location for the convenience of our customers and for the growing interior designer community.
Arhaus brings its handcrafted furnishings to a fifth location in Texas and third location in the Houston area. Opening Friday, April 14 at 700 Baybrook Mall in Friendswood, Texas (between Kendra Scott and J. Jill). Other Arhaus Texas stores are located at The Center at Post Oak in Houston, The Woodlands Mall in The Woodlands, The Domain in Austin and NorthPark Center in Dallas, Texas.
This location marks their 62nd store in 24 states as well as its ecommerce site. We are thrilled to bring yet another store location to the Houston metro area, says John Reed, Founder and Chairman of the Board of the privately held company. He and his father opened the first store in 1986 in Cleveland Ohio, and this year, Arhaus celebrates a major milestone30 years in the business.
We wanted to offer an additional location for the convenience of our customers and for the strong interior designer community. Houston has been a great market for Arhaus with customers and designers embracing our brand, the quality and craftsmanship of our product and our stores as a place to visit regularly for design inspiration. Our belief is that retail is theater and our stores are a stage for customers to come and interact with our products and find themselves here, continues Reed.
Chief Creative Officer Gary Babcock is responsible for every design aspect of Arhaus stores from the very beginning with the construction design and planning through to the final finishing details. Once the construction of the space is complete, he has a team of 20+ visual designers who descend upon the market 1-2 weeks prior to the store opening and bring the space to life. The team works night and day hand painting wall murals, positioning furniture and decor items, creating one of a kind art installations, and even fresh floral designs which customers can purchase at any time.
With Arhaus Baybrook Mall store, Gary took inspiration from the coastal living of Galveston to set the tone for the store. This location has a boutique feel to it. We carefully curated from our wide offerings in home furnishings and decor to bring the store to life. With 14,000 sf of space you can find design inspiration for every style home from the tones and textures of coastal living to more tailored offerings for urban living. comments Gary.
One of the most unique elements of the store is its dedicated spaces, indoors and outdoors, showcasing Arhaus collection of Outdoor furnishings and decor. The outdoor space is approximately 3,000 sf with a variety of outdoor living vignettes. Arhaus 2016 Outdoor collection features a wide variety of options in all-weather-wicker, aluminum, teak, reconstructed stone and upholstered seating pieces from sectionals, sofas and chairs that are all designed to withstand the outdoor elements.
Inside the store there is a dedicated design center where customers and interior designers can come to make selections when customizing pieces including a large fabric wall with hundreds and hundreds of fabrics and leathers to choose from, nail head selections and wood samples for other finish customizations.
Stores are all are beautifully outfitted in the retailers one-of-a-kind designs and timeless classics including: sofas, sectionals and chairs wrapped in organic, leather and custom order fabrics; dining tables and chairs for indoors and out; outdoor upholstery and accents; drapery; antiques and replicas; bedroom furniture and private-label bedding collections; pillows and throws; library and office solutions; wall units and an assortment of media centers for high-tech gadgets; rugs; tabletop; lighting; and a large assortment of seasonal accessories.
We are located in the newly expanded lifestyle component of Baybrook Mall, an upscale regional mall, surrounded by other great retailers including Kendra Scott, J. Jill, Zara, and Sur La Table as well as great new upscale dining options including Perrys Steakhouse, Kona Grill and Maggianos. The opening of the Baybrook Mall location, follows the opening of Arhaus first store location in South Carolina in Charleston which opened on March 25th.
The Arhaus ethos is all about workmanship and has been since 1986.
Going back to the beginning
It all started with a single store in Clevelands historic Flats District; the name a combination of Denmarks port city Aarhus (pronounced ar-hoos) and the German spelling for house (haus). We drove state-by-state sourcing materials and products, tracking inventory by hand and making personal deliveries, says Reed. We were committed to finding good design and working directly with the artisan, which was something that wasnt being done at the time.
Today, Arhaus is a nationally known lifestyle retailer and the company continues to work directly with artisans all over the worldsome dating back to that first store location with collections signature to the business. And, while all of the retailers upholstery is hand-assembled in North Carolina, more than 60 percent of the overall assortment across categories is made in America and this number is growing, according to Reed.
He attributes his companys success and continued expansion to the artisanal assortment of product made by independent craftsmen all over the world and exclusive to Arhaus. He also credits Arhaus unique footprintdesigned to ooh and ah customers into mimicking the looks in their own home. We offer the right combination of designs that Americans are comfortable living with and decorating their homes with, and we merchandise them in the kind of environment that our customers not only feel inspired by, but are comfortable shopping in, says Reed.
Making the merchandise
Details like hand-painted and distressed finishes, dovetail joinery, hand-hammered copper and eight-way hand-tied upholstery set Arhaus merchandise apart from other home furnishing stores and make the retailer a destination in every market.
We travel around the world to find unique pieces, pieces that often inspire original designs, or we work with artisans to remake and we call these reproductions Relics, says Chief Creative Officer Gary Babcock. We also buy from markets in Paris and even from village shops in Indonesia and bring collections home to share with our customers.
Earth-conscious since those early years in business too, Arhaus remains committed to never using wood from endangered rainforests in the making of its home goods. Whenever possible, we rely on renewable and recycled materials to make anything from a single bench, to a glass vase, says Reed.
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Arhaus: Arhaus offers a compelling, inspiration-filled environment with one-of-a-kind handcrafted home furnishings reflective of a distinct global point-of-view. Arhaus collaborates with skilled artisans here in the states and all over the world who craft its many exclusive collections, which are complemented by timeless upholstered pieces (slipcovered, leather and custom-order seating), dining tables and chairs, bedroom, outdoor and office furniture, seasonally-inspired accessories, private label bedding, throws and accents, tableware and more. Made of the worlds finest materials (with attention to sustainability), products are presented in dramatic lifestyle settings infused with original architectural elements imported from Parisian flea markets and Tuscan villas, hand-painted murals, Arhaus Relics, or repurposed antiques, and the freshest botanicals sourced locally in each store market. Arhaus is privately owned and operated. The national home furnishings retailer was founded in 1986 by father and son, Jack and John Reed, and is headquartered in Cleveland. For more information, call 866.427.4287 or visit arhaus.com.
Furnishing a better world. This is our philosophy; it dates back to 1986 when father and son, Jack and John Reed, opened the first store location in Cleveland and vowed never to use wood from the worlds endangered rainforests in the making of an Arhaus design. Today, nearly 50 percent of our collections are made of recycled materialeverything from glass, to metals like copper and wood cast off from far off lands. To ensure our values are upheld, we work with artisans who share our earth-conscious values and use renewable and recycled materials when crafting pieces for our stores. Sustainably sourced timbers like teak, bamboo and mangogrown for the sole purpose of buildingare used. And because we love a good story, we use reclaimed materials whenever possible, namely wood from countries tearing down dilapidated barns, shipyards and rural structures, and we refurbish one-of-a-kind antiqueswe call these pieces Relics. To further minimize our impact on the environment, our stores, corporate offices and even delivery trucks operate at maximum energy efficiency and promotional pieces are printed using soy-based ink and on recycled paper.
PYA Launches New Blog for Title Industry It is my hope that the insights shared in the blog will provide assistance to title professionals when interfacing with the CPA community, especially when considering some level of Best Practices assessment
Nationally certified public accounting and consulting firm PYA has announced the launch of a new blog for the title and closing community that offers unique perspective from inside a CPA firm. At the blogs helm will be 35-year title industry veteran Eugene McCullough, PYAs Director of Title Industry Services within the ALTA Best Practices service line. McCullough joined PYA with the goal of aiding the Firms efforts to understand and communicate with the title insurance community. Now also an accounting firm insider, McCullough will serve as a liaison between these industries, and through this new blog, will help facilitate communication and address issues of importance to each.
It is my hope that the insights shared in the blog will provide assistance to title professionals when interfacing with the CPA community, especially when considering some level of Best Practices assessment, McCullough said. Through my work at PYA, I have become familiar with the technical jargon and accounting industry processes routinely used by CPAs. This blog will allow us to share that insight with title agents in a way that connects both professions.
McCulloughs more-than-three decades experience informs both wayshis PYA colleagues have benefitted from learning how title and closing agents conduct day-to-day business, how they interact with consumers and lenders, and how title and closing practices vary from state to state.
Having a former title attorney and title underwriter executive on our team is an important resource for communicating with our title agency clients, said Matthew Rekers, PYAs Director of ALTA Best Practices Services Group. Title agents can feel comfortable that Gene will not only understand their needs, but will be able to explain regulatory complexities and what is required from the accounting perspective in a way that they understand. Thats why this blog will be of such value to the title community.
In coming weeks via this new forum, PYA will release a series of blogs designed to offer pertinent information to those seeking independent third-party certification of compliance with the ALTA Best Practices Framework 2.0. The series will address current lender requirements for Best Practices adherence, analyze Best Practices adoption data, explore motivating forces behind lender requirements, consider options for demonstrating compliance, and examine pitfalls of self-certification.
As the American Land Title Associations (ALTA) first Elite Provider of Best Practices assessments, PYA helped initiate efforts that would help title agents navigate the complex regulatory environment and attain compliance in accordance with ALTA Best Practices. PYA devotes an entire team to helping title agencies address lender requirements; prepare, evaluate, and implement ALTA Best Practices policies and procedures; assess compliance; and work toward certification.
About PYA
For over three decades, PYA (Pershing Yoakley & Associates, P.C.), a national professional services firm providing management consulting and accounting, has helped its clients navigate and derive value amid complex challenges. In addition to serving the healthcare and financial institutions industries, PYA serves the title industry with a comprehensive list of offerings, including: ALTA Best Practices implementation and assessment; strategic planning; mergers and acquisitions; tax compliance; and regulatory compliance.
PYAs steadfast commitment to an unwavering client-centric culture has served the firms clients well. PYA is ranked 103rd by INSIDE Public Accountings Top 200 Largest Accounting Firms. PYA affiliate companies offer clients world-class data analytics, professional real estate development and advisory resources, comprehensive claims audits for self-insured Fortune 500 companies, wealth management and retirement plan administration, and business transitions consulting.
PYA is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. For more information, please visit http://www.pyabestpractices.com.
Kathy Greene, MSW, Senior Vice President, Programs and Services Integration and Kim Butrum, MS, RN, GNP, Senior Vice President, Clinical Services will be representing Silverado at the 31st annual Alzheimers Disease International Conference (ADI), held April 21 through 24 in Budapest, Hungary. In addition to participating in discussions with some of the worlds preeminent Alzheimers experts, they will be discussing the Nexus at Silverado early-stage dementia program as a part of the conferences poster presentation exhibit.
The conference, which hosts more than 1,000 delegates from over 60 countries, serves as a resource for medical professionals, researchers, professional & family caregivers, people living with dementia, volunteers and anyone else with an interest in Alzheimers. Experts attend to share the latest information in medical research, care, wellness and policy related to Alzheimers and dementia. Attendees have a variety of dynamic presentations and workshops from which to choose, in addition to informative exhibits like the poster presentation.
Silverados poster presentation exhibit will showcase the innovative Nexus program, which is designed to help people who are living with early-stage dementia maintain and build cognitive ability using six pillars of activities. These pillars include physical exercise, stress reduction, cognitive exercise, specialized digital programs, purposeful social activities and support groups. Nexus residents at Silverado participate in a mix of activities per week, totaling 20 hours.
The Nexus pillars are based on research findings from reputable institutions, studied in detail and incorporated into activities appropriate for those living with dementia in the earlier stages. Silverados engagement teams are extensively trained in conducting these activities to ensure participants, which include not only residents but also families and associates, have the most beneficial experiences. Participants are regularly measured on tests of mood, behavior, cognition and function to monitor for stabilization, improvement or progression of their symptoms.
Kim Butrum, Silverados head of clinical services and co-creator of Nexus says: Societys mindset has continually shifted over the past several decades. For example, we know there are a lot of things we can do to prevent heart disease, and thats empowering. That same mindset is how our children will view dementia, as something they have control over. At Silverado, were at the forefront of this paradigm shift."
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About Silverado
Silverado was founded in 1996 with the goal of enriching lives of those with memory loss by changing how the world cares for people with cognitive decline. Establishing this mindset as the foundation allows Silverado and its associates to leave behind previous misconceptions and operate in a way that provides clients, residents and patients with utmost dignity, freedom, respect and quality of life. Silverado has grown to become a nationally recognized provider of home care, memory care assisted living and hospice services. With more than 45 locations across Arizona, California, Illinois, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin the company delivers world-class care and unmatched service. To learn more, visit silveradocare.com or call (866) 522-8125.
Contact:
David Gill
(949) 240-5127
dgill(at)silveradocare(dot)com
Every person has dreams that often require a financial kick start.
Spokeo, the leading people search engine, today launched the #SpokeoTurns10 sweepstakes to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Whether its reuniting with friends or family members, paying off college debt, traveling or splurging on a gift for a loved one, Spokeo aims to grant its customers the opportunity to help them realize a dream with this giveaway. The grand prize is a $4,000 gift card and there are five runner-up prizes of $100 gift cards.
Every person has dreams that often require a financial kick start, said Sheila Cole, director of digital marketing, Spokeo. The Spokeo founders had a dream of starting their own company. Ten years later, Spokeo is experiencing solid year-over-year growth, has more than 200 employees and is a leading people search engine. We hope to make a few lucky winners dreams come true through this sweepstakes.
Starting today and running through June 30, consumers simply enter the contest by submitting their contact information. No purchase is necessary to enter or win. Limit one entry per person. See official rules for more information.
To enter the sweepstakes, please visit http://www.spokeo.com/sweepstakes.
About Spokeo
Spokeo is a leading people search service using proprietary technology to organize public information into comprehensive yet easy-to-understand online profiles. Based in Pasadena, Spokeo makes it easier than ever to help reunite friends and family, browse celebrities, and discover information about your online footprint, by simply searching a name, address, email, phone or username. In the past year, the company launched two new websites: Spokeo Enterprise and Family.me. Spokeo Enterprise is a people search service optimized for high-volume business solutions and helps businesses find and/or validate people and customers. Family.me is a private social network where families interact to discover, share and preserve their memories.
Spokeo was recently named as one of the Inc. 5000, Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 and Los Angeles Business Journal's Fastest Growing Companies. Spokeo's CEO Harrison Tang won the 2015 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in the Consumer Services category.
For more information about Spokeo, visit http://www.spokeo.com or follow @spokeo on Twitter.
Under Jims leadership, we will rapidly expand into more schools, districts and states.
Think Through Learning, creators of Think Through Math, the award-winning web-based math instructional system for grades 3 and above, announced the promotion of Jim Martin to the role of Senior Vice President of Sales, responsible for leading the companys rapid expansion of its sales efforts in the K-12 and higher education markets. Martin replaces Traci Burgess, who is leaving the organization to take over the role of CEO for a data analytics company serving the K-20 education market.
Martin brings nearly 20 years of sales experience in both the K-12 and higher education technology markets, having held progressively broader executive roles within companies such as Blackboard, Cengage Learning and Parature. Prior to joining Think Through Learning, Martin served as a regional vice president within the Blackboards K-12 division, where he was responsible for leading sales and client success teams for their learning management and communications product lines.
I joined Think Through Learning because their passion for improving math achievement resonates strongly with me, said Martin. Educators need partners like Think Through Math, which has a proven track record of delivering outstanding academic results for students. With Think Through Maths research-based program, schools and districts can significantly improve the math understanding of every student.
Think Through Learning is making substantial investments to extend the reach of our sales force and were very pleased such a strong sales leader is joining our executive team, said Kevin McAliley, CEO of Think Through Learning. With more than 60% of all US students not proficient in math, Jim understands how to communicate to educators how Think Through Maths proven solution can be a game changer for their students. Under Jims leadership, we will rapidly expand into more schools, districts and states by partnering with educators to implement our unique solution of online instruction and on-demand live tutoring.
With nearly three million students in more than 180,000 classrooms across the country, TTM is the fastest growing supplemental math program in the U.S. With customized versions for each states learning standards, Think Through Maths lessons include a wide variety of interactive item types, ensuring students are well-prepared for the more sophisticated question types being used on state-level assessments. TTMs unique intrinsic and extrinsic motivational features increase engagement and build self-esteem so students increase their time on task. Think Through Math has received numerous awards since its introduction and is expanding rapidly across the US.
For more information visit http://www.thinkthroughmath.com.
About Think Through Learning & Think Through Math
Think Through Learning, a leader in education technology innovation, is transforming math education throughout the United States. While particularly effective as a remedial or intervention program for struggling students, Think Through Maths adaptive learning technology addresses the learning needs of ALL students, including students working at grade level, English Language Learners (ELL), those with advanced math aptitude, and students with learning disabilities.
Designed for grades 3 and above, Think Through Math is the only software system that integrates state-certified teachers who tutor struggling students live in order to improve their math understanding. Think Through Math ignites curiosity about math and helps students learn how to think mathematically. The 2014 and 2012 recipient, and currently a 2016 finalist for the SIIA CODiE Award for Best Mathematics Instruction Solution, Think Through Math is recognized as the fastest-growing supplemental math software. Since its launch in 2012, Think Through Math has become a critical part of the RTI, STEM, and 1-to-1 strategies of state education departments and thousands of districts and schools across the United States.
Robert A. Bradway Amgen and KGI share a deep belief in the power of science to transform medicine, and were both committed to developing talented life sciences leaders and helping them reach their potential.
Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer at Amgen, will be the keynote speaker at Keck Graduate Institutes 15th annual commencement ceremony on May 14, 2016.
Mr. Bradway joined Amgen in 2006 as vice president, operations strategy, and served as executive vice president and chief financial officer from April 2007 to May 2010. In October 2011, he was appointed to the Amgen Board of Directors and served as the companys president and chief operating officer from May 2010 to May 2012. He became chief executive officer in May 2012 and chairman in January 2013.
Reflecting on serving as this years keynote speaker, Mr. Bradway said, I'm enthusiastic about joining the students, faculty and administration at Keck Graduate Institute for the upcoming KGI 15th graduation ceremony. Amgen and KGI share a deep belief in the power of science to transform medicine, and were both committed to developing talented life sciences leaders and helping them reach their potential. This alignment is evidenced by the many close ongoing relationships and partnerships between Amgen and KGI over the years.
Prior to joining Amgen, Mr. Bradway was a managing director at Morgan Stanley in London, where, beginning in 2001, he was responsible for the firms banking department and corporate finance activities in Europe. In 1985, he joined Morgan Stanley in New York as a healthcare industry investment banker and moved to London in 1990.
Mr. Bradway is a member of the board of directors of Norfolk Southern Corporation and serves on its audit and governance committees. He is a member of the board of trustees at the University of Southern California (USC) and is on the advisory board of the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC. He is chairman of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer, a non-profit organization composed of executives and founded to bring solutions to cancer treatment and prevention.
Mr. Bradway holds a bachelors degree in biology from Amherst College and a masters degree in business administration from Harvard University.
Commencement 2016 will take place Saturday, May 14, on the East Lawn of KGI's campus in Claremont, California. An estimated 176 students are expected to participate in this years event.
Read more about KGI.
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KGIs mission is to enrich society with breakthrough approaches to education and translational research in the life sciences. By offering customized curricula and real-world experiences, KGIs School of Applied Life Sciences and School of Pharmacy prepare students to excel in a wide range of professional endeavors, blending innovative science with sound business practice, and provide training in the safe, efficient, and ethical use of technology and biotechnology for the benefit of society.
In recognition of April as Month of the Military Child, Operation Homefront hosted its Eighth Annual Military Child of the Year Award Ceremony here on Thursday, April 14. Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivered the keynote address, and senior leaders from each of the service branches were present. The Military Child of the Year Award is bestowed annually on six extremely deserving young Americans who have turned the challenges of frequent relocations, and deployments of loved ones, into a passion for excellence, service and helping others. This year, the inaugural Operation Homefront Innovation Award for Military Children sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton was presented to a seventh awardee. The event took place outside our nations capitol in Arlington, Virginia.
2016 Military Child of the Year recipients: Lorelei McIntyre-Brewer, 10, Duncannon, Pa., representing the Army; Christian Fagala, 9, Quantico, Va., representing the Marine Corps; Jeffrey Burds, 17, Camp Lejeune, N.C., representing the Navy; Madeleine Morlino, 17, Moorestown, N.J., representing the Air Force; Keegan Fike, 17, Fairhaven, Mass., representing the Coast Guard; John Trip Landon III, 17, Ellensburg, Wash., representing the National Guard. The 2016 Innovation Award winner is Elizabeth OBrien, 17, Aberdeen, N.C. Full biographies on the award recipients are available here: http://www.militarychildoftheyear.org/Recipients
The following video news release contains event highlights and is 12 minutes, 10 seconds:
Link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/f5rs9ap242pgkv6/OHF%20Media%20Release_Raw%20Footage.mov?oref=e&n=105263215
Contents by Time Code:
00:01 Remarks by Brig. Gen. (ret.) John I. Pray Jr., President and CEO of Operation Homefront
01:00 Remarks by Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
01:51 2016 Innovation Award winner Elizabeth OBrien, 17, Aberdeen, N.C. explains her organization during her visit to the World War II Memorial
02:08 B-roll of Elizabeth OBrien with her parents (right), Shelbi OBrien and Army Command Sgt. Major Matthew OBrien. Standing between them are Operation Homefront Pennsylvania/Delaware/New Jersey Region Director Pete Stinson and Operation Homefront Mid-Atlantic Region Program Director Rosanne Coleman.
02:16 Elizabeth OBrien receives the Operation Homefront Innovation Award for Military Children sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton. Presenting the award are Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (right); Laurie Gallo, Booz Allen Hamilton Executive Vice President and Operation Homefront Board Member; Catherine Blades, Chairwoman of the Board at Operation Homefront and Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, at Aflac; and Brig. Gen. (ret.) John I. Pray Jr., President and CEO of Operation Homefront.
02:40 Lorelei McIntyre-Brewer, 10, Duncannon, Pa., visits U.S. Sen. Robert P. Casey Jr. of Pennsylvania.
03:20 Lorelei McIntyre-Brewer receives the 2016 Army Military Child of the Year Award. Presenting the award are Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (right); Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army; Catherine Blades, Chairwoman of the Board at Operation Homefront and Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, at Aflac; and Brig. Gen. (ret.) John I. Pray Jr., President and CEO of Operation Homefront.
03:48 Lorelei McIntyre-Brewer with emcee John Heald, Senior Cruise Director of Carnival Cruise Lines.
04:25 Christian Fagala, 9, Quantico, Va., receives the 2016 Marine Corps Military Child of the Year Award. Presenting the award are Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (right); Maj. Gen. James W. Lukeman, Commanding General, Marine Corps Training and Education Command; Catherine Blades, Chairwoman of the Board at Operation Homefront and Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, at Aflac; and Brig. Gen. (ret.) John I. Pray Jr., President and CEO of Operation Homefront.
04:57 Christian Fagala gives his acceptance speech beside emcee John Heald, Senior Cruise Director of Carnival Cruise Lines.
05:20 Christian Fagala learns how to play the harmonica during his visit with U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia.
05:40 Christian Fagala practices on the harmonica on the Capitol steps following his visit with U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia.
05:48 Jeffrey Burds, 17, Camp Lejeune, N.C., receives the 2016 Navy Military Child of the Year Award. Presenting the award are Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (right); Vice Adm. David C. Johnson, Principal Military Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition; Catherine Blades, Chairwoman of the Board at Operation Homefront and Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, at Aflac; and Brig. Gen. (ret.) John I. Pray Jr., President and CEO of Operation Homefront.
06:19 Jeffrey Burds talks about his upbringing and the passing of his mother as well as some of the community service in which he has been involved.
06:51 Jeffrey Burds takes family photos at the World War II Memorial.
07:04 During her visit to the World War II Memorial, 2016 Air Force Military Child of the Year recipient Madeleine Morlino of Moorestown, N.J., discusses the Veterans Expo that she conceived and organized.
07:16 Madeleine Morlino of Moorestown, N.J., receives the 2016 Air Force Military Child of the Year Award. Presenting the award are Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (right); Gen. David L. Goldfein, Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force; Catherine Blades, Chairwoman of the Board at Operation Homefront and Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, at Aflac; and Brig. Gen. (ret.) John I. Pray Jr., President and CEO of Operation Homefront.
07:50 Madeleine Morlino gives her acceptance speech with emcee John Heald, Senior Cruise Director of Carnival Cruise Lines.
08:08 Keegan Fike, 17, Fairhaven, Mass., receives the 2016 Coast Guard Military Child of the Year Award. Presenting the award are Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (right); Adm. Paul F. Zukunft, Commandant of the Coast Guard; Catherine Blades, Chairwoman of the Board at Operation Homefront and Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, at Aflac; and Brig. Gen. (ret.) John I. Pray Jr., President and CEO of Operation Homefront.
08:47 Keegan Fike explains his passion for Scouting.
09:00 2016 National Guard Military Child of the Year John Trip Landon III, 17, Ellensburg, Wash., talks about his volunteerism with Awana.
09:37 John Trip Landon III receives the 2016 National Guard Military Child of the Year Award. Presenting the award are Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (right); Air Force Lt. Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel, Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau; Catherine Blades, Chairwoman of the Board at Operation Homefront and Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, at Aflac; and Brig. Gen. (ret.) John I. Pray Jr., President and CEO of Operation Homefront.
10:17 John Trip Landon III is interviewed by emcee John Heald, Senior Cruise Director of Carnival Cruise Lines.
10:40 Emcee John Heald, Senior Cruise Director of Carnival Cruise Lines, invites all of the award recipients to take center stage. In a row, from left, are Keegan Fike, 17, Fairhaven, Mass., representing the Coast Guard; 2016 Innovation Award recipient Elizabeth OBrien, 17, Aberdeen, N.C.; Lorelei McIntyre-Brewer, 10, Duncannon, Pa., representing the Army; Brig. Gen. (ret.) John I. Pray Jr., President and CEO of Operation Homefront; Christian Fagala, 9, Quantico, Va., representing the Marine Corps; Catherine Blades, Chairwoman of the Board at Operation Homefront and Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, at Aflac; Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Jeffrey Burds, 17, Camp Lejeune, N.C., representing the Navy; Madeleine Morlino, 17, Moorestown, N.J., representing the Air Force; and John Trip Landon III, 17, Ellensburg, Wash., representing the National Guard.
11:22 B-roll cutaways, including standing ovations.
12:10 END
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About Operation Homefront: A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront builds strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. With more than 3,200 volunteers nationwide, Operation Homefront has provided assistance to tens of thousands of military families since its inception shortly after 9/11. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 92 percent of Operation Homefronts expenditures go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to http://www.OperationHomefront.net.
Children are precious to everyone in our community, and I know there are a great many people in the area who are going to join us during the charity drive for Lili Shaw and her family
Coffey Agencies, a locally owned insurance firm with offices serving the northern Alabama and Georgia regions, is announcing a charity event in support of Lili Shaw, a three year old Alabama girl recently diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome.
Marfan Syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects connective tissue throughout the body, affecting a wide range of systems from the visual cortex to the bones to the heart valves and aorta. Lili Shaw requires a series of surgeries and treatment for her chronic condition, as well as specially made eyeglasses that will allow her to eventually attend school.
Children are precious to everyone in our community, and I know there are a great many people in the area who are going to join us during the charity drive for Lili Shaw and her family, says Cody Coffey, founder and manager of Coffey Agencies.
Working to gather support for the charity event, Coffey and his team are making connections with local families and businesses via social media and email updates. Coffey Agencies will also be featuring the Lili Shaw charity effort in a full page feature slated for release in the upcoming issue of the firms local interest webzine, Our Hometown: http://www.coffeyagencies.com/Our-Hometown-Magazine_46.
Lili Shaw and her family are the second of many local charities and causes that Coffey Agencies plans to support. As part of a community improvement campaign, the firm will select and work with new charities in the area at the rate of one every 60 days.
All readers who want to join the Coffey Agencies charity event in support of Lili Shaw and her family are invited to visit the following page and make a direct contribution to the cause: http://www.coffeyagencies.com/Joining-in-Little-Lillys-Big-Fight-Against-Marfan-Syndrome_6_community_cause. Those interested in tracking the progress of Coffey Agencies as they work with more local charities in the future are invited to bookmark the firms Community Cause page: http://www.coffeyagencies.com/community-cause.
About The Coffey Agencies
As a 28 year resident of Fort Payne Alabama with his wife and two children, Personal Financial Representative Cody Coffey knows many local families. A special knowledge and understanding of the people in his community ensures that Coffey and his team can provide clients with an outstanding level of service. Coffey Agencies are here to help families like yours protect the things that are important your family, home, car and more. Coffey and his associates can also help you prepare a strategy to achieve your financial goals. To speak with a helpful and knowledgeable expert from Coffey Agencies, please visit http://www.coffeyagencies.com/ or call 256-845-3637.
Recruiting Consultant Psychiatrists In Norfolk and Waveney I have come from being a girl who hoped to never see daylight again, to a girl who is proud of who she is and knows that emotions pass and life is too short to waste it on self-destruction and suicidal thoughts.
Children and young people experiencing mental health difficulties in Norfolk and Waveney will benefit from better access to targeted help at an earlier stage thanks to the recent significant investment into the Children, Families and Young People's (CFYP) services.
Norfolk and Waveney (part of Suffolk) are receiving an additional 1.9m recurrent funding for the next five years to invest into CFYP mental health services. A proportion of this will go towards increasing staffing in specialist youth services at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS FT (NSFT) and to third sector mental health providers.
Dr Jon Wilson, Consultant Psychiatrist, said: Consultant Psychiatrists are encouraged to participate in research and there are numerous teaching opportunities available in Norfolk. These include undergraduate medical school teaching at UEA medical school, which ranges from teaching students on placement to direct teaching of problem-based learning tutor groups, consultation skills and providing lectures. In addition, there are a variety of post graduate teaching opportunities.
"There is a specific theme of research around children, adolescents and young people which varies widely in its scope with a programme director and theme lead. NSFT is leading on co-applicants in numerous studies with ambitious plans to support the development of research and evaluation. The service is well-connected to national and international academics in the field."
NSFTs CFYP 0-25 service is unique and aspires to address the issues raised by the children and young people's mental health and wellbeing taskforce. Senior clinicians at NSFT had significant input into identifying, articulating and finding solutions to the issues within the "Future In Mind" report. They also continue to present and exchange ideas with other key opinion leaders within the UK and overseas.
In Norfolk and Waveney, we want to create more positive young person's voices such as Sam's: "I have come from being a girl who hoped to never see daylight again to a girl who is proud of who she is and knows that emotions pass and life is too short to waste it on self-destruction and suicidal thoughts. Youll have your good and bad days, but theres always support around you. Even if you give up hope, the staff wont".
As part of NSFTs ongoing national recruitment campaign - New Beginning New Career - the trust is hoping to attract Consultants Psychiatrists to join its youth services.
NSFT are looking for consultants who will help us develop the CFYP innovative service, and support the research and evaluation of the many strands of work.
National Debt Relief recently shared in an article published March 11, 2016 how consumers can be warned that they already have too much debt. The article titled How Much Debt is Too Much Debt? takes a look at some of the warning signs people need to pick up to know that they are already deep in the red.
The article starts off by by sharing that there are consumers that has too much debt but there are those that can be considered in debt hell. One way for people to know that they are in deep trouble with their debt problems is when their day is plagued with calls from their creditors. Worse, if debt collectors start calling them at different times in a day to collect on a debt.
Consumers also needs to be aware if their balances keeps on increasing month to month. This means that either their interest payment is already more than their principal amount or they keep adding new debts every time. This is a clear sign that they are treading in dangerous debt situations.
The article also explains that one sure way of knowing if consumers are in way too much debt is if their credit score is already taking a plunge. One reason it is connected to too much debt is because scores consider a persons credit utilization ratio. Simply put, the higher the debt amount is, the lower their score can be. Taking out too many loan applications can adversely affect their credit scores because lenders perform a hard pull on their scores.
Another red flag consumers need to keep an eye out for is when they start getting declined and turned down for a credit card or loan application. This is one clear sign that they have too much debt. To read the full article, click https://www.nationaldebtrelief.com/how-much-debt-is-too-much-debt/
In his memoir, Reflections on Sierra Leone by a Former Senior Police Officer: The History of the Waning of a Once Progressive West African Country (published by iUniverse), Ezekiel Alfred Coker, MR, JP, BEM, provides a living history, discussing the social and political landscape of Sierra Leone before, during and after its independence as it succumbs to civil war and political turmoil.
Coker says he was inspired by his patriotism: I was concerned about all of Sierra Leone slipping down on the slope of chaos and instability due to ineptitude of the various governments of the country as well as the endemic corruption in almost all strata of the society few years after it had been granted independence from British colonial rule.
An excerpt from Reflections on Sierra Leone by a Former Senior Police Officer:
I have been reflecting on parts of my personal life, as well as on the governance of Sierra Leone. These reflections bring me poignant memories of the past that contrast with the present.
I was born during British colonial rule of Sierra Leone. In my youthful days, I had always entertained dreams of what life would be like if my country could be free from the shackles of British colonialism. I was then both idealistic and naive. My dreams were like a peep into Utopia.
Reflections on Sierra Leone by a Former Senior Police Officer
By Ezekiel Alfred Coker, MR, JP, BEM
Softcover | 6 x 9 in | 324 pages | ISBN 9781491791028
E-Book | 324 pages | ISBN 9781491791035
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the Author
Ezekiel Alfred Coker, MR, JP, BEM, was born and educated in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He served for many years as a senior assistant commissioner on the police force, where he later headed the special branch. Retiring in 1981, he acted as commissioner of police from 1978 to 1980.
iUniverse, an Author Solutions, LLC, self-publishing imprint, is the leading book marketing, editorial services, and supported self-publishing provider. iUniverse has a strategic alliance with Indigo Books & Music, Inc. in Canada, and titles accepted into the iUniverse Rising Star program are featured in a special collection on BarnesandNoble.com. iUniverse recognizes excellence in book publishing through the Star, Readers Choice, Rising Star and Editors Choice designationsself-publishings only such awards program. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, iUniverse also operates offices in Indianapolis. For more information or to publish a book, please visit iuniverse.com or call 1-800-AUTHORS. For the latest, follow @iuniversebooks on Twitter.
An Alaska porn shop is becoming a bookstore; a California bookstore receives award for new business model; and ABA announces new board.
Art Show Marks Transition of Alaska Porn Store to General Indie: The building in Anchorage is being turned into an art exhibit before being demolished next month to make way for the construction of the Writers Block Bookstore and Cafe.
ABA Elects Four New Board Members: The transition in the ABA board of directors will take place at BEA in Chicago. Elected to three-year terms (20162019) are: Kris Kleindienst of Left Bank Books in St. Louis, Mo.; Chris Morrow of Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vt., and Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Annie Philbrick of Bank Square Books in Mystic, Ct., and Savoy Bookshop in Westerly, R.I.; and Robert Sindelar of Third Place Books, with two locations in the Seattle.
Keplers Wins Sustainability Award: Kepler's Books in Menlo Park, Calif., won an environmental award from the nonprofit Sustainable San Mateo County. The bookstore was recognized as a community champion for reorganizing under a new business model for an independent bookstore.
The Secret Behind Alabama Booksmiths Success: Jake Reisss decision to switch the inventory of the used bookstore he opened in Birmingham in 1990 to signed books only four years ago has made a significant difference for his business. Books are arranged alphabetically by the authors last name, not by genre, and when hardcovers are no longer available for some titles, he will print them himself.
BookBuyers Closing in Mountain View, Calif.: Sunday will be the last day for the used bookstore in its current location. Although owner Hotranatha Ajaya was unable to find a new space downtown, he is hopeful that he will be able reopen in another city.
Brooklyns Community Bookstore Gets Ready to Close: After selling the Cobble hill building that has housed the bookstore for more than 30 years, owner John Scioli still has roughly 100,000 books to sell or donate by May 15.
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PEN American Center has been called upon to reject the Israeli Government's sponsorship of its upcoming World Voices Festival because of the country's alleged abuses of human rights. The letter was signed by more than 60 writers, including a number of PEN members and PEN Award winners and Pulitzer Prize winners Junot Diaz, Alice Walker, and Richard Ford. Nearly a dozen organizations have also signed the letter.
"Given PEN American Centers mission of supporting freedom of expression, it is deeply regrettable that the Festival has chosen to accept sponsorship from the Israeli government, even as it intensifies its decades-long denial of basic rights to the Palestinian people, including the frequent targeting of Palestinian writers and journalists," the letter states. "We call on PEN American Center not to partner with the Israeli government or other complicit institutions until Israel fulfills its obligations under international law and fully recognizes the Palestinian peoples right to live in full equality and freedom in their homeland."
Additional statements by some signers elaborated on the crux of the issue.
"The Israeli government deliberately uses the arts and culture to divert attention from its repression of the Palestinian people," wrote Geoff Dyer. "The participation of Israeli writers is welcome, but without their governments sponsorship."
The letter is available on the Adalah-NY website.
Although PEN has yet to officially comment on the situation, the organization's deputy director of communications, Sarah Edkins, told Publishers Weekly that it has reached out to the signatories to inform them of a policy formally adopted in 2007 against participating in cultural boycotts.
PEN doesnt participate in cultural boycotts because they are incongruent to free expression," Edkins said.
The 2007 statement can be found on PEN American Center's website.
ROCK ISLAND The First Church of the Nazarene in Rock Island, will hold a celebration in honor of its departing pastor, the Rev. Richard Barriger, and his wife, Dee Barriger, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 23, in the church's fellowship hall/gymnasium, at 2921 38th St., Rock Island.
The Barrigers have served the church for the past 19 years. He will lead his final worship service Sunday, April 24.
They plan to return to Michigan after 43 years spent in the ministry in the Northwest Illinois District.
Rev. Barriger began his pastoral career as an associate pastor with the Rock Island First Church in 1973. He became a licensed minister Aug. 24, 1973, and was ordained Aug. 12, 1976. He later served as pastor for the Erie Nazarene Church from 1976 to 1980, the New Hope Nazarene Church in Princeton from 1980 to 1986, and at the Sunnyland Nazarene Church in Washington, Ill., from 1986 to 1996.
The Barrigers returned to Rock Island in 1996. He also recently worked as an interim pastor at the Moline Nazarene church.
He has served as a Rock Island Police Department chaplain for 13 years.
For information, visit
or the church's Facebook page.
SPRINGFIELD A bill cosponsored by state Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Rock Island, that he says was inspired by a former Sherrard school student who was not allowed to bring her service dog to class has been approved by the Illinois Senate.
Senate Bill 2137 would require that teachers' in-service training programs include instruction on the federal Americans with Disabilities Act at least once every two years. Sen. Anderson is a chief cosponsor of the bill, which was filed by state Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Deerfield.
The bill passed the Senate unanimously Thursday and now goes to the House for consideration.
An unfortunate situation happened in my district. Because of confusion surrounding existing federal law, a local girls service dog was removed from the classroom," Sen. Anderson said. "Eventually, she ended up transferring schools in order to bring her service dog into the classroom with her. We cant go back and change what happened to that student, but we can try to stop it from happening again.
Sen. Anderson said he hopes additional training will ensure that teachers fully understand the Americans with Disabilities Act to create a better classroom environment for students with disabilities.
My legislation aims to ensure that teachers are properly educated on this issues in order to prevent situations like this one from happening in the future, he added.
The Sherrard School District last year agreed to pay $95,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging the district prevented Kellsey McGuire and her service dog, Jasper, from attending the school. Ms. McGuire's mother is Brandi McGuire who is running as a Republican for state representative in District 72 in the November general election.
Press release submitted by Eastern Iowa Community Colleges
The demand for workers in health related fields extends far beyond just nursing. With an ever-aging population there is growing demand in a wide variety of other health occupations as well.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the 30 occupations projected to have the largest percentage increase between 2012 and 2020, 14 are related to healthcare. Healthcare support occupations are expected to grow by 28 percent during that time period.
Scott Community College, one of the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, offers a wide range of health career options, in addition to its well-respected nursing program. The college is hosting an April 18 open house, from 5 to 7 p.m., to introduce people to all its health-related programs, including:
Dental Assistant
Sonography
Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic
Electroneurodiagnostics (Brain Studies)
Health and Cancer Information Management
Health Informatics
Radiology
Surgical Technology
Nursing
The open house begins in the colleges Allied Health Building at its main campus, 500 Belmont Road, Bettendorf. The building is the first building on the northwest end of the college.
The college has updated much of the equipment in the health programs over just the last few years, including a total renovation of the Allied Health Building that houses the Radiology, END and Sonography programs.
Programs such as Dental Assisting, Surgical Technology and Nursing are located in the colleges main building, near the Allied Health programs. The Dental Assisting program was recently remodeled as well, and the Surgical Technology program is still relatively new to the college.
For those looking for an online option, the Health and Cancer Information Management program is offered entirely online. Also in this area is the brand new Health Informatics program that focuses on updating and maintaining the computer systems vital to todays health-related operations.
Those attending the April 18 open house will have the opportunity to tour the labs, meet with instructors and have all of their questions answered regarding starting college, financial aid, employment demand and more.
For more information call 563-441-4000 or online www.eicc.edu/healthcareers
(Editor's note: The following was submitted by Quad Cities Museum Week Committee members Gretchen Frick-Small, Butterworth Center/Deere-Wiman House; Deborah Leistikow, Walnut Grove Pioneer Village; Judy Tumbleson, Colonel Davenport Board of Directors; Kelly Lao, German American Heritage Center; Chris Reno, Catich Gallery St. Ambrose University; Beth Peters, Buffalo Bill Museum; Sara Moby, Figge Art Museum; Catherine Litwinow, Rock Island County Historic Society; Rosanne Krubsack, Davenport School Museum; and Charlotte Doehler-Morrison, Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau)
As residents of the Quad-Cities and representatives of over 20 museums in the region, we are writing on behalf of the Rock Island Arsenal Museum to voice our concern about collections being permanently removed from the museum and shipped to Alabama for storage.
This is the second-oldest military museum in the United States. It first opened to the public on July 4, 1905. Its primary mission is to collect, preserve, and interpret the history of Rock Island Arsenal.
The RIA museum is not just an Army asset, it has touched many lives because of its historical draw. Group tours, tourists and residents visit the museum to learn more about our history and the history of the Island.
Why is this collection being moved to Alabama? What will be spent by taxpayers for the removal of so many artifacts from our museum to be shipped out of our area?
We should all be against the removal of valuable collections and artifacts from our museums or the closure of our museums. These are things that add to the quality of life in our community.
Is our community going to become a long line of strip malls with no culture, no art, no history and no value for education, discovery and pride in our history? Is history to be shoved in a box and put away in storage?
Are we just going to sit by as our history and collections are removed from the Quad-Cities? We hope not!
Quad Cities Museum Week Committee
Before heading to China, PM Malcolm Turnbull was in the Pilbara and caught up with Spirit 1260 Karrathas Pablo Newton Farley for a special 1 on 1 chat.
As well as discussing the mining downturn and the future of the Pilbara, Pablo delved into his Bucket Of Truth Questions. Asking the PM his favourite band, favourite app, first concert and other than that famous leather jacket, what is his favourite piece of clothing. One of Pablos notable standard question was left off the list this time though: Strangest Place youve been naked.
Pablo commented surrounded by body guards and the Canberra press gallery I chickened out on that one.
The PMs favourite band are Oz rock legends Mental as Anything. Im very sentimental about the Mentals, sentimental as anything, perhaps,
This year's International Railway Summit offered an excellent insight to the current state of the railway industry in Europe. David Briginshaw reviews the highlights.
VIENNA was the location for three days of meetings, networking and debate at the International Railway Summit 2016, hosted by IRJ and IRITS Events on February 17-19.
Setting the tone for the discussions that would follow, Mr Christian Kern CEO of Austrian Federal Railways (OBB) told delegates during his address at the opening dinner that OBB will invest 40bn during the next five years. "This is probably the most ambitious investment programme in Europe in terms of GDP," Kern said. He also claimed that the scale of investment in the railway has helped to prevent Austria from going into recession.
Kern cited the recently-completed main station in Vienna as an example of what is being achieved and the potential such projects have for the wider economy. "The new main station has reduced the cost of operating trains through Vienna and has cut journey time significantly," Kern explained. He said the project cost around 1bn, but a further 3bn is being invested by the private sector to redevelop former railway land to provide homes for 10,000 people and work places for a further 20,000.
However, Kern is fearful for the future, pointing to the deteriorating performance of German Rail (DB), which has since announced a loss of 1.5bn for 2015, its first since 2003. "We have to ask if DB is in this situation, what will the future be for OBB? I feel our industry is lagging behind other industries such as automotive with the development of driverless cars. We need to speed up development and stay focussed on what we are doing. We need to have a much more efficient railway and we need politicians to back this."
This view was echoed by Dr Josef Doppelbauer, executive director of the European Railway Agency (ERA), who said railways are in a critical situation in Europe at the moment. "Despite the benefits of rail transport, rail still has a low market share of around 7% for passenger and 17-18% for freight. Unit costs for rail are 100% more than for other modes. The cost of the assets is too high and utilisation is low because of the poor availability of the assets and poor maintenance."
Dopplebauer also cited a lack of standardisation as another cost driver. "If we compare air with rail, there are two big families of aircraft with around 4000 Boeing 737s and 3000 Airbus A320s in service, compared with 550 TGVs of seven different types and the Japanese Shinkansen family of 600 trains."
Cooperation
Mr Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, director general of the International Union of Railways (UIC), said that as a global organisation promoting interoperability, innovation and standardisation, including in Europe, he is keen to develop mutual cooperation between the UIC and ERA. However, he was concerned about the possibility of duplication between the UIC's and ERA's work, a point which Doppelbauer was keen to address.
"We don't want to standardise everything because it is not necessary," Doppelbauer said. "It is important to agree with the UIC where we can cooperate and not step on each other's toes. We are very happy that various standards are driven by the UIC and are not subjected to legal standardisation. This helps everyone to operate more efficiently."
Doppelbauer added that it is important that the railway industry continues to push for greater competition and innovation. He pointed out that since the introduction of NTV in Italy, trains now depart between Milan and Rome every few minutes which has all but killed off air traffic between the two cities, demonstrating that competition clearly works in the industry's favour.
Lord Tony Berkeley, board member of the European Rail Freight Association and chairman of the UK Rail Freight Group, pointed out that growth can be achieved in railfreight where there is fair competition. "Railfreight has grown by 60% in Britain, but has dropped by 50% in France during the last 10 years," Berkeley told delegates. "The infrastructure manager must be independent and treat everyone fairly."
Unfortunately this is often not the case, as Berkeley observed. "Single wagon freight accounts for 50% of the freight market in Europe but it is closed to private operators because they are denied access to the terminals. People love monopolies. We need a full liberalisation agenda."
Berkeley urged customers, independent operators and others must challenge the status quo: "We need to support EC transport commissioner Violeta Bulc's vision for the rail sector 'to deliver the investment, efficiency, reliability and keep competitive' with 'new business models for passenger and freight services, and innovation such as digitalisation.' The rail industry should stop complaining about competition with road and air and put its house in order first."
Open-access
Mr Peter Kohler, who is CEO Europe of Czech opem- access passenger operator Leo Express, explained how it has succeeded in running a privately-financed passenger service in competition with the subsidised incumbent Czech Railways (CD). "Our occupancy rate is double that of CD, our Ebitda has quadrupled and we expect to move into profit this year," Kohler explained. "Passenger numbers between Prague and Ostrava have increased by 50% since private operators entered the Czech passenger rail market. We were the first with a full 'infotainment' system on board. But we had problems obtaining attractive sites for depots and ticket offices in stations we want access to idle resources."
Leo Express has carried 1.1 million passengers in the first three years of operating its rail service which now connects Prague with Ostrava, as well as Kosice and Presov in Slovakia, supported by bus feeder routes, which it regards as a prelude to expanding its rail network.
Kohler is disappointed that the Fourth Railway Package will not usher in fairer competition as quickly as originally foreseen. "The original plan was to get rid of direct awards for concessions by 2019, but now this has been put back to 2024-2026, which with a 15-year term for some concessions means 2042."
Dr Knut Sauer, vice-president business development, strategy and sales, with Hyperloop Technologies, gave delegates a glimpse into the future with his presentation on the Hyperloop project which foresees passengers travelling totally automatically in pods travelling at up to 1100km/h inside a tube. "Hyperloop is not here to replace rail but to add a fifth mode of transport," he reassured delegates.
Sauer claimed that Hyperloop will use one-third the energy of a high-speed railway, and will provide an on demand, point-to-point service with 25-35 passengers per vehicle.
"The original idea was to build a Hyperloop between San Francisco and Los Angeles, but we believe the first Hyperloop will move freight between a large port and a conurbation it is easier to get regulatory approval for freight than for passenger," Sauer explained.
"We should have 250 employees and we will prove full system capability before the end of the year. We are looking at passive maglev technology and linear propulsion in a depressurised tube as the air drag is a lot less. We are building a 1200m test track to test the propulsion system and we will have a 3.2km test tube by the end of the year. We are also trying to drive down the construction and operating costs.
"By 2020, we expect to have the first freight Hyperloop and the first passenger Hyperloop in 2021 but the first passenger Hyperloop won't be in the United States," Sauer concluded.
DRS ordered the locomotives in 2013 through Beacon Rail Leasing, with assembly being carried out at Stadler Rail Valencia's plant in Albuixech, Spain.
The four-axle class 88 has a maximum output of 4MW under 25kV 50Hz ac electric traction and 700kW under diesel power, delivering tractive effort of 317kN in both modes. The 160km/h units are equipped with regenerative braking and will have a 500kW electric train heating rating.
The class 88s share many major components with the class 68 UKLight diesel locomotive, including bodyshells, cabs, braking systems, bogies, traction equipment, and control software. DRS has ordered 32 class 68s in three batches, 25 of which have been delivered so far.
RAIL transport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has come a long way in the past 10 years. From an ambitious vision to extract mineral wealth from the desert interior, history was made in October 2014 when the first train operated on a section of what is now the 264km line from Shah to Habshan and the port at Ruwais.
Trial operations were gradually stepped up and the line had carried more than 4 million tonnes of granulated sulphur for its sole customer, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) by the end of 2015. Commercial operations officially began on January 1, and two 1600m-long trains are now running per day, each carrying 11,000 tonnes and taking the cumulative total to more than 5 million tonnes of product shipped.
"We have exceeded the expectations of our client," says Mr Shadi Malak, acting CEO of Etihad Rail DB, the operator and infrastructure manager of the line. "When we decided to build the railway we had a tough task to convince Adnoc that it would be suitable because they have never used rail before, they have always used pipelines or trucks. But we managed to do that and they are very happy with the result."
Malak has been involved with the UAE's railway project, and the country's national railway Union Railway, which was rebranded as Etihad Rail in 2011, since the very beginning. He initially worked on the feasibility study for the project nine years ago and is now overseeing operations.
Etihad Rail DB is actually a joint venture of Etihad Rail (51%), and German Rail (DB) subsidiaries DB Cargo and DB International (49%), and Malak says that having the backing of a respected operator and railway was important in selling the idea of rail to its customer.
"To have one of the largest European rail operators working alongside you is an add on to your capability," Malak says. "DB transports millions of tonnes of freight across Europe so it brings that experience. The German name is also associated with quality you think of Mercedes Benz and BMW for example. It was very important to provide this confidence, particularly in the first couple of years."
DB's involvement in the project dates back to 2008-09 when Mr Niko Warbanoff, chairman of the board of directors of DB International, says the company began consulting with Union Railway on the operational model for the project. Three options were considered: a concession model, in-sourcing everything into Etihad Rail, or establishing a joint venture.
Warbanoff says the feeling was that the joint venture model was right for the project and this proposal was ultimately presented by Etihad Rail to the UAE government. "We believed at the time it was the best option to master the challenges the project faced," he says.
A tendering process subsequently took place and DB Cargo was selected as the joint venture partner in March 2014 to operate and maintain the first phase of the network, with the company also acting as a consultant for future phases of the UAE's planned 1200km network.
"We are already working in Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region so we have local experience which we are bringing here," Warbanoff says. "For us, it is about being one of the leading companies and railways in the world. The Middle East, the GCC, and the UAE are developing this transport system and we are working as a good partner to do that together."
Opening the new line has established the UAE as the world's leading producer of granulated sulphur, a by-product of gas production and a primary ingredient in fertiliser production. It is an unstable material, which if it is not of a certain quality, can combust when exposed to the atmosphere.
A key reason therefore for Adnoc to choose rail as its primary transport method was the high availability on offer. Indeed the operator currently has a 91.5% punctuality rate. Yet given the remote and hostile environment in which it is operating, Etihad Rail DB has and continues to combat a variety of challenges to maintain this high standard of performance.
Malak says during development the operator consulted extensively with other railways in Saudi Arabia and China, and from other projects in the region, including road. The company has also learnt a lot from its own experiences during its short time in operations and is continually adapting to the various challenges it faces.
Sand
One major issue is sand. Malak says that this has been a challenge since day one and that the railway was designed to mitigate the impact as much as possible; from choosing a certain track geometry to the specific design of the track structure. Ditches and sand traps were also built alongside the railway, while the railway's seven EMD SD70ACS locomotives are fitted with sand filtration systems.
He says that while not every day, and not all of the railway is affected, sand problems are at least a weekly occurrence, and maintenance-of-way equipment is utilised to clear sand much like it is in other countries to clear snow. There is also an emphasis on preventative work. Etihad Rail DB monitors the movement of sand dunes so they are dealt with before they reach the track while trials are underway of alternative methods to reduce the impact such as planting vegetation in the vicinity of the line.
"One thing we have learnt is that you cannot fight nature," Malak says. "You cannot keep all of the sand away, some will come in no matter what you do, and as long as it does not cover the entire track then that is fine. What you can do is adapt to it and design and build your railway in such a way that it does not challenge it."
The tough environment in which the railway is operating and the hazardous material that it is carrying necessitated the deployment of sophisticated equipment. For example the 240 covered wagons manufactured by CSR are very sophisticated in their design but Malak says this has come with issues. For instance, the fleet team and technicians have had to optimise the wagons' sensors and changed the locking mechanism on the hatches since they were delivered.
Other challenges are posed by wildlife in the area. Problems with camels were foreseen but Malak admits no-one predicted the difficulties that gazelles might pose to the railway. He says the company is now working with the UAE's environment agency to deal with the situation. People too are a problem for operations. Campers, which head out into the desert at weekends, often hundreds of kilometres from civilisation, have presented difficulties, mostly because they have never seen a railway before and are not aware of the potential dangers. "You have to literally visit their houses, farms, and schools to warn them about the danger of going on the track," Malak says.
The remoteness of the project meant that providing a suitable environment for its employees to live and work was another major consideration. Etihad Rail DB employs approximately 200 people and Malak says work is underway through a private partnership to build an accommodation complex, including schools, for its employees and their families, which will make it more attractive for those currently commuting from Abu Dhabi to live closer to their place of work.
"We hit two birds with one stone," he says. "First we are providing proper accommodation and something we like for our employees, and secondly we are giving back to society because we are doing it through investors in the region where the railway is located so it benefits their situation."
Workforce development is a major focus for the UAE's railway programme because of the lack of domestic railway experience. The Centre of Excellence for Applied Research and Training signed a memorandum of understanding with Thales in 2014 to develop a new training academy to provide Emiratis with high-level professional and academic training programmes. In addition, as part of the joint venture agreement, DB is allowing access to courses at its training academy, while Etihad Rail DB established a human resources excellence programme which is enabling UAE nationals to gain on-the-job experience.
"In this programme they come to Germany and we teach them different disciplines, including in technical and administrative areas," Warbanoff says. "They team up with the people in the DB group and they get to know exactly how we work. Many of them who have returned to the UAE are still in touch with DB and are continuing to exchange knowledge."
Strong position
Malak says such initiatives are critical for the UAE as it begins its railway journey and he says in the long-term it will place Etihad Rail DB in a strong position to secure additional business.
Indeed Malak says the company has ambitious plans for development and has identified three key areas for expansion: carrying additional commodities on the existing line, operating other services and lines as the UAE network grows, and operating services in other GCC states as they come online.
"Etihad Rail DB as a joint venture is very well-positioned to win some of these things over the next three or four years," he says. "We understand what we need in the Middle East and North Africa as much as anyone else, and obviously DB demonstrates that it understands other countries. It will require a lot of work, but that's the vision and the ambition."
Despite recent slowdowns in some key projects, most notably the second phase of the UAE network, and in Oman, the Middle East rail market is estimated to be worth around $US 80bn. As well as presenting opportunities to Etihad Rail DB, this is a potential boon for suppliers. Yet this remains potential. For existing operators the relative small size of the industry in the region means that many manufacturers have yet to commit to establishing local facilities, meaning that there is a very limited supply chain.
"In Europe if you are missing a spare part, or if you are missing a technician, there are plenty of places to get one," Malak says. "In the UAE, where the railway always has to be available because of the commodity that we are carrying, and because we have a demanding customer, we have to procure things in advance and have higher stocks than you normally would have because we don't have the suppliers here, even for the smallest pieces of equipment. Everything has to be done in-house or you have to import it."
Clearly this is not just a challenge for Etihad Rail DB but for all of the railways currently or planning to operate in the region and must be addressed.
While Malak says he regularly attends conferences and events to talk with and establish relationships with suppliers, he is keen to develop these connections with the backing of the entire region.
"With the current project we may attract some suppliers and get them interested despite what they may view as limited demand compared with what you have in Europe," he says. "But we can add on the Dubai RTA, the operator of the metro and tram, SRO and SAR in Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, which is also building a railway. If we can get all these companies to come together we could end up convincing lots of suppliers to locate offices here and take the Middle East a lot more seriously."
Malak laughs off suggestions that he is a champion for rail, saying that people can call him what they like. Yet he is adamant of the importance of seeing the bigger picture and trying to secure a better working environment, not just for Etihad Rail DB, but the entire Middle East.
"We are not just building a railway we're building an industry and everything we do now sets a precedent for the future," he says.
The planned enhancements would reduce Toronto - Montreal journey times from 4h 42min to 3h 45min and Toronto - Ottawa from 4h 1min to 2h 30min by eliminating level crossings and segregating passenger and freight trains with new infrastructure.
Via Rail CEO Mr Yves Desjardins-Siciliano told The Canadian Press in an interview on April 14 that that a number of financing options will be presented to Canadian transport minister Mr Marc Garneau within the next few months.
Under some of these options, the bulk of the funding required for the project would be covered by pension fund investors, and Via Rail has already held preliminary discussions with potential private sector backers. The federal government would be asked to contribute around $C 1bn.
Desjardins-Siciliano says he hopes the government will make a decision on whether to go ahead with the project before the end of the year. "We'd like to think there will be shovels in the ground by the spring of 2017," he says.
The federal government's infrastructure plan, which was announced last month, allocates Via Rail just $C 3.3m over three years for an "in-depth assessment" of the proposals.
Last October Ontario's provincial Ministry of Transportation appointed former Canadian transport minister Mr David Collenette to look at options for high-speed rail on the Toronto - London - Windsor corridor.
Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad, JRA earn marketing award for clean coal project Written by Carolina Worrell , Senior Editor
The Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad, part of the North Shore Railroad group recently received the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) 2016 marketing award with the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad at the Association's annual conference in Washington, D.C.
The award is the result of an effort between both marketing teams to honor the recent development of rail movements between Graymont on Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad and the Homer City Generating Station on the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad.
The SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority (JRA) partnered with Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad in the railroad track project that helped Homer City Generating Station become one of the cleanest coal-burning power plants in the nation by contributing its own dollars and securing a grant.
Graymont mines high-grade limestone from the Valentine formation at its lime plant in Centre County. Thanks to this project, lime is now shipped to the generating station as an essential ingredient for the stations new emissions scrubber, greatly reducing its pollutants.
In order for Graymont to get this business, more railroad yard space was critical because of the anticipated high volumes of rail traffic. To meet that need, the JRA secured a $250,000 Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Rail Freight Assistance Program grant, and the JRA contributed $189,356 of its own dollars to build 1,600 more feet of railroad track on JRA property. Within its complex, Graymont also built an additional 2,800 feet of new railroad track and made other related improvements. Both track projects were finished last fall.
It was a five-year effort for Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad and Graymont to secure the new business. The rail cars of lime will originate on the Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad before being handed off to Norfolk Southern, which interchanges the rail cars to the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad for final delivery to the power plant.
Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad is a 70-mile short line that serves the Pennsylvania communities of Lock Haven, Tyrone, Bellefonte, Pleasant Gap, and State College. The railroad is the private contract operator of the tracks owned by the JRA.
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Viacom18 has appointed Narayan Ranjan to a new role of chief of staff as part of a management restructure at the Indian media and entertainment (M&E) company.
Ranjan, who joined Viacom18 12 years ago, will assume responsibility for mergers and acquisition, internal audit, internal control and admin functionality, while continuing work on improving group level governance, the company said.Soumen Ray has also been promoted to the position of chief financial officer (CFO) of Viacom18, from the deputy (CFO) role he has held since 2013.With a 30X growth in topline since inception, we are one of Indias fastest growing M&E companies. As we gear up for a more streamlined growth phase, it is imperative to align our corporate functions so that we can leverage both the experience and the expertise that our leaders possess, said Sudhanshu Vats, group CEO, Viacom18.Narayan Ranjan, one of our more experienced and senior leaders, will now take on a more strategically aligned role that streamlines our business and administrative processes across the ever-growing brands of Viacom18. Soumen Ray, who as the deputy CFO, has been pivotal in streamlining the networks financial performance, will now take over as the chief financial officer,Both posts are effective from 15 April 2016.
Russian national sentenced to 15 years in prison for murder of Far East MP
MOSCOW, April 15 (RAPSI) A court in Primorsky Krai, in the south of the Far East, has sentenced a local resident to 15 years in prison for contract murder of local municipal lawmaker, RIA Novosti reported on Friday.
Yuri Emetz, a lawmaker for the Municipal Duma of Ussuriysk and Ussuriysk Region was shot to death in June 2004 on his way to work. Earlier he held a position of head manager of Ussuriysk Balsam, large alcohol production company.
According to investigators, the convicted man ambushed and shot the MP in the back with a hunting rifle. His accomplice was acting as a driver and both men were paid $15,000 each for the contract murder.
In March 2007, the mastermind behind the attack and the driver were sentenced to 15 and 13 years in prison respectively. Person responsible for shooting the MP was on the international wanted list for a long time but was arrested on October 23, 2015.
French court: Rossiya Segodnya funds freeze over Yukos case unwarranted
MOSCOW, April 15 (RAPSI) A court in Paris ruled that the freezing of Rossiya Segodnya information agency bank accounts in connection with the Yukos case was unwarranted, RIA Novosti reported on Friday.
The judge in award enforcement action passed a judgment to remove attachment of funds on bank accounts of Rossiya Segodnya and RIA Novosti, the ruling reads, according to RIA Novosti.
The judge also dismissed the claim for damages submitted by Hulley Enterprises Limited and made it pay legal costs.
Representatives of Hulley Enterprises Limited immediately appealed against this ruling with the Paris Court of Appeal.
A tribunal for the Hague Permanent Court of Arbitration announced in July 2014 that it had issued awards in three cases filed against Russia. The tribunal ordered that Russia pay Yukos Universal Limited (Isle of Man) over $1.8 billion in damages. Hulley Enterprises Limited (Cyprus) was awarded about $40 billion, and Veteran Petroleum Limited (Cyprus) got over $8 billion. Russian authorities moved to set aside the ruling and turned to the District Court of The Hague.
In June 2015, funds in bank accounts of Rossiya Segodnya French office were frozen on request of a French court enforcement officer acting in accordance with the claim submitted by Hulley Enterprises Ltd representatives; however the assets were not transferred to former Yukos shareholders and remained frozen, since Russia Today challenged these actions in court.
Donald Trump's criticism of Europeans' unwillingness to invest in NATO is misplaced. What he should have questioned is Europe's reluctance to take its own security seriously.
Big foreign policy issues have played hardly any role in the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign. That briefly changed on April 3 when the Republican contender Donald Trump delivered his verdict on NATO. "It's obsolete," he told supporters in Wisconsin. "It's possible that we're going to have to let NATO go."
The reason, Trump explained, was that America's European allies were dragging their feet on financing the military alliance. "When we're paying and nobody else is really paying, a couple of other countries are but nobody else is really paying, you feel like the jerk," he said. "I call up all of those countries . . . and say fellas you haven't paid for years, give us the money or get the hell out.' . . . Maybe Nato will dissolve, and that's OK, not the worst thing in the world."
Now that must have been pleasing to the Kremlin, which has always pursued the idea of splitting if not ending the transatlantic alliance.
If, however, Trump looked at the "Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2015" factsheet published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), he might change his mind about the Europeans. The document showed that European military spending increased by 1.7 percent in 2015 compared with the previous year, rising to $328 billion. That's 5.4 percent higher than in 2006-admittedly coming from a pretty low base. Still, Europe's big three -- Britain, France (the two European countries that think and act strategically), and Germany -- will be spending more in the coming years. This is good news for NATO.
As for Central Europe, spending rose for a second consecutive year in 2015, increasing by 13 percent, again coming from a low base. In Poland, it jumped a whopping 22 percent to $10.5 billion, with military expenditure reaching 2.2 percent of the country's GDP.
There are several reasons why defense spending in many European countries is on the increase. The first is Russia's invasion of eastern Ukraine and its annexation of Crimea in 2014. The second, linked to Russia, is the pledge by all NATO countries at their summit in Wales in September 2014 to increase military spending to 2 percent of GDP. And the third is the terrorist threat. In short, Trump's criticism of Europeans' unwillingness to finance NATO is misplaced.
He would have had more credibility had he said that the Europeans have for far too long built a dependency culture by always relying on the United States to maintain and unflinchingly extend its vital security guarantee to the Europeans.
Spending more is not the main thing that NATO needs. What the alliance requires is a shared threat perception. "Despite the increase in military spending, [the allies] don't yet have that," said Ian Anthony, director of SIPRI's European Security Program, in an interview. "Their enemy today is uncertainty. The NATO and EU countries have different problems on their plates that don't lead to coherence." Without a common perception of threats, can NATO have a common strategy?
There are the makings of a strategy when it comes to improving the defense of NATO's Eastern members. Allies agreed to establish the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) at the Wales summit. In theory, the force should be able to deploy about 5,000 troops within two or three days, with up to five battalions supported by air, maritime, and special forces.
But as Daniel Fiott argued in a terrific essay in Survival, the journal of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, NATO lacks the critical defense infrastructure and capabilities to respond with speed to any Russian aggression in Europe. "Without the necessary infrastructure, including transportation networks and hubs, and energy supply lines, it will be difficult for NATO to preposition or sustain military units and ensure that the [VJTF] is able to deploy within a few days," Fiott wrote.
Fiott detailed all the technical, financial, and infrastructure challenges for the VJTF. His conclusion was that EU funds could be mobilized to modernize infrastructure, which in turn could have substantial civilian and defense benefits.
One wonders how the EU member states and the European Parliament would react to the idea of European funds having such a role. There are rules that stipulate that the EU budget should be invested only in civilian projects or in initiatives with a dual-use capability that would serve civilian and military goals. Even then, argued Fiott, "this is not enough to sidestep the EU's long-held embargo on using EU funds for military purposes."
This EU obsession with soft power is redundant given the big threats Europe and its allies face. Surely, the modernization of the EU's infrastructure-from railroads and highways to airfields and ports to power plants and bridges, not to speak of IT networks-should have a security component.
It is this argument that Poland, the Baltic states, and NATO's other Central and Eastern European members should be promoting in the run-up to NATO's July 2016 summit in Warsaw. Because NATO will deploy troops in these countries on a permanent basis, there has to be a guarantee that the VJTF will actually work. After all, this is NATO's response to Russian aggression and should be its signal to Trump that the alliance is not obsolete.
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Mortgage rates forecasters saw the increase in interest rates for 2015 as a sign that home loan rates will also rise. However, the opposite hasd happened because the average on a 30-year fixed loan was at its lowest level this year and it could still go down into new record territory.
The combination of economic and political factors are the reason why mortgage rates have fallen. The European and Fed Central Bank are reported to have expressed their concern over the global economy trajectory. Investors and consumers alike are on edge because of the following factors, which include stock correction, oil prices are unpredictable, and the highly erratic presidential race.
Lower mortgage rates incited a mortgage refinances reboot last week. However, that did nothing for the homebuyers. Mortgage loan company Fannie Mae, which has just recorded its worst monthly Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) in 18 months, thinks that buyers and sellers alike believe that now is a bad time in making deals, according to a feature by CNBC.
Fannie Mae Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Doug Duncan reportedly stated that "Growing pessimism over the last three months about the direction of the economy seems to be spilling over into home purchase sentiment."
"The gap between the share of consumers who think the economy is on the wrong track and the share who think it is on the right track has widened, nearly matching its reading last August, when concerns regarding China and oil prices led to the biggest stock market plunge in years. In turn, we saw dips this month in income growth perceptions, attitudes about the home selling climate, and job confidence," he added.
The Mortgage Bankers Association has revealed that the mortgage credit availability tightened in March despite the low mortgage rates, which was mostly due to conventional loans. Government programs like the Federal Housing Association and VA loans, on the other hand, relaxed slightly, according to a feature by the Washington Post.
Ohio Governor John Kasich visited the Sandy Springs Town Hall for a town hall meeting on Tuesday, February 23, 2015 in Sandy Springs, Georgia. John Kasich is running for the Republican presidential nomination for 2016. He visited both Kennesaw State University and Sandy Springs Town Hall in Georgia, where at the latter the turnout of supporters was so great he allowed the overflow to gather around his bus behind the Town Hall and he addressed hundreds of people before the main meeting. (Photo/Henry Taylor)
Georgia Rep. Stacey Godfrey Evans visited the University of Georgia on April 18 to address the Law Schools 34th Edith House lecture, an event created to commemorate the accomplishments of UGA School of Laws first female graduate and co-valedictorian.
The 19-member Board of Regents decides whether undocumented immigrants can attend the University of Georgia, whether smoking will be allowed on campuses, who the president of each state university will be and whether tuition rates will rise for the 318,164 students in the system.
FILE - In this April 13, 2013, file photo, a Sikh man holds a child as they take a holy dip in the sacred pond at the Golden Temple, Sikhs holiest shrine, during Baisakhi festival in Amritsar, India. The chronic air pollution blanketing much of northern India is now threatening the holiest shrine in the Sikh religion, making the once-gleaming walls of the Golden Temple dingy and dull. (AP Photo/Sanjeev Syal, File)
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By KATY DAIGLE, Associated Press UMAR MERAJ, Associated Press
AMRITSAR, India (AP) The chronic air pollution blanketing much of northern India is now threatening the holiest shrine in the Sikh religion, making the once-gleaming walls of the Golden Temple dingy and dull.
There is little to be done short of replacing the 430-year-old temple's gold-plated walls an expensive project already undertaken more than a century ago and then again in 1999.
To cut down on pollution, environmentalists and religious leaders have launched a campaign that includes persuading farmers to stop burning spent crops to clear their fields, removing industry from the area and cutting back on traffic. A community kitchen called a "langar" that serves up to 100,000 people free meals every day at the temple is also switching from burning wood to cooking with gas.
But so far the campaign hasn't had much impact, with change happening slowly and still no pollution monitoring equipment installed.
"As far as pollution goes, we are paying attention," said Jaswant Singh, environmental engineer at the State Pollution Control Board, a government regulatory authority. "We are in the process of procuring equipment so that we can check the pollution area, pollution from every source on a day-to-day basis."
Officials have also banned burning trash or cooking with certain fuels in restaurants and communities nearby, but enforcement so far remains weak. The city also wants to build an electricity station to stop people from using diesel-fueled generators, but Singh could not say when that might happen.
"The pollution degrading the Golden Temple is growing," said environmental activist Gunbir Singh, who heads a group called Eco Amritsar. "We need to do a hell of a lot of work to protect the holy city status of this city."
It's unclear how much replacing the gold plating would cost, but it would surely be high.
"This is gold. The cost would be huge, but still would not be a problem," Gunbir Singh said, suggesting Sikh devotees would rally behind the cause if needed. "Most of the activity that goes on there is based on donations people will take off their bangles and rings and leave them if work needs to be done."
Thousands of Sikh devotees and tourists every day visit Amritsar, the main city in Punjab state, to see the 17th century shrine, surrounded by a moat known as the "pool of nectar," or "Sarovar," and housing the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib. Most of the world's 27 million Sikhs, whose monotheistic religion originated in Punjab in the 15th century, live in India.
The country suffers some of the world's worst air pollution, thanks to a heavy reliance on burning coal for electricity, diesel in cars and power generators, and kerosene and cow dung for cooking and lighting homes. Heavy construction amid a decade-long economic boom has also kicked up huge clouds of dust, and farmers still regularly clear their fields with fire, sending even more black carbon into the air.
The capital of New Delhi was named by the WHO as the world's most polluted city, while Amritsar about 390 kilometers (240 km) to the north was ranked India's ninth most polluted.
The Golden Temple is not the only major monument to be affected by pollution. The white marbled Taj Mahal has also become dirty from pollution from the nearby city of Agra, and every few years, workers from the Archaological Survey of India place mud packs on its walls to keep them from turning yellow and brown.
But many across the country remain unaware of the risks in breathing unhealthy air, even as scientists warn it is sickening countless Indians every year. About 1.4 million Indians were killed by illnesses related to air pollution in 2013, according to a recent study by researchers at the University of British Colombia, in Vancouver.
That tally will only rise unless pollution levels are drastically curbed, experts have said. Instead, the pollution is getting worse, according to NASA satellite images revealing particulate matter in the air. An analysis last month by the environmental group Greenpeace showed the overall concentration of PM2.5 the tiny lung-clogging particulate matter suspended in the air increasing 13 percent from 2010 to 2015.
With pollution fast damaging the Golden Temple, some in the Sikh heartland said they were reminded of their religious duty to protect nature.
"Our holy book teaches us that the air is the teacher, the water is the father and the earth is the mother. So we have to be mindful of all the elements of nature as true Sikhs," the environmentalist Gunbir Singh said.
Authorities plan to ban vehicles from the area immediately surrounding the shrine. "Even the devotees will have to come on foot," said Harcharan Singh, who heads the Shrimoni Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee, which oversees the six major Sikh temples across India.
But efforts have been slow, and officials admit so far incomplete.
Sikh preacher Baba Sewa Singh said he and his devotees have tried to help mitigate the pollution threat by planting more than 100,000 trees in the region.
"If anyone asks about the saplings," he said, "we plant then for free in their villages."
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Newsom, Dahle to meet in debate today. Here's where to listen
Newsom and Dahle are scheduled to debate Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. The debate will be broadcast live on the radio by KQED News.
Damon Arthur/Record Searchlight The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is looking for ideas from the general public on how to get fish past tall dams like Shasta Dam.
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By Damon Arthur of the Redding Record Searchlight
Have an idea about how to get migrating fish past tall dams like Shasta Dam? The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation wants to hear about it.
And there is a prize, up to $20,000 for the best proposal, according to the bureau.
Connie Svoboda, a hydraulic engineer for the bureau in Denver, Colorado, said the competition is only the third time her agency has opened up a problem to anyone in the nation.
Typically the agency has sought proposals from engineering and environmental agencies and companies they work with regularly.
"This is such a great tool, because previously we could only reach out to the communities that we already knew," Svoboda said. "The prize competition, through the Internet, allows you to reach out to the general public."
While the bureau wants solutions that apply to all of the tall dams it operates, there is a problem the agency currently faces with Shasta Dam.
The bureau and other federal and state fisheries agencies want to re-introduce winter-run chinook salmon to the McCloud and Sacramento rivers upstream of Lake Shasta. The first phase of that effort, expected to begin next year, focuses on the McCloud.
Fish ladders and other types of passages around dams are common to get fish swimming upstream past dams and other obstacles, but the bureau wants a solution to get fish past dams when they are going downstream to the ocean.
In the first year of the proposed plan, the fish would be hatched at the Livingston Stone National Fish Hatchery near Shasta Dam. Once they are about 2 inches long, they would be hauled by truck and released into the river below the dam at McCloud Reservoir.
Within a year, the young fish would swim downstream but would be trapped before they swim into Lake Shasta, the bureau's project manager, John Hannon, has said.
After the young fish are collected they would be hauled by truck back to the Sacramento River so they could swim out to the ocean.
In the second year, they would again release fingerlings and put fertilized eggs in the McCloud . The young fish would again be trapped and collected near the lake. By the third year they would be releasing fingerlings, eggs and adult salmon into the river for spawning, Hannon said.
The chinook salmon live in the ocean about three years, and return to fresh water to spawn and die. The bureau wants proposals from the public about the best way to capture the young fish to get them past dams, Svoboda said.
"For this prize competition, we are interested in collecting the juvenile fish in the reservoir for transport downstream," Svoboda said in a video posted on YouTube.
"There are challenges for collecting fish in the reservoir. The fish can have a very difficult time finding a single collection point in a very large reservoir. They may never find the collection point or they may be significantly delayed in finding it," she said in the video.
There is already a trap at Keswick Dam used to catch adult salmon heading upstream from the ocean. Those fish are taken to the Livingston Stone Fish Hatchery. Hannon said that trap can be used to take adults returning from the ocean past the dam and haul them by truck to the McCloud.
In the previous two competitions, the bureau chose proposals submitted from companies and groups they had never worked with before, Svoboda said. She did not know how many dam passage proposals had been submitted because the competition is being managed by a company called InnoCentive.
She said proposals should be in the range of three to five pages and include drawings. Proposals don't need to include a testable prototype, she said.
The judges, who work with federal agencies, may choose one winner and award the full $20,000 prize, Svoboda said. Both of the earlier competitions also chose more than one proposal, which means the winners split the amount of prize money.
There will be at least one $5,000 winner and no winners will receive less than $2,500, according to competition rules.
More information about the challenge, which closes May 10, can be found online at http://bit.ly/1oohjL8.
Susan Kane outside her Redding office Thursday. Kane is retiring at the end of next week from her role as director of the Day Reporting Center.
SHARE Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight Susan Kane outside her Redding Office Thursday. Kane is retiring the end of next week from her role as director of the Day Reporting Center.
By Nathan Solis of the Redding Record Searchlight
The director of a center that works with people serving probation and parole in Shasta County will be leaving the job at the end of next week.
Susan Kane will step down April 22 as director of the Day Reporting Center for personal family reasons.
"I feel like I'm leaving at a point where the center has become much more a part of the community," Kane, 57, said.
The Shasta Day Reporting Center on Court Street in Redding provides rehabilitation services to people coming out of jail or prison. Programs include anger management and GED preparation. The center works closely with the Shasta County Probation Department, but is managed by BI Inc., and holds graduation services twice a year. It's funded in part by realignment, or AB109, funds.
Parolees and people on probation check in daily at the center over six to nine months, depending on their progress. Kane and her staff come to be a constant fixture for the clients.
At the end of March, Redding Police Chief Robert Paoletti invited Kane to speak the chief's town hall to discuss the operations and success of the Day Reporting Center.
She detailed the goals of rehabilitation in the county and despite not having a direct partnership with the Police Department, Kane said the center could go beyond working directly with the Probation Department and also work with other law enforcement agencies.
"I'm hopeful there are future partnerships with other community leaders," Kane said.
Kane arrived at the Day Reporting Center about four months after leaving the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations in 2013, where she worked for about 30 years. There she worked as a parole agent and chief of training. Kane said she was a single mother for much of that time.
At the Day Reporting Center graduation in December, Kane, surrounded by county officials and staff in the Redding Elks Lodge, described the members of the graduating class. She talked about stubborn men unwilling to participate in the program when first walking through the doors of the center later becoming model participants of the program.
Jerry Street, 47, graduated from the Day Reporting Center with a similar story. Street refused at first, but gradually accepted the staff's efforts to help him turn his life around.
"She was not messing around with her job and she was serious, but she also loves the people who come through those doors," said Street, who credits the center and staff in changing his life for the better.
Chief probation officer Tracie Neal said Kane set the tone for the center and provided outreach to the community.
"She also set a precedent with how her staff works with offenders and provided fidelity to how the model works," Neal said.
BI Inc. has not yet named a successor for Kane's position.
Kane said she planned to retire in 2013 when she left the corrections department. This second retirement is unexpected, but when asked whether she plans to stop working and enjoy her retirement, she offered a warm smile.
"I enjoy what I do. I like to think that I'm leaving at the top of my game."
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By Amber Sandhu of the Redding Record Searchlight
The California Department of Justice is requiring California physicians and other professionals with the license to prescribe or dispense scheduled drugs to register for a drug monitoring database by July 1.
Known as the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System, or CURES, the database keeps a log of patients with prescriptions for scheduled drugs, to help physicians identify whether patients have an active opioid prescription from a different doctor or a refill remaining on an opioid prescription. According to the California Department of Justice, pharmacists, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists, veterinarians and physician's assistants are also required to register with the database.
The database contains patient information such as name, address, date of birth, prescriber name, pharmacy where drug was dispensed, drug name, date of prescription, strength and refills remaining.
"I think it's an excellent start," said Dr. Candy Stockton, medical director of Shingletown Medical Center. She calls herself a "legacy user" and has used the database for approximately five years, and has directed physicians on her staff to register to use the database to prescribe opioids safely.
Shasta County's rising rate of opioid related hospitalizations hasn't gone unrecognized by the community.
"Heroin abuse is a much smaller problem than prescription opioids," Stockton said. She added that people who use heroin started with prescription opioids.
And according to data from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, in 2013 Shasta County had 631 opioid related hospitalizations compared to nine heroin related hospitalizations. In 2012, there were 548 opioid related hospitalizations compared to four heroin related hospitalizations.
Looking at this data, various stakeholders in Shasta County such as physicians, pharmacists, public health and law enforcement officials banded together to support NoRxAbuse in February, to encourage safer and responsible prescribing practices among physicians.
Ivan Petrzelka, president of NoRxAbuse, a former pharmacist and lawyer at Gemini Law, said they've been encouraging local physicians to register to use the database. He said the coalition is also in the process of securing Naloxone, a drug that reverses the effects of heroin and opioid overdose, for law enforcement officers to use on individuals when they suspect an overdose emergency.
Petrzelka said that while feedback about CURES registration has been positive, some physicians have expressed concern that the new safe prescription guidelines are "too restrictive" and may not provide "adequate pain relief to patients."
"Both concerns are very legitimate," Petrzelka said.
Stockton said that while she has encouraged physicians to use the database, there is still some pushback from physicians who feel offended by the concept that their patients can't be trusted.
"You can make them register, but you can't make them use it," Stockton said.
Redding's Planning Manager Kent Manuel takes part Wednesday in an Administrative Review Board. He is officially retiring Friday, but the city plans to bring him back to assist with several projects that are in progress.
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By Jenny Espino of the Redding Record Searchlight
Kent Manuel, the planner who helped write his hometown's blueprint for long-term growth, retires today from his post as Redding's planning manager.
Nonetheless, Manuel will retain his title and keep an office at City Hall for at least another year. Upon retirement, officials will ask the City Council to bring the Redding native back to assist with the potential relocation of Costco and the update to the Parks, Trails and Open Space master plan. Both projects are in progress.
The council on Tuesday acts on the recommendation to hire him back effective April 24.
Manuel, whose career at the city began as an intern in the Planning Division nearly 31 years ago, rose through the ranks, becoming senior planner in 1996. He held that role until 2014, when he was named planning manager and in his last year briefly held the development services director's hat.
"The great thing for me professionally is very few planners get to work on general plans," Manuel said, explaining how agencies leave the work to consultants. "But for me as an agency planner and planning my hometown, it was really cool."
Work on the document took four years, concluding with its adoption in October 2000. During the initial conversations, there was nervousness, Manuel said. Will there be major policy shifts and will they mean changes to the face and feel of Redding?
Indeed, Manuel, planning staff and a citizen panel were forward-looking as they crafted land use, greenway and annexation policies. They set growth limits to the city, encouraged building at greater density and established areas for mixed-use development in the South Bonnyview Road area and Shastina Ranch, an area of 225 acres roughly a half-mile south of Rancho Road in the city's far southeast where single-family homes are being built.
He noted that cities across the country have been doing high-density, walkable developments around commercial areas. The general plan task force opened a way for such projects. But 20 years later, developers have not taken the city up on that.
"Redding is a single-family mecca," Manuel said.
Planning Commissioner Bert Meyer on Tuesday described Manuel as someone who brought to the job a "get it done, make it work for everybody" attitude.
Similarly, Brian Crane, Redding's public works director, talked about Manuel's keen ability to convey complex information in an easy-to-understand way to the person at the permit counter as well as to a transportation engineer.
He gets his point across and makes it reasonable, he said.
"He's certainly the sage here," Crane said. "If we had more 'Kent Manuels' and we have a lot of good people here we would do even better."
Manuel lamented that despite the city's best efforts he would not see development on Oasis Road before his departure.
The Oasis Road area was the subject of a specific plan in the 2000s for future commercial development and, more recently, the site of an on-again, off-again project to relocate Costco Wholesale from its Dana Drive location.
The warehouse giant in February pulled out of a contract for a new store at Oasis Towne Center. Since then, rumors are that it is interested in the undeveloped Rother property at the northwest corner of South Bonnyview Road and Interstate 5.
Manuel predicted a busy summer for the building industry. "I don't know if the economy has officially turned around or people are thinking it will soon. But (people) are knocking on our door and taking applications," he said.
He also expected the city to turn its attention to the Sacramento Riverfront Specific Plan.
With the exception of the Sheraton hotel, which is under construction at Turtle Bay Exploration Park, nothing has happened since the document was written in the early 1990s.
But the McConnell Foundation's leases are set to expire in about four years. When the land reverts back to the Kutras family, the city may have questions to tackle, he said.
"What are we going to do with the Civic Auditorium area and the Rodeo Grounds? Do we have a good handle on how private development (happens) to deal with the riverfront portion of Park Marina?" Manuel said.
Under a contract to bring him back to work, Manuel would work no more than 960 hours through 2016-17, receiving a pay of $55,000.
At 61, Manuel said he is not ready to quit working. He said he is committed to seeing Costco through and wants to lend his skills to the Shasta Historical Society. He noted his mother's home on Chestnut Street is on the Candidate List of Historic Properties.
"I don't have any grand plans to jump in a motor home and be gone for six months down the road. I want to stay involved in planning aspects and other organizations that could use some advice," he said.
Pam and Amanda Lipp in Fair Oaks, Calif., in December 2015. (Heidi de Marco/Kaiser Health News/TNS)
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By Jenny Gold, Kaiser Health News
When Pam Lipps 18-year-old daughter Amanda needed to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital in 2010, she thought it would be easy to find her a bed.
Instead, Lipp says, It was a nightmare.
Her daughter had been admitted to a psychiatric crisis center during an episode of psychosis but she could only stay there for 72 hours. Lipp asked the crisis center for help finding her a bed and was told she was on her own.
So Lipp plugged her phone into the wall in the waiting room and started calling one hospital after the next. They were all full. They wouldnt reserve a spot when a bed opened, nor would they call to let her know. So she called each one every half-hour to check. After eight hours, she found her daughter an open bed near their home in Fair Oaks, Calif.
Usually, its an emergency room staff or medical providers making such calls, rather than a patient or caregiver. The result, however, is the same: Finding an available inpatient psychiatric bed in the state of California can be extremely difficult. Many patients with acute psychiatric conditions spend days deteriorating in hospital emergency departments while they wait.
But how exactly to solve the problem has become a controversy in Sacramento.
An Assembly bill backed by the California Psychiatric Association and the Steinberg Institute, a mental health policy organization, seeks to improve the process by establishing an online registry to collect and display information to help medical providers find psychiatric beds. But the California Hospital Association is staunchly opposed, saying that finding the right placement for a patient is much more complex than identifying an empty bed, and a registry could actually hinder efforts to get patients appropriate treatment.
The Assemblys Committee on Health plans to hold the first hearing on the bill on April 12.
Under the proposed legislation, AB2743, facilities with psychiatric beds would be required to update the registry as the beds became available, and emergency medical providers would be able to log on to search for openings.
A bed registry would eliminate the need for rounds and rounds of calls over hours and hours. Why not just cut that time out and go straight to the source? asks Anna Hasselblad, public policy director at the Steinberg Institute.
California is facing a serious shortage of psychiatric beds, said Randall Hagar, director of government affairs for the California Psychiatric Association. As of 2013, there were 6,680 beds in the state about 17 per 100,000 residents, according to a report from the hospital association. Psychiatric experts recommend a minimum of 50 beds per 100,000. In 25 counties in the state, there were no psychiatric beds at all.
The issue is not unique to California. Nationwide, the number of state psychiatric beds is shrinking. In 2010, there were 50,509 state psychiatric beds, a decrease of 14 percent since 2005, according to a 2012 report from the Treatment Advocacy Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to removing barriers to treatment for people with mental illness. Thats a total of about 14 beds per 100,000 Americans, and in some states including Arizona, Minnesota, Iowa, there are fewer than five.
Adding beds is a long-term goal for many mental health advocates, but its a huge task that could take years.
We have to use the beds we do have and we have to know where they are. It can be a hit or miss process. It needs to be more reliable, said Hagar. Weve heard instances where people were told there were no beds when in fact it turns out later that there were. An online registry would fix that issue.
It would also provide data on exactly what types of additional beds are needed and where, he said.
The hospital association is not convinced it would work.
On first blush, if you are not in the trenches, it seems like the best and easiest solution in the entire world. But the reality is that the bill will really increase the amount of time and the frustration people have trying to locate psychiatric acute-levels of care in our state, said Sheree Lowe, the hospital associations vice president of behavioral health.
Beyond finding an open bed, staffers must also factor in the age, gender, illness and acuity of the patient.
You have to take under consideration your staffing needs, the needs of the other patients, and the therapeutic milieu for the safety of all patients and all staff. And thats not something you can put into a drop-down menu, said Lowe.
Requiring hospital staffers to report all those changing dynamics in an online registry, she added, would be yet another administrative burden that could cut into hands-on patient care.
Many states have some sort of computerized tracking system for psychiatric beds, but few are mandatory. Lowe points to a recent effort in Virginia to create a mandatory registry similar to the one being proposed in California as evidence that they dont work.
In January, the Virginia state inspector general reported that more than half of users of the online registry said it takes longer to find a bed for a patient than it did before the registry was established, in part because hospitals were not accurately updating information about their beds.
Hasselblad of the Steinberg Institute, however, said the issues with the Virginia system is a little bit of a self-fulfilling prophesy. We have to get the buy-in from the people who will be updating the registry, because if you dont believe its going to be useful to you, its not going to be useful to you.
One solution, she said, would be to include a fine in the bill for hospitals that do not keep the registry updated. Hospitals arent going to do this unless theyre absolutely mandated to.
Despite the opposition of the hospital association, the emergency room doctors who staff their facilities are generally supportive of the bill. Holding psychiatric patients for days in the emergency department is a worst case scenario for everyone involved, said Elena Lopez-Gusman, executive director of the California chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians.
And she said the hospitals with psychiatric beds may be making the problem worse by trying to reserve beds for patients with private insurance.
Our physician members have reported a significant level of difficulty in getting what they feel is an accurate assessment of bed availability, said Lopez-Gusman. They might call the same facility in a short time for two different patients with different types of insurance, and get different answers on whether or not theres a bed available. So our thought is that more transparency reduces the hospitals ability to hide available beds.
Lowe of the hospital association denies that psychiatric hospitals are holding beds, which would be a violation of federal law.
Assembly member Susan Talamantes Eggman, the Stockton Democrat who wrote the bill, said she believes the bill has a good chance of passing.
We are very hopeful. Theres a good coalition, and everyone is talking about mental health these days, she said. This is a practical, small step we can take. Its hard to argue against it.
Pam Lipp, who struggled to find a bed for her daughter, said the idea of establishing a registry is absolutely phenomenal.
Our situation is exactly the kind of situation that hopefully this bill will help, she said.
If I hadnt done what I did, our daughter would most likely have been discharged, back on the street with nowhere to go, and we would have just repeated the cycle again. Maybe she wouldnt have survived.
(Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.)
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Visit Kaiser Health News at www.khn.org
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Once again, House Republicans have proposed to weaken the Endangered Species Act at the expense of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a day after the Metropolitan Water District committed to spending $175 million to buy five Delta islands.
The combination is enough to give some Northern California environmentalists the willies.
The seller, a partnership led by Swiss-based Zurich Insurance Group that owned the islands, long sought to make money off the islands, perhaps by turning them into reservoirs. The buyer, MWD, has designs related to its responsibility to supply water to 19 million Southern Californians.
Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed $15.5 billion, 30-mile-long twin tunnels project to move water around the Delta to the Bay Area, Southern California and San Joaquin Valley farms would cross some of the islands. Metropolitan Water District is Brown's ally in support of the tunnels. Although escrow won't close for 60 days, having the water district control the islands would help remove some hurdles to the project.
Even if the tunnels don't get built and it's unclear whether they will MWD says owning the islands also could speed emergency water diversions if Delta island levees fail in an earthquake, a disaster in waiting that would allow salt water to rush further inland and foul freshwater supplies for farms and urban users.
Major beneficiaries of the tunnels, including some Bay Area cities and agricultural interests south of the Delta such as Westlands Water District, have not committed to supporting the project, much less paying their share. That ambivalence ought to give others pause.
Against that indecision, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, together with other San Joaquin Valley Republicans this week began moving appropriations legislation that would increase pumping of Delta water, even if it might further damage the Delta ecosystem.
McCarthy contends his goal is to get House and Senate water bills into a conference committee to strike a compromise that President Barack Obama would sign. But his press release took swipes at Democrats including Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who has offered a thoughtful water measure that would not weaken environmental protections.
McCarthy's political potshot suggests he is less interested in policy and too interested in playing to San Joaquin Valley interests who say the water shortage is "man-made," rather than the result of drought, a weak El Nino and unrealistic demands placed on an aging water delivery system in a largely dry state.
We hope reality sets in. Obama will not and should not sign a bill to weaken the Endangered Species Act.
The $15.5 billion tunnels may or may not get built. MWD may or may not have been shrewd to buy five Delta islands for $175 million. But while all Californians ought to have reliable supplies of water, the Delta ecosystem should not be damaged further.
The Sacramento Bee
Market regulator in talks with SBI Caps, UTI Infra for scrutiny and auction of properties.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is planning to outsource the Sahara property auction job, which could be worth at least Rs 40,000 crore.
The regulator is in talks with SBICAP Trustee Co, a wholly-owned subsidiary of investment bank SBI Capital Markets, and UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services, for potential sale of 87 properties, part of the long effort to recover money from the Sahara group.
The move comes after the Supreme Court (SC) allowed Sebi to sell Sahara group properties for generating the bail money required for the release from jail of the latter's chief, Subrata Roy.
The hearing on Sebis application for appointing a receiver to auction Saharas properties is scheduled for April 27.
The claims made by Sahara on the properties and the respective title deeds can be only verified when we appoint some third party for verification, a Sebi source told the Business Standard.
It is unlikely that the regulator would float a tender to manage the task.
The properties cannot be managed internally. The court has suggested an external agency be appointed for this and the regulator would probably suggest some outside agencies to the court, said the person cited above.
The exercise could involve 87 properties in 71 cities, covering 7,161 acres, of which 47 title deeds seem clear, from the details given by Sahara before the SC in 2013.
The 71 locations have some huge properties. These includes Pomgaon and Kumheri villages near its Aamby Valley project in Pune district.
The other big chunks are in Faridabad, Noida, Muzzafarnagar and Haridwar. These together could account for Rs 12,000 crore.
Details given to Sebi reflect that the properties are largely in agricultural or vacant lands. Title deeds are one issue. The outside agencies need to examine the documents of all the properties figured and at the status of the said lands. This could take several months, said a property consultant, who did not wish to be named.
The entire property sale is likely to generate a huge cash pile for the government, as the regulator has received investor refund claims worth only Rs 540 crore so far.
Sebis recent all-India advertisement through 144 publications has clearly said this is the last chance for investors to register their claims for a refund.
Two Sahara group entities had raised nearly Rs 24,000 crore through optionally fully convertible debentures from 30 million investors.
The issue ran into controversy, leading the Supreme Court to order the refund of the entire money to investors, with 15 per cent yearly interest.
________________________________________
MARKET REGULATORS PLAN
Outsource Sahara property auction job
SBI CAPS, UTI INFRA
Can be appointed to auction Sahara's massive real estates
47 PROPERTIES
have clear title deeds, claims Sahara, of the total 87
TITLE DEED
Is a legal document constituting evidence of a right, especially to ownership of property
BIGGER PROPERTIES
Could be liquidated first
HEARING
On Sebi's plea for appointing a receiver is scheduled for April 27 in SC
A RECEIVER
Is a person or entity chosen by a court to be in charge of a company that is bankrupt
The wreath-laying ceremony of Major Amit Deswal who was killed during a gunbattle with Zeliangrong United Front militants in Manipur took place on Friday.
Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag also paid tributes to the deceased soldier.
Major Amit Deswal was killed during a combing operation conducted by the Rashtriya Rifles and the Special Forces in Tamenglong district of Manipur. The soldiers had engaged in encounter with ZUF militants in the Nungba area.
Deswal, of 21 Para SF, received a gunshot wound to his stomach during the operation. Unfortunately, his body could not be recovered immediately as the area was densely forested.
Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh also extended his condolences to the bereaved father.
JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar's family took a strong objection to BSP supremo Mayawati's remarks against their son wherein the former UP CM called him anti-Dalit and a stooge of the Left parties. M I Khan/ Rediff.com report for Patna.
Family members of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students University President Kanhaiya Kumar have raised objection to Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati's castiest remarks against him.
Mayawati, while addressing a function commemorating the birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar in Luckhnow, had said that Kanhaiya was not Dalit but anti-Dalit.
"Kanhaiya belongs to Bhumihar, an upper caste and has been misguiding Dalits," she'd said.
Mayawati appealed Dalits not to follow him.
"Kanhaiya is the puppet of the Left parties and he is talking about Ambedkar's idea to fight poverty," she had charged.
Kanhaiya's parents -- mother Meena Devi and his father Jaishankar Singh -- also criticised Mayawati for attacking their son from a caste-based perspective.
"Our son is fighting against injustice, suppression and for cause of marginalised. It is wrong to dub him as anti-Dalit. He is very pro Dalit," they said.
"We strongly objected to Mayawati's castiest remarks against Kanhaiya. It is not necessary to be Dalit to fight for them and against their oppression. Kanhaiya has been fighting against this injustice a long time," Kanhaiya's younger brother Prince Kumar, who stay with his parents in Biha in Bihar's Begusarai district, said.
"Mayawati is a national leader and should be careful about her words and language," Prince Kumar added.
Kanhaiya's family also expressed concern over reports of increasing threats to his lie.
Family members of Kirpal Singh, who died under mysterious circumstances in a Pakistani jail, on Friday met Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who assured them of all help to bring back his mortal remains.
The home minister assured the family members of Kirpal Singh of all possible help from the government, official sources said.
Kirpal Singh's sister Jagir Kaur was accompanied by Dalbir Kaur, sister of another Indian, Sarabjit Singh who had also died in a Pakistani jail in May 2013.
Sources said Jagir Kaur sought a probe into the death of 50-year-old Kirpal, who was languishing in a Lahore jail for nearly 25 years on spying charges.
Pakistan has said Kirpal had died following a heart attack at a jail in Lahore on April 11.
Kirpal had allegedly crossed over to Pakistan through Wagah border in 1992 and was arrested. He was sentenced to death in a serial bomb blasts case in Pakistan's Punjab province.
Kirpal, who hailed from Gurdaspur, was reportedly acquitted of charges related to bomb blasts by the Lahore High Court but his death sentence could not be commuted due to unknown reasons.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Kollam visit to take stock of the temple firework tragedy was a "big relief" for the people of Kerala, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said in Kochi on Friday.
The chief minister's remarks came after state DGP T P Senkumar's reported statement that he had objected to the visits of Modi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to Kollam, hours after the deadly explosion at the Paravoor Puttingal Devi temple last Sunday.
"Apart from the prime minister, national leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury...they all came. That was a big relief for people of Kerala.
"This was a big disaster and at that hour, their presence and their advice and help were a great thing for Kerala," Chandy told reporters when asked about the top cop's comment about VVIP visits to the site on the very day of the temple tragedy.
Senkumar reportedly said he objected to the idea of the prime minister visiting the area within 12 hours of the tragedy as the entire police force was busy in rescue and relief operations and the visits by Modi and Rahul meant that they had to ensure their "safety and security" as well.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala sought to downplay Senkumar's comments about VVIP visit.
"There is no need to give a twist to his statement. He was talking only about the security aspect," he said.
Hours after the tragedy, Modi had visited the temple premises and taken stock of the situation arising out of the mishap.
Chandy and Chennithala had taken the prime minister around the temple precincts and briefed him on the incident.
Later, Modi had visited the injured people in various hospitals in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram.
Rahul Gandhi also visited the temple site and hospitals the same day.
The April 10 tragedy which occurred during an unauthorised display of fireworks at the 100-year-old temple, had killed 108 persons and injured more than 300, who are still undergoing treatment at hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam.
Kashmir continued to be on the boil on Friday with one more youth getting killed and three others being injured in firing by security forces in Kupwara district to disperse stone-pelting mobs who attacked an army camp.
IMAGE: Cops take cover behind shields as protestors pelt stones at security forces in Baramulla Town on Friday against Handwara civilian killings. Phtograph: Umar Ganie
The death of 18-year-old Arif Hussain Dar has taken the toll in the district to five since the breakout of protests against the alleged molestation bid of a girl in Handwara town Tuesday last.
A senior police officer said army troops opened fire to disperse a stone pelting mob in the Natnussa village of Kupwara district injuring four civilians who were evacuated to hospital for treatment.
With the latest casualty, the death toll has risen to five in the unrest that began on Tuesday following allegations of molestation of a girl in Handwara.
An army official said the forces opened fire only after the mobs tried to storm the camp.
"A group of protesters were pelting stones at the (army) camp but the soldiers exercised restraint. However, the situation started going out of hand as a large number of them tried to storm the camp from all directions," the official said.
The situation in the north Kashmir district has worsened following fresh casualties as more people are taking to streets against the killings.
IMAGE: Police in action against the members of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat who were taking out a protest march against the killing of four persons in Handwara, in Srinagar on Friday. Photograph: S Irfan/PTI
Reports of protests were also received from parts of south Kashmir and Srinagar city but there were no casualties in these incidents, the official said.
In Sopore, a small group of 40 people indulged in stone-pelting after Friday prayers, a police official said.
In Tral town, the protestors pelted stones on a CRPF camp but they were chased away, the official said.
Incidents of stone-pelting were reported from Goriwan in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district as well, he added.
IMAGE: Protesters clash with security forces at Baramulla Town on Friday against Handwara civilian killings. Phtograph: Umar Ganie
An official spokesman said the chief minister has expressed deep anguish over the "unfortunate death" of a youth at Natnusa in Kupwara district on Friday.
Sharing the grief of the victim s family over the inconsolable loss, Mehbooba said, "she is extremely distressed as the circle of violence has consumed yet-another life of a young boy. My heart goes out to the bereaved family of the boy who died in the prime of his youth."
The chief minister appealed to general public to remain vigilant and maintain calm to defeat the nefarious designs of those who want to disturb peace in the state.
IMAGE: Cops geared up to secure the region after the death of another civilian shot dead by security forces. Phtograph: Umar Ganie
Separatist groups including JKLF and Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq tried to stage separate protest demonstrations against the killings in Srinagar but their attempts were scuttled by the police and several of their activists were detained.
Mirwaiz and chairman of hardline Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani are under house detention while and JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik is in preventive custody.
IMAGE: Protestors attacked security forces with stones forcing the army to fire at them. Phtograph: Umar Ganie
Separatist groups including hardline Hurriyat Conference have called for a shutdown on Saturday to protest against the fresh deaths.
Kashmir University has announced postponing of all examinations scheduled for Saturday.
A spokesman of the varsity said fresh dates for these examinations would be notified later.
With inputs from Mukhtar Ahmad.
The key airbase at Panagarh in West Bengal has been renamed as 'Air Force Station Arjan Singh' in honour of the Marshal of the Air Force, who turned 97 on Friday.
IMAGE: Indian Air Force Marshal Arjan Singh being congratulated by Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his 97th Birthday Celebration at Akash Officers Mess in New Delhi on Thursday. Photograph: PTI
The renaming of the Air Force Station was announced by Chief of Air Staff Arup Raha at a function in Delhi to mark Singh's birthday.
Addressing a simple renaming ceremony in Panagarh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command Air Marshal C Hari Kumar said, "It is a proud moment for the Indian Air Force and the state of West Bengal."
"He is an icon and a role model. We have to work hard to ensure that the name is suitably looked after in terms of capability and performance. It is for the first time that we have taken a conscious decision to rename an airbase after an individual," Air Marshal Kumar said.
An icon of the Indian military history, Singh, the first Indian Air Force Chief to lead a young IAF into war in 1965, was hardly 44 years of age when entrusted with the responsibility.
Air Force Station Arjan Singh in Panagarh, approximately 150 kms from Kolkata, will house the C-130J military transport aircraft, capable of carrying out special operations. These planes will be flying with the Mountain Strike Corps along areas bordering China.
Singh was born on April 15, 1919, in Lyalpur (now Faislabad, Pakistan), and completed his education at Montgomery (now Sahiwal, Pakistan).
At the age of 19, he was selected to the Empire Pilot training course at RAF Cranwell.
His first assignment on being commissioned was to fly Westland Wapiti biplanes in the North-WesternFrontierProvince as a member of the No.1 RIAF Squadron.
After a brief stint with the newly formed No. 2 RIAF Squadron where the Marshal flew against the tribal forces, he later moved back to No.1 Sqn as a Flying Officer to fly the Hawker Hurricane.
He was promoted to the rank of Squadron Leader in 1944.
Singh led the Squadron against the Japanese during the Arakan Campaign, flying close air support missions during the crucial Imphal Campaign and later assisting the advance of the Allied Forces to Rangoon.
For his role in successfully leading the squadron in combat, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1944.
On August 15, 1947, he achieved the unique honour of leading a fly-past of over a hundred IAF aircraft over the Red Fort in Delhi.
After his promotion to the rank of Wing Commander, he attended the RoyalStaffCollege at the UK. Immediately after Indian independence, he commanded Ambala in the rank of Group Captain.
In 1949, he was promoted to the rank of Air Commodore and took over as Air Officer Commanding of an operational command, which later came to be known as Western Air Command.
Singh had the distinction of having the longest tenure as AOC of an operational base, initially from 1949-1952 and then again from 1957-1961.
After his promotion to the rank of Air Vice Marshal, he was appointed as the AOC-in-C of an operational command.
Towards the end of the 1962 war, he was appointed as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff and he became the Vice Chief of the Air Staff in 1963. He was the overall commander of the joint air training exercise "Shiksha" held between IAF, RAF (Royal Air Force) and RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force).
On August 1, 1964, in the rank of Air Marshal, the Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh took over reins of IAF, at a time when it was still rebuilding itself and was gearing up to meet new challenges.
Singh was the first Air Chief to keep his flying currency till his CAS rank.
Having flown over 60 different types of aircraft from pre-World War II era biplanes to the more contemporary, Gnats and Vampires, he has also flown in transport aircraft like the Super Constellation.
In 1965, when Pakistan launched its Operation Grand Slam, with an armoured thrust targeted at the vital town of Akhnoor, Singh led Indian Air Force through the war with courage, determination and professional skill.
He inspired IAF to victory, despite the constraints imposed on the full-scale use of Air Force combat power.
Then Defence Minister Y B Chavan wrote about him, "Air Marshal Arjan Singh is a jewel of a person, quiet efficient and firm; unexcitable but a very able leader".
He was awarded Padma Vibhushan for his astute leadership of the Air Force during the war.
Subsequently in recognition of the Air Force's contribution during the war, the rank of the CAS was upgraded and Arjan Singh became the first Air Chief Marshal of the Indian Air Force.
He remained a flyer to the end of his tenure in IAF, visiting forward bases and units and flying with the squadrons.
He retired in August 1969, thereupon accepting Ambassadorship to Switzerland. He was Lieutenant Governor of New Delhi from December 1989 to December 1990.
Having been a source of inspiration to all personnel of Armed Forces through the years, government conferred the rank of the Marshal of the Air Force upon Arjan Singh in January 2002 making him the first and the only 'Five Star' rank officer with Indian Air Force.
US Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton cited her efforts to get India and China committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions during a heated debate with rival Bernie Sanders as the two clashed aggressively over economic growth and energy security.
Clinton and Sanders, meeting for the debate in Brooklyn just days before the crucial presidential primary in New York on April 19, minced no words as they attacked each other over their stand on gun control, Clinton's handling of the Libyan crisis and their readiness for assuming the presidency.
When asked about energy security and environment, Clinton alluded to efforts made by her as Secretary of State to help find solutions for the global environmental crisis.
"Starting in 2009 as your Secretary of State, I worked with President Obama to bring China and India to the table for the very first time, to get a commitment out of them that they would begin to address their own greenhouse gas emissions," she said.
68-year-old Clinton, who served as senator from New York for eight years, added that she continued to "work on that throughout the four years" as Secretary of State, and was "very proud" when Obama and America led the way to the climate agreement reached in Paris with 195 nations on board.
She slammed Sanders, 74, for attacking the agreement, saying that getting 195 nations together on any agreement "was a major accomplishment".
Sanders continued his criticism of the Paris climate deal, saying lots still need to be done to translate the agreement on paper into concrete results.
"Of course the agreement is a step forward, but you know agreements and I know agreements, there's a lot of paper there. We've got to get beyond paper right now. We have got to lead the world in transforming our energy system, not tomorrow, but yesterday," he said.
Sanders began the debate questioning Clinton's judgement to lead the nation.
"Does Secretary Clinton have the experience and the intelligence to be a president? Of course she does. But I do question her judgment. I question a judgment which voted for the war in Iraq," he said to applause from the audience that throughout the debate booed and cheered for both candidates.
Sanders called the Iraq war "the worst foreign policy blunder" in the history of the US and criticised Clinton for "virtually every disastrous trade agreement which cost us millions of decent-paying jobs".
"I don't believe that that is the kind of judgment we need to be the kind of president we need," he said.
Clinton also slammed Sanders on his response to foreign policy issues, saying he "could not answer about Afghanistan, about Israel, about counterterrorism, except to say if he'd had some paper in front of him, maybe he could."
According to new polls, Clinton is leading her Democratic rival by 17 percentage points among likely Democratic primary voters in the EmpireState.
Sanders also slammed Clinton for her "speeches to Goldman Sachs" for USD 225,000 a speech.
When asked how he would bring outsourced jobs back to the United States without affecting the cost of goods to America's middle class and poor, Sanders said to begin with he would raise the minimum wage to 15 dollars an hour.
"While it is true we may end up paying a few cents more for a hamburger in McDonald's, at the end of the day, what this economy desperately needs is to rebuild our manufacturing sector with good-paying jobs," he said.
"We cannot continue to sustain the loss of millions of decent-paying jobs that we have seen over the last 20, 30 years, based on trade agreements of which Secretary Clinton has voted for almost every one of those. That has got to change," he said.
Clinton responded saying that she has a "very comprehensive plan" to create more jobs and would focus on strengthening manufacturing in the country.
"So I think you've got to go at this with a sense of how to accomplish the goal we are setting -- more good jobs with rising incomes for people everywhere from inner cities to rural areas to every distressed community in America. And that's exactly what my plan would bring about," she said.
The two also clashed over support for NATO and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Sanders asserting that peace can only be achieved in the region if the Palestinian people are treated with "respect and dignity".
"I believe the United States and the rest of the world have got to work together to help the Palestinian people. That does not make me anti-Israel. That paves the way, I think to an approach that works in the Middle East," he said.
Clinton said as Secretary of State, she held the last three meetings between the president of the Palestinian Authority and the prime minister of Israel.
"I was absolutely focused on what we needed to do to make sure that the Palestinian people had the right to self-government. And I believe that as president I will be able to continue to make progress and get an agreement that will be fair both to the Israelis and the Palestinians without ever, ever undermining Israel's security," she said.
IMAGE: Democratic US presidential candidates Hillary Clinton (L) and Senator Bernie Sanders speak simultaneously during a Democratic debate hosted by CNN and New York One at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. Photograph: Lucas Jackson/ Reuters
Mesi, the male Rothschild giraffe at the Abilene Zoo, is so tall that he can stick his head right into Twiga Terrace, the new feeding deck that opens April 23
Twiga means giraffe in Swahili.
After four years of hard work and construction delays, the opening of Giraffe Safari is almost here.
A ribbon-cutting will take place at 10 a.m. April 23 and festivities will include performances from African dance groups throughout the day. Additionally, Wylie ISD students will have conservation stations throughout the zoo in honor of Earth Day.
Because the new exhibit doubles the space previously allotted to the giraffes, visitors will see the animals display behaviors seen in the wild, said Kelly Thompson, marketing and development coordinator for the zoo.
The Giraffe Safari includes more than just the zoo's six giraffes. Multiple enclosures are home to other African animals, such as red river hogs; Aldabra tortoises; blue duikers, a small breed of antelope; and large birds called kori bustards.
Marabou storks and helmeted guinea fowls share the giraffes' space. A new group of colobus monkeys are just a short walk away.
Dr. Stephanie Carle, the zoo's veterinarian, said the red river hogs are her favorites.
"The pigs are very personable," she said.
Zoo visitors will be able to purchase lettuce to feed the giraffes for $4.
Kathy Morehead, chairwoman of the giraffe committee, said it may have taken four years, but the exhibit is worth it. Her favorite part is the Twiga Terrace feeding deck.
"It really gets you up there to eye level with a giraffe," she said. "You can actually reach out and pet them."
Zoo visitors have watched the progress from the old giraffe home with the feeding bridge to this new building, designed by architects Jimmy Tittle and Collin Zalesak, with African plants adding more authenticity. Tittle designed the previous giraffe exhibit some years ago.
"This is the most difficult project I've ever had," Tittle said. "Your client is an animal and you need to design a place where the animal eats well, sleeps well is seen well and can't escape."
Although April 23 is just a bit further out than the National Weather Service feels comfortable in forecasting, meteorologist Mark Cunningham said it appears the weather that day will be dry but the chances of a few showers or scattered thunderstorms cannot be ruled out.
If the ground is too muddy, zoo staff won't let the giraffes out into the paddock because of the possibility of falls, Carle said.
"When it's so muddy, we get really nervous about them sliding on the mud and injuring themselves," she said.
Photographer and McMurry University photography instructor Jennifer Nichols is another member of the committee and is thrilled the exhibit is about to open.
"I think the most exciting thing was when they went into the space and ran," she said.
IF YOU GO
What: Opening of Giraffe Safari at the Abilene Zoo
When: Ribbon-cutting 10 a.m. April 23; zoo hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with African dancing performed throughout the day.
Where: Abilene Zoo, 2070 Zoo Lane, in Nelson Park
Admission: $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, $4.50 for children ages 3-12, free for children 2 and younger.
TAKE THIS QUIZ
Find out how much you know about the worlds tallest mammal:
1. A giraffe has:
A) three times as many vertebrae as a human
B) 100 times as many vertebrae as a human
C) the same number of vertebrae as a human
2. Giraffes come from:
A) India
B) Africa
C) New York
3. How can you tell if a giraffe is male or female?
A) By the pattern of its spots
B) By the size of its horns
C) If its wearing a pink tutu
4. How many stomachs does a giraffe have?
A) Four
B) One
C) 32
5. How much food can a giraffe eat per day?
A) 75 pounds
B) 50 Whataburgers
C) 25 pounds
6. What is the giraffes primary food in the wild?
A) Grass
B) Acacia leaves
C) Popcorn
7. How much water can a giraffe drink at one time?
A) A Big Gulp
B) Five gallons
C) Twelve gallons
8. What is a group of giraffes called?
A) A gaggle
B) A tower
C) A platoon
9. How big is a giraffes heart?
A) 25 pounds; 2 feet long
B) 15 pounds; 18 inches long
C) 50 pounds; 5 feet long
10. How much sleep do giraffes need?
A) 15-17 hours
B) 30 minutes to four hours
C) Seven to eight hours
ANSWERS
1. C, giraffes and humans both have seven vertebrae in their necks, but the giraffes vertebrae are much larger than a humans.
2. B, Africa
3. B, a females horns, or ossicones, are shorter than a males horns and have tufts of hair at the top.
4. A, giraffes are ruminants, like cows, and have four stomachs.
5. A, a giraffe can eat up to 75 pounds of leaves and twigs.
6. B, the acacia leaves and twigs have so much moisture that the giraffes dont need to drink water every day.
7. C, a giraffe can drink up to 12 gallons of water, an amount equal to drinking 128 cans of soda
8. B, a group of giraffes is called a tower
9. A, a giraffes heart weighs 225 pounds, roughly 40 times bigger than the heart of a human male.
10. B, a giraffe needs little sleep, anywhere from 30 minute to four hours, depending on different sources.
Sources: animals.sandiegozoo.org; animals.nationalgeographic.com; www.sciencekids.co.nz
In between bites to eat Thursday, the four candidates running for the two contested seats on Abilene ISD board of trustees faced a room of teachers, bus drivers and aides from the district they're hoping to help lead.
Sammy Garcia and Daryl Zeller, running for Place 3, and James Miller and Angie Wiley, looking to fill Place 7, each spoke their minds Thursday night at the Towne Crier Steakhouse before an audience that included members and guests of Education Abilene and the local chapter of the Texas State Teachers Association.
Chief among concerns addressed was the pay scale for educators and support staff.
"I can't afford to live here as a school bus driver," said Miller, who is employed by the Abilene Independent School District. "So win, lose or draw, I won't be. I'll find something else."
Miller said he, along with many other part-time district support staff members, work additional jobs to supplement their income. But the second jobs, he said, often don't pay enough themselves, because schedules often conflict with district needs among other reasons.
So employees often can't earn enough money to make ends meet, he said. But they stick with their jobs because they genuinely care for students and want them to be safe.
Another topic discussed is the aftermath of a troubling 2015 in the Abilene ISD community, including the February 2015 buyout of the contract of Superintendent Heath Burns, whose departure after a number of legal issues left a leadership void.
"What we went through last year could not have been prevented, but it could've been handled a lot differently than it was," Garcia said. "I'm not going to run away from that. I'm not going to act like last year didn't happen. I'm not going to relive last year, there's a difference. That was a horrible time in our district, that was a horrible time in our community. But what we have to do is we have to learn from it."
Garcia is the only candidate of the four with prior experience on the board, having served one term from 2004-08.
Zeller, meanwhile, said he wants to overcome the events of the past 18 months. Moving forward requires someone who will help rebuild trust, which he said he's able to do.
"I am running to rebuild the public trust in AISD from the leadership standpoint," he said. "Not so much the board, but from where we've been the last 18 months, I know we can be better. That's already started to happen. I'm excited about that, I'm excited about that for (the attendees). I'm a listener and I'm an advocate for children and teachers. I don't think there's any other reason to do this job."
Wiley, president of the Abilene Education Foundation, said she would like to see the lines of communication between all parties repaired.
She said raising teacher and employee morale a need in the district, she said will happen when trust and communication are once again a part of the school system.
The previous superintendent had something to do with the breakdown, she said, but there's a simple mentality that needs to be overcome before things can improve.
"What's good for a campus on one side of the district may not be good for a campus on the other side of the district, and vice versa," Wiley said. "It requires open lines of communication, which we need."
The Abilene Police Department on Thursday night posted on Twitter that missing Abilene teen Amber Thebo "has been located in the (Dallas/Fort Worth area)" and is in police custody.
On April 4, Thebo's mother, April Walker, reported the 15-year-old as a runaway from an apartment complex in the 2500 block of Nonesuch Road.
According to the APD's media release Monday, detectives learned that Thebo reportedly had attended a party at Kirby Lake in the early morning of April 4. Multiple witnesses reportedly told police that Thebo was transported voluntarily from Kirby Lake to an apartment complex in the 1200 block of Yeomans Road.
In the APD's tweet Thursday night, police said more information will be coming Friday.
Assistant District Attorney James Hicks, the unopposed Republican nominee for district attorney in the November general election, is expected to take over the office next month, replacing his boss James Eidson.
Hicks, 59, told the Reporter-News Thursday, following a murder conviction, that a plan was worked out over the last week with the governor's office and Eidson.
Hicks will most likely take over May 2, he said.
'It's my belief the governor will make a formal announcement quite possibly the Friday before, April 29,' Hicks said.
It's been a busy week for Hicks, who said he met with Chief District Judge Jorge A. Solis Wednesday. The former Abilenian swore in Hicks to the federal bar for the Northern District of Texas Wednesday in the middle of the murder case Hicks successfully prosecuted against Michael Crowley and exchanges with the governor's office.
'I hope we do something special every day,' Hicks said. 'I've said it before and I'll say it again, I think Mr. Eidson has put together a fine staff and I hope to use that staff to continue to help fight crime.'
Eidson, who has served as Taylor County DA for more than 20 years, will continue to work in the district attorney's office.
Eidson is unopposed in the general election for 42nd District Court judge. Eidson also was unopposed in the March Republican primary. Current 42nd District Judge John Weeks did not run for re-election. His term is scheduled to end Dec. 31.
Also, Eidson has unfinished business in the DA's office.
'I think what we have planned is for me to hang around and be sworn in as an assistant for a couple months,' Eidson said.
He will help in the transition but said he probably will not be handling cases.
'The budget will be done in June and so I think that's a big deal for (Hicks) to get some guidance on how to do it,' Eidson said.
Hicks received 51 percent of the vote to beat fellow Assistant District Attorney Joel Wilks in the Republican primary
Twitter: ARN_Titus
Halloween events, fall festivals pack October in Abilene, Big Country
From family-friendly to frightful, there are plenty of opportunities to don the costumes and scare up some treats.
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Probably the most feared day of the year this year will remain most people's favorite day of the workweek Friday.
Yes, it's April 15 TAX DAY! but our individual tax returns are not due at midnight.
This year's due date yes, filling out a tax return has been compared to going into labor is Monday.
Well, it is in 48 states.
Because Monday is Patriots' Day in Maine and Massachusetts, a state holiday, those folks have an April 19 deadline.
Quickly enacting, say, Pastry Day in your state isn't going to work.
It's both a necessity that we pay taxes but also our unalienable right to complain about paying taxes. Paying taxes under the Tea Act was what inspired the first tea party and eventually a colonists' revolution against England.
Presidential candidate Ted Cruz would shut down the IRS, which is tasked with collecting our tax money. He proposes moving 90,000 or so IRS agents to the Texas-Mexico border who would want to come illegally into the United States with IRS personnel standing in the way, he reasons.
That has gotten laughs and applause at his rallies including the one earlier this year in Cisco. However silly that sounds, it underscores our general disdain for our cumbersome tax system.
If you are wondering why we are getting three extra days, it's because Emancipation Day is being observed in the District of Columbia. On this date in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation that freed slaves there. This was before the Emancipation Proclamation freed all slaves starting Jan. 1, 1863.
It was only in 1955 that April 15 became the unlucky date that tax returns were due.
But today is our lucky day.
You don't have to fill our your return at home, with a tax specialist or at work, when the boss isn't looking (or perhaps doing his or her return behind a closed office door).
You can finish over the weekend or for those who truly enjoy waiting until the last minute to file returns, there always is Monday.
For many, the issue is moot. They already have filed and, in some cases, already spent the money they got back.
There is more good news, besides United Supermarkets still offering free beans and cornbread Friday as a Tax Day break.
Because April 15 will fall on the weekend the next two years, Tax Day again will be later: April 18 next year and April 17 in 2018.
Mike Grissom, Abilene
The Alzheimer's Association recently concluded its annual forum in Washington, D.C.
On April 6, 1,200 of us wearing our purple Alzheimer's sashes visited the offices of every senator and every representative. Different circumstances brought us to Washington, but we all shared one cause: We all want to see a cure for Alzheimer's disease.
During our time on Capitol Hill, we shared ways Congress can help. In the area of medical research, we are asking for a $400 million increase for Alzheimer's research. This is a minimum amount that researchers at the National Institutes of Health say is necessary to fund attempts to find a cure.
We asked for support of a bill now in the pipeline called the 'Hope for Alzheimer's Act.' This bill would provide Medicare coverage for care planning services following a dementia diagnosis, and ensure that the diagnosis made it into a patient's records. Currently only one-third of seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer's are aware of it. Other components of this bill are projected to create savings to the federal budget of nearly $700 million over a 10-year period.
We also asked for support for a bill called PCHETA (Palliative Care and Hospice Education Training Act). Through training programs, incentive awards and research, this act strives to increase quality of care and quality of life for our aging population with Alzheimer's and other diseases. This bill is also supported by the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society.
Would you help us in our efforts? Call the offices of one of our senators or representatives (Randy Neugebauer for our district), and ask them to support these actions. Over 5 million with Alzheimer's and 15 million caregivers would appreciate it.
Editor's note: Mike Grissom is a board member of the Alzheimer's Association North Central Texas Chapter.
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The June 4 Memorial Museum in Hong Kong's Tsimshatsui district is expected to close by the end of the year.
The organizers of a Hong Kong museum commemorating the 1989 student-led democracy movement in China, and the military crackdown on unarmed civilians that ended weeks of protest on the night of June 3, say it is being forced to close amid growing political pressure.
Located in an 800-square-foot (74-square-meter) office space in Kowloon, the June 4 Memorial Museum has drawn more than 20,000 visitors since it first opened in 2014, marking the 25th anniversary of the massacre, which Beijing has styled a "counterrevolutionary rebellion."
Around half of its visitors come from mainland China, which has erased references to the bloodshed from official accounts and bans public debate or memorials for victims.
Now, the museum is being forced out of its current premises following a lengthy legal dispute with the building's landlords, which the organizers believe is politically motivated.
Hong Kong lawmaker and rights lawyer Albert Ho, whose Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China runs the museum, suspects that Beijing may be behind the ongoing complaints against the museum, whose landlords say it is breaching the building's commercial-use zoning regulations.
"We never expected to run into this much trouble," Ho told RFA in recent interview. "Our opponents seem to have access to huge resources with which to pursue a legal fight."
He said the museum will likely close by the end of the year, after running a series of exhibits to mark the 27th anniversary of the military crackdown in the weeks to come.
"They also make trouble for us via the building management, and they have complained to us repeatedly to various government departments," he said. "Maybe we could pour more time and money into fighting it, but I don't think that would be effective, and it won't benefit the museum much."
Ho said the Alliance plans to seek a new venue for the museum eventually, however.
"This closure is temporary ... we intend to keep looking for a more suitable location," he said.
A sensitive topic
The Alliance, meanwhile, is trying to get the Tiananmen protests and massacre added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
Willy Lam, visiting professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said the Beijing Spring of 1989 is a sensitive topic in Hong Kong, although the former British colony is the only Chinese territory to hold mass public memorial events to mark its anniversary.
"Of course, Beijing is going to do everything in its power to prevent the Alliance from registering June 4 in the United Nations' Memory of the World Register," Lam said in a recent interview.
"But even if they did [succeed], this wouldn't amount to a huge amount of political pressure on China," he said.
The museum's exhibits include photographs of the protests and massacre, touching mementos saved from the scene, and a two-meter replica of the towering Goddess of Democracy statue that featured in the protests.
Under the terms of the 1997 handover, Hong Kong was promised the continuation of its existing freedoms and separate legal jurisdiction for 50 years under the "one country, two systems" pledge from Beijing.
But there are fears that those freedoms may already be eroding, as Hong Kong officials warned earlier this month of "limits" to free speech after a fledgling political party said it would campaign for independence for the city.
Chinese officials have also warned that Beijing could enact laws governing subversion in Hong Kong, and extend them to cover the city by decree of the country's parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC).
And the recent detentions of five Hong Kong booksellers, including one from within Hong Kong's separate jurisdiction and one from Thailand who planned a gossipy book about Chinese President Xi Jinping, have left many fearing that China's state security police is no longer shy of pursuing dissent across borders.
Reported by Xin Lin for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wong Si-lam for the Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.
Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong detained and questioned a prominent rights lawyer for several hours on Friday after he reposted a satirical image of China's president, linking him to the Panama Papers.
In a move that shows how twitchy Beijing has become in the face of revelations of offshore accounts held by the global rich and powerful, Ge Yongxi was taken from his home by five plainclothes police in the provincial capital Guangzhou in the early hours of Friday morning.
He was released after being held and questioned for at least 10 hours, the Hong Kong-based Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group
(CHRLCG) said via Twitter just after 9.00 p.m. local time.
The officers who detained Ge showed no official paperwork, and the lawyer was taken to Yanbu police station in Guangzhou's Nanhai district, the Human Rights Campaign in China group said.
An officer who answered the phone at the police station confirmed Ge's earlier detention, claiming police held 'evidence' against him.
"We wouldn't have gone after him if we didn't have evidence showing that he did something," the officer said.
'Crossing a river, feeling the stones'
Ge's lawyer Chen Jinxue said he had been summoned because of a post he made to friends on the smartphone messaging app WeChat linked to the Panama Papers.
"It was a photo of three Chinese leaders crossing a river. It was about the Panama Papers," he said.
A copy of the heavily manipulated satirical image was still circulating on Twitter, which is blocked in China, on Friday.
The 'photo' showed late supreme leader Deng Xiaoping, who was fond of the phrase "crossing the river by feeling the stones," former president Jiang Zemin and current president Xi Jinping chest-deep in water labeled "the Panama Canal."
"Hey, it's pretty deep," warns Deng, while Jiang adds: "You could easily drown."
"Never fear," says Xi, "I have a brother-in-law [to take the blame]."
The massive leak of 11.5 million files from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca revealed details of the operations and ultimate, hidden ownership of a slew of offshore shell companies owned by the relatives of high-ranking Chinese leaders.
Included in the stash of leaked documents were details of an offshore shell company set up by Xi's brother-in-law Deng Jiagui in the British Virgin Islands.
Highly sensitive information
Since the emergence of the leaked documents, Chinese censors have been fighting to ensure the top-down deletion of information that details how Chinese high-ranking political and financial elites managed and hid their wealth offshore.
Propaganda departments have issued a string of directives in recent days banning media organizations from publishing independent reporting or commentary based on the leaks.
There are growing signs that President Xi is highly sensitive over anything that mentions him by name.
Media insiders said an article defending the president posted earlier this week on Shanghai-based news website Jiemian, under the aegis of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, could only have been penned by the president's office.
According to Ge's family, the lawyer posted the photo at around 2.00 p.m. local time on Thursday.
"He posted it to his friends circle in WeChat, with the comment: 'Aha, so the river they cross by feeling the stones is the Panama Canal!'" Chen said, adding that there were no guarantees that his client would be released soon.
Ge, who represented jailed Guangzhou democracy activist Tang Jingling, is a highly respected member of the city's legal community.
"It is totally ridiculous that he has been called in for questioning just because he retweeted that photograph," Tang's wife Wang Yanfang told RFA on Friday.
'Knee-jerk reaction'
Fellow rights lawyer Wen Donghai said the authorities were acting in accordance with the current atmosphere of censorship surrounding the Panama Papers.
"I think that this is a knee-jerk reaction by the authorities," Wen said. "I think that the leaders of a country should be more statesmanlike about this kind of thing."
"When they act like this, then the whole world knows about it."
Ge wasn't the first rights lawyer to run afoul of the Chinese government in the past year.
China has detained, questioned, held under house arrest or imposed travel bans on at least 317 lawyers, their colleagues and family members since launching a nationwide police operation targeting the profession last July, CHRLCG reported on its website.
Reported by Yang Fan for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Lam Lok-tung for the Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.
North Korean restaurants operating in China just outside the isolated U.N.-sanctioned state are finding it hard to pay their rent due to falling numbers of customers, but in many cases have been allowed to remain open because they provide valuable business contacts for Chinese partners seeking trade across the border, sources say.
In Chinas Dandong city, just across the Yalu river from North Korea, North Korean restaurants have opened by forming joint ventures with Chinese businessmen or with the landlord of the restaurants building, one source in Dandong told RFAs Korean Service.
This places almost no burden on the restaurant itself to pay its rent, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
These restaurants provide their Chinese partners with valuable trading connections inside North Korea, and thus receive preferential treatment themselves, the source said.
With rent often forgiven by Chinese landlords, low wages paid to restaurant employees brought in from North Korea help further to reduce operating costs.
And even then, these payments are often withheld until the employee returns to North Korea, the source said.
Unable to pay
The largest North Korean restaurant in Dandong, the Pyongyang Koryogwan, owes about one million yuan (about U.S. $154,000) each year in rent, but for the last two years has been unable to pay because of a decline in its business, a second source in Dandong said.
However, they have never been forced out of their location, and they still remain open, the source said.
The owner of the restaurants building is the second-largest local trader in goods with North Korea, which was sanctioned on March 2 by the U.N. Security Council after defying international warnings by launching a long-range rocket and testing a nuclear device.
Dandongs largest cross-border trading firm works together with the citys second-largest North Korean restaurant, the Ryukyong, RFAs source said.
This is well-known to residents of Dandong, the source added.
Foreign currency source
The 130 known North Korean restaurants that operate abroad serve as a source of foreign currency for the cash-strapped North Korean government, generating some $10 million annually, according to South Korean estimates.
A growing body of sanctions imposed on North Korea by the United Nations Security Council aimed at curbing the funds for Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs reportedly have made it harder for the eateries to send funds back to Kim Jong Un's government.
U.N. human rights officials have also begun scrutinizing labor abuses committed by North Korea as it dispatches its citizens around the world to toil to earn hard currency for the regime.
Early in April, a North Korean restaurant in the eastern Chinese port city of Ningbo made international headlines when 13 staff members escaped to South Korea to seek asyluma mass defection that Pyongyang condemned as a "hideous" abduction by Seoul's agents.
Reported by Joonho Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Jackie Yoo. Written in English by Richard Finney.
A Rohingya boy and others walk through a market near Thel-Chaung displacement camp in Sittwe, western Myanmar's Rakhine state, Nov. 8, 2015.
A U.S. government commission called on the Myanmar government on Thursday to end rights abuses against the countrys Muslim Rohingya ethnic minority group, hoping that State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi will sort out a better deal for them under the new government.
Aung San Suu Kyi, who is also minister of foreign affairs and the Presidents Office, has already earned high praise both inside and outside Myanmar for pushing for the release of political prisoners and detained students who were awaiting trial for participating in protests against national education policy last year.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)s statement urges the new government led by Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) party and her proxy President Htin Kyaw to protect freedom of religion or belief.
Many have struggled their entire lives for freedom for their country, their families, and themselves, said USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George in the statement.
Under the leadership of President U [honorific] Htin Kyaw and Daw [honorific] Aung San Suu Kyi, the government now must guarantee to them the rights and freedoms enshrined in international human rights covenants, including the fundamental right to freedom of religion or belief for all, he said.
The group said the government must radically change its abusive policies towards the 1.1 million Rohingya, most of whom live in western Myanmars Rakhine state.
The government denies them citizenship, freedom of movement, access to health care, and other basic services, and in 2015 revoked their voting rights and denied them and other Muslims the ability to contest elections, the statement said.
Discriminatory laws
USCIRF also pointed out that the former government under Thein Sein had implemented a series of race and religion laws backed by nationalist Buddhists last year.
Each of these laws discriminates against and restricts the religious freedom of non-Buddhists, particularly Muslims, the statement said.
The Myanmar government has not issued a response to the statement. All government ministries are closed this week for the Thingyan New Year holiday.
USCIRF also urged the current government, which took over on April 1, to abolish discriminatory laws, including the 1982 Citizenship Law, which has deprived the Rohingya of Myanmar nationality and left them open to restrictions on freedom of movement that have affected their livelihoods.
The commission wants the government to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, invite the United Nations special envoy on freedom of religion or belief to visit the nation, and allow the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights to open a country office.
USCIRFs statement echoed the U.S. State Departments observation in its latest annual report on human rights practices around the world issued Wednesday that the Rohingya have experienced severe legal, economic, and social discrimination.
Taking away their vote
The former government disenfranchised the Rohingya during the Nov. 8 national elections, which the NLD won by a landslide, and banned almost all Rohingya and many other Muslim candidates from contesting in the elections.
Aung San Suu Kyi has come under fire in the past for not speaking up on behalf of the Rohingya, whom the previous government referred to as Bengalis because it viewed them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, although many have lived in the country for generations.
Some 140,000 Rohingya were displaced after violence erupted between them and Rakhine Buddhists in 2012, which left more than 200 died and tens of thousands homeless. The Rohingya, who bore the brunt of the attacks, were later forced to live in squalid camps.
About 120,000 Rohingya remain in the camps, while thousands of others have fled persecution in the Buddhist-dominated country on rickety boats to other Southeast Asian countries in recent years.
Just before leaving office in late March, Thein Sein lifted a nearly four-year state of emergency in conflict-ridden Rakhine, but kept in place the policy restricting the movement of Rohingya interned in displacement camps.
Uyghur police officers who die while serving in northwestern Chinas troubled Xinjiang region are being hailed as heroes in an apparent bid by authorities to promote the ethnic minority groups loyalty to Beijing, sources say.
Many of those named in a report released this month by Chinas Ministry of Public Security were not killed in the line of duty, though, but died in traffic or drowning accidents or of heart attacks while under stress and in poor health, sources said.
The report, published on April 1 on the Ministry website and titled Our Heroes, lists 33 fallen officers, including 16 Uyghurs, 15 Han Chinese, one ethnic Hui, and one ethnic Kazakh. All are further described in the online document as revolutionary martyrs.
Uyghur observers in the region and in exile questioned the motivation behind the lists publication, though, with some saying they had never heard of the officers named and others calling the listing strange.
I see nothing heroic in this list, a Uyghur resident of Virginia and former university lecturer named Uchqunjan told RFAs Uyghur Service.
How can you describe as a hero someone who has died of illness in a hospital, and who was not killed in battle or during a police operation? he asked.
This is a very strange list, he said.
Need for heroes
Chinas ruling Communist Party needs new heroes to hold up as examples to the Chinese people, Uchqunjan said, and the stories of true heroes like [democracy activist] Liu Xiaobo and [jailed Uyghur professor] Ilham Tohti are too threatening to party rule.
Therefore, they fabricate these stories to create new examples, he said.
Reached by RFA, residents, officials, and police officers in Xinjiang said they had never heard of many of the policemen described as heroes in the Ministry report.
One of the officers listed as a revolutionary martyr, Abduqadir Abdukerim, was said to have come from Tashimiliq township in Xinjiangs Toqquzag (in Chinese, Shufu) county. But when reporters contacted township residents, no one seemed to know who he was.
We are supposed to know about such heroes who have died for their country, township resident Eli Abdurehim told RFA.
At least I am supposed to know about them, because it is my job to promote patriotism among the residents of my village.
I think you have been misinformed about this, he said.
No questions asked
Another township resident, a police officer, said that he had known Abdukerim, but that the man had been transferred before his death to serve with the county police.
About two or three months ago, I heard that he had died, but I never heard anything about the cause of death, he said.
These days, we do not ask questions about these things, because we have been ordered not to spread rumors or to publicize the negative side of our work, he said.
Uyghur policemen meanwhile often find themselves concerned over the conduct of armed operations, in which they are usually forced ahead of their Han Chinese counterparts when confronting armed militants, a former Uyghur police officer now living in Turkey said.
If you expose your real feelings about these incidents, you will come to the attention of the [Chinese] state security police, the officer, named Yolwas, said.
This will not be good for you or for your children, Yolwas said.
Heavy-handed rule
Rights groups accuse Chinese authorities of heavy-handed rule in Xinjiang, including violent police raids on Uyghur households, restrictions on Islamic practices, and curbs on the culture and language of the Uyghur people.
China has vowed to crack down on what it calls the three evils of terrorism, separatism, and religious extremism in Xinjiang.
But experts outside China say Beijing has exaggerated the threat from Uyghur separatists, and that domestic policies are responsible for an upsurge in violence that has left hundreds dead since 2012.
Reported and translated by Shohret Hoshur for RFAs Uyghur Service. Written in English by Richard Finney.
Kremlin opponents and Western officials have long accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of using his power to accrue massive wealth and lavish real estate, including a sprawling Black Sea estate widely referred to as "Putin's Palace."
Officially, of course, the Russian leaders pockets are considerably shallower, as evidenced by his income disclosures released by the Kremlin on April 15 showing that he earned 8.9 million rubles ($133,900) in 2015, up from the 7.6 million rubles ($115,000) he reported last year.
There was no mention of the Baroque-style seaside mansion allegedly built for him in the southern city of Gelendzhik, to which the Kremlin has denied any link. Instead, Putin declared ownership only of a 77-square-meter apartment, a 1,500-square-meter plot of land, and an 18-square-meter garage. The declaration also showed that he uses a 153-square-meter apartment.
Nor did Putin declare any expensive foreign cars favored by Russias political and financial elite. His disclosure shows that he owns two rare Soviet-made automobiles, a Russian-made Lada Niva off-road vehicle, and a boat trailer. But no sign that he owns a boat -- although a 2012 report co-authored by opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead near the Kremlin last year, said Putin has access to a fleet of four yachts, including one with a waterfall and a wine cellar.
The new disclosure echoes similarly modest income declarations by Putin in previous years. But its release comes amid heightened scrutiny of Putins wealth, including the leak of a trove of financial and legal documents detailing the offshore financial dealings of his close associates.
Investigative reports based on the documents, known as the Panama Papers, show that his close friend, the cellist Sergei Roldugin, owned secretive offshore firms through which some $2 billion moved.
Putin was not named in the documents, but Kremlin critics allege that Putin may be an ultimate beneficiary of this and other offshore cash -- suggestions he and the Kremlin vigorously reject.
The U.S. Treasury Department has said that Putin has investments in Gunvor, a company formerly owned by his associate Gennady Timchenko, a Russian billionaire, and may have access to Gunvor funds. Gunvor and the Kremlin deny these claims.
Adam Szubin, the Treasurys acting secretary for terrorism and financial crimes, told the BBC in January that Putin has been amassing wealth outside the public view.
"He supposedly draws a state salary of something like $110,000 a year," Szubin said. "That is not an accurate statement of the man's wealth, and he has longtime training and practices in terms of how to mask his actual wealth."
Putins 2015 income declaration shows he fared worse financially last year than other Russian officials, including his own spokesman, Dmitry Peskov.
Peskov over the past year has come under withering criticism for pricey accoutrements -- most notably a wristwatch allegedly worth some $600,000 -- luxury real estate, and vacations that Kremlin foes say are far beyond the means of a civil servant.
Peskov earned 36.7 million rubles ($552,500) in 2015, according to his declaration, up nearly fourfold from the 9.2 million he reported last year. His wife, 2006 Olympic ice dancing champion Tatiana Navka, earned 89 million rubles, according to the declaration.
However modest Putins official wealth may be, he does appear to have extremely rich relatives. The Russian version of Forbes magazine reported this week that Kirill Shamalov, widely reported to be Putins son-in-law, has become Russias youngest billionaire at the age of 34.
Based on his official income, Putin also has a way to go to match the up to $2 billion that the Panama Papers tied to offshore companies held by Roldugin, reportedly a godfather to one of Putins daughters.
He needs 17,000 years to earn as much as the cellist Roldugin did by busking in pedestrian underpasses, Russian Twitter user Sergei Guryanov quipped.
The Afghan military says its air force has targeted Islamic State militants in the eastern province of Nangarhar, killing at least 40 insurgents.
A Defense Ministry spokesman said the air strike took place late on April 14 in Achin district. He said several IS fighters were also wounded.
District Governor Gahlib Mujahid said the air strike targeted a meeting of IS fighters that was under way in the Pikha Lataband area.
He said most of the dead were foreign fighters and that their bodies were collected by local villagers and handed over to IS, which has gained a foothold in Nangarhar.
Nangarhar has seen heavy fighting between IS and Taliban fighters.
Analysts say many IS militants are former Taliban members weary of the insurgency's failure to overthrow the Kabul government.
Based on reporting by AP
The Pentagon said on April 14 that the United States carried out up to 80 air strikes against Islamic State (IS) extremists in Afghanistan during the first three months of 2016 under new rules of engagement.
U.S. Brigadier General Charles Cleveland said the increased focus on IS in Afghanistan has been possible because U.S. forces were given broader authority to target the militants since the start of the year.
Before January, the U.S. military could only attack IS militants in Afghanistan under narrow circumstances, such as the protection of troops.
Cleveland said the air strikes have decreased the capacity of IS in Afghanistan, where fighters loyal to the Islamic State leadership in Syria have been challenging Afghan Taliban in some parts of the country.
Cleveland said up to 80 percent of the air strikes have been in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, where the IS has set up a strong base.
He also said the southern Afghan province of Helmand was not on the verge of falling into the hands of the Taliban, but was a "difficult, contested area."
In February, Afghan forces pulled out of some parts of Helmand Province after months of heavy fighting against Taliban insurgents.
Based on reporting by Reuters and AP
Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka says his country wants "to strengthen and widen" its ties with the Islamic world.
Speaking at a summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Istanbul on April 14, Lukashenka said that "it is absolutely obvious that creation of a truly multipolar world is impossible without Muslims."
"Along with the world's other key geopolitical players, the Islamic world can become one of the pillars of stability and security," Lukashenka said.
Lukashenka called on Islamic nations to unify and overcome internal differences."
Lukashenka attended the OIC summit on April 13-14 in Istanbul, even though Belarus is not among 56 member states of the organization.
Based on reporting by BelTA and Interfax
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
Talk about top-down rule.
In a country where many citizens have seen the state bureaucracy as more of a hurdle than a helper for centuries, a message from the Kremlin came across clearly in Vladimir Putin's annual call-in show on April 14: If you want something done in Russia, better ask the president.
For the 14th time in his long rule, Putin used the Direct Line program to bolster his image -- and play the role of a tough but caring tsar with the power to help ordinary people -- by answering carefully selected questions from Russians. And, in what seemed to be a coordinated response, authorities across the country reacted to complaints instantaneously and publicly: They dispatched officials to plants that are behind on wages, opened criminal investigations, and fixed roads full of potholes. Here are some of the problems that were solved -- or patched up -- after Putin's show.
Omsk Roads
After a woman from Omsk complained about the state of roads in her Siberian city, local authorities reported back to the studio even before Putin's 3-hour, 41-minute program was over. They promised to fix 21 roads by May 1.
According to media reports, plans costing 643 million rubles ($9.7 million) to fix 21 roads had been approved by local city authorities on March 11. They had not previously set a deadline.
The day after the Direct Line aired, local citizens began sharing photographs on social media of construction workers laying asphalt. "Respected Vladimir Vladimirovich! Your order is implemented," this post on the Russian social network VKontakte says.
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Shikotan 'Slaves'
Employees of the Ostrovnoi fish processing plant on Sakhalin, the Russian Far East, complained that during seasonal rotations on Shikotan Island they had not been paid. Moreover, living conditions were terrible, but unhappy workers could not leave because of the island's isolation. They said they felt like slaves.
The day after Direct Line, Ostrovnoi CEO Aleksei Popov personally brought the overdue wages to the employees. He apologized to them and blamed the delay on a bad fishing season. The local prosecutor's office announced it would inspect the plant and a hotline was set up for employees to share any of their concerns. Regional Governor Oleg Kozhemyaka flew to Shikotan to meet with the people currently working at the plant.
Electric Crimea
A woman in Crimea, a Ukrainian region annexed by Russia in 2014 with the help of troops and a referendum denounced worldwide, told Putin that electricity in her house is only available on a limited schedule. She said she was glad that "the children spend less time with gadgets," but asked Putin when power supplies would return to normal. Since power lines providing Crimea with Ukrainian electricity were destroyed in November 2015, some homes receive electricity only several hours a day.
A few hours after the call-in-show, Russian Energy Minister Aleksandr Novak said that the third branch of a power supply line that Russia has been building to connect Crimea with Russia had been put into operation. According to the minister, the branch will cover the electricity Crimeans are lacking in the morning and evening hours.He promised that, by 2018, Crimea will be electrically "independent" and will even have power reserves.
Unpaid Worker
Father of four Dmitry Dudkin told Putin that his employer Uralavtopritsep, a Chelyabinsk machinery plant, had not paid him for three months. A few hours later, a senior prosecutor in the Chelyabinsk region said that the plant paid had finally paid its workers' February salaries in full. The official, Natalia Mamayeva, said prosecutors had launched administrative proceedings against the employers.
Dudkin, however, got in hot water over his complaint. He told Russian tabloid website LifeNews that, after the phone call, the plant's security service questioned him.
"I was asked things like, why did I do that and what am I unhappy aboutThey even had a security guard follow me around the plant while I was there," Dudkin said.
Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov plunged his country into a deep political crisis on April 12 when he announced the effective pardoning of more than 50 officials implicated in a wiretapping scandal.
But the crisis in the country actually began last year when officials were charged with election fraud, media manipulation, judicial corruption, and a murder cover-up -- all of which were purportedly revealed in thousands of illegally recorded phone conversations.
Here's a look at how the tumult started and where it is headed.
The Wiretapping Affair
On February 9, 2015, opposition leader Zoran Zaev accused then-Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and secret police chief Sasho Mijalkov (Gruevski's cousin) of authorizing the wiretapping of some 20,000 people, including social activists, religious leaders, judges, political opponents, police, foreign ambassadors, and more than 100 journalists.
Gruevski rejected the charges and said the recordings were fabricated with the help of an unnamed foreign intelligence service in an attempt to destabilize Macedonia.
But Zaev, head of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia opposition party, undermined government denials of the wiretappings by releasing recordings of phone conversations -- many of them involving Gruevski and members of his government. Zaev said a whistleblower within the Interior Ministry had provided him with the recordings.
Many journalists and others allegedly heard on the wiretaps came forward to say that they recognized their voices on the recordings. Several government officials subsequently resigned their posts.
Hundreds of opposition activists and protesters later set up tents and camped near government headquarters vowing to stay until Gruevski and the government resigned. But Gruevski accused Zaev of attempting to blackmail him and the government -- and refused to step down.
Abuse Of Power, Electoral Fraud Charges
Zaev said the recordings he obtained featured government officials with the ruling party, VMRO-DPMNE, discussing vote-buying and intimidation ahead of parliamentary and local elections held between 2011 and 2014.
In one recording, a voice purported to be that of then-Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska can be heard joking about the "little people" who are going to rig the elections. The same voice also speaks about dragging "gypsies by their ears [to polling centers] and getting them to vote."
Zaev also said there are recordings of officials plotting to put journalists under surveillance and ordering editors at state media outlets to publish favorable news stories and kill negative ones. He also claimed that other officials can be heard arranging the outcome of court cases and discussing the placement of friendly judges in powerful positions.
Perhaps most disturbing were alleged recordings of Gruevski speaking with Jankulovska and other officials about the cover-up of the killing of a man who was reportedly beaten to death by a special police unit, the Tigers, after the 2011 parliamentary elections.
Jankulovska -- who resigned last year amid the protests -- said the recordings had been spliced together and edited by "foreign secret services."
Protests Grow
Macedonia's state-run media largely ignored the Zaev leaks, but a student-led demonstration of some 1,000 protesters took to the streets of Skopje on May 5-6 to demand that Gruevski resign.
Days later, a deadly shoot-out occurred near the Serbian border in the town of Kumanovo between Macedonian security forces and what the government described as ethnic Albanian "terrorists."
The incident -- in which eight police and 14 gunmen were killed -- was deemed suspicious by the opposition and others, who suggested it was staged to distract Macedonians from the wiretapping crisis.
But demonstrations continued grow, culminating with tens of thousands of people both opponents and supporters of Gruevski -- marching on the streets of the capital on May 18 and 19.
Elections Endangered?
The crisis prompted to EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn to intervene. After a series of difficult meetings in Strasbourg and Skopje that Hahn mediated between the leaders of Macedonia's two largest parties and other opposition leaders, a deal was reached.
On June 2, Hahn announced that all four parties had agreed on early elections in April 2016 and on the resignation of Gruevski's government ahead of those elections. Gruevski resigned in January, and the parliament was dissolved on April 6.
But soon after Ivanov announced the end of the investigation and pardoned the main suspects in the wiretappings on April 12, several consecutive days of violent protests erupted.
Officials in Brussels and Washington have said Ivanov's action to end the investigation into the wiretapping has jeopardized the credibility of the upcoming polls. The EU's Hahn tweeted on April 12 that he had "serious doubts if credible elections are still possible."
But parliament speaker Trajko Veljanovski officially confirmed on April 15 that early elections will be held on June 5 despite the current political crisis in the country.
Zaev immediately announced that the Social Democrats will boycott the elections unless their conditions to establish a free and fair vote are met, including a new media bill and a review of the country's electoral lists.
Zaev himself was charged in January with planning to overthrow the government. That charge will apparently also be dropped as part of Ivanov's controversial pardon announcement.
International Condemnation
Ivanov's decision to end the investigation by special prosecutor Katica Janeva has not only angered Macedonians, but sparked sharp criticism from Washington and Brussels as well.
EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini said Ivanov's blanket pardon risks "undermining years of efforts within the country and with the support of the international community to strengthen the rule of law."
Hahn told RFE/RL that the situation was "really deteriorating" and said the move to end the wiretapping investigation goes against his "understanding of the rule of law."
The U.S. State Department said in a statement on April 13 that Washington was "deeply concerned" by Ivanov's move, which it said will "protect corrupt officials and deny justice to the people of Macedonia."
It added that failure to allow the courts to do their job and continue the investigation undermines Macedonian leaders' "commitment to the fundamental values of NATO and the European Union."
Small Concession
As domestic and international pressure grew on Ivanov to revoke his decision, he made an offer on April 15 for those implicated in the scandal to have the investigation into their involvement in the affair to continue.
"I think the decision [to pardon potential wiretapping scandal suspects] protects the state interest, and I inform you that I am standing by it," Ivanov said.
"Anyone who thinks that a right has been taken from him or that I have done him a bad favor, or wants to prove his innocence in court, I call on him personallyto submit a request to annul the decision regarding him."
With reporting by Robert Coalson, Zoran Kuka, and Deana Kjuka
Here's a brief snapshot of the headlines this week from Iraq, Syria, and other locations impacted by Islamic State:
-- The battle for Mosul, in northern Iraq, continues to heat up but is far from over. The city is very important for many reasons. Before Islamic State took over in June 2014, it was Iraq's third largest city, and while it was a diverse city, it is also located at the western edge of what is commonly known as Iraqi-Kurdistan. Mosul is on an important crossroad as it is located on the Tigris River and is not far from Irbil, Iraq's fourth largest city.
-- The U.S. military has been arming and training the Kurdish Peshmerga who are preparing to assault the city.
-- Islamic State (IS) terrorists destroyed a 2,000 year-old architectural landmark, the Mishqi Gate, in the city of Nineveh, just north of Mosul.
-- French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian gave a speech in Baghdad this week where he said that Islamic State's strongholds in Mosul, Iraq, and Raqqa, Syria, must fall this year. There are indications that Mosul could fall, but the defeat of the Islamic State in its capital in Syria is still a long way off.
-- Brookings Institute's Kenneth Pollack wrote that Islamic State is "taking a beating" near Mosul and Fallujah thanks to U.S. airstrikes, made possible by a change in strategy by the U.S.-Iraqi coalition, but warns that "Baghdad's announcement that the liberation of Mosul has begun is a bit premature."
-- The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has warned that the Iraqi government is showing signs of collapse as political infighting has seriously damaged Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi's ability to govern. Iraq's political developments could have a significant impact on the country's battlefields, which is one reason why the United States is looking to other sources, like the Kurds in both Iraq and Syria, to lead the charge against Islamic State.
-- In ISW's "Iraq Situation Report" from April 5 to April 11, they reported that Washington is considering building additional firebases to break IS lines near Nineveh since momentum in the area has stalled:
"The proposal would provide necessary assistance for the ground offensive while demonstrating U.S. support for the Iraqi Security Forces and the Iraqi government, though these additions may not be significant enough factors to make up for the limited number of ISF [Iraqi Security Forces] members currently engaged in operations."
-- In Syria on April 11, IS forces recaptured the northern town of Al-Rai, close to the border with Turkey, captured from IS by rebel groups under the Free Syrian Army (FSA) banner on April 7. The BBC reports that IS was able to push west of Al-Rai and capture six other villages, halting the momentum of FSA rebels who were pushing east toward IS strongholds. Prior to the reversal, FSA rebels had reportedly pushed within 10 kilometers of the key northern town of Dabiq.
-- The Daily Beast has written a profile of the misunderstood Abd Al-Rahman Mustafa Al-Shakhilar Al-Qaduli, a man commonly known as Haji Imam, reportedly from Islamic State and described as "the No. 2 man in the worlds most dangerous terror organization."
Michael Weiss and Hassan Hassan write that "he was one man, not two. He had at least seven names, and was mistakenly pronounced dead four times. But the fog surrounding [IS's] No. 2 is finally beginning to part."
The report warns that the death of high-ranking IS officials is important but, if the two-decade campaign against Al-Qaeda is any indication, this may not even be the beginning of the end:
"For a decade, since the killing of its top leaders in 2006 (Al-Zarqawi) and 2010 (Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and his war minister Abu Ayyub al-Masri), [IS] has adapted to changing wartime exigencies (the al-Anbar Awakening, the "surge," the U.S. military withdrawal, the Syrian revolution) and regrouped. It went from being a foreigner-led insurgency to a cosmetically "Iraqized" one to a genuinely Iraqi-led caliphate enterprise. With its renewed emphasis on attacking Western targets inside the West, [IS] has similarly undergone a quiet transformation under the past two years, which is really more of a bifurcation into two organizations."
Antigovernment protests continued for the third consecutive night in Macedonia's capital on April 14 following President Gjorge Ivanov's decision this week to halt prosecutions of officials linked to a wiretapping scandal.
Several thousand demonstrators bearing banners proclaiming "No Justice, No Peace" protested in front of government buildings in Skopje demanding Ivanov's resignation and the freezing of preparations for early parliamentary elections scheduled for June 5.
Protesters clashed with police, throwing rocks and flares at officers guarding the seat of the ruling nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party.
Five police officers were struck by rocks and injured, while one demonstrator was detained, authorities said.
Protests turned violent a day earlier as well when demonstrators ransacked offices used by Ivanov's team and set fire to the furniture.
European Union officials and the U.S. State Department criticized Ivanov's decision and urged him to reconsider his amnesty of more than 50 officials.
Ivanov was defiant in an April 14 interview broadcast on national television, saying his primary motive in pardoning the officials is to put an end to the political crisis that has rattled the poor Balkan nation of 2 million.
"As president, it is my responsibility to end the crisis that has lasted for too long," Ivanov said.
Macedonia has been in turmoil since opposition leader Zoran Zaev accused then-Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski of being behind the wiretapping of about 20,000 people -- including many politicians, journalists, and others in powerful positions.
Gruevski, a political ally of Ivanov's, denied the charges and accused Zaev of "spying" on the government and attempting to "destabilize" the country.
Zaev was later charged with attempting to overthrow the government and is now among those pardoned from prosecution.
Gruevski on April 14 distanced himself from Ivanov's amnesty. "It is against what we stand for. Those who have done something criminal should answer for it," he said.
An EU-brokered deal reached last year to try to end the crisis gave a special prosecutor, Katica Janeva, powers to investigate the wiretap revelations.
She said on April 14 that she would continue to investigate, including allegations of large-scale misappropriation of state funds.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Macedonian Unit, dpa, AP, AFP, and Reuters
Thousands protested peacefully in the Macedonian capital for a fifth night as parliament called for snap parliamentary elections in a bid to end a deepening political crisis linked to a wiretapping scandal.
Protesters have been demanding the resignation of President Gjorge Ivanov after he halted criminal proceedings against dozens of politicians, including former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.
Opposition parties have accused Gruevski and his government of being behind a massive scandal in which some 20,000 people were illegally wiretapped, including politicians, judges, police, journalists, and diplomats.
This week, Ivanov granted amnesty to 56 officials alleged to be involved in the scandal, a decision that sparked sometimes violent protests in Skopje. Six police were wounded and one demonstrator detained in demonstrations on April 14.
Gruevski, who stepped down in January, has strenuously denied the claims and has instead accused opposition leader Zoran Zaev of plotting a coup.
Thousands of people waving white flags and banners streamed through Skopje's streets in the evening on April 15, chanting, whistling, clapping, and blowing horns. Some handed out flowers to riot police who watched the crowds behind shields.
During a live televised address to the nation earlier this week, Ivanov said he issued the pardons to protect national interests and said he wouldnt change his decision.
Under pressure from the European Union, which Macedonia is aspiring to join, lawmakers struck a deal last year to hold early elections and parliament speaker Trajko Veljanovski announced on April 15 the vote would be held on June 5.
The largest opposition group, however, has said it will boycott the vote, and Zaev increased his rhetoric, vowing to "intensify" the protests and accusing Gruevski of "preparing another election theft."
"This is a coup, the constitution has been violated," he told reporters on April 15.
Macedonia's main ruling party, meanwhile, said in a statement the same day that it and three other main parties appealed to Ivanov to review his amnesty decision.
Europe and the United States sharply criticized the pardon, and EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn publicly questioned whether credible elections were still possible.
With reporting by AP and Reuters
Poland's foreign minister has said that Russia is an "existential threat" to European countries and is more dangerous than the Islamic State (IS) militant group.
Speaking at a conference in Bratislava on April 15, Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said "Russia's activity is a sort of existential threat because this activity can destroy countries."
The migration crisis and terrorist organizations such as IS, he added, are "not an existential threat for Europe."
At the same conference, Czech Defense Minister Martin Stropnicky urged strengthening NATO cooperation but added that Russia "should not be isolated."
Stropnicky said Russia has been actively "testing the defensive capabilities of NATO in the Baltic region."
The comments come days after Russian warplanes buzzed a U.S. Navy ship that was conducting joint exercises with the Polish military in the Baltic Sea.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on April 14 said that the Russian pilots' actions were "provocative" and "dangerous." He said that under existing rules of engagement, the planes "could have been shot down."
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
* This article has been amended to correct the spelling of the Polish foreign minister's name.
The Kremlin says it has apologized to a U.S. investment bank and a German newspaper over erroneous remarks by President Vladimir Putin.
In a televised call-in show on April 14, Putin stated incorrectly that the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper was owned by Goldman Sachs in remarks about who he thought was behind the Panama Papers leak.
It was the German daily that first obtained the materials detailing suspicious money transfers of some of the worlds wealthy and powerful, including people close to Putin.
"It is more the error of those who prepared the briefing documents -- my error," Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, told reporters on April 15.
Putin called the Panama Papers leak "a provocation" during his highly choreographed show.
"First article about it appeared in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung, the media outlet that is part of a media holding owned by the U.S. financial corporation Goldman Sachs," Putin said.
Peskov said that apologies had been offered both to the bank and to the newspaper.
Based on reporting by Interfax and Reuters
Russia has denounced the U.S. State Department's latest human rights report, which harshly criticizes the Kremlin's expansionism in Ukraine and record on civil liberties.
Konstantin Dolgov, the Russian Foreign Ministry's human rights point man, called the annual report a "bossy" document riddled with ideological "cliches" and "anti-Russian stereotypes."
Washington should "finally" start solving "the huge amount of pressing problems in the area of human rights, democracy, and rule of law in the United States itself," Dolgov said in comments published April 14 on the ministry's website.
The ministry's sharp response came a day after the State Department released its annual report on the state of human rights in countries across the globe.
The report said Russia in 2015 "significantly and negatively" affected the human rights situation inside and outside its borders following its forceful annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula in 2014 and its backing of armed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
It also said that the Kremlin last year "increasingly instituted a range of measures to suppress dissent" and "systematically...harass, discredit, prosecute, imprison, detain, fine, and suppress individuals and organizations engaged in activities critical of the government."
A Russian judge who agreed to accept a lawsuit filed against Russian President Vladimir Putin has abruptly resigned.
Judicial authorities in the countrys Saratov region said on April 15 that they had accepted the resignation submitted by Tatyana Leskina.
Last week, Leskina formally agreed to hear a lawsuit filed by a private citizen of the Saratov region, Nikolai Suvorov, who demanded Putin's resignation on the grounds he was an enemy of the nation, responsible for impoverishing the Russian people."
Leskina is a veteran judge with 20 years of experience in the Russian judiciary.
She originally scheduled hearings to begin on April 28, but later retracted that, citing presidential immunity granted under the Russian Constitution.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has lifted the doping suspensions of 14 Russian and Georgian athletes who previously tested positive for the banned substance meldonium.
The April 15 decision came two days after WADA officials eased the rules concerning the drug, saying athletes would not be banned if only minute traces of the substance were found.
Around 170 athletes failed meldonium tests, but many claimed they had stopped taken the substance before it was banned as of January.
"If in their blood less than one microgram of meldonium was found, they took it before the ban," Temuri Ukleba, deputy head of Georgia's anti-doping agency, told AP.
Six Georgian wrestlers, including Olympic silver medalist Davit Modzmanishvili, had their suspensions lifted. Eight Russian athletes, notably runner Nadezhda Kotlyarova, were also cleared.
On April 14, the International Weightlifting Federation said the suspension of two-time Olympic medalist Andrey Rybakov of Belarus had been lifted.
With reporting by AP and Interfax
Turkish authorities have blocked access to Russias state news agency website Sputnik.
Mahir Boztepe, editor in chief of Sputnik Turkey, made the announcement on his Twitter account on April 15, saying that Turkish users were denied entry not only to the agencys Turkish website but to all its websites in 31 languages.
Theres been no official comment so far from Turkeys telecoms and Internet regulatory agency.
The move could further harm relations between Moscow and Ankara, strained since Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in November 2015.
Following the warplane incident along the Turkish-Syrian border, Russian President Vladimir Putin imposed sanctions on Turkey and trade between the two countries has plummeted.
Human rights groups and some Turkish media decry what they say has been an unprecedented crackdown on opposition voices in Turkey.
Several opposition newspapers have been confiscated or closed in recent months and broadcasters taken off the air, accused of terrorist activities.
Based on reporting by Hurriyet, Reuters and haberler.com
Prosecutors in Ukraine are demanding 15-year jail terms for two Russian nationals charged with fighting alongside Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Addressing a court in Kyiv on April 15, prosecutors also said that Aleksandr Aleksandrov and Yevgeny Yerefeyev should be stripped of any assets they may hold in Ukraine.
Aleksandrov and Yerofeyev again denied their guilt. They retracted previous video statements admitting they were on active duty with the Russian military when they were captured in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine in May 2015.
The two said on April 15 that the statements were made under duress.
Moscow claims the two men were not active service members of the countrys armed forces at the time they were detained by Ukrainian forces.
Based on reporting by UNIAN and Interfax
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A West Virginia man was arrested after an investigation of a Christiansburg financial scam, according to the town police department.
On Wednesday, the police department received a complaint from a local child care facility. An accounts employee with Grace A Child had received emails from another member of the organization asking for her to deposit $18,000 in a bank account, according to a police department news release. It was determined that the emails were fraudulent, according to the release.
Upon further investigation, the account information, including the name on the account and the name of the bank in which the money would be withdrawn, was determined. With the assistance of the Charleston, West Virginia, police, David Alan Shaver was arrested while attempting to pick up the money at a bank in that locality, according to the release.
Shaver, 51, of Charleston, West Virginia, was being held Friday in South Central Regional Jail in Charleston with no bond, while awaiting extradition.
Shaver is charged with a felony count of attempting to obtain money by false pretenses.
Forty-four of Virginias 140 part-time, citizen lawmakers own at least $5,000 worth of stock in a company that lobbies the General Assembly.
Nineteen of those lawmakers own somewhere between $50,000 and $250,000 in stock in those companies with interests before them, while seven lawmakers own more than $250,000 in stock, according to figures released Thursday by the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan tracker of money in state politics.
The listings of individual holdings, excluding mutual fund investments provide insight into how elected officials invest their money in the stock market, and how much of it they have to invest. Not surprisingly, the most commonly held stocks among lawmakers are blue-chip investments ranging from tech behemoths, to energy, health care and banking.
Virginia Public Access Project organized the figures into lists: the most commonly held stocks by legislators, legislator holdings of companies that do business before the General Assembly, and overall stock holdings by legislators. It compiled the data from financial forms lawmakers filed in December that require disclosure of all companies in which they own at least $5,000 in stock.
According to VPAP, Apple is the most commonly held stock in the General Assembly, held by 16 members with investment of at least $5,000 or more. Del. Mark Levine, D-Alexandria, has the largest investment in the company, valued at more than $250,000.
A dozen lawmakers own General Electric stock, while 11 own Pepsi-Cola Co. shares. Nine lawmakers own shares in Virginia-based Dominion, including three lawmakers who list holdings of more than $250,000: Sen. Bill DeSteph, R-Virginia Beach; Del. Barry Knight, R-Virginia Beach and Del. Manoli Loupassi, R-Richmond.
Other lawmakers who have investments of more than $250,000 in individual companies that lobby the General Assembly include Del. Scott Garrett, R- Lynchburg, who owns stock in IBM; Del. Delores McQuinn, D-Chesterfield, who owns stock in Altria, the Henrico County-based parent company of Philip Morris USA; and Del. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, a lawyer for Verizon who lists a more than a $250,000 stake in her companys stock.
In Virginia, there is no prohibition on lawmakers investing in companies that do business with the state, nor limitation on the size of the investment state lawmakers may hold in such companies.
Abstaining from voting on an issue in which there is a potential conflict of interest invoking House Rule 69 or Senate Rule 36 is done at the discretion of the lawmaker. Statistics were not immediately available for how often lawmakers exercised their prerogative to abstain.
The potential conflict that could arise between part-time lawmakers private investment holdings and the public policy decisions upon which they are asked to vote surfaced during this years legislative session.
House Minority leader David Toscano, D-Charlottesville, raised the issue with House Speaker Bill Howell, R-Stafford, over lawmakers voting on coal tax credit bills. On Wednesday, Toscano emailed fellow House members offering guidance following research with the Division of Legislative Services.
He said the Virginia Code advises delegates to exercise Rule 69 when they have a personal interest in a vote.
The man found dead at Goodyear in Danville on Tuesday morning died from drowning and thermal injuries, according to the Medical Examiners Office in Roanoke.
The manner in which 52-year-old Greg Cooper died was an accident, said Tracie Cooper, district administrator at the office.
Goodyear, the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the United Steelworkers Union which represents Goodyear employees are investigating the incident.
The Danville plant resumed operations at 7 a.m. Friday after being shut down following Tuesdays death.
As associates return to their jobs, the plant team will be keeping the safety and well-being of our associates as the highest priority, a news release from Goodyear stated. At the start of each shift, plant associates participated in a two-hour safety meeting where they were given the opportunity to ask questions and share any comments they may have.
Goodyear said counselors also will continue to be provided at the plant.
Cooper was a maintenance mechanic and worked at Goodyear for 18 years.
DANVILLE The United Steelworkers Union which represents employees at the Goodyear plant in Danville is conducting its own investigation of Tuesdays fatal accident at the plant.
Mike Wright, the unions director or health, safety and environment, said the United Stealworkers (USW) based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania immediately sent an investigator to the plant after hearing of the accident. He has been there the past couple of days, Wright said Thursday afternoon.
A union official also is assisting the family of the victim, Greg Cooper, 52, of Chatham, who worked at the plant for 18 years, Wright said.
We try to investigate every fatality, Wright said. We also send someone to work with the family to make sure they get the benefits they are entitled to.
The union also is arranging counseling for those affected by the incident, Wright said.
Of course, were all really devastated when anyone in one of our workplaces is killed, he said.
The Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Goodyear officials are investigating the incident.
Wright said USW officials are in talks with the company and union members following the accident.
There will be some intense discussions with the company about what we need to do about this, and with the members, Wright said. This will go on at the plant level and the corporate level.
Tuesdays fatality was the third at the plant in eight months. Goodyear previously had a fatal incident in Danville in 2007, according to OSHA.
Goodyear shut down following Tuesdays incident and employees return to work Friday. They were paid while the plant closed production.
The USW tries to investigate every serious workplace incident where it has membership, Wright said. The USW the largest industrial union in North America has about 850,000 members in the United States, Canada and Aruba.
The union investigated about 70 serious workplace incidents last year, Wright said. USW will investigate incidents at its workplaces that involve non-members, as well, he said.
We can learn something from all these accidents, he said. Workplace hazards dont discriminate. They dont care whether or not youre a member. When someone is injured or killed, thats a point in which were all brothers and sisters.
Wright declined to comment on what happened in Tuesdays accident and said the unions probe could take days or months.
Obituaries 10-21-22 Advisory: Obituary information will only be accepted if sent through a funeral home or cemetery. The Wave does not assume responsibility for any incorrect information that is printed in the obituary section John E. Hynes...
Obituaries 10-7-22 Advisory: Obituary information will only be accepted if sent through a funeral home or cemetery. The Wave does not assume responsibility for any incorrect information that is printed in the obituary section John F. Keane...
A TEENAGE rapist who attacked a 15-year-old while on bail for the rape of another teenager could be out of jail in just over two years time.
A judge handed the youth four-and-a-half years in detention for raping the 15-year-old at Rosehill Park in Rawmarsh and an 18-year-old woman in Warren Road Park in Wickersley - but he could be eligible for parole after serving half his sentence.
The Advertiser is barred by reporting restrictions from identifying the teenage sex offender, but has launched a legal challenge to the ruling because we feel he should be named for public safety.
Said to have come from a loving and supportive family, he has now been placed on the sex offenders register.
The youth - also found guilty of sexually assaulting one of his victims - was just 16 when he launched his first attack on the 18-year-old woman at Wickersley last July.
His Honour Judge Mark Gargan, who said the rapist had shown no remorse and continued to protest his innocence, was told that the youth took his victim into woods at a park on the excuse that he wanted to show her his hideout.
The girl said she had wanted to leave but he grabbed her shoulders, held her down while taking off her bra and trousers and raped her as she struggled.
Eventually she managed to push him off and tried to use her phone to ring her friend but the attacker grabbed it and threw it out of reach.
She was finally able to flee, found her friends again and they went to the police.
The second attack, committed last October while the youth was on bail, happened after he met the 15-year-old victim and her friend at Rosehill Park.
The victim was left with the defendant and another younger teenager,
The defendant suggested a threesome but the girl said no and the other boy left.
The attacker then hugged the victim, pushed her against the pillar of a building and started touching her, Sheffield Crown Court was told.
Despite her telling him to stop, the youth put his hand down her trousers, assaulted her and made her touch him intimately.
He then forced her to the ground and raped her.
The distraught girl later told her friends and family what had happened.
When interviewed, the defendant denied any sexual contact and could not explain the semen evidence in each case.
Judge Gargan said: It must have been clear to any reasonable person that (the first victim) was pushing him off and struggling but nevertheless he continued.
The judge said that the man took advantage of circumstances resulting from the ordinary meeting of teenagers.
He added: By law you are still a child but you have been found guilty of three very serious criminal offences you committed at 16.
The judge said that the youth did not appear to recognise what he had done and acted as if nothing serious had occurred.
After the first offence, he must have realised the significance of what you had done, the judge said, adding: but nevertheless on October 21 you engaged in similar offences again against a 15-year-old.
Judge Gargan heard that both girls had been traumatised by their experiences and added: It does not seem to me that much can be said of remorse because you have maintained your plea of not guilty.
Botswanas diamond mining production weakened 33.4 percent during the third quarter of 2015 due to closure of mines, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Debswana, a joint venture been De Beers and the Botswana government, reduced production level at Orapa Plant 1 and also closed the Damtshaa mine.
African News Agency reports, without giving production figures, that apart from diamonds, other significant declines were in copper-nickel and cobalt output.
Acting government statistician Burton Mguni was quoted as saying that the slump had a minimal effect on the countrys position on the global mining index, which remained healthy at 66 percent.
Even though these three minerals had huge decreases when compared to that of diamond production, their impact on the year-on-year percentage change of the overall index is minimal as a result of their weight contribution to the overall index weight, he said.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
The Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies (IDI) is ceasing publication of its trade magazine, Hayahalom (The Diamond), which was founded in 1944. Hayahalom was the only diamond trade magazine published in Hebrew. Recently its longstanding editor, Shira Ami, announced that she was retiring, precipitating the closing of the magazine.
In its early years, which paralleled the development of the diamond industry in Israel, Hayahalom was published sporadically. The magazine began to appear regularly in 1967 with the founding of the Israel Diamond Institute. As the local industry grew the magazine reflected its development, reporting on new markets, rough sources, technologies, innovative cuts as well as important issues and challenges facing the industry. Each issue of the magazine included several pages of articles translated into English, and was distributed abroad as well as in Israel. The magazine is also available on the IDI portal site.
Shira Ami edited the magazine for the past 34 years. During that time the magazine grew to become an important source of information for members of the Israeli industry about trends and developments in the diamond world as well as local industry news and events.
Shmuel Schnitzer, IDI Chairman, said Shira Ami led Hayahalom with creativity and dedication to become a high quality magazine. With her retirement we decided to rethink the publication of a printed magazine and are now considering alternative options.
Alex Shishlo, Editor of the Rough&Polished European Bureau in Brussels
Microsoft Corp. sued the U.S. government, requesting the court to declare the Electronic Communications Privacy Act unconstitutional. The company said it has received more than 5600 legal orders under the Act in the last 18 months. In almost half of these orders, the company was bound not to disclose that the customer data is shared with the authorities.
Microsoft in its filing noted that the government has been seeking their customer information, email content as well as private information, when the company is required to keep it secret.
The fourth amendment of the communication act provides the right for individuals or businesses to know about searches and seizure of properties by authorities. However, the government uses Electronic communications privacy act to get data from cloud. The tech company's contention is that people have the rights, even if they move their private information from physical storage to the cloud.
Recently, Apple had locked horns with the authorities when they were asked to create a software to unlock encrypted iPhones. Later, the court order was withdrawn after, the Federal agency engaged a third party to retrieve data from the smartphone.
Microsoft and other tech companies have supported Apple in the encryption case.
Last day, Uber Technologies Inc, a tech company that connects riders and drivers to facilitate transportation, has revealed in its first transparency report that it has been providing user data to government agencies in compliance of law enforcement requests. More than 12 million drivers and riders were affected in data sharing.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Political News
Unilateral U.S. efforts and a spring offensive by Afghan forces have significantly decreased the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's footprint in Afghanistan, the NATO-led Resolute Support mission's deputy chief of staff for communications told Pentagon reporters Thursday.
Speaking by teleconference from the Afghan capital of Kabul, Army Brig. Gen. Charles H. Cleveland said U.S. Forces Afghanistan continues its authorized mission to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida, and noted the unilateral counterterrorism mission also was extended to ISIL in January 2015 after that terror organization raised its flag in the country.
But the battle for control has changed as ISIL is pushed back, he said.
"Our overall view now is we are having an effect [by] putting pressure on [ISIL], specifically in Nangarhar," Cleveland said. One indicator is ISIL appears to exist in two or three districts today, compared to six to eight districts three months ago, he said.
Additionally, ISIL fighters are trying to move into Kunar and Nuristan provinces or farther south into Ghazni, Cleveland added.
"We don't think they're moving because they're able to expand or they have additional capacity," he said. "We think they're trying to survive. They're under pressure, and are trying to escape from the areas where we've aggressively targeted them."
Another indication of ISIL's decreasing numbers in Afghanistan is the number of fighters who are defecting, Cleveland said. "They're either laying down their arms and coming back to the government or trying to get back into the Taliban," he added.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Political News
Crude oil futures fell sharply Friday amid diminished expectations for a crucial meeting of oil producers in Doha.
Officials from Saudi Arabia, Russia and others are gathering in to discuss an output freeze that could put a floor under crude oil prices.
May WTI oil settled at $40.36/bbl, down $1.14, or 2.8% for the session.
Still, prices were up 1.6% for the week.
Earlier in the week, prices touched a yearly high above $42.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Market Analysis
21 . (): 13 . 56 56 21 20 . : 1/1 11 .
Mass march in Sanaa deplores Saudi aggression continuity
SANAA, April 15 (Saba) The capital Sanaa witnessed on Friday a massive popular march deploring and denouncing the continuous brutal Saudi aggression and its unjust blockade on Yemeni people.
In the march, which was entitled ( The liberal world responsibility : stopping the aggression and siege ), the participants carried banners and slogans condemning the continuance of the aggression coalition in committing vicious crimes against Yemeni people.
The anti-aggression posters pointed to the unfair blockade imposed on the country for more than a year in an obvious challenge to the international and humanitarian laws and customs.
The marchers called on the free peoples in the world to stand by the Yemeni people and bear the responsibility to move to stop the aggression and lift the unjust siege on Yemen.
They also expressed their strong condemnation of the silence of the international community and humanitarian organizations toward the Saudi aggression crimes in Yemen, considering that a participation in the aggression.
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Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car
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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.
Here's what the new Docking State Office Building could look like
Dear Editor,
Keith, what is your point about the government wasting money on the airport?
The problem that Samoa is facing and it has become a stumbling block for further progression is people who complain continuously and yet they have no idea what they are complaining about.
Tourism in Samoa has come thus far and they continue to progress as they implement new ideas and develop tourism to their best.
Samoa might be dragging its feet in development of tourism but it has done a marvelous job thus far. To be frank I get so annoyed with letters like this aiming to bad-mouth the people of Samoa who are trying their best to beautify and attract tourists to Samoa.
Nonsense like comparing Samoa to Hawaii and Fiji is way too childish and baseless argument from a 4th grader if not lower. Samoa could have allowed foreign investors to build like their massive hotels and resorts like they do in Fiji. Have you lived in Fiji like the Fijians do?
Have you spoken with the Fiji natives and how they feel about it?
I guess NOT because I guarantee almost 150% you havent talk to a Hawaiian and see how they feel about their island been stolen and molested by foreign investors.
Samoa is doing a fantastic job and as a 1/2Samoan 1/2 Hawaiian I am proud of my Samoan roots and I take my hat off to those who are running the government of Samoa for doing their best.
I would like to help you with a solution to your concern. If you are as a proud Samoan like I am residing overseas the best we can do is to promote Samoa with our basic Faasamoa way of life. Love, Respect and give if you can.
These are the qualities that will lure tourists to visit our homeland and it is the best you as a Samoan can do.
Stop with the fiapoko and do something productive with your life that will earn Samoa a positive reputation and will attract people to visit our shores.
Money spend on the airport in Faleolo is the best thing the government can do. First Impression of a tourist begins at the airport and end at the airport.
Bruin
Dream it, believe it and achieve it. Thats what Neon Jairo Siaki told her fellow graduates at Pesega yesterday.
And she had all reasons to be proud. Along with 28 other graduates from business class, the young woman from L.D.S. Church College Pesega finally received her diploma.
I feel so happy right now, because without this, we would not know what to do, she said. As a graduate from Business class, I now have so many opportunities for my future: If I do not find a job now, I can start my own business or might do something else.
The Business class was facilitated by Samasoni Pea who congratulated his students yesterday.
Everything in this life has to do with business even if its just the shoes you are wearing at the moment, he said.
But it was not only the graduates from Business Class who had their proud moment.
The school also honoured a great number of English students who were able to successfully complete the colleges Self-Reliance English course, conducted by their teacher, sister Wendy Whittle.
Originally from Utah, USA, Whittle serves together with her husband as an L.D.S. missionary and felt more than happy with the goal her students achieved. English is such an important part of Samoa now and it is necessary that the countrys youth learns the language, she said.
That is exactly what the graduates of today have accomplished. Every day in class they came up to us and wanted to do more homework, so they were really willing to achieve this goal.
The driver who rear ended two vehicles in Apia during a drunken rage has been charged and will appear in Court on 19 April 2016.
This was confirmed by the Media officer of the Ministry of Police, Maotaoalii Kaioneta Kitiona.
Following the Police investigation, Maota said they have confirmed that the 25-year-old was drunk and he should never have gotten behind the wheel that night.
The accident occurred two weeks ago in-front of the Seana night club where the Nissan X-trail crashed into two vehicles parked on the side of the road. The driver was taken to the hospital where he was given emergency medical treatment.
Maotaoalii added that the high percentage of the alcohol consumed by the driver that night was unacceptable. Such behavior is unacceptable because it puts the lives of other members of the public at risk, said Maota. We want to ask everyone to please be careful and not to drink and drive.
A group of matai fighting for the protection of customary lands in Samoa has stepped up their fight.
The group who lodged a complaint with the Asian Development Bank (A.D.B) in 2014 on the back of fears about the alienation of customary lands has elevated their complaint to the Compliance Review Panel (C.R.P), the highest level of grievance mechanism in A.D.B.
Confirmed by their Spokesperson, Fiu Mataese Elisara, the decision was made this week following frustrations at the lengthy delays taken by the Office of Project Facility (O.S.P.F) of A.D.B to find a solution.
According to the chiefs, the problem solving process to date has failed to address their fundamental concerns as clearly articulated in their complaint.
In their initial complaint, Fiu, Lilomaiava Dr. Ken Lameta, of Vaimoso, Teleiai Dr. Sapa Saifaleupolu, of Samatau and Leuluaialii Tasi Malifa, of Afega expressed deep concerns about the individualization, financialisation and alienation of customary land.
Their concerns arose as a result of A.D.B Technical Assistance (TA) initiative for Samoa to Promote the Economic Use of Customary Lands.
They argued that the project had been carried without meaningful consultation across Samoa.
According to the group, under a series of projects called Promoting Economic Use of Customary Land, the A.D.B has driven land and financial sector reforms in Samoa to make it easier to lease customary land and to use those leases as collateral for loans.
The A.D.B wants to create a system through which a single authority figure can unilaterally lease out customary land, without consulting other members of the aiga, the group says in a statement.
Under the reforms, the lease agreement could then be used by the leaseholder to access credit from a bank. But if the leaseholder is unable to repay the loan, the bank can take control of the lease, which could cover large tracts of customary land for decades.
The chiefs points out that leasing of land to outsiders for long durations, registering these under the Torrens system of land titles registration through the Land Titles Registration Act 2008 (LTRA) that does not recognize collective ownership of the extended family, and then mortgaging those leases with banks to secure interests of investors, is tantamount to customary land alienation, forbidden by customary laws as well as the Constitution of Samoa.
Speaking to the Weekend Observer, Fiu said that while they have transferred their complaint to the C.R.P, they will still engage in the consultation process being worked out by the consultant and government promised to commence in May.
In the meantime, the C.R.P is requested to investigate whether the A.D.Bs safeguard policies, including the Indigenous Peoples policy, were complied with because chiefs do not believe that some of the central concerns with past reforms affecting customary land tenure will be addressed.
The chiefs believe that an independent investigation by the higher level of governance and grievance mechanism of A.D.B through C.R.P is necessary because of the gravity of what is at stake in Samoa - the very fabric of the customary way of life and cultural references of all Samoans, the integrity of the matai (chief) system, the inter- and intra-generational responsibility to ensure protection of customary lands, the real danger that the TAs will amount to alienation of customary lands, to name a few are inevitable as a result of these projects.
A detailed statement issued by the group will be published in full in tomorrows Sunday Samoan.
The government has repeatedly rejected claims by the group.
Last year, former Attorney General Aumua Ming Leung Wai assured that customary lands are protected=.
Government wants to protect our customary lands and has no intention to amend Article 102 of the Constitution that would authorize the sale of customary lands, Aumua told the Savali.
Customary land cannot be sold or mortgaged according to Article 102 of the Constitution of Samoa.
However, customary land can only be leased or licensed under the Alienation of Customary Land Act 1965.
Customary lands could also be taken for public purpose under the Taking of Land Act 1964.
If Government wants to allow customary land to be sold or mortgaged, then it must first amend Article 102.
At the time, Aumua also explained the process to amend Article 102.
The only way to amend Article 102 is a two thirds majority of Parliament approval and by holding a public referendum, continued Tuatagaloa.
And a two thirds voters majority from referendum or pelepesite is mandated by law for the constitutional amendment to be adopted.
All other articles of the Constitution can be amended by two thirds majority in Parliament but Article 102 is the only article that has the added requirement of a public referendum.
And Government wants to protect our customary lands and has no intention to amend Article 102.
The Member of Parliament for Alataua West, Aliimalemanu Alofa Tuuau, has been spared to serve her five-year term in Parliament.
It follows a decision from former M.P for the constituency, Lafaitele Patrick Leiataualesa, to withdraw his election petition yesterday.
Lafaitele had accused his rival of bribery and treating during the General Election.
Lawyers Eliota Fuimaono Sapolu and Unasa Iuni Sapolu represented him in Court. Amelia Faasau represented Aliimalemanu.
In informing the Court about an agreement reached by the parties during mediation, Mr. Fuimaono Sapolu said his client was unwell and could not attend the proceedings.
But weve been instructed by our client to withdraw the petition, he said.
Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiavaasue Falefatu Sapolu is one of two judges presiding. The other is Justice Lesatele Rapi Vaai.
His Honour Patu told the Court he could not disclose what was agreed upon during the mediation because it was confidential.
But the Court will make an order that the notice of motion for the withdrawal of the petition be published in a newspaper tomorrow, he said.
This matter will be recalled on Tuesday 3rd May to give the parties time to complete the withdrawal process set out in the rules.
Chief Justice Patu acknowledged the work of the lawyers involved.
He also thanked the constituency affected in the matter for their support as well as the petitioner for change of heart.
Although there are ups and downs, it ends up being resolved, he said.
Outside Court, Aliimalemanu, was a relieved woman.
I thank God there is peace and the matter has been resolved, a method that I had wanted, said the woman M.P.
This is the spirit of us Samoans, we want to resolve things and not be brought to Court. I thank the mediation for their part and my constituency and families for their support through this.
But Mr. Fuimaono-Sapolu did not share the same excitement.
We are getting these breaks in the village of breaking the law and its never getting to Court, he explained.
Instead of changing the law to address bribery now the law is being changed...there is a break over here its never getting to Court and something is getting in between.
We need to start talking about it first that there is something going on.
The lawyer added that we have a kid being arrested for selling a leaf (marijuana) and sent to jail.
In theory I have the law but it does not protect anyone in the village.
Before the agreement was signed, Mr. Fuimaono-Sapolu had told the Court that the parties could not reach a conclusive solution on Thursday.
In terms of this case its been extremely difficult because of the pressure that our client is under, said Sapolu.
We may come up and talk about mediation but walking from that room to this Courtroom can change things. It is unbelievable pressure your Honour with things going backwards and forth.
The petition is one of four petitions withdrawn this week. The others involve the Speaker of Parliament, Leaupepe Toleafoa Faafisi, Urban West MP, Faumuina Wayne Fong and Falelatai and Samatau MP, Taefu Lemi.
Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/15/2016 -- The demand for ready-to-eat, minimally processed and easily prepared food is increasing day-by-day. Initially packaging of these foods was basically to provide protective and barrier functions, against physical and environmental damages. However, the growth or spoilage due to microorganisms in the packaged foodstuff has still continued to cause problems regarding food safety and quality. To deal with this problem, the concept of 'Active Packaging' was introduced, where different active substances are incorporated into the packaging material to improve its functionality. Antimicrobial food packaging is one form of active packaging, where use of materials with antimicrobial properties is involved.
The main aim of this type of packaging is to achieve high quality, safety and long shelf life by reducing or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms, which may be present in the packed food or the packaging material itself. The most desired property of antimicrobial packaging material for food is the controlled release of antimicrobial agent. A rapid or slow release would result in spoilage of packaged food.
Several factors must be taken into account in the design or modelling of the antimicrobial film or package. It is clear that the selection of both the substrate and the antimicrobial substance is important in developing an antimicrobial packaging system.
Condition of processing antimicrobial activity residue
Microbial substance and food characteristics
Additives interaction with film matrix
Temperature for storage
Packaging material properties
Request Free Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1380
Market Dynamics:
One of the major drivers of the antimicrobial packaging market, is the increasing demand for packaged food. Increasing number of working women, migration of people from urban to rural areas, and rise in disposable income in emerging economies, are the factors that fuel the demand of packaged food. At times, packaged food is preferred over fresh food, because of the safety of quality and hygiene. Moreover, it is convenient and made tasty.
Antimicrobial packaging industry has an opportunity to enter the beverage packaging industry, where antimicrobial agents can be used to increase the shelf life of alcoholic, non-alcoholic and dairy-based drinks. Flavored milk, fruit juices, wines, etc. can be packaged using antimicrobial films. Antimicrobial packaging can also be used for cosmetic packaging, which would improve the quality and shelf life of the products.
Market Segmentation:
The antimicrobial packaging ingredients for food packaging market is segmented on the basis of antimicrobial agent type, food type and packaging film type. Antimicrobial agents are divided into chemical antimicrobial agents and natural antimicrobial agents. Chemical antimicrobial agents are further segmented into benzoic acid and potassium sorbate, and natural antimicrobial agents are segmented into nisin, lysozymes and lactoperoxidase. The market on the basis of food type is divided in to baby food, snacks and fresh food. On the basis of the type of film used for packaging, the market is segmented into low density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), paperboard, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cellophane and polyethylene (PE).
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Regional Outlook:
The antimicrobial packaging ingredients for food packaging market is segmented on the basis of regions into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Japan. North America & Europe are estimated to be the market leaders in the industry. Asia-Pacific is projected to be the fastest growing region during the forecast period. There are heavy expenditures in the R&D segment of the companies, to introduce improved antimicrobial packaging films ingredients for food packaging.
Market Players:
The major players in the antimicrobial packaging ingredients for food packaging industry are, Mondi Group (Austria), BioCote (U.K.), LINPAC Packaging (England), OPLON (Israel), Amcor Ltd. (Australia) and Sealed Air (U.S.). A lot of food technology companies are venturing with food packaging players to launch antimicrobial films in the market.
Deerfield Beach, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/15/2016 -- Global and China X-Ray Protective Screens Market 2016-2021 Market Research Report
Complete report With TOC available: http://www.mrsresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/global-x-ray-protective-screens-market-2016-industry.html
The report on the Global and China X-Ray Protective Screens Market 2016 Industry meticulously addresses the various drivers, restraints, and opportunities that exist in this space. Compiled by a team of expert analysts, the report offers an overview of the all the key performance indicators of the Global and China X-Ray Protective Screens Market 2016 Industry.The study analyzes the Global and China X-Ray Protective Screens Market 2016 Industry in terms of revenue and volume, where applicable.
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All internal and external factors influencing the growth trajectory of the Global and China X-Ray Protective Screens Market 2016 Industry are taken into account. With a firm focus on the companies that compete for a share of revenues within the Global and China X-Ray Protective Screens Market 2016 Industry, the report is a valuable resource that supports competition mapping and strategy development.
Besides the drivers and restraints that will be conspicuous by their presence over the next few years, the Global and China X-Ray Protective Screens Market 2016 Industry report also conducts a detailed analysis of the trends and opportunities that currently prevail. The report doesn't stop at listing the various opportunitiesit also picks out threats, growth pockets as well as white spaces that exist therein.
latest X-Ray related report:
1:Global and China X-Ray Film Printers Market 2016-2021 Market Research Report
The report on the Global and China X-Ray Film Printers Market 2016 Industry meticulously addresses the various drivers, restraints, and opportunities that exist in this space. Compiled by a team of expert analysts, the report offers an overview of the all the key performance indicators of the Global and China X-Ray Film Printers Market 2016 Industry.
Complete report With TOC available: http://www.mrsresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/global-x-ray-film-printers-market-2016-industry.html
The study analyzes the Global and China X-Ray Film Printers Market 2016 Industry in terms of revenue and volume, where applicable. By doing so, the team of authors working on this report have been able to offer a complete and realistic picture of the future course that the Global and China X-Ray Film Printers Market 2016 is expected to adopt.
All internal and external factors influencing the growth trajectory of the Global and China X-Ray Film Printers Market 2016 Industry are taken into account. With a firm focus on the companies that compete for a share of revenues within the Global and China X-Ray Film Printers Market 2016 Industry, the report is a valuable resource that supports competition mapping and strategy development.
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Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/15/2016 -- 'Life Insurance in Australia, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides detailed analysis of the market trends, drivers and challenges in the Australian life insurance segment. 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 (20112015) and over the forecast period (20152020).
The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the Australian 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:
'Life Insurance in Australia, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Australian life insurance segment, including:
- The Australian life insurance segment's growth prospects by life insurance category
- Key trends, drivers and challenges for the life insurance segment
- A comprehensive overview of the Australian economy and demographics
- The various distribution channels in the Australian life insurance segment
- Details of the competitive landscape in the life insurance segment in Australia
- Details of regulatory policy applicable to the Australian insurance industry
Scope:
This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the life insurance segment in Australia:
It provides historical values for the Australian life insurance segment for the report's 20112015 review period, and projected figures for the 20152020 forecast period.
It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Australian life insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020.
It analyzes the various distribution channels for life insurance products in Australia.
It profiles the top life insurance companies in Australia and outlines the key regulations affecting them.
Reasons To Buy:
- Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Australian life insurance segment, and each category within it.
- Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Australian life insurance segment.
- Assess the competitive dynamics in the life insurance segment.
- Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories.
- Gain insights into key regulations governing the Australian insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industry's future.
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Key Highlights:
- Life insurance was the largest segment in the Australian insurance industry in 2015, accounting for 51.5% of the gross written premium.
- Australia's insurance industry needs more skilled workers, as a result of a lack of concentration on and investment in attracting graduates and entry-level staff.
- The improved profitability in 2015 is a positive sign for Australian life insurers, who endured a challenging environment during the 20072008 financial crisis.
- In the 20152016 Federal Budget, the government proposed changes to Australia's Age Pension Reform Bill.
- Australia's life segment is concentrated, with the 10 leading insurers accounting for 91.9% of the net revenue in 2015.
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Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/15/2016 -- Macadamia nut was introduced in the early 1960s to the Kenyan highlands from Australia. Macadamia is a member of the family Proteaceae, native to Australia. Australia and Hawaii are the major producing areas of macadamia with others including eastern and southern Africa, and Central and Latin America. Several species of macadamia exist in Australia but only two species such as M. tetraphylla and Macadamia integrifolia and their hybrids are grown commercially. Production of macadamia nuts in Australia is mainly in eastern shore of Australia (northern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland). Currently, Hawaii is the largest producer of global macadamia, accounting for around 70 percent of total macadamia production worldwide followed by Australia, around 22 percent, rest is produced by other countries including Malawi, South Africa, Kenya, Guatemala, Mexico, California, Costa Rica, Brazil, New Zealand and China.
Tree nuts include almond, cashew, hazelnut, pistachio, walnut, macadamia, and pecan. Currently, macadamia accounts for around only one percent among all the tree nuts available across the globe. Almond nut dominates the nut segment, accounting for around 34 percent. Increasing health claims for macadamia have witnessed a surge in recent years, which if succeeded is expected to increase the consumption of macadamia nuts among consumers.
Global Macadamia Market Segmentation:
On the basis of application the global macadamia market is broadly segmented into food industry, and cosmetics industry. In food industry macadamia is widely used in confectionaries including chocolate bar, chocolate covered candy, ice cream and other baking products. In cosmetics industry it is used in shampoos, sunscreens, soaps and others.
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Geographically, global macadamia market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan and Middle East & Africa. Currently, North America and Western Europe account for major market share for macadamia however, Asia Pacific excluding Japan is expected to grow significantly in the forecasted years.
Global Macadamia Market Dynamics:
Owing to increasing variety of applications of macadamia, various workshop are taking places in order to increase the international trade for macadamia and since capitalise the growing demand for macadamia. Adoption of macadamia in chocolate and ice cream among consumers is expected to drive the demand for global macadamia in the near future. The biggest restraint for macadamia market is increasing crop losses due to immature nuts and moldy / rotten nuts. The crop losses due to these type of nuts accounts for around 50 percent of the total macadamia wastage globally. Thereby, reducing inclination of crop growers for macadamia and thus, hampering the market growth.
There is a high opportunity to increase the market share of macadamia in terms of revenue across countries such as Mexico, China, South Africa and others. Companies are investing in these countries through promotional activities in order to increase the footprint of macadamia worldwide.
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Global Macadamia Market Key Players:
Some of the key players operating in the global macadamia market are Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corp., Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company, MacFarms, Wondaree Macadamias, NAMBUCCA MACNUTS Pty Ltd, Golden Macadamias, Royal Macadamia (Pty) Ltd., Kenya Nut Company Ltd. and MWT Foods Australia.
Shawnee on Delaware, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/15/2016 -- Charlie Kirkwood, candidate for Pennsylvania Delegate to the Republican National Convention, calls for voters' input regarding the selection of a Presidential nominee at the Republican National Convention. Previously elected twice as a convention delegate, Kirkwood suggests a way for Pennsylvania voters to have their voices heard despite Pennsylvania's unusual election rules. He suggests voters in his district input their preference directly via http://www.facebook.com/CharlieforDelegate to him and that all the delegates make the same arrangement.
All of Pennsylvania's elected delegates run uncommitted to any presidential candidate in the primaries where the convention delegates are elected. Those who are elected are not bound to any presidential candidate even on the first ballot no matter how the presidential candidates fare in the primary. Thus, a voter who voted for, say, Sen. Cruz on the primary ballot may also have unknowingly voted for a delegate to the national convention who is a Trump supporter since none of the delegate candidates need declare whom they support. In virtually every other state, delegates' votes must reflect the outcome of their states' primary votes with regard to the Presidential candidates at least on the first ballot.
Kirkwood recently launched a Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/CharlieforDelegate), allowing voters to indicate to him whom they support. He intends to maintain this website during the convention so voters can express their preferences right up to the final vote for the Republican Presidential candidate. He urges all delegates to do the same. He has already sent this message to approximately 195,000 potential voters in the 17th Pennsylvania congressional district soliciting their input.
In the current complicated Presidential race, Americans need ways to have their views expressed in a contested Republican convention. The last contested Republican convention occurred 40 years ago in 1976. The possibility of a contested convention this year requires delegates to know who voters want the nominee to be in the upcoming convention, taking place in Cleveland July 18-21, 2016.
For further information about Charlie Kirkwood as a Republican Delegate in the 17th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, please visit https://www.facebook.com/CharlieforDelegate. Voters are invited and encouraged to share their opinions.
About Charlie Kirkwood
A lifelong Pennsylvanian, Kirkwood grew up in Bethlehem where both his father and grandfather worked at Bethlehem Steel's grinder mill. He received his undergraduate degree at Williams College and later completed his LL.B. at Harvard Law School. After college, as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Coast Guard, he served in Cuba during the Bay of Pigs invasion and Southeast Asia. Charlie established his own law practice overseas, where he met and married his wife, Ginny in Turkey where she was a Peace Corps volunteer. In 1977, Charlie and Ginny returned home to Pennsylvania and purchased the historic Shawnee Inn on the Delaware River, where they currently reside.
Charlie was twice elected Delegate to the Republican National Convention and served as Monroe County's Pennsylvania Republican Party Chairman for six years. If elected, Charlie intends to have the voters of the 17th Congressional District of Pennsylvania guide his vote at the 2016 Republican Convention.
For interviews, please contact Jeromy Wo, Communications Specialist at: 570-424-4000 or by e-mail at: charliefordelegate@gmail.com
Contact:
Jeromy Wo, Communications Specialist
Phone: 570-424-4000
E-mail: charliefordelegate@gmail.com
Website: https://www.facebook.com/CharlieforDelegate
A technology that relies on trained African giant pouched rats named HeroRATS to sniff out tuberculosis (TB) and diagnose the disease faster than conventional diagnostic methods is helping save lives in Mozambique and Tanzania.
Mozambique and Tanzania are among 22 high-burden nations suffering from TB, with 58,270 and 63,151 new cases of the disease detected, respectively in 2014, says the WHO.
The rat technology is being used by Belgian non-governmental organisation, APOPO, for speedy and cost-effective testing of TB in the two countries prisons, allowing patients to receive prompt treatments.
When the HeroRAT detects TB, it hovers over the sample for three to five seconds. Charlie Richter, APOPO
According to APOPO information sent to SciDev.Net last month (23 March), the project is benefitting from a two-year US$80,000 funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded in 2015.
Charlie Richter, US director of APOPO, says the pilot project is aiding a diagnostic accuracy study of the technology in high risk populations, such as prisons, adding rigorous scientific evidence towards WHO endorsement.
The HeroRats are presented with a row of ten suspect TB sputum samples. When the HeroRAT detects TB, it hovers over the sample for three to five seconds, Richter says. All rat-indicated positive samples are then confirmed by LED microscopy or Xpert MTB/RIF, the WHO recommended technology for identifying suspected cases of TB.
A single HeroRAT can check about 100 sputum samples in just 20 minutes, compared to conventional methods of microscopy, which would take a laboratory technician two days or more and still miss many of the true positives, Richter says. Early studies show that the rats are able to correctly identify 70 per cent of TB cases and 81 per cent of those without the disease .
It takes about nine months to fully train a TB detection rat, but once trained they can screen thousands of sputum samples every month. We have trained 59 TB detection rats in our training and research centre in Morogoro, Tanzania, nine were then transported to Maputo, Mozambique, adds Richter. Of these, 30 are still active in Tanzania and 8 in Maputo. The others are either retired or died from natural causes.
The project has screened over 300,000 TB samples, resulting in a 45 per cent increase in TB detection at partner clinics.
Richter tells SciDev.Net that without HeroRATs, the clinics would have incorrectly diagnosed 50 per cent of symptomatic TB positive patients as TB negative.
In the future, APOPO plans to test the rats abilities to detect other diseases such as cancer. APOPO hopes to roll out its TB programme in at least six countries by 2020 in Africa and Asia Bangladesh, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, India and Kenya, but cites funding and establishing partnerships as challenges.
Jeremiah Chakaya, a physician and chest specialist with the Kenya Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, says work with rats to detect TB has been going on for a long time.
The idea, he explains, was spurred by the superb sense of smell of these rats which had been used to detect land mines after the Mozambican civil war.
The rats pick up in their smell a group of chemicals collectively called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), says says Chakaya, noting that the rats alert an observer that there are TB-associated VOCs in a sample.
The same principle has been used to develop machines called electronic noses. My suspicion is, it is the electronic noses that will move forward to commercialisation, if the technologies prove their worth. Rats may be cumbersome to place in a clinical laboratory but not impossibly so.
This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.
FLORENCE, S.C. Florence School District 1 and public education in general must remain committed to our core business of teaching and learning. Often our children come to our schools with needs that have not always been the responsibility of schools. Therefore, some days our schools must address issues that may impact how we remain committed to our core business.
We address needs for children outside our teaching and learning commitment so they have the opportunity to become educated as defined by established criteria that are assessed each year. We take a more holistic approach to educating the children today because our quality of life is enhanced in an educated community. If you want to know how successful a community is, just examine how they treat their children and the elderly.
The accomplishments of our school district last year were impressive. We received an Excellent Report Card rating, and our district was recognized for improvement in the achievement of students belonging to historically underachieving groups for the second year in a row. Florence 1 schools for the first time received 100 percent Absolute Ratings of Excellent, Good, or Average. Our students received scholarships totaling over $15 million; we had eight National Merit finalists, and the list goes on and on. We have a good school district, but we cannot let good keep us from pursuing greatness.
In order to be a great school district, we need an engaged and involved community. By combining engaged and involved , we can create a learning community. We must pay particular attention to those members of our community who do not have children in schools. These individuals are taxpayers and contributors to our school district each year. It is imperative that we purposely design ways to effectively communicate to them what their return on investment is as often as possible. Those members of our community who do not have children in our schools are more likely to be the engaged and take a more systemic view of the school district rather than be involved with individual schools.
Examples of community engagement:
>> Advocating for all children and all schools.
>> Championing the link between education and the quality of life in our community.
>> Engaging in the political arena to support education.
>> Understanding and advocating for early childhood education.
>> Articulating the importance of a high-quality work force and what it takes to recruit, develop and retain employees.
>> Communicating the importance of home-school-community connection, which is essential in developing a learning community.
>> Our parents and employees have the opportunity to be more involved in our schools, but their engagement is needed also.
Examples of community involvement:
>> Mentoring a child.
>> Volunteering in a school.
>> Serving as a proctor for testing.
>> Serving as a member/officer in PTA/PTO/APT or booster clubs.
>> Selling/buying tickets for fundraising events for the schools.
>> Becoming a business partner.
There are many more ways to become engaged and involved in our schools. In doing so, we must develop the attitude that providing and receiving a great education is everybodys business.
Effective 9 May, the maximum authorised transit draught will be set at 11.59m (38.0 feet) Tropical Fresh Water. Vessels loaded to draughts over 11.59 meters (38.0ft) on or before 11 April 2016, will have this draught restriction waived for transit, subject to safety considerations. Vessels loaded after 11 April 2016, have to comply with the draught restriction. As in the past, draught restrictions will be implemented in 15cm (six-inch) decrements at a time, with each restriction announced at least four weeks in advance.
The Panama Canal will continue to monitor and manage the water levels. The Panama Canal will eliminate these draught restrictions as soon as Gatun Lake level returns to normal. As always, these are temporary and preventive measures to ensure the continuous and safe operations of the Canal.
Greece stands to benefit from Chinas growing global influence, while the port of Piraeus can play a pivotal role in the development of its economy, said Xu Lirong, president of China Cosco Shipping after putting pen to paper. Greece will have many benefits from Chinas growing influence and power in the global market, said Xu.
Chinese companies see huge investment opportunities in Greece and this is something backed by the Chinese government, said Xu, insisting his companys objective is to transform Piraeus into the Mediterraneans most competitive port.
As Greece struggles in economic quicksand, Greeces Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras saw the agreement as an important message to the worlds financial community. After signing the deal he noted it makes the Silk Road faster and shorter at a time when Greece is putting emphasis on economic recovery, adding, this investment will be the start for a series of new investments.
Perhaps trying to explain why the process has taken three years to materalise Tsipras added the Greek government wants to protect the working conditions and the environment.
Indeed, Shipping and Island Policy Minister, Theodoris Dritsas, refused to attend the signing underpinning the socialist Piraeus MP's stance on privatisations. Dritsas believes the deal has no legal standing unless it is ratified by Parliament and intends to fight until the parliamentary vote in a few days.
Dockworkers are also opposed to the deal saying it will put their jobs at risk. Their union struck during the signing and held a protest in central Athens over the past weekend.
Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos hopes this deal is just the beginning for many more investments to come to Greece. He met with Xu after the signing stressed the importance of the agreement for both sides.
When we talk about economic development we always mean sustainable growth, which places people at its centre, said Pavlopoulos.
Under the deal, Cosco will pay EUR280.5m to buy 51% of the PPA and EUR88m for another 16% after five years, on the condition it commits to investments of EUR350m in the next decade.
Xu has pledged that as soon as the deal comes into effect, Cosco plans to invest in maintaining the shipbuilding infrastructure, seek a greater share in the cruise sector and organise coastal shipping. He also assured the company will pay great attention to the labour relations and to provide the best working conditions for the employees.
Since 2009, Cosco's subsidiary Piraeus Container Terminal (PCT) has been operating container terminals II and III at Piraeus under a 35-year concession. In 2015, the container throughput of Piraeus increased to 3.36m teu from 880,000teu in 2010, while the global ranking of Piraeus rose from 93rd to 39th in terms of container capacity.
According to Tassos Vamvakidis, commercial manager of PCT, since 2010 Cosco has invested EUR600m in the two container terminals, paid Euro 200m to the Greek state in rent, EUR100m in taxes, EUR105m in salaries and provides work for 1,047 people, of which just a handful of executives are Chinese.
For more than a decade, Christine Slocumb has been spreading the good word about her clients at Clarity Quest Marketing . And she has learned a thing or two about running a PR firm over that time."Don't worry about the first two years," Slocumb says. "The first two years are the most difficult. Also, over 15 years you will have a few years that are lean and mean."Ann Arbor-based Clarity Quest is celebrating its 15th anniversary this month. The company has 20 employees and an intern between its home base in Ann Arbor and offices in Connecticut and Seattle. Its revenue is up 25 percent last year, and that's on top of a 23 percent increase the year before that. Slocumb wants to hit 30 percent revenue growth this year as her firm's work grows across the U.S."We have some of our first clients in Silicon Valley now," Slocumb says. "That's a region I always wanted to tap into."Slocumb suggest other small companies focus on a handful of things to really grow and establish themselves: patience, perseverance, hard work and finding a niche. Clarity Quest Marketing has sharpened its focus in its later years to concentrate on work in healthcare IT firms. That specialization has really allowed the company to grow in recent years."That really paid off for us," Slocumb says.Source: Christine Slocumb, president of Clarity Quest MarketingWriter: Jon Zemke
Venture capital in Michigan has come a long way over the last 15 years, and a new report from the Michigan Venture Capital Association puts some numbers to that growth.The Ann Arbor-based non-profit released its annual report this week showing growth with some impressive numbers for the venture capital in the Great Lakes State. Michigan enjoyed its best year for venture capital investment in 2015, clocking $328 million. That's up from $224 million the year before (it's third best year) and $246 in 2012, its second best year. Venture capital in Michigan is up 150 percent over the last decade, according to the report.Michigan-based venture capital firms have $2.2 billion under management, up 47 percent in the last five years and more capital under management than ever before. Michigan venture investors finance nearly every Michigan venture-funded startup. The report concludes that local venture capital has gone from practically non-existent in Michigan 15 years ago to having firmly taken root and growing steadily."There are a lot of factors at play at this point," says Maureen Miller Brosnan, executive director of Michigan Venture Capital Association . "Venture capital has firmly established its role in as an economic driver in Michigan."Ann Arbor is widely seen as the capital for venture capital activity in Michigan thanks to its proximity to the University of Michigan. There is also a large concentration of local VCs headquartered in Ann Arbor and a number of out-of-state VCs with offices in Tree Town.The report also shows a rise in angel investing in Michigan. There are currently 128 startups in Michigan that have received funding from a locally based angel group, a 42 percent increase in the last five years. Membership in Michigans nine angel groups hit 294 investors, a 59 percent increase in the last five years. Michigans Grand Angels was listed among the three most active angel groups in the country, and a new angel group in the Upper Pennisula, Innovation Shore Angel Network , launched last year, according to the report."Grand Angels has set the pace for growth of the nine angel groups in the state of Michigan," Miller Brosnan says. "There has been tremendous growth there."Source: Maureen Miller Brosnan, executive director of Michigan Venture Capital AssociationWriter: Jon Zemke
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Former Black Panther Party head Elaine Brown is suing the city of Oakland and Councilwoman Desley Brooks for $7 million for injuries she said she suffered when Brooks punched her in a downtown soul food restaurant.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Alameda County Superior Court, alleges that Brooks, 54, unleashed a tsunami of criminal, assaultive, violent conduct on Ms. Brown during a dispute over affordable housing. It includes three photographs in which Brown, 72, appears to be getting hospital treatment, with one showing tubes running through her neck and nose.
You can see the kind of misery that she has gone through, said Browns attorney, Charles Bonner.
Brown, who ran the Black Panther Party from 1974 to 1977 following Huey Newtons leadership, claimed she suffered head injuries and bruises and underwent surgery at Kaiser Hospital in Oakland for a massive rotator cuff tear after the Oct. 30 incident at Everett & Jones.
Details of lawsuit
It stemmed from a conflict that escalated when Brooks allegedly threatened to block Browns bid for city funding to build affordable housing near the urban farm she operates in West Oakland.
I have not moved on you before because youre old. But now I am tired of your bull! the lawsuit alleges Brooks yelled at Brown before punching the older woman in the chest with two fists, sending her stumbling over a stack of folded chairs and causing her to land hard on the back of her head and shoulders.
Brown has argued for months that the city should be held liable for her injuries because Oakland officials knew that Brooks who chairs the councils Public Safety Committee had a propensity for violence. According to the lawsuit, Brooks assaulted a city staffer during a closed-door council meeting that took place roughly a decade ago, also hitting him in the chest with two fists.
She has struck, hit, pushed, assaulted, and battered people before this latest vicious, violent attack, assault and battery on Ms. Brown, the lawsuit claims.
Councils rejection
But the Oakland City Council rejected that argument in January, after Brown filed a 16-page complaint against the city. Ruling that the incident didnt happen within the course and scope of Ms. Brooks position as an Oakland City Councilmember, the council voted unanimously to turn down Browns demand for $1 million from the city and $6 million from Brooks.
She was not representing the council at that meeting, and she certainly wasnt representing me, Councilman Noel Gallo said Friday.
Bonner, the attorney, insists that the city is at least partly culpable for Brooks alleged misconduct.
This whole thing erupted because Brooks threatened to destroy an application for affordable housing, he said. She was speaking in her official capacity. ... They were not talking about the Warriors, or about going to a beauty salon, or about a trip to Europe.
Brooks did not return calls Friday seeking comment, and she has never publicly addressed Browns accusation. A spokesman for the Oakland city attorneys office said he couldnt comment because the office had not yet been served with the lawsuit.
Oakland police completed a criminal probe of the incident and submitted the evidence to the Alameda County district attorneys office, where it is under review.
Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
The city of Milpitas has agreed to pay $140,000 to settle an age-discrimination suit by a federal civil rights agency on behalf of three women who were passed over in favor of a younger candidate for the $95,000-a-year job of executive secretary to the city manager.
The applicants Rhonda Anderson, 55, Margaret Espinoza, 57, and Rosvida Galinda Penas, 58 all received high ratings in 2012 from a city panel screening candidates for the post of secretary to City Manager Tom Williams. Instead, the city hired 39-year-old candidate Rachelle Currie, who was also rated well qualified but had a lower score than the older applicants.
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For the first time, San Francisco is going to require the 37,000 Lyft and Uber drivers who work in the city seven or more days a year to obtain a business license.
City Treasurer Jose Cisneros wouldnt fully explain why he is now requiring the license, which will cost drivers $91 annually, when the companies started operations years ago. But one reason, he said, is that the city launched its online business registration system in March before, registrants had to go to City Hall to apply in person.
The move ups the political tension between the city and Uber and Lyft. When faced with class-action lawsuits from drivers seeking status as employees, the companies have vigorously maintained that the drivers are independent contractors. Cisneros is in essence turning that argument back on them and saying: If thats the case, the drivers have to register as independent contractors for a business license.
Another reason the treasurer is taking action now may be that he finally has the names of the drivers. Uber and Lyft have long refused to provide drivers names and addresses to the city. Cisneros would not say how he obtained them.
The license will cost drivers $91 a year if they earn $100,000 or less in gross receipts. If they have been driving for multiple years, they will have to pay a registration fee for the years in which they didnt register.
Cisneros letter, which will be sent in three batches on Friday, Monday and Tuesday states that the recipient has been identified as a driver for a transportation network company and therefore must obtain a business registration certificate within 30 days.
Failure to respond to this letter may result in penalties and payment obligations, the letter states.
We have a very broad and comprehensive business registration requirement, Ciseneros said. This has been a law that has been around for many years. Its very clearly spelled out on our website the law here in San Francisco requires you to register your business with the city. If they missed that requirement, they are still obligated to do that.
In response to the news, Uber struck a conciliatory tone and indicated it would not challenge the city.
Uber partners with entrepreneurial drivers and as independent contractors, they are responsible for following appropriate local requirements, Uber spokeswoman Laura Zapata wrote in an email.
Lyft spokeswoman Chelsea Wilson said the company is opposed to the plan.
We have serious concerns with the citys plan to collect and display Lyft drivers personal information in a publicly available database, she said in an email. People in San Francisco, who are choosing to drive with Lyft to help make ends meet, shouldnt have to compromise their privacy in order to share a ride.
Cisneros has aggressively gone after companies that profit from the gig economy, sometimes clashing with Mayor Ed Lee in the process.
In 2012, over Lees objections, Cisneros ruled that Airbnb owed back taxes, which city officials estimated at $25 million. The mayor wanted Cisneros to hold off on the decision until a broader tax overhaul could be rolled out. Airbnb acquiesced last year and paid the taxes.
Lee was not involved in Cisneros decision to require the Uber and Lyft drivers to register with the city.
Christine Falvey, Lees spokeswoman, neither endorsed nor opposed the move. The mayor defers questions about the definition of independent contractor and interpretation of requirements under city law to the treasurer, Falvey said.
Cisneros said he doesnt expect that all 37,018 drivers who receive the letter are still drivers. But if they are and they register, it will generate $3.37 million a year for the city. An unknown number of drivers already have the license.
It is also unclear to what extent Cisneros will be able to enforce the business registration requirement. He said San Francisco law requires firms to display a registration certificate in their place of business including their car and drivers could be cited for failing to do so.
Both Lyft and Uber have faced class-action lawsuits over the past year over whether its drivers are employees or independent contractors. Plaintiffs say they should be classified as employees and entitled to reimbursement for expenses as well as the rights and benefits of employees.
Lyft attempted to settle such a lawsuit in January, agreeing to pay $12.25 million to drivers, although not classifying them as employees. A San Francisco federal judge rejected that proposed settlement this month, saying the $12.25 million shortchanged the drivers. A similar lawsuit against Uber is still in the courts.
Its incredibly important to Lyft and Ubers business model that the drivers be independent contractors, said UC Hastings law Professor Reuel Schiller. They are not really interested in compromise. This sounds to me like the city of San Francisco is attempting to play hardball in return.
Emily Green is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: egreen@sfchronicle.com
Twitter: @emilytgreen
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Fifteen years after blackouts swept the state, a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission judge has found that a division of Shell Oil engaged in fraud and market manipulation during Californias energy crisis, with company traders joking on tape about burning the evidence if they were ever caught.
The tentative decision, which must be approved by the FERC board, holds Shell and Spanish energy company Iberdrola liable for $1.1 billion in ill-gotten profits, money that could be refunded to Californians if the decision stands.
It could end the last legal case over the expensive, long-term power purchase contracts that California signed under duress during the 2000-01 crisis, which pushed the states largest utility into bankruptcy and fueled the recall of Gov. Gray Davis. The state has already settled with all other companies accused of unjustly profiting from the long-term contracts, settlements worth a total of $7.7 billion.
This crisis was unprecedented in the history of the modern electricity system, and finally were getting some justice for the people of California, said Mike Florio, a member of the California Public Utilities Commission, whose lawyers have been pursuing Shell Energy North America since 2002.
California officials are still pushing complaints against 13 companies involved in short-term contracts during the crisis, but have settled with others for a total of roughly $4 billion, Florio said.
Enron-like schemes
The initial decision, issued Tuesday by Administrative Law Judge Steven Glazer, details Shell traders using schemes similar to those employed by Enron to drive up day-to-day power prices, which then increased the price California had to pay on its long-term contracts. As a result, Californians ended up overpaying Shell by $779 million and Iberdrola by $371 million, according to the initial decision. Both figures include interest.
Shell traders jokes
In an echo of Enron, some Shell traders joked about the schemes on taped telephone conversations. In audio files and transcripts posted online by Californias utilities commission, traders ask each other whether they have ethical problems with rolling blackouts.
In one exchange, a trader notes, I dont know how honest that is, but were not in the honesty game, are we? Another replies, Were in optimizing. Its not a question of honesty. ... Its a question of optimization.
A Shell spokesman offered only a brief comment Friday, noting that the case was still ongoing.
Shells response
Shell Energy has received and is reviewing the administrative law judges Initial Decision in the long term contract case currently before FERC, spokesman Ray Fisher said in an emailed comment. We take our business and compliance with regulations very seriously.
One scheme the judge cited, called Ricochet by Enron and more commonly known as megawatt laundering, involved buying electricity within California to ship to a destination outside of the state while simultaneously selling the same power back into the states market at a higher price. No electricity actually left the California market it just appeared that way.
Its callousness on par with Enron, Florio said. They knew what they were doing. They just thought they could get away with it.
Shell Energy North America currently supplies electricity to Marin Countys community choice aggregation program, Marin Clean Energy, which buys electricity on behalf of the countys residents.
CleanPowerSF to debut
For several years, San Francisco officials negotiated with Shell to provide the same service for CleanPowerSF the citys long-delayed community choice program, which launches next month. CleanPowerSF is designed to increase San Franciscos use of renewable power, and the programs critics noted the irony of relying on an oil company subsidiary to buy electricity. In the end, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission chose not to sign a contract with Shell.
In contrast to Shell, Iberdrola came late to the lingering legal fight that followed the energy crisis.
Megawatt laundering
In 2007, the company based in Bilbao, Spain, bought Scottish Power and its subsidiary PPM Energy. California officials alleged that at the time of the crisis, PPM known then as PacifiCorp Power Marketing served as a destination for megawatt laundering, acting as a kind of virtual, out-of-state parking lot for fictitious power transfers. Iberdrola argued that simultaneous agreements to buy and resell electricity were not inherently illegal.
We are currently reviewing the ALJs recommendation, but continue to believe that the full Commission will accept our arguments and those of FERC staff presented at the hearing, said Art Sasse, communications director for subsidiary Iberdrola Renewables, in an emailed statement.
Both Florio and his commission, which regulates California utilities, have come under intense criticism for growing too cozy with the companies they oversee.
Tenacious CPUC staff
Florio, who was appointed to the commission in 2011, said Tuesdays initial decision in the Shell case showed the tenacity of the commissions staff, working for more than a decade to recoup money Californians lost in the crisis.
Quietly, these folks have been toiling away all this time, never giving up to right these wrongs, Florio said. The FERC board faces no specific deadline for making a decision in the case, he said.
David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF
Visit many of Americas top landmarks, and amid the crowds of tourists, youll find hip, young people in pink mustache T-shirts. This small army, spread across 20 of the largest U.S. cities, has been out in full force since late last year, handing out $50 Lyft ride vouchers to anyone passing by. For those who happen to miss the street teams, Lyft Inc. has been running giant billboards around the country. Once a customer signs up, the company keeps them coming back by offering half-off fares on weekdays in some cities.
All these promotions are not cheap. In January, Lyft said it raised $1 billion, which is helping fuel the spending spree and steal market share from Uber Technologies Inc. To keep costs in check, Lyft has promised investors to cap its losses at no more than $50 million a month, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because the plans are private.
Meanwhile, Uber has been working to fulfill a promise to shareholders and employees that it would achieve profitability in North America by the second quarter of 2016, a milestone it says it has now reached in the U.S. and Canada. In February, Uber earned an average of 19 cents per ride in the U.S.
Uber CEO Travis Kalanicks commitment to profitability has left an opening for Lyft, and the smaller upstarts free-spending strategy is starting to pay off. While each company offers different market-share numbers, they agree that Lyft is expanding in major U.S. cities. Because its a two-sided market, its really important that these firms build up substantial market share, said Evan Rawley, a business school professor at Columbia University. Its a good strategy for Lyft. I think it makes a lot of sense.
Lyft says it has captured 45 percent of trips in Los Angeles and Austin, and 43 percent in San Francisco, where both companies are located. Uber says it had 55 percent of ride-hailing sales in Austin, 75 percent in Los Angeles and 66 percent in San Francisco, citing third-party credit card data from the first two weeks of March.
From everything Im looking at, were gaining share in all top 20 markets, which is where 80 percent to 90 percent of rides happen, said Lyft President John Zimmer.
Outside of big cities, though, its still Uber country. Of 169 million trips booked through Uber worldwide in March, the company said, 50 million were in the U.S. Lyft says it did 11 million U.S. rides that month, up from 7 million in October.
Lyft continues to devise new and often expensive ways to expand in the U.S., the only country in which it operates. When a Lyft driver refers someone to sign up as a new driver, both get a $750 bonus in some cities. And Lyft has the capacity to keep spending. Zimmer said that the company still has by far the majority of the $2 billion its raised from investors. This allows us to control our own destiny. We do not need to raise any additional capital, and its just a fantastic position to be in.
Uber says customers lured away by subsidies are the most likely to return if Lyfts prices go up. Its easy enough to buy trips with heavy subsidies for drivers and discounts for riders, Uber spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker wrote in an email. But to build a successful, long-term business, you need a path to profitability which Uber has always had.
Uber isnt limited by a lack of funds, either. The company is sitting on at least $6 billion in capital, along with a $2 billion credit line, according to people familiar with the matter. But Uber had said that it would spend at least $1 billion in China last year and plans to drop another $1 billion there this year.
Uber needs to show investors, who have given the company a valuation of $62.5 billion, that its capable of turning a profit at home if it intends to sink more money into Asia, says Arun Sundararajan, a New York University business school professor. The expectations on when Uber will hit profitability have a shorter clock on them because Ubers valuation is so high, he says. Lyft has a little more runway.
Eric Newcomer is a Bloomberg writer. Email: enewcomer@bloomberg.net
Microsoft is alleging that a federal law which forces it to secretly hand over peoples emails and other data without notifying them is unconstitutional.
On Thursday morning, the Redmond, Wash., company sued the Department of Justice in a federal court in Seattle.
In a filing, company lawyers wrote that a statute in the Electronics Communications Privacy Act of 1986 gives courts the power to keep customers in the dark when the government seeks their email content or other private information, based solely on a reason to believe that disclosure might hinder an investigation.
Among other things, Microsoft says the act violates its customers Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and the companys First Amendment rights to criticize government investigations.
A Justice Department spokeswoman said the agency is reviewing Microsofts filing.
The lawsuit is asking for two things, said Jennifer Granick, the director of civil liberties at Stanfords Center for Internet and Society.
That people be notified eventually, if they are spied on, and, two, its asking for a much more scrupulous and discriminating use of gag orders, which are now seemingly routine when they are supposed to be extraordinary.
This latest tussle with the Justice Department marks an expansion of the public debate over digital privacy that, most recently, has been centered around the ability of governments to search smartphones involved in crimes.
This is all part of a recognition that we live much of our lives through our devices, and that these smartphones, tablets, desktops and laptops handle intimate, personal data the kind of secrets we might once have kept on paper, behind lock and key, in our homes.
Modern cell phones are not just another technological convenience, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in an opinion of a 2014 case involving the search of a smartphone. With all they contain and all they may reveal, they hold for many Americans the privacies of life.
Yet the plain black screens of smartphones are often just windows into even more intimate and private data kept on servers maintained by companies and accessed over the Internet.
Because these companies store data on servers they control, government agents can go directly to companies to compel them to turn it over, rather than seek it from individuals.
Cloud computing has spurred a profound change in the storage of private information, wrote Microsofts president and chief legal officer, Brad Smith, in a blog post.
Today, individuals increasingly keep their emails and documents on remote servers in data centers in short, in the cloud. But the transition to the cloud does not alter peoples expectations of privacy and should not alter the fundamental constitutional requirement that the government must with few exceptions give notice when it searches and seizes private information or communications.
There are fundamental differences between the dispute between the FBI and Apple over data stored on iPhones. The data on those devices is encrypted and secured by hardware and software that seeks to frustrate attempts to guess pass codes. While Apple doesnt have the ability to decrypt the data by itself, it could, the government has argued, help agents by weakening its devices protective technologies and thereby give them access to it.
Microsofts complaint is different. It isnt contesting the governments ability to request data stored on its servers. Rather, its asking whether absolute secrecy is legal in such orders. The government has argued that notifying customers would alert criminals and terrorists to open investigations.
In the blog post, Smith wrote that, over the past 18 months, the U.S. government has required secrecy regarding 2,576 legal demands.
Of those, Smith wrote, 68 percent contained no fixed end date. This means that we effectively are prohibited forever from telling our customers that the government has obtained their data.
For companies like Microsoft, one fear is that consumers and corporate customers, particularly those based outside the U.S., will avoid using their cloud-computing services if governments can spy on them secretly.
Under CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft has staked its future on cloud computing, spending $15 billion on data centers for its Azure services, which compete with similar offerings from Google and Amazon.
Sean Sposito is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ssposito@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @seansposito
Fairfield Police have identified a suspect in last weeks fatal shooting of a 28-year-old man that prompted a temporary lockdown at a nearby middle school.
Police are searching for Kyle Matthew Amos, 28, of Fairfield, after a lead in the investigation led authorities to suspect him in the slaying. Investigators learned Wednesday that Amos, who is considered armed and dangerous, was believed to be inside a house in the 100 block of Stephen Street.
MINNEAPOLIS One of five Minnesota men due to go on trial next month for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State group changed his plea Thursday to guilty, saying he succumbed to propaganda videos that preached jihad.
Adnan Abdihamid Farah, 20, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Three other counts were dropped, including conspiracy to commit murder outside the United States. Farah faces a maximum of 15 years in prison but avoided a possible life sentence by taking the plea deal.
I take responsibility for myself and actions I committed, Farah told U.S. District Judge Michael Davis, who didnt set a sentencing date.
The hearing was interrupted for about 45 minutes after Farahs mother, Ayan Farah, 39, collapsed with chest pain as proceedings got under way. Security personnel hustled her son out of the courtroom, and medics took her to a hospital for treatment. There was no immediate word on her condition.
Adnan Farahs brother, Mohamed Abdihamid Farah, 22, is among the other four defendants who are scheduled to go on trial May 9. Adnan Farahs attorney, Kenneth Udoibok, said the stress of the case has been weighing heavily on their mother.
Altogether, 10 Minnesota men have been charged with conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State group as part of the investigation. Five have now pleaded guilty, one remains at large. About a dozen Minnesota residents have traveled to Syria to join militant groups there in recent years.
Unlike the other defendants, Adnan Farah wasnt accused of trying to travel to Syria to fight for the Islamic State. But he told Davis he applied for an expedited U.S. passport with the intention of doing so. He said his parents confiscated the passport when it came in the mail early. He then put a $100 down payment on a fake passport and also tried to help a co-defendant get one.
Im more than sorry for the pain I caused my parents, Farah said, his voice choked with emotion. If I had listened to them, I wouldnt be here today.
Udoibok said he was confident Davis would treat Farah fairly.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. Donald Trumps campaign manager wont be prosecuted for battery after briefly grabbing a female reporters arm at a campaign event, but prosecutors said Thursday the situation might have been avoided with two simple words: Im sorry.
State Attorney Dave Aronberg said at a news conference there wasnt enough evidence to justify bringing misdemeanor simple battery charges against Corey Lewandowski for the March 8 dustup with Michelle Fields, then a reporter for the conservative Breitbart News website.
Although Lewandowskis act wasnt criminal, Aronberg said there may have been an easy way to defuse things.
In a case like this we do encourage an apology. Had an apology been given at the beginning of all this, we could have avoided the whole criminal justice process, Aronberg said.
Although police in Jupiter, Fla., found enough probable cause to charge Lewandowski last month after viewing a video recording of the encounter, Aronberg said prosecutors are held to a higher legal standard.
We have the burden of proving each case beyond a reasonable doubt, he said.
Lewandowski denied grabbing Fields and Republican front-runner Trump stood by him, rejecting calls by his opponents to fire or discipline him. Instead, he went after Fields, accusing her of exaggerating and changing her story.
Not backing down, Fields tweeted a photograph of her bruised forearm and said she had been yanked backward.
The investigation proved that Lewandowski pulled Ms. Fields back as she attempted to interview Trump, according to a memo by another prosecutor, Chief Assistant State Attorney Adrienne Ellis. The memo says Lewandowski could have believed Fields was making unwanted physical contact with Mr. Trump that led him to pull her away.
Mr. Lewandowski may have had apparent authority to assist in the protection of the candidate, specifically to maintain the protective bubble around the candidate, Ellis wrote. While the facts support the allegation that Mr. Lewandowski did grab Ms. Fields arm against her will, Mr. Lewandowski has a reasonable hypothesis of innocence.
Ellis added that the video showed Trump moving his arm away from Fields initial contact, but said that didnt constitute battery either. It was incidental, she said.
At a Wisconsin campaign rally hours after Lewandowski was charged, Trump read Fields account aloud: Maybe he touched (her) a little bit, but I didnt see, Trump told the crowd. It was almost like he was trying to keep her off me, right?
Fields weighed in on Twitter: My story never changed. Seriously, just stop lying.
She quit Breitbart shortly after the altercation, saying its editors didnt support her as they tried to maintain their relationship with Trump. Other Breitbart employees also quit.
Aronberg said he talked with Fields and said she was disappointed.
She wanted a prosecution to go forward, he said.
HOUSTON A Texas deputy constable is expected to recover after undergoing several hours of surgery for multiple wounds suffered when he was shot while talking to another constable after a traffic stop in Houston, authorities said Thursday.
Harris County Deputy Constable Alden Clopton was wearing a protective vest when he was shot from behind late Wednesday, Constable May Walker said during a Thursday morning news conference.
A motive for the shooting is unknown. Asked if authorities believed the shooter was targeting law enforcement, Houston police spokesman Kese Smith told said that both deputy constables were in uniform and had marked vehicles.
I cant see how someone can mistake them for someone other than law enforcement, Smith said.
The suspect fired six shots, four of which hit Clopton, Walker said. Officials had said earlier that Clopton had a bullet lodged near his heart, plus abdominal wounds. The other shots hit the other deputy constables car and the ground.
It was virtually an ambush is what it was, Walker said, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Authorities were questioning a male who showed up at nearby fire station after the shooting and matched the description of the suspected shooter, Smith said. The person had not been arrested or charged, he said, but authorities also were not actively looking for anyone else.
Clopton is an 11-year veteran of the force who is married and has five children, said Pamela Greenwood, spokeswoman for the Harris County precinct seven constables office. He comes from a law enforcement family, with three brothers who are law officers, and the Houston Chronicle reports hes married to a Harris County sheriffs deputy.
According to Smith, the shooting happened after a female reserve deputy constable made a traffic stop and called Clopton to assist. The vehicle that was pulled over had left and Clopton was standing outside the window of the females officers vehicle when he was shot.
WASHINGTON President Obama will strategize with his Middle Eastern and European counterparts on a broad range of issues during a weeklong trip to Saudi Arabia, England and Germany with efforts to rein in the Islamic State group being the common denominator in all three stops.
Obama, who begins traveling next week, recently called defeating Islamic State his No. 1 priority. He paid a rare visit to CIA headquarters this week for a national security team meeting focused on countering the group.
The president is scheduled to arrive in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Wednesday, where he will hold talks with King Salman. Obama will also attend a summit hosted by leaders of six Persian Gulf countries that are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
The summit follows a similar gathering that Obama hosted with the gulf leaders last year at the Camp David presidential retreat. The White House arranged last years meeting largely to reassure gulf leaders who were unnerved by a deal the U.S. and other world powers negotiated with Iran to ease economic sanctions in exchange for limits on its nuclear program.
The Iran deal is now in force, and the meeting next week will focus on defeating the Islamic State militants and al Qaeda, as well as regional security issues that include Iran.
Obama will spend most of his time in England. He is scheduled to meet again with Queen Elizabeth II over lunch at Windsor Castle on April 22, a visit that coincides with her 90th birthday a day earlier.
Obama will also meet with British Prime Minister David Cameron, who is campaigning for his country to continue its membership in the European Union. Britons are scheduled to vote on its EU membership in a June 23 referendum, the first vote ever by a nation on whether to leave the 28-member, post-World War II bloc.
Obama is not expected announce a position on the referendum, although aides have voiced support for a strong United Kingdom as a member of the EU.
Hell make clear that this is a matter the British people themselves will decide when they head to the polls in June, Ben Rhodes, Obamas deputy national security adviser, said Thursday as he outlined the trip for reporters.
Cameron has also been stung by criticism over his investment in an offshore trust run by his late father. The revelation was part of the recent dump of more than 11 million documents from a Panama law firm that is one of the leaders in setting up offshore bank accounts for the rich and powerful.
Obama also plans a town hall-style, question-and-answer session with young adults, which has become a staple of his foreign trips.
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VATICAN CITY Bernie Sanders issued a global call to action at the Vatican on Friday to address immoral and unsustainable wealth inequality and poverty, using the high-profile gathering to echo one of the central platforms of his presidential campaign.
The Democratic senator from Vermont cited Pope Francis and St. John Paul II repeatedly during his speech to the Vatican conference commemorating the 25th anniversary of a landmark teaching document from John Paul on social and economic justice after the Cold War.
Sanders arrived in Rome hours after wrapping up a debate in New York on Thursday night, saying the opportunity to address the Vatican conference was too meaningful to pass up. The roughly 24-hour visit precedes Tuesdays crucial New York primary, which Sanders must do well in to maintain a viable challenge to Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.
Pope Francis apologized that he couldnt personally greet participants at the Vatican conference.
But the trip gave Sanders a moment on the world stage, placing him alongside priests, bishops, academics and two South American presidents. Sanders has been at a disadvantage during his campaign against Clinton, President Obamas former secretary of state, on issues of foreign policy, but he was peppered with questions from academics and ecclesiastics in a manner that might have been afforded a head of state.
Sanders trails Clinton in the Democratic primaries, but the trip to the Vatican and his massive rally earlier this week with 27,000 people in New York City may have offered a glimpse of the senators aim to become a progressive leader, win or lose.
The discussions gave him a chance to expand on his core campaign messages about the need to reform banking regulations, campaign finance rules and higher education. Asked about inequality in public education, he said it was beyond disgraceful and cited challenging conditions in Detroits school system.
He told the audience that rather than a world economy that looks out for the common good, we have been left with an economy operated for the top 1 percent, who get richer and richer as the working class, the young and the poor fall further and further behind.
We dont choose to politicize the pope, Sanders told attendees, but his spirit and courage and the fact, if I may say so here, that his words have gone way, way, way beyond the Catholic Church.
During the meetings, he sat next to the other main guest of honor at the Vatican: Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose is renowned for his anti-imperialist, socialist rhetoric. President Rafael Correa of Ecuador also attended.
The invitation to Sanders to address the Vatican conference raised eyebrows and allegations that the senator lobbied for the invitation.
The chancellor for the pontifical academy, Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, has said he invited Sanders because he was the only U.S. presidential candidate who showed deep interest in the teachings of Francis.
A Connecticut judge declined Thursday to dismiss a lawsuit brought against the maker of the assault-style rifle that a gunman used in the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School to fatally shoot 26 people before killing himself.
The lawsuit, which was filed last year by nine of the families of people killed and a teacher who was injured, claims that Bushmaster Firearms International, the manufacturer of the AR-15 rifle used by the assailant, Adam Lanza, bore responsibility for selling and marketing a military-style weapon to untrained civilians, creating an unreasonably high risk that it would be used in a mass shooting.
But lawyers representing the gunmaker argued that the suit should be thrown out because of immunity provided by a 2005 law that shields firearm manufacturers and dealers from liability lawsuits.
In her ruling, Judge Barbara Bellis of state Superior Court did not agree with their argument.
We are thrilled that the gun companies motion to dismiss was denied, said Josh Koskoff, a lawyer representing the families. The families look forward to continuing their fight in court.
Cerberus Capital Management, the company that owns Bushmaster and another company named in the suit, Remington Arms, through a subsidiary, declined through a representative to comment Thursday. Lawyers for the companies did not return messages seeking comment.
In 2005 Congress passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, sharply restricting lawsuits against gun sellers and makers and giving them industrywide immunity from blame when their product is used in a crime. But there were exceptions, including for defective weapons or instances of negligent entrustment, in which a gun is carelessly given or sold to a person posing a high risk of misusing it.
Gun dealers had been sued on these grounds in the past, but the Sandy Hook lawsuit is the first time it has been used against a gun manufacturer, said Timothy Lytton, an expert in tort law and gun cases at the Georgia State University College of Law.
The lawsuit claims that negligent entrustment applies because the manufacturer is marketing the gun to people who are not trained to handle it.
WASHINGTON Ask Americans about bad manners in the 2016 presidential campaign and the conversation shifts immediately to Donald Trump, the GOP front-runner who has branded his critics little, lyin, low-energy and worse.
I dont recall anyone stirring up as much of a fuss as Mr. Trump, says Sidney Waldman, 81, a retired bookstore owner in Key West, Fla.
Hes a bully, says Kellie Zangrillo, 53, of Auburn, Wash., like Waldman an independent. Trump not only may have set the tone in the campaign, she suggested, but his nasty words could have real consequences if uttered as president. I think hed get us into World War III.
Most Republicans agree
When it comes to rudeness in 2016 politics, the Republican presidential contest wins in a landslide, a new poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research has found. The survey shows that 78 percent of Americans, including most Republicans, see the GOP race as discourteous. Only about half as many 41 percent say the same about the Democratic campaign.
Eight in 10 people say remarks about race or gender and sexuality are unacceptable in public places, and that political leaders should be held to a higher standard of behavior than other people.
Trump plainly has played a role in setting the tone to extra-coarse, doling out put-downs to a wide selection of critics, political opponents, a religious group, debate moderators and protesters. Former GOP candidate Jeb Bush was low energy. Onetime GOP hopeful Marco Rubio was little Marco. Ted Cruz, who is Trumps most prominent rival for the nomination, is lyin Ted. Famously, Trump said Fox News Channels Megyn Kelly had blood coming out of her wherever after she pressed him last year on his insults of women.
Half the public see this years campaign for the Republican nomination as mostly rude and disrespectful, and an additional 29 percent consider it somewhat so. Even 8 in 10 Republicans (79 percent) regard their partys process to determine a nominee for president as ill-mannered.
Going easier on Democrats
In contrast, only 16 percent say the campaign between the Democratic candidates for president is mostly rude and disrespectful, while 25 percent who consider it somewhat so.
Trump likes to dismiss complaints about his manners as political correctness. The poll found that only 15 percent believe candidates should not be sensitive to the possibility of upsetting other people.
The AP-NORC poll of 1,004 adults was conducted March 17-21 using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
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Leslie Van Houten, the follower of cult killer Charles Manson who had been sentenced to death for two notorious and brutal 1969 murders, won a recommendation Thursday for release from prison.
The 66-year-old former homecoming queen was approved by the Board of Parole Hearings at the state womens prison in Corona (Riverside County). She had been denied parole 18 times.
Van Houten had last been denied parole at a hearing three years ago and was not scheduled for another hearing until 2018. But according to Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokesman Luis Patino, she had taken self-help programs, classes and counseling over the past three years to address concerns raised at her last hearing about her insight into why she committed the crimes. She petitioned for, and was granted, the early hearing that was held Thursday, Patino said.
Her lawyer, Richard Pfeiffer, said the hearing before a two-member parole board panel had lasted seven hours.
The name Manson has been the problem all these years, Pfeiffer said. People who oppose her parole either dont know or dont want to know what shes done since then to rehabilitate herself. Shes culpable, but she was brainwashed in a typical cultlike fashion.
Van Houten, Pfeiffer said, had counseled fellow inmates, earned a masters degree in humanities from California State University, taken numerous courses and been a model prisoner.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said in a statement that she disagreed with the boards decision and will evaluate how to proceed. The District Attorneys Office, under Vincent Bugliosi, prosecuted the case more than four decades ago.
Van Houten had been sentenced to death in 1971 for her part in the savage killings of supermarket owner Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary, at their home in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles. The killings came a day after the slaying of actress Sharon Tate and four others by other members of Mansons cult.
All death sentences were commuted to life prison sentences after a 1972 court ruling. Van Houten was ordered retried in 1976. That jury could not reach a verdict. Two years later, she was retried, convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
A review of the parole board decision could take up to four months. Such reviews are routinely upheld, Patino said. If it is, the governor would then have a month to grant or deny parole.
A spokesman for Gov. Jerry Brown did not return calls about the Van Houten case.
Manson, serving a life sentence at Corcoran State Prison, was last denied parole in 2012. His next hearing is scheduled for 2027, at which time he would be 92.
Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SteveRubeSF
1 Missing students: Mexicos national human rights commission said in Mexico City Thursday that it had found a witness to the 2014 disappearance of 43 students who reported that two federal police and a third municipal police force were present when 15 to 20 youths were taken off a bus and disappeared. The new evidence suggests two federal police officers at the least allowed local police to take the students away and may have even participated in their disappearance, said Jose Larrieta Carrasco, the commission member leading the case. Investigators had already known that officers from two local forces had turned the students over to a drug gang that allegedly killed and burned them. But the witness said members of a third towns police force, Huitzuco, also participated. The witness, whose identity is being concealed, said that far from stopping the abduction of the students on the side of a highway, the federal police went along with it.
2 Government overhaul: In Ukraines most sweeping political reshuffle since its revolution two years ago, parliament voted in Kiev Thursday to seat a close ally of the president as prime minister and handed critical ministerial posts to presidential staff members. The new prime minister, Volodymyr Groysman, will replace Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who resigned Sunday. Yatsenyuk, a fluent English speaker, won praise in the West but was never able to manage Ukraines notoriously fractured parliament. With his close ties to the president, Groysman will be expected to ease some of the rifts in the pro-European camp. The previous government was swept into power in 2014 on a wave of popular anger at the authoritarian, corrupt and Russian-aligned presidency of Viktor Yanukovych. But infighting soon broke out among the victors, paralyzing the government and stalling International Monetary Fund aid for an economy on life support.
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UC Davis is facing new criticism after records revealed it spent at least $175,000 on consultants to clean up its online reputation and eradicate from search results references to the 2011 pepper spraying of student protesters.
"The university got hoodwinked by spending $175,000 of public money," Digital Brand Specialist Doug Elmets said. "It's all over the internet now.
"It's now April 2016, and what are we talking about? The pepper spray incident.," Sacramento digital marketing consultant Thomas Dodson said.
But if a brand wants to build on or repair its reputation, how does an aggressive online campaign work? Dodson said it's all about creating noise to drown out content you don't want.
"Create a new website, new blog, new tabs, noise, noise, noise," Dodson said. "You can make a lot of noise online for $175,000."
Elmets knows this strategy well and said, for UC Davis, it was money down the drain.
"The process is to flood the internet with good information so that it drives down the negative information, but it's still there," Elmets explained.
UC Davis said communicating the university's value online is an essential element of its mission, especially during a campus crisis. It issued a campus message that reads in part:
"Communication efforts during this time were part of the campus's strategic communication strategy. In fact, one of the main objectives during this time was to train staff on how to effectively use digital media to improve engagement with our stakeholders."
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Those of us living in San Francisco have heard this story many times.
A San Francisco renter moves out of an apartment and the owner jacks up the price for the next tenant.
Lauren Nickoloff was paying $1,050 a month when she first moved into a studio in a 1923 building at 735 O'Farrell Street, one block from Mitchell Brothers, in 2007.
Over the course of 10 years and four different property managers, Nickoloff's rent was raised in small increments and when she moved out early this year, she was paying $1,148.
The average monthly rent for a studio in the Tenderloin is $2,050 according to Trulia, and so Nickoloff had an incredible deal.
She knew the owner would raise the rent for the next tenant especially since the owner remodeled the kitchen and the bathroom and tore down the walk-in closet to make the space seem roomier. But when she learned it was more than doubled to $2,295, even she was surprised.
Nickoloff decided to post her story on Reddit, as the San Francisco page of the social media site has become a gathering spot to express their awe and outrage over the the city's sky-high housing prices.
Many joined in the conversation, sharing personal experiences and their opinions.
"Jesus. I left just last year and my studio in Bernal was 1700. I shutter to think what it may be now." one Reddit user shared.
"$2,295 for the TL? This city is wild... I would take my chances with a suburb apartment," another chimed in.
"When I moved in Dec 2010, Mission/7th my rent was $1450. By 2014 it was $3600. It looks like a run down hotel," wrote another.
And one person was very interested in renting the studio, even with the higher price because after all, it's pretty much priced at market rate.
Nickoloff left her prized apartment for Asheville, N.C., where she's working remotely for the same company that she worked for while living in SF. She's paying only $1,600 for a three-bedroom home she's sharing with her boyfriend.
Nickoloff and her boyfriend tried to stay in the city, when they first decided they wanted to live together and realized the studio was too small. But they quickly decided they were completely priced out of the Bay Area.
"It seems like it's no longer just a San Francisco thing," she said. "I wasn't willing to pay $3,000 for a two bedroom in Hayward. I know that because friends of mine just moved there. I have a lot of friends who live in Oakland and I know the prices over there. It feels like the problem of high housing prices is spreading. To get away from them, we had to move across the country."
FRESNO International crime rings targeting Californias booming agriculture industry are increasingly stealing truckloads of high-value nuts, prompting authorities and the firms falling victim to ramp up efforts to break the spree thats cost millions.
The sophisticated organizations in many cases use high-tech tactics, hacking into trucking companies to steal their identities. Armed with false shipping papers, they pose as legitimate truckers, driving off with loads of nuts such as almonds, walnuts or pistachios valued at $150,000, and some worth $500,000 each.
$4.6 million lost in 15
Days later, when a shipment fails to arrive to its intended destination, the nuts may already be in another state or on a ship destined for Europe or Asia, where they fetch top dollar on the black market, authorities say.
Nut thefts hit an all-time high in California last year with losses totaling $4.6 million from 31 reported cases, more than the three previous years combined, according to CargoNet, an alliance of cargo shipping firms and law enforcement agencies aimed at preventing losses.
Losses for all four years combined reached nearly $7.6 million, the group said.
Its made my life miserable, said Todd Crosswell, general manager of Caro Nut Co.
Caro was victimized six times last year for a total loss of $1.2 million. In each case, thieves stole cashews imported from Vietnam and Africa that were roasted, salted and packaged in Fresno.
You get hit with that kind of loss it hurts, Crosswell said.
The value of nuts grown and processed in California, the nations leading agricultural state, have soared in recent years as global demand for the health-food snack grows in places such as China and emerging economies.
California produces more almonds, walnuts and pistachios than any other state, with a combined value of $9.3 billion in 2014. Almonds alone were valued at $5.9 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
More law enforcement
The high value of nuts grabbed the attention of criminal organizations, who are exploiting weaknesses in the cargo shipping industry to reap big profits, said Dan Bryant, supervisory special agent for the violent and organized crimes programs of the FBI Sacramento office.
Bryant declined to identify any organizations under suspicion, citing an ongoing criminal investigation.
Its not just some teenage kids ripping off nuts, he said. These are sophisticated people.
Local authorities also are taking action. One state lawmaker has introduced a bill to fund a statewide task force targeting all types of cargo thefts. And law enforcement officials and nut processors met Thursday to share information to help prevent more nut thefts.
Alarmed by a spike in large-scale nut thefts, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux last year beefed up his agriculture crimes unit from two to six detectives.
In 2013, his office investigated a pistachio theft worth $189,000. No cases were reported the next year, but in 2015, six loads of almonds and pistachios were stolen at a combined loss of $1.6 million.
Investigators tracked at least one load to Los Angeles and made one arrest. Boudreaux didnt name the suspect because the investigation is ongoing.
They do tend to have some overseas connections, said Scott Cornell, a Travelers Insurance investigator and an expert on cargo thefts. Wherever they can sell it and move it, theyre going to.
Easier than electronics
Food and drinks are the most frequently stolen cargo items, Cornell said. Nuts are an easier target than other products, such as electronics, because there is no serial number and the evidence is gone once it is eaten, he said.
Crosswell said hes put in place new safeguards with hopes he doesnt fall victim once more, taking photographs and fingerprints of the roughly 25 truck drivers each day who pull up to the shipping docks.
Despite these efforts, Crosswell said he fears the criminals will strike again.
Whoever they are, theyre watching, Crosswell said. Theyll try it again. Theyll figure out how to beat the system. We just have to stay one step ahead of them.
Is Daisy feeling settled in her relationship with Daniel now or does she still struggle with the ghost of Sinead? I think she is feeling set...